by Tia Siren
“Tell me,” she whispered once Tommy seemed distracted by the TV.
“I had my PI track down Leo. He found out where he’d been staying, but Leo was gone,” I explained.
She shrugged. “And?”
“And I don’t know where he is. He could be out there anywhere. He even could have followed me here.” I realized I was talking really fast.
Emily closed her eyes and inhaled through her nose before exhaling, and then she looked at me. “Seriously?”
“What?”
She rubbed her eyes. “He isn’t a lunatic. I mean, yes, he did act a little crazy, but I’m not actually afraid of him.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“Okay, well, I mean, yes, he did have me worried, but, Tyler, this can’t go on forever. I can’t live in this hotel. It isn’t good for me, and it certainly isn’t good for Tommy.”
I shook my head. “But it’s safer.”
“If I see Leo or he calls and tries to harass or threaten me, I’ll call the police. I’ll let Tommy’s daycare know they need to be on high alert. Leo won’t be allowed to pull him from the daycare. He isn’t on the list,” she assured me.
I walked toward the minibar, opened it, and heard her gasp.
Shrugging a shoulder, I replied, “I need a drink. Can I get you something?”
“No! Do you know how much that stuff costs?” she asked, completely aghast.
I grinned. “Yes, I do.” I reached in and grabbed a bottle of wine. “Have a drink with me.”
She made a big show of looking at the clock. “Don’t you have somewhere to be?”
“Nope.”
I poured part of the bottle into a glass and handed it to her before I poured my own drink. She sat down on one of the barstools. I sat beside her.
“Look, I appreciate all this, but I’m going home tomorrow. I can’t stay here another day. I am climbing the walls,” she complained.
“I know it isn’t ideal, but I want you two safe. This is about the only place I know to keep you safe.”
She drank her wine without replying. I finished my drink, wanting to say so much but knowing she wasn’t in the mood to hear it.
“I need to get Tommy in the tub,” she said, siding off the stool.
“Emily, please. Can we talk about this?” I asked again.
She put a hand on her hip. “There’s nothing to talk about. I don’t know how I let you take over my life, but it’s over. I’m an adult. I’ve been taking care of myself and Tommy for a long time now. We got by just fine without you.”
“He’s my son. I want to do everything I can to keep him safe.”
“He’s my son, and right now I am his guardian and I’m telling you, we’re not staying here. I have to go to work. You can’t keep me captive,” she said, her voice rising.
“I’ll stay here tonight,” I said, hoping to diffuse the situation. How, I didn’t know, and judging by the look on her face, I had made things a lot worse.
A tight, thin smile spread across her face. “We don’t want to confuse our son by playing family, now do we?” She batted her eyelashes.
I closed my eyes, begging for patience. “Stop.”
“I have to work. I know this is a foreign concept to you, but I have to go to work and earn a paycheck so I have somewhere to sleep at night.”
“Don’t worry about the money. I’ll take care of it. I can support you and Tommy,” I said.
If looks could have killed, I would have been lying in a satin-lined coffin with my best suit on.
“I don’t want your money,” she seethed. “You need to leave, now.”
I had offended her, but how else could I offer her money? I wasn’t going to beat around the bush. That wasn’t my style. I wanted her to take the money and keep our son safe.
“I’m sorry,” I blurted out for lack of anything better to say. “I feel like I’m walking on eggshells with you. I’m not trying to buy you. I only want you to relax. Don’t worry about working. I mean, seriously, don’t I owe you some child support?” I teased.
“You know what, I’m really not in the mood to talk about all this. We’ll work out the details later. For now, I’d like to get Tommy in the bath and then get one myself,” she said. Her voice was flat.
I nodded, knowing I had pressed my luck enough. “Okay. I’ll go home. I’ll call you in the morning. Please, I’m asking you for one more day. Stay here, please,” I said, using my most charming smile.
