Chapter 21

The Conspiracy showcase ended up with a larger audience than Joe had figured, standing room only, though there actually weren’t a lot of seats, the space in front of the stage left open for people to dance. He arrived early along with the band and Henry and George and Henry’s sound guy and lighting guy along with various assistants like George bringing in a couple of camera operators. The band used the time to rehearse some more while also enabling the crew to get the best sound and images. When the doors opened, as advertised, at seven, a small line had already formed, mostly high school students or recent graduates.

Joe had placed a box at the entrance requesting donations, one of his more desperate looking characters illustrated on it, hand out, with the words, “Help a Starving Artist.” He wasn’t expecting much, especially with the youngsters and the A and R people, but actually did pretty well. Other cost offsetting included Connie bringing in a tub of water and sodas with some hidden beer, charging two dollars for the sodas and water and five for the beer. The cook at Johanna’s mansion also made a bunch of delicious fried eggrolls which Connie went and picked up fresh at seven, pure profit at two dollars each.

Playing manager, Joe went around introducing himself to any older unknowns, collecting cards and handing out the ones he made for the band, a dedicated number on it for a phone bought for the occasion, and with the logo he created and which the band had accepted. In fact he had the logo draped behind them on the stage.

An entire entourage of Swedish blondes arrived in style in two black limos, each of them finding Joe to hug. Two Swedish blondes were already there, Freja helping Connie and Greta looking uncomfortable hovering near Dave while Beth remained close to him.

Beth arrived the day before already knowledgeable about the situation. Figuring him not to keep it in his pants she’d gotten the truth from her best friends about Dave fucking the skanky Kate, getting tested and given a clean bill of health, and Greta living with him, her relationship with him necessarily short-lived, since she’d be returning to Sweden within a couple weeks. She confronted Dave on the phone with the facts, and despite the confrontation they still managed to talk like they always seemed to do for a long time, at the end of which she told him she still planned to move in to his place, and what happened between them depended how she felt when she saw him. She felt horny and after a shower and some take out Chinese, Greta uncomfortably present, she pulled Dave to his feet and brought him to his bed and fucked him.

Afterwards she told him, “I’m exhausted. Go be with Greta, put her out of her misery, but this is my bed until she’s gone.”

“Why would you do that?” he hated to ask but had to know.

“I like her, Dave. I like fucking you. But until you’re ready or until I find someone I actually want to stick with, we’ll be friends with benefits, because that’s what you seem to prefer.”

“What do you prefer?” Dave asked.

“Does it matter? You made your preference clear.”

“Just tell me?”

“I thought I knew how you felt about me, that it was the way I felt about you, but I guess neither of us made it clear, even though I thought it was pretty fucking apparent. But while Joe and Lindy remain together however strangely, and Stuart and Mary are as tight as they’ve ever been and as they’ll always be more than likely, you head here alone without an invitation to join you until you do invite me. The lack of invitation hurt, Dave, like I’ve never been hurt before.”

“But you never said...”

“Because it wasn’t up to me to invite myself. It was up to you to invite me or at least to promise to be back soon or something. Anything. But you call and say you’re heading out here and that’s it.”

“Then why come here?”

“You really are that dense. Because my best friends are here. My best friends include you Dave. I missed them and I miss you. I missed fucking you Dave, obviously, but I miss our friendship more. Just being pals I guess since that seems to be what we are. Pals with benefits. You got it when we talked for hours and you finally invited me here.”

“I guess I did,” Dave said.

“Go be with the cute blonde.”

“I am with a cute blonde.”

“Obviously your preference,” she muttered and turned her back to him.

After a moment, he kissed her head and got out of bed, slipping into a robe and left the room.

He held back a laugh seeing Greta sitting at the table that divided the kitchen from the living room wearing his noise reducing headphones and listening to something on his IPad. She noticed him when he went to the fridge and grabbed a beer, and catching her eye gestured to it for her. She shook her head. “Wine,” she said too loudly. He suggested she remove the headphones while he got a wine glass and poured out some white wine from a box. She had put down the headphones by the time he joined her at the table.

“So?” she asked.

“You heard of friends with benefits?”

