Chapter 31
We’re all clustered together at this little table, everyone singing along, smiling and enjoying the night. The place is packed, and there are even people outside, not just at the tables but also standing and sitting in the parking lot.
Eli, Kai’s roommate, comes over, setting several pitchers of beer down on the table and clapping Jonah on the shoulder. He looks over as Eli motions to the pitchers, Jonah nodding in response. But just as he’s about to pour himself a beer, the band starts another song, and the crowd erupts.
The girl he’s FaceTiming with begins screaming along with them, and the smirk on Jonah’s face says so much. This must be one of her favorite songs, not just for her but for the whole bar, too.
When the song ends, the girl on the screen blows Jonah a kiss before he hands the phone to Eli. Climbing up onto the stage, Jonah waves to the crowd.
The cheering gets louder. The locals know something I don’t, and Miles clues me in.
“We’re gonna give our girl, Lacey, a break here,” Miles starts, tossing a thumb over his shoulder in the direction of where she sits at her drum kit. “And if you’ve never seen us perform this song, there’s a reason, but you’re in for a real fucking treat.”
Everyone watches as Jonah stops beside Miles, Lacey coming to stand next to him as he slings an arm around her shoulder.
Lacey leans over, her mouth close to the microphone as she announces, “Welcome, Jonah King.” The crowd begins to cheer, and Miles uses his hands to indicate they need to quiet down.
“Okay, okay, little backstory,” Miles starts, facing him so he can make sure Jonah can read his lips. “Jonah has played with us before, and we wanted to take him on tour with us for when Lacey had enough of our testosterone, but this guy said no because he has a real job like a fucking grown-up.”
The crowd laughs. Jonah smirks, flipping Miles off before he heads over to the drums, Lacey following him. He takes a seat, readying himself.
Moving closer to where Kai and I are sitting, Eli fills his cup from the pitcher as the girl on the screen tells him to flip the camera.
Doing as she asks, he tells her goodbye and flips it around, and Lacey begins to count down for Jonah, holding up her hand and bringing down each finger until he starts playing.
The song is incredible, nothing I’ve ever heard them play before, and I look to Kai, my head tilted to the side a little in question.
“Yeah, they only play it with Jonah, kinda a secret thing for the local fans or whatever. They’re super into it,” Kai tells me.
“I can see that.”
The crowd is singing along, the place packed. It’s a totally different vibe than a world tour, and I’d be happy to see them play every weekend. Something I’d never want to do with Sean’s band.
As the song comes to a close, the crowd begins to fall strangely silent. Heads begin to turn, looking toward the entrance to the bar.
The band was once the focus, but something has drawn everyone’s attention away, and my heart begins to race. My immediate thought goes to Sean’s text telling me he’s still here.
There’s not a chance Sean doesn’t know about Miles’s band playing here tonight. It was basically everywhere. You couldn’t go into a local business without someone mentioning it or seeing a flyer.
It only takes a few seconds for Kai to realize what’s happening. Taking in my face, he weaves his hand through mine.
“Not your problem,” he tells me as we both hear Sean start shouting. “He’s not getting in here, and if he does, I can guarantee every fucking one of us will take him out.”
I know it’s supposed to ease my fears, but it does very little to help. I can hear his loud, booming voice, the rage in it—hating that he isn’t the center of attention and that I’ve also fucked him over with my posts.
He’s here to get back at me and ruin the lives of anyone involved with me too.
“We’re at capacity,” I hear someone say, and then Miles gets on the mic.
“Dude, don’t make us call the cops,” he says, shaking his head. “Just take your ass out of here and stop making a scene.”
“I fucking made you!” Sean shouts back, and Miles lets out a condescending laugh.
“Made us? Please, man. You’re embarrassing yourself. You had nothing to do with our success or taking us on tour with you. That was a fucking tour company.”
There’s no sense in arguing with Sean, though. He will always need to have the last word—a narcissist at his best.
Pushing up on my toes, I can see him at the entrance, trying to shove his way past one of the bartenders who had been checking IDs at the door.
He’s flailing around, screaming and shoving the guy, who has remained shockingly calm despite the show Sean is putting on.
People begin to take out their phones, recording it. I can hear the words being thrown around, shocked at Sean English’s behavior, and right now, he’s sinking his own ship. Something I knew would eventually happen, and I’m glad it has nothing to do with me directly.
“For real, dude,” Miles says, this time his words harsh. “Just leave.”
But all this does is fire him up even more, and when I hear the gasps from the crowd, I know things have taken a shitty turn.
He’s swinging at anyone within his reach, striking the bartender a few times with a closed fist, and the phones continue to record his meltdown.
Sirens begin to blare, and Eli flips the phone around, telling the girl on the screen a play-by-play as Jonah and Lacey meet back up with him.
“I can’t be here right now,” I whisper to Kai, the tears welling up in my eyes. This horrible sense of dread and anxiety pools heavy in my chest, my stomach churning, bile rising up in my throat, burning and hot.
