HERO (The Complete Series)

by Bella Love-Wins

  “Don’t threaten me with a good time,” she told him, ready for the escape. “I hope you’re not a sore loser, Bash, because I’m about to decimate you.”

  She gleefully gripped the controller and got up from the armchair to sit on the sofa facing the TV, tucking her feet beneath her. She looked down at the way she was sitting. This was way too girly. She pulled her legs back out and placed her feet on the floor. Thankfully, Bash was putting the game disc into the console, so he did not notice. He grabbed his own controller and sat next to her. Their thighs brushed innocently, and it was enough to send an electric jolt of desire through her entire body.

  She did not want to move. She watched the game load up, and sneaked glances at him as he went through the game start-up options.

  This is it.

  This is the come-on.

  He’s going to make a play for ‘Alex’.

  He’s finally got me alone at his house.

  Alexandra remembered that she was the one who invited herself over. She took a second to look at him head to toe, hoping he did not notice. His t-shirt tank showed off his tanned skin and rippling biceps.

  God, he looks tasty.

  He smells so damn good.

  They were about to play video games like a couple of buddies.

  What the hell is wrong with me?

  She moved over on the couch to give the heat pooling between her legs some time to return to normal. It was no use. The minute he looked at her and nudged her with his elbow—and with that grin on his face—she was turned right back on again.

  “Ready?” he asked.

  She nodded, because she did not trust herself to speak. She was ready for something, alright. Her body was ramped up and ready for him, or a cold shower, or anything that could get her out of this. He motioned for her to scroll through the options. They picked their cars from the lineup, boosting them up with extra speed or power. Before long, the distraction helped cool her down, and soon they were ready for the first race.

  “Try to keep up, pretty boy,” Bash said while holding his thumb down on the accelerator. She jabbed him in the shoulder. He play-kicked at her ankles, and started the game before she could catch her bearings. She immediately fell behind at his distraction technique.

  “Hey!” she shouted.

  Racing games were a full body sport. She found herself jerking her elbows up and down, or whipping the controller to the right or left as she went around a bend in the road. She wiggled on the sofa, trying to inch him off the road, but he paused long enough to poke at her controller. Her yellow sports car flipped off the track and exploded in the digital grass.

  “Dammit. That was a low blow, Bash.”

  “What?” he said, laughing. “Tell me that wasn’t funny.”

  “It’s all fun and games until the cheater loses.”

  “I was just playing. Come on, I’d never cheat. You wouldn’t have to worry about that with me. I’m as fair and loyal as they come.”

  She turned away from the game and looked at him. He was not talking about the race anymore. He didn’t look at her. His car shot across the finish line and he threw his hands up.

  “We have a winner!” he yelled. “Don’t worry. This is the warmup lap.”

  She shook off the need rising up inside her again. He just said he would never cheat. He was as loyal as they come.

  This is freaking insane.

  I can’t be falling for him!

  “Want a rematch?” he asked.

  By now she was staring at him with one raised eyebrow and her mouth slightly open. He looked over at her like he didn’t notice it, so she played along, nodding to the rematch. They geared up for the next race, and she put a little more distance between them on the couch. It did not help. It was no use. There was no way to avoid bumping into him at the shoulders, hips, knees, somewhere. Still, she couldn’t stop herself from getting completely lost in the game. Hours passed, and in the back of her head, she was still turning over his comment about loyalty. The stakes were higher now. He had actually gotten bold enough to hint at wanting to date her—‘Alex’.

  I’m playing with fire.

  One of us is going to get burned.

  “Whew!” she said. “This was a great idea, Bash! I think I’ll head back now.”

  They had played countless races. They had moved up several levels, and the racing tracks got harder. Her shoulders ached from jerking around. It felt like she had really been driving all this time. It was a blast. This was loads of fun, but she had to pretend she felt nothing, like they were nothing more than two guys hanging out. It was time to leave before any other confessions got thrown around.

