Chapter 15
“You have reached your destination,” my phone announced as I drove up to a small brick building in West Hollywood.
A vine with stunning magenta flowers extended up the front facade, like a column of vibrant coral or pink clouds, only interrupted by a fashionably rusted metal sign that read NEW EDGE RECORDING STUDIO.
It was late Tuesday afternoon, and despite the mountain of homework I’d been assigned today at school, I was feeling on top of the world. Not only was I about to see Xander after a month of getting by on phone calls and texts, but I would also get to watch him bring his song to life.
In addition, I had my own surprise to share with him.
I had spent the weekend recording and rerecording the videos for my prescreening until they were flawless.
Violet and Dad had been AWOL, which meant I got the whole house to myself with no one to interrupt me.
My application was due today, but before I sent it off, I wanted Xander to listen to each piece.
Not because I was still searching for flaws but because even though our music was different, it was something we shared.
After the past two months of worrying about my prescreening, I finally felt content. With the repertoire I’d chosen and how well I’d played, there was no way I wouldn’t get a live audition.
Juilliard, here I come.
The studio’s parking lot was surrounded by a large fence, which was covered in the same blooming flower as the building.
The gate was open, so I pulled in and parked near the black Range Rover I recognized as Xander’s car.
After shouldering my bag and fishing my phone out of the cupholder, I hopped out and started up the sidewalk.
I was halfway to the building when the glass door at the front entrance swung open and Xander stepped out, almost as if he’d been waiting for me to arrive.
He smiled—the goofy, lopsided one that first endeared me to him at Comic Con—and covered the remaining distance between us in four long strides. Without any words of greeting, he pulled me against his body.
After a few seconds of standing in each other’s arms, he asked, “Eat anything in the past five hours that might kill me?”
“Nope.” In fact, I’d purposely avoided eating anything at lunch that I knew he was allergic to.
“Perfect,” Xander whispered, then pressed his lips to mine.
The kiss was fierce, filled with an entire month’s worth of longing and desire, and for a brief moment, I considered dragging him to my car so we could continue kissing in private. When we finally broke apart, a breathless laugh escaped me.
“Hi,” I said, grinning up at him.
“God, it’s so good to see you,” he mumbled, burying his face in my neck, and the feel of his lips against my collarbone sent a shiver of pleasure down my spine. “I missed hearing that laugh.”
Heat pooled in my cheeks. “It’s good to see you too. I’m super excited about today.”
“Me too,” he said, placing both hands on my upper arms and pulling back so he could look at me. “But before we go inside, there’s something I want to talk to you about.”
The change in his tone made me pause. “Okay?”
He gestured at one of the wrought-iron benches lining either side of the entrance, and for some strange reason, a tiny dose of nerves trickled through my system.
I did my best to ignore the feeling as I sat down, stashing my phone and purse in the empty space beside me on the bench.
Xander took a spot beside me, but instead of settling back, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands together.
I slanted my head in question. “Everything okay?” I asked.
“There’s something I should have told you earlier, but I didn’t know how,” he said, staring off into the distance at what seemed like nothing in particular.
My pulse jumped at his words. “Why not?”
“Because I made a decision without thinking it through,” he admitted.
A breeze swept through the parking lot, lifting his bangs and tossing them into his eyes.
He brushed the hair out of his face before adding, “I only considered how it would affect me, not you, and now I’m afraid of how you’ll react. ”
I took my bottom lip between my teeth in an effort not to smile.
Xander was the kindest, most caring person I knew.
He would never intentionally do something to hurt me; he was too good.
Whatever was bothering him was probably so insignificant it wouldn’t have occurred to me if he wasn’t about to call attention to it.
Hoping to reassure him, I placed a hand on his arm and smiled.
“Xander, relax. I’m sure whatever you’re talking about isn’t that bad. ”
“Don’t say that.” He straightened up and turned to me, and the look in his eyes made my stomach flip. “Just…hear me out first, okay?”
Taking my hand back, I nodded.
“You know how Alec is helping me produce this single?”
“Yeah…” After all, I was the one who’d suggested he ask him for help.
