by Mary Abshire
The doors parted and Don strode out to the floor. The walls were painted a soft shade of yellow unlike the beige color on the floor she and Andrew were staying on. Large oil paintings hung on the walls. Emily counted four doors as they strode down the wide hall.
Don stopped at the last door on the left and knocked. “It’s Don.”
Seconds later, the door opened not even an arm’s width. Sherri stood in the space, dressed in black trouser pants and a blue blouse. Her long blonde hair had been combed and she wore a touch of makeup like usual. Why did she always look ready to attend a business meeting?
“She wants to see Carrie. Nobody else,” Sherri said.
Don looked at Andrew. “Told you.”
“We’re a team. We work together,” Andrew said as he took a step forward.
“That’s sweet, but you’re not invited. Only Carrie comes in,” Sherri said.
“Wait for me here,” Emily said to Andrew and then faced Don. “Can you step aside please?” He did and Sherri widened the gap for her to enter. Once inside, Sherri quickly shut the door behind her.
Annie’s suite could’ve been the penthouse given the luxurious view of Vancouver, the lavish modern furnishings, and hardwood flooring throughout. The entrance to the kitchen was a few feet to the right. From a distance, Emily spotted pristine white countertops and black appliances.
“Follow me,” Sherri said, leading the way past a long gray sofa. A second one faced the windows. Although the style of the furniture appeared modern, everything looked as if they’d been designed for the 1950s or ’60s, except for the flat screen TV.
They passed a dining area with a white rectangular table and eight cushioned chairs of the same color. Ahead, the patio door was open. Annie sat at a round table on the balcony. Wearing a white robe, she lifted a fork to her mouth. A second dish with food waited on the table. Sherri circled around and then sat where the plate of food waited.
“Have a seat,” Annie said.
Emily scooted the wicker chair back before she sat on the cushion.
“Would you like anything to eat?” Annie asked, lifting a glass of orange juice. “I ordered plenty. It’s on the cart behind you.”
Emily didn’t bother to turn around and look. “No thanks. Don woke me up. I’d rather get back to bed and get some sleep.”
Annie set the glass down. “He woke you up? I told him not to. I sent him to find out if you were awake and if so, bring you to me. I never told him to wake you.” She turned her gaze to Sherri. “Isn’t that right?”
The blonde paused eating and held her fork in her hand. “I was here. She told him to check on you, not to wake you.”
“I’m sorry, Carrie,” Annie said, unsympathetically. “He can misunderstand things sometimes.”
Emily leaned back in the chair, arms resting on the armrests. If what Annie said was true and Don had woken them on his own accord, then he was a mega prick. But Annie probably had intended for Don to wake them. Checking meant knocking and that led to disturbing someone. Either way, both were inconsiderate assholes.
“What did you need to see me about so early this morning?” Emily asked.
Annie set her fork down and then wiped her mouth with the white cloth from her lap. “I want to thank you for last night. The fans you chose were so nice. We had a great time.”
Emily’s temperature began to rise as she stared with ill intent in her thoughts. She had been dragged from her bed for a thank you. “Is that it?” Her tone sounded cold, but she didn’t care. She couldn’t believe the nerve of Annie. On second thought, she could. The woman was a demon.
“Well, not entirely.” She lifted a piece of toast from her plate. “You did a very good job of selecting fans. I want you to handle the selection from now on. I need Sherri to handle other matters for me.”
Emily shifted her gaze to the clear blue sky. It was better to look at than the demon sitting near her. The balcony above offered enough shade to keep her from going blind from the bright rays.
“How long did you celebrate with the girls?” Emily asked.
Annie finished chewing. “A couple of hours I think. I didn’t check the time.”
“What happened to the girls after the party?” Emily asked.
“Don gave them a ride back to the venue. I came here with Sherri.”
“So, you two were together the entire time?” Emily asked.
Annie set down the uneaten portion of the toast. “You ask a lot of questions. You don’t need to.”
Emily ignored her. “Why do you want only women who are attractive?”
“Because they look better in pictures with me. Why else?” Annie answered with a hint of irritation in her tone.
Emily looked away again. Annie’s excuse sounded phony. She should’ve known the demon wouldn’t tell the truth.
“I like you, Carrie. I think you make a great asset to our team, which is why I want you to handle this task for Sherri. I need her to help me with other things. I think you’re more than capable of finding the right fans to celebrate with me. You’ve proved you can already,” Annie said in a very charismatic voice.
Emily knew beyond any doubt Annie was hiding something when she started by saying she liked her. The only way Emily would get the truth would be if she and Andrew followed the van.
“Will you work with us, please?” Annie asked in a half pleading tone.
Emily sat upright and took a deep breath. “All right. I’ll hand pick fans for you.”
Annie gave a wide smile to Sherri.
“This is great news. You’ll make my job easier,” Sherri said.
Emily couldn’t figure out what their intentions were, but she planned to find out.
“Is there anything else you need from me?” Emily asked.
“No, that was it.”
Emily rose from the chair. “What time are we heading to the airport?”
“Around two,” Sherri said.
“Great. I’ll see you then,” Emily said before she walked away.
