Page 34 of Rock Hard
“Valerie. She said you wanted a new team.”
Well, that explained the abysmal lack of security. What it didn’t explain was how easily Chuck had bought into Valerie’s lies. Rhinos were big and practically indestructible, but they weren’t known for being particularly clever. Still, Chuck should have known better, or at least questioned such a ridiculous claim.
“That’s bullshit! Why didn’t you come to me?”
Chuck shrugged, meeting his eyes directly. “You got rid of Alice. Figured you were cleaning house.”
“I didn’t get rid of Alice,” Rex said through clenched teeth. “She walked out on me.”
“You didn’t stop her.”
“What makes you think I could have stopped her?”
“Because,” Chuck said, disappointment clear in his eyes, “Alice would have done anything for you.”
A sharp pain, not unlike a blade, pierced his chest. He ignored it. Alice had left him. It had been her choice, not his.
“Well, consider yourself rehired, effectively immediately.”
“Sorry, Rex. I already got a job.” Chuck pointed at the hotel logo on his shirt.
Rex stared at him in disbelief. “You would rather work here than for me?”
Chuck shrugged. “It’s good, steady work. I get to sleep in a real bed every night and eat three squares.”
“Sounds boring.”
“Can be,” he agreed. “But at least I don’t have crazed fans biting, kicking, and scratching me every night.”
“Did you hate it that much?”
“Nah. Most of the time, it was great. Then things changed.Youchanged. And it wasn’t so great anymore. Goodnight, Rex. If you need me, just use the hotel tablet and hit the button for security.” Chuck turned away and stepped into the elevator, leaving Rex alone.
Rex poured himself another drink and walked from room to room, feeling strangely adrift as he tried to figure out what he was going to do next. He wasn’t used to being alone. Someone was always there, always wanting a piece of him.
But now, the rooms were quiet. Nobody was telling him where he needed to be, what he needed to do. No partying groupies getting high on his dime, no horny females begging for a taste of Rex Løve, rock god.
No daughter in the next room, reminding him that he was more than just a performer.
He walked over to what should have been Carly’s room and went inside. It was weird, not having her there, scowling up at him for invading her space.
He’d never planned on doing the dad thing. Carly had been an accident. He hadn’t even known about her until she was almost ten. He guessed he should count his blessings. By the time he had met her, she was out of the puking-mewling-diaper stage, capable of carrying on a conversation and wiping her own ass.
And really, for a kid, she wasn’t half-bad. Carly was smart as hell and had spunk. So what if she preferred to spend her days with her nose in a book? She kept to herself mostly and stayed out of his way.
Yeah, the two of them rarely saw eye to eye, but that was typical. He hadn’t gotten along with his old man, either. His mother had been the one who raised him, encouraging him to follow his dreams. In the early days, she hadn’t missed any of his performances. He would look down from the stage in some shitty two-bit dive and there she would be, beaming at him like he was some kind of rock star.
His lips curled with the bittersweet memory. She had passed before he had gotten his first big break. She never got to see the sold out shows or hear thousands of rabid fans screaming his name. She never knew she had a grandchild.
His mom would havelovedCarly’s fire and sass. She would have loved Alice, too, because Alice was just as fierce, just as protective, just as unselfish.
His mom probably wouldn’t be too happy with him, though.
There had never been any doubt in her mind that he would make it, and she had told him so often. What she worried about more was him getting caught up in all the fame and fortune that would come with that success.
“You’re not your father, Rex. Never forget who you are, and more importantly, never forget those who love you.”
Tens of thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of people claimed tolovehim. They loved his music, loved his image. Some, like Valerie, loved his wealth and power and what he could do for them.
But they didn’t care abouthim. Was there anyone left who did?
His mom had loved him, but she was gone. Alice had once, or so he believed. Carlyshould, simply because he was her father, but maybe he had been wrong about that, too. Now that he thought about it, he wasn’t sure he had lovedhisfather. Maybe at one time he had, before he was old enough to understand just how little his father had cared about him and his mother. If he had, it had been lost to time and the struggle to survive.
Maybe he had been wrong about a lot of things.
Rex raked his hand down his face. Well, one thing was certain; he wasn’t going to get any answers by sitting in this room. He needed to find Carly. Chances were, when he did, he would find Alice with her.
Maybe, if he was lucky, he would find himself again, too.
