by Sadie Grubor
"It's my performance," I snap.
She opens her mouth, but Mr. Thorne puts a hand up, stopping her.
"We need to make sure you understand the allegations are still under investigation. This is a family show and we need to maintain a moral responsibility. So…" He drifts off at the end.
"So, if you find out I have prostitution in my past then I suddenly don't get enough votes to keep me on the show, right?"
The right corner of his mouth twitches, but he remains serious when he nods.
"Yes, I'm afraid so."
"Understood," I state firmly. "Can I go now? I have a show to prepare for."
"We'll talk more after the show, when Mr. and Mrs. Mackey are available to speak with you."
All my confidence shrivels into a ball of anxiety. The Mackeys, who own and operate Bel Suono Studio and Mack Productions, two major forces in the music industry and by whom the winner will be contracted, want to speak with me personally. Oh my God.
A ragged breath leaves my body, making my panic obvious. Mr. Thorne spares me a pitying smile before excusing himself and his team from the room.
"Are you okay, Miss Campbell?" the assistant asks.
"Just give me a moment." I prop myself against a wall and breathe deeply.
The crew flits about in the darkness, preparing each contestant before they go out to face the crowd. Knowing this will most likely be my one and only performance on this show doesn't help my nerves. Even though I'm used to performing on stage, this crowd is in the thousands and the mentors’ feedback is a toss-up.
I wipe my sweaty hands on the long, black, lace dress, my nerves ratcheting higher and higher.
"You're up." A crew member appears on my left and instructs me toward the darkened stage.
With a deep breath, I walk to my mark. The mic stand is right where I asked and the lights are so dim, I can see part of the audience.
Well, I didn't think that out very well, did I? My Lord, there are so many—
The show’s host breaks me from my thoughts, welcoming the TV viewing audience back from a break and begins to introduce my performance.
Shaking out my hands and arms, I breathe deep and exhale a couple of times before he finishes. My name is the cue.
The stage lights barely raise and a soft spotlight finds me alone on the darkened stage. The large screen behind me casts a glow against my back.
"For you, Lucas. You are everything," I whisper into the mic. The music begins and tears already threaten, but I swallow the emotion.
I start the song, knowing the first picture on the screen behind me is of the day I brought Lucas home from the hospital and a slideshow of his life will follow. I want everyone to know the truth; that my son is a regular boy and has led a typical boy's life. They can take their rumors and choke on them.
The spotlight makes it impossible to see the audience or their reactions, so I focus on one spot. Picturing the boy who will forever be the main man in my life, I sing for him.
The red lights on the cameras moving around me demand my attention, but I can't focus on them. I pull the mic from the stand and reach my arm out to the light bathing me. A feeling of love, peace, and satisfaction sweep over me. When I hit the arc in the song, I know what I want isn't this gimmick—this reality karaoke show.
Not caring about the audience, mentors, or all the judgmental assholes backstage, I lose myself, unleashing my emotions. Tears fill my eyes as I sing to my son, giving all of me to the moment. Me, Eliza Campbell, not Miz Liz.
"‘Cause, baby, you're my sanity. You bring me peace. Sing me to sleep," I belt, feeling the words through my entire body. I finish the song, one arm extended over my head, the other clutching the mic to the rapid rise and fall of my chest.
The crowd erupts, breaking me from my personal awakening.
I wipe away a stray tear and blink at the intrusion of the stage lights glowing brighter, until I see Jackson at the edge of the stage. He lifts Lucas onto the edge and Lucas says something to Jackson before setting his eyes on me.
His smile lights his face and he charges toward me. The love and happiness I feel in that moment spill over my cheeks. He enters my open arms, wrapping his around my waist.
"I love you so much!" he says, his voice muffled by my dress.
"I love you, too, baby." I kiss the top of his head.
Pulling back, he looks up and I cup his face with my free hand.
