Stone Cold Charade (A Stone Family Novel) (35 page)

“What’s it like working for Fire?” He changed
the subject.

“Don’t tell me you’re a fan too?” She smiled
tightly as she tried to control her breathing.

“No, but I’ve heard things, small tidbits here
and there. I was just curious that’s all. It seems like you talk about Steven
more than you do Fire?” he sat down at the table again.

“What do you want to know?” she was clearly
hesitant to ask though it didn’t matter what he wanted to know, she would
answer him as honestly as she could. She hated deceiving him. It was tearing
her up inside but she didn’t have a choice.

“What’s she like?” Ty asked, softly rubbing the
back of her neck.

“She’s funny sometimes, serious other times,
and always loves her fans. She likes doing charity concerts for different youth
groups. Fire likes the band and the people who work for her. Men seem to find
her attractive, they just don’t really know the real her,” she stated
truthfully.

She watched him absorb what she told him.
Meeting his eyes she saw clearly the other questions burning in their depths.

“It must be tough for her, living with the
press always around. From what’s happened at the ranch, I don’t envy her.” He
bent to find her lips.

She placed her hand on his chest to stop him,
needing to see his face. “You really hate the press being here don’t you?” She
held her breath, feeling his answer weighing heavily on her. Everything was
riding on his respond to that one question.

“I don’t hate them personally; I know they’re
just doing their job. I just don’t like having my personal life beamed into
every living room in America. The press will back off when something new
happens. It’s not like Fire’s situation where she’s constantly in the
limelight. The press here will lighten up and go away and things will go back
to normal. The press is a part of your life, but they don’t hound you,” Ty
explained.

“You’re right, another story will come along
and they will leave the ranch, no harm done.” Alex said as calmly as she could.
She needed to put some distance between them before she said something she
would regret, so she stood, going to the sink to place her dish in it.

Ty sensed that Alex had wanted to say something
else. She was hiding something from him. From the moment they had met again,
Alex had been keeping secrets from him. Was it how she felt about Steven or
something else? She still didn’t trust him, he could feel it.

He got up and went to stand behind her, pulling
her back against him; letting her feel the hunger for her that he felt every
minute he was with her. Pressing into her, letting her cradle him, he glided
his hands up her rib cage to reach the under swell of her breasts. Feeling the
heat pool deep within her, she turned into his embrace, wanting his mouth on
hers. Silently showing him the hunger she was powerless to contain when around
him. She welcomed it, needed it. She wanted it more than anything in this
moment.

Something was still troubling her; he could
feel it. He returned her kiss, letting his hunger bloom to match hers, feeling
it take hold of his body.

Breaking the embrace, he whispered, “Let’s go
to bed, honey.” He tucked her under his arm, and led her upstairs.

When they reached the privacy of his room, he
removed her glasses and tugged the hair clip to send her hair flowing freely
about her shoulders. He clasped the hem of his t-shirt to pull it from her
body. She slowly raised her arms to help him. He tossed the shirt aside and
moved on to her sweats. He bent low to place his mouth on her stomach, placing
a trail of kissed over her naval. She threw back her head as he moved up to
place the tip of her breast into his mouth. While he soothed her with his hands
she reached out, desperate to help him out of his clothes.

He pulled Alex’s naked body into his embrace
then lowered himself over her on his bed. Caressing her warm body, bringing it
to a fever pitch, he lost himself in her. He felt the desperation in Alex as he
made love to her. It was as if she feared that he wouldn’t be there in the
morning. It heightened the intensity of feeling that coursed through him as he
made love to her. When he felt his control slipping fast, he claimed her,
watching her come apart in his arms. The world spun out from under them as he
too found his release. He rolled off of her and pulled her into his arms,
loving the feel of her pressed so tightly against him as he closed his eyes and
drifted off to sleep.

