by Raine Thomas
She folded her hands on top of the table and watched as Ryan pulled out the rolling chair across the table from her and sat down. He gave her a rather charming lopsided smile.
“I don’t think your boyfriend likes me,” he said.
She returned his smile. “He’s a little protective. He was expecting someone without a Y chromosome.”
“I understand that. Hopefully we can change his mind.”
“We? You’re going to try and convince me to convince Dane to let you continue working with me?”
“Yes,” he said plainly.
She found something about him hard to deny. “I’m intrigued.”
“I figured you would be. I’ve gathered from my research that you have an inquisitive mind.”
“You seem to have one, too.”
“Why do you say that?”
“You’ve been weighing and measuring me since I first entered this room.”
His lips turned up at the corners. “That’s my job.”
“So what have you determined?”
He leaned forward and mimicked her by placing his folded hands on the table in front of him. “I’ve determined that you’re misrepresenting yourself in the press and on the reality show you’ve been filming.”
That made her blink. “In what way?”
“In nearly every way.”
“Explain.”
Again, his mouth curved up. “The majority of the public believes you’re with Archer for his money. You wear expensive clothes and jewelry, eat in extravagant restaurants, get chauffeured everywhere you go, and you live in his multi-million dollar home. Those people also believe that you’re conniving and unfaithful because they know you left your fiancé for Archer and they’ve seen you flirting with other men since you’ve entered into the relationship with him. They’re certain you’ll lead to The Void’s downfall by causing dissension among them.”
It was everything she had been trying to portray to keep viewer interest in the show. So why did it hurt so much to hear?
“But none of that is true,” he concluded.
“How do you know that after fifteen minutes in the same room with me?”
“I wasn’t only in the room with you. I was also in the room with Archer and The Void. I saw how they all collected around you, even if it was subconscious on their part. You’re even seated in the center of the table. It’s clear that you don’t cause disharmony within the band. You help unify them.
“Then there’s you. It’s an off day for the band so you’re not wearing designer clothes right now. Yet you’re wearing that necklace and those earrings that cost—”
“I don’t want to know,” she interrupted, holding up a hand.
He grinned. “All right. Let’s just say the disparity is apparent. It tells me that the jewelry has more sentimental value to you than monetary. You were also glued to Archer’s side from the moment you entered this room. You two plainly care about each other in a genuine way. There are no cameras in here and no reason for you to fake it if you’re not sincerely in love with each other.
“As I said, you’ve been projecting a lie.”
She nodded. “All right. I’m impressed enough to listen to your pitch to get me to convince Dane to keep you on. Let me have it.”
He leaned back in his chair, all levity leaving his expression. “Okay. Right now the chief is telling Archer all about how he chose this team with great care. He believes in pairing clients with security specialists who can best connect with them. It helps put our clients at ease and makes the specialists more invested in their clients’ welfare.”
“And you’re saying that you’re the one he felt would pair best with me, even above the female specialists?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“We have similar backgrounds.”
She recalled what Frederick had shared about the team having researched her and the band. She imagined they had learned all kinds of details about her, not all of which she’d be happy about them knowing.
There were many things she and Ryan might have in common. Being part of a big family. Having been raised by a single mother. Graduating at the top of their class. Growing up in SoCal. A love of good books.
As she studied him, she once again felt that odd affinity pass between them.
And she knew.
“You were abused?” she asked quietly.
“Yes.”
Her stomach did a slow turn. “Is the chief telling Dane why he chose you?”
“Not specifically, no.”
But Dane might reason it out, she thought as she reached down to put a hand on her aching stomach. Ryan reached into the inner pocket of his suit jacket, pulled out an already open roll of antacids, and offered it to her. Their gazes met across the table.
“Thanks,” she murmured, taking two.
“He doesn’t know everything, does he?” Ryan asked after she had chewed and swallowed the tablets.
She didn’t reply.
“It’s hard,” he said, “telling someone who hasn’t ever been through it what happened. Especially when they love us. We don’t want them looking at us like a victim or someone to be pitied.”
It was like he was speaking right to her soul. He was right. She hadn’t shared every detail about her childhood with Dane. There were some things she just couldn’t bring herself to tell him because she knew they would make him feel like Ryan had just described. It was deeply relieving to hear someone else say it was normal for her to feel that way.
But she didn’t know Ryan Westbrook. For all she knew, he was a licensed psychologist who just happened to be familiar with the pathology of child abuse survivors and he was spouting it at her now in an effort to bond with her.
Her instincts immediately told her that wasn’t true. She had known from the moment they first made eye contact.
“People like us react differently as we mature,” he said, unconcerned over her continued silence. “Some perpetuate the cycle and become abusers themselves. Others do the opposite and stand for the abused. You’ve chosen to focus your writing career on biographical pieces that allow people to have their voices heard. I went into the military and then ended up here.”
