Candace Chance ducked into the alley, just as a black limousine passed a third time. She had no reason to believe the people in the car were looking for her, but she had no reason not to believe it, either. The temperatures had dropped with nightfall, and she had started to shiver uncontrollably. It had been raining off and on all day, and though the precipitation had stopped for now, the streets were wet. The alley smelled horrible—a mix of the stench coming from an overflowing dumpster, oily refuse, and things better left unidentified—but with nowhere else to go, and the limousine continuing to drive by on what seemed like an endless loop, she had no choice but to hole up here and hope things looked up in the morning.
Happy birthday to me, she thought, as she sank down behind some wooden crates.
The ground near the wall was littered with flattened cardboard boxes, which, while wet, at least provided some insulation between her and the pavement. It was cold, though, so very cold, and she huddled in her fleece sweater, wishing it were a full-length down coat. She had never had to think about people living on the street before. Raised in a sheltered environment, home-schooled, and protected, she hadn’t spent much time thinking about the outside world. She hadn’t needed to, though she now realized she should have insisted. Much of her schooling had been online, and perhaps she should have looked beyond her lessons. But she’d known her online access had been ruthlessly monitored. She hadn’t thought of the “why” of it—there’d been no reason to—but now she knew, first hand, the “why.”
Candace had been born in a bordello, the product of her mother’s miscalculation and an unknown, faceless john. She’d often wondered why her mother had kept her, but she’d never asked, and had never been told—until yesterday. The Manager, as he was known to everyone living and working there, was used to paying for abortions for his “girls,” though he resented the need for them, and the girls under his management felt his fury, when they slipped up. Candace’s mother had been too far along for an abortion by the time she’d had to admit her pregnancy, so the Manager had made her a deal. She would be allowed to have the baby in the safe confines of the House, but the child would belong to him.
The irony of a white woman selling her white baby to a black “manager” had been lost on her mother, or it had at least been ignored in favor of the opportunity to remain in the high-class establishment. If Candace had wondered over the years about why she was treated differently from the other girls, many of whom were only young teenagers themselves when they’d arrived, she hadn’t thought to question it. The Manager had always scared her a bit, in spite of his well-dressed, soft-spoken, polite appearance, if only because all the women in the house obviously feared him. Still, shouldn’t she have questioned the clothes? The comportment and music coaching? The exercise regiment? The schooling?
Of course, I should have, she realized now, when it was too late. Though in a different way, I was as much a fool as my mother.
This time when she shivered there was more than the cold behind it. She would never forget that last conversation with her mother. Had it been only this morning? Her mother had come to her at dawn to tell Candace she had to get ready. She would turn eighteen at midnight, and the Manager would be coming for her.
Why, Mama, why?
Because he owns you, baby.
How could you do this to me?
Because he owns me, too.
The deal had been struck the night the Manager had found out about her mother’s pregnancy, but he’d become even more interested when he’d learned Candace’s mother was carrying a girl child. He’d paid for everything over the years—her education, her health, her physical training, her musical training, her dance lessons—everything that would make her a prize worth a great deal of money to a certain kind of man who would be willing to pay top dollar for such a commodity: a genteel young lady, all packaged in a beautiful, untouched body. Candace had begged and pleaded with her mother, but in the end, she had been locked in her room. The sound of a bolt sliding home on the outside of her door had left Candace paralyzed with fear, knowing there was nothing for her to do but run, if she could only find a way out.
A quick search had uncovered the fact that most of the windows in her room had long been painted shut, but she had found one chance. There was a very small hexagonal window in her bathroom, high in the wall across from the vanity, that could still be opened for ventilation. It was doubtful anyone would have considered the possibility that Candace could fit through it, or would even try, since her room was on the fourth floor, but desperation had lent her both strength and courage. She’d had to wait until after dark, and she hadn’t been able to take anything with her other than the clothes on her back, but thanks to rigorous physical training—which she now realized had been intended to keep her physically attractive—she’d had the strength and agility to squeeze through the tight window and climb down the side of the building. The old Victorian house had had plenty of dormer roofs and decorative trim to hold onto, and her light weight, slender hips, and yoga practice made it physically possible. She’d dropped lightly to the ground just as the neighborhood church bell tower had rung the hour at eleven p.m.
Ten minutes later, she’d been safely away, but the heavens had opened, leaving her drenched to the skin and wishing she had thought to shove a coat out the window in front of her. She hadn’t dared, of course, because someone might have seen it fall or it might have caught on something on the way down, leaving evidence of her flight behind, but as she shivered in her cold corner of the alley, she wished she’d taken the chance. Could someone die of exposure in the middle of a bustling city? She’d read climate analyses of Nashville as a part of her science studies. Situated where it was, the temperatures were usually relatively mild, even in winter. But Candace was for the first time realizing that “relatively” was a tricky word, when you were worried about more than a higher-than-normal power bill.
She managed to pull the top piece of cardboard out from under her, leaving her sitting on a slightly less soggy surface. She then wrapped it around herself, and though it was soggy wet, it still managed to block out the worst of the stiff breeze coming down the alley. She crossed her arms and curled into the tightest ball she could manage.
Now I lay me down to sleep… The words one of the maids had taught her when she was a little girl suddenly appeared in her mind. I pray the Lord my soul to keep; if I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.
Not for the first time, Candace wondered if she had a “soul to keep,” and if she did, was there a God who cared? Shivering in the darkness, she prayed it was so.
* * *
“Got her!”
Candace cried out when a big hand grabbed her arm and yanked her to her feet. With her mind befuddled with sleep and the cold, it took her a moment to realize what was happening. Then she panicked and began kicking and scratching, fighting for her life.
“Knock it off, ya little whore!” the man holding her shouted.
He gripped her upper arm painfully with one hand and had his other forearm firmly pressed across her chest. Without thinking, she bit down hard on the part of his wrist exposed between the end of his sleeve and the beginning of his glove.
The man cursed viciously and pulled back his fist to strike her, but a second man grabbed the first man’s arm, holding him back.
“Don’t hit ’er, idiot! You heard the man! She comes back marked up, we don’t get paid!”
“The little bitch bit me!”
“Stuff it,” the second man said. “You know where she lives. You won’t catch anythin’ from her.”
Candace continued to struggle, certain now of who had sent these men after her.
“Well, I’m gonna cuff the bitch anyway,” the first man said. “We ain’t gonna be able to hang onto ’er iffen we don’t!”
Candace tried to twist away, but she felt the cold steel snap shut around one wrist as her arms were yanked brutally hard behind her back. It felt like he was pulling her arms out of their sockets, and she knew she’d never be free, if he got the other handcuff on her.
She screamed.
“Shut up, bitch!” the second man said, jamming his gloved hand over her mouth.
Candace was crying now, struggling futilely as the second cuff snapped around her other wrist. She just managed to turn her head to the side and let out another blood-curdling scream.
“The hell with this!” one of them said, and he slammed his fist into her belly, knocking the wind completely out of her.
