by Zoe Blake
Jane handed me a clipboard. “Sign up under the females.”
After I scribbled my name, she handed me two sheets of paper stapled together.
“What’s this?”
“Scene from the play.”
My shoulders sagged with relief. Despite cramming the infamous Chicken Soup monologue with Jane last night, I really wasn’t feeling confident about it. Having to just read a scene from the play was way easier.
“How do I look?” asked Jane. “I’m up next.”
Placing the paper in my mouth, I reached up and straightened the long brunette wig she had on. We had decided she had more of a chance of getting the lead if they didn’t see her short hair. She was wearing one of the designs I had made in high school. It was a long fluted skirt in a beautiful hunter green. She had wanted to wear my Vampire’s Wife dress but I just couldn’t let her. Too many kinky memories; besides, that felt like one betrayal too many of Richard.
Taking the paper out of my mouth, I nodded. “You’re good to go. Break a leg!”
Jane gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and then ran down the audience aisle to creep up the side stairs that led to backstage.
I sat down in one of the seats to watch.
She really did a magnificent job. Strutting from one end of the stage to the next. Swaying her hips as she delivered each line with a sassy wink or twitch to her mouth. One of the things I found fascinating about acting is how you could interpret a character differently. Jane was playing the lead with much more confidence than I would have.
To me the female lead seemed more fragile, almost broken. She was trapped in a toxic relationship with a man she loved but suspected of trying to murder her. It reminded me of that song lyric, every day a little death.
She knew loving him was killing her but she couldn’t stop. It would be like trying to stop breathing. He was her everything and if he demanded everything from her, even her life, then so be it. An all-consuming love, deadly in its intensity.
Reaching up, I was surprised to feel a tear on my cheek. Swiping it away, I stood and headed up the side stairs. I was on next.
I met Jane backstage.
“So good!” I mouthed.
She gave me two thumbs up then mimed breaking a leg before heading to the audience seats to watch.
“Okay, next we have a Lizzie Larkin. Lizzie Larkin, are you backstage?”
Peeking around the curtain, I waved in the general direction of the voice. With the stage lights, I couldn’t see beyond the first few rows. “Yes, sir!”
“Very good. I’m Jack Hutley, the director. You will be reading with Mr. Goodman over there.”
A good-looking guy stepped forward and gave me a quick wave. “Hey, I’m Mike.”
“Hi, Mike.”
“Don’t worry. You’re going to do great.”
I blushed and shyly thanked him.
“Players, are we ready?” asked the director.
Mike gave me a questioning look. I nodded. “All set, Jack,” he called out.
“Let’s take it from the top of page one,” instructed Jack.
Mike took a few steps upstage. After a couple of deep breaths, he approached me with arms outstretched. “I took the swiftest horse I could find to be by your side, Lady Elizabeth. I am at your service.” With that, he knelt at my feet, kissing my hands.
“I fear I am going mad,” I exclaimed as I freed my hands and turned my back on him.
Trying to stay in the moment, I refused to acknowledge the truth of that statement despite the way my stomach clenched as I said the words. It didn’t help that the character’s name was Elizabeth. It was like I was finally uttering my darkest fear out loud, not the character.
“My dear, dear Lady Elizabeth, do not speak of such things. It is that fiend you have married. He is to blame for your melancholy.”
Turning to him in shock, I whispered despondently, “Lord Radfoot, you mustn’t say such things about my husband.”
Seizing me by the shoulders, Mike said emphatically, “I must. I will no longer keep silent. I love you, Elizabeth.”
Stay in character! Don’t think about how Richard would feel if he knew another man was touching you. It’s just acting. He’s just an actor. We’re just acting.
Never mind Richard possibly beat the crap out of your teacher for placing a hand on your hip let alone seeing a man grabbing you by the shoulders and pulling you close as he declares his love. It’s just a play. Richard would understand. It’s not real. It’s just a play.
Who was I trying to convince?
“No, Lord Radfoot. I must not!” Breaking away, I ran off stage left.
“Great. Lizzie, come back on stage,” called out the director.
Stepping around the curtain, I took Mike’s offered hand. Thinking he meant to just shake mine, I was a little surprised when he continued to hold my hand as the director talked. Not wanting to make a scene, I just kept my hand in his. All the while getting more and more alarmed thinking about what Richard would do if he knew I was here, if he saw what Mike was doing.
Calling out to the other actors in the audience seats, Jack declared, “If you can, stay around for a little while longer. We may want to see a couple pairings with some new readings. If you can’t stay, give your name to Sally. She’s the one standing over there with the keys.”
A thin woman with a cigarette dangling from her lips raised up a large ring of keys and rattled them.
“Thank you, Sally,” the director deadpanned before he turned and headed up the aisle to one of the upper level boxes.
I took that opportunity to pull my hand free and run off the stage to join Jane in the audience seats.
“You were great!”
“Thanks. You did amazing too,” I responded.
“Guess what I heard?” asked Jane as she leaned in conspiratorially close.
