Rock Dirty (Rock Candy #2) by Virna Depaul Read Free Book Online Page B

every curve, a thick diamond necklace around her throat, and heels that she’d clearly designed herself that had to be close to seven inches and covered in gold leaf. Her eyes were highlighted by smoky eye shadow and rimmed with kohl, and I could have lost myself here, in this moment, just staring at her. She had to be under a lot of stress. I had a small inclination from her weird rant earlier how much she needed to impress her mom so that the feared Anna Lorenz wouldn’t insult her. Mothers with poison pens? Ouch. However, she looked cool and calm, if a bit removed from everything around her.
    Reaching out, I placed a hand on her shoulder. She startled and almost dropped her drink on the marble tile below. Then she smiled and she literally took my breath away.
    I leaned over and kissed her cheek. “I was just coming over to offer some support. You did an amazing job. These shoes should be in a gallery. I mean, come on, they’re like works of art.”
    “Thank you. That’s kind of you to say.”
    She said it automatically, as if she was used to blowing off compliments about her work, and I frowned. Before I could say anything, however, her eyes darted around the room, and I realized she was looking for someone.
    When I took a step back, figuring I should give her some space, her gaze met mine. She licked her lips and regret filled her beautiful eyes. “I’m sorry for being distracted, Tucker. I just have a lot more people to talk to. Divine is supposed to be here as well as William Cooper. I was hoping they’d come as a show of fellow support.”
    A bright light flashed, temporarily blinding me. Blinking, I got my bearings and noticed the photographer in the corner. She was clicking fast and furious, and I’d become accustomed to red carpets and even trying to eat out at lunch with my friends and having a thousand lights go off in my face.
    It was annoying but it was the trade-off for being famous, just was how things were.
    I looked back at Nikki to see if I could do anything to help her out, to relieve the pressure of the crowd until the other designers got here or she felt she could take a break. She wasn’t paying attention to me, though. Her gaze was fixed on the short blond woman with the huge Nikon around her neck. Nikki balled her hands up at her sides and glared at the photog and if looks could kill…
    “Can you not do that right now,” she snapped, moving past me and standing nose to nose with the photographer.
    The blonde huffed and set her camera aside so that it hung from its strap over her chest. “You know, your mother is so much more accommodating for the press. I shouldn’t be surprised. You’re nothing like her. She’s pure class. You’re not. Even your ex-boyfriend saw that, which is why it didn't take long for him to leave your bed for hers—”
    “Hey—” I began, jolted out of my malaise, just as Nikki’s hand shot out.
    The slap rang out hard and fast.
    Despite everything, it left my jaw on the floor. I knew from Google that Nikki had provided fodder for tabloid stories the same way other heiresses had and, okay, even certain rock bands that had trashed a hotel in Memphis. Still, she was older and a successful designer now, and our little dance aside, she hadn’t given me a glimpse of that wilder, impetuous nature.
    “Say that again,” Nikki snarled. She would have lunged for the blonde again if an older man, one with a thick salt and pepper mustache, hadn’t held her back. He took control of the situation, barking out something terse and commanding in French. Then security was dragging the photographer, who was rubbing her slightly swollen cheek, out the door. No one said anything for a very long time, and I was surrounded by a room full of oppressive silence with all of us looking at Nikki as the older man led her away.
    A man beside me in a suit that had red pinstripes just shook his head and leaned into my ear. “Is that your date? You’d best run,” he whispered