Heiress vs Rockstar (Love in Illyria Book 4) Page 4

  When he got back to the ballroom, he saw Alice leave the stage in Andrew King's company. Fuck! That bastard Sinclair had been a diversion. They were going to pay for this little trick.

  His tires screeched and his revved-up engine made jarring noise when he bolted out of the parking lot. She had snatched a piece of his revenge from him. Big fucking mistake!

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Alice

  For the first time in weeks, she could attend an event without the fear of Tim Carter showing up. The Waves were at the traditional Rock in the Dark festival in Larissa, all the way across the country. It was his second favorite place, after Viaverde.

  They had played the night before, but Carter always stayed for the full duration of the festival, and he made appearances with other bands. For one night, she wouldn't have his shadow looming over her. She could enjoy one of the last events in Christian's company before his mayoral campaign began and they made their relationship public.

  When the Observatory building came into sight, she thought about Will. She didn't know who was more excited about the meteor shower next month, she or Will. During the past few weeks, the boy had opened up, probably sensing her unyielding determination to be his friend. Music had helped a lot.

  Not even thinking about Will or the meteor shower dampened the sensations of the pearls rolling on her skin as she got out of Christian's car. It had taken many hours of light cajolery from Christian to wear the backless dress.

  Secretly, she loved the fabulous Pellerin creation, and since the Observatory fund raiser didn't involve dancing, she had gathered the courage to wear it that evening. She wouldn't be able to stand anyone touching her naked back. Not even Christian's friendly touch would be welcome.

  Tim Carter didn't have to use his hands to touch her. She shook her head. She didn't want to think about him. She should enjoy that evening without worrying about him.

  When they entered the ballroom, she caught Leonie's gaze. Her approving smile didn't bother her as much as it used to. She and Christian were getting along very well. Neither of them had pushed to make the relationship more physical, despite the signs of mutual attraction. If Alice had ever dreamed of a perfect courtship, it would be what they had.

  She picked up a champagne flute and walked out onto the terrace. It was too cold to be out in that dress, but she wanted to enjoy the view. The Observatory was built on one of the hills of the capital. She could see all the way to the Felician Palace from the terrace.

  She closed her eyes and brought the glass to her nose. She wanted to enjoy the bouquet before tasting the champagne.

  "This is certainly not a boring dress."

  A shiver ran down her spine at the sound of Tim's voice whispering the words so quietly as to make her think she was imagining it.

  He couldn't be there. He just couldn't.

  She refused to turn around to check. He circled around her in that predatory fashion that unsettled her.

  "Don't you hate coincidences?" he asked idly, and he went on without waiting for an answer. "Here you are, getting your head out of the books to come to a fancy party and you run into me."

  She finally found her voice.

  "Except, it's not a coincidence, is it? You hardly attend a couple of social events each year, and here you are, twice in one week."

  "Whatever do you mean, Miss Lewis?"

  "Never mind," she said shaking her head. "I don't even take it personally."

  He took a step closer. His breath touched her skin, sending a shiver down her spine. The pearls rolled on her exposed back, increasing the sensation that he was touching her.

  "You got so used to lying, you're even lying to yourself now. This, is very personal."

  His voice was like silk sliding over her soul. Her own voice sounded high pitched and scratchy when she spoke.

  "Do you want me to give you my schedule so you can stalk me properly?"

  "You have a high opinion of yourself, don't you?"

  "Ok, it was a coincidence that we're both here tonight. And I do hate it."

  "You're humoring me again. Didn't you learn yet that I don't take well to people trying to play me?"

  She looked at her shoes, feeling too guilty to point out that she hadn't tried to played him, she had actually succeeded in playing him.

  "Can't you do anything spontaneous? Something that's not part of a scheme?"

  "You're no longer part of any scheme, Tim."

  She hated herself for noticing the short intake of breath when she used his name.

  "Too little, too late, little monster."

  "I know."

  Except it wasn't. All he had to do was walk away from her and he would truly be free. As long as he stayed close, Alice had to fight the urge to soothe him. She could make him get over it. She would inflame his anger until it burned out of him. He would be well again after that, and he wouldn't even notice that it was her doing.

  He expected her to get angry, to antagonize him. It was so tempting to push him into an angry argument. He would express his hatred at the top of his lungs and he'd feel better.

  The terrace of the Observatory, in earshot of dozens of people was not the right place for that scene. Next week, she could go into his fortuitously soundproof Music Room and goad him into expressing the full extent of his hatred. Since Isabella had left, he had got back in the habit of showing up long before his contestants. They'd have a good twenty minutes all to themselves.

  "Do you ever wonder what it would have been like if you talked to me instead of Isabella?" he asked. "I could have loved you, you know?"

  The soft whisper slid through all the protective layers she had wrapped around her soul. It touched her shriveled heart and for a horrible moment it made it blossom. Pain exploded into her soul. Those words gave birth to an alternate reality. Her mind unraveled the past and weaved another version, in which she talked to Tim the way she had talked about with Isabella.

