Total Control (Losing Control Series Book 3)

by Wilder, Desiree

“Good, thanks. What’s up?”

  “I got a call from a Bridget Evans. She wants four VIP passes for next weekend. She says you authorized it.”

  “Yes, Rose, it’s okay.”

  “All right, that’s it. How’s Gia? Is she here for the weekend?” I wish.

  “No. She’s in California for the next month.” I’m sure I sounded pathetic.

  “Oh, sorry, dear.”

  “Me too. Rose, could I come over in the morning and pick your brain about some things?” I wanted her input on my surprises for Gia.

  “Of course! Anytime!” She was excited to help.

  “Thanks, Rose. Talk to you soon.”

  I wasn’t going to give Rose all the details on Gia, but I knew she’d be sensitive to Gia’s miscarriages and could help me help her.

  Trey showed up and we headed over to the arena. Everything looked great. There was a smaller crowd than the last weekend, but it was actually fuller than I’d anticipated. We decided to do rounds together and got started up at the VIP bar.

  “Hey, guys!” Gwen seemed happy to see us.

  “Hey, Gwen. Need anything?” I asked.

  “Nope. We’re all set here. I’ve got Misty with me tonight and we’re gonna kick some ass! Right, Misty?” She looked over her shoulder and Misty gave her a thumbs up.

  Trey and I smiled. “Okay then, thanks, girls.” We headed back to the stairway. I glanced over at my office door and pictured Gia in there on my desk. She was wearing her thigh high boots, mini skirt, and tight shirt, and she was looking into my eyes. I was missing her.

  My phone vibrated. It was Hotness! “I was just thinking about you,” I answered.

  “Really? What, exactly, were you thinking?” I could tell she was smiling.

  “You were on my desk, gazing into my eyes, and looking as sexy as ever. I miss you.”

  “I miss you, too. We just got here and are waiting for our luggage. I’ll call you later, when we get settled in our hotel. I just wanted to let you know we made it.”

  “I’ll be waiting,” I said.

  Trey got a text from Dana, and as he texted back, we headed to the next bar. We helped get a few minor things straightened out as we moved along from bar to bar. When we reached the last one, I realized I hadn’t seen Shelley at all.

  “Did you hear anything about Shelley taking the night off?” I asked Trey.

  He shook his head. “No. Maybe she’s helping out somewhere else.”

  “Maybe,” I said, but doubted it. If she was working, then she needed to be in one of the bars. I was sure Rose wouldn’t have sent one of the best bartenders to a t-shirt shop or eatery. I called Rose and she said Shelley should be in one of the big bars. She wasn’t.

  I told Trey about seeing her leave Vince’s the other morning after I’d talked to him about Gia. I also told him that I was going to fire Vince Sunday after the last show.

  “No shit? Well, good riddance!” Trey said. “You gave him a chance to come clean, and you warned him about the consequences, so he fuckin’ asked for it.”

  “Yeah, well, I have a feeling he isn’t going to see it that way.” I wondered about the backlash from Vince.

  “Don’t worry about that, man. Do you have a replacement yet?”

  “I’ve made a few phone calls, so we’ll see. It shouldn’t be a problem, there are a lot of qualified people out there looking for an opportunity like this,” I told him.

  “Where are we headed?” Trey just noticed we were on a mission to get somewhere.

  “Backstage.” I had to see if my suspicions were right.

  As we turned the corner at the end of the alley, I got my answer. There were Shelley and Vince, making out like animals. They didn’t even notice Trey and I standing there watching them.

  I cleared my throat. “I hate to interrupt, but since you’re both on my time, I figure it’s all right.”

  Shelley about jumped out of her skin, but Vince tried to play it cool. They turned to face us. “Ethan, sorry, we were just—”

  “Shelley, I don’t care,” I interrupted again. “You need to get to work, consider this your last warning.” She took off.

  “Hey, man, take it easy on her. Just because you’re having a hard time keeping your woman in line, it doesn’t mean you need to come after mine,” Vince said.

  “Mike, could you meet me backstage, eastside? Bring a couple guys if you can spare them for about an hour,” I said into my walkie.

