Chameleon Soul (Chequered Flag #1) (12 page)

Chapter Eighteen

Raine

Teo woke me up by trailing lazy kisses over my shoulder and down my back. Still half asleep, I leaned back into the warm cocoon of his arms. I’d forgotten how good it felt to wake up in his embrace.

I inched back, trying to get as close to him as possible when something hard poked me in the ass. I yelped, my eyes shooting open as I giggled.

“Sorry,” he murmured, his voice gruff from sleep. He slackened his hold, but didn’t let up with the kisses. One thing I
had
forgotten was how sexy he sounded when he woke up in the morning. The rich, gravelly tone made my insides quiver with excitement.

“Did you sleep well?”

I looked at him, beaming uncontrollably. “I didn’t have a nightmare.”

“See? I told you nothing would happen around me.”

I rolled my eyes and mumbled, “Yeah, you’re amazing.”

“I’m glad you finally realise it.”

Teo kissed me softly and I moaned into his mouth. My hips moved on instinct, grinding against him. He had just rolled me on top of him when we were interrupted by my phone blowing up on the drawer beside the bed. The high-pitched shrill rang on and on, growing louder with every ring as it came off “do not disturb” mode.

I composed myself then reached for the device. When I moved to slide off of him, Teo held me in place by my thighs. His strong hands encircled them, keeping me against him as they ran over me and added fuel to the fire he’d ignited within me.

The second I glanced at my screen, all thoughts of what Teo wanted to do to me vanished.

“Crap.”

“What is it?”

“I think we may have scared Dustin slightly.”

I clicked on the first message.

Dustin: Hope you’re okay.

The next message came an hour later.

Dustin: Haven’t heard from you so I’m checking in again. Let me know you’re okay.

I read through rest of the message quickly, all of them sent last night.

Dustin: Raine, I’m starting to worry now. Please let me know you’re okay. Teo said he’d be home before dark.

Dustin: Raine???

Dustin: Okay it’s 3 a.m. and you’re not home. Let me know you’re okay.

Dustin: Nadine hasn’t seen you either. Do I need to kick Teo’s ass?

Dustin: Raine, please let me know you’re safe.

I couldn’t help my laugh, only because nothing had happened. His concern for me was sweet and not misplaced. Some people would find the numerous texts annoying and restrictive, yet Dustin had reason to worry and his loyalty meant a lot. I had meant to let him know I’d decided to stay with Teo, but I’d forgotten amidst everything that had happened.

“Your brother is freaking out.” I glanced up from my phone as Teo’s began ringing. “That’s probably him too.”

Teo picked up the device and looked at the screen. Instantly, he slid out from underneath me and out of the bed. “No, it’s Mickey. I have to take this.”

I typed out a reply to Dustin, telling him I was okay and still with Teo.

It felt right to be in Teo’s bed, in his arms, and in his house. It could have been my house at some point, a thought I still struggled to process. My mind refused to wrap around the idea that Teo actually bought a house. For us.

Could I really give it all up again?

Aston’s warning drifted through my thoughts. Was I really going to let him win a second time?

Staying with Teo was a risk, yet it was one I couldn’t bring myself not to take. I’d lived without him for a year, and the last few weeks I’d been happier than I had in a long time. I didn’t want to give all of that up because of one bastard.

If Aston wanted to take us on that was his choice. We were stronger together, and I knew Teo would protect me. No matter how powerful my fear, I needed Teo. Losing him would be just as difficult as anything Aston threw at me.

Teo returned from the bathroom, and the frown creasing his forehead was all I could focus on.

“Is everything okay?” I asked.

Teo puffed his cheeks out then slowly released the air from them. “I’ve been called into the factory.”

“And?”

Placing a hand on either side of where my legs were stretched out on the bed, Teo rested on his fists. He leaned into me, his eyes fixed on mine. “And I’d rather stay here with you.” He kissed me, a light, featherlike touch. “In bed.” He kissed me again. “Doing this.”

Each time his lips touched mine, a bolt of electricity prickled my skin, and every time he backed away he stole my breath.

I raised my arms, linking my hands behind his neck the next time he brought his mouth down to mine. Holding him against me, I fell back against the bed and knocked him off balance until he lay on top of me, supporting himself with one arm above my head. Following my lead, his tongue skirted around my lips, demanding to be let in. His tongue swept inside me, teasing and tasting. My legs wrapped around his waist, drawing his hips into me to press his hardness against my core.

A guttural noise came from the back of Teo’s throat as he broke away. He rested his forehead against mine, his breathing laboured. His eyes were clouded with dark hunger and, feeling playful, I pulled on his hips again while I tilted my head up to reclaim his mouth. Teo growled, his growing arousal rubbing against me.

“Don’t start something you can’t finish, baby.”

I looked up at him with a devilish expression. “Who says I can’t finish this?”

For a split second he looked like he considered my words. The desire in his eyes deepened to a palpable intensity, and then it was gone with a shake of his head.

“No, Raine. We’re not going to have a quickie for our first time just because I need to leave.”

“This isn’t our first time,” I pouted, straining my arms to reach for him. It didn’t take much effort to bring him back down to me.

“You know what I mean.” Rather than kiss me like I wanted, he pecked me on the nose and moved to stand. He grasped my ankles, breaking the hold my legs had on him easily, and stepped back.

