Songbird (33 page)

“We tried so hard.” Benjamin sounded
disappointed but I didn’t open my eyes to look. “She had a chance
to be great, but she’s so fat no one wanted her. Daddy and I put
her on an awesome diet regiment. Food only on Tuesdays and
Thursdays. Do you remember that BB? You were too weak to commit.
She ended up in the hospital.” He clucked his tongue. “Looks like
you didn’t stick to it, again.”

“Chance to be great?” Nicholas and I opened
my eyes, confused at the curiosity in his voice. Nicholas wasn’t
looking at me but at my brother. His hand had slowly moved and he
was quietly fishing around under my pillows. The Ruger was there,
but Jesus, Nicholas wasn’t allowed to own a gun. Did he even know
how to fire one? More importantly with fever raging through him
would he be able to aim the damn thing without hitting me?

I glanced up into empty blue eyes. I had
hoped that maybe I could do something about Benjamin before
Nicholas reached the gun but from his manic face that wasn’t going
to happen.

“She sings. Sing for him, Belladonna.”

“I don’t sing anymore, Benjamin.” I hadn’t
sung since high school. That was certainly not how I had made my
money in New York. He had officially lost his marbles, not that he
had started with a full bag anyway.

“I said sing.” He kicked hard into my ribs
and I cried out. I felt something burn and shift and I knew he’d
broken a rib. Again.

I couldn’t think of anything and in panic I
looked over at Nicholas. He was no longer under the pillow but
leaning casually in bed. His face brought the words I’d only heard
once to mind and I let them spill from my lips. Broken Glass.

With my eyes on Nicholas’s I saw him raise
the hand that had been under pillows. My conceal and carry license
wouldn’t protect him from this. We both knew it. This was his
choice. I closed my eyes and waited.

When the gun went off I braced as the hand in
my hair pulled so hard I half rose to my knees. The gun went off a
second time and the hand spasmed in my hair before releasing as the
body fell to the floor.

Nicholas stumbled off the bed in seconds and
had his arms around me. He pulled me away and reached back for the
sheet to wrap around me.

I tried not to cringe. Shame made color rise
to my face and more tears fell. How could he want to hold me after
this?

“You need a doctor.” His voice was unsteady
and when he dropped his head to mine the fever burned.

“You do too.”

Seconds later the door burst open but I
didn’t jolt. Nothing else could surprise me tonight. Henry came
barreling in and stopped to survey when he saw Nicholas and I on
the floor next to a body.

“She needs the hospital. The fucker hurt her.
Possibly broke something.” Nicholas’s fury didn’t translate to the
hands he rubbed slowly up and down my shaking back.

“I’m sorry.” I rubbed my face into his
shoulder. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t fucking apologize for a lunatic,
Songbird. Not right now.”

I closed my eyes and let Nicholas hold me.
For now.

The aftermath of murder
wasn't anything new to me
. Nicholas was arrested of course,
then released on bail pending investigation. I sent the crew home,
wrote an apology email to Denton and sent them home, fired off
emails to Ezra because I didn’t have the courage to listen to him
yet. While I played the waiting game, I finished calculating
expenses and profits for the tour since we had canceled more than a
dozen shows now.

I made sure Nicholas had his own hotel room,
and politely made excuses not to be with him. Broken ribs, of
course, helped my avoidance. Instead of letting time waste on that
I made a phone call I dreaded but was necessary.

“Hello?” The deep baritone was a voice I
hadn’t ever wanted to hear again but after two weeks of police hem
hawing I had no choice.

“Agent Marks. It’s Belladonna Percival.” I
ripped off the bandage quickly hoping my heart wouldn’t bleed too
badly.

Belladonna Percival hadn’t been seen or heard
from in six years so I knew this would be a surprise. She had been
left behind in New York so Bianca Sheridan could live in peace.
What a fucking joke.

The line was silent for a heartbeat and a
voice cleared. “How can I help you Belladonna?”

“Benjamin attacked me a few days ago while I
was in a hotel in Dallas. He was shot and killed. My rescuer is
facing charges.” I didn’t beat around the bush with niceties and
didn’t directly ask for help; the man was an FBI detective. He
could read between the lines.

The agent sighed. “You know we wanted him
alive.”

“He was waving a gun around and pointing it
at my head when it wasn’t pointed at my lover.” Ice formed in my
veins at the thought. “If he could have been disarmed it would have
been done. As it is I have a beautiful black eye, and two broken
ribs.”

“Got off easy this time,” Marks huffed. “I’ll
see what I can do. Shouldn’t be a problem. While we wanted him
alive, I think privately we all know he’s better off dead.”

“Thank you.” I let out the breath I’d been
holding. “I really appreciate it.”

“You’re a sweet girl, handed a shitty bunch
of cards. Even so, you did well with what you were given. That’s
real strength.”

“I don’t feel strong.” The admission wasn’t
easy but felt necessary. No matter how many people talked about my
strength, I couldn’t feel it.

