CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
"We never wanted it to have to come to this. We tried everything we could think of before having to involve you but…unfortunately according to our lawyers without some kind of witness or proof, we have nothing and stating the obvious this could damage our careers."
"Scott, just spit it out. Stop beating around the bush and just tell me."
I didn't want to be rude but my god, we had been sitting in the living room of our suite for almost ten minutes and I still had no idea why there was this deep dark look of concern carved into the faces of my friends.
"Our ex manager is threatening to sue us. He said that he is responsible for helping to write the songs that you wrote and that we owe him royalties and back royalties and now we are just royally fucked." Matt kicked the gold-plated trash can.
"Okay, don't kill the trash can. I have to pay for whatever you guys bash up in here. You're not Motley Crue. There is no fucking up the hotel room." I replied. "Wait a minute. Thomas? You guys are having problems with Thomas? Why didn't you tell me that you and Thomas split ways?"
"We didn't want to involve you…that was always the agreement for the music in the first place. No one would ever know you were involved. Thomas didn't know…it's what you wanted." Scott said.
Then there was a big uproar from every person.
"I didn't say I wanted to involve Bella."
"Well, what the fuck were we going to do?"
"I said that we should just fuck it. Have that fucktard waste his money trying to prove it."
"That's not how this works. We…"
"ALL RIGHT! SHUT UP!" I yelled. "All of you just shut your traps. I can't think with you all yelling about."
The room got quiet once more and I could tell that this had been a sore subject for the boys as they glared at one another.
"How long have you guys been dealing with this?" Edward finally asked.
"A couple of weeks." Scott replied.
"A couple of weeks? A couple of weeks?" I repeated louder and louder. "Why am I just now finding out about this?"
"We wanted to try to take care of it on our own."
"Thomas Kirkwood has been going around claiming to be Jessie Madison and taking credit for my songs. My pain. And none of you thought that I should know."
No one would answer me instead the boys just looked anywhere but at me.
"God." I huffed.
"You always said you were worried about people finding out. We wanted to keep your secret. We owed you that much and honestly we thought this problem would go away." Scott defended.
"Well, it hasn't and in the future anything regarding my involvement with Liberty Project or Jessie Madison should be brought to my attention. However, that is neither here nor there so for the time being let's just focus on the problem. My sole concern for the public knowing I wrote those songs was because I wrote most of them back when I was dating Edward and our relationship was new and let's face it kinda rocky. I know that if I would have put my name on them, the press would have had a field day ripping them apart line by line to showcase my feelings on my relationship. Now I really don't care what anyone thinks. This is music that we all worked on and I'll be damned if someone is going to unjustly make money off our hard work."
"Mostly it was your hard work." Aaron stated.
"No, Aaron it's our hard work. I may have written the lyrics but you all helped with the music. What's more important on a car; tires or a steering wheel? Without tires your steering wheel is pointless and without a steering wheel the car can't go anywhere."
Great, now I am resorting to silly analogies.
"Technically, you don't have to have a steering wheel if your car is on top of a hill." Mark pointed out.
"Okay, it's a stupid analogy. That's not the point. The point is that we both are responsible for the eight songs that I was a part of."
"Where are you now with this whole…lawsuit?" Edward asked.
"We received word that Thomas is planning on asking the judge for an injunction on those particular songs until it has been decided in court, which wouldn't be a problem if our world tour wasn't kicking off next week at the Staples center." Kyle replied.
I knew how much this tour meant to those guys. This was their dream coming to fruition and when you were a band there was nothing bigger than a world tour.
"I say we have our lawyers throw a bunch of bull shit injunctions at him." Matt added.
"Stop. We are not going to pursue anymore legal actions. I am going to go and talk with Thomas Kirkwood and I will explain that if he doesn't stop with his frivolous lawsuit then I will be suing him for copyright infringement, unlawful impersonation…whatever my lawyer can drum up. Trust me, he won't be bothering you for long."
"Biting off quite a bit lately." Edward commented. I could see that he was starting to get worried. Ever since we changed the dynamic of our relationship, it worried him to see me in situations that he deemed potentially dangerous. However where I was concerned, Edward thought that me crossing the street was potentially dangerous.
