by Sam Crescent
“Someone not only took our picture, they were filming us, Lucas. Watching us. I didn’t … I thought no one knew where we were.”
“Your managers knew,” he said.
She spun around, looking at him. “You think one of my managers sent the reporter to film us?”
“You’re out of the public eye for the first time in your life. They’re probably afraid that you’ll be forgotten.” He took her hand, pulling her against him. “I hate watching that. Every time I see that, I get angry. No one stayed by your side. No one protected you.”
“And I can’t remember seeing anyone. Just the pain as I was stabbed.” She rubbed at the spot. “It’s … they’re out there. Whoever they are. They’re out there.”
“Yes.”
She gritted her teeth, and he tucked some hair behind her ear.
“The death threats didn’t stop, Kate.”
“Well, I know I got one in the hospital, but I’ve not had any since.”
“The threats against you haven’t stopped. I’ve been dealing with them. The moment they arrive, I get them sent over to my office for analysis. I make sure every inch of that paper is checked out. I have three forensic specialists checking.”
“And?” She was beginning to shake now. Fear was gripping at her, demanding that she take notice, and she was afraid. The fear took hold of her once more, and she didn’t want it to.
“Anyone could have typed them. You can’t locate where they were printed, and there’s no way of determining who wrote them. There are traces all over the paper. Not one person can be identified. Whoever is doing this, is taking the effort to make sure they’re hidden. We really don’t know who.” He nodded at the television. “It’s been over a year. I want to increase the security detail around you, Kate. I’m not taking any risks.” He cupped her face, wiping away the tears that had already fallen.
“I don’t … what do I do?”
“You continue being you. Don’t let anyone take that away from you.”
“You’re not going to leave me, are you?”
“No, I’m not. I’m also not going to do any interviews.”
She frowned.
“They’ve been calling all morning asking if I’m ready to spill the beans on the angelic Kate Swanson. What goes on between you and me, it stays between us.”
“That’s good.” She smiled and cupped his cheek. This man was old enough to be her father, yet she didn’t have any fatherly feelings for him. She always turned to him. The love she felt for him was unlike anything she’d ever experienced, and that scared her. Did he have any feelings for her at all? Part of her was afraid that the moment they found the person responsible for hurting her, he was going to leave her, and she didn’t want him to go.
Did that make her selfish?
You want him to stay because he wants to.
Even as she thought it, she couldn’t help but feel a little broken because of it. There hadn’t been a man in her life before.
He pulled her into his arms, and she closed her eyes, breathing in his scent, not wanting to let him go.
“I’ve made some lunch.”
Her stomach chose that moment to growl.
“Come on.” He took her hand, leading her through to the dining room, and she took a seat. Waffles, bacon, and eggs were waiting for her; not a piece of sliced fruit in sight.
“I know I’ve asked this before. Do you think there’s anyone that would want to hurt you? Wish you harm? Anything?” he asked.
She stared at him. “Not that I know of.”
“Every single time I see that damn footage it makes me so angry. I can’t figure it out. There’s so many people, and you have a lot of people around you.”
She nodded. “It had gotten crazy. It was an awards ceremony, and I was nominated for best song and music video, and best artist. I won one award that night, but I wasn’t there to take it.”
She’d been hurt and was in the hospital. The ceremony had carried on, and of course they’d kept the crowd updated on Kate Swanson.
“You were also due to perform that night, right?” he asked.
“Yes. I was. It was the song that went straight to number one. Sixth anniversary, I believe, of my rising to the top, and my team had all organized a huge celebration for it.” She stared at him, and she saw his mind working. “What are you thinking?”
“Nothing, but I want to get back to the drawing board on this. While someone out there is intent on hurting you, you’ll never be safe. I don’t want you living a life filled with fear.”
She held onto him, not wanting to let go.
Chapter Six
The month went by way too quickly, and before long Kate was back to giving performances, interviews, and also scheduling studio time for another album. The days he spent watching over her, he was aware of her managers’ annoyance with him. The nights were his own, and he made sure they left her alone and he got her all to himself.
Their nights together allowed him to explore Kate, not just her body, but her. He got to know the real woman without everyone pitching in, giving ideas, or feeding answers.
He loved her smile, her laughter, and even her wicked giggle.
Every little fault that her managers wished to keep hidden, he found he loved even more about her. Sometimes when he made her laugh so hard she snorted, he couldn’t help but join in.
Standing at the edge of the stage, he watched as she practiced one of her upbeat songs that also required quite a few male dancers.
He hated the jealousy that filled him at seeing another man touch what belonged to him, but he didn’t rush onto the stage nor did he demand that she not perform. Her arms wrapped around the other man’s neck, and they leaned in as if to kiss, only for her to pull away, and face where the audience would be.
“We completely ran through the ten minutes of footage. There’s nothing there,” Wayne said. He was Lucas’s right hand man, the only other person he trusted with Kate’s safety. Even though he’d not been asked to, he was checking out all the old footage in the hope of finding something.
