by Ali Parker
He swallowed and leaned forward, gripping the edges of the table. “Are you fucking crazy?”
“Phillip—”
“You can’t go off on a dating rampage like this. Mom would be—” He broke off and shook his head. “I don’t even want to think about what Mom would say. And Dad. Jesus, Piper. You can’t do this. It’s too reckless!”
“It’s perfectly safe. It’s organized by an elite club, and all these men are members there. They’re accountable for their behavior, and the selection process has been very vigorous. My safety is not an issue. I promise. I wouldn’t do it if it was. But think about it. In just one year, I could come back to the restaurant with enough money to save the business. I’d be able to finish paying my way through school. I could help you through school too, if that’s what you wanted. Phillip, we all keep talking about how we need a miracle. Well, this is it.”
Phillip frowned. “I don’t like it, Piper.”
“You don’t have to like it. I’m not sure I like it either. But we have to try. Don’t you think? I mean, worst-case scenario, I don’t get chosen to be the girl. I still have to go through that whole process this weekend. But best case? I have a million dollars in my bank account by next Christmas.”
He blinked. “A million dollars?”
“You heard me.”
“And you think you have a shot?”
“I have no fucking idea,” I said honestly. And then I laughed. “God, I don’t know what I’m doing, Phillip. I really don’t. But I’m so tired. I can’t keep this up. The restaurant and school, tutoring, plus my shifts in the library and cafeteria. And the knitting. I can barely make ends meet, and I don’t know how much longer I have before everything just falls out from underneath me and I’m screwed. And—and—” I shook my head.
“And what?”
“I’m terrified that I’m going to spend the rest of my life working at Piper’s Paradise.”
Phillip sighed and rubbed at his temples. He stared down at the table for a minute before lifting his gaze back up to me. “You’re sure it’s safe?”
I nodded.
“And you’re willing to put yourself through this? This could end real messy, Piper.”
“I’m sure.”
His eyes flicked back and forth between mine before he straightened up and nodded. “All right then. I’m with you. I won’t say anything to Mom and Dad.”
“How did you know I don’t want to tell them?” I asked.
“Because you’ve already lied and said you’re considering going abroad for school. I’m assuming that’s the version of the truth we’re going to stick with for now.”
“For now,” I agreed. “But toward the end, I’ll tell them the truth. If all of this happens. There’s still a really high chance I won’t be chosen. I just… I needed you to know, Phillip.”
“I’ve got your back, sis.”
I smiled. The butterflies flying around in my gut settled. It felt good to have told him the truth and to have his blessing. Now I could go into tomorrow feeling a little more confident and a little less crazy. I put my hand over his and nodded at the half-eaten sandwich on his plate. “Hurry up and eat. We have to find at least two outfits today for three hundred bucks. And they need to catch the eye of some seriously rich dudes.”
“I don’t think I’m the right person to help with that,” Phillip said.
“You’re the only person I’ve got.”
Chapter 15
Levi
I used my hands as a bowl to catch the cold water pouring out of the bathroom sink, and then I splashed it on my face. It was crisp, refreshing, and cold enough to sting just a bit. I used the fluffy white hotel towel hanging off the hook to my right to pat my face dry.
When I straightened up, my brother was leaning on the doorframe to the bathroom. His expression was skeptical. His dark brows were drawn together, and his lips were pressed together in a firm line as he watched me pull my shaving kit out of my suitcase.
“Whatever you’re thinking, I don’t need to know,” I warned. I’d been on a plane for the last twelve hours. I had no interest in him telling me for the thousandth time how bad of an idea he thought this whole Casanova thing was. I already knew it was a bad idea.
Jake scratched at his chin. He had dark stubble along his jaw, and I envied him a bit for how casually he was dressed. His dark jeans and sweater looked fucking comfortable. “I wasn’t going to say anything,” my brother said.
“Good.” I nodded as I set out my razor kit and flipped it open. I started the process of cleaning up my face and slicing away the last day’s growth.
“They’re all going to know who you are. You do realize that, right? I mean, this might be an extreme situation for most of these guys, but for you Levi, it’s gonna be a shit show. You’ve gotta know that.”
I scowled. “Of course I know that.”
“You’re sure this will be good publicity for you?”
I shrugged. “No. But how can you be sure of anything these days?”
“Then why the hell are you doing it?” Jake asked.
It was a fair question. Why was I throwing myself into the mix with eleven other men just for the chance to date one girl when, as a globally known rock star, I could have any girl I wanted.
There were some major pros to being me, Levi Morgan, lead guitarist and singer of The Levi Project. Pros like women, drugs, booze, all-access passes to any and all events of my choosing, fast cars, and topnotch accommodations in any city around the world.
“I guess I’m just bored,” I said.
Jake laughed. It wasn’t a mirthful laugh. It was quite the opposite. “Wow.”
I washed my face when I was done shaving and packed my kit back up. “I don’t give a fuck what you think, man. I’m in this thing. And I have a lot of lost time to make up for. The other guys have all met each other, and they know what to expect this weekend. I’ve missed all the meetings because of my tour. I’m going in blind.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t go in at all. You should lay low. You know? Take a breather. You’ve been away from home for almost nine months, and I don’t know. You look rough, man.”
