JED TOSSED THE MAGAZINE onto the coffee table, then pointed to the club chair opposite. “I’m here to talk, Dana,” he told her. “Alone. But if it makes you feel like you’re in charge, you can continue to hold the gun.”
She walked to the chair and pulled it away from him, so she wouldn’t be in reach, then sat down. She kept the gun on her lap. “Thanks, but I don’t need your permission.”
“Still feisty, I see. Not a big surprise. People rarely change. I remember you when you were a little girl. Big eyes and ragged clothes. I never understood why you and Lexi became friends.”
Her clothes hadn’t been ragged, but she knew he was simply making a point.
She kept her breathing steady, her body relaxed. She wanted to be on alert, but not hyper-vigilant. No need to wear herself out. Jed could be planning a long conversation.
Even as she watched him, she was aware of her surroundings. While she suspected he was alone, as he’d claimed, she didn’t want to be caught unawares.
“There’s a lot you don’t understand,” she told him. “Like how to make a point. What was with the car chase? It was practically a cartoon. I would have expected better.”
“Don’t worry,” he said calmly. “You’ll get it.”
She gave him a faint smile. “Let me guess-you’re here to warn me about something. I’m to do exactly what you say or there will be dire consequences. If only there was some movie music to fill out the moment.”
“I’m here to tell you to back off or you’ll be sorry.”
Not a surprise, she thought. “And here I was hoping for more.”
“Look at you, Dana. Always the lost puppy, on the fringe of everything. Lexi was good to you, helping you fit in, making you feel like you belonged. Later Skye and Izzy joined her. But you’ll never be one of them. You know that, right? They’re sisters. You’re just someone they know.”
He was good, she thought, doing her best not to react. If he’d talked about her lack of money, she would have been able to laugh him off. But talking about belonging was much smarter.
“I’m a big girl now,” she said easily. “I can take care of myself.”
“Keep telling yourself that. Maybe it will be true. How’s Garth?”
She blinked. “I have no idea.”
“But you were with him earlier. I saw you in front of Kathy’s pet store. Holding hands.” He gave her a knowing smile. “So romantic. It’s really funny when you think about it. All your life you’ve been trying to be equal with my girls and now you’re dating my son. I should warn you, it didn’t work with them and it won’t work with him. You’ll never be a Titan, Dana. You’re not one of us. You know that. You try to pretend it doesn’t matter, but we both know differently. After all, your father hit you for a reason.”
It took every ounce of control she had, but she was determined not to react. At the same time she sat there, completely still, a voice screamed in her head. What the hell? Had everyone in town known she was being beaten on a regular basis and no one had thought to ask a couple of questions or turn in her old man? Had everyone looked the other way?
Stupid question and she already knew the answer.
“You’re trash, Dana,” Jed said, almost kindly. “In my day we would call someone like you poor white trash. My girls know that and so does Garth. I’m not saying he doesn’t enjoy fucking you. You’re athletic. I’m sure you can keep him happy in bed for a couple of months. But it’s not going to last. I’m saying that with a full heart.”
He actually put his hand on his chest as he spoke, as if to convince her of his sincerity.
“I’m beyond touched,” she said dryly. “And officially bored with this conversation. Was there anything else?” She glanced at her watch. “Because otherwise, I need to get going.”
Jed rose. She did, as well, keeping distance between them and a firm hold on her gun.
“You’ll back off,” he said flatly.
“Or I’ll find a horse’s head in my bed?”
“Nothing that abstract. I prefer to be more direct. If you don’t back off, all of you, I’ll start hurting the people you love most.”
Her mouth went dry. “You already tried that once.”
“Next time I won’t leave anything to chance. Next time the consequences will be a lot more serious. Lexi or Izzy or Skye might not get out alive.”
“YOU OKAY?” Garth asked.
Dana shook her head. She was sure she would never be okay again. “He was so cold,” she said, folding her arms over herself and doing her best not to shake. “So casual, the way he talked about hurting his own daughters. Who does that? He’s become a monster. When did that happen?”
