I wait for a moment, thinking he might elaborate, but he doesn’t. “And…”
“Well, it’s nothing that’s been substantiated so I can’t really say.”
“Come on, Dean. Are you really coming at me with this bullshit? Just say what you want to say and get out of my office.”
“Just trying to be helpful. Just saying, you might want to consider hiring a PR firm.”
“You think we need a PR firm.”
“You might, eventually. I bet Victoria could recommend a good PR rep for you.” His eyes are shrewd, calculating, and shifty. I can hear the insinuation in his voice.
“Get out.”
“I’m just trying to help. I know how this line of work is. You get close to your clients…”
“Out.” My veins are seething with anger. I’m having a hard time keeping my usual stoic demeanor. I kick my chair backward and stand up, fists curling tightly. I’m going to rip his fucking throat out if he doesn’t get out of my office.
I guess he reads my face because he pushes out of his chair and touches two fingers quickly to his brow, giving me a salute. I return a one-fingered salute of my own. I can hear him chuckling as he walks down the hallway and out the front door.
After Dean leaves my office, I settle back into my chair and think, letting my mind go over the past couple of meetings and run-ins I’ve had with Dean Falwell. ABS are definitely trying to throw Defender, Inc off balance. And it’s working. I’m teetering, one foot hanging off the edge of a cliff and the other on a wet rock. I just can’t get a grasp on what they’re up to. Something is happening and it’s making me feel like a concrete brick is lodged in pit of my stomach. 'Close to your clients' is what he said. What the fuck does he know?
15
KIEREN
How do I get myself into these things? I’m a sucker for Victoria, that’s how.
This morning, she was going over her schedule and realized she had the day free ahead of her interview tomorrow. I thought the perfect way for her to spend her free day was in bed. With me. Being fucked until her legs couldn’t hold her up anymore.
She decided she wanted to go shopping.
Fine, I get it. She’s into that tag-team thing now. There’s no way I could do the work of both me and my brother. It’s cool with me. We’ll catch her later. And I’ll make her pay.
But now, I’m headed to the Beverly Center, driving Liddie’s white Range Rover while Victoria, Liddie, and currently purple-haired Kendra chatter non-stop and flip through radio stations until they find a song they all want to sing along too. I’m thinking this must be what it feels like to have a teenaged daughter.
I try to tune out their giggles and chatter and keep my eyes on the road and the atrocious L.A. traffic, but Victoria is in the passenger in a white denim miniskirt. It’s riding up her thighs. When she sees me looking, she flips down the visor mirror to check that the other girls aren’t paying attention, and inches her skirt up until I can see the silk of her panties. They’re light pink and sheer and the outline of her pussy lips is visible through the thin material. She quickly runs a finger down her seam and taps at her clit, her legs sliding open a little bit further and her tongue resting on her bottom lip. My cock is quickly stiffening in my jeans. Fucking sexy little tease.
“What do you think, Victoria?” Kendra’s voice carries over the seatback and makes Victoria jump and tug her skirt down. I can see pink creeping up her neck.
“Oh, um, yeah sure,” she answers. Kendra is giving her a weird look. Victoria has no idea what Kendra was just talking about. I chuckle at her, and then making sure she’s watching, reach down and quickly give my cock a squeeze. I can play this game with her.
She swallows her grin and turns her head, peering out the window at the passing billboards and palm trees. Kendra and Liddie are back to their conversation in the back seat and all I can think as I look at Victoria’s tanned thighs again is that she’s going to get me into a load of trouble and I’m going to like it.
A few minutes later we’re pulling up outside the shopping center. There’s valet parking but I get out and run around to Victoria’s side of the car, opening her door for her and helping her step down onto the sidewalk. The valet has opened the back already and Kendra and Liddie are watching me.
“What a gentleman,” Kendra purrs and moves closer to me, resting her hand on my shoulder. “I am impressed.” She pushes her breasts into the side of my arm.
I see Victoria watching us and smile down tightly at Kendra. “All part of keeping the client safe.”
