Rock Steady (19 page)

She woke up as lightning cracked across the sky. Gray light was coming in under the curtains, the sound of rain hitting the glass windows.

“At least it held off until after the show.”

Jewel’s eyes widened when Ramsey spoke beside her. The bed moved as he rolled over and considered her. He reached out and stroked one of her breasts. A soft touch, but she jumped.

“I love the way you respond to me, baby.” His voice was still edged with sleep, lazy and unhurried.

Her heart started racing like a rabbit. The anxiety she’d expected to feel the moment she lost her virginity showed up at last.

Which sucked, because the moment was long past.

Get a grip,
she ordered herself.

Someone pounded on the door. “Check out time in one hour.”

The crew member moved on to the next suite and repeated the warning. It was the escape opportunity she craved. She rolled out of the bed, looking for her clothing. Ramsey chuckled at her abrupt exit. It was a damned good thing she’d turned away from Ramsey, because she made it only two steps before she noticed how sore she was.

“We’ve got time to play,” he offered suggestively.

“Um… I want a shower before we leave.” Her voice was tight, betraying her frayed nerves.

“I love your ideas,” he purred, still sitting on the bed. “What the—”

Jewel turned around, the sudden change in Ramsey’s tone cutting through her morning-after fluster. His expression shocked her.

He was furious.

His attention was on the surface of the bed, specifically, the dark stain left there. “You were a virgin.”

Each word was clipped and short. He raised his gaze to her face, and it felt like he’d reached out and slapped her.

“Why the fuck,” he growled, “didn’t you tell me?”

“What are you so ticked off about?” she asked. “It’s my body.”

“And now you’ve made it my responsibility.”

She felt like she had been shoved through an open door, out of an airplane. The long fall to earth had begun. “I know. I get it. You’re not into anything besides casual sex.” Her chest hurt, making her voice hollow. “Don’t sweat it, rock star man. I’m not asking you for anything. That’s why I didn’t tell you.”

Her bag was lying on the floor with her clothing. She shrugged into her dress without bothering to put on her underwear.

“Jewel—”

She yanked open the door as he was trying to formulate his argument.

“We’re not done with this conversation,” he said. She heard him stepping into his pants. Lace-up leather might be hot, but it had drawbacks when it came to chasing people.

“Oh, yes, we are.” She left the suite. There was a smattering of crew in the hallway, packing up the gear and making ready to move on to the next town. Ramsey dove after her, capturing her wrist.

Jewel spun on him. “We are…
completely
…done.”

“I never lied to you,” he said, oblivious to their audience.

“Bullshit,” she countered. “I told you I wasn’t into casual sex, and you sweet-talked your way around the term. Laying guilt down on me for judging you. Well, who’s got his panties in a twist this morning? Look at you, so damned worried you can’t make your getaway. Well, I’ll save you the trouble by giving you my back.”

And that’s exactly what she did, turning around and heading toward the room Brenton had assigned her. At least the key card was in the front pocket of her bag, making it easy to grab and slip into the door. The lock chirped, and she pushed open the door.

She’d known it would hurt.

Bad.

But she was still in shock as she turned the dead bolt and slid down the wall. She hugged her knees, and tears streamed down her cheeks. Shock numbed her mind as pain sliced through her chest.

She’d known.

But that didn’t change a damned thing.

Not one damned thing.

* * *

Something tore inside him.

Ramsey snarled as he felt like the skin was ripped off his fucking back. The pain rushed up and slammed into his brain, knocking his judgment out cold. He lunged after Jewel, the need to drag her back to him overwhelming.

Syon caught him, their bodies colliding like two linebackers.

“Get the fuck out of my way!” Ramsey snarled.

“No way. You need a time-out.” Syon pushed Ramsey back.

“Fuck you!”

“He’s right.” Taz joined the scuffle, locking Ramsey’s wrist up as the two of them shoved him back into his suite.

“Assholes,” Ramsey growled as he jumped back from his bandmates. They followed him right into his suite, clogging up the doorway. “It’s none of your fucking business.”

He cursed as he shook his hand. “And don’t mess with my hand, Taz! You want our next show to be shit?”

Taz cocked his head to one side and shrugged. “I didn’t do any permanent damage.”

