Summer stepped forward, oblivious to the pissing contest Malcolm was clearly winning.
“Brad…” Her voice was stern. She spoke while two men wrapped Winston’s body for transport. She pried her gaze away from Winston and forced it onto Brad. “Why are you here? I asked for transport.”
Brad shook his head, focusing on Summer. “You said you needed help.”
“No. I said I needed transport. And I told you why.” She crossed her arms in front of her chest, fuming.
“I thought there was something I could do.”
Brad’s voice was so smooth and slick, it gave Malcolm the creeps. He shook it off. Summer inhaled deeply as they began to transport Winston. She turned to Malcolm, her voice much sweeter.
“Are you okay if they begin the process?”
He nodded, smiling at her. Brad looked from Summer to Malcolm and back again.
“Ohhh…” Brad raised his eyebrows.
Summer was stern when she spoke to Brad. “What you thought was I needed your help, because I’m incompetent.”
“Summer…” Brad laughed in the most condescending way. “I would never have hired you if I thought you were incompetent. You’re just inexperienced.” He scratched his perfectly shaven chin.
The door closed behind the two transport men, and Winston was gone.
Summer swallowed hard. “I don’t need your help, Brad. And I never have. Please stop trying to undermine my confidence.”
Brad stood up taller, and Malcolm saw something flash in his eyes. Something he didn’t like in the least.
“You never did explain to me how you know Malcolm Angel…? Is that what you did this summer? Play roadie to his show?” Brad’s voice was laden with contempt.
Malcolm ran his hand through his hair, breathing deeply, checking his anger.
“He—he’s my friend.” Summer’s voice was soft.
Brad laughed, showing fake white teeth. “Men like this don’t have friends Summer, they have conquests.” He shook his head. “You’re a little girl from the country. You’re something he’s trying on. When he’s done with you, he’ll move on to some other Halloween costume profession. You’re nothing but a joke to him.”
“Hey—”
Malcolm stepped forward and with one hand, pushed Brad up against the wall. Brad landed with a thud. Malcolm pinned Brad with his elbow.
He stared into Brad’s eyes. “Like being a bully? Huh?” Malcolm pushed harder against Brad, and Brad squirmed like a roach under his shoe. “I don’t care who you think you are, but you’re not speaking to her like that. Apologize.”
Malcolm dropped his arm and Brad stood up, smoothing his suit, then bam! Malcolm slammed Brad against the wall, pinning him again. Malcolm breathed deeply, not allowing his anger to take control. He narrowed his eyes at Brad. Brad was tall, but he had no strength at all, and Malcolm could see the fear in Brad’s eyes.
He was crap. Pure and simple. And he didn’t deserve an ounce of respect from Malcolm. Maybe he was a good doctor, but no man worth his weight would ever speak to a woman like that. Malcolm closed his eyes. Damn. Yes, he had been hurtful too. Those things he said to Summer, they haunted him daily, and he owed her a huge apology. He would explain everything when they were alone—as soon as they were alone—but right now, he was glad this was happening in front of him. Malcolm’s shoulders tightened. There was no way he wanted Summer alone with this guy, ever again. He stepped back, dropping his arm. Brad stumbled forward, off the wall. Summer gasped.
“Apologize.” Malcolm stood before Brad, his chest heaving.
Brad nodded. “Fine. I’m sorry, Summer. But what are you doing here? The man’s an animal. You think he’s going to be nice to you?”
“He is nice to me.” Summer’s voice was strong and solid.
“Then what do you think is happening? You think you’re in some sort of relationship with a…a rock star?” Brad laughed, pulling on the lapel of his jacket.
Summer raised her eyebrows.
“Oh, Summer. Don’t tell me you fell for this?” Brad pointed to Malcolm. “I thought you were smart, but you’re acting like some naïve little teenager. What, you think you’re in love?”
Summer’s chest rose up and down quickly. She gnawed her lip, working incredibly hard to keep her feelings in check. Malcolm searched her face for the answer. Did she have real feelings for him? She purposely turned away. So there was something she didn’t want him to know—but what?
