Backstage (The Barter System Book 4) (18 page)

Finally, she managed, “I’ll have the meeting here.”  He nodded.  “Thanks, Ezra.” 

“You’re welcome.”  In a whisper, he added, “Go before I maul you sexually in front of your entire cast and lose my feminist cred.”

Laughing, she winked and headed for the stage.  She couldn’t wait to see the rehearsal done with the backdrops in place.  Despite the fact that her body was humming with need for the man she forced herself to leave behind – who was hard and hungry for her. 

“Being an adult sucks,” she mumbled as she got to work. 

The reward for being responsible was waving her sister off after they wrapped and attacking Ezra in his office. 

It was incredibly unprofessional…and absolutely wonderful.

* * * * *

When Jerry Wilson showed up for their marketing meeting a few days later, Linn made him wait.  She’d forgotten all about it…again. 

Running to the small office Ezra had so considerately provided, she attempted to pull herself into some semblance of professional presentation.  She had no choice but to work with what she had and quickly climbed the stairs. 

She’d barely cleared the door when Jerry grasped her in a hug.  Strangely, he whispered at her ear, “I’ve missed seeing you, Madeline.” 

Pushing him back politely but firmly, Linn took a moment to calm the violent physical reaction she felt towards him. 

“I think we’re having a serious miscommunication, Jerry.  I’ve told you several times that I’m not interested in a romantic relationship with you.  I’m not attracted to you in that way.”  Her voice was calm and respectful but her mind was far from it. 

“I’m not sure I…”  His expression transformed from genuine confusion to shrewd calculation. 

She watched as he took in her body from head to toe.  She wore low hung jeans, a tank top, blazer, and worn cowboy boots.  Continuing to eyeball her would result in him getting his ass kicked. 

“It’s because you’re a lesbian, isn’t it?”

One blink.  “What?”

“You’re a lesbian, aren’t you?  You don’t like men.” 

That he repeated the original statement floored her.  “Wow.  No, I’m not a lesbian.  First of all, a woman who dates women doesn’t necessarily do so because she
dislikes
men.  Secondly, a woman who rejects
you
is not automatically a lesbian.  Sometimes, a woman just isn’t
interested
in you.  I am
not
interested in you, Jerry.”

Hands on his hips, he frowned.  “Is it because I come from money?  Do you feel insecure?”

Madeline counted to ten before she trusted herself to answer.  “You think I’m insecure because you have money?  Are you being serious?”

The man had no idea how to interpret sarcasm or rising fury. 

“Honey, you don’t have to worry.  You might come from nowhere but we can get you trained in everything you’d need to know.” 

No this motherfucker did not just…

He was staring at her as one would a small child and she itched to drive her knee into his dick so hard he could taste his own balls. 

He wasn’t done.

“A makeover and some etiquette classes and no one would ever know you came from the country.”  Jerry smiled brightly as red crept into her vision.  “Speech classes will train the silly accent right out of your voice.  My mother and sister would love to take you on as a project.  I’m sure it wouldn’t be too hard; you strike me as a bright woman.”

She struggled to remember who she was, where she was, and why. 

There was no doubt that this man had connections in the local theater scene.  Choking down her rage, she thought about the cast and how hard they’d worked to make the play a success. 

Her internal battle was not to beat him down the way she would have done any man who talked to her in such a way back home.  Breathing deeply, slowly, she schooled her features. 

“Your statement held so many insults, I’m not sure which to address.” 

“Insults?  Honey…”

“Call me honey one more time and I will forget all my good intentions.”  Her voice was low, her words clipped, and anyone who’d known Madeline Johannson for five minutes would have recognized it as a very bad thing. 

“Madeline…”  He stepped forward and took her shoulders.

Flattening her palms against his chest, she planted her feet and
shoved
, sending him back several steps. “Stop invadin’ my space…that’s the
first
fuckin’ thing.  Keep your hands off me.”

“Maddy…”

The hated nickname.
  “My name is
Madeline
.  You don’t know me well enough to give me a nickname, especially not that one.” 

“You’re becoming emotional.”

