Rock (Beautiful Book 4)

by Lilliana Anderson

  “Marcus Bailey?” The drunk frowns as I stand up to leave. “I thought you said yer name was ‘Jack Meehoff’.”

  I press my lips together in a smile, but don’t address his query. “Good luck, Davo. Hope you can sort things out with your wife when you get home.”

  As I move past the other men, some of them claim they knew who I was all along, while others are either too out of it to respond or just don’t give a shit. I flat out denied who I was the moment I was asked and then just kept my head down.

  “Can I get ya autograph?” Davo calls after me.

  The officer leads me into another room where my shoelaces and wallet are returned to me. Then I’m taken to the back of the station because there’s some press milling around the front of the station.

  “Word travels fast, huh?”

  The officer escorting me grunts. “Like we’ve got nothing better to do with our time.”

  He pushes a metal door open and I’m expecting Lisa. Although, I freeze, surprised when I’m greeted by Naomi and Theo leaning against the old Matiari van.

  “Aren’t you two a sight for sore eyes,” I say, holding out my arms to give each of them a hug.

  “You’re too pretty for the big house, little bro. Came as fast as we could.” Theo chuckles as he slaps me on the back. “Wanna get out of here?”

  “I do. But Lisa’s supposed to be meeting me here and I don’t have my phone to call her.”

  Theo opens the door to the van. “She’s busy, bro. Press is all over her.”

  “Fuck. Is she OK?”

  Naomi holds her phone in her hand, showing me a live stream. “Well, they’ve just called in the helicopters.”

  My eyes bug out of my head. “What?”

  “Leisel Marx is back, Marcus,” Naomi says. “It’s the story of the century.”

  “And you’d better get your arse in the van before they sic the helicopters on us too,” Theo says.

  We pile in and while Theo drives, Naomi and I watch the live news broadcast of my car zig-zagging in and out of traffic with four men on motorbikes in pursuit.

  “What the fuck is this?” I say, watching the scrolling bar of text along the bottom of the screen: ‘Leisel Marx attacks one and steals car in her most recent revenge plot involving Marcus Bailey. Marcus Bailey arrested on assault charges. When will the madness end?’ My mouth drops open. “This is bullshit.” The news helicopter continues to film her driving around the same block three times. A flash of footage, filming her from the side as she takes a corner shows her looking harassed and…squashed up. Suddenly, I’m reminded of why she refused to go in my car. Her head is touching the roof. I never should’ve let her go out there

  “Looks like you’ve found yourself a badarse, Marcus,” Naomi says with a smile. “She’s not giving in.”

  As I watch the news broadcast, my heart swells with affection for this woman. What she’s doing right now is nothing short of amazing. She’s keeping them busy so they don’t find me. But fuck, I wish she’d stayed in my apartment where she was safe. I can’t take the stress of this.

  Lisa

  “Holy shit, Leis. You’re all over the news. They think you’re going to smash his car into something,” Sandra informs me from the other end of the line. Her voice fills the car through the Bluetooth. It’s almost as if she’s here with me.

  I turn another corner. “I’m not! I’m trying to use all of my spy skills to lose them. But it’s not working. I’ve been driving for over an hour and now there’s a fucking helicopter! What the hell am I supposed to do?”

  “What would Jason Statham do in this situation?”

  “Crap. I don’t know. He’d pull some trick driving manoeuvre and lose them in a parking garage or something.”

  “Exactly,” she replies and I can hear the smile in her voice.

  “That’s it! A parking garage! I can see a big shopping centre up ahead. There’s no way they’ll be able to cover all the exits. I’m going to cut through there.”

  “Maybe you should leave the car there and catch a cab?”

  “Sandra. I’m driving a Porsche 911 that isn’t mine. I am not leaving it in a shopping centre’s parking garage. It will be stripped and sold for parts in no time.”

  “True. True. What are you doing to do then?”

  “Something a little illegal.”

  I hit the end call button on the steering wheel as I approach a set of lights, slowing for the stop signal and waiting for the bikes to stop beside me, their cameras flashing against the windows.

