Total pages in book: 143
Estimated words: 138287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 691(@200wpm)___ 553(@250wpm)___ 461(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 691(@200wpm)___ 553(@250wpm)___ 461(@300wpm)
I choked on my smoothie, coughing lightly. Okay, yeah, I was taking my new position fairly seriously. “The Violet Dame is nothing but a myth. She’s not real.”
Who knew I could perform as well I did?
Believe me, no one was more surprised than I was.
“She was an act.” Beth tilted her head slightly. “But I don’t think she is anymore.”
Pearl nodded. “You’ve finally grown into your latex panties, Emmy.”
Taking a sip of my smoothie, I flung Pearl the bird and she laughed.
That was when the woman on the television spoke and when we heard what she said, we stilled.
“Concern for Connor Clash after a bizarre interview surfaced yesterday in which he looked to be under the influence. The interview was terminated after Clash, who has openly spoken about his previous issues with substance abuse, was acting erratic and remained unable to answer the simplest of questions.”
My heart lurched and, placing my glass in the sink, I walked away and hid out in my room in pure Emmy style.
Coward.
After a moment, my door opened and Ettie stood there, her expression apprehensive. “You need to see this.”
There was something in her tone that told me whatever had happened was serious so, without another word, I stood and moved back into the kitchen.
“She needs to see for herself, Cher,” Beth said gently.
Cherry shook her head, looking tense. “It’s not her problem. Like he hasn’t hurt her enough. She’s gonna see this and be fucked up all over again.”
When they noticed me there, Pearl held the remote and stated, “It’s up to you, Emmy, but I warn you, it’s not pretty.”
My gut dipped.
I nodded. “Show me.” My voice was barely there.
Pearl hesitated a second before she hit play. And there he was. He looked as beautiful as the day I left him but his eyes were bloodshot and hooded, and his gaze looked to be bleak.
Dammit, Connor. What are you doing?
He was high.
The interviewer was a familiar man in his thirties. It was the DJ I knew to be Louis Smalls. He was popular which guaranteed this interview going viral.
Great.
“So,” Louis started, “I guess I’ll start by congratulating you on your new album.” He held up Left Turn’s new album, Faded Black, and I smiled inwardly, because even though Connor had broken my heart, I still loved them and was proud of their achievements. “What can you tell me about it? What inspires you?”
“Well,” Connor began, and his voice was rough, “you know, Louis, I guess it’s a big deal, because—” He swallowed hard, seeming to lose track of his answer. “—yeah. I mean…” He swayed in the swivel chair then ran a hand down his face. “Shoot. I’m a little tired, man. Sorry.”
My stomach began to ache and, slowly, I lifted my hands to hug myself around the waist.
Louis Smalls, ever the professional, took it on the chin. “No problem, man. You just stopped touring, so I get it. Tell me, how did it go—”
But Connor cut him off. “You ever been in love, Louis?”
A pause then Louis laughed. “I’m married, Connor.” When Louis’s eyebrows furrowed, he did it smiling, and I could see he was wondering what the hell was happening. “What about you, man? You ever been bitten by the love bug?”
Connor took in a deep breath then exhaled. He picked up the glass of water and tried to sip at it but he missed his mouth. Water spilled into his lap and he muttered, “Fuck.” He wiped the water away, and Louis handed him some napkins, to which Connor lifted them in thanks. “We got a spill down aisle four, Louis.” Connor laughed to himself.
Oh no.
It was worse than I thought.
Louis attempted to laugh it off. “Are you okay, man?”
To which Connor responded a cryptic, “I had no choice, you know? I thought about it and… Yeah.” He mumbled, “Worst day of my life.”
Louis looked toward the camera and shook his head.
Connor kept going. “I didn’t want to love her.” He tapped a crooked finger to his chest. “She got in there, man.” He groaned abruptly and ran both his hands down his cheeks. “Now I can’t fucking sleep without seeing her face.”
Louis was good at his job and rolled with it. “We’ve all been there, Clash.”
“Not me.” Connor shook his head slowly. “Not me, man.”
“What’s her name, Connor?”
And my gut dipped.
Don’t you say it.
“Her name?” Connor blinked slowly and at his silence, I calmed myself.
What did I care?
It wasn’t me. It couldn’t be.
The silence lasted a while and I relaxed a little.
And then Connor slammed a fist down onto the table. All of the studio equipment jumped and I closed my eyes at the unprovoked act of violence. He looked down at his hand, leaned forward into the microphone and spoke directly into it.
I felt the blood drain out of my face.