She wanted to make sure I wasn’t thinking about getting high. Coraline had taken on the job of being our sponsor, in a way. She’d been studying up on addictions ever since she and Taylor had become an item. I appreciated her for it, because we’ve thrived since she came on as our tour manager. When you were trying to stay off drugs, especially in this industry, you had to be selective on who you hired to work for you.
“Actually, I’m really good on that,” I smiled, the first one in about twenty-four hours.
“Presley?” she asked, her voice only above a whisper.
“Yeah,” I replied softly.
“She’s great.” Cora smiled, giving me a knowing look.
“Yes, she is.” I returned the smile.
“You know,” she smirked. “We have no interviews today and we should hit Oklahoma City before lunch.” The little shit nudged my shoulder, almost spilling my coffee as she stood up from the couch.
“Thanks,” I chuckled. Cora wasn’t one to get into my business unless it was necessary. I appreciated her for keeping me and the guys on a schedule. That schedule was open for a few hours, and I knew exactly what I was going to do with it.
It was early, and I hoped the text I sent her wasn’t going to wake her up.
Have lunch with me today?
It took about three minutes for her to reply. The reply left me with a strange feeling in my chest.
Yes, please?
My reply was a smiley face.
“Hey, bud,” Braxton greeted, grabbing a water out of the fridge. “You good?”
“I’ve been better,” I admitted truthfully, pulling the curtains on the window closed. If I sat there, I wouldn’t do anything but get lost in my thoughts again and I didn’t need that right now. I needed to keep myself busy until I saw her.
“She told you?” he guessed, his voice deep and gravely. Braxton wasn’t much for talking, but when he did say something, it was probably something you needed to hear.
“Man, you just have no idea,” I replied. “It was bad…like really bad.”
“Band?” he grunted.
“No, thankfully,” I said, leaning forward. “I’d kill them.”
“And I’d help,” he added, taking a seat across from me. “She okay now?”
“She’s safe.” I nodded. “Those scars are old, from what I understand. It was her father.”
“Fuck,” he replied, dragging a hand over his short brown hair. “Let me know if you need anything, and I mean anything. Got me?”
“Yeah, man,” I said, taking his hand for a hard shake. “I will.”
My phone chirped with another message. Braxton excused himself and left me alone with my thoughts and a cell phone as my only link to Presley.
What are we eating?
We ended up texting back and forth for the next hour. I was still texting her when we arrived at the venue, only pocketing my phone when her bus pulled in next to ours.
“Hey!” She smiled, standing at the top of the stairs. She looked like a dark angel standing there, her hair in ringlets all around her shoulders. She wore a pair of black pants that appeared to have been painted on in oil. The green corset was modestly covered with a black shall that draped down to her hips. Her makeup was softer than she usually wore it on stage. She didn’t have any lipstick on, not that she needed any with her dark colored lips.
“You look beautiful,” I told her, holding my hand out for her to take. She closed her fingers around mine and allowed me to help her down the stairs, her high heeled boots clicked as she took each step closer to my arms.
“Thank you,” she said against my chest when I pulled her into a soft hug. I kissed her forehead and reluctantly let her go. When she looked at me, Presley’s cheeks were pink and her eyes had darkened. It took every bit of self-control I had to keep from capturing her lips right there in the parking lot.
“I have a cab waiting,” I announced, not letting go of her hand.
“Let’s go,” she said as she smiled, pulling away. I placed my hand on her lower back, escorting my date to the waiting vehicle.
We found a little Greek restaurant not far from the venue, thanks to our cab driver. I held the door for her as we stepped inside. The place was bustling with activity as I approached the hostess. She looked up and her eyes popped wide.
“Um, hello,” she blushed. “Mr. Ryker, just two today?”
“Yes,” I stated, gritting my teeth. The last thing I wanted was to be noticed while on a short date with Presley.
Looking over my shoulder, I started to give her an apologetic look, but she was standing there trying her hardest not to burst into laughter. God, this woman always surprised me.
“She likes you,” she teased.
“Come on,” I said, rolling my eyes. I ignored the jab for the most part.
Our lunch consisted of Moussaka, and for dessert, we split a rather large piece of Baklava. As we ate, I watched her. I’d never met a woman who exuded confidence just by the way she held herself. This was a direct contrast to her story. She looked like she had life by the horns and haters be damned. But I knew…I knew what was hidden underneath.
Presley was still that broken teenager who didn’t know how to put the past behind her. She was successful, but still very naïve in matters of interacting with people. As much as I understood her band holding her up when she was down, they coddled her too much. She didn’t need to run to them when things got bad.
But what the fuck did I know? I was a recovering drug addict who spat great words of encouragement, but never took my own advice.
“Let’s get outta here,” I suggested, standing up and offering her my hand. She took it with no hesitation and waited for me to take care of our bill.
We still had two hours before we needed to be back. The cab driver took us to a park, dropping us off with a card to call him directly when we were ready to head back to the venue. I wasn’t much of a jealous type, but I wanted to crumble his card up and throw it in the trash when he winked at Presley.
