by JJ Knight
“What if my heart wants to set them on fire?”
Blitz gives a throaty laugh and pulls me against him. “You’re too perfect, Princess,” he says. Flashes start to pop.
Hannah walks by us and says in a low singsong voice, “Don’t muss her makeup!”
Blitz twirls a curl of my hair. I want to hide in him, bury my face against his strong chest. But we’re not alone anymore. We’re in front of the people who can make or break us. And they’re probably already recording. For all I know, this is live on some online feed.
“You can do it,” Blitz says.
I take a deep breath. I was brave enough to walk unannounced on live TV, I can smile in front of a few cameras.
One of the women is already recording in front of a giant sign that reads “Dance Blitz.”
She says into the camera, “We’re here with Blitz Craven and his surprise contestant at the signing of the DVDs for Dance Blitz. The intense season ended with the dancing Romeo’s newest lover storming onstage to seize the title from the three finalists who had been working all season to woo the man of their dreams.”
I spot the red light on the camera that is trained on her.
And the panic starts to take over.
I am so not up for this.
Chapter 2
“My parents might see this,” I whisper to Blitz as the reporter stops the recording and repeats it all again. She’s obviously not live.
“And what will they do?” Blitz asks. “Ground you?” He walks us over to the table, a little farther from the cameramen setting up lights and tripods. “You’re with me now. They don’t control you.”
“But if everyone finds out who they are, people might camp out at their house and ask them questions,” I say.
He kisses my hand for the hundredth time that day. “Livia, nobody bothers my parents. Remember at the city jail a few weeks ago, picking up Baby Daddy? Nobody even recognized my dad.”
He’s right. Maybe nobody really cares about my family.
“Besides,” Blitz says, “we’ve given them a fake last name for you. With no social media footprint, and no connections to anyone, they can’t find you. Nobody knows where you came from.”
He’s right. Hannah came up with Livia Mays, close enough to my real name that I wouldn’t screw it up if someone used it, but common enough to be generic. For the first time, I’m glad I was homeschooled. There is literally nothing on the Internet anywhere with my real name or picture. Nobody knows me. There’s no glib classmates to interview, no high school teachers to say what I was like.
Although due to Gabriella, there are definitely secrets to dig up. Big ones.
My confidence falters again.
Hannah claps her hands. “Douglas,” she says, smiling at one of the reporters, “why don’t you place Livia and Blitz where you would like them, and we can start?”
Blitz and I glance at each other. Hannah never gives up control of these things. She must think this guy is important.
A friendly man in a shiny gray suit that looks like it came off a runway model, almost too short in the legs, pencil thin, and close fitted, hurries forward and extends his hand. “Blitz, Livia, delighted to be here today. I appreciate this opportunity to talk with you both.”
I shake his hand weakly.
“Hey, Doug,” Blitz says, “I hear you’re short-listed for the new entertainment hour.”
“That I am,” Doug says. “Decision on that should be announced any day.”
I can tell from Blitz’s subtle reluctance that he thinks this Doug guy is going to do something dramatic to increase his chances of getting whatever show this is. He’s wary, so of course I’m panicked. Even more than before.
Hannah watches from a distance, a pleased expression on her face, like she’s a cat that just got the dog sent outside in the rain.
My anxiety makes me feel hot. I touch my fingertips to my hairline, where I might be starting to sweat. I’m more likely to destroy my makeup than Blitz at this point.
Doug gestures to a couple of armchairs situated at the end of the rows of books behind the tables where we’re signing. “Let’s head over here.”
Without Doug saying a word, a girl in a black shirt shoves a third armchair over to the first pair. The other cameramen and reporters seem annoyed as Doug commandeers the situation. Another girl clips tiny silver microphones to my dress and Blitz’s shirt.
“Is this an exclusive?” asks the female reporter who recorded her intro. “Because nobody told me this was exclusive.”
“Of course not,” Doug says. “You guys can cut in anytime.”
