“You know,” he murmured, between kisses. “This door does have a lock.”
Giggling, she watched as he leaned over and flicked the lock. She reached for his fly as he pulled her panties down, and in seconds he was entering her, holding her up against the wall and thrusting his hips as she moaned.
“Fuck me harder,” she ordered, and grinning, Dash obliged, slamming her back against the wall and driving his cock deep inside her again, again, and again, until they were both crying out.
Up on the roof of the theater, Bay and Tom were in each other’s arms too, both staring at each other in amazement at the evening’s events.
“You did it,” Tom said softly. “You’re a success, baby.”
“If I am, it’s because of you.” She kissed him. “I love you so much, Tomas Meir. I can’t ever repay what you’ve done for me.”
Tomas smiled a strange smile and he took both of her hands in his. “There is a way,” he said slowly, and when he met her gaze, she could see the burning passion in them—the absolute love for her. “Before we go back inside, before we join our friends and find out just how much of a superstar you are, I want to look at you. Just here, just now. My beautiful Bay, my life began the moment I saw you. Marry me, Bay. Marry me and make me the luckiest man in the world …”
There were tears dropping down her cheeks, but she was smiling, radiant and glowing in the moonlight. “Yes,” she whispered. “Yes, Tom, I will marry you …”
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her, his own tears mingling with hers. “I love you. I love you so, so much …”
Bay tangled her fingers into his hair and they were so involved in kissing that they didn’t hear the door to the roof opening and didn’t notice Roman Ford as he spotted them. He cleared his throat, embarrassed, and they broke apart, laughing at Roman’s scarlet face. He grinned at them.
“Sorry to disturb you …it’s nearly midnight.”
Tom stood behind Bay, his arms around her waist. His new fiancé looked as scared as her band members. Emily smiled over at her, trying to calm her down. Kym and Pete stood hand-in-hand as Roman called up the iTunes chart. Then they started a countdown to midnight and the whole crowd joined in.
“Five …four …three …two …one!”
“Ladies and gentlemen, the eponymously titled debut album from Seattle’s own The 9th & Pine is officially released!” The normally reserved Roman whooped as the three band members looked at each other in amazement.
“It really happened,” Emily said, and Dash, his hand on her back, laughed.
“Of course it did, honey. Now all we have to do is wait to see if it hits the download chart.”
During the next few minutes, while Roman refreshed the chart, there was tension in the room, the noise down to a low buzz. With the help of the theater’s technicians, Roman was casting from his laptop to the screen overhead so everyone could see the chart. At first, every time he refreshed the chart, none of the top ten albums changed, then, on the fourteenth try, they did.
There was a gasp in the auditorium followed by the briefest silence, then the room exploded.
The 9th & Pine’s debut album had entered the download chart at number one.
Kym screamed and Bay and Pete whooped with joy and hugged all of their friends. At one point, Bay hugged Emily hard, and whispered, “This was all you. Thank you, thank you, thank you …”
Emily watched the celebrations with tears in her eyes. It had never felt this good, getting one of her acts to the top. They were such a lovely bunch of people …and it was because of them that she met Dash.
His arms snaked around her waist from behind. “Congratulations, sweetheart,” he whispered in her ear. “Look what you did.”
She turned in his arms and kissed him hard on the mouth. “I love you, Dashiell Hamilton.” She had no fear in saying the words as fiercely as she felt the emotion. Dash smiled, his eyes shining.
“Well, now, I love you too, Miss Emily Moore.”
The rest of the night passed in a blur.
The next few weeks were frenetic with appearances and interviews, so much so that Emily found herself totally unprepared for her court hearing. The day before, she managed to grab lunch with Dash.
“I don’t know what to do,” she said, barely touching her sandwich. “Paige has played this perfectly and timed this perfectly too. I know I sound paranoid, but it was as if she knew I’d be overwhelmed with work and unable to care for Henry. If Paige hadn’t been here, Henry would have been with babysitters nearly the whole time. God.”