“Oh, it’s all about the customer satisfaction?” Kendra licks slowly at her bottom lip, her tongue lingering and wet. I take a step away from her and she frowns at me, her eyes flickering between me and the hand I have resting on Victoria’s arm.
“Well then,” Liddie remarks, “what’s a girl got to do to get a little of that special client treatment?”
“Get attacked by a gun-wielding stalker with a criminal record,” I retort.
Victoria is staring at me, her eyebrows headed for her hairline. I’m screwing up. I’m a naturally flirty guy but I don’t want Victoria to think I’m trying to hit on her friends and Kendra is coming on strong as always. She’d drop her pants and spread her ass open in the middle of Rodeo Drive if I asked her to. I’ve got to play it normal, but nothing about being with Victoria feels normal anymore.
I drop my hand from Victoria’s arm and clear my throat. “Ladies, I believe shopping awaits you.” I wave them toward the entrance.
What the hell? I sound like a guy from some black and white late night movie.
I move up beside Kendra. A little flirting won’t hurt. I give her my sexy half smile. Her eyes smile back up at me and she moves closer, brushing her arm against mine. I lean down a little and say to her, my voice low and husky, “I like your hair. It’s really…purple. Like a grape.”
All three girls stop and stare at me. Kendra’s mouth has dropped open and Liddie is blinking rapidly, one eyebrow reaching for the sky. Victoria has her lips pinched together and she’s pushing her fisted fingers against her mouth. Damnit, she’s trying not to laugh at me. I give up. I grimace and wave them ahead of me.
Victoria gives me a look of amused pity before giving me an out. “Kieren, you don’t have to stay on top of me the entire time.”
I give her a look that lets her know I understand her little double word play perfectly. She throws me a quick wink.
“In fact, unless you have some expert fashion advice to give, why don’t you just hang back a little. Give us a little girl-time space.”
“Sure,” I shrug, “not a problem. I won’t let you out of my site though.”
She agrees and I let the girls walk on ahead of me. Now that I’m not bombing my attempts at flirting or trying to look up Victoria’s skirt, I start to notice what’s going on around me. I scan the mall, searching for the nearest exits, noting columns that could conceal potential threats, and even spot one guy walking with an uneven gait that suggests he has a weapon strapped to his ankle.
Until now, I never really thought I’d make a good bodyguard. Sure, I’d have MMA training but so do hundreds of other guys. Something about knowing that Victoria is depending on me for her safety has suddenly made all the training and classes with Antony worth it. I don’t think I’ll tell Antony I learned anything from him, but I have. And I’m enjoying it.
I trail behind, watching as the girls try on pair after pair of high heeled shoes with bright red soles. Victoria slips on a glittering black pair that makes her legs look like they never stop. When she catches me looking she trails her hand up her leg, lingering on her thigh. I shake my head, grinning at her cheekiness. She blows me a kiss and turns back to her friends.
I’d like nothing more than to kiss her right now. Here, in front of her friends and the whole goddamned shopping mall. I want to take her face in my hands and kiss her until she’s breathless and begging me to fuck her. I want her.
A gaggle of t
eenaged girls interrupts my thoughts. They’re whispering and pointing and start to make their way over to the store we’re standing in. I can tell they’re harmless, just star struck fans, but I step in front of them anyhow. I’m about to tell them that Victoria is busy when she steps in front of me.
“It’s okay,” she says. She smiles at the girls and quickly signs napkins and t-shirts for them. After a quick group selfie, the young girls giggle their way across the mall, already posting their encounter with fame to whatever social media site is the most popular this week.
“Thanks. It means a lot to me that you’re nice to the fans. Oh my god, fans. I have actual fans.” Victoria’s laugh is incredulous. She deserves this though.
After visiting several more shops and boutiques, Victoria and her friends decide they’re famished but nothing in the mall will satisfy. They want big, cheesy plates of tacos and ice-cold margaritas. So, we’re headed to the Valley to a popular Mexican restaurant. We exit the mall and I give the valet our ticket. The girls shuffle through their bags while I keep an eye out on the crowds around us. Finally, the car pulls up and the valet jumps out to help with bags and open the back doors for Kendra and Liddie. I open the front door and reach to help Victoria in.
