by L A Dobbs
“We weren’t. I saw him for the first time the other day when he showed up as my bodyguard,” Jan said. “It’s only for a short while and then things will go back to normal.”
Jan snuck a peek out the window. No shadows lurking out there. But even if Dino managed to figure out who the stalker was and stop him, would things ever really be normal again?
8
Late the next afternoon, Dino lounged on the sofa in the production area while Jan crooned away at the same song in the sound booth again. Much as he loved hearing her voice again and listening to her heartfelt lyrics, after six non-stop hours, he was ready for a break. Too bad they still had an hour to go before quitting time. At least Lou wasn’t around today to ruin Jan’s vocal Zen. Come to think of it where was Lou? Seemed like one minute he was acting like the place couldn’t run without him but then he would randomly disappear for hours on end.
Butt aching from lack of circulation, he shifted in his seat and pulled out his phone. He’d already made numerous circuits around the perimeter of the building under the guise of surveillance. One more, and the receptionist would probably lock him out. It was a fine, sunny day and cool enough in the late autumn that he could stay outside for hours without coming in. But he had work to do and a body to guard. Namely, Jan’s body.
He clicked his phone on then glanced up at her through the glass of the soundproof recording booth. She looked so damned pretty today with her hair down and curled around her shoulders, and her berry-pink lips, but Dino knew he couldn’t think of her that way. She was definitely sending off vibes that what they’d had in High School was long over and what would starting something up with her get him anyway? Probably just another broken heart.
Dino concentrated on his phone again and typed in his passcode. He’d just brought up his e-mails when a text arrived from his good buddy, Jace Rockford.
How’s the new assignment?
How was his new assignment? Boring as hell, that’s how it was. He snorted and typed back:
Snoozefest. Your older brother has me babysitting.
A few moments later, Dino’s phone buzzed with Jace’s typical smartass response.
And you wonder why I only work special assignments for him.
Dino snickered then responded:
Ha ha. It’s not that bad.
Seconds later, his phone buzzed again.
Yeah, I bet it isn’t.
Even in text, Jace’s snark came through loud and clear. Dino frowned, his thumbs flying over the tiny keyboard on his phone screen:
What the hell is that supposed to mean?
The next time his phone buzzed, it was with a link from Jace. Wary, he clicked on it, and his browser opened to a blog story about him and Jan, complete with a huge photo of him staring heatedly at her earlier that morning while he’d held the door for her as she’d climbed out of his SUV. Above the picture, the headline read, “Country Star Reunited with High School Flame”. Cursing, he skimmed the article below, which claimed an unknown source had informed them that Dino and Jan were lovers in high school.
Beyond irritated, he closed his browser. If they were going to make shit up, they should at least get their facts straight. He and Jan had never slept together.
Dino sighed and scrubbed his hand over his face. Their former sex life, or lack thereof, was the least important thing at the moment. What was important was the fact that someone had gotten close enough to get that picture and he hadn’t noticed, which meant he’d screwed up. And Dino wasn’t a man used to screwing up. He always double-checked everything, made sure all his bases were covered and his vulnerable soft spots guarded, in work and in life. In his world, vulnerability could mean the difference between life and death. Even with a telephoto lens, it meant someone had slipped past his barriers and gotten close enough to Jan to take a candid shot. The next time, it could be worse.
He would make damned sure there wouldn’t be a next time.
A niggle of fear wormed its way into his brain. Maybe he hadn’t been taking this seriously enough. From now on, he’d have to keep his mind off Jan and on business. Was she too much of a distraction? He could go to Blake and request someone else be put on the job ... but the thought of it left a hollow pinch in the pit of his stomach. He didn’t trust anyone else to protect Jan.
Then again, maybe this whole thing was a setup. A publicity stunt. Judging by the picture, it almost looked that way.
His phone buzzed yet again, and Dino scowled at the screen.
You too embarrassed to answer?
Dino shook his head. Jace, being Jace, should know better. He was the black sheep of the Rockford clan, with his tats and his piercings and his extreme sports addiction. Jace should be the first guy not to believe all the gossip and hype. He typed back:
Don’t believe everything you read.
Jace’s response buzzed through faster this time.
I don’t. But you are babysitting Jan Winters, right?
Shoulders slumped, Dino sighed. All of the Rockford clan treated him like another member of the family, just as close and just as nosy. Normally he loved being included in their tight-knit family, but there were times—like now—when a little more privacy and a little less invasion into his past would’ve been nice. He responded, short and sweet.
Yeah. Nothing’s going on.
Moments later, his phone buzzed a final time.
Sure it isn’t.
Dino was ready to send back an equally snarky retort, but the door to the recording studio opened, and Jan stepped out. She gave him a once-over, one brow raised. “What’s wrong? You look grumpy.”
“Nothing.” He swiped away Jace’s last text then reopened his Internet browser. “You should have a look at this, though.”
He handed her the phone and waited while she scrolled through the blog post. She groaned, her smile turning into an accusing frown as she handed it back to him. He took the device then held up his hands in the universal sign of surrender. “It wasn’t me who leaked the story. Promise.”
