Rock Hard Bliss - the Finale

by D. H. Cameron

  “I doubt it. I’d know,” I told her but I couldn’t help but wonder. James did have a penchant for keeping things to himself. He seemed to enjoy surprising everyone. However, I didn’t think that was the case this time. This was too serious.

  “Either way, I hope this all works itself out for you guys. You deserve a break,” Josie said. Anna nodded.

  “That’s for sure. You and James have been through the ringer. I hope things work out too,” Anna told me. I smiled, feeling like I might cry if I let myself.

  “Thanks,” was all I could say without losing it. I hugged them both and just then, James and the band began to sing “Destroyed.” I went to the window of the suite and listened. James sang the lyrics with the same feeling he always did, though there was an edge tonight. He looked up and found me watching. He stood on the stage illuminated by spotlights and looked like a God. Vicky could never take that away from him and seeing him like that made me feel as if things would really work out.

  ~~~

  Two nights later after our last show but before heading home to finish the tour in L.A., James and I laid in the dark of our hotel suite. I hadn’t felt like doing much more than just lying in bed with James and letting him hold me. James hadn’t seemed interested in much more either. I was glad the tour was all but over. Now we could focus on fixing this. Now James and I could take the time to figure out how to proceed but I still had no idea how we might accomplish that.

  “James, I’m so scared. What are we going to do?” I asked him. With the shows completed, I finally felt I could bring it up.

  “We’re going to set things right,” James told me. I was glad for his confidence but that didn’t really answer the question.

  “Do you have any ideas? I sure as heck, don’t,” I told him. Just as James began to reply, his phone lit up and buzzed on the table next to the bed. James picked it up and looked at the screen.

  “I need to get this,” he said and sat up on the edge of the bed. Only his phone illuminated the room. “Yeah? So it’s done? Fantastic. Set up the press conference, Pete. Thanks.” James said in reply to the unheard person on the other end of the line, Peter apparently. James hung up and turned to look at me after turning on the bedside light.

  “Was that Peter?” I asked curiously.

  “Yep,” was all James said.

  “What did he want?” I asked wondering why James was being so evasive. I should have known.

  “Just a little business stuff,” he replied. I sat up and stared at James. He was wearing the damned grin. He knew something I didn’t.

  “Dammit, James! What are you up to and don’t you dare give me any of that dramatic flair crap,” I said heatedly. James just laughed.

  “I love it when you get fired up, little girl. OK, it’s time. Before I tell you, you need to understand. I couldn’t tell you. I couldn’t tell anyone. Things were moving too fast and I needed everyone to play along so this would work. Peter didn’t even know until I called him yesterday,” James said. I wasn’t sure what to think. I was kind of pissed he had been keeping something from me but if James had good news, I might forgive him. Maybe.

  “Out with it, Mr. Turner,” I demanded. James threw up his hands.

  “All right. Phil has what I need to finish this once and for all and Roland is ours. All ours,” James told me cryptically. I tried to wrap my head around that but it wasn’t working.

  “What do you mean? Phil? Isn’t he the enemy?” I asked.

  “Nope, never was. He was working for Vicky all right, seemingly double-crossing us, but on my orders. She was only too eager to use him to try to hurt us. Too eager to think it through. Now, we’ve got Vicky by the balls,” James told me. I was suddenly too anxious to be angry.

  “Oh my God! What does he have?” I asked.

  “Everything. What I need to get Sylvia’s charges dropped. What I need to get out of my contract with the record label. And most importantly, exactly what I need to get Roland Talent back on its feet,” James told me.

  “How?” I asked absolutely stupefied.

  “I don’t know and I don’t want to know. Phil assured me everything would be nice and legal but that I was better off not knowing,” James told me.

  “You knew about this the whole time and you didn’t tell me?” I asked torn between elation and anger.

  “Look, I’m sorry. I needed to keep this quiet. I trust you, I swear. I wanted to tell you but I things were changing so fast. I didn’t know what was happening half the time myself,” James explained.

  “You couldn’t have told me yesterday or the day before?” I asked.

