Edge

by Anna Brooks

  “But… the rubber band, you said—”

  “I said that so you’d know you had the choice, but if I thought you were in danger or uncomfortable, I wouldn’t wait. Case in point tonight. I was already not liking the vibe as it was.”

  “Oh.” She licks her lips and then sinks her teeth into her bottom one, and it gives me all types of ideas I shouldn’t be thinking about.

  “I’m taking you away.”

  She stares at me without blinking. “You are?”

  “Yup. My family has a cabin in Northern California. It originally belonged to my great-grandparents, but we’ve kept it in the family since then. We’re gonna ride back on the bus with an entourage, and then you and I will head up and stay there for a couple of days. My guys’ll take the time to resecure your house. But then we need to get back because I have to get to work finding this piece of shit.” I don’t give her all the details of exactly how much work they’ll actually be doing with viewing security footage over and over, trying to ID this guy, and the shit ton of other stuff they’ll be taking care of while she relaxes.

  She starts to protest, and I can read the words playing in her brain before she can let them roll off her tongue.

  “Don’t say one word. Gail is freeing up your schedule for the next ten days. We’re gonna relax at the lake for a few, and you’re gonna sleep late and not worry about anything for a little while ’cause I’m gonna take care of you.”

  “I can’t take that much time off.”

  “You can.”

  It takes a moment before she speaks again. “How did you get Gail to agree to it?”

  “I didn’t give her a choice.”

  “But what if she—”

  “She won’t.”

  “How do you—”

  “I know.”

  She narrows her eyes at me. “I appreciate it, so much. But really, Wes, ten days is a long time. I don’t know if I want to take that much off. I just started the tour, and I’ll lose momentum.”

  “We’re only going to be gone a few days, then you can come back and do some things, but nothing that puts you in the spotlight for a while. You need this. I need this to make sure we can stay ahead of him.”

  “Okay.”

  “Can’t wait to have you at the cabin. You’re gonna love it.”

  “If you’re there, I know I will.” She smiles, and it hits me straight in the middle of my fucking chest.

  Christ almighty, she does it for me.

  I’m so falling down on the job because I’m totally falling for her. And I don’t know if it’s better or worse because, on the one hand, she distracts me, but on the other, I’m hyper-focused and more determined than ever to keep her safe and eliminate the threat.

  I just know I need to tame my base instincts until this fucker is caught because if he gets to her, if he hurts her again… or worse, I won’t be able to live with myself.

  Quinn

  “Wow. It’s beautiful here.” I follow Wesley around the cabin as he leads me with our pinkies locked. I absolutely love that even though he doesn’t have to, he still finds some way to touch me. I got a lot of rest on the way here, I’m wide-awake now.

  After we left the hospital at around one a.m., I couldn’t sleep on the bus for some reason. It was a pretty long drive, but I only was able to cuddle up to Wesley as we watched a couple of movies. We stopped at my house so I could grab a few things I didn’t have on the bus with me. But then once I got into Wesley’s Hummer, and we were safely outside city limits, I fell asleep the rest of the four-hour drive up here. Of course, it helped that he told me a man from Royal was tailing us until they were a hundred and one percent sure we weren’t being followed.

  Not that I worried Wesley couldn’t keep me safe; it’s just that I’m paranoid this guy will somehow get to me again. But I’m not going to think about him anymore. I’m going to enjoy my time here.

  Plus, he can’t find us here; the cabin is practically hidden, and the only way anyone knows it’s here is if someone has told them. And even if he did, Wes would be able to hear him, and he’d just shoot him for trespassing.

  “It’s been in my family for four generations now. We pretty much spent our whole summers here as kids. Over the years, we’ve added on, but the bones are still solid.” He points at the bright pink Adirondack chairs. “My aunt painted those when my grandma was diagnosed with breast cancer.”

  “Oh, no.”

  “She’s good now.”

