by RH Tucker
“Uh … yeah.” I bite my lip. “Sorry, it’s just that my father is behind you, and … he still thinks I’m seeing Winston.”
“Oh, a secret romance. Dating the bad boy, hiding it from your dad. I like the sound of that.”
He laughs, and I lightly slap his chest. “No, that’s not what this is. And who says we’re dating, huh?”
He leans closer, and I stay frozen, staring at his lips. “I do,” he whispers. “Cece, I want to date you. I don’t want to be some secret, and I sure as hell don’t want your dad thinking you’re dating someone else.”
The words are soft but firm at the same time. His request is heartfelt, with no lingering smirk attached. It’s enough that I forget everyone and everything around us. He moves closer, and his lips skim over mine, but we’re broken up by someone coughing behind him.
My eyes widen. “Daddy.”
Maddox smirks, wiggling his eyebrows at me. My jaw locks, and an intense gaze hits him, silently telling him this is no time for any flirty jokes from him.
Taking a step back, he turns to my father. “Nice to see you again, Mr. Mavin.”
I’m taken aback by his sudden shift to professionalism. My father looks at him for a moment like he doesn’t recognize him, which I don’t understand. It wasn’t that long ago that he not only met him at our meeting for the club, but just the other day when he showed up with Winston. Sure, he looks more dressed up than those times, but I’d expect some sort of friendly smile since Maddox is technically an employee of his. Instead, he almost scowls at him.
“Cecelia, have you spoken to Williams and his associates?”
“Yes, Daddy. They’re sending paperwork over next week for the Toronto location.” I motion to Maddox. “You remember Maddox Barkley, right?”
His eyes land on Maddox for another second, then look back to me. “I’m surprised you didn’t invite Winston. Did you two have a good time at dinner the other night?”
“Yeah, I remember you mentioning that,” Maddox speaks up, regaining a playful demeanor, smirking. “How’d that go?”
“Oh, it … it was fine.” Maddox quirks an eyebrow. “Actually …” Glancing at my father, he looks like he knows what I’m about to tell him and is daring me not to. To stay quiet and go along with whatever plan he’s laid out, but I can’t. I know he thinks he’s doing the right thing, and that his heart is in the right place, but I don’t want to lie to him. “Daddy, Maddox and I are going out.”
He lifts his eyebrow again. “What about Winston?”
“Winston’s nice. And he seems like a great guy. But Maddox is a great guy, too.”
My father looks Maddox up and down. “And you’re the DJ?” he asks, but it doesn’t come out like a question. It comes off almost as an insult. I’ve seen my father rude and impatient before, but it’s usually directed at others during business meetings. Never someone I introduce him to.
“He’s a musician.”
Maddox extends his hand toward my father, and I have to admit, I’m thrown for somewhat of a loop. If anything, I’d expect my father to be proper and Maddox to come off as the rude party.
“Make sure you’re not out too late,” my dad says, giving me a quick hug, then walking away.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry,” I whisper, stepping closer to Maddox.
“I’m the King of Bad, remember? I’m used to getting those parental looks.”
“No, he’s never like that. I feel so embarrassed. Plus, he never, ever tells me to go home early. I don’t think he’s done that since I was thirteen.”
“I don’t care,” he whispers. His lips skim over my ear, and he wraps an arm around me. “Now I get to call you all mine.”
He keeps his arms around me, and I move mine over his shoulders. “Like I’m something to be claimed?” I tease with a smile.
“Like you’re something to be treasured,” he responds.
His lips meet mine, and I don’t care if it’s a cheesy line or not. I don’t care if we’re surrounded by a bunch of upper-class millionaires and executives only here to shake hands and make deals. I kiss him back like we’re alone, and I’m all that he wants right now because that’s how he’s making me feel.
I break away from him, believing his words but still with a pinch of hesitancy within. “You can’t say things like that.”
“Why not?”
“Because I might start believing them and forget that I’m just another girl a rock star wants.”
