Adam and Yoshi both turned to see Veronica standing behind them.
“Oh Christ,” Yoshi breathed.
--
“What the fuck do you mean you’re not writing the article?”
Shaun cringed at the sound of Jackson screaming at her from her cell phone and she checked, once again, that all of the bathroom stalls were empty before she responded. “Jackson, I’m really sorry.”
“You’re sorry,” he screamed. “This was one of the top stories—a cover story, and we go to press tomorrow. I had your word that this would be done and now you’re telling me it’s not because you’re having an attack of conscience? Fuck your conscience!”
“Jackson…” Shaun tried to stay calm. “It’s not just an attack of conscience I…” She went tall and silent when someone came into the bathroom. “I care about him,” she whispered, once they were safely in the stall.
“If I don’t have that article by midnight tonight, you’re fucking fired.”
She sighed. “I figured that--”
Jackson disconnected the call before Shaun could say another word. She stared at the phone waiting to feel the emptiness she thought she would, surprised when it never came.
There was a reason for that. She was doing the right thing, and her conscience knew it too.
A ray of hope came alive inside of her. Perhaps she wouldn’t have to tell Adam. Perhaps Jackson would simply scrap her story and make sure she never wrote for another publishing house for as long as she lived, and Adam would never have to know. She loved writing, she really did, but at that point giving up a career in writing seemed like a small price to pay if it meant she could have Adam.
Feeling about a million pounds lighter Shaun left the bathroom with a smile, anxious to find her man.
--
Adam immediately ran a frustrated hand down his face, unable to believe the sight before him. Veronica looked perfect, as always, and was arm in arm with a man who had to be twice her age.
Shaun came up next to Adam, and the moment she saw Veronica, the short lived feeling of peace she’d had in the bathroom came to a crashing, fiery halt. Her heartbeat increased about a million miles a minute. Adam looked enraged. What had been said? What had been done? Shaun struggled to keep cool. “Veronica.”
“Shaun.” Veronica sneered. “I was just stopping by to congratulate Adam on the wildly successful album and party.” Veronica turned to the man who she was arm in arm with. “This is Steve Goldenberg, he’s the CEO of Hearst Magazines.”
Shaun’s wide eyes flew to Steve Goldenberg, a man whose name she heard in her worst nightmares. A man even Jackson himself feared, her boss’ boss. So that was why Veronica had been at the Cosmopolitan offices that night. She was dating the magazine’s owner. Shaun swallowed thickly. If Steven recognized her, he didn’t show it, and for that she was thankful.
“Nice to meet you,” Adam said dryly, before turning back to Veronica. “You want to tell me what the fuck you’re doing here?”
Veronica seemed unfazed by Adam’s harsh words. She was the only one. Yoshi and Noodle immediately removed themselves from the area, none too subtly. Shaun would have happily done the same if the sudden need to protect Adam hadn’t been eating her alive.
“Hey, hey, there’s no need for that kind of language,” Steven piped in, the way only a dull rich bastard could.
“Go fuck yourself,” Adam said to him, so calmly that it cut like butter.
Steve, of course, kept his cool. “Classy crowd tonight.”
Veronica shook her hair out of her face while squeezing Steve’s arm. “I was invited,” she said.
“Invited,” Adam repeated. “By who?”
“By me.”
Shaun’s head turned towards the deep, booming voice that said the words from next to her. She took in the sight of the towering, graying man next to her and needed no introduction. If she thought the tattoo of the woman on his chest was the spitting image of Adam it had only been because she had yet to lay eyes on his father.
She lost her breath when she felt Adam’s hand against her stomach, pushing her back. He stepped between her and his father, Patrick Brand, and she immediately sensed that this wasn’t going anyplace good. One quick glance at Veronica, whose face had gone white as a sheet within eyes wide as saucers, and Shaun knew that shit was going to hit the fan.
“Well of course you invited her, Pop. I’d expect nothing less. The new question is, who the fuck invited you?”
