Wicked Force

by Sawyer Bennett

  Stepping past my mother, he holds his hand out to me. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Joslyn.”

  Unfortunately, I’m rendered a bit speechless by the fact that the most sought-after entertainment agent is standing in my dressing room. He represents six of the top ten actors and actresses in Hollywood and has secured amazing deals with major record labels for his signing stars. I manage a quick swipe of my suddenly sweaty hand and hold it out to him.

  We shake and a quick glance to my mom shows her watching us with a nervous expression on her face. She waits for me to say something, and when I don’t, she rushes in to fill the silence.

  “Joslyn... Mr. McMichaels flew in from L.A. to catch your show tonight,” my mother says exuberantly. I realize that this is not a surprise to my mom the way it is to me. She must have set this up somehow but didn’t tell me, and I’m grateful for it. The pressure of knowing he was in the audience would have put my stomach in knots, sort of the way it’s starting to do now that he’s here in my dressing room.

  “You were amazing,” Ian says as he releases my hand and gives me a genial smile. “Your mom was going to bring you to L.A. to meet me, but I understand you had a charity concert that conflicted.”

  I shoot my mom a quick glance, now understanding why she was so upset that I took the concert. No one would miss a meeting with this man, who has paved the way to gold for so many superstars today. Still, even if I had known that was the opportunity awaiting me, I would have chosen the concert without an ounce of hesitation. I can’t even imagine what my mother had to do to get Ian McMichaels here to Vegas to watch me.

  “Madeline,” Ian says as he looks at me. I find it weird he’s addressing my mother without his eyes leaving my face. “Would you give me and Joslyn a minute alone?”

  My nerves fire and my stomach flips. My mom just beams him a smile and says, “Of course.”

  Before I can say anything—which would be my first words of this meeting—my mom is gone and the door is shut.

  I turn my attention back to Ian, who is still smiling at me genially with his hands clasped before him. I swallow hard, trying to think of something witty to say, but nothing comes.

  Ian takes a step toward me. “Your vocals are perfection and you have incredible dance skills.”

  Wow... Ian McMichaels thinks I have real talent.

  He takes another step, then another, veering around me. He walks around the back of me and I force myself not to turn with him so that I can see what he’s doing. I imagine he’s checking me out from the back side, which makes me feel a little icky, but I don’t dwell on it.

  It’s Ian McMichaels.

  When he comes around my other side, he stops so that I have to turn to face him. I feel incredibly intimidated. His eyes bore into mine and the smile is gone. “But you lack confidence and it shows through like a bright spotlight. I think you have enough talent we could develop you into something worthy of the entertainment industry, but the key word here is ‘develop.’ You’re going to have to work harder than ever before, and you’re going to have to do exactly as I say. If you want to make it big, you’re going to have to let go of this two-bit act you’ve got going here and totally change the way you comport yourself or you’ll get eaten alive. Am I clear?”

  I can feel myself shrinking, what confidence I did have slowly ebbing away with each word. He sees it too and looks disappointed. I manage to straighten and lift my chin, and that delights him. His eyes sparkle and a corner of his mouth lifts. “Good,” he praises me. “I see you understand what I mean. The question is, are you ready to work for it?”

  I swallow again, and finally manage to find my voice. “I’m sorry... work for what?”

  “The opportunities I will bring your way as your agent,” he replies smoothly.

  “My agent?” I say with surprise. Ian McMichaels wants to represent me?

  His smile breaks wide and he chuckles. “I’ll handle the details with your mother.”

  Taking my hand in his, he brings it up to his mouth and brushes his lips over my knuckles. My urge is to pull my hand away and I think he knows it, because he holds on tight and lets his mouth linger there while his eyes hold mine in challenge.

  Finally, he lets go and pivots away from me. Without another word, he walks out the door. I’m left standing there, stunned over what just happened and having conflicted feelings about it. Before I can process them, though, the door opens up and my mom slips back inside.

