Unfinished Sympathy (Absolution Book 1)

by Amélie S. Duncan

  I wanted to argue with him and tell him he was wrong, but he was right. I feared the sexual experience might mean more to me than it meant to him. I’d regret doing it. Besides, the real me didn’t want to pretend with Paul, I had really enjoyed how easy things had gone with him so far today.

  My mouth was dry. “I don’t know what to say.”

  He sighed. “You don’t have to explain yourself. You’ve reminded me of what I’m still slow to learn, though I no longer make a habit of having casual sex. You see, my greatest weakness comes when I’m moved, and you truly moved me, Aubrey. And that’s why you need to leave now.”

  Paul’s eyes found me then, and I could see he wasn’t being impolite. He was battling something inside him, the same way I was. Still, he led me to the door next to the elevator and took out his phone, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the screen.

  I spotted a bag with my clothing draped across the table and moved to get it.

  “James must have come upstairs and left it when we were playing,” Paul said, acknowledging the return of my clothes. “I’ll have my driver, Regan, take you home—”

  “No need,” I said and shook my head for emphasis. “I need to pick up something for the party tonight.” Not just any party—a work party with him, my company’s potential subcontractor.

  “Then Regan drop you off where you want to go,” he said, putting away his phone.

  “I don’t know where I want to start,” I said. “It’ll be easier if I go on my own.”

  “He’ll take you wherever you need to go,” he insisted. “Just take the ride, please.”

  To end our ride-offer loop, I announced, “I’ll just go change in the bathroom,” I said and went inside.

  As I put on my clothes, I tried to understand what had just happened with Paul. Hell, he made me wet just by looking at me. And, he seemed interested in me. Was he seeing me as a new friend, or something even less now?

  Maybe it was for the best. I might have to work with him. He was doing the right thing. Still, I couldn’t understand why I felt so mournful.

  I stepped out of the bathroom and he stood over by the elevator door and pressed the button and cursed. I saw now he wasn’t conflicted, he just wanted me out of there. The elevator doors chimed and opened to a tall man in a suit holding a briefcase.

  “What’s going on with you? You’re a no-show with me and you know as much as I do those warnings like the one you received can’t wait,” he said to Paul, then stopped in mid-sentence. When he turned towards us, I thought he looked similar to Paul, although with pale blond hair. He scrutinized me then smirked at Paul. “Please introduce us.”

  “Gunnar, this is Aubrey. Our meeting went longer than I thought. She’s just leaving,” Paul told him, and pressed the elevator door.

  Gunnar balked and held out his hand for me to shake. “You can do better than that. I’m Paul’s cousin, friend, and lawyer. How do you know Paul?”

  “I’m from Emono Games. We were playing music,” I replied, and flicked my gaze over to Paul. His expression told me I’d said the wrong thing and my stomach muscles twisted.

  “Emono Games,” Gunnar repeated enthusiastically. “You met at his client meeting yesterday, I presume. Sorry, I couldn’t make it, but I’m looking forward to Paul filling me in on all the details. Or would you like to do it?”

  “You’ve had your fun,” Paul groaned at him. “I’ll see you in a minute.”

  “Nice to meet you, Aubrey from Emono,” Gunnar said. He strolled over to the couch and plopped down.

  Paul smirked at him then turned. “Regan is downstairs. Please, let him drop you off.” The elevator door opened.

  “Okay,” I reluctantly agreed. “Is everything going to be okay?” I glanced over at Gunnar, who was watching us.

  “Yes,” he said. “He thinks he needs to be my conscience.”

  We rode downstairs in silence, only inches apart but worlds away from the easiness we had together when we’d been upstairs. I couldn’t stop thinking what would have happened if I had kissed him when he asked me to come to him.

  The elevator opened to a garage with a handful of cars. A Mercedes pulled up. Paul opened the back door and gestured for me to climb in.

  I paused and turned to thank him for the invite, because playing music with him had been an eye-opener, and something I had needed.

  “Thanks for today, even if things turned weird,” I said.

