I dropped my purse on the bed, and leaned forward to breathe in the faint scent of the nearest bouquet.
“So you like it?”
I turned at Johnny’s voice and lit up with a huge smile. He casually leaned against the doorway, and before I could think, I was across the room, in his arms. “This is incredible! Yes, they’re gorgeous. Thank you so much.”
“You’re more than welcome,” he said, running a hand down my back. “I figured it was the least I could do, after all the crap you’ve had to go through because of me.”
“I appreciate you saying that,” I answered, pulling away when I realized how close we were. “This is amazing, but you don’t have to give me gifts like this for doing my job.”
I turned and took in the scene again, still slightly in disbelief. I had never really been a flowers kind of girl. I didn’t think I was, but standing in the middle of this room, it was pretty spectacular to be pampered this way. I couldn’t recall any guy even treating me to flowers—then again, I hadn’t let that many of them get close enough for this kind of treatment.
“I’m glad you like it,” he said, suddenly with a more serious look on his face. “I would do just about anything to see you light up like this.”
He moved a hand up to tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear. I was suddenly unsure of myself, of what I should say or do next. He was getting too close, vaulting over the walls around me. It made me feel exposed. I could feel it compounding. Every over-the-top sweet gesture, dashing smile, and friendly joke made me weaker. And his touch. Oh God, his touch.
“There’s something else,” he said. “Hopefully it’s not too much.”
He reached into his pocket and produced a small, black, velvet-covered box. A rush of anxiety flooded my stomach as he took a step toward me and held it out in his palm.
“You really shouldn’t have bought me gifts like this, Johnny.”
“Just take it.”
“I don’t think I can accept it.” My eyes were glued to Johnny’s face, afraid to look down at the box. Afraid of what would be inside.
“How would you know if you don’t see what it is first?”
“I can’t.”
“Just take it. Please. Trust, remember?”
I reached out and took it. “Thanks.”
“You’re supposed to open it.” He smiled gently, waiting for me to do something.
I nodded and pried the box open, slowly revealing what was tucked inside. It took my breath away. It was a rose gold oval-shaped pendant on a matching chain. There was a delicate imprint in the metal, creating an elegant design that wrapped around to the back. I flipped it over in my fingers, and realized there was a latch on the side.
“It’s a locket?” I said, processing my thoughts out loud.
Johnny nodded. He looked on as I used a fingernail to open the tiny latch and flip it open.
I gasped and covered my mouth with my free hand. “Oh, my God…”
My eyes flew up to Johnny. I could barely process anything as I looked back and forth between him and the picture inside. “That’s my—” My voice broke off. “But how did you—”
The tiny picture inside was a familiar one, and very dear to me. It was a picture of my father, taken about a year before he passed away. I kept Dad with me at all times on my phone screensaver. It was also the only photo I kept beside my bed at home in Miami.
“I hope it wasn’t too much of an intrusion. I noticed the picture when you turned your phone on a few times. And I noticed it again on your website—,” he cleared his throat, “—when we were looking into whether to hire you. I thought this would make it easier for you to take him with you.”
I shook my head and covered my mouth again, feeling the tears well up in my eyes. I kept staring at the picture. “Thank you, Johnny. I really…I don’t know what to say.”
He stepped closer, and brought a hand up to cradle the side of my face. I closed my eyes at his gentle touch, letting myself melt into its warmth. Moments later, his lips came down and briefly pressed against mine.
“I’m glad you like it.”
I looked down at it again, still open in my hand. “I do.”
“Great. Well, enjoy your night, Amanda.” He smiled, gave me a peck on the cheek, and left my room. I did not follow him out, and realized he left for a good reason—it would make me want him more.
Chapter 15 - Johnny
I woke up the next morning without an alarm, instantly thinking about Amanda. Leaving her room last night was tough to do. I wanted her, and needed to know she could feel the same one day. And for that, I was willing to wait. I had been tempted to go back and knock on her door more than a few times during the night, but thought better of it. If I wanted something real with her, I would have to take it slow. Up to that point, taking it slow was not something I had been great at.
I climbed out of bed, had a shower, and got ready for the day. On my way out, I noticed her room door was open. She had already gone downstairs. I made my way down and found there was a full house. Kevin’s office was open. He was sitting at his desk. Fred was back, and so were Larry, Jenny and Lucas. I didn’t see Amanda. She was not with them, so I turned to head to the kitchen.
“She’s getting her hair done.” I jolted to a stop and spun on my heel. It was Jenny.
“Her hair?”
“Yes. You have a big show tonight, remember?”
I relaxed, remembering Fred’s plan to have Amanda up on stage as a backup singer. The next stop on the tour was here in Los Angeles. It was a limited-seating concert to launch one of the singles on my new album. Kevin had mentioned all seven hundred tickets had sold out within an hour of being released a few months before. It was the perfect place to figure out whether Amanda could pull off her undercover stage performance.
“Got it. Thanks.”
She nodded and returned to the spare office.
I made my way to the kitchen. There were trays of catered food laid out on the kitchen island, so I heaped a plate full, grateful to be back home and on a normal eating schedule.