It amazed her that he knew so specifically what she wanted to write...even more, that he seemed to consider it as noble an aspiration as defending their country. She felt her resistance crumbling.
“And you want to stand for me?” she asked.
“Actually, I’d like for us to stand for each other. Will you put your faith in me, Lily?”
How could she refuse when he put it like that?
“Yes,” she said, smiling when she saw the tension ease from around his eyes. “But Dane still won’t be thrilled by the idea of me working with another guy.”
He gave that some consideration. “Would it help if I told him that I’m gay?”
“Is that true?”
“Yes.”
Her smile widened. “He’d probably feel better knowing that.”
He studied her before replying, “But you don’t want me to tell him, do you?”
“Look at that,” she said cheerfully. “You’re getting to know me so well already.”
Chapter Forty-Two
Keith did his best to ignore Iván. He would have flat-out refused the guy’s protection if it hadn’t been for Sydney. The thought of her possibly ending up in the position Lily had been in at the spa kept his mouth shut. She had already gotten hurt at one of the band’s after-parties. Maybe having the added protection wasn’t the worst idea in the world.
But that didn’t mean he had to like the guy.
Iván was too friendly, especially with Sydney. It hadn’t taken Keith long for him to peg his glorified bodyguard as an outrageous flirt. The more irritated Keith got about it, the more flirting Iván did. So by the time the band arrived in Fargo, North Dakota the next day, Keith wasn’t even talking to him.
His silence didn’t appear to ruffle Iván. He dutifully wen
t with Keith and Sydney to the charity performance the band had scheduled that afternoon. Keith grudgingly admitted only to himself that it was a relief not having to worry about Sydney during the concert. It allowed him to focus, something he figured Archer had counted on when arranging for the additional security.
The show went well, as did the publicity shoot the band did afterward. They then returned to their hotel, where they were given an hour of free time by Christopher. Keith had led Sydney up to their room, thoroughly enjoying closing the door right in Iván’s face.
Sydney had started to lecture him on his rudeness, so he had distracted her with a thorough kiss. And just to further make his point, he took her right there against the door.
“You still shouldn’t be so rude,” she panted when they were done.
Since he was nuzzling her deliciously-scented neck, he just grunted in response. She sighed, the sound blending pleasure with resignation. He guessed she was realizing that he was a lost cause.
“We have to get ready now,” she said. “We’ve only got about thirty minutes before we have to meet everyone downstairs.”
“I can do plenty in thirty minutes.”
She laughed. “Come on. It’s a big night. I want to look the part.”
They would soon be heading to dinner followed by a special viewing of the House of Archer premiere, which would be airing worldwide that night. When Sydney started to lower her legs from where they were currently wrapped around his waist, he grabbed them to hold her in place. She gasped and tightened her hold on him as he carried her just like that into the bathroom.
“Well that was efficient,” she said with humor dancing in her eyes.
He didn’t bother mentioning it was also a way for him to convince her to shower with him. She learned that quickly enough on her own.
She impressed him by still managing to get ready in time. He was just zipping her dress when Iván knocked on their door to escort them downstairs. Sydney turned and looked down at herself as though doing a final inspection.
“You look incredible,” he assured her.
She was always beautiful, of course. But in her white and silver off-the-shoulder vintage evening gown, she looked like a dream. She had pulled her hair back into an elegant knot, drawing attention to her slender neck and defined shoulders. The makeup she wore covered the bruise on her lovely face and highlighted her cornflower blue eyes. Her full lips were an alluring shade that had him having trouble keeping his hands off her.
She smiled and walked over to the couch where she had left her clutch purse and filmy wrap. “Thanks. So do you. It’s not often that I get to see you in a suit. So sexy.”
He had gone black on black, forgoing a tie. It was as dressed up as he typically got. Of course, knowing that Sydney found it sexy made it more motivating to dress like this.
Placing his hand on the small of her back, he led her to the door. He prepared himself for Iván’s likely commentary as he turned the handle.
The security specialist didn’t disappoint. He took one look at Sydney and smiled like he’d just found a rare jewel. He said something in Spanish that Keith figured was complimentary since Sydney blushed and thanked him. He was starting to wonder if he’d have to have Sydney tutor him in Spanish, too.
They headed down to meet everyone else at the transpo. The show’s producers had sprung for a limousine for the night. It was waiting for them in the hotel’s underground parking lot. By the time they reached it, everyone else was already inside.
Christopher and several members of the security team would be following the limo in a couple of SUVs. Keith and Sydney had been informed by Iván the day before that group outings wouldn’t necessarily include every specialist since it would generally be overkill and they needed someone to keep an eye on their accommodations. He could only hope Iván was one of the specialists staying at the hotel.
“You look gorgeous, Sydney,” Lily said as they took their seats.
That immediately got all of the females talking. Keith just sat back and watched Sydney, fantasizing about what she was wearing under her gown. Before long, they were on the road headed to dinner.
