Page 54 of Duty Unbound

“The meet-and-greet wasn’t canceled,” I said calmly. “It was rescheduled due to security concerns.”

“Security concerns,” he scoffed. “Convenient excuse to push Brooklyn out of the spotlight. First, you cut her set time in Atlanta, then you bump her interview in Nashville, and now this. We see the pattern.”

My composure, already hanging by a thread after eight days of nonstop stress, finally snapped.

“There is no pattern, Adam. There’s just you, creating problems where none exist. Brooklyn’s set time was cut because she arrived late. The interview was rescheduled at the journalist’s request, not ours. And the meet-and-greet was moved because our security team flagged concerns. That’s it.”

“Right.” He stepped closer, lowering his voice. “Tell me something, Mel. Does it make you feel important, clinging to your sister’s fame? Because from where I’m standing, you’re just riding Nova’s coattails while trying to squash anyone who might threaten her throne.”

I tried to swallow my anger. “That’s completely out of line.”

“Is it? Everyone knows Nova’s a manufactured pop princess. Great at dancing, mediocre at singing, excellent at creating drama. But her time in the spotlight is limited. Stars like Brooklyn—with actual talent—are the future.”

“You need to leave. Now.” My voice shook with barely contained fury.

Adam’s mouth curved into an unpleasant smile. “Truth hurts, doesn’t it? Tell Nova to watch her back. Not everyone’s willing to be stepped on so she can climb higher.”

“Is there a problem here?”

Ethan’s voice, calm but carrying unmistakable authority, cut through the tension. He moved to stand beside me, his presence solid and reassuring.

Adam’s demeanor shifted instantly, the aggression replaced by false casualness. “No problem. Just having a chat about tour logistics.”

“Sounded like more than logistics to me,” Ethan said.

“Well, emotions run high before shows.” Adam straightened his jacket. “I should check on Brooklyn.” He turned to leave, then paused, looking back at me. “Remember what I said, Mel. Some people won’t take it as graciously as we have.”

After he walked away, I realized we’d attracted a small audience—including two journalists who were doing a “life backstage” story. They walked away too, heads together, scribbling stuff on their notebooks.

Damn it. “Great,” I muttered. “That’ll be online before Nova even takes the stage.”

Vanessa was already going after them, damage-control mode activated. “We’ll have to push the interview till after the show,” she told me.

I nodded, exhaustion washing over me in a powerful wave. This was the last thing we needed—more drama, more fires to put out.

“You okay?” Ethan asked quietly.

“Fine.” The automatic response came out before I could stop it. I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “Actually, no. I’m not okay. I feel like nothing is okay.”

He glanced around at the busy hallway. “Let’s find somewhere quieter.”

I followed him to a small production office that was currently empty. Once the door closed behind us, the cacophony of the backstage area dulled to a distant roar.

“What was that about with that other manager guy?” Ethan asked.

I leaned against a table, scrubbing a hand down my face. “Adam Foster. Manager for Brooklyn Reid, our opening act. He’s convinced Nova is trying to sabotage Brooklyn’s career.”

“Is there any truth to that?”

“No. We’ve bent over backward to accommodate them. But Adam sees conspiracies everywhere.” I rubbed my temples, trying to ease the pressure building behind my eyes. “He’s ambitious and aggressive. Wants Brooklyn to be the next big thing, which is fine, but he thinks taking shots at Nova will somehow fast-track that plan.”

Ethan studied me carefully. “Have there been other incidents with him?”

“Small stuff. Passive-aggressive comments, complaints about scheduling. Nothing like this.” I frowned, remembering his parting words. “What he said at the end, though—about some people not taking it as graciously—that felt almost threatening.”

“Sure as hell did.” Ethan’s expression hardened. “I’ll have Jace look into him. Could be nothing, but threats, even veiled ones, are something we take seriously.”

“You think he could be behind the dolls?” The thought hadn’t occurred to me until I said it aloud.