Keep

Like usual.

On stage.

I could do it.

I flinched when the makeup artist added more dark shadow to my eyes, something that Jay was completely adamant about, was that I play myself but like this darker self, my designer jeans were shredded within an inch of their life, and I was barefoot.

The scene was supposed to be a Halloween party and apparently, I was a vampire.

A half-naked vampire.

That looked a hell of a lot like Jack Sparrow. I flinched when I saw my own reflection, freaky blue and white contacts stared back at me as fangs met my bottom lip. “I can’t sving like vis!” I lifted my hands into the air in exasperation.

Alec and Demetri were both in makeup chairs next to me, also headed up to the same fake stage, only they were getting zombie makeup put on them.

Demetri lifted up his phone. “Keep talking.”

I rolled my eyes. “No.”

“Say something with an SSSSSS.” He laughed.

“Sthuck you!” I yelled

“What was that?” He cupped his ear.

Alec glanced down at his phone and burst out laughing while Jay approached with his headset around his neck and Lincoln flanked on his right.

“Remember.” Jay was so damn young to be directing, but he was kicking ass. You could tell in the way the actors watched him, hung on his every word, even Lincoln, not that Lincoln had ever been a bad guy, he was just…very Hollywood, until he met Dani, now he seemed more normal.

Hell, like I even knew the meaning of the word.

I told Fallon to wait for me by Dani, who decided upon Fallon’s arrival that they both needed to grab coffee if they were going to make it through the afternoon.

“I need you to look pissed.” Jay grabbed Lincoln by the shirt. “This scene is pivotal, okay? It’s the third book in the series, alright? The one where Alec and Nat are together but he’s been lying about his past.”

Suddenly uncomfortable I looked down.

I wasn’t necessarily lying.

Just not sharing something that could ruin the moment and cause potential hurt, besides, did it really matter?

Finish the album.

Spend as much time with Fallon as possible.

And get a checkup if I start feeling weird.

My last check was six months ago, and although the aneurysm was still there, I was told it wasn’t growing and might heal up and disappear on its own, but that if by my next check up the body hadn’t repaired itself, I would need to go in for surgery.

Brain surgery.

That could leave me a vegetable for the rest of my life.

Which, until meeting her, didn’t seem to matter all that much. After all, I didn’t like people—and they sure as hell didn’t like me or wouldn’t like the real me if they ever knew my secret.

That I puked my guts out after meet and greets.

And hadn’t been to a mall in years.

“Hey, you ready for this?” Alec stood and held out his fist for me to bump.

“Yeah.”

“At least you get to lip sync, you know? Otherwise, you’d sound like a freak.”

“Wow, thanks.” I rolled my eyes. “I’ll still sound better than you.” I teased.

“Okay, eight.”

“Eight?”

“Grammies. I keep count so I know how many more I need this next awards season to kick your ass.”

“Three.” I called, “Just in case you were wondering.”

“It will happen, after all, we actually got an album recorded this last year while you sat on your ass and ate marshmallows while watching Real Housewives.”

“Bethenny’s a goddess,” I called after him.

He was right, though.

I needed to finish recording tonight.

Even if it killed me, which it very well might.

A twinge of guilt snapped in my chest like a small twig, like I was trying to sneak up on something and my own guilt caused my foot to slip against something loud.

That was how I felt with this secret.

It wasn’t the public’s business.

But it was hers.

Wasn’t it?

We were going on four weeks of knowing each other—nobody shared everything after only four weeks.

It was a lie.

I knew it even as I thought it.

“Places!” Someone yelled while my vampire self got ushered toward the stage.

Fallon waved at me from behind the camera, both she and Dani had a cup of coffee in hand and were pointing and laughing.

Yes. Hilarious. Edward Sparrow, Ladies and Gentleman!

She looked gorgeous in tight skinny jeans and a loose grey tank top that was tied in a knot at her waist. She must have gone home to change, which for some reason made me anxious. I didn’t want her anywhere but in my arms—in my bed, wherever that bed may be.

The lights dimmed.

Alec and Demetri started their creepy little acoustic melody and then the music shifted to the one we had written for the actual movie.

I moved to center stage.

My nerves at an all time high as everything fell silent and then the beat picked up and I did what I did best.

“My name’s Saint,” I whispered gravely into the microphone. “Are you ready to confess your sins?”

The extras went wild, so wild that I nearly cut and ran, but it was a concert, a fake one, but one I could control, this is what I did.

I entertained.

“I’ve been bad,” a girl screamed. Not sure if that was scripted or not, but I leaned down with my microphone and tilted her chin toward me.

Screams erupted.