Say You Won't Let Go Google(25)

“Emily,” he warns, but I don’t care.

Before I can press send, a loud siren type sound blares through the radio on Wade’s belt. Panic splays on everyone’s face except his.

Wade looks calm.

Wade looks collected.

And he looks deadly as he reaches to silence the alarm without taking his eyes from me.

“What’s happening?” I ask.

“Stay here.” Wade grips my shoulders. “I mean it, don’t leave this trailer. I’ll be back.”

“I’ll stay with her,” Luke says.

He doesn’t look happy, but he’s already moving toward the door. “Don’t let her out of your sight,” Wade demands and then he’s gone.

I stand here with Luke, feeling sick to my stomach. The images in the photos fill my mind.

Me standing there, looking at my phone with a smile on my lips as I get dressed.

Just getting out of the shower, completely naked, my breasts completely in view as I pull my underwear on. Every part of me was on display for his enjoyment, and now people who never should have seen me that way now have.

“I know you’re upset.” Luke’s Southern twang breaks me from my thoughts.

“That’s an understatement.”

“Look, I promise you this is going to be handled.”

Keeping my eyes down, I release a heavy sigh. If only it were that easy. No one can put this genie back in the bottle. The truth is, I’m scared, angry, hurt, embarrassed, and so much more. All I wanted was to have people listen to my songs, not this.

“I appreciate it.”

“Luke, bring Emily to the stage! Now! Get off the fucking bus!” Someone yells as they bang on the door. I can hear people yelling to each other and fear floods my veins.

“Let’s go,” Luke urges.

“But,” I protest. Wade said to stay here. “He said…”

He grips my arm, pulling me to my feet. “What if there’s something on this bus?”

I get up willingly after he says that and let him drag me through the parking lot and closer to the stage. All the security lights are off, but just being away from the buses lets me breathe easier.

“You okay?” he asks as we climb our way to the stage.

“Not really, but what choice do I have?”

Luke nods. “I always feel better here,” he says as we reach stage left.

“What’s goin’ on out there? Do you know what the alar—” I get cut off by a loud bang.

“What the?” Luke says as he looks to where flashlights are moving around, and I can vaguely see the gate area where the majority of everyone is.

I move, trying to get a better view. “Luke? What was that?”

I swear I’m in the middle of some horrible scary movie. Lights, people yelling at each other, and it feels like it’s surrounding me.

“I don’t know. Stay here. I’m going to see if I can get some answers and I’ll be right back, okay? You’re safe. No one knows where you are but me, and I’ll tell Wade.”

“Okay.”

He runs off and I move to the only place I feel like I belong—center stage.

Just this evening I stood here, feeling like my life was close to perfect. My dreams were coming true and trouble was behind me. I wondered how long Cooper would demand Wade stay around since my stalker was gone.

I was so wrong.

My chest heaves from the run, and I look out at the vacant seats. Vast emptiness is all around me and inside me.

Wade should’ve told me.

Cooper should’ve told me.

Just the thought of his name brings back the images I was trying so hard to forget.

The next photo of me lying on the bed in Cooper’s shirt as I smile with the phone to my ear.

Moments that were mine—stolen.

I grip the phone in my hand, needing to tell him how wrong he was for keeping things from me.

Cooper answers on the first ring. “Em,” he says my name as a sigh.

“You lied to me! You kept the flowers from me, and this guy put a goddamn camera in my bedroom, Cooper! If I’d known this was still happening, I would’ve been vigilant. I thought it was over!” Tears of anger flood my vision as my emotions pour out. “I trusted you! I thought you understood that this was my problem to handle.”

He releases a heavy breath. “I was protecting you. Wade was taking care of things. Why worry you?”

I swipe the tears, but more fall. “I’m not some damsel in distress. You lied to me that everything was fine and I was safe. All the while, this man was lookin’ at me sleep, shower, and live.”

“I know, and I hate myself right now.” His voice breaks, and so does my heart.

“He…he took…” I start to fall apart. “He took everything from me! He saw me when I was raw and vulnerable. He invaded my privacy, Cooper!”

“I’ll be there in two days, Emily. I’m on a plane as soon as I finish my meeting. I’ll get back what he took from you, darlin’. No one is going to hurt you.”

I sink down to the stage and try to slow my breathing. I just got done telling him that I didn’t need him to save me, and as much as I want to call foul on myself and tell him to come, I know he’s dealing with his own mess as well. He can’t just keep dropping things to run to my side. I’m not that girl. “But the farm.”