“Rod?”
I nod. “There he was. My savior. He was all attitude and height at the time—the muscles and the ink came later.”
Rod started the school year a bit late because of drama with his mom and since he’s three-years older, we didn’t have any classes together, but I had noticed him.
“Did the mean girls stop?”
“Connie flew into a fit of rage, insulting and demeaning Rod. She even spat in his face.”
“What a fucking bitch!”
“I felt so badly for him. He came to my defense and he was getting stoned in the process. But I didn’t know who Rod Wolfe really was then.”
Zoe frowns. “What do you mean?”
“He never lost his composure. He simply smirked at Connie just before dropping the axe. He shut her up by telling her he had caught her on her knees with her tits out, giving the assistant basketball coach a blowjob in the boys’ change room the previous Thursday. She called him a liar and slapped him. He smirked at her again and proceeded to burst her bubble. He told her he caught everything on camera.”
“Was it true?”
“It was. This goes way back, but Rod had found a lost camcorder and always had it with him for fun. He went out of his way to delay the moment he had to go back to his mom’s place by hanging out at school. He had found a little hideaway where we could read his superhero cartoon books in peace. He never expected to witness a twenty-four-year-old assistant coach corrupting a thirteen-year-old student. When he started playing footage of the video, Connie went as white as a ghost. She fled like a thief.”
“Oh my God. That’s amazing!” Zoe cheers. “Did she get in trouble?”
“They both did. The assistant coach got fired and Connie was expelled. Nine months later, she became a teen mom.”
“Wow.”
“Once Connie ran away, Rod turned his attention to me. ‘Come, you’re with me now’, he said. I thought my limited English was responsible for me not understanding what he meant, but I ran to him when he extended his hand. He forced a few of Connie’s friends to pick up my belongings and apologize.”
“What a guy,” Zoe marvels.
“We didn’t stop there.”
“Why am I not surprised?”
“He then put out a warning, ‘Any of you assholes as much as look at her the wrong way and I’ll rain hell on you. Oh, if I hear Dumb Dom ever again, your ass is mine’.”
“Yes!” Zoe fists pumps.
“I was surprised he knew my name, but at least my nightmare was over thanks to this courageous stranger.”
“That was badass.”
“It’s Rod to the core,” I smile. “Even at sixteen, he was bad to the bone. He still walks around with the same, ‘Don’t fuck with me’ attitude.”
“What about your arm?” Zoe’s eyes drop to my tattoos. “How did Rod—” Zoe’s eyes shift above my head and her jaw drops.
“What?” I ask.
“Holy Jesus!”
“What is it?” I press.
“Oh. My. God! Oh. My. God! Oh. My. God!”
“What is it?” I repeat.
“Did Collin Dennison just walk into the Griddle Café?”
I turn around.
“Oh yeah, that’s him,” I confirm.
My head whips around when Zoe digs her fingernails into my arm.
“Ouch!” I squeal.
“Sorry. I’m a little excited.” No kidding. “You know Collin Dennison?” Her eyes practically bulge out of her skull.
“Rod and his business partner know him well. So do his former bandmates. I’ve seen Collin at a number of parties.”
“Why isn’t he coming over to say hi?”
“I doubt he recognizes me. He’s only seen me with jet-black hair.”
“Call him over.”
“Zoe, maybe the guy just wants to eat alone.”
“Point taken.” Her eyes are still glued on Collin. “I’d give an organ to be able to oil that man’s body in preparation for a photoshoot.” She’s eyeing the actor-slash-fitness-model with such a sense of longing, you can practically read her dirty thoughts. “Maybe he’s in the market for a new makeup artist.”
“I think he has that covered.”
“Hmmm,” she says absentmindedly.
She taps her index finger against her chin and narrows her gaze.
The wheels are churning hard.
“Do you need a bib? You’re drooling,” I say.
“With good reason.” Just like Rod, Collin Dennison doesn’t just walk into a room. He causes a commotion. “Can you imagine being kissed and manhandled by a real man like him?”
Not sure about the manhandled part, but I can definitely imagine the kissing part.
“Collin is very handsome.”
“Are you into him?” She almost looks offended.
“God, no. He’s a bit much for me,” I say.
“Right up my alley!”
Yup. I can see it.
She leans her elbows on the table and places her hands on each side of her mouth. “Word has it he has a huge sexual appetite. Apparently, that’s not the only huge thing about him,” she whispers.
“Err… Zoe—”
“If I’m not going to get dicked down by Roark anymore, Collin Dennison is a damn good upgrade.”
I’m dumbstruck by her confession.
“I’ll be right back.”
With that, she’s gone.
Un-freaking-believable.
CHAPTER 9
Roderick
After greeting Aaron’s parents and his sister Claire, I weave my way through their modest home until I reach the gardens. The man of the hour is surrounded by a group of friends.
“Hey, Mr. Bigshot!” I shout.
“Holy shit, man, you came,” Aaron cheers when he sees me.
He steps away from his small circle and walks towards me. A few people huddle together point my way and whisper. I pay them no mind, as my nana used to say. This day is about Aaron.
