Tom tipped her chin up with his finger and kissed her. ‘Of course, we can. Stop worrying. We’ll get things scheduled and you can be back in Seattle by the end of next week.’
***
In the end, it was two weeks before Bay got back home. Quartet dropped the single the day after the showcase at the office, shot the video two days later and got it into rotation on the music channels three days after that. Within forty-eight hours it was rising up the billboard chart on downloads alone and the music press went crazy. The morning before she flew back to Seattle, Bay had her first interview – thankfully a joint one with Rocky with Rolling Stone. Everyone wanted to know where the amazing voice had come from and when they got their first look at the gorgeous young newcomer to the scene, it only increased their fascination.
In every interview, despite her terror, Bay made sure she talked about Kym and Pete as often as answering questions about herself. For extra confidence, Rocky’s agent, Emily, took her and Rocky out to breakfast beforehand and they both coached her.
‘If you don’t like a question, either don’t answer it or send it back to them as a joke. Be easy and natural but if you feel like you’re getting out of your depth, just look at Rocky and she’ll take over.’
Rocky was scarfing down an enormous breakfast burrito (one of the things they had bonded over most was food and their love of it). She grinned with her mouth full and Bay chuckled. ‘I am going to miss seeing you every day, Rocks.’
Rocky bumped her shoulder to Bay’s. ‘An hour away on the plane. Besides, I fully expect to be asked to guest on your first record.’
Emily smiled at Bay. ‘You’ll do fine, believe me.’
***
Bay dropped her case on the floor of her apartment, her very dusty and dank apartment, and shuffled, exhausted, into the bathroom. She’d taken the red-eye - Tom had to stay behind in San Francisco for a meeting and all she wanted now was to shower, take a nap then go and meet Kym. She showered, sighing with relief as the water washed away the plane ride, then decided to make an omelet before going to bed. She flicked on the t.v. as she mixed the eggs, listening idly to Matt Lauer chat to his guest. It was only as she flipped her omelet onto a plate and sat down to eat that she took notice – and sat up.
Kym’s mom, Charlie Clayton, was being interviewed about her latest record. God, to look that good when I’m sixty, Bay smiled fondly. She’d always liked Kym’s mom – it was just when she overshadowed her daughter that Bay caught Kym’s resentment. Her dad – if Bay was being honest – she thought Kym’s dad was a tool, a dinosaur who still thought a woman’s purpose was to be barefoot and pregnant and that was it.
Matt was asking Charlie about her daughter and Bay was glad when Charlie happily and proudly told him about The 9th & Pine’s record deal with Quartet and what that would mean to her daughter. Then Matt brought up Bay’s single with Rocky. Charlie smiled at him.
‘Of course, Bay is the natural talent in that band. Kym has always had to work a little harder – sometimes I wonder if there wasn’t a baby swap back in the day.’
‘Oh fuck.’ Bay let her fork clatter to the table and dropped her head into her hands. On the t.v., Matt Lauer laughed awkwardly and moved on. Bay grabbed her phone and called Kym.
‘K, it’s me?’
‘Oh hey,’ Kym’s voice was unnaturally high and Bay knew instantly she’d seen the interview, ‘if it isn’t the talent in the band.’
‘Kymmy,’ Bay never called her Kymmy unless it was an emergency like this, ‘You know what’s she’s like sometimes, all the tact of a wrecking ball. It’s not true and it’s not how she really feels.’
There was a long silence. ‘It’s how I feel.’ Bay could barely hear her but then she heard her sob.
‘Oh Kym…look, I’m back now, can I come over and see you?’
‘No,’ Kym’s answer was quick, hard but then she sighed. ‘Sorry, I mean, I just need some time. Maybe in a couple of days. Bay?’
‘What is it, honey?’
A pause then, ‘Why didn’t you tell me about you and Tom?’
Bay felt a hot burn of shock. ‘What?’
‘You and Tom. You’re sleeping with him, right?’
Bay swallowed, hesitated. ‘Yes.’
‘And it’s been going on for a quite a while.’
‘Yes.’
Kym gave a soft laugh. ‘Well then.’
‘It has nothing to do with the band.’
‘Sure.’
‘It really hasn’t.’
