by Kelly Myers
After they're done with her, Easton stands up and smooths her robe. “Thank you,” she says as they start to pack up their cases. “I just have to get dressed,” she tells me. Then, she lowers her thick, black lashes in a slow, seductive glance down.
She’s looking at the bulge in the front of my jeans. Let’s be honest, it’s hard to miss.
Her lashes sweep back up and those mischievous green eyes twinkle. “All good, Jax?” she asks in a sultry voice.
Vixen, I think. I’m over here suffering and she’s thoroughly enjoying it. I let out a shaky breath and she smiles before flitting off to change into some hot dress, I’m sure.
A moment later, the front door opens and the house alarm blares.
I jump up and race down the hallway, pulling my Glock, aiming it at the asshole who’s standing in the doorway.
As I get closer, I recognize Daniel Rogers, idiot boyfriend. And, he holds a key.
A wave of annoyance passes through me as I shove past him and punch in the alarm code. The siren stops and I close and lock the front door, tucking the gun back into my waistband. Then, I turn and hold out my hand. “Gimme that,” I order.
He has this confused look on his face like he has no idea what’s happening when Easton appears behind us. “Is everything okay?” she asks.
“Fine,” I grind out. “But, I want his key. No one should have a copy but you and Liv.”
“Who is this guy?” Daniel asks and looks me over. “And, why does he have a gun?”
“I’m Jax Wilder and Easton hired me to keep her safe. So give me that goddamn key or I’ll take it from you.”
With wide eyes, he drops it in my open palm. Obviously not a confrontational guy, I think.
He passes me with a leery look and heads over to Easton. “What’s up with the sonic alarm?”
“Jax installed a new security system.”
“Why?” he asks.
Why? Is this guy kidding right now? Does he have any fucking idea what’s going on in Easton’s life? Does he even care?
I decide I hate him on sight.
“Because of the stalker, Daniel,” she patiently explains.
“C’mon, E, you can’t be serious. You got a few messages from an overzealous fan. That’s all. And, hey, it’ll probably help boost ticket sales for the opening this weekend.”
That’s it. Something inside me snaps and I stalk up to Daniel. I tower over him and scowl down into his ignorant face. “For your information, someone tried to kill Easton today. So, yeah, I think the alarm is pretty important.”
His mouth drops and he takes a step back from me. “E? Is this true?”
I hate when he calls her that. It makes me fucking cringe.
Easton lifts the edge of the silk scarf wrapped around her upper, right arm to reveal the white bandage. “There was an accident on set today. A real bullet got mixed in with the blanks.”
“That’s impossible.”
“No, it’s not,” I snap. “Her arm was grazed by a fucking bullet.”
“Jax,” Easton says and holds up a hand. She gives me that “I’ve got this” look so I back down. Reluctantly.
“Production was shut down and an investigation is happening,” she explains. “Hopefully, they’ll have some answers soon. In the meantime, Jax is acting as my bodyguard.”
“Wow, that’s too bad about the shutdown,” he says. “And, you think it’s the same guy who left a few messages on your machine?”
I roll my eyes and bite back a reply. Fuck the shutdown. Easton almost took a bullet in the shoulder. This guy really has no clue what’s going on and he’s pissing me off. I clamp my teeth together hard and dig deep for some patience.
“We don’t know,” she says. “But, it’s been more than a few harmless messages.”
“Huh,” he says and looks down at his watch. “We better get going or we’ll miss the carpet.”
Un-fucking-believable.
Easton releases a long breath and glances at me uneasily. If she knows me at all, and I think she does, she can see me struggling not to punch this idiot in the face. “Jax is coming, too,” she says.
“What? Why?”
“Because I’m her goddamn bodyguard,” I snap and walk out the front door. I think I see a small smile light Easton’s face as I turn.
The ride over to the hotel is excruciating. Daniel drives his BMW with Easton in front and I sprawl across the back seat, long legs stretched out, wanting to punch something. I need a fucking cigarette, I think.
