Sinner (15 page)

Zach

As soon as the door slammed, I knew it was Josie. I yell at Mel to stop, and she finally lets me go. I tell her she's fired on the way out the door, but by the time I get to the hallway, Josie is rounding the corner. I take off running after her, and I make it outside just in time to see her taxi door close and the car race away.

I fall to my knees and bury my face in my hands. Andy must have seen me running because he is at my side pulling me up and back into the building before the fans and paparazzi can eat me alive.

I try to call her, but she won't pick up the phone. Josie finally sends me a text message saying that it's over, and I should leave her alone. I'm crushed, but there is also a glimmer of hope. If it's over, that means there was something there in the first place. I can work with that. If what we had was real, we can fix it.

I can get her back.

Chapter Eight

Josie

The job working with Ellen Martin is actually pretty spectacular. I'm not a huge fan of pop music, but I'm learning a ton about how the business works. I'm also learning even more about how to be a woman in the top rungs of this industry. Ellen is a pit bull, but she's also extremely personable and diplomatic. She gets things done without stepping on people, but nobody messes with her. The amount of respect she garners is awe inspiring for me.

Another benefit of working for my dad's company is that I can go back to school. He and Ellen let me take time off for classes when I need to, and I fill my nights and weekends with studying. I am getting a Master's Degree in Music Management, and daddy tells me he's got the perfect position for me when I graduate. I don't know that working for his company is what I want, but I've relaxed a great deal about the idea that I need to do all of this on my own. I'm working for my father because he values my talent and not because I can't make it anywhere else.

He says that he doesn't want to lose me to anyone else and that employees with my skills are hard to find. He's also promised to outbid any other company as far as salary. Not because he's my father, but because he says I'm worth it.

I got an email last week from Andy. He promised he wouldn't be mad at me if I would just talk to him. I wrote him back right away, and I profusely apologized for blowing him off the way I did.

We had a long conversation on the phone a few days later. He told me that he understood why things were so confusing for me and why I had to get away. Andy apologized for the day that he said he was disappointed in me, and I told him he didn't need to be sorry. I had disappointed myself as well.

The conversation eventually wound its way around to Zach even though I avoided it for as long as I could. Andy told me everything about what happened with Mel, and my heart sunk to the floor. If I had stuck around just a few seconds longer, I would have known that she was sexually harassing him, and that none of it was his fault.

"Oh god, Andy. What have I done?"

"Nothing that isn't fixable, sweetheart. I think if you'll talk to him, you two can work things out." He says softly.

I get off the phone with Andy and pace my bedroom for an hour trying to figure out how I'm going to reach out to Zach. I could call him, but I'm so afraid that he'll be angry. I don't want to fight with him, and I don't think I could handle having him tell me to take a hike. I shouldn't have told him it was over in a text message. I've done this to myself.

In the end, I chicken out and decide to send him another text message. It's less commitment than an email. Plus, I want to talk to him about everything, if I write him, I'll end up spilling it all out in the email. I need to do things right this time. We both deserve better than how things have gone down so far.

Hey, you

That's all I can manage. I hit send before I can change my mind and then stare at my phone. Nothing ever comes, and I cry myself to sleep. The next morning I wake up to an email from the band's manager. There is a voucher for a plane ticket and a ticket to the concert in Berlin in two days attached.

I write him back and ask him what it's all about, but he just responds with this:

Be there.

I'm not even sure that I can get off work to fly to Berlin in two days. School won't be a problem because we're allowed to do some independent study. I'm composing an email to one of professors and trying to figure out how I'm going to tell daddy that I need a couple of days off when my phone rings.

"Hi daddy. I was just thinking about calling you."

"You're going to that concert. I don't want to hear another word about it." He says happily.

"Wait, how did you know?"

"I know a lot of things, Princess, and I know you need to go to that concert."

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?"

"Not a chance. There is no way I would ruin a surprise like this." He laughs again, tells me goodbye, and hangs up the phone.