  She clasps her hands tight over her chest, trying to hold in a smile that she just can’t contain. It breaks, washes over her face and she squeals in excitement.

  Then she lunges forward and has her arms around me, hugging me tight. “He wants to sign you, Jos. All our dreams are going to come true.”

  I try to embrace her back, but I’m too slow witted and she’s releasing me anyway. She starts backing toward the door and blows me a kiss. “I’m going to go get a late meal with Ian so we can talk details. I’ll tell you all about it later.”

  I just stare at her and I’m not sure what my expression holds, but it causes her smile to slide. “Aren’t you excited?”

  I get no opportunity to assure her I am because she’s advancing back on me. Her eyes heat and her lips press into a flat line. She puts her hands on my shoulders, squeezes, and puts her face in mine. “You do realize he only represents A-list stars, right? I’m sure you can only imagine what I’ve gone through to get him here to see you, right? You need to sign with him, Joslyn, and you can’t hesitate on this.”

  “I will,” I assure her, bringing my hands up to wrap around her wrists. I give her an affectionate squeeze. “I’ll do what you think is best. I’m just overwhelmed.”

  Her face softens and she smiles at me again. “Good. Because you know that I only want what’s best for you. Right?”

  I nod, smiling back at her with reassurance.

  She stares at me, her eyes roaming over my face for perhaps any evidence of a lie within my promise. Satisfied, she kisses me on my cheek before turning gracefully to the door.

  “Mom,” I say to get her attention.

  She turns back to face me. “Yes, sweetheart?”

  “Why don’t you come with us to Cunningham Falls?” I ask her with hope blooming in my chest. I want her with me when we celebrate Dad and what he meant to his community.

  “Honey,” she replies with her eyebrows drawing inward as if she doesn’t understand my question. “You know I’m going to New York.”

  Yes, a shopping trip that she had planned and booked the day I told her I was doing the concert. I thought she was doing it to punish me for agreeing to the concert and supposedly ruining a meeting she was trying to set up with Ian. But that’s all water under the bridge now.

  “It’s a charity benefit,” I remind her. “They’re going to open a new wing of the hospital named after him.”

  I don’t have to clarify who “him” is.

  That would be my dad, who was a doctor in Cunningham Falls. But not just any doctor. He was the small-town doc who would come to your house if you were too sick to get out of bed. He treated those who couldn’t afford medical care for free, or he’d accept a bucket of huckleberries in return. He was beloved by everyone, most of all me.

  My mom’s eyes glisten with welling tears and her voice is small. “It’s just too painful for me to go back, Jos. I hope you understand.”

  She doesn’t give me a chance to figure out whether or not I understand, because she’s spinning away and breezing out the door.

  I blink in surprise, stunned she’d just leave me in the middle of such an important conversation. We’re talking about my dad... her husband. He died almost two years ago. It was about six months after my album dropped and we had all figured out that it wasn’t going to perform well. I guess the downside to going with a small label with no real marketing power.

  Still, through it all, my father always maintained I was going to be a superstar one day. My mom agreed with him, and I know th
at’s why she works so hard for me. Sometimes I think she blames herself for helping me secure that deal with the label. She sees the failure of the album as her failure, whereas I just see it as a learning lesson. Through all of it, my father was our biggest supporter. He even made my mom promise on his deathbed that she would stick by my side and help me achieve my dreams.

  She never hesitated because she loved him and me, and as he was dying, she would have promised him the world.

  And yet, she can’t go back to celebrate the memory of such a man.

  It makes no sense to me, and she won’t even try to explain her feelings on the matter.

  Once again, my dressing room door opens but this time it’s Kynan stepping in. He takes one look at me and his expression darkens. “What happened?”

  I force a big smile on my face. “Um... great news. That man was the most sought-after talent agent there is and he wants to sign me.”

  Kynan doesn’t smile back. He doesn’t congratulate. He merely questions me. “Then how come you look upset?”

  “I’m not—”

  “You are,” he says over me. “What’s wrong?”

