Laced In Lies

by Colleen Helme

  “Babe.”

  “Gah! What are you doing here? I thought we were meeting upstairs.”

  He lifted an eyebrow and shook his head. “I saw you in the security camera and came down.” He’d seen me staring with glazed eyes at his bike and had arrived just in time to hear me singing the song Jodie had written about him. Priceless.

  “You weren’t supposed to see that.” I grabbed onto my indignation like a shield to cover the horrible embarrassment that I was sure had turned my face a bright red. Of course, my show of anger didn’t faze him one bit.

  “It’s okay. I won’t tell anyone.”

  I huffed out a breath and shook my head, unsure of how to respond to that. He chuckled and turned to his car, then popped open the trunk and pulled out two motorcycle helmets. He held the smaller one toward me and cocked his brow, hoping I’d take it and be a good sport.

  I took the helmet and did a mental head-slap. Why did this happen to me? Why did I ever sing that song out loud? At least he hadn’t thought I’d sounded bad, but still… how embarrassing.

  Ramos pulled his leather jacket from the trunk and shrugged it over his muscled shoulders. As he slipped on his dark glasses, the whole devil rider persona just rolled off him in waves, and I tried not to shake my head. How did he do it?

  He took in my outfit and smiled, thinking that as much as I tried to look as bad as him, it didn’t quite work. Mostly because I still had that wholesome freshness about me that came from always trying to do the right thing, even if it killed me.

  Was that a compliment? I glanced at him, and he caught my gaze, wondering why I hadn’t put on my helmet yet. Since I didn’t want to tell him it would ruin my hair, I shrugged. “Uh… what’s the plan? I mean… nothing’s changed, has it?”

  “No.”

  “Okay. Uh… did you find out any more about the drugs?”

  He nodded. “Yeah, we’ve got a pretty good idea that Dusty’s been distributing them, so it’s important that we find him and have a little chat. I’m hoping Jodie will help out with that.”

  “Are you going to tell her what he’s doing?”

  “It depends…” He was thinking that she might not want to talk to him at all. He was pretty sure Dusty hadn’t told her that he was coming tonight. He figured Dusty had gone to all this trouble just to set him up, and that it had nothing to do with Jodie or her daughter. He’d only used them to lure him in. Too bad it had worked.

  He shook his head and sighed. True or not, he really did want to know if she was his, and having me along was the only way to solve both problems at the same time.

  “There was a drug dealer that was killed today… or sometime last night,” I said. “Someone shot him in the head.” I pointed to my forehead, seeing the vision of that dead body all over again. My stomach twisted with nausea. It didn’t help that, in my rush to make dinner, I’d forgotten to eat again. “He looked familiar… like someone from the Tiki bar.”

  “Part of the gang?” Ramos asked.

  I shrugged. “I think so.”

  “Dusty must have been using him, but I can’t imagine that Dusty would kill someone. He’s not a killer.”

  “Yeah… that doesn’t make sense to me either, but the police had questioned the man earlier. Maybe Dusty thought he’d crack and rat him out.”

  “Maybe,” Ramos said, unconvinced. It still didn’t sound like something Dusty would do. “There must be more going on than we know.”

  “If it helps, don’t forget that Dusty seemed nervous when he met with you in the club. He also thought someone was watching him, but he had a plan in mind.”

  “That’s right,” Ramos agreed. “He was setting me up and wanted to make it look like I was agreeing to sell his drugs. So when I didn’t bring the money to the drop, the guy watching would have a reason to kill me. I just don’t understand why he’d go to that much trouble.”

  “Yeah… that doesn’t make sense. I didn’t pick up that he hated you that much, especially since he seemed sort of happy to see you.”

  Ramos shrugged. “Whatever the reason, I’m hoping you’ll figure it out.” He straddled the bike and slipped on his helmet. “Let’s go.”

  I let out a breath and followed his lead, slipping on my helmet and climbing on the bike behind him. He started her up, and we roared up the ramp and out to the street. I held on tight, and my stomach did that little flip-flop it always did.

