Drake Sisters 06 - Turbulent Sea

Men like Ilya Prakenskii didn't really fall in love and live happily ever after, and neither did women like Joley. 'I want to be normal.'
    Tish bent and kissed the top of her head. 'You're Joley and that's enough. If he doesn't love you, he's crazy. We all love you. Every single one of us. We know you'd go to hell and back for us. Why do you think Brian's braving the paparazzi right now, getting you something to eat? With the murder, it's even crazier than normal. They've said all kinds of cruel things about him both in the tabloids and in the newspapers, implying he's guilty.'
    'Oh, no.' Joley sat up with a small frown. 'Why would they think he'd have a reason to kill Dean?'
    Tish sighed. 'The heaviest speculation is that you were secretly having an affair with Dean and Brian got jealous.
    They had words over you and Brian killed him.'
    Joley swore under her breath. 'Can't they just once give us a break? Why do they have to do that?'
    'I told you when you got into this business, baby, they feed off scandal and rumors. When there's nothing there, they have to make it up, and when there is, they make it a thousand times worse.' Tish pointed to the shower. 'Go. He'll be back soon and you're going to want to be on your feet. You'll need cover-up for your neck.'

    Joley wrapped herself more tightly in the comforter and slid off the bed. Tears were useless, even though she couldn't stop them in the shower.
    Joley.
    There he was again, a stirring in her mind. A whispered caress. It didn't mean anything. This was a man admittedly trained in the art of seduction -and he had seduced her. He'd used her own dark desires against her. She had to stay focused on reality and not on what she wanted or needed from him.
    I'm in a hurry. I'm late getting ready for the sound check and everyone is waiting.
    There. Steady. Matter-of-fact. She took a deep breath, let it out and stepped out of the shower to rub a towel over her body. She was sore everywhere, and so sensitized that touching her breasts sent streaks of fire shooting down her thighs
    She stared at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were dark, almost black, filled with pain. She'd let someone do that to her. She had known all along she felt things too deeply. She became attached. She didn't want a lover who could walk away from her, because she could never do that - love someone completely and survive intact if he left her.
    Joley, before you go on tonight, we need to talk.
    I'm sorry. I doubt there's time. I'm running late and Tish is here. Brian's just come with some food. Later. Much later. As in never. She was going to have to ask Jerry to find a way to get rid of him without tipping him off. Jerry was good at covering for her.
    Tish handed her clothes through the door and Joley put them on. Tish knew her so well. She pressed her fingertips to her eyes. Tish knew about pain and loss. She loved Logan and he'd betrayed her. Joley detested the selfish part of her that had pushed Logan to ask Tish to come for the baby. She understood now how hard it had been for Tish. She hadn't wanted to see Logan, to speak to him, to take even his money from him. She wanted nothing to do with him, and now Joley understood.
    She was careful with makeup. She rarely wore much other than during a performance, but she needed the added confidence as well as something to mask the dark circles under her eyes.
    'Hey,' Brian knocked on the bathroom door. 'The food I risked my life bringing to you is getting cold. And Tish made you a cup of tea, that special blend Hannah always sends you.'
    Joley smiled. It was nice to have friends who cared. People who knew you so well. She stepped out and hugged Brian. After his initial shock, he hugged her back. For the first time, she was drowning so much in her own misery, she couldn't catch more than worry and guilt flowing from him.
    'Thanks for braving the crazies to get me food, Brian.' She managed to look normal as she walked to the table and sat down. She didn't even burst into tears.
    'Dallas is wild, Joley. Jerry and I have been tried and convicted in most of the tabloids, and the general speculation is that I'm getting off because I'm a celebrity. It's pretty vicious stuff so don't bother reading it. The newspapers are the same. I was hiding in the bus until Jerry said there was something wrong with you.'
    Tish nodded. 'Security's tight and they've got ropes up, but there's already a mob outside. We've got security going through the usual gifts and things