BorntobeWild (7 page)

His startled gaze went to Cyn. “These are yours?”

She nodded. She’d strung shards of metal onto what looked
like string but was platinum wire wound and twisted with silk cord. Bottle
tops, pieces of glass, the raw edges still sharp, and screwed-up bits of paper
hung in a seemingly haphazard fashion, one she’d spent hours arranging until
she was happy. “The glass is rock crystal and the edges won’t cut. They’re
carefully faceted to appear that way. The bottle tops are dulled silver and
they should tarnish as time goes on. They’re hand enameled. The paper is shaved
vellum and the writing is special. If the client wants to read it she’ll have
to unfold it but unfolding it will destroy the design. It’s up to her.”

“Or him. I want that.”

She smiled, her eyes widening. “I can make one for you.”

“No, I want that one.”

“I’ll put your name on it,” Janey said hastily. “It’s yours.
But we’d appreciate it if you let our client see it first.”

He perused the other items in the case. “This is a
collection?”

Janey nodded. “Every piece unique. People look at it, think
it’s junk and then at the person wearing it. With any luck she’s wearing
designer clothes and thousand dollar shoes, so they know there has to be
something more.”

Leaving Janey to explain the rationale behind what they did,
Cyn went to the other case and unlocked it. She’d wear one. That was the reason
for the black. She had designed an intricate pavé diamond collection and she
put on the earrings, necklace and bracelet set. She’d juxtaposed the diamonds
with huge, heavy stones, like the ones she’d collected yesterday. Rubies with
deep flaws, that she’d set as carefully as the perfect diamonds, the stones
that passed the four-C test with flying colors. Perfection and imperfection,
existing together.

Riku had torn his attention away from the case to watch her
and when she turned around he examined the pieces with a connoisseur’s eye. “These
are amazing. I love them.”

“One of a kind,” she said. “Truly, because the flawed stones
are unique.”

“Beautiful color.” For once he was examining what she wore
rather than her. Except she’d designed them, so he was still looking at her, in
a way.

“I’m not above heat treating if I have to so I get the right
effect.” She didn’t mean to practice her spiel on him but he appeared
interested. “I have some new designs too. I don’t have to work at being off-the-wall.
I get ideas from everywhere.”

“So do I,” he said instantly.

Still in harmony today with a few deep flaws. Like the
jewels around her neck and in her ears. Perfection and blatant imperfection,
flaunting its difference. She was the imperfect one. Riku had been diamonds all
the way. He still was.

A sleek black limousine pulled up outside and they were on. “Showtime,”
Janey murmured and Riku moved to open the door for the visitor. Then he
disappeared into the back room when Cyn showed him the way. “You don’t need me
for this one,” he said as he kissed her cheek.

That gesture moved her more than anything he’d done. It
demonstrated his faith in her and what she was doing. Her mother had taken no
interest, apart from the money and while Cyn kept telling herself that was
okay, it was enough, she knew it wasn’t. But she had to accept it. Her mother
couldn’t enter into this new world she’d made for herself and Cyn suspected she
might have wished the enterprise was a failure so she’d go back to singing.

She loved that Riku revealed no disappointment, even after
she’d told him her secret. His encouragement was to leave before he proved a
distraction to the buyer, although he could probably have gotten her the sale
merely by endorsing her jewelry. She’d have hated that but ever-practical Janey
might not have. Maybe she’d design something for the band. They had a great
logo, simple and effective and they didn’t do the obvious and stick a raven on
everything. Although some of their fans did. Besides, she liked the idea of
raven jewelry.

She filed the notion away for another time and concentrated
on her client.

At the end of two hours he’d made his order and Janey gave
her the wink as she showed the man out to his car. When Cyn went into the back
room to find the coffee machine Riku was sprawled on the small sofa, arms
folded, head back, snoring gently.

He opened his eyes and blinked at her. “Can’t imagine why
I’m so tired.” He eased into a smile. “How did it go?”

“Great. He wants our exclusive stuff and he’s interested in
the cheaper lines too. We have to design a line especially for the high-end
stores he has in some top hotels. Lots of work but this could be our
breakthrough.”

