by Lane, Terri
“You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to, ma’am,” he said, his voice low and steady. “I know it sounds like a terrible PR stunt, a photo opportunity.”
Alasia nodded. That’s exactly what it sounded like.
“But there might be a chance,” Zach continued, “That you showing up to that hospital could make a difference in that little girl’s life, brighten up her day. I know you don’t want to face anyone right now, but if you could swallow your pride, just for today, and go pay that girl a visit, it might do both of you some good.”
Alasia dropped her head, ashamed. She’d been so wrapped up in her own cloud of self-pity that she’d forgotten that there were other people in the world, people who might need her.
She opened her mouth to speak, but Zach continued. “When I got back from Afghanistan,” he told her, “I was in the hospital for a long time getting my knee put back together. I wasn’t doin’ so hot, mentally, so my momma arranged to have my favorite football player come visit me. I know it sounds stupid, a grown man, a damn Navy SEAL, getting a visit from a celebrity, but I was in a bad way.
“I didn’t want him to come at first, I figured it was just a photo op, a chance to show off how compassionate and carrying he was, visiting some poor, injured veteran in the hospital so he could smile and wave to the cameras. But my momma was so excited about her plan, that I let him do the visit.”
Alasia looked at Zach, her dark eyes searching his handsome face.
“But when the football player showed up, ma’am,” Zach continued. “He didn’t have a camera crew or photographers or anything. He didn’t even have his own camera on him. He just shook my hand, thanked me for my service, and then we cracked open a couple of beers and talked about football, chatted away like we were old friends. And guess what?”
“What?” Alasia asked, although she suspected Zach’s question was rhetorical.
“Well, it worked. I felt better. I wasn’t magically healed or anything and I still had a long way to go, but something about that visit made me feel better. Like there was somebody out there in the world— somebody who I admired greatly– who cared about me, just a little. I didn’t feel so alone.”
Alasia felt something hot trickle down her cheek and realized that she was crying. “I’ll do it,” she agreed. “I’ll do it. But only if you come with me.”
Zach nodded, “It would be my pleasure, ma’am.”
Marty was livid when Alasia informed him that she would not be taking camera crews, but Zach backed her up. The visit went beautifully, the teenaged girl was ecstatic that her favorite singer had taken time to come pay her a visit and she happily snapped selfies of the two of them together. She even insisted on getting Zach in a photo.
They stayed at the hospital for hours, visiting with the girl and her mother, watching funny YouTube videos on the girl’s laptop, laughing and chatting like they were the best of friends. Zach practically had to carry Alasia out of the hospital so they would make it back to the venue in time for the show.
As they piled into the taxi, Alasia grinned at Zach, the first real smile she’d given him since Kansas City. “Thank you,” she said simply.
“Thanks for what, ma’am?” he asked.
“For reminding me that there are other people in this world, Zach, and that maybe I can do a little good with this weird-ass fame.”
“My pleasure ma’am,” he replied, reaching out to take her hand. “My pleasure.” He didn’t let it go until they reached the concert venue.
***
By the time they reached Fresno, their final destination, it seemed that more than Alasia’s spirits had been lifted by the hospital visit. The girl had posted her photos of Alasia’s visit and they’d instantly gone viral. Alasia was once again trending, her popularity soaring.
Zach had warmed up considerably since then, too, and things between them had almost returned to the friendly camaraderie they’d achieved before the disaster in Kansas City.
Backstage at Fresno was chaos, everyone hurrying back and forth in excitement for the final performance of the tour. Stagehands swiftly loaded in giant pieces of scenery and erected huge metal towers of lighting equipment. Alasia narrowly avoided being whacked in the head by a passing light tree as she searched the venue for Zach’s comforting presence. There hadn’t been anymore “incidents” since Kansas City, but she was still anxious. Fresno seemed like the perfect opportunity for a jealous someone to play one more nasty, dangerous trick on her.
