Chapter 16
AVA
Fake-dating my ex-boyfriend was possibly the worst idea ever. But he did make a great point. I needed him. His connections, rather. Needing my ex was a big no-no.
However, so far, I had to admit that Lincoln was coming through for me.
He even had his friend, who was a tech genius, digging deeper than I ever could into some of the people I’d see backstage at that event.
I supposed I could put up with the discomfort of pretending to be his again. It was for the greater good.
This evening was our first appearance together.
An exclusive listening party hosted by Phoenix Sky’s label.
The venue was someone’s mansion—I wasn’t sure whose.
I stepped out of Lincoln’s car as he held the door open for me.
The entire home was like something out of a magazine—gated and set on a sprawling property.
Despite this being a casual event, the guests strolling up the steps were in designer everything.
There were even valets in white polo shirts.
One of them approached, and Lincoln handed him his key and straightened his blazer. He seemed unfazed by the extravagance.
I adjusted my clutch and followed him toward the stone steps.
On our way, his palm landed on my lower back.
I nearly jumped out of my skin, and he instantly dropped his hand to his side.
I was embarrassed about the way I reacted.
His touch had been warm on my bare flesh.
I wore a pink sequin halter top, which I felt ridiculous in.
It wasn’t my style, but Sienna, Lincoln’s assistant, insisted it was “way cute”.
Lincoln frowned at me. “You know, if you jump with disgust every time I touch you, no one will believe we’re together.”
I glared at him. “That wasn’t a jump of disgust. It was…” It was a pleasant surprise. Why did his hand still feel so good on me?
“A jump of… delight?” he asked, eyeing me with that teasing gleam in his eyes. It made me miss how we once were with each other… and I hated myself for it.
My derisive snort echoed so loudly that someone turned to look back at us. “You wish, Ford.”
“A man can dream,” he muttered.
I gave him a sideways glance, not sure if he was serious or still teasing.
“Just act normal,” he added. “As in, don’t act like my touch is poisonous.”
I rolled my eyes, but I didn’t get to respond. My attention was instantly captured by the opulence of the foyer when we stepped through the door. Talk about excessive. There were glass chandeliers, glistening tiles, and abstract wall art. I could only imagine how swanky the rest of the house was.
When we reached the living room, I was proved right.
Velvet sectionals wrapped around a sunken living area.
There was a white grand piano, more chandeliers, and glass everything.
There was no way the homeowner had kids.
I scanned the room. There were A- and B-list influencers and celebrities lounging around.
There were flutes of what I assumed was champagne being passed around, and hors d'oeuvres were served on slabs of black marble.
Here I thought a listening party was simply guys and gals lounging around in comfy clothes listening and bobbing to music while sipping beer.
I fiddled with my top and thanked my lucky stars I’d consulted Sienna about outfits or I’d have been severely underdressed.
“Are you okay?” Lincoln asked.
I glanced up and instinctively moved closer to him. I was by no means shy, but being in a room full of wealthy celebrities was a bit daunting. “Sure.”
The way his eyes moved over my face told me he didn’t buy it. His response was to wrap an arm around my shoulder—like he would when we were younger and he knew I was uneasy. My heart constricted.
“Lincoln!” someone called.
A tall man with a buzz cut and thick glasses approached us with a smile. “You made it.”
Lincoln smiled. “Thanks for the invite, Angus.”
I blinked. Angus? As in Angus Crews, the Grammy-winning producer who had worked with half the Billboard Top 100?
Angus clapped Lincoln on the shoulder like they were old pals. “Man, I’ve been trying to get you to one of these for years.”
Holy smokes. This was the friend who’d invited Lincoln? Okay, his connections were impressive. I didn’t think his reach was this far out of the sports world. I’d have to get the story about their friendship later.
“I thought it was time to see what these parties were all about,” Lincoln replied easily.
“Man, I can’t believe the Lincoln Ford is in my living room,” Angus said. His attention shifted to me. “He told me he was bringing a plus one. You must be the girlfriend.”
“Angus, this is Ava,” Lincoln introduced. “Ava, Angus.”
We shook hands.
“Nice to meet you,” I murmured.