“Yes.”

“That’s her and me I guess.”

“And you okay?”

“It means you can stay.”

“Okay,” she smiled patting his crotch. “Perhaps a shower?”

“Join me?”

“Okay.”

Perhaps she was worried she’d lose him and this might be their last time, or perhaps she’d overheard their sex which had been obviously enjoyed by Beth and it enflamed her, but her need for him became clear, kneeling and sucking his penis hard as soon as it had been cleaned, impatient to get to the next part hurrying the shower and drying quickly. Happy with his insistence in sucking her to orgasm, and then him taking his time making love to her, slow strokes inside her slowly building into hard and fast for her next orgasm quickly followed by his, and then her sucking him hard again, riding him as lovingly as the earlier fuck until her next orgasm, after which she moved to hands and knees for him to bang into her from behind to cap off the night.

“You go to her?” she asked after they snuggled together.

“She needs her rest,” Dave responded.

“Then we cuddle?”

He kissed her lightly. “We cuddle.”

“This is good.”

In the morning Beth woke them. “Sorry, Greta, my turn,” she said.

Another shared shower with Beth pulling on his cock rather than sucking it, Dave couldn’t help the chuckle.

“What?” Beth asked.

“Just a lot of showers,” Dave shrugged.

“You complaining?”

“No.”

“Good. I’m not good with dried cum.”

“Understood.”

“I am not leaving you today. Tonight at this showcase, Greta can join us, but you stay with me tonight in bed. I understand her time is limited, so perhaps every other night, depending on need, my need taking priority.”

“Understood.”

“Good. Starting tomorrow I have interviews.”

“I have work too.”

“Greta?”

“She likes hanging out with me when I work.”

“Then sex on break?”

“We’ll figure this out.”

“I guess we will.”

She finished fisting him hard and they dried off and went to bed where Dave thoroughly made love to her, rediscovering her body. Lots of kisses at the beginning and after his tongue made her cum and he fucked her. She might not have enjoyed the flavor of other women, but she definitely didn’t mind her own taste. They remained in the missionary position, all the sex seeming to enable him not to cum for quite a while, even pounding into her to get her over again didn’t result in the usual result and he slowed to the earlier pace before ramping up to a finale which had her orgasm three times before he finally let loose inside her.

“Wow,” she murmured. “This might not be such a bad idea after all.”

Dave chuckled, feeling inordinately proud of his manhood at the moment.

At the showcase with Greta hovering, Beth whispered to Dave, “Maybe you need to put her out of her misery again. There must be some place around here.”

Dave spotted Brit and grinned. “I think I know someone who would know.”

Brit was happy to help. “Maybe I could film you cumming?” she asked.

“Uhm, no.”

“Oh well. Go grab Greta.”

She guided them to the large storage area. “Just close up when you’re done. You still...”

“Nope.”

“Okay. Have fun.”

They found a bench and Dave sat, Greta sitting on his lap.

“Why your girlfriend like this?” Greta asked.

“I don’t know Greta. I don’t think she is my girlfriend.”

“But she come live with you.”

“I know. Listen, if you don’t want this...”

“Try to understand.”

“I know, but really you could be with anyone.”

“Maybe I not want anyone. You?”

“I want both of you.”

“Of course,” she laughed and kissed him. They soon made quick work of their clothing and Dave knelt between her thighs and made sure she was wet enough for him.

“Fuck me Dave,” she soon said, lying back on the bench. Rolling on a condom, he placed his cock where she wanted it, practically sitting up, his legs on the floor lifting him a little so that he could push into her. Her legs lifted high, resting on his shoulders, and his arms reached around them to reach her perky tits with barely a sag in her reclined position. This wasn’t meant for lingering love making, and Greta aided her approach to orgasm with fingers rubbing across her clit. The more he stroked into her, the quicker his thrusts and the more powerful, and the closer his torso was to hers until her legs wrapped around his lower back and she practically hung from his cock, getting extra pleasure inside her from that, and with a last flurry of strokes while she climaxed, he reached his as well, lifting her even more with his press into her.

