Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 107660 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107660 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Now that I had a deadline, and the decision made for us to talk, waiting seemed impossible. Where moments ago, I told Shiloh I wanted to avoid him forever, now I didn’t want to wait another fifteen seconds—let alone fifteen minutes.
I paced two laps across my office, stretching my neck side to side and rolling my shoulders. I’d tried the same thing when my muscles pulled tight before heading out into the office with the ring on. Sometimes it worked, but it wasn’t helping now. If anything, each step twisted the knot in my back tighter.
Fuck it. I could be early. Maybe I’d even gain some upper ground by showing up before he planned.
Liking that idea, I smiled and headed back out.
I alternated between reminding myself that I was Aspen fucking Quinn and creating a list of topics we needed to discuss. By the time I reached his door, I couldn’t be stopped. I knocked once and walked in…
…on him in the middle of a meeting.
Or maybe the end of it, since they were all standing.
“Oh. I’m so sorry,” I quickly apologized, turning to head out.
“Aspen,” a familiar voice called jovially. Definitely not Lucian.
I turned back with a smile to find dirty blond hair and ocean blue eyes. “Parker.”
The list I created on my walk fell away with the tension at seeing one of my favorite people because he was one of the easiest to be around. Add in how hard he’d worked with me when I managed his band, boosting us both to the next level of success, and I owed him more than the hug I offered.
“I was hoping to see you today,” he said, wrapping his arms around me and hoisting me off the red soles of my shoes.
“I would have been pissed if I heard you were here, and I hadn’t seen you,” I returned with a mock glare.
Parker Callahan was one of the four guys who made up Haunted Obsession alongside Ash. While Ash played bass, Parker sang and played guitar. They were my first band to manage on my own when they signed with Quinn Music Group, and I’d more than busted my ass to make sure we both dominated our game.
“I would have hunted you down.” He winked. “But you know how it is. Meetings first, and Ezra yanked me into this one.”
I looked over his shoulder to find the other two men standing by the seating area.
Lucian, who stood amongst his own curated dark shadows, sucking up any ounce of joy with his ominous glare.
I refused to let Mr. Dark and Dickish ruin the moment, so I looked away, focusing my attention on Ezra Knowles, the man I personally selected to replace me as Haunted Obsession’s band manager, who smiled brightly.
“Hey, Ezra. How are the boys? Giving you any trouble?”
Parker snorted.
“Always,” Ezra laughed, coming over with his arms open.
“Typical,” I said, accepting his hug. “Well, if you need any hints to keep them in line, you have my number. Or you can always call Nova.”
“Don’t bring my wife into this,” Parker whined.
I rolled my eyes and laughed, loving the easy banter. As much as I loved progressing further at the company to reach my goal of owning it, part of me missed the bonds that came from working so closely with the band. Despite passing them on to someone new, I still checked in on the guys more than any other band I’d managed before.
“Psshh. Nova keeps me in line,” Ezra claimed.
I cocked a brow with a devious smile. “Good.”
A clearing throat cut into the light conversation, pulling my attention back to the glowering Lucian Daire, and reminding me of the impending conversation that brought me to his office in the first place.
Straightening my shoulders, I gave Lucian a glacial smile and turned back to the other two. “Sorry for interrupting your meeting.”
Parker waved his hand. “No worries at all.”
“We were just bullshitting with the new guy when you came in,” Ezra added. “Gotta admit, it’ll be wild to not have Mr. Quinn around, but this guy seems legit.” He smiled and tossed his thumb over his shoulder to Lucian like they were bros or something.
I hated it.
“I’m excited to work with you both and get to know more about how I can help this company grow,” Lucian said.
My smile dropped to a glare at the looming man in the background, and I prepared to remind him that we didn’t need his help.
Parker glanced my way and cut in before my growing agitation could release. “You know, we’re all in town this weekend. We should get together for dinner.”
I released a breath and returned my attention to Parker. “That would be great. I haven’t seen you guys in a while.”
“Yeah, Oren is all pissy because you’ve spent time with Ash, but not him,” he joked, talking about the drummer of the band who was like a puppy dog, always ready for attention. “And of course, Ash has been bragging about hanging out at your place and dinners.”