In the Heat of the Spotlight (14 page)

He twined his fingers with hers. ‘And what if these concerts catapult you back into the spotlight?’

‘The spotlight will move off me in a few weeks or months or maybe even days, when I refuse to give them what they want. More concerts, more tabloid-worthy moments. I’m done with all that.’

‘You’re sure?’

‘Yes.’ She glanced up at him, worry shadowing her eyes, darkening them to slate. ‘Do you mind?’

‘Mind? Why would I mind?’

She shrugged. ‘I don’t know. The fame thing, it’s kind of big.’

‘To be honest, I’d have a harder time following you around on a concert circuit, but I’d do it if that’s what you wanted.’

‘And what about what you want?’

‘I’ve got everything I want.’ He smiled and squeezed her hand. ‘You sing this afternoon, and then we have two days until Tokyo. Let’s go away somewhere, just the two of us.’

Her eyes widened, her mouth curving in anticipation. ‘Where?’

‘I’ll surprise you.’

He chose an incredibly exclusive resort on a tiny island off the coast of Hong Kong, the kind of place reporters or paparazzi could never find. The kind of place where he could pamper Aurelie all he wanted and they could revel in each other, in long, lazy days on the beach and long, loving nights in their bed, or the hot tub, or even on the beach again. Everywhere.

The night before they were to leave for Tokyo they lay in bed, the sliding glass doors open to the beach, the ocean breeze rustling the gauzy curtains. Moonlight slid over the rumpled covers, their twined legs. Aurelie was silent, one slender hand resting on his bare chest, over the steady thud of his heart.

Luke brushed his lips against her hair. ‘What are you thinking?’ he asked quietly, because he sensed something from her that was thoughtful, maybe even sad.

‘Just how I don’t want this to end. I don’t want to go back to real life.’

‘I’m not sure I know what real life is any more.’ He paused, thinking to say more, then decided not to. He hadn’t told her he loved her yet, and she hadn’t said it, either. He wasn’t afraid of saying those three little words, but he wondered how Aurelie felt about hearing them. This was all still so new, and maybe even fragile. There would be time enough later to figure out how this—
them
—was going to work.

On the plane to Tokyo he reluctantly refocused on work. He hadn’t given Bryant’s or business a single thought in forty-eight hours, which had to be a record for him. Now he checked his phone and groaned inwardly at the twenty-two texts he’d been sent. Most of them, fortunately, concerned minor matters, but one was a tersely worded command from his brother Aaron.

Wait for me in Tokyo.

Irritation rippled through him. Was his brother actually going to fly all the way to Tokyo to boss him around? No doubt he’d seen some of the press about Aurelie and the openings and wanted to throw his weight around, as he always did.

‘What’s wrong?’ Aurelie asked quietly, and Luke glanced up. Over the last few days they’d become amazingly attuned to one another. Aurelie knew him as well as he knew her.

Not quite.

The thought slid slyly into his mind. She might have completely unburdened herself, but in many ways—crucial ways—he was still buttoned up as tight as ever. He still had secrets, and ones he had no desire or intention to share. She had enough to deal with; she didn’t need his remembered pain. He slid his phone into his jacket pocket, glanced away. ‘Just work stuff.’

Twenty minutes later they landed in Tokyo.

They took a limo to The Peninsula, the luxury hotel Luke’s PA had booked overlooking the Imperial Palace Gardens. The air was crisper than in any of their other destinations, a hint of autumn on the breeze that ruffled the leaves of the trees lining the street.

‘I cancelled your hotel suite,’ he told her as they checked in. Fortunately there was no message from Aaron, and Luke half-hoped his brother had decided to abandon the trip. He turned to Aurelie. ‘I hope you don’t mind.’

She smiled, eyebrows raised. ‘Why would I mind?’

‘You might want a bit of privacy.’

‘I think a two thousand square metre suite should provide enough of that,’ she answered with a little laugh.

The bellhop led them to the penthouse suite, showed them all of its rooms and wraparound terrace. When they were alone Luke pulled her into his arms, kissed his way down her throat. He loved the feel of her, the sense of rightness she gave him. ‘As much as I’d like to finish what I’ve started,’ he murmured against her skin, ‘you have a concert to get to.’

‘I know,’ she agreed on a sigh of disappointment.

He straightened, bringing her with him so he could look into those slate-blue eyes he loved. ‘Are you nervous?’

‘No, which is amazing considering how terrified I was a few days ago.’

‘You’ve changed.’

‘Thanks to you.’ She smiled. ‘I know I’m not going to get glowing reviews all around. Someone will hate it, and they’ll make sure to let me know.’ Her mouth twisted wryly. ‘But it doesn’t matter. It really doesn’t.’