In the early hours of the morning, Alex sat on
the side of the bed watching Ty sleep soundly as she felt the hot tears trickle
down her face. He had wakened her slowly with his tender lovemaking in the
predawn hours, bringing her instantly to life in his arms. She had lain next to
him as he had fallen back asleep, trying to drag out the coming hours, savoring
being in his arms. She had lain there longing for the dream to last, but as the
sun began to rise she knew her time was at an end.

Gently laying a single kiss over his heart, she
slid from his side. Leaning down, she picked up her clothes, dressing quietly
so as not to wake him. She stole one last long look at her husband before
slipping silently out the door and closing it softly behind her. Knowing the
others wouldn’t be up for at least another half hour, she descended the stairs
to the den. Going to the piano she retrieved the music she had been composing.

Her next steps took her to Sam’s office where
she turned on the light. Going to the computer, she punched Mark, the band’s
guitar player, up in her e-mail and when it connected she scanned the sheet
music. He would make sure the band got the music so they could start working on
it. Then she sent a note, stating she would be unreachable to the band and
anyone else, until she decided otherwise. Once the e-mail was sent, she picked
up the phone in Sam’s office and made quick travel arrangements.

Hanging up, she knew she had about an hour
before she would be able to leave. She went to her room and climbed into the
shower. Stepping from it minutes later, she dried off and pulled on a fluffy
robe. She opened the bathroom drawer where she kept her cosmetics and began to
apply her makeup. When she finished, she started on her hair. She ran a leave
in conditioner and gel through it before scrunching the spiral curls as she blow-dried
them to make them light and bouncy.

Finished with her hair, she glanced at the gold
watch she pulled from her dresser. Thirty minutes remained. Feeling her heartbreak
with every breath she took, Alex knew she couldn’t break down until she
finished with what she had set out to do. Going to the desk in her room, she
pulled out a piece of paper and wrote down all the information Ty would need
and placed it in an envelope.

Spying his t-shirt, she slipped it and the note
into her black duffle bag along with her glasses and her sheet music. Opening
the left side of her closet, she looked at Fire’s wardrobe with a sigh.
Selecting a pair of black leather pants that showed off her thighs and legs
beautifully, she pulled them on, appreciating the designer who had thought to
cut them down the outside of the leg. She then dragged on a black, long sleeve
sweater with a plunging neckline that stopped at her midriff. Alex laced up her
suede boots, which gave her three more inches of height.

Snatching up her black leather trench coat to
conceal the outfit, she reached into the pocket, pulling out the large frame
sunglasses she found there. She slid them on with a flick of her wrist and
resolutely picked up her bag. Clutching the handle tightly, she strode
purposely toward the stairs. Her coat billowed out behind her like a cape as she
descended with a flurry, mindful of the importance of silence. She knew she
appeared menacing in the jacket, like something out of a vampire film. She
smiled ruefully at the thought because she had a sneaky suspicion she would
need all the help she could get. She was actually relishing the confrontation
that was looming.

Stopping at the door to the dining room, she
saw Martha finishing up with laying out breakfast. Squaring her shoulders she
marched into the room, causing everyone present to freeze momentarily. Except
Ridge who, in the process of drinking his coffee, choked and sprayed it all
over his untouched plate and the front of his white shirt. Parry’s jaw hit the
table and moments later his fork followed, falling from his slack fingers. The
loud clank vibrated through the room.

The noise spurred everyone into action
simultaneously.

Tennessee, in shock from what his eyes saw but
his mind didn’t comprehend, just sat in his chair blinking and shaking his head
in bewilderment.

Martha, who stood behind Max, looked to Sam
wondering if she knew what the hell was going on. Just as worried by Alex’s
attire as she was, she raised her eyebrows in alarm, clearly saying she didn’t
have a clue. Both swung their gazes to Steven, but after seeing the same wide-eyed
look mirrored there, they gathered that he had no idea either. He kept opening
and closing his mouth like a goldfish, sputtering incomplete words that had
absolutely no meaning at Fire.

