On The Edge
Chapter 44
CONFLICTED
BOISE, IDAHO
Addison sat in her bunk and furiously scratched out what she had been writing. She put her pen into her mouth and nervously began to gnaw on the end as she read over what was left.
What about if we go directly from Bullet With Butterfly Wings, directly into Just A Girl?
Or is that too much from the same era?
But they're totally different...
she typed, looking up to the computer screen.
Zed shook his head and began to type out a reply.
We've arranged and re-arranged this setlist
a hundred times at this point.
Stop second-guessing yourself.
This is going to be amazing.
He huffed in frustration and continued to type.
This would be so much easier if we could just do this in person
in the hotel room. Or at least verbally.
Not through messages and headphones when I'm directly across from you
in my bunk. Why does Tracey get to be in your bunk with you?
She rolled her eyes.
I told you, it's too risky with Lacey.
We've only got a week until we roll into Northern Cali for the tour.
That means we only have a week to figure this shit out.
Tracey pulled her computer closer to him and typed out a message of his own.
And she loves me more… obvi.
Addison smacked his shoulder and looked back at the screen. "Chime in anytime, Mase," she said sarcastically.
"Oh, it's way too much fun watching you go back and forth over text," he laughed.
She flipped them all off and looked back down to her notebook, yawning.
"Casey? Are you in here?" Lacey called out from the front of the bus.
Addison cursed under her breath.
And this is why you're in your own bunk and Tracey is in mine!
Ever since they got on the bus to drive from Seattle to Ohio, Lacey had been up her ass in the fakest most insincere attempt to hang out she had ever witnessed. She wasn't sure what Lacey was up to, but she didn't trust her.
Tracey opened the curtain to Addison's bunk and hung his head out. "What's up Lacey-Babe?"
"Oh! You're in here too? Perfect!" Lacey said as she made her way down the hall to the bunks.
Addison quickly shut her computer just as Lacey approached.
"Do you want to come lounge by the pool?"
Addison blinked a few times as she tried to process her question. "Um… It's dark out… It's March… and we're in Idaho."
"It's inside and heated, silly. Besides, it's Idaho… what the hell else are we going to do? Come on! Jacey's waiting for us."
At the mention of Jacey's name, Zed opened his bunk curtains as well. "A nighttime dip in the pool sounds great!" There was no way in hell he was going to let Jacey anywhere near his girlfriend while she was in a bathing suit.
Lacey's fake smile faltered for the briefest of seconds before it was firmly back in place. "Of course you should join us Zed!"
Addison's lips pursed. If she hadn't already known something was up, that exchange would have been enough to send up a red flag. "Well," she said with a shrug. "I guess we're going swimming."
"Great! We'll see you in there!" Lacey said as she flipped her long blonde ponytail and turned around to walk off the bus.
The three of them stood there watching her until the bus door closed.
"Well…" Tracey said with a sharp exhale. "That was…"
"Weird?" Addison offered.
"Yeah."
"Very fucking weird," Zed agreed.
Addison shrugged her shoulders. "Whatever… let's just hurry up and make an appearance. I've still got a metric fuck-ton of work to do," she said through another yawn.
"When's the last time you slept Honey-Bunny?" Tracey asked as he climbed into his own bunk to look for his swim trunks.
"I asked for a two-day break, and that's all I got," Zed laughed tiredly.
"We're supposed to start flying back to LA next week in between shows to rehearse. We also have to meet with the board next week to show them what we're going to be playing. Nothing I've arranged sounds right…" her chest started to heave as she ticked off her to-do list on her fingers. "My mother and her constant bullshit is only going to get worse the closer we get to the induction. I'm trying to hold all of this together and keep up with the band and tour… I'll sleep when I've got a handle on everything."
Zed pulled her into a tight hug, kissing the top of her head. "Why don't we skip the pool and go upstairs to get some sleep."
She pulled away and shook her head. "I don't know what Lacey is up to, but the last thing I need is for her to figure out anything with us or the show for my dad…" she let out a breath and rolled her head back. "It's just easier to play along right now."
