Wheels of Steel Book 4 (19 page)

Y turned to her and his body relaxed. “Are you okay? That guy didn’t hurt you did he?”

She shook her head in confusion. “No. He was just a drunk jerk. We have them in America, you know.” She gave him a slight smile. “I have never seen a man slap another man that hard before. I think you knocked his jaw out of socket,” she joked.

Y’s protective stance receded but his eyes swept the crowd of people that were watching.

Y wanted to follow the man and use his baton on him. How dare he put his hands on her. How dare anyone disrespect her!

“Sorry,” he apologized. “I should not have been walking so fast as to leave you behind.” In honesty he had wanted to put space between them. He had wanted to avoid seeing her chocolate skin and the way the black jeans and shirt accentuated her curves.

What in the hell was he thinking? This was Robin Mathena—the woman Jason was obsessed with, the woman that haunted his wife … his wife.

Even now after coming to terms with the past, Amberly was still affected by Robin. She still wished for her forgiveness and in some way her approval. And Amberly still resented Robin for the power that she wielded in the group.

Jesus …what was he thinking? The hardness in his pants began to recede. This was Robin.

“You should have seen the way Y smacked that guy down.” Robin whispered. She and Belinda were in the entertainment room watching television and eating chocolate ice cream straight from the carton. Belinda was technically still working, albeit it from home. But she was now in the midst of a self-imposed, two-hour break.

Robin chuckled as she continued. “He looked like he was chastising a dog that had piddled the floor!” She mimicked him, pointing at the floor and using a deep voice she spoke sternly, ‘No! You don’t do that! No no no! Bad dog!’”

Belinda cracked up. “What did the guy on the ground do?”

Robin took her seat next to her friend. “His friends picked him up and he left.”

“Oh my God, that is hilarious!” Belinda laughed. Y had used last night’s altercation to explain away his split lip and swollen eye. In his version of the story the man had thrown out a sucker punch and Robin did not contradict him. She understood that he didn’t want anyone to know about the fight he’d gotten into with his brother—or rather, his father’s son--as he preferred to call him. And since it wasn’t any of her business she had no problem leaving out that little detail.

Belinda had to get back to work and ended her brief break from video making. Everyone that had a job was working from ‘home’ today. Jason and Peter were working from Akita’s studio and Belinda and Amberly were using a computer editing program to work on the video.

James had called to explain that Y could handle the terms of the contract between Wheels of Steel and the label so even he was busy reviewing the counter offer that Peter’s dad had proposed. This surprised even Amberly who also seemed unaware that Y had that much clout in the company. 

Robin even had business of her own to conduct. She had accepted an appointment with Jerry Flynn of The Bushido code to discuss recording a song for the show. Also she had talked to a few other artists confirming that she was indeed interested in recording with them but explained that she first had to deal with her management company.

Y had been watching her when she talked business on her cellphone and she turned to him and gave him a wink. He grew flushed and then looked away, but continued to listen.

“Yes,” Robin stated. “I’ll be signing with Akita Tom Productions but I’m sure my label will allow me to work on the show.” Robin grinned. “Okay, Mr. Flynn—sorry Jerry. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She hung up the phone and whooped for joy. “I can’t believe it! I’m going to be singing on a television show!” She gave Y a brief hug and then hurried out of the room. “I have to tell Jason!”

Y tried not to stiffen when Robin touched him. He was more aware of her than ever, which was not a good thing. Especially in light of what he had to do …

He sighed. It was now or never time.

He followed Robin to the studio with the contracts in hand. Jason and Peter were listening to Robin tell her good news and after a round of hugs Y plastered on a grin.

“Guys, I took a look at the contract and I think its great. Whenever you want to sign we can do it.” He looked down as if considering something. “Have you thought about adding Akita’s last song into the contract?”

Peter replied, still grinning about Robin’s good news. “Nah, bra. We’re keeping that little gem to ourselves.”

“Of course, but who’s going to market it and do the mass distribution, cover design etc? You’re going to have to outsource all of that and the label is already set up to handle that. We’ll do it and then we can negotiate a fee.”

Peter stroked his chin hair and Jason shrugged. “Sounds like a good deal to me.” Jason replied. Peter nodded in agreement.

Y folded one of the contracts and the second he handed to Robin. “I added some of the things that we talked about the other day; clothing allowance, agent, management services and of course you get the right to refuse any assignments that interfere with school or career.” Robin’s grin broadened as she accepted it. “Have your attorney take a look at it.” Y advised.

Robin turned to Peter. “Will your father take a look at it for me?”

“Sure,” Peter replied, taking the document from her. “I’ll fax it to him now.” Peter gave Robin a high five “This is amazing Sweetheart. Congratulations on everything.”

“Thanks Peter.”

