Piper: A Last Score Spin Off

by K. L. Shandwick

  At the same time, I had an abundance of experience I would have given anything to forget; like how to survive living with domestic violence, or which coffin to bury a mom in.

  Nevertheless, I knew enough to know the attention Simon had given me with regards to my music and day-to-day conversation was innocent, and at that moment in time I felt Gibson had read far too much into the situation with Simon and me.

  Still, even though I was sure there was no way I’d attract a hard rock womanizer like Gibson’s bandmate, just knowing Gibson was suspicious made me self-conscious and much less open in expressing my opinions.

  Simon was seriously hot. The guy oozed sex appeal, charm, and charisma, without even opening his mouth. Naturally flirtatious and magnetic, I became fascinated by him from the moment I set eyes on him in the flesh. I hid it well.

  Despite our age gap and different backgrounds, I had always enjoyed how he had treated me as an equal and that meant everything to a girl like me.

  The part I enjoyed a little less was his ability to turn me on with a wink or his smile. It was laughable to think for one minute I’d captured the interest of a sexy rock star. As far as I was concerned, Gibson knew a lot about life, but I thought he was way off about this.

  At thirty-two years old, Simon McLennan had a much more sophisticated palate for women than a sexually backward girl of twenty. It was insane to imagine an experienced, broad-minded guy like him would even look at an ordinary female like me.

  Chapter One

  Although I loved Gibson, Chloe, and Melody, with all that I was; I became worried Gibson’s thoughts might disrupt the beautiful friendships Simon had with his bandmates.

  This point made me glad I was leaving because the last thing I would ever have wanted was a twenty-year friendship between Gibson and Simon to dissolve around an argument about me.

  Besides, apart from the Simon thing, I had already decided the longer I stayed cocooned by Gibson and Chloe, the less incentive I’d have to take control of my own destiny, and it was for this reason I became more determined to try to make it on my own.

  Being with the Barclays had given me a second chance at life and by a stroke of luck someone believed in me enough to take a risk on my music. Best of all, the label that came through knew nothing about me or the connections I had.

  Sitting down heavily in his chair again, Gibson shook his head. “Excuse me, baby girl, but I’m having a hell of a time trying to wrap my mind around why you’d throw over a sweet-loaded deal with an incredible record label, to sign with a relatively unknown one on a shoe-string budget. Do you know how many demos pass through Sly Records' hands every month?”

  I eyed him with concern, taking in the unmistakable hurt in his eyes and wondered if he felt I was rejecting all the support he and Chloe had given me since my mom passed the year before.

  It wasn’t as if I’d dismissed his record company's offer to sign me, out of hand. It was more a case of if I made it, I would never know whether it was because of Gibson’s connections or if I had succeeded on my own.

  “No, I have no idea how many demos; but I imagine thousands considering Sly Records are one of the biggest and most prestigious record companies on either side of the Atlantic Ocean. I don’t doubt I’m taking a hit by not having access to their massive social media platform.”

  The scowl Gibson wore made my heart ache. “Please… don’t be hurt. This isn’t personal. It doesn’t mean I’m questioning your judgment or ignoring what this could mean for me. All I’m asking is for you to see things from my perspective.”

  “You’re twenty years old, Piper.” He sighed, moving directly in front of me. Still tense, he moved his head from side to side in a vain effort to release some tension. “What perspective? What do you know about the music business? How do you think you’re going to survive out there peddling your music every day without the right people behind you?”

  “You did it.” I retorted before I could engage the brake on my mouth.

  “I did, and I was so damned lucky to catch a break but let me tell you it was fucking tough. You know how many nights we went without food? Playing dive bars for peanuts or a bed for the night? At least I had bandmates who constantly had my back. Who do you have? What happens if you get in with the wrong kind?”

  “I hear your concerns. Don’t think I haven’t considered all this. I’ve gone without food too, Gibson. I know what it all means. Thanks to Otto, the owner of Gravity, I’ll be able to feed myself. They’re paying me a living wage on account while I record.”

