Chapter Five
DECLAN COULDN’T KEEP his eyes off Jane as she leaned against a wall in the ballroom during rehearsals. She’d shown up about an hour ago and propped her long body against the wall and kept a watchful eye on him. Was it wrong to feel safe and horny all at the same time?
The band was working on turning some of their songs into a Blues version for the charity show they were doing. It had been going well and it was interesting hearing their songs re-imagined as the Blues. If he wasn’t under the watchful eye of bodyguards waiting for a crazed killer to leap out of a closet, he’d be having a good time. Well that’s not exactly true. He was having a great time with Jane. The last three days passed so quickly he’d almost lost track of time.
Even eighty seven year old blues great, Hawkman Turner was checking Jane out. It was hard not to in her skin tight black leather pants and thigh high boots. She was wearing this blouse that she had buttoned so low you could see her bra and cleavage. The lace of the bra barely covered her nipples and he couldn’t help but wonder what they were like. Those tank tops and boy shorts she wore to bed every night really turned him on. They had his hand working overtime in the shower. Which he found very strange because he usually liked his woman a bit more seductively clad. Jane could throw on the sexy like she was born to it, but she was a jeans, t-shirt, and combat boots girl. Tomboyish actually except for the long brown hair. But damn was it hot. He liked it much better than her rock star girlfriend clothes.
A hearty chuckle brought him out of his ogling of Jane. Declan turned to see Hawkman grinning at him.
A sly grin revealed even white teeth against dark teak colored skin. “Now that is a pretty girl.”
“She is.”
Hawkman’s dark eyes sparkled with appreciation. “She yours?”
Eventually he thought. “Yeah.”
“Why the hell you here?”
“I have no idea.” Declan held up his hands.
“If I had something that pretty I might never leave my house.”
Not a bad idea. “I gotta work to keep her.”
Hawkman laughed. “Making a woman happy is a labor of love. If Charlotte wasn’t cooking I’d leave so you could get to business with her.”
Declan grinned. “I am sitting with a living legend. I can wait.”
He laughed. “I’m gonna give you some advice.”
“What’s that?”
He slapped the curve of his guitar. “No matter how sweet the music is, or how the crowd loves you, it don’t compare to coming home to your woman.”
Declan snorted. “You’re kidding?”
The old man shook his head. “Nope.”
Hawkman had been on the road since before pavement had been laid. How could he not love it more than anything. “But you’ve been doing it since you were a kid?”
“Left my daddy’s farm when I was fourteen.”
“Seventy some years?”
Hawkman winked at him. “In my young years I had a girl in every city, lived out of a suitcase, and didn’t think about nothin’ past my next gig, but it got old.”
Declan loved the rock star lifestyle, the travel, the audiences, the adulation, there had never been anything except acting that equaled that, but then he loved playing make believe. When he was in costume, or dancing he was another person, who for a while, got to forget about his shitty home life. “It hasn’t gotten old for me yet.”
“When you find the woman to come home to it will.”
He didn’t know much about the man’s personal life, but some of the stories he had told about touring with some of rock’s and blues greats were fascinating. “You found the woman?”
“Etta June Livingston. We been married almost sixty years now.”
“You still tour constantly.”
He patted his stomach. “Man gotta eat, I just like coming home. I enjoy my wife’s cookin’, I like sitting on the porch rocking grandbabies, tending my farm, and walking my dogs. I figured out the secret to happiness.”
This he had to hear. “What’s the secret?”
“Man needs four things to be happy.” He held up four fingers.
Four things? Shit Declan owned one of almost everything and it didn’t make him happy. Performing made him happy. “Only four?”
“Don’t be greedy son.”
“My bad.”
He held up one finger. “A job he loves. Don’t care if you digging ditches or playing the blues, you got to love what you do.”
Check Declan thought.
“Need to have a family that loves you.”
Declan frowned. Well he was fucked.
“They ain’t got to be blood. You don’t talk about it but you boys love each other, you like brothers. Ms. Jocelyn thinks of all you as her babies and she treat you the same way. You got a family boy.”