“Same here. Your man is a legend, Ava.” Angus beamed. He glanced over his shoulder. “Hey, Mason, look who’s here.”
Before I knew it, guys were coming up to Lincoln like a bunch of fangirls at a concert.
I folded my lips to hide my smirk because he looked so uncomfortable.
He shot me pointed looks between handshakes and shoulder pats because he knew I was laughing at him on the inside.
I kind of hated how well we still knew each other.
A pang of regret about how we ended hit me hard.
What really got to me, though, was that he never once let go of me. His arm still rested reassuringly around my shoulders even as he interacted with adoring fans. So why did he let me go twelve years ago?
Before I could mentally spiral, he said to his friend, “Angus, I heard Phoenix Sky was going to be here.”
“Yeah, she is.”
“Ava is a big fan…”
Angus smirked and pointed at him. “Sign a football for me, and I’ll personally escort your girl to anyone she wants to meet.”
My eyebrows went up. I’ll be damned.
“You got it,” Lincoln said.
Angus rubbed his hands together with glee. “Ava, would you like to meet Phoenix?”
“Er… yes.”
Sonofabitch.
That was easy. I glanced at Lincoln, who gave me a smug smirk. I wasn’t even annoyed by it this time. I could just kiss him. We hadn’t even been here for five minutes, and already I was getting what I wanted. Lincoln was absolutely right. He could get me access.
Being separated from Lincoln made me feel vulnerable amongst so many strangers. However, every time I scanned the room, his eyes were on me, intense and protective even as he interacted with others.
His presence, no matter how far, was soothing. Ridiculous right? The man stomped on my heart years ago. He should be the last person who made me feel safe. Angus made quite a few stops, and I had the pleasure of meeting some people who had been far out of my sphere just the other day.
Finally, he introduced me to her. Phoenix Sky.
“Phoenix.”
She was chatting with someone, but turned around.
I took her in. I knew she was in her early twenties.
She was a gorgeous girl with golden olive skin and a wealth of curly hair.
The tips were still platinum—her signature.
She was on the taller side, a few heads taller than me.
Her amber eyes held a wary glint, but it seemed to vanish when she saw Angus.
That was good. I’d hate for Lincoln’s friend to be an awful character.
“Hey, Angus. What’s up?” Her voice was soft and sweet, much like her singing voice.
“This is Ava. She wanted to meet you.”
The girl looked confused as her gaze shifted between us. She was likely wondering who the hell I was and why I had any right to breathe her rich, famous air.
However, when Angus said, “She’s Lincoln’s girlfriend.” He hiked a thumb at my supposed boyfriend, who was watching us even as he chatted with someone.
“Oh, yeah, I know him,” Phoenix said. “My brother is like his number one fan. Do you think you can get me his autograph? My brother would just die.”
My jaw slackened. Lincoln was still a big deal despite retiring. Even celebrities fawned over him. “Yeah… sure.”
“Cool.”
Angus, seemingly satisfied, excused himself, leaving us alone.
“So, is this your listening party?” I asked.
“No. But I’m with the same label.”
“I see.” How on earth did I even ease into interrogating the poor girl without coming off like a lunatic?
“You’re not really a fan, are you?” Phoenix asked. “No offense, but you look older than my typical fan base.”
My lips twisted into a smile. “No offense taken. No, I’m not a fan. Actually…” I reached for a lie out of thin air. “My niece is a huge fan. She’s… fifteen. I was hoping to get a picture with you. She’ll never believe I met you.”
“Oh, cool. In that case, call me Nyla.”
I blinked, surprised. “Okay… Nyla.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Sometimes it’s nice to chat with someone who isn’t like a screaming teenage fan, you know?”
I nodded. “I imagine.”
I studied her, noticing that the wary look in her eyes was back. How could I get her away from the noise in the living room? “About that autograph. Do you have something for Lincoln to sign?”
She grimaced. “Nope, but I have an idea. Follow me.”
I mentally fist-pumped the air as she took off away from the crowd. I glanced back to give Lincoln a we’ve-got-this-in-the-bag look. He gave a single nod and went back to his conversation.
Nyla led me down a hallway lined with framed gold records and neon wall lights that shifted colors with every step. The deeper we went, the quieter it got. We ended up in what looked like an office.
