“Would you if she were working for Chris?”
“Probably not, but Kace has eyes for no one but you. That’s obvious. And if I might, speaking from experience, with men like Chris and Kace, you will never erase those who admire and define them. It’s part of who they are. It’s how they handle that admiration that defines their character. From what I’ve seen, Kace gets a thumbs-up.”
“He does,” I agree readily, thinking about pretty much everything he’s ever done for me. Thinking about his offer to help find Gio. “And I know he has fans,” I add. “Kiki just rubs me wrong.”
“Well, just remember, she can’t do anything he doesn’t allow her to do. It’s about Kace, not her.”
It’s sound advice, given just as the lights go down and the show starts, and all thoughts of Kiki are gone. To the crowd’s delight, Kace plays songs from horror movies, and Chris paints the characters. Everyone is in the spooky October season, as the crowd starts singing “One, Two, Freddy’s Coming For You,” as Chris paints Freddy Krueger.
There is much more that follows, and we are treated to Kace’s music and Chris’s talent in abundance. Kace plays half the music he performs for the event on his Stradivarius and half on a donated instrument for the auction. His skills are beautiful with either violin, but the Stradivarius is distinct. My ancestor knew what he was doing. Now, the rest of the world still wants to know how and they can’t figure it out. Some say there are people who would kill for that formula—and have, considering my father’s demise—people who believe the family has it hidden. Gio and I would be the only living family.
When the show ends, there are six paintings to auction off and of course, the donated instrument. The final haul for the charity is massive and Kace and Chris are obviously pleased.
When all is said and done, after the chaos at the front of the hotel when we arrived, we are directed to the back door to depart. That is where we say our surprise goodbyes to Chris and Sara. “We’re headed home to San Francisco,” Chris says. “We’ve been gone for weeks.”
“We need to be home for a bit,” Sara adds, hugging me before she looks between me and Kace. “Hope to see you both in two weeks for the final shows.” She smiles at me as they exit the hotel.
Kace takes her lead, catching my shoulders and pulls me close. “I want you to go with me.”
I’m still stunned by the magnitude of this man’s devotion to me and as much as I want to go with him, I feel the pull of home. “I’m just worried about Gio, Kace,” I admit, and it feels good to actually say that to him rather than think it, hide it. I have to tell him everything there is to tell and soon, before we talk to Walker. Is it even safe to trust them? I’ll trust Kace with my secrets. I’m not sure about a bunch of strangers, but can Walker help if I tell them half the story?
“Walker is damn good,” Kace says. “Two weeks from now, if all goes well, you’ll have Gio back.”
“There they are!”
At the sound of Kiki’s voice, Kace rotates us, his arm around my shoulders, as her, Marvin, and really the whole crew, rush toward us. I count ten people. Everyone is singing “Happy Birthday” as they exit the building, but I don’t miss the moment when Kiki looks me up and down.
Kace’s arm is, as always it seems lately, protectively wrapped around me as we follow the crowd out the doors to find Savage and Dan waiting right beside the Escalade. “My instrument?” Kace asks.
“Under guard and fucking key,” Savage assures him.
Dan translates. “On its way to the hotel vault by way of our team. We’ll text you when it’s locked down.”
“Exactly what I said,” Savage snaps and opens the passenger door. Kace and I laugh and load up in our vehicle. Once we’re on the road, I have my first chance to talk about the show with Kace. “I love the entire horror show thing you and Chris did,” I say, once we’re on the road. “That was so unexpected and original.”
“Chris and Sara were close to a young cancer patient who loved horror movies, which apparently, Chris does as well. He really bonded with the kid. A deep bond and the boy didn’t make it. It affects Chris and Sara. I can tell. We’re going to do the same format for the Christmas show in the young man’s honor, and for the benefit of the children’s hospital.”
“Horror at Christmas?” I laugh.
“That will shock the crowd.” He squeezes my leg and lowers his voice, changing the subject. “This party will be nuts. It’s not my thing. You need to know that. Walker is controlling the doors. We’re only attending because it’s Marvin’s birthday and I’m not going to travel with him anymore.”
His concern touches me and I cover his hand with mine. “I know. You told me. It’s all good.”
“We don’t have to stay long and—”
I kiss him, which I intend to make a quick peck, but he cups my head and deepens the kiss, drugging me, owning me oh so easily. “We are definitely not staying long,” he says, stroking my cheek. “I want you all to myself.”
I’m melting in the back of an Escalade that has now halted at our destination. Kace scans the window and I do the same, only to discover that we are now in front of a giant warehouse and already music vibrates through the walls, and people are lined up to enter.
At Savage’s urging, Dan pulls to a side entrance and halts again. This time we exit and enter the building next to a set of stairs. We walk up the wooden steps into a vaulted area where Kace’s entire team is hanging out, along with a ton of new faces. From there, we’re swept into the party atmosphere, sitting at a long wooden table.
His entire crew is funny and wonderful, and soon we are all drinking margaritas, singing along to a wild mix of country, rock, pop, and alternative music. There are women, lots of scantily clad women, but Kace is always right here with me. He makes sure I know, and everyone else knows, we’re together. There is cake for Marvin, and more scantily clad women dancing for him. Kace leans in and whispers, “Not my thing, baby. You are. Remember that.”
I’m feeling the buzz of tequila and my hand goes to his jaw, my mouth to his mouth. He kisses the hell out of me and strokes my hair. “Fifteen more minutes,” he says. “Then we leave.”
“I’m going to the bathroom,” I say, “or I might not make the ride home.”
“I’ll go with you.” He wiggles an eyebrow to let me know he has naughty intentions.
About that time, the girls hired to entertain Marvin hop on top of our table, dancing to the song “Bitter” by Fletcher. Kiki is with them and she stops in front of us, squatting down eye level to Kace, as she sings:
I know you think about me when you kiss her
I left a taste in your mouth
Can she taste me now
The very words imply that they’ve slept together and adrenaline surges through me. I’m on my feet in an instant, feeling sick, embarrassed, angry, hurt. Kace tries to stand but the chair hitches. It tumbles over and two half naked girls step between me and him. How appropriate. I’m gone before he can catch me and I don’t go to the bathroom upstairs. I head down the wooden steps to the main dance floor and a mass of hundreds dancing and partying. I weave through the crowd, music pumping through me, trying to find the bathroom and when I’m finally there, there’s a line from hell.