“What do you want?” King d.Avid said.
“I just want what is due me,” Vincent said. “That’s all Kendall and I both want.”
“So you don’t believe I have the right to sever my dealings with you when I don’t believe it’s any longer a workable relationship for me, nor in my best interest?” King d.Avid said.
“Of course you do.” Vincent shifted his weight. He made a show of looking toward the living room as though he were questioning why they were still standing in the foyer, instead of sitting in their usual meeting place. “But I don’t believe you’ve thought this whole thing through. I don’t believe you’ve weighed all of the pros and cons in letting someone, such as myself or Kendall, for that matter, go. We know more about you, your dealings, and your operation than I’m sure you’d care for the world to hear about.”
“What’s that supposed to be? Some kind of threat?”
Vincent chuckled, as he looked down at his brown leather Prada shoes. “Now how long have we known each other again?” The question was completely rhetorical since he continued without waiting for an answer. “You know me. I make promises; that’s all. Not threats . . . promises. I promised I would take you to the top and beyond. I delivered on that promise. I promised that your name would be known from one end of the world to the other. Did that. I promised that you’d never have to lack for anything when it came to having more than enough money.” Vincent made a big show of scanning the area where they stood. “Check. I’d say, merely by glancing around this place alone, that I more than delivered on that promise. That’s why you’re able to afford this fourteen-million-dollar house and all of its costly upkeep. That’s why you were able to take your lovely wife, along with a host of family and friends, to a place like Necker Island at a little over $54,000 per night, for your little group of twenty-eight, for five whole days.”
King d.Avid nodded. “I see, as usual, you’ve been snooping around in my business again. How else would you know about Necker Island and how much it cost me? And for the record: the other twenty-six were there for only two days. Brianna and I had the whole island to ourselves the rest of the other three days and nights.”
“Yes, I know all of that. I know, because as I’ve said: if nothing, I’m thorough. I told you that when you hired me. I see my mark, and I get things done. And I’ve given you many years of dedicated service, along with my blood and sweat,” Vincent said.
“And you were well compensated for your service, too,” King d.Avid said.
“I don’t disagree. But now, I’m further along in age. It’s not as easy for me to start over. Had I seen my termination coming, I might have put back enough to tide me over until I get back to where I desire to be. Same thing with Kendall. Neither of us saw our separation from the organization even nearing the horizon, let alone about to totally be pushed off the cliff. We were loyal—”
King d.Avid chuckled in a sarcastic way. “Oh, yeah. You two were loyal, all right. Loyal to your own pockets. Listen, I’m not going to stand here and put the entire blame on you. I should have signed my own checks, all the time, every time, and not allowed you to have so much power. That’s on me. I should have watched a bit more. But as they say: when you know better, then you do better. I know better now. So . . .”
“Okay. Let me get right to it then,” Vincent said. “I worked hard to keep gossip out of the media when it came to you. Take your first wife, Michaela, the one where the marriage was annulled. She tried to sink you before you got going. That woman was madly, I’m talking crazy in love with you. And she didn’t take kindly to you constantly remarrying, going on without her. Well, I squashed that. Then there was Michaela and Jonathan’s father who really hated you and definitely had it in for you. The man was out for blood. I took care of that. And we won’t even begin to address your other wives and women in your life with their scandals and scorn, coupled with their desire for revenge.”
“Would you please just say what you came to say so you can vacate my premises,” King d.Avid said, on occasion sneaking glances toward the second floor of his house.
“King, you and I both know there are some things that could—note that I said could—start making their rounds on the media circuit and make your life a living—”
“Watch your mouth in my house,” King d.Avid said.
Vincent nodded. “Okay. I’ll respect your home. But let’s be real: there are things about your life and people you know that could be raised and seriously cause you a lot of headaches, heartache, and difficulty.”
“Like?” Brianna said.
Vincent watched as Brianna made her way down the stairs like a queen descending from her throne, holding the intricate, ornate, spiraling wrought-iron banister.
“Hi, Brianna,” Vincent said, leaning over and giving her a hug when she reached the floor where he and King d.Avid stood. “I didn’t see you up there.”
“I wasn’t exactly up there. I heard voices and decided to come down,” Brianna said to Vincent, then turned to her husband and gave him a quick peck on his lips. “I hope you don’t mind me barging in like this, dear,” she said to King d.Avid.
“No,” King d.Avid said. “And I don’t expect Vincent to be too much longer.”
Vincent shook his head slowly as he grinned. “Maybe you and I should finish this conversation at another time.”
“No. Why don’t you just finish what you have to say now?” King d.Avid said. “I have nothing to hide from my lovely wife. This way, you’ll save me the breath of having to repeat to her what you and I talked about. So please . . . continue.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, if you know what I mean,” Vincent said. “I don’t care to say or do anything that might hurt or upset Brianna.” He turned to Brianna. “I heard that you’re pregnant.” He glanced down at Brianna’s baby bump. “Three months, is it? Congratulations.”
Brianna nodded. “Thank you.”
