Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star (22 page)

Jane nodded and walked with him to the monitors, where Alex was giving Elizabeth and Charlotte their ritual pre-concert kiss. Alex shrugged and gave Charles a loud smacking kiss on the lips as well, prompting laughter from everyone on the floor.

Jane waved as the people she loved the most left for the stage, and she knew that she was ready to join them.

***

The next evening the tension backstage was so thick even the techs were noticing it. Jane clutched her bass to her body, her face nearly as white as the instrument, as she walked back and forth. Charles hovered around her protectively until she finally became flustered with him, and Elizabeth had to send him off on errands to give Jane some space. The visit to the doctor had gone well. Jane’s sutures were removed and she had received the all-clear to go back on stage.

It was decided it would be best for Jane to start by just playing for Elizabeth the first few nights, before LBS went back to their old set.

The rehearsal went flawlessly. Jane had played with her usual precision and, truth be told, Elizabeth felt better than she had all week having her sister back with her. Charles was a good replacement, but he wasn’t Jane.

Now Elizabeth watched Jane pacing nervously in the green room, and she frowned. Her eyes wandered to Darcy’s and she saw her concern mirrored in his eyes.

His eyes focused on hers, silently questioning her about Jane. Elizabeth thought for a moment, then put her plate of food down and rose, taking Jane by the arm and leading her away to their dressing room.

“What’s wrong?” Elizabeth asked her, immediately cutting to the heart of the matter.

Jane could see that Elizabeth wasn’t going to tolerate any attempts at denial, so she came right out with it. “I can’t wear makeup.”

“What?”

“The doctor said I’m not to wear my stage makeup, because of the incision.”

Elizabeth’s initial response was to dismiss the problem as frivolous, but she knew that would be unfair to Jane. She grinned slightly, “I thought you were worried about your playing or something.”

Jane grinned back. “I know, it sounds kinda lame, but I have this routine I do before performing, you know that, Lizzy. And my makeup is part of it.” Jane frowned and touched her bandage.

Elizabeth frowned in sympathy, although a piece of her wished her problems were as simple as a cut on her face. “Let’s go talk to Sarah.”

Sarah was Slurry’s hairdresser. He was a six-foot-tall man with a goatee, heavily lined eyes, and lacquered fingernails that Elizabeth would kill for. Once Elizabeth had asked Richard about his name and she only received an indifferent shrug in reply.

Although he technically belonged to Slurry, Sarah had volunteered to help Charlotte maintain her turquoise blue hair color, then Jane’s platinum blonde, and soon he was working on both bands.

Elizabeth had asked him once why he was working for a rock band when he could have his own salon, and he looked at her, cocking his head to the side. “Are you kidding me? Come on, sister. I get to run my hands all over the hair of three gorgeous men every night and get
paid
for it!”

Elizabeth liked Sarah and he had quickly become one of the “girls” with LBS, giggling with them over gossip. He was also responsible for the neatly trimmed goatee Darcy was growing, which Elizabeth thought improved his appearance even more, if possible.

When Elizabeth brought Jane to Sarah he clucked and cooed over her like a mother hen. Fifteen minutes later Jane stood up from the chair, and Elizabeth could see her confidence had returned. Elizabeth couldn’t see a huge difference in Jane’s looks—after all, gorgeous is gorgeous—but it was clear Jane could.

When they entered the meet-and-greet, Charles’s eyes lit up when he saw his Jane looking at him with the self-assurance he had missed in her all week. He took the time to give her a long hungry look up and down her whole body, letting her know he appreciated the change. Jane looked back, her eyes returning his desire, measure for measure.

***

As the guests of the meet-and-greet moved away, Charlotte noticed a busty redhead of medium height remaining behind in the backstage area.

Playing a hunch, she wandered over to Richard and quietly asked, “Who’s that?”

Richard looked up at the redhead, “That’s,” Charlotte smirked as she saw him pause for a moment, struggling to remember, “Amber,” he answered finally.

