That word is a knife to the gut, but I can’t react. I won’t fall apart and lash out. The only way out of this is if we remain level-headed and try to compromise.
I gently push Sully to the side and step forward. “Why can’t wejust—”
“Don’t you say another word.” Gigi’s eyes cut into me sharper than razor blades. “I should call the police on you and your friend for trespassing. For stalking.” Her eyes blaze with fire. She smacks Amy’s arm. “Can you report them?”
Alice stiffens her spine and bursts through the crowd. “I need caffeine dealing with you fuckers.” She marches to the counter without a glance behind her.
Amy nods at Gigi, typing something on her phone. “Yes, of course. We need to keep the show on track and away from these nobodies,” she says.
Gigi claps. “Well, then. Let’s get back. The venue is losing it with all their artists missing and the doors opening in less than an hour.” She frowns, looking at her phone. “But devoted fans know how to wait for a good thing. I’m planning a duet cover.” Gigi reaches for Sully’s wrist. “And we can finally publicly announce our engagement.” She looks at me when she says that.
Sully yanks his arm back and slams it around my waist, anchoring me to his side. “That’s enough.” His voice is low but thunderous, vibrating through his chest like a warning growl.
“I don’t know what kind of delusion you’re living in, but I never proposed to you. Not then. Not ever.” His eyes burn with fury now. “We were collaborating on two songs. That’s it. It was business. Creating buzz for the tour. Nothing more.”
He turns, locking eyes with Gigi. “But that’s over now. I’m done playing polite. Being nice has only let people walk all over me and twist my silence into consent. I’m not your damn puppet, and I’m sure as hell not a trophy you can drag out when it suits you. I’m done letting other people dictate my life.”
Gigi flinches, her perfectly painted smile cracking just a little. “Sully, baby…you don’t mean that.” Her voice trembles, not with fear, but with disbelief—like she’s not used to being toldno. “You’re just upset. You’re lettinghertwist things.”
She steps toward him, but Sully tightens his grip around me, like a physical declaration of where he stands.
“I mean every word,” he says coldly. “And don’t you dare blame her for your games.”
Gigi’s eyes dart to me, venomous now. “You think she’s not using you? Don’t be stupid, Sully. She’s a phase.” Her voice gets sharper, more desperate with each word. “Youneedme. Your image, your tour—everything we built—”
“We builtnothing,” he snaps. “You built castles out of PR stunts and lies.”
Gigi’s jaw tightens. The façade slips entirely now, revealing something hard and bitter underneath. “Fine,” she spits. “Burn it all down.”
Sully doesn’t flinch. “I’d rather crawl through the ashes than live another second under your thumb.”
Amy moves forward, snapping, “Stop it! This little tramp—”
Sully clenches his teeth and shoves a finger into Amy’s chest. “Don’t you call Veronica anything else. It doesn’t matter everyone else is married, and you think your PR powers can turn me into a meat stick to sell this band. I’m in love with Veronica. She’s not a fling or a crazed groupie. This might be something real, and I wish you’d respect us enough to allow us to figure it out for ourselves without all these lies and deceit.”
My breath hitches at the wordloveand I can’t help but smile. We never said the words to each other, but I’ve never felt this safe around someone before. It’s like he’s been in my life longer than a few weeks. I spent toomuch time worrying about my heart and keeping my walls up, but he found a way in. He supports my career and gets along with my parents when no one else tried. I could picture us going on double dates with Alice and Emily.
“Let me walk away. Come up with whatever story for my departure. Just let me live my life in peace, please.”
Amy squints at Sully and then sneers at me. “You’d leave without a penny?” she asks with disdain. “If you’re that naïve and foolish about this so-called love then—”
“We’re not standing by and letting Sully walk away…” Charlotte pipes in, interlacing her fingers with Ben, and they stand beside us. “Ben and I created this band, and we’re taking back control.”
“Yeah. What she said.” Ben smiles at his wife.
“I’m with them,” Lars says, hitting Sully’s shoulder. He stands on the other side of Ben.
“Damn,” Alice cuts in, leaning against a wall and sipping her drink, watching us as if we’re an improv show.
“This is ridiculous.” Amy stomps her foot, acting like a child who couldn’t have dessert before dinner. She waves her hand in the air.
Charlotte steps forward and smirks. “We no longer require your services.”
Amy blinks and bares her teeth. “Come now. You wouldn’t be anywhere without—”
Sully motions to the door. “That means you’re fired. Leave.” His voice is full of bite, and she moves back as if she can feel the pain in her flesh.
“Screw you! Tank your band. See if I give a rat’s ass,” she snarls and pushes her way out the door. The glass door swings open and smacks the brick wall, but it doesn’t shatter.
