Chapter Twelve
Lucas
“All right, you degenerates!” Blaze bellows as he walks into the room. “Sit down. Let’s get started.”
The noise dies down and we all settle into our usual seats as Blaze sits at the head of the table and bangs the gavel on the top.
“Where are we at with the Laney investigation?”
I shake my head. “Stalled out.”
We spent the last couple weeks pouring over the case and we can’t find anything more than what Rodriguez did. It’s gotten to the point where I’m wondering if Owen wasn’t really behind it despite the feeling in my gut that there’s more going on.
“If there’s evidence to find, we’re not finding it,” Storm adds, frustration splayed across his face.
“Keep digging,” Blaze instructs. “We promised Rodriguez some answers.”
“Have we considered the possibility that the two things aren’t related?” Moose asks and Blaze turns to him.
“Meaning?”
“Meaning that all the evidence points to this guy that Rodriguez locked up so are we sure that her death and her stalker are connected?”
I point at him from across the table. “It’s too neat, though. There’s no way that if this guy actually did it that he’d leave so many clues for us to find.”
“Both are a possibility,” Streak adds. “But if it’s a set-up, it's one of the best damn ones I’ve ever seen.”
“So what are you saying?”
He shakes his head, letting out a breath. “Nothing. Just that if someone did set him up and that’s a big if, they’d have to have an intimate knowledge of not only Rodriguez but the way the police work. All the clues pointed to Owen - not in an obvious way but he wasn’t exactly hiding his tracks either. It’s just believable enough that most people wouldn’t dig further.”
“Someone needs to talk to Rodriguez. Ask him if he’s had issues with anyone lately,” Blaze instructs and Storm nods.
“I’ll handle it.”
“Good,” he answers before turning to me. “What do we have going on with the P.I. business this week?”
I shake my head. “Oh, you know, just the usual.”
“Cheating husband?” Chance asks, his lip curling in disgust. Chance has made it perfectly clear in the past how much he despises working on the P.I. side of things because it seems like all we do is break up marriages but he is not exactly all that skilled with a wrench either, which eliminates the possibility of him working at the shop. I nod my head.
“Yep. I have to meet up with Tate in a few minutes for one of our cases.”
Blaze nods thoughtfully. “How’s she working out?”
“Good,” I answer as I glance over at Kodiak. Tate first came into all our lives a few months ago when Blaze ordered Kodiak to watch her and it didn’t take long for things to get a little out of control. There’s still a little tension between Tate and Blaze after everything that went down but I have faith that they’ll both come around. This is a family, after all. Blaze nods again before grabbing the gavel and banging it on the table.
“That’s all I’ve got for y’all today. Get out of here.”
I check my phone, hoping for a text from Quinn, as I step out into the bar but there’s nothing and I shake my head. There was no way I was leaving her after everything she told me last night but I spent the whole night staring up at the ceiling in her bedroom as she slept cuddled up against my side. For hours, I imagined finding the monster who thought he had a right to put his hands on her and making him wish that he’d never been born. Even now, I want to go out and hunt him down despite the fact that she seemed happier, lighter this morning.
“You ready to go?”
I glance up and Tate arches a brow in my direction as Kodiak pulls her into his arms.
“Uh, yeah…”
“Everything okay?” Kodiak asks, his back straightening as he studies me and I nod, shaking off my thoughts.
“Yeah, it’s all good. Now, release your woman so we can get to work.”
He growls and pulls her closer. “Hold your fucking horses. I haven’t seen her all damn day.”
“I’m just going to wait out in the truck then,” I grumble and roll my eyes as they start kissing. They don’t even acknowledge me so I duck outside and climb into the truck before dialing Quinn’s number.
“Hey, handsome,” she answers and I grin.
“Hey, baby. What are you up to?”
She sighs and the image of her perfect pouty lips flash through my mind as my cock stirs. Fuck, it’s been so hard to hold back with her when all I want to do is bury myself inside her.
“Just working.”
