Chapter 28. Ace
Ace
I knew something was up the next Friday when Haley bolted down her dinner and disappeared the moment we finished drying the dishes.
No lingering in the kitchen to gossip. No reflections on what she’d learned in class that day.
No suggestions for alternate uses for the scarves that she now kept under her bed for late-night activities.
My worst fears were realized when she hunted me down an hour later while I was fixing one of the window sensors.
She was dressed in a tight, backless dress and a pair of heels that gave her an extra three inches of height.
Her hair fell in loose waves over her shoulders, and she’d glammed herself up with makeup.
She was hot as hell, and the idea of other men looking at her, thinking the kind of thoughts I was thinking, put me in an instant bad mood.
“Are you trying on new outfits or are you planning to go somewhere that you didn’t clear first with me?”
“Chad organizes a monthly karaoke night for the volunteers at the radio station and tonight—”
“No.”
She moved closer, placed her hand on my chest and licked her lips. Her eyes sparkled, despite my refusal. Only then did I notice she was trembling. “Everyone is going to be there—”
“Still no.”
“Including Mark Hansell, Vice President of A&R at EMI Records!” Her voice vibrated with excitement. “He was in town a few weeks ago and heard me singing on Michigan Avenue. He found me online and listened to my music. Now he’s back in Chicago, and he wants to hear me live!”
I couldn’t fully share in her excitement because I was still trying to process her outfit and what it might mean. “That’s fantastic. I can call Jordan and arrange for backup the next time you have a gig at Bin 46—”
Haley shook her head, cutting me off. “Tonight.”
And suddenly the outfit made sense, and so did her decision not to tell me until the last minute. “He wants to hear you tonight?”
“He’s on a flight first thing tomorrow morning and he wanted my performance schedule so he could arrange to see me on his next trip.
I hadn’t planned to go to karaoke night because I knew you wouldn’t approve, but I couldn’t turn down this opportunity.
I told Mark that I’d be singing tonight, and he said he’d drop by if he has time.
” She threw her arms around me in a hug. “Can you believe it?”
“What I can’t believe is that you wouldn’t discuss it with me first.” I pulled out of her arms. “It’s too risky. You’ll be too exposed on stage.”
“No one knows I’ll be there,” she said. “I haven’t even told Chad I’m coming. The Uber will be here in twenty minutes. That should be enough time for you to check the street and make sure we aren’t going to be followed and ask Jordan for backup if you think we need it.”
I picked up my screwdriver and turned back to my work, prying the sensor from the ledge. “Were you not just the target of an attack at the station last week?”
“Dante said he had set up interviews,” she reminded me. “He just couldn’t say if the guy who showed up was one of the people he was planning to meet.”
“Until he’s met the candidates and checked their images against the video from that day, we have to assume the guy was after you,” I said. “In my professional opinion, it would be better to wait until he can confirm the guy was legit before putting yourself at risk.”
“Seriously?” Her sweet smile faded. “This could be the break I’ve always dreamed about.
He heard me on the street. He’s listened to everything I’ve posted online…
The contract is practically signed. There’s no way he’s going to change his mind after tonight.
I kick ass at karaoke and I’m singing one of my favorite songs: Taylor Swift’s ‘Shake It Off.’ It shows off my entire vocal range. ”
“What about Stefan?” I scrambled to find reasons to change her mind.
“He said you were holding back emotionally with your covers. He said your true talent would come out with your original music. He’s the real deal.
What do you even know about this guy Mark?
Why didn’t he see the same problem? Did you even look him up? ”
“Ace.” She slipped between me and the window and slid her arms around my neck, pressing her soft body against me.
“He’s from EMI. They are one of the top five record labels in the world.
This is a huge opportunity, bigger than Stefan, bigger anything I ever imagined.
My dad…” Her voice caught, broke. “He would have been so proud. He would have shouted ‘That’s my baby girl.’ He would have been dancing around the kitchen…
I’ll bet he would even have jumped in his car and tried to get here to watch me tonight.
He always wanted this for me. We dreamed about it together. ”
Fuck. Even if I could have stopped her, there was no way I could say no.
