by Nikki Turner
I’ve been here for four hours and I finally learned something that might make a difference to me. When I start running this place, I will keep her on my team for sure.
“Okay, Brooke. I’ll reintroduce myself. My name is Saks Sands.”
“Nice to meet you, Saks. I love your name!”
“Thank you. I was named after Saks Fifth Avenue.”
“Girl, that’s one of the best places to shop! On the high end, huh? That’s a cool name!”
Brooke schooled me about the people in the office. Rob was the office manager and gave up his job at Power 101.3 to work at Hustle Hard when they only had one artist, Breeze. Rob believed in Hustle Hard for all ten years it had been in existence and hustled the hardest to make sure the artists got heard. He oversaw everything from the street teams to the album covers. By the time it got to Nick, he just had to sign off on it. Everyone in the office was part of Rob’s team. There were only like eight other people there I could count. That included the interns. Brooke had been his assistant for the past four years. That’s the kind of loyalty I needed.
All I had was Kessy. Don’t get me wrong, we were like sisters. She did any and everything I needed since the day I met her at my high school prom. Some basketball player who thought he was going to be a star brought Kessy as his date. She lived in New Jersey at the time. Kessy just looked like money. She wore round pink diamond studs in her ears. Her prom dress was a simple long, black gown with a pink ribbon curved in between her breasts. At the time, her black silky hair hung to her shoulders.
I wore a white halter suit. The skirt was formfitting, stopping right below my ankles, with a mid-thigh split. The top was a double-breasted jacket, which showed off the cleavage I had before everyone else in my school. I made the dress myself. Once my father was gone, so was the money. I was proud of it and Kessy liked it. She said I seemed so much more sophisticated and conservative than everyone else at my school. I told her that was because I was thinking about money. She told me she got money and thinks about sex. We laughed. At the time, I thought she was joking. She wasn’t!
I ran out to the limo to catch a smoke and the principal’s silver Camry was parked next to it. Everyone else was inside so at first I was scared to see the car moving. When I squinted my eyes and looked a little closer, I saw Kessy on her knees in the backseat with her face pressed against the window and Principal Allan’s face nuzzled in her butt. As my eyes opened wide and I covered my mouth to stop the laughter, Kessy caught my eye. She winked, smiled, and mouthed, “Give me a minute.”
Of all the people in the office Brooke told me about, I did find Cassandra to be the most interesting. Apparently everyone likened her to a dog. She was loyal to Nicholas, they said. She was Breeze’s girlfriend when Nicholas met her. Breeze slept around a lot on her (what a surprise) and gave her something. No one knows what he gave her, but it was something. It was enough that when Breeze’s contract was up about a year ago, Nicholas didn’t re-sign him and Nicholas hired Cassandra as his assistant. Breeze started his own record label. She’s been loyal to Nicholas ever since.
Nicholas had a dedicated team. I had to admit that. That’s why he was so successful. I mean other than the two regular people in Marketing and the rotating door of A&R’s, he had a close-knit team. A loyal and sturdy foundation. But what makes people loyal? Is it the money? The opportunity? Or is it really their belief in you? Do people who you think are loyal really believe in you or just believe you. Is it the same? Can you have one without the other?
“B, I can’t talk right now. There’s a new intern here.”
If she couldn’t talk she should have gotten off the phone. The fact that Cassandra mentioned me, the new intern, made me curious enough to find out who she was talking to. I got up to act like I was checking to see if Brooke had anything for me to do.
“B, I know he’s hot. I don’t know if Nick is planning on signing him. I don’t think he’s made him an offer. I’ll let you know when he tells me. He didn’t tell me anything yet. No, B, I don’t know why he won’t sign. Just wait and see what we’re offering first. I’m not lying! Can we talk about this when I get home?”
B? Is she serious? Who is B? Breeze? She can’t be talking to him. That wouldn’t even make sense. But who else would be questioning her like that? It was obvious it was someone she shouldn’t be talking to. From what Brooke told me, when Nick wouldn’t renew Breeze’s contract, he started his own label and has been in fierce competition with Hustle Hard.
