Ripped: The Price of Loyalty by Tania Joyce

 

Chapter 27

Kyle followed Gemma and Hunter into Jeremy’s lavish office at SureHaven Records on Madison Avenue, shutting the cedar door behind him. Ambling past the wall of mirrored shelves lined with awards and platinum album picture frames, he paused at the cluster of Everhide’s. Seeing all their achievements glitter under the display lights still brought a smile to his face.

“Woohoo. Only one more day until we hit the studio.” Gemma clapped her hands. “I’m so excited.”

“I can’t wait to record that track, ‘Torn’. It’s an awesome song.” Hunter headed straight for one of the two four-seater black leather sofas in the middle of the room, laid down, and propped a leopard-print cushion underneath his head.

“Yeah. The riff at the beginning is sick.” Kyle said, leaning against the back of the sofa.

“Did any of you find out why we were called in here to the office? I hate waiting,” Gemma said, throwing her tote bag on the desk at the far end of the room. “Urgent meetings make me nervous.”

“Especially ones where they say, ‘Bring your lawyer,’” Hunter groaned from the sofa.

“Don’t stress.” Kyle walked over to Gemma and wrapped his arms around her from behind. “It’s probably got something to do with the Grant Entertainment Group takeover, and they’re letting us know it all went through.”

“Something’s not right.” Gemma turned in his arms. “Amie’s been avoiding us. Kate and Bec haven’t heard anything. And Richard has to be here. I’m worried.”

“Don’t be,” he said, rubbing her arms. “You’ve had enough to worry about lately. The gossip about us has died down, and your mom has left town. Everything is going to be fine. I’m sure this is just some bullshit business meeting.”

After Gemma came home upset following brunch with her mother three days ago, he had been concerned at how distressed she’d been. And, as always, he was there for her in whatever capacity she needed. The hot sex had been mind-blowing, the light in Gemma’s eyes now burned with a new hunger, and her kisses had stolen his breath more than usual. He’d never felt closer to her now she’d cut the toxic ties with Janine.

Hearing her mom had been behind the whole Ben ordeal made him sick in the stomach. He never wanted Gemma to have regrets in her life, but Janine wasn’t a nice person. It was hard for him to comprehend that someone could be so narcissistic.

“Just business? Let’s hope so,” Gemma said, snaking her arms around his waist and burying her face against his chest.

Hunter sat up and rubbed his hands together. “Since you two are out of your bedroom and we have a few minutes, we need to talk about Amie.”

Gemma turned her head toward Hunter and her shoulders slumped. “Hunt, please tell me you’re not back together.”

“Definitely not.” Hunter screwed up his nose. “I know we’ve all said some crazy things in the heat of the moment over the past few weeks. But she’s now awful to work with and doesn’t give a shit about us. Are you two still open to the idea of getting a new manager? I don’t want to spend the remainder of our contract dealing with her.”

“If I had my way,” Gemma said. “I would have fired her the night you first kissed her.”

“Wow, Hunt.” Kyle widened his eyes. “I wasn’t expecting this from you. She really screwed you over, didn’t she?” He knew Hunter had fallen hard for Amie, but for him to let her go was massive. They both loved making money, casual sex and materialistic things. But when he’d found out he was nothing more than a pawn in her corporate game of chess, she’d hurt him bad. Not that he’d ever admit it.

Hunter kicked his leather boot against the leg of the glass coffee table. “Shit happens.” His lips twitched, and his gaze turned to the far end of the room. “I’ve thought about this a lot over the past few days. We need to fire her.”

Kyle let go of Gemma and walked over to Hunter. He placed his hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “You sure about this? Because after everything she’s done to us, I do agree with you.”

“Good.” Hunter shrugged off his hand. “When Richard gets here we’ll get him to deal with it. But before I end up an emotional train wreck like you two, I’m going for coffee. Want one?”

“Just get Marcie at reception to get it.” Gemma pointed to the desk phone.

“Nah. The guest lounge down the hall has coffee. I’ll be back soon.” Hunter launched himself off the sofa and headed out the door.

