Not sure how long I laid on the couch in the fetus position. My tears had dried up a long time ago. I kept replaying last night and this morning in my head. Wishing I would have done more to get him to understand how I strongly believe Adam drugged me and I didn't sleep with him last night. I should have yelled the truth from the roof tops if need be to get him to understand, but instead I was in too much shock over the entire exchange to think straight.
Isn't it ironic how when we replay an argument in our head we always have those I wish I would of moments? Well I was having several. The main one was wishing I never took the wine from Adam, but that one decision I made caused such a huge ripple effect. If I never accepted the drink I would of woken up in bed alone this morning. Ryder and I would of talked about what his father was doing and come up with a plan. A plan where we ended up together, but because I decided to drink the wine all of this happened.
I recognize none of this is my fault and neither is Ryder at fault. He has a right to feel the way he does, but he is wrong in the sense he wouldn't listen to me. If he was more level headed and not so consumed by what was happening with his father I strongly believe the conversation would of played out very differently. Usually he's more calm and level headed. His father threatening him if he doesn't give him money is really fucking with his head. My hope is once the situation with his father is under control then I'll be able to speak with Ryder about what he thought he walked in on.
The only person at fault for all of this is squarely on Adam's shoulders. For the life of my I can't figure out why he would drug me. Not like he can't get women to sleep with him. The only conclusion I can come up with I was one of the first to tell him no after he got caught making the bet. He then fixated on me since I wouldn't roll over onto my back and expose my belly. I may never know his reasons and I have no desire to ever confront him to find out the why.
If his plan was for me to choose him over Ryder he went about it the wrong way, but then again I never would of picked him over Ryder. In the end he only succeeded in separating us. Unless his secondary plan was if I wouldn't be with him he would make sure I couldn't be with anyone else. So many questions bouncing around in my head.
I pull myself up into a sitting position on the couch and stretch my stiff muscles. The clock across from me reminds me I need to get a moving if I was going to leave on time. I disappear into the bedroom locking the door.
One glance at myself in the bedroom and I look a wreak. My skin is more pale than I've ever seen it before. There is no life in my eyes and my hair is a knotted mess. A shower would do me much good. I turn the water on and walk back into the bed room to grab some clothes when I hear knocking on the door. I freeze. Did Ryder come back to actually listen to me?
Someone softly knocks on the door. My heart plumpts when I hear who is on the other side. "Aubree," Skylar says softly.
Not ready to face anyone I tell her through the door using a fake happy tone. "Hey Skylar. What's up?"
"Can I come in?" She asks me.
I bite back a sob at the concern I hear in her voice. "No..." I stutter. "I'm about to jump in the shower."
"Okay." With one word only Skylar is still able to see through to my real reason. "So...um... Lucan called an emergency band meeting. I'm not one hundred percent sure what he wanted to discuss, but my gut is telling me the meeting has something to do with you and Ryder." She pauses waiting for me to comment, but I have nothing more to add. "Well I just wanted you to know since you are their manager." I can hear her soft footsteps retreating, but she returns to my door. "Aubree. No matter what happens next I'm here for you always. Us girls have to stick together in this male dominated world."
"Thank you," I tell her with tears flowing down my cheeks. I return to the bathroom and make quick work of my shower. Even though I'm moving slow the clock doesn't stop and I have a bus I must get to.
As I'm zipping up the last suitcase my phone rings. Mr. Gear. Fuck. He is the last person I want to be speaking with, but I also can't avoid him.
Putting my best foot forward I answer the phone. "Hello Mr. Gear how can I help you?"
"Aubree it's not how you can help me, but how I can help you," he says a little to gleefully. I sit on the bed bracing myself for whatever he might me up to.
"I don't understand," I stammer.
"About a hour ago I received an interesting phone call about how you and Ryder have had a complete falling out."
No longer caring if I come across as unprofessional I state, "let me guy Adam called you after this morning shit show."
