Down in Flames (Silver Tongued Devils Series Book 1)

by Samantha Conley

  We finish up with the work out a little over an hour later. Damn leg days are a killer. Occasionally, I can still feel my leg muscles quiver. We hit the showers and get changed to head to the studio. I hate that we can’t hit the sauna today, but we’re out of time.

  We make good time and arrive a few minutes before ten. We head in and can smell the food as soon as we open the door. Brian always treats us right.

  “Damn, this looks good! I’m starving! Our work out was a killer.” Jason says sniffing the air.

  We all grab a plate and load them up. Brian’s housekeeper is the one who keeps us fed when we’re around, but no junk food for us. She tries to keep us on the straight and narrow. Brian likes to have healthy meals and works out just as much as we do. For an older guy, he’s in good shape. He can probably keep up with us, no problem.

  “Did Brett work out with y’all this morning?” he asks as he fixes himself a plate.

  “No. I texted him, but he never responded. They said they hadn’t heard from him either. I tried to call but he didn’t answer, so I left him a voicemail. I did leave on there a reminder that we were to be here at ten. Hopefully, he’ll roll in soon.”

  “Well, it’s only a little after ten. I’ll give him a few more minutes before I start calling.”

  By the time we finish our food, its half past the hour and Brett still hasn’t shown up. Brian tries to call his cell, and I call his house. No answer on either. I try his Uncle Jake, who informs me that he saw him last night, completely wasted, along with the night before. He also says that Brett left with Tammy, the waitress, last night.

  “Maybe I should go check his house.” I stand up to leave.

  Brian stops me. “No, we all go. We handle this as a family. We’ll just have a talk with him there. Let’s go.”

  We all head outside and get into Brian’s SUV. The ride to Brett’s house is quiet. I’m afraid of what we will find when we get there. Hopefully, he’s just sleeping off last night. We pull up into Brett’s driveway and see his truck parked in the yard, not the driveway. Fuck, I hope this doesn’t mean he drove home drunk. I don’t see Jake letting him drive home intoxicated.

  We head up to the door, and it’s not even latched. I knock anyways, but don’t hear anything. We walk in and the house is trashed. Clothes are thrown about, lamps are knocked over, beer bottles poured out. We head up the stairs. Opening the bedroom door, I find more of a mess than downstairs. It looks like a tornado went through it.

  Brett’s lying in the bed, and he’s not alone. I can see two different hair colors on the pillows besides his. I walk over and reach over a redhead and shove him on the shoulder. Nothing. God, I hope he’s breathing. I shove him a little harder.

  “Brett!” Nothing. I shove him a little harder and he rocks back into the brunette on his other side. “Brett!” I yell.

  He finally jerks a little bit and raises his head. I’ve woken the other two along with him.

  “Am I dreaming?” the redhead says, trying to be sexy. She looks like shit. “Four more sexy guys to play with us.”

  She reaches a hand toward me and I step back. “Sorry darlin’. We ain’t here for you. Why don’t you get up and get moving?”

  She moves to get out of bed and throws the covers back. She makes a big show of stretching, thrusting her breasts out and arching her back. She sees that none of us are interested, huffs, and slowly bends down to grab some clothes, trying to show off her ass.

  “Move!” Jason barks. That does it. She’s out the door before I can blink.

  Tammy hugs herself all up on Brett’s back while Brett looks at us, wide-eyed, like he doesn’t have a fucking clue about what’s going on.

  “You too, Tammy. Get out.”

  “Maybe Brett doesn’t want me to leave. Ever think about that? We’re good together and he knows it. That’s why he keeps coming back for more.”

  Jason steps up to the bed and glares down at her. “Maybe you need to get your ass outta here. Maybe he keeps coming back ’cause you’re feeding his habit. Don’t think I don’t see those track marks on your arms, honey. You need to keep your druggie little ass away from Brett. I’ll be sure to mention this to Jake. He’ll fire your ass in a heartbeat. Now get the fuck out.”

  She hops out of bed, mumbling under her breath. She grabs something and heads out the door, naked.