Zed sighed and pulled her back into another tight hug. "Fine… but if Jacey so much as lets a glance linger too long on you, I'm decking him."
She smacked him playfully. "Because that's subtle and discreet."
"Maybe not," he laughed. "But I really want to do it."
She pushed up onto her tiptoes and kissed him. "Go get changed."
ZzZzZzZzZzZ
Addison laid in one of the lounge chairs surrounding the over-chlorinated hotel pool, her eyes burning as she tried to focus on what she was working on.
"She wraps her hand around my pole... She licks those lips and off we go…" Zed sang quietly under his breath.
She turned and looked at him. "What are you doing?" she whispered.
He shrugged and flashed her a mischievous smile. "Working on a song."
Addison shook her head and smiled, trying to focus on re-working another transition for the setlist.
"She don't play nice, she makes me beg... and she drops that dress around her legs…"
Tracey stifled a laugh as Addison dropped her head down into her notebook.
"Your body's lightin' up the room... I want a naughty girl like you... There's nothin' hotter than us two…"
"Real subtle," she mumbled, trying her best to hide her growing smile.
"Princess," Jacey called out from the middle of the pool. "The whole point of coming to the pool was to get in the pool! Come on, girl… Take a break and have some fun. We have the night off!"
"Always with the writing, and notebooks," Lacey laughed. "It's not like we're playing any of those songs anymore! Unless you're writing for Zombies again… Lord knows Zed couldn't write a song on his own."
Addison closed her eyes, ignoring the watery sting the action brought and took a deep breath before plastering a smile on her face. She shut her notebook and dropped it into her bag as she stood up. "You're right… It is our night off." She turned to face Zed and Tracey who were in the chairs on either side of her. "Trace? Wanna swim with me?"
"But that water is going to ruin my hair…" he whined.
"And mine will end up looking as green as Zed's… that's why we'll be sticking to the shallows." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "The quicker we go in, the quicker we can be done with this charade."
Zed silently laughed at her reasoning. "You'd look hot with green hair."
"I always look hot," she said quietly before taking her cover-up off over her head.
"Daaaaaaammmmmn," Jacey called out, swimming to the edge to get a better look at her. "How did I not know you had so many tattoos?"
She pulled her hair up into a messy bun on the top of her head and shrugged. "No clue, Jacey. It's not like it's a secret. Everyone knows."
"Well I didn't…" he pretended to pout as he made his way over to the shallow end where Addison and Tracey were stepping into the water. "I knew about a few of them… but damn."
Zed watched their interaction carefully, waiting for Jacey to give him even the slightest excuse to punch him.
"Whatchya lookin' at?" Lacey said as she sat down beside him.
Zed did a double-take, he hadn't even seen her get out of the pool. "Oh, um… nothing." He shook his head. "What do you want?"
She smiled a sickeningly sweet smile that made his skin crawl. "Oh, not much…" she leaned over and ran her finger down his bicep.
He grabbed her hand to keep it from wandering any further. "Lacey…" he said with more than a hint of warning in his voice.
"Come on, Zed…" she pouted. "You look so stressed out… and I haven't seen you with anyone lately…"
"Not interested. Aren't you with Jacey?"
She waved her hand dismissively. "Jacey is fun to blow off some steam with… but you… I could have a lot more fun with."
Zed stood up abruptly. "What the hell is wrong with you?" He shook his head in disgust and jumped into the pool.
Addison watched from across the pool as Zed slid up through the water. Mesmerized by the droplets running down his body as he pushed his emerald hair away from his face. She bit her lower lip, her tongue tracing across his name on the inside.
"Casey?"
Addison shook her head and looked back to Jacey. "What?"
"I asked about this one…" he said, lightly tracing the alpha omega tattoo that barely peeked out from under her bathing suit top.
She smiled and brushed his hand away. "I got that one a few years ago while I was high as a kite in Colorado and feeling uncharacteristically sentimental."
"Sentimental? Of what?"
"None of your business," she said sweetly.
He laughed and continued to look at the ink displayed by her red bikini. "And the words… right here…" his fingers brushed against the Edgar Allan Poe quote before running along the top of her bikini bottoms, lingering much too long for comfort.