She went down, whimpering, and only managed a squeak when they yanked her up painfully by the arms.
The rest was all a blur, but she thought she heard a roar, and suddenly one of the men flew away from her. He screamed and landed with a sickening thud against the far side of the alley. The second man pushed her away from him and must have drawn a gun, because a shot rang out, but a third, huge shadow tackled the man before he could get off another shot, and he screamed as he went down. Candace scrambled away, using her legs to clumsily put some distance between herself and the dark moving shadows. Forced to stop when she came up against the wall, she squinted into the dim light, trying to see what was going on. Daylight was just beginning to lighten the scene on this heavily overcast morning, but she could see enough to know the first two men who had attacked her were down, and there was another, bigger, darker shadow standing over them. She heard a low growl then the shadow seemed to change in form. What she might have sworn was something like a bear was suddenly a man. When he turned, he towered over her, and she shrank back in terror.
“I’m not gonna hurt you,” a soft, very deep voice said, as the shadow moved toward her.
She stared at him, though she still couldn’t see him clearly in the dawning light.
“Come on, now, darlin’,” he said, holding out his big hand. “I’ve gotta get you out’a here, before somebody else comes along or these thugs wake up.”
Either scenario made her willing, but she looked at that big, gloved hand and swallowed hard.
“I…I can’t,” she said. “Th…they put ha…handcuffs on m…me.”
He cursed, sounding furious, but when he turned back to the nearest man on the ground, she was unexpectedly certain his fury was not directed at her.
He searched the man’s pockets and finally found what he wanted. In another minute, he was leaning over her and unlocking the handcuffs. When they were free, he threw them toward the back of the alley with an angry snap of his wrist.
“Let’s go.”
She tried to stand—what else could she do?—but she staggered, and it took his firm grip on her shoulders to pull her to her feet.
“Easy, now.” he said, his voice a smooth Tennessee drawl. She shuddered once, hard, and he seemed to really look at her for the first time.
“Shoot, you don’t even have a coat on.”
He shed his own and wrapped it around her shoulders. It was huge, big enough on her that even as he closed it at the front, she managed to slip her arms into the sleeves. They came down to her knees, and he rolled them up for her, one at a time. Inside the coat was warm and toasty. It smelled good, too, clean with a scent of something she didn’t recognize but identified as pleasant.
“That’ll have to do for now,” he said.
“Thank you.”
She looked up to meet his eyes, and even in the early morning light, she saw his were a deep, golden color, unlike any she had ever seen before. They warmed noticeably when he smiled, though, and she felt her first flicker of hope.
“You’re surely welcome,” he said, “but we gotta get goin’.”
He pulled a stocking cap out of the coat’s pocket and pulled it down over her head until her ears were protected from the cold, then took her arm in his.
Candace glanced back at the men on the ground. She thought she saw something shiny and black on the nearest man’s face.
“Don’t look, darlin’,” he said, turning her toward the front of the alley. “That’s nothin’ they didn’t deserve and more for what they were doin’ to you.”
She gripped his arm firmly, trying to pull him around to face her.
“Did they hurt you?” she asked.
He looked surprised. “No. Don’t worry about me.”
“But I heard a shot!”
“He missed.”
He wrapped one arm firmly about her shoulders and the next thing she knew they were back out on the street, winding their way in and out of the growing crowd on the sidewalk. Candace couldn’t help looking over her shoulder, certain those two men had not been the only ones the Manager would have sent out to look for her, but they seemed to have gotten away.
She glanced up at the stranger who now had her firmly under his control and tried to think positively about her change in circumstances, but she failed miserably.
Out of the frying pan, into the fire?
* * *
“First thing we gotta do is get you warm,” the man said. “I saw a coffee shop just up here.”
“No!” Candace stopped, or at least she tried to, but the man had a good hold on her.
“What is it, darlin’?” he asked, turning to look down at her.
She glanced nervously back the way they had come.
“Is there gonna be somebody else out lookin’ for you?” he asked, sounding concerned.
She nodded, afraid to look at him.
He took a deep breath.
“Okay,” he said, almost to himself. “I gotta get somethin’ then I’ll take you to the studio with me.”
His eyes skimmed over the shops along the street then he headed for one, pulling her with him. “You can at least get warmed up in here.”
The soft tinkling of bells welcomed them as they entered the shop. It was a music store, Candace saw at once. Guitars, both acoustic and electric, hung on the walls alongside a menagerie of banjos, basses, and mandolins. The floor was stacked with a variety of equipment—drums, amplifiers, mixers, and stands of all shapes and sizes. Her eyes were wide as she looked around the space. She’d never seen such an inventory in person.
“Can I help you?” a man asked as he came in from the back of the store.
“I need some new brushes,” her rescuer said, giving her arm a squeeze and moving toward the back.
“What do you have in mind?”
“Well, I prefer a fixed head and a hickory handle,” he said.
Candace put herself behind a tall window display, so no one outside the store would see her, and turned to watch the two men intermix. She had no idea what her rescuer was talking about, but he seemed to know just what he wanted. She liked listening to him, though. She had been locked inside all of her life. The only men she had ever seen were brutes working for the Manager or that other kind of man who had sat in the audience while she entertained them, singing and dancing. None had been allowed to touch her, thank God, and when the bad men had grabbed her this morning, the feel of their hands on her had terrified her. She hadn’t felt the same at all with her rescuer’s arm around her. It was odd, but for some reason she trusted him.
“You can try them out, if you’d like,” the store owner was saying, gesturing to a drum set he had set up toward the front of the store.
“Thanks.”
Her rescuer sat down at the drums, adjusted the placement of a couple of them, placed his feet on two pedals, and began to play.
It was amazing. There was no music, except for what was apparently in his head, but the smooth sound of the steel brushing along the drum heads and lightly touching the cymbals was mesmerizing. It wasn’t just her opinion, either, because the store owner was standing by, his arms folded across his chest and a look of pure enjoyment on his face.
She turned her eyes back to her rescuer and found herself as taken with his appearance as she was with his performance. He was tall—well over six feet—with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. He wore an insulated red flannel shirt over what looked like long underwear. His jeans were clean but worn; his dark brown boots the same. He held the drum sticks lightly in his huge hands, as though they were made of glass instead of wood. His hair was a dark brown and shaggy, with streaks of auburn that showed under the bright store lights. His face was chiseled but not polished, and when he looked up to meet her eyes, she was hit once more by their deep golden color.
He smiled then, and barely touching the brushes to the largest cymbal, he ended his play in a soft thump of the bass drum.
“That was sure nice,” the store owner said. “What band do you play with?”
Her rescuer did a quick lick on the drums then stood to hold out his hand to the other man.
“I’m Luke Saint of The Four Saints,” he said.
“Well, I am glad to meet you,” the man said. “I’m Chad Burton—the son half of Burton and Son Music. Thought you looked familiar. My wife and I caught your band over at the Full Moon the other night.”
“That was fun,” Luke said, handing Burton the brushes.