Brad took a step toward Summer. “Let me tell you a little something about love, Summer. It doesn’t exist. And it certainly doesn’t exist with him. He’ll use you and toss you aside. And then what do you have? Nothing. You’re acting irresponsibly. You have massive amounts of student loans to pay back, unless those elusive parents of yours are actually millionaires.”
Malcolm whipped around to face Summer. “He doesn’t know?”
Summer shook her head, fear overtaking her eyes. So it was a secret. Her secret. Their secret.
“What don’t I know?” Brad dusted the sleeves of his jacket, his voice snide. “Summer? What don’t I know?”
“You don’t know anything, Brad.” She turned away.
“I know one thing.” Brad’s voice grew louder. “I own you. He doesn’t. You can play around with Malcolm Angel all you want, but come Labor Day, you’re mine. You’ve got nowhere else to go. I’ll make sure of it.” His eyes danced to the beat of some sick power trip. “That little fantasy you have of opening a clinic for large animals and helping farmers in need…what a joke, Summer. How are those poor farmers going to pay you back? In hay? Or apple pie? Do you have any idea what something like that costs? Of course you don’t, because you’re incredibly foolish about these things. So let me give you your first life lesson. You signed an employment contract—you owe me the next five years of your life. And you’re going to regret every single day of it.”
“All right. That’s it. Get the fuck outta here.”
Malcolm stepped forward, and Brad stepped backward, stumbling. Brad’s arms flailed as he tried to steady himself. Malcolm’s chest heaved with anger as he stood toe to toe with Brad. Brad’s eyes darted like a trapped animal. They landed on Summer. She yanked open the door.
“Summer…this is your choice.” Brad backed up toward the opened door. “Come with me now, and I’ll choose to forget you spent the summer as Malcolm Angel’s whore—”
“You bastard—” Malcolm shoved Brad into the hallway. “The only reason I’m letting you walk outta here is because she’s here. But if I ever find out you’ve contacted her, ever again, you won’t be so lucky.”
Brad sneered at Malcolm. “Oh, I’ll be contacting her. Because come Tuesday, she’s no longer yours. She’s all mine.” He smiled. “Again.”
Malcolm slammed the door on Brad.
Chapter Twenty-One
Malcolm leaned with his hand against the door. He looked down at the ground. How had things gotten this crazy? He turned and caught of glimpse of Summer. She was frozen, her eyes locked on his. She looked—terrified.
Malcolm stood up straight, anger coursing through him. Fear was never something he wanted to see in her eyes. “Did he? Has he ever hurt you?” Malcolm pointed to the door with his thumb.
Summer looked at the door and then to Malcolm. “Brad?” She shook her head. “Has Brad ever hurt me?”
“Yeah.” Malcolm ground his teeth as he waited for her answer.
She laughed, and Malcolm exhaled.
“Good grief, no, Malcolm.” She smiled. “Thank you for worrying.” She cast her eyes to the ground. “He’s never raised his voice before, unless we’re in surgery. Then he yells at everyone.” She shrugged. “But we’re all used to it.”
Malcolm nodded. “Men on power trips—you have to be careful, Summer.” His hands balled into fists. He hated the idea of anything happening to her that was out of his control. He didn’t want her to have to be careful, or to worry about anything, ever again.
She smiled, and
then suddenly, her face grew very, very sad. “Malcolm…”
She chewed her lip—that poor defenseless lip. He wanted to kiss it gently, over and over again.
“Yeah?”
“I—I’m sorry. For all of this. I’m incredibly sorry the last moments of Winston’s life were tinged with…this…” She threw up her hands in despair.
Malcolm stepped forward. “Hey…”
She looked up at him, and he smiled. God she was beautiful, and smart, and his body ached to pull her near.
He reached out and tucked a hair behind her ear. “The last moments of Winston’s life were with us. Just the two of us.”
