Passionate Addiction (14 page)

Mitch gave him the bird and mumbled, “It was a pirate costume, asshole, and you were the one who dared me to wear it.”

The shit talk continued for over an hour until none of them could keep their eyes open.

“I need to get some sleep, guys. Are you all right with the basic layout of the proposal tomorrow?” Leah stood and peered down at Mitch. She didn’t seem herself. Hadn’t since Blake first walked into the suite. Lines of concern wrinkled her forehead, and her normally constant smile was nowhere in sight.

“Yeah, I guess.” Mitch leaned forward and scrubbed his hands down his face. “I’ll still fuck it up somehow.”

Mason nodded. “True. Fortunately for you, it’s always the thought that counts.”

“Ha ha, pretty boy. At least from now on, I’ll always know the name of the woman I’m sleeping with.”

“Pfft.” Mason scoffed. “Names are overrated.”

“And so is common decency, apparently.” Leah turned and started walking to the door. “I’ll see you all later.”

“Wait up. I’ll go with you.” Blake stood and saluted the guys in farewell.

Mason leaned over the couch and cupped his mouth with one hand. “Careful, tiger. Leah’s been grumpy as hell since London. Make sure your balls are protected at all times.”

Blake stared at Leah’s retreating back while she continued slowly down the hall to the front door. “How come?”

Mason shrugged. “Methinks the red dragon might be paying her a visit.”

For Leah to be this distant, Blake knew it had to be more than female issues causing problems. “Right… Well, I’ll see you guys later. I’ve got a date with heaven.”

Mitch scoffed. “Make sure you lock the door. You never know who might end up spying on you from the closet.”

“Seriously, man.” Mason sat up and stared at Mitch as Blake sniggered and started after Leah. “You can’t say that shit anymore. I’m the man whore of the group and even I know that’s wrong.”

Blake jogged the remaining steps to the front door that Leah held open.

“You know what I fucking mean!” Mitch’s yell echoed down the hall, cutting off at the close of the door.

Leah strode ahead and Blake had to lengthen his step to keep up. She didn’t do standoffish and unapproachable. Although she became stressed at times, she always had a smile ready and waiting.

“What’s going on, Lee-Lee?”

She glanced over her shoulder, piercing him with tired eyes. She wiped a length of blonde hair from her face and sighed. “I’m sorry. I know I’ve been grumpy tonight.”

He placed a hand around her shoulder and pulled her into his side. “Wanna talk about it?”

She shrugged and shook her head. “I can’t... I shouldn’t.”

“Surely, it can’t be that bad.”

Silence.

“Lee?” Her lack of response made him nervous. Their lifestyle didn’t usually have a grey scale. Things were either awesome or a living hell. There was no in between. And if their band manager was acting like this, things couldn’t be good.

“It’s one of the tabloids back home. They say they have an exclusive and want the other side of the story before it goes to print.” She heaved a sigh, her shoulders slumping under his arm. “If what they claim is true…” She shook her head. “No. It has to be bullshit.” She straightened and stepped into the elevator as soon as the doors opened. “I just don’t know how to approach it. Their claims are going to hurt one of you. Badly.”

Blake followed her, his shirt suddenly too tight around his throat. Had they found out about his past? Was that what all this was about? Was Leah trying to protect him?

“Is it me?” He tilted his head to move into her line of sight. “Is the story about me?”

She swallowed and the wrinkles around her eyes deepened. “I shouldn’t have said anything.” She gave the button to the floor below a whack. “I’ve become too attached to you guys. I can’t stand to see one of you hurt.”

His palms started to sweat. His sins had caught up to him, he knew it. Bile began to rise up his throat.

“It’s not you,” she whispered.

Oh, thank fuck
. He breathed deep and let it out slowly, glad he no longer felt the urge to purge his dinner. The elevator doors opened and they stepped into the empty hall.

“Then who?” he asked as Leah began walking in the opposite direction to his suite.

