I raise my eyebrows. “Don’t leave me in suspense here.”
So she starts talking… and my mind is blown. This woman is fierce and smart. I already knew that, of course, but I’m impressed anew with her strategy. I love her ideas.
She laughs. “We don’t have much time. So we better get started planning.”
“Are you devious enough to do this?” I pull her closer. Relief, exultation and adrenaline course through me at this sudden and critical turn of events. And desire.
“Are you kidding? Did you not see how I snuck into your site?” She rolls her eyes. “I’m the epitome of stealth. I’m secrecy personified.”
I snort. “We’re in trouble, then.”
She gives me a wounded look and punches my arm, but not hard. “Hey! How about a little team support?” Her fingers linger on my arm.
“I’ll give you support,” I growl, pulling her to my body.
“Hmm…” she murmurs, relaxing into me. Pressing. “That does feel quite... supportive. I feel it’s hard enough to be used as a steel beam.”
“Oh, it is.” I wind my hands into her hair and pull her closer for a kiss. “And I'm gonna show you how.”
“I look forward to it.” She breathes and then presses her lips to mine. Then she steps back. “But later. Right now, we have work to do.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Talia
I’m up extra early Sunday morning, and it’s already hot. The sky is blue without clouds, but the air is thick with moisture. It’s already ninety-five outside, heading up to a hundred. But the weather isn’t my concern today—it’s our plan. Everything needs to go off without a mistake.
I call Mark. “So she’s ready?” My voice is curt. I’m still not happy with him. Nor do I trust him completely.
“Yes, I already texted you.” He’s petulant, yet excited. I can hear the lilt in his voice under the whine.
“This is going to be really good for the birds,” I say, rolling my eyes.
“Oh, absolutely. And for the entire organization.” Warmth creeps into his tone. “Having her speak for us is the bomb, totally the best. Think of the publicity!” He giggles and I wince because now he sounds almost orgasmic.
“So you’re set with our new plan.” I trace the edge of my desk with my index finger, scanning the street for Dane’s car.
“Totally set. Her entourage is picking me up. I’ll see you there. With her.” It’s like a prayer.
“See you.” I hang up. For a second I want to cry for his life. Then I straighten up. Misplaced sympathy isn’t going to help today. We have a lot to accomplish.
When Dane’s truck pulls up in front of my house, I’m ready. I grab my purse and dash out the door, locking it behind me, and slide into the front seat. His Porsche is sexy, but something about him driving this truck really turns me on. I lean over for a kiss that he’s already on the way to deliver.
“Hey.”
“Hey yourself.” His lips are soft and taste of coffee, and I want to linger there, enjoy his mouth and his touch. Later.
“Did you call Art and Michael? Are they... informed?”
“Yes.” He takes my hand for a second before replacing his on the wheel. “Let’s go do this.”
“We got this.”
“Go team.”
“And you know”—he gives me a glance over the top of his sunglasses, his eyes dark and intense—“teams need to celebrate together after a big game, whether they win or lose.”
“I wonder what kind of celebration you mean.” I put my left hand onto his thigh and slide it upward.
“I wonder how long it will take you to figure it out once I strip you down and toss you on the bed,” he replies.
“It depends on what you do after that.” I rub his thigh a little higher.
“After that? I think I still owe you a spanking.”
“Oh, I don’t think so.” But I catch my breath. Push my hand into his body.
“You are incorrect.” He smiles. “For accusing me of wanting to publish your private information.” He tsks and shakes his head. “That was a very, very bad thing to do. And I’m going to have to provide... correction.”
My heart rate accelerates. “How are you going to do that?”
“You’ll find out.” He smiles. “Very soon, love.”
I’d like to find out now, but we’re approaching the build site. Dane pulls off the highway onto the gravel road, tires sputtering, rocks pinging the bottom of the truck as we bump along the ruts.
