19
Dillon
“Idon’t like this,” Viv says, traipsing moodily behind me as I enter the hallway of my L.A. pad.
“Don’t worry, Hollywood. I won’t kidnap you and tie you to my bed.” I flash her a cheeky grin. “Unless you want me to.”
She slaps me across the face, and it fucking stings. “I’m leaving.” She turns on her heel but not before I see the tears glistening in her eyes. Shit. The last thing I want to do is hurt Viv, but I seem to have foot-in-mouth disease whenever I’m around her.
Ash levels me with a dark look that scares me. Outwardly, things might look perfect between us, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
After what transpired at Viv’s house the day of the funeral, I had to come clean to my family about how I’d threatened her into keeping silent. Seeing the disappointed looks on my parents’ faces made me feel horribly ashamed of my actions. My entire family are reeling from the revelations and feeling hurt I excluded them. Ma can’t believe I’ve been harboring all this resentment and dealing with it alone. She doesn’t understand why I didn’t tell her and Da when Simon accosted me at seventeen. Why I chose to handle it myself.
It’s going to take me some time to make it up to everyone.
As for Ash, to say my sister wants to murder me for the cruel way I treated her best friend is an understatement. She has blanked me for weeks, only speaking to me when it was official band business. Today is the first time since the funeral she has spoken directly to me, like we used to, and the first time I’ve felt we might be able to get through this without causing irreparable damage to our relationship.
I love all my siblings, but I’m closest to Ash. If I have permanently damaged our relationship, I won’t come back from that. She is more than my sister. She’s become my closest confidante and the person I trust most. I can’t lose her without losing a part of myself.
It’s the same for the broken woman standing before me, too lost to even steer her rightful anger in my direction. Instead, she’s planning to flee, and I can’t let her leave. “I’m sorry, Viv. Please don’t go.” I drag a hand through my hair. “You know this is my default setting, especially when I’m nervous. I’m not trying to be an ass on purpose.”
“It just comes so naturally to you,” Audrey drawls, scowling at me as she makes her feelings clear. She’s never been a big fan of mine anyway.
“My husband—your brother—died a month ago, Dillon.” Viv whirls around to face me with sad eyes and a trembling lower lip. “You cannot say those things to me. I didn’t want to come here, and you’re not making me want to stay.”
I risk a step closer, gulping over my fear. “I’m sorry for upsetting you. That wasn’t my intention. I know you don’t want to be here, but we have little choice. To go out in public together right now is a disaster waiting to happen. I’m willing to go back to your place, but I didn’t think you’d want me there with Easton.”
I would happily chop off a limb for the chance to go to her house and see my son. Not being able to see him is killing me. I’m trying to be sensitive to the situation, because I know how difficult this is for Viv, but I have already missed out on so much of his life, and I want to be there for him now. I know he’s hurting. I know he’s missing Reeve. I know I can’t replace who he was to him, but I want an opportunity to form my own relationship with my son.
“We need to deal with this, Viv,” Ash says. “If you don’t feel up to talking about it, I can reach out to Edwin Chambers, and we can discuss a strategy for handling it together.”
I glare at my sister, even though she’s only trying to help. But I’m starved for Viv’s company, and she’s offering her a ”get out of jail free” card.
“I want to know what’s going on and how this will impact me and Easton.” Viv straightens her shoulders, and a determined glint flashes in her eyes, reminding me of the woman I love. I know she’s still in there, and I’m making it my mission in life to help her to rediscover herself. My shoulders relax a smidgeon now I know she’s not going to leave. “We will definitely need to involve the PR people, but let’s talk it through first now.”
I lead them through the lobby, past the vast open-plan kitchen on one side and the games room on the other, and out to the patio. It’s a glorious day. Sun shines brightly, illuminating my spacious back garden. Buttery beams glint off the inviting water of my large outdoor pool. Thanks to my expert gardener, the lawns and flowerbeds are pristine, colorful, and plentiful.
I show my guests to the seated area, pulling out one of the comfy wicker chairs for Viv. Ash opens the matching umbrella, providing much-needed shade. “Let me organize some drinks,” I say when the ladies are seated. “I’ll be back in a few.”
I stride into my kitchen where Nancy, my full-time housekeeper, is busy at the cooker. I tell her what I need, and she rushes me back outside, assuring me she’s on it.
The girls are talking when I return, their gazes fixed on the large wooden structure in the near distance.
“It’s the band’s main recording studio,” Ash is explaining as I plop down on the chair across from Vivien.
“When we’re not booked into Capitol Studios by the label,” I add.
“Should we get the others?” Ash asks, her gaze darting to the soundproofed building where Conor, Jamie, and Ro are busy working on tracks for our next album.
“Nah.” I scratch the stubble on my chin. “This isn’t band related. We can fill them in later.” After my revelations, things were a bit strained for a couple of weeks with the band. Conor exists in his own little bubble, so he said jack shit to me. Ro was quietly seething although he didn’t bitch me out like Jamie did. Jamie was pissed because I’d upset and angered his fiancée.
“You’ll have to grant that bitch of a reporter an exclusive interview,” Ash says. “It’s the only way to control the narrative.”
“I agree,” Viv says, drumming her fingers on the glass tabletop. “But what exactly are you going to say?” She stares at me across the table, but I can’t see her eyes, thanks to the ginormous shades she’s wearing. “No one else, apart from your family and us, knows you discovered the truth when you were seventeen, right?”
I nod. “Carson knows too, obviously, but he’s not going to say anything.” He’s loyal to the Lancaster family.
“You can say you only found out after Simon Lancaster died,” Ash says.