hit Aine like

back to the audience. The dress was cut low, exposing the line of her spine. She s

e music

ing. It was a slow, haunting Irish ballad.

ing. Her voice

e. He had a glass of champagne hal

nto a hundred glittering pieces. She kept her eyes unfocused, looking just above t

ne watched. He leaned forward, his elbows on the

ian. She locked eyes with him for exactly half a second. Then s

e model next to him away. "Who is that?" he

g. The last note hung

ence. Then, the applause br

red roses from the center of his table-flowers

up, Julian was there, at the edge of

als was a gold key ca

went quiet. Everyone knew y

hen at Julian, then at the floor. She shook her hea

sal.

d. His hand stayed ext

commanded, his

utching her microphone like

e stage, into the d

the flowers hit the floor with a w

rick wall of the backstag

manager, hissed, grabbing her

ce shake. "I don't do th

, sweetheart. Every

d open. Julian stormed in, his face

hed up to Aine and grabbed her upp

," Aine said,

ulian sneered. "And mayb

her

ce was

. He wasn't yelling. He didn't have to. He just occupied the space, sucki

ip loosening slightly. "I was ju

ugustine said. He walked forward,

cket. The hierarchy was clear. The Haynes family owned the

at Aine, his eyes lingering on the edge of her mask.

to Aine. "We'll see

, brushing pa

ared out. Lazlo

t Aine and

ng her personal space. He s

Augustine said. "Was tha

She forced tears into t

," she said softly. "Not everyone th

ething sharp, but stopped. He looked at her arm w

e, but at the situation. At t

y with fir

d and wa

ed up and wiped the tear from he

one co