Duchess

by Nikki Wilson

  Kyle started to push her toward the table, and she dug in her heels. “I can’t!”

  He stopped pushing and leaned over to whisper in her ear. “Do you know how hard I have to fight for you? We’ve been doing things your way, but now it’s time to play by the rules. If you don’t, I can’t guarantee that the record label won’t cut off the money. They can sue you and freeze all your accounts. How will you pay for your mother’s expensive medicine then? Do you want her to die a slow, painful death? Compared to that, is wearing a snake really that big a deal?” Kyle stepped back, and Katie could see the triumph in his eyes. He knew he had a trump card.

  Katie sucked in her breath. He’d threatened her mother. She clenching her jaw, her whole body rigid.

  “Now, let’s just get this done, and I’ll take you out to dinner like I promised.” He gave her his most charming smile, but it didn’t work anymore. She couldn’t believe that he actually thought she would go to dinner with him. What she wanted to do was punch him in the face. Looking out at her fans, who were screaming for her, she knew she couldn’t act on her feelings.

  Taking a deep breath—and another—she let him lead her to the table. She had to be Duchess. Think like Duchess. Her gaze stayed focused on the cage of snakes. Duchess isn’t afraid of snakes. Duchess loves snakes and danger.

  She put on a smile as she stepped near the cage. It was just a show. Just another performance. This was what she was good at. She could give the people what they wanted—excitement. Besides, she wouldn’t let Kyle see any weakness.

  She looked out at the long line of fans and waved. “Hello, dahlings! Are you ready for this?”

  A deafening roar was her reply. She waited for them to quiet down before continuing. “Just wait a moment while I slip into something more comfortable.”

  She closed her eyes, stretched out her arms to either side, and waited as the handler draped the snake over her arms and behind her neck. She felt its cold, scaly skin next to hers and couldn’t stop the involuntary shudder that shook her body. The movement made the snake hiss, and she whimpered quietly.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chase watched the spectacle Duchess was making of herself and shook his head. First, the ridiculous dress fit like a tattoo. And the new wig? Well, he had to admit it was an improvement from what she normally wore, but it really didn’t go with a mini skirt. But when she put on that snake, he thought she’d lost her ever-loving mind. The things she did for fortune and fame made him sick to his stomach. At least he knew none of it was Katie’s idea.

  Thinking of Katie, he turned and glanced at the crowd, but didn’t see her. She always disappeared every time Duchess was around. A suspicion entered his mind, but he dismissed it easily. Katie had known nothing about this appearance. No one could have faked that reaction. No, whoever Duchess was, she was definitely not Katie.

  Chase got in line. He was going to meet Duchess again, and he had a few choice words for her. The line was slow, and the amount of Duchess mania around him made him a little nauseated, especially the impressionable young children and teenagers who seemed to idolize the pop diva. What kind of example was Duchess to them? So far, he could think of nothing good she could teach them. What kind of message was she sending today? That it’s okay to play with snakes?

  He shook his head. It was a grueling hour and a half before he finally got close to the front of the line. He could hear Duchess talking to the fans who were lucky enough to be on the platform already.

  “And how are you lovely young ladies this fine evening?” Her synthesized voice and British accent grated on his nerves. How people could stand listening to her was beyond him. He assumed it was a fake voice, but if not, no wonder they synthesized the heck out of her songs.

  When it was finally his turn, Duchess suddenly stood up. “That’s all the time I have for today! Cheerio!” She seemed nervous as the handler took the snake off her shoulders. Chase saw a look of relief on her face before she started to walk away.

  “Hey!” he shouted and caught up to her, blocking her path off the stage. Security guards quickly flanked her, and he held up his hands to show he meant no harm. “Look, I just stood in line an hour and a half, and I think I should at least get an autograph, don’t you?” The guards didn’t move an inch, and she seemed to be hiding behind them.

  “So sorry, but I’m awfully busy.” Then she turned her head to the side. “Kyle, be a dear and get this man an autographed poster, please.” She turned back to face Chase, though he still couldn’t see her clearly past the guards. “There, you will get your autograph. Now if you will excuse me, good sir?”

