Deadly Betrayal (The Rockford Security Series Book 1)

by Jones, Lee Anne

  Jan was his other half, his prodigal heart, missing for fifteen years and now returned. And he’d do anything, anything at all, to protect her.

  Sixteen

  Warm and infinitely comfortable, Jan opened her eyes in the dim early-morning light and snuggled farther beneath the covers. She’d slept better than she had in a long time and had that fuzzy-headed feeling that went along with it. It took her a moment to remember what day it was, let alone her own name. She stretched and yawned then attempted to move but was stopped by a heavy weight around her waist. She lifted her head slightly and peered at her surroundings.

  Not her room, not her bed.

  Her eyes widened, and she slid back down to the pillow.

  Dino.

  She was in bed with Dino, at Dino’s house, in Dino’s bed.

  Behind her, he murmured in his sleep and pulled her tighter against him, his front to her back, his fingers gently stroking over her abdomen and making her shiver despite the warmth of his breath against the nape of her neck.

  Eyes closed again, she took a deep breath and just soaked in the sensations of being this close to him. They’d not spent time like this, just holding each other through the night, since high school, and she’d forgotten just how much she enjoyed it. And how much she missed it.

  Memories flooded back of the night before, the lovely dinner at the Rockfords’, the closeness of their family, the emptiness of her own life. With everything else going on at the studio and the escalation with her stalker, Jan hadn’t been able to bear the thought of going back to her cold, lonely tomb of a mansion last night. If Dino had said no, if he’d not let her stay here, with him, she wasn’t sure what she would’ve done.

  But he hadn’t said no.

  Slowly, carefully, so as not to wake him, she turned toward him, wanting to see if he still looked the same in slumber as she remembered from all those years ago. If his features still relaxed, making him look like a gorgeous little boy. If his hair still got all deliciously rumpled. If his lashes were still so long and dark and thick that most women would kill for them. She rolled over and blinked across the few inches separating them now.

  Yep. He looked the same, still gorgeous, still deliciously rumpled. His lashes were just as long and thick and dark as they lay against his cheekbone. The only difference now was the slight hardness to his features, the hint of world-weariness that time and life had given him. A shadow of dark stubble covered his chiseled jaw, and her fingertips itched to stroke his skin, to see if it felt as soft and smooth as it looked.

  One touch couldn’t hurt anything.

  He wouldn’t even know, if she was quick enough.

  If…

  She stopped mid-reach as Dino gave a little moan and his blue eyes opened, all drowsy and soft and incredibly seductive. He stared at her for several seconds before one side of his full lips quirked into a small smile.

  “Good morning,” he said, his voice sleep roughened and sexy.

  Heat prickled her cheeks, and she dropped her hand back to the mattress. “Morning.”

  Dino shifted position, and his legs brushed against hers beneath the covers, his calf twining through hers as his arm around her waist pulled her closer still. “This feels nice.”

  Nice didn’t begin to describe how she felt at the moment.

  Safe, cared for, turned on.

  Terrified.

  The last one most of all.

  Not of her stalker or the public’s expectations or Lou’s temper.

  But of Dino and her feelings for him and what would happen between them if she stayed.

  She needed to get up, get out, get clear.

  Right now, before this sizzling need between them drove her to do something that would surely be a mistake, something like grab him and kiss him and never let him go. She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. “I have to get up. Lou wants me in the studio early today.”

  Dino rubbed his eyes then leaned up to glance past her shoulder at the alarm clock. “It’s only six thirty. We have plenty of time.”

  Her heart wanted nothing more than to take him up on his invitation to snuggle the morning away, but her analytical mind wouldn’t let her. He was far too dangerous to her well-ordered life. He made her want things that she’d left behind a long time ago, things that had nearly broken her before and she was certain would again if she let them.

  No.

  Jan sat up quickly, and his arm fell away from her waist. She missed its warm weight immediately. Chilled now, she wrapped the sheet around herself and stood, her toes curling on the cold hardwood floor as she sprinted toward the bathroom. “I need a shower.”

  “Clean towels are in the cabinet,” he called behind her. “While you get clean, I’ll make us some breakfast. Eggs okay again?”

  “Yeah.” She hazarded one final glance back at him once she’d reached the relative safety of the door. Yep. He looked sleepy and seductive and entirely too sensuous for her own good. Better to run away with her heart intact than risk the pain and suffering when he ran off to greener pastures again.

  And he would too. Why wouldn’t he?

  Jan secured herself in the bathroom and flipped on the lights then sagged back against the locked door and took a deep breath. No matter how much money or fame or talent she might have, she’d never have what it took to compete against bombshells like Erin. And a man like Dino deserved a bombshell.

  She flipped on the shower and let it steam up the room before losing the sheet and resigning herself to her fate while she slipped out of her bra and panties then stepped under the hot water spray. Her and Dino’s relationship had to stay professional this time. Otherwise, she’d never survive.

  Twenty minutes later—scrubbed clean, teeth brushed and hair towel-dried—she donned yesterday’s undergarments once more then cracked open the bathroom door to peer out into his now-empty bedroom. While she’d been in there, he’d made the bed and laid her clothes on the comforter for her.