She stopped and pivoted on her toes. Her lips curved in a sad smile. “Forget it for now.” She began to turn again.

“Like hell I can. These guys are the only family I have. I can’t forget it.”

Her shoulders fell and she stood still with her back to him.

He closed the distance between them in three strides. “Tell me.”

She sniffed and when she turned her eyes were filled with unshed tears.

“Oh, Lee.” He opened his arms and she fell into his chest, grasping him around the waist.

“Please ignore the breakdown. I’m exhausted and contrary to Mason’s way of thinking, it
isn’t
red dragon week.”

He laughed and held her close. There was a glimpse of the normal Leah. “You heard that?”

She scoffed into his shoulder. “That man deliberately says things loud enough for me to hear. He does it because he thinks I won’t pay him back. One day soon, I’ll prove him wrong.”

His chest rumbled with a half hearted laugh. So if she wasn’t worried about him or Mason, that left Sean, Ryan and Mitch.
Fuck
. Could it have something to do with Mitch and Alana? If it meant saving them from public humiliation, Blake would gladly throw himself in front of a tabloid grenade for the both of them. They didn’t deserve the backlash like he did. None of his band members did.

“Who is it, sweetheart?”

A half sob, half laugh echoed between them. “You don’t give up, do you?” She pulled away and his hands fell to his sides as she stepped back. Wiping the tears from her cheeks, she made eye contact. “It’s Ryan. They claim to have photos of his wife with another man.”

Blake jerked back.

Ryan?
He was the good guy, the loyal one who never spoke a negative word about his wife, Julie, even though she deserved it. And Blake had a lot less faith in Julie’s fidelity than Leah did. He could see her cheating on Ryan at any given opportunity.

“Have you seen the photos?”

Leah shook her head. “They want to speak to Ryan first.”

“That’s bullshit. If they had the proof they’d send it through.”

She nodded. “Yeah, that’s what I’m hoping.”

“So what happens from here?”

She pressed her lips together and shrugged. “I let the New York office deal with it. They’re currently speaking with the tabloid. They just wanted me informed in case they contacted Ryan directly.”

Despair thrummed from her and it stemmed from more than mere exhaustion.

“You care about him.”

Her eyes widened. “Of course I do. I care about all of you.”

“Yeah, but you care more about him.”

She chuckled. “I care more about him in this regard because he doesn’t deserve it. If I received a phone call about a PR nightmare, I’d instinctively expect it to be about Mason because he’s an arrogant deviant, or Mitchell putting his foot in his mouth, or you and Sean being smart-asses. You guys create drama and thrive on it.” Her smile faded. “Ryan doesn’t.”

True. Well apart from Blake being a smart-ass. He preferred to think of it as quick-witted.

“Well, let me know if you need me for anything. If you want me to talk to him—”

“No! Please don’t. I want to keep it quiet in the hopes they’re fishing for inside info. I don’t want to hurt him unnecessarily. Being away from Julie is hard on him. They don’t need the added strain.”

Yeah. Ryan was having a hard enough time with celibacy as it was. Having groupies hound him to ditch a cheating wife would only test the poor guy further. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep my mouth shut. But if
you
need someone to talk to, you know I’m here.”

She smiled and this time it reached her gleaming blue-green eyes. “Thank you, Blake. That woman of yours is lucky to have you.”

He gave a derisive laugh. “I disagree. Gabi is definitely more than I deserve.” He turned on his heels and headed toward his suite. “Night, Leah.”

“Night, lurver boy,” she giggled. “Make sure you get some sleep, OK?”

The late morning sun peeked through the curtains, helping Gabi to memorize every last detail of Blake. He slept peacefully on his back, his right arm resting on his stomach, while the left lay on the pillow above his head.

