I face him with tears streaming down my face. “Then why did you make me stay? I can’t take this.”
He pulls his lips into a tight line. “Using the contract against you was the only way I knew to make you stay. I don’t want you to leave. I need you to stay with me.”
“I can’t. I can’t let you hurt Sophie by being with me. If you commit to someone, you should stand by it.”
“But I don’t love her,” he whispers. “I just want to be a good father.”
I see the need to prove that he’s a better man than his dad in his eyes. Even if I love him, I’m not okay with him having a family with another girl and keeping me too. “You’ll be a great father. I know it. Irene will be thrilled to have a grandchild. You should really make up with your parents and figure out how to forgive Frank. All fathers make mistakes. Your first one was being with me.”
Noel takes my hand. “I love you so much. And you’re right. That wasn’t being the kind of father I want to be.”
I hang my head. My heart tears at his words. I know he loves me, I can feel it in his words, but our timing is off. “Noel…”
He cups my face and forces me to look at him. “I hate this. The thought of losing you again—it tears me up. Tonight when I walked in on Striker touching you, things went through my mind, and I nearly lost my fucking head. You’re my heart, Lane. You’re my everything.”
To know how much we hurt each other kills me. A sob escapes my lips. “I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you.”
His thumbs wipe the tears from my face. “I know, baby. It’s not your fault. I have to learn to let go. Don’t blame yourself.”
“I don’t mean to hurt you.”
He sighs and takes a stand of my hair between his fingers. “You can’t worry about that. Losing you will hurt no matter what. Just promise me one thing.”
I gaze into his eyes. “Anything.”
“Promise that you don’t hate me. I can’t live with myself if you do.”
I nod. “Yes. I promise.”
Noel’s lips crush down on mine. I close my eyes and don’t bother to fight what I know is our last kiss. Even though it’s wrong, the sheer need to be with him, to please him in every way, vibrates through every cell in my body. His hand knots into my hair, and I wrap my arms around his neck. My fingertips rub the back of Noel’s neck. It’s so warm and inviting under my touch. My heart pounds, and suddenly I’m hot all over.
“I love you, Lane,” Noel says against my lips. “Forever.”
My breath leaves my chest, and I feel a little dizzy. He breaks our kiss, and heat sears along my jaw as his lips work down my neck. I fist his shirt tightly as I whimper. His large hand grips my thigh and hitches it around his hip as he slides his hand under my skirt. My legs open wider as his fingers trace the elastic edge of my panties. Once the fabric’s aside, he teases my swollen folds with the tip of his finger.
I grab his hair and yank his mouth back to mine. Every inch of me is aroused by his touch, and I tear at his clothes. I want his skin on mine. I need to feel him.
Noel slides both hands up my sides and peels off my dress. It lands in a heap by our feet as he directs his attention to exposing my breasts. One hand massages my breast while he wraps his lips around the other. I throw back my head and moan. It’s amazing how he knows just what I like. He yanks down my panties and then removes his own shirt and pants as though he doesn’t want to give me time to change my mind about this.
Our mouths meet, and he kisses me fiercely. With one swift move, he has me down on the bed. The mattress creaks with our weight, and Noel’s eyes roam down my body. “You’re so fucking beautiful.”
I crush my lips to his, and his tip circles my moist flesh, each time hitting my clit and nearly making me lose my mind. I grind against him, and he grins at my excitement. A trail of fire remains in the wake of his lips as they work down my shoulder. He works his hips in a slow steady motion, allowing the head of his cock to slide against my folds. Heat builds up in my core, and after we connect once more, I explode. Every inch of me clenches at the pure release of ecstasy. Noel kisses me, and I moan into his mouth. His tongue finds mine and circles it as he plunges inside me with one quick thrust. My fingernails rake down his back as he fills and stretches me in the most delightful ways.
“I love being inside you. It’s my most favorite place on earth,” he breathes against my lips.