“Yeah”—he nodded—“I was there when you lost the last baby. I certainly don’t desire anything I may say or do to be the cause of any stress that might negatively affect this baby you’re carrying.” Vincent deliberately looked at King d.Avid when he finished.
“Okay,” King d.Avid said harshly. “We’re done!” He started for the door.
“No,” Brianna said to King d.Avid. “Let Vincent have his say. That way, there will be no reason for you and him to have this conversation later. Whatever he has to say won’t bother me. I’m carrying a strong, healthy baby, who will be just fine.”
“Well, as I was saying to King here,” Vincent said. “I have worked hard to protect his good name and stellar reputation. But there is a grave possibility some things may begin circulating regarding him and those he deeply cares about.”
“Gossip,” King d.Avid leaned over and said to Brianna. “He’s referring to friendly—according to how you want to look at it—gossip, right now.”
Vincent continued. “Well, from my experiences, when people hear things, they don’t know whether it’s true or not. And if you don’t know how to shoot it down before it grows legs and starts traveling, things can really get away from you. You understand.”
“Like?” Brianna said.
Vincent looked at King d.Avid. It was obvious he was uncomfortable saying these things in front of Brianna.
“My wife asked you a question,” King d.Avid said. “If you have something to say, then say it. If not—”
“Okay,” Vincent said. “Like what’s the real deal behind your brother Mack adopting that child named Melvin?” Vincent said to Brianna. “That’s one.”
“I believe it’s called compassion and love for your fellow man,” Brianna said.
“I know,” Vincent said. “It’s not something I think is a problem. But if something like that got started—a grown man, a helpless, crippled, young boy. Folks asking: What’s the real deal there? Something like that could get nasty and morph into a life of its own.”
“That Mack values what it is to
feel unwanted?” Brianna asked. “So, what else?”
“Well, in regard to you: there could be some question about your late husband’s untimely death. Like: was it really an accident? And with all due respect to you”—Vincent nodded at Brianna—“why was it you married King d.Avid so quickly following his death? Was there something going on between you and King d.Avid prior to his death?”
King d.Avid folded his arms and began to sway slightly. Brianna reached over and placed her hand on one of his arms. He became still.
“Anything else?” Brianna asked, taking her hand down from King d.Avid’s arm.
“Well, besides some of the charities that King d.Avid has been a spokesperson for and a supporter of, and what is the real deal with some of them, there is the sensitive matter of . . . please forgive me . . . but the baby that died.” Vincent looked at Brianna when he said the word baby. “I’m not trying to upset you. Believe me. I’m not.”
“Oh, please.” Brianna waved him off. “Save the commentary and finish already.”
“Well, there is some question about the true paternity of that baby. I’m not saying that I personally have questions, but there is buzz building about it,” Vincent said. “In fact”—he chuckled—“there are those who actually believe the baby was King d.Avid’s. And that he had your husband killed just to keep your infidelity a secret and be able to marry you afterward. Which of course, he did end up doing—marrying you, that is.”
“Okay,” King d.Avid said. “We’ve heard just about enough.” King d.Avid went and opened the front door.
“Listen, all I want to do is to keep doing at least some of what I was doing before,” Vincent said. “I would like to keep your good name in good standing with the people who are being blessed by your music and ministry. I want to protect you from those who are looking . . . hoping . . . praying, actually, for you to trip, just so they can make fun of yet another Christian who has fallen. King, you’ve often said this was not about you, but it’s about Jesus and about spreading the Gospel throughout the world.”
“Well, I know you didn’t come here for my little opinion on any of this,” Brianna said to Vincent. “But it sounds to me like you’re trying to blackmail my husband.”
“No, that’s not what I’m doing at all,” Vincent said. “All I want is my job back.”
“Well, that’s what it sounds like to me,” Brianna said. She turned to her husband. “What about you? Does it sound like blackmail to you? If you don’t do what Vincent wants, give him back his job, then things are going to mysteriously start coming out about you . . . things are going to get rough for you. The truth? Irrelevant. Who cares?”
“Yeah. It sounds like blackmail to me, too,” King d.Avid said, closing the door.
“Well, I told you. It’s not,” Vincent said. “I just want my job back and Kendall’s job restored, and you won’t have to worry about any of these horrific things hitting the airwaves or print world. I get my job; you get assurance that nothing ends up getting out.”
Brianna pulled out her cell phone and pressed a button. “Chad, could you come to the foyer, please?” She pressed the END button and returned her phone back to her pocket.
“What are you doing?” Vincent asked.
“Oh, I just called for Chad,” Brianna said. “You remember Chad, don’t you? He’s head of our security.”
“I know who Chad is. I was the one who hired him,” Vincent said, agitated.
King d.Avid cleared his throat and cupped his ear. “Excuse me? What was that again?”
Vincent looked at King d.Avid. “Okay. I hired him after you okayed it.”
King d.Avid smiled and nodded.
Chad came in. “Yes, ma’am?”
“Chad, we’re having a slight, fundamental debate here,” Brianna said. “I figured since you’re into laws and such, and you have friends who are into the law, you might be able to settle this debate for us, or at least point us in the right direction.”
