Before Chasin could say there was no explanation as to why the freak had zeroed in on her, Bobby’s angry voice rang out.
“You need to back the fuck off, Melissa. I understand where you’re coming from, but now is not the time.” There was a pause and Bobby’s face scrunched in anger. In any other situation, Chasin would’ve laughed. Bobby looked like a miniature female version of the Hulk, the way her chest puffed and her body vibrated with pent-up rage. “What? Are you fucking kidding me right now?”
“What?” Genevieve snapped.
“You cannot be believed. This is such bullshit. You know what’s going on,” Bobby fumed, ignoring Genevieve.
“Bobby! What?”
Bobby looked up and locked eyes with Chasin but answered Genevieve. “Melissa sent Len to come talk to you since you’re not returning calls. He’s in Cliff City.”
The waves of irritation rolling off Genevieve couldn’t be missed. The room filled with hostility and Chasin knew she was gonna blow.
“I’m done,” she whispered.
Those two deceptively soft words held more meaning than Chasin understood, but he knew she wasn’t only talking about her stalker. Something had snapped inside of her.
“Tell her to have Len meet us at the Gemini Group office,” Genevieve demanded. “He has ten minutes to get there. And five minutes to convince me not to fire Melissa.”
Genevieve whipped around and stormed off toward the stairs. Even in his irritation, he didn’t miss her strut. She was pissed—back ramrod straight, feet stomping—but those hips were swaying and there was no denying everything about her turned him the hell on.
It took Chasin a moment to leash his temper before he went after Genevieve, leaving Bobby on the phone still arguing with Melissa.
He didn’t see good things coming from this meeting. Hell, he didn’t want Genevieve leaving the house, but he was stuck in a hard place. She had business to conduct and there was no way in hell Len was coming to the house.
Obviously, Chasin had never met the man, but he knew of him. Lenard Summers: thirty-six, never married, and in debt up to his eyeballs. According to his credit card bills, his taste in expensive clothes, bar tabs, and fancy dinners far exceeded his income. He drove a Porsche but did not own a home, he rented an apartment, and spent more money on clothes in a month than Chasin did in a year. He was also the one on Melissa’s staff with the DUI.
Nothing in his past alluded to him being violent, but he’d had access to Genevieve, and a lot of it.
“Babe?” Chasin called when he reached the master bedroom. He took in the mess.
Chasin wasn’t a neat freak by any stretch of the imagination, but he was tidy. Something he’d learned when Genevieve took over his room—Bobby had been right, Genevieve wasn’t tidy when she was living out of a suitcase. But in the times he’d been in his room since she’d taken over his space, it hadn’t ever been this bad.
It looked like her suitcase had exploded all over the room.
“Yeah?” she called from the master bathroom.
He didn’t answer and instead kept looking around the room until Genevieve appeared. Gone were the casual jeans and tank top she had on earlier. How she had time to change into a pair of tan-colored slacks and a sheer white blouse he did not know. But what was seriously impressive was the fact there wasn’t a wrinkle to be seen. He glanced around the messy room and back at her, deciding he didn’t care why that was.
“This your idea of unpacking?” He smiled.
“What?” she snapped and looked around.
“I told you to make yourself at home, darlin’, but I would’ve amended that if I’d known you were such a slob.”
“I’m not a slob. I was looking for something,” she defended herself.
“Did you find it? Because there’s nothing left in your suitcase.”
“Yeah, I found it.”
“Wanna let me in on what’s so important you tossed your shit in a frenzy?” Genevieve’s cheeks pinkened and her head dropped forward. “Hey, Evie, I was just joking around with you.”
Genevieve’s gaze snapped to his and he saw it. Pain. Chasin wasn’t sure if he wanted to fist bump the air because she’d dropped the mask and was giving him something real, or if he wanted to murder whoever put that look on her pretty face.
“This wasn’t the dream,” she muttered.
“What, baby?”
