He looks down at me as we both try to catch our breaths. The warm liquid drips down my side, but I can’t move.
This is the moment. He’s either going to pull away or…
He takes my hand in his tan, rough fingers and places it on his chest. “This beats for you.”
Holy fuck. He’s not pulling away; he’s bringing us to another level.
“I can’t fight this hunger for you anymore, Gia. Don’t want to.”
My eyes fill with tears. For a second my heart fluttered. For a mere moment I had hope. But that’s the one thing I’ll never allow myself to indulge in.
Hope.
It’s a beautiful word, yet it causes unlimited damage. I lived with that word my whole life. Hope took me down once. I can’t allow it to again.
If he notices I haven’t responded, he’s hiding it well. He pulls me up, and his jizz drips down my stomach.
“You want to order dinner, or go out?” He brings me into the bathroom and starts the shower. I’m almost too stunned to respond at first. Does he actually think we are going to continue?
He steps in and reaches for me as I’m trying to make my brain work. I should go, but let’s be honest: I never should have come with him to begin with.
The hot water pelts my body. He grabs my chin almost roughly. “I’m done playing. I know how you feel. You don’t have to say it. I know it.”
Then he grabs the shower gel and starts to wash himself in angry, fast movements. By the time I get the shower gel in my hands, he’s moving me aside to rinse and opening the heavy glass doors.
“Rhys?” He stops but doesn’t turn. “I can’t commit to anything right now.” It sounds strained and pretty pathetic as I swallow back the words that I should say. I should tell him that he let me leave. That he hurt me and now I’m not the same. That because of him I make bad decisions, all so I never have to feel that burn in my heart again.
He grabs one of the white towels and wraps it around his waist. Looking at me through the mirror, he shakes his head as if he can’t understand me.
“Relax, Gia. I asked you to dinner.” My eyes hungrily watch him leave. As he runs his hands through his wet hair, his broad shoulders and back look truly spectacular.
I take my time in the shower. What the hell am I doing? Rhys is starting to seem like the normal one here. I wash my hair and grab the body wash for the third time before I feel stable enough not to humiliate myself. My emotions are all over the place. I’m terrified he’s gonna hurt me, and I can’t even enjoy the moment. The only time I’m completely free is when his pierced cock is fucking me.
This is absurd. I have to get out. Wait, did he say he’s taking me to dinner? I turn off the water and almost laugh because did Rhys Granger just ask me out on a date?
I step out, and the large bathroom looks like a sauna. That’s how long I stayed in the shower. Wrapping a towel around my wet hair, I grab some moisturizer and freeze.
I hear his guitar, but this is not a song that I know. He’s creating. Goose bumps cover my skin and it’s all I can do to breathe. After reaching for a robe, I slowly open the door.
I have known that Rhys is a musical genius from as early as I can remember. I used to sneak out of my bed as a kid and spy on him. He basically lived in our garage his senior year, sleeping on that old mattress and writing.
I’d go through the kitchen and sit on the steps that led down to the garage. It was then that I knew he was the perfect man. His words and voice moved me even as a child.
I lean against the doorframe and listen as he sings and plays. Fuck, I need a cigarette. This song is about me.
She’s a hunger that I’ve come to need. I’ve never been good with words, but that’s all right because my heart. My heart beats for hers.
My heart beats for hers.
And this is when I fall. I’m no better than his crazy fans. In fact, I might be worse because I’ve been loving him since I could feel what love is.
My heart beats for hers.
Somehow I’m in front of him when he looks up and flashes me the famous Granger smirk. He’s shirtless. His arms flex and his hand travels up and down the neck of the guitar.
After a dramatic strum, he says, “You’re my muse.”
I look at him, wanting this to never end. “That is… Rhys.”
He puts the guitar aside and pulls me in between his legs. As his hands untie my robe, he brings me close. My hands weave through his thick hair. And that’s it—the tears fall.
“Why didn’t you come for me?” There. I asked the question that’s been like an albatross around my neck.
He doesn’t let go. If anything, he pulls me tighter. His breath kisses my flat stomach.