"You don't have to stay on this show. I know I wanted you to, but they don't deserve you." He buries into me again, not realizing his words were heard by every person watching.
Jackson
After assisting Lucas onto the stage, he rushes to his mother—their embrace for the world to see and a verbal exchange the world hears.
His declaration makes me grin. Instead of returning to my front row seat, I head backstage. She may have finished singing, but my charmer has already called out to my body; a request I'm eager to respond to.
Even from backstage, I hear the mentors provide exemplary feedback and joke about my absence. Gemma even throws in something about having that something everyone wishes they had and I catch her wink from a prompter set up behind the curtains.
I'll have to ask her about that later.
Liza exits the stage with Lucas tight against her side. With her focus solely on him, she doesn't see me until there's only a foot between us. And, fuck me, her dress is better up close. The cutouts have a skin tone lining, giving the illusion she's only wearing lace. My palms itch, wanting to peel away the dress and hear her sing out my name.
Her head raises, focusing on my chest before lifting higher to my face. Surprise widens her eyes before they shift to my left.
As I twist around, the clapping begins. Contestants, stage crew, and more familiar faces like Chris, Mia, Jimmy, Kat, Red, Bethany, Xavier, Sid, Sean, and Kel. Turning back to Liza, I clap with them.
Sid brushes by me, wrapping her arms around Liza.
"I am so proud of you!" she squeals. "You made that stage your bitch!"
"Thank you for doing the slideshow." Liza's arms flex, tightening the embrace.
Sid waves her off as Kel moves in to steal her into his arms.
"She's amazing," Mia says, her voice coming from my left.
I nod. "Yeah, she is."
"She's only talking about her voice." Chris chuckles.
"I'm not." I give him a side glance, catching his grin.
"Miss Campbell?" Everyone turns to the sweet voice of a young woman in a suit dress.
"Yeah," Liza sighs out, like she knows what's coming next.
"I've been asked to bring you to Chloe." Her body turns sideways, an indication to follow her.
"Chloe?" Liza asks, stepping forward.
"Mrs. Mackey." The assistant gives a genuine smile and leads Liza away.
Being a nosey bastard, I follow close behind, feeling the others at my back.
"Please wait…" She fades off, taking in the sight of everyone.
Liza turns around to see the entourage she wasn't aware of and her mouth drops open.
"If you could all please take a seat, they're in a meeting right now and will arrive in just a moment." She motions to the chairs and couches around the room.
"What are they meeting about?" I ask before she makes her quick exit.
"I'm afraid I don't have the details of the meeting." Her politically correct response is rehearsed, but I don't press further.
"I know what they're meeting about," Liza states.
She crosses the room and takes a seat, relaxing back into the cushions.
My first instinct is to pull her out of the chair and hold her tightly against me. Taking a deep breath, I ball my hands and root myself to stay where I stand.
"But it's all rumors," Kel states, sitting on the couch across from her.
She shrugs. "It doesn't matter, and honestly, I don't really care."
"They don't deserve to have you on the show." Lucas crosses his arms over his chest.
He sits on the arm of Liza's chair with Sean quietly taking a place on the other arm, her personal security detail.
"Are you okay?" The question is strained from my internal fight to allow her space.
Her eyes meet mine and she visibly swallows.
"Yeah." She nods, her response tense.
Our eyes remain trained on one another. The room fades away and our breathing syncs, chests rising and falling faster and faster. Praying I have just a tiny amount of the same effect she has on me, I lick my lips. Her mouth parts and warm satisfaction courses through my veins.
About to beckon for her, wanting her to come to me, I'm interrupted by the sound of the door.
"Una?" I ask, confused.
She looks around the full room before greeting us. "Hello, everyone."
Her eyes land on Liza and she smiles.
"You, my dear, are amazingly talented." She steps closer and puts her hand out. "How about I formally introduce myself? I'm Una Nobil."
Liza pushes up from the chair and takes her hand.
"Liza Campbell." She blushes and furrows her brow. "But you already know that."