  I shrug but then spill my guts. “I thought maybe my mom would come to Cunningham Falls with us, but she still wants to go to New York for her shopping trip.”

  “Maybe it’s too hard on her to go back,” he suggests.

  I nod. “That’s what she said.”

  “Give her the benefit of the doubt,” he tells me.

  I nod again.

  Of course I will. I could never question her love for my father. Not when I watched how she took care of him as he died. I need to accept that the way she grieves or honors his memory is not necessarily the way I would.

  Chapter 9

  Kynan

  Joslyn became a different person once we loaded up into the rental SUV and left the airport. The drive into Cunningham Falls only takes about twenty minutes and a good chunk of that time I spent watching Joslyn through the rear-view mirror. She sat in the rear passenger seat behind Jayce. Her forearm was propped just below the window and her forehead rested against the glass. She stared dreamily out at the passing scenery, a tender smile on her face. Her body appeared loose, her posture relaxed, and I’d never seen her so at peace before.

  It became glaringly apparent to me in witnessing this transformation that Joslyn bore a lot of stress in her day-to-day life in Vegas.

  But now she’s never looked more beautiful, with the late afternoon sun bathing her face in a golden glow and her blue eyes glittering with a recognition of something very personal to her.

  I’ve learned a lot about Joslyn, and in turn have learned about her hometown of Cunningham Falls. It’s small, boasting just over six thousand permanent residents, although that number swells during tourist seasons. Cunningham Falls sits at the bottom of Whitetail Mountain, which is renowned for its skiing.

  Joslyn told me just last night after her show as we were driving home that when she lived here, she couldn’t wait to get out and explore the big world, and now that she’s been gone, she can’t wait to get back to the quiet.

  As we enter the small town with streets bordered by unique and trendy-looking shops, Joslyn starts narrating the trip for Jayce and me.

  “You can see the resort on top of Whitetail Mountain,” she says as her head pops up in between the front seats and she points out the front window. She had to take her seatbelt off to do so but I’m driving about 15 miles per hours so she’s safe enough. Besides, I doubt she’d sit back if I told her to. “Oh, and there’s Ed’s Diner. We have to eat breakfast there tomorrow. Best huckleberry pancakes.”

  She tells us about the coffee shop, Drips and Sips, and how they have the best lattes. I grimace because that shit is just nasty, but I let her keep talking.

  I have to admit, the scenery is stunning. Cunningham Falls sits in the basin of Glacier National Park in the northern Rocky Mountains. Even in the height of summer, the top of the mountains are still tipped with a bit of snow, giving it a postcard picture quality in the dying sunlight of later afternoon.

  “Stop,” Joslyn squeals and I almost have a heart attack. She points at something out the side window. “We need to stop for ice cream.”

  I note the little store named Sweet Scoops as Joslyn puts her hand on my shoulder and shakes me. “Stop, please.”

  Jayce makes a sound deep in his throat and I turn to look at him. He’s got a smirk on his face and he’s shaking his head, making it clear he thinks this is juvenile. Joslyn doesn’t notice as she’s now got her face almost pressed into the window glass as she looks at the ice cream shop.

  Without hesitation, I pull into an empty spot just one store down. When I put it in park, I feel the weight of Jayce’s stare. As Joslyn scrambles out of the SUV, I glare at him. “She’s the client. She gets to stop where she wants.”

  “Of course she does,” he mutters and slouches down into his seat. “I’ll just wait here.”

  “Suit yourself,” I tell him and exit the vehicle.

  While I seriously doubt danger is lurking inside, I trot down the sidewalk to catch up to Joslyn, reaching her just as she opens the door. Her neck twists and she shoots me a blinding smile over her shoulder. “Just wait until you taste the huckleberry ice cream.”

  “What is it with huckleberries?” I ask her curiously as we step into the shop. It smells heavenly—like vanilla custard with the hint of something tart layered just underneath.

