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“Where are you heading?” Sebastian asked, following me as I slipped out the back entrance into an empty alley.
We’d boxed at the same club for years before the band made it big. He was a few years older than me. Closer to Royal’s age than mine, and when Royal’s Ma told him Sebastian was looking for a new gig and to get out of Boston, Royal gave his name to the firm we used for security, welcoming him into our touring family.
“Anywhere else. It’s suffocating in there.” I didn’t lie. Between growing up in each other’s vicinity and the last few years of touring, he knew me well enough by now to see through it. He felt like one of us. We came from the same place, and I trusted him more than most.
“It was a bit much.” Sebastian side-eyed me.
“I don’t want to hear it,” I teased, the bit of a flirt feeling nice.
He held up his hands. “I didn’t say nothing.”
We wandered until we found a little speakeasy that was nearly abandoned at this hour. It was two A.M. on a Tuesday. Few people could party like rock stars with work the next day. I didn’t know how we still did it. I was fucking tired, and Royal and Taylor were older than I was.
Maybe I was soul tired.
We sat at the bar, ignored by the patrons and the bartender. Sebastian had to flag him down to get us drinks.
“Thanks,” I muttered when he finally served us. More to Sebastian than the bartender.
Sebastian held up his glass, and I clinked it with mine. “Cheers.”
“What are we drinking to?” I asked, pausing before taking a sip.
“Your album sitting at the top of the charts again?” he said, eyeing me up with a half-smirk as he drank in the skirt I wore out tonight. “Or maybe your newfound bravery to be yourself.”
Was he… It couldn’t be.
“I’ll drink to that.” I clinked my glass to his and smiled. “It’s surreal. We’ve never had an album reach this level, let alone months after release.”
“It’s because of you.”
“It’s not all that. It’s a good album.” I waved him off.
“But it’s fueled by your spirit and the new takes on your opening songs. They feel your energy.” Sebastian shrugged and brought his drink to his lips, but before he could take a sip, the glass flew out of his hand.
I jumped back, heart in my throat, not sure what happened as the glass shattered on the bar top and alcohol sprayed over both of us. My hands came up, ready to fight as Sebastian did the same.
Only to find ourselves face-to-face with Royal.
“What the fuck?” I said, keeping my hands up, half tempted to throw the first punch to get whatever his problem was out of his system.
“He’s fucking drinking on the job? His job is to stay alert and keep people off you.”
“There’s no one here. What is wrong with you?” I stared at him like I didn’t know him at all. He’d been a prick as long as I’d known him, but he was my prick. Now he seemed like a stranger.
“You never know when a confrontation might happen. He shouldn’t ever be drinking on the job.” The intensity of Royal’s emotions made me question myself.
Was I in the wrong here? I didn’t think so. I stood my ground, squaring up to his much larger stance. “I don’t know what the fuck has gotten into you. If it’s drugs or you just hate the rest of us, but you need to get your head out of your ass, or we aren’t going to want to play with you anymore.” I hadn’t meant to let it all out, but there it was.
“Excuse me?” I couldn’t read his expression. If he was surprised or mad or he didn’t believe we’d actually do it.
“You heard me.” I tilted my chin up, looking him in the eyes. “Fix your shit. None of us have time for it anymore.”
“My shit?” He said the words like he wasn’t the problem.
“Yes. Whatever this is.”
His upper lip curled, and his lips parted like he was about to say something, but he snapped his teeth shut.
