by Emme Rollins
A jolt of excitement raced through me, while I divested myself of clothing. He opened the door, letting me in. “So what happened?”
“The fuck if I know.” His arms went around me. “Oh, man. This is what I’m talking about.”
“What happened with you and Virginia?”
“Not much actually. I stalled her quite a bit, and then all hell broke loose. I got lucky tonight.”
I pressed myself against him, feeling the firm expanse of his phallus on my tummy. “So did I.”
“Not yet, honey, but you will,” he purred. His hand drifted to my breast, which was gently compressed, a nipple trapped between his fingers. “I couldn't have planned it better myself.”
Our lips met, instigating a slinky, wet kiss, while hot water sprayed from several faucets. I found myself against the granite wall, while Roger grasped my mounds, laving each nipple to a stiff peak, while I threaded fingers through his wet hair. I sighed with bliss, my body humming with arousal, not being able to contain the happiness I felt at being alone with him.
Suddenly, he got to his knees, while the length of his tongue pressed into my sodden slit. It felt so wondrous, I moaned, not being able to contain the response. While his thumb toyed with the throbbing expanse of my clit, he drove in deeply, tasting my sex like a man who had been starved for nourishment. This treatment went on for long minutes; the feeling it provoked left me on the razor’s edge of release, the sweet threat of bliss just a heartbeat away.
“You should get up.” I pulled on his shoulders, wanting even more of him, and he stood, turning me around, while I braced my hands against the wall. He was buried to the hilt with one push; the feeling was staggering, but I welcomed it, wanting it. I needed to be ravished; I had to be taken roughly. “Oh, God, Roger! Harder! Fuck me harder!”
“You naughty girl,” he rasped near my ear. “You like that, don’t you?” His hands were on my hips. He filled me to the balls, while the wet sacs slapped against me.
“I’m so close…you know how to get me…ooohhh…” The sensual assault sent me careening into oblivion, as sparks flashed behind my eyelids. I moaned throatily then, while he drove deep. A series of convulsions left me throbbing with pleasure. “Yes! Yes! Oh, God! Yes!”
“Baby! Brandi!” He plunged, grasping my hips, while coating the insides of my sugar walls with milky residue. He remained inside of me, as the wetness began to run down my inner thighs.
He had forgotten to pull out again. This had to stop or else I would wind up pregnant. “You did it again.”
His face was in my neck. “What?”
“You were supposed to pull out.”
He groaned. “Shit. I’m sorry.” His arms were around me, holding me close. “I forgot. You feel so nice.”
“You’re a bad boy, Mr. Stevenson.”
“It’s Vigor.”
“I know.”
“Let’s wash up and get in bed. I’m beat.”
I turned to look at him. “I need to stop by a clinic and get an IUD or something.”
He laughed, “Fine. I’d love to hang out at Planned Parenthood. Lots of hot chicks there.” A teasing glimmer shone in his eyes.
“You give rockers a bad name.”
“Me? I’m just livin’ up to my reputation. You think it’s easy being this wicked? It’s lots of work, honey.”
I touched his belly, feeling the muscles rippling. “I can see that.”
His look grew serious. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
“That was scary.”
“They’re gonna find out who lit the place on fire.”
“I think it was Denise.”
“Could be.”
“I wonder if she’s dead?”
“We’ll know soon enough.” He shut the water off, placing a towel over my shoulders. “I hate to sound like a heartless bastard, but I’m done with Denise. I’ll pay for her treatment, but that’s it. I owe her nothin’. I should’a let her go a long time ago. I hooked up with her after rehab. It was a bad move. I didn't want to be alone, but I was alone cause all she did was coke.”
I touched his face. “You could have relapsed.”
“I think that’s why I kept her near. I was keeping that option open. If I was tempted enough, I could have had a ton of that stuff. I can’t do it anymore. It made me paranoid as all hell. It wrecked anything that was good.”
“I don’t want to be with someone who does drugs.”
He nodded. “Me either.”