Alasia finally spotted Zach, tucked away in a corner of the green room and she started to wave her hand in greeting, then dropped it limply to her side. Zach was not alone. Genna was pressed up against her handsome bodyguard, her hands running playfully up and down those strong arms.
“It’s the last night,” she purred into his ear, loud enough for Alasia to hear across the room. “You should come back to my room after the show to celebrate.”
Zach started to answer, but froze when he spotted Alasia, blue eyes filled with guilt. “Ma’am—” he began, but Alasia didn’t let him finish.
“No, Zach,” she snapped, seething with anger. “It’s fine. You’re not my property, you can do anything or anyone you want to. It’s fine.” She turned on her high heel and sped from the green room, pelting down the crowded hall toward her dressing room, pushing people out of her way.
In her haste, she collided with Demetrius Callow, who pushed her away with a sneer. “Break a leg out there tonight, Lay-Lay,” he snarked, sweeping his lank black hair out of his eyes. “Enjoy your final show. And I do mean final.”
Demetrius’ cruel laugh chased her down the hall as she raced into her dressing room, slamming the door behind her.
“Baby!”
As if her day couldn’t get any worse, Devan was sprawled out on the sofa in her dressing room, a beer in his hand and selfish grin on his face.
“What the hell are you doing here, Devan?” she snapped.
He feigned hurt. “I just wanted to see my girl on her final show.”
“I’m not your girl anymore,” Alasia said, rage boiling over. “You made that perfectly clear after Kansas City.”
“Aw, Lay-Lay,” Devan argued. “That was just a stupid fight, baby. You know I love you.”
“You love publicity, Devan. You’re only back here because I’m popular again and you’re hoping for some, I don’t know, photo op or something.”
“Baby—“
“No!” Alasia shouted. “I’m not your baby. Get the hell out of here, Devan, get the hell out!”
Alasia desperately wished for Zach, wished he could physically picked Devan up and toss him out of her dressing room, but her loyal bodyguard was too busy flirting with Genna to do his damn job.
“Get out!” she repeated and, miraculously, Devan did.
“I’ll be watching you from the front row, baby,” he said and it almost sounded like a threat. “I’ll be watching you.”
Alasia’s hands were shaking so badly that she was barely able to put her makeup on. It took her several trembling attempts to get her false eyelashes correctly applied and they were still a little crooked when she finally managed it.
She sighed, biting back tears. What did it matter if her makeup was hot mess? She’d had enough of this damn tour, of this stupid pop star lifestyle. Alasia needed to be done.
Her set was second to last, right before Demetrius, and she sucked in a deep gulping breath as she took the stage. Off stage right, in the wings, Genna stood watching, Zach at her side. Alasia couldn’t believe their nerve, standing there, watching her set, as if both of them hadn’t horribly betrayed her.
The cheers of the crowd swept her away for the first half of her set and she was finally feeling strong and confident by the time she launched into the opening of her final song, a sultry revenge ballad, which seemed appropriately fitting for her mood tonight.
Her eyes kept flicking toward Zach and Genna, distracting her as she stepped into her spotlight for the final so
ng. Something was wrong with the light, though. It kept swaying and moving, making it impossible for her to find her light. She looked up and, to her horror, saw one of the heavy stage lights wobbling precariously over her head.
The crowd kept screaming her name as she stood frozen, unable to move, unable to sing as she watched the light wiggle free of its bolt and crash down toward her.
“Alasia!”
She barely had a moment to register the sound of someone calling her name before a solid form crashed into her, hurling her to the ground out of the path of the hot, falling stage light.
The whole arena went silent. Alasia picked herself off the stage floor and saw Zach, crumpled at her side. He’d pushed her out of the way, but the light had crashed down on his legs. A small stream of blood was trickling out of a nasty rip in his pant leg.
“Zach!” she cried, oblivious the crowd. Nothing else mattered now but Zach, making sure he was safe. A set of paramedics rushed onto the stage and lifted a dazed Zach up, escorting him offstage.
