“The same ones I think you have for me, or at least, I hope you do,” she answered, softly.
He watched her face. “Hope. That’s kind of a four letter word for you.”
She gave him a soft smile. “It used to be, but I’m learning a whole new vocabulary with a new set of four letter words.”
“Such as?”
She shook her head. “Let’s just work on happily for now. Ever After is a long time. Trust me. If nothing else, immortals know time.”
Dash laughed. “The lady’s got a new vocabulary, but still likes to be the boss.”
Shadows crossed her face, and the uncertain look spoke volumes. He squeezed her hand. “Okay, Abby. Let’s go for it. Happily-for-Now with an option for Ever After.”
She grinned and both his heart and his cock jumped. The same protective vibe he felt before crashed over him in waves. She was his, for now at least.
Dash trailed his knuckles across the soft skin above her knee. “So, anything else you want to say?”
He swept his thumb higher up her leg, the rough pad trailing her inner thigh.
Sucking a breath through her teeth, she leaned closer, spreading her knees so his fingers had full access. “How about thank you, sir. May I have another?”
With a chuckle, Dash took her mouth. His fingers found her pussy and he stroked her soft folds through the panty lace. “Only if you promise to bend over.”
Volume Three
Tease Me
The Red Veil Diaries
Book Three
Marianne Morea
Coventry Press Ltd.
Coventry Press Ltd.
Somers, New York
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locations, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2017 Marianne Morea
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions of thereof in any form whatsoever without written permission.
Cover Art: Cover Couture
Printed in the USA
Created with Vellum
“What do I wear in bed?
Why, Chanel No. 5, of course.”
~Marilyn Monroe
1
“Nika! Telephone!”
From her perch on a cypress branch, the sleek black panther ignored her mother’s summons, one tufted ear barely flicking in reply. Instead, the cat kept her wide green eyes on the small boat bobbing in the marshy water near the far shore.
Her gaze fixed on the sweaty man struggling with a telephoto lens, his eyes darting between watching the house and watching the gators cruising beneath the murky surface near his bow.
The big cat chuffed. Maybe the alligators would get lucky today.
“Nika!” her mother called again.
The elegant animal stretched behind the cover of thick Spanish moss, her long, sinuous body shifting to the size of a house cat before jumping soundlessly to the high grass.
Green eyes spared another glance for the river, and the photographer swatting at the mosquitos feasting on the man’s exposed skin.
Swamp, one. Paparazzi, zip.
The cat padded on silent paws toward stilted bayou house, climbing the steps to the wrap around porch. The screen door opened and shut, and Nika stole across the kitchen, tail swishing as she circled her mother’s legs.
“Annika Lee,” she chuckled, “that’s enough sass out of you, cher. Ariel’s on the phone from Los Angeles.”
At her agent’s name, Annika stopped mid-purr. Her body tensed, fur rippling along her long, horizontal spine as she phased to human.
Her mother smiled, a soft hand reaching for her daughter’s cheek. “The cordless phone is on the dining room table.” She handed Nika a knee-length sweater from the back of a kitchen chair, gesturing toward the other room. “I put her on hold.”
Annika slipped the soft cable knit over her head, the supple cotton falling over naked curves to mid-thigh. “Did Ari say what she wanted?”
Mom shrugged, moving back to the stove. “Ask her yourself.”
Walking through to the dining room, Nika’s lip caught between her teeth. It was Jesse. Her gut clenched knowing it couldn’t be anything else.
A year and a half had passed since that boy sent her life up in flames. And not in a good way.
She shivered realizing the paparazzo bobbing around in the marsh meant one thing. It was showtime.
With a breath, she clicked the hold button. “Ariel, it’s good of you to call.”
“I’m not sure you’ll feel the same once I tell you why.”
Nika braced for the worst. “That bad?”
“A jury has been selected and Jesse’s trial is set to start in less than a week. The motion to have the venue moved to Louisiana was denied.”
Nika didn’t reply.
