Page 13 of For Wrath and Redemption
5
JONAH
I lightmy cigarette and take a long drag, deliberately ignoring the four pairs of eyes burning holes in my back.
My head is fucking pounding, and an intervention staged as a band meeting is the last thing I want to deal with right now. They should have stayed in Paris.
I close my eyes and tip my face to the ceiling. Christ, I really fucked it up this time.
When my cigarette is gone and no one has said a word, the silence becomes lethal, and I’m ready to lay my neck on the executioner’s block just to put an end to it. Jeer. Pelt me with rotten vegetables. Celebrate as my skull falls into the dirt with an unceremonious thud. It would be better than the silence.
“Okay,” I say with a tired exhale. “Can we just get this over with? I’ve had enough of the funeral atmosphere this weekend.”
No one laughs at my joke. I guess that’s the real test of the evening. When even the dark humor goes unappreciated.
I turn to face them and raise my eyebrows. “Get on with it.”
“Get on with what, exactly, Jonah? I don’t think you need me to tell you what a mess you’ve made. A Class E felony in New York State. Should I repeat for you what that means?”
I clamp my eyes shut so I don’t roll them at Hammond’s dry, patronizing tone. “No. That was covered, thanks.”
Hammondhumphs. “Then maybe you’d like me toget onwithreminding you that we’re supposed to be touring. Should I go over the schedule? Do you need me to tell you where we’re allsupposedto be right now?”
“No.” I sigh. “I’m aware of that, too.”
“Then whatexactlyshould weget onwith?”
“I don’t know,Wade. You’re the ones who decided to charter the jet and invade my hotel room at four in the morning. You tell me.”
Hammond’s jaw ticks and his nostrils flare as he tries not to lose his temper.
“Need I remind you where we picked you up from, Jonah? You’re lucky we were already here. If we weren’t, your ass would still be in a jail cell.”
His voice quakes with repressed anger as he speaks. It’s more emotion than we’re used to seeing from him. Well, except Sav. She’s been on the other end of some serious verbal ass-beatings from our manager. I don’t know how I’ve managed to avoid one for this long.
I shake my head, but I don’t have anything snarky to retort. I really don’t need the reminder. It will be plastered all over the tabloids by sunrise, and he’s right, anyway. Iamlucky they were here. The fact that their first move after hearing about my mom was to cancel the shows and fly to New York...
It makes me feel even worse.
I finally let myself look at the other three people in the room. When I do, I immediately wish I hadn’t. It’s been a while since I’ve seen those expressions on their faces. Disappointment and anger laced heavily with concern. It bothers me more this time than it did last time.
Fuck.
Ireallyfucked up.
I bring my fingers to my temples and rub, trying to lessen even a fraction of the tension in my head. I’m going to sleep for a week after this.
“Look. I appreciate you p?—”
A firm rap at the door cuts me off, and my eyebrows slant. I didn’t make plans with anyone. I’m not expecting a visitor, but one look at the four other faces in the room tells me that they are.
“What the fuck did you guys do?” I say with a growl, and Sav scoffs, drawing my attention to her as Hammond moves to open the door.
“It wasn’t us, dickhead, but it’s the best option you’ve got right now, so I suggest you bite your fucking tongue. The angry, tortured musician act is overplayed and not doing you any favors at the moment.”
Her words cut where she’d intended, and my defenses shoot back up.
“Oh, shut up, Savannah. I’m getting real tired of your high-and-mighty bullshit. You don’t get to scold me.”
