Chapter Fourteen
He lay on his side facing the beautiful diva, watching her sleep and listening to her soft murmurs. He wondered if she knew she continually clenched and unclenched her fists, much like a baby does, when she slept. He watched her for a few more minutes before deciding to dress and check on Sammie.
He paced the apartment after checking on his sleeping daughter. He was feeling wired, and not just from making love with the nearly insatiable diva. He knew this feeling...the feeling of something inevitable...something outside of his control. A feeling he did not like...not one bit.
He heard the click of the lock and checked his watch. "It's about time you got back," he admonished. "It's nearly 2a.m."
"Gee, Dad. Sorry I'm late, ran out of gas. Here's the keys to the family car," Cody quipped.
Minya padded out of the bedroom, her nude body wrapped in a sheet. "Frank," she said sleepily. "I woke and you were gone."
Cody groaned. "Not again."
She yawned. "Oh, hi, Cody."
"Hello, beautiful maiden. It looks like that beast was back."
"Go get some sleep, Cody," Donovan growled.
"Sure thing, beast...I mean, boss," he said straightfaced as he made a beeline for the room next to Minya's.
"One day, I'm just going to shoot him," Donovan said emphatically.
************
"So, where exactly are we supposed to put our guns?" Alex asked looking down at the gown she wore; a full-length black, strapless Valentino gown.
"Guess we could strap them to the inside of our thighs," Monica suggested, checking out the burgundy, off-the-shoulder Versace gown she wore.
"Yeah, that might work," Alex agreed. "I guess we could put our badges in the little bitty purses."
Monica laughed. "Too bad we couldn't wear the tuxedos."
Cody shrugged. "At least you're going."
"I'll stay here with Sammie, Cody," Monica offered. "You can wear my outfit." She grinned when Cody made a face at her. Her attention turned to Jake and Frank as they exited the room they were changing in. Frank wore a black tuxedo with a knee-length jacket; further accentuating his height and Jake wore a traditional black tuxedo. Both looked extremely dapper.
"So, whaddya think?" Minya asked, stepping out of the bedroom. Cody, Jake and Frank gulped collectively. "Too much?"
"Too much?" Donovan asked. "Where's the rest of it?"
"Oh, come on! It's Vera Wang," Minya said, indignantly. Her attention turned quickly to how the men looked in their tuxedo. She put a hand on Franks arm, but her gaze swept over both him and Jake. "Oh, my...you two look fabulous."
"So do you, Minya," Jake said with a wink. "Don't mind Frank, your dress is gorgeous."
"It really is," Alex agreed. The Vera Wang creation was made of black see-through silk, sleeveless, with a high neckline, and form-fitting skirt that tapered to her ankles. Beads and sequences decorated the gown in a diagonal pattern over her breasts and hips, hiding her most feminine assets just enough to be decent.
"Yeah," Frank agreed, although still troubled. "I especially like the jewel in your navel. Nice diamond."
"Be a good boy and I'll let you take it out later," she said with a grin.
"Beast," Cody hissed under his breath. "Here," he said, holding out his hand. "These are different than our usual earpieces, but I'll still be able to hear you. They have built in mics...pretty powerful ones."
"They look like little hearing aides," Monica commented.
Cody nodded. "Hard to detect."
The intercom buzzed and the building security guard informed them the limo was waiting for them.
"It's show time," Minya said flamboyantly and headed for the door.
************
"Where's Sashka?" Alex asked after they settled in the limo.
"She'll be meeting us there, backstage. She'll make sure everything is ready for Jake and me and for out little performance," Minya explained.
"Oh, I see."
"Yeah, Dalton will be there, too. He's my good luck charm. He goes on the road with me, too."
"I thought you didn't believe in luck, only destiny," Jake stated.
"Well, maybe a little," she said with a shrug. "I can't help it. Dalton's been with me from the beginning. I can't do anything without him, even if he only stands on the sidelines."
************
"Here we go," Minya said as the limo pulled up in front of the Kodak Theatre. "Hang on tight, Jake. It gets a little hairy out there."
Jake nodded and exited the limo first. He could hear a reporter make a comment about wondering who was in the limo.
"And here we have the lovely Minya!" the reporter exclaimed as Minya stepped out of the limo and took Jake's hand. They proceeded down the red carpet followed closely by Alex, Monica and Frank.
"Minya, a minute please," the reporters yelled as they gathered around her. "Who's your escort?"
Minya smiled brightly. "This is my longtime friend, Jake Shaw."
"Jake Shaw?" One said. "He's singing with you tonight, isn't he?"
"That's right. And he's going to knock your socks off, literally," she assured.
************
Once inside the bedlam only worsened as fellow performers and fans alike bombarded them. Donovan grew more apprehensive as the minutes ticked by. He could not wait for this evening to be over.
They made their way to their seats when it was time for the show to start. The evening past in a blur as the nominees for each categories were listed and the winners announced. Donovan thought their little diva was going to pop the beads off her dress when she jumped up excitedly when her friends, Creed, won the category for best rock group.
An hour into the ceremony it was announced that a special tribute was being given in honor of Stevie Nicks and her work and contributions to the musical industry. Minya nudged Jake who, in turn, signaled for the others to follow.
Backstage, Alex commented. "You're in the tribute?"
Minya nodded. "We're the last to perform...we have just enough time to change and get on stage." She pulled Jake into the tiny dressing room they had to share and found Sashka waiting for them.
"Hurry!" She ordered and pointed to the two dressing screens on opposite sides of the room.
************
"Stevie," Lindsay Buckingham announced. "There were so many who wanted to join in this tribute, unfortunately, we couldn't accommodate all of them. However, we have four of the loveliest ladies in the business who want to show you in song how much you have inspired them. Everyone, join me in welcoming Celine Dion, Christina Aguilera, Mariah Carey and Minya who will perform a duet with Jake Shaw."
"Jake, are you okay?" Minya asked. He looked a little green.
"Nervous."
"Breathe, Jake. Just don't forget to breathe." She smiled when he repeated the word as if it was foreign. "I believe in you, Jake. You're going to send those people to heaven. You'll see."
He smiled weakly. "You really mean that, don't you?"
"Yes, Agent Shaw, I do." She wrapped a robe around herself and came out from behind the screen. A hard rap on the door was followed by a stagehand yelling "Five minutes!"
"You ready?" she asked as he put his robe on.
"As I'll ever be."
He opened the door for her and followed her out of the room. They were immediately ushered by the stagehands to the makeshift set hidden behind the curtain. Mariah was just finishing "Stand Back". They would be on in a few short minutes.
With jaws dropped wide, Jakes teammates, along with Sashka and Dalton watched from the side of the stage and Minya ran around to the far side of a huge four-poster bed and she and Jake climbed under the blankets, disrobed and hurriedly hooked the microphones around their ears.
"Holy shit," Alex said, blinking hard.
"No kidding," Monica agreed.
"Forget Cody," Donovan growled. "I'm shooting Jake when this is over."
"I heard that," Jake said with a grin.
"Heard what?" Minya whispered.
"Frank's going to shoot me when this is over."
Minya giggled. "Wait till he gets a load of the performance," she said, flipping the mic upward out of her face and adjusting Jake's. "Ready?"
"Yep."
"You're on, Minya," the stagehand yelled.
"Here we go, Jake," she said with a wink as he leaned over her and pressed her further into the mattress with the weight of his body.
To be continued...