  The cabin is situated in a forest, it seems, and backs up to a beautiful lake as far as the eyes can see. Faintly in the distance, other homes sit with an amazing view as well, and I can only imagine how awesome it must have been to grow up here.

  “How often do you come up here now?”

  “Not nearly as much as I used to. Once a year if I’m lucky.”

  I make my way to the private sandy beach and kick my sandals off. Wes stays back a couple of feet as I close my eyes, absorbing the fresh smells and setting rays of the sun.

  “You okay?” Wes wraps his arms around me.

  “He’s a good man.”

  “I’m sure he is.”

  Somehow, he knows I’m talking about my dad. “He is. He’s a good man who has a bad reputation.”

  I turn in his arms and rest my head against his chest.

  “He was protecting your mom and you by walking away. I might not agree with it, but his intentions were good, so I can believe that.”

  “If Gail follows through with it and tells that rival club about me, and he gets hurt, Wes… I won’t be able to forgive myself.” And not only that, but the one thing I won’t tell him is that I’m selfishly fearful that they’d use me to get to my father. Thinking about the things they could do to me… scares me so badly that I’d rather work myself to the bone than risk getting tortured or raped or both.

  He runs his fingers through my hair and kisses my forehead. “If he’s as good a man as you say he is, then he wouldn’t want his daughter putting herself in any position to be manipulated, overworked, abused, and blackmailed. Especially not because of him.” He seems so adamant, and I guess that’s probably because he’s a lot like my dad in that way; protective.

  “You’re probably right, but it doesn’t change that what could happen if his enemies find out would be a lot worse than what I deal with now.”

  “You never have to find out, Quinn. You understand me? I won’t let anything happen to you. No enemies are gonna get you, and no bitch is gonna make your life miserable. You just need to do what I say to keep you safe, and you’ll stay that way. Now, I’m always here if you need to talk, but we don’t have forever here to enjoy this. Let’s take advantage.”

  “Thank you.” He doesn’t say anything, but I feel the need to emphasize. “Thank you, Wesley, for making me safe. For sticking up for me and somehow knowing what I need better than I do.”

  “It’s my privilege to be able to do that for you.”

  Being in his arms like this is heaven. I tilt my head up, and he looks down at me. And then his mouth is on mine. I whimper and grab on, kissing him back as well as I can. We’ve never actually talked about what we are to each other, but the way his lips work against mine silences any question I have about how he feels.

  His hand slides up and rests on my neck while the other comes around to my butt, and he pulls me against him. My belly digs into him, and he groans. “Fuck, Quinn.”

  Taking a step back, he holds me at arm’s length. His breaths come out heavy, and his fingers contract against my hips. He wants this as much as I do. “Why are you stopping?”

  “I can’t get closer to you. Not right now. I can’t have my judgment clouded. I’m already on edge, and I haven’t even had you yet. If that happens, it’ll push me right over.”

  “But nobody else is here, right? It’s just us.” I muster up the confidence I use when I’m on stage and bring my hands up to untie the strap around my neck. Dropping the strings, he watches as the cotton falls down. The
strapless bra I’m wearing is exposed, and I reach behind me, undo the clasp, then pull the string to the other tie of my tank.

  Nobody is around for what looks like miles, and it’s unbelievably liberating. This is what he does to me. Makes me feel free.

  His eyes meet mine, and when I drop my hands, he doesn’t remove his gaze. “Touch me,” I whisper.

  “Quinn, I—”

  “Touch me.”

  His dark lashes rest below his eyes as he closes them for a moment. His jaw tenses, and the pulse in his neck thumps visibly. I have never in my life wanted anybody as much as I want him. The other singers I’ve been around, the celebrities, the models, the dancers—none of them have ever made me feel like I’m about to combust.

  “Wesley. Touch me,” I beg, and just when I think he won’t, he pulls me to him, lifting me along the way. I wrap my legs around his waist and hold on as he carries me to the house. The door gets kicked shut behind him, and he leads me to the couch where he plops down, leaving me to straddle him.

