Duchess (17 page)

He smiled. “I’ve been in crowds of people carrying guns and trying to kill me. I think I can handle this crowd.”

Katie cursed in her head. Would he not go away? “Well, right now I have to help Duchess get dressed. Plus, you know her identity has to be guarded, and I just can’t have you hanging around and accidentally seeing her. I’d lose my job, and where would that leave me and my mom?” She knew that last part was a little dramatic, but seriously, he couldn’t take a hint.

“I’ll wait,” he said gruffly, and Katie decided that would have to do for now. He stopped walking and let her go ahead without him.

Could this day get any worse? Of course, she didn’t say that out loud. She just walked down the main corridor and realized she didn’t know where she was going. She stopped and waited for Kyle to catch up. He was carrying a tackle box with Duchess’s face in it. Literally.

She was still fuming at him. He must have sensed it because the only thing he said was, “This way.”

She followed him in silence. She tried to keep the dress from dragging on the floor, but it was long and heavy. She wondered what monstrosity was under all the plastic. Then again, maybe she didn’t want to know. At least she wouldn’t be wearing the cage, the name she had given the PVC pipe hoop skirt on wheels. It had been her idea, but she never claimed to be a genius.

Kyle led her to a hall that ended at a doorway. He pulled out a key and opened the door for her. She stomped past him into the big room. She didn’t even pause to inspect it. She just hung up the dress and waited to hear the door shut before she spun around to face Kyle. She could tell by the look on his face that he knew he was in trouble.

He put his hands in the air like she was holding him up with a gun. “Now before you blow a gasket, you should calm down and let me explain.”

“Let you explain what? That you went behind my back and planned a public appearance without my permission? I thought we discussed this last week. You were going to send me an email, not manipulate me into doing something I don’t want to do.” Katie’s hands shook, and she balled them up into fists.

“It wasn’t me. It was the PR group. They wanted the public appearance to be today—they planned it all.”

“Oh, really? How did they know I was going to be here in the late afternoon?” She stared him down until he looked sheepish.

“Okay, I may have helped a little,” he conceded.

“How can I trust you when you keep lying to me?” Katie couldn’t stop herself from asking.

“It’s not any more than what you do. We do what we have to for this job, Katie. No one can find out the truth about Duchess.”

Katie drew in a deep breath and slowly let it out. She knew now wasn’t the time to give in to her anger. Putting on a false smile, she stepped over to the hanger and unzipped the plastic to reveal the dress. Her mouth hung open, and for a moment, she had no words. But when the words did come, they shot out like a machine gun.

“Really, Kyle? Do you actually think I’m going to wear this? Are you insane?” She asked each question while staring at the sequined mini skirt attached to an embroidered bodice with big puffy sleeves, Cinderella style. And at the back of the mini skirt was a cascade of ruffles that went lower than the skirt. The whole thing was done in a snakeskin-patterned material. It was the gaudiest thing she’d ever seen, and that was saying a lot, considering her previous costumes.

“This is just what the label sent over,” he protested. “I had nothing to do with it.”

Which she interpreted to mean that he probably picked it out himself. She couldn’t take that man at his word ever again. She wanted to make him wear it.

“Get out.” She didn’t yell at him, even though she wanted to.

“Be reasonable, Katie. You knew this was part of the job. Heck, it was your idea.”

She put on a sickeningly sweet smile. “Oh, I’m well aware that I signed my soul over to the devil. But what I don’t have to do is get dressed in front of you. Get out. The sooner I dress, the sooner I can be done with this.”

“Oh, right.” Kyle backed up toward the door. “I’ll just be right out here in case you need me,” he said before he left and shut the door behind him.

She knew he would be guarding the door to make sure she didn’t try to make a run for it. The thought did cross her mind. She let herself fall onto the couch against the wall of the room and took a deep breath. This couldn’t be happening. She wondered when her life had become so complicated.

The dress fit snugly, like wearing a rubber hose. The wig had a few changes as well. Instead of the tall beehive, it was done in the Jane Austen style with a bun in the back and ringlets around her face and at the nape of her neck. How this hairstyle matched the dress, she wasn’t sure. Jane Austen would probably roll over in her grave if she saw this combo.

