Page 35 of Conquest

“Watch your royalty percentage. Depending on where an album is sold, your royalty rate can fluctuate. Normally you’ll get more when your CD is sold through normal retail stores, but its all about Internet downloads now, so make sure you’re not getting screwed on a low percentage for album or individual song downloads, and watch that the points are coming out of retail sales not wholesale.”

“What’s the average percentage?” Jesse said.

“It varies, but if you get ten points out of Phoenix, then that’s about average for a new band. Even though Phoenix isn’t the size of the big boys, they’ve always been able to hold their own, even before I signed with them.”

Kenny said, “I bet you could go into any record company and demand the highest percentage you wanted.”

Evan shook his head. “When I renegotiated my contract before Allegro, Phoenix got me locked into a ten album deal, moving it up from the five I had originally signed for.”

Jesse snapped his head toward Evan. “Does that mean you have to make six more albums?”

Evan let out a single humorless laugh. “Don’t get your hopes up. All it means is that if I do decide to make another album, I can only do it with Phoenix unless I get out of my contract or they let me go, neither of which will likely happen. It’s not unusual for record companies to do that, especially if they think the artist has some staying power. But it doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed to make ten or however many albums either. If your first one doesn’t sell they can cut you loose and there’s nothing you can do about it. Also, when they throw the advance at you, don’t get excited over the large number. It includes your recording budget. You won’t see any royalties until that’s paid off first. On the plus side, if your album bombs you don’t have to pay that cash back, so shoot for as high an advance as you can. It might be the only cash you’ll see.”

“Well, that’s good at least,” Kenny said.

“It’s a plus, but you have to sell a lot of albums to make that money back. It takes selling 500,000 just to hit Gold, 1,000,000 for Platinum, and there’s a hell of a lot of expenses in between to eat up your royalties before you ever see a check.”

Kenny stood up. “This is a lot to remember.”

Evan rose and walked toward the door with Jesse. “You’ll be fine. Just don’t sign anything if you have any doubts, not even a Post-it note. And don’t agree to anything verbally either. You’d be amazed at what a label can turn into a binding agreement.”

Kenny led the way down the stairs. Jesse lingered beside Evan, walking so close their shoulders touched. He grazed his fingers against Evan’s hand, and Evan lightly hooked his fingers with his.

“That was the most I’ve heard you talk,” Jesse said softly.

Evan gave him a sideways glance, his lips curved up in a wicked grin. “Well, that’s because my mouth has been full most of the time since we met.”

Jesse laughed. “And I thought I had a perverted sense of humor.”

Kenny leaped down the last two stairs and darted for the door. He held it open for them, standing with his eyes focused out on the street.

Evan pulled Jesse to a halt by his hand. “I’m going to be in the city for a while doing some shopping. If you have any questions or need anything, call me. And don’t take any shit off Greg or anyone else down there. Like I said, Greg is trustworthy enough, but his bottom line is always making money. Your music is a commodity to him, and you wouldn’t be going to his office if he didn’t think he could make money off you, so keep that in mind while you’re negotiating.”

Jesse nodded. “Okay. Thanks, for everything.”

Evan caressed Jesse’s cheek with the back of his hand, then kissed him. Jesse heard the door slam close and knew Kenny had moved away. He leaned into Evan, wrapping his arms around him. Evan held him tighter, and it was all Jesse could do to force himself to break the kiss first.

“Quit trying to make me late. I have a contract to sign, music to make, and all your record sales to break.”

“That’s so cute. You really think you can compete with me,” Evan said, tousling Jesse’s hair.

Jesse ran his fingers through his hair, trying to fix it by feel. “You’re just nervous because you know it’s true.”

Evan opened the door for him. “I don’t think I’ll lose any sleep over it.”

Jesse walked him to the Escalade and leaned through the open driver’s side window once Evan climbed in. “I’ll call you after we wrap things up.”

“Alright. Good luck.”

“Thanks.”

Jesse backed away from the truck and watched the taillights disappear around the corner, already missing Evan’s warm body beside him. He took a deep breath and spun toward Kenny’s car.

CHAPTER TEN

Jesse stepped into the building containing the Phoenix Records corporate offices on Wacker Drive, a little disappointed the actual recording studio was elsewhere. He headed into the elevator with Kenny, hit the button for the tenth floor, and stood quietly beside him. A hundred times during their drive he wanted to talk to him, but hadn’t because at his first attempt of, “Hey, about me and Ev,” he got cut off by Kenny sharply uttering, “I don’t want to talk about it now.” Under different circumstances, he would have told Kenny he didn’t give a rat’s ass whether he wanted to talk about it or not, they were going to, but he knew Kenny was stressed enough over the meeting.

Really, he should be concentrating on it too, but Evan kept slipping into his mind without his realizing it until he caught himself thinking about his azure eyes, the smell of his cologne, his body so warm and firm, the sound of his voice in pleasure, the taste of his…