When we got to the symphony hall, we went to the private box near the stage where we could be seen by everyone, my pink diamond on its significant finger for everyone to whisper about. And they did; their whispers less than subtle. I forgot about the audience, about performing as Dirk’s gold-hunter new wife when the musicians began. The singer an exquisite contralto who was joined by a baritone while the orchestra blended so smoothly with more emotion than I was used to, but it yanked on my own heartstrings until I was crying, unable to move while the music pulled the emotions out of me, dripping down my face until Dirk handed me a silk handkerchief that wasn’t the most absorbent thing, but it was soft and pink with little white puppies printed on it. It was ridiculous, as ridiculous as my crying in public. I’d gone to musical events with Clint, but I’d never cried at them before.
When the music crescendoed and then faded down, I was the first person on my feet, clapping loudly for the excellent musicians. I knew two people in the orchestra from school who nodded at me, like they recognized me as well. Oh, because I was Dani Divine, the internet sensation known for playing mostly naked in public.
“Are you alright?” Dirk murmured, brushing my shoulder with his strong hand.
I gazed up at him and felt so right and so wrong at the same time, I wasn’t sure what to say. “I know some of the musicians.”
He raised a brow and smiled slightly. “Would you like to see them before we go? We have a few minutes before our dinner reservation.”
Would I like to see them? I wanted to see him, but… I nodded, my body taking over for me.
We left our box and pushed towards the backstage. Carrie and Steve were there, in the side hall, a cellist and a violinist who I’d shared notes with, even if we hadn’t talked a lot. I didn’t formclose relationships with anyone besides Toni, at least not until Jezebel dragged me into her vigilante club.
“Daniela Delavigne?” Carrie said and then pulled me into a hug, her cello to the side while I delicately patted her back. “Look at you! Look at her, Steve. I can’t believe you’re Dani Divine.”
“I can’t believe you played Straw in the snow,” Steve said, shaking his head in disapproval.
I squeezed Dirk’s arm. “Ah, it was my most reckless moment. This is my husband and videographer, Dirk. He made me look good.”
Steve snorted. “You made Shostokovich sexy. I didn’t think that was possible, but you made it look sexy and effortless. Are you going to finally join a real orchestra?”
“I don’t know. I’m still figuring things out.”
“Well, I’m just glad you married someone who supports your music,” Carrie said, smiling at Dirk, but not in a predatory way. I still didn’t like her smiling at him, because she was someone who wasn’t responsible for Dirk’s sister’s death, so I couldn’t be sure that he wouldn’t find her appealing.
I gripped his hand and squeezed, but not too tight, just slightly painful for him in case he got the idea that he could flirt with her in front of me. He squeezed my hand back and gave me a puzzled look. He probably didn’t realize that I was hurting him, because of whatever this new super serum had done. What was wrong with me, hurting him when I loved him? What was that? I wasn’t a villain anymore, but how could I help it when I only had this one day to be with him? I shouldn’t have stopped and talked to people I barely knew instead of holding onto Dirk in the back of a limo.
“Yes. He’s excellent at supporting my music. We have to go. It was so lovely to see you both.” I dragged Dirk away from them, still holding his hand too tight, like I couldn’t let go. What ifI couldn’t let go? What if I took up stalking him and kept him away from every nice girl who could possibly make him happy?
I was so busy panicking that I ran right into the girl standing in the middle of the hall, staring at me like I was a supervillain, or I would have run into her if Dirk didn’t pull me back into his arms, holding me close, making me realize just how much he’d been letting me pull him around.
“James? What are you doing here?” she asked, all fluttery hands at her throat. An older woman appeared at her side carrying a toy poodle.
Dirk said in an incredibly smooth and cultivated voice, “Good evening, Celeste, Mrs. Hilliard. This is my wife, Daniela Delavigne Prescott. Beg your pardon, but we have an appointment we must keep.” He slipped my hand over his arm and walked with me around the two sputtering females, completely shedding off the rough fighter persona and being the smooth sophisticate that I’d never really seen before. It was shocking, and somehow even more attractive than every other version of him, except the campfire version. That was my absolute favorite. Nothing could possibly top that. We left the hall, and there was a black sedan with an open door, just waiting for us to slip into the back seat and drive off.
I didn’t look at him, not for a long time, and he didn’t say anything either. “Is she the girl your mother thinks you’re going to marry?”
“Not anymore.”
I turned to frown at him. “But she is the one you dated five years ago?”
He hesitated and then nodded. “I escorted her to a few formal events.”
“Ah. How distinguished of you. Does she know that you’re Dirk Dagger?”
“I don’t know. She never mentioned it. It’s not polite conversation to talk about what a man does when he isn’t enjoying polite society. Your friends are much better.”
I frowned at him. “They are genuine people, motivated by music above anything else. What is Celeste’s motivation?”
He smiled slightly. “I imagine increasing her status and wealth, but she might be a closet animal rights protester. It’s not polite conversation to talk about what a woman does when she isn’t enjoying polite society. Now, my beautiful bride, whom I have displayed as requested, do you want a public dinner, or can we eat in private? Ever since the second movement, I’ve wanted to wrap you in an oversize sweatshirt and hold you on my lap.”
I blinked at him and looked down at my gorgeous gown. “We could get Chinese, and a sweatshirt, and eat on the plane back.”
“We could. We will.” He pulled me onto his lap, crushing the skirt of my dress and sliding his hand over my cheek as he pushed back the tendrils of hair. “You know how beautiful you are.”
I swallowed hard at the sudden closeness, the feel of him beneath all those slippery skirts. “Thanks to the excellent work of Jordan and the stylist. Most of beauty comes down to presentation, although a certain amount of symmetry does help.”
He started tugging the pins out of my hair gently, then massaging my scalp with slow circles of his strong fingers, sending shivers of pleasure down my spine. “I retract my statement. You don’t know how beautiful you are. The way you feel music is beautiful. First you lean forward, chin up, like you’re going to taste the notes with your parted lips, then you swallow, and goosebumps break over all over your skin while you soak in those falling notes, like a flower under a tender rain, beating against your skin until it echoes in you, and you grip your seat with white-knuckles, which is the only reasonyou don’t fall out of your chair you’re leaning forward so far. Then, when the music has filled you to the top, your whole body trembling from the force of it, it comes out your eyes, glittering diamonds of emotions that trail through the makeup revealing the real beauty underneath. You are beautiful down to your soul, Daniela. I never thought that I would want to make you weep, but it is exquisite, you are exquisite, and I intend to watch you weep from music on a regular basis.” He kissed my chin, a soft kiss that sent a thrill of aching through me.