“Yeah? How’s the gala coming?”
“Well, I think everything will be ready by Saturday as long as I don’t forget to pick up my dress with everything else I’ve got going on.”
“Dress, huh? I can’t wait to see you in it.”
Her husky laugh goes straight to my cock. “Why does that sound dirty when you say it?”
“Maybe because I was imagining taking the dress off you at the end of the night.”
“Lucas,” she gasps, her voice a husky whisper and I bite back a groan.
“Baby, you can’t say my name like that.”
She giggles and the sound fills me with pride. I love making her laugh. “Why not?”
“Because I promised to take things slow and I don’t want to be an ass, especially after what you shared with me last night.”
“Forget the rules and taking things slow, Lucas. I told you last night that I’m all in.”
“Quinn Dawson,” I drawl. “Are you asking me to go steady?”
She laughs and I can just imagine the way her eyes sparkle when she smiles. “Yeah, I guess I am. What do you say?”
“I suppose we could give it a shot.”
“I’m overjoyed by your enthusiastic response,” she answers and I laugh as Tate walks out of the clubhouse.
“Truthfully, Darlin’, I knew you were different right from the moment you looked at me. I’ve just been waitin’ on you.”
“You really mean that, don’t you?”
I nod as Tate opens the passenger door to the truck. “Yeah, I do. Told ya, I don’t say things I don’t mean.”
“One of these days, that might just sink in. You want to come over for dinner tonight?”
“Yeah, I can do that,” I reply as I feel Tate’s gaze burrowing into the side of my face. Her brow quirks in question when I glance in her direction but I ignore it and turn back to the steering wheel.
“Perfect. I get off at five and I can pick something up on my way home.”
Something about the way she says home does something to me and I can’t help but picture truly having a home with her and Brooklyn someday. Damn, that’s a pretty picture even if it’s only in my imagination.
“Don’t worry about it, babe. I’ll grab something before I come over. What are you in the mood for?”
Tate sighs from the other side of the cab and I shoot a glare in her direction. The woman has no patience whatsoever..
“Surprise me,” Quinn answers and I nod.
“Okay. See you tonight.”
We say good-bye and I hang up before tossing my phone in the cup holder and reversing out of the parking spot.
“Who was that?”
I glance over at Tate and shake my head. “None of your business.”
“Oh, Lukie,” she teases, grinning. “Have you forgotten that I could just make you tell me?”
“Do you remember the conversation we had about not causing bodily harm to the people you care about?” I say, narrowing my eyes at her and she laughs. I’ve never met anyone quite like Tate and she’s quickly become one of my best friends, especially after Kodiak suggested that she try working for the P.I. side of the club. It’s honestly been a perfect fit with her skill set but she’s still a little too hot-headed to be out on her own. Tate has more of an act first, ask questions later attitude that can get her into trouble but that’s the reason that Kodiak fell in love with her.
“Of course I do. Now, tell me who that was.”
I sigh. “Quinn.”
“Ohh, the girl from the car accident,” she teases with a giggle. “Ali was telling me all about her. I take it from the part of the conversation I heard things are going well?”
“Yeah.”
She leans across the cab, inspecting my face. “What’s wrong? Is it not going well?”
“No, it’s not that,” I answer before sighing. “It’s just that she told me something last night about her past… something traumatic, and it’s just driving me crazy today. I want to fix it for her.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake!” she exclaims, leaning back in her seat as she shakes her head. “Freaking men. You all want to fix everything but she didn’t share that part of herself with you so you could fix it.”
“I know…”
“No,” she interrupts. “You don’t know if it’s still bugging you. When she told you whatever she told you, she was giving you a piece of herself, of her heart, and the only damn thing you need to do is protect and cherish it. Believe me, if she needs you to fix something, she’ll let you know.”
“How am I supposed to just listen to it, knowing that she’s in so much pain and not do anything about it?”