Addison gasped in surprise as she took a step back towards the steps. "That one is definitely none of your business," she snapped as she turned to climb the steps to get out of the pool.
"Oh, come on, Case… I was just asking!" he called out after her.
Addison walked over to the lounge chairs and scooped up her belongings.
"Leaving so soon?" Lacey asked innocently.
"Yeah. I need a shower," she said as she walked towards the exit.
Zed watched her leave before turning to Tracey and asking him with a look what had happened. Tracey lifted his shoulders subtly before leaning ever so slightly towards Jacey.
Without hesitation, Zed climbed out of the pool and grabbed a towel.
"Are you leaving, too?" Lacey practically giggled.
"Yeah. I promised Eliza some extra rehearsal time."
"Well, remember my offer…"
He ran the towel quickly through his hair and tossed it back onto the lounge chair. "Yeah… not happening," he said as he stormed off towards the exit. He looked over to the elevator bank just as Addison was stepping on. "Hold the door!" He jogged over and stepped in with her.
Both of them faced the front, not saying anything until the doors closed.
"What the hell happened?" Zed asked the moment they were alone.
"Nothing. It's fine," she said, still not looking at him.
He ran his hands through his hair in frustration. "Addison… I swear to god… tell me or I'm going back down there and beating his ass."
She quickly turned to him. "That's just it. If I tell you, you're going to go back there and start a fight. So…" she threw her hands up in frustration and turned back towards the elevator doors, impatiently tapping her foot as she watched the numbers climb slowly.
"Lacey hit on me."
Addison slowly turned to him with a murderous look in her eyes. "What?"
He nodded his head. "Yup…"
"That fucking bitch!" She pressed the button for the next floor and stormed off the elevator the moment the doors opened, hitting the down button in the hall.
"What are you doing?" Zed asked holding the up elevator door open as he looked out at her.
"Going to wipe that fake fucking smile off of that dumb blonde's face!"
Zed bit back a laugh and stepped off the elevator, pulling her to him. "If I can't beat Jacey up, then you can't beat Lacey up… I think this is what they're hoping we do. Lacey has been trying to find some way to prove that you and I are together, and Jacey had my phone… so… he probably knows we're together." He kissed the top of her head. "They're trying to provoke us, and the second they do Lacey will have everything she needs to kick you out of the band." He lifted her face to his. "I am not letting that happen."
She closed her eyes and exhaled. "You're right…"
"What was that?" he smiled. "Could you maybe repeat what you just said? I think I still have water in my ears."
Addison arched her brow and flipped him off. "You're lucky you're cute… and have me all worked up from watching you slide in the water like you did."
Zed chuckled and pulled her in for a kiss. "Come on, let's go upstairs… I think we both have some frustration we need to work off."
ZzZzZzZzZzZ
"Ooh, you were really really good tonight…" Addison sang through a giggle as Zed started to kiss down her neck.
"Ooh, you always seem to know just what I like
And I, I could do that twenty something more times…"
"I could live with that," he said making his way back up to her lips.
"And I, I was thinking maybe I should kiss you but no…"
"No?" he said pulling away in surprise.
Addison threw her head back and laughed as she got up onto her knees.
"Babe, I don't got time to be wasting
Oh my god, oh goodness gracious…" she pulled him into her by the shoulders and leaned in to brush a soft kiss against his lips.
"You're so damn close I could take ya…"
"You're the one that said 'no'," he breathed.
"We still have work to do," she reminded him.
"But all work and no play makes Zed a dull boy…"
She giggled and kissed him again.
"And I hate that I'm conflicted
This addiction's got me twisted on you
I'm conflicted, contradictive
Got my body confused
I'm yes or no, I will, I won't
I'm conflicted and addicted
So come over and make up my mind…"
Zed leaned in for a kiss, only to be pushed away.
"I was only doing what you asked me to do," he said with a large smile.
"Sustenance before more sex… and then we really need to get back to work."
He scanned the room quickly before jumping to his feet. "I'll hit the vending machine. Room service takes too long."
