Chapter 9

Azure was more than relieved when their summer tour finally ended. She was sick of the constant traveling, though she liked exploring their destinations. She particularly enjoyed herself when Dante was able to free up some time to go with her. Her other sightseeing partners were generally Crowley and Mathias.

They did their last tour in New York City and flew home to L.A. Azure tossed her case, still full of clothes, in the closet and ran downstairs to the garage. She took her first look at the Jag and fell in love.

Using her key, she unlocked the door and slipped into the driver’s seat. The seats were plush black leather, and she sank into the one on the driver’s side. She fiddled with the buttons, rolling down the windows, and opening the sunroof. There was a CD player in the console, but no CDs in sight, and a connection for her iPod. Azure was imagining herself actually driving the machine, with her eyes closed and her head thrown back.

That was how Mat found her a short time later. “You look comfy.” He slid into the passenger’s seat.

“It’s Heaven,” she said with a sigh. “I can’t wait to get my permit.”

“Are you still going in tomorrow?”

Thanks to his prodding, she had requested a copy of her birth certificate within days of her birthday. Ava told her on the phone two weeks ago that a white envelope from Green Bay, Wisconsin had arrived. As Azure had no friends or any other business in WI, it could only be her birth certificate.

True to their word, Mathias and Dante were helping her learn to drive. The first step had been to study for the permit test, and they’d spent long hours on the bus quizzing her. Azure smiled as she remembered some of the ways Dante had rewarded her for a right answer. She cleared her throat and blocked out the memories. “Yeah. I plan to go in tomorrow morning.”

“Why don’t I drive you?” Mat suggested. “We can stop by the attorney’s office and sign your contract too, if you’re ready.”

“I’m ready.” Azure gave him a bright smile, while trying to force back her doubts. She wasn’t one-hundred-percent happy with Burning Starr, but she was finally independent and able to make her own decisions. If she didn’t stay with the band, she would have to get a job or go crawling back to her grandmother. “That sounds like a plan. Around ten?”

“Sure,” said Mat as he got out of the car. “This is one hot car.” He whistled and ran a hand along the hood. His eyes moved to Azure. “Very hot.” Then he turned and rushed into the house before she could respond.

Azure left the car reluctantly and returned to her room, where a stack of mail awaited her. Most of it was unimportant—just cards for her birthday from people she had gone to school with, but hadn’t known of her existence until she joined Burning Starr. She didn’t bother to answer any of those. Instead, she tossed them into the waste can and moved on.

There was a card from the president of Voltage RPC, Vincent Lombargo, wishing her a happy birthday. Azure quirked a brow and tossed the form card in the trash. She hadn’t met anyone from the company yet, and the signature of Vince’s secretary didn’t mean anything to her.

The last piece of mail was a white envelope, business-size, from the Green Bay Records Department. She opened the envelope and casually examined her birth certificate the first time around, making sure everything was in order. Feeling a tenuous link to her parents, she read it more thoroughly. “On July, yada yada yada, Azure Marie Wilkins, yada yada yada, father Richard Dean Wilkins, mother Cassandra Rae Wilkins…” Azure trailed off as the words sank into her brain. Cassandra Rae Wilkins, not Delahancey.

The meaning behind the name slowly penetrated Azure’s confusion. According to the birth certificate, Cassie and Richard had been married, not living together. That meant either they’d lied on the form, which was unlikely, or Brigette had lied to her all these years. That seemed much more believable, but Azure couldn’t even fathom why her grandmother would lead her to think she was illegitimate. It wasn’t even a big deal anymore, as most people had relaxed their views.

Azure shook her head and replaced the certificate in the envelope with a shaking hand. Why would her grandmother lie to her about this? Was it just another way to hurt Azure, to punish her for taking Cassie away, though it hadn’t been Azure’s fault? Even she knew her parents had been together for six years, and she was only four when they were killed in that accident. Someday, she promised herself, she would ask her grandmother.

***

Early the next morning, Azure rose and showered. She had just emerged from the tub and was wrapped in a towel, walking into her bedroom, when a pair of strong arms enfolded her. “I missed you,” Dante whispered. “It’s been four long nights.”

“Hmm.” Azure snuggled against him. Most nights he had found his way into her room for at least an hour or two, but not during the last three days in New York and not last night. “I missed you too.” She turned her head to kiss his jaw.