Y held up the folded contract. “Let me make the amendments to this contract.”

Jason shook Y’s hand. “Thanks, brother.”

Y’s grin faltered at being referred to as brother.

When Y returned to the office he placed the contract in a folder in his desk and then retrieved the fake contract that he had already drawn up. It included the fact that any music created prior to the contract would not be included in the rights and ownership of the label. This was stated in bold writing. But buried in the document was a statement that read that the artist agreed to grant a royalty share of any music contracted by the label for distribution or marketing.

Y stared at the fake document in shame. He was going to pay a visit to his uncle. He would tell him the plan and force his hand. Either let him remain, uncontested in his current position with the production company—and he would secure the artists and music for the label--or he would advise his friends to turn away from the label completely. And then they could allow Riyu to see if he could make a fraction of the money that it had made with him at the helm.

On the long drive to his uncle’s home, Yagano twice felt as if he would need to pull the car to the side of the road in order to puke.

Why was he having second thoughts about it?! The Yakuza had been an integral part of him since he was born. He was destined to be the leader of a clan the same as his father. And yet Riyu was placed in the position simply because their father had chosen to stay with them instead of being with the woman that he truly loved.

He hated Riyu—not just because of the cruelty that he had shown Yagano as a child, but because he had been allowed to know their father. That was a battle that Y would never win but he wanted the opportunity to at least show that he could be an asset to the family. It was due to his interests that allowed them a steady income from the record label.

He had been given other tasks that he’d completed successfully—even if they were small and insignificant. He couldn’t count the number of fingertips that he’d secured from disobedient Yakuza members. He had delivered more dope and weapons than some full-fledged members. Thankfully their clan did not traffic in prostitution. There was very little that he would draw the line at—but that was one thing. The other was giving up Amberly.

He reached the penthouse and was escorted to the living room where his uncle was busy on the phone. Y waited in the entrance to be acknowledged but his uncle’s back was turned. Y heard him speaking in Japanese and his body stiffened when his name was mentioned.

“He will be here shortly,” Yori said. “Don’t worry Riyu, I will take care of it. Once Yagano secures the contracts you can have what you want. You just remember your end of the agreement-”

Y turned and silently left the condo.

His heart felt as if it had dropped to his feet. His uncle hadn’t just been a passive player in Riyu’s plan. Yagano pulled the fake contract from his pocket and tore it into tiny bits, allowing the pieces to scatter in the wind.

Amberly kissed him when he got home. “Y, your uncle’s been calling you.”

He already knew since he’d turned off the ringer of his phone due to the many calls from his uncle. “I’ll call him in a bit. I’m starving. What’s for dinner?”

After he’d eaten and hung out with his guests he finally went into his office and called his uncle.

“Yagano! Where have you been? I’ve been waiting for hours!” Yori exclaimed.

“Yes, uncle. I know.” Y replied quietly.

“What?”

“I said that I know. I know that you have been waiting and I know that you intend to give Riyu my position in Akita Tom Productions.” Yagano’s voice was even. The pain of betrayal had already settled in around him and he felt nothing more than a sense of numbness. His uncle didn’t speak. Yagano imagined that he was in a state of shock, or maybe he was scrambling for the right words to try to snare Y back into his good graces.

Only right now, Y felt no different than the many companies that Riyu had destroyed after he’d taken what he wanted. His uncle—no, this man was no longer his uncle, Yori Akhiro knew what Akita and working in the company had meant to him. And he would do this to him?

“Yagano, wait. You don’t understand-“

Y sighed. “I should have known that your interest in me was simply because my father ordered it-“

“Yagano, that’s not true! Riyu is-“

“I don’t want to hear his name! The Yakuza will not get another dime of money from this company.” Y hung up the phone while Yori appealed for him to listen.

Y blocked the telephone number of the man that had long been the most important person in his life.  Y had several tricks up his sleeve. Tomorrow he would begin to implement them.

Y sat at his desk and sent out a memo calling for a meeting of the shareholders. In the morning he would call Robert Chancellor and have a very important discussion with him.

“Maybe you can put in a good word for Wheels of Steel.” Jason said as he watched Robin scan her wardrobe for the right outfit for her lunch meeting with Jerry Flynn.

She wished she had packed her pencil skirt but who would have thought she’d need such a thing? She had to be content with brown slacks that hugged her without being too tight and a wispy blouse that was almost translucent except for strategically placed appliques.

Robin turned and looked at Jason who was propped up in bed. “I’m not doing this without you and Peter. It’s going to be Sweetheart with Wheels of Steel or it’s going to be nothing at all.”