“Wow. He’s more cut up over Amie than I thought,” Gemma said.

“Yep. But this is Hunt. He’ll go out, get drunk, and sleep with someone, and he’ll be back to his charming self.”

Gemma’s eyes shone when she laughed. “True. I can’t wait to have the old Hunt back.”

“Me, too. But more than anything, I’m looking forward to putting all the mess from the past few months behind us.”

“We’ve certainly had our fair share.” Gemma stepped toward him and placed her hands on his chest. “I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done for me. From dealing with our interviews to the issues with my mother.” She weaved her hands around his neck and drew him in for a kiss.

“You’re welcome.” He took her hand and led her toward the desk. He leaned back against it and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Let’s stay off the media’s radar for as long as we can and just enjoy being together. We’re in the studio for the next month or two so we shouldn’t be hounded by the paparazzi too much. I know we can’t hide for eternity, but a little while longer would be nice. Then I won’t care who knows about us. Because you’re mine. Forever. So you better get used to the idea.”

“Forever?” Gemma bit on her lower lip and rocked on her feet. “That’s a mighty long time.”

“It’s how I see things.” He leaned in and hovered his lips an inch away from hers.

“Just so we’re clear . . .” She took a step back. “Don’t go and get any stupid ideas about forever-type commitments like marriage, because that’s not on the cards.”

He tugged on the bottom of her shirt. He’d known the moment he’d kissed Gemma on the deck at his beach house she was his forever girl. “With your mom’s track record, I know you have issues with marriage. But I don’t. So, here’s the thing. One day, I will marry you, Gem, but I won’t ever ask you. When the time’s right . . . you’re going to have to ask me.”

“Then you’ll be waiting a fucking long time.” Gemma pulled her shirt out of his hand.

Shit. Had he scared her off? “Gem, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”

“I don’t believe in marriage.” She walked over to the sofa and sat down. She curled her hands together. “Isn’t me saying I’m yours enough?”

“For now it is.” He strode over to join her, kissed her on the forehead and sat beside her.

The door flung open, and Hunter returned with a tower of takeaway coffee cups, handed them out, and took a seat next to Gemma.

Before Kyle finished his first sip, Amie charged into the office with Richard, Jeremy, and three men Kyle had never seen before. He looked at Gemma and Hunter, but their faces were blank as well.

Jeremy came to the front of the group and tugged on his tie. “Gemma, Hunter, Kyle, this is Luke Wade, CEO of the Grant Entertainment Group, Patrick Mercure, their VP, and Neil Arnold, their lawyer.”

Kyle stood with Gemma and Hunter and shook the gentlemen’s hands. The new executives and Amie took a seat on the four-seat sofa opposite them. Richard sat in the sofa chair at the end of the coffee table and stretched out his legs, and Jeremy swung one of the desk chairs around to sit on.

Jeremy folded his arms, the chair squeaking under his bulky frame. “Let’s get started. As you know, SureHaven has been acquired by Grant. These gentlemen are here to talk about the changes that will occur.”

Kyle glanced at the three men, all middle-aged, overweight, and dressed in expensive suits, and had salt and pepper hair. His skin prickled at the sudden chill in the air and stone-cold eyes peering across at them.

“It’s nice to meet the three of you.” Luke’s toad-like throat wobbled when he spoke. “I’m very excited about acquiring the pool of talent SureHaven has developed. We asked you to bring your lawyer, Richard, to this meeting because there are changes we need to discuss.”

“Like what?” Kyle asked before Gemma or Hunter got the chance. Gemma tensed beside him. Hunter’s foot stopped wiggling on his knee.

“Several things,” Luke said. “Effectively, this meeting and documentation that will follow is to inform you that your contract with SureHaven will come to an end in ninety days. So, you won’t be hitting the studio tomorrow—”

“What?” Gemma’s high pitch pierced Kyle’s ear.

“Our studio time is booked.” Hunter drew his shoulders back and clutched his knee. “We’re ready.”

Kyle’s head spun. “We’ve already had one delay. How long is this one for?”

