Rae slides up to me, small hand coming to rest on my arm. I take comfort in that. “He’s not worth it.” I fix my gaze on her sweet face, on the look in her eyes. Love lives there, for me. Only for me.
“You’re right… it’s my name I remember her moaning.” He grunts. “My bad.”
“Don’t do it, Cole,” Rae whispers.
“Too late,” I mutter and launch myself at him. We fall against the wall in the hallway, both of us getting in good hits. His fist smashes into my mouth, blood filling it before I spit it out.
“PARKER,” Rae screams. “Come help your brother.”
“See,” I pant, and then grunt when he lands another punch to my gut. “She’s worried about me.”
This time his fist lands in my eye. “Fuck you.”
My eye swells shut, only having just recovered from a previous black eye when I decided that cage fighting had sounded like a fun way to make money and exorcise my demons.
Obviously, I don’t always make the best decisions.
“Not your hands, Jaxon,” Rae wails. “You can’t play if you break them on his face.”
“Looks like you’re not the,” he grunts as my knee connects with his thigh. Damn, he’s fast, “only one she’s worried about.”
“And if you can’t play, then I can’t play and help Cole,” she adds. I give my opponent a shit-eating grin.
“Oh yeah, she does,” I manage to get out before dodging anther punch to the face.
I hear a whoosh, and then a dull thud. Jaxon slumps against me, and then steps back. He winces and rubs the back of his head, eyes blinking in stunned disbelief. “She hit me!”
I shove Jaxon to one side and find Rae close by, one of those ginormous Charlotte-Mecklenburg County phone books in her hands.
Despite my ripped shirt, my sure-to-be black eye, and the pain running in my body, I can’t help but smile and crook my finger at her. “Damn, wildcat. Come here.”
The phone book falls from her hands and she rushes over to me, carefully inspecting my face. “You’ve got to stop doing this.”
“Why—you won’t love me when I’m ugly?” This is my fear, that one day she will stop loving me, for the ugliness that lives inside of me and can’t be contained anymore.
She shakes her head. “I don’t care what you look like, and I’ll always love you.” She runs a shaky hand over my cheek. “But your poor face needs a break, and not the kind you’ve been getting.”
I laugh a little at her joke, and then stop as I suddenly realize two things.
One: Parker never came.
Two: Rae’s dad, Everett, Callie, Parker, and a group of people, who I’m pretty sure are reporters, are standing in the hallway, not even ten feet away, mouths hanging open in shock.
Yeah, this is going to be fun to explain.
*** *** ***
Violet
“What’s going on here?” my dad asks as he marches over to me. He looks at Cole, then Jaxon, and back at me. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“What about you, Jaxon?”
Jaxon chooses that moment to spit out a glob of blood. I make a face, revulsion churning my stomach. “I’ve been better.”
The group of reporters that followed my parents, my producer, and my ex-best friend to the back are furiously writing on their iPads. A sliver of dread pierces me; they’ve smelled (and seen) blood on Cole. On Jaxon. And I’m standing in the middle of it all.
“Aren’t you going to ask Cole if he’s okay, Daddy?” My dad has had only a couple of days to get used to the fact that I refused to stop seeing Cole. He won’t talk to my momma or me about it, though, so there’s nothing either of us can do right now to change his mind.
But I had hope that once he’d gotten to know Cole, that my dad would give him a chance.
My dad’s mouth thins, and he doesn’t even look Cole’s way. “He’s standing, isn’t he?” So much for hope.
Cole moves in front of me, to protect me, I realize. Only he fails to see that the press isn’t just after me now. He’s soon to be the hottest thing that will be on the gossips’ mind. On one point I can’t blame them, Cole is hot. He’s gorgeous. Tall and lean, with black hair and blue eyes that make me shiver in anticipation.
Once all those girls get a look at him, he’ll be pinned on Pinterest Boards faster than I can say Man Candy.
Davis turns to Cole. “Did you start this?”
Cole’s shoulder slump, and I know what he’s going to say—that he threw the first punch.