Kym sighed. ‘I have to go.’
‘Kym, no, I – ‘but Kym had hung up.
Bay put her phone down and rested her head on the table and groaned. ‘Fuck. Fuck.’
Kym crawled back to bed. She’d called into work sick this morning, too tired and sore to face anyone. Since the conference call with Bay and Tom two weeks earlier, Stu had been more and more irritable until last night he’d snapped. She’d barely managed to barricade herself in the bathroom after he’d punched her to the floor, kicking her in the stomach as he ranted about betrayal, Bay, Tom, how no-one gave him the respect he deserved.
She knew why he was behaving the way he was. Cocaine. A small vial of the white drug had fallen out of his pocket and rolled underneath the oven. He’d accused her of stealing it from his pocket when he couldn’t find it. In the end, she’d curled up in a ball on the bathroom floor and let him rant. She’d fallen asleep, only waking when he banged the front door on the way out.
Now she just wanted to sleep, drained of all her energy. Despite the abomination he was, Stu had been right about Bay and Tom, and now it seemed he’d been right about Tom grooming her best friend. Who could blame him?
‘Not you, Mom,’ she laughed humorlessly to herself. The pain that had shot through her at her mother’s words had burned her last shred of self-esteem.
Kym closed her eyes and prayed that she would never, ever have to wake up.
***
Tomas sat across from Bay and wondered where his lover had gone. She was so quiet, distant and had been since he got back from San Francisco. He’d had a craving for seafood and now they were sitting in his high-end seafood restaurant, exquisite food in front of them and Bay was just…absent.
‘Hey,’ he leaned over the table and took her hand. ‘How does it feel to be the hottest thing on the Billboard chart?’
Bay blinked back and smiled at him. He noticed there were dark circles under her eyes and that their usual sparkle was gone. The violet had flattened into a dark purple.
‘It’s cool. It’s just…I should be doing this with Kym and Pete.’
Tom sat back, frustrated. ‘Sweetheart, this is the game. We need to build a profile and the easiest way to do that is to feature on an already established artist’s record. You’ve done that and it’s a success. Now when the 9th & Pine release their own material, you’ll have a built-in fan base that will only grow. It’s Recording Industry 101.’
Bay leaned on her hand. ‘I know. I just feel like they – well, Kym – feels that I’m taking all the credit, all the publicity…and I don’t want it. I don’t, I never have, I just want to play music.’
Her voice had gotten higher and higher until she broke off, looking away from him, her eyes filling with tears. ‘I don’t know if I’m cut out for this.’
Tom was silent. He wanted to wave a magic wand or have a problem he could throw money at and solve but Bay’s lack of self-confidence wasn’t something he could do anything about. He told her that and she nodded sadly.
‘I know and I don’t want you to think I’m not incredibly grateful because I am. But maybe we’re rushing this.’
Tom suddenly realized she wasn’t just talking about the band. ‘You thinking that you and I are rushing things?’
She nodded, not meeting his gaze. ‘It’s all been so quick, I haven’t had time to process what we are to each other. I know we said no strings but the way I feel…I can’t risk my heart for a fling.’
Tom brea
thed out. ‘This isn’t a fling. It’s not, I know that, I feel that. You mean more to me than that. Much more.’
She did look at him then. ‘As you do to me. It’s just I’m not sure I’m ready for it to be more.’ She gave a little laugh, a tear escaped. ‘I’m a mess, Tom. I may not seem it but I am and I don’t want to be a mess for you.
Tom leaned in and took her hand again. ‘Okay. Okay, let’s just slow things down. But, Bay, talk to me. Tell me what’s bothering you, what’s going on in that brilliant head of yours?’
She smiled. ‘Nothing you need to worry about. Look, I still want to do the band thing – I think once we get back in the studio together, I feel better, that it’s more collaborative, that the others are involved.’
He drove her home afterward and walked her to the door. Bay stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. ‘I feel bad, I feel like I’m pushing you away and I don’t mean to.’
He stroked his hand under her hair, massaged the back of her neck. He could feel the muscles bunch up. ‘Then don’t. I’m not going anywhere unless you tell me to. I’ll wait until you’re ready. Just be ready soon.’ He grinned to soften his words and bent his head to kiss her, lingering over the embrace until he felt her body melt against his.