  “I wanted to know for sure. I didn’t want you to get your hopes up. I promise you, thinking everything had failed like you did was preferable to the roller coaster I’ve been on. Please don’t be mad at me,” James said and begged me for forgiveness with his eyes. He even stuck his bottom lip out. I tried to be mad but I couldn’t. I laughed and rolled my eyes.

  “So the security guards and the letter were all phony?” I wondered.

  “I knew something was up but no details. I suppose it was for show or maybe Phil thought it was a precaution. All I know is he had Vicky convinced he was ready to double cross us for a price and it’s better we don’t know the details. Plausible deniability and all that,” James explained. I was glad all this might be over but I wished James would have told me.

  “You owe me, Mr. Turner. I’ve been worrying my head off. Is this really finished?” I asked.

  “I think so, little girl. The Fraulein, on the other hand, is probably about to have her own set of problems crop up,” James said. I glared at him for a moment and then hugged him. James hugged me back and all my anger melted away. I could tell he was as relieved as I was. This may have been dramatic, but I think James was as worried as anybody was. I held him for a moment and then I let James go and lay down on the bed. I spread my legs and pointed.

  “You owe me, James,” I told him. James laughed and climbed between my legs.

  “I do love it when you…,” James began to say but I interrupted him.

  “When I get fired up? I know. Now shut up and eat my pussy, Mr. Turner. It’s the least you can do for not telling me. Don’t forget to use the beard,” I said. James smiled up at me and for the first time in weeks, maybe months, he looked like the man that walked into that boardroom and swept me off my feet. He was the bad boy rock star I both hated and wanted desperately again.

  “Twist my arm, little girl,” James said. He dove in and took me places I hadn’t been in weeks. I needed the release and James provided it. I just hoped this time we had Vicky for real and she wasn’t about to prove she was one-step ahead of us yet again. Maybe for once, James had gotten the best of her. We were due for a break and maybe this was it.

  ~9~

  James and I revealed what we knew to the band on the plane as we flew back to Los Angeles the next morning. They were all glad to hear it but nothing was certain yet. We apparently had information that might fix everything, but anything could happen still. Tommy wasted no time telling us he knew James had this under control all along but as James and I discussed it further, I came to understand this was as much luck as anything else.

  James revealed to me that Phil was always on our side but the rest of it was as big a surprise to James as anyone. He and Phil were reacting to the events as they happened. Vicky had a slew of surprises that threw them both for a loop and it had become so much more complicated than anticipated. However, Phil had managed to convince Vicky that he could be had for a price and that she had the upper hand. She did, but only if Phil was really working for her. He wasn’t.

  What really turned the balance in our favor, however, was The Fraulein’s arrogance. She thought she had gotten the best of us and she became reckless. She spoke proudly of what she had done and Phil was there to hear it all. She detailed how she had tampered with the talent agent’s board, how she had hired Sylvia, first in an attempt to break James and I up and then to ac
cuse James of having an affair but getting the picture that let her accuse him of assault instead. She spoke of how she had set up the photos of the other woman and me and provided them to the tabloids. In short, she had proudly spilled her guts and Phil was there for all of it.

  However, that was just one part of the equation. Victoria had divested herself of Roland stock as soon as she informed us of her plans and then made sure the markets knew the financial status of the company. The stock price hit the floor but that allowed James to purchase all of it for a song. Now James and our group of investors owned Roland Talent almost outright. Nevertheless, the company, while functioning, was on shaky ground. James and I, along with the rest of the band, Christie and Vinnie, were scheduled to speak to the press that afternoon and set things right.

