Free Encore (The Black Eagles Series Book 2) by Kat Green

whispering words of comfort. Her anger and fury towards that vile human being had just heightened. ‘I’m so sorry. That man is beyond vile. You have to tell Zac. I’m sorry – I know you don’t want to hear it but you have to tell him.’ She felt Lyla nod. It was the only thing left before it destroyed her even more.
                  ‘It’s going to hurt him so much. I’m going to lose him forever,’ she sobbed.
                  Melissa offered to go with her. Lyla declined the offer, purely because she wanted to spare Zac from having an audience when she shattered his world.
                  ‘Thanks for listening. Can I call you later?’
                  ‘Of course. I want to know you’re OK. It’s the right thing to do. He deserves the truth.’ Melissa drove her back to their hotel and left her to face up to her actions.
    *****
    Zac and the rest of Silver Daggers were sat waiting for Lyla’s return. They were busy making plans for their comeback when she walked into the hotel bar. Her heart collapsed as she took in his lovely face, his blonde curls that clustered around his face, and big brown eyes that always seemed to light up when he saw her. He was leaning against the bar, his classic guitar hanging from his shoulder, laughing with his guitarist Danny, who saw her and waved her over. Danny’s long thin arms waved frantically, he was so pleased to see her. These were her best friends.
                  ‘Hi, babe,’ Zac said as he put his arm around her. She tensed. ‘Nice time with Lissa?’ He stopped as he noticed her puffy eyes. ‘Have you been crying?’
                  ‘I need to talk to you, alone…’ she said, looking at the floor. She took his hand, and led him back to their room where she ripped his heart clean open.’
     
     
     
     

Past
    ‘You know, I’m not sure if I preferred the old Allie or the new one,’ Cassie commented to her bass player Jo-Jo, who was tapping on her phone. She was texting Tom, her boyfriend and bass player for The Black Eagles. Jo-Jo felt a little bad that his career was at a standstill and hers was going strong, and Cassie knew she worried about it, a lot. Jo-Jo looked up, smiling.
                  ‘She’s just happy. Let her be,’ Jo-Jo said as she threw herself onto the sofa in their dressing room, which was littered with an array of girly belongings – make-up, hair products and, of course, wine and bottles of water, which Cassie had requested. Lots of it. Cassie wasn’t much of a drinker these days. After recent events she wanted to always be on her guard, and she didn’t drink before a show any more, to protect her voice. If Luke could be duped and treated in such a terrible way, so could she, and she wanted to be sure her girls were safe at all times. Cassie nodded, knowing it was true.
                  Allie had changed in the last six months, and in a good way. The stress of Luke’s disappearance, and all that went with it, had shocked and upset all involved. Allie had suddenly decided that she was going to sort herself out. If Melissa could get through all the bad things that had happened to her, and still be standing strong, then so could she. She could stop being so lazy and lose some weight. It had been a battle she had always lost. Since the age of fourteen Allie had never been smaller than a size sixteen and had never really had long hair. Always short. Her natural hair colour was light brown, but it was rare you ever saw it. She had gone down two dress sizes and her hair was longer, just below her shoulders and dyed orange. It suited her.
                  Cassie and Jo-Jo hadn’t been bothered by her appearance. She was their Allie, and they loved her, but it had begun to bother her , so they had encouraged her mission. The change in appearance wasn’t what concerned Cassie. It was her new-found relationship with the guitarist