Wicked Bad Boys

by Bella Love-Wins

  “I agree. All right. But after the tour, I need a say on the lyrics and tone of what we put out.”

  “Good,” Kevin said. He got off his chair and clapped his hands, seeming to conclude the meeting. I was not quite finished, but stood up as well. He smiled and reached out to shake my hand. “Partners?”

  “Partners,” I agreed. “And there’s one more thing.”

  I needed to make some headway where Amanda was concerned.

  “Let me guess.” He leaned back on the edge of his office table. “Amanda, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you love her?”

  “Um…We’re getting to know each other. I care about her a lot.”

  “Don’t try to deny it, Lorne. You cared about her long before she got here.”

  I reared back in my seat, speechless.

  “It took me some time, but I figured it out. That’s the big fight you snuck out with Charles to watch. You think I don’t remember? He drove you to Vegas to watch her fight. She lost, and you were broken up about it for a while. At the time, I just thought you were a fan, like any sports buff who chattered on and on about their favorite athlete. I never made the connection when you suggested we hire her. Something just never added up, Lorne. Now I know. And at the moment, you’re in love with her.”

  Busted. Fuck.

  He must have read the terror or dread on my face, because he asked, “Wait a minute. Does she even know you hired her because you’re a love-sick, crazy, obsessed fan yourself?”

  I could not react fast enough. Words refused to make their way from my distressed brain to my speechless, tongue-tied mouth.

  “Fuck. She doesn’t, does she? If you weren’t my son, I’d laugh at the irony. Well, Lorne, let me be the first to say, you’ve romantically screwed yourself up the ass.”

  “I meant to tell her,” I finally got out. “I never got the chance…You can’t tell her about this, Kevin!”

  He laughed. “Me? I have no time for games, Lorne. You should know that by now. But if you love her, you need to tell her. And here’s the kicker, son. Now there’s something more important than telling her. If you care about her, you need to get her out of harm’s way. As sexist as this is going to sound, real men never put their women in danger. She could be the female incarnation of Chuck Norris, and still, as the man who loves her, you cannot put her in the line of fire.”

  God, I hated that he was right. He echoed every sentiment that had been running around my mind since the night Amanda got stabbed with the scissors. What kind of man was I to endanger the person I claimed to care about, on top of hiding the truth from her?

  “Can you wait until after the tour to fall in love?” Kevin asked. “Because on top of all that, you’re a distraction to each other right now when you’re both supposed to be on top of your games. Either wait, or forget about the bodyguard thing and make her your girlfriend. But take it from me. You can’t have both. Ultimately, she can’t protect you and be your woman at the same time.”

  Even with all the sense he made, I rebutted with, “Says the man who managed his wife’s career for almost two decades.”

  “It’s not the same.”

  “Explain.”

  He looked out the window, seeming contemplative. “I made a lot of sacrifices with Lady, Lorne. This business could have easily torn us apart. I don’t want that for you.” He turned his head to look directly at me. “And are you honestly going to stand there and tell me you like the idea of turning the woman you love into a human shield to protect you?”

  Shit. He had a point.

  “Look, here’s what I’m willing to do. I’ll add more people to the team, just as you and Fred recommended. That means you’ll have a few more bodyguards. Fred still wants her to continue her role as they investigate, so I won’t come in the way of that. Beyond that, son, you have the reins.”

  He walked past me and patted me on the shoulder before leaving the room.

  Chapter 12 - Amanda

  Being in LA felt better after the meetings where Fred set my mind at ease about my performance and laid out plans for the rest of the tour. I spent a blissful day and a half with Johnny. He had been so eager to please me from the moment I stepped into his house two weeks ago, and now that I let my guard down, he did not take a second for granted.