After Jed had left, Dana had checked the place to make sure no one else was there, then had driven to Garth’s office.
He sat next to her on the sofa by the window and slowly rubbed her back. “Do you want me to get you something to calm you down? Tea? Something stronger?”
She glared at him. “I’m not hysterical. I don’t need to be sedated.”
“I’m just offering.”
“Don’t. We need to figure out a plan. We need to stop him.”
“We have a plan.”
“It’s not working,” she snapped, then shook her head. “Sorry. I’m a little on edge.”
“I hadn’t noticed.”
She managed a slight smile, then took a deep breath. “Okay. What are we going to do?”
“I’ll let Mitch, Cruz and Nick know what happened and what Jed said.” He hesitated. “If I tell you something, you have to keep it to yourself.”
“What are we, in high school?”
“I’m serious.”
He looked serious. Determined and a little intimidating. Not that she would tell him that.
“Fine. I won’t say anything.”
“The guys have hired bodyguards.”
He didn’t say any more than that, but Dana could fill in the rest. She sprang to her feet, put her hands on her hips and glared at him.
“Are you serious?” she yelled. “My friends are being watched and they don’t know it?”
He stood. “Protected. There’s a difference and you know it. It’s a precaution. Based on what Jed said, do you think it’s such a bad idea?”
She opened her mouth then closed it. “No,” she grumbled, sinking back onto the sofa.
She bounced back to her feet, then poked him in the chest with her index finger. “You better not have anyone following me or I swear I’ll disembowel you.”
“There’s a visual.”
“I mean it, Garth.”
He sighed heavily. “I don’t have anyone on you. With your professional training I knew you’d be better prepared. I’d like to have you protected…”
“And I’d like to win a megalottery. We all have unfulfilled dreams. You’ll have to get over this one.”
“That’s what I thought you’d say. But with Jed making overt threats, I want you to be really careful.”
The man had sent people to run her off the road and then had shown up in her house. She was going to be the poster child for careful.
If only the license plate numbers had helped, but as she’d suspected, they’d been stolen.
“I’m not the only one who has to watch herself,” she said. “Jed could just as easily come after you. That’s the most direct road to success.”
“Are you worried about me?”
Garth put his hands on her waist and drew her against him. She didn’t really want to go, but the second he touched her, she didn’t seem to have much will to resist. There was something about the heat of his body or the strength of it. It made her want to melt. And she was not the melting kind.
She managed to push his hands off her waist and take a step back. “Worried is too strong a word. I know Izzy would be upset if something happened to you. She’s determined to see you as one of the family.”
He pulled her close again and kissed her jaw. “What do you see me as?”
“Trouble,” she said, trying not to sound breathless. Which was really hard because tingles followed everywhere his mouth touched. Even as he kissed his way down her neck, she felt heat flaring in her breasts and between her legs.
He paused at the edge of her sweatshirt. For a second she thought about just ripping it off, but stopped herself. They were in Garth’s office. While it might be Saturday, she’d seen several people around. Anyone could walk in. She wasn’t the type who enjoyed being a show.
She managed to push away again, only this time she really, really didn’t want to stop.
He cupped her face in his hands. “I’ll be careful,” he promised.
“Good.”
“If you’ll go to Skye’s fund-raiser with me.”
The tingles died.
“What?”
“Skye is having a fund-raiser next weekend. It’s an annual event. I promised I’d go and I want you there with me.”
“Why?” The question popped out before she could stop it.
“Because you’re my girlfriend.”
His what?
She stared at him. Girlfriend? As in relationship?
Her mind went completely blank. She wasn’t the relationship type. She was difficult and awkward and the most she knew about getting fancy with makeup was to put on a second coat of mascara.
“I don’t go to Skye’s fund-raisers. It’s not my thing.”
He dropped his hands to her shoulders and stared into her eyes. “It’s not my thing, either, but I promised.”
“So you go.”
“I will. With you.”
