I would recognize her anywhere, even years later. She still had thick honey-colored hair waving down her back, but she didn’t have it tied like she used to. Her hair was flowing free. She’s wearing some makeup now, just a smidgen of that stuff on her eyelids that made her blue eyes even more impossible to look away from. Her lips, parted and full, had the same shine they used to, probably from the same balm she used to always put on her mouth. That balm smelled like cherry and made me wild to taste and see if her lush lips were as good as they looked. And her body…fuck, her body had always been made for sex with her perfect curves and hourglass figure, but now she really looked like a woman who embraced those curves in her mid-thigh dark blue dress hugging her round breasts.
We had hated each other in college, weren’t friends and tolerated each other for our group of friends’ sake, but I had always wanted her. I had a soft spot for her underneath it all, and she had always driven me up the fucking walls. Never in a million years, I thought I’d see her again after I dropped out of college a few days after our crazy trip to Vegas.
And Lark Hardin was my fucking wife.
“Wow, Lark. It’s been a while,’’ Dex said after a beat and walked to her. She stood up, and I had to look away from her round hips hugged by her dress as she’s enveloped in my best friend’s embrace.
My eyes landed on Otis and Beckett, both grinning like fools at seeing one of our oldest friends after years without a word from her. They were both sitting on the couch, and one glance around told me Floyd had left his office to give us some privacy.
What was she doing here? Why after all this time? I heard from her cousin that she lived in Manhattan and worked for a big company there. And she moved in with a boyfriend a little over a year ago. The thought of a guy with her made me close my hands into fists and clench my teeth.
Dex released her and smiled the rare smile he usually reserved for the band, Floyd, and his girl.
“You seem bigger, Dex. And I heard that you’re now with someone. Shit, I never thought I’d see you with a girl.’’ Her voice was light and cheery, and it tugged at my heartstrings. That tone had never been for me. I had always been privy to her ice-cold voice that, while biting, was also strangely stimulating for all kinds of fucked up reasons.
“Yeah, I know. It’s been crazy,’’ Dex said and stepped back to turn toward me.
She followed his eyes and faced me with pursed lips and that same disapproving look in her blue eyes I had always known. I swallowed thickly and ran a hand through my blonde hair that was getting too fucking long. I looked like the same fucker as I used to. I was still wearing frayed jeans, a t-shirt, and unlaced beaten biker boots. Not much about me had changed other than the few pounds of muscles I put on top of what I already had back in New York, a few tats I’d added over the last few years and my hair a bit longer than I was used to wearing.
“Wha—’’ I shook my head and cleared my throat when my voice came out a bit shaky. “What are you doing here? Is Alan okay?’’
She shrugged and looked at the guys with something I didn’t think I had ever seen on her pretty face; embarrassment. I crossed my arms and waited.
“Uh…I need to talk to you about…Las Vegas.’’
My arms fell back along my body and all the blood rushed from my face. I wasn’t expecting it would be the reason for her visit and she didn’t need to tell me why she wanted to have that talk. It was obvious.
She was getting married.
I glanced back at Dex who was now frowning at Lark.
“Vegas,’’ I repeated and nodded stiffly. I rubbed the back of my neck and looked over my shoulder to make sure nobody was lurking around to listen to this. I didn’t want my marital status to get out of here, and a talk about Vegas between a woman and a man was easy to put two and two together. “If you don’t want that to get printed, we should head out.’’
“He’s right,’’ Beckett agreed and stood up, followed by Otis. “Be careful,’’ Beckett said, and I knew it’s more for my benefit than for Lark’s. He leaned into her and hugged her quickly. “Let us know when you leave LA. We should grab a bite or something.’’
She nodded and then went to Otis to give him a hug too. “That would be fun.’’