“I will give you that one. What’s number three?”
He reached over and stroke his dog’s head. “A good dog.”
Declan looked at the reddish floppy eared dog at the man’s feet. Maybe he should think about getting a dog. It’s not like a dog can’t tour with them. He did like dogs, he just never had the time for one. Or maybe he didn’t want to make the time for one. “I’m assuming the last thing is the most important.”
“You would be correct.”
Declan leaned back in the chair. “What’s the most important thing a man needs to be happy?”
Hawkman inclined his head toward Jane. “A big healthy girl to keep him warm at night.”
He looked over at Jane and she stopped scanning the room and their eyes met. Her chest rose and a bolt of heat shot right down to his crotch and he thought for second he was going to come on the spot. She bit her bottom lip and continued to stare at him and his heart raced. Yeah she was a big healthy girl who could melt a glacier, she was so hot. Was he thinking about this? No he was Declan Shaw he wasn’t meant to be domesticated. There wasn’t a woman born that could make him give up his freedom. But Jane was so beautiful, even in that stupid wig and trampy clothes. God he wanted her. The need went all the way down to his bones, sometimes he couldn’t even think straight. He heard the old man laughing and turned his eyes to him.
The old man gave a loud chuckle.
“What?”
“We need to get you a dog.”
“I’m not … Jane and I are …” Shut the fuck up man.
“After the concert, you come down to my farm and we gonna find you a good dog and get you started on the path to happiness.”
“I know about as much about dogs as I do about digging ditches.”
“You’ll learn. That’s what men do.”
He couldn’t learn, he was broken. The only thing that gave him happiness was his art. He lived to perform, it gave him a purpose. He knew it couldn’t last forever, but he was going to wring every second out of it he could. He wasn’t ever going to be a family man. For all he knew he would end up being just like his bastard of a father. Hell no he wasn’t passing that shit on. Whatever crazy lurked inside him was ending with him. Fuck happy. Some people weren’t meant to be happy.
DAY THREE OF MY CAPTIVITY, she thought and I have not killed Declan Shaw. She was proud of her restraint. Although she wasn’t sure if she hadn’t killed him because she was a good person or hadn’t come up with an escape plan. He was still breathing which was good. He was staring at her, undressing her with his eyes and it pissed her off that she was enjoying it. Their little game was taking some interesting turns. He flirted with her and she threatened him with bodily harm. Occasionally she’d throw some overtly sexual gesture into the mix just to keep him on his toes.
“Hey Bodi.”
“What’s up Hoss?”
The tall black man leaned against the wall next to her. “Ms. Lambert asked to see you in the kitchen.”
“I’m working.”
He chuckled. “I got this. I think she wants some girl time with you.”
Oh fuck.
“If I’m not back in ten minutes you round up the troops and come in hot.” She figured the inquisition would come, but she’d hoped she could avoid it. She hurried to the kitchen to get this over and get back to her purpose for being here other than drooling over Declan Shaw.
Jane entered the big kitchen. She was amazed that the room had such a modern feel compared to the rest of the house’s period furniture. Charlotte and Jocelyn were sitting at the breakfast nook with smiles on their faces. Jane knew that look. She’d seen it on the popular girls in high school back in the day. Not that she thought either one of these women were mean girls. Dark haired Charlotte was too nice and the redhead Jocelyn was the tough girl, no one gave her shit. They were here to make sure she was taking care of Declan and keeping the band safe. She could play this game.
Charlotte pointed to a chair next to her. “Jane have a seat.”
She walked over to the table and sat down flanked by both the women. “What can I do for you?”
Jocelyn slid a cup of coffee over. “One sugar right?”
This one was observant. “Thank you.”
Charlotte leaned forward. “How are things going?”
“Quiet.”
“How long have you been a body guard?” Jocelyn stirred her coffee.
“On and off for the last five years.”
“It must be exciting.” Charlotte put her hand under her chin
Jane shook her head. “Most of the time I stand around watching.”