  Watching Gibson think I was making the wrong decision and perhaps thinking I had no further need for him almost killed me.

  “And I’d like to think I still had you guys to advise me with the day-to-day stuff or do the ties that bind us together get severed the moment I walk out your door?” I sighed, and my eyes softened when I looked at the startled hurt in Gibson’s eyes.

  “Sorry. We’re both saying things neither of us means,” I offered.

  Watching the new worry flit through his eyes almost killed me. The last thing I ever wanted to do was let him down, but I figured if we didn’t settle all we had inside, it would fester and eat away at our relationship, longer term.

  “Are you saying unless I choose what you want me to do, instead of what my gut tells me is the right course, you’ll no longer back me?” I winced at how ungrateful I sounded. It felt like an insolent thing to say. I desperately wanted him to know I wasn’t trying to be ungrateful. Gibson was the only father figure I had ever truly trusted… loved.

  Seconds ticked by as he stared me down, his eyes narrowing and returning to normal as thoughts passed through his mind, until he glanced at Simon then returned his gaze back on me. My heart beat faster than I’d ever felt it before and I wondered for a moment if I had pushed him too far.

  For a moment I had wanted to take the words back, but they were out there. He’s so mad with me. Slowly, he placed his huge hands palm down on the table beside me, splayed his thick fingers wide and studied them.

  My eyes were immediately transfixed on them because those were the same strong, gentle hands that had rubbed my back or hugged me tight when I was distressed. Gibson had used them to help me believe I wasn’t alone in the world.

  A poignant memory reminded me of the way he always comforted me because his hands were the only man’s touch I had accepted as being safe in the desperate days after my mother’s death.

  “Please,” I begged and the knot in my stomach twisted tighter again. “I really don’t want us to fight about this. You think I don’t know your way would be my guarantee for success? How easy it would be to roll up somewhere as Gibson Barclay’s daughter and expect red carpet treatment? Success would be a given. I know this, but can’t you see how important it is for me to do this on my own?”

  “But you’re not on your own. Not as long as there is breath in my body.” Relief washed through me that no matter what, he wasn’t willing to give up on me, but his low abrupt tone barely disguised the rising temper he was fighting hard to suppress. His admission was said with such fierce determination my heart ached for disappointing him.

  Gibson continued to watch me closely, biting his bottom lip in frustration and attempting to roll the tension off his shoulders. I closed my eyes briefly because I could hardly bear to see the effect my disagreeing had on him.

  A wave of guilt swelled from inside, forming a lump in my throat. The sting of salty tears burned as they rose past it and even though I swallowed roughly, I wasn’t quick enough to stem their flow as they filled my eyes to the brim.

  Never before had I tested the certainty of Gibson’s statement to be there always. He and Chloe had opened their door to me in my time of need and he had grown to love me like his own.

  Again, I wondered how my life had dealt me the best of pleasure and the worst pain anyone could imagine, in one single year… how fate had given me this unimaginable yet true second chance to rewrite my future.

  Stilli
ng quietly, a flashback came to mind of the night my mom and I had arrived at Dignity—the safe house that Gibson had funded, but his wife Chloe had set up as a refuge for victims of domestic violence.

  From the second we stepped over the threshold of Dignity, I instinctively knew we’d finally escaped the violent, controlling clutches, of my mom’s long-standing partner, Colin.

  The way Chloe and her team took care of us gave us time to breathe and taught me it was the beginning of a brighter future.

  The one thing I never expected was the devastating news that my mom’s time to breathe was extremely limited and her future was about to end abruptly.

  We had no idea she was sick when we ran out on Colin that day. The only thing we'd known for certain was it was our one chance for a new start and we'd taken it.

  Little did we know then, that my future would be secured in the most unlikely way. How could I have predicted that Gibson Barclay, a rock star with a shady past with women; and his beautiful wife, herself a survivor of domestic violence, Chloe, would be waiting to save me?

