Bestselling Bastard : A Hero Club Novel

by Nicole Rodrigues

  "Alright, alright for fucks sake."

  New Yorkers. Always got somewhere to be, no patience until they get there.

  I take the drive back to my parents to get Cannoli, knowing the look my ma's going to give me before I even make it through the door.

  Sure enough, perched with her hip against the counter and a mug in her hand, she gives me the look.

  "What?"

  "Nothing. Did she get off okay?"

  "Think so."

  I open the fridge and grab a water bottle, twisting off the cap and chugging half of it down before taking a breath.

  “You got something to say, let’s hear it,” I groan, turning to her.

  “I like her, Lorenzo. I really, really like her and you’re an idiot if you let her go.”

  Leave it to my ma to get right to the point. She’s always had that no bullshit attitude, making her advice column take off as soon as Ida handed it down to her. She told people the truth, even if it was hard to hear it.

  “I know, Ma,” I respond, rubbing the back of my neck. “She’s had a tough life though. She thinks everyone she loves will disappear just like her parents did. It’s a hard wall to break through.”

  “Aren’t you doing that though? Disappearing? Not fighting for her is kind of the same thing, isn’t it?”

  She arches an eyebrow at me as she sips her coffee and I furrow my brows.

  “It’s different because she doesn’t love me.”

  “Doesn’t she?”

  I exhale, running my hand down the front of my face.

  “You talked to her, didn’t you?”

  “She may have interrupted my midnight tea session. I’m not trying to butt in, baby, but there’s more there than her parents leaving her. That look in her eyes.” My mother shakes her head and exhales before she continues. “It was...devastated. You sure there’s nothing else going on with her?”

  “I mean I know as much as she tells me. What am I supposed to do? Follow her to Tennessee and beg her to give this a shot? Maybe she needs some time, I don’t know.”

  My ma smiles at me, shaking her head again before taking another sip of her coffee and putting it in the sink.

  “Time is a tricky thing, Lorenzo. Make sure too much of it doesn’t pass before you decide what you want. The longer you wait, the harder the fight. How about you ask your father how those things work out.”

  She pats me on my shoulder and walks out of the room, leaving me more confused than when I walked in. I sigh, rubbing a hand down my face again and look down at Cannoli at my feet.

  “You ready to get home, bud?”

  He rubs his face into my leg in response and I smile, collecting our things and saying goodbye to my parents before I head home to my apartment...alone.

  A few hours later, I’m pacing around my apartment, my phone in hand, continuously checking it as if a message will miraculously arrive. Cannoli sits at the door, wondering if I’ll actually put my pacing to good use and walk him.

  I exhale, taking another few minutes to summon the text message Gods but to no avail. I grab Cannoli’s leash and hook it onto his harness, leaving my apartment to get some air and clear my head. It hasn't even been 24 hours away from her and she's all I can fucking think about.

  Cannoli and I walk a few blocks before he does his business and we head on back. As I'm climbing the stairs to my building my phone buzzes in my back pocket and I swear I almost let go of his leash to answer it.

  Danny.

  I slide my finger to answer it and put it to my ear as I take the stairs to my apartment.

  "So how was it, man?" Danny asks.

  "It was good. Got our work done, hung out a few days by my parents for Christmas. How was your Christmas?"

  "Good. Okay so did you seal the deal? You leaving us? Gonna buy a pick up truck? Start raising cattle?"

  I laugh, shaking my head as I unlock my apartment door.

  "Fuck off man. She's amazing. We had fun. It was a good week."

  "That's it? That's all I'm getting? Renzo, come on man! You've waited a whole fucking year to be alone with this chick!"

  Unhooking Cannoli, I fill up his water and food bowl before I sit on my couch.

  "And it was worth it."

  "Well are you going to meet up with her again?"

  "Not sure. Haven't heard from her yet."

  "Well, Emily wants to go visit Nashville next month for her birthday. You know we go on a birthday trip every year."

  I laugh, leaning forward in my elbows.

  "Good for you guys. I'm sure it's a fun city to visit."

  "Asshole, come with us!"

