Chapter 25

In the next few weeks, the couple became inseparable. The connection they had made since Nova stopped worrying about Liam's interference, made things between them run much more smoothly. It was obvious to everyone around them they were falling hard for each other.

Once fans started noticing too, the paparazzi began hounding them constantly. Becket wasn't used to so much media attention, but he wasn't bothered by it. He figured the only thing that mattered was that they were getting more romantically involved, and Nova was nothing like the media made her out to be. On the show and privately, he was starting to see the happy-go-lucky girl she once was.

One night, Becket and Ace had taken Nova and Claire out for dinner on a double date. They had gotten back early so the girls could have some much-needed girl time. Nova wanted to give Claire a special girl's night since Claire had done it for her so many times before. Claire had just finished her finals for her online classes and Nova wanted to do something for her friend to celebrate.

Nova sat waiting for Claire to get back to the room. She had gone to fetch ice from the bin down the hall. Nova checked her phone to make sure Liam's video confession that she had made a couple of months ago was still there. When finished, she opened her messages and sent Becket a goodnight message as she always did. She threw her phone on the bed and it clicked on the video. Unknowingly, she sent the video.

***

Later that night, Becket had got back from the gym and checked his messages. Seeing Nova's text, he smiled and quickly texted back. "Good night, goth Barbie. Have a great time with Claire. I'll be by around lunchtime tomorrow. I have to go meet with Holt and your dad and then maybe we can go for lunch."

Becket opened up the video expecting some rock song to play that Nova liked and wanted him to listen to. It was typical for them to share their love of music, so nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

Opening the video, he saw Liam arguing with her. He sat down turning up the volume, confused as to what he was seeing. Listening in horror his mouth dropped open in shock. Becket thought he would be sick from hearing the words this man was saying to his girlfriend. He realized that this is what Nova had been hiding. He now understood why she avoided any sexual advances or conversations about getting more intimate over the past couple of weeks. He knew something was holding her back, but he never suspected this.

"My God. What did that man do to you? This is why Nova came here. Why she wanted to be with Colossus. You were running from him, not your career."

After sitting and watching the video several times, he knew he needed to do something. His heart felt like it was stuck in his throat. He couldn't breathe or put together one rational thought. All he knew is he wanted to hurt the man who hurt her.

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Becket stood up and headed to see the one person who needed to know the truth. He promised Eric he would find out what was going on and knew her father needed to know. They would have to work together to help her.

***

Becket went to Eric's hotel room, hesitant to knock on the door. Giving this news to her father was not going to be easy. He knew there was no way she sent the video on purpose, but Eric could help him to figure out what to do. Knocking on the door, he hoped he was doing the right thing.

"Becket, it's late. Everything okay? You look pale. Are you sick?"

"No. It's Nova. I know what happened. You need to see this, and I need you to stay calm. It's not going to be easy to hear. We have to help her and I don't know anyone else to turn to," Becket said with tears in his eyes.

Eric invited him in and Becket did his best to prepare him for what he was about to see. Watching the video Eric wanted to kill the man who did this to his daughter. "What do we do? He hurt my baby girl. I knew something was wrong. She never even thought about drugs or alcohol. She was a good kid, until about six months after she left for LA and met that bastard."

"Eric, I need you to know something. I love her. I haven't told her. But knowing all this…"

"I knew you did. I think she's in love with you too. Becket, I know my daughter. She didn't do those things willingly. Don't change your mind about her because of what she did years ago. You knew her. She was always so naive. I should have never let her go to LA alone so young."

"I know. She was so innocent. He took that from her."

Eric agreed. "We need to talk to Nova and tell her we know. We must try to help her. If these rich men are as powerful as this guy says, it's going to be hard. I think the only one we know who has as much power as the record executives is Holt. He's going to have to know too if this goes public."

"Let me talk to her first. Don't tell her you know or she will flip out. I'm going to help her through this. I won't abandon her. It wasn't her fault and I do love her. I have no idea how to talk to her about this but I have to try."

"I agree. It needs to come from you. I'm sure her biggest worry would be losing you."