He felt himself grow stiff. She’d already told him he’d crushed her dreams and he wasn’t sure if he could hear her tell him again.
“My whole life I wanted two things. I wanted to sing and I wanted a family. A real family. I worked my ass off to make the first part of my dream into reality. I worked hard, Chasin. I wanted this, I was hungry for it, so I made it happen. But this isn’t a dream, it’s a nightmare. And I’m not just talking about why I’m hiding in Cliff City. I’m talking about all of it, I don’t want this anymore.”
Genevieve pulled a folded up piece of paper out of her pocket and held it up. “I wrote myself a letter. The day I signed my first record deal, I wrote this and made myself some promises. I didn’t want to ever forget what I was working for.”
“Is that what you were looking for?” he queried.
“Yep. I take it with me everywhere I go. My promise to myself.”
He knew it was audacious but he still asked, “May I read it?”
“Not now. Maybe one day.”
Chasin nodded, taking no offense at her rebuff. “Wanna explain why you’re all dressed up?”
“Something my dad taught me before he became a raging deadbeat alcoholic—never allow people around you to forget who’s in charge. It’s a shit way to think. It was him being a pretentious prick. He always thought his family’s money made him better than everyone else. Family connections are what landed him the job he had. But when his family disowned him, gone was the money and the connections. The fall was steep and painful for him and he was left with nothing.”
Chasin waited for the rest of the explanation because he sure as hell wasn’t understanding what any of that had to do with the way she was dressed.
“This is gonna make me sound like a bitch, and just a warning, when we get to your office, there will be no sign of Genevieve. Melissa forced my hand and Len’s gonna pay the price. They both need the reminder that Vivi Rush is in charge, not them. I pay them, not the other way around. And further, I make Melissa more money than any of her other clients. She fucked up and she’s gonna feel it.”
Ah, now he got it.
This was a power play on Genevieve’s part.
“Good for you. Before we head out, I want you aware that however this meeting ends, Jameson will be keeping tabs on Len until he leaves town.”
Genevieve shrugged her shoulders. “If you would’ve told me that two days ago, I would’ve had some sort of feelings about that. But now, I’m done. Len came here and invaded my personal life, which is a line Melissa knows not to cross. However, you should know, Len has no interest in me.”
“Genevieve—”
“Seriously, Chasin, when you meet him, you’ll understand. I have the wrong body parts. He is not interested in me.”
“He’s gay?”
“I’ve never asked. Mainly because it’s none of my business but also I don’t care. I don’t mean that ugly, I mean I don’t care in the sense that love is love, no matter gender. I’ve never seen him with a woman or a man. But he’s also never looked twice at me or Bobby or any other woman that I’ve ever seen him around. And Melissa represents models as well. There’s no shortage of beauty around her office. I get the vibe he’s into men, but also he keeps his private life out of the office.”
Her explanation did nothing to loosen the knot in his stomach. He didn’t point out the obvious—a hand-delivered envelope of pictures were left at her uncle’s house and Len was in town.
That was more than enough to move Lenard Summers to the list of suspects.
18
The drive over to Chasin�
��s office did nothing to calm my anger. As a matter of fact, once I found out what a pain in the ass it was for me to leave the house, which included a police entourage, I was angrier. Not only did Jameson have to waste his time driving out to the farm, but Jonny personally escorted me over.
What a pain in the ass.
“Viv,” Bobby muttered when we entered the reception area. “I can—”
“I know you can handle it,” I interrupted. “You can handle everything. And you always do. But this is something I need to do.”
“I get that. But maybe you should think about what you’re about to do.”
I turned to face my best friend, dropped the Vivi Rush persona, and waited. I felt it the moment she saw me. I heard the swift intake of breath and watched as her features softened. Gone was my assistant and go-to person for business decisions, and in her place was my friend. Roberta and Genevieve, BFFs since forever.
“Okay,” she whispered. “I get it, honey. I’ll be by your side no matter what.”