Zach waved away their attention, insisting he was fine, but they taking him to Alasia’s dressing room and depositing him on the sofa. They left him there, making him promise to get his wounds looked at.
The second they were gone, Alasia flew to his side, inspecting his leg with her soft hands.
“Oh, Zach, oh baby,” she sobbed, “you’re hurt, baby. You’re hurt and I’m so sorry.”
Zach winced in pain, then smiled. “You just called me ‘baby,’ Alasia.”
She paused, realizing her error. She’d wanted to call him that for ages, wanted to wind herself up in his strong arms and kiss him for as long as she could remember. Well, she’d already done one of those things, she might as well do the others.
Alasia paused for a moment, trying to figure out the best way to make that happen, when Zach did it for her. He reached out, pulled her into his tall, muscular body, tilted her head back and kissed her. Hard.
“Alasia,” he panted into her mouth. “Alasia, I’m so sorry about Genna. She wouldn’t leave me alone—“
“It’s okay, baby, it’s okay,” she replied, diving back into the kiss.
Zach moaned against her mouth, the gentle hum sending shivers up her spine. She opened her mouth, ready to invite his hungry tongue in for a deeper kiss when a sharp knock at the door interrupted them.
“I should get that,” Zach began, but she pushed him back down.
“No, wait,” Alasia said. “We don’t know who that is. It could be trouble.”
“Baby?” Devan’s voice resounded through the closed door.
It was definitely trouble.
“Let me get rid of him,” Alasia said, guiding Zach to the bathroom. “Wait in here, okay?”
Zach started to argue but she shut the door in his face, steadying herself with a deep breath before opening the door for Devan.
“Baby,” he gushed, pulling her into a tight hug. “I was so worried about you up there. What happened?”
“It was just a light, Devan, I’m fine.”
“Yeah, well, it scared the shit out of me,” Devan said, his eyes flashing with anger. “Who the hell let that happen? Don’t you have a bodyguard to stop this shit from happening?”
“He saved me, Devan,” she began.
“Yeah, barely. He’s not doing his damn job, Lay-Lay. He’s supposed to be protecting you, but somehow your costume in Kansas City winds up covered in horse hair and now this—“
“How did you know that?” Alasia said, realization slowly dawning. “I didn’t tell you about that. We only told the press that I’d had an asthma attack…”
Devon looked shifty. “Well, I know you, baby. I know what you’re allergic to—“
“That’s right, Devan,” she said, voice cold with anger. “You know that I’m allergic to horses. No one else knows that, no one.”
“Baby—“
“And you know I’ve got a sweet tooth. Those damn truffles that made Laurence and Cajardo sick. You sent those, didn’t you?”
Devan’s face twisted into an ugly snarl. “So what? You’ve got no proof, bitch. I’d like to see you prove it—“
The bathroom door opened behind her and Zach barreled through it, straight at Devan. Zach pulled one fist back and smashed it into Devan’s face. He hit him again, and again.
Alasia grabbed his arm, forcing him to stop. “Zach, enough! Enough!”
Panting, Zach slowed his assault, dropping his fist. He turned to Alasia, blue eyes dark with anger. “What do you want me to do with this asshole, ma’am?”
“Get him the hell out of here, Zach.”
Zach didn’t need to be told twice. He picked Devan up by the scruff of his neck, tossing him out into the hallway like a used bag of trash.
“Alasia?” he asked, finally snapping out of his rage. “What do you want me to do now?”
“Take me back to the hotel, Zach.”
***
They were barely through the door of the hotel room before Alasia turned on him, pressing Zach back up against the solid wooden door and pulling him into a desperate kiss, and continuation of the one that had been so rudely interrupted back at the venue.
There was no hesitation from Zach this time. He kissed back into her, tongue hot and searching as it pressed into her waiting mouth. She gasped at the intensity of the kiss, tracing her delicate hands down his broad frame, giving them permission to explore every inch of him.
