The Hardest Set (Willow Son #4/Brothers of Rock #19) (24 page)

“
I
don
’
t want to hear a thing.
I just thought we had an understanding.
”

“
And
what was that?
”
Vanessa
asked.

Van told himself not to get
hypnotized by her pretty eyes.
“
That
you were going to keep that ring as a promise from me. That when the time came
…”

“
It
did come,
”
Vanessa said.
She slowly stood up.
“
The
time came and I had a hell of a time reaching you, Van. But when I was able to,
I contacted you, remember?
”

“
Yeah,
I remember.
”

“
So
I did nothing wrong.
”

“
Except
you really did, Vanessa. You broke my heart. You were the fire behind me. You
were goddamn everything. And you were never really there, were you?
”

“
I
was there,
”
Vanessa said.
“
What was I supposed to do?
Demand you give up your dream? Tell you to stay with me? So I could live in a
world where you and my father fought each other? What would you have done if
you stayed? How would you have made money?
”

“
Money,
”
Van said.
“
That
’
s all it ever was. Beaten into you from day one. To
go marry someone rich to fix all your family
’
s
problems. Such bullshit. You were blind to what I felt for you. I gave you that
ring
…”

“
Yeah,
I know about the ring,
”
Vanessa said.
“
Did you
think of the ring on my finger when you were on tour? When you were drinking
after the shows? When you woke in the morning with someone else in your bed?
”

Van curled his lip.
“
Did you wear the ring when you
were with someone else?
”

“
It
’
s all I wore,
”
Vanessa whispered.

Van felt pain, jealousy, a fire
raging inside him. This was what she did. She knew how to cut deep into him and
destroy everything.

This was what Natalie wanted for
me? To feel this way? To face Vanessa and her vile attitude? Why?

Van had a thousand things to say.
Hell, he could pull anything out of his back pocket right now. Anything to make
Vanessa feel pain. Anything to make her cry.

But Van held back.

Vanessa then inched forward.
“
It
’
s
all I wore because all I could ever do was think of you, Van. It wasn
’
t about
…
it was about feeling something. That
’
s why I wanted to see you now.
To feel
…
something
…”

Vanessa moved to her toes. Her
hands gently touched Van
’
s
shoulders. Van knew this move. He had lived through this move for a long damn
time. The one move that could reduce him to nothing. And she was doing it. Her
lips were getting closer
…

**

“
I
don
’
t want to see you,
”
Natalie said.
“
Not right now. Not ever. I
’
m leaving, Mark. Okay? I took a
job somewhere else. Far away from here. So we never have to see each other
again.
”

“
She
left me,
”
Mark said. He let
out a little laugh.
“
She
finally left me.
”

“
What?
”

“
Angela
left me. I
’
m getting
divorced. For real this time. Finally.
”

Natalie lost her breath for a
second. After all these years
…

“
I
’
m sorry. What happened?
”

“
That
stupid dinner party thing. You and that guy from Willow Son got to her. It
broke her down.
”

“
What?
”

“
You
heard me. First, I looked like a complete loser getting cold cocked like that.
Not that I didn
’
t deserve
it. She was demanding that I go after the band to get something out of it. Get
some money. But I didn
’
t
want that. I sent a few nasty letters but pulled back. The band
’
s lawyers apologized and blamed
it on alcohol and a poor decision.
”

“
Okay,
”
Natalie said.

“
But
I think what really did it was when she actually met you. When she got to see
how beautiful you are.
”

“
She
didn
’
t seem threatened.
”

“
That
’
s Angela. Tough on the outside
all the time. Until you
’
re
behind closed doors. Then it
’
s
…
wow. She was a mess for days.
She knew it. That she meant nothing to me. Not like the way you mean something
to me, Natalie.
”

“
Mark,
no.
”

“
Yes,
”
he said and stepped into the
apartment.
“
Look, I fucked
up from day one, okay? I really did. I know that. I never wanted to be with
Angela. As sad as it sounds, we had a silent agreement on things. As long as we
kept the image going. But now Angela feels that she can empower herself more as
a divorced woman. I
’
ll go
my way, she goes her way. I
’
ll
pick up my pieces, she picks up hers. It all works out.
”

Mark took another step toward
Natalie.

He smiled.

Natalie didn
’
t trust him for a second.

“
Nothing
is going to work out,
”
Natalie
said.

“
That
’
s where you
’
re wrong, baby,
”
Mark said. He touched Natalie
’
s face.
“
So wrong. It
’
s
going to work out.
”

Natalie put her hands to Mark
’
s chest to push him away.

