Chapter 44
“The car will be here in five minutes,” I tell Sully when he returns with our coffees. He rests his arms on the standing table and grins.
“We’re going to need to pack my shit fast before anyone realizes I’m gone and sends someone to check the house,” he says.
“Of course.” I sip my coffee. “Do you think they know where I live?” Fear pricks across my skin like bugs. I’d hate for Amy or Gigi to chew out Alice or catch me off guard…again.
“No idea. I wouldn’t doubt it. We need to hide out until they leave town in three days.”
“Oh, sure, no problem,” I mutter, rolling my eyes. Finding a place to lay low without using credit cards—just in case his team has someone who can track that stuff—totally simple.
My phone buzzes. I read Alice’s message and my heart plummets.
They found me! I hope you’re far away because they’re searching for Sully!
“Crap…” I click my phone off and eye the door. “We need to go. There’s no time for the car.”
“What’s wrong?” Sully grabs my arms. “Tell me.”
“Alice was found. They know I was there, and you’re gone.”
“Shit.” He shoves the coffee shop’s door open and looks down the street. He returns, his face drained of color. “The entire band, Amy, and fucking Gigi are headed this way. Do you think there’s an exit in the back?”
I look behind us. The place is small with three tall tables to stand around and a cramped area to order and pick up. Three people stand in line and the only way out back is through the employees-only area. Our only Hail Mary is to hide in the single-person bathroom.
“I have an idea.” I grab Sully’s wrist and tug him toward the tiny bathroom, but the damn door is locked. I knock with no answer. “Shit. You probably need to ask for the key.”
“Our executioner is coming.” He shields me from view as six people file in. Alice is in the center of the group with a deep frown and lines on her forehead. She’s their hostage and this is all my fault.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Amy spits, poking Sully in the chest with her finger. “You leave without a word and with this…groupie.”
That word is a knife to the gut, but I can’t react. I won’t fall apart and lash out. The only way out of this is if we remain level-headed and try to compromise.
I gently push Sully to the side and step forward. “Why can’t we just—”
“Don’t you say another word.” Gigi’s eyes cut into me sharper than razor blades. “I should call the police on you and your friend for trespassing. For stalking.” Her eyes blaze with fire. She smacks Amy’s arm. “Can you report them?”
Alice stiffens her spine and bursts through the crowd. “I need caffeine dealing with you fuckers.” She marches to the counter without a glance behind her.
Amy nods at Gigi, typing something on her phone. “Yes, of course. We need to keep the show on track and away from these nobodies,” she says.
Gigi claps. “Well, then. Let’s get back.
The venue is losing it with all their artists missing and the doors opening in less than an hour.
” She frowns, looking at her phone. “But devoted fans know how to wait for a good thing. I’m planning a duet cover.
” Gigi reaches for Sully’s wrist. “And we can finally publicly announce our engagement.” She looks at me when she says that.
Sully yanks his arm back and slams it around my waist, anchoring me to his side. “That’s enough.” His voice is low but thunderous, vibrating through his chest like a warning growl.
“I don’t know what kind of delusion you’re living in, but I never proposed to you. Not then. Not ever.” His eyes burn with fury now. “We were collaborating on two songs. That’s it. It was business. Creating buzz for the tour. Nothing more.”
He turns, locking eyes with Gigi. “But that’s over now.
I’m done playing polite. Being nice has only let people walk all over me and twist my silence into consent.
I’m not your damn puppet, and I’m sure as hell not a trophy you can drag out when it suits you.
I’m done letting other people dictate my life. ”
Gigi flinches, her perfectly painted smile cracking just a little. “Sully, baby…you don’t mean that.” Her voice trembles, not with fear, but with disbelief—like she’s not used to being told no. “You’re just upset. You’re letting her twist things.”
She steps toward him, but Sully tightens his grip around me, like a physical declaration of where he stands.
“I mean every word,” he says coldly. “And don’t you dare blame her for your games.”
Gigi’s eyes dart to me, venomous now. “You think she’s not using you? Don’t be stupid, Sully. She’s a phase.” Her voice gets sharper, more desperate with each word. “You need me. Your image, your tour—everything we built—”
“We built nothing,” he snaps. “You built castles out of PR stunts and lies.”
Gigi’s jaw tightens. The facade slips entirely now, revealing something hard and bitter underneath. “Fine,” she spits. “Burn it all down.”
Sully doesn’t flinch. “I’d rather crawl through the ashes than live another second under your thumb.”
Amy moves forward, snapping, “Stop it! This little tramp—”
Sully clenches his teeth and shoves a finger into Amy’s chest. “Don’t you call Veronica anything else.
It doesn’t matter everyone else is married, and you think your PR powers can turn me into a meat stick to sell this band.
