But Dante didn’t realize that no one had any control over her mother these days.
“And keep an eye out for Melissa, okay? If she gets tired, have someone show her to the greenroom.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said without hesitation.
Back to ma’am now?
She turned and headed for the stage. But out of the corner of her eye, she saw her overprotective SEAL move closer to the sound console and Melissa, the youngest of the Tate brood. The blond-haired little girl was the “oops” baby of the family, born twenty-something years after the accidental pregnancy that had led to her parents’ rushed marriage. And Melissa was one of the main reasons Chrissie fought for her career. She loved singing her songs. But Melissa owned her heart. Just like her seventeen-year-old twin brothers Brandon and Matthew.
She thought about offering another thank-you to the bodyguard she planned to fire in the morning. Instead, she walked onto the stage and picked up her guitar.
She couldn’t see faces in the audience standing under the bright lights. But she could hear the roar of the crowd quiet down as she played the first few notes. They’d come here for this. Her number one hit. She opened her mouth and began to sing.
…
I wear your dog tags… But that’s not the you I knew…
The guitar chords filled the theater, each heartfelt note more out of place than the last against the backdrop of a Sin City stage.
Cold metal against my skin… But I close my eyes and see the boy who stole my dolls, the friend who held my hand… How do I remember you?
He’d seen war, but he’d never witnessed it through a family member’s eyes. How the hell could she go up there and offer up her heart night after night? How could she bare her soul to a theater full of strangers? In Vegas of all places?
She wasn’t afraid.
But he was. He couldn’t open up like that. Not to a room full of strangers or one woman. Not after his ex. Sure, he’d made light of it on the drive yesterday. But sometimes it felt like the woman he’d vowed to love for the rest of his life had carved a hole in his chest and taken a piece of his heart. He hadn’t felt whole since. And he didn’t have a clue how to move on without that part of himself. He gave his all when it came to his country and love. But right now, it didn’t feel like he had his everything to give.
He glanced down at his busted knee. The scar was hidden beneath his jeans. But he knew it was there. A bright red reminder that at this point in time he fell short of Navy SEAL standards.
“She’s amazing, right?” The little girl to his left called as the song ended and the audience erupted. The kid’s blond hair and blue eyes matched
her big sister’s.
“Yeah, she’s good,” he said.
“She’s the best,” the kid said, her voice firm.
“Do you attend a lot of her concerts?” he asked.
The child shook her head. “No. But I’m on spring break, so my momma had to bring me. Usually I stay home with my father. But he’s too sad right now.”
After hearing that song, I can understand why.
Chrissie launched into an upbeat number about broken hearts and lost dogs. Yeah, this part of country music wasn’t for him. But he kept his gaze fixed on the star. She danced up and down the stage, shaking her perfect, pop-princess body for the crowd.
No, he didn’t like this version of country music. But the country star? She was damn near close to irresistible.
Hell, I hope she follows through and fires my ass tomorrow.
Because after kissing her until she came, watching her pass out, and then listening to her number one hit, he had a feeling there was a lot more to Chrissie Tate than her looks. And right or wrong, he wanted to explore every part of her.
Dante scanned the crowd. The concert had wrapped up ten minutes ago. But, instead of taking a rest, Chrissie was determined to greet her fans. Why the hell was she wasting energy he was pretty damn sure she didn’t have to spare on worst-case scenarios? One look and Dante knew her fans were pushing the limits of the Vegas hotel security.
“I recommend using another exit,” he said, turning away from the stage door that led to the packed hotel corridor.
Chrissie had traded her country-girl button-down for a red, white, and blue sequined top. Melissa, her Mini-Me, stood at her side and held tight to her big sister’s hand.
Chrissie shook her head. “I need to sign autographs.”