by Mia Luxe
Possessive O Line
Mia Luxe
Contents
Foreword
1. Sierra
2. Ford
3. Sierra
4. Caden
5. Sierra
6. Sierra
7. Ford
8. Sierra
9. Sierra
10. Sierra
11. Caden
12. Sierra
13. Sierra
14. Sierra
15. Sierra
16. Sierra
17. Caden
18. Sierra
19. Sierra
20. Ford
21. Sierra
Foreword
Thank you for picking up a copy of Possessive O Line! Please make sure to read book one, Multiple O Line, first.
I’d like to thank my cover designer, Cosmic Letterz, and my editor, Ginger at Exclusive ARC Author Services.
Enjoy!
1
Sierra
I lower the phone slowly, knowing my life will never be the same.
My hand trembles. Terror pulses up inside me. It’s a primal instinct – every cell in my body telling me to escape.
There’s an article about me that’s going to be published today. An article speculating on which of the three rising hockey stars I’m dating.
Caden, Jason, or Ford.
Readers will salivate to find out which of the three older men is taking advantage of a young reporter.
I’m no longer Sierra Madison.
I’m something else. An amalgamation of the public’s speculation.
I’m not going to let myself be defined by a tabloid, or allow my private life to be aired without my consent. I know what this means for me, if I ever want to move forward and past this:
I can never see Jason, Caden, or Ford again.
My heart aches at the thought. I swallow hard. My throat is dry, and I clear it – knowing that if I tried to speak right now, all that would come out would be a pathetic, hoarse croak.
My life was too good to be true. Three powerful, sexy hockey players competing for me.
Now that I’ve lost my privacy, dignity, and self-respect, I’m no longer floating on a cloud. I’m back in the dirt. I fight back the tears. I need to be strong right now.
It’s time to wake up.
A tabloid has pictures of me. Of me. Exposing me to whoever wants to guess and gossip about my love life. My picture is going to be splashed all across the covers of disgusting, predatory magazines.
When people see me, they won’t see an up-and-coming journalist.
They’ll see someone willing to sleep their way to the top.
An unpaid intern who gets an exclusive interview with three record-breaking hockey players? It’s not hard to connect the dots.
No one will ever take me seriously again. Unless I can find some other explanation for why I was leaving one of the O Line’s penthouses in the dead of the night, I’ll forever be branded a slut – willing to trade her body for a story.
The best-case scenario? People view me as naïve and foolish.
The worst? Essentially a prostitute.
I clench my eyes shut, shutting away the view of the tiny New York apartment I’d thought was the first step towards making it as a young adult. I thought I’d look back at this place one day as a closet I lived in – before I moved on to better and brighter things.
Now I’m not even good enough to live here. It’s painfully obvious I don’t belong. The wave of humiliation and pain are building, and I have to keep busy if I want to hold my emotions at bay. I pick up my phone, knowing there’s only one person I can call.
I have to get out of the city, and fast.
Despite the sun not being up, my mom picks up on the second ring.
“Dear? Is everything okay?”
Her voice is tense. It breaks my heart to hear the worry building in her voice.
A call this early is never good news.
I have to keep my voice strong. I can’t make this worse for her.
“Not… Not exactly, Mom. Something happened. I know this is a lot to ask, but could you please come pick me up? I have… I have to get out the city. I have to leave New York – and fast.”
I pace the room as I talk, my socks silent on the floor. Somehow, I managed to keep my voice from wavering while my body trembles.
“Sierra, are you in danger?”
I shake my head, knowing she can’t see me. “No. Just my reputation and pride. Please Mom, can you come?”
Images of my photo plastered on newsstands flood my mind. I want to throw up. I fight the nasty picture out of my head. The more I think about it, the worse it gets.
I need to disappear off the face of the earth.
“Of course, dear. I’ll be there in about two hours.”
“Drive safe, Mom. Thank you so, so much,” I respond, and the second I hang up I take in a deep, wracked breath and fight back a sob. I stare at the floor, centering myself.
I won’t fall apart.
When I look up from the floor, Rebecca is standing at the doorway to her bedroom, blinking the sleep out of her eyes.
“Sierra! What’s going on? What happened?”
I steel myself, drawing my chest up and my shoulders back. “It happened. The media found out. The vultures. Fuck, Rebecca, I always knew they would, deep in my heart. I knew this couldn’t last. I’m so fucking foolish.”
Rebecca covers her open mouth with her fingers, shocked. “Shit! Shit, what do they know?”
I sit down slowly on my bed with a long exhale. My legs bounce as I tap my feet against the floor. “Enough. They know enough. They’ve figured out I’m dating one of the O Line. Rebecca, could I please grab my bag from your room?”
My question is calm and clear, but too formal. My mind is whirling, but I know one thing for certain. I have to leave. I have to get away from Jason, Caden, and Ford.
Rebecca nods, and I stand, wringing my hands and forcing them to be still. Rebecca moves aside as I enter her room and search the closet for the little suitcase I haven’t used since I moved to New York.