Ramsey flipped him off. He grabbed a beer from the minibar and popped the cap, but the scent turned his stomach. He chucked it at the wall. It broke, the sound harsh in the daylight, the beer spreading out in a huge splat on the wall before it started to run down the surface.

A virgin.

Hell.

“I’m a complete asshole,” he muttered before walking toward the bathroom and turning on the shower. He walked into the cold water, hoping the sting would somehow lower his guilt level.

It didn’t.

* * *

“Do you have a passport?”

Brenton was waiting for her in the lobby, watching as the Toxsin crew moved the personal luggage of the band toward a now-familiar line of waiting vehicles.

She felt like her belly flipped. “Yes.”

“With you?” Brenton asked.

Jewel patted her bag. He nodded and reached inside his suit jacket to tug something from the inner breast pocket.

“Good. You’re off to the airport. Flight leaves in two hours.”

She felt like she’d been punched in the solar plexus. Shock held her silent as Brenton turned to address a couple of crew members who were hauling her gear.

“That’s going to the airport with the artist,” he told them. They nodded and went through the open doors of the hotel to where a sedan town car was waiting.

Her mouth was dry, and it felt like moving was beyond her ability.

“You could have told her why, Brenton.” Kate Braden had appeared, her face flushed as her bodyguard, Yoon, came up behind her, carrying two bags. “Men are insensitive pigs.”

“Excuse me?” Jewel asked.

Kate brushed her hair back from her face as Brenton came over and handed her an identical envelope with an airline ticket in it.

“Sorry,” Brenton said. “I thought you filled her in.”

Kate rolled her eyes before Brenton started gesturing them toward the door and waiting town car.

“Come on,” Kate said. “I’ll explain on the way.” She looked behind her. “Where’s Steven?”

Brenton pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, but the second bodyguard came skidding around the corner, his dress shoes sliding on the polished marble floors of the lobby. He shrugged into his suit jacket. Yoon sent him a long look that made it clear the veteran found him lacking.

“Samuel Moss,” Kate said as she slid into the back of the town car and made room for Jewel. “He’s Toxsin’s producer,” she continued as Yoon shut the door and Jewel fumbled with the seat belt. “Pretty much a god in this business.”

“Quinn Morcant is his competition?”

“Hell yes,” Kate replied. “And someone the boys aren’t too fond of either. So I wouldn’t bring his name up if I were you. How do you know about Quinn anyway?”

“He sent over a contract offer. His man, Bryan Thompson, sort of stalked me in Portland.”

Kate’s eyes widened. “That contract is a grenade. Trust me. Quinn is a tycoon. He just made it onto
Forbes
’s most eligible bachelors list, and I’m pretty sure he plans on staying there, if you catch my drift. He’ll use your talent to form another stair for him to climb up.” She shook her head.

“You just described anyone with enough resources to get me where I want my work to be,” Jewel countered. “You’re an artist. You know how hard it is to pass out your business cards and hope for enough clients to keep a roof over your head. Ramsey told me about a van and cold hot dogs.”

Kate nodded. “I wasn’t with them in those days, but I hear you, sister. I’d have thought about a contract offer from Quinn Morcant too. Just be careful. The man plays for keeps.”

“I noticed that in the contract language,” Jewel confessed, feeling too overwhelmed from the lack of caffeine in her bloodstream.

“Anyway, Samuel is having one of his house parties. We’re flying out to it. As usual, Sammy gave a couple of hours’ notice, so there was no way to get us all on the same plane. The private jet seats only ten. Since Dare and Rage are here, you and I get commercial air, because we’re less likely to be recognized. We’ve got Yoon and Steven though, in case things get dicey.”

Relief swept through her. Pathetic but true. Jewel relaxed against the seat, feeling spent both physically and mentally. Now that her emotional dilemma was fading, her body was making sure she knew how abused it was feeling. Her insides felt bruised, like she’d decided to do two hundred sit-ups the night before.

Well, you were straining…a lot…

Her cheeks started burning. She opened her bag and rummaged around inside it so she didn’t have to look Kate in the eye.

“Here.”

Kate was holding out something. When Jewel looked up, she discovered it to be a single-serving package of painkillers.

Jewel debated protesting that she’d only been looking for lip balm, but the knowing glitter in Kate’s eyes made it pointless.

“Thanks.” Jewel took the package and reached for a bottle of water.

