I’ve been seeing more than what’s truly there between Brix and me.
He’s this amazing man—the only man in my life to not make me feel like I need to be more. More for the public, more for the label, more for everyone else.
He reminds me that I’m valid. That my opinions and thoughts matter and shouldn’t be censored by sales stats and fan opinion.
But what do I do for him?
I give him sex and an annoying whining pop star to deal with.
Great trade-off. It’s astounding he hasn’t proposed yet.
“Hey,” Iris says. “Don’t think that because he hasn’t told you why he needs money that he doesn’t have feelings for you. Brix is the type of guy to not risk his job for anything. For him to put his position at Mike Bravo on the line, you have to be something special.”
That doesn’t make me feel any better.
At all.
What’s going to happen if he loses his job?
He’ll hate me.
That thought is even more terrifying than the pipe bomb.
“Iris,” Trav barks from the doorway. “We’re rolling out.” He turns to me. “I’ll make sure my people find Billy Webber.”
“Aren’t the police going to arrest him? This is the second time he’s broken the restraining order.”
“We can’t prove it was him this time,” Iris says.
“He doesn’t own a silver car,” Trav adds. “We tailed him for weeks. He drives a crappy red Chevy.”
“Like he can’t borrow a car? Steal one? Do something to throw off the cops?” I say.
“We’re not saying it wasn’t him,” Trav says. “Just that we can’t prove it. The police will obviously want to talk to him, but with him disappearing …”
“Essentially, we’re helpless. Got it.”
How did this become my life?
Gideon joins us. “Harley, we—”
“Need to talk. I know.”
I storm into the house without even a goodbye to Iris and Trav.
“Brix is already in the living room,” Gideon says.
I find him sitting on the long couch, so I go to sit next to him. I know what’s coming, so there’s no point in denying it.
Brix knows it too and wraps his arm around me.
“How long has this been going on?” Gideon asks.
“Long enough to know that I don’t want to lose him or my job,” Brix says.
I pull back. “Really? I thought …”
I thought if it came down to it, he’d choose his career. If they gave him that option. It might be past that.
Brix doesn’t just love his job, he needs it.
This whole time I thought my career was in trouble, that it could easily go away, but the thing is, I still have royalties coming in from the countless hits Eleven had. Not to mention my most recent album which is still selling. The future of my career might be rocky, but I’m stable right now. I have money and savings and an accountant who could keep me afloat for years even if I never released another song.
Brix, he only has this job.
“You can’t fire him,” I tell Gideon. “If you do, I’m going to hire him again personally instead of through Trav.”
“Wouldn’t that border on prostitution?”
I don’t know if Gideon’s being serious or not right now. He doesn’t joke.
“I’d hire him as my bodyguard, dumbass.”
Gideon purses his lips. “I don’t like it.”
“We didn’t mean for it to happen,” I argue. “The first time, it was—”
Brix pulls me close. “It wasn’t a mistake. I know you were going to say that, and we said that’s what it was, but it wasn’t. It was eye-opening and amazing and … and it made me realize there was more to you than you let anyone see. You give me so much by being next to me.”
“I …” Shit, I have no idea how to respond to that. I run my hand along his thigh. “I can’t let you lose your job for me.”
“It’s just money. I’ll get more. It’ll take longer to pay off my debts. The debt will always be there. You won’t be if I let you go.”
“Brix …” My whiny voice comes out.
Brix’s shirt is soft in my hands as I grasp it in my fist. I inch closer, begging for him to kiss me, but just before our lips touch, we’re interrupted.
“I’m in love with Evah,” Gideon blurts.
Both Brix and I freeze and slowly turn toward my manager.
“Uh, what?” I ask.
“I know what it’s like to cross lines. I know how this”—he waves a finger between us—“can happen. Emotions and real feelings make everything messy. All I need to know is if it’s going to affect