  “Come on, Leisel. Give us a smile.”

  “Fuck off!” I yell, throwing the Porsche into reverse, my heart thundering as I drive backwards until I round the corner, creating just enough distance between us that I make it into the enormous shopping centre’s car park without them on my tail. Then I flick off my lights and wind my way through the levels until I reach the exit furthest from the way I entered. As I drive through the gate, I tell my phone to navigate to Marcus’s place so I can continue driving without my lights on. It’s not the greatest plan in the world, but all I need is a few minutes head start to get into the parking garage without those bikes getting in there with me.

  When I’m almost there, I flick the lights back on to warn the cops doing crowd control that I’m coming. The mob screams the moment I slow down, and I’m so thankful for our police department for setting up barriers and keeping this calm enough that I can get inside. I’ll have to send something to the station to show my appreciation.

  The moment it closes behind me, I park the car and breathe a huge sigh of relief before I burst into tears. I never want to be involved in a paparazzi chase ever again. That was just… horrible.

  On shaky legs, I get out of the car. Wiping away my tears as I head to the elevator bay, using the key on Marcus’s chain to gain access to the penthouse.

  My chest stutters as I ride up to his apartment, feeling awful because I failed. I was supposed to bail him out and I couldn’t get anywhere near the police station. I just hope he has Karen’s number written down upstairs. She’s the only person I can think to call who’ll be able to pull this off.

  My phone buzzes in my back pocket, and I pull it out, relief flooding my veins when the letter M lights up the screen.

  “Marcus?” I press the handset to my ear, sniffling. “Where are you? Are you OK?”

  “I’m fine. I’m home. What about you? Where are you? The news is saying they lost you.”

  “I’m OK.” I sob down the line as the stress of the evening comes crashing down on me.

  “Don’t cry, baby. I’ll come and get you. Forget the car, get out and dump it. I just want you safe.”

  “No. I’m fine. I’m in the lift to your apartment.”

  “I’m waiting for you,” he says in a deep rumble that calms me.

  I let out a shaky breath. “I’m coming,” I whisper.

  The doors ping open, revealing the most magnificent thing my eyes could ever see. “Marcus,” I cry out, practically throwing myself against him as I exit the lift.

  He catches me effortlessly, lifting me so I’m wrapped around his middle. Instantly, his mouth is on mine and I’m crying and kissing him, shaking like we’ve just travelled through a war zone to get to each other.

  “I hate paparazzi,” I whisper.

  He lowers me to the ground, holding me steady in his arms. “Me too,” he says. “Fucking leeches.”

  “How did you get back?”

  “Theo and Naomi.”

  “Are they here?” I ask, looking around him.

  He shakes his head. “It’s just us.”

  “Thank god,” I gasp. “Not that I’m ungrateful. I’m just so damn tired.”

  Brushing his fingers through my hair, he presses a kiss to my forehead. “Then let’s get you tucked up in bed,” he says, scooping me up in his arms and carrying me like a baby, taking care of me like no one else can.

  Sixteen

  Lisa

  “Look. The wor
ld didn’t end,” I whisper, feeling drunk on emotion as Marcus lies on top of me, his cock still inside me after waking me up with an orgasm or two the next morning. I slept like the dead. So I’m glad Sandra is taking care of Perry for me.

  “Maybe it did and we’re the only two people left,” he says against my skin, kissing and suckling, our bodies already greedy for another round. Until Marcus’s phone starts to ring.

  “There goes that theory,” I whisper, rolling my hips against his. He’s still inside me, and still hard. “Let’s just have one day of perfect before we deal with the world again.”

  “That sounds perfect,” he murmurs, gripping my hips and rolling to his back so I’m now straddling him.

  His hands cup my breasts as I rock against him, pressing up through my thighs, and squeezing at him internally as I lift myself up his length then drop myself down, deepening our connection beyond the point of full.

  “Shit,” he hisses when his house phone begins to ring.