Before I could respond, she continued, her voice an excited whisper. “There is a big-time producer in the audience!”
Leaning up, I looked over the seats. “Where?”
Jane motioned with her head. “Up there in the box. The director just went up to talk to him.”
Straining, I tried to see inside the box but it was all shadows. “Who is it?”
Jane shrugged. “Rumor is he just walked into the theater in the middle of auditions and announced if he liked what he saw he would finance the whole play!”
“Seriously? That’s so cool. I wonder how often that happens?”
Jane snorted. “Try never. I hope he was here in time to see my audition.”
We both leaned over in our seats and tried to catch a glimpse of the mysterious rich benefactor but could only see the director’s shoulders.
At least thoughts of the mysterious producer were distracting me from thoughts of Richard.
Richard
“So, we are agreed. I’ll fully fund the production if you delay it by two months,” I stated as I watched Elizabeth with her friend down below.
The director nodded as he hugged his clipboard close to his chest. “Of course. Of course. Can I ask why the delay?”
“No. I have my reasons.”
“Of course! Of course! Really, Your Grace. This is truly amazing. I had no idea you were a patron of the theater arts.”
“Let’s just say I took a sudden particular interest in this production.”
Rising, I collected my coat and started to exit the theater box. As I shrugged into the sleeves, I added, “Oh… and the lead? You’ll cast Miss Larkin.”
Jack looked down at his clipboard. “The woman who went last?”
“That’s the one.”
“With all due respect sir, don’t get me wrong, she did great but she strikes me as a little green. I’m not sure she’s ready for a lead part. I was thinking maybe the parlor maid?”
Piercing him with a glare that usually made titans of the industry quake, I stated flatly, “It wasn’t a request.”
Jack bowed as if I were a king. “Yes, sir. Of course,
sir! Whatever you want, you get!”
Exactly.
Chapter 22
Lizzie
Holy shit. I’m fucked.
I was so stunned at learning I had gotten the lead that not even seeing John standing outside the theater penetrated my shocked mind. It should have been an amazing moment. I had gotten the freaking lead in a major play.
Yet, the only thing spinning around and around in my head was… what was I going to tell Richard?
My first impulse was to hide it from him.
Rehearsals weren’t going to start for at least two months—a lot could happen in two months. Who knows? Maybe I could take that time to slowly work Richard around to being okay with me being in a play. It could happen. Doubtful, but it could.
Somehow, I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep this from him that long.
This was all silly, of course. It’s not like I broke the law or anything. I auditioned and got into a play. It’s not like I cheated on him. I was a grown woman; if I wanted to be in a play, I could be in a play.
Sighing, I realized none of these thoughts were easing my anxiety because I knew deep down, I had willfully deceived Richard. I should have just been honest and broached the subject with him. He probably would have been fine with it, but now? Knowing I had auditioned behind his back? Doubtful.
Something Jane said brought my attention back to her. There was no denying I felt guilty for taking the lead from Jane. As it turned out she got the part of the parlor maid but she was taking it very well.
“Actually, I’m glad I didn’t get the lead. I have a big class load this semester and I don’t want something on the side sucking up all my time,” she reasoned.
She was lying, of course. She wanted the lead, but I played along.
As she talked, I glanced over my shoulder, John followed silently behind looking very annoyed at me. I didn’t question how he found me. I had forgotten to leave my mobile behind at the flat. No doubt Richard had some kind of tracking on it. It was strange how accepting I was of that fact. As if it were normal for the man you were dating to be tracking your phone and hiring a bodyguard to follow you around.
I wasn’t worried about Richard finding out what building I was in. The Barbican was a large art center with more than one theater and lots of auditoriums and classrooms. I could easily explain I was there for a costume design lecture.
As for sneaking out and trying to evade John? That would take more thought to come up with a believable lie.
As we walked down the hallway, I could see a large flat white box on our doorstop. Jane ran ahead and picked it up. “Looks like someone got another dress.”
I could not match her enthusiasm. Taking it from her hands as if it were a box of snakes, we walked inside. Setting the box on the counter for Jane to tear into, I opened the card.
Eight p.m.
Flipping the card over to look at the back, I realized that was all that was written, just eight p.m. Not even his usual ‘R.’
Fuck. He knows.
Stop it. He couldn’t possibly know. John was waiting outside the building. I even worked up the courage to ask him if he had gone inside and got a curt no in response.
Jane’s gasp caught my attention.
My mouth opened when I saw the dress she pulled free. It was so delicate, it looked as if it would float out of Jane’s hands if she let go. Pure white, it was a feather-effect lace cocktail dress. The entire dress was made of white feathers that shifted and shimmered as you walked.
“There’s a second box,” said Jane as she handed me the designer card from the first.
I wasn’t familiar with the designer, Ermanno Scervino, but knowing Richard, I’m sure this dress cost a small fortune.
Jane threw aside the second lid and we both gasped; inside was a bright crimson silk taffeta cape. We had both seen a similar one in the photos from the Moschino fashion show this spring. What was I thinking? This was probably the actual cape from the runway.