  “Weird,” he repeated, his lips spreading into a soft smile. “I suppose that’s a way of looking at it. Thank you for coming over.”

  “You’re welcome,” I murmured.

  Paul helped me into the car and bent down as I buckled the seatbelt. “You’re talented and inspiring. I’m blown away by your violin.” He tucked a loose strand of my hair behind my ear and I shivered. “You intrigue me. I’ve enjoyed having you with me today.”

  I licked my lips. “Thank you. Playing with you was amazing.”

  “Do you have to send me away?” I held his gaze, my heartbeat pounding. I might have been nervous at the start, but I was brave enough to admit how much he affected me. I doubted I’d ever feel so thoroughly captivated and tempted again.

  “We both know that I do,” he whispered. He brushed his fingers against my cheek. “Keep that haunting fire burning. See you tonight.”

  Paul

  Aubrey’s violin lit me up. Damn, it would haunt me.

  I knew I’d have her sound in my head long after playing with her today. Bach, Ysaÿe: the woman put in her soul and slayed. She had the talent to bring life to the classics. A skill that only the best had. I would know—I worked with the best, and she had the potential to join us.

  I’d thought so when I heard her years before at Juilliard; finding her at Emono had to be fate. She had talent and the extra I demanded of every person I worked with. She’d come ready to work, hadn’t wasted time, and had been eager as fuck to excel.

  Aubrey not only exceeded my expectations, she smashed them. She played toe to toe with me on accompaniment, and because of that, we collaborated—something that rarely happens on a first session. What we had created flooded my mind with ideas. All I wanted to do now was return upstairs and work on them before my company’s industry party tonight.

  But playing would have to wait because I had Siena, my ex, to deal with. We both had lessons to learn. My lesson was that I’d never date my clients again. Her lesson would come when she found that I’m not a man who can be manipulated.

  Instead of working on her music, Siena had taken up the hobby of sending messages. I’d ignored them for months, but my instincts told me to open the last one she’d sent. She wrote that she’d “had a think” about our relationship and concluded that I should never have dated her. That was the part we both agreed on.

  The rest had set off alarm bells.

  She wrote that I had “created a hostile work environment” for her as a client, adding: “Some may see our relationship as sexual harassment.” Her message also alluded to money and the items of my property she believed were due to her as part of the lifestyle she’d grown accustomed to during our five-month relationship. Never mind that the sext she’d sent before that one offered more of that relationship sex she now found so unwarranted.

  Her threat was real, and I couldn’t risk ignoring it. My artists and staff depended on my brand, and I had to act.

  I was a stickler for my privacy and disliked going back on my word to Aubrey that no one would know she’d been here; but I received an email from Siena’s lawyer informing me he was representing her. Therefore, time was of the essence. Gunnar understood what was at stake and I couldn’t blame him for coming over. He was ready to fight back with me. Of course, only after he bitched about Aubrey being here.

  He was on the couch with a cup of coffee in his hands. My housekeeper must have brought it to him before I returned upstairs to the living room. He eyeballed me over the brim when I sat on my piano bench and faced him.

  “Aubrey and
I played music together, and I lost track of time.” I gestured towards the Testore violin as I jotted down notes on my worksheets. “That’s it.”

  “Who are you trying to convince—me, or yourself? Having a female employee of a potential client in your home doesn’t tell me you’re doing anything to fix your life. I guess Siena needs to do something else to get you to wake up.”

  “Fuck that,” I said and took out my phone. “I will not let Siena’s threat stifle my creativity. I had Aubrey over to flesh out an idea for the soundtrack. My intention was entirely professional.”

  “I’m sure music was in the mix, but let’s not lie to ourselves. I saw you both,” Gunnar said bluntly. “It’s about perception. The public will hear Siena’s accusation and believe you womanize your clients in your home. You don’t want to make this shit easy for her.”

