Things Lost In The Fire (40 page)

“It’s a mistake that should’ve never happened. I was hungry for action and saw things that weren’t really there. Whether intentional or not, it’s still my fault those men died.”

Tess sighed. “I’m sorry that happened to you. And I’m even more sorry everyone turned on you. I can’t imagine how lonely you must have felt.”

He managed a dry laugh before looking at her. “Everything was shit, Tess.
I
was shit. Then Sadie came back, and suddenly life makes sense again.”

Emotions swam over her face. She reached for his hand, squeezing it in her own. “I feel the same exact way.”

AN HOUR later, Sadie slipped from the bathtub and into a silk robe the color of smooth ivory. She brushed her hair and stared at her reflection, soothed from the bath and calmer than when she’d arrived home. Though the startling revelation she’d had earlier still hung over her shoulders, she’d accepted its presence. It was the only thing that made sense, after all.

Belting the robe tighter around her waist, she ventured out of the bathroom and found Brody alone in the music room, tinkering with the piano. A smile came over her face as she watched him from the doorway, her heart swelling with gratitude and relief. He’d make everything better. He always did.

She went to him and ran her hands over his shoulders and down his chest, resting her chin on top of his head. “Hey,” she greeted, exhaling softly.

“Hi.” He tilted his head back, inviting her to kiss him. She did, letting her lips trail over his, soft and warm. He turned to face her, pulling her down into his lap.

Their eyes met and she smiled. “I’m sorry I took so long. Did Tess leave already?”

“Yeah.” He brushed strands of hair away from her face, leaving his hand cupped over her cheek. “Is everything all right?”

She nodded, leaning her face into his hand. “Remember that guy from the restaurant the other day? The one I said I kept running into?”

“What about him?”

“He was at my mom’s house this afternoon. They were…
affectionate
.” She felt that sick feeling wash over her again, but tried to ignore it. “I think he’s the one who’s been following me.”

Brody’s eyebrows lifted. “Really?”

She pouted and rose to her feet to pace the room. “I think my mom hired him in an attempt to scare me away from this house and back to hers. It makes perfect sense.”

“Does it?” Brody questioned, shaking his head. “You really think she’d do something that crazy?” He caught himself and let out a bitter laugh. “Okay, this
is
Valerie we’re talking about, so maybe she could.”

“Exactly,” Sadie replied, twirling a piece of hair around her fingertip absently. “Something about the way they acted with each other told me they hadn’t just met the other day. She’s known him for awhile. And then he got all touchy-feely with me, and—”

“He did
what?
” Brody demanded, heat flashing in his eyes.

Sadie waved off his concern. “Nothing, really. Just flirting. He did it at the restaurant too. But it made me realize that this all seems
way
too orchestrated to be a coincidence.”

Brody rubbed his chin in thought. “So in this conclusion of yours, have you figured out how your mother met this guy? I doubt she took out a Craigslist ad saying, ‘Calling all Sadie McRae fans, come stalk my daughter. Must be good looking and have abs.’”

Sadie snorted out a laugh, but continued to pace as she gave his question some thought. “She might have met him through a friend or at a show. I’m not really sure, but the point here is that she definitely knows him.”

“Well, I can go talk to him. Beat it out of him if I have to.” He winked at her with a sly grin.

She bit back a smile. “As much as I’d enjoy watching you interrogate him, I think it’s best if we just leave them alone for now. She said she’d drop the lawsuit as long as I don’t copy her anymore, and I agreed.”

He nodded. “Good. If that’s what you want, then that’s what we’ll do.”

He reached for her hand and pulled her back into his lap, his mouth finding hers. Holding her close, he could feel the smooth curves of her body beneath the silk robe and felt his own body awakening in response.

“Sadie?” he murmured, pulling out of the kiss to meet her eyes.

Her lips curved in a warm smile. “Brody?”

“Do you want me to stay again tonight?”

Surprise flashed in her eyes, realizing she hadn’t even thought about it. “I guess now that the security system is in…do you want to stay?”

Though his emotions were a tangled mess inside his gut, he threw on a carefree smile and ignored them. “How much booze, sex, and rock ‘n’ roll can one guy handle? Oh wait.”

She giggled and kissed him again. “I think you can hang. Besides, we should really give the press more to gossip about. Did you see we made headlines today?”

“You saw that, huh?” he asked, surprised by her good-humored reaction. “Did it bother you?”

“What, to be accused of having a steamy love affair with a paparazzi?” She grinned, realizing the whole thing was actually very freeing. “Honestly, I want the world to know. I’m not ashamed. Are you?”

