Manage Me (Toven's Circus #1)
Read Manage Me (Toven's Circus #1) Online
Authors: Marlowe Fox
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Manage Me
By
Marlowe Fox
©Copyright Marlowe Fox 2015
All Rights Reserved
ARC Published Date
September 22
nd
2015
No Part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photography, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written consent from the publisher and author, except in the instance of quotes for reviews. No part of this book may be uploaded without the permission of the publisher and author, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is originally published.
This is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, actual events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters and names are products of the authors imagination and used fictitiously.
Dedication:
So many people helped to make this book happen but this first one
goes to my two guys.
My fiancé, thank you for supporting me in dream,
My sweet boy, for being a good boy and letting me work most of the time.
Table of Contents
Jaden
I stomp out into the hallway and slam the door to the producer’s office. I’m livid that the label still doesn’t trust us. We’ve done our contracted four albums in the six years they gave us, and each one went double platinum worldwide. But they won’t let us write our own music and direct our own sound. We are burnt out on doing the same songs with the same message, it sounds lame but we want to go deeper and speak to our fans, not just bang out songs about all the fun we have, money we make, and all the chicks we fuck. We are not 18 year olds following our dicks everywhere…Okay we do still follow our dicks many place but not everywhere.
Stewing in the hallway, a haunting sound seeps past my anger. A weeping violin cries out the melody of a song. The song I was just talking to the producer about. I listen intently, completely enraptured in the tone that calls to me. I make my way down the hall, turning left, then right. Making my way to a hallway lined with doors. I peek into the small window of each door and they are all dark, except the last one on the left.
Standing tall in the light, a bright pink violin perched on her shoulder, a statuesque beauty stands. She grinds the bow across the strings. She moves and sways, using her whole body to make the sounds emanate from the instrument in her stable hands. Her long hair is so blonde it’s almost white. A large white fabric flower holds her hair back on the left side, allowing me to see the soft curve of her high cheek bone, where her long black eyelashes rest. Her skin is so smooth and creamy, I just want to run my tongue all over her.
She wears a black corset top covered in white stitched vines. An inch of pale skin peaks out underneath, making my mouth salivate and my need itch. She wears a pair of dark washed distressed jeans that hug her long legs, and I smirk, seeing she wears the same black Chuck Taylors, that I do.
Music completely forgotten, for the beauty before me, I reach for the door handle, finding it locked. Panic kicks into my heart and I continue to wiggle the knob. Despite the racket I am making, My Beauty is so lost in the music and doesn’t miss a single note. I raise my hand to pound on the window.
“Jaden! There you are, Mate! I have been looking everywhere for you.” James, the producer I’d just walked out on, strides up to me. “Come on, I just got off the phone with Craven, we have more to discuss.”
“Who is that?” I ask pointing at the window.
“That’s just an intern.” He says swinging his arm over my shoulder leading me back the way I had come. “Craven says he would like you to play your song from him in a day or two.”
Nell
When I play music, my mind, and body become lost in the soul of the sound. We become one, and this piece, speaks specifically to my heart. While standing in James’ office, I became absent of all thought, James prattled on about one thing or another but I heard nothing. The second I heard the tone of the acoustic guitar my fingers began to itch for my Lil’ Ella (my violin) and Leon (my bow). The longer it played the less tethered to my form I became but when James abruptly hit stop, my essence slammed back into my body.
I scurried through the rest of my day in a trance. I couldn’t wait to get home and get my hands on Lil’ Ella, so I could slog out the melody that continues circling in my head. It would sound just as captivating on piano but the violin would add a different depth of sadness and the sadness is what it called for. Racing home after work that night, I locked myself away in my music room, playing until dawn.
Nell
Riding the elevator up to the top floor of Deadly Sins Records, I stand anxiously waiting. My father is the owner of the label and I have been busting my ass since I was 18. Not only to work my way up in the company, but to gain respect. Being the owner’s daughter everyone assumed I was some spoiled twat, whose daddy was placating until I got bored. I also don't think being blonde and leggy helped my case any but I was determined to prove them wrong, and I really am good. At 18, I’d started out interning in the recording studio during the summers and was now an assistant to James, the head production manager. My end goal was to have James’ job, managing and producing. I just wanted to work with the talent and make music.
My father, Gavin Crane, has worked in the music industry my whole life. I remember sitting at the feet of legends, as they played Christmas carols at holiday parties. Visiting the studio was always magic, as I watched history being made. To say music was my life would be a vast understatement. I lived and breathed it, every second, of every day.
As the elevator comes to a stop and the doors slide open, I sweep a loose strain of pale hair behind my ear. I wanted to look professional today. I chose a Dolce & Gabbana, mid-thigh length, cream, leather skirt with laser-cut lace patterns around the bottom and paired it with a Rag & Bones sweater in ox blood red, and my favorite blush motor jacket. My long blonde hair is pulled up into a messy bun with my bangs framing my face.