A soft laugh floats out of him, and he shakes his head. “I don’t know any other way to tell you this, so I just have to repeat it.” His hands come up to my face, and his thumb brushes over my cheek. “Did I want to get your number the first time I talked to you? Sure. But you’re so much more than just another girl, Cece. I can’t explain it, and maybe that’s why you don’t believe it yet, but it’s true. You’re … not another girl. You’re the only girl.”
His eyes stay on me longer than necessary. As if he’s pleading with me to believe him, and I want to. Despite everything I know about him and the cocky rock star he’s known for, I believe him tonight. Holding and kissing me like I’m the only girl that matters to him.
I move to kiss him when we’re interrupted yet again, only this time it’s not my father.
“Maddox, who is this?”
“It’s the muse!”
I look over his shoulder and see Derrik Tyler and his sister, Jade.
“Muse?” I glance back at Maddox, confused.
To my surprise, his face turns beet red. “Would you shut up about the muse thing?”
Derrik does not shut up. As a matter of fact, he does the opposite. “Oh, yeah. Maddox here is writing songs about you, Cece. He’s getting all sappy over you and everything.”
Maddox’s stare burns a hole through his bandmate while Jade giggles. “Nice to finally meet you,” she says, extending her hand. “I’m Jade.”
“Cece,” I reply, but look back at Maddox, who’s shaking his bright red face, staring at the ground. “You write songs about me?”
“It’s not … I don’t …” He lets out a scoff, and the headshaking grows wilder. “I’m not writing songs about you. I just wrote this lyric and—”
“You totally inspired lyrics on our next record,” Derrik says through laughter.
“Derrik!” Maddox snaps.
“Maddy, it’s nothing to be ashamed of,” his sister teases.
“Maddy?” My jaw drops, and now I’m holding back a giggle.
“Oh, my bad,” Jade says with no sorrow in her voice. “Did I say that out loud?”
“You guys are jerks,” he hisses.
“Maddox, it’s not every day we get to tease you like you’ve teased each and every one of us before.” Derrik resumes control of his laughter. “You better believe we’re going to enjoy this. Speaking of, you’re buying lunch tomorrow, and I just had an awesome idea.”
“Don’t do it,” Maddox snaps.
“What do you say, Jade?” Derrik nudges her with an elbow.
“Oh, definitely.”
“Jade, no.”
“Cece, want to join us at the studio tomorrow for lunch?”
A flabbergasted laugh floats out of Maddox, and he starts tugging me away. “No. No, no, this isn’t happening.”
It’s such an odd and amusing thing to see. Maddox, completely out of his element and embarrassed by what they are saying. I can’t help but play along and pull my hand away, stepping closer to Jade. “I’d like that,” I answer, then glance over at Maddox. “You don’t want to have lunch with me tomorrow? Maddy?”
His shoulders slump, and he looks right through me, toward Derrik and Jade. “I hate you guys.”
19
Maddox
Nervously, I pick at my thumbnail. Glancing up at the doorway for the studio, I think I should eat some of the French fries I ordered and had delivered for lunch. It might help calm my stomach. However, I don’t. I’m not hungry, but that doesn’t stop me from chewing on my thumb
nail.
“This is …” EJ starts but doesn’t finish. Instead, he stares at me, shaking his head.
“Crazy?” Derrik offers.
“Hilarious?” Jade adds.
“No,” EJ answers, quirking an eyebrow. “Weird. This is weird.”
“I hate you all, I hope you know,” I tell them, and Derrik laughs. Actually, I don’t know that he’s stopped laughing ever since last night.
“How is this even happening?” EJ continues. “We’re waiting for a girl Maddox is dating? Like, dating dating? Did we suddenly slip into bizarro world, and the King of Bad isn’t the ultimate bad boy but a nervous little puppy waiting for a girl to show up? Am I dreaming?”
“Shut up,” I hiss at him. “I can’t believe you guys.”
“Look at him,” Jade shouts, starting to laugh herself. “I’ve never seen him like this. Whatever she’s done, I need to figure out the secret. Maybe we can bottle it and save it the next time Maddox gets out of control.”
