A Valentine Duet Read online

  A Valentine Duet

  Summer Graystone

  Copyright

  Copyright © 2018 by Summer Graystone

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  This book is intended for adults only. Spanking and other sexual activities represented in this book are fantasies only, intended for adults.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  About the Author

  Also by Summer Graystone

  Chapter 1

  Elena nodded her approval and strode across the marble floors of the elegantly decorated lobby to the office at the far end of the hallway – the room with the best views of the city. “Aaron Goldstein, CEO” was written on a small rectangular gold plaque across the middle of the door.

  Realizing the door was slightly cracked, she gave it a good knock before pushing it open further and stepping in.

  Oh no, no, no, her breath hitched in her throat and she immediately made a complete 180 degree turn when she saw who was in Mr. Goldstein’s office with him.

  “Come in, Elena,” the older man’s voice called out to her, much to her dismay.

  Bloody hell, she’d been spotted; she cursed herself silently. Trying to swallow her pride she walked back into the office slowly. “I see that you’re busy. I can come at another time…” she insisted.

  “I was actually going to call you, so now’s perfect.” Mr. Goldstein shifted his gaze to the young man sitting before him as if daring him to utter a word of protest.

  Without saying another word, she strolled in and sat beside the man she detested the most in the whole of New York – Tom McFadden. He turned to her in that moment and the little smirk that he had on his face made her skin crawl. Oh how she disliked him – no, this feeling was stronger than just dislike, this was HATE. She hated McFadden, absolutely loathed him.

  “Well hello stranger, so nice to see you.” He leaned into her with a smile that was as fake as the music he’d been releasing lately.

  “Tom,” she acknowledged him but her voice was dry and cold. She didn’t even glance at him. Waiting attentively, she narrowed her attention back to Mr. Goldstein, folding her legs one on top the other and rocking her feet in a subtle yet nervous manner.

  Mr. Goldstein hardly called her in to have any meetings. Her agent, Samantha Wooding, took care of the management aspect of things. All Elena had to do was smile –take photos, sing and sign autographs. Why did he want to see her today? It felt like she was in high school all over again and had been called in to see the principal. She hoped that whatever he had to discuss with them would not take long. Being next to McFadden was like sitting next to the enemy. It was a hot seat that she didn’t want to be in.

  She could practically feel his side gazes as their CEO slowly informed them that the record label was not doing too well. According to the older man, she and McFadden were basically their only hope. The survival of the company depended upon them; they had to be ambassadors for the brand. He wanted to revamp the company, to do something that would generate a large amount of revenue.

  “So what exactly do you want us to do, Aaron? Whatever it is – consider it done,” the younger man assured, without hesitation.

  Was this a window of opportunity for her, a chance to be more than just a recording artist? If it was, she was surely not going to be beat by her rival. And so, without thinking twice, Elena gave her support as well to the cause.

  “I love this label, it has been like a second family to me,” she began, using the emotional card to gain favor. “I can’t think of one thing that you would ask me to do for this company that I would refuse,” she added.

  Mr. Goldstein smiled, satisfied by the responses he was receiving. “That’s great because I want you two to work on a duet for Valentine’s Day. It will be released on your next album, Elena. And Tom’s about to go on tour, so you can join him and perform the song live. Great publicity, right?”

  Her jaw dropped. She couldn’t think of one thing that would deter her from doing whatever it was the Mr. Goldstein wanted – until now. He’d just mentioned three things that she absolutely never ever wanted to do. She did not want to collaborate on any song with McFadden. Or any project with him at all, unless the project involved a reenactment of the French Revolution, he was the King Louis XVI and she was in charge of the guillotine. Now, that was a project she would really like to do with McFadden. She definitely did not want him on her album and she most certainly did not want to go on tour with him. She did not want to go anywhere with him, at all. Looking over to McFadden, she saw the exact expression that she had still lingering on his face.

  “Is this a joke, Aaron? This woman hates me.” McFadden grew serious and disbelief flashed in his stormy eyes.

  There was a brief moment of silence amongst the three of them; it was so quiet they could practically hear each other breathing. Finally Elena tried to defuse the tension with a light chuckle. “I don’t hate you,” she lied. “Hate is such a strong word, really. I am just indifferent to you, that and the fact that I think the definition of a fun place to go is literarily anywhere without you.”

  “Ha…Ha…Very funny. And in case you are too dense to understand, that was me being sarcastic.”

  “Well, now that sense of humor would be the reason anyone would think I hate you,” Elena said with a sardonic twist of her lips. “But I don’t hate you, really I don’t.”

  However, the younger man didn’t seem to believe her, he looked to the man sitting behind the round shiny mahogany desk and repeated what he’d just said. However, this time his voice was as stern as the look that swept across his features.