  He held her gaze and made her believe in that other reality. If she'd been brave enough to face him, he would be in love with her now. Deep in her soul, Alice had always known that she had advised Isabella to act around him as she felt. Every piece of advice described things Alice herself wanted to do or say.

  She watched him walk back into the light of the party.

  He had promised her to find out what she wanted most in the world. Or make her want something. He had. He had reached deep inside her and unearthed one of her deepest secrets.

  She had been in love with him for so long.

  Once upon a time, she had an innocent crush on TC. Helping Isabella warped that puppy love into a shameful secret. Then all those weeks around him gave her the illusion that she would settle for being his friend and confident. He laughed at her jokes. He relaxed when she was around. He made her feel needed. Valuable.

  She finally accepted that his intense hatred had warped her feelings again. Being the focus of his attention, even if that focus meant he was constantly embarrassing and humiliating her in front of her social circle, made her feel more alive than ever before. Maybe that was how Vy got trapped into his web. His constant torture made her feel important. If he wasted his time hurting her, meant she was worth his time.

  She shook herself. That was insane. She was a nice, level-headed girl with a bright and prosperous future in front of her. She didn't need Tim Carter drama in her life. She couldn't possibly be in love with him.

  Then why did it feel so good to be in his arms when they danced? Why even his hatred felt like silk on her skin? Why did every venomous word left her wanting more? He made her feel like she could be something more than a name in a genealogy.

  He blended his revenge like the master craftsman he was. Small acts of public humiliation in front of Christian, Leonie, Andrew. And privately… temptation.

  Right. Enough was enough. She had the long weekend ahead to plan carefully the scene. She planned to go home anyway. She would look through every scrap of information she had gathered about Tim Cart
er, look through every psychology book she had, and cobble together the inner strength to withstand the venom that would spew out of him when she opened the wound.

  Hating her was not doing anyone any good. Hating was passion and it held him from healing. He had to go past the hate, forget those few weeks in which they had become almost friends. He had to exile her in a corner of his mind where he held fading memories. If the man had been able to put an end to the long affair with Alba Richmond-Orsay, surely he could forget he ever met mousy boring ugly Alice Lewis.

  Monday was a national holiday and she didn't have to go to Sing or to school, but Andrew King had told them he'd be in the studio. She was going to be there with the band for as long as they would stay.

  On Tuesday when work resumed, she would do it. She wasn't putting it off any longer. That Tuesday, she would provoke him. And then they would both have peace.

  With that decision made, she withstood his presence and his jabs for the rest of the evening. Once or twice, she could almost feel their connection again, that harmless friendship that had grown between them. She missed it more than she wanted to accept. A random memory of an old Led Zeppelin song steeled her resolve. What is and what should never be. She had to accept that Tim Carter fell squarely in the what should never be category.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Alice

  On Monday, she showed up at the Andrew's recording studio still emotionally drained after the Friday evening encounter with Carter. For the past two days she had tried to prepare herself for an even more intense confrontation with him.

  They were back in the recording booth after a pizza break, but she could barely keep her eyes open.

  I could have loved you.

  The words echoed through her mind over and over again. After everything she'd done wrong, the intensity of her regret was equaled by the pain she felt when she heard that lie. That Grapevine song was right. The soul doesn't feel only what it should. She shouldn't feel anything for Tim Carter. She had done enough harm because of her stupid teenage crush.

  At least she had one thing to look forward, her dinner with Christian that evening. His friendly companionship helped her recharge. Until then, she had to do her best for her band.

  She played her part on the guitar on auto-pilot. The scrutinizing look on Sebastian's face told her that he knew something was wrong with her. She made her lips to quirk up at a corner and forced her mind in the memory of their rehearsals in the Cesaras' garage.

  She started in her seat and Bryce stopped singing when the door banged open, and Vy burst in, her eyes wide.

  "What the hell is going on?" Andrew asked from the control room. He sounded angrier than she'd ever heard him.

  "Alice, I need to talk to you," Vy said, not paying attention to anyone else.

  She put the guitar down and followed Vy outside. In the hallway, they ran into Andrew who had rushed out of the adjoining control room.

  "What do you think you're doing?" he addressed Vy. "They were recording."

  Vy looked up at him, and even Andrew grew concerned when he saw the fear in her eyes.

  "I'm sorry, Mr. King. She needs to hear this."

  "What?" Alice asked in a whisper.

  As long as she had known Vy, her friend had never showed fear.

  "Can we go somewhere?"

  "Vy, seriously, what the hell!" Sebastian asked getting out of the recording booth.

  "What?" Alice asked again, her voice even fainter.

  Vy clenched her jaw and took her phone out.

  "TC was on Kent today," Vy said, turning on the screen and pressing play. "I had no idea he was going to do this, I swear. It's all over social media already."

  Alice, Sebastian and King looked at the small screen in Vy's shaking hand. Vy trembled so much, Sebastian had to take the phone from her to keep it steady.

  The first images were the well known background of Clark Kent's afternoon show. IBC's most popular afternoon show, which reached a wide segment of Illyrian population. It rated as one of the most trustworthy sources of information for the female public, ages 16 to 60. The details popped up in her mind, due to her involvement in studying the demographics for Christian's campaign.

