by Kahlen Aymes
I nodded, then flung myself back in the seat after I laid the offending paper on the edge of her desk. “Yes, but it’s a damn good forgery.”
“Shit. This is a problem, Jaxon. It’s already on the schedule to publish late Spring. I can’t stop it at this point. The release date has been set and we’ve already started promoting it. We’re already behind schedule, but the wheels are moving. Marketing is working their tails off to set up promotional tours and TV appearances. Creative has already sent me three drafts for the cover. The press time and distribution channels are all scheduled… and we’ve already pre-sold a few million copies to our vendors, Jax. The brick and mortars have reserved shelf space. We’ll lose millions on this if we pull it. Unless you can submit your manuscript now, I might be able to sub it.”
“It’s not ready,” I admitted.
“I don’t know what to do, then. I want to help you, but we have a contract with Bloom and Wandough, as well as you, personally, Jaxon. If Gloria can produce a signed contract from the young woman, our attorneys and my publisher, will not allow me to break it, even if I wanted to, personally.”
She was giving voice to everything I’d already told myself. I sighed heavily. “Oh, fuck!” I exclaimed in defeat.
Realization dawned on her face. “I take it she can, then?”
“Gloria said so, yes,” I said. “However, I haven’t seen it. My brother is representing Addison, so he’ll try to find a way out.”
Marcia looked concerned. “Wait, Jaxon. Maybe we can work something out. Litigation makes it messy for everyone, and S & S can’t afford all this negative publicity. We’re already fighting against the self-publishing revolution, and God knows, I don’t need this to blow up in my face.”
It wasn’t the reaction I’d hoped for. I thought Marcia would be on my side, but she seemed to be only thinking of her company. “The first lawsuit is with the agency, Marcia.”
“Right, but if you sue Gloria, all of the authors she represents will sue as well, and then we’ll either be sued right along with her, or they’ll want us to represent them. Either way, it’s a huge expense.”
“I’ll give you the money!” I said, exasperated. How could she think this was just about money? It was about integrity and doing the right thing by Addison.
Her well-manicured eyebrow shot up. “No offense, but you don’t have enough money, Jaxon. As successful as you’ve been, you can’t cover this.”
“What the fuck am I supposed to do, then? Using Addison’s book is not an option. I’m sure that she signed that contract without reading it through.”
Marcia’s lips pursed. “That was her mistake and maybe a lesson she needs to learn.”
I could literally feel my blood pressure rise. Of course, Marcia was right. If only Addison had listened to me. “Look, that can’t happen. There has to be a way around it.”
“Maybe I can shuffle production around a little, but that will depend on if you get your own book done, quickly. How close are you to being done?” Marcia asked gently.
“Not far enough. I could word vomit something, but it would suck. It has to be up to my standard, or I can’t publish it.”
“I understand, honey,” she said, trying to comfort me. “We can’t either. But then, I’m stuck. The contract with your agency is valid.”
“Marcia don’t make me get a cease and desist against S & S,” I said, my tone stern, though inside I was panicking. I knew both Addison and I were totally fucked if Gloria had a signed contract with the ghostwriting clause in it. It wouldn’t matter if I ruined my career, they’d just slap someone else’s name on it.
“You’d be willing to tell the world you’ve lost your edge? I know Gloria, and she’ll never lie down and take the blame. She’ll be all over The View and the late-night talk show circuit before either of us can blink.”
I sighed again. Marcia was right. “How could I not see what a viper Gloria was?” I asked, angrily.
“Well, she’s beautiful and a big-time agent. Ten years ago, you were as green as this student of yours. Plus, you were probably sleeping with her.”
My head fell back as the deep breath I’d sucked in left my lungs. “Oh, God.” As angry as I was at Gloria, I was also upset with Addison. I told her not to sign that fucking contract without me.
“I’d hate to see the career you’ve built over the years, tainted, Jax,” Marcia said. She only called me Jax when she was placating me.