‘I’m glad,’ Luke said, and with one more kiss because he just couldn’t resist he smoothed her hair and dress and they went to get ready for the opening.

Two hours later Luke was standing by the side of the stage watching as Aurelie miked up to go on. She wore a flowing dress of pale green silk with a gauzy overlay, her hair pulled up in a loose chignon. She looked effortlessly beautiful, wonderfully natural. His heart swelled with love.

‘What the hell,’ a voice snapped out from behind him, ‘is she doing here?’

Luke turned around to stare into the furious face of his brother Aaron.

CHAPTER TWELVE

‘H
ELLO
,
Aaron,’ Luke said evenly. ‘I think I could ask you the same question.’

Aaron just shook his head. ‘What are you talking about?’

‘What the hell,’ Luke asked mildly, ‘are you doing here?’

‘Saving your ass. Didn’t you get my text?’

‘Last time I checked, it didn’t need saving.’ Aaron opened his mouth but Luke forestalled him with one up-flung hand. ‘Be quiet. She’s about to start.’

Eyes narrowed, Aaron closed his mouth. Aurelie started to sing, and Luke listened to her smoky voice float through the crowd, hushing even the tiniest whisper. Everyone was entranced, including him.

But not Aaron. The second her voice died away Aaron grabbed his arm. Luke shook it off.

‘She goes, Luke.’

Luke turned around. ‘What do you mean, she goes?’

‘She goes. Now. The last thing Bryant’s needs is someone with her reputation linked to it—’

Luke eyed him coldly. ‘Aurelie has done wonders for
Bryant’s image, Aaron.’

Just then she came off the stage, her widened gaze taking in the two of them.

Luke knew he didn’t want his brother talking to Aurelie. Aaron had the tact of a tank when it came to getting his own way. ‘Just give us a minute please, Aurelie,’ he told her, and he heard the suppressed anger in his voice. So did she. She tensed, her eyes going wide before she nodded and, still holding her guitar, walked past them to her dressing room.

‘Let’s take this somewhere private,’ Luke said coolly. ‘The
really
last thing Bryant’s needs is two of the Bryant brothers coming to blows in front of a thousand guests.’

‘Coming to blows?’ Aaron arched an eyebrow. ‘All over a woman, Luke? Didn’t you learn anything from our father?’

‘Aurelie is nothing like our father’s mistresses,’ Luke snapped. Not trusting himself to say another word, he turned on his heel and went upstairs to one of the corporate offices. Aaron followed him, closing the door behind him and leaning against it with his arms folded.

‘I appreciate she’s probably pretty good in the sack, but she goes, Luke.’

Luke didn’t think then. He just swung. His fist connected with his brother’s jaw and white-hot pain radiated from his knuckles. Aaron doubled over, righting himself with one hand on the desk, the other massaging his already swelling jaw.

‘Damn it, Luke. What the hell has gotten into you?’

‘I should have done that years ago,’ Luke said grimly. He cradled his throbbing hand. It had felt amazingly good to hit his brother. ‘You stay out of this, Aaron. Stay out of my personal life and stay out of the store.’

‘The store? The store is part of—’

‘Bryant Enterprises. Yeah, I get that. I also get that you’ve got to have your sticky fingerprints on every part of this empire, even though there’s plenty for both of us, and Chase too, if he’d wanted it.’

‘Chase,’ Aaron answered, ‘was disinherited.’

‘You could have given it back to him. You knew Dad was just acting out of anger.’

‘I wasn’t about to go against our dead father’s wishes.’

‘Oh, give it up.’ Luke turned away, suddenly tired. ‘Like you’ve ever cared about that.’

Aaron was silent for a moment. ‘You have no idea,’ he finally said, his voice flat and strange. Luke turned around.

‘No?’

‘No. And the fact remains that you might be CEO of Bryant Stores but I’m still your boss, and I say she goes.’

Impatience flared through him at his brother’s autocratic tone. ‘Have you read the papers? Have you seen the positive press—’

‘Yes, and along with the positive press they’re raking up every bit of tabloid trash that woman has generated. Do you
know
how many photos there are of her—’

‘Stop.’ Luke held up a hand. ‘Stop, because I don’t want to hear it and if we continue this conversation I’ll punch you again.’

‘This time I’ll be ready for it,’ Aaron snapped. ‘I don’t care if you’re screwing her, Luke, but she can’t—’

‘Shut. Up.’ Luke’s voice was low, deadly in a way neither of them had ever heard before. ‘Don’t say one more word about Aurelie, Aaron. Not one word.’ Aaron remained silent, his mouth thinned, his eyes narrowed. Luke let out a low breath. ‘Bryant Stores is under my authority. I’ve been trying to prove to you for over fifteen years that I’m perfectly capable of managing it myself, but you always step in. You’ve never trusted me.’