Jane drew it out of the box and placed it on my shoulders. It had long puffy sleeves and swept the floor. Reaching back, I pulled up the hood.
“You look like a sexy Red Riding Hood,” said Jane with a laugh.
With the Big Bad Wolf coming for me at eight.
“You look good enough to eat.”
Said the wolf.
“Thank you,” I replied demurely as Richard placed the beautiful cape on my shoulders.
“I almost want to forget about this party tonight and take you straight home,” he whispered huskily, before giving the sensitive underside of my ear a kiss.
“That would be a shame after I got all dressed up in your gift,” I responded coyly.
I was such a fucking coward. Under normal circumstances an evening alone with Richard would be precisely what I would want, knowing it would be spent naked in his massive bed, but not tonight. Tonight, I wanted to be surrounded by people and noise. Safety in numbers.
“You do look beautiful, but there is something missing.”
Pulling open the cape, I examined the feathered dress and Swarovski-studded heels I found in the box with it. Seeing nothing amiss, I looked up again to see him holding a jewelry box.
Cocking my head to one side, I put my hands on my hips. “Richard, we talked about this.”
Nodding sagely, he said, “Yes, we definitely did.”
“We agreed no more jewelry. You’ve already given me way more pieces than I could possibly wear.”
“You agreed. I simply didn’t openly disagree with you.”
I wasn’t going to back down. For all the intensity and ups and downs of our relationship, there was one thing I never wanted him to doubt, and that was that I was with him for him… not his money or the jewels. Something told me that even without his billions Richard would still be just as enigmatic, intense, and charming.
In fact, I might love him even more. Without all this money, he would seem less, I don’t know… ruthless… unstoppable? Scary?
Richard opened the box. They were a pair of stunning diamond drop earrings with a massive pearl dangling from a delicate gold thread. Each pearl was almost the size of my thumb.
“Richard!”
Leaning over, he placed one earring in. I could feel the weight of the pearl pull on my lobe. When he tried to put in the second one, he missed the mark slightly. I felt a sharp stab of pain. Raising my fingers to my ear, I saw a drop of blood on my fingertips.
“My dress!” I exclaimed, worried about the white feathers.
Richard’s head swooped down, his mouth closing over my injured earlobe. My head lolled to the side, and I couldn’t stifle a groan as he sucked. Lifting his head, he ran his tongue over the center of his bottom lip as if he enjoyed the taste of my blood. The taste of my pain.
“All better,” he said as he ran his knuckles over my cheek.
His deep blue eyes were warm with affection. He hadn’t said he loved me yet, it was way too soon, but he definitely treated me like he did.
Taking my arm, he escorted me out of the building. As we waited for his driver to open the doors of his Rolls Royce Phantom, Richard looked down at me. “I missed having you curled up on your cushion in my office today.”
“I missed you too,” I said as I rested my head against his upper arm.
“I’m looking forward to hearing all about your day away from me.”
Attentive words any woman would rejoice in hearing from the man she loved… yet they turned me cold with fear.
Fuck. He knows.
Chapter 23
Lizzie
There was something extraordinary about walking into an event on the arm of a powerful man. It was intoxicating.
Heads turned the moment we walked into the large private house in Mayfair. There were the respectful looks with just a touch of fear from the men and the piercing jealous glares at me from the women.
When Richard entered a room, it was as if he drew all the energy toward him like a magnetic force. It wasn’t as if he
was the life of the party where everyone was happy to see him, actually quite the opposite. It was the way he radiated calm authority. Servers rushed to offer us drinks and canapés as men gathered their courage to approach Richard with one business proposal or another.
I’m certain the women would have slithered up to him as well if it weren’t for the possessive way he kept me at his side. There wasn’t a moment his hand wasn’t protectively on my lower back.
No matter who he was talking to, and I’m certain there were some very important politicians, aristocrats, and celebrities, he never forgot that I was by his side, offering me bites to eat, giving me the occasional wink when we were forced to show polite smiles as one person or another droned on about one project or another.
If I wasn’t already hopelessly in love with the man, I certainly would have been after tonight. The way he owned the room and commanded everyone’s attention was hot as hell. All that power on display was, well… arousing.
He was the king of the jungle and I was his mate. It was hard keeping my hands off him, especially with all these other females circling. Like him, I made a point of keeping close to his side, occasionally brushing his upper arm with my breasts. He was looking particularly handsome tonight in a tuxedo with tails, his extreme wealth subtly on display through black diamond studs in his evening shirt.
If I wasn’t so nervous about being alone with him, I would beg him to take me home and fuck me right this minute.
He hadn’t mentioned anything more about my day in the car ride over here. Although I wasn’t foolish enough to think he had forgotten. Seizing a champagne flute off a passing tray, I took a long sip, ignoring the way the bubbles tickled the back of my throat and nose. We had barely been here a half hour and it was already my second glass. I’d drunk the first one practically in one inelegant gulp.
Richard raised an eyebrow, then pointedly looked at the drink in my hand.