“Why didn’t I come for you?” he repeats slowly. “You were eighteen. I guess I felt that you’d be better off without me. I had all that shit with Renee and my mom to deal with. And you didn’t trust me.”
I pull back so I can look at him, see him. “Why would you think anything changed?”
He leans back and cocks his head.
“Hasn’t it?”
I shake my head no. “I waited for you like a fucking…” I throw my hands up, searching for the word. “Like a stupid girl who sat and cried in the Disciples’ clubhouse because I couldn’t get up and I couldn’t bear to… go on.”
“You needed to go to school.” He pushes me back to stand, but fuck that. He doesn’t get to walk away. He thinks he can simply write a song and that makes eight years just vanish and everything’s all right?
I grab his arm and he turns, his brown eyes filled with a pain no one wants, one that’s hard to get rid of.
“Don’t you ever tell me I run. Look at you.” The tears that I’ve been holding back seem unstoppable, but I couldn’t care less.
“What the fuck do you want me to say, Gia?” he yells. “I fucking love you. Always have. But that day, I begged you to trust me. I told you that kid wasn’t mine.”
“You never came for me. You let me go,” I yell back. “And you’re right. I was only eighteen. I still believed in love and soulmates and all that crap. But beyond that, I believed in you.”
He looks down at my hand that won’t let go of him. If I do, that will be it. I’ll leave this room and won’t come back.
“That was mistake number one. You, out of everyone, know I always make all the girls cry.” My hand drops as his words float around the room.
“You gonna run, Gia?” His voice is like a caress, but I know better. We’re just getting warmed up, and this hasn’t even started to get ugly. I turn and look around for my clothes.
“Yeah, I’m going to save us both and get out now.” I turn but he grabs me, bringing me to his chest.
“Careful, Gia.” He shakes me. “Do you really think that’s how this works?” His hand tightens on my arm. “Do you?”
“I don’t know how any of this works. All I know is that—”
“Exactly. We can’t know our future. We only have now. This second. Goddammit, Gia, I choose this moment to be with you.”
“You scare me.”
“That’s probably the most honest thing you’ve said to me.” He holds me close, the robe falling to the floor. “Tell me what you want, baby.”
My head is spinning as I try to breathe. My eyes feel like someone tossed sand in them and my skin is on fire. When my head falls back, his mouth hovers at my lips.
“I want…” It sounds like a growl, but I’ve lost all sense of anything as he kisses my eyes and licks my tears.
“Talk to me,” he coaxes.
“I want… you,” I whisper as hot tears spill down my face.
“You got me.” Our eyes lock, and in this moment I believe him.
I believe him.
He cups my face, his thumb wiping away my tears as his mouth dips to mine. His kiss holds everything I could ever want.
“My heart beats for you,” he whispers, lifting me up. I wrap my legs around his waist. For now, this seems like it’s en
ough. I close my eyes. I’ll let him make me forget. As soon as his body connects with mine, he’ll take away my pain, my doubts. So I close my eyes and let his mouth take away the pain.
RHYS
Present – Thirty-five years old
London, England
As we enter the O2 Arena, I squeeze her hand. It’s fucking raining again. I’m so fucking sick of rain.
“We’re going to the south of Spain after the documentary,” I grumble.
“Let’s just go to Hawaii.” Gia sighs as she looks around at the multitude of fans rushing toward us. Ace and his crew instantly shield us as we walk in and make our way to the green room.
We haven’t been out of the suite in two days. I’ve fucked us raw emotionally and physically. But now that we’re out, it’s business as usual and by that, I mean, anything goes.
Gia must sense it too. Her beautiful green eyes are back to being cautious, almost resigned to the fact that something’s going to happen. Good or bad, this is our life. We’ll power through it.
“You look beautiful,” I tell her, stroking her hand with my thumb. Her hair is down, her green eyes pop since she did that smokey thing, and her fucking lips… like ripe berries. If I were anywhere else than here, I’d suck on them, throw her up against the wall, and lose myself in her.
She smiles back and my heart burns. Need. That’s all I feel. God, I’m in so deep. We need to talk, really talk, but that will have to come later, I guess.