‘I don’t trust anyone.’

Surprise rippled through Luke; he hadn’t expected Aaron to say that, to admit so much.

‘Why not?’

Aaron lifted one shoulder in an impatient shrug. ‘Does it matter?’

‘It matters to me. Do you know how hard I’ve worked—’

‘Oh, yes, I know. You’ve worked hard for everything in your life, Luke, always waiting for that damn pat on your head. You didn’t get it from Dad and you won’t get it from me.’

Rage coursed through him. ‘That’s a hell of a thing to say.’

‘It’s true, though, isn’t it?’ Aaron stared at him in challenge. ‘You’ve always been working for other people’s approval. Trying to prove yourself, and you never will.’

Luke stared at his brother, realisation trickling coldly through him. He didn’t like the way Aaron had put it, but he recognised that his brother’s words held a shaming grain of truth. He’d been trying to prove himself for so long, to earn people’s trust as if that would somehow make up for that one moment when he’d lost his father’s.

‘I’ll stop now, then,’ he said evenly. ‘You either step off Bryant’s or I do.’

Aaron raised his eyebrows. ‘Are you threatening to quit?’

‘It’s not a threat.’

‘Do you know what that kind of publicity could do—’

‘Yes.’

‘You’ve worked for Bryant’s your whole adult life. You really want to just leave that behind?’

Luke knew his brother was testing him, looking for weaknesses. He wouldn’t find any. He’d never felt so sure about anything in his life. ‘I’ll leave it behind if I have to keep answering to you. I’m done proving myself, Aaron. To you or to anyone.’

Aaron’s mouth curved in a humourless smile. ‘Well, look at you. All right. I’ll think about it.’

Luke shook his head. ‘Forget it. I resign.’

‘You don’t need to overreact—’

‘No. But I need to stop working for you. In any capacity. Don’t worry, Aaron. I’m sure you’ll find someone else to be your stooge.’ Luke turned away and he heard Aaron’s exasperated sigh.

‘It’s that woman, isn’t it? She’s changed you.’

‘Yes, she’s changed me. But not in the way you think. She’s
believed
in me, trusted me, and that’s something you’ve never done. And I don’t want that pat on the head, Aaron. I’m done. I’m done trying to earn it from you or anyone.’

With one last hard look at his brother, determination now surging through him, Luke left the office.

* * *

Aurelie clutched a flute of champagne and eyed the circulating crowd nervously. She still didn’t see Luke or the man she knew must be his brother Aaron. He’d looked just like him, except a little taller and broader, a lot angrier.

She took a sip of champagne, forced herself to swallow. When she’d walked offstage she’d felt the tension between the two men and she’d had a horrible, plunging feeling they’d been arguing about her. No doubt Aaron wasn’t pleased about her part in the reopening galas. And as for Luke?

What did he feel?

She realised she didn’t know the answer to that question. The last few days had been wonderful, but had they been real? You could probably fall in love with anyone in this kind of situation, out of time and reality. And she knew she must be different from the women Luke had known, those three serious relationships he’d had. Maybe the novelty had worn off. Maybe Aaron had made him realise that she wasn’t really a long-term proposition.

‘I should congratulate you.’ She froze, then slowly turned to face the unsmiling gaze of Aaron Bryant. His assessing look swept her from her head to her toes and clearly found her lacking. ‘You’ve managed to ensnare my brother, at least for the moment.’

It was so much what Aurelie had been thinking, what she’d feared, that she struggled to form any kind of reply. ‘I haven’t ensnared anyone,’ she finally answered, her voice thankfully even.

‘No? It’s true love, then, is it?’ He sounded so mocking, so disbelieving, that Aurelie stiffened. Didn’t say anything, because she wasn’t about to give this man any ammunition.

And she didn’t even know if Luke loved her. He hadn’t said those three important words yet, but then neither had she.

Aaron shook his head. ‘Be kind to him when you’re finished, at least. He deserves that much.’

Surprise flashed through her. She hadn’t expected Aaron to care about Luke’s feelings. ‘I have no intention of finishing with him.’

‘No? Then perhaps he’ll wise up and finish with you.’ With one last dismissive glance, he turned away.

Aurelie stood there, her fingers clenched around the fragile stem of her flute of champagne, the cold fingers of fear creeping along her spine. She knew Aaron had been trying to get to her, to wind her up or put her down or both. It didn’t matter what he had said.

