---Cherry Red---Chapter Seven---Rated R---

Jude ran into studio C and launched herself immediately into John's arms. "He wants to talk about a contract!!"

John smiled but still put her back on the ground, "You didn't tell him about my past though did you?"

Jude shrugged, "He doesn't need to know…"

John sighed and looked away, "Jude, Officer Carden will make sure that everyone knows who I am. He hates me, and he knows a lot of people."

Jude just shrugged, "Sucks for him, nothing can keep us down." She leaned up and kissed him on the lips. "Mmmm…" John said as he wrapped his arms along her back, he looked to the soundboard and back to Jude. He did this motion a few times. "Got any soundboard fantasies you wanna try?" John raised her eyebrows at her and Jude just laughed and hit his chest. "This is a place for work now, no fooling around." John face suddenly turned serious. "Who said anything about fooling around? I wanna work it…" He started thrusting his hips toward her, Jude just laughed and lightly pushed him away. "I don't think so…"

John sighed but kept the smile on his face. "Alright Cherry, let's go talk to this big boss-man of yours."

Jude smiled widely and grabbed his hand. She led him out of the studio but accidentally opened the door and hit someone. Jude looked down at the lump on the floor and threw a hand over her mouth. "Oh my god, I am so sorry…Tommy?"

Tommy turned to her, rubbing his arm. "Yeah Harrison, it's me. What is with me, you, doors, and pain huh?" Jude smiled at his comment. Tommy saw John standing behind Jude and gave him a tight smile. Jude turned from John to Tommy, "John is probably going to be another artist here. And I'm gonna co-produce the album. Isn't that awesome?"

Tommy just nodded, "Sounds great. So I guess you'll be sticking around?" He asked John.

John just smiled at him, and wrapped an arm around Jude's waist. "Seems that way, doesn't it?"

Tommy just took a step toward the two, "Well, you never know what can happen within a few days." John just stared him down but Tommy was backing down either. Jude was in the middle and started to feel very uncomfortable. "Alright guys well we have a meeting with Darius but Tommy I think we should talk later." Tommy looked at her and smiled, he nodded and walked off.

Jude started walking toward Darius' office, signaling for John to follow. He walked after her and took her hand, kissing her knuckles. Jude smiled sweetly at him as she opened the door to Darius' office.

"John I presume?" Darius said to John. "Yes sir…" John stuck his hand out for Darius to shake. Darius smiled and grabbed his hand.

"I have to say man, I love your work." John said, ((I know the dude that plays Darius was a big time rapper so right now, so is Darius)) Darius smiled and nodded at John, he turned to Jude. "I like this guy." Jude laughed and grabbed John's hand, smiling at him. They both sat down on the couch opposite his desk but they didn't release each others hands. John's fingers were intertwined with Jude's and their hands rested on Jude's thigh. This didn't go unnoticed by Darius. "So John, I figured we'd start off nice and easy. A one year, one album contract, complete with album release party and tour afterwards. Then after that we will see how everything turns out and talk about bringing you back for a more permanent artist. Like Jude three year contract. Think of this as a trial period. But from what I heard we shouldn't have any problems." John smiled.

"Thanks man; that sounds great."

Darius smiled and leaned over his computer. "Now for a producer I figured I would give you Johnson, he's fairly new to G-Major but not new to producing. He's a great guy but he works more with rock bands so this will be a change for him. But since Jude will be co-producing I figured you could make it work…"

John interrupted him, "No disrespect, but I was sort of hoping I could just co-produce with Jude. I mean, I did show her everything I know. And I know it will probably take longer because I'll have to worry about singing, producing, and writing, but I do already have 4 songs finished and recorded. We could just take another day or two to perfect them."

Darius pursed his lips and nodded his head, considering the idea. "He taught you how to work the board?" He asked Jude.