Allowing myself to move, I step around Una to stand by Liza.
"I've been speaking with Mrs. Mackey in regards to your, uh…situation." She offers a genuine smile.
"Why are you speaking on Liza's behalf?" I ask, knowing Una is kind, but she's also a label representative.
"Because you asked me to take care of things," she quips with a tilt of her head.
I raise one brow. She smiles.
"And because she's ridiculously talented," Una finishes with an unapologetic shrug.
"Yes, she is."
The new voice draws everyone's attention.
A tall, extremely attractive brunette walks around Una and offers her hand to Liza.
"I’m Chloe Mackey, Co-President of Bel Suono and Mackey Productions. I apologize for my husband's absence. Unfortunately, he had a pressing business matter to attend."
Liza's hand noticeably shakes as she takes the offering.
Chloe quickly clasps Liza's hands in both of hers, a look of compassion softening her expression.
"Miss Campbell, our sponsors, along with Bel Suono and Mackey Productions, are very sorry for this situation falling on you. All parties mentioned are in agreement that the rumors are falsehoods against you."
Next to me, I feel more than see Liza slightly relax.
"But…" Chloe continues.
"But…I'm still being asked to leave the show?" Liza finishes in a soft voice.
A look of pity crosses Chloe's face.
"I'm afraid the contract you signed is very particular about relationships with show executives, which includes mentors."
Guilt and tension tighten every part of my body as a throb forms between my temples.
With the recent scandal and my addiction going public, you'd think they would've permanently added Chris, but the announcement of Liza's exit from the show has already resulted in a drop of ratings. And Chris refuses to do more than sit in for a couple weeks. Truth is, without my scandalized ass, they're betting they would lose more publicity.
"She had no idea he was on the show," Kel argues, standing from the couch.
"And he had no clue she was a contestant," Chris states in his familiar I-dare-you-to-argue tone.
Chloe nods. "Yes, I know, and I can't say I agree with this decision. However, the point has been made about fairness to the other contestants. I'm sorry, but we will need you to exit the competition."
Liza sighs loudly.
"This is—”
Liza's burst of laughter cuts off Kel's next protest and garners surprised looks from everyone. She grips my arm, using me to stay upright while holding her stomach with the other.
"I'm sorry," she says around laughs, "it's the stress." She fights between hilarity and gasps for air.
"Miss Campbell?" Chloe requests Liza's attention once more.
While she's calmed herself some, she's still fighting a battle with her “stress”.
"Yes?" she chokes out.
"Bel Suono is very interested in discussing a deal with you. Though this didn't work out, I'd like to set up a meeting to discuss your career."
"Get in line," Una snorts, giving Chloe a teasing look. "You aren't the only one."
Chloe grins. "It's been some time since I've gone head-to-head with you."
"It will be like old times." Una smiles.
"Hold up." Red moves into the small circle and stands in front of Liza. "Liza, don't agree to anything. Not until they provide offers and terms in writing. Then we'll review them and you can decide what you want to do."
His rush to help her doesn't surprise me. Red's always been a good guy, regardless of his man-whore ways.
"But, Red—” Liza begins.
"I won't let anyone take advantage of you." He shakes his head. "We haven't worked together long, but you're a good girl and I won't let this industry eat you up. You've been through enough." His eyes drift to me before returning to her.
"Red…" She removes her hand from my arm to place it on his chest.
A primal need to remove her hand, wanting it back on me, slides through my body in an angry, tormented heat.
"I don't want to leave the club," she finishes. "I know where I belong and where I wanna be."
Red's face falls clear of emotion just before a large grin takes over.
"Sweetheart, if these two," he thumbs over his shoulder to Una and Chloe, "have brains half as impressive as their asses, they'll make it work the way you want."
"Excuse me?" Gideon Thorne steps forward from the group of suits who followed Chloe in the room. "I think you should apologize to Mrs. Mackey."