Chapter Twelve
The next day, after dropping Roger off at a small, regional airport for his flight to Sint Maarten on a private jet, I hightailed it to the American Airlines counter at the nearest airport to purchase a ticket to New York. I was on a mission, and it would only end successfully, if I managed to convince Roger’s wife, Clair, to let me take Cailey to the Caribbean. That was a huge if. She had not returned any of my calls, although I had left a message telling her that I would be arriving around noon.
Lauren and Ally had accompanied Roger along with one bodyguard, and I trusted that he was well looked after, feeling like the protective mother hen that I had become. But I liked this feeling. I floated when I walked; my spirits had never been so high, filled with the excitement of being with this amazing man, even with all his flaws. There wasn’t anything that I had seen in the last few days that would be a deal breaker for me. I was pretty open-minded about a lot of things, and my outlook was easy going, but there were certain circumstances I would not tolerate with men, and being abused, mentally or physically, was one of them.
As the plane came in for a landing at Newark, I prepared myself for a battle royal with Clair, and I prayed that I would be able to see her face to face. I carried only a handbag; therefore, leaving the airport was a breeze; the taxi driver took me to an apartment on the Upper East Side. The building was gorgeous, across the street from the Park and probably violently expensive. I was astounded when the doorman let me in, as I was expected, which was a good sign. The elevator opened directly into the apartment. I stepped out onto a two-story foyer with breathtaking views of the Park and elegant, yet comfortable-looking, furniture.
A woman dressed in tight silver pants and a sparkling white shirt approached. Her hair was down her back and highlighted flatteringly, framing a flawless complexion and nearly perfect features. Her eyes were expertly made up and startlingly blue.
This is Roger’s wife! Oh, holy shit! She’s gorgeous.
I had a moment of doubt, feeling inadequate and frumpy, fidgeting with my shirt, although there was nothing wrong with it. I braced myself, because she looked less than thrilled to see me.
“I was going to tell you not to bother, but you’re awfully pushy, aren’t you?”
I held out my hand. “I’m Brandi Morrison, Sharon’s new assistant. I am sorry about this. I really need to talk to you.” She shook my hand, brandishing a surprisingly strong grip.
“Let’s sit down.” She motioned towards a seating area designed around a small fountain. “I know you want to take Cailey to the Caribbean, but I’m sorry. That’s not going to happen.”
“Being new to the tour, I…wasn’t around before. I don’t know what happened, but I did see it on the Internet. I know Roger was out of control then—”
“Then?” she laughed. “Have you seen the news? There are photos of him dripping wet in the lobby of the Ritz-Carlton. There are videos of naked women. Drugs were found on the scene.” She snorted. “Typical. I’ve seen enough to know that nothing has changed. There is no way I would let my daughter get anywhere near that insanity.”
“Roger was in his room when all of this was going on. The members of the band were involved, not Roger. He was in a meeting.”
She threw her head back laughing. “Oh, yeah, right. You’re good, but I’m not buying it, honey.” Her look was stark. “You’re sleeping with him, aren’t you?”
I had to fight this battle with honesty. “Yes.”
“You’re not his type.” She see
med to find this interesting, her gaze drifting over me and resting on my face. “What happened to Denise?”
“She’s in the hospital.” Lauren had texted me with the news, while I was at the airport. “She is out of the picture now.”
“What happened to her?”
“She suffered some sort of cocaine induced psychosis, or so they say. She started the fire.” I leaned towards her. “I won’t let that woman back on the tour. Roger doesn't want to see her again.”
“Well, that’s besides the point. There’s no way Cailey is going to be exposed to any of this. I’m sure you can understand that.”
“There are only a handful of people going on the trip. There will be no drugs, no groupies, and no wild parties. It’s just the beach and relaxation. I can promise you that, if you let Cailey join us, she will be my top priority. I won’t let her out of my sight.”
“That’s also beside the point. I have a court order preventing Roger from being near his daughter. I can’t let her go, even if I wanted to.”