  The fire he started when we first arrived crackles behind me, and the faint scent of pine lingers.

  He watches his hands as they move up and down my arms. “Are you sure this is what you want?”

  “Yes.” I rest my forehead on his, and he still doesn’t look at me. “I want you.”

  This is almost embarrassing. I feel him beneath me—hard—but he still hesitates. “This can’t go bad,” he affirms.

  I shake my head and promise, “It won’t.”

  He trails his fingertips along my ribcage before he brings them up to cup my breasts. His thumbs swipe across my nipples simultaneously, and I suck in a breath.

  “Good?”

  “Yes.”

  Bringing his head forward, he kisses me right where my heart is, then sits up. He reaches behind him and pulls his shirt off, then tosses it on the ground. “I need to feel you.” He leans back and pulls me with him, whispering, “Kiss me, baby.”

  So I do. He lets me lead. Lets me take my time. Even though I’m the one who’s begging, he’s the one yielding to me and giving me the choice of how far this goes. I rock against him, and my nipples brush against his chest hair. Pressure builds between my legs, and I whimper into his mouth. “Keep movin’ on my cock, Quinn. Don’t stop.”

  Oh God, this is… this is so good. Pushing down, I circle my hips and am rewarded with a low grunt. Wetness gathers against my panties, and I move faster. Harder. He kisses me deep and stays perfectly still while I feel my legs start to shake. “Wes.”

  “Right here.”

  “I… I’m so close.”

  “Stop.”

  I whip my head up. “What?”

  “Stop. The first time you come with me, I’m gonna be inside you.”

  “Wes.” I don’t stop. I can’t.

  He stands, pulling me off him, and I cry out. He pushes my shorts down, and while he’s working his jeans, he sticks his hand between my legs and teases me. “So wet. Fuck.”

  I grab his wrist and move my hips against his fingers, desperately trying to get one inside me. With his jeans at his knees, he sits back down, bringing me with him. Something about the fact that this big, strong man can’t even take the time to take his pants off makes me feel really powerful. That he’s always so in control, yet me being wet for him makes him lose just a little bit of that is actually pretty damn special. He centers me over him and pushes into me slightly.

  I try to drop down, but he holds me still with one hand while the other snakes up and grabs my hair. Bringing my face to his, he touches his lips to mine and whispers, “Take it, baby.”

  Chapter 8

  Wesley

  She sinks down on me, and I hold her still because I swear I’ll come if she moves. “Jesus Christ, you feel good.”

  “You do, too.”

  “Don’t move yet.”

  The little tease circles her hips, and my balls draw up. If I had the strength right now, I’d flip us over and pound into her from behind over the back of the couch, but I can’t even see straight. After taking a breath, I plant my feet on the ground and buck my hips. “Okay… move.”

  She wastes no time riding me. Up and down. Slow and steady. Gentle and sweet just as I knew she’d be. From the way she dances and the insane control she has over her body, I knew she’d be fantastic in bed. It’s been so hard not taking us further until now. All the times she spent curled up next to me, just the two of us alone on the bus… it was torture, but I can’t take her pull anymore.

  Her thighs shake, and a sheen of sweat coats my back. She feels absolutely perfect. “God, Quinn.”

  “Wes,” she moans my name, and I feel it everywhere.

  “Relax.” I span her hips with my hands and hold her still. “Look at me.”

  Her face is hidden behind her hair, and when she lifts her neck, I see her flushed. Beautiful.

  “Keep your eyes on me when you fuck me.”

  Her little whimper makes my dick twitch.

  “Wes.”

  “Let go, Quinn. It’s just me. Only me.”

  She licks her lips and straightens her arms to hold the back of the couch. The weight of her lids starts to sink, and I lightly smack her ass. Her eyes pop, and she slams down. “Keep lookin’ at me.”

  Her lips form an O, and her barely open eyes remain on mine. I have to grind my teeth together to keep it in when every molecule in my body, especially my dick, is telling me to let go inside her tight, wet pussy this exact second.

