“What the fuck, dude? Don’t you dare look at her.” Elijah stepped between them, blocking the man’s view. An uncomfortable silence filled the room, broken by the growl of Elijah’s zipper when he tucked himself into his jeans.
“Didn’t you hear me knock?” The man regarded Lauren over Elijah’s shoulder, his face impassive.
“Dude. Eyes. I’m serious.” Elijah glared at the man until he turned his back to them.
“Do you know this guy?” she asked, cheeks flaming.
“Gabe, this is Lauren. Lauren, this is Gabe.”
Gabe nodded without turning around. “I knocked. A lot. Then I used my key,” Gabe said unapologetically. “I was worried. You’ve been AWOL for months. You wouldn’t tell me where you were. I see paparazzi photos of you at the the hospital. Then you call me this week out of the blue. I thought maybe…” His voice trailed off, thick with genuine concern. “Jesus, man, I thought maybe you were dead in the bathtub or something.”
Elijah shoved a hand through his hair and cast a worried glance at Lauren. By this time, she had her clothes on, but Gabe continued to avoid her. She wrapped her arms around her waist, wishing she could somehow teleport upstairs or next door or anywhere else.
“Can we talk for a minute? In private?” Gabe asked.
“Yeah. Sure. It’s not like I was in the middle of anything.” Elijah’s tone dripped with irritation. He leaned over and dropped a quick kiss on Lauren’s forehead. “I’m sorry about this douche bag, but I might as well get it over with. We’ll finish this later, okay?”
Elijah made his way into the study with Gabe on his heels. He slid the pocket doors closed and took a minute to steady himself before turning to face his manager. Gabe frowned and unbuttoned his suit jacket. He paced back and forth a few seconds, his usual calm absent.
“Who is that girl?” Gabe asked.
“None of your business,” Elijah replied. An unusual feeling of protectiveness swept over him. He didn’t like Gabe looking at Lauren, judging her and lumping her in with all of the girls who’d come before her.
“You brought a girl here, to your private residence, without having her checked out? She needs to sign an NDA. Give me her name, and I’ll make a few calls.” Gabe withdrew his cell and began tapping out a quick message to one of his minions.
Elijah put a hand on his arm, stopping him. “You’ll do no such thing. She’s cool, man. Take my word for it.”
Gabe’s eyebrows slammed together. “You’ve lost it, haven’t you? For real.”
Elijah stared at him, uncertain which direction to the take the conversation. Part of him wanted to wring Gabe’s neck for barging into his house and cock-blocking his interlude with Lauren. Another part wanted to dive into the familiar dysfunction of their relationship. It would be so easy to surrender control, leave behind the stress of responsibility, and let Gabe work his magic. Then he remembered Layla and shook away the insecurities. His life had purpose. He’d come too far to throw it away. “Yeah, I’ve lost it all right, and I don’t want it back.”
Gabe rubbed the back of his neck. “Listen, you’ve fucked up in a major way. The label is pissed. You’ve missed appearances and rehearsals. And what’s up with your hair anyway?”
Elijah closed his eyes and counted to ten, desperate to stave off the balloon of panic swelling in his chest. “I like my hair. And fuck the label. All they care about is how much money they’re making.”
Gabe took a seat on the edge of the desk and crossed his arms over his chest. The weight of his stare cut into Elijah. They were the eyes of a stranger. “It’s serious. They’re talking about dropping you from the band.”
Elijah sucked in a horrified breath. “Impossible. It’s my band. They can’t do that.”
“They can and they will.”
“And what does the band have to say about it?” Elijah couldn’t imagine Seth and Tristan would go along with it. Seven Drift was a package deal. Then again, he’d deserted them in the middle of a tour. They probably weren’t feeling too kindly toward him.
“They don’t have shit to say about it. The label owns Seven Drift. You’ve got a solid contract. You’re obligated to finish out this tour and record another album.” Gabe’s voice became soft and cajoling like he was talking to an unruly child. “Come on, Eli. You can do this. Six more months on the road then you’re back in the studio to write and record. That’s what you wanted, right? To get back to the music? Well, there you are.”
