“I’m happy to be interrogated by my girlfriend’s family. So, hit me with your first question.”
“I think I like him already. C’mon now, I didn’t get to interrogate your high school boyfriends, so I’m making up for lost time.”
“Oh no. Rules. I have rules. No talking about ex-boyfriends. I mean, I have enough pressure on me to wow all of you at the moment. And you should also know that I plan to be the last guy you interrogate. That’s all. Carry on.”
We all burst out laughing. By the time lunch is over, Gavin has won over everyone. My grandparents give me their nod, and my mother whispers in my ear. As for me, I’m still swooning inside over the fact that he ate his whole meal left-handed in order to hold onto my hand. I’m not sure life could get much better than this.
My family says their goodbyes to us at the door to the restaurant, and then Gavin walks me to my car. “Do you want to come over?”
“I do, but I can’t. I have a meeting to get to. I’ll call you later, though.”
“Okay.”
I lean up to kiss him, but he gives me his cheek instead. I press my lips to his stubble and get into the car. He closes my door and waves. He never waves at me. This is so not good.
* * *
Gavin
When Faith’s grandfather called me this morning, I was so relieved. I totally understood why she was so distracted yesterday. It still sucked that she forgot me, but I get it. I thought everything was going well at lunch, too. Until we were leaving the restaurant and her mother asked me to come out to their Christmas celebration in Los Angeles. Faith gave her an answer that pretty much ripped my battered heart back into shreds.
I really do have a meeting, and I force myself to focus on that instead of dwelling on Faith. “Thanks for coming everyone,” I tell them as I show the school district people around the warehouse. I’m planning to convert it into the cooking school. It’s only a couple of blocks from Three Square, which is perfect. At least I think it is.
I manage to stay on my game, and I can tell everyone’s impressed. Growing up as the son of public figures helps sometimes. Except when I remember that the public life helped destroy my family. Then it sucks.
As I’m walking back to my car, my phone rings. It’s an unknown number, but I answer it anyway. “Hello.”
“Hi Gavin, it’s Zack. Ainsley and I are having a small pre-Christmas get together tonight. We were hoping you could come.”
“I don’t think so. But thanks for inviting me, man.”
“Umm, listen man. Ainsley said to tell you that you had better be here or she’s going to freeze all your bank accounts.”
“I guess I’ll see you in a couple of hours then.”
“Yeah. Sorry.”
“It’s cool.”
“Let me give you the address. It’s at our cabin on Mt. Charleston.”
He gives me the directions, and I hang up. I go back to the hotel and take a nap since I didn’t sleep that much last night. I make sure to dress warmly when I wake up because the weather report says it’s snowing lightly on the mountain. Just an added bonus to all the fun I’m expecting to have.
I get up the mountain and follow Zack’s directions to a winding driveway that ends at a cool looking “cabin” made of wood and lots of windows. Only one other truck is in the driveway, so I make sure to park to the side so everyone else has room. I run to the door since the snow is actually coming down a little harder now. The door opens before I can ring the bell. It’s not Zack or Ainsley though, and I know this isn’t going to be the party I was expecting.
“Hi, Gav. Come in and get out of the cold.”
“Is anyone else coming, Faith?”
“No. It’s just us.”
“I should go.”
“Things were going so well at lunch and then you were so cold. Will you at least come in and tell me why?”
“You really don’t know?”
“No, I don’t.”
I storm past her into the house. “I never took you for self-centered, but your behavior over the last couple of days really makes me think you are.”
“Gee, thanks. It makes me all warm and fuzzy to hear the man I love call me self-centered.”
“I could call you much worse.”
“Go ahead then. Don’t hold back.”
“I mean, first you forgot me. I know you were finding out your grandparents were alive, but, still. I waited for hours in that lobby like some fucking lovesick idiot. You didn’t even think about letting me share in your happiness. I was just some guy who drove you there. And then today just reinforced how you really feel—that you’re ashamed of me.”
“Ashamed of you? Are you insane? What are you even talking about?”
“My mother killed my father, Faith. And sold state secrets while working with a truly evil woman to try and hurt you.”
“I know that.”
“Then why would you tell your mother that I’d rather spend Christmas with my family than go out to L.A. and spend it with yours?”
Her eyes go wide, and her mouth drops open. “I-I…it was just…I thought…I didn’t.”
I’m really angry, I have to help her out. Because despite everything, my tattered heart still loves her. “Breathe, Faith. Breathe.”
She takes a few deep breaths with her eyes closed. When she opens them again, they’re shining with tears. I motion for us to sit down on the couch facing one of the walls of windows.
“I didn’t want you to feel obligated to go with me. It’s going to be awkward even though we’re all trying to pretend that this is all normal. I haven’t been around my mom in almost twenty years. I know she wants a relationship—and I think I do, too—but it’s still hard. I wanted you to enjoy your Christmas and not have to be taking care of me. I said the first thing that came to my mind. Which was the worst thing. I honestly wasn’t thinking and I am so, so sorry for that. And I did want you to meet my grandparents. Of course I wanted that. I was just freaked out and overcome by everything.”
