Rad is standing in front of Reed, his finger in his face, and mouthing off to the point that I swear spit is flying into Reed’s space. I haven’t seen him since the night I took his job, and judging by the words he’s shouting at Reed, he still isn’t over it.
Dammit.
Who even let this guy in?
“—You’re nothing, hot shot. Fucking nothing. You’ve always been nothing more than a loser backwoods poser from some poor, bumfuck town in North Carolina,” Rad is spewing. “The only reason this little shit band of yours has any fans is because of me.I’mthe one who made the deals to get us in those clubs.I’mthe one who knew people. What is this little girl bringing to the table that I never did, huh? You sound like a bunch of pussies up there—”
“Whoa, hold the fuck up,” I say, shoving the rest of my way through and stepping between them. “If you have something to say about me, you can say it to my face.”
“It’s okay, Bon,” Reed says. “I can handle it.”
“It’s not o-fucking-kay,” I say, rage overpowering all clear thought. “He doesn’t get to talk to you like that.”
“No? Would you rather I talk toyoulike that?” Rad steps closer to me, head bent as he sizes me up. “You’re a fucking thief. You put something in my drink that night, didn’t you? I was fine until I chatted with you—”
“Excuse me?” I balk.
“You heard me.”
“No, don’t blame me for your mistakes,” I snap.
“You’ve ruined this band. The sound. The gigs. The whole vibe. I had shit lined up. I had us going places. And then you took everything. You tookeverythingfrom me—”
“I didn’t take shit from you,” I argue. “You threw it away the moment you started talking crap about your bandmates to random fucking strangers. You never loved this band. You loved what the rest of the guys could bring you. You lost this band a long time before I ever came along.”
Reed grabs my arm like he’s catching me from stumbling.
“Youdruggedme,” Rad snarls, getting lower into my face. “I know what roofies look like. I know how people act on them—”
“Yeah, is that because of how many women you’ve used them on?” I interject. “Because that’s the only way you’re getting yourfree pussy, right?”
Rad launches spit at my face, and blackout rage sweeps over me.
“You MOTHERF—”
Reed grabs me around the waist as I swing like a feral cat. He hurdles me off the ground, but I’m kicking and scrambling, ready to peel this asshole’s face off if I can get to him.
And Rad laughs.
His laugh is like nails on a chalkboard. It’s a violent shriek bleeding my ears dry.
“What’s the fucking problem?”
Mads’ voice is lethal as he cuts through the crowd.
“Whoa—What the—What the hell are you doing here?
Reed manages to get my arms behind my back, and he pulls me into his chest as Mads comes into the circle with the anger of a bull ready to fight.
“Hey—” Mads snaps at the bartender. “No, this guy isn’t supposed to be in here. Can you call someone? Call Avie?”
“Did you know?” Rad asks him, pointing at me.
“Did I know what?” Mads asks.
“Dude, let it go,” Reed says. “No one put anything in your drink that night.”
“She did. I know she did,” Rad argues.