Charlotte nodded her head knowingly as she carefully examined the subject of their discussion. “She’s sure something. Are those real?” she asked, indicating Amber’s ample bosom.

“I don’t know,” Richard leered appreciatively, “but I’m going to find out.”

Charlotte bit down on the stab she felt inside. “You let me know, ’kay?” she said lightly.

Richard stopped and turned to her, his eyes concerned. “She’s just a flavor,” he said dismissively. “Why don’t you find someone for tonight?”

Charlotte laughed. “I’m afraid that the guys who come back here want either Lizzy or Jane.”

“So?” Richard asked. “Don’t you think that most of the flavors that come back here are gunning for Darcy?” He shrugged. “But in the end, they see he is not buying, and they’re happy just to bed a rock star.”

Charlotte looked at him thoughtfully for a long time. “Eh, we’ll see,” she tilted her head and lifted an eyebrow. “I really haven’t seen anything to catch my eye,” she told him finally. “But you have a good time,” she told him as his expression became even more worried.

He looked at her inquiringly, wondering if she was sincere. Charlotte nodded reassuringly and moved off to get wired for sound, careful to keep her face from him.

It wouldn’t do to have him see the pain in her eyes caused by the lump in her throat.

***

Elizabeth had grown used to the roar of the crowd when she began her set. For the past week, it came when the audience recognized Charles playing on bass. But tonight, it was for Jane. Elizabeth smiled at her sister but she couldn’t repress the tiny piece of her that was glad they were playing her own set tonight.

Elizabeth had always stood in the shadow of Jane’s beauty. Beauty was Jane’s domain, her identity. But Elizabeth had never allowed jealousy to stunt her. Jane was simply too loving and kind for Elizabeth to feel resentment toward her. And Elizabeth was intelligent enough to see that beauty came with its own price. Instead, she focused on her own gifts: her wit and her music. She trusted that she would be recognized for her own abilities and talents.

Jane understood this, both when they were growing up and tonight, as she sang and played supportively for Elizabeth, never once attempting to steal the spotlight from her.

When the set was over, Elizabeth hugged Jane tightly. The crowd was cheering for them, and then a chant began in the front left and quickly spread across the hall floor “Ev-ery-thing! Ev-ery-thing!”

Elizabeth laughed and looked at Jane, who blushed for a moment, then nodded. “Long intro, Lizzy,” she whispered.

Elizabeth took her acoustic and began the introduction to the song and the crowd went nuts, screaming. It was this song they had been waiting for. “Everything You Are” was a hit nationwide and now they were going to get to hear it live.

Standing in front of the monitor, Charles Bingley jumped three feet into the air when Elizabeth began her introduction.

Jane smiled and stepped up to the microphone, “Are you listening, Charles?” she asked coyly, knowing he was watching her where she could not see him.

When he heard Jane’s question Charles beamed brightly at Darcy and Caroline, and ran to the side of the stage to watch her.

Jane stood at center stage, singing to the man who loved her. She smiled glowingly as the crowd sang along with her, knowing every word. Elizabeth motioned with her head, and Jane looked to see Charles standing just offstage, his face radiant. She finished her song, looking from him to the crowd and back.

The crowd cheered in appreciation, and Elizabeth smiled with simple joy. She was so proud of Jane and so proud of LBS as a group. She looked back to see Charlotte coming from around her kit and the three women hugged and bowed, waving good-bye to the crowd as they left the stage.

When they reached backstage, a smaller but more devoted audience was waiting for them. “You did it!” shouted Alex as he picked up Jane and swung her in a circle.

“You girls were great!” Richard told them.

“Well done, Jane,” Darcy said quietly.

“You were fantastic,” Caroline said quickly, interrupting the scene. “Now, guys, you have to be onstage in ten minutes. Go! Go! Go!”

Darcy and Richard disappeared, while Charles stopped and took Jane tightly into his arms. “You are the most incredible woman I have ever known,” he told her with unadorned honesty. “I love you.” He kissed her again and left, leaving a glowing Jane behind.

