Craving Talon Read Free

did, but not in a singing or musical sense. So, while I am not asking you to sign your life away with Bold, I need to know what you want to do.”  
    She sets two folders down on the desk in front of her and continues, “Inside these folders are two contracts. One,” she pats the one on my left. “Is a full contract, giving Bold the right to sell your name and your image to the highest bidder. When we do that you then become a product of the label and no longer an employee of Bold, which means your job with 69 Bottles will terminate.”  
    I don’t like where this is going. “What’s the other contract?”  
    “This one is more complicated, but less involved. This one means that Bold doesn’t own you, essentially just your voice. It gives me free reign to negotiate for your voice. For example, the recording tonight, should we do it, this contract allows me to sell that recording on your behalf to the label who will then pay Bold, you and the band for their work. It also allows me to negotiate with them for the official recording in New York, as well as any future performances on the tour. It basically only allows Bold to sell anything you do with 69 Bottles and nothing further.”  
    “This is all so confusing,” I mutter. “Talon has asked me to perform with him throughout the rest of the tour.”  
    “For free?” Cami asks, there is no malice in the question, but I can see her concern.  
    “We hadn’t talked about it. It’s one song and a few lines. It was totally impromptu and I was caught up in the moment of being on stage. Talon was only trying to sing it to me and I was singing back to him.” I put my head in my hands. “He liked the sound of my voice, I never imagined it would lead to all this.”  
    Kyle rubs his hand along my back, the gesture is very comforting. “Can I make a suggestion?” he asks and I nod. “Go with the voice contract. Allow Cami to negotiate with the label regarding tonight’s recording, the New York recording and anything else in the future that you and Talon might do together. Once the tour is over you can make a decision as to whether or not you want to pursue a full time music career.”  
    “It’s so much to take in.”  
    “Look Addison, I don’t need you to make any life changing decisions, but it would be wrong of me to not tell you what is in store for tonight and New York’s recording.”  
    “This has nothing to do with money,” I blurt.  
    “I think you might change your mind. Tonight’s recording comes with a ten million dollar budget that is meant to pay the band, it’s agents, plus recording and distribution costs. With what’s leftover, twenty-five percent to Bold because we’re dealing with both you and 69 Bottles. Sixty percent to 69 Bottles and the remaining fifteen present is yours.”  
    “How much is left over after all of that is paid?” I ask her.
    Cami shrugs, “it really depends on what the label spends on their end, but between two and two and half million.
    “Three-hundred and fifty thousand dollars for three minutes and forty one seconds?” I squeal in shock.  
    “That’s just for the recording. That’s not counting your percent of things like airtime play and performances. The official recording will garner more for you because it will give the label the ability to sell to the consumer as a single.”  
    “And when this is all done, if 69 Bottles decides to not coordinate on future songs, I can just walk away?”  
    She leans back in her chair, her confidence is palpable. She knows she’s winning. “Yes, you can just walk away.”
    “Can I go back to my job?”  
    She lets out a small laugh. “If that’s what you want to do, then it’s all yours. It remains your job if you sign this contract.” She puts her hand on the one on my right. “Singing becomes your full time gig if you sign this one.”  
    “Got a pen?” Both Cami and Kyle laugh and Cami hands me a pen. I grab the folder on the right and