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“What the hell, Addi? How did someone do this? How did they find out? It’s been months. She’s stayed hidden. How do I tell her that she’s the center of a media shit storm?”
“I can’t do much while we’re in the air, Tanner, but I will sort it. I promise. We’ll keep her safe.”
“Death threats, Addi. Death threats. I mean—”
“I know. It’s fucked up, but we have the best security. They will keep us all safe. Matt, can you email Thomas and let him know what’s going on? See if he has any advice for us.”
Nerves hit me hard, as I stood to join their conversation. “Who’s getting death threats?” I asked, and they both spun around to face me.
“Fuck, Em. Where did you sneak up from?” Tanner spluttered.
“Who’s getting death threats, Tan?”
Cupping my face, he sighed, looking defeated. “You are, angel. I’m so sorry. Today’s newspapers are full of stories about you. You’re all over the news. Someone leaked who you are, what you’re doing with us, and that we’re together. The internet has gone into meltdown and every person with a social media account seems to be hating on you.”
Anger bubbled in my belly. Not for the death threats but for the fact someone was trying to get to me to hurt the band and it made me furious. “Screw them. I don’t care about them. But what about the book? You didn’t want anyone to know about it. How about we focus on saving that? Addi, you need to get someone to design a cover ASAP and get it out for preorder today. That means we get there first, and no one can sneak in with some unofficial pile of crap. You need some adverts running, get it on the band website, and send it out to your mailing list. We need to flood every platform with this book so we have the market share of interest.”
Tanner looked at me like I’d lost my mind. “Emmy, you don’t need to protect us right now. We need to focus on you, angel.”
I glanced around at the band, Addi, and Matt, who all stood around us. I didn’t know if they expected me to fall apart, but all I cared about was protecting them. “No, we need to save your book. It’s bloody good so far and I won’t have it shelved because some evil mole sold me out. I swear, your mother has a lot to answer for, Tanner. I think I hate her as much as you do.”
Addi spoke. “Gray, do you remember that photographer we used? You went to sort our website photos with her. What was her name and wasn’t her husband a graphic designer? Can you call her and see if she can sort a temporary cover for us?”
Gray and I shared a look as he chuckled. “Consider it done, Addi.”
“Right, apart from half the population wanting to kill me because I’m hooking up with their favorite rock star, what else do I need to know?” Tanner pulled me against him, his hard cock pressing into my hip. “You should know that Ireallylike this fierce side of you, angel. I want to fuck you so hard right now.”
“Fucking later, Tan. Let’s deal with the death threats first.”
Rylee turned on the TV and flicked through the news channels and my face was everywhere. Footage of me at the BRITS, in Paris, and the other countries we’d visited. Someone had been following me and had been pretty close, which freaked me out the most. Matt stepped toward me. “You’re safe, Emmy. We’d never let them get to you.”
“I know, Matt. Thanks. It’s just a lot. I’m no one. I like being hidden and now, this.”
I watched the news story as they flashed photos of me on the screen and then there was a photo that made the entire plane silent.
“Emmy Winters is the daughter of rock star legend Leo Levinson of The Guitar Dogs,”the reporter announced.
Tanner gasped, dropping his hands from my body. “What the hell, Em? Leo Levinson is your dad? You didn’t think to mention it to any of us? I mean, that’s a gigantic piece of information to keep to yourself. We’ve been pouring our secrets out to you, and what? You’ve been sitting there, laughing at us for having no clue who you were?” I watched him pace, raking his fingers through his hair, his jaw tense, and his eyes flaring with anger.
“Tanner, listen to the girl before you chew her out. You’ve not even heard her side of the story,” Mav argued.
“What was it? Were you missing the lifestyle? Did you decide you’d find a younger band to latch onto? I thought you were sweet, innocent, not caring about the trappings of this life, all the while you’ve been trying to recreate the life you had with your dad. What… did he cut you out of your trust fund? Not let you write his story? How could you hide that from us? From me?”
“Stop it, Tan. You sound like a dick,” Frankie cried.
Tears welled up in my eyes and despite being outed on the news and sent death threats, this hurt the most because despite what we had, he’d jumped to the worst possible conclusion.
I spoke, my voice choked as I tried to hide the tears that threatened to spill over. “Not that it’s any of your business, but he’s my dad in name only. My mum met him, fell in love, and he promised her the world until she got pregnant, then he paid her to get rid of me and never speak to him again. She only did half of what he told her. She kept me and never took a penny from him. Mum never hid who my dad was, but I didn’t want anything to do with him and he’s never wanted to know me. I’ve never even met him. The only link he has to me is that his worthless name is on my birth certificate because Mum wanted it on there.” Suddenly, anger replaced my tears, my head spinning. “How fucking dare you, Tanner. I’m not here for the ride. Addi came to me. You begged me to come back when I left. How have I made you feel like I’m here for any other reason?”
His mouth fell open. “Emmy, I’m sorr—”
“I swear if you say you’re sorry, Tanner, and expect that to be enough, I will kick you in the balls. I’m so fucking sick of you doing things that hurt and then expecting an apology to be enough. I’m going to sit down. Stay the hell away from me. I can’t even look at you right now.”
“Angel, please.” I heard Matt telling him to step away and right now, I loved that I had a bodyguard.
“Emmy, we need to talk.” Addison sat down next to me with a sigh. “It’s going to be pretty manic when we leave here. The world just found out you’re dating Tanner Hastings and they will all want a piece of you. I’m guessing there will be press at the airport, people tailing us, trying to get your photo. How do you want to handle it?”
“Tanner?” I yelled, raising my eyebrow at him, making it clear that I meant business.
