Chapter 10

Christopher

I went home to clean myself up after the fun little moment I had with Jessi in her dressing room. How the fuck had I not known she had a dressing room? I couldn’t believe how Jessi’s career had taken off, despite the fact that she hadn’t shown much interest when the two of us were together. Well, she said she did. But every time I relived those days, the only interest she seemed to have was my cock.

Which I wasn’t complaining about. Not then, and certainly not now.

I took a hot shower and got ready for the party. I didn’t like the fact that Jessi wasn’t going. Something about that didn’t sit right with me. But it was a party and I was anxious to spend more time with Justin.

That, and have a good fucking time.

I pulled on a pair of dark jeans and pulled a button-down shirt over my shoulders. A mixture of casual and dressed-up that the ladies couldn’t ignore. Not that I was interested in any of them, but the attention was nice. Especially when it pissed Justin off the way it did sometimes. It had always been that way between us. I was the ladies’ man and Justin was the rough asshole that women enjoyed hate-fucking. It worked for him and it worked for me, then we teased each other relentlessly about it.

That was how we rolled.

“Chris! Over here!”

I saw Justin flag me over as his father smiled at me.

“Christopher! Long time no see. How have you been?” his father asked.

“Doing all right,” I said. “And by the looks of this party, you’re recording career is going well.”

“It’s always been well,” he said. “What are you doing nowadays? Still working with models?”

“Choreography and setting the stage, yes. I’m in town for the latest fashion show a few blocks down the road,” I said.

“Well, it’s good to have you back. Will you be staying long?” he asked.

“All depends on where the job takes me,” I said, with a grin.

Just then, the phone on his hip rang and his attention was turned elsewhere.

“Excuse me, Christopher. Make yourself at home. Food and drinks are on me tonight. Enjoy yourself.”

“He always does around me, Dad. Don’t worry,” Justin said.

“Hey there, man.”

“Glad you could make it,” he said.

“So who’s the lucky artist?” I asked.

“See that girl over there? In the tight dress that makes her look like a disco ball?”

“And the flats? Why the hell is she wearing flats with that dress?”

“She’s a bigger girl. Guess she doesn’t wanna fall on her face.”

“You haven’t been around the bigger girls I have. Those women know how to rock heels better than any skinny woman I’ve ever seen.”

“Either way, that’s her. She’s this emerging artist that wants to fuse country and pop.”

“So, she wants to use Taylor Swift’s transition as her entire career?” I asked.

“I swear you should’ve taken that internship my father offered you,” he said.

“Music is not where my passion is. Beautiful women walking in clothes, though? Much more my style.”

I looked over to a woman walking by and she was holding a tray of drinks. I plucked one for me and handed the other to Justin. I could hear his dad talking behind me on his phone, though he was having to shout a bit to get over the noise of the party.

And there was a particular part of the conversation that caught my ear.

“Of course we want you here. You really should come. I mean, there are trays of alcohol, but even with a baby you should be good to stop by for a few minutes. No, you don’t have to dress up. Yes, I want you here. Why wouldn’t I want you here?”

“Justin?” I asked.

“Yep?”

“Why the hell’s your dad trying to convince someone to bring a baby to the party?” I asked.

I watched Justin’s eyes dart to his face as he cleared his throat.

“Probably one of his artists. He enjoys cross-promotion and he’s probably trying to work some sort of angle,” he said.

“But there is alcohol here. It wouldn’t be smart to bring a kid into all this,” I said.

“That’s probably why the artist is currently explaining to my dad why he or she isn’t showing up.”

Justin’s response was very curt and I felt like he was hiding something. The way Justin’s eyes were panning around the party instead of meeting mine. The way his expression had fallen when I mentioned it.

Who the hell was his dad talking to?

“Just thought it was weird, that’s all,” I said.

“And don’t worry. I agree. This place? Way too loud for a kid,” Justin said.

“You guys miss me?” his father asked.

“Who was that on the—?”

“Oh, hold on. My artist is beckoning for me. Let me go see what she wants, then we can get this show on the road. You guys are gonna love this song. Real game changer.”

“Game changer?” I asked.

“Yep. It’s the term my father uses when he’s got an artist that won’t make it past their first single,” Justin said.

“Why the hell does he call it a game changer if it’s clearly not?” I asked.

“Because he can get sued for a hell of a lot of money if he downplays the artist and someone hears.”

“Well, shit. Sounds like a fun situation to be in.”

I threw back the rest of my drink before I grabbed another one from the tray. All sorts of people were filing in filling up the venue for this party. Actors and actresses. Other music producers and their budding artists. Infamous musicians were making their way in and greeting the newcomer with smiles. Some guys were staring at her tits while the women on their arms were glaring at her. She was a small fish swimming in a tank full of sharks, and I could easily see why Justin’s father wanted to keep an eye on her.

She seemed airheaded, at best.

“Come on. Let’s go get into some trouble,” Justin said.

“The redhead not coming tonight?” I asked.

“She will be later tonight,” he said with a grin. “But she’s not free until almost eleven.”

“Uh huh. Any idea what she’s doing until then?”

