by Jenna Jacob
“Every child deserves parents who love, cherish, and nurture them.”
“In a perfect world, yes. Regardless of what Sylvia thinks, I didn’t turn out too bad, did I?”
Afraid to lie and provoke Karma more than I already had, I eased from his chest, leaned back, and locked my stare on his dark eyes—the true windows of the soul. Ross didn’t yet comprehend the ramifications of disturbing the tranquility of the universe, but I did…knew them well.
“Are all those things she said about you true?”
Ross jerked his arms off my body and turned to face the elevator doors, blocking me out completely.
The rich veal and buttery potatoes threatened to purge from my stomach.
“I’ve never claimed to be a fucking choirboy, princess.” Ross shot me a hard stare over his shoulder. “If you don’t want to get hurt, you’ll stay away from me.”
Gathering the threads of shock, horror, and disbelief unraveling within, I tamped them down deep so the clarity marching through my brain had room to expand. Like puzzle pieces snapping together, I finally realized why I continually struggled to read this man. Why I’d only been able to catch a few coveted glimpses of the protective knight who’d come to my rescue. Or the special bond of love and friendship he and Bernie shared.
My abilities weren’t being blocked by the emotions churning off the masses in this huge city. I couldn’t breach Ross’s walls because he’d learned—at a very early age, no doubt—how to build and reinforce his barriers in order to survive. I couldn’t allow him to shut me out any longer. Not because I needed Quinn’s money but because Ross needed my help far more.
He was crazy if he thought I’d put distance between us. I hadn’t backed down from his nasty excuse for a mother, and I certainly wasn’t going to back down from him, either. When the elevator dinged and the doors slid open, I lifted my chin and stepped past him.
“Ha. You think I’m scared of you now?” My tone matched the sharp clip of my heels over the glossy marble floor.
I’d only taken five steps before Ross’s thick arm snagged my waist, and he whirled me around, pulling me flush against his hard body. I jerked my head up and was instantly held prisoner by the ravenous look in his eyes. Ross stepped forward until he’d backed me up against the cool marble wall. His stare grew more savage by the second. A feral grimace curled the corners of his mouth as if he planned to eat me alive.
Ross was gloriously terrifying in a beautifully dangerous way that my knees began to tremble—not in fear but arousal. My heart raced. My breath turned shallow. And a rush of hot, silky need spilled into my panties. Though it made no sense whatsoever, I yearned to give myself over to his kinky perversions. Give him the green light to do every dirty, wicked thing his heart desired if only to take away the ache throbbing between my legs.
Staring at his mouth, I branded the shape and texture of his lips to memory. He leaned in closer. His hot breath wafting over my skin made my heartbeat roar in my ears.
An impatient, primal heat consumed every cell in my body.
Anticipation spiked.
Though I was trembling with the ache to taste the forbidden fruit of his kiss and drown in the wet bliss of his mouth, I had no illusions. I knew the instant Ross Walker’s sinful lips touched mine, the raw sensuality searing off him—making my panties wetter by the second—would completely destroy me. But I didn’t even care. All I could focus on was the wild electricity humming within and the force of the jolt that would soon be surging through my soul when his lips met mine.
With a half-lidded, soul-stealing gaze, Ross slid his hand beneath my hair and cupped my nape. My body craved things my mind couldn’t comprehend, and without meaning to, I leaned in ever so slightly. An animalistic growl rumbled from deep in his chest, sending goose bumps erupting over my flesh. With a muted curse, he pressed his thumb beneath my jaw, tilted my head back, and aligned my mouth beneath his.
Anticipation clawed.
I closed my eyes and held my breath…waiting for the sweet caress of his lips. But when Ross crashed his mouth over mine, savagely stabbing his tongue between my lips and lashing mine with deep, powerful strokes, all dreams of a tender, passionate kiss vanished.
This felt nothing like the uncertain, artless kiss I’d shared with Beau back home.