  Being childless back then, Chloe and Gibson agreed to take care of me, allowing my mother to die in peace, and I came to be the ward in the care of the biggest rock star the world had ever known.

  Gibson and Chloe saved me not just from poverty but from being just another isolated victim of domestic violence and an outcast from collateral damage of a cancerous disease.

  Turning my mind back to Gibson, I noted he had grave look on his face. I realized the silence had continued to stretch between us and wondered for a moment if I’d missed what he said, or if he was waiting for further debate from me.

  “I know I’m not on my own,” I said quickly picking up the thread of our conversation again. “And you’ll never truly know how much I love you guys. I’m not doing this to hurt anyone, or to piss you off.”

  “Don’t talk like that. Don’t cuss, you’re better than that,” he scolded.

  I drew in a sharp breath, let it out again and sighed. It eased the knot I felt deep within me.

  “Look, I know Gravity isn’t a big label and I know they have limited resources, but can’t you see if I do this it will be against the odds? The same odds as you had.”

  “Sounds to me like the lady has already made up her mind, Gib.” For a second I glanced nervously from Gibson to Simon and wondered if Gibson was going to lose his cool. If my belly had a knot before, it was nothing to the pain I felt when it squeezed tighter.

  It was a brave but foolish move for Simon to stick his neck out and defend me when Gibson was so vehemently against my choice.

  “You still fucking here?” Gibson barked, lifting his palms from near me and placing them close to Simon. I held my breath for a second and waited. After a few seconds, Gibson stood up from the chair and stretched his back.

  Looking up at the ceiling, he took a deep breath and exhaled through his nostrils, bringing his head forward again. He held my gaze—which was pretty unnerving—then he narrowed his eyes. The weight of his direct stare hit me square in the chest like a brick. He hated what I wanted to do.

  “I admire your principles, Piper, but this music business is so fucking tough… and it's riddled with people who either want to fuck you, fuck you over, or kick you the fuck out of the way.”

  I shrugged. “If there’s one thing my childhood taught me, it's that I have smarts. I’m street smart, and I’m not my mom.” My heart squeezed at the mention of her name. “Please give me your blessing because I’d rather work in a store earning an honest living, than make music the way someone wants me to because of who I am to you.”

  Gibson regarded me with suspicion and I figured he saw how deadly serious I was. Asking him to trust my judgment wasn’t easy, but I was confident enough to believe I could make it on my own.

  Restraining himself from further comment, Simon stood and pulled his jacket from the back of the chair he’d been sitting on. When he shrugged himself into it, his jerky movements did nothing to hide his frustration.

  “Right, I’m out of here before we clash. Good luck convincing him, Piper, but I’ve not got all night to watch this soap opera play out,” he said, barely hiding his anger. “I’ve got things to do and people to see.” Without saying anything further, Simon shoved his chair back, excused himself with a small salute and headed for the door.

  Chapter Two

  Once Simon had gone, Gibson walked around the table and pulled out the chair next to me. Spinning it around, he sat, leaning his forearms on the back of it. Extending his hand, he waited for me to take it. When I slipped my hand into his, he clasped his large thick fingers around it and slowly shook his head.

  “I swore on your mama’s death bed I’d take care of you,” he said, speaking the truth. “You’ve either got so much confidence in your ability as a singer, or you’re fucking crazy not to take the free ride you’re being offered.” I sighed. We were going around in circles.

  “See. Even you’re saying it. A free ride. I don’t want to be Gibson Barclay’s adopted orphan when my voice hits the airwaves. I want to be known as Piper, the smoking hot new discovery with the voice that makes men hard when they hear it and women envious of that fact.”

  As soon as the words fell out of my mouth I cringed. It was a joke Simon had said to me once when he wanted more provocation in my performance. Gibson had pushed me to the point of frustration where I’d blurted out the one thing that was supposed to remain unsaid, and in my mind.