  “Ignore it. They’ll call back,” I pant, trying to keep my focus while the world screams at us electronically.

  He grips my hips and stops my movement. “Babe, I’m sorry. That’s not the phone, that’s the intercom. Someone’s here.”

  “Seriously? It’s like”—I look at the digital readout on Marcus’s bedside clock—“eight-thirty on a Saturday morning. What the hell are they doing here?”

  “Who the fuck knows.” He rolls me so I’m lying on the bed beside him and kisses me. “Hold that thought. I’ll get rid of them and we can switch everything off and spend the day together. OK?”

  “Sure,” I say, disappointed. There’s no way we’re going to get a day to ourselves. We’ll be harassed constantly until one of us emerges for an interview. The press is relentless.

  Pulling the sheets around me, I feel tears prick behind my eyes. We can’t stay here.

  Marcus

  The intercom blares it’s insistence into the room until I snatch it up and press it to my ear. “Yes?”

  “Sir, I’m sorry to disturb you,” Serge, the attendant at the building’s security desk says in his overly polite tone. “You have some visitors. They’re claiming to be your family,”

  “Can you put them on?” I ask, wondering if it really is my family or someone from the press trying to trick the poor guy into losing his job.

  “Hey, it’s me and Naomi,” Theo says straight away. “Thought we’d bring you some food since the mob out here isn’t thinning out anytime soon. If you don’t wanna face them, you’re in there for a long haul.”

  “Thanks, man. Pass the phone back to Serge and I’ll get him to let you up.”

  I also tell Serge to put them on the list of people who are allowed to visit whenever they want then hang up the phone and rub my hand over my messed up bed hair. I should probably put on some pants.

  I head back into the bedroom, hating the knowledge that the press are outside. It’s exactly what Lisa didn’t want when I started insinuating myself into her life, and now here we are. Exactly where I promised we wouldn’t be. We won’t even be able to think about that place in the country until this chaos dies down.

  “What’s going on?” Lisa asks from the bed. She’s wrapped in the sheets and looks absolutely divine in my eyes. I want to tell her that nothing is wrong and take her back to bed forever. I don’t think I’ll ever have my fill of her soft curves.

  “We need to get dressed. Theo and Naomi are on their way up with food. They say there’s still a mob downstairs.”

  My heart aches for her as I watch her mouth open and her eyes blink rapidly to force her tears back. She clears her throat and swallows. “Well, that’s to be expected, I suppose. They don’t have their story yet.”

  She sits up and picks up her dress and her bra, looking at her torn panties before holding them in a ball in front of her. “I need to shower.”

  “Wait.” I move to my dresser and pull out a pair of track pants and a T-shirt for her. “Wear these. I don’t have spare panties, but…oh shit, I do.” I pick up the jeans I was wearing last night, digging in the pocket to find the clean pair of panties she threw at my chest when we were arguing. “Here you go.” I spin them around my finger before handing them to her.

  She smiles, accepting the clothes. “Thank you.”

  I lean down and kiss her. “It’ll be OK. We can wait it out together.”

  She nods, turning for the bathroom with a sadness in her step. I don’t blame her for being upset over the past twelve hours. I just wish I could do something more for her.

  The lift chimes so I pull on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, then head to the foyer. Naomi holds up a large brown bakery bag and a tray of coffees. “Breakfast?” She’s grinning that grin of hers that lights up a room and it immediately makes me feel better. Normal. I’ve missed these guys.

  Theo stands beside her, holding bags of groceries. He isn’t as dark and broody as he has been for most of his life. I think Naomi’s lightness has rubbed off on his dark. Maybe he’s grey now. “Where’s your kitchen?”

  “It’s through here,” I say, offering to take the bags. Theo refuses so I just lead the way. “Thanks for this, guys. This is a great surprise.”

  “I hope this is OK,” Naomi says, as she sets things on the kitchen bench top. “We don’t want to intrude, but we saw the news this morning and thought you could use the help.”

  “No. It’s fine, honestly.”