I glanced at my own reflection. I looked about the same as I always looked. Sure, my face was looking a bit thinner and drawn, and there were purple bags under my eyes, but that was from all the travel.
Not the drugs and the alcohol.
“I’m fine, Jake. You don’t have to take Mom’s place and try to keep me all in one piece. I’m a big boy, and I can take care of myself.”
“You’re doing a shit job of it.”
I threw my head back and laughed. When had my little brother grown such big balls?
I moved around him where he stood in the doorframe and clasped my hand over his shoulder. “Maybe I am. But you know what? I don’t give a damn. I’m about to walk into a room full of rich assholes, and I’m going to show them who they need to worry about most. Mr. Steal Your Girl has arrived.”
“I really hope that wasn’t you trying to sound cool.”
“Fuck off, Jake,” I said as I headed out the room, draping my black leather jacket over my shoulders. I didn’t need a lecture from anyone, least of all my baby brother.
I was lucky to have snagged a hotel room at the Casanova Club. If I’d had to stay somewhere else, I would have the public to contend with any time I tried to get here, and that would have been a big enough deterrent to keep me from making it to my first meeting. I had no interest in stopping to take selfies with sixteen-year-old girls.
When had that become my audience? When had rock and roll turned into something teenage girls who also loved boy bands were into? I wanted the rocker chicks who wore real leather and weren’t afraid to get a little dirty to fill my stadiums again. I wanted a girl with a real soul who liked to fuck as hard as she liked to party.
And they were impossible to find.
The hallways of the Casanova Club were dimly lit with wall sconces of a gothic nature. It contras
ted with the modern decor of the rest of the club quite nicely. The walls were done up in forest green-embossed wallpaper. It was textured with matte lines broken up by glossy ones that caught the light of the sconces. I liked the vibe, and it grew steadily more luxurious as I made my way toward the common area of the club.
I arrived at the bar around eight o’clock. I was the last one there, as expected, and found myself staring at the other eleven men who were gathered around several tables, talking amongst themselves.
I gathered my nerve and walked up to the bar. I ordered myself a drink and became instantly aware of the growing silence behind me as I waited on the bartender. Once he handed me my Old Fashioned, I turned to face the men who had all stopped talking and were watching me expectantly.
I wondered if it bothered them that I was able to come this late to the party and still be on the same playing field as them.
“Good evening.” I nodded and tried to sound as assertive as possible.
The men were a lot more intimidating than I’d expected. I was used to traveling with guys like myself. Rockers. Artists. Partiers. Avid songwriters and musicians and guys who did a lot of drugs.
The only drugs these bastards were taking were vitamins or steroids.
The one closest to me had dark hair and eyes, and he gestured at the open seat beside him. “Sit. You’re just in time. Levi, right?”
I nodded as I took the seat that was offered. “Yes. And you are?”
“Joshua Curtis,” he said, holding out his hand.
I shook it. His grip was firm. “The Canadian,” I said.
He chuckled. “You’ve done your research.”
I shrugged one shoulder. “I knew some of the names prior to coming here. And you?” I looked around at the two other men at the table.
“Miles,” one of them said. He was nicely dressed and wore a pair of frameless glasses. I shook his hand, and he gave me a friendly smile. “Nice to meet you. I’m a fan of your music.”
My insides itched. I would have to get used to everyone talking about my music while I was here. “Thanks.”
The other man, a dark-haired, square-jawed, broad-shouldered, well-built guy, extended his hand. His palms were calloused. He’d seen some hard days of work in his time, and recently too. This surprised me. I was under the impression that all these guys would be pompous bastards who sat behind a desk all day for a living. That was how people got rich these days, wasn’t it?
“The name’s Wyatt,” the calloused-hand man said. His accent was thick and southern. I hadn’t expected a man like him in this bunch. “Glad you made it in time, man. Jackson Lee is about to bring out some of the women.”
“Have you met any of them yet?” I asked. My curiosity got the best of me.
Wyatt shook his head. “None of us have. The final ten weren’t decided upon until last night to make sure everything was under lock and key. They run a tight ship here.” He reached for the glass of whiskey in front of him and sipped it slowly.
Joshua nudged Wyatt in the ribs. “Heads-up. Here comes Jackson.”
I followed the direction Joshua was looking. Across the bar stood a man in a blue suit. I recognized him instantly. Jackson Lee, the winner of last year’s event. He strode confidently over to us, adjusting his suit jacket on his way.
When he set foot in the bar, he addressed us all in a cool, calm voice. “Gentlemen, I know you’ve all been waiting a long time to meet the final ten women, so I’m not going to take up anymore of your time. They are all up in their rooms and have been informed that you are here and waiting on them. They will start arriving shortly. I suggest you take as much time with these women as you can. Only one of them will be moving forward as the woman you will date over the course of next year. Ask the questions that need asking. And remember, this might be the woman you marry.”
