by Amity Cross
I wasn’t taking any chances.
While Juniper was in the shower, I called the security company back. I didn’t want to alarm her, but if someone was poking around there was a chance it might not be the paparazzi.
It wouldn’t be the first time a crazed fan had attempted to get close to me. I could recall a few times I’d gone back to a hotel room while on tour and found a strange naked woman in my bed, or had weird notes and gifts sent to me. Foul shit like used underwear, videos of women masturbating to my music, and then there was that time I’d found a mystery bag of white powder on my pillow. That little baggie had caused an anthrax scare of epic proportions. When I used to do drugs, I always knew what I had and where it was, so unexpected powder meant high-pressured decontamination. It was just like people said—there was never a dull day on tour with Beneath.
Still, it’d never happened at home. No one had ever broken in, I’d never been photographed here, and I’d never been harassed. I’d stupidly thought the McMansion was safe.
Times had obviously changed, and the last thing I wanted was for Juniper to be put in harm’s way because I’d been lax with security.
“I want people on the premises at all times,” I said to the guy on the other end of the phone. “No one gets in without my say so, got it? I’ll give you a list of authorised people. If someone wants in and they’re not on it, they get turned away.”
“Certainly, Mr. Hale.”
“And the house it open to the water. I know you can’t do much about use of the waterway, but we need to do something about access from the pier.”
“I’ll personally handle it. I’ll put together a detailed plan for you to approve, Mr. Hale. We’ll be there this afternoon to set up.”
“Good. Don’t be late.”
I hung up as Juniper walked into the living room, her hair still damp from her shower.
“Who was that?” she asked.
If my mind hadn’t been so full of all the odds stacked against us, I would’ve relished the fact she was comfortable with me again. We could talk and work shit out, and most importantly, she was here with me.
I knew I couldn’t keep a miniature army of black clad men from her, so I told her what was going on. “I’m increasing security for the McMansion,” I explained, her name for the house creeping into my vocabulary. “There’ll be people on site at all times. They’ll be here to assess the property soon.”
“So there was someone out there?” She began to tremble, and I wasn’t quite sure if she was afraid or cold.
“No, but things are going to amp up with the press. That article was only the beginning. Where there’s one, a dozen more will follow and if—and when—things blowup with Vix… I don’t want anyone coming near the house. We need a place that’s free from all that bullshit.”
Her lips quirked, and she nodded.
“What?” I narrowed my eyes. If I wasn’t mistaken, she was trying to hide a smile from me.
“You do realise you said McMansion, right?”
I laughed and raked my hand through my hair. “I know, but you’re right. This place is a fucking cookie cutter display home. Next door probably looks exactly the same.”
The sound of the doorbell tore through the house and I scowled. We were always being interrupted when things were getting good.
“It’s probably Vix,” I said. Whoever it was had bypassed the gate.
“What?”
“She has the gate code.” I made a mental note to get the security guy to change it.
“It’s a wonder she doesn’t have a key to the house,” Juniper said with a roll of her eyes.
“She used to, but when she let herself in while I was…” I coughed. “Well, let’s just say I changed the locks immediately.”
Her gaze lowered. “It’s probably best I keep out of sight.”
The last thing I wanted was to hide her away, but… “Just take everything I say with a giant grain of salt, okay?”
She nodded and retreated up the stairs, taking my heart with her.
Sighing, I padded across the kitchen and down the hall to the front door. I peered through the peephole and narrowed my eyes. Couldn’t she just stop meddling for once in her fucking life?
I wrenched open the door and found the devil herself standing on my front steps. She’d had her bleached curls straightened, but her hair was so fried it looked like she was wearing a straw wig. A black strappy top barely covered her breasts and a pair of torn acid-wash shorts barely covered her crotch. They’d been cut so short that the pockets hung out. Her bright red lipstick finished off her trashy grunge look. Honestly, it was a bit much, even for Vix.
“I’m on fucking holiday, Vix. What do you want?” I drawled.
She tore off her oversized black sunglasses and scowled at me. “Are you back together?”
“What?” I curled my lip, barely holding onto my rage. This bitch had stolen millions of dollars from Beneath and here she was trying to control my love life… again.
“Is she here?” she demanded, pushing past me into the house.
“Is who, what?”
“Is Juniper here?” She was really starting to sound like a clingy girlfriend.
“Is that what you came over here for?” I demanded. “To act like a clingy girlfriend accusing me of cheating?”
Vix snorted and flicked her hair. “The last thing I need is to be jealous of which direction your cock is pointing. Juniper signed an NDA, or have you forgotten?”
Hardly. “I don’t remember there being any language in there about contact.”
“I threw you a bone with that NDA. Don’t make me regret it, Seb. Is she here? Have you got her tucked away in a closet until I leave?” Her gaze flickered to the stairs. “Shall I go look?”
“Look, Vix, you made sure things were over between us. I will always hate your fucking guts for driving Juniper away. You broke her and for what? To satisfy your need for power?”
“Not this again,” she said with a sigh. “I thought the screaming matches were over between us.”
“I’m not a dog who’ll perform for treats.”