Jude turned to John and smiled, "Yup, when we were younger we got a bunch of cheap equipment so I got the basics down. Then he was just familiarizing me with everything today. Plus I've picked up a few things from Tommy and Kwest over the years." Darius smiled at them. "Well I like the idea. There songs are great as they are. Just clean it up a little bit to make it platinum worthy; if you need any help I will tell Tommy that is your on-call producer. If there are any problem just tell him to help you. John, you have any experience with actual producing?"

John shrugged, he learned how to while he was locked up, but he didn't know if he should tell Darius that. He looked at Jude who just smiled at him, she didn't catch on. He decided the truth was the best. "Well like Jude said we had some cheap equipment that I taught myself to use and then while I was locked up I learned the more professional stuff and I got my raps recorded, but nothing like this."

Darius just looked at him, "You were locked up?"

John shrugged, "Yeah I just got out a few days ago…"

"Under what charges?"

"Murder, but I swear to you I didn't do it. The cop working the case had some bad blood with my family…"

Darius shook his head, "Bad blood alone wouldn't put you in jail man…"

"I had an alibi I just chose not to use it."

"Why the hell not?"

"It would have jeopardized a very close person, I loved her and she was at risk if I would have told where I was at the time of the murder."

Darius shook his head, "Sorry man but I just don't think this is going to work. I am Darius Mills, I have an image to uphold and my artists are always in the lime light, and I don't think this is such a good idea."

"Darius can I talk to you alone?"

John turned to Jude like she was crazy, "Jude, we need to talk, now."

Jude shook her head, "I need to talk to Darius, why don't you go wait in the studio we were in before. I'll be there in a sec."

John shook his head and stormed out. Jude turned to Darius. "D, listen you need to give him a chance…"

"Jude! You shouldn't even be hanging out with him!! He just got out of jail!!"

"It was my brother!"

"What?"

"The murder, they said John murdered my brother. Me and Sadie had an older brother and he was murdered. The night he was murdered, John was with me. He wouldn't tell anyone that we were together because I had just started Instant Star and he knew everyone was watching the moves I made and everything, so he went to jail instead."

Darius walked over to Jude and put a comforting hand on her shoulder, "Jude, I am so sorry."

"It's alright; just please trust that he didn't do it. Give him a chance."

Darius looked away, "I don't know Jude…"

"Look at it this way. Shay lost sales because he was pretending to be a gangsta but he grew up with a silver spoon. This guy, John is a real life gangsta. He was in jail, no pretending. All the guys will envy him for his street cred and all the girls will swoon over him, trust me." Jude blew a stand of hair out of her face.

Darius looked at Jude, "Jude, you know the rules right?"

"What rules?"

"No interoffice relationships. If you and John are involved then I can't let you work together. I will have to put Johnson on the album and you can't co-produce."

Jude looked at Darius and laughed, "I am just good friends with him Darius. We have been friend even before I entered Instant Star, since I was ten I was hanging out with him."

Darius looked at her, "Are you sure?"

"I'm positive Darius, nothing is going on there…" Jude smiled; she was a pro at this anyway. After everything her and Tommy had been going through she was a natural liar.

"Alright Jude, I'll have my lawyers draw up the contracts for John, go tell Tommy about your co-producing arrangements because he would want to know now that your whole schedule will be rearranged."

Jude smiled, "Alright, bye Darius."

Jude left the office and went to find Tommy. She was walking toward Studio A to find Tommy when someone latched an arm around her waist and pulled her into a room. Jude looked around, her eyes finally focused in the dark lighting and she realized they were in a stock closet. All around her were file cabinets, shelves, and stacks of papers. Jude felt someone start to kiss her jaw and they made their way up to her lips. Jude knew those lips. They pulled away when Jude needed air and the lips went back to her neck. "Tommy?" Jude gasped.

"Yeah…?" Tommy whispered in a raspy voice as he moved to the other side of her neck.

"What're you doing?" Jude asked as she giggled.

"I've missed you so much…" He said and his kisses moved lower. "I've missed you skin…" He said as his hands traveled under her shirt slightly.