“If there is a next time,” Derrik counters. “Maybe he’s already whipped.”
“I’m not whipped!”
“He’ll never be the same again,” Jade continues. “Oh, we might have to change his name from King of Bad to King of Whipped.”
They all burst into laughter as I seethe in my seat. Our studio is usually a fun place, even with arguing over our music placements and lyrics. Today it’s become a warehouse of anxiety. I can’t believe I agreed to this. If you can call it agreeing. As much as I hate to admit it, I kind of am whipped. And with that thought, I just shuddered.
When they brought up the lunch meetup today, Derrik had the bright idea to meet at Juxtapose Studio. It makes sense. If all four of us showed up somewhere, it could have the very real possibility of turning into a madhouse. So, lunch at the studio is fine, and we do it all of the time. But now we’re adding Cece to the mix, and I have no idea what to expect.
What none of them know is that I’m not nervous about having Cece over. I’m worried about what they’re going to say and topics they’ll cover. It’s been eating at me since last night. Cece might have an idea of who I am, or at least was, but I know who I’ve been. The parties, the girls, all of the mischief I’ve gotten into. I never thought twice about being who I was because I loved every second of it. But I’m freaking out now because that’s not what I want to focus on now, nor is it what I want Cece thinking of me.
The door opens, and I instantly jump to my feet before I even know it’s Cece. It is, which only adds to the barrel of laughter echoing in the room. She smiles, then glances around the room, unsure what’s happening.
“Just ignore them,” I tell her, motioning to a seat next to me.
“What, no introductions?” Jade asks through giggling.
I roll my eyes at her. “Come on, Jade. You all know her.”
“Yeah, but we’ve never been officially introduced as a group.”
An annoyed grunt escapes me, and I shake my head. “Fine. Cece, that’s my annoying sister, Jade. EJ is the guy we all make fun of, and Derrik is our lead singer whose ego gets so big that he can’t make it through the door sometimes. There, you guys happy?”
Cece starts laughing, and my insults do nothing to dissuade the humor from everyone else. Handing out the tacos and fries we’ve ordered, their dumb comments subside while we start eating. Jade asks some questions, like what she does for Luxe, what it’s like growing up as a socialite, and even what she wants as the future for Luxe. None of it is inappropriate, and I’m thankful for that.
My nerves die down as the conversation shifts to music, movies, and all of the usual talk that happens between people. For a moment, I think all of the teasing they were doing before she showed up is over. That they really are going to be completely normal, we’ll end the lunch, and our regular schedule will resume. As the lunch is dying down, and the pile of French fries dwindles, those hopes are dashed.
“So, Cece,” Derrik starts up. “It’s been awesome getting to know you. And thanks for all the hospitality at Luxe.”
“Oh, no problem. You guys are welcome any time.”
“I still can’t believe you’ve been the lion tamer for this guy,” he chuckles.
“Seriously?” I scowl at him.
“We love you, Maddox, but you know it’s true,” Jade adds. “I’m glad someone was able to put you in your place.”
“Hey, remember New York, last year?” EJ asks. “And the Victoria’s Secret after-party.”
“Wow,” I say, rolling my eyes.
“Oh, I remember that,” Cece chimes in, laughing. “It was on the home page of Page Five for like a week. Wasn’t the headline something like, ‘King of Bad Defiles Angels’?”
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I can’t believe this is happening.
“Maddox, we’re just kidding. It’s not like it isn’t common knowledge,” Jade says.
“Great,” I grumble.
“Okay, we should probably get back to work,” Derrik interjects.
“Uh-huh, you couldn’t have said that two minutes ago?” I shake my head at him.
Cece laughs, getting up from her spot, waving at the rest of them. “This was great, thanks for inviting me. Maddox, walk me out?”
“Yeah, fine,” I add, still embarrassed and annoyed.
