Page 37 of Shatter

Plastic cracks from my left and I turn to see Mel has a death grip on her phone. I take it gently from her, as she's completely ignored the call. Her eyes are laser-focused on her mother, fury radiating off her tiny body in waves.

"Parker, we'll call you back," I say to the phone, but all of my attention is on the woman in front of me.

Marty puts his hands on her shoulders in an exaggerated display of comfort before moving her to the side and addressing the audience.

Reading from notecards, Marty speaks. "In light of the photographs circulating online yesterday, Parker Eli and Melody Snow have made the difficult decision to end their relationship. Melody was not aware of Parker’s actions prior to the publication of these images and is understandably hurt by the situation. Parker takes full responsibility for the pain and embarrassment his choices have caused her and deeply regrets that a private mistake has become a public one."

Melody's fists ball tight; her entire body a live wire.

"Out of respect for both Parker and Melody, we will not be commenting on the identity of the other individual involved or speculating about Parker’s private life. Parker hopes that, in time, his actions will be understood as the complicated choices of a young man navigating life under extraordinary public scrutiny. Both Parker and Melody remain committed to their current projects and ask for privacy as they move forward separately."

The crowd erupts; questions being shouted over top of each other, but Marty simply puts up a hand and walks away.

"I hate them," Melody whispers, her voice low and still, like it was last night when she first got to my condo.

I can't let her backslide into that mindset from last night.

I gather her in my arms and pull her stiff body into my lap. I turn off the TV, wanting to focus entirely on her..

She's straddling me again, but this time neither one of us is thinking about sex. Angry tears roll down her cheeks, and I'm torn between holding her and ripping her mother a new one.

Her balled-up fists pound my chest lightly as sobs wrack her small chest.

"They made him out to be the bad guy," she sobs, harsh and angry. I hold her through it all. If I thought I couldn't hate Athena any more, she just proved me wrong. "He just fell in love!" she shouts, finally collapsing against my chest and letting it all out. "What's wrong with that!?"

"Nothing at all." I run my hand up and down her back soothingly, holding her as she falls apart.

I can't protect her from her parents, and her anger and helplessness kill me.

"We can still make our own statement," I offer, knowing it's too little too late. But she nods and sniffs, her tears fading.

Finally, she collapses on my chest and drifts off to sleep.

I pull my phone from my pocket.

Me: Good afternoon, Vivek. Do you know Melody Snow?

His reply is immediate.

Vivek: Star of Fall in Love This Fall?

Me: Yes. I'd like you to dress her. Full wardrobe. Anything you think she may like. She'll be staying with me for an indeterminate amount of time, so anything you can think she might eed. Charge the card. No limit. Thank you

Vivek: It's an honor

I hold her as she sleeps, my mind working out all the ways I can get revenge.

Chapter twenty

Melody

I'm emotionally drained. I'm quiet on the drive to The Envelope, and I can feel the unease coming off of Harrison, but he's the one person I don't have to pretend for. He held me while I fell apart. He protected me from the public, my parents, and even myself. I don't feel the need to "perform" for him. He's shown me I can be imperfect and it doesn't change how he treats me.

But right now, I just feel numb. I was furious hours ago, watching my mother and agent paint someone I love in such a negative light. I'd felt fear last night when the public chased me down the street trying to get pics and videos of me. I'd felt giddy and then frustrated when I'd risked getting caught, and then Harrison didn't deliver on my punishment. But right now, I don't feel anything.

Maybe I should have stayed home.

Harrison parks behind The Envelope and is out of the car, rounding the hood and opening my door for me before I can even unbuckle. I take his hand and let him help me out of his Range Rover.