Straight to the Source

The last note hung in the air, making the silence feel heavier than it should.

Lex leaned against the corner of the grand piano, arms crossed, watching Rose with an expression somewhere between calculation and quiet pride.

Rose lifted her hands from the keys, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear like she hadn't just pulled a moment straight out of thin air. She glanced at Lex, her brow raised.

"Well?"

Lex's smirk was slow, deliberate. "Get your coat. We're going."

Rose blinked, leaning back slightly. "Going where?"

Lex grabbed his keys off the table. "Jason's studio."

She frowned, crossing her arms. "Lex, I just sang a half-forgotten ballad on a dusty piano. That doesn't mean—"

"It's exactly what it means," Lex cut her off smoothly. "You've got the sound, and I'm not wasting time. I sign talent fast."

Rose stared at him like he'd just told her the sky was purple. "You can't just—"

"Coat, Rose," Lex said again, pointing at the door.

She sighed, clearly weighing whether to argue or humor him. Eventually, the latter won.

"Fine," she muttered, grabbing her jacket off the back of a chair. "But if this ends in some sketchy garage, I'm calling the cops."

Lex chuckled as they stepped into the hallway. "Relax. Jason's loft only looks like a crime scene from the outside."

Jason's studio was in the kind of place that screamed "artist trying to make it" while also whispering "hazard."

The loft door was slightly ajar when they arrived, faint strains of an old blues riff playing in the background. Inside, Jason was crouched by a vintage speaker, untangling cables and muttering something unintelligible to himself.

He looked up when Lex walked in, squinting briefly before his face lit up with a familiar manic energy. "Back already?" His gaze shifted to Rose, and his smirk widened. "And you brought company."

Rose shoved her hands into her coat pockets, suddenly self-conscious under Jason's scrutiny.

Lex gestured toward her casually. "This is Rose. She sings."

Jason arched a brow. "Yeah? Good for her."

Lex ignored the sarcasm. "I want her signed."

Jason straightened, brushing off his hands as if Lex had just said something insane. "You're serious?"

"Dead serious," Lex replied, glancing at Rose. "Sing something for him."

Rose shot him a sharp look. "I didn't agree to—"

"You're already here," Lex said simply. "Might as well get paid."

Jason laughed, leaning against his desk. "He's got a point."

Rose muttered something under her breath but finally let out a resigned sigh. She stepped toward the microphone near the console, brushing her fingers nervously over the edges of the stand.

Jason moved fast, adjusting a few dials on the mixer, slipping his headphones on with a practiced ease. "Whenever you're ready," he said, his voice calm but expectant.

Rose hesitated for a moment, her hands gripping the mic stand tightly. Then, she started to sing.

Her voice was soft at first, uncertain, but as she found her rhythm, it grew into something undeniable. There was a raw edge to it, a smoky, lived-in quality that made you stop and listen, even if you didn't know the song.

Jason froze mid-tweak, his hands hovering over the controls. His head tilted slightly as though he needed to make sure he was really hearing what he thought he was.

By the time Rose finished, Jason was pulling off his headphones, his usual sarcasm replaced by something closer to awe.

"Yeah…" Jason said slowly, looking at Lex like he'd just walked in with a diamond the size of a fist. "You weren't kidding."

Lex smirked. "Told you."

Jason ran a hand through his hair, his energy suddenly ramping up. "Okay. We're not waiting on this." He turned toward his desk, already rummaging through a drawer. "I'll get the paperwork. She's not leaving without signing."

Rose's eyes widened. "Wait—just like that?"

Lex turned to her, shrugging casually. "Just like that."

Jason grinned as he pulled out a stack of contracts. "Welcome to the business, Rose. Try not to let Lex ruin your life."

Rose looked between the two of them, her disbelief clear. "I don't even know what I'm signing up for."

Lex patted her shoulder lightly. "Don't worry. I do."

As Jason slid the contract across the desk, Rose hesitated, glancing between him and Lex. "What if I say no?"

Jason laughed, shaking his head. "Trust me, you're not gonna say no. You've got the voice. Lex knows how to use it. And me?"

He gestured dramatically to the studio. "I make magic happen."

Lex leaned against the console, arms crossed, his smirk growing. "You're getting the full package, Rose. A producer who'll keep you on your toes, a studio with history, and me handling the business. What's not to love?"

Rose gave him a pointed look. "Everything about this feels like a scam."

Jason grinned. "That's the spirit! Now sign before I change my mind."

With a deep sigh, Rose finally picked up the pen and signed. Jason's grin widened, and he clapped his hands together. "Done! Alright, let's get to work."

Rose gave Lex one last skeptical look. "If this blows up in my face, you're paying for the therapy."

Lex laughed softly. "Deal."

As Jason dove into a monologue about their first session, already rattling off ideas at a breakneck pace, Lex stood back, watching the scene unfold.

Barnie Maddox was busy buying people in boardrooms.

Lex? He was building on the board. one piece at a time.