Triple Beat-nook(8)

Please don’t ask me any questions.

Please don’t make me go back.

Finally, Stella said, “Seems like a girl with a guitar belongs in Nashville. Want a ride?”

***

Dani wiped away another tear as she recalled that night. Stella had given her so much more than a ride. She’d opened her home to Dani, helped her find a job and, when Dani really thought about it, Stella had probably saved her life. She wasn’t sure how long she would have survived living on the street before something bad happened. When she looked back now, Dani was shocked she’d made it three weeks on her own.

Stella had been right. Dani did belong in Nashville. The city gave her new hope, inspired her, helped her find her voice. She’d needed a fresh start and Music City had given it to her.

Now she was standing at another crossroads, very much like she had been the night she met Stella. If she could make it through the next week, she might have a fighting chance at a real future. One with no roadblocks in her path or cinderblocks weighing her down.

All she had to do was stand up to the devil.





Chapter Two


“Oh, hell no. Are you kidding me?” Dani picked up her guitar, grabbed the handle to drag her rolling suitcase, and made it one whole step away when Aiden followed out of the room and caught her arm and stopped her.

“Wait. Dammit, Dani. Just hold on.”

“What are you doing here, Aiden? Why are you in my room?” Then, because she knew he’d be there, she glanced over Aiden’s shoulder. Sure enough, Bryson was leaning against a nearby wall. He looked casual and relaxed, but she didn’t doubt for a minute he’d chase her down if she got away from Aiden.

“Bryson,” she said in cold acknowledgement. The bastard had the temerity to grin and wink.

She took three steps into the room, ready to coldcock the f*cker before she realized her mistake. The door closed behind her.

Dani spun angrily. “Open the door or I’m screaming.”

Aiden leaned against it and crossed his arms. “Go ahead. We’re in the penthouse suite. There’s no one else on this floor.”

She’d spent the entire night on the road, memory after memory bombarding her. Now she was worn out and on edge. Her nerves were tattered and her emotions riding way to close to the surface. Finding Bryson and Aiden in New Orleans was the last thing she needed. “I don’t want you here.”

“Tough,” Bryson said, approaching them.

“How did you know where to find me?”

“Marco called to see if we’d be joining you in New Orleans this weekend. Lucky for you, I think pretty damn quick on my feet. Said of course we were.”

Bryson’s smug smile had her fist clenching again.

She’d been a fool to accept Marco’s offer of a place to stay in New Orleans. She hadn’t meant to tell anyone she was leaving town, but the record producer had called to set up a planning meeting during the time she’d intended to be away. She had asked if they could postpone it a week, as she needed to make a quick trip to Louisiana. Marco had been more than happy to offer her the use of the record company’s penthouse apartment for her visit.

She had been tempted to ask Marco to keep her trip a secret, but hadn’t wanted to rouse her new boss’ suspicions. The ink was still wet on Closing Time’s contract. She didn’t want the CEO to freak out with news that she had a skeleton in her closet that had decided to poke its head out and wreak havoc.

“What’s up, Dani?” Aiden asked. “You’ve been acting strangely for a few weeks. At first we thought maybe you were just fighting some nerves about the deal and the new album. But it’s more than that, isn’t it?”

Bryson huffed out a hard, frustrated breath. “You left town without telling us. You never do that. If something is bothering you, just tell us and we’ll fix it. I can’t stand how you’re acting all distant and secretive these days. And now there’s this sneaking around crap. What’s wrong?”

She smiled sadly. Bryson and Aiden had been her best friends for six years. During that time, she’d gotten closer to them than anyone in a very, very long time.

But Dani hadn’t told anyone in Nashville about her past. Not even Stella. She’d walked away from it all and had genuinely believed if she didn’t talk about it, it didn’t exist.

Then Jett and her dad had found her and doors she’d thought were locked forever flew open.