I do wonder if it’s all because of my family name. Is it because I have money? Is it because he knows what he can get out of me if he keeps himself adhered to my side?
He has to know stalking me isn’t the way to make me fall in love with him. Or does he think he’s being romantic?
I have no idea what he thinks, but all the endless possibilities make my head spin and my stomach sick. With Connor studying me like he’s reading my thoughts, I hope I don’t look too cornered right now. I am, and there’s nothing I can do about it. But I don’t want to look like it.
Connor looks toward the wall we shared and I see him seething. He’s on the edge of losing his temper. I have no idea what he’s going to do to Zac when he finally snaps.
I guess I just have to hope he doesn’t kill him. Because murder is a permanent solution to a very temporary problem. I’m sure when I’m an old lady looking back on my life, Zac will be but a blip on the radar of things I’ve done.
And that’s enough to make me smile.
Chapter 14
Connor
“I know you’re in there, Jane. I tracked your cell phone to this location.”
The words are enough to make me want to strangle him right now. Not only is this little bitch ruining my interrogation of Jane, he’s also stalking her, threatening her, and diverting her fear from me – where it should be – to his puny, stupid ass.
Why the actual fuck would he be tracking her phone? Is he stalking her? Even if she’s cheated on him a million times, he should just have broken up with her, not fucking gone full psycho mode and tracked her ass down.
There’s more to this.
And while it has no weight on what’s going down with Jane, I’m also curious how it’s all going to play out. I glance over at Jane. She’s sitting on the counter still, her legs dangling over the edge. She’s pale, her face twisted into an expression of pain. I don’t know what’s on her mind, but it’s clearly painful.
I wonder if its him.
Did she cheat on him? Because I have a feeling that creep is this guy’s base ability. He seems like the type that came factory set with a stalker setting that’s yet to be disabled. Even if she did, though, nothing gives him the right to treat her this way.
Sure, what I’m doing to her is fucked up, but I’m protecting my family. I bet poetry shoes is just doing this to get laid.
She’s studying me, her eyes begging me to help her. But I’m not a fucking savior. I’m not the hero, I’m no white knight; I don’t fucking do this shit.
As if she can read my thoughts, her eyes lower to her lap again, as if her cute short shorts hold all the answers.
She doesn’t understand that I’m not two halves of a man. I’m a monster. I’ll fucking snatch her from her room and lord fear over her to keep her silent, to bend her to my will. I’m not going to fucking save her from her dipshit boyfriend.
Next door, the idiot keeps banging on the door, his very voice making my temper shorten bit by bit.
I glance back at Jane, who’s watching me, her wide eyes nervous. She’s scared again. Good. But as I watch, a tiny smile tugs the corners of her lips and I feel like she’s giving me a silent signal to end this shit.
Fine.
I’ll help her end it.
I open my room door and walk over to a very surprised looking man child and grab his collar. “You couldn’t leave well enough alone, could you?” I ask as I shove him into my room.
He protests until he sees Jane.
Then he’s furious. I’m holding him back by the collar as he tries to lunge forward to get to her.
“What the fuck, Jane?” He asks, his voice rising an octave with his anger. It’s amusing that he sounds like a shrill, angry little girl when he’s mad. With one hand, I push him down into the chair Cami has sat in.
He tries to get up, but I grab his shoulder and push him back into the chair. It's like he suddenly sees me again.
“You’re fucking my fiancé,” he says, glaring up at me like I’m the devil. He’s half right.
I could deny it. But I’d rather save my breath and words for more important things.
When he realizes I’m not going to engage with him he glances back over at a frozen Jane. She’s staring at him like he’s the biggest mistake she’s ever made. I agree with her. How is this puny little shit anything to her?
As the guy tries to get up again, I once more put him on his ass with a single hand on his shoulder. The idiot doesn’t learn, clearly. The sooner he accepts he’s not the boss here, the better.
He again struggles against me. Holding him in one place with that single hand on his shoulder, I look him in the eyes.
“You’re not in charge here,” I tell him slowly, clearly. As if I’m the most menacing thing he’s ever faced, he shrinks into his chair a little bit. He gives a quick nod, his eyes locked on mine like he’s offering his soul if only I don’t hurt him.
I remove my hand from his shoulder and he stays put, as if he’s aware I won’t just push him down next time. No, next time, I’ll make sure he can’t get up again without permission.
With a glance at Jane, I see the look in her eyes. She’s realizes that her boyfriend isn’t the one who’s frightening here. As if I needed to prove that.
With her eyes locked on me, I see the terror in her eyes again. It’s a good feeling. I was getting sick of her puppy dog looks like I’m some nice guy who’s here to save her from her big, bad ex-boyfriend.
I’m fucking not.
I need this little prick to say his part, and her to say hers so I can get rid of him. Because I need some time alone with her. I need to know what she knows. I need to know if she’s a threat. And if that means making sure she fucking breaks up with this idiot and sends him on his merry way, so fucking be it.
“You should have fucking left,” I tell the hipster shithead. He nods, his eyes filled with panic. “But since you didn’t, your girlfriend has something to tell you. Something you’re going to fucking listen to and respect.” I move closer to him and he shrinks back in the chair. He notices his reaction and tries to act tough, sprawling in the chair and crossing his arms while having the audacity to feign looking bored.
