Rockstar Intern (Infinity Prism Book 5)

by Kylie Walker

  She turned on her computer and looked at the tasks that Jaime had already left on her desk. Most of them were to do grunt work like refilling the coffee pots and clean out the fridge and empty the trash.

  But Abigail also noticed that there were a few items on the list that actually had to do with achieving credit for the internship. She was supposed to sit in on a meeting with Burt and a producer and take notes. She was excited for the challenge. She could get through the cleaning part if she got to do something fun at the end of the day.

  She got through most of her morning work and was headed to the bathroom for a little break when she heard Jaime call out behind her.

  “Hey, Abigail.”

  Abigail held her breath and slowly turned around. She had been lucky enough to avoid contact with Jaime for most of the morning, but now her luck had run out.

  “Oh, hey Jaime, I was just going to the bathroom for a quick second—”

  “That can wait,” Jaime said harshly and pursed her lips into a pencil thin, stern line. “Can I talk to you for a minute in the conference room?”

  Jaime pointed beside her, which, conveniently enough she was already standing in front of. Abigail privately wondered if Jaime had been following her and planned that moment precisely for when she knew that she would be walking by.

  “Um...” Abigail hesitated. “Ok.”

  “This will only take a second,” Jaime said with sharpness in her tone, as if she expected an argument.

  Abigail felt her cheeks grow hot and her heart started to race. “Sure...” she trailed off, knowing that unless the floor opened up and swallowed her whole, she wouldn’t be able to talk her way out of this one.

  The only excuse she had, she already used up, and it wasn’t enough to deter Jaime. Whatever it was, it couldn’t wait. Abigail felt nauseated as she entered the room, but as long as Burt wasn’t following in behind them, she thought she might be out of the woods for now.

  “Please, take a seat,” Jaime said.

  “I would rather stand to be honest,” Abigail said. A tingle crept over her spine.

  “Fine,” Jaime said and exhaled with annoyance. “I need to talk to you about something serious.”

  “What is it?” Abigail was still screaming internally, and she felt like she might pass out at any given moment. She had a feeling she already knew what this little impromptu meeting was going to be about.

  She tried to remind herself that Jaime was an antagonist and that she could get through anything that the bitter woman threw her way. Jaime was just the type to pick fights with people for no reason because she wanted everyone else to be as miserable as she was.

  “I know what you did,” Jaime said and stared at Abigail with a leer.

  “Excuse me?” Abigail asked. “What is that supposed to mean?”

  She glanced to her side out the glass partition windows of the conference room. Everyone else appeared to be busy worker bees at their own stations, paying the two of them no attention whatsoever.

  “I know you kissed a member of Infinity Prism yesterday,” Jaime said in an accusatory tone.

  “What?” Abigail’s gut instinct was to play it off and deny everything. “Why would you think I would do something like that?”

  “Because I saw you.” Jaime crossed her arms and gave Abigail a wicked glance.

  Abigail knew that the seriousness of Jaime’s expression gave away that she was probably telling the truth, but Abigail wanted to play her last hand before she threw in the towel just yet. After all, Jaime might be setting her up in a trap. She might just be condemning Abigail of this behavior just to see what kind of reaction she got.

  “You didn’t see anything,” Abigail fired back.

  “Yes, I did,” Jaime said a little more persistently the second time. “It was Lucas.” Jaime’s tone was surprisingly flat and matter-of-fact.

  Checkmate.

  Abigail knew that she was incriminating herself by the way her jaw slackened, and she could feel the blood draining from her face. She stuttered but fell over any words that would make any sense. It was her instinctive reaction. Jaime had blindsided her. She wasn’t able to keep her poise at the moment.

  Jaime’s lips curled into a devious ‘gotcha!’ grin. Her eyes were blazing and wild. She took a step closer to Abigail, who still refused to flat out admit that she had kissed Lucas. What if Jaime was secretly recording her conversation?