She rolls her eyes. “Don’t be dense, Luke. It’s not a good look on you. By listening to her and holding her as she breaks down, you are fixing it. If she feels safe enough to open up to you, then you are fixing it every fucking day you’re with her so all you gotta do is not fuck it up.”
“Right,” I say with a nod. “Don’t fuck it up. Any other advice, nosey?”
We pull into Sunrise Diner where Tate used to work and where we’re meeting our client, Kayla. Tate shakes her head. “Not right now but I’ll let you know if I think of anything else.”
“I’m sure you will.”
She grabs the file of photos and receipts we’re presenting to Kayla today and opens it, skimming through the shots I got last week.
“Shit,” she hisses when she gets to a particularly lewd shot of Kayla’s husband, Bobby, getting his dick sucked. “What an asshole.”
“You ready to do this?” I ask and she nods. I scan the parking lot as we climb out of the truck and spot Kayla’s car on the far side of the lot. I never like these kinds of meetings but I get the feeling that Kayla’s just looking for an excuse to leave her husband and that’s exactly what I’m bringing her today. I’m not delivering terrible news or breaking someone’s heart and it’s a nice change of pace.
Tate nudges me as we walk into the diner, pointing to the back corner where Kayla is sitting, gazing out the window. She waves to a few of the employees as we make our way through the tables and Kayla looks up as we approach her table.
“Hi,” she says, standing and shaking both of our hands.
“How are you doing, Darlin’?” I ask as we sit down and her lips part as she shrugs.
“Oh, you know… just going a little crazy. Did you guys find anything?”
I nod, sliding the folder across the table. “Yes, ma’am. We did.”
She opens the folder, anger replacing her smile as she flicks through the photos. Finally, she slaps the folder closed and nods.
“Well, I suppose that’s that, then.”
“We’re very sorry,” Tate tells her. “We know no one likes to get this information.”
Kayla shakes her head, seemingly shaking off her anger at the same time. “Please don’t apologize. This is what I hired you guys for.” She reaches across the table and lays her hand on mine. “And I appreciate all your hard work.”
“You’re welcome,” I answer, pulling my hand away.
“There’s just the small matter of payment,” Tate cuts in with a grin on her face.
Kayla nods. “Oh, yes, of course.”
As she pulls out some cash and counts out enough bills for our fee, her gaze keeps drifting up to me and when she sees me looking at her, she smiles before tilting her head to the side slightly to expose her neck. I know exactly what she’s doing but it’s never going to fucking happen - not with a client and especially not with Quinn waiting at home for me.
* * * *
“Lucas,” she whispers as she opens the front door, a bright smile lighting up her gorgeous face and everything inside me urges me forward until I wrap my arms around her and pull her close.
“Hey, gorgeous. Miss me?”
She nods, pressing her hands flat against my chest as she looks up at me. Fuck, the adoration in her ice blue eyes is a punch to the gut and I don’t know how I will ever walk away from her. How the hell do I ever get anything done during the day when I know this is what is waiting for me?
“Terribly.”
“Will you forgive me if I brought food?” I ask, holding up the dinner that I picked up on my way over here and she nods.
“I suppose I can let it slide this time.”
I grin and dig my fingers into her side as she squeals. “How gracious of you.”
“Lucas!” she screams, trying to wiggle out of my arms and I finally release her as a shriek comes from the living room.
“Brooklyn,” I call out and laugh when another shriek echoes through the house.
“She’s going to freak if you don’t go in there to see her.” Quinn laughs and I pull her tighter, molding her sexy body around mine as I lean down and claim her lips. She sighs and grips my t-shirt. When I pull away, her cheeks are pink and she is quietly gasping for air. All I can imagine as she licks her lips is finally getting her underneath me and I barely hold back a groan.
“Dada!” Brooklyn calls from the living room and Quinn shakes her head, reaching for the bag of food.
“Give me that and go see your girl.”
Grinning, I hand her the bag of food and watch as she walks into the kitchen, her hips swaying back and forth with each step.
“Dada!”