Dash stole a french fry from her plate. “Sweetheart, if I could wave a wand …”
“I know.” She sighed. “Guess all I can do is show up and make my case tomorrow.”
Dash chewed his fry thoughtfully. “Can I ask? Have you asked Henry what he wants to do?”
Emily looked surprised. “Well, he wants to stay with me, of course. When I went to see him the other day, he asked me when he was going to come home.”
Dash nodded. “Okay.”
She studied him, suddenly nervous. “Why? Do you think otherwise?”
“I just think you should ask him. He’s had time to get used to being back with his mom now. Things might have changed.”
Irritated, Emily crumpled up the greaseproof paper that her sandwich had been wrapped in. “Nothing’s changed. Nothing’s changed, Dash.”
He held up his hands. “Just looking out for the kid.”
Later, on the plane back to San Francisco, Emily couldn’t stop thinking about what he had said. Maybe she should ask Henry. She had been so busy fighting her sister that she hadn’t stopped to think about what Henry might be feeling.
As soon as she landed, she called Paige and asked if she could come straight over and talk to them both.
“Oh, yes,” her sister said, and Emily was shocked by the anger in her voice. “You can certainly come over, Emily. We need to talk.”
An hour later, Paige opened the door and Emily could the anger in her face. Paige stood aside to let her in and Henry ran into her arms. She hugged the boy tightly.
“Oh, I have missed you, pumpkin.”
“I missed you, Auntie Em. Come see my room.”
Henry took her hand and dragged her along to his room. Even though it was a hotel room, Paige had had it decorated to suit Henry. There were planets and stars on dark blue paint on one wall, vintage posters from the Space Race on another, and bookshelves on the final two. Emily felt tears prick her eyes. Yes, it was all material things, but she wished she could have done this for him. For some reason, she didn’t feel that this was Paige buying Henry’s affection; no, this was, she hated to admit, an expression of love.
And Henry obviously loved it. He showed her around proudly. After a moment, Emily turned to Paige. “Do you mind if I take a moment alone with Henry? I want to ask him something.”
Bay zipped up the simple white dress and turned to face Kym. She grinned when she saw her friend’s face. “Stop blubbing. You’ll look all blotchy in the photos.”
At eight p.m. Tom would come to pick the two women up and drive them to City Hall, and then Bay Tambe would marry Tomas Meir in a simple ceremony attended by the couple, Kym as her maid of honor, Pete, who would give her away, his husband, Hank, and Roman, who would serve as Tom’s best man. Her one condition for marrying him so quickly had been a small wedding with minimal fuss. Tom had agreed immediately.
With their schedule so hectic, this was the first of three days the band had cleared. Bay and Tom’s honeymoon would be spent at home. “But naked the whole time,” she’d told him and he smiled. He’ll be even happier when he sees what I’m wearing for the honeymoon, she grinned to herself, thinking of the supple leather harness she had gotten from the adult store just for the occasion. You want kink, Meir, you’re going to get it.
Kym shielded her eyes as Bay twirled for her. “Jeez, holy Mary, the glow coming from you …it’s blinding me, I …”
Bay grinned and s
watted her. “Funny girl.” She went into her bathroom, deftly avoiding Kym’s reach, and looked at her reflection in the full-length mirror.
Her freshly washed and dried hair hung down past her waist in mahogany waves and her skin glowed against the white of her simple dress. It fell to just above her knee. Kym, standing in the doorway, whistled. “You look beautiful. That man does you good, Miss Tambe.”
“You bet your ass he does. How long have we got …a half hour? God, it’s hot in here. I’m going to open the back door and get some air.”
Kym shooed her out. “Good …because I need to pee.”
Bay went to the living room and opened the doors to the deck. The cool air from the lake washed over her, cooling her hot body. She couldn’t quite believe that in a couple of hours, she’d be married. To Tom. She grinned, thinking of last night. Images kept coming to her as she stood there—his kiss, the feel of his fingertips on her skin, his lips on her belly, on her breasts, and the way his body felt as her legs curved around him and he moved inside her. His fervent whispers of I love you. I love you.
