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Evidently, Brandon is also surprised by his appearance, but not in a good way. "What are you doing here? I asked for a change of recording studio so I wouldn't have to run into you."
"I know," Damien admits in a relaxed voice, no trace of uneasiness in his voice. "And that's why I decided it was best to buy the record label in order to avoid these little incidents."
"Did you do... what?"
We croak in unison. Me from awe. Brandon for shock.
Brandon and I look at him, open-mouthed, as Damien sits beside me on the couch. He drapes an arm behind my back across the backrest as he settles his feet on the coffee table.
He leans in and kisses the inside of my neck and I melt with an audience watching.
Damien sits back as if his announcement was nonincidental. Buying the record label is a big fucking deal. Especially since the label is threatening to void my contract—thanks to the Landon situation and now the Damien rumors.
In a matter of moments, Damien's casual announcement flips the power dynamics in the room. I turn to Brandon, whose jaw hangs open like a broken gate. I can practically see the gears turning in his head as he processes the implications. He's no longer the one calling the shots; Damien is. Technically, he's our boss now. Both of us.
"Before you go issuing a complaint to anyone, you can relax. For now, I won't intervene in how you handle Andrea's career. You've done a good job, but we'll have to talk about relaxing your restrictions for her."
"This is—" Brandon’s face is as red as a tomato, and his squeal is cut off.
"Wonderful, isn't it?" Damien's sarcasm drips from his words like honey laced with poison. "And now, if you don't mind, the star of the hour and I need some time alone. You can go get a coffee. I'll have you called when I need you."
Damien pulls me even closer to his body, as if we're two magnets that can't get close enough to each other. His grip is firm, possessive, and I can feel the tension in his muscles as he holds me. I know he's not just reacting to Brandon's words, but to the situation as a whole.
Brandon is furious, that much is obvious. He looks at me, and for an instant I worry that he's going to charge Damien.
But then he takes a breath, and, after a moment, he stomps off.
"Why did you buy the label?" I turn in his embrace.
"It's my way of taking care of you. I know I can't undo the past, but I can damn well make sure you're provided for in the present."
"I don't need you to take care of me. Besides, I thought your thing was taking care of Club Allure."
"I have a portfolio of businesses. Most of my money is invested in entertainment and music-related ventures," Damien shrugs. But with Club Allure, it's different. That’s more like a family business."
I nod, I've seen them together. It's the kind of friendships I wish I had. But I've never found the time between touring, and recording. But being around Damien and his friends makes me want to get to know their wives better.
I stare at Damien, trying to process what he's just told me. He bought my record label. The entire thing. Just like that.
My mind races. What does this mean for the other artists? The employees? Sure, he says his team won't make any changes until they assess everything. But still...this is huge.
"What about the other artists signed to the label?" I ask, brow furrowed. "Are their contracts safe too?"
Damien nods, his eyes holding steady on mine. "For now, yes. We're doing a full review before making any decisions. But you don't need to worry about your own contract being in jeopardy."
I exhale slowly, tension easing from my shoulders. At least there's that. My career hasn't been snatched out from under me. Not yet, anyway.
Still, a dozen other questions swirl in my head. This is Damien overstepping in a major way, and part of me hates that I'm the damsel who needs rescuing. I've spent my whole life fighting for independence.
But another part of me...that part thrills at the thought of Damien wielding his power and wealth to protect me. To fight for me when I can't fight for myself.
The grievances spouted by the record label were not totally under my control. I couldn't control the media, Landon, and now Damien.
I chew my lip, studying him. This man does what he wants.
And apparently, what he wants is to take care of me.
My cheeks flush at the realization. I'm grateful, despite my misgivings about needing rescue. How many times has Brandon threatened to drop me when I've pushed back about creative control? With Damien, maybe I can finally negotiate for more artistic freedom.
