Page 41 of Follow the Rhythm (Fairview City Omegaverse #2)

“A re you sure you want to go to this meeting? We could just go back to the flat. I have some ideas on how to spend the afternoon,” Kieran said, shifting gears effortlessly as he pulled onto the expressway, which made my heart flutter. Apparently, I found everything he did attractive.

“I think you’d regret it if we didn’t,” I said, carefully neutral, while my stomach did cartwheels.

We pulled up to a nondescript brick building in an older part of the city a few minutes later. It read “Flounder it was sweeter than I remembered.

Oh no, oh no, oh no, my brain chanted. My stomach was in my throat. It wasn’t that Ellis’s scent had changed. There was just a second scent mingled in, one with which I was intimately familiar: sweet cherry and subtle vanilla.

“Well, it seems Ellis brought a guest as well,” Johnny said, annoyed.

Ellis came in first, looking much healthier than he had the last time I saw him. He was missing the purple shadows under his eyes, and his cheeks had filled out a bit. His black hair was smooth, tucked behind his ears.

His blue eyes found mine immediately, and his steps faltered.

Charlie was right behind him. “You alright?” he asked softly, his hand placed possessively on Ellis’s lower back. When Ellis didn’t respond, he looked up and noticed me. His eyes widened, and a flush crept up his throat.

A jealousy so intense that I felt physically ill hit me like a truck.

Charlie’s hand curled protectively around Ellis’s, their fingers entwined, and it felt like they were squeezing my throat.

I took a deep breath in through my nose, which was a big mistake because it just flooded my brain even more with their scents, and Kieran’s.

I forced myself to look away from them before I started screaming or, even worse, perfuming. Were they together now? They had to be. Why else would Charlie be there? And by the way their scents mingled, it was obvious they were fucking.

That same jealousy coursed through me again, and I realized it was because they were fucking without me . They didn’t seem to realize or care that they both belonged with me. To me, in fact. And that was just unacceptable.

Kieran must have sensed my distress because he slid an arm around my waist.

“Well, let’s get this show on the road, gents. Mr. Horst bills by the hour, and time’s a-ticking,” Johnny said.

Ellis cleared his throat. I couldn’t bear to look at him. I studied the chipped surface of the conference table. “About that. Why are we meeting with a lawyer?”

“Don’t be daft, son. We all know which way the wind is blowing. Don’t tell me you didn’t leak that album to engineer this exact situation,” Johnny said, surprisingly venomous. “We’re here to make sure we all get what’s ours.”

“Since I don’t know what the situation even is, that would be quite hard to do,” Ellis said acerbically.

Johnny grunted. “Karen let slip that you’re working on a solo album. And if you think you’ll be cutting me out of the deal, you’re sorely mistaken.”

“Hold on, no one’s trying to cut anyone out,” Ellis said, sounding earnest.

“Ellis didn’t leak the album,” Charlie interjected. I swallowed my rage and looked at both of them. They were still holding hands. I felt sick all over again.

“Bollocks,” Johnny said.

“Kieran. I swear I didn’t,” Ellis said, a hint of pleading in his voice.

Kieran was inscrutable as always. “Then who did?”

“I haven’t got a clue, but it wasn’t me. Can we talk? Just us, without all this?” he asked, gesturing to Johnny and the lawyer.

Kieran sighed. “What do you think?” he asked, turning to me.

I started, still surprised and touched that he was treating me like a partner. I tried to put aside my recent insanity and give a rational answer. “It couldn’t hurt to hear him out, right?” I said finally.

Kieran nodded. “Give us a minute,” he said to Johnny.

“Did you not hear me say this fella gets paid by the hour?”

“I’ll pay for the full fucking hour. For the whole goddamn day. Just give us a minute,” Kieran growled.

Johnny grumbled on his way out of the room, followed by the lawyer. I steeled myself for being stuck in the lobby with them while Kieran and Ellis talked. Would Charlie come too? Would that be better or worse?

As I moved towards the door, Kieran caught my arm. “Where are you going?”

“I thought you’d want some privacy,” I said.

“No, love, I want you with me.” He stroked the skin on the inside of my elbow.

I nodded, and we all took seats at the conference table. Charlie had stayed too, I noticed.

We sat in awkward silence. I looked over Charlie’s right shoulder so I didn’t have to look him or Ellis in the eye.

“I’m not going to defend my behavior. I acted like an abominable dickhead, so I don’t blame you for assuming. But I didn’t leak the album, Kieran,” Ellis said. “Why would I do that after buying out the contract with Echelon?”

“He didn’t leak it,” Charlie agreed. “I know he didn’t.”

“How?” Kieran asked.

Charlie cleared his throat. “Because we were together. At my parents’ house, upstate.”

I clenched my hands in my lap. They had gone away together on a little vacation? While I was stranded at home, pining after them like a pathetic fool? Fuck all that.

“But I also just know he wouldn’t do that. Ever,” Charlie said after a tense pause.

“With all due respect, I’ve known him a hell of a lot longer than you have, mate,” Kieran answered. “Or I thought I knew him.”

All the color had drained from Ellis’s face. My stupid Omega brain picked up on the distress signals in his pheromones, and I had a sudden urge to hold him and tell him everything would be okay.

He doesn’t need you , I reminded myself. He has Charlie.

“It doesn’t matter whether you believe me. I have something much worse to apologize for anyway,” Ellis said.

“That’s not ominous or anything,” I mumbled.

“Like what? Ruining the tour? Treating Grace and the crew like shit? Acting like you’re the only one hurting?” Kieran asked.

“It’s my fault Michael’s dead,” Ellis said baldly, as if he wanted to rip off a band-aid.

“That’s not fair,” Charlie said, but Kieran cut him off.

“What are you talking about?”

Ellis leaned forward and pressed his fists to his forehead.

“I gave him the drugs. He said he wanted to go out to celebrate Reward, and I didn’t tell you.

And then when I left…” He looked up, his face white and pained.

My heart broke for him. “I swear I didn’t know why.

But he asked for them, and I didn’t say no. It’s all my fault. I’m so sorry, Kier.”

The silence afterwards was like the ringing echo after a gunshot.

Ellis wrapped his arms tightly around himself, breathing shallowly, trying to contain the grief that wanted to spill out.

Charlie had his hand on the nape of Ellis’s neck, rubbing soothing circles.

I slid my palm into Kieran’s hand and squeezed. My stomach had hollowed out with dread.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Kieran asked into the silence.

“Because I’m a fucking coward, obviously,” Ellis said, with an edge to his voice. “I figured I could punish myself enough. But I should’ve been honest.”

“Yeah, you should have,” Kieran said, his voice harsh with emotion. “But not so I could punish you. For fuck’s sake, Ellis. I could have helped you. We could have helped each other.”

Ellis heaved a breath. “I’m so sorry.”

“Sod this,” Kieran said and stood abruptly. I thought for a moment he was leaving, but he hauled Ellis out of his seat and into a rough hug. “You aren’t any more to blame than me.”

Ellis clutched at the back of his shirt for a moment, and when they broke apart, his eyes found mine. They seemed more brilliantly blue than ever.