Jersey Six - Jewel E Ann Page 0,31
ears.
“Chris isn’t going to want his nails painted. Or probably anyone touching him.”
Wrong … Jersey craned her neck to see Chris. The cute, short-haired blonde already had Chris’s hands and feet soaking in something, and he was all smiles about it.
Much like the first shower, but thankfully not as much, Jersey watched the water in the basins darken as her hands and feet were submerged. The young redhead perched on a small, three-legged stool went to work on Jersey. She asked about several sores on Jersey’s feet and offered some type of herbal salve. Jersey had no idea what she meant by salve, but she couldn’t say no to something the woman promised would be soothing and healing.
“What color would you like?” She showed Jersey a rainbow of nail polish bottles. Jersey let Dena paint her fingernails and toenails once—light pink. She rolled her eyes at Dena, not wanting to admit that deep down she liked it because, despite the abuse, the murder, and the awful hand of cards, Jersey went through much of her life wanting to fit in. Normal felt like an unreachable dream, but nonetheless, still a dream.
What would Ian say? Or what if they ended up back at Marley’s and Jersey had pink polish on her nails?
“No polish.”
“You sure? What about clear?” The redhead seemed really enthused about putting polish on Jersey’s nails.
She wasn’t sure why. Jersey felt nauseated by the disgusting amount of dry skin the woman filed off her feet. Jersey prayed Ian would stay asleep and not see that.
“Or … black.” Shooting Jersey a wicked grin, nail lady held up a bottle of black nail polish.
Jersey’s lips twisted. “Whatever.” On a huff, she turned her attention to the window, giving Ian a quick glance first to make sure he wasn’t consciously witnessing the polish conversation.
As promised, they were back on the ground in no time. Two vehicles waited just beyond the plane. Without saying a word, Ian hopped into the back of the first SUV as Shane held open his door.
“This way.” Max ushered Chris and Jersey to the second vehicle. “Rex will get you both where you need to be. Jersey, Dani will show you the ropes for merch. I’ll see you later.”
“Where are you going?” Jersey stared at the SUV with Ian in the back of it.
“Ian has a jam-packed day of interviews and appearances. We’ll see you at the venue later.”
Before Jersey could respond, express any apprehension, or wrap her head around the whirlwind of events, Max slid in the backseat of the SUV, next to Ian, and the vehicle sped off into the distance.
Rex, the short, dark-haired man with a stalky build and an indifferent smile, held open the car door for Jersey. She hugged her bag and slid in next to Chris. He stared at her, which felt like progress—except his hard expression held more contempt than any sort of surrender.
“Don’t give me that look,” she said as Rex shut her door. “You’re being an asshole. I said I’d ask him questions, but I’m not going to do it on a plane with his assistant and bodyguard just feet away. And in case you haven’t noticed, he’s a busy guy. Not to mention the surprise washing of our hands and feet they sprung on us. I bet Max knew I wouldn’t go for that shit unless she pinned me in a corner on a plane a gazillion miles off the ground.” Jersey silenced her tongue when Rex opened the driver’s door.
Chris rolled his eyes. “I liked being pampered. And if you didn’t, then something is seriously wrong with you. And … you like him.” He lowered his voice to a whisper. “You like the fucking rock star who murdered the Russells.”
Jersey returned a dismissive headshake while focusing on the back of Rex’s head instead of the agitated man next to her. “I don’t like anyone, but definitely not you at the moment.” She stared at her black fingernails. They weren’t entirely awful.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Pink-and-gray haired Dani opened Jersey’s door and slipped the pass around her neck. Jersey wondered why anyone would intentionally go gray in their twenties, but Dani’s half long and half buzzed hairdo somehow made it work and even fit her bubbly personality. “Leave your bag. They’ll put it on the bus.”
“She’s not going on the bus,” Rex corrected Dani with more information than Jersey had been given. “If you don’t need anything from inside it, then leave it in the car.”
Jersey hugged her bag tighter.
Before they