The guests whisper to each other and notice Jane. They have yet to discover she is the main attraction tonight.
Jane feels self-conscious and nervous having so many eyes on her. Brad grabs her hand and squeezes it for strength.
“You are beautiful—the most beautiful one here. Just keep smiling, and know that I’m right here when you need me, okay?” he whispers in her ear.
She nods slightly.
They walk down into the foyer together. Brad stands in the middle to gather everyone.
“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for gathering tonight. As you all know by now, this is a very difficult time for me. The headlines and news stories are spreading false rumors. I do hope you will be on my side or at least hold judgement about this until the true facts are revealed.” he says.
A few people clap and say, “We’re with you, Brad. We’ve got your back.”
“Thank you. I really appreciate that. Tonight is a chance for us to get our minds off our troubles. We are here to celebrate the beauty of Iceland, and the beauty of my fiancée, Jane Bryden.”
The news sends a ripple of gossip through the crowd. People gasp and cheer their congratulations. Nobody expected this at all.
“And my dear Jane will be our featured performer tonight. I know you won’t be disappointed. She is the next, up-and-coming ballet queen, and I’m so glad she is all mine.” He reaches over and pulls her into his side, kissing her on the cheek. “Isn’t she beautiful? And she’s been so loyal through all of this madness on the news.”
Everyone claps and cheers. Jane starts blushing and looks down, away from all the attention.
“Jane Bryden, you are the love of my life. I’m so thrilled you are going to be my bride.”
“Brad Halliwell, you are my strength and my greatest love. Aside from ballet, of course,” she jokes.
They kiss in front of everyone to a background of “awwws” and “ohhhhs.” The crowd goes up to Jane to shake her hand and congratulate her on their engagement. After about 20 minutes, she excuses herself to go to the back to change for the performance, and Brad joins her.
“You are so magical, Jane. I don’t know how I’ve lived without you,” he says.
“I feel the same way, my dear.”
“Do you have time for a quickie?” he cajoles, smacking her on her butt.
“Well, you are the boss of this show, aren’t you? It’s entirely up to you how long you want your guests to wait.”
“Oh, they can wait,” Brad reassures, grabbing her hand and taking her to the back behind the curtains. He instructs everyone to leave so he can be by himself with Jane.
There is a large, velvet, red couch on stage to be used as the prop.
“I want you right there, Jane, legs wide open with that pretty little dress of yours,” Brad orders playfully.
“Like this? Whatever you want, Mr. Halliwell,” Jane obeys, pretending to be his mistress.
“Yes, like that, you good girl. Now, show me those white panties you are wearing. Spread wider,” he says.
She opens wider, and Brad goes on his knees to stroke her thighs up and down. He reaches up and forcefully pulls the panties off her, bringing them down around her ankles.
“Oh, your pussy is so fucking enticing. I want to lick you inside and out,” Brad pants. “Play with yourself, Jane. Show me what your pussy desires.”
Jane reaches her hand down and starts stroking herself with three fingers, one inside of her and two on the outside, erecting her clit. Brad goes in and licks it with the tip of his tongue, one… lick… at… a… time.
“Mmmmmmmm… give it to me, Brad. Lick me faster. Harder…”
“Yes, my princess, whatever you say.” He sticks his whole mouth into her and moves his face around in circles. Jane moves her fingers away, and now he has all her juices spread around his lips and chin. She keeps pouring out with desire.
“Give me your cock, Mr. Halliwell. Right fucking now!” Jane demands.
“Like this?” Brad unzips his pants and enters her, deep, hard, fast, thrusting in and out, back and forth. “You want more? More of this?”
“Fuck me faster, Mr. Halliwell. I know you have it in you. More… more… more…”
Brad unleashes himself and fucks her like a beast.
Jane can’t hold back. She screams with ecstasy so loud in the hall, it echoes throughout, and she doesn’t give a damn who hears her. ‘Ohhhh… ohhhh… fuck me… ohhhhhhhhhh… fuck!”
