5 Nights (Sinful Delights Romance - Boxed Set) (62 page)

For the next hour he accompanied her on piano as she belted out lyrics that showed off the range of her incredible voice.  She was a damn diamond in the rough if there had ever been one, he thought as he stood up and walked over to her.  "Do you have any idea how talented you are," his voice was amazed as he stared down at the little powerhouse who was just waiting to be exposed.  He reached down and grabbed her shoulder when she lowered her eyes, and could have slapped himself when she tensed.

Pulling away, she took two steps back and her eyes filled with terror.  Remembering herself, she tried to calm her now racing heart, and told herself he wasn't her stepfather.  After several long seconds she took a deep breath, and gave a small smile.  "Sorry, I'm just not good with people touching me." She shrugged in embarrassment.

"Who was he?" There was no doubt in his mind that someone had really hurt her, and from her reaction, she'd never gotten over it.

"Who was what?" There was no way he knew anything about her, she thought nervously.  Rachel and that piece of shit her mother had married were the only two people in the world that knew her guilty little secret.

"The man that raped you?" He walked over to the couch, distancing himself, not wanting her to be afraid of him.

Attempting to look composed, even though he'd just pulled the rug away so to speak, she lied.  "I have no idea what you're talking about."  Turning haunted eyes back to him, she lifted her chin stubbornly.

"I can help you, not only with your career, Ms. Wilkerson, but to get over what he did to you."  He remained seated, wanting her to understand he had no intention of hurting her.  "To do that you're going to have to trust me though."  He hoped she took the opportunity he was offering to her, he knew just how much that kind of pain could torment a person if they didn't let it go.

"I'm here to sing, Mr. Fitzgerald, and I'm flattered that you find me worthy enough to help, but my personal life, well that's off limits."  She couldn't bring up the events in her past, especially not with this stranger.  There was no way he could understand what it was like to live everyday looking over your shoulder wondering when the past would catch up to you again.

"What if I told you the two were so deeply combined that if you didn't let me help with one, you might never get the other?"  He didn't want to play on her dreams to get her to accept his help, but the torment he'd seen in her eyes, he understood so much better than she could possibly know.

"Are you saying if I don't talk about my personal life, you'll kick me out of this competition?" She couldn't imagine what it would be like to have to go back home and tell Rachel she'd failed after she'd made it so far.  Dredging up her past, when all she wanted to do was forget it though was not an option.

"What I'm saying is that your past will keep you from moving forward if you don't accept what happened and learn to move on." He could see it in her eyes, how she wanted to run
out that door or scream and tell him to go to hell, but her dream was stopping her.  "I promise you will never regret letting me help you Ms. Wilkerson." 

Who the hell did he think he was, she thought angrily, and tried to not voice the words filtering through her mind?  He's 'The Nolan Fitzgerald', she reminded herself, he had the ability to make or break her career.  "Is being a bully how you get your rocks off Mr. Fitzgerald?"  Furious wasn't even a strong enough word to express how mad she was that he was making her consider talking about her past.

Throwing back his head, he chuckled deeply at her rage.  "Why don't you tell me what it is you're truly angry about here, Ms. Wilkerson?"  This was the fire in her that needed to be released, he thought to himself, not some simpering little frightened girl that she was hiding behind.

Standing up, she paced the room like a caged tiger waiting to strike.  "I'm pissed because it's none of your business what my personal life is or was, and the fact that you have the audacity to use your power over me to try and get me to speak about something that I'd just as soon forget."  Glaring at him, she wanted to slap the stupid smile off his face, and oddly enough it felt good to be allowed to show her anger.

"Seriously Ms. Wilkerson, you should tell me how you really feel," he was amazed to see the fire in the petite woman, and his smile widened.  This was a diva that could sell a million records, and he was determined to fuel her on.

Exasperated at his nonchalant attitude even after her tirade, she threw her hands up in the air.   "Just what the hell is
it you want Mr. Fitzgerald?"  Her hands found her hips, and she glared at him in anger and confusion.

"I want you to show up on my stage as full of fire as you are right now and to show every single one of those contestants that you are as worthy, if not more, as they are to be in this competition."  He enjoyed the emotions that ran over her beautiful face as she allowed his words to sink in.

He was the most confusing man on the entire planet, she thought with a shake of her head as she moved to sit back down on the couch.  "Those other contestants have had years of training, and I'm just some girl from New Jersey who likes to sing for open mic night at a bar."  She had no idea why she was admitting her insecurities to him, but she felt almost relieved at her angry outburst earlier.

"What you are is a natural born singer with the potential to be a superstar if you get past this entire 'I'm not worthy attitude'."  He allowed his words to hit home and saw in her beautiful eyes that she was considering that.  "So again I ask you Ms. Wilkerson, are you going to let me help you?"

The idea that this man really wanted to help her made her suspicious as hell and she wanted to know his real intentions.  "Just what is it you are hoping to get from helping me Mr. Fitzgerald?"

Chuckling again at her suspicions, he decided to answer her honestly.  "I'm in this industry to make money, Ms. Wilkerson, my intentions are to make you the best you can possibly be and therefore sell a product, which would be your voice and image."  Even as he spoke the words they didn't feel right somehow.  Yes, he wanted to showcase her to her full
potential, but there was something else that he couldn't put a name to yet that inspired him to break her out of her shell.

Just like that she was deflated, it was obvious he was not trying to con her or fill her head with dreams.  He was offering her a business arrangement that had the possibility to help her fulfill her goals.  "Well why didn't you just say so in the beginning?" Shaking her head, she knew he was the strangest man she'd ever met before.

