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Chapter 86

Terri walked the length of the bus, her hands working the pendant on her necklace back and forth. She was currently on Nick’s tour bus, waiting for him yet again. Normally she would sit in the studio with him to support him, but she didn’t want to be around Resa. And, like all the damn time now, Resa was around. Yes, Terri was aware that Resa was security, she wasn’t stupid. But, even she could admit that lately, Theresa was just always around. And pretty damn close to Nick as well.

When Theresa kicked off of the tour, she was constantly around Brian, Howie, or even AJ. And yet, the tables have turned. Oh, Terri believed Nick wanted Terri, and only Terri. Why wouldn’t he? And of course, she just got that amazing set! What had Resa received? Nothing! But, Terri still couldn’t hang onto her man. Not with Resa around. Nick was different, and that bugged Terri.

Terri finally plopped on the couch, cussing as a stupid toy poked her right in the behind.

“Damn little shits!” She flung the toy across the bus, snickering as it hit the hall, part of it breaking off. “What I wouldn’t give for a fix right now! Oh, that reminds me, I need to call him again. He told me the new stuff was coming in.” She closed her eyes and leaned her head back, mentally totaling up what her next fix should cost. But she snapped them open again, her mind racing.

Terri fumbled with her thoughts and her anxiety. She couldn’t fight the feeling that something strange was going on. And she wasn’t a fool. So she was certainly questioning what Kris had said. Not like she wanted to center her thoughts around the two women she hated the most. She sighed, throwing her hands up and then turned her head as the bus door opened and in walked Julie.

“What’s your problem Terri?”

“Nothing.”

“That doesn’t sound right.” Julie sat down and crossed her legs, looking at her well manicured nails.

“I need a fix Julie. I need to clear my head.” Julie snapped her eyes to Terri.

“You’re kidding! I already risked my job a few times. I gave you the key to both AJ’s dressing room and to his suite! I blamed it on Resa, for you. You told me after that, you were done!”

“Those two bitches are messing with my head! I need to clear it!” Julie stood up and started at Terri.

“You go away to clear your head Terri. You don’t stay around and get high. I can’t, I won’t, cover for your ass if you do it!”

“Julie, you’re my best friend. Who else can I turn to? No one! Leigh as particularly screwed me over for Resa.” Julie shook her head in disgust.

“I have staged just about everything for you, do you know that? I gave you Nick and you can’t even keep him controlled. You let him go back to Resa.”

“He is not back with her. Why does everyone say that? He bought me these gifts, he slept with me. He loves me and wants me!”

“Terri,” Julie started, crossing her arms and looking at Terri sadly, “has the pills worked?” Terri licked her lips, her heart pounding. She sighed and finally sat back down again, not even knowing when she got up.

“No.”

“Don’t you think they should have? It’s been two weeks.”

“I don’t know.” Julie shook her head.

“You know the only way to keep Nick yours forever is to get pregnant, and you’re even screwing that up!”

“You’re putting all this pressure on me, what the hell do you have to do?!”

“You son of a bitch! What do I have to do? I have to make sure your ass doesn’t screw up to get us both tossed in jail, and at the rate you’re going, that’s the worst job here! You wanted Nick, you had him. It’s not my fault, by any means, that you can’t keep him. That you’re resorting to stupid ass methods to do that! You had him all over you, what the hell happened?”

“She came back in the picture Julie!”

“She was always in the picture! She’s his ex wife, the mother of his kids.” Julie sighed and shook her head. “Look, if Resa gets back in to his good graces, and believe me, she’s not far from it at this point in time, we’re both gone, do you know that? I have no job and no means to help you get your damn fixes. So, if you don’t want me to be tossed my ass, don’t mess this up anymore!” With that, Julie marched out of the room, slamming the bus door behind her.

Terri growled in frustration, yanking up her phone and punching in a number she knew by heart. She waited for a few moments before the other line picked up.

“Hey, it’s me. Look, I need two bags, think you can handle that? Sure, I got the cash.”

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I leaned back against the wall, one arm crossed against my chest, my hand resting underneath the other arm as I held up the listening device. I slowly smirked, never once believing that Julie nor Terri would ever be that low and deceiving, but there was my proof. And not only was being heard by everyone in the dressing room, it was going to my laptop, which was currently recording the whole thing.

What blew my mind, and by the looks on Nick’s face, I was thinking his as well, was that Julie had managed to stage it all; every last thing to really get me out of the picture. She had worked it over pretty well too. But what she had counted on was the closeness I had gained with everyone else; that and the fact that I knew my job pretty damn well.

“She’s not getting away with this.” I looked at AJ then at Nick, watching his jaw clench. I walked over to Nick and rested my hand on his chest.

“Let it go Nick. That’s what we needed, and you know it. It’s done with.”

“Tomorrow, we’re dealing with management.”

“No, tomorrow, you’re dealing with Terri and then…we’re dealing with management. This time around, Julie and Terri won’t screw anyone over!”