Brooklyn’s shriek snaps me out of my daze and I can’t help but smile as I walk into the living room and Brooklyn grins. I have no idea if her calling me “Dada” means anything or if she’s just babbling but I can’t lie - I love the way it sounds.
“Hey, baby girl,” I say as I reach her playpen and she holds her hands up to me. I lift her into my arms and she immediately cuddles into my neck, shoving her tiny little thumb in her mouth. I rub her back as I carry her into the kitchen and Quinn’s smile is soft when she turns and sees us.
“The two of you…” she mutters as she shakes her head. “Dinner’s on the table.”
I carry Brooklyn over to the table and buckle her into her high chair before sitting across from Quinn and pulling food out of the bag. Once everything is passed out, Quinn starts feeding Brooklyn her mashed potatoes and I study her, frowning at the dark circles under her eyes.
“Rough day?” I know she’s been stressed with this gala coming up but I wish there was something I could do to help.
She nods. “Yeah. I didn’t have very long to plan this thing so I’m being run a little ragged this week. I just need some sleep though.”
“You sure?”
“Yes,” she answers, offering me a reassuring smile. “I’m sure.”
“Here, let me help with that,” I say, taking the spoon from her hand and start feeding Brooklyn as Quinn digs into her food. She asks about my day as we eat and I tell her about Kayla’s case, specifically leaving out the part where she hit on me and afterward when Tate told me I was already in deep and “totally screwed”. Not like she’s one to talk. She was all about avoiding relationships when she met Kodiak and that changed pretty quickly. Besides, I still don’t know what is so bad about what they all have now.
I used to think that there wasn’t room in my life for a relationship but meeting Quinn showed me differently and when she asked me about what I wanted in my life and I couldn’t think of anything, I was floored. Somewhere along the way I had stopped being my own person and just became my brother’s keeper - a title neither one of us wants me to have. Hell, I’m almost thirty and before she pushed me to search for answers, I had no idea what I wanted out of my life and no hope of ever discovering those answers.
“You want to watch a movie?” Quinn asks as we clean up dinner and I nod. I’ll do just about anything to spend more time with her.
“Yeah, that sounds good. Should we put her down first?” I ask, motioning to a very sleepy Brooklyn and Quinn shakes her head.
“Naw, let her cuddle up with us on the couch. Besides, she can pass out anywhere.”
Once we get dinner cleaned up, I unbuckle Brooklyn from her high chair and join Quinn in the living room as she picks out a movie. The opening credits roll and Quinn cuddles into my side as Brooklyn lays her head down on my chest and plops her thumb into her mouth as I hold her steady with my free hand. Within minutes, she’s snoring quietly on me and I nudge Quinn to show her. She doesn’t answer and when I glance down and find her sleeping against my side, a feeling of contentment and peace washes over me. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever felt before and I realize that this right here is exactly what I want out of my life. When I’m ninety years old on my death bed, if all I ever accomplished was loving these two with all my heart, I’ll be able to smile and say I lived a damn good life.
Chapter Thirteen
Quinn
“How are things looking, Ronald?” I ask as I step into the ballroom with a giant cup of coffee in my hand. People are working all around us and I survey what they’ve been able to get done since I left late last night.
“Good. I think we’re about ready.”
I scan the room again, nodding. “Looks really good. Thank you so much for all your hard work.”
“No need to thank me, Quinn. Besides, I heard a little rumor that you were here until three in the morning working on all this.”
I shrug as a traitorous yawn slips out of my mouth. “That’s just part of the job. Now, what do we still have to do?”
“This way, please,” he says, gesturing for me to follow him as he turns to one side of the room and points out some of the bigger decorations that are still in the final stages of being assembled before we turn toward the dining area.
“Chef Thomas has been hard at work all day and the waiters are getting the tables set up now.”
I nod. “What about the art?”
“Once everything else is set up, we’ll bring the auction pieces in and set them up along the outside of the room but we didn’t want to risk bringing them in with some many people still working in here.”