She wanted to complain that she had nothing to wear, but he was a guy and he wouldn’t get that. She wanted to tell him that events like that made her feel uncomfortable and out of place. Worse, she remembered what Jed had claimed. That she would never fit in. Never be an equal. Did her reaction to the invitation prove he was right?
Garth squeezed her shoulders, then released her. “It wasn’t supposed to be that hard a question. If you don’t want to go, it’s fine.”
Pride battled with fear. Was she really going to let Jed get in her head and mess with her? “No. I’ll go.”
“You could sound a little more enthused.”
She forced a smile. “I’ll go. Thanks for asking.”
He kissed her. “You’ll have fun. It’s at Glory’s Gate.”
“Since when? Skye doesn’t live there anymore.”
Garth grinned. “He’s renting out the house. Skye’s paying a premium, but it’s a good property for this kind of event.”
Glory’s Gate. At least Dana knew her way around the place. It would be a lot easier than a fancy hotel.
He leaned close, his mouth barely touching her ear. “Just so we’re clear-this is a date. I’ll be driving.”
He expected her to laugh. The punch line was him driving. The “D” word was incidental. To him. To her it was the first step into a terrifying and unfamiliar world from which she might never find her way back.
“F-fine,” she whispered, knowing it was anything but.
“WHAT WAS I THINKING?” Dana demanded of Lexi three days later when they met up at an exclusive boutique Dana had never stepped in before. It was easier to focus on her panic about the coming fund-raiser than worry about what Jed might be planning for his daughters. Or try not to see the mysterious male shopper who was obviously-at least to Dana-Lexi’s bodyguard. While she didn’t like the idea of keeping secrets from her friends, she knew that protecting them came first. None of the Titan sisters would accept the idea of bodyguards. Better pissed at her than dead, she thought grimly, then pushed her conversation with Jed away. If she kept thinking about it, she was at risk of blurting out something she would immediately regret.
“You were thinking it would be fun to see Garth’s world,” Lexi said soothingly. “Or your brain was momentarily toasted from something he was doing to the rest of you.”
“We were only kissing,” Dana said absently, staring at all the clothes around her, wishing there was a rack marked Clothes Dana Wouldn’t Rather Die Than Wear with a big sale sign on it.
“Interesting. If just his kissing can do that, I wonder what he can do when he puts his mind to it.”
“You have no idea,” Dana said.
Lexi patted her arm. “You’ll be fine. Okay, the outfit. Skye’s saying formal but not white tie, so that helps.”
Dana was sure it would if she actually knew the difference between white tie and black tie.
“I’m open to suggestions,” she said between gritted teeth.
The boutique was well-lit and screamed expensive. There weren’t even tons of clothes on display. Just one of everything. Then a salesperson went off and got your size. Shopping in a place like this was the seventh level of hell for her. The only thing that kept her in place was the fear of embarrassing Garth. It should be embarrassing herself, but she didn’t care what people thought of her. But Garth would have business associates at the event. Friends, maybe. He would take her, regardless of what she was wearing. He would never ask her to change clothes, but that didn’t mean he would be thrilled if she showed up in jeans and a T-shirt.
“Obviously the point isn’t just to raise money for Skye’s foundation,” Lexi said. “It’s also a see-and-be-seen kind of party, as well. Dallas society and all that. Senators, congresspeople.”
Dana pressed her hand to her suddenly writhing stomach. “You’re not making me feel better.”
“I’ll do that later,” Lexi said kindly. “I want you to understand what we’re talking about. This is Garth’s world.”
“And I don’t belong there.”
Lexi grabbed her arm. “No. That’s not even close to what I’m saying. You totally belong there. But if you want to fit in, to be comfortable, you’re going to have to learn the rules.”
She held up her hand before Dana could interrupt. “There’s a big difference between fitting in and selling out. I’m not asking you to be someone else. I’m asking you to dress in such a way that you don’t insult your hostess, who I would like to remind you, is a close friend.”
Dana pressed her lips together. “Fine,” she mumbled. “What should I wear?”
