by Stacey Lynn
The room was simple but modern. Nothing overly fancy, but it still had the new-room, updated feel to it. We were in a suite and off to the side, was a doorway to a bedroom. I caught a glimpse of one large, enormous king bed covered in white, fluffy bed covers and more pillows than necessary. The furniture in the living room where we’d entered was black leather, streamlined and matched the black and silver furniture.
Modern. Everything was sleek-lined, but still warm, with toss pillows and black-and-white urban photographs on the wall. It felt more like a masculine apartment than a hotel suite.
“This place is nice,” I said, walking further into the room. At some point, our bags had been delivered and they were both placed on the floor next to the bed in the other room.
“Decent. Jordan’s a smart guy.”
“He owns this hotel?”
“Yeah. Over the last decade, urban sprawl has made this town more of a suburb than an outlying rural town. Jordan came back after a blown out knee ended his baseball career and wanted nothing to do with taking over his parents’ farm. Instead, he saw a need, hoped he could make it work and sank most of his money into this place.”
“He played baseball?” He looked more like a football player.
“Yeah. Three years with the Colorado Rockies. Freak motorcycle accident in the off-season and he couldn’t recover fast enough. Spent a year on the disabled list and then his contract wasn’t renewed. When he didn’t get picked up by any teams he wanted to play for, he quit.”
“Wow. That’s…” Insane. Crazy. “Too bad.”
“I think he’s done okay for himself. Can we please stop talking about him? I didn’t like the way he touched you.”
It was only then I noticed the bite in his words, the tightness in his jaw, and the way he kept shoving his hands through his hair.
“Jealous?” I asked, walking up to him. He’d dropped my hand in the elevator and I was hesitant of being rejected.
“No.” He scoffed.
“Really?” I stepped in front of him, trailed a finger down his shirt, the center of his abs and around his waistband hidden beneath his shirt. “You sound like it.”
He grunted, but his hands fell to my waist. His anger had disappeared while he talked to Jordan but it was slowly climbing back up his spine, returning to his features.
I placed my hand on his chest. “I’m really sorry about earlier on the plane, Liam. I just freaked out.” I flicked the ends of my wig that was starting to itch my scalp. “I should have trusted you.”
“Forgiven,” he grunted. His eyes roamed my face, the bangs of the wig before meeting my eyes.
“That easy? That quickly?” I’d been a complete snot. I’d only been thinking of myself and that wasn’t right.
His fingers pressed into my hips. “I know you’re still hiding something from me. I can see it in your eyes. But I figure you start trusting me more, I’ll earn those secrets.” Darn. He saw me too well. “And today’s been shit, all of it, except this morning. So if you really want to make it up to me, earn forgiveness even though it’s been given, why don’t you drop to your knees and put your pretty pink lips around my cock.”
Heat poured down my spine like I’d been set on fire. I couldn’t stop my shiver. Rude, but he must have known I wanted it.
“Liam.”
“Or not. I can slide into your pussy again, or make you come like I did on the plane and I’ll take your forgiveness in you screaming my name.”
There were so many things wrong with what he was saying. There were bigger issues to deal with. Fires to put out.
Mine was currently most important. And his, because as he spoke, my gaze dropped to his groin and his cock had tented his shorts.
I did the only thing I could think of doing that would make him feel better.
I dropped to my knees.
CHAPTER
NINETEEN
LIAM
We were a tangled mess of discarded clothes and naked limbs on the rough carpeting of the suite’s floor. I’d barely caught my breath when Claudia rested her head on my chest.
Her hands traced the ink on my chest and fell to my rib.
They tightened on instinct, but I let her run her soft, smooth fingertip over the string of composed music.
I hadn’t been entirely serious when I suggested she suck my dick to earn forgiveness. I’d expected her sass or a roll of her eyes, or maybe a questioning glance of “How do I do that?” knowing her inexperience. Instead, she’d taken out my cock and wrapped her lips around the tip needing very little instruction in how I liked it.