Rafe stands waiting at the door of the green room along with Hunter.
“There he is—the sexiest man alive.” Hunter laughs and puts his hand out for a fist bump, but his eyes are on Gia.
I stare at him; he’s pushing it. The adrenaline’s already rushing through me, and it’s not because I’m getting ready to go on stage.
Hunter needs to back off. I’ve been ignoring a lot of his shit because he’s a younger version of Quentin Tarantino. He’s out for number one, and I can respect that as long as he doesn’t look at my girl.
He’s a pushy fuck, using his looks and charm to his advantage. He tried to invade our space yesterday, knocking on the door saying he needed a quick word with Gia.
I texted Ace to get rid of him and asked him to have one of his guys guard the door. It doesn’t help Hunter’s cause that I know he has a thing for Gia, not that I blame him. All men have a thing for Gia—she’s gorgeous and has a personality. A fucking fire that draws people to her. She’s always had that. But she’s mine, so he can either respect that or I will lay him out. Fuck the film.
Gia’s not dumb, and she knows what Hunter is. Which is the only reason I haven’t punched him when I see his eyes travel up and down my girl’s body. Like right now.
So I fist-bump back with so much force I hear his knuckles crack. He cocks his head and nods as Rafe opens the door allowing Gia to go first.
“You okay?” Rafe says under his breath.
“Fine. Why?” I walk into the usual chaos.
“Hold it together, Granger. I can feel your energy.” He walks by me.
Ammo looks over at me as I put a protective arm around Gia. “He lives.”
“Knock it off,” I say, looking over at Cash who shakes his head as if in disgust.
Nuke calls for Gia, motioning for her to come sit with him on the couch. She laughs and throws herself on his lap as he hugs her. Christ, Nuke is a mess. We’re gonna have to deal with it soon. I watch as Gia rubs her hand on his forehead as if to see if he has a fever. If anyone can motivate Nuke to get help, it’s Gia. I know he’s stayed close with her. It used to make me crazy, but now I’m happy he has her. For Nuke’s sake, I can share Gia.
“You okay, brother?” Ammo’s voice brings me back to the loud room.
“I’m fucked.”
He glances at Gia soothing Nuke whose head is on her shoulder. The two groupies who were sitting next to Nuke are taking pictures or shooting video of it. I grit my teeth and motion to Ace.
“Just fucking relax. You got Gia. Look, Granger, shit has been going on since your outburst the other day.” I’m barely listening. Of course, everything is a shit show. That’s our lives.
“Jesus Christ, just try to get through the show,” he snaps.
I look around the room. It’s the same as all the others. Different size and color, but all the same shit. We have everything: money, success, all the things people dream of, yet all of us are miserable. A fucking waste of talent.
Gia. She’s my lifeline. My key to happiness. I need her to make me whole.
“I’ll be back.” I leave him, knowing he’s staring at me like I’ve lost my mind. I’m done caring. I need her.
Now.
She stands as if she knows I’m coming for her, even though she looks down at Nuke. She feels me, senses my need. My cock hardens as I breathe through my nose to steady myself. It’s not like I can pull her dress up and fuck her in the middle of the room.
“Hey, brother.” Nuke smiles at me. His bloodshot eyes shine as if he’s in his happy place. Of course, he is. He’s on fucking heroin again and his demons are asleep.
“Nuke.” I nod, pulling Gia with me toward the door where groupies keep emerging.
“Five minutes. Let’s start getting up,” someone yells as I pull the door open. Two groupies look over at us.
“Hey, Granger, want to party?” They break away.
“Out,” I snarl. They both look at us and walk around me as if confused. I kick the door shut and grab Gia, setting her on the sink, my mouth taking hers in a hard kiss.
She matches me as if her need is as desperate as mine. “I need to be inside you,” I say gruffly. Leaning back, she spreads her legs open. I shove my jeans down and she reaches for my cock, jerking me off fast.
“I need you.” I take her mouth again and grab her legs. She lets go of my cock and lifts her hips, pulling her dress up. I rip her panties off.