His was a forceful, commanding, powerful possession from a man well practiced in the art of seduction and sex. His kiss stole my breath. As Ross ate at me as if I were his last meal, tremors and sparks ricocheted through me, awakening an unfamiliar feminine entity sleeping within. Images of all the pleasure his wicked tongue could grant between my legs sent a flood to spill between my legs.
From low in the back of my throat, a whimper of need collided with his gliding tongue. Ross gripped my nape tighter. Holding me in place, his lips ground into mine with a punishing burn. Every inch of him was hard muscle, every inch except his mouth. I gripped the fabric of his jacket like a lifeline, melted against his chest, and lost myself in his demanding kiss.
His sex grew thicker, harder, and hotter against my stomach, sending more liquid rushing from my sex.
My skin felt tight.
My breasts felt heavy.
My nipples were as hard as glass and pounding in rhythm with the engorged nub between my folds. And just when I thought I was going to burst into flames, Ross glided his hand down my hip, over my thigh, then gripped the hem of my dress. His thick knuckles grazed my flesh as he started dragging the fabric up my leg.
Images of the brazen woman flashing her butt cheek on the sidewalk at lunch flashed in my head.
Panic and shame collided with throbbing desire.
Did Ross think so little of me that he didn’t care about exposing my flesh in the lobby of his mother’s building? I wasn’t one of his uninhibited fans willing to sacrifice my morals in hope that a rich, famous rock god would give me a few minutes of his undivided attention. Or maybe Ross thought he was entitled to take what he wanted.
Ribbons of revulsion wended through me, extinguishing the flames of arousal.
Slapping at his hand, I tried to tug my dress down, but Ross merely brushed my fingers away before gliding his toward my warm, wet panties.
No. This was all wrong. Memories of the frightening man who’d assaulted me on the sidewalk sprinkled seeds of helplessness through my system. Fear, sharp and caustic sent my stomach swirling and my heart bouncing off my ribs.
Blades of betrayal sliced deep.
Ross’s actions made no sense. He’d saved me from the molesting monster this morning, yet now, he was acting just like him.
Releasing his jacket, I tried to shove Ross off me, but he was too big, too strong…too determined. Fear mounted. I slapped my palms, hard, against his pecs and jerked my head to the side, severing the ruthless kiss.
“Get off me,” I snapped.
Ross suddenly lurched back and raised his palms in the air, while he licked his lips as if savoring my taste. A half a heartbeat later, his whole demeanor changed. Ross clenched his jaw and sent me an arctic, condescending smile.
“You scared now, princess? You should be. You should be fucking petrified.”
Without giving me a chance to respond, Ross clutched my hand and practically dragged me toward the entrance of the building.
Anger spiking, mind spinning, lips tingling, and pride stinging, I stepped onto the sidewalk with him. The instant Bernie spied us, he hurried and opened the back door.
I didn’t wait for an invitation. Didn’t wait for Ross to help me into the limo. I simply slid onto the buttery-soft leather seats, crossed my arms over my chest, and silently stewed.
“You stayed a lot longer than I expected,” Bernie stated.
“We’ll talk about it in the car. I’m sure Sylvia’s upstairs watching to make sure you don’t step out of line.”
The words had no more left Ross’s lips than a shrill ring sounded from Bernie’s coat pocket. I watched through the open door as he retrieved the device and glanced
at the caller ID.
“If it’s Sylvia, don’t answer,” Ross instructed. “Leave her. Quit right now. Go home, pack your shit, and let me fly you to Chicago. You can work for me.”
“I-I can’t let you support me, Ross,” Bernie countered while his phone continued to ring. “I can’t take money I haven’t earned.”
“Who says you’re not going to earn it?” Ross countered, his tone softening exponentially. “I’m not home much, but when I am, I might need a good driver.”
Bernie raised his head and gazed at the top of the building as if weighing Ross’s offer.
“When I leave here today, I won’t be coming back…ever,” Ross stated bleakly.
“Was it that bad?”
“Brutal.” Ross sighed heavily. “Come on, Bernie. Get behind the wheel, drive away, and don’t look back. You deserve so much better than her.”
“W-what about the limo?”