“I started it.”
All of us turn to face Jaxon. He eases out of his shirt with a grunt, revealing hard abs, a make-a-woman-sigh broad chest, and shoulders that are darkening with bruises. Several tattoos outlined in black on his chest and upper arms ripple and stretch as he moves. They’re new, all of them. He’s never had ink before, but it doesn’t matter to me. I’m not getting close enough to him to find out what they mean or even what they are.
Despite my feminine appreciation of his masculine form—one that had changed for the better in the past nine months, he doesn’t make my knees weak. He doesn’t make my heart beat faster.
He’s not Cole.
“Was it over Violet Lynn?” a voice calls out.
“No,” Jaxon says, smashing his lips together. I know what he’s thinking by answering. No matter what he says, they’ll think and write what will sell the most.
“Callie, how do you feel about your fiancé fighting over his ex-girlfriend?”
The girl that used to be my best friend turns brown eyes full of hate on me. I recoil in shock. Where did this hate come from? I hadn’t been the one to steal her boyfriend.
“Actually, I’m excited about the new record that’ll be dropping next month. Jaxon and I will be singing together on it. We re-recorded Holdin’ On To You,” she says sweetly. “It’s a fresher, more up-beat version.”
“But that’s our song,” I blurt, and then wish I can eat my own words. I’ve just made it sound like I’m upset by Callie and Jaxon singing it, which I am, but not because it has that kind of meaning for me.
It feels as though Callie’s trying to become me, or at least the old me. She’s taken my boyfriend, bleached out her hair, and lost a lot of weight, making her super skinny. When we were younger, I used to be jealous of her body, of the curves and boobs she had that I never would.
Cole blinks at me, his already battered face growing red. “Our song?”
Of course Jaxon steps closer, smacking Cole’s back so hard that a resounding slap echoes. “As in Violet’s and mine.”
“Hold on a minute,” Everett says, his voice booming. “We’re going to let the fans decide what version they like better. Rooster and Doug at G97 will be holding the contest.”
I’m not sure how I feel about having Everett as my producer anymore. Sure business is business, but with the way I suspect Cole has been treated all his life, the thought of Everett producing my future records doesn’t set well.
The group laughs, but Cole’s face grows tight, his sexy mouth all smashed together. My stomach dips and turns, folding in on itself. He’s holding on to his temper by a thread, but I’m not worried about me, or even Jaxon. It’s Cole that doesn’t need the scrutiny.
Jaxon leans in, whispering in Cole’s ear, but it’s loud enough for me to hear. “Loved when she sang it to me in bed… while I was inside of her.”
“Stop it,” I hiss. “You’re a perv, and-and… once a cheater, always a cheater.” Whirling away, I grab Cole’s hand and, to my eternal gratefulness, he follows me to my dressing room.
Cole lets go of my hand once we’re inside. I lock the door for good measure. I hear the sound of water running and turn to see Cole in the tiny half-bath, his shirt off and jeans hanging low on his hips as he washes his hands and arms.
I rush to him, taking the brown paper towels he’s just dampened and try to clean the blood off his face. He winces when I touch the corner of his eye.
“Sor
ry,” I murmur.
“S’okay.” He exhales before sitting on the toilet lid. I move to stand between his legs, wondering if I’m the only girl that has ever taken care of him like this. Wondering if this is the time to broach the “our song” subject.
His beautiful blue eyes stare at me, the left one swollen and bloodshot. “I’m not the jealous type, or at least I used to not be.”
Once the thought of a guy like Cole or Jaxon being jealous would have thrilled me down to my toes, but now, it only makes my heart ache. Jealousy hurts—it pinches at your heart until all the love bleeds out and nothing’s left but resentment and anger.
I cup the less bruised side of his face. “Let’s get something straight, right from the get-go, you have nothing to be jealous about. Nothing at all.”
He smiles, faintly, but it’s there and my heart soars. “Tell that to my heart.” His smile falls. “It’s not just you I’m jealous over, Rae. Seeing Jaxon is a reminder of how much I count for shit in Everett’s world.”