She giggled as she watched him pull on a pair of jeans. "Can you toss me my notebook? I want to write that song down while it's fresh in my head."
"You got it, Baby," he said moving over to her bag. "Um…" he muttered after searching for a few moments, "where is it?"
"It should be right there on top."
He looked over his shoulder and shook his head. "I don't see it… then again, your bikini top is on top the lamp and your bottoms are on the tv, maybe it fell out when you threw the bag across the room."
She rolled her eyes playfully and stood up, walking over to him. "Must I do everything?"
He pulled her to him and crashed his lips to hers. "I'm pretty sure I did a whole lot earlier… and plan to again."
"Mmm," she hummed against his lips. "True…" she pulled back and smirked, "but you still need to feed me. You go raid the vending machine and I'll look for my notebook."
He smacked another kiss on her and grabbed her ass, picking her up. "I'll be right back."
"You better be. I'll text Mase and tell him to be ready to go in an hour."
"Only an hour?" Zed pouted.
"Food… and the clock is ticking."
He laughed and set her back down. "I can do a lot with an hour."
"I know… now go!"
He gave her a salute and a wink before practically running out of the room.
Addison giggled to herself and turned back towards her bag. Zed was right, it wasn't in there. She looked around the room but still couldn't find it. She picked up her phone and called Tracey.
"What's up doll face?"
"Did you see my notebook down by the pool?"
"Which one?"
"The black one."
"No… why? What's going on?"
She sighed and sat back down on the bed. "I can't find it… I thought for sure I had been writing in it while we were down there." She laid down on one of the plush pillows and yawned. "I don't know. Maybe the lack of sleep is messing with my memory."
"It's probably still in your bunk," Tracey assured her.
"Probably," she yawned.
She could hear Tracey tsking. "You need to get some sleep."
"I will. Zed just went down to the vending machines to get some food and then we need to work through more of the arrangements with Mase… speaking of which I need to text him…"
"No need, honey bunny. I'm face timing with him as we speak."
"Well in that case you two have an hour to wrap up whatever it is you're doing."
"Only an hour?"
Addison laughed sleepily. "That's exactly what Z said." There was a knock on the door. "That was fast…"
As she got up to open it, Lacey's voice called out. "Tracey, open up!"
"Shit!" Addison whispered.
"What?!" Tracey asked.
"It's Lacey…" she said, frantically scanning the room to see what she needed to hide. She grabbed Zed's swimsuit from the chair and threw it into the closet, before grabbing the comforter off the bed and throwing it on top of his luggage.
"Tracey!" Lacey called out again.
"Can you please go intercept Z?!" Addison asked quietly.
"I'm on it!"
She hung up the phone and grabbed her Seattle Prep sweatshirt, pulling it on over her head as she walked over to the door. With a deep centering breath she checked the room one more time and then opened the door.
"It's about ti…" Lacey started before realizing it was Addison who opened the door. "Oh… it's you. Where's Tracey?
"He had the munchies, so he's hitting up the vending machine."
"Did I hear my name?" Tracey called out from down the hall, clearly trying to catch his breath.
Lacey arched her eyebrow as she gave him a once-over. "I thought you were getting snacks."
He nodded his head as he approached them. "Yeah, but I ran into Zed. He's treating," he said kissing Lacey's cheek and walking into the room.
"Why?" Lacey asked suspiciously as she followed him in, looking around the room. "And why are you two sharing a bed?"
Tracey shrugged his shoulders. "Zedikins is treating because he bought the last pack of Cheetos for himself, and I was pissed. And as far as the room goes… they were out of queen doubles. Besides, it's not like Princess and I mind sharing a bed. Both of our boyfriends are in Los Angeles."
"Awww, you called Mase your boyfriend," Addison gushed as she stood by the door, in awe of Tracey's ability to artfully weave a cover story. She was definitely going to owe him a visit to her closet back in Malibu after this.
"It's more appropriate than what I call him in private," he said with a flirty wink. "Would you mind opening the door up? Zed should be up any minute now and I forgot to give him our room number."