“It isn’t just about me. I would have shit myself if someone had ripped off my first manuscript.”
“You didn’t rip it off. Not if this Addison person signed the contract. Maybe you can just suck it up this once, fire Gloria, and we can all move forward. Your brother or one of the S & S attorneys can get Gloria to sign an NDA in lieu of suing she keeps her mouth shut going forward, and I promise to publish your student’s next book. Win win.”
“Screw suing Gloria. I want to file criminal charges because she forged my signature.”
“Can you prove it?” Marcia asked, skeptically. “If you can’t, trust me when I say she won’t be prosecuted.” Her head cocked to one side. “I know that’s not what you want to hear, honey, but it is what it is. This is New York. There are more important criminals to prosecute.”
“Not to mention S & S suffers because Gloria’s other clients sue,” I admitted.
“Yes. Any books under contract with Bloom would be on hold.” She looked at me sympathetically. “Plus, do you really want publishing’s first introduction to Addison’s name being a scandal? It could hurt her future.”
My jaw jutted out in defiance, but I shook my head. “No.”
“What is your relationship with her? Could you work something out to share the royalties, or maybe we put both of your names on the book? That’s something I could swing.”
The last thing I was going to do was compound the situation by sharing that I was intimately involved with Addison. “I see two problems with that. One, I don’t want to take credit for her writing, and two, she deserves one hundred percent of the kudos for this book. It’s amazing.”
“It truly is, and I understand, but I’m trying to figure out a way to make the best of it, for all of us. You reciprocate and put her name on your next manuscript with you and you share royalties that one, too. Problem solved. A lot of authors are teaming up in today’s market. She’ll be richer than she ever dreamed.”
Everything inside of me didn’t want that bitch, Gloria, to get away with this bullshit, but Marcia was right. It would be a mess for all of us. The worst part for me was my relationship with Addison had been destroyed. “She won’t want to start her career by coat tailing off of my established career.”
Marcia lifted both hands. “Are you sure? A lot of new authors would jump at the opportunity to be associated with you.”
I shook my head. “Not Addison. She’d think it was cheating the system.”
“Talk to her before you decide. We have a few days before I need those edits back.”
I ran a hand over my face and then nodded reluctantly. What choice did I have?
“What about Gloria? Will she still get paid?” I asked, hating that I already knew the answer.
Marcia’s expression was resigned. “Unless you can prove she forged your signature, then yes. Fire her, and then it won’t happen again.”
I felt like my head would explode on top of my shoulders, I was so angry. “I can’t stand that that bitch will get away unscathed.”
“It’s only money, Jax. More can be made,” Marcia offered sympathetically. “She won’t get away unscathed. “She’s about to lose her number one client. She’ll lose millions over this.”
I inhaled a deep, calming breath. Marcia was right. We had to make the best of a shit situation, but I still had to see what Jefferson could offer
An hour later I walked into the offices of my family’s law practice. It was a big deal, taking up several floors of a massive Manhattan skyscraper, with more than thirty partners and ass
ociates. I nodded to the middle-aged receptionist and walked past the front desk without pause. My father and brother’s offices, as well as four other senior partners, were on this floor. The woman knew me because she’d been with the firm since I was a boy.
“Carol,” I acknowledged her. “I’m here to see Jefferson.”
“Go back, Jax, but you might need to wait a few minutes. He’s with a new client, I believe.”
I stopped and tapped my fingers on the top of the partition she sat behind. The names of the partners Michaels, Michaels, James & Spinter were emblazoned in large gold letter on the wall behind her that served to separate the reception area from the offices. I’d have to walk around it to go back.
The hair on the back of my neck stood up. I knew in my gut that the new client Jeff was with was Addison. I was yearning to see her even though my ego was bruised, and I was feeling hurt that she didn’t trust me. I was also angry she’d signed the contract which now had us all screwed.
