A Young Adult Romance Collection

by Victorine E. Lieske

  One of the staff walked by, and Riley hid her face. The incident last year had gotten her kicked out of the Billionaire Club. Okay, so maybe it hadn’t been the best idea to hide under the buffet table to get that photo of Garth Brooks. How was she to know it would come crashing down with just one small bump?

  Taking a deep breath, Riley stared as the doors opened, and an entourage entered. She spied Jalen right away, carrying a small dog. Maybe a terrier? She wasn’t up on her dog breeds, but it was adorable.

  A flock of men clad in black suits and ties followed Jalen. The bald one touched his earpiece and spoke, revealing him to be security. This was it. He was coming. Her mouth went dry as she held her breath. A moment later, Shadow Walker entered the lobby surrounded by another group of security guards. A bellboy followed suit with a full luggage cart.

  Riley stared at the masked man as if she could unravel the mystery just by sheer will. He was tall and thin, and his black outfit and mask made him look like the Dread Pirate Roberts, even though he was supposed to be a ninja. He wore gloves and a skull cap, and the only part of him not covered by his costume was his nose, mouth, and jawline. A sword hung in a sheath off his belt.

  He nodded at a few passersby but didn’t do anything extraordinary. He ignored people for the most part and waited for his manager. For some reason, she thought maybe he would be more charismatic. At least, on television, he seemed to be. Perhaps he was just tired, but seeing him in person fell flat for her—what a letdown.

  Too bad. But it didn’t matter. Riley wasn’t there to fall in love with the man. She just needed to figure out his true identity, which meant she would be spending all her time with his manager anyway. There was no way anyone would let her close to Shadow Walker. Her gaze traveled back to Jalen.

  He was taller in person than she expected. And despite the mottled skin that started at his hairline and went down his forehead and over one eye, he was a rather handsome man. She would guess he was in his mid-to-late twenties. His blonde hair was long enough to fall onto his forehead and appeared silky soft. He moved gracefully, petting his dog while speaking with the woman behind the desk. His smile came easy. Riley leaned forward as the woman handed him the room keys. “You’ll be in 175, which has indoor access. I gave your team the entire wing, so there shouldn’t be any foot traffic.”

  A jolt of electricity ran through Riley. 175. Perfect. That’s exactly what she needed. She closed her book and stood. Time for part two of her plan—a change of clothes and an excuse to meet with Shadow Walker’s manager. She took in a deep breath as she crossed the lobby and walked past the mass of security guards. If she could succeed and find out who Shadow Walker was, she just might be able to save her father.

  Jalen glanced at the teen he’d paid twenty bucks to dress up in Shadow Walker’s outfit and cringed. This was the worst one yet. Hadn’t this kid ever seen Shadow Walker? He just stood there like a dead fish. Not that fish stood. They had no feet. Jalen was so flustered he couldn’t even think of a good simile. Next time he was going to make sure his double would at least wave at people. This was an embarrassment.

  Jalen glanced at the woman behind the desk, taking the key card. “Thank you.”

  The red-headed woman gave him a once over, and her smile widened. “I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

  What did that mean? Jalen just gave her a cursory nod and turned, unsure of how to answer her. He wasn’t looking for anything. He was there to do a gig. But of course, she didn’t know that. To the world, he was just Shadow Walker’s manager. No one of consequence.

  He set down Sir Barks-a-Lot, letting him pull on the leash as he led the security team to their group of rooms. He gave the bellboy a tip and led Shadow Walker into his suite—the one adjoining his own. He turned to the teen. “Change and then knock on the door that joins our rooms. You can leave from my suite.”

  The kid nodded and grinned. “Yeah. Sure thing.”

  Jalen started to leave, but the kid reached out and caught his arm. “Wait. Is Shadow Walker coming later, then? Do you need another double to sneak him into the building?”

  “He’s coming tomorrow. We don’t need another double. Thanks.” He tugged on the leash, telling his dog it was time to go.

  The kid didn’t let go of his arm. “So, do you know who he is?”

  Jalen sighed, tired of the same thing every time. “Yes. I’m the only one who knows.”