  “They’re only the best berry ever,” she replies enthusiastically as she takes a spot at the end of the line. The place is packed and every seat seems to be taken. “My dad and I would pick them every summer. They grow all over the place here. And Mom makes a great huckleberry pie.”

  Chuckling, I tell her, “Then I can’t wait to try it while I’m here.”

  Joslyn orders three cones with double scoops of huckleberry ice cream and pays the young girl behind the register. I carry Jayce’s out to him, wondering if he’ll be put out he has to accept or grateful that Joslyn is a sweet woman who thinks of others.

  * * * *

  I walk the interior of Joslyn’s suite at the Whitetail Mountain Ski Resort. It’s just two rooms but it’s a lot of space. There’s a large living area with a u-shaped couch, a small four-chaired dining table and a desk. The bedroom is set to the side and has double doors leading into it.

  Jayce and I are sharing a room that’s connected off the other side of the living room and I instructed Joslyn she needed to keep that door unlocked at all times. We would not use it unless there was an emergency, but I need easy access to her if something happens.

  Both the living area and bedroom have sliding glass doors that lead out onto a large balcony that overlooks the ski slopes and the town of Cunningham Falls below. It’s secure enough and no one could breach this suite from the balcony, as it’s independently set apart from the balconies to the left and right. They’re also staggered so it would be difficult for someone to drop down from above or jump up from below. Not that Joslyn needs that level of protection. Again, the chances of some random stalker trying to sneak into her room by scaling the outside of the building perched on the edge of a mountain roughly equals my chances of winning the lottery.

  Still, it’s good practice for me to always assess situations. Never know if I might be protecting someone in the future that would attract a more determined type of criminal.

  I walk back to the balcony. Sliding the door open, I step outside and rest my forearms on the thick wooden beam that makes up the top of the rustic railing. The town sparkles down below me and it’s magical looking. I can see the charm of a place such as this, which is contrary to my urban London roots.

  The swish of the door sliding on its track catches my attention and I turn to see Joslyn stepping out of the master bedroom. She’s got on a pair of pajamas that look like they would be considered comfy but I find them sexy as fuck. A long sleeved, soft-looking pink cotton top and a pair of brown pants that are cinched a
t her ankles with large pink polka dots all over them. Her hair is wrapped up in a towel and her face is freshly scrubbed.

  “It’s beautiful at night, isn’t it?” she asks as she comes to stand beside me at the railing. She mimics me by putting her forearms on the rails.

  “Sure is,” I tell her.

  “Where’s Jayce?” she asks conversationally.

  “Down there somewhere,” I say with a nod of my head down at the cozy evening lights of the small town. Jayce asked if I minded if he went down for a few beers and I didn’t at all. He was off duty and as long as he was alert and ready to be primary watch on Joslyn tomorrow, I was cool with it.

  Not that I planned to stay in the suite with Joslyn tonight for any length of time. I planned on hanging out in my room since we were securely locked inside the suite.

  In reality, though, I didn’t want the temptation of being in a place alone with her. At the apartment, her mom was always there. Granted, after a certain hour, she retired to her room but still... she was just yards away from us.

  Here... alone with Joslyn... just might be too much temptation for me. I’m smart enough to have figured out that Joslyn is as attracted to me as I am her. We’ve flirted enough to know it’s true. We’ve learned enough about each other to have the feelings of attraction compounded.

  I don’t know if I’m strong enough to resist her.

  “I miss this weather,” she murmurs and rubs briskly at her arms, despite the fact she’s got wet hair under that towel and bare feet. “Fifty degrees at night in the middle of summer. Sleeping with the windows open and hunkered under a big fluffy comforter. That’s the best sleep ever.”

  “Do me a favor and keep the sliding glass door closed,” I tell her, not discounting those very slim odds someone would try to get at her that way. She’s too precious to take that risk.

  Yes, I’ve come to learn that about Joslyn.

  She’s precious to this world.

  To me as well, but that can never go anywhere except the interior of my heart.