“Annika? Did you hear what I said?”
She exhaled. “Yeah. I…I can’t believe it’s really happening.”
“It’s been a year and a half, sweetheart. You had to know it was bound to be sometime soon.”
“I know,” Nika sighed. “Some days it seems like forever ago, and others like it was yesterday.”
Ariel exhaled a breath on the other side of the phone. “Media stories never go away. They get archived until they crop up again and start trending on twitter.”
Nika rolled her eyes. “Don’t get cute. Still, it’s not as bad as I thought.”
“What’s not, honey?”
Moving toward the dining room window, Nika peered through the gauzy sheers at the backyard and the water beyond. “Being a has-been at twenty-six.”
“Nonsense,” Ariel shot back, annoyance clipping her tone. “We’ve gone over this, Annika. You need to get back to the land of the living. The band is gone. Jesse is finished. YOU are not.”
“Ari, please.”
“No, lovey. You were the driving force behind Dracone Noir, and the only band member with brains and talent. Not Ki, not Jean, and certainly not Jesse.”
“Ari, c’mon.”
“Look, at one time or another we all fall for the bad boy. Believe it or not, me included. Especially when all that defiant charm is wrapped in a dreamy James Dean package.”
“James Dean?” Nika chuckled. “Dating yourself much, Ari?”
“Hey, I may be old, but I’m not blind. Jesse may be hot-headed, violent and irrational, but he is definitely easy on the eyes, so who can blame you for waiting to see if his brains would catch up to his biceps?”
“Me,” Nika replied. “I blame myself for being so stupid.”
“You need to stop that, bubalah. You’re not the first girl to have her common sense ambushed by her private parts. Been there, done that. Hell, men think with their dicks most of the time, so what’s good for the goose is good for the gander, right? What’s important is you got out before you ended up on a stainless steel slab next to Ki.”
Annika’s throat tightened. Ariel wasn’t the warm and fuzzy type, but she also wasn’t devoid of emotion. Her offhand comment was nothing more than ice cold fact. She may not have meant to stun, but her words did so just the same. Ki Palmer wasn’t just Dracone Noir’s drummer. He was Nika’s best friend.
“I’m sorry sweetie, but the truth is what it is. It could have been you on the receiving end of Jessie’s blade that night.”
“I got lucky,” Annika replied.
“No, you were smart to stay out of it. It’s time you opened your eyes to what really happened, love. Yes, Dracone Noir was the hottest sensation to hit the Goth rock scene in a while. You had millions of YouTube followers, and yes, that made my job a hell of a lot easier when it came to landing you a recording contract with all the perks, but it wasn’t a cake walk, Nika. You worked hard to get where you were, yet Jesse carried on as if the band’s success was as all him. And his antics? He acted as
if you were still a bayou garage band with no responsibilities.”
Nika exhaled. “I know.”
“Still, anyone who knows anything in this business realizes you’re not to blame for what happened. We had such high hopes, especially for you,” Ari added.
“And?”
Ariel chuckled. “And nothing. Those hopes are what I’m banking on now.”
Nika’s eyes widened. “You don’t mean—”
“I always knew you were a smart cookie, bubbie. I pulled the proverbial rabbit out of the hat once already. Given half a chance, I can do it again.”
Annika snorted. “Thanks, but no thanks, Ari. This time I think I’ll pass on the fame and fortune.” Her gazed at the softly swaying cypress, trying to ignore the photographer still manning his post.
Exhaling hard, she ran a hand across her forehead. The man was a blunt reminder of the dark side of fame and how ill prepared she and her friends had been when it struck.
Easy money and drugs quickly turned into missed recording sessions, jealous fights and eventually an unfinished album, but nothing compared to what happened on the beach that fateful night. When the sun came up, Ki was dead, and Jesse jailed for his murder.
Overnight, the paparazzi swarmed thick as flies as record company attorneys dragged remaining band members into an ugly breach of contract suit.