  Today he was recording down in the basement. As our flight to Las Vegas was set for the next morning, Larry and I were taking turns monitoring the studio. I took advantage of the downtime to pack my suitcase for the three-night trip. As I picked out my clothes, the reality of returning to Miami hit me. In less than two weeks I would be going home for good. It was the first time the notion made me feel torn. My heart raced for a moment, but I quickly parked the thought—Johnny and I had not known each other long enough to make any long-term plans.

  I finished packing and left my room to relieve Larry when a loud chiming sound interrupted my train of thought. Someone was at the door. The grounds security had obviously cleared them, so it had to be a legitimate visitor. The housekeeper answered, and Fred popped his head out of their office as well.

  It was a delivery man. “Hi. Delivery for Miss Baker.”

  Fred stepped out. “It’s okay, Amanda. The men at the gate cleared it already.”

  “Okay.” I certainly hadn’t ordered anything.

  The housekeeper signed for it and came back inside, a huge bouquet of flowers in her arms. She gingerly brought them to me and offered to put it in water. I gushed as soon as I saw them. They were nearly identical to the ones that had filled my room, and had to be from Johnny. I followed her to the kitchen, and she set them down on the counter to look for the card. It was a small one that read, ‘You’re beautiful’. That was it. I smiled and tucked the note in my pocket.

  The doorbell chimed again, so the housekeeper excused herself to answer it. I was still admiring the flowers when she returned.

  “Here, this is for you too,” she said.

  It was a large pink bakery box tied shut with a satin bow.

  “Oh, my God!” I sucked in a breath, instantly recognizing the store it came from. I untied the package, this time, unable to hide my zeal. I removed the lid and sure enough, the box was packed with stacks of my favorite cookies and cupcakes from Gilly’s Bakery in Miami. The scent filled the room with chocolaty, caramel sweetness only baked goods could produce. I snatched up one of the cookies, taking a deep breath before popping it into my mouth and letting it melt against my tongue.

  Fred came in. “Everything is fine, right?”

  “Yes. All good here. They’re goodies from my favorite bakery back in Miami.”

  “Who sent them?”

  “Johnny,” I cooed, my heart melting along with the delicate cookie that I had in my mouth.

  Fred nodded and left, and had even turned down my offer to share the treats with him and his team. Their loss was my gain. I sighed and took another bite. Johnny certainly knew one way to my heart. I was finishing the last bite when it struck me. How had Johnny known about Gilly’s? I couldn’t remember ever mentioning it in conversation…and even if I had, how could he possibly know which ones I liked most?

  Something felt off, but it was such a sweet gesture, the unsettling feeling was fleeting. I was giddy with good cheer. I put the smaller box of cupcakes in the fridge, left the cookie box out on the counter, and took the bouquet up to my room. Setting it on the dresser, I stood back for a moment, admiring the buds and blooms. I also wondered when Johnny got the chance to do this for me. I abandoned the flowers and took the back stairs to get down to Larry. He mentioned something about helping Lucas down at the district office and left.

  As I waited in the outer sitting room of the recording studio, all I could think about was when he would finish recording so I could wrap my arms around him and thank him for being so kind and thoughtful to me.

  * * *

  A sound engineer and two of Johnny’s band members filed out to where I had been waiting. One of them told m
e everyone was wrapping up inside. I didn’t want to interrupt, so I waited for more of them to leave. It took almost an hour. I busied myself with checking emails and perusing Johnny’s website.

  “Amanda?” Johnny came out from the studio. He was not the last to leave.

  “Hi. How’s it going in there?”

  “Good. Sorry this took so long.”

  I headed straight for him, wrapping my arms around his waist. I pressed the side of my head into his chest. “Don’t apologize. Work is work…Hey, thank you so much for the gift.” I looked up into is eyes. “I love those gorgeous flowers. And the treats were amazing. How did you know about Gilly’s?”

  He looked behind me, and then down at me again. “I think you told me about it, didn’t you?”

  “Really? I don’t remember that.” I studied his face.

  He smiled, brushing it off. “How else would I have known?”

