Page 18 of The Masks We Wear (Satan’s Angels #1)

Brody looks so defeated and the sight of her face like that causes a stabbing sensation in my chest that feels a lot like empathy even though I’d hate to admit it.

Aria strides over to Brody with a sheet of loose leaf paper in hand.

She hands it to Brody and Brody reads through it, her face contorting into a disgusted expression.

“I’m not singing this.” She shakes her head as she speaks unwaveringly.

Aria stops in her tracks and Ivory looks shocked. “What do you mean you aren’t singing it?” Aria asks, defensiveness creeping into her tone.

Brody stands and crumbles the paper in her hands, tossing the ball at Aria’s face. “I mean, those lyrics are fucking stupid and I refuse to sing them.”

“Excuse me?” Aria snaps, taking a step towards Brody as if poised to attack.

She wouldn’t touch her though, would she?

I stiffen in my seat, leaning forward, ready to leap up at any moment to separate the two girls.

Brody is average sized and I’m sure she can handle her own but Aria has about five inches on her and a little more muscle.

Brody doesn’t back down. She takes a step closer to Aria, lifting her chin up in defiance the way she does with me when she’s angry with me. “The lyrics are shit and you know it. I’m not singing a song called ‘Cum and Get It,’ Aria. That title is stupid and the lyrics are even stupider.”

Ivory speaks up, involving herself, “You would’ve liked it if you weren’t sober.”

“Exactly! Because it’s fucking stupid! Nobody is gonna want to listen to that.” Brody argues.

Aria’s body language changes and it looks like she’s fighting back the urge to put her hands on Brody.

I watch her very closely because if she does decide to touch so much as a single hair on Brody’s head, I’ll snap on her myself.

Brody is a thousand percent right in this situation but these two morons are so stupid they can’t see it.

“Don’t shit talk my lyrics when you’ve been playing like shit all day.

I mean seriously, how many times did you fuck up the beats and drop your sticks today, Sticks?

You’re off your game and you suck. Nobody is gonna want to listen to that.

” She uses Brody’s own words against her.

Aria is right on one front. Brody has been messing up a lot today, but I know it isn’t because she isn’t good at what she does.

It’s because she’s rattled by the new dynamic of the band and it’s weighing heavy on her.

She’s distracted which is why she’s messing up.

She’s talented and damn good at what she does and everyone in this room knows it.

Brody loses her cool and shoves Aria hard in the chest, sending Aria stumbling a step before Aria charges her and pushes her back.

Brody falls, her back hitting the stool she sits on to play the drums. Her ass hits the ground and before Aria can do anything else, I’m between them, forming a protective barrier around Brody.

“Back off,” I threaten, using every intimidation tactic in the book to ward the girl off.

Aria retreats a step and walks away, Ivory with her the entire time.

It isn’t until they’re out of the room that I turn to offer Brody a hand up.

She ignores my gesture and helps herself off the ground, grabbing her drumsticks and tucking them into the back pocket of her jeans.

She sits on the stool and covers her face with her hands.

I know I should probably leave and give her some space, but I don’t want to leave her completely alone.

She needs someone right now and her friends aren’t acting like friends.

They’re the root of her problems. “Hey.” I squat down in front of her and keep my voice low so she doesn’t feel alarmed or threatened by it.

She sighs. “Just go.”

I almost obey her. Almost. But I don’t. I can’t walk away from the little rockstar no matter how bad I wish I could.

So instead of doing what’s probably the smart thing to do, I grab her small wrists gently and pry her hands away from her face to find her crying.

She tries to hide her face, but the damage is already done.

I saw it and she knows it. She cries silently, tears streaming down her face and I keep my voice calm and comforting, “You aren’t wrong, Little Rockstar.

Everything you said to them was right, they just can’t see it because they’re high and not in the right mindset. ”

She shakes her head. “This is where it starts, isn’t it?”

“Where what starts?” I ask, confusion rising to the surface of my voice.

She opens her eyes and looks at me, the sapphire color of her eyes standing out against the bloodshot whites. She looks so broken I wish that I could take all her pain and make it go away. “Them pushing me out of the band and replacing me.” Fresh tears stream down her cheeks.

I squeeze her wrists a little tighter, “That isn’t gonna happen.”

She shakes her head. “Yes, it will. It’s only a matter of time.”

“Brody, you’re irreplaceable. They’re also your best friends. They’ll come to their senses and see they were wrong. They would never kick you out,” I reassure her and I say it with such raw conviction that I think it helps her even if only a small amount.

Before I can say anything else, the door opens and Selene Stone storms in with Aria and Ivory behind her.

