“Stop,” said Cole. “I’ll agree. On one condition. That lawyer man keeps his mitts off you, too.”
“Now wait a minute,” grumbled Tobias.
“No. He’s right,” I said. “This is supposed to be a business relationship. And we should keep it that way.”
Tobias looked distinctly unhappy, but I could see that if Tobias made a play for me, all our plans would disintegrate. I leveled my gaze at the reprobates. “If we have an agreement, Attorney Marshall has papers for you to sign.”
“What papers?” said Rory narrowing his eyes.
“Bail-bond papers.”
“Wait?” said Jersey. “You got us bonded out before all this nonsense?”
“It’s a misdemeanor, boys. Attorney Marshall worked his magic. But we won’t get you out until you sign the papers. And if you don’t co-operate, Tobias might lose them.”
“Sneaky,” said Cole.
“Manipulative,” said Jersey.
“Fucking brilliant,” said Rory.
“I like sneaky in a woman,” said Cole. “It keeps me on my toes.”
“Enough,” I said with exasperation. “There are also contracts for the concert, with provisions that should any of you violate the terms of your release or the provisions in the contract, you’ll, a.) forfeit your share of the profits, and b.) hold Alexander and Wells harmless from any action arising from your behavior. Is that clear?”
“Damn,” said Cole. “Do you have any whips, or do I need to buy some for you?”
“Shut-up!” said Jersey and Rory in chorus.
“Do I have your agreement, gentlemen? All of you?” I glanced pointedly at Tobias, whose jaw set but he nodded.
“Yes,” said Jersey. “We agree.”
“Good,” I said. “See you all later.”
“Wait?” said Cole. “Where are you going?”
“To visit my father in the hospital.” I waved my hand and in sheer meanness wiggled my ass as I walked away. Every one of them deserved it.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Jersey
Abottle of Jack Daniels is cold fucking comfort when the woman you want won’t warm your bed. I tipped my bottle to my guest’s glass to refill it and then to mine.
“Why are we drinking this?” my guest said. He winced as he took a sip of the whiskey. “It’s like fire.”
I rechecked the bottle. I had grabbed the cinnamon version, the fire whiskey. It’s a drink for mixing not sipping.
“Sorry.” I pulled a can of coke from the cooler at my chair and chucked it at him. “Mix that in.”
He caught the can with a smooth flick of his wrist but set it on the table next to him.
“The depth of your sophistication astounds me.”
I grunt. He’s as unhappy as I am, but it does no good to whine.
It’s been two weeks since we got out of jail but we might as well have stayed behind bars because the paperwork Jacine had us sign was the better prison. What she didn’t tell us was that in those contracts we agreed to go nowhere but rehearsals, talk shows, and promo events until the actual concert. So if I wasn’t working, I sat my ass here at the pool of my house, staring at the damned Hollywood Hills.