I close my eyes and try to block out the thought that this will never happen again. That this is the last time I will feel this connection with Noel. I bite my lip as I pull my hips up to meet each thrust, allowing him to get deeper. Pretty soon, I feel the fire tugging at the pit of my belly again, and I know it won’t be long until I come for the second time.
“God, Lane, I need you to fall apart with me. I don’t want to be alone.” His words shove me over the edge, and I lose all control. At the same moment, he grunts as he comes hard and fast inside me. After he pulls out of me, he rolls over and stares into my eyes. “I love you.”
A tear streams down my face. “I love you, too. Forever.”
We lay in each other’s arms, neither of us wanting to end the moment, but I know it can’t last. I pull away from him, and he sits up. He kisses the top of my head and grabs a towel before heading to the shower. Once I hear the water turn on, I jump out of bed and throw my clothes back on.
The suitcase I was packing got knocked on the floor. I bend down and stuff the clothes back in it before I zip it and make my way off the bus.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
* * *
The door on the bus slams shut, and I freeze. Damn. I was hoping to sneak out without being seen. I readjust my messy bun and attempt to smile as footsteps boom up the steps. A gasp escapes me as my eyes land on the woman I saw on the internet. Sophie is with Noel’s bodyguard, Mike. I fall back against the bedroom door, and the smile drops off my face. What the hell is she doing here? My eyes flit to my ragged appearance.
Shit.
Sophie is even more beautiful than her pictures. Her long blond hair sits in a high ponytail, and her skin is flawless, nearly like porcelain. Her baby bump isn’t very big, not that noticeable unless you’re looking for it. Being in the same room with the woman who is about to give birth to Noel’s child twists my stomach into a huge knot. I take a deep breath and prepare for her to lash out.
She looks me up and down with blazing eyes. “Is this her?”
My heart leaps into my throat as the guilt of what I’ve just done washes over me. I open my mouth to tell her I’m sorry, but no words come out. The shock of seeing her has me flabbergasted.
“Sophie, stop.” Mike touches her arm.
Her face snaps toward him. “Don’t you dare take her side!”
I swallow hard as Mike throws up his hands in frustration. “You know what? I’m sick of this shit.”
Her eyes narrow. “Shut up! Don’t you say another word.”
I glance between Mike and Sophie. Their exchange puzzles me. Mike has never gotten this personal with me, so why does he talk to her that way?
“What’s going on out here?” Noel growls as he creeps up behind me. I jump at the sound of his voice. His eyes flit down to my bag. “You going somewhere?”
I bite my lip and shrug, not really wanting to have this argument in front of the mother of his soon-to-be-born child. Sophie clears her throat, and Noel turns toward her.
Her face goes from disdain to angelic in less than a second. “Hey, baby.”
My stomach turns, and tears threaten to spill from my eyes. That sweet term of endearment might as well be a knife straight into my heart.
She takes a couple steps toward him but halts when he holds up a hand. “What are you doing here?” Noel asks.
She pokes out her lip. “I missed you.”
Mike grunts. “You’re unbelievable!”
Her head whips toward him. “I said shut up.”
“No. I’m tired of this bullshit.”
Noel crosse
s his arms and furrows his brow. He’s clearly confused about the tension between Mike and Sophie too. He steps closer. “Mike…? What the hell is going on, man?”
Mike sits on the loveseat and frowns at me before he places his elbows on his knees. His tattooed arms strain as he drops his head into his hands and rubs the back of his buzzed head. “I fucked up.”
I place a hand on Noel’s forearm. The tension in the air tells me things are about to get ugly fast.
Mike sighs. “Tell her, Soph. Tell them what we did.”
Sophie snaps her head toward Mike. “Butt out, and learn to mind your own business.”
He glares at Sophie. “You don’t think this is my fucking business? Either you tell them, or I will.”
Her eyes widen. “I don’t think I—”
“Damn it, Soph!” Mike shouts. “I can’t live with this shit anymore. I can’t stand lying to them. We’re hurting people.”
