“He said he would think about it.” Garon pressed his lips into a hard line. “If we happen to have a part for his wife.”
I shrugged. “Shannon Stewart is a huge name.”
“He also stipulated he wanted his daughter to write at least one song on the soundtrack and for his son-in-law’s band to sing it.” Garon rolled his eyes, and the action reminded of Arella’s mom.
I shrugged again. “Kin St. Charles has some sick skills. Getting her name on any song is like an instant spot on the top ten charts. And Tainted Knights is probably the most popular rock band in the world. They sell out every concert eighteen months in advance. I don’t really see what the problem is with any of those stipulations. If anything, they would only make the project better in every way.”
We passed Garon’s assistant and walked into his office. He shut the door behind us then motioned to one of the chairs in front of his desk. “Are you thirsty? I can have my assistant make us some coffee.”
“I’m good,” I told him as I sat down. I waited until he was seated before speaking again. “You seem irritated that Montez wants to include members of his family. Did you have other people in mind for the soundtrack and whatever role Stewart would play?”
“No. I just know that nepotism invites chaos and drama.” He leaned back in his chair. “But I will admit that having all those names linked to this movie series will be cheap advertising. All we would have to do is drop their names into a few conversations.”
“Exactly,” I agreed. “Now, let’s talk numbers.”
He already knew I was only on board if Arella took the leading role. I was surprised he hadn’t argued with me on that since there was so much animosity between him and his sister. If anything, he’d practically jumped at the suggestion of his niece playing such a major role in his movie.
By the time we concluded the meeting, it was lunchtime. Leaving him in his office, I walked back to Arella’s studio. As I entered the building, it was to hear Arella speaking loudly.
“I just wanted to show everyone my appreciation for all your hard work over the past three years. Through everything, each and every one of you have been the real MVPs. My behind-the-scenes heroes,” she told the group in front of her. Sound crew, cameramen, makeup artists, stylists, and other production staff were gathered around as they all looked at my girl adoringly. “I sincerely hope we can work together in the future. Now, please enjoy this farewell lunch Taylor was so sweet to set up for me at the last minute.”
After everyone thanked her and gave her hugs, they got in line for a huge buffet set on tables along one wall.
While I watched and waited, Taylor came over to me. “Did you need something, Mr. Moreitti?”
“You did all this while I was gone?” I’d only been gone two hours, so I was impressed with how she’d pulled everything together so quickly.
“Miss Stevenson said she wanted to do something for the crew since no one else was showing their appreciation.”
“Good work,” I told her. “Keep this up, and I might triple your salary.”
“Will my duties include helping Miss Stevenson as well?” she asked, sounding hopeful.
I turned a glare on her. “No, but it will include you finding her an assistant of her own. I want someone for her who is just as efficient as you are. But one who won’t flirt with or eye-fuck her every chance they get.”
Her lips twitched with amusement. “So, a gay guy?”
“I don’t think I can legally stipulate that, but yes.” My phone alerted me to a text message. Pulling it from my pants pocket, I saw it was my mother. “Get on that, Taylor.”
“Yes, sir. Right away,” she said with a light laugh.
As I sent a reply, I walked over to where Arella was speaking to a small group.
“Babe, we were supposed to meet Palmer ten minutes ago,” I reminded her.
She quickly said goodbye to the others. As she turned around, I caught her around the waist and kissed her. With a happy sigh, she melted against me. “I take it your meeting went well?” she asked as we walked toward her dressing room.
“That depends on our conversation later tonight,” I told her, letting my hand slip to her ass and rubbing my fingers over the fleshy globe. My cock hardened, pressing painfully against the zipper of my slacks. That effortlessly, she made my body respond. I stayed hard for her.
As soon as we were in her dressing room, I kicked the door shut. She glanced at me over her shoulder at the sound of the lock being flipped into place. “Take that damn wig off,” I commanded, already undoing my belt.