Jan wrinkled her nose and shook her head. “No. It was Lou, that bastard. He’s been looking for a way to get me into the headlines before the next single drops. He questioned me about our relationship after he walked in on us yesterday, and he must’ve jumped to conclusions from what I told him.” She winced. “I’m sorry.”
“What exactly did you tell him?”
“Just that we dated in high school. That’s all, I swear.”
They stared at each other. A few feet of empty space separated them, but it could’ve been the Grand Canyon for all the tension Dino felt. He wanted to ask her point blank why she’d left with no explanation, why she’d never tried to contact him again even after they’d gone their separate ways, why she’d turned her back on all they’d had together, but he didn’t dare. Not now. Not with the incident the day before looming over them like a thundercloud and the shadows in Jan’s eyes that warned him he treaded on dangerous territory.
Shit.
He raked a hand through his hair and looked at his watch instead. “What time does that promo event start?”
“Six. They told me to be at the TV studio by five thirty for hair and makeup first. Why?”
“It’s four forty-five now. We best get a move on if we want to make it across town on time with traffic.”
“Fine.” She grabbed her purse then walked downstairs with him, only to halt halfway across the lobby. “Uh-oh.”
“What’s wrong?”
She fished her big sunglass out of her purse, the same ones she’d worn with the paparazzi, and cocked her chin toward the frosted glass windows at the front of the building. Beyond, shaded shapes jostled and swayed. “See that? Looks like we aren’t the only ones interested in that blog article you showed me.”
“Huh?” Dino gave her a confused look. If she was worried about somebody tracking them, she didn’t need to. Security was his game. No one tailed him without him knowing about it.
Jan started toward the ent
rance again, her shoulders squared and head held high. “Remember that joke I made the other day about privacy?”
Dino trailed behind her. “Yeah.”
“Welcome to my world.” She pushed open the door to a sea of reporters and photographers then beckoned for him to follow. “Come on.”
He took her arm and barreled toward his SUV, parked along the side of the building, as bodies swarmed around them. Dino kept Jan close to his side and whispered near her ear, “Is it usually like this?”
She lowered her glasses, winked up at him, and chuckled. “No. Usually it’s worse.”
Jan wasn’t kidding. When fame had first struck for her, she’d been overwhelmed by all the press and paparazzi that hounded her constantly. These days, she was more or less accustomed to it, although with the new developments and her mysterious stalker, she had to admit she was glad to have Dino by her side.
“Ms. Winters, is this your new boyfriend?” a voice called out from the horde surrounding her.
“Hey, January, looks like things are heating up for you this fall,” another one said.
“How about you two love birds pose for a nice picture for us? Promise it’ll be front-cover material,” a persistent photographer said, stepping in front of them to block their path.
Dino muscled them aside and made a beeline for his SUV at the curb. He got Jan settled on her side then jogged around the front and climbed into the driver’s seat, his normally stony façade somewhat fractured. He started the engine and clicked his seat belt into place then took a deep breath and faced her. “How do you do that?”
“Do what?” Jan slid down in her seat and lowered her glasses to look at him over the tops of the rims.
“Face that everywhere you go.”
“This isn’t my first rodeo. Like I said, this is my world. Fame is more than fancy limos and big bucks. This is a part of it too, good or bad.”
“And you said it’s usually worse than this?”
“Sometimes. Today was pretty bad though. Must be the fresh blood.”
“Fresh blood?” Dino gave her a chastising look and shifted the SUV into Drive, easing through the surrounding crowd until they were safely on the road, free and clear. “That’s a bad pun, considering what’s happening right now.”
“Sorry.” Once they turned onto the main thoroughfare, she straightened in her seat and pushed her sunglasses up on top of her head. “For everything.”
“No need.” He stopped at a red light and glanced her way again. “Wasn’t your fault. Though I’d really like to know who ratted us out.”
“I told you it was Lou. Had to be.”
“Why would you think that about your manager? Aren’t you supposed to trust the guy?”
“I do. But I also know him, and he’ll do anything to keep his clients in the headlines. It’s his job.” Jan did trust Lou, as much as she would trust anyone, that is. She remembered Marta’s comment about the bald guy and a woman lurking. Had Lou been skulking around her house to try to get more intimate pictures of her and Dino? Maybe the woman was someone from some sleazy tabloid. Then again, she could hardly be surprised after Lou found out about their past relationship. It was in Lou’s nature to capitalize on stuff like that and her own fault for letting it happen. The light turned green, and they took off again. “Now that I think about it, I didn’t specifically tell him not to tell anyone about us, so I guess I’m to blame.”
“Why do you do that?” Dino’s full lips compressed into a thin white line.
“What’d I do now?” Jan gave him a disgruntled side glance.
“You always take the blame for everything, even when it’s not your fault. That used to drive me up the wall back when we were in school. You never stood up for yourself.”
She shrugged and looked out the window beside her at the brightly lit Las Vegas Strip whizzing by. “I don’t know. Keeping the peace always seemed more important than being right. Besides, I always had you to stand up for me. Most times, you were so ready to fight over some silly comment or taunt, I had to practically talk you down from the ledge.”
“What are you trying to say?” He scowled over at her. “That I’m like my old man?”