  A hungry look came into the teen’s eyes. “What’s his name? Will you tell me? I won’t tell a soul. I promise.”

  Right. That’s what they all said. Jalen leaned close to him, and the kid’s grin widened. He let a couple of seconds tick by. “Not a chance,” he whispered, gently slapping the kid’s shoulder.

  Before he could get trapped again with more questions, Jalen slipped out of the room and unlocked his suite. The kid left a few minutes later, and Jalen breathed a sigh of relief. He really couldn’t stand it when people tried to get him to tell them who Shadow Walker was.

  Sir Barks whined, and he dug out the dog bowls from his suitcase, filling them with food and water. It didn’t take much to make the little guy happy. He wagged his tail as he munched on his supper.

  Jalen opened his briefcase and pulled out his notebook with the latest lyrics he’d been working on. His obligations at the resort didn’t start until tomorrow, so tonight he could relax and get some work done. That is, after he gave instructions to the part-timer he’d hired. He checked his phone. The temp should be arriving any minute now. He always hired a temp when he had week-long gigs like this. He needed help with food delivery to his room and other minor things. And if the kid was tall enough, he might be able to use him as his double on the way out.

  He relaxed into the chair by the patio door. The view of the ocean was nice. Too bad he wouldn’t be spending much time out there. Even though he was used to hiding in his room, he did wonder if the sand would feel as powdery under his toes as it looked. He pushed away the thought. He didn’t like it when children screamed at the sight of his scars. It was best to stay behind the scenes. He reached up and pulled the blinds closed.

  The song he’d been working on had stalled, and he needed to focus so he could get the lyrics right. He subconsciously chewed the end of his pen. My heart is cold as ice. Got no feeling left. Not since she took it all away.

  He tried to get back into the headspace he needed to be in to finish the lyrics. Scorned by love. Left alone. He could relate. Not that he’d ever had a long-term relationship. No, those didn’t come his way. Women weren’t looking for a man like him.

  He’d tried dating in the past before he’d become jaded. He just wasn’t in the mood to see the look of shock on another woman’s face. The one where they couldn’t imagine what might have happened to him to leave his skin in such a state.

  He worked on his song for a while before he realized the errand boy had never come. He picked up his phone and frowned at the screen. He’d been waiting over an hour. Ugh. This wasn’t the first time this temp agency had lost his request. What were they doing over here? He’d have to call if no one showed up soon.

  His dog barked, and a knock sounded on his door. Finally. He closed his notebook and took a glance around to make sure none of his Shadow Walker things were lying around the room. After making sure it was safe, he opened his door.

  A woman stood before him, her dark hair pulled back in a severe bun, a pair of large glasses on her nose, making her look owlish. She was wearing a grey skirt and blazer and looked at him expectantly. “Jalen Carter?”

  “You’re not a boy.” The stupidity of his words smacked him in the face, and his neck heated. Duh. Of course, she wasn’t a boy.

  She blinked. “No, I’m not.”

  He waited for her gaze to land on his scars. For the flinch that so often came. But she didn’t flinch. She simply stood there, smiling. Behind him, Sir-Barks-a-Lot was doing his best to pay tribute to his name. “Hush,” he said to him.

  “Are you the
one they sent to be Shadow Walker’s assistant?”

  The woman hesitated for a split second, but then she nodded and smiled. “Yes. That’s me.”

  Jalen motioned for her to enter his suite. “All right. Come in.” He wasn’t thrilled they’d messed up his instructions and sent a woman instead of an errand boy, but he wasn’t about to send her away. He was against gender discrimination. Plus, he’d look like a real jerk. He pulled one of the chairs over to her and motioned to it.

  “Have a seat. Let me get the instructions for you.” He rummaged through his suitcase, looking for the paper schedule he’d typed up. Unfortunately, it wasn’t there. “Sorry, usually I’m not this disorganized,” he mumbled as he tried to find it.

  The woman scratched behind Sir Bark’s ears. “That’s okay.” She smiled at his dog. “He’s sweet. What’s his name?”

