Deadly Dancing

by Nicolette Pierce

  I dumped out a bag that had clothes in it. They were unfamiliar to me. I pulled out a pair of jeans and a T-shirt with the store tags still on.

  At least T remembered to pack underwear. Attempting to make the image of T rummaging around through my underwear drawer disappear, I thought of the wedding.

  Emmy and Curtis probably split up to tackle the garden and hotel separately. I’m going to owe them big time for all the extra work they’ve been picking up for me.

  Brett opened the bathroom door. My eyes shot over to the towel that hung loosely on his hips. I bit my bottom lip as he walked toward me. As he passed by, I looped my finger in his towel, letting him walk out of it.

  The towel fell to the floor.

  He turned to look at the towel on the floor and then at me.

  “Careful,” he warned, “you may not make it to the salon.”

  I smiled innocently. The naked men I’ve seen before were not a very exciting sight. I have yet to see a man in a Speedo at the beach and think, “He’s hot.” Brett was different. He made me want to become a peeping Tom.

  “Ready?” he asked.

  I blinked as I realized he was already dressed. He shoved his gun in the back waistband of his jeans.

  “Yes,” I said, eyeing the gun.

  Brett’s cop persona took over as soon as we hit the driveway. His jaw was rigid. His eyes took in everything. I’d be sorry for anyone who tried to mess with him.

  “New car?” I asked as I slid in.

  “The Viper is too recognizable.”

  “This car will blend in. There have to be millions of these cars on the road.”

  “That was the point.”

  It wasn’t a bad car. It looked reliable like my old car. Speaking of my car. . . “Brett, where’s my car?”

  “It’s at the body shop again.”

  “How much is it going to cost?” A lump caught in my throat. How am I going to pay for it? Even with insurance, I still had a huge deductible.

  “Sweet thing, don’t worry about it. I got you into this mess, and I’ll get you out.”

  “But you quit your job.”

  “I wasn’t working at Longhorn’s for the money. Of course,” he smirked, “it wasn’t bad money.” He brushed his finger on the ridge of my nose. “You were my best tipper.”

  My face flushed pink.

  “You blushed again.”

  “I know. Are you independently wealthy?”

  “No.”

  “Drug dealer?”

  “No.”

  “Will you tell me?”

  “Wouldn’t that kill the mystery?” he teased.

  “I’m willing to risk it.”

  “I’ve been collecting rewards by turning in wanted fugitives.”

  “So, you had to hunt them down?”

  He nodded.

  “Kind of like a bounty hunter?”

  He nodded again.

  I could see him doing it, but it made me nervous. The fugitives had a reward for their capture for a reason. Brett could be a powerful force, but so could they. And while Brett stayed within the law, they were already beyond that.

  “Are you going to be a cop again?”

  “Maybe. Right now, I just want to keep you safe and put the Hammer behind bars.”

  * * *

  We stepped into the salon. Brett lingered near the front door, guarding it. I walked over to Kym.

  “Hey, good-looking,” Kym called to Brett from her salon chair. “What’s he doing here?” she whispered to me.

  “That psycho killer is still after me. He said he won’t let me out of his sight. It was either bring him here or go into hiding.”

  “Go into hiding with that gorgeous man?” Fran asked, listening in on the conversation.

  “Yes, but Kym comes first,” I said to appease Kym. “Besides, he is way too much for me. I couldn’t imagine being trapped alone with him.” I blushed.

  Kym raised her eyebrow and lowered her voice. “You had sex with him.”

  Fran and Kate leaned in to hear.

  “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

  “She did,” Kym said to Fran and Kate. “She always says that when she is hiding something.” Kym turned to me. “Please, tell me it was horrible so I don’t get jealous.”

  “It was completely horrible. He’s got looks, but he’s got nothing where it counts. He was clumsy and awkward.”

  Kym huffed. “Damn! I know you’re lying. He moved great on the catwalk, and his thong showed he most definitely has it where it counts.”

  “He stuffs his thong with a sock.”

