Encore (The Black Eagles Series Book 2) (6 page)

              Luke smiled and shook his head. He didn’t need to answer her because the relief in his face said it all. She was right of course, he didn’t want to do it. Deep down he had just wanted to know for sure that she still supported him after all she had been through. He tucked her into the covers, feeling her warm skin against his, and felt a little hope coming back into his heart as they both fell asleep

*****

‘Don’t you ever have a day off?!’ Melissa threw in the direction of the photographers who were hanging around the entrance of their apartment block. Her new toy, a purple Mini Convertible sat waiting for her. It had been delivered that morning, and she was using it as the excuse to see Lyla. A girly drive, then meeting with Beth after her visit to the midwife. The pack descended on Melissa as she got into the car, and just as she started the engine they heard the roar of the bike behind them. Toby had arrived, with Tom on the back. Luke appeared on the balcony, fag in his mouth, shirt off in the hot sun. It caused a diversion, planned and executed like professionals, giving Melissa her getaway. Jay-Den going to prison and Sky Storm on the verge of collapse were still fresh news. Melissa was a heroine in most people’s eyes, but not all. It was a price she was happy to pay, even if some had decided to abuse her online. It made her laugh, as these people had forgotten what she had endured. Thanks boys!’ she said into her phone, testing her hands-free. The boys were all very excited as Luke had called a band meeting to discuss the next step. Dale would join them later, but that didn’t stop them from getting the ball rolling.

              ‘That worked better than I thought.’ Luke laughed. ‘Have fun today, and be careful in that thing,’ he warned. Melissa told him not to worry; she would take very good care of her new toy. There was a part of her that felt a need to decide on a career path of her own. Living off Luke was nice but she wanted to be someone, and provide for him. They were equals and that meant she should earn her own money. The pay-off had set them up nicely and money wasn’t an issue. But that wasn’t the point. It wouldn’t last forever, and she wanted Luke to be proud of her. Her master plan would have to wait. Lyla was her next mission, and she wasn’t looking forward to it.

*****

‘I need your help?’ Lyla said as she settled into the passenger seat. She waved at Zac who was having a cigarette outside the hotel. He looked happy despite his current situation. Melissa waved as he came over to the window and asked her to get Luke to call him when he could to discuss a few things. Zac wanted his advice on what to do next and Melissa promised she would. He leaned in the window to kiss Lyla before they headed off. Once they were safely away Lyla started sobbing. Melissa wanted to take her back, not wanting to hear the story. She didn’t want to know but at the same time she knew Lyla needed help. They drove to a quiet spot and parked overlooking a lake. Apart from an elderly couple feeding the ducks they were alone.

              ‘OK. Talk to me. What is going on?’ Melissa knew the answer but was hoping she was wrong and had misunderstood.

              Lyla screamed into her hands, shaking her head and making Melissa feel her stomach knotting up. ‘I can’t say it. I’ve kept this a secret so long. If I say it then it’s making it real.’ 

              Melissa took her hand gently, urging her to tell her the full story. ‘You can trust me. I promise you I will help you.’

              ‘I’m scared you’ll hate me. I think the world of you and I don’t want to lose you.’

              Melissa calmly assured her that wouldn’t happen. ‘I think I have an idea what it is. Jay-Den Lake. I’m right, something happened between you two?’

              Lyla took several deep breaths before finally telling the full story of how Jay-Den had filled her head with promises, all the money that she and her boyfriend could have. He had spotted them at a club in Islington supporting another band. They had caught his eye but so had she. Later, after he had engineered a meeting outside where she was alone, he had done his friendly act. Given his number to her and told her to get the boys to call him. A week later they were inside Sky Storm: such an exciting day turned her life upside down. Megan had shown Lyla around while Zac and his band discussed things with Jay-Den. Once they had emerged from the meeting, all excited at the prospect of signing a deal, it was their turn for the tour. Jay-Den suggested she waited with him in his office. It was then he had offered her a choice.