Dex patted her shoulder and then mine on his way out, not saying anything else, but I saw in his dark eyes that he was worried. That’s the problem when you have a best friend who knew you so well. He knew that the reason why I started snorting wasn’t just about my fucked up past, but also because I heard the news about Lark moving in with her boyfriend after a year of a relationship. It pushed me over the already dangerous edge I was treading on. And that was irrational. Even I couldn’t explain what it was about her or why I reacted like that. I never understood what it was between us.
“Follow me.’’
I turned around and started walking quickly, entering the thankfully empty elevator and pressed the down button. There wasn’t a sound other than the ones made by the elevator. My temperature rose so fucking high it’s a wonder I wasn’t sweating. Shit, alone with Lark in an elevator was the beginning of more than one of my fantasies. I rubbed my forehead. I was a fucking mess, and I couldn’t make out what I felt at that moment. That was never good.
“Where are we going?’’ she asked me quietly as we stepped out and walked into the parking lot. We had been alone for a few minutes, and it’s the first time she opened her mouth. I expected a biting remark or a smart-ass opinion thrown my way, but not this subdued version of the woman I remembered as fiery.
“My place.’’ My voice was harsher than intended, but knowing she wanted to talk about our marriage so her boyfriend could propose had me ready to punch something or someone and I sure didn’t want to smile right now, not even when we crossed paths with the redhead intern who had been flirting with me shamelessly every time I would see her at the label office. I barely spared her a look. “And before you argue, I don’t think what we need to talk about should be done in public. I have to…’’ I trailed off and shook my head as I pressed the unlock button on my car key.
“You have to be careful. Mr. Floyd told me when he met me at the front desk. I suppose he knows that we’re…’’ She made a cute move with her hand right as she got to the passenger door and opened it before I could. I scowled down at her, and the pain in the ass smiled at me as if she didn’t know I was trying to be a ‘gentleman.’ That’s the Lark I remembered.
I watched her climb in and bit my tongue when I wanted to growl at seeing the fabric of her dress stretching over her round ass. I took a deep breath and tried to gather my wits.
Lark was here in LA, and I was about to drive her to my place. That could be the perfect start of a wet dream, only I knew we’re about to talk about something unpleasant, and that’s not how my wet dreams featuring her had ever been going.
I climbed into the car and made quick work of driving away from the label and into the thick LA traffic toward my house. “I can’t believe you’re here,’’ I mumbled after a while, unable to stay quiet and keep on breathing her perfume, the same one she used to wear back in college. I twitched in my pants and glowered at the cars in front of us, bumper to bumper.
“It feels strange for me, too.’’ Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her fidgeting in her seat. “Alan wouldn’t give me your number. He thinks we should have a face to face chat.’’
It shouldn’t, but knowing she’s here against her will made me grip the steering wheel tighter as another pang hit my heart. As if it’s anything new. She had never wanted to be anywhere with me. “He’s not wrong. We’ve never talked about it.’’
“You left soon after.’’
“And you hid from all of us for days, Lark. Don’t put all the blame on me.’’ I sighed and made a turn, trying to find a quicker road to my place.
“I’m not.’’ She turned down the radio without asking, and I found comfort in seeing her being as assertive as she used to. “I didn’t want to face our stupidity for
a long time, but I think it’s time we do.’’
I snorted without humor. I floored the accelerator as soon as I saw the empty road open in front of us. I was driving too fast, but it felt good to let out some of the nervous energy I felt.
“Why don’t you just say you’re getting married and that’s why you’re here? Let’s not pretend you’d have faced me otherwise.’’
Her silence was answer enough. And my guts twisted in my damn stomach. I drove even faster.
LARK
As soon as I walked into Maxen’s house, I was taken aback. His vast living room with tall bay windows leading to a huge pool was a lot more inviting than what I would have pictured. The rich colors, red and some oranges, gave a lively vibe to the modern looking house and the sleek furniture. The long sections of the leather couch were also cozy looking, and I could imagine sprawling out on them. It was obvious that once on it I would have a hard time getting up again. Unless he regaled me with some sex stories from one of his women that happened on it. That would get me out the door for a good scrubbing to clean off.
