Encore (The Black Eagles Series Book 2) (16 page)

              His manager patted his shoulder and nodded. ‘Like I said, I understand, but you have to try to move on. We need to be one team and right now that isn’t happening.’ Ray explained that until Luke let his guard down, just a little bit, there was tension in the team. They were walking on eggshells in an attempt not to upset anyone and lose their jobs.

              ‘Have I really been that bad?’ Luke asked. Ray admitted he had been a little unapproachable at times. ‘I didn’t realise. I don’t want to get too close to anyone, not yet.’

              Ray took Luke up to his room. They poured some whisky and sat on the balcony. ‘Son, you’ve done all of us proud. Not many people could have dealt with your situation as well as you have. I think you’re still letting the past hold you back.’

              Luke took a puff of his joint as he sat back in his chair. ‘Yeah. I will admit it still gets to me. Ray, I know I can trust you…I miss her...’ Luke finally said. ‘I know it isn’t rock and roll but I miss Lissa and I worry about her all the time.’

              Ray laughed and poured another whisky. ‘Luke, there’s nothing wrong with that. I think it’s a good thing, having someone in your life. She keeps you grounded and she’s good for you.’ He pushed Luke’s phone across the table towards him. ‘I think you need to be talking to her and not this old fart. I think she might tell you to stop moping about and behave like any lad on tour.’

              Ray left as Luke dialled Lissa’s number and after spending some time talking things through with her she ended the call with ‘Luke, for god’s sake, get drunk, party and have fun. Just no women…’

              He realised he
was
holding back and becoming a miserable git. He called everyone to the hotel bar and started a party. The rest of The Black Eagles felt a little more relaxed: they were getting their front man back, the fun one who hadn’t had much to smile about recently. And it seemed like he was slowly losing all the barriers he had securely put up around himself. Although underneath he was quietly watching their every move.

*****

The venue was crowded even though it was early, and Death Wishes fans were waiting eagerly for their boys to come out. Jade made her way over to Megan seconds after they all arrived. She was starstruck at seeing three of the most famous rock girlfriends standing in front of her, but they made her feel at ease straight away by treating her like an old friend.

              ‘Is this going to work?’ Jade asked.

              Melissa leaned into the girl smiling. ‘Believe me, Jade, this is going to be explosive.’ Her smile turned into an evil smirk, then she straightened up, took a deep breath and shook away the nervous feeling. What they were about to do was the ultimate revenge.

              ‘Are you sure you’re up for this?’ Beth checked.

              ‘Yeah. We’re here now,’ Melissa said.

              The crowd were just beginning to catch on to the famous arrivals, but they ignored it. Megan gave Jade the USB stick and she left to find her brother. They positioned themselves nearest the entrance to the stage, wanting Aiden to know they were there. Megan headed to the ladies to avoid having to go later, not wanting to miss a thing. On her way back to the group, she passed a corridor where she was pulled into the darkness of the unlit area.

              ‘Ian.’

              ‘Shhhh…I don’t have long. Are you all set up?’ He looked nervous.

              Megan nodded and pushed him further into the corridor. They were too exposed. ‘Yes. And if you want to be kept out of this, this meeting isn’t sensible.’

              Ian knew this but just needed to know what the full plan was. He needed to be prepared to put on an act. Megan filled him in and he seemed less on board for a second. ‘Does it have to be so public.’

              Megan felt slightly annoyed that he was trying to back out. ‘Yes. What’s the point in doing it if not. I’m not having him cover it up and manipulate his way out of it.’

              Ian leaned against the wall, looking stressed. ‘I’m not just betraying Aiden. The others aren’t bad people. You don’t know how bad it is around him. He’s so…controlling. I’ve tried to leave before and he just makes it so difficult.’

              Megan was starting to understand. He was confused and desperate to escape but was scared of the outcome. ‘Ian, I promise, they will never know it was you.’

              ‘Thanks. Now go and get it over with. I have to get back. Maybe I’ll see you soon, one day,’ he asked, hopeful.

              Megan shook her head. ‘You know where I stand on that. Once this is done, we go our separate ways.’ She took a step back as she said it.

              His messy hair hung around his shoulders and he looked disappointed. ‘Does he make you happy? Do you love him?’ he asked while thinking how lucky her boyfriend was. He would do anything to change what they had done to her. Her fiery red hair and emerald eyes floored him every time he saw her. He was fighting the urge to grab her and kiss her right there. He knew she had no interest in him and that bothered him. He realised that this was Aiden’s fault, all of it. And his anger about Megan being out of his reach rushed to the surface. Every face that had been made to cry over the months flicked through his mind. Every vile word he’d heard Aiden speak, and he’d done nothing to stop it, echoed in his ears.