  "And be the third wheel, no thanks."

  "Fuck that, you got your girl. Next month. I'm not taking no for an answer."

  My phone dings and I pull it away from my ear to check the notification.

  Jenna: Just walked in my apartment. Sorry I didn't text when I landed, it was a zoo, I just wanted to get home.

  "Gotta go, Danny."

  I hang up the call and go back to Jenna's message and press the video icon at the top of our message screen.

  It rings once and then I see her smile light up the screen and everything is right in the world again.

  "Miss my face already, Morgan?"

  "Staring at this ugly mug all day, I need something pretty to look at," I tease, grabbing Cannoli's face as he tries to lick mine.

  "I miss that little guy," Jenna laughs.

  "Little, huh? I don't remember you thinking it was that little, Watson. If you need a reminder..."

  I wiggle my eyebrows, standing as I pretend I'm pulling my sweats down and she squeals.

  "Lorenzo! Don't be weird!"

  "Is it though? Are we being weird?" I laugh, sitting back down on the couch.

  "I don't know. A little, I guess."

  She shrugs and I smile, shaking my head at her.

  "I just don’t know how to act."

  "Act regular," she groans.

  "Okay, okay. So this past week…"

  "I mean...the obvious. Two people stuck in a cabin, forced to write about sex and romance. Researchin’."

  "Researching, huh? What if I didn't quite grasp the material and need more...investigation?"

  She presses her lips together to try and hide her smirk but I see right through her.

  "Enzo…"

  "Jenna…"

  "What more do you want from me?"

  She leans back against the chair and crosses her arms over her chest.

  "A lot but I'll settle for your shirt."

  "My shirt? What…"

  "I want it off. Now."

  In seconds, those light green eyes turn dark and she sits up, looking around as if someone is going to hear. It's just me and you baby, time to play.

  "I'm...I'm not takin' my shirt off."

  "I didn't take you for a prude, Watson. You were very...adventurous this week."

  "I'm not a prude, take that back," she growls, leaning forward at the camera.

  I arch my eyebrow in challenge and she lets out an audible exhale, ripping her shirt off her head and tossing it to the camera covering the screen.

  "There, it's off."

  "Oh, you cheater. Now your bra."

  "Why are you not strippin’ too?"

  "Not like you can even see me...prude."

  "Fuck you, Lorenzo. I'll do you one better. Shorts and panties are comin’ off too. How's that for prude?"

  "Prove it."

  I lift my shirt off, kicking down my sweats and boxers and sit back down on the couch, fisting my now rock hard cock in my hands. I groan, not hiding anything, wanting her to get curious enough to take her shirt off the camera and watch me. Hell, I need her to take that shirt off because I want to watch her.

  "W-what are you doin’?" she asks, her voice breathy.

  "Fisting my cock, wishing it was your pussy, your mouth. Fuckk, Jenna let me see you."

  "Lorenzo, I…"

  "Tell me, baby. What are you doing? Are
you touching that wet pussy for me?"

  "Yesss," she gasps.

  "Pinch your nipples for me."

  "I...am," she moans.

  "Lick them for me. Pretend it's my tongue."

  "I...c-can't."

  "Yes you can, baby. Those big tits barely fit in my hands. Let me see you lick your nipples."

  "Fuckk, Enzo…"

  "Take that shirt off the camera, Jenna. Look at how hard you make me just from your voice, from picturing you fingering yourself."

  I grip my cock tighter at her moan, picturing her teeth gritted together as she rode me like a goddamn animal.

  "Fuck, Jenna, those moans. Tell me how good it feels."

  "S-so fuckin’ good."

  "Take it off, J. I'm gonna come. Watch me come for you. Let me watch you come for me."

  I squeeze my shaft, trying to slow down the sensation but then a hoarse cry invades my apartment and I get a glimpse of where it's coming from.

  I get a full view of a naked Jenna, two fingers in that slick pussy and blow my load all over my stomach. My hand moves fast, my toes curling into the carpet under my feet and I connect with those blazing green eyes in the video.

