Alice went back to the parked limo and climbed inside. Carly looked at her hopefully, but that hope faded as she read the truth in Alice’s face.

“I’m so sorry, kiddo.”

Carly summoned a weak smile and pretended to shrug it off. “Hey, no biggie. You tried, right?”

“There must be something we can do,” Johnny said. “I’ve got a few friends that specialize in family law and child welfare cases. I could feel them out; see what they say.”

“No,” Carly told him, shaking her head. “I appreciate it, but it’s okay, really. Most kids my age would love the kind of freedom I have. And it’s only for a few more years, right? As long as I can keep in touch with you guys, it’s all good.”

“Of course we’ll keep in touch. Every day.”

Summoning a weak smile, Carly said, “Well, I guess that’s it, then. I’d better go before the buses take off.”

Carly got out of the car. Alice watched her walk across the grassy expanse that separated them from the trio of parked tour buses that comprised Rex’s traveling entourage.

At one point, Alice reached for the door handle and said, “Screw it. Screw Rex. I have enough money saved to take Carly and just disappear.”

Johnny stopped her with a warm hand on her arm. “Calm down, momma cat. Rex might not be a great parent, but that’s not illegal. Kidnapping, however, is.”

She sat back slowly, willing the powerful urge to run, grab, and protect Carly into something more manageable.

As usual, Johnny was the calm, rational voice of reason. Alice envied him that, especially when her emotions were likely to have her doing something stupid.

Johnny was right, but that didn’t make it fair. And it didn’t mean she had to like it.

“I don’t think he even knew she was gone.”

In her peripheral vision, she saw Johnny’s features harden. Alice knew he was thinking the same thing she was—that Carly deserved better. Too bad her own father couldn’t see that.

Johnny followed Alice’s gaze until Carly disappeared into one of the trailers, not Rex’s. At least that was one positive in a day full of negatives. When they were on the road, Carly had her own private room in the back of a different bus, providing some insulation between her and Rex’s party ride.

“She’s a smart kid with a good head on her shoulders,” Johnny said. “She’ll be okay, especially with the two of us looking out for her. We’ve got her back.”

Hell yes, they did. But that didn’t stop Alice from feeling pretty lousy when the driver pulled away.

His hand covered hers. “I’ve got your back, too, you know.”

Against her will, moisture started pooling in her eyes again. “I know you do.” She was so lucky to have him. Not many people would do what he did for her and Carly. He had not only accompanied her to NYC but had also made sure their time together had been fun and memorable, and then he had chartered a private jet and a limo to bring Carly back to Rex.

He pulled her against him and kissed her forehead. “That’s what family does. Now, tell me what happened in there.”

Alice sighed and proceeded to relay the exchange. She left nothing out, except for admitting how close she’d actually come to agreeing to Rex’s terms. Johnny, however, wasn’t easily fooled.

“You’re considering it, aren’t you?”

“I told him I couldn’t.”

“But you want to.”

Did she want to be there for Carly? Of course she did. Did she want to go back to being Rex’s window woman? The one who kept the storms outside at bay, but who Rex looked right through as if she wasn’t even there? No. She had been there, done that, and had secured the rights to the T-shirts.

Deep in her heart, she loved Rex. It wasn’t a conscious choice. The heart wanted what it wanted, and against all logic, hers wanted him.

Or, more accurately, she thought sadly, her fantastical version of him. The Rex she had caught rare, fleeting glimpses of from time to time. Like when he would sing her something new he’d been working on. He would look at her with those golden eyes; his deep, masculine voice would wrap around her and sink down into her soul. For those few moments, she would feel certain that he had written the words for her and her alone.

Or those times when her body would suddenly heat and hum for no apparent reason, and she would turn around to find him watching her before he looked away.

Those few, far between moments were what fueled her foolish fantasies. Fantasies where Rex came only to her bed. Where she, Rex, and Carly were a real family. Where Rex put the two of them first – ahead of himself, ahead of his shows, ahead of his fans.

Pipe dreams, all of them.

As this last encounter had proven, Rex hadn’t changed at all, and chances were, he wasn’t going to. He still cared only for himself. And while Alice would gladly go to Hell and back for him, she refused to live in Hell because of him.

Carly’s resigned expression flashed in her mind, and again, her conscience pinged with guilt. It wasn’t Carly’s fault her father was a narcissistic egomaniac. The girl, like her, deserved better.

Despite less than ideal circumstances, the young half-lioness was remarkably mature and aware for her age. Instead of being a spoiled brat, she had forged an inner strength and a commendable set of ethics, using her situation to determine what she didn’t want.

Alice liked to think she had some small part in that, by being there for her and providing a female role model other than the sycophants and sex-starved groupies.

What kind of message would she be sending to Carly if she went back to Rex now? That it was okay to be a doormat?

No, she wasn’t going to do that. It would be counterproductive and send a mixed message. Instead, Alice was going to lead by example. She was going to walk the walk, even if that walk took her physically away from where she wanted to be. She could still be there for Carly every step of the way while demonstrating that it was better to get a hand up to climb out of a bad situation than to step on someone else’s back to do it.

“No,” she answered softly but firmly. “I don’t want to go back to the way things were.”

When they returned to Johnny’s place in LA, life went back to business as usual. Alice spoke with Carly daily over the next several weeks, which helped to ease her worry somewhat. Alice stayed busy, making and confirming arrangements for Johnny’s upcoming tour while he was busy in the studio.

All too soon, their hiatus was over, and it was time to get back on the road. The days became a whirlwind of traveling and performing and taking off again. Touring with Johnny wasn’t nearly as stressful as touring with Rex, but it still took a toll.

Alice was looking forward to a brief respite in Chicago. They had a few days between concerts, and Alice planned on surprising Carly with a visit. Rex was scheduled to play two shows there, so it seemed like the perfect time.

The truth was, Alice was worried about Carly. They had kept in touch through video chats, texts, and calls each day as promised, but lately, Carly seemed increasingly distant and distracted. She insisted that everything was okay when asked, but Alice wasn’t buying it.

Alice left Johnny in the posh hotel room, thinking that Carly might be more willing to talk to her if she came alone. They could all meet up later after Alice and Carly had some much-needed girl time. Except, when she got to the hotel where Rex’s band was staying, Carly wasn’t there.