The Stage (Phoenix Rising #1) (6 page)

“Just get that light there,” he whispers, nodding toward a little night light-stuffed-animal next to the bed. As he lays her down, I turn the stuffed animal on, and little stars in a soothing blue shine out of its back onto the ceiling. It’s just like the one Riley brought with her. Wait? It might even be the same one.

“I’ll let you change her.” He leaves and closes the door behind him. “Uh,” I say, to no one but myself. I look around. It’s a beautiful room, the colors on the bed are blue, Riley’s favorite. There’s an armoire across from the bed. When I check inside a drawer, Riley’s pajamas are inside folded. From the conversation in the car, I’d known our things were here. But this is too much. Actually putting our things away in drawers.

I take the pajamas out and notice that hanging up are her clothes—even the ones she’d already worn. He must have had them cleaned. There are new clothes, too, all in her size.

I can’t decide, as I change her into her pajamas, gently so not to wake her, if this is creepy or the most wonderful thing anyone has ever done for me? Part of me wants to call a cab and leave—run as fast as I can. The other wants to thank him for going above and beyond to help me—to help
us
. What would I have done without him? I probably would’ve had to drop out.

As I tuck Riley in, I feel like he wants me to trust him. But I’m pissed. I feel overpowered, and unsure. I need to talk to him so I open the door and make my way out to the living room. Deloris is there, waiting.

“Where’s Kolton?” I ask.

“I’m sorry, dear, but he left right after I got here. He asked me to give you this,” she answers, holding out an envelope for me.

“He left? Where’d he go?”

“He didn’t say.”

“I need to talk to him about this,” I say, motioning with my hands around the room.

“About what, dear?”

“About staying here.”

“He was very clear that this was to be where I’m to take care of Riley. He’s set up a room for me, too. It’s nice, just on the other side of the kitchen. I have a cat and he let me bring her with me. We had to sneak her in because there’s no animals allowed. He’s such a nice man,” she says almost dreamily.

“Okay. Thanks.” My words come out drone-like. I must be dreaming. I don’t even know where I’m going as I walk past her. I pass through the dining room featuring a metal chandelier and a thick, dark wood table that seats at least twelve, and through the living room with its wall of windows and white fireplace mantel.

I click along the hardwood floors in my too-tall boots, pass a built-in bar and find the kitchen with an attached family room. It’s stunning, something out of a magazine. The marble, the dark wood. The huge sink. The stainless appliances. I walk up to the largest refrigerator I’ve ever seen.

When I open it, I find Riley’s favorite yogurt, applesauce, pink lady apples, which I’d specifically asked for at the hotel, eggs, cheese, bacon, already portioned salads with every kind of dressing ever made. All the foods we ate when we were staying at the hotel. This is—this is really fucking creepy. He’s been spying on us?

He even got me my favorite vitamin water, pomegranate flavored. I’d had several of those delivered through room service.
He’s been spying on our hotel orders.

I’ve never felt more like talking to my mom since my parents died. I want to tell her what’s happened, ask her what I should do. I want to cry; I want to run away. I want to talk to Kolton—Kole, whatever his name is.

I grab an apple and my vitamin water and move to the family room next to the open kitchen. This room is different from the fancy living room, it looks lived in. There’s a huge TV and an overstuffed couch, two comfy chairs, and a tufted ottoman rather than a coffee table. The end tables, and the table behind the couch, have that weathered look. I notice his game station and a few guitars, along with folksy artwork.

There’s also an older-looking plain brown piano tucked into the corner. I’m drawn to it. As I sit down on the bench and run my fingers along the keys, I feel him. This is
his
place—and he trusted me here without him. I hear a door click behind me. That must have been Deloris going to bed.

I almost play a song, but it somehow seems wrong without his permission. I crunch into the apple, turn off the lights, and head back through the house toward the bedrooms.

As I pass through the formal room with the tall ceiling, wrought iron balcony, and wall of windows, I notice another piano set up. It’s new and worth a lot of money, but I don’t think it means much to him. Not like the other one.

I want to check for the fire escape—I mean, I can’t sleep unless I know. I open the black doors. They lead to a covered patio and then to an open patio. The warm air hits me, the sound of the cars traveling below like a song.

There’s a box next to the railing at the far end, and, sure enough, there’s a picture of a staircase that seems to unravel to the patio below. I wonder where else there’s access to another one of these from upstairs.

I’m exhausted, but I have no idea where my room is. Maybe up the staircase? I climb up and find a bedroom door open and peek in. It’s another large room like Riley’s, just with a deep red color scheme rather than the blue in hers.

I check the closet, and yep, my clothes are hanging up. Plus new clothes in my size, all designer with price tags still on them. One shirt is a Michael Kors, three hundred and twenty dollars. What the hell? Is he trying to buy me? All he’s done is make me distrust him more than ever.

I back out of the closet and check the drawers. My pajamas and underwear are all folded neatly, plus new ones there, too. This is just too much. He bought me underwear and bras? How does he know my bra size? Freaking hell?

Since he’s done all of this, I want to get even. I want to snoop in Kolton’s room. At the end of the hall, I can see double doors in a dark stained wood. I walk along, my heels pressing into the plush throw rug, and as I open it, I smell his cologne. It makes my skin tingle and a shiver travels way,
way
, up my spine.

It’s a long, deep room with his bed at the far end. The carpets are plush, the hardwood floors dark. A dark wooden king sized bed is made up in a lush, deep green duvet.

I feel wicked as I walk into his bathroom, my heart pounding because I know this is wrong. There’s a long sink with dark cabinets. It has light marble on the floors, counter and tiles; a separate toilet area, a huge tub, and a glass shower the size of Texas.

