"We’re not falling apart," Lily interjects, though I can see the strain in her eyes. "All of us are going to do the best we can, and it has to be enough."
"Well, the best for some of us already isn’t good enough," Enzo snaps, glaring at Jax as he lays in the bed.
"Enough!" I bark, my voice sharp and commanding. "Get your shit together. We leave in twenty."
The room lapses into silence again, the weight of the situation pressing down on all of us. I glance at Jax—pale, drawn, and entirely out of it. The thought of dragging him to the venue in this state fills me with dread, but we don’t have another option. I’m not sure that he can even recall the lyrics to our songs.
Enzo is right. This is a disaster waiting to happen.
Minutes tick by, each one pulling us closer to the inevitable. We move mechanically, preparing as best we can. Dylan throws out half-hearted jokes, but they only grate on everyone’s nerves. Enzo’s frustration bubbles dangerously close to the surface, and Lily clings to her composure with everything she has.
Eventually, we gather in the living room, a strained and somber group.
"We need to get downstairs. The van is here to take us to the venue," I say quietly. "We can’t afford to miss this show."
"Do we need to carry Jax?” Lily asks, her voice trembling.
"It looks like it," I reply grimly. "We are going to need to carry him downstairs, most likely. Our room keys should still work for the service elevator, so at least no one will seeus. Hopefully by the time we get to the venue, he’ll be a little steadier on his feet."
Lily nods and steps aside.
Jax groans as Dylan and I help him to his feet. He’s barely able to stand, and the feeling of a noose tightening around my neck exasperates. Despite the nurse’s reassurances, I can’t shake the feeling that we’re pushing him too far, too soon.
"This is bullshit!" Enzo explodes, his face red with anger as Dylan and I walk past him with Jax slung between us. "He literally can’t even walk, and we’re supposed to drag him along like this?"
"We don’t have a choice," I say firmly.
Enzo throws up his hands, his frustration spilling over. "Fine. But the label is going to be pissed when he can’t fucking perform any of our shit."
I don’t respond. I know he’s right. We all know he’s right.
We move forward regardless, supporting Jax as we shuffle out of the hotel room, every step a reminder of how far things have spiraled out of control. The elevator ride down is stifling, the silence heavy with unspoken fears.
We have no choice but to keep moving forward.
CHAPTER 10
SHATTERED ILLUSION
ENZO
This is a fucking nightmare.Marcus and Dylan struggle to load Jax into the van, and he looks like he’s seconds away from collapsing. The guy can barely stand, let alone perform. I lean against the side of the van, my scowl deepening, patience depleted.
“This is a goddamn joke,” I mutter under my breath. “We can’t drag him around like this.”
Lily shoots me a look. Her eyes are swimming with worry and frustration. Her expression clearly conveying that she thinks I am not helping the situation.
Fuck it, I know I’m not. There is no helping this situation.
“Enzo, we don’t have a choice,” she replies, in a pleading tone.
“Yeah? Well, this is gonna end badly,” I snap back. “And when it does, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
As if to prove my point, Jax suddenly starts retching. Before anyone can react, he vomits all over the van floor,narrowly missing Dylan. Dylan jumps back, his face twisted in disgust and concern.
“Great,” I mutter, rolling my eyes. “Just what we needed.”
Lily looks like she’s on the verge of a mental breakdown, her hands trembling as she pulls tissues from her bag and tries to clean up the mess. I almost feel sorry for her. I almost apologize. But the moment passes before I make up my mind whether I should or not.