  More importantly, would Lucas come to her defense if Jaime made a motion for Burt to fire her? She didn’t have the answer to any of those questions, but her head was spinning, and she felt like she was going to throw up.

  “I don’t know what you want from me,” Abigail said in a roundabout way.

  She was smarter than this. She didn’t have to feel trapped by Jaime and whatever jealousy she might be harboring that she got to make out with a rock star and Jaime didn’t.

  “I went to the studio to look for the binder because I didn’t trust you to fulfill the challenge,” Jaime said curtly and crossed her arms again. “Obviously, I was right.”

  “You weren’t right about anything,” Abigail said. “The binder wasn’t in the studio.”

  She knew that Jaime had probably actually caught her in the act of kissing Lucas, but what business was it of hers? Abigail was a grown woman. Besides, Lucas had come onto her, not the other way around. What was she supposed to do, not kiss him? He looked like a Calvin Klein model.

  “I want you to admit what you did,” Jaime said and gave Abigail a malicious smile.

  “I’m not admitting anything,” Abigail fought back.

  She knew that she was playing with fire. Jaime was her boss, but she couldn’t help but stick up for herself.

  Jaime took a step closer to Abigail so that they were only a couple of inches apart. “You either admit that you kissed Lucas in the studio yesterday, or I’m going to march right into Burt’s office and tell him. He’ll kick you to the curb so fast that it will make your head spin.”

  Fury flickered in Jaime’s eyes. Abigail knew that she was skating over dangerous, uncharted territory. She knew now that the sinister expression Jaime was giving her was not one to be toyed with. She wasn’t bluffing anymore. She meant business and Abigail had to take her seriously or else Jaime was perfectly ready to send her down in flames.

  “Okay,” Abigail finally groaned. “I kissed him. Alright? I don’t know why it matters anyway. He is the one who came on to me,” she verbalized. She felt as if the walls of her control over the situation were crumbling down around her.

  Jaime had won. She was practically glowing about it. Her eyes danced with smugness, and that devious grin was back that repulsed Abigail to her core.

  “Good,” she said with a satisfied smile.

  “What do you want from me?” Abigail asked again.

  “You’ll know when I ask you,” Jaime admitted.

  “Be more specific,” Abigail hissed.

  “I’m your boss, Abigail. Your boss.”

  It was apparent that Jaime was taking this power trip seriously.

  “You better watch your step, Abigail. You might think that you can get away with anything you want because you’re young and beautiful but let me tell you one thing. The world doesn’t always cater to beauty.”

  Abigail narrowed her eyes, trying hard to get the lump out of her throat. “Good to know.”

  She couldn’t allow Jaime to see that she had gotten under her skin. She wasn’t feeling as confident about the situation as she let on from the outside. If she let down her guard even a little bit, Jaime would devour her like a hungry shark out for blood.

  “Lucas doesn’t want you, you twit. What were you thinking?”

  “I never asked for anything from him, and nor will I start now,” Abigail admitted.

  It was almost as if Jaime was trying to reprimand Abigail for doing something she shouldn’t have, as if Abigail was a child and Jaime was the teacher. Abigail wasn’t buying it. She was a grown woman, and Jaime
couldn’t control her life.

  But at the same time, she knew she had to comply simply to appease Jaime because if she didn’t, then her entire career could become a train wreck. She wasn’t about to let Jaime ruin her reputation because someone else initiated a kiss with her, and she couldn’t stress that enough.

  She would play along for a little while and try to plot her revenge against Jaime in the meantime.

  “Can I go now?” Abigail said sullenly. “I have work to do. You know the work you assigned for me?”

  “You can leave that sass here before you walk out,” Jaime said.

  Abigail rolled her eyes. “Whatever,” she mumbled under her breath and began walking away from the situation before it had a chance to become more escalated than it already was.

  Even underneath it all, she couldn’t stop thinking about Lucas, and that in her mind was more dangerous than anything that Jaime could inflict on her.

  Chapter Five

  LUCAS SAT BACK IN HIS chair on the balcony overlooking Chicago. He had a cold beer in one hand. Life was good. He had put in a long day writing song lyrics and strumming the guitar at the studio. He had no complaints.

