Page 52 of Saving the Rockstar

As I stepped inside, my heart pounding in my chest and my palms slick with sweat, I could feel the weight of Jared's gaze on me, the silent promise of his protection and support.

And then, with a confidence I didn't quite feel, I settled into the chair across from Carter, my eyes meeting his with a cool, calculated indifference.

"Asher," he purred, his voice dripping with false charm and barely concealed menace. "I'm so glad you decided to meet with me. I knew you'd come around, in the end. You always were a smart boy."

I fought back the urge to recoil, to spit in his face and tell him exactly where he could shove his condescending praise.

"I'm here to listen, Carter. To hear what you have to say. But I can't promise anything beyond that."

He smiled, a cold, predatory thing. "Of course. I understand your hesitation. After all, we have a complicated history, you and I."

He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees as he fixed me with a piercing stare.

"But you have to understand, everything I did, every decision I made, it was all for your own good. To make you stronger, to prepare you for the harsh realities of this industry."

I fought back a surge of anger, my hands clenching into fists in my lap.

"You mean the abuse, the manipulation, the constant belittling and gaslighting? That was all for my own good?"

Carter had the audacity to laugh, a low, mirthless chuckle that made my skin crawl.

"Oh, Asher. So naive, even after all these years. You think you would have made it this far, achieved this level of success, without a little tough love? Without someone pushing you to your limits, breaking you down so that you could be built back up stronger, better, more resilient?"

He shook his head, a patronizing smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

"I create stars. That's what I do. And sometimes, that means using methods that might seem harsh, even cruel, to the untrained eye. But trust me, it's all necessary. It's the only way to survive in this business, to rise above the mediocrity and the noise."

I felt my stomach churn at the casual way he spoke of his abuse, the pride he took in his own cruelty.

"And what about the others? The other artists you've mentored over the years? Are they all success stories too, or just more casualties of your twisted methods?"

For a moment, something flickered in his eyes, a flash of fear or uncertainty.

"They knew what they were signing up for," he said, his voice hard and defensive. "They knew the price of fame, the sacrifices that had to be made. And if they couldn't handle it, well, that's on them, not me."

I leaned forward, my heart pounding in my chest as I sensed an opening, a chance to push him further.

"But some of them are speaking out now, aren't they? Some of them are coming forward, telling their stories, exposing the truth of what you did to them."

He flinched, his jaw clenching as he glared at me with barely contained rage.

"They're liars. Jealous, pathetic nobodies who couldn't cut it in the real world. They'll say anything to get their fifteen minutes of fame, to tear down those who have achieved what they never could."

But even as he spoke, I could hear the uncertainty in his voice, the fear that lurked just beneath the surface.

I knew we had him. Knew that we had the evidence we needed to expose him for the monster he truly was. I stood up, my legs shaking slightly as I faced him down, my voice cold and steady.

"This is over, Carter. Your reign of terror, your cycle of abuse and manipulation ends now. We have proof of everything you've done, every life you've destroyed in the name of your own twisted ambition. And if you ever come near me or any otherartist again, if you ever so much as breathe a word of threat or intimidation, we'll make sure the whole world knows exactly who and what you are."

For a moment, he just stared at me, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief. And then, with a snarl of rage, he lunged forward, his hands reaching for my throat in a blind fury.

But before he could make contact, the door burst open, Jared, Mason and Dylan charging into the room with a force that sent Carter sprawling to the ground.

They were on him in seconds, pinning him down and securing his hands behind his back as he thrashed and cursed, his face twisted with a hatred that made my blood run cold.

As they dragged him away, as the adrenaline and the fear began to drain from my body, I felt a sense of triumph, a fierce, unshakeable pride in what we had accomplished.

The villa was like something out of a dream, a sprawling, sun-drenched haven nestled in the heart of the Italian countryside. With its sweeping terraces, lush gardens, and breathtaking views of the sparkling Mediterranean, it was the kind of place that seemed to exist outside of time, a world away from the chaos and turmoil of our everyday lives.

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