We found a picnic table that was in a secluded alcove, hidden among some trees. The temperature was a little chilly for an early October day. The wind blew, causing Presley to shiver.
“Maybe it was too cold to come to the park,” I frowned. “I can call the cab.”
“No,” she gasped, blushing slightly. I wasn’t sure if it was from the cool breeze or her embarrassment. “I want to stay. I’m not ready to go back.”
“Okay, we can stay.” I smiled, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. We were turned around to where our backs could lean against the table top. She rested her head against my chest and it felt right. When she sighed, my heart swelled to twice its size.
“I feel better since we talked,” she said after a few moments of silence.
“I’m glad,” I admitted, kissing the top of her head. It was a natural movement and one that I wanted to do again, but I held myself back.
“I trust you, Ace,” she went on, sitting up and taking away our closeness. Her hands were chilled as I took them into mine. Her eyes were vacant, but they cleared when she looked at me. If I could make the clouds clear from her world, just by one look…I’d never let Presley take her eyes off of me for the rest of our lives. To see her happy was my main objective.
“Come,” I ordered, pulling her to her feet. She giggled and protested a little when I parked her ass in a swing. She let go of my hands and held onto the chains.
“Ace,” she warned, but I knew she was going to let me do it. “I’m not dressed for the swing.”
“Too bad,” I laughed, pulling her backwards as fast as I could. She squealed when I let go, sending her flying forward. When she came back, I pushed her again, laughing at her frustration. It didn’t take long for Presley to stop cursing me…then she laughed too.
I was almost knocked on my ass when I froze from the sound of her sheer joy.
“Ace?” she questioned, turning her head so that she could see where I was since I didn’t push her
on that last swing.
“I’m here, baby.” I smiled, pushing her a little gentler that time. “I’m not going anywhere.
There had been no truer words spoken from my lips.
Chapter 11
Presley
I laughed today…like actually laughed, and I touched him. Well, Ace did most of the touching, but I found myself reaching for him without even realizing I was doing it. The soft press of his palm to my back as he guided me to the table at the restaurant, the way he held my hand as we played like children in the city park…the way he would reach up and brush his thumb across my cheekbone. The affectionate way he looked at me sent a giddy feeling throughout my body. I felt like a teenager when he was around. As much as I enjoyed his touch, a little part in the back of my mind kept telling my heart to tread carefully, but my gut wanted me to jump in with both feet. For some reason, I trusted him.
The show was almost over and I needed to get ready to go out to the merchandise table so that we could meet some fans before we had to head out. Finding my roadie, Lane, he held the door open as we hurried out to the table. He grabbed several markers and passed them out. Lane had been with us for the last two years and he was great. He kept to himself with Hal, our other helper. They were all business, and that was something that I loved about these two men. They were in their mid-forties and had been working behind the scenes with several different bands since they were teenagers.
“Alright, kids,” Garrison said, stretching his long arms over his head. “Let’s do this.”
We heard the cheers of the crowd as Fatal Cross finished their last song. It wasn’t long before the crowds of people started filing out of the building, many of them stopping to meet us and get an autograph.
Ace and his guys came out almost half an hour later. They usually waited until the crowd thinned before showing up, and this night was no different. Their hardcore fans stuck around, hoping to meet their favorite band.
Ace had showered and his hair was pulled up into a small ponytail at the back of his head. His deep green eyes watched my every move. The look he gave me was predatory and I like it more than I should.
The way he watched me was like he was copying my features to his memory. When his lip would lift in a naughty smirk, I felt my insides heat and I had to squeeze my legs together to keep from moaning just from that one look. Intense wasn’t even a strong enough word for the way he watched me.
By the time the doors were officially closed, we’d worked the crowd, selling several shirts, and my hand actually cramped from the amount of autographs I’d given. Lane and Hal shooed us out of the building, promising to have everything ready to go in an hour. They’d already loaded the trailer with our equipment.
The guys boarded the bus, and I hung back, hoping to see him before we had to leave. I smiled when the back door to the venue flew open and there he stood, his eyes frantically searching the lot. When his gaze landed on mine, I started jogging, meeting him halfway. There were no words when he wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me flush against his chest. He pressed his lips to mine, walking me backwards until my back pressed against the outside of one of the busses. I didn’t even look, or even care to look, at which one it was. All I noticed were his lips and his cock pressing against the top of my sex.
“You were fucking amazing tonight,” he praised, his hands grasping my face. My words had to wait as his tongue pressed against my lips. My sex pulsed with need, wetness soaking my panties as he ground himself against me. He was hard and hot, his hands held me tightly, and I didn’t want it to stop.
“You weren’t so bad yourself,” I panted out when he released my lips, enjoying the feel of his warmth of his body.
“I didn’t see you,” he frowned, nipping at my bottom lip. “Where were you?”
“Out by the soundboard, but you couldn’t see me,” I shrugged. “There were so many people in there.” The soundboard was in the very back of the venue on a raised platform, but I’d been sitting down behind the tech. With the low lighting, Ace would’ve never noticed me. I wanted it that way, because I wanted to enjoy the show without his heated stares.
