Broken: (McIntyre Security Bodyguard Series - Book 3) Page 23

  “I hope he rots in jail for a while.”

  “You handled it well.” Shane washes out his mug, then sets it on the drying rack beside the sink and pours fresh coffee in the other mug. “Let’s see if I can lure Beth out of bed with this.”

  * * *

  Shane heads toward the front bedroom to wake sleeping beauty, leaving me alone with my coffee and my thoughts. Now that I’m alone, I can afford to spend a few moments acknowledging the tenderness deep inside me – an undeniable reminder of what Jonah and I did last night. I squeeze my vaginal muscles and feel a definite twinge deep inside.

  I honestly don’t know what to do about Jonah. I’ve obliterated my own rules, which definitely blurs the lines between a convenient fuck and a... what? A relationship? I trust Jonah. I really do. He’s a good guy with a good heart – maybe too good. I trust him not to play callously with my feelings, but I’m not sure I trust myself to open up to him and hold up my end of the bargain. I don’t even know if I’m capable of being in a relationship.

  By the time I’ve finished my coffee, the door to the front bedroom opens, and Shane and Beth walk out. Beth is dressed for work in a skirt and blouse and sandals, her hair freshly brushed hair hanging loose just past her shoulders. Shane’s carrying their overnight bag.

  “Hey, Lia,” Beth says, blushing as she passes me on her way to the kitchen sink. “Did you sleep well last night?”

  “Yes.” I have a feeling she’s not talking about sleep, though.

  Shane carries their bag outside to his car, leaving us alone.

  Beth comes up beside me and puts her arm around my shoulders, pulling me in for a hug. “I didn’t realize you were such a screamer,” she whispers in my ear.

  “I am not!”

  “Are too.” She gives me an innocent smile and another squeeze. “I heard you, more than once.”

  I can feel my face burning. “Did Shane hear?”

  “Did I hear what?”

  I jump at the sound of Shane’s voice right behind us. I hadn’t heard him come in. Crap! Some things are just too mortifying to even contemplate. At least he has the courtesy to pretend he doesn’t know what we’re talking about.

  “It’s nothing, baby,” Beth says, smiling at him. “Just girl talk.” She squeezes me one last time. “I’ll see you this evening at the show.”

  I can’t seem to match her enthusiasm. “Yeah, I’ll see you then.”

  It’s seven-thirty when they leave. I figure I’ll let Jonah sleep until noon or one o’clock. We’ll have to leave shortly after that to make it back to the city on time. I have a second cup of coffee, then check my e-mails and texts on my phone. Then I read a little. Beth’s got me hooked on these pornographic romance novels about vampire sex slaves.

  After a while, though, I’m bored and need some physical activity, so I head to Jake’s compact work-out room at the back of the cabin, right behind the kitchen. It’s hardly bigger than a good-sized walk-in closet, but it will do.

  * * *

  Just as I’m wrapping up a three-mile run on the treadmill, I hear a noise behind me and turn to see Jonah standing inside the open doorway wearing nothing but a pair of cotton shorts. He looks... edible.

  “Hey you,” he says, his arms braced on the door frame above his head.

  I nearly swoon from the arm porn. His hair is up in a messy man-bun, which he totally rocks. He looks like he’s just begging to be fucked.

  He comes into the room and wraps his arms around me, drawing me close. His skin is warm and damp from a shower, which means he smells good and I don’t.

  I gently push him back. “I just ran three miles, pal, and I’m a sweaty, stinky mess, so you might want to keep your distance. I need a shower. Badly.”

  “Let’s take one together.”

  “You just took a shower. And besides, have you seen how small the shower stall is?”

  He grins as he pulls me against him, wrapping me tightly in his arms. He leans down to kiss me, and I taste minty toothpaste. “Then we’ll have to stand real close together,” he says, nuzzling my neck.

  The feel of his lips on my throat makes me shiver. But it’s his thick erection pushing insistently into my belly that makes my knees go weak.

  Swamped with pleasure, I struggle to keep my wits about me. “We have to leave soon, you know, to get you back in time.”

