by Maya Banks
Connor immediately stepped in front of Lyric and wrapped a protective arm around her, shoving her into his back. Kane stepped in front of Connor while his men pushed in around Lyric.
“Get the hell out of my way,” Paul barked. “I’m her manager.”
Connor halted him with an icy glare.
“Get her inside,” Kane barked. “The reunion will wait until then.”
Paul didn’t look happy to be ordered about, but he had little choice as the men closed ranks and ushered Lyric inside the building.
“Where the hell have you been?” Paul demanded once they were inside. “I’ve been waiting here for two hours. There are things to go over and I couldn’t very well go over the details of your performance without you.”
Lyric sighed and wished he’d just shut up. She had no desire for one of his tantrums in front of everyone else. Connor’s face had darkened to a storm cloud and his jaw was set in a rigid line as he glared at Paul.
“I’m fifteen minutes early, Paul. Calm down.”
Paul reached for her elbow to pull her down the hallway but Connor cut him off and wrapped a protective arm around Lyric’s shoulders. Paul shot Connor a disdainful look but continued to the meeting room where the rodeo execs were waiting.
Paul did most of the talking, and by the time it was over, Lyric had a headache. He made silly demands, argued every point, and finally Lyric told him to shut up. She apologized to the assembled people and then listened as they went over the schedule.
Next they gave her a tour of the rotating stage that was used for all the performers at the rodeo and gave her a preview of the screen graphics for the background. She met with the band since hers wouldn’t be making the show and rehearsed the songs she’d be singing for the show.
Three hours later, it was done and she left the building, surrounded by Kane and his men. The car was waiting, but before she could slip into it, Paul caught up to her and grabbed her arm.
She turned in surprise and glanced pointedly at his hand.
“We need to talk, Lyric. What the hell is going on with you? You look like shit. Have you even tried to stay in shape for your tour dates? You only have a few weeks off and then you go back on the road. You’ve gained at least ten pounds, if not more. You don’t want to look like a slob onstage. This is your career. You could at least act like it’s important to you.”
Her cheeks burned with humiliation. She wanted to crawl into a hole and die. It shocked her that he would confront her in front of Connor and Kane and the others. But then, he wouldn’t consider them important. They were just the hired bodyguards.
Beside her, Connor hissed in anger and took a step toward Paul. Paul was oblivious to just how pissed Connor was, but Lyric could see the fury in Connor’s eyes.
“Instead of stuffing your face and lying around, why don’t you make it to the gym or, better yet, have some exercise equipment delivered to the house Phillip rented for you? Your fans don’t pay big bucks to see your fat ass onstage. They pay to see a lean, sleek performer.”
He didn’t get another word out before Connor slammed him into the wall.
“What the fuck?” Paul spit out. He looked to Kane. “Get him the hell off me. You’re fired. You’re all fired.”
Kane crossed his arms over his chest. “Get who off you? I don’t see anyone. The only thing I see is a loudmouthed, disrespectful asshole who is about to get his ass beat. Deservedly so.”
Lyric watched, openmouthed, as Connor gathered Paul’s shirt in his hands and got into his face.
“Listen to me, you piece of shit. You shut the fuck up. If I ever hear you talk to Lyric that way again, I’ll tear your nuts off and cram them down your throat. Are we clear?”
Paul’s eyes bulged out of his head and he gaped at Connor and then at Lyric. “Are you going to let him get away with talking to me that way?”
Connor slammed him against the wall again. “The only words I want to hear out of your mouth are an apology to Lyric. Now.”
Connor’s hand tightened and pushed into Paul’s throat, cutting off his air.
“I’m s-sorry,” Paul stammered. “You know I only want the best for you, Lyric.”
Lyric recovered her wits and walked forward, her mind still whirling from Connor’s reaction. She stopped just a foot away from where Connor’s hand was still wrapped around Paul’s neck. For a long moment she simply stood there and watched him grow more and more uncomfortable. Sweat beaded on his brow and he glanced between her and Connor nervously.
“Paul?” she finally said. “Fuck off.”
She spun around and headed toward the car where Kane had already opened the door. A smile hovered over his lips, and as she climbed in, he murmured, “Well done, Ms. Jones.”
Lyric slid over as far as she could and directed her gaze out the opposite window. For the first time, she wanted to be alone. She didn’t want to face Connor or have him witness her absolute humiliation. Her face burned, and she was so mortified that she literally wanted to close herself off in her room for a week.
She wasn’t so lucky.
Connor climbed into the back of the limo and a few moments later the car pulled away.
She refused to look at him. She didn’t want to see sympathy or pity staring back at her. The silence was suffocating and she could feel him watching her.
Connor was furious. He couldn’t remember a time he’d been this pissed. He’d wanted to kill that son of a bitch. He still wanted to kill him.
He’d seen Lyric’s face when Paul had spewed his venom. He’d seen her pale, seen her draw into herself. Everything that Connor had told her had been erased by a stupid bastard who couldn’t see how beautiful Lyric was.
And now she sat so still and rigid, making herself as small as possible, refusing to look at him. She was embarrassed—who could blame her? And that pissed Connor off even more. She had nothing to be ashamed of. Nothing to be embarrassed over.