She looked up at the ceiling. “One more day. That’s it. I’m not even playing. I will not be held prisoner in this damn room. I can’t believe I actually wanted to see a penthouse suite. I never want to see another one again.”
I chuckled. “I know this sucks, and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you putting up with all this. I know I’m a little crazy, but this being a parent thing is new to me. I’m sure you can empathize a little.”
She nodded her head. “I can, which is why I’ve given you this long. But, Tyler, seriously, I need to get out of here. I have a life. I had a life before you waltzed into it and I’ll have a life after.”
I nodded, digesting the information. It was hard to hear.
“Okay, well, I’m going to go. I’ll call you tomorrow. If you need anything, call me. Anytime.”
“Tommy, come say good-bye. Tyler—I mean Dad—is leaving,” she said.
I dropped to my knees, knowing how the kid loved to launch himself into my arms. I wrapped him in my arms, stood, and spun around a couple times.
“I’ll see you tomorrow. Be good for your mom and don’t make her too crazy,” I lectured.
Tommy sighed. “We’re bored.”
“I know. I’m working on it,” I told him, ruffling his hair.
I set him down and looked at Emily.
“Bath time,” she ordered.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” I said before leaving the suite.
As I rode the elevator down to the lobby, I thought about her words. She would have a life after me, not with me. I wasn’t sure when I had decided I wanted a life with her, but the very thought of not having her in my life made me ill.
I needed to figure out what the hell I was going to do. It seemed like I couldn’t make a right move. I was pissing her off and offending her at every turn. We were like fire and ice. I smiled, thinking about that analogy. It was that extreme difference in who we were that made the sex so much better. It was explosive. Could I really live the rest of my life without experiencing that ever again?
Chapter Thirty
Emily
I was going to lose my job. I couldn’t fake being sick anymore. The manager knew it was bullshit. I didn’t even try to fake it. I’d done a great job of coughing and talking in a low, raspy voice the first couple days, but they weren’t going to buy it now. I had never called in sick before. Once or twice when Tommy had been sick, but thankfully the kid was healthy as a horse and rarely sick.
“Let’s go!” I hollered at Tommy, who was still sitting in front of the television.
He made his way to the door. I let him push the button on the elevator, which made his day.
Sarah was in the lobby, waiting for us.
“Hi!” she yelled when she saw Tommy, who took off running toward her.
I trailed behind, hugging Sarah when I reached the two of them.
“I’ve missed you,” I told her.
“Aunt Sarah, we live here now,” Tommy announced.
I shook my head. “No. We’re going home today.”
“Show me! I’ve been dying to see this place,” Sarah said, excitement in her voice.
I laughed. “So was I until it became my prison.”
Tommy showed her how to use the elevator and up we went.
“Are you okay?” she whispered.
I nodded my head. “Going a little stir-crazy.”
When the doors slid open and we opened the main door to the suite, Tommy squealed and ran around the room, trying to show Sarah everything all at once.<
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“This is amazing!”
I laughed. “It really is, and the food is really good, too.”
Sarah held up her giant purse, grabbing Tommy’s attention. That purse was famous for bringing surprises for both of us.
“What’d you bring me?” he asked, a sparkle in his eyes as he stared at the black bag.
She grinned. “A little something.”
Sarah reached into her purse and pulled out a new book. Tommy’s eyes widened, and he reached out to touch the book as if it were the Holy Grail. It was a book about amazing facts. He had seen a similar one at the library and fallen in love. It was way over his head, but he loved the pictures.
“Thank you,” he said, taking the book and heading for the couch.
I looked at Sarah and shook my head. “You seriously spoil him.”
“I haven’t seen you in almost a week. I missed him. Besides, that will keep him entertained while you tell me everything!”
We sat down at the table and I told her my tale of woe, of being held a prisoner in the penthouse suite. Sarah was smiling.
“I think it’s really sweet that he cares about you both that much.”
I rolled my eyes. “I feel like he has put us in a box on the shelf to take out and play with when he’s ready. The rest of the time he’s seeing other women.”
