Rock Star: The Contest (Book 2 of a Bad Boy Romance) by Kate Ward Page B

It was one more time singing and then they selected a winner and runner-up. The other three would lose. She was increasing the odds of her being selected to win with me out of the picture.
    “What if I say no?”
    “Then I go speak with the coordinators. Think about it, Meghan. You might not be bothered by leaving. But Chase stands to lose a lot. I’m trying to help you and him out here. This way, you leave with a bit of dignity intact and Chase gets to stay… well… Chase Bryan.”
    “Dignity? Singing out of tune, falling over? You think that’s dignity? That’s humiliation. But you want that. That’s what gets you off. You don’t just want to see me walk away. You want to embarrass me.”
    She laughed. “It’s business. Not personal.”
    “I’ll think about it.”
    “No. No you won’t. Tomorrow evening you will fail.”
    I shook my head in disbelief. What a bitch.
    Leann rose from the rocker and made her way over to her sporty car that probably had been bought by her daddy. Spoiled little brat.
    “Oh, and don’t think for a moment I don’t have proof.” She held up what looked like a diamond studded phone and pressed a button. A short video of Chase and me kissing played out.
    “Fail, and I delete it.”
    She snorted and jumped into her car and sped off.
    I took a seat for a moment, allowing the weight of what I was feeling to settle. My mind churned it all over. On one hand I could make it all go away by quitting there and then, but knowing her she would then release the video, or I could fail and trust her that she would delete it. But would she really delete it? I mean, she was the kind of girl that probably would have made a duplicate copy and then used it later if she lost the contest. It was perfect for blackmailing. Though I couldn’t see Chase caring about that. He’d had enough bad things said about him in the media. His name had been smeared more times than I could count.
    I had to think this through. She wasn’t going to get away with this.

Chapter 11
    W e closed up early that night. I watched Sophie stroll off with Teddy, his arm loosely around her shoulders, hers around his waist. It was hard to think that we had been together only a few months ago. I had thought long and hard about making the decision to let Meghan know how I felt for her. I knew that I would hurt Sophie in the process. There was no easy way around it.
    I truly did have feelings for Sophie. Those hadn’t changed, but they weren’t the same as what I felt for Meghan. Seeing her with Chase had made me realize that I had taken for granted the years we spent together as friends. There were countless times I could have told her how I felt. But I wasn’t really sure, to be entirely truthful.
    When you grow up with someone, you assume they will stay the same. When you live in a small town and they own a business, you don’t imagine they will up and leave, or settle. I had always felt a deep love for Meghan.
    It wasn’t as if I fell in love with her the first time I saw her. I was too young then. I spent time with her because of our parents’ friendship. It was nothing more than that. But it had developed over time like a fine whiskey. I had watched her develop from a girl to a woman. Long, dark flowing hair, her body changing. Her breasts looking larger. She was no longer the girl I went to school with, the girl that I shared apple juice with at her parents’. She was sexy, funny and someone I could see myself living with. Not just having sex. But settling down, or pursuing our dreams together. Me playing guitar and her singing. I wanted that for her. It wasn’t like I didn’t. I wanted her to travel and see the world, but I wanted to be there with her. Right beside her.
    We had grown up together. I didn’t want to see her go. But now I felt as if I was losing her. Losing her to the music industry, to Chase, even that guy Luke had got a rise out of me. She was kissing everyone else except me.
    I had just figured the