by Abella Ward
Sylvia was lying on the couch in his office, her head was propped up by a cushion and she was reading a magazine held up above her face. She dropped it to the floor and turned her face to look at him. Fedor hung up the phone at the same time.
“That’s dad. Does he know I’m here?” Sylvia asked, shifting her body to sit up. She had gotten much bigger now, she was in her sixth month. Will hadn’t contacted his daughter in nearly seven months and had still not solved the problem with his rivaling gangs in New York.
“Someone might have tipped him off,” Fedor said, adjusting the tie at his neck. They had spent the past months in his holiday home in Puerto Rico and Sylvia had had a smooth pregnancy. They had taken the time to get to know each other.
Now that they were back in Chicago, it was time for him to start winding down his businesses, setting up trust funds and charities. He had made his decision, this life as he knew it was over. It was the beginning of a new phase of his life. He was going to give all this up and move permanently to Puerto Rico with Sylvia and baby. She was bursting with ideas of what to do with all the money he had laundered away to Swiss banks. It was time to give back to the community. It was time to retire.
“Honey?” Sylvia had walked over to his desk and now stood behind him, placing her hands on his shoulders. She was in a tight black lycra dress, and her belly bulged out where his child was. Fedor smiled and placed a hand on her abdomen, he could feel his son kicking. He looked up at Sylvia, at the face of the woman who had made all this possible, who had inspired him to have a new life, and he was thankful. Nothing and nobody was going to keep them apart, especially not her father, no matter how close as friends they once were.
“I’ll do the talking. I owe him an explanation,” Fedor said, patting her hand on his shoulder and then standing up.
“I want to be here when you talk to him. I don’t want him accusing you of anything,” Sylvia said and accepted a kiss on the cheek from him. He touched her nose with his forefinger and smiled.
“Let him in, Pyotr,” Fedor yelled and the doors burst open. Will Stern was standing at the door to his office and couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
“Welcome to our home, father. It’s lovely to see you after so long,” Sylvia said and walked towards him with open arms.
Will hesitated, then opened his arms and hugged his daughter.
*****
THE END
The Rock Star's Pretend Girlfriend
Description
Live life, be daring. Take a chance. On me.
Mindy Cassidy owes her older brother big time. So when he asks her to be his best friend’s fake girlfriend while their band is on tour, she agrees. There’s no woman alive who wouldn’t want to be in her shoes.
The problem is that she spent her entire high school years daydreaming about Devon. How will this virgin hide her feelings when she has to kiss him for the cameras?
Devon Jennings is a world-class a**, his arrogance is incredible and his affairs are all over the newspaper. His record label gives him the choice. Either he settles down with a good girl, or they’re dropping the band and it’s back to playing in garages.
So he agrees to a fake romance with his best friend’s baby sister. Turns out she’s all grown up with some rocking curves. Being around her is like a slow sort of torture. Can he be a good enough guy to not take advantage of their forced close proximity?
What started as a fake romance soon has both Mindy and Devon questioning everything they stand for. Can Mindy protect her heart? Is there a way to dampen the fire between them? Do they even want to? And when a small present arrives, will Devon face his demons and do the right thing?
Chapter One - Mindy
Mindy Cassidy waited in a room off from the concert hall for the biggest new band in the country, August Doll. Her older brother had begged her to come, telling her he needed a “big favor” before she went back to school in the fall.
She’d come right away because she’d do anything for Bret. Her brother had always been there for her and, even now, he paid her tuition so she could attend school for her Bachelor’s in psychology.
She flipped her long auburn hair over her shoulder as she heard the band finish the last song of their set. She knew the set by heart, had heard it a million times since they were just a garage band, practicing at her parents’ house.
August Doll had hit it big with their first album, something even she could barely believe. She just hoped she didn’t have to run into Devon Jennings. He and her brother had been best friends since they were in middle school.
As a teen, she’d had the worst crush ever on the lead singer. She was certain she’d acted like a love-struck idiot, barely able to string together sentences whenever he was around.
She’d rush up to her room, certain the rest of the band was making fun of her because it was so obvious. All the same, she’d had torrid fantasies about losing her virginity to Devon. Sometimes, even now, she’d dream about him. And she still hadn’t found anyone who could compare to her feelings for Devon. Because of that, she still held onto her pesky V-card. It was humiliating to be twenty-one and still a virgin. She had lied to her friends that she had a summer fling last year and gone all the way with a boy from home.
Bret walked into the room and Mindy jumped up to give him a big hug. He grabbed her up and spun her around. “Min, it’s good to see you, kid.”
He ruffled her hair like she was twelve, not of proper drinking age.
Devon strolled in behind him, glowering at them both, and went straight for the makeshift bar set up in a corner.
The familiar shock went through Mindy, that strike of attraction straight to her core, and she cursed herself a dozen times over for still wanting the man when he’d shown her zero interest. Not to mention, Devon was not a “nice guy.” He’d recently been splashed all over the papers for his tumultuous affair with a supermodel, and the subsequent end when Devon had trashed a nightclub after a big fight with her ex.