Nyla glanced back at me before rummaging through the desk. “I’m not snooping through Angus’s things. He won’t mind my being here. He’s nice. He’s one of the only people who’s decent to me.”
My ears perked up like a cat’s. “How so?”
“Well, he doesn’t force…” Her shoulders stiffened when she paused. In an instant, her posture relaxed, and she continued talking as if she hadn’t almost spilled some tea. Damn. I wanted to hear what she almost let slip so badly it hurt.
She held up a notepad with thick cream-colored paper. She tore one off the top and smiled. It had an embossed gold border. “This will work. I’ve only been here twice, but I knew Angus would have this. He always has fancy notepads for some reason. I tease him about it.”
“You like him? Do you spend a lot of time with him?”
“Not much. But like I said, he’s decent. He seems easy to talk to, but my manager never lets me talk to him much.”
I frowned. “Why not?”
Nyla shrugged. “I don’t get to talk to many people. I’m too busy.”
My eyes narrowed. That was interesting, considering she had time to chat with guys in parking lots and stadiums. Although, I hadn’t confirmed if it was really her…
“Hey, Nyla, I’m looking for a new gym. Know any good ones?”
She smiled and mentioned the name of the same one I’d spotted her at. “Lots of athletes go there,” she added.
I nibbled my lower lip. That was sort of a confirmation.
She went back to the business of the autograph. “Your boyfriend won’t mind the autograph, right? I’d feel weird just walking up to him and asking. My brother is gonna lose his shit.”
I chuckled and watched for a moment as the mention of her brother brought life back into her eyes. But then the flicker died, leaving a weary dullness. As she walked toward me, I asked, “Are you okay, Nyla?”
Her step faltered, but she forced a smile. “Of course. Why?”
“You seemed a little sad just now.”
Her eyes met mine, and I swore I felt a punch in my gut. I wasn’t sure if I imagined it or if the helpless despair was really there in her eyes.
“No one ever asks me that,” she said softly. “You’re really nice, Ava. You’re not from around here, are you?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re not in the industry.”
“No.”
Her lips twisted wryly, and she nodded. However, she said nothing else. She just walked out of the office. “Come on, let’s find your boyfriend.”
“Wait…”
She turned to me.
“How about a picture?” I asked. “For my niece.”
“Oh, right.”
We took a selfie with my phone—God, I felt so ridiculous.
We didn’t make it back to the party. Before we reached the end of the hall, someone barreled toward us. The man was big. He wore a sharp suit, and his eyes were flat. Nyla stopped, and so did I.
“There you are,” he said smoothly, his smile not quite reaching his eyes. “Nyla, where did you disappear to?” He eyed me with suspicion.
“I was just looking for—”
“Doesn’t matter. We’re leaving. We have somewhere to be.”
By the way her body stiffened, I assumed that somewhere wasn’t to Nyla’s liking.
“Can’t she stay a little longer?” I began. “We were about—”
“No.” He turned his attention to me for half a second—just long enough to size me up and dismiss me. Grabbing Nyla’s arm, he said, “Let’s go.”
She stumbled beside him. They didn’t head back to the crowd. Instead, they made a turn. I followed. They stopped at a side door. Nyla yanked her arm out of the man’s hold. She waved a hand in a way that looked distinctly frustrated, but I couldn’t make out what she said to him.
The man didn't raise his voice, but his body language was commanding—as if he had the final say, no matter what she thought. After a short, tense exchange, he guided her through the door.
I took a cautious step forward, my heart pounding. I didn’t know what exactly I was chasing, but I knew something was wrong. My gut screamed that something was. Squaring my shoulders, I headed for the door.
A hand circled my waist, and a much bigger body diverted my steps. I gasped but quickly realized who it was.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Lincoln murmured. He casually led me back toward the crowd. “But not tonight.”
“You saw that, right?” I asked.
“I did.”
“Something is off.”
“Clearly. I did my own investigating.”
I glanced up at him.
“But we have to leave it alone for now. If we act all that interested, someone will take notice. Be patient. Trust me.”
I nodded. God help me, but I did trust him, and I didn’t know how I got there.