Chapter Seven

• MAKUA •

I didn't know what to expect as I walked past the entrance of Gian Corporations. On the inside, people moved on and about, all busy with work, leisure or simple discussions. One thing I did notice though, was that everyone was dressed in some formal attire.

I looked down at my choice of bootcut jeans and a pink crotchet crop top and tried not to feel the awkwardness. Cause for one, people were staring. Like blatantly running their gazes from my head to toe in what I could determine as confusion or bewilderment.

But I made sure to exude as much confidence as I could muster and made my way to the receptionist's desk, my signed contract in hand. The woman, probably in her mid-forties or so, drew her attention to mine and gave me the similar look down before forcing a smile on her lips. "How may I help you?" The words hung in the air with her brow slightly arched.

"I'm here for an appointment,"

"For which department?" Her hand grudgingly reached the receiver on her desk, her eyes alight with as much boredom and uninterested as they could show. I forced a smile on my face now and let my emotions rein in.

"Gian Entertainment." She picked the receiver and I got the sudden urge to add, "With Damian Gianpiero.", I hoped I spelt his last name right but I couldn't be bothered with that as her hands paused with the receiver mid-air.

Her forced smile spread wider. "You're here for a meeting with the CEO?" The disbelief in her voice was telling. She took her time to give me another stare-down and dropped the receiver down. "I'm sorry, I can't just make calls to that department unless  I'm very sure that you have an appointment. What's your name?"

"Makua Amadi." I hated the way my voice conveyed my annoyance but the nerve of this woman was appalling. Her eyes and countenance gave it much away that she assumed I was lying or had profiled me from my look and mere appearance.

I watched as she idly scrolled through the contents on the computer screen before turning to me with a wide smile and a cocked head. "I'm sorry, there's no appointment in that name. And If you won't mind, you can take your leave. Gian Corps does not tolerate loitering."

I let my mouth hang longer than it needed to. She took one last condescending look at me and continued to a man that was standing beside me. Picking my phone, I opened my text with Damian and started typing away — maybe I should have let him know I was here beforehand. A stupid part of me was expecting to walk in and get ushered straight to his office or better yet, surprise him with the contract like he could care less.

"Excuse me," The voice came from behind me. I turned to meet the face of a familiar man, dressed in all black with a golden sigil or pin attached to his breast pocket. "You're Makua, right?" I didn't miss the heavily accented way his words coated my name, so I nodded, a bit suspicious of his intentions.

But he broke into a relieved smile and awkwardly waved a hand. "I'm Renzo. Damian's assistant. Remember?"

I should've but somehow I couldn't quite place the face. But I nodded and imitated his smile. "Yes, yes I remember."

His smile extended like he knew I was lying. He pointed to the woman that was attending to yet another customer, "Did she give you any trouble?"

"Kind of, she didn't even bat a lash about me, I should have called first."

He shook his head. "You should have clearance for our department,  A simple call would confirm that." Before I could respond, he walked to the desk and had a conversation with the woman. By the time he approached me again, I saw the mortified look left on her face.

"Follow me." Is all he said and ushered me to the elevators and up a whole lot of floors before we stepped into the Gian Entertainment's section. The letters were carved out in gold just behind the receptionist's desk, more bustling people in waves as they flooded and stepped out of the elevators with us. It felt like I had stepped into ongoing traffic, at the threat of being run over but Renzo's guiding hand made sure a path was clear.

We bypassed the receptionist's desk — who had muttered a cute greeting more to Renzo, in Italian, than to me — and made our way to a set of double doors. He knocked and peered in before motioning for me to follow him inside.

If I thought the exterior of the building and lobby area were magnificent, I hadn't been acquainted with his office yet. Dark red, black and specs of gold hues peppered the decorations and ambience of the room. It was large, to say the least, as I followed Renzo past two waiting rooms and finally past an open arch to reveal Damian's workspace. 

A large painting hung across the room and took most of its attention and antique vases and a space for awards and certifications brightened up the space.

The man I question sat behind his desk, hands leafing through piles of paperwork with a pair of reading glasses nestled at the crook of his nose. At the sound of our arrival, he reluctantly drew his hard gaze to us, only for a surprised smile to pull at his lips. "Makua." I didn't miss the way his eyes roamed from my head to toe, with an appraisal that I hadn't received today.

He slipped his glasses off and nodded at Renzo. I didn't even notice when he'd left, my eyes were focused on the man before me.

How could he look so effortlessly handsome? With his dark glossy hair sleeked back and the collar slack from probably pulling at his tie, he looked breathtaking. And I would be working with this walking and talking distraction for the next few months... Years... oh, and being his girlfriend, Great.

"Are you good?" He asked with a playful smirk. He must've noticed me checking him out but I really couldn't care less. He was fine as fuck. And he knew it.

"Yeah, Yes. Yes, I am." The words stumbled out and I watched him stand, walk around to the front of his desk and sit gingerly on it, rolled shirt sleeves on display as he rested them on either side of his thighs.

"I didn't think you'd be giving me your answer so soon." He motioned for me to come closer and my legs just walked forward without my permission, my brain must be failing or something. I placed the file I'd been clinging to in his hands and watched as he flipped through it to the place of my signature.

