He wished he could give her everything she needed, but she’d only let him give her this. There was no way he could deny her. After allowing himself a few blissful moments to taste the parts that had escaped his earlier, innocent attentions, he slid his pants down his legs, rolled on a condom, and crawled onto the bed between her thighs.
He didn’t know how long they’d been in the room, but the sun had moved so it no longer shone on the bed, and he very much wanted to see her. Reaching toward the nightstand, he flicked on the tiny lamp. It barely cast a glow in the dim room, but it was enough. It lit her tan skin and made the subtle highlights in her hair shine. Dante swallowed hard. “You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known.”
Before she had a chance to respond or even take a breath, he slid between her folds, savoring the way her body opened to let him enter but held him tight at the same time. They fit perfectly together, exactly how he’d always known they would. And now, with Vicky relaxed and throwing her head back in bliss as she moaned his name, he knew she was finally willing to let him in, to let him rescue her from her past, from her demons.
Maybe, if he let her, she’d be able to rescue him, too.
As he moved inside her, he leaned down close so their bodies pressed together, somehow making the act of sex even more personal, more intimate, and whispered in her ear, “You were right, Vicks. No more wrong beds. I want you in mine from now on.”
…
Vicky’s phone rang as she was putting the finishing touches on an order for the party. Between talking to Evan and dealing with vendors, it seemed like it had been going off nonstop this morning, but at least she was in a better place than she had been yesterday. She still wasn’t sure she was in the right place for a relationship, but she was more certain than she had been even twenty-four hours before. “Vicky Stone.”
“Pretty sure I knew who I was calling when I told Siri to call that dumbass who is apparently standing me up. Granted, when she said ‘do you mean Vicky?’ I had to say yes, because she knew exactly who we were calling.”
“Oh my God, Jade, I’m so sorry.” Vicky glanced at the clock on her laptop. She was indeed very late for their weekly lunch. “Do you still have time to meet if I leave right now?”
The sigh on the other end was the kind of deep that called her stupid in at least three languages. “Of course. I’ll head toward your place. Is that Thai joint open for lunch?”
“Uh… I’m not at home.”
“Did you go into the office today? I thought you had an event to waitress tonight.” Jade’s car door slammed, the sound echoing over the phone.
Vicky glanced around Dante’s home office. She was going to have to spill, but it would be better in person, not to mention, even after the incredible night with Dante, she could really use a good talk with Jade right about now. “Not exactly. I’m in Brentwood. Know any place good around here?”
“Are you kidding?” When silence hovered, Jade laughed. “I’ll text you an address. See you soon.”
With the order drawn up, Vicky sent the email and headed out to the pool, where Dante was studying his script. “Hey, I totally forgot about lunch with Jade. I’ll be back in a few hours, if that’s not a problem.”
He lowered his sunglasses and cocked a brow at her, making her insides turn to mush. “I’m not your jailer, Vicks. Go see your friend. We have all night tonight to ourselves.”
“Okay. See you in a while.”
Before she made it two steps, he was in front of her, arms around her waist. “Go to lunch doesn’t mean you get to leave without a good-bye kiss.” He covered her mouth with his, kissing her until she was dizzy and giggling.
“Got it. No more sneaking out pre-kiss.” For good measure, she pressed her lips to his neck, nipping at the spot he liked. Her voice softened when she added, “And thanks again for not deciding I was nothing but a big basket of crazy yesterday. I’ll try not to get weird like that again. Back soon.”
“I don’t know, I didn’t mind so much,” he said, winking at her before turning back to his work.
Truth was, she hadn’t minded so much in the end, either.
Finding the address Jade had texted was fairly quick—also a Thai place, though arguably more expensive than the one near her apartment. It took a while longer to find parking and get inside, though. Her friend was already seated, sipping a cocktail and looking altogether proud of herself.
