She couldn’t believe he was using his platform as leverage against her. This was scary for her, having a spotlight on their every interaction. Nobody wanted their private business to play out in front of millions of people. Day was a public figure, and she had now been revealed as an object of his affection. She would grasp for normalcy and privacy as long as they were together. It had already complicated things. She couldn’t see it getting any better. Even now, he was still trying to buy her. The commission for this very event was nothing more than glorified payment for the sex she had given him. She didn’t know if they could erase how they had started, and it was one of the most shameful things she had ever done. She just wanted to forget the chapter of her life that had been spent with this man.
“I don’t date people I work for,” she said.
“Okay, you’re fired. How about now?”
Everyone in the room laughed. He was a charming-ass man, and he was relentless. The arrogance was just enough not to be obnoxious, and it didn’t help that she knew what that dick could do. She was determined to resist him.
“Day,” she said pleadingly. “I can’t do this in front of all these people.”
“Can’t do what, Stass? What you scared of?” He asked.
“Of having my heart broken! Of being made a fool of!”
Day left the microphone, dropping it center stage as he walked over to the side stage where she stood.
“I ain’t gon’ break you,” Day said. “Just say you with it.”
She tried to speak, but her mind and heart were battling.
He’s so fucking fine,her heart said.
Girl, fuck him and this manipulative-ass apology,her mind shouted.
He searched her mind for answers as he stared into the windows to her soul. He saw the mistrust he had put there. Her gaze hadn’t been this cloudy before his betrayal. He had changed the forecast on their bond, and only he could clear it, but he knew it would take time.
“Day!” Roman shouted, running down the center aisle and toward the stage.
“What, man! Can’t you see I’m busy begging and pleading over here?” Day said.
Stassi couldn’t help but snicker at that.
“It’s Demi! We got to go!”
Day stroked her cheek with his thumb before turning away from her. When Roman whispered the news in Day’s ear, Day placed a hand on Roman’s shoulder, instantly needing someone to stabilize him because the strength left his legs.
“Day?” Stassi knew something was wrong. She felt it.
“I can’t stay here,” Day said to her.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” She asked.
“DJ just passed away,” he whispered. He couldn’t bring himself to call a spade a spade. DJ was dead. He had died. Nah, he couldn’t say that shit at all.
Stassi’s stomach soured. “Oh my god.”
“I need you to run this show, Anastassia. I can’t stay here, but it’s too late to cancel without losing everything. Tell me you got me?”
She nodded. “Of course, I got you, go ahead,” she said. “Please tell Demi I’m so sorry.”
Day nodded, and she could see him struggling to hold it together.
“I meant everything I said on that stage. I don’t have time to prove it right now-”
“Go be with him, Day. I’ll be here when you’re ready to talk.”
Charlie couldn’t keep anything down. She had thrown up twice in the past half hour, and she couldn’t stop her head from spinning. Demi and Lauren had gone back with the doctors to see DJ’s body, and Charlie was falling apart. She didn’t know if it was the pregnancy or her nerves, but her body betrayed her.
She splashed water onto her face and rinsed her mouth before gripping the porcelain bathroom sink. She didn’t know what to say. She didn’t know what to do. It didn’t even feel like she belonged there. She felt like she was intruding on a private family matter, like she wasn’t even supposed to be witnessing these parents’ grief. Her own pain behind losing DJ was stifled. She hadn’t connected with him in the way she should have, and now it was too late. Now he was gone. She cleared her tears, not wanting to disrespect Lauren by doing too much. Charlie was devastated, so she couldn’t even fathom the tsunami of torment that was wrecking her. And then there was Demi. Her love. Her everything. She wasn’t equipped for this. He hadn’t said one word to her since the doctors told him. She hadn’t even been able to touch him. He and Lauren had put a cage around their mourning, and she couldn’t get to him. She wondered if shewould ever be able to break through that boundary again. He already seemed so cold. Demi didn’t process grief like normal people. She feared what he would do to let this pain out. Someone would pay the price for his loss, and she would spend many sleepless nights worrying, waiting for him to walk back through her door.
