Ace (Playtime Series Book 1) Read online

  ACE

  Playtime Series Book 3

  GEMMA ARLINGTON

  Contents

  Copyright

  ~Prelude~

  ~Chapter One~

  ~Chapter Two~

  ~Chapter Three~

  ~Chapter Four~

  ~Chapter Five~

  ~Chapter Six~

  ~Chapter Seven~

  ~Chapter Eight~

  ~Chapter Nine~

  ~Chapter Ten~

  ~Chapter Eleven~

  ~Chapter Fourteen~

  ~Chapter Fifteen~

  ~Chapter Sixteen~

  ~Chapter Seventeen~

  ~Chapter Eighteen~

  ~Chapter Nineteen~

  ~Chapter Twenty~

  ~Chapter Twenty-One~

  About the Author

  Author Links

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental"

  Copyright © 2019 Gemma Arlington.

  ISBN- 978-0-6484862-2-0

  All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission from author Gemma Arlington herself.

  Cover Design – Sly fox Cover Designs

  ~Prelude~

  Ace

  This was the last thing I ever expected when I agreed to this stupid, stupid, stupid idea. Not that I had much choice in the matter, especially when your boss’s supervisor enforces that you go above and beyond the line of duty. You must make sure the client remains happy and gets what they want, while adhering firmly to the well-known mantra that the client is always right… even if they’re completely wrong.

  I remember him stating that there was no job too small, and if a client asked, we delivered. I guess to him, it was a motto, but to the rest of his employees, including myself, it was pure and utter bullshit.

  I had failed to see that this job I was being thrown into, was like no other. Being part of one of the biggest record labels, and landing my current position with the company, was more than I could have ever dreamed of.

  I had been living in California for all of

  two months when I scored this gig, and within six months I had climbed the ladder to becoming a recording label manager. I loved that I had the power to sign new clients plus help old ones revamp their images while relaunching their ailing careers.

  My job, for the most part, was relatively easy as most clients listened and took the information, I provided them with. A lot of up and coming garage bands were being signed to our label and were bringing in good revenue. They went to the right events, spoke with the right people and all in all, behaved themselves. Occasionally we had the odd member of a band or solo artist believe they were ‘all that’ and they liked to turn on the stereotypical, ‘diva-like’ behavior.

  Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever in this business and it seemed my luck had almost run out; that stupid, stupid, stupid mistake I made a few weeks back was about to hit me like a ton of bricks, and it seemed life as I knew it, was never going to be the same

  ~Chapter One~

  Ace

  Life was a lot more complicated than I ever realized it could be. Never-ending bills, a job that required me to go above and beyond, and the fact that I was all alone in a town that I wished I had steered clear of, was all too much.

  Los Angeles wasn’t for everyone; I can easily say that if I had the chance to up and relocate I would. It’s not that I hated LA, there were parts I loved, but I found it slightly daunting that the lifestyles here were so much bigger and brighter than the life I was used to.

  The celebrities I worked with were down and out recording artists who needed a revamp. They took drugs and wasted their youth drinking and swearing at anyone who didn’t agree with the way they lived. Not that I blamed them, a lot of the people I had met were talented individuals who had just taken the wrong path in life.

  I tried not to judge, but sometimes it was harder than it looked.

  I remember the first day on the job. I ended up being reduced to tears due to some Pre-Madonna, spoilt, rich individual, who decided they didn’t need an image consultant nor another manager to help brand them. They wanted to remain the dry, wasted, drug-fucked individual they had always been.

  On that day, I learnt never to let anyone get under my skin, and that no matter how much they were bringing me down, it was only due to their own insecurities. The following day when I came into work, I told the spoilt, rich individual, that if she intended to still sing for the label, she needed to get healthy and work on her attitude. Of course, I threw in a few choice words which didn’t go down too well, but she came back a few days later a changed woman and said that I had given her the wakeup call she had been looking for. Within a month she was back out on the music scene with a great album and two new singles that were now topping the charts.

  As much as she was a bitch in the beginning, I did owe her more than I cared to admit, because without her harsh words I wouldn’t have had the strength and determination to continue at Dash Records.

  I would have left the city right then and there to go back home, but I had been

  determined to make something of myself here in

  L.A and I was surprised at how quickly it happened.

  “Hey Ace, you ready to go? I can’t wait to hear this band, they’re meant to be amazing,” Elle said, smiling as she leant up against my tiny office door.

  I might be a part of the management team here, but it didn’t mean I was gifted with a shiny big office. They were only for the big names like the CEO, finance directors and a few selected others who had worked long and hard to get to their position.

  I, on the other hand, had slaved away the better half of the last six months, barely scraping in to get this position and I didn’t intend on losing it. How I scored this gig in just six months was beyond me, but it was pain staking and the rumor mill at work had been in full swing.