Then, I’d dropped to the floor and returned the favor, spreading her out on her back and pushing her legs wide apart, tasting her with my tongue and mouth until her thighs trembled in my firm grip and her pussy clenched around my tongue.
She was delicious. She was also so damn sexy and smart and clean and good, I wanted to call Karen immediately and buy out her contract.
I didn’t want those pieces of paper between us anymore. I didn’t want anything between us.
Not a rubber when I fucked her again.
Not whatever she still hid from me.
I’d deal with both later after I fixed the most recent bullshit threatening to stonewall my career.
“What’s this song for?” she asked, soft warm lips pressed against my chest.
I covered her hand with mine. Beneath my palm, I could feel her blood pumping in the tiny veins at the back of her hand. My heart pounded against her palm on my ribs. “You can’t laugh.”
Only my band and Sophie knew what that ink meant. The band because they could read music and weren’t idiots. Sophie because she had a matching one scrawled across the back of her shoulder blade.
“It’s ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow,’” I said.
She made a sound and pressed her lips together but she couldn’t hide her laughter. Her shoulders shook and I grinned against the top of her head.
“Really?”
“Yeah. Got it the night Sophie’s trial ended. We got skunk drunk, cried, felt relief, mourned. And for some damn reason I still can’t remember why because we were so damn wasted, I pulled out my guitar and played the song. I suspect it was because it was always her favorite movie growing up.”
“Liam—”
God, I loved the way she whispered my name. Especially like now when I surprised her. Her breath fluttered across my chest and I had to bite back a groan from getting hard. I couldn’t fuck her again. Not yet. Even I knew she needed time after this morning and the plane and what we just did.
“I’m pretty sure the only way we were able to get inked that night as drunk as we were was because I paid that tattoo artist over two thousand dollars.”
“Sometimes it pays to be famous, huh?”
“It’s not all bad.” Some of it was pretty fucking great. Most of it was. It was just in these moments, the rare flashes of normalcy I had that made me question whether the rest was all worth it. My stomach rumbled and I groaned, pushing us so we were sitting. “We should eat and rest. Tomorrow’s going to be hell.”
“What do you plan on doing?”
“Anne wanted me to do a press conference. It won’t take people long to figure out who I beat the crap out of and what happened to them. But I need Sophie’s permission before I tell her story and she’s not willing to give it.”
“Are you mad?”
“No.” I pulled my knees up, feet planted on the floor. “Just pissed I can’t shake any of this bullshit.”
I jumped to my feet and pulled her with me. “Come on. Take a bath and I’ll order food. Then we sleep. Tomorrow we deal.”
––––––––––
I rolled over as soon as I woke up and reached for Claudia, only to find the sheets next to me cool and empty.
Damn. Morning wood had me wanting to slide her legs apart and sink deep into her so she could stretch her tight pussy around me.
Peering open my eyes, I scanned the bedroom. The door
to the bathroom was open and dark which meant the only place left for her to be was the living room. With the hum of the air-conditioner blasting, I couldn’t hear a single thing.
But that didn’t stop reality from crashing down on me. I pressed the heel of my palms into my closed eyes and groaned. “Damn it. Where is she?”
Throwing off the covers, I jumped out of bed, shaking off the cool fucking air. My hair was a mess, my dick was hard, but all I could think of was where the hell Claudia was.
“What the hell?” I said when I reached the small living room. She wasn’t anywhere to be found.
I did another scan of the space. Her suitcase was right next to the closet where she’d put it yesterday, clothes thrown everywhere. Her purse sat next to it, contents scattered all over the floor. It looked like she’d left in a hurry, but I’d known her for two weeks now. Claudia was a bit messy.
At least she hadn’t run. As much as she didn’t want to be here yesterday even if she did apologize, I still didn’t know why and that pissed me off. I was an open book to her, spilling things that would make her a multi-millionaire if it weren’t for the NDA she signed and hopefully, that she wouldn’t want to anyway.