‘You’re not making this easy,’ she grumbled but her lips sought his again and then his arms were around her and she pulled him into the apartment. Tom grinned wickedly, unrepentant.
‘You bet I’m not…call this a cooling off period, you know, the kind where you can change your mind if you want.’
‘I don’t want…’ but she had his shirt off and was kissing his chest, grazing his nipple with her teeth. He unzipped her dress and let it fall to the floor, pulling at her bra and panties until she was naked in his arms.
‘We should stop…’ But her hands were at his fly, reaching in to stroke his cock, so thick and heavy already. He backed her up into her bedroom and they collapsed on the bed, fevered, clawing at each other, touching, tasting, drinking each other in.
‘Don’t wait,’ Bay gasped as he took first one, and then the other nipple into his mouth, sucking, biting. His cock, bobbing under its own massive weight, plunged into her soft, velvety cunt and they moved together, their damp, excited bodies vibrating with pleasure. Tom bit down on her earlobe. ‘God, I want to fuck you all night,’ he murmured and she felt a fiery rush of arousal flood through her at his words.
‘Then do, oh…’ Tomas slammed his hips into hers and she cried out, her nails tearing at his back. He drove her on and one towards her climax and when she came it was a shuddering, trembling explosion of abandon.
When she woke in the morning, he was gone.
***
Bay pushed open the back door to the venue on 9th and Pine just as she had a million times before but today was different. Today she didn’t know what she was walking into. Kym hadn’t answered any of her calls, hadn’t even answered her door when Bay went to her apartment. She didn’t even know if Kym would show at all. She said hi to the front of house guys who teased her as always, which made her feel better.
Pete was already practicing when she made her way to the stage. His beaming smile and his big bear hug helped enormously. ‘Hey, kiddo, how are you doing? I missed your face.’
She tightened her arms around him. ‘Miss you too, Bear. I’m sorry I’ve been away for so long.’
Pete grinned and patted her back. ‘All worth it, though, Miss Numero Uno on the Billboard chart.’
She rolled her eyes. ‘Is it wrong that I’m kind of sick of the sound of my own voice at this point?’
Pete laughed. ‘Well, get over it, we have an album to write, songs to be sung.’
Bay put her bag down and shrugged out of her denim jacket. ‘Kym coming?’ She tried to sound casual but the look in Pete’s eye told her he wasn’t fooled.
‘No idea. Haven’t talked to her for a while. You?’
She shook her head. ‘Well, maybe we should just work on the set list for Friday and see if she turns up.’
An hour later, Bay’s mood had lifted. Pete had deliberately kept her laughing as they picked songs for the gig. She glanced at her watch.
‘Hey, shall I go get us some coffee?’
She walked down to the coffeehouse at the corner of the block and ordered their usual drinks. As she waited, she suddenly saw Stu in a corner booth talking animatedly to a person seated opposite. Bay edged round so she could see. It was a very young, very pretty redhead, grad student age, she guessed, who was looking at Stu as if he were a demi-god. Bay gave a disgusted noise. Asshole. She could imagine exactly what he was saying to the girl, what bullshit he was spinning. She paid for the coffee and thanked the barista and made her escape.
‘You’ll never guess who I saw,’ she said, pushing the door open with her shoulder then stopped. Kym stood with Pete, her eyes cold and unfriendly. Bay’s heart sank.
‘Hey,’ she said, handing a coffee to Pete. ‘Sorry, I didn’t think you were coming.’
Kym said nothing, just turned and picked up her guitar. ‘I see the set list has been decided already, like so much other stuff, so let’s just get on with this, shall we?’
Bay looked at Pete who rolled his eyes. Nothing ever phased Pete. Bay sat at the piano and shrugged. ‘Okay.’
They went through five songs before Kym started to play erratically, squealing feedback as she moved her guitar over near the speaker. Bay and Pete stopped playing as she went into a long solo, out of tune as she smiled nastily at her friends.
When she stopped, Bay was no longer guilty or upset but supremely, overwhelmingly pissed.
‘The fuck is wrong with you, Kym?’
Kym feigned surprise. ‘Oh sorry, was that not up to your standard, Miss Billboard?’