“So, Brentwood. Does that mean you and the Inferno got your heat on together? Did you create enough friction to start a fire? Did you—”
“Did you spend the entire drive coming up with as many puns as you could?” Vicky shook her head and motioned for another of whatever Jade was having. She was pretty sure before lunch was over, she’d need it.
“Actually, I did. Spill.”
“Yes, the fire started.” If she hadn’t given Jade a death-stare, she was pretty sure a high five would have followed the announcement. “But it didn’t go out like it was supposed to.” She paused as the waiter delivered the drink, then said, “None of this happened like it was supposed to.”
Jade toyed with her straw. “Well, I do remember how nervous you were about going back to the mansion to even talk to him. Clearly you needed an assist. It doesn’t surprise me at all that things turned out different than they looked on paper.”
It was time to come clean on the whole mess. Even after yesterday, she needed advice, and she wasn’t going to get that without a heaping dose of honesty. “The first hiccup was the fact that I wasn’t supposed to almost have sex with Dante at all. I’d stayed for someone else.”
The announcement wasn’t what Jade had expected. She stopped messing with her drink and her jaw dropped open for several seconds before she said, “I… Go on.”
“Dante and Evan are friends. I met him back when I was engaged to Brandon. Evan told me to stay away because he was bad news, so I did. Then he was at the party that night, and—”
“Irrelevant. Who did you stick around for?”
It felt so stupid admitting she’d ended up with one Hollywood superstar while trying to pursue another. “Reed Russell. But then I ended up in Dante’s room by mistake. Then, when we went back for my ID, he threatened to report me for my behavior if I didn’t go out with him instead.”
Jade let out a low whistle and shook her head. “I’m not even going to ask what you mean by behavior. Sweetheart, you dodged a massive bullet. Reed Russell is the worst thing to come out of this town since Battlefield Earth. Seriously—bad, bad, bad news. I never would have encouraged you to find a lay at that party if I’d had any idea it could possibly be him.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean he’s the guy the tabloids tone things down about. The real stories are worse. He’s still here because he’s made bank and has enough money to throw around and keep victims quiet. So many people I know refuse to work with him because of the turmoil he causes everywhere he goes. I even heard rumors about that party you worked. Supposedly he was caught with a teenage hooker or something. The guy is a force of nature—the really destructive kind. Blackmail or not, Dante did you a favor.”
She’d wondered, more than once. The blackmail hadn’t meshed with the guy she’d gotten to know, but why hadn’t he come clean about it since then? She’d had sex with him, for God’s sake—a lot of sex. Obviously, they’d moved beyond his threat to something more, and not just in her mind. “Okay, so…no Reed. I was over that anyway. The only reason I was even looking at him was I figured he’d be an easy one-and-done.”
“Yeah, except he supposedly has the gift that keeps on giving, so ‘done’ is kind of the wrong word.”
Definite bullet dodged. “Moving on. Far, far away from that. Like galaxies away…” Then there was Dante. While they ate, she told Jade everything: from the awkward first date to the party planning to the sex to the past couple days. “After we went to that makeup thing, he decided he didn’t need to hit all the promo stuff, or at the very least that I di
dn’t need to hit the events with him. The change of heart is weird, and then, after the hours and hours of sensitive sex yesterday, I don’t know what to do with it. I don’t know if the whole avoiding events means he’s bored with me and looking to move on, or if the sweetness and attention at home means he’s just wanting to keep me to himself, or what.”
“Sorry, I’m still stuck on the piercing. Have you tried it yet?”
The piercing? In all that, Jade had focused on the piercing? “No. Test results should be back today, though, and I’m on birth control, so if things are solid, we’ll go there soon.”
“Damn. You’ll definitely have to fill me in—sounds hot. Anyway, the issue…if he was going to everything and leaving you home, I’d say there was a worry, but it sounds like he wants you for himself. The more you’re publicly out together, the more risk it’ll get back to that douche bag boss of yours, so he’s probably thinking this is what’s in your best interest, at least until the party’s done and you collect your big payday.”
