Page 44 of Fame & Obsession

“Mmmhmm.” She smirks. “Did that ‘good reason’ have anything to do with the girl in the hallway? I assume this was the reason I had to sell my soul to James Castellano atVinyl?”

My chest warms at the memory of kissing her against the wall. We were like a jigsaw puzzle clicking into place. That woman is a drug. One fix will never be enough.

“You don’t get it, Helena.”

Her mouth curves into a smile. “Well, explain it, then. This should be fascinating.”

“She’s a good writer.” I can’t help the defensiveness creeping into my tone.

“According to Castellano, she’s a fresh-off-the-vine, entry-level copy-gopher on her way to getting canned.”

I’ll break that fucker’s nose too.

“His loss.” She’s fishing, but hell if I’ll bite.

Balancing her elbows on her desk, Helena groans and drops her chin into her palm. “First, you tell me some fluff-rag editorialist is your reason for diva-diving, then you act like you don’t give a shit if she gets fired? Which is it?”

“Look, I need a favor, okay?”

There, diversion tactic deployed.

“I’m not in a favor-giving mood.” She smiles tightly. “The label owns your ass, and it’s my job to protect it. What if CBB got video of you? It could happen. People have phones, Julian. It’s not just the paparazzi you have to worry about now. One wrong move andboom.” She fling her arms out wide. “Your career implodes.”

“IfCelebrities Behaving Badlyhad video, it’d be viral by now,” I argue.

Helena’s face softens. “Julian, how long have we worked together?”

“Four years.”

“In that time, have you known me to threaten you? Interfere in your personal life?”

“Are these rhetorical questions?”

Rising from her seat, she walks around to the front of her desk. Leaning against it, she looks down at me while holding her tongue.

“No,” I admit.

Never taking her eyes off me, she picks up a white piece of paper and pushes it toward me. “Here.”

“What is this?” Picking up the paper, I skim it, my heart sinking to my stomach. “Shit.”

She sighs. “Yep, that about covers it.”

The paper is a printout feed of Surge’s Chatter page notifications—social media’s cornucopia of cyber crazy.

@lisagurrrl88: Any1 see Bale last nite? Why wuz he running aftr sum skank?

@JenniForRealz: Lyre killed! Except 4 JB’s weird magician act. #refund

@blondbarbiedollNY: Some chick passed out and Julian BAILED! Nice. I’m next! ;)

@BronxBenDude: WTF was THAT bullshit about?

@ JOelJRockR: Bale’s a cocksucker! Paid 4 show! Owes me $300. Lyre sucks.

@AngElmie: Bitch took him from concert! Shld b hung by hair & taught manners.

It goes on and on until the page is just irate screaming. One name in particular jumps off the pages in a blinding spotlight, but I can’t figure out why.