by Sienna Mynx
Raven put both hands to her head.
“I’m trying to keep the video evidence out of the press’ hands. TMI has already sent in their sharks to buy it from under us. The D.A. is making a statement some time today on whether or not they will release it.”
“Damn it, Kevin, what am I going to do?” She looked around the station. Her heart raced so fast she didn’t hear her own thoughts anymore. “I should talk to the D.A. I need to see if we can do anything—”
“Rae.” He stopped her.
“What?”
“Melissa fired us. We have no access to Liza-Rayne,” Kevin told her.
“She can’t do that! We represent Liza not her.”
“We can’t intercede. We need to go into damage control. Protect the agency. They’re coming for us,” he warned.
“Where’s Max? The son-of-a bitch!” Raven seethed. She heard Melissa scream. She turned in time to see Liza escorted into the bullpen with an officer at her side. The young girl rushed into her mother’s arms. Probably the only real mother daughter moment they’ve shared in the year that Raven’s known them.
Raven broke free of Kevin’s tight hold to her arm. She marched over. “Liza?”
“Stay away from her! You stay away from her!” Melissa screeched.
“Melissa, you know I would never do anything to hurt her. I had no idea that Max did this. None,” she tried to reason.
“Well that’s too bad, because he works for you. So you can kiss your company goodbye. And in case Ace didn’t tell you, you’re fired!”
She took Liza’s hand and pulled the girl to their attorney. Security blocked Raven from stepping any closer. She glanced back and Kevin shook his head at her sadly. Raven sucked in a deep breath of her pride. She tossed her chin up and returned to Kevin. Together they walked to the back of the station. There was an escape route that she was sure was covered by the paps. But it was better than coming out the front door.
“Damn it,” she grunted.
“Let’s go to the office. We got to get this under control,” Kevin said.
“No.” She stopped. “I need to see Max!”
“They aren’t giving him bond. He has to go before the judge. C’mon, c’mon,” he took her hand. She blinked away her tears and let him lead her out. They disappeared into the viper pit of photographers wanting a pound of flesh.
**
The alarm clock blared. Valentina was startled from her sleep. She reached blindly over for the blasted thing with her eyes shut. It seemed to have a million buttons and she pressed each one, unable to shut it off. With a burdened sigh she opened her eyes and flipped over in bed to slam her fist down on the clock. It beeped off. Peeking out of one eye she read the time. It was funny to her how it barely felt like sunrise.
To her disappointment the new day didn’t feel any better than yesterday. She picked up the remote and flipped on the TV.
“We’re standing outside of the Metro-Dade police station. Inside is Liza-Rayne, the troubled pop star turned actress was arrested early this morning trying to board a commercial flight with six grams of cocaine. She was accompanied by her agent Max Steele of Paper Dolls—an exclusive agency owned by the ex-wife of record label mogul Alexander Katz.”
Valentina shot straight up in bed. She blinked rapidly until the sleep cleared from her eyes and her brain registered what her ears kept feeding it.
“What in the hell?”
Valentina watched as Raven left the station with her purse up to shield her face. Kevin fought the paps off her. Her phone rang and she reached for it without being able to take her eyes off the television screen.
“Hello?”
“It’s me. Valentina, are you watching this?” Zephyr asked.
“I’m watching now,” she answered.
“How did this happen?” Zephyr asked.
“I still don’t know what happened. It makes no sense. On the Internet they are saying that Max Steele raped Liza-Rayne and blackmailed her. Tim Cline is tweeting all kinds of crazy shit. And TMI is blaming Raven. They have her face on the site.”
“I tried to call her, she’s not answering,” Zephyr said. “I feel so bad. It’s all lies.”
“Get dressed and come over here, we’ll ride to her office together. Raven must be pissed.”
“What can we do?” Zephyr asked.
“Be pissed with her!” Valentina snapped.
“Okay, I’ll be there in an hour,” Zephyr said.
Valentina hung up the phone. “Damn, Rae.” She shook her head sadly.
