Page 125 of Save Your Breath
“Come on, Mia,” Austin said, voice lowering. “What’s with this charade? I know Aleks Suter. He doesn’t propose. He sleeps with supermodels at pool parties in Vegas.”
My nose stung with that assessment, my anxious mind once again thinking of last night.
The way he’d commanded me…
The way he’d tied me up…
His mouth on me…
Was I just another conquest, a way to get what he needed after the dry spell I’d conned him into, the one he’d reminded me about so often?
He’d had so much to say last night…
“Do you realize how bad I’ve needed this? Needed you?”
“Tell me you want this.”
“Tell me you want me to destroy you.”
“Tell me I can do anything I want.”
He’d given me all the control, given me the chance to stop it. And I’d told him to turn off my brain.
I hadn’t asked him for more.
Could I really be mad, then, if he only gave me last night?
But that kiss…
“Is this how you and Bella thought you’d spin Garrett’s reviews?” Austin asked, pausing when I didn’t answer, a low chuckle rumbling through the receiver. “I never thought you’d stoop so low. Even the best artists can take a little criticism, love.”
I ground my teeth together, face burning. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He laughed. “Sure. Alright, well, have a great show tomorrow. Tell yourfiancéI said hello.”
Austin hung up.
And I, promptly, freaked the fuck out.
The Big Finale
Mia
Two weeks passed in a blur of sequins, dancing, and screaming fans.
Anxiety had gripped me by the throat the entire flight to New York after Austin’s phone call, but once I stepped foot on the tarmac, my team surrounded me, each of them listing off our endless to-do’s.
And my focus shifted.
Sound checks. Choreo runs. Morning show appearances. Radio interviews. Recording sessions.
The first show went off without a hitch, everything from the lighting to the last confetti cannon perfectly orchestrated. And as if the cheers from our fans weren’t already enough of a reward, the headlines the next day were the cherry on top.
LOVE WINS: The Sunset Tour is Sensational
A Star Among Stars: Mia Shines Bright in a Sold-Out MSG Debut
From Opening Chord to Final Bow: The Sunset Tour Dazzles at the Garden
