“Come with me?” he whispered.
I couldn’t speak. Looking at him always left me speechless, so instead of speaking and possibly fumbling over my own words, I nodded and he led the way to his dressing room. He still had his hand around my arm and even though it was a simple touch, it felt good. It felt nice to be near him. To smell him. To see his face. I missed the hell out of him, and I was hoping he was leading me into this room to do something my body needed.
Gage rushed into the room and released me. I stepped ahead and something clicked behind me. Turning, I faced Gage who had just shut and locked the door. “Why are you here, Eliza?” he asked again.
“I told you. I’m here to talk to you.”
“And I asked you what about?”
His tone was dark… and hurtful. I didn’t know what to make of it so my nerves got the best of me again. Perhaps he brought me into this room for a whole different reason. Maybe he wanted to let me know clearly that what happened between us was over and he never wanted to speak to me again.
Tears formed at the rims of my eyes as I tried to formulate words, but nothing came out. I wanted to ask what his problem was. Why was he being so mean?
“Why are you crying?” he asked.
I shook my head. “It’s nothing.” Damn it. I knew this was a bad idea. I knew it from the start. “I’ll leave if you want me to, Gage. I just wanted to talk… but you obviously don’t want me here.” I cleared my eyes and took a step around him, gripping the door handle, but before I could unlock it, he stepped behind me and his smooth, warm lips touched the back of my neck.
The hair on my back spiked as he said, “I want nothing more than for you to be in this room with me, Ellie. I just wanna know what brought you here.”
Chills ran down my spine as I stopped fumbling with the lock. My breath hitched in only a second as Gage brought his hands up and cupped one of my breasts. He placed a kiss on the back of my neck, kissed me behind the ear, and I gasped because this was completely unexpected but exactly what I wanted.
“You know how long it’s been?” he asked gruffly. “Way too long.” He twisted me around and it didn't take long for his lips to devour mine. I groaned as he lifted me up and I wrapped my arms around his neck, my legs around his waist. He kissed me feverishly, and I refused to stop him. I wanted this. I craved it for so long. I missed his touch, his kisses. Everything. “God, Eliza, I miss you so fucking much.”
I could feel him straining through his jeans. He was hard and more than ready for me that fast. Gage placed my feet on the floor, pulled my dress over my head, and tossed it aside. He pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it as well. His eyes were blazing, wanting, desiring. He looked me over from head to toe, licking his lips as he inched in.
“There’s something different about you,” he said.
“What do you mean?” I whispered.
There was a brief silence. All I could hear was our breathing. Finally, he asked, “Has any other guy been inside you, Eliza?”
Hesitance took hold of me and I looked away. I didn’t want to look into his eyes. But not looking made it obvious.
“How many?” he asked. Surprisingly, his voice was calm.
“Just one… but it was after we went our separate ways, Gage.”
His lips pinched and as I looked up he stared directly into my eyes. After a few seconds, he tore his gaze away and I felt awful. But in a matter of seconds, he took a step forward, cupped my face, and gave me a fierce kiss. I moaned as I bit my fingers into his shirt, gasping as his lips parted from mine momentarily. He still had a hold of my face. His eyes were rock-hard, boring holes straight through mine. There was hurt behind them—hurt over knowing someone shared any kind of intimacy with me—but there was also desire. Passion. He wanted it all back. He wanted me back.
“I know I hurt you, upset you, and you still might be messed up over how things ended with us, but I’m gonna make you mine again. And what I’m about to do to you will be part of my apology. You’re mine, Eliza, and that’ll never change, no matter what kinda shit we go through.”
I nodded innocently and he pulled back, staring at my lips. He then demanded that I place my back against the wall and spread my legs. I did as told in a heartbeat. I was standing in only my lacey undergarments and I wasn’t so sure what was going to happen or where he was really going with this, but I knew it was going to be heavenly.
