Page 46 of The Bitter Words

“When nobody goes to one of your gigs, it’ll be embarrassing for you.” He pats her on the shoulder in a patronizing way. “It’s okay, maybe something better will come along.”

“I guess that means you’ll be in the same boat.” She starts to strut away.

Bren stops her by hurrying in front of her. “What are you saying?”

The worried tone in Bren’s question tells me I’m going to hate her answer, and he knows what she’s alluding to. It hits me just as she says it.

“Leon said he would make me Mayhem’s opening act.” She gestures to the other room. “We’ve been recording an album for a while. It’s almost done. Once you guys finish laying your tracks, we’ll be touring together. Leon said at the very least I could count on the North American leg.”

Oh, fucking no way. I lose my breath and stumble.

Bren races to my side. “Don’t let her get to you.”

My world turns upside down and inside out. “Bren…”

“I always have such a good time when we spend time together, Livianna. Thanks for setting the New Year’s Eve mood.” She sways off, laughing as she does.

“Ah fuck, Livianna. I didn’t know.” Bren runs a wary gaze over me. “You don’t happen to have any of your anxiety medication with you?”

“No.” My limbs go numb. “What Zara said. Can that be true?”

“I don’t know.” He takes my hand and leads me down a hallway.

He checks different spaces and opens closed doors, looking for a place to take me while I try to remain standing. If Zara is going out on tour with them…

Dammit!

I thought it was bad when I knew Callum would be on the road with strange women throwing themselves at him. Zara being there every night is a nightmare come true.

My mind races, trying to figure out a way to stop it from happening.

Bren takes us to a pantry near the garage. “Here. Let’s go inside and I’ll help you out.”

“How?” I go into the room and lean against a large wooden barrel. “There’s no way to make this something I can handle.”

He digs into his pants pocket and pulls out a metal cigarette case. “This is better than nothing.”

“What is it?”

He clicks a button on the side and it pops open. “I have a couple of joints in here that we can smoke.”

“But I haven’t used in a long time.”

“You have any other ideas?”

“No.” I gaze over at him as he lights one up and takes a hit.

He hands it to me while keeping the pot trapped in his lungs. I hesitate, but I need something to calm the heaviness that fills my every cell.

I pinch it between my thumb and index finger and watch the paper and weed burn down as I take a deep inhale. I hold it in while the joint quickly diminishes into a small blunt.

Bren releases a puff of smoke. “That’s some wicked shit. You might not need much.”

I let the effects take hold and exhale. I cough when I do.

“You okay?” He takes back the weed and does more.

“Yeah. It’s just been a while.” My body starts to float and my thoughts quiet down.