When they relaxed, they finally kissed, ending with them both laughing quietly. Luckily she had a packet of tissues in her purse, one enclosing the used condom and a couple others to clean themselves up. Dave took the noble burden of finding the closest garbage to dispose of the condom which ended up being all the way on the other side of the auditorium in the men’s toilet where it got flushed along with more tissue, the toilet type, and his piss. They ended up walking in darkness when they reached the auditorium with the show about to begin.

The show, shot from three sides and with the best video equipment and both live and recording sound that was portable and rentable, Joe paying for the live part and Henry the recording, Henry’s sound guy monitoring both, Henry directing the video feed, had a great first set and a fantastic second set. The five A and R people, four men and one woman, which Joe had met before the show couldn’t help being impressed. Great songs and then fantastic songs, and at least the women singing and playing up front looked amazing. Kate wore a yellow sundress nearly as transparent as her stripper outfit, the skirt barely reaching mid-thigh with a pink bra and panties set that barely hid her tits and her sex looking like a skimpy bikini. Johnny looked just as sexy in what looked like a black corset, hinted at during the first set when she removed the black skinny tie she started the show with and unbuttoned the white dress shirt, gone at the beginning of the second set when the spotlight picked her up in the darkness singing the theme song acapella. She’d also removed the black slacks and put on a black mini skirt, a garter belt holding up fishnet stockings, her feet shod in ankle high black Italian boots.

Predictably Gary dressed down in the grunge uniform of flannel shirt and blue jeans, while Tom showed some style, somewhat matching Johnny original outfit of shirt and tie and dress pants, although the pants were lilac colored as was the suit jacket he soon tossed away, and the tie, though also skinny, was bright pink. Soledad wore her usual loose t shirt and cargo shorts, although Joe had custom designed the t shirt with the new Cons/piracy logo, white with black print, which Brit sold in three sizes: Medium, Large and Extra Large, more compensations for Joe’s expenses.

Joe had discussed his expenses with the band, Gary of course the most skeptical about not splitting whatever Joe accumulated, and in the end, after the show and counting the money, Joe ended up taking almost enough to compensate and dividing the rest in seven parts, Johanna and Tom getting two parts each, one hundred dollars for each share. Not a lot, but enough, especially when he showed them the cards from the A and R representatives, two of which were from major labels.

“Not those,” said Johanna about the majors.

“Why not?” Joe asked, though he figured the reason.

“Because they’ll end up scamming us and leaving us hanging,” said Gary.

“Except,” Joe countered, “We have one of the best contract lawyers in the business. Promotion, including widespread copies to college stations along with advertising. And you’ll get the best distribution. Not to mention getting some opening gigs for fellow label mates.”

“I’d like you to look into the smaller labels first,” Johanna insisted.

“What do you think, Tom?” Joe asked.

“I certainly wouldn’t mind being on a major label, especially if your lawyer is there to negotiate. At the same time maybe starting with a smaller, hipper label would be an advantage, might get us more freedom in producing the albums we want, and maybe opening for a fellow label band could become headlining quicker. But it would have to be for no more than two albums, and if we do well, then maybe getting an even better contract with the majors with even more freedom from them.”

“And I thought I’d have to fight you,” Johanna laughed. “I completely agree.”

“But what if it becomes a competition getting you signed,” Joe offered. “What if that means actually getting paid well instead of having to return advances, and complete freedom to choose producers or engineers if you produce yourselves, and complete freedom on the package.”

“Joe’s definitely doing the cover,” Johanna insisted. “Agreed?”

Everyone agreed.

“I guess find out if the majors all want us,” Johanna said, looking at Tom.

“Agreed,” said Tom. “But if not... ?”

“I’ll focus on the smaller hipper labels,” Joe smiled.

“You’re not going to just sell us to the highest bidder?” Gary asked.

“Only if the bid includes what we want,” Joe promised. “All of you will be consulted before we sign.”

“I’m okay with whatever Joe finds,” said Soledad.

“I’d like us to be everywhere,” said Kate.

“You just want to show your cunt to the world,” Johanna smirked.

“Fuck you bitch,” Kate frowned, but ended up laughing with the rest of them.

By then almost everyone had left, and with their equipment packed away in the van and cars the band left too.

