Playing For Love

by J. C. Grant

  He looked over at me and winked, his sexy smirk making my heart jump. He knew exactly how he affected me, and from the happy gleam in his eyes, he loved it.

  The elevator doors opened, plunging me back into the reality. His hand found mine, intertwining our fingers. I had an overwhelming sense of pride as we walked hand in hand through the lobby and out to the car. With Chance on my other side, their big bodies enclosed mine. I felt protected and loved.

  David drove us to the gym, taking the back way to avoid the morning highway traffic.

  “We agree on the minimal makeup?” he asked, glancing over at me, his hand tugging mine further into his lap.

  “Yeah, but they can just airbrush me into looking like someone else if they want, right?”

  “They better not. Talk to Elaine today. She wants to get you a new agent.”

  “Okay.”

  His tone shifted to a warning. “No nudity today.”

  “Not after that breakfast,” I muttered.

  He'd ordered waffles and omelets. I stupidly ate the waffles.

  “I'm serious. Fergus'll be there. If I get a call about you agreeing to that—”

  “David, I'm not going to.”

  He shifted back to business. “I haven't been listening to or reading Dawn's messages. Aaron and Fergus are dealing with her from here on out. I'm dealing with Zach. You keep ignoring him.”

  “That's the plan,” I agreed.

  “Good. So we workout, and then sauna. Your deal shouldn't be more than two and a half hours at the most. This photographer today is good, fast. I won't be done by the time you are. So—”

  “Can I go shopping then?” I asked eagerly.

  “For what?”

  “Clothes, face products, new sheets, and new towels.”

  “You want new sheets and towels?” He sounded oddly excited by that.

  “Yeah, something that's us. Not you.”

  “Yes! Definitely. Do it. Fergus will follow you.”

  “Perfect.”

  “You don't mind Fergus following you?”

  “Does it matter?” I countered flatly.

  “Just wondering.” His tone indicated it was much more than that.

  “He doesn't like me.” Then I remembered. “I don't like him either.”

  David pulled up to the gym's gate, lowered the window, and swiped his card into the machine. When nothing happened, we both looked at the gate, noticing it was badly damaged.

  “What the fuck?” he breathed, dialing the gym.

  The car filled with ringing.

  “Hello?” Kelly answered brightly.

  “What happened to the gate?” David demanded.

  “I don't know. The guys opened the exit,” she added quickly.

  David ended the call and backed out, going around, pulling into the exit, and parking in front.

  I got out and grabbed the bag from the backseat, letting Chance out at the same time. David lifted the bag from my shoulder and grabbed Chance’s leash from behind me, his other hand gripping mine.

  He held open the heavy door with one arm as we walked through. Seeing Kelly was at the front desk, I immediately felt guilty for keeping David so occupied the day before.

  “I'll have it done today,” David said as we passed her going back to his office. David stopped short, calling to her, “Who got here first?”

  “Shawn, he hopped the gate to get in,” she tried to explain.

  “Why didn't you call me? Have you looked at the cameras?”

  “No, sir.” She was meek. She wouldn't last long around these guys.

  Especially Noah.

  I gave her an apologetic smile just before we entered the office, shutting the door.

  I got Chance settled while David washed his face and brushed his teeth. I pretended not to notice him stealing glances at us.

  “Let's get this done.” He grabbed my hips from behind, pulling me close as I put my rings away in his desk.

  “Mmm… Maybe—”

  A knock on the door interrupted me.

  “Yeah, it's open,” David called, not moving away from me.

  “Mr. Taylor?” Kelly cracked open the door and muttered an apology, her eyes darting to the floor when she saw him pressed against me. “Um, there was a woman calling for you yesterday. She said it was an emergency. I tried to call you, but you never answered.”

  Kelly looked really uncomfortable delivering the message. I didn't know if it was because of David's style of affection or the woman calling.

  I looked over my shoulder at David. His expression was hard. Cold.

  “She give a name?” His voice was dark.

  “No, sir.”

