Page 72 of The Deviation
Her face twists with distaste. “Truly Calum, your first client?” With a deep sigh, she shakes her head. “I expected far better from you.”
“I know how it looks.” My voice is small as I sit there, back straight and hands clenched. “This certainly isn’t how I envisaged the start of my career. I take my responsibility to my clients, and to Rush, seriously.” I swallow past the lump in my throat, struggling to continue. “Johnny and I… in working so closely, came to feel strongly for each other. We fell in love.” The words sound ridiculous. Hollow. An easily delivered excuse, impossible to disprove but fickle as the tides.
And yet, I feel the truth of those words resonate so deeply, in some unshakable part of me. It doesn’t matter that Johnny is the worst possible person I could have fallen in love with. My heart chose to love him anyway. “I promise you, my personal relationship with Johnny will not interfere with my management of the band as a whole.”
“I know it won’t,” she says, gesturing to the man beside me. “I’ll be handing management of Fifth Circle over to Arthur for the time being.”
My heart screeches to a halt. I look at Arthur, who is no longer bothering to hide his pleasure. “That’s not possible,” I insist. “They asked to work with me—specifically. It’s in their contract.” Ned made sure of it and the rest of the band supported him.
“That was when they were new to the game and wary of having management at all,” she says, unperturbed by the reminder. “I remember how hard you had to work to bring them on board. But thanks to the excellent job you’ve done gettingthem off the ground, they are experiencing their first true taste of success. I’m sure they’ll be open to a switch by now. As long as they all agree, there won’t be a problem.” She lifts a perfectly arched eyebrow. “That’s also in their contract.”
I know she’s right, but the band and I work so well together. I worked hard to earn their trust, and I have it now. They know I’m on their side. Surely I can’t be so easily discarded. “What if they don’t agree?”
She tilts her head, as if baffled by the very suggestion. “Do you honestly think adding that stipulation to their contract had anything to do with you—specifically?” she asks, throwing my own word back at me. “They simply wanted to keep a sense of control, Calum. Don’t go mistaking their nerves for loyalty to you. You’ll only embarrass yourself, not to mention be disappointed in the end.” She waves a hand, dismissing my point. “People are loyal to themselves. The sooner you learn that the better.”
I sit there, frozen, trying to force my lungs to breathe. That’s a lesson I have already learned. I’ve learned it in the harshest way possible. I just hoped it wouldn’t be true this time.
“You said Fifth Circle’s national tour begins next month?” Genevieve asks.
A stiff nod is the only answer I can manage.
She turns her attention to Arthur. “What are the chances of you making space in your schedule? It’s their first tour. I want someone keeping an eye on them.”
“I can go with them,” I jump in before he has a chance to speak. “They’re expecting me to be there.” It’s not just about logistics or administration. I need to make sure Ned stays grounded, that Oz gets time to himself, and Johnny… Johnny needs me.
Leaning forwards, I look directly into Genevieve’s eyes, allowing my shame to shine through. “I know I’ve let you down,and I’m sorry. If you give me a second chance, I promise it won’t happen again.”
Arthur makes a scoffing sound. “Until you work closely with another client and decide you’re in love with them, too?” He turns back to Genevieve. “Honestly, Genny, this man can’t be trusted to manage anyone, even if he was able to get the job done.”
My gaze narrows on him. “I was getting the job done in a way that would endure, perhaps for decades.”
He rolls his eyes. “You’ve allowed these men to lead you around by your dick, pardon the crudeness, Genny,” he adds, lowering himself into the chair beside me. “It’s time for a professional to take charge and put them through their paces. They should be hitting much higher targets by now.”
I open my mouth to argue the point, but Genevieve silences me with a raised hand. “What do you have in mind?”
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’snot readyto 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.”