Page 58 of Her Beastly Billionaire Rock Star
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
The sound of footsteps grew closer to the door, and Charlotte shoved away from it and tried to sit up. With a whoosh, the door opened, and Malakai’s eyes locked with hers.
“Charlotte.” Her name softly rushed from his lips, and he started moving toward her.
Octavia folded her arms over her chest and walked back to her desk. Two men were standing to the side. “She never was very good at hiding things from me. Her heart was too close to her sleeve. I suspect it’s something she learned from her father.”
The second Malakai reached her, he wrapped her in his arms, and lifted her, carrying her out of the room. “You’ll—”
“Pay for this, never get away with this? Clichéd sayings. I control the narrative in this town. I control careers, relationships, record deals, acting gigs. One way or another, I always get the information I want.”
Charlotte set her hand against Malakai’s chest and wiggled to get down. Her feet hit the floor, rattling her brain a second. She closed the distance between her and Octavia. “Why are you like this? Your mom was sweet and kind and—” Charlotte had loved her and mourned her loss.
“Yes, but if you’ll remember, I was sent to live withmyfather.” Octavia smiled. “Your father watched my mother die and then did nothing to keep me. All his declarations of love and being his daughter. It was all lies meant to placate my ninny of a mother. I learned the truth after my dad stepped into the picture.”
Charlotte shook her head and winced. Why hadn’t her father told Octavia what happened? Her stepsister had it all wrong. “That’s not what happened. Did you ever watch the tapes your mom created? If you had, you’d know that’s not true. She made those tapes to explain what happened.”
“I didn’t need to. My father was the only one who never lied to me. He was the only one who wanted me. My mother used me to marry your father. Once she’d accomplished her goal, I was an afterthought.” Octavia’s lips twisted into a snarl. “I was rescued by my father, and he taught me what it was to be independent and in control.”
All this time, Octavia was a little girl with a broken heart. Charlotte would never have thought she’d feel sorry for her stepsister. “My father wanted you. He desperately wanted you. He loved you with his whole being.”
Her eyes narrowed, and her jaw tightened. “What are you talking about?”
“You were a few years younger than me. They were trying to protect you. Do you ever remember your mom speaking ill of your father?”
Octavia shook her head. “She never really spoke of him at all. She stole me from him.”
“She escaped from him. Your mom and my dad agonized over what to do. When your father found out Marcy was dying, he came for you. He threatened to drag you through a nasty custody battle, and with the connections he had on the East Coast, there was a chance it would be years of fighting.”
Charlotte’s head throbbed, and she touched her palm to her forehead. “My father begged Marcy to let him fight for you, but she didn’t want you being pulled in two different directions. You were losing your mom. You were already scared and angry and hurt. They did what they thought was best and made arrangements for you to spend the summer with my father when I was staying with my mom in Greece.”
“That’s a lie. I’d know if things had happened like that. I remember clearly that your father watched the casket lower into the ground and then waved bye like I was nothing to him.” Octavia held up her hand. “I’m done with this ridiculous conversation.” She flicked her gaze to the two men. “Do whatever it is that needs to be done.”
Charlotte lifted her gaze to Octavia’s. “That’s not what happened. Your father was abusive.”
Octavia growled and lunged for Charlotte’s throat.
As Malakai stepped between them, two men busted through the door. Thaddeus held a gun on Octavia and her men, and the other took her by the hands, holding them behind her.
“Ladies really shouldn’t act that way,” the second man said. He stuck his free hand out to Malakai while restraining Octavia with the other. Charlotte realized it was Gunner, Sophia Parker’s husband. “Hey, Mal. Sorry we’re late.”
“What’s going on?” Charlotte asked as four men in suits walked in.
Thaddeus laughed. “Apparently, your stepsister has been under surveillance for the better part of the last year. There were some weird signals coming from the building across the street. Noah called a friend at the FBI…” He shrugged. “And here we are.”
“Surveillance?” Charlotte sagged, and Malakai caught her. “I was right? She was blackmailing people?”
“Yes, ma’am,” an FBI agent replied. “And we’ll need a statement from you as soon as you’re feeling up to it.”
The words were the last she heard as the world went black.
Chapter 30
Malakai rolled his neck. The hospital room chair wasn’t made for people his size at all, and it was killing his back. The moment Charlotte had passed out, he’d taken her to the emergency room. He’d thought to call an ambulance, but apparently FBI operations were serious, and they didn’t like others stepping in on their toes. Luckily for the Guardian Group, their boss had friends who’d quickly smoothed things out.
So far, Charlotte hadn’t roused even a little, which didn’t surprise Malakai. Being knocked around before she’d fully recovered hadn’t helped her at all. Octavia had opened the door, and his heart dropped at the sight of Charlotte, pale and on the floor. He’d rushed over to her, and up close, she’d looked even worse. How she’d managed to have a full-on conversation with Octavia was beyond his comprehension. Clearly, he’d underestimated her strength.
A soft groan came from her, and he pushed out of the chair, closing the few feet between them. She stirred again, and her eyes fluttered open. “Hi.”