She was a delight, he thought as he watched the anger sift right out of her.  There was very little trust in this little lady, and in this business he considered it was probably not all bad, but for reasons he couldn't contemplate fully, he wanted her to trust him.  "Now that we know where we stand, Ms. Wilkerson, I'm asking you again are you willing to let me help you?"  He decided her question didn't really need an answer.

"As long as we both understand that this is all professional, I'll agree to
accept your help."  What else could she tell the man, she thought to herself, he hadn't really offered anything that outrageous, and she had his motives all backwards when she first entered this room.

"What else would it be, Ms. Fitzgerald?" He might deny to her that he found her enticing, but he was finding himself more than a little interested in her, and not just in a professional manner.  That was a thought he knew he'd keep to himself for now.

With all the wind knocked out of her sails, so to speak, she once again felt foolish for thinking this man had any interest in her except in a professional capacity.  "So how do you want to do this?"

"First I want your agreement that when I ask you a question, you will be completely honest with me."  He was going to delve into her emotions in ways she would probably hate, but to understand how to help her, he needed her trust.

"Fine, I will be honest with you, but don't blame me if it pisses you off." She gave a small smirk, thinking that she would tell him exactly what she thought if he made her feel uncomfortable.

"Agreed, but the same goes for me, don't get your panties in a wad if I ask you things that you feel are none of my business."  This was going to be an interesting tutoring session, he thought as her eyes filled with fire again.

"I'm going to take the last two hours of your classes daily and devote them to myself, and you will agree to tell the other contestants that it's because you need a little extra help."  He didn't wait for her to comment before continuing on.  "During those two hours I'll have free reign to ask you whatever I deem necessary, and give you my expert advice on how to be a better performer."

"Why would I have to tell the other contestants anything?"  The thought of them thinking she was so far below them that she couldn't manage without professional help on stage galled her.

"Because I don't need a bunch of whiny performers going to the press and telling them that I was playing favorites, Ms. Wilkerson, so you will make it believable."  He stood up and walked back to his piano, as he contemplated.  "And I mean really make them believe it, consider this an acting lesson, because I want you to appear as if you can't believe you're so hopeless that without my help you were going to be cut from the show.  Do you understand?" 

It infuriated her that she was going to have to embarrass herself that way, especially as she considered Trisha's arrogant attitude.  "Fine, but in return I want to be on the same level as those other performers before our first televised performance."  If she was going to degrade herself, then she felt she at least deserved to be compensated for her efforts.

He was very proud of her for making her own stipulations, and knew it was a step in the right direction.  "I can promise that when I'm done with you, they will all be drooling at how far you've come."

"So when do you want to start this?" She was getting weary, the
all-day training and her emotions being so overwhelmed here with him, were taking a toll.  As far as she was concerned they had an agreement, as long as he didn't overstep his side of things, she would accept his odd offer.

"Tomorrow at three, I'll have a car waiting for you.  Just make sure you play out your part to the other contestants during the day." Glancing down at his watch, he knew she needed her rest for tomorrow.  "I'll drive you back to the hotel."

She hoped this wasn't a decision she'd regret, but with everything she'd feared when she first arrived here, the conclusion to this meeting had been much more amicable than she'd ever thought.  "Fine, and don't worry I'll have them all convinced how tragic I am before I return."

"As long as you understand personally that you have more potential than any of the others, we'll make a great team."  Walking back to the piano, he picked up his wallet and keys
and walked out of the room, expecting her to follow. Making his way out to his sports car, he opened the door for her before moving around to the driver's side. He had so many ideas on how to make her shine, that he gave little thought to the real person sitting beside him as he drove her back home.

Angela was exhausted as they finally pulled up to the hotel, and she couldn't wait to grab a shower and get some rest.  He opened her door for her, and she could tell his mind was already in a different place.  "I'll see you tomorrow, Mr. Fitzgerald," she whispered quietly.

"Until then, Ms. Wilkerson."  Closing her door he walked back around to his side of the car, "Be prepared to change your life tomorrow."  With those words he slid into the car and drove off.

She made her way back up to the suite, pleased that Lizzy appeared to out.  Taking a quick shower, she dressed in a daze before finding her bed.  His words were still filtering through her mind as she managed to doze off, and for reasons she couldn't contemplate she wondered if the changing he would do might help her get over her past.

The nightmare began as she relived the moment that had forced her to run away.  This night was different than the last two years where he'd sneak in through whatever barrier she'd managed to devise.  Usually it was stockings tied from the head of the bed to the doorknob, or a chair placed under the handle, anything her young mind could conceive to let him know he wasn't wanted here.

The photo's she'd found of herself that he taken of her in the shower without her knowledge, or the memory lapses that
she always worried he'd drug induced, those were nothing compared to that one fateful night.  Her mother was working the late shift at the hospital again, and she was already terrified that he'd attempt to slide into her room and grope her, which was his normal way of showing his power.  It was for that reason that she usually didn't sleep on the nights her mom had to work these shifts.  There were days in a row where she fell asleep in class because she couldn't sleep at home.

That night her mom wouldn't be home until sunrise, and although she'd tried to make plans to stay with a friend, her report card was so terrible she was grounded and her mother wouldn't hear of it.  It was hard to make good grades when you slept through classes.  She'd tied the stockings and added the chair to the door as a precaution, but neither of those things had stopped him from walking in.

He gave her the speech, the one that she memorized from hearing it so many times, of how much he loved her and how she was turning into such a beautiful young woman.  It made her nauseated when he told her how gorgeous her breasts were, and that her body was made to be worshipped.  That night she had pleaded with him to leave her alone, there was something in his eyes that told her he wanted something more than he had already taken.