Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 33553 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33553 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Chapter Ten
Zion
Two hours later, we pull up outside of Club Za's content house. The driveway isn't as packed as last time, but there are multiple SUVs and flashy sportscars in the driveway.
"How big is this shoot, beautiful?"
"Um, I think there are six of us," she says. "It's for a women's magazine. Some article about rising stars in Nashville outside of the music industry."
"And you're one of them? Damn, angel baby," I say, proud as hell of her.
"It's just an article, Zion."
I kill the engine, climbing from the truck without a word. She's got her seatbelt off by the time I circle around to her side, but I don't help her out yet. I trap her in her seat, leaning over her.
"Stop doing that shit."
"What?" She blinks at me, her brows furrowed as if she doesn't know what I'm talking about.
"Stop downplaying your accomplishments and brushing shit off like it's no big deal, Makenzie. You've been doing it since day one. I tell you that your tits are gorgeous; you say they're just tits. I say you look like a goddess; you say it's just a dress." I cup her cheeks between my palms, forcing her to look at me. "You're fucking perfect. You deserve every ounce of success you find. Don't downplay who you are or what you've created for yourself. It's fucking extraordinary, and so are you."
She watches me with wide, startled eyes. Does she even know she's been doing it? I doubt it. It's just one more scar her fucking mother left her with. She doesn't know how incredible she is because she's never had anyone to tell her. Fuck that noise. I'll tell her. Every damn day until she believes it as fully as I do.
"Okay," she whispers.
I brush my lips across hers, helping her down from the truck.
It's overcast today, the sun playing hide and seek behind thick clouds. Her pretty dress still sparkles in the light, shimmering as if it's made of diamonds. She looks as beautiful as ever.
I lead her up the stairs and inside the mansion, blinking at the transformation. The furniture in the living room has been pushed to the edges of the room, leaving the rest of it open. A massive backdrop and photography lights dominate the far wall. Natural light filters in from the glass wall on the opposite side, creating a mosaic of color across the tiled floor.
I spot Bianca messing with the photography lights. One of the chicks from the fundraiser is here too, Lucy or Lexie or some fucking thing. I didn't pay attention when she introduced herself. I was too busy staring at Makenzie's tits in her pretty little dress.
Everyone turns in our direction as we step into the room. It goes eerily quiet.
Fucking hell. They've all seen Taggert's video.
Makenzie doesn't shrink from their stares. She doesn't react at all. She simply points at Olive and Madden across the room. "There's Olive."
I lead her in that direction, grateful as hell that they're here.
They meet us halfway. Olive immediately throws her arms around Makenzie, pulling her into a big hug. She whispers something to my girl, who nods, hugging her hard. It's the first chink in her armor I've seen all day.
"Carmichael," Madden says, extending his hand to shake mine.
"Banks."
We step aside, giving the girls a little space.
"How's she doing?"
"Still standing," I mutter, watching as she and Olive whisper back and forth. Everyone else in the room has gone back to what they were doing, but their eyes drift toward Mackenzie every few seconds. Everyone except Bianca, anyway. She doesn't gawk at my girl. She simply smiles at her and goes back to work, making it clear with one look that she's firmly on Team Makenzie.
"The video came down about an hour ago." Madden rubs his jaw. "Getting the reposts down is going to be a helluva lot harder. She needs to issue a response of her own."
"She won't." That's not who she is. She won't give him a single inch of real estate in her life that he doesn't steal from beneath her feet. I don't know if she genuinely doesn't care if people believe him, or if she's just that tired of dealing with him. Either way, she won't be convinced to issue a response. I know her. And I know she meant it when she said she didn't care this morning.
She won't fight back, not because she doesn't believe she's worth it, but because she doesn't view him as an enemy worth fighting. And I'm going to ask her to bend on this one. She doesn't have to fight back. She doesn't have to say a goddamn word. I'm here. And I've been spoiling for a fight since I found out he put his hands on her.
"What are you going to do?" Madden asks. I don't know if he sees something on my face, or if he knows where my mind is at because he'd do the same fucking thing in my shoes. But he knows I'm not going to let this ride. Not today or any other day.