Dante spun her around and kissed her more fully on the mouth. In one smooth move, he’d taken the towel from her and thrown it on the floor. He kissed and caressed her as he urged her back to the bed. “I’m going to be late,” she whispered, noticing the clock read nine-ten. She had actually made strides to break the bad habit of always being late during the past few weeks.

“Skip breakfast and have dessert.” He ran his tongue down her slightly damp navel. Azure groaned with pleasure and stopped protesting. When Dante was finished with her twenty minutes later, she was too tired to move. “I’ll see you later.” He pressed a kiss to her mouth before leaving.

Azure forced herself back into the bathroom, skipping the tub, and to take a very quick shower. Her hair had dried while Dante was making love to her, and it was frizzy and fluffy. Azure cursed, but didn’t have time to do much more with it than stuff it into a small ponytail. She chose to skip makeup, smearing only a light coating of lip-gloss across her lips before dressing in capris and a blue silk shirt.

She was only five minutes late when she came downstairs and saw Mathias. He gave her a strange look, and she stood there awkwardly. “Um, sorry I’m late.”

After another minute of intense scrutiny, Mathias shrugged and said, “You aren’t too late. Come on.” Azure followed him to his Porsche and got in the passenger’s side. Mathias zoomed down the driveway, a long and curving hill, and onto the street. “There’s something different about you lately,” he commented abruptly.

Azure bit her lip, knowing he was right. How could she not be different after a relationship with Dante? “How so?”

“I don’t know. You’re more secretive or something.”

“Maybe you just don’t know me very well.”

Mathias gave her a brief look before returning his attention to the road. “Maybe I don’t, Azure,” he agreed solemnly. “Maybe I don’t know you at all.”

Azure wondered at his dramatic words but was thankful to drop the subject. Unlike usual, Mat did not keep up a steady stream of conversation, and Azure got tired of trying to fill in the gaps with inane chatter, so she fell silent.

At the DMV, Mathias clicked car the alarm and followed her inside. Already in the nineties, it was going to be a hot day. Azure couldn’t blame him for not wanting to wait in the car when he could sit in the lobby of the air-conditioned building.

She stood in line for forty minutes, growing more impatient all the time. It was finally her turn, and she gave the woman her student body card and birth certificate. The clerk directed her to a computer station, and she sat down, waiting for the next test to begin in five minutes.

Three girls came over to her row, giggling and grouped together. Instead of taking seats, they huddled near Azure. Finally, one of them stepped forward, a petite blonde with dark brown skin. “Are you?” She giggled before trying again. “Are you Azure?”

Azure nodded slowly, looking around for someone who might have sent the girls over. “Why?”

“Oh, my god! I told you it was her,” said the plump redhead. “Ask her.” She pushed her blonde friend forward.

“Can we have your autograph, Azure?” the giggly one asked.

Bowled over, Azure struggled to close her mouth. She had completely forgotten about Burning Starr for the moment, only wanting to do well on her test. She’d never expected to be recognized. “Uh, sure.” A purple and silver fountain pen was thrust into her hands, as was a driver’s manual for the state of California.

“My name is Kai,” the blonde said.

Azure scrawled a quick autograph, not quite knowing what to say.

“I’m Alice,” said the redhead, handing over her manual. Azure signed and returned it.

The third girl shyly handed over her manual. “Beth,” she whispered. She reminded Azure of herself just a few short months ago. After signing her book, Azure returned the pen to Kai.

“So, is Dante as cute in person?” Kai asked with another giggle, blushing bright red.

Azure pictured Dante with his clothes off and bit back a giggle of her own, trying to picture Kai’s face if she said anything about that. “He’s really attractive,” she settled on saying.

The girls pestered her with more questions until the instructor came in. He gave them a look, and they quickly left the room. Azure returned her attention to the screen, and after a rocky start, was confident she had done well.

She emerged from the DMV ten minutes later and found Mathias. She showed him her permit. “I got it.”

“Congratulations,” said Mathias, hugging her impulsively. When he raised his head, their lips were mere inches apart. He quickly stepped back. “Let’s go to Voltage, and I’ll buy you lunch to celebrate.”

Azure shifted impatiently. “Can we skip lunch and practice driving?”

Mat laughed and nodded. “If that’s what you want.”

They drove across town to the record company, and Azure was introduced to several people of whom she couldn’t keep track. After the introductions finally ended, they entered a huge boardroom with a long table. Men and women in dark suits filled at least half of the twenty seats. She felt insignificant when she took a seat at the head of the table.