Endless police questioning sent Annika’s life into a spiral, so she retreated. With no peace and nowhere else to turn, she went home, bringing the media storm with her. Now it was back for round two.
“You’re being emotional, Annika,” Ariel replied, clearly not taking no for an answer.
A rough grumble left Nika’s mouth. “After everything that happened, how else do you suppose I be?”
“Professional.”
The agent’s reply was curt and Annika winced at the single admonishment “Ari—”
“No, honey. You’re setting you jaw because Jesse’s trial is about to start. His situation has nothing to do with you. Not anymore. Did you know he was so drugged at the end, he claimed he could turn into some kind of tiger? With the way Ki’s throat was slashed, Jesse’s claims gave the defense a real shot at an insanity plea.”
Annika cringed. For a bayou shifter, being outed to the world was a tangible fear, but being outed by one of their own was inexcusable. What made it worse, their elders predicted Jesse would betray them.
“Will I be called at a witness?” Nika deflected, changing the subject.
“Most likely, but my guess is not initially, so you have time to prepare.”
“Prepare? Ariel, there’s no way to prepare for the grilling the prosecution has in store. The press is still painting this as a love triangle with me as the prize.”
“Don’t worry about that.” She answered with a sniff. “I’ve dug up so much on Jesse, there’s no way that claim will stick.”
The room was suddenly claustrophobic, and Nika sank to the floor by the window. “I’ve gotta get out of here, Ari. I can’t go through another social media execution. Can’t you arrange for me to go somewhere?”
“You know that’s impossible, love.”
“Why? I’m not a suspect. Even the media stopped implying that.”
Ariel exhaled a soft chuckle. “It’s amazing what a court-sanctioned gag order and the threat of a libel suit can accomplish.”
“I’m serious, Ari.” Nika’s voice cracked. “I won’t be a sitting duck this time. You’ve got to know somebody with a house I can borrow. Maybe somewhere secluded and tropical?”
“Sorry, honey. No can do,” Ariel replied. “The judge ordered everyone involved not to leave the lower forty-eight.”
An exasperated exhale slipped from Annika’s mouth. “Then book me a flight to Los Angeles.”
“Nika, do you really want to go straight into the teeth of this? Think about it. If just the idea of media coverage is giving you hives, how will you manage the horde of photographers waiting to greet you at LAX?”
Nika threw a hand in the air. “What do you suggest I do, then?”
Arguing outside drew Annika’s attention and she got to her feet pushed the dining room sheers aside to look.
“Crap, there’s another one,” she mumbled.
“Another what?”
“Paparazzo,” Nika replied.
“Already?”
“Yes. Now do you get why I want out of here? I spotted the first parasite watching the house this morning, and another one just showed up. Sounds like they’re fighting over turf.”
Nika let the sheers fall back into place. “I can’t stay here, Ari. It’s only a matter of time before the bayou is crawling with vermin, and not the kind native to the swamp. I won’t do this to my family. Not again.”
Her agent didn’t answer.
“Ariel? Are you listening to me?”
“I’m here. I’m just thinking. The only way the media won’t nuisance you or your mother is if they think you’ve left the area.”
“That’s what I said.”
Ariel ignored her. “What if we plan it so the paparazzi see you leave for the west coast? I’ll have my office put out a press release saying you’re taking a house in an undisclosed location until the trial starts. The paparazzi will beat a path to Los Angeles faster than you can blink. They’ll scour the city looking for any sign of you.”
“Okay, then what?”
“I’ll make arrangements for you to leave L.A., but under the radar,” Ariel replied.
“And go where?” Nika’s voice raised half an octave. “I can’t come home. It’s the first place they’ll look.”
“You’ll go to New York.”
“New York?” Nika balked. “Those insects will find me there as quickly as they can in L.A.”
“Not necessarily, lovey,” Ari countered. “New Yorkers are notoriously disinterested in celebrities. Why do you think so many A-listers live in Manhattan? New Yorkers don’t give a crap. They’re more interested in getting were they have to go than rubbernecking the latest celeb-du-jour. It’s the perfect place to hide in plain sight.”