Lucas didn’t know what he was looking for, only that he’d missed something, and he intended to find out what it was.
“Thank you.”
“We’ll keep looking, but we don’t know what you’re hoping to find that the police haven’t checked over already. That footage plays everywhere.”
The dance coordinator called time. Kate shook hands with the guys before grabbing her water bottle and heading over to him.
He held his arms open, and she jumped right into them, kissing him. “I’m all sweaty,” she said.
“I like you like this,” he said.
“Yeah, but this wasn’t doing anything fun.” She kissed his lips and he gripped her ass, wishing they were alone. The tight leggings she wore only served to arouse him.
Wayne cleared his throat, and he reluctantly released her.
“Kate, I’d like you to meet one of the best men I ever hired, Wayne.”
“Nice to meet you,” she said, shaking Wayne’s hand.
“It’s a pleasure. My little girl loves your music.”
“She does? How old is she?”
“She’s ten. Whenever I drive her around it’s all she wants me to play, and she just loves singing along with you.”
“Will she be at the show?” Kate asked.
Lucas gripped her hip, holding her against him.
“No, I’m afraid not. The tickets were all sold out by the time I got to buy them.”
She waved her hand in the air. “Benjamin.” She called out to one of her managers, who was on the phone.
“What’s up, Kate?” he asked, coming over.
“Could you get Wayne a backstage pass please? He has a little girl, and how many tickets he needs if his family would like to come.” She rested her head on Lucas’s shoulder.
“You really don’t need…”
“It’s not a problem. I always have backstage passes that I usually give away
at the door. They’re yours if you want them.”
Wayne looked toward him, and Lucas nodded. “It doesn’t bother me.”
“You’re a gem, Kate.”
“I look forward to meeting her.”
Wayne left, and Lucas took her hand, leading her down toward her room. Closing the door, he took a seat in the chair and pulled her down onto his lap. She wasn’t due a costume rehearsal yet, so they were able to have a few quiet moments by themselves.
“You’re a really nice woman.”
“Why? Because I gave him tickets?”
“Not just that. You always make sure there are spare tickets, and you give your fans as much of your time as you can.”
No matter where they went, if a fan came up to her, she’d listen, sign, laugh, take a selfie, and hug her fan.
She had so much patience.
“The tickets sold out for this event within half an hour. Not only will his daughter get to see me but a lot of other stars as well.”
He knew it wasn’t just her performing, but she was the only person he cared about.
“When all of this is over, I want you to be mine.”
She paused. Her gaze on his. “What do you mean?”
“You know what I mean. This isn’t just some quick fling for me. You can’t get rid of me. You’re mine, Kate.”
She licked her lips, and he saw her nerves shining through.
“I’ll give you time to think about what you want—”
“I know what I want,” she said, her fingers teasing the back of his neck.
“What do you want, baby?”
“I … I want you. I don’t want this to be over, and I know I don’t have any claim on you, and you’ve probably been with so many other women, but I … I love you, Lucas. More than anything, I love you.”
Before he could say anything more, she slammed her lips down on his, kissing him. He felt the passion inside her, in the way she held him tightly, and he fucking reveled in it. He loved her, too, more than anything else in the world, and he had no intention of letting her go.
He didn’t get a chance to tell her though.
It was time for her to get back to training to be ready for that evening.
Gritting his teeth, he watched as she left, wishing he’d told her before he said anything else.
****
Dancing around the men, she wasn’t really paying attention to them. Kate didn’t care if they were scantily clad or handsome men. They held no appeal to her. She was there to do her job, and they were there to do theirs.
Her thoughts were on Lucas.
She didn’t have time to talk with him for the rest of the day, and by the time their rehearsals were over, she had to start getting ready for the main show itself. She always practiced on performance day, and gave the people responsible for cleaning the stage plenty of time to get it ready.
When she headed back to her room, it was now full to bursting with people. She listened to them give advice, telling her who to thank, and of course to always smile for the camera. Leaving them to shout their orders through the door of the bathroom, she took a long bath, making sure to add bubbles.
She rubbed at her head, feeling a headache begin to rise.
The sound of the door opening had her jerking up, and she saw Lucas smiling down at her, closing it behind him.
“You scared me.”
“I’m sorry I wasn’t there to escort you off stage.”
“It’s fine.”
“No, it’s not fine. I had to make some really important calls is all. I don’t like you being alone.”
He still hadn’t said anything about her admission earlier, and she wasn’t going to remind him.
She didn’t say anything, and waited.
Lucas knelt beside the bath, grabbing a bar of soap and using his hands as the sponge, he began to run his hands over her body.
She gasped as they grazed over her nipples then down between her thighs, touching her.
