"You and Deacon sleeping on the same tour bus? I'm not going to lie and say I'm comfortable with something that I'm clearly not." Teddy shrugged as he got into bed, Rayna sighed inwardly. She'd been with Teddy for thirteen years and it had been thirteen years since she'd slept with Deacon, well, almost, but it was always the same argument with Teddy.

"He's part of my band," She said through gritted teeth, "regardless of whether we're playing in Madison Square Garden or the Bluebird Café he's still going to be part of my band."

"So you're telling me that playing at the Garden is the same as at the Bluebird?" He paused, Rayna's back was to him, it infuriated him even more that she wouldn't even look at him when they fought, even when things were bad between them there still wasn't the same passion that she had with Deacon, "Because in case you've forgotten I've seen you two play at the Bluebird and I've seen you play at the garden, and let me tell you, it is not the same. You're not the same."

"I am not having this argument with you tonight, not again." She sighed, turning round to face him and getting into bed, "think what you like, but I have been faithful to you for thirteen years and I don't intend on changing that anytime soon. We made a vow Teddy, remember?" Lord, shoot me down, she thought. The sarcasm in her question had not gone unnoticed by her husband who pulled back the covers and grabbed the throw at the foot of the bed.

"I'm sleeping in the spare room, you're right we're not having this argument tonight." Because if we do I won't be able to stop myself from leaving and I don't know if I could bring myself back he thought as he turned to leave, Rayna felt her body begin to relax at his fading presence. She sighed for the third time that night, why was everything so darn difficult for them? Teddy was always supposed to be the stable, easy-going guy but in hindsight she guessed that any guy without an alcohol addiction and a knack for breaking her heart would seem easy-going after Deacon.

"Please lord; just let me escape, just for tonight." She whispered in prayer as she closed her eyes and turned out the lights.


Three am, read the neon lights of the alarm clock at her bedside, she groaned in exhaustion as the source of her annoyance made itself apparent again, Teddy's phone, he'd left it behind when he'd gone. She reached out for it blindly, '3 text messages, 1 voicemail' it read. Squinting against the painfully bright light she typed in his password, she knew she shouldn't but it was the only way to turn the damn thing off.

'Peggy Kenter,' it flashed, '3 text messages, 1 voicemail.' Rayna pulled herself up, Peggy Kenter? Robert's wife? Honest to god, she hadn't wanted to pry, she'd just wanted to stop his phone from waking her, but she couldn't seem to stop herself from dialling voicemail.

"Teddy, why aren't you picking up?" Peggy said in her whiny tone, "You said you'd call, I miss you. Robert's gone out, his in Michigan for the week. Is she asleep? Come to me. I need you." The phone cut off, Rayna lay there, in utter shock. It dropped out of her hand and tumbled to the floor.

"Shit." She cursed, the noise jolting her back to sanity. She leant down to pick it up and ran her hand through her hair; she switched on the bedside lamp. The clarity that the light brought put everything into some harsh perspective. He was having an affair. He was having an affair and yet he was in here giving her hell for wanting to go on tour with an ex to make money for their family, their home so that they could survive. She caught sight of her reflection in the mirror, damn Rayna you look tired, she thought, no fucking wonder. She pulled at her face again, lifting it so her former youthfulness returned. She remembered what he'd said to her, 'if you ever get a facelift, I'll leave you' a bitter laugh escaped her lips. Yeah, because her going under the knife would be his excuse, his cover-up for that whore. She lay back against the pillows, the phone in her hand buzzed again, jerking her out of the lull she'd let herself fall into. Another text. She clicked 'open' to hell with decency, if he was going to cheat on her she'd sure as hell find out as much as she could.

'Guess u can't get away. C u tmrw. Luv u, P.'

"Ugh!" She held down the power button until the screen faded to black. She could feel tiredness washing over her again. She put his phone back in its place; a fragment of his scent filled her senses as she leaned over his pillow, her nose wrinkled involuntarily. Bastard, she thought as she picked up his pillow and chucked it to the other side of the room, the anger she felt at his betrayal threatened to overtake. But then she remembered who she was, Rayna Jaymes, reigning Queen of Country. There was no way in hell she was going to let Teddy Conrad get to her like this, she'd show him, and she'd make him squirm.


5:30am, Rayna was in the kitchen, everything was in place. She was going to win this one. It had been months since she'd had sex with her husband, she hadn't thought much of it and come to think of it, she thought with a wry smile, why would it have worried him? Not like he was going without. But this morning she'd conjured a little something up, a black silk slip, her hair in a tousled mess, her eyes dark with kohl and mascara, her legs long and bare. She smirked at the thought of what he was going to walk into.

A footstep on the stairs told her he was near, she assumed her position, dishcloth in hand she leant over the granite counter top ever so slightly.

"Morn-oh!" Teddy stopped short at the sight of his wife. Rayna pulled herself up and turned slowly to face him, a sly smile on her lips she walked over to him seductively. His palms began to sweat; she hadn't acted like this since, well since ever. He was instantly suspicious.

"I'm sorry," she whispered in his ear, letting her hands roam inside his suit jacket, "you were right. There's only you for me, I love you." Her voice doused the last words in danger and intrigue. He tensed slightly at her tone.

"I love you too." He choked slightly, hoping she wouldn't be able to sense the trepidation in his voice.

"I want you." She whispered; lying through her teeth, he shuddered, whenever she said those words he was slain.

"I can't darling, I have to go." He replied, his expression apologetic, she smirked and pulled away.

"You left this last night." She grabbed his phone from the counter and chucked it to him. As she left the room she made sure to brush past him ever so slightly. This time she'd won.

'And that,' she murmured as she bounced up the stairs leaving her husband in a state of utter confusion, 'is how the Queen of country does it.'


"She knows." Teddy Conrad signed angrily into the phone.

"How can she know? Did you tell her? Teddy we decided you weren't going to say anything until Lamar was in your pocket and you were mayor." Peggy Kenter fumed at her lover. "This is going to ruin everything. I'll have to tell Robert. Lamar will ruin us, Teddy!"

"For god's sake Peggy of course I didn't tell her, what do you take me for?" He spat, "she hasn't said anything but she had my phone this morning and she put on this whole tease scenario. There are ways around this."

He was sitting in the parking lot of Lamar's offices, they had a meeting in a matter of moments but he just had to get this off his chest and hear her voice.

"Are you still sleeping with her? You promised me! Teddy you told me it was practically over between you!"

"I'm not sleeping with her Peggy. Christ, don't you think I get enough of this at home? Look, I'll come and see you soon, I've got a meeting with Lamar but after that I'm all yours." He promised they both paused for a moment, imagining their time together.

"That's all I ever wanted." She whispered as he rung off.

A/N- More chapters to come over the weekend, please review and let me know what you think!