  “Wes,” she moans.

  “Right here.”

  “I… I, oh God.”

  Sitting up, I slam my mouth to hers and pound into her from below, my hips pistoning as she screams, and I lose the battle to hold out any longer. “Fuck.” I bring my hands up and pull her chest against mine, holding her still while I spill inside her.

  I knew it’d be good, but I didn’t know it’d be better than anything I’ve ever even dreamed of.

  Her face is in my neck, and I wrap my arms around her while we take a moment to come down. In no other scenario could this have been more perfect. She’s perfect. Absolutely beautiful, inside and out. “You good?” I ask.

  “Yeah.” She sits up, and I lift her off me, both of us moaning at the lost connection.

  “Fuck. I didn’t use a condom.”

  “Oh, I’m on the pill.” Now would be a good time to tell her she doesn’t need to worry about that, but I figure that’s a conversation for another day. Too much shit on her plate right now, and if it’s a deal breaker for her, which I’m preparing myself for, I’ll walk away. But not now. Not until I fix things for her. And I will. I’ll make her happy in every other way possible, so maybe that won’t make her want to leave me.

  Since I’ve been with her, the ferocity I feel when a guy touches her is off the charts. But the thought of someone else being inside her is enough to make me go mad. “We get physicals for work, so I’m good on that front, too.”

  “Oh, I, um, I am too, I guess.”

  “You guess?”

  She bites her lip and lifts a shoulder as she sits next to me. “I’ve only done it once before.”

  I completely lock up. There is no way, no freaking way she’s only ever done that once. The way she moved, how she took what she needed… Jesus, I’m getting hard again just thinking about it. “What?”

  “Well, as cliché as it was, it was at prom, but I was already singing at that point. God, this is embarrassing.”

  “Hey.” I grab her chin. “You never need to feel that way around me. I promise you that.”

  The conflict running around in her head is practically palpable. But then it goes away, and she shrugs. “And that was it.” She tries to get up, but I grab her arm and pull her back down.

  “That’s not it.”

  “Yeah, it is.”

  Not exactly a good time to have a conversation with my dick hanging out, but I can’t let this go. “What happened?”

  She takes a breath, hesitates, then
opens her mouth. “He took a picture and threatened to sell it to the tabloids. I ended up paying him, and Gail had him sign an NDA. I pretty much didn’t trust anyone after that and—”

  “Hold the fuck up.” I interrupt her, not only because I need to take a fucking breath so I don’t explode, but I need to ask, “Does Gail have this picture?”

  She shrugs.

  “Quinn,” I demand, knowing exactly where this is going.

  “Yes,” she whispers.

  “And she’s blackmailing you with it, too? On top of everything that she told you about your dad, she’s blackmailing you with a photo that was taken without your consent?”

  Her eyes drift closed, and I wipe a tear that’s fallen down her cheek.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “It’s embarrassing. God, it’s so embarrassing. I was stupid and—”

  “It’s not, and you’re definitely not. He took advantage of you; she took advantage of you. Jesus, baby. You’ve been doing this all alone with absolutely nobody at your back for years. No wonder you’re so damn tired.”

  Her lashes are wet, and she wipes them with the back of her hand. “Nobody can ever see it.”

  “They won’t,” I promise.

  “Ever, Wesley. Nobody can ever see it.”

  “They won’t.”

  “They can’t. It’s awful, and there’s… there’s blood because, you know, and I would want to die if that got out there. I didn’t even want you to know, but I know I should have told you.”

  “I’m glad you did. But you don’t have to worry about it anymore, okay? I promise you nobody will ever see it.” I’ll make it my life’s mission to get that fucking picture. No way in hell should this girl have all this pressure; she’s got the goddamn weight of the world on her shoulders. I wrap my hand around the back of her neck and pull her to me. She buries her face in my shoulder, and I kiss the top of her head. “I’m gonna make it all okay, Quinn. I promise I’ll make it all okay.”