Brad comes inside her within minutes, at the same time her beautiful pussy releases all of her juices all over him.
A door opens from the front hall. Brad and Jane go stark quiet, look at each other, and laugh silently together. It’s the usher doing a check in the aisles.
Brad pulls himself out of Jane, and she gets up to go to the dressing room. Brad tells the staff they can go back inside so the show can start in 30 minutes.
Jane can’t stop feeling the pulse of Brad’s cock in her. She is glowing.
Chapter 59
The performance is a hit. There is a standing ovation, which is rare in the world of professional ballet. When Jane goes on the stage, the crowd claps louder, showing their love.
Jane is in such disbelief at how this all came about in her life. Every dream, dashed hope, lost cause, and difficulty has been surmounted with this event. How could she have doubted herself and her abilities? It is amazing what happens when just one person believes in you. Maybe this was all she needed in her life. One person to believe in her.
At the end of the show, Jane goes backstage, and Brad is there with a dozen roses. He turns her around to have her face the mirror, then he stands behind her, bringing the roses in front of her.
“Don’t we make a beautiful couple?” he says, kissing her on the neck. “You were absolutely stellar out there, like a swan on clouds. You’re going to go far, Jane, and I want to be there with you every step of the way.”
“Oh, Brad, I wouldn’t be here without you,” she says with tears in her eyes. “You have to be the best man in the world. You just made my dreams come true.”
“You’re worth it, sweetheart.”
She turns around, puts her arms around his neck, and kisses him on the lips.
“What do we do next?” she asks.
“Well, first, you have to go out there and charm the crowd with your beauty and grace. Then, we need to go back to the hotel, and I need to make sweet love to your gorgeous body.”
“Well, I think I can handle that,” Jane winks.
After mingling and milling about, Jane and Brad go back to the hotel room. They ask the concierge to leave them alone for the rest of the evening so they can go back to the room without any disturbance.
The elevator arrives, and Brad and Jane go in, pushing the button for the penthouse. As soon as the door closes, Brad pushes Jane against the wall and starts making out with her. He lifts her skirt, pushes her panties to the side, undoes his zipper, and puts his cock inside her.
Jane immediately gets wet. She loves how he takes control of her and knows exactly what he wants.
“Uhhhnnn, uhhhnnnn, uhhhhnnnn,” he groans, thrusting deeper, pulling Jane up the wall and wrapping her legs around his waist. He pushes into her three more times before he comes. “Fuck, Jane, I just can’t resist you. You turn me on just by looking at you.”
“That’s how I feel about you, baby. You can give it to me whenever you want. I love a man who takes charge,” she says.
They are almost at the top when the elevator stops. Brad quickly drops Jane and does up his zipper, then stands beside her. A young woman gets on the elevator and looks at Brad and Jane. Jane smiles innocently and Brad nods at her. “You guys going up or down?” she asks.
“Well, we’re not quite sure,” Brad says. Jane elbows him.
“We’re going up, dear.”
“Oh okay. I’ll wait behind then,” she says.
The elevator closes. “You’re such a cheeky devil,” Jane nudges Brad.
“I love being a devil,” he says.
They get off at the Penthouse level and go into the suite. They can’t keep their hands off each other.
“You’re it,” Brad says, chasing her around the room. “You have to remove one piece of clothing.”
“Okay, I’ll remove this bobby pin,” Jane smirks.
“Oh, who’s being cheeky now?” he says.
They play the cat and mouse game until the only thing Jane still wears is her garter and stockings.
“Get over here, you beautiful slut.” Brad pulls her by the arm so she lands right on top of him. “Spread those legs wide for me and ride me like your stallion, sweetheart.”
She does exactly what he says, sliding on top of him, but slow and sexy, getting him aroused with each thrust. She grinds on top of him, going around one way and then the other way.