Unfortunately Lindy had left much earlier with Henry, already drinking the 101 Wild Turkey in a paper bag and snorting some lines in the passenger seat. “Where’s Holly?” she asked.

“I gave her to George for one more night.”

“Gave her?”

“Yep. I’ll collect her tomorrow.”

“You’re such an asshole Henry,” she muttered before swallowing down some more alcohol.

She drank more in his apartment, and snorted more coke, topping it off with a joint while they stripped.

Surprisingly taking much longer licking her cunt, she neared the realm of cumming when she had him lie down, covered his cock in condom and lube and hopped onto his fat thing, easing it in. His eyes appreciated the motion of her tits when she began the up and down motions of the fuck, stilling them with his hands when her ride became aggressive. She ended cumming before him, a shock, and he steered her onto her back with him still inside and became the Henry Lindy knew, fucking as hard as he could until he got his, but she actually edged towards cumming again, and when she insisted he keep going, he managed to last long enough for her to cum. When he pulled out, he settled onto his side, and despite the quantity of coke he ingested, passed out.

Lindy laughed at his inevitable selfishness, but found herself more disappointed. She drank some more whiskey and did some more coke, looking at his useless and not all that pleasant body and decided to call Joe.

“Can you bring me the Henry dildo?” she slurred.

“What?” he laughed.

“Pretty please? Henry went and passed out on me.”

“Since he arrived early this morning on a red eye and probably got little sleep, I’m not surprised.”

“Joe?”

“I’m finishing up at the school and planned on heading to Connie’s.”

“Of course you were.”

“Why can’t you get it yourself?”

“I’m kind of drunk.”

“No shit. Fine. It’ll be a little while.”

“Hurry,” she muttered slovenly and hung up.

When he arrived, he had to knock on the door loudly before a naked Lindy finally opened it, rushing to the bathroom immediately to throw up.

“Wow, she is messed up,” said Freja, deciding to witness the drunken Lindy, Connie there as well to witness the witness.

“Follow me,” Joe said quietly and they entered Henry’s room, Henry snoring. “Coke,” he pointed to the bedside table with the medicine bottle and the small mirror and the safety razor and the cylindrical hundred dollar bill. The ladies each snorted one per nostril and Joe did too before handing them a joint he found in Lindy’s purse. “Smoke it in the guest room,” he suggested. “I’ll be a few minutes.”

He joined Lindy in the bathroom. She looked wasted sitting on the commode. He washed her face of the bit of vomit and turned on the shower, stripping, and guiding her in. He washed the remnants of the vomit in her hair, shampooing it while she balanced her backside against him.

“I’m sorry,” she sniffled.

“You’ve been good,” he soothed. “This isn’t entirely unexpected.”

“Still sorry,” she sniffled. Once her hair had been washed, she opened her mouth to the pouring water and thoroughly washed it before turning to Joe and pulling him down for a soft kiss. He began washing her back and her ass before turning her around and washing her front and her pussy.

“Stay there,” she giggled and he fingered her while she pulled on his hardening cock. His other hand he used for a quick cleaning of himself and he ended the fingering and pulling having them rinse off. Shutting off the water he toweled off and helped her exit the bath and toweled her off before grabbing his clothes and leading them to the guest bedroom where Connie and Freja already worked to get themselves off in a sixty-nine, causing Lindy to giggle.

Joe guided Lindy to lie back and lubed the Henry sized dildo while licking her snatch, adding lube there before pushing it in. “Mmm,” Lindy hummed. “You could have...”

“I know, but this is what you wanted.”

“Henry actually made me cum twice!” she moaned.

“Amazing. You going to choose him now?”

“No way. He’s still an asshole,” she moaned,

He used his free hand and his mouth to work her nipples while her hand went down to stroke her clit. It took a while and tired his fucking arm, but she finally succumbed to a fairly strong orgasm.

Once he pulled the dildo out and dropped it, Connie pulled him over her and aimed his cock inside her, Freja, a bit wide eyed still, watched for a little while before straddling Connie’s mouth. Joe shifted to kneeling, Connie’s legs wrapped around him, so he could kiss Freja and suck her nipples, his hands busy grasping Connie’s hips pulling her into him with each thrust. Freja rubbed Connie’s clit.