The mood was buoyant throughout the drive and their meal. From there they headed to a local theater that the House of Archer producers had bought out for the night. The bands from the tour would all be attending the premiere, as would members of the film crew, key personnel from The Void’s and Suddenly Something’s teams, some reps from the local media, and a number of other influential people that the House of Archer folks thought warranted an invitation.
Keith wondered what the show would be like. What footage would be aired? How would it be skewed? Would it generate the interest in the band that they hoped it would?
He and Sydney had discussed it the night before. He couldn’t understand how footage of Lily and Archer’s early days together on the tour would interest viewers since their relationship was already public. Sydney had assured him that people wanted to see how things had developed and where they were going from here. Keith could only take her word on that.
More importantly, he was concerned they might air something that would upset Sydney after seeing what they had done to villainize Lily in the trailers. He had tried to tell her everything he could think of that might come up, including Nikki and Mal somehow knowing about her sexual inexperience. Despite talking to Elijah about it, Keith hadn’t been able to get any assurances that it wouldn’t air. Sydney had signed the same releases as everyone else, Elijah had said. Any footage of her was fair game.
She had been understandably troubled and just as baffled as he was over how Nikki and Mal could have known something so personal. She was worried, knowing her family would probably watch the show. Such footage wouldn’t help ease their current hostility towards their relationship. He hadn’t been able to say much to comfort her.
“Are they going to air the show on the movie screen?” Sydney asked as they all filed into the theater and took their seats. She followed Xander, Aria, Archer, and Lily into a row and sat beside Lily.
“I think so,” Lily replied. “I can’t say that I really want to see myself up there though.”
“It’ll be fine,” Archer said, putting his arm around her shoulders.
“Easy for you to say,” she grumbled. “You always look good. I have a tendency to more closely resemble a Troll Doll.”
Keith heard a snort of laughter and glanced at Lily’s new security specialist sitting in the seat behind hers. Lily also turned and looked at him.
“No comments from the peanut gallery,” she said with narrowed eyes.
Ryan lifted his hands in a show of innocence, wisely not saying a word. Seeing Archer’s look of irritation over the byplay, Keith smiled.
At least he wasn’t the only one unhappy with the new security arrangements.
The noise level grew as more people began filling the seats. Many of them stopped by to say hello to the band and to congratulate them on the show before they sat down.
Keith glanced towards the aisle when he heard Nikki’s laughter. He had figured she’d be there since she was on the show, though he hadn’t been sure since she hadn’t attended the last two concerts. Elijah had said it would hurt the show to boot her off the tour, so Keith and the rest of The Void had decided against it. They had, however, banned anyone in her family. He guessed maybe she hadn’t wanted to press her luck over the past few days and had decided to lay low.
Tonight she was doing anything but that, he mused. She was wearing a tight black dress with long sleeves and a short skirt meant to capture attention. The outside of the sleeves and two long panels along her sides looked like they’d been sliced horizontally many times with a knife, revealing the skin underneath. Since the openings ran the length of her body all the way to the hem of the dress, it was easy to determine that she wasn’t wearing any underwear.
Once upon a time, he would have thought of that as sexy. Now he compared that to Sydney wearing prim vintage dresses
that hid lace and garters. He now knew what the true definition of sexy was.
And she was sitting right beside him.
Nikki turned and met his gaze, smiling slyly since she had caught him looking. She winked at him like they were exchanging a secret before turning to follow Mal down a row.
“What was that all about?” Sydney asked.
He realized she had seen Nikki. “My guess is she saw you looking at her and decided to do something to get you to ask that very question.”
“Oh.”
“Ignore her.”
“Okay.”
The lights dimmed a couple of minutes before nine o’clock. There was an air of expectation as the movie screen flickered to life and the feed came on in the middle of a commercial break. Keith realized they were now watching exactly what the rest of the world was watching. Well, the parts of the world that had decided to tune in.
Sydney covered his hand with hers on the arm rest between their seats. He turned his hand enough that their fingers linked as the show started.
They all watched as the show’s intro began to play, accompanied by “Welcome to Wonderland.” Having already seen it a couple of times during the trailers, Keith didn’t pay much attention until a new addition to the intro flashed on the screen. Images of Lily, Nikki, and Sydney appeared with their names beneath them after Suddenly Something’s intro.
Keith felt Sydney stiffen in reaction. His gut tightened. Neither of them had known she’d be featured as part of the main cast. He looked down the row at Archer, who gave him a bewildered shrug.
A sense of foreboding fell over him as the show transitioned to a series of interviews with members of The Void and Suddenly Something talking about the tour. Archer and The Void took the approach of the tour being a reconciliation between the bands. Brandon, on the other hand, issued his pithy statement about that being a load of shit.
“Let’s be honest,” Brandon said. “I’m here to further my career and show the world that Archer isn’t who everyone thinks he is.”