And she would. She didn’t care about touring, fame, after-parties, celebrities, or red carpets. She cared about me. How I’d forgotten that was beyond me.
“We’ll figure it out. I promise, I won’t—”
“I’m gonna bitch slap you if you even think about saying the word paycheck. Besides, I already quit, remember?” She smiled.
“Yeah, I forgot to tell you, I didn’t accept your resignation. But we’ll talk about that when we get home. I think you’ve been promoted to something else, I just don’t know what exactly your job duties will be. But I think they’ll include finding people to buy my songs.”
I couldn’t stop my smile when she jerked back in surprise.
“Seriously?” she breathed.
Melissa and Leslie both had been trying to get me to sell my music for years. Something I was firm about not doing. Those songs were mine, they were a part of me, and I couldn’t ever picture someone else singing something that was from my soul.
But now?
Now I wanted no part of this business.
But I wasn’t stupid, so I wouldn’t be making any decisions I couldn’t take back while I was pissed as hell. Except for one—I would be making one.
“Let’s get this done, so we can get home and I can take off this stupid outfit,” I suggested.
“If it’s any consolation, you look hot.” Bobby laughed.
“Come on, goof.”
My gaze swept the room and landed on Chasin. He hadn’t left my side so I didn’t figure he would’ve gone far even though we were safely inside Gemini Group. He gave me a big, bright smile right before he winked.
It sucked he was going to see this side of me. It wasn’t going to be pretty, likely ugly, but he didn’t look like he was disappointed I could turn into such a bitch. He almost looked proud of me.
I pushed my shoulders back, lifted my chin, and calmly started to make my way to the conference room where I knew Len was waiting for me.
When we entered, Len, Nixon, Holden, and Weston all stood. Jameson and Jonny were waiting out front. There was no reason for them to come in when this was only going to take a moment.
“Vivi, great to see you,” Len greeted. And for the first time in all the years I’d known him, his eyes raked down my body.
Weird.
“Len. Wish I could say the same.”
He flinched before he smoothed his features. “Listen, I’m sorry. I knew you wouldn’t be happy. You know Melissa; when she’s on a mission, there’s no stopping her.”
“And what exactly is the mission?” I inquired.
“Can we sit?” he asked.
I took a second to glance around the room. Nixon was resting his forearms against the back of the leather chair he’d been sitting in, looking relaxed. Weston had moved and now leaned his shoulder against the wall, and Holden was standing and looking unhappy with his arms crossed over his chest. I didn’t bother to look behind me to take in Chasin, I knew his stance would resemble Holden’s.
“Actually, this won’t take long so there’s no need to get comfortable. Why are you here?”
Len shifted and scanned the room, probably feeling the unhappy vibe rolling around, not only coming off the men but from me. He wisely laid it out quickly.
“Melissa has some concerns that, due to your personal life—”
“Personal life?”
“Your…um…troubles. That the new album will be delayed.”
“How kind of my manager to be concerned,” I spat.
“Come on, Vivi, you know that’s not what I meant. We’re all worried about you, darlin’, but you know this business, you gotta give your fans what they want. Your last tour was epic, you gotta give ‘em more.”
Translation: your last tour made a lot of people a lot of money, including my boss, and she wants more because she’s a greedy, uncaring bitch.
“I’m well aware of what my fans want. And what they want is good music. They’ll also wait because they trust I’ll give them what they want when I’m ready to give it.”
“Are you sure about that?” he snapped, then carefully blanked his face.
“Very. So what did Melissa hope to accomplish by sending you?”
“She would like you to consider writing with Bent again.”
“Who’s Bent?” Chasin boomed.
“Bent Bromley,” Bobby told him. “He and Viv have written music together before.”
Bent was an ass. He was also an egomaniac who thought he was the best songwriter around. Which, if you went by the number of songs he wrote and sold in a year, he wasn’t entirely wrong, he was good. But the best, no. And he liked to call himself The Muse, which was just gross. In the past, I’d written a handful of songs with him, but told Bobby and Melissa both I wasn’t interested in doing it again.