  He starts sucking on my neck, and I’m sure he’s going to leave a mark.

  “Then we’ll just have to be quick about it. I’m not leaving until I put my soapy hands all over your body.”

  As he sweeps me up into his arms and carries me toward the bathroom, I get the feeling we’re going to waste a lot of hot water.

  Chapter 36

  Jonah never fails to surprise me. The longer I know him, the more I see what a good person he is. He’s nothing like I expected the front man of a popular rock band to be. Honestly, I don’t know what I expected – a big ego? A demanding diva? A womanizer? But he’s none of those things.

  We are indeed crammed into the tiny shower stall. As the hot water sprays our naked bodies, Jonah turns me to face away from him and grabs my shampoo bottle. As he starts lathering my hair and massaging my scalp, I’m not sure which one of us is enjoying this more. His fingers feel incredible on my scalp, and I can feel the evidence of his pleasure poking me in the back. For a few moments, I allow myself to relax and lean back into him, letting him give me the most seductive hair washing I’ve ever had in my life.

  “Close your eyes,” he says. And when I do, he gently puts me under the spray to rinse my hair. When I come out from under the water, he grabs a towel and blots the water from my face.

  “My turn.” I motion with my index finger for him to trade places with me. It’s a difficult logistical maneuver, but we manage it. We take turns with the soap, running our hands all over each other’s body.

  “I think you’re enjoying this way too much,” I say, and he just smiles, his eyes warm and glittering with undeniable heat.

  He rinses me off, wraps me in a towel and carries me into our bedroom to lay me on the bed. He follows me down. Our bodies are damp, and I brush my nose against his bicep to breathe in the smell of his skin. The scent of his skin is the best aphrodisiac I’ve ever encountered. This is working for him, too, because his erection is nudging my crotch, seeking entrance.

  Jonah reaches under his pillow and pulls out a strip of condom packets.

  “You’re certainly very prepared,” I say. “Were you a boy scout?”

  He grins. “No. I’m just a very practical man.” He rises up and sits back on his haunches and rolls a condom onto his erection. He pauses a moment, looking down at me, and runs his finger down my chest, following some invisible path between my breasts, down my belly, to the blond patch between my legs. His index finger sifts through my curls, then dips between my folds to touch my clit.

  I buck my hips in protest. “Don’t just tease me.”

  “I’m not teasing. I’m exploring.” He scoots down the bed and opens my legs.

  “Am I loud? Beth said she heard me last night.”

  He smiles. “Yes, you are.”

  “Well, shit.”

  He chuckles. “I don’t mind. I like hearing you scream my name.” And then he proceeds to show me just how loud I can be.

  * * *

  We’re packed up and ready to head back to Chicago at one o’clock. Leaving this place is bittersweet. While I’m excited about watching his performance tonight, I wish we didn’t have to leave. I’ve enjoyed having him mostly to myself for a couple of days. I could get used to this.

  We’ll arrive just in time to stop at the rental house so we can change clothes and get to the pub in time for the rehearsal.

  * * *

  “Are you looking forward to the performance tonight?” I ask as we’re cruising down the interstate toward Chicago. We have clear weather and the traffic’s light, so it’s easy driving.

  “It’s a small venue, which I much prefer over a
stadium. But no, I’m not really looking forward to it. I’ll have to deal with Makayla, and that never goes well. She sucks the fun right out of everything.”

  “Then tell her she’s not invited. It’s your concert. Un-invite her.”

  “It’s not that easy. Dwight’s using this performance as a public relations event. He wants us seen together. He says it helps both our careers.”

  “You mean it helps Dwight’s career. What about what you want?”

  “I don’t think what I want really matters to Dwight. He’s focused on the bottom line....profits.”

  “Jonah, your contract is up for renewal in two weeks. Just don’t renew it. Walk away.”

  He shakes his head. “I can’t do that to the guys.”

  “Look, they’re young, talented guys. They’ll find new jobs quickly. So will Ruben and Esperanza. Give them all great severance packages and wish them luck. You can certainly afford it. I’m sure you have plenty of money stashed away in the bank.”

  “More than enough.”