I’m in love with Veronica. She’s not a fling or a crazed groupie.
This might be something real, and I wish you’d respect us enough to allow us to figure it out for ourselves without all these lies and deceit. ”
My breath hitches at the word love and I can’t help but smile.
We never said the words to each other, but I’ve never felt this safe around someone before.
It’s like he’s been in my life longer than a few weeks.
I spent too much time worrying about my heart and keeping my walls up, but he found a way in.
He supports my career and gets along with my parents when no one else tried.
I could picture us going on double dates with Alice and Emily.
“Let me walk away. Come up with whatever story for my departure. Just let me live my life in peace, please.”
Amy squints at Sully and then sneers at me. “You’d leave without a penny?” she asks with disdain. “If you’re that na?ve and foolish about this so-called love then—”
“We’re not standing by and letting Sully walk away…” Charlotte pipes in, interlacing her fingers with Ben, and they stand beside us. “Ben and I created this band, and we’re taking back control.”
“Yeah. What she said.” Ben smiles at his wife.
“I’m with them,” Lars says, hitting Sully’s shoulder. He stands on the other side of Ben.
“Damn,” Alice cuts in, leaning against a wall and sipping her drink, watching us as if we’re an improv show.
“This is ridiculous.” Amy stomps her foot, acting like a child who couldn’t have dessert before dinner. She waves her hand in the air.
Charlotte steps forward and smirks. “We no longer require your services.”
Amy blinks and bares her teeth. “Come now. You wouldn’t be anywhere without—”
Sully motions to the door. “That means you’re fired. Leave.” His voice is full of bite, and she moves back as if she can feel the pain in her flesh.
“Screw you! Tank your band. See if I give a rat’s ass,” she snarls and pushes her way out the door. The glass door swings open and smacks the brick wall, but it doesn’t shatter.
Gigi stands alone, fuming. Her face is scarlet, and her eyes bleed black, it’s like she’s possessed. “You’ll be sorry you ever fucked with me.”
Charlotte rolls her eyes. “I doubt it. We’re no longer using your song and please feel free to drop the song we’re on from your album. We’d hate to be tainted by you any further.”
“Rot in hell,” she spits, and her evil eyes fall on me. “How does it feel to ruin a band with your magical pussy?”
Sully pushes Gigi out the door. She stumbles backward and falls on her ass on the sidewalk. “Say another word to her and I’ll rip your tongue out. Now get lost!”
She scrambles to her feet and flees down the street.
Sully turns to everyone. “I’m sorry about that. I snapped. She didn’t deserve—”
Lars laughs. “Dude, chill. It’s okay.”
Alice claps. “Ding dong, the evil witches are dead! We gotta celebrate.”
Charlotte sighs and gestures toward the venue. “Guess we should go back to pack our crap and tell them we’re not playing tonight.”
Ben clamps a hand on Sully’s shoulder. “You can stay here.” He offers his hand for the guitar. “I’ll treat your guitars real nice.”
“Not a scratch,” Sully says, giving him his guitar.
Charlotte hugs me and kisses my cheeks. “Be good to our Sully.” She kisses Ben on the lips, and they leave together.
Lars pulls his phone out. “This makes me want to call my wife. See you later.” He follows his bandmates.
Alice tosses her coffee cup in the trash can and winks at me. “See. I knew this plan would work. No problem.”
I chuckle, shaking my head. “Thanks.”
My phone buzzes as a call cuts through. It’s the driver for the ride I forgot about. “You ready? Our driver has been circling, pissed they can’t find us.”
Sully kisses my temple. “Yes. I’ll go anywhere with you.”
We flag down the car and hop inside.
Once we get to my place and close the door, our mouths slam together. We fumble to my room, peeling off our clothes along the way.
He sweeps my hair over my shoulder to kiss my neck. “You’re mine, Schatz,” he growls.
I run my fingers along his jaw and pant, “Forever.”
Sully palms my breast. I arch at his rough touch. He gently tosses me onto the bed and licks his lips, watching me for a second. His dick is hard and ready. I can’t wait any longer and grab his wrists, pulling him onto me.
I suck on my bottom lip as he sinks into me. At first, he’s slow, teasing me. I dig my fingernails into his shoulder blades and rock my hips, wanting more of him. Needing him to fill me up.
He holds my hips and pumps into me, going harder and faster. My eyes roll back as my moans grow louder and louder.
“That’s it. Scream for me, meine Liebe.” He cups my breast and nips at the other one.
The headboard pounds against the wall. A framed picture above my nightstand falls to the floor and shatters. But it doesn’t matter, not when this orgasm has me seeing stars.
My breath hitches as I feel him come too. Tremors rock my body as he falls to my side, breathing hard and covered in sweat.
Sully is my Heaven on Earth, and I will never let him go. Never again.