Page 46 of Higher Notes

Like a beacon in the night, you brought the light

How had I gone this long without you

You taught me how to trust again

You taught me how to love

Even when you’re far I can still feel your arms

I can’t imagine my life without you

Now I have you to watch the world with me

The one to share this life with

My light, my life, my every breath

Emptiness filled me until you came along

“What gives?” Marley bitched once the song came to an end.

“What gives? You fuck around and waste time talking about your fucking hook-ups and half-ass play. Have you ever giventhis band a hundred percent or are we just here to fill in the time between nameless fucks for you?”

Harsh? Quite possibly and the fact that Sikes and Snipe now stood beside me told me as much.

“Just because you’re getting laid on the reg doesn’t give you the right to condemn the rest of us.” I lunged at him, but Snipe caught me around the waist and held me back.

“What the fuck, dude?”

“Pull your head out of your ass or I’ll tell Easton to find us another bassist.” The room went silent but all I saw was red. I was over this. We had our big break and I’d be damned if his perpetual hard-on was gonna screw it up for us. “Don’t fuck up the hands that are feeding us. Understood?”

“Yes, Daddy,” the smartass said as he cased his bass and walked away. Had Snipe let go of me I’d have torn Marley a new asshole.

“Jase, you okay?” Nigel asked. Josh stood there blinking, eyes wide like he didn’t know what the fuck to do. “You’re the levelheaded one of us.”

“Mickey said he’s tried to meet up with Marley multiple times and gets no response. I’ll be damned if Marley’s gonna fuck this up for us. We’ve worked too hard for it.”

“Shit, I meet with Diamond at least once a week and when he’s not available we do video sessions. I’m not fucking this up for us or my daughter. It’s too fucking important to me to give her a better life. I’ve, um, I’ve filed for full custody.”

Whoa, that was news to me.

“Shit, man, I hope you get it. You’re a great dad. We’re getting ready to move, you should bring her over more once we get back from the tour so she can play with Nolan and Nicole.” She was only two years younger than them, and she’d have a blast.

“We’d like that.”

“Who’s watching her while we’re on the road?”

“My folks mostly but Diamond and Easton have offered their nanny as well. I’m like you, this gig is far too important across the board, plus being mentored by one of the greats is off the charts awesome. You’re right, Jase, we worked far too hard for one loose cannon to fuck it up for all of us.”

“Word!” Josh added. “I thought I’d be the one to fuck it up for sure. Glad I pulled my head out of my ass and that you guys took a chance on me. I love you guys like brothers.”

“Same and I was a total dick to you when we first met. Glad Jason saw what I didn’t, and I get to call you friend.” Josh and Nigel hugged, and it was like a huge breath I’d held in finally released. “Bring it in, Jase,” Nigel waved me over to them and I joined my band brothers in a group hug.

“I love you guys. You’re my brothers and I’d rock the fucking world for you. But damnit, when one rich kid with a chip on his shoulder risks that for us it’s time to make the big boy decisions for him.”

Fuck. This. Selfish. Shit.

“Couldn’t agree more,” Nigel said. “Let’s see what he does now that you addressed it. I say if he pulls anymore shit we move on.”

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