  “I’ve already called them a cab,” Isaac says as he puts his phone away. “Someone may want to head downstairs and make sure they don’t steal shit.”

  Jason heads out the door. I can just picture him standing down there with his tree trunk arms crossed over his chest, stone-faced.

  Brett still hasn’t moved. He’s just staring at us with an unnerving stare. I snap my fingers in front of his face. He blinks, then focuses on me.

  “Whatcha doin’ here, Derek?” He blinks his eyes a few times.

  “You guys wanna head downstairs and start a pot of coffee? I’m going to get him in the shower and sober his ass up.”

  Brian heads out the door. Isaac moves over by me and we get Brett in to a sitting position. We lead him to the bathroom and wrestle him into the shower. At least with him being naked, we don’t have to worry about undressing him.

  We get him situated on the bench where he can lean on the side wall. I want to turn the water on cold, but I’m afraid that may be too much for his body to handle right now. I position the shower heads where they will hit him and turn the water on lukewarm.

  After a couple of minutes, he’s more awake. He’s able to finish the shower by himself and we head out, but I leave the door open just in case. I grab Brett some easy clothes to put on for when he gets out, then strip off all the bedding and lay the clothes down. Brett comes out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist.

  “What are you guys doing here?”

  “Well, when your sorry ass didn’t show up at the studio this morning, we got worried. Called the house and no one answered. We decided to drop by and make sure you were okay, and from where I’m standing, you sure as fuck are not okay.” Fuck. I rub my hands through my hair. “Get dressed and meet us downstairs. We need to talk.” And with that, I turn around and head down the stairs.

  We’re all waiting for Brett to make his grand appearance. Coffee’s been made and Jason has cooked scrambled eggs and toast. I can hear him coming down the stairs at a slow pace. I look around at everyone in the kitchen and make sure we don’t look like we’re about to jump his ass.

  Brian’s on his phone, talking to someone, while Isaac is on his phone, playing a game. Jason is sipping on a cup of coffee and drumming one hand on the counter. I had grabbed a guitar out of Brett’s music room and I’m softly strumming it.

  “Morning, guys. Sorry I overslept. Y’all didn’t have to come all the way over here, though.”

  I look up as Jason slides him a cup of coffee across the island counter top. Brett looks like hell. Even worse than the last time I saw him four days ago. Dark circles under his dull eyes. Sunken cheeks. It looks like he’s lost at least twenty pounds. His chest isn’t as defined. He still has a six pack, but it’s because he’s lost weight. I can see his ribs. Even though he’s trying to hide it, he’s winded just from taking a shower, getting dressed, and coming downstairs. How the hell did I miss this? How did I not see what he’s been doing to himself? Man, I’m a shitty friend. I glance at the other guys and see that they’ve all come to the same realization.

  "Brett, we need to talk. We've watched you over the past few months fall further and further down this hole that you're in, and we're bad friends for not realizing how bad it has gotten. Did you drive home drunk last night?" He has a blank look on his face, like he doesn't remember. "Because the way you parked your damn truck, it sure as hell looks like you did. There's a nasty dent in the fender. So, I really hope you didn't hit someone. What is going on with you, man?"

  He looks at me with remorse. "I don't know. I guess I didn't realize it was this bad. I don't even remember coming home la
st night. Jesus, what am I doing?"

  "That's the same shit that got you into this, if you'll remember. At first, it wasn't that bad. Sure, you were drinking more than you had been, but it wasn't affecting the band. But as more time has passed, you've gotten worse. I can hardly remember a time that I've seen you sober. When you didn't even come to the studio this morning, I knew we needed to do something. We had to come over here to find you because we were worried, and I don't think you were just drinking last night, were you?"

  Brett won't even look me in the eye, or any of the other guys. He just rests his forearms on the counter and looks down. "No, it probably wasn't just alcohol last night. Tammy gave me something—a pill—and I don't remember too much after that." He looks up with tears in his eyes.

  "I can't believe you're doing this. And driving under the influence? That's totally not you. That was one of the things you and I swore would never happen after your parents’ accident. We made a pact that we would never do to a family what those drunk drivers did to you. I love you, but I don't know who you are anymore. The guys love you. So, we're going to get this shit straightened out." I blink back tears.