  It was indeed awkward since they’d worked for the same record label for five years now and had never once performed any music together. Mr. Goldstein’s expression grew dark and solemn. His eyes wandered to McFadden and then back to Elena. “Oh God, don’t tell me you too, Elena?”

  Confusion cluttered her mind; what was he talking about now. “What do you mean?”

  “Don’t tell me you two have slept together.”

  “No, no, no.” Both Elena and McFadden denied his suggestion immediately, as if reciting the line in poem.

  “Sleep with him?” Elena said with disgust. “I’d rather close shop down there and join a convent.”

  “Like I would want to have anything to do with someone as frigid as you in the first place,” Tom said as he snorted loudly.

  “Just because I say no to you doesn’t mean I am frigid, McFadden,” Elena retorted as she snapped at him.

  Mr. Goldstein was perplexed and it showed on his wrinkled face. He then informed them that they didn’t have a choice. The song had already been written and he went further to state that this would be an excellent opportunity for them to show how good they were.

  “Hate yourself all you want, but the three of us both know that this is going to be beneficial for both of you. You know how long your fans have waited for just this collaboration?”

  Elena could hardly believe her ears; he was literally stipulating that they had to work with each other whether they liked it or not. Just the thought of having to
sing besides him and join him on tour was enough to make her barf. After having a great concert last night, she was coming to this. Had she known, she would not have stopped by the office today. Perhaps if she told Mr. Goldstein some of what McFadden had done, he would understand exactly why she didn’t want to work with such a man. Besides, she was a pop singer and he was an R&B singer; what type of duet would they make together? Mel Stinger was perhaps a better choice than she was. He and Mel would probably make a wonderful song, considering the fact that they’d been screwing each other for the past year.

  Slamming his hand on the desk in frustration, their CEO informed her that his decision was final; this duet between them was going to happen. “People aren’t dying to hear what next great song you make, Elena. They like drama, gossip – reality TV, celebrity hook-ups and break-ups.”

  “Yes, absolutely but this is…” Elena tried to find the most decent word to express how upset she felt without being rude.

  “Elena, the two of you doing a song together will get people talking. We’ll get the kind of gossip that we want. We need that buzz.”

  “She does not like me, Aaron,” McFadden chimed in. “And I don’t even think I like her all that much either,” he added, a lopsided grin touching his lips.

  “I’m sure you two professionals can work something out. You’re performers, aren’t you? So perform. Pretend to like each other.”

  He did have a point. The music business was currently dominated by one set of artists managed by one record label; everyone else was basically struggling to get more than a few dozen sales. After much more coaxing by the older wiser man, Elena and McFadden finally agreed to do the song.

  The three of them continued chatting, until the phone rang, interrupting their conversation. Deciding to give their CEO some privacy while on his call, Elena said goodbye and exited the room. A few seconds later, Tom rose to his feet and followed closely behind. As she made it into the lobby, she heard her name echo through the quietness of the space. Turning around, her gaze fell on his beautiful blue - green eyes and a little tingle sparked through her being. He was definitely one of the most handsome men she’d ever laid eyes upon. It was annoying how he could make her feel so head over heels even when she was mad at him. Or maybe that was why she was mad at him. Because he made her feel things she could not put words to. It was not love, hell no. Her heart had nothing to do with the way he made her feel. It was more physical, more raw than just the tinkling bell sound she had come to associate with the warm tender feeling that was love. No, this feeling was accompanied by the sound of pounding drums and violent waterfalls. It was a feeling that was wildly out of control and Elena responded the way a cat with her back to the wall would, by unsheathing her claws.

  “Hey McFarty-Face…”

  Chapter 2

  “Another fight, Tom, really?” The middle aged blonde haired woman marched into his office unannounced. “Just take a look at this.” She dropped a magazine onto his desk and the noise that it made caught his attention.

  The way she always barged into his home was somewhat absurd. She never knocked, never called or waited for him to get the door. In more ways than one, she reminded him of his mother, Selene. They both had no clue what the words privacy and politeness meant. Tom had given her a spare key to be used in case there was an emergency but as it turned out, they had two different opinions on what exactly could be ruled as an emergency.

  His office was an empty room in his two bedroom condo with the front wall made entirely of glass. He didn’t have much in it; a desk, two chairs, his laptop and a few mini fridges. Branching out from JUMP, the band he’d formed with his cousins during their late teenage years, had been more challenging than he’d expected. Although having a solo career was a dream come true, the hard work he had to put into it was making this seem like a nightmare in disguise. He was really getting to understand the phrase “be careful what you wish for”. Perhaps he should have transitioned into another area of the entertainment business. Now that he was working alone, Tom felt like a new artist all over again. He was basically starting his career over. Adding to his stress was the constant attempt by the paparazzi to discredit him as a professional. Thank God for his supportive fans, they motivated him to strive harder every day.