“She can send someone to pick it up from the hotel.”
“You’re serious, aren’t you?”
“I’ve never been more serious in my life. I left you with her the summer I turned nineteen. I’m not leaving you to deal with that cunt again.” Bernie’s phone finally fell silent. “Make up your mind, man. Time’s running out. She’s probably on her way down.”
“Are you sure about this, son?” Bernie asked, face stamped with indecision.
“Positive. I-I need you…I’ve always needed you way more than she ever has.”
I watched Bernie wipe a tear from his cheek, then a smile—brighter than the sun—lit up his face. “Then what are we waiting for? Get your ass in the car, and let’s get the hell out of here.”
With a muttered, “Thank fuck,” Ross slid in beside me and yanked the door shut.
I could hear Bernie—laughing like a loon—as he rounded the limo and hopped in behind the wheel. Then with a squeal of tires and a cloud of smoking rubber, the limo lurched forward.
Ross didn’t say a word, didn’t even glance my way. He simply sat like a statue and stared straight ahead. A whirlpool of conflicted emotions I’d never felt before swirled within and threatened to pull me under.
On one hand, I admired the big drummer for granting Bernie his long-awaited freedom. Yet, on the other, knowing that Ross’s kiss, still stinging my lips, hadn’t been designed to claim me with ruthless, thrilling arousal, but had been a premeditated attempt to scare me off was equal parts confusing, embarrassing, and irritating. So much anger was flooding my system, I didn’t know if meditation alone could purge it all.
“Will it mess up your plans if I take a few days to get some personal things in order before heading to Chicago?” Bernie asked, glancing at Ross in the rearview.
“Not at all. Take as long as you need. I’ll book your flight whenever you’re ready.”
Will he book a flight for me, too…a flight to Kentucky?
Seriously? You’re throwing in the towel on day one? a little voice in my head scoffed.
Clearly, I’d given Ross the power to disturb my peace of mind…my sacred utopia within. I might have started down the path of this new journey on the wrong foot, but I still had time to retrace my steps and take my power back…starting now.
While the two men continued discussing Bernie’s move, I turned my head, closed my eyes, and blocked them out completely.
After inhaling several deep, calming breaths, I focused on quieting the chaos swirling within. First, I imagined myself back home, sitting on the smooth slab of stone beside the rippling creek. I could hear the water bubbling over the rocks, the birds chirping in the trees, and the squirrels scampering across the carpet of leaves and sticks on the ground. I could feel the sun warming my skin, the cool mountain air skimming over my flesh and blowing through my hair. The sharp tang of the pines and rich, loamy soil filled my nose.
When my soul finally settled, I mentally began reciting my favorite mantras, wrapping the familiar healing and empowering words around me until I was safely cocooned in a familiar blanket of peace once more.
“You plan on staying in the limo all night, princess?” Ross’s derisive tone tugged at my veil of serenity.
I opened my eyes and turned my head. He was standing on the sidewalk in front of our hotel peering at me. There was no sign of Bernie anywhere. I wrapped my fingers around my clutch and scooted across the seat. Ross extended his hand to help me out, but I brushed it aside and exited on my own.
“Don’t push me away in public. If the press sees you do that, we’ll have to start this farce all over again,” he murmured, sliding a possessive arm around my waist. Bristling, I pinched my lips together. “Better find a smile under that pout, princess. We’ve been spotted.”
Forcing a smile as plastic as the one stretched over Ross’s lips, I caught sight of several reporters frantically snapping photos as they hurried our way. He quickly guided me inside the hotel, across the lobby, and to the elevators. I could feel Ross’s eyes trying to peel the blanket of calm from my body. Mentally holding it tightly in place, I let several soothing phrases flutter through my mind.
When the doors slid open, I turned and flashed him a brittle but polite smile. “Thank you for dinner.”
He scoffed. “That wasn’t much of a dinner. I mean, neither of us really ate anything. But thank you for enduring that hell with me.”