“I won’t tell you twice,” I say, and I see a flicker of fear in his eyes.
Chapter 15
Jane
Connor’s voice is ultra-sexy as she shoves a bewildered Zac into the room. “You couldn’t leave well enough alone, could you?”
I stare at Zac, feeling like my whole world is coming to a crashing, volcanic end.
Then Zac sees me.
All I see is fury. Hatred, loathing, and maybe a hint of murder. Not because he loves me; he knows what he stands to lose if I walk away. Holy fuck, why do I feel like he was waiting to marry me to kill me and take my family money for himself?
No way. That kind of shit only happens in those Dateline shows. Not in real life, not to people like me. I mean, those people are the unlucky ones. I can in no way, shape or form call my life unlucky.
And, with Connor holding him by that stupid blue plaid shirt I hate, Zac tries to lunge at me. Connor is quick to shove him into the chair in the middle of the room. It’s kind of funny to see someone finally show Zac he’s not some big strong man’s man just because he can almost grow a big boy beard.
“What the fuck, Jane?” he yells at me, his voice sounding like an angry little girl who’s older brother stole her favorite Barbie. I can almost imagine him turning his head to the side to scream, I’m telling mom! before stomping off. Though he’s more likely to tattle to my father.
He tries to get up, but Connor drops an imposing hand on his shoulder and shoves him back down like he’s a sack of potatoes.
Zac, not getting a rise out of me looks up at Connor. “You’re fucking my fiancé,” he says to an unimpressed Connor.
Connor doesn’t even bat an eye. Instead of denying like some white knight hero stepping up to bat for me, he totally blows off the allegation and contin
ues to glare at Zac. Which makes his claim seem like the stupidest thing he’s ever said. It’s almost an art how Connor manipulates people.
I wonder if half my attraction to him is how he’s manipulating me?
No way. That heat I feel at his very voice started before he ever even knew I existed. While it’s weird, perhaps, to be so deeply turned on by a voice, maybe that’s my thing. I don’t know. I’m twenty two. Maybe I’ve got a voice fetish and he’s the first guy with just the right voice that I’ve met.
As Zac stares at me, I wonder why the hell I ever wasted my time with him. He’s such a child. This isn’t the first time he’s thrown a temper tantrum when he didn’t get what he wanted.
As if reading my mind, Zac tries to get up again. And again, Connor’s hand pushes him down without any seeming effort. It’s amazing how Connor seems almost bored, as if this guy is such a non-threat that he’s not even really paying attention.
Zac seems to try push back. But Connor isn’t having it.
“You’re not in charge here,” Connor says, his low, threatening voice sending a tickle of pleasure down my spine. Those words, that voice.. oh, my god. I’m going to have to wash this damn counter.
Zac, staring up at Connor, nods his head quickly; a frightened little flutter that makes me want to giggle.
As I watch Connor’s set shoulders, he looks up at me, those incredible eyes melting the core of me to a liquid, molten hot need. He’s so damn sexy, so in charge it’s both scary and sexy. But mostly sexy, I think.
“You should have fucking left,” Connor says to Zac, who’s staring up at him, his mouth open in what looks like slack-jaw stupidity.
“But since you didn’t,” Connor continues, every inch of him exuding power and control, “your girlfriend has something to tell you. Something you’re going to fucking listen to and respect.”
Connor leans toward Zac a little and my boyfriend cowers back. He glances at me out of the corner of his eyes and seems to decide it’s a good idea to act tough. He stretches a leg out before him and links the fingers of both hands and drop them in front of his other bent knee. He’s trying to look relaxed, but he looks like an idiot.
“I won’t tell you twice,” Connor says, and I try not to gulp back shock and more than a little excitement.
“It’s over.” The words burst from me and both men look my direction. Zac is dismayed, Connor seems amused.
Zac’s not stopping without a fight. “You won’t leave me. I’m going to be famous and you’ll forever hate yourself for leaving me.”
Not this argument again. “Zac, I wouldn’t love you even if you were famous.” I tell him wondering how a grown man could have such a stupid view of love and life. Does he really think that all it takes is fame to make everyone love you? That’s not love.
“No, you would have been the only one to love me before. But now you’ll forever be the girl who broke up with me and didn’t support my career.” Zac takes the path of trying to garner my pity. It has worked before, because of course I don’t want to be the bitch that doesn’t support his dreams and his career.
It doesn’t work this time. “It’s not your career if you’ve never made money doing it,” I say, as the words I’ve been holding in for too long, escape my mouth with ease and conviction.
“Do you really want to tell the world you dumped the next Shia LaBeouf?” He asks, his petulant face nearly driving me to laughter.
That’s really his aim? The top of the top for him is Shia? I want to tell him so badly to read the news and catch up on the latest events in the life of Shia. But I don’t. I’m tired of the fight, tired of his BS, tired of him not accepting that I’m breaking up with him.
“It’s over. Good luck in your acting career. I’m sure the world will love you,” I say, feeling defeated.
