“Shit, Ace! Your back!” I wiggled free, sliding down so that my feet were on the floor. My protest was ignored as he pressed his chest against mine, capturing my lips. He turned me and gave a little push, urging me to sit on the table.
“My back is fine,” he whispered, biting my bottom lip.
My hand reached for the fly of his jeans, yanking open the four buttons. His cock was in my hand before I took the next breath. The sound of his moan was music to my ears. I pushed him back and moved off of the table. My knees hit the ground and I looked up into his eyes.
“I want you,” I purred, using my tongue to lick his length.
“Fuck, Presley.” He stiffened. I traced a circle over the head of his cock, slowly taking his length into my mouth. As soon as he hit the back of my throat, I relaxed and let the rest of him slide deep inside. Ace’s hands were buried in my hair and I felt wetness between my legs when he thrust his hips; once, twice…three times.
Backing off, I used my hand to stroke him as I took a moment to catch my breath. “I want you to fuck my mouth.”
“Jesus,” he cursed.
“I’m not as fragile as you think, Ace,” I reminded him.
I didn’t give him a chance to say anything else. My eyes watched his face as I took him back inside, stroking his cock with my hand until I had him deep in my throat.
For once, even with the looming show in Denver, I felt alive… felt like myself. As I made love to Ace, I felt a sense of calm come over me. Feeling his warmth on my tongue, I knew this man was everything I’d ever wanted and needed.
“Oh God, Presley,” he moaned as I took him deeper. The first pulse of his cock sent the salty tang of his release down the back of my throat. I continued to let him pump inside my mouth until he was spent. His arms hooked under my armpits and I was against his chest again. His lips pressed to mine, his tongue seeking entrance. I breathed deeply, letting his scent wrap around me. I needed this more so because it made me feel in control for once since I’d woken up to a nightmare.
“I’m not done with you,” Ace warned, kissing me again. “I wanted to give you something before the show.”
“Oh, you did,” I teased, running my fingers through his curls. “You can pay me back later.”
“And I will,” he chuckled, smacking my ass as we left the room.
Twenty minutes later, I was opening the night with a smile on my face and the man who’d stolen my heart standing in the shadows, watching me perform. The lights above me swirled around as I worked the stage. People were singing along to my music and I was in my element.
God, I loved my job!
Chapter 24
Ace
Denver was cold and dreary when we arrived. The hush of nervous calm spread throughout both crews. We knew this was going to be a tough city for Presley. The one thing we hadn’t expected was for her to be in such a good mood.
“Good morning,” she said in a silly, singsong voice, descending the steps of her bus. I’d stayed with her on the trip here, holding her while she slept. She’d climbed out of the bunk and showered as soon as the wheels stopped on the bus this morning, joining us all for breakfast. I’d left her to get some clothes off my own bus and, when I returned, this was how I found her.
“Hey,” I said, pulling her into my arms. “What’s on the agenda?”
“You are going with me to the gym,” she informed me. “We need to work on your back.”
“I think we worked my back just fine last night,” I teased, trying to keep her mind off of the show. She and I both wanted out of this town and the crew had a plan already in the works to get Presley out of here as soon as possible after her set.
“You shouldn’t be sleeping in my bunk,” she said with a frown. “It’s not good for your back.” She was right. I had my specialty mattress in my own bunk that helped, but I’d been too busy loving her the night before.
“Then let’s go to the gym,” I said, pulling her toward my bus. My goal was to find Coraline and a car. If she wanted to go to the gym, then I was going to go workout until I couldn’t move. As long as she was calm and her mind was busy, I would’ve walked to the other side of the planet if she had asked.
“Hey guys,” Coraline greeted. She was in the back of the trailer, pushing out cases to Liam. She stopped and propped her hip on one she hadn’t moved. “What’s up?”
“Can you get us a car?” I asked.
“Actually,” she paused, looking over my shoulder. “I have one coming. I was going to get out today. Want to ride with me?”
“Can you drop us off at the gym?” Presley asked. “There’s one a few miles away from here.”
“Sure,” she nodded. “Can you be ready in about an hour?”
After a promise to meet them when the car arrived, I pulled Presley over to our bus, climbing the stairs ahead of her. We found Cash and Braxton in a heated argument. “What the fuck is going on?”
“Nothing,” they said in unison.
“There’s something going on,” I growled.
“It’s none of your business,” Braxton barked. Both men separated, then Braxton grabbed his bag and hurried off the bus. I didn’t stop him, nor did I want to stop him. Presley had to jump out of his way as he barreled down the steps.
“What the hell, Cash?” I asked, throwing my hands out to the side.
“He got a call and was all fucking pissed off,” Cash grumbled, wiping his hand down his face. “I think it was…”
Cash paused, looking at Presley over my shoulder. I didn’t need him to finish what he was saying. There was only one person who could set Braxton on edge.
“You don’t need to get into that,” I warned, lowering my voice. “Let him cool down. You know that he isn’t in a good place when it comes to her.”
“I know, man,” Cash sighed. “Look, I’m going to hang here today. I have some shit to take care of.”
