Page 132 of When the Storm Breaks
“What are you talking about?” Landry tried to laugh it off.
Dean released Landry and fished something out of his pocket then sprinkled white powder on the floor. “I’m trying to stay clean and sober, you fucker. Do you want me to fail? Is that it? You want to bring me down to your level?”
Oh my God. My jaw dropped.
“Hey man, I don’t know where you got that but it’s not mine…”
“You’re such a fucking liar. I know it’s yours. You think I haven’t noticed you’ve been coked up this whole tour?”
From the corner of my eye, I saw Marcus appear from backstage.
“No, man. You’ve got it all wrong.”
“Hey Ari. Have I got it all wrong?” Dean asked her.
She looked at Landry then back at Dean and shook her head no.
Landry grabbed her arm. “Did you do this? Are you sleeping with Dean?”
She wrenched her arm out of his hold. “No. You did this.” Her eyes darted to me.
“You’ve always wanted everything I ever had,” Dean accused, his voice shaking with anger. “You’re jealous of me. You’re jealous of your own sister.” His gaze swung to me and now everyone’s eyes were on me.
“Landry… what’s he talking about?”
“You know Dean. He’s just talking shit. Trying to get under your skin.” But Landry couldn’t even meet my eyes, and I knew he was lying.
“What did you do, Landry?”
“Nothing. I didn’t do jack shit.”
“What did you do?” I shouted, my hands clenched into fists, my chest heaving.
“You’ve always been so fucking jealous of your sister,” Dean seethed. “Because you know she has more talent in her pinkie than you do in your whole damn body. You’ve spent years trying to sabotage her. Bring her down to your level so you can control her.”
“Don’t listen to him, Shy. You know it’s not true. We’re family. I’d never—”
“Stop lying to me.” I flew up to the stage and stood in front of my brother. “Look me in the eye and tell me what you did.” At that moment, I knew. He had leaked the information about Brody.
“Shy… don’t…”
Dean got behind Landry, grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back, shoving his hand between his shoulder blades. “Tell her or I’ll break your fucking arm, drummer boy.”
Landry’s face contorted in pain. “Fuck. Let up.”
Dean twisted harder. “Okay. Okay. But I did it for you. I knew that guy was trouble. He wasn’t good enough for you, so I did some digging. Turns out I did you a favor.”
A sound escaped my lips that sounded like a growl. I launched myself at Landry, shoving him and smacking my palms against his chest the same way I’d done to Brody a few weeks ago. “How could you?” I smacked his shoulder. “Why don’t you want me to be happy, Landry? Why?”
My heart hurt so fucking much. I took a step back from Landry and looked at him through the blur of tears in my eyes. It seemed like every time I turned around there was something new to cry over.
“You’ve broken my heart, Landry,” I whispered. “And for what? What did you get out of it?”
Dean released Landry and gave him a shove.
“I’m done with you, man. You fucking disgust me.” With a final glance at me, Dean strode away. Without him, there would be no Acadian Storm.
“Shiloh… I swear on my life I never wanted to hurt you. We’re family.”