“You’ll probably be more comfortable in pants and a jacket,” Lexi said, moving deeper into the store.
Dana followed her, careful not to brush against anything. She wasn’t sure where exclusive boutiques stood on the “you break it, you bought it” policy, but she and her credit card didn’t want to get into trouble.
“What about this?”
Lexi held up a tailored jacket. Or maybe it was a blazer. Dana wasn’t sure. While she stared at it, her friend was talking. She could see Lexi’s lips moving, but there wasn’t any sound except for a massive buzzing in her ears.
Had someone blindfolded her and told her that her life depended on her describing the jacket, she wouldn’t have been able to do it. Not when all she could see was the small, hanging price tag.
Fifteen hundred dollars. You could buy a used car for that.
“What?” Lexi asked. “Are you feeling all right?”
Dana shook her head and pointed. Lexi glanced at the tag, then shrugged.
“It’s Donna Karan. Her clothes are beautiful and I think they’d really suit your body.”
“Fifteen hundred dollars? It’s a jacket.”
“It’s a designer label.” Lexi sighed. “Dana, this is what quality clothes cost.”
“Are they sewn by albino virgins born on February 29th?”
“Maybe you’d be happier with something else.”
Something that wouldn’t make her credit card scream for mercy.
Lexi circled several racks, then glanced back at Dana. “Would you consider a dress?”
Dana would rather consider quality time in a snake exhibit at the zoo. A dress, as in not pants? “I guess.”
Instead of circling the racks, Lexi circled Dana. “When was the last time your legs saw sunlight?”
“1943.”
“Very funny. Pale is in. Blinding white doesn’t look attractive on anyone. I’ll get you in at the spa. We’ll give you a nice fake tan that glows.”
Dana frowned. “What does it matter what color my legs are? I’ll be wearing panty hose.”
Lexi stared at her. “No. We don’t do that anymore. Colored tights are always a possibility with a wool skirt and boots, but…” She seemed to brace herself. “When was the last time you wore a dress?”
“Prom.”
“High school prom?”
“It’s the only one I went to.”
Lexi linked arms with her and rested her forehead on Dana’s shoulder. “I have to apologize. I’ve totally failed you as a friend.”
“Why? I’m fine.”
“You’re many things but fine isn’t one of them. We’ll go classic,” she said. “A little black dress.” She straightened and smiled. “The good news for you is you can get one for a lot less than fifteen hundred dollars.”
“Lucky me.”
Fifteen minutes later, Dana had to admit Lexi might be on to something with the dress thing. She’d tried on three already and each of them looked pretty good.
The first had been made out of a shiny fabric that was a little stiff. The front came up to her collarbone but the back had a cut-out that dipped down to the belt. Lexi had explained something about a specially designed fancy bra that would hold the girls in place, but Dana wasn’t so sure about walking around with her back exposed.
The second was silk. She knew because Lexi had gushed about it. It had a wrap-style top and a full skirt.
“Too retro,” Lexi said.
“Too girly,” Dana added.
The third, which according to legend should have been just right, wasn’t. It was cut low enough for most of her breasts to show.
“I’m not flashing the world,” Dana said, staring at herself in the mirror and trying not to wince. Then she reached for the zipper and stepped out of the dress. “There will be old people there. I don’t want to put anyone off the appetizers.”
“Or give them a heart attack.” Lexi looked at the remaining dresses. “Maybe. I don’t know. Maybe.”
“What?”
“I’m thinking.”
Dana had to admit there was one advantage to shopping in the exclusive part of town. The dressing rooms were really nice. Large, with a couple of chairs and big mirrors. Now that she thought about it, the space was about the size of her living room.
“Here.” Lexi handed over what looked like a latex tube.
“What is that?”
“Your new best friend. It’s an indestructible man-made fiber designed to hold every inch of you in place. Otherwise known as shapeware.”
Dana turned the black tube over in her hands. “How do I get into it?”
“Wiggling and a lot of prayer.”
