Page 85 of Heartbreaker

“I’m going to take you to bed and make you come at least five times tonight,” he whispers against my mouth, “but I want to take care of something first.” He pulls his phone out of his pocket. “We’re going to talk to Madeline Aronson.”

Holy guacamole.

Everyoneknows Madeline Aronson.

It doesn’t get any more powerful than her as far as entertainment attorneys. It’s almost impossible to get a consultation with her, much less hire her full-time, but Royal dials what appears to be a direct number and puts her on speaker.

“Royal!” She answers almost immediately.

“Hey, Maddie.”

“Madeline,” she corrects him. “How many times do I have to tell you that?”

“Yeah, yeah.” He rolls his eyes. “Listen, I’m here with Jade Cantrell. You have a few minutes to talk to her?”

“I have…” She hesitates, as if looking for something. “...thirteen minutes.”

“Talk fast,” Royal tells me.

“I wasn’t prepared,” I say, “but hello. It’s nice to meet you…Madeline.”

She laughs. “I like her, Royal.”

“Me too,” he says.

“Anyway, give me the Reader’s Digest version of what’s going on,” Madeline says.

“Basically, my management company is trying to force me into working with people I don't like and doing things I don’t want to do. I need someone to fight some of these battles for me because I can’t focus on the creative stuff when I spend hours every day arguing with people who don’t have my back. I need someone who knows what’s in my contracts, how to potentially get me out of them, and who’ll tell me what I can and can’t do.”

“That’s all?” Madeline snorts. “Royal, you said this was hardcore.”

“It is,” he says firmly. “They’re dicking her around and it’s becoming problematic. You asked for the condensed version. There have been some veiled threats and about how she wouldn’t be where she is without them. Shit like that. It needs to stop.”

“Not a problem. Send me over your contracts with your record label and the management company. If you get those to me today, I can talk to you late tomorrow, around eight in the evening Nashville time? Does that work?”

“Absolutely. I’ll get you those documents in a little while.” I don’t even know where the contracts are, but if she can help, I’m more than willing to do my part to hunt them down.

“Great. Royal has my email address.” She pauses. “By the way, I’ll look at the contracts free of charge as a favor to Royal, but in case you decide to sign with me, I’ll be attaching my rate sheet.”

“Money isn’t an issue,” I reply.

“Great. Then we’ll talk tomorrow.” She disconnects and I turn to Royal, squinting.

“How did you do that?”

“Been around the block a few times,” he says patiently. “And anyway, Madeline is good people. She’s been my attorney since before the accident, and it’s the best decision I ever made. She’s a little brusque and won’t give you the warm fuzzies, but she’s loyal, smart, and incredible at her job. She’s expensive but worth every penny.”

“She’s someone you trust.” It’s not a question but he answers anyway.

“More than anyone outside of my family.”

“I’ve heard she has a three-year waiting list just for a consultation.”

He smiles. “Like I said, I’ve been doing this a while.”

“What if she can’t help me?”

“She will. Trust me.” He winds his fingers through mine and pulls me onto his lap.

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