Gage grabbed the waistband of my panties and pulled them down my legs. I stepped out of them and when I did, he told me to spread my legs wider. I did as told, and then he bent on his knees. I gasped as he skimmed his nose across my sweet, wet entrance. He groaned, inhaling and licking his lips again.
“You smell so good. I have to taste you, Ellie.”
I wasn’t sure how to respond so I kept quiet, but my panting increased along with my anticipation. Things were happening so fast. I wasn’t expecting to go right into it… but my body was yearning for this. It’d been years. I didn’t realize I was craving him so much. “Watch me,” he mumbled, kissing my thigh. “Don’t look away.” He started kissing up my leg again, skimming past my delicate area purposely. I whimpered, knowing soon a pool of my own juice would start dripping on the floor if he didn’t stop teasing me.
Gage then flattened his tongue, slowly licking it across the sweetest part of my body, and I shuddered, bucking forward. My core throbbed as he groped my ass, pulling me closer to his face. My fingers threaded through his hair, twisting and gripping and wanting something to hold on to. He growled as he buried his tongue into me and spread my legs even wider to get a taste of every part of me. No juice could slip while he was on his knees. His tongue had the agility and speed of a cheetah, and every flicker pushed me closer and closer to erupting.
And then I felt it coming. I started getting hotter, desperate for his sweet tongue to finish me off and satisfy me. I pulled his head closer and screeched his name.
Gage finished with three more flickers of his tongue, and then he stood to his feet. He had too much anticipation—too much fire in his eyes. He didn’t want to stop what was happening. He pulled me toward the table and told me to bend over.
I smiled as I lowered myself stomach first on the table. I missed this so much and even though I knew things would probably be difficult after we were done, I didn’t care. I needed this after two years of depression. Two years of loneliness, heartache, and tears. Even though I was with David for six months, all I wanted was Gage’s touch again. I was aching below, begging him to just take me however he wanted. Right now David was just a question. David couldn’t even compare.
I wanted skin on skin. Sweat on sweat.
As Gage met my entrance and stroked inside me, a hiss ran through my teeth along with a small yelp, and I gripped the edge of the table. I wanted all of him inside me. I felt like some kind of sex fiend, but I couldn’t help it. Gage and I hardly said anything to one another and we were back at it… and it felt right. I should’ve been complaining about our lack of communication, but there was no need to stop this just yet. The connection between us was fierce, demanding, and filling up the whole damn room. This was needed.
Gage gripped my waist tighter and slammed into me countlessly. He leaned in to place his warm lips on my ear and whispered, “I can tell you miss me.”
I moaned, “How?” as he gripped one of my ass cheeks.
“No arguing.” He pumped harder. “No hatred in your eyes.” Even harder. “Just… love. I’ve missed you, too. My love for you hasn’t faded.”
I squealed after his last statement and he finished his deed. He hammered me from the rear and growled through his teeth. One of his fingers found my clit, and I knew then that he wanted me to finish with him. He circled his finger around my nub fiercely until finally he cursed beneath his breath, I screamed with excitement, and he slammed into me a few more times before collapsing on top of me. His breath ran through my matted hair and cooled the sweat beading on my neck. I grinned, glad he couldn’t see my fa
ce because I was sure I looked like a complete goof.
Gage finally pulled out of me, kissing my cheek along the way. He helped me up and then went for my dress and panties piled in the corner.
We were quiet as we got dressed, but both of us had ridiculous smiles plastered on our faces. Was he just as happy as I was? I thought after so long I would be pissed to see him again, but I wasn’t. I was ecstatic, and that spoke volumes. It proved I had matured tremendously over the course of those two years.
After we grabbed sodas out of the vending machine and downed them, Gage finally spoke up.
“What’s up with the haircut?”
I took a sip of my Coke before placing it on the table and running my fingers through my layered bob. “I wanted something new. You don’t like it?”
