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“If it’s Derek and I apart that will keep you all together, then that’s what we’ll do.” I hold my hand up because I see Derek is getting ready to object. “It’s not what I want, but I can’t imagine the three of you not playing together. I love Crave. I love what you’ve all built together. It’s not fair that I come out of this pretty unscathed and the three of you might be dropped by the record label. That’s not fair and it’s not right. The whole thing was a lie, sure, but I can’t expect you all to pay the price for our happiness.”
I turn and only speak to Derek now. “I love you. But I can’t be reason that you all are unhappy. You know that and I do too. Besides, we’ve barely gotten started. How hard could it be to stop?”
“I think I’ve wanted you my whole life,” he says to me. He’s not going to make this easy on me.
“No,” Brent says, surprising me. “There has to be another way.”
“I don’t think there is,” I say.
“Do you want out?” Derek looks me straight in the eyes.
I hope he can see my pain. I don’t want to do this. “You know I don’t. But I also don’t want you to be the cause of this.” I motion around the group.
Aiden gets up and starts pacing. He looks so determined to figure something out. Suddenly, he stops and looks at both of us.
“Are you really serious about her?” Aiden asks Derek.
“Of course. I wouldn’t be trying to throw all this away for nothing. I love your sister,” Derek tells him.
Aiden shakes his head. “You fucking better after all this shit it’s causing us.”
“I do,” Derek says with more conviction.
“I still don’t like this. But if you love her like you say you do, then giving up on her shouldn’t be an option. Same goes for you,” he says, pointing at me. “If you want to throw grenades like this into people’s lives and claim it’s for love, you don’t get to just walk away.”
“There’s a song in there somewhere,” Dale says, rejoining the conversation. “I can feel it. You should start writing it.” He points to Derek. “Come on over here, all, we need to figure this out. See if we can get a way to keep you all playing music.”
“What if we agree to never play the song again? What if we give Serena the song? Think that would work?” Aiden is speaking quickly.
“I’m not sure that it would fly,” Dale says honestly. “The statement is being sent out. She’s taking the brunt of the hate.” He points toward me, and I shake my head.
“Why?” I ask. It seems like a silly question, but I’d love to know why I’m the one everyone hates.
“Because you were the one that took Serena’s man. You’re the one that seduced him. Some of the fans that were at the backstage event say they remember you from the concerts in Cary. That’s not helping you.” He shrugs like he can’t do anything about that. And there’s nothing he can, but I still hate the way he puts it on me.
“She’s my sister. She’s been at things before, and no one has said a word,” Aiden tells him.
“Yeah, but she never kissed Serena’s boyfriend before that. So that’s an issue. That’s the issue that we are trying to fix.”
We all know this. But fuck, this situation is impossible.
Derek turns to me. “I won’t let anyone hurt you. I promise you that.”
I move over toward him. I need those strong arms wrapped around me. He picks up on it and pulls me near.
“I’ll take care of you,” he whispers into my ear. “That bitch will not ruin you. We’ll make sure of it.”
“She doesn’t want to ruin her,” Dale chimes in. “Serena just wants to say that she was the wronged woman. If she gets that, she’ll be happy. She wants to play the victim for a little bit longer.”
Aiden screams at the ceiling and faces him. “Aiden, I’m so sorry all of this is happening. I feel responsible and I hate that your life is ruined as a result.”
He looks down at me, eyes softening. I see the same concern there that he’s shown me my whole life. Whenever another boy broke my heart or when I was cut from the Varsity field hockey team. He’s my big brother, and he’s always taken care of me. Now I wish I could do the same for him.
“Audrey, it’s going to be okay. You did not ruin my life. You just made it a little harder. Being your brother, I’ve gotten used to the way you make my life harder. You know, with all the bratty little things you used to do.”
He’s teasing me and I kind of love it. Brings some levity to this shitty situation.
“Plus,” he continues, “I’m sure I can throw this at you when I really screw up. Being able to tell you that you have to forgive me because you almost cost me my career is cool.”