Today it’s crowded with vehicles. There’s a whole fleet of black SUVs, tinted windows and heavy rims, and a scattered host of random cars parked in the small area in front of the fencing. And the photo crew vans. And there’s Channel 3 news, setting up next to a fancy trailer.
My heart speeds up. “Oh, God. This is really happening.”
“Yeah.” He parks to the side, near the start of the forest, the truck slanted on a ditch. “It’s going to be amazing.”
“I hope so.”
“Have faith.” He smiles at me. “Come on, we planned this together. Of course it’s going to work.”
“You’re right. We’re going to kill it.”
I get out of the car and brace myself against the thick air and the impending events. “There’s Mark.” He’s hovering near one of the SUVs, tapping into his phone, an air of anxious impetus about his demeanor. “And by the way he’s nearly drooling on that car, I assume that is the one Manda rode in.”
My phone buzzes. “Okay, we need to get over to the trailer. She wants to go over the script.”
“Let’s do it.”
***
I’ve never been in a rock star’s personal trailer before, and I’m feeling shy and nervous. Awed. Trying to hide it and act cool.
“Hey.” The woman lounging on the couch is smaller than I expected, even though I’ve seen her in a hundred videos. She’s compact and lithe, and her arms, in her cutoff tank top, are perfectly lean and muscular. Her hair is done and her makeup perfect. A few dresses on hangers litter the couch beside her, and an array of shoes are tumbled on the floor.
“Manda. Thanks so much for doing this.” I stick out my hand.
“I can’t shake, sorry. I don't touch random people before my shows. It’s one of my things.” She’s chewing gum. A man in all black—jeans, boots, tight T that strains over his bulging muscles—stands silently at her side. We are not introduced.
“Okay, that’s cool. We really appreciate this.” I smile.
“It’s okay.” She smiles magnanimously, stretches, and gets up. Gives Dane a long, assessing look. Turns her kohl’d eyes to me.
“So you said you wanted to talk?” I tilt my head.
“Can I hold one of the birds in the video?”
I take a breath. “I assumed that Mark already explained about how we can’t do that. It’s not good to remove them from their environment.”
She blows a bubble. “Mark told me I could keep one if I wanted it.” She crosses her arms.
“Ah... he…” I think wildly. “They’re not very tame, I’m sorry. They might not like it. They could hurt you. Like peck or something. Introduce foreign bacteria? We can get you some cute stuffed animal ones, though.”
“Oh.” She seems to lose interest. “But you already got the video footage of the cranes to my team, right?”
“Of course.” I clear my throat and look at Dane. “Close-ups, far shots, all of it.”
I do not need her backing out at the last moment.
“And,” Dane adds smoothly, “people will definitely respect you for not handling the animals. But how about we get footage of you working with the removal and resettlement team?”
“The what?” Manda picks up a silver dress from the rack. “This is my favorite right now.”
“Dane?” I turn to him, too, curious.
He flushes, a red stain on his jaw. “I have a friend in DC who works for the National Zoo and is an expert on bird rescue. I asked her if she co
uld get her team to put together a mission to re-home the birds before construction continues. She’s flying out today to assess the site and see what they can do.”
“Are you serious?” I put my hand on his arm, warmth flooding my chest. I’m dizzy. “The company will pay for that?”
He shakes his head. “Well, no.” He puts his hand on mine. “I’m paying for it. Out of pocket. The company doesn’t have the budget.”
“But that will probably be pretty expensive.”
“It will.” He squeezes my fingers. “Clean out my savings. But it’s worth it.”
“Why are you doing it?”
He looks into my eyes. “For you.”
I suck in my breath at his expression. Intense. Dark. Deep. “Dane?” My voice is low.
“Um, sorry to interrupt”—she doesn’t sound sorry at all—“but can we get back to me and what we’re doing for my video here?” Manda drops the silver dress onto the couch and picks up a purple-reddish one. But instead of saying anything to us, she grabs her phone. “Linsey, I need you now. And get Mariss ready and tell Kace to get me my latte.” She hangs up. “Okay! So. Me.”