Strolling through the hallway of the building, I don’t know if I should bring up the Victoria’s Secret party, the mega party that happened before it, or any of my other highly publicized nights out as the bad boy of the Kings of Karmichael.
Once we get toward the front, the valet sees her coming and hurries away to get her car. “You’re awfully quiet over there, Maddy,” she teases with a grin.
“Well, I got roasted pretty good back there.”
“True.” Turning to face me, her arms circle around my neck. “But then again, it’s nothing I didn’t already know about the King of Bad. Well, mostly.”
Her light brown eyes never leave me, and I smile, even though I still feel like this lunch was nothing more than my band telling her all the reasons she shouldn’t trust me. “Cece, I know I make the rounds in all the gossip papers weekly. I know my rep and everything that comes with it. But—”
“Maddox, stop.” She puts a finger to my lips. “Do I know who the websites and the paparazzi have shown since you guys have blown up? Yeah, I do.” I nod, feeling like she’s about to burst this happy little bubble I’ve been living in with her. “But I also know the guy who pretended like he wasn’t a superstar with my brother and was nice to him. Who’s been trying to convince me that this Maddox”—she puts her finger in my chest—“is the real Maddox. Maddy,” she says again with a smile. “You did it.”
“What?”
“Made me believe the King of Bad is just a role, and the real guy is someone I never would’ve thought in a million years would blush. Maddox Barkley embarrassed by something his sister teases him about?” She feigns shock, bringing her hand to her mouth, then giggles. “You called me Baby Mavin, so you know I obviously have a past. Granted, it’s not as prolific as yours.” She laughs. “But this guy you’re showing me? The real one? That’s who I want to be with.”
I let out a long sigh of relief that I didn’t realize I was holding back. Pulling her closer, a grin floats across my lips. “And that’s who you’ll always get.”
20
Cece
If you would’ve told me six weeks ago that I’d be running Luxe and beginning to check off design pallets for our next location in Miami, I might’ve believed you. I always believed in Luxe and knew there was a market for a place that those with tons of disposable cash could go and have fun without cameras or fans. But if you would’ve told me all of that would be happening, and I’d be in a relationship with the bad boy drummer of the Kings of Karmichael, I would’ve never believed you.
If you would’ve told me that said bad boy is actually a kind-hearted guy that may love to party but goes out of his way for those he considers family, I would’ve laugh
ed in your face.
But here we are. Halfway through our second month of business at Luxe, receipts have been outstanding, and I’ve not only gone out with Maddox, but I’ve met his family. I couldn’t be happier. Which is equally surprising as anything else, given how I metaphorically threw drink after drink in his face the first few times he tried talking to me. Tonight’s the seventh weekend since we opened, but this afternoon we’re in the middle of a gigantic pool party at the Hollywood Roosevelt. It’s my brother’s birthday party, and my mom went all out, organizing a huge event. Well, in addition to using it as a mixer of sorts with other business people, who brought their kids. My brother doesn’t care since he invited his entire class to come to the pool party.
I told Maddox about it and didn’t think he’d be interested in a kids’ party-slash-business-mixer. Then he asked if he could come, and I was actually touched. There’s no reason for him to be here, other than to be around my family and me since he doesn’t know anyone. Just that fact alone has kept a smile on my face all afternoon.
Everyone is dressed down from their usual business suits and ties. Most are in khaki shorts with some kind of Hawaiian shirt on. The women have colorful cover-ups or lacy beach scarves. Enough that shows they’re enjoying the sun and the pool, but definitely not bikini territory. I decided on the same since it’s my brother’s party and my parents are here, wearing a longer ombré skirt, the colors mixing of yellow and cyan.
Maddox, on the other hand? He’s received more than a couple of looks from other guests, in his Vans shoes, ripped black jeans, and a loose-fitting gray tank top, showing off his tattoos. And, of course, his backward cap. My mother was one who wasn’t sure what to make of him when he showed up. Thankfully, she got past the initial look, and there’s been a pleasant round of discourse between them, with her asking about his band. I was especially nervous about him coming to this since she still hadn’t met him yet.