Angela's Salvation (5 page)

"Well when you get her head right, bring her on up, I'm in the studio." Hanging up the phone, he knew there was a story behind the fear
and he was just the man to get it out of her.  From her photo she was a pretty little thing, but he'd had women like her in his bed before and it was always consensual.

After losing her lunch, and washing her face, Angela knew she couldn't hide out in the bathroom.  She knew how to defend herself and if Fitzgerald tried something, then refused to take no for
answer, she'd use her skills to get the hell out of this place.  Using her hand she cupped a handful of water then swished it in her mouth to get rid of the bad taste.  Wiping her mouth with a hand towel, she took a few deep breaths before opening the door.

"All better?"
Sanders asked with a warm smile.  At her nod, he led her down the hall and knocked on the door to the studio.

"Enter," Nolan called out
gruffly, not pleased that the girl thought he was a rapist.  He gave her his full attention as she entered the room, going over every gorgeous detail of her body, and then dismissing it with a curt nod of his head.  "Thanks Sanders, I'll send her home later."

As the other man left the room, Angela tensed and eyed the closed door.  She knew that her situation had probably
gone from bad to worse as she turned back, crossing her hands over her chest defensively.  She took a few moments to study him as he set up a mic, doing a quick check.  He was even more handsome than the tabloid photos, she decided, but she'd still give him one hell of a right hook if he tried anything.

"You can stand there glaring at me all night, Ms. Wilkerson, or you could come over here and let me hear you sing."  He made his voice abrupt, not wanting to give her any indication that this was anything other than business to him.

His superior attitude did in two seconds what any other words would have never accomplished, it made her focus.  He obviously wasn't interested in anything other than her singing voice from the way his eyebrow raised as if she were wasting his time.  The impatience in his eyes had her scurrying over to the mic and losing all fear that he might do anything more than listen to her voice.

"What would you like to hear?" She felt like a fool for thinking this sexy man could ever look at her with anything other than professional courtesy. 
For once in her life she wished she didn't judge every man by the way her stepfather had treated her.

He walked over to a leather couch across the room and smirked as he sat down, hoping she got the implication that he was joking.  "Just sing your favorite song to start out and we'll go from there." 

Blushing at his smirk, she knew damn well he knew what she had thought, and it made her feel even more foolish.  Without thinking, she started singing a favorite song from the eighties, her eyes closed as she allowed the music to overcome her.  She finished the entire song before opening her eyes and bit down on her lip nervously, awaiting his reaction.

He was blown away by her voice, and that was putting it mildly.  He understood exactly why Sanders had been torn at her audition, but was glad he had leaned toward instead of against pushing her through to the next round of competition.  She sounded like an angel who'd had her heart ripped away in a storm, and he knew that was how he'd market her.  "Sing another song," he
demanded his mind on overload on how he was going to present her to the public.

For the next hour
he accompanied her on piano as she belted out lyrics that showed off the range of her incredible voice.  She was a damn diamond in the rough if there had ever been one, he thought as he stood up and walked over to her.  "Do you have any idea how talented you are," his voice was amazed as he stared down at the little powerhouse who was just waiting to be exposed.  He reached down and grabbed her shoulder when she lowered her eyes, and could have slapped himself when she tensed.

Pulling away, she took two steps back and her eyes filled with terror. 
Remembering herself, she tried to calm her now racing heart, and told herself he wasn't her stepfather.  After several long seconds she took a deep breath, and gave a small smile.  "Sorry, I'm just not good with people touching me." She shrugged in embarrassment.

"Who was he?"
There was no doubt in his mind that someone had really hurt her, and from her reaction, she'd never gotten over it.

"Who was what?" There was no way he knew anything about her, she thought nervously.  Rachel and that piece of shit her mother had married were the only two people in the world that knew her guilty little secret.

"The man that raped you?" He walked over to the couch, distancing himself, not wanting her to be afraid of him.

Attempting to look composed
, even though he'd just pulled the rug away so to speak, she lied.  "I have no idea what you're talking about."  Turning haunted eyes back to him, she lifted her chin stubbornly.

"I can help you, not only with your career, Ms. Wilkerson, but to get over what he did to you."  He remained seated, wanting her to understand he had no intention of hurting her.  "To do that you're going to have to trust me though." 
He hoped she took the opportunity he was offering to her, he knew just how much that kind of pain could torment a person if they didn't let it go.

"I'm here to sing, Mr.
Fitzgerald, and I'm flattered that you find me worthy enough to help, but my personal life, well that's off limits."  She couldn't bring up the events in her past, especially not with this stranger.  There was no way he could understand what it was like to live everyday looking over your shoulder wondering when the past would catch up to you again.

"What if I told you the two were so deeply combined that if you didn't let me help with one, you might never get the other?" 
He didn't want to play on her dreams to get her to accept his help, but the torment he'd seen in her eyes, he understood so much better than she could possibly know.

"Are you saying if I don't talk about my personal life, you'll kick me out of this competition?" She couldn't imagine what it would be like to have to go
back home and tell Rachel she'd failed after she'd made it so far.  Dredging up her past, when all she wanted to do was forget it though was not an option.

"What I'm saying is that your past will keep you from moving forward if you don't accept what happened and learn to move on." He could see it in her eyes
, how she wanted to run out that door or scream and tell him to go to hell, but her dream was stopping her.  "I promise you will never regret letting me help you Ms. Wilkerson." 