“That depends on the three of you.” Neil, the lawyer with greasy thinning hair, pulled a pen from his jacket and opened his notepad. “In effect, there’s no studio time until we renegotiate a new contract and sign you under Grant.”

Gemma’s eyes lit up. “Great. Let’s renegotiate new terms right now. It’s no secret we want a hundred percent creative control. We want to sing, write, and record our own material.”

Kyle rubbed his forehead, Gemma was never subtle. But by the look in Luke’s eyes, something bigger than they’d first thought was about to go down.

“See, Miss Lonsdale.” Luke tugged on the lapels of his jacket. “That’s where we have a difference in opinion. We run to a refined formula, much like SureHaven, and we will continue to follow this format. What this means for you is that you are presented with new and exciting opportunities. Amie has had preliminary discussions with you, Gemma, and we want to know what else we can offer you to make your solo career happen.”

“Nothing . . . We’re. Not. Breaking. Up.” Gemma clenched her hands, her knuckles turned white.

“That’s a shame.” Patrick ‘s Texan accent drawled through each word. “This business is all about marketing a product, and you fit our solo artist profile perfectly. We want the guys to continue as a duo because we know they’ll prove to be even more successful with the young female demographic.”

“Just stop, right now,” Kyle squashed his empty paper coffee cup in his hands. “You’re not listening. We stay together. End of story.”

“Okay.” Richard held his hand toward Kyle. He cleared his throat and turned to the suits. “My clients have made themselves clear. They’re not going separate ways. So, before they lose their cool, let’s lay the options on the table. One, you honor the terms and conditions in the SureHaven contract so they can hit the studio in accordance with their release agreement. Two, we start renegotiating a new contract today, one that everyone is happy with. Or three, you terminate Everhide’s contract and we walk out the door. But as Everhide are one of your biggest and most profitable artists, consider your options carefully.”

All eyes turned to Luke, who sat tapping his index fingers together in front of his lips.

“I’m sure we can negotiate something agreeable,” he said.

“If it doesn’t involve the three of us staying together and giving us full creative control of our music then . . . there’s nothing to discuss.” Gemma folded her arms and slumped back against the sofa.

“Gemma, we are offering you that if you go solo. We see the potential in your marketability.” Patrick’s gaze hardened. “But for the guys, the creative control stays with Grant.”

Kyle looked Amie square in the eyes. She’d been too quiet for his liking. Amie was supposed to represent them and fight for the deal they wanted, not bow to this new company’s every whim. He jutted his chin in her direction. “Why are you sitting there listening to all this bullshit? What’s in it for you?”

She crossed her ankles and folded her hands on her lap. “I’ve been offered to head up the artist management division for Grant. I’ll be managing an entire pool of artists, not just you.”

“That’s the best fucking news we’ve heard all day,” Hunter cut in. “We were going to fire you anyway.”

Kyle’s blood boiled at the I-couldn’t-care-less look on Amie’s face.

Richard raised his palm again. “Hang on. We’ll deal with Amie later. One thing at a time.” He turned to the men from Grant. “What reasonable offer are you willing to put on the table?”

Luke stroked his narrow goatee and stretched out his fat neck. “If Gemma won’t go solo, we’ll offer Everhide a one-album deal with one option, but no creative control. Our operating costs are higher than SureHaven’s and therefore there will be a significant reduction in the advance.”

Kyle’s stomach lurched. “You want us, one of the biggest artists on your books, to bend over and do this for less money.”

“We’re not taking a fucking pay cut.” Hunter jerked his head back. “If anything, you should be offering us more to stay with you.”

“If you’re confident in your skills, you shouldn’t worry. Otherwise there are plenty of artists willing to take your place, Mr. Collins.” Patrick strummed his fingers on top of his leg.

“Hunter? Kyle? Please, let me handle this.” Richard straightened his tie. “There’s no way we’re agreeing to a reduced advance. These guys are very successful, and if you’re not going to take advantage of that and negotiate a new and acceptable agreement in favor of my clients, then in my view there is only one option.”

One option.