He grinned, showing her the face the public rarely got to
see. His delight shone through and she loved him for his pleasure in her success.
“After I saw your designs I never doubted it.”

“Did you before?”

He got to his feet and stretched. “I didn’t know how a
brilliant soprano, the future Kirsten Flagstad could turn into Elsa
Schiaparelli.”

“She was a dress designer.”

“She also designed jewelry.”

Cyn did what she’d wanted to do since she walked in here and
threw herself into his arms, feeling them clamp around her like living bonds
and relishing her captivity. “Do you know how impressive it is that you know of
both those people?”

He laughed. “I just collect things, people, I guess. I get
inspiration from everywhere. Once I find something that interests me I go find
out about it. Don’t you?”

“Some.” She tended to focus her concerns. Her fascination
with jewelry came from creating it, not researching it. She’d learned how to
set gems and work metal and she’d studied how stones were cut and polished, although
she left that part to the experts. Otherwise she wouldn’t have gotten the
designs done.

She leaned back in his arms, laughed up at him. “I can go
now. Janey’s called her assistant and she’ll come in to cover me for the day.”

“You’re the owner, can’t you take all the time off you need?”

“Like you can fail to turn up onstage one night?” From his
expression she knew the answer. Laughing, she pulled out of his embrace. “So
what’s in store for you today?”

“I did the sound check yesterday. If they alter any of my
stuff I will commit murder, apart from my assistant.”

She interrupted him. “You have an assistant?”

He shrugged. “Yeah, well. A roadie. We have key personnel,
people who stay the same and travel with us. We didn’t want an entourage so we
established a small team of prime staff and they employ who they need.”

So that was why they reacted to her in that way last night.
A close-knit, efficient team at the end of a long tour would resent an
intruder. “Presumably you’ve introduced women backstage before?”

Bright color tinged his high cheekbones. “You know I did.”

She forced her smile back. This could be fun. “So I’m one in
a line?”

“No!” vehemence now as he gripped her tighter. “You’re Cyn.”

“Pure Cyn,” she murmured, taking advantage of his heightened
hold by moving closer and kissing him. He tasted of pure sin himself. She
folded her arms around his neck and went on tiptoe, stealing his response for
herself, giving back as much. She touched his lips with her tongue, slid it
into his mouth to caress and explore his, as he did the same. They might have
been carried away again had Janey not cleared her throat behind them.

Flushing hotly, Cyn withdrew. “Not so sinful, then,” he
said. “Before we got—yes, before, you asked me about my day. I’m skipping the
sound check unless they call me, which Chick will do if he needs me but I’d
like to go home and change. Maybe choose something for tonight.”

“We can pick up the kimonos from my place,” she suggested. “I
need to change too.”

“Will you come tonight?”

“I don’t have a ticket.” She stopped, aware of how pointless
that was now, flushing from her gauche response.

He laughed but with pleasure, sharing the joke. “You don’t
need a ticket.” He glanced at Janey. “Would you like to come?”

Janey grated out a harsh laugh. “My days of standing in line
to buy an overpriced beer before I squelch my way to my narrow, uncomfortable
place are gone. I have a big TV and the best seat in the house.”

Riku grinned. “You have a point. So that’s a no?”

“You got that right.” She shrugged and glanced behind her as
the bells on the outer door tinkled. “Thanks for the offer though. Are they
televising your concert?”

“It’s being filmed for a live release,” he said.

“I’ll get a copy.”

“Yes, you certainly will.”

She felt relief that Riku and Janey got on so well. This was
getting on well for Janey, whose brusque attitude to everyone except customers
could deter people. She was a hell of a designer though and she could work
filigree wire better than anyone Cyn knew.

If he went home with her there was little doubt where they’d
end up, particularly if she had to change. Reminded of which, she put her hands
around her neck and removed the necklace, taking it back to its case. Janey was
busy serving someone but she didn’t need any help and batted Cyn out of the
way, so she led the way from the shop.

Riku stared at the sidewalk, frowning. “You’re a great
jewelry designer.”

