Breaking All the Rules Read Online Free Page A

Two
                  Mia gritted her teeth and dialed Grant’s number. Even from the comfort of her office, she felt unsure of her actions. She didn’t want to call Grant. He was the first man she’d truly loved. Good thing he wasn’t the first to break her heart. When she found him with his nose buried in a line of cocaine with two naked women fondling him, she had left with ease. She’d experienced a lot of sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll in the music industry. Though it made her sick to think about, she’d scored for her bands, stealthily exchanging money for drugs on the streets of New York. She’d enabled alcohol abuse. She looked away while her men cheated on their girlfriends with the flavor of the evening. Hell, she spent the first two years of her life in New York caught in the party scene that came along with the industry. But seeing the man she loved, truly loved, on a cocaine fueled sex binge with two strangers was enough to break her. The two worked for the same company, prompting the need for at least some formalities, but Mia always hated seeing him when Charlotte’s Drive wasn’t on tour. She hated his million dollar smile and his chocolate eyes that always lured her in for more. She hated his deep laugh and the way he looked at her like he knew about her deepest fears and darkest secrets. Maybe because he did.
                  “Mia? What a pleasant surprise!”
                  She could hear his smile through the phone. It tugged at her heart. She knew he was being genuine. Grant often tried luring her back to bed with sweet promises and big smiles. Sometimes they worked. This couldn’t be one of those times.
                  “I’m calling in a favor, Grant,” She said, cutting to the chase. “I need Charlotte’s Drive.”
                  “I’ve been managing them for seven years, I don’t think you’ll be able to steal them from me so easily,” He said with a playful tone.
                  She ignored him, “Benson Ward is opening a new venue and needs an act. I was trying to get Burnside booked, but they’ll only come on board if Charlotte’s Drive plays, too.”
                  “So, when does this place open?” He questioned, switching into business mode.
                  “Two and a half weeks,” Mia squeaked.
                  Grant laughed on the other side of the line. It shook her core. He followed with, “Seriously, Mia? You know we’re on tour right now. I’m in Georgia as we speak.”
                  “I checked the dates, and you guys aren’t playing that night. You’ll only be in Jersey,” She was nearly begging. God, she hated begging. “You owe me, Grant. After everything, you owe me.”
                  He groaned, “Don’t do this to me, Mia.”
                  “I’m serious, Grant.”
                  “I’m serious, too, Mia,” He pressed back, then after a long pause, sighed. “Just… just email me the information.”
                  She swallowed the squeal that was rising in her throat, “I appreciate it. I’ll shoot you an email.”
                  She bid a goodbye and hung up before it got any further. Talking to Grant always made her feel simultaneously like she was twelve and like she got hit by a bus. Her throbbing hangover probably wasn’t helping. She woke to a blaring alarm that morning in a pool of her own juices and Benson still fresh on her mind. She showered and gotten ready quickly, skipping her car and taking the subway to work. She grabbed a latte with double espresso (which only reminded her of Benson’s wonderful mop of hair) and a box of donuts before heading into the building. She spent twenty minutes gathering the strength to call Grant around lunchtime, knowing he and the boys of Charlotte’s Drive wouldn’t be up until the afternoon