by Jayne Frost
Eager for a change of subject, I asked, “Did you see Taryn today?” Sealing her lips around her wineglass, Tori nodded. “Was she happy you were back? If there was kissing involved, don’t spare any details.” I waggled my brows.
“No kissing,” she said with a small smile, placing her goblet on the tub ledge. “We packed up some stuff in Rhenn’s—er … the studio.” When I cocked my head, she pointed to the ceiling. “Upstairs.”
Rhenn’s studio. The mysterious third floor. It all fit now.
I re-focused on her foot. “It must be hard, living someplace with all these memories.”
Moments passed, each one heavier than the last. And then sighed, scooting farther down in the tub. “You know … one day I added it all up. Rhenn and I only spent twelve nights under this roof.”
My hand froze. “Twelve?”
She smiled, contemplative. “It took almost two years to build this place. And when we were in town, which wasn’t often, we stayed on the boat.”
“I didn’t know you had a boat.”
She nodded jerkily. “The Belle. It’s docked at Volente Marina. I don’t … I don’t ever take her out.”
A shiver rolled through her like an earthquake, goose bumps rising on her skin despite the warm water. I nudged her with my foot. “Come here, baby.”
She glided over and settled into the well of my arms, her back to my chest. I pulled her close, kissing her temple while she drew lazy circles on the top of my hand.
“You thought he lived here?” she asked. “Like, this was where we lived? Together?”
“Yeah.”
Her head dropped back, and she slanted her gaze up to meet mine. “We lived in hotel rooms. And then on the boat. Rhenn built the house because I wanted to start a family. It was kind of a gift for doing the last tour.” She laughed, a little bitter and a lot wistful. “Okay, I’m lying. He built the house because I threatened to leave him if he didn’t.” With that, her eyes unfocused, and she frowned. “Rhenn was a good man, Lo. But he wasn’t perfect.”
The selfish prick inside me wanted details on just how imperfect Rhenn Grayson was. But just knowing there were flaws was enough.
Another moment passed, and then out of the blue, she asked, “Did you go to your mom’s funeral?”
It felt like she’d wrapped those dainty fingers around my throat and squeezed. “No.”
“But you … you knew she was dead, right? Like, as soon as it happened?”
The gunshot rang in my ears, and my heart stalled. “Yeah.”
“You’re lucky.”
One hand curled around the lip of the tub, either to keep from sliding under, or to push Tori off me and bolt to my feet. I couldn’t decide. “How do you figure?”
Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t register my tension. Or the edge in my tone.
“Closure, I guess,” she whispered. “You know how people wonder what it’s like to be in a coma? I can’t speak for anyone else, but I was in there sometimes. It was like a long dream. But I clearly remembered voices. Well, Taryn’s voice.”
Turning her head, she pressed her cheek to my arm, and tears spilled over my skin, burning hot and full of something deeper than sorrow.
“What did she say?”
“That Rhenn was waiting and I had to wake up. But when I did, he was gone. Buried. That’s what I meant about closure. I knew … I know … he’s dead. That Paige is dead. I know it. But one day I went to sleep, and they were there and then …” I heard her swallow and it sounded like she was choking, drowning in a salty sea of tears. “Sorry.”
I curved my body around hers, protecting her from the memories. And from the pain. “Don’t apologize.”
I tried to force out a hollow condolence, and I couldn’t. Because even though I’d do anything to take away this horrible thing that had happened to her, without it, I wouldn’t be here, in this very spot. I was still trying to figure out how many ways I’d burn in hell for my selfishness when Tori’s hand found mine. Threading our fingers, she guided me down, between her thighs, and through her folds.
Nuzzling her hair, my lips grazed the shell of her ear. “Do you want to come, baby?”
“Yes … yes …”
My free hand cupped her breast, thumb gliding over her pebbled nipple as I fondled her clit. Her breath hitched when I slid a finger around her entrance, and she gasped when I gave in and plunged two digits deep inside her tight pussy.
Pumping her slowly, I ground my hard dick against her ass. “You feel that? It’s all for you.”