Tossing the paper towels away, I hug him to me, his head cradled to my breasts. His arms come around me, crushing me to him, and though I’m standing and he’s sitting, it feels as though I’m the one holding us both up.
“For what it’s worth, you’re everything to me, Cole Morgan. Everything.”
He presses a kiss to the center of my chest, where my tank dips. My skin tingles in anticipation. “That’s worth a hell of a lot, baby.”
*** *** ***
Cole
Once everything settled down, I followed Rae and that fucker, Jaxon, to the stage, purposefully keeping my hand on her lower back.
If I could have grabbed her ass at some point while we were walking, I would have, but I didn’t want to embarrass her. My face throbs, my eye in particular, and my body is sore in a few places, but that’s normal for me.
Based on the way Jaxon is limping toward the stage, his guitar strapped to his back, it is not normal for him.
I grin. “Pansy-ass,” I mutter.
Once there, I stand off to the side, keeping one eye on Rae while I text her mom. Kimberly is watching my little sister tonight, so that all of us could be here. There was no way Parker or I could have missed this, even if it wasn’t my girl going on stage.
The Double Deuce is slammed, even more than it had been last night, before we closed so that Rae could rehearse with a local band. I glance over at the bar, Parker’s behind it, working with our backup bartender.
“You really think you’re good enough for her?” Everett asks, sidling up to me.
Instead of answering, I cross my arms and say, “Better watch it. I think Jane spilled a little something in that very spot you’re standing in.”
“Damn, they look good together,” Everett says before Rae and Jaxon launch into their first song.
I have to agree, mostly because this wasn’t rehearsed last night. This number is a product of years of rehearsal and familiarity that I’ll have to play catch-up to get.
You’re everything to me, Cole Morgan. Everything.
I replay those words in my mind while I watch the girl I love sing about being in love with my brother on stage. I’m pretty damn sure Jaxon’s my brother, but to what degree—that I have no idea.
“Jaxon reminds me of someone,” I say.
“That’s because he is someone,” Everett replies, and it’s all I can do to not tell him to go fuck himself.
“Wonder what Crystal would say if she saw him.” I turn to look at my sperm donor and my blood freezes at the smug look on his face.
“I know exactly what your momma would say.”
“Yeah, what’s that?” I can’t help but ask.
The music fades into the background, people and instruments a dull roar in my ears. “Should’ve asked for fifty grand more when I sold him to you and that bitch wife of yours.”
Chapter Four
Cole
For a month now, I’ve been sitting on the knowledge that my mother sold a baby to Everett. A baby.
What made Jaxon so special? And not me, or Parker, or even Kelly? Why had she chosen him out of all of us to have a better life?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying people should sell their children. However, when you’ve grown up like I have, with a druggie for a mother and never knowing where your next meal was coming from, or if you would have to sleep in a car for the night… being sold to somebody with more money than sense sounds like a dream come true
But it’s made me moody and hard as shit to deal with it, especially for Rae. She doesn’t have a clue what’s going on, and I’m too damned ashamed to tell her. Or anyone else for that matter. She thinks it has to do with Jaxon coming to town that time, and singing with her, but I’ve gotten over that.
Hell, the sex in her dressing room, when I’d bent her over the arm of the couch, had made up for that. I still can’t get it out of mind.
“Hike up your skirt and show me how wet you are,” I’d ordered.
She’d done just that, and my cock had turned to stone. “Can you see?”
“Oh yeah. Now I’m going to put my dick in you and make you come, but you have to be really quiet. Can you do that?”
“Yes.” She’d been wet as hell, her tight pussy clenching at me as soon as I’d shoved inside of her.
I’d been a man on a mission, and a liar. I did everything I could to make her not be quiet, including smacking her cute ass a couple of times. The sofa sounded especially nice hitting the wall as I pounded into her.
As soon as she screamed my name, loud enough for everyone to hear, especially her ex, I’d smiled like a smug son of a bitch and joined her.
