5. Tyson
5
TYSON
Hal's waiting for me when I turn up at the Ice Lounge.
He hasn't changed from the last time I saw him. Shit-eating grin and all.
"Bison!" he calls out, opening his arms like we're long lost brothers. "I was a little worried you'd stand me up."
I dig my hands into the front of my jeans and give an indifferent shrug. "Still might. Where's this manager we're meeting with?"
"Inside. Tommy Tocha. Considered one of the best in the business. I used to be lucky enough to manage Kiana before he came along and snatched her away. And now look. She's the biggest superstar in the world." Hal turns to lead us toward the entrance. "You ever been around this many celebrities? Hope you don't get starstruck!"
"Fuck off," I mumble to myself as I step past the bouncers.
Several people in line shout out their protests, complaining to the guys at the front about the fact that we've walked right in.
"Ignore them," Hal says from over his shoulder. "They're no one important."
My brows furrow and jaw clenches into a scowl. The first of what'll probably be many tonight.
This isn't my world; this isn't my crowd.
I'm not the guy who gives a fuck about celebrities and the industry. I'm not the schmoozer that wants to be around the rich and famous.
Never have been. Never will be.
I'm the guy that makes people piss themselves. I'm the one who makes a living off being shot at and cracking skulls if necessary.
The glitz and glamour have never been my thing.
Which means being in a cramped club with celebrities means nothing to me.
As we move toward the VIP section, Hal greets several of these celebs like he's their best friend. He brags all about his celeb connections and how he could call any one of them for a favor. I'm sick of everything from the stifled air in the club to the music that feels loud enough to bust an eardrum.
Regardless of how much it pays, this job isn't for me. What the fuck am I doing here?
"Tommy, this is Tyson the Bison," Hal says, emphasizing my moniker. "He's the guy I've told you about."
We've reached a table where a man in a velvet suit and tie sits sipping bourbon on the rocks, his pinky finger sticking out. The gold ring on it glints in the icy crystalline lighting of the club. He squints up at me like he's been eclipsed by the sun.
"That's a big man. You might finally have a good idea, Hal," he says. Then he holds out his hand for a handshake. "I see why he's called a bison."
My hand's huge like the rest of me. It engulfs his for a crushing handshake.
"So, like I told you earlier, I'm sure you've heard of Tommy Tocha. He's the biggest music manager and exec in the biz," Hal explains, sliding onto the leather section. He reaches for the bottle of bourbon to pour himself a glass. "He manages the Kiana. Like I said, hot commodity. High value."
"Highest of value," agrees Tommy, giving a nod.
I remain silent, my expression stoic. Where Hal expected me to show interest, I'm glaring at both men like they're pains in my ass.
And they are.
This was a mistake.
"You… you know who Kiana is… right?" Hal sputters. "Tell me you know, Bison."
He fumbles with his phone and quickly pulls up YouTube. A video loads on the screen before he shoves the phone toward me.
It's a music video for Kiana's single called "Paradise".
Right away it opens to a tropical beach with the sun setting as the backdrop. A slim, curvy woman clad in a barely-there bikini struts toward the camera, and then, as the music begins, she starts singing and swaying her hips.
There's no denying she's attractive. Skin a deep, smooth brown and hair a big cloud of tight curls. Eyes almond-shaped and mysterious. Lips full and natural.
All of her is natural.
That much is clear from the stripped-down styling to the tropical location.
The girl's got talent in more ways than one.
The hypnotic sway of her hips takes my mind to dirtier places. I force my gaze from Hal's phone screen back up to his grinning face.
He wiggles his eyebrows. "Well? Isn't she something? Every woman wants to be her. Every man wants to be with her."
"Exactly right," Tommy cuts in with a lecherous grin. "Which is why we're only hiring the best. We've had several security concerns in recent times, and we want to make sure Kiana's safe. What do you say, Mr. Jeffries? Is this a job you're interested in?"
I look from Tommy's curious face to Hal's wiggling eyebrows and take a second to mull over my options. I still want to get the hell out of here. I still want to curse Hal out for ever trying to rope me into a job like this.
Nine months might not sound like a lot, but in the world of celebrity, it's almost a lifetime.
But this gig pays enough of a salary I could take the next five years off. Finally get my shit together. Maybe confront losing Jax…
With a labored sigh, I scrub a finger over my brow like I'm pained. "Alright, but on one condition."
"Name it."
"I want to meet the client first. I need to know she's not a complete brat."
"Meet Kiana? Of course!" Hal says. He cranes his neck as he scans the club floor. "She should be around here somewhere… ah, there she is! She's… she's by herself… is she alright?"
Tommy and I turn to follow Hal's gaze. I pick her out of the crowd immediately.
A woman standing off twenty feet from where we are with her arms folded over her chest and a glum expression on what's otherwise a pretty face.
She looks… troubled.
As if she's just received bad news.
If Hal's to be believed, she had a huge night, winning an award and pulling off a great performance.
So what the hell's got her so down?
I don't have time to wonder. In the next second, as she walks off toward a side exit, I'm spotting the guy that's just walked through. He's sporting a hoodie and shades inside the dark club and has one hand stuffed inside his pocket like he's about to pull something out.
Senses on high alert, I go into bodyguard mode.
I launch myself from the leather sectionals where we're seated in the VIP area, cutting a direct path toward Kiana. My size and strength come in handy in moments like this, shoving and shouldering people out of the way.
I make it in the nick of time. Just as the guy in the hoodie withdraws a gun and squeezes the trigger.
I collide with Kiana at full speed, wrapping her up in my arms, taking her down with me to the ground.