Second Chances
Page 20
Rhia didn’t know where to go from there. He said he didn’t have any children and Rhia knew her husband well enough to know that if he thought he had children he’d damn well have them with him.
“They’ve all been dismissed against you? All five?”
“Yes.”
Ram didn’t want to share more than he had to. He wasn’t particularly proud of his past, but he didn’t want any confusion, and he didn’t want to revisit this conversation ever again.
“When I was twenty-one there was this girl that followed the band. She was from a good family, really sweet. Well, she got pregnant after sleeping with one of our road-crew. The guy left her to hang as soon as he found out and her family disowned her. I canned the guy and made sure he didn’t work any of the shows I had contact with. He’s still black listed with me.” Ram got angry all over again just thinking about it.
“I mean, what kind of asshole abandons his kid? The guy was making ten-thousand a month working with us back then and he ditches his own kid. Anyway, I set up an irrevocable trust for the kid. Long story short, word got out. The first year after that I had three paternity suits brought against me. Two more the next. This is the sixth. Honestly, I thought this part of my life was over.” Ram sounded as weary as he felt, even to his own ears.
Rhia had grown quiet. “What was her name? The girl who named you first as the father, what was her name?”
“Mary Rose. She’s a nurse now. Sebastian, her son, just turned eight. I sent him some Star Wars legos for his birthday.” Ram shrugged. “He’s got a great step-dad. Mary’s family has nothing to do with her, but she’s made a new family. She’s happy.”
“And all the other cases, what happened with those.” Rhia asked.
“I never set up another trust. I learned my lesson the first time.” Ram laughed, without mirth. “Hell, I’m still paying for it.”
Ram remembered the girl’s name.
Ram sent her son legos. He set up a trust for a child that wasn’t his simply because he could and the baby’s mother needed help. And he’d been scorned and vilified in the press for it.
Rhia couldn’t remember being so coldly angry in her life. “Ramsey, hand me your cell.”
Ram took one look at the set of his wife’s chin and fished his cell out of his pocket. He didn’t like the look on her face or the lack of emotion in her tone, he hadn’t encountered either before and he didn’t want them directed toward him, so he handed her the phone.
“William, I’m sorry to bother you, but I need your help. Turn on Chanel thirteen. Yea, you catching this. Yes, that’s exactly what I had in mind. Make sure it hits the papers will you?” Rhia looked at Ram quizzically. “No I don’t have a clue how much he’s worth, but that should do it. Thanks William. Good night.”
Rhia handed the cell back to Ram, a twinkle in her eye. “That should dissuade any more paternity suits.”
“Rhiannon, what did you just do?” Ram asked, suddenly glad she was on his side.
“Tomorrow I’m calling Starz-This-Week and I’m going to give them a statement. Right after news of the slander suit we’re filing against them and that woman hits the paper, so they can verify it.”
Ram wasn’t sure whether he wanted to laugh or throttle her for deciding to attack this thing head on without even asking what he thought.
He decided to kiss her instead. “You sure are a tough for a little pixie, aren’t you?”
“Only when I’m defending what’s mine.”
Ram did laugh then. Loud and hard. “I love you Rí. I truly do.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
“I am not a monk.” Ben stormed after Becca.
“I don’t care anymore. Go away.”
“Not in this lifetime. Not until we finish what we started.”
“You’re either growling at me or insufferably condescending, Ben Stark. Here’s a news flash, I hate both. And just for the record we never started a damn thing. I tried once or twice but I’m no longer interested. I repeat...Go...A...Way.”
“Do you know how long I’ve been looking for you?” Ben asked, hands on hips. Was he yelling? God, he never yelled and here he was screaming like a portside fish monger hawking today’s fresh catch.
“Why?” Becca asked.
“Why what?”
“Why were you looking for me. You made it perfectly clear you wanted nothing more to do with me the last time I talked and you looked down your superior nose at me. You didn’t want me remember?” Becca tried to shut the door in Ben’s face, but he stuck his foot in the door.
“Let’s get one thing clear. I never said I didn’t want you.” Ben followed her until he had Becca directly in front of him. He brought her to him and kissed her with all the fire burning through him.
When she didn’t respond, Ben held her at arm’s length and searched her face.
Becca schooled her expression, refusing to let the tumult inside her show externally. She was good at hiding what she really felt. Hell, she’d been making millions at it for over a decade.
Heart pounding, Becca held out her hand for Ben to shake. He took it, but Becca could see from his expression he had no idea what she was doing. “Hi. My name’s Becca Stonehaven. My friends call me Becky.” She smiled at him, retaining his hand. “And you are going to have to do better than that if you want to be my friend, Mr. Stark.” Becca crossed the room and shut the door quietly behind her. She was out the door and in her car before she completely lost her composure.
At least he didn’t have her in tears this time, Becca thought. No, this time Ben had her heart beating out of her chest and her palms sweating, but she wasn’t in tears.
Tonight she’d definitely made progress. Tonight she was the one who walked away. Becca was praying that the next time they met neither one of them would be leaving, but that would be up to Ben. She was willing to give him a run for his money, but there was no way she’d sell herself cheaply ever again.