I felt a metaphorical steel wall come crashing down around me. My personal feelings aside, I had to deal with this bullshit as quickly as possible. “Can you please buzz him, Carol? If he’s with Addison Tomms, I need to be in that meeting.”
Carol’s brown eyes widened. “That’s pretty irregular, Jax.”
I offered a sly smirk I didn’t feel. “Yeah, I know. Can you do it, please? Tell him I just came from a meeting with S & S.”
She picked up the phone and pressed a button on the console. “Jefferson, Jaxon is here. He said he met with S & S and needs to speak with you about it.”
There was a pregnant pause to which I attributed Jeff asking Addison if he could include me.
“Yes sir. Thank you.” She put the phone down and waved me in.
I winked at Carol and began the walk through the firm toward my brother’s corner office. Normally, I’d go to the other side and stop in to see my dad, but today, I didn’t feel like explaining why I was in the office.
I used one knuckle to lightly rap on the door and steeled myself for seeing Addison. It had been a month since I’d laid eyes on her and my first instinct was to take her in my arms and kiss her, but over the weekend the many unanswered calls and texts and her blatant mistrust of me had built an invisible shield around my heart. I couldn’t make her trust me, and if she didn’t, well, then there was no future for us.
I just wanted the best possible outcome and then get back to real life without hope and fairy tales. If I were honest, my relationship with her was probably the main cause for my writer’s block. I’d been so consumed with kissing her, touching her since the moment I first read her words, that my concentration was off. All I could think about was being with her and helping her launch her career, my focus was off of my own writing. I’d do whatever was necessary to get out of this mess, then I wanted to move beyond both Addison and Gloria. It was no wonder Jeff was so adamant about keeping his relationships emotionless, but really, this was the first time that emotion had stirred in one of mine, as well.
“Come on in, Jax,” Jeff called from behind the heavy wooden door.
I turned the knob and pushed it open before walking into the large, window-lined office. One wall, behind my brother’s desk, was solid built-in bookshelves loaded with legal books and case law. It was a serious looking office, with heavy dark wood and deep brown leather furniture. There was a private bathroom off to one side, and a sitting area away from the desk.
My eyes scanned the office automatically, hungry for the familiar feminine figure and beautiful face I knew I’d find there. Addison was sitting, almost at attention, on the edge of one of the leather upholstered chairs opposite my brother who sat behind his massive desk. Her back was straight, and she was dressed in a dark blue suit. She was fidgeting; nervous. Her long, dark hair was pulled back into a demure bun. As she glanced briefly in my direction, her eyes following me as I moved into the office. I met her gaze for a split second, noting the tear tracks down her cheeks. I told myself her pain didn’t matter. I couldn’t let it. If I did, I’d be lost.
My chest tightened uncomfortably. My first instinct was to go to her and take her in my arms, to tell her it would all be okay, but I was held back by my own sense of self-preservation.
Instead, I turned my focus on my brother, deciding that I didn’t want to take the chair next to Addison, and seated myself on the matching brown leather sofa halfway across the room. The office was tasteful, but I’d always found it a bit stuffy and old-school; smelling of leather and old books.
Was Jeff planning to represent us both? My mind worked through the various scenarios and I couldn’t make any of them work, but if so, surely it meant that Addison no longer thought I’d stolen her book, but then, she should have known all along. I swallowed at the vitriol still lingering in my throat. Good for her, but I was still pissed. Her first instinct was to think the worst of me and that was the bottom line.
Jeff looked up from a document he was examining. “What did you find out, Jax?”
I cleared my throat to ease the tightening, but it didn’t work. “Are you planning on representing us both, then?” I asked uncertainly. “Shouldn’t we speak in private?”
Addison had the grace to flush, and even though it didn’t seem possible, her back stiffened even more. She looked down at her lap, her fingers fiddling absently with the small handbag resting in there. The curve of her beautiful face stirred something inside me that I wanted desperately to deny. It might be desire, but more so, it was a level of pain I’d never felt before.
