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A chair scrapes against the floor, and then Dr. Copeland clambers to his feet before walking across the room and standing directly in front of me.
Why does he suddenly look so tall? Has he always been that tall?
“That was the head of the board on the phone,” he says, and his bitter tone intensifies. He doesn’t sound like himself at all. The fine lines around his eyes tighten. “They’re not happy. And if the board is not happy, trust me, Kael, no one else is happy. I should slow clap or something. I should applaud you because congratulations, your little outburst the other night has somehow found its way to the media.”
Nick slams his fist down hard on the edge of the table. “God dammit, Kael!”
My stomach drops. That’s just great.
“The board has been swamped with phone calls all morning,” Dr. Copeland continues. “I haven’t been able to check for myself, but apparently there are already paparazzi camped out front waiting for your release.”
“Awesome,”I grumble.
“Are you serious?” Nick’s face turns bright red. He looks like he’s about to have a heart attack. “I thought this place was bound by confidentiality. Who the hell leaked it to the press?”
“I’ll give you two guesses,” I grunt.
Dr. Copeland nods. He knows I’m right. Devon doesn’t owe me shit. I probably owe him, if the truth be told. But that doesn’t mean I have to forgive him. Or his father, who is probably on the phone with his lawyer as we speak.
“Look, here’s the thing,” Dr. Copeland folds his arms across his chest. “I’m not going to sugarcoat it for you, Kael. What’s the point in that? The board wants you gone, and the sooner the better. They’ve come up with a deal I think is too good to refuse.”
“What sort of deal?” asks Nick.
“They’ve agreed to sign off on Kael’s rehab stint as completed and in full. But they’re not willing to turn this place into a media circus upon his release, so they’ve agreed to issue a statement to the press telling them that he’s scheduled for release late next week. That way, you should be able to slip out through the back entrance first thing tomorrow morning without too much fuss. I know it’s a few days early, but that’s what they’ve come up with, and I don’t see any other way around it. By the time next week comes, you’ll be long gone, and the paparazzi won’t have a leg to stand on.”
Discomfort coils around my spine. That all sounds good in theory. Too good to be true, perhaps. So why do I get the feeling there’s a catch?
“And?” I ask, scratching at my chin.
Dr. Copeland glances at Nick, who glances across at Dee—fuck, I didn’t even see her there. Again. Why is she here? She has no business being here. And why is she always lurking in the shadows?
The dubious look they’re all sharing makes me think that whatever’s coming next is big, and it was already predetermined.
Nick’s the first one to speak. “It looks like it’s happening sooner than expected, but we think it’s for the best if you get out of town for a bit once you’re released. Just until things die down.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Lay low for a few days, keep your head down and stay out of trouble. If the paparazzi happens to find you, then you get comfortable with the wordsnoandcommentreal fast. Think you can manage that?”
I stare blankly at him.
“Kael, listen to me. I know what you’re thinking, but rehearsals will just have to wait. The guys can spend some time at the warehouse with the tech team, working on sound checks, stage placements, lighting, that kind of thing. It’s for a few days. That’s all I’m asking.”
“But, I—”
“You’ll be back in the studio next week. I promise.”
My stomach falls. Plummets.
“Think of it as a well-deserved break for getting through rehab in one piece.” His eyes settle briefly on the deep cut above my right eye. “Well, you know what I mean.”
“Where am I supposed to go?”
“If I’m not mistaken, you own a rather fancy house up in the mountains that you haven’t been to in a while.”
He’s right. I do. And now that he mentions it, a few days away to clear my head might be just what I need before getting straight back into work again.
But then the real catch comes…