“The truly strong never do.” His voice
softened slightly. “Don’t let this stop you from reaching for
happiness, Belladonna.”

Thoughts of Nicholas floated to the surface
and I closed my eyes. “Trying.” I smiled though I didn’t feel it.
The lie shriveled my tongue and made it hard to speak. “I am
trying.”

“I don’t quite believe that, but I’ll let it
go.” Marks paused before continuing. “Let me see what I can do and
I’ll give you a call back when I have something solid.”

“Thank you.” I said my goodbyes and
disconnected then stared at my phone a minute before dialing
another number. I didn’t want to call Ezra any more than I wanted
to face Nicholas but it had to be done.

“I’ve been waiting for your call.”

“Can I say I told you so?” I rubbed a hand
over my face. “I’m sorry Ezra. I know I let you down.”

“You spout off a great deal of nonsense
sometimes.” There was no way that was amusement in his voice. Was
there? “You can’t take the blame for a dickhead. You’re not
seriously injured and let’s both admit the truth, this isn’t the
first time Nicholas has been arrested and released on bail.”

“First time because it’s manslaughter.” My
tone was low, but Ezra’s hearing was sharp.

“True. You’ll be flying home once all this is
cleared up and then I want to discuss some things in my office.
You’ve done a hell of a good job. I’m really impressed and so are a
few others.”

“Until the topic of murder is mentioned.”

“Let it go, Bianca. Shit happens.”

“You are awfully damn calm about this. You
know my conceal and carry license doesn’t cover Nicholas. He’s not
even allowed to own a gun. Hell, I don’t know how he even knew how
to take the safety off and fire it.”

“We’re country boys, Bianca. How do you think
we know how to do these things?” Ezra’s tapping fingers made it
clear he was busy and ending the conversation. “Relax, keep me
posted and I’ll meet you at the airport with your car when you get
back.”

When I stepped out into familiar Tennessee
air, I inhaled deeply and stood a moment. The nightmare was finally
over. A weight lifted when I realized I could walk away from
everything of my past and just be Bianca.

“There’s Ezra.” I waved to the man and turned
to face Nicholas. The flight had been one of the tensest moments of
my life. I didn’t know what to say to him or how to say what was
needed. “You can put my bags in the trunk. And there’s Shamus with
your Escalade.” I gestured to the monstrous truck.

Nicholas walked with me over to the car and
handed my bags to Ezra. “Hey.”

“Good tour, Nick. I’m pleased. Even with the
incident, what we have is good.”

“Thanks.” Nicholas turned his eyes down on
me. “Come to the house tonight.”

I forced a smile. “Maybe. We’ll have to see
what happens. Ezra and I have some things to discuss.”

Nicholas frowned. “I don’t recall it being a
question.”

My laugh was a little nervous. “Yes, and you
know how well I cater to demands. Go home, Mr. Walker. Go to bed
and get some sleep. It’s been a very long two weeks.”

His frown darkened. “We have a rule.”

“We’re no longer on tour.” I wrapped my arms
around myself, unsure how to say goodbye. “Go home, Walker. Get
some rest.”

“If you don’t come to the house, I’ll come to
you.”

I turned away from him and walked around to
climb into my car. “We’ll see.”

Ezra and Nicholas had words while I fiddled
with the radio was, adjusted the air, moved the seat into place and
turned the mirrors. Then Ezra joined me. Without a word I pulled
from the curb never once looking back at Nicholas.

“Are you trying to dump him?” Ezra’s fingers
tapped in time with the radio.

“Why do you care?” I sniffed and reached out
to turn the radio up.

Ezra turned it back down. “Nicholas is still
one of my oldest friends.”

“Leave it alone, Ezra. Nashville is a pretty
big city. I have no doubt he’s not going to have any problem
finding new companions. The tour is over, I’m no longer a major
part of his life. Chapter closed.”

“Then why do you sound so bitter?” Ezra
cocked his head in my direction.

“I’m not.” My tone was sharper than intended
contradicting the words. “I’m not what he deserves. Going to jail
for me, dealing with my fucked up life. That’s not what Nicholas
Walker needs. Now I just hope I can figure out what I want to do. I
have a proposal I’d like you to review.”

“I think you’re making a mistake.” Ezra’s
voice was barely louder than the radio. “But it’s none of my
business. I hope, for your sake, you’re making the right one.”

“I’m doing what’s best for all parties
involved.” My fingers turned white on the steering wheel. “Drop it,
Ezra.”

Ezra patted my knee. “I happen to like you
both and want you happy.”

I sighed because I knew it was true. “I know.
Let’s focus on the now for today.”

The two cars parked in the gravel lane of my
double wide trailer were not what I expected when I pulled up to
the place I called home. They had Tennessee plates but I didn’t
recognize either compact sedan. Leaving my bags in the car for now
I headed to the door to see what the hell was going on.

The door knob turned easily which left me on
the stoop wondering. I swore I locked it. Had Benjamin come here
first? With dread building in my stomach at what I might find
inside I pushed the door open and crossed the threshold.