Risky Rockstar: A Hero Club Novel, стр. 72
Fuck, what I did to Hayley might be the most unforgivable thing of all. She trusted me, confided in me. Told me something deeply personal and fucking gut-wrenching, and what do I do?
I go do the very fucking thing Ethan held over her head.
I’ve tried talking to Hayley. Called her at least a hundred times and left as many messages. I even went over there yesterday, but she wouldn’t even open the gate for me.
Shit, I need her to talk to me. She needs to know this doesn’t have anything to do with what she did or didn’t do…that I am still fucked-up from my past with Emily, and I didn’t really appreciate how much until now.
So there is no fucking way I am going on national radio and answering questions about my relationship with her when I don’t even know where we stand with each other.
I scroll for Benji’s number and punch the Call button.
“Mr. Pike’s office. How may I help you?”
“Hey, Virginia. It’s Kade. Is Benji in?”
“He is, Mr. Tennick. However, he asked me to hold all his calls.”
I rub my tired eyes with my finger and thumb. “It’s important.”
“I’m sure it is—” Her voice changes to that politely professional tone people get when they’re about to stonewall you. But I’m not standing for that shit today.
“Could you get him on the goddamn phone, please.”
Virginia huffs. “Hold, please.”
I wait for fifteen minutes with opera blaring in my ears before Benji comes on the line. “Kade, this melodramatic rock star attitude doesn’t suit you.”
Ignoring his snide remark, I jump right in. “I just read the questions from Marissa Sanders. I’m not answering them.”
I don’t need to see him to know he’s unbuttoning his jacket and leaning back in his chair. Likely with his foot resting on his knee. “Why’s that?”
“It’s none of your fucking business why I’m not answering them. It’s my personal life, and what goes on in my personal life has fuck all to do with anyone else.”
I hear him shift again, and grab my mug of coffee, downing half a cup of the ice-cold liquid in one go. I wish it was bourbon or whiskey or something a shit-ton stronger than the bitter coffee, but that’s a slippery slope I know better than to fall down again.
“I beg to differ. Your personal life became everyone’s business when you started dry fucking Ms. Stephens onstage every night.”
My nostrils flare and my whole body tenses. “You need to get some goddamn respect.” I say it through gritted teeth.
“Like the way you’re all respectful of her when you have your audience? Look, if you two had a fight, that’s your problem. Surely, you can be civil to each other long enough to get through an interview.”
I grip the phone in my fist. If I smash it against the wall, I’ll have no way of contacting Hayley.
“Bottom line, I’m not answering the personal questions.”
“You agreed to this. Both of you did.”
“Things change.”
Benji sighs. “Look, I don’t have time for this. You’re obligated by contract to participate in any PR events we say you need to do. So I’d bank my little temper tantrum if I were you and show up at 7:00 p.m. tomorrow night unless you want a ton of shit to come down on you.”
“I’m obligated by contract to make you money with music. I’m not answering these fucking questions, and I doubt Hayley will either.”
I hear the motherfucker’s smile down the phone. “We’ll see about that.”
Yeah, we will.
Chapter 37
Hayley
“Come in, Ms. Stephens.”
I turn and smile a thanks to the secretary moments before she closes the door.
Benji stands, undoing the button of his forest-green suit, and gestures to the chair in front of his desk. He doesn’t shake my hand, and I’m grateful. This guy is sleaze in mammoth proportions, and I don’t want any part of him touching me.
I hesitate before I sit. It’s hot in here, and I should probably take my jacket off, but the idea of undressing in front of Benjamin Pike—even if it’s only to remove a jacket—makes my skin crawl.
I sit, crossing my legs and resting my hands on my knees, resisting the urge to trace the seam of my jeans with my fingers just to have something to do with my hands. I don’t know why I’m here and why Sam isn’t involved; even though she’s at a family member’s funeral, I’d expect her to know.
“Thank you for coming on such short notice.”
“Your secretary said it was urgent. Are the guys coming?” I ask, not knowing what I want the answer to be.
My palms instantly grow sweaty at the thought of being in the same room as Kade. I’ve managed to avoid him so far, but I know I’ll have to talk to him eventually. He’s called and left countless messages, and yesterday when he showed up at my place, I just couldn’t bear to face him. I know I’m being stupid. I have to see him at the interview in a couple of hours, and we should probably have a discussion before then, but every time I think of talking to him, all I can picture is how I threw myself at him and he rejected me.
“No, they aren’t.”
Disappointment washes over me. Shit, I’m so confused. What exactly is it that I want?
“I wanted to chat with you alone, Ms. Stephens. It seems we have a problem,