  He couldn’t think of any other good reason to hold her up and stepped to the side. The guards went down the stairs first, but as Duchess started past him, she wobbled on her feet, and his reflexes took over before he could think. He caught her in his arms before she could fall. He looked into bright red contacts, and her eyes widened and gazed back, smoldering with intensity. His body went still as the rest of the noise dissolved around them. Who was this woman who could be so snotty and self-serving one minute and so vulnerable the next?

  He didn’t get a chance to find out. As quickly as she had fallen into his arms, Kyle was suddenly at her side.

  “Duchess, are you all right?” He looked up at Chase and gave him that sickeningly sweet smile Chase was coming to hate. “Oh, hello, Mr. Chase. Aren’t we lucky you were here?” He reached out for Duchess’s hand and pulled her out of Chase’s arms. “Thanks so much for your assistance.” Kyle bustled Duchess over to the stairs and into the throng of security guards who were waiting.

  Kyle turned to leave, but Chase reached out a hand. “Wait.” When Kyle turned to look at him, Chase saw a flash of annoyance cross his face before it was replaced by the fake smile.

  “Yes? What can I do for you?”

  “Where’s Katie?” Chase looked around for her again, but all he saw was Duchess retreating into the venue, surrounded by security.

  “Oh, she’s waiting in the dressing room for Duchess. She usually does. Says it’s when she gets her best quiet time. Besides, I think she was going to get information about the venue for your little concert.” He said it with a sneer, and Chase had a sudden urge to hit the man.

  He ignored that urge. “Can you tell her I’ll be waiting in the car?” He didn’t want to talk to Kyle any longer.

  “Oh, Katie said you can go on without her. I’m taking her and Duchess out to dinner tonight.” He said it with triumph in his voice, and Chase caught the possessive inference. “But thanks for entertaining her for me today. She does get awfully bored at home, you know?”

  “You mean, taking care of her dying mother?” Chase couldn’t believe Katie would give a man like this the time of day. “Yeah, I can see how that would be boring,” he said dryly.

  “Yes, well.” Kyle looked awkward, then patted Chase on the shoulder. “Have a good day. I’ll let her know you said goodbye.”

  He didn’t give Chase a chance to say anything else before he left. It didn’t take Chase long to find the car and ask the driver to take him home. He was pretty sure the day couldn’t get any worse.

  He’d just sat on the couch with his TV dinner when Amber called him.

  “Are you watching TMZ?” she asked.

  “Oh, yeah. Right, Amber. Don’t you know I can’t live without hearing all the daily gossip about washed-up celebrities?”

  “Quit being difficult and turn it on right now,” Amber insisted.

  He switched on the TV and found the right channel. The screen filled with a shot of Duchess at the signing that day. Her snakeskin dress, red eyes, and red makeup made her look particularly garish.

  “Amber, I already know about this. I was there.” He sighed into the phone.

  “Shh! Just watch!”

  He looked back at the screen.

  “Duchess’s spur-of-the-moment signing was anything but boring,” the announcer said. “First, she showed up in the most risqué costume Duches
s ever donned. Then she wore a snake as a shawl. But the biggest story is Duchess’s love interest. We have footage that is going viral as we speak.”

  Suddenly, Chase watched himself catching Duchess, and when their eyes locked for that brief moment, it looked romantic. The announcer continued, “It appears at first that her rescuer was just another fan, but then we followed him to his car that was registered to none other than Duchess! Were they meeting up for a romantic tryst? And who is this mystery man? We’ll keep you updated on this story in the days to come.”

  Chase cursed into the phone.

  “What’s going on, Chase?” Amber asked in her serious voice.

  “It was nothing. I went with Katie to look at a venue for your concert, and suddenly she found out that Duchess had announced an autograph signing right there. Of course, she’s at that woman’s beck and call, and left me to wait while she went off with Duchess. Then her agent, Kyle, told me she wanted me to leave because he was taking her out to dinner.”

