Bay was looking around the huge kitchen. ‘Can you cook?’ She said to him, as he caught up with her, ‘because if you can’t, it’s a waste. This place gets better.’
She flipped the spider burners on and off and opened cupboards, standing on her tip-toes to see in. Tom watched her, smiling to himself. No strings, he reminded himself, no commitment. But he couldn’t help running a slow figure up her bare spine. She was wearing a sundress, halter straps around her slender neck barely holding up the bodice that contained her full breasts. The dress skimmed over her body and flared out at the hips to flow loosely around her legs.
‘You are utterly adorable,’ he said before he could help himself. Bay shut the cupboard and grinned, then stuck her head out of the kitchen door to see the realtor waiting patiently in the living room.
‘We just need a few minutes.’
The realtor nodded and smiled. ‘Of course. I’ll be outside, take as long as you need.’
Bay smiled up at Tom, waiting for the door to close behind the realtor then she grabbed his hand guided it under her dress. Tom’s widened.
‘Commando, huh?’
She grinned at him, his fingers at his fly, unzipping and reaching into his underwear. His cock responded immediately and Tom pulled her into his arms, kissing her as he lifted her onto the counter and thrust into her. It was a wild, brutal fuck made all the more thrilling with the thought of discovery.
‘God, you are intoxicating,’ he groaned into her neck as he came, muffling his moans in her thick, dark, hair.
Afterward, still grinning, and hand-in-hand, they went to meet the realtor and Tom told her he wanted the houseboat.
They went to eat at a little restaurant Bay recommended down on the waterfront, got a table outside and enjoyed a leisurely lunch. They chatted about his new home, what the band had been working on.
‘As I said, we don’t really know what we’re doing yet, and because Pete and Kym have real jobs,’ she grinned at that, ‘a couple of times, I’ve been on my own and scratching around not knowing what to do.’
‘Play the Yamaha?’ Tom suggested and Bay flung her hair back dramatically.
‘That, sir, is the holy line of demarcation. I shalt not touch it again until I am worthy.’
Tom laughed. ‘You shalt not?’
‘I shalt not.’
‘Loon.’ He leaned over and kissed her then sat back, thoughtful. ‘How about we find a mentor for you? Someone on the Quartet roster who wouldn’t mind you hanging with them for a week or so to learn the ropes.’
Bay looked shy. ‘Really? What if…?’
‘What?’
She leaned in and whispered. ‘What if they figure out I’m not…genuine. That I haven’t done this before?’
Tom leaned in too. ‘First, you are about as far from disingenuous as a person could be and two, that’s the whole point of a mentor. Now, eat your food and shut up.’
Bay blew a raspberry at him. ‘Bossy.’
Tom smiled. ‘I actually know the perfect person to team you with. Rocky Apsilom.’
Bay nearly choked on a French fry. ‘Are you kidding me?’
Rocky Apsilom was the star on Quartet’s label. A fierce rap singer from San Francisco, she was known for her abhorrence of the misogyny rife in her genre and said so, loudly and proudly. She was sensational – Tom had signed her himself and now he realized she was the perfect mentor for Bay. Rocky was professional, intelligent and …
‘Terrifying,’ Bay moaned, looking green. Tom smirked in satisfaction.
‘Yep, therefore, perfect for knocking that lack of self-confidence out of you. I’ll set it up.’
‘Now, wait, wait, wait,’ Bay looked genuinely panicked. ‘what about Kym and Pete?’
‘If they can take the time off from their real jobs then sure. Bay, look, I know, Kym and Pete know, even that worm Lawson knows, you are the driving force of this band. Whatever Rocky teaches you, you will naturally pass down to the guys.’
Bay looked uncertain and he took her hand. ‘Look, sweetheart, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something. Your business closed. You’re working on new songs for the band, I know, but there’s something else I’d like you to consider. Songwriting for other artists. It’s lucrative, totally creative and collaborative and it’s a good thing to have in your back pocket.’
Bay was chewing on her bottom lip. ‘I never even thought about that. Huh.’
‘You doing okay for money?’
She smiled softly. ‘Is that what you’re worried about? I have the money from the business, plus some savings. I’m doing okay, Tom, but thank you.’