That was true. There were only a few things he was attending solo, but… “I’m scared, Jade.”
“Of what?”
“This was supposed to be just sex. Well, blackmail and then just sex, but my rule about not getting involved with a guy…I’m breaking it. I care about him. I care about him a lot.”
Jade sucked in a deep breath and pushed back from the table. “I don’t do relationships, you know that. But you do. You’re a believer in soul mates and happily ever after. It’s a beautiful thing, and I’m honestly kind of jealous, but there’s one problem with that way of thinking.”
“Which is?”
“Life doesn’t follow the logical ups and downs of the movies. Life likes taking sharp turns and switchbacks.” When Vicky frowned, Jade reached out and squeezed her hand. “There’s a thing about broken bones, that when they heal, they’re stronger. Let me put it as simply as I can. You weren’t going to be able to stick to your no-man plan forever because it’s not in your nature. Your heart was broken, but it’s not anymore. Could it be again? Of course, but it’s stronger now. That stupid rule that was blocking your life from being what’s normal for you? It needed to break sooner or later so that you can build something stronger there, too.”
It made sense in the way that only Jade’s weirdness could make sense. “And you think this thing with Dante is something stronger?”
“I think the only way you’re going to find out is if you stop worrying at it and give it a chance.” She tipped back what was left of her drink. “On the upside, he’s the Inferno—he’s more likely to burn you to ashes than actually break you.”
It was supposed to be funny, but the only thing Vicky knew that rose from ashes was a phoenix, and she didn’t think this was that kind of fairy tale.
Chapter Fourteen
Vicky had just sent the last of the emails to vendors when Dante suggested going to the gym. While it wasn’t a fancy dinner out or a trip to the opera, it was a chance for her to see him outside of the Hollywood machine…more or less. Of course, she’d thought he meant his home gym until they were loaded in his car and headed out.
The place he stopped didn’t have any big sign advertising its existence, and from the outside it looked like a warehouse. She frowned at him. “Did you bring me here to kill me?”
Dante laughed, the sound full and light. “Only if your heart is in much worse shape than marathon sex would suggest.” He held the door open for her, and the sounds of grunting and metal clanking against metal met her ears. “I have a membership at a public gym, too, but this place is more exclusive—and quieter.”
Inside, she saw a full array of cardio equipment, a massive range of free weights, and a few machines. As well as a roped-off ring surrounded by both speed and heavy bags. Dante swiped a card, and they walked through a security gate. “Nice place.”
“Yeah, well, even superheroes have to stay in shape somehow, and here it’s all industry people, so no one oohs and ahhs over one another.” He took her bag and tossed it on a bench in the corner. “Also nice because no one messes with your shit. Treadmill or elliptical?”
Vicky stared at the options. She liked the workout better on an elliptical. But those were closer to everyone else in the gym at the moment, and what she really wanted was time alone with Dante in an atmosphere where he was comfortable enough to talk. This gym seemed like a perfect fit. “Let’s do treadmill, but I’m a walk or jog girl. If you want speed, you’re going solo.”
“Jogging is fine.”
A few minutes later, they were on the machines, moving at a pace not far beyond a fast walk. Perfect for working out while maintaining a minimal amount of conversation. She’d pondered so many times how to begin this chat, and decided to start on what seemed safe territory. Not too prying. “So, I’ve been meaning to ask you about the new ink…”
“What about it?”
“Why ‘trust’?”
Dante reached over and adjusted her speed. “You’re obviously not working hard enough.”
As soon as he cranked up his own, she turned hers back down. “I said no running. I’m serious. Of all the words in the English language, why that one?” When he just kept running, she shook her head and turned toward the machine’s display instead. Obviously, his walls were still firmly in place no matter what had happened to hers. “Never mind. Sorry I asked.”
They finished their warm-up on the treadmill, and as Dante’s machine stopped and he rolled off the back to land on his feet, he kept his hands on the rails, leaning into them. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t expecting to talk about this right now.”