  “That’s it?” Amber sounded disappointed.

  “Yes, that’s it. Katie’s driver took me home. There was no romantic tryst with Duchess. Trust me, that would never happen!”

  “Did anyone follow you home?” she asked.

  The question took him by surprise. He went to the window and looked out his second-story apartment window and cursed again when he saw people with cameras congregating in the parking lot. How did he not notice that he was being tailed? He should be more careful than that.

  “I take that as a yes,” Amber said.

  “What am I going to do?” he asked.

  “You’re the soldier,” she snapped back.

  “Somehow, I don’t think a grenade would really be the answer here.” He stepped away from the window and tried to think.

  “I have an idea,” Amber said slowly. “But you’re not going to like it.”

  Katie couldn’t believe that Kyle had sent Chase home and then expected her to go to dinner with him. She’d ended up calling her driver back after he dropped off Chase. She didn’t want to see Kyle for a long time, and ignored his incessant calls. Finally, he texted her to turn on TMZ. Curiosity got the better of her, and she turned it on only to see Chase catching Duchess in his arms. She’d thought at that moment that he knew who she was, but she hadn’t gotten a chance to find out.

  Kyle sent her one more text with only two words. Damage control.

  She sighed and went to her mom’s room. She knocked on the door, then pushed it open slowly. She hadn’t spoke to her mom since yesterday when her father had visited again—she’d been too angry to talk to her, but today she was too tired to be angry. She’d been double-crossed by Kyle, forced to wear a snake, and accidentally started a rumor that wouldn’t be put to rest easily. Having her father show up at her mother’s deathbed didn’t feel like a big deal anymore. Besides, she wanted her mom.

  “Mom?” she whispered as she walked in. She didn’t want to wake Shirley up if she was sleeping.

  “Katie Bug?”

  “You’re awake?” She walked over to the bed.

  “Yes. Come sit next to me.” Shirley patted the empty space next to her.

  Suddenly, Katie wanted nothing more than to curl up next to her mommy. She carefully lay down and relaxed as her mother’s arm wrapped around her, and Katie nestled her head on her shoulder. The tears started falling freely.

  “What’s wrong, sweetie?” her mother asked.

  “I never want to leave this spot. I want to stay here forever.”

  “I know, Katie. Me too.” Her mother pushed Katie’s hair off her forehead. “But you have a life to live. You have to live it for me.”

  “I can’t, Mom. I mess it up! Every time I do something, it blows up in my face. I can’t do anything right.”

  “Tell me all about it.” Her mother’s soothing words were all the invitation she needed to let everything tumble out. Her mom was quiet for a bit after Katie finished her tale.

  “Now, let me get this straight.” Shirley finally spoke. “You wore a snake?”

  “Yes, and it hissed at me!”

  Her mother snickered.

  “It’s not funny!”

  “And now everyone thinks Carter is Duchess’s boyfriend?”

  “Yes!” She thought her mother was finally understanding the gravity of the situation.

  Shirley’s chest start heaving, and Katie sat up quickly, alarmed. Her mother was laughing so hard, it was difficult to breathe.

  “Mom?”

  Her mother took a breath and tried to get her laughing under control, but it was no good. She couldn’t stop.

  “It’s not funny!” Katie insisted. At last, Shirley got her laughter under control and wiped a tear from her eye.

  “Oh, yes, it is!” she said. “Just the thought of Carter and Duchess! Ha!”

  “Mom, there is no Duchess.”

  “Oh, I know that. But Carter doesn’t! What does he think about this rumor?”

  “I don’t know. I’m hoping he doesn’t find out,” Katie said.

  “Of course he’s going to find out. And we’d better be the ones to tell him.”

  Katie reluctantly nodded. It would be a lot easier if she could just tell him the truth, but that could never happen. She picked up the phone to call him and tell him about the rumor, and just then, the doorbell rang. She let Maria get it. It was probably someone from the media—she didn’t want to deal with it. But when Maria knocked on the door, she knew something was up.