The thought of another mindless round of tour buses, city after city and show after show, made his gut ache. He needed downtime to get his shit together. To figure out whom he was and where he wanted to go. The mayhem and debauchery of touring would never allow for that. The last few days spent with Lauren had brought a modicum of calm to the chaos of his life. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose in an attempt to corral his thoughts. A sudden clarity descended upon him, bringing calm with it.
“It’s no big deal, right? Suck it up, man.” Gabe clapped him on the back and stood, as if they were finished.
“Who do you work for?” Elijah asked.
Gabe’s brow furrowed in confusion. “You, man.”
“Then you need to fucking act like it.” He swallowed down his temper and held Gabe’s gaze so he’d understand how serious he was. “Tell the label I’m sick, insane…I don’t care what you tell them. I’m treading a thin line here, dude. And I feel like I’m on the edge of no return.” He leaned back against the cool wood paneling, feeling the strength ebb from his limbs. He was so tired of fighting. “Give me worst-case scenario.”
“They sue you for breach of contract. You lose your band and a shit ton of your money.”
“And if I die in the process, they release a greatest hits album and make millions,” Elijah stated glumly. “It’s a win-win for them either way.”
Gabe’s voice softened. “I understand, Eli. I do. You’ve been at this non-stop for years. You’re burned out. But the thing is…” His shoulders slumped. “There are a thousand Elijah Crowe wannabes pounding on the record label’s door right now, ready to take your place in a heartbeat. And you never know when someone younger, smarter, or more talented is going to come along. This could all be gone tomorrow.” Gabe swept a hand to encompass the beautiful house and the oceanfront outside. “And where would you be then?”
CHAPTER 24
WHEN THE shouting had died down and Lauren heard the front door close behind Gabriel, she ventured out of her room. She worried about Elijah. His conversation with Gabe had been muffled by the closed door of the study, but the tone was undeniably tense. Her stomach growled, clenching with hunger pangs, but she hesitated to venture into the kitchen. Unable to wait any longer, she tiptoed down the stairs.
When she hit the first-floor landing, she spied Elijah standing in the living room. A spectacular antique armoire had been fashioned into a liquor cabinet. Lighted glass shelves held row after row of whiskeys, vodkas, gins—a veritable cornucopia of alcohol. Elijah stared at the bottles, his handsome features a curious mix of longing and abhorrence. He didn’t acknowledge her presence except to shift his stance when she reached his side.
“I want to get drunk,” he said in a rasping voice. “It would be so easy. I can taste it.” His fingers curled at his sides. “I should’ve had Maria empty this out before we got here. It’s like handing a syringe full of heroin to a junkie.” He scrubbed both hands over his face. “An hour with Gabe has me wanting to do all kinds of crazy shit.”
“I guess you need to decide how badly you want it.”
The tips of his fingers skimmed over her cheek in a tender caress. A different kind of longing filled his gaze. “I’m beginning to think I want it pretty badly,” he said, and he wasn’t talking about the liquor.
Unspoken thoughts swirled behind his eyes. She smiled back at him, wishing she could unravel all their secrets.
With an angst-filled groan, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him, burying his no
se in the curve of her neck. “I love the way you smell,” he said. His lips brushed her skin and sent a shiver down her back.
“Come on. I think I have an idea to distract you.” She threaded her fingers through his and tugged him away from the cabinet of temptation. A small smile curved her lips.
Water and bubbles sloshed onto the tile floor as Elijah slid into the bathtub. Lauren followed behind him, her front to his back, encircling his waist with her legs. Through the glass windows, the ocean churned and heaved beneath a stormy gray sky. Soft new age music played from the bathroom’s sound system, and white tea light candles twinkled around the room.
She lathered a loofa with soap and began to wash Elijah’s back. His head dropped forward and his eyes closed. She worked the sponge in gentle circles, admiring the dip and swell of well-formed muscles and the intricate swirls of the peacocks tattooed on his back. Neither of them spoke.
