Love Deserved (Rock N Roll Heiress Book 3)

by Kelli McCracken

  Nodding at him, I drew in a deep breath of his cologne. I enjoyed the scent, allowing the crisp, cool tones to settle my anxiety. I hated feeling on edge. Until Izzy was out of my life, I couldn’t help but worry about what she would do next. She was out of her mind. I had to find a way to get rid of her for good.

  Ayden tipped my chin higher. As soon as I gazed into his eyes, he smiled. “I really am sorry. All I meant to do is surprise you.”

  “It’s okay.” I touched his cheek as he lowered his mouth to mine. I enjoyed the warmth of his lips as he kissed me. It was tender, passionate, and enough to chase away my fears.

  When he pulled away, I released a sigh. Whenever Ayden was near, I was content. It was the times when we were apart that I worried. Thankfully, we hadn’t spent too much time apart since we reconciled. He spent most of his days following me around, opening doors, pulling out chairs, running after files and such. At one point, Andi asked him if he was trying to replace her as my assistant.

  It was a joke of course, but I appreciated everything he was doing. Most of all, he made sure I was eating and not stressing myself out with phone calls or employees.

  The best part of the time we were spending together was the private moments we got. Whenever it was just the two of us, Ayden would place his hand on my belly and talk to our child. Every time he did it, my heart melted. He was going to make a fantastic father and husband. I was blessed to have him in my life.

  “So what’s on the agenda for this evening?” He tucked a lock of hair behind my ear and waited for me to answer.

  “Honestly, I don’t have any plans. All my work is caught up, so I thought it would be nice to spend the evening at the suite. I’m too tired to deal with people tonight.”

  “Sounds like we need a little R and R. How about we get you back to the suite and get you in the shower. I’ll order us some dinner.” He kissed the end of my nose and began rubbing my shoulders. “Once we finish dinner, we can curl up with a movie and I’ll give you a full body massage.”

  I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Full body as in every part of my body? Even those, uh, delicate spots.”

  Ayden’s lips curled upward. “Definitely the delicate spots.”

  How could I refuse him? He was offering dinner, a movie, a massage, and mind-blowing sex. It sounded like a perfect evening.

  “You sure know how to sweep a girl off her feet, Mr. McAllister.”

  “So it’s a date?” One of his brows rose in a taunting manner. Then he wiggled both. I couldn’t help but laugh out loud as I nodded. “Good. Let’s get going. I’ll race you to the suite.”

  “Race?” I laughed harder as I patted my tiny bump. “Only if you give us a head start.”

  Shaking his head, Ayden chuckled as he walked me to the stairs that led to the main floor. “You can’t use your pregnancy as a handicap.”

  “It’s not a handicap. It’s precious cargo. Very fragile.”

  Clasping his hand around mine, he nodded this time. “That it is.”

  As he leaned his forehead to mine, we spent a moment just staring into each other’s eyes. This is how I wanted our relationship to be. When no one was interfering, Ayden was the sweetest, most thoughtful person I knew. The stress from our exes brought out sides of us we should have never seen. At least we’d managed to work through those bad times. Now we had a bright future ahead of us.

  When Ayden finally pulled away, he winked at me and faced the stairs. “See you at the bottom.”

  He gripped the rails with his hands and lifted his feet from the ground. After swinging them back and forth, he flung himself forward and jumped to the ground, skipping each one of the steps.

  “You’re gonna hurt yourself one of these days doing tricks like that.”

  “Nah. I have these long legs to help me.”

  I rolled my eyes and gripped the rail as I made my way down the first step. Ayden waited for me at the bottom. He checked his watch like he was growing impatient, then he folded his arms over his chest.

  “Come on, slowpoke. I have a hot date tonight with the most beautiful woman in the world. You’re slowing me down.”

  “What a lucky woman.” I chimed in. On the next step, the ground shifted beneath me. “Oh god!”