  I had been called every name under the sun; a slut, a whore and a money hungry woman who would sleep with the boss to further her career. Truth was, my boss was the nicest person you could meet. Hank Leroy was not only my employer but also my roommate. He was all of thirty and had grown up in the L.A. lifestyle, which meant the guy had money and a lot of it.

  When I first moved here, I had been bunking at a friend of a friend’s place.

  When that so called ‘friend’ tried to feel me up one night, I bailed and ended up having

  to spend a few nights in a slummy hotel far from work, until I could sort myself out. Hank, being the nice and charming guy that he was, offered me a room in his ridiculously big mansion in Beverly Hills.

  I, of course, tried my best to say no, but the guy could be awfully persuasive. After a little sweet-talking on his behalf, we finally agreed that I would happily live with him, if he would allow me to pay him rent for the room I would occupy.

  I had to admit, without Hank I would still be living in that slum of a hotel, wasting all my money on getting taxi’s to take me to and from the office.

  I smiled back at Elle; she was so sweet and kind. She was from the UK and had moved here from Dash Records London office after her so-called fiancé cheated on her. This left her unable to commit to anyone, but rather, she made it her new sport to hook up with every act on the label that she could get close enough to.

  “This band better be good, otherwise you owe me yet another trip to the spa,” I said as I chuckled.
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  That was two spa trips she now owed me. Elle had claimed the last two bands we went to see were going to be worth it, but I had to say, I begged to differ.

  In the end we made a bet; the winner got a day at the spa, courtesy of the other.

  I won… both times and if tonight’s band was just as shitty as the previous, it seemed I would be having yet another spa day added to my list.

  “I promise it’s better than the previous two,” she ensured, as I stood from my seat while retrieving my hand bag and heading for the exit.

  It was Friday night and we were ready to enjoy a few drinks and some good music. Most of the office had left a few hours ago but I usually stayed back to file unwanted paperwork and look over my clients’ schedules.

  I might have had only a handful of artists who reported to me for their needs regarding the industry, but without those few people, I wouldn’t have had a career.

  “So, are we cabbing it, or do you have some flash car I am unaware of?” I asked.

  “Come on Ace, we’re drinking tonight so a taxi is in order,” Elle replied with a smirk.

  I didn’t mind one bit, because in all honesty, I was happy to have someone else do the chauffeuring.

  ~Chapter Two~

  Ace

  “This is what you call good music?” I questioned, knowing all too well that Elle was into alternative rockers, and when I mean rockers, I mean men. She didn’t go for guys who weren’t in the music industry, and in saying that, she preferred her men in tight, leather pants.

  “Come on, you have to agree they have a good sound?” she smiled.

  They were alright, but nothing I saw was record worthy. I suspected the real reason she liked the group so much was because the lead singer was ‘eye-fucking’ her from the stage. I laughed more to myself than anyone else, because it didn’t matter how many times, I went out with her; she always ended up with a member of a band.

  “Do you think he is hot?” she yelled over the loud music, the females screaming and throwing items of clothing at the band.

  It made me laugh; I had always wondered

  if people brought clean underwear to throw, or if they just threw the ones they were wearing? Either way it was sad, throwing away perfectly good undergarments that were most likely tossed by management afterwards; it was a complete waste of money.

  “He is alright, but then again, he hasn’t been eye-fucking me all night,” I replied sarcastically.

  She rolled her eyes and giggled like a school girl. She had been drinking far more than me, but then I wasn’t the biggest drinker. Alcohol seemed to turn even the nicest man into complete and utter scoundrels and make the most decent of women throw themselves at people who have no respect for them or their bodies.

  “Are you going to sign them?” I queried, knowing the answer would be a big fat no. However, I wanted to hear it from her lips; she turned her focus to the lead guitarist and blew him a kiss. The guy grinned and gave her a wink before she turned her focus back to me.

  Wait a minute, this wasn’t right. She was acting like a love-sick puppy.

  “Elle, are you dating…?” I shrieked and leaned in closer. She now had my full attention and I wanted to know more, was she dating the hot rocker up on stage?

  ˜*˜

  “You’re home,” Hank smiled as I stepped into the sunken lounge of his Beverly Hills mansion.

  “I’m home,” I replied smiling back.

  “So what did you do? Where did you go?” he asked. I sunk down on the leather couch beside him and kicked off my heels.

  “Some club downtown, in regard to what I did… the usual. Watched some lame ass band play, all because… and here is the best part,” I joked, “Elle is fucking the lead guitarist,” I laughed, remembering the sweet smile that crossed her lips when he stepped off stage and ran to her completely dipping her back and taking her mouth with force. It was a hot kiss and made me feel a little something I hadn’t felt in a while, but I quickly pushed those feelings aside.

  “Sounds like a fun evening,” Hank replied.

  “What did you do?” I asked, turning my body so I could see him clearly.

  “Not a lot. I thought you were coming home, so I was going to make us dinner, but then you didn’t show up and when you didn’t answer your phone, I realized you were out,” he sighed, pretending to be sad.