His laughter floats through the phone. "I can see why you would think Adam was the one to call me and yes he did, but I'm referring to someone else."
"Who," I ask dryly already tired of his games.
"Ryder," he plainly states.
"Ryder," I ask in shock taken aback. Why would Ryder call him? He wouldn't do what I think he did. Would he?
"He called to express concerns for your ability to continue managing the band and his inability to work you." He would. My heart shatters all over again. Ryder wants me out. Hence Lucan's emergency band meeting. Ryder also played right into Mr. Gear's hands giving him the ability to use the clause in the contract. There was nothing I could do.
"When," I ask no longer having the energy to fight this battle.
"Effective immediately." Tears fall once again shocking me I still had some left to shed. Mr. Gear continues as though my entire world wasn't shatter around me because for him this was just another day. "I'm sending Bradley to take over as manager. Till he gets there based on your previous comments Skylar will be able to manage. Not to mention there are only two weeks left to the tour and knowing your work ethic you've already confirmed everything." He isn't wrong the rest of the tour is all finalized.
"I see," I say choking on my words. "But I'm warning you Bradly and Steel Wolf will not see eye to eye."
Mr. Gear huffs in the phone. "Steel Wolf this. Steel Wolf that. Those boys have been getting way with murder and able to do as the please. It's about time someone put them in their place," Mr. Gear reasons. The only reason Mr. Gear is putting Bradly with Steel Wolf is because Bradley will follow Mr. Gear blindly. Hence why every band he's managed has tanked. I fear for Steel Wolf's future, but the still have Lucan and he won't let them fall apart. By sending Bradly Mr. Gear might be losing one of the biggest bands the label has.
"I'll have to still return to the tour bus to pack all of my personal belongings and have a few boxed shipped back home." I state instead of opening the worm pf cans about how this is only going to blow up in his face. Instantly me self esteem is back to the same place it once was when bands would continue to request a change. So many years have passed since those days I had forgotten how it felt to be rejected.
"Once you return to Nashville come see me. I have a new contract for you to sign," Mr. Gear instructs me.
"What about Wicked Minion," I press. I still have them to manage and right now I don't want anyone else.
"Due to the sudden change and the fact they are out of control Bradly will also be taking them over." Well fuck me. Two bands in one day.
"That's not fair. They are no more out of control than any other rock band new to the fame. We go through this stage with every new band. Steel Wolf was like them back in the day and you never pulled them from me," I remind him.
In a tired voice he says, "Aubree the other reason I'm pulling them from you is because your new client wants their manager focused on them only. They've even agreed to pay you more because you won't be able to manage other bands."
Not wanting to wait to hear who my new client is and dreading the answer I ask, "who are you going to be having me manage?" There is an overly long pause as though he is afraid of telling me who over the phone. I rub at my temple because his lack of response tells me exactly who he wants me working with. "You have me signing of to manage Adam don't you?"
Mr. Gear trips over his words before he is able to get out a single word. "Yes."
I fall back on the bed and close my eyes. "We've been through this previously I will not manage Adam. Give me someone else."
I could picture Mr. Gear puffing out his feathers when he says, "Aubree do you forget you work for me and not the other way around. You will manage Adam and that is final."
He may think he has final say, but at the end of the day I'm an adult who is able to make their own decisions. I also have faith at the end of the day I'm going to be okay. A weight lifts from my shoulders telling me I was making the right decision when I say, "I quit."
"What," Mr. Gear stammers completely caught of guard by my response. Never in a million years did he fact me quitting into his plans.
I sit back up in the bed. "Not sure how much clearly I can be," I tell him no longer hiding being snark. "I quit. Or do you need me to spell it for you. Better yet," I pull out my phone and email him I quit effective immediately and hit send. "check your email. I put it into words so there was no confusion."
"Aubree if you do this I will make sure you never work in the music industry again," he yells.