Brody wipes her cheeks and I rise to my feet, my eyes on Selene who’s watching me with a suspicious look in her eye.

She looks between Brody and I as if she wants to address what she walked in on, but thankfully she doesn’t.

Instead, she says, “What is all the yelling?”

Brody doesn’t respond but Aria does. “Brody’s been fucking up her parts all day and then refused to sing the lyrics I wrote.”

Selene glances at Brody and raises a brow. “Brody, what’s going on?”

Brody scoffs, “The song was called ‘Cum and Get It’ and it’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. If we got on stage and sang a song about cum, we’d be a laughing stock in the media the next day.”

Selene groans and for a split second it looks like she’s gonna side with Aria and Ivory.

I clench my jaw, ready to speak up when Selene frowns at Aria, “She’s right, that’s the dumbest song I’ve ever heard, and I haven’t even heard it.

Do not write anything stupid and from now on I approve whatever it is you put out.

At least until the legal problems go away. ”

Aria opens her mouth to protest but Selene holds up a hand. “The three of you cannot be arguing when an album has to be made and a tour is right around the corner.”

This grabs all of our attention. Nobody told me about a tour which means nobody told the girls either. Brody falters, “What tour?” I watch as about a dozen emotions cross her face. First she looks excited then sad and that expression contorts into anxiousness.

Selene crosses her arms over her chest, looking the pristine businesswoman in her black pantsuit and stiletto heels.

“I talked to the legal team, and they think that a small tour in the country with the three of you on good behavior would be a good idea. All you have to do is put on good shows with the material from the last tour and keep your noses clean to show the press and the state that you guys have changed and have left the bad behavior in the past.”

Hearing Selene’s explanation actually convinces me it isn’t a bad idea at all.

She has a point and I think it could be a good opportunity for the girls if Aria and Ivory are capable of staying sober for five minutes.

Brody throws her head back and groans. Selene doesn’t miss a beat, “What’s the problem, Brody? ”

Brody rants, “I don’t understand the point of all that when I’m the only one being held accountable for getting sober and clean.

I have a fucking babysitter for Christ’s sake, and you want us all to clean up our acts but I’m the only one doing it and you know it.

So, forgive me Selene, for not wanting to go on tour sober while my friends are having fun without me. ”

Selene sighs, “Brody-”

Brody holds up a hand to silence Selene, “Do not ‘Brody’ me. Fuck this, I’m done.” She snaps as she tries to step around me and walk out of the room.

Selene blocks her path. “Stop,” she commands and then leans into Brody so the other girls can’t hear. “I have a reason for everything I do. You know that. I just need you to trust me.”

Brody doesn’t respond. She just looks at Selene with dead eyes and a hardened jaw. Selene raises her voice and points at the other two girls. “You two, you’re clean and sober for this entire tour. And I will be drug testing you so don’t think you’re gonna fool me.”

Ivory protests, “Selene!” Selene ignores her. “I mean it.”

Aria snaps, “And if we don’t?”

Selene lowers her voice so it comes out stern and threatening. “If you don’t, I’ll tell the lawyers to step off and I’ll let the prosecutors throw you in a little four by four prison cell. Don’t test me, Aria Kane.”

Selene Stone is one badass lady. It takes a special kind of talent, patience, and precision to manage these three and somehow, she does it. It’s impressive, really. Aria mutters under her breath something to Ivory and Selene speaks up again, “What other lyrics have you written?”

“That was all we had.” Ivory admits, shrugging as if she doesn’t have a care in the world.

Selene sighs audibly, “Need I remind you that your deadline is in three months? Get writing and figure it out.” She demands before turning on her four-inch heels and storming out of the room leaving a cloud of Chanel perfume in her wake.

Brody traipses back to her drum set and sits down.

She takes the sticks out of her pocket and starts playing a beat she hasn’t played yet.

It starts off slow but then she pauses and slams the sticks down on the toms while her feet hit the bass drums. Aria and Ivory watch her and I notice that Ivory taps her thigh to the beat while Aria’s head bobs to the beat.

It’s fascinating and enamoring to watch as Aria and Ivory have their guitars around their chests in seconds, playing different melodies that pair perfectly with Brody’s.

The beat is good, I can’t deny. Even for someone who hates music, I have to admit they sound good.

I stride back to my seat and sit, watching Brody the entire time she plays.

I thought watching her in her room that one time was captivating but actually hearing the sound that goes with her movements while she drifts into her own little world of music notes is mesmerizing.

The way her head bounces to the beat and her eyes close as she plays.

I realize at this moment that I could watch her for hours and never get bored.

I also realize that I find myself curious to know what it feels like to be as freeing to her as her music.