  “Aww, Hank,” I pouted, “If it helps, I am

  starving and I just so happen to recall seeing a bottle of wine in that massive fridge of yours. How about we open it?” I added.

  “You’re cooking,” he said, trying to hide his smile.

  I didn’t mind, I loved cooking and as for the wine, I desperately needed it. We cooked and chatted about our day at work, before sinking into the couch and watching some old re-runs of Star Trek Next Gen.

  You would have never guessed it, but Hank and I had a hell of a lot in common, including our keen interest in sci-fi flicks. It was another reason why living with him was so easy, nothing was ever awkward. In fact, it felt completely right, even if others thought I was sleeping with him to further my career.

  I woke the next morning refreshed, it was Saturday, which meant I had two days to enjoy what small reprieve I could before it was go-go at work. I had intended to spend the majority of the day soaking up the sun by the pool, but it seemed my plans were about to be blown to shreds.

  “Morning Ace,” Hank called out as he smiled and handed me a cup of coffee, black with one sugar; just how I liked it.

  “What on earth is going on out there?” I asked, pointing to the outdoor terrace.

  When I had walked down the stairs into the main lobby, the last thing I expected to see

  was a crazy amount of people streaming through the front door.

  I didn’t have any clue as to what was happening, but I was sure that I would eventually find out.

  “Those people are setting up for tonight, they won’t be long.” Hank replied while taking another sip of coffee.

  “What is happening tonight?” I curiously asked.

  “Record company party, did you get the memo?” he smiled.

  Was I meant to get the memo? Maybe I wasn’t invited, or maybe they just figured I would know, since I lived with Hank.

  “It doesn’t matter anyway, but tonight we’re hosting a party for some big band the company is signing. This is their ‘congrats for signing with us’ or some shit,” he groaned.

  Great. The company was signing yet another band, I wondered if this group was just as washed-out as the rest.

  “Don’t think too much into it, it’s just a party, and yes, you’re expected to represent us.

  So please, be on your best behavior and wear proper attire.” Hank mumbled, taking another sip of coffee.

  “What exactly is proper attire? Last I checked these sorts of bands enjoyed their women wearing nothing but their birthday

  suits,” I joked.

  Hank almost spat his coffee across the kitchen bench, but at the last minute managed to swallow what was in his mouth.

  “You sure know how to surprise me with your dirty talk,” he smirked.

  “Hey, it wasn’t dirty talk, I was just stating the obvious. Bras and panties fly off for boy bands. Not to mention that many females would fall apart from having a bad-boy rocker just smile or wink their way,” I said flirtingly.

  He shook his head, “You’re a naughty girl, no wonder the office thinks I am dating you.” he winked.

  I chuckled and pretended to swoon over him. Hank laughed and stepped closer, placing a quick kiss on my forehead. This was about as affectionate as the two of us got, and to me, this was more than enough. We got along fine and didn’t let sex or work effect our own personal relationship towards each other.

  I smiled and hugged him, “Well since I have a party to attend and I want to look my best, I am going to book myself into the day spa,” I mumbled, as he pulled back, revealing a goofy grin and a mischievous look in his eye. I waved him off and headed f
or the closet.

  I was going to enjoy using my free day at the spa just as much as I intended to enjoy myself at this party tonight.

  ~Chapter Three~

  Ace

  Maybe this party wasn’t such a good idea; I had no clue who most of these people were. The good part was that I was probably the most overdressed person here. I was correct when I stated that bands preferred their women in less.

  The females at this party were clearly dressed to impress the band and I was sure they would. Their outfits barely covered their essentials and a few decided Hank’s pool was the place to be. I bet if I walked out onto the deck surrounding the majority of this house, that I would find a few women naked and skinny dipping in that pool.

  The thought was a little grotesque, but I gathered Hank would have the pool cleaned before I ever got back into it.

  I stepped down into the sunken lounge room to find a few guys busy watching some football game.

  Another guy was placed on the couch

  with a woman curled in his lap. She had the biggest grin on her lips as the man whispered something in her ear.

  I quickly looked away and decided the lounge wasn’t the room for me to hang out in. Besides, I didn’t want, or need, to see anything sordid going on… especially on the couch where I sit every day after I finish work.

  I stepped into the kitchen and was immediately relieved to see Hank; he was busy in conversation, but seemed to stop when he noticed I had walked into the room.

  “Hey, Ace,” he smiled, waving me over towards him. I looked around the kitchen wanting something to drink. The benches were full of food and beverages; it was like a buffet waiting to be devoured.

  I grinned back at him and stepped a little closer, trying to decide what I felt like downing. I usually went with soft drink or water, but for some strange reason I needed something stronger tonight. I guessed it was a combination of the crowds, and seeing everyone else holding a drink, that made me want to swallow any liquid that could make me forget about this terror of a party.