CHAPTER 1
Lily
JEAN SIBELIUS — IMPROMPTU NO. 5 IN B MINOR
Aman dressed in all black moves quietly through my bedroom. I lie still on my bed, watching his stealthy motions. The moonlight through my window illuminates the long scar over his left eye as he rifles through my belongings.
“Is this really necessary?” I ask, sitting up to rest on my elbow.
He straightens and fixes me with a serious glare. “Yes, Lily,” he says, his British accent adding weight to his words. “This is necessary. Your safety is of the utmost importance.”
I huff and roll my eyes. My oldest brother, Adam, can be so annoying sometimes.
“Couldn’t we just pack likenormalpeople? You know, when it’s light outside?”
“We’ve gone over this. No one can know that you’re leaving, or where you’re headed next. If Tristan gets wind of this—” Adam shakes his head, clenching his jaw. “He almost took you once before.”
“Unfortunately, I remember,” I mutter.
Adam resumes packing, and I pull my kneesto my chest, tossing the long, blonde braid over my shoulder and wrapping my arms around my legs. Having been isolated for a year now, my hair is longer than it’s ever been. It used to go to my waist, but now I can actually sit on it.
And not for the first time, and probably not the last, I feel the shame of my poor decisions. It’s been an entire year since Tristan Jackson, world-famous movie star and Hollywood’s favorite golden boy, told me he loved me and convinced me to run off to Las Vegas to get married.
Yes, married.
Maybe it wouldn’t have been so awful if he really did love me. I hug my knees even tighter and rest my chin on my legs, feeling the familiar waves of humiliation as I remember the moment my brothers, Henry and Adam, banged on our hotel room door and demanded that Tristan leave me alone in exchange for a generous check.
Which he accepted.
And with a smile on his face, he watched me pack my bags while I sobbed.
Humiliatingdoesn’t even begin to describe that experience.
But I’ll add this piece of information to clarify my naivete: I was only eighteen. I’ve matured a lot in the last year! Partly because my father and older brothers decided it was best to force me to stay at home in our penthouse apartment in Silver Lake City, California. For the first eight months, I stayed in the penthouse, practicing the piano nonstop. At first, I was heartbroken. I would have to be made of ice to not feel the stab of betrayal from Tristan. But as time went on, I healed and learned that what we had wasn’tlove. It probably wasn’t evenlikeon his part. And once I realized that, I regained hope that I’d find real love someday.
My interaction with the outside world has been severely limited, but I like to think I’ve done some growing up. Now Iknow better than to run to Vegas with the first guy who shows any interest in me. That’s an extra ten points in the Game of Life, right?
“Do you need this?” Adam asks, pointing at the tripod I used for my phone.
I shake my head quickly.
“Good,” he replies. He mutters something under his breath as he tosses it in a corner.
“What was that?” I ask.
He grunts and looks at me. “I said, ‘The source of all our problems.’”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“If you hadn’t made that video, telling the world what happened between you and Tristan?—”
“Then your name would have been smeared, and you’d never get a job again!” I cut him off with a cry. “I was helping you fight Tristan.”
His eyes soften, and he sits on the bed next to me, putting his hand on my shoulder. “I know, Lily. And I’m so grateful. But now your location is compromised, as is your safety. You don’t know what people are saying online about you. On top of that, now that Tristan is suing you for defamation of character, we need to get you out of here.” I see the flash of fear in his eyes, then he quickly pushes it away. “Brookhaven isn’t far, only thirty minutes.” He gives a small grin. “At least you’ll be staying with Aunt Agatha.”
I snort a laugh. Aunt Agatha is sweet, but…quirky. And I’m not sure how much of a difference a change in scenery will make if I’m not allowed outside.
But who am I to question my older brothers and father? Being the baby of the family comes with perks, but sometimes it means I completely lose my voice. And when my brothers decide I’m better off living with crazy Aunt Agatha inBrookhaven, I have to say yes. Adam is overbearing, but I know it all comes from a place of love…and fear. Besides, I’ve already given them so much heartache over my poor decisions with Tristan, I can’t bear to give them more grief.