  “I’m not sure. I guess I must have,” I said. An uneasiness still gnawed at me, but there was no other explanation. I must have told him about the cookies. “Anyway, thank you so much! They’re amazing. I doubt there are any left, but if there are, you have to try it.”

  He nodded and leaned down, kissing my lips softly. “Definitely. Hey, speaking of eating, Kevin ordered take-out. How about I grab some of it, and you meet me in my room. I don’t think everyone’s leaving yet, and I need some private time with just you. We can relax a bit before we turn in.”

  “All right. I’d like that.”

  I pulled out of the embrace and gleefully followed him upstairs.

  * * *

  “How tired are you?” he asked after we finished eating.

  “I’m fine. Why?”

  “I’m wired. Do you want to watch a movie?”

  I didn’t watch movies very often, but it actually sounded perfect. “That would be great.”

  “Cool. I’ll find us something on satellite.”

  He left the sofa at the far end of his room and sprawled out on his bed. He looked over at me, patting the spot on the bed next to him. “Get that fine ass of yours over here.”

  I stood up and approached his side of the bed. His gaze ran the length of my body, up and down, before he met my eyes. Another flash of heat washed over me—I was ready to skip the movie altogether.

  “What do you feel like watching?”

  I did an about turn and walked over to lock his room door. I returned and sank onto the bed next to him. I looked at the screen above the fireplace. He was flipping through a long menu of movies, using some app on his phone I had never heard of.

  “What about this one?” he said, pausing the screen so I could read the description.

  I turned to him and took the phone away. I couldn’t stand the inches between us.

  “Amanda,” he choked out as my fingers dipped into his pants and flicked along the smooth skin of his lower abdomen.

  “Take me, Lorne.”

  * * *

  Johnny and I had made love several times until we both fell asleep. I woke up in the middle of the night, cuddling into his embrace. His strong, muscular arms wrapped around me, one around my waist and one tight under my breasts. I was about to gently slide out of his arms to get a glass of water when he stirred. A large hand cupped my breast, his thumb playing idly with my nipple. I was sated, yet a tug of desire struck low and resonated in my womb. He may not have been alert to it, but he was playing with fire. We had already gone several times tonight.

  I placed my hand over his arms, soaking in his magnetizing heat. Giving me a gentle squeeze, he kissed my neck.

  “I thought you were down for the count.”

  “Nope.” I turned and smiled at him. “That last one was one heck of an orgasm though.”

  He laughed, rolling me on top of him as he proceeded to kiss me gently, then much harder as need took over again.

  “Let’s do it again,” he moaned into the kiss. “Or however you want it.”

  His voice was at deliciously sexy—deep, raw, throaty and primal. I shivered at the sound of it. With that blissful round long gone by at least a few hours, and with morning still well ahead of us, I shoved the comforter off us and stood on the side of the bed. I looked down at him, eyes heavy-lidded, chest and abs rippling, cock hard on his stomach, his arm sliding down his side to take it in his hand. He gripped the shaft and began to pump slowly, taunting me. Two could play that game, but right now, I wanted to touch him all over.

  I stretched out my hand. “Get up here, big boy.”

  He took my hand and stood up, stepping close to me. I opened my mouth, licked my lips and gave him a seductive look. When he moaned, I walked around him, coming up behind. I pressed my breasts to his back and slid my hands up to his chest, stroking his nipples before moving down to his firm stomach. I took his hand and placed it back around his shaft, adding my hand to his. His cock twitched under our double-stroking. The heat pooled between my legs. I reached under with my other hand, massaging his balls. They were already hard and tight. I kissed his back softly.

  “Come and take me from behind,” I told him.

  He let out a growl. “Christ.”

  I released him and turned to face the bed, bending over and holding on to the edge with both hands. He dragged his trimmed nails down my outer thighs and pulled my ass back into his groin. I tipped my hips back, pressing urgently for more contact. He pressed down on my back with one hand so I would get deeper into the bend. I popped up on my tiptoes, and he gripped the base of my ass, right where it met the back of my thighs.

