Chapter 23 #2
“Nobody will believe a story where I’ve been drugged. Guys don’t get their drinks spiked. Women do.” I throw my hands up. “If anything, they’ll twist it to look like I did that to Faith.”
My uncle cocks his head as his eyes narrow. “You have so much to learn, son. You think you know everything. You’re seventeen and know nothing.”
A pulse of something wretched fills the space between us. I’m at a loss, so I stand in silence.
He rises to his feet with a fiery gaze dialed in on me. “If you think boys like you don’t get taken advantage of in this industry, you have a lifetime of misery waiting to slap the shit out of you, shocking you until you finally see your place in this business.”
“You know, you’re right. I am getting taken advantage of. By you and you’re supposed to have my back.” I jam my finger into his chest. “Call off the stories and fix this mess.”
“Or what?”
“I’ll sabotage everything. You’ll be left with nothing.”
“Is that right? Big, bad Cash will just stop helping his ma because he got his tender feelings hurt. Or is that your disturbed Lily speaking for you?” He pushes me back. “Use your head, Cash, not your heart. You’ll go a lot farther if you do.”
I regain my balance and seethe inside. “Leave Lily alone.”
“I already plan on it.” He brushes past me and marches toward his room. “Get your bags packed. We leave town in an hour.”
I stomp away and get my shit together. At least Lily and I are on the same page about what happened last night. She believes Faith… I mean Zara, is trying to break us up. Lily trusts that I didn’t do anything to destroy what I have with her.
I leave the suite and wait for everyone in the lobby. I still don’t have a phone, so I have no clue what’s going on other than we’re supposed to be on the bus back to LA in five minutes.
Hawke and Cooper are the first to show up. Hawke sits next to me while Cooper stands. My legs are extended out as I lounge back in a chair, wishing I could erase everything about last night except performing as Mayhem.
I wouldn’t give up that feeling for anything. It was like I was one with the universe.
Cooper kicks the bottom of my boot. “You little fucker.”
“What did I do?” I pull my legs under my chair and sit straight.
“You left us. Not that we didn’t find a good time on our own, but we’re supposed to be a unit. If you think you’re superior because you believe only the lead singer makes a band great, tell us now.” He flicks his new lip ring with his tongue like he’s irritated.
“That’s not at all what I think. It was a planned move by my uncle. He thinks I need a scandal of some sort to help shed my boy band image and create an edgy rockstar one.” A wave of nausea hits. “And Livianna’s the one getting hurt.”
Cooper shrugs. “What’s she got to do with it? She didn’t even have the decency to show up.”
“She did, but he denied her access when she got there.” I cross my arms over my chest to hold in my bubbling anger. I just might hit my uncle on the way home.
“Wow, dick move.” Cooper turns and gazes out the window of the lobby doors. “Our bus is here.”
“Good. I’m ready to get back to LA.” I grab my bags and lead us out to our transportation.
We get loaded on and I find a seat for Livianna and me. We wait ten minutes for Bren. He throws his bag in the underground storage area and climbs aboard. He nudges me to move over so he can sit next to me.
I shake my head. “This space is for Lily.”
“No, it’s not.” He forces his ass in her seat. “She flew home an hour ago.”
“What? Why?”
“She didn’t text you to explain?”
“No.” I growl. “I don’t have a fucking phone. It got lost last night.”
“Yeah, I bet.” His words are coated in sarcasm.
“What’s with you, Guns? You’ve been coming at me all morning and I don’t know why.”
He faces me with his chest muscles flexed. “Did you ask her why?”
“We cleared up our misunderstanding this morning. We got played and she knows it.”
“Did she?”
“Did she what? Fucking hell, Guns. Say what you need to say.”
“You told her you didn’t do anything with Zara, but you and I know you’re lying about that.”
Every muscle in my body tenses. “I don’t fucking lie, you little prick.”
“Really? Then what are these all about?” He pulls his phone out of his pocket, does something on it, then hands it to me.
There’s a text string between him and me.
Him: Where the fuck are you, Cash? Livianna needs you.
Cash: In the party room. Where are you?
Him: At the hotel. Who are you with?
Cash: You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.
Him: Try me.
Cash: The hot piece of ass, Zara.
Him: Why are you with her?
Cash: I plan on fucking the shit out of her tonight.
Him: You’re dating my sister, asshole. What’s wrong with you?
Cash: Nothing, mate. Once I’ve had my fill, it’ll be like it always is. You can have your turn. It won’t bother me, just don’t tell Livianna.
My heart thunders in my chest and I face Bren. “I didn’t send these. My phone has been missing since last night.”
He raises his brows. “Yeah, right.”
“I swear on my pops’ grave, Guns. I haven’t had a phone since before we went on stage. And another thing. I don’t call her Zara. I’ve only ever known her as Faith, so Zara doesn’t stick in my head.”
His expression softens from glaring at me to one of confusion. “Then who sent these?”
“I don’t know.” I have an idea, but until I know for sure, I’m not saying a word. “Did you show these to Lily?”
He huffs out a grunt. “Fuck no. Not after what she went through last night.”
My blood goes cold. “What happened to her?”
“Did you not see her wrists?”
“I did, but I figured it was because she was upset about not getting into the concert and me not answering her text messages.”
A shield goes over Bren’s eyes. “Did she tell you anything about her evening?”
“Only the obvious.”
Bren gazes out the window, seemingly considering something.
I smack his arm with the back of my hand. “What aren’t you telling me, mate?”
He turns to me, shaking his head. “It’s not my story to share, Cash. That’s up to Livianna.”
“What if she doesn’t tell me?”
“Then I guess you’ll never know and maybe that’s for the best.”
The way he’s talking tells me there’s a lot more I don’t understand. Something bad happened to my Lily, but what?
What’s worse is I wasn’t there for her. All she knows is I was with Faith—for fuck’s sake, Zara Blackthorn, who has made it clear she’s after both of us.
Whatever her motive is, she’s determined to destroy us. I just hope I can stop her before it’s too late.