  I cursed and dialed my publicist and assistant, Eileen. While we waited for her to prepare her notes, I did nothing and now I’d have to change? Fuck that. Having Aubrey over before I signed with Emono wasn’t exactly wise, and she’d have to be the last musician I invited over to my house for now. I’d just installed a state-of-the-art recording studio, and now I couldn’t trust my female artists to work with me there alone? I’d never forgive Siena for that. Then again, Gunnar was right. I hadn’t been completely professional with Aubrey. Truth be told, I hadn’t wanted to, but that was something I’d deal with later.

  “Let’s go over our plan,” I said once Eileen was on the line.

  “We’ll unleash on Siena’s ass,” Gunnar said. “We’ll work with the police on a criminal complaint of harassment and extortion. I’ll have my secretary go through all her texts that include demands for money and property for evidence. Her lawyers will have to defend that, along with fighting our one-hundred-million-dollar civil suit for defamation. Her lawyers will want to settle because her case is weak, but you can’t. The public will think you’re guilty if you do.”

  “Siena could end up with criminal charges,” Eileen said through the speaker. “The public and some business partners will turn against you. Her lawyers haven’t filed her suit yet. She’s just testing you. Why not answer her letter with a threat of a lawsuit, Gunnar? She’d settle for sure.”

  “That would be intimidation, and worse for Paul,” Gunnar replied. “Paul shouldn’t wait. He strikes now. If he settles and pays away his problem, that’s the end of his company. The controversy will follow his brand forever.”

  I didn’t want Siena to go to jail, but this was a war on my livelihood. Crane Productions was valued at over a billion dollars. A sexual harassment scandal would ruin the company and the career of all my employees that counted on me.

  “No settlement,” I said, and signed the papers Gunnar passed over.

  “After we file the papers, Eileen, I need you to leak Siena’s texts and emails that demand money and threats to sue. We’ll ice her the fuck out,” Gunnar said. “It’s nothing less than she deserves. We built Siena’s brand, and she repays us with this shit because she didn’t get to be queen? She’s Cersei on steroids. We defend our throne.” He tailored his argument to appeal to Eileen’s well-known love for Game of Thrones.

  “Fine, if that’s how you want to play it,” Eileen said. “You must soften your image after this, Paul. I’ll book the talk circuit so you can present yourself as a man who cares.”

  I narrowed my gaze at the phone. “I do care, Eileen, and thanks for that.”

  No matter how extensive my professional work, and no matter the millions I raised in outreaches around the world, my brand would take a hit.

  “I know that,” Eileen said recovering. “I also know you’re angry. I’d be angry too, but we must be smart about the way we move forward. Siena is a rising star and has a huge social media following. We need to minimize the public backlash. And come on, Paul, we all know your record for dating your clients. People will question your judgment.”

  I couldn’t argue with her. This situation was all on me. I didn’t always date someone I collaborated with, but it had happened a few times. I still hadn’t expected this. Love had never developed between us, and I’d never marry someone I didn’t love. The only thing we had was our music. Our relationship had gone downhill when she stopped working on hers. I’d never make a lifetime commitment to an artist who didn’t nurture her talent.

  That bothered me about Aubrey. There were artists performing with a fraction of her talent. She was excellent at audio, but I’d seen her passion. The violin was her calling.

  “We finished?” Gunnar said, calling me back from my thoughts.

  I gave him a nod, and we both thanked Eileen and ended the call.

  “Now we have a plan for Siena, you can be honest with me about what was going on with you and the hot nerd from Emono with the phone-sex voice?” Gunnar asked, smirking.

  I smiled at his good description of Aubrey. Her voice turned me on as much as everything else about her. I kind of wished she’d surprised me by straddling my lap, but that wasn’t her, and I liked that even more.

  “I brought Aubrey here for her music, and that’s it. I’m all in with the Emono project,” I assured him.

  “If she’s trouble, you do the soundtrack without her,” he said.

  “I’ll handle it.”

  Gunnar wanted me to commit to cutting Aubrey from the soundtrack, but that would not happen. I’d heard her work. She deserved the opportunity to be a part of the project. She had that extra I was after. I could use her sound with my music. I could fuse in the classical music I missed and take the soundtrack to another level at the same time. It’d give me a chance to explore a new medium before trendy music became all people associated me with. A successful soundtrack could lead to doing one for a blockbuster film, which was a personal goal of mine.

