Page 112 of Cadence
“Don’t,” she says suddenly. “Just…stop.”
She sinks onto the edge of the armrest like her legs have finally given out. I follow, dropping to my knees in front of her, hands hovering by her thighs like I’m afraid to touch her.
“I tried, Paige. I really fucking tried,” I whisper, giving in and finally cupping her face, wiping away the tears I’ve caused. “I didn’t want to let you in. I fought it so fucking hard, but then I started to fall—”
“No.” The word cuts like glass as she shoves me away, and then she’s gone darting across the room, arms wrapping around herself, shaking.
“Maddox…” Eli’s voice is urgent now, but I can’t look at him. Not when Paige is unravelling right in front of me.
“Not now,” I snap as I rise to my feet.
“Yes, now,” Eli fires back.
I whirl on him, glaring, but he’s holding his phone out, Thea’s name glowing on the screen.
“Ignore it.”
“I can’t,” he says tightly. “This is the fifth time she’s called.”
I rake a hand through my hair, torn. “Fuck. Fine, answer it.”
Eli taps the phone and puts her on speaker, masking his panic with a singsong tone as he says, “Hey, boss.”
“Are you out of your goddamn mind?”
Eli winces, holding the screen farther away from him like Thea could somehow reach through the screen and strangle him.
“When were you going to tell me one of my band members had been drugged? In a fucking bar?”
“Thea, calm—” he starts, expression pinched.
“Don’t you dare tell me to calm down,” she snaps. “What the hell happened? And why the hell am I hearing about it from someone whoisn’tone of you idiots?”
Paige squeezes her eyes shut, shrinking in on herself. Her nails dig into her arms, head bowed like she’s being scolded at school. But it’s not shame, it’s survival, curling into herself like she’s trying to disappear. And god, I want to take her away from this, away from everything.
“Shit,” Beau mutters before raising his voice. “We had it under control. We—”
“You’re supposed to tell me, Beau. I’m your fucking manager,” she says, exasperated. “Not let Reign’s bodyguard tell me after the fact. One ofmyguys nearly… Jesus Christ.” She exhales sharply, like she’s trying to contain her rage. “Do you not understand how bad this could’ve been? Paige could have been assaulted, kidnapped,killed. And not one of you thought I might need to know?”
“I’m fine,” Paige says automatically, hollowly, like it’s a reflex rather than the truth.
“Oh God, Paige.” Thea’s voice softens instantly. “Honey, are you okay? Are you safe?”
Paige swallows, but stays silent.
“She’s…okay,” I cut in. “Reign’s tour doctor checked her out. She needs rest and fluids. But I think we need a stand-in for tonight—”
“No,” Paige snaps as color finally rises in her cheeks. “I’m playing.”
My chest tightens at the determined yet broken look on her face. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“That’s not your decision,” she says, steel surrounding her tone. “I’m fucking playing. End of discussion.”
“Paige—” I try to step toward her again, but Thea speaks first.
“Maddox, if she’s up for performing, it might actually be a good idea,” she says carefully, and something in her voice prickles under my skin.
“Why?” I snarl.