She pulled it off then reached under her dress and pulled off her panties. I grabbed them and stuffed them in my jacket pocket. Wrapping my fingers around her wrist, I pulled her over to the couch and sat. One-handed, I undid my slacks and reached in to free my throbbing cock.
“I’ll be easy,” I promised as I took hold of her hips and lifted her until she was straddling me. I felt her pussy drip onto the head of my cock and groaned through my teeth to muffle the sound.
Slowly, she sank down on my shaft. “Is it wrong that the pain makes the pleasure that much more intense?” she breathed at my ear.
My cock flexed inside her, causing her to whimper. “Nothing that makes you feel good could be wrong, baby.”
As she moved her hips, riding me so well I saw stars, I strummed her clit. I wanted to linger, savor every second of her like this, but we were already late for lunch with her friend. When her breathing changed, I knew she was close. Two more pumps into her sweet pussy and she came apart for me.
“Jordan,” she cried, her eyes wild as she jumped to her feet.
I growled at the loss of her and grabbed for her, but she only glared at me as she dropped to her knees between my legs. “You forgot the condom again,” she scolded. “We need to be more careful.”
“Babe—” But whatever I was going to say escaped my mind as she fisted the base of my cock and wrapped her lips around my tip. “Ah, fuck, baby.”
Her hair was still pinned in place so the wig would sit seamlessly on her head. Cupping the back of her head, I urged her to take more of my length. Seeing the way her lips were stretched around my shaft, watching her cheeks hollow as she sucked me off, was enough to make my balls tighten. When the tip hit the back of her throat and I felt her swallow without pausing for breath, I exploded.
Her soft hand stroked me through the release, milking every drop of come from my cock. Pulling back, she licked her lips, making me want to bend her over and fuck her all over again.
Grinning wickedly up at me, she leaned forward and pulled her panties from my pocket. “To be continued,” she murmured in a voice so sultry, my cock turned to stone.
Seeing my reaction to her, she giggled and kissed the tip before hopping to her feet. Stepping back into her panties, she fixed her dress and started pulling the pins from her hair. “Give me five minutes to make myself presentable, and then we can go.”
I sat there watching her brush out her hair, and I halfheartedly stuffed my dick back into my pants. I could smell Arella on my clothes, and that made me smug as hell.
“We could skip lunch with Palmer and go home for an hour or two,” I suggested. “Just send Taylor over to meet her alone. They won’t want us around anyway.”
She tsked me as she pulled her long dark hair up into a ponytail. Picking up her purse and phone, she crossed to the door. “Are you coming? Because I have no problem going without you.”
Sighing heavily, I got to my feet. Her blue-gray gaze skimmed over me with banked hunger, and I growled at her in response. With a giggle, she took off running. Grinning to myself, I gave chase.
Fuck, but she made me happier than I could ever remember being in my entire life.
Fourteen
Arella
Palmer knew me so well that she already had drinks ordered and salads waiting on the table when we finally got to the restaurant. My tardiness was just something those who loved me accepted without compla
int. I tried to be on time; honestly, I did. But things always just came up—or distracted me.
Luckily for me, I had understanding people who overlooked my shortcomings.
As we walked toward the table where Palmer was waiting for us, I could practically feel Taylor’s nervousness. She’d asked me all kinds of questions about my bestie that morning and on the drive over. I’d shown her pictures of Palmer earlier and seen the interest in the other girl’s eyes. Palmer was beautiful, with her rich, chestnut hair, chocolate-brown eyes, and killer curves. There was a small brown birthmark on her left cheek and a light smattering of freckles across her nose that only added to her beauty.
“Relax,” I murmured so only Taylor could hear me. “Palmer is the sweetest, unless you piss her off.” I paused and turned to face her. “Um, I really hope you don’t have to see her pissed off before you two decide you love each other or not.”
Taylor laughed. “I hope she doesn’t have to see me pissed off before she can decide the same.”
That made me giggle, causing Jordan to shift Taylor aside so he could put his hand at the small of my back. “Ladies, I’m starving. Shall we?”