"Kicking ass in the morning, taking names in the evening." I smirked at him hoping it would ease his tension. It didn't
The thing is that Edward wasn't so off base with his concerns. For a while there I was pretty reckless, well according to him. I was slowly growing unpopular; Tanya, Stefan, Thomas. But it would be someone we never imagined that would eventually deliver my karma. Not that I'm saying I deserved what happened to me…er or…Jacob. In fact, it was the one time when I wasn't being reckless or a menace to society when I almost abducted. I don't think it was karma…at the time, I just thought I was cursed.
But I digress.
"Speaking of kicking ass. What did you think of Tanya's reaction? Oh my shit that was priceless." Scott laughed.
"What reaction? What are you talking about?" I asked anxiously.
"You didn't see?"
"No. Edward's had me on lockdown since we arrived." I replied.
"I was trying to have some alone time with my wife…that's obviously not very realistic of me." Edward grumbled.
Scott was already searching on his phone for the video. Pushing his way between Edward and I, he sat down on the couch and we stared down at the phone waiting for the video to load. The other boys crowded around us as they watched on.
Tanya was coming out of some restaurant and a whole swarm of paparazzi descended on her like vultures surrounding a carcass. You could tell that she was eating up the attention until one asked:
"Tanya, what did you think about the video?"
"Are you and Isabella Swan feuding?"
Question after question and you could see her face fill with confusion.
"What video? What the fuck are you talking about?" Tanya screeched.
"Tanya, let's just keep walking." A man tried to pull her along who I assume was her manager.
"No! What are they talking about?" She screamed a little louder.
"You haven't seen the video that Isabella Swan released today? She states that she holds all the rights to your song I Can Take It." One pushy photographer told.
"She impersonates you. How does that make you feel?" another one screamed.
"What do you mean? What is he talking about? Impersonating me?" Tanya lashed out at her manager.
"Tanya, let's just get into the car."
But she was already pulling out her phone to look up the video. I told Levi Grimes that I couldn't guarantee that he would ever see Tanya's reaction but whatever god he must have prayed to, granted his wish.
It was almost like watching a Looney Tune cartoon. Tanya ripped off her Prada sunglasses to get a better look and the paparazzi fell silent so they could all capture this moment. I swear you could see her skin turn red just like it does in the cartoons.
"What the fuck? What the fuck? That bitch." Tanya said low but not low enough as the cameras on her caught every word. The video was a bit longer than your average YouTube cat video so sensing a complete meltdown on the horizon, he manager kept pulling at her. He finally succeeded placing her in the front passenger seat as he ran around to jump in the driver's seat.
There were so many cameras and reporters that they were having trouble maneuvering the car out onto the street. It was a meltdown of epic proportion in the car as the video we were watching zoomed in on Tanya as a whole sleuth of curse words came flying out of her mouth while she continually beat on her manager with her fists.
I wasn't about to high-five anyone for a job well done. I felt vindicated but didn't feel the need to beat a dead horse.
After the boys left, it suddenly didn't seem all that important to stay at our hotel and we both decided it would be best to leave in the early hours before the paparazzi would be back in the morning. There were still a few die hards left, waiting to get that exclusive but with help from the hotel we managed to leave un-pestered.
The house was quiet the next morning and I knew the that the girls would be in school so I took the nice quiet moment to myself knowing that today I would have to face the music. Edward was nowhere to be found and for a short moment that worried me until he came in carrying a tray of breakfast.
"Perfect timing. You're up." Edward said seeing me sitting up in bed. He placed the tray down on my lap and went to join me on his side of the bed.
"This is a nice surprise. I definitely didn't think I deserved all this." I marveled at the pancakes and eggs.
"Why would you say that?"
"Well, I kinda figured you would be…mad at me for our botched hotel getaway."
"I'm disappointed but no, not mad. We can make a baby anywhere. In fact I have the perfect plan for today. Ian has informed me that Trisha Messer is planning on coming over to the house today."
I cringed.
"So, seeing how you will need your strength today, I made a well-balanced breakfast and after I have planned a little de-stressing before all your meetings begin. I have a meeting at noon so I'm afraid you'll be on your own with Trisha." He smirked knowing that she was coming with one thing on her agenda, to grind my ass into dust.
"De-stressing?" I asked focusing on the ominous part of his speech.
"Practice makes perfect." He smiled and leaned over to give me a big morning kiss.