If Ben Stark wanted her he was going to have to deal with the whole package. The bitch, the model, the musician, and Becky, the tough girl from the hills who made her own way in the world through luck, grit and the grace of God. If he wasn’t willing to take all four he wasn’t worthy of any of them.
Becca started her Nissan Leaf and began to pull out of the drive. She almost hit him. Ben was there looking rumpled and wonderful standing in front of her car scowling at her.
She rolled down her window and yelled at him. “I never would have taken you for a stalker, Benjamin.”
Before Becca knew what was happening Ben was around the car, had an arm through her open window, and had her keys in his hand. “Hey give those back.”
He opened the car door instead. “Get out of the car, Becky. Don’t make me drag you. As much as I’d enjoy that right about now, there are people with cameras down the street and I don’t think Ram’s family needs any more bad publicity.”
Becca grabbed her purse and got out. She walked back into the house thinking she needed to get her own place. As much as she was enjoying Hunter’s company and verbally sparring with Rhia, she didn’t need to stay any longer, the tracks were recorded and all they needed to do now was promote Ram’s newest creations.
Becca was proud of her part in what Ram accomplished. She threw her shoulders back, flipped her inky hair, and walked back to the house at least an inch taller.
Becca now had options. She could do whatever she truly wanted to do. The problem was she only knew what she didn’t want.
She didn’t want to go back to L.A. It took her a month, but Becca finally realized she didn’t have any friends there. Not any real ones. She liked Rhia. She liked Hunter. She’d even made a few friends at a small club downtown where theater people hung out after shows and sang on stage.
Becca almost made it back to her room, Ben right on her heels, when they passed Ethan in the hall. Becca pasted a big smile on her face and kept walking. Ben grabbed the back of her shirt in his fist and twisted. She wasn’t going anywhe
re without ripping her top.
“Hey Dude. Staying the night?” Ethan asked Ben.
Ben looked at Becca and twisted a little harder. “Definitely. Nothing could keep me away.”
“I got the new x-box if you want to play later.” Ethan didn’t seem to notice the underlying tension.
“I’d love to, but I’ve got something that needs attending to tonight. It can’t wait. Can we do it in the morning?”
“Yea, Dude. No worries. I got a new computer program I wrote you’ve got to see. Killer Spyware. I’ll give you a demo tomorrow.” Ethan smiled and headed on his way. “‘night.”
“Night kid.” Ben said, sending Becca’s last hope of escape down the hall.
“That kid and I are going to make a fortune in reconnaissance, protection and extraction.” Ben smiled down at Becca as he opened her bedroom door and ushered them both in. “You should see the watch he designed for me, it does more than James Bond’s.”
Ben turned on the light and kissed her before Becca had a chance to fight or spit insults at him. He’d missed her and he’d had time to reflect on the fact that he’d been judging her since the moment he laid eyes on her. The deeper he dug into her background, the more unfair those judgments became.
He didn’t usually jump to conclusions, but with Becky that’s all he did. Ben didn’t care to reflect on why he did it. The why of it didn’t matter now. What mattered was keeping her from disappearing from his life again.
Becca didn’t fight. She didn’t resist either. She simply did nothing. Ben broke away and moved to the wet bar across her room. Like every other bedroom in this monstrosity of a house, Becca’s was a suite, complete with wet-bar, mini kitchen, living area, bedroom separated by it’s own door and an impossibly large bath.
Adding ice to his scotch he asked, “Have you ever read Sun Tzu?”
“What?” Becca asked. She wasn’t following his train of thought. But then why should she, Becca mused, Ben was always throwing out obscure references she was supposed to get, making her feel inadequate. Well she wasn’t inadequate and the hell with him if he couldn’t see that.
“Sun Tzu was a fifth century Chinese military general, who was one of the first to write about how war should be fought if one wanted to win. One of his precepts was that all war is based in deception.” Ben said, taking a sip of his scotch.
Becca felt his appraisal dance at her nape and continue tingling down the entirety of her spine. She steeled her backbone in response. Becca couldn’t afford to lose this skirmish, Ben had been in control too long, but she didn’t want to fight with him either, not really. Becca wanted Ben’s acceptance, his approval even, because without both there was never going to be a life with him.
“Fourth century.” She murmured approaching the wet-bar. She poured herself a glass of Pinot Gris from the wine chiller and sat on the love seat across from Ben. It was a tactical choice, she was sitting he was standing. Would he chose to sit and bring himself to her level or would he continue to try to dominate the room? The situation? Her?
Becca decided her future depended on what he did in the next few seconds. If he sat, she’d stay. If he hovered, she’d leave.
Ben finished his drink and set the empty tumbler on the counter. He didn’t pour another. He came around and sat across from her. Only then did Becca realize her mistake. In not wanting to turn her back to him as she sat, she left the only seat between her and the door open. That’s exactly where Ben sat.
Now he had the advantage. She couldn’t leave without walking past him. She’d underestimated him, she wouldn’t do that again. She was a model, he, among other things, was a protector and bodyguard. Becca wasn’t going to win a battle of physical strategy with this man, but then that wasn’t what this was about and she was far from defeated in the real battle they were fighting.
