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“Stay away from her, Leone.”
“I’m afraid it’s too late for that. I always get what I want, and right now, I want to see you twist and suffer. The best way to do that is through her,” he says, as his tone drips with malice.
“I told you she doesn’t mean anything to me,” I lie.
He laughs again as if we’re just having a casual conversation like we used to. “You think I believe that? I’ve done my homework and now you’re mine. We’ll talk again soon.” He disconnects the call.
I throw my phone in the seat next to me and curse. I try to calm myself down and think rationally. He has something he can use, or he wouldn’t be so cocky. I simply have to talk to Brittney and find out how bad it is, so I know how to get us out of it. And I will. I’ll fight for us no matter what it takes.
By the time she strolls up the sidewalk to her front door, darkness has covered me on her tiny front porch for the last hour or more as I sit perched to the side on the cold concrete. My mind has been racing with the worst possible scenarios. I was giving her until midnight, and then I was going to search for her, consequences be damned. But she’s finally home.
At first sight, I’m relieved she’s safe and all I want is to pull her into my arms and hold her close before making love to her all night, and pretend the Leones aren’t circling for any weak spots they can enter through. But I know in my gut they’ve already set their takedown of me in motion. The feeling of relief is replaced by anger mixed with dread.
She doesn’t notice me in the dark as she keeps her head down and retrieves her front door key. “How bad is it?” I ask flatly.
She startles and covers her mouth as her keys tumble to the ground. She lets out a soft laugh. “You scared me. How long have you been sitting there in the dark?”
“A while,” I say as I get to my feet and stand in front of her. I take her in warily. I want to trust her. I want to love her. But I need to know exactly what she’s done to make Matteo think he’s won. I cross my arms and ask again, “How bad is it?”
Her brows furrow in confusion. “I don’t know what you mean. How bad is what?”
“Matteo Leone. I told you to stay away from him, but you didn’t. So, what have you done that makes him think he has you?” I ask, as I ball my fists at my sides and wait for her answer.
She bends and scoops her keys off the porch before unlocking her door, and then motions for me to walk in first. Once inside, she tosses her keys and purse on the table before facing me, then she crosses her arms defensively.
“It’s only my music. I’m going to record and produce music with him and his label. That’s all,” she admits, with her chin lifted.
I run a hand down the stubble now covering my face. “It’s so much more than that, Brittney. Why didn’t you talk to me first? Why didn’t you listen when I told you he was trouble?”
Her eyes widen at first in shock and then narrow on their intended target as she gets ready to tell me like it is. “First of all, this happened after the night we had together which ended with you leaving me a note only an asshole would leave a woman. I was mad at you and figured I’d never talk to you again because you got what you wanted from me. It was the final push I needed to accept his offer to work with his label.”
She pauses long enough to move close and stand toe to toe with me. “Second, I only wanted to be able to pursue my dream of writing songs and singing them. And third, it was before the truth about what happened and didn’t happen with my sister tumbled from your lips. Before we promised to give each other a second chance.” Her lower lip quivers as she tries to keep her tears at bay.
My chest rises and falls rapidly as I listen, and then I take a step back. “You have no idea what you’ve done,” I say through gritted teeth. “When were you going to tell me?”
She appears wounded and hugs herself. “I was going to as soon as I knew how. I was going to give it a week or so and see if it was even worth my time.”
My heart stops in my chest. “You were going to see ifwewere worth your time?”
Her lips part in disbelief. “No, of course not.” She moves close and takes my hand. “You’re worth everything to me. I meant I was going to see if pursuing music through their label was worth my time. Then I was going to tell you or walk away from them.”
My heart starts beating normally when she says I’m worth it all to her, but then becomes erratic when she says she was going to simply walk away from them. No one simply walks away from the Leones. I cover her hand with my other one. “Please tell me you didn’t sign any kind of contract, Brittney.”
She doesn’t even have to say it out loud; her face answers me as her lips turn down and her shoulders drop. I jerk out of reach and brace myself on her nearby kitchen chair and hang my head.
“Let me see it. I need to see it now,” I tell her as calmly as I can manage even as I feel like a semitruck has slammed into me.
Her skin appears ashen as she goes to where her oversized purse sits and pulls out a manilla envelope. She hands it over and chews her lip. I stare at her briefly before pulling out the paperwork.
I scan the documents and see music terms, but as I get to the final page, which cleverly still has musical jargon, I see the damning evidence squeezed in the middle as if it were simply the mention of a new song she had to sing or certain musicians she had to work with…Brittney Jameson, the undersigned, does acknowledge and agree to this binding marriage contract with Matteo Leone, and can only be broken if he deems it so. Their engagement begins on the date below and the wedding will follow on a date of Matteo Leone’s choosing. All music recorded and written will remain the property of Fantasia, Inc. and the aforementioned Matteo Leone and family.
I throw the papers on the kitchen table and stare at Brittney. “Did you even read it?” I ask with deadly calm.
“Not completely. I scanned it quickly and it seemed to be in order. They were pressing me for an answer, and I didn’t want to lose my chance. I figured I’d read over it with a fine-tooth comb later. He promised me an out if I needed it. Why? What’s in there that’s so bad?” she asks innocently, but I can tell she’s clueless and afraid.
I need to get out of here so I can think. “Why don’t you read it and see for yourself. You may have lost your chance after all, just not with your music.” I glare at her as anger and a sense of betrayal from the woman I’ve fallen for twice burns a fiery path through my veins. As much as I want to comfort her and tell her it will all be okay, I don’t. I can’t right now. I don’t truly know if it will be. A tear slips down her cheek and lands on her chest. As much as it guts me, I leave her standing there alone.
My blood is frozen in my veins. I don’t know whether to cry, scream, or drive straight to Nashville and kick Matteo in the balls. I’m sick to my stomach. I was manipulated.I was gullible.I trusted a man I had no business trusting. All the little vibes I kept getting was my brain’s way of trying to warn me.