              ‘No, Lyla, darling, please tell me you said no.’ Melissa sighed and held Lyla’s hand tighter, feeling physically sick. Lyla held onto her, pleading with her eyes for some miracle to change what she had done. Once was all he had asked for, but it was a lie. In fact if she didn’t meet with him on request, Zac and his band were done.

              ‘Lyla, I can make them, or break them. It’s your choice,’ she said mimicking his voice perfectly. ‘Always while Zac was away. It was so easy for him to engineer everything. He controlled everything.’

              Melissa watched as Lyla pulled a little silver box from her pocket and held it to her nose. She sniffed the white powder quickly up her nose before putting it back in her pocket. ‘Lyla,’ Melissa hissed, shocked.

              ‘This is his fault. My drug habit is all down to him. I’d never done any of it before. It was the only way I could get through it. The only way I could let him touch me. Then the guilt became too much so it became a daily thing to block it out.’ It was another lie she was keeping from her boyfriend. ‘I’ve become a lying druggie whore,’ she sobbed. ‘Nineteen and my life is a mess. The drugs alone will upset Zac. He hates drugs, won’t touch them. He never has, and after what happened to Luke he never will.’ Her eyes were empty, Melissa noticed. ‘He adores Luke…’ she trailed off looking exhausted but something in her eyes told Melissa that wasn’t everything. She was holding back on something else.

              ‘You might as well tell me everything,’ Melissa urged.

              ‘That first day at the record label when Zac was being shown around.’ Lyla stopped to take a breath. ‘That was the first time. I took less than five minutes to decide. I felt like I had no choice.’ She had undressed and let Jay-Den do what he wanted right there in the office. ‘He said if I didn’t he would spread horrible lies about Zac, about all of them. He called Megan and told her to make sure they had seen everything, and introduce them to all the staff, giving him time. Then he locked the door and I was trapped.’ Lyla suddenly leapt from the car and was sick in a nearby bush.

              Melissa watched her going to pieces and realised she was crying too, her cheeks wet with tears. All she could think of was how scared Lyla must have been. How awful it must have been to keep such a secret, one that she couldn’t ever tell, not at the time. How lonely she must have felt.

              Once Lyla had composed herself and got back into the car Melissa held her arms open and let her fall into them. She let her cry all the tears she needed to, whispering words of comfort. Her anger and fury towards that vile human being had just heightened. ‘I’m so sorry. That man is beyond vile. You have to tell Zac. I’m sorry – I know you don’t want to hear it but you have to tell him.’ She felt Lyla nod. It was the only thing left before it destroyed her even more.

              ‘It’s going to hurt him so much. I’m going to lose him forever,’ she sobbed.

              Melissa offered to go with her. Lyla declined the offer, purely because she wanted to spare Zac from having an audience when she shattered his world.

              ‘Thanks for listening. Can I call you later?’

              ‘Of course. I want to know you’re OK. It’s the right thing to do. He deserves the truth.’ Melissa drove her back to their hotel and left her to face up to her actions.

*****

Zac and the rest of Silver Daggers were sat waiting for Lyla’s return. They were busy making plans for their comeback when she walked into the hotel bar. Her heart collapsed as she took in his lovely face, his blonde curls that clustered around his face, and big brown eyes that always seemed to light up when he saw her. He was leaning against the bar, his classic guitar hanging from his shoulder, laughing with his guitarist Danny, who saw her and waved her over. Danny’s long thin arms waved frantically, he was so pleased to see her. These were her best friends.

              ‘Hi, babe,’ Zac said as he put his arm around her. She tensed. ‘Nice time with Lissa?’ He stopped as he noticed her puffy eyes. ‘Have you been crying?’

              ‘I need to talk to you, alone…’ she said, looking at the floor. She took his hand, and led him back to their room where she ripped his heart clean open.’

‘You know, I’m not sure if I preferred the old Allie or the new one,’ Cassie commented to her bass player Jo-Jo, who was tapping on her phone. She was texting Tom, her boyfriend and bass player for The Black Eagles. Jo-Jo felt a little bad that his career was at a standstill and hers was going strong, and Cassie knew she worried about it, a lot. Jo-Jo looked up, smiling.