The attorneys explained the contract to her using big words and often pointing to clauses. It was a lot to take in, but she understood most of what they said. Azure’s eyes widened at the amount of advance they were giving her, to be repaid through a percentage of her portion of future royalties. She was obligated to Burning Starr for two years. Voltage could end her contract, but she could not sever it without severe penalties and possibly even a lawsuit. With a deep breath, Azure scrawled her name across the contract, immediately feeling like Voltage RPC’s property.

After the contract was out of the way, Mat took Azure back to his mother’s house, and she had her first driving lesson. She had a great time and couldn’t believe she’d ever been nervous about driving.

When they returned to the garage several hours later, Mathias said, “You’re a natural, kid.”

“Thanks,” she said, blushing with pleasure.

“How about I buy you dinner to celebrate, instead of that lunch?”

Azure bit her lip, wondering if Dante had planned anything. He hadn’t said a word to her, so she agreed to Mat’s suggestion. She met him downstairs an hour later, dressed in a slinky black dress and high-heeled mules. “Want me to drive?” She winked at him, and followed him from the house, with her arm looped lightly through his.

***

Mat couldn’t remember a single thing he ordered. He remembered forking food into his mouth and chewing, but he couldn’t remember what it had been or whether it was well prepared. His attention remained focused on Azure as she chatted away, eating with gusto, and clearly enjoying herself. He didn’t remember much of anything they had talked about either.

He could remember the smell of her perfume and the way her hair had shimmered under the chandelier. Mathias remembered her tinkling laugh and straight, white teeth. He could remember her perfectly luscious lips as they fit around the fork, and he could remember watching her swallow, mesmerized by the simple and graceful movements of her throat. He easily recalled how brightly her eyes shone, and the laugh lines that appeared every time she smiled.

They were nearly back to Ava’s home now, and his thoughts were wandering to a place where they shouldn’t. He was wondering what it would take to get Azure into his bed. He didn’t have cold-hearted seduction in mind. It wasn’t Mat’s intention to have her then leave her. He was stone-cold, completely, and utterly head over heels in love with Azure. He didn’t know when it had happened, but it had, despite his best intentions to the contrary.

“Mathias, can you hear me?” asked Azure in exasperated amusement.

He swung his head briefly in her direction. “I’m sorry, what?”

She grinned. “I asked if you enjoyed the restaurant?”

“It was great.” He forced an easy smile. “Did you like it?”

“Oh, yes. I’ve never been to such an amazing one before. It was a great place to celebrate.”

Mathias grinned and parked the Porsche in the garage. They exited the car, and he walked beside her into the house. It was after eleven, and no one was in sight. “Mom must be in bed.”

“I wonder where Dante is?”

“No one here but us,” he said in a soft voice as they climbed the stairs. Azure was a stair above him, and she stopped to turn around when he said that. She was giving him a strange look, and Mathias cast about desperately for a smooth line. “Oh, hell,” he finally said, pulling her into his arms and kissing her.

She stood there, frozen in surprise as Mathias’s mouth pressed against hers. She was shocked that he was kissing her, but even more shocked because she was suddenly kissing him back and enjoying it. When she realized what she was doing, Azure wrenched away from Mathias. “You shouldn’t have done that,” she whispered. “We shouldn’t have done that,” she said more firmly. “We can’t ever do that again.”

Mathias backed up a bit, stepping down to the next step. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you. You just looked so good standing there, and I couldn’t help myself.”

“Well, you have to help yourself,” Azure snapped. “I’m seeing someone, Mathias, and it was wrong of me to kiss you. I’ll accept my share of the blame this time, but now you know.”

He reeled back, grabbing the banister for support. She was seeing someone? Who could she be seeing besides that guy who’d come to her birthday party? Didn’t Azure know a long-distance relationship like that would never last? What if it wasn’t that guy though? What if— “May I ask who you’re seeing?” he asked with abrupt politeness.

Azure gnawed on her lip, appearing hesitant. “Dante. I’m with Dante.”

Mat’s breath hissed through his clenched teeth.

“Now, do you see why we can’t do that again? I don’t want you to have any problems with your brother because of me.”

“I understand,” said Mathias with chilling politeness and strode up the stairs. His door slammed a moment later.

***

Slowly, Azure followed him and went into her suite. She nearly groaned aloud when she saw Dante lying on her bed.