I walk toward his closet door and turn the knob. It’s practically the size of my room in the rental. Ohmygod! His rock star clothes: some jeans, designer T-shirts, suits—squeeee! I want to see him in a suit. I bet he looks amazing in these.
Stop it
!
That was just temporary insanity,
I tell myself. He’s a controlling jerk, after all.

I can’t help myself. I run my hands along the clothes, feeling him for a moment, remembering the look in his eyes when he told me he wanted my trust. Why isn’t he here? Is he trying to stay away so I don’t break my contract with the show? Or does he just want to win and get his way? Probably the latter.

What if Jackson Diles, or the other executive producers, find out I’m staying here? I’ll get kicked off the show. Maybe I should call a cab? But Riley is asleep, and all our stuff is here. I can’t leave until morning.

I sit down on the circular bench in the center of his room-sized closet and open the envelope. There’s a key inside along with a letter. It’s in his own handwriting, I believe.

Mia,

I apologize for not talking to you about this first. I have to leave for the next week and a half, and I knew you didn’t have family to take care of you or help with your sister. I’m uncomfortable with leaving you alone at the hotel while I’m gone. There was no time to talk it over. I had a feeling you’d take it the wrong way.

I will not be staying here with you. I’ve taken care of everything and the producers know where you are. They weren’t happy about it, but they agreed as long as we stay apart until after the finals. Then it will be up to you.

Devon, my driver, can take you anywhere you need or want to go. I do have some staff that clean, and stock the kitchen, but you, Deloris, and Riley will be on your own for the most part. I’ve left you a phone on your night stand. I’m the only one who has the number. My number is set to private in contacts. You can call or text me any time you need.

Please keep it with you in case I have any ideas about the show, or if I need to get a hold of you for some reason. I can’t tell you how important it is to me that you learn to trust me. I hope this was a step in the right direction.

I’ll be thinking of you.

Kole

Kole? Why does he want me to call him that? He’s thinking of me? Holy crap. He’s done all of this so I’ll trust him? I don’t believe him. He’s so arrogant, he thinks he has the right to just take us, move our stuff, spy on me. But, to be honest, I really do need his help. If he’d asked me rather than doing it this way, maybe—well, let’s face it. I would’ve
had
to accept. I have no other choice.

I have no idea what to think right now. He said after the live shows, it’ll be up to me. What will? And is that even fair that he’s nearly guaranteeing I’ll have a spot in the live shows? Is it my voice, or me, that he wants?

I’m achy and my eyes feel heavy. I take off my boots and set them next to a pair of his. Somehow that feels right.

I bet he has access to the fire escape through his room. I open the French doors to his patio and step out into the still warm California air. Yep, again, there’s the fire escape. I feel better knowing how to get out in a hurry. When I come back inside, I’m drawn to his bed. As I run my fingers along the soft fabric, I wonder how many women he’s had here. I admit, the turning of my stomach at the thought of it might be jealousy.

As I walk back to my room, the letter and key in hand, I feel a pang of homesickness. I know I can’t sleep in that big room all by myself. I grab some pajamas and the phone Kolton left me off the nightstand in the red room, go downstairs, change, and climb in bed with Riley. Out of curiosity, I swipe the screen and find there’s already a message from Kolton.

K-Royce Private

11:02 PM

Good night Mia.

Without contemplating, I type back:

11:48 PM

We need to talk about this Kolton

11:49 PM

Everything is going to be fine Mia. I promise. You need to trust I have your best interest at heart.

11:50 PM

I’m sorry. We can’t stay here. We r going back to hotel tomorrow

11:50 PM

I’m not comfortable with that.

11:51 PM

I’m not comfortable with this.

As I snuggle against Riley, one minute turns to two, then five, then ten. He never texts back. What have I gotten myself into? He’s so controlling. He arranged all of this. And then he just left before I could even talk to him about it. Now he won’t acknowledge that I don’t want to stay. He’s going to push me through to the live rounds. That’s not even fair. I should be grateful, but it feels dirty and tainted.

He wants my trust? He has a strange way of trying to earn it.

You Want a Challenge?

“M
ia! Mia!” Riley says. My eyes creak open, flutter, and I find her staring down at me with a confused look on her little face. “Where are we?” she asks, slowly.

“We are at a nice apartment near the studio,” I say, as she looks around, amazed.

“It’s blue, Mia. Like I want my room!”

“Well, uh, yep, it is,” I mumble as she jumps out of bed and bolts out of the bedroom door. I stumble out of bed and rub my eyes, wondering what I’m going to do about this whole situation.

After brushing my teeth in the bathroom attached to Riley’s borrowed room, I follow the scent of coffee and bacon, finding Riley in the kitchen. Deloris is leaning over the kitchen island talking to her.

“She’s going to be like my new gramma,” Riley says to me, looking excited. “We get to stay here, Mia!” she exclaims. “I get to live with Miss Deloris while you’re gettin’ famous.”

“Is that what you want to do?” I ask.

“Are we rich now?”

“No, Riley. We aren’t.”

“This is yummy,” she announces, taking a bite of the bacon.

“Do you like omelets, ladies, or scrambled eggs?”

“Scrambled,” Riley says. “Can we go to the park?”

“I can’t, I’m sorry. I have to go to the studio today to record my first song.”

“I’ll take you, Riley,” Deloris says. “We can go after you take a shower. Do you know how to take a shower on your own?” she asks, looking at me.

“Yeah, but sometimes I need help when I floss. Plus, I’m bad at brushing my hair. But when Mia brushes it, she pulls my hair. It hurts.”

“Well, I’m good at brushing hair. I even have some special conditioner for long hair like yours,” she says. “Is that okay?”