“All the cars come with the basic hangover kit.” Kate lifted the armrest between them to reveal a compartment filled with all sorts of over-the-counter pharmaceuticals.

“Guess the company knows its business,” Jewel said as she swallowed the pills.

“Do you have a swimsuit?” Kate asked.

“Ah, sure.”

Kate held up a finger. “As in a knock ’em dead suit?”

Jewel shook her head.

“Well, we’ll have to remedy that. Samuel is a magnet for gold diggers, who will be there in string bikinis as they try to steal our men,” Kate explained.

“Ramsey isn’t—”

Kate fluttered her eyelashes. “Save it. I’m not blind. I saw Ramsey when you left his suite. If you say he’s not yours, it’s because he hasn’t worked hard enough to win you over.”

She was wrong. They were pulling up at the airport, giving Jewel the chance to avoid the conversation. Jewel focused on the task of making it through airport security, which was surprisingly easier when one was holding a first-class ticket. She smiled at the unexpected luxury, happily settling back into the wide, plush seat.

She only wished it was so simple to sort out her thoughts.

It wasn’t.

* * *

“Sorry, guys,” Kate said to the pair of bodyguards as they climbed into a waiting SUV. “But we’re going shopping. Now.”

The driver offered Kate a nod before slipping away from the curb and into the flow of traffic. Denver, Colorado, was picture-perfect, with a huge expanse of blue sky overhead complete with fluffy clouds. The driver took them to another posh shopping complex. The parking lot was full of sports cars and BMWs. There wasn’t a reasonably priced sedan in sight. Jewel tightened her hand on her bag, but if it was a pool party, she did need a suit.

“I’m paying, too,” Kate said as they climbed out of the car.

“Wait,” Jewel argued. “I make my own way.”

Kate shook her head. “This is a business function. It’s all going on the expense account. You’ll understand when we get there. The pool will be full of sharks and other flesh-eating vermin.”

“Lovely,” Jewel said. “I’m suddenly feeling sick.”

Kate reached out and hooked her arm. “Not a chance. I’m not going alone.”

Jewel laughed at the mock panic Kate flashed at her.

“Okay, so it’s dress to defend our turf time. Lead on, sister.”

“I knew there was something I liked about you,” Kate said with a smile. “Now let’s spend some money.”

* * *

Kate hadn’t been kidding about defending her turf. Samuel Moss lived in a mega mansion. It was a sprawling, twenty-room home that boasted a tennis court, indoor and outdoor pools, as well as a sound-recording studio. The entire estate was surrounded by thick stone walls. They entered through a huge double-wide gate that reminded Jewel of Jurassic Park.

She smiled at her mental image. Kate had said there would be creatures waiting to strip the flesh from her bones, after all.

“Pull up your bra straps,” Kate said beside her as they drove up the long driveway. It ended in front of a ten-car garage. Two men in uniforms came over on the double to open the back doors of the car before Yoon and Steven got the chance.

The sun was warm, the temperature getting close to ninety, but it was near six in the evening, so the heat was waning. The second they crossed through the front door, Jewel was grateful to Kate for making sure they’d hit the shopping center.

“I owe you,” she whispered.

“You’re my wingman,” Kate replied.

The house was built like a cabin. Huge exposed wood beams ran across the ceiling of the entrance. Music came through a sound system as they walked through the foyer and into a great room.

“Oh…crap,” Jewel said softly as she got a glimpse of the other guests. “This really is Jurassic Park.”

“Mm-hmm,” Kate agreed.

The great room had lots of comfortable-looking furniture in it, in gold, blue, and cream tones. There were more than a dozen females in sight, all of them dressed to kill. They found a reason to turn and consider the newcomers, eyes narrowed, lips pressed into hard lines, as Jewel felt herself being rated.

“Oh boy,” Kate said. “Tia’s here. Should have guessed she’d run back to the hunting grounds.”

“As in the girl who took Ramsey to Spike Collar?”

Kate nodded. Jewel looked over to discover a dark-haired woman considering her over the rim of a martini glass. She had almond-shaped eyes and had applied eyeliner to accentuate them. Her lips were glossed perfectly, with just a dark enough shade to match her complexion. She had on a vintage, pinup girl sort of swimsuit that made it possible for her to float from the deck to the great room without changing.