Page 20 of Release
Chapter 8
ALEXANDRA had done it. Blaze Entertainment would never be the same. She sat at the head of the conference table of the record label that used to handle Lexxi Rock—the label that was now handledbyLexxi Rock.
“He shouldn’t be much longer now.” Next to her, Rick played the overqualified, but well-paid personal assistant, strategist, problem solver and any title he felt like taking on that day. Rita Sage and her crew of Yes Personnel were history. Alexandra had offered all Rita’s people the option of lucrative severance packages, or they could stay and work with her to reinvent the organization. Money won out, and in this case the severance packages were all signed off.
It was better this way. She looked out over her hand-picked staff, as their fresh young faces stared back at her. Under Rick’s guidance, they would flourish. They were ready to be innovative and take this company—now called Purple Blaze Entertainment—into the future. The only thorn in her side was her ghost of cowboy past.
By that, she was thinking of none other than Wilkes Barracks.
“He’s toying with me,” she grumbled to Rick.
Rick motioned for her to follow him to the other boardroom so she could speak more freely. “What’s he up to?” he asked when they were both inside and the boardroom door was shut.
“I don’t know. He’s late. Of all my detractors, I never expected Wilkes to be one of them. Shit!” She had tried not to let it get to her, but it did. She looked up at Rick. “I didn’t intend to cause tension with some of the other Blaze artists. He knows I offered anyone who didn’t want to work with me an easy, penalty-free way out of their contracts. If he wanted out, he could have bailed.” She exhaled to calm herself. “We may have to start without him.”
“If it comes down to it, just end his contract. You and I both know he’s in this for the greenbacks. Offer him a generous lump sum and be done with it. Heck, I can even refer him over to Wild Shade Records. They’re all about country music. He’ll do fine there.”
“I guess you’re right, Rick. Let’s give it today and if he’s still running interference, we’ll send him packing. It’s better for my peace of mind.”
She gave Rick a look only he would recognize as frustration, and he pressed a hand on her shoulder. “Consider it done. Let’s get back in there.”
They re-entered the room. It made no sense in troubling the ranks for this. It was their first full meeting. There were artists and executives and staff all waiting to hear what her vision was. The ad team members had assembled in their own meeting earlier in the week. They were going to propose some new marketing strategies today. Some new sound engineers would also be added to the mix. This was going to work out just fine.
The moment Alexandra gave up on her recalcitrant ex, the doors to the conference room opened and he strolled in.
“Sorry I’m late,” Wilkes said with a smile meant to charm. “It’s just terribly hard to get all this upstairs.” He gestured behind him at the men entering with him. By the time they were all inside there were ten of them, each dressed similarly in white shirts boasting the brand of a popular local florist. They brought in magnificent bouquets of white, pink, and red roses.
A look of surprise froze on Alexandra’s face as the men brought the roses directly to her, ten bouquets of a dozen roses each, all placed in front of her on the boardroom table.
“What is all this?” she asked.
Wilkes came forward with a flirtatious grin. Hands behind his back, he looked like a Southern gentleman in his three-piece suit.
Looks are so damned deceiving.
He bowed to her, collecting her fingers to kiss the back of her hand. Her forced smile made her cheeks burn. What she really wanted to do was snatch her hand back and say a few choice words for trying this over-the-top crap at her first meeting. For everyone else’s sake, she subdued her irritation.
“Thanks Wilkes. This was not necessary.”
He straightened up. “I wanted to welcome you officially as the new head of this label. I’m sure we have nothing but bright days ahead here at Purple Blaze Entertainment,” he magnanimously announced.
God, the man could be grandiose.
She looked out at the beaming, flattered expressions of awe on the faces of the women, and some of the men too.
Strategically done, Wilkes.
Well-played.
He was aligning himself with her. If Lexxi Rock was the new Queen of Purple Blaze, Wilkes Barracks wanted everyone to know he was King.
Fuck.
The V12 engineof her Lamborghini sports car roared as Alexandra smoothly accelerated to fifteen miles over the speed limit, trying to make it to the studio before her session was scheduled to start. It had taken hardly any time at all to segue back into the fast pace of LA. The life she had left behind picked up right where it left off, although now she felt like a new person with the reins directing her life now firmly in her hands.
The hot breeze was ruffling short raven curls instead of several feet of purple hair. With her smartphone synced to the car by Bluetooth, she chatted with Gerry, her wardrobe stylist. “Did you check the pictures I emailed you, Gerry? I shouldn’t have to come back into Purple Blaze for this. Just go to a men’s clothier and buy up the smallest sizes of what’s in.”
She hung up, and promised herself to call Bash more often. On second thought, she told Siri to phone him. It rang twice before Bash picked up.