Katie put the nose on next, and then began the long makeup process. Then she put on tall platform shoes and checked in the mirror to make sure she was unrecognizable. She was definitely Duchess now. She tested out the synthesized mic and the accent together. Kyle gave her the thumbs-up—it was showtime.

“Just one thing, young man,” Duchess said to Kyle. “Exactly what did the tweet mean by ‘a signing you won’t soon forget’?” She almost didn’t want to know the answer.

“Oh, I’m saving that for a surprise.” His smile sent chills up her spine. Whatever it was, she knew it wouldn’t be pleasant. He opened the door and led the way out.

She could hear the crowd chanting as small beads of sweat formed on the palms of her hands. This was her first real public appearance in an uncontrolled situation. A table sat on a dais, with a stack of pictures and a marker waiting for her. The line stretched down the road. Who knew Twitter was so effective? Maybe the PR team knew what they were doing.

The cheers from the crowd were deafening as they spotted Duchess. Luckily, there did appear to be security guards keeping the people in line.

“Hello, dahlings!” she shouted out and waved with two hands as she made her way to the desk.

The adrenaline rush hit her like a tsunami. There was nothing like the applause and cheering from hundreds of people. She continued forward, waving at her fans, and noticed something strange as she drew closer to the dais. There was a snake in a cage next to the table.

“Kyle?” Her voice went up a full octave. “What is that snake doing there?”

“Surprise!” He looked chagrined, and suddenly she knew what he expected her do.

She grabbed him by the arm, half pushing him and half holding herself up, since the platform shoes didn’t feel so stable.

“I am
not
wearing a snake!” she hissed while holding one hand over her mic.

“It was that or a tarantula, and I know how you feel about spiders,” Kyle warned.

Katie had the same paranoia for snakes and spiders alike. She couldn’t stand them. Even fake spiders and snakes creeped her out. There was no way this would end well.

She lowered her voice to a whisper and leaned over to Kyle’s ear. “I can’t do this, Kyle. I just can’t.” She didn’t want to cry, but tears pooled in her eyes.

“Don’t worry, Katie. It’s not poisonous or anything, and its handler will be right there the whole time.” His condescending tone caused her to clench her fists.

People who didn’t have any phobias just didn’t understand. And if she tried to explain it, he would just roll his eyes. She thought of her mother at home in bed. She only did what she did for her mother. Was it even worth it anymore? Her mother was going to die. Her miracle hadn’t come. Wearing a snake wasn’t going to fix anything. She had nothing to prove.

Kyle started to push her toward the table, and she dug in her heels. “I can’t!”

He stopped pushing and leaned over to whisper in her ear. “Do you know how hard I have to fight for you? We’ve been doing things your way, but now it’s time to play by the rules. If you don’t, I can’t guarantee that the record label won’t cut off the money. They can sue you and freeze all your accounts. How will you pay for your mother’s expensive medicine then? Do you want her to die a slow, painful death? Compared to that, is wearing a snake really that big a deal?” Kyle stepped back, and Katie could see the triumph in his eyes. He knew he had a trump card.

Katie sucked in her breath. He’d threatened her mother. She clenching her jaw, her whole body rigid.

“Now, let’s just get this done, and I’ll take you out to dinner like I promised.” He gave her his most charming smile, but it didn’t work anymore. She couldn’t believe that he actually thought she would go to dinner with him. What she wanted to do was punch him in the face. Looking out at her fans, who were screaming for her, she knew she couldn’t act on her feelings.

Taking a deep breath—and another—she let him lead her to the table. She had to be Duchess.
Think like Duchess.
Her
gaze stayed focused on the cage of snakes.
Duchess isn’t afraid of snakes. Duchess loves snakes and danger.

She put on a smile as she stepped near the cage. It was just a show. Just another performance. This was what she was good at. She could give the people what they wanted—excitement. Besides, she wouldn’t let Kyle see any weakness.

She looked out at the long line of fans and waved. “Hello, dahlings! Are you ready for this?”

A deafening roar was her reply. She waited for them to quiet down before continuing. “Just wait a moment while I slip into something more comfortable.”

