the stage assistants smiled at her when she answered the door. “Good. You’re awake,” she said. “Will you be leaving now?”
It wasn’t exactly subtle. Cassie flushed a bit, realizing that everyone backstage knew what had happened in the dressing room whether they’d overheard her enthusiasm or not. “What time is it?”
“Just after six.” The woman fidgeted a little, in a hurry to get something done.
“Is there an evening show?”
“At ten,” the woman answered with a nod. There was concern in her eyes. “Will you be going now?”
Cassie understood. “Is that what he likes . . . ?” She gestured when she left the question hanging, inviting the woman to share her name.
“Ursula.” She smiled a little. “He’s very concerned with his preparations, with ensuring that each show is perfect.”
Cassie knew then that the woman feared she would be blamed if Cassie was still there. And she wasn’t quite ready to face Lorenzo herself. What kind of power did he have that he could make her forget herself so easily? Could he do it to her again?
Besides, Stacy would be concerned.
“I’ve got to find my friend,” Cassie said, to Ursula’s obvious relief.
“He always arranges for a limo,” she said. “Just ask at the concierge for Lorenzo’s car.”
Right.
Always
. Lorenzo did this so often that he had a system. That took a little of the afterglow away. Cassie had been right—she’d sat, literally, in the hot seat.
Well, she wasn’t going to be just another one of the women seduced by Lorenzo and cast aside. And she wasn’t going to let everyone in the place know that she was the woman who had gotten it from Lorenzo after the matinee today. “Right. Thanks again.”
“Bye.” Ursula smiled, her relief clear. “Take care.”
Cassie started to head for the lobby, trying to convince herself that a nice dinner would set her to rights. Maybe a drink. Maybe three. Of course, she didn’t need to lose any more inhibitions.
She stopped partway, belatedly deciding to be unobtrusive again. “Ursula, is there a back door?”
“Sure. Right this way.” Ursula smiled and gestured.
A heavyset man smiled at Cassie as he opened the door, ushering her out of Lorenzo’s little world.
Cassie heaved a sigh of relief when she stepped into the rear parking lot. The sky was beginning to darken and she could see a few stars coming out. The air was cooler too. Beside the stage door was a parking spot, labeled “Lorenzo.” No surprise there.
The spot was empty, which worked for Cassie in a big way.
She darted down the back lane, scooting around Dumpsters and employee cars, feeling as if she was on her usual turf. She wasn’t really surprised that the distance to her own hotel was shorter this way. She figured Stacy had headed back when Cassie had disappeared backstage. She walked quickly, refusing to name the source of her new optimism and energy.
Stacy was going to gloat, but Cassie was okay with that.
She was okay with pretty much everything at this moment in time.
Thanks to Lorenzo and his
Trial by Fire
.
Cassie decided that she really needed a drink.
Lorenzo parked his car, sliding to a halt in a flurry of red dust. He got out, locked and armed it by habit, then strode closer to the site of his upcoming feat. The sun was just setting, its orange light and the long shadows making the rock formations look eerie and exotic.
He should have been soothed by arriving here. That was why he had stopped on his way back to town.
But he was still edgy.
Where was the stupid crystal?
As was his practice when he felt agitated, Lorenzo reviewed the long list of things that he controlled—or which were turned to his advantage.
He liked the setting for his spectacle. It would occur at almost exactly this time of day. Lorenzo considered the striped sky with the rocks silhouetted against it and liked the visual effect. That view would make a stunning backdrop to his spectacle. Even on a small screen, it
It wasn’t exactly subtle. Cassie flushed a bit, realizing that everyone backstage knew what had happened in the dressing room whether they’d overheard her enthusiasm or not. “What time is it?”
“Just after six.” The woman fidgeted a little, in a hurry to get something done.
“Is there an evening show?”
“At ten,” the woman answered with a nod. There was concern in her eyes. “Will you be going now?”
Cassie understood. “Is that what he likes . . . ?” She gestured when she left the question hanging, inviting the woman to share her name.
“Ursula.” She smiled a little. “He’s very concerned with his preparations, with ensuring that each show is perfect.”
Cassie knew then that the woman feared she would be blamed if Cassie was still there. And she wasn’t quite ready to face Lorenzo herself. What kind of power did he have that he could make her forget herself so easily? Could he do it to her again?
Besides, Stacy would be concerned.
“I’ve got to find my friend,” Cassie said, to Ursula’s obvious relief.
“He always arranges for a limo,” she said. “Just ask at the concierge for Lorenzo’s car.”
Right.
Always
. Lorenzo did this so often that he had a system. That took a little of the afterglow away. Cassie had been right—she’d sat, literally, in the hot seat.
Well, she wasn’t going to be just another one of the women seduced by Lorenzo and cast aside. And she wasn’t going to let everyone in the place know that she was the woman who had gotten it from Lorenzo after the matinee today. “Right. Thanks again.”
“Bye.” Ursula smiled, her relief clear. “Take care.”
Cassie started to head for the lobby, trying to convince herself that a nice dinner would set her to rights. Maybe a drink. Maybe three. Of course, she didn’t need to lose any more inhibitions.
She stopped partway, belatedly deciding to be unobtrusive again. “Ursula, is there a back door?”
“Sure. Right this way.” Ursula smiled and gestured.
A heavyset man smiled at Cassie as he opened the door, ushering her out of Lorenzo’s little world.
Cassie heaved a sigh of relief when she stepped into the rear parking lot. The sky was beginning to darken and she could see a few stars coming out. The air was cooler too. Beside the stage door was a parking spot, labeled “Lorenzo.” No surprise there.
The spot was empty, which worked for Cassie in a big way.
She darted down the back lane, scooting around Dumpsters and employee cars, feeling as if she was on her usual turf. She wasn’t really surprised that the distance to her own hotel was shorter this way. She figured Stacy had headed back when Cassie had disappeared backstage. She walked quickly, refusing to name the source of her new optimism and energy.
Stacy was going to gloat, but Cassie was okay with that.
She was okay with pretty much everything at this moment in time.
Thanks to Lorenzo and his
Trial by Fire
.
Cassie decided that she really needed a drink.
Lorenzo parked his car, sliding to a halt in a flurry of red dust. He got out, locked and armed it by habit, then strode closer to the site of his upcoming feat. The sun was just setting, its orange light and the long shadows making the rock formations look eerie and exotic.
He should have been soothed by arriving here. That was why he had stopped on his way back to town.
But he was still edgy.
Where was the stupid crystal?
As was his practice when he felt agitated, Lorenzo reviewed the long list of things that he controlled—or which were turned to his advantage.
He liked the setting for his spectacle. It would occur at almost exactly this time of day. Lorenzo considered the striped sky with the rocks silhouetted against it and liked the visual effect. That view would make a stunning backdrop to his spectacle. Even on a small screen, it
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