Ruby Tuesday (17 page)

“No, it’s not.” Rod’s hand slipped into his pocket and this time he latched on to whatever was there.

At the same time, the dressing room door flew open and a breathless Teagan rushed in.

“Sky, it’s Marty! He’d got somebody working for—”

“Teagan!” Sky yelled, but it was too late. Rod grabbed her from behind and, with horror, Sky learned what his friend had been hiding.

Rod pressed a syringe against Teagan’s throat.

“Well, well, well. Look who’s here,” Rod said. Sky could see his grip on Teagan tighten as her face contorted with pain…and fear.

“What are you doing, Rod?” he asked softly.

“I’m finishing a job. A job that will put me on easy street.”

“What job?” Sky asked, trying to figure out how the hell he could get Teagan out of his friend’s grasp.

“I’ve got some debts, Mitch. You said it yourself. The economy sucks. The housing market is in the gutter.”

“I said I would loan you money. The offer still stands. Just take that,” he motioned to the needle, “away from her neck.”

Rod grinned and for a moment, Sky was struck by the fact that his friend most definitely wasn’t in his right mind. “It’s heroin. Enough to send her into overdose.

Maybe even enough to kill her.”

“What the hell are you doing with heroin?”

“Marty doesn’t want you to leave The Universe,” Teagan said. Sky’s gaze flew to her pale face. She was scared to death and yet he saw the vein of strength she’d proven time and again she possessed. “His contract is with the band, not you. If you leave, he’s pretty much ruined.”

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“You’ve got a smart girlfriend here, Mitch.”

Teagan flinched as Rod pulled her more tightly against him.

“It was you,” Sky said. “You’ve been feeding the paparazzi my whereabouts. You know how much they drive me nuts.”

“I thought they’d distract you from writing the songs for that solo album.”

“I suppose it was you who broke into the cabin and destroyed Teagan’s guitar. It was your face she saw in the window that night.” Rod nodded, his eyes blinking rapidly. Sky worried his friend would unravel completely and hurt Teagan before they could find a way out of this predicament.

“I had to do it,” Rod said, his voice strained. “Marty and I have a vested interest in seeing the band stay together.”

Sky was confused. “I understand Marty’s interest, but not yours. What is Marty to you?”

“Who do you think I owe the money too, Mitch? Marty. I owe
him
. Only now he doesn’t want his fucking money back. He wants his payment in blood.”

“What are the debts from?” Sky asked, a terrible realization crashing down on him.

Rod shrugged.

“Where did you get the heroin?”

At his second question, Rod’s eyes drifted down to the needle and, for a moment, Sky was struck with the impression that his friend wished the syringe was piercing his own skin.

“When did you start doing drugs?” Sky asked, wondering how he could have missed such an obvious truth.

“Marty’s a very accommodating manager. Man knows how to throw an after-concert party. Shame you never saw fit to partake. He could have kept you in line a helluva lot easier,” Rod sneered.

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A bell rang, warning the band members that the concert was set to begin in five minutes. It stirred Rod to action and he pulled Teagan toward the wall behind him. “So here’s how this is gonna go down,” he started. “You’re gonna go out there and play your fucking heart out on that stage. Never at any point are you to mention leaving the band or going solo. Your girlfriend and I will be watching from the sidelines. You say anything about leaving and I pump this lethal dose of drugs into her and you can watch her die. Keep your mouth
shut
.”

“So that takes care of tonight,” Sky said. “You can’t hold a syringe to Teagan’s neck for the next ten years.”

“I can hold it there long enough for you to re-sign with The Universe. Marty has the contract with him. Have to tell you, your girlfriend saved you from a pretty embarrassing overdose, Mitch. I don’t imagine too many labels would have been anxious to sign a singer with a known addiction to heroin.” So that was the original plan. Pump him full of drugs and ruin his reputation. Make staying with The Universe seem like the only choice left.

A voice from the hallway called out, “Show time.” Sky started walking to the door, wincing when Rod pressed the tip of the needle into Teagan’s neck. “No fast moves,” his friend warned. “Just walk normally and don’t look back.”