  “Where’s Leisel?” Theo asks as he does the same with the bags of groceries.

  “She prefers Lisa. And she’s taking a shower,” I tell them, hoping she’s not in there crying her eyes out.

  “Well, I look forward to meeting her properly when she comes out,” Naomi says. “I can’t wait to chat to the girl who’s made Marcus Bailey weak at the knees. She must really be something.” She smiles, talking to me like we haven’t spent the last two years ignoring each other.

  “She’s everything,” I say, feeling the goofy smile that takes over my face.

  Theo laughs. “He’s got it bad.”

  “I do. I love her. And I’m quitting music for her.”

  Lisa

  God, here I am, crying again. I don’t think I’ve cried this much since the last time the press decided to rip me a new arsehole. Why is there so much emphasis placed on the famous? Why can’t I just fall for a guy and not have to worry about looking over my shoulder?

  Splashing my face with cool water, I pat it dry with a cream-coloured hand towel and take a breath to calm down. “This too shall pass,” I say to my reflection.

  Stepping out of the bathroom, I follow the voices into the kitchen, finding Marcus standing around the bench with Theo and Naomi.

  “Here she is,” he says, his eyes lighting up when he sees me. He gives me this amazing smile that’s both happy and filled with relief.

  “I guess I should properly introduce myself,” I say, watching the way Theo and Naomi exchange glances when they see me. “I’m Lisa. I’m dating Marcus.” I hold my hand out and give them each a warm handshake. “I’m sorry I didn’t say anything when we met last night. We were still keeping things quiet.”

  “Don’t sweat it,” Theo says. “I don’t think any of us were expecting last night to end up the way it did.”

  “I’m just happy he has someone to keep him in line,” Naomi says behind her hand, and I decide I really like her, even though she’s the girl who got away.

  “Feeling better?” Marcus asks as he slides one hand over my arse while handing me a coffee with the other. “Naomi and Theo brought coffee and pastries. I saved you the chocolate croissant.”

  I take a grateful mouthful of caffeine. “Thank you. This is really thoughtful.”

  “Our pleasure,” Naomi says. “That crowd out there is something else.”

  “I suppose you’re wondering what I was doing at an event my ex-fiancé was visiting when I’ve been in hiding?”

  Theo bounces a shoulder. “Crossed my mind.”

&nbs
p; “A friend of mine sold me on a girl’s night out. I had no idea what we were walking into until I saw my brother. I was on my way out when you guys spoke to me. Then some guy I don’t even remember recognised me, and well…” I shrug.

  “Marcus said you guys are planning to disappear together now,” Naomi says, taking a sip of her coffee. Her expression is passive, but I can see the disappointment in her eyes.

  “Look outside. Would you want to live with that?” I ask in response.

  “Maybe if you give them the interview they want they’ll back off,” Theo suggests.

  I frown. “But why should I have to compromise myself for them? I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t ask for any of it.”

  “Some would argue otherwise,” Theo responds, and I scoff.

  “If a regular person did what I did, no one would care. There’d be an article on the fourth page of the paper and maybe a five-minute story on the nightly news. Then it would be over.”

  “Yeah. But you’re not a normal person. You’re Jimmy Marx’s daughter. You had a massive following of your own. People are always gonna be watching. It’s part of the deal.”

  “I didn’t make that deal. It’s why I walked away from it all.”

  “Well, you’re dating Marcus now. Like it or not, you’re back in it. You guys can run, but you’ll be running forever.” He turns his gaze to Marcus. “Not to mention the label will bankrupt you over a broken contract.”

  Marcus blows out his breath and runs a hand through his hair. “I know, man. I know. But let’s not focus on that shit now. It’s the first time you’ve seen my place, and since I’m probably gonna lose it soon, why don’t you let me show you around? I have my own recording studio.”

  Theo’s eyebrows shoot up. “For real?”

  “Sure do. And I’ve been working on a song I wanna show you.”

  Theo’s demeanour completely shifts as he follows his little brother from the room, excited to play with the big boy toys. I smile after them.