tte smoke and expensive perfume. Rory stood in the wings, h

nging in a way that made her feel exposed and

but not unkind pat. "Relax, kid. Just go out

conversations and the clinking of ice in heavy crystal glasses. The patrons were silhouettes in expensive

as her fingers touched the cool ivory, the weight of the last six years pressed down, and the only melody that felt honest enough to carry it was the one etched into her soul. It wasn't a

over the keys, and

und its strength. She wasn't performing. She was confessing. She poured eve

ions stopped. Heads turned toward the stage. She had them. The

the entire club, Kade Wexler let out a low w

't even bothered to look at the stage. But then the melody reached him, a familia

. He knew

kness to the stage. He saw a woman at the piano, a slender figure bathed in

head slightly, and the

was

g to her, but it was her. The same eyes. The same mouth. And the same go

wn recognition dawning. "Corbin," he star

ge. He'd known she was working here. He'd orchestrated it. But seeing her, hearing her sing their song in this place, for the enterta

oblivious to the sudden tension. "Looks a litt

in, before fading into silence. For a moment, the club was still. The

d her eyes, her gaze sweeping across the shadowed faces in a p

caught in

The broad shoulders, the way he held his head. S

in V

ized. The blood in her veins turn

t in her direction. A cruel, knowing smile played on his lips. It was the

ghts, the entire world receded until the only thing t

attering. She fled to the relative safety of

oincidence. I

ki found her, his face a mix

lucky first night. The gentleman in the upstairs boo

face. "I'm a singer, Vince. Th

me, kid. Mr. Vance owns the building this club is in. He owns the bank that holds my mortgage. Wh

ant to keep this job? You want to p