He nodded. ‘Good…because if you ever needed anything –‘
‘No strings, Tomas,’ but she softened the reminder with a smile. ‘We’ve known each other a few weeks. No strings.’
Tom felt antsy then but he shoved the thought away. She was right. Roman’s warning came back to him. Don’t fuck this up. ‘Cool,’ he said instead of what he wanted to say, ‘So I’ll set things up with Rocky?’
Bay hesitated for just a second more and then nodded. ‘Okay. Okay then.’
He kissed her. ‘Now, seeing as I broke our rule about no business on the weekend…let me take you back to my hotel and make up for it.’
***
In the end, it was just Bay who went to San Francisco. Pete and Kym encouraged her – Pete had looked as alarmed as Bay had at the mention of the forthright Rocky – and now as Bay rode in the cab to the studio, she felt her stomach clenching with nervousness.
She smiled at the receptionist and told her who she was. The woman, whose name tag said Hopi, grinned. ‘We’ve been expecting you, come with me.’
She wheeled herself out from behind her desk and deftly maneuvered herself into a wheelchair, which had a funky flame design on the wheels. Bay walked beside her down the long hallway. She admired Hopi’s badass finger gloves.
‘Gives me a good grip,’ Hopi shrugged good-naturedly, ‘one benefit to this thing, great upper body strength. Now, up two flights, honey and it’s the last door at the end of the corridor.’
Bay thanked her but then hesitated, calling out after her. ‘Is she scary?’
Hopi laughed. ‘Nah, she’s a pussycat.’ Bay chuckled as Hopi moved back to her reception desk. Everyone she’d met that was connected to Tomas were so friendly and helpful, she felt her nerves disappear. When she knocked on Rocky’s studio door, it was flung open and a beaming extremely tall African American woman greeted her with a ‘Hey, girl,’ she wondered why she’d been scared.
***
Kym tugged the door of the record shop shut with a sigh. She’d been covering double shifts for a sick colleague and now, at nearly midnight on a Friday night, she just wanted to go home, shower and fall into bed. The one thing she had stuck to in her relationship with Stu was separate apartments. She needed space and Stu…Kym was in no doubt he cheated regularly on her. What shocked her was that she didn’t think she cared anymore. The one time she had challenged him on the subject…she stopped walking, feeling a wave of nausea rise up in her stomach. At night, late when she was undressing, she could still see the weird shape of her bottom left-side rib – the one he’d broken and she’d been too afraid to go have checked out at the hospital.
Her phone buzzed as she walked to her car and getting in, she checked the screen and smiled. She pressed accept.
‘Hey Bubbaloo, still hanging out with the rich and famous?’
Bay laughed. ‘Hell yes, in fact, who are you? Who am I calling? How dare you address me! Should I get my p.a. to talk to you?’
Kim chuckled. ‘I am honored to speak with you, your highness. Seriously, how is it?’
‘Mind-blowing, exhausting, exhilarating and I cannot wait to get back to Seattle and get started with you and the Pete-Meister. How are things there?’
‘You know how it is, the usual. Are you coming back soon?’
Bay hesitated. ‘I am, but, listen, K, I wanted to talk to you about
something. Rocky has asked me to do some vocals on her next track.’
Kym felt a jolt in her chest. Jealousy? No freakin’ way, she told herself, I’m not that girl. ‘Dude, that’s amazing, I’m so proud of you.’
‘Really?’
Kym tried to smile. It was just like Bay to be worried what Kym thought. ‘Bay, listen, you have to take these opportunities as they come along. I love you and I cannot wait to hear it.’
Stu was waiting on her front steps when she got home and for a moment she toyed with the idea of driving on, avoiding him. Then he looked up from his phone and waved.
Shoot. There went her peaceful night. She got out slowly. At least, she thought, he didn’t have a key. That had been her other condition.
‘You’re later than I thought you would be.’ His tone was even but her heart sank.
‘I was talking to Bay, she had some news to tell me.’ As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she regretted them. She reluctantly let Stu follow her into the apartment.
‘What news?’