The historic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel is located in the heart of Hollywood, steps from the Walk of Fame and the Kodak Theatre, home of the Academy Awards. There’s also no parking so Daniel pulls up to the front and leaves the car with the valet.
I slide out of the back seat feeling angry and irritable. I think Daniel Rogers is a sleaze and not good enough for Easton. Why is she wasting her time with this loser? I wonder. He leaves a bad taste in my mouth and I decide to do some digging on him in the morning.
I follow them inside, keeping my distance, yet close enough to spring into action and protect Easton if I need to. Daniel grabs her hand and drags her right over to a mini red carpet setup in the middle of the Spanish-style lobby.
It’s clear that Daniel loves to be the center of attention, but no one cares about him. That’s why he needs Easton Ross. The moment the photographers see her, cameras flash and people call her name. I lean back against a cool, stone arch and cross my arms.
With her porcelain complexion, raven waves and red lips, she looks like a classic Hollywood starlet. I was so pissed off earlier that I wasn’t able to take a good enough look at her dress. It’s like something out of an old Grace Kelly movie. A sleeveless, black and white polka-dot number with a cinched waist and full, party-length skirt. Pearls rest on her slim neck and adorn her ears. And, of course, she wears a pink silk scarf around her upper arm to hide the bandage.
Easton Ross is a class act, all the way, no doubt.
“Easton! Is it true that there was an accident on the set earlier? Did production get shut down? Are you okay?”
My head snaps over to the journalist and her barrage of personal questions. How the hell did that leak out already? I run a hand through my hair and frown. Of course, Easton handles it with the utmost aplomb.
“Everyone is fine and the situation is being handled,” she says. “No need to worry, but I thank you for your concern.”
“Don’t worry,” Daniel says and places an arm around Easton’s waist. “I’m watching out for my girl.”
I see her stiffen, but she smiles politely. Meanwhile, I seriously couldn’t hate that fucker more. What a joke! He has no idea what’s been going on and, I guarantee, could probably care less. As long as he gets his few minutes in the spotlight, that’s all he wants.
I send Daniel Rogers a death stare. They continue their trip down the carpet and then step off. I follow at a discreet distance and see Easton turn, looking for me. When her green eyes meet mine, I see relief in them, and she gives me a half-smile. I incline my head in her direction and toss her a wink.
Daniel says something and then wanders off to talk to some Industry-looking guys. But, Easton isn’t alone for more than a second before a group surrounds her. From what I can tell, it’s her publicist and a representative from the studio. They’re talking about the mini press junket set up by the pool outside.
As they guide her out the side door, someone slips her a glass of champagne and my eyes narrow. I pick up my pace, closing in, as they seat Easton down in a poolside chair. The moment she lifts the glass to take a sip, I swoop in and wrap my fingers around the stem, covering her hand.
“Who gave you this?” I ask. My fingers press against hers and I look at her over the rim.
Her green eyes widen and those luscious red lips form a perfect “O.” “I’m not sure,” she says with a frown.
I lift it away and take a sniff. Then, I swirl it around, dip a finger and take a taste. “Better to be safe
than sorry,” I tell her and dump it into the nearest potted plant.
“Thank you, Jax,” she says in a low voice.
I nod and melt into the shadows. It’s important that I can keep an eye on her, but I don’t want to step on her toes and ruin her night. She has to work and I just need to make sure she can safely do that.
And, as much as I want this night to hurry up and just end, it drags out for three more hours. Everyone wants to talk to Easton Ross. After the round of journalists ask her the same blasted questions at the pool for nearly two hours, she is bombarded by a thousand other people.
How she can remain so graceful and kind is beyond me. I’d want to flip them all off and leave. But, not Easton. She’s truly remarkable at handling people’s questions, comments and compliments no matter how personal or inappropriate they can be.
I really admire this woman. Not only is she calm, cool and collected in a situation like this where everyone wants a piece of her, but also she is strong as hell. Anyone who just got shot earlier, probably would’ve stayed home and skipped this little soiree.
