Rock Star Billionaire: A Standalone Novel (An Alpha Billionaire Romance Love Story)

by Claire Adams

  "I'm...I...I..." I stammered as I held his gaze and felt my body responding to his touch.

  "Tell me, Alex," he whispered as he leaned down holding his lips only millimeters from my own. "Tell me why you're holding back."

  "Cam..." I moaned softly knowing that the sound of my voice was going to push him over the edge and that he'd take me with him.

  Cam's lips crushed mine as he kissed me hard and yanked me against his body. For a moment, I thought about fighting the attraction, and then I gave up and gave in. There was no use in fighting it. We were drawn to each other and the only way to stop it would be to leave and never look back, and I wasn't prepared to do that.

  His hands roamed my body as he pushed my shirt and then my bra up over my breasts. I could feel him breathing hard as he kissed me more deeply and his hands cupped my breasts as he squeezed my nipples into erect points. I moaned louder as he quickly pushed my pants down over my hips. My panties quickly followed and he lifted me up off the floor and set me on the table, spreading my legs as he unzipped his jeans and slid them down over his hips.

  Seconds later he had rolled a condom over his engorged shaft and I felt him pushing inside me as I spread my legs wider, pulling him deeper into me. He groaned as he sank all the way into me and I felt the need rise in a way that I'd never felt with anyone before. I wanted Cam. No, I needed him. And he knew this.

  He pulled back as he began the steady familiar rhythm I'd already come to want. I broke away from the kiss and put my hands flat on the table behind me so that I could meet his thrusts with an equal force. Soon we were slamming against one another as we drove each other closer and closer to the edge. Cam's eyes never left mine as our rhythm pounded out our need for each other. I could feel him swelling inside me, and when he reached down and slipped his thumb between my lips so that he could stroke me to orgasm, I moaned loudly and let go.

  The force of the climax hit me hard and fast as I pushed myself forward and clung to him. Cam wrapped his arms around me and thrust harder and faster and soon he reached the edge, too. He groaned as he came and I looked up to see him looking down at me as the wave of pleasure washed over him.

  "Oh, God, Alex," he groaned as he held tightly to me his hips still thrusting as he rode the orgasm. He kissed me, softer this time, as he ran his fingers through my hair and held my head in his strong hands. He breathed into my lips, "What you do to me, woman."

  "Cam...I...oh God," I whispered as I kissed him again. I could my desire beginning to build again, but I knew that if we didn't stop now, we'd never get out and look for Liz. "We have to stop."

  "I know, I know," he groaned as he pulled back and stepped away. The room felt colder without him holding me and I wanted to beg him to come back, but I didn't. He walked to the bathroom, shut the door and a few minutes later emerged with his pants pulled up and his shirt tucked in.

  I, however, was still sitting where he'd left me; half naked on the dining table wanting him.

  "You'd better get dressed," he grinned. "I can't be held responsible for what I do if you don't."

  "Nice, Connor," I laughed as I hopped down off the table and almost stepped on Tesla. "Your dog is incredibly well behaved."

  "She knows when I've got something good," he said pointedly. "Go get ready, Alex. We need to find Liz."

  I nodded and headed to the bathroom to wash up and then to my bedroom for fresh clothes. By the time I returned to the dining table, Cam had mapped out a search area for us to cover beginning with Liz's apartment.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  Cam

  We spent several hours scouring the places I'd marked on the map with no luck. Alex looked worn out by the time we'd checked the known dealer spots, and I suggested that we head back to her place so she could get some sleep.

  "Sleep, really?" she said with a wry grin. "C'mon, Connor, you can do better than that!"

  "I'm not coming on to you," I laughed as I reached back and patted Tesla who'd been quiet and patient the entire time we'd been out searching. At a couple of the places, we'd taken a t-shirt that Liz had left at Alex's apartment and let Tesla smell it. She'd looked at us like we were crazy before heading off to sniff at things that were far more interesting to her. "I need to take Tesla for a run, and I've got to prep for the press conference when Metzler announces his run for office."

