Page 76 of Ravaged By Lust

My eyes dart for Bishop somewhere in the room, hoping he’s there to offer me support. But he isn’t there.

I pushed him away last night. I’ve brought all this on myself. I ruin everything.

This entire scenario is a nightmare come to real life. This time I ain’t dreaming.

And so I do what I always do…

I run away.

Coward. Coward. Coward.

There are gasps as I step down off the stage in front of the assembled crowd, but I don’t care. I have to do what I have to do to protect myself. I was stupid attempting this a second time. I was stupid to come all this way when even Bishop isn’t here. I was stupid for giving my heart hope, both with my music career and also with the man I once lost and who won’t speak to me now.

I don’t care anymore.

I am a failure.

I march straight towards the door, open it, and step outside.

And run straight into the man I can’t get out of my head.

“Bishop…”

He ignores me and my shock and continues past me into the boardroom, leaving me behind me staring in disbelief.

I continue to watch in horror as he stands in front of all the executives and clears his voice, seizing their attention.

“Hello, everyone,” he announces to the room. “I want to say something…”

34

BISHOP

Chloe stares at me from the doorway to the boardroom like she wants to murder me. Like, stab me with a knife over and over and push my rotting corpse over a bridge kind of stare.

But I ignore her and continue to talk to the room full of the most important people in American music.

“All of you might know who I am,” I start with my hand over my heart. My line raises a few chuckles from the suits. I see Mickey Miller in the front row.

He’s not laughing.

Oh, this ain’t going to be easy.

I’m going to have to use all my charm to hold these guys’ attention for a few minutes more. And I know this is the most important moment in my career so far and it’s potentially career-killing, but I am willing to sacrifice my reputation to give my girl another chance to prove herself.

Because I know she can. Because I know she has the talent in spades to blow the socks off all these stiff executives in this room.

All she has to do is perform for them and they will see her genius, I know it. She can’t run away, not now. She can’t afford to.

I’m not going to let her.

It was my fault that she’s been so traumatized by live performance – that because of me she can’t do this today - and it’s my job now to fix it.

“But I doubt any of you know this girl here,” I continue to the executives, pointing at Chloe trying to slink silently out of the room. Yep, she’s still staring at me with murder in her eyes. “Or, at least, not until a few days ago when she went viral on the internet for her talent. You might not know her, but I do. We have a history, her and I, and if there’s anything I know on this planet, it’s music. And Chloe Stoll has that pure natural talent you all are looking for. I’ve spent the last few days with this musician and let me tell you that she’s got notebooks full of original heartbreaking songs. Enough to fill a decade’s worth of bestselling albums with. With your backing, she could be the next big voice in solo female music. The next Taylor Swift.”

I take a pause to scope the vibe of the room. Judging from the quiet and the rapt looks on their faces, I’ve still got their attention.

For now.