  “Come in,” she said, but instead of Maria, Amber came in with a tall woman with black hair. “Amber?” Katie got off the bed. “What’s wrong?”

  “The paparazzi are camped around Chase’s apartment,” she said, breathless.

  “Oh, no. He’s stuck?”

  “No, I got him out.” She smiled, triumphant.

  “You did? Where is he?” She looked out into the hallway until Amber’s friend turned around, and Katie’s jaw dropped. “Chase?”

  She looked at the face covered in makeup, surrounded by a Cleopatra-type wig, and noticed his scowl. Yep, it was him. She couldn’t help it. The laughter just bubbled up.

  “Carter?” her mother asked. “Come here.”

  “I’d rather not,” he answered dryly, and Katie laughed harder.

  “Carter Chase! Get over here this instant.” Shirley used her “mom” voice.

  He reluctantly walked over to the bed and waited while Shirley burst into laughter.

  Amber looked at Shirley struggling to breathe and said, “I think you’re going to kill her.”

  Chapter Twenty

  “I’m never doing that again!” He threw the wig at Amber, and she caught it in midair. This was by far the stupidest thing he’d ever let Amber talk him into. Now that he was here, he wanted to ask Amber why they didn’t just use a phone, but she was too busy laughing at him. He had a feeling she’d only wanted to see him in a wig.

  “It worked, didn’t it?” Amber replied.

  He growled in return.

  “What are you doing here?” Katie asked, and Chase turned to face her.

  “At Duchess’s signing, I accidentally caught the clumsy diva when she tripped, and now everyone thinks I’m her boyfriend.” He let the words tumble out.

  “I know. I saw TMZ.”

  “Well, what are you going to do about it?”

  Katie would know what to do. It was her job after all, right? At least, that was how Amber had talked him into coming here in the first place. Katie opened her mouth to speak, and then stopped when she looked at him.

  “I can’t talk to you when you look like that.” She rolled her eyes and grabbed his wrist, pulling him toward the door. “Come on.”

  He followed her out of the room. The second floor overlooked the foyer and the spiral staircase. They went past a room with an open door that revealed bright, extravagant dresses hanging everywhere.

  “Is that Duchess’s room?” he asked.

  “No, it’s her closet,” Ka
tie replied and kept walking.

  “She has a whole bedroom as her closet?” He didn’t think he could ever get used to rich people.

  “It’s not like her dresses are thin little scraps of material that would barely fit on your pinky, like most female musicians,” she answered curtly, and he agreed.

  She led him to a bathroom the size of an average kitchen.

  “I have some makeup remover somewhere. We should probably buy it by the gallon around here.”

  He just nodded and didn’t want to think about the fact that he needed makeup remover. Unfortunately, he couldn’t avoid looking at his reflection in the many mirrors that lined the walls. Amber hadn’t let him see the results before they left his apartment—now he could see why. She’d used bright blue eyeshadow, and the eyeliner looked like she used a jumbo black Crayola marker.

  “I’m gonna kill her,” he growled as he leaned closer to the mirror.

  He could see the reflection of Katie smiling behind him. “I must admit, she did a pretty thorough job. But where’s the dress?”

  “Do you really think Amber had a dress that would fit this body? I could barely get her trench coat around me. Besides, I don’t think we wanted to show off my legs.”

  Katie had a bottle and some cotton balls in her hand as she came toward him. He turned to face her and noticed her red, puffy eyes.

  “Are you okay, Katie?” He reached up and touched the tear tracks on her cheek. The thought of her crying made his chest constrict.

  “Oh, I’m fine.” She looked down, and he dropped his hand. She focused on the bottle of makeup remover and getting some of its contents onto a cotton ball.

  She stepped closer and reached up to wipe the makeup off his face, concentrating on taking the lipstick and blush off first. He watched her lips as they parted in deep thought. Then she bit her bottom lip slightly, and he thought about how it would feel to kiss her. He wasn’t sure where that thought had come from.