“I wish I could’ve seen you,” he whispered. Our noses touched and I waited, hoping he would kiss me again. Gently, he stroked my jawline, tucking his finger under my chin to raise my lips for his capture. His other hand tangled in my hair, holding me in place for a heated kiss. I was helpless against his soulful eyes, piercing me with heat that sent an erotic flutter all over my body.
Ace’s lips were soft, his demanding tongue a warm velvet. Each nip of my bottom lip sent tingles of awareness down to my sex. The kiss deepened, one hand cupping my face. The tightness of his other hand being tangled in my hair delivered a raging heat so intense that it burned through my soul. The passion between us was going to ignite and I couldn’t deny it anymore... that moment was happening now.
“Please,” I growled, grasping his shirt in my fists and pushing my breasts against his hard chest. This man made me crazy with lust. I wanted to throw out all of my bullshit and just fuck him. I wanted to do things with this man that I had never wanted to do with any other man in my life.
I wanted to let him own me, and if Ace Ryker asked me to drop to my knees and suck him off right in the parking lot of the venue, then I would’ve done it.
What the fuck is wrong with you, Presley?
“As much as I want to have you, I’m not going to make love to you now,” he whispered, nipping my bottom lip one last time before leaning his head back slightly. He chuckled when I groaned out my disappointment. “The first time I make you mine, Presley, it will not be in the back of a nasty tour bus. You deserve better than that.”
“But what if I want nasty sex in the back of a tour bus?” I flirted, giving him a naughty smirk. I ran my hand down the front of his shirt, but he stopped me when I reached his waistband. I wanted to feel him underneath my fingertips. I needed to know he was real and that my eyes and my heart were not playing tricks on me.
“You are making it very hard to be a gentleman,” he groaned, rubbing his thumb over my jawline. I couldn’t think when he touched me like that. It was too intimate for me. I wasn’t used to affection like that, but I wanted it with everything I had inside me.
“I want you,” I admitted, feeling the heat darken my face.
“The feeling is mutual, babe.” He winked, releasing me from his hold. The immediate withdrawal physically hurt. It was like I’d been dropped head first from a cocoon of safety the moment he stepped away from me…and I hated it. Would he think I was crazy if I asked him to hold me?
The feel of his hands on my body felt…different. It wasn’t like when my bandmates held me when I was having a bad day. No, this was like being submerged into a pool of water that had been warmed by the touch of gods, leaving it the perfect temperature. I’d never felt that before…and it scared me. I wanted it, but I wasn’t sure if I could handle it.
“I…I have to go,” I stammered, averting my eyes. These sensations were just too much right now. I needed time to think, again. As bad as I wanted to let him inside me, I wasn’t sure anymore if I could handle the emotional attachment having sex with Ace Ryker would bring. “The buses are ready to leave.”
“Be safe,” he said, tucking a finger under my chin so he could raise it where he wanted my lips to be. He pressed his lips to mine, once…twice. “I’ll see you in Chicago.”
Thankfully, he didn’t see me stumble slightly when he turned and walked away. Ace Ryker was the type of man who could ruin me… completely destroy me. If I let him in and gave him my everything, would he hold it carefully in his hands for a short time before crumbling my soul into a million pieces at his feet?
Chapter 12
Presley
No man will ever want you with those scars on your body. I did you a favor! You’d be nothing but a whore like your mother!
I gasped as I came fully awake, sweat pouring down my temples and tears tickling my lips. My hand auto
matically went to my throat as I sucked air into my tight lungs. I’d had another nightmare…but this one wasn’t something I’d lived through. This one was a figment of my fucked up imagination.
My body shuttered as I tried to shake the pictures of him in my face, one hand on my throat, as he cut me over and over again with a knife held tightly in his fist. I knew it was nothing more than a dream, but I still lifted my shirt, checking for bloody wounds. I found none.
I swung my feet out of the bunk, climbing out from the lower one as quietly as possible. I groaned under my breath when I found Brian sitting at the table, nursing a beer. He looked up from the magazine he was reading and his eyes widened. “Presley? What’s wrong?”
“I need some water,” I barely choked out, casting my eyes away from him. I didn’t want to have any of the guys trying to dissect my nightmares. I didn’t want to have nightmares to begin with, but I had them anyway, and it was something I lived with almost nightly.
“Sit,” he demanded, scooting over in the small booth. I cursed and slid in next to him, accepting his arm around my shoulders.
“Brian,” I growled. “I’m tired, my throat hurts, and I’m not in the mood to talk about it.”
“Mmhmm,” he mumbled. “But we are going to talk about it.”
I opened my mouth and spat out the reason for my nocturnal awakening. It wasn’t a huge nightmare, but whenever my father starred in my dreams, it was always disturbing. I’d never had a wishful dream concerning that man. You’d have thought with all of my issues, I’d at least have dreamt about him loving me and treating me like a little princess at least once. Nope, I couldn’t get that lucky.
“Do you want me to make you an appointment? We have a break next week,” he offered.
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “I may need that break after Denver in a few weeks.”
Fatal Temptations (Fatal Cross Live! Book 2) Page 8