  “What the hell is this?” Vince asked.

  “You’re fired. You’ve got one hour to get your shit and get off my property,” I told him calmly.

  “What the fuck for? Oh, both of your girlfriends want me and you can’t handle it, is that it?” He was smiling.

  “Shelley is not, nor has ever been, my girlfriend. As for Gia, you totally disgust her, so I’m not the least bit worried about her wanting you.” I was proud of how calm I was.

  “You can’t fire me for no reason! I’ll sue your ass and own this place!” He was pissed.

  Mike and two more security came around the corner. “Vince is no longer employed here,” I told them. “He has one hour to pack his belongings and get off the property.”

  “Yes, sir,” Mike said and they all three nodded at me.

  “You’re a fucking asshole!” Vince yelled at me. “This place is gonna be fucked without me!” He laughed like a hyena.

  Trey and I turned to walk away. Vince was infuriated that I was so calm and he wanted me to join him in his temper tantrum. He knew how to push my buttons and he wasn’t letting up until he was satisfied he’d gotten to me.

  “Watch out for that one you’re bedding,” he said. My blood immediately started to boil. “My buddy Jason says she gives one hell of a blow job, but she won’t spread her legs because her ex fucked her up so bad.” I stopped in my tracks. “What a little cock tease! I heard that’s what she did with Rick in the VIP bar, too. Then you go and have the poor guy kicked out for dancing with her! When did you turn into such a pussy whipped…pussy?” I went after him. The two security guys grabbed me.

  “He’s not worth it!” Mike told me. I knew he was right, but I was about to explode.

  Just then, wham! Vince sucker punched me and I went down. When I opened my eyes, Trey was slapping my face.

  “Welcome back, Rocky,” he laughed. “When you’re done lying around, we’ve got work to do.”

  “I’m glad you’re getting a kick out of this,” I told him. “Where is he?”

  “Mike tackled him and they dragged him out of here. We were pretty sure you’d be pressing charges against him, so he’s probably getting loaded into the back of a car as we speak. Shit, he had some power behind that punch!”

  I was on my feet by then and brushed off my clothes. “Yeah, I’m gonna be feeling that for a few days.” I was still a little fuzzy.

  “C’mon, let’s get you over to your place.” We walked along the back way so I didn’t have to maneuver through the crowd. Just as we got there, both of our cell phones beeped. The girls had sent us a picture of themselves in their hotel lobby. Trey called Dana and I called Gia.

  “Thanks for the picture. Now I want one with just you in it.” I wanted to see her beautiful face every day.

  “I cannot believe we didn’t take a picture of ourselves!” She sounded sad. “How can I go a whole month without a picture of you? Please send me one!”

  “Of course,” I told her. “By the way, clothing is optional on the one you send me.”

  She laughed. “Same here. How’s the night going? Are you busy?”

  “Well,” I chuckled, “Trey and I did rounds, the place is pretty busy, I fired Vince, he knocked me out, and we just got back to my place.”

  She gasped. “What? Oh my god, are you okay?”

  I told her most of the story. I left out the personal stuff about her that Vince somehow knew. I was getting fired up just thinking about it.

  “Ethan, I’m sorry. I feel responsible for that! I wish I were there
to take care of you!”

  “It’s not your fault. Besides, I’d take a punch for you any day.” I meant it, too.

  “You’re my hero, baby,” she said quietly. “Thank you for being my hero.”

  She made me feel like her hero at that moment. “You’re welcome. Maybe next time I’ll get a punch in before I’m flat out on the ground.” I laughed.

  “Well, when you get sucker punched, there’s not much you can do about it. He’s got some serious issues, doesn’t he?”

  “Yes, he does. I wish I would’ve gotten rid of him a long time ago. I’m sorry for what he did to you.”

  “I know you are, but he’s gone now, so forget about it. Let’s not tell Jo about all this, okay?”

  I’d forgotten about her having spent the night with Vince. “Okay,” I said.

  “We’re headed to dinner; I’ll call you when we get back if you want.”

  “I want,” I told her.

  “Try to stay out of trouble, and don’t forget to send me a pic!”