  “I know a package when I see one,” Kym said. “That was the biggest gift to women ever wrapped in a thong.”

  We all giggled. Brett looked over at us suspiciously.

  The salon had us beautified in record time. Hair, makeup, and nails were done. They gave us all updos, but each of us had a slight variation. They curled my hair into ringlets that fell alongside my face.

  “Cute,” Brett said as we were leaving. He pulled a curl to see it spring back. “Are we going to the garden now?”

  “Yes, please.”

  “What were you girls talking about?”

  “You.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “You talked about me? Anything I should know about?”

  “Hey, if you come into a salon with a bunch of girls, you’re going to get talked about. And it’s certainly nothing you want to know about.”

  * * *

  Emmy met us at the garden parking lot. She led the group to the tent designated for the bride. It wasn’t a large tent, but it far exceeded the needs of four women. Brett entered the tent first to search it.

  “What’s he doing?” Emmy whispered to me.

  “Searching the tent,” I explained. “He’s an ex-cop. Old habits die hard.”

  “You can say that again. I still bite my nails.”

  Brett nodded, and we entered.

  “Well,” Emmy said, “I’ll let you get settled in, and then I’ll be back to check on you in a half-hour. There’s a radio on the table if you need me.”

  Emmy left and Brett stayed. I tried to push Brett out through the tent flap, but he didn’t budge.

  “You can’t stay here,” I told him. “Kym and the rest of us have to change.”

  “I’m not leaving,” he said as I leaned all my weight on him. He didn’t budge. “The tent isn’t sealed at the bottom. The Hammer could sneak in here quickly and quietly.”

  “Let him stay,” Kym said. “There’s a privacy screen we can dress behind.” She leaned in to whisper. “Plus, he’s great to look at. It’ll make Jim jealous to find out there’s a hot man in my dressing room.”

  “You’re horrible,” I chuckled. “You’re not supposed to make the groom jealous on his wedding day.”

  “It keeps the romance hot. Tonight, I will reap the rewards of my efforts.” Kym winked.

  I rolled my eyes. “You can stay,” I told Brett.

  We helped Kym dress first. Her dress formed to her beautifully. The strapless gown was pure white. Swirls of pearls ran throughout the dress and down the train. She perched on a stool once she was all arranged. I fluffed out her dress and train to fall flat so it wouldn’t wrinkle.

  “You’re gorgeous,” I told her.

  I tried hard to keep the tears from gushing. Of course I was happy for her! But life would be different. Our friendship would be different. Damn it! One little tear escaped.

  Brett noticed. He notices everything. He took a tissue from the table and wiped the tear away. I breathed in deeply to suppress a fit of hysterical sobbing by his simple gesture. This was going to be a long day.

  Brett bent down to give Kym a small kiss on the cheek. “You look beautiful.”

  While I composed myself, Kate changed, and then Fran changed. When Fran reappeared, I grabbed my dress and white bag and ducked behind the screen.

  Kym looked nervous. “Did you try the dress? Did it fit?”

  “I
tried it on this morning and it fit. It’s still snug, but I’m sure nothing will pop out.”

  Kym relaxed.

  I dug in the bag and pulled out the thigh-high stockings along with garter belts that had orchid-colored roses sewn onto them. Kym said this was in case the guests were treated to a little peek-a-boo from our dresses moving the wrong way. I wasn’t going to show them to Brett. I’d never make it to the wedding.

  I stepped out from behind the screen. “Well, is it okay?” I asked everyone.

  “It fits perfectly,” Kym said, clapping her hands. “You look hot.”

  I looked like an expensive prostitute. But Kym was happy. I guess that’s all that matters.

  Judging from Brett’s expression, a very dirty thought was brewing in his mind. He then dipped behind the privacy screen and reappeared wearing a tailored black suit. His collar was unbuttoned. When Fran saw him, she fanned herself with her hand.

  I examined him with the same dirty expression he’d given me.

  He smiled. “Do I look that good?”

  “You know you do,” I said. “You clean up nicely.”