Jocelyn trained her dark gaze on her. “What else do you do?”
“I’m a bail enforcement agent and a courier. I work for Mick when he needs a girl.”
Charlotte perked right up. “A bounty hunter?”
“Yes.”
“How did you get into that?” She asked.
Jane shrugged. “After I retired from the Army, I wanted something that paid well and let me use the training.”
Charlotte smiled. “The other bodyguards speak highly of you.”
She liked working with the guys too. It reminded her of her time in the military. “Most of us served together in the Middle East.”
Jocelyn took a sip of her coffee. “How long were you there?”
“Five years.”
Charlotte looked surprised. “I didn’t know they could keep you there for that long? What did you do?”
“I was primarily an interpreter.” That’s what she could talk about.
“You speak Arabic?”
“Farsi, Pashto, Dari, French, and a few others.”
“You said primarily what else did you do?”
That Jocelyn was a quick one. “Things I can’t talk about.”
They both leaned forward. “We won’t tell anyone.” They both said together.
“If I tell you, I’d have …”
Charlotte giggled. “This is so exciting.”
Jane thought Charlotte sounded like she was her girlfriend not the hired help. “You have a funny idea of excitement.”
“How are things going with Declan?” Jocelyn asked.
She shrugged. “Fine, but I can’t go into any of the details.”
Jocelyn rolled her eyes. “We know about the case, you know Declan tells Malcolm everything, who talks to Gavin and Gavin can’t keep a secret to save his life.”
So she figured. “I see.”
Charlotte stirred her coffee. “How are things with you and Declan? You look like you have things well in hand.”
She smiled. She figured they weren’t being nosey for nosey sake, they cared about Declan. Even though she hadn’t had an in-depth conversation with either one of them she’d observed how they interacted with Declan and he respected both women. They could be allies. Wrangling the rock star love god was a job she’d need all the help she could get. “I may look calm, but in my head I’ve punched him three times.”
There was a moment of silence then both women burst out laughing.
Jocelyn slapped the table. “That’s my Declan.”
“How long have you known him?”
“Since he was a kid.”
“That’s right you were the nanny.”
Jocelyn sighed. “Those kids were my boot camp.”
“I hear Gavin was a troublemaker back in the day.”
Jocelyn nodded. “Not much has changed.”
Gavin was a darling, he looked at her as if she was a superhero and a love goddess all rolled into one. “He’s sweet.”
Jocelyn sighed. “With a big boner for you.”
Not surprised, Jane had seen the way he stared at her and she was flattered but unaffected. Now the way Declan stared at her got her juices flowing. “It happens.”
Jocelyn shook her head and pointed at her and then Charlotte. “You two are the first women I’ve met who didn’t get all gaga over my baby boy.”
Charlotte giggled as if she had some kind of secret. “He’s delightful, but I have Travis and Jane has Declan.”
“You do know the rock star girlfriend is an act right?”
Charlotte gave a unladylike snort. “We enjoy watching you two.”
Yeah they were giving a great show. “He’s a good actor.”
“As are you.” She added.
This conversation was making her antsy. She liked them, but she couldn’t afford to get all girl friendly. This was a job and as soon as it ended she was out of here. “Hopefully this will bring out his stalker quicker and we can get this wrapped up.”
Jocelyn fanned herself. “Because all the testosterone backing up in this house is ready to ignite.”
Jane couldn’t deny that. “I’ve picked up on the tension.”
Jocelyn raised her hands in the air. “Boys are ready to go nuclear.”
“What can we do to help?” Charlotte asked.
Jane blow out a long breath. “The stalker is in control right now, she has to make a move. My being here will hopefully force her hand. What you can do is keep an eye out for anything strange. It’s not uncommon for stalkers to tag the people around their victim.”
Jocelyn steepled her hands in front of her face. “Jane make me a promise.”
“If I can.”
For a second the ‘I’m totally in control’ mask slipped on her face. “Don’t let anything happen to him. The asshole act is just that. He has a lot of crazy baggage.”
Charlotte nodded. “Out of all of them he is the most damaged.”