“It’s fine.” It wasn’t, but she could pretend it was. “I let it go.”
“But you shouldn’t have to.” He toweled off his face and waved her toward the hand weights. While she selected a set for some curls, he said, “Remember the guy I told you about? Lee Corbitt?”
“Yeah. The one who saved you from a life of gangs and trained you to fight.”
“The tattoo is for him. One of the first things he taught me was to trust my gut, my heart, and my head, in that order. He said my gut knew the truth, my heart knew what I wanted, and my head knew facts. All three agreeing on something was rare, but that when they did, it shouldn’t be ignored.”
Vicky made a face as she curled the weights. They were a little heavier than she should have gone. “He’s a wise man.”
“Was.”
The way he said the word left no question as to what he meant, but he elaborated anyway. “I was on my way out of town for a match early in my wrestling career. He called to wish me luck. My gut told me something was wrong—his voice sounded off. Lee said a car had been driving by his place a lot, but that it was probably just his paranoia setting in. My heart said he might be right, but that someone should probably keep an eye out for him. At that point, he was getting older, and all his old wounds were wreaking havoc on him. I offered to stay home. He insisted I not worry so much, and it was what my head wanted to hear. The match was worth a decent chunk of change, and it had the potential to solidify my career.”
“So you left.”
“I left.” Dante rubbed at his left shoulder as if it ached, even though he hadn’t even picked up a set of weights yet. “That night, someone broke into his house and killed him. They stole a bunch of shit, too, but Lee didn’t put much value in stuff. The people who did it were after him, not money.” His eyes got a faraway look in them, one filled with pain and remorse. “You see, I wasn’t the only kid he’d helped over the years, and Lee had never had any fear of the gangs. He’d report anything and everything to the cops. Someone decided they’d had enough.”
“Dante…”
“Had I trusted my heart that night, he might still be alive, but I didn’t. I trusted my head that told me to go for the payout.”
It no longer mattered that they were in a gym, much less who might be watching. Vicky wrapped her arms around him and held him close. “It wasn’t your fault.”
/> “Maybe not, but it felt like it was.” He sighed into her hair. “The Inferno was born after that. I sought out fights with guys who had been in gangs or who had reputations for anything bad. It didn’t matter if we were supposed to be on the same side or not. I wanted to punish someone for Lee’s death.”
The reports about Dante’s aggression and violence in the ring came back to Vicky then. She had her bit of truth about him, and she wasn’t sure if she wanted to hold it tight or give it back.
Dante wasn’t done talking, though. “I ran into one of the guys who’d originally tried to recruit me into the gang a couple years later. He made some smart-ass comment about ‘old man Corbitt’ and I lost it. I beat him bloody, and he put a knife in my shoulder. We both ended up in the hospital.”
There’d been no police report. She would have found it if there had been. Obviously neither of them had pressed charges. “Is that what ended your wrestling career? The injury?”
“No. I could have gone back to it once I healed up, but the fight changed me. I realized I was becoming the very thing Lee had tried to keep me from turning into. If I stayed on that path, my whole avenging-angel wrestling persona could have turned into something much more violent, much more real. I would have wound up behind bars trying to right the wrong of his death. And he never would have forgiven me for that. So, at the height of my career, I left it all behind. The ink was a long time coming.”
With the way he leaned into her, letting her support him, she had a feeling sharing the story had been a long time coming, too.
…
He’d done it.
Dante had managed to tell Vicky about the worst parts of his life…and she was still here. Now that they were home from the gym—working out had proved rather fruitless, but the trip was still worth it—he needed to know that she was staying.
Unfortunately, she was glued to her phone as they walked into the house. He couldn’t help but wonder what had her so intent. Then she turned to him with a coy smile. “Dr. Blaise left a message, if you’d like to hear it. I’m all clear.”
Blackmailed by the Hero Page 13