Free Dark Memories (The Phantom Diaries, #2) by Kailin Gow Page B

found a vacant bench where we could watch the few ducks, geese and swans who wintered there. The scent of our pretzels soon had a black swan trumpeting his way over, eager for a morsel of soft dough.
    With a lopsided grin, Chace obliged, nibbling away at the salty outer shell of his pretzel and throwing the softer interior to the eager swan who wasted no time getting even closer for more.
    Within minutes I was smiling and laughing, remembering Chace’s ability to make me feel like a child again.   The swan became more insistent, while Chace teased it and tried to urge it closer still. He soon had it dancing around and craning its elegant long neck for a tiny crumb.
    “You always make me laugh,” I said, my eyes on the hungry swan. But I was excruciatingly aware of his proximity.   His thigh pressed up against mine and I longed for more of his warmth.
    He threw the crumb a few feet away and the disgruntled swan waddled off for its reward.   His eyes suddenly grew solemn and the swan no longer interested him.   “At least there’s that,” he said.   Though he was calm, I could hear the bite in his words.
    That heavy silence returned and I couldn’t think of a thing to say to make things better.   How could I explain what had happened, what I’d done to him?
    “Let’s face it,” he finally said. “I’m no match for someone like Aaron Aragon. There’s no way I could offer you the life that he can… not even close.   I understand you have to go out and have dinner with him, meet important people who will advance your career, but the jealousy is driving me crazy. I can’t control how it makes me feel seeing you with him. It’s a slow death and I don’t really think I deserve that.”
    “Of course you don’t, Chace.”  
    “It’s not like me to be so violent.”
    I nodded and remembered the night he’d snuck into my apartment. He’d been unrecognizable in his rage.   To see this sweet boy with the tousle of curls lurking in the shadows like a madman… A chill coursed through me at the thought.
    “I almost killed him, Annette,” Chace said, looking at me and knowing my thoughts were also back to that dreadful night.   “I hit him with my violin of all things… my violin! How crazy must I be to actually do something like that? It was like trying to kill us both. Him with the blow, me with the destruction of the very tool of my career.”
    “It was under awful circumstances, Chace, and you really shouldn’t kick yourself for it.”
    “I’ll be lucky if he doesn’t press charges.”
    “I’ve spoken to him, Chace, and he won’t,” I said, hoping to alleviate that concern. He glared at me and I could see that my conversation with Aaron was little solace.
    “I’ve been trying to get transferred to another show.”
    I turned to him and clasped his hands in mine. “What? Chace, no.”
    “It’s the only way of finding peace in all this hell.”
    “But you're so wonderful here and this is one of the biggest productions in
New York
.   The world will know who you are from this show.   The world will have heard your genius. I hate to see you leave something so important to your career because of me.”
    “And in the meantime,” he continued as though I’d not spoken at all, “I think it’s best we not see each other outside the show.”
    Tears of guilt lined my eyes and I sought some argument to change his mind.
    “Don’t feel responsible, Annette. I knew what I was getting into when I hooked up with you. You're beautiful beyond reason and your immense talent only amplifies that delicate beauty.   You're the star of the show while I’m a simple musician in the depths of the pit.”
    “You're hardly a simple musician. You’re first chair.”
    “If it hadn’t been Aaron Aragon who so vehemently sought your attention it would have been one of the thousands of men waiting in line to just have a chance to meet you.   All men of power and wealth who could, and would, give you the