Chapter Twenty-Two

 

Darius slouched in the chair while staring at the mini bar. Sweat still poured down his temples. Leaving everything on stage wasn’t working too well. He wanted to walk away from the show so exhausted he’d sleep and forget. But after three weeks and seven shows, once the music stopped and the lights dimmed, all the fury remained embedded in his soul.

Without blinking, he took several short breaths. Deep breathing would have been better, but nursing the pain consuming him was more in line with how he felt.

One day, he’d wake up and feel normal again. He wanted to believe in the possibility. But as long as he held on to just a little of the bitterness, no one would ever be able to crush him, again. He ran his hand over his chest. Even though he couldn’t feel the gaping wound in his heart, he knew it was there.

Without knocking, Dan charged in the room.

“Another great show. I know you’re unhappy, but you’re killing it on stage. And record sales are off the chart.” Dan’s enthusiasm was as uncontrollable as a puppy. His excitement only added to Darius’s misery. He should be happy that his career was skyrocketing, but his personal life was dragging him into the undertow.

“There’s no sparkling water in the fridge,” Darius said without looking up.

“I just gave you great news and all you can say is you don’t have any water?”

“I requested it in the contract. I don’t want plain water. I asked for sparkling water. Can you get some up here?” Darius stormed out of the living room, into the bedroom, and slammed the door.

“You know, if you’re going to be this miserable, you might as well go crawling back to her.”

“She’s got a name, Dan,” he yelled.

“Yeah, but last week, you told me not to say her name around you. Make up your mind.”

“Are you going to get the water or not?”

“I’m not your servant, but I’ll see about it. In the meantime, you might as well change for the photo shoot with the radio winners. They’ll be ready for you in about an hour. Then, we’re going to the club and taking more pictures.”

“Dan, you know how I hate doing those staged poses.”

“We all have something about the business we don’t like, but we do them anyway. Besides, you haven’t been photographed since your divorce news broke. We need to let everyone know you aren’t devastated by the breakup. So, smile pretty for the cameras.” Dan’s voice had an air or authority.

“Yeah, right.” He flipped over on the bed and grabbed the pillow. “I’ll be ready.”

Tonight, he’d be just fine. No way would anybody know the pain lining his stomach. Unlike his father, he’d mask his emotions. Melissa would never know how badly she hurt him. Never.

After a few seconds, the outer door to the hotel room closed. Darius rolled onto his back. If life could return to normal just by not mentioning her name, he’d be fine. But it wasn’t so simple. He reached for the phone and dialed her number. Before the connection was completed, he hung up and threw the cell across the room, where it bounced off a chair and landed on the floor.

A couple of beers and a shower had managed to chase away his moodiness by the time he jumped on the elevator and headed down to the hotel club. The thumping of the music could be heard in the lobby. Cameras snapped as he made his way to the far end of the massive property where the good times were well underway.

Dan motioned him over as soon as he stepped through the door. The crowd stopped for a moment, and then a roar of cheers went up. Everything he loved about the limelight was evident in the pulse of the atmosphere.

“They love you, man,” Dan shouted above the noise.

“Let’s get this party started.” Darius waved his hands and everyone stood.

“I see you’ve decided to have a good time.” Dan slapped him on the back.

He spread his lips and showed his teeth, hoping in the pictures his attempt would look like a smile. He posed with several fans and signed autographs. Melissa wasn’t the only one good at taking pictures. He slipped his arm around the newest lingerie model and struck a stance for the paparazzi. Playing the man behind the mask was a role he thought he’d abandoned years ago, but as he positioned for the pictures, nothing felt authentic. But, he needed to try.

“So, I heard you’re single now,” she said without breaking her smile for the photos. “Here’s the key to my room. I’m in 2122. I’ll be looking for you.” She kissed him and slipped her tongue into his mouth.

Before Melissa, he would have accepted the offer and rumpled the sheets all night long. But he wasn’t that man anymore. He pulled away without making a scene. “Thanks for the offer, but I’m going to pass,” he said as he moved to another group of fans.