“Of course. I’m proud of you,” I say before taking him in a bro hug.
“I still can’t believe it,” he says, patting me a few times on the back before breaking our embrace.
“You didn’t even ask me to work my network to help get your foot in the door. You did it on your own like a big boy.”
“I don’t mooch off of friends. Even big celebrities like you, Wolfe,” he play-punches me.
“Former celebrity,” I correct. “Now I can go pretty much anywhere incognito.”
“You’re full of shit. Women still drop their panties when you walk in a room. I don’t get the same treatment. That makes you a celebrity in my book.”
“You’re too easily impressed,” I joke.
“You just have to flash your perfect smile and they line up. I have to show my dog tags to get any action these days. The facial scars are a big turn off. They aren’t very attractive,” he says, pointing to the side of his face.
I frown at his comments. “Then those women don’t deserve you. Your facial scars are a badge of honor and courage,” I remind him.
“Well, they do make me memorable,” he grimaces.
I place a hand on his shoulder. “Stop it, Aaron. You’re a war hero. Any woman who can’t see that isn’t worth your time.”
He gives me a small smile.
“At least I’m blonde and I have blue eyes. I have that over your pretty ass.”
“Haven’t you ever heard of tall, dark and handsome?” I retort.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.”
We both laugh.
“Seriously, thanks for coming, Rod.”
“I wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” I say. “What an achievement!”
“Thanks. When I got back home from service, I never thought I’d be here today. I didn’t think I’d make it through the PTSD, but here I am moving on with my life.”
“You mean moving on in a big way. You’re Amara Edmonds’ head of security! That’s a big fucking deal, man.”<
br />
“Yeah, it’s okay,” he offers a boyish smile. “She hired me for my badass looks and the dog tags, of course, but I’m okay with that. I don’t mind being exploited by my boss,” he jokes.
Aaron Linder is twenty-nine and comes from a long line of military men and women. When he came back from deployment four years ago, he was in bad shape. He had suffered some devastating physical and emotional trauma. For a while, it was touch and go. His family’s unconditional love and support was key to his recovery. His friends banded together to help. Dom volunteered as his math tutor when he decided to pursue an associate's degree in criminal justice. I shouldered the cost. Now, he’ll be the bodyguard to one of the biggest popstars on the planet as she embarks on her world tour.
“You wish,” I sneer. “Let’s face it, you got hired because I taught you how to fight like a man.”
“Oh, please. Not that again. There were only three of them. I could’ve taken them on.”
I smile.
Aaron and I met while I was staying with Nana Irene after my mother had another relapse. I was thirteen at the time. Irene Wolfe lived in Van Nuys–nowhere near Malibu, but a step up from the shithole neighborhood my mother lived in. Grandpa Rick had died a few years prior, so Nana worked two jobs. She worked the morning shift as a cleaning lady in a hotel in Sun Valley–a neighboring city. After picking me up from school, we’d drive to her other job. She was also the cleaning lady at a community-slash-recreation center for teens. It didn’t pay much, but it was my gateway.
The Norris Bradley Recreation Center is where I learned how to play the drums and perfect my craft. Most nights Nana worked until nine, but sometimes her boss asked her to stay until ten. On those longer shifts, she’d always give me a little money to go down to the convenience store to buy a snack.
One night, as I rounded the corner back to the recreation center, I noticed three big goons beating the shit out of another kid. I didn’t come out of that fight unscathed, but my face looked a hell of a lot better than the three other idiots. The police were called to the scene. Aaron vouched for me. He was a year older and a skinny kid. I was as lanky, but the anger I’d been carrying like a badge of honor and years of self-taught martial arts saved his ass. And mine.
“Well, no one can kick your butt anymore,” I say.
“You made sure of it.”
The army made Aaron a warrior. For three years, until the courts forced me to move back to the Fashion District, I was his Basic Camp training.
“Look who just got here,” Aaron’s sister cheers as she walks into the garden.
My eyes shift to the angelic blonde following her.
My best friend is killing me with her transformation.
I’m still not used to the hair.
She’s wearing a little bit more makeup than usual, but it looks good on her. A pair of large Italian 18k yellow gold hoops I gave her for her twenty-first birthday pierce her ears. The gold bangles on her right arm are also a gift. My chest pumps with pride seeing them on her.
Don’t ask me why, but my eyes land on her dainty feet. She doesn’t wear heels often, but she’s rocking those nude-colored ones.
Her dress is stunning. It showcases her slender body and displays her left sleeve of tattoos. The green and navy lace detail and form-fitting bodice make it super sexy, but still very classy. The mid-calf length is such a turn on because it prompts so many dirty thoughts as to what she’s hiding underneath.
And those thin straps…
Damn.
They suggest she isn’t wearing a bra.
I’m so fucked.
My mind had to go there.
As my eyes travel back up to her face, I pause at her plump lips.
Why did I have to do that?
Now I can only think about my best friend’s uninhibited response to the hotter-than-hell kiss we shared. My cock twitches inappropriately in my pants. Much like when I was holding her in my arms.
Our gazes lock and I can barely contain my smile.
She chooses to move her attention to Aaron, ignoring me altogether.