Bay Tambe didn’t know it was possible to be this happy.
Emily closed the door behind her and went to face her sister. Paige had poured them each a glass of wine and was sitting, cradling hers, her fingers twisting the stem of the glass nervously as she waited for Emily. Emily thanked her for the wine and dropped into the seat opposite her. For a long moment, she didn’t speak, seeming to struggle to form the words, then she leaned forward.
“What you’ve done here for Henry in these last weeks is incredible. Not just the room and not just giving him warmth and comfort. You’ve given him your time. I cannot fault you in any way. Today I realized I hadn’t asked Henry what he wanted or who he wanted to live with. And I made the decision that whatever Henry wants is what Henry gets, regardless of my feelings. Or yours.”
Paige blinked and Emily realized she was trembling. “I can agree to that.”
Emily smiled, tears in her eyes. “And he wants his mom. He wants to live with you, Paige. Of course, he does. It doesn’t mean he loves me any less, but the boy should be with his mother. It’s just …”
“I haven’t exactly been the maternal type. People change, Emily.”
“I know and I have to give you a chance. Henry’s been the bigger person here. He gave you a chance. And you proved yourself.”
Paige gulped a mouthful of wine. “So why did you send your Pitbull in this afternoon?”
Emily’s eyebrows shot up. “Excuse me?”
“Dash Hamilton. He was here, offering me a multi-million-dollar contract with Quartet Records—if I give up custody.” She leaned forward, fury in her eyes. “How am I supposed to know this isn’t another trick, Emily? How am I supposed to trust you ever again?”
Kym finished up in the bathroom. “God, this place is utter luxury,” she called out to Bay as she washed her hands. “I’ve got to get me some houseboat action. Here’s hoping the album sells millions.”
Bay didn’t answer and Kym grinned to herself. “How about I move in next door?”
Bay didn’t answer again, and this time, Kym went to find her. “Come on, it’ll be cool. Maybe we could get Pete and Hank to buy one too. Bay? Bubba?”
She walked into the living room and stopped dead. Stu smiled at her.
“Hey, girl,” he said casually. His left hand pinned Bay to the wall by the throat, but it was his other hand that Kym could not take her terrified eyes from—his right hand with his finger poised on the trigger of the gun that was pressed against Bay’s stomach.
“What the hell?” Emily was floored. Dash tried to buy Paige off? Was he kidding? She shook her head, not believing it, but knowing without a doubt that Paige was telling the truth.
Her sister was looking at her with uncertain eyes. “You really didn’t know, did you?”
Emily shook her head. “I would never have sanctioned that. Never. What the hell was he thinking?”
Paige drew in a deep breath. “He’s very young and he’s in love with you. Maybe he thought …”
“By using blackmail? I do not believe him. Paige, look. I’m going to call my lawyer and withdraw my case. Henry should be here.”
Paige got up and went to her sister, hugging her tightly. “Thank you, Emily. For everything. Not just this, but for the last four years. Hell, for the last eight. I would never have done any of this without you and it’s down to you that Henry’s grown up to be such a wonderful kid. He can come stay for holidays, or anytime you and he want, all right?”
An hour later, Emily, saddened but glad the situation was sorted, left Paige’s building, her cell phone clamped to her ear. She got Dash’s voicemail.
“I know you’re in San Francisco, Dash, and I know why. Come to my apartment. Now.”
So, this is simple, love,” Stu said, his tone friendly and chatty. “You go and get in my car and I won’t put a bullet in her belly. Easy, yes?”
Kym started to shake uncontrollably. “Please. Please don’t hurt her. Stu, please.”
Bay started to struggle with Stu, but he pressed the long silencer on the muzzle harder into her stomach and she winced. Kym gave a small cry.
“Please, Stu …”
He turned dead, cold eyes toward her. “You have five seconds or she’s dead.”
Kym floundered around. “You won’t get away with it. The neighbors. They’ll hear any gunshots.”
Stu laughed and waved the gun at her. “Silencer, love. I could empty this whole clip into her and they wouldn’t hear a thing.”
