by J. D. Chase
“Why would I mind?” I asked, frowning. I caught his filthy grin and realized. Ah, no more Mile High Club pleasures. “Lucas, after seeing Joel, I have no desire to have sex any time soon. He makes my skin crawl. I just want to find out what he’s up to and get rid of him.”
Lucas reached over and cupped my face in his hands. “We will, honey. Once we know his game, we’ll beat him at it. Don’t worry.” Then he kissed me and I almost forgot about everything as warm tingles spread through my whole body, although he was only touching my face. As he released me and leaned back, I noticed Scott watching us with a scornful expression. Oh boy, this might be more difficult than I thought.
We rejoined the others and had a couple more drinks, courtesy of Lucas. I noticed how Jenny became less introverted when she had a little alcohol in her. Her cheeks were flushed and she was much more animated. So was Travis. He grew louder and louder until we began to get disapproving looks from the bar staff. Jenny didn’t seem to notice; or if she did, she didn’t mind. Once we were nicely under the influence, Lucas offered everyone a ride home on the private jet. Everyone was pumped. Everyone except Scott, who refused scornfully. Eventually, with some persistent persuasion from Chad and Angel, he finally agreed but he made sure we all knew that he wasn’t happy about it.
It didn’t go down too well when Lucas insisted on an early departure. I guessed it was to make sure that Joel couldn’t meet with Scott again—or any of our group. He used the excuse that there were preparations to be made for the meeting with Trey and for their tour, which was now only days away. That soon had everyone chatting in a distracted buzz.
We walked to the festival entrance where a cab was waiting to take us to our hotels and then the airport. Lucas had cunningly only requested one cab. Obviously we couldn’t all fit in. Lucas declared that he’d thought of something and needed to see Trey urgently and would follow on later. I said I’d wait but Lucas pointed out that there still wasn’t room for me in the cab and neither could one other. He said I should follow in another cab with whoever else was left over. Immediately, Scott declared that he would wait for another cab with me. Lucas caught my eye as he called and requested another cab. Oh, well played, Mr. Hunter!
Chapter Six
The others left and Lucas headed back inside the festival grounds, having agreed that I’d get our luggage from the hotel so he could get a cab directly to the airport. I decided to wait until we were safely ensconced inside the cab before I tackled Scott about Joel. Instead I gushed about how brilliant Denial had been and Scott enthused about how awesome it had been on stage with the electric atmosphere. He’d just started the usual drummer’s moan that he was stuck behind a drum kit and couldn’t parade around the stage like the others, when the cab arrived.
We got in and I was pleased to see how relaxed and off guard Scott was. I was just about to ask him straight out about talking to Joel, when something stopped me. I don’t know what it was. Intuition perhaps, but I decided to act the innocent instead.
“I was so worried about you when you hadn’t showed up backstage, you know, just before your set,” I said casually.
He looked at me thoughtfully for a second, then shrugged. “I just lost track of time. But it was all cool. I was there when it mattered.” He looked away and out of the window.
“Where were you?” I asked, trying to sound nonchalant.
“Oh, just wandering around, listening to the bands.”
It was obvious that I was going to have to come right out with it if I wanted answers. “I went looking for you, you know. But I couldn’t find you and the crowds were getting really bad.”
He turned his head to look at me, clearly surprised. “You did?”
“Of course I did! I thought you were going to miss your slot. That would have been disastrous not just for you, but for the whole band.”
He nodded, looking a little sheepish. “I know.”
I decided to bite the bullet so I took a deep breath and asked, “Who were you talking to, outside the backstage entrance?”
He frowned and made a face. “Nobody. Why?”
My stomach flipped at his blatant lie and I had to fight the urge to call him a liar and demand that he tell me the truth. Again, my instinct told me not to confront him. I forced a smile. “Oh nothing, I thought I saw you talking to some guy outside the backstage door, right before you dashed backstage and got changed. I was obviously mistaken. Anyway, are you all ready for the tour? I can’t believe it’s almost here already.”
