Page 111 of Sky Full of Stars

“I saw,” she says, holding up a hand. “I was going to talk to you about it. It’s out there now and we can’t take it back.”

“What the fuck, Bianca?” I run a hand through my hair as I drop my other arm, letting the phone dangle at my side.

“I’ve called Hannah about how to spin it. We’re going to deny there is anything going on and she is just a girl you met in a bar in London.”

I stop, my eyes lock on hers. “You did what?”

“Bianca, for fucks sake,” Archer steps around me.

I called Jenna as soon as I woke up and saw the news but got no answer. My texts went unread too. The photographs have been out there for hours. After our antics yesterday, we’d let loose and got drunk knowing we had the day to recover before the show. I don’t know if Jenna saw any of this but the fact she isn’t answering my calls is worrying. Now this?

“Don’t you dare put that out, Bianca, I mean it. Call Hannah now.”

“I’m sorry Aidan, but you don’t get to tell me how to manage this band.”

I glare at her, heat rising into my face. Arch knows I’m about to blow my top.

“The success of this band is based on you guys being available. You think the female fans want to know that you have some girl-”

“Some girl?” I cut in. “Jenna is not some girl and you damn well know that.”

Arch puts a hand on my shoulder, but also glares in Bianca’s direction. Out of the corner of my eye I see Nick approach, a frown on his face.

“Everyone take five,” Arch shouts. Roadies and venue staff have all stopped what they’re doing to watch. “Clear the stage!” he shouts when no one moves.

We wait silently as people file out. Nick reaches us and gives me a questioning look. I hand my phone to him.

“Jesus,” Nick breathes out. “Who the fuck did this?” he asks.

“I’m looking into it,” Bianca says.

“The only people in the bar that night was crew,” Nick snaps back. “People who work with us and the bar staff. And,” he examines the photos again, swiping through them before he continues. “The two guys behind the bar are in all the pictures. So this,” he waves the phone. “Came from someone we know.”

I hadn’t considered that. Nick is right. We ensured we were the only people in the bar.

“When exactly where you planning on telling us about this?” Arch turns to Bianca too, his arms folded over his chest. “You were just gonna put out a press release that Jenna is some nobody groupie without even talking to him?”

“What?” Nick’s face is thunderous.

“It’s for the good of the band,” Bianca sniffs. “I will always make decisions that show you in the best light.”

“And that means throwing Jenna under the bus?” I walk towards her. “Did you even stop and think about how this affects her? These pictures are bad enough. But denying I know her, that she means nothing to me. Are you fucked in the head?”

“Don’t talk to me like that,” Bianca snarls. “You have never questioned my decisions before, and I have never done anything to cause damage to your reputation. The label agrees with me, Aidan. It isn’t the right time for you to be in a relationship.”

“Do you even hear yourself?” I shake my head in disbelief. “No one, not you, not the record label, no one, gets to tell me when I can be in a relationship.”

“And not for nothing,” Arch steps up beside me. “But someone on the label’s payroll took and sold these pictures. The leak came from inside. If I didn’t know any better…” he trails off and shares a glance with Nick, then looks to me.

I huff out an incredulous laugh as I click to what he is getting at. We have known each other a long time and are all pretty perceptive to each other.

“Is this your play?” I ask her.

“What?” Bianca shakes her head. “You think I want this kind of press for you?”

“You don’t like the idea of me being with someone,” I say, as it all starts coming together in my head. “And this is the perfect way to break us up, that’s what you think, isn’t it?”

“I’m pretty certain we just established that I don’t want this kind of press,” she huffs.

---