**
“I can’t believe this is happening!” Raven paced her office.
Kevin closed the door. Raven removed her suit blazer and threw it to the sofa. It was as if the room temperature was rising. Suddenly it became harder to breathe as the implications weighed down her shoulders. “Are the attorneys on this?”
“Raven—”
“We have to get the attorneys on it. Oh wait! My investors. Oh shit I didn’t think about them—”
“First calm down—” he said.
“Call Marc Campbell,” she said. “He handled my divorce and he’s really good. I want a barracuda instead of those yes men we used before. We need somebody outside of the industry—”
“Raven!”
“Because they could come for me legally and maybe criminally. Shit! Shit! Shit!”
He grabbed her by the arms. “Stop it!”
She fell apart. She could lose it all. Her company, her life, her reputation was all on the line. There was no Alexander, nothing to save her now. It all came down on her at once.
“Kevin,” she clutched her chest. “I can’t breathe! I can’t!”
He walked her to the nearest chair and forced her to sit in it. The panic was real. Her breathing was stunted, but he comforted her with soft words of encouragement. Kevin talked her through it. He kissed her face and her hands. She held to his voice and tried not to focus on fear and regret. He was her lifeline, and then it dawned on her that he was becoming much more. He was always there for her.
“You and this agency have done nothing wrong,” he assured her. “We’ll beat this together. I’m in this with you, remember?”
“Kevin?”
“I love you, Rae,” he said softly and kissed her lips.
She smiled and kissed him back. It was purely instinctual and meant to be innocent. But the moment their lips met for the second time, the kiss sparked the same passion as it did in Miami Gardens. Her eyes closed. She drew his tongue in deeper. All of her fears ebbed away with a mouthwatering swirl that made her heartbeat slow down to a sweet harmony. She could feel his hands draw her up to her feet. The man had strong hands. He gripped her ass and squeezed. Her arms circled his neck and she savored his smooth style. He filled her with desire not just for sex, but for him.
“I love you so much, Rae, I do. I swear I do, baby,” he breathed between kisses. He brushed his lips from her mouth to her neck. She pulled at his shirt, pushed at his suit jacket. She worked it off his shoulders. And he did the same with her clothing, popping one button on her blouse trying to gain access. Together they walked back to the sofa.
“Yes, Rae. Let it happen. Let me have you,” he breathed huskily against her neck. His tongue swept the column of her neck with a slow lick. “ I’ve wanted you so bad, for so long.” His breath was warm and his voice thick. She could no longer deny the physical way he excited her. She fell on the sofa and pulled him on top of her. She had no problem parting her thighs for him. She welcomed his fit. Her blouse was open, and his kisses seared a path across her skin to the cup of her lace bra. Then his tongue teased her nipple––the action forced it to tingle with hardness.
“You’re so fucking beautiful. So beautiful.”
Her eyes opened and she looked up at the ceiling. Her body wanted it, but her heart forced her to remember why she shouldn’t.
“Close your eyes….”
“Alexander, what are you doing?”
“Raven, are y
our eyes closed?” he grunted.
She smiled. “Yes, baby, they’re closed.”
He pulled her along, careful of her steps. She inhaled. It was paint, sandalwood, metal, and something else? The ride over in the limo prevented her from looking out of the car window. How could she, he had her pinned down in the back of the seat, wanting to kiss and fondle her. Now he had a surprise and she couldn’t imagine what it was.
“Okay, you ready?” Alexander asked in her ear. He eased up behind her. He put his hands over her eyes and held them there. “Are you?”
“I was born ready,” she chuckled. She placed her hands on her hips.
“Surprise!” he said. He stepped back.
She blinked and opened her eyes. The office building was empty, with white plastic covering over the pane-less windows. She saw scattered paint cans, ladders, and workman’s tools. None of it was too much of a surprise. Her husband owned nearly every high-rise in South Beach. She’d seen countless of them before. Minus one thing. Raven took a step forward in disbelief.
Propped against the wall was a red and black, 8-ft tall sign: Paper Dolls.
“What is this?”