  Kym let out her best wolf whistle. “Brett, I don’t mind swapping out the groom today if you’d be the replacement.”

  “I’d be at the altar in a heartbeat, but I’ve already found a girl who’s a keeper,” he said, giving me a wink.

  Emmy peeked into the tent. “Kym, Father Tom said the ceremony should start in five minutes.”

  Emmy’s eye caught on my dress. She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out.

  “I already know. Don’t bother saying anything,” I said under my breath.

  “Did you ever think you missed your calling in life?” Emmy asked. “I’ve heard high-class call girls can make a ton of money.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” I said, guiding her out of the tent.

  Brett stood in the corner with an amused expression.

  “Are you ready, Kym?” I asked.

  “I’m ready.”

  “You are amazing and beautiful, and Jim is a good guy. He’ll make you happy,” I said, more for my ears then hers. He already does make her happy. Who’s to say what the future holds? “And then you can have babies, and I can be Auntie Mars.”

  I helped Kym stand and smoothed her dress. Brett took his stance at the door flap to let us out.

  “You’re not planning to stand next to me during the ceremony are you?”

  “No, but I’ll be close.”

  Kym’s dad showed up right before the music started to walk her down the aisle. Elephants stampeded in my stomach. Kym, on the other hand, was the picture of relaxation and composure.

  Fran walked out of the tent and down the flower path first, followed by Kate. Brett stole a kiss from me as I followed Kate out.

  Kym paired me to walk down the aisle with one of Jim’s single groomsmen. I had always thought Jim had good taste, but his choice of best man was questionable.

  Ed, the best man, who licked his lips when he saw me, is a man I dread being around. When not forced into a tux, he can be found wearing a tattered, sleeveless undershirt and a pair of very unflattering cutoff jean shorts that ride up his hairy, well-fed butt. His favorite saying is: “Get me a beer.” Always followed by a monstrous belch.

  When I asked Jim how they became friends, the answer he gave was fuzzy at best. He ended up saying you don’t pick your friends, they just show up on your doorstep. Needless to say, I wasn’t happy about having to walk down the aisle with Ed.

  I tried to keep my focus at the end of the aisle and not look at the guests when I passed by them with Ed. From my peripheral vision, I could see wives giving their husbands an elbow to the ribs to close their gaping mouths. Ed was making honking gestures to the amusement of his friends.

  I’m sure they were judging me. I wanted to yell, “I didn’t pick the dress!”

  Jim and his groomsmen smiled as I took my place, but not before Ed slapped my ass. I glared at him. He made a humping motion back at me.

  Kym was right, though; the dress was cooler. It made standing in the hot sun almost bearable. Guests fanned themselves with their programs and drank water from water bottles inscribed with Kym and Jim’s names and wedding date.

  Everyone stood as the music changed. We watched as the bride walked down the aisle with her dad. She was stunning with her shimmering blonde hair and white dress. All eyes were on her. I breathed a sigh of relief as she took center stage.

  The ceremony was quick. Father Tom dabbed drips of sweat off his forehead as Kym and Jim kissed, making them husband and wife to a round of applause. They smiled and led the way back down the aisle.

  Thankfully, the Hammer didn’t make an appearance.

  A hand closed around my waist. “It was a pretty ceremony, wasn’t it?” I asked Brett.

  “I didn’t see it.”

  “You said you were going to stay close? Where did you go?”

  “I was here.”

  “Then how in the world didn’t you see it?”

  “I didn’t see it because I couldn’t take my eyes off of you.” Brett spun me around to face him. “What do you have on?”

  “A dress.”

  “Underneath your dress.”

  “Uh, nothing special. Why?”

  “Liar,” he called my bluff. “The wind blew your dress just enough to see a hint of something I want to investigate.”

  “Aren’t you on the lookout for the Hammer?”

  “You’re very distracting,” he said while tracing my cleavage with his finger.

  T and Emmy strolled toward us. Emmy looked like a little porcelain doll next to T. She held his tattooed arm tightly. T and Brett gave a nod to each other.