But beyond these troubling thoughts, one fact remained; I felt instantly at home. It’s a wonder considering whose house it was.
I looked around with my mouth half open until he called out my name and asked me if I wanted something to drink with a stiff voice I didn’t remember hearing him ever using. Even when talking to me. Back in college, he had been more into making fun of me and being sarcastic than cold. But I supposed years had passed, and things had changed.
He’s changed.
He had always been good looking. Even when I hated him with all my might, I couldn’t have denied it. With his incredible green eyes, his soft blonde hair and the tattoos, he had never had any issues catching attention, and his laugh and smile completed the picture. But now he seemed more rugged, and there’s something in his eyes I didn’t think I had ever seen. That only added to his looks.
He walked back to me and handed me a water bottle before he headed to the couch and sat with a loud sigh. Upon closer look, he seemed tired, a bit like the other guys. Alan had warned me that they had been working non-stop these last few weeks. And I didn’t live under a rock either, I had heard the media frenzy saying they’ve been locked up all summer to get the new album ready. Somehow, seeing the signs of tiredness on the guys’ faces hit home that they’re not just living the famous life; they’re working for everything they had.
“It’d be easier to talk if you sat on the couch instead of standing up in the middle of the fucking room.’’
I opened the water bottle and walked to the section opposite of the one he’s sitting on. His green eyes followed me unnervingly so, but I pushed through and didn’t bite. It’s difficult. Everything in me told me to say something to him, but I didn’t. I wasn’t eighteen or even twenty anymore. We were both adults.
“Let’s cut to the chase. I know you’re busy and it’s not like I have all the time in the world either.’’ I put down the bottle I barely touched on the pristine coffee table, probably cleaned by a housekeeper. “We need to put an end to this marriage as soon as possible. I have a lawyer friend who can represent me, and I’m sure you have one on speed dial now that you’re a rock star.’’
“Speed dial? What, you think I’m sued left and right?’’
“I wouldn’t be surprised considering how many women you’ve been spotted with. Some of them must go for blood when you unceremoniously dump them like you used to do in college. But now, you’ve got a wallet that attracts them, not just your reputation.’’
He sipped his water bottle, his green eyes fixed on my face. The silver barbell in his eyebrow caught my attention when he started frowning. “I’d like to make you see how ridiculous your opinion of me is, but I don't think it’d lead anywhere.’’ He put his bottle on the coffee table too and leaned back to put a hand in his pocket for his phone. “I don’t know if we could get an annulment after so many years even if we say we’ve never consummated the marriage. And we didn’t get a prenup since we didn’t have anything to our names so—’’
“If you think I’m here to get money or—’’
He shook his head and didn’t let me finish my sentence, stopping my outrage before it escalated and exploded.
“I know you aren’t, but the judge isn’t going to see it that way, and we need our lawyers to guide us through this mess.’’ He swiped the screen of his phone, his eyes on the screen. “If it comes out, it’s not from me or the guys. I don’t understand how these gossip rags do it, but they almost always find the dirt on people. And the womanizer of the band being married is sure to make it to the headlines.’’
“You think it’s going to get out no matter what?’’ Dread iced me. I didn’t want Caleb to read anything about this marriage with Maxen. I didn’t tell him who I was married to, and I didn’t think telling him I was a rock star’s wife would have been helpful for my case considering how well he digested the news. For all intent and purpose, he broke things off with me, but I was sure it was a gut reaction. I just knew it. As soon as I showed him the paper stating I was officially single and free to marry him, things would go back to normal.
“I’m not sure of anything, Lark. It’s a possibility. You better warn your family and boyfriend beforehand.’’
I cringed at the thought of calling my parents and telling them about this. Yeah, I’d rather wait and see if we could resolve it before I tried and explained the debacle to them. I didn’t want to hear the disappointment in their voice or a lecture from my father.