He couldn’t hold silent any longer.
“Lyric. Look at me.”
She flinched. Closed her eyes but held her chin firm, her gaze still fixed out the window.
“Lyric.”
He waited. He was patient. She had enough assholes in her life only too willing to shit on her. He wasn’t going to be one of them.
Finally her shoulders sagged and she turned slowly, her eyes dull. He hated that more than anything. He liked her “fuck you” attitude. He liked that she didn’t flinch in a stare-down. That she’d take on anyone and anything. That wasn’t the woman he was seeing now, and it infuriated him.
“He’s an asshole. You should fire him. You deserve better than that.”
She shrugged. “He’s good at what he does. He made me. I owe him.”
Connor had to call back the snarl. His lips curled and it took a few moments before he could calmly respond.
“Bullshit.”
That surprised her. Her eyes narrowed and she cocked her head to the side.
“You don’t owe him shit. Lyric, this is business. You ought to know that. If you weren’t so upset by what that moron said, you’d realize it. You pay him. If I had to guess, he gets paid way too damn much. That’s all you owe him. A paycheck. Until such time as he no longer provides the service you pay him for, and quite frankly, I’d say the only service you need from him is for him to go fuck himself.”
The corner of her mouth lifted into a half smile.
“You made yourself. You worked hard. You’ve got talent. Without those things it wouldn’t matter what the hell he did or didn’t do for you. You made yourself. Don’t forget that.”
She smiled fully now and some of the light came back to her eyes.
“No one has the right to talk to you like that,” he continued. “Not him. Not Phillip. Your biggest power is the willingness to walk away. The moment they realize you’re willing to do that, I think you’ll see a dramatic turnaround in their attitudes. I still think you should fire Paul’s ass, though. You can’t tell me there isn’t anothe
r manager who can do his job and keep their goddamn mouth shut while doing it.”
To his utter shock, she launched herself across the seat and into his arms. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him so tight that his oxygen was momentarily cut off.
He was happy to tuck her more firmly in his embrace. He curled his arms around her and held her against him, inhaling the sweet scent of her hair. And because he simply couldn’t resist, he brushed his lips over her head and kissed and nuzzled, offering her comfort.
“He’s wrong, you know.”
She went still, waiting. He tightened his hold and laid his cheek over the top of her head.
“You look fantastic. There is nothing about you that isn’t drop-dead sexy.”
He felt her smile against his neck.
“You probably think I’m talking shit. I’m not. I don’t need to kiss your ass. There’s no reason for me to lie to you. You can’t fire me. You don’t have anything I want or need. Except you. Just you. And that drop-dead, sexy-as-sin body of yours.”
She laughed softly and her body shook against his. He stroked a hand over her hair, content to let her lie against him, warm, snuggly and relaxed.
“You’re good for my ego, Connor. You say things in a way that makes me think you mean them. I don’t get that very often. It’s become second nature for me to disregard any compliment because I’m always suspicious of the motive behind it. Isn’t that sad?”
“Yeah, it is. But hey, at least for now, you have me to keep it real for you.”
She pushed away from his chest and smiled down at him, her eyes alight with joy. It made her seem softer. Like a girl instead of a hardened woman. It completely changed her appearance and he was hard-pressed to even put this woman together with the woman he’d first met backstage with the outrageous pink hair and “fuck you” attitude.
It gave him an indescribable thrill that he was likely one of the few people in the world who got to see the woman behind the layers. He may not have earned her complete trust, but on some level she did trust him. Enough to let down the barriers.
He gathered her back in his arms and squeezed. “What’s next on the agenda?”
She sighed. “I have that meet and greet after the show. Nothing until then, though. I need to give Kane my schedule. I promised I would. I feel so disorganized right now. I know it sounds bad, but when I’m on the road, I don’t have to think about where I have to be or go. I have people to push me here or there, and I’ve gotten used to that.”
He ran his hands over her soft curves and rubbed her back until she was loose and relaxed against him.
“Not bad. I’m sure it’s crazy for you. You need people for that, but they need to be people you trust.”
“It’s hard. I don’t trust anyone. I don’t expect people to be trustworthy. I never really thought about it before you said something about it, but I suppose it really is a shitty way to live. After a while you just accept that things are the way they are and you just go with it.”
“You can change that, Lyric. People will only do what you allow them to do. It’s okay to push back. It’s okay to expect more from the people around you. That doesn’t make you unreasonable. It makes you smart.”
“No one’s ever accused me of being smart,” she said dryly.
“Then they’re morons.”
She pushed away again so she could look into his eyes. She raised her hand to cup his jaw and she stroked over his face with featherlight fingers. “I hated you when we first met. I could see the disapproval in your eyes and it pissed me off. It made me mad that it mattered to me what you thought.”
He grimaced but she shushed him with a finger to his lips.
“I’m glad Phillip hired you. I’m woman enough to admit I was wrong about you. I’m glad you’re here,” she finished softly.
He kissed her finger, then sucked it into his mouth and nibbled delicately at the tip.
“I’m glad I’m here too.”