He narrowed his eyes for a second or two and I got the feeling he was suspicious about my sudden dismissal of the topic. Then his face relaxed and he said, “Yeah, pretty much. It’s basically doing what we did today, but over and over in different locations. No biggie.” And with that, he turned and looked out of the window again. I got the distinct impression that he had something on his mind but I knew Scott and there was no point in pushing him; he’d just clam up even more. I spent the rest of the short journey to Scott’s hotel worrying about what Lucas might do, seeing as I’d drawn a blank.
He collected his luggage quickly and we went on to the hotel where Lucas and I were staying. Scott came up with me and waited whilst I quickly packed our overnight bags. He couldn’t resist making a few sarcastic comments about us staying in the lap of luxury. I ignored them; Lucas had booked the band into a perfectly good hotel and, rather than two twin rooms just for the band, he had once again paid for an extra double room for Chad and Angel. And this time, he’d swapped a twin room for a double room for Travis and Jenny, leaving Ethan and Scott to share a twin room. I felt like retorting that Lucas was paying for everything—the travel, accommodation and incidental expenses. Yes, he’d managed to get them the festival slots, but they weren’t being paid so Lucas wasn’t getting anything back.
I seethed silently as I zipped up Lucas’ bag. I said nothing but my manner was noticeably cooler. I pointedly refused to allow him to carry either of the bags and hefted them myself, grateful that I’d not packed much. I thought it was odd that Scott didn’t insist or ask me what was wrong, although it was obvious I was giving him the cold shoulder. The journey to the airport continued in silence. I was glad to see Lucas waiting to get us through security. He’d already escorted the others onto the jet.
As soon as we’d taken off and everyone had a drink in their hand, Lucas inclined his head towards the bedroom. I frowned, knowing there was no way I would be clocking up any more Mile High Club points with my friends in the cabin next door. He rolled his eyes and shook his head slightly then nodded again towards the bedroom. Predictably, there were cheers and lewd remarks from Travis and Ethan as we left. I felt my cheeks blush furiously, although I knew they’d mistaken our intentions.
As soon as the door closed behind us, he said, “Well, what did little drummer boy have to say?”
I bit my lip, not wanting to admit that I’d failed and worrying about the consequences. Lucas noticed and said, “Ah, I see. I’m not going to like this am I?” He turned and sat on the edge of the bed. “Come. Sit,” he said, as he patted the bed next to him.
I sat and took a deep breath. “Scott denied talking to anyone when I asked him.”
I saw the muscles in his jaw tense before he spoke. “What did he say when you told him that you’d seen him?”
“I didn’t persist. I pretended to have been mistaken.”
“What?” he demanded, glaring at me, his face mere inches from mine.
I instinctively pulled away from him. Immediately, his expression changed, showing surprise then remorse. “Oh, Issy, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap. I’m just feeling tense and I know that’s no excuse. I shouldn’t take it out on you.” He reached out and pulled me into his arms.
I relaxed as we just sat holding each other until Lucas apologized again and asked me whether Scott had said anything else.
“Lucas, I know Scott. Well. He has something on his mind; he’s distracted. He is notoriously stubborn so insisting that he te
ll me about Joel would have been pointless. He would just have dug his heels in further.”
He squeezed me slightly. “I trust your judgment, Issy. It’s frustrating though. Surely if Joel had simply approached him either by coincidence or by design and there was nothing for Scott to tell, he would have confessed to it. Therefore, he must be hiding something.”
I nodded. “That’s what I think too. Which is why I didn’t persist and make him clam up completely. Give me time, I’ll find a way to get him to talk.”
I felt the tension in Lucas’ frame. “Joel’s up to his tricks again. I know that much. I just hope Scott’s smart enough not to get himself involved in whatever it is.”
“Oh, Lucas, I’m sure he won’t,” I protested.
He gave a bitter laugh. “I wouldn’t be so sure. He’s no fan of mine, he clearly hates the fact that we’re together and Joel can be very persuasive, I can assure you.”