"Fine by me," I say with a shrug to my shoulders. He starts to scream and yell at me over the phone, but since he was no longer my boss I hang up on him. And man did it feel fucking great.
A loud aggressive banging on my door startles me and I leap from the bed. "Aubree open the fucking door," Lucan yells. Great another pissed of male. Haven't I dealt with them enough today?
Shaking off my nerves I open the door to a red face Lucan. "Care to tell me what the fuck is going on and why the hell Bradley is suddenly our new manager?" Seems Ryder kept the reasoning to himself, but I'm sure as hell not going to tell Lucan one of his bandmates went behind the bands back. I need to tread carefully.
"Mr. Gear call you," I ask calmly leaning against the door frame.
"Yes," Lucan retorts grinding his teeth. I've never seen him this pissed before. "He called to say due to a request you were being removed. But for the life of me I can't figure out if you or Ryder made the request. Ryder blew off the band meeting to get shitfaced at the bar down stairs and is now passed out on the bus. From the bits and pieces of his ramblings I was able to put together he walked in on you and Adam?" Lucan pushes himself past me and sits on the bed. I join him in the room shutting the door behind me. I guess I won't be getting rid of Lucan so easily.
Joining him on the bed I say. "He did. But what he say isn't at all what happened."
Lucan nods his head. "I figured as much, but I wanted to hear you say it to judge for myself. What he was implying didn't add up. Out of everyone who hates Adam you hate him the most. So why the fuck would you sleep with him? I couldn't see the connection."
"Adam and I slept together yes," at Lucan's bulging eyes I continue, "in the sense we actually slept in the same bed."
Lucan rubs the back of his neck. "Aubree you're giving me a headache. Why would you even share a bed with Adam?"
I sigh and turn to face him wanting to make sure he would be able to see the truth in my eyes. "Last night Adam brought me a glass of wine and not soon after I didn't feel right. He helped me wrangle the others and we left. After getting into the car I have no memories until waking up in bed with him. At first I thought Ryder had joined me." Lucan launches from the bed and storms towards the door. "Where are you going," I ask him.
"To beat the ever loving fucking shit out of Adam for drugging you," he seethes open the door and discovering Skylar on the other side.
"Lucan go sit down," she commands shooing him back into the room. "Sit your ass down." Lucan plops back in the bed shocked by Skylar's demand.
"Did you overhear," I ask her and she nods her head yes making me glad I didn't have to retell my story.
"Even though I believe Aubree we are going to need proof," Skylar states. "Our first step to fix this mess is for Aubree to have a blood test done to see if they find anything. Then we can figure out our next steps."
I agree with her. "This conversation has to stay between the three of us until I have more evidence against Adam. That will be the only way for Ryder to believe me."
"Fine. But I have to tell Dimitri. I'm sorry, but I can't keep keeping shit from him," Skylar explains and I more than understand. I don't want to put her in a awkward position.
"Only Dimitri," I stress.
I go on to explain how I quit the label due to being forced to being Adam's manger. Lucan promises me once all is said and done I'll be able to being Steel Wolf manager. Though the band might be down a keyboard player for all the shit he's been causing. Lucan leaves to check on the others. Skylar and I pack up Ryder's clothes for her to take to the bus. Once done she leaves following the hotel crew dragging all the suitcases.
I waited in the room till Skylar texts me informing me they are on the road. Only then do I go down stairs to my bus to pack all of my belongings to either go back with me on the plane or to ship them home. But before I start packing I go to an immediate care to have blood work done with the promise they will have the results in a few days. They asked me if I wanted to speak with an officer and I explained once the results are in we can go from there.
Now all I can do is sit and wait.
A big thank you to MimiReads2 for the idea of having her go for bloodwork I was a little stuck on what I wanted to do and your words sparked an idea. So thank you! Also a shout out to Jamimannel for sparking the idea as to why she didn't shout to Ryder how she was drugged, I wasn't even thinking of the why I was only thinking of the end result. So thank you for pointing that out. =)