tte smoke and expensive perfume. Rory stood in the wings, h
nging in a way that made her feel exposed and
but not unkind pat. "Relax, kid. Just go out
conversations and the clinking of ice in heavy crystal glasses. The patrons were silhouettes in expensive
as her fingers touched the cool ivory, the weight of the last six years pressed down, and the only melody that felt honest enough to carry it was the one etched into her soul. It wasn't a
over the keys, and
und its strength. She wasn't performing. She was confessing. She poured eve
ions stopped. Heads turned toward the stage. She had them. The
the entire club, Kade Wexler let out a low w
't even bothered to look at the stage. But then the melody reached him, a familia
. He knew
kness to the stage. He saw a woman at the piano, a slender figure bathed in
head slightly, and the
was
g to her, but it was her. The same eyes. The same mouth. And the same go
wn recognition dawning. "Corbin," he star
ge. He'd known she was working here. He'd orchestrated it. But seeing her, hearing her sing their song in this place, for the enterta
oblivious to the sudden tension. "Looks a litt
in, before fading into silence. For a moment, the club was still. The
d her eyes, her gaze sweeping across the shadowed faces in a p
caught in
The broad shoulders, the way he held his head. S
in V
ized. The blood in her veins turn
t in her direction. A cruel, knowing smile played on his lips. It was the
ghts, the entire world receded until the only thing t
attering. She fled to the relative safety of
oincidence. I
ki found her, his face a mix
lucky first night. The gentleman in the upstairs boo
face. "I'm a singer, Vince. Th
me, kid. Mr. Vance owns the building this club is in. He owns the bank that holds my mortgage. Wh
ant to keep this job? You want to p
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