Right as Addison opened the door the elevator dinged and Zed stepped off with his arms full of snacks and drinks. "Thanks," she said, still standing in the doorway as he approached. "You know how Tracey is when he doesn't get his Cheetos."
Zed gave her a questioning look but played along. "Yeah…"
"Oh, sorry… come in. You can set that stuff on the table." She stepped to the side and let him into the room.
"Zeddikins! There you are!" Tracey exclaimed hopping off the bed to help him. His voice dropped down to a whisper, "We had a Lacey emergency and it was quicker for me to get up here and keep the two of them apart."
Zed nodded his head and let out a chuckle. "Hopefully this is enough?"
"More than," Tracey replied. "You guys wanna smoke?" he asked pointing to the balcony. "Princess and I were just about to light up."
"Yeah, sure…" Zed answered with a shrug. "We've already got the snacks."
Lacey scoffed and looked over to Addison who was picking up the pieces of her bathing suit that had been discarded earlier. "I'm surprised to see you without your nose down in your notebook."
She shrugged her shoulders. "Yeah, well I'm tired and really just want to unwind."
Lacey walked over and whispered in her ear. "Are you sure that's why you're not writing right now?" With a small smile, she straightened up and turned to Tracey. "I'll just talk to you in the morning! Byes!" she said with a cheery wave.
Addison stood there, motionless, as the door closed behind her.
"Well…" Tracey said with a sigh of relief. "That was fucking close. You two sooooo fucking owe me!"
"She has my notebook," Addison said quietly.
"What?"
She looked up and met Zed's eyes, her own wide with worry. "Lacey. She has my notebook."
RENO, NEVADA
"What are you doing?" Bucky asked he stepped into the hallway of the bus.
Addison was headfirst in Lacey's bunk, throwing pillows out behind her.
"Still haven't found it!" she called out as she planted her feet on either side of the ladder and pulled as hard as she could, taking the blankets off the bed.
Bucky grabbed her around the waist and pulled her down. "It's just a notebook, and that's Lacey's bunk."
She spun around and nailed him with a hard stare. "It's not just a notebook! I told you, that notebook has everything in it, including my drafts of the arrangements for the show…"
He could see the panic building in her eyes. "You're really worried about this… aren't you."
"Yeah! What gave it away?!"
He let out a sigh and looked around. "Tell me again, exactly what happened."
"I had it in Boise earlier this week. I know I was writing in it by the pool. Jacey convinced me to get in the water, so Tracey and I did. Then Lacey got out of the pool and started hitting on Zed. He got fed up and jumped into the pool. Jacey got a little handsy and was making me uncomfortable so I got out and grabbed my stuff quickly to head up to the room. Zed followed almost immediately. We figured they were just trying to catch us together or some shit like that. But, when I went to look for my notebook later, I couldn't find it. Lacey showed up to our room, even though she thought it was mine and Tracey's, and made it sound like she knew that my notebook was missing. And yes, I checked back by the pool that night. And yes, I asked the front desk if anyone found it. And yes, I'm 100% sure she took it."
"Where's Zed?"
"Keeping Lacey and Jacey off the bus for me. And before you ask, yes, I took pictures so I could put everything back the way I found it. Now, are you going to help me or not?!"
Bucky let out another sigh. "I'll take Jacey's."
ZzZzZzZzZzZ
Thirty minutes later Addison and Bucky walked back into the green room backstage.
"Oh good! You guys are finally here!" Lacey said cheerily. "I have got the biggest news ever!"
Addison rolled her eyes and walked over to the bar set up in the corner.
"Find anything?" Zed whispered as she leaned across him to grab a bottle of Tequila.
She shook her head and took a large swig.
"Shit…" he said quietly, under his breath.
"Thanks to me," Lacey continued pulling out a piece of paper from her bra, "there will be a scout from Mega Records coming to see us play!"
Addison nearly spat out her tequila. "What?" she said at the same time that Bucky walked over to take the printed-out email from Lacey's hand.
"And I guess since he's coming to see The Acey's, he could also see you all… so… you're welcome," Lacey said looking at everyone else.
