Into the Fury (BOSS, Inc. #1)(11)
“I couldn’t make you happy. Both of us knew that.” He tipped his head to the man who stood watching from a few feet away, back straight, shoulders rigid. Slender, athletic, and handsome, he looked like a guy who played tennis or golf; not a tough guy, but ready to defend his damsel in distress.
“Who’s your friend?” Ethan asked.
Allison glanced behind her, tossed her shoulder-length auburn curls, gave the poor fool a come-on smile. “That’s Arthur. If it’s any of your business, which it isn’t.”
Ethan ignored the guy, tried not to feel sorry for him. “I just want to see Hannah, Ally. I’d think you’d be happy about it. Seems like you could use a little time to yourself once in a while.”
Arthur walked up beside her, set a hand possessively at her waist. “If you want me to make him leave, Allison, I will.”
“Take it easy,” Ethan said. “I’m just here to see my kid.” He turned to Ally. “Give me five minutes and I’m gone.”
Her mouth curved into a catty smile. “Why should I?”
“Because if you don’t, there’s going to be trouble and your friend will feel obliged to interfere. That won’t go well for him. Five minutes. That’s all I want.”
She cast Arthur a glance. He was puffed up and ready to fight. Ally must have known what the outcome would be if she goaded him any further.
“Fine. Five minutes. Then you leave.”
“We’ll be out on the front porch.” Hannah clung to his neck as he strode back in the direction he’d come from and walked out through the side gate.
“I missed you, Daddy.”
He hugged her tighter. “I’ve missed you, too, cupcake. I’ve got to go away for a while, but when I get back, we’ll work it out so Daddy can see you more often, okay?”
She grinned, her ponytail bobbing up and down. “Will you be back in time for my birthday?”
The tour would be over by then and he’d already made plans for the occasion. “Absolutely. We’ll do something really special, I promise.”
“Will you take me on a pony ride?”
“I will, if that’s what you want to do and your mom says it’s okay.” Though there was every chance Ally would pitch a fit just to cause trouble.
They sat on the porch together, Hannah in his lap. Five minutes turned into six or seven before the door jerked open.
“Okay, that’s it. Tell your father good night, Hannah.”
“Can’t he stay a little longer, Mommy?”
“No. He has to leave. Besides, it’s your bedtime.”
Ethan gave her a last quick hug and kiss and set her on her feet.
She waved. “’Night, Daddy.”
“’Night, cupcake.”
Allison grabbed the little girl’s hand and hauled her inside, gave him a last hard glare, and slammed the door.
Ethan took a deep breath and let it out slowly, started walking back to his Jeep.
Friday night, the man decided. He’d waited too long already. Soon the models would be leaving on their tour.
Using a Kleenex to pick up the note so he wouldn’t leave fingerprints, he lifted it out of the desk drawer and set it on the desk, giving it a final check to be sure it was exactly right.
The message looked the way he intended: the stark white paper, the eerie, uneven words. He smiled, wishing he could be a fly on the wall when they found it. And her. He wondered how much trouble she would give him before she died. Not much, he was fairly sure. Women liked him. Always had. In the end it wouldn’t matter. The result would be the same.
He put the note back in the drawer. Planning was everything, and he was ready. Once the task was completed, he could relax, enjoy the fruits of his labor. He thought of the night ahead and cold anticipation pumped through his blood.
The day of the dress rehearsal arrived and the Friday event had the theater packed with people, all of them scurrying around doing their myriad jobs. Set designs were being touched up, added to, and changed. Lighting people tested the huge overhead spotlights. Sound gear was readied, the volume and balance checked, the mics and speakers.
The orchestra was setting up, testing their instruments. The security guys were moving around, quietly doing their jobs. A TV camera crew wandered around out front and also backstage, getting ready to film the chaos and excitement of the dress rehearsal, which would be posted on the Internet after the first show of the tour was over.
Val was already nervous and the show was still a day away. But she had never done any sort of modeling, no TV work, hadn’t done high school or college theater. Unlike most of the girls, who’d had a good deal of experience in the field. She was out of her element and working hard to handle the pressure.
A good shot of vodka might help, but it wasn’t going to happen. Too much was at stake. Val had promised to give the job her very best effort and she intended to do just that.
“Valentine!” A stout woman named Rosa bustled toward her. “There you are. We’re ready for your fitting.” Each model had been assigned to a seamstress for the final fitting of her costumes.
Val nodded, followed the broad-hipped woman toward one of the dressing rooms. She caught a glimpse of the big bodyguard, Ethan, who had helped Heather after her fall. She did her best not to stare, but damn, he was an amazing-looking man.