“What? No.” She scrunched her nose. “Don’t tell me you’re still worried about that.”
“Forget it.” Dino signaled and turned off down the drive leading to the TV station. “It’s not important right now.”
From the surly tone to his voice, Jan got the distinct impression it was way more important than he let on, but she didn’t have time to push the topic now. Now, she had to mentally prepare herself for Trixie LaFontaine, ex-showgirl and host of Viva Las Vegas Live. The show was a local hotspot for all the celebrities in town, and its stories were frequently picked up by syndication worldwide. Lou had scored her a spot on tonight’s show months ago, and she knew it was a big deal. Otherwise, she would’ve blown it off and gone home to bed like she desperately wanted to do. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d gotten a decent night’s sleep.
Dino pulled up to a manned guard station on the studio’s lot, and the man inside the little hut checked his clipboard before waving them through and directing Dino where to go to park. Once he’d pulled into a spot near the stage door, Jan climbed out and waited for Dino to join her. They walked inside and again passed muster with another guard before being led to the hair and makeup area by one of the show’s production assistants.
A petite blonde with obvious hair extensions put Jan into her chair and began fluffing her long brown curls while a man in a tight black T-shirt came over to touch up her makeup. Dino stood near the back of the small room, arms crossed, watching everything.
“It’s really great to meet you, Ms. Winters,” the blonde said as she wrapped a large chunk of Jan’s hair around a gold curling iron. “I love your new song. Play it all the time on my iPod.”
“Thanks.” She flinched as the makeup guy whisked a large powder-covered brush over her face.
“Sorry,” he said, using his hand to shield her eyes. He looked down at Jan and smiled. “Who’s Mr. Hottie over there?”
Jan frowned and glanced in the direction he’d indicated. “Oh, that’s Dino—he’s my bodyguard.”
“Bodyguard, huh? I’d like to guard his body for a night or two.”
She snorted and studied Dino’s reflection in the mirror. The guy was right. Dino was hot. Way hotter even then he’d been in high school, which was saying something. The years and most likely hours at the gym had filled out his boyish physique with lean, hard muscle. His broad shoulders stretched the fabric of his plain gray T-shirt tight, and his biceps bulged with each move of his arms. For a crazy second she regretted missing out on seeing his transformation from lanky youth into rock-hard man.
“Is he yours?” the makeup guy asked, breaking into her thoughts. “Outside of work, I mean.”
No. He’s not mine. Not anymore.
She shook her head and dropped her gaze to her hands clenched in her lap.
A familiar ache pinched her heart, but she thrust it aside. It was normal to still get nostalgic over your first true love, wasn’t it? It was just old feelings and certainly didn’t mean anything now. Not to her and definitely not to Dino. He was just doing his job. Even though it really did seem like he cared about her welfare, he was getting paid for it. Once this stalker thing was over he’d be gone out of her life again.
Another production assistant poked her head around the door. “Five minutes.”
“Okay.” The blonde made a few more adjustments to Jan’s do then stepped aside as the makeup man finished the last few swipes of mascara on Jan’s eyes. She blinked at herself in the mirror and smiled at the blonde beside her.
“Do you like it? I know you usually wear your hair down, but I thought putting some of it up might be nice for a change,” the blonde asked.
“Yeah, I like it,” Jan said. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. Break a leg out there tonight.”
�
�I’ll do my best.” Jan pushed out of the swivel chair and to her feet, thanking the makeup guy as well before following the first production assistant to the stage area. Dino stuck by her side the whole way then stopped when they reached the production floor. He leaned in close to her in the shadows and whispered, “You nervous?”
“Maybe a little.”
“Don’t be. You look beautiful.” He smiled down at her, a crooked little grin that set her heart thumping anew. “I’ll watch from back here so I don’t get in the way.”
“Okay.” She swallowed hard and headed toward the front of the area alone.
Two chairs had been set up on the dais where the host sat, receiving some last-minute prep during the commercial break. She had to be at least in her early forties, but from her bleached-platinum hair to her too-tight skirt, she was trying hard to look at least a decade younger.
As Jan approached, Trixie rose to shake her hand. “Ms. Winters, so glad to have you as my guest tonight. Before we roll, I just want to make sure there are no subjects that are off-limits for you. Your manager didn’t mention anything when he set it up, but I always like to double-check on the night of.”
“No. Not that I can think of.”
“Great.” A devious grin flashed through Trixie’s green eyes before she sat back down. Jan got the feeling she’d just offered herself on a silver tray to the woman, though she didn’t know exactly why. She had nothing to hide.
A producer counted them back from commercial, and before Jan knew it, they were live on TV.
“Welcome back to Viva Las Vegas. Tonight I’m so excited to have country music star January Winters here with us. She’s got a new single coming out soon, but before we get to that, I have some more pressing business I’d like to handle first. Ms. Winters, I’m sure you’ve seen this blog post that broke today on the Internet.” She handed Jan a copy of the story she’d seen earlier on Dino’s phone. “Would you care to comment?”
Jan handed it back without reading it. “There’s nothing to comment on. Nothing’s going on between Mr. Machiavelli and myself.”