  She smiled as she padded barefoot across the pine floor to get dressed. He’d always been thoughtful and kind, and it seemed today was no exception. As she tugged on her jeans then shrugged into her white shirt and began to button the front, the smell of frying eggs and bacon drifted in, and her stomach growled. He’d make some lucky woman very happy someday.

  Too bad it wouldn’t be her.

  After slipping her feet back into her black Manolo pumps, she fluffed her still-damp curls before the full-length mirror against the wall then headed downstairs. She found Dino in the kitchen, whistling while he cooked, clad only in his faded jeans with an apron tied around his waist.

  The clack of her heels on the slate tile floor must’ve alerted him to her arrival, because he glanced back over his shoulder and gave her a sexy grin. “Breakfast is ready. Have a seat, and I’ll fix you a plate.”

  “Thanks.” Jan took a seat on a stool at the large island in the center of the room and fiddled with a stack of paper napkins before her.

  He piled up a mound of scrambled eggs, three slices of bacon, and two pieces of buttered toast then delivered them to her with a flourish. “Your meal, madam. What would you like to drink?”

  “Just some water, please.” She picked up the fork he’d laid beside her plate and took a small bite of eggs. Just as good as the omelets a few nights earlier. “You’re quite a wizard with eggs, huh?”

  “I’m a wizard with a lot of things.” He set a glass of ice water down next to her plate and gave her a provocative wink. “Eggs is just one of them.”

  She lowered her head and took a large bite of bacon to avoid the awkward conversation she didn’t want to have. Last night was last night, and today was today. No sense muddling the two together. She’d expected him to take a seat beside her at the island, but when he didn’t, she finally looked up again and found him across the room, his slim hips leaned against the counter while he watched her.

  “Aren’t you going to have some too?” she asked around a bite of toast.

/>   “I already ate.” He narrowed his gaze on her and opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it again. After removing his apron and tossing aside the dish towel he’d slung over one shoulder, Dino headed for the door. “My turn in the shower.”

  She nodded and stared at her plate, not trusting herself to speak. The thought of him naked and wet and covered in slick suds damned near made her pant with need. Need she was sure would be evident in her voice. Best to keep her mouth shut.

  Alone, she finished her meal while glancing through the morning paper Dino had left on the island. Once done, she rinsed her plate and glass then placed them in the dishwasher along with her silverware. Full and focused, she’d just wandered out of the kitchen to explore the rest of his house when he jogged downstairs again, dressed, his dark hair still damp and slicked back.

  “Ready to go?” he asked as he passed her to grab his keys off a side table.

  “Yep.” She picked up her bag on the way out the door, and they made the drive to Treble Studios in companionable, if somewhat awkward, silence. Neither of them seemed ready to talk about the night they’d spent in each other’s arms, innocent as it had been.

  That was fine with her. They might not have done anything sexual last night, but the evening in his bed had been far more intimate than any erotic act he could’ve performed. It felt as if sleeping beside him, skin to skin, heart to heart, had weaved a tiny golden thread between them and around her heart, and it didn’t matter if they never spoke of last night again. Her heart remembered. And with each remembrance, that tiny golden thread squeezed a little tighter, bringing her closer to him whether she wanted to be or not.

  Jan glanced to the side and found Dino watching her, a hint of the same confused longing she felt evident in his intense blue gaze. Was it possible he felt that connection between them, too?

  Fifteen minutes later, Dino parked his Tahoe in front of Treble and helped her down from the SUV. They walked in the studio together, and her tension level ratcheted to high almost immediately.

  Lou waited for her by the reception desk, toe tapping and expression impatient. “A snippet of Lie With Me released to radio today nationwide. Not the whole thing, just the first verse and the chorus. With any luck, it’s going viral. You ready to work?”

  “Of course.” She exhaled slowly as he took her elbow and directed her toward the stairs. “Aren’t I always?”

  He didn’t reply, just gave her a visual once-over then glanced back at Dino before returning his gaze to her, frowning. “Aren’t those the same clothes you wore yesterday?”

  “No.” She scoffed, hoping to play off his too-damned-accurate statement. “I have lots of similar outfits.”

  “Right.” His dubious tone suggested he didn’t buy it for one second. “Well, the plan today is songwriting. I’ve rented you one of the private music rooms. You’ll have plenty of time and privacy to sit alone with your guitar and write me lots of happy, upbeat songs to fill the remaining slots on the new album, yes?”

  “But—” She started to protest as he pushed her into a small room equipped with her guitar, a chair, a table, paper and pencils, and a large bottle of water. Nothing else. No windows, no pictures on the walls, no distractions whatsoever. Her own private prison cell.

  “No buts. We’ve got six slots to fill, and I want this album to burst with a joyful vibe. Now, sit down, tune up, and compose. See you at lunchtime.”

  With that, he closed the door in her face. The sound of a lock snicking into place echoed in the tiny space. Fantastic. Jan tossed her bag down on the floor and flopped into the chair, her head in her hands. Writing music required inspiration and time and freedom. None of which Lou had provided.

  Shit.