“Good. Have we heard anything from the band?”
“They should be here within the hour,” he assures me and I nod, glancing around the room one more time.
“Okay, Ronald. I’ve got to go get ready but if there are any issues, I’m just upstairs in room two eighteen.”
He nods. “We’ve got things under control down here.”
“I’ll be back before everything starts to check things over one last time. Thank you again for all your hard work.”
“Of course, Quinn. It’s been my pleasure to assist you.”
I flash him a smile before turning toward the elevators as another yawn ambushes me. Once the elevator doors open and I step inside, I pull my phone out and send a text to Lucas.
Me:
The Plantation.
Room 208.
Meet me there in two hours.
Butterflies flap around in my belly after I press send and I bite back a smile. After the most amazing week with Lucas, I’ve decided that tonight is the night. I’m finally going to sleep with him and while I’m nervous, it’s not as bad as I thought it would be. Maybe it’s because everything Lucas does makes me feel safe or because he has systematically claimed pieces of my heart since the moment we met. Whatever it is, I know this is the right decision and I’m excited for this next step.
My phone buzzes as I unlock the door to my room and the butterflies only get stronger so I take a deep breath as I dump my bag on the bed and run my hand over the plastic covering my dress before glancing down at my phone.
Lucas:
Can’t wait to see you, baby.
Last night was the first night in the past ten days that Lucas didn’t have dinner over at the house with Brooklyn and me since I was busy setting up for the event and I’m surprised how much I missed seeing him. I didn’t expect that. Then again, I also didn’t expect to meet someone and so quickly allow them to become an integral part of my day or so easily. Everything about this has been unexpected but kind of everything I needed, at the same time and now that I’ve decided to make things official with him, I can’t help but imagine a future for us. I just hope he’s feeling the same.
My phone buzzes again, pulling me out of my thoughts.
Holly:
Be there in twenty.
“Shit,” I hiss, tossing my phone down on the bed. Holly is my hair stylist and I got so caught up thinking about Lucas that I forgot she was meeting me here to do my hair and makeup. Rushing into the bathroom, I quickly strip and turn on the shower before rushing through washing my hair and face. When I step out, I glance up at the clock and whisper another curse as I grab the silk robe off the hook in the bathroom and slip it on. My dress has a keyhole back so I’m not able to wear a bra but I slip a sexy pair of panties on underneath my robe just as someone knocks on the door. “Shit.”
I check my reflection in the mirror, just to make sure I’m decent before running to the door and throwing it open. “Hey.”
“Um… hi, crazy eyes.” Holly laughs, arching a brow as she looks me over. “What the hell are you doing? Running a marathon?”
I nod. “Feels like it. I lost track of time and had to rush to shower before you got here.”
“Ah, the things we do for beauty,” she muses as I stand back and hold the door open for her. As I close the door, she pulls the chair away from the desk in the corner of the room and gets her bags set up on the bed. “So, what are we thinking for your hair today?”
“I’m not sure. I was kind of thinking something half up but maybe you should look at my dress and tell me what you think.”
She nods, pointing to the garment bag on the bed. “Let’s see it.”
Nodding, I cross the room and grab the hanger before hanging it on a hook by the closet and slowly pulling the plastic up to reveal the gorgeous midnight blue hand-beaded tulle trumpet gown I found in a little shop downtown. It feels very vintage with its illusion cap sleeves and neckline over a sweetheart bodice and the keyhole back. Holly gasps and I smile.
“Oh…my…god… that dress is stunning and I’m totally getting a vintage vibe from it. Like a nineteen twenties, Great Gatsby thing.”
I nod. “That was exactly what I was thinking.”
“Okay, so we’ll do a low bun with curls and I’ve got the perfect band to put in your hair,” she says, pulling out a headband with blue and white stones that complements the dress perfectly.
“That’s gorgeous,” I tell her and she nods as she gestures for me to sit in the chair before pulling a blow dryer and extension cord out of her bag.
