Page 81 of Not Another Rockstar
“I’ll confess my part, so you can trust me,” he started. “I came to the hospital in Munich because I thought if I was there for all of you then I could convince my boss to give me your account. I’ve long been a fan, and I was pissed when I was kicked out of the hospital and your agent treated me like I was the scum of the earth. When I got home, I was angry and I got involvedin something that I didn’t fully understand because I needed money,” he explained. “But I’m sorry.”
“You’re only saying this because you’re scared.”
“I can be sorry and scared,” Sheen admitted. “I was blackmailed into going to the gallery tonight.”
He opened his phone, and Phoebe got up to stand between her brother and Axel. A video of Sheen breaking into Phoebe’s studio stared back at them, filmed from across the street and at a much better angle than her own nanny cam footage.
“There are also photos of me getting kicked out of the hospital in Munich. I think they’re trying to pin this on me. If I didn’t turn up at the Reid Gallery tonight, it was going to be leaked. I didn’t want to call the police, but when I saw the two women inside and the place going up in flames so fast, I couldn’t just watch. I never signed up to hurt anyone.”
“How can we trust this isn’t some scheme you’ve cooked up?” Phoebe asked.
“You can’t, but I had to tell someone about the blackmail in case something happens to me. I’m sorry for the part I played in this, but this is getting too dangerous, and no money is worth the risk. If you need me to go to the police, I’ll do whatever you want. I don’t know what this person is capable of.”
An awkward silence settled over the group. It was a risk even hearing him out, but it seemed like whoever was behind this was tying up loose ends: first trying to frame her and now going after him. With the studio gone and her work destroyed, what else was there to take from her? Her life? Those she loved? Lena and the gallerist could’ve been killed if Sheen hadn’t intervened…
“We have a detective you can talk to.” Phoebe decided to take the gamble.
“If you’re serious about helping, come back tomorrow, but if this is some ploy to get close to us, then we’re the ones you should be afraid of,” Axel said, making sure he stayed betweenthem. Phoebe hadn’t even considered that might be Sheen’s motive.
“I can come by first thing in the morning,” Sheen said a little too eagerly.
Phoebe worried that they were playing into his hands. She didn’t trust him, and from the others’ hard expressions, they didn’t either. However, he was the only one who could prove she wasn’t behind this.
“No, you can meet with Isaiah and me at Isaiah’s office,” Nick interjected, keeping him out of the house. Seeing him fill Cillian’s role as the leader was a comfort.
“I can do that,” Sheen said with a nod.
With the plan arranged, Nick walked him out, and they were all happy to see the back of Sheen as Olivier made sure he left the property.
“I’m going to bed,” Phoebe announced, unable to handle any more discussion for one night. They were trying to help, but their anger and upset wouldn’t bring back her work.
“Are you okay?” Nick asked. “I know you’re not, but are you sure you want to be alone? We can all sleep in the sitting room if you want company.”
“I love you for being willing to sleep on the couches for me, but I’ll be fine.” Phoebe glanced at Axel. Being alone was the last thing she wanted, but now wasn’t the time to tell them about their relationship. “Besides, they got what they wanted, destroyed my work and reputation—all that’s left is murdering me in my sleep.”
The others stared wide-eyed at her, not appreciating the joke.
“If I don’t laugh, I’ll cry,” she sighed, hating their sympathetic smiles.
“Get some sleep. We can talk about all this when you’ve had some time to process,” Nick said solemnly, and she wanted to say something reassuring, but she couldn’t muster any falsepositivity. She flexed her hand, and the pain reminded her how long it was going to be to get her career back to what it was. Probably long enough to sink back into the void she’d spent years trying to climb out of.
“Goodnight,” she said.
She wished she could’ve climbed straight into Axel’s bed, but she trudged back to her own room.
After hours of tossing and turning, she gave up. Anger, disgust, upset and fear coiled like a snake around her body. Her stalker had taken her safe space, her work, and she wanted to scream but no sound would come out. She tiptoed downstairs and saw the light still on in August’s game room. She made sure to avoid any creaking floorboards as she made it to the kitchen. Carefully, she opened the basement door and locked it behind her.
“Bee?” Axel whispered, turning on a light as she padded down the stairs.
As soon as she saw him, her world crumbled, but he was the world she needed. She knew then that she loved him, even if she wasn’t ready to say it.
Afraid she’d burst into tears if she said a single word, she climbed into his extended arms. She thought about all that had been taken from her, and terror forced her to hold him tight. He was the last thing she loved they could take.
“I’m here, you’re safe,” he whispered, cradling her against his chest. It wasn’t her safety she was worried about.
“I can’t lose you,” she sobbed quietly as he held her and stroked her hair.
“You won’t.”