  “Fine,” Gunnar said. “You could date someone for the duration of the project? Preferably someone that won’t sue. What about an escort? It’ll show you moved on.”

  I didn’t want to, but he had a point. “I’ll try a matching service.”

  In the past, I’d canceled more dates than I’d ever kept. When I’d shown up, the dates turned out awkward as fuck. I’d yet to meet a woman who talked as easily as Aubrey had today.

  I looked over at Gunnar, and he was shrewd. He picked up on my vibe.

  “Boy, does this one work fast,” Gunnar said, and tutted. “Looks like I came an hour too late. Let me tell you something else you might need to consider; Aubrey works for Gary. He’s kind, but ruthless. If he can exploit her to his advantage, he’ll do it. Even if we are friends.”

  Gary was a friend of mine, but he was also like my dad: business first. If I caused trouble at his company, he’d use that—even making it a breach of contract, which meant anything I created before he fired me would become his property. If I fucked up bad, I’d lose the new music I created for the Absolution soundtrack.

  “That’s why he won’t get many original songs, and I have you to make sure the contract protects my property,” I told him.

  “I have your back, and I’ll make sure you’re covered as best I can,” he said. “You need to help me. Since you will keep Aubrey working with you, you must believe she’s capable of doing the same thing as your ex. She could try for a huge payout too. You need to protect yourself.”

  I thought about what he’d said. Would Aubrey try to use me? Gunnar trusted no one. I didn’t want to believe so, but I hadn’t wanted to believe it about Siena. I’d enjoyed the afternoon Aubrey and I spent together. She’d been easy to talk to, and we’d shared things about our lives, but I didn’t really know her that well.

  “I will,” I assured him. He wasn’t just my lawyer and cousin. We watched out for each other.

  Our phones buzzed, and when he checked his, the proposal and preliminary offer had come in. We both agreed Gary could do better. And after tonight’s show, he’d have to up his offer if he wanted to land me. I demanded a lot, but I was worth it.

  Gunnar finally left,
and I had the party tonight to deal with. I was all keyed up about Siena and shit I hadn’t done. I was about to take time to unwind when the elevator doors opened with Dad using his old key. He motioned for me to follow him into my office like I was still a child. However, he let me sit behind my desk and took one of the two chairs across from me.

  “I see you’re settling in,” he said. “Shame you left your place. Siena still there?”

  I’d let Siena stay while she renovated her place, but she’d never left.

  “We’ve served Siena with the notice to vacate my home,” I replied. “I’ve sold the apartment. It was too small.” I’d wanted a home studio so I could work there.

  “You’ll work that out,” he said. “Sorry I missed the meeting at Emono. The art fair took longer than expected.”

  I scoffed. “You don’t have to explain. I never expected you to show up at all.”

  My dad’s smile evaporated, and I hated myself. I’d been doing that for years. A cut for a cut. He disappointed me, so I hurt him. I was being an ass.

  I spoke his language, business, to make up for it.

  “Gunnar has come and gone. We had an offer,” I said.

  “You mind if I look?” Dad asked, already moving closer to the laptop on the desk.

  I didn’t mind and brought up the files, handing over the laptop and mouse to him.

  He nodded as he scrolled through the pages. When he finished, he said, “This is a start.”

  I suppressed my smile. “Yes, it is. It’ll get better after the performances at the party tonight.”

  “I’m surprised you want to pursue Emono,” Dad said. “I’ve gone over their numbers. Your only advantage is that Gary wants to make enough buzz for a gigantic financial windfall before he sells the company. He’s using you to do it.”

  “I know, and I’ve even considered buying Emono Games when the time comes,” I said. “Their franchise is strong, and my soundtrack could extend its reach further.”

  “True. I considered purchasing Emono too,” my dad replied. “We could look at purchasing it together, maybe?”