  Her mouth opens as her gaze drops to my cum coated stomach and then those gorgeous eyes squeeze shut as she rides out her own orgasm, legs shaking, fingers moving fast and hard.

  "Holy shit," Jenna gasps, slowly sitting up and covering her naked body with one of her couch pillows.

  I laugh, wiping the cum off my stomach with my t-shirt and grab my phone, walking my dirty clothes into the laundry room.

  "When can we see each other again?" I ask, tossing my shirt into the washer and then walking to my room, grabbing a pair of boxers.

  I put my phone on my dresser, watching Jenna's eyes flick to my still hard cock as she bites her lip.

  "Lorenzo…"

  "Jenna, come on. We both know this is more than what we pretended it was supposed to be."

  "It can't be," she whispers, tightening her hold on the pillow.

  "Why not?" I whisper back, gripping my phone and bringing it close to my face.

  "There's...there's things that...are out of my control."

  Her tone is defeated as she stands, holding her phone close so I can only see her face.

  "Like what?"

  "I gotta go. I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay? Goodnight Lorenzo. Thank you for…"

  "You're welcome. Sweet dreams, J."

  The call ends and I exhale, rubbing a hand down my face and falling back into bed with a frustrated groan.

  I'll make her mine. I don't care what it takes. Even if I gotta move my city ass to the country.

  Chapter 13

  Jenna

  I wake up in another cold sweat, the letter I received yesterday plastered on my face.

  I swipe it off, catching my breath as I look down at the words, thinking maybe I just dreamt it.

  I didn't.

  Exhaling, I stand from my bed, tossing the letter to my nightstand and reach for my phone. It buzzes in my hand, causing me to jump as I swipe to answer the video call from Stacey.

  "God, honey, you look like shit," Stacey gasps.

  I pat down my hair, seeing Marley and Lorenzo's faces pop up and squeak as I turn the phone away from me.

  It's been three days since I watched Lorenzo cum all over his stomach as I furiously fingered myself and I can't face him right now, especially after getting a shitty night's sleep.

  "Camera shy, Watson? That's not like you," Lorenzo says, a hint of amusement in his voice.

  "Y'all can't ambush a girl at six in the mornin'! There's a time difference, you know."

  "Well we wanted to have a meeting and the earlier the better. The proofreader absolutely loved what the two of you did. Sending it off to the editor as we speak and getting all the graphics done and a release team assembled," Stacey says.

  "We have a few blog spots, Facebook parties and even a podcast interview with Raunchy Romance Reading in two weeks. This is going to be epic," Marley gushes.

  "When are we releasin'?" I ask.

  "Release date is set for the end of next month. There’s also a signing in Florida I want the two of you to go to the week after that. We already marked your calendars."

  "Amazing. Do I have to wipe my ass or you guys are doing that too?" Lorenzo asks.

  I sense annoyance in his voice and furrow my brows, knowing none of them can see me.

  "Lorenzo! Don't be a dick."

  "I'm not being a dick, I'm just kidding. If you let us all see your pretty face, you'd be able to see my joking smile."

  "Well that's what we have for you so far. I'm signing off," Marley says as I hear the beep.

  "Jenna, can you stay on for a few minutes?" Stacey asks.

  I hear another beep but keep my phone facing down for a few more seconds.

  "Is he gone?" I whisper.

  "Yes. You want to tell me what is going on?"

  I flip my phone back over, seeing Stacey's concerned face and exhale.

  "I got a letter from my father yesterday. He...he wants to meet and talk to me."

  Stacey opens her mouth to speak but then shuts it, pressing her lips together as she slowly shakes her head.

  "What are you going to do?"

  "I don't know," I sigh. "I want answers. I...I feel like I need to know why he left. Was it...was it me? Does he talk to my mother? Does he know why she left me? I...can't have a relationship because I…"

  I bite my lip, holding back the tears but they come anyway as I stare up at the ceiling, angrily brushing them away.

  "Jenna, you cannot blame yourself for others actions. You were a child. They were your parents and pretty shitty ones for leaving behind their daughter."

  "But I wasn't a child five years ago, Stacey. Fynn's death...that was all my fault," I whisper.