  “Your behavior outside of the studio is just so unacceptable.” The expression on her face was one of disappointment and anger. “You’re an R&B singer; you sing love songs for Christ’s sake. Why the hell are you always fighting someone?” Her tone got louder, like a mother scolding her son.

  Tom stopped what he was doing on his laptop and picked up the magazine, flipping through the pages mechanically. “I don’t see anything in here, Addy.” He brought his gaze back up to meet hers.

  His publicist, Adaline Rogers, was one of the best in the business. One could toss her into a raging sea of negative press and she would easily calm the storm, putting a positive spin on things. Tom knew that what he was going through with the tabloids was mere child’s play to her. With one or two calls he was certain she could put an end to this rubbish.

  In fact she was so good, he’d practically stolen her from Elena and thus started the feud between the two of them. Addy had been with Elena from the beginning of her career but a few unique incentives and a huge increase in pay made her jump ship without hesitation. He still remembered how upset Elena was when she found out about Addy working for him. She’d called him almost every single horrible name in the world. However, hurling insults at him didn’t satisfy her. She just had to take things a step further. When he saw the scratches on his brand new Porsche he knew she was somehow involved, although she never confessed to it. Until then he’d actually felt sorry for her and had even contemplated letting Addy go, so she could work with Elena again. But her behavior had been downright childish and a huge turn off.

  Now that he had the great Adaline Rogers all to himself, working with her was no bed of roses. And although he was grateful for having her on his team, it always amazed him how she over analyzed everything. She was an extreme nitpicker – always poking at nothing. Even now was a perfect example. To his recollection, his weekend had gone by smoothly; the only thing close to a fight that he’d had was a little word exchange with a hotel valet, but that was it.

  “You don’t see anything Tom…That’s funny because you’re on the cover. Again! Since you like being on these covers so much I will just go ahead and get you a modeling gig.” Her sarcasm made him almost crack a smile

  Though amused by the situation, he tried his best to keep a straight face; the last thing he wanted to hear was one of her speeches about public perception and how it would affect his success in the music industry.

  He stared at the cover with curious eyes before going through the pages slowly until he found the story about him. As expected, the entire story was exaggerated, with various so called “inside sources” giving different accounts of what they believed transpired. A few minutes of reading and he’d had enough.

  “You can’t honestly believe this garbage.” He tossed the magazine aside, shifting his gaze back to his computer screen and dismissing her claims.

  “I’m not the one you should be worried about here, it’s your fans. When they see this, what we will they think? No one likes an artist who’s always getting into fights.” She leaned in, pushing the monitor downwards and closing the laptop. Her actions immediately got his attention and as she began lecturing him he drowned what she was saying in the back of his mind. By the time she’d finished speaking about the issue, Tom glanced at the small clock on his table and surely enough, over an hour had passed.

  He finally chimed in, suggesting that he may have been dealing with some unresolved issues from his past and perhaps he needed to seek professional help. The older woman nodded her head slowly, taking in what he was saying. Shifting his gaze back to the time, he realized that he was running late for a meeting with Elena. They’d agreed to meet at the studio to begin working on the song today.
/>
  The unsettling feeling that raged on within him almost made him cancel on her but he knew he wouldn’t hear the end of it if he did that. And so, he reached into his top drawer and retrieved his work cell, immediately scrolling through his contacts. When her name popped up he excused himself, waiting to hear her voice at the other end of the line.

  Elena’s British accent was beautiful, but the words she uttered were harsh. She spoke with such animosity that he wished he’d never called in the first place. After ranting for what seemed like an hour, she finally asked if he was on his way.

  “Are you bloody serious? You’re still at your office. This is ri-di-culous,” she over emphasized the word, letting him know just how irate she was before ending their call abruptly.

  “Did she just?” Tom brought the phone to his line of sight in disbelief. “She hung up on me…” he spoke to himself, surprised by her reaction. For a few moments he thought about nixing the whole project, just setting fire to it and watching it burn. After all, it was not part of his contract and he was sure Addy could find a way to spin this one his way. Then he remembered how she had looked just outside Aaron’s office, the few seconds after he called her name. Right before she called him McFar… Yeah, that name was horrible as hell, and he hated it because it was one of his nicknames in grade school, and high school and apparently now in Elena’s school of whatever. Anyway, he remembered that look and he knew what it meant. Hell, he was the master of putting that look in people’s eyes. It was the same look the girl he had picked up in a bar last week had on her face, right before she smiled at him as they walked to his car. Only on her it looked practiced and used, looked like she knew what was coming after and was ready for it. On Elena, it looked like she was fighting it. It was a novelty to Tom, meeting a woman who had no interest in him. He wanted to see how much fun it would be to convince her otherwise.