“So spending $3,000 is a reasonable thing to do now?” Kevin confronted me as soon as he stepped into the kitchen.
He stood at the counter, holding up a printout for me to see. I crossed the room and took it from his hand, not saying a word. One glance told me it was the flower delivery slip. I had phoned my friend Lindsey at one point back in the hotel in Athens, asking her to do me a solid. She let the florist in to arrange Amanda’s room, and must have left the receipt laying around for me.
“Leave it alone, Kevin. It’s none of your business.” I put the receipt on the counter and walked around him to open the fridge.
“I know you believe you know what you’re doing. But let me tell you, this is not going to play out the way you think it will.”
I rolled my eyes and turned back around to face him, refusing to react to his empty threat. “Let it be, okay? I don’t want to have to ask you to get out of my house again.”
“Johnny, so help me.” He paced across the kitchen. “You’re not thinking clearly. You’re getting too caught up in this woman. And it’s going to cost you more than money when the chips fall.”
I shrugged. “You manage my singing career, not my personal life. Keep overstepping and you’ll see how quickly I can figure out how to get you out of my life for good.”
Kevin’s face flashed with anger, with brows furrowed, eyes squinting, and nostrils flaring. “I don’t know what’s wrong with you these days. I’m used to you acting like you’re still a spoiled teenager, but this is something else. We used to be on the same team. Then, this—this girl comes around and you’re suddenly willing to throw away everything we built together for the last decade!”
I groaned. It was always the same issue with him. He used to call it creative differences. He would tell me I didn’t have the vision. Now, it was all about Amanda. It was too convenient to be believable. He would say and do just about anything to get me to step in l
ine so I could live out the plan he saw for me, not the one I wanted for myself.
“It has nothing to do with Amanda. I’ve said it before. I’ll keep repeating it. It has nothing to do with her, so stop dragging her into this. Your hostility is getting really old.”
“Then what is it? If not her, why the sudden shift?” His voice was slightly calmer.
“We want different things, Kevin, we see the world, the industry, differently. You’re old school and you want things the way they were when you managed Lady. You want me to do it exactly like she did. But that’s not what I want. That’s never what I wanted for myself. You just never listen.”
“Johnny, you need to listen to me. I know what’s best for your career. You’re right. I’ve already gone down this road before, with Lady, and many other artists before and after her. Look where I got them! The ones who took my advice are all legends. People will remember them long after they’re gone.”
I knew what was coming next. I could practically hear the overused argument playing out in my mind. I was too damn tired for it.
“Enough!” I shouted, and finally he stopped and left the kitchen.
* * *
I was about halfway through breakfast when I heard Amanda speaking to someone in the living room. I went out to see her. She stood there, talking to Larry as he held out an earpiece. She looked stunning, her hair and makeup all done to perfection, but I probably would have reacted the same way had she come in with bedhead and pajamas. It wasn’t about all the frills. It never was. I just wanted her. Way too much time had passed since we had spent any time together. I craved her. It took all my self-control to sit still, and not rush up to her and gather her in my arms.
“Looking great,” I said.
She smiled at me and touched the locket that now hung around her neck. I was about to tell her how impressed I was that she was wearing it, but Fred and Kevin came in from the front hallway.
“We’re going to take Amanda down to the concert hall,” Kevin said. “We need to test out the sound equipment, to be sure this will work tonight. You should come along as well, Johnny. The band will be running through the new single.”
“Sure. I’ll come.”
“Okay. We can take my car.”
We all followed him out the door and to his SUV. I sat up front with Kevin, and the two of us listened to Fred and Amanda in the back seat. They discussed some of the features of the encrypted earpieces the FBI planned to equip the key security staff with for the rest of their investigation. Fortunately, the concert hall wasn’t too far away and the traffic gods were kind to us. I met up with the band members, and had a quick practice run while the production staff got Amanda fitted with her stage dress. Everything went smoothly.
“Sounds great, Johnny. You’re gonna kill it with these new songs,” Kevin said after he thanked the production staff.
“Thanks.” I hopped off the stage and stood beside him. He had been a huge pain in my ass, but he was always one of my biggest champions. All the arguing and conflict had gotten in the way of being able to enjoy what mattered most to us both—the music.
There was an awkward pause as we both stood there, unsure of how to transition back to normal conversation.
“Everything looks good,” Fred said when he returned with Amanda. “I personally briefed the venue security. We have their full cooperation. I also got us two more FBI agents for tonight. They will sit in with the venue staff and monitor all video surveillance in real time. We’ll debrief the private security team later this afternoon. They’ll be prepared to help observe the audience, and be ready for anything. Jenney, Larry, Lucas and I will be offstage in case Amanda needs backup during the performance.”
“I’m sure she’ll be fine,” Kevin said, and we left the main hall to return home.
I hoped he was right.
Chapter 16 - Amanda
“How in the hell did I get talked into this?” I asked myself.