Rae draws a circle on my stomach, and it contracts in response, jolting me out of my erotic memories. We’ve been lying in my bed, watching television for the past hour. My little sister’s finally asleep and Parker’s in Charlotte at his other job.
Which mean we are, for all intents and purposes, alone.
“Something you need?”
“You.” She climbs on top of me, nude as anything, and straddles my lap. Her pussy is bare, something she had done just for me, and it is the hottest thing I’ve ever seen. I’ve never been with a girl who’s done that.
I press my thumb against her clit, satisfaction blooming at the swollen feel of it. “Does my girl need a ride?” I use my free hand to pinch a hard nipple. Her blue eyes grow dark as she gasps. “Or do you want me to suck on those pretty little nipples of yours until you come?”
“Both.”
“Greedy.” I shake my head at her in wonder, my hands leaving two of my favorite parts to settle on her hips. She rises up on her knees and I watch as the head of my dick disappears inside of her.
“Damn, baby,” I groan. No matter how many times I’m in her, it always feels the same. So good. So tight. So unbelievable right.
She rocks upon me and then leans down, those hard, pink nipples of hers at mouth level. I wrap my lips around one, teasing it with my tongue and teeth. She makes a little noise and rocks harder.
“Cole,” she moans. “Make me come.”
“I’m not ready for this to be over, yet.” Flipping her over, I pin Rae to the bed, fastening my mouth to hers. She’s as hungry for me as I am for her. Our tongues tangle, my hips grinding into hers so hard that I’m sure she’ll have bruises or be sore tomorrow, but she doesn’t stop me, and I’m sure as hell not stopping.
I need this. I need her.
Harder and faster, I pound into her. She widens her thighs, her hands going to my ass. She sinks her nails into my skin and I tear my mouth away, letting out a ragged groan.
She arches her back, her tits thrusting out, and I take one in my mouth, biting the tip of her nipple. She squeals, like I knew she would.
“Oh God, Cole.”
“Not yet, baby.”
“Please.” Her hands slip between us.
I grab her wrist and pin it to the bed, along with the other one, in case she gets any ideas. “Patience.”
I slow my furious pace, rolling my hips, until sweat beads on my upper lip. Her skin is flushed and she is writhing under me, lost in the sensation that only I can do to her.
A dark thought flashes in my brain. “Did Jaxon ever do this to you?”
Her pretty eyes blink up at me, unfocused and full of desire. They sharpen. “Cole, this isn’t the time—”
I stop moving. “Answer me.”
She looks away. “You know we had sex… you know what the result was.”
A baby. That was the result, and for the first time, I’m jealous of what he did with her. I’m jealous that I’ll never be able to do that with her.
I’m an asshole for bringing it up.
“Doesn’t matter, Rae.” I gently turn her face to mine. “Remember that, okay?”
Her eyes soften, and I’m thankful that she’s so forgiving. “And you remember what I told you, okay? No reason to be jealous. Ever.”
Releasing her wrists, I take her arms and wrap them around my neck. Then I make love to her, slowly, deliberately… using my body to pleasure hers. I slip out of her heat, kissing my way down her body, spending extra time on the bluebird tattoo resting on her hip before I travel further south.
Spreading her delicate flesh, I lick her, taste her, and suck on her clit until she comes, crying out my name.
Her hands are on me now, urging me up and inside of her. In one smooth thrust, I’m back where I belong.
***
The next day I take Rae and Kelly to see Santa at the local mall.
Kelly holds hands with Rae as we walk. “I brought my list for Santa, but I don’t think he needs it,” she says with all the authority of a six year old with a strong belief in mythical holiday figures.
“Nope,” Rae agrees, looking over at me. “I’m sure Santa knows you want the pink dream house with the matching pink pool and a sheep that speaks three languages.”
For once I smile, the bar’s been doing well enough that I can afford all that stuff for my little sister, without breaking a sweat. Okay, without breaking too much of a sweat.
Only for You Page 3