My hand slides across her waist and slips beneath her blouse, my fingers linger on her warm skin. She’s silky, and this close, I can smell the peachy scent of her shampoo. I hold onto her a beat too long. She turns her head and her hair brushes over my chin. I inhale, pulling the smell of her warm skin in.
A cleared throat from the back seat breaks the spell. I quickly boost her into her seat and move around to the driver’s side and slide behind the wheel. In no time, we’re on the freeway, headed to lunch.
I look at Victoria out of the corner of my eye. We’re playing a risky game with the secret touches and lingering looks. We’re taking chances and it’s exhilarating. It’s exciting, having this dirty little secret with her. I wonder if she feels the same way.
16
VICTORIA
My head ears are ringing with rushing blood. Being this close to Kieren, not being able to touch him, sneaking little feels, my god, it’s intoxicating. I’ve been teasing him all day, every chance I get, flashing him glimpses of skin, showing him my panties earlier. I’ve been wet all day thinking about it. I can’t help it, it makes me feel deliciously naughty. I just wish that Antony were here, too. That would make it perfect.
I look in the visor mirror at Liddie and Kendra in the backseat. Liddie is chatting, pulling a few purchases out of a bag from Gucci but Kendra is watching me, her eyes flickering between me and Kieren like she’s trying to figure out a riddle.
Maybe we should tone it down. It’s hard to keep my thoughts and my hands off Kieren but if we’re going to keep our relationship private then we’re going to have to bring the PDA down a notch. I give a small sigh and half turn in my seat so that I can see and hear my friends a little better. I notice Kieren’s eyes are firmly and determinedly focused on the freeway. Giving a small shrug, I get back to chatting with my friends.
In no time, we’re pulling up to Casa Vega. It’s one of the oldest Mexican restaurants in L.A. and it’s been a favorite place of mine since I was young. The margaritas are the best around and the food is some of the cheesiest you’ll find anywhere. And so is the décor. We pile out and head inside, taking a booth in the back corner for some privacy.
Drinks order are placed quickly, margaritas for the girls and a Corona for Kieren, and we’re munching on chips and salsa when Kieren’s phone rings. When he fishes it out of his pocket and looks at the screen, I give him a questioning look. “Antony,” he mouths and steps away from the table to take the call.
That’s when Kendra corner’s me.
“Okay,” she say “what’s going with Kieren?”
“It’s just a phone call from Antony,” I say, avoiding the real meaning behind her question.
“Oh no, you’re not going to dodge this one. You know exactly what I mean. We’ve seen the way you look at him.”
I look at Liddie. She’s taking sips of her margarita and ignoring me. I nudge her. “How do I look at Kieren?”
“Please. Like he’s dessert!” she blurts.
“Oh.” I scrape at the frost forming on the outside of my margarita glass.
“You banging Kieren, Victoria?” Kendra crunches into a chip, watching me with one carefully groomed eyebrow cocked.
Liddie, always more tactful than Kendra, asks her gently, “Is there something going on?
“Of course not,” I say, “he’s my stepbrother.” I hate lying to them and I take a sip of my drink to cover up my unease. It almost feels that by not telling them I’m ashamed of Kieren, and Antony, and what we have. And I trust them. Liddie and Kendra are my closest friends. If I can’t tell them, trust them, then I can’t tell anyone, and this is my chance to test out how other people might react.
So I take a deep breath and say, “Yes, there’s something between me and Kieren.”
“Oh. My. God.” Liddie is almost speechless.
Kendra squeals and jumps in her seat, attracting the attention of nearby patrons. “I knew it, I knew it. He couldn’t keep his hands off you!”
“Does Antony know?” Liddie finally asks. “Is he okay with it?”
This is the part I was dreading. I take a big gulp of margarita and the ice burns a cold trail down my throat. Liddie and Kendra are watching me expectantly, waiting for my answer. So I tell them the truth.