“You have to do it. That’s what it is. It’s time for you to open your agency. And this is where you can run it from.”
“I told you, Alexander, I don’t need to right now. We’re going to start a family.”
“You’re young, Rae, we can have the family anytime you want. I want you to have your dream first,” he eased his hands into his pockets. She glanced back at him. He was ten years older than her. His friends and colleagues always gave her the side eye, like she was some kind of trophy wife. She didn’t tell him how it made her feel at times, but he knew. She wanted to be her own woman. Hell she was fighting hard to achieve that goal when she got Valentina signed to his label. Now he was giving her independence. And the gift could be the sexiest thing she’d ever received.
“You did this for me?”
“I told you I was going to make all those dreams come true. I meant it. I love you more than anything, Raven Katz, CEO of Paper Dolls.”
Raven screamed with delight. She attacked him. She jumped into his arms. She kissed his face. Alexander was easy to read. He wanted only one reward. Sex. He was groping her and keeping her body pressed up against his.
“Let’s make love right here,” she giggled. She stuck her hand inside of his pants.
Alexander groaned when she took hold of his member and tugged.
“Raven, I got men working on this floor,” he warned her.
“Oh please! You know you want to fuck your wife!” she licked her lips. “I plan to give it to you, right here, right now. Christen this room. It’ll be my office. I won’t be able to come inside of it without thinking about fucking my husband,” she teased. His eyes sparkled with interest. Raven stroked the dick she loved to touch and suck. “Now, do you want me to stop?” she asked as she slowly went to her knees.
A sly smile tilted the corner of his mouth. She freed him from his pants and swallowed the head of his cock.
“Hell no,” he breathed.
Raven blinked away tears. Kevin’s hand felt nice as it rubbed her sex. His finger moved aside her panties and slipped inside of her. He licked up from her breasts to her neck and began to nibble with sweet bites. She turned her face to the sofa cushion instead of looking at him.
“I can make you happy, Rae, I swear it,” he said as he fucked her with two fingers.
“Kevin,” she barely spoke. Her eyes closed as his tongue went into her ear. He removed his hand to pull at her panties, working them down her legs. She was crushed by his eagerness.
“Kevin. Kevin?”
“I love you,” he repeated.
She shoved at him. “Not here. Not on this sofa. I can’t. I’m sorry.”
Kevin lifted. He stared down at her concerned. Raven fixed her shirt, pulled up her panties. “I’m so sorry. I can’t do this in this office. I can’t.” she covered her exposed chest and pulled down her skirt. Kevin fell back on the sofa.
“Sorry, Rae. Of course you can’t. I shouldn’t have tried to take us there here.”
Raven grabbed his hand. She knew he’d play the same record of ‘blame’ again. She couldn’t stomach a repeat performance. This was about her issues, not him. He could have half the women in the city. He was a beautiful specimen of a man, and a big temptation for her. “Alex gave me this office, we have history here. If I’m going to move on I can’t here. Do you understand?”
“I keep getting this wrong.” He stood with his shirt open. “Rushing to the finish line when we haven’t even started. I’m cool, baby. We’ll go slow.”
“I’m not in a good place right now, Kevin. My marriage that should have ended a year ago, ended for good last night. I’m not even sure why I waited for closure anymore. I just have to get over the shock. I mean, I got things to work through. I need to.”
“Rae.” He stooped at her level, taking her hands. “You need to work on you, on saving this company, on rebuilding your life. I know it. I accept it, okay. In the meantime I’m going to put down maximum effort, baby. Kill you with my charm. Fix everything broken, and remove every obstacle to make you my lady. Feel me?” Kevin asked.
She smiled for him and touched his face. “I don’t need you to wait for me. I love that you care about me, but I don’t know what healing me will eventually offer you. I can’t making any promises.”
There was a pounding at the door that cut Raven off. Their eyes both cut over to it. In that moment they remembered why they were in the middle of a crisis.
“Mrs. Katz! Mrs. Katz!”