But it wouldn’t be the first time a woman fucked me over, and while I wanted to trust her, it still wasn’t easy.
“Shut up, asshole,” I muttered to myself. I was buck-naked but I didn’t throw anything on while I went to the small kitchenette and made myself some coffee. I popped in a Chocolate Pecan coffee pod and while it was brewing, I used the bathroom and relieved myself. It barely made a dent in my hard cock but I ignored it while I brushed my teeth and threw on a pair of boxer briefs.
Claudia couldn’t have gone far, not with security outside our doors. If she left the hotel, I’d know it.
I was just about to step outside and talk to the security muscle twins when the door opened and Claudia walked in.
“Where the hell were you?” I barked and rubbed my face. “Sorry. I’m an ass. I was worried.”
“Well,” she said, skirting into the door. She’d thrown on a summer dress from the island. Peachy or salmon, it barely covered her breasts with thin straps at the shoulders. The length was appropriate enough, but still, all I thought about was the taste of what was between her thighs. “I know you’re useless and grumpy before you have coffee and since I woke up early, I thought I’d be nice and get you stuff better than what we had here. I saw a Starbuck’s in the lobby when we got here last night.”
She held out the drink carrier and arched her brows.
“Next time leave a note,” I grumbled and chose a cup.
Surprising me, she leaned and kissed my cheek.
“Good morning, grumpy pants.”
Smiling, she pulled away and turned. My hand landed on her ass in a loud smack and when she jumped, squealing from the sting, I smiled at her over the rim of the coffee cup. “Good morning, Claudia. How’d you sleep? You sore at all?”
My favorite magenta color rimmed her cheeks. “A bit. And well, thank you.”
We drank our coffee, sipping it slowly. Damn it was hot but tasty. And as we both woke up from the caffeine infusion, the reality of my day settled on me.
“I should shower and call home and Anne. I’m sure I’ve missed a dozen calls from her.”
“What do you want me to do?”
Move in with me. The thought hit with such sudden force it shocked me. I’d known her all of weeks. Clearly, my dick was excited about the thought of consistent pussy available. “Just be you,” I found myself saying instead. “That’s all I need.”
Based on the softening smile and the way her eyes went heavy, it was exactly the right thing to say.
CHAPTER
TWENTY
CLAUDIA
I was officially more nervous than I had been in my entire life. More nervous than when FBI Agents showed up at my parents’ house, seizing it and arresting my father. More nervous than when I sat through a meeting with my father’s lawyer, Harrison’s dad, Edward, telling me everything I’d had, everything I’d thought was true had been either a lie or blatantly false and other than a trust fund, I was inheriting nothing. More nervous than when Edward had spelled out how indebted my father was to him, and how to make it up to him, my dad had promised Edward I’d marry his son.
All of it was taken from me and given to the estate that would pay bills my parents had wracked up in trying to keep up with the Joneses and Fitzgeralds and Montagues of Savannah when we were nothing more than a simple, middle-class Smith.
I hadn’t been honest with Liam when I told him I went to get coffee earlier. Obviously, I had. I had needed an excuse to leave the room and not be followed, but what I really did was returned one of Harrison’s phone calls.
Then I called Karen for help.
“Quit fidgeting,” Liam said, curling his hands on my shoulders. He’d stepped up behind me in the mirror and our gazes met in our reflection.
“I can’t help it. Your whole family is coming.”
He draped his hands to my stomach. “And they’ll like you, but I can also say that with what’s about to happen, they’ll barely notice you.”
My hands went to his. “Is Sophie sure she wants to do this? Is okay with you doing it?”
“We’ll get ahead of the information, the information will be public, and no one will have anything to hold over my head anymore.” He kissed my temple, lips lingering and his breath skating over my skin, heating me and doing delicious things to my lower stomach. “Then we can handle your crap and it’s all in our rearview.”