  “Sir Barks-a-Lot.”

  She laughed. Not some high-pitched polite thing, either. She laughed like she meant it. “That’s a cute name.”

  “You think so? Most people think it’s odd.”

  “Well, I like it.” She lifted his dog onto her lap. “Yes, I do, Sir Barks-a-Lot. I think you’re a handsome chap.”

  Jalen’s face heated as he continued to search for the paper that obviously wasn’t there. Maybe he’d left it in his printer at home. Great. He gave up and turned to the woman, sticking out his hand. “As you already know, I’m Jalen.”

  “Riley,” she said as she took his hand. Her skin was soft, and he wasn’t expecting the electric feeling that skittered up his arm from touching her. He pulled his hand back.

  “I’m sorry, I can’t find my sheet. But what I need you to do is simple. Shadow Walker is booked to make appearances and do shows here all week. I’m his manager, but I’ll be busy, and I can’t take care of the small details, so that’s what you’re here for. He’ll need meals brought to him. Laundry picked up. Make sure his fridge is stocked with bottled water. Things like that. You’ll basically be at my beck and call for whatever he needs.”

  Riley nodded, and then her eyebrows knit together. “So, he’s going to be doing shows? Is he a magician?”

  Jalen stared at the woman. “You don’t know who Shadow Walker is?”

  Riley shrugged. “I don’t. Sorry.”

  How can there be anyone that out of it? Was she from a different planet? He cleared his throat. “He’s a singer.”

  Her eyebrows shot up. “Ooh,” she said, dragging the word out. “Sorry. I don’t listen to that rap stuff.”

  Jalen bit the inside of his cheek to stop from laughing. “He’s a pop singer.”

  “I don’t listen to that either,” she said, pressing her red lips together.

  Wow. Either this woman lived under a rock somewhere, or she was playing him. He shoved his hands in his pockets and assessed her. She didn’t look like she was joking. She looked like a middle school librarian with those large glasses. Maybe she didn’t watch television. He supposed there were people out there like that. “I’m surprised you’ve never heard of him.”

  She dropped her gaze. “I prefer classical or jazz.”

  “Miles Davis?”

  A smile popped onto her face, showing her perfect, white teeth. “Yes. Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington. The old greats.”

  He had to admit, it thrilled him to talk to someone young who knew something about classic jazz music. Not that he was that much older than her. Maybe five years. But his conversations with women her age usually ended around the time they would ask, “Do you know Shawn Mendes?”

  Jalen leaned against the dresser. “What got you interested in jazz?”

  “My father. He would play his old vinyl records on Saturdays when he was tinkering out in the garage. It’s where I learned to love music. And fix cars…” Her words trailed off as if she had begun to ramble and just realized it. Her cheeks turned pink.

  He raised one eyebrow. “You fix cars?”

  She squirmed and smiled. “Well, I know some basics. How to change the fuel pump. Stuff like that.” She pushed her glasses up with one finger. “But that’s not why I’m here. Tell me about Shadow Stalker. What kind of meals does he like?”

  Jalen laughed. “Shadow Walker. Shadow for short. And he doesn’t like hotel food, so you’ll probably be asked to run to several places nearby. Not fast food. Something local would be good. He likes seafood.” Jalen’s mouth watered thinking of the food he’d eaten last year when he was here. He handed her the company credit card.

  “Got it. When will I meet him?”

  The way she asked made Jalen freeze. Something was off, but he wasn’t sure what it was. Was she too eager? Maybe her eyes were a bit too wide. Was she conning him? He slowly shook his head. “You won’t be meeting him.”

  She brightened. “That’s fine. Do I bring his meals here, then?”

  The strange feeling left, and Jalen mentally scolded himself for being too on edge. He’d just had some crazy fans go way out of their way to get close to Shadow Walker. He must be paranoid. Riley was about as innocent as you could get. She didn’t even know who he was.

  Jalen shook his head. “No. You’ll drop everything he needs off next door at room 177. I’ll give you the key card so you can stock his fridge and drop off his laundry.” He gave her the plastic card and pulled out his phone. “I’ll text you when he needs something. What’s your phone number?”