But, not Easton.
It’s strange to me, but Daniel doesn’t spend much time with her. He checks in now and again, but if I didn’t know any better, I’d never guess they were a couple. He seems more interested in talking business with other people at the party than being with his beautiful girlfriend.
Bleh. The thought of him being with her sexually makes me want to fucking hurl in that plant where I tossed her drink. I can’t imagine he has what it takes to please her. The idea of his hands on her, his mouth on her, his dick in her makes me pull out my crumpled pack of Marlboros and light up.
Shit. I try to erase the image from my head and inhale the smoke deep into my lungs. After a few drags, I feel a little calmer. And, then some asshole comes over and tells me I have to put it out.
“I’m sorry, sir, but there’s no smoking out here.”
“Sorry,” I grumble, take another quick hit and grind it out under my heel. Fucking California. Everyone here acts like smoking is one of the seven deadly sins and worse than murder. I roll my eyes and look for Easton.
I’m not surprised to see she’s still surrounded by a group of people. She looks a little tired and I catch her adjusting the scarf on her arm. Instantly, I walk over and move up behind her. “Does your arm hurt?” I ask in her ear.
She tilts those green eyes up and I can see the answer in them.
“C’mon,” I say, and pull her away from the crowd.
“Where are we going?” she asks, hurrying to keep up with my long strides.
“Home.”
“Jax, I can’t leave yet.”
“Let me see,” I say and nod to her arm.
She turns and my long fingers begin to unwrap the pink scarf. Son of a bitch. I see blood soaking through the bandage. “We’re leaving. The wound’s bleeding and I need to change the dressing.”
Her eyes widen a bit when she sees the blood and she nods. “Where’s Daniel?” she asks.
“Who knows?”
“Well, he’s our ride.”
I bite my tongue. One of these days I’m going to give her an earful about Daniel Rogers. Now's not the time, though.
“There he is,” she says and starts over to the spot where he’s yammering with a couple of studio exec types.
I hang back, but I can see he isn’t happy when she interrupts the conversation and tells him she wants to leave. She motions to her arm and he makes a face. This guy is unbelievable, I think. Just when I’m about to stomp over and demand he get his scrawny ass out to the valet, he sighs and says his farewell.
I follow them across the lobby and out the front door. While the valet brings the car around, Daniel gives me a look like he wants to say something, but he’s too chicken shit to open his mouth. I’d love for him to start shit with me because, trust me, I’d finish it so fast he wouldn’t know what hit him.
Daniel and Easton get in front and I slide in the backseat again. I lounge back and watch the bright lights of Hollywood Boulevard pass by the window. They don’t say much to each other and my mind begins to wander, going back to the way Easton felt on the back of my bike earlier this evening.
She’s the one who started things by running her hands all over under my t-shirt. If she didn’t want me there’s no way she would’ve done that. Even after I warned her to behave, she became more bold.
Little troublemaker, I think. Well, if she wants me, she can have me. Next time, I’m not going to stop her and I seriously doubt I’ll be able to stop myself.
When we get back to her house, Daniel pulls up the circular driveway and I’m out before the car finishes rolling to a stop. I don’t want to hear their goodbyes or even think that he might kiss her. I head up to the front door, use my key to open it and shut off the alarm. As I turn to ease the door shut, I see them both getting out of the car.
Fucking A. He’s supposed to be leaving, not coming in, I think, and feel my anger skyrocket.
When they reach the door, Easton meets my piercing gaze and looks uncomfortable. Well, she should if she plans on having both of us spend the night here.
Daniel gives me a smug look as he passes by and heads down the hall to Easton’s bedroom.
Once he’s out of earshot, I raise a brow. “He’s staying the night?” I don’t even try to hide the anger in my voice. Or, the blatant jealousy.