“I’ll wrap these up for you, if you like.”
“I do. They have a great sound. Much lighter than the ones I’m using now.”
“Going to be doing some nice ballads, then?”
“Yeah. My new sister-in-law writes beautiful ones. We’re trying to get her to sing with us. Hopefully soon.”
“That going to make you The Five Saints?”
Luke laughed and pulled out his wallet to pay for the new drum sticks. “Could be, though don’t pass that on. Addy’s okay about recordin’ with us, but she’s not too keen on gettin’ on stage in front of an audience.”
Chad grinned as he handed Luke his change. “I won’t say anything, then. Pam would have it all over town in a day. She sure liked you boys.” He sighed, shaking his head.
Luke laughed again. “Don’t worry, man. You can tell your wife that my two older brothers got themselves married over the past few months.”
“Now, won’t that be a disappointment to some of the ladies,” Chad said, though he himself looked relieved. “Looks like you got yourself a girlfriend, too.”
Candace froze when she realized he was talking about her. Luke grinned and crossed to put his arm around her.
“Workin’ on it, anyway.”
“Looks like she got caught out in that gully-washer this morning.”
“That she did,” Luke said, hugging her close before turning toward the door.
“You all have great day, now.”
“Thanks. You too,” Luke said, reaching for the door.
But Candace spotted a movement outside and held him back. Luke glanced out and saw the giant black car creeping along the sidewalk. He didn’t hesitate.
“Hey, Chad,” he said, pulling her back away from the door, “you got a back door to this place?”
Chad looked up. “Sure, but I keep it locked.”
“Mind if we use it?” Luke asked. “There’s this car that’s been followin’ us around all mornin’, and I see it out there, now.”
“Want me to call the cops?” Chad asked, concerned.
“No, no. They’re probably harmless, but they’re botherin’ my girl. Can you just let us out the back door? We can catch a cab on the next street over and get away before they can follow us.”
“Sure. No problem.”
As he started toward the back, Luke caught sight of one of their CDs on display on the peg board behind the counter. It had already been opened, apparently for playing in the store, so he grabbed it, pulled a pen out of his pocket, opened the plastic case, and pulled the cover out.
“You’re wife’s ‘Pam,’ right?” he asked.
“Yes!”
Luke signed the cover “To Pam” with a flourish then put the case together again and handed it back to Burton.
“For your wife and the favor,” he told him with a grin. “The next time you all come to hear us, bring it, and I’ll get my brothers to sign it, too.”
“Thanks, man!”
Chad led the way back, turned off the alarm, and let them out the rear door.
“You all take care now, hear?”
“You, too,” Luke said. “And thanks.”
* * *
It must be nice, Candace thought as she hurried to keep up with Luke. She’d read about celebrities, of course, but this was the first time she’d seen one in action. Then she thought of the easy, friendly conversation between Luke and the store owner and decided that maybe it hadn’t been celebrity after all. Maybe it was just because Luke was a nice guy.
They came out of the alley onto a cross street, and Luke stepped to the curb to flag down a cab. He kept her hand in his. Probably just to keep me from bolting with his coat, she thought, but it felt good, just the same. Then a taxi pulled up, and Candace froze, as Luke opened the back door and stepped aside to allow her to enter first.
“I know you’re still not sure of me,” he said, keeping his voice soft, so the cab driver wouldn’t hear. “And you can keep the coat, even if you don’t get in. But I can promise you’ll be better off for comin’ with me. My sister-in-law will be at rehearsal today, too, so she’ll be able to make you feel a little safer, I think. I know me and my brothers can seem kinda overwhelmin’ if you’re not used to us.”
“You think?” she said, without thinking about it then clamped a hand over her mouth in embarrassment.
Luke only grinned. “Yeah. That’s what both of my new sisters tell us, anyway.”
Candace took a deep breath. How could she tell this man that it wasn’t really him she feared? She was eighteen years old today and had never been in a car before. She’d been literally a prisoner all her life, though it wasn’t until her mother’s confession yesterday that Candace had really appreciated it. She still felt like the biggest fool on the earth.
“Meter’s running,” the cab driver called out.
“Don’t worry about it,” Luke said to the man.
He turned back to Candace. “So. What’ll it be?”
Candace took another deep breath then stepped into the car.
“Good choice,” Luke murmured.
He gave the address to the driver, and they were off. Candace could only stare out the window. She had seen plenty of television shows and movies and car commercials, but she’d never experienced the thrill of moving so fast herself. And they weren’t even moving that fast, she realized when she spied a much larger road off to the right and saw how quickly those cars and trucks were moving. She hugged herself, hoping Luke wouldn’t notice her hands were shaking.
“You okay?” he asked.
She should have known better.
“I’m getting there,” she said.
He smiled again, and she felt the warmth of it. She had to admit, if she had to be rescued by someone, it was good that it was by someone like Luke. Whether or not his brothers would approve was another story.
Before she knew it, they were pulling up to a gray-painted block building. There were large windows in front, and what looked like a stone house attacked to the back. The street was tree-lined, so it felt very much like a neighborhood hangout, rather than a fancy recording studio.
But then, what do I know? she wondered. The performance “theater” in the House had once been a parlor. It had been enlarged, she’d been told, when the Manager had decided to add dinner and musical entertainment to the other nighttime entertainment. At least if Luke’s band was recording, there wouldn’t be an audience, and hopefully this Four Saints group would be too busy to pay much attention to her. The longer she was with them, the longer she was safe from the Manager’s minions, so she hoped they’d let her stay with them at least until she could figure out what to do next. She had no money, no identification, no real identity outside of the House, thanks to her mother’s deal with the Manager.
Dear God, what am I going to do?
But Luke was paying the taxi driver, and then he was guiding her to the front door. The sign beside the door said, “Grand Avenue Studios,” so at least Luke was telling the truth about their destination.
Inside, the place was warm and inviting, with comfortable-looking upholstered chairs and a sofa in the entry. There was a front desk, manned by a young woman with unnaturally red streaks in her blond hair. She wore an incredible assortment of rings and studs in her ears, eyebrows and lip, and when she spoke, they could see she had a gold ball on the end of her tongue. Everything she wore was at least one size too small, and Candace was pretty sure this young woman’s assets were manmade. Candace suppressed a shudder. Some of the women in the House had similar adornments and enlarged breasts, but the Manager had never even allowed her to pierce her ears. It was the one restriction she hadn’t minded.
“Hey, darlin’,” Luke greeted the young woman.
“Hey, Luke! ’Bout time you got here. You’re uncle’s startin’ to pace the floor.”
“He’ll get over it,” Luke said, quickly guiding Candace past the obviously curious receptionist.
“Hey, I thought you’d give me a shot at singin’ with the band, and here you’re bringin’ in a stranger?”
“Nah,” Luke said. “She’s just a friend—here to watch the session.