Raven stood. She did her best to fix her clothes. Kevin did the same. She tried to fix her hair and couldn’t without a mirror. Instead she hurried over and unlocked the door. “What is it, Macy?”
Macy barely noticed her or Kevin. She went to the cabinet and opened the doors. She turned the flat panel TV to CNN. “It’s Larry Richards, Headline News. He’s doing a phone interview with Max Steele from jail. They’re going to air it live!”
“What? Kevin? Can Max do this? He’s under contract,” she asked.
“I’m on it!” Kevin pulled out his phone and dialed.
Raven put her hand to her mouth as the volume on the television was cranked up.
“I’m Larry Richards, and this is Larry Richards Live. We’re doing an early broadcast today folks. If you haven’t heard, then where have you been? Liza-Rayne was arrested early this morning and charged with possession of a controlled substance as she tried to board a commercial airplane. She was also in the company of her agent Max Steele. Max works for the agency Paper Dolls. The agency has a client list that consists of the most famous musicians, actors, and authors in the industry. Clients like Sticky Nipple and The Black Diamonds, Michael Daniels, The AC Band, and the list goes on. There have been numerous reports of drug use, sexual abuse, and other depravity through this agency and Katz Records. Today Miami’s D.A. Javier Gutierrez will give a statement—”
“How the hell is this happening? Where are my damn lawyers?” Raven shouted at the television before she began to pace. Others on her staff started slipping into the office. No one spoke. They all remained transfixed on the TV screen.
“We have him via satellite phone from the Metro-Dade detention center. Bond has not been set. I’m told there are now pending allegations of rape—”
“Raven, the attorneys are in the building, they’re on their way up,” Kevin said.
Raven glanced over to Kevin and then back to the television. They braced themselves for the next hit. And like a tornado the destruction was unyielding.
Max Steele: Larry, I can hear you, thanks for taking my call.
Larry Richards: I hear you’re denied bond, but Liza was released?
Max Steele: That’s why I wanted to release a statement, before the spin machine gets to work, and I’m painted as some child molester. Things are horrible, the worst they could be right now. No one’
s hearing my side of the story.
Larry Richards: How did this happen, Max? Why were you at the airport?
Max Steele: I was doing my job. Just doing my job.
Larry Richards: Your job was to break Liza-Rayne out of rehab and give her drugs?
Max Steele: That’s the Raven Katz way. Hey as an agent I’m only an enforcer. At an agency as large as Paper Dolls you don’t exist to contradict, you exist to serve. Sure I was representing Liza-Rayne, but whom did you see on the television doing press conferences for her? Handling her contracts? Raven Katz runs her agency like the Gestapo. Which is pretty rich since she plays at being Jewish. What woman who converts to Judaism puts up a Christmas tree the year after her divorce?” he chuckled. “She feeds her clients all of their vices to keep them dependent on her, like a pimp.”
“That fucking bastard! That lying bastard!” Raven shouted at the television.
Larry Richards: So it wasn’t the agency, you were instructed to do this by your boss?
Max Steele: And her partner. A real slick guy known on the streets as Ace. He’s her connection. They wanted everyone to think that Liza-Rayne was in rehab, but truth be told they kept her high, and her mother drunk. You don’t believe me, look at Liza’s bank accounts and see what’s going through and what’s not. The things we have to do for these stars. Raven Katz is the—”
“Turn it off!” Raven snapped.
Macy looked back at her. “But?”
Raven went to the TV and turned it off. Her employees stood behind her staring silently. She sucked in a deep breath and faced them. “How long have you worked for me, Macy?”
“Huh? Um, two years.”
“And you, Carla, how long?” Raven asked.
“A year.”
“How about you, Corey?” she asked.
He smiled at her sadly. “Since you opened the doors, Raven.”
She addressed all sixteen personally. “Each one of you know me. I’ve trained most of you in this room myself. And you know Max too. I want you to decide right here, and right now, who you believe and who you support. If you think I’m capable of what he is accusing me of, you are free to walk. I’ll buy you out of your contract with no issue. Decide.”
