Page 36 of Fame & Rhythm

“Well, did you think about your m-mum?” he adds, his voice breaking slightly under the anger. “About what it would do to her if you were taken away? What about your sister? Or me?” My chest aches. “I love you, for fuck’s sake,” he says, the anger cracking just enough to reveal something deeper beneath it. “And you’re out here risking everything over one stupid decision.” Mum steps closer, taking his hand as his whole body starts to shake. “I can’t lose you, Annie,” he says, quieter now.

That hits harder than anything else.

“I’m so sorry,” I whisper. “I didn’t think—”

“You’re right,” he cuts in, turning his back to me. “You didn’t. Now go to your room. I can’t look at you right now.”

I bite my bottom lip and glance at Mum. She gives me a small, sad nod, gently urging me toward the stairs while rubbing Dad’s back.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper again.

I look at Caleb, and he gives me a small, reassuring smile, his hand brushing my shoulder before I turn and walk out of the kitchen, my legs heavy, my chest tight. The second I hit the hallway, I stop and lean back against the wall, closing my eyes as the tears spill freely down my face.

“We could have lost her, Dee,” Dad’s voice carries from the kitchen, quieter now… broken.

My eyes snap open.

That hurts more than the yelling ever could.

“I know, babe,” Mum says softly. “But Caleb took care of her. You saw her. She’s okay. Our girl is okay.”

I drag a shaky breath in and press my hand to my forehead, guilt crashing over me.

“Thank you, Caleb, for taking her to the hospital,” Dad says. “Was she really that bad?”

“She wasn’t great,” Caleb admits, his voice steady. “But Indi got fluids into her. She’ll be okay. Just a rough morning ahead.”

Chairs scrape softly, and I picture them all sitting at the table.

“Why didn’t you come and get me?” Dad asks, his tone calmer now. “Or tell us you’d taken her to the hospital?”

“Because I didn’t want that scene happening in a hospital full of people with phones,” Caleb replies. “If anyone saw you there, it would’ve blown up. I figured it was better to sort it out quietly and bring her home once she was stable.”

There’s a pause.

“I don’t want this getting out any more than you do, Colt,” he adds. “Staked means too much to me to let something like this take us down before we’ve even started.”

That one cuts deep.

I cover my face in shame with both hands and break, really break this time, my shoulders shaking as the weight of it all crashes down on me.

I don’t hear the rest.

There’s a ringing in my ears, my body drained, my emotions wrung dry. I’ve got to get to bed, so I push off the wall and head upstairs, moving quickly, needing to get away from everything.

As I reach my room, Ella’s door opens.

“Are you okay?” she asks, her voice soft, sleepy. “Dad sounded pretty angry.”

“I’m fine, Elle’s Bells,” I say, forcing something close to normal into my voice. “Just go back to sleep.”

“If you need me, I’m here.”

I pause, then nod. “Thanks, Ella… but I need to be alone right now.”

She gives me a small smile and closes her door.

I slip into my room, shutting the door behind me, and kick off my combat boots before dragging myself toward the bed. I pull my phone from my bra and plug it in, the screen lighting up with missed calls.