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One thing was clear. He’d failed her, and that was completely unacceptable. No matter what the cost, he would do everything in his power to get her back.
Thirteen
Melody perched on the edge of the living room couch and contemplated her situation. Craig was obviously not ready to let her leave and she was not going to be able to get away from him. But he couldn’t be vigilant all the time. At some point he would have to sleep or leave her to go to work and that was when she could escape.
Of course, the problem was what he intended to do with her in the meantime.
“I knew you and I were meant to be together the first time I heard you sing,” Craig said, smiling at her with all the eager enthusiasm of an ardent lover.
“Craig, you know that I’m with Kyle.” It was nearly impossible to keep the fear out of her voice, and she worried how he’d react if she got hysterical.
“He isn’t going to be able to make you happy the way I can.”
“Maybe not,” she said, wondering how a seemingly normal guy could turn into a stalker. “But I love him.”
“I don’t think you do. You were leaving him after all.”
She’d been so wrong to confide in Craig. “I just needed some time to think.”
“Think about what?” Craig frowned. “He accused you of cheating on him.”
“How did you know that?” She thought about the nanny cam teddy bear Kyle had found and barely repressed a shudder.
“I heard it around. That’s why I knew he didn’t deserve you. A woman like you would never cheat on the man she loves.”
“No, but you mentioned that you saw the picture the paparazzi took of Hunter and me.” Melody forced herself to say. “You could see where in the moment we looked like we were together.”
“That’s because Hunter wants you back.”
Damn. The guy knew way too much about what was going on between her and Kyle. Was the teddy bear the only thing he’d bugged? She shuddered.
Craig continued, “He went to New York when you were there to see if there was a chance.”
“That’s crazy.” Melody knew she’d chosen the wrong word when Craig’s eyes widened. “What I meant to say was that Hunter didn’t come to New York to see if we could get back together. He knew I was in love with Kyle.”
“Yes, but you were in love with Hunter once, too.”
Melody shook her head. “I only thought I was in love with Hunter. Once I started seeing Kyle, I understood that I was following a pattern with Hunter. Being with him stirred up the same insecurity that my father makes me feel. Growing up, my father barely had any time for me. I was always seeking his love and approval. I equated love with deprivation. Kyle’s love made me stronger not weaker.”
As much as she disliked digging out her emotional baggage for this virtual stranger, Melody sensed that keeping him talking was going to be the best way to convince him to let her go.
“Your dad is a terrible person. I’ve worked with several artists who used to be on the West Coast Records label. They told stories about how he ruined careers of people who tried to stick up for themselves. And I don’t think he was any better with his own family.”
Again, Craig knew way more than the average person. “How do you know all that?”
“I listen. Sometimes I record stuff. You’d be surprised what goes on in the studio when no one’s around.”
Melody’s thought scrambled through the hundreds of hours she’d logged at Ugly Trout’s studios. What sorts of things had she talked about in the recording booth, imagining herself safe? Some of that time Melody had spent with Mia, sharing romantic angst in the days before Mia and Nate had sorted out their issues. Melody suspected Nate would be furious at what his employee had done.
“Why would you do that? Those were private conversations.”
“I need to know what’s going on. The last two places I worked went out of business and I wasn’t prepared to be out of a job. I swore that wouldn’t ever happen again. I wanted to make sure I knew exactly what was going on at Ugly Trout.”
“Why would you record me?”
“It wasn’t you specifically. I just bugged the studios.”
Melody noticed Craig had grown agitated as she put him on the spot and needed to calm him down. “Okay, I get it. Being out of a job is really scary and I promise if you let me go that I won’t tell anyone.”