              ‘She’s just happy. Let her be,’ Jo-Jo said as she threw herself onto the sofa in their dressing room, which was littered with an array of girly belongings – make-up, hair products and, of course, wine and bottles of water, which Cassie had requested. Lots of it. Cassie wasn’t much of a drinker these days. After recent events she wanted to always be on her guard, and she didn’t drink before a show any more, to protect her voice. If Luke could be duped and treated in such a terrible way, so could she, and she wanted to be sure her girls were safe at all times. Cassie nodded, knowing it was true.

              Allie had changed in the last six months, and in a good way. The stress of Luke’s disappearance, and all that went with it, had shocked and upset all involved. Allie had suddenly decided that she was going to sort herself out. If Melissa could get through all the bad things that had happened to her, and still be standing strong, then so could she. She could stop being so lazy and lose some weight. It had been a battle she had always lost. Since the age of fourteen Allie had never been smaller than a size sixteen and had never really had long hair. Always short. Her natural hair colour was light brown, but it was rare you ever saw it. She had gone down two dress sizes and her hair was longer, just below her shoulders and dyed orange. It suited her.

              Cassie and Jo-Jo hadn’t been bothered by her appearance. She was their Allie, and they loved her, but it had begun to bother
her
, so they had encouraged her mission. The change in appearance wasn’t what concerned Cassie. It was her new-found relationship with the guitarist of their support act, Shadowed Faces, that bothered her. What if she got hurt and it made things awkward on the road. There was something about Nathan that made Cassie uneasy, and she knew things were not going to end well. The problem was that Allie was happy and really liked him. She could see Nathan liked Allie but he also looked at Jo-Jo in a way Cassie didn’t like, and she seemed to have been the only one who had noticed it. She didn’t want any drama. There had been enough of that lately, and she wasn’t available for any more. She also didn’t want to have to kick someone’s ass, but she would if there was a need. The tour was barely two weeks old and she was on edge. A feeling in her gut told her Nathan was bad news. Their relationship seemed to be running at full speed in such a short space of time.

              ‘I know, but she’s so…girly lately,’ Cassie joked.

              ‘That’s true. Who stole our drummer?’ Jo-Jo laughed. Cassie sat next to Jo-Jo, and asked how things were back home.

              ‘OK. Tom says Luke’s called a meeting about their next step.’ Cassie laughed as Jo-Jo flicked her hair out of her eyes, Luke Black style.

              ‘They’re going to be fine – it’s fucking Luke. He’ll get those boys back out there,’ Cassie assured her. ‘They won’t be down for long.’

              ‘I know. Tom’s missing it all. And you know what he’s like with his feelings. He won’t ever say, won’t want to pressure Luke. Cassie, he fucking misses being on the road so much. It’s killing him.’ Jo-Jo was the only person Tom would talk honestly to. ‘So for the first time in ages he has a little hope. Fingers crossed.’ Jo-Jo crossed her fingers, and held them up. 

              ‘If Luke’s called a meeting, then it can only mean one thing. Don’t forget that out of all those boys, Luke is the worst when it comes to music, and being on the road. If it’s getting to the others, you can bet it’s ripping him apart too, and if that’s the case we know Melissa will make sure Luke is happy.’

              Jo-Jo smiled and her faced showed a little relief. Cassie was completely right of course, and just to make sure things were moving forward, Cassie grabbed her phone and sent Luke a text.

              ‘This meeting better be about you Eagles getting the fuck back out there. I need you back, and the chart wars are so boring and easy these days.’

              His response was: ‘You’d better get ready Boyd. We’re going to knock you right off your throne.’

              It sparked a long battle of words and even his text messages were a sign. ‘He’s getting cocky. He’s totally making a comeback. Cheeky swine.’ His last message was almost over the line even for friends, and made Cassie smile. That’s my Luke, she thought.