Not now, with the image of her dad in my head, and knowing how much it meant to her to find success in something that was so deeply connected with him.
Music was her way of keeping his memory alive, a symbol of the love and connection they shared.
This wasn’t just about a career for her, it was a way she could honor his memory.
“Would it change your mind if I asked you not to do this?”
“You’ve been grumpy all week,” she said. “It will be good for you to get out, too. It must be boring to be stuck in a college town when you’re used to going to the best clubs and restaurants in LA with all your celebrity clients.”
I would have traded every minute I’d spent in every Michelin-starred restaurant for one night with Haley. “I don’t get bored, and especially not with you, but I’m concerned about my ability to keep you safe in a venue that Jordan’s team hasn’t had a chance to check out.”
“I promise to do everything you say.” She nuzzled my neck.
“I’m wearing my special locator necklace.
I’ll sit where you tell me to sit, and after I’m done, I’ll leave when you tell me to leave.
I won’t even have a drink if you think that’s a bad idea.
” She pulled me closer, rocking her hips against mine.
“You can even punish me when we get home. I can’t get free when you use that new knot I showed you. ”
I could feel my resolve weakening. “I’m supposed to make you feel safe by ensuring there are no outside threats, discouraging you from going into dangerous situations, and protecting you if someone tries to hurt you. Not tying you to the bed.”
“I love being tied to the bed,” she whispered, even though there was no one else around. “Maybe this time you could also tie my hands…”
Fuck. “How about we go straight to punishment time instead of karaoke?”
“One song,” she said, brushing her lips over mine. “I just want to sing one song for Mark and I’ll leave right away. Then you can do anything you want with me.”
“Haley…” I groaned when she feathered kisses along my jaw.
She was impossible to resist at the best of times, but this sweet seduction was too much.
Her soft kisses and the floral scent of her perfume clouded my senses, and the press of her body against mine was like a fist around my cock. “I can’t agree to this.”
“In the end, it is my decision,” she said. “I could just go and stay all night and you wouldn’t be able to stop me. I’m trying to be sensible and respect your concerns while also making sure I don’t miss out on what could be the biggest opportunity of my life.”
She was right that I couldn’t stop her. My job was to protect my clients wherever they decided to go.
I could advise about the risks and recommend against attending an event or venue, but I had no enforcement power.
If I had my way, my clients would stay safely at home and out of danger, but the celebrities I’d worked for needed to be out and about, posing for the paparazzi and meeting their fans.
Jessica had gone against my recommendations many times and I’d managed to keep her safe.
Haley wasn’t a celebrity—not yet—but I couldn’t keep her wrapped in bubble wrap, especially after she’d tried to take my concerns into consideration instead of escaping out a window. And then there were the benefits.
“One song?”
“One song.”
“And afterwards,” I said. “Anything?”
“Anything.”
Isla, Nick, and Derek were waiting for us at the B Street bar in Chicago’s South Side.
They’d pushed together a few tables, and a short while later Chad and Paige joined the party.
Paige and Haley still weren’t talking, and I could see how much it hurt Haley when Paige wouldn’t even look in her direction.
“Do you want a drink?” Haley asked after she’d ordered a tray of shooters to share with her friends.
“No.” I could barely look at her, my full attention on the dubious characters lurking in the shadows. It hadn’t even been half an hour and I was already counting down the minutes until I could get her safely home.
“How about a snack?”
“How about we get out of here?” I countered.
“Jordan said this bar has a reputation for attracting crime. The residents have been collecting signatures to demand the city close it down. He’s sending backup but he’s short-staffed right now, so try not to get into trouble until he can get someone out here. ”
“But that’s what makes it so interesting,” she said. “It’s got a different vibe, a little edgy and dangerous, and the DJ is awesome.”
“Several illegal acts have occurred here or nearby,” I informed her, “including public indecency, vandalism, and two shootings. How did your friends manage to pick the most dangerous karaoke bar in the city?”
“Just lucky, I guess.”
I lifted an eyebrow in disbelief, and she sighed. “Chad forgot to call ahead to our usual karaoke bar and there were no tables left. He did a quick internet search and found this place. It had good reviews…”