Page 88 of Before the Encore

The sound of Bonnie’s orgasm had Madison arching off the bed, the tight cord growing hotter and hotter until it burst, flooding her with delicious heat. She bit her lip, stifling the moan ripping through her throat. Her legs spasmed beneath her, the phone nearly slipping from the crook in her neck.

As their breathing synced back into rhythm, Madison fought back a yawn. Three in the morning was far too late to still be awake—something, a few months ago, Madison would’ve scoffed at, then ordered another drink from the bar. But this was much better.

As her muscles burned with a satisfying ache, Madison tucked a pillow between her legs, letting Bonnie’s soft voice coax her into the depths of sleep.

Chapter Twenty-One

Bonnie

“Okay, Bonnie.” Keelon waved his hands like his next question was going to be the most groundbreaking yet—and he hadn’t just spent the last hour peering down her top. “If you were a fish, do you think you’d still want to be a singer, or would you have a different job?”

Bonnie pressed her lips together and sighed, casting a look across the private patio of the café, towards Bailey. His mushrooming stomach was squeezed into a blue shirt like a sausage. His attention fell on the young brunette woman sitting opposite, speaking in hushed tones.

Clearly, her manager wasn’t picking up on her distress signals. Typical. Bonnie’s skin prickled.

“I guess…I would still try to be a singer, yes.”

“Ooh, slay!” Keelon snapped his fingers towards the camera. “You heard it here first. Bonnie Bloom meets Ariel! I smell a Grammy with that one. What do you think? Comment below. Would you listen to it?”

Bonnie wished she were submerged underwater so she wouldn’t have to suffer this interview anymore. In the short time she’d spoken with Keelon—or his internet name soggybisquit—she hadn’t discussed her album or the new single at all. She had discussed hard hitting topics such as whether she folded or scrunched toilet roll, what her favourite kitchen appliance was, and whether she wanted to be buried or cremated when she died.

This was the third influencer this week. She had no idea she could miss Nikita Dixon and her sharp red talons so much. At least then she got to speak about music.

She also missed her interview partner; Madison would’ve had some great answers.

Keelon downed the last of his fizzy orange, smacking his lips. Freckles covered the length of his arms and cheeks, his curly hair bouncing as he nodded to his two ‘camera men’ wearing backwards caps. Bonnie was probably old enough to be their mother. “Let’s wrap it up.”

Relief fell over her, but she tried not to show it. Honestly, she didn’t know how many more ‘would you rathers’ she could listen to before she walked into traffic.

When the outro had been successfully filmed and the cameras and microphones switched off, Keelon and his goons retreated inside the café to sample and video their sweet treats for a TikTok. Bonnie’s stress levels lowered as their laughter and voices grew quieter. They’d hired out the café to film the interview, so now only Bailey and a woman called Naomi remained. Bonnie didn’t know what role Naomi played in Keelon’s channel and subsequent career. Her job title sounded like a load of words stacked on top of each other.

Neither Naomi nor Bailey acknowledged her when she approached, making Bonnie’s raised hackles stiffen harder. She’d had to suffer through this stupid interview about fish and toilet roll while the two of them hadn’t even paid attention. She strongly suspected this was Bailey’s payback for her set alteration, but maybe she was being paranoid.

“All done here?” she asked. “Where’s Scarlett?”

“Handling some calls,” he answered without looking up.

With Grammy nominations coming up and her new album performing well, Bonnie was awaiting the news any day now. “Anything I should know about?” she asked.

A shark-like grin stretched across his face. “If there is, I’ll let you know.”

Heat flushed her neck, and she hovered awkwardly. She didn’t recall him always being such a jerk.

Finally, Naomi lifted a pointed chin towards her. “Did you have fun?” she asked, dripping with condescension, like Bonnie had just returned from playing hide and seek with her friends.

“We didn’t exactly talk about my music.”

“Oh, yeah, the boys are like that. They fly on the wind. That’s what makes them so popular.”

“Right.” Bonnie wanted to say more, but she bit her tongue. At least it was over now.

Naomi ran her tanned hand along her collarbone, pouting her plump lips. “They run a popular prank series too. We were finalising you appearing on some episodes.”

Bonnie raised her eyebrows. “Pranks?”

“A series of practical jokes.”

Bonnie gritted her teeth. “I know what pranks are.”