She lips quirked. “Aren’t you? I thought that was literally your job description.”
“You filmed us without our consent.”
“You seem so sure I was the one who pressed record,” Vix drawled, leaning against the kitchen counter. “I don’t know how Mallory got that footage. Maybe it was the driver?”
“You’re full of shit.”
“I wouldn’t know. I signed the NDA, too. I wouldn’t want to breach my contract now, would I?”
“If she was here, it wouldn’t be in breach,” I stated. “But you made sure she’d blame me for it.”
“Ugh, get over it.” She pushed off the bench and scowled. “This can’t continue, Seb. If she violates the contract, I’ll have to follow through with the consequences.”
I clenched my fists and hissed through my teeth.
“What?” she demanded. “If you’ve got something to say to me, Seb, then say it.”
In that moment, I wanted to throw everything I had at her—accusations, insults, the whole lot—but I held my tongue. I had to hold on until we could gather enough evidence to prosecute the bitch. I had to play this cool.
“Get out,” I said.
“That’s no way to treat your manager.”
“Road manager.”
“You still don’t check your email, do you?” Vix laughed and shook her head. “After the huge success of the surprise album drop—which was my idea by the way—I got a promotion.”
“Since when?” I demanded.
“Since we got back from the US.” She puffed out her chest. “I’m the only manager Beneath has now. I have the capability to run this entire juggernaut on my own. A woman. Isn’t it empowering?” It would be empowering if it was anyone but Vix, so I had to swallow my vomit.
“Then as our manager, you know we’re on fucking holiday.”
“There’s no such thing
as a holiday when you’re in the biggest band in the world,” she said. “Beneath is booked, Seb. You’d know that if you checked your fucking email. Since we can’t rely on you to keep your assistants from quitting, you have to do some things yourself.” She clucked her tongue. “I know, I know, you’re such a big fucking star, how can I expect you to lift a finger to help yourself?”
“I could do without the patronising, Vix.”
“I’m going to find you another assistant.” She made a face, then declared, “No, maybe it’s a life coach I need to hire.”
“Fuck off.”
“You’re all over the place,” she said, stepping forward. “Let me check your temperature.” She tried to slap her palm against my forehead, but I swatted her away. “Are you sure you don’t need a stint in rehab?”
“Get out,” I snarled.
Vix laughed and gathered her handbag. “You’re such an easy mark, Seb.”
“You’re still here,” I drawled, checking my phone. I found the email she was hinting at and opened it. It was a schedule for some TV show appearances and an awards ceremony performance.
I don’t know if she replied, I’d already tuned out her annoying voice and was focused on the bombshell in my inbox. Vix wasn’t just our manager while we were out on tour, but our full-time manger. She now had control of all our strings and I didn’t like it. The controlling bitch had just become a fucking dictator.
Once the front door closed, I heard footsteps on the stairs. Glancing up, I saw Juniper descend, her expression troubled.
“You have to go away again?” she asked, stepping lithely down the last few steps. Thankfully, she didn’t mention Vix’s new position.
“Wasn’t my choice,” I muttered. “Damon wanted to go to Majorca.” And I wanted to stay here with her and make her fall hopelessly in love with me again.
“I…” Juniper trailed off, looking disappointed.
“You can come. It’s not a tour—just some TV shows and an award ceremony.”
“I can’t,” she argued. “You heard Vix. Just by being here, I’m risking everything. She could release more footage, or she could find out we’re—”
“We’re not in violation,” I said. “They’re empty threats, Juni. In her twisted mind, I’m all wrapped up in legal tape and gagged with blackmail.”
“But—”
“There is zero language in the NDA that stops us from pursuing a relationship—romantic or otherwise.”
She tensed and an agonising pain tore through my chest. She was still hanging back, letting her fear dominate her every move, and I couldn’t stand it anymore. The odds were getting worse with every passing day, but it shouldn’t matter. Love conquered all—it’s what I’d been singing about for years and I believed it was true and honest, just like my feelings for her.
Either she loved me, or she didn’t, and I knew I couldn’t suffer half measures anymore.
“I fucked up,” I exclaimed. “I fucked up, but how long can you hate me for it? What do I need to do, Juniper?”
“I don’t hate you,” she shot back.
“Then what is it? What’s stopping you from loving me?”
“I—”
“There it is again,” I exclaimed, throwing my hands into the air. “You can’t say what you mean.”
“I don’t know!” she shouted. “I don’t know why!”
“You’re not your mother and I’m not your father,” I said, prowling towards her. “We’re our own people, remember?”
She nodded, her eyes wide.
“You have to let go of your fear, Juniper. Let the fuck go.”
Maybe Josh was right. I’d been caught in the crossfire, and now I was too busy walking on eggshells around her because I was afraid she’d bolt. No sudden movements, no pushing, no confrontation. I’d never been the guy who settled—never took shit lying down or hesitated over a woman. I was Sebastian fucking Hale, and if I wanted something, I took it.
I buried my hands into her hair and pulled her against me. The moment my lips hit hers, she gasped… and I took.
