Page 87 of Naughty Dreams
Plenty of fans had tried that, and Henry’s guys excelled at courteously repelling their attempts. But a lovesick girl was not a trained security professional. And Roy had G.
G wouldn’t play it out as a helpless female with car trouble. She’d be a pissed-off Xena warrior wanting to gut her rental because it wasn’t working. As if being let go from the job wasn’t bad enough.
Since Todd wasn’t any happier about it than they were, it made sense he would offer help. Henry’s people trusted Roy’s people, and they cared about DJ.
But they also weren’t idiots.
So when Roy, having left his car out of range to cut through the woods, slid past the gatehouse on the far left side, Todd bent further over the engine of the car and Stan conveniently studied monitors for other parts of the property.
The vote of confidence helped settle some of what Roy was feeling. Maybe it would be enough to keep him from strangling his client.
Once in the house, he planned to avoid any direct encounters with the staff. He didn’t want to get them in trouble for not alerting DJ to his presence.
But he didn’t need to go into the house. As he approached the house through the west garden, he found DJ by the pool.
A ridiculous unicorn float that Pete had bought drifted on the water. Tal’s lighter and ashtray were on a side table. The pug print beach towel Steve liked was on a lounger. Several sets of drumsticks were stuck in planters. Tal kept them everywhere, in case he wanted to tap.
Steve’s neatly folded towel said the items had been deliberately left. Milton had realized or hoped their presence would be a comfort.
He might be right, but Roy remembered the hotel room. An argument could also be made that at this stage of grief there wastoomuch evidence of the band’s presence. It reinforced the road trip idea, but first Roy had to get his job back.
DJ sat in a chair, facing the backyard and studying the tall brick wall. “Alice Cooper said when you reach a certain level of fame, you become a prisoner in your own home. Barbed wire would be cheaper and more honest.”
He didn’t look toward Roy as he spoke. He obviously wasn’t surprised that Roy had gotten past security to have this confrontation. Though maybe he’d hoped Roy would take a hint and they wouldn’t. Too bad.
“Wallowing in the price of your extraordinary fame isn’t a good look for you.” Roy sat down in the chair next to him and stretched out his legs, lacing his fingers on his stomach. His leg brushed DJ’s bare foot. He’d gotten dressed today, which meant jeans, no shirt, and the ichthys, but he didn’t wear any of his beaded bracelets and, though it was always hard to tell, it didn’t look like he’d brushed his hair.
“You’re not my protection detail anymore. You don’t need to be here.”
“Do you know how bad it looks for my reputation, you letting me go after the plane blew up?”
It was hard for Roy to say it in such a casual way. It didn’t matter that he’d done his job. He should have anticipated it, so he’d failed. He knew DJ was feeling a similar but different weight of guilt and responsibility. Roy wasn’t putting up with it, from either of them.
“I’ll give your firm a five-star rating, if that’s what you’re worried about.” DJ’s voice stayed monotone.
“My clientele doesn’t find me through Internet review sites.”
“We do, actually. Www dot Celebrity Ass Wiping services dot com.” DJ dropped the snark. “Roy. Go away. Fuck off.”
“Look at me, you idiot child.”
Roy chose the provocation deliberately, but it didn’t spark a reaction. It detonated an explosion.
DJ shoved up out of the chair. It toppled, taking out the small table next to it, holding an untouched mug of tea. The ceramic shattered on the concrete. There’d also been an uneaten peanut butter and banana sandwich with a side of chips, the kitchen staff doggedly tempting him to eat.
Roy was already out of his chair when DJ bull rushed him. Roy backpedaled, absorbing the force of the charge to control it. Grabbing DJ around the body, he swung him in a circle and let go. DJ flew into the pool, landing with a loud splash. Roy damn near lost his balance and followed him, but training brought him back to his feet. DJ surfaced a few feet away, swearing, and his enraged eyes pinned Roy.
“Get out of my house,” he said.
“No.”
They eyed one another as DJ pushed the weight of his hair out of his face. After shooting him a measured look, Roy squatted and extended a hand. “You try to pull me in, and I will findendlessways to make you regret it.”
DJ’s lips twisted in a bitter smile. “Despite all this happening, your Dom side can still make my dick hard. Even in freezing water.”
His attention moved to the unicorn raft and his face crumpled. When he dropped and started screaming in that underwater world, punching his fists so blue waves churned above him, Roy hurt all over, but he waited.
DJ surfaced to gaze dully at the unicorn, then trudged toward the steps leading out of the pool. He sat on the top one, his ass in six inches of water.
