Page 78 of The Final Deal

“Even though we’ve all agreed to take a short break to focus on business and personal matters, the next album is in the works,” Stephani says. “Who knows, maybe we’ll have a release party at the new venue and perform the new tracks on San Antonio’s newest stage.”

Metal Music News reached out to Tara and David Wade for comment, but we’re guessing they’ve started retirement with a bang and are enjoying some well-deserved time off.

Chapter 31

Through the Looking Glass

–Sleepwave

Every year,three hundred and sixty-four days all culminate in the biggest New Year’s party special for metalheads.

This year, it’s the most important event that everything hinges on.

New Year’s Ball.

God has a hilarious sense of humor with snow in the forecast; I guess hell is literally freezing over for this special event.

Fine by me—the less I feel, the better I can get the job done.

Each year we book the largest outdoor venue in San Antonio because when would possibly be better than during winter for a huge festival like this in Texas? It might be freezing cold this year, but it sure as shit beats Ozzfest in fucking July.

I shudder from the memory of Texas heat intensifying the overwhelming scent of BO at the last Ozzfest I attended.

But with this year’s crowd being a little larger than usual, I’m already on high alert as I make my way through the crowded venue with a hot coffee in hand. There are murmurs floatingaround, people wondering if something crazy will happen like Tainted Memories’ on-stage suicide.

The back lot is packed to the gills with musicians and their crews interspersed between tour buses and equipment trailers. Various groups chatter, lit up by small and probably illegal fires as they drink or smoke; small crews rush through cleared alleys with guitar boats and cases toward the stage. A couple of buses shake, like people are rocking them back and forth—or somebody’s getting lucky inside.

Boisterous laughter erupts from fifty feet down the way, where guys flail from laughing so hard.

My heart skips a beat at the sight of Zak and Adrian.

They both grin so widely that my chest aches. The golden tooth cap glints in Zak’s mouth before he covers his face from laughing so hard—then something else gold glimmers.

His wedding ring.

My vision clouds until I rapidly blink it away and hone in on Adrian’s hand, where a rose gold ring glints more than the one in his nose.

The exhale that passes my lips shakes in disbelief.

There’s still a chance.

I push onward, searching the sea of people and buses for Abjured until I come across them—only two buses down from where the twins are hanging out. A familiar fluff of curly reddish-brown hair under a baseball cap warns me to turn around now, but Charlie’s face lights up and gives me away as he yells, “Stephani!”

Ty twists his head and peers at me over his shoulder. A bump on the bridge of his nose makes the side of my face throb. For once, he’s not smiling menacingly—probably because today is the day that it’ll finally be drilled into his head that he’s not the one I want and he never has been.

It’s always been Zak and Adrian.

So I force the bitchiest smile I can manage and flip him off with my left hand, where my rings glitter in the dying sunlight and roaring flames of the fire they stand around.

Oohs andouches hum through the small group. Someone pipes up, “Whoa, when’d you get married?”

“Surprised you still are,” Ty says loudly, turning to give me the back of his head. “Thought they woulda dumped a stupid whore like you by now.”

If it wasn’t for my coffee, I would’ve punched him in his fucking head. Oh, wait?—

“Hey, hey, hey,” Charlie calls out, jumping up and hurrying toward me as I begin to raise my cup. He coaxes me away from Ty; I cast him a murderous glare that I know he can feel drilling into his stupid goddamn head.

“Jeez,” he says under his breath. “I’m not too sure Ty’s gonna survive bein’ in business with you.”

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