“Yes, you can. You could make a phone call and have the order lifted. I know you can.”
“You’re not listening to me at all. First of all, you’re a total stranger. You could be anybody for all I know. There’s no way in hell I would let some woman show up at my apartment and take my kid away.”
“I have identification; I can give you my passport and the badge I have to get backstage. I have a business card. Call Sharon.”
She shook her head. “I can’t trust him with Cailey. Do you know the shit he’s put us through?” She threw up her hands. “The last time I saw him…” her eyes watered…“he was naked standing on the railing of a 50-story balcony. He’d been doing coke for three days. He was standing there, with the wind blowing, barely balancing. He…should’ve died that night.”
I had not heard this story. It sounded terrifying.
“I begged him to come down. He walked back and forth taunting me. He taunted me with his own life. I’ve…never been so scared. I thought I was going to have a heart attack. That was the worst night of my life.”
“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. That sounds awful.”
“They made me out to be the homewrecking bitch! The media rode my ass. I didn’t get one second of peace for months. How would you like some asshole with a camera pointing it at your face, asking you how it felt to be a slut? I had people jumping out of the fucking bushes calling me a whore, just so they could get a bad picture. I had to smile at them! I had to pretend I didn’t hear their words.”
“That’s terrible.”
“There are reasons why things are the way they are.” She gazed at nothing in particular.
“I haven’t seen him use drugs. I won’t stand for that. I told him as much. He just wants to take a break with his daughter. He hasn’t seen her in months. I came here to ask you…to beg you, to let Cailey join us. I’m sorry you’ve been through hell and that you got blamed for everything. I can’t change the past. I totally understand where you’re coming from. I’m asking you to take a chance on me, on Roger, and let Cailey come with me. Make the call; get the order rescinded. Please.”
“I can’t believe I’m even considering this.”
“I’ll give you whatever documentation you need.”
“Cailey’s never even met you. She doesn't know you from Adam. I’m not letting my kid go off with a stranger.”
“I like kids. You can introduce us.”
She closed her eyes. “This is nuts.”
I dug through my purse, retrieving my passport and license. “Call Sharon. She will confirm I am who I say I am.”
Clair took these items. “This doesn’t mean yes. I’m still thinking about it, but...I can’t do this.” She got to her feet. “Excuse me.”
She left the room, and I stared after her, marveling at how thin she was. The elevator opened a moment later, and a little girl in pigtails emerged with a man I recognized immediately. I got to my feet. I was about to meet Lenny Steel, the lead singer of the band Down 'n Dirty.
“Who are you?”
“I’m Brandi Morrison. Sharon Web’s assistant.”
His expression dropped. “Clair doesn’t want to talk to you.”
“I’ve already spoken to her.” Reaching into my handbag, I extracted a fluffy pink Teddy Bear I had purchased at the airport. “Hi, Cailey. I’m a friend of your daddy’s.”
“Is that for me?”
“Yes, you can have it.” I gave her the bear.
“I love pink. It’s my favorite color.”
“Me too and purple. They go great together.”
“What kind of bullshit are you trying to pull?”
“I’m here to hopefully get Cailey. We’re going to the Caribbean for a few days, and then we’re in New York.”
“She won’t let her kid be around a drug addict.”
“I understand. He’s been clean, Mr. Steel. He’s working his program.” If that were true or not, I wasn’t sure, but I had to say something to convince these people. I could feel Clair’s acquiescence. She was close to giving in. “I’m going to personally see to Cailey’s welfare.”
“She doesn’t know you. You think we’re gonna let Cailey go off with a stranger? You’ve got another thing coming.”
Clair breezed into the room. “You check out.” She handed me my passport and license. “But it doesn’t mean anything.”
“You’re not going to let this stranger take Cailey, are you?”
She sighed. “I don’t know.”
“Honey, after all the shit that man’s put you through? There’s a court order.”
“I know…I could make a call…I don’t know.” She glanced at her daughter. “Cailey, do you want to go to your daddy’s house on the beach?”