  “You got it. Have fun and be careful.”

  After we hung up, I turned my camera on myself and took a picture. The top of my cheek and my eye were pretty swollen and red, but not black and blue yet. I captioned it, ‘Your hero?’ and sent it. I immediately received a text back.

  My god! Ur still the sexiest man ever! Thanx!

  Then she sent me a gorgeous picture of herself and I made it my wallpaper. I stared at it for quite some time and wondered how I’d gotten so lucky.

  I called Shane. He worked backstage pretty closely with Vince, and filled him in on what had happened. I asked him if I could leave him in charge until I found a new Entertainment Manager and he was happy to help out. I told him to call either Trey or I if he needed help tonight.

  “I think you should take it easy tonight,” Trey said. “I’ve got this.”

  “Okay. Thanks, man.”

  I locked up, took some ibuprofen, hit the random button on the CD player, and laid on my bed. My face was throbbing. I wondered who told Vince about Gia’s personal past. Who was this Jason guy he mentioned?

  I rolled onto Gia’s pillow and took a deep breath. I closed my eyes and thought of her while I listened to the music she’d picked out the other night while I was making dinner. I grabbed my phone and looked at her picture again. I stared at her and listened to the music until I fell asleep. My phone woke me up.

  “What are you wearing?” I smiled when I heard her voice.

  I looked down at my clothes, “Jeans and a t-shirt.”

  “Mmm, sexy. You sound like you were sleeping.”

  “I dozed off while I was staring at your picture. What are you wearing?” I asked her.

  “I’m glad you asked,” she said. “Check your e-mail.”

  I pulled it up. “Jesus, Gia,” I whispered when I saw the picture of her in a black lacy bra and panties with garter belt and stockings.

  “Should I buy it?”

  “Where are you?”

  “In a dressing room at Victoria’s Secret.” She giggled.

  I chuckled at her. “I wish I were there to buy it for you.”

  “I wish you were here to take it off of me.”

  “I could be there in a few hours.” I noticed another new e-mail.

  “What would you do to me then?” she asked.

  I looked at the new e-mail. She was standing with her legs shoulder width apart, left arm across her chest, hand over her right breast. Right arm was at her side with the bra dangling from her fingers. She had a very seductive look on her face. It was the sexiest picture I’d ever seen and I was getting turned on. “Tell me to come and you’ll find out.”

  She giggled. “We’re gonna have to finish this conversation when I get back to the hotel. I’m getting hot, and they’re gonna wonder what I’m doing in here so long.”

  “Okay, Hotness. Thanks for the teaser, you made my night.”

  “I’ll talk to you later,” she said. “Oh, and Ethan…”

  “Yeah?”

  “I would’ve asked you to come, but the girls planned this weekend, so I…”

  “It’s okay, I understand,” I said. “You just enjoy yourself and your friends. You can have all of me you want when you get home.”

  “Thanks for understanding, but if you let me have all of you I want, one or both of us could get injured.”

  I laughed. “I can handle it.”

  “Talk to you later, Superman.”

  “I can’t wait, She-Ra.”

  I sat there, staring at the picture of Hotness. I was completely in awe of her. Everything about her was everything I’d ever dreamed of having in my life. I smiled as I thought of her silliness, which pleasantly broke up the seriousness I’d been living for so long. She was a beautiful breath of fresh air and I was head over heels for her. I laid back down on my bed. My head was still throbbing, so I closed my eyes and tried to relax.

  Chapter 11

  Gia

  I watched out the airplane window as the city got smaller and smaller. I turned and looked at Dana and Jo. They were both smiling at me. I felt like a child.

  “Gia, we’re so proud of you!” Dana squealed.

  “Yes, and so happy to be able to come with you and spend a couple of days with you before you check in,” Jo added.

  “Thanks for everything, you guys. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you.” Tears welled in my eyes. I was feeling rather emotional after having to say good-bye to Ethan.

  “It’s okay, sweetie. Let’s focus on having some fun. We can be serious Monday morning, but not until then!” Dana said.

  “How about some wine?” Jo asked as she waved at the stewardess.