Kym cried out at his words, but Bay swore at him. He cuffed her around the face and turned back to Kym, who was sobbing.
“Please, Stu, please. She’s getting married today. Please leave us alone. I’ll meet you tomorrow. I promise.”
“Go get in my car. When I hear you sound the horn, I’ll let her go and join you.”
Bay shook her head. “No, Kym, don’t. He won’t do it. He’s too much a coward.”
“Shut up, bitch.” His spittle flecked her face and the pressure on her throat tightened.
Kym stepped toward them and Stu turned a rage-filled face towards her. “Go now or I’ll kill her. Go now.”
“Okay, okay. Just, please, if I do this, promise me you won’t hurt her.”
His smile was silky. “Of course. All I want is you, darling, I don’t want to hurt anybody.”
Bay gave a disgusted noise at his lie and Stu turned his cold eyes on her, challenging her.
Kym gave Bay a desperate look, then ran out of the front door. Stu didn’t release his grip, but smiled at Bay. “She’s right. You really do look beautiful in that dress.”
“Fuck you. If you hurt her …”
Stu laughed. “I’m sorry to ruin your wedding day, but you ruined my life, you fucking whore.”
They both heard the sound of the car horn. Stu released his grip, and immediately, Bay drove her knee into his groin. Stu roared and as she tried to dart around him, he grabbed her and threw her to the ground.
“Fucking bitch!” He aimed the gun at her. Bay, on her back, froze, and for a long moment, they stared at each other. Then Stu smirked, his eyes dead and cold.
“You don’t know how long I’ve waited for this moment. Goodbye, Bay. At least you’ll be a beautiful corpse.” And he pulled the trigger.
Dash was waiting at her door as she got back to her apartment building. Wordlessly, she opened the door and let him in, walking into the kitchen and putting her bag on the table, her movements deliberately calm as she tried to quell the anger inside her.
Dash had obviously guessed why she had called. His face was drawn and his eyes were hooded and shamed. “Emily …”
“Shut up. Just shut your mouth. Who the hell do you think you are?
Dash stayed silent and let her rant.
“Blackmail? Blackmail, Dash? In what world did you think that was the way I wanted Henry back? No, don’t answer. I’ll answer for you. Because you think, Mr. Spo
iled Fucking Rich Boy, that money solves everything. Never mind the feelings of the three people actually involved. Mr. Dash Hamilton will swoop in and solve it all with his big pile of crisp new dollars.”
“Wait—“
“Shut up! We are talking about a child, Dash—a child, not a bargaining chip. Jesus …” She held her head in her hands and took deep breaths in. There was a silence in the room for long moments while they both stood, listening to their breathing and hoping against hope that their hearts weren’t about to be broken
* * *
As the bullets slammed into her belly, Bay’s body jerked with the impact, arching upwards, then slumping backward into unconsciousness. Blood poured from her wounds, soaking the delicate cotton of her white dress, and pooling underneath the stricken woman. Stu lowered the gun. He felt no fear—in fact, he felt a rush of adrenalin and grinned to himself. Tomas Meir would be the one to find her when he came to pick her up. What he’d give to see his face.
* * *
She’s dead, motherfucker. She’s gone. Happy fucking wedding day.
* * *
Kym heard the shots and screamed, scrabbling at the door to let herself out of the car. She started towards the house, then, as Stu bore down on her, she yelled and cried out for help. Just as Stu brought the butt of his gun down on her head, she heard someone else shout.
Help was coming. Save her, Kym thought as she succumbed to the darkness, save her …
Emily finally looked up and Dash was horrified to see how hard her eyes looked.
“You should go,” she said softly. “Henry’s staying with his mother. You need to go.”
Dash panicked. “No, wait, Em—“
“It’s over, Dash.”
“No.” His body felt as if he were going to collapse. “No. I’m sorry I did that, but it was only meant—God, I guess I thought …” His body slumped. “You’re right. It was a stupid thing to do and I apologize. I panicked. I wanted to give you the world.”
Rockstar Untamed: A Single Dad Virgin Romance Page 86