Chapter 16
Connor
“It’s over.” Jane sounds surprised by her own admission and I sense relief in the way her shoulders relax like the weight of the world has been lifted off them.
But Zac doesn’t accept her break up. “You won’t leave me. I’m going to be famous and you’ll forever hate yourself for leaving me.”
Jesus, doesn’t he realize how cringy it is to tell a girl that she obviously doesn’t mean it because you might, maybe, perhaps be famous one day? No, you won’t, I want to tell him. But this isn’t my fight. As much as I hate this shitty excuse for a human being, it’s Jane who has to handle this.
Jane seems tired of it, as if she’s had this conversation before and it turned out exactly the same as this time will. The look in her eyes screams that she’s trapped in a relationship that’s going nowhere. And she’s tired of it.
“Zac, I wouldn’t love you even if you were famous.”
Damn. I’m proud of her for just spilling it like that.
Zac isn’t done being an idiot arguing his own points like some kind of stupid devil’s advocate. “No, you would have been the only one to love me before. But now you’ll forever be the girl who broke up with me and didn’t support my career.”
That’s what this guy thinks will work? Does he think Jane is so stupid she’ll fall for this pathetic manipulation?
“It’s not your career if you’ve never made money doing it,” Jane says. She’s got a point.
“Do you really want to tell the world you dumped the next Shia LaBeouf?” Zac says.
I’ve… got no words.
“It’s over. Good luck in your acting career. I’m sure the world will love you,” Jane says, her whole body saying she doesn’t believe this is the end of things.
“Did you hear her?” I ask, leaning toward him just a little bit.
Zac’s bitter expression turns my direction. “This is why I tracked her phone. She’s just a cheating whore. How long have you been fucking her?” He’s on his feet in a flash and I cross my arms, amused at his little show of temper. He’s like a little dog, he can bounce around and make as much noise as he wants, at the end of the day, he’s still a little dog.
“I’ll fight for her,” he says, lifting his fists while dancing on his feet a little, like a guy who’s watched too many Kung Fu movies without any real knowledge how fighting really works.
“Zac, don’t.” Jane sounds like she can’t believe how stupid her ex is being right now. I find it impressive that she doesn’t sound surprised, just upset she has to tell him again to stop being an idiot. It makes me wonder how many times she’s saved him from himself.
As I stare at him, I wonder what I should do. Knock him on his ass? Or stay put so he can have that feeling that I really don’t see him as any kind of threat.
I think that’s the winner.
“She said it’s over. Leave.” I say and he seems to deflate a little bit.
It’s a bit of a relief that he has no idea what’s really going on between Jane and I. If he was more in tune with her, he might be able to figure out that she’s not here willingly. That she’s here because I require it. But he’s so caught up in his narrative that I’m fucking her that he has never let the thought that it might be anything else cross his mind.
It’s sad, really. I bet he could fix everything if he’d save her from me.
“No,” he says, his fists and feet resuming their movements. “We’re going to fight for her.”
Jane continues being the voice of reason. “Zac, even if you won, I wouldn’t take you back.”
Again, he seems to feel the words like a blow. I’m wondering why the hell he’s not backing off. What is with this girl? Why is he fighting so hard to keep her? There’s more to this, I know it.
I glance at her and her whole body tenses as her hazel eyes meet mine. The way her lips part is an invitation, and I want nothing more than to see my cock slide past those pretty pink lips.
As if reading my thoughts, she swallows, the motion of her throat enough to knock every thought from my mind. Fuck.
Out of the corner of my eye I see Zac tense up and know what he’s going to do nex
t. I sidestep as he lunges at me. He’s swinging wildly as if he’s just hoping to at least make contact once.
He doesn’t.
I grab his collar and hold him away from my body. I’ve got enough length I can keep him from landing any blows. Still, he twists as he continues swinging wildly. With him in tow, I walk toward the front door holding him like I’m taking out the trash. An apt description, I think.
Opening the door, I shove him out. I watch with more than a little satisfaction as he sails into the wall across the way. The thud of him hitting, and the surprise in his eyes as he bounces off and turns to me is worth it.
“I hope I don’t see you again,” I tell him, knowing by the way his eyes widen that he hears the threat loud and clear.
“You’re not getting her money,” he says, impatiently shifting his shaggy blond hair out of his eyes and straightening the lapel of his button down shirt.
“You’re shit if all you wanted was her money,” I say, everything suddenly making sense. Of course he doesn’t want to lose her. What a loser. “Get a job,” I tell him, closing the door.
On the other side I hear him shout at me. “I have a job! I’m an actor.”
Chapter 17
Jane
Oh, my god, I’m finally single.
I watch Connor close the door and turn to face me. Icy terror tickles down my spine as he stalks over to me. I feel like my luck has run out. He looks tense, furious, even, and I know the whole delay has pissed him off.
He stops before me and places his hands on the edge of the counter again. When he leans in, his scent overcomes me and I breathe deeply of him.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, needing him to know I didn’t want any of that mess to be a bother to him. My heart is slamming in my chest as he says nothing. He's staring me in the eyes like he can discern my secrets.
Billionaire Bash: The Complete Steele Series Page 54