“So, Cassandra, Brooke told me there’s a party tonight for the singer Lakaya. Are you going?”
“No. My ex-boyfriend will probably be there and I don’t want to see him.”
“Well, I’d like to go. Do you mind if I go in your stead?”
“You know what, yeah. You should go to the party. Brooke and Rob are going, too. It’ll be good for you to see who’s who in this industry. If you stay here long enough, you’ll need to know these people. Ask Brooke to tell you about everyone. She’s good at that!”
“Do you think they’ll let me bring my friend with me?”
As soon as I got the okay, I called Kessy. She would know who was who at the party. I didn’t need Brooke for that.
Chapter 3 | That Was a Breeze
“Hey, I’m Kessy. And you are …”
Kessy could’ve been the only one in the room. She was a vision in her white slacks and white beaded corset. Her skin was soft and her jet-black hair was just long enough to cup the nape of her neck and it was neatly tucked behind her ears. Her white triangle diamond studs were just big enough to sparkle, yet they were small enough not to brag.
“Breeze. CEO of Breezy Records.”
“Wow, I get a name and a résumé. Impressive!”
Breeze smiled. Kessy had this way about her. No man could shake her spell. Plus she exuded money, position, and sexiness. They knew she wasn’t starstruck. She was too comfortable with herself. Her voice sounded like smooth honey. She cupped her glass with confidence and his eyes were drawn to her nails—short and neat. They weren’t long like so many of the girls he came across. No acrylic, no colored polish, no weird designs, just natural. Her skin was brown but like the caramel taffy he used to buy from the corner store by his grandmother’s house. She was new candy. He wondered what she tasted like.
“I’m sorry. I just figured …”
Kessy laughed at Breeze’s clumsiness in trying to clean up his wack game.
“I know what you figured. It’s okay. At least you told me who you are. That’s why I came over.”
They had barely been around each other for five minutes and from afar it looked as if they were old friends. He was a little clumsy with the bottle of champagne he clutched. It was obvious he’d had more than his share of champagne for the night. Her movements were precise. Whenever she laughed he seemed to be studying her. She did have a beautiful laugh.
“So, um, Kessy, are you here with anyone?”
“No. I’m a big girl. I’m allowed to go out by myself.”
His smile showed he enjoyed the answer she gave. Within seconds they were headed over to the coatroom. Before exiting Kessy motioned for me to come outside.
I stood at Kessy’s car smoking a cigarette. Breeze saw me waiting. He’d had quite a bit to drink so it didn’t even look like he was focusing on me. He was just anticipating the situation that was about to jump off. His head was so stuck up his own behind he never asked my name.
“You bringing your friend with us?”
Caramel and Sugar! He was easy. I looked so different from Kessy. It was not about who was his type at all. She was five foot ten and I am five foot four. She’s proportioned like a black Barbie doll. I have a more round-the-way shape. I’m a size fourteen. My stomach isn’t fat and my butt is round and wide but firm. My breasts are a D-cup and full. My hair is silky straight thanks to the perm I got last week and it hangs around the middle of my back. My bangs swoop over my eyebrows. My skin is the color of a butter cookie and my eme
rald green eyes reveal my real focus: money. Breeze’s eyes showed his focus, too, as they bounced from my breasts to Kessy’s bubble of a behind.
Kessy and I followed behind his Phantom in her black Mercedes. He lived in Long Island so we were going to be a long way from Manhattan! During the ride we went over the plan.
“Okay, I just need you to get him to do something that will look wild in some pictures.”
“Wild in pictures. Got it. Do I get to enjoy it?”
“Of course, but he can not enter you. It’s important you remember that.”
“Why?”
“Just don’t let him do it. I’ll tell you later. You have to promise.”
“Okay, okay. I got it. What you gonna use the pictures for anyway?”
“I don’t know yet. I’m sure I’ll think of something.”
