Page 128 of Don't Bang a Bandmate

My band. My family.

Where I’ve always, and will always, belong.

“Then home,” I repeat.

40

BRONSON

Since day one, Jordan Peck has always taken care of us.

So, it came as quite the shock to everyone when we woke up this morning and... she wasn’t there.

For the first time, Criminal Records was on their own.

August met us down in the hotel restaurant, slotting semi-seamlessly into Jordan’s usual duties of getting us prepared for our Boston show. I saysemibecause, while I knew my Jordan had something up her sleeve when she walked out on us with Christian Myers last night, the others did not.

They spent the morning and most of the afternoon in a panic. August did his best to soothe them and answer their questions, but he offered very little in details, sticking to the schedule Jordan left behind.

It’s show night.

And the show goes on,always.

That’s all it came down to, in the end. As much as we needed Jordan — and where the hell did Chrissy run off to? — we have a job to do. We’re going to do it.

At least, that’s what we said as Mac drove us to the venue tonight.

Twenty minutes before showtime, our feeds exploded with the latestGossipaarticle.

SHAKE-UP AT MIDNITE!

PAUL MONROE’S SUGARY PLOT AGAINST CRIMINAL RECORDS EXPOSED!

“The recording provided toGossipaby an anonymous source has been verified by insiders,” Addison reads aloud from her phone, sitting back on the dressing room couch with a wide-eyed Harvey by her side. “A source from Midnite Music has confirmed that Mr. Monroe was fired from his senior position at the company this evening, stating, ‘We trusted Paul to lead this company. To learn that he was willing to sell us out for personal gain is devastating.’” Addison blows a raspberry. “Damn.”

I smile, lightly tapping my drumstick against my knee as I tilt my folding chair back to touch the wall.

She did it. She actually fucking did it.

Jordan took down Paul Monroe.

“Save your sympathy,” Knox says as he adjusts his tie in the mirror. “Guy doesn’t deserve it.”

“New Midnite Music leadership says they’ll be‘re-evaluating’a few of his recent business decisions,” Addison skims out loud, then looks up at Harmony. “Keep an eye on your inbox, babe.”

“Yeah!” Knox grins. “Maybe we’ll get your contract back.”

Harmony paces silently by the door, her chin pinched between two fingers. “Maybe,” she says, seemingly far less giddy about the news than he is.

“As of posting, Sugar Sound has withdrawn their offer to Mr. Monroe, but has refused to comment,” Addison reads.

Jonah exhales hard. “That says everything, anyway,” he says from his seat on the opposite couch next to Katrina.

“Yeah,” Katrina says. “No kidding.”

“You thinking this was Logan?” Jonah asks Knox.

“Could be,” Knox answers. Satisfied with his look for the moment, he plops onto the vanity stool and faces us. “Who else had a grudge against Monroe?”

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