“Fuck,” she hisses, leaning into me. I thrust inside her fast and hard, pushing her back until she leans against the mirror. My eyes watch my pierced cock gliding in and out of her wet pussy.
“Rub your clit, baby,” I grunt.
She reaches down and roughly rubs on it as I feel her start to pulse. Someone bangs on the door, but I’m fucking coming, losing myself inside her magical, wet cunt that makes all my demons go away.
“Fuck, Gia,” I rumble, pounding into her. Our bodies slap together as she shouts my name. Her juices run down my balls, and my stomach muscles tighten as she arches her back and comes.
I watch her die a little, then come undone, as I jerk into her in deep, hard thrusts.
“Jesus Christ.” I look at her. She’s spread out for me. I need to go. Someone’s banging on the door again, but all I want to do is turn her around and fuck her ass, be in every single hole I can.
“Rhys.” She touches my lips. “You have to go.” I blink at her as the world comes in loud.
“Granger, you need to go now, man,” Rafe yells. I pull out and cup her face.
“You stay where I can see you.” It’s irrational, but I can’t shake it. She nods as I grab a paper towel to clean her up.
“I’m fine. Besides my underwear. Rhys.” She dips down to grab the torn material and tosses it in the garbage. I back up and almost shove my wet cock in her mouth. She must know because she reaches over and gives it a quick suck before standing.
I grin and pull up my jeans. Grabbing her hand, I open the door. Rafe stands, arms crossed like a fucking disappointed parent.
“Watch her.” I walk around him, ignoring everyone who is staring. By the sounds of things, Nuke and Cash are already on the stage.
“Oh my God.” She almost bumps into my back. “Sebastian, turn the camera off,” she says as we start to walk. Ace is screaming for everyone to clear. Dallas hands me a bottle of Jack Daniel’s. I look over at the camera and grab Gia’s chin.
“You stay here. I’ll be right back.” I lower my head and grin at her. “I like you a lot.”
She
looks out at the crowd, the numerous fans who love us. Amid the deafening noise, she looks back at me and stands on her toes. “I like you more. Go. They’re waiting for you.”
I look out at the enormous arena and grab her hand, placing it on my hard cock.
“Oh my God.” She looks at Sebastian who, like the dick he is, happens to be right there as she takes her hand away.
“I’ll be back.” I kiss her, then walk up the stairs. BT waits next to the entrance with my IEM, which I put in my ear. Lifting my hand, I walk out into the lights.
GIA
Present – Twenty-five years old
London, England
As Rhys takes the stage, the crowd goes into a frenzy and my arms get goose bumps. He’s awe-inspiring. When he lifts his arms, the crowd comes alive—like a fire that’s found dry brush, it ignites into an inferno.
They all rise and chant, “Rock God, Rock God,” their shouts echoing around the venue.
“Hello, motherfucking London,” he yells, and I jump at the response. It’s wild and strangely intimate. No wonder his cock gets hard. Merely watching him makes me wet.
I reach for the camera in my bag, wanting to let it describe what I feel as I see him. But for the first time, I lower it and simply watch. People stand smashed together, singing and crying because Rhys has smiled and said hello.
“They worship him.” Sebastian stands next to me. He lowers the large camera from his shoulder.
“Jesus, you scared me. And fuck you for filming me.” I turn back to watch Rhys perform, the crowd a sea of lighters and phones.
“Do you?”
“What?” I yell, looking at him. Something is wrong, and suddenly I don’t want him near me. For the first time ever, I’m terrified at what Sebastian is about to tell me.
“Do you worship this prick?”
“What’s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?”
He grabs my arm and pulls me to the far corner. “Gia. What the fuck are you doing? You, out of everybody, can’t possibly think he’s the one for you.”
“Don’t you dare. I told you I didn’t want to do this. You fucking begged me, basically bribed me with our friendship. So back off, Sebastian. This doesn’t concern you.” My head is throbbing. Sebastian wouldn’t act like this if something wasn’t wrong and he believed I needed his help.
Rise: A Second Chance Rockstar Romance (Rock God Book 1) Page 23