“Zach, baby,” she murmured, her mouth moving down the line of his thick neck. “God, I want you, baby.”
Zach lifted her up with his thickly muscled arms, pulling her up toward him. Her curvy thighs wrapped around his waist as his broad hands supported her generous ass. She loved being held like this, cradled by a man strong enough to rip phone books in half with his bare hands.
He swung around and pressed her against the door, pressing her with the weight of his body. Zach’s mouth kissed down her throat, until he reached her full breasts. He buried his face in her deep cleavage, beard delightfully scratching her exposed flesh.
Alasia suddenly found herself wanting more, needing him now.
“Zach,” she moaned, enjoying the feel of his name in her mouth. “Fuck me, baby, fuck me right now.”
Zach didn’t need to be asked twice. He hauled her over to the enormous king-sized bed, tossing her onto it in his haste. There was a quick bit of fumbling as he stripped off her black leather jumpsuit. She hadn’t had time to change out of her costume and the leather was still slick with the sweat from her performance.
There was a quick tearing sound and the leather garment was ripped from her body.
“Guess it’s a good thing this was the last performance, huh?” he teased.
Alasia leaned back as Zach’s blue eyes roamed over her naked form. She could only imagine what she looked like, ample brown breasts exposed, nipples hard with arousal; her dark skin prickling into gooseflesh. A pang of want ripped through her, moistening the delicate mound between her full thighs.
“I need you, Zach,” she purred, “I need you right now.”
Zach pulled his t-shirt over his head, revealing toned set of pectoral muscles and a tight six-pack. He swiftly shed his jeans and boxers and was finally exactly how she needed him: naked and wanting.
If Zach’s body was a work of art, then his cock was a masterpiece. It was long and thick with his desire, the tiniest bit of moisture glistening at the end. Alasia reached out one hand and wrapped it around his shaft, reveling in the velvet-soft hardness of him.
He moaned above her as she worked her hand up and down the length of his shaft, hardening with each stroke.
“Alasia,” he moaned, “Alasia, baby, I can’t wait, I can’t—“
“Then don’t, baby.”
He was on her now, heavy body pressing her into the soft mattress of the hotel bed. Zach’s forehead tipped down to meet hers, and he gazed into her dark brown eyes. “Are you ready for me, baby?” he asked, his voice strangely gentle.
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“I think I’ve been ready for you since the second I met you, Zach,” she replied. “I just didn’t know it.”
He lined up the tip of his cock at her entrance, pausing for a moment to enjoy the softness of her body underneath him. Slowly, so slowly, he pressed into her. Alasia trembled as he took her inch by sensitive inch. She didn’t know she could feel like this this: so full, so wanted.
Zach began to thrust slowly and she bucked her hips up into him, urging him to go faster, dive deeper. He was happy to oblige and soon his strong legs were driving his cock into her with such force, such need, that she was soon lost in wave after wave of her desire.
Alasia threw her head back, crying out as she came, Zach buried deep inside of her. He followed along, her name on his lips as he trembled and came, his orgasm tearing through him. Finally, when he was spent, he rolled over, pulling her on top of him so he wouldn’t crush her small frame with his considerable bulk.
They stayed like that for a while, drenched in sweat and perfectly content, their burning lust stated for the time being. Finally, Zach’s eyes fluttered open and he gazed up at her with delirious happiness.
“I’ve been thinking,” he said. “That maybe I should stay on as your bodyguard a little while longer. At least until we get to Madison Square Garden.”
“Zach, baby,” she replied, confused. “This tour is over. We aren’t going to Madison Square Garden.”
“Yeah, I know. But you’ll be there someday, right?”
Alasia nodded. Her childhood dream suddenly seemed closer, attainable. “But not for a long time. Years, maybe.”
Zach laughed and pulled her closer. “Then I guess I’m going to be your bodyguard for a long, long time.”
Alasia was one hundred percent okay with that.
THE END
= Bonus Book 3 of 9 =
Forbidden Love
Book 1: Taboo Attraction