She lets his cock feel every inch inside her. She grabs his hand and puts it on her ass cheeks. “Grab me. Dig your nails into me. Scratch me, baby,” she moans.
Chapter 60
Brad has to stay in Iceland because of the court case in the U.S., though he sees Jane off at the airport.
“You are the most special thing to me, Jane. You know that, right?” he says, looking deep into her eyes. He strokes her hair and pushes a strand behind her ears. “Can I kiss you goodbye?”
“You never need to ask a silly question like that,” Jane responds, tilting her head to reach in for a kiss.
He wraps his arms around her and pulls her into him and they kiss until the pilot motions that they need to take off.
“You have my number, right? And you can call me anytime? I don’t know what I will do without you, sweetheart. I’ll miss you in more ways than one,” Brad smirks, looking down into her cleavage.
“You’re so naughty, Brad. These ladies are all yours to devour next time we meet. I promise,” she says, licking his lips with her tongue.
He smacks her ass when she starts walking away.
“Don’t forget about me, Jane, okay?”
“I can’t now,” she replies, motioning to the engagement ring. “You’re in my heart.”
Jane gets on the plane and sits at a window seat, watching Brad outside, seeing his wavy, brown hair brushing against his face and the outline of muscled arms. His dress shirt is slightly buttoned down and pulled out over his jeans. It’s the first time Jane has seen him look so relaxed since she met him.
She sees the sun behind him and the gorgeous landscape. It looks like a scene straight out of the movies.
Looking down at her silver and diamond ring, she is in awe that this is now her life. A private jet, flying to other countries, engaged to a billionaire who genuinely loves her, having amazing sex and orgasms, and being loved and respected as a ballerina on the world stage.
Her whole life has taken this insanely amazing turn and she has no idea how it happened and why she deserved it.
The plane heads back to New York and Jane sleeps most of the way there. She has a dream about her future life. A ranch with horses, a ballet studio, a private spa, she and Brad in a master bedroom with satin sheets and luxurious pillows. Her parents even live close by in a coach house.
In the dream, an older man is there speaking directly to her. “This is what you deserve, Jane. It’s the life you’re meant to live.”
Jane wakes up and looks around, startled by her surroundings in the jet. She takes a deep breath in and out, trying to re-orient herself. She gets up and goes over to the bar to fix herself a drink, choosing gin and tonic with lime. She takes a couple of gulps and lets it settle within her.
She heads back to her seat and looks out the window at the clouds. There’s a beautiful rainbow over-arching. Everything is going to be okay. She knows this in her heart.
The plane descends into New York. She looks at the Statue of Liberty in a whole new way—a woman standing there saying that anyone can make their dreams come true in New York.
Anybody.
Jane believes this whole-heartedly now. She reflects on where she was even a week ago, much less a month ago, and how everything took a huge turnaround. Now, here she is.
A limo is there to pick up Jane from the airport. “Mr. Halliwell made sure you would be safe getting home,” says the driver, opening the door for her.
“Oh wow. Thank you,” Jane responds in amazement.
“You’re the future Mrs. Halliwell, aren’t you?”
“Yes, I suppose I am.”
“Well, then, you need to get used to this kind of treatment. Congratulations, by the way.”
“I guess news travels fast in Brad’s world,” Jane notes.
“Not much is private in his world, Miss,” the driver acknowledges.
She gets back to her apartment and notices the door is open and people are walking out with her boxes. Jane rushes up to them.
“Hey, where the hell do you think you are going with this stuff? Get the hell back here! I paid my rent. You can’t evict me!” she yells.
“No, ma’am, Mr. Halliwell has ordered us to move you. He’s moving you over to a condo on Fifth Avenue so you are more comfortable. I hope that’s okay with you. You don’t have to lift a finger,” one of the movers assures her.
“Oh, I see,” Jane says sheepishly. “Wow, sure. Just as long as I know where the address is.”
“We’ll take care of everything for you. Why don’t you go down to Le Paris Lane Bistro and the driver will come to get you when we’re finished.”
