Page 22 of The Drummer

“Fine, why?”

Instinctively, I shut off my phone and shove it in my gig bag beside a crate. I feel Marcus studying me like he caught me with stolen contraband instead of inappropriate lyrics about a woman I’ve known for five whole minutes.

“Let’s do this!” Eli bellows, ending the awkward moment.

He and Sweeny join us to prepare for our entrance, and I plaster a smile on my face.

For the next two hours we pretend all this shit still means something.

We’rethirty-six minutes into an interview at a luxury hotel in L.A., and my brain is exploding. Eli and Sweeny have had to field most of the questions, because I can’t get my head out of a different hotel suite on the other side of the country.

It’s been four days since I saw Luke. Four days of lying to my bandmates, acting like nothing’s changed when my entire universe has been shoved off-axis. Nothing is right anymore. Nothing makes sense, and I?—

“Casey, you’ve been quiet,” the journalist says, drawing me back to my present hell. “This next one is for you.”

I return a tight smile as dread pools in my stomach. I begged TJ to postpone this interview, but the Label wouldn’t have it. Supposedly, this feature in Songset Magazine is going to be the catalyst that propels us back to the top. I would have laughed when he said that if… Wait, no. I did laugh. Which is why he’s still pissed at me.

Our manager blasts me with a warning look from where he’s leaning against a wall behind the journalist.

I divert my gaze back to the other probing stare locked on me.Kara Corbin.This woman has made plenty of careers. Ruined plenty more. Only Mila Taylor did more damage to us after what happened a year ago, and I still don’t understand why the Label thought a feature written by the industry’s queen of shit-stirring was a good idea.

Redemption arcs only work if all parties are on the same page. Based on the direction of this interview, we’re in different libraries.

“Your fall from grace has been well-publicized over this past year.” Her tone isn’t exactly smug, but it isn’t exactlynot.I lockmy glare behind a bored expression. “What are you doing to make yourself relevant again?”

The blow hits hard and fast. Even TJ winces as he turns a pleading look on me.

My fist clenches in my lap. Maybe I’m even more annoyed at her attempt to be delicate. Not sure why the hell they’d start now after ripping me and my life apart for the last twelve months.

“You mean are we planning to relaunch a new brand without Luke or are we going to continue limping along as a pathetic shadow of our former glory?” I fire back.

“Casey…” TJ warns.

My bandmates fidget uncomfortably beside me.

“What? That’s what she’s really asking, isn’t it?”

She returns a casual shrug. “Sure, that’s one aspect. Don’t you think your fans deserve to know what the future holds? There are rumors you’re planning to walk away from Night Shifts Black to pursue other projects.”

The room goes still. All eyes lock on me with silent horror and betrayal.

“I never said that. Not once,” I hiss. “Who told you that?”

Her eyes bore into me. “So it’s not true.”

“No. Of course not.”

“So you’re writing new music for Night Shifts Black?”

“I…” Everyone is looking at me. My heart slams against my ribs. Pressure builds around my eyes, my chest.

Think!

God, I just want to melt into this couch and disappear.

“Casey? Are you writing new music for Night Shifts Black? It’s a simple question.”

Kara’s accusatory gaze slices into me, already flashing with the cruel glint of victory.

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