"I think your plans are spot on but may I make one slight revision…I think I should attend your noon meeting…you never know when I could come in handy."
"Nah ah. You made your bed now lie in it."
It was true. Edward asked me a week back when we were filming if I should have told Trisha my plans and at the time I didn't exactly see a point but now I know that my publicist probably would have liked a heads up.
I made quick of my breakfast which I will tell you now, here is life lesson number five-hundred and three. Think of sex like waiting before you swim after you've eaten. The same applies. One hefty breakfast plus one freaky ride on said partner does not a good combo make.
I didn't throw up on Edward but my god I couldn't concentrate on the good part because I was so focused on not throwing up on Edward…again.
I sat in the living room awaiting the arrival of my publicist. While I waited I went through countless emails and texts. Most of which I either ignored or deleted. Some of which I was so not looking to get back to.
Apparently Jacqueline was pissed at me for not including her and I fired back a text stating that she wasn't a musician hence my reasoning.
"Hey, whatcha doin?" Embry flopped down beside me eating cereal straight from the box.
"Waiting for my doom." I replied.
"Huh?"
"Trisha Messer's on her way over. Yesterday it was Stefan and today it's Trisha. Now is the time for explanations and so forth." I sighed.
"Still you have to be pretty pleased with yourself. Your video is an internet sensation." He oversold sensation.
"Mission accomplished." I replied. "Hey Embry, do you think I…am making too many enemies?"
I had been thinking over Edward's comment from yesterday and it still bothered me.
"You really wanted Tanya as a friend?" He looked at me like I was crazy.
"Not just Tanya. Stefan was hella pissed and well Edward said something yesterday and it's been bothering me. I am starting to wonder if I am making more enemies than friends. I'm starting to build up quiet a list."
"B, that's show business. For the most part people will look at you like what can you do for me. It's hard to make actual friends in this business. If you try or become a detriment to someone else's success then they can turn on you pretty fast. Edward is your anchor. Know that you can always come back to him. You want realness, go to Edward. Someone who can look at you or your problems and selflessly give you advice or help is your anchor."
"So…I can't trust you either? Is that what you're sayin." I replied.
"Of course you can and as time goes by you will be able to read people better and see them for what they are and determine whether or not you can trust them fully."
"Last year…" It was something I always wanted to ask him but never a right time it be. "when you…walked away…ended our friendship. Why did you do that?"
He stopped crunching on his Captain Crunch and stared out in space for a minute.
"Last year…I was…leaving for New York… awe hell, why did you want to bring that up?" Embry grumbled.
"I…
"No. I'll answer your damn question. Shit." He set his cereal down and leaned forward still not looking at me.
"Look, I see people come in and out of a studio every single day. I knew that you were talented. I knew that you had every opportunity to become what most people dream of. I'm a fucking rap artist from New York. I have a shit ton of problems and the last thing you needed was for me to be hanging around you. Fuck." He got real silent for a moment, "Normally I wouldn't listen to no one but there was this guy who approached me and….I listened. I don't give a shit when some asshole in a suit tells me what I should do but this guy…he made it real clear that the only person who benefit from our friendship would be me and if I was decent, I'd do right by you."
Asshole in a suit? Garrett?
"Was it Garrett Franklin?" I asked.
"Nah, I don't remember his name but he was with some broad who was smokin hot but one of those uppity types. Said he worked at….CAA or some shit. Maybe an agent."
OH MY GOD!
I just stared there with my mouth open as I came to understand that those asshole ex-agents of Edward's tried to scare off my friend.
"Why would you listen to them? Why wouldn't you tell me?"
"B, I wanted to do right by you and they were both speaking truth. I still don't know if me being around you is the best thing for your career."
"Fuck my career! Fuck my career! Do you understand me? I would never trade a friend or family member in for my career. Do you even realize how much I stood up for you? Some of Edward's friends were trying to talk me out of being friends with you but I stood up for you. I didn't give a shit if it hurt my career because I had faith that you would do the same for me." I paused. "And then I was wrong. Quite literally not even twenty-four hours later…you ended it."
I shook my head upset.
"B…I'm…"
"Don't worry about it. It's in the past." I tried to shrug it off.
"No. I'm a piece of shit. I'm soo sorry, B. Believe me that I would never do you like that again."
It was only a couple of weeks after this that that promise would be put to the test and result in the second biggest fight of our lives.