  Then we were on the road, and I tried to enjoy the ride. Still, I couldn’t stop the flutter of unease that tightened my stomach. A set-up or not, since Ramos couldn’t take any kind of weapons through security, it felt like we were walking into a trap.

  Chapter 11

  T he venue for the concert wasn’t too far, and we arrived long before I wanted the ride to end. Ramos pulled into the parking lot across the street from the arena and paid a hefty amount to park there. Parking the bike close to the attendant, he locked our helmets to the ring under the seat.

  We crossed the street to the arena and showed our tickets and VIP passes to the attendant. After passing through security, we were led to a lounge room and told to wait in a short line behind a roped-off area. Since we’d arrived early, there were only a few people ahead of us.

  Naturally, Ramos caught the eye of the woman running the show, and she couldn’t resist stopping by to tell him hello. I caught from her that Jodie was in her dressing room getting the final touches on her make-up and hair, but it would still be a while before she came out, and this woman might as well enjoy herself.

  After exchanging pleasantries, Ramos pulled a card out of his pocket and held it up for her to see. “I have a favor to ask,” he said, his voice low and sultry. “Could you give this to Jodie? She’ll want to know I’m here.”

  The woman froze at the sight of the card with the ace of spades on it. She raised her brows, then locked gazes with Ramos, sizing him up and trying to decipher his meaning. She’d been with Jodie long enough to know the story of Ace, the man who’d become the subject of Jodie’s hit song. Besides herself and Dusty, not many people knew him by that name.

  Her curiosity got the best of her and she took the card. “I’ll show her, but that doesn’t mean she’ll want to see you.” With that, she turned on her heel and hurried out of the room, thinking that Jodie could get a good look at him from the surveillance camera over the door.

  I mentioned that to Ramos. With a nod, he turned toward the camera to make sure he was visible and waited. It wasn’t long before the woman came back out. “Come with me.” She motioned him to the front of the line and unclasped the rope for him to pass through.

  I followed behind him, hoping she’d let me in too, but she stopped me in my tracks. Not about to let that happen, Ramos grabbed my hand and pulled me to his side. “She’s with me.”

  The woman hesitated, then shrugged and let me in with a shake of her head. She was thinking that she’d never seen Jodie so flustered at the sight of a man before. She’d even said “Ace” like a prayer or something. She hoped my presence would discourage Jodie from throwing herself at him and ruining her life all over again.

  As we followed her down a hall, her thoughts centered on Ramos, mostly since he was like a legend to anyone who knew the story. She had to admit he’d rattled her. Usually the real thing wasn’t half as impressive as the story, but this guy… nothing could have prepared her for him in real life. No wonder Jodie got her heart broken.

  She opened a door to a room and preceded us inside, then held it open for us to pass through. She inhaled as Ramos passed, catching his scent, and I tried not to roll my eyes. After I entered, she left, shaking her head and closing the door behind her.

  The room was larger than I first thought. On the far wall, there were four TV monitors showing real-time images of the stage, the room we’d just been in, and a couple other places I couldn’t make out.

  A couch sat in front of the monitors against the wall, and a table and chairs with snacks and drinks stood on the other side. Now th
at the time had come, Ramos began pacing, his nerves finally getting the best of him.

  “I think I’ll sit down on the couch,” I told him. He sent me a quick nod, and I wandered over to the couch and sat down in the corner. The intensity of this whole encounter ratcheted up the tension, and I wished I could turn invisible.

  I mean, here they were, two star-crossed lovers meeting for the first time in years, and here I was watching the whole thing. Maybe if I didn’t make any noise, they’d forget about me, and I could do my job. To reinforce that image, I got out my phone and started playing a mindless game.

  Just then, the door opened. Jodie stood frozen in the doorway, dressed to the nines in a dazzling short dress that showed off her toned body and wearing classic cowboy boots to match. Makeup artfully accented her beautiful large eyes, and her curly blond hair fell in waves to her shoulders.

  “It’s really you,” she said.

  Ramos stopped in his tracks. “Jodie.”

  She inhaled sharply, and I picked up how the sound of his voice brought back a rush of memories she’d tried to forget. They stared at each other for a few seconds before he broke the spell.