  The press conference was to be held at Roland’s offices. Peter had arranged all of it and had promised a major surprise to whip up excitement. It worked. The press was there in force when we arrived. This was James’ show but the rest of us stood behind him to lend support. The group of owners, James and the band, Christie, Vinnie, Rence and Blade, not to mention, Peter, had been informed of what James was about to say. I won’t say they were all enthusiastic about what had happened, but they all pledged their support.

  “Thanks for coming. As you know, Roland Talent has seen some upheaval over the last few days. The previous majority owner, the daughter of the great Samuel Roland, has sold her interest in the company. She has revealed the company is on shaky ground and that there was a hostile takeover. I’m here to announce that now Roland Talent has new owners and a new direction. Along with my partners behind me and others who couldn’t be here, I am happy to announce that Roland Talent is in good hands. Samuel Roland ran this company with the artists in mind. Now Roland is being run by artists and we promise to return Roland Talent to its former glory,” James told the gathering of reporters. I didn’t miss the fact James had failed to mention The Fraulein by name, but he wasn’t finished.

  “From this point forward, Roland talent will exist to serve the artist. We are here to serve the needs of our clients. Through that promise, Roland Talent will thrive alongside those that we represent just as the company did when Samuel Roland ran the agency. In that vein, I want to introduce the person that will lead the company as CEO,” James said and though we hadn’t discussed it in detail since everything happened, I assumed he was about to say my name. I was wrong, however. “I’m happy to name Peter McMillan as the new CEO of Roland Talent. He was trained under Samuel and he will bring back the same principles that made Roland Talent the best agency in the business.”

  I looked at Peter, who looked to be as surprised as I was by the announcement. Then I looked at James. What was he doing? I thought he trusted me to do this. I just didn’t understand. James put his arm around Peter and dragged him front and center. Cameras flashed and the entertainment reporters clamored to get a quote from the new CEO. I looked on, hurt and disbelieving. James left Peter to the wolves and turned to face me.

  “I couldn’t do it,” he began and I thought I knew what he was going to say but James surprised me. “I couldn’t make you CEO and lose you. I want, no, I need you by my side. This is a huge undertaking and you’d have to be here all the time. I couldn’t handle that, little girl. We make a fantastic team. I need you by my side, as my partner, my lover and my friend. I admit it, I’m selfish. Don’t be mad at me,” James told me. I started to cry as I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him.

  “You and your damned dramatic flair,” I said as James hugged me back and lifted me off the ground. I looked at James and he stared into my eyes.

  “I didn’t plan this. I was going to name you CEO like we’d talked about but at the last second, I went with my heart,” James said. I kissed him. I’d give up everything to be by James’ side, including running Roland Talent. James lowered me to the ground and then stood next to me with his arms draped over my shoulder. The band and our partners were congratulating Peter as the press looked on. They may have trusted me but they all knew Peter and the more I thought about it, the more I know James had made the right decision.

  Peter was the obvious choice. Samuel had groomed Peter and he had the perfect mix of business savvy and compassion. I knew I could have done a good job, but Peter would be even better. Peter turned to us looking slightly dumbfounded but he seemed to have slipped right into his new role. “I thought…,” he began to say but didn’t finish. He was as surprised at this as I was.

  “Sorry, Pete. I need this little girl by my side. You need to step up. You’ll do a great job. You’re the second best agent I’ve ever had,” James said and we both knew James considered me number one.

  “I’m speechless. I’ll do my best. I’ll make you and everyone else proud, I promise. Are you OK, Simone?” Peter asked after he assured James he was ready to take on the job.

  “I’m so happy for you, Peter. You so deserve this. You’ll be awesome,” I told him. He smiled at me but I hugged him instead. “Thank you, Peter. You’re a good friend and you were a great boss,” I whispered in his ear. I let him go and Peter looked slightly embarrassed but he was smiling like a fool. I was too. I felt like things just took a turn for the better. Roland was in good hands and I had no doubt the company would thrive under Peter’s leadership. Now we just had to see how the rest of this turned out.

