Chapter 173   - The Best Deals

Cage groaned. Stephen tightened his grip on the steering wheel and blared the horn in frustration. "Don't lie. You are texting. This is unfair!" Cage looked at him with a weird expression. "Take my phone. Type what I say."

The cell phone was tossed to Cage and he smacked it away like a hot potato. F.u.c.k that.

"Voice to text input is a thing. Please use it, don't ask me to do your dirty work." He shook his head. "What is wrong with you?"

Stephen groaned. "I don't want to say it out loud!" And then he stopped.

"Now I am sure your mother dropped you on your head when you were a baby." The sheer stupidity. "How are you this way and handling multi-million dollar deals?" He shook his head.

[Rinsten: But also, different cabins? Explain how that is going to happen. On another note, I am glad to hear that I won't be hearing then tear each other's clothes.]

[RayKon53: That would be a delight. Spending time with you while not seeing Stephen walk around n.a.k.e.d.]

[Rinsten: Well, that is not an image I want in my head, but I am sure Angelina wouldn't mind. Again, different cabins?]

[RayKon53: Ah. So, Stephen found time to book three cabins for us. One bedroom for us and Lily and her boyfriend and two bedrooms Stephen and Angelina. I am dying thinking about how this will go...]

He waited with bated breath for her reply. It came soon enough.

[Rinsten: She won't mind at all. She's all for making Stephen beg for her. She might give him grief for not asking her first, but I can help you with that. I know how to negotiate a deal with her.]

Cage read the text and turned to Stephen with a contemplative expression on his face.

"What do you think about letting Katherine break the news about the cabins to Angelina?" Stephen looked at him with an incredulous look.

"You're going to take away my pleasure of talking to her?"

"Just trying to get you into her good books," Cage said, holding his hands up in defense.

"Cool. Maybe after I inform her? She can scream at me and then talk to Katherine. She'll get her anger out and won't think I am hiding behind people or being transparent with her." Cage nodded. Made sense.

"I'll let her know." With that, he tucked his head down and starting to text again.

[RayKon53: Wait for my signal. Stephen wants to tell her himself.]

[Rinsten: Okay. When will you get home?]

[RayKon53: In another 30 minutes, maybe. Are you working?]

She should be. She hadn't worked in two days and she must have deadlines to meet. It would be a disaster if she didn't finish things on time.

[Rinsten: Mm. I have to submit a draft for a book cover next week. I'm just finishing everything before I leave for the holiday. I finished a lot of work in the last couple of days before you came, but now, I just need to finish as much and... yeah.]

'Meet you...' that's what she wanted to say. It would be nice to just switch off from the world and enjoy themselves.

"I wish I could skip the meeting," he sulked.

Stephen laughed. "Sure, go ahead. Even if I don't butcher you, your PR team will destroy you. As I have said before." Stephen looked at his expression. "Just imagine. They beat you to a pulp and you are unable to meet Katherine."

"If that happens, I am suing and firing all of you." Another text came in.

[Rinsten: I can't concentrate on work.]

"Don't wanna lose my golden goose." Stephen revved up the engine.

[RayKon53: Okay, focus on work. Finish everything before next weekend. I'll talk to you soon.]

He closed his eyes and remembered their time together. Just one week.

- - -

Unfortunately, Cage was still tired when he got off the car and entered the office building. The receptionist and other staff members were quick to recognize him. Cage was one of the actors with higher profiles associated with the company and handled by the top two group leaders. Yes, he had two group leaders on his account. That's how much he paid to stay out of the news... not that it had worked that well this year.

The fawns and flattery got old soon and Cage kept his eyes down unwilling to let everyone see how sullen and tired he was. Stephen was conversing with the other staff members, just catching up, as if he wasn't constantly on the phone with them, appraising what to get published and how to navigate media opportunities.

Demetri and Irene sat in the office, waiting for them to enter. The floor plan was open, but the smaller conference rooms, as they called it was enough to fit the four of them. Demetri was the head of brand deals whereas Irene made sure that the news regarding Cage was polished and holding up his reputation. They made a formidable team.

"This almost looks like a team meeting," Cage muttered as he took a seat. Stephen slid in after him.

"Should we call in the interns and executives as well? Now, that would be a fun team meeting," Irene said slyly.

"No, thanks. I have had enough of those. I need a break."

"You have bags under your eyes. Makes me wonder what you have been up to recently," Irene asked. Cage ignored her and turned to Demetri.

"You said that you wanted to talk about numbers?"

"I've already handed the charts over to Stephen." He pointed at Stephen, who began to speak.

"Thanks for that, man. Your connections really pulled through. We made a big decision putting him in the romance genre and the pay was nowhere close to action, but it really worked out." He nodded.

"It's my job to make you the best deals," Demetri said with a shrug. "Your royalties have come in and you made some good money. Under the Stars made 120 million domestically and 300 million internationally." Demetri gave a little smirk. "On that note, we received an offer from a watch company to get you as their brand ambassador. Prestigious, premium company. They also want you to do a voiceover."