Presley’s phone rang, causing her to freeze. She reluctantly pulled it from her back pocket, sighing in relief when she noticed who the caller was on the other end.
“It’s Ginger,” she said, answering the phone. She hurried down the steps of the bus to find some privacy. I didn’t need her to tell me that she was worried the phone call was from one of her parents. I could see the fear written all over her face.
“Hey,” Cash said, his voice interrupting my thoughts. “I need to go. I’ll call you in a bit.”
“Okay, man.” I nodded, watching as he grabbed his laptop and headed for the lounge area in the back of the bus.
I made my way down the steps of the bus, my eyes searching the area for Presley. She was leaning against the side of her bus, a beautiful smile lighting her face. I stopped for a moment, just taking in the beauty in front of me. She was mine and I wasn’t going to lose her to her past. I just wouldn’t allow it.
I needed her and she needed me. We fit together in so many ways. Just having her near me gave me the hope and strength to get through anything. I hoped that my being with her helped her see that she could be loved and cared for by another human being.
“Are you ready?” Cora asked, coming to stand beside me. She didn’t look all that well and I quickly searched the lot for Taylor. If she wasn’t feeling well, he would want to be the first person to know about it.
“You okay?” I asked.
“I’m peachy.” She smiled, but it was fake. I figured she wasn’t listing to the side or anything weird, so I took her answer as fact.
“I’ll grab Presley and meet you at the truck,” I told her, already walking toward the Witch’s Spawn bus.
“Are you ready?” Presley asked, sliding her phone into her bag. She’d already changed into a pair of tight black leggings and her top was covered by a thick blue jacket.
“Let’s go,” I replied, taking her hand. We met Coraline for the short ride over to the gym. She left us with a promise to be back in two hours.
As I ran on the treadmill, I watched Presley through the glass windows as she stretc
hed, bent over… and holy hell, I should just go stand in the cold showers. The other ladies in the room did not hold my attention because I was too busy watching her.
When I thought I was about to blow in my shorts, I noticed they were dismissing the class. A few women hung around Presley, they were laughing, and I noticed she was relaxed, calm even.
My head turned quickly as a flash of short black hair rushed from the door of the building toward the women’s restroom. I stopped the treadmill and caught Presley’s eye. She was already moving toward where Coraline was heading at a high rate of speed.
I waited several minutes before the two of them walked out, both not making eye contact. When I went to say something, Coraline just growled, “Shut up! And don’t you say one fucking word, Ace!”
“Hey!” I said, holding my hands up defensively.
“Can you drive?” Presley asked, her attention focused more on Coraline. I grabbed our bags and followed them out to the awaiting SUV.
“Where’s Taylor?” I asked, climbing in the driver’s seat. I cursed when my knees banged the dash. Cora had the seat pulled all the way forward because of how short she was. I wanted to laugh, but from the hushed whispers in the backseat, I thought it best to keep my mouth shut.
“I don’t care where that jerk is,” Cora barked. I frowned, turning in my seat. She looked really bad. Sick, even.
“What is wrong with you?” I asked. “Do I need to call him?”
“Hell no!” she snapped. “I’m going to kill him!”
“Whoa!” I chuckled. “What the hell did he do now?” Coraline had a temper and it looked like my guitarist had aggravated her last nerve.
“He knocked me up! Again!” She cursed, reaching for the handle. She raced back into the building and didn’t come out for another ten minutes.
My booming laughter echoed off the interior of the SUV we’d rented. I was not going to miss this announcement for anything. Taylor was going to get his ass kicked by our little sprite of a tour manager.
This was going to be epic!
When we arrived at the venue, everything was already in full swing. Presley’s crew was loading in their equipment, preparing for set up. We had about five hours left before Witch’s Spawn was set to perform. I wanted nothing more than to drag her into my bunk so that we could sleep until it was almost time to go on stage, but we had to help Coraline make a little announcement.
“Let me help you,” I offered, taking Cora’s hand. She looked bad and I wasn’t surprised when Taylor rushed off the bus, his eyes falling on his girl as soon as he cleared the last step.
“Cora?” he gasped, rushing forward. “What’s wrong? Talk to me.”
“I’m tired,” she whispered, allowing my guitarist to scoop her up into his arms.
Presley and I shared a glance as we followed him onto the bus. Coraline’s ass no sooner hit the couch before she jumped up and raced down the aisle toward the bathroom, shutting out Taylor as he followed.
“What the hell is wrong with her?” he snarled, glaring at me as if I had the answer. In fact, I did have the answer, but I sure as fuck wasn’t going to be the one to break that news.
“Taylor,” Cora sighed, making her way back to the front of the bus. I heard Presley breathe a sigh of relief when our tour manger slash roadie looked a bit more human.
“Someone needs to tell me what the hell is going on…NOW!” Taylor roared, turning around in a circle right there in the center aisle of the bus. His eyes fell on each and every one of us, but no one said a word.
“Sit,” Coraline ordered, pulling him down next to her.
“What is it?” he whispered, taking her face in his hands.
“I’m pregnant,” she said as a frantic look crossed her face.
“What?” he gasped. “Cora!” I heard his voice crack and I knew that was our que to leave the two of them alone. As I turned away, I saw him fall to his knees at Coraline’s feet, his hand resting against her flat stomach.