Her eyes pleaded with mine. “Jax, I’m so sorry—” she began, but I put a hand up to stop her.
“We can talk later, Addison,” I said firmly, though I wasn’t sure if I wanted to talk to her, at all. I felt strange, weak; like there was an elephant sitting on my chest, my throat ached, and my eyes burned. I’d be damned if I’d melt like a fucking sissy just because my dick got hard for one of my students. The cluster fuck I found myself in demanded my full attention. “Let’s just deal with this right now.” Her expression turned even more strained, but she nodded her acquiescence.
“What did you find out from the publisher?” Jeff persisted. “Can you get out of it?”
Jeff already knew what I was about to say, but I explained for Addison’s benefit. “S & S has first rights of refusal on any of my works, but I didn’t sign a contract on the latest book, however.”
“Yet, they have one?” Jeff guessed astutely. “With your signature on it? How is that possible.”
I nodded with an indignant huff, my jaw jutting out in anger. “Forged, but it’s so good, even I couldn’t tell the difference.”
Addison let out a small sound with her quick intake of breath. She wiped at another errant tear that rolled down her face. She looked terrified and helpless and everything inside me roared to protect her. If only she’d believed in me. I swallowed hard.
“I don’t know how we’ll prove it, Jax. It’s your word against Gloria’s.”
“I figured as much.”
Jeff looked at Addison with an arched brown. She answered his silent question with a nod.
“Addy has authorized me to discuss her case with you, Jax. She has no intent to sue you. She knows—”
“Sue me?” I sniffed indignantly. “For what?” I asked incredulously. “I didn’t do anything! Christ!”
I should be relieved, but all I could think was that she had no right to sue me in any case. I wasn’t the one who ripped off her manuscript.
Could this get any more fucked up?
Jeff held up a hand. “She knows, that. Unfortunately, there is a clause in her contract that says the agency may sell her manuscripts to established authors for a flat fee if they don’t get picked up under her own name.”
Fury rose and heat began to seep beneath the surface of my skin. I could feel it burn my chest, neck and face. “Gloria didn’t try to sell it on behalf of Addison,” I barked. “Obviously.”
Jeff sat back in his chair and smooth
ed down his tie. “In order to prove it we’d have to depose all of the editors from the big five publishers, plus all of the smaller imprints Gloria works with. It would take months and could be very expensive.
“Yes, I’ve already been lectured once today on how expensive it could get,” I snapped waspishly.
My brother continued, unperturbed. “We could threaten Gloria with a huge lawsuit and maybe she’d settle or let Addy out of her contract, but from what I know of her, she’s a barracuda. The best I can hope for is get the agency to quietly forfeit its commission and slap her with a gag order. Then we could work it out with Simon and Schuster.”
I shook my head. “Gloria will never admit to this kind of scheme. It could ruin her credibility.” My voice was cold and flat. I felt dead inside. I didn’t give a flying fuck if I ever wrote another word as long as I lived.
“Let’s get back to what the editor said,” Jeff redirected. “What’s the publisher’s position?”
“Marcia said their contract is with the agency, and while she believes me, and she’s regretful, the book is on the schedule to publish in spring. I asked her to just change the name on the cover to Addison’s, but they’ve already started promoting it under my name. Orders are already in.” My voice was flat as I rattled off the indelible facts.
“Do you think she’d back you up, Jax?” Jeff asked. “If I represent them pro bono will they sue Bloom and Wandough and push the book back until you can finish it?”
Addison was sitting, frozen in her chair, still looking down at her lap.
“That’s generous, brother, but B & W, established as it is, can’t cover this nut. It’s more about collateral damage than it is about money in the present. The concern is that a bevy of other authors the agency represents may be party to that lawsuit, and they don’t want to sue their profitable authors, many of whom they already have active contracts with. As I mentioned, the book is already being marketed, and the suing the agency, even if we win, will not cover the damages. S & S has their own reputation to guard.”