“I want to be with you everywhere. If you truly want me. If I need to take care of you, I will. That’s not a chore. It’s just me being in love with you.”
“I want you with me all the time, too. And I want to take care of you, too. I’ve done a bang-up job so far, I know, but I want to do better.”
“You’ve had a lot to deal with.”
“So have you. And we haven’t even talked about your mom.”
“If we’re going to do that, I need you to come over here and let me hold you.”
She immediately moves over to me and snuggles into my arms. I feel better already. Even more at peace as I feel her heartbeat matching mine.
“Well, you already know that Jane and I met with her and got her to agree to forget what she saw you do by promising her no jail time and five million dollars per year.”
“What are you talking about?” she asks as she pulls away a little to look at me.
“Jane didn’t tell you?”
“No. And I can’t let you do that. She needs to be in jail.”
“There’s not enough proof. I’ve got the money. It’s already done. I’m not going to say that the whole situation is great because it’s not. It sucks. But nothing’s going to bring my dad back, and I’m not willing to risk you by trying to take her down.” She starts to speak, but this time I’m the one covering her mouth. “I know you’d sacrifice yourself to bring her down, but I would rather know that I can wake up next to you every day without having to worry about her exposing you. I don’t want to talk about her anymore. Maybe in a month, or a year, but not tonight.”
She looks me in the eye before leaning in to kiss me. Just a little kiss. That leads to many as she makes each one last a little longer. I finally grab the back of her head and slant my lips as I lick hers open. We kiss for several minutes before she pulls away.
“I had a whole seduction planned for tonight, but is it okay if you just hold me? I know I’m not in a position to ask you for an
ything, but can we just sleep?”
“You can always ask me for anything. I would love to hold you tonight. As long as your hair is on my chest, of course.”
“Do you hate that I cut it?”
“Not at all. I can still wrap my hand in it like this, and pull it when you’re being bad.” I tug a little while she laughs.
“What about when I’m being good?”
I twist my hand and pull hard, exposing her neck to my mouth and tongue. She moans as I lick and suck for a few minutes. “That’s what I’ll do when you’re good.”
“Good to know. Will you eat some of the dinner I cooked?”
“I’ll never say no to your cooking, but you should’ve waited for me. We could’ve cooked together.”
“I-I had to do it on my own.”
“Faith?”
“I stopped cooking when…well, after.”
“This is the first time you’ve cooked since everything went down?”
“Yeah. It’s just a chicken casserole.”
“The best chicken casserole ever. Take me to my food, woman.”
She laughs, and all the tension is gone from her. “You better clean your plate, or tomorrow’s just a snuggling day, too.”
“And I’d be just fine with that if that’s what you decide you need.”
The chicken casserole is pretty damn good, especially with Faith sitting on my lap. We feed each other and kiss until both our plates are clean. I help her clean up and give her a lingering kiss next to the sink.
“Let’s get ready for bed and some snuggling. I give good snuggle you know.”
“No, I don’t know. We’ve passed out the few times we spent the night together. There was no snuggling.”
“Those were very, very amazing nights, but you’re in for a real treat tonight. I’m going to snuggle you so hard you’ll forget where I end and you start.”
“We’ll see about that.”
“Feel. We’ll feel it, Faith.”
“Dork.”
“Sexy goddess.”
“I just insulted you.”
“I know.”
We both laugh as we go into the bedroom and undress. Faith tells me she brought me some clothes. There’s some pajama pants if I want them. I tell her I’m happy in my boxer briefs. I’d honestly rather be in nothing, but I promised her I’d just hold her tonight. Tomorrow, all bets are off.
* * *
Faith
Gavin really does give good snuggle. For the first time in weeks, I felt safe and loved enough to have a restful night’s sleep. Rest isn’t what’s on my mind now. It’s the sexy bulge in his boxer briefs. I felt him nice and hard against my leg when I woke up, and now I’m ready to play.
I shove my hands in to free his cock and take it into my mouth as he wakes up. “Fuck, Faith. Oh God.”
I smile around him as I lick and suck. My hand is pumping his base as I relax my throat to take him in as far as possible. His hands go to my hair and start to pull. I use a little teeth and he pulls harder.
“You’re such a good girl, Faith. You know just how I like it. Turn around and let me play, too.”
I move until I’m over him. He pushes my nightgown up and hisses when he sees that I have no panties on. “You’re an even better girl than I first thought. I’m going to reward you for this.”
Before I can react, he flips us over so I’m on the bottom now. He goes to his knees over me and positions my ass on top of the pillows with my legs around his neck as he uses his own mouth, tongue, and fingers on me. I’ve never done this in this position before, but it’s definitely doing it for me. It only takes a few minutes for me to scream around his cock. And then he’s shooting everything he has down my throat. As we both come down, he rolls us again so we’re next to each other.
“Thanks for the awesome wake-up call.”
“Thank you for the good snuggling.”
“I told you I’m good.”
“Yeah, but I’m better.”
“Oh yeah, you definitely are.”
“Do you want to go play in the snow?”
