Chapter 19 Psychotic Music s #2
He holds my gaze a moment longer than necessary, something cautious but appreciative in his expression.
Phoenix clears his throat. “Kane approached us, you know. Wanted to sign us to Anthem.”
I blink, surprised by the sudden shift. “And you turned him down?”
“Yeah,” he shrugs. “His deal looked better on paper—more money up front, bigger marketing budget. But everything felt… corporate. Like we’d be another asset to be managed.”
Casey nods. “The guy talks about artists like they’re stocks he’s trading.”
“We want a label who gets our sound,” Theo adds quietly. “Not just our numbers.”
Before I can respond, shouting erupts from outside the door.
Not the casual kind of office noise. This is full-on commotion—voices raised, footsteps scuffling, someone saying, “You can’t go in there—” followed by my door being flung open.
“What the hell is going on?”
Dylan storms in—hair gelled like he’s late to a boy band reunion, skinny jeans and zero chill. His eyes scan the room and land on Liam.
The temperature in the room drops ten degrees.
Phoenix blinks. “Awkward.”
Dylan’s jaw tightens. “I need a word,” he addresses me, but his eyes remain locked on Liam, who’s gone completely still.
“I’m in a meeting,” I say with barely contained annoyance.
Phoenix crosses his arms. “Dude, you made it clear you didn’t want anything to do with us. So, I’m not vibing with this whole aggressive entrance.”
Dylan ignores him. “Morgan, we need to talk. Privately.”
“I’m not leaving my own meeting to indulge your ego.”
He raises his brows and shrugs. “Suit yourself.” He turns toward the band, posture shifting like he’s about to take center stage.
“Because I need you to remind me what song you sang when you hijacked the mic at Jack O’Donnell’s summer kick-off party.
It was mid-July,” he taps his chin, and my blood begins to boil.
“The a/c went out and you were wearing a sundress. Oh yeah, now I remember, it was ‘Sex on Fire’. And there was choreography.” His mouth tilts into a satisfied smile.
“That’s what you came here for?” I ask, incredulous.
“Sex on Fire?” Casey pipes up.
I sigh. “I was seventeen.”
“Good song.” Theo shrugs.
Phoenix’s eyes light up. “Wait—Jack O’Donnell? I don’t know what I’m more interested in—Morgan in a sundress or the fact that you know Jack O’Donnell.”
“That’s enough,” I snap, striding toward him. I shoot the band a tight smile. “Excuse me.”
I grab Dylan by the sleeve and yank him into the hallway.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” I hiss.
He glances toward the frosted glass of my office, voice lower now. “I just needed to talk to you before you made a mistake.”
I fold my arms over my chest. “You think signing Hollow Reign is a mistake?”
“Liam’s playing you.”
I let out a laugh.
“Look, he’s using you to get to me,” Dylan interrupts, arms flailing. For a second, something flashes in his eyes—not anger, but something that looks almost like concern.
My mouth parts slightly, but no words come out.
“I’m not saying don’t sign them,” Dylan continues, running a hand through his hair. “The band’s legitimate—they’re good. Really good. But Liam…” He stops, jaw clenching. “There’s more going on here than you know.”
“You didn’t want them. So unless you’re here with a bouquet of apologies, stay out of my business.” I start to walk away but add, “How did you even know I was meeting with them? Did you bug my office?” It’s a joke of course, but I wouldn’t put it past him.
“Rachel,” he says. “She has a legion of assistant minions. They gossip for sport.”
“You have got to be kidding me.” I let out a sarcastic laugh. “You know,” I say carefully, “those rumors about Harrison didn’t start themselves.”
His expression changes, something dangerous flickering across his face.
“Oh yeah, I heard about Harrison’s troubles,” I say, maintaining eye contact with Dylan. “Seems like his reputation is finally catching up with him.”
He still doesn’t say anything, but there’s a shift in his posture—a subtle squaring of his shoulders.
I poke him in the chest. “You were the only one I told.”