When she’d soaped him up, she began to massage the tension from his shoulder blades.
He groaned with heartfelt appreciation. “This feels so good. You have magic fingers.”
“So I’ve been told,” she replied.
“By who?” His tone bristled and his body tensed.
“You’ll never know,” she teased. “And just so you know, if you play your cards right, this might conclude with a happy ending.”
“Oh yeah, now you’re talking.” He took her hands, kissing her knuckles before wrapping them around his chest. He leaned back against her. He felt solid and good in her arms. “What is that anyway?”
With her chin resting on his shoulder and the heat of the water jetting around them, her limbs felt weightless. Relaxation weighted her eyelids, but they fluttered at the sound of his deep voice.
“What’s what?” she murmured against his neck.
“This music. Who is it?”
“I don’t know,” she said drowsily.
“You don’t know?” He lifted one of her hands and nibbled on her fingers. “I can see we’re going to need a few music appreciation classes. Have you listened to any of the songs I gave you?”
“Yes,” she replied. “I like the one about redemption.”
“Yeah? I wrote that one,” he said. His lips curved into a smile against her palm.
Lauren stretched across Elijah to return the shampoo to its holder. Her breasts brushed across his arm. He’d had a raging hard-on since they’d sank into the tub. Feeling her slick, naked body against his and Gabe’s abrupt cock-block didn’t help it any. He slipped an arm around her waist and slid her through the water to face him. Then he took her mouth in a long, slow kiss.
He’d spent the past ten years taking gratification without regard for anyone else. With Lauren, he wanted to give back to her. From the very start, she’d gone out of her way to take care of him. She tried not to judge him and seemed to genuinely like him. Her smile filled him with warmth and erased his worries. He wasn’t sure when it had happened, but the wild thing inside him had died and left behind a peaceful calm.
When he opened his eyes, she was smiling at him in dreamy satisfaction.
“I need to know about you,” he said. “Where you’re from, about your family, what you like to eat.” He lifted an eyebrow. “Tell me everything.”
CHAPTER 25
THEY STRETCHED out on the enormous bed, side by side. Elijah’s tan skin contrasted with the crisp white sheets. He propped his head on an elbow and studied her. He wore nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist, while she wore his shirt. The cool air shivered over her skin, still damp from their bath.
“Why did you become a nurse?” he asked.
“I was really sick as a child and spent a lot of time in the hospital,” she said. It had been long ago, and she’d been young. The memories were blurred but left their impression. “The nurses were so kind. I thought they were angels.”
“Are you okay now?” he asked, biting his lower lip.
“Sure. I grew out of it.” She shrugged, unwilling to dwell on something so insignificant. “What about you? Did you always want to be a rock star?”
He studied her for a long time. Thoughts and emotions swirled in the blue depths of his eyes. “No. I never wanted to be a rock star. I just wanted to make music. The money, the fame, I never expected or wanted any of that.”
“What happened?” she asked, and stroked a finger over his strong bicep.
“The label took over. They saw the potential for big dollars. Anything we wanted was ours. Girls, money, cars, drugs…you name it, we got it. And it was great at first.” He rolled over onto his back, hands behind his head, and stared at the beamed ceiling. “It was just one big long party. I got married right when we hit it big—to a really sweet girl. We saw each other exactly two months out of the entire year we were married. She couldn’t take it—the paparazzi, the constant touring, the tabloid rumors.”
“And what about the other one? The porn star?” Lauren raised an eyebrow.
Elijah’s dimples popped as he smiled. He rolled onto his side to face her again. “Now that? That was a mistake of epic proportions. We were partying together in Vegas. She was hot. I was horny.” He shrugged. “Next thing I know, I’ve got a wedding ring tattooed on my finger and a hangover the size of an elephant.” His laugh was genuine and heartfelt. “Poor Gabe about stroked out on that one.”
“What’s his deal, anyway?” Lauren asked.
