Page 110 of Places I've Never Been

Adam had wanted her to come with him. He hadn’t meant for her trust to be abused the way it had been, but he couldn’t deny that he did trick her into going. Bile rose in the back of his throat. “I thought we were friends, Lucas. I’ve counted on you since I was seventeen. How could you betray me like this?”

“This isn’t betrayal. This is business.” Lucas glared at him. “Who do you think made sure the last album went triple platinum? How do you think that happened? It sure as hell wasn’t the songs. It was the marketing.”

Lucas pointed at a framed poster on the wall from their last tour. Cooper and Tina were in the center making googly eyes at each other while the rest of the band catcalled from the edges.

“Are you saying that Tina was a setup?” Cooper asked.

“Come on, Coop,” Lucas said with exasperation. “You had to know. You met her atmyparty. Marketing is all about strategy, and that album was full of love songs.”

“You saying youpaidTina to screw him over?” Flynn shoved off the wall and stalked over the desk. “All his women were scams?”

Lucas scoffed. “Of course not. I just documented the inevitable outcome of Cooper’s bad choices. His exploits are all on him.”

“Where’s the rest of the shots?” Adam couldn’t remember ever being this angry, not even when Dad took his guitar to keep him from playing at the prom.

Lucas shrugged. “Donnelly has them. I only buy the ones worth paying for. The rest are his to do with as he sees fit, same as always.”

Adam snarled. “You fucking son of a bitch.”

Cooper put a restraining hand on his arm. “Let’s get out of here, man. He ain’t worth it, and we need to track down Donnelly.”

“Look at these numbers,” Lucas said. He tapped something on the keyboard, then turned the screen toward them. “Your sales are up across the board, and the preorders of that song you haven’t even recorded are through the roof all thanks to the excellent publicity I arranged on your behalf. A little gratitude is in order.”

“Gratitude?” Adam almost choked on the word. “You think we should be grateful for you meddling in our lives like this?”

“Yes. My tactics never bothered you before. You were just fine as long as the money rolled in. So what’s the problem?” Lucas asked.

“The problem is I love her,” Adam roared. “The problem is you just ruined any chance I had to be with her, for the sake of a little fucking publicity.”

Lucas snorted. “Love. Love is nothing but a distraction. Keep your head in the game, son. This is what you said you wanted. I’m handing it to you on a platinum platter. Go back to being the playboy and let me make the sausage.”

Having Lucas dismiss the worst moment of his life with a casual wave of his hand flipped a switch somewhere in Adam’s head. “Don’t bother. You’re fired.”

“You can’t do that.” Lucas spread his hands out in pseudo-apology. “We have a contract.”

“Actually, he can,” Cooper said. “There’s an out clausethat’s pretty damn clear. All it takes is all five of us to agree. Boys, what say you?”

“Fired,” LT said.

“Toast.” Flynn tapped out a quick rhythm on a nearby lamp for emphasis.

Brandon shook his head. “You’re a real piece of work. You have no idea how much of an ass you really are, do you?”

“Yes or no, Brandon?” Adam asked.

“Oh definitely fired.” Brandon wrinkled his nose and stared pointedly at Lucas. “It stinks in here.”

Adam exchanged glances with Cooper, and they all turned and stalked out.

“You’ll be back,” Lucas called after them. “When the numbers tank, you’ll be back in the high school gym, begging me to take you on. I’m the rainmaker.”

“Delusional,” Brandon said.

LT stabbed the elevator call button. “Arrogant bastard. We don’t need him. We never did.”

Adam’s thoughts raced ahead to next steps. “I want The Sniper, and I have to talk to Mattie.”

The elevator doors opened, and they all stepped in.

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