Jane held up a hand. “I’m not his shrink, I’m his bodyguard. I won’t let anything happen to him, but I’m not his friend.”
“I understand, but he is very special to me.”
Jane got how Charlotte operated. She made you want to help her because she was nice. Jane liked her, it was hard not to. Jocelyn was so protective of her boys she respected that. They wanted her to be part of their Scooby gang. “Ms. Lambert and Ms. Murray, Mick’s team is very good at what they do. As long as Declan follows the rules and takes this seriously, we should have a positive outcome.”
“Please call me Charlotte.”
“Jocelyn please.”
“Okay.”
Jocelyn sighed. “As for Declan following the rules, that might be a problem.”
She smiled. “I figured that one out.”
Joselyn tapped her fingers on the table top. “You’ll be able to work around that?”
Jane nodded. “I will.”
Charlotte leaned back in her chair. “We don’t want you to think we were ganging up on you.”
“The thought never crossed my mind.”
Jocelyn rolled her eyes. “Not that we’d have a hope in hell.”
“I wasn’t going there.”
Charlotte reached over and patted her arm. “We wanted you to have a better picture of who Declan is so that you could protect him better.”
“Fair enough. Now ladies if you will excuse me I have to get back to work.” Jane got up and started heading out of the kitchen.
“You know we’re going to like her don’t you?”
“She’s gonna give Declan a run for his money.”
The coffee cups clinked. “Let the games begin.” Then she heard a round of giggles.
Jane smiled. She was going to like them too.
MALCOLM WALKED into the parlor and found Shane, Vaughn and Gavin sitting on the sofa staring at Gavin’s laptop. “Hey what are you guys doing?”
“Watching the raw footage from the rehearsal.” Gavin said, sounding a little breathless.
“How come you are all flushed and sweaty?”
Gavin sat back and Malcolm saw Declan and Jane on the screen. Declan held Jane against his chest with one arm around her just under her breasts and one hand on her thigh and he was singing a bluesy version of Steve Miller’s The Joker. He kinda looked like he was fucking her from behind. Damn that made him uncomfortable. “Are you uploading that to the band’s website?”
“Yeah.” Gavin grinned.
Malcolm tried to look away but couldn’t. “Why?”
“To bring out the stalker. It’s been driving ticket sales for the charity concert.”
Gavin always had the ability to make everything sound logical. Let’s put Declan in more danger.
“It’s a twofer.”
Okay he got the plan but this video was something else entirely. Those two were burning up the screen with their act. It was way too real looking. There was some heat rolling around between them and he didn’t like it one bit. “It looks like porn.”
Shane laughed. “Scorned porn.”
Vaughn snickered. “I like it.”
“Seriously it’s pretty hot watching Declan and Jane together.” Gavin slapped his forehead. “I’m horny as hell.”
Malcolm pointed to the door. “Then go upstairs and take care of things. I don’t want to talk about it.”
Gavin held up his right hand and shook it. “Dude I've been taking care of things for the last week by myself, shit I got a callous. I whack myself one more time I’m gonna get carpal tunnel. I’m a drummer so I can’t have a janky wrist.
Malcolm didn’t want to talk about it either. It’s not like he wasn’t hurting himself. “Go call Gwyn.”
“She’s knee deep in a project, she can’t come.”
“Well then neither can you.”
Vaughn stood up. “I can’t watch this anymore or talk about
it anymore. Fuck.”
Gavin poked Shane in the shoulder. “How come you’re not bitchin’?”
“Henrietta and Everett made the okay list and the kids are at the grandmother’s for the next couple of days so I’m gonna get taken care of.”
Charlotte’s brother and sister-in-law had this interesting relationship with Shane. They were ménage buddies.
“Can I come?” Gavin asked.
Shane snorted. “By yourself.”
“Fuck me.” Gavin squeezed his knees together. “Do you think Travis and Charlotte are still interested in a threesome. I’m so horny.”