“You know, Kate, you’ve gotten under my skin this past year, and I don’t know how I’d ever be able to walk away from you. I’ve seen you angry, scared, vulnerable, happy, ecstatic, but above all else, I’ve seen the real you.” He took her hand, pressing a kiss against her knuckles. “You’re the love of my life, and knowing that you love me too is the greatest gift you could have ever given me.”
Tears filled her eyes, and she reached out, holding on tightly to him, not wanting to let him go.
“I’m getting you all wet,” she said.
“I don’t care. So long as you’re in my arms, I don’t care.”
She cupped his face, kissing him. “You’re going to drive Benjamin and the others insane.”
“He’ll love me. I promise you.”
“What about other jobs?”
“I’m the owner of the company. I can oversee everything. Besides, you won’t be working all the time. I won’t let you work all the time. They’re going to have to deal with me if they think for a second of working you into the ground. Not happening, not on my watch.”
There was a knock at the door. “Ten minutes, Kate. We need you in here to get you ready.”
“I’m coming.”
Lucas released her, grabbing a towel. “I’m going to go and check around the perimeter. You’re to get ready and wait for me. I’ll be right back.”
She watched him go, biting her lip as he did.
He loved her.
They were going to share a life together, and she was so damn happy right now. Nothing was going to bring her down from that high. Climbing out of the bathtub, she realized there wasn’t anyone in the world for her to share her news with, at least not with her. Her parents had retired, and she’d paid for them to take their dream trip all around Europe.
Taking a seat in the makeup artist’s chair, Kate smiled at Alice.
“I love how flawless your skin always is. You’re like a dream to work with.”
“Thank you.”
“I’m not going to go too thickly. Your look shines through with your purity, your innocence.”
For the next half hour, she sat while Alice prepared her face, and then Kate moved on to Clive, who dressed her for the night. The outfit was similar to the one she’d been practicing in, and she loved the feel of the material against her.
Lucas was there to escort her onto the stage, and it was where she saw Wayne with his daughter and family.
The young girl was blonde with beautiful grey eyes, and Kate offered her a hug, signed her CDs, and of course sealed the moment with a selfie.
She made sure Lucas took one as well.
It was time to head onto the stage, and her hands were shaking.
“This is what amazes me about you,” he said.
“What?”
“You’re a natural, and yet to this day your nerves still get the better of you.”
“I’ll never get used to this, not now, not ever.” She took a deep breath, taking the microphone that was offered to her, and headed out onto the main stage. Screams, cries, and absolute joy met her ears. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lucas, and she felt grounded, so that by the time she opened her mouth, she was more than ready. Performing to a crowd was tough, but she’d not screwed up a single routine yet.
After an hour of being on stage, she had a small intermission that gave her a chance to catch her breath and have a drink while another band played.
Leaving the stage, she saw that Lucas was nowhere to be found, but she really needed some water. Her own crew were working on getting ready for the next set, and everyone was so busy. Her mouth was so dry, and her assistant wasn’t anywhere to be seen. She hated asking anyone to do something for her. She didn’t want to cause a problem, and with how quickly everything had to change for each artist, she decided to go and fetch her own water.
Without a word, she slipped back toward the refreshment stands, which were empty. Going to the water machine, she filled a plastic cup with water and took a sip.
The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, and when she turned around she saw a gun pointed directly at her.
The woman holding that gun wasn’t someone she recognized, and her heart sped up. Nothing was said for the longest time. Kate only knew that she wasn’t going to get her happily ever after with Lucas.
This woman intended to kill her.
Chapter Seven
Lucas was pissed. He had no choice but to leave the edge of the stage as they got everything ready for the next set, and they did that by having a queue of people waiting to go on, which pissed him off. He lost sight of Kate, and on his way toward the other side of the stage, a large television caught his attention.
“What the fuck ever happened to her?” one guy asked.
He stared at the screen and saw a young, bubbly looking woman singing some kind of pop tune. It was a flashback to has-beens of seven years ago.
Benjamin was there. “Kate knocked this woman off the charts.”
“What?”
“Melanie Turner. She was considered the up-and-coming star seven years ago. She got to number one and stayed there for one week. Everyone expected her to smash the charts, and go on to have an amazing career.”
The woman was beautiful, no doubt about that. Young, talented, but he didn’t recognize the song or the woman.
“What happened?” he asked.
“Unfortunately for Melanie, Kate happened,” Benjamin said.
“How did Kate happen?”
“Melanie got her number one spot on the Friday, and the entire world saw Kate on the Saturday. I’ve never known an artist to fall out of the charts so fast. She stayed number one in the top ten for one week only. Faded out. Her next hit didn’t even make it into the top one hundred. Everywhere you looked Melanie’s face was turned into Kate’s. She was every woman’s rising star.”
As Lucas looked at the screen, and thought about the misspelled angry letters and death threats, he didn’t for a second think it could be this woman. No one had heard from her, and it had been seven years.
Seven years of Kate’s success.