53. Jace
JACE
Niles steeples his fingers. “I came a long way to make this happen. All three of your bandmates are on board. If you don’t sign tonight, Jace, my terms won’t be as good.”
The entire table glares at me, but Rory’s words ring in my ears. That making me sign under duress is illegal. That Niles can’t force me to sign anything without an attorney. “It’s a chance I’ll have to take.”
“Damn it, Jace,” Frank grits out next to me. “This is what you’ve always wanted.”
Cooper lets out a stream of curses, and I let myself feel that. I might be letting him down, but if I sign this, am I letting myself and my family down?
Is this really what I wanted? To feel so much pressure? To feel like I’m balancing on a tightrope? To do this alone?
If I was really signing a good deal right now, I’d want my wife and child by my side. Maybe even my brothers. It would be cause to celebrate.
I don’t feel like celebrating right now. I feel rushed, like I’m being shoved toward the edge of a cliff, and one wrong step will end me.
Closing my eyes, I scrub my face and try to find my manners.
Because I wanna tell Niles to fuck off, but I need to keep this professional.
When I open them, I take a deep breath. “Niles, I’m really grateful to be on this tour.
I mean this sincerely when I say it’s been the opportunity of a lifetime.
And if you give me a week so my lawyer can review this contract, I’m sure we can move forward.
” Guess I should find a lawyer now. I hold out my hand to shake.
With his jaw tight and eyes narrowed, he grabs his Scotch and takes a slow sip, leaving me hanging.
Okay, then.
I head out into the rain. My friends yell my name, but my business with Niles is done for tonight. Hopefully, he won’t kick us off the tour, but that’s a chance I have to take.
And I’m relieved. I don’t wanna let Niles down after the shot he gave me, but I’m not gonna be the dumbass who signs something he doesn’t understand.
Plus, if we’re negotiating, I have a few things I’m going to demand. Like not forcing me to fake relationships with other women for the sake of promotion.
Because I have a wife.
Rory might say we’re over, but I’m gonna prove to her she’s it for me.
I’m gonna tell her I love her. That we can make this work. I’ve held off saying those words because I thought she wanted to leave, but she slept in my arms last night.
I think I have a shot.
I’m drenched when I reach the bus. After I climb up the stairs, I do a double take. Because Ozzie has Layla on his lap. “Where’s Rory?”
“She went to find you.”
I look out the windshield at the torrential rain that’s really coming down now. “Out into the storm?”
“She left like fifteen minutes ago.”
“To meet us at the restaurant?”
“Yeah.”
My chest fills with dread. “And she hasn’t come back?”
“No, but I figured she’d be okay since Edmond ran after her.”
Then where is she? I should’ve bumped into them along the way.
I race down the stairs and past my friends. “Rory!” I shout her name into the darkness.
When I get to the restaurant, I scan the tables.
This place is almost empty, and Niles has left.
It’s quiet except for the elevator music playing in the background.
I check the bathroom. “Rory!” A waitress comes up to me.
“Ma’am, have you seen a woman about this tall?
Brown hair in a ponytail, pretty hazel eyes, probably wearing Chucks? ”
“No, I’m sorry.”
“Have you been out here the whole time?”
“Yes. No one’s come in since your party wrapped up.”
Fuck. I head back into the rain and try not to lose my shit. It’s only been, like, twenty minutes. I retrace my steps to the bus. The rain isn’t letting up.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spot something on the ground. A shoe.
I pick it up.
It’s her Chuck.
“Rory!”
As I stand in the rain with my wife’s shoe in my hand, my vision narrows.
Edmond’s been here every step of this tour. He’s also been with us for every fucked-up delivery from the Cherry Smasher.
Son of a bitch.
If he hurt her, I’m gonna end him.