Page 13 of Busted String

His father’s eyes narrowed. “Your life? Look at you. You’re a failure. Everything you touch turns to ash.”

“That’s not true,” Jace shot back, his voice rising. “I’m doing my best. You never see that, do you?”

“Your best is pathetic,” his father sneered. “You were a mistake. I wish you were never born.”

The words hit Jace like a physical blow. He stood up, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. “You don’t mean that.”

“Oh, but I do,” his father said, his voice dripping with venom. “You’re nothing but a burden.”

Before Jace could react, his father’s fist connected with his jaw, sending him stumbling back. The entire coffee shop fell silent, all eyes on the unfolding drama.

The manager rushed over, stepping between them. “Sir, you need to leave now,” he said firmly to Jace’s father. “Or I’ll call the police.”

His father glared at the manager but turned and stormed out of the shop. The manager turned to Jace. “Are you okay?”

Jace nodded numbly. Inside he felt shattered. The words, the punch, the public humiliation—it was too much. He felt destroyed, unloved, andutterly alone. He mumbled a thank you to the manager and left the coffee shop, his mind a whirlwind of pain and confusion.

He wandered aimlessly until he found himself at a bar. He needed something stronger than coffee to numb the ache in his chest. As he ordered a drink, he couldn’t shake the feeling of being what his father had called him, unwanted, a burden. The bar’s dim lighting and the hum of conversation did nothing to lift the heavy weight of his father’s words from his heart.

Chapter Eight

Nico

Nico began swearing under his breath when Jace walked out of the room, then got louder. “What the fuck is wrong with him? He’s putting the band at risk. He knows how important these gigs are for us. He’s so damn immature.”

“He’s upset, Nico,” Sammie said. “This is his hometown. Lots of shit went down here. He’s a walking wounded boy right now. He needs your love.”

“He’s messed up right now. Straighten him out before Black Rock,” Mark said.

“Let’s look for him,” Sammie suggested.

“You two rest for tonight. I’ll find his stupid ass.” Nico left the hotel in search of Jace. He checked into a nearby coffee shop, but unfortunately, he didn’t see him anywhere. As he looked around, his eyes landed on a lively bar, neon lights beckoning. Of course, he’d find a bar to drink his anger away. Hopefully, Jace wouldn’t be too wasted to play and sing tonight.

Nico’s heart pounded as he pushed through the swinging doors of Henry’s Bar. The dim, smoky atmosphere was a stark contrast to the bright, sterile hallways of their hotel. He scanned the crowd, his eyes finally settling on Jace, seated at the end of the bar, engaged in conversation with a beer in his hand. At least he wasn’t smoking. Despite California’s ban on smoking in public buildings, this bar still allowed patrons to light up. Nico despised the acrid smell of smoke, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

As Nico approached, he couldn’t help but notice the dark bruise on Jace’s jawline. His stomach churned. What could have caused such an injury?

“Jace, we need to go,” Nico said. “The gig’s tonight.”

Jace glanced up, startled. “Yeah, I know. Just finishing up this conversation.”

Nico watched as Jace said goodbye to his friend and followed him out of the bar. As they walked back to the hotel, Nico couldn’t shake a feeling of dread. He had to know who had hurt Jace and why.

“Jace, what happened to your face?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Jace hesitated, his eyes darting away. “It’s nothing. Just a small accident.”

Nico wasn’t convinced. “I can see it wasn’t an accident. Tell me what the hell happened.”

Jace sighed, his shoulders slumping. “My dad…he punched me.”

Nico’s blood ran cold. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Did you visit your dad?”

“No, he found me in a coffee shop.”

“What? Why would he do that?”

Jace shrugged. “Just a disagreement.”

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