Relentless by Cheryl Douglas Page A

night, sweetheart. I knew you could do it.”
    Her father might be a tyrant at times, but his love and support was unconditional. “Thanks, it makes all that hard work seem worthwhile,” she said, trying to suppress a sigh. The exhaustion seemed to be more mental than physical today. Maybe she needed a vacation. She had been burning the candle at both ends for a long time, writing music, recording, and now rehearsing for the upcoming tour.
    “You sure you’re okay?” he asked, looking concerned.
    She nodded, forcing a smile. She didn’t want to invite her father’s questions. The last thing she needed was for him to learn about what had happened between her and J.T. last night. He would be livid, not only because she’d been foolish enough to trust the wrong man, but because she was supposed to be focusing all of her attention on her career. There was no time for anyone or anything else. According to him, there would be time for dating later, much later. The next few years were all about building her career, solidifying her brand in the eyes of the music-buying public. There was no question Luc knew what he was doing. He was responsible for creating the biggest names in the business, but it hurt that he thought of her as a commodity instead of his daughter.
    Not that she would ever admit as much to him, especially after the years of grief she’d given him about wanting this opportunity.
    “Maybe you should go home and take a nap when you leave here. You have a rehearsal bright and early tomorrow morning.”
    “A nap sounds great, but I have an appointment with Jake when I leave here.”
    Luc raised his eyebrows but said nothing.
    She knew he suspected that she was intimately involved with her trainer, but he hadn’t come out and asked her the question directly. Not that she would tell him even if he did. There were some subjects that were off limits with her dad, and her sex life was definitely one of them.
    “Okay, but see that you head straight home after your workout. You need to be well rested tomorrow.”
    “Don’t worry; I intend to.” She knew Jake would probably suggest dinner before heading back to his place, but the thought of sleeping with him after her night with J.T. left a sour taste in her mouth. Brad was right; she was definitely a one-man woman, even when the man in question bailed on her without a backward glance.

 
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Eight
     
    When there was no one home at the Spencer estate, J.T. decided to pay his brother a visit. Maybe he could convince him to share Nikki’s cell phone number.
    Ty’s truck was parked in front of his home studio when J.T. arrived at his brother’s ranch. His sister-in-law and niece were nowhere in sight, so he pulled in behind Ty’s truck and cut the engine. He felt a modicum of guilt that he was interrupting his brother’s work yet again, but that quickly disappeared when he thought of Nikki. He had to see her, talk to her about last night. It killed him to think she may be blaming herself for what happened.
    J.T. turned the knob, knowing his brother was a holdover to the days when ranchers didn’t lock their doors. It was careless, given his fame, but Ty was stubborn and too set in his ways to change now. Fame or anonymity, his brother was the same humble guy he’d always been, a trait he secretly admired.
    J.T. was all about cashing in on his hard-earned notoriety, while Ty seemed content just to make music that pleased his fans. He often said he would do it even if he weren’t getting paid. J.T. wished he could say the same about bull riding, but too many trips to the hospital emergency room had diminished his love of the sport. No question about it, bull riding was a young man’s game and he wasn’t getting any younger. He’d put off retiring because he had no idea who he was or what he’d do without the sport that had earned him fame and the respect of his peers and fans, but he knew he couldn’t put it off forever. The end was