Risky Rockstar: A Hero Club Novel, стр. 73
He leans back and places his feet on a hand towel on his desk. The undersides of his shoes are scratched and dirty in direct contrast with the gleaming leather tops. Who does that? Who has a towel on their desk with the sole purpose of putting their feet on it?
He doesn’t say anything more, so I’m assuming he’s waiting for me to react. I don’t have time for this. I need to get ready for the interview, and this is taking more energy than I have.
“What can I possibly help you with?”
“It seems Kade is refusing to participate in the personal questions side of the interview. Apparently the two of you had a domestic, and he doesn’t want to answer them.”
“He told you that?” Dread settles in my stomach. My stupid pride got in the way of Kade talking to me, and now he’s done with me. Done chasing.
“He didn’t need to—it’s rather obvious. This isn’t my first rodeo with celebrity couples. The life span is exceptionally short. Yours much shorter than most, but then that’s your thing, isn’t it, Ms. Stephens?”
I bristle. “Excuse me?”
Benji moves his feet off the desk and walks to the bar where he reaches for a crystal decanter. He brings two glasses and the decanter and sets it on his desk. Without asking me if I’d like a drink, he pours two shots and places one in front of me, then swirls the other in his hand.
I ignore it. I feel like I need my wits about me. And besides, I don’t trust Benji, so accepting a drink from him is a no-no.
“I don’t have time to stroke your ego. The reason I called you here is that I know Kade. He’s having a temper tantrum right now, and the only way to settle him down is if you agree to the personal side of the interview. I take it you’ve read the questions.”
Shit, I haven’t. “No, not yet.”
As if he anticipated my answer, Benji slides a manila folder over to me and I open it.
My stomach sinks as I read Marissa’s questions. No wonder Kade refused.
Shit, I think he is really done with me.
I close the folder and slide it back to Benji. “Forgive me, but it seems if Kade is uncomfortable with these questions, we should respect his wishes.”
Benji downs his drink and pours another. “I think I’ve given you the wrong impression here. There is no choice. There’s too much to lose while the two of you have your little bitch fit. We’re at the end of the tour, we’re going to get a lot of press from this interview, and you will do this interview.”
I stand up to leave. “I might have given you the wrong impression. I don’t work for you or your label. If you have any questions, you can take them up with my lawyers.”
I walk across the room, my hands shaking I’m so mad.
“You might not work for me, but I think it would be beneficial for you to hear me out. Especially if you don’t want lover boy destroyed.”
I stop and turn around. “What are you talking about?” Irritation snaps from my voice.
“What if I told you that if you don’t do this for me, I’ll see to it that not only Kade’s career is destroyed but the whole band’s too.”
“You don’t have that kind of power.”
“You seem so sure of yourself.”
“Can you just spit it out, please, I’m running out of patience.”
“Do you know about Kade’s ex? Emily Miller?”
My stomach sinks. “What about her?”
“Do you know she tried to kill herself?”
Ice prickles my spine. “I do. What does this have to do with me or Kade?”
“Do you know why she tried to commit suicide?”
“I don’t. It’s none of my business.”
“The Kade you know now isn’t the Kade he was when he started out. Fame got to the band’s heads, and they got up to a lot of stupid shit. There was an after-party at one of their concerts. A bunch of groupies went backstage. Turns out it was one of the girl’s eighteenth-birthday celebration. Trouble is, she forgot to mention the celebration was a week before her actual birthday. Kade fucked an underage girl. There were drugs and alcohol involved.”
I shake my head. “No, that’s not true.”
“His girlfriend walked in on the party and tried to off herself because of it. Slit her wrists.”
I think back to the wall of tabloid articles. There was nothing on there about this. I’ve read everything there is to read about LP-45—if this were true, it would be all over the media.
“That can’t be true. Surely if that happened, there would be press about it.”
“What do you think our job is, Ms. Stephens? One of our employees reported this incident. However, we were under no onus to report it. That said, if we choose to investigate it, that could change. Who knows what we could find if we did a little digging?”
The blood drains from my face. “Kade would’ve told me.”
“Are you always 100 percent honest with him? Do you tell him everything?”
I sink to the oxblood couch. “Why are you telling me all of this?”
“Because you’re going to do this interview, or we’re going to launch an investigation about this and fuck up Kade’s life.”
I try hard not to gape at this idiot’s audacity. “You’re bluffing. Even if Kade did this, the girl lied about her age. It isn’t his fault.”
“I’m sure you’ll make a great character witness at his trial. Do the interview and complete the tour and no investigation needs to happen.”
“Won’t this destroy you? The label. You covered it up?”
“We covered up nothing, Ms. Stephens. We were under no legal obligation to act on such allegations. However, as good corporate citizens, we can bring this to the authorities. Say we just learned about it.”
“But…”
“I’ve arranged a car to take you to the interview. Do the interview, Hayley. It’s really a small ask to save Kade’s