“You.” I take a breath. “Are absolutely amazing for doing this. We are so incredibly grateful.” I nudge Dane’s foot with mine.
“We are completely flattered.” He steps forward and gives her his trademark grin, dimples and all. “If there’s anything we can do for you, anything at all…” He raises a brow.
“So, I just want to make sure I get coverage on all the local stations and especially Channel 3, because they get picked up by national sometimes because I’m local and that’s my home station. And the paper needs to do a big write up with their best by-line so maybe then it will get picked up too, and then, of course, we need the bird footage to mix into the video.”
“Of course.” I smile.
“Okay, so you guys can go.” She nods to the door. “And when I’m ready, I’ll be out.”
“Thank you so very much.”
Once outside the trailer, I turn to Dane. “You’re really getting someone to move the birds?”
He nods. “Well, at least she and her team can look into it. I can’t delay the project by much, Talia.” He gives me an apologetic look. “But I’ll pump in my own money to cover it, and I can buy us a few days at least. I hope it’s enough.”
“I thought it wasn’t possible to even contemplate moving them. Mark said he talked to the experts at the DC Zoo and they said no way.” I shake my head in disgust. “I had a feeling he was lying, but I didn’t listen to it.”
“She couldn’t guarantee, but she said she had a good feeling that it would work well. But nobody had contacted her about it before. First time she’d heard of the situation.”
My gut twists. “Mark lied. I should have known. I was just so preoccupied with other things.”
“I should have done it sooner.” He sounds regretful. “Fuck, Talia, I don’t know why…” He shakes his head. “But at least now. I thought of it just last night.”
“Thank you.” I take both of his hands. “From the bottom of my heart.”
Behind Dane, people bustle like ants in an anthill disturbed by a stick. Frantic, moving all over, but still organized. Lights on stands, banks of them. People with screens and shades. People with clipboards and headsets. A group of dancers clustered on the bare ground in front of the site, pointing, stretching. Tents and chairs.
Lem is across the way, holding hands with Bae. She points in our direction, and the two of them hurry over, and she gives me a huge hug. “Talia! This is amazing. You guys rock.”
Bae and Dane have a bro-hug, and then Bae gives me a smile, a real smile, one that goes all the way to his eyes. “Great job, you guys.”
I flush. “It’s not done yet. Just starting.”
“We’re here to help with anything you need.” Lem squeezes my hand. “Interference with Mark, dancing in the video, you know. Just ask.” She giggles. “Seriously, though.”
“I love you.” I’m so grateful for our friends. “Just being here is perfect.”
As we talk, I spot Janice and my heart hammers. “My boss is here.”
“Now she’s really going to think you’re cool.” Lem smiles. “You invited her, and she came. That’s great.”
“Well, she’s here officially to cover the story for our paper. I talked to her yesterday and told her all of the pertinent details. Whether she thinks I’m cool or trouble remains to be seen.” I bite my lip. “Hopefully she won’t want to fire me.”
Dane puts his arm around my shoulder. “You know she won’t fire you.”
I shrug. “She was sympathetic on the phone and seemed to believe me about the past rehab issue. Said she admires me as a journalist.”
“So? Why so worried?” Lem raises her brows.
“I just am. Michael is a dirty shit. Maybe he told her more things, false things. After all, he created that phony article. I might have to do damage control.”
But when Janice strides up, there’s nothing of concern written in her face. Her broad smile and open expression make me breathe a sigh of relief.
“This is fantastic.” She holds up a recorder. “Is this a good time for the private interview?”
Dane extends his hand. ‘Danton Carter, but please call me Dane. Yes, now is perfect.”
***
Mark comes up to me, just as Dane seems to be finished talking to Janice. “I’m ready.” He looks officiously over at the trailer. “Is Manda coming out soon?”
I nod. “She said she’s getting ready.”
“And I’m getting my photo op, right?” He scratches his cheek and his eye twitches.
“Yup.” I have no idea. Nor do I care.