The next two days are a blur as Hellen and I prepare for me to be away for a couple of days. I do the rest of my work for the week before I leave, and I can tell she appreciates my dedication.

"I don't think I've ever seen someone work as hard as you do. I mean, other than myself." She smiles at me and pats my hand.

"This job is important to me. Our work is important to me. Just because I'm taking a couple of days off doesn't mean that I'm going to leave you to pick up the slack." I tell her.

"You have no idea how much that means to me. You're going to go far in this industry, Josie, but I'm glad you're learning to take some time for yourself too. Without balance, you're no good to anybody."

She was right. There is room for more in life than just my career, and I'm sure that having interests and relationships outside of work will make me better at what I do. I was so worried about doing everything right that I did everything wrong, but I won't make that mistake again.

Zach never did answer my text message, but Andy told me to hang in there and keep my chin up. Even he won't tell me what's going on, but if he says everything is good, I'll have to believe him. He was right about Zach and he was right about me, even if I refused to listen to him.

At the airport, I can't sit still. I must be burning a million calories with all of the pacing I've been doing over the past few days. When they finally call for passengers to board my flight, I practically sprint to the gate. The ticket is for a first class seat, and I'm glad because this is going to be a long flight.

When I'm done grabbing my bags, I see a chauffeur with a sign that says my name. I was just going to take a cab, but apparently, the band sent a limo for me. When I get inside, the car is full of flowers. My heart starts to pound because this has to be a good sign. The driver takes me to a hotel that already has a reservation for me. When I get up to my room, the suite is also filled with flowers.

Andy shows up a few minutes later and I hug him so tightly that he begs for mercy. He won't tell me what's going on, but he does take me sightseeing to keep me occupied. When it's time for the show, the limo driver takes up to the concert hall.

Andy has to go to sound check and then go to hair and makeup. I want to stay with him, but he insists that I go to the VIP room and relax. I can't go with him because it would mean seeing Zach. For whatever reason, I'm being kept away from him. Whatever this surprise is, it must be big.

When it's time for the show to start, security escorts me out to a roped off area for family. I've never seen one of the concerts from the audience, and I'm looking forward to it even if I don't know what's going on.

The lights go down and the screaming starts and that’s when Zach walks out on stage. He looks amazing, and it hits me how much I've missed him. Before the first song begins, he looks right at me and smiles. The hall is full of screaming fans, and he's looking at me like I'm the only person in the room. I let out a sigh of relief right as the first song starts.

The first set is great, and I have to admit that I've become a fan. The atmosphere is electrifying and intense, and pretty soon I'm lost in the music and singing along with the crowd.

Zach

Staying away from her after I knew she wanted to talk to me again has been torture. I've wanted to reach out to her from the second I got her message, but I stopped myself. I decided that going for broke is the only way to win her back.

In the time since she's been gone, I've written a song for her. The record company got wind of it thanks to my manager, and they've been begging me to add it to the shows. It's not for the rest of the world, though. This song is for Josie, and I'll only sing it to her the first time.

When I tell my manager this, he sets to work getting her a plane ticket and a ticket to the next show. He also contacts Josie's dad to make sure she can get the time off work. He thought he was going to have to strike a backroom deal with Josie's dad for a share of the royalties from the new song, but it turns out her dad didn't want anything like that. He was overjoyed that Josie and I might work things out, so he enthusiastically agreed to get her on the flight.

Andy was thrilled that he would get to see Josie again, but not so thrilled about keeping her in the dark. I told him my plans, and he agreed. We both knew that Josie would be nervous and confused about what was going on, but the payoff would be worth it. Plus, Andy made sure that she knew everything was going to be alright. He just kept the plans about the song and the concert to himself.

My stomach is in knots before the show, and it's taking all of my strength not to find her and wrap my arms around her. I just remind myself that it's almost over, and if everything goes as planned, I'll be looking into her eyes and feeling her pressed against me when the show is done.

I am going to prove to her that I’m a diamond in the rough.