  Shit, shit, shit.

  Her guitar mocked her from its stand, and she toed off her shoes, seriously considering stacking the table atop the chair to reach the tiled ceiling above. Maybe she could climb her way out of here. Escape out the back entrance and run away from her current life and all its complications.

  As blissful as it sounded, she knew she wouldn’t do it. Too many people depended on her these days to chuck it all. Her producers, her record company, Lou, her fans.

  Nope. Time to suck it up and get to work like the professional that she was.

  Jan sighed and picked up her guitar, strumming the strings a few times before letting her fingers idly pick out the first few notes of a new song that had been swimming around in the tide pools of her consciousness for a few weeks now.

  Four hours later, according to her watch, Lou burst through the door again, his face expectant. “Well?”

  “Five out of six.” She handed him the scribbled sheets of music and lyrics she’d completed. “Not bad.”

  Lou looked them over and smiled. “Not bad at all, cupcake. I knew you could do it.”

  “That makes one of us, then.” She pushed to her feet and stretched. “I’m starving.”

  “Pretty sure your boyfriend brought you something downstairs.” Lou pointed out the door with one hand, her newly composed music in the other. “Smells like Chinese, maybe?”

  “Yum.” Jan headed out the door then turned once more to face her manager. “And he’s my bodyguard, not my boyfriend.”

  “Whatever you say, cupcake.”

  She ignored his skeptical tone and instead headed downstairs to find Dino. Lou had been right. The fragrance of garlic and spices and eggrolls made her stomach rumble. She’d always been a nut for Chinese food, and apparently Dino had remembered. That thought warmed her heart and her blood more than it should. She followed her nose straight to her dressing room and pushed the door open to find Dino camped out on her sofa, various white containers and two sets of chopsticks on the table before him.

  “Hungry?” he asked, turning toward her with a raised brow and a grin.

  “Starving.” She closed the door behind her and took a seat on the opposite end of the sofa from him. He passed her a plate filled with noodles and veggies and spicy chicken, all topped with an eggroll, and she couldn’t have been happier if he’d handed her the keys to Fort Knox. “Thank you!”

  “You’re welcome.” He piled up his own plate then dug into his food with as much gusto as she did hers.

  “This is so good,” she said around a mouthful of lo mein. “Where’s it from?”

  “Double Dragon, over on Tropicana. Did some surveillance work for the owners a few years ago. They give me free food whenever I want it.”

  “That sounds like the best deal ever.”

  “Oh, yeah.” He bit off half an eggroll in one bite. “I consider it payment in full.”

  She grinned this time and pointed at his face. “You have a bit of cabbage…”

  “Where?” Dino swiped at both sides of his mouth. “Gone?”

  “No.” She set her plate aside and leaned closer, her napkin outstretched. “Here, I’ll get it.”

  He held still while she wiped the food off his chin. “Thanks.”

  “No problem.”

  Their eyes met, held, as his lips parted and he inched closer, and she knew that if she just waited a few seconds more he’d kiss her, softly and tenderly and hotter than the Sahara in July.

  Jan scrambled back into her corner of the couch and grabbed her plate.

  No more kissing. Not now, not ever.

  Not with him.

  Kissing him was lethal to her good sense.

  And right now she needed all the good sense she could get—she still had a stalker to deal with, and being all googly eyed over Dino Machiavelli would do nothing to help her remain aware of her surroundings.

  She finished the last few bites of food on her plate then set it aside and grabbed her phone, avoiding eye contact with Dino in the process. She could feel the weight of his stare on her while he ate his lunch, even though she couldn’t see him.

  There were close to two hundred messages waiting in her inbox, and she scrolled through them quickly, discarding the junk and saving what was imp
ortant until later. Things were flowing smoothly again since she’d gotten her old address blocked, and hopefully there wouldn’t be any more threatening e-mails from her stalker. Rockford Security had helped her get it set up.

  Most of the messages, she noticed, were regarding the song snippet Lou had mentioned earlier. Congratulations for the song doing well, invitations for interviews and guest appearances, a few from fans asking when the single would be released. She got to the bottom of the list and saw one more. This one looked different from the rest, and that address…

  Her heart sank as she opened it.

  It was her new song, Lie With Me, except different.

  The stalker had taken the lyrics and twisted them into a sick parody of what they’d been.

  How had her stalker gotten this new address? How? She’d been so careful with who she gave the address to—only people she worked with had it. And the lyrics. Only the first verse and chorus had been released to the public. She hadn’t sung the whole song in the interview the other day on Viva Las Vegas Live. So how had the stalker gotten the entire thing?

  People she worked with…

  “Dino.” She did her best to keep her tone unconcerned and failed miserably, if the dark look he gave her was any indication.

  “Yeah?” He wiped his mouth and leaned closer to take the phone she held out to him. “What is this?”

  “It’s the lyrics to my new song. Except not.”

  He looked as confused as she felt. “What does that mean?”

  “The stalker took them and rewrote them. The only people who have seen those lyrics work in this building, Dino. No one else has them.”

  His scowl darkened like an approaching thunderhead. “Meaning it was someone who works here.”