Breeze’s house was a five bedroom mini-mansion. His foyer was brown marble and there were ivory columns greeting you at the foot of a spiral staircase. He wasted no time leading us to his bedroom, which was big enough to fit my entire Brooklyn apartment. He had a sitting area on one side and a master bathroom off to the other side of his bed. His fur comforter was appropriate for the October chill that filled the Long Island night.
Kessy stood at the foot of the bed and removed her pants to reveal her bodysuit corset. She placed her hands on her hips and Breeze paused and stared. For a minute, I almost did, too, as it never ceased to amaze me how forward and to the point Kessy was. When Breeze snapped out of it, he turned to me as if he was waiting for me to undress. Kessy purred, “She’s just going to watch. You don’t mind, right? I just want you to myself this time.”
How could he say no to that voice? He lay back propped up on his fur pillows wearing a wife-beater and his boxers.
Kessy climbed up on the bed as Breeze watched her. She faced him, looked him in the eye, and positioned herself on his face. She moved her hips around slow in a back-and-forth motion. He was in a trance. He moved the bottom of the bodysuit to the side and dove in. I was soon forgotten. Kessy took a white oval-shaped pill from the breast of her corset. She placed it in her mouth then she rose from Breeze’s face. She positioned herself to be face-to-face with him and using her tongue, she dumped the pill onto his.
“Umm, that feels good, Daddy! Talk to me while you eat.”
It was interesting to see this unfold. I watched this man go to pieces. She had him. He seemed so turned on by talking about himself. His words slurred a bit.
“Girl, I am the man.”
“Yeah, baby, you are the man.”
“I’m ‘bout to sign the next big thing and make so much money.”
“Yeah, baby? Damn, he can’t be bigger than you.”
“Nah, Fingers ain’t bigger than me, girl. But he big.”
“You’re going to make a lot of money? Ooh, right there.”
“Yeah, baby. A lot of money. Ain’t nobody going to be bigger than me! I got somebody working on it right now as we speak.”
“You gonna be big like Hustle Hard?”
“Girl, they ain’t got nothing on me. That dude Nick over there is corny. Yeah, that’s right, I feel you coming.”
“Ooh, Daddy I like that! Yes, baby. Nick ain’t like you, boo. No one is. Take ‘em out.”
“Oh I will. Damn, c’mon, girl, I feel you. You’re ready.”
“I’m ‘bout to cum. I don’t want to cum. Turn over.”
He obliged easily. He poked his butt in the air. Kessy dug into her large pocketbook and took out a lavender-colored penis. She started off slowly then plunged it into him more aggressively. He moaned and begged for more.
“You turn over now. Let me slide in that.” “Um, sorry, boo. Not on the first date. I can’t give up all the goodies!”
He tried to take it, but he was weak. When he realized he wasn’t getting anything, he yelled for us to get out. It’s not like I didn’t expect it. We didn’t come in his car so that wasn’t a problem. Can you imagine all those women who must’ve hitched a ride with him after the club and had no ride home? That’s the game right there! He damn near be guaranteeing himself some bootie. But I knew the rumors. No way was I going to let Kessy have sex with him. I still don’t know what he gave Cassandra. He might not have given her anything. But still, I had to be safe. Cassandra could be stupid or in love or whatever she wanted to be, but Kessy’s life wasn’t worth it.
Chapter 4 | Bye-Bye Birdie
“Good morning, Nicholas.”
“Good morning, Saks. How are you?”
“Hey, how’d you know to call me Saks?”
“You can’t get Brooke all excited and the office not know about it. She loves the new name. It fits you, too.”
“Thanks. Well, you know I went to the party last night.”
“Right. How was it?”
“Oh, it’s cool. I actually got to meet a lot of people. You know, I saw who was who. I also got to see who wasn’t who.”
“Hmm. What do you mean?”
He knew I had something to tell so he walked over to his office door and closed it. That was the sign to the rest of the office he didn’t want to be disturbed. I’m sure everyone thought I was kissing butt or he was kissing mine for that matter. But this was better. It was like having your second chess move catch your opponent off guard. The first one is simple but the second one, that’s where the strategy really begins.