Malcolm laughed. Poor Gavin’s morals got in the way of that once upon a time offer. “That ship sailed the second he put the ring on her. Call Nariko.” She was this beautiful local tattoo artist that Gavin played with from time to time.
Gavin shook his head. “Nariko has a record so she’s on the no pussy list.”
Their security team was all over their personal lives. “What did she do?”
“She got busted for protesting.” He threw up his arms. “Shit that’s not dangerous that’s patriotic.”
Malcolm patted his shoulder. “Sorry baby bro.”
“How come your not bitchin’? Did your dick take a vacation?” Gavin glared at him.
It not like he didn’t want to, but right now his life was in turmoil and it just didn’t seem like a priority. “I have a lot on my mind.”
“You still trying to figure out where you know Jane?”
“I don’t know her, I know her face.”
Shane stared at the laptop screen. “If the terminator and Adrianna Lima had a baby it would be Jane.”
Gavin shook his head. “She’s Middle Eastern not Latino.”
“How do know, you can’t even talk to her without drooling.”
Gavin shrugged. “It’s her bone structure.”
Jesus Gavin’s mind fascinated him. “Anthropology again?”
Gavin nodded. “It’s all about the bones.”
“Why don’t you like her?” Shane asked him.
He didn’t know her enough to dislike her. She was this mystery that was just bothering him. “I don’t dislike her. I don’t know her. She’s said about ten words to me the entire time she’s been here.”
Shane studied him. “You think she’s up to something?”
He didn’t think she was out to get them, she just kept quiet about who she was. Five minutes after the rest of the bodyguards got here, he had their stories, but she avoided him. “I don’t like not having the entire picture.”
“You’re funky because you’re not writing,” Gavin said.
Trust his brother to get to the root of his problem. “I’m writing just not anything good.”
Shane ran his hand through his thick blond hair. “You need a muse. Look what it did for Travis.”
The sympathy in Shane’s eyes made Malcolm cringe. Was he some loser who couldn’t get his shit together? “Once we get rid of the stalker, I’ll be fine.” At least Malcolm hoped so.
Gavin nodded. “And we can get laid again and Mom will stop calling every five minutes, and we can get laid and the record company will stop breathing down our necks and I can get laid.”
Malcolm took another peek at the screen and now Declan was running his hands up and down Jane’s body and she had her hands on top of his. This wasn’t acting this was mating.
Shane stared at the screen. “I give them a week, ten days tops.”
Malcolm shook his head. “I told him it’s a bad idea.”
“Maybe you should talk to her.” Gavin suggested.
A bubble of hope appeared on the horizon. “You think that might work?” Appeal to Jane as a professional. Not bad.
“I’m sure she cares about her job, but Declan is hard to resist.”
Malcolm pinched the bridge of his nose. “Something you want to talk about?”
“He’s pretty symmetrical too. Research says that men who are tend to have more sex and produce more children.”
“Did you measure him?”
“I’m using it for my final.”
Malcolm gut twisted. “So basically we can’t stop this train from derailing.”
“Nature can’t be contained.” Gavin shrugged.
He couldn’t let his friend make this mistake, he would talk to Jane. She seemed to slap Declan down a lot, but then some women really liked to be chased.
Declan wanted everything. The more you told him no, the more he wanted it. Then he went after it with relentless determination. Declan got what he wanted because he worked hard for it.
Of all them, Declan liked being a rock star the most, and handled it the best. He could read an audience and be the singer they needed him to be.
Spending the last week watching him turn their songs into the blues was a sight to behold. Declan had a voice that he could make do anything. The man worked at his craft like an athlete worked his body.
Not that any of them were slouches, Malcolm still took piano lessons and Shane, Travis, and Gavin practiced every day, but compared to Declan they were lazy. What the hell was he going to do? He wasn’t sure he had another album in him. Andy’s death had rocked them all to the core. He was terrified that the first person who had confidence in his song writing ability was gone. Declan told him it would come back. His mother said the same, and Gavin said he’d find it again. But he wasn’t sure if he wanted to. He was going to be a washed up failure like dear old dad.