  “Anytime you need to get away, you know where to find me,” he said.

  Bash turned to her and brushed her hair back from her face. They were arm’s length apart. She felt closed in, but did not pull away. Their eyes connected. She did not know what to say.

  “I always have a good time with you,” Bash told her.

  “Me too,” she said, clearing her throat.

  His eyes darkened for a split second, but they both let the moment pass. He pulled back, arms crossed. “Well, I’m going to miss you when you leave. It was fun hanging with you while you were here, Alex.”

  “Same here.”

  He straightened up in the sofa. “When are you flying home?”

  “Soon.” She could not remember the date, not with him looking at her like that…like they were just friends…like he was not going to miss her one way or another. She rose awkwardly and started toward to the door. “Thanks for having me over, Bash. I’ll find my way out.”

  “Hey. Why don’t you leave a phone number for me to stay in touch with you?”

  She shrugged. Giving him any contact information would effectively be an admission of her deception. She only had contact details for Lexxi Rock, not Alex Roberts.

  “How about an email address?” he tried.

  She shook her head. “Sorry, Bash. It’s been cool, but I don’t think it’ll work out. I’m not—I’m not…”

  “I meant as friends,” he stated pointedly, rising to his feet too. Bash slid his hands in his pockets as he looked over at her. “I’ve never asked you for more than that. I don’t know why you’d assume I want more.”

  “Well…I mean, I thought…I didn’t think...” she was sputtering like a busted car. “What I mean to say is I didn’t assume you wanted more. I’m really bad at keeping in touch. I don’t want to get your hopes up.”

  Chapter 23

  SEBASTIAN shook his head. He let her leave. She walked out of his house—more like ran. He was disappointed, but this whole situation was too crazy, and too funny to register the tragedy of it all. He wanted to howl with a laughter that kept bubbling up. That could have gone much worse. He let out a breath, locked the door, and went back to the living room to turn off the racing game.

  It was worth a shot. He could not let her leave without trying to stay in touch. He knew she would not keep up her ‘Alex Roberts’ charade once she got back to her normal life. The only thing that did not sit well with him was Alexandra would leave without knowing one thing—that Sebastian knew who she was all along.

  There’s also the fact that I’m straight.

  It solved one problem, though. Clint and Beth would not meet her or out her. He got into rationalization mode. Her leaving would solve all his problems. Without Alexandra here to tempt him, he could also get back to his life. There were a few weeks left before knee surgery, and after that, another several weeks of physical therapy before he would return to work. He did not need anything messing with his mood.

  So why do I feel like shit at the thought of her walking out of my life?

  He sat on the couch she had just vacated, and a whiff of her perfume wafted up. He closed his eyes and took it in. The frustration he felt bordered on agony. All he wanted was to touch her. Everywhere. To kiss her lips and taste her, and take her body until she was undone.

  It was too much to
ask, with this game of hers that he chose to entertain. He was just as responsible for how things went down.

  After hours of all that physical closeness on his couch—and no action—he was wound up and horny as hell. He yanked the controllers out of the console and put them away, thinking about her leg pressed against his. Her playful jabs and nudges, and her laughter. The way she looked at him when he slipped up and said he would never cheat on her. That “Wynona” character, which he surmised was that country singer, Wilkes, had to be a real piece of work to screw her over the way he did.

  Sebastian needed to face the facts. There was no way to tell her he wanted her, until she gave up the act. Her interest was there. He just did not know how to get her to be real with him. Calling her on her ruse would only force her to put up her walls again. He looked at the clock. It was almost dinner time, so he made his way to the kitchen. Her life and her decisions were none of his business.

  Time to have a meal. Time to get over Alexandra Storme. She made her decision. She was going back to LA, to be Lexxi Rock.