“Don’t stop,” he whispered under his breath as he pushed Candace along. “Marley, there, will talk you’re ear off. She’s one of those Dolly Parton wannabes, but unfortunately, her voice doesn’t match her bra size.”
Candace actually giggled. She couldn’t help it. Luke was that obviously relieved to have her there as an excuse to not talk to the Marley girl. His grin helped her to relax completely. Then he opened a door, ushered her in before him, and her ease turned to panic. There were four men and two women there, apparently waiting for Luke.
“About time, bro,” one of the others said.
The men were all clearly related to Luke. Each had the same size and build, the same dark, shaggy hair. Four more sets of the same dark golden eyes studied her closely.
“I got delayed,” Luke said. “Get over it.”
“Uh-huh,” the oldest of the group said standing and stretching. “You do know how much we’re paying for this session, don’t you?”
“Sure. Look, you can take the overtime out of my pay, but I had something important come up.”
The older man looked at Candace through narrowed eyes. “Uh-huh.”
“Knock it off, Uncle Bart!”
Candace knew there was something unusual about the way Luke had spoken to the man who was apparently his uncle by the way everyone else reacted to his sharp tone.
“Hey, it’s okay,” one of the women said, quickly rising. “Everything’s okay, here. Nobody’s going to dock anybody’s pay, all right?”
The least threatening of the group, the woman was a couple of inches shorter Candace’s own five-foot-six, with an attractive figure wrapped in a teal blue wool dress. Her otherwise clear, fair complexion was dotted with freckles, and she had pulled her shoulder-length curly auburn hair back into a low pony tail, which was wrapped in a matching teal scrunchie. The woman’s clear blue eyes matched Candace’s own.
“I’m Mel,” she said, coming forward and offering Candace her hand. “I’m married to the one with the guitar. He’s Matt.”
Her smile was open and friendly, and Candace allowed herself to relax a fraction.
“I’m Candace,” she said, accepting the offered hand.
“Geeze! I can’t believe I forgot to ask you your name!” Luke said, clearly disgusted with himself.
Candace found a smile for him. “That’s okay. You were busy.”
“Looks like you got soaked by the rain,” Mel said.
“I’m afraid so. Luke was nice enough to lend me his coat.”
“You should sit over here,” the other woman said, waving to the chair she had just vacated which was sitting in front of some kind of grid. “The heat’s on.
“I’m Addy,” she added shyly. “The guy with the bass is my husband, Mark.”
Candace could only stare at Addy, who was a couple of inches taller than she was. Her complexion was darker, as though she spent a lot of time in the sun, and her sandy-blond hair was styled in an artsy, feathery short cut. It was her eyes that caught, Candace’s attention, though, for they were the same deep gold as those of the men. Candace automatically took the other woman’s hand, but Addy must have felt her trembling, because she released it quickly.
“No one here’s gonna hurt you, Candace,” Addy said, her voice soft and low. “Just take a seat and get warmed up. We have work to do, so relax and enjoy it.”
Candace managed to return the other woman’s smile but was grateful to follow Mel to the other side of the room. The heat felt good, and it was just possible she would stop trembling, if she could only get warm. Then she caught the older man’s piercing gaze and knew it couldn’t be that easy.
* * *
“Okay, then,” Bart said. “Let’s get started.
“Can we assume you at least managed to buy new brushes?” he asked Luke.
“Right here.” Luke smiled at Addy. “I think you’re gonna like the new sound, Addy.”
“I’m sure I will.”
“The short one is John,” Mel told Candace, joining her near the heat vent as the guys picked up their instruments and Uncle Bart entered the recording booth behind them. “And the big one is Uncle Bart.”
Candace wanted to laugh. John was only small in comparison to everyone else, and they were all “big” as far as she was concerned. Still, “Uncle Bart” was broader than the others, and he looked as though he was a good ten years older than the oldest brother, Matt.”
“Don’t worry,” Mel whispered. “Bart’s really not as scary as he looks.”
“I guess I’ll have to take your word for it,” Candace murmured, though it wasn’t really necessary since the boys were beginning to rehearse.
They warmed up with a quick, up-tempo number about a dog named Cecil. The lyric was hilarious, and Candace found herself smiling as she tapped a foot and hummed along. The boys all sang bass or baritone, and they blended beautifully. The brothers had all played and sung together for years—that much was obvious—but Addy seemed to fit right in, playing guitar, too, though she only joined in on the singing for the choruses. Candace wasn’t certain why—the other woman had a beautiful alto voice—then between numbers, Mel solved the mystery for her.
“Addy sings beautifully, but she refuses to sing on-stage with the boys. They’ve talked her into adding her voice when they record, but she won’t sing in public. I’m still trying to convince her—my boss really wants to sign her—but it’s a work in progress.”
Candace nodded her understanding. The studio was a safe place to perform. She herself had always been terrified to sing and dance in front of an audience, so she could relate to Addy’s hesitation.
“All right then,” Bart said over the intercom. “Sounds good boys—and girl. Let’s try out those new brushes, Luke. Give me Addy’s “Love Me Always.”
Candace heard Mel sigh. “She did perform this song live with the band one time—at our wedding,” she said. Her eyes had taken on a dreamy quality. “She made it a wedding present.”
Candace sighed herself as the song began. It was a beautiful love song, slow and dreamy, about a man giving his heart to his woman and asking that she return it to him intact. Addy’s voice was lovely and pure, and one look at Matt and Mark showed both men were singing it to their wives—and always would.
When it was finished, Bart spoke again. “Very nice, Addy darlin’,” he said, and even he sounded affected by the music this time.
But Addy was shaking her head. “I have to fix the key change for the final chorus,” she said. “That final time through needs the female voice on top, but I just can’t hit those notes.”
“I’ll bet Candace can,” Mel said, and Candace suddenly found herself the center of attention.
“I don’t think so,” she stammered.
“You were humming it just fine,” Mel insisted.
“Really,” she added, looking at each of the others in turn.
“Could you?” Addy asked, looking excited.
“Well, I…”
“Come on, darlin’,” Luke said, hopping up from his stool and crossing to take her hand to lead her to the center of the room. “Give it a try. Addy’s dyin’ to hear it the way she wrote it, the way it’s supposed to be.”
“Please?” Addy asked, her voice a plea.
“We can try it that way,” Bart said from the next room, though he sounded doubtful.
His attitude was enough to push Candace over the edge, and she accepted the sheet music Addy was holding out to her.
Singing is one thing I can do, she told herself, whatever he might think.
“Okay, let’s do it this way,” Addy said. “I’ll do the first chorus solo then I want you to sing with me in unison the second time through, then the third time, you move to the top line. Okay?”
Candace nodded. She wished she had had the opportunity to warm up her voice, but she could do this.
The music started again, and Candace felt the tune as strongly as the first time. Singing in unison with Addy was easy—the other woman’s voice was that smooth. By the time they hit the chorus the third time, she was warmed up enough to open up fully, and the six voices blended beautifully, with Candace’s sparkling on top of the chord.