  His hands on my hips squeezed tighter.

  “Let me know if she calls back.”

  “Yes, sir,” she uttered, gently closing the door behind her.

  “You think it's Dawn?” I placed my hands on his, squeezing reassuringly.

  “I don't know. Hope not. Didn't think she knew about the gym.”

  “You want to work out later? Take care of the gate now?” I offered.

  “No. Let's get you taken care of first,” he growled in my ear. If I didn't know he was referring to working out...

  He led me out to the gym, leaving Chance napping in the office. He took me through five different leg exercises, then made me go through the circuit another four times. On my final set, Kelly walked up.

  “Mr. Taylor,” she whispered as if she didn't want me to hear. “She's here. She didn't give her name, but it's the same voice.”

  I watched as David's posture turned rigid, his calm, relaxed face hardened and his eyes narrowed as he leaned into me.

  “Stay here until I come back,” he breathed in my ear. Then he was moving, leaving me and Kelly behind.

  Everything in me was on alert. David didn't have any family and he'd never mentioned anyone important. This couldn't be good, and he was dead serious about me staying put—which meant there was no way I'd do that.

  I peeked around the corner, trying to see the front desk, but couldn't see anything. I heard David's cold voice saying,

  “You can't be here.”

  As I moved closer, David's broad back finally came into view. Taking a few small steps closer, I saw who he was talking to.

  My heart lurched and my stomach twisted.

  A tall, too-thin woman.

  Scary thin.

  She had shoulder length, dark brown hair. It looked dirty and obviously wasn't natural—it didn't match her coloring or eyebrows. She wasn't unattractive. She just looked strung out, tired or in withdrawals, but I recognized her. She was a sandy blonde naturally and she was one of the “girlfriends” David was pictured with online.

  “Taylor, please,” she begged.

  My heart hammered in my chest, and my breath came short and fast as adrenalin pumped through me. She sounded young, much younger than she looked, and while that might have made me insecure under normal circumstances, I was more bothered that David had ever found her attractive. Because at the moment, the only thought running through my head was addict.

  She continued begging loudly as David dug his phone out of his pocket and texted someone, ignoring her pleas.

  “Taylor, please talk to me,” she implored, on the verge of tears.

  I noticed she didn't touch him, almost like she needed permission or was afraid.

  When he finally looked up from his phone, he took her in, not saying a word. Then, as if he could feel me, he looked over his shoulder and our gazes locked. He didn't look surprised to see me.

  “You!” she screamed. “You fucking bitch!”

  She had to be Dawn. I couldn't deal with more than one lunatic after David.

  David quickly moved in front of her, blocking her view of me.

  “You're violating your contract with me by being here, by asking for me.” His voice was still cold, showing no concern for her emotional state. It was almost cruel.

  “Taylor—”

  David
turned to me and implored softly, “Go to the office, sweetheart.”

  “You talk to her like that?” She darted around him and lunged for me. “You fat bitch! I'm going to fucking kill you!”

  “Try it!” I blurted unexpectedly, a surge of aggression consuming me.

  David caught her around the waist and held her back as she screamed at me, her arms swinging wildly. But all I could focus on was David touching her, his thick arm wrapped around her waist, an arm that was only supposed to wrap around me. A million images of him fucking her raced through my mind, vivid images that made my stomach churn.

  “What the fuck?” David yelled at me over Dawn's screeches. My expression apparently gave away the rage and revulsion burning through me.

  “She doesn't love you!” she cried, pressing into him.

  David yelled something else at me, letting Dawn go. She immediately lunged at me again.

  I was ready for the impact, ready to have somewhere to focus the pain I felt.

  But it never came.

  David caught her arm and pulled her back, angling it in a way she dropped to the ground.

  He squatted down beside her and she went silent.

  “You're trespassing.” His voice was ice. “You're in breach of contract, and you're violating two restraining orders right now. I'm married. You and me, we never had a relationship. We had a contract.”

