“I’m good now,” I tell Sullivan.
He passes me a bottle of water that Cliff’s got from the trunk. I take a sip and hand it back to him. He watches me like a hawk, a dark determination in his gaze. My head’s still spinning as he passes the water to me again.
I wave it away. “I’m fine. We need to get back. It’s almost Molly’s bedtime.”
“Drink,” he instructs, his voice a steady calm, a direct contrast to the thudding in my temples.
I take the bottle and glug some more down until the concerned look on his face eases a fraction.
“Who else has heard you play that song?”
The deep frown lines between his brows are matched with a dangerous undercurrent in his tone.
I shake my head. “No one, I…” I swallow down the threat of more vomit. “My ex, Brandon. He works at a record label. He’s not high up or anything, but he keeps telling me he can get my song in front of the producers.”
“He keeps telling you?” Sullivan questions, more than a hint of suspicion in his tone.
I wince at how stupid I’ve been. How I didn’t see this coming.
“It’s why I changed my number. He kept calling after we broke up.”
Sullivan’s nostrils flare.
“Lastname?”
A muscle in his cheek clenches when I don’t immediately answer, and his eyes bore into mine.
I swallow. “Rutter… Brandon Rutter. He works at Liberty Records.”
He nods once.
I know the look on his face. Laser-focused eyes. Jaw set like stone. It’s how he looks when he’s about to go into battle in the boardroom.
“Sullivan—”
“Are you okay for us to keep driving?” he asks.
I nod weakly.
“Good.” He reaches into his breast pocket and hands me a monogrammed handkerchief before closing my door softly.
He climbs back into the car and as we pull out into the city traffic, Molly’s lower lip trembles.
“Hey, I’m okay,” I reassure her.
She rubs her eyes, a mix of tiredness and confusion swimming in them.
“I am. All good now, see?” I smile at her.
But I’m not convincing enough.
As the final notes of what used to be my song play out, her little face screws up and she tilts her head back against her car seat.
And cries.
33
SULLIVAN
