Page 51 of Everything In Between

FORTY-FOUR

jersey

Hayes holds my hand in the back seat of the tinted vehicle as we drive to Silver Shadows. My nerves are fried, hands shaking with anxiety and mouth dry as I stare down at my phone.

Bethany

We’re here. Heads up, there’re a ton of paparazzi sitting outside the building. Also, Callum did an interview this morning that’s already circulating. Here’s the link.

I click on the video she’s sent and tilt my screen so I can watch.

“What’s that?” Hayes asks, leaning toward me to get a better view.

“Callum did an interview earlier today,” I mutter, my eyebrows pulling together.

On my screen, Callum is standing in front of Silver Shadows with a plastered smile on as he points to someone in the crowd. “Yes, your question?”

“Was there a contract or written agreement for the usage of Jersey Matthews’s song?” a female reporter off screen asks.

Callum’s eyes sharpen, but somehow his fake smile gets wider.

“There had been a verbal agreement in a private conversation between me and Jersey. She had been worried about the label making a statement about her relationship with Hayes Vogt coming out as a PR move. The song was exchanged for the label’s indifference to the matter. ”

This statement sends the other reporters around in a flurry. More hands raise and questions are shouted at Callum as cameras flash all around him.

I click off my phone and scoff, ignoring the acid taste in my mouth. “How convenient that he’d reference a verbal agreement.”

Hayes shakes his head, giving me a look of sympathy. “There’s no paper trail with a verbal agreement. Now he won’t be expected to produce anything for proof.”

“He’s always thinking one step ahead,” I whisper. It’s hard not to feel defeated, but I remind myself that the battle’s not over yet.

Hayes gives my hand a squeeze of encouragement. I close my eyes and try to focus on my breathing for the last little bit of the ride—the last little bit of calm I’ll have before this shitstorm.

When we arrive at the studio, we’re dropped off at the front door and I slide out of the car first, Hayes close behind me. As soon as my foot lands on the concrete, cameras go off, shouts echo around me, and my ears turn red with trepidation.

Paparazzi are everywhere.

Bethany’s warning text hadn’t prepared me for the sheer number of them.

Hayes doesn’t hesitate, wrapping his arm around my shoulders, guiding me through the crowd.

I hadn’t thought to bring along my security team—I usually don’t when I’m heading to the recording studio.

Especially with Hayes in tow, I felt safe.

Given the change of events, I’m extremely grateful to have him here with me.

It’s typical practice that Silver Shadows employs security around its premises to avoid this, with how many artists and stars they have coming and going.

However, no one would guess that fact based on how many people are crowding me suddenly. They throw questions at me about Kelsey’s statement, and Callum’s sad excuse for a counter statement which he released earlier.

“Jersey, would you like to comment on the verbal agreement between you and Silver Shadows?”

“Jersey, will you and Hayes be breaking up now that your PR stunt has been exposed?”

“Hayes, how will this affect your game next season?”

“Jersey, do you think Silver Shadows will keep you on their roster after this scandal?”

He ushers me past the people screaming at us, never once giving them a chance to ask me anything. I keep my head down, allowing him to lead me through.

Once we’re inside the building, I feel like I can finally breathe again. Hayes runs his hand through his hair and scowls at the people still outside.

“That was chaotic,” he grumbles.

My hands are still trembling. “I should’ve expected it. I should’ve brought security with me.”

“Now I’m even more glad you asked me to tag along. I would’ve lost my shit if they did anything to you.”

I walk closer to him and lean against his side. He leans over and presses a kiss to the top of my head. “They probably wouldn’t have reached for me, but I am glad you were here.”

He inhales deeply and wraps his arms around me, holding me tightly to him for a few minutes.

When I let go, he gives me a forlorn look. “Are you ready?”

Shrugging a shoulder, I aim for being nonchalant, but really my intestines are coiling in my belly. “As ready as I’ll ever be. My team is up there already waiting for me.”

“We should get up there then,” he says.

As we pass the front desk, I wave at Louisa, the typical weekday receptionist. “Here to see Cal?”

“Yeah, is he in his office?”

“He told me to tell you to meet him in the bronze conference room on the eighth floor,” Louisa says, reading off a notepad.

“Eighth floor, bronze conference room. Thanks, Louisa.”

