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“Once again, no comment,” I grit out, holding onto the arms of the chair so tightly they could snap under my grip. I look out the window in search of Arun, hoping to see he’s listening and will come in and put a stop to this interview, but he’s nowhere to be found.
“Now life on the road, I bet that’s the best.” The guy leans back in his chair, a dreamy look on his face. “Booze, women, money, the world on your fingertips. Every man's dream! Is that not a buzzkill being tied down to someone?”
“We’ve all had relationships while being on the road before,” Nikolai jumps in, sensing my impending explosion and trying to diffuse. “It’s not a buzzkill when you’re with the right person.”
The guy pounces on Nikolai, finally joining the conversation. “But didn’t you break up with your most recent fling right before the tour? The vixen caused quite the stink about it.” He smiles, and my skin feels gross watching it, desperately in need of a shower after being in the presence of this guy.
Nikolai sucks on his teeth, and I can see the internal debate on his face of whether or not he wants to dredge that mess up again.
“No comment,” he says.
“You guys are no fun.” The interviewer waves a hand at us. “Okay, let’s see what else we got here…” he trails off, looking down at a computer in front of him, likely stocked full of notes that some poor, underpaid intern put together that he didn’t even bother to look at before coming in here with us.
“So it looks like there is a source close to the situation has not only confirmed everything in the article, but has also added that Scarlett in fact frequents outings with your band and the crew on tour to clubs and bars for afterparties.”
What the hell is he talking about? What close source to the situation?
“Has she slipped up in her—”
“Don’t finish that fucking sentence.” I jump to my feet, seething, headphones crashing against the table. How dare he question her sobriety when I know Scar holds such pride in it. “You keep her name out of your fucking mouth or I promise I’ll knock every last one of your goddamn teeth down your throat.”
The sick fuck smiles at me, enjoying my reaction, and I immediately regret giving him exactly what he wanted. Without another word, I turn and storm out of the studio, making my way back to the front of the building and pushing open the doors, welcoming the bitter April air as it hits my skin.
I close my eyes, trying to calm my heart rate and focus on the sounds of the city, letting the distraction of car horns and chatter drown out my anger.
“You okay?” I hear behind me, and look over my shoulder to see Hayden walking out, Nikolai and Reid right behind him.
I shake my head, still too angry to speak.
“Dude’s a total dick,” Nikolai mutters, stuffing his hands in his baby blue jacket. The color matches his eyes and I didn’t miss the way the young woman who got us coffee when we arrived also took notice of it.
Nikolai didn’t either.
“You shouldn’t have lost it on him; he was just doing his job,” Reid says, glaring at me.
“Woah,” Hayden says at the same time Nikolai scolds, “Reid.”
I cock my head to the side, jaw clenched so tight my teeth could crack.
“We’ve all had questions asked that we don’t like before, but none of us have ever been so unprofessional to storm out mid-interview,” Reid says.
“Are you serious?” I scoff. “I’m unprofessional? That asshole in there was unprofessional.” I point my finger at the building. “And I’m so sorry that for once in the ten fucking years we’ve been doing this, I didn’t carry that entire goddamn interview and cover for your ass when you didn’t feel like talking. I’m always the one trying to keep us on track, promote our music, divert the attention when it gets uncomfortable for one of us, and the one time I needed you to step up and do your fucking job, you sat there watching him pick Scar apart when she’s not here to defend herself.”
“So I’m supposed to do damage control for your girlfriend's issues?”
“That’s not what I’m asking and you know it!”
“No, I don’t know it.” He closes the gap between us and brings us chest to chest.
My body vibrates with barely restrained rage.
“What I see is someone who was a nobody until she dug her talons into you and now is dragging your name through the mud with her shit and I’m not going to apologize if I’m not going to go to bat for her when it’s probably not going to be long until she starts fucking up her life again.”
My fist flies, connecting hard with the right side of Reid’s face. A splash of red bursts from his lip, and too quickly before I can duck, Reid’s own fist slams into my left cheek, pain instantly ringing through my head.
“Break it up.” Nikolai and Hayden jump in between us, trying to pull us away from each other but they struggle. We’re taller than both of them and I have the most meat on my bones. I manage to sneak another punch over Hayden’s shoulder as he pushes me back and it grazes the front of Reid’s nose but not hard enough to do any damage.
“Stop, man.” Hayden grips my jaw in a forceful clutch, bringing my face to his. My breath comes out in hot bursts, chest heaving. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a few people gathered around on the sidewalk, phones out and directed at us. “Look at me,” he demands, voice brokering no arguments.