“Come sit down and let me work my magic.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I answer, crossing the room and plopping down in the chair, eager to see how I look when she’s finished with me.
“So,” she says as she pulls my hair out of the towel and starts running a comb through it. “How’s life?”
I can’t hold back my smile as I stare at my reflection in the mirror. “Really good, actually.”
“Well, look at you! You’re glowing!”
“Am I?”
She slaps my shoulder playfully. “Yes, you are. What is putting this smile on your face?”
“Life is just good, you know.”
My phone buzzes on the bed and I grab it, my heart skipping a beat at Lucas’s name on the screen. I open the text and laugh.
Lucas:
Do I get a sneak peek of the dress?
Me:
Nope. You’re just going to have to wait.
“Lucas, huh?” Holly asks and when I meet her gaze in the mirror, she wiggles her eyebrows. “Does he have anything to do with why your life is so good lately?”
A blush creeps up my cheeks. “Maybe.”
“Well, in that case, let’s make sure you knock him off his feet tonight,” she answers with a determined look in her eyes and butterflies dance around in my belly as I think about seeing Lucas tonight and my plans for after the gala. The nerves are still there but so is this deep, steadfast feeling that tonight is going to be nothing short of perfection.
* * * *
“Wow,” I whisper, inspecting myself in the mirror as Holly stands back with a proud smirk on her face.
“You look incredible. I’m going to be pissed if your man is able to form words after seeing you.”
I laugh as I gently run my hands over the beadwork on the front of the dress. “You know, I think I will be, too.”
“When is he supposed to be here?” She fusses with my hair, making sure each piece is perfectly in place as I turn to look at the clock.
“Uh, five minutes.”
“Shit,” she whispers. “Well, let me get packed up and I’ll get out of here.”
I turn away from the mirror as she starts throwing blow dryers, flat irons, bobby pins, hairspray, and combs back into her bag and when she’s finished, she scans the room one last time.
“Okay, I think that’s everything.”
I nod. “Thank you so much for this. I feel like a movie star.”
“Girl, you look like one. Text me tomorrow and let me know how long it takes the mister to pick his jaw up off of the floor,” she teases as we move toward the door and I laugh.
“Oh, I definitely will.”
She opens the door and turns back to me. “I would give you a hug but I don’t want to smudge my masterpiece so we’re just going to pretend.”
We both go in for an air hug before giggling as we pull away and she shakes her head and steps out into the hallway.
“Have fun tonight!”
“You have anything planned for the evening?”
She nods, backing down the hallway slowly. “Yeah, big date tonight. Netflix and Chill with Jordy, my cat.”
“Ooh, girl!”
“I know,” she calls as she stops by the elevator and takes a bow. “Be jealous.”
The elevator door opens and I wave as she steps inside. “Bye.”
Once she’s out of sight, I step back into my room and close my door behind me. The butterflies start up again as I check my watch and realize that Lucas will be here any second. Sucking in a breath, I walk over to the mirror and take one last look at the makeup Holly did for me. She kept it classic with thick liner and red lips and that combined with my side swept hair and the gorgeous dress I’m wearing, I look like I would seamlessly blend at a roaring twenties party.
Someone knocks on the door and my head whips toward it as I press a hand to my belly and fight back a smile.
“Here we go,” I whisper before turning toward the door and walking confidently across the room. Lucas is just about to knock again when I open the door and as soon as he sees me, his jaw goes slack and he presses his hand to his chest.
“Holy fuck,” he mutters, his blue gaze slowly sinking down my body and following every curve on the way back up. “Jesus Christ.”
“Can you say anything else?” I ask, biting back a giggle and he shakes his head, still unable to meet my gaze.
“Uh… no, I don’t think I can.”
I plant my hands on my hips and slowly turn in front of him, savoring the whispered curses when he sees the back of my dress. “You like?”
“Baby…” he utters, taking a step toward me as I face him again. “I fucking love. You look…”
“Good?” I ask and he shakes his head as he grabs my waist and pulls me into his body.