My nude t-strap Louboutin's clacking on the black marble floor. I nod and wink at Melissa, my father’s secretary of 20 years. She gives me a big grin and a thumbs up. I make my way to his office doors, take a deep breath, and checking my watch, 10am on the dot. I rap my knuckles on the door, turn the knob, and stop dead.
******************************************
I feel my eyes grow huge and my heart slams in my chest. The most beautiful man sits before my father's huge mahogany desk. An acoustic guitar rests on his tight jean clad thigh, his fingers lovely stroking the strings causing a beautiful sound to erupt from deep within the instruments body. My gaze dances across the tattoos on his fingers, his hands, up his muscular arms, to his neck. There is color everywhere and I just want to get a closer look. His eyes are closed, he slightly tilts his chin and opens his mouth; a gravely deep voice emits through a pair of devastatingly delicious lips. Slowly his long lashes part and mossy green eyes sweep towards me, the right side of his lips jump into a smirk, showing a flash of dimple. I cannot help but bite my lip, at the zing of heat that rushes down my spine. His voice floats over my skin causing goosebumps to erupt.
The strumming stops, and we stare at each other. A whistle causes us to both look towards my father. For being in his early 50's, he is still a very attractive guy. A full head of dark black hair that is just starting to silver at his temples and he shares my frosty blue eyes. Leaning forward on his elbows, he gives Mr. Delicious a once over.
"Wow that was fucking fantastic, Jaden. But I'm not convinced it is Toven's Circus material." He says rubbing his eyebrow with his middle finger. It then hits me, the guy I have been mental banging, is Jaden James, the lead singer of Toven’s Circus. The biggest college douche bag rock/metal band in the country. I’m not a fan of theirs but up close, I was becoming a big fan of their lead singer. Trying not to make an ass of myself, by drooling on my Louboutin's, I step forward and softly clear my throat, to gain my father’s attention. This causes Jaden's eyes to drift back to me, traveling from the top of my head to the tips of my 4 inch heels, and back up again, his smirk growing as he travels. But as I shake myself free, I know his kind. He knows he is sexy, knows that his voice makes girls panties melt. He is cocky in the worst kind of way, and probably can't keep his dick in his pants. No, his kind of trouble isn't worth the heartache.
"Ah, Nell! What did you think of Mr. James's little song?" My father asks in a condescending tone drawing my eyes away from Jaden.
I step up to the edge of his desk, leaning my hip against it; I tilt my head, lifting my shoulder; giving Jaden a good look, "It was beautiful, but very different from Toven's Circus's signature sound." I stare down into Jaden’s glaring eyes and continue, "However, I think the fans, especially of the female ilk, will be grateful to have, the Jaden James crooning to them acoustically.” I say sharing grin with him. “I suggest playing it during the live shows, generate some interest, then releasing it as a bonus track on the new album."
With eyebrows raised and a look of annoyance in his eyes, my father turns to Jaden. "Jaden James, I would like you to meet my daughter, Nell Crane, she is currently working down in production, however, I hear Toven's is in need of a new tour manager." A pregnant pause takes over the room, while Jaden and I stare at each other.
Jaden
When the door to Crane's office opens the air in the room shifts. I fumble a couple notes on the song, so I close my eyes, focusing on the words that come from deep inside my soul. This song means more than any other we’ve pitched to the label, it is important that we, that I, get to share this one with the world.
As I play the last lick, her scent hits my nose, firing straight into my brain. My eyes snap open seeking her out. This woman is so stunning that my breath stops and my heart starts to pound but that doesn't stop the smirk from forming. The sound of Crane's whistle draws my attention back to him, giving my frantic heart a second to recoup. I try focusing on his words but my gaze is dragged back to the leggy blonde standing off to our right.
Noticing her nearly white blonde hair is a punch to the chest. It’s her, the Beauty with the violin. Her eyes are the brightest electric blue color, they almost seem to glow. She bites her plump lower lip nervously and I have to fight back a groan of need from escaping. Sweeping my eyes down her sexy cream leather skirt to those delectably long legs and finally to the shoes. Nude strappy something or others, that are so fucking hot my cock does a delighted leap in my jeans.
Her raspy voice brings my focus back from imagining those long legs wrapped around my head. I realize she is talking about my song and seems to know her shit, but why would Crane ask her? At the words daughter and tour manager, it hits me that this crazy fucker wants this beautiful sex kitten of a daughter to go on tour with us? Was the guy insane or just stupid?
"Uh, are you saying you want,
her
, to be our tour manager?" My heart is hammering with excitement, while my brain is kicking it silent. Freezing blue sparks light up in her eyes as she glowers at me.
"What, you don't think I have the skills or intellect to be your manager!?" She fumes. Looking like she'd like to stomp me under those thought provoking heels of hers.
"Look, it has nothing to do with your skills or intellect and everything to do with the fact you're a chick." I sigh, running my hands though my hair. If possible she seems to become even more pissed and damn if she doesn't look even more fuckable, as a red heat rushes to her cheeks.
"What. Did. You. Just. Say?" Her teeth are clinched and her hands are squeezed tightly into fists.
