Page 58 of Recklessly, Wildly Yours

His apologies, my ass. Gage is always across everyone’s feelings. He can read people in a way no one I’ve ever met can. He just loves to fuck with people, especially his brothers. “Yeah. She needs a lawyer to look over some contracts.” I eye Hayden. “Can you give her some advice?”

He grimaces. “I’m pretty busy this week while Liv’s on her honeymoon.”

“Surely, you can fit a contract in.”

The look on his face tells me I’m pushing my luck, but he nods. “Give her my number.”

I text his number to Maddie before he changes his mind.

She replies straight away.

Miller: {This is a secret message the feds can’t read: You are the best and the next time I see you I’m going to wrap my filthy mouth around your dick and pay you back for those orgasms you gave me}

Fuck. Me.

20

Madeline

“So, what can we expect from you next, Madeline?” the radio host I’m currently talking with asks me early Thursday morning during my first interview of the day. Just like yesterday, I’ve got a full day of interviews thanks to the schedule Judy has put together for me.

I smile at the host. I’ve appeared on her show many times and I like her. “I’m writing new stuff that I’m really excited about. And I’ve decided to post more often on socials and share my process as I go.” This is something I’ve always wanted to do, but Tucker and Darren never let me.

The host’s eyes light up. “Oh, that would be amazing! I’m always fascinated to know how songs come together and I imagine your fans would love that too.”

“I hope it’ll be something fun for everyone.”

She wraps the interview up and ten minutes later, I’m on my way out to my waiting car with Leigh and Judy. Leigh hands me a bottle of water while Judy rattles off information I’ll need for the next interview, which is for a magazine cover story.

Judy hasn’t found it hard to line up interviews. Everyone wants to know what happened with my wedding and what’s in my future now that the news has broken about me being dumped by my record label. Darren has demanded I don’t speak about my relationship with Tucker, but I haven’t paid attention to any of his demands. Instead, Judy has helped me figure out how to talk about my hurt over being cheated on and the way my abortion was discussed publicly without talking too much about Tucker directly. We’re keeping the focus on me and my plans for the future.

My phone rings as I’m settling myself in the back seat of the car and when I see Ethan’s brother’s name on my screen, I answer it immediately.

“Hayden. Thank you for calling me back.”

“No worries. I’m in between appointments, though, so I’ll need to be quick. Ethan told me you need a contract looked at. Can you give me some context?”

I fill him in on my contract with Darren and why I need it looked over. I don’t hold anything back, sharing honestly with him that Darren and Tucker screwed me over with my percentages because I knew no better back then, and that I answered to them like I was an employee more than an artist in my own right. I hate having to admit my stupidity to Ethan’s brother.

Hayden’s reply, though, is what makes me decide he may just be the lawyer for me. “Send the contract through so I can take a look. It pisses me off when people screw others over because they know they can get away with it. You were young and new to the industry, Madeline, and they should have done better by you. Especially Tucker. I’ll do everything in my power to help you get what you’re owed, and we’ll make sure this never happens again.”

“Please call me Maddie. And I really appreciate this, Hayden, especially since I know how busy you already are.” I did my research on Hayden and learned he’s one of the most in-demand lawyers in New York.

After we end the call, Leigh looks at me. “Was that Hottie McHottie’s lawyer brother?”

“Yes. Can you please email him my contract with Darren?”

“I’m on it.”

Judy glances up from her phone. “A video of you has gone viral.”

My new publicist has perfected her poker face, so I can’t get a read on what she’s thinking. “Good or bad?”

“It’s not ideal.” She hands me her phone with the video ready for me to watch.

I stare at myself wearing very little, talking dirty to the camera. It’s a video Tucker took of me last year but he’s nowhere in sight because he filmed it. The caption makes out that it’s a recent video taken by Ethan, who social media hasn’t stopped talking about since the video of us was posted two days ago. Speculation is rife that I left Tucker for Ethan and the comments on this video are nasty in their condemnation of me.

I pass Judy’s phone back to her while my chest tightens with anger. More anger. It seems like every day brings a fresh round of it. “This is Tucker’s doing. He made that video last year.”

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