The task seemed impossible, but Dana stepped into the tube and started pulling up. Lexi got behind her and tugged, as well. It took a few minutes, but finally the tube was in place.
It wasn’t just tight-it pressed in from every direction. She wasn’t sure she could fully expand her lungs. Eating would be impossible.
“I can’t breathe in this thing.”
“You’ll get used to it,” Lexi said, apparently unconcerned about Dana’s asphyxiation.
Dana took a few practice breaths and found that by inhaling slowly, she could get more air in her lungs.
“Try this,” Lexi said.
The “this” was a simple black dress that looked like it had been created by bands of fabric sewn together. They alternated dull and shiny. The neckline was square and the straps were the same width as the bands.
“It’s too small,” Dana said, eyeing the dress and hoping it would look good on her.
“It’s meant to be fitted. Which is why you’re not breathing. Try it on.”
Dana slipped the dress over her head. It felt tight, but not too tight. She eased it into place. Lexi fastened the zipper, then sank into one of the chairs.
“My work here is done,” Lexi said happily.
Dana faced the mirror. The dress was amazing. It clung to every curve as if she’d been sewn into it. She looked sexy and feminine and not the least bit like herself.
“Shoes,” Lexi said, pointing to the boxes they’d brought in along with the dresses. “Try that box on the left. They’re satin, too.”
They were also armed with a four-inch heel.
“I don’t think so,” Dana said, staring at them in total fear. “I’ll kill myself.”
“You’ll look good as you go. Try them on.”
Dana slipped on the shoes.
Despite being a bit wobbly, she looked good. Better than good. Her legs were endless, with great curves. It was like being in someone else’s body but looking into her own eyes. A surreal moment.
Lexi rubbed her lower back. “We’ll get you into the spa the day before the fund-raiser. You can get the fake tan and we’ll do something about those eyebrows.”
Dana peered into the mirror. “What’s wrong with my eyebrows? I have two.”
“You practically have four. We’ll fix it. Then on the day of the fund-raiser, I’ll come by and help you get ready.”
Dana turned around and looked at her friend. “This isn’t me. I’m not into this stuff.”
“You don’t know that for sure. You’ve never tried. I’m not saying you have to become a beauty school graduate, but spending a couple of minutes a day on your appearance doesn’t make you a bad person. Or a weak one. You can still be as tough as you want and dress nice.”
“Maybe,” Dana admitted. It wasn’t about being bad, it was about being vulnerable. Which Lexi wouldn’t understand.
“He won’t know what hit him,” her friend added. “More important, you’ll feel fabulous.”
She was used to feeling competent and in charge. How important could fabulous be?
She glanced back at the mirror. Maybe it was time to try.
DANA DROVE TOWARD HER apartment, doing her best not to think about the packages in the backseat of her rental. She’d never spent that much money on clothes in a year, let alone one afternoon. The good news was the dress and heels together had cost a lot less than the jacket. The bad news was she had to wear them.
Garth had better be appreciative, she thought, both nervous about his reaction and anticipating how he would react. She doubted he expected her to be all glamorous.
She turned left onto her street. It was quiet, as usual. She signaled a few feet before the entrance to her complex. She’d barely started the turn when there was a loud pop and the rear end of her car started to wobble and bump.
Several things happened at once. She checked her mirrors to make sure no one was right behind her, then she jerked the car to the side of the road, braking at the same time. As she quickly came to a stop, she grabbed for her purse and pulled out her gun, then slid down in the seat. Even as she opened the door, she heard a car speeding away. She jumped out to see if she could catch the license plate, but there wasn’t one. Then she leaned heavily against the car.
Her gaze dropped to the left rear tire. There was a hole in it, where the bullet had entered. Had they been trying to scare her or had the shooter missed? Either way, another message had been sent. One she couldn’t keep to herself.
She reached back into the car and dug out her cell phone. She dialed the number from memory. When the Titanville sheriff’s office picked up, she identified herself then said, “I need to report a shooting.”