  "Ah, yes, I see," she nodded as I pulled up in front of her apartment building and let the truck idle. "I don't know what to do about Liz. I don't know how to find her. I have no idea where she is or if she even wants to be found."

  "Give her time," I said as I reached out and ran my fingers through Alex's hair. It was tangled from the wind that had blown as we searched stretches of the river where the homeless and drug addicts tended to gather. I wanted to say something comforting, but I had nothing. I knew chances were good that Liz was somewhere completely hidden, and that every hour that passed made it less likely that we'd find her. "Maybe she's dealing with something we can't understand and just needs space to figure it out."

  "Or maybe she's in a drug induced haze and has no clue where she's at," Alex said quietly. "She needs me and I can't get to her."

  "It'll be okay, Alex," I said caressing her cheek. "One way or another, it'll be okay."

  She nodded and then pushed the door open and got out. I wanted so much to park the truck and follow her upstairs, but I knew that if I did that, I was going to be late for my meeting with Leo and possibly screw the entire CSC deal. After all that I hadn't done to help Leo, this time I was going to make sure that I was where I was supposed to be when I was supposed to be there.

  "Thank you, Cam," Alex said then she closed the door and turned and walked up the stairs.

  "You're welcome, Alex," I said as I watched the door close behind her.

  Had I known then what I knew later, I would have never let her go home alone.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  Alex

  After Cam dropped me off, I went upstairs and ran a hot bath while I brewed a pot of tea. Not being able to find Liz was on the top of my list of worries, but I still had an exam to study for and a decision to make about Cam. I didn't like the fact that he had more money that I'd ever imagined. It made me nervous, but I couldn't identify why I was so viscerally opposed to it.

  There was no question that he and I had chemistry and that I looked forward to every opportunity we had to act on it, but I wasn't sure it was enough to justify continuing the relationship. However, it was strong enough to keep us going for now.

  I sunk down into the tub full of bubbles and tried to logically think my way out of my opposition. Cam was a good man. He worked hard and he was loyal to his friends, and he'd never tried to show off or lord his money over me in a way that made me feel like I owed him something. In fact, when I thought about it, he'd done the exact opposite. He'd downplayed his wealth and passed things off to luck or the kindness of his friends, like the reservation at Grace.

  Cam was a modest man who happened to have a lot of money. He wasn't a rich jerk who was looking to acquire me as a possession, and when I dug down deep, I could only come up with the fact that I had something against all that money, not that he'd ever done anything to make me feel uncomfortable. In fact, everything he'd done had been to make me feel comfortable, and I felt vaguely embarrassed that I was making such a big deal out of something he had obviously learned how to manage.

  "Get over yourself, Pierce," I said as I scrubbed my skin with a loofah. "It's not about you."

  I thought about what Liz would say and how she would laugh it all off with a wink and a smile, and the tears started flowing. I had no idea where she was or if she was all right, and even worse, I had no way of helping her if she was in trouble.

  I pulled the plug and let the water drain from the tub before standing up and grabbing a thick towel from the rack. I had to figure out where Liz was and I had to get her help, but first I needed to talk with my landlord about an extension on my rent and then take the exam th
at Professor Jackson had scheduled for the next day.

  After I pulled on a sweatshirt and pants, I went to the kitchen to pour the tea. It was going to be a long night of reviewing anatomy. I took a steaming mug to the table and opened my books. For a moment, my mind drifted off to the place where Cam and I had made very different use of the table earlier in the day and I was tempted to call him.

  "Knock it off, Pierce," I scolded myself as I shook my head to clear it. "You don't have the luxury of acting like a lovesick school girl."

  I looked down at my books and thought, "Come hell or high water, I am going to pass my exams and get my nursing license."

  Not even the devastatingly handsome Cam Connor was going to distract me from my goal.

