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Two hours later ere back at the hotel Neither of us had been much in a party mood after the confrontation with Chip We’d put in a token appearance at a big bash at a hotel ballroom for the Graotten whiplash fro Noe headed up to the suite I’d called Flo fro reen carpet toet excited about it Not with Ray in a funk

"You’re awfully quiet, Ray" I leaned against the elevator wall to take the pressure offto wake up Nate and ask him about my contract"

"It’s pretty late" The doors opened and I pushed h" Ray pulled out the key card and opened the door e got there "I need some answers"

Valdez sat in front of the TV, his paw on the reh

"Pay-per-viewme for that, asshole" Ray stalked over to Nathan’s door

"He’s got coh shit" Ray pounded on the door "Nate, I need to talk to you Now"

After a tense two ood tirabbed Nate’s ar room His naked best friend

"Ray!" I turned ym had sure paid off There was a mirror across the roolanced at etting off to this"

"Ah, as I sat on the couch and kicked off ly back at his dark bedroom, then closed the door "I’"

"Too daht We discussed my contract"

"Oh, yeah?" Nate picked up another pillow and covered his nicely toned tush

"Yeah Seems Chip owns me His word Why the hell would you make a deal like that for me, Nate?" Ray paced the floor "And, news flash, Chip is a vampire"

"The hell you say" Nate fuained control "No freakin’ way"

"Ray!" I couldn’t believe he’d just ignored Chip’s warning And if he didn’t think Chip would read Nate’s mind the next time they er I didn’t say anything else, though One crisis at a time

"I’m not Chip’s property, Glory Nate knohat I know" He frowned and shook his head "But obviously that doesn’t go both ways, does it, Nate?"

"I did the best I could for you, Ray" Nate dropped the back end pillow to put his hand on Ray’s shoulder "I was up against a wall Your drinking was getting out of hand and everyone in the music business had heard the rumors Sales were flat on your last album and reviewers called the work sloppy The only hit to co was the duet with Sienna Star, and that’s because the woman’s a perfectionist and you know it That’s e’re here at the Grammys this year"

Ray jerked away from Nate and strode over to the open doors at the balcony "No one said anything to lanced back at me, then followed him to the doorway "Ray, there were no other offers You want toyou, there’s no distribution Chip’s got that all locked up You have to ith hiood news Don’t you see? The Chipster will understand your condition Aot up and walked to Ray’s other side "That’s what Chip said, Ray"

"Yeah, right before he started issuing orders andthreats"

"Now, Ray, I don’t think he exactly ordered you not to deal with MacDonald" Though I wished he had

"He threatened you? And who’s MacDonald?" Nate looked at me, then Ray