His eyebrows rose in amusement. “I don’t know, you do come with some pretty heavy baggage, McRae. Being seen with you could damage my impeccable reputation.”

“We wouldn’t want that,” she teased, slipping from his grasp and rising to her feet. She grabbed his hand and pulled him with her out of the room. “Why don’t I show you just how little I care about our reputations?”

His teeth flashed in devious grin. “Once it’s gone, you know you can’t get it back.”

“Good. I don’t want it, anyway.”

A
WEEK PASSED with no word from Valerie. The stalker was also MIA, which led Brody to think that maybe Sadie was right. Drew
was
the one who’d been following her around, possibly provoked or supported by Valerie herself. As much as he wanted to march up to Valerie’s door and demand answers, Sadie refused to let him. Let it go, she’d said. No more fighting.

It went against his very nature, but he respected her wishes. So instead of fixing the problem, they’d gone the entire week pretending it didn’t exist.

Sadie had spent nearly every waking hour practicing for the show Tess had booked, while he jumped back into research on Walker’s death. The fact that the police were keeping a tight lid on the whole thing frustrated him. It meant they were hiding something, or a deal was being worked out behind closed doors. If that was the case, then they knew who shot Walker and were busy trying to settle matters without public interference. The only reason they’d do something like that would be to protect the identity of the shooter. And the only person who’d need protecting would be someone famous with a lot to lose if word got out.

Did that mean Georgina really was the one? Or was there more to this, as he suspected, than met the eye?

Deciding to look into it a bit more after the show, Brody turned his car onto Wilshire Boulevard and glanced at Sadie. “You know, no one would judge you if you had a drink or two before the show. I guarantee your dad does it. And Tommy
definitely
does. No one’s that cheerful all the time.”

Sadie managed a weak laugh, fidgeting in the passenger seat of his car and staring out the window. Night was setting in, which meant her first official show as Sadie McRae was only hours away. “Back in the day they did bumps of cocaine before a show. I remember seeing the trays of bottle caps filled with white powder being passed around. Of course, at the time I had no idea what it did. Or how addicting it could be.”

Brody shrugged. “It’s tough dealing with all that pressure.”

“They were younger than I am when they got started,” Sadie mused, letting nostalgia roll over her. “Kids, really. Not even legal to drink but desperate to get onstage and make music. They became famous so quickly I don’t think they ever really had time to grow up. They just got swept up in the money and the fame and never looked back. I made a point not to let that happen to me.”

He reached for her hand and held it tightly. “Which is why you’ll never be like them. You have the talent but none of their egotism and greed. You should be proud, McRae. Really proud.”

She smiled, squeezing his hand. “Thank you.” The butterflies rioted in her stomach again, bringing back her anxiety. “God, I’m nervous. This is a bigger venue than The L.A. Rock Lounge.”

“But not nearly the size of The Forum,” Brody pointed out. “You’ll be fine.”

“If you say so.”

They pulled into the private parking area of the venue off Wilshire Boulevard. Brody turned to Sadie as he shut off the car. “Ready?”

She bit her lip and nodded, then got shakily out of the car. He helped her with her things and walked with her toward the back entrance of the building, where a beefy security guard nodded and let them inside. Brody held Sadie’s hand in his, keeping her close as they navigated through the hallways backstage to the dressing room.

When they found it, he made sure she was settled and left to scope out the venue. He toured the backstage area, found it crowded and busy as most were, then watched them set up Sadie’s piano onstage. It was a gleaming black Steinway, her favorite brand.

He walked along the towering black curtains that divided the stage from the equipment area beyond, admiring the white, oval sign Tess had commissioned displaying Sadie’s name in curvy, feminine lettering. He nodded to a few of the stage hands and turned to look out at the rows of empty seats. Soon the entire place would be unrecognizable, filled with adoring fans and excited chatter. Sadie would be in the spotlight, a bundle of tightly wound nerves and eager anticipation. And he would be waiting just offstage, impatient to have her all to himself again.

Because onstage, she belonged to the world. Off of it, she was simply his Sadie.

He let out a rush of breath, disquieted by his own thoughts. Before he had time to dwell on them, the manager announced that they were opening the doors.

Showtime was in less than an hour.

BRODY WAITED in the wings with Tess and watched the venue fill to capacity, leaving only a row of empty seats in the front. He eyed them suspiciously, wondering who could have booked those seats. His question was answered when Tess let out a strained groan and elbowed him in the ribs, pointing at the entrance.