Eventually she pulled herself together enough to start the car again and head out into the street. Somehow she managed to get herself home and into the house. She didn’t think she had any tears left, but by the time she reached her bedroom, her eyes were flooded again.
I knew it. I just knew it.
Becoming involved with Marc, addicted to him, was one of the biggest mistakes of her life. She wanted excitement and she’d gotten it, but along the way, she’d left her brain in cold storage. If she’d thought it out, she’d accepted from the beginning she was out of his league. Maybe she should savor that one night with him and never gone back to the club. But her heart and her hormones conspired against her to defeat common sense. And this was what she got.
She threw herself onto the bed and just let them flow, questioning if it was possible to die from too much crying. Or too much heartache.
***
Marc was beside himself. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so upset. He didn’t even feel the scrapes on his skin from where he’d fallen on the asphalt. He couldn’t believe she’d just driven off without even giving him a chance to explain.
Shit. How the fuck had this happened?
“Hey, Marc. Marco Polo.”
Marc whirled to face Rick. “Don’t ever call me that stupid fucking name again or I’ll have to really hurt you.”
“Whoa.” Rick pulled to a stop and held up his hands. “What’s going on, buddy? What’s the deal here?”
“You know what the fucking deal is. I’ve been screwed. Damn that bitch Lacey. She’s been after me since the first time she saw us play.”
“But you never hung out with her. Hooked up.” Rick frowned. “Did you?”
“Of course not.” He was sick with rage and heartache. “She’s a piece of trash. When I find out who gave her the pass for tonight I’ll tear him a new one. She’s chased away the best thing to come into my life.”
Rick frowned. “Are you talking about ML? Or whatever the hell her name is? Jesus, Marc, the broad won’t even tell you her name. I don’t even know why you brought her tonight. How can you get so twisted up about someone who hides who she is? That’s nuts.”
Marc grabbed Rick by the shirt and got right in his face. “Don’t you dare call her a broad, you asshole.”
“Wait. Wait a minute.” Rick grabbed his wrists and tried to yank them away. “Is there more going on here than I know about? I know she’s been eating up your brain, though who the hell knows why. There are plenty of other women where she came from.”
“She’s not just any woman. I’ve been trying to tell you.” His words were as brittle as chips of ice. “This is my Music Lady. She’s special. Very special. I told you how I felt, for chrissake. And now I don’t even have a clue how to find her.”
“Listen.” Rick’s voice was apologetic. “We all thought Lacey was just being cute with you. Who the hell knew you had something serious going?”
“Lacey knew,” Marc spat out. “She’s seen her at the club a few times. This was just her nasty way of getting back at me for turning her down.”
“Okay. All right.” Rick eased himself from Marc’s grip. “I’ll take the heat for not taking your situation more seriously, pass the word to everyone to lay off and help you figure out how to find her. But right now, can we go inside? Butch is waiting to talk to us again. Things went really well tonight. You’ll be pleased.”
He threw his arm around Marc’s shoulder and began leading him toward the door.
He shrugged off Rick’s hand and moved toward the facility with long, angry strides.
Damn you, Lacey. And damn me for being caught off guard by her.
Rage exploded again as he remembered the uncomfortable feel of her and his efforts to peel her away from his body.
“I want to know who brought that bitch, Lacey, tonight,” Marc growled over his shoulder.
“You can lay that one on Danny, but please let it go for the moment.” Rick caught up to him as they reached the door.
Marc froze. “Danny’s seeing her?”
“No. He’s with her sister, Shelley. And Shelley begged him to get a pass for Lacey. Marc, if I’d had any idea what she had in mind, or where you and ML stood—”
Marc held up his hand. “Stop.” He sucked in a deep breath, control threatening to desert him. He had business to take care of. “We’ll work it out later. But before I go back inside there, I want the women out. All of them. If someone has a problem with that, they can take it up with me.”
He was still vibrating with rage when they re-entered the facility and headed toward the dressing room. Leaning against the wall with his hands shoved in his pockets, he waited while Rick cleared the room. He didn’t move until Lacey stormed past him with two other women. Like quicksilver, he reached out and grabbed her arm.
“That was a rotten thing to do, Lacey.” He had to restrain himself from actually doing her bodily harm.
“Why?” she sneered. “Because it offended Little Miss Nobody?” Lacey tossed her thick mane of hair over her shoulder. “She’s not your style and you know it.”
“You have no idea what my style is, but I can assure you, you’re not it.” He gritted his teeth. “You’ve tried that game before and I wasn’t buying it then, either.” He was aware everyone had stopped at the door to watch their little tableau play out, but he didn’t care.