Chapter Nine

Josie

After the first set is over, there is an intermission. I go back to the VIP room hoping that I'll see Zach, but no luck. I grab a drink and a small snack before it's time to go back out to the family area.

The lights go down again, and I'm surprised to see Zach come out on stage alone. The crowd goes wild again, and it at least a few minutes before they calm down enough so that he can speak.

"Hey everybody. I've got something I want to say before I start singing to you lovely people again." The crowd goes mad and he has to pause again. "I've written a new song, and tonight will be the first time we perform it. Now, can you all get out your phones and lighters, because this is an old school rock ballad?"

The crowd scream and thunderous applause erupts from the fans. A spotlight finds me, and Zach walks to the edge of the stage. He looks right at me.

"This song is for Josie. She is the light of my life and the desire of my heart."

The rest of the band joins him on stage and the music begins. I cry big, ugly tears as I listen to the lyrics he wrote just for me. It's a beautiful and powerful song about the heart finding it's way out of the dark. The end of the song is about new beginnings and how hope can change the world for every person who finds love.

When the song is over, I blow him a kiss and he catches it and puts his hand over his heart. Zach looks like he's about to come down from the stage, but the next song starts. He shrugs his shoulders and finishes the show with a flourish.

Security doesn't escort me to the VIP room after the show, and I'm confused at first. Then, I realize they are taking me to the bus. I climb on board and remember the first time I met Zach. It seems like it was a lifetime ago now. He appeared to be such a cocky, irresponsible asshole back then, but I didn't know him at all.

I walk to the back of the bus and he's waiting in his room. During the time it took security to get me from the floor of the concert hall to the bus, he's showered and changed into sweat pants. He's not wearing a shirt, and I can't look at anything but his chest.

"Josie, I want to apologize." He starts to say, but I attack him.

I don't know what's come over me, but suddenly I have to be with him. My mouth finds his and I push my tongue between his lips. His hands go around my waist and he lifts me up. I wrap my legs around him and he pushes me into the wall. We kiss and paw at each other like a couple of horny teenagers until we are both panting and out of breath.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" He says hopefully.

"No, what I want is for you to take off those pants and get on the bed."

"Yes, Ma'am." He says and I watch him strip off the sweats and recline on the pristine white bedspread.

I take my time taking off my clothes. Thankfully, I anticipated the night ending this way, and I wore new pink lingerie underneath my black t-shirt and ripped jeans. Zach gasps with anticipation when I get down to my underthings, and it makes me smile to think that he's still excited to see me naked. I'm glad he's not a one and done kind of guy because I could look at his body forever.

Did I really just think that?

Whatever, Josie. This isn't the time for thinking. I turn around and unclasp my bra. When I turn to face him again, he's sitting on the edge of the bed. He grabs me, pulls me close, and takes my panties off with his teeth.

"Lie down," I command, and he does.

Bossing him around his hot. I know he's the kind of man that likes to take control, but he's letting me have my fun. I'm going to make it worth his while. He reclines on the bed again and I straddle his hips. Zach's hard manhood sinks into me, and I cry out. Every inch of him is filling me, and it feels delicious. His fingers find my nub and he works me until I'm screaming his name and bouncing up and down on his shaft with abandon.

Watching me climax is more than he can handle, and Zach goes over the edge with me. He grabs my hips and sinks his fingers into my soft flesh as he calls out my name. When I look into his eyes, he growls and thrusts his hips even harder.

I collapse on the bed next to him when we're done, and he falls asleep in my arms. He must be exhausted from the concert and our post-curricular activities, so I hold him until I fall asleep too.

When I wake up in the morning, Zach is smiling down at me like I’m a mountain of presents on Christmas morning.

"You didn't leave." He says and brushes a stray strand of hair away from my eye. "And, you snore like a lumberjack."

"I do not." I say and play smack his thigh.

"Well, you do snore, and it's adorable."

"Can I ask you for something?" I say to him and look as serious as I can.

"Anything."

"Can we do it again before breakfast?"