  Hearing him confirm their relationship had the pressure in my head building, my pulse pounding through my ears.

  “We would've gotten married if it wasn't for her. If she hadn't stolen you,” she sobbed.

  “You're one dumb bitch.” The venom in my voice shocked me. I didn't truly know what they had, but she had no self-respect. No dignity. And I couldn't tolerate that. “You think being an available fuck toy will get you a husband?”

  “He didn't want a contract with you, did he? He didn't want you available whenever he wanted. You're fat and disgusting.”

  Fury and sympathy spiraled through me. She was pathetic. She seemed to think it was an honor to be a contracted fuck buddy. I couldn't imagine anything that would make me feel worse about myself. Then I looked at David, disgusted with him.

  “Austin, don't.” His voice was part warning part pleading. “You knew about this. You already know about all this.”

  He was right. I did. He told me on our first date, but seeing it, being forced to face it...

  “Why are you so nice to her?” she whimpered.

  There was a commotion outside, and then the doors opened and two police officers walked in. Kelly needlessly pointed them in our direction as if everyone in the gym wasn't watching or hearing this. They quickly took Dawn off of David's hands. Literally. That's when I noticed Noah.

  He was bleeding and holding me around the waist.

  She must have caught him with her nails.

  Why is he holding me?

  That's when I realized the “What the fuck?” from David was probably about Noah. I never noticed Noah was there, touching me, holding me back. I was too focused on David wrapped around his whore.

  Did I lunge at her?

  “You're bleeding,” I said numbly, motioning toward his chin.

  “Go to the office, Austin,” David ordered harshly. “Alone.”

  I ignored David, inspecting Noah's chin more than necessary and listening to the police trying to talk to Dawn. I couldn't bear to look at David right now. A scuffle interrupted my feigned interest in Noah. I turned, seeing her trying to get past the officers, trying to come toward us. When they stopped her, she kicked, scratched, and screamed, causing a bigger scene than before.

  My adrenaline was pumping and I was furious, but I was aware this was bad for his business, not that I would've felt any better if it happened at home. Out of the two, I guess the gym was preferred.

  “Is it bad?” Noah asked me, tilting his head back, showing me his chin. “She caught me with her nails.”

  It was a scratch not a knife wound. Fucking pretty boy.

  “No. Just make sure you clean it.”

  “Office, Austin. Now.” David's tone was grave and threatening.

  “Won't they want to talk to us?” I asked, staring at Noah's chin stubble as David came to a stop in front of us.

  “I'll get you if they need to talk to you.”

  “Who were you texting?” I asked. I could feel myself turning into the paranoid, nosy, obsessive wife.

  “Fergus. Office, now.”

  “Why? They have her.” I looked over, seeing them handcuffing her.

  “Because I asked you to. Unless you want to take care of Noah,” he said through gritted teeth.

  “Why did you marry him?” Noah muttered as he walked away.

  David watched Noah's retreating form, then closed in on me.

  “Please. Go in the office. I have to talk to the police. Fergus made arrangements to have her held on a psych evaluation.”

  They'd planned this?

  He'd told me repeatedly they were working on a way to get rid of her... I complied, going to the office and shutting the door behind me. Chance was up and pacing the room. He came at me, knocking me backward.

  “It's okay, sweet boy. It's okay.” I sat down on the couch with him, cuddling up until we both calmed down.

  David came in twenty minutes later.

  “Fergus said she will be held on a seventy-two hour psych hold. After that... with the charges we have against her, he can arrange for her to be gone for a month or so.”

  “Can he try for longer?” I muttered.

  David's energy shifted and he sat heavily next to me, blowing out a breath. His elbows rested on his knees, and his head fell to his hands. He said nothing, and I was starting to think I said something wrong.

  Then he confessed quietly, “I seriously wanted to kill her.” Lifting his head, he looked at me. “When you didn't want me to touch you.” He swallowed thickly. “I thought Fergus was offering one day... I just wanted her gone.”