  Chapter 24

  ALEXANDRA trudged back into the house. She mulled over her mixed feelings about what just went down with Bash. Being Alex Roberts was a temporary measure. It worked—and came with consequences and casualties. Bash was an unfortunate casualty. Trying to keep a friendship going with him would only prolong the inevitable.

  The smell of roast beef and buttery mashed potatoes assailed her nostrils as she stepped inside. It distracted her from her worries for a fleeting moment. She followed the scent trail to the dining room, where Rosa had brought up the folding card table from the basement. Dad’s hospital bed was turned at an angle to make room for the table. It was already set with plates and cutlery.

  “I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to seeing you in men’s clothes, Alexandra,” Dad said when he saw her. “I don’t think it’s working. Your hair’s all grown out.”

  She smiled ruefully. “I don’t know, Dad. It looks like it’s working. I’ve been told I’m a pretty-boy.”

  “That’s not encouraging, kiddo.”

  Rosa entered the room, bringing out the meat on a large serving dish.

  “I can help you with that.” Alexandra rushed over to her.

  She placed the pot roast in the middle of the small tabletop, and looked up with a smile. “It was no problem, honey. I can handle it.”

  “You should have called me to get the table up from the basement.”

  Rosa waved her away.

  “We wouldn’t dream of interrupting your alone time with Bash,” Dad said, with a wink. His bed was tilted so he could sit up. He looked refreshed from his nap.

  Alexandra stared at him, horrified. “Hold on, Daddy. It’s nothing like that. Not even close!” she said, almost too strongly. “Seriously, Bash is just a friend. There’s nothing romantic going on between us. Here, Rosa, let me get the other dishes for you. Keep this comedian busy for me, would you?”

  Alexandra rushed to the kitchen to escape their knowing looks. When she returned with the last of the pots, they were sitting at the table, their questioning expressions still in place as though she had hit the pause button when she left.

  “Oh, come on you two!”

  “What? Old folks are notoriously curious,” Dad said.

  “Too curious…and presumptuous too.”

  “Seriously, honey. Sebastian is really taken with you, from what Rosa tells me. I hear the two of you have spent a lot of time together over the past few weeks. In my experience, when a guy comes around that often, it’s not just for kicks. Now, I’m not trying to play matchmaker, but I don’t want you to get in the way of your own happiness. That’s exactly what you’re doing here.”

  “Dad, if he was coming over to hang out with Alexandra, I’d say you have a point. But he’s not. He comes to hang with ‘Alex’. Your nephew.” Alexandra tried to change the subject before this became a full-fledged dinner-hour topic. “Now can someone please pass the corn on the cob? Mmmm, this smells delish! I can’t believe you whipped this up in the short time I was gone, Rosa.”

  Rosa did not let up. They were tag-teaming her now. “I was explaining to your father how you and Bash hit it off right from the beginning. You’ve been in disguise the whole time. Max believes Sebastian sees something in you, despite your boyish cover, and I’m inclined to agree.” She turned to Dad. “He was even bringing her home cooked meals for a while, Max.”

  “Hey, whose side are you on, Rosa?”

  Dad added, “Mark my words, Alexandra. Bash is interested in you.”

  “I know,” she said without thinking. She covered her mouth, looking up to see their reactions. “It’s not what you think.”

  “Then what is it?” Dad asked.

  She could not bring herself to tell them Bash was interested in her because he was gay. They would not judge him, but it was not her place to tell them. She sighed, shaking her head.

  “It doesn’t matter, anyway. I have to get back to LA soon. My flight is booked for some time next week.”

  “Did something happen between you and Wilkes?” Dad asked.

  She choked on the white wine she was sipping, and turned her face to the side, coughing to catch her breath. “What does that have to do with anything?”

  “You tell me. Are you running back to LA to patch things up with him?”

