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Kelsey leaves my sight and when she returns it’s with a scarlet faced, tear stained Lennon in tow. She has her arm looped around the other woman’s arm and tugs her down on the sofa with her. Her hair falls like a curtain that blocks me out as she tilts her head to talk to the other woman.

“Need I remind you that I’m your manager.” Sonatina raises a haughty eyebrow. “And that my Daddy owns the label you’re contracted to. That includes any songs you write during studio time Savant Records provides.”

“Fuck you, Sonatina.” I don’t need the reminder of how easily she could ruin us if she didn’t have other aspirations.

“You really should be nicer to me, fiancé,” she says. “Now, play it again.”

I glance up to see Kelsey watching me intently. No doubt she caught the lyrics. She always picked them up quickly. There’s a dare in her gaze...

She wants me to defy Sonatina. The label. Everything that brought us to this point in our careers. Brought us fame. Reputation. Our fucking dreams.

Golden clears his throat. Anticipation is written in the way he holds his guitar, waiting for the moment I agree to the replay. Bronx twirls a drumstick into the air and catches it. He too is anticipating... ready to lay down the beat.

Lennon watches like she too has a stake in what happens here.

“Riot.” Sonatina’s voice grates on me.

Everyone in this studio right now is relying on me. For their career. Their safety. I scratch the back of my neck. The last thing I want to do is give Sonatina what she wants, but what choice do I have? I draw in a heavy breath and release it. “Fine.”

We start the song over.

When we finish it, Lennon sits alone on the couch, looking dejected. Exhausted. Kelsey is gone. The only reason I don’t panic is because Rook has also left the spot where he and Jasper posted themselves once they’d assessed the exits and entrances to the studio. Wherever she is, so is he.

“It’s good,” Sonatina announces. She pats my bicep as she says loudly for the others’ benefit. “Our fans will know it’s about me.”

“You’re fucking delusional,” I mutter under my breath and get up from the piano. Grabbing my bag, I put the strap over my shoulder and head for the door before Sonatina can utter one more fucking demand.

I don’t make it outside before the click of the Zippo sounds again. The paper sizzles. If anyone has a problem with it, they can take it up with Sonatina. A buzz starts under my skin from the first inhale.

I need a new plan. I need some other way to take Sonatina down.

Hand in my pocket, phone in my grip, I step outside while my thoughts play Russian roulette. Micah? West? Soren? Or Dizzy? My stride falters. The spot between my shoulder blades turns prickly.

Kelsey stands motionless in the middle of the concrete area. Her back to me, her shoulders rise and fall on hard repeat.

My first instinct is to look around for Marco or some other danger. Finding nothing doesn’t make it better. She’s not in danger. She’s in pain. And I’m to blame. The only problem is I can’t tell if she’s trying to hold back her sadness or the urge to punch me in the balls.

In fear of my balls, I stride toward her while I pull another inhale from the joint. She doesn’t acknowledge me. Just keeps staring straight ahead. Not blinking away the emotions shining in her eyes. “What are you looking at?”

Nothing. Not one word.

My lungs fill and release. Smoke plumes from my lips. Locked up muscles start to unwind enough that I won’t be bedbound by the time we get back to the hotel. Not enough to find any kind of ease, though. “I’m sorry.”

She swallows. That’s her only response. That and hugging her ribs.

“I didn’t have a choice.”

“There’s always a choice,” she says. “Always. I’m making a choice sticking around, aren’t I? I could choose to take my chances with Marco and leave. Instead, I’m choosing to stay and put up with her. I don’t even know why I’m making that choice anymore... you’ve already told me that you can’t put me first. And I understand why. But her... you keep putting her first.”

“It’s not that simple.” There’s too much at risk not to treat Sonatina like a serious threat. And she said she would give me time. Until we’re done with this leg of the tour.

“No?” She finally looks at me. Hikes one eyebrow. “You said a few days. Then a couple of weeks. It’s been three and all I see is you getting in deeper with her. Giving her what she wants... Want to tell me when you’re going to tell her to leave? I want to be there to see it.”

“Things aren’t going the way that I wanted,” I admit. My biggest concern should be getting Kelsey to trust me again. Enough to allow me in so I can prove that she is the only woman for me. The one that I want to be with. That I won’t let anything come between us again.

“And if they keep not going your way?” She stares me dead in the eye. Into my soul. Into the places that even I don’t want to look too deeply.

Because if they don’t... if Micah can’t find anything... if Lennon won’t speak to me... If I can’t find a way to bring Sonatina down soon... I’m not sure what I’m capable of.