“Of course,” Sade says.
“You too, Bix,” he says, turning to me and pressing his card into my palm. “Let’s finish what we started.”
I blush at the connotation of his words, the hint of something in his voice. But nonetheless, I have to look out for myself. I don’t owe Sterling anything.
“An audition would be great,” I tell him. “But it will have to be tomorrow. We’re leaving for New York Monday morning.”
Suddenly I sense someone behind me.Slayer. He grabs my hand and yanks me away so fast I almost trip in my high heels.
He doesn’t speak until we’re away from the others, the music now a distant pulse behind us.
“What was the meaning of that performance?” His voice is controlled but charged with an icy edge of danger.
My mouth drops open. “Sade’s trying to get signed with a record company. I convinced her to get on the stage and sing. I had no idea that once she was up there, she’d call to me to share it with her.”
“You never stop, do you?” he says, his eyes black as they bore into mine. “You keep making up lies. Improvising. Just like you pull those nonsense words into your music.”
“Slayer, I’m speaking the truth.” My voice drops to a whisper. “Carlos came up to us after the performance. He was just congratulating us—and offering Sade another chance to audition.”
“Did he now…”
“Yes,” I say. After a brief hesitation, I force myself to speak. “And he offered me an audition as well.”
“I saw that he foisted his card on you again. Did you accept?”
“I plan to.”
“Without asking my permission?”
I cross my arms. “It didn’t occur to me that I needed permission.”
“After I warned you not to talk to him?”
“That makes no sense,” I say, confusion and frustration rising in my voice and my body.
“Why can’t I audition for him? If Mr. Sterling doesn’t want to sign me, why should I refuse other record companies who are interested?”
A multitude of expressions fly across Slayer’s handsome face. “If you audition for him, you and I are over. Do you understand?”
Each word lands like a slap. I look at him, astonished. I can’t believe the man who was so tender with me just hours ago is saying this.
“You can’t be serious.” Now I feel stupid for thinking anything that happened before was real. “What does it matter to you?”
“Just don’t see him. Don’t talk to him. Just don’t,” he says. Slayer turns and walks toward a blur of red I recognize as Valentina.
Stunned, I turn and push through the crowd without really seeing anything. All of it feels distant, as if I’m watching through glass.
How dare Slayer forbid me to do anything?
And to think I thought I was in love with him.
And that he was in love with me.
I take a deep breath, willing away my tears.I’m still in love with him. But no way on Earth will I allow him to dictate the path of my life.
Singing on the stage is everything I ever wanted. It’s what Lola, Hilary, and I wanted. It was our reason for living. For being.
If I let Slayer cut off what could well be my one chance, I’ll never forgive myself. Neither would Hilary and Lola. I’m the only one left. It’s up to me to achieve our dream, to carry their voices forward along with mine.
