Page 3

CHAPTER THREE

LENA

Six Months Later

He smooths his patchy mustache over his lip. “It says here your last name’s Lukowski.”

I snatch back my I.D., shielding my eyes from the flashing blue lights atop the patrol car.

“Lux is my stage name.”

When is Antonia going to get here? I knew I should never have ditched my team, but three—or five?—tall gin and sodas later, here I am. Alone in the dark with—I check the name on the front of his uniform—Officer Everett.

He clears his throat, a gust of sour coffee breath knocking me back a step. “And where did you say you were coming from?”

“I was just out for a walk.”

“You had nothing to do with the commotion at Allister King's Music Hall?” His eyes dip to the ground before he flattens his mustache again, a thick chuckle exploding from his lips. “They must’ve meant all boots when they said they’re made for walkin’.”

My stomach sinks into the stupid Swarovski crystal-encrusted thigh-high boots I should have never agreed to wear.

If they didn’t look so good on camera, maybe I would have told someone they cut off circulation to my toes.

I push back a fresh blonde chunk of my hair, still annoyed by the recent change.

The pale shade is a jarring contrast to the chocolate of the rest, and I kind of hate it.

Yet another thing in my life that’s completely out of my hands.

“I’m in the city to record my new album and just needed some fresh air.” I smile, wondering what Antonia might coach me to say. Should I have a lawyer present? Was I incriminating myself?

“Recording?” His eyes glint. “Anything you can share?”

“Just that this is going to be the most epic album yet.” I paste on my ever popular I-don’t-want-to-be-here-but-thanks-for-having-me smile, the one I’ve had to utilize more and more recently.

He nods enthusiastically and jots something in a notepad before flipping to a new page. “You know, my daughter loves you.”

I perk up at the sight of a car turning off the brightly lit main drag and down our desolate side street.

“Aw, cute,” I manage to say as the vehicle closes in, and much to my dismay, passes us. Still not Antonia.

“What’s that one song you have? The cheaters one?”

Because I’m still not sure what this man has witnessed, I decide it’s in my best interest to play along.

I think through everything I’ve ever written, and for a girl who’s only been cheated on once out of however many relationships she’s ever been in, there’s quite a few involving the implication of unfaithfulness.

However, I have a feeling he’s referencing my newest single.

The one I wrote to help me process the passing of my most recent relationship.

One my agent and record label coerced me to release to “stay relevant.” My tears had barely dried by the time it was hitting the charts.

“ You Did This? Killing Yesterday? What You Asked For? ” I jog my memory for more titles, though my set list is never far from mind. Reluctantly, I drop the name of my newest one. “ Cheater Eater? ”

“Cheater Eater! That’s the one. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to endure it.” He nods his head, humming the melody before diving into the lyrics. “ I’m a cheater eater. You couldn’t leave her, tried my best, but couldn’t beat her. Told me you didn’t need ? — ”

“Loved writing that one,” I fib.

“I heard that song’s about that Callum boy. The singer. Is that true?”

Callum Porter. The guy who ripped my heart out and crushed it into impossibly tiny pieces under his Italian leather shoe.

The one I was certain was going to take me back tonight but didn’t.

My smile falters, and I hope Officer Everett doesn’t notice.

Why is everyone always so invested in my love life?

“Isn’t he in town for a show tonight?”

I shrug.

He eyes me suspiciously. “I thought I’d seen his name on the board at King’s.”

“You know, it’s just a song, but you can tell your daughter—what’s her name?”

“Riley.”

“Beautiful name,” I fawn, hoping to win him over a bit. “You can tell Riley that sometimes the best way to get over something is to write through it.”

“Something or someone?”

Does he honestly think I’m going to dump every shattered fragment of my heart out to him here on the side of the road? I was being generous with the “write through it” advice.

He shoves the notepad and pen into my hands. “Can you sign this for her, please? She’ll never believe who I saw tonight.” He shakes his head. “The Lanna Lux.”

“It’s Lee -na,” I correct, but before I take them from him, we’re being spotlighted by headlights.

I freeze as the familiar black SUV screeches to a halt beside us and my publicist hurdles out.

“Don’t answer any questions!” Antonia yells as Gustav, my main security detail, joins her on the curb. “Were any arrests made?”

The officer looks at her, his brow furrowing in confusion. “No, I was just asking about the King’s Music?—”

“Incident ,” she completes. “We heard about it and were worried sick. We stopped production when she texted us that she was just down the street from it and needed a ride.” She wraps her arms around me, her dark curls tickling my face as she squeezes me unnecessarily tight.

“Poor thing was scared to death. Are you okay, Lena?”

I remove her hand from where it cups my cheek. “Yeah, but I wish I hadn’t chosen to take my nightly walk so close to… all of that.”

A fire engine sounds, and there’s not a doubt in my mind it’s on its way to King’s.

“I know you love these little walks. I just wish you would have let us know you were taking your recording break,” she says pointedly.

“You forgot your jacket.” Gustav’s bald head gleams under the streetlights as he wraps my bare shoulders in the ratty sweatshirt I’ve seen him wear several times already this week.

“Thanks,” I sigh.

“We better get you back to set,” Antonia says, ushering me away with Gustav on our heels.

“Wait.” Shaking free of Antonia’s grip, I bolt back to Officer Everett.

It’s hard to see much under the dim streetlights, but I grab the notepad and scribble Riley rocks!

followed by my signature heart and Lena Lux before Antonia’s thin fingers are wrapping around my biceps and towing me off again, an exasperated Gustav tailing us.

It’s not my most clever message, but I hope it at least makes her smile as big as her dad is right now.

“Oh, and Miss Lukowski,” Officer Everett calls.

The three of us turn to face him.

“Someone may be in touch with you. You know, in case you saw anything.”

Antonia nods. “Of course. We’ll help in any way we can.”

He gives us all a once-over before loading back into his patrol car.

Gustav hustles Antonia and me into the backseat, nodding to our driver before crawling in and slamming the door.

“We’ll help by contacting our legal team,” Antonia mutters as she watches the officer pull away. She whips to face me. “Do you really expect people to believe you’re just out alone for a leisurely walk? What were you thinking?”

I sink into my seat.

“You set that place on fire, Lena.”

“How was I supposed to know that Callum lit so many candles before his show?”

She massages her temples. “You dated long enough to know his pre-show routine.”

I flatten my cheek against the cold glass of the window. “I need another drink.”

She shakes her head, yanking out her phone. I already know who she’s dialing, and it’s the last person I want to speak to.

My manager. My mother .