Feel The Fire (Unforgettable Series) (14 page)
Read Feel The Fire (Unforgettable Series) Online
Authors: Adrianne Byrd
“Maybe we should lower the offer,” Nora suggested, looking over at her friends Georgina and Theodora. “Say 1.5 million?”
The women’s gazes scattered among themselves before they nodded like a trio of bobble-heads.
Toni’s hackles rose as she sensed trouble. “Why should we do that?” she asked, focusing on the Prada-clad ringleader. “The tapes are our aces in the hole. When the jury hears William Bassett’s inappropriate propositions at the workplace and read the complaints filed with T&B Human Resources department-this is a done deal. There’s no way we can lose.”
She glanced around at the women, half-expecting them to be inspired by her short speech, but the energy in the room didn’t quite feel right. “Is there something you ladies aren’t telling me?”
Anther round of nervous looks ensued before Nora piped up with a, “No. Of course not.”
Toni’s eyes narrowed as she attempted to crack the women into a confession, but the women pursed their lips and remained united.
“All right. Then we proceed forward?”
“Offer the 1.5 million,” Nora said firmly. “And let them know that it’s a good deal. A damn good deal.”
After her clients left her office, Toni was forced to reevaluate the whole case. No doubt about it, her clients were holding out on her and she couldn’t afford for her first major case to blow up in her face.
She groaned. It’s never a good strategy to lower an asking price. A man like Jonas Hinton would know that.
Not to mention, she had hoped to for a little more time before she had to see Jonas again. Time to get her game face back on.
It had nearly been a week since their wild Harley ride and truth be told, every time she passed a biker on the streets she couldn’t help but remember the strong vibrations humming between her legs—and that had nothing to do with the Harley.
Almost a week and no phone call.
Drawing in a deep breath, Toni reminded herself she’d promised Jonas there were no strings attached. But that didn’t mean he had permission to avoid common courtsey and
not
call.
Right?
Slumping back in her chair, Toni glared at the phone for a full minute. “What am I doing?” she asked herself. “I don’t care if he calls. I have a life. There are plenty of men who...who are waiting for
me
to call them.”
Toni nodded, agreeing with herself. “The hell with Jonas Hinton.”
The phone rang and she jumped to answer it. “Hello.”
“Guess who.”
Frowning into the hand unit, she knew one thing: the caller wasn’t Jonas. “Um...”
“Brian,” the caller supplied.
“Brian?” she repeated, momentarily confused.
“Don’t tell me you forgot about me already,” he joked.
Her memory clicked back on and she finally remembered her ex-boyfriend. “Of course I remember you,” she covered, laughing. “Can’t a girl play hard to get?”
“Then you are definitely a master at the game.”
Two minutes on the phone with Brian and Toni’s confidence restored itself. She was in control and flirting wildly. She even agreed to meet him for drinks for happy hour.
“I look forward to seeing you again,” Brian concluded. “Who knows-maybe we’ll even pick up where we left off?”
Toni shrugged with a smile. “Yeah. Who knows?”
Startled silence greeted Jonas the moment he entered the main conference room at T&B Entertainment. All eyes followed him as he walked toward the head the table where Marcel and Solomon perched.
“I guess I missed the memo regarding this morning’s staff meeting.” He glanced down at one of the attractive staff members. “Do you mind?”
“Not at all, Mr. Hinton.” She stood and offered him her chair.
“Thank you.” He eased into the comfortable leather chair while smiling at his two partners. “I hope I didn’t miss much.”
Marcel and Solomon looked as though they wanted to leap at his neck.
“Not much at all,” Marcel seethed. “We are discussing possible new artists and artists’ development strategies. You know: things you don’t know anything about.”
A few nervous titters erupted around the room.
“One thing you’ll learn about me, Mr. Taylor, is that I’m always happy to learn.” He turned away from his partner’s heated gaze to glance around the room and was thrown off guard when he saw Ophelia and Diana sitting together.
“Oh, I was under the impression this was strictly a staff meeting.” He smiled at his ex-fiancée. “Not that I’m complaining.”
“Actually, I am here on business.” Ophelia smiled. “Diana and I have started our own management team and T&B have expressed interest in signing one of our artists.”
Jonas’s brows crashed together. “Have we now?” His eyes darted to his partners. “I don’t think so.”
“Excuse you?” Marcel blinked.
“What do you mean?” Ophelia asked in alarm.
Jonas laughed. “C’mon. I can’t be the only one in the room thinking it.” He looked again and caught a few amused faces before they thought to hide it. “Are your artists being signed for talent or because you’re married to the owners of a record label?”
“Hinton,” Marcel barked. “You’re out of line.”
“Am I?” he asked innocently. “I have an equal investment here. I have every right to question the validity of our artists i.e. are they talented or just well-connected?”
Ophelia’s face darkened in anger. “You can’t just come in here-”
“Oh, but I can.” He smiled serenely and enjoyed, perhaps a bit too much, successfully getting under her skin.
Ophelia and Diana looked to their husbands while the room’s tension thickened.
“This meeting is adjourned,” Marcel announced, his jaw line as hard as Stone Mountain.
The announcement was like a starter pistol shot into the air, judging by the way the staff members bolted out their chairs and raced from the room.
“Well,” Jonas said, leaning back in his seat. “I hope it wasn’t something I said.”
Solomon leaned his elbows against the conference table and dropped his head into the palms of his hands. “One...two...three-”
“What the hell is he doing?” Jonas asked.