  Jonah turns on the radio – I think he just wants to shut me up – and we listen to music for a while. I want him to think about what I said. I want him to envision living the kind of life he wants to live, not what’s he’s gotten himself roped into.

  Out of the blue, he turns off the radio and turns to face me. “When you’ve grown up in poverty, it’s not easy to walk away from so much money. It feels… irresponsible.”

  I roll my eyes at him. “You’re not irresponsible. You’re the most responsible rocker I’ve ever known.”

  “I’m probably the only rocker you’ve ever known. Have you ever gone to bed hungry? Have you ever had to listen to your little brother cry himself to sleep because his stomach hurts – because it’s empty? Have you ever worn the same pair of jeans to high school every single day for a year because it’s the only pair you’ve got?”

  I frown. “No.”

  “Yes, now I have more money than I know what to do with, but that doesn’t cancel out years of struggling just to scrape by.”

  * * *

  When we arrive in Lincoln Park, I head straight to the rental house, and we have to inch our way through the crowd of fans to get through the gates. I park behind the house and we sit there for a few moments, saying nothing. This is the quiet before the storm. I suspect neither of us is looking forward to going inside and facing the music.

  “You ready?” I ask him as I turn off the engine and pocket my keys.

  He stares through the windshield at an ivy-covered brick wall. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

  I walk around to the back of the vehicle to get our stuff, and Jonah meets me there.

  “I’ve got it,” he says, taking our bags and his guitar case from the back of the Jeep.

  We enter the house through the rear door, passing through the mud room into the kitchen – and right into the middle of a hornet’s nest. Dwight is in the kitchen with Esperanza, and their conversation comes to an abrupt end when we step into the room.

  Dwight slams his beer bottle down on the kitchen counter and stalks toward Jonah, trying to get in his face, which isn’t easy as Jonah’s so much taller. “Where the fuck have you been?” Dwight yells at Jonah.

  Jonah sets our bags and his guitar case on the floor and props his hands on his hips. “We went on a little road trip. I told you we’d be back in time for the show.”

  “And you!” Dwight pivots toward me and shoves his skinny finger in my face. “I know you were behind this, Lia. You do nothing but cause trouble for him!”

  Jonah bristles at the comment. “That’s enough, Dwight.”

  Makayla breezes into the kitchen, sees Jonah and squeals as she runs to him. He catches her before she plows into him, and she uses the opportunity to wrap her arms around his waist.

  “Jonah! Baby, I missed you so much. I was worried sick!” She has the gall to kiss him right on the mouth.

  Jonah pushes her back and holds her at arm’s length. “There was never any need to worry.”

  “You’re fired!” Dwight says, jabbing his finger in my face as he crowds me. “Pack your stuff and get out. I’ll have Shane send someone else to provide security for Jonah.”

  I’ve had just about enough from this guy. I get in his face, enjoying the way he blanches. “You can’t fire me, asswipe.”

  “Oh, yes I can!” he blusters, turning a nice shade of red.

  He tries to back away, but I follow him, keeping in his face. “No, you can’t, because Jonah beat you to it. He fired me last night.”

  Dwight looks to Jonah for confirmation. “Is that right?”

  Jonah shakes his head in disgust and picks up his duffle bag and guitar case. “I’m going upstairs to change.” He looks at me. “Ready to go in thirty minutes?”

  I nod. “You’d better believe it.”

  “I thought you fired her,” Dwight says, looking confused.

  “I did,” Jonah says. “She’s no longer my bodyguard.”

  “Then why are you leaving with her? I said I want her gone!”

  Jonah grins. “Because she’s my girlfriend, that’s why.”

  “What!” Makayla’s screech can probably be heard throughout the entire house. She puts her hands on Jonah’s face. “Baby, no,” she croons, practically petting him. Her hands slip down to his chest. “Don’t do this. You can’t give up on us.”

  “We’re through, Makayla,” he says, pointedly removing her hands.

  Jonah nods at me, then sidesteps Makayla and heads for the hallway stairs.

  She runs after him and grabs his arm. “Jonah, wait!” She digs her nails into his arm hard enough to leave marks. “Baby, don’t do this.”