“Found it. Shit, for a moment I thought I erased the lawyer’s number,’’ he mumbled and brought the phone to his ear, still avoiding looking at me.
And that bothered me. Since when did he avoid looking at me?
***
MAXEN
“Goldson speaking,’’ a clipped voice answered, and I tensed more. I disliked dealing with lawyers, and I hated, even more, having to do this right now. As if life wasn’t complicated enough these days.
“Maxen Walton, I’d like to set up an appointment at the earliest with you, Goldson.’’
I heard a few ruffles on his side, and then he came back with a more sugary voice. Smarmy little shit.
“Maxen! I wasn’t expecting a call from you. Did your manager forget to warn my secretary?’’
I toyed with my piercing and averted my eyes away from Lark before I made the mistake of staring at her again. “Nah, it wasn’t planned. Listen, I need to see you as soon as possible. I have a situation.’’
“A situation? If one of your women is claiming to be pregnant with you—’’
“It’s not about that, damn it! Is everybody going to always think I’m going to have a sex scandal on my ass?’’ I shook my head and turned to Lark when I heard her light chuckle. My glare didn’t deter her, if anything her blue eyes brightened more.
She was fucking beautiful.
“Tell me what it is then, Maxen. I’m sorry for assuming, but if I can help you…’’ he trailed off, his voice a little less assured suddenly. He was probably afraid of losing a good client considering how much he’s paid to check my and the other guys’ contracts and other items.
“Listen, it’s… complicated. When I was twenty-one, I went to Las Vegas with the guys and a couple of other friends. It was for a weekend and we got plastered. Long story short, I ended up marrying a friend’s cousin, and now we need to get out of this marriage.’’
“A marriage.’’ It’s the only thing I heard back for what felt like a very long minute before he cleared his throat and came back all business-like. “Were you dating her?’’
“No, we’ve never even kissed either. Is it possible to get an annulment even after all this time?’’
“Maxen, to fill an annulment stating that, for example, either of you were intoxicated, should have been done in the sixty-day period after the marriage was legalized. And with your reputation, no judge would believe that the marriage wasn’t consummated. Onl
y a divorce will work, and you can bet we won’t be able to keep that under wrap. Did you have a prenup drawn?’’
“We were college students, Goldson. We barely had enough money to make that trip.’’ I rubbed my eyes. “But she’s not going to ask for anything. She only wants the marriage terminated so…I suppose a divorce will do.’’
“We can’t get it annulled?’’ she asked and the little color she had in her cheeks disappeared.
I shook my head and focused back on Goldson’s words. “Then we can file for an uncontested divorce. It’s easier and less messy, and mostly it’s a lot faster.’’
“How fast are you talking about?’’
He hummed and clacked his tongue to the roof of his mouth. “On average when both parties agree on all things, around eight to nine months.’’
“You’re fucking with me.’’ I locked eyes with Lark, and I didn’t know what she saw on my face, but it’s enough to make her cover hers with both hands.
“It takes time, Maxen. You can’t wake up one day and decide you don’t want to be married anymore and think it can be done in a couple of weeks.’’
I couldn’t believe that shit. What a mess. I had never wanted to face the music when it came to that damn trip to Vegas, but if we had been adult enough, we could have had that damn annulment done a while back. And she’d be free to marry that prick she’s dating.
I pulled at the collar of my t-shirt.
“Pen me in as soon as you can. We’re going to fill out that petition for a divorce immediately.’’
“Does this girl have a lawyer?’’
“Yeah, I’ll give her lawyer your contact info, and you can put things in motion. Make sure it’s as fast as possible.’’
“Got it, Maxen. I’ll send your manager an email with your appointment date and time. I’ll do my best to ask for a favor or two around, but don’t expect anything less than a few months. I can’t do miracles.’’
Maxen (Kinky Shine Book 2) Page 3