What mattered was her response. It all felt so
familiar
, this encroaching panic, the ensuing clinginess. The terror that Luke would leave her, that she’d be lost without him. She’d lose herself.

She’d changed in so many ways, so many wonderful ways, thanks to Luke. But she hadn’t, it seemed, changed in the way that mattered most.

She was going to lose herself again. She felt it, in the hollowness that reverberated through her, a sudden, sweeping emptiness at the thought that Luke might leave her. Maybe she couldn’t do relationships after all. Maybe this was what would always happen with her.

Somehow she circulated through the crowd, smiled, nodded, said things, although she wasn’t sure what they were. She looked for Luke and caught a glimpse of him across the crowded room.

He was deep in discussion, a frown settled between his brows. Aurelie stared at him for a taut moment and then, without thinking, she turned on her heel and made it to the safety of her dressing room.

She kept her mind blank as she threw her belongings into a bag and grabbed her coat. Her plane left for New York tomorrow, but she could go standby. Hell, she could hire a private jet if she wanted to. And what she wanted in that moment was to escape. To flee to a safe place where she could untangle her impossible thoughts, her encroaching fears, and figure out if there was anything left.

She slipped out of the store, hailed a cab to take her back to the hotel. She was still operating on autopilot, reacting as she always had before, and while part of her knew she should stop, wait,
think
, the rest of her just buzzed and shrieked,
Get out. Get away and save yourself...if there’s anything left to save.

She’d packed her suitcases and was just slipping on her coat when she heard the door to the suite open. Luke stood there, looking tired and rumpled, the keycard held loosely in his hand.

‘Someone told me you’d left early—’ He stopped, his gaze taking in her packed cases, her coat. He stilled, and the silence stretched on for several seconds. ‘What are you doing, Aurelie?’

She swallowed. ‘I thought I’d leave a little early.’

‘A little early,’ Luke repeated neutrally. He came into the room, tossing the keycard on a side table. ‘Were you going to inform me of that fact, or were you hoping to slip out while I was still at the opening?’

‘I...’ She trailed off, licked her lips. ‘I don’t know.’

He stared at her, his face expressionless, eyes veiled. ‘What happened? Did Aaron talk to you?’

‘Yes, but that doesn’t really matter.’

‘Doesn’t it?’

‘No. I just...I need some space, Luke. Some time. I’m not sure...’ Her voice cracked and she took a breath, tried again. ‘I’m not sure I can do this.’

‘This,’ he repeated. ‘We never did decide what
this
was.’

Was, not is. So maybe her worst fears were realised, and he was leaving her. Not that it mattered either way. This was her problem, not Luke’s.

‘And you don’t think you could have told me any of this?’ he asked, his voice still so very even. ‘You don’t think you could have shared any of this with me before you tried to bust out of here?’

‘I’m telling you now—’

‘Only because I came back early!’ His voice rose in a roar of anger and hurt that had Aurelie blinking, stepping back. ‘Damn it, Aurelie, I trusted you. And I thought you trusted me.’

‘This isn’t about trust—’

‘No? What’s it about, then?’

‘It’s my problem, Luke. Not yours.’

‘That’s a rather neat way of putting it, considering it feels like my problem now.’

‘I’m sorry.’ Her throat ached with the effort of holding back tears. ‘I just...I can’t risk myself again. I can’t open myself up to—’

‘To being mistreated and abused like that scumbag Myers did to you?’

She felt hot tears crowd her eyes. ‘I suppose. Yes.’

Luke let out a hard laugh, the kind of sound she’d never heard from him before. ‘And you say this isn’t about trust.’

‘It isn’t,’ she insisted. ‘This is about what’s going on in my own head—’

‘You want to know what’s going on in my head?’ Luke cut her off and Aurelie stilled. Nodded.

‘Okay,’ she said cautiously.

‘I’ve had a few revelations today. Starting with the fact that I’ve resigned from Bryant Stores.’

‘Resigned—’

‘My brother told me I was always trying to prove myself to people, trying to earn their trust. And he was right. I was certainly trying to earn it with you.’

‘I know you were, Luke. And you did earn it—’

‘Obviously I didn’t, if you’re trying to sneak away now.’ Luke shook his head, his gaze veiled and averted so Aurelie had no idea what he was thinking. ‘But this goes back before you. Way back.’ He let out a slow breath. ‘I told you my mother died of breast cancer, but she didn’t.’

‘She didn’t?’ Aurelie repeated uncertainly.

‘She killed herself.’ Aurelie blinked. Luke stared at her grimly, his gaze unfocused, remembering. ‘I was the only one home. I’d come back from boarding school, Chase and Aaron were still at sports camps. My father was on a business trip.’