“Where have you been?” His voice was level, but his eyes flashed with anger.

“Mathias took me out to dinner to celebrate getting my permit,” she said lightly. Azure strove for casualness but knew she had failed miserably.

“It must have been some place if you had to dress like that.” Dante eyed the slinky black dress and grimaced.

“Asiago. My dress was appropriate.”

He nodded, rising from the bed, completely nude. “I’m sure it was appropriate for the restaurant, but was it appropriate for Mat?” He stepped closer.

Azure sighed. “I never gave it a thought.” That was the truth. Until Mat kissed her, she hadn’t thought about him in any way except as a friend and confidant. That had changed now, and she knew things would be awkward between them.

“Think about it next time, won’t you?” Dante suggested.

The evening caught up with Azure, and she firmed her mouth. “I’ll wear what I damn well please. Now, I’m tired, and I want to go to sleep. Will you please leave?” It was the first time since their affair began that she had refused him, and his eyes widened. “Good night.” She held open the door.

Shrugging, Dante slipped on a pair of skimpy briefs and strolled out into the hallway. “‘Night.” He sounded casual, and his wink was lighthearted, but she could see the brackets of tension around his mouth. He was visibly upset.

Damn Mathias for kissing her and damn herself for letting him! She’d had things under control until that happened. Sure, she’d been uncertain about her relationship with Dante, but she’d known how she felt. At least, she thought she had known, but now she wasn’t so certain. If she was all that crazy about Dante and half in love with him, why had it been so easy to kiss Mathias? Why had she enjoyed it so much?

***

The next morning, Azure was pale from lack of sleep. She sat at the breakfast table in the solarium and waited for Mathias and Dante to join her and Ava.

“How was the tour, dear?” asked Ava as she broke apart a croissant.

“It was fine, I guess,” said Azure without enthusiasm. “I didn’t much care for the constant traveling and living out of a suitcase. I don’t get along at all with Denise, so that makes things difficult as well.”

“She is a petty girl.” Ava sighed. “She is nowhere near as good as you or Jada. It was unreasonable of her to expect to move into Jada’s spot. Now she’s just being vindictive, but I expect that will pass eventually.”

“I certainly hope so,” said Azure as Mathias joined them. His eyes lingered on her, but she deliberately refused to make eye contact. “’Morning,” she muttered.

“Good morning.” He placed a napkin across his lap. “Did you sleep well?”

“Not particularly.” She shrugged. “I was doing some thinking.”

“About what?” asked Dante from behind her as he joined the tableau. He also placed a napkin across his lap.

“I think it’s time I moved out,” said Azure firmly, expecting protests. She had come to the decision last night and refused to be swayed, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t try.

“Are you sure, Azure?” asked Ava. “You know you’re welcome here for as long as you like, and it can be lonely to live alone.”

“It’s dangerous.” Mathias’s brow furrowed. “No single girl—especially one like you—should live alone.”

“One like me?” Azure frowned.

Mathias shrugged, looking flustered. “You know…naïve and inexperienced. You’re so trusting you’d probably let a mass murderer in and give him his choice of weapons.” His eyes cut to Dante and lingered there.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Azure snapped. “I’m not a child, Mat, and I won’t be treated like one. I will be getting my own place, and I wanted to let you know. I wasn’t asking your permission.” After glaring at him, she turned to Ava. “Thank you for your hospitality, Ava. You have a lovely home, but I need time on my own.” She frowned, not having meant to phrase it that way. “I mean, it’s time I lived on my own.”

Ava nodded. “You’re welcome, and I support your decision. I’d be happy to help you look for a place.”

“Thank you. I’d appreciate that.”

“You can’t be serious,” Mathias snarled at his mother. He looked at Dante. “What do you think of all this?”

“I think it’s a good idea,” he said. “Azure needs her own place, and I’ve been thinking the same thing lately. Perhaps Azure would like to be my roommate, and then she would be safe.”

Azure could feel his gaze trying to catch hers, but kept her attention focused on her plate. Was Dante asking her to live with him? The thought made her stomach clench. She wasn’t ready for anything like that.

“Like hell,” hissed Mathias. Tearing the napkin from his lap, he shoved away from the table and strode off.

Ava’s confusion was clear as she lifted a finely shaped eyebrow and turned to Azure. “Shall we start looking this afternoon?”

“Definitely,” Azure answered, feeling the need to escape.