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Chapter 29
Grayson
Thebuzzerforthesecurity gates sounded.
“Gray, can you get that? Ethan shouted.
“Hello?” I spoke into the intercom.
“Hey, Gray, it’s Addi. Open up.” I pressed the buzzer to open the new security gates we'd had fitted and moved to the front door. Two cars pulled up outside and Addi, Mav, Tanner, and Frankie, as well as numerous security guards, spilled from their doors.
Frankie ran, leaping at me, and I scooped her up, having hardly seen her over the last few months.
“Hey, big brother. You look like you again. Shit, you scared me for a while. Tell me we’re here so you can declare you’re okay and happy? Please.”
“Hey little one, I’m doing better. But I have no idea why you’re here. I didn’t even know you were coming.”
“Really?” Frankie frowned. “Addi’s been going on about it for hours. Told us if we were late she would make us pay for it later. You know how scary she can be. What have you been up to since I saw you last… actually, I don’t want to know.” She nudged my shoulder, and I laughed.
“No, little sister, you probably don’t want to know.”
“Being married suits you, Gray. I mean it. I know the mention of your thruple makes me laugh, but I’m happy you’ve found your people.”
I kissed her forehead, smiling at her words before we were interrupted by loud footsteps.
“Hey guys, how are you all?” Ethan asked as he walked out of the office, looking utterly edible in black jeans and a light blue wool sweater.
“It’s 4.55 pm. Anything?” Addi asked him.
Ethan shook his head. “Don’t worry, it'll be two seconds to five before we hear.”
“What are we talking about?” I asked, confused.
“I’ll tell you everything, Gray, but you just have to wait until I get the final confirmation. Coffee anyone?”
Ethan moved to our kitchen, making coffees and pouring water. I followed him because I couldn’t help but notice how nervous he looked.
“You okay?” I whispered as I moved to help him carry the drinks.
“I will be,” he replied, but before I could ask him to explain what he meant, he kissed my temple and walked into the dining room, where he placed his phone on the table and stared at it like he was willing it to ring.
“While we’re waiting, I have something I need to say,” Addi announced, her voice wavering. “Gray, I am so sorry for what you went through with Hazel. What I let happen. I know I said some things about your relationship with Ivy and Ethan. I meant them, in that I was thinking about the band and the impact it might have, but I never gave you a chance to enjoy or explore the connection you had with them. And I think my reaction might have affected how you dealt with Hazel. I can’t change that, but I can tell you how sorry I am. I promise I will protect your relationship with everything I have because it’s what you want. And my job is to help you have the happy… and healthy,” she raised an eyebrow at Tanner, “lives you want. I got distracted from that for a while, but I think I’ve found a solution to help me. We just need to wait for one more bit of—”
Ethan’s phone beeped loudly. He picked it up, unlocking it, taking a minute to read whatever he’d just received. He turned to Addi with a huge smile spread across his face. “We got it. All of it. The others have gone already. You sure you want to do this?” Ethan asked her.
“I’m all in. Question is, are you?”
“All in, partner.”
I watched Addi smile back at my husband in a conversation I didn’t understand as Ivy stared at them, looking equally confused.
“Earlier today, Ethan and I had a meeting with the record label that we’ve been trying to get since we were in the US. Ethan asked to meet with Jaxx and demanded they bring Hazel as well. I won’t lie, Ethan was scary as hell. He tore strips off Hazel and then threatened Jaxx, showing him some evidence we’ve spent the last few months collecting. The long and short of it is that you can walk away from the label if you choose. No backlash, no fines, nothing.”
Frankie gasped and Tanner and Mav sat silently, their mouths hanging open, but I knew what was at stake. I knew what they’d lose if we did this.
“That’s a lovely idea, Addi, but they own the rights to all our music. What’s the point of walking away if we can’t play our own songs without getting sued?” I replied, the finality of the situation hanging from my words.
“What the hell, Gray?” Tanner questioned. “Tell me that wasn’t what all of this was about. You put up with her shit because of our music?”