              Jo-Jo felt relieved as this confirmed what they had all been waiting for. Her text to Tom said, ‘Good luck and I’m missing you. Love you, Loser, xx’ The trouble was that she could understand completely how he felt. She couldn’t imagine how it would feel to have it all one day, and then have it all taken away the next.

*****

The hotel security dragged the raging Zac from the room. His bands mates looked confused as they took in a sobbing Lyla and a raging Zac. The close couple had gone from perfectly happy to complete war in a matter of minutes.

              ‘How could you do it?!’ Zac raged, his fury at its peak.

              ‘I’m sorry. I’m sorry,’ Lyla wailed back.

              ‘We are done!’ he screamed at her, and her world finally collapsed. Zac screamed to his bandmates that he didn’t want her anywhere near him.

              Danny, who had known Zac and Lyla since school, looked at her, the question in his eyes. She couldn’t look at him. Even the floor seemed to be frowning at her in disgust. He moved back into the room where she collapsed into his arms with guilt and grief. ‘I’m sorry. I’m sorry,’ was all that she could manage to get out.

              ‘What the hell have you done?’ Danny asked. The shouting from Zac from the hallway wasn’t getting any quieter. His next comment about how Melissa Webb had kept her knickers on, why hadn’t she, caused Danny to tense up, and he let go of his friend. ‘You didn’t, did you?’ he hissed, backing away from her. Suddenly the room was filled with his other bandmates, all looking at her in disgust. They were shocked, outraged, but mainly hurt by her actions. ‘You didn’t believe in us?’ Danny snapped. He stood looking at her like an extra from
Quadrophenia
, a mod and proud. ‘You slept with that piece of scum for a contract. Thanks, Lyla, for the belief in us.’

              ‘I do! You know I do!’ she cried.

              ‘Yeah, looks like it, babe,’ Jez their drummer snapped from the doorway.

              Danny told them all to leave so he could just have a minute on his own with her. They happily left, slamming the door as they did so.

              ‘You should have said no, should have told us. Why didn’t you?’ he demanded after she had explained the full story to him.

              ‘I was scared. He was so clever at it, made me think it was the only way. I was stupid. I know that. Once it started I couldn’t stop it. Danny, he made threats all the time about doing horrible things to you guys. Make up vile stories and put it in the press. He was going to blame Zac for the whole Kelsey thing. I tried to stop it. I really did. He wouldn’t let me go. You and Zac are everything to me. He’s my life and you’re my best friend. Please don’t leave me…please…’

              Danny paced the room as he thought about his next move. ‘We’d have told him to stick his contract if we’d known. You didn’t have to do that. You’ve humiliated us. Do you have any idea how this makes us feel? Everything we had was a lie…’

              Lyla grabbed his hand. ‘No, it wasn’t. You deserved it. You’re amazing. I’ll do anything to make it right, anything.’

              Danny pulled his hand from hers without meeting her gaze. ‘I don’t think there is anything you can do to make this better. Not only have you stomped on us as a band, you cheated on Zac, after everything you two have been through. After all he went through with his mum and you do this to him. Do you even realise how many women he could have had? He chose you every time. Nice way to pay him back for being loyal to you.’ Danny was more hurt for Zac, and he knew he would have to pick up the pieces and he hated her for it. He wanted to understand, to blame Jay-Den for it all, but she’d had a choice and she’d chosen the wrong one. She hadn’t trusted them enough to tell them what was happening and had let them walk around like the next best thing, thinking they had made it. It was gut wrenching knowing that was nothing but a lie. He couldn’t forgive her and he doubted Zac would be able to either. There was nothing more to say to her. He left her alone and devastated. Even as he left the room her sobs tore at his heart. He had always been there when she had needed him and the instinct was still there deep down, but the hurt and betrayal overpowered that and he kept on walking.

              At the entrance to the hotel he was met by a furious and devastated Zac who turned and said ‘I don’t want to hear what she said. Not interested in anything that bitch has to say.’