I thought for a second and decided that the circumstances were serious enough for me to confess. “Lucas, I’m going to need to be honest about Joel when I talk to Scott. It’s the only way that I think I can get Scott to understand what a monster Joel is.”
I felt his head tilt. “Honest about what?”
I took a deep breath. “That day that Joel came to my apartment and we . . . Well, I got drunk with Scott and ended up staying there.”
I heard the tension in his voice when he replied, “Hmmm. And?”
“So I told him what had happened. With Joel and . . . with you.”
He was silent for a while and I realized that I was holding my breath. “You told him everything that Joel had said?”
“Yes. I told him everything that I knew, or thought I knew, at the time.”
His voice was strained when he asked, “Do you think he believed you when you told him what actually happened to my mother?”
“Um, I haven’t told him yet.”
Lucas grasped my shoulders and pushed me upright to look at my face. “What? So he still believes that I murdered my mother and drove my father to his death?” His eyes bored into mine relentlessly.
I looked down and muttered, “Yes. I’ve spent practically every moment with you. I haven’t had a chance to speak to him.”
“Issy, you’ve just spent time alone with him in the cab. If he wouldn’t tell you about his conversation with Joel, I’m sure you could have used the time to bring him up to speed,” he said caustically. “So why didn’t you?”
I opened my mouth to reply, then hesitated. I looked up into Lucas’ face and saw him narrow his eyes. I knew I needed to tell him the truth. “I didn’t tell him because I got the distinct impression that he was hiding something from me. There was definitely something on his mind.”
His eyes were boring into mine. “Do you think it was connected to Joel?”
I shrugged. “I’ve got no idea except that his awkwardness began when I brought up the topic of him talking to someone by the backstage door. He was fine when we first got into the cab—he only got distant and distracted once I tried to talk to him about it.”
He laughed. “Of course he was fine to begin with. Did you see how quickly he jumped at the chance to be alone with you in a cab? Is that all you spoke about? Joel, I mean?”
I nodded.
“Well, whatever he’s hiding must be about Joel then.” He stood suddenly, taking me by surprise. “I should go in there and demand to know what the hell’s going on.” He raked his hand through his hair—a gesture I knew meant pure frustration.
I stood and placed my hand on his arm. “And what good would that do? We don’t know for sure that he knows anything about Joel. And trust me, embarrassing him in front of the guys won’t make him confess to anything if he does.”
He took several deep breaths before fishing his cell out of his pocket. He proceeded to snap out instructions for someone to meet us at the airport in the Lexus. I thought he was talking to Daniel but then, if driving was involved, it was more likely to be his security chief, Carter.
I raised an eyebrow as he ended the call. He explained that he wanted Carter to get a good look at Scott because his security team would be keeping him under surveillance.
“Is that really necessary?” I asked in disbelief.
“Yes, Issy. Until I know what we’re dealing with, I believe it is. And you know what Joel is capable of. I don’t think I’m overreacting.”
We returned to the others in the cabin. Travis demanded to know whether we’d joined the Mile High Club, I just rolled my eyes and ignored him. Lucas laughed and said not this time and that Travis and Jenny were welcome to use the room. Immediately, Travis jumped to his feet, threw Jenny over his shoulder and dashed into the bedroom—Jenny shrieking for him to put her down. We all laughed . . . except Scott who seemed to be busy messaging on his cell. I was uneasy about him being placed under surveillance but, I had to agree, he was acting oddly.
The rest of the flight passed without incident. An ecstatic looking Travis and a very red-faced Jenny retook their seats for landing. As soon as the jet was stationary, Lucas charged off to the Lexus to speak with Carter, who was leaning against the trunk. The boys collected their guitars and luggage then headed to a waiting limo as instructed by Lucas. I hugged Angel and Jenny before they too got into the limo. I wandered over to the Lexus and Carter immediately took my bag and opened the rear door for me to get in. They continued to converse for a couple of minutes or so before getting in and Carter drove us back to the Orion Building.