Groaning, she bucked against my hand. And when she came, clenching tight around me, it was my name that she sang up to the heavens.
44
Trevor sat back, contemplating. “The high road,” he said, his gaze darting between Taryn and me, like he couldn’t believe we didn’t comprehend his shorthand. He tossed his pen on the table. “As in ‘take the high road.’”
Pleased with himself, he took a sip of bottled water while Taryn muttered something under her breath that sounded like “arrogant fat boy.”
“What?” I mouthed, to which Trevor laughed and said, “She called me an arrogant frat boy.”
While this made better sense, as Trevor didn’t have an ounce of fat on him, I was still surprised by Taryn’s lack of professionalism. Until I noticed her eyes bouncing to my phone every few seconds and her nose twitching like she’d smelled something bad. She hadn’t mentioned Logan since we’d walked into Trevor’s building, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t still smarting over yesterday’s revelations.
“How exactly do you want me to take the high road?” I asked.
Trevor mussed a hand through his hair. “Keep quiet. No scandals. Basically, you need to keep doing what you’re doing. I’ll hit Mac’s team with a carefully worded letter. Warn them that we’ll countersue for inducement if he even thinks about tempting one of your clients into breaking an NDA.”
I sighed. “Okay. But what if he doesn’t know about Harper’s tape?” Trevor and Taryn exchanged a look. The one that said, “Isn’t she cute?” Irritated, I snapped, “I know it’s unlikely, but the bastard already has the gun. Let’s not give him the ammo.”
My phone buzzed, eliciting another series of facial twitches from my best friend.
Screw this.
Lifting my backpack into my lap, I said, “If there’s nothing else, I’ve got a plane to catch.”
Taryn didn’t bother to hide her eye roll. She knew I was flying private, so I had no reason to rush. But honestly, I just wanted to get out of there.
“Wait,” Trevor said, his brows diving together as he shifted his focus to Taryn. “Didn’t you say that Dylan was coming by?”
My head whipped in her direction. “What?”
Taryn stopped shooting daggers at Trevor’s head long enough to meet my gaze. “Dylan flew in yesterday. He’s meeting with Miles this morning, or did you forget?”
Awkward silence swirled between us as Taryn pressed her lips together and went to work picking imaginary lint off her linen skirt.
“Well,” Trevor drawled, pushing back from his desk. “Obviously you two need a minute. Can I grab something for y’all from the break room? Water, soda?” Smirking, he hauled to his feet. “Dueling pistols?” Taryn and I swiveled our heads in his direction and scowled. “Just don’t get any blood on the carpets.”
When the door slid shut behind him, Taryn held up a hand, one corner of her mouth ticked up in irritation. “Don’t lose your shit, Belle. Dylan was coming anyway.”
For the last year, since she’d returned from California, I’d been walking on eggshells because I was afraid of driving her away with my bad attitude. But, I was done.
Pushing out of my chair, I glared down at her. “Look, Taryn, whatever’s up your ass, you’d better pull it out. You’re the only one I’ve told about Logan. And I can’t afford for this to be made public right now. It’s not good for Twin Souls or Caged or me. So don’t go getting it into your head that you’re g
oing to tell Dylan. He’ll find out after the tour ends.”
Her mouth fell open. “You think you’re going to be together after the tour ends?”
Did I?
Sliding a hip onto the desk, I considered it for a moment. “I’d like to be.”
Shock painted her features. “Shit … you’re in love with him.”
It wasn’t a question, but she scrutinized me carefully, waiting for confirmation.
“T-Rex …”
“You are.” Her voice rose, and I wasn’t sure if it was concern or surprise. “I can see it.”
I met her gaze, suddenly serious. “This isn’t high school. You can’t tell anyone.”
A smile quirked her lips. “That you love Logan? And you want to have a million of his babies?”
She’d meant the joke as a peace offering, a way to ease the tension, but she’d hit too close to home.
Gripping the side of the desk for support as the air squeezed from my lungs, I tried to keep my features schooled, but Taryn caught on, and the light drained from her eyes.