“Do you have a way to listen to the phone lines?”
He looked a little perplexed.
“Why do you ask? I mean, I should know better than to ask the same person who has an envelope full of pictures of me, but I’ll go for the bait.”
“You still mad about that? Please! You wouldn’t have given me a job any other way. We provided a service for each other. You had Kessy and I got a job. No biggie. But back to my question.”
He smiled as if to say he liked my move. A dude who hustles loves to see a woman who does the same. He knows how he thinks, so when he thinks there’s a possibility, I think the same way, it’s enticing.
“I may have a way to listen.”
“If I were you, I’d listen to Cassandra’s line every now and again.”
“And what would I find?”
“I don’t know. It depends on what you consider a find. I’m just a friend looking out for a friend.”
“Oh. Who is the friend you’re looking out for?”
“You. You gave me a job, that makes you my friend!”
Me and my black Coach heels Kessy bought me for my birthday sashayed out of his office. I’m not sure if he ever saw a pair of black jeans look so good. I played with my pearls as I knew I won the first round. We weren’t in competition but still, I was winning.
The day wore on and Cassandra still had her sneaky little phone calls. I still wasn’t sure if she was talking to Breeze, but soon Nick would know.
I gathered the hundreds of demo CDs people sent to be heard by the great Nicholas Michaels. Each time I went past Cassandra’s desk to go to the copy room to get a new batch, she’d start whispering. No one else seemed to notice. I mean, she was Nick’s assistant. She was expected to be on the phone all day.
Then the silence broke. A glass vase shattered against the door to Nicholas’s office. For two seconds the bustle on the other side of the door froze. No one knew what had Nick so upset.
“Cassandra, can you come into my office, please?”
I wanted badly to go into the office and watch the events unfold, but unfortunately, I wasn’t invited. Within minutes Cassandra walked out to her desk and packed her things. She surveyed the room to see who was watching. Everyone pretended to look elsewhere. Almost everyone was in shock. No one looked up from their desks, except me. The girl who treated me as hired help was no longer helping the hired.
After a few minutes Nicholas came out of his office. He looked surprised to see Cassandra.
“You’re still here? Girl, don’t let me call security.”
Cassandra tried to throw everything in
the box Brooke put near her desk. She looked like she was moving fast but maybe to Nicholas not fast enough. I hadn’t known Nicholas that long but I had never imagined that he would be so upset or aggressive. As he barrelled his way toward Cassandra, Rob positioned himself between them. Cassandra bowed her head, grabbed her pocket-book, and rushed out. Rob went to her computer and sat down. Brooke instantly went and got some discs for Rob to download what he viewed as necessary. No one knew what to say so everyone just kept their heads down and pretended to do work. So that was it. No more Cassandra.
“Sakia, come into my office please.”
Brooke looked scared for me. How cute. She liked me, and she was all right with me. I wasn’t worried though.
I entered Nicholas’s office. I didn’t want to look too confident, but I knew he needed me. We both knew he did.
“Well, I don’t know how you did it.”
“Did what? If you think I set her up …”
“Not saying that. Did you?”
I knew better than to answer.
“Well anyway, you did what no one else seemed to be able to do. Breeze has been outbidding me on fresh talent for a little while now. I could never figure out how he knew what I was going to offer. I’d make an offer and the artist would immediately reject it. Basically he countered before I offered.”
He stared out the window as if he was deciding the world’s next movements. His black velour zip-up sweater tried to cling to his chest but there was too much room. It didn’t drape off him, but it didn’t show off his slim muscular build I knew existed. He stroked his chin. That’s where the beard was. It wasn’t all over his face and all up his cheeks. It was only on the chin. Short, trimmed, maintained. The waves in his closely cropped hair showed he had curls when he let it grow. I noticed he was attractive.
“Mr. Michaels, I …”
“Don’t be so formal now. If it wasn’t for you, I might have continued to lose business and the company I worked so hard to build would eventually bankrupt me. So I thank you.”