“Sierra, this isn’t so bad. The media only knows you’re dating one of them, right? That’s not a crime. It’s not like they figured out you’re involved with all three.”
My private life plastered on tabloids. How in the hell is that not so bad?
I pull my smushed suitcase out from its place in the bottom corner of the closet. “They only know I’m dating one of them… For now. You know how the media is, Rebecca. They won’t stop. Not until they’ve sniffed out the truth. These things… They don’t stay secret forever. I’m going back to Scranton. I’m leaving.”
Rebecca furrows her brow. “Sierra, you sound like a robot. Are you okay? Tell me how I can help you.”
The pain and fear well up from deep inside me. I feel so stupid. I thought I could have everything I wanted and not face the consequences. Now people can read all about my private life for a few bucks.
Tears well up in my eyes, and I realize I’m not as strong as I want to be. I’m just pretending.
The shock hasn’t hit me yet.
I collapse on the bed, shaking as the tears spill out. Rebecca hugs me tight, holding me close to her.
“You’re going to be okay, Sierra.”
“How can you say that? You love fame. You’d be thrilled to see your picture in some shitty tabloid. I’m not! You don’t understand,” I wail, regretting the words the instant they leave my mouth.
It’s not fair. Rebecca has always looked out for me, and now I�
�m lashing out at her.
She doesn’t pull away.
“Sierra, you are so fucking strong. You are. I know it doesn’t feel possible right now, but everything’s going to work out. I promise you.”
I gulp, sniffing. Rebecca breaks off the hug to hand me a box of tissue from her gaming desk.
“I’m sorry, Rebecca. I shouldn’t have said that. It wasn’t fair.”
She smiles sadly. “Don’t worry. We’ve all said things we regret when we’re emotional. But are you sure you want to go back to Scranton? You’ve spent your time in New York talking about how moving here was the best decision you ever made. What about your jobs? What about school? What about the O Line?”
I shake my head. “I… I don’t want to hear those names again.”
I breathe in deeply, fighting the tears back. I’ve let my emotions out, but now I need the feeling of control. “I need some time away. I need to regroup and figure out my next move. I know one thing for certain: I can’t be here. I can’t live in this zoo.”
Rebecca replies, but I can’t make out her words. My mind is a hundred miles away.
What if Ford comes to my apartment to try to win me back? What the tabloid has journalists sitting outside? Just waiting to get pictures of me?
Rebecca helps me pack. Her calm, voice telling me which clothes to bring – as if I’m going on vacation – centers me. If it wasn’t for her, nothing would match. I fill my suitcase and pull it into the living room.
There’s nothing to do but wait. I perch on the side of my little bed, frozen and waiting for my phone to ring.
Rebecca makes her way to the window, peeking through the blinds. “Shit. You’re not going to want to hear this, but there are two guys with serious-looking cameras camping out. It’s not a media circus, but they’re going to try to take your picture. They must be hoping one of the guys is staying over!”
My heart pounds. Is leaving the right decision? Now there will be pictures of me fleeing New York, like I have something to hide.
I do have something to hide. I shudder, pushing away thoughts of the three men and the filthy, sensual things we’ve done together.
Rebecca sticks her tongue against the inside of her cheek, poking it out like she does when she’s deep in thought. A wildly inappropriate smile comes to her face.
“Sierra, I just had an idea. Your mom’s coming really soon, right?”
I nod.
“Well… we’re both blondes. I might be a little taller than you, but… What if I put on the coat you were wearing when you got photographed outside of the penthouse? If I pull the hood up, it might fool the paparazzi. They’ll think I’m you! What do you say? We’ve only got to distract two guys with cameras, maybe I can fool them long enough that you can get away!”
I consider. My brain is slow and hazy, but it’s finally starting to kick into gear. I need to get back to the safety of my old home and put this all behind me.
Home. Familiar and safe. The place I grew up in. It calls to me. I can’t think of a downside to Rebecca’s plan.
“It might just work. That’s a great idea. Let’s do it. And… Rebecca, I’m sorry I said you’d want to be in a tabloid. No one wants that. I was out of line.”
She shrugs. “It’s okay. I forgive you. We’ve been through too much together to hold grudges.”
My phone buzzes. I snap it up.
“Mom?”
“It’s me, I’m here. What’s going on, Sierra? There are two guys with cameras just waiting outside your building!”
I gulp. This isn’t the time or place. “Mom, I’ll tell you everything, but right now, I just need to get out of here.”
“Of course, dear. Whatever you need. I’m just outside when you’re ready.”
Her voice is clipped, a hint of fear under it. I hate making my mom worry, but I don’t trust myself to explain what’s happened over the phone.
Rebecca walks out the bedroom with my big winter coat wrapped around her. She pulls up the hood. “If I’m going to be a spy, I need a codename. Call me Cobra.”