              ‘Bring him down. Just bring the fucker down,’ Ian said as he turned and walked away.

*****

The girls were giggling and knocking back the drinks as the support band finished up. Beth leaned into the group and whispered drunkenly, ‘They were shite,’ then laughed loudly. Harsh as that sounded, it was the truth and they suspected it was to make Death Wishes seem better than they were, having been taken down a step since the demise of Sky Storm. Death Wishes had been signed by the only label that would have them, and not many people would sign with Pitch records. Their venues were smaller but they still had quite a following. It was a mystery why, but each to their own. It was only a few minutes until the main act were about to take the stage and Megan began to panic that the plan wouldn’t work.

              A guy appeared in front of them and stepped into their little circle. He was tall and broad, wearing a blue cap, and looked like someone you didn’t mess with. ‘It’s all set up. Now just enjoy the show,’ he said. Megan smiled. It was Ben and she had a feeling it was going to be a good show. It felt like a spy movie with all the secret missions and meetings. The crowd erupted as Aiden and the rest of his band appeared on the stage. He did his usual cocky entrance onto the stage, barely even acknowledging the crowd, thinking it gave him a little edge.

              ‘I can’t wait to watch this prick fall like a drunk in a free bar,’ Beth chuckled. ‘Even if we do have to endure such torture to our ears.’ Beth grimaced as Aiden screamed into his microphone. Once several songs had shattered their eardrums, Ben popped his head over the barriers at the side of the stage and gave the thumbs up and indicated two minutes.

              ‘Yes. Finally,’ Megan cried. Jade reached for her hand and they looked at each other and laughed. Jade pointed to a group of women just to their left and all four girls laughed even louder at the girlfriends and wives of Death Wishes. The brunette that had been involved in Megan’s humiliation stood in the middle, Queen Bee, but not for long. Halfway through their most famous song
“
Cracked hearts”, the screen behind them lit up. The band didn’t notice at first and the crowd assumed it was part of the show, until explicit photos began to stream across the back wall.

              One of the girls who was married to one of the guitarists screamed. ‘Take it down. Take it down.’

              The picture changed, causing another girl to panic. ‘Stop this. Who did this? Her eyes searched the stage and she went pale as her gaze landed on her new husband. He stood looking at the screen, rage radiating from him. His bass guitar hung from his shoulders and his hands formed fists at his side as the pictures of his wife screwing his front man scrolled across the wall. The photos didn’t stop but filtered through all twenty of them. 

              Aiden had been sleeping with his entire band’s other halves and it was all on show for the world to see. Ian wasn’t in a relationship, and had been saved the humiliation. But if he had been in one there was no doubt he’d have been betrayed too. He quickly put on an act of shock and rose from his stool, chucking his sticks to the floor and screamed at Aiden. ‘What the fuck have you done?’

              Aiden was shell-shocked, but didn’t move. The crowd had gone silent as they slowly began to work out the seriousness of the situation. The shock had worn off quickly for one band member, Kevin, who had been married less than a month. He didn’t ask any questions but dropped his bass guitar in rage and stormed towards Aiden, who backed away, begging to be listened to. Nobody was prepared to listen, and he was knocked to the floor. The scuffle on stage was fierce. Aiden was dragged to his feet then punched down again, his head hanging from the stage, right by Megan who smiled in his face.

              ‘You messed with the wrong nerd.’

              ‘You. You did this? Bitch!’

              ‘No, Aiden, you did this. This is payback for me, Jade and every other girl you’ve degraded and hurt. It was time you learned a lesson. Your own bandmates? Do you have a heart in that chest of yours, or is it hollow and black. Enjoy being lonely and a nobody again.’

              He launched towards her in retaliation but was dragged backwards by his bass player, who wasn’t finished with him and also had seen his intention. ‘Screw my missus, and go for a woman. I don’t think so. We are so sick of your shit.’ He looked at Megan, his angry brown eyes glaring at her for a second before calming. ‘Go. Now. Get out.’

              Melissa grabbed her arm and pulled her away. The damage was done and they needed to get as far away as possible before Aiden came looking for them. He would, that was something she was sure of. Fights were breaking out all around them. The brunette hadn’t taken it lightly, and was going for her once-bitch pack. The Eagle girls left the venue, leaving chaos in their wake.

              ‘Jade, call me anytime,’ Megan said, hugging her tightly. ‘Don’t ever let anyone treat you badly. OK?’