Kyle’s palms sweated over the direction this meeting had taken. His pulse swooshed in his ears like a severe case of tinnitus.

“They’re a big group.” Neil sniffled. “But we know what works for our business, Richard.”

“Fair enough. Kyle, Hunter, Gemma? It’s your call here.”

“Can we talk in private for a moment with you, Richard?” Kyle waved toward the far end of the huge office. Hunter, Gemma, and Richard followed him and huddled together by the window.

“Do you want to enter renegotiations with Grant and see what we come up with . . . or walk away?” Richard lowered his voice, his back to the crew from Grant.

“What are the penalties if we walk?” Kyle asked.

“Technically, if SureHaven no longer exists as an entity, neither does your contract. We have a number of avenues that I’m sure Grant are aware of. We can exercise the key-man clause if Jeremy is no longer able to support you. We can pursue creative differences and the fact that Grant are not willing to uphold existing contract terms and conditions. We’ll have to look at recording rights and copyright conditions along with a few other details, but it shouldn’t be too bad.”

“Will it cost us?” Hunter’s face drained of all color.

“Grant aren’t offering you the same deal, so if you don’t accept their new terms and conditions, we have the right to terminate at the end of the agreed period. We could go down the ugly road if these gentlemen want to, but I’m sure they will see the benefit of keeping any upset artists and failed renegotiations out of the media.”

Kyle held his breath, studying Hunter’s and Gemma’s faces to gauge their reactions. Hunter would want to ensure they kept on performing, but would his love of money weigh in on his decision? Gemma . . . well . . . Kyle knew what she wanted, even though worry flashed across her eyes.

“I’m not signing a new contract for anything less than a hundred percent creative control,” she said. He smiled, knowing he was right.

“I’m not signing for less money.” Hunter closed his eyes and shook his head.

Kyle’s stomach sank. What did he want to do? After everything SureHaven had done for them, it had come down to this. He’d always known that this was a stepping stone in their career, but deciding on that next step had come sooner than expected. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Only one logical path crystallized in his mind. Gemma was right. It was time to move forward and make the music they wanted to. “I agree with Hunt and Gem. I’m not signing if they don’t have our interests at heart,” he said.

“Well then . . . let’s see what we can do.” Richard clapped his hands together. A fire flared in his eyes, as if he was ready to go to war.

They returned to their seats and were met by the steely gazes from the suits.

“My clients have made their intentions clear.” Richard directed his attention toward Luke. “What’s it going to be? Are you going to honor their current contract, meet their new requests, or do we proceed with termination?”

Luke’s belly inflated like a hot-air balloon. His beady eyes jumped from Hunter to Gemma to Kyle. “Your loyalty to each other is impressive, but it’s also your downfall. We can’t accommodate your request. You, as a group, do not fit our long-term business model. So rather than investing time and money into one album, I think it best for all parties to end our relationship before it begins. I’ll have Neil draw up the letter of termination.”

Kyle’s mouth fell open. His chest constricted, the pressure feeling as if it would crack his ribs. He couldn’t believe what he’d heard.

“Wise choice.” Richard nodded.

“I’m sorry we can’t be more accommodating,” Patrick sighed.

Luke jerked his chin. “You will still be required to attend the appearances and performances that are scheduled for you during the next couple of months. Our team will work with you until such time that all your contractual obligations have been fulfilled.”

“So, in ninety days, we’re done.” Kyle swallowed, his mouth dry.

“It seems that way.” Luke steepled his fingers together.

“We’re disappointed you aren’t willing to negotiate, but we understand.” Richard stood and buttoned his jacket. “Thank you for your time.”

Kyle jumped to his feet alongside Gemma and Hunter. After a quick handshake with everyone, the four of them stormed out of the office and jumped into their waiting car.

“Fuck!” Hunter cursed. “Did not see that coming.”

“I can’t believe we just lost our record contract.” A tear slid down Gemma’s cheek. “This was not part of the plan. Now what the hell are we going to do?”

Kyle stared out the window, consumed by numbness. For the first time in a long time, he had absolutely no idea. Only one thing came to mind. “Let’s go get drunk.”