Bucky scanned the page quickly before turning to look at Lacey. "This says you sent him a demo... What demo, Lacey?"
She smiled and waved him off. "Just a few new things I've been working on… and I wouldn't even call it a demo. It was a quick recording I took on my phone."
"What new things?" he asked cautiously.
"Just a few songs I've been toying around with. They're far from finished, but I was really proud of them. They might be the best things I've ever written!" she said proudly. "When they're finished I'll have these two start to work on them," she added waving her arm toward Addison and Tracey. "I mean honestly, Bucky, getting him to agree to come see one of our shows was ridiculously easy. I emailed him like two days ago and heard back today. Why am I even paying you a percentage?" With a swish of her ponytail, she walked out of the room, dragging Jacey along with her.
"April 8th…" Bucky said barely louder than a whisper once she was gone.
"What?" Wyatt asked.
"The rep from Mega Records is coming to the April 8th show at The Troubador in LA… That's the night after the Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony."
Addison rubbed her temples as Zed tried to work out the knot in her shoulders. "Great…" she mumbled. "Just fucking great…"
"Adds," Willa said quietly. "I know you're involved with Bamm!, but…"
Addison shook her head. "Willa, if you guys get offered a deal, no matter who it's from, I'll be the first one congratulating you guys. That goes for Zombies and The Acey's as well. I'm not in charge of who gets signed… But I'll be happy to help you negotiate your contract terms to make sure you get what you deserve."
Willa gave her a smile before turning to Wyatt and Wynter. "Playing The Troubador was already going to be huge, but now?! We've got a ton of work to do!" she squealed excitedly before all three of them rushed out of the room.
The room was quiet for a few moments until Eliza stood up. "Bucky, I know you don't want to hear this, but I think Lacey did take Addison's notebook, and I think she used whatever it was in it to get the Mega Records dude to come check us out."
"You're right. I don't want to hear it… but I also don't believe in coincidences," he said, still looking off into the distance. "Lacey hasn't written shit on this tour."
"It wouldn't be the first time she stole someone else's song to try and get ahead," Bonzo added.
Bucky finally turned to look at them. "Don't start with the song bullshit again."
"He's right though," Addison said.
"That was before you were even in the band, Sis. I know you want to defend Zed, but…"
She held up a hand and cut him off. "Z played the song for me. I know he wrote it because it's about the night we met… and our first kiss."
His brows shot up. "Seriously?" he said as Tracey let out a loud gasp.
Addison nodded her head. "It was the first day of Junior year. My mother was on location so I threw a house party. Pierce was drunk and jealous so he punched Zed in the face."
"And then you knocked him out with a hell of an uppercut," Zed added with a chuckle.
Addison smiled and leaned into him. "While I was holding a bag of frozen peas on his cheek we kissed… he told me my lips were better than morphine."
"They still are…" Zed said as he leaned down and kissed her. He smiled against her lips before looking over to Bucky. "I told you I wrote it."
Bucky pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fuck…"
Addison walked over and hugged her brother tight. "So… let me get this straight… We have a rep from one of Bamm!'s major competitors coming to watch us play the day after the induction ceremonies. The setlist and all of my notes for said ceremony are in my missing notebook that Lacey somehow stole and then used to lure in said rep. We're going to have to double our rehearsals to make sure everyone is ready to put on the best show of their fucking lives and you, me, and Z still have to fly to LA to work in rehearsals for the ceremony and meet with the board..."
"Yup."
She nodded her head and kissed his cheek. "Well… I think you said it best, brother-dear… Fuck."
Tracey grabbed a bottle of vodka from the bar and stormed out of the room.
"As close to breaking down in a full-scale panic as I am, I should probably go make sure he's okay…" Addison said quietly. When she walked out of the green room she caught a glimpse of Tracey making the corner towards the stairs. She followed after him up to the rooftop and sat down next to him on the edge overlooking the back parking lot.
They both sat in silence for a few moments as he drank from the bottle he had taken.
"She lied to me," he finally whispered. "She's done some shady shit… but I never thought she'd lie to me."
Addison rubbed a hand soothingly down his back. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."
