Chapter 11

“You’re a dead man.”

With a towel slung around his hips, Kade leaned on his forearm against the window and stared at the empty streets down below. It was still too early for the clubbers to be up, but Kade hadn’t slept after he’d practically kicked Addilyn out of his bed and apartment last night.

He had a pounding headache, and Christopher’s angry threats over the phone weren’t helping things.

“Are you planning on killing me, or is there a hit man after me?” Kade's voice was still hoarse from his lack of sleep. He cleared his throat and rubbed his temple.

“Peter Homes is going to kill you, although I’m itching to get my hands on you as well. What the hell were you thinking? Screwing America Holden?”

Kade’s body tensed. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“You haven’t seen the news today? Addilyn was photographed leaving your apartment last night and damn you, Kade. She’s obviously crying. What the hell did you do to her?”

Swearing loudly, Kade crossed the room and opened his computer. Typing in Addilyn’s name, he clenched his teeth. The pictures were dark and grainy, but he could still make out the tears falling down her cheeks and the mussed hair.

“I told you from the beginning that she was off limits. What the hell is wrong with you, Kade? Peter is going to make sure that you never work in the music industry again!”

“I kept my hands off her as long as I could,” Kade said through clenched teeth. Even as he said it, he felt like a bastard. “She wanted to rebel against Peter, and God help me, I let her.”

“Peter is threatened to rip up the deal. He’d rather scrap all the work you did and start over with someone else than risk her reputation. And since you let Addilyn push to have her name as a co-writer, you won’t be able to sell those songs to anyone else.”

“Let him,” Kade snarled. “I’m so tired of doing this, Christopher. I’m sick of other people getting famous off my work. I’m sick of working for people who don’t appreciate the music for what it is. They put on a good face and pretend they’re singing from the soul, but it’s nothing more than another fucking paycheck for them. I could have had a career of my own, remember. I was well on my way too, but I let you talk me into this shit.”

“You quit the band because of Cadence. So don’t put that shit on me. You saw things going in a direction that wasn’t healthy for your kid, and you bailed.” He wanted to blame him, but he knew that his old friend was right. He’d had his moment of stardom, but when the rock life got too full of parties and drugs, he knew he had to put his daughter first and keep her from the same life he’d lived. He hadn’t let himself think of that for so long. It was a fleeting moment in time, but sometimes he wondered if it weren’t for Cadence, would he have ended up in a different place. The thought terrified him.

“I did it because I wanted my music to mean more than something for someone to get high to. I wanted better for Cadence, but I did it to keep her from that life, the same shit I had to start. What good is it if I’m still selling my soul?”

“Get a hold of yourself, Kade,” Christopher snapped. “You’ve been so weird these past few months, and I’m not going to let you throw your career away because of America Holden. You know that you’re quickly becoming a big name in the songwriting industry, but you’ve got to keep it together.”

Sighing, Kade got up and started to pace. “What do you want from me?”

“Take the week off. Peter is pissed at the delay, but he understands the need for you both to lay low. I need you to talk to Addilyn. Tell her to talk to the media, and get ahead of the story. Tell them that you two had an emotional night of work. She’s been under an enormous amount of pressure, and you two were celebrating the start of your recording. You talked. You had a few drinks. She broke down and admitted that she'd been terrified that the public will reject her new songs. Humanize her, and the fans will eat it up.”

“You’re almost scary good at this,” Kade said with a small smile.

“Kade, you need to stay away from her. The two of you cannot be alone. No kissing. No touching. No late night meetings. Peter will do anything to save Addilyn’s reputation, and if you care at all about that woman, you will do the very same. Do you understand?”

At first, Kade didn’t say anything. Before last night he would have readily agreed. He had readily agreed, but now that he’d tasted her, he only wanted her more. She’d felt incredible in his arms. It was unlike anything that he’d ever experienced, and that terrified him.

“Kade,” Christopher said sharply. “Stay away from her.”

“Fine,” Kane managed. Before Christopher could say anything else, he hung up the phone and threw it on the bed. Part of him was furious with himself. Deep down, he knew that he could drag her down to his level. He didn’t bury himself in women for the fame. He did it because he could. He did it because it made him feel powerful, but Addilyn weakened him with just one look.

He wanted to prove that he could still maintain his power and control when she was around, but last night, he tossed it all away for just one night with her.

And that was all that it could be. One night. If he gave into his desire again, he’d risk dragging her down to his level, and that wasn’t fair to her. She deserved so much better.

He thought about just leaving her an email with instructions, but even he couldn’t stoop to that. Instead, he called her. When it went straight to her voicemail, he felt a sense of relief.

“Addilyn.” His cracked, and he cleared his throat. “Christopher just called me about the photographers outside my building. Peter wants to get ahead of this. He wants you to schedule an interview to explain the picture. Explain that it was an emotional night of songwriter. To explain your—“ Tears. God, he couldn’t even get the words out. He’d made her cry. “To explain the picture. I’m sure Peter will coach you on everything to say. I’m going to Nashville for a week to focus on the album.”

He tried to say goodbye, but the word just didn’t come. Instead, he hung up and knocked his head against the wall. He should have never touched her. Hell, he should have never agreed to the contract.

The press was already gathering outside the apartment entrance. He frowned with displeasure while he stared at them. They came with the job, but before now, he’d never really cared about them. He didn’t care who they caught him with, or what they said, but this time, it was different.

This time, they’d caught him at his worse moment. Making Addilyn cry.

Packing a few things, he headed to the alternative exit. There was a private stairwell that led to one of the bars below. With a pair of sunglasses and beanie on his head, he looked no different than the other musicians that came and went. It was easy enough to slip by the photographers as he hailed a cab to take him to the taxi.

The week passed, and he threw himself into his work. Every word of their lyrics had new meaning. Every time that he listened to a recording of her voice, the familiar ache returned.

She wasn’t out of his system. Not by a long shot.

The silence between them grew. No phone calls. No texts. No emails.

It was obvious that Addilyn Wheeler was done with him.