AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No,” he answers without hesitation.
I don’t know why, but I feel like I won. My eyes flare. “Why?”
“Because your contract is mine. Your life is mine. No one will mess with my shows, the record or you. Only me.” His eyes drop to my lips, and for a crazy second, I think he might kiss me. I must be losing my mind because I almost want him to. I want to eradicate the pain he thinks I caused him. It's unfair to me.
Onyx must be done talking though. He backs away from my body, his hands fall to his sides. His chest rises and falls, while we stand looking at each other. Without another glance or even a glare, he turns on his heels and leaves the room, slamming the door against the wall in the process. I jump from the noise and lay my hand over my heart, trying to calm it. Onyx is always intense; I never know where I am with him anymore. It seems we’re destined to keep spinning around each other in circles, waiting for the other to drop.
ChapterTwenty-Six
Jade
ME: It was an emergency. She’s my friend. You don’t own me.
Onyx: Your contract says otherwise. Two days. You girls have two days before you need to get your asses back to the US. The media is a shitstorm.
ME: We will. Go sing or something.
Onyx doesn’t reply, not that I expect him to. After our spat the other day, things have calmed between us. Practice was canceled and I wasn’t really sure what was going on other than the fact that Mia needed us. Ocean had the plane and I had the location. We flew to Aruba. We spent one day shopping, drinking and dancing crazily to Sia’s “Chandelier.” I don’t remember the last time I had this much fun with friends or felt close enough to anyone to just be myself.
“Is she really going to go back already?” Ocean asks from across the room in the other bed.
“I think she has to. Onyx said there is a media shitstorm going on.” I bite my lip and feel tears hit my eyes.
Ocean sighs. “I feel bad for her. She doesn’t deserve any of this. And now this news.”
I flip onto my back and will myself to get sleepy. I know the rest of the night I’ll be worried about Mia and probably not sleep at all. “Onyx said we have to be back in two days.”
Ocean snorts. “And you think he’s not obsessed with you.” She sighs and I know she's bummed the vacation is being cut short. We all wanted the time away to escape. “Okay. I’m ready whenever you are.”
“We’ll head back in two days,” I repeat, holding out against giving Onyx exactly what he wants makes me feel happy inside.
“Sure, babe.” Ocean chuckles. “You keep telling yourself that.”
The next morning, Mia leaves and Ocean and I spend the day on the beach. She doesn’t talk about it, but I can tell something is weighing on her. She finally takes her phone out and jumps online.
“This is not good.” Ocean covers her face with her hands and shows me the phone.
Mia’s name is being slandered all over the internet. An old document from her family has resurfaced and it does not paint Mia in the best light. In the middle of all of it is Zander Knight, looking unaffected and cold.
“You think we should go back?”
Oceans nods her head. “I want to stay, but I also think she’s going to need our help. You said Onyx said it was a shitstorm. Chances are, this could have a negative impact on Rosen Records and the tour.”
My fingers trace over my phone and I know what I need to do, even though I don’t want to. “Can you get the plane prepped and ready for takeoff?”
“Yup. You calling reinforcements?”
I nod and type out my message, letting him know I’ll be home tonight. I wait and finally three little dots dance on my screen.
Onyx: Good Girl.
* * *
Our plane landsat almost midnight, but just like he promised, there is a car waiting to take us to the hotel we’re staying at. We drive through the city streets before pulling into an underground garage. Spyder and Onyx are both waiting when we pull up and the driver stops the car. They both are an intimidating sight. Both are in suits, as if they just came from a press conference.
Spyder looks sad and resigned. Onyx is glaring daggers at me and I can already tell from the set of his jaw that he plans to have words. My chest deflates and I feel tired. I get out of the car and I’m jealous when Spyder gives Ocean a side hug, before bumping my fist.
“Paparazzi is crazy out front. Let's get you girls to the rooms, so we can have a chill rest of the night and face the disaster tomorrow,” he says.