Presley and I left them alone, leaving the bus as quickly as possible. I was happy for them. They’d been through so much to get to this point in their lives. Maybe this time things would work out for the best.
We found our way inside the venue to where Presley’s crew was busy running wires and taping them to the floor to avoid any tripping hazards. The employees of the venue were busy setting up the bar for the crowd that was expected tonight. In the green room, everyone was busy with their own personal phone calls home. Cash was on the internet, updating our social media site. The man was a tech genius and I was happy to hand over the keys to that part of our lives.
“I need a shower,” Presley groaned, slinging her bag over her shoulder. “I’ll be back in a bit.”
Pulling her hand, I smiled when she pressed her breasts against my chest. I captured her lips in a heated kiss, nibbling and sucking on her sweet mouth. God, I couldn’t get enough of the woman in my arms. Her fingers tangled in my hair, twisting a curl as I devoured her. I pulled back, giving us both a chance to breathe. Presley tucked her face in my neck and rubbed her nose against the skin under my ear. She breathed out a heavy sigh and released her hold on me.
“Come find me when you’re done,” I said, brushing a strand of her hair away from her cheek. “I’m going to go shower too.”
“Okay,” she said, but something was wrong. Her eyes were vacant, and I saw a flash of fear a moment before it was gone. I started to say something else, but she hurried away, walking fast as she exited the building.
I was certain she was having thoughts about her parents showing up at the venue tonight. Little did anyone know, but I left her parents’ names at the front door with strict instructions to keep them out if for some reason they had tickets to pick up at the door. I had no idea what they looked like, so I asked the security of the venue to scan any ID cards for the name Pittman. I sure as hell hoped they didn’t slip through.
I didn’t waste any time getting showered and changed before I made my way toward her bus. I heard a curse from my right and saw that Garrison was heading toward me as a yellow cab was leaving the back of the venue.
“No,” I gasped.
“I’ve called a cab,” he snarled. “She went to end this with her father, once and for all.”
“Shit,” I yelled.
Chapter 25
Presley
My finger hovered over the button on my phone. All I had to do was send the message and it would begin … it also needed to end.
I’m on my way to your house. It ends now.
I stared out the window of the cab that took me away from the venue. Denver was cold and there was snow everywhere. The roads were nothing but black slush as the mixture of salt, sand, and ice beat against the side of the vehicle as my phone chimed with an incoming message.
You are not welcome here.
I ignored his message, knowing that he was trying to control what I’d come to say. If I didn’t do this, he would continue to bully me and I couldn’t live like that anymore. I had to lay it all out there, letting him know that it was over.
I knew I shouldn’t have left without telling anyone, but they would have stopped me from going. They would’ve talked me out of doing this. I needed to cut ties with my parents and tell them I was going to change my phone number, enforcing my rule of no contact. I’d finally found myself and I was going to wash myself of them and their toxicity … for good.
My phone rang in my hand and I had to fight back tears when I saw it was Ace. The driver glanced in the mirror, but didn’t say anything about the persistent ringing. Finally, after taking a deep breath, I turned off my phone and dropped it in my bag.
“Can you please wait?” I asked as we pulled up in front of the house I’d never been inside of. “I won’t be but maybe fifteen minutes.”
“The meter still runs,” he informed me, giving a slight grunt to show his displeasure.
“Money is not a problem,” I said, sliding out of the backseat. The man appeared to rela
x when I handed him not only the money for the fare to get there, but I doubled it as a show of good faith. I really didn’t want to be there any longer than necessary.
I took the steps quickly. The large brownstone loomed ahead, but I wasn’t scared. I was ready … or so I thought. Looking up at the house, I shivered from the aesthetic feel to it. It looked like a museum, not where a family would reside. The shrubs were all uniform and trimmed to precise measurements. There were two planters on each side of the steps leading up to the door. Everything was so… perfect. And I fucking hated it!
I knocked once on the front door, waiting patiently for an answer. There were two hanging iron embellishments mounted on either side of the door. They were some type of Celtic knot and I snorted a laugh. My mother must’ve bought them because they were different. She probably didn’t even know what the hell she was actually getting when she was out blowing copious amounts of money to add a shine to the overly extravagant home.
I smiled when I noticed one of them was tilted a few degrees to the right. I didn’t even care to rearrange the damn thing. If that’d been twelve years ago, I would’ve hurried to put it to rights, just so I wouldn’t be accused of “tearing up this beautiful home”. It was all behind me; the strict protocol, the fancy china, the societal standards that were drilled into my brain from the time I was in preschool.
I heard footsteps coming toward the door, and my childish fears flashed before my eyes as the door swung wide, revealing the man who gave me life.
“What the fuck are you doing coming here?” he barked, leaning his head out of the door to glare at the cab waiting at the curb. He looked the same, but older. His hair had grayed at the sides and his face had wrinkled, but only slightly. “I told you that you are not welcome.”
“I came to talk,” I said, holding my shoulders back. “And this time, you will listen to what I have to say.”
Fatal Temptations (Fatal Cross Live! Book 2) Page 16