Goddammit!
“Holy shit. What happened to Dom?” Aaron asks.
“That’s her natural hair color,” I offer.
“I remember, but it seems like a lifetime ago.”
“Yeah,” I say.
“It’s not only the hair… there’s something about her…” he lets his words trail. “Wow. She’s all grown up.”
“She’s twenty-five. She’s been grown up a long time now.” The defensiveness in my tone is unmistakable.
“Down, boy,” he says. “It was meant as a compliment.”
“I know that.”
“Do you?”
I roll my eyes at him.
CHAPTER 10
Dominika
As usual, Aaron’s mom hugged the living daylights out of me. Don’t get me wrong, she’s a sweet woman, it’s just that a year after Aaron graduated, she’s still thanking me. No matter how many times I downplay it, she won’t hear of it. I was born in Austria, but I grew up in Budapest before coming to LA. Math is a big deal there. I guess I take it for granted.
Aaron’s going away party is well attended. It’s no wonder. So many guests have been there to support him throughout his difficult journey. I’m so proud of him. It’s amazing to see him stepping into his new life. Although there are people everywhere, I catch a glimpse of a familiar face in the crowd causing my next step to falter. I knew Rod had already arrived because he texted me to find out if I was on my way. So why is my heart beating like thunder? And how the hell do I fan down this pulse of heat to my cheeks?
Dear God, is it possible to have permanent heart palpitations from a simple kiss?
I wait for an answer, but clearly, God is busy elsewhere.
Figures.
My teeth dig into my bottom lip as I take him in. Rod lives in jeans and t-shirts. Even dressed down, it’s impossible to remain oblivious to his good looks and well-defined body. When he dresses-up, the bad boy takes a backseat to the debonair man. Like now. One can almost forget there’s an inked Adonis beneath the elegance. His tall and muscular body is adorned in a pair of slim pants, a fitted suit jacket and a shirt. The head-to-toe black look intensifies his mesmerizing dark brown eyes.
Then there are the shoes.
The classic Gaziano & Girling Cambridge oxfords are straight from 57th Street in New York––a far cry from the poor boy who used to have holes in his cheap shoes.
Hmmm.
I force my eyes to pull up to his face, but I get distracted. My gaze is glued to his chest––just hairy enough to make him manly. It’s amazing how a few undone buttons can conjure so many improper thoughts. As I continue my inspection, I can’t help but approve of the new tight beard.
God, you’re gorgeous.
I do my best to avoid focusing on his lips because if I do, it’ll only bring me back to yesterday’s kiss and how his mouth thoroughly claimed mine. I can’t allow myself to slip back into that fantasy.
“Dom!” Aaron waves me over.
“You’ve been summoned,” Claire says.
“Looks like it,” I do my best to keep it light, praying to God she doesn’t hear the tremor of nervousness in my voice.
“Come on. Let’s go see what he wants,” Claire jokes with a hand wave.
I follow her.
“Look at you,” Aaron says taking me into his arms.
He gives me a bear hug that lifts me off my feet.
“Oh my God, Aaron. Put me down,” I plead.
He does.
“What the hell do they put in the water in Hungary?” he jokes. “Gorgeousness serum?” Like a silly girl, I giggle. “You’re more beautiful than I’ve ever seen you, Dom.”
“Thank you,” I say shyly.
“I already begged for her stylist’s number. I’m out of luck. I’d have to fly to Europe,” Claire says. “It’s the same for the killer dress. She got it in the Big Apple. No wonder.”
&nb
sp; “You guys are making a big deal out of nothing,” I say.
“Tell her how amazing she looks,” Claire orders Rod, swatting his arm in the process.
Her command startles him.
I blink up at him and instantly, my cheeks flame up.
Three pair of eyes stare at him expectantly.
“Hey,” he says.
“Hey,” I parrot.
“I didn’t tell you to say hi,” Claire admonishes.
“Right.” Rod rubs a hand along the back of his neck and clears his throat. Unrushed, he sweeps his eyes up and down the length of my body. Good Lord. Even though I’m fully dressed, I feel completely naked. “I love it all.”
Four simple words.
You wouldn’t believe the effect they have on me.
Rod’s eyes bore into mine and for a few seconds, it’s as if we were the only two people in the backyard.
“See, I told you. We’re so going out later,” Claire says. Claire is a year older than I am and just like me, she’s still single. “You’re going to be my hunk magnet tonight. You’ll have men eating out of the palm of your hand. I’m okay with the leftovers,” she laughs.
Aaron chuckles.
Rod isn’t amused.
His nostrils flare.
The corner of his lips lifts slightly, the way it usually does when he’s displeased.
“Great! It’s settled,” Aaron says tapping Rod’s shoulder. “The girls will hit the town and you and I will go out in search of desperate souls. The more desperate, the better. Just like my little sis, I’m okay with the leftovers.”
Aaron and Claire laugh their heads off.
I can’t crack a smile.
And from the look of it, neither can Rod.
A lash of hurt stabs at my heart.
Torrid Love: Friends to Lovers Romance (Bad Boy Studs Book 1) Page 7