  It took me a moment to register what he was saying. He had tried to have a conversation about having her killed. Obviously, all this was affecting him significantly more than I thought.

  “That might be too much,” I whispered.

  He just looked at me. His expression told me he didn't think so. All his declarations of “I'll do anything to keep you” suddenly had a much darker tone.

  “Take a shower,” he ordered abruptly. “You gotta be at the studio in forty-five minutes.” He stood, going to his desk, watching me carefully as I got up and did as instructed.

  In the bathroom, I turned on the water and stripped. Getting in the shower, I was still shaking from the adrenalin rush. I had to get my shit together or I'd start crying. Taking deep breaths, I let the warm water calm me, relax me, as I tried to erase what I'd just witnessed—A woman crying, desperate to be with David. A woman who technically had him already. I tried to ignore the graphic images of him fucking her floating around in my head.

  “Austin, you gotta hurry.” David's gravelly voice filled the bathroom, making it harder to ignore those explicit images.

  I quickly finished and turned off the water, stopping short as I turned to get out. David was standing there holding up a towel. He didn't say anything as he wrapped it around me and ran his hands over me, drying me off.

  “You wanna talk about what happened?”

  “Not even a little,” I murmured and stepped away. “Bring my stuff in here?” I was relieved my voice was low and even, not giving away the revulsion and violent emotions inside me.

  He silently left, returning within seconds with the bag.

  “Thanks.” I didn't look at him as I took it from his outstretched hand. And after a moment of ignoring him, he walked away.

  Rummaging through the bag, I found black leggings, jeans, a lightweight, gray pullover, and a charcoal deep V-neck tee. A pair of boots and my Louboutin’s were also inside. He even packed two of my favorite bras.

  Well, he knows how to pack for me.
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  I couldn't help but wonder if he knew how to pack for her too. I grabbed a bra, the V-neck, and leggings and quickly dressed. Throwing my hair into a top knot, I stepped out of the bathroom. David looked up from his desk.

  “That's too low,” he rumbled.

  “What?” I asked, momentarily confused.

  “The tee. Change it.”

  “You packed it,” I countered.

  “I didn't know it would be that low.”

  “Too bad. It's one of my favorites. I wore it plenty before you. I'm going to keep wearing it after you.” His jaw clenched, and his eyes narrowed. Realizing how he took my statement, I deflated, rolling my eyes. “You know what I mean.” His expression relaxed, but he didn't say anything.

  “I'm leaving now.” I walked over to Chance to say bye and grab my purse.

  “Fergus is meeting you there,” David reminded me.

  I nodded in acknowledgement, then walked out.

  CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

  There was a man standing in front of the entrance when I arrived at the studio. It took me a minute to recognize him. He had on a snug black tee and black jeans.

  “Hey,” I greeted him as I got out of the car, still feeling sick from this morning’s events.

  “Mrs. Taylor.” Fergus nodded.

  I gave him a half-assed smile as I walked past him. He reached around me, opening the door to the studio before I could. I was shocked at his gentlemanly behavior after our previous encounter.

  “How was your morning?” I was still unaccustomed to his Scottish accent.

  “Could've been worse, I guess.” I knew he was referring to our visitor at the gym.

  “Yes. It could've.” The way he said it made me pause. He sounded like he knew something I didn't. Something bad.

  An assistant greeted us, interrupting my train of thought. She escorted us back to makeup. Sitting in one of the oversized stylist chairs, I grabbed my phone, and texted David.

  Austin: I'm here.

  10:51 AM

  David: I love you, sweet girl. Wish

  I was with you.

  10:52 AM

  I was still hurt that he'd had an arrangement and didn't tell me before we got married that she was still trying to be with him. And the fact that she was assumed to be a girlfriend not an arrangement—something I wasn't sure I wanted to dig into. All of it made me feel sick. I didn't know if these were natural responses or my own issues running rampant again. We went from having an amazing night at the Chateau to living a Jerry Springer show within a couple hours. This was not the life I was planning on with him.