“You haven’t
seen
emotional yet, Jerry.”  He took a step forward.  “Touch me and so help me God, I will ruin your chances of havin’ children.”  His eyes widened.  “Let me make myself crystal clear.  I can barely stand workin’ with you…I would
never
date you.”

There was no doubt how he took the statement.  “We don’t have to have anything serious…”

“The thought of fuckin’ you makes me throw up a little bit in my mouth.  Not a chance, Jerry.  Last thing I want to make clear is that
no one
, not even my mama,
trains me
in a goddamn thing.” 

She was
done
.  “I want another person managin’ my account or I’m movin’ it to another firm.  If you think you have me by the short hairs so close to the show, I
will
find another agency instantly.”  He leaned on Ezra’s desk.  “Do we understand one another?” 

“I really like this side of you, Madeline.  Very fiery.”  Reaching out, he circled her wrist and pulled her off balance in an attempt to kiss her. 

There was a moment of disorientation as she was lifted and moved.  Ezra’s hand circled Jerry’s neck, lifted him several inches, and slammed him on top of his desk, scattering papers everywhere. 

In a voice that belied the obvious fury in his eyes, Ezra told him, “You aren’t
listening
, Wilson.  She has told you multiple times that she isn’t interested in you.  She doesn’t want you touching her.”

“You take your hands off me!  I’ll have you thrown in jail!”  He was flailing his arms and legs without success.

A slow smile spread over Ezra’s face.  “That should be interesting.  As I bring the full weight of my influence and connections to bear on your
nouveau riche
ass, words such as
sexual harassment
and
assault
will certainly be glaring on the front page of the
Post
.  You won’t survive the storm I unleash.”

Jerry went absolutely still. 

“I see you recognize me and you understand.  Now we can converse.  Madeline Johannson is a personal friend of mine as well as a client of this theater.  She is not going to date you and you are not permitted to touch her.  Do I make myself clear?” 

The now terrified man nodded around the huge hand covering his throat. 

“I want to
hear
that you understand me.”  Loosening his grip, he growled, “Tell me what you’re taking away from our little talk.”

“I won’t touch her.  I’ll find someone else to handle her account.” 

“Excellent.”  Releasing the smaller man, he stood back and crossed his arms across his chest.  “Get up, get your shit, and get the fuck out of my building.” 

Stepping back, she watched as Jerry scrambled off the desk, grabbed his briefcase, and practically ran from the room.  The moment the door closed behind him, Ezra turned and took her in his arms.  One hand lifted to cup her cheek. 

“You alright?”  She nodded and he kissed her.  It cleared her head and calmed her temper as nothing else could have.  When he lifted his face, she stared into eyes that helped her center.  “Has it been like this every time you’ve had to meet?”

“Some have been worse than others but this one was more insultin’.”  She inhaled carefully.  “I’d have had him on the floor gaspin’ for breath in the next fifteen seconds.”

Ezra chuckled and wrapped her in a hug.  “I know but you look so pretty.  Why get blood on your clothes if you don’t have to?”  He glanced down at her boots.  “Those look well worn.”

“I’ve had them since I was sixteen.  The leather is exactly the way I like it.  There’s a few scars, like people, I guess.  It gives them character.” 

After another long kiss, Ezra stroked his hands over her body and exhaled roughly.  “I knew you had it under control.  I couldn’t…I wanted to beat the hell out of him.  He shouldn’t have grabbed you.”

The admission was not an easy one for him to make.  She understood that he felt territorial about her. 

Reaching up, she stroked her fingers through his hair on both sides of his head.  “Thank you.  When I was younger, I’d have hurt him first and
then
talked.  I was worried about the play.  You’re better equipped to deal with him if there’s fallout.”

His arms tightened around her.  “Knowing when to accept assistance is a true sign of brilliance.  There won’t be any fallout but if there is, you can trust me to protect you and the play.”

Staring into his eyes, she knew she
could
trust Ezra…with many things.  Now was not the time but she wondered how long she’d be able to hold herself in check.

“Let’s get downstairs before I forget the task list I have today.”

With a wink, he kissed the tip of her nose and then her forehead.  Dropping his hands, she instantly regretted the need.  They walked together to the stage.

There was a catfight in progress. 

Chapter Six

Two cast members circled Mikayla, talking shit. 

