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“I have a call with Levi, but I’ll be back in an hour and then we can work out what the hell to do about this mess.”
Emmy
I’dbeenbackinthe UK for a couple of days. I’d avoided the news, the papers, and social media because I didn’t want to hear about or see anything to do with Tanner or the Cosmic Gods.
As my anger cooled, I felt awful about the way I’d left. Not awful for Tanner, because that lying, cheating, pile of scum could rot in hell, but for how I’d left the others. They’d all become real friends over the last few months… family even, and I didn’t have many people I was close to. They’d deserved so much more than me running out on them in the middle of the night.
In my defense, seeing him like that broke me and stopped me from thinking rationally. Although now that I’d put some distance between us, he was all I could think about.Why would he sleep with them? Why would he fall from his sobriety so spectacularly? Did he want to get caught?I wondered if Addi had quit or if the twins and Frankie walked away. I wondered if he was filling his bed with groupies each night. I wondered how much I’d hurt him by running like I did, making his worst fears come true. I wondered if he missed me.
Stop torturing yourself, Emmy. It’s over. He didn’t want you.
I wiped a solo tear from my face. I thought I’d run out of tears because I’d cried so much since I’d left LA. Although neither Thomas nor Melissa seemed to mind, letting me sob out all my anger and pain while they took care of me.
I sighed, turning my attention back to my laptop. If I could finish this book—their book—then I could draw a line under it all and get on with the next chapter of my life. Every word I wrote was like a knife to the heart, but I loved being able to pull their story together and watch them all come to life on the page. I was so proud of how it had all come together, but it was a bitter pill.
As I was writing about Frankie, someone knocked lightly on my door and Thomas peered in.
“Emmy, how you doing?”
“I’m okay. Thanks again for letting me stay.”
“You need to stop thanking me. You’re more than welcome. The kids love having a new person here and Lissa loves having you around, as do I. You’re free to stay for as long as you need. I just wanted to let you know that I have to go away for work. I’m not sure how long I’ll be gone, but I don’t want you to leave the house without one of my team with you. It’s really important. The press know about you and Tanner and they will be like piranhas when they find out you’re back in the UK without him. I need to be sure you’re safe. Okay?”
“Understood. I have a book to finish writing, so I don’t think I will be going anywhere, but I won’t take any chances. Promise.”
Chapter 30
Tanner
Thomasarrivedacoupleof hours ago and had called us together to update us. “There is no sign of that man who helped those girls get to you. We’re guessing he managed to find a way to get back with the crew—maybe his makeover and new some ID, so someone hired him as casual staff. I can’t see another way for him to get backstage, but that doesn’t explain how he got near the penthouse.” Thomas stood across from us, suit jacket unfastened, his gun holster on show.
“Now it looks like he’s vanished. All the details you had on him from when you employed him originally were falsified, so it makes finding him impossible, although I have a team searching for anything we can find out about him, just in case we get lucky. I’ve circulated his photo backstage so everyone is on the lookout in case he comes back. I’ve also spoken to the rest of the staff and made it clear where their loyalty needs to lie if they want to keep their jobs. I’ve brought in more of my team to work ‘undercover’ with the crew, so I can have more ears on the ground.”
“Your mum has been arrested, Tanner, for breaching the restraining order and endangering your life. I’d like to say it’s all over, but it feels too easy.” I sighed, silently agreeing with him. “Is there anyone else you can think of who might want to get at you? From your past? Recently? Anything that could explain all of this?”
We’d just moved to New York for our next set of gigs. I’d been given the all-clear, but we now had a doctor traveling with us so they could monitor my heart rate and blood pressure. I was exhausted all the time, and they were worried the drugging had done some long-term damage. Which was ironic, given how many drugs I’d forced into my body over the years.
Thomas raised his brow, waiting for an answer. “It has to be her. She’s always hated me. She hates me having success and money. She thinks I owe her because she gave birth to me.” Memories of her words over the years spun through my head until I could almost taste the disdain she felt for me.
“Okay, if you’re sure. I’m going to go and check the CCTV from that night and see if I can spot anything that Rob missed. He’s been keeping an eye on all the security footage for me.”
“Thomas, before you go… Emmy?” I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to stay calm, but desperate to know how she was doing.
“Don’t make me betray her trust, Tanner.”
“I just want to know she’s okay. Please,” I begged.
“She found her boyfriend off his face, in bed with two naked women, wearing a used condom, days after he humiliated her and called her a slut in front of a room full of people. Honestly, how do you think she feels?”
Hearing it laid out so bluntly hit hard. “I wanted to call her and explain, but she’s blocked my number. Can you talk to her for me? Tell her what happened?”
“No. It’s not my story to tell, Tanner, and when the time is right, you’ll tell her. She’s hurting. It wasn’t just that night, but everything that came before. She fell into your life and it’s a lot to take. She needs to spend time away from you to work out if it’s for her. If you’re right for her, you’ll find a way back to each other. I won’t push her into anything.”
“Wanker,” I mumbled under my breath.
“I am. And I won’t apologize for that. She doesn’t have anyone looking out for her, Tanner. I won’t let her get swallowed up by her circumstances. There are lots of ways to protect someone. Not every way needs my gun.”
I ran my fingers through my hair again and sighed. “Sorry, Thomas. I know you mean well, and I’m glad she has you watching over her, but I miss her so much it hurts.”