“Belle, what is it?”
Clearing my throat, I shook my head. “Nothing.”
Anyone else, it may have worked. But this was Taryn, and she was on her feet in an instant, her hand gripping mine. “It’s not nothing. Tell me.”
“I can’t … I won’t be able to have kids.”
Now that Taryn knew, it somehow made it real. Which is probably why I’d kept it to myself. But it was out there now, taking up space in the world. Another tiny tragedy.
Taryn dropped back into her seat, still holding my hand. “Are you sure?”
I tried to smile, but it didn’t feel right. “The doctor said it’s too risky.”
She looked down, nodding. When we were younger, we’d always talked about raising our kids together. Taryn, Paige, and me. And now we had to grieve the loss of that dream as well.
But not today.
Today, Logan was waiting for me, and I didn’t want to think about the bad things.
“I have to go,” I said. “Give me a hug.”
Tears lined her eyes as she wobbled to her feet, throwing her arms around me and holding on tight. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”
I pressed my cheek to her shoulder. “Yeah … I think I do.”
I have to make a stop. I’ll be there soon.
I sent the text to Logan, then took a deep breath and climbed out of my car. A gentle breeze smelling of fresh cut grass rustled my hair as I made my way up the sloping hill, willing myself to take the one-hundred-and-thirty-seven steps.
Sinking onto my knees in the shade of the oak tree, I laid the large spray of roses, lilies, and daisies in front of Rhenn’s headstone. An offering to go along with the tears that were flowing freely now, and the note I’d scrawled last night.
Hugging my sides, I rocked gently and spoke directly to him.
“I wrote you a little poem.” Sniffling, I placed my hand flat over Rhenn’s name, then let my fingers glide over the Beauty and the Beast quote as I tried to find the words. “I wanted to tell you … to explain …” My stomach pitched, and I dug my nails into the stone. “I have to move on now, baby. It’s time. I’ll miss you every day.” Blowing out a shaky breath, I straightened up and smiled. “Thank you for loving me. And for showing me how to love. Sleep well. I’ll be back really soon to visit.”
I kissed the scrap of paper with all the words and all the thoughts and all the gratitude I could never express. And then I carefully tucked the note inside the stems of the bouquet and placed the flowers in the urn attached to the stone.
Snapping off a stargazer that had yet to bloom, I rested the bud on the grass in front of Paige’s memorial. “Take care of him, ladybug. Take care of each other.”
As I wobbled to my feet, I committed every sight and smell to memory before pressing one final kiss to my fingers and releasing it on the wind.
I’d be back. Of course I would, but this was different.
This was goodbye.
“I love y’all. Always.”
Tears blurred my vision as I raced down the hill. But for the first time in nearly six years, when I drove away, I didn’t look back.
45
Tori curled in one of the big, cushy chairs on the private jet, legs drawn up to her chest and chin resting on her knee. Gazing out the window with a frown, she ignored her phone buzzing and jumping around on her tray table.
I thought things were okay with us, but maybe not.
Reaching over to silence her ringer, I snagged a piece of melon off the fruit plate that she hadn’t touched.
“You’re awfully quiet,” I noted as I leaned back, stretching my legs. “Something going on I don’t know about?” She continued to stare at the clouds. “Victoria?”
She turned to me, sunlight kissing her face and highlighting the dark shadows beneath her puffy eyes. “Sorry. What did you say?”
“I told the captain I wanted to reroute the plane to Fiji. You don’t have any objections, right?” She blinked at me, top teeth resting on the bottom lip she’d been abusing since she got back from her morning meeting with Taryn. “I’m just kidding. You want to tell me what’s got you so worked up?”
Unfurling her legs, she winced. “Nothing.”
Pushing out of her seat, she twisted her body and then tried to touch her toes, but only made it halfway down before hissing out a breath. A stab of guilt corkscrewed through my chest. It was easy to forget about Tori’s routine, to forego our nightly stretches, especially since I was usually consumed with thoughts of fucking her whenever she was on her back. Or on her stomach.
