Page 91 of Chasing Lyric
I grab the front of his shirt, yanking him back up like he’s nothing, and slam another punch straight into his face. My fist splits, the impact rattling my bones, but it still doesn’t satisfy the fury roiling in my gut.
It’snotenough.
None of this is enough.
I rear back again, ready to deliver another blow, maybe the one that finally erases the betrayal from my chest, but arms wrap around mine, hauling me backward. I thrash in their grip, breathing like a man possessed. Dad and Little Mickey are dragging me off, but even they’re struggling to hold me as I thrash to get back to Dax and finish the asshole off.
“Get the hell off me!” I growl, shaking them loose.
I start back toward Dax, but Little Mickey shoves his hand to my chest, stopping me. “Enough, Chase. Enough!”
Huffing, I shrug out of his grip, staggering away, trying to breathe through the storm that is raging uncontrollably inside me. My fists are bloodied, my heart racing, but the pain in my knuckles is nothing compared to the burn in my chest.
Across the room, Dax groans as he sits up, clutching his bruised face, his lip already swelling, but I don’t feel the slightest bit sorry.
He gave my girl to the wolves. Willingly.
He sold me out as if I were a prop in a performance he didn’t mind lighting on fire.
And now the asshole’s paying for it.
“Jesus, CJ!” Dad calls out while walking over to Dax, who’s still sitting on the hardwood floor. He bends down, checking over the traitor’s face.
“You told him?” Dax questions my father, spitting out a line of blood.
I turn, glaring at Dax. “You…told…him!You told Dad about Lyri? Itrustedyouto keep that shit to yourself.”
Dax slowly stands from the floor, straightening out his leather jacket. “We’re in the music industry, Chase, we’re supposed to find talent, and she has it in spades. If we don’t snap her up, someone else will. It’s only a matter of time.”
I groan in frustration. “No, it’s not. Lyricdoesn’twantthat life!”I yell. “And you would know that if you’d been listening to me at all. I confide in you, Dax, because that’s what best friends do. You used this information against me. To what? To gain afucking client?” I shake my head. “I don’t even know who the hell you are.”
Dax cracks his jaw from side to side as if to relieve some tension. “I market your talent. Lyric is marketable. I saw exactlywhatyousaw the moment you first laid eyes on her, the first momentyouheard her sing—”
“You can’t force someone intothis lifeif they don’t want it, Dax,” I interrupt him quickly.
“You can if she’ll do it for you, Chase. She loves you, right?” Dad asks.
I glare at my father. “I’mnotdoing that. Iwon’tforce her. Not for you, not for any of you. I’ve done more thanenough for you,Dad.”
Dad’s eyes drop to the floor in understanding. I gave up a considerable chunk of my life for that man. I shouldn’t keep bringing it up or rub it in his face every chance I get, but the debt is massive, and sometimesheneeds to be reminded.
He exhales, running his hand over his large head of hair. “I know. And you know I will always be grateful for what you did for me, for this company, for our family, Chase. But there comes a point when you need to step up as EVP and bring talent to the table when you see it.”
“Not if the talent doesn’t want to be brought in. There’s no point having a vocalist on our books who refuses to sing. What in thehellis the point of that?”
Dad’s eyes widen. “You think she’ll refuse?”
I dip my head. “I don’t think, I damn well know. And you would have known if you’d have asked me.”
“She sang last night,” Dax rebuts.
“And did younothear her choice of song, Dax? She was saying goodbye to her past and letting go of everything. She doesn’twantto be a singer. That was her last song.”
“People’s minds can be changed when a dollar amount is flashed in front of their—”
“Lyri isn’t like that. Fuck, man,why do you think so little of her?” I argue.
Dax rubs his jaw. “I don’t think little of her. I think she’s whipped you, and you’re changing because of it.”