  “Karina said she would give you another go, but it has to be tonight, same time,” T said discreetly to Brett.

  Brett nodded. “I’ll be there.”

  I halted T before he could leave. “Tell her there’s a third.”

  Brett and T gawked at me.

  “No,” Brett said, shaking his head. “No way.”

  “You said you’d look after me. I’m not staying by myself in some strange house.”

  “There’s no way I’m letting you go. I have no idea when the police will move in. I may have to get involved a little more than I want to. Do you understand?”

  “Oh yeah, I understand,” I simmered. “I understand that you’re going to end up in bed with her if the police are slow or back out.”

  “That’s why I can’t involve you.”

  My first reaction came on suddenly. My foot flung out to attack his shin. He grabbed me and spun me around so my back was to his chest.

  “You can only kick me in the shin once a lifetime. You’ve already used your one time.”

  “Uh, okay,” T said and backed away with Emmy. “Brett, just give me a call.” He took Emmy’s hand as they hurried off.

  I wasn’t about to go down that easily. I stomped on his foot. He released me, cussing under his breath.

  “I’m going with you,” I said firmly. “It’s not up for discussion.”

  “You are the most stubborn, difficult, pain-in-the-ass person I’ve ever met!”

  “Right back at you,” I huffed.

  “You’re pouting.”

  “I’m not pouting. I’m mad.”

  Brett sighed in defeat. “You are, too.” He brought me in for a hug. “You win. You can come.”

  Good. I had no intention of participating in Karina’s sex tapes. If Karina got too close to Brett, I’d attack.

  “I don’t understand,” I said. “Why would the Fenwigs want you anyway? They know you have the sex videos.”

  “They may try to harass me into handing the videos over, or they may want to get some dirt on me so I don’t talk. They don’t know I was a cop. They probably expect I’m just like Jesse. Money opens a lot of doors in their world.”

  “I guess.” I untangled myself from Brett’s hug. “It looks like it’s time for pictures.”<
br />
  I made my way over to join Kym and Jim. They posed as the photographer snapped pictures by the hundreds.

  The photographer wore a green fedora hat and purple horn-rimmed glasses. He’s known in the community as an eccentric artist. I’m not sure why Kym hired him. He’s certainly not the photographer I recommended.

  “Okay, time to bring in the bridesmaids and the groomsmen,” the photographer shouted.

  He sucked in air at the sight of me. He tisked and tittered as he circled around and inspected me.

  “Can’t you stuff these in more?” He poked at my breasts.

  I slapped his hand. “No, I can’t! You better just do your job and stop touching me.”

  “I can’t have these things in the shot.” He gestured at my girls. “They’ll take the focus off the bride.”

  Good grief!

  “Just stand me in back.” The truth is, I really didn’t want to be in the pictures dressed in this getup anyway.

  The photographer moved me around like a mannequin, trying to get me to blend in. I gritted my teeth when he took a light-meter reading on my breasts to make sure they wouldn’t cause a hot spot in the photo.

  Brett stood on the sidelines, trying his hardest not to laugh.

  When the last photo was taken, I tromped past the photographer, holding myself back from pushing him into the rose bush. He stopped me and handed me his business card. A naked woman’s silhouette was sprawled across it.

  “I’m always looking for nude models.”

  “I’m not a model.”

  “True. Your facial features aren’t structured, but I can sell the rest of your body to any male entertainment magazine.”

  “Sell my body?” I fumed.

  Brett held my arm, ushering me away before I could kick the nudie photographer.

  “You were going to kick him, weren’t you?”

  “Yes! He wanted me to take a nudie picture.”

  “I’d buy it.”

  I couldn’t help but crack a smile. “Pervert.”

  “We have a little while before the reception. Why don’t we go find a private area to explore?”

  It didn’t take a genius to break that code. “No, I need to be here for Kym. Besides, it’s too hot for that.”

  “I want to see what you have under that dress.” Brett pulled the hem of the dress up a couple of inches. “Shit.” He dropped the dress. “I wish I hadn’t seen that.”