  “Are you going to come in?”

  She let out her breath and stepped inside. Closing the door behind her, she leaned against it for support, clearly shaken to be this close to him. She was thinking that he looked even better now than she remembered, and that was saying something.

  She hadn’t remembered how his presence filled a room. His whole body seemed more muscular and toned, and his face had taken on that hard edge of someone who’d lived through more trouble than most. The way he stood exuded danger and intimidation, making it easy to tell he wasn’t someone to cross.

  “Your hair’s shorter,” Ramos said. He thought she looked smaller and more fragile than he remembered. Maybe that was because of the vulnerability pouring from her dark eyes. Then she straightened and regained her composure, and he saw the strength that wasn’t there before.

  Memories flooded over him. The late nights after her show when he’d taught her how to play poker. The first song she ever wrote about him, and how she’d sung it during a performance, but how it felt like he was the only person in the room.

  Her struggles to help her brother, and turning to him for guidance. The late-morning motorcycle rides into the mountains, and the time they got caught in the rain. The tenderness and love they shared that made him feel cherished and whole. So many little things they did together. It was a simpler life before trouble caught up to him.

  I felt my face heating up. They were so caught up in each other that they didn’t even notice me, which was fine, only I felt like I was eavesdropping on something way too personal. I slid a little lower onto the couch, wishing it would swallow me up.

  “I never thought I’d see you again,” Jodie said. Then she shook her head, angry that he still had the ability to hurt her. “Look. I know why you left, but… you could have at least called to say goodbye.”

  She thought of all the times she’d waited for her phone to ring. All the times she looked for an email or a letter… anything. But it never came. Not one damn thing. He just disappeared from her life like he’d never been there. It had devastated her. She thought she meant more to him than that.

  Ramos sighed with obvious regret. “I can’t excuse it, only to say that I thought it would be easier not to. I couldn’t stay, but I’m sorry about the way I left.” He stepped toward her, invading her space. “Can you forgive me?”

  Her gaze sprang to his with surprise. She hadn’t expected that and, after all this time, she found that she really wanted to let go of the anger and hurt. She’d held onto it for too long and finally realized that the only person she’d hurt was herself.

  “Yeah. I forgive you.” A shock of relief rolled over her, and she smiled for the first time. It changed her whole countenance to one of warmth with a little cocky thrown in.

  “I’m finally over you,” she said, surprised. “I mean… I can’t be too upset. When you left, I thought my world had ended. But it was actually the best thing that could have happened for my career. My breakout album was all about you. Did you know?”

  His shoulder lifted in a careless shrug, but a gleam of satisfaction came into his eyes, and his lips tilted into a seductive smile.

  “Of course you did.” She let out a dramatic breath and rolled her eyes. “So why are you really here?” She hoped he’d say it was because he’d wanted to see her and apologize, but that didn’t happen. In the silence, her gaze locked with his. From the set of his lips, she knew there was more to it, so she hid her disappointment behind a chuckle. “It’s all right. You might as well tell me.”

  Ramos let out a breath and stepped away from her, knowing he’d disappointed her again, which was why he wasn’t good at relationships and avoided them at all costs. “Dusty came to see me. I think he’s in some kind of trouble… and he told me about your… daughter.”

  Her breath caught. “My daughter?” Then she realized that Dusty would have told Ramos about her for only one reason. “Oh… I see.”

  A knock sounded at the door, and her assistant stuck her head inside. “You’ve got five more minutes before you need to meet with your fans.”

  “Okay, thanks.” The door closed and she glanced at Ramos, knowing she needed to tell him something. “So… did Dusty tell you she was yours?”

  “No. But he implied that she might be. Is she?”

  Jodie shook her head, not quite ready to share the whole story. “No. She’s not.”

  Ramos breathed a sigh, but he wasn’t sure if he felt elation or disappointment. Maybe a little of both.

  Jodie sighed as well and glanced away from Ramos. She caught sight of me sitting on the couch, and her eyes widened. “Who’s that?” A spike of jealousy and anger went through her. Why the hell would Ramos bring another woman with him to this intimate moment?

