The Monster of Fame (The Price of Fame Series) (17 page)

The most beautiful voice in the world to him continued to sound out a harmonious melody and his heart swelled in his chest. She truly was amazing. If she was stronger he’d have taken her career anywhere she wanted it to go.

And, he realized, he’d have been there by her side to support her and give her the constant reassurance and encouragement she deserved. There’s nowhere else he’d rather have been.

He loved her so much that he had to do this. To save her. Even though it would mean he’d lose her forever.

As the song came to its end, Miles picked up the papers next to him and made his way backstage.

Chapter 11

Every End Has A Start

Anna stared into the mirror and didn’t recognize the girl staring back. Her sky blue eyes looked huge, framed by a thick brushing of dark lashes. Her lank hair was styled into elegant red curls and her mouth looked like Cupid’s bow, only pink.

She’d changed so much over the last few weeks, both inside and out. Remembering back to that first week in her dressing room, waiting to go on stage for the first time had sent her into full-scale panic mode. Now, however, she was genuinely excited.

The nerves were still there, she could feel them in the butterflies assailing her stomach and in her hot, clammy palms, but it was a different kind of nerves—anticipation rather than dread.

Over the last few months, she’d grown so much and found a confidence she never thought possible. Others simply believing in her had made her see what it was about herself they believed in. Her family, friends, new found fans, and even Miles at times. Each of them had all given her what she needed to get this far.

This week had been the hardest of her life—and it had absolutely nothing to do with the final. It was all to do with not getting to see or kiss or touch Miles. Brief phone calls and flirty texts only left her longing for more so she’d avoided them as much as possible. Deep down she knew that he must be falling for her, why else would he worry about her so much? They’d work it out when she won this and they both had some free time.

Topping up her blusher, she saw the strange beauty in the mirror frown. She missed Miles like mad. After tonight, whatever happened, she was going to be brave and tell him that she loved him. If she won, she’d sing
I Will Always Love You
for him when she got to sing her winner’s song, but if she didn’t, she’d just have to tell him the old-fashioned way.

She didn’t even have to worry about winning anymore. Safri had promised she’d manage Anna’s career whatever happened, so now all Anna needed to do was concentrate on enjoying herself. In less than an hour, she’d leave her dressing room, step out onto that stage in front of Miles, her mum, Gran, Jess, and the rest of the UK and sing her heart out without panicking about the consequences.

A sharp rap at the door brought her out of her reverie and she called, “Come in.”

Miles entered the room. He was wearing a metallic charcoal suit which was expertly tailored and hung from every muscular angle of his body perfectly. The black silk shirt was open at the neck, giving a glimpse of his recklessly messy side, and a five o’clock shadow darkened his jaw.

Anna’s gaze crept up that gorgeous face to stare into the bright green eyes which never failed to make her heart kick into beat. When she saw them though, her heart didn’t flutter uselessly, it turned into a hard boulder of dread.

“Miles, what’s wrong?” She rose from the velvet chair and rushed over to him, cupping his whiskered covered cheeks in her hands.

Stretching on her tiptoes, she pressed her lips to his and snaked her hands around his neck. At first, he was unresponsive and the boulder grew heavier in her chest. But after a second, his arms were around her, crushing her body against his, and his mouth opened beneath hers.

Soon, the boulder was forgotten and the fire at her core raged and burned wildly out of control. She used her hold on the back of his neck to pull him closer still. His hands were in her hair, one knotted her nape and the other gently caressed the back of her head.

Excited shivers raked through her, and her thrumming heart swelled with love. When they were together like this, when she could tell from his kisses that he was suffering the same desperation to touch her as she was to touch him, she knew what they had was real.

Her whole future seemed to play across her closed eyelids. One year from now, touring the UK with Miles. Two years and they’d be getting married surrounded by family and friends in a simple, yet intimate ceremony. Perhaps in three years they’d have a child, someone to love as much as she loved Miles.