He did this.
“You…” I pause. “You went after him.”
He grabs my hand, holding it between us, too close to be casual, and I can see the tick in his jaw, his pulse fluttering at his neck.
“He touched something that didn’t belong to him. He’s lucky it was only his business that got wrecked.”
The intensity in his voice makes me pause. This isn’t only about business rivalry. This is personal—visceral. It’s the kind of protectiveness that should make me furious but instead sends an electric current straight through me, lightning through every nerve ending.
Before I can speak again, the receptionist’s voice cuts through the hallway. “Morgan? Sorry to interrupt—there’s an urgent call.”
“Lucy! It can wait,” I snap.
She jumps nervously. “It’s Hazel’s preschool.”
I turn sharply, throat tightening.
Dylan’s posture shifts, concern replacing irritation as he lets go of my hand. “Is everything okay?”
I ignore him, grabbing the phone from Lucy.
“This is Morgan,” I say.
“I wanted to inform you about an incident during story time.”
My shoulders slump. I don’t need this right now.
“What’s going on?” Dylan steps closer, trying to listen in, and I push his face away.
“What did you say?” I ask with irritation, giving Dylan an annoyed look while he stands there, concerned.
“She bit one of her classmates,” the director says.
I press a finger to my temple trying to keep the headache at bay. “I’m so sorry. I’ve had a talk with her and…”
“This is the third incident and I’m sorry to tell you that…”
“Morgan?” Dylan says sharply, getting my attention.
I put my hand over the speaker. “I don’t have time to deal with whatever this is,” I wave my hand in his direction. “Hazel’s been kicked out of preschool.”
Dylan steps closer. “What happened?”
“My kid is a biter, that’s what happened, and now I have to go pick her up and cancel the meeting I had with a rep from one of the major streaming platforms’ for the showcase,” I say with exasperation, trying to rein in the crazy threatening to come out right now.
The streaming platform meeting is critical—especially now with Kane circling and Apex imploding. If I miss it, we could lose our best chance at wider distribution for the showcase.
He hesitates. “Let me take the meeting for you.”
I laugh, humorless. “Right. I’m going to hand over my meeting to the guy who just kicked in my office door.”
He scratches the back of his neck. “Okay, then let me watch her for you.”
I stare at him.
“Kids like me,” he adds with a shrug.
“I’m not that desperate.” I eye him.
“If it makes you feel better, Rachel can supervise,” he offers.
She does have kids. She also has the patience of a saint.
I narrow my eyes. “Perfect. Rachel gets to babysit two unpredictable toddlers today.” I glance at my office, where Hollow Reign is waiting. I have a band to sign, a showcase to save, a streaming deal to secure, and a four-year-old to wrangle. The gravity of it all threatens to crush me.
And here’s Dylan Kernish-Grant—the man who’s been trying to buy my company out from under me—offering to help.
“Fine,” I mutter and point at him. “But if she bites you, I’m not paying for stitches.”
He grins. “Deal.”
A cord pulls taut inside me. He ruined a man’s career because he touched me. And now he’s offering to babysit my daughter so I can save my company. Who is this guy?
Hollow Reign spill into the hallway. My breath catches, wondering how much of this shit show they heard. They’re going to walk.
“I’m sorry,” I say quickly. “I don’t normally have psychotic music execs without manners interrupting my meetings.” I look at Dylan pointedly.
Phoenix cuts me off. “Honestly? I’m in.”
Casey smirks. “I’m digging this whole vibe.” He uses his hand to motion between me and Dylan.
“There’s no…” I start to say but give up.
Liam looks at Dylan, something unreadable there—maybe regret. Dylan stares back and I can tell he’s holding in what he wants to say. For a second, I see it again—the strange similarity between them.
“I’ll have Legal send over the contract,” I say with a smile. “I’m so sorry but I have to go pick up my daughter.”
Phoenix nods, then he leans in and says, “I was a biter as a kid too, and look how I turned out.” He smiles wide.
Oh God.