  “Fuck me hard, Lorne,” I begged, not wanting to wait. “Fill me.”

  “God, Amanda.”

  He pressed his thick hardness at my slit and just as I asked, drove his cock into me with one firm move. My channel contracted, squeezing tight around his shaft. I bent lower to allow him more access, my body buzzing in this exotic tantalizing position. He seemed to relish the bed-side angle—unfamiliar noises ripped from his throat as he pressed inside me. Thrusting forward. Pulling back. Driving deeper and harder. Out and in.

  “Oh God, Amanda… Amanda.”

  I was loving every moment of it already, and he let go of one ass cheek, reaching forward to cup his hand over my mound. I moaned, and felt the sound resonate in my mouth. I jerked backward and squeezed my legs to feel his hand as he possessed me through and through. He stroked lower to give some attention to my clit. That move just about undid me. He worked my swollen nub, massaging my folds with his other fingers, all while slamming his thick cock deep inside.

  I whimpered and tried to hold back and wait for him, but failed miserably. I had to give up all delusions of being able to remain in control. My climax hit me like a tidal wave, sending intolerable, wild pleasure through every part of me, turning me upside down and inside out. I could have crumpled onto the bed. My muscles and bones turned to jelly, and all that kept me up was Johnny’s hands, gripped tightly to my hips now, still pounding my pussy.

  His pussy.

  With the little energy that came back to me, I reached back and positioned my hand below his balls, just close enough so I would brush over it with every plunge he made inside me. That was all it took. After three or four jolts forward, he shattered through an orgasm that I could feel deep in my womb.

  He pulled out after a moment, shaky on his knees, and helped me back into bed before falling in beside me. He cupped my face and kissed me. I sighed into the kiss.

  “You’re amazing, woman.”

  I gave him a sleepy wink and snuggled into his neck, getting comfortable again before falling fast asleep.

  Chapter 13 - Johnny

  The stage and security crews had already gone ahead to Vegas on the tour bus, and our smaller group had taken a small private plane earlier today. From the airport, we stopped off at Whiskey River to see the place and do a quick sound check on the way to the hotel. Something about this trip made Kevin’s advice about telling Amanda come to the forefront. Every day was also a reminder of her imminent
departure to Miami. I needed to find the right time to tell her everything. Not opening up to her felt like a double-edged sword. I got so much closer to her over the last few days. It was a taste of how incredible we could be together. The flip side was, on the inside, I was also more miserable than ever with all the pent-up guilt.

  On top of that, I had booted up my laptop while we were on the flight in, reading through my emails to kill time. Most of the messages had been the usual junk, except one from Terry, the music producer. He mentioned he had sent the ballad track to a friend at another label. They were interested in doing some solo work with me, and wanted to meet right away. This could be the beginning of a whole new path for me.

  If Kevin found out about this, he would go ape-shit. My mind was reeling since then. I wanted to share it with someone. My bandmates wouldn’t care. I needed to hold off on telling Kevin until I made a decision; otherwise he would fight me on it for sure. I could tell Amanda. She would be happy for me, whatever I chose to do. But there was something more pressing she needed to know.

  * * *

  “Johnny? Are you listening to me?”

  I turned to Kevin, trying to shake myself out of the funk that had settled over me in the last couple of hours. I sank back against the sofa backrest, contemplating that I could end up truly alone if I came clean on both. I rubbed two fingers over my temple and tried to focus.

  “Yes, I’m listening.”

  “What do you think?”

  I had no idea what he was talking about. He had cornered me when I went to his hotel suite to get one of my suitcases. The valet delivered it to his room instead of mine. Amanda was in our suite, waiting for me. I just wanted to get back to her, and now Kevin was holding me up. His question had something to do with the new album, the next tour, the concert tonight at Whiskey River, next week’s RHVAs—I wasn’t sure what exactly.