Page 5 of Ballad of Rioting Hearts

“She’s a fighter.” A survivor. My knees feel like they want to give way. I start to move toward the door again. “How’s she doing now?”

Sonatina pouts like Kelsey’s life and death situation is ruining her special moment for real as she keeps up with me.

“She’s in shock. Injured. But okay,” Rook says. “She’s with Doc now.”

“Tell her I’m on my way.”

“Listen, Son, she’s—”

Sonatina snatches my phone out of my hand and ends the call.

“What the fuck? Give it back.” My jaw bunched, I whirl on her and thrust an arm out to take my phone.

One of her team takes a menacing step in my direction.

She holds the device way out behind her while pressing her palm into my chest. “Your precious Katie is fine.”

“Stop calling her Katie. Don’t talk about her at all.” I have hated some people in my lifetime, but not the way I hate Sonatina Savant. Something dark and venomous wants to tear free from inside me and destroy her for everything she’s done to Kelsey. To me. That part of me is vicious and not in control.

My hands curl into tight fists. “I’m going.”

“No, you’re not,” she says. “You’ll do what I tell you. Because otherwise I’ll make that call to the cops. You don’t want that, do you?”

Forget my phone. I can get another one. Forget her and her threats. If she wants to come after me, I’ll make sure she regrets it. I want to shove her to the side like she has no hold on me at all.

I can’t do that. I can’t lose control. She already knows Kelsey is my weakness, I can’t give her any more reason to go after her. I have to maintain the illusion that Sonatina has the upper hand. For now. Until I find something to prove that Kelsey wasn’t behind the missing money.

I take several calming breaths like I do when I walk onto the stage and the nerves kick in. “Fine. You want me to stay the night in your hotel room... I can do that. But I draw the line at sleeping in your bed. Or with you in any way.”

I won’t sleep at all. I don’t trust the bitch as far as I can throw her, and I sure as hell am never going to put myself into that situation again.

“Pity.” She practically purrs as she rises on the tips of her heels and presses a lipstick kiss to my cheek. “We could be so good together.”

“Never.”

“Well.” She hands me back my phone. “Shall we go?”

“Yes.” I grit my teeth, trailing after her out of the restaurant. There’s a limousine waiting.

“Put your arm around me, darling.” She takes my hand and places it on her hip as her security flanks us. “And look at me like we’re in love. Let’s give our fans... and our haters... something to talk about.”

She places her left hand on my chest, so the huge diamond on her finger will be noticeable in the photos her photographer—and the paparazzi she made sure were notified of our whereabouts—takes.

I fall into line like a good little soldier. I act like I adore her, just like I did when we first faked being a couple. When I couldn’t breathe with how broken my fucking heart was over Kelsey leaving me. I kiss her when she orders me to. Like it means something. In front of the cameras before I help her into the limo.

This time, as fucked up and twisted as it is, I do it for Kelsey. Because I love her. Because I will do anything to protect her.

3

Kelsey

Marco’s heavy footsteps echo off the cold concrete around me. My breaths come short and fast as I search for somewhere to hide. He’s going to find me. He’s going to catch me.

“You can’t escape me, Jailbait,” he says. “You were always mine.”

Never. I’ll never let him touch me again. I turn and run as fast as I can. Ahead, one of the columns explodes into debris and dust. Chunks of it embed in my skin, the pain is excruciating.

A hand wraps around my throat and starts to squeeze.