Chapter 27

“You really do care about your fans don’t you?” Abigail asked Rick when the elevator starting moving.

“Of course I do!” he told her a bit surprised by the question, “I can’t believe after all this time we’ve spent together, you don’t know me by now.” He faced her.

She nodded. “You’re right.”

“How come the other guys didn’t go meet them?” she asked.

“They’re probably going to go now. They like to settle in a bit first.” Rick informed her.

The elevator bell sounded then indicating that they were at their floor. They both stepped out and walked towards their room just as AJ came out of his, which was next to theirs.

“Have you guys seen my girlfriend?” he asked walking up to them.

“Oh yeah. She’s downstairs in the lobby. She said something about a toothbrush.” Rick said.

“Right. She forgot hers at the last hotel.” AJ said remembering, “Thanks.”

Rick swiped his card on the door as AJ walked off.

“I really need to get some rest before our show tonight.” Rick stated as they walked in and dropped their bags.

“Sure. Go ahead. The bed’s all yours.” Abigail said.

“Too bad.” Rick replied, facing her, “I was actually pretty open to the idea of sharing.”

“Rick-“

“I want you, Abby.” He whispered.

“I know.” She sighed.

“You know we’d be really good together.” He continued.

“We keep dancing around this issue.” Abigail said putting her fingers to her temples, “We’ve been through this a hundred times, I’m not going to get into it again with you.”

“Fine.” Rick said and was about to walk away but changed his mind. He walked up to her instead and looked straight into her eyes. “Just know one thing,” he continued, “I’m going to have you in my bed before this tour is through.”

Abigail’s heart hammered in her chest at the look in his eyes before he walked away. She had no doubt that he was right, and because of that she was going to have to be extremely careful with him.

She picked up her bag to rummage through it for some clothes when she heard Rick call her name.

She found him in the bedroom, holding what looked like a note in his hand.

“What’s that? Another note?” she asked as he walked over to her nodding.

“Where did you find it?”

“On the bed. Read it.” He told her.

Abigail looked down at the note he handed her.

“She’s going to come after you.” Rick stated, his voice hard, but she still heard the undertone of fear. “This was not supposed to happen!”

She put a hand on his arm.

“This is a good thing Rick.” She told him, “I want to be the target.”

Rick looked at her incredulously.

“No!” he said shaking his head firmly, “It’s too dangerous!”

Abigail felt her temper rising.

“Rick you seem to be forgetting the fact that I’m a COP. I live a dangerous life. A life I chose. I can take care of myself.” She said, “You, on the other hand, need me to help keep you safe so just cool it and let me do my job!”

He grabbed her arm just as she was about to turn away from him.

“I’ll let you do your job if you’re not the target.” He said softly.

She put her hands on his chest and shoved him back a step. It took some strength since he was bigger than she was, but at least she regained some dignity.

You don’t really have a choice,” she told him, “I’m already the target.”

“Abby-“

She shook her head furiously.

“Do you see why we can’t get involved? We haven’t even slept together and you’re already too damn overprotective!”

“So you’re saying that I shouldn’t care about you at all? That I shouldn’t have feelings for you? Well I’m sorry Abby, but it’s a bit late for that!” he told her stormily.

“Rick, you knew when I came on this tour that you were just going to be a case to me, that’s all.” She said her voice softening as she caught the hurt look in his eyes.

“And am I, Abby? Am I just a case to you?” he asked facing her.

She avoided his eyes and couldn’t answer.

“I already told you if you could give me one good reason why I should leave you alone, I will. Until then, I won’t leave you alone.”

Abigail met his eyes then.

“What if I do have a reason?” she whispered.

He looked taken aback.

“You don’t-“

“What if I do?” she pressed.

“Then tell me.”

She looked at his mouth, then realized that she was losing her train of thought, so she looked at his nose instead as she lied.

“We, uh, that’s is, Jason and I, we’re involved.”

He moved so swiftly, her mind barely registered it as he took her by the shoulders and gave her a shake.

“What! Why the hell are you lying to me?” he asked harshly, “Are you deliberately trying to hurt me?”

“I’m not lying!” she shouted, “Why do you think we’re on a first name basis?”

“Because you’re friends!” Rick returned, his grip still firm on her shoulders.

“We’re more than friends!” she shouted back, “Why do you think I don’t want to sleep with you? I mean, we’re both attracted to each other, I admit it. We even share a hotel room and yet we’ve never had sex. Why is that? Because I’m sleeping with him!” she punctuated every word of her last sentence perfectly and Rick felt as if he’d been slapped in the face.

He let her go roughly and stepped back from her, pushing his hands through his hair before facing her again.

“You must really not want me to have lied to me like that.” He said softly, stingingly, before walking out the hotel room.

“It’s not about what I want, Rick, but about doing what’s right.”