  “A toast to Gia, may she get home soon feeling better than ever!” Jo said. We clinked and drank.

  “So,” Dana started, “tell us about Ethan! We haven’t even had a chance to talk since the festival!” She was right, and I couldn’t wait to share my happiness with them.

  I stared at the back of the seat in front of me, trying to find the words. “He’s…well, he’s the fantasy, every woman’s fantasy. Totally gorgeous, with a body that bulges in all the right places, kisses like the first time every time, smart, successful, thinks of my needs before his own, and makes me feel like the sexiest woman in the world.” I sighed and looked back at them.

  “Wow!” Dana said, smiling.

  “Gia, that’s so sweet! Is there anything you don’t like about him?” Jo asked.

  “No. I mean, there’s one thing I didn’t think I cared about, but I’m realizing now maybe I do.” They were both looking at me curiously.

  I told them the whole story about how Ethan had seen me before and wanted to meet me. They both thought that was very cool. Then I told them about how Ethan has had a lot of sexual relationships with women, but not much more with them. Their faces were a little concerned about that.

  “He slept with Bridget Evans a few years ago, before she was married.” Their eyes grew big. “I don’t know the details, and I don’t want to, but I’m having a little trouble with it. It makes me wonder who else I’m gonna run into. There are a lot of women we know who have been going to shows up there as long as we have. And then, the fact that he hasn’t had an actual relationship with anyone scares me, too.” I was relieved to have said all that out loud. It was the first time I was facing the fears of allowing myself to fall for Ethan.

  “I hate to admit it, but that scares me too, Gia,” Dana said. “I know he’s a great guy, and I can tell he really cares about you, but I’ve been with the ‘afraid of commitment’ guys and they’re tough to break.”

  “Yes, but if he was too busy to have a relationship, and he told the women that up front, not to mention the fact that he’s had his eye on Gia, you gotta cut the guy a break.” Jo came to Ethan’s rescue.

  “That’s true,” Dana said, “but Gia, you’ve got to be careful. It’s one thing to hook up like you two did at The Lock, but turning that into a relationship is somethin
g else. Especially with someone who’s never been committed to anyone before. He could break your heart and you’d never see it coming. Be careful is all I’m saying.”

  “You and Trey hooked up at The Lock, and you’re still seeing each other,” I said.

  “I know, but Trey has been married before and has had a couple of other long relationships, so he knows what it’s all about. I’m also not as fragile as you are, Gia, no offense, but you haven’t really been in the dating game, it’s brutal.” She took my hand. “You’re my best friend and I love you. Take care of you first, don’t lose yourself again. That’s all I’m asking.” She smiled.

  Jo was shaking her head. “I think Ethan’s the real deal,” she said. “I’ve never seen you like you were when you were with him last weekend. Most guys who have commitment issues don’t tell someone they love them like he did to you the other night. I’ve talked to him about you, he’s crazy for you. Dana’s right, you do need to be careful, but don’t miss out on something great because you’re holding back.”

  “I’ll keep in mind what you’ve both said. Thanks for being honest with me, even if it was something I didn’t want to hear,” I told them. I looked out the window and wondered if I was misinterpreting Ethan’s and my relationship. I didn’t think Dana was right about Ethan being afraid of commitment. He wanted me to stay with him longer at The Lock, and he said he wanted to take care of me. He wanted to meet my family. If anything, it was like he was the opposite, like he was going too fast. I wondered if that should be a red flag.

  I turned back to the girls. “What about a guy who goes too fast? One who seems like he wants you with him all the time, right away?”

  “Ah, the control freak,” Dana said. “Wants to plan everything, pay for everything, needs to know where you are and what you’re doing every second. Keeps close tabs on you and basically suffocates the shit out of you until you can’t even breathe without asking him first.”

  Jo looked worried. “Why? Gia, do you think Ethan is like that?”

  “I don’t know,” I said. “Maybe.” I thought about it a while longer. “I’m having such a good time with him. I don’t want to screw it up by jumping to any conclusions. I’m going to keep enjoying him and see how it plays out.” Yes, have fun and whatever happens, happens.