AllFreeNovel
Share Us
88
Everybody was assembled in the studio when Ryan spoke up.
“I have something to say.”
I stood in the control room with Miles, Avi, and the sound engineer. Everybody looked up with a kind of bored expression.
Everybody but me and Derek.
Derek was watchful and wary, like a man expecting a fight, but not about to throw the first punch.
I was biting my nails down to the quick.
Ryan stood up and looked right at Derek.
“I’m in love with Kaitlyn. She’s in love with me. You had your chance; you blew it. Now leave her alone.”
Avi glanced over at me. Miles scowled like he was going to murder me. In the booth, Killian looked between his two bandmates in shock, and even stopped playing his guitar.
Riley went white as a ghost.
My heart was slamming triple-time in my chest.
Derek was the only one who seemed utterly calm. He narrowed his eyes, and his mouth curled into a bitter smile. “Tough words coming from the guy who stabbed me in the back.”
“I didn’t stab you in the back; you cheated on her. You threw away everything you had. End of story.”
Derek slowly rose to his feet, his piercing eyes focused on Ryan’s. “I
didn’t
throw her away. But even if I had, that doesn’t give you the right to fuck me over. I love her; you knew that – ”
“If you loved her, you wouldn’t have cheated on her.”
“Christ,” Miles muttered. He shot me another scathing look and jabbed his finger on the control panel. “You two shut it and sit down. This isn’t the time – ”
“SHUT THE FUCK UP, MILES,” Derek shouted, turning the full heat of his rage on the band manager. “This is between Ryan and me. It doesn’t concern you.”
Miles leaned over the control panel. “If it affects the band, it bloody well concerns me, you fuckin’ git – ”
With lightning speed, Derek grabbed his chair and hurled it against the control booth window.
WHAM!
The window must have been really thick, because the chair bounced off without a scratch. But it was loud and violent and frightening.
Everybody in the entire place jumped. I did, Avi did, Miles even backed up in surprise.
Killian ducked and covered his guitar, even though he wasn’t in the line of fire.
Riley stood up behind her drum kit but didn’t move other than that. She just watched everything with a stricken look.
Everybody jumped – everybody except Ryan. He was like a statue, still and unmoving.
“I
said
stay out of it!” Derek yelled at the control booth.
“It’s fine, Miles,” Ryan said calmly but firmly. “Like he said, this is between me and him.”
Miles cursed under his breath, but didn’t touch the button again.
Ryan stared down Derek. “I have nothing left to say except leave – her – ALONE.”
“I love her, and I know she loves me.” Derek turned to the control room window. “Kaitlyn! You know you belong with me!”
I shook my head ‘no.’
Surprisingly, Derek didn’t take it badly. He just grinned in his
You SAY that, but we both know the truth
kind of way.
“You see? She doesn’t want you,” Ryan said.
“Oh, she wants me, alright. She just has a history of not being able to tell the wrong guy to hit the road.”
“She told
you.”
“I’m not the wrong guy. And you fucking know it.”
“I’ve said what I wanted to say. If you can’t accept it, then one of us should leave the band.”
I gasped. This was it; this was the moment where Bigger broke up.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Riley. Her expression was pure terror.
“Fine.
You
go,” Derek sneered.
I saw the shock on Ryan’s face. He was expecting Derek to take his ball and go home like a spoiled brat. So was I. That was his one big leverage point; why wouldn’t he use it?
But he didn’t.
Derek continued, his words landing like a boxer’s jabs. “Walk away. Walk away like the coward you are. You don’t fight for what you want; you never fought for her, did you? So why the fuck would you fight for the band to stay together? Do us all a favor and get lost.”
Ryan got furious. I could see his hackles going up, could see him digging in. “
You
should go.”
“Me? You can’t
get
another
me
. But bassists like you are a dime a dozen.”
“Yeah, and pompous assholes like
you
are so hard to find. The band’ll go on without you.”
“I
AM
the band, motherfucker.”
My eyebrows raised. I looked at Killian and Riley. Even the normally imperturbable guitarist frowned at
that
one.
But Riley just kept watching in mute fear.
“Ah, the asshole’s true opinion finally comes out,” Ryan said. He turned to Killian and Riley. “Did you hear that?
He’s
the band. Not US –
him.
”
“Fuck you,” Derek snapped at Ryan, and immediately looked at Riley and Killian. “I’m sorry – that was fucking stupid of me. You guys know I don’t think that; I couldn’t do it without you.” He turned back to Ryan. “
You,
on the other hand – ”
“Then why don’t you write a fucking song, Mr. Rock Star Lead Singer? Write a brilliant tune for once,
just once,
instead of riding my coattails with your half-assed lyrics.”
Derek nearly went apoplectic. His face flushed deep red, and I could see veins pulse at his temple. He bunched his fists at his side and trembled with rage.
“Shite,” Miles hissed, and ran out of the control booth.
“What’s a matter?” Ryan jeered. “Can’t think of anything to say? You need me to write some music for you before you can speak?”
I swear to God, Derek was about to take a swing at him when Miles burst into the studio and got between them.
“Back off!” he yelled at Derek, then whirled around on Ryan. “YOU – take a fuckin’ walk, NOW!”
Ryan turned and strode out of the studio.