‘Don’t be a fucking bitch. Grow the hell up or get out of here.’ Bay slammed the lid of the piano shut. ‘If you can’t be professional – ‘
Kym gave an expansive bow. ‘Do forgive me, your highness, but some of us aren’t ‘the talent in the band’. Some of us don’t get given a career. Some of us don’t suck billionaire cock to get to the top of the fucking charts.’
Bay rocked back at the venom in Kym’s voice. She opened her mouth to speak when Pete, his voice growling with anger, interrupted her.
‘You don’t get to talk to Bay like that, missy. Not ever. Not here.’
Pete got up from behind his drum kit, all six foot seven of him and glowered at Kym. ‘It’s not Bay’s fault your Mom hasn’t the tact or grace to acknowledge she raised a talented, special daughter despite her own failings. Neither of us would be here without Bay pushing us all those years ago. Do you think it was easy for the fat, gay kid at that school? Or the mixed race girl with no parents? You got it easy, Kym. If your life hasn’t turned out the way you wanted it to, it’s down to you.’
Kym and Bay were staring at him in astonishment. Pete looked between them both and went back to sit behind his kit. ‘Now, shall we get through this rehearsal?’
Kym nodded once, a stiff, quick nod, not looking at Bay. They managed to get through the rest of the set list but as soon as the last note was played, Kym jerked the guitar off and left. Bay let out a huge sigh. Pete hugged her but Bay’s eyes filled with tears. ‘Shit,’ she said, ‘Everything’s such a mess.’
Pete held her as she wept for a moment then as she brushed the tears away, he grabbed her jacket. ‘Come on, you need a night of silliness at Hank and Pete’s.’
Tom fought the urge to call Bay, knowing that she needed space, but it was driving him crazy. He wasn’t an arrogant man but he’d never had to try before. Women fell over themselves to get to him. He conceded with a wry grin that maybe that wasn’t a good thing. But, God, he just wanted to go over there and kiss that golden skin, that deep pink mouth, see those violet eyes soft with love.
His intercom buzzed. ‘Stuart Lawson is here to see you.’
Fuck, that was all he needed. ‘Okay, let him in. Then call pest control to fumigate the place.’<
br />
His assistant covered a snort of laughter. ‘Whatever you say, boss.’
Tom stared at Stu coolly as the man sat down in front of him. ‘What’s up?’
Stu smirked. ‘I want to know how Bay’s record is going to help the band. At the moment, all the press seems to be interested in her. That wasn’t our deal.’
Tom sat back in his seat. ‘Of course, the press is going to be interested in her but, if you actually bothered to read the interviews, all Bay does is talking about the band. I’ll admit, she hasn’t mentioned you once.’
Childishly, he enjoyed the look of annoyance on Stu’s face.
‘Be that as it may, we’re not moving forward.’
Tom raised an eyebrow. ‘How so?’
Stu smirked. ‘Don’t you know? I would have thought you would have heard it from the horse’s mouth – unless, of course her mouth was busy elsewhere.’
Tom went very still. When he spoke, his voice was hard, flinty. ‘You need to watch yourself, Lawson. Now, I’ll ask again – what’s the problem?’
Stu, his supercilious smirk still plastered on his face. ‘The rest of the band is pissed. They feel they’ve been left behind by Bay’s success.’
Tom rolled his eyes. ‘Sure they do because both Kym and Pete haven’t the sense to know that any publicity is good publicity. As far as I’m aware they’re still booked into the studio we chose; we’ve scheduled the sessions around Kym and Pete’s -;
‘Yeah, yeah, I know all this. What I mean is money. How much does the band get from the sales of the single?’
Tomas smiled. ‘Nothing. That money is Bay’s, and Bay’s alone. Both Kym and Pete knew this and were fine with it…unless of course, someone has been poisoning the well.’
Stu was wide-eyed and innocent. ‘No idea what you mean. Well, this was great, we must do this again sometime.’ He got up. ‘That contract is watertight. Pay or play, Meir, I don’t care of your girlfriend’s fucking Madonna, we had a deal. Make it happen.’
Quartet Complete Series: Billionaire Romance Box Set (An Alpha Billionaire Romance) Page 5