As we ascended in the elevator, I asked Lucas whether Carter had managed to get a good look at Scott and whether he was going to begin the surveillance now. Lucas grinned and said that the whole team had seen him at the airport and he’d been under surveillance since we landed. I felt my mouth gape open and closed it hastily as he chuckled. I muttered that I should have known that his team would be as efficient as professionals. He guffawed and told me that his team were all former employees of various security services around the world. Again, my jaw hit the floor but this time it was Lucas who gently closed my mouth with his fingertip before kissing me chastely with smiling lips.
We exited the elevator and I turned and began to walk down the hallway to Lucas’ bedroom. A stern, dominant voice stopped me in my tracks. “And where do you think you’re going, Miss Prince?”
Oh my! That voice! It caused my vaginal muscles to clench and my heart to race. I turned to face him. He’d put our bags down and was standing with his arms folded across his muscular chest. My breath caught in my throat when I saw his face. Mr. Dominant was in the building! His eyes were glossy and jet black, and his expression was stern, almost condescending.
“Go to the playroom, undress and be waiting for me. Face down, ass up on the bed.”
I swallowed. Hard. How can he make me wet just with a look and that voice? I lowered my eyes and walked past him to the playroom. I really wanted to look back at him before I opened the door but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I wanted to be sassy and independent but I guess, where he was concerned, my submissive side won out. I entered and undressed quickly. I folded my clothes and pondered his words. ‘Face down, ass up on the bed’ . . . I knew I had to lie on my front but ass up? The only way I could figure out how to get my ass ‘up’ was to pull my knees in underneath me so that my ass was lifted off the bed. I got comfortable and waited.
I didn’t have to wait long before I heard the door open and close again. With my forehead resting on the bed, I couldn’t see anything so I concentrated on my other senses. I heard his bare feet on the hard floor, sounding like whispers. Then, as he approached, I could smell his unique scent. I inhaled greedily. I couldn’t see, touch or taste him so I made the most of the only sense that connected us in that moment.
I waited for what seemed an eternity before I heard him go to the chest of drawers and open one. My stomach flipped in anticipation of what he might have planned. I was so distracted with possibilities and the need to feel his touch that when his hand
s caressed my back, I started. I heard him shush softly as his hands continued to skate over my skin. Then it was featherlight kisses along my spine. It was exquisite, but it was also torture because I knew I shouldn’t move. Yet every touch of those lips made me want to arch my back and purr.
As he kissed, his hands went lower and he kneaded my ass cheeks. Then I felt him part my cheeks and his fingertip parted my labia. “Just checking to see how much you want me, Issy,” he said in a deep husky voice. I felt his finger slide into me and automatically I clenched around it. He pulled it out and I heard him suck his finger noisily. “Well done, you’ve passed the dip test,” he murmured, sounding very pleased. Pride and desire flared through me at his words. “And you taste divine, Issy.”
I almost moaned when his hands slid underneath me and cupped my breasts. He began to roll and pinch my nipples; gently at first but then with increasing pressure. My breaths became shorter as I panted with need. He began to pinch, pull and twist them so that pain spiked and shot to my sex. Then I felt a pinch on one side that was different. It was cold and fierce and it didn’t subside. I felt cold metal across my ribcage before my other nipple received the same treatment.
I could barely see anything. My eyes were too close to the bed. I could see my knees but not my breasts. I longed to know what he was doing. Then into my head popped a visual memory from Odyssey of ladies wearing clamps on their nipples that were joined by a chain. I tried to imagine what I looked like, but couldn’t. Then I recalled that the chains could be pulled upon . . . my stomach contracted with a mixture of apprehension and curiosity.
I was just realizing that the pain from the clamps was either subsiding or my body was acclimatizing when Lucas tugged on the chain. Bolts of pain shot from my breasts to my pussy, making it clench involuntarily. I cried out before I could stop myself. Lucas didn’t appear to notice, or if he did, he ignored it because I felt his finger slide inside me again. Another dip test, I assumed. But it felt different and he didn’t pull it straight back out. He left it there.