“Have you told him that?” she asked pointedly.
I shrugged. “Kind of. I mean, he knows I’m irritated and I’ve made it clear I know about the other women. He says he isn’t dating anyone and wants me, but the pictures and video footage tell another story.”
“You mean for the show?” she clarified.
I nodded my head. “Yes.”
“I’m pretty sure that’s over. He had to give the producer some more footage to work with. Now they’re supposed to be working on a big reveal to pull in high ratings.”
I shrugged one shoulder. “I’m not going to be a second choice.”
She cocked her head to the side and looked in my eyes. “You care about him, don’t you? Beyond the fact that he’s the father of your son, you have feelings for him. Right?”
I buried my face in my hands. “I don’t know,” I groaned. “Yes and no.”
When I looked up, Sarah was smiling at me. “Tell him.”
A second later, the door to the suite opened. Tyler strode through, looking cool and confident as he looked from me to Sarah.
“This is Sarah, my best friend. Sarah, that’s Tyler,” I said, not needing to explain beyond that.
“It’s nice to meet you. Where’s Tommy?”
I pointed to the tuft of hair popping up over the back of the couch. Tyler nodded and sat down at the table.
“He was here. Security tossed him out,” he said in a low voice.
Sarah and I exchanged a look. “Who?” we asked in unison.
“Leo.”
My mouth dropped open. “What!”
Sarah put a hand over my forearm. “How do they know it was him?” she asked.
“My security team had his driver’s license picture. They gave it to hotel security. Leo was here about an hour ago. Security stopped him and removed him from the hotel. My security told him to stay away or he would be tossed in jail for stalking.”
I shook my head in disbelief. I couldn’t believe he’d found us and was actually going to try to see us.
“Does this mean we can go home now?” I asked.
Tyler looked at his watch. “It’s already six. The room’s paid for. Why not stay one last night? I promise, I will have you taken home first thing in the morning.”
Sarah looked at me and smiled. “Enjoy the last night in the suite. I would,” she said with a wink.
I looked back to see the back of Tommy’s head right where it had been for the last twenty minutes.
“Fine, but tomorrow, I’m going home,” I insisted.
Sarah leaned over and hugged me. “I need to get going. Enjoy the posh digs. It was nice to meet you, Tyler. Bye, squirt!” she hollered at Tommy.
Tommy mumbled something but didn’t move from the couch.
Tyler looked concerned.
“Sarah got him a book he’s been wanting for a while,” I explained.
He nodded his head in understanding. I walked Sarah to the door, hugged her, and thanked her again for coming by.
When I returned to the table, Tyler was on the room phone. I listened as he ordered room service before hanging up the phone. He looked at me for several long seconds. I stared back.
“Thanks for agreeing to stay another night.” His voice was husky.
I nodded and shrugged one shoulder. “I can handle one more night.”
“I’ve ordered dinner.”
I nodded again. “Okay.”
“I can go,” he mumbled, still looking at me.
“I’m sure Tommy would enjoy having dinner with you,” I told him, my own voice raspy.
He nodded his head. “I’m going to check out this book he’s so interested in.”
I smiled and watched him walk toward the couch, drinking in the sight of him. I hated that I was so attracted to the man. It wasn’t long before the meal arrived and we were all sitting at the table feasting on the main course. Tyler didn’t make a move to leave after dinner, and I didn’t ask him to. I put Tommy to bed and walked back to the living area where Tyler was looking over the book he and Tommy had been reading.
He looked up and smiled at me. “This is a really good book. You said this is a series?”
I laughed. “They put out a new one every year.”
“I’m going to get the rest,” he said, putting the book on the coffee table before standing and walking toward me. “Do you want another glass of wine?” he asked, gazing into my eyes.
I shook my head. “I think we’ve raided the minibar enough.”
