“And that’s what you’ve had in mind, Christian?” When he paused in his pacing, she continued, relentlessly. “You’re willing to take the chance that you were the one who pushed her into re-experiencing her trauma, causing who knows what kind of permanent damage, just because you woke up with a whim to bed Megan one day?”
He stared, his mouth hanging open. Hilary closed her eyes after she registered his expression. Tears scattered down her cheek.
Christian supposed she’d finally gotten her point across. But from the looks of things, Hilary’s victory was far from sweet for either one of them.
Chapter 6
“What the hell is wrong with you, Christian?” Seth accused, his voice gravelly with anger.
It was fours days until their performance at St. Cat’s block party, and relations had been growing progressively worse with the band. The rapid decline after such an encouraging beginning was all due to one factor—
Christian.
They’d all been enduring their lead singer’s irritability and sullenness, but barely. Now Christian had gone too far. When Jamie Gonzalez had struck an off note just a moment ago during rehearsal, Christian had dropped his microphone, grabbed Jamie’s bass guitar, and ripped out the strings as the band members and various others looked on in open-mouthed shock. Jamie started shouting aggressively close to Christian’s face, and though Christian was beginning to feel contrite and idiotic at that point, he didn’t back away.
Jamie must have had second thoughts about getting physical with Christian. Instead he kicked Christian’s still active microphone in a tit for tat on the way out the door. Christian had stalked out of the studio as everyone raised their hands to protect their ears from the ear-splitting audio feedback.
Christian had his back to Seth, his right hand braced against the wall of the corridor outside the studio. His heart hammered in his ears and would not slow. He didn’t notice that he’d cut his hand while venting his anger at Jamie’s guitar and that blood trickled down his arm. His breath came rapid and shallow. His muscles tensed tighter than a bowstring ready to fling its missile.
“I asked you a question,” Seth said in a hard voice. “I’ve never seen you act this way before. Not even after Cecilia died. What is your problem?”
“It’s none of your business,” Christian bit out.
“You’ve been making it everyone’s business for the past few days. In fact, your selfish, sullen bullshit seems to be making a point of doing just that!”
A tense silence ensued, broken only by Chr
istian’s harsh breathing. After a few moments, even that gave way to the quiet. The only other person who could have talked to Christian like Seth just had was his own father. His friend’s angry reprimand had the effect of sticking his head in ice cold water. The red haze of fury began to clear from his mind.
Christian was left exhausted and hollow in its wake.
And at least the rage kept him from feeling so helpless.
“I haven’t been able to sleep at all for the past few nights.”
“Are you upset about Jamie and Mike’s decision to split the band apart? I thought that’s what you expected?”
“No. It’s got nothing to do with the band.”
“Then why are you taking it out on us?”
“Because you’re there,” Christian muttered lamely.
“This all has to do with Megan, doesn’t it?”
Christian didn’t answer. For the first time, he felt pain in his hand and examined it dispassionately.
“Have you spoken to her about whatever it is that’s eating you?”
“No.”
“Why not? Just as soon take it out on us, huh?”
“She doesn’t deserve my crap.”
“Neither do we, but that didn’t seem to stop you,” Seth said with his usual lack of inflection. “Why haven’t you talked to her?”
“Because she isn’t available.”