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Fuck him. No, scratch that. Absolutely do not fuck him. Asshole. I watched the three lawyers file in, then make a big show of going through the contracts. Whatever, I guess.
Once that was finally done, Marcus rubbed his hands together, giving us a wide, excited smile. “Everyone happy and ready to sign?”
We all nodded. “Excellent. One moment. We’ve just got one more person to add to proceedings.” He strode to the door and spoke briefly to Sarah. Moments later, she returned with a photographer in tow, his camera already clicking away. Great, just what I needed–a permanent record of the most conflicted moment of my life.
Reggie signed first, only the slight trembling of his hand showing how nervous he was. Evan whisperedfuck yes,under his breath before signing and sliding the contract over to Miriam.
With her pen hovering right over the dotted line, she glanced up at me, a question in her eyes. I loved her for that, because sheknew something had gone down (terrible pun) between me and Grayson and she would throw that pen down, grab her bag and walk out of this office if I shook my head right now. Yeah, part of me wanted to shake my head.No, don’t sign,but I couldn’t do it to her. Or Reggie. Or Evan. So I nodded. She nodded back, and signed the contract with a flourish.
Then it was my turn. The pen felt like it weighed a thousand fucking pounds when I picked it up. I knew what this signature meant–all the reward, all the glory I’d dreamed of for so long. Coupled with an ironclad tie to Grayson Rivers, I wouldn’t be able to get away from. Fuck.
You figured you’d just grab some extra credit to try to close the deal. I mean, I don’t blame you. No judgment here. It’s just business.
The memory of those words had bile rising in my throat. How fucking dare he steal this moment from me? A moment I’d dreamed of since I was a child? Well, he can go fuck himself, because this wasmymoment, my life, and I was determined to make the most of it! To show him how much I actually deserved this.
I forced my hand down, the pen scratching against the paper like it was fighting against me. As I finished signing, my eyes involuntarily drifted to where Grayson stood. He was watching me, his expression inscrutable.
“Grayson, your turn,” Marcus directed.
He pushed off from his desk and came over, standing right next to me, his scent hitting me hard. That amazing fucking cologne. What a raging asshole. Immediately, it made me remember thatnight, the way his dimple showed when he laughed at me. It felt like eons ago. Another lifetime.
The deal was done. We were officially signed to Flow Records.
Marcus stood. “Well, I’d say this moment deserves some proper celebration, don’t you think?”
Right on cue, Sarah entered, accompanied by two men in sleek black uniforms. One held a bucket with a chilled champagne bottle and a tray of flutes, while the other carried platters with gourmet bites: bruschetta, shrimp cocktails, and quiches. And was that…caviar? Of course it was. The effort it took for me not to roll my eyes almost gave me a headache.
Marcus took the champagne bottle with a flourish and opened it. The cork flew off with a celebratory ‘pop’ and everyone cheered. It was all happening so fast, yet for me, it felt like I was stuck in slow motion.
“Here’s to Boudica. To new beginnings and a future filled with success.” Marcus just could not wipe the smile from his face.
Miriam, Evan and Reggie joined me and we all lifted our glasses in salute. I hated the fact that my hand was shaking.
Almost against my will, my gaze drifted across the room to Grayson. He was chatting with Jen and Marcus, but his eyes met mine for just a moment. I felt a tug on my heart, hard and painful, so I looked away, forcing myself to smile at Miriam when she said, “Fucking amazing, Moretti.”
“Straight back at ya, Jones.”
“I kinda can’t believe it.”
“Me either.”
She waited a beat, sipping her champagne. I knew it was coming, so I braced myself. “Are you…are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be? Best day of our lives.”
Her pale blue eyes turned serious. “Oh, I don’t know. Just that you went home with Mr. Hot Billionaire over there and haven’t been the same since. You won’t talk about what happened, but it can’t have been good. I’ve asked you repeatedly if everything that happened between you was one hundred percent consensual. You say yes, every time, without hesitating. But I’ve known you since forever and I’ve never seen you like this before.” She stepped closer. “And I mean this, Stef. If you tell me we’ve made a terrible, disastrous mistake today, I’ll walk right over there and shred that contract to pieces. You and me? We’re ride or die. You just say the word.”
Her intensity actually made me smile, and I felt the knot in my stomach loosen just a little. “I really appreciate it, but honestly, I’m okay. This is one hundred percent the right thing to do and I’m committed.”
“Okay then, if you’re sure.”
“I’m sure.”
“Oh, here comes Marcus. I like this guy.”
“Same.”
“Here’s to new journeys, Stef. Miriam. I know this is a big step, but I want you both to know I’m here to guide and support you. We’re going to do great things together.”