"I know. I…have faith in you. Faith that after everything we have been through…I don't foresee anything coming between us again."
The doorbell rang and I stood to go and answer it.
"We cool, B?" Embry asked one last time.
"Always."
Now it was time for Trisha.
Trisha wasn't so bad. I'm not lying when I say to you that most people in Hollywood who work for "celebrities" will do just about anything to kiss your ass and keep you happy. Of course I could tell that Trisha wasn't happy with me. She couldn't sleep last night because she had to deal with questions all night long. However when she spoke to me, it was light scolding and pleading that if I should get a wild hair up my ass and try to annihilate any other high-profiled A-lister in the future to at the very least give her the courtesy call first.
I assured her as of today there were no other targets on my horizon. Afterwards she took the opportunity to go over my many options for publically responding to the "feud" in question. Of course there were the standard interviews with various magazines or television entertainment shows but I told her that as for now I wasn't planning on making a statement to the press regarding this matter.
Call me difficult but it was never my intention to hold a press conference over what Tanya Denali did or didn't do to me. I didn't necessarily want to spend the rest of my life answering the question with "she knows what she did" but there were very few options so for the time being, I would be the "aggressor" and Tanya played out the victim card to a tee by checking in once again to rehab. As time passed for Tanya Denali, record labels found out through hearsay what she had done and she wasn't able to find anyone willing to help produce another album. Tanya spent the next ten years fighting to keep whatever fame or money she could by going on various reality shows. My favorite was Celebrity Fear Factor where she had to choke down a maggot shake. It was a look on her face that I would never forget. A look of, how did I end up here?
Next up was my meeting with Thomas Kirkwood.
"Isabella Sw…Cullen for Thomas Kirkwood." I announced to the secretary outside Mr. Kirkwood's office.
"Uh…was he expecting you, Mrs. Cullen?" She asked flustered.
"No…just dropping in on an old friend." I smiled only half committed.
"One moment." She stood up and rushed toward the office door behind her. It was only a minute later when Thomas appeared.
"Isabella Swan. What do I owe this honor? Come to beg on your friends behalf?"
I rolled my eyes and pushed passed him and took a seat in his office. Thomas shut the door and resumed his place behind the massive cherry wood desk.
"You and I both know that you didn't write all those songs." I started.
He gave me a small smirk, "Why don't you prove it."
"We both know you didn't write those songs because I wrote those songs and the last time I checked sleazy music managers don't usually hide behind pseudonyms. If you had written those songs, I highly doubt you would go by Jessie Madison."
He played with a pen while he spoke, "You know, I always knew you were responsible. The amount of time you would spend with those guys, I figured it was either time spent writing music or it doing your due diligence as a woman and fucking them all. It made me question both especially when Scott would look hopeful every time you showed up but it doesn't take a genius to know that every single time that you visited the boys they would magically have a song appear overnight like the elves of a fucking shoemaker. There is one thing I never understood…why wouldn't you want to put your name on those songs. The residuals alone would be worth it. The only thing I could come up with is that…you knew that putting your name out there would draw possibly negative attention to your then boyfriend Edward and even I knew how rocky your relationship was."
"You are going to cease all legal action or my lawyer will have a fucking field day with you." I looked at him like he was the idiot we both knew he was, "Do you even realize who you're fucking with? If you have ever had a moment to be bright, this, this is that moment."
"I'm not ceasing shit and if I have my way, those boys will have a lot of fun rearranging their whole concert around when they see my injunction on any of my…your music. Have a nice day Isabella…Swan."
I stood up to leave sensing that I wasn't going to get anywhere with this lump of shit.
"Tanya Denali." I stated before leaving. I turned to him one last time, "Tanya Denali, wanted to fuck with me and see what it got her." I smirked, "What's one more."
I walked out of the office and the moment I sat down in my car I speed dialed Scott.
"Sorry Scott. Looks like your ex-manager is an even bigger dumbass then we suspected. He didn't go for the warnings I gave him."
"Oh no! Fuck! What are we going to do? I'm going to have to scratch every single one of your songs from our set list."
"No you won't." I stated determined. "The moment you receive any legal papers I want you to send them to my lawyer. He will find a loop hole. You guys are performing your concert at Staples Center on Saturday and so is Jessie Madison."
AN: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!