But his chair is close enough that it’s probably hard to keep him out of the shot. And I’m pretty sure the woman won’t want Doug’s voice in her recording.
The tension between them is intense. Blitz leans forward in his chair, his elbows on his knees. “Doug, maybe you can ask a few questions, and then we’ll move on to…” he hesitates, looking at the woman expectantly.
“Geneva,” the woman says with an edge in her voice. “Geneva Farmington from the local affiliate.”
“Thanks for being here, Geneva,” Blitz says. He flashes her one of his megawatt smiles and she melts a little.
I’m not annoyed by this. I know it’s one of his tactics. He has them for men too. He’s very good at sizing up a person and delivering the right dose of attitude or charm.
Doug nods knowingly. “Always good to keep the locals happy,” he says. “Of course, mine is a national broadcast.”
“A cable broadcast,” Geneva fires back. “National networks will pick up mine.”
Blitz doesn’t really seem up for moderating them. He glances at Hannah. Normally she would be all over this like she was with the store owner, but for some reason, she’s perfectly happy to sit back and let the situation unfold.
“Let’s get going,” Blitz says. “I don’t really like making the fans wait.”
The thick round arms of the upholstered chairs keep me and Blitz separate. We can’t easily reach each other to so much as hold hands.
“So what are your plans for the three unfinished bonus episodes?” Doug asks. “Since this lovely lady took over the job of the contestants, will we be meeting her family and watching you two plan a wedding?”
Blitz’s expression gets hard. “Livia is not part of the deal, Doug,” he says. “And as far as I’m concerned, those three episodes are digital smoke.”
“What do you think, Livia?” Doug asks. “Are you ready for Blitz to meet your family?”
I glance at Blitz. “Not on camera,” I say shakily. “I don’t think they’ve agreed to that.”
Doug laughs. “I doubt it. Were you ready for the load of fame that came with Blitz?”
Blitz jumps in. “We’re working on our dancing together,” he says. “We’ve only just started to figure out our personal style.”
Doug flashes a knowing grin. “You just said ‘our.’ Are there wedding plans on the horizon?”
I can see when Blitz settles in and decides to pour out the charm. He sits back in the chair, lacing his fingers together behind his head. This is the Blitz I remember from watching talk show clips before I knew him.
“I imagine Livia has a say in that,” he says. “I figure I better show her I’m not a carousing schmuck. Tall order.”
The two men laugh. Blitz has Doug’s number. Now he’ll feed him what he needs to get this over and done.
I hold my hands together tightly, sitting tall, mostly anxious that my skirt is short enough that I might give the cameras a crotch shot. My thighs ache from holding my knees together.
“How about those three lovelies from the show?” Doug asks. “Have you heard from them? Did they seem upset about the outcome?”
Blitz flashes a smile. “You’ll have to talk to my lawyers about that one, Doug. You know women.”
My face flames a bit at this one. I glance over at Hannah to see if Blitz is behaving the way she wants. Her arms are crossed, a twisted
smile on her face. She sees me looking at her, and moves her fingers to the corners of her mouth to remind me to smile.
Uggh. I plaster one on and turn back to Blitz. When he sees me, his expression shifts, like he realizes he’s fallen into his old pattern. He sits forward again and reaches over the top of the two chair arms to find my hand.
“Are you quite through, Doug?” Geneva stands just off camera, her microphone in her hand.
Doug glances at Hannah, and I feel Blitz stiffen, his hand on mine painfully tight. I turn my attention to him, wondering what is going on.
And that’s when I see them.
All three of them, dressed in flashy dresses, tons of cleavage, model-perfect hair, strolling in like they are the horsemen from the apocalypse.
The angry dethroned finalists from Dance Blitz.
Chapter 3
Blitz jumps from his chair. “This was a setup!”
Giselle smirks and juts her hips. Her honey-red hair is pale and lovely, falling around her face like Jessica Rabbit. Her red dress must be taped to her body, because the deep V plunges to her waist but molds to her curves. I feel dowdy just looking at her.