“Think the chef has any more of those cupcakes?” she asked wistfully.
He grinned as realization hit her. “To eat!” she protested. “I want them to eat!”
“Nobody says you can’t eat them,” he said silkily. “I don’t know about you, but my mama never said anything about not playing with my food.”
She laughed, and the sound was vibrant and alive in his ears. It made him want to do all sorts of mushy stuff that he’d give other men shit over. But with her it just felt right.
She shifted and he was afraid at first that she was going to move back to her seat. But she settled down against his chest and he wrapped his arms around her again and cradled her.
She gave a soft little sigh that told him she was as contented as he was. He smiled to himself and nuzzled his face into her hair.
CHAPTER 21
L yric was sitting in the kitchen with Connor eating a cupcake when Kane stalked into the kitchen, a grim expression in his face. Her heart sank. What could it be now? She tensed, ready to go on the offensive.
Connor simply placed his hand over hers, a gesture that calmed her considerably.
“Your manager is here and demands to see you,” Kane said. “Want me to get rid of him?”
He said it in such a way that sent chills down Lyric’s spine. She could envision Kane stuffing him into a trunk and disposing of his body. He looked serious enough to actually be contemplating it.
She sighed. “No. Let him come up. I need to deal with this.”
Connor frowned, but this time it was she who put her hand over his.
“I’m coming with you,” Connor muttered. “That son of a bitch better be respectful or I’m going to take him apart.”
Lyric smiled and stood. “I can take care of myself, though I appreciate the sentiment.”
Still, Connor followed her into the living room, where they waited as Kane disappeared outside the house. A few moments later, Kane returned, walking ahead of two of his men.
Paul was held between the two bodyguards and he was steaming mad. His face was red and puffed up with visible anger. When the two men flanking him finally let him go, he shook and then lunged away from them, rubbing his arm as he glared at the offenders.
“Lyric, what the hell is going on here?” he demanded. “This is completely unacceptable! Who are these men to tell me what I can or can’t do? They manhandled me! I’m going to sue!”
Lyric rolled her eyes, then crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the man who’d controlled the better part of her life for the past several years.
“You’re fired, Paul.”
Her calm words had the effect of a gunshot. Paul recoiled and his mouth fell open. It worked up and down but nothing came out for several long seconds. Then he exploded.
“Fired? Fired? You can’t fire me.”
“The hell she can’t,” Connor shot back.
Again she put a hand on Connor’s arm. He quieted and stepped back to allow her to continue.
Maybe it was the calm in her eyes or her demeanor. Paul went from furious to placating and pleading in a nanosecond.
“You can’t fire me, Lyric. You owe me. I put you on the map. We’re a team, you and me. Look, I’m sorry for the things I said, but you know I was just looking out for you. I want what’s best for you.”
Lyric glanced at Connor and smiled. He winked, and she drew strength from that small gesture. Connor was right. He was absolutely right and she’d never seen it until he pushed.
She turned back to Paul. “I don’t owe you anything. I paid you for services rendered. That’s the only compensation I owed you. From this point forward our relationship is severed. You won’t be allowed access to me in the future. If you have anything at all to say, you can contact Phillip or my lawyer.”
Paul’s shock turned to ugly, black fury. He took a step forward and pointed a finger close to her face. “You won’t get away with this, Lyric. I know too much about you. I’ll bury you.”
Connor and Kane both stepped in fro
nt of Lyric. The two security men took hold of Paul’s arms. Connor waved them off.
“Let me give you a piece of advice,” Connor bit out. “Don’t threaten Lyric ever. There isn’t a place on this earth you can hide from me.”
“Or me,” Kane interjected.
“If you do anything, if you say anything, with the intent of damaging Lyric’s career, her reputation or her personally, I’ll hunt you down and I’ll take you apart piece by piece.”
“You’re threatening me!”
“You’re damn right, I am. And if you think I’m just blowing smoke up your ass, I invite you to try me. I’m not much on words but I sure as hell will kick your sorry ass if you utter so much as a peep. You got me?”
Paul’s face lost color. His eyes darted back and forth between Kane and Connor and he sagged like a deflated balloon.
“Get him out of here,” Connor ordered.
Lyric watched as Paul was hauled out of the living room. She felt an odd sense of elation. As if she’d lost the ten pounds that Paul had complained about. She felt ridiculously light and freaking giddy.
She smiled broadly as Connor and Kane both turned their attention back to her.
“I don’t suppose either of you know of a good manager, do you?”
Kane actually cracked a smile. She was surprised his face didn’t crumble with the effort. Connor slipped an arm around her and hugged her to him.
“I’m proud of you for taking a stand, Lyric. The bastard needed his ass kicked.”
“Would you really hunt him down?” she asked curiously.
Connor frowned. “Hell yeah.”
“Thank you,” she said as her grin got bigger. She turned to include Kane. “Thank you both.”
“I can make his life miserable for him if you want,” Kane offered.
“You’re not even joking, are you,” Lyric muttered.
“Nope. I don’t have a sense of humor.”
At that, Lyric chuckled.
Her cell phone went off and she sighed. “The man works fast. He must have speed-dialed Phillip on his way out the door.”