“Of course. And Jersey?” I turn to her before heading to the elevator. She gives me a sympathetic smile as she pushes her glasses up the bridge of her nose. “I’m sorry this is happening to you. No one deserves this. Especially you.”

“Thanks, Lou. That means a lot to me.”

“Good luck with everything,” she says. And I nod, reaching for Hayes hand.

Before we get on the elevator, I pull him back. He turns to me with questioning eyes. “Actually . . . I think I need to do this myself. I’m sorry.”

His eyes soften, and he shakes his head.

“Don’t be sorry about that. You’re more than capable of going in there and telling them what’s what.

” He reaches for me again, hugging me to his chest. “I’m so proud of you, Jersey.

Don’t let them push you around. You’re stronger than you think, so give them hell. ”

With one last kiss on the top of my head, he releases me and steps back. I feel silly, but I wave at him before I get on the elevator. He winks at me and then goes to sit on a comfy chair in the lobby. The doors close, and I’m on my way.

I stop at the floor where Callum’s office is and meet up with Bethany, Kelsey, Carla, and a few of her colleagues.

All of us ride up to the eighth floor, which seems to be the longest three-floor ride I’ve ever taken.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what’s about to transpire.

As soon as I’m off the elevator, I’m walking down the hallway to the bronze conference room.

I garner a few looks and a few whispers from other staff members, but I don’t let anyone get to me.

Standing outside the conference room door, I look from Bethany to the others. With a dip of my chin, I say, “Ready for this?”

They acknowledge me and Carla comes to stand next to me. “We don’t back down,” she says, leaning toward me. “They stole from you. Don’t let them forget that. After today, you’ll be a free woman.”

“Free,” I whisper.

Bethany puts her hand on my shoulder from her position behind me. I cover her hand with mine and nod. “Okay. Let’s do this.”

Callum waits for us inside the conference room, arms crossed as he leans back in his chair at the long oak table. A man I can only assume is his lawyer is sitting next to him, a laptop screen illuminating his face.

Callum glares down his nose at me. “Was wondering when you’d show up. We set this meeting for ten minutes ago.”

I raise my chin, not letting him get to me. “I was ambushed by paparazzi outside the building. What happened to your airtight security, Cal? Awfully convenient you let that slack on the day we’re supposed to meet.”

“Let’s get this over with,” he mutters, not taking the bait.

“We’re done, Callum,” I say, hoping my voice sounds as firm as I want it to. “I’m pulling out of Silver Shadows once and for all. There’s nothing you can do about it. Your days of controlling me and my career are officially over.”

Carla steps forward and pulls something out of her briefcase, setting it on the table in front of Cal’s lawyer.

“Obviously, we can all be in agreement that there was a breach of contract. There’s not much else to say other than the fact that your client stole from my client, violating the terms. As of today, my client will no longer be under contract with Silver Shadows Records.

This is an agreement of termination of the contract effective immediately and acknowledgment that my client will get proper compensation and credit for her intellectual property.

In return, we will not take this to court.

I believe we have outlined fair terms that we can all come to agreement on. ”

Callum rolls his eyes and scoffs. His lawyer shoots him an annoyed glance. Callum doesn’t heed the silent admonishment, choosing to let his ego get the best of him.

“This is ridiculous. You have no grounds for termination. The contract specifically states that anything Jersey Matthews creates while under contract is property of the label.”

“You coerced Kelsey and had her steal from my personal belongings,” I say incredulously. “That’s the definition of invasion of privacy and theft, not to mention a blatant abuse of power.”

Cal waves his hand, dismissing the notion. “It won’t hold up. We’ll take you to court, Jersey. You might be successful, but you’re nowhere near as resourceful as the label.”

“There isn’t a judge that would rule in your favor, and you know it,” my lawyer says, glaring at Cal’s lawyer behind the desk. He narrows his eyes, but looks away.

Callum watches the exchange with disdain. “Are you serious? You’re not going to argue back anything?”

The lawyer exhales. “We’ve spoken about this, Callum. There is clear professional misconduct here. What did we agree on before this meeting?”

Cal clenches his jaw so tightly I’m worried he might crack his molars.

Instead of addressing his lawyer, he turns back to me.

“What’s your plan now, Jersey? We own your entire career up to this point.