The room was hushed for a long moment following the last ripple of chord then Addy jumped up and hugged Candace to her.
“Yes!” she cried. “That is exactly what I had in mind for that endin’!”
Everyone started talking at once, then Bart’s voice rang out.
“Very nice. Let’s move on. Addy, add Candace in on the next few, wherever you think will work.”
The next thing Candace knew, she was singing as though she had been a part of this band forever. There were times when both she and Addy sat out, but as often as not, Addy pulled her into the center, quickly told her what they needed, and they were off again. By the end of their scheduled time in the studio, Candace was exhausted but happy.
“Well done, boys and girls,” Bart said. “I think we have some cuts that’ll be sure to get Ms. Konstantine’s attention.”
“I know you did,” Mel said, knowing her boss at the Konstantine Talent Agency very well.
The band packed up, and Candace realized she had dropped Luke’s coat along the way. She was finally dry—and even warm—though her clothes looked as though she had slept in them.
“I’m starvin’,” John said on a cheerful note. “Tell me it’s lunch time.”
“Yeah, it is,” Mark said, putting their youngest brother in a head lock.
“We have the van and Mel’s car,” Bart said. “Where are we goin’?”
Candace felt the return of her panic. “I can’t…”
“Sure you can,” Matt said, putting one arm around her and one around his wife.
“Lunch is on me,” Bart said, giving her a wink.
“But…”
“Why don’t I take Addy and Candace home,” Mel suggested, picking up on Candace’s discomfort. “Candace will want a shower after her drenching this morning, and I can eat lunch there before I head back to work.”
“You’re sure?” Matt asked.
“I’m sure.”
Candace met Mel’s understanding gaze and felt tears threaten. These were very nice people, and she was certain they wouldn’t want anything to do with her, if they knew the truth about her, but she really didn’t have any choice but to go with them. She knew the Manager would have men combing the city, looking for her, and she couldn’t bear the thought of going back to that place.
“Okay, darlin’,” Matt said, kissing Mel soundly on the lips.
“I’ll put stew on for supper,” Addy said, “so you all get your business done then come on home.”
“Will do, darlin’,” Mark said, kissing her.
“Man, I got to get me one of those,” John said to his uncle with a grin.
Bart laughed. “Come on, boy. Let’s get Luke packed up so we can get some lunch to carry us through meetin’ with Ms. Konstantine.”
“Wait in my office, Bart, if you beat me there!” Mel said, taking Candace’s hand and heading for the door. “Do not—I repeat, do not—approach Kitty Konstantine, until I get there!”
“Yeah, yeah…”
Mel laughed, and Candace had a feeling that Mel was the mama bear in this odd clan. It remained to be seen just how protective she would be of her cubs when she learned the truth about Candace.
* * *
Supper was lively, with the eight of them crowded around Addy and Mark’s dining room table. Candace had been told they often ate at home together, and it was usually at Addy and Mark’s apartment, because theirs was the biggest of the three apartments in the big Victorian house turned apartment building. Mel and Matt lived on the top floor, where Mel had lived since before she’d met them. The family had bought the entire house from the owner just before Addy and Mark had married. The two younger brothers and their uncle lived downstairs.
Talk around the table mostly had to do with Bart’s negotiating with Mel’s boss, the head of the Konstantine Talent Agency. Apparently, Kitty Konstantine had been less than thrilled with the idea of Addy recording with the Saint brothers but not performing live with them on stage. Bart had out-negotiated her, and Addy had a new contract for her music and her singing. The entire family was delighted.
Candace heard only half of what was said, because she was still somewhat groggy from her long afternoon nap. Addy had fed both Mel and Candace lunch, then when Mel went back to work, Addy had tucked Candace into the daybed in the second bedroom, which acted as both an office and a guest room. Candace had fallen asleep quickly, listening to the lovely sounds of Addy’s guitar as she worked on a new song out in the living room. She had slept soundly for a solid five hours, waking only when the rumble of deep male voices had penetrated her sleep. In spite of missing dinner the night before and breakfast this morning, she had eaten little at lunch and even less this evening. She was too nervous to eat, knowing how these kind people were likely to respond when they learned about where she had come from.
When at last everyone had finished their last bite of peach cobbler—Addy had been busy with more than music all afternoon—Bart sat back in his chair and looked directly at Candace.
“A fine supper, Addy. I thank you. Now, I think it’s time we figure out what to do about Candace’s little problem.”
“I think I should go,” she said, pushing her chair back from the table.
“Sit still, girl,” Bart said with a soft growl. “No one here’s gonna hurt you, but we need to figure out what’s goin’ on. Luke told us his part of the story this afternoon; now it’s your turn.”
Addy reached out to lay a gentle hand on Candace’s arm. “Let’s move this into the livin’ room,” she said. “We can clean the table up later.”
Candace wanted to bolt from the room, but Addy took her hand firmly in hers and led her to the couch.
“What have I missed?” Mel asked, as they all settled themselves around the room.
Mel flanked Candace on her other side on the couch, the three women making a united front against the formidable-looking Saint men. Bart, Matt, and Mark took chairs. John pulled up a kitchen stool, but Luke remained standing.
“Luke?” Bart said.
He took a deep breath, gave Candace an apologetic smile.
“Well, I was headed to Burton and Son Music this mornin’, knowin’ they open early, so I could get those new brushes I wanted. I was walking along Twelfth, and I heard a scream. It was still pretty dark, on account of it being so cloudy, but I figured where it was comin’ from. By the time I got to the head of the alley, I heard another scream, and I went in.”
Luke took another deep breath and made eye contact with Mel, who was the only one of them from the city.
“There were two men—big, mean ones—and they had a hold of a woman. One of ’em was holding her arms behind her—I found out later he’d put handcuffs on her—and the other was bringing back his fist to hit her again. I saw red, and…well, you can guess what happened next.”
“You Shifted,” Mel said softly.
“I had to!” Luke snapped. “Those bastards were gonna hurt her real bad, and I had to stop ’em!”
“Of course you did.” Mel smiled then stood and went to him. She hugged him tightly then reached up to pull his face to her so she could kiss him, once on each cheek. Then she turned to the others.
“You know he had to do it. Any one of you would have. You all did for me, once.”
Bart sighed deeply. “I’m not arguin’ with you, darlin’. Of course he had to. But now we gotta figure out what’s next.”
He looked at Candace, then, and she frantically looked from face to face, completely in the dark.
“I don’t understand,” she said.
“You don’t remember what happened?” Mel asked, sitting on the arm of her husband’s chair.
“I couldn’t see much,” Candace said. “It was all shadows, and those men had me. I’d fallen asleep when they found me.”
She stopped, thinking hard. “There was a roar of some kind. Then one of the men was pulled away from me. The other threw me down and turned to face whoever was there, then he, too, went down. I heard a shot…”
“One of them had a gun?” Bart said. “Dagnabbit, Luke! You didn’t tell us they had a gun!”
“It was no big deal, Uncle Bart,” Luke said. “They only got off one shot, and they missed by a mile.”
