She nodded as the car pulled to a stop. As he’d directed, she bolted from the car, he right behind her. Kane was at the door holding it open for her as he spoke into a receiver close to his mouth.

Once inside the store, she breathed a sigh of relief until she remembered the horde of people out front waiting to come in. She hoped to hell the store was prepared for the onslaught. A tall, blond woman strode briskly toward Lyric, her hand outstretched. Lyric recognized her. Sort of. She just couldn’t remember where she’d seen her before.

“Ms. Jones. Leslie Burke from Cosmic Records. I’ll be here to make sure things go smoothly for you today. I’ve already spoken with the store management and everything looks great. You’ve got quite a crowd out front but we have plenty of security.”

“We’re working in cooperation with the police officers here,” Kane interjected. “We’re only allowing so many in the store at one time and the press won’t be allowed in at any time. It’s solely your choice whether you want to go out and address them or answer questions, but only fans will be allowed inside for the meet and greet.”

Lyric pondered for a moment and then glanced at Leslie whose expression said she was willing to let Lyric make the call. “That sounds reasonable. Maybe it will keep the reporters from doing anything stupid if you tell them I’ll make a brief appearance after I’ve met with fans.”

Kane nodded. “I’ll let them know.”

Connor brushed a kiss across her temple. “I’ll be standing right beside you. If at any time you need me or you want to stop, just let me know.”

She smiled. He really was too sweet. She was touched by his caring and concern. It sent a pang of longing through her. How wonderful it would be to have him with her all the time.

Kane held up a hand from the door to signal five minutes. Since many of the fans would want photos, a tall signing table had been arranged that allowed Lyric to stand so she wouldn’t have to continually sit and get up.

Leslie did a quick check of the promotional material, spoke quickly to two of the store employees and then moved to stand a few feet away from Lyric while they waited for the signing to start.

A few minutes later, the doors opened and people began to surge inside. Here at least, Lyric was in her element. She fielded questions. Took photos. Signed shirts, CDs, iPods, pants and even a few body parts. Although you could have broken a stone on Connor’s face when one particularly beefed-up guy stripped off his shirt and asked Lyric to sign low—very low—on his abdomen.

She complied laughingly and grinned when Connor glared holes in his back.

After an hour, Connor forced water into her hand and waited as she drained it. For a second she leaned against his side, grateful to have a moment’s rest.

“Okay?” he murmured.

“Yeah, thanks.”

She greeted the next fan in line and began all over again. After three hours, she was dead exhausted as the last of the line filtered through.

Kane walked over and stood until the last person finished with Lyric, and then he leaned over. “We’re shutting down the line. The signing is officially done. Police are herding people away. The reporters are still out front. Want to just slip out the back?”

She shook her head. “No, they kept their part of the bargain. I need to keep mine or next time they might not be willing to wait. I can’t imagine what I’ve done lately to merit such attention from the press, but I’m sure it’s juicy whatever it is. Maybe they’re still buzzing over my supposed arrest.”

Connor scowled. “They can kiss my ass.”

She grinned and slipped her hand through his. “Okay, give me fifteen and I’ll be done.”

Leslie caught Lyric’s eye and then nodded toward the entrance. She walked ahead of Lyric so that she could make a brief statement before Lyric spoke.

Kane and Connor flanked her protectively as she stepped to the door. Kane paused when he saw the police barricade and the fact that there were several police officers doing a good job of keeping the crowd under control.

“I’ll go back and get the car,” Kane said as he turned to Lyric. “We’ll be in back. I want to make sure you have a clear avenue to the vehicle from the back entrance.”

She touched his arm. “Thanks, Kane. I appreciate it.”

He smiled. “I know you do. Good luck. Fifteen minutes. Don’t go over.”

She turned back, took a deep breath and braced for the onslaught.

As soon as she stepped from the building, the frenzy began. Even Leslie looked bewildered. She tried valiantly to direct the media attention back to herself, but once they saw Lyric, they were having none of that. She was pushed aside as the reporters surged past the barricades and surrounded Lyric.

At first she had no idea what was being shouted at her. She flinched at the immediate barrage of shouted questions, and as she tentatively moved forward, her hand up to try to calm the volley, some of the questions sank in.

“Lyric, is it true your real name is Carly Winters?”

“Ms. Jones! Tell us about your mother!”

“Lyric, over here! Can you tell us about your stepfather, Danny Higgins?”

She swayed and her knees buckled. Shock rolled through her body, leaving her so shaken she thought she’d faint. Connor swore violently and grabbed at her arm.

“Lyric, can you confirm your stepfather is in prison for your mother’s murder?”

“Can you give us a statement? Is it true you had a sexual relationship with your stepfather and that your mother tried to kill you?”

Lyric gasped and felt the world tilt around her. She stared at Connor in utter disbelief. She stared at the man she’d trusted with everything she was, her past, her present, things she’d never shared with another person. Hurt tore through her with crippling intensity. As the reporters hurled all the details of her past, like little poison darts, she stood, her gaze locked onto Connor as her world crumbled around her.

“That’s enough, goddamn it!” Connor bit out. He grasped her arm to pull her back into the building.

She yanked her arm from Connor’s grasp and turned on him as the world went to hell around them. They were jostled and pushed. She nearly went down under the onslaught. One of the police officers shoved her toward the building.

Pain splintered through her head. She realized one of the cameras hit her in the cheek. An elbow caught her temple and then something hard hit her nose.

She tasted the bitter metallic of blood, but she was numb. From head to toe. She stumbled forward as two officers and Connor lifted and carried her into the music store.

As soon as she broke the entrance, she yanked away from all of them. Connor stood, his eyes glittering, and she flew at him, her fists clenched. She hit him but he didn’t so much as flinch.

“How could you?” she cried hoarsely. She tried to scream it but she honestly couldn’t speak past the knot in her throat. “My God, did you roll immediately out of bed with me after I bared my soul? Was that the phone call this morning? Did you waste any time at all before selling me out?”

Tears streamed down her cheeks. Each word was agony. Oh God, her chest was going to explode.

Nothing, nothing in her life had ever hurt as much as his betrayal. Not Danny Higgins. Not the death of her mother. Never before had she trusted a living soul with any part of herself. Not until now. Not until Connor.

“How could you?”

“Goddamn it, Lyric!” he exploded. “You can’t think I did this. What the fuck?”

He advanced toward her and she stumbled back so fast to get away from him that she tripped over a chair and went down hard.

“Get him away from me!” she spit out. “Oh God, get him away.”

The last ended in a moan and she huddled into a ball, so devastated, so numb from shock, that she wanted to die. The entire world knew. They knew everything. No more secrets. No more lies. Her shame, her pain, was laid bare for the world to see.