‘Fuck. You are joking?’ We’ve built Naomi’s entire career on her innocent girl-next-door image and her church-choir lungs. ‘This will ruin her.’
It could also ruin me, as her agent, if I don’t do something to limit the damage. And fast. ‘Set up a Zoom call. I need to speak to her PA, PR team, and her lawyer in the next ten minutes. This is a fucking shitshow and I want to know what we can do to kill it. Got that?’
‘Consider it done.’ Kim ends the call.
Twice in a matter of weeks.
I don’t believe in coincidence.
A hot ball of rage blazes in my stomach.
Who would do that to these girls?
Who would do that tome?
How am I meant to present new artists to the biggest labels if I can’t control the scandals surrounding the ones I already manage?
This looks really bad.
Unprofessional.
Sloppy.
Amateurish.
I have a reputation for signing only the best. I’ll do whatever it takes to uphold that.
I dial Gareth, my Hollywood movie producer best friend and wing man. He answers on the second ring.
‘So youarestill alive?’ he says mockingly. Born and raised in the wealthiest suburbs of Santa Monica, he’s the epitome of everything I normally hate about Hollywood, but with a sense of humour that can cut you in two, he’s impossible not to like.
‘Yeah, sorry, buddy. It’s been crazy busy with the tour and everything.’ More like I’ve been driving myself crazy, busy imagining fucking Chloe Sexton on every leg of it, but he doesn’t need to know that.
We’ve shared girls before, but the thought of sharing Chloe is an abomination.
I cup my hand over my mouth, glancing round to check no one is eavesdropping. ‘I need a favour.’
‘Anything.’ Gareth’s voice is suddenly serious.
I tell him about the Naomi Carden scandal.
A low sigh whistles from his throat.
‘Tell me about it.’
‘What can I do?’
’Help me spin this. I’m going to ask her team to put out a statement that she’s involved in a campaign promoting awareness to young women about the risks of unauthorised filming and consent and that she’s working with you on a campaign film. Can you say we’ve leaked the sex tape deliberately, as a PR stunt? I’ll fund the campaign myself. Whatever it takes to preserve her reputation. Please, just help me make this thing legit.’
He blows out a low, slow breath. ‘Fuck, you’re good.’
‘That’s why they pay me the big bucks.’ My thumb roams the stubble dotting my jawline. ‘Let’s just hope it works. I haven’t seen the footage, but we can always say the original’s been tampered with.’
‘Have your people send it to my people and I’ll make a statement from this side. Let’s shut this thing down.’
‘Thanks, man. I owe you.’
‘You owe me nothing except a decent night out. It’s been way too long.’