  I was falling. I knew what was happening but didn’t have time to react. The world around me seemed to move in slow motion, and yet I could do nothing to stop myself. As I braced for impact with the ground, I covered my belly with my hands in my best effort to protect the baby.

  Instead of feeling the hard surface below me, warm arms wrapped around me, guiding me to a chest. I gazed up at Ayden, thankful that he had caught me.

  “I’ve got you.” He whispered the words as he scanned my face. “Are you all right?”

  “I think so.” My heart beat so fast it made me shake. I was trembling. How could I not? The thought of what could have just happened to my child and me terrified me beyond belief. “God, Ayden, if you hadn’t caught me . . .”

  My vision grew blurry as tears filled my eyes. The horrible thoughts racing through my mind prevented me from speaking. I couldn’t say the words.

  “Relax.” Ayden stroked my back as he held me close. “You’re both safe. I’ll always make sure of it. I promise.”

  His words soothed me. As my heartbeat returned to normal, I glanced behind me to the steps. “I have no idea what caused me to lose my balance.”

  Ayden approached them and leaned forward to study each one. I examined them too, but nothing about them looked unusual. All the screws were fastened. There were no cracks, and nothing was laying on them.

  “I don’t see anything. Do you?”

  Shaking his head, Ayden leaned toward the second step until his nose was a few inches away. Then he rubbed his finger across the wood before he sniffed it.

  “Son of a bitch,” he mumbled.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Rubbing his fingers together this time, he studied them a moment before his eyes turned toward me. “I’m not sure, but I think it’s grease.”

  “Grease?” When he nodded, confusion spread through me. “Why in the world would grease be on these steps?”

  “It must have been something someone carried backstage. I can check with the stagehands to see if anyone knows what it was. You should call maintenance to have someone clean this up.”

  I didn’t want to say what was really on my mind. Perhaps I should, but I wondered if my paranoia was getting the best of me. Had someone dripped grease onto the steps while carrying something backstage, or had Izzy sabotaged them in hopes of making me fall?

  ~Ayden~

  The moment Mia and I stepped out of the arena and continued toward the golf cart, I noticed a white cargo van pulling away. It reminded me of one of the courier type vehicles that made smaller deliveries. The dust cloud around it made it hard to make out now that it was disappearing down the dirt road.

  “Hey, you two.” Andi’s voice drew my attention to the main parking area in front of the arena. She walked our way, holding a medium sized brown box with a bunch of holes toward the bottom.

  “Hey, Andi. Did you get my text?” Mia asked as she held on to my arm.

  “Yep. I’ve already got maintenance cleaning the steps. Are you okay?” Andi touched Mia’s shoulder.

  “I’m okay. Ayden and I are going to spend the evening in my suite tonight. Will you text me if you need anything?”

  “Of course. Oh, wait. Before you go, this is for Ayden.” Andi lifted the box higher. “Some new delivery service just dropped this off. They said it was time sensitive and asked if I could make sure you received it right away.”

  Releasing Mia from my embrace, I accepted the box from Andi. I wasn’t expecting anything to be delivered, other than the results to the DNA test Chris sent to a second lab. This box clearly wasn’t those results, but I made a mental note to text Chris later. He’d messaged earlier, letting me know he wanted to speak with me when he returned from his trip.

  Pe
rhaps he did have the results or information on when I would receive a letter. I’d like nothing more than to prove to Izzy and everyone else that the child she lost wasn’t mine. Maybe then she would leave Mia and me alone.

  “Thanks for accepting the package for me, Andi.”

  “No problem.” She smiled my way then faced Mia once more. “I gotta get going. I want to make sure the steps are clear to use again, then I need to post the new rehearsal schedule on the board backstage. You two enjoy your evening.”

  “Thank you. Be sure to do the same with Bentley.” Mia chuckled as Andi gave her a thumbs-up and then sprinted inside the arena. Once she was out of sight, I became the center of Mia’s attention again. “Are you going to open it?”

  Refocusing on the box, I read the shipping label but didn’t notice the sender’s address. The package wasn’t so heavy that I struggled to hold it, but it wasn’t light. “Wonder what this could be.”

