Page 77 of Backstage

I grab the hand she’s been torturing by biting her cuticles, and I squeeze it lightly.

“Eva, no man has the right to hit you, or even insult you, for the way you act. You can fuck the whole state if you want, but there’s no justification for what he did to you.”

She nods but doesn’t answer. She looks down in shame. It’s a look I saw too many times as a kid, the one my mother had when she hid her bruises with makeup.

“You have to promise me that you’ll leave him.” My words catch her attention, and she looks me straight in the eye. “No matter how many times he apologizes to you, how many times he comes back regretting it with his tail between his legs, he’ll keep hitting you, he won’t stop until one day you wake up in a hospital bed, if you’re lucky.”

Tears fill her eyes. “I don’t know where to go. What if he finds me?”

“I asked Evan to find you a place for tonight. Tomorrow I’ll send someone I know who handles cases like yours. Her name is Loretta, she’s from New York, and before she met the husband she’s with now, she went through what you’re going through. We’ll find a divorce attorney and put the bastard away.”

“Damian, I’m a waitress. I can’t afford a lawyer. I can’t even pay rent without my husband’s help.”

“You don’t have to worry about money. I’ll take care of it. You just have to get away and get a new life.”

She looks at me like she’s trying to figure out if I’m lying to her. “Why are you doing all this? Until last night you didn’t even know my name, and now you’re planning a full-scale rescue mission.”

“Years ago, I couldn’t save someone close to me. I don’t want to make the same mistake again.”

“Did she have a husband who beat her?”

I look down searching for a way to survive the twinge that tears at my chest. “She had a husband who was a murderer.” When I look back at her, I find her with tears streaming down her cheeks. A slight knock on the door makes us both turn around. “Come in.”

Evan’s head peeps in. “I found an out-of-town shelter that has security. I’ve already spoken to them, and they’d be willing to take you in right away. There are other women there in the same situation as you. They have a doctor who can check your bruises and prescribe you something for the pain.”

Eva seems hesitant. I told her about a hotel, now Evan proposes a shelter. I don’t know if she’ll accept this solution.

“Please have faith in us. I know it can be scary at first, but there are people there who can help you. Loretta, the woman I told you about, is a volunteer at a center like this in New York.” In fact, I met her there after a generous donation; they invited me to see the wing of the center they were able to build with the money I donated.

She breathes in deeply, and her gaze shifts from my face to Evan’s. “Okay, if you give me an address, I’ll call a cab,” she whispers.

“No way. I already have Max out here ready. He’s good at dodging the paparazzi, and chances are they’re gonna try to follow you. They will try to get some exclusive interviews from you. If you trust us, we can make sure they don’t get to you, and your husband can’t find you.”

At Evan’s suggestion, she gives in entirely and gets up to follow him, turning to face me one last time. “Thanks, Damian.”

I smile at her and let my manager take care of her. As they leave, Thomas, Simon, and Michael enter the room and sit on the couch.

“Can we just skip this day and wake up in New York in a couple of days?” asks Simon, putting his hand over his face.

“They want us to go on stage.” Thomas is not yet feeling the pressure of the record company.

“Have you seen the Red Velvet Curtains, by any chance?” I ask out of the blue.

They study me for a few seconds in silence.

“I think they’re around. Evan decided not to let them play tonight. They’re probably enjoying the end of the tour.”

I’d like to talk to Lilly, apologize for what I said to her this morning. I acted like a jerk, and if she doesn’t forgive me, I can’t blame her. I’ve always known I wasn’t capable of having a fling. I’ve never had one in my life, and I’ve never questioned myself about that. I ended up slamming into a wall, and I didn’t even try to slow down. Whether I want to admit it or not, what I have with Lilly is a monogamous relationship I can’t give up. It’s not just about sex anymore because I care about her. I put her happiness first, and pushing her out of my life this morning was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my entire existence.

“What the hell have you done this time?” Thomas asks me in a stern tone.

“A mess.”

“Tell me you didn’t make her cry again.” Simon looks at me wrong.

I say nothing, and I shrug my shoulders.

“So those puffy eyes were your fault, not the rape charge. For a moment there, I thought she believed the whole story,” Michael ventures.

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