  I smiled and sent her a little wave, but I didn’t want to get too close in case she clobbered me. “Hi, I’m Shelby… uh… Ramos’ friend. It’s so nice to meet you. I love your stuff.”

  She nodded politely and then looked between us, trying to figure out what our relationship entailed. She didn’t think we were a couple, but why was I there? Was Ramos trying to tell her something? She wasn’t going to fall for him again if that was what he was afraid of.

  “Dusty invited me,” I said, hoping to calm her down.

  “You saw him, too?” she asked. At my nod she turned to Ramos. “So what kind of trouble do you think he’s in?”

  “He’s selling drugs,” Ramos said, knowing the truth was the only way to get through to her. “That’s why he came to see me, only I think there’s more to it. I need to talk to him and find out what’s going on.”

  Her mouth dropped open in surprise. “He can’t be. He hasn’t done that for years. You must have it wrong.” She shook her head in disbelief, not wanting to hear any more about it. “I’ve got to go.” She stepped around him to leave, but he caught her arm.

  “Jodie. Please. I’d never lie to you.”

  She wrenched her arm out of his grip but, beneath the anger, worry spiked through her. Was that why Dusty had been on edge? Just yesterday they’d had a fight over Lacie’s tutor, Stephanie. She thought Stephanie was doing a great job, but now she wondered if Dusty’s concerns had merit. Dusty had even been adamant about keeping Lacie with him tonight during the concert.

  “Dusty has Lacie tonight.” Her brows puckered together with concern. “He’s been worried about her spending so much time with Stephanie… her tutor. He insisted Lacie stay with him tonight.”

  “Is that unusual?” Ramos asked.

  “Not entirely. She usually stays with Stephanie, but Dusty and Stephanie haven’t been getting along lately.” Jodie shook her head, unconvinced that Dusty could be selling drugs. He’d changed. Still, some of the tension he’d been exhibiting worried her.

  A knock sounded at the door, and the manager popped her head
inside again. “It’s time.”

  “Okay, just give me a second.” Jodie glanced at Ramos, unsure of what to do. “Can we talk after the show? You’re staying aren’t you?”

  Her pleading gaze was hard to resist, and Ramos didn’t want to disappoint her again. “Sure.”

  She let out a relieved breath. “I’ll let Kristin know… she’s my assistant. She’ll take care of you, and we can meet back here after the show.”

  “What about Dusty?”

  She shook her head. “I’ll talk to him. I’ll tell him he needs to come back here. We’ll straighten this out then.” She was thinking she didn’t have time to call Dusty, but she’d make sure Kristin arranged it for her.

  Ramos pursed his lips, thinking that if Dusty had a heads up, he might not come at all. Instead of telling Jodie this, he nodded his agreement.

  “Good.” Jodie smiled with relief. She had a sudden urge to throw her arms around Ramos, but she pushed the impulse away and hurried out the door. I caught her thoughts of excitement to have Ramos here, along with relief that she could see him at least once more after the show. Maybe she could hug him then. There was so much she wanted to….

  The door closed, but I knew that she wanted to tell him about her life, and she wanted to know about his. She might not be in love with him now, but she still had feelings for him.

  Ramos took a deep breath. That had been harder than he’d thought, and he wasn’t sure staying was a good idea. Maybe he could find Dusty long before the show ever started. If he got what he needed, he wouldn’t need to stick around here. Sure, it would disappoint Jodie, but it was better that way. Of course, that all depended on Lacie, and if Jodie had told the truth that Lacie wasn’t his daughter.

  He glanced my way, realizing that he’d put me in the middle of it all. It embarrassed him just a little for me to witness this whole thing and see him so vulnerable. Good thing I knew what kind of a person he really was and that he could trust me. “So… is Lacie my… daughter?”

  I took a deep breath and let it out. “Well… that’s hard to say. Deep down, she really wants Lacie to be your daughter, even if she’s not. But she’s not really sure, whatever that means. There must have been someone else right after you left. Maybe it’s the guy she married?” I shrugged, sorry I couldn’t give Ramos a better answer.