“Blitz, baby,” she says. “I really hope you didn’t think you were done with us.”
She sidles up to the chair. “Cameras are rolling, darling,” she says, her hands on Blitz’s shoulders. “Sit a spell.”
Blitz falls back into the chair. Giselle sits on the arm next to him.
Mariah, the dark-haired finalist, looks as regal as a princess in a cobalt blue dress slit up her thigh. She walks behind Blitz and perches on the back.
Christy has totally changed her look, sweet and girl-next-door in a pretty pale yellow sundress. You would never guess that fans had once called her a “skank.” They’ve gotten organized. Stylists and coaches.
Christy curls up at his feet. The four of them look ready for a photo shoot, the image perfectly balanced.
Planned. Every bit of it.
And Blitz knows. He tries to stand up again, but this time all three girls put their hands on him and push him back in place.
“Smile for us, Blitz honey,” Giselle says through her teeth as the cameras flash. “You’re about to go viral.”
I realize I’ve shrunk away from the group, scooting to the far side of my chair. My brain feels erased, and I’m paralyzed. Who did this?
Flashes start popping. I turn to Hannah to see if it was her or this Doug guy, and she stands with her arms crossed, looking very satisfied.
Oh, she is so fired. If there is any way we can get rid of her, we will do it.
“So, ladies, how does it feel to be back with Blitz?” Doug asks.
“Oh, we weren’t near through with this boy,” Giselle purrs. She runs a hand through Blitz’s hair and I want to slap her arm right off him.
Blitz looks about to explode. He notices Hannah’s posture as well, and the cameras. Then he steals a glance at me.
I’m sure I look like a scared rabbit. He closes his eyes a moment, then turns to Doug. “It seems some people won’t take no for an answer.”
The girls giggle.
I manage to straighten my spine and sit more normally in the chair. “Lewis?” I say, not really sure where my own voice is coming from.
The store owner pops out from behind the camera crew. “Yes, Livia?” he asks.
“Isn’t it time to let the fans up?”
“Past time,” he says.
“And how many girls out there are dressed as them?” I wave my hand in the general direction of the finalists.
Lewis smiles. “Why, I don’t believe I saw any.”
Hannah’s smile has faded and now a calculating look is on her face. She’s underestimated me.
“Can you let the Livias in first?” I ask. “They seemed to be near the front. As a special favor.”
“I’d be delighted,” Lewis says. He motions to one of the employees. “It does sound as though we should adjourn this interview and move to the signing table.”
He comes forward to take my hand and lift me from the chair, blocking the cameras from their view of me.
Blitz jumps from his seat, avoiding the three girls. He takes my hand and we head over to the signing table, where there are just two padded folding chairs.
“I think those girls have had their say,” I tell Lewis. “You said you had some security?”
“I do,” he says with a wink.
Two of the burly guards head over to the finalists. I make a point not to watch what happens, organizing the pens and water bottles in front of us.
Blitz stares over at his manager as if he could shoot poison darts from his eyes. We’re more or less alone, the photographers packing up now that we’re in less interesting positions and the flamboyant girls are gone. Geneva talks with Doug in hushed angry tones.
“You okay?” I ask Blitz. I know how I’m feeling, scared to death and shocked that I was able to say what I did. My hands are trembling still.
“I’m fine,” he says. “You were brilliant and got Lewis on your side. Cut those she-devils off at the knees by stopping their publicity.” He finally lets his eyes rest on me. “I haven’t been in charge of my own career since Dance Blitz started,” he says. “Everyone else has always run it, and I’ve done what was expected of me.”
“I know,” I say. “It’s hard. Contracts and all.”
“Screw the contracts,” Blitz says. “Let them sue me. I’m not going to do anything with those women.”
The blue-dress girls start making their way up the stairs, followed by the snaking line. The noise levels rise dramatically as the first segments of the crowd are allowed inside the store.
