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“Who’s Shane?” he asks, his voice is flat making it hard to decipher by his tone if he’s being serious. “I was just wondering how you were doing.” Mmm-hmm, sure.
I rub my temple, debating if I should make an excuse that I have to go or continue talking. “He’s just a guy they had me working with. Nobody important.” I pause, waiting for a hint of disapproval, but he stays silent. “I’m doing good. How ‘bout you?”
“Been busy with work, but same old shit. Have you recorded any songs?”
I narrow my eyes. This is his way of getting me to talk about Shane. Nice try, but if he wants me to talk about what happened, he needs to admit he knows. And who told him?
“I’ve been working with a couple songwriters.” If only that was true. Nope, just one bastard that’ll destroy me in this business. “But, I’ve yet to record a song.” Probably never will.
“You sound disappointed.”
“I just wonder if I belong in this world. I’m like a balloon floating in the vast open sky, just waiting to be popped. Self doubt is a killer,” I admit, my fears getting the best of me. Singing on stage at a local bar is uncomplicated and effortless, but becoming a star might take the rest of my fractured soul.
“Sydney,” he says sternly. “If anyone should be in the spotlight, it’s you. I know how much fight you have in you, use it to control what you want and don’t let anyone stop you from what you deserve.”
His pep talk brings a smile to my face. I want to ask why he’s always my cheerleader when I’ve been nothing but ungrateful by walking out on him. Instead, I say, “Thanks, Max.”
My phone dings in my ear, so I pull it back real quick and see a text from Graham.
G-love: Meet me at Starbucks in an hour.
I dread hearing what he has to say. He was Team Sky and ready to set up the firing squad. With him, it’s all bark. Max, I’m afraid of his bite. Graham had a meeting with Jude this morning. One thing is for certain, I’m not working with the douchebag, Shane, anymore.
“Well, work is calling,” I reluctantly say, enjoying hearing his voice. “Thanks for checking on me.”
“No problem. And hey, Tink…” He pauses for a beat and I hold my breath, waiting for him to continue. “I’m proud of you for standing up for yourself.”
He knew.
“Thanks,” I whisper. “Did Addison tell you?”
I glance at the phone when I hear nothing, confirming he hung up. Holding it to my chest, I release a puff of air. His words boost my confidence that I did the right thing, but didn’t answer my question of who the rat is.
* * *
“Why are you staring at me like I’m a Rubix Cube?” Graham says, setting his black, nothing added, coffee on the table. “I can already tell you, you’ll never match all the colors of this cube.” He waves a hand in front of his body and laughs.
I bite my lip to stop from laughing. It’ll only encourage him to keep going if he knows he’s entertaining. “I am trying to figure something out.” He lifts his brow. “Do you like Max more than you do me?”
There’s a slight tic at the corner of his mouth. “Well, that depends.”
A small gasp slips from my lips. “On what? You’re supposed to always be on my side. It was you, wasn’t it?”
He holds his hands in the air. “Hold up there, love. Don’t get your panties in a ruffle. I’m on your side, always. But if I’m going to pick a lover, let’s say, it won’t be you. But that’s not what you were referring to, was it?”
I shake my head. “No. Someone told Max about Shane.”
Graham sits up tall, eyes wide open, with his hand on his chest. “You think I did?” He opens his mouth and then snaps it shut, acting like I insulted him. “You need to be asking your other BFF.”
“I don’t think it was her. She’s still upset that Max withheld where I was for a year. She has the one-up knowing something Max doesn’t. So, if it wasn’t you or Addie, who?”
Graham’s lips twist as he thinks, his gaze set on the ceiling. “The only people aware of the Shane situation is Jude, me and your security team. We needed to make sure they were aware to never let him near you again.”
I slap my forehead with my palm. That man is relentless. “I bet one of the guys is moonlighting for Max.”
Graham slams his hand on the table, making me jump. “What? They signed a non-disclosure agreement when working for me. This is unacceptable.” He doesn’t know the extremes Max will go to get his way, which includes killing people.
A few people glance our direction. “Shh.” I put my finger to my lips. “Don’t worry about it too much. You can’t stop Max. If he wants to watch over me, he’ll find a way.”