I sigh. “Oh, my God, Rebecca – you’re such a nerd!” I can feel my lips flicker up in a smile. She’s the only person who could cheer me up right now.
She giggles. “Sorry, I shouldn’t be having fun right now. You ready? Let’s go!”
I take a deep breath in, steeling myself for the flash of cameras and grab my suitcase. I nod. “Let’s do this.”
We leave the apartment and take the elevator down. The building is cold and silent this early in the morning. The elevator descends to the main floor and the doors open. Through the lobby I see my mom’s car and the promise of an escape.
All I have to do is get through the two men. They lurk near the car, waiting like vultures for me to show my face.
“Go time,” says Rebecca, pulling her hood over her face. She strides forward at a half-run, looking as if she’s trying to avoid the cameramen. The second she reaches the doorway one of the photographers points at her. She breaks into a jog, drawing the two men away from me.
I follow behind, slipping out of the building and rushing to the passenger side of my mom’s car.
“Hey! That’s her!”
I jump into the car. “Let’s go! Let’s go!”
My mom’s eyes go wide as she turns the key in the ignition, the engine rumbling as she puts the car from park to drive. I look in the rear-view. The two men followed Rebecca twenty feet down the street, but now they’re running towards us, aiming their cameras. “Go! Go! Go!”
“I’m going!” My mom says, and floors it.
The tires screech as we peel out. When we’re away from the photographers, I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.
My mom giggles. “Wow! What a rush! I feel like I’m in a movie. Now, Sierra, you need to tell me what the heck is going on!”
I hug my luggage to my chest. I didn’t have time to put it in the trunk.
“Mom, I’m so sorry to do this to you. I know you must be worried sick, and thank you so much for coming and picking me up. But… Just for a little while, can we talk about something else? Can we pretend this is normal?”
My mom looks over at me, and my heart breaks at the love in her eyes. It’s been too long since I called her. I feel guilty the only reason I’m seeing her is because I’m in trouble.
“Of course. Well, let me tell you what’s new. The Smiths next door got a new puppy! It’s adorable. Oh, my God, I’m so glad you’re going to get to see her. She’s this beautiful Vizsla puppy. You know how you can sometimes just tell a dog is smart in the first second you meet her? This is one of those dogs. So clever. Anyway…”
I sigh deeply and relax back in my seat, letting my mom’s voice wash over me. She talks about everything and nothing. It’s like Jason, Caden, and Ford were just a dream.
They were just a dream. Memories I’ll let fade away.
I swallow, feeling the strangest mix of relief and heartbreak that I’m finally leaving New York – and the three men who brought me to the heights of heaven.
I was living in a fantasy. A dream. Now that it’s all come crashing down, I can finally get back to reality.
2
Ford
The elevator to my penthouse opens, and Caden walks in, looking groggy and pissed off. “What kind of a fucking emergency did you need me in person for?”
He arrived before Jason. I point wordlessly to the glossy pages of the tabloid Marissa Tang left on the counter. Caden presses his hand against the marble of the bar, leaning forward to read. I pour him a big mug of fresh coffee as his eyes race over the words.
“Fuck. Fuck!”
He turns, striding towards the elevator. I stand, my chair screeching as I stalk after him, gripping his shoulder and forcing him to face me. “Where the hell do you think you’re going?”
“To see Sierra!”
I shake my head. “You can’t. That article’s about to hit the streets. There could be paparazzi at her building right now. For
fuck’s sake, be smart for once in your life! You want to waltz over there and confirm to the world that you’re dating her?”
Caden glares. “You can’t keep me from her. You try to get between me and her, and we’re going to have a problem, Ford.”
I meet his eyes. My face might be calm, but I’m ready to throw him to the floor. If it comes to it, Caden might be taller than me – but I know his weaknesses.
If he pushes me, I’ll choke him out. He’s not getting to Sierra.
“I can’t keep you from her,” I lie – knowing that if it comes down to it, I’ll trash my apartment wrestling with him to keep him here, “but you have to think this through. Marissa Tang brought me the article. She’s got a plan. We need to sit tight. If you go to Sierra and humiliate her even more, she’ll slip through our fingers like sand.”
My eyes narrow. I’ve known Caden for over twenty years, and yet I still can’t predict whether he’ll see reason – or throw a right hook. “You have any idea how pissed she must be at us right now, Caden? If we make one wrong move, we’ll lose her. Forever. So, we’re going to wait here until Jason arrives. Then we’re going to talk this through. Drink your coffee.”
Caden’s neck twitches. He’s torn. My hand is still on his shoulder, gripping the flesh and holding him tight. I look for the micromovements – anything that will tell me if he’s about to throw a punch or bull rush me.
He breathes in hard, the tension vibrating in his body – but the moment is past. I let go of his shoulder, turning away. He follows me back to the bar and picks up the mug of coffee.
The elevator doors open again, and Jason walks in. His face is rough and worried. He’s never been able to conceal his emotions from me.