HEADLINE ✓

TRACK 34

"Baby?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm going to the gym. I'll be back in a bit, okay?"

"Okay!" TJ called from the shower. "Do you want me to order dinner?"

"Sure, your pick tonight."

"Oo, yay!" she squealed happily. "Oh, wait!"

I could hear her voice clearer as I peered my head into the bathroom. TJ poked her head through the small gap of the shower door. "Kiss," she said with a smile.

Making my way towards her, I got a whiff of her shampoo as I leaned down and quickly pressed my lips against hers.

Her eyes roamed my outfit. "That's my favourite jacket of yours. Your trainer isn't some hot girl that you're trying to impress by looking nice, right?"

"It's a guy, and yes, he's very hot."

"Make sure you give him my number. But, just so we're clear if it was a hot girl I'd say the same thing." She disappeared back into the shower, closing the glass door behind her. "And don't be too late!"

Walking out of the bathroom, I headed towards the closet and opened the door as quietly as I could. I made my way towards the back corner and pushed the hung clothing aside to find the item I was looking for, hidden on the ground.

Did I feel like absolute shit for lying to her? Yes. One-hundred percent. But, what else was I supposed to do? It's not like I could say, "Hey, baby. There is a huge part of my life and a reason my career almost ended that you know nothing about. I've been meaning to tell you. But, your asshat of an ex somehow found out and is demanding money to keep quiet, so I'm going to drop it off real quick. Be back soon!"

That didn't roll off the tongue well.

I wanted to tell her... and I was working towards doing so. However, the mere thought of her looking at me any differently was enough to scare me away from it. I wasn't that guy anymore. I worked so hard to get rid of him and any trace of who I used to be. But what if that's all she saw me as?

Shifting the gear into park, I cut the engine of my car. His instructions were simple. Show up alone at the address at our agreed upon time with the money in exchange for his silence and files. Surprisingly, he was an understanding and generous criminal, allowing me a few days to get all the cash. Although substantial, the money wasn't as big of a problem as ensuring no one noticed it leaving my account. I didn't need any business managers asking what purchase I was suddenly making and raising suspicions.

I asked Ryan to sell a couple of my watches to get the remaining amount - covering it up by saying I needed to buy TJ a gift and had already spent my money for the month sending it back home. It wasn't a complete lie. Her birthday was coming up. I would just need to find another way to get her a present. Preferably one that wasn't priced in the tens-of-thousands of dollars range.

The door of the warehouse slid open and a very large man dressed in black came into view. He was practically the width and height of the frame he stood in. Brandon clearly came prepared for an altercation. Not that I was looking for one. I only wanted to drop the cash, get what I needed, and go back home to TJ in time for dinner.

I grabbed the duffle bag from the passenger seat, got out of the car, and made my way towards the large man. There was no debate - this guy could easily beat the shit out of me. And I did not want to find out how true that statement was. I took in a deep breath as I approached. I just needed to stay cool, calm, and collected.

However, those affirmations of meditation quickly diminished as I walked into the warehouse with the beefcake guard and spotted his smug face.

"If it isn't my favourite pop star!" Brandon gleefully called out. His voice echoed throughout the large empty space - it was like nails on a chalkboard hearing him talk. "So glad you could make it."