“Yes, Antony knows. And he’s okay with. In fact, he’s part of it. The three of us are together.”
I may never get Liddie’s jaw off the floor. Her eyes are saucer-wide and her mouth is hanging open so much I could fit my fist in if I wanted too. Kendra, on the other hand, is giving me a look that’s one part disbelief and two parts respect.
“You can’t say anything to anyone. I mean it.” I’m a little frantic now that it’s out in the open. “Swear it, you guys. Keep this to yourself. Please.”
“Oh, sister, you got it! Cross my heart and all that shit. Damn, you lucky, lucky girl.” Kendra holds up her hand for a high five. I feel a little ridiculous but I slap her palm with mine.
“I won’t say a word, I promise, Vick.” Liddie is deadly serious, her eyes wide and her hand over her heart.
“You must spill,” Kendra says. “Twins? At the same time? What’s that like? Are their dicks identical?”
Liddie smacks at Kendra, shushing her. “How is this going to work out, Vick? What happens if someone finds out, if it gets out that you guys are…what is it, polygamists?”
Kendra guffaws. “She’s not a Mormon. They do the sister-wife thing. Girl’s got herself two cocks to tame instead. It’s polyamory.”
“Whatever you call it, have the three of thought about what happens if this get’s out?”
“Of course we have, Liddie. We’re not stupid. We’re keeping it secret for now."
“You just told us,” she points out to me.
“Because I trust you.”
“Okay, that’s good enough for me.”
“Hush, here comes Kieren.” I reach for more chips and shove a few in my mouth. Liddie has a sudden interest in her fingers and Kendra is leering at him.
When he slides back into the booth Kendra can’t help herself. She hands him a menu and says “Here Kieren, I understand they have great sandwiches here. Do you like sandwiches?”
“Uh, they’re okay,” he answers.
“Only okay? I was under the impression you loved sandwiches. You know, a juicy piece of meat between two hot…pieces of…” I kick her under the table and she grins at me.
Kieren’s face has gone bright red. Her meaning was clear to him and he’s trying to ignore her. He turns to me and says “That was Antony.”
“I know. What did he want?”
He taps the screen to his phone and hands it to me. The page on display is national TV magazine program and the headline reads: Dennis Hunt, stalker of Vict
oria Carter, gives exclusive tell-all interview.
“What the actual fuck?” I sputter.
Kendra snatches the phone from me and reads the screen. “You must be kidding me. Why would they interview him?”
“It’s always the same with guys like him,” I tell her. “He’ll get his five minutes of fame and disappear after that. Happens all the time. I don’t even know what he’d have to tell them anyhow. That he snooped through my trash and knows what kind of Chinese take-out I like? Ridiculous.” I keep my voice light and words breezy. I don’t want to think about what he might really say.
“It might be a little more serious than that,” Kieren tells me.
“What?” I push the chips away from me, a sudden gnawing in my stomach erasing my hunger. “What did Antony say?”
“I think it would be better if you heard it from him. We’ll going to meet him at the office after we’re done here.”
I stand up and pull out my bag, dropping a handful of bills onto the table to cover lunch. I turn to Kieren. I've completely lost my appetite. “Let’s go now.”
Kieren obviously hears the tremble in my voice because we’re out of that restaurant in record time, and that’s where it all starts to fall apart.
17
ANTONY
Right on time. That’s good. Punctuality is an admirable quality. One point in my new interviewees' favor.
I buzz them in at exactly 3 o’clock and meet them in the small lobby to lead them down the hallway to my office. They’re two enormous dudes. I’m a pretty big guy but they make me feel small. Twin brick walls with buzzed heads. Wait.
I turn and hold up my hand to stop them. “You’re the jackasses who were on Victoria’s detail when she was attacked in the restaurant? What the fuck are you doing in my office?” I feel my neck heating up under my collar. These two bastards almost let Victoria get hurt.
BODYGUARD BROTHERS: A TWIN STEPBROTHER MENAGE ROMANCE Page 11