“Fourth what?” Ben asked, knowing he’d lost nothing by sitting. He’d blocked the only exit and as long as he kept her talking maybe he’d stand a chance of breaking through to her.
“Most scholars agree that Sun Tzu’s The Art of War was written in the fourth century B. C.” Becca smiled slightly and took a sip of her wine, thoroughly enjoying the slack nature of Ben’s jaw.
“Sun Tzu also wrote, depending on the translation, ‘one who is confused in purpose cannot respond to his enemy.’” Becca watched as Ben remained completely still. He didn’t move or tense or in any physical way show what he was feeling.
“What is your purpose here Ben?”
Ben didn’t move. He didn’t expect such a direct attack. He should have, Becky was full of surprises. He’d thought about what he’d say to her a million times and nothing he rehearsed fit this moment.
“I’m not your enemy Becky. At least I don’t want to be.” Ben’s eyes narrowed. “You’ve read Sun Tzu?” He asked already knowing she had. Christ, if she could quote from the damn thing, of course she’d read it.
“Yes.” Becca hit her chest in her best Tarzan impersonation. “Woman...can...read. Ah...ah...ahhh.”
Ben laughed despite himself and was rewarded with a genuine smile from Becky. “I wasn’t doubting your reading skills honey, just your choice of material.”
Becca ignored the endearment and rolled her eyes at him. “You can’t walk into a bookstore and not see six translations of The Art of War, three of which are on sale this week.” She grinned at him. “That little book helped me negotiate top dollars with Chanel.” She shrugged like it was no big deal. “What’s not to like.”
Ben threw back his head and laughed. He was never going to figure her out, but he’d like a shot at trying. She was smart, funny, sexy as hell, and he could relate to her prowess at deception. Becky was a chameleon. So was he. Deep down she was warm blooded though, Ben wasn’t, but he wanted to be. Maybe she could help him find his way.
“Ben, I have scaled back my modeling. I have a few other things in the works, but I needed to free up my schedule so I can do some shows with Ram and his family.”
Becca took another sip of her wine and Ben saw the slight shake in her hands. She wasn’t as unmoved by his presence as she wanted him to believe.
“I’m going to be around for awhile. Close to Ram anyway, while we do promotional stuff for the album. If seeing me is going to be a problem, then maybe you should assign someone else to Ram’s detail.”
Ben crossed the room and sat next to her on the love seat. He wasn’t a big man, but he took up all the free oxygen. He took her wine glass and set it on the table. When he looked into her velvet brow eyes, Ben had no trouble figuring out why she sold absolutely everything she posed for.
“It is going to be a problem. It’s going to be one hell of a problem. But that is not going to stop me.”
This time when Ben lowered his lips to hers, Becky came willingly. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back. The small couch wasn’t big enough to maneuver on, not the way he needed to anyway, so he picked her up and carried her to the bedroom.
It was no easy feat since she was a good inch taller than he was, but Ben made it. He undressed her slowly, liking the weight she’d added around her hips and thighs.
“You are so beautiful, Becky. I know you hear that every day. It probably doesn’t mean that much to you.” Ben said reverently, rubbing her bottom lip with his thumb before stepping away from her so he could commit every inch of her to memory.
Becca held still under his scrutiny. She had been told how beautiful she was, countless times. There was absolutely no reason why she should worry about how this man saw her.
“I’ve gained weight Ben, and I’m no longer seventeen. The major houses no longer want me. They’re looking for a young Kate Moss.” Becca didn’t know why she’d said that. It was true enough. It even bothered her a month ago. She didn’t care that much anymore, at least she hadn’t until she saw Ben again.
“Then they’re stupid.” Ben said bringing her hand to his crotch, holding it there, where his erection struggled painfully for release.
Ben’s hand was no longer holding hers, it was busy wiping the single tear from her cheek. “Don’t cry, Baby. Just let me love you.”
Becca closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She let go of his erection long enough to help him out of his clothes. When he was naked Becca laid down on the bed and spread her arms in welcome. She didn’t trust herself to speak, but then she didn’t have to, her body was speaking for her.
Ben looked down at her as she offered herself to him and he knew he was never going to let her go. She was the strongest, and yet the most vulnerable, woman he’d ever met and he’d waited way too long to sink into her.
Becca couldn’t read the expression on Ben’s face as he stood before her unabashedly naked. Lean muscle ripped his entire body. His torso formed an unmistakable ‘V’ that led to thighs that were thicker than they appeared when he was dressed. Not runner’s legs, there was too much mass, but Becca knew from experience Ben ran at least seven miles every day. He had to be doing more than running to generate that kind of muscle.
He was a fine looking man, but she’d had many fine looking men want her. There was more than the physical in Ben’s appeal, there was that indefinable pull that attracted and bound her in ways she didn’t understand. Ben Stark scared her and yet she never felt safer than when he was near.
She’d waited a lifetime for a man like Ben to see her for the person she really was and want her anyway. “Don’t make me wait any longer Ben. Please.” She implored.