Mindy turned her back on Devon as he poured himself a shot of vodka. “So, what’s this big favor you need?”
“It’s okay to say no,” Bret started, holding out his hands.
“No, it’s not. The label was pretty damn clear,” Devon said from behind her. Mindy turned to peer at him. What was he talking about?
“Say no to what, exactly?”
Bret huffed and put a hand on the back of his neck. This was obviously not coming easy for him.
Mindy took him by the hand and tugged him to the big sofa in the middle of the room. “Just say it, Bret. I’ll do whatever you need me to do.”
“All right. Devon needs a girlfriend.”
Her eyes widened and her cheeks flamed. Didn’t everyone know exactly how she felt about Devon? This was like her worst nightmare. Then again, Bret would never have asked if he had any clue she wanted Devon so badly.
“Why would you think of me? He’s never had any trouble finding women to bed.” She pretended like he wasn’t even in the room. It would make this conversation so much easier.
Devon stalked over to stand before them and glared down at her, singling her out. “One word: discretion. You can be trusted to keep your mouth shut about our fake romance.”
She squirmed under his dark-eyed gaze. He had long blonde hair, which he wore in a low ponytail when he wasn’t performing. Since they’d just come off the stage, it hung about his shoulders and, damn, long hair on a man should not look so freaking hot.
Trying to focus, she stammered, “Fake romance?”
Bret gave her hand a squeeze. “Our label says Devon has to clean up his act or we’re out on our asses. They suggested he rehab his image by settling down, at least for a couple of months, with a good girl. You’re the best, and we can trust you.”
“Of course you can.” She said it without thinking. Her mind raced. What would a fake romance consist of, anyway? A few dates? Going on the road with them? Being on his arm for big events? How, exactly, would it work?
She wished Devon would stop looking at her that way. His eyes half-lidded, as if he’d just climbed out of a big bed where he’d done dirty, exquisite things. With her.
She was at it again. Years had passed and she still wanted him, just as much. Being in the same room with him was torture. She couldn’t possibly pretend to be his girlfriend. That would involve touching, maybe even kissing.
Bret went on, oblivious to her state of mind. “Devon has given me his word, he won’t lay a hand on you.”
“She’s not exactly my type.”
Okay, ouch. He didn’t need to point it out. She was well aware that with her freckles and healthy figure she didn’t compare to some supermodel. “I bet I could keep you out of trouble, though.”
Bret gave Devon a hard stare. “We talked about this. She’s doing us a huge favor—don’t be an ass.”
“Right,” Devon said. “Hands to myself and not being an ass to your baby sister.”
“How would it work?” Mindy asked. Regardless of her feelings, if her brother asked, it meant he really needed her help. She couldn’t say no.
Chapter Two - Devon
Devon had lied. Sure, the last time he saw Mindy Cassidy, she hadn’t been his type. That had been years ago when she was still in braces and didn’t have all those curves everywhere.
But now? He stood in the green room, a shot of vodka in his hand, and he couldn’t drag his gaze away from her. All that fiery red hair, and the sprinkle of freckles across her face. And he could see a smattering of them on her breasts, thanks to the scoop neckline of her purple t-shirt.
Bret glanced at Devon and narrowed his eyes. “You remember those rules.”
“No one has answered my question. How does this work?” Mindy asked again. Her cheeks were flushed and she used a hand to fan herself.
Bret spoke up from his place on the couch with Mindy. “You’d come on the road with us. There are photo ops every day. You’ll go down to breakfast together, you’ll come to the shows and be in the wings, smiling that sweet smile. You pretend to adore Dev, hard as that may be, and we keep our recording contract.”
“You can handle all that, right?” Devon asked her. He couldn’t help trying to goad her.
Mindy quirked her lips to the right, her face thoughtful. “I’m not the one who needs a relationship.”
Dev tossed back his vodka and exhaled quickly as the fire slid down his throat. “What does that mean?”
“Well, doesn’t it need to be the other way around? Doesn’t Dev need to look like he adores me?”
“I can hold up my end, honey. You just show up and let me work my magic.” He locked gazes with her, and the attraction flowed between them. She still wanted him. And she was no kid, not anymore.
Bret stood up between them. “There will be no magic worked.”
Right. Of course, Bret was right. This was his best friend’s little sister. It didn’t matter if the two of them had a thing happening, some kind of chemistry. What mattered was that he save the band’s record deal. And prove to his father, once and for all, that he was no screw-up.
He hadn’t seen Mindy in so long because he didn’t go back to Indiana, ever. They skipped it completely on tours because he couldn’t even stand to be in the same state as his father.
“So what do we do first?” Mindy asked. She knotted her fingers together in her lap. She was going along, but she wasn’t comfortable with it.
“First off,” Devon said, “relax. You look like you’re ready to jump out of your skin. Come here.”
Mindy stood in front of him, her arms at her sides. “Now what?”
He took her hands and pulled her into his arms, so he could look down into her face. The quickening in his body didn’t mean anything. He could ignore his attraction for her. She was a pretty girl and he was a red-blooded male. Didn’t mean a thing. “Mindy, meet my eyes.” He glanced at Bret. “I don’t know if this is going to work.”