“Malcolm…?”
“Yeah?”
“How come you’re not…more upset about Winston? I’m not judging, I’m just trying to understand.”
He leaned his forehead against hers, breathing her in, deeply. “Because he was never really mine. I was just taking care of him for awhile. Now, he’s finally where he belongs.”
Summer pulled back, understanding. “He was Julian’s dog.”
“Yes.” Malcolm nodded, smiling at her. “And finally, after all this time, they’re together.”
“Is that what you were staring at on the balcony before…?”
Tears flooded her eyes, and he wiped a single drop that slipped down her cheek.
“Making sure they’re both doing fine.”
She reached up and stroked his face. Her touch was warm and filled with promise. He placed his hand over hers, holding it tightly to his cheek.
“Wanna know something?”
“Hm?” She closed her eyes.
He took her hand from his cheek, kissing her palm. She opened her eyes.
“There was this book I used to read to…Julian…” Malcolm swallowed hard. “He was much too young to understand it, but it was a beautiful book about a tree that just kept giving to the boy it loved.”
“I know the book.” She smiled, sweetly. “I love that book.”
“Me too.” Malcolm inhaled deeply. “I think, in a way, Winston might have done the same thing for me. He stayed with me all this time, because I needed him to. Then, he finally knew it was okay to let go and go home…because I had found you. He knew I would be okay.”
She tensed and shuffled her feet. She was purposely trying to distance herself. Why? He was certain she was feeling what he was.
She pouted. “I’m so sorry about everything that just happened with Brad…”
“I’m not.”
She furrowed her brow. Damn she was cute.
“Frankly, I’m glad I saw it.”
“Why?”
“Because seeing you with someone else, knowing there’s the potential that someone else could hurt you…it makes me all the more certain of how I feel.”
“How do you feel?”
He pulled her close and wrapped his hands around her waist. He leaned down, and kissed her gently on the lips. He pulled back and spoke in a whisper. “I feel like I never wanna let you go, not for a second, ever again.”
She threw her arms around his neck, and he kissed her completely.
****
Without breaking their kiss, Malcolm lifted her, and she straddled him, her legs tight around his waist. One of his hands held her bottom, the other, strong on her back. His one hand covered nearly her entire back, his strong muscles holding her effortlessly. Her softness made him want to protect her and overtake her—all at once. Malcolm fought to calm his breathing, he was so deep in their kiss, so connected to her, he finally understood that quote from Tolstoy…he forgot where she ended and he began. He placed her on the bed, gently, and pulled back to look at her.
“Malcolm…” Her mouth was red and puffy.
“Yeah?” Was he being totally insensitive to think she would want this? “Am I pushing too fast?” His racing heart and bulging jeans prayed she would say no.
“No, no…” She shook her head. “I—I wanted to say I’m sorry I kept a secret. That I didn’t tell you I was a vet.”
“Summer…” His weight jostled her on the bed as he lay next to her. He stroked her face as he spoke. “I wish you had told me, but only ’cause I think it’s amazing.”
Her face lit up. “Really?”
“Yes.” He smiled. “And as far as worrying about it not being sexy—the fact that you’re a surgeon? You’re really a surgeon…?”
She nodded.
“I think it’s incredibly sexy. And I get it, the reason you didn’t tell me. I know what people think of me. I can only imagine what Jeanette told you.” He shook his head, looking away. His eyes found their way back to hers. “So yeah, I have the reputation of dating models, but Summer, you are so much more beautiful than any other woman I have ever known.”
Her eyes widened as she smiled. She blushed, turning away.
He sat up as he spoke. “And I owe you an apology.”
“For what?” She shook her head.
“I was mean, back when we were on tour. I said things that were hurtful.”
“It doesn’t matter Malcolm, they were true.”
“No.” He shook his head. “It does matter. And they weren’t true. I have never known anyone, model or not, who is as beautiful as you.”
She scoffed.
“Don’t scoff, Sum.” He shook his head, hanging his hand on the back of his neck as they spoke.
