Chapter 46
Chapter Forty-Six
LOXLEY
The second my eyes locked on Miles, I knew everything was going to be okay. I had already decided to go back to him, to make sure he knew that I loved him. But seeing him there, witnessing as I claimed my strength, made everything feel like it was happening the way it had meant to be.
The moment I looked at Sam and said, "I can’t do this,” he’d started squirming.
I could tell he felt a helpless fury that came with the realization that I wasn’t going to let him control me anymore.
We both knew while I was on that stage, in front of all those people, he couldn’t threaten me.
He couldn’t berate me. He couldn’t boss me around.
And with the support of all the fans who were cheering on my truth, Sam couldn’t touch me.
But fear still lingered. I knew the second he realized Miles was there, he might start hitting "send" on all the emails he’d threatened me with. Harmony Haven would turn into a circus before the sun came up, and as much as I hated the thought, it also brought a strange sense of relief. Because once he did that, he’d lose his last shred of power over me.
When I sang the final note of the night, the exhaustion hit me like it always did after a performance, but that time there was a spark of adrenaline too.
Miles vaulted over the barrier he'd managed to stay behind during the show, and headed for the stairs on the side of the stage.
My heart stuttered as he reached up and held my hand, just like he had that very first time I saw him, and I smiled at the memory.
Only this time, I wasn’t letting him go.
I held onto his hand tightly as he guided me off the stage, and together we slipped into the shadows behind it. The second we were clear, I turned, throwing myself into his arms, pressing my lips hard against his. My legs wrapped around his waist, holding him like I was afraid he’d disappear.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” I whispered against his lips, breathless.
“I told you, if you ran, I’d catch you again. I’m just sorry it took me so long to realize you wanted to be caught.”
Tears stung my eyes as his words sank in. “I thought leaving was the right thing to do. Sam threatened you and your family with lies. I knew they were just lies, but Miles, this world believes anything it reads on the internet. I thought leaving would save you from that chaos.”
“The only thing my family can’t handle is you not being there for Sunday dinner.”
His grin broke the tension, and I let out a laugh as I kissed him again, this time softer, quieter, as if promising I felt the same way.
Then, in an instant, everything shattered. I was yanked backward, the force throwing me off balance and sending me to the ground. Miles took a step forward, but Sam stepped between us.
“Stay out of this!” Sam barked, his voice venomous.
Miles didn’t wait for another word. His first flew, landing square on Sam’s jaw. The sound echoed, sharp and satisfying. Sam stumbled back, clutching his face as two officers rushed forward.
Miles raised his hands in surrender, his voice calm but firm. “She’s done being your puppet. Do what you think you need to do to hurt me, but I promise she’ll regret it less than you will.”
The officers cuffed him, and I couldn’t stop the panic rising in my chest. “No, no, no, no, no!” I pleaded, tears streaming down my face.
Miles leaned close, his forehead pressing against mine as he whispered, “It’s okay. They’re just doing their job.”
I clung to him, my hands clutching his neck. “Don’t leave me here.”
“Remember Linc?” he asked, his voice steady. “I told you about him. He’s here. I brought him for this exact reason and he flashed his badge to get himself posted out back. He’ll keep you safe until I can get out of this.”
Before I could argue, the officers led him away, Sam yelling something I couldn’t focus on. But I didn’t hesitate. I did as Miles said, running to the bus where Linc, the same guy I almost came face to face with in the parking lot of the police station, stood waiting with his arms crossed.
“He got himself arrested, didn’t he?” Linc asked, shaking his head with a smirk.
I nodded. “He hit my manager.”
“Well, the bastard had it coming.” Linc extended a hand to me, and I took it as we climbed onto my bus.
“I don’t know what to do. I don’t know where to go or what to say,” I admitted, my voice cracking under the weight of everything that had happened.
Link gave me a steady look, his tone calm and reassuring. “Miles told me on the way here that if he ended up in jail, I should take you home.”
Home.
The word hit me like a lifeline, grounding me in its simplicity and promise.
I knew exactly what he meant, and my chest tightened with a mix of relief and dread.
I nodded, my throat too tight for words, and hurried to pack a few essentials.
A change of clothes, my phone, and a handful of personal items shoved into a bag.
Linc guided me to a small car that he’d somehow wrangled into the VIP lot. I climbed in beside him, immediately smelling the old coffee and wished I had a whole carafe to sip from. As we pulled away, the amphitheater lights faded into the distance.
The hours it took to drive back to Miles’ house were quiet, and the weight of everything pressed down heavily on my heart. My phone buzzed constantly with calls and messages, but I ignored them all, except to check for news on Miles.
When we finally pulled into the long, familiar driveway, a thought hit me. “Sam said he’d leak my location. If he does, the media will know where I am. It won’t be safe here.”
Linc’s expression hardened. “I’ll stand watch out by the main road. Sam can’t afford the fallout of making that threat a reality. But just in case, I won’t go anywhere until Miles gets home.”
I wanted to believe him, so I nodded, giving him a quick hug before stepping out of the truck and walking toward the kitchen door.
Inside, the house was just as I’d left it.
The guitar sat in the living room beside my lyrics, which were now neatly piled into a short stack.
There was also a cluster of crocheted necklaces that Miles and I had made lying next to them.
I slipped one over my head, letting the memory of those peaceful moments settle me.
By the time I made it to his room, exhaustion had consumed me. I peeled off my stage clothes piece by piece, the shower washing away the night’s chaos. Wrapped in one of Miles’s shirts, I climbed into his unmade bed.
The calls had stopped. The sun was rising, casting a warm glow across the room and for the first time in what felt like forever, I let myself relax, knowing I was safe.