  #

  I studied into the wee hours of the morning and then took a quick nap before getting up and getting ready for class. I wanted to stop by the landlord's office to ask him about an extension before I headed to class, so I took extra care to make sure I looked like a responsible tenant who would, in fact, pay the rent. We'd had a few minor differences during the time I'd lived in the apartment, but nothing that would prevent him from giving me a chance to get the financial aid issues straightened out so I could pay him.

  "You can do this, Pierce," I said looking at myself in the mirror, as I got ready to leave. "Smile and be polite and he won't be able to say no."

  I'd pulled my hair into a low ponytail and dressed conservatively in a black turtleneck and pants with boots. I swept a layer of mascara onto my lashes before finishing with a bit of bright lipstick. I looked like a responsible adult, I thought as I smoothed my hair and pulled on my coat.

  I practiced my appeal on the way down in the elevator, and when I got to the lobby I saw my landlord standing behind the front desk. I took a deep breath and approached with a smile.

  "Good morning, Mr. Deaver," I said.

  "Well, good morning, Miss Pierce!" he said with a big smile. It confused me for a second, but I recovered quickly and continued smiling.

  "Mr. Deaver, I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to be a little late with my rent, and I recognize that I'll probably owe you some late fees," I began. The words tumbled out of my mouth in a fast and furious attempt to get it all out before he stopped me.

  "I'm sorry?" he said looking very confused.

  "The rent? I'm going to be late," I repeated feeling a little confused by the question.

  "You don't owe me any rent, Miss Pierce," he said frowning a little. "You're paid up through the end of the term."

  "But I haven't given you any money," I said furrowing my eyebrows as I tried to understand what he was telling me. "I need to give you the rent money, but I haven't gotten my financial aid check yet."

  "There's no money owed," he repeated as if he were speaking to a small child. "Your boyfriend gave me a check for the whole balance a few days ago, so we're good."

  "My...wait, what?" I asked unsure that I'd heard him correctly.

  "Your bae, isn't that what you kids call them these days?" he laughed. "The young man came to my office and gave me a check, so you're good until the end of the term."

  It suddenly dawned on me what had happened. Fortunately, I had the good sense to keep myself focused on what was happening in front of me.

  "Oh, great! I guess he forgot to tell me he'd done that," I said with a forced smile. "Thanks, Mr. Deaver. Oh, and could you get one of the guys to fix the sink in the kitchen? It's leaking underneath."

  "I'll send someone up to take care of it this morning, Miss Pierce," he said with a smile. I was immediately suspicious as to what else Cam Connor had done; since Deaver had never before agreed to take care of any maintenance issue that quickly.

  "Have a great day, Mr. Deaver!" I called as I headed out the door. I stomped two blocks before I was able to do anything but swear at Cam under my breath.

  He'd paid my rent. He hadn't even discussed it with me. And how in the hell did he know about my financial situation? I hadn't said a word to him about it.

  Liz. She must have mentioned what was going on when Cam was with her in the hospital room. Dammit. I could forgive Liz for trying to help, but I was mad as hell at Cam for butting into my business without saying a word to me. He'd treated me as if I was a child who couldn't take care of herself.

  My entire litany of complaints and grudges about money and the people who had it came flooding back into my brain as I walked toward class. There was no way in hell I was going to let Cam Connor pay my bills and treat me like some helpless damsel in distress. He'd gone behind my back and not said a word about it.

  That made me even madder when I thought about the fact that we'd spent the entire day together and he had had numerous opportunities to tell me what he'd done. He should have discussed it with me! I could feel my anger building with every step, and by the time I reached the classroom, I was in full rage mode. I picked up my phone and started punching keys on the screen as I typed out a message to Cam.

  "Ms. Pierce, could you come up here, please?" Professor Jackson asked quietly. I set my phone down and went to the front of the room.

  "Yes, sir?" I said when I reached her podium.

  "Ms. Pierce, until the issue with the cheating is resolved, you are not allowed to take any of the exams in this class," she said keeping her voice low and her back turned to the classroom.

  "Why not?" I asked shocked that I'd be barred from taking tests when I was innocent.