Stupid, stupid, stupid. Kym prevaricated by snagging two beers from the refrigerator. ‘She’s got a gig on Rocky Apsilom’s new record. Featured vocals.’
Stu reacted exactly how Kym expected him to react. ‘The fuck? Why wasn’t I told?’
‘I just found out myself.’
‘That sneaky, fucking bi…’
‘Stu, please calm down.’
Stu drained half his beer then pointed at her. ‘This, this is exactly what I warned you about. I told you she was being groomed for solo success.’
‘Stu, this could really be good for the band, publicity, get the word out if the record is a success.’
‘Christ, you’re so naïve,’ Stu scratched his thinning scalp in frustration. ‘Can’t you see what’s happening? Meir is setting her up to be his star.’ He stopped pacing for a moment and looked at her, a strange smile on his face. ‘You know he’s fucking her, right?’
Kym rolled her eyes. ‘Now you are being ridiculous. You know how Bay is, she’s a solitary creature.’
Stu didn’t stop smiling and now she was starting to get creeped out. ‘Bay’s a beautiful woman,’ Stu sneered, ‘A beautiful talented woman. She has needs. I bet she has a world class cunt, too.’
Kym span around and before she could stop herself, she slapped him, whack, across the face.
Oh god. Stu grabbed her wrist and bent her arm back until she was forced to bend over. She cried out in pain as he twisted it behind her back. With his lips to her ear, he hissed in a low voice. ‘You get that one, Kym. You get that one. Watch yourself.’
He let her go and she skittered to the other side of the kitchen. Stu grabbed another beer. ‘I’ve seen them together. I had them followed. They’re fucking, alright and it’s been going on practically since the start.’
Kym said nothing, closing her eyes. Her arm throbbed with pain and she knew she wouldn’t be able to move it in the morning. Stu knew exactly how and where to hurt her. and yet…now that she thought about it, she believed him. It was so obvious. Bay and Tom. She herself had teased Bay about the couple’s insane chemistry.
‘Even if they are involved with each other, it’s nothing to do with us or the band.’
Stu made a disgusted noise and Kym edged towards the bedroom. ‘I’m tired, Stu and I have a long day tomorrow, so…’
For a moment it seemed as if he would insist on staying but then he nodded. ‘Get some sleep. We’ll talk tomorrow.’
She double-locked the door behind him and, padded into her bedroom, stripping off her clothes and falling into bed. She closed her eyes but her mind was too active. Was Stu right? And why hadn’t Bay told her about Tomas? They’d shared confidences since they were teenagers, stuck at a high school full of mean girls, the two ‘weirdos’ had forged their own path through the hell that was adolescence. Everything, they’d shared everything. Why wouldn’t Bay tell her if she and Tom were lovers?
Kym stared up and the ceiling and wondered whether Stu’s wild theory could have any truth to it.
God, she hoped not…
***
Bay clasped her hands together to stop them shaking as Rocky cued up the track. They were sitting in Quartet’s boardroom and Bay, for the first time, had met Tom’s partners; the young, way-too-pretty-for-his-own-good Dash Hamilton; the quiet and intense Roman Ford and his fraternal twin Otis, studious and confident. Another woman had joined Rocky and Rocky had introduced her to Bay as her agent, Emily. Emily was a very pretty blonde woman who Bay warmed to immediately, her manner confident and efficient.
It was the first time any of them had heard the track all the way through and Bay felt sick with nerves. All through the process, she and Rocky had worked so well together, so naturally that while they were in the studio, she had been in no doubt they had made a fantastic record…but now, all her confidence deserted her.
Tom winked at her as Rocky pressed play. Even he had refused to listen until now – he wanted all of their reactions to be as natural, as organic, as possible.
Bay jumped as her own voice soared out of the speakers in the room and she felt her face burn as everyone reacted, sitting up – she even heard a quiet ‘Jesus’ from one of the men. Even she, as modest as she was, had to admit that she’d nailed the vocal – when Rocky’s rap came in, their voices weaved around each other, in and out, up and down, to make a wall of melody so addictive the atmosphere in the room became electric. It wasn’t a long track, maybe two minutes fifty but when it was over, the room was silent for a beat.
