Strung (Rock & Romance I.)

Chapter 35. - Consequences

A/N: Y'all, writing these chapters really take a toll on me. These parts are always the hardest in every book, and this is where I find myself dwindling and pressing for time, so I don't have to do this... But alas, here we are.

This one is dedicated to HollywoodTaylor ! Thank you for giving my stories a chance!

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*Lukas*

I sat down on the Italian leather couch. Brian was on one side of me, and Ash hopped down on the other. Jesse paced the entirety of the same office where we got our break.

We were snotty nosed teenagers the first time we were called back here, nervous about what these executives would say about our record, and eager to please them. We were young and optimistic, and didn't think twice about signing our lives away in turn of having a single on the radio.

Today, the four of us could afford the best lawyers in the industry to scour any page we put our names on for potential loopholes and outstanding opportunities. But eight years ago, it was just us against the world.

"Did Nikki tell you what this was all about?" Jesse asked, and Brian noticeably shifted in his seat.

"She didn't mention."

"She's your wife, dude." Jesse groaned. "You think that would get you first-hand information on why we have to come all the way Downtown. I have a party in Malibu I gotta get to!"

I rolled my eyes but didn't disagree. This was the last place I wanted to be in the midst of what was currently going on out there. "The album is doing great. I don't see why we have to be here in person, either." I added.

"Fucking waste of time, this whole circus is." Ash rumbled, before pushing his long hair out of his eyes. "We have mobile phones. Or they could tweet at us if they need something."

We chuckled, then I lifted my arm, glancing down at my watch. "They said 2 o'clock, correct?"

Brian nodded.

"It's twenty past."

"These fuckers are making us wait." Ash sounded angry now, but he had a valid point. There was no reason the record executives should be this late. We were the stars after all. Twenty minutes of waiting for the newbies that just signed on wasn't unheard of, but we were by far the most profitable investment this label has ever made.

One would think we would get the royal treatment.

"I'm giving these fucks thirty more seconds before I'm leaving." Ash stated, and I glanced down my watch once more to time him.

Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to see if he would take his leave, because the door opened and four people walked through. I recognized Howard, James, and Erika, the three heads of this label, followed by Nikki - our manager, and Brian's wife.

The first three took their seat on the couch opposite us, while Nikki stood off to the far end, typing something on her phone.

"Thank you all for coming," Erika said, smiling smugly at us. Her father created this label, and after he passed, he made his only child the heir to the most sough-after record of the business. Erika was in her fifties - at least, some parts of her. Bleach blonde hair, cropped just under her chin to create an elegant halo around her face.

Ash didn't like blondes. "We didn't have a choice, Rika."

She grinned, showing off her perfectly white teeth. "That is true." She sighed, crossing her legs, letting her thousand dollar shoes bounce in the air. "We asked you here to discuss a certain situation that arose, that we have let slip for too long." Her light blue eyes met mine, and she raised a brow. "Care to elaborate on your romance, Lukas?"