My fingers went numb. Icy tendrils crystallized around my heart, freezing the blood in my veins.

I’d thought it had been bad enough that one time Keith had called my phone. Seeing him in person was a thousand times worse.

Looking at him now, with those callous eyes and harsh smirk, I wondered how I’d ever thought he had my best interests at heart.

“I really thought you knew better than this,” Keith said. “When I told you that you’d never work in the music industry again, I meant it.”

My throat muscles convulsed as I tried to speak, but nothing came out.

“And yet here you are,” he continued waving his hand in the air, as if to indicate the entire situation, “working with Cherry Lips. I knew you weren’t very smart, but I didn’t think you were this dim-witted.”

“What do you want?” I tried to snap at him, but the words came out in a shaky whisper.

“I want you gone, of course,” he said easily. “No one crosses me and gets away with it, least of all you.”

I moved away from the coffee machine and backed up a few steps to the opposite wall. I wanted to put as much space between me and Keith as I could. He liked to get up close, right in people’s face, loved to invade their personal space and make them uncomfortable. It was a familiar power play of his.

“Why won’t you just leave me alone?” I said tightly.

His eyes narrowed.

“You mean like you left me?” he said. “I loved you, Ever. I loved you when no one else would. And you walked out on me.”

I firmed my lips. I wasn’t going to let him get away with thinking he’d been the wronged party.

“You didn’t love me,” I told him. “You never loved me. You were just an abusive asshole. Of course I left you. I can’t believe it took me so long to figure out exactly what kind of person you are.”

Keith stalked toward me, making me back up until I was nearly against the wall. He put one hand against the wall beside my head, trapping me. Anxiety coursing through me.

This was what I’d been trying to avoid, but he’d been too quick. Like a snake, a viper, uncoiling and springing itself on its prey without warning.

His amber gaze bored into mine as he loomed over me.

“You walked out on a million-dollar contract,” he hissed. “You left me high and dry. Do you know how much money I put into your solo debut? How many hours in the studio, how much money in marketing, using all my connections, pulling all those strings. And you thought you could get away with just walking away?”

“I didn’t walk away from the contract,” I spat out. “I walked away from you.”

Keith’s eyes flashed dangerously. Fear spiked through me. I clenched my fists into a ball and tried to press myself flat against the wall, as if I could get away from him.

The fury in his eyes receded. He inhaled slowly, easing up. He straightened his tie. He flicked a piece of loose hair from his forehead, slicking it back again, making sure every strand was perfectly in place. Keith always made sure he looked well put together.

“That’s right,” he said smoothly. “You did leave me.” He gave me a derisive look. “And now you’re back with that queer Julian Woods.”

I slapped Keith’s cheek with a resounding smack, knocking his head to the side. My palm stung and rage pumped through my chest as I breathed heavily.

“Don’t you fucking talk about Julian,” I seethed.

Keith’s jaw twitched. He turned back to face me, a cruel smirk on his face.

“Hit too close to home?” Keith mocked. “I always did wonder what was between him and that pipsqueak drummer of his.”

I growled. “Get the fuck out of my face before I hit you again.”

“I’m surprised you’re still putting up with Julian’s shit,” Keith continued, ignoring me. “He still that same aloof, stuck-up brat? I don’t know what you saw in him.”

“Julian is ten times the man you will ever be,” I said. “He actually cares about me.”

“Does he?” Keith mused. “He gave up on you pretty easily, as far as I recall.”

My heartbeat pounded in my chest. This was also Keith’s specialty. Using his words to get into your head. Knowing exactly what to say to say to piss you off, to put you down, to make you second guess yourself. I wasn’t going to fall for it again.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” I told him.

“Don’t I?” Keith raised an eyebrow. “You know I offered to make those changes to the contract he wanted?”

I stilled. Those were the last words I thought would come out of that mouth.

“What?” I asked.

“Julian wanted more creative control, didn’t he?” Keith shrugged. “I didn’t care either way. I told him I’d make the changes. But he still wasn’t happy. He wanted to be in total control of the band. He didn’t like how much control the contract gave you. He wanted the final say on the music, on song selection, on the producers the band worked with, without having to run it by you first. I told him that was one change I wouldn’t make. It wasn’t fair to you. Seems he didn’t agree. So he walked away from it.”

“That’s a fucking lie,” I said.

“Is it?” Keith gave me a haughty look. “How's your songwriting going, by the way?”

“It’s going great,” I bit out.

“Is it?” Keith smirked. “You know, I heard a rumor. Julian has been complaining about how long you’ve taken. He wanted to write the song and be over and done with it. He wasn’t too keen on working with his ex, it seems.”

“Neither of us were at first,” I spat out. “We worked it out.”

“Is that what you think?” Keith gave me a patronizing look. “You know he’s just been keeping you around until the album is done.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said through gritted teeth.

“You’ll see,” Keith said confidently. “The minute he doesn’t need you, he’s going to drop you again. Just like last time. He doesn't love you the way I did. He doesn’t love you enough to believe in you. I was going to make you a star, Ever. And you blew it.”

He straightened his tie one last time and rolled his shoulders, standing tall.

“It doesn’t matter either way,” Keith said. “All it takes is a few words in the right ear and your career will be finished, just like last time. I’ve got connections you don’t. I hope you enjoyed working in the music industry again these last few months. It’s the last time you ever will.”

He strode out the door, letting it swing closed behind him, leaving me reeling.

Was Keith right? Was Julian just using me? He’d always been more about the music than anything else. Did he only care about me because I could help his career?

Did he care about me at all beyond that?

I slumped against the wall, using it to keep myself upright. My mind whirled with a hundred thoughts, trying to process what I’d just learned.

I’d told Julian I loved him. I’d told him so many times.

And not once had he ever said it back.