A Wicked Song - Lisa Renee Jones Page 0,80
with solid gray hair intercepts us and he is just gushing over Kace. Ten minutes later, he continues gushing and Kace is graciously interacting with him.
Chris appears beside us and pats the man’s shoulder. “Charlie, if you don’t let me feed him, he might pass out while he performs.”
“Oh my,” Charlie says. “I didn’t mean to delay your preparation for your performance. Energy matters. You go, son. I can’t wait to watch you perform.” Charlie hurries away and now Kace slaps Chris on the back. “I owe you again.”
“If we hit our goal tonight,” Chris says, “you owe me nothing.”
“I need food if that’s going to happen.”
“I figured,” Chris says, “You were eyeing the waiters like you could eat an arm.” He greets me and motions us toward Sara, who is still guarding the chocolate fountain.
Kace’s arm slides around me and we join Sara as she finishes off a cake pop. “I couldn’t help myself,” she says. “You should try one of all of them. They’re so good and,” she gives me a once over, “you, Aria, look lovely.” She sets her plate down on a table.
She herself is in a red dress that hugs her figure to her knees. “And you look stunning.”
“Thank you,” she says and her eyes catch on my bracelet. “Oh wow. That’s stunning.” She captures my hand and flattens it on hers to view my wrist. “I love it.”
“Kace gave it to me.”
“He did good.” She eyes Kace. “You did good.” She glances at Chris. “It reminds me of the daisies in some of the regions of Italy.” Her attention returns to me. “I loved the daisies there. Have you seen them?”
Reflexively, I pull my hand back and hug myself. Kace’s hand splays on my back and he leans in and whispers, “Easy, baby. We have a small circle. They’re in it.”
In other words, he trusts them and the truth is that I’m already regretting my reaction. I like Sara and I feel nothing negative with Chris.
Concern etches Sara’s brow. “Did I say something wrong? If so, please accept my apology.”
“No,” I say quickly, my arms uncurling, body language relaxing. “I’m the one who is sorry. It was a knee-jerk reaction to something from my past.”
“I certainly have a few hotspots myself,” Sara assures me, reaching over and giving my hand a tiny squeeze.
It’s a warm moment, a bonding moment, one that new friends, who are becoming real friends, experience. Or so I’ve seen on TV. This is new to me. All of it is new to me.
A waiter appears and Kace grabs two more finger sandwiches, all the waiter has left. “Damn,” he mumbles, “I’m never getting properly fed.”
“I’ll handle it,” Sara says, flagging down a waiter, and in about two minutes she’s back. “They’re bringing the two stars of the night special plates, pronto.”
“You’re the rock star,” I say, already feeling myself easing back into the evening and out of the past.
“I’m the supporting cast and I like it that way.” She pushes to her toes and kisses Chris’s cheek before she moves toward me. “Let’s give them a minute.”
She means she wants a minute with me, but I’m remarkably okay with that. I don’t believe Sara will pressure me for information. As if she’s read my mind, once we’re at a small standing table, that’s exactly what she says, “No pressure. No questions. I just want you to know that if you need to talk, I’m a safe zone. Completely safe.”
“I believe you.” And also, remarkably, I do. Maybe it’s Kace’s trust. Maybe it’s a feeling. But I do believe they’re safe. I do believe my reaction was knee-jerk.
“Good,” she says. “So just know that if you need to talk, even in circles, I’m here.”
I don’t know what happens, but my mouth opens, and then words just spew out. “I’m Aria Stradivari, perhaps now the last living Stradivari. My ancestor created the Stradivarius instruments Kace favors. My brother is missing. People, there are always these unknown people, who are hunting the secret to the instruments’ creation. Kace has Walker protecting me and someone named Kayden Wilkens helping us from some underground organization.”
She grabs my hand. “Okay, breathe. Thank you for trusting me and wow. Just wow, but how amazing you and Kace would end up finding each other. You are obviously where you belong.”
“I’m hunted. He’ll be hunted because of me.”
“He can handle it. It takes powerful people to fight powerful people. He’s powerful. I know. I’ve lived that and I’ve seen