“Jax, I’m just going to talk to him-”
Fuck that. I don’t want to hear any excuses for that asshole. And, I certainly don’t want to hear them having sex. “Do whatever you want. Just make sure to change that,” I say and nod to her bandage. “I’ll be in the guest room in the other wing.” I give her a pointed look then stomp up the stairs like a little boy who didn’t get his way. Or, a man who has to watch his woman walk off with another guy.
I am literally seeing red. I can’t wrap my head around her being with Daniel. I know I told her I’d be in the other guest room, but I head to where I stayed before. Where the spiral stairs connect her room to mine.
If suddenly a life or death situation occurs, I need to be able to get to Easton as quickly as possible. I don’t think I can survive the guilt that would come with losing another woman in my care.
Also, some perverse part of me wants to punish myself because I wasn’t there for her today when she needed me.
Feeling defeated and consumed by jealousy, I sit down on the edge of the bed, lean forward and drop my head in my hands. In moments, I hear the muted sound of their voices rising from below.
17
Easton
I’ve never seen any man look so jealous. Jax was green when he stomped up the stairs. I feel bad, but I have to talk to Daniel and end things before I move forward with Jax.
If he’ll still have me.
I know he wasn’t happy about Daniel going tonight to the event at the Roosevelt, but if he wasn’t there then that’s all anyone would’ve asked about all night.
Where’s Daniel? Are you still together? Is there a problem in paradise?
Even though it was awkward, it was better that Daniel came.
Now, as I turn to talk to him, he pulls off his tie and tosses it over a chair. When he starts to unbutton his shirt, I hold up a hand. “We need to talk,” I say.
He moves up to me and lays a hand on my waist. “We can talk later,” he says and leans in to kiss me.
Nothing ever felt so wrong.
Daniel’s lips feel cool and thin as they move over mine. I can’t find it within me to respond. Eyes still open, I push away from him. “I’m sorry, I can’t,” I say.
Something flashes in his eyes. Not anger, but more like clarity. “What’s going on between you two?” he asks. For all his shortcomings, Daniel isn’t stupid.
“What?” I ask.
“C’mon, E, I have eyes. Are you fucking him?”
“No!”
“But, you want to.”
It’s not a question and I can’t deny it.
“Hey, go ahead, you have my blessing. Get it out of your system. Then, when you’re done slumming it with that guy, let’s move forward and forget about it. We have more important things to think about.”
I can’t believe I’m hearing these callous words come out of his mouth. If I ever had any doubts about his feelings, he just confirmed the fact that he doesn’t give a shit about me. It’s only about what I can do for him.
I struggle to maintain my poise, but I feel my control slip a notch. “Like what?” I ask between gritted teeth.
“Like my movie, E. I’m having Leo draw up papers and I want you to sign them in the morning. You’ve been dragging your feet long enough. And, now that your other film is on hiatus, you can start mine.”
He looks positively thrilled and I wonder how I didn’t notice this side of him before. God, he’s such a narcissist.
I shake my head. “No, I don’t think so.”
For the first time since we began talking, I see the first flash of anger and his voice rises. “What do you mean no?”
“Daniel, this isn’t working. I can’t be with you any longer.”
“I said I don’t care if you fuck that asshole, Easton!” he yells.
“He’s not an asshole,” I say, defending Jax. “He’s protecting me which is more than you’re doing.”
A nasty laugh erupts from him. “Really? Aren’t you paying him?”
I can’t deny it.
“Wake up, Easton! That guy is a low-life who would love to get into your pants because then he can brag to all his other scumbag friends that he screwed a movie star.”
My heart sinks. “That’s not true,” I say.
“Sure it is. Don’t be naive. He’s nothing but a gutter-rat.”
Is he right? a small part of me wonders. I’ve never picked a good guy so what would make Jax any different? Face it, Easton, he’s a bad boy through and through. You know that.
Daniel gives me a pouty look. “The least you can do is be in my movie. What the hell, E? Do you know how many actresses would suck my dick for that role? What’s your problem?”