THE MANAGER

CHAPTER 1

CELESTE

“Five minutes till stage.”

Adrian’s voice slides against my skin, low and husky, too close to my ear.

I don’t look at him. I stare at my reflection instead. Sparkling dress. Perfect hair. Red lips. The idol everyone worships.

“You nervous?” he asks, fingers brushing my collarbone as he adjusts the mic wire.

I force a laugh. “What do you think? There are twenty thousand people out there screaming my name.”

“You’ll impress them like always,” he says.

“Stop hyping me up. I might think you actually care.”

His eyes meet mine in the mirror. “Maybe I do.”

My throat goes dry. I turn my...