“Well, he had an idea.” Xander hesitated, preparing himself for whatever hard thing he had to say, but before he could continue, the studio door swung open a second time.
“Xander, you out here? Alec is ready for—oh. Hey, Indie.”
It took me several seconds to process that Violet was standing in front of me, and for a moment, all I could do was stare.
Thank God I was already sitting down, because the sight of her was like a gut punch, and I felt as if all the blood in my veins had stopped flowing.
What possible reason did she have to be here?
I turned back to Xander, brows furrowed in question.
He flinched, then glanced back at my sister. “Can you give us a minute?”
Violet, realizing she’d interrupted something important, nodded and disappeared inside without another word.
“What,” I said slowly, “is she doing here?” My fingers curled into fists, and the slight bite of pain as my nails dug into my palms kept me grounded.
Xander swallowed. “Look, I know you two aren’t on the best terms, but I’m hoping you’ll understand that this decision was purely a business one. Working together is beneficial for both of us.”
Working together? What is he talking—
But then it hit me. Violet’s upcoming album. Xander’s song. Alec producing them both. Why not put it all together? I didn’t need to ask. The guilt-ridden expression on Xander’s face was all the confirmation I needed—he was recording his single with Violet.
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “You wouldn’t do that.” Not after everything I’d told him about my relationship with her.
“Indie, I swear it was never my intention to hurt you.” He took my hands in his and squeezed, as if willing me to understand.
“I should have said something that night on the beach, but we were having such a good time, and I was afraid of ruining everything. Then I was gone all month, and it didn’t seem like the type of thing to explain over text.
When Violet told me you overheard our conversation on Thanksgiving, I called you right away, but you were still upset with her and I… I chickened out.”
“Why?”
“Because I didn’t want to lose you.”
“No.” I pulled my hands away from his. “Why would you work with her?”
Xander hesitated again but then said, “Because I don’t have the same relationship with her as you do, Indie.
The two of us are friends, and I—I don’t think she’s a bad person.
The two of us worked together on Immortal Nights, so it will make sense to my fans why we chose to do this project together.
Hopefully, that will prevent any band breakup rumors.
And that’s not to mention how featuring on my song will help generate buzz for her album. It’s a win-win for everyone.”
Except for me.
I knew Xander never had ill intentions—the guy didn’t have a bad bone in his body—but that didn’t mean I wasn’t hurt.
Until now, spending time with him had felt like…
like there was one perfect part of my life that wasn’t contaminated by the craziness of Violet’s world.
It didn’t escape me that I was being hypocritical, because if I hadn’t gone to Comic Con with her, I never would have met Xander. But I couldn’t help the way I felt.
I glanced away from Xander, attempting to sort through my emotions, and out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Violet watching us through the glass door. Something inside me snapped. I sprang to my feet and stormed over to her, yanking the door open before she could blink.
“Why do you do it?” I demanded.
Violet blanched at my tone. “What are you talking about?”
“Why do you weasel your way into every part of my life and ruin it? I finally find someone who doesn’t have anything to do with your crazy bullshit, so of course you have to get involved, don’t you?”
Her breath hitched. “Seriously, Indie? Me and Xander working together is completely unrelated to whatever relationship you two have. I get that you don’t like my career, but that doesn’t make me the selfish, narcissistic person you seem to think I am.”
“You’re joking right? Your career ruined our family.” I was so angry, I could feel heat rolling off me in waves. My shoulders rose and fell several times as I tried to keep myself from exploding. “It’s the reason why Mom and Dad aren’t together anymore, and I will never forgive you for that.”
I didn’t know what reaction my accusation would elicit from Violet, but laughter wasn’t it. Granted, I doubted the noise coming from her mouth could be considered laughter. Not when it sounded so ugly and cold.
“Because Dad worked so much that Mom got lonely, right?” she practically spat.
“Exactly.”
“Wrong.”
“What do you mean, wrong?”
“Well, maybe you’d know what I’m talking about if, for once in your life, you focused on something other than yourself. But no, you’re too busy playing the victim card and whining about me auditioning for Lady Phoenix.”
My hands started to tremble. “Excuse me?”