His hand clenches on his phone. “I’m giving up a lot here, so I hope what I get in return is all I expected.”
I force back an eye-roll. “We so appreciate your willingness to switch tactics here, Mark, and it’s definitely the right thing. Did you hear that Dane called in an expert to move the cranes?”
Mark’s face blanches. “Oh, ah. I see.”
“It’s funny, because it’s the same thing I recommended to you, remember? Looking into the possibility of having the cranes moved?”
Mark darts his eyes back behind me, then to my face again. Wipes his forehead. “Oh, yeah, but I think, um…”
“You told me it wasn’t possible. That it would be too much money and time. That the expert said based on our data, it wasn’t feasible at all.”
“But—”
“And look, the same organization!” I smile broadly. “And last night, she told Dane it probably was feasible. And strangely enough, she had no memory of you. At all.” I drop the smile. “What the fuck, Mark?”
He swipes at his brow. “Talia, you don’t understand how this all works—”
“I understand just fine, Mark.” My voice is like ice. “You lied. You never even checked with her. Because you already had this protest lined up and you preferred the publicity.”
Dane and Janice are shaking hands. She smiles broadly; so does he. The body language is very positive. Janice points toward the mayor and walks away, and Dane comes up to us. Stands beside me, listening.
“Not true.” Mark clears his throat. “And I’m offended that you could even suggest that. I simply thought that a protest was the best way to make progress.”
“We both know what really happened. And I promise you, Mark, if you pull something underhanded like this again, I’m not going to let it go. Are we clear?” I pierce him with my gaze.
He opens his mouth, closes it. Blinks. Finally, he nods and looks down. “Yeah, okay. But I mean, you resigned, right?”
“I did. I don’t want to work with you. But I’ll be keeping an eye on you.” I keep looking at him.
I don’t know if Mark is an asshole through and through, or if he got a little messed up with all his dreams of fame and glory, but I’m not going to be treated like this again. From him, or anyone.
Dane puts a hand on my arm. “Mark, the important thing now is that we support Manda and make sure she gets everything she needs from us, all of us, to get what she needs for her shoot.”
I cross my arms. “Because we want her Instagram and Snapchat posts to go off without a hitch. And her blog later on with her vid.”
Mark’s face glows. “She told me I could be in the video!” His whole body turns to the trailer, like he’s leaning into the wind, as Manda steps out.
I catch my breath. The woman who talked to us was a petulant brat. This is a confident, beautiful woman who flows like sex and honey, whose smile is grace personified. “Wow.”
Dane whistled. “That’s quite a transformation.”
“She looks like she always does.” Mark sniffs, but his voice is reverent. He snaps picture after picture on his phone. “And she’s going to endorse me. Me.” He bumps my arm with his elbow. “Excuse me, Talia, can you just move over? I need to get this.”
“By all means. Be my guest.” I take a deep breath.
I take Dane’s hand. “When are Art and Michael getting here?”
“Hopefully right on schedule.” He leans in. “It’s going to work, Talia.”
“God, I hope so.”
He smiles and murmurs into my ear, “Have some faith. We’re two smart people.”
“But they’re devious snakes.” I like the feel of his breath on my skin. It brings back memories and raises my desire.
“Look, here’s the mayor now.” He smiles. “And I think we’re ready to start shooting.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Dane
I stand beside Mayor Price as he speaks to the assembled group. “...proud to be here today with one of our partners in building a better future, Danton Carter Construction. I’ve been able, as leader of this town, to bring over 200 jobs to our community, partly due to Danton and his crew, and we’re grateful that they’re also concerned with preserving our unique ecosystem. We have superstar Manda Shine here today to film one of her”—he chuckles and reads from a paper—“famous pop-up onsite videos. For her IRL blog. Now I might not know all of what that means, but I get that she’s here to help support our local area, and that means a ton.”
Hammered: An Enemies to Lovers Romance (Hard n' Dirty Book 5) Page 18