“Speaking of, I talked to Karen.”
I’d checked my phone while Liam had been in the shower, except to see a blank screen but to my surprise, I’d had three messages. Two from Karen. One from Harrison.
I skipped Harrison’s message and listened to Karen’s.
“What’d she call for?”
The lie tasted like sour milk as it bubbled up and out of my throat. “She just heard we’d left Anguilla. Wanted to talk to me about when we need to start worrying about paparazzi and us, restoring your image.”
“You said?”
“That I’d talk to you.”
His chest heaved and fell against my back and he dipped his head, settling it on my shoulder. “I think,” he murmured, turning his head and brushing his lips over my throat. “That it won’t really matter once today’s press conference is done. No one will care about me in a week or two so if you want, we can hunker down here, or wherever you want to go, and wait until someone else has an affair or a DUI or overdoses and then we’ll be fine.”
“Fine. Yeah, it will be.”
It wouldn’t. I had loose ends to tie up first, but two hours ago, Liam had told me that Sophie had decided she wanted to come clean and tell the press her story. She felt like Liam has had to hide it enough and with the assault charges, along with lingering suspicions of him raping a fan, she thought if she stood up and explained what happened to her and how he defended her, the public would instantly see him as a hero instead of a villain.
I was still doubtful. People who followed gossip rags were animals and slightly unhinged in their comments, willing to spew the vilest things without knowing any information.
But Anne had agreed it was the best way to spin everything, and in the end, it would make needing me unnecessary.
So would he keep me? The contract said he had to, but maybe he’d dump his monthly twenty-grand into my account and be on his way. Not that I cared about the money.
I cared about him. Last night, when he’d held me in bed and I woke up the same way, I realized how deeply I was falling in love with him. Liam Allistor had become my everything and even when he was angry or rude, he’d still taught me he was always looking out for me, protecting me.
I’d never had it and I wasn’t ready to let it go. Even though in four hours, I’d be hopping on a plane and he would be too busy at his press conference to know I’d left. I’d send him a text before my plane
took off so he didn’t worry too much.
But would he miss me?
“You’re quiet. And still fidgeting.” To prove it, he took my hands that had been digging at my nails and held them in the mirror. “What’s got you so worked up besides meeting my parents and family?”
“Nothing. Just worried for you.”
He examined me and I saw the exact moment he realized I was still lying. Still hiding. But God, seeing Sophie be brave, letting her past out in the public, made me want to do the same. It was just…my past was something I’d rather handle myself.
And I would.
Soon.
“Okay, then.” He dropped his hands from my waist and stepped back, only disappointment swirling in his rich blue eyes.
I looked away, unable to hide the pain I knew would be reflected in mine.
“They’ll be here any minute. How about we go next door and wait for them so we can finalize everything?”
“Sure. I just need to grab my purse.”
“I’ll be next door.”
He left without saying another word, without a kiss or a smile. Soon, he’d understand everything, but until then, I wanted to be completely free of my past life, so I could come to him with nothing between us.
No contract. No ex-fiancé’s who refused to go away. No shame.
Just me.
I hoped like hell it would be enough for him.
––––––––––
Sophie stood in the middle of a makeshift stage in one of the hotel’s conference rooms with Liam on one side of her and Kevin on the other. Both of the men’s eyes were narrowed, gazes flickering around the room as if they were trying to spot trouble.
I didn’t blame them.
Their parents were in the background, silent supporters and wearing looks of grief like Sophie’s ordeal had just happened yesterday, and not a decade ago. All of them wore the stress visible on their faces. And outside of Kevin, who obviously wasn’t related. They all looked like a family. A close one. When I met Liam’s mom, she embraced me in a hug, pressed her hands to my cheeks and smile. “Well, aren’t you just a sweet little thing. It’s lovely to meet you.”