She sat up, taking a deep breath.
“I wanted to go after you so many times. Countless times. Every moment of every day.”
“I wanted you to.” Her voice was breathy.
“I was so afraid I would never see you again…”
She nodded. “Me, too.”
“I wanna be with you—always.”
“I want that too, Malcolm…”
He pulled her closer, but she stopped him, putting her hands on his heart. Despite the warmth of her palms, a cold chill raced down Malcolm’s spine.
“But Malcolm…we both know the reason we work, together, is because there’s an end point. Brad is an asshole, but he was right. I do have to go home…to work, and to fulfill my employment contract.”
“And if you don’t?”
She started, pulling away, seeming surprised he could ask this. “There is no ‘don’t,’ Malcolm. I can’t afford to break or buy out the contract, and more than that, I have no other prospects. I’m relying on that job. I’m very good at what I do, but so are other people. And I’ve worked every day of my life—since the second grade—to get here. Even through the death of my parents, I just kept working. Like you.” Her eyes dropped down, and she pushed a sigh from her mouth.
She bit her lip, and her eyes lifted to his. “I know you understand, Malcolm. The reason you’ve allowed yourself to be with me this summer is because you knew, deep in here…” she placed her hand on his heart, “…you knew we would have to end. You trusted there was an endpoint, a…a…finish line, and well, here we are. And the harder the ending is, the more it hurts, the better you feel. Because as long as you hate yourself for what happened to Julian, you’ll never allow yourself to be happy and to really be with someone else…”
He swallowed hard, a chill overtaking his body. She was right, of course, about all of it. Damn it.
“That’s why the condoms.”
His eyes darted to her. “What?”
“I know you want to keep yourself safe, and your partner, too. But I also know you’ll never risk having another child. I can’t blame you. I can only imagine the pain you must be feeling.”
He exhaled. “I don’t think I’ll ever be ready to have another child.”
“I know.” She smiled, her eyes glassing over. “I just…” She let her words fall away, and her eyes dropped down.
He placed a finger under her chin and lifted so she would look into his eyes.
“What? Sum? What were you gonna say?”
“I just hope one day you can understand moving forward isn’t the same as forgetting.”
She shrugge
d like it was nothing, but those few words she had strung together, they were more powerful than any song he had ever written, and more therapeutic than any advice he had ever received.
“I have today and tomorrow, Malcolm. Tuesday morning, I have to go back to my real life.”
He nodded, a lump forming in his throat. How was it possible he had everything except the one thing he really wanted? He cleared his throat.
“I have a show Monday night. At the Garden. Stay with me through then. Be with me, completely…and…” He swallowed hard. “I’ll get my driver to take you back Tuesday morning.”
“Okay.” She nodded.
She said exactly what he needed her to, and yet, her compliance hurt worse than any betrayal.
“Until then, Summer…”
He leaned forward and pushed her back onto the bed. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he kissed her over and over, his hand making its way to her top. He lifted her shirt, and placed his hand on her belly. She shuddered. He narrowed his brows, feeling something…
“Is this tape? Are you hurt?”
“No, no…” She laughed, looking at him.
He ran his fingers across her toned, beautiful belly, with just the right amount of softness. Her belly drove him wild.
“I—I haven’t taken your medallion off since the second you asked me to wear it.” She grimaced as she pulled on the tape.
“Let me.” Malcolm pushed her hand out of the way and eased the tape off of her. He held the medal in his fist. There was a big red “X” left behind on her skin. “Ow, does it hurt?”
“Un-uh…”
He kissed the spot, and she exhaled, wiggling.
“So why’d you take it off?” He let his kisses travel all across her abdomen.
“I uh, I was going to go into surgery this morning, so I taped it to myself. That way it would still be on me, but I wouldn’t lose it. I never wear jewelry, so I was worried it might unclasp during the operation.”
Summer of Irreverence: The Rock Star (The New York Artists Series) Page 18