Evan POV
I had just come back from the hospital after seeing my artist RJ2. I had signed him over a year ago and sometimes money, fame and power get thrown at people and they don't know how to handle it. I think from now on, I am going to get a money advisor for my new acts.
You see with the money, you can get whatever you want. Drugs, alcohol and all the ass you could possibly want. I see the video girls when I'm on the set and believe me it can get tempting but I know they are just looking for a payday.
Since I have a small satellite office in Metairie, I decided go to my office. I had an actual date with Cadence and was very excited and nervous. It was different when I knew she was coming to have sex with me, because I was ready, but this time it was somehow different. I wasn't expecting to have sex with her, but just to be able to sit down and talk. Somehow she intrigued me. I wasn't sure what it was about her, but she had been the first person I somewhat had a connection with since my last girlfriend.
I sat in the back of the town car as my driver Simon pulled up to the three story brick building that housed several offices and three recording studios.
"I won't be too long probably a few hours. Why don't you grab lunch and I will call you when you can come back?" I said as Simon opened my door.
"Thank you sir," Simon said closing the door.
I buttoned up my suit jacket and walked up to the reinforced glass doors. I swiped my card and was greeted by security. I had the frosted glass doors made out of bulletproof glass over ten inches thick and held up by reinforced steel. You could never be too careful. My office in Los Angeles was broken into a few years ago and it cost me over a hundred thousand dollars to fix including another two hundred fifty thousand I got from the insurance company to replace equipment and fixtures. It was a mess and I promised myself it would be like Fort Knox if you wanted to get into one of my buildings.
"Is anyone here today?" I asked Roosevelt, one of my security guards who was also a New Orleans police officer. All my security guards were current police officers or retired sheriff or city police. I didn't want trouble and to ward off trouble I made it clear if ya ass wanted to clown in here or to start trouble, you would be dealt with.
"Jon, Benny, Rick and that new artist Philly D are in studio 1 and Maize Ma, Denver and Wakaka are in studio 3. Charmaine and Debra are in the photography studio, I think working on some promo shoots. I heard them talking about it," Roosevelt said. He made it his business to know what was going on, that's why he was the weekend Captain of Security and why I paid him a grip to watch my building.
I walked around and looked at the screens. Sure enough people were talking and moving around.
"Thanks man. If you need me I will be in my office working for a little while. "
"Okay, Boss got you," Roosevelt said. I shook his hand and headed towards the staircase.
Instead of taking the elevator I decided to take the stairs. The first floor of the building was the three recording studios. I peeked my head in and sat in listening to a few tracks before heading up to see Debra and Charmaine.
They were getting the shots right for our monthly promos that went out to all our retail outlets, radio stations and national magazines. We had some of the hottest artists around and the more publicity they got, the more money poured into the company. After signing off on some of their ideas, I took the last set of stairs to my office.
The third floor was mostly my office, my assistants Crystal and Brian's desks, two conference rooms, a couple of empty offices for some of my high-ups when they come to town, Lina's office, my talent agent, a kitchen, a storage room and a large file room. The third floor was mostly used as the executive suite.
I opened the door to the third floor. It still amazed me that I owned so much. At sixteen it was no way I would have thought I would own a successful record company, travel all over the world and dine with the new and old Hollywood. Sometimes I felt it was all a dream. Thanks to my fans and family, they had made Evan McCain Records (EMR) the best in the business. I passed the glass shelves that housed numerous awards for EMR, plaques of gold, platinum and triple platinum records including mine that hung up on the walls. I had so many they were on every floor.
I went inside my office to see mounds of contracts and files on my desk. Once I sat down my mind wasn't really on them but on Cadence.
The way she had totally given herself to me made her addictive. Even when I dated Yaritza, the connection was different. I would never want to see her hurt in anyway. It just amazes me that when I look into her eyes I see myself; the ambition and being the caregiver.
The day of the party, Lilly had asked me to come to her office for meeting. I had obliged her as she said it was important. When I got there she had showed me a picture of Cadence. She was absolutely stunning and she had asked me to consider being one of her clients. I was a little hesitant because although I was a member, I hadn't really taken any of the girls. I worked so much that sex and relationships were on the back burner. I wasn't one of the richest, that flaunted their wealth, but I didn't want one of the girls to use me for all my money. Mind you, I didn't mind spending my money on nice things to woe a woman but I didn't want to be played.
I looked up at the pictures that were sitting on top of my desk. Pictures of my family at the grand opening of the New Orleans studio, my niece Bethany and Anana, and then of one of Karenna faced me. It made my chest stick out to know my family had my back no matter what. My siblings and I have always been close. We were the Cosby Family. We ate dinner together, partied together and now we all worked together.
My mother was a dress designer and my father was an entertainment attorney. My sister, Emilia was my CFO. She has MBA from Stanford and is a CPA. My youngest sister, Mona, is a marketing genius. She also has a MBA form Harvard. She is my Senior Vice President. Jeffrey, my youngest brother was over talent management in California. He was young and he knew where the talent was. I on the other hand graduated from Loyola University in music and business.