I let my eyes wander yet again to his grip on the file and the way his veins were beautifully visible on each hand. Then to the scent of his cologne. Strong, edgy and probably way more expensive than anything I owned. His laughter cut through my reverie as I brought my gaze back to his.

He was watching me intently, eyes crinkled and lips pulled in a wide smile. I needed to kick start my brain cause how had I not noticed the extent of this man's beauty?

"You seem distracted." His voice was playful, amused even. "Do you like what you see, amate?"

Shit. He was clearly enjoying the attention. I cleared my throat and took a step back. We were alone and way too close for the tension swirling between us. And that smile of his —

"So, when do I start?" I deflected, flopping down on one of the plush couches in the room. His eyes follow me as I lean back against the soft cushion. "Would I get signed to a new label or?"

He shook his head, a serious look now fixed on his face. "I wish we had the right to that. Chiara is working on the legal aspects. We were able to find a loophole to gain managerial rights. Now, all we can do is handle everything pertaining to your brand while Echo records handle the release of your music." He paused and placed the file aside. "But you can record your music here, we'll send it on time for them to release — with some incentive, that is." His devious smile made me smile in turn.

"I don't think I need to record anything at the moment," I muttered, keeping my eyes on the sculpture that lingered in the corner of the room. "I have a whole album recorded and ready. But Kyle  wouldn't give me a spot."

"The executive making things difficult." He said it less as a clarification and more as a fact. There was a tense silence before he spoke again. "I'll handle him, let's see if we can plan a roll-out for January."

My eyes found him in an instant. "Are you going t —"

He laughed, pushing off the desk and squatting in front of me. "Can I?" He pointed to my hands resting on my lap. I could just nod as his warm hand took mine in its grasp. Then placed a kiss on the back.

"Look, Bambina. I know this is weird to say and I know you may not be accustomed to the way this business goes, but if there's an unmovable obstacle to our goal, we take whatever measures necessary. Do you understand?"

I swallowed hard and nodded in response. He pressed his lips to the back of my hand again and rubbed it slowly. "Now, would you like to meet your new team?"

"Would you introduce me?"

He offered a sad smile. "I wish, but we don't need the rumours starting yet till after the gala."

"What gala?"

He smiled and stepped back, drawing me to my feet. "Renzo will make the introductions and your team manager will let you in on everything."

"When will we meet again?" I found myself asking.

The smile left his face replaced by a look I couldn't dis-cypher. "Anytime, I'm just a call or text away. And you can come to spend time with me when you feel like staring at me."

I rolled my eyes and found myself laughing along with him, still aware of the way his hand held mine. Before I could dwell too long on it, Renzo came in and I left with him.

***

"Oh my, you're so pretty!" was the first thing I heard when I walked into the room. It was a spacious prep room assigned to my 'new team' and the first person that walked up to me, A woman with bright red curls and smooth olive skin, all but screamed.

"Thank you," I moved to shake her but she playfully smacked it away and enveloped me in a tight hug.

"We don't do those formal gestures, hun," She drew back and noticed Renzo lingering from behind and sent him a cheeky smile. "Renny! What a pleasure to see you."

"Wish I could say the same," He muttered, moving to stand beside us, "Donna, this is Makua. Makua, Donna. She's the manager of your team."

"It's nice to meet you." I smiled at the way her face brightened.

"Same hun, we've been expecting you. Renny here has been keeping us in the dark." She led me past the doorway to the centre of the space where a group of people waited.

They all turned to us with questioning stares. But Donna didn't let it linger. "Attention everyone, we have the new star of our team! Let's give a warm welcome to Makua."

There was a scattered muttering of greeting but I just waved back shyly, reminded of the same way I had been introduced to my former team at Echo. It had been promising, exciting even and we were sure we'd conquer above other teams. But life and Kyle-freaking-Norton, didn't let hope fester further.

Donna took me through the introductions. From the stylist to the choreographer and a man named Quinn Thurber, who would work as my agent. It was all a bit overwhelming, to say the least, but I tried to push through. "And this is Kayden. You can see him as more or less your teammate,"

The man in question was a tall figure with russet brown hair, and a sly smirk gracing his lips. He extended his hand which I took in mine. "Nice to meet you, Kaden."

"Same here." I tried to pull my hand away but he relented a bit, roaming his eye over my short frame. "I hope we get along really well, Makua ."

I felt Donna pull me away before I could respond, she lowered her voice as we walked back to Renzo at the entrance. "Be careful of that one. He's quite something." Which I was sure was more or less a 'stay far away from that dangerous fiend' but I didn't press for more.

"Now that you're settled you can get ready for the gala. It's in a few days." Renzo said, about to leave when I stopped him, looking between him and Donna.

"What is this gala about?"

Donna's eyes widened and she threw an accusing glare at Renzo. "Did you not prep her on anything?" She didn't wait to answer and turned back to me. "Just know that it's a very important event that you're performing at and it can make or break your position in the company before you even start. But no pressure, we'll make sure to practice till we drop."

I had no doubts she was serious about that part, but a part of me was excited. The last time I performed was months ago at a limited arena with less than ten thousand people attending and I had only a few songs to offer.

After a while, Donna shooed Renzo away, much to his joy and stirred me towards the practice set in the room. "Alright then," She clapped her hands, getting everyone's attention. "Let's begin."