“Okay…” Shaun stepped from behind Adam and got next to him, holding her hands out. “Babe…” She tried to think of something, anything to say that would calm him down but the naked fury on his face left her speechless. All she could do was reach out and touch his arm.
Patrick Brand laughed softly. “I own the label who paid to have this record made, or have you already forgotten that I’m the reason you’re here in the first place?” He looked to Shaun. “I suppose you could say the same, couldn’t you Shaun?”
“Don’t fucking talk to her.”
Patrick’s hard eyes shot to Adam. “You don’t talk to me like that, I’m still your father.”
Shaun’s blood went cold at the sudden hatred behind the man’s eyes and in his voice. How he could speak like that while looking at his own son was beyond her. Her head swam. How was all of this happening?
Adam charged on. “I just assumed after you fucked my girlfriend that you wouldn’t have the balls to show your face at my party, but I guess the jokes on me, huh?”
Shaun covered her mouth to hide the gasp that escaped her lips as Adam looked towards Veronica. His eyes jumped from her to her ancient date. “I guess you like ‘em old as dirt, huh V?”
Veronica had her hand over her mouth, as well, with what looked to be tears brimming over the edges of her eyes.
Patrick chimed in. “She likes ‘em old, you like ‘em dark… we all have our vices, son.”
Shaun didn’t even have time to be angry. Before she could even process the vile words the man had said Adam had already reared backed and laid a violent punch square on his nose. Shaun screamed out loud at the sight, and bent down next to Adam as he clenched his fist with a scream of his own.
“Fuck.” His fist screamed in pain, and he could only pray that his father was feeling an equal amount of pain on his face.
“Holy shit,” Shaun cried, wrapping her arms around Adam as a quick crowd gathered around all of them.
As usual, camera flashes were going off wildly.
And this time, it wasn’t so flattering.
--
Moments later Shaun and Adam sat knee to knee in a dark, private room that club security had whisked them away to. Though the lights were turned low the dark cherry furniture, mirrored walls and various crystal chandeliers stood out beautifully, giving the room an elegant feel. As usual, even without its main event, the show went on in the club outside. Though it was quiet in the room, the deep bass of the music pumping from the club still made the leather couch they were sitting on vibrate ever so softly. Shaun was vibrating, too, but with shock and fear. Even as she slowly iced down Adam’s rapidly swelling knuckles, her own hands and fingers still trembled.
They’d been locked together in that room for several minutes, both too afraid to speak.
Adam remained next to Shaun, hiding his head behind one hand with the other laying across her lap. His fingers clutched at her thigh as she gently iced them. He couldn’t look at her, couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe. He just had to feel her. He dug his fingers gently into the sensitive skin under her hamstring, his nails softly tapping at her skin.
“Adam,” Shaun purred. “Look at me.”
“I can’t.” He said, continuing to massage his eyes where they were hidden under his hand. “It’s not enough to repent to you, Shaun. It insults you. I just don’t deserve you.”
Shaun continued to massage his back gently with wide eyes.
“I don’t fucking deserve you,” Adam whispered, swiping at hi
s eyes roughly. “I’m sorry, babe. For everything. If I could go back and never say those things. I would. If I could go back... I would never hurt you.”
“I know that. Hey. Look at me.” Shaun waited several moments, then scooted closer to him, as close as she could get, when his eyes finally met hers. “You have nothing to be sorry about.”
“He had no right to speak to you that way. He thinks just because he's a label exec that everyone on earth should bow down to him. I swear to god that dude is on his own planet."
“I’m a big girl.” She reached up with her free hand and ran it down his cheek. “Do you want to talk about it?”
He swallowed hard. “He was my father. She was my girl. He tried to fuck her… she let him. The end.”
Now she knew why he was always so irritated and hesitant whenever she brought up Veronica. Not only had she hurt him deeply, but his father had, as well. “Adam I‘m so sorry.”