“No, better than that.”
“Beautiful?”
“Always but that’s not the word I was looking for.”
I nod, laying my arms on his shoulders. “Well, maybe you could just show me.”
“Fantastic idea,” he murmurs, leaning in and sealing his lips over mine in a kiss that’s far more aggressive than he’s ever been before. I come alive in his hands and arch into his body, every cell pumping through my bloodstream screaming for me.
“Fuck, I want this dress off you,” he growls and thrusts his hips forward, his erection digging into my hip. I gasp, clinging to the lapels of his tux and he pulls back as he shakes his head.
“Shit. I’m sorry, baby.”
I shake my head and pull him closer. “No, please don’t stop.”
“Darlin’,” he rasps, flashing me a grin as he swipes his thumb below my bottom lip. “You’re running this show and now you’ve got to fix your makeup.”
“Oh, shit.” I glance at the clock behind me and I sigh as I slip out of his arms. “We’re picking this up later.”
He holds his hands up in surrender as he steps into the room and the door closes behind him. “You won’t hear any complaints from me.”
I finish fixing my makeup, aware of his intense stare the entire time and when I turn to face him again, I smile. His brow arches as I slowly walk toward him, putting a little extra swing in my hips and hoping I look as sexy as I feel. When I reach him, he pulls me into his arms again and molds my body to his.
“I have a surprise for you after the gala,” I tease and he grins.
“Yeah? What is it?”
Shaking my head, I push away from him. “You’re just going to have to wait and see.”
“Oh, you’re mean.”
“Trust me, it’ll be worth it,” I call over my shoulder as I stop at the door and hold out my hand. “Now, are you coming?”
“Absolutely. I’m not letting you out of my sight tonight.”
I laugh as we step out into the hallway and I tuck the hotel key into my clutch. “Why not?”
“Because this place is going to be crawling with men and you are a goddamn goddess. All these bastards need to know that you’re mine.”
“I like the sound of that,” I whisper. It’s the first time he’s ever laid down a claim like that and I love the way it feels knowing that I belong to him. And there’s not a single part of it that’s demeaning or rude. I belong to him in the way he feels like home and the way he makes me feel like the only girl in the entire world.
We step into the elevator and he stands next to me, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me close until I can feel his warmth seeping into me.
“You know what I like?” he asks and I glance back at him.
“No. What?”
As the elevator doors close, he turns me to face him and slowly backs me up until my back presses against the wall of the car. His hand cups my face and he leans in, hovering his lips over mine and stealing the air from my lungs as our eyes meet.
“I love that you’re all in now.”
I smile. “I love that you made me feel safe enough to take that chance with you.”
“Do you remember what I told you the night we went over to Iris’s for dinner?” he asks and I think back to that night.
“That I’m in control?”
He nods. “That’s right, baby. I’m not holding back anymore but I want you to always remember that, okay? You’re the boss and if you’re uncomfortable with anything, you just say the word and it stops.”
“I trust you, Lucas,” I whisper, gripping his wrist as he brushes his thumb over my face. He smiles.
“You have no idea how much I love hearing that.”
Before I can say anything else, my phone buzzes and I scrunch up my nose. “Hold on one second.”
“Time to work, huh?” he asks with a laugh as he pulls away and positions me back at his side. I nod, digging my phone out of my bag.
“I guess so.”
Willa:
T-Minus thirty minutes, boss lady.
Where are you?
“Everything okay?” Lucas asks, peeking over my shoulder as I read Willa’s text and I nod.
“Yeah. My assistant is down there now getting things set up and I need to look things over one last time before guests start showing up.”
He grabs my hand and laces his fingers with mine as the elevator doors slide open. “You just do what you need to do, babe, and I’ll follow along.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to sit and get a drink?” I ask as we approach the ballroom. “I think the bar is probably already open.”
“Nope. Told you, I’m not letting any of these fuckers near you.”
“Lucas,” I whisper with a laugh. “No one is going to be looking at me.”