Sky nodded, his fists balling up in anticipation of the moment his friend let go of Teagan. He’d kill the asshole for even daring to threaten her life. He opened the door and stepped into the hallway. No one was in sight so he walked in the direction of the stage. The roar of the twelve thousand fans packing the crowded arena was almost deafening.

The stage manager came into view ahead and Sky wondered if Rod had seen the other person. A scuffling noise behind him sent him spinning around.

He found Rod on the floor on his knees, Teagan twisting the man’s earlobe with one hand while trying to hold back the other hand with the syringe.

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Sky ran toward them, grasping Rod’s hand a split second before the needle punctured Teagan’s chest. He heard his friend’s wrist snap as he twisted it.

As easily as that, the fight seemed to leave Rod. He dropped back onto the floor, cradling his broken wrist and watching as Sky stepped on the syringe, breaking the vial, the lethal liquid pooling on the concrete.

“No!” Rod gasped and Sky saw how deep-seated his friend’s addiction was.

Teagan had slunk down to the floor, her back to the wall, and he realized the fear and exertion had given way to genuine shock.

“Teagan,” he said, rushing over to her as several members of the Collins family and the stage manager ran toward them. He dropped down beside her, pulling her into his arms as she began to shake. “Did he inject you?” Her face was even paler than usual and he suddenly worried Rod had managed to shoot some of the heroin into her system.

“No,” she whispered.

Tris and Will hurried toward them. “Is she hurt?” Tris asked, concern in his voice.

“I’m fine,” Teagan said. “Just had the shit scared out of me. Give me a minute.” Aaron and Sean showed up next, dragging Marty with them. Aaron had cuffed the cussing manager. “We found this guy trapped in a closet. He wants to press charges against Teagan for assault.”

“I’ll have your badge for this!” Marty yelled.

“Figured he must’ve been involved when he said she was the one who hit him,” Aaron said.

“He and Rod were in cahoots, hoping to use a heroin overdose and a ruined reputation to keep me with The Universe,” Sky said, gesturing to the crushed syringe.

Aaron bent down and carefully picked up the broken needle with a handkerchief.

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As Sky explained what had happened in the dressing room, he tilted Teagan’s head, touching the sore spot where the needle had pierced her skin. “You should see a doctor,” he murmured.

“And miss the biggest concert of the year? No way.” She smiled and Sky was happy to see she’d appeared to regain some of her usual spunk and spirit.

“There’s no way I can go on now,” he said. He was worried sick about her and there were all the loose ends to tie up in regards to Marty and Rod.

“Why not?” she asked. She took his face in her hands, capturing his gaze. “All of this will keep for a couple of hours. Listen, Sky. Listen to your fans. They want you.” He noticed for the first time since reentering the dressing room the chanting that was pounding through the arena, the sound deafening now that the beating of his heart had died down. Thousands of people were screaming his name.

“Sky. Sky. Sky.”

Teagan kissed him lightly. “Go sing, Mitch. Knock ‘em dead.” He grinned and nodded. Rising slowly, he pulled her to her feet and gestured for the stage manager to introduce the band.

Teagan walked with him to the wings and he found himself hesitant to release her hand. “Kiss for luck?” he asked, feeling as if he were about to perform his first show.

Teagan had done that for him. She’d taken his boring world and breathed new life into it. She’d taken him from black and white to Technicolor.

“You’ve never needed luck,” she whispered. “You have the luck of the Irish.” He shook his head. “My Irish luck didn’t start until the day you lost that singing contest.”

She laughed. “I let you win. Didn’t want to bruise your fragile ego.”

“Ladies and gentlemen,” a voice called out over the loudspeaker. The roar of the crowd grew louder and Sky realized any response he made to her comment would be lost in the din. “The Universe!”

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He stole one more hard, fast kiss and stepped out onto the stage.

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Ruby Tuesday

Chapter Ten

Teagan watched the show from the wings with her brothers and sisters. They were singing along and dancing and she honestly couldn’t remember when she’d had more fun with her family. The night, which had started out so terrible, had turned out to be one of the best of her life.