“That’s not gonna happen and Melissa knows it. She wasted your time having you come here,” I told Len.
“Vivi, he’s gagging to work with you again. He’s got some great ideas. He sent over—”
“Len, I’m gonna stop you right there. I don’t want to see what he sent for a variety of reasons. The first being, I’m not working with Bent and anything he’s sent you is not for me to see, hear, or know about. The second reason is, in five minutes, Melissa will be getting notice from my attorney I’m severing ties. That means I’m no longer a client, therefore not entitled to any further information.”
“You can’t do that,” he seethed.
“I can’t?” My head tilted, my hip shot out, my hand found purchase, and my attitude bubbled to the surface. “Because I think I just did. Not only did I do it, but, Len, it’s effective immediately. Melissa no longer works for me, which means by extension you no longer do, either. Again, I’m real sorry she wasted your time. Y’all should go on back to Tennessee and take that up with her.”
“Damn, Evie,” Chasin whispered next to my ear. His warm breath fanning across my neck made me shiver, and when he chuckled, I knew he didn’t miss it. “We’re gonna talk about that sexy, slow, Southern drawl when we get home. Not the first I’ve heard you get pissed and it’s come out. But fuck, honey, every time it gets hotter and hotter.”
Chasin’s hand went to mine on my hip and he threaded our fingers together.
My gaze was still on Len so I watched as his eyes dropped to where Chasin was holding me. His eyes narrowed, and when he lifted them to look at me, he didn’t bother to hide his repulsion.
What the hell was that about?
“You’re gonna regret that, Vivi,” Len snipped.
Chasin’s body went rock hard behind me and his fingers tightened painfully.
“Regret what, exactly?”
“All of it.” His lips curled in disgust and he swiped his leather portfolio off the table. “I’d expect a call from Melissa’s attorney this afternoon.”
“No skin off my nose, sugar, I don’t take those calls, my people do. But if Melissa tries to reach out to me direct, I’m gonna take that as harassment. And
as you’re well aware, I have enough shit piled on my plate, I’m not feelin’ real generous right now. She’d be smart not to try.”
“You think you’re hot shit. But you’re gonna see. You’re nothing.”
Len’s words were a direct shot, hitting me square in the chest where that ball of insecurity lived. But with Chasin at my back, Bobby standing next to me, I powered on.
“Right,” I huffed. “That’s why Bent’s gagging to work with me, and those were your words. And if I’m nothing, Melissa won’t care about losing the money I make her. The way I see it, that greedy cow knows I’m something. That’s why she sent you all the way over here to get me to hurry shit along. Problem is, she should’ve come herself.”
“I told her I’d come,” he admitted. Then amended, “She’s got better things to do than fly to Maryland.”
It was time to end this conversation. Not only was I over it but I could feel the men’s impatience closing in on me.
“Welp. Now she doesn’t have to bother with me at all. Have a nice day, Len. Safe travels.” I turned to look at Chasin and asked, “You ready?”
“Yeah, Evie, I’m ready.” He smiled brightly, holding back a chuckle.
“Great. I missed breakfast and I’m starved.”
“Right. We’ll grab something on our way.”
“That’s okay. I’ll cook something when we get home.”
If it was possible, his smile grew. I took in his grin, let the warmth coat my skin, and locked it down deep.
The ride back to the farm was done in silence. The whole drive, Chasin’s eyes flicked from one mirror to the other. He never stopped scanning. Bobby left me to my thoughts, knowing I needed time to digest what had happened.
And me? I couldn’t stop thinking about Len and the way he’d looked at me. Even as I stood in Chasin’s room and took in the mess I’d made earlier, I couldn’t stop thinking about how different Len had behaved.
I quickly changed, putting shorts and a tank back on, and decided to tackle the mess I’d made, when there was a knock on the open door frame.
Chasin's Surrender (Gemini Group Book 5) Page 15