No. No way. Keegan and Pauline have been our security guards for two years now. I am actually friends with them. I know about their families. I care about them.
“It’s become clear they’ve become too close to you to do their jobs properly,” she says, like it’s no big deal. “We’ve terminated Tungsten’s contract. They’re on their way back home as we speak.”
“We can’t even say goodbye?” asks Angel.
“We decided it would put unnecessary stress on you all.”
“You can’t do this,” says Ruben.
“It’s already been done. We’ve hired Chase Protective Services, they’ve come highly recommended. They’ll keep you safe.”
“Keep us prisoner, more like,” says Angel under his breath.
Erin ignores him. “Another thing. You can’t have visitors anymore. We can’t trust them.”
“You can’t be serious,” Angel says.
“Hey, don’t use that tone at me. We did this because you snuck out. We trusted you and you showed us that was a mistake.”
A hard look settles in Angel’s eyes.
“I’m sorry,” she says. “It’s been a long day. Just try and behave yourselves from now on, okay? I’ll let you guys get some rest. Big day tomorrow.”
She gets up off the bed, and leaves. As soon as the door clicks shut, Angel gets to his feet and starts pacing.
“This is bullshit.”
“She does have a point,” says Ruben.
Angel whips around to face him. “What?”
“You were high off your face in an unknown city with no protection,” he says. “Anything could’ve happened.”
“Don’t start with me.”
“What does that mean?” Ruben shoots back.
“I’m just saying you have your ways of letting off steam.” Angel glances at me. “And I have mine.”
“Whoa,” says Jon. “Take that back.”
I cross my arms. Is that all I am to Ruben? A way to let off steam, to make it through this tour? No, Angel is just being mean.
“Let’s not fight,” says Jon. “Let’s just…”
“Be good boys,” says Angel, now turning on Jon. “So your dad can sit in his office and make more than each of us combined.”
“That’s not…”
“Don’t you think it’s weird that you’re the one who wants us to be the best behaved? You’re just thinking about your inheritance.”
“Fuck you, Angel.”
“Ooh, so he does know how to swear, how spicy. I…”
An idea crosses my mind, and before I can really think it through, I get up and go over to the mini-fridge, then swing it open. I retrieve every single mini bottle, and then dump them on the bed, silencing everyone.
“That’s it,” I say, as I pick up a mini bottle of Fireball. “I’m calling a truce. We need a night off.”
The others are all watching me now.
“There’s no way you can drink that without choking,” says Angel.
I close my eyes for a second, and let it pass. If I snap back, this will just go on and on.
“Maybe we can’t leave the hotel,” I say, as I twist the bottle open. “But we can still have fun here. Plus, Chorus is paying.”
“I’m in,” says Angel. “If there was any doubt.”
“You sure about this?” asks Jon.
To answer him, I lift the open bottle and take a shot.
Oh my god. This was a mistake.
It burns.
I cough and splutter, and the others all laugh at me while I thump my chest to get the burning to stop.
“Here,” says Ruben, grabbing a can of Diet Coke from the mini-fridge and pouring it into two glasses. Then he takes the bottle of Fireball from me and pours what remains into the cup, before giving it back.
I take a sip. I can still taste the whiskey, but it’s nowhere near as overwhelming as it was before. It’s actually nice now.
“Better?” he asks, as he makes his own.
“Much.”
“Admirable attempt at taking charge,” he says. “I was intimidated until the shot.”
“You were not.”
“No, not really, but you are cute when you try to be bossy.”
I grin, already a little woozy from the shot.
“And I’m in,” says Jon. “I can’t handle this sober.”
“Amen,” says Angel.
“Who’d have thought,” says Ruben, as he starts massaging the top of my head. “All we had to do was hook up to get them to get along.”