Bay glanced at Tom. His smile was all she needed to know. Roman Ford started to clap and the others joined in as Rocky nodded in appreciation and Bay laughed, amazed.
‘That was incredible…wow, just wow,’ Otis shook his head and Tom laughed.
‘When Otis is lost for words, you know you’ve done a good job.’ He got up and kissed Rocky on the cheek and hugged Bay, whispering to her. ‘You did good, sweetheart, really good.’
Her whole body seemed alive with adrenaline, with excitement. She blinked back the tears that sprang into her eyes and she let out a long breath. Rocky high-fived her and Emily grinned.
‘I think we have a great new songwriting partnership on our hands.’
Dash looked over at his partners. ‘I say we get this out as soon as possible.’
‘For once, I agree,’ Roman said, his quiet demeanor a peaceful oasis amidst the excitement. He smiled kindly at Bay. ‘You sure you’re ready for this? Because this record is going to be huge and I don’t say that often.’
‘You never say that,’ Dash muttered. ‘Look, we need to make a video, get some publicity shots done – Bay, how long are you in SF for?’
Bay looked at Tom, who nodded encouragingly. Bay took a deep breath in. ‘As long as I’m needed – for this. I do need to get back to the band, though. That’s why I’m here, after all.’
Dash shared a look with Otis that she didn’t understand but Tom nodded.
‘Of course. Look, there may be appearances with Rocky to promote the record – you okay with that?’
Suddenly she felt overwhelmed and she felt panic rising in her. Tom, watching her, saw it in her eyes put a hand on her back. ‘Look, guys, I think we need to take a break.’
They found a quiet office along the corridor and Tom shut the door. ‘You okay?’
Bay shook her head. ‘It’s so much, Tom, I didn’t realize. I hadn’t even considered the promotion side…look, I’m worried that Kym and Pete will think – ‘
‘Hey, hey, hey, easy…’ He took her in his arms, felt her body trembling. ‘We can work around this. Plenty of featured artists don’t appear in the videos but look, in this case, maybe we could get Kym and Pete to come down and we’ll release it as ‘Featuring The 9th & Pine’.’
Bay backed up, looked up at him. ‘Really? Even though they didn’t play on the record.’
Tom smiled. ‘Happens more than you think.’
***
&nbs
p; ‘So we’d just be actors in the video then?’ They were on a conference call with Kym and Pete – and Stu, who was uncharacteristically silent.
‘No, you’d be appearing as The 9th & Pine, as the featured artists.’ Tom’s voice had a little edge to it, he’d explained it more than once already. Pete in his easy way had said ‘Sure, why not, been a while since I saw ‘Frisco.’
Bay felt uneasy. Kym was being edgy. This was what she was afraid of. ‘Look, K, as far as I’m concerned it’s either all of us or none of us.’
Kym sighed. ‘That’s not fair, you worked so hard.’
‘Doesn’t mean anything without you guys,’ Bay said softly.
‘This is all very touching,’ Stu said finally, his voice icy, ‘but there’s a thing such as contracts to sort out here.’
‘Not if Bay appears as a solo artist.’
‘Does she?’
Bay opened her mouth but Tom shook his head at her, pointing at the phone and mouthing ‘I’m jerking his chain’. Bay shut her mouth and grinned. Tom didn’t answer Stu’s question directly, instead, in a bored voice, ‘In any case, this record is not part of the 9th & Pine’s contract.’
‘Still, I am Bay’s manager – ‘
‘Excuse me but you are not my manager. You’re barely the band’s manager.’ Bay’s words were harsh, she knew, but Stu had irritated her beyond comprehension.
‘Look,’ Kym sounded upset, ‘I think maybe we should just leave this. Bay, look, go make the video, do the promo then come back and tell us what you’ve learned so we can get this project off the ground.’
After Tom ended the call, Bay sat back in her chair, looking unhappy. Tom waited for her to speak. Finally, she sighed.
‘I think Kym’s right. On the record can we use ‘Featuring Bay Tambe of The 9th & Pine’? If we could make that work, I wouldn’t feel so bad, we could maybe get some press for the band.’
Quartet Complete Series: Billionaire Romance Box Set (An Alpha Billionaire Romance) Page 4