Ice King: A Dark Billionaire Romance by B. B. Hamel

Author:B. B. Hamel [Hamel, B. B.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-08-21T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

Marie

Kari paces back and forth in the tiny green room backstage. “This is a nightmare. This is so awful.”

“Calm down,” Dean says, sipping a beer. “We’ve played this set a million times. We know how to do it.”

She turns and glares at him. “Don’t tell me to calm down, you selfish, pompous, egotistical—”

“Kari,” Kurt warns.

She takes a deep breath. “Sorry.”

“No problem,” Dean says, grinning. He glances over and winks at me. “This is how Kari works out her nerves. She abuses me and I take it graciously.”

“You told her that you’d cut out her womb and make her eat it just last week,” Tobias points out.

Dean waves him away. “One moment of weakness. I’m a saint, really.”

“You’re a demon, but so long as you channel that evil energy up on that stage into putting on a good show, I couldn’t care less.” Kira sighs and flops down next to me on a low loveseat. “I want a drink to calm my nerves but it’ll only make my drumming sloppy.”

“You guys are going to be great. I know I’m supposed to say that and all, but I really mean it. You’re playing the best I’ve ever seen right now.”

“It’s a major label guy though, Marie.” Kira leans her head on my shoulder and I try not to smile like an idiot. She can be so affectionate sometimes and I really love it—makes me feel like I’m an actual part of the group, even if I’m just the manager. “We’ve been working our asses off for years to get major label attention and now suddenly it falls from the sky.”

“Not from the sky,” Kurt says as he tunes his bass. “From Ansell Drake.”

“No, from Marie Pearce,” I say and the band laughs. “Seriously, it’s not because of me or Drake or anyone else. Do I think it’s fair that we live in a world where you need a big-time manager to catch the eye of a big-time label? Yeah, I do think it’s unfair. You guys are amazing and you should succeed entirely based on merit. You shouldn’t need me. But here we are, and you know what? Screw how you got here, because you’re here, and you deserve it.” I stand up and go to the door. “You’re on soon. I want you guys to go out there and kill it, okay?”

“Whatever you say, boss.” Dean salutes me. “Very rousing. I feel inspired.”

“One hell of a speech,” Tobias agrees. “Makes me want to follow you into war.”

Kari rolls her eyes. “Thanks, Marie.”

“Just kill it.” I wave and leave the green room, head through the snaking halls behind the stage of the Trocadero Theater, and stand in the wings deep in the shadows. An opening act, three guys on acoustic guitars and a female singer that plays the tambourine with shocking skill, make the packed house sway. The lights are dimmed and the smell of bodies is almost overwhelming.

Ansell appears at my elbow. I don’t know how the hell that man does it.

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