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“I’ll tell my bosses.” Eric sighs and leans toward me. “For what it’s worth, Ms. Pearce, they’re a great band. You were smart to get involved with them from the start. I can’t promise we’ll sign them, but this is going to help them a lot in the long-term.”
“Thank you for your time, Mr. Fold.” I stand and turn away. I’m about to cry and I can’t do it in this damn office. I hurry out the door and down the hall, retracing my steps to the elevator, and stand in front of the shining metal doors jabbing the call button while the secretary stares at me. I wonder how many crying girls come running out of that place.
When the car arrives, Ansell appears at my hip. “You okay?”
“Not at all.”
He grunts and puts an arm around my shoulders as we step into the car. The doors slide shut and I can’t hold the tears back any longer.
I sob into Ansell’s shoulder. For a second, I think he’s just going to stand there like the Ice King, but slowly he wraps his arms around me and holds me tight.
“I’m here,” he murmurs quietly. “You did good in there. I’m proud of you.” He holds me tighter. No it’ll be okay, no lying, no bullshit.
Just him, his arms around me, his voice as a crutch to lean on.
I cry for the descent. When we reach the bottom, I pull back and wipe my tears, and he looks at me with sorrow in his face for the first time ever. I didn’t think I’d ever see a look like this in his eyes.
“I didn’t want that,” he says and leans forward to kiss my cheek. His tongue licks softly at the tears there before he takes my hand and we leave the elevators together. “I wanted to find some other solution.”
“You knew it was me, didn’t you?”
“I suspected, but I wasn’t sure.”
“God, this is a nightmare. Even when something good happens, it’s ripped away.” I laugh bitterly as we step out into the afternoon sunlight. “How are we going to make peace with the Crawfords? They won’t be happy until I’ve lost everything.”
“We’ll find a way.” He glances at me, face hard. “I swear it.”
I smile weakly at him. My hands are shaking and I feel like hell and it’s like there’s a knife between my ribs, but I believe that if anyone can find a way to get Magnus Crawford to back down, it’s Ansell.
As we start back to the office, my phone buzzes. I pull it out and Ansell strides ahead, not breaking stride.
It’s a text from Bella Baby.
Hey, girl, super awk but, uh, we gotta talk about something.
I frown at my phone and glance up. Ansell’s still walking away, seemingly unaware that I’ve slowed down.
I text back, Sure, Baby, what’s going on?
We gotta talk in person, she sends. Can you get away from Ansell and meet me out tonight? IDK where, you choose, doesn’t matter to me.
Warning bells ring. This is bad, very bad, and if she’s asking me to come without Ansell then that means it concerns him somehow. Baby is a friend and she’s smart enough to know when something’s important, which means I’d better listen to whatever she has to say.
Okay, let’s meet at the Belgian Cafe. You know where it is?
Best bar in Fairmount. See you there. Make sure you come without Ansell, KK? It’s important!!!
I’ll be there alone, no worries.
I frown at my phone, trying to figure out what the hell is going on.
“Pearce!”
I look up, jumping slightly. Ansell’s halfway down the block now.
“Sorry!” I shove my phone away and hurry to catch up, already trying to figure out how I’m going to slip away for a second time after Ansell already punished me for doing it once.
Chapter 22
Marie
The interior of the Belgian Cafe is dark and modeled after an old-world pub with lots of wood and glass and ceramic details along the walls. Bella Baby’s sitting at the bar already sipping a glass of wine. I thought I was ten minutes early, but she looks like she got here a half-hour ago.
“Hey, girl,” I say and she hops up to kiss my cheek. She looks tired and jittery, like the weight of a secret is forcing her down.
“How’d you get away?” Her eyes glance over my shoulder. “You are alone, right? Does Ansell know you’re here?” She seems legitimately worried and afraid, which only makes me that much more nervous.
“I got lucky. He went with Baptist to scout some group tonight so I could just grab an Uber and head over. He has no clue I even left the apartment.”
She nods, looking uncomfortable, but sits down. I order wine from the bartender and Baby fiddles with her glass, clearly working herself up to something.