  “You weren’t expecting anything?”

  “No,” I placed the box on the golf cart and tore at the tape. “It must be something my mom ordered, so I’d say it’s something for the baby.”

  Mia’s face lit up when I mentioned our child. Her smile was contagious. I loved seeing her happy.

  “I have a feeling your mother is going to spoil our baby.” She patted the little bump at her waistline as she waited for me to open the package. It was hard to focus on anything but her sometimes. This was one of those moments. I could see her curiosity and excitement.

  As the tape peeled away, I opened the flaps of the box. Inside was a metal container. I drew it out of the package, taking note of the tiny holes lining the top.

  “What in the hell?” I mumbled the words as I studied the object. “Whatever it is, it’s locked.”

  “Look. There’s a key taped inside the box.” Mia removed the tape and lifted the key. After she handed it to me, I pushed it into the lock. I wasn’t sure why my mom would send a gift that was locked or what the purpose of doing so was. Either way, I was about to find out.

  Once the lock clicked open, I pulled it from the container and grabbed the lid. It was off within a few short seconds. Yet when I looked down inside the hollow shaped cylinder, my heart sank.

  Grabbing Mia’s arm, I jerked her back and placed her behind me. She tried to protest and ask what I was doing, but I shook my head at her and motioned for her to be quiet. Then I kicked the container.

  “Ayden, what are you . . .” Her voice fell away. She gasped a second later. “Oh my God!”

  She clung to me as I backed us up a few steps. Within a few seconds, a giant snake slid out of the container. After a couple of feet, I stopped moving. One of the security guards noticed it and radioed one of the maintenance crew to bring a shovel and something that would hold a snake. When he finished, he motioned to Mia and me.

  “Stay put. The less movement we have, the better.”

  I signaled an okay sign to him and turned enough that I could wrap my arms around Mia. Her short breaths and gaping mouth spoke of her terror. Once I pulled her to my chest, she gazed up.

  “What kind of snake is it? Please tell me it isn’t poisonous.”

  “I’m not sure what it is, but it looks like a copperhead.”

  “What?” Her voice shook as she cringed. “We don’t have those in this area.”

  “We have them in Tennessee. Still, I don’t know anyone who would send this to me.”

  Mia eased away. She scanned the area as if she were looking for something, or maybe it was someone. Then she glanced at me. “I know who would send it, and try to make it look like it came from some other place. Izzy.”

  I considered her assumption a moment. Izzy and I had lived together in my home state. Whether she knew about the wildlife in the area, I didn’t know, but she was intelligent enough to research the information. As strange as her behavior had become, I wouldn’t put anything past her. I couldn’t.

  “We need to find a way to get rid of Izzy. She needs to leave. I’m not taking any chances on her hurting any of us, especially you two.” I placed my hand against her belly. “We could have opened that package in your suite. This could be a lot worse.”

  “I know.” She folded her hand over mine. “Maybe we should leave for a little while. My dad offered to come back and help Andi run the business.” Her eyes lowered to my chest as she played with the button on my shirt. “We could go someplace private. You could write new songs. We would have time for just the two of us.”

  The more she talked, the fewer reasons I had to argue. Our canceled tour dates hadn’t been rescheduled. Aside from whatever Doug found for the band, our next big mission was to create a new album. The guys could do promotional stuff while I was away. There was no reason not to go.

  “So when should I pack? It won’t take me long.”

  Mia’s lips curled up. Her hand rested on my cheek as she released a deep breath. “I can get us out of here within twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Just tell me where you want to go.”

  “It doesn’t matter to me. I’ll follow you wherever, even to the ends of the earth.”

  When we’d finished talking, the maintenance member security had contacted had arrived. It didn’t take long for him to corner the snake and maneuver it into a containment canister.

  As he placed the canister into the back of his work truck, a sense of relief filled me. The snake was gone just as quick as it arrived. Soon, Mia and I would be away from Music Haven, just the two of us in a secluded spot for however long she decided.