  On the famous blue couch sat Tim Carter. Alice's heart shrunk in fear. Carter abhorred the populist format of the show, partly because he was a snob and partly because they so often talked with or about Alba. He had deigned them with his presence only when he was contractually obligated to promote Sing, and always when the other Captains were with him.

  The interview started blandly enough, with questions about Sing, but very soon Kent approached the issue that had held the headlines in every show or magazine that dealt with Illyrian high life.

  "How does it feel to become a father for the first time?"

  Vy squeezed her hand, and Alice tried to brace herself. She trained her eyes on Tim's features.

  "It's an incredible feeling. It changes everything about how you see life."

  "Tim, you know I have to ask this. Everyone is wondering about your relationship with Isabella Peters."

  "I know, and that's why I'm here. I've never cared too much what people say about me. So far, I let everyone say whatever they wanted. I love my son, and I will always be a part of his life. Isabella and I don't love each other. Staying together for his sake would be a mistake. It's better for him to have a mother and father who love him instead of growing up in a tense atmosphere, where his parents pretend they are a happy family."

  Don't ask about his mother, Alice prayed. Tim had described in a few words his own unhealthy childhood.

  "So there was no other reason for breaking up with Isabella?"

  That was an unexpected question. Even more unexpected was Tim's pause. She had expected him to brush the question away. As if breaking up with the mother of his three-month-old child wasn't a hard enough decision.

  "No. It may seem strange that I am attending so many social events so soon after the breakup, and I understand why people might think there's something more to it. The truth is I am in a relationship right now, but Alice Lewis doesn't have anything to do with my decision to break up with Isabella."

  If Carter said anything after that, Alice didn't hear it. The world darkened around her. She took a few steps back until she felt the wall behind her shoulders. She leaned into it, forcing herself to stay up. He had lied about being a relationship with her. Far worse than that, he had formulated the denial in such a way that everyone who heard it would believe that she was the reason for his breakup with Isabella.

  "Alice?"

  Her friends were looking at her concerned.

  She took in a deep breath, trying to find something to say. What could she tell them? That it was part of his revenge? Vy and Andrew could figure as much, knowing about her role in Tim and Isabella's relationship. Not that she was able to talk in any way.

  "You should listen to this, too," Vy said. "The whole country heard it live."

  Oh, God! There was more?

  Vy unpaused the video, and Tim started to speak again.

  "Alice and I are involved in many charity events. We show up together all the time. We decided to make our relationship public because Alice is going to take an active part in politics, and it wouldn't be fair to mislead the public about the true nature of our relationship."

  "What is the true nature of your relationship?" Clark asked.

  "Romantic."

  "You never got involved in politics before," Kent said. "Are you going to be by her side during her political career?"

  The camera zoomed in on Tim's face.

  "Every step of the way," he said, looking straight into the camera.

  Vy stopped the video.

  "Are you ok?" Vy asked.

  She tried to gather her thoughts. It didn't seem real. Only a two days earlier they had found their previous friendly connection for a few moments. She was sure that he felt it, too. Maybe that was the reason he did this. He wanted to hate her, not to find thing
s in common with her. Not to relate to her. He wanted to hurt her as much as he was hurting.

  "I... don't know. I need to think. Alone," she added when Vy opened her mouth.

  "Go into my office," Andrew said. "Take as long as you need. No one will disturb you."

  #

  Indigo was packed when she and Christian arrived. They had booked the table a week earlier, and she had to hope that no one recognized her until they got to the private balcony overlooking the park. Fortunately, Christian had respected her desire for privacy at all times and had booked that romantic and very private nook. The guarantee of discretion came as a relief now that a small contingent of paparazzi started following her every move.

  "I'm sorry," she said as soon as the waiter left.

  They hadn't talked about it in the car, but he didn't make her spell out what she was apologizing for. The somber look on his face bothered her. For as long as she had known him, Christian had been light hearted and fun to be around. She didn't want her last memory of him to be this darkness on his features.

  "I can deal with it," he said. "But I have the feeling that you don't want me to."

  She bowed her head to hide the guilt.

  "Do you?" he asked.

  She shook her head, forcing herself to meet his eyes.

  "It's not worth ruining your chances. You're going to be an awesome Mayor. The city needs someone like you. Someone who loves Orsino the way you do."

  "I can be mayor this year, or four years from now. It wouldn't make much of a difference to me."

  "You will be mayor this year. And four years from now. I don't think the city will let you get away with only serving one term."

  "You flatter me."

  "Not at all. I believe in you. I just wish I were the right person to be by your side."

  A sad smile crooked Christian's lips. His eyes grew colder. She wished she could take it all back. From the first time she had met him, she could see him on the precipice of turning into a heartless politician. Her idealism seemed to have rubbed on him for a while. She had seen his heart opening to causes and his mind opening to ideas that contradicted his privileged upbringing. And there she was, witnessing those doors closing. Because of her.