  Rolling her eyes, she set aside her wineglass and steepled her fingers above her plate. “I’m going back to LA to finish my next album, and you know I was already working on it. I don’t have time for relationships right now, and especially not with Wilkes Barracks. I’m through with him, for good reason, but that’s neither here nor there. The point is you won’t see me pairing up with anyone right now. I thought you’d be fine with that, Dad. Didn’t you say I should stop playing the damsel in distress? I’m the knight in this story, and I’m saving myself this round. I don’t need Wilkes or Bash to be happy.”

  He cleared his throat and started eating. “I never said you needed a man to make you happy,” he grumbled.

  Rosa looked back and forth from Dad to Alexandra. She placed her hand on top of his. “Alexandra, I think your father is trying to tell you he’d like to keep you home while he has you. Like I told you earlier, we don’t want you to feel like we’re forcing you to leave. What’s the harm in continuing your friendship with Bash a little longer while you’re here? Can’t the album wait?”

  It could. She and Bash could become closer as friends. Feelings could get hurt, hearts could get broken. “I don’t think it can wait any longer, Rosa. Rick has been on me for days now.”

  “Is he strong-arming you?” her father asked, concerned.

  “Rick is just being Rick. I understand where he’s coming from. The longer I’m away, the less interested fans and the media will be. I’ve been very selfish lately. Rick has put a lot of effort into keeping things afloat while I’ve been here. Listen, don’t worry about me when it comes to finding love. When it’s my time, there won’t be anything than can stop me and the man of my dreams from being together.”

  “Oh, but there is,” Dad said, pointing right at her. “I didn’t think I raised a coward, is all.”

  “Why would you say that?” Her back was up now.

  “Deep down, you already know you have to be honest with Sebastian about what’s going on. You can’t leave him in the dark about your ‘Alex Roberts’ shenanigans. He might surprise you when you tell him the truth, but you’re too chicken to find out…or too irresponsible to reap what you sow. Either way, you’re taking the easy way out, running away like this.” His face softened. “Don’t look so offended, Alexandra. Someone has to dish out the tough love. That’s my job. Look, if you consider him a friend, as you say, he deserves to hear from you why you kept up this act.”

  She chewed on her lower lip, accepting the less than gentle reprimand. Dad was right about telling Bash. She could not leave without telling him Alex Roberts was really Lexxi Rock.

  “You’r
e right. I’ll tell him, Dad. First thing in the morning.”

  Satisfied with her response, they finally turned the conversation to other subjects. She picked at the meal with barely any awareness of the taste, pushing away her almost untouched plate after Rosa and Dad were finished eating.

  She stuck around long enough to help Rosa clear the table, and loaded the dishwasher before taking the card table back to the basement.

  “I think I’m going to turn in early, you guys.”

  “I have to go as well,” Rosa replied. “I have to leave early in the morning to deliver some papers for your father. I probably won’t be back in the city until around noon.”

  “Thanks for making dinner, Rosa. Drive safely.” She turned to her father. “By the way, Dad, the nurse called. She’ll be here in a few to set up the antibiotic drip. You only have another week of this to go.”

  “It’s one step closer to being out of this bed.” Dad winked at her. “Goodnight, chickadee.”

  “Goodnight, both of you.”

  * * *

  After shedding her clothes, Alexandra did something she had not done in a while. She stood in front of the full length mirror in her bedroom. She examined herself in the silk pajama top she wore to bed instead of her usual pajamas. LA was such a body-conscious place, femininity had been something she could never take for granted. With such a focus on appearance, there would always be someone more womanly, stunning, sexy, gorgeous, or curvy around the next corner. Other than her purple hair to define her, she had never bothered to compete. Now, with the role she chose to play over the past few weeks, she saw it now, and something more. She was more than her gender, her sexuality, her profession, or her wealth.

  That part of her was Alex Roberts.

  She could not remove the character as easily as she had shed Lexxi Rock. Alex Roberts, without the clothes, was who she really was. For Lexxi Rock, all she had to do was cut her hair. Now she really only had one person to stop fooling. Confessing to him would be the hardest.