***

When the elevator stopped, Elizabeth, Charlotte, Jane, and Charles got off to find Richard, Amber, Alex, Darcy, and Caroline exiting a second one directly behind them. Elizabeth was surprised to see Richard wrapped around Amber, and she looked at Charlotte with a question in her eyes. Charlotte gave no sign but walked indifferently to her suite.

Elizabeth moved to follow when Darcy’s voice stopped her. “Elizabeth?” he asked tentatively.

Elizabeth turned back to him, her expression pleasantly neutral.

“I was wondering if you would like to swim tonight?” he asked casually.

The focus of Elizabeth’s eye slipped from Darcy to Caroline, who was standing just behind him. She saw a look of pain pass quickly over her face, which was replaced by a polite smile so quickly, Elizabeth questioned if she had actually seen it.

“Yeah, actually, I was planning on a swim, thanks,” Elizabeth replied.

“I’ll see you later then.” Darcy walked to his door, leaving a confused and annoyed Elizabeth. Entering her room, she knew what was going on. He was just trying to be friendly, maintain a good working relationship. Probably trying to make up for what had happened with Collins. She grinned to herself as she remembered how she had torn him a new one that night. But why had he made a point of asking her to swim in front of everyone?

The sight of Charlotte sitting on the couch halted her thoughts. She was staring at the TV, but Elizabeth could see her eyes weren’t on it. She immediately remembered Richard’s guest.

“Who was that girl, Char?” Elizabeth asked.

Charlotte shrugged. “Her name’s Amber; she’s tonight’s flavor.” Her words sounded as defensive to her ears as they had when Richard had said them.

“Char,” Elizabeth said slowly, dismayed, “I’m so sorry.”

“Why?” Charlotte snapped, “I told you it was just a friendly fuck. There is nothing more between us, Lizzy. I don’t have any claim on Richard and he certainly doesn’t owe me anything.”

Elizabeth grew very quiet in the face of Charlotte’s outburst. “I guess I misunderstood the situation,” she said after a beat. “I’m going to go swim.”

Charlotte shrugged. “Suit yourself,” she said as she turned back to the TV.

***

Jane smiled brightly as she took Charles’s hand and walked with him to his suite. He led her into the living area after closing the door and looked into her eyes for a long time.

Jane stared back at him with a beautiful expression, one of trust and love. Not needing anything more between them, she rose up and kissed him, long and lush, her mouth caressing his as he wrapped his arms around her slim waist and pulled her closer.

When at last they stopped, he was breathless. “Take me to bed, Charles,” she murmured, her lips brushing against his throat.

“Are you sure, Jane?” he asked tenderly.

“Yes,” she nodded at Charles’s questioning expression. Without a word, he took her into his bedroom and shut the door. Jane eagerly flowed into his embrace. Long kisses followed as they undressed each other, becoming more impatient as they removed each garment.

Finally they were both completely bare. Jane stepped back with a wicked smile and posed provocatively as she eyed Charles.

“What are you doing?” he asked, amused.

“Taking a good look,” she answered, her grin anything but innocent. “I thought you might like one, too.”

“Thank you,” he replied, his eyes darkening, “but I prefer to examine things close up.” He moved close to her and captured Jane in the circle of his arms, his body burning wherever he made contact with hers. “See?” he asked as he kissed the line of her shoulder.

Jane nodded slowly, as her eyes closed slowly and her head tilted away giving him better access to her.

“You must be getting cold,” he said softly, “better come to bed.”

“I don’t feel cold,” Jane sighed as she crawled into the bed with him. It was a strange sensation. She had slept with him before. Being in bed with him was familiar, yet it was at the same time excitingly different and new.

Charles wasted no time. He was fully aware that Jane was finally in his bed and he had the green light to go. All the desires he had been holding back broke free with a rush. He plundered her mouth with his own and she trembled at his determination. Out of habit, her hands reached for his cock. Charles felt her grasp him and only allowed himself to enjoy it for a moment before he gently moved her hands away. At her questioning look, he told her, “Oh, no, not yet. You’re too distracting.”