“Come on,” he says, not even questioning me or asking me to suck it up or whatever.
Tapping Eli on the shoulder, Kai adds, “Quinn and I are leaving. Probably gonna go to our house, but don’t feel like you need to stay out or whatever.”
“Yeah, all good, dude,” Eli responds. “Take care of Quinn. We’ll deal with this dickhead here.”
Kai nods, and I smile gratefully at Eli, so happy to have a group of friends who are willing to help me get past this situation. It makes it so much easier to leave Sean when there are people I know have my back.
Linking his hand in mine, Kai weaves us through the crowd toward a back exit. His car is parked there, and I have full trust in him to get me out of here without Sean noticing.
Not that he doesn’t know I’m here. He knows the connection now, seeing things online and Kai showing up when Sean was trying to intimidate me into signing the NDA.
We can see the lights of the police cars flashing and glowing in the dark parking lot. It’s still filled with people. The windows of the bar are wide open, and crowds are gathered around them.
They’re all here to see Miles’s band, but they’re getting a show they never expected.
They’re getting to see the real Sean English.
Not the one the media portrays him to be or who he pretends to be either.
He is literally the epitome of a self-absorbed asshole, and everyone is about to see him lose his shit.
As soon as the car door closes, I feel a huge sense of relief, even more knowing we are going to Kai’s. It’s a place that Sean doesn’t know, making me feel safe.
But more than likely, he’s about to be arrested, taken to jail, and have his life shared for everyone to see. And not in the way that he wants.
He loves media attention, but on his terms. Controlled and curated to make him look like enough of bad boy to be attractive, but not so much that it turns off his fans.
Kai drives slowly through the back of the parking lot, heading over a small grassy area that divides the bar from the place next door. He exits, and we’re on the road back to his house without anyone noticing.
As soon as he pulls up outside his little dark green cottage, I feel the weight of everything lift off me. It’s secluded and quiet, surrounded by lush greenery and the ocean. There are neighbors, but they’re far enough away and blocked by all the foliage.
“You good?” Kai asks, and I nod slightly.
I am okay because soon this mess will be over. He will be out of my life forever, and to think I wanted to have children with this asshole. Thank fuck that never happened.
“Come on. Let’s go inside and have a glass of wine and listen to the ocean,” Kai says, and I can’t help but smile.
That sounds amazing.
He pulls me into his side as we walk up to the house, kissing my temple. He doesn’t say anything more. He doesn’t need to. I feel completely safe with him, safe to share more of what’s happening.
“So I got an email,” I start, still knowing I need to look into it more, but interested in his opinion. “It was supposedly from Allie Foster, who hosts the podcast Tell Me No Lies.”
“Oh really? Daisy listens to it while she’s baking sometimes,” he says, just as intrigued as I am. “What did the email say?”
“I just saw the title of the email and scanned it quickly. I have to look into it more.”
“Well, then let’s grab some wine and have a look.”
He meets me on the back porch. The sky is dark, dotted with stars, and the sound of the waves lapping at the shore is far more soothing than anything I’ve ever heard.
Handing me a glass of wine, he sits down next to me, and I pull out my phone. As soon as I do, I’m hit with a million messages.
The first one I see is from Isla, and I laugh out loud, flashing the screen to Kai.
Isla: That asshole got what he deserved. About damn time.
Attached is an article about Sean’s arrest. The gossip sites don’t waste any time, sharing some really unflattering pictures, headlines and videos. But what I can’t stop myself from doing is reading the comments.
“He’s always been an asshole.”
“He’s still hot. I’d fuck him.”
“His wife is a gold digger.”
And under that comment are a bunch more either agreeing with it or defending me. Acting like they know Sean or me personally, claiming all kinds of shit that is far from true, but this is what fuels the gossip sites.
But the one that gets me says, “She’s going to make millions off him for doing nothing.”
My life with him was far from nothing. I have no idea how long it will take me to get over the emotional abuse I endured, but I will be talking about it.
Loud and unashamed.
“Here’s the email,” I say to Kai, reading it out loud.
“Hey Quinn. I’m Allie Foster with the number one podcast, Tell Me No Lies.
I’d love to interview you regarding your split from Sean English of The Provocation.
There are a lot of rumors swirling out there, but your side of the story is what’s important not only to me but to women all over the world.
Normally, my assistant handles all the podcast bookings and emails, but I wanted to reach out to you directly. Let me know if you’re interested in setting something up. We can even do a virtual face-to-face meet beforehand, so you know this isn’t a scam. LOL
You would be compensated for your time and your interview.
Best, Allie.”
I look over at Kai, my brows raised in anticipation of what his thoughts are, and he nods slowly and contemplatively.
“This would give you a chance to share everything,” he says. “And make some money on your terms.”
“That’s exactly what I was thinking too.”