Who
the hell did he think he was, she thought angrily, and tried to not voice the words filtering through her mind?  He's 'The Nolan Fitzgerald', she reminded herself, he had the ability to make or break her career.  "Is being a bully how you get your rocks off Mr. Fitzgerald?"  Furious wasn't even a strong enough word to express how mad she was that he was making her consider talking about her past.

Throwing back his head, he chuckled deeply at her rage.  "Why don't you tell me what it is
you're truly angry about here, Ms. Wilkerson?"  This was the fire in her that needed to be released, he thought to himself, not some simpering little frightened girl that she was hiding behind.

Standing up, she paced the room like a caged tiger waiting to strike.  "I'm pissed because it's none of your business what my personal life is
or was, and the fact that you have the audacity to use your power over me to try and get me to speak about something that I'd just as soon forget."  Glaring at him, she wanted to slap the stupid smile off his face, and oddly enough it felt good to be allowed to show her anger.

"Seriously Ms. Wilkerson, you should tell me how you
really feel," he was amazed to see the fire in the petite woman, and his smile widened.  This was a diva that could sell a million records, and he was determined to fuel her on.

Exasperated at his nonchalant attitude even after her tirade, she threw her hands up in the air.   "Just what the hell is
it you want Mr. Fitzgerald?"  Her hands found her hips, and she glared at him in anger and confusion.

"I want you to show up on my stage as full of fire as you are right now and to show every single one of those contestants that you are as worthy, if not more
, as they are to be in this competition."  He enjoyed the emotions that ran over her beautiful face as she allowed his words to sink in.

He was the most confusing man on the entire planet, she thought with a shake of her head as she moved to sit back down on the couch.  "
Those other contestants have had years of training, and I'm just some girl from New Jersey who likes to sing for open mic night at a bar."  She had no idea why she was admitting her insecurities to him, but she felt almost relieved at her angry outburst earlier.

"What you are i
s a natural born singer with the potential to be a superstar if you get past this entire 'I'm not worthy attitude'."  He allowed his words to hit home and saw in her beautiful eyes that she was considering that.  "So again I ask you Ms. Wilkerson, are you going to let me help you?"

The idea that this man
really wanted to help her made her suspicious as hell and she wanted to know his real intentions.  "Just what is it you are hoping to get from helping me Mr. Fitzgerald?"

Chuckling again at her suspicions, he decided to answer her honestly. 
"I'm in this industry to make money, Ms. Wilkerson, my intentions are to make you the best you can possibly be and therefore sell a product, which would be your voice and image."  Even as he spoke the words they didn't feel right somehow.  Yes, he wanted to showcase her to her full potential, but there was something else that he couldn't put a name to yet that inspired him to break her out of her shell.

Just
like that she was deflated, it was obvious he was not trying to con her or fill her head with dreams.  He was offering her a business arrangement that had the possibility to help her fulfill her goals.  "Well why didn't you just say so in the beginning?" Shaking her head, she knew he was the strangest man she'd ever met before.

She was a delight, he thought as he watched the anger sift right out of her.  There was
very little trust in this little lady, and in this business he considered it was probably not all bad, but for reasons he couldn't contemplate fully, he wanted her to trust him.  "Now that we know where we stand, Ms. Wilkerson, I'm asking you again are you willing to let me help you?"  He decided her question didn't really need an answer.

"As long as we both understand that this is all professional, I'll agree to accepting your help."  What else could she tell the man, she thought to herself, he hadn't
really offered anything that outrageous, and she had his motives all backwards when she first entered this room.

"What else would it be
, Ms. Fitzgerald?" He might deny to her that he found her enticing, but he was finding himself more than a little interested in her, and not just in a professional manner.  That was a thought he knew he'd keep to himself for now.

With all the wind knocked out of her sails, so to speak, she once again felt foolish for thinking this man had any interest in her except in a professional capacity.  "So how do you want to do this?"

"First I want your agreement that when I ask you a question, you will be completely honest with me."  He was going to delve into her emotions in ways she would probably hate, but to understand how to help her, he needed her trust.

"Fine, I will be honest with you, but don't blame me if it pisses you off." She gave a small smirk, thinking that she would tell him exactly what she thought if he made her feel uncomfortable.

"Agreed, but the same goes for me, don't get your panties in a wad if I ask you things that you feel are none of my business."  This was going to be an interesting tutoring session, he thought as her eyes filled with fire again.

"I'm going to take the last two hour
s of your classes daily and devote them to myself, and you will agree to tell the other contestants that it's because you need a little extra help."  He didn't wait for her to comment before continuing on.  "During those two hours I'll have free reign to ask you whatever I deem necessary, and give you my expert advice on how to be a better performer."

"Why would I have to tell the other contestants anything?"  The thought of them thinking she was so far below them that she couldn't manage without professional help on stage galled her.

"Because I don't need a bunch of whiny performers going to the press and telling them that I was playing favorites, Ms. Wilkerson, so you will make it believable."  He stood up and walked back to his piano, as he contemplated.  "And I mean really make them believe it, consider this an acting lesson, because I want you to appear as if you can't believe you're so hopeless that without my help you were going to be cut from the show.  Do you understand?" 

It infuriated her that she was going to have to embarrass herself that way, especially as she considered Trisha's arrogant attitude.  "Fine, but in return I want to be on the same level as those other performers before our first televised performance." 
If she was going to degrade herself, then she felt she at least deserved to be compensated for her efforts.