*****

Luke knew the boys wanted the band back, gigging, writing, anything. They didn’t want to pressure him, but deep down he knew they were getting worried and frustrated. It showed all over Dale’s face every time the subject was mentioned. He had a baby on the way. Security was his priority now.

              ‘Big man, you ready?’ Luke said, breaking the silence. Toby looked at each of his bandmates – Luke, Tom and then Dale. There was a hope in their eyes that Toby, and Luke for that matter, would finally say the words they had been praying for.

              Toby stood up, and took a deep breath before speaking. ‘I’m still so angry, even though Jay-Den is paying for what he’s done. It will never be enough. The fact that I can’t issue my own punishment pisses me off. He ordered my girlfriend’s murder, ripped us off, and he nearly raped and killed Liss...’ They all heard Luke suck in his breath at the mention of Melissa and he smashed his fist on the table. He felt that same rage. ‘Sorry to bring that up, pal. Megan is the only good thing that came out of signing with that fucking label. He nearly murdered her. We can’t ever have…’ he trailed off and took some deep breaths to stop the tears he could feel forming. ‘But he’s taken so much from us already. He isn’t having this. So yeah I am fucking ready. Let’s rise the fuck up, out of the ashes and come back, bigger, better and fucking more badass than we were before. Make him and everyone who’s written us off swallow their words and make a stand against rats like him. That we won’t be beaten down or forced out of this world. We’ve done nothing wrong and it’s time to get back out there and see our fans. You know what I’ve been thinking lately?’ Everyone looked at him, smiles forming on their faces. Toby was now standing on Luke’s coffee table, yelling like an emotional speaker in a movie. Tom gestured for him to continue. ‘We have some young fans and some could be vulnerable in this shithole of a world. I want to give a message that they are worth more than money and greed. Let’s teach these kids that nobody has the right to treat them like shit or for them to lie down and take it. No. Stand up, fight back and be something. Fuck who those pricks are or how much money they have or power. It doesn’t matter. Melissa’s a tiny little thing and she brought down an entire corporation because she stood up for what was right and never gave up.’ He looked at Luke, choked. ‘She never gave up on you or us, not for a second, and I think we can all learn from that little, precious girl. I’m so proud to call her my friend.’

              Luke jumped up next to him, smiling like the old Luke. Dale looked at his best friend and smiled too, the fire in Luke’s eyes was back. ‘I couldn’t have said it better. Toby just made the perfect speech and I can only add that you’ve shown such loyalty to me and Melissa that it’s time I stopped fucking about and sorted out my shit. So, boys’—Luke pointed at Dale and Tom—‘Are you ready to fuck up the charts again? Some bands have been getting way too comfortable.’

              They opened beers and rolled a joint to celebrate. The discussion moved onto which record label to choose. Several had been in touch and Echo’s label were definitely interested. Luke promised he would make some calls in the morning, and see what got put on the table. For the first time in months he was happy and excited about getting back to normal. A thought struck him, and he leapt up from the chair and ordered everyone to, ‘Get their shit together and head to Toby’s, pronto, for band practice.’ They took their orders and were just leaving as Melissa returned home. She had that look on her face that Luke didn’t like. The one she would have when she had heard something upsetting.

              ‘What’s happened?’ Luke asked.

              ‘Where are you going?’ she asked instead of answering his question. Luke told her about their decisions about the band, which of course she was thrilled with. She frowned, for several reasons. She was sad over Lyla and she was about to give them some news that would bring them down from their high. The others had stopped halfway out of the door. Melissa looked shell-shocked. ‘I’m sorry, boys, but can you put your plans on hold, just for one more day,’ she pleaded.

              ‘Liss, what’s wrong?’ Luke took her hand and pulled her to him.

              ‘Oh, you know, the usual, Jay-Den fucking Lake.’

              Toby turned suddenly and headed for Melissa. ‘What’s the prick done now? He’s locked up. He is still locked up, right?’ Toby checked, suddenly in a panic that Jay-Den had somehow been freed. Melissa quickly assured him that was not the issue.