  Wherever we went, I was looking forward to being away from Izzy and her prying eyes. Her instability worried me. If she was behind this, it meant she was willing to go to any lengths to keep Mia and me apart.

  The second the maintenance guy drove through the community gate, I spotted Izzy standing a few feet away. The sight of her made my blood cool. It wasn’t the way she narrowed her eyes at me that caused a chill to race down my spine.

  It was the way her lips lifted in a lazy, sinister smile.

  Chapter 11

  ~Mia~

  For the life of me, I didn’t understand why being pregnant meant being tired every second of the day. I hadn’t intended to fall asleep while waiting for my father to arrive. When I woke earlier and texted Andi to see if he’d made it, I hadn’t expected to her to confirm that he had. She’d taken on the task of catching him up on any recent changes around the grounds and any other information he wanted. He would need it if he was going to assist her while Ayden and I were gone.

  After learning my dad was there, we headed toward the arena. As soon as we passed through the gate, I spotted Andi and Bentley. Both stood next to my dad as he spoke with Tommy from security. I caught the end of their conversation as we approached.

  “Did you check the security footage to see if he or the truck are on it?”

  “Yes, sir. We’re waiting on a call back from one of the local delivery agencies to see if they have any information.”

  “Good. Keep me posted.” As soon as my father noticed me, he paused what he was saying and smiled. Then his gaze shifted to Ayden. “We’re trying to track down the guy who delivered the package to you the other day. Andi said she has never seen him before.”

  “Is it possible it was someone new?”

  Ayden directed his question toward Andi, who shook her head. “I’ve already checked with the agencies who always deliver. They didn’t have any packages scheduled to be delivered that day, and they don’t ship live animals.”

  “Sounds like this was a setup.” Ayden’s assumption matched mine. We both knew who was responsible for this. All we needed was proof. Hopefully, my father would be able to find something.

  “Andi, keep me posted on any new information. And thank you for catching me up. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  “It’s good to see you, Shane. We’ve missed you around here.” She hugged my father before she and Bentley joined hands and waved to us. Once they headed for the arena, I became the c
enter of my dad’s attention.

  “It’s good to see you, princess.” My father crushed me to his chest in a tight embrace. It had only been a few months since we last saw each other, but a lot had changed since that day. Now that I was heading out of town, we didn’t have time to catch up. Still, I sensed both excitement and anxiety in my father’s energy. It was hard for me to know where he was directing his conflicting emotions. Some of it was toward Ayden and me. Some was meant for my sister.

  As my dad eased back, his lips tightened, then he lifted them in a smile. “I still can’t believe my baby is having a baby.”

  “Dad.” I enunciated the word as I placed my hand at my waist. Ayden wasn’t saying much as he stood behind me, leaning against one of the large cement flower planters in front of the arena. I knew he was nervous about my father’s reaction. The first time they met didn’t start great, but Ayden earned my father’s respect before the night ended.

  Now he’d gotten me pregnant. Regardless of how happy the news made us, Ayden worried my father wouldn’t feel the same. He knew my dad would stress over me.

  I wasn’t the only person concerning him. My sister was too. She’d kept her distance since the snake incident, but it was only a matter of time before she pulled some other stunt.

  My dad rubbed my arm then stuck his hand out and shook Ayden’s. “Good to see you again, Ayden. Thank you for keeping an eye on my girl.”

  “No need to thank me, sir. I’d do anything thing to keep her safe.”

  “As would I.” My father touched Ayden’s shoulder and looked him in the eye. “You understand this on my level now, don’t you?”

  Ayden nodded. “Yes, sir.”

  “Father’s put their children first. They protect them. I know you want to do the same for the child you’re having with my daughter.”

  “Absolutely. It’s why we’re adamant about leaving for a while.” Ayden reached for me. He clasped my hand and laced his fingers with mine. The heat of his body warmed my arm as I leaned against his chest. “I appreciate you filling in for Mia so that we can get away.”