Sitting up, I made my pout more exaggerated. I didn’t want him to leave or for our perfect bubble to be broken. I could forget all of the threats surrounding me if I remained locked away with Teo.

“Don’t look at me like that.”

“Like what?” I asked innocently.

“You know what.”

I did. Teo always had a weak spot for my pout. “I don’t want you to go.”

“Raindrop, it’s not like I want to, especially when you’re half naked and in my bed. I’ll come by your flat as soon as I’m done. I promise.”

“Fine, but you owe me.”

* * *

“You ready?” Teo asked.

He leaned against the door, a duffle bag over one shoulder and his car keys spinning around his index finger.

Hooking my final shoe on, I straightened and nodded.

The second we stepped out of the door we were halted in our tracks. People shouted at us, pushing cameras in our faces. Startled by the unexpected crowd and sudden attack, I tripped over my own feet with a squeal. I toppled backwards, the cameras following my every move. Teo caught me a split second before I could hit the ground. Wrapping an arm around my shoulders he buried me under his arm and I tucked my face against his chest. He guided us through the reporters, the clicks of cameras and barked questions surrounding us. They all merged into a single cacophony that attacked my senses, overwhelming and overloading my mind until I was hyperventilating.

“Keep your head down. We’re almost to the car,” Teo murmured against my ear, the anger in his voice barely restrained while the reporters shouted questions.

“Teo, are you finally settling down?”

“Is it true you two used to date?”

“What’s so special about this one?”

“Can you confirm that Raine Wilkins has a history of unstable behaviour that led to your split last year?”

The barrage of questions went on and on, our lack of response only fuelling them further.

“Ignore them, Raine. They’re only fishing.”

Teo guided me into the car and I felt like a criminal being manhandled into the back of a cop car. When the door slammed shut, it deadened the sound only marginally. Cameras and hands were pressed against the glass, scraping and screeching as they moved to try and get a picture. I dropped my chin down, allowing my hair to shield me. I balled my fists in my lap, and my nails bit into my skin, nearly hard enough to draw blood, as I fought to remain in control.

They knew who I was.

They knew we’d dated.

They were spinning stories about me that would put me in the limelight.

Aston had warned me and I hadn’t listened.

Teo’s door slammed shut and the car rumbled to life. He didn’t say anything until we left the few stupid enough to chase the car behind.

“I’m sorry, Raindrop. I have no idea how they found us. Are you okay?”

I clenched my fists even harder to hide the tremors. I wanted to say yes, but I didn’t know if I could because I knew exactly how they’d found us and what it meant.

“I don’t…know,” I said finally.

He reached over to take one of my hands in his, running a thumb over the back of it. I peered up at him through damp eyelashes.

“I really am sorry, Raine.”

“It’s not your fault.” I pulled my hand from his grip under the pretences of tying my hair up. What I really wanted was to distance myself from his touch. I’d been willing to ignore Aston’s threat earlier and call his bluff. However, he’d gone to work faster than I expected. He was singling me out and making me a target again. I didn’t need to ask myself whether I could put up with attention like that. I couldn’t. I’d thought I could, yet I was barely holding it together as it was, and knowing Aston he wouldn’t stop until he broke me completely or I was out of Teo’s life.

Teo glanced across at me, concerned. “Tell me what’s going on in your head right now, Raine. Don’t shut me out.”

“They’re going to print another story about us.”

“Probably.”

“They’re going to spin lies about me again. About us.”

“We’ll get through this, Raine. It’ll be old news within a day.”

I screwed my eyes shut, taking a deep, shaky breath. My hands wouldn’t stop trembling in my lap, the anxiety tightening my throat. I couldn’t believe I was about to speak the words I was thinking when earlier I’d been so sure. They sliced my heart into tiny pieces to think them; saying them would be thousands of times worse.

“I don’t know if I can do this, Teo,” I whispered.

“What?
Raine, no. Don’t give up on us yet.”

“But—”

He took my hand across the console, slowing the car. The pain in his voice twisted the knife in my heart even further. “No, Raine. Don’t do this.”

“They’re never going to go away. I can’t live like this after—” I cut myself off, not needing to relive that night on top of everything else.

“They will, baby. They’ll get bored when they realise there’s no story. If we show them we’re unaffected by their attention, they’ll find someone else to cling to.”

I began shaking my head before he’d even finished. “You’re Teo Coates—they’re never going to get bored.”
Aston won’t let them,
I added silently.

“Please, Raindrop.
Please
don’t do this again.” Anguish filled his voice, the words cracking around his emotions. I couldn’t bring myself to look at him, knowing that if I did I’d change my mind.

“I’m sorry.”

The car pulled to a stop in front of my flat and I moved to slide out of the car without a glance back, but Teo’s grip held me in place.

“Look at me, Raine.”

Grudgingly, I met his gaze, the brown pools in his eyes swirling with fear and sorrow.

“Don’t give up on us yet.
Please.
I can’t lose you.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m not going to give up and disappear like last time, Raine. If you walk out of this car without agreeing to fight for us, I’m following you up those stairs. I will follow you everywhere you go until you agree to be with me, because I only just got you back. The press will get a story either way. It’s up to you whether you let them win and force us to suffer it separately.”

Tears burned my eyes. He didn’t understand, and if I explained he’d go after Aston. He’d lose his career and I’d lose him to guilt because Teo would blame himself.