              Jade nodded. ‘Will I ever see you all again? You’re pretty badass.’

              ‘Sure, keep in touch,’ Megan promised before jumping in the taxi with her friends. They cheered as the taxi pulled away, cheering for their revenge and that the paparazzi arrived seconds too late. It had been a successful night and they headed home feeling triumphant.

*****

Aiden was dragged off by his guitarist and the fight continued backstage. Aiden looked shocked and less cocky, as his conquests tried to talk their way out of it.

              ‘Tell me this is a joke!’ Kevin screamed at Aiden, hoping to hear some denial. Deep down he knew it was the truth.

              Aiden held his hands up in surrender, begging to be listened to before another blow landed on his face. ‘Bros...listen—’ He didn’t finish talking as he was punched to the floor.

              Kevin glared at his wife, who stood shaking unable to even make eye contact. ‘Babe, tell me this is some sick joke.!’ She broke down, grabbing him, and her cries of ‘sorry’ confirmed the truth. He shrugged her off, took his wedding ring off and threw it in her face, then turned and spat on his ex-friend and bandmate. ‘Well, I hope you’ll be very happy together.’

              The same conversations were happening with all the other band members. Aiden slumped over on his knees and begged for forgiveness. He never thought he would get caught and had always been so careful. He had an agreement with the girls that his boys were never to find out. His world was collapsing around him and he only had himself to blame.

              His lead guitarist had already given his girlfriend her marching orders, and she had already been removed by security. He didn’t need her excuses. He was grabbing his stuff and calling a taxi, unable even to look at Aiden, too angry to even punch him. He just wanted to go home and never see him again. Apart from the public humiliation this was an easy way out of Death Wishes and he was taking it. He had been offered a place in another band and now he could be part of something better.

              Once each member had expressed their anger, Aiden was left in the dressing room, alone and dumbfounded. A few seconds later the door opened again. Aiden hoped for a second that one of them had come back to talk it through, like adults.

              Ben shut the door behind him and glared at the bandless front man, bleeding on the floor. Aiden thought he had several broken ribs, and begged for help. Ben laughed loudly at the request for help. He leaned down so their faces were almost touching and his expression twisted into pure hate. ‘This is for what you did to my little sister. Get your own help.’ Then he head butted him and left him there.

‘Mum, don’t go,’ Amber begged.

              It had been a good visit and they had been getting on much better lately. But Hayley’s work was calling and she needed to go. She was torn between her daughter and the big deal she was hopefully closing that day. ‘I’m sorry, darling. I’ll be back next week,’ she promised.

              Amber swallowed the lump in her throat and concentrated on looking disappointed. She grabbed her mum’s hand and held on. Hayley squeezed it, feeling the guilt.

              ‘Promise you’ll come soon.’

              ‘You have my word.’

              ‘It’s a lovely day. I’ll walk with you, if that’s OK?’

              Hayley smiled. Amber very rarely went outside so this seemed like a small step in the right direction. She was making progress and over the past few weeks hadn’t mentioned Luke once. She smiled more and took her medication without a fight. Everyone involved in her care was feeling positive.

              Hayley asked for her doctor to come with them. They walked through the hospital and into the grounds towards the gate her mum would pass through. They chatted like a normal mother and daughter, something they had never really done. Amber linked arms with her mother and looked calm and happy. Hayley chatted with the doctor about the next step in her treatment and he told her he was very happy with their recent developments.

              Amber stopped by a bed of flowers and picked a rose, giving the pink flower to her mum. ‘For you.’

              Hayley wiped away a tear and placed the rose in the front pocket of her bag, where her nail file used to be. It was still a mystery where that had gone. They approached the exit where a security man waited to let Hayley out. They said their goodbyes, a tight motherly hug, then she let her daughter go. Amber suddenly screwed her face up and doubled over, screaming in pain.

              ‘Amber. Baby, what’s wrong?’ Hayley cried, holding her daughter. The security man helped Hayley steady the sick girl. Her doctor had hung back, taking an urgent phone call, but his eyes took in the scene. There was something wrong, and as Amber turned her head to look at him, she was smirking. He dropped his phone but his warning cry was way too late. He saw the glint of silver from the object that fell from his patient’s sleeve and in a quick moment stab the security man in the throat. Blood spurted from his neck and he collapsed gasping for breath. Hayley screamed but it was cut off quickly as the sharp nail file punctured her throat. Twice. Then Amber was gone, through the gate and into the open.

              Amber was free. Alerts were quickly raised and before long the hospital was swarming with police and medical crews. Sadly, both victims died instantly.