After her father's tragic passing, Nora Davis is forced behind the scenes, nothing more than a stepping stone for others in their journey to stardom. When an opportunity presents itself, Nora, trapped under her stepmother's heel, takes it as her cha...
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I need help, Eli.
Eli froze, the words dying on his lips as Nora's voice swept through his mind. Creator, it was so real – as if Nora were right there next to him, whispering the words directly in his ear.
"Eli?"
He'd been concerned before in his life. Even painfully worried—the kind that made nausea curl and twist like a tumbleweed in his stomach. But he'd never been so anxious he'd begun hearing voices. Especially not a voice that wasn't his own.
"Eli?"
He blinked.
Kamree's head tilted to the side, her eyebrows pulling together. "Are you okay?"
"I—" Eli swallowed. "I'm fine. Sorry."
Kamree shifted on the dark leather couch and patted his hand resting on his knee. "You worry me sometimes."
Down the hallway, he heard the front door to Daxton Cavenaugh's apartment open. "Kam?"
"In the living room," Kamree called out.
"Who's here?" Daxton asked back.
Kamree smirked at Eli before flipping over her shoulder, "there was a strange man at the door, so I let him in."
"What—"
Daxton sped through the doorway, spotted Eli, and sighed. "Thank Creator."
Kamree's little sister poked her head out from behind Daxton. When she recognized Eli, she lit up. "Eli!" she rushed over to him, her backpack bouncing. He stood just as Paisley collided with him.
"What's up, squirt?" He wrapped his arms around the little girl.
"Are you here to hang out?" Paisley asked. Her Rayne Academy uniform tie was crooked. Eli centered it.
"Actually, I was hoping to chat with Daxton," he told her.
Paisley deflated. "You never come to hang out anymore."
Eli poked her tiny nose. "Sorry. A lot is happening right now. But I'll come back next week."
Kamree tsked. "Shouldn't have said that," she mumbled. When Eli shot her a questioning look, she shrugged. "She'll hold you to that."
Daxton laughed. "And I'm not above giving an eight-year-old your cell phone number."
Eli shook his head. "There's no mercy in this household."
Kamree chuckled as she helped Paisley take off her vibrant purple backpack. "Come on, Pais, let's let Eli chat with Daxton. We'll come bother them later."
