What if I knocked their socks off instead?

CHAPTER TWO-TOMMY

“What do you think of the DJ?” Sonny asked, and I dipped my head.

It was hard to emote with my mask on, but it was Halloween, and I wanted to come out tonight incognito.

Besides, the DJ was fine. The Whiskey Bar, too.

“Wassup Tommy! I can’t believe you came, bro,” Buck yelled over the pounding bass, slapping my back a little harder than was necessary.

“‘Sup with you two fuckers? Man, I can’t believe you’re both married. What happened to being single and studly forever?”

I shouted back.

“You mean, how did we get so lucky to wind up blissfully married while poor you still has to wade through the toxic sludge that is the dating pool?” Sonny asked.

“Fuck off! I was just fucking with you, man. You’re both very lucky,” I said, and meant it.

“Yeah, right. How much tail you chasing now that your single is top of the charts?” Sonny asked, but I just shook my head.

He’d called itmy single, but I was the producer, not the performer.

Ten years in the music business and I’d just started making bank about three years ago.

I had a handful of talent I worked with, but the list was growing. I was very selective, of course.

But I was also very good. I offered the fairest contracts out there. I didn’t want to end up on a TV special in twenty years as the douchebag who took advantage of such-and-such pop star when they didn’t know any better.

This newest top single that Sonny mentioned was from a little girl from Iowa who played guitar and had a big smile. She was only fifteen and had an innocence the whole world loved and related to.

Anyway, the second I heard her, I knew she was going to be special. And I was right. I signed her immediately.

It was a gift I had, finding talent. But it was a lonely life. Truth was, I worked so much building my company, Titanium Sound Productions.

My team was handpicked. I had everyone I needed with me. Lawyers, sound engineers, musicians, a recording studio, instruments, a social media team, marketers, and even our very own on call mental health specialist.

Titanium Sound Productions was a stigma free zone, and I made sure everybody fucking knew it.

With millions in the bank, awards lining my shelf, and platinum records on the wall, with the promise of more to come, I was living my dream

Only, I realized when I reconnected with my old college pals, I’d hardly invested any time in my personal life.

I’d recently moved my entire company from Los Angeles to New York City. I hated living in Manhattan though, and Sonny had immediately put me in contact with his realtor.

I was now the proud owner of a giant fucking house right here in Montclair. The commute was less than an hour, so it wasfine. Besides, I’d managed to create such a fine-tuned team I hardly had to go into the office anymore at all.

“The girls are here,” Buck cut in, his smile going from ear to ear as a group of females walked in through the back entrance.

“Ready to meet the best damn women you ever saw?” Sonny asked before running over to embrace his heavily pregnant wife.

I recognized Jeremy Kent from school. He was with the foursome of women who’d entered the bar.

They were all wearing costumes, but so far mine was the only one with a full mask. I loved the anonymity it gave me. The guys introduced me, and I learned everyone’s name.

“A pleasure,” I said, aware my voice sounded odd beneath the mask.

“Holy shit, Tommy! Are you ashadow daddy?” Delani asked.