“I don’t give a fuck about them, Shaun. All I care about is you.”
“I’m fine,” she said. “I am dark skinned. He wasn’t lying. Even if he meant it as an insult, I don’t take it as one. I’m proud of who I am.”
Adam allowed her to swipe the moisture from under his eyes. “I’m proud of you, too.”
Shaun’s heart warmed at his words. “And I’m proud you decked him,” she whispered. “I’m proud of you for that.” A small smile spread on her face.
“I haven’t spoken to that dude in almost a year and when I saw him I just… saw red. I went blind, babe. I hate that you saw me like that.”
“You’ve seen me at my worst, might as well be a two way street.”
Adam’s eyes ran back and forth between hers. “You don’t have a worst, Shaun. All you’ve been since the moment you came into my life is a bright light shining through a huge pile of garbage.”
“You’re giving me too much credit.” Shaun’s eyes widened. “Really.”
“You are the only person that I’ve ever felt like I could really trust. Not the guys, not my dad. Just you… you and Katie.”
“Adam.” Shaun shook her head. “Don’t say that. You have no idea.”
“No, you have no idea… how… how much you mean to me, Shaun. If you weren’t here right now I just… I don’t even fucking know where I would be after what just happened. I’d be out somewhere trying to get as fucked up as I possibly could, probably. Somehow looking at you, though, makes everything seem like it’s not a big deal. Like every huge, fucked up problem in my life has an obvious solution.”
“Adam I have to tell you something.” Shaun couldn’t take another second of praise.
He lifted the hand she was covered with ice and touched a finger to the tip of her chin. “Wait… first…” His eyes fell to her lips. “I want to show you something.”
She blushed softly. “You want to show me something?”
His hooded eyes drank in the smile on her face like water. With a small nod, he leaned in and covered her lips with his. Just like that everything fell away. All of the anger and darkness that had dropped in on them that night vanished as they tasted each other slowly, exploring one another with a familiar ease.
Adam immediately grew hard, knowing right at that moment he would lay down his life in the mud at her feet if it meant keeping this woman in his life.
“Shaun,” he whispered against her lips, sliding his hand under her dress and up her soft thighs. His fingers flirted with the moist cloth of her thong.
Shaun hissed softly, both at the cold feel of his fingers and the warm pleasure that rolled through her as they pushed her underwear to the side, slipping easily into her wet folds and finding her clit expertly.
“Adam…” She gasped, subconsciously opening her legs to him even as she attempted to contest. “Your hand is hurt.” She cried out as he slipped a finger slowly into her, clearly not interested in protecting his hand, but only her pleasure. A guttural moan slipped out of her mouth, and she threw her head back when his thumb began circling her swollen clit.
“Shhh.” He buried his smiling face into her hair before taking her earlobe between his teeth, sucking at it as he pushed his middle finger a little deeper into her warmth. Even as she opened her legs for him, accepting him, her body tugged at his finger like a vise, not ready to absorb his invasion and receiving it openly all at once. A strangled gasp left his own lips at her tightness and he found himself breathing in time with her as her body clung to him, drowning his finger in her wet warmth.
“God, you’re so tight.” He would have died to be inside of her, to replace his finger with his dick. The zipper of his slacks strained with pressure and tested his restraint, but the sound of her strangled cries was enough to reel him in. This was about her, only her. He began to move his finger inside of her, slowly, stroking his thumb against her clit in time with his finger.
Shaun was at a loss for words, her breasts heaving in time with her loud gasps as Adam slowly worked her. He knew what he was doing, that was for sure. Every touch, every push, every flick of his hand and fingers was perfect. Before she knew it she was on the same edge that she’d managed to bring herself to on many lonely nights, but this time much faster. Just knowing that it was Adam touching her, working her, was too much to bear. She found her toes curling and that familiar heat beginning to roll around in her belly and slowly make its way through her bones, paralyzing her.