Blitz looks at them and smiles. “You always surprise me, Livia. You seem so shy and unassuming. Then you walk onto live television and make me dance with you. Or you take total charge of a press interview.”
Lewis holds the crowd for another moment, checking wristbands and waving over two employees with large boxes of DVDs.
“You taught me that,” I say to Blitz, leaning over to kiss his cheek. A flash pops and I realize the cameras haven’t really retreated, just moved back. “We’re going to make this work. Nobody can make you do anything.”
The line moves forward and the blue-dress girls dash to the table. Blitz and I greet them and start our rhythm of pictures, signing, and smiles.
Blitz calls Geneva over and gives her an exclusive interview with us and the Livia fans.
But his manager Hannah stays off to one side, sitting in one of the round chairs we vacated. She watches us with an intensity that makes me squirm. I know if she has her way, Blitz won’t have that chance to drop into obscurity like he wants.
And now she knows that I actually do stand in her way.
Chapter 4
When the signing finally ends, we load into the limo with a sour-faced Hannah.
We’re less than a mile from the DVD store when the limo rolls to a stop.
Hannah turns to the driver. “What are you doing?”
“He’s doing what I asked,” Blitz says. “And we are getting away from you as fast as possible.” Blitz flings the back door open. “You don’t set up your biggest client like that and expect him to be all gracious and thankful.”
Hannah’s coral lips pinch together. “You have a contract meeting at the set in three hours,” she says. “Don’t be late.”
Blitz helps me out of the limo, then peers back in at her. “I’ll be there, Hannah. Unlike my manager, I respect the people I work with.”
He slams the door.
The limo driver escorts us over to a Mercedes, driven by yet another driver, this one younger and casually dressed in jeans and a white shirt.
“Right on,” he says and opens the door for us.
I glance back. Thankfully, Hannah hasn’t come out of the limo.
We load into the new car and Blitz greets the new driver. “We’re starving,” he says. “Can you take us somewhere between here and the studio?”<
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“Sure. You want something fancy? Or casual?”
“Casual,” Blitz says. “Livia, what are you hungry for?”
I glance down at the diamond cutout of my dress. I should have brought a change of clothes. “A salad?”
“You’re right,” Blitz says. “I love that outfit, but I’m sure you want out of it.” He picks up his phone and hits a button. “Actually just take us to the Apple Pan,” he says to the driver. “Scout the inside.”
The driver nods. Then Blitz is on his phone. “Jerry, run to my room and fetch outfits for me and Livia. Jeans and plain stuff.” He looks over at me for confirmation and I nod. He glances down at my feet. “And some shoes. You have good taste. Bring it to the Apple Pan or just send it in a car.”
Jerry is one of the wardrobe people. Probably the only one I like.
Blitz sticks his phone in his pocket. “We’re going to be hot stuff for the next day or two after that footage gets out, but I think we’ll be okay for a few hours. You have sunglasses?”
I dig in my bag and pull out a pair.
“I don’t want you walking around in that dress. Images are probably already all over of it, and you’ll very easily be spotted.”
I glance down again. It is a stupidly recognizable dress, bright green and revealing.
“Come here,” Blitz says. He pulls me against him. “Have I told you lately that you are incredible?”
I shake my head against his shoulder.
“Well, you are.”
“Should I go back to the hotel after we eat?” I ask.
“Bennett asked for you to be at the contract meeting,” Blitz says.
I sit up straight. “Bennett will be here?” He’s the benefactor behind Dreamcatcher Dance Academy, and he personally flew me to LA to be on Blitz’s show. It was his wife’s idea.
“Yes. He’s a producer and he knew you’d be more comfortable with him there.”
“Why am I involved?” I ask. “I didn’t sign anything.”
“You were on the show,” Blitz says. “Hannah is treating us like a package deal.”
“Then why did she have the finalists ambush us at a signing?”
