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‘She can visit you.’

‘That’s just⁠—’

Rocco raised his hand. ‘And you cut all contact with Frankie. For ever.’

‘No way.’

‘No contact. No letters. No emails. No phone calls. You go and see her one last time and make it understood that you will never see her again; that you’re done with her.’

‘You can keep your fucking song. It’s not worth that.’

Rocco had pushed it too far. Jay was walking down the steps, dabbing at his nose as he left.

‘So, you’re happy to ruin Frankie’s life?’ Rocco called out. ‘You really want that on your conscience? For her to live in your shadow while giving up her own dreams? She’ll end up hating you.’

Rocco had no idea if Frankie would even consider doing any of that, but Jay had stopped walking. Rocco had hit a nerve.

‘And imagine telling your bandmates you can’t use “Twisted Serenade”. That’s the song the record folk like best. What will they think of you if you ruin their chances by not letting them use the song? You might not want fame, but I bet the others do. Wow, you could really screw over everyone.’

Jay turned and stared at Rocco. Jay looked crestfallen and Rocco almost felt sorry for him, but he couldn’t turn back now.

‘And don’t think you can come back in a year or two, or five. You stay away, I’ll never bother you again and you can keep everything you and I ever wrote and played together. But you come back and I’ll sue you for everything and go to every paper and tell them you’re a talentless thief. And I’ll speak to the record company. And it will ruin everything you and your three friends worked for. The harder you work and the bigger you make it, the more you have to lose if you ever renege on this.’

Jay was shaking his head but he looked worried. ‘What if there is no record deal?’ he said.

Knowing Jay’s luck and talent, that wasn’t a likely scenario.

‘There will be another offer. Now you’ve had a glimpse of it, you know you want people to love your music.’ Rocco parodied Jay’s words from moments before. ‘Cut it off with my sister now and never come back and I’ll let you use everything.’

Rocco stared at the guy who’d he’d considered his best friend in the world before twisting the knife by adding, ‘To be honest, you’ve probably read the signals wrong anyway. She sees you as nothing more than a friend and someone to hang about with when she’s at a loose end. We only ever felt sorry for you, because you grew up without a dad.’

In that moment, Rocco hated himself. He knew it was a vile thing to say, especially as it wasn’t true.

Jay struggled for a moment. ‘Fine,’ he said eventually.

‘What was that?’ Rocco goaded, cupping his hand over his ear.

‘I’ll go and speak to Frankie. But not because I’m scared of you. I’ll do this because I love her. She is the best person I know and you don’t deserve her.’ Jay’s voice cracked and he wiped the back of his hand across his eyes and Rocco could have sworn he was crying.

‘One day, I hope Frankie realises what a controlling bastard she has for a brother. I actually feel sorry for you, with your sad little life, forever shagging around, unable to have a proper relationship because every woman will eventually see you for the shallow, talentless piece of blackmailing shit you really are.’

Still dabbing his nose, Jay turned and walked away.

Rocco waited until he heard Jay’s car drive off before he began to cry. Great big, chest-heaving sobs. He slid onto the floor of the bandstand with his back to a pillar, knees pulled to his chest and bawled; for his lost friendship, for Frankie and for the rock star lifestyle he had so desperately wanted that Jay would now get to live.

Rocco eventually went home.

Jay had kept to his part of the deal. Frankie looked devastated and to make matters worse, Frankie was worried for Rocco.

Rocco felt so guilty but reminded himself he was doing it to protect his sister.

The next day Rocco went to a party and flirted his way around the room, getting as many women’s numbers as he could then spent the week sleeping his way through them before university started back. He didn’t need Jay or their stupid band to have a good time.

A few months later, Drive With Care entered the charts and gained a respectable number four position with their first single, “You Know It”. “Twisted Serenade” was their B-side.

Despite fans loving “Twisted Serenade” and it growing a cult status, it was the only song Drive With Care never played again.

CHAPTER 37