My parents wanted me to settle down and find a nice girl but I had been keeping my guard up since Yaritza cheated on me. I had given her my heart and she took it and ripped it to shreds. I had dated her on and off since high school and she was my ride or die chick. She was there when I had nothing and then when I got my record deal she was there.
It wasn't until she had become a little famous with being in my videos that she started being in other rappers videos. She would do a little video here and there and then all of a sudden she blew up. A video vixen is what you would have called her. Outside of my knowledge she was sleeping with the rappers too. Unfortunately I didn't find out until years later and she was four months pregnant with the child I thought was mine. It had taken me by surprised at first but I stayed with her. I helped support the child until she was born.
Now she was battling me in court for parental rights to Karenna for the past last year. She had abandoned her three month old child at the time and now she wanted full custody. Karenna was now three years old. I had tried to keep Karenna from all the paparazzi and give her a safe environment but Yaritza was ready to take her away from me. Karenna didn't even know who she was. The bad part about it, Yaritza didn't even know who the father was. She could never find out about Cadence and my lifestyle. It would ruin my chances on retaining custody of Kara.
My mom took care of Kara, the nickname I had given to Karenna, while I travelled. Kara is a beautiful child and I still could not understand why Yaritza would just throw her away and leave her. Yaritza basically dropped Kara at my mother's house and left; no note nothing, not even bottles or diapers. My mom called me in an uproar and we filed custody papers the next day.
The whole situation with Yaritza and Karenna had taken an emotional toll on me. Even though she wasn't mine I could not give her away. Yaritza was a slut and she hurt me so bad, that I wasn't even sure I could be in a monogamous relationship again. I did everything for Yaritza and she still didn't appreciate it.
I flipped through the files on my desk. I reviewed and signed off on a few. I sat back in my chair and stared out the window. Thoughts of seeing Cadence today had made me a little happier. After our last encounter, something happened between us and I wasn't sure if I could continue to see her. Then today, to see her out the clear blue, made me want to be with her as if something was missing. She had agreed to go out to dinner with me. I was shocked when she agreed. I think I really like her and many would think I was crazy but sometimes things happen between two people that is unexplainable.
It could be that she wasn't the usual that Lilly brought into the organization. Maybe it was that she was untouched or maybe she didn't seem like the typical escort. She wasn't extravagant in materialistic things and she seemed appreciative. I had heard the others talk about some of the ladies that Lilly employed and I think it kinda turned me off. But just that one taste of pleasuring her body the night of the ball, when she was nervous and shy, made me want her even more. She worked her body without hesitation and surrendered herself to me. Although I wasn't allowed to penetrate her, she gave me everything else whether she knew it or not .
Lilly had told me, Cadence was a virgin and that she was going to let her decide who would be her first, but, I had hoped it would have been me. I was use to being first but I knew I would have competition.
My mind wondered off to that night. Her body responded to the simplest touches and it had me wanting her. Thoughts of engaging in sexual intercourse with her had crossed my mind so many times that I had to remember it was her choice. I was pleading that she would go ahead and let me, but she didn't.
The second time, I got the taste that I was denied. Once I had my full, I didn't want it to end. We had quite a few things in common and we both felt something that night when we were together. I wanted that feeling back. Maybe it was because it had been a while since I actually felt something with someone. It had been over eight months since I had been with someone, but it wasn't serious nor would it turn that way.
I was surprised that she had agreed to a date. l really liked being in her company. I'm not going to lie, I wanted her but she seem really cool just to be around.
I scroll down my phone. I figured I would do something special. I made a few phone calls and decided to clean off my desk and leave.
An hour later I had made it back to my uptown apartment that I had been renting for a couple of months. I wasn't sure if I would be moving to New Orleans or not so living in the apartment worked out. The building was secure with twenty-four hour security and many of the football, basketball and other high rollers lived in the building. With a hour to spare, Simon met me outside.
Simon pulled up to the resturant and I got out. I knew the owner, Harve Galatorie. He owned the creole restaurant that mixed the flavors of French and Cajun cuisine. His chef, Louis Baptiste, was world renown. I walked in about twenty minutes early just to make sure everything was set up just the way I wanted it. I was greeted by Jon the outside host. I continued on and was greeted by Angie the hostess.
"Mr. McCain, how are you doing tonight?" She asked taking my coat.
"Great, is everything ready for me tonight?"
"Yes sir, the back patio is set up just the way you wanted. The Chef has prepared something special and the wine is on ice. The sailboat is already docked and waiting on your arrival."
"Thanks Angie," I said as she walked me to the back patio.
"She must be real special for you to reserve the entire patio area on such short notice. I wish someone would do something that special for me," She said smiling and opening the door.
"She is, but she just doesn't know it yet," I said walking out on the patio looking at the river.
"Well I will send the lucky lady out here when she gets here," Angie said walking back inside.
I looked down at my phone. I had a few missed texts and so I texted back. Nothing important, just work related and that RJ2 was doing better.
"Hello, Evan."
I looked up from my phone to see the lady of the hour dressed to kill. I stood and held out my hand for her to take it.