Luke looked at Candace, and she had the distinct impression he wanted her to distract the others.
“I could only see this big, dark shadow,” she said quickly, drawing their attention back to her. “I was trying to hide, but my hands were cuffed behind my back, and…”
She was suddenly shaking, her mind back in that dark alley, the sounds of a ferocious fight ringing in her ears.
“It’s okay, Candace,” Addy said, speaking softly and wrapping one arm around her. “You’re safe, now.”
Candace looked up to see Luke watching her closely. “Then you were there,” she whispered. “I couldn’t help myself up, because of my hands, and when you saw, you cursed then went to search the man’s pockets. You found the key, got the cuffs off me, and threw them all the way down the street. Then you helped me up, gave me your coat, and took me with you to the music store.”
“Well, that’s pretty much what Luke told us,” Bart said after long moment. “The question is, who were those men, and what the hell did they want with you?”
Candace shook her head. “I can’t tell you,” she said, close to tears.
“Why not?” Bart snapped.
“Uncle Bart…” Luke began.
“You had to Shift, boy!” Bart said, “Right there in the middle of a city street. You could’ve been seen by anybody!”
“It was barely dawn. No one saw me. Even Candace. Right Candace?”
“Those men saw you!” Bart said. “Did you even check to see if they were still alive, after?”
“One was breathing hard, and the other was moaning,” Luke said. “I figure they found their way out of that alley. And they must’ve done, ’cause Candace saw a car she knew from inside the store. Isn’t that right?”
Candace nodded. “I’d seen it circle the block two or three times the night before. That’s why I was hiding in that alley in the first place.”
“There you go,” Luke said. “She saw that car again, so I asked the guy at the store to let us out the back door.”
“Did you tell him why?” Mark asked.
“I only said this car had been followin’ us. He recognized me from that gig we did at the Full Moon, so he figured it was a pushy fan givin’ me a hard time.
“Anyway, my point is, it’s not like those guys who attacked Candace can tell anybody what they saw. They were tryin’ to kidnap a woman, for Pete’s sake!”
Candace shook her head. “See what? I don’t understand.”
“You didn’t see what Luke became?” Matt asked.
Candace shook her head.
She looked at Luke again, and he shrugged.
“She should know,” Mel said. She went back to sit beside Candace and took her hand in both of hers.
“Might as well, now,” Bart said. He sounded more resigned than anything else.
“They’re Shifters,” Mel explained. “All of the Saints. Addy, too, though she’s different.”
“Shifters?” Candace asked. She had never even heard the term.
“You’d better show her, Luke,” Mark said. “Better that she find out now, while we’re all together.”
Candace stared at Luke, as though pleading for an explanation, but rather than giving her one, he only smiled. Then she couldn’t see him clearly anymore. He got blurry and then fuzzy, and then he suddenly wasn’t there at all. Instead there was a giant bear, up on his hind legs, his deep gold eyes watching her intently, though she could have sworn the beast was smiling.
“Dear God…”
She looked around the room, and everyone else seemed to be taking this “Shift” in stride. At least until Addy jumped up.
“Watch your head, Luke! Don’t break the light fixture!”
Then, much to Candace’s surprise, the bear dropped to all fours and came to her. He rested his muzzle on her lap. Candace reached a trembling hand out and touched his furry face.
“All the boys like to be scratched behind the ears when they shift,” Mel said with a smile in her voice, as she reached out to do just that.
“Oh. Okay.”
She mimicked Mel’s motion on the bear’s other ear, and soon the bear was grunting his pleasure.
Everyone laughed, then suddenly the bear was gone, and Luke knelt before her.
Candace took a very deep breath. “I…I didn’t know anybody could do that.”
She looked at first Mel than Addy.
“All of you except Mel have golden eyes.”
“That’s true,” Addy said. “That’s how you can tell a Shifter.”
“I think I should be scared or something, but for some reason, I’m not. I don’t know what to say,”
“Maybe you should start by telling us why you were in that alley in need of rescuin’,” Bart said, his voice now gentle, as though he had changed his mind about her, because she wasn’t scared of them.
Candace looked up and felt tears threaten.
“You won’t believe me. Or you’ll want nothing to do with me, if you do.”
“Try us,” Luke said. “You already know our big secret, and we can’t help you—we can’t protect you—if we don’t know yours.”
Candace took another deep breath. “All right. Okay. I’ll tell you.”
And she did.
* * *
“This is nuts,” Candace said for the umpteenth time. “You can’t possibly want to do this!”
“It’s too late now, darlin’,” Luke said, but he had a grin on his face.
“We all agreed this was the only way to protect you,” Bart said, satisfaction in his voice.
Bart was driving the family SUV, and all of them were along for the ride. They were on their way to the Opryland Hotel after a visit to the Davidson County Clerk’s Office, where Luke and Candace had been married. It had taken some extra cash to a friend of a friend of an acquaintance, but they had managed to fudge official looking identification documents for Candace, who had no way of proving who she was, since she’d never officially even been born, but after Candace had told them everything the night before, not only had her new family insisted she stay with them, Luke had insisted she marry him.
“This Manager guy wants you for one thing and one thing only, Candace. If you’re married to me, you won’t be what he wants anymore.”
“He’ll still want me. He’ll want to hurt me for running away. He’ll want to kill you for helping me.” She was that certain of the man’s power.
“He can try,” Matt had said. “But if he does, he’s gonna have more to worry about than a police raid on his whorehouse.’”
It was unanimous in the Saint clan. For some completely inexplicable reason, they all wanted her. Luke wanted her for his wife. His brothers and sisters-in-law wanted her for a sister, and Bart had wanted her for Luke. They’d been willing to break—no “bend” the law, as John had put it—in order to see her legally protected from the bad guys. It made her cry just to think about it.
“Hey, it’s not all altruistic from our side,” Mel had said, a laugh in her voice. “After all, Addy’s songs need a soprano, and you’re perfect for them.”
They had all laughed at that, but Candace knew there was more to it than that. She had seen the looks on their faces the night before. They had been incensed, ready to leave right there and then to go rip apart the House in which she had been born and kept prisoner all her life. She’d almost—almost—told them exactly where it was, but something had stopped her. These were good people, but Shifters or not, they couldn’t stop bullets, and she knew the Manager had an entire private police force of his own.
She had finally agreed, however reluctantly, to this crazy plan. She simply had no place else to go, and frankly, she’d envied Mel and Addy their husbands, and found herself drawn to Luke in a way she’d never even imagined. In the very short time since he’d found her in that dank alley, he had become the center of her life. It didn’t make sense. People didn’t fall in love at first sight, not in the real world. But there was just something about this man with whom she had just spoken her marriage vows.
Luke was right about one thing. She wouldn’t be an “untouched” debutante after tonight, and the Manager would be furious that his plans had been thwarted. The only question that remained was whether these five men—and one woman—who could become a band of wild animals with claws as sharp as knives could teach the Manager enough of a lesson that he would give up ownership of his prize. She had her doubts but could not argue with these people, this new family, because she wanted what they offered just too much.
