DRASTIC (Book 4 of the Soundcrush Series)

Chapter 28: Drummer Boys Call 911

I love this song -Both of Us by B.o.B. and Taylor Swift. I feel like it speaks to so many pairs playing off each other in this chapter. Marley and Darius, and the story Bodie tells of himself as a child when his mother made a bad decision that led to some pretty awful consequences for him, and most especially it speaks to Bodie and Marley. I think Bodie wishes he was strong enough--that he had the power or the path to lift them out of the situation they are in, but he's not yet found the strength, the leverage, and the way forward...

Bodie

I answer the door and Daemon gives me an unreadable look from behind bold, black, round-framed designer sunglasses.

What the fuck are those, anyway? Saint-Laurent? He looks like a douche.

Shit. I think I have those same glasses in white on tour last summer. I must have looked like an even bigger douche. What was Tam thinkin' on those?

He looks past me and grins at Marley.

I fucking hate that grin, because Daemon only ever smiles at someone he's about to fuck over.

"Hey Babymama," he says easily and I fight not punch him in his stupid fucking four hundred dollar shades.

She's not his Babymama, she's mine. And even if she were his Babymama, he has no right to speak to her like that. He's a fucking abuser. He tried to get her pregnant by force and deception.

I stand there glaring at him, and a feeling like I've never know comes over it.

A feeling like...an angel my shoulder. A presence, whispering truth to me.

God or fate or the Universe stopped that evil that Daemon tried to perpetrate.

Yeah, a benevolent force brought me and Marley together that night. I'm sure of it now. Because if she and I hadn't come together first, Daemon would have gotten her pregnant later that night. And she wouldn't have Darius. She would have some other kid, with Daemon, but she wouldn't have our son. Our talented, intelligent, smart-mouthed son.

Darius is a saving grace.

A path to love instead of a child born of abuse.

That knowledge eases my anger. I grin back at this shit-kicker standing in my doorway.

Yeah, Dawg. You got the upper hand now. But Imma play your game, and Imma beat your sorry ass at it.

"Why are you here, Daemon?" Marley asks calmly.

"Oh, I'm just the errand boy." He's all nonchalance as he turns sideways and gestures at the caravan on the street. The two Escalades I casually bought from TJ last night at the family dinner are shinin' on the curb, followed by a third vehicle I assume is for Daemon's return trip.

"My last official sale, working for TJ," Daemon says. He takes his sunglasses off. "You want 'em in the garage?"

I nod. I want to ask Marley to go down to open the doors, but I don't want to be that kind of guy, ordering her around, actin' like the macho, territorial asshole. Because she's been dealin' with Daemon just fine on her own, since he got out of jail, but also because I can't push up in between them right now. There's no good reason for me to do that.

Wordlessly, I head down to the basement. When the trucks are parked, I head back up to the main floor. I hear angry words wafting down the stairs and I take the rest three at a time, to find Marley standing with her arms crossed, looking at the floor, and Daemon bearing down over her, agression pouring off him.

Marley is speaking in a monotone voice. "No, Daemon. This is not okay, what you are doing right now. You need to control your anger—"

"I have every fucking right to be angry, Jasmine. What the fuck is wrong with you? Do you think I'm stupid? You bring Bodie to family dinner last night, frontin' like it's some kind of legitimate job, like I'm dumb enough to believe that shit. I know you're fucking him. What I don't know is...are you trying to take my son away? To Hollywood? That's never going to fucking happen. Darius is my son. Are you listening, bitch? Fucking look at me when I talk to you."