He pulled away from her abruptly, taking the dream with him. He held her at arm’s length while they caught their breath. His eyes—though darkened with his desire—were dull and lifeless and full of regret. The spark had vanished and tears clogged her throat. Her heart was once again as heavy as a rock in her chest, but this time she couldn’t speak, only gape at him in terror. Was this it? Were her dreams futile and unobtainable? A moment ago it didn’t feel that way. But now…

“I’d like to talk to you.” His voice was hard and flat. Emotionless. Salty water blurred her vision and she nodded for him to go on. “I want you to have these.”

He handed her a manila envelope. She took it and looked back at him with her brows pushed together. What was happening?

“Open it, Annabelle.”

She did and as she read the first page her hands began trembling. Was she reading it right? Did he honestly buy her family’s debt? She scanned the rest of the papers, unable to believe it. The whole mortgage, several credit card bills, and a personal loan, all now owned by Miles Oliver.

She looked back to him, his eyes were hard as flint and his face expressionless. “You bought my family’s debt.” It wasn’t a question, but he nodded anyway. “Why?” She didn’t know whether to feel outraged that he hadn’t told her or elated that he’d cared enough to help her.

“I promised you that things would work out. I’m keeping that promise.”

Anna couldn’t hold back any longer, she let the tears spill over her lashes. “Thank you, Miles.” She stepped forward to embrace him again, but he gripped her shoulders with strong hands and held her at arm’s length. “What’s wrong?” she asked again. The boulder was back with a vengeance.

With dead eyes and a face seemingly carved from stone, he continued. “I will sign everything over to you, I swear I will. All I ask in return is that you leave the show, right now, and go back home.”

She could feel her mouth drop open with an audible ‘pop’. He was blackmailing her, but she was too stunned by the uncharacteristic move to show the adequate amount of fury she knew she should be feeling. “Why would I do that?” Her whole body was numb, mind included.

“You can’t do this, Annabelle. You’re not strong enough to handle everything that goes along with living in the public eye. The article in the paper last week proved that. You need to walk away now while you still can.”

She studied his face, hoping for some sign that showed he didn’t mean what he was saying. There was nothing. He didn’t see her at all. Didn’t see how much she’d changed. Heck, he didn’t even want her to succeed, was willing to spend hundreds of thousands to make sure she’d leave him and never come back.

And she—fool that she was—was planning to tell him she loved him.

Anger boiled her blood and she broke away from his grasp, throwing the papers back at him. She’d never been so furious in her entire life. Not when her dad left her mother broken, alone, and almost bankrupt, not even when Miles had thought she was on drugs.

Her hand tingled with the desire to smack him across the face, but that would only make him think he’d hurt her. She may have lost him, but she still had her pride.

How could she be so stupid? He’d not been helping her, he’d been using her for something to do for a few months while he mentored his contestants, and here she was, falling for his bullshit—all the while falling in love with him.

“Get out.”

His eyes widened and he stepped toward her.

“Get out,” she screamed, and he staggered back from the venom in her voice. She couldn’t handle it if he touched her, not when she knew it was a lie.

“Anna, please,” he begged. His face pleading, but the fact he called her Anna and not Annabelle only further ignited her rage. He didn’t even care enough about her to call her by her full name anymore.

“I’ll call security,” she threatened, reaching for her phone, not even fazed by the malice in her voice.

“Please, don’t do this.” He was retreating toward the door, and her hand twitched closer toward the dressing table. It took all of her willpower not to pick up the vase of flowers Safri had bought her and throw it at him. “You won’t be able to handle what comes next.” Anna ignored the desperation in his tone. White hot fury clouded her senses. “You’ll end up dead.”

Finally, the cool mask cracked and what she saw would have broke her heart if it hadn’t already been shattered. A pain and grief she couldn’t even begin to understand morphed his expression for the briefest of seconds before he composed himself.

The anger receded only to be replaced with pain. “I’m not Cassie. I can do this.” Her voice was barely a whisper and broke twice.

“No, you’re not,” he said with a hard tone, and she winced. “But you can’t handle this. You’re not emotionally strong enough. Neither was she.”