They pulled into the wide, circular drive at the front entrance of the hotel and got out. Bart handed the keys to a valet, and they entered the grand lobby with its lighted dome of stained glass. Luke paused at the front desk to check in then sent their luggage up to their room with a bellhop, so they could all go into the Atrium, where they had reservations for dinner at the Old Hickory Steakhouse. The Atrium was magical at night, with its sparkling lights and cascading waterfalls. Candace was entranced by everything, and she clung to Luke’s hand almost afraid he would vanish in this fantasy world, leaving her left with nothing but the remnants of a dream.
Dinner was as promised—memorable—and the after dinner liquors exactly what she needed to relax.
“Well, here’s to the newest Saint,” Bart said, lifting his glass. “Welcome to the family, Candace Saint.”
Candace had to swallow tears before she could speak. “I don’t know how to thank all of you,” she began.
“I do,” Luke said, giving her hand a squeeze.
She blushed crimson and everyone laughed.
“Get a room, bro,” John said. “Oh, wait! You’ve got one!”
More laughter helped to settle Candace’s nerves.
“And don’t you worry about tomorrow,” Matt said. “Enjoy your nights, here, and we’ll be back to pick you up whenever Luke calls us.”
“We’ll do a little rearranging at home,” Bart said. “I’m gonna call the realtor tomorrow and ask him about that other house.”
“What house?” Candace asked.
“There’s a two-story house right across the alley from us that Uncle Bart’s thinkin’ about buyin’,” Mark said. “We’re thinkin’ about flippin’ it, maybe turnin’ it into two apartments. That way he and John can move in there, while we’re fixin’ it up, and you and Luke can have the first floor in the big house.”
“If it’s still for sale—and the sign was still up this evenin’ when we drove by—then we can buy it this week, and by the time you and Luke get home, John and I can be moved across the alley.”
“And on that note,” Mel said, taking Matt’s hand, “I think we should all get out of here, so these two can start enjoying their honeymoon.”
“Right!” Bart said, emptying his glass. “How about it, boys and girls?”
They separated in the lobby after Candace was hugged and kissed by everyone in the family
“Don’t worry” Mel whispered in her ear. “They don’t shift in the bedroom.
Candace felt herself blush crimson. Mel laughed and sent her husband a telling look, which made it clear to Candace that hers wouldn’t be the only “honeymoon” this night. She swallowed hard, and allowed Luke to take her hand. At least tonight would be her choice, her decision. And she trusted Luke like no one else she had ever known.
* * *
Their room was awe-inspiring, the bed the biggest she had ever seen. Then she glanced at her new husband and was reminded of just how big he was. Beyond the bed was a glass door leading to a small terrace that overlooked the atrium at the center of this incredible palace of a hotel. She stepped outside and leaned on the railing, her eyes roaming over the sparkling lights below.
“We can take a stroll through there tomorrow,” Luke said, coming up behind her.
She understood. This was a grand hotel, but Luke didn’t want to chance taking her anywhere in the shadows, in case the Manager or his minions might be watching. She was okay with that, though she wondered how she could spend the rest of her life in hiding without leaving Nashville altogether.
Luke laid his hands on her shoulders, and she straightened to lean back against him. When he wrapped his arms around her, she hugged them to her.
“It’s so beautiful,” she said. “Like a fairyland.”
“Under all those lights and glitter, it’s really nothin’ but a fancy, overpriced mall, you know.”
Candace laughed and smacked him lightly on the arm, like she knew he expected. “Spoil sport.”
Luke chuckled and nuzzled her neck.
“You know, we do have somethin’ better to do tonight.”
Candace sighed. “I know.”
She pulled away from him and returned to their room. Luke closed the class doors and the curtains behind him.
“If you’re not ready, I understand.” He voice was soft, gentle.
Candace glanced back at him and knew she’d never know another man more honorable than he. She shook her head.
“I think I’ve been waiting for this moment—for you—my whole life.”
His smile warmed his golden eyes. “I know I’ve been waitin’ for you, darlin’.
She took a deep breath and considered, not wanting to break the spell but needing him to understand.
“I know how it’s supposed to work. I’ve lived surrounded by sex my entire life. I’ve had men stare at me, and I know they wanted me in that way. I had to sing and dance for them, while pretending they weren’t there. It was easier, when I was a little girl, because I didn’t know what was under the glitter, the fancy dresses, the handsome men, the beautiful women. I was thirteen before the Manager let some of the…women…tell me things, things about what went on behind closed doors, what I could expect as I got older. I’m not sure I believed them. Maybe I just didn’t want to believe them, because I knew that life—their life—was not for me. Mama said so. The Manager said so. They both continued to tell me so—until two days ago.”
She ran her hands through her hair releasing it from the pins that held it in place and shaking it out. She set the pins carefully on the dresser then turned to face him.
“I have knowledge of what goes on between a man and a woman, Luke, but I don’t have a clue what you want me to do.”
He crossed to her and enfolded her in his arms.
“What I want you to do is forget all that,” he told her as he rocked her gently. “All that stuff those women taught you, that’s not what this is about, what we’re about.”
Candace pulled back and studied his face closely in the dim light.
“Are you saying you don’t want me in that way?” she asked in surprise.
He shook his head. “I’m sayin’ this isn’t about ‘sex’, darlin’. Or at least it’s not only about sex. I’m not gonna just have sex with you. I’m gonna make love with you. Now maybe those women didn’t know the difference. Maybe your mama didn’t know the difference. But tonight I need you to know the difference.
She shook her head, incredulous. “How can you love me after only two days?”
Luke smiled and brushed the hair back from her face. “There’re all kinds of love, darlin’,” he said. “There’s what we already have for each other, based on courage and mutual respect. There’s what we’re gonna feel come mornin’, when we wake up makin’ love together in that big bed. Then there’s what we’re gonna feel for each other when we’re both old and gray and watchin’ our grandkids play.”
Candace felt tears threaten and reached up to take his face between her soft palms. “Courage and mutual respect is a good place to start,” she whispered.
She pulled his face to her then, and their lips met.
The contact was charged and in no time they were struggling with the fastenings on their clothing. She pushed the suit jacket off his shoulders, he drug her soft sweater up and over her head. Even as they continued the dance, Candace felt her belly clench in anticipation, wanting him inside of her, needing to surround him. Maybe this wouldn’t last. Maybe it couldn’t last. But if it didn’t, it wouldn’t be because of either of them. There might be outside forces that pulled them apart, but she now knew those forces would have a fight on their hands.
In another moment, they were completely naked and tossing pillows to the floor as they rolled around on the huge bed. Luke was laughing, but Candace could only marvel at his physique. Tall, yes, but his body was a miracle of smooth skin over hard muscles that contracted wherever she touched him. His chest was covered with a delicious, dark-brown fur that was incredibly soft and silky under her lips and tongue.