His brow arches and he pulls me closer. “Are you kidding me? It’s a shame I didn’t bring my gun.”
“What?”
“Shit,” he hisses with a wince. “Yeah, we’ll talk about that later, okay?”
I open my mouth to protest as I spot Ronald and Willa crossing the ballroom to talk to me and I sigh.
“Yeah, we will talk about it later.”
“Miss Dawson, you look stunning,” Ronald says as he reaches us and I swear I hear Lucas growl behind me and I barely resist the urge to glare at him.
“Thank you, Ronald. How are things going down here?”
He nods and I glance over at Willa as she smirks at me and winks.
“Very well. We have just one little problem…”
“What?”
Willa steps forward and places her hand on my arm. “The band isn’t here yet but I’ve called them and they promised me that they’ll be here in ten minutes.”
“Ten minutes?” I hiss. “We’re going to have guests showing up in fifteen.”
“It’s not ideal,” she answers, speaking in a calm tone that I think is supposed to tame my nerves but it doesn’t work. This gala is one of the biggest events I’ve ever thrown and I still managed to pull it together with a shortened time table and after getting into a car accident so if the band tanks this thing, I’m going to ruin them.
“Get one or two of our regular bands on the phone and see if anyone’s available as a back-up,” I instruct Willa and she nods before running off to make phone calls. I turn back to Ronald and suck in a breath.
“Please tell me there are no more problems.”
He shakes his head. “No, ma’am. Everything else has been running smoothly.”
“Thank you, Ronald.” Turning back to Lucas, I sigh and he pulls me into his arms.
“Anything I can do to help?”
I shake my head. “No.”
“Quinn!” someone yells and I glance over toward the stage where Willa is pointing to the band as they unload their equipment.
“Thank fuck,” I whisper before squaring my shoulders and marching across the room as I drag Lucas along with me.
“Shit,” he mutters but I ignore him as I stop in front of the stage. Nick, the lead singer, turns to me and his eyes follow a leisurely path down my body that makes me feel all kinds of icky before he grins at me.
“Hey, gorgeous.”
Lucas steps up next to me. “Fucking watch it.”
“Let me ask you boys something… you are aware that you signed a contract, yes?”
“Yeah, and?” Nick asks, arching a defiant brow and I wish I could put him on my banned list a second time.
“And in that contract, it stated that you were to be here an hour early and yet here you are, setting up fifteen minutes before guests are set to arrive.”
“Then why the fuck are you standing here, bugging us?”
My jaw tightens and I swear I can feel my eye twitching. “Oh, I’ll be out of your way in a second. I just thought I should let y’all know why you’ll only be getting half your fee tonight.”
“What?” Nick bellows, jumping down off the stage and Lucas is in front of me in an instant, putting himself between Nick and me as he charges toward me. “You can’t do that, you little slut.”
Lucas shoves him back and he stumbles before righting himself.
“Actually, I can. It was in the contract you signed and your conduct is completely unprofessional.”
“Jackson. Rhett,” the drummer says, stepping forward and the other two guys set their instruments down. “Get Nick out of here for a second.”
They lead Nick out of the ballroom as the drummer approaches me. “Hello. I’m Dorian and I just want to apologize for Nick. I would say that he’s not normally like this but I would be lying.”
“Well, thank you for that, at least, and I hope you don’t mind me saying that I think you guys are very talented but your lead singer is holding you back.”
He nods, glancing over his shoulder. “I have to agree with you.”
“Can you get set up in five minutes?” I ask, glancing at the time on my phone and he sighs.
“We’ll give it our best shot.”
I point to the door that the other two members dragged Nick through. “One more outburst like that and I’ll have you all removed. I already have back-up entertainment in place in case this doesn’t go well.”
“I understand, Miss Dawson.”
He turns and walks out the same door the other three disappeared into and Lucas turns to me, rubbing his hands up and down my arms.
“You okay?”
I scoff. “Why don’t you ask me again at the end of this night?”