I rolled my eyes over my shoulder at Taylor, who had to cough to hide her laughter. But his continued possessiveness was so damn sexy and adorable, I couldn’t help pressing a little closer into his side as we walked. Our quickie back in my dressing room had been the most perfect last day of filming celebration I could have possibly had. Just remembering how hot he’d been for me, and how quickly he’d gotten me off, made my inner muscles pulse.
I’d been all too tempted to take him up on his suggestion to go back to his place for a few hours earlier. But I knew my best friend needed me, and that was the only reason I’d turned him down.
Palmer stood as we neared, and I could tell she was just as nervous as Taylor. I shot her a reassuring smile, knowing that she and Taylor were going to be perfect together. The more time I’d spent with Jordan’s personal assistant that morning, that had become even more apparent to me.
Reaching Palmer, I pulled away from Jordan to hug my bestie. She kissed my cheek. “She’s hot,” she whispered before pulling away, making me wink at her in agreement.
“Palms, this is Taylor Holt,” I introduced. “Taylor, Palmer Abbot.”
Taylor offered her hand, which Palmer eagerly accepted. But after shaking, the two stood there holding hands, seemingly speechless. They had only spent a few seconds together, but I could already see the sparks flying between them, just as I’d known they would.
Pleased with myself, I took a seat at the table, and Jordan joined me. After another few moments, Taylor pulled out a chair for Palmer. “Thank you for ordering starters,” Taylor told her as she took the seat beside her, putting herself right in front of me. “I’m so hungry.”
“I would have ordered entrees too, but I didn’t know what you like,” Palmer said apologetically. “And knowing Moreitti, he would have just bitched at whatever I ordered for him.”
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing when Jordan grumbled something under his breath. I didn’t know why he’d always been so grumpy around Palmer. Secretly, I’d hoped it was because he was jealous of her. Whether it was because she was my best friend, or because she’d once had a thing for me, but still jealous. Although that was ridiculous, I’d still hoped.
Picking up the menu lying beside my salad plate, I opened it to skim through the entree selections. As I did, I stabbed a fork into a cherry tomato and ate it while letting the other two girls chat.
Jordan scooted his chair closer to mine and leaned over to examine my menu. “How about the salmon, baby?”
My stomach growled in approval. “That sounds yummy.”
His nose nuzzled my neck. “Want to know what else sounds yummy?” He touched my leg, stroking his fingers up the inside of my thigh. “Taking you home and eating this pussy for dessert.”
There was no way he could miss how his words made me quake. I still had to go back to the studio to clear out my dressing room, but other than that, I had nothing left to do there. Maybe I could have Taylor clear it out for me and go home with Jordan…
As that thought entered my head, our waiter appeared beside me. “Are we ready to order entrees?” he asked in a cheerful voice.
Jordan ordered for the two of us after Taylor and Palmer each gave theirs. The entire time, Jordan still has his hand on my leg, his sensual fingers teasing me as they skimmed up and down my inner thigh, coming closer and closer to my still-drenched panties.
After the waiter walked away, Jordan leaned in to whisper in my ear. “I can smell you on my slacks, baby. When you came earlier, you soaked me. I want to make you gush like that again. I want that scent everywhere. Want that sweet juice flowing down my throat as I eat you out.”
Glancing at the other two out of the corner of my eye, I was thankful they were deep in their own conversation, their heads close together as they spoke to each other. Their smiles were shy but flirty, and I heard Palmer’s giggle and knew she was besotted. Meanwhile, they were clueless that I was about to come just from Jordan’s idle caresses and dirty words.
My legs began to shake, and I knew if he so much as flicked his finger over my panties, I was going to burst apart. Trying to control my breathing, I picked up my water glass in hopes of cooling myself down.