“Only if we can have a snowball fight.”
“You’d fight a girl?”
“I’ll get annihilated by the sexiest woman I know, and love every minute of it.”
“You have the best answers sometimes.”
“You inspire me.”
We spend the rest of the day together, having that snowball fight where I definitely annihilated him, and breaking in every room and surface in this cabin. Which I let him know is mine, and not Zack’s. Late at night, after we’ve cooked a great meal together, we cuddle on the couch with hot chocolate to watch the snow come down outside. We talk about our trip to L.A. and he tells me all about his project with the school district. I let him know that I want to help in between missions. Unlike Ainsley and Tegan—who assist with almost every mission—most of us do work with women locally in between assignments. I’ll have plenty of extra time to teach some classes or just assist him.
The smile on his face is worth everything we had to go through in order to get to this place. I know without a doubt that everything’s going to be more than okay with us. It really doesn’t get any better than this.
Epilogue
Stella
Gavin’s party is starting soon. He’s showing off the kitchen facility he had the Griffins build for his new culinary school. I was dressed and ready when Reina called to tell me that she and Jane needed me to come into the office. I know they wouldn’t call me unless it was important, so of course I came.
I walk into Reina’s office and then drop my clutch on the floor with a squeal. “Mom,” I yell as I hug her. “What are you doing here?”
“I need your help.”
“Of course. Anything. What’s going on?”
“Have a seat, Stell, and I’ll tell you.”
I do as she asks, looking over at Reina. She shakes her head at me. They don’t know why she’s here either. We’ll help her, though. There’s no doubt in my mind.
“As you know, I’ve been working for Storyside this past year.”
“They’re that boy band all over the TV, right?”
“Yes, Reina. When I started with them, they were just starting to get noticed. In the last few months, they’ve surpassed One Direction as the most popular boy band on the planet.”
“Is something wrong with them?”
“Not all of them. Just Kace Reynolds. He’s the most popular of the boys, and has always been the sweetest, until the last month. He’s started acting out. He causes trouble on photo shoots and appearances, and has even bad mouthed some of the more vocal fans who’ve criticized him. His mother is distraught, and the management team is beside themselves.”
“Can’t they just kick his sorry ass out of the band? There has to be some clause.”
“There is a clause. Many in fact. But despite his bad behavior—or maybe because of it—he’s still the most popular. The cash cow, so to speak.”
“How do you think we can help?” Jane asks.
“As I said, his mother is distraught. She raised him as a single parent, and his one goal when he made it big was to take care of her. She goes everywhere with us, even though Kace is twenty one now. She told me yesterday that she saw him crumple up a piece of paper and throw it out. Because he didn’t know she was there, she was able to grab it out of the trash can. Here it is.”
My mom hands us the paper.
Tomorrow you will make a scene at the culinary school opening the band is attending. Remember that if you try to tell anyone, or don’t do what I say, I’ll have the pictures to the media within the hour.
There’s no signature and nothing distinguishing on the plain white copy paper. “So it looks like he has no choice in his behavior. Someone else is calling the shots.”
“Yes, Stella. It all makes sense because like I said, Kace was always respectful and sweet in the past. He’s turned into a horrible young man, but it seems he has no choice.”
“I need Stella to come work with me—the band is so big now that no one will think it’s unusual for us to have another stylist. And they’re about to start a special two month residency here in Vegas.”
“I can do that.”
“It’s not as easy as me hiring you, though. The boys all agreed to be in charge one facet of their careers early on. So it’s in their contracts to have the final say for hiring in whatever area they chose.”
“Okay. I can charm someone. Who’s over style?”
“Kace.”
“And he’ll be at the party tonight.” An idea starts to form. “I can be part of the scene he causes.”
“He’s going to hit on you, Stella.”
“And I’m going to put him in his place.”
“Or fall in love with him.”
“What? Are you insane, Mom? I’m not planning on settling down anytime soon, and even if I was, it wouldn’t be with some jailbait boybander.”
“He’s gorgeous, kind-hearted when he’s not being blackmailed, and worships his mother.”
“So are half the guys I fu—I mean, sleep with.”
“Don’t tone down your personality, even with me around. I’ve heard it all, and I need you to be yourself. It’s going to pull him in. When you’re as close as you feel comfortable with, you can work on earning his trust.”
“Are you sure you don’t want a job here because I think you just did mine.”
“No, Reina. I’m not cut out for intrigue on a daily basis. That’s for you and my amazing daughter and her friends.”
“We should head to the party. I don’t want to be too late. Not just because of Kace, but also because Faith and Gavin have worked hard for this.”
Everyone agrees, and we all take off for the party. I was hoping to have fun tonight. Now I’m going to be babysitting a little boy. So the opposite of fun.
* * *
Kace
Whoever’s pulling my strings is one fucked up bastard. This school is going to be helping underprivileged kids. The focus should be on that, not something I have to cook up in order to make a scene. The media already thinks I’m an asshole. How much further do I have to go?
Devouring the SECRET (Corrigan & Co. Book 2) Page 17