Chapter 29 #2
Arthur settles in, manspreading so hard I have to shift in my seat to avoid contact.
“Step one will be to capitalise on the attention Dante Sinclair has brought to Fifth Circle. They already have a strong fan base in the queer community, given their front man is openly gay. Having Durant come out as well will strengthen those ties.”
“No.” The forcefulness of the single word has them both turning to look at me.
“Johnny isn’t ready to come out.” The fans aren’t a problem, but his parents are.
He’s talked about telling them, several times now, but there’s no missing the anxiety that crowds him at the thought.
He needs time to prepare for the possible fall out.
I won’t allow him to be rushed through the process for the sake of higher profits.
“Is that so,” Arthur drawls. “Like he’s not ready to quit whatever day job he’s still playing at?”
“Correct,” I insist. “At this stage, he has no plans to stop being a pharmacist. There is no reason why he can’t do both.”
“Except this isn’t amateur hour,” Arthur says with a laugh. “This is a business. If Durant isn’t willing to give blood, sweat and a steady supply of tears to his music, he doesn’t deserve to be here.”
This is exactly the kind of messed up thinking I’m trying to avoid. “If we’re taking care of our artists properly, they shouldn’t have to bleed to thrive.”
He looks at me like I’m delusional. “That, right there, is why you’ll never manage the same level of success I have,” he gloats. “My artists bleed on command. Anything less is a waste of my time.”
“You forget we work for the artists in our care, not the other way around.”
“Actually, my dears, you both work for me.” The deceptively quiet tone has my gaze snapping back in Genevieve’s direction.
She’s still relaxed in her plush chair, but the subtle smile curving her lips is now razor sharp.
“If you wish to continue working for me, you’ll tuck your dicks away and do as you’re told. Do I make myself clear?”
Arthur clears his throat, straightening in his chair as he lets out a quiet chuckle. “I beg your pardon, Genny. Please, continue.” The arsehole somehow manages to pull off a blend of ingratiation and condescension that makes me want to vomit.
When she speaks again, Genevieve directs her gaze at Arthur.
“Don’t apply any additional pressure regarding the job situation until after they complete their second album.
It won’t be an issue until preparations for their next tour begin.
There’s no need to risk harming the goose before it delivers another golden egg,” she says, as if she’s not discussing a man’s life.
“However, I do agree breaking the news of Durant being gay could have a positive impact.”
“Johnny isn’t gay,” I say through gritted teeth, trying not to let my anger get the better of me. “He’s bisexual.”
She ponders the information for a moment. “Close enough for our purposes.”
I shake my head. “He’s not some weak-willed puppet. He won’t give permission to release such personal information before he’s ready.”
“Who needs permission?” Arthur asks, snorting a laugh. “These things have a way of coming out.”
My jaw drops and I swing my gaze back to the woman in charge. “You can’t be serious.”
Sitting up straighter, Genevieve steeples her hands on the desk in front of her. “Calum, dear, you say Johnny Durant is in love with you. Correct?”
Suspicious of the change in topic, I nod. “Yes.”
“Well then, surely he intends to share his love with the world eventually.” Her smile is all warmth and sunshine this time. “All I’m suggesting is you nudge him in the right direction.”
“Me?” My eyebrows lift. “You want me to convince him?”
“As you say, it’s better than having the news come out through any of the underhanded tactics Arthur might choose to employ.
This way you and Johnny will be able to control the narrative.
” When I don’t answer immediately, she adds, “Rush would be there to support your budding romance. You should be pleased.”
My stomach pitches as her plan tightens, like a noose, around my neck. “That’s not support, it’s manipulation.”
“A rose by any other name.” She tilts her head to one side. “You do want to keep working here, don’t you? You want to keep managing Fifth Circle?” Arthur starts to object but another lift of her hand renders him silent.
“Let me put it to you this way, Calum,” she says in a pleasant tone.
“I want Fifth Circle to be the next big thing in Australian Rock. You can help make that happen. Now, I’m willing to overlook your indiscretion, and allow you to be a part of your boyfriend’s rise to fame.
But I need to know, when everything else is stripped away, your loyalty lies with me. ”
My loyalty lies with Hannah. It always has.
Which means doing whatever I have to in order to keep this job.
Except…
Hannah’s not a little girl anymore, as she keeps reminding me. She’s an adult now. We’re a team.
In those first years after our parents left, all I could think about was making sure Hannah’s physical needs were met.
I kept her housed, fed, and educated. I took any job I could to make that happen.
But when I chose this job, when I worked so hard to learn all I could and get the promotion and start building my career, it wasn’t about meeting those basic needs anymore.
I wanted to make sure Hannah would have a safe place to grow as an artist, if she ever found it in herself to take that step.
That’s the kind of manager I’ve spent the last few years aspiring to be. I want the artists in my care to know I will protect them, that I’ll support their choices, and I’ll never, ever abandon them.
To do what Genevieve is asking of me wouldn’t just be a betrayal of Johnny’s trust. It would betray every promise I ever made to myself about the kind of manager—the kind of man—I want to be.
If I was to commit such a sin in Hannah’s name… she would never forgive me.
Taking a deep breath, I pick up my bag from beside the chair and rise to stand.
Genevieve also rises, with a triumphant smile. “We have a deal?”
I look down at the hand she’s offering across the desk, then back up to her face. “No. There’s no deal,” I say, shaking my head. “I won’t work against my client’s best interests. Not even for you.”
Her mouth tightens in displeasure as she narrows her gaze at me.
“It’s a pity,” she says, stepping out from behind her desk.
“You were so desperately keen when you arrived here, I’d hoped to make a great manager out of you.
Alas, not everyone has the stomach for this business.
” She opens the door and addresses her assistant.
“Please have security escort Mr Ellis out. He no longer works here.” She turns her head to look back at me, her disappointment clear.
“If you’ll excuse us, Calum. Arthur and I have work to do. ”