Broken Record

Chapter 19: Benton

Benton loosened the tie at this neck, making the loop large enough to pull over his head. He felt too restrained, his neck too hot. He'd seen Stevie's flash of thick, pale blonde hair in the hallway as he made his way back from a conference room to his office. Another Friday full of meetings, nothing new. Nothing new except the unwavering five-foot-three distraction that flashed across his line of sight so quickly he'd briefly wondered if he'd imagined it. But it had been her. Small, curvy, fiery. He could feel her energy. He was drawn to it. And even though everyone else in the office was grateful it was Friday, looking forward to the weekend ahead, Benton had already resigned himself to the fact that he'd be coming in to work both days. Partially because his work was relentless and partially because he didn't trust himself left to his own devices over the weekend.

"Mr. West?" Mary peeked her head in his office just as he unopened the top few buttons of his dress shirt. Her eyes went straight to his hands, her cheeks blushing. Benton restrained a groan of frustration, remembering the fact that he still had Mary to deal with. Her infatuation clearly had grown past an immature office crush, and if everything Stevie had confessed to at The Den was true, Benton would have to address the issue sooner rather than later. It was catastrophic enough that Stevie knew of his weekly meeting, but at least Benton had severe leverage over her head. She'd stolen his IP. He was her only shot at avoiding jail time. A fucking criminal. The thought of the pretty blonde behind bars brought a small quirk to his lips that he quickly chased away after remembering Mary was still standing in his doorway.

"Yes?"

"Aeronox requested to see you. Apparently they're ready to demo a Jelena remix." They. Stevie. Benton nodded curtly, clearing his throat. If Mary found out about his weekly meetings, or anything else about his past or his personal life, he'd be at risk of losing his cool, his aloof and impenetrable reputation. Mary lingered in the doorway as Benton rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt, his skin still uncomfortably hot at the loose ends around him that felt outside of his control. He was not used to it.

"What is it, Mary?" His tone was harsher than necessary but he couldn't keep himself from unleashing some of his annoyance at her stalking. Didn't she know that an innocent, youthful girl like her had nothing to offer him? Stevie's age didn't match her energy, her recklessness. She was both childlike and mature. Bewildered and wise. Mary was just foolish. Good at her job, but otherwise, in over her head.

"Would it be alright if...well, I'd like to maybe listen and learn? You know, more about the music? I feel like I haven't really gotten exposed to that side of the business."

"Music is the business." Benton stood from his desk and headed toward his door, brushing too closely past Mary as he started down the hallway, her at his heels.

"I know, I know. It's just, I don't know much about the talent. About the process of making a hit and knowing how to identify one--"

"Fine, Mary. You can listen in." Benton didn't turn around as he spoke, all of his energy focused on not losing his shit at seeing Stevie. She was nothing to him. A no one outside of The Den. Benton was the master of control. A title he had fucking earned. Despite the rumors, he most certainly was not born with it. The steady vibration of music started to trickle down the hallway as Benton navigated toward the studio that Aeronox and Stevie had shared over the past several weeks.

Benton opened the door, the music much louder inside. Aeronox and Stevie were hunched over the dials, their faces lit up with excitement. Benton noticed Stevie's head dip lower, her pink tongue dart out over her bottom lip. Aeronox smiled back, something like an unspoken exchange between them. Benton clenched his fists inside the pockets of his dress slacks, a feeling so powerful and so foreign rushing up against him like a crashing wave. He hadn't felt anything near jealousy or envy about a woman in a long fucking time. He used women and they used him. An equal and agreed-upon exchange. Not since that night, the night that changed everything, had he ever thought of a woman as more. And here, watching Stevie practically eye-fuck the tattooed, heavily pierced Aeronox, Benton felt pure rage. Not that it didn't make sense. It made perfect fucking sense that Stevie would like Aeronox. Both punks in their own way. Musical savants. Artists. Was he fucking her too?

Stevie's gaze flashed up at Benton in surprise, her full doll-shaped mouth popping open, the whites of her eyes growing large. Benton didn't miss the way her delicate hand shook slightly, as she removed her fingers from the sensitive dial. Aeronox spun in his seat at Stevie's gaze, a lazy welcoming smile on his lips. He turned down the volume as he waved briefly at Mary, who was still standing awkwardly a few paces behind Benton.

"Boss, it's a pleasure."

"You requested me." It wasn't a question. It was a statement. Benton's gaze moved between Aeronox and Stevie, tension radiating off of him. But Aeronox didn't pick up on it, his smile never wavering as he clapped his hands together in excitement.

"We've only been working on this for a few hours, but we think it's a banger." Benton simply nodded, his gaze returning to Stevie's face, noting the unmistakable pink stain that ran from the apples of her cheeks down her neck. Aeronox reset a few dials, replaying the remix fresh from the beginning. Benton summoned every cell of self-discipline in his body, forcing his critical and adept mind to focus on the music. He wasn't an artist himself but he knew Jelena and owned her portfolio of hits. He'd be the expert, knowing whether a remix would land well with her audience or not. As the subtle drops in the remix played, building up until they bellied out in a surprise refrain, Benton kept his gaze straight ahead, his hands still clenched in his pockets. Aeronox was one of his best producers and top talents. He couldn't exactly break the guy's contract because he was apparently just as in lust with Stevie as Benton was. Still, that didn't stop Benton from wanting to punch him in the gut.

"It's good. Mellow it out a bit more, the drop is too dramatic." Benton's voice was deeper than normal, strained.

"Will do, boss. Hey, Mary, what did you think?" Mary emerged from behind Benton, her body language clearly nervous but she looked excited as hell. Benton wanted to roll his eyes, the impending task of having to let her go due to her dangerous stalking tendencies appearing that much more brutal the more she fell in love with the company.

"Stevie," Benton cleared his throat, avoiding looking at Mary or Aeronox as he showed her a few of the biggest dials on the production table, "a word outside, please?" The way he said the word please was more like a threat than manners. Stevie squinted her eyes, darting to Aeronox who was still focused on Mary, always the consummate teacher. Stevie stood, chewing her bottom lip between her teeth and kept her eyes downcast. This wasn't the Stevie who barreled into Benton's office late on her first day. The Stevie who barely flinched at the fleet of FBI officers that brought her in. This was...submissive. Unsure. Nervous. Benton's cock twitched in his slacks as he held the studio door open for her, smelling the floral scent of her hair as she walked out past him, her shoulder lightly brushing against his torso.