I narrowed my gaze. “You’re lying.”

“I’m not. Those big, innocent brown eyes of yours were so transparent. You were obsessed with me.”

His comment made me self-conscious. “I wasn’t obsessed.” I was.

He nudged me with his elbow. “Come on, you know it’s true. Besides, I was obsessed with you, too. I was just better at hiding it.”

I rolled my eyes. “Now I know you’re lying.”

“Reya, I’m not lying,” he said, turning to face me head-on, daring me to challenge his assertion.

“How long?”

“How long what?”

I swallowed down the knot in my throat. “How long did you feel that way?”

He didn’t answer for several seconds. Instead his gaze wandered over my cheeks, down my nose, resting on my lips before moving back up to my eyes. “Since the night I first saw you perform.”

I let out a loud, disbelieving laugh. “You’re full of shit.”

One eyebrow rose. “Wanna bet?”

“Sure, because I know I’ll win. You couldn’t have cared less about me that night. I was a momentary bit of entertainment.”

His expression was self-recriminating, like he felt guilty for giving me that impression, and I had to look away. There was too much affection in his gaze. Too many silent apologies. A second later the door opened and James poked his head out.

“Trev, the taxi’s here. You ready?”

“Yeah, I’ll be there in a minute.”

James left and we were alone again. I stared straight ahead. The wind blew through my hair and Trev lifted a strand between his fingers. I didn’t move a muscle. When he spoke his voice was low, fervent. “One thing you never realised about me, Reya: I’ve got an incredible poker face. I can make it seem like I don’t care when I care too much. I can make it seem like I’m not paying attention when I’m really watching your every move. I know. Because that’s what I used to do.”

I swallowed and he stood, moving to the glass door. “We’ll be gone a couple hours. Text me if you need anything.”

I only nodded and then he went. My heart raced. I lifted my hand to my chest, willing it to slow down, but it was no use. What Trev said had me scrambling through old memories, looking at them for clues to the truth.

Had he really been as besotted with me as I was with him?

Nine.

When I heard everyone leave, I went back inside the empty apartment. I felt exhausted before I spoke to Trev, but now I was wide awake. Buzzed. He had a knack for getting me all worked up like that.

I walked around, ducking my head in each room, searching for a distraction. When I came up empty I went into the room I shared with Leanne and pulled my keyboard from its case. I messed around with a song I was working on, trying out lyrics to see which ones fit the melody.

I lost track of time as I ran through song after song, figuring out a set list for Wednesday night. I was excited. This would be my first time playing a gig outside of the U.K. I wondered about the people who might come to see me play. What would they think of my songs? Would my lyrics touch them somehow? Mean something?

I wasn’t sure why, but it always felt so important to get people to emote. I wanted to know they felt how I felt. I wanted to reach them in a real and powerful way. Sometimes I wished for my words to reach thousands, even hundreds of thousands, but the only way to do that was to become famous, and my introverted nature wholly rejected the idea. Not that fame would be so easy to achieve anyway. I was content playing my obscure little shows every week, so long as I had enough money to put food on the table.

After a while I curled up in bed and scribbled down lyrics until I fell asleep with my face flat on the paper. I woke to the sound of voices and a heavy bladder. Sitting up, I rubbed my eyes and went to use the bathroom.

I tried doing my business and sneaking back to bed unnoticed but it wasn’t to be. Before I reached my door, Paul came down the hallway, a friendly smile in place.

“Reya, we missed you at dinner. We’re having drinks in the living room if you want to come join us?”

I tugged my cardigan tighter over my shoulders and glanced by him down the hallway. I could hear female voices. They must’ve gone to a club like Callum wanted and invited some girls back. That definitely wasn’t something I wanted any part in, especially not if Trev was ‘romancing’ one of them. And especially not in my uber-sexy leggings, T-shirt and cardigan ensemble.

“I don’t think—”

Before I could finish my sentence, Paul grabbed my hand and tugged me towards the action. My heart hammered as he slid his fingers through mine and gave a squeeze. I glanced at him and there was something in his eyes that made me suspect he knew how I felt and empathised. But if that were true, then why was he pulling me into the lion’s den?

Paul led me over to sit on one of the couches next to James. Callum was on the other couch, an attractive brunette on one side of him and Leanne and Neil on the other. Leanne was deep in conversation with Neil, but I wondered if she was simply trying to ignore Callum and the girl he was with.

There was a small love seat where two other girls sat, both attractive and wearing skimpy outfits. And both of them were eyeing Trev like a prized cut of beef, or you know, a prized hook-up. He stood by the door leading out to the balcony, talking on the phone. His eyes met mine for a brief second, his attention going to Paul’s hand on mine. On instinct I let go, drawing my hand into my lap. A deep frown marred his features.

“Reya, you should’ve come out with us. You missed a great night,” Callum said jovially as the brunette ran a seductive hand across his chest.

“Looks like the night isn’t over yet,” I remarked.

He grinned, tipping a glass of whiskey to his lips and murmuring lasciviously, “With a bit of luck.”

Leanne appeared to stiffen, like she was listening to Callum’s every word while continuing to chat with Neil.

“How was the restaurant?” I asked, changing the subject. I didn’t want to indulge whatever game Callum was playing this time. In truth, his behaviour galled me, especially considering the conversation I overheard between him and Leanne earlier. There was obviously something between them and he was flaunting a potential one-night stand in her face. It was a dirty tactic, cruel, and I didn’t like people who sunk to such low levels.