A smile graced his lips as he stepped toward me. “I love it. Suits you. I just didn’t think you’d ever change anything about yourself… but then again,” he said, reeling me in by the waist, “I can tell a lot has changed about you.” I grinned from ear to ear as he kissed my cheek. “You still haven’t answered my question, though.” He leaned back, skimming the tip of his nose across my cheek and chin. “Why are you here?”
I didn’t speak right away. I couldn’t tell him the truth. Roy and Montana thought it was a good idea for me to talk to you, and I thought I’d try speaking to your sister. I had to make up something quick. “I got a job at Arts Global. I start in August, but I came up early to finish up a few big projects.”
“Oh.” He let it sink in before speaking again. “But how did you know about the concert tonight? It was a private invitation. Only a select few were allowed.”
“Ben. He is your manager,” I said sarcastically. Definitely another lie.
“Oh.” He shrugged. “Right. Just didn’t think you’d care enough to keep up with the band anymore.” He smiled for just a moment, but then his face stiffened. He looked into my eyes as if searching for something—some sort of answer—but I didn’t know what.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” I asked, giggling.
He sighed but was still staring. “After we leave this room… I can’t be seen with you, Eliza.” That caused my heart to stutter.
“I know,” I murmured. “But all that can change, Gage.”
“I—I can’t, Eliza. It’s too late to try and change things.”
It hurt to hear, but I kept talking. “That’s where you’re wrong. It’s never too late. It’s not that hard to call off the wedding, Gage. I wanted to see you to convince you that this is all wrong. You don’t love her. You don’t have to do this just to keep your sister out of the spotlight. She’s family. I’m sure she would understand.”
“She’s sicker. I don’t want her getting stressed out over this.”
“Ugh!” I backed out of his grasp and threw my hands in the air. “Do you realize how idiotic you sound right now, Gage?”
“No, what’s idiotic is showing up here unannounced, Eliza. Anyone could’ve seen you and figured out who you were. You got lucky. We got lucky! I can’t risk her life over some shit I’m in!”
“You think I give a shit about what any of those people think?” Oh, I was seeing red now. He was really going there. I didn’t come all the way to New York to lose, and I wasn’t backing down now… not like last time. “Roy told me everything. You’re miserable. Ben said all of your songs are depressing. Montana thinks the band is going to split soon—I mean he didn’t say it, but I know he’s thinking it. Everyone is! You’re not the same, and I don’t have to be around you to know. She’s worthless. Just drop her already. You’re only making it harder on yourself.”
He lowered his head. He didn’t say anything, but I could see tears forming at the rims of his eyes. It was then that I noticed the slight bags beneath them. He wasn’t anywhere near satisfied with his life or anything he was going through. He was torn and we all knew he was going down the wrong path.
I grabbed his face to get him to look at me. He was stubborn at first, but I did it again and he met my eyes. “You have to give it up, Gage. She’s not worth this—you being like this. You’re not happy. If you stay with her, the band will be fucked regardless, and if Kristina finds out the truth, she’ll be upset about you not telling her.”
“I’m doing what I can to keep Kris happy. She doesn’t need to know, Eliza. She’s doing good.”
“Does she know about me?”
He hesitated. “Maybe.”
“What do you mean maybe?”
He narrowed his eyes. “What do you know?”
I folded my arms. “I know you’ve talked about me to Kristina before.”
He groaned. “Fucking Roy. Since when did you two become all buddy-buddy?”
“Since he figured out the band was going downhill because of you. When he figured he cared enough for your happiness to speak to a girl he clearly disliked being around since day one. We all care about you, but you’re missing the big picture here. If Penelope cared about you, she wouldn’t be so willing to blackmail you and rat you out. She’s using you. She’s a bitch. All she cares about is herself and her appearance to the public.”
“I know that, but—” He broke off as he slumped into the chair behind him. I watched as he ran his fingers over his face and through his hair, leaving red and white marks on his cheekbones and forehead. “Eliza, I’ve been doing everything I can, but it’s like Penelope has fucking traps set everywhere. She told Kristina I took her virginity and now Kristina thinks it’ll be wrong of me to drop her. I told you how Kris is about virginity. She wants me to respect them.”
