Drake Sisters 06 - Turbulent Sea

he added as he herded the men through the parking garage and out onto the street.
    Darkness had fallen. If they were going to get Brian to his performance, they would have to hurry. Ilya wanted him gone. He didn't want to give Nikitin an opportunity to regret protecting Brian, or to figure out that Brian was an intelligent man who would sooner or later realize Nikitin was no legitimate businessman.
    Ilya glanced down at the guitarist as they walked, noting his aura, and everything in him went still. Brian did know the truth. The shakiness, the trembling, his fear, had nothing to do with the attempt on their lives, and everything to do with his knowledge of what and who Sergei Nikitin really was. Brian's melody was sobbing, wailing, every note drawn out in utter and real despair.
    He rested his hand briefly on Brian's shoulder, the merest of touches, but sending healing warmth and encouragement to him, a small salute that the man was holding up under the worst circumstances. Brian kept his head down, stumbled a little, recovered and kept walking.
    The car was waiting right where Ilya had instructed. Nikitin didn't ask who had put it there, but if he had, Ilya had a ready answer. He covered every detail - that was how he stayed alive.
    The Arco Arena was already filled with cars and a crush of people. They drove around the top where the buses were parked, and Brian slid from the car.
    'You can do this, Brian,' Ilya said, keeping his gaze steady.
    Brian nodded. 'Don't worry. I won't let you down.'
    'I know you won't,' Nikitin said.
    Brian lifted his hand and turned and walked away.
    Some of the tension that had coiled in Ilya's stomach drained away. 'Let's go, Eddie. Take us to the safe house.'
    'Do you have any idea who those fuckers were?' Nikitin asked.
    'Not Tarasov,' Ilya said. 'Someone here in the U.S. How much did Demidov know about your operation?'
    'Everything. He knew everything. He's been with me for years.'
    'So how did they get to him? Money wouldn't have done it. What did they use to turn him against you?'
    'I don't know,' Nikitin said, 'but I'm going to find out.'
    Chapter Nineteen
    'What the hell were you doing out there, Brian?' Rick demanded, throwing a towel on the low-slung couch. They were in the suite at the Arco Arena, surrounded by some of the crew, a few friends and girlfriends. 'You played worse than an amateur. Joley covered for you time after time. You were lagging. You forgot which song you were playing.
    Shit. It was crap tonight.'
    Brian swung around, his expression going from upset to furious instantly. 'You know what, Rick?' Brian shouted back. 'Fuck you and your opinion. I don't see you playing the kind of music I play. You're all safe back there on your bass, playing off my lead.'
    Rick took several aggressive steps forward. 'Lead? Is that what you think you were doing tonight? You couldn't pick up the beat. You were all over the place tonight. It was my bass that saved your ass more times than I can count.'
    'Then you can fucking take over.' Brian picked up his guitar, swung it over his head and smashed it repeatedly against the floor.
    There was a shocked silence. Brian was the mellow one, the diplomatic one. The band counted on him for stability.
    The baby started to cry, and Logan put his arm around Tish and pushed her toward the door. He held it open.
    'Everyone out. You too, Jerry. Just the band stays.'
    The members of the crew, Rick's girlfriend, and Jerry went out. Logan shut the door firmly, stood in front of it and crossed his arms.
    Joley took what was left of the guitar from Brian's hand. He jerked away from her and paced across the room. He was trembling. His melody and aura was so sorrowful she felt weighed down, drained. A hopeless, shattering despair ate at her, and she knew it was coming from him.
    Brian flung up both hands. 'I'm out. How 'bout that, Rick? I'm gone. You fucking play the guitar if you're so damned good at it.'
    Rick puffed out his chest. 'You think I can't? Hell, I could play better than that any day of the week.'
    'Stop!' Joley stepped between them. 'Everyone has a bad night. All of us have had them. Flu, hangovers, losing a girlfriend - all of us have had accidents and lost our mikes, pulled wires, come on. This is crazy. Everyone's on edge here. We've been on tour for months. We're tired and need a break.'
    'We're all tired, we all need a break. But we're not fucking throwing a tantrum,' Rick snapped.
    'That's exactly what you're doing,' Logan said.