“Ah, darlin’,” he moaned, when she found his nipples with her mouth, “It’s gonna be over too soon, iffen you keep that up.”
She sat up on him, her thighs straddling his. “You don’t like that?”
He grinned helplessly. “What I like doesn’t have anythin’ to do with it, darlin’.
Her smile blossomed, and she shifted, sending a jolt through both of them as her secret place rubbed against that one part of him that was hardest and hottest of all. She took him into her hands then, wanting to know all of him.
“They showed me pictures,” she whispered as her fingers explored him, “but I never knew how it would feel…”
Luke laughed and lifted her off him, tossing her aside then coming down on top of her. She clenched, suddenly afraid, certain that it couldn’t possibly fit inside of her, and the pain many of the women spoke of would ruin this for her.
Luke seemed to feel her withdrawal, because he settled on his elbows and began to kiss her again.
“It’s gonna work, darlin’,” he said as though reading her mind. “I promise.”
His lips trailed over her face and down her neck. When they reached her breasts, she dug her fingers into the bedding, and arching her back, she begged him for more. He gave it to her, but only for a moment before moving on down her body, pausing along the way long enough to nip her ribs and belly with his teeth.
Mad with wanting, she opened her legs wide in invitation, and she felt him touch her there. She gasped as his fingers found her, and wetness gushed.
“Luke!”
“I have you, darlin’,” he said, his voice a husky growl. She felt his big hands lifting her hips off the bed
“Please!”
“We’ll get there,” he promised. “Just wait. But this is your first time, and I gotta make it right for you.”
“No! Please! Don’t wait! I can’t stand it if you wait!”
“Sure you can,” he said on a chuckle, his lips roaming farther.
But when she screamed, he came up over her again, and that part of him that had made her afraid was coming inside her. Her inner muscles clenched around him, and suddenly there was only Luke as they cried out and tumbled over the edge together.
* * *
The recording session had gone particularly well, today, and Candace thought she might begin to float she was so happy, as she helped Luke pack up his drums. His brothers and uncle were loading the rest of the gear into the van while Mel and Addy sorted the music and filed it safely away. In a few minutes they would be heading out for dinner then going home again.
Home, she thought with a smile. Uncle Bart had bought the second house, so she and Luke now had the first floor of the first house to themselves. In the past three weeks they had made love in every room, and she found herself blushing at odd times, remembering the pleasure. That was the one thing her mother and the other women had never mentioned, and she wondered if any of them had ever known pleasure with a man.
Candace found her eyes roaming to her husband, enjoying the ripple of his muscles under his snug t-shirt as he loaded the vehicle.
“Never gets old, does it” Mel whispered in her ear.
Candace started then blushed when she looked up to see both Mel and Addy watching her, their grins telling her they knew just what she’d been thinking about. She started to speak, then froze in terror when she heard a familiar voice
“You really thought you’d get away from me, didn’t you?”
Candace turned to face the one man in the entire world she had prayed day and night she would never have to meet again.
The Manager hadn’t changed. Even in the bright lights of the studio, he was all darkness, from his ebony skin to his black-pinstriped suit, to his black shirt and tie. The four men at his back—two black and two white—were dressed in much the same way, though she knew their clothing would not be as finely cut.
“Candace, Mel, Addy,” Luke said. “Come over this way.”
All three women began to comply, but the Manager pulled a gun and pointed it at Luke.
“I don’t think so. I’ve just come for what’s mine,” he said in an amazingly smooth voice. Candace knew under that smoothness there seethed a bubbling caldron of fury—all of it directed at her.
“There’s nothin’ here that’s yours,” Luke said, sounding remarkably calm for someone with a gun pointed at him.
“Don’t bet your life on it,” the Manager said, letting just a hint of the heat show. “I spent a lot of time and money on this particular whore, and she belongs to me. I’m just here to take back what’s mine.”
Candace forced herself to take one step toward him. “Don’t hurt anybody,” she said. “Please.”
The Manager’s eyes flickered only briefly to her, before he ignored her.
“Saul, Johnny. Get her.”
Two of his minions began to move toward Candace. They ignored the other women which was their mistake. Suddenly a scream rent the air, and Candace turned just in time to see a mountain lion leap for one of the men. The Manager turned in surprise, raised his gun, and fired, but his shot went wide, and before he could make an adjustment, he was flattened under the charge of a vicious bear. Only seconds passed, and before the other men could get to their own weapons, the room was suddenly filled with bears, who were taking down the bad men like a farmer harvests his grain.
Once every last one of them was down, the Saint men Shifted back so they could disarm each of them. They conveniently found handcuffs on the four minions, which the brothers used to subdue them. Luke picked up the manager’s gun and pressed it to the man’s forehead.
“Don’t shoot him, Luke!” Candace cried. “Please!”
Luke controlled himself, but just barely.
“What the hell is going on in here?”
The studio manager, hearing the commotion, came bursting into the room.
“Call 911,” Bart said. “These clowns tried to kidnap our women.”
* * *
Candace lay in her husband’s arms late that night, and tried to sleep. He had loved her slowly and carefully, trying to set her mind at ease, but she still couldn’t turn off the images of the day’s fiasco at the studio.
At least it’s finally over, she reminded herself for the umpteenth time. I suppose I should worry about what’s going to happen to my mother, but I just can’t.
“Hey, you still awake?” Luke asked in a sleepy voice.
She nodded. “I can’t help it.”
Luke shifted, letting her down carefully so he could lean over her.
“It really is over,” he reminded her. “The cops believed everything we told them, because they wanted to. The so-called “Manager” has been on their radar for a long time, and you gave them what they needed to bring the guy’s whole empire down. They owe you, and they know it. That lieutenant who showed up promised to keep you out of it, so you’ll never have to testify. It really is over, darlin’.”
She shook her head. “I know. It’s just that I can’t get the picture of him pointing his gun at you out of my mind.” She reached up to play with the silky fur on his chest with trembling fingers. “If Addy hadn’t…” She broke off, still finding it hard to believe what her new friend had done.
Luke grinned, though. “Addy was sure somethin’, wasn’t she?”
Candace had to smile, too. “Yes. Yes, she was.”
He grasped her roving hand in his and held it to his lips.
“We’re all right, then, aren’t we?”
She searched his eyes in the dim light and reached her other hand up to cup his face.
“I think I love you, Luke Saint,” she whispered, surprising herself at the depth of the feelings she already had for this man whom she hadn’t even known a month.
He took a deep breath. “I’m glad to hear it, darlin’, ’cause I love you, too.”
“Do you?”
He nodded. “Do I need to show you some more?” he asked.
She shook her head. “You don’t need to do anything. Of course, if you want to...”
Luke sighed with satisfaction. “I’ll be happy to do just that, darlin’—for the rest of my life.”
He settled over her, and she opened to him, cradling him between her thighs as he entered her slowly but inexorably. Then he was moving inside of her once more, and all her cares went the way of all bad dreams at the break of day.