Cailey jumped up and down excitedly, the Teddy Bear jiggling wildly in her hands. “Yes! I wanna see daddy! Lemme see daddy!” Please, mamma! Please!”
I smiled inwardly. I’d only managed to convince these people to a point, and, where I had fallen flat, Cailey had taken over, and, from the look on Clair’s face, all systems were go.
She glared at me. “I want her calling me at least twice a day. Morning and night. If you miss a call, I’m coming to get her.”
“I understand.”
“If I so much as hear one peep about drugs…I’m coming to get her.”
“Absolutely.”
“Cailey, baby.”
“Yes, mamma?”
“You’re going to be with your daddy for a few days, but, if you feel unsafe, you call me. I’m going to give you a special phone. Okay?”
“Yes, mamma.”
“Go pack some stuff.”
She jumped up and down. “Oh, yes! I can’t wait to see my daddy!” She ran from the room.
“If you fuck this up, I’m holding you personally responsible.”
“I understand.”
“If she gets so much as a scratch on her body, I’ll hunt you down and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”
I couldn’t help grinning. “I promise you, she’ll be fine. I’ll call you as soon as we land in Sint Maarten.”
Clair glanced at Lenny. “I hope I don’t regret this.”
He threw up his hands. “I’m not gettin’ involved. You do what you feel is best.” His gaze lingered on me. “She doesn’t look like a coke whore.”
“Thanks,” I laughed.
Chapter Thirteen
Never having been on a private jet before, I was enamored of the fact that Cailey and I didn’t have to wait in long lines at security. We skipped having to remove our shoes, having our things x-rayed, and the inconvenience of a pat down. The taxi brought us straight to the plane, as the small crew onboard waited for us. Cailey and I sat across from one another in leather, cream-colored seats. I spent the flight getting to know her; the five-year-old talked of her favorite television shows, her love of American Girl Dolls, and how much she adored Johnny Depp, who she had met at the premiere of one of hi
s movies. For as young as she was, she had already traveled the world five times over.
Remarkably, the seats reclined all the way, and, once we had reached cruising altitude, we slept, waking on and off and eating. Cailey had pizza, while I indulged in steak and lobster. I had never felt so pampered, so spoiled, but I knew it was a part of the job and that I shouldn’t get used to such amenities. The trip gave me time to think about Roger and what had happened between us. I had only known him for several days, and I was dangerously close to falling in love with him, which was ridiculous. I’d just begun to scratch the surface of who he was. He was wild, complicated, and damaged. He had a host of issues, most of which I wasn’t even aware of…but…instinct told me that he was a good guy. He was making an effort not to relapse. Denise was out of his life now, which was a promising first step.
It’s just a job, Brandi. Don’t lose your head over this guy.
But…he’s so cute…
Yeah, he is. Just watch it.
Okay.
Liar.
Shush.
We landed on a small strip of runway that spanned from Maho Bay to Simpson Bay Lagoon. Once we taxied to a stop, Ally met us on the tarmac, as the sound of the plane’s engine shrieked and wind blew hair into our faces.
“You did it! You got her!” She hugged Cailey. “Hey, squirt.”
“Where’s my daddy?”
“He’s waiting at the house. It’s a ten-minute drive. You guys look great.”
“Thanks.”
She led us towards a compact SUV. “I can’t believe you actually did it. I totally didn’t think it would happen.”
I strapped Cailey into her seat. “Well, it was dicey. I used my powers of persuasion, and, speaking of persuasion, we gotta call your mom right now and tell her you’ve landed.”
Cailey smiled. “Okay.”
As we left the airport, which was surrounded by palm trees, the fronds blowing in the wind, I pressed the call button on the phone, handing it to Cailey, who spoke to her mother for several minutes. The humidity was considerable, and I dabbed at my face with the back of my hand, feeling a growing sense of excitement that I would see Roger soon.
“How is everything?” I glanced at Ally, who stared out the windshield.