It was a few hours later, and we were back at the concert hall, getting ready to go on stage. I frantically paced the floor. Johnny and his band were nearby, but no one could hear me over the music from the opening band performing on stage, in front of over seven hundred fans. We were on next. My heart was racing, my palms were sweaty, and my skin was flushed when I last checked. Luckily, I was coated in fake tan. I didn’t look as sick as I felt. The hair and makeup team had given me another retouch, and I looked just as I did for the photo shoot. I had to admit, the look was growing on me. It made my transition to fake back-up-singer-and-rock-star-girlfriend a lot easier to handle.
Fred stood a few feet away, fitted with earplugs over his earpiece again. He studied the faces in the crowd, and I felt reassured he and his team would hold it down, at least for everyone performing.
“Are you ready?” Johnny said into my ear so I could hear him above the music.
I turned to look up into his dreamy eyes, and shook my head.
He grabbed my hand, squeezing it gently. “You’re going to do great.”
“I highly doubt that,” I replied.
“Relax. Remember, no one can hear you.” He held me around my shoulders. “Once you’re out there, it goes by so fast. You ride the wave, and then it’s done.”
I nodded, still trying to get my heart rate and breathing under control. Johnny’s stare was hypnotic. I found myself slowly calming down as I looked up into his eyes. My muscles relaxed under his hands as they gently massaged my shoulder blades. The crowd erupted at the final song from the opening act. With that many people screaming, whistling, and cheering, I lost it again.
Johnny smiled and kissed my forehead. “Come on.”
For a moment, my legs seemed to suddenly be made of concrete, keeping me anchored to the floor. I don’t know how, but when the other backup singers filed in ahead of me, I unfroze, and followed them out onstage. Johnny was up ahead already, and although the stage was darkened for our entrance, the crowd went wild from anticipation. He took his place, followed by the band.
I stumbled through the darkness and found my place with the cluster of other backup singers. I couldn’t remember their names, but had been briefly introduced to them earlier in the day. They were nice enough, to my face, but I could tell they were all crushed to hear I was Johnny’s new girlfriend. From the way that they stared after him, I could tell they would happily claw my eyes out if they thought it would give them a better chance to have him. If they kept that up, I would need to watch my own back just as much as I needed to watch his.
I found my microphone and grabbed the stand for support as we waited for the lights to go back on. I mentally read through the lyrics for the first song, and reminded myself—for the millionth time—that no one would actually be able to hear me singing.
I sucked in a deep, slow breath.
3…2…1…
Bam!
The lights above us exploded, sparks flying from some machines at the front of the stage, filling my eyes with the flash and sparkle. My heart rate ratcheted up another level, and my fingers gripped the mic stand so tightly that my knuckles turned white.
“What’s up, Hollywood?” Johnny screamed into his mic, receiving a roar of cheers from the crowd.
He laughed, and it sounded so sexy and raspy. I knew his stage persona had kicked in somewhere between leading us onstage and the lights exploding above us.
“Let’s get it started!”
The music was on cue, roaring to life and making the stage reverberate from the intense sound. I widened my stance as much as my skintight black dress would allow, and prepared for the contrived performance. The lyrics were all gone from my memory as the music swelled. A sidelong glance at the women stand at my side gave me a little reassurance. They were all intensely focused, and beaming. I could see it in their eyes—they would carry the show.
Johnny started to sing and made his way along the edge of the stage, reaching down and briefly accepting the outstretched hands of people in the front rows. I heard my cue, and
made a go of singing my part. No one in the audience could hear me, but I still did my best to keep on key, unsure how much the girls next to me could hear. For them, I was Rachel, backup singer and Johnny’s girl. Johnny paused from the hand-holding and went back to stand center stage. He mirrored a few of the backup dancers’ moves while signing through the chorus. Again, I was riveted, and was sure I went off-track with the lyrics a couple of times, watching him, and wanting him.
After a few songs, he turned and caught my eye across the stage. He threw me a wink before strutting over to me. I held my breath as he approached, his eyes dark and full of lust as he sang a few lines of the next verse to me. He began to move closer, and pulled me out from behind the fixed microphone stand. He pulled me into him, his groin grinding against my ass, one hand wrapped around my waist. I couldn’t help but move with him. He gave me no choice, and I couldn’t just pull away and run off the stage.
Of course, the black cocktail dress costume was ridiculously short. He turned me around, and when he lifted my arms up and around his neck, I felt the dress shift even higher. The bottom hem rode way up to my ass cheeks. Startled, I stopped dancing and yanked it down to cover myself. Johnny laughed and nodded approvingly as the crowd screamed even more loudly at my reaction. I was glad when he finally moved back to the center stage to continue singing, taking the attention with him.
My face was hot with embarrassment. I smoothed my hands over my backside, checking to make sure my ass wasn’t exposed. All I could hope was that no one had caught the slight wardrobe malfunction on their camera phone. Logically, I knew the odds were high that the moment was forever captured by at least a few enthusiastic fans. The other singers paid no attention to me as they belted out their lyrics on queue. I went back to fake-singing, and Johnny was back to wooing the crowd. That was when something caught my eye.
Wicked Bad Boys Page 78