My phone ringing had me jerking. Jordan’s eyes were full of heat as I reached for my cell. Seeing it was Sue, I answered. “Hey, Sue. I—”
“Someone destroyed your dressing room!” she yelled. “I was walking back from lunch and passed it. Girl, the place is a wreck. Thank God you weren’t here, because whoever did that kind of damage probably would have hurt you if you had been.”
Suddenly, I was trembling for an entirely different reason. “I’ll be right there,” I told her as I got to my feet.
“Okay, girl. Just hurry. I wasn’t the only one who saw the mess. The director’s assistant called security, and now the rent-a-cops and some of the execs are on their way.”
Groaning, I ended the call and grabbed my purse. Palmer and Taylor looked up at me in concern. “What’s wrong?” my best friend asked.
“Just an issue at the studio.” I glanced at Jordan, who was already on his feet. He pulled out his wallet and tossed down several large bills. “Enjoy the rest of the meal. I’ll call you later,” I promised Palmer as he grasped my elbow, telling Taylor he would be in touch later.
He didn’t speak again until we were in his car on the way back to the studio. “What happened?”
I grimaced. “I don’t know for sure. Sue told me someone destroyed my dressing room and that security and the execs were on their way over to check it out.” Heart racing, I glanced over at him. “Do you think this could have been…him?”
“I don’t know, baby. Call that Kirtner guy and have him meet us over there,” he instructed. Once he was on the road and I had my phone to my ear, he grasped my free hand. The way he gave it a reassuring squeeze kept me calm while I explained what was going on to the detective.
“You said it’s your last day of filming?” Kirtner asked after I told him everything I knew.
“Yes.”
“Maybe this guy is spiraling if he won’t have such easy access to you every day,” he mused. “It could make him more dangerous, Miss Stevenson. I’m only a few miles from the studio. I’ll see you there.”
Spiraling? What the fuck did that mean?
Shivering, I clutched at Jordan’s hand as he changed lanes. Before long, he was pulling into my usual spot at the studio after being waved in past security. With his hand on my hip, we entered the building, and immediately, I saw that the place was in complete chaos.
Several people tried to stop me along the way, but I ignored them as we headed straight for my dressing room. A group of people was milling outside the room, with a member of security standing guard to keep them back. I heard loud, muffled voices coming from inside and pushed through the crowd to s
ee what was going on.
Detective Kirtner was already there, standing in the middle of a group of executives in their expensive suits. My gaze skimmed over them, my jaw clenching when I spotted one particular man, but I pushed down my annoyance. Just because he was there didn’t mean I had to speak to him.
The security guard tried to stop me when I would have entered the room. “No one is allowed inside,” he informed me and started to put his hand on my arm.
“Back the fuck off. Touch her, and the last thing you ever see will be my fist in your face,” Jordan snarled at him, causing the man to flinch before he stepped out of the way.
Jordan’s loud voice had the group inside my dressing room turning to watch us. I walked in, my gaze traveling around the space. Everything was turned upside down. My mirror was shattered, the little vanity under it broken down the middle. The small chair that once sat in front of it was across the room, sticking out of the window. My couch was turned over, with the cushions spread around the room. The few personal items I’d kept there had been destroyed and scattered on the floor.
As I walked, my heels crunched on the broken glass of what used to be a bottle of my favorite perfume. The light floral scent filled the air overpoweringly, giving me a headache. Or maybe that was because my pulse was suddenly throbbing in my temples as my fear escalated.
“Is there something you want to tell us, Arella?”
My head snapped around at the almost accusatory tone in Winston Cline’s voice. Winston had overseen my drama, so I’d worked with him more than the other executives. He was a man in his late fifties with a slightly pudgy middle and a comb-over that didn’t fool anyone. Not even his five-thousand-dollar suit could distract from the fact that he looked beyond ridiculous with the way he styled his hair.
Squaring my shoulders, I lifted my chin and glared at the man down my nose. “It would seem I have a stalker. Big whoop. Everyone gets them.”
Needing Arella (Rockers' Legacy Book 6) Page 11
