Calvin's Industry

Chapter 6: The First Move.

When the elevator doors slid open with a soft ding, Calvin stepped out first. He placed his hand on Abigail's back as they walked through the lobby. Security guards nearby tried not to look, but couldn't help staring at the couple that had just declared war on their boss.

Deep down, she felt afraid, but Calvin's warm touch gave her some assurance. They were in this together, no matter what happened.

Getting outside, the cold night air made Abigail shiver. The very light silk blouse she wore wasn't helping. Noticing her discomfort, Calvin pulled off his long, brown jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders.

The fabric felt warm and smelled nice, but she could also feel the slightly sharp candy wrappers from his inner pockets. Under the black streetlights as they walked out of the building was his black sedan.

"I'll drive," she said as she slid behind the wheel.

Though the car felt much warmer than outside, her cold fingers still shook as Abigail grabbed the steering wheel.

"So what's our next move?" she asked, now back to her usual low and quiet tone.

The engine started as Calvin settled into the passenger seat and quickly removed his loosened tie. Even after facing America's most dangerous CEO in the music industry, he still looked calm and collected.

This was a trait that almost scared Abigail when they first met, but now it made her feel safer than ever before.

"You'll drop me off at my friend Martin's house," he said.

Calvin pulled out his phone to send him a text.

"I'll need him with us for this to work. He knows the music business inside and out. With his advice, we can see things coming before they happen."

As she pulled into traffic, her heart was still racing from what had just happened at her father's building. As Abigail looked through the windshield, everything felt different.

Every billboard showing Nathan's artists now felt like a personal attack. She restlessly tried to change the radio station every few minutes. Every song from the label sounded more like a threat than a hit jam.

Calvin noticed this, but chose to focus on work instead.

"While you drive, I'll be setting up our MeTube channel. Every war needs a battlefield, and tonight, I will attack first."

Deep silence followed for about a minute. It was as if he knew she was about to ask him something, but Calvin couldn't say anything.

She wanted to ask him if he was afraid, but her husband never showed fear. Besides, even if he was afraid, Abigail didn't want to see it. Not right now, at least.

"After dropping me off, you'll be starting your new job as my agent," Calvin said.

"There is an artist I need you to sign, and he will be the most important asset to what we are going to build."

"Who?" she asked, her voice almost drowned out by the sedan's louder engine.

"Jason McCallister," he said.

After completing his task, her husband put down his phone and turned to study her face. As always, Calvin's grey eyes felt like they were staring through her soul with no effort.

"You know him from your father's old parties, right?"

Her hands gripped tight on the steering wheel when Abigail heard that name. It brought back uncomfortable memories she couldn't forget.

Her father always hosted wild parties for broken artists. She saw many of them destroy themselves trying to please Nathan's odd demands. Realizing her sudden discomfort, Calvin reached out and touched her thigh.

"It has to be you and not me," he said.

"Given all that he's been through, I don't think he'd trust another guy in a nice suit offering him a chance to join a label."

She felt angry. Abigail nodded her head.

"You want me to convince him to join us."

Her anger rose as she sensed Calvin nodding his head while she tried to focus on the road ahead.

"You are the only one who can reach him. Knowing the kind of people he fell for in the past, it's more likely he'd listen to you than me."

In her mind, it felt like Calvin was using her physical appeal to lure a man to join their new company. Abigail felt angry, but before she could vent at him, they had pulled into Martin's driveway.

Through the living room window, they could see Martin pacing back and forth. He looked angry as Calvin spoke to whoever was on the phone.

"I swear to God, I hope he isn't arguing with his ex again," he muttered.

Calvin reached into his front pocket and pulled out a small flash drive that looked like a tiny black diamond under the car's interior lighting.

"Here are the twelve songs I've been working on," he said as he placed it in her palm.

"These are songs Nathan never heard, and I have been saving them for the right moment. The love song we wrote on our anniversary is on there as well, with all the added violins and orchestra, just the way you liked it. I was never able to nail the vocals for that song, but I believe Jason has what it takes to bring our sacred creation to life. Better than I ever could."

She took a deep breath. Abigail remembered that perfect night less than a year ago.

She and Calvin were sitting at their grand piano in the penthouse when they created the melody for the song. It was the one Abigail now cherished more than anything.

"I'll be leaving Jason's contracts with you," he said.

"What are we going to call it? Our label?" Calvin asked.

"Freya Music Group," her husband replied.

Once again, he made her pause for a while.

"Why that name?" Calvin asked.

"Your mother was the smartest woman I ever met," he said as he opened another lollipop. Calvin threw the old, empty candy stick from his mouth.

"She understood music more than I ever could and treated artists like me as family."

He slowly reached over with both hands and wiped off her tears with his thumbs.

"We are going to honor her memory by doing this right."

Calvin kissed her forehead before leaning it against hers.

"Now listen to me carefully," he said.

"The next few months are going to be crazy. Life will test everything that we are and claim to be. But no matter how dark it gets, just know that I love you. More than ever, that will never change, no matter what this war costs us."

Calvin kissed her forehead one more time.

"Go now," he said as he stroked her left cheek.

"Make me proud, Mrs. Constantine."