“No problem,” I said, stepping into the small conveyance. As Ross started to follow, I blocked his path and shook my head. “You don’t need to escort me to my room. I’m capable of—”
“I know exactly what you’re capable of, but I’m still walking you to your room.”
“Suit yourself.” I shrugged, backing into a corner as far away from him as I could.
Neither of us said another word until we reached my room. As I retrieved my key card and went to slide it into the lock, Ross captured my hand.
“You need to stay like this.”
“Like what?”
“Pissed.” He held me prisoner with hungry dark eyes. “I’m not one of the good guys. I only pretend to be when the paparazzi’s around.”
“I don’t believe you. I’ve seen—”
“Exactly what I want you to see, but it’s not the real me. If I let the real me out of its cage, there’d be nothing left of you. I’d destroy you. I’d eat you up…devour you like the sweet, juicy morsel you are and spit you out. I’ll do everything in my power to keep that from happening, but I need you to do the same…for both of us. Understood?”
“Let me get this straight. You’d rather humiliate me than destroy me?”
“Yeah. The longer you’re pissed at me, the safer we’ll be.”
I yanked my hand from his, shoved my card into the lock, then twisted the handle and opened the door. I stepped inside and turned to face him again.
“I thought you were a smart man, but obviously I was wrong. Here’s a news flash for you, Ross…humiliating people does destroy them.”
When I started to slam the door in his face, he charged into the suite—snarling and nostrils flaring—like an angry bull. The rush of fear climbing up my spine begged me to run into the bedroom, lock the door, and call security. Instead, I lifted my chin and held my ground.
“I’m trying to do the right thing here,” Ross bit out between clenched teeth. “But you’re making it nearly impossible.”
“You’re the one who initiated that soul-stealing kiss, not me,” I reminded, stabbing his chest with my finger. “Did I ask you to toss that creep onto a taxi or heave that reporter into the air? No. You did those things to protect me. You can stand here and tell me you’re a bad person or that you’re going to destroy me all you want, but I’m never going to believe you.”
“Oh, yeah? Why not?”
“Because I’ve already seen what’s in your heart.”
“You’re forgetting one important detail.”
“What?”
“I’m a damn good actor.”
He leaned in close, brushing his lips over the shell of my e
ar, sending my heart rate jumping and heat pooling between my legs. I wanted him to kiss me again…one last time before he completely shut me out of his life.
“Don’t confuse my performance with me giving a fuck, little girl. I have zero fucks to give about anything or anyone.”
“Oh, please.” I rolled my eyes. “You care about playing the drums. And you certainly care about Bernie. You wouldn’t have offered him a job or the chance to escape Sylvia.”
“Fine. You’re right. Drums are my life. And Bernie’s the father I should have had, instead of that prick who emptied his ball sac into Sylvia’s snatch.”
I pinched my lips together to muffle a laugh.
“What’s so funny?”
“You,” I said, giving up the struggle of hiding my grin. “You barely talk, and when you finally do, you don’t bother mincing a single word.”
“Candy coating shit serves only one purpose.”
“What would that be?”
“To keep all the snowflakes from crying in their Wheaties.”
“What’s a—”
“A snowflake?” Ross asked incredulously.
“No. I know what snowflakes are. We do have winter on the mountain. What’s a Wheaty?”
“Come on, we’re going back downstairs.” He slid his hand in mine.
“Why?”
“Because I’m going to find you a bowl of Wheaties.”
“Do we have time? You’ve got rehearsal at eight, and—”
“Shit. How the hell did that slip my mind?”
Well, gee…let’s see. You had a fake girlfriend thrust on you before breakfast. Pulled a pervert off her less than an hour later. Dodged several uncomfortable questions at the radio station. Manhandled a jerk reporter for knocking me down at lunch. Had your viper mother show up at your hotel for a surprise visit. Confronted said viper at dinner. Kissed me so hard my panties nearly melted off. Lifted my skirt and felt up my leg, then verbally slapped me in the face. Hired your mother’s driver. And tried to convince me you’re some kind of evil monster. And this was just day one.
I figured his question was rhetorical, so I kept the litany of events to myself.