“My mom was great too,” I whisper, squeezing the pillow.“She was a singer like me.When I was younger, she’d take me with her sometimes while she busked in the subway.It was so much fun to watch her.People just loved her energy.Life with her was an adventure.”
“I’m sorry you lost her.”
“You sent me flowers.”He sent the biggest bouquet of pink, white, and purple lilies and carnations.They were beautiful.The rest of the flowers went to nursing homes, but I kept his until every last petal died.
“I did,” he says, his voice soft.His forest eyes are even softer.“I hate that I couldn’t be there, princess.”Sometimes, he looks at me like I’m the only thing he sees.Like he’s just waiting for me to tell him that I’m his, and he’ll betray every belief he’s ever held to keep me.In those moments, the words climb up my throat like an aria, desperate to burst free.I want to utter them.I want to set us both free.So damn bad.
Does he know how much?Can he see me falling deeper?
“Rhys, I…”
“Jack Hale,” he blurts.
I blink twice.“What?”
“Jack Hale was there when I got there,” he says.
“Oh.”I frown, trying to drag myself back from the ledge.Back to reality.I can’t tell him that I’m in love with him.I can’t set us free.He may want me, but that’s not the same as what I feel.Besides, he’s still keeping secrets.Big ones.“Why was Jack there?”
“Good question,” he mutters, scrubbing a hand down his face.He looks weary, tired all the way to his bones.“They were allegedly meeting about something business related.”
“You don’t believe that.”It’s not a question.I’ve gotten pretty good at reading him too.
“I’ve been to business meetings with Jack,” he says.“He never drinks when business is on the table.And Marnie never discusses business at home.Brant was banished to his home office for any and all business discussions.”
“So maybe they weren’t meeting about the company,” I suggest.
“Then what?”
“I don’t know.”I shrug helplessly.“Jack helps Marnie with all kinds of stuff.She likes working with him because my dad trusted him.That’s hard to come by in the business world.People are always looking for ways to take you down and claim your spot.Jack isn’t like that.He was perfectly content being the small fish because my dad made him billions.He didn’t want the headache that came with being the majority stakeholder.”
“What do you think about him?”Rhys leans back against the door, the picture of casual indifference even though the question is anything but.“You trust him?”
“I guess so.He’s been kind of like an uncle to me for the last half of my life.We’ve never been super close or anything, but he’s always been nice to me,” I say.“I’m glad he’s helping Marnie oversee the company.I know I’ll have to deal with it sooner or later, but I guess I’m kind of relieved it’s not my responsibility yet.”
“You don’t want it?”Rhys seems surprised.
“It’s not that.It’s just…I don’t know the first thing about running a company.”I glance down at my lap, plucking at the tassels on the pillow.“My dream was always music.Maybe that sounds naïve or makes me foolish or whatever, but I never wanted to be a billionaire.I never wanted to inherit my dad’s fortune or his company or any of it.I just wanted to sing.”
“Chase your dream, songbird.”
I glance up at him.
“Life is too fucking short to spend it doing something you hate,” he says, his eyes locked on mine.“If you don’t want to run the company, don’t.Let Jack run it or hire someone to run it for you.Sell it.Set it aside for the baby.You have options and plenty of time to figure it out.Brant wouldn’t want you to give up your dream to babysit his.”
“What if I want to run it?”I whisper.
“Do you?”
“I don’t know.Part of me feels like I need to do it,” I admit.“I know you don’t agree with what Marnie did, but she wasn’t entirely wrong.My daddidcoddle me.I like to think I’m not a spoiled little rich girl, but the truth is that Iam.Everything has always been handed to me.Sure, I’ve worked hard to make sure I earned my spot, but that doesn’t change the fact that I had opportunities others didn’t.I have no real-world skills.What happens if I fail at singing?”
“You won’t fail.”
“People fail every day, Rhys.Incredibly talented, deserving people.”
“So you’re just going to give up?”His eyes narrow, his voice dropping to a growl.
“No, of course not.”I shake my head emphatically.“I’m just saying…oh, I don’t know what I’m saying!”I groan, tipping my head forward into my hands.