She closed her eyes, stretched out her arms to either side, and waited as the handler draped the snake over her arms and behind her neck. She felt its cold, scaly skin next to hers and couldn’t stop the involuntary shudder that shook her body. The movement made the snake hiss, and she whimpered quietly.

Chapter Nineteen

Chase watched the spectacle Duchess was making of herself and shook his head. First, the ridiculous dress fit like a tattoo. And the new wig? Well, he had to admit it was an improvement from what she normally wore, but it really didn’t go with a mini skirt. But when she put on that snake, he thought she’d lost her ever-loving mind. The things she did for fortune and fame made him sick to his stomach. At least he knew none of it was Katie’s idea.

Thinking of Katie, he turned and glanced at the crowd, but didn’t see her. She always disappeared every time Duchess was around. A suspicion entered his mind, but he dismissed it easily. Katie had known nothing about this appearance. No one could have faked that reaction.  No, whoever Duchess was, she was definitely
not
Katie.

Chase got in line. He was going to meet Duchess again, and he had a few choice words for her. The line was slow, and the amount of Duchess mania around him made him a little nauseated, especially the impressionable young children and teenagers who seemed to idolize the pop diva. What kind of example was Duchess to them? So far, he could think of nothing good she could teach them. What kind of message was she sending today? That it’s okay to play with snakes?

He shook his head. It was a grueling hour and a half before he finally got close to the front of the line. He could hear Duchess talking to the fans who were lucky enough to be on the platform already.

“And how are you lovely young ladies this fine evening?” Her synthesized voice and British accent grated on his nerves. How people could stand listening to her was beyond him. He assumed it was a fake voice, but if not, no wonder they synthesized the heck out of her songs.

When it was finally his turn, Duchess suddenly stood up. “That’s all the time I have for today! Cheerio!” She seemed nervous as the handler took the snake off her shoulders. Chase saw a look of relief on her face before she started to walk away.

“Hey!” he shouted and caught up to her, blocking her path off the stage. Security guards quickly flanked her, and he held up his hands to show he meant no harm. “Look, I just stood in line an hour and a half, and I think I should at least get an autograph, don’t you?” The guards didn’t move an inch, and she seemed to be hiding behind them.

“So sorry, but I’m awfully busy.” Then she turned her head to the side. “Kyle, be a dear and get this man an autographed poster, please.” She turned back to face Chase, though he still couldn’t see her clearly past the guards. “There, you will get your autograph. Now if you will excuse me, good sir?”

He couldn’t think of any other good reason to hold her up and stepped to the side. The guards went down the stairs first, but as Duchess started past him, she wobbled on her feet, and his reflexes took over before he could think. He caught her in his arms before she could fall. He looked into bright red contacts, and her eyes widened and gazed back, smoldering with intensity. His body went still as the rest of the noise dissolved around them. Who was this woman who could be so snotty and self-serving one minute and so vulnerable the next?

He didn’t get a chance to find out. As quickly as she had fallen into his arms, Kyle was suddenly at her side.

“Duchess, are you all right?” He looked up at Chase and gave him that sickeningly sweet smile Chase was coming to hate. “Oh, hello, Mr. Chase. Aren’t we lucky you were here?” He reached out for Duchess’s hand and pulled her out of Chase’s arms. “Thanks so much for your assistance.” Kyle bustled Duchess over to the stairs and into the throng of security guards who were waiting.

Kyle turned to leave, but Chase reached out a hand. “Wait.” When Kyle turned to look at him, Chase saw a flash of annoyance cross his face before it was replaced by the fake smile.

“Yes? What can I do for you?”

“Where’s Katie?” Chase looked around for her again, but all he saw was Duchess retreating into the venue, surrounded by security.

“Oh, she’s waiting in the dressing room for Duchess. She usually does. Says it’s when she gets her best quiet time. Besides, I think she was going to get information about the venue for your little concert.” He said it with a sneer, and Chase had a sudden urge to hit the man.

He ignored that urge. “Can you tell her I’ll be waiting in the car?” He didn’t want to talk to Kyle any longer.