  ~~~

  The situation became clearer over the next few days. James and I focused on Battery’s two remaining shows as Peter began reaching out to current and former Roland clients. He informed us that he had determined many young clients had in fact signed unfavorable contracts with Emma’s record label on Victoria’s advice and they were legal, if not unethical. In Peter’s opinion, the contracts reeked of collusion between Victoria and Emma but proving such a thing in court would be difficult at best.

  As it turns out, nobody had to prove anything in court. Magically, likely directly because of Phil and what he knew, it came to the attention of the board of directors at the record label that Emma may have a conflict of interest and was sleeping with the head of Roland Talent. The tabloids broke the story the next day. The Inquirer led with the headline, “Record Mogul and Disgraced Talent Maven in Torrid Lesbian Affair.” The Planet announced, “Lesbian Affair Rocks Entertainment World.” It proved to be Emma’s downfall. The affair, now public, smacked of improprieties and Emma was relieved of her position by the board at the record label.

  Peter, proving his worth, jumped on the news and the record label’s board wasn’t in any mood for more bad publicity. They immediately agreed to renegotiate any contracts that might have been involved as an act of good faith, and likely to avoid being sued. Battery’s contract wasn’t one of those, having been finalized prior to Emma being named CEO, but Peter called later with good news. The record company had agreed to let Battery out of their contract. Battery no longer owed the label another album. Peter was probably as responsible for the change in heart as the fact James owned a talent agency now. In any case, Battery was free.

  However, that wasn’t the end of the troubles for Vicky. The Malibu Police were surprised when Sylvia confessed she had lied about the assault and in exchange for immunity, offered to implicate the person behind her lies. We found out when Detective Foley visited James and me at the house. He advised us that the charges had been dropped and that the circumstances were under investigation. I also received a call that afternoon from Mr. Thompson at the talent agent licensing office in San Francisco about my ethics complaint. He told me that in light of certain information about the individual making the accusations against me, the complaint was no longer an issue. I knew who and what he meant though Mr. Thompson told me he couldn’t provide specifics.

  Phil had been busy. I suspect he had been responsible for everything except maybe the disposition of the complaint with the licensing board. I figure he had gotten to Sylvia, maybe told her that unless she rolled over on The Fraulein, she might be the scapegoat. I don�
��t know for sure. Phil had his reasons, but we never heard from him directly. Plausible deniability, I suppose. It didn’t matter. James and I were free. Once Vicky’s house of cards began to fall, it fell quickly and hard. Within a week, she had been arrested for framing James and she and Emma were under investigation for fraud.

  But that was just the beginning of Vicky’s problems. Apparently, she had failed to report all of the money she had received from her dealings to the Internal Revenue Service. We watched the news the day the IRS agents ransacked her home and carted off files and computers. The Malibu Police were nothing compared to what the IRS was going to do to Vicky for not paying taxes on the money she pilfered from her clients. Her arrogance knew no bounds but now she was going to pay the price for her selfish acts.

  James and I spent a quiet evening, a truly quiet evening, in the hot tub overlooking the Pacific Ocean. James puffed on a big, dark cigar and we sipped sparkling water. I felt rather odd. I’d spent so many weeks under the threat of Vicky’s games that not feeling the stress any longer was strange. It felt good though. I set my glass down and curled up next to James. He placed his big, tattooed arm around me and pulled me closer.

  “What are you thinking, little girl?” he asked as if he could read my thoughts.

  “I’m just wondering if this is really over,” I said. James pulled the cigar from his lips.

  “I was just wondering the same thing. I think so. Vicky has got herself in a bit of trouble. If she wasn’t such a vile bitch, I might feel bad for her,” James told me and I laughed.

  “Yeah, I’m having a hard time generating any sympathy myself. How could a man like Samuel spawn a child like The Fraulein?” I pondered rhetorically. James looked down at me as he put the cigar back in his mouth. We sat there for a while enjoying the moment. However, it wasn’t long before I thought we might find a better way to celebrate. “We should go to bed,” I said. James pulled his cigar from his mouth and looked at me as if I was crazy. His expression changed when I began stroking him under the bubbles.