Bret took a step back and examined them. “No, you look good enough together. Cute, even. Everyone will love you going for the-girl-next-door after your past relationships.”
“That’s not what I mean. She’s stiff in my arms like she doesn’t want to be here, and she won’t meet my gaze. There’s not a woman alive who wouldn’t want to be in your shoes.”
Mindy pushed him away and took a step back. Now her gaze snapped to his. “God, your arrogance is incredible. Get over yourself. Some of us don’t trade partners in and out like tissues. It’s going to take some getting used to. Give me a minute, for heaven’s sake.”
“We don’t have that long. We’re walking out of this building together, getting in a car, and going to our hotel room.”
She put a hand to her crimson cheeks and glanced at her brother. “Did he just say ‘our hotel room?’”
“Well, yeah. You’ve got to share a room. But it’s a suite, and Devon can take the couch. There’s a party first.” Bret took his sister’s hand. “You don’t have to do this if you don’t think you can handle it, Min.”
Devon wasn’t entirely sure he could do this and maintain the distance he knew Bret expected of him. Could he do the right thing and keep his hands off Mindy? He wasn’t sure he’d ever been a good enough guy to not take advantage of the close quarters they’d be sharing.
“What about my clothes?” she asked, out of nowhere. Leave it to her to focus on details that didn’t really matter. “I didn’t pack for more than a day or two.”
Devon was still lost in his own thoughts. He strolled back to the bar and poured another healthy shot of vodka. Bret spoke up, “We’ve got that covered, too. I hired an image consultant. You’ll get an all new wardrobe. Devon’s treat.”
“I’ve got a certain standard to live up to.” Why was he being so unkind to her? Maybe because he didn’t trust himself.
She looked at him then, and the hurt shone in her eyes. He wanted to apologize for being such a bastard about all this, but what was the point? The more they could dampen this fire between them, the better off they’d both be. “I’ll do this, but not for you, Devon. You’ve become a world-class ass. I’m doing this so you don’t ruin my brother’s future.”
He drained the shot of vodka, letting it burn him clean through. He had become a world-class ass. And he’d do it for her brother, and all their band mates as well. But he didn’t like it. This wasn’t going to lead anywhere good. “Let’s get to the party. You might want to change into something a little more… attractive.”
Glaring at him the whole time, she grabbed the small bag beside the couch. “Where can I change?”
Bret took her by the arm. “I’ll show you.” He shot daggers with his eyes at Devon.
Devon looked at it this way—he could keep his hands to himself, or he could not be an ass. Doing both wasn’t possible.
Chapter Three - Mindy
Mindy pawed through her clothes in the dressing room her brother had led her to. Had she even brought anything to wear to a party? A little advanced warning would have been nice. She sure didn’t want to prove Devon right, that she couldn’t look attractive enough to be on his arm.
She took a deep breath and tried to remember what Bret had said. The whole reason they chose her for this was that she was the perfect girl-next-door. She had that much handled. She couldn’t be more plain compared to Devon’s last supermodel ex.
Finally, she pulled out a black tank dress she usually wore under a cardigan. She had a hot pink bra in here somewhere; the straps would show out from under the tank in a sexy little peek-a-boo. At least, she’d seen other girls wear it that way. She’d never been brave enough to try, but she’d be damned before she wouldn’t try to look “more attractive,” after what Devon said.
She changed quickly then looked in the lit mirror. The black dress molded to her curves, and the hot pink straps stuck out in a shock of color. She just couldn’t do it. She pulled out an electric blue bolero shrug and slid it over her shoulders. There, that looked much more presentable,
and less like she was a walking look-at-me billboard.
What to do with her makeup and hair?
Using a comb, she teased her hair out, then pulled it up in a claw clip. She pulled tendrils down around her face, then sprayed it with hairspray. As a last step, she freshened her lip-gloss and darkened her liner and eye shadow for a smoky eye effect. She didn’t even look like herself anymore. She’d never in her life stepped out of her home looking like she really wanted a man’s attention.
But she had to admit: As furious as she was with Devon, she wanted him to be proud to have her on his arm.
She stepped out of the dressing room. Her brother was nowhere to be seen. A low whistle came from a pillar near the door.
Devon stepped out. “I see you’re ready for the party.”
“Well?” She took her time turning in front of him.
“I didn’t know you had it in you, Mindy. You look… hot. Really hot.”
“Thanks,” she mumbled, the familiar heat rushing through her.
“Yeah, yeah. We’ve got a party to get to.” He held out a hand for her and, with reticence, she finally took it. He tugged her hand until she stood inches away from him. “We need a little practice first.”
“If you kiss me here, I’ll knee you in the balls, Devon. I’m not even kidding. When my brother said to keep your hands to yourself, he spoke for both of us. I’m not one of your little playthings.”
Devon threw his head back and laughed at her. “You’ve grown up to be pretty sassy, kid. I like it.”
“Do not call me ‘kid.’ I’m an adult woman.”
“All right. Practice without kissing. That doesn’t seem very advisable, but we’ll work on it.” His hands came to rest at her waist and he pulled her against him.