“You can send Don in now,” Annie called out.
Emily strode to the door and opened it. Andrew was leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets, facing Don who had his arms crossed. Andrew’s attention quickly veered to Emily.
“We can go now,” she said and then looked at Don. “You’ve been summoned.”
“Is she in a good mood?” he asked.
“Same as always,” she said before he went inside the suite.
Emily started walking down the carpeted hall to the elevators. “There’s something going on. What happened in there”—she angled her thumb back toward the room—“could’ve waited.”
“What did she say?” Andrew asked.
“She thanked me for the fans I chose and wants me to take over for Sherri so she can help do other things.” Reaching the elevators, she hit the call button.
“She had Don wake you to tell you that?”
“Oh, and she claims she told Don to check on me, not to wake me. It boils down to the same fucking thing.”
When the elevator doors parted, they stepped inside. She pressed the dial for their floor.
“She’s so full of shit,” Emily said with a shake of her head.
“So what did you tell her?”
“I said I’d take over. What else could I say? If I’d said no, she could’ve terminated me. I couldn’t let that happen.”
Andrew took hold of one of her hands and squeezed it. “You’re right, something is going on. We’ll find out and put an end to it.” He brought her knuckles up to his lips and kissed them.
His warm touch eased her anger. “I tried to ask her about the ladies. She wouldn’t answer my questions. She said I asked too many. I think I made her mad.”
The elevator ride ended and they strolled out. Andrew continued to keep her in his grasp as they headed for their room.
“I think you should go along with whatever she wants. Let her think she’s in control so she doesn’t see you as a t
hreat,” he said.
“I know I should, but she gets under my skin.”
“Don’t let her. She’s not worth your time or energy.”
His words made sense. Annie was a demon after all. She wanted to cause problems and rouse anger. Why should Emily allow her?
Andrew withdrew the key card as they reached the door to their sweet. “As frustrating as that was, I’m glad it’s over.”
“Me too. Sorry you didn’t get the chance to kill her.” She pushed the door open after the green light appeared from the swipe of his card.
“The day will come. We have to be patient.”
The door closed behind him.
“Yeah, well my patience sucks with this one.” Emily removed her jacket as she headed to the bedroom.
Before she reached the bed, he stopped her with his arms locked around her ribs. “I love you.” He kissed her head.
“We don’t have to leave until around two. Let’s try to rest.”
“I know what might help.” He gently bit the tip of her ear.
A zing of excitement shot to her nipples and continued to travel south. She twisted to face him. “If you’re thinking what I’m thinking, then we better get busy. If I don’t get a nap in me before we leave, I’ll be cranky. And you know how I am when I’m cranky.”
He surprised her by lifting her up and tossing her back onto the bed. She giggled as he crawled over her like a stalking four-legged beast coming to claim his prize. Weary or not, she couldn’t resist a little playful loving from her wild angel.
Chapter Twenty
Andrew climbed the ladder to get out of the pool. Water fell and splashed around his feet when he reached the concrete surface. A slight breeze brushed over his wet skin and cooled him. The clear sky and warm afternoon temperature made for a good day of fun and relaxation.
His swim trunks continued dripping as he strode toward Emily. She lay on one of the lounge chairs with the back propped up, wearing only a blue bikini covering her delightful womanly goods. She’d left the pool minutes earlier. Her bangs stuck to the rest of her locks instead of hanging in front of her face. Shades covered her eyes, but her head was turned in his direction. He suspected she had her gaze locked on him considering she had a smile on her face. He stopped at her side and pressed his lips to hers. Of course, moisture fell on her.
“You’re soaking wet,” she said, hand on his chest and nudging him back.
“Isn’t that my line?”
She lifted her shades. “I think you may have a small tan.”
“Really? Should I sunbathe naked to avoid a tan line?”
“No, I’d like to see you with a tan and white ass.”
He bent, dripping more water on her, and pushed aside a portion of the thin material covering one of her breasts. “I’d love to see you with white tits and ass. Looks like I might get to.”
“Should I sunbathe naked?”
His cock sprang slightly as he pictured her without clothes, bathing in the rays of the sun. “If we were alone, I’d say hell yes and help remove your bikini.”
She chuckled and shook her head as he walked away, heading for the nearby table where his towel sat. He picked up the cloth and wiped his face. Movement from the mansion caught his eye as he brought the linen down his chest. He took a step to the side to get a better view from between the shrubs and trees.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Matt is heading this way.” But he wasn’t dressed to swim. Instead, he wore khakis and a dark-green shirt. Sunglasses hid his eyes.
Andrew took a seat on the lounge chair next to Emily.
She swung her legs around to face him. “Is he alone?”
“Yes.”
Andrew had hoped to speak with Matt privately after they’d arrived back at the property yesterday evening, but he hadn’t been able to. Christopher had planned a late dinner with everyone. They all had spent several hours at the table, talking about the show and Vancouver. Emily and Andrew had been the first to leave since it seemed they wouldn’t be able to catch Matt alone. After they’d returned to their apartment, they’d slept in, ate an early lunch at their place, and then came to relax at the pool until duty called.
