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Tanner’s jaw clenched and twitched with rage and Addi sat with her face buried in her hands, so I took charge. “Levi, it’s Emmy. We’re listening, but this better be good.”
“Tanner, none of this was me. I’ve not said a word. I wouldn’t. I swore an oath to keep my client’s conversations private. I’ve been doing this for decades and you think I decided to break that now?”
“Tanner is a very famous man, Levi. Maybe you just saw a meal ticket and a way to retire,” I replied.
“That’s not true. I love my job. This… this is bullshit. Someone listened to our conversations and claimed I sold you out. I’m so sorry, Tanner. Sorry that this leaked out. While the conversations they printed may be based on fact, what they say I said about you… I didn’t. I would never. You have been sober for nearly a year, you’re doing amazingly. I would never say you were too broken and beyond fixing. Not ever. While I don’t want you to assume I sold you out, because I didn’t, that’s not what’s important here. What’s important is that you trust I didn’t say those things about you. I don’t feel those things. God, if you slipped because of this, I couldn’t live with myself. You know who I am, Tanner. We have spoken for hours each week. Do you think I would really do this?”
“I don’t know what to think, Levi. I need some time. Rylee. You can hang up now and I don’t want to speak to him again.”
“Thanks, Rylee.You can leave.” I sighed out as I wrapped myself around Tanner, holding him because I was terrified he was about to break, while next to me I saw Mav wrap Addi up in his arms as she fell apart.
We stayed there for a while; the silence surrounding us all until I couldn’t take anymore.
“Fuck this. I refuse to let whoever’s doing this hurt any of you again. This is the end of it. Frankie, hug your brother until I get back, so I know he won’t fall apart.”
“Where are you going, Em?” Tanner lifted his head, his sad eyes looking concerned.
“Just to make a call, rock star. I’ll be in our room.”
He noticed my words, and a small smile tugged at his lips at the mention ofourroom.
I winked before I turned to call Thomas.
I paced the length of the room as I made the call. “Someone is listening in, Thomas. I know it. They had his sessions with Levi down, word for word. Levi swears it’s not him. You’ve checked him out and thought he was one of the good ones. Whoever this is, is trying to break Tanner and right now it looks like they might succeed.”
“Okay, I need Tanner’s laptop and I will get Levi’s. I’ll also have the hotel and Levi’s office swept for bugs again, but are you sure this man didn’t just sell Tanner out? It’s more common than you’d expect.”
“I don’t know for sure, but why would he phone? Why didn’t he just take the money and run? Something doesn’t feel right, Thomas. It feels too close.” I flopped to the bed, exhausted by all this and desperate for it all to be over.
“Okay, Emmy. Stay inside today until I get there. All of you. I’m on my way and so is my team.”
I hung up, letting out a massive sigh, knowing I needed to shake them all out of their sadness because they had a gig to do later. A huge gig that was being broadcast all over the world. They were playing a charity event along with twelve other bands across six different countries. Cosmic Gods were headlining the whole thing and had a 30-minute slot at the end of the night. I knew what it meant to them all and how excited they were about playing some of Frankie’s new songs. I refused to let this spoil it for them.
I walked back to where they all sat, their frustration and pain palpable.
“Right, no more sadness. This is a shit start to the day, and we need food and coffee. Addi, you will not quit. That’s stupid. This lot couldn’t do what they do without you. None of this is on you. You can feel sad and enjoy Mav’s magic hugs for another minute, and then you’re done. Do you hear me?” She lifted her head, wide-eyed at my bossy attitude, and nodded, but not before I noticed Mav’s arms tightening around her like he didn’t want to let her go.
“Tanner, you’re in the public eye, which means the whole world has an opinion about you. Who gives a fuck what these stories say? The people that matter… us… we know you’ve changed and you’re strong enough to make your sobriety stick. Don’t let their words change that. You can simply choose to ignore it all because it’s all bullshit.”
I watched as Tanner sat taller, running his fingers through his hair before he spoke. “Thank you, angel.”
“God, Em, remind me to never cross you. Did someone put a firework inside you? You’re scary as shit this morning,” Frankie laughed out.
“I’m just fed up with all this crap. You guys don’t deserve any of this. And it’s time to find out who’s doing it. But first, you have a gig to do. Tonight, you get to make history. I can’t wait to watch you play all over the world to millions.”
Tanner looked over at Addi. “Addi, you good? Are you with us? Because I’m not doing this if you’re not on board. You are as much a part of this band as we are. Em’s right. We can’t let this break us. Otherwise, they’ve won.”
Addi wiped the tears from her face. “Of course I’m in. You guys are everything to me.”
“Right, let’s eat because this is way too much drama to have on an empty stomach,” I declared.
Tanner stood and leaned into my ear before I could move too far away from him. “I might need to work off some of this pent-up emotion after breakfast, angel. You strangling my cock with your sweet walls seems a perfect way.”
I shivered with a smile. “I’m sure I can help with that, rock star.”
Chapter 39
Tanner