“When are you going to start seeing me for who I really am?” she wondered aloud.

His brow creased, but he left without another word. She turned back to stare at the stranger in the mirror. Those wide blue eyes sparkled with tears and the porcelain skin looked ten shades whiter.

A glance at the jazzy silver clock on the wall told her she was on stage in less than fifteen minutes. With her heart shredded and the option to save her family by walking away from the only dream she could make a reality, Anna knew she was on the brink of breaking down.

But what would that achieve? Hadn’t she said that nothing in this life that’s worth having comes easy? It was a saying her mother used like it was going out of fashion, but Anna lived her life by it.

She couldn’t have Miles, that was clear from his attempt to blackmail her. She’d hoped he was beginning to care for her like she did him, but she knew now that her hopes were frivolous. How could he blackmail someone he loved?

She could have her dream though. It was so close she could almost feel it, consolation prize or not.

After ten minutes of weighing up the options, Anna decided breaking down wouldn’t solve a damn thing. She’d lost Miles, but she could still save her family on her own and pay him back every penny he’d used to buy the debt. After a mental slap, Anna went to find Safri and get herself ready for the performance of her life.

* * * *

The crowd went wild the minute she stepped onto the stage. Lights shone on her from every angle and her backing dancers surrounded her, all grooving along to the upbeat rendition of one of the oldest power ballads of all time.

As she hit the chorus and the crowd rose from their seats, screaming and cheering their approval, she realized she really was great at this. She might not win, but she was darn well good and would snatch up Safri’s offer of management in a heartbeat.

The press could be a problem, sure. Though the amount of female artists in the charts with overly curvaceous figures was startling. She promised herself then that she wouldn’t take anything written about herself seriously ever again. She wasn’t fat, just curvy, and Miles had made her feel beautiful. Of course that was before he’d turned into a prat and tried to control her…

As the song came to its last verse, she fixed her gaze on Miles. His face was as white as hers was earlier and his eyes still looked dead. What pulled at her heart strings more was the look of guilt mingled with terror in his expression, he wasn’t struggling to hide it now.

She didn’t understand why he would feel either—unless of course he felt bad about trying to blackmail her. If she wasn’t still so bleedin’ angry at him, she might feel for his obvious pain. But she
was
angry, and she wasn’t in a very generous mood.

No way, Jose.

The fact was he’s wrong. She had grown stronger, she did have what it took and, damn it, she would get stronger still! The song finished and she stood patiently, waiting for the judges’ commendations. Each judge has acts in the final this year. Sander had his girl band, Connekt. Safri had Anna and Toni Johnston—a country singer who was extraordinarily pretty. And Miles had Kev.

“Anna, that was…wow. I know you have what it takes to win this. I’ve known it from the start,” Safri told her earnestly. “Come on, all you guys at home, pick up the phones and vote for Anna. She deserves to win this. She really is amazing.”

The smile Safri aimed her way was blinding. Anna returned it.

“I have to agree with Safri. It’s going to take a hell of a lot to beat you. This was your best performance of the whole competition. You should be feeling extremely proud of yourself right now,” Sander chimed in. Anna smiled her thanks with knots twisting her stomach.

She couldn’t look at Miles.

“I…” His voice was barely a whisper over the mic, and it pulled at her heart strings almost painfully. She turned to him and could tell by the way his face was twisted with pain that he was fighting very hard for composure. Aware that the show was aired live, Anna kept her mouth shut and a polite smile on her face.

“Well done,” he said eventually, leaving it at that. Her stomach dropped to the soles of her feet.

“The lines are now open, folks, get voting and we’ll be back in an hour with the results,” Mhairi Granger spoke toward camera three.

Anna heard someone shout “cut” in the distance and she walked right past the judges’ table and out into the audience where she found her mum, Granny Menzies, and Jess all in the front row.

She had an hour to kill and was spending it with the people she knew loved her. There was no way she could be alone after his half-assed comment.