Laughter outside cuts through the momentary silence on the bus—the rest of the guys are back from the club. Trip and Tyke make their way onto the bus with Riff in tow. The twins stop dead in their tracks. The tension in the small space is clear. Riff clenches his jaw when he spots Sophie. I feel for him because I know exactly how he feels seeing the two of them together.
Trip clears his throat. “Should we leave? Looks serious in here.”
Noel shakes his head as he glares at Mike and Sophie. “No. Stay. You’re just in time to hear some secret Sophie’s been keeping.”
Trip hops up on the counter, and Tyke leans next to him. Trip watches us as if we’re an entertaining movie—minus the popcorn—while Tyke pulls his lips into a tight line.
Riff flexes his jaw muscle and steps into Sophie’s view. “How many more secrets can she possibly have?”
She doesn’t even bother to acknowledge Riff as he stands beside Tyke. Mike frowns at me, and my heart jumps into my throat. Whatever these two are hiding, it’s bad, really bad. The agony is clear on Mike’s face. Sophie locks her gaze on me. I squeeze Noel’s arm as I wait on her to speak.
She sighs. “The baby doesn’t belong to Noel.”
Noel’s body tenses as he yells “WHAT?” at the exact same time Riff does.
Mike stands beside Sophie and threads his fingers through hers. “It’s mine.”
Noel’s hands fly into his hair, and he grabs handfuls of it. He paces with his eyes closed. He whips his head toward Riff, and a look of what seems like understanding passes between them. “Told you I would’ve never fucked your girl. I would never do that shit to you!”
Riff’s face twists in anger, and his nostrils flare. “You fucking slut!” He storms off the bus.
A wave of nausea rolls through me. “Are you sure?”
Sophie nods. “I never slept with Noel.”
I rub my forehead. Why the hell would she tell a lie like that? Why would Mike allow another man to claim his child? My heart shatters into a million pieces for Noel. His struggle to be a better man, his inner-war was all for a lie. There wasn’t even a possibility he was the father of her baby.
“How could you do this to me? You put me through pure fucking hell! Mike, man…” Noel growls in frustration. “I thought we were friends.”
Mike doesn’t answer, just drops his head again.
Noel glances up and lets out a sarcastic laugh. “I’m fucking out of here.”
I grab his arm, but he flings me off and leaves without another glance back. The bus door slams shut, and I jump a little. Tyke pats his brother’s shoulder and jerks a thumb toward the exit. The brothers stalk off after their friend. I swallow hard when I realize everyone’s left me alone with Mike and Sophie. Sophie fidgets, clearly uncomfortable, drawing my attention to her.
I ask, “What was the point in pinning your unborn baby on Noel when you and Mike are clearly together?”
She shrugs. “I didn’t really have a choice. The moment I found out I was pregnant, I panicked. Riff can’t have children. Once he found out about Mike, he would have had Noel fire him. I love Mike. I don’t want him to lose his job over me. I knew if I blamed Noel, he wouldn’t remember anything because he parties so damn much. He sleeps with anything that moves—no offense—and Mike would be in the clear.”
I twist my lips and stare at Mike. “I can’t believe you went along with this. You’re like his brother.”
His shoulders slump, and he nods. “I know. That’s what makes this so hard. Watching him struggle has been awful. When you guys fought in the SUV last night, I saw firsthand what this lie was doing to you both, and I felt guilty. All Noel ever talks about is being with you, how much he loves you. He’s said over and over that if it wasn’t for Sophie, the two of you could have it all. I had to make shit right, even if I lose my job. I love her, and I want to take care of my baby.”
Tears burn my eyes. This entire time, we could’ve been together. We’ve fought over a lie. The weight of the damage done pushes on me, and a sob escapes my lips. I bury my face in my hands. How can two people be so selfish? It’s not okay to play with people’s heads like that.
“Lanie…” Mike says, but I can’t look at him.
I want to scream and yell at them. Tell them how evil they are. But I can’t bring myself to do it. Sophie lied to try to protect someone she loves, and I get that. It’s wrong and completely twisted, but I can respect it.
