The Auction (Club Indulgence Duet, #1)(77)

"Blakely, good to see you, babe," Phil Millin booms, stepping forward and tugging me into his arms. He kisses me on the cheek.

Riggs steps next to me. His disapproval radiates off him. He slides his arm around my waist, tugging me away from Phil, and dryly asserts, "Have a seat at the table."

Phil arrogantly glances at Riggs, then saunters over to the table. He pulls a folder out of his briefcase.

Riggs pulls my chair closer to his and motions for me to sit. I obey, and he takes his seat next to me.

Phil leans closer to me, gushing, "I'm excited to sign you, Blakely. With my connections and experience, you're going to top the charts."

Riggs interjects, "With Blakely's talent, she's going to top the charts. And we're not committing to anyone today."

Phil jerks his head toward Riggs. "Is this a joke?"

"No. There are issues with your contract, if—and this is a big if right now—Blakely decides to sign with you," Riggs asserts.

"What's the issue, darling?" Phil asks.

Riggs shifts in his seat.

I put my hand on his thigh and lean closer to him. Maybe Riggs is right to have me involved in this process. Something about Phil gives me the creeps.

Riggs's voice turns colder. "Let's start with her royalties. You're 8% lower than where you need to be."

"The royalties are fair. The cost of promotion to take Blakely to the top is more than you realize," he claims.

Riggs stares him down, keeps his voice calm, and asserts, "It's less than the industry standard, and you know it."

Phil gives Riggs a warm smile. "No offense, but I know the music business inside and out. While your reputation as a businessman is impeccable, this isn't your area of expertise."

Riggs turns toward me. "Are you looking to get screwed?"

My stomach flips. I quietly answer, "No."

"Then if I were you, I'd tell Phil to take his deal and shove it up his ass."

I gape at Riggs.

He gives me a challenging stare.

"Ms. Fox, the deal I'm offering you doesn't come around very often. I suggest you think twice before listening to someone who doesn't understand how things work in the music world," Phil warns.

Riggs waits for me to speak, the blues in his eyes swirling, reminding me of the calm chaos he loves so much.

It's nerve-racking to turn anything down. I've struggled for years to sit at a table with Phil Millin. He's a legend in the industry. But I know Riggs has my best interests at heart. I trust him more than anyone. And there's no way I'd accept an offer if he advises me not to.

So I lift my chin and lock eyes with Phil. "Thank you for your time, but I won't be signing with you."

"You're making a mistake," he declares.

Riggs winks at me, then rises. "When Blakely's first song hits number one, remember that your greed ruined this deal."

Phil's cheeks turn red. He seethes, "This industry is a small world, Mr. Madden." He locks eyes with me, warning, "Having friends in high places is always better than burning the bridges with the same hands that feed those who are in power to make or break you."

Riggs slides his arm around my waist and declares, "Thanks for the warning. Now, let me give you one. You do anything besides sing praises for Blakely's talent, and you'll have a lot more to worry about than the lost opportunity to sign her. Thanks for your time." He points to the door.

Phil scowls, shakes his head, and drops his card on the table. "Blakely, if you come to your senses, call me."

"She won't be. She knows her worth," Riggs firmly declares and hands the card back to Phil.

He storms out of the room.

When the door's secure, I turn to Riggs and fret, "Phil Millin isn't someone we should piss off."

"He's trying to screw you," Riggs scoffs.

"I'm just saying—"

"Both Jack and Noah have fair deals on the table," he informs me, then adds, "And their client lists are more impressive than Phil's. Don't listen to a word he says."

"Then why did you invite him here for another meeting?" I question.

Riggs's lips twitch. "Because he's Phil Millin."

My chest tightens. "And?"

"And he's in the top three. It's your decision who you go with, and you deserve full transparency."

"You could have just told me his deal wasn't up to par," I state.

Riggs chuckles.

"What's so funny?" I inquire.

"One day, when you realize what an ass he is, you'll always have the memory of telling him to shove his shitty deal up his ass," Riggs declares.

I furrow my brows, deciding Riggs is officially crazy. But also adorable when he's negotiating or telling important people off, sweet to care so much about this when he has a busy company to run and could be doing a million different things, and sexy as hell when he's sticking up for me. Still, I remind him, "You're the one who told him that."

He grins. "You did in your own way."

The bell rings, and my stomach knots again.

Riggs wiggles his eyebrows. "Next."

Even though the first meeting went badly, the next two are both great. Jack and Noah both offer fair deals, and Riggs even negotiates a few more things into the contracts. At the end of each meeting, Riggs informs them that I'll get back to them soon.