  Riley rattled off her number, and he added it in, the feeling of unease creeping back into his chest. Why was he apprehensive of this young woman? She was clearly harmless. Right?

  Chapter 2

  Riley exhaled as she walked down the hallway, her legs shaking. How in the world had she come across such great luck? Jalen mistook her for Shadow Walker’s assistant. It was a sign, for sure. This was meant to be. She was in. Bless her father and his love of jazz. It made her story much more believable. Now she could pump Jalen for information while pretending to know nothing about Shadow Walker. It was perfect.

  Jalen had even booked her a room in their wing, next door to Shadow. Not down the hallway. Next door. How could this get any better? Everything was falling into place. She could even check out of her expensive room and save some money. She walked to her room to pack her suitcase, still unable to believe the luck that had smiled upon her.

  After she was all moved into her new room, she sat down on the fancy couch and took a look around. This room was a massive upgrade from her cheap room. Spacious, with a sliding glass door that led directly to the beach. All the furnishings looked plated in gold. It was like one of those large, fancy rooms you only see on TV. There was even a fruit basket on the desk.

  She slid open the deck door and sat on her patio chair. The warm breeze hit her skin, and she relaxed a bit. Thanksgiving would be here before she knew it. And then Christmas. If she could get the promotion before the holidays, it was possible she could have her Christmas miracle.

  She pulled out her phone and called her father. His weak voice came through the line. “Hey, sweetheart. How are you? How was your flight?”

  “It was fine, Dad. How are you? Are you minding Mrs. Lewis?”

  “Why would you ask that?”

  Riley rolled her eyes. “Because sometimes you’re ornery. You need to let her check on you.”

  He grunted, and she could imagine the fake scowl on his face. He pretended he didn’t like Dorothy, but she knew he had a secret crush on her. “She’s pushy. I’m fine. No one needs to check on me.”

  “Dad. Stop it. I don’t want to hear that you gave her a hard time when I come home.”

  “I don’t need a nurse.”

  “She’s not a nurse. She’s a friendly neighbor. I worry about you when I’m not there. Don’t be mean to Mrs. Lewis.”

  He coughed, and fear froze her. “Are you getting a cold?”

  “No, I just have a tickle in my throat. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be nice to the old hag. What about you? Have you dug up that story yet?”

  “I just got here.
But good things are happening. I have a feeling I’ll get that promotion after all.”

  “Oh, tell me about it.”

  Her phone chimed with a new text, and she looked at the screen. Her first assignment had come in. “Sorry, I have to run. I’ll tell you about it later.”

  “All right, sweetie.” She could tell he was tired. “I love you.”

  “I love you too, Dad.” She frowned as she hung up. He was so fragile now. There were days where he barely was able to walk from the bedroom to the living room without getting winded. There wasn’t anything she could do, other than wait for the call that they had a donor heart ready for him. That, and learn who Shadow really was. She checked the text that had come in.

  Please pick up a sea food plate from somewhere local. Deliver it to Shadow’s room. Just leave it on his desk.

  Perfect. She could do that. And maybe get a look at what was in his room. Maybe she’d find a clue. And then another thought popped into her head. The more time she could spend with Jalen, the better. She sent a quick text back.

  Are you hungry as well? I could pick up two plates.

  She held her breath as she waited for him to answer.

  Yes. Please do. Thank you.

  She smiled and headed toward the lobby. Something in her life was finally going her way.

  Jalen stared at his phone, the words almost dancing before his vision. He was dumbfounded. He’d been Shadow Walker for six years. Performed at countless venues and events. Been on tour and hired hundreds of temporary assistants. No one had ever thought to ask him if he was hungry.

  It gave him a strange feeling. Like he had pent up energy to spend. Maybe it was stupid of him to care. She wasn’t asking because she liked him or anything. She was just doing her job. Still, it showed something about her and intrigued him.

  He tried working on his song lyrics for another ten minutes before shoving his notebook back into his briefcase. Nope. Wasn’t going to happen right now. He was nowhere near in the mood he needed to be.