“I’m really sorry,” Mike tries again.
I sniff and bat at the tears rolling down my cheek. “I think you all have done quite enough. You need to go.”
Sophie’s shoes click against the steps as Mike leads her down them. The door opens and then closes softly. I glance at my suitcase. Noel and the rest of the band are going to need some time to recover from this scandal. They don’t need another girl hanging around and possibly coming between them.
I start toward the door and head for the group of Black Falcon roadies hanging out near the Escalades. Hopefully one of them will be nice enough to take me to the nearest airport.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
* * *
Nothing has changed in the two weeks I was away from Center Stage Marketing. All the employees work furiously on their computers as I pass by. Diana scheduled our meeting for first thing this morning. I think she’s anxious to see my plan for Black Falcon’s charity. I believe Noel didn’t tell her I left the tour a few days early or she would have just fired me over the phone. The door to her office is wide open. I stick my head inside, and she waves me in. I take a seat across from her and balance my computer in my lap.
“Lanie, it’s so good to see you, and congratulations for lasting the entire two weeks on tour. Noel called me this morning and said you stuck out your time like a champ. Not that it was a major task for you.” She winks.
I swallow hard, feeling a little uncomfortable that she knows so much about my sex life. “Thank you, Ms. Swagger. I actually have the proposal done as well.”
I flip open the screen and stand, but Diana holds up her hand. “No need for that, dear. The more experienced members of my team already outlined the project, and we have things in the works.”
I tilt my head and furrow my brow. “You don’t even want to see what I’ve come up with?”
She holds up her hand as though I’m being ridiculous. “Your only real job was to look pretty and keep Noel Falcon happy. You’ve done just that. Leave the real work up to the rest of us.”
I pull my lips into a tight line and slam the lid closed. “You were never going to take me seriously no matter what I did, were you?”
She pulls off her glasses. “Lanie, dear, the sooner you understand that certain people are used for their brains and others are meant to just look pretty, the better off you’ll be. I’m a thinker—a visionary—while you’re the type who can wrangle in clients for me.”
I blow a rush of air through my nose and roll my eyes. “Do you know how archaic that sounds? As a woman, surely you don’t really think that way.”
She shrugs. “That’s reality
, honey. You better get used to how things work in the real world.”
Anger boils through me. Part of me always knew she was using me, but I never imagined she would completely shut me down. She won’t even give my work a chance. The dream of working under her doesn’t seem like such a grand idea anymore. I lift my chin. “You know what, Diana, I quit.”
She flinches. “You can’t quit. Have you forgotten about the contract you signed?”
“I didn’t forget. I made it through my two weeks on tour, so you can’t sue me, and there’s nothing you can do if I quit.”
Her eyes narrow. “You’ll never get another job in this town again.”
I shrug. “The non-compete was only for New York. I’m fine with leaving this state if this is how business is done here.”
Her jaw drops. No one is going to treat me like a piece of meat, especially not her. Her expression shows that never in a million years did she expect an intern to tell her she can basically shove her job up her ass. I grin, turn around, and—without a second of hesitation—walk out.
***
“I can’t believe you quit!” Aubrey says as she watches me pack my suitcase.
I smile as I think about the smug look on Diana’s face disappearing when I quit. “Believe it. That woman’s a tyrant.”
She pokes out her bottom lip. “You sure you can’t stay? There are a thousand jobs in this city other than marketing.”
I zip my suitcase. “I love marketing. That’s where my heart lies. It sucks that I can’t stay here with you, but going back home will be good. Mom misses me like crazy, and I can find a job in Houston or something.” I set my bag on the floor and pull up the handle until it clicks. “I think I’m all set.”
Aubrey steps around the bed and wraps her arms around my neck. I close my eyes and lean into her as a tear escapes down my cheek. I hate leaving her. She’s the only thing I don’t want to leave behind. She rubs big circles on my back. “It’s going to be okay, sweetie. You and Noel can finally have your happily ever after.”
Rock Star Romance Ultimate Volume 2 Page 156