As the second set started to wind down, Sky stepped to the microphone and announced his decision to leave The Universe. His speech was brief, but poignant and beautiful, and she felt a tear spring to her eye when he announced that he was donating his portion of the concert proceeds to her nursing home. She knew in that moment she would love Sky Mitchell until the day she died.

He walked back to the guitar racks and, to her surprise, picked up an acoustic guitar. He looked over at her as he returned to the microphone. “I’ve recently acquired a new writing partner. A brilliant musician and talented songwriter. She helped me write the songs for my forthcoming solo album and I’d like to introduce you to her and her song,
Maybe Tomorrow
.”

Teagan’s mouth fell open as he turned and held his hand out in her direction.

“Ladies and gentlemen, Teagan Collins,” he said.

She stood spellbound for a full minute before she became aware of Riley shoving her none too gently onto the stage. The applause as she crossed the stage was polite and she wondered when Sky had suddenly gotten so far away from her. She’d thought him only a few feet away while he was performing, but now as she walked, she realized the stage stretched on for miles and miles. The bass player brought up two stools and Sky handed her a microphone.

She shook her head slightly, leaning forward a bit. “We didn’t finish this song.” 137

Mari Carr

“Yes, we did,” he said. He strummed the first few bars and she realized he was conceding the argument, performing the song her way. He was leaving his comfort zone and stretching his wings. As he sang the first verse, she knew she’d never heard a more beautiful song. Somehow she found the courage and strength to lift the microphone and she joined him on the chorus before singing her verse. The crowd disappeared as they sang and Teagan was reminded of the night of the contest. The first time she’d ever shared a stage. Sky had been her first in so many ways and she vowed he would be her last as well.

As the final note faded, the crowd went crazy, cheering and screaming—not just Sky’s name, but hers as well. He’d given her the dream she’d been afraid to dream.

She and Sky bowed. He announced there would be a short break, after which The Universe would perform their last set and, no doubt, an encore. As enthusiastic as this crowd was, they might need to do a few encores.

As they stepped off the stage, Teagan’s family was there, hugging her, offering their congratulations. Teagan thought for a moment she saw Riley wipe away a tear, but she was certain she must have imagined it. Pop was the last to step forward and he was openly crying. “I’ve never been more proud,” he said as he placed a kiss on the top of her head. “You looked and sounded just like your mother out there. I’m going to miss hearing you sing at the pub every week, Ruby, but you were always too good to stay with us. You were born for this, for more.”

She hugged her pop tightly before he released her, placing her hand in Sky’s. “Take care of her, son.”

Sky nodded solemnly. He looked at her, tilting his head to the side. “Can I talk to you for a minute? Alone?”

“Of course.”

He took her back to his dressing room and she grinned when he took a chair from the corner and propped it under the doorknob.

“What are you up to? You do realize it’s only a short break.” 138

Ruby Tuesday

“I don’t give a shit,” he said. He kissed her voraciously, hard. “Lift up that skirt and bend over the dressing table.”

“Sky,” she said, uncertain she’d ever seen him so intense, so driven.

“I need you, gypsy. Now. Seeing Rod holding that needle to your throat. Hearing you sing on that stage. Jesus, if I don’t fuck you right now, I swear to God I’ll die.” She started to laugh, but he looked like he was in agony and she realized he was being completely serious. She walked to the table, not surprised to find him right on her heels. She lifted her skirt, pulling down her panties as he fumbled with the condom. He was inside her before she’d finished bending over. The sigh that escaped his lips seemed to be pulled from the depths of his chest. “This won’t take long. I can’t—I won’t be able to—”

“Shhh,” she said. “Just fuck me, Sky.”

He moved inside her, fast and furious, pumping into her hungry pussy like a drowning man swimming for land. She looked up, thrilled to realize she could see his face in the mirror in front of her. His face reflected his pleasure at taking her, the pain of his intense desire.

“Harder,” she urged as his eyes met hers in the mirror. He reached around her, pinching her nipples through her shirt, his hips thrusting faster.

“God, you’re gorgeous,” he said and she looked at her own reflection, shocked by the woman looking back at her. She almost didn’t recognize the flushed face, heavy-lidded eyes, kiss-swollen lips. She moaned as he moved deeper and the sound seemed to break something inside him.