Page 79 of One More Bad Boy

“Amina...” He wrapped his fingers on my wrists. It should have been a welcome touch, but I was too anxious to enjoy it. “Something awful has happened. I ran because this is the only way I know how to handle bad news. I was planning to drink myself into a pit, make youwantto run away from a loser like me.”

“What happened?” I asked.

He opened his eyes, exposing a hurt so raw it made me cry again. “Why didn't you tell me about your past with Pickadillie Records?”

The ice in my spine entered the rest of my blood-stream. We were standing in the middle of the hot Vegas Strip and I began to shiver. “I'm sorry. I should have told you. I was just embarrassed.”

“About signing their contract?”

My eyebrows furrowed. “About breaking under the pressure my aunt put on me. What contract?”

“The one that says you can't sign a new one with me until you pay two-million in damages.”

Fuck, I was going to faint. All the lights on the streets and casinos blurred together; Bach helped me stand straight. “Two-million?” I whispered. “How is that possible?”

“Ask your aunt's lawyer.” Groaning, he rubbed his forehead. “Fuck, I need to sober up or get more drunk.”

His voice was far away, smothered by my panic. He was still talking but I couldn't focus on a word.Two-million. I don't have that money.“Bach, what does this mean?”

Wrapping an arm around my middle, he guided me towards the curb to sit. “They have us by the balls. We can't work with you at Beats and Blast. Nothing we've created can be shared until your older contract is cleared.”

I moaned into my fist. “All the music we wrote?” He shook his head sadly. “God, no. This is so unfair.”

“I know,” he whispered. “You don't remember signing their contract?”

“I was fifteen, Bach. I did sign something, but my aunt was my guardian. She controlled everything for me. She was awful... she demanded perfection, or she'dscreamat me.” I trembled at the memory. “Running away was wrong. I beat myself up for it this whole time. It's stupid but performing at the gala was this... this turning point. I was so mad at you for making me do that.” I gave him a fragile smile. “Then it was over, and I'd done the one thing I was positive I never could. I performed in front of an audience. I was so sure this was my second chance.” I laughed, sending more tears sliding out. “Guess I was wrong.”

“Maybe not.” He looked like he was going to say more. A passing car's headlights made his skin white as a ghost. “There's two options here. One, my company abandons you. The other... is I pay out to break your old contract.”

“No.” I jumped to my feet, he copied me. “Two-million? Can you even afford that?”

His mouth screwed up, then he smoothed his hair. “Fuck. I really want to lie to you. But you flash those big pretty eyes at me, and I just... no, Amina. I can't afford it. Freeing you from your old contract means selling my entire company.”

I tasted bile in my throat. “How could you even consider doing that? You reallyaredrunk.”

“No, I'm just not the shit-bag I want to pretend to be. I have a damn conscience, all of these wild feelings, foryou!”Bach held my hands in his. “I'm not letting you go.”

“What are you saying? You have to let me go!” I laughed, and the sound broke apart in my throat like shards of glass. “I won't let you give up your father's legacy because of me.”

“Amina, you're not going anywhere. I won't allow it. Not for a second, because I...”

NO! Don't say those words, not now!

“I lo—”

“Stop!” I gasped.

He stiffened, his mouth falling open. “Stop what?”

"Stop trying to make it hurt!" I sobbed, the pressure behind my eyes burning.

Bach pulled up short, his mouth crumbling into a useless shape. If he was going to say anything else, he'd waited too long and lost his chance. I needed him to listen to me. "You keep saying I'm here to fix everything, but your actions are completely different. Keeping me will ruin things, not fix them!”

His lips twitched. “I don't care. You mean too much to me.”

“Why? What the hell am I to you?"

Determination made his eyes glow. "My wishing star." It was a name I'd once found endearing. It had pulled me from my shell and demanded I initiate our first kiss. Now, it just hung around my neck like an iron collar.

"Didn't you hear?" I asked. "My chance at being a star died long ago. I can't grant wishes. Especially not yours.”

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