Destroyed (Lost in Oblivion, #3)(65)
“Would you prefer Snake or William?”
“Snake, definitely.”
“You were the original drummer for Oblivion, correct?”
“That’s right. Me and Nicky and Simon started the band when we were in high school then we added Deacon in a little later.”
“So why did you leave?”
“I didn’t.”
Kim sat forward in her chair. “They asked you to leave?”
“No. More like I was shoved out. I had some problems and had to go away to rehab, but we were always really tight. They were only supposed to get a temporary drummer for when I was away.”
“And did you feel betrayed?”
“Of course. That band had been our dream first and then that girl came in and ruined it all. She almost tore the band apart.”
“You’re talking about Jazz Edwards?”
“Yeah. She blindsided Nick.”
“What the f*ck?” Nick sat up straight.
“Shhh,” Simon said. He was very interested in hearing just what kind of lies Snake was going to weave together.
He’d been one of his best friends for years, but the band had never been a priority for Snake. It had been a means to score dope and girls. When he’d come to see them during the Burn tour, that had been very apparent. He wanted them to go back to their club roots and never move on from that.
“That’s why a girl should never be in a band with dudes. When sex is involved, and it always is, there’s no checks and balances. The chick has all the power.”
“You do realize how sexist that sounds?”
Snake shrugged. “I speak truth. Jazz has two dudes in that band wrapped. She married one and got knock—”
“Okay, let’s change gears,” Kim interrupted.
Jazz clattered to her feet. “He’s going to start up all those rumors again.”
Simon turned around. “C’mon, Pix. We’ll rip him apart after.”
She sat down and leaned into Gray, a protective hand over her baby bump.
“When you got out of rehab, did they inform you of your place in the band?”
“My lack of one? Oh yeah. I got informed.”
“You sound bitter,” Kim said with that sweet voice that could get anyone to talk.
“I started that band. I helped write those songs. Songs they still sing.”
Nick sat up. “Bullshit.” He turned to Simon, his face pinched and red. “Fucking bullshit. We wrote all the songs.”
Simon searched the stage for Lila, but she was off to the side with a man in a suit. Simon stood for a better look as Snake ranted on their screen about the injustice and disloyalty of the band.
Lila was reading something on a clipboard and finally signed it before accepting the large white envelope.
“Are you just coming forward now because of Oblivion’s commercial success?”
Snake’s arms tensed on the chair arms in the interview. “I went to them during the last tour and was kindly turned away from the bassist, Deacon McCoy. And advised I was not wanted.”
“Was it true?”
“No. When I went backstage later that night, Nicky and Simon were thrilled to see me. I was excited to see my boys again. We partied up—”
“Even though you’d just been in rehab?” Kim asked.
“Nah, man. Not that kind of partied. Just some brews. I don’t touch the hard stuff anymore.”
“I’ve heard that alcohol is a slow slide back.”
“Unless you’ve ever had a needle sticking out of your arm, then you don’t know, lady.”
Simon heard the belligerent edge and now that he wasn’t seething, he watched how Snake’s gaze never landed on Kim. Just kept bouncing around the room.
“Fucker is using again.”
“Yeah he is,” Nick said darkly.
Simon’s gaze drifted to Lila again. She had papers out of the envelope and she was walking toward the side door with her phone.
That probably wasn’t good.
“Is there anything you want to say to the band that you haven’t gotten the opportunity to say?”
“Yeah.” Snake looked at the camera. “You made a huge mistake pushing me out of the band.”
Simon stood and went after Lila as Kim wrapped up the interview and tried to push some hard-hitting questions to the fans.
The only people that would ever have known about Snake were some club rats at the Blue Rhino. Christ, they’d barely gotten a blip of recognition before Gray and Jazz had been added to the group.
Nick caught up to him and grabbed his arm. “Where are you going? To get drunk again?”
“Fuck, no. Well, maybe later. What the f*ck, man. Rats coming out to get their piece of cheese now that we have some status. Even when Snake did come out to the show, he was going on about club days, not the stuff we’ve been doing.”
“No. He wanted the good old days where he had to drum for forty minutes then booze the night away with whatever girls actually gave a shit enough to stay after the show.”
“Exactly.”
“So what? You just need to walk it off?”
“No. Someone came and gave something to Lila in the middle of that interview. I got a bad feeling, man.” Simon raked his hands through his hair. “Really bad feeling.”