Chapter 62:
Finding Out
Brian walked shakily up to the sink,
leaning over to breathe deeply. Gripping one side for support, he turned on the
faucet to splash cold water onto his face and to rinse out the bile that had
risen in his mouth. He heard the door open and without turning knew it was
Xavier. God, give me control, he prayed as he forced himself to look
unemotionally at the one he despised with all his soul.
'What did you do?"
Brian kept his voice cold, hoping his
voice sounded reasonably commanding.
Xavier shrugged casually and said nothing,
a bare hint of a smile teasing the corners of his eyes. He scanned the interior
of the bathroom, lost in pretend fascination, ignoring Brian's demanding look
for several moments.
"For God's sake, Xavier…please,"
Brian finally begged, his voice beginning to crack with desperation.
Nodding with satisfaction at the young singer's
submissive pleading, Xavier looked straight at him. "That's better. What
were you saying again?"
Brian gritted his teeth, compelling
himself to remain calm. He had to know. "What did you put in the
chocolate?"
A wicked grin erupted over the large
bodyguard's face. "Nothing that will hurt them. Let's just say that this
will be a concert that you and the guys will never forget."
Knowing all too well the difference
between his and Xavier's definition of hurt, Brian exploded in fury, sick and
tired of Xavier's twisted little riddles. He launched himself off the sink,
hitting Xavier with all the force he could muster in one punch, hoping to wipe
that infuriating smirk off his face. Caught off guard, Xavier tumbled backward,
landing hard against the tiled floor.
"You bastard! It's not about money!
It's this sick game that really gets you off, isn't it?"
Xavier jumped back up, hands clenched in
anger, amazed how easily the young singer still could make him lose his temper.
Intending to teach Brian a lesson, he reached for him then stopped, remembering
the bag of money. Fighting for control, resisting the urge to lash out, he gave
Brian a tight smile.
"I'll admit I enjoy making you squirm
but,… where's my money, Brian?”
Brian smiled nastily. "What was in
the chocolate, Xavier?"
Xavier studied him, his eyes narrowing
slightly as he realized Brian was toying with him. "Give me the money
first," he challenged.
"No, not until you tell me what you
put in the candy." Brian stood his ground, not giving an inch, his eyes
locked onto Xavier's.
Xavier pursed his lips for a moment in
contemplation, then smiled. "Ecstasy."
Enjoying the stunned look that passed over
Brian's face, Xavier laughed. "Should be a real interesting show tonight,
don't you think?"
Brian's mind raced, desperately trying to
recall what he knew about it. Ecstasy was an extremely popular drug among the
teenage crowd and he remembered hearing that it could make you feel
unbelievably good. Other than that, he hadn't a clue. Feeling Xavier's fingers
wrap tightly around his arm, Brian winced as he looked up into Xavier's dark
eyes.
"Where's the money?" Xavier
demanded again, his voice menacing.
Desperate for more information, Brian
willed himself not to react to the pain.
"You said it wouldn't hurt them. I
don't believe you. What's going to happen?" Xavier applied more pressure,
his patience thinning. "Last time. The money?"
Brian grimaced, but refused to answer his
question, glaring meaningfully at the bodyguard.
Finally Xavier stepped back, releasing his
grip. "Make sure they drink lots of water." It was the only thing
Xavier divulged and Brian nodded, rubbing his sore arm tenderly. He was amazed
he was able to get that much out of him.
"The money is in a dark blue
Backstreet bag. It's in the corner of the dressing room."
Brian watched as Xavier hurried out of the
bathroom, then began to paced nervously, anxious to know if any of the guys
were feeling the effects already. I should go check, but what then? Xavier
seemed to think the guys could perform, but he also said it would be a night
we'd never forget. Damn! Brian could feel the beginning of a fine sweat
break out on his brow and he fought hard for control, the ominous signs of
panic struggling to envelop him. No, not now! he screamed silently,
wrapping his arms around himself to help calm the trembling. Hunched slightly
over, he squeezed his eyes tightly shut, concentrating. Finally opening his
eyes, Brian gazed into the mirror that reflected his image. Two blue eyes, now
devoid of emotion, stared steadily back at him. He nodded to himself, knowing
now what he had to do. There was no way he was going to let Nick, AJ, Kevin,
and Howie go on stage tonight and ruin their careers, possibly their health. He
shuddered to think what would happen if the press ever discovered Xavier's
little "gift". Knowing he needed to stop that at any cost, Brian
flung open the door and hurried down the hallway, grim with determination. He
was going to need that strength to get him through this.
***