For a man who tried to appear rough around the edges, all she saw was gentle beauty. His black hair, which he usually spiked, lay loose around his forehead, his sensual lips slightly parted. She wanted to lean in and kiss him. To wake him with passion and love, but she knew he hadn’t had a lot of sleep. He hadn’t crawled back into bed until after three-thirty. So for now, she’d curb her lust by learning the intricate details of all his tattoos.

Slowly, she ran her fingers millimeters above his skin, following the trail of ink with her shadow. Around his wrists were thick, black tribal bands that held the appearance of manacles. Above the band on his right arm was the tail of a snake. The reptile wound around his forearm, all the way up his bicep. In the space around the snake were smaller images, lots of intricate designs of musical notes, symbols, even a sprig of deep pink cherry blossom—her favorite tree. They all meshed together in a beautiful collage of light and dark, joy and despair.

“I feel a little violated.”

Her hand paused as her gaze snapped to meet his. “Good morning.” She smiled. His irises, so deep and dark, did things to her that no man should ever have the power to do.

He stretched his arms above his head and groaned. “How long have you been fondling me with your eyes?”

She crawled over him, placing her naked body on top of his and settling between his thighs. “Too long.” She ground her pelvis into his hardening cock and relished the vibration of his chest under her palms.

Gabi grinned when their gazes collided. She loved this man, with all her heart. She always had. He was honest, open about his failings, and even though she knew he tried to hide behind a tough shell, she could read the emotion clearly in his features.

“Are we OK?” she whispered. The conversation from the night before sat low in her belly, congealing.

He lowered his hands to her waist. “What do you mean?”

“About me going home…alone?”

His brows narrowed. “I told you it doesn’t matter, so don’t worry about it anymore.”

“I know what you told me,” she spoke softly. “But this is me, Blake. Although we haven’t spent a lot of time physically together, I still know you. I can read the hurt in your eyes. Please be honest with me.”

One corner of his lips curved, and he nudged at her ribs making her squirm. “Turning back into my little Modaroo are you? Trying to counsel me and make things better?”

Her stomach clenched. “Don’t do that.”

His smile faded.

“Don’t turn every conversation into a reminder of what you used to be. I haven’t been your drug addiction supporter for a long time. I’m your friend.” She swallowed. “Your lover. Your girlfriend. You aren’t that man anymore, so stop torturing yourself and let me in.”

She didn’t know how he’d hidden his struggle from his friends for so long. To her, his pain was blindingly obvious. His scars as visible as the ink on his skin.

“I wish I was good enough for you,” he whispered.

Her mouth gaped. “You are
perfect
for me.” She broke eye contact, needing to blink away the burn in her eyes and lowered her chin to kiss the smooth skin beside his angel tattoo. “I love you. Not only are you good enough, but you make me whole. I wouldn’t be who I am without you.”

He shook his head and remained silent.

“When you meet my parents,” she continued, lifting her gaze, “we are going to show them just how perfect we are. They’ll see how happy you make me and get over their misconceptions.” They would. She would make sure of it. Once Wednesday was over she would talk to them.

His stare bore into her. “Sounds good.”

***

Gabi’s stomach growled between them and Blake ignored it. He’d never lain like this with a woman before. Ever. To be comfortable, simply staring at one another made his stomach do weird things. Things he’d never felt before.

“Are you still with me?” she asked softly, interrupting his thoughts.

“Yeah, gorgeous. Just thinking.” He grinned, but she didn’t appear convinced.

She stroked her fingers over his pecs, across the wings of his angel, leaving a trail of goose bumps in her wake. “What about?”

He chuckled to distract her. There’d been too much deep and emotional shit between them already. Once they were separated, he wanted her to remember the fun they shared, not the drama. “About you...” He placed his hands on her ass and ground his erection into her abdomen. His cock had been on a hair trigger since the moment he spotted her across the crowded dance floor. With the friction of her body and the knowledge that her tight heat was only inches away, it now thrummed, demanding action. “And me...” He tilted his neck and took her mouth in a passionate kiss. Their tongues tangled and her nails dug into his skin. “Gettin’ busy.”