Marcel stood from his chair. “I’d say that he’s trying not to kill you.”
“Or at least letting me have the honors,” Ophelia said, climbing out her chair as well. “How dare you embarrass me like that in front the staff! You have no idea how hard and long Diana and I have been working with SisterSol.”
“Good Lord.” Jonas frowned. “Is that their name? What are they—a seventies retro band?”
“Those girls
earned
their record deal,” Diana hissed. “How dare you suggest otherwise!”
Jonas tossed up his hands. “Whoa. Whoa. I’m sensing some hostility here.”
“Damn right you are,” Ophelia shouted. “You are supposed to be a silent partner. Do I need to get you a dictionary so you can look up the word
silent
?”
He shrugged. “I changed my mind.”
“You have no experience in this industry. You’re completely over your head.”
“Me? The last time I checked you were in the medical field. You mean to tell me twenty months married to a music executive you’re qualified to manage artists?” He looked to Diana. “Weren’t you just a secretary before you married Marcel?”
“Enough,” Solomon barked; his counting did little to calm him down. “We’re going to have to have some ground rules around here. You’re taking this revenge crap too far and I’d rather close the damn doors before I let you come in here and destroy everything we’ve built.”
“Close the doors, eh? Don’t tease me.” Jonas stood. “I want to see this SisterSol group perform before I agree to any kind of record deal.”
“Before you agree?”
“If they are as talented as you claim, then what’s the big deal?” He headed toward the door. “If they’re not, you’ll have to shop them to another label.”
“Asshole!” Ophelia snapped.
Jonas opened the conference-room door. “You know, I’ve been told that a lot lately.”
“How did it go?” Michelle asked when Jonas returned. “About as well as you can expect?”
“Well, at least you made it back without a busted lip. I’d say that’s an improvement.”
Jonas laughed. “I was thinking the same thing on my way over.” He winked as he headed to his private office.
“You have a visitor waiting, by the way.”
“Oh? Female or male?” he asked before he opened the door.
“Female—as usual,” she said, shaking her head. “Lock the door, if you’re going to be doing something I shouldn’t know about.”
“Will do...or you could knock.”
“Actually, I’m about to go to lunch.” She grabbed her purse. “Your next appointment isn’t until three.”
“Got it. Thanks.”
Jonas opened his office door, hoping to see Toni, but was thrown off guard when to see his attorney, Patsy, looking up from a stack of paperwork.
“Ah, there you are.” She glanced at her watch and then stood with a smile. “You’re going to love me, baby.”
“Oh?” He closed his office door behind him. “I take it you have good news for me?”
“Great news.” Patsy beamed. “You were right not to settle this claim with Ms. Gibson. This is not the first time she has sued an employer for sexual harassment nor is it the second or third time.”
“You’re kidding me.”
“I don’t kid about things like that.”
Jonas’s head snapped up.
“What?”
“Oh.” He waved it off. “Nothing. Someone else I know says that a lot.” His thoughts wandered as he walked over to his desk.
“Well?” Patsy asked. “Aren’t you pleased?”
Jonas jolted from the memory of Toni’s long legs and seductive curves. “I’m sorry. What?”
Patsy folded her arms with an amused smirk. “You’re not thinking about business.”
He almost denied the accusation, but he knew better than to try and pull the wool over Patsy’s eyes. “You caught me. Sorry.”
“That’s all right.” She glided saucily behind the desk. “We were both probably thinking about the same thing.” She eased down onto his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. “What do you say we go out for drinks and then do a little celebrating tonight-either your place or mine?”
Jonas chuckled under his breath while he thought about a tactful way out of the proposition. “I would, but, um...I sort of have plans,” he lied.
“Cancel them,” Patsy said, leaning in and stealing a kiss.
Jonas wrapped his arms around her waist. Maybe this is what he needed to get his mind off Toni’s dark skin and sinful body. He deepened the kiss and Patsy moaned softly.
“So what do you say?” she asked, pulling back. “Is it a date?”
I ain’t missing you at all...
Chapter 18
“I’ve missed you so much,” Brian said, stretching his hand across the table. “Why haven’t you called me?”
Toni smiled but her gaze remained locked on the ice cubes floating in her glass. “Well, I’ve been busy. I’m trying to get my practice up and running. It’s a lot of work.”
Brian’s smile broadened across his handsome features and caused an old memory to rise to the surface.
“We were great together once,” he whispered.
When he squeezed her hands, she pulled them back and rested them in her lap.
Brian heaved a dramatic sigh and eased back into his chair. “What’s wrong? You’re not behaving like yourself this evening.”
Toni brightened her smile though the effort nearly killed her. “Nothing,” she lied.
Brian didn’t pretend to believe her. “What’s his name?”
Her heart squeezed and the smile vanished. “I’m sorry, Brian, but maybe I should go home.”
His eyes glossed with restrained tears, but then his pride kicked into gear and within a blink they were gone. “You know...I still love you.”
Toni’s nodded sadly. “Yeah. I know.”
The club’s music and low hum of chatter and laughter filled the silence between them. Toni went back to sipping her Coke and watching him nurse a glass of ginger ale. Years ago, she would have never dreamed such awkwardness would exist between them—but that was before she was introduced to his demons.
“I’ve been sober for eight months.”
“And I’m happy for you. Truly I am...but I can’t do it. I can’t go back.” She sucked in a breath and could feel the pain of her childhood creep back into her heart. A childhood she had tried desperately to forget. Nothing this man could say would get her to travel down the same rough road as her mother.