  His cell phone buzzed beside him on the little round table next to his chair.

  He peered at the screen and groaned. “Shit. Not again. Not today.”

  He swiped the red button to decline the call and slinked back in his chair. What could Christy possibly want from him? Money was the short answer, probably. He wished that he had a magic wand that he could wave and make his past disappear, Christy along with it. He cringed at the thought of meeting up with her, but he knew that she would be persistent until he finally gave her attention.

  Less than half a minute later, his phone rang again. Anger flared in him when he saw that it was Christy calling him again. He hit the ignore button once again. He might have to turn his phone off if she didn’t leave him alone soon.

  Christy was hooked on dope. He had left that life behind. He wasn’t going down that road again. The only thing back there was darkness.

  He stood and walked to the edge of the balcony and peered over the railing. He was indestructible up here, looking over the city like he was its King. No one could touch him up here. Not his past. Not his ex.

  The breeze picked up and ruffled through his hair. He had the best penthouse in Chicago and if he could stay here and make music without having to step out into the world, he would. At least until restlessness took hold and he despised his four walls. It was his sanctuary, but even that had limits. Wandering back inside the upscale penthouse, he clicked on the gas fireplace to add some warmth to the chill that had taken over him since Christy called. He hated that he had such a reaction to her. It downright pissed him off that he couldn’t control his emotional response to her.

  Sitting on the couch, he stared at the fire for a few minutes and then looked back down at his phone. It wasn’t his ex-girlfriend Christy in his mind anymore. Now, Abigail Jones, the sexy, spunky intern had stolen the show in his mind. Lucas smiled as he pictured her big brown eyes staring back at him. She was sexy and seductive, and it drove him crazy. His cock stirred at her simple memory.

  He had her phone number. He stared at her name that he had already added as a contact in his phone. He could still feel the tantric sizzle of her lips pressed against his even days after they had shared a kiss in his studio. He was even more attracted to Abigail knowing that she was willing to do something so naughty with him in a place they could be caught, especially since she was an intern. It was a huge risk for her, and he admired her for going along for the ride.

  Lucas had wanted more from her, but he knew the timing and the place hadn’t been right. He debated calling her. Should he ask her to dinner? He glanced at the clock on the wall. It was only six o’clock.

  She probably had evening plans. He couldn’t expect her to sit around waiting for his call. She was attractive. She probably already had a date for the evening. He didn’t care. He’d get her to cancel. He took a deep breath and hovered his thumb over the call button. Even if she declined his offer—which was unlikely— to take her out to dinner tonight, at least it would distract him from thinking about Christy and why she might want.

  He pressed the call button.

  The phone rang five times before Abigail picked up. He was just about to give up when he heard her voice on the other end, and it made his pulse thrum. He was intoxicated by the sound of her voice, and all she’d said was hello.

  “It’s Lucas.”

  “H—hi?” Abigail sounded curious, but he also noticed that she sounded a little averse to him calling her. He tried not to let it throw him off.

  “Is this a bad time?”

  Abigail was quiet for a moment or two. He wasn’t used to hesitation from women.

  “Um, no,” she finally said, but her tone wasn’t any softer. “It’s fine.”

  She spoke softly as if she were trying to hide her voice. Maybe she was trying to hide their conversation from a roommate. Or a boyfriend.

  “What’s up?” Abigail asked. He couldn’t help but hear a glimmer of alarm in her voice.

  “I’d like to take you to dinner tonight.”

  “You...want to take me to dinner?” Abigail sounded more surprised than he had expected.

  “Yes.” He asked.

  There was another pause. His pulse beat loudly in his ears as he waited for her to say something. Why was she so timid?

  “I... I’m not sure that’s a good idea, Lucas. But thank you.”

  He frowned. She was turning him down. He couldn’t remember if that had ever happened to him.

  “It’s just dinner. Conversation. Wine.”

