“Correct.” I bite my tongue to stop myself from admitting that I never made the choice, Dalton did.
“But”—she takes a stuttering, long breath—“we were both young and stupid and it was forever ago. I’m relieved to finally make sense of what happened. Plus, if I stay mad, I’m gonna miss out on the most inspiring dick I’ve ever had.”
The phantom of a grin ghosts across her face.
“So, for the sake of creativity, the future of country music, and my pussy—not particularly in that order—I hereby decide to put my anger aside.”
“Thanks, Trouble.”
She shrugs flippantly. “You should thank your musical cock.”
We both let out thin, anxious laughter. Ominous orchestral music from the hallway interrupts our emotional limbo.
I quirk a brow. “Is that the Imperial March from Star Wars?”
“For fuck’s sake… He’s calling right now, really?”
Tally gets up and disappears briefly before returning to the kitchen, ringing phone in hand. “It’s my manager, Rex. Ugh, I wanna strangle him. Not like that’s news.”
I swallow the murderous rage rising in my throat, grinning like a beast baring its teeth. “Need me to dispose of him as well? I’m on a roll today.”
It ain’t much of a joke. Rex Dalton is the one man I’ve seriously considered killing. Only about a million times.
“Very funny. I wish.” She winces as the phone continues to ring. “Shit, I gotta take this.”
13
RUST
The shouting starts as soonas Tally picks up.
Dalton is so loud, it sounds like he’s on speakerphone. “Where the fuck are you? You better haul your lazy ass to the concert venue right now!”
The legs of my chair screech as I push myself off the table. It takes inhuman restraint to not fly to my feet and rip the phone from her hand to give Dalton a piece of my mind.
How dare he speak to her like that? I should cut his tongue out for it.
Tally frowns. “Let me explain! I?—”
“I’ve spent all fucking morning on the fucking phone, cleaning up the fucking PR nightmare you’ve created with your childish temper tantrum!” he yells.
She puts a hand on her full hips. “Would you listen to me for once? Something happened and I can write again. I have an idea for a new album, but I need a little time to?—”
On the other end of the line, Dalton cackles sarcastically. “Hallelujah, you finally got over your pathetic creative block! Thank fuck! Now I can get the fuckingrecord label to climb out of my ass and you can start making money for me again.”
I thought he was just a dick to get me out of the way. But is this how he’s been treating Tally all these years?
Everything in me screams to protect her, but I know it would do more harm than good. I hate how powerless I was and still am.
Dalton drones on. “There’s no discussion here. Fix whatever you have going on and write that stupid album. Because you promised me new music, I’ll reschedule the first gigs of the tour and add the missed dates at the end. We’ll start you off in LA instead. And while you’re there, you’ll present your new album to the label.”
Tally deflates visibly. “The concert in LA is one week from today! How am I supposed to write a whole album until then?”
Dalton chuckles maliciously. “You’re a professional, sweetie. Figure it out. Don’t make me come and drag you home. You know what happens to little divas who disobey the Dalton…”
Tally’s mouth gapes as the connection drops. Her eyes drift to me, cheeks pink. “Sorry you had to witness that.”
“Ain’t nothing to apologize for, but I don’t like the way Dalton talks to you. I swear if he sets foot on this property, I’m gonna make him intimately acquainted with my shotgun. You’re safe here.”