You think you’ll be able to continue on as if nothing happened?

Say goodbye to the tour, say goodbye to the album.

If you walk away now, all that goes away. You would be nothing if not for me.”

The goal for me is freedom. That’s all I care about.

Sharing a look with my lawyer, we seem to communicate silently. She nods.

“I trust you’ll review and sign that. You can send it back to my office as soon as it’s complete.” There’s nothing else for me to say, so I turn to leave, but pause . . .

Facing him again, I narrow my eyes. “Just tell me why.”

“Jersey,” Carla says, urging me to go, but I can’t. I have to know.

“What did I ever do to you to earn so much contempt from you?”

Cal levels me with a blank stare, folding his hands on the table.

“You were signed to Silver Shadows. Against my say. I voted no,” he says with a humorless laugh.

“I said I didn’t want you, but they assigned you to me, anyway.

I never planned on you turning into an overnight sensation, or for the momentum to increase.

My only option then was to ride the wave, but you could be so stubborn, and I wasn’t going to allow one of your misguided opinions to wreck everything I had built thus far. ”

“So, you hate me because I was willing to speak up for myself?”

“You needed to learn your place. You needed to be broken. I was the only one who was capable of doing that.”

And he had succeeded. The memories flood in, reminding me of all those times I let him walk all over me, make decisions I didn’t agree with all for the sake of “keeping the momentum.” Keeping the peace. He had broken me, and I had gone along with most of what he said.

“At the end of the day, it didn’t matter. I made all the decisions because I knew what was best. After all, you work for me,” he snarls.

I straighten my spine, anger licking up the length of my entire back. Narrowing my gaze on him, I say with the utmost conviction, “Not anymore, I don’t.”

Turning on my heel, I walk right out of there, holding my head high.

The minute I step through the conference door, a weight lifts off my shoulders. The pressure in my chest dissipates and I can finally breathe again.

My team follows after me, closing the door quickly behind them and giving us privacy.

I don’t stop, and walk toward the elevator and clicking the button, once, twice.

When it arrives, I step in, my team in tow and crowding around me.

I press the button for the ground floor, and when the doors close, I nearly collapse.

Bethany and Carla catch me, each of them bracing me under my arms.

Though I’m finally free, the realization seems too much for me to hold right now. Slowly, they lower me to the ground.

I focus on taking deep breaths, trying not to let myself succumb to the intensity and absolute nightmare of the last few days.

I barely register the elevator stopping, the doors opening, and Bethany calling for Hayes. But soon enough he’s there, crouching in front of me and cupping my face with his hands.

“I’ve got her,” he says to the women. He scoops me up into his arms and carries me to one of the seating areas in the main lobby. I rest against his chest, feeling overwhelmed but so, so free.

“I did it,” I whisper, just to him. My fingers clench in his T-shirt.

Hayes sits down, placing me in his lap and pushing my hair out of my face so he can see me better.

The sight of him watching me so tenderly, pride shining in his eyes, makes my heart ache and tears burn behind my lids. “I did it.”

“I knew you would,” he whispers before pressing a kiss to my lips. “I’m so proud of you, Jersey.”

I let out a long-awaited breath, finally cleansing my lungs of the poison I’ve been breathing. I look around and find Bethany watching me with tears brimming her eyes.

My lawyer is tapping on her phone, but she looks up when she senses my gaze on her. “You did great, Jersey. Cal’s lawyer just sent me notification that Cal signed the agreement. You’re officially an independent artist.”

“Wow,” I say with a breath. “It feels a little surreal.”

“What’s next, then?” Bethany asks.

I turn from her to Hayes, who is still watching me with pride.

He strokes his hand over my head again. It’s a valid question.

I have no idea what’s next. The last two days I’ve been consumed with confronting Callum.

That was what was next. But now? Now I have endless possibilities.

I don’t have to conform to the Silver Shadows schedule anymore.

I can do whatever I want, go wherever I want, sing whatever I want.

Hayes’s amber eyes study mine intently, like he’s trying to read my mind. There’s no chance he could. My thoughts are swirling around like a cyclone. I keep settling back on one notion, and I know that has to be what happens first.

“I want to sell my condo,” I say with conviction. Hayes’s lips twitch at the corners. “I’m moving to Milwaukee.”