“I do cheap and cheerful too. It’s fun. Even the pricey
stuff is fun. People shouldn’t take themselves too seriously.”

He shrugged, didn’t look at her. “Like me you mean?”

“No, why would I think that?”

“Because I do tend to take things seriously. Shall we get a
cab?”

“You get one.” She shot him a sideways grin, which he caught
and returned. “Dressed like that you need it. I’ll go home and change.”

He seized her hand, held it close to his chest. “Will you
stay with me? Bring a few things so you don’t have to rush off? I want to spend
some real time with you.”

“So what’s this?”

“Rushing around, fixing shit.” When she would have pulled
away he drew her nearer so they stood chest-to-chest. “I want some leisure time
with you. After today the tour is done. We’re due in Chicago for group sessions
for the next album but there’s not as much pressure. I have playtime, Cyn, for
the first moment in what seems forever and I want to spend it with you. Are you
game?”

“Sure.” She could ease off going into the stores even though
the income from the second store was down. She’d intended to work there a few
days to try to understand what was wrong. She could skip that for a while.

No, she was getting carried away. This was a fling, nothing
else, although hopefully she’d have a friend at the end of their affair. That
was all. Finito.

Before he got into his cab he kissed her, long and lush,
ignoring the whistles from the cab driver and a few passersby. “You want to be
careful, with so many mobile phones around these days.”

“Why should I care? Do you?” Tension entered their embrace,
his muscles stiffening.

“No, I don’t care. They don’t know who I am anyhow. But
dressed like that and with hair like that they’ll recognize you.”

He grimaced. “How long will you be?”

“An hour?”

“Make it two. I’ve an errand to run first.”

She didn’t question him. Eventually she got into his cab,
just to share a few more moments with him. He dropped her off at her place
before ordering the driver to turn around and go to the other end of town, to
his home in Tribeca. While she appreciated the ability to get taxis everywhere
and for him it was a necessity, she didn’t intend to get one to his place.
Besides, if she had two hours she could call the other store and ensure
everything was running well there.

A little over two hours later Cyn arrived at the converted
warehouse that Riku called home. He buzzed her in and she took the elevator to
the top floor—the penthouse floor, naturally—and stepped into a huge space.

She wasn’t sure that if she had the kind of money Riku
commanded these days she’d spend it on this but she had to admit the place was
spectacular. Huge windows covered what had probably been loading bays for
whatever goods they had stored here once upon a time. They afforded great views
over this part of the city, the skyscrapers of downtown clearly visible past
the lower buildings between. A view of some of the most iconic edifices in the
world, one people would pay to experience. In a way Riku had done that but he
wasn’t taking much notice of it now, striding around on the polished wooden
floor talking to someone on his phone. “No, I don’t want that. Can you deliver
it here? Sure, I’ll be in.”

He turned to her and smiled, waving at the sofas set facing
the window. His hair was black, shiny black, rain-straight. He looked more like
the Riku she remembered from their institute years. He wore jeans and a T-shirt
and only simple gold studs in his ears. Last night he’d worn diamonds. She
recalled when he had his ears pierced and the fuss his mother had made. Riku
had a small, perfect and polished mother who’d intimidated Cyn. Not that she’d
ever known Riku and Cyn were lovers.

Instead of sitting Cyn wandered around the huge room. Three
sides of it were floor-to-ceiling windows. A landing area split the other long
wall horizontally and underneath an open space led to more rooms. She stared
out the window at the dock area, the place that would have held working men and
the wealth of a great city coming in via the great ships moored there. She
remembered old pictures of London docks, the forest of masts, sails furled and
the warehouses lining the edge, some rickety, some sturdily built edifices that
compared in size and self-importance to the cathedrals of Europe. This must
have looked like that once.

Now it was a playground for the people who could afford to
live here. When it started to get fashionable, long before she got to New York,
Realtors and wealthy individuals grabbed the old, dilapidated warehouses to
convert them to trendy apartments. Even the warehouses didn’t have windows like
this, whole walls of them. They must have knocked out the walls to make this
and used hyper-modern materials to render it strong enough.