Max sat at the head of the table growing
angrier by the minute, proof of this was in the many shades of red and purple
that flashed across his face in a matter of seconds.

Fire gently placed the duffle bag on the table
in front of her, slowly removed her sunglasses, and calmly placed them beside
her bag. She leaned forward, laying her palms flat on the table, still looking
down at her bag. Then she took a deep breath and swung her blazing eyes to her
grandfather who sat, currently crimson, directly across from her. She wanted no
misunderstandings. She was in control of her life, not him. Max would no longer
be allowed to bully her. His manipulation ended here.

“Where in the blue blazes do you think yer
goin’?” Max fired off hotly.

“That’s for me to know, and you to stick where
the sun don’t shine.” Alex said sweetly, still leaning against the table.

“You can’t leave! The blasted reporters are
crawlin’ all over this place!” Max reminded her furiously.

“I don’t take orders from you, remember?”

Alex pulled out an extra large manila envelope
and slid it to Tennessee. “Those are for your granddaughter. There’s a number
in there, if you call it my assistant will send her out some CD’s and videos.”
Alex stated to Tennessee.

Tennessee nodded his thanks, still wearing a
stunned expression on his face. He couldn’t believe Fire was married to his
boss.

Drawing a white envelope out of her bag, she
slid it along the table too, this time to Parry. “See that Ty gets this when he
comes down,” she said, forcefully.

“Alex, you can’t leave. What about Ty?” Sam
voiced the question all of them had been dying to ask. Sam knew she was serious
about leaving, and without Ty. Sam didn’t have a clue what had happened between
them but it couldn’t be pleasant if Alex was seriously planning on leaving
without telling him.

“Fire, as much as I don’t want to see the band
fall apart, you need to talk to him.” Steven worried. Alex raised her eyebrows
haughtily as she stood up and crossed her arms over her chest.

“There’s nothing to talk about. I won’t give up
who I am, not for Ty or for my grandfather,” she said bitterly. Steven squirmed
uneasily in his seat. The look she was giving him clearly said it was none of
his business and to stay out of her way.

Sam stood and rounded the table to her sister.
“Are you sure about this?” Sam clasped her hands in hers.

“Yes,” Alex said confidently. Reaching up, she
hugged her sister and glanced over her sister’s shoulder at Martha. Sam stepped
back allowing Martha to embrace her and say goodbye.

“See you next year honey. Stay out of trouble,
you hear me?” Martha instructed before reluctantly moving out of Alex’s arms,
fresh tears glinting in her eyes.

“Yer not leavin’ this house missy! Frank, get
yer butt in here!” Max bellowed. Frank lumbered into the room and looked
apathetically at Max. “She’s tryin’ to make a break fer it!” Max accused,
gesturing toward Alex. “Grab ‘er and tie ‘er up,” Max ordered.

As Frank started purposely for Alex, Sam and
Martha leapt away from them. They scrambled across the room to stand next to
the men. At this point, everyone was standing. Ridge stepped forward, fully
prepared to protect her from Frank. Sam laid a restraining hand on his arm
halting his interference.

“Frank, I really don’t want to have to hurt
you,” Alex said calmly.

“Sorry, I have my orders miss. I’m trying to
retire remember?”

Frank ambled across the room, seemingly set on
following orders, but just before he reached out to grab her he winked. He was
sweet enough to let her know that if she had to take him down he wouldn’t hold
it against her.

Darting her hand out, she clutched his forearm
as he made a grab for her. Alex pivoted on the balls of her feet, slamming her
shoulder into his stomach. Twisting under his body, she bent her knees and
stood to bring Frank flying over her. He landed flat on his back in the middle
of the dining room floor, gasping for air. Although he hadn’t been taken
completely by surprise at her swift reflexes, he was shocked by how well she
had perfected her skills. He smiled up at her, the pride he felt at her actions
reflected in his eyes.