Page 82 of I Would Die for You

“Not even the fact that Ben is making sweet music with someone else?” pipes up Cassie, earlier than she’d intended. “I can’t imagine you being happy with that.”

The crowd titter at the double entendre, but a hushed silence quickly descends as Michael makes a show of turning to look at Ben, forcing him to respond.

“I can’t say I’m surprised that a tabloid hack is misinformed and barking up the wrong tree,” says Ben dourly. “But once again, you’ve not checked your facts.”

“Ohreally?” says Cassie. “Because I have it on good authority that you’ve recorded tracks with an unknown artist called Nicole Alderton.”

Ben’s jaw twitches as he looks out across the packed ballroom, his silence speaking volumes.

“Is that something you’d care to tellallof us about?” asks Michael, sounding as if he was waiting for a reason to put Ben on the spot.

Cassie smiles to herself, grateful for the helping hand, even if it’s being offered by someone who doesn’t yet know that he stands to lose more than anyone.

“If I choose to collaborate with anyone else, it’s not to the detriment of the band,” says Ben, through gritted teeth. “None of us are contractually obliged. We’re all free to pursue our own individual paths…”

Michael laughs inanely. “Ifthatwere the case, I’d be in Guns N’ Roses.” His caustic tone bites through the darkening atmosphere.

Ben throws him a derisory glance, the tension between them palpable.

“What?” Michael snaps, his nostrils flaring. “Do you honestly think I’d be in this shitty band if it weren’t for my loyalty to you and Luke? Though I’m beginning to think that might be misplaced.”

Ben shakes his head. “You aresodeluded.”

“What’sthatsupposed to mean?”

“I’m not going to do this here,” says Ben, looking away.

“OK, guys,” says Luke, laughing nervously as Michael agitatedly clenches and unclenches his fists. “Who’s got a question for us about the tour?”

“No, come on!” barks Michael, ignoring his bandmate’s attempt to defuse the situation. “If you’ve got something to say, say it.” He looks at Ben as if daring him to take him up on his challenge.

Ben’s lips pull tight, as if it’s taking all his restraint not to retaliate. “Do you know what?” he says, going to stand up. “I’m done here.”

“You’redonehere?” mimics Michael, as he raises himself up to full height. “What the fuck isthatsupposed to mean?”

“It means, I’m done with this—I’m done withyou.”

The watching journalists move to the edge of their seats, with poised pens and trigger-happy fingers on cameras, as if waiting for the fight bell to ring.

“You gonna walk out on Secret Oktober, bro?” says Michael, looking to the audience and pulling a face. “Here, in front of the nation’s press?”

“I’m done with you, and I’m done with the band,” says Ben, turning his back to him.

“What do you think you’re playing at?” yells Michael, as if suddenly sensing that he’s serious. “You don’t quit the bandIstarted, the band that’s made you a global fucking superstar, even with your limited talents.”

“The bandwestarted,” says Ben, correcting him. “See, that’s the problem: Your ego has become so oversized that you don’t even know what’s real anymore. You think this is the Michael fucking Delaney show—that we’re all here to whistle to your tune. Well, guess what? I’m not doing it. You can’t pull that shit with me anymore.”

“If you walk away now, you’re going to regret it,” says Michael, taking hold of Ben’s arm.

“Oh yeah?” Ben laughs acerbically. “What you gonna do?”

“I’m gonna fucking kill you.”

As Michael’s furled fist makes contact with Ben’s jaw, the crack reverberates through the speaker system and the audience gasp, first in shock, then in a panicked rush to gather evidence of what must surely be the biggest band fallout in history; it’s certainly the most public.

But Cassie stays where she is, unable to keep the smile from her face as she watches the fuse she lit explode. That was far easier than she thought it was going to be.

43

---