“Probably some other guy, but why the fuck do I care?”

“Wrap it up then. I don’t need you calling me up saying your dick fell off from some unknown disease because you have no standards.”

“I do too have standards. They just aren’t as stringent as yours,” he said.

“Stringent? I’ve watched you throw three drinks back, and you can still come up with words like stringent? Here, obviously you need another one.”

I threw back one last drink and handed one off to Justin before we found us a couple of hot chicks in the corner. I had no idea who the hell they were or what they were doing here, but Justin sat down right between them. He put both of his arms around them and turned on his charm, and I backed him up whenever necessary. One girl was not into him at all, but the other was very interested. So I focused my sights on her and tried to make him seem as good as he wanted to look for her.

But deep down, I wished Jessi was here.

It wasn’t like I could party with her like I wanted. I couldn't hold her close or kiss on her during the party. But I’d be around her. I’d get more of an opportunity to talk with her. Her dressing room had been a prime opportunity for us to indulge, but I didn’t want her to get the wrong impression. I wasn’t here to fuck her then leave. I wanted to see how she had been doing. I really did want to talk with her. To see if that connection between us on an emotional level was still there.

It sure as hell was still there sexually. But she wasn’t giving me much opportunity to talk to her outside of that.

“Settle down, everyone. Settle down. Can you guys hear me on this thing?”

We all turned towards Justin’s father as he stood on stage with his artist at his side.

“For those of you who don’t know, this is Angela G. You’ll know her name soon enough, because her single drops tomorrow morning.”

We all applauded as the girl at his side blushed.

“Don’t let her small frame fool you, however. She’s got a massive voice that’s going to turn this industry on its head.”

“Yep. Won’t make it past the first disc,” Justin said.

“So, without further delay, here is her debut single, ‘Good To Be Me.’ Remember the name—Angela G.

The song came on and it was actually pretty catchy. I even caught Justin bobbing his head with the girl he was slammed up against. She was practically in his lap at this point with the other girl nowhere in sight. I leaned against the wall and sipped on my drink, watching everyone get up and start dancing to the song. Producers were bobbing their heads and actresses were swiveling their hips. Justin’s father was talking with someone off in the corner as the artist sat front and center, with all the attention on her.

It was catchy, but it wasn’t some big game changer.

Justin was right. She’d be a one-hit wonder before she fizzled out in the populace.

“Hello there.”

I turned my head towards the voice and saw the second woman Justin had tried to score standing beside me.

“Hello,” I said.

“My name’s Jasmine. I’m the friend of the girl that seems to enjoy your asshole friend.”

I looked over at Justin, who was now tongue deep in the girl’s mouth. She was in his lap and his arm was around her, and I grinned as I shook my head.

“Eh, he’s okay once you get to know him,” I said.

“I’d rather get to know you, if that’s okay,” Jasmine said.

I ran my eyes down her body, unimpressed with what I saw. She had curves, sure. But they were nothing like Jessi’s. Her eyes were empty and glistened over with the alcohol she’d been drinking, which wasn’t how I liked it anyway. I was a fucking animal in the sack, and I wanted women to remember that. Her eyes weren’t as big as Jessi’s and her breasts certainly weren’t as nice as hers. She had a good set of legs on her, but they were toned and chiseled. Not soft and pliable like Jessi’s thighs.

Or the rest of her body.

I smiled down at the girl, trying to figure out how I could let her down gently. But before I could, a resounding slap came from behind me.

I turned around to see the girl pushing herself off Justin’s lap.

“You’re a pig,” the girl said.

“Never claimed to be anything else, sweetheart,” Justin said.

“How can you wingman for a guy like that?” the girl asked me.

“He’s not such a bad guy once you get to know him,” I said.

The girl huffed, linking arms with her friend before they both stormed off. I looked back at Justin with a grin on my face as a red mark rose on his cheek. Damn. She’s smacked him good. I went over and sat down beside him as he picked up his drink, then the two of us relaxed as Angela G. took the stage.

“She’ll perform it live now,” Justin said.

“But we just listened to it,” I said.

“That’s how it goes at these things. You’ll hear it four more times throughout the course of the night, too.”

“Far as I’m concerned, the night’s done. We had drinks, we mingled, and you got slapped. It’s been a good night for me.”

“And the best part? I get to end it with that fiery redhead. She’ll probably be turned on by this mark on my face.”

“Don’t tell her you got it from another woman, though. Might ruin the mood,” I said.

“Or she might be into it.”

“Take my advice. You wanna get laid tonight? Don’t tell her it was from another girl,” I said.

“Fine, fine. But I’m not done with this party yet.”

“You’re really going to try with another woman?” I asked.

“No, dipshit. I told my dad I’d keep an eye on the trash cans. Told him I could stay until eleven forty five.”

“Ah, so you’re the designated trash for the night.”

“Trash man. You forgot the ‘man’ in that statement.”

“No,” I said with a grin. “I don’t think I did.”

Justin slugged me in the arm as I started laughing. It was good to be with my best friend again. But as I looked around the room at all the men with gloriously beautiful women on their hips, my mind fluttered back to her.

To Jessi and how she wasn’t here.