Elijah tensed and looked away. Despite the easy way he delivered the facts of his life, she sensed he was holding back. “Enough about me. I want to know more about you.” He dragged a fingertip up her arm from wrist to elbow and back again. Sensation shimmered over her skin. “Tell me something about you that no one else knows.”
The request caused her to suck in a quick breath. She glanced away and bit her lower lip. Did he know? He couldn’t possibly know, and yet… Uncertain, she returned her gaze to his and found his face relaxed, expectant, and interested. His brow furrowed, and his long fingers found hers, intertwining with them on the cool sheets.
“You tell me something, and I’ll tell you something,” he said, mischief dancing his eyes. “We’ll have a little contest for the best tidbit.”
“Really?” She glanced down at their linked fingers, his dark and relaxed, hers fair and slender.
“Yes, and the winner gets to pick what we do tomorrow.”
“You’re very competitive, aren’t you?”
“Yes, mostly I’m just thinking up creative ways to have my way with you.” He smiled again, drawing her gaze to the fullness of his lips.
“Fine. But you’re not going to believe me.”
“Try me.” He snapped to attention.
“Okay.” She drew in a deep breath and steadied her nerves. “I legally changed my name when I was eighteen.”
“Shut the fuck up.”
“Seriously. I go by my middle name, Lauren, and my grandmother’s maiden name, Caldwell.” She’d never told anyone, yet the confession slipped from her lips easily.
“Why would you do that?”
“It’s complicated.”
“The good stories always are.” With a small tug, he pulled her hand to rest on his chest, over his heart. She felt the thump-thump beneath her palm, the warmth of his skin, the firmness of his muscles. “So what’s your real name?”
“Sophia Lauren Vincente.” The cadence of her heart increased. It was the first time she’d ever wanted to share this part of her life with anyone.
“Your name was Sophia Lauren? Was your mom into old movies or something?” He didn’t laugh but tilted his head to one side.
“Yes. I have a half-brother named Carey Grant.”
“Wow. And I thought Elijah was bad.” One corner of his mouth tilted up. “I’d change my name, too.” His laughter warmed her, a reward for her candor. She smiled back, feeling the tiniest bit of relief. The pad of his thumb swept over the swell of her lower lip. Heat and lust build inside her.
“There’s more,” she said. His ocean e
yes studied her. The mattress groaned as he shifted forward to press his mouth to hers, warm, sweet, and moist. One of his hands slid beneath the T-shirt, over her ribs, to cup the swell of her breast. The slow glide of those calloused fingertips excited every nerve.
“Okay. Now you’ve really got my attention,” he murmured. His hands stopped their wandering.
“I’m what you might call well-positioned. Financially, I mean.” She held her breath, waiting for her words to process.
Elijah straightened and searched her face. Every passing moment with this girl had him more intrigued. Not only was she lovely and kind-hearted, she was intelligent and plagued with her own secrets.
“How well-positioned?” he asked, noting the way her hands shook as she worried the corner of the duvet beneath them. He covered her hand with his and squeezed to ease her anxiety.
“Well, my grandfather was a movie producer. He wasn’t famous or anything, but he worked on lots of movies. And he was very smart with his money. He owned his own production company and sold it to one of the big three for an astronomical sum. The money went into a trust for me.”
Luminous eyes blinked away then back to meet his gaze. An unfamiliar wave coursed through his veins, something like desire but infinitely more significant. Her confidence meant more to him than any material possession money could buy.
“Very cool,” he said. This explained her lack of interest in his money. She had plenty of her own. It didn’t explain why she lived in a nondescript house in the middle of suburbia. “So tell me why you’re a nurse. Why you work all the time. The little house. I don’t get it.”
“I work because I love it,” she said. “And I live where I do because it’s all I need. I grew up in a mansion with servants and spent summers in Europe.” Her shrug followed a small smile. “It didn’t make me happy. I don’t need those things. My life has been a thousand times better without them.”
Felony Romance Series: Complete Box Set (Books 1-5) Page 84