Connie, already well stimulated, came fairly quickly and Joe slowed his strokes, leaning down to help pleasure Freja with a second tongue. Before she came from the double attack, Freja moved off Connie and in the narrow space between Connie and passed out Lindy, she presented her ass, which Joe soon crawled behind and pushed his cock deep into her pussy. Neither held back, Joe fucking her hard and Freja bouncing her ass against him at the same pace and both ended up cumming, Joe seconds behind Freja.

As soon as Joe pulled out, Freja hopped off the bed heading for the toilet to piss and clean her pussy, anticipating the next round, Joe’s mouth available as foreseen when she returned, with Connie ably coaxing Joe hard again with her mouth. Freja once more got head, this time from Joe. Connie, once she got him hard and deep throated him a couple times, hopped onto her success and rode him, leaning towards Freja for kisses and finger rubs. Culminating in a wild ride and an orgasm, Connie relinquished his cock for Freja who worked quicker for her orgasm, Connie mostly watching, and when Freja revealed a still fearsome erection, the two worked their mouths on it, Connie ending up with a mouth full after a couple more deep throats, letting Freja finish up the rest of the spurts, going out naked and finding the bourbon and bringing it in for the two to clear their palates.

“Me too?” Lindy groaned, having woken up earlier and watched the latter fucking. Freja and Connie looked to Joe for permission and he shrugged, so Connie handed off the bottle to Lindy. After taking a swig, she asked, “Joint?”

“Sure,” the others agreed and she fetched it, chuckling, “Henry can sure snore.”

They shared the joint, after which Joe, Connie and Freja dressed. “Leave the bottle?” Joe asked.

“Please,” Lindy murmured.

Each of them kissed her before walking out of the guest bedroom, Joe with the substitute Henry in hand, seeing Lindy follow them, bottle in hand but not drinking, entering Henry’s bedroom.

“Wow Joe,” Freja said quietly during the brief elevator down one floor. “You weren’t kidding about Lindy being messed up.”

“Yep,” said Joe sadly.

In the loft bed after disrobing and cuddling naked, they changed subjects. “Conspiracy was amazing,” said Freja.

“Although only having really seen them once performing,” Joe agreed. “Just the way they were after and as powerful as they were on stage, fearless really, especially Johanna, I think they’d just done their best concert.”

“It’s a good sign,” Connie said, “that they’re ready for their next steps up to success.”

“Definitely,” Joe agreed. “And they seemed completely harmonious after.”

“They agreed to your plans?”

“I pretty much played devil’s advocate recommending jumping to the majors, but as anticipated they wanted to start at a hipper small label, and I countered with what I hoped happens, a bidding war with tons of freedom and real payments for their work from whoever wins, but with the caveat that if that didn’t happen, we’d sign with a small label for a couple albums before moving up hopefully with more bargaining power if they prove successful.”

“Will this happen? One or the other?”

“I think they deserve it as amazing as they are, but of course I’m biased.”

“I am not so biased, just a simple Swedish girl and I think so too.”

“You’re anything but simple, Freja,” Connie laughed.

“Well I was until you Americans corrupted me,” she and Joe sharing the laugh. More seriously, she sighed. “I hate that I must leave you.”

“We hate it too,” said Connie. “You think you could visit?”

“I am not so rich. I get government money for school because my family is not so rich. If not for that terrible man wanting to rape us, I could not be here.”

“What are your plans, Freja?” Joe asked. “I know you’re studying computers.”

“In our dreams, Greta and I wish to start a network company for small businesses in Stockholm, working to simplify communication with clients and OEM. You understand?”

“OEM?” Joe asked.

“When a company needs parts from another company for manufacturing their product.”

“Makes sense.”

“But it would probably take a rich sugar daddy or with boys who assume we are best for serving them coffee. Either way, it is expected men do what we wish to do. Probably I work at some place like Best Buy probably selling shit rather than be trusted to fix shit, though I think Sweden may be a little less like that. And Greta can become a rock star.”