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Chapter Forty-Six


"The LAPD has begun a state-wide manhunt for pop sensation Cora Walters, who is currently named as the prime suspect in the murders of producer Justin 'Z' Platt, label executive and her husband, Hugh Walters, and in the shooting of Backstreet Boy Nick Carter. If anyone has any information on the whereabouts of Cora Walters, the LAPD is asking that you please step forward. Miss. Walters is considered armed and dangerous. Nick Carter is currently in the intensive care unit at an undisclosed Los Angeles area hospital, according to his publicist, and his condition is critical. We will keep you updated on the search for Cora and on Nick's condition throughout the evening."

The TV in the waiting rom was blaring and I was shaking.

I couldn't breathe.

Addison was sitting next to me, her arms around me, holding me close to her. Every ounce of my body felt cold, like ice had been poured down it. I couldn't feel my heart, I was convinced it'd stopped beating.

"It's gonna be okay," Addie whispered in my ear.

I couldn't even answer her. My mouth wasn't working properly. All I could think over and over and over again was that he had that split second, that one moment, that instant in time in which he could make a choice... and he'd made the least selfish one he possibly could've made. He'd chosen good.

I rocked myself.

"Sam..." Addison rubbed my knee. "I wish I could fix it."

"You can't, you don't understand," I choked, "I love him."

Addison was quiet a long moment, "I understand more than you think, Sam."

I shook my head, "You can't..."

"But I do."

"No you don't," I snapped, tears blurring my vision, "The man that you love isn't dead. He didn't die for you!"

"He's not dead yet, Sam, stop talking like that..." Addison choked back, "And I do understand. Maybe not for me, but the man I fell for is dead, Sam!"

I looked over at her, "What?"

Tears filled her eyes, "Sam, Hugh Walters and I... we were... seeing each other. As far as I know, Cora didn't know about it." Her cheeks turned pink and she looked down at her lap.

I stared at her, incredulously dumbfounded, despite everything else going on. "How long?" I whispered.

"Since the day after I auditioned," she whispered back.

"But -- you said you wouldn't sleep with him."

"Not for the contract, not for money," Addison replied. "It wasn't like that. He made that clear..." Addison took a deep breath. "Sam, Hugh and I... we fell in love." She bit her lip. "He was going to divorce Cora." She stared into my eyes.

I closed my eyes. I covered my face.

"They killed him for nothing," I whispered. "He was leaving her anyway."

"They killed him for the money," Addison said.

"It's always about the god damn money," I said, my voice shaking.

Addison stared at her feet. "Sam..." she looked up at me. "Cora's not going to get away."

"She already did. She's probably half way to Taiwan or something by now," I said. Anger swelled in my gut at the thought of her leaving, of shooting Nick in the back and leaving him there to die in my arms on the floor of his foyer.

"She can't be," Addison's voice trembled. "She's broke."

"What?"

"There's no money in her bank account," Addison said.

I stared at her, "What? Why? How?"

Addison took a deep breath, "Because Hugh was worried she might drain it on him if she thought he was going to file a divorce and he put all of his money into an account in my name," she said. "So that she couldn't touch it."

I felt my eyes go wide, felt my heart pump a rhythm so fast that it echoed in my ears. "You have Hugh's money?" I hissed.

"Every red cent," Addison whispered.

I stared at her.

"Cora under estimated Hugh, Sam," Addison said quietly.

"Oh my God."

The doors to the room opened and Addison and I both shot up to our feet like we were jack-in-the-boxes as Angel, Nick's sister, came bursting into the room. She was breathless. "Samantha?" she gasped.

"Is he okay?" I begged, stepping forward.

Angel studied me for a long moment. "He's asking for you."

"He's alive?!" I cried.

Angel nodded, "He's in a lot of pain, but he's awake, and he's alive."

"Oh my God." I turned ot Addison. "He's alive," I wailed.

"I heard that!" Addison said, "Go! Go see him. I'll wait here." She sat back down in the chair and I bustled to follow Angel into the hallway.

I paused. "Wait a second," I said, and I backed up and looked at Addie as she sat, staring up at the tiny TV mouted to the corner of the room. "Addison," I said, catching her attention, "I'm sorry. About Hugh. About everything."

"I am, too," Addison said quietly.

I ducked after Angel in the hallway. She led the way through crisp, ammonia-scented halls until we entered the ICU and I saw Nick hung up on a gurney in one corner, his eyes closed, an oxygen mask across his nose. My hands shook as I stepped forward, and Angel hovered by the foot of the bed.

"Nick," I whispered, "I'm here."

His eyelids fluttered ever so slightly and finally lifted, his eyes struggling to focus on me. "Sam," he croaked quietly.

"I'm right here, sweetie," I said, running my fingers through his hair softly as I leaned over him.

He stared up at me, eyes barely opened, barely focused. "Didn't you hear Cora, Sam? Didn't you hear her? About all the things that've happened? About the stuff I've done?" He stared at me in concern.

I nodded. "I did... But Nick, didn't you hear me when I told you the past doesn't matter? You can only change the future."

"Do you still... love me... Sam?" he asked.

I stared into his eyes.

"Or in fifty years...are you..gonna be.. the one that... got away?"

I shook my head. "I'm not going anywhere."