Linn muttered under her breath, “Fuck me…I guess it’s gonna be one of those days.”  She whistled sharply, startling everyone but her sister.  “What in the
hell
is going on here?”

Kayla didn’t respond.  She simply stood with her eyes forward, calm as water on a pond, her hands folded in front of her. 

That she hadn’t already left the women crying on the floor spoke to her intense melancholy.  In the beginning, Linn worried constantly about assault and battery charges. 

Both dancers had been pissed about Kayla landing the lead role.  They hadn’t been the least bit subtle in their bitching. 

“You think you’re so fucking perfect.  Well you are
flawed
, Kayla,” the taller one hissed.

Quietly, her sister replied, “As are we all, Mary.  Our flaws, our scars, and our little imperfections make us unique.  It shows our ability to survive and thrive despite adversity.”

There was the sound of something banging against metal above them but Linn could see nothing in the inky darkness when she looked up.  Ignoring it, she stepped within a few feet of the squabble. 

“I’m going to ask again.  What happened?  Kayla?”  Her twin shrugged but said nothing.  “Mary?  Diana?  What seems to be the problem?”

Diana was a petite blonde who thought the world revolved around her.  She was a great dancer but Linn regretted hiring her more days than not. 

Her first words were, “This
bitch
…”

“
Call my sister a bitch again
.” Madeline’s voice was quiet and the thick accent inspired by her meeting with Jerry was still in evidence. 

Altering her stance, she prepared for things to get ugly.  The other woman opened and closed her mouth several times while Kayla struggled not to crack a smile.  “Start over and watch your fuckin’ mouth.”

Diana rolled her eyes and all she wanted to do was slap them out of her head.  Remaining still, waiting and not beating the woman up, resulted in a tiny tic at the corner of her brow. 

“Fine, whatever…
Mikayla
is trying to show us up.  She deliberately tripped me when I was coming off a turn.  She’s worried I’ll make her look bad.” 

Linn accidentally released a hard laugh before clapping a hand over her own mouth.  “Oh, I’m
sure
that’s what it was.” 

As good as the other dancers were, as good as
she
was, Mikayla was – and always would be – better.  Dancing came naturally to her in a way that had always awed her family and friends. 

“
Anyway
, I called her on it, demanded an apology, and she tried to act all innocent.  Told me she had nothing to apologize for.”

Ah, high school…how I have not missed you. 

Letting the silence draw out for almost a minute as she stared at an increasingly fidgeting Diana, she finally crossed her arms over her chest.  Kayla still hadn’t moved.

“This is how we’re going to handle this.  You will do the scene again and I will observe.  Take your places.”  The cast ran to the stage, Kayla walked calmly behind them and Linn reached for her hand.  “Kayla…”

“No, we handle this fair.  It’s the same fucking place she always loses her rhythm or her footing.  You can’t claw her eyes out, Linn.  It’s unprofessional.  I was so hoping she’d touch me first with witnesses.  Whippin’ her ass might relieve some tension.”   

“You Johannson women are never boring,” Ezra said cheerfully. 

Kayla did some deep stretches before standing, taking a deep breath, and rolling her shoulders.  “Let’s get this over with so we can get some fucking work done.”

Everyone took their places and Ezra stood near Linn at the front of the stage, watching the performers.  She paced, calling out criticism and encouragement.  She was careful not to be too harsh and always tried to follow a negative statement with a positive one. 

“Daniel, careful on your takeoff.  You need to sharpen it up, yes…just like that.  Remy, you’re getting nervous, stepping out too soon.  Relax, flow with the music, and believe in how talented you are.  Blaine, do not bobble your partner.  If she lands on her ass again you aren’t going to forgive yourself…let me see your great control, there you go.” 

Ezra didn’t move or speak beside her. 

“Pee Wee!  You nailed your stance that time!  You’ve been practicing.  Steven, keep it tight. Lengthen your leg.  Excellent! 
Beautiful
jump, Kayla.”  Then the dancers performed the transition and an issue that repeatedly showed itself appeared.  “Diana,
that
is the same spot you always either slip or fall out of step with the others.  From here on out, you take responsibility for it.  Work on it and fix it.  You have outstanding potential.”