  Brian walks over to us. "Maybe, while we're home, you should come stay with me. To be honest, Brett, you look like hell. You look like you're strung out. I don't think you're quite there yet, and we sure as hell don't want you to be there. You'll come stay at my house. No drinking, no drugs, no pussy. As a family, we will work on straightening you out."

  I glance down at Brett and see that he's crying. "I guess I didn't realize how bad I’d gotten. It's a good idea for me to come stay with you, Bri. I need to get my head on straight."

  Isaac steps up. "So, what the hell happened this weekend to make you go off the deep end?"

  He takes a deep breath and lets it out. "I had it in my head to see Kristen. I don't know why. It was like all I could focus on. I stopped by to see her Saturday night. I was surprised that she didn't slam the door in my face. Even more surprised she let me in. I think it gave me a little hope." He wipes his hands up and down his face. "I could tell how awkward it was for her, but I had to let her know how I felt, to let her know how much I missed her. It wasn't like it was before. There was no comfortable silence. I tried to kiss her, and that’s when I realized it's over for her. I guess when I understood I lost her for good, it just sent me over the edge. I didn't care anymore. I ended up at Jake's because I knew he wouldn't let me do anything too stupid. Apparently, that didn't work out too well last night. I was right at the edge of a cliff, but I'm glad I've got you guys to help me from going over that edge."

  I feel a pain stab me in the chest when he talks about Kristen. I'm glad that he's accepting it's over between them, but I feel guilty as shit because I'm in love with her. Jesus, I'm in love with her. I glance at Jason and see him looking at me. I know what he's thinking, about how Kristen and I being together might send him spiraling out of control. We'll just have to keep that under wraps a little bit longer, until he's more stable.

  "Okay, here's the plan. Brett, head upstairs and pack some clothes. Is Nelda coming over today? Because this place is a pigsty." Brian starts to take charge. At Brett's nod, Brian continues. "We'll go easy at the studio today. You're probably gonna be on house arrest for the next couple weeks, until we leave for the next tour. You'll go work out with the guys every morning or with me. Like I said, no alcohol, no drugs, no pussy. You're gonna be a damn choir boy. I think that should get you straightened out. But don't think for a damn minute that I won't be watching you like a hawk when we go on tour this time."

  "I really appreciate this, guys. It's nice to know that you have my back." Brett's voice cracks as he speaks. He goes to each of the guys and gives them a hug, then stops in front of me. “And you, man. You're my brother. What would I do without you? You've been there for me, always. My rock. We may not be blood, but we have the bond of brotherhood. That will always be the tie that binds us. Brothers forever." We hug and I scoot back.

  "Get your ass upstairs and get some clothes packed. We have an album to make."

  He heads up the stairs, and I brace my arms on the counter. Brothers forever. God, I hope so. He's been my best friend for as long as I can remember, but we grew even closer after his parents were killed by a drunk driver. He practically lived with my family from our sophomore year and on. We're closer than blood. I just hope that bond doesn't break with the choices I've made. I know they may be tested when he finds out about me and Kristen.

  Chapter 22

  Kristen

  It's Tuesday night, and I forgo seeing Derek because, hello? It's Taco and Tequila Tuesday. Mallory and Camryn are coming over for a girls’ night, with pulled pork tacos, chips, salsa, and fresh guacamole. Yummy. I just finished making up some of my famous margarita mix and took the pork out of the oven. I hear a knock at the door and let the girls in. They're both subdued, which is very unlike them.

  Taking one look at their faces, I say, "Damn, it's going to be an extra margarita night tonight, isn't it?” They both nod their heads. "All right, ladies. Let's dish 'em up and chow down."

  I start up a pitcher of margaritas and the girls help themselves to the tacos. I pour us all a big glass of the icy goodness and we head to the living room to eat. Camryn sits down on the carpet, and Mallory and I sit on the couch.

  "So, ladies, what's going on?"

  Both of them answer in unison. "Man trouble.”

