Page 57 of The Publicity Stunt

"You told someone who does. Hasn't she been humiliated enough? She didn't deserve that. Especially from you."

"You don't understand, Bobby. I swear, I'm going to murder Rudy and beat the living shit out of my supposed best friend. This can't be happening. What the fuck did they do?"

One of the other security guards, Kace thinks is named Randy, steps forward. "Are you upset you've lost Bri or upset the attention turned bad?"

"I don't give a flying fuck about the attention. If she wanted to stop performing music and write songs for other artists like she's talked about, I'd still want to be with her. Her celebrity status doesn’t matter. It's not how I determine who I want to sit at my table. She's one of the best people I've ever met, and that's what I care about."

"Probably should've told your friend that, huh?" Bobby says. "I'd suggest you leave before I find that bat I promised you. Wasn't planning on having to end your career today, so I'm not what one would call prepared."

Kace knows the man wouldn't hesitate, and if he didn't need them to murder the captain of his team, he might just let him. Sighing, he walks to his waiting car and takes off.

Bri's last show happened to be just outside Moose Jaw, and the stars have aligned to have Brett in town because he plays the Bootleggers tomorrow night. Well, supposed to. All three of them will either be in the morgue, hospital, or jail.

Pulling into the driveway of Rudy's rental only three streets away from Kace’s, he sees Brett sitting on the front porch. He planned to visit him next, so this works out perfectly. One burst of energy to take everyone out.

"Kace, listen to me-"

"How could you do this?" Kace shouts as he climbs out of the vehicle. "Forget about me because right now, we're not friends. But you know her! You know her character, and you know she didn't deserve that!"

Brett pushes Kace backwards. "I'm sorry, okay? We were drinking the other night, and it slipped out. But I never thought he'd go public with the information."

"Have you met that asshole? He'll do anything and everything to toss me under a bus. But you told him how the relationship with her started, but you never got the full story. How it stopped being fake, and how I fucking fell in love with her."

Freezing, Brett stares at him. "You're in love with her?"

"Yeah, and I planned to tell her on Christmas morning when I gave her the gift I got her while the rest of the family tears open their presents. But with how I feel right now, after listening to her cry of pain filling the hallway as her security team escorted me from the stadium, you're gonna want to get out of my way. We watched his little interview, and I plan to shed blood. Truth of the matter is, I don't give a fuck if it's just his or both of yours."

"Kace-"

Pushing Brett to the side, he takes the steps two at a time and pounds on the door. Rudy answers, a smug look on his face. "Hello, Kace. What a surprise."

Kace's fist hits Rudy square in the nose, knocking him backwards. Blood appears, and he wants more. Much more. "I said we were done before, but we're really fucking done now. You took Sasha, which, whatever. I don't give a shit anymore. I planned to talk about making amends, but now? Now I plan to bury you in your goddamned backyard."

"Such a tough guy, Kace Lyons," Rudy says and grabs a towel to wipe his nose.

"Why can't you just let me be happy?" he shouts and lunges at his teammate.

Brett grabs him and pulls him back. Rudy shouts, "Like you couldn't let me be happy with Amanda? I planned to marry that girl!"

Both Brett and Kace freeze as Kace stares at Rudy. "Amanda?"

"You knew I was in love with her, but she dumped me. For you."

"Who the fuck is Amanda?" Kace asks, pushing Brett off him.

"You don't even remember the women you fuck?"

Kace looks at Brett for any insight information, but he shakes his head, equally confused. "No, I remember every single woman I've ever slept with. Well, except that one chick from freshman year and that wild party I got drunk for the last time at. Wait, is this about the chick I slept with over a decade ago? You've been holding onto something that long?"

"No, not the chick in college. Amanda Summers."

"The girl you dated last year?"

"Yes!"

He shakes his head. "I never slept with her. I never even met her. Until right fucking now, I didn't even know her last name."

"She said you two hooked up at the last party we all went to in Galveston at that bar downtown. That's why I stopped celebrating with you two," Rudy says. "All I wanted to do was murder you."

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