Love Like Crazy. Crystal B. Bright

“Our secret.”

      Kat cocked her head and crossed her arms over her chest. “What? You think I should be embarrassed or something, like I did something wrong? I’m a young woman. I have needs. It gets lonely out on the road.”

      The group kept their full attention on the video even when Kat tried interrupting their viewing pleasures with her frantic voice and gesturing.

      “Stop this.” Kat waved her hand in the air.

      Laz didn’t. He wanted his name fully cleared. Here he thought he had been polite to her, gave her every opportunity to bow out of the situation graciously, even pinned the lack of performance on him. Yet she still tried destroying him.

      In the video, Laz said, “All I want to do is talk about your music. You owe Universe—”

      “Universe can kiss my ass.” Kat punctuated her point by slapping her small ass cheek.

      Zinner cleared his throat. Laz enjoyed the slight tingling sensation that took over his body. Vindication felt good.

      In the video, Kat’s phone rang. “You wait right there. I’m not done with you.”

      “That’s what I’m afraid of.” Laz headed toward the shelf area.

      Kat answered the phone. “Hello?” She paused. She clicked a button on the phone first. “It’s my bitch of an attorney. This will be quick. Don’t you dare go anywhere or I’ll make your life a living hell.” She ducked into a room next to her dressing room.

      The end shot showed Laz grabbing his phone. “Insurance just in case.” He winked in the camera and stopped recording.

      Kat let her feelings be known about the video and her statement by throwing up on the floor. The stench of her vomit stung Laz’s nostrils until he had to turn his head away for a moment and breathe through his mouth.

      Laz, confident that he got his point across, ended the video. “You want to go to a gossip site and a magazine with your claims?” He pointed his phone to Kat. “May not be a good idea. I don’t want to do it, but if pressed, I’ll release this video.” His gaze dropped down to Kat’s hand. “Before you leave, make sure you put your purity ring back on. Fans are standing outside waiting for you to come back out. They want to believe in the image you’ve created.”

      This time when Kat cried, real tears rolled down her cheeks. She stood from the table. “Next week. I’ll be in the studio next week.” She waved her hand wildly in front of her. “No kicker needed.”

      “Wait.” Her manager tried to grab her other hand to stop her.

      “No. No more games. I tried holding out to get more money. I tried a lot of things.” She glared at Laz. “I’ll do what I agreed to in my contract. I’m sorry.” She turned to her attorney. “I don’t think you’re a bitch.”

      Her lawyer must not have believed her. She collected her belongings and walked out before Kat.

      Kat started to leave. When she got behind Laz, she grumbled, “Asshole.”

      “Hope you’re feeling better, Kat.” Laz slipped his phone back into his pocket.

      When Kat’s team vacated the conference room, Laz finally smiled, a first since hearing of Kat’s accusations a couple of days go. He turned to the staff attorney, expecting him to share in Laz’s delight. He looked more pissed than Kat.

      The attorney shook his head. “Should have kept your mouth closed.”

      Zinner addressed the attorney. “Prepare the gag order.” Then he glared at Laz.

      “Done.” The attorney picked up his tablet and left Laz there with Zinner.

      When the attorney closed the door behind himself, Laz faced his boss. Surely this man would have his back.

      Wanting to get Zinner’s opinion on the situation sooner rather than later, Laz spoke first. “I didn’t do what she accused me of doing. I never touched her.”

      Zinner snickered. “You idiot.” He shook his head. “Do you really think you’re the first person in the music biz accused of sexual misconduct with the talent? Hell, you’re not even the first person Kat has been with on this staff. This is not unusual, and you’re not special.”

      At that moment, Laz didn’t even feel heard.

      “I knew what she was trying to do.” Zinner swung himself back and forth in his chair.

      Laz nodded. “Yeah, take down my career.”

      Zinner held up his hand. “Bigger picture, kid. She wanted more money. It’s always about money. Nothing more. Nothing less.”

      “And you were willing to pay her more money for a delayed album and tour?”

      Zinner slammed his hand on the table. “Ten million is nothing compared to the revenue we could have generated from her. She is a pop music money machine. The pre-sales for the album she has yet to go to the studio for has already sold a quarter-of-a-million copies. Her tour would have paid us even more, on top of lucrative endorsements for the sweet-as-pie, goody-goody act she puts on so well. We could have gotten her to sign an additional contract with us…until today.” He snickered. “Thanks to you, more than likely she’ll fulfill her obligations to this contract and then move on to another company or, worse yet, pull a Shauna and put out music on her own.”

      Laz shook his head. “Paying her for a lie meant that my reputation would have been tarnished, and I would have been out of a job. She wanted me fired.”

      Zinner didn’t blink, didn’t react.

      Laz was not special.

      “I could have talked her out of seeing you let go. I would have made sure to keep her away from you, which, by the way, why did you even approach her? You’re A&R. I just need for you to acquire talent. We have people on staff to talk about contract obligations. Those people are managers and attorneys, not you.” When Zinner pointed at Laz, it looked like he wanted his finger to be a gun and he yearned blowing Laz’s head clean off his shoulders.

      “I told you I wanted to do more here. I’ve been here long enough to go into management. I’ve heard music from unsigned artists who would be perfect for Universe, like this one named Destiny Starr. I don’t know who she is, but if I find her, I would love to sign her and represent her.” Laz sat up taller. “I can be used more.”

      “You could have.” Zinner stood. “Not anymore. Pack your shit and go.” He pointed to the door.

      Laz stood with him. He hoped his towering height would give him a little bit of an intimidation factor. “What the hell? You saw with your own eyes that Kat lied. I never dragged her into a room and asked her for oral sex. She jumped on me. Why am I getting let go if she was the one in the wrong?”

      The automatic blinds in the room started to lower on their own, casting a shadow on the scene.

      “You’re poison to us now. The threat that you may release that video will keep Kat from saying anything publicly, but privately, with other up-and-coming talent, our business will be mud, including this unknown talent you have a hard-on for.”

      Instinctively, Laz clasped his hands in front of his body to cover his genital region. If Zinner heard this woman’s voice, he would want her, too.

      “They’ll associate Universe with perverts and creeps, whether it’s true or not.” Zinner strolled toward the door.

      “Then I’ll sue her. I’ve worked too hard to be—”

      Zinner put his hand on Laz’s shoulder. “It’s over.” Then he blinked. “Unless…”

      Laz peered down at Zinner’s hand before redirecting his attention back to him. “Unless what?”

      “I can have you doing another position. You remember Mable?”

      This