Reno's Gift (Mob Boss Series) by Mallory Monroe Read Free Book Online

 
    Jody
laughed.   “I tell you what,” he said as
they began leaving.   “I’ll make it up to
you.”
    Trina
glanced back at him.   “Yeah, how?”
    “Maybe
we can drive by my place on our way back.   I can show you the crib, put on a little music, and we can chill for the
rest of the evening.”
    Trina
didn’t even entertain such nonsense.   “If
you weren’t such a good accountant, I wouldn’t have anything to do with you.
You know that, right?”
    “So
that’s it!   You’re using me for my
brains!”
    “And
nothing more,” Trina said with a laugh as they headed out.

 
    The
conversation felt like a merry-go-round to Reno.   It was going nowhere fast.   Shay Grayson, one of the biggest stars in the
country, wanted to renegotiate her contract for the third time in as many
weeks.   Reno had already warned her
personally that he wasn’t going to continue to put up with her diva ways, but
apparently she didn’t believe him.   Because, according to Reno’s COO Lee Jones, she was at it again.
    “I
don’t care what she wants,” Reno said, “she’s not getting it.   Not this time.”   He and Jimmy were in his Porsche in the
parking lot of his wife’s boutique.   He
was on his car phone going back and forth with his chief operating
officer.   To his surprise, Lee was so
all-in that he sounded as if he was a mouthpiece for Shay herself.
    “Her
agent says she’s going to premiere new songs at the re-launch,” Lee said.   “Brand new recordings, Reno.   That’ll be the kind of publicity for us no
amount of money could generate.”
    “I
don’t care what new songs she’s going to premiere.   I don’t care if she promises to sit on our
faces and dance on our heads.   She either
accept the terms of the contract she already signed, or I’ll see her ass in
court.   And if she doesn’t believe that,
just tell her to try me.”
    “Let’s
get together with her and her people and talk about it, Reno.   See what we can work out.   Where are you anyway?”
    “I’m
in the parking lot at Champagne’s.”
    “Champagne’s?   Oh right,” Lee said.   “That’s Trina’s new clothing boutique.”
    Reno
was astounded.   “You’re supposed to be a
consultant for this boutique and you don’t remember the fucking name?”
    “They
changed it so many times before they settled on that name that I couldn’t keep
up.   But back to Shay, Ree.   I think we’ll miss the boat if we lose her.   She’s coming through for us, let’s not forget
that.   She’s agreed to headline the
re-opening of the PaLargio and you know she’ll knock’em dead.   The last time she performed for us they were
lining around the block to hear her sing.”
    “And
she was paid for every note,” Reno replied to his lieutenant. Then he frowned.   “And why the fuck you’re going on about it
for anyway? You sound like her agent.   You sound like you’re working for her instead of me.   She might be a nice piece of ass for you to
screw, but her ass ain’t screwing me!   The answer is still no.   No deal.   I’m not changing one word of that contract
again I don’t care how many times she threaten to walk.   And that’s final.”
    “Okay,
Reno, settle down.   You don’t have to
blow a gasket.   I understand where you’re
coming from.”
    “I
don’t think you do, Lee.”
    “I do.   Trust me, I do.   But you have got to listen to reason
too.   We open in three months.   We can’t book another star of Shay’s caliber
in three months.   We open in three
months, Reno.”
    Reno
exhaled.   He had hoped to reopen the
PaLargio a full month ago, but the damage from an explosion it suffered was far
too extensive.   Now the timetable was
pushed back another three additional months.   Three more months with nothing for Reno to do but sit back and wait, and
to argue continuously with money-grubbing agents about talentless performers
whose only claim to fame was that they could sell a