  "It's school policy," she said giving me an apologetic look. "I can't let you take this exam today. Your case will come before the review board on Wednesday, and if it's determined that you did nothing wrong, then I'll schedule a make up test for you."

  "I see," I said looking down at the floor as the shame burned on my cheeks. "I'll get my things and go."

  "That's probably best," she nodded as she reached out and patted my shoulder. "I really am sorry about this."

  "I know you are," I nodded. "I am, too."

  I went back to my desk and gathered my things knowing that everyone else in the class was watching me. I could feel Violet's stare even though my back was to her.

  "I heard they don't let cheaters take exams," she said a little too loudly to Jessica and Lydia. "It's an old rule, but one that they stand by."

  "Ms. Metzler, please refrain from any and all commentary," Professor Jackson said sternly. "I don't want to hear another word."

  "Yes, ma’am," she said sweetly, but I could hear her and her buddies whispering behind my back as I threw my bag over my shoulder and walked out of the room.

  I decided to head over to student accounts and see what I could do about delaying my tuition payment for a couple of days until the decision had been made about my case.

  "Miss Pierce?" the cashier asked as she looked from my student ID to the screen in front of her.

  "Yes, that's me," I said impatiently.

  "You don't have a balance to pay, Miss Pierce," she said with a big smile. "All good!"

  "Wait, what?" I did a double take. "When was that balance paid?"

  "It looks like, um, this morning," she said. "A few hours ago."

  "Very well, thank you," I said taking my ID and stuffing it in my bag. Cam Connor strikes again. Now I was furious. I was angry with him for paying these bills without consulting me, and I was mad that it made me angry.

  I pulled out my phone, erased the message I'd been typing and simply tapped out the message, "Call me. Now," before hitting send. Since I had no idea how long it was going to take him to get back to me, I decided to head over to the diner for breakfast and a cup of strong coffee.

  I might be angry, but that didn't mean I was going to punish myself by going hungry.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  Cam

  After I paid Alex's and Liz’s tuition bill, I headed over to the station to tell Chief Riley that I needed to take a couple of days off. I had vacation time coming, and I couldn't think of a better reason to use it than to help Alex find Liz. I also
needed to talk with Leo and be at the press conference for Richard Metzler later in the week, but first thing's first.

  "Connor, what's up? Isn't this your day off?" Chief said as he looked up from his paperwork.

  "It is, but I need a favor," I said as I stood in front of his desk. "I need some time off, Chief."

  "Is that so?" he said leaning back in his chair. "And what brought this on? I hope it's not something that's going to interfere with your duties here at the station."

  "No, sir," I said shaking my head vigorously. "I just need a few days to straighten out a few things and tie up some loose ends."

  "Well, this is rather inconvenient, Connor," he said as he studied me. "Given that Vangel has called out sick for the week."

  "Oh? That's weird; I didn't know he was ill," I said in a sarcastic voice.

  "He's not, but I'm not his daddy, so I'm not going to go digging around in his business," Chief said as he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his desk. "I'm going to assume that this is something important."

  "It is, sir, or I wouldn't be asking," I nodded. "I've got some things that need to be taken care of and they are urgent."

  "Alright, I guess we can transfer a guy over from one of the other stations for a few days," Chief said as he picked up the schedule and drew a line through my name on it. "This had better be good, Connor."

  "It is, sir," I said as I turned and headed for the door. "It's of vital importance."

  As I left the station, I felt my phone buzzing in my pocket, and when I pulled it out and saw the message from Alex, I knew she knew. She was mad, and probably rightfully so, and I was going to have to answer for my actions. It wasn't going to be an easy conversation, but first I needed to talk to Leo.

  I drove to the office, but Leo was out, so I left a note on his desk telling him to let me know when and where I needed to be for Metzler's announcement and that I'd be there.

  After I'd taken care of the first three things on my list, I knew it was time to call Alex. This was going to be a difficult discussion and I knew it was possible she wouldn't understand my reasoning behind paying her bills, but I crossed my fingers and hoped that, at the very least, she'd hear me out before she dumped me.