He grabbed my hand, pulled me toward him, and then down onto the couch. I had a nice buzz going and had a feeling he did as well. It had been our celebration dinner. I was celebrating being freed and he was celebrating Leo being run off.
“I want to stay,” he whispered, his hand moving to my face.
“Tyler.” I said his name as a warning.
He shook his head, rejecting the warning. “Why are you so hesitant to be with me again?”
“Because you’re with several other women.”
“I’m not. I promise you, I’m not. There’s only you.”
He leaned forward and kissed me, backing up his promise with a kiss that curled my toes. I made an instant decision to abandon my anger and enjoy this one night with the man. I kissed him back, not hiding the passion the man stirred up in me. He was off the couch and dragging me to the master bedroom in an instant.
I quietly closed the door behind us and turned to face him. He pounced, slamming my body into the wall. His hands pulled my clothes off while his mouth devoured mine before moving to my neck to suck and nibble. I tried to unbutton his pants, but his aggressive onslaught left me helpless to focus on such a tedious task. His teeth raked over one nipple as he yanked my bra off before dropping to his knees and pulling my panties down. His mouth closed over my pussy, shocking the hell out of me. My head dropped back against the wall.
His tongue lapped at my clit before he used his teeth to nibble at the hard nub. My body went from zero to sixty in the span of seconds. I called out his name, my voice strained as my body struggled to keep up with the sensations rocketing through me.
He furiously lapped and nibbled, bringing me to what had to be the world’s fastest orgasm. My hands weaved into his hair as I struggled to maintain my footing.
Seconds later, he was stripping off his pants and yanking my limp body against his hard, hot body.
“Fuck, I’ve wanted you so bad for too many days,” he groaned, his hands squeezing my ass cheeks before lifting me up and sliding me down his body, slowly impaling me on his huge cock.
I felt the hard wall against my back and used it to push back against his body, taking h
im deeper inside me.
“You’re so hot, so wet, and so mine,” he groaned, his mouth closing over my neck.
I felt another climax spiraling through my body as the man bounced me against the wall. He was animalistic, primal, and making me extremely aroused.
“Oh, Tyler. God, I’m-you’re—” My words matched my thoughts and were completely scattered and incoherent.
“I’m what?” he grunted, pushing himself impossibly higher into my sheath.
I groaned, letting the climax wash over me. All thoughts of what I’d wanted to say vanished. The wall was gone, quickly replaced by the soft mattress. He crawled over me, his dick still inside, shifting deeper.
“I can’t get enough of you,” he said, his mouth closing over one nipple and then the other. “All day, I think about you, like this, under me, hot and wet, writhing with need.”
Reaching up, I ran my palms over his chest. I loved his chest. I could have stared at him all day, thinking about touching his beautifully defined pectoral muscles.
I wrapped my legs around his hips, pulling him closer to me. His eyes closed, and he sucked in air through his gritted teeth.
“You’re killing me,” he groaned, rotating his hips before thrusting hard against me.
I gasped, wanting more and telling him by squeezing my legs tighter around him.
“Do you want it harder?” he asked, his eyes peering into my very soul.
“Yes,” I whispered.
He smiled. “I’ll give it to you hard. Hold on, baby. You’re about to get what you need.”
I gazed into his eyes, watching those gold flecks dance as he rose up on his arms. I shuddered in anticipation of what was to come. His body slammed into mine, my breath rushing from my lungs in one long groan as my body slid a couple inches across the bed.
“Dig in!” he demanded.
I dropped my arms to either side of me, holding on to the bedding as he pounded against my body. I could hear my own groans of ecstasy as he worked my body into a frenzy. My head thrashed back and forth as I struggled to reach that point of pure heaven that was just out of reach.
“More!” I cried out.
The man released a ferocious growl and slammed into my body, taking me up that last little bit I needed and pushing me right over the edge into sweet surrender. He roared low in his throat as he found his own release before collapsing next to me and pulling my body close to his. My body trembled against him as little aftershocks slammed into me.