  “Um, it’s not that I wouldn’t love all that. It’s just— “

  He’d never had to talk a woman into going out with him, and he wasn’t about to start. But he wanted what he wanted. And he wanted her. It suddenly clicked why she was holding back. She worked for his boss, who was a major asshole. One wrong step and she could be let go. Lucas normally didn’t care about shit like this, but he didn’t want to be the reason she was out of an internship. He’d take care of it for her if it came to that. Burt wouldn’t do anything against what Lucas asked of him. If he said that Abigail stays to finish out her time, then she’d stay.

  It was that simple.

  The power of being wealthy and important was good to have, sometimes.

  “The internship is holding you back.”

  Of course, it was. He should have considered that earlier, though to him, it was a small if not non-existent problem. She sighed, cutting through his thoughts.

  “Yes, but it’s nothing I can’t handle. I don’t have any plans. I could get ready. Yes, um...sure. You know what? Let’s do it. Ok,” She chuckled nervously. “I would love to go to dinner with you tonight.”

  He couldn’t help but smile at her rambling. “Great. Then it’s settled.”

  “Where should I meet you?”

  “I’ll pick you up.” He stretched the muscles in his back, already pondering what she might wear tonight. “My private car will navigate any paparazzi.”

  “Oh, of course,” Abigail said as if the initial thought hadn’t crossed her mind.

  “I’ll pick you up in an hour,” he said.

  “That sounds perfect.” Excitement shone through in her voice. It jacked his need to see her. What else could he make her excited about tonight? In the dark—just the two of them.

  Lucas hung up and showered. He ran his hands through his wet hair, styling it just the way he liked it. Pulling on expensive dark jeans and an emerald green button-down with the cuff rolled, he tightened his belt and gave himself a last look in the mirror. A flicker of nerves played in his gut, taking him by surprise. He was never nervous about dates. Never nervous about meeting women or taking one home. Something about her made him feel something new, and it only drove him crazier.

  An hour later, he pulled up in front of her apartment building based on the ad
dress she had given him. He saw her approaching the car from the sidewalk. He nearly gasped when he saw the slender black dress that fit like a glove around the curves to her body.

  Her delicate chocolate colored hair fell down her back so lusciously that he was tempted to reach out and run his hands through that silky goodness.

  He put the car in park and jogged around to open the passenger side door for her. He kissed her hand in greeting. “You look amazing,” he said and looked deep into the mystery of her enormous brown eyes.

  “Thanks,” she said and gave him a seductive grin. “You look pretty good too.”

  He gestured with his hand. “Get in.”

  She climbed into the car, and he moved back around to the driver’s seat, speeding off to impress her in his black Lamborghini.

  “This is a pretty awesome car,” she said and smiled at him.

  “Have you ever been in a car like this before?” He asked and grinned.

  “Nope.” She shook her head. “Can’t say that I have.”

  “Enjoying yourself?” He asked and eyed her with a charming smile.

  Her eyebrows shot up. “The thrills just keep on coming.”

  He had a hard time keeping his eyes on the road and not the smooth stretch of her bare leg and thigh, the hem of her dress draping seductively over her shapely flesh. She made small talk on the drive, going on about this and that in that nervous way she had. It was charming, and he was more than happy to let her fill the conversation. They made their way to his favorite Italian restaurant in heavy traffic. He was glad to find the place paparazzi free as they pulled in and let the valet take the car.

  They got his normal seat in the back, in a private room away from the main restaurant. He noticed the glances of patrons as they passed. Men’s eyes drew to Abigail, clung. He didn’t blame them, but he didn’t like it either. Pressing a hand to the small of her back, he resisted the urge to curl his fingers into the fabric of her dress and pull her closer to him. He pulled the chair out for her, caught her eyes and the show of heat there, before taking his own seat.

  The waiter didn’t miss a blink before pouring them lemon water with mint, and sweet red wine. Lucas ordered for them both with Abigail’s blessing, and then crossed his arms on the table and leaned over them, catching her eyes.