My tongue twined with hers, her taste permeating every sense and drowning all the coherency I had left. Longing had my balls flaring and my cock hardening as she kissed me back, and my hands moved from her hair, along the curve of her back, to her arse.
Her breathing was shallow as our lips parted, and my gaze burned into hers. There was no way she missed how turned on I was. My cock was pressing painfully against her hip, and it took everything I had not to strip her bare and thrust into her right here.
I swallowed hard and closed my eyes. Fuck, she was going to kill me with desire.
“Sebastian—”
“I never had anyone else since you left,” I blurted.
Her gaze lowered, her long lashes brushing her cheeks. “I never thought about it.”
“I’d fucking die for you, Juniper Rowe.”
Her fingers found my jaw and her lips parted.
“I wish I had just a drop of your conviction,” she whispered.
“You’re full of inspiration and… The way you see things…” I sighed, not knowing how to articulate what I was feeling. “I pale in comparison.”
“No, you don’t,” she murmured. “You’re electric, Sebastian. The world loves you.”
“And you?”
“I…”
My grip tightened. “You hang onto your flaws like they’re your lifeline. You need to let go.”
“I…” she took a deep breath, “I love you, Seb. I’m… I’m ready.”
I grinned, my heart swelling.
“What?” Her head tilted to the side.
“You called me Seb. You never call me that.” It was like a barrier had shattered inside her and the last parts of herself—the parts she’d kept secret and safe—were coming out to twist and merge with mine. “Together, we can be unstoppable,” I whispered into her ear. “Do you believe me?”
“Yes,” was her breathy reply, “I believe you, Seb.”
8
Juniper
I was ready to be who I was born to be.
Sebastian and I found each other for a reason—I was his match and he was mine. I thought about all the things he was and knew I had to rise to his heights or die trying. It was inside me—it had to be—so I just had to go full tilt. No hesitation. No fear.
He took me upstairs to his bedroom, his steps calm and purposeful. Positioning me in front of the floor-to-ceiling mirror in his bedroom, I watched his every touch as well as felt it echo inside me as he undressed me. My top was dragged over my head, and my jean shorts pushed down as my breathing quickened.
Standing behind me, his gaze raked over my body, studying the lace of my underwear. I shoved down my knickers and stepped out of them, my toes curling into the plush carpet.
Sebastian unclasped my bra and pushed away the material, his palms caressing my breasts. His fingers rolled over my nipples, softly at first, then pinching hard as he kissed my neck. I hissed through my teeth and pressed into his touch, desire aching in my core.
I melted against him, my arse rubbing against his erection as his hands moved across the flat of my stomach. My gaze was fixed on his, our connection electrifying and erotic as he slipped a finger through my wetness. I moaned softly as he delved deeper, and when his eyes rolled back into his head, my core sparked in response to his need.
“Fuck, you’re so perfect,” he whispered, his breath hot against the shell of my ear. “So wet… Your pussy is so perfect.”
I bucked against his hand, grinding my clit on his palm. “Sebastian.”
* * *
“I need you.” His words were strained as if he was holding back, but I wanted him just as badly. I’d been strangled by my fear for too long and now that I was free, I wanted to taste everything life with him had to offer—including his cock.
“Then take me,” I whispered. “Hard.”
His lips brushed against the back of my neck, the featherlight touch sending bolts of e
lectricity straight to my core. With his free hand, he reached behind his head and pulled off his T-shirt. His skin was warm against mine as he freed his cock, his hardness making my knees tremble.
I turned and wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him, thrusting my tongue into his mouth and taking what I needed from him. He answered, holding my body in an iron grip as we devoured one another like it was our first and last time.
We collapsed onto the bed in a haze, and there was a second when he pulled away and rolled a condom over his cock, before lowering his weight over me once more. I moaned as he filled me, my body craving the release only he could give. The last time we’d been together was the night before the awards ceremony after-party—the same party that’d torn us apart. It seemed so long ago, but as Sebastian took me, it was as if we’d never been parted.
His brow creased with the effort of his restraint as he buried his cock inside me, though it didn’t last long. Drawing back, he thrust, gliding through my arousal with a guttural cry as I clawed at his back.
He fucked me like he was starving. Each thrust struck deep and hard, our bodies slapping together with desperate want. Sweat prickled over my skin as we moved, and lips and hands traced fire as we rose to dizzying heights.
He never slowed, never spoke, and I rose to meet him just as I’d promised myself I would. No hesitation. No fear.
I couldn’t hold on under his onslaught and I came, tightening around his cock as I was torn apart and put back together. I shuddered under the pleasure and pain, unable to remember my name.
Sebastian’s hips jerked, then his cries mingled with mine as his release left his body. His skin was tacky to the touch, the exertion and ecstasy clear on his face.
“Juniper…” he whispered, through a strangled breath.
With our bodies still joined, our chests heaved in tandem and our gazes locked together. .
“Don’t let me go,” I said, wriggling in his arms.
And he didn’t.
The only thing that parted us was Sebastian’s appointment with the security company.
Sebastian was still asleep when I woke the next morning. I was sore, yet content, the memory of our active night together etched into every muscle.