“Okay,” Vincent said. “I see where this is going. I suppose it’s time for me to go.”
“Oh, please,” Brianna said. “Don’t leave just yet. I think we need to put this question to bed once and for all. Right here, right now.” She pointed at the floor.
“How may I assist you?” Chad asked.
Brianna pulled out a minirecorder from her pocket. She rewound it, then pressed PLAY.
Vincent’s eyes widened when he heard his own voice talking on what he wanted in return for doing what. “Turn that thing off!” Vincent said. “You can’t do that!” He turned to Chad. “Is it legal for her to tape me without my permission?”
“Well, I would say there’s an even bigger question looming,” Chad said. “And that is: what is the penalty for blackmail . . . extortion?” Chad shook his head. “Jail time . . . pretty bad, especially for someone soft and cute like you,” he said to Vincent. “I’m not exactly sure how you’d fare in jail with a Jimbo or a Sonny.”
“What are you talking about, jail?” Vincent said. “All of you are blowing everything completely out of proportion.” Vincent took a step toward the door. King d.Avid again opened it for him. “Why don’t we just pretend none of this ever happened?”
“I don’t know,” Brianna said. “I mean: if what I did by having my tape recorder on in my own house, having given my consent to record me, in a one-party permission state, while you were also talking, is wrong, then I by no means want to be doing anything that may be illegal or breaking the law and could possibly come back and bite me later.”
“No,” Vincent said. “You’re right. This is your home. I was a guest here. And I hope that what I was proposing here is not being misconstrued.”
“Then I take it our business here is done?” King d.Avid said as he furrowed his forehead. “For good?”
“Absolutely,” Vincent said. “For good. You’ll have no more problems from me.”
“And we agree that I don’t owe you anything more than what you’ve already been paid, along with my gratitude for services rendered?” King d.Avid said.
“Yes,” Vincent said, scratching his brow.
King d.Avid gently slapped Vincent on the back. “Well, it’s been real,” King d.Avid said, nodding, then escorting him through the open door.
Vincent strolled out and hurried to his car as King d.Avid continued to look on.
Brianna walked over to Chad, touched him on his arm, nodded, then smiled. Her way of thanking him for the early warning and the heads-up he’d so graciously given her on what was about to come, as well as the valuable information on Georgia’s taping laws.
Chapter 48
When a man hath taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business: but he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken.
—Deuteronomy 24:5
King d.Avid had decided not to do any concerts or to go back into the studio for a while. He wanted to take some time off from a schedule that had been pretty much nonstop since he first hit the music scene as King d.Avid, more than thirteen years ago.
He had definitely made changes in his life, from the top to the bottom. He’d cleaned house when it came to his manager and personal assistant. He’d hired another assistant, a hardworking, single mother of three who was a member of the church where he and Brianna attended. Marissa Cade had worked extremely hard to get her associate’s degree while holding down a full-time job, hoping to better her life and her children’s lives.
“So what are you going to do with yourself?” the president of the record company asked when King d.Avid informed him that he was taking off for a while.
“I’m going to spend time with my new wife. I believe I have more than enough money to tide us over for at least a year,” King d.Avid said with a mischievous grin.
“Oh, you think,” the president said sarcastically and with a chuckle. “I’m pretty sure you won’t go hungry for a few decades, if you choose not to record, which you’d better no
t choose. We love making money. Seriously, though, your songs are hotter than ever. And we appreciate you, to say the least. But I don’t get why it has to be for a whole year. One month, I can see; maybe even two to six. But a whole, entire year?”
“Oh, you see, there’s this scripture in Deuteronomy that pretty much said I should take a year off to ‘cheer up’ my wife,” King d.Avid said. “So I’m going to take that Godly advice, and see if I can’t put, and keep, a smile on my beautiful wife’s face. You know, Proverbs 5:15 encourages us to ‘drink waters out of our own cistern, and running waters out of our own well.’ Then Proverbs 5:18 says, ‘Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.’ So that’s my assignment, beginning right now. After getting them started, I plan to keep the home fires burning for the rest of our born days.”
“Brianna is a lucky woman,” the president said.
“No. First of all, I don’t believe in luck. People like me call the good that comes our way being blessed by the Lord. That’s first. And as for the one who is blessed in all of this: I’d definitely have to say that I got the better end of the deal. Brianna is an amazingly wonderful woman of God. She’s strong. And I’m just glad I found her.”
“Oh, you found her, huh?” the president said with a laugh. “I know women now.”
“Yeah,” King d.Avid said, “I found her. Have you not heard or read in the Bible where it speaks of a man who finds a wife finds a good thing? Well, I found a good thing. And my good thing’s name is Bri . . . an . . . na.” He sang Brianna’s name. “See ya!”
At the end of December, on the twenty-ninth, nine months to the time from when Brianna and King d.Avid went to Necker Island, renewed their vows, and truly (in every sense and aspect of the word) became one, Brianna gave birth to their seven-pound son.
“Look, I’m telling you, this boy is brilliant already,” King d.Avid said, his chest stuck out like a proud red rooster. “Look how alert he is. He’s looking around, just taking in everything.”
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