“Oh god, Adam…”
Adam already knew. He could feel it inside of her, hear it in her voice. “Come on, babe.” He took in the beautiful and painful look of ecstasy that spread across her face as she came and couldn’t help but cover her lips with his as she did. He tasted her screams and slipped one more finger inside of her, never losing the rhythm he’d built as she quivered beside him. He held her, kissed her and stroked her until she had nothing left to give.
“Adam.” Shaun pulled her lips from his, looking up at him in a new way.
Adam didn’t respond, trailing kisses from her lips to her neck and back again. Pulling away, he waited for her eyes to meet his before taking his fingers from inside of her.
Shaun watched as he placed those same fingers in his mouth, sucking them clean before pulling them out slowly, his eyes never leaving hers. The sly smile never left his lips. It was the most erotic thing she’d ever seen. She wanted to see it for the rest of her life.
--
Shaun giggled as she stumbled into her dark apartment with Adam wrapped around her from behind. His lips had found a permanent place sucking gently at the dip in her neck. It was rendering her speechless and somewhat paralyzed.
“Celia?!” She cried, kicking the door shut and smiling when her scream was met with nothing but silence. “She’s gone,” she whispered, flicking on another light and turning to face Adam. He went for her lips but she pulled back. “Wait… seriously. I have something really important to tell you.”
She panted when he pulled her hips to his, making it very clear how much he wanted this to wait. After what he’d done to her back at the club she almost gave in. Almost. But she knew she couldn’t be with Adam until he knew the truth.
Get him drunk, she thought. That would be a great way to start this conversation. “Let me pour us some champagne.”
He grinned at her. “Okay.”
“Yeah?” She teased. “Good. Wait here.”
Adam watched her hurry into the kitchen, smiling after her as he took off his jacket and loosened his tie. She kept her apartment cute and clean, but he had to get her out of there. Now that she was making steady money modeling he was sure that she could afford a nicer place than this. Safer, closer to him. Perhaps she wouldn’t even need her own place anymore.
Adam’s eyes widened at his thoughts. He had no idea how this girl felt about him and he was already moving her into his house?
Shaun was back quickly with two glasses of champagne. As she handed him one he noticed the change in her eyes.
“You okay?” he asked, his eyes searching her face.
“I’m fine,” Shaun said, loudly. The truth was, she felt sick. Her eyes fell to the jacket in his hand and she took it from him. “Let me hang this for you,” she said, sweeping past him and hanging his jacket on a hook behind her door. She stared at the hook, feeling on the verge of throwing up. “Adam I really have to tell you something.”
She sighed deeply when he came up behind her, pressing that now familiar hardness into her ass while spinning her back around towards her living area.
“I have to tell you something, too,” he whispered in her ear as he walked her slowly towards the bed in the corner of her studio. “This isn’t business, Shaun. I want you in my life. I want to walk beside you. I want to be inside you."
Shaun eyes swept over her living space, looking for anything she might potentially have to hide. As she scanned the room, her eyes swept past her computer, froze, and then flew back. As she looked at the screen she was sure she had to be imagining things. Surely, in the last twenty four hours, she’d forgotten how to read, or was hallucinating. As Adam began kissing and sucking at that sensitive spot in her neck once more, her horrified eyes took in the email message she’d had open all day, and the bright red indicator box that was now splashed across it.
'MESSAGE SENT'
The champagne glass slipped from Shaun’s fingers and crashed onto the floor.
Fourteen
Adam’s arms tightened around Shaun’s waist as shards of glass shattered at their feet. He stepped away, pulling her with him. Shaun’s eyes remained trained to the laptop screen in her living room even as Adam turned her body towards him. She could vaguely feel his fingers as they gradually tightened around her waist, and only had some mild sense of him shaking her wildly while calling her name. Even as he took her cheeks in his hands, rubbing his thumbs along them, she couldn’t look at him. She couldn’t look away.
MESSAGE SENT
MESSAGE SENT
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