"You shouldn't have had to," he said, wiping an errant tear from his cheek. "I thought she couldn't go lower than she did back in Seattle, but this…" He turned and looked at Addison. "I meant what I said that evening. I'm choosing you…"
"Trace…"
He shook his head. "I'm done with her… I'll play along and act like nothing is wrong… I'll do whatever I have to do to get us where we need to be because we've worked too damn hard… but when we get signed or when this tour ends, whichever comes first… she's out."
Addison laid her head on his shoulder. "Don't make a rash decision… you two have been friends for a long time. Once that bridge is burned..."
"It's been a long time coming…" he sighed. "She can say all she wants that The Acey's is her band, but it's not. I started the band with her. It belongs to me just as much as her. And if I'm being completely honest, she's done nothing but drag us down lately. She treats me like shit. You can't be you… I don't want to live like this anymore." He rested his head on hers, offering her the bottle of vodka.
She silently giggled. "Probably not the best idea."
Tracey laughed and set the bottle down before pulling her into a tight hug. They both turned to look as the sound of the door opened.
"Hey…" Bucky said as he and Zed walked over. "Everything okay?"
Tracey looked at Addison and gave her a small smile. "It will be… I hope."
She hugged him again before patting the ledge next to her for them to join in.
Zed sat down next to Addison and pulled her into him as Bucky sat down next to Tracey. "So… what's the plan?"
"We carry on like nothing has changed," Tracey said looking out over the parking lot again. "We bust our asses and make our dreams come true… then I want Lacey out."
"Are you sure?" Bucky asked.
Tracey nodded his head. "Yeah. The three of us will be fine without her."
"Can you boot Jacey out too?" Zed laughed.
Tracey leaned over and smacked him playfully. "I'm not dismantling my entire band."
Zed held his hands up in surrender. "Fair enough… and as thrilled as I am with the prospect of Lacey being tossed out on her ass unsuspectingly, that's not what I was talking about when I asked what the plan was."
Tracey gave him a questioning look. "What were you talking about then?"
Zed looked at Bucky and then to Addison. "You two are on the board at Bamm!. I know just as well as you know that you can't sign with Mega Records."
"I'll figure it out…" Addison sighed. "There's got to be a loophole or something… I don't know… Add it to the list of shit I have to figure out."
"And the induction ceremony?" Bucky asked, looking over to her. "How far behind are you without your notes and the arrangements?"
"I'll make it work."
"We'll make it work," Zed corrected, leaning down to kiss her.
"And I'll help in any way I can," Tracey added, hugging her again.
Bucky sighed. "This isn't going to be easy."
"When is anything ever easy, Brother-dear?"
He laughed and nodded his head. "Too true."
The four of them sat in silence for a few minutes until Addison quietly started to sing.
"Jump into the fire
Dive in headfirst into the flames
We're broken and tired
But giving in is not the way…"
Zed snickered and took over. "Here we are, killing ourselves to live
We just need one more hit
And we might just live forever…"
They both looked over to Tracey. With a smile he picked up with a verse of his own, adding to the mix. "Oh here we are going down with this ship
And if this is our last trip
At least we'll go together
We might just live forever…"
"It's times like this I wish I could carry a tune…" Bucky said, interrupting the three of them.
"You manage us through this mess, and we'll overlook your shortcomings," Tracey teased.
"I won't let you guys down… I promise."
"You better not," Zed laughed. "And can I ask one more thing from you?"
Bucky rolled his eyes. "What more can you possibly ask of me? I manage your career, clean up your messes, and more importantly, I'm letting you live even though you're dating my little sister," he teased, earning a hint of laughter from the three of them.
"Let me be there to watch when Lacey goes down."
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Once again I think I've re-written this chapter a half dozen times and at this point, I'm just tired of looking at it. It's not what I wanted it to be, but I needed a bridge to get from point A to point B to set some things in motion and that's what this is. Hopefully, it's not too awful!
MUSIC USED IN THIS CHAPTER
Porn Star Dancing- My Darkest Days
Conflicted- Halestorm
Killing Ourselves To Live- Halestorm