  I slip between them and apply pressure to a nerve in her wrist to make her release him. She glares at me as I push her back. “Leave him alone,” I say.

  She shoves me hard. “Get your hands off me, you bitch!”

  She tries to go after him, but I block her way long enough to give him enough time to get upstairs to his suite. She bristles at my interference, but I don’t give a fuck. She’s toxic, and I don’t want her anywhere near him. And yeah, maybe I’m a tad jealous of their shared past. After all, he was her boyfriend until just recently. And the thought of him choosing to go back to her makes me a little nuts.

  With Jonah upstairs changing, I head to my room to change quickly into jeans and a black McIntyre Security T-shirt. I strap on my ankle holster and slip in my handgun. Then I run up the two flights of stairs to Jonah’s suite. I knock on his door, and it opens almost immediately. He’s standing there in ripped jeans and a pair of boots and nothing else. His hair is freshly brushed and put up in a bun. He’s so edible, I’m at a loss for words.

  “Almost ready,” he says, walking to the closet to grab a faded T-shirt and slip it on. There are two guitar cases laid out on his unmade bed.

  “These are going?” I say, picking up one of the cases.

  He nods and grabs the other one. “Let’s get out of here, please.”

  The urgency in his voice makes me chuckle. He’s no more a fan of this place than I am. At least where Dwight and Makayla are concerned. The others are okay.

  When we return to the kitchen, Dwight and Makayla are gone, thank God. Esperanza is standing at the sink rinsing a few dishes.

  “Hello, dears,” she says in her gentle voice. “With all the commotion, I didn’t get a chance to say hello earlier. How was your trip?”

  “It was good, thanks,” I say.

  “Yeah, we had a great time,” Jonah says. “It was far too short.”

  She smiles at me as she pats Jonah’s shoulder. “I’m glad you had a good time. Jonah shoulders a lot of responsibility for such a young man. He needed a break.”

  Chapter 37

  It’s a quick trip to Rowdy’s, and we park in the rear parking lot off a side alley. Jonah grabs his guitar cases from the back of the Jeep and we head inside through the back door, passing a security checkpoint manned by McIntyre Security
personnel. It’s chaotic inside the bar, with security personnel, bar staff, the band members and Dwight all bustling about. I can hear Dwight’s strident voice over everyone else’s as he demands this and that. Makayla is nowhere to be seen, which is a blessing as far as I’m concerned.

  I lead Jonah to the manager’s office, which has been set up as a private lounge for the band members tonight. There are two McIntyre Security personnel standing guard outside the door and another guard standing at the next door down the hall, which leads to a room that has been set up for Makayla and her entourage.

  The guards wave us in to the manager’s office, and we find the rest of the band members seated on a pair of brown tweed couches. There’s a large cooler on the floor filled with ice, pop and beer bottles, and a buffet of hot food has been spread out on a long table covered with a white tablecloth.

  “Hey, Jonah! Nice of you to join us!” Dylan cheers, holding up his beer bottle. Travis and Zeke follow suit, toasting Jonah’s arrival.

  “I thought we might have to go on without you tonight, dude,” Zeke says.

  “Funny,” Jonah says, setting his guitar cases on the floor. “I told you guys I’d be here.”

  “The food’s awesome,” Travis says. “Feed your face and then we’ll go do a sound check and run through our sets.”

  After Jonah and I grab a quick bite to eat – we haven’t eaten much all day – the band goes out to the stage to perform a sound check with Ruben. I stand off to the side of the stage, watching Jonah go about his business as he checks his sound on his mic and guitars.

  Ruben sits at a console on the far side of the bar, operating the lighting and sound boards. I’m surprised by how much work it is to test the sound and adjust the levels and the positioning of speakers and lights.

  Every once in a while, I catch Jonah watching me, and he smiles or winks at me when our gazes connect. I have to admit I spend a lot of time just watching him too. I love the way he moves, the way he carries himself. And I can’t help smiling as I watch him joking around on the stage with the guys. They do make a good team. I can see why Jonah would be reluctant to break them up.