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At that, he had to laugh. It wasn’t the smartest move, considering how close Missy was to the edge, but he couldn’t help it. She couldn’t make him do anything, and the last thing on Earth he was going to do was sign Missy to his label again.
“If you don’t, I’m going to get a lawyer and sue you.”
Ian’s brow furrowed into a frown. “Sue me for what?”
“Sexual harassment.”
Ian almost choked. It wasn’t true. Not even remotely, but once a charge like that was thrown out there, it was hard to overcome in the court of popular opinion. “Please tell me, Missy, how I sexually harassed you. As I recall, you’re the one who came to me, plying me with alcohol in your seduction plot. You’re the one who pretended to be pregnant so we would get married. How is that me harassing you?”
“Well, you see,” she said with a sly smile, “I didn’t really want anything to do with you. I brought you that dinner as a peace offering. I never expected you to demand sex in exchange for another record contract. I didn’t know what to do, so I gave into your insatiable sexual appetite.”
“That’s a lie.”
Missy shrugged. “Only you and I were there. Prove which version of events is fact.”
“How will you explain the fake pregnancy scandal?”
“You threatened me.” Missy’s dark eyes were wide and innocent, putting on a show for his benefit. “Even after I gave myself to you, it wasn’t enough. You were still going to drop me from the label. You even said you’d ruin my career so I’d never work anywhere again. So I did what I had to do.”
Ian shook his head. “Because marrying the guy who harasses you is always the best plan.”
“People make dumb choices under duress. My lawyer will produce specialist after specialist who will get on the stand and tell everyone how I was being terrorized.”
“Terrorized?” Ian could hardly believe this. Missy didn’t have a stitch of evidence to back up her outrageous story, but with enough lawyers and enough money, it wouldn’t matter. Either in court or out, she could destroy him. Destroy SpinTrax.
He took a deep breath to collect himself. He couldn’t let himself get emotional. This was business and he was first and foremost a businessman. He wasn’t going to let Missy manipulate him. She was threatening him because she expected him to lie down and take it. She figured she would get her way, just like she always did. But that would end here.
“Okay,” he said calmly.
“What do you mean ‘okay’? You’re going to sign me to a new deal?”
He shook his head. “Absolutely not. There’s no way in hell you’re getting another contract from SpinTrax, Missy. Go ahead. Take me to court. Drag my name through the mud. I don’t care. All you’ll do is destroy the record label and put a lot of hardworking people out of a job. Either way, you’ll end up without a record deal. You think you’re a hard sell now? Just wait until the president of every record label sees what you did to me. Their lawyers won’t let them touch you with a ten-foot pole. You might take me down, but you’ll destroy us both in the process. Is that what you want?”
Missy’s lips twisted as she tried to decide what to do. He’d called her bluff. He didn’t want to lose his record company. He didn’t want all of his employees to lose their jobs. But if it happened, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. He’d make sure every one of his employees got placed at another label. They were all talented, dedicated people and it wouldn’t be hard to find them another contract. The only person who would be out of work was Ian. And Missy. He was okay with that.
Two weeks ago, he wouldn’t have felt the same way, but today, he just didn’t care. Being with Bree had taught him that he wanted more from his life than just a successful business. He wanted a musical career of his own, even if he never achieved the level of success he dreamed of. Playing for others made him happy, be it for an audience of two or two thousand. He wanted a family and he wanted Bree to be a part of it. The engagement ring in his coat pocket was evidence of that.
That didn’t mean he wanted to lose everything he’d built, but it wouldn’t destroy him. He wouldn’t let it. He’d done this once, so he could do it again. This time, he would have Bree at his side. The idea of it made him feel invincible. Let Missy just try to ruin him.
As calmly as he could, he looked down at his watch and realized how late he was for Bree’s show. By the time he got there, it would nearly be over. He tried to maintain a bored countenance as he looked down. He didn’t want Missy to mistake his anxiety over being late for concern about her threat.
“So, I’m glad we talked, Missy. It’s been enlightening on several levels.” He slid his phone back into the holster, stood and made his way toward the door to usher her out. “Have your lawyer call my lawyer and we’ll move forward with this if that’s what you want to do. Either way, this discussion is now over. I have somewhere to go and I’m already late.”
“Meeting the wedding photographer?”
“Not that it’s any of your business, but yes.”
Missy flung her blond hair over her shoulder, lifting her defiant chin to look him in the eye. “I can’t believe you brought her to that party the other night. You can point fingers all you want, but sleeping with the woman there to take our engagement portraits is pretty low.”
“I’m not arguing with you about this, Missy. Our relationship is over. What I chose to do after that is none of your concern.”
“From an international pop star to a lowly wedding photographer,” she mocked. “Sounds pretty desperate to me.”
Ian snorted. Even with half the male population lusting after her, Missy was incredibly insecure. And she should be. She couldn’t hold a candle to Bree. “You’d know desperation when you saw it, wouldn’t you, Missy?”
Missy’s face scrunched up in anger. “You go to hell, Ian!” She spun on her expensive heels and marched out of his office.
“Good riddance,” he said, stepping out into the hallway and closing the door behind him. He had to get across town to Bree’s show and now.