"I've missed your kisses…" He said as he pecked her lips.

"I've missed your body…" He growled as his hands traveled over her breasts and flung off her shirt and unhooked her bra.

"But most of all…" He said as he slid her bra off her shoulders and down her arms, then he pressed his body against her and blew hot air in her ear, making her shiver. "I've missed your screams." Tommy quickly bit down on her ear lobe and smiled as Jude moaned.

She quickly started working on his belt buckle. She flung it over his shoulder and started unbuttoning the jeans he was wearing. Tommy had one hand on each side of her head, balancing himself as he watched Jude slide his pants down his legs.

Jude finished with Tommy's pants and then quickly ripped off his shirt. Tommy hooked a finger onto Jude's panties and slid them down roughly. Jude pulled down Tommy's pants as well.

Tommy quickly stuck two fingers inside of her and Jude moaned, she reached for Tommy's member but he pulled his hips backwards and out of her reach. "You are so beautiful that I would crawl ten miles on my hands and knees through broken glass just to jerk off in your shadow." Tommy mumbled as he rested his head on her shoulder. Jude laughed through her moans, Tommy was making it hard to concentrate on anything at the speed he was forcing his fingers in and out at her.

"Tommy, I'm almost there…"

Tommy quickly pulled his fingers out of her and before she could protest Tommy pushed himself into her. Jude moaned feeling him inside her. "Ugh Jude…"

"Tommy, to-tommy…"

Tommy lifted Jude up against the wall and she immediately wrapped her legs around his waist. He continued to thrust into her so fast and hard Jude wanted to scream. She knew she couldn't know, because unlike the studios, the closet wasn't sound proof. So instead, Jude bit down on Tommy's shoulder hard. "ahhh…" Tommy said.

Pain was pleasure.

Jude watched at her bite mark became her mark. She seemed to be leaving her mark on a lot of guys lately. "Jude…" Tommy grunted. She could tell he was close and she was right there with him. Jude pushed Tommy away from her slightly so she could put her feet on the ground. Tommy quickly turned her around and she put her hands out in front of her on the door. Tommy took a hold of her hips and entered her from behind. They stayed like this for a little bit, Tommy was continuing at a fairly fast pace. He heard Jude's breathing becoming choppy so he sped up and slid his one hand form her hip, to the front on her stomach, then lower, and pressed into her clit. Jude moaned loudly as she came and started breathing heavily when she felt Tommy seep into her.

Jude and Tommy both collapsed onto the floor together, Jude turned and kissed Tommy soundly. "I missed this, Jude."

Jude laughed, "I'm sure you did Tommy."

Tommy laughed and pulled her closer. "No, seriously. I miss you Jude."

Jude looked up at him. "What?"

"Jude, I miss the time we spent together. I miss how close we used to be…"

"I slept with John." Jude whispered.

"What?" Tommy pulled away from Jude. "How, how could you do that? You saw him for the first time in years just two days ago!! And he already got in your pants!"

Jude sat up and looked at him, "Hey! Don't talk to me like that. I am so confused!"

Jude grabbed the roots of her hair and pulled back, trying to relieve the migraine that was growing.

"Jude, sleeping with him won't resolve your problems…"

Jude looked up at him, "Says you…you never wanted to be with me. I mean be with me as in going on dates and holding hands in the park, you never wanted that. So whenever I bring up the subject, suddenly you're kissing and touching me in all the right places and whispering all the right things. And we never get to the actual subject! So for you, sex solves your problems!!"

Jude got up and started getting dressed again. She turned to Tommy who was finishing putting on his pants. "Just give me some space to figure stuff out…alright?"

"No…" Jude turned around to see what he meant but he crashed his lips onto hers. "I will not give you space. Let's go to dinner tomorrow night."

Jude looked at him astonished. "Really?"

Tommy nodded with his forehead still against hers. "Really. I want us to try this whole thing out Jude. You know I care about you." Jude smiled and nodded.