Some of the guys at the other tables started muttering. Jackson bowed his head and slipped away, leaving us on our own.
I looked around at the others. “That’s it?”
Miles nodded. “We’ve been at all the other meetings. There isn’t much else to say. At the end of the weekend, we each cast our vote for the woman of our choice. Whichever one has the most votes moves forward with all of us.”
Wyatt swirled his whiskey around in his glass. “My fingers are crossed for a southern girl who’s not afraid of a little dirt.”
“In this group?” Miles chuckled. “Your fingers are going to be crossed for a long time.”
“Hey,” Joshua said, sitting up a little straighter. He pointed across the bar and down the long hallway from which I’d come moments earlier. “Here they come.”
I peered down the hall. Three women were walking toward us. Each was dressed in a long gown. The one on the left had long blonde hair that she wore straight. I couldn’t make out any of her facial features from this distance, but her body was insane. Then I noticed the other two women had similar figures. Lean and equally proportioned. Beautiful white smiles.
When they arrived at the bar, the three women fanned out, and the blonde came over to our table. Her cheeks were bright pink when Wyatt rose from his chair and pulled out the open chair for her. He bowed his head as she sat, and then he tucked her chair in for her.
She looked around at all of us. For a paralyzing moment, it was like none of us knew what to say.
Then Joshua took control of the situation. He held out his hand. She lifted hers, and he took her hand in his and lifted it up to press his lips to her knuckles. “Hello, what’s your name?”
The young woman gave him a dazzling smile. “Leah.”
“Leah,” Joshua said her name like he was tasting it. “It’s very nice to meet you. We’ve all been waiting a long time. These are some of my friends. Miles, Wyatt, and Levi.”
Her blue eyes slid to me, and then the pinkness of her cheeks turned to a vibrant shade of red. “Levi Morgan?” she whispered.
I nodded. “Yes, but—”
“Oh my God,” she breathed, holding a hand to her chest. “They never said someone like you would be here. Wow. Um. Okay. I’m sorry. I’m just a little flustered now. There’s a picture of you on the back of my closet door. Oh my God. Why did I say that? That’s so embarrassing.”
Joshua released her hand and chuckled effortlessly. He seemed perfectly at ease in this very strange environment. “You get to know some of the guys, Leah. I’ll grab you a drink. Sound good?”
She nodded and gave him a well-rehearsed smile. As soon as Joshua was out of sight, her eyes locked right back onto mine. She drew her sleek blonde hair back over her shoulders, exposing an almost bare chest that I noticed was covered in gold flakes of glitter that were only visible when she moved. She was like a damn Barbie doll, all decked out for the holiday season. “How was your tour?” she asked.
Here we go, I thought sourly. “It was good. Long, but good. I’m happy to be in one place for a little while.”
“What are you looking for in a girl, Levi?” she asked, cocking her head to one side. I couldn’t deny that she was beautiful. But I also knew for a fact that a girl like her wouldn’t want to spend time doing the things I liked. She had probably never been to a rock concert in her life, and the idea of wearing a band T-shirt and a pair of sneakers would most likely horrify her.
“I’m looking for someone with a good sense of humor,” I said. During all my conversations with Jackson leading up to this moment, he’d told me the best course of action was to just tell the truth. Otherwise, it was nothing more than a waste of everyone’s time. “Someone who doesn’t take themselves too seriously. Someone who isn’t afraid to tell me when I’m going too far. Someone to get blackout drunk with before we fuck all night long. You know. Basic shit.” I tipped my head back to drain the rest of my Old Fashioned.
Leah swallowed, and her gaze darkened. I knew that look better than I knew my own fucking song lyrics. Her panties were wet. Just like that.
I smiled and crossed one leg over the other. “What about you,
doll? What are you looking for?”
“Um,” she stammered as she looked nervously around at the rest of us. “Someone I can spend the rest of my life with.”
The other men nodded along. She told us a bit about herself. Her favorite hobbies were dancing and yoga. She liked traveling and exploring and shopping. Obviously. Her favorite food was sushi.
I strained my ears to listen to the conversations the other women were having at the other tables. I’d grown tired of Leah in less than fifteen minutes. She was only saying what she thought we wanted to hear. Nothing coming out of her mouth was genuine. I couldn’t blame her. There was a lot at stake here, and this would be a very nerve-wracking experience for any person.
But that didn’t change the fact that I was bored.
The other women seemed to be giving similar answers. And they wore similar dresses. They did their makeup in similar ways, and they spoke in similar tones. They even giggled in a similar pitch and swung their hips in a similar gait.
They were like serial dating clones.
Clones with freakishly good hair and skin.
Chapter 16
Asher
“Hi, I’m Jenna.” The red-haired vixen smiled sweetly as she held her hand out to me.
I took her hand and placed a kiss upon the back of it. “Nice to meet you. I’m Asher.”
“Your accent is lovely,” she said, batting her lashes at me.
I guided her away from the bar where we had just ordered drinks, and we took a seat at a table off to the side, away from the other men who were all moving through the tables to get a chance to talk to the women.
