Page 5 of Covet (The Red #3)

Chapter Five

Elle

Listen to The Tortured Poets Department

by Taylor Swift

I noticed Noah tense up, as if he already knew what I’d ask.

“Do you know anything about the assault on Landon at Red?”

When I posed the same question to Coop, he loudly denied the whole thing—calling the accusation Max paid a guy to attack Landon a smear campaign.

Landon said she had proof, but Coop went nuts, citing Adam a liar.

I pushed Coop hard to tell me the truth.

Our fight got so bad, Coop stormed out and we didn’t see each other for a few days.

The idea Coop could’ve been a part of such a plan made me nauseous. I wanted to believe him, or I’d be confronted with my own dilemma.

Could I stay with a guy who had no limits when it came to protecting Max?

As my question exploded in the space between us, Noah kept his gaze tight on me the whole time.

A shiver raced down my spine. I had no idea why, but his eye contact was insane.

Coop rarely took the time to really look at me—more concerned with my body or my behavior.

I always wondered what it would feel like to have a guy dig deep to figure out my every emotion; craving to know my thoughts. No one had ever cared that much.

I winced inwardly at my mental bashing. Coop was a good guy and I loved him. We were just going through a rough patch. But I did feel a bit of envy that Daisy and Noah rarely fought or had drama. She always looked deliriously happy.

“No, Elle. I had no idea anything like that was being done.” He hesitated and I stiffened. “All I can say is we were all at the diner and Max announced he had some plan to get Landon back. He wouldn’t say what it was. Adam and I knew nothing about it.”

I immediately noticed his deliberate omission. “What about Coop? Did he seem to know?”

He gave one short nod. “He acted like he did. But maybe it had nothing to do with the assault. Adam and I haven’t spoken since he left for LA so I didn’t hear about this so-called proof.”

I sat back and groaned. “Why did things have to get so messy? I don’t know who or what to believe anymore.”

His gentle smile softened his hard features and made his grey eyes warm. “There’s nothing wrong with trusting who you love. At least, until you get proof they’re not worthy.”

“You’re so wise,” I teased. He’d always seemed the biggest contradiction in the group.

Noah had the ability to pump up thousands of people with his energy and music, yet he was one of the quietest and most reflective.

“I guess you’re right. I have to make the decision to believe Coop or not.

I’m tired of fighting and wondering who’s lying. ”

“I won’t ever lie to you, Elle.”

The words were stark, and threw me off. Our gazes locked again, and I saw something there; a flash of heat that always simmered beneath the surface. “Promise?”

I meant to joke around but my voice sounded a bit desperate. As we spent more time together and got closer, I wanted to trust him. God knows, Max and Coop and even Adam seemed to have so many secrets. What if Noah was also hiding something big?

My heart squeezed. It shouldn’t matter but it did.

“Yeah, I promise. Ask me a direct question and I’ll give you a direct answer. Is that fair?”

This time, I grinned. “Clever. It leaves out the unspoken things that don’t have to count as lies.”

A shadow flickered over his face. “It just allows some things not to be spoken aloud. Sometimes, that’s better.”

The air hummed with danger and possibility. I ignored the odd tension and grabbed my soda, sucking the rest down in one gulp. Then I gasped. “Brain freeze!”

We both broke up laughing and we were back to normal. He cleaned up the remnants of our unhealthy lunch and sat back down. “Okay, ready for my pitch?”

“Yep. You made me super curious.”

He hooked one ankle over his knee. With his loose jeans and faded t-shirt, he gave off a casual vibe different from Adam’s rocker look and Coop’s love for designer clothes. I liked the cool air Noah wore around him like his ocean scent cologne. It felt…clean.

“JJ called me. After you said no to going to LA with Unison, he said he had a different vision for you that may fit better. He’s interested in you going solo, but with a softer vibe.

He wants to partner you up with a songwriter and cut a few debut tracks.

A teaser album. Get your name out there and build on your foundation from the Unison gig. Book a local appearance at a club.”

I sifted through his words, my mind spinning. Sure, JJ had talked shit about getting me on my own, but I figured it was like the acting industry. People said you’d get a callback and you didn’t. Games and empty promises were part of the industry.

But this seemed real.

Was this what I’d been searching for? A new direction. A fresh start. A way to re-make myself and chase a new way to express my emotions.

“Who does he want me to partner up with?”

Noah’s lip quirked up in a half smile. “Me.”

My jaw dropped. “Are you kidding me?”

He began to laugh. “No. Is that good or bad?”

“It’s fire! You’re saying we’d get to write songs together and perform them?”

“Well, we’d write a few songs, I’d do the music, and you’d sing. JJ said the label he’s talking to wants a solo artist, not a band. You have the look, the voice, and the platform. There’s just one thing left you need.”

I blinked. “What?”

“You have to want it.” The smile disappeared and he stared back with a grave seriousness that made me still.

“It’s not something we do halfway. It’ll be a ton of work, and if you’re not dedicated, we’ll be wasting our time.

” He leaned forward, his hand touching my jean clad knee.

“Elle, I know you love acting. That will always be your first love. If you do this with me, you need to put all of that hunger into our music. Without it, the songs will be flat. Do you get what I’m saying? ”

I dragged in a breath. Noah was right. I couldn’t go halfway. If music was going to be my future, I needed to go all in. I’d need to make sacrifices. But what if the payoff was better than I imagined? What if I could funnel all this messy hunger into a song rather than an imaginary person?

I’d always avoided singing on stage. I knew the industry required a certain amount of fakeness. Brand and image. The press and social media. But I’d been doing it all with acting, and getting nowhere for years.

Maybe it was time to grow up and own a bigger vision for my future.

Noah kept quiet and studied my face. He didn’t try to push or cajole the way Coop always did, as if presenting bullet points to win an argument. I sensed if I said no, he’d be cool. It was a huge opportunity for Noah also, but he was giving me the choice.

Excitement bubbled in my veins. I hadn’t felt this alive and hopeful for too long. I wanted to swallow the feeling whole; drink it like champagne; infuse it into my blood. I tilted my head back and smiled at Noah.

“Let’s do it.”

He grinned, fingers still pressed against my knee, and I shoved down the sudden longing that reared its ugly head.

Noah was my friend and my confidante. He was with Daisy, one of my best friends. Sometimes, the line blurred because of our shared creative passions, but nothing else was going to happen. Coop may have screwed up lately, but he was who I truly loved.

The unease smoothed out and then we were both laughing.

“Fuck, yes. I’m calling JJ.”

Looking back, would I have changed my answer if I’d known how things ended up?

Maybe.

Maybe not.

Either way, my Fate was already sealed, and I was on a crash course leading to a fiery explosion that would change….

Everything.