“Come on,” I said as I hauled to my feet. “Let’s get the kinks out.”
She raised a brow as I took her hand, leading her to the back of the plane. “Kinks?”
“Get your mind out of the gutter,” I said as I pushed open the door to the small bedroom. “I’m talking about stretching you.” A smile curved her lips. “Not that kind of stretching, dirty girl.”
Lifting her off the ground, I tossed her onto the thin mattress and her tits bounced in the most delicious way, leading me to believe she wasn’t wearing a bra. Which in turn had me thanking God for private jets since she’d never head out for a commercial flight in a holey T-shirt and tiny shorts.
But I loved her this way. Casual. Fuckable. No makeup, and all that raven hair twisted in a knot on top of her head.
“Grab a pillow,” I said and adjusted my semi-hard dick when she scrambled to do as I’d asked.
Her eyes found mine as I leaned over her, resting her ankle on my shoulder. “You’re tight,” I observed as I tipped forward just a little, trying to loosen her hips. Her cheeks flushed pink. “Your hamstrings, baby. Focus.”
Jesus … she’s inflexible today.
“Breathe,” I said, rubbing the outside of her thigh as I changed positions.
When we got to the butterfly maneuver, she tilted her pelvis, and with her legs spread wide and her eyes hooded, I knew what she wanted. And fuck … I wanted it too. But her body was so rigid, I thought she might snap.
Placing a hand on her stomach, I gently nudged her back against the mattress and kept on working.
The leg I wasn’t attending to slipped over mine, and she pulled me closer. “Logan.”
Ignoring her breathy tone and the steel rod straining against my zipper, I fixed my gaze on anything but the juncture of her thighs. “Just a few more.” Rather than slide my hands any closer to her center, I used my shoulder to apply gentle pressure to the spot inside her knee. She didn’t budge. “Victoria, come on. This is serious.”
Balling up her fists, she grunted, digging her knuckles into my pecs. “Move, Lo.”
Confused, I rose to my knees while she scooted to the top of the bed, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at me.
“What is it?” I asked.
That lip disappeared between her teeth once again. “You don’t want me? Is that it?”
&nbs
p; Falling back onto my heels, I stared at her. My dick was so fucking hard, it was punching a hole through my denim, and she had the nerve to ask if I wanted her?
I thought about flipping her onto her stomach, slapping that ass, and burying myself so deep in her cunt she’d never ask a stupid question like that again.
But I couldn’t. Not if I wanted her to walk off this plane without assistance.
“What makes you say that?”
She scowled at me. An honest-to-goodness scowl straight out of our past. And fuck … now I was thinking about all the times before we were together when I’d wrapped my hand around my cock with her image in my head.
I crawled up until we were face-to-face. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were trying to piss me off.”
She thought about it for a moment. “Well that’s fair, since you’re pissing me off.”
Her voice was huskier than usual with an edge that made my dick pulse with need.
“And why are you pissed off?” Pressing her lips together, she looked away. Yeah, no. Grasping her chin, I forced her gaze back to mine. “Answer me.”
If I were honest, I was only half listening. I wanted to see her eyes flash with fire. Watch those lips curl. And then imagine her focusing all that intensity on my cock when she swallowed me down.
“I’m not made of glass,” she spat. “It isn’t up to you to decide when I’m capable of fucking.”
“You’re not a hundred percent,” I bit out.
And maybe if my eyes weren’t on her lips, I would’ve seen the intent and been prepared when she gave me another shove. But I wasn’t, and she knocked me off balance with relative ease.
Grunting, my arm shot out and I caught her around the waist before her feet hit the floor. “You want to play?” I growled into her hair as I pulled her against me. “Say the word.”
“I did,” she shot back, clawing at my hand. “Now let me go.”
She didn’t want me to let her go. I was relatively certain. But my brain was too lust-filled to take any chances, so I said, “Think very carefully.” Grinding my denim clad shaft against her ass, I pulled her closer. “Do you really want me to let you go?”