I frowned. “You didn’t… take her virginity… did you?” I was hesitant to ask, but I wanted to know. I didn’t want Penelope to have the kind of intimacy Gage and I once shared. I wanted my virginity to be the only virginity he took. It was kind of selfish of me to think of myself at the moment, but I hoped he hadn’t lied to me about never taking a girl’s V-card.
“Hell no.”
Relief. Thank goodness. “Okay. This is just out of hand, then.”
“I know it is.” He stood up and used his hands to cup my face. He brought my face to his and kissed the tip of my nose first before smoldering my lips. His tongue slipped into my mouth and coaxed mine, playing little tricks to make me moan. I turned soft as melting butter and laced my arms around his neck as he pulled back to kiss the bend of my neck. “I thought you hated me for months after the way you left me under that bridge. I wanted to contact you in some kind of way, but—fuck. I don’t know. I wasn’t sure how you would take it. I didn’t want to confuse you. I knew I couldn’t have you with her around.” Gage lifted my chin so I could look into his eyes. He pecked my lips twice, but his eyes never left mine. “You were right about not being an option. You’re worth so much more than that. You deserve to be someone’s one and only. I don’t deserve someone as beautiful and sweet as you. I feel like I’ve ruined you and I’m sorry. I swear on my mom’s grave I’m sorry, Eliza. I never wanna hurt you like that again.”
I sighed, leaning in to kiss the corner of his mouth. “You know the only way you won’t hurt me like that again is if you just let her go and accept the consequences of messing around with a crazy troll bitch.”
He laughed and the adorable chinks formed around his eyes. It was a real, genuine laugh and I was glad I could give him one. It seemed he hadn’t laughed in a very long time.
“I’ll… talk to her. I’ll try to compromise. Something.” He shrugged and then kissed my cheek. “It might not work, but I’ll try. Consequences and all. Just promise to be here with me, Ellie. Don’t run off on me. I’ll do my best.”
He kissed me again and I kissed him back, but I sort of knew he wasn’t going to do it right away for the sake of his reputation and for his sister. Even if the band didn’t care about losing their contract with Penelope’s dad for Gage, he still didn’t want to be the blame for it. Gage had to have a backbone—a crowd of people who could back him up and keep him put together. The onl
y thing I could do to finalize his decision and get it happening immediately was to go through with my plan of meeting Kristina tomorrow. But I said, “I promise,” anyway.
“We can meet up for lunch tomorrow or something. My treat,” he offered, grabbing his wallet.
I hesitated. “I… don’t know about that, Gage.”
He frowned. “Why not?”
“Because…” I looked away. “Yes, I still love you, but until Penelope is really out of your life we can’t get as close as we once were. I don’t want to go through that again. I’m here for you, but I don’t want to be the only one fighting for something.”
He inhaled and exhaled as I looked at him again. “I’m gonna do what I can, Eliza,” he said, cupping my cheek with his large hand. “I know what I did to you was wrong. I want nothing more than to fix it.”
“I know. It’s just… until things blow over with her… then we can really talk about us.” I forced a smile, kissed him for what would probably be the last time in a while, and then laced my fingers with his.
“Of course. Let’s get outta here.” He smiled at me, placed a kiss on my cheek, and I opened the door to walk out.
As we approached the exit door, Gage asked for my number. After I gave it to him, he told me he’d call later on that night to talk things over a bit. It was best that Kelsey and I got going before anyone figured who I was and made shit worse, so I nodded and took off to find her and Roy.
I knew Penelope had let her guard down after not hearing from me in two years. She probably assumed I gave up… Well, I kind of did, but now that I was back, I knew she wouldn’t even see me coming. It was a good thing she was out of town, but one slipup from either of us and she’d be back in no time to attach herself to him like a leach. Ready to suck him dry.
Who We Are (FireNine #2) Page 16