  "Well, hell. I didn't even know you were seeing anybody. When did this start?" Mallory and Camryn look at each other, trying to decide who's going to go first.

  Camryn takes a big old drink of her margarita. "It's Isaac," she blurts out.

  I look at her in shock. "What do you mean, Isaac? The band's Isaac?"

  She nods her head. "We ran into each other a few months ago, when they were on break from their last tour. I don't know what the hell happened. It was about a month after Adam and I broke up, and I was feeling unwanted. I know he's a manwhore, but I slept with him anyway."

  Holy shit! Camryn slept with Isaac? I can't wrap my head around that. Camryn’s the good girl, the one who wants to be in a committed relationship before she'll have sex. One-night stand and Camryn do not go together.

  I take a drink of my margarita. "Okay. So, what happened?”

  "I actually ran into him at Jake's bar. One of the girls I work with, her boyfriend, was playing that night, so a bunch of us went to show our support. He came over to the table, sat down, and we just talked. But the booze was flowing, and he's just so damn sexy. I don't know what the hell I was thinking. Somehow, we ended up back at his place." She blushes as she says it. "It may have only been one night, but damn, what a night. The only problem is he doesn't seem to want it to be just one night. He wants to date, exclusively. I don't know if he's capable of that, and I don't know if I want to risk my heart on a man like him."

  "Yeah, that’s a difficult decision, but Isaac is a nice guy, and he's honest. He's also upfront with the chicks he's with that he's a one-and-done. So, if he wants to date, maybe he's serious. What would it hurt to go out with him a few times? Forget the exclusive for now. Just go have some fun, see where it takes you. You never know what can happen."

  She nods her head and finishes off her glass. She heads to the kitchen and brings the pitcher back, refills our glasses and sits it on the table in front of us.

  She tips her glass to Mallory. "Your turn, girlfriend."

  Mallory takes a long drink before she starts. "My problem is a little more complicated, I think. Y'all know I moved off with Todd not too long after my dad died." We both nod our heads. "I was a mess up there for a long time, but I finally started pulling myself together. Then things went sideways. Y'all don't know the real reason I moved back. I know I told you that it just didn't work out between us and I missed being home, which was true, but that wasn't the only reason. Todd…" She looks at us with tears in her eyes. "Todd was abusing me." Tears stream down her cheeks and she wipes them away from her face
.

  Mallory had moved from Texas a few months after we graduated with Todd. He was almost too perfect, and I thought they moved way too fast. I felt that he pressured her to take the job in Colorado, especially since her dad had just died in a car accident. Before we even realized it, they packed up to move. Todd's family was from the area. For years, we only talked to her on the phone or on Facebook. Did we miss the warning signs? Now that I think back, there were some obvious red flags, but, as they say, hindsight is 20/20.

  "My boss, Donna, had suspected what was going on and confronted me. She hounded me until I decided it was time to leave. I finally had enough. I made plans to move back here, and got everything set up. She even helped me get a job here, and got me an apartment in her name. She works with abuse victims in Colorado Springs, so she had a lot of contacts. I thought I had it all covered." She takes another drink of her margarita and finishes off her glass.

  "Todd was supposed to be out of town with his brothers on a fishing trip. Donna had helped me pack up some stuff and had left to ship it. When she came back, she was taking me to the airport, but Todd got back before she did. It was bad. Donna came back and found me, got me out. I don't remember a lot. She took me to the ER. They admitted me for a couple days, but I knew I needed to get away before he found me. They gave me enough pain meds to make it through the trip, and Donna ended up taking the plane with me. One of the docs she works with paid for her ticket and upgraded our seating so I would be more comfortable. We made it to Dallas, and she took me to the apartment. She ended up staying with me for a while, to make sure there weren't any complications. I didn't realize the complex where I moved to was where Jason lived too, right next door. He saw me the night I came back, but he didn't realize it was me. I didn’t even recognize me. Once Jason realized who I was a couple weeks later, he became protective of me, always checking in on me. He knew that I was scared. I told him what had happened, and he’s been helping me deal with it all."