  "You need to stop beating yourself up over the past."

  "But that past is affectin' my future."

  "Does this have anything to do with Lorenzo?"

  I open my mouth to deny her but then close it, shrugging. She knows me better than that. When she signed on to be my agent, she flew down to Nashville to spend the weekend with me to get to know each other. She takes her clients seriously, there for them through anything and everything and we bonded. She was in a similar situation as me when she was a child, and I always looked to her for advice, never having a mother figure to help me figure out all this life stuff.

  "If you need someone to go with you to get answers, say the word and I'll hop on a flight."

  "No, it's okay. I need to do this on my own."

  "Well please keep me updated on where you are. I want to make sure you're safe. Where is he?"

  "North Carolina. He left me his phone number, I'm gonna call first."

  Stacey nods, smiling at me.

  "Remember how strong you are, Jenna. No matter what he says, no matter what excuses he makes, you're an amazing, successful woman."

  "Thank you, Stace. Can...can you just let Lorenzo and Marley know I'll be MIA for a little while? I'll keep up with my posts but...I just need some space to get this all sorted out, okay?"

  "You're not gonna tell him?"

  I take a minute to think but then shake my head. I know if I tell Lorenzo, he'd be on the first flight to Nashville to come with me despite my plea to do it on my own.

  I could use his support, thinking of doing this on my own scares the shit out of me but I know it's what I need to do.

  "I have to face him by myself, without a shield."

  "I understand that. I'll tell them, but remember I'm one phone call away."

  "I know, thank you. Talk to you soon."

  I hang up the video call and run a hand down my face, looking back at the letter. I lay back in bed, feeling the weight of what I'm about to do hit me and I just want to sleep. I just need a little more sleep before I can face it all.

  "So much for bein' the DD, huh?" Fynn laughs, slinging an arm around my shoulder.
>
  "But you love tipsy Jenna," I pout, squeezing his cheeks.

  He laughs again, moving his face as we both stumble to his car as rain starts to come down.

  "Shit," I squeal.

  "Hurry, come on. I can get us home, I only had two beers."

  "Are you sure? I don't mind hangin' in the car for a few hours."

  I start to run my hand down Fynn's back and he growls, opening the passenger door and nodding for me to get in.

  "Let's get back, you drunk little minx."

  I giggle, hopping up in Fynn's truck as he jogs around, starting it and heading out on the road.

  "You have fun tonight?" Fynn asks, glancing over to me.

  "Always do. You gonna stay over?"

  I run a hand along the back of Fynn's neck, playing with his hair and he leans back, closing his eyes.

  "Dammit woman, you're gonna put my ass to sleep. Stop that."

  "I plan on it, cowboy."

  I dig my nails in a little deeper as a horn honks from in front of us and Fynn jerks his head up, swerving at the last minute avoiding a head on collision. He straightens the car back out, sitting up straighter and I drop my hand.

  "Fynn, maybe we should stop for a few hours. You shouldn't be drivin' and the weather is gettin' worse."

  "I'm fine, I'm fine. I'm just tired. We're almost there."

  "I'm sorry," I whisper. "I shouldn't have drank, I was supposed to be the one drivin' us. I...I was just nervous meetin' all your friends for the first time."

  He cups my cheek, looking over to me before giving me a big grin.

  "They loved you. Almost as much as I do."

  "Oh, the charmer," I laugh.

  I look to the front but it's too late.

  "Fynn, watch out!"

  Suddenly, the car jerks to the side and my seat belt digs into my ribs and shoulders as I'm thrust forward then slammed back from the air bag.

  Glass breaking, screaming and a horn blaring is the only thing I hear as it all sounds so far away. My stomach drops as we're thrown in the air and everything moves in slow motion.

  The truck tumbles for what feels like forever before it finally stops, suspending Fynn and me upside down. I blink back tears, hurriedly trying to get myself unbuckled and out of the car but I can't move my right leg.

  I start to pull, squeezing it tight with everything I can but it's crushed beneath the weight of the dashboard. I look over to Fynn and a scream is ripped from my chest when I see all of the blood.