  Roaring loudly with laughter, he crumpled up, his body doubling over the chair in a fit of raucous laughter. Chloe ran into the kitchen to see what had happened.

  “What’s going on? What’s so funny?” she asked, looking first at me then to Gibson, for the answer.

  Gibson wound his laughter down save for a few light chuckles, wiped the tears that had sprung to his eyes with his cuff, and nodded in my direction but still addressed Chloe.

  “Tell her what you said to me,” he urged, chuckling again to himself as he stroked down his abdomen.

  Mortified I’d uttered something so ridiculous, my lips twisted and I gave her a wry smirk as I saw Chloe fold her arms indicating she was waiting patiently for me to comply.

  Oh, I knew he thought I’d blush and get flustered because I hadn’t really meant to say what I did aloud. It was all his fault I’d made such a stupid statement in the first place when he had pushed me into a corner with his silly little questions.

  Glancing at Gibson, I drew him the stink eye when I saw how amused he was and no matter what we’d been arguing about before there was something in the way he looked at me that made me giggle uncontrollably too.

  Gesticulating with his hand in a winding motion Gibson told me to get on with it as he continued to laugh somewhat breathlessly by then, so I took a deep breath and prepared to humiliate myself.

  Considering I knew I'd meet a lot worse than Gibson if I went out on my own, I called his bluff and rose to his challenge if for no other reason than to show him I meant what I said.

  “We’ve been talking about my decision to go with Gravity as a recording label. I don’t have to tell you the resistance I’ve met from Gibson about my choice to do this, Chloe,” I began. She nodded and glared at Gibson because they’d obviously had words about this in private and I knew Chloe had backed me on this.

  “Anyway, he was telling me yet again how much easier it would be for me as a singer if I went on Syd’s books and I put him straight when I said I want to be known as Piper, the smoking hot new discovery with the voice that makes men hard to hear it and women envious of that fact.”

  Glancing quickly from Gibson, who I had addressed, and back to Chloe, I saw her chew on her smile. Nodding slowly, she looked like she was pretending to consider what I’d said as she fought to compose herself. Wandering over to Gibson’s side she placed her petite little hands on his shoulders.

  “With an answer like that, I’d say Piper’s got this, Gibson.” He gave her a look like he could easily have
committed murder and she sighed. “Maybe it’s time to show Piper your support and consider that she’s thought long and hard about what she wants and how she wants to do it? You weren’t exactly the kind of guy to take advice from others in the early days and look where it got you.” She bent to kiss him on the lips. Way to go, Chloe.

  “Thanks for the backup, Chloe,” he muttered in an acid-tone laced with sarcasm. “What is it with the women in this house using their sexuality to get what they want?” he asked, sounding like the wounded party.

  “That’s not what’s happening here, baby. What’s happening is you trying to use yours because you want to protect this innocent little female here. Or am I reading you wrongly?”

  “Is it a crime I want to protect her? If so, then yeah that’s true, I am. You’ve heard the saying, 'It’s a jungle out there'. The music business is like being on safari covered in ketchup, waiting for the deadliest predators known to man to strike,” he replied.

  “Please let me do this, Gibson,” I begged. “I promise I’ll keep you up to speed and consult you whenever I have the slightest hesitation about something. I’m not above taking advice, but I really want an honest shot at this on my ability, not because of who you are.”

  Standing upright from the chair, he slung his leg clear of it to meet the other and pulled me up out of my seat. “First hint of anyone doing you over, and I’m all in, you hear? I know you think you got this, but I’m always gonna do what I think is right to keep you safe… don’t forget I promised your mama,” he reminded me again.

  This time when he mentioned my mom I lost all the fight within me and hugged him tight. Finally, I had his reluctant approval to strike out on my own, but with Gibson’s protective nature I knew I may have won the battle, but I guessed I was far from winning the war.