Page 66 of Edge of Heaven

We talk for another couple of minutes and then disconnect, with Sasha promising to call me in an hour.

Everyone is quiet for a while before Tate finally looks at me. “What does this mean for you and Taryn?”

I stare, unsure where he’s going with this. “What are you talking about?”

“Come on, man. We’d have to be blind not to see the way you look at her—and the way she looks at you when she thinks no one is watching. We want you to be happy, but you know Callum is going to blow his top if he figures it out.”

I huff out a breath. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“We do,” Angus says. “Come on, Ryleigh has been running around at every venue looking for places where the two of you can be alone without being seen together. You need to talk to us, man. You can do what you want but this is important. Your private life is your business, but in this case, there’s a lot of money at stake. If Callum wants to screw us out of the merch money because he’s pissed you’re fucking his girlfriend?—”

“It’s not like that, dammit!” I growl, scowling at them. “Taryn and I want to be together but… there’s something she has to take care of first. Until then, she can’t leave him. She’s taking care of a family member with cancer, okay?” I hate divulging information she made me promise to keep to myself but the band isn’t going to let this go unless I give them at least part of the story.

“But why is that a secret?” Tate asks in confusion.

I give him a dark look. “Would you want to tell the world that you’re fucking some guy so he’ll pay for cancer treatment you can’t afford and essentially admit to everyone you know that you feel like a prostitute?”

He grimaces. “Jesus. Is that what’s happening?”

“She swore me to secrecy, and I just fucked that up, so I’m asking you guys to respect her privacy. And mine. I’m only telling you so you understand that this isn’t some stupid relationship game we’re playing. I love her. She’s going through something serious and humiliating. She’s trying to come out of this with some semblance of her pride intact. Can I trust you guys to respect that?”

“Absolutely,” Jonny says. “I mean, I had no idea…”

“Yeah, we’re cool.” Tate nods.

“Of course.” Sam leans forward. “And if there’s anything we can do…”

“If she needs resources,” Angus adds, “I might be able to help.”

“I’ll let you guys know. Just give me a week or two to figure out how we’re going forward.”

I’m already considering asking Sasha for an advance. I’ll even pay interest if that’s what it takes. And if she won’t do it, I’ll go to Angus.

Taryn has to be okay with it, though.

I don’t want her to feel like she’s trading one overbearing man for another.

I hate everything about her situation, but I understand that she needs to take her power back. Her mental health depends on it. So as much as it pains me, I’m going to support her as best I can without overstepping the boundaries she set.

As long as I have a backup plan.

Just in case.

Because if Callum hurts her again, all bets are off.

Chapter22

Taryn

White powder is arranged in thick, vertical lines on the glass coffee table. Callum rolls up a hundred-dollar bill and uses it to snort the first line. He passes the bill to Dusty, who does the same thing. The rest of the band follows suit before turning to me. Callum’s drummer, whose nickname is Joker, proffers the makeshift straw to me and I shake my head.

“No, thanks.”

“God, you’re a fucking killjoy!” Callum snaps, scowling at me.

Using drugs is one thing I won’t let him manipulate me into, and he seems to understand that’s an area where I’ve drawn a firm line in the sand.

“I’ll do her share!” A perky brunette with the biggest breasts I’ve ever seen steps forward. Joker hands her the bill, she snorts a line and then sighs happily.

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