“Robin, why won’t you let me go with you?” Jason asked. “I got your back-“

“I know you do, but you’ve been handling your business without me at your side.” She poised with the brush in her hand. “I can do the same. All we’re doing is talking. I’m not signing any contracts. Y already warned me against that. I just want to find out what they want me to do for the show.”

Jason grinned. “You know The Bushido code is my favorite anime.”

“It’s going to be mine too, now that I’m one of the performers,” she joked while slipping on her blouse. Jason just stared at her with a wide crooked grin plastered on his face.

“Damn, I have the coolest girlfriend ever. Gorgeous, a member of an all-girls band, going on a power lunch to discuss a contract with my favorite anime show… and for some unknown reason you want to marry me.”

He truly looked amazed at that concept.

Robin turned from the mirror and climbed into the bed where she settled with her head against his chest. She looked up at him when he placed his arms around her.

“Want to know what my big dream is?” She asked.

“What?”

“To have someone love me for who I am. Who thinks I’m sexy, smart, talented—and worthy of marrying.”

Jason stared at her in confusion. She had never seen herself as any of those things--that had always been obvious to him from the very beginning. He kissed her.

“You are all of that and more. I can’t wait until I can call you Mrs. Hamilton.”

She grinned. “Me either.”

“You know that I value being with you more than anything. I’d choose you over the fame, over the wealth—“ Jason said.

“Even over the fans?” She joked.

“Especially over the fans. I don’t need all that.”

She kissed him once again and then got out of bed to finish preparing for her meeting.

“When can we go home?” She asked.

“You miss Cincinnati already?”

“Well we were in Atlanta for a week and we’ve been here for nearly a month. If I stay away too much longer my landlord is going to think that I want to give up my place.”

“Is that such a bad idea?”

She looked at him through the reflection of the mirror. “You want me to move in with you when we get back?”

“Yes. Most definitely.”

She gave him a wry grin. “We can talk about it later.”

He frowned. “What’s there to talk about? You don’t want to move out of your tiny apartment and into a big-ass mansion?”

She spritzed herself with perfume. “I do. I just …”

“What?” He asked while climbing out of bed.

Robin sighed and turned to face him. “I smoke marijuana. Now I might not do it forever but when and if I stop it will be my decision.”

His brow drew together and his lips formed a hard line. “Marijuana makes you act … uhm, how should I put this. STUPID!” He was thinking about the sexy dance and song she’d performed that was still pulling in viewers on the internet. He was thinking about the way she’d sang that song to Amberly, but mostly he was thinking about the men she’d been with when they had been apart.

Robin stared at him for a moment before turning her back to him to look at herself in the mirror. She adjusted her bangs without looking at his waiting figure. “So you’re going to call me names whenever you don’t like what I do?”

Jason lowered his head and then placed his hands on her shoulders. “I’m sorry babe. I didn’t—I wasn’t trying to call you stupid, I promise. I just think pot is unnecessary and it makes people act different. I’m not going to lie. I don’t like it and I hope you stop smoking it.”

Robin turned and gave him a stern look. “And that’s why I’m reluctant to move in with you.” She moved away from his grasp and picked up her purse. “I’ll see you when I get back.” And then she left the bedroom.

Once the door was firmly closed Jason smacked his forehead and called himself an idiot.

As Robin headed down the stairs she cursed Jason and his bad temper. One minute they were all about the loving and the next he was implying that she wasn’t smart. He knew that was one of her ‘buttons’. She’d grown up thinking that she wasn’t as smart as others because of her learning disability. It had caused her to become an introvert and it was Jason and his love that had pulled her out of it.

But there had been times when he had made her feel as if she wasn’t smart. Just as there were times when she wondered the same thing. But Robin decided that she would no longer allow that type of thing either from Jason or from herself.

Y saw her come down the stairs and he joined her as she headed for the front door.

“Are you ready to go?” He asked.

Robin gave him a curious look.

“Y, you don’t have to go with me. The driver-“

“You’re soon to be signed under our label. That makes me one of your agents—soon to be agent. And as your agent you get to have me accompany you on important meetings in which you discuss future ventures.”

Robin smiled. “Fine.”

“Besides, I have to go to the office and if you don’t mind stopping there afterwards I can take care of my business and you can leave your personal information for HR.”

“Oh so you had ulterior motives?” She joked.

“Nah. But I do want to make sure Jerry knows that you’re already taken.” His eyes pierced her and Robin felt a strange pull … they locked eyes and then she blinked and the feeling abruptly ended.

Y led her outside and then helped her into the car. When they were on the road she gave him a grateful smile.

“Thank you. Honestly, I am a little nervous. I’ve never done anything like this. But I know I can,” she quickly added. “But I wouldn’t mind having a little help.”

Y gave her a nod of understanding. “I know that you’re fully capable of handling your business.” What he didn’t say was that her business was now his business.