Una and Chloe burst into laughter.
"Calm down, Gideon." Chloe waves him off. "It's nice to know I’ve still got it."
"Well played, Red,” Una adds on a giggle.
"Miss Campbell, we'll be in touch." Chloe smiles, nods, and exits with the suits in tow.
Chapter Eighteen
Jackson
As soon as the door closes on the show execs, I take Liza's arm and pull her to face me.
"I'm sorry." I cup her face.
She visibly swallows and parts her lips. I want to devour her mouth.
"This shit's my fault, but I'm going to try to make it right."
My eyes search her soft baby blues, the battles of a million emotions warring within them. I clench my jaw, fighting the urge to ask what they are. Does she hate me? Or, is she, like me, craving the taste of our mouths mixing and the feel of our skin touching?
She places a hand over my heart, the heat from her touch branding my skin.
With a slight shake of her head, she blinks, and says, "It's not your fault."
"Yeah, it is. I brought Kristy into your life. The bitch is going to pay for all this bullshit." My anger seeps into my words.
"Jackson," Una sighs, "don't do anything rash. We don’t have anything on her to shut her up or—”
"What kind of something do you need?" Sid asks from where she sits on the couch.
"Proof she released the information to start," Una states. "But no reporter is going to release their source."
"True." Sid stands and walks closer to Una. "But, and this is just hypothetical of course…"
"Of course," Una responds hesitantly.
"What if I happen to know someone with some itty bitty hacker-like skills who may be able to get something on her or get lucky and find out she's the source? Would you be okay with them getting involved?"
"Sid," Liza warns, turning to face her cousin.
I grip her hips and dig my fingers into the lace, bringing our bodies together.
"Shh…" Sid hushes Liza.
"We already had the one FBI conversation. Do we have to go over the other?" Liza pleads.
The FBI?
"I just wanted to see if I could do it. Besides, that was a bogus investigation. They had no proof," Sid answers in a blu
r of words before turning a sickeningly sweet smile on Una.
"Do what exactly?" Xavier asks, leaning against the wall and rubbing his bearded face, clearly eyeing her curves with apt appreciation.
"I'd tell you, but I have no idea what you are referring to." Sid looks completely clueless.
"You're kind of scary," Xavier states, a half-grin on his face. "It's a little hot." He gives a slight shrug.
She blinks at him before turning back to Una.
"So, about that," she brings her fingers up and air quotes, "‘friend of mine’?"
"What would this friend need?"
"Access to a secured internet connection, a couple gadgets, and immunity should legal authorities get involved." She grins sweetly once more.
Una stares at Sid, contemplating. With a sigh, she nods.
"Kacey?" Una barks and her newest junior assistant hurries to her side. "Get Miss Campbell—”
"Sid," she corrects. "No need to be formal."
"Okay," she breathes the word. "Please, get Sid whatever she needs."
"Of course," Kacey responds, reminding me of a puppy with her eager nod and the obvious need for approval.
Kacey turns to Sid. "What can I get you?"
Grinning, Sid steps forward and snakes her arm around Kacey's, walking them both away from the crowd.
"We should talk where there are less…ears." Her lips purse. "But first, any ideas how to get your hands on her cell phone?"
"Th-that's stealing," Kacey stutters.
"I'm just kidding." Sid pats her arm, and under her breath, adds, "Unless you can get it."
"I might be able to help." Kat saunters up to Sid and Kacey as they exit the room.
"Do you have any idea what you've just done?" Liza asks Una.
"No, and for the sake of future legal action, I think it's for the best." Una crosses her arms over her chest and turns her attention back to Liza and me.
"Did you discuss the apartment?" She raises her brows.
"No. Haven't really had a moment with the show bullshit and possible organized felony going on back here." I'm sure to give my best are-you-fucking-serious-right-now look.
"What happened to my apartment?" Liza takes a step forward, gets caught on my arm, and twists her neck to look up at me.
