gossip and bad press to die
down.”
“You don’t know that there will be any bad press,” I bit out.
“I’ve been in this business a lot longer than you have, Charlie. You’re just a pretty-boy singer. Stick to that. You’re
good at it.”
I blinked back tears. Did he really think so little of me? Fuck, I’d been such a fool all these years. I’d actually
believed he respected me as a person, liked me even.
“But I must warn you. If the sales of your next album are as lacklustre as I think they’ll be, it’ll be time to retire.”
“Retire?” I shook my head, utterly gobsmacked. “You took Jesse Steele on after he got together with a man
twelve years older than him.”
“That was different,” Flannigan said flatly.
I was getting sick of hearing that. “How?”
“Isaac Gray saved Jesse Steele’s life. It was a fantastic romantic story.” He sighed. “Had I realised they’d jump to
start a family immediately, I would have reconsidered. I’d thought Jesse Steele was more career-focused than
that. I was wrong.”
I was so repulsed that I almost dropped the phone. Did Jesse know how Flannigan felt? Did Austin? Probably not,
but I was damn sure going to tell them. I shut my eyes. No. It wouldn’t be fair for me to stir up trouble because I
was pissed off.
“After my tour, I want out of my contract.”
“You don’t mean that, Charlie.”
“I do. It’s clear you don’t believe in me. And if you really think my next album is going to tank, what’s the point in
continuing to work together?”
“You realise that Phoenix Records holds the rights to all of your music, don’t you?”
A chill ran through me. “Yes.”
I hadn’t written any of my own songs. Charlie Faire only existed because of them. It didn’t mean that I’d stop
earning money from my old music—they would have to give me my fair share of the royalties forever—but
Flannigan would also make money off me and my voice forever.
“We can talk about it when you get home from your tour,” Flannigan said in a calm voice. “I won’t hold you to your
rash decision.”
I wasn’t sure if that was good or bad. I also didn’t trust myself to say another word.
“I can’t stop you from going public,” Flannigan went on. “Everyone knows Charlie Faire does what he wants. But
at least let Robin manage the situation for you. He might be able to mitigate some of the bad press. But really
think hard about whether or not this thing with Austin is worth wrecking your career over.”
I still didn’t believe it would wreck my career, but the one thing I was sure of was that when the dust had settled, I
would be walking away from Phoenix Records.
11
Austin
Charlie and I didn’t have much time to reconnect. Well, not much time while we were both awake. I’d followed his
advice and done everything I could to stay awake on the plane. I’d read books, watched films, and walked up and
down the aisle. It had worked, but by the time I’d arrived at his hotel in Washington, D.C., I’d been awake for
nineteen hours and was fit to drop. One of Charlie’s bodyguards had met me in a random diner, where I’d shifted
and hidden in one of my bags. This time, I’d packed more than an overnight bag. As soon as we’d been left alone,
I shifted, and Charlie took me to bed, taking care of me in the same way I’d taken care of him in Copenhagen.
We curled up together and slept.
Beau Jordan arrived with a small camera crew just before nine. Normally I’d have been up for at least a couple of
hours before that, but that morning I found it hard to wake myself, let alone rouse Charlie. We showered together
and had the breakfast that had been ordered the night before, finishing about two minutes before Wulf showed
Beau into the suite. I instantly felt sick and wished I hadn’t eaten anything.
I’d seen a few episodes of Beau’s chat show. He was normally fair and reasonable, but that didn’t set me at
ease. Nor did the fact that he often talked about his omega mate and the three-year-old alpha they’d adopted five
years earlier. Now eight, Taylor was often in the studio audience along with his dad. I didn’t disagree with Robin’s
choice of interviewer, but it didn’t help.
Charlie and I already had make-up applied and had been set up with radio mics. The camera men
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