“Wow, okay. I’m still a bit stunned by this, but okay,” Jane says, walking away to go to the Bistro. She wonders what the new place will look like. Much better than where she has been, that’s for sure.
She sits down at a table by herself and orders a basket of bread, cheese, and a fine wine. She contemplates how she is going to tell her parents that she is now engaged to Brad Halliwell, the infamous billionaire. She knows she has to ease them into this.
She picks up her phone and dials the number to her mom. She hangs up immediately and then tries again nervously.
“Hi, Mom, it’s me, Jane,” she says. “Yes, I’m back in New York. It went pretty well. Everyone seemed to like the performance… I know, things are really taking off now. I don’t think I’ll be coming back home anytime soon… uh huh… yup... okay... hmmm.”
Jane listens to her mom speaking about her life.
“So Mom, I feel a bit weird about telling you this, but I actually started dating a guy. No, not in Iceland, before that, a few months ago,” Jane says, lying again. “Yeah, he’s pretty great. No, I didn’t want to tell you about him because I wasn’t sure how you would feel... I met him through ballet. He’s a patron,” Jane explains.
Her mom asks a string of questions about him.
“Oh, his name is Brad. Yup. He’s into business. He’s about 30 years old. I know, it’s a pretty big age difference, but we get along really well. He supports what I’m about,” Jane says, trying not to disclose too many details. “Well, I hope you’ll get to meet him one day soon.”
They finish their conversation, with her mom giving Jane a ton of advice and showing concern, but in the end respecting her choices.
“I love you, Mom. I hope to see you soon. Thanks for everything.”
Jane reaches over for her wine, feeling more relaxed about what she shared. She eases back in her seat and orders more food, enjoying the scenery. She waits for the driver who shows up about an hour later to take her to her new, temporary home.
“Life has a way of working out in your favor. It really does,” she thinks.
Chapter 61
Jane absolutely loves the condo, with wall-to-wall carpeting, a balcony overlooking the street, and a garden of flowers blossoming outside. She opens the windows and looks out at the horizon of office towers and monumental buildings. She feels like she is on top of the world.
The doorbell rings. Jane walks over, feeling the smooth carpet underneath her feet, such a change from the gross, linoleum floors
at the other apartment. She opens the door, and there is a man, dressed in a fine, white suit, wearing white gloves. He’s holding a bouquet of lilies in a crystal vase and a paper bag.
“Madam Halliwell?” he says, reading the card.
Jane is unsure how to respond to how he addresses her. She has to get used to her new name.
“Umm, yes,” she replies.
“These are for you. Quite rare and delicate lilies, I must say. You must be a very special lady,” he says calmly, entering the apartment and placing them on the side table.
He leaves the room without turning for a tip. Jane imagines he must be a regular florist for Brad’s company.
She walks over to the table and sniffs the flowers deep into her being. The scent takes her back to a time in Utah when she and her mom were walking through a field. They’d stumbled on the most remarkable flowers and spent half an hour smelling all of them. They were delightful.
Jane takes a closer look at these flowers and realizes they are the same ones—lilies from Utah.
Jane is blown away at how sensitive and classy Brad is.
She opens the letter. ‘My Dear, I hope you like your new place. I know it’s small, and you deserve better, but I will be home soon enough. We will have a chance to live close together soon. I miss you deeply and can’t wait to run my hands all over that gorgeous body of yours. Love always, Brad.”
Jane tears up, realizing how much she misses Brad’s touch. Life has felt so lonely without him in the last couple of days. It feels like forever until she will get to see him.
She looks around at the apartment.
“Small, my ass!” she says out loud. She runs through the apartment and into the bedroom. She jumps on the new, queen size bed, made up with expensive linens.
“I can’t wait to maul you all over this bed, Brad… I’m going to push you down, strip off all your clothes, and fuck you until you can’t remember,” Jane says loudly.
Protecting Her Heart Page 83
