A/N Okay, so I realized that I'm a little nervous about this fanfic because I'm so used to writing crime which is in a different genre than Nashville, and in that genre I like kind of twisted stories and hurting the characters! Though, now that I think about it, Nashville likes to hurt the characters too... With this I want to say that my original plan has always been for Hockney to hurt Rayna, and perhaps a kidnapping situation, but I'm also worried people will hate me for that ;)
I hope you like this chapter though! My fingers had their own lives when writing about her artists... Okay, I had thought a lot about that.
Oh and I'm so happy Connie got nominated for the Golden Globes for her role in Dirty John! Even if I know Amy Adams will probably win, or Arquette, but I'm happy everytime her work gets that kind of attention because she is amazing! Like have you seen Dirty John?
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Chapter 3
"Not another one of these," Bucky sighed as he read through the letter. "Remember the woman who sent you her socks?"
Rayna couldn't help but to laugh at the memory. That was a very strange gift and probably a lot worse than this. She was in the public eye so of course she would have an affectionate fan. She could just recall all the celebrity crushes her daughters had had through the years so the fact that someone would develop one for her was in that strange, right?
"Now with the internet, it's a lot harder to keep your address a secret."
"And this didn't even have an address which means he's been to the house." That was probably the fact that was hardest for her to comprehend.
"It's probably nothing, but it would t be a bad idea to increase you're security."
Well, he had a point there. Actually, she wondered why she hadn't done that before, not that it had ever been a problem, nothing had happened before.
"It's not something worth losing your sleep over," he put down the letter and looked at her. "What's happening with the record label, however, is."
"Oh, don't worry. I'm already losing sleep over that," she laughed and rubbed her face with her hands. Bucky's words made her feel better about this whole ordeal and the fact that he could move on so quickly from this topic made her a lot less worried. About the letters, at least. Her label was a completely different story.
"I still have that offer from Zach Wells," Rayna mentioned, remembering her dinner with the younger man, and the very recent phone call. The idea of actually getting money for her label was very intriguing, but she couldn't shake the feeling that this was too good to be true. He did tell her that she could make any final decisions, but what if he turned out to be another Jeff Fordham. Did she really trust him?
"We'll have Sheila look over the contract," Bucky told her and she nodded quickly.
"Oh, yes, I'm sure she'll find a million loopholes in there."
This whole thing was really giving her a headache. They would schedule a meeting with the lawyer later that afternoon, although all she wanted right now was a calm family night at home.
"If you come into the office in an hour we can talk about that," Bucky said and stood up to leave. "I will take the letter with me if that's okay with you. I know I said it's nothing, but it's still better to safe it if something else will come up."
"Yeah, I understand," Rayna nodded and followed the older man to the door. "Wouldn't want the girls to see that and worry."
Bucky leaned in and gave her a hug with a kiss on the cheek. "It's probably best to just let this go."
"You're right," she agreed and watched as he stepped outside. "See you in an hour."
The door closed behind the man and she groaned slightly as she looked at her husband.
"You okay?" he wondered and pulled her into his arms. Oh yes, she really needed that hug right now. Though his hugs always made her feel better. "Do you want me to call the security guy?"
"We probably should, but I don't think we need to worry about that right now," she sighed, knowing that she had a million other more important things to do and worry about.
"You know I will always worry when it comes to your safety," he placed a kiss on her lips and she kissed him back, wanting to stay that way all day, but unfortunately she had to leave soon and couldn't get carried away. This was already proving to be a long day.
Rayna pulled away from her husband and dragged her feet over to the kitchen. Oh, she definitely clean away those rose petals before Maddie and Daphne got home and asked too many questions she didn't want to answer. Grabbing the trashcan, she put it against the edge of the table so she could sweep all the red petals into it.
Her husband stood against the wall, keeping his eyes on her as she moved, analyzing her composure and face to read what she was really feeling. Only he could tell exactly what she was thinking and she loved that he knew her that well, but at the same time she wished it wasn't that easy. Especially when she really just wanted to leave things be, like right now.
Starting her own label had been everything she wanted, to be able to give the artists a sanctuary and let them have more creative control without anyone holding them back. Especially women who deserved to be heard. They all needed someone who had their backs and she always did, even if her label ended up taking the consequence. She had to admit that no matter how much she cared about her artists, she'd had some bad luck with who she'd signed. First Scarlett who really hadn't been ready. Sadie who'd just left after shooting her husband. Neither of these women would've been allowed to leave their contracts if someone else was in charge, but Rayna had known she'd needed to let them both go. Then there was Markus Keen. At least he had finished his record, but after she rejected him he'd still left. They did get a platinum record from him so perhaps there was a win in there too. Then Juliette who always seemed to start trouble anywhere she went, and Rayna had signed her despite her better judgment. And the latest one was Layla who also just disappeared.
And now her label was in serious trouble. Of course she didn't regret putting her faith in these women, and man, but she had hoped for a much better outcome. She didn't want anyone to look at Highway 66 as a vanity project because it definitely wasn't. It was so much more than that and now she had an opportunity to save it, to get some much needed money. She wanted to take them. She had decided she would as long as Sheila didn't find any loopholes.
"Talk to me," Deacon finally spoke up after watching her battle with her thoughts.
Rayna threw him a look and the corners of her lips turned up slightly in a small smile. "You know; there's a lot to think about right now."
"No one will think less or you if you accept his offer," her husband told her and she nodded slightly. "This will be good for the label and help it grow."
"Yeah, I know," she said with a light sigh. "I just don't... I will probably take it."
She just hoped she wasn't making a terrible mistake.
—
That fucking bastard stole her letter. He took the documents where she could read all about his love for her. God, he was frustrated that she would let him do that. Why would she surrounds herself with men who would dominate her, smother her. She was in no position to say no to them and Wayne wanted nothing more than to take away from that life. When that husband of hers started kissing her again, he just couldn't take it anymore and wanted to leave his hiding spot in the garden. The kiss didn't last long though so he chose to stay just for another moment. Everyday he found it hard to stop watching her; she was like a drug he couldn't get enough of. Her body moved so beautifully from the hallway to the kitchen, even when she was exhausted, which he could tell she was, that's how well he knew her.
Wayne tried to make an excuse for her when she so quickly and casually threw away the petals from the roses into the trashcan, as if they meant nothing. Was this also a way to put on a show in front of her husband? Was she just simply cleaning and didn't know what else to do with them? Still made him pissed and none of his excuses could make it better so he chose to leave. He needed to prove to himself that she was under all that pressure from her husband, that she hadn't wanted to do this.
He needed to send her another letter.