Matt followed the path between the shrubs and stepped onto the concrete. “How’s the water?”
“Feels good,” Andrew said.
The big guy came to stand at the foot of the chairs. “Have you seen Don or Sherri?”
“No. Haven’t heard from them either,” Andrew said. “Care to join us?”
Matt twisted to look at the pool. “I have some things to do or I would.”
“Do you have a few minutes to answer a couple of questions?” Emily asked.
Emily took charge as usual. Andrew wouldn’t stop her. He too wanted answers as much as she did.
“Certainly.” Matt slid his hands into his front pockets.
“Are you aware of these secret parties Annie has after her shows?” she asked.
“I’m aware of them,” Matt said.
Emily scrunched her bows. “Did you know it’s for attractive women only?”
Matt shifted his gaze between her and Andrew.
“The fans have to be attractive women, single, and over the age of twenty-one. They also can’t bring cell phones with them,” she added.
“Who told you this?” Matt asked.
“Annie informed me that I’m now the person who selects the ladies who can party with her. Sherri gave me those instructions in Vancouver. I chose four ladies after the show. Apparently, Annie was pleased,” she said.
Matt scanned the area. “I wasn’t aware who attended her parties. Sherri has always handled that.”
“But you knew about them?” Andrew asked again.
“Yes, I knew Annie liked to invite a few fans to party with,” Matt said with a nod. “I always thought it was a nice gesture of hers, spending time with fans.”
“Don’t you find it strange Annie is targeting certain women?” Emily asked.
“Of course I do,” Matt said. “Did you ask her why?”
“She said because she wants people who look good to be in pictures with her, which I think is bullshit,” Emily said. “Has she ever posted any photos after the shows?”
“No. Never.” He shook his head. “And she takes their phones away from the ladies?”
“Well, I do after I question them and check their IDs,” Emily said.
“I had no idea,” Matt said. “Are the phones given back?”
“I assume so. I give them to Don. He transports the girls in a van to a secret location,” she said.
Matt took a long breath. “I can ask him—”
“No!” Andrew said. “Don’t ask him anything. If you don’t mind, just keep this to yourself. I don’t want Carrie getting into any kind of … trouble.”
“Believe me,” Emily said. “I tried asking Annie questions and she shut me down. I don’t want to lose this job. I just thought the whole thing was a little strange, is all.”
“I agree, it sounds odd, but I’m sure it’s fine. Christopher started organizing her get-togethers years ago, before I arrived. Don was the one who had told me about them,” Matt said.
Andrew met Emily’s gaze. If Christopher organized the parties, he’d been doing so while Annie was a teenager. It seemed unusual nobody had leaked any details to the press. Teenage girls liked to talk. Surely, someone would have by now.
“Is there any way you can get me a list of the venues she’s performed at over the last couple of years?” Emily asked.
Matt turned his attention as Don appeared from the shrubs. Carrying a beer in one hand and a towel over his shoulder, he wore black swimming trunks, sunglasses, and a pair of sandals on his feet. The man’s muscles bulged more than Andrew’s, but his size didn’t intimidate Andrew.
“I thought I might find someone else out here,” Don said as he approached the pool.
Emily rose and stepped closer to Matt. “Can you get that for me?” Her tone wa
s low.
“I’ll see what I can do. Send me an email address,” Matt said.
Emily nodded as Don paused near them. He raked his gaze down her. “How’s the water?”
“Get in and find out,” she said.
“I shall,” he said before he continued to the table.
“I’ve got some things to do,” Matt said. “The next show is coming up fast.”
Andrew came to stand behind Emily. He enclosed her with his arms. “When do we leave?”
“Wednesday afternoon. The show is Thursday night,” Matt said.
They didn’t have much time to relax since it was already Monday.
“I’ll guess we’ll enjoy the little break while we can,” Andrew said.
Don came to stand near Matt, barefoot and with his beer. “Don’t get too cozy. I’ve got plans for the gym and shooting range later.” He pressed the longneck to his mouth.
“If you need me, send a message,” Matt said.
“Thanks, Matt,” Emily said before he walked away.
Don set his bottle on the table with his towel and sunglasses. He returned, gazing at Emily’s chest. “Better enjoy this now. We’ll be busy come four.”
Andrew had the urge to grab his towel and throw it around Emily to cover her. The lusty look in Don’s eyes was one he’d seen aimed at Emily too often and it angered Andrew.
“We’re meeting at four?” she asked.
He smacked his hands together. “Yep. I sent you a message about twenty minutes ago.”
“We’ll be ready,” Andrew said, tugging Emily back to her chair.
Don walked away and then dove into the pool.
“I suppose we should check our phones,” Emily said before she sat.
She pulled out the small plastic bag with their phones and keys. Since they’d been enjoying themselves before Matt had showed up, it would’ve been easy to miss messages. She tapped the screen of her cell and stared at it.
Andrew sat on the chair next to her. “Find it?”
“Yeah. He wants us to meet him at four at the gym with a change of workout clothes and we need to bring our weapons. We’re shooting first.” She returned the phone to the bag.
“Are you two going to sit there or get in this pool?” Don asked.