“And?” Nika prompted.
“And what?”
Annika leaned on the wall beside her mother’s china cabinet, her fingers twisting one sweater cuff. “Ariel, you never do anything without an ulterior motive, especially when you pick up the phone yourself.”
“Not nice, bubalah.”
She snorted. “Yeah, yeah. Cut the crap. Why the sudden push for Northeast?”
Ariel paused. “I booked you a gig.”
“What!” Nika’s voice rose. “I already told you no.”
“It’s time, Nika.”
Annika shook her head, mild panic mounting in her chest. “No, Ari. I’m not ready.”
“Yes, Nika. You are. Besides, you’ve been living like a nun for way too long. I know you love your family, but baby you need to spread more than just your wings.” Ariel clicked the inside of her cheek. “This venue is very intimate, and it’s just the ticket to get you back in the saddle—in more ways than one.”
“Let’s leave my non-existent love life out of the equation, thank you. Finding a hook up is the last thing I need right now.” Nika paused, chewing on her lip. “How intimate is intimate?
Ari laughed. “The venue or its possibilities?”
“Ugh, Ariel…will you stop trying to set me up? I’m not looking to date anyone anywhere. Period. I meant the venue.”
“Who said anything about dating? You need a nasty roll between the sheets to take your mind off what’s happening in Los Angeles.”
“Ariel, seriously.”
“Okay, okay. The club is a trendy underground hotspot, but still very private.”
“Trendy and hotspot are the total opposite of private.” Nika shook her head. “No, Ari. I meant what I said. It’s too soon.”
“No, it’s not love, and the timing couldn’t be more perfect.”
“Why? Because Jesse’s trial is set to start?”
Ariel p
aused. “Yes.”
“That’s cold. Even for you.” Nika blew out breath.
“No, it’s business, Bubbie. When it comes to the entertainment industry there’s no such thing as bad PR. The trial will put you front and center on every media outlet. YOU. I’ve always said you were better off as a solo. I told you a thousand times before Dracone Noir went up in smoke, but you refused to leave that tweaked out hothead.”
“Ari—”
“No, Nika. I’m your agent and your attorney, not to mention your friend. I know you felt responsible for everyone in the band, especially Jesse. When you finally saw him for what he was, you still wanted to make things work for the sake of the band. It’s done, love, and now it’s time you did something for yourself. Listen to me for once, okay?”
“And it’s about time you listened to your mama as well, cher,” A third voice added.
“Mother!” Annika yanked open the dining room door and stared at her mother. “Get off the phone!”
“No, bebe. Ariel’s right. It’s your time to shine.”
Ariel chuckled, despite Nika’s hard exhale. “Thank you, Jolene. Between the two of us, maybe we can get your girl to see reason. Jesse LaFont had his shot. He made his bed and frankly I’m grateful it’s not one Annika has to lie in as well.”
“In more ways than one.” Jolene snorted. “So, amen to that.”
“Mama!”
“We all need to be on the same page here,” Ariel interrupted. “As for you, Nika, it’s about time the world knew how special you are. I’ve been urging you to get back to the land of the living for months now, and this is the perfect opportunity.
“We’ll set up under the radar,” she continued. “Like when a headliner does an impromptu set at a neighborhood bar, although this place is far from local.”
Nika spared a glance for her mother, still listening on the line. “Yeah, but afterwards It’ll be all over social media. So much for lasting peace and quiet.”
“Annika, you’ll have to face the press at some point. By the time you’re done with this one night gig, Jesse’s trial will have started, and chances are you’ll have to head to L.A. anyway.” Ariel exhaled. “At least this way the press will be on your terms. Besides, New York is better for your solo debut, especially now that you’ve—” She hesitated. “Sampled your mother’s cooking again.”
The Red Veil Diaries (Volumes 1-4) Page 16