But before she could do anything,
he moved in and kissed her
…

**

“
What
the hell are you trying to do?
”
Van said. He stepped back, putting his hands to Vanessa
’
s waist.
“
You
’
re not going to do that to me
again.
”

“
We
have something,
”
she said.
“
I was carrying our child.
”

Van felt his stomach turn.
“
Yeah, I know, Vanessa. That was
a long time ago. You
’
re
engaged now. You
’
re happy.
”

“
I
never said I was
…
”

“
Yeah,
you did. I can
’
t help you.
I couldn
’
t help you then
and I
’
m not going to try
now.
”

“
So
you do have someone.
”

“
I
never said that,
”
Van said.

“
You
couldn't resist me ever,
”
Vanessa said.
“
So who is
she?
”

“
My
personal life is none of your business. The only time you need to think of me
is when I
’
m on the radio.
And the only time you get to see me is when I
’
m
on stage. You wanted to meet me
…
why?
So you could attack me? Break me down and then sweep me up like you always did.
I get that now, Vanessa.
”

Van felt his heart pounding. He
never thought he
’
d get to
say this to Vanessa. And he couldn
’
t
have done it without Natalie pushing him. She had seen something Van couldn't
see.

Goddammit, I love that woman
…

“
Not
even one last time?
”
Vanessa asked.
“
The
rockstar thing, that
’
s all
I want. One night. My last little bit of fun.
”

“
You
want fun?
”
Van asked and
brought Vanessa close to him.

“
Yes,
Van. Please
…
I
’
ll beg you. I
’
ll do anything. I
’
ll wear the ring. Only the ring.
Just for you.
”

“
Okay.
You want fun. Tell you what
…
take your fiancé
’
s credit
card, go buy something expensive, and then flaunt it in front of your fake
fucking friends.
”

Van then pushed away from Vanessa.

Just like that, the connection was
broken. Finally. Once and for all.

Vanessa
’
s eyes glistened in the light.
“
Wow. Okay.
”
She reached into her pocket and
then opened her hand. There was the ring. The goddamn ring Van had spent so
much money on all that while ago.
“
I
guess someone else deserves this then. Maybe she
’
ll
wear it with a little more happiness than I ever did.
”

“
I
don
’
t want that,
”
Van said.

Vanessa put the ring on the bench.
She then lunged forward and kissed Van
’
s
cheek. She let out a whimper and then sucked in a breath. She strained her eyes
to look up as she wiped under her eyes.

“
Goodbye,
Van,
”
she said.

Vanessa walked away.

Van didn
’
t even look.

“
Goodbye,
”
he whispered.

He stared at the ring on the bench.

“
I
guess someone else deserves this then. Maybe she
’
ll wear
it
with a little more
happiness than I ever did.
”

**

“
You
’
ll regret this for the rest of
your fucking life.
”

Natalie shut the door and locked
it. She slid down to her ass and hugged her knees. She couldn
’
t do it again. She couldn
’
t face that trap again. Getting
stuck was not an option. Even if Mark was telling the truth, it didn
’
t matter.

Natalie didn
’
t love him. Natalie didn
’
t want him.

She wanted Van.

A smile crept across her face.

She never believed this could
happen. That she could feel so
…

I love you, Van.

18.

Van paced back and forth. His
fingers twitched with anticipation. The crowd was so goddamn loud, it was
amazing. The stage was almost set up. The rest of the band lingered around.
Portis had his arms folded, casually looking around. Van knew he was mentally
calculating costs, profits, money, money, money. Harry was on his cell, taking
calls and texts about future shows and all kinds of marketing stuff.

Right now, it was about the music.
About making this show the greatest Willow Son show ever. Because then the band
would have to top it. And the next show would top that one. That
’
s what the tour would become.

The idea of leaking the song was
genius. It got over a million downloads in a day before it was pulled. Fans
took to social media to spread the word about it. That left Portis with the
idea to make the song available for free to anyone who bought a ticket to a
show. Again, all that background noise was left for Portis and Harry.

While the music ran through Van
’
s mind, his heart felt empty
without Natalie around. Last he heard she was already gone to Texas. Not that
he really did too much to find her other than send her flowers to her old
place, new place, and called Andrea to ask fifty questions. And he made sure
someone delivered all the necessary credentials so that if she decided to come
to the show tonight, she
’
d
be backstage the entire time.

Natalie was nowhere to be found.

“
Huddle
up,
”
Colby yelled.

The band all got together.

Ryker and Jett held their guitars
like warriors with swords, ready for battle. There was a deep look in Brantley
’
s eyes; completely focused and
ready to go.

“
This
is just a show,
”
Colby
said.
“
We go out on that
stage with the same attitude and passion as when we played Willy
’
s and there were three people
there. Remember that. Remember this. And fucking rock.
”

Van stepped back and took a deep
breath. Jett and Ryker went to their guitar techs for a final check. Colby
started jumping up and down. Brantley walked to the side of the stage and put
one foot up on the first step.