Read Society Girls: Rhieve Online
Authors: Crystal Perkins
Society Girls: Rhieve (15 page)
Wanting to keep the peace, Calum told me he'd just meet me there. I tried to argue with him, but he said it was fine. It's not, and I'm going to make sure we're photographed together at the event, even if we don't walk in together.
I bypass the red carpet when I arrive, because I adamantly refuse to walk it by myself when I have a fiancé. Inside, I see Calum alone at the bar. The high and mighty are giving him a wide berth, and it's pissing me off. I get looks too, but most of them are leers, especially in the dress I'm wearing tonight. It's designer, but it's not "Mom Approved."
"Hey, handsome," I say as I approach him.
"Your mother is about to have a coronary."
"Her problem, not mine. I
do
have a problem, though."
"What is that, love?"
"My fiancé wasn't around to walk the red carpet with me. Since I volunteer with this charity, I would really like to go back out and do that."
"Of course. I'm sorry, Rhi. I thought I was helping. And yes, I know I'm not supposed to keep trying to save you when you can save yourself. I promise I'm trying."
"I know you are."
"What are you wearing?"
My mother whispers the question as she comes up behind me, but her tone is full of venom, and I'm beyond over all of this. "A very expensive designer dress."
"You can see your undergarments."
"That's intentional."
The dress is pale blue lace with long sleeves, strategically places butterfly appliques, and a short skirt. I have on the recommended cream colored high-waisted panties and full coverage strapless bra. I love it, and from the look in Caleb's eyes, he does too.
"It's vulgar."
"Well, Mother, I happen to be a very dirty girl, so it suits me just fine."
Calum nearly chokes on the drink he just took, and I smirk as I pat his back. "Fuck, Rhi."
"Not now. We have a red carpet to walk, and dinner and dancing. Yes, please, for after."
"That's not even a question."
"Good. Now let's walk. See you later,
Mom
."
She hates that word, and I love using it. She's still sputtering when I lead Calum to the door by his tie. We won't ever have a great relationship, but I can handle not having her approval. I don't need it. I have Calum, and I have the Society, but more importantly, I have
me.
J
enysis
Waking up in Wayne’s arms is something I would love to do for the rest of my life. I’ve been afraid to let him know I want him forever, because even though he tells me he wants it all the time, he’s still a rock star. One of the most sought after ones in the world, actually.
The number of blogs dedicated to his hair alone is just insane, and despite being a princess—and a spy in training—I still worry he’ll get bored with me once I finally give in and admit I love him. I trust him when he says he doesn’t sleep with other women, even though there are pictures of them hanging off of him popping up all the time. He calls me almost every night when he’s on the road, and he makes me feel like I’m the only person in the room when we’re at events together.
It’s been over two years since we started hooking up, and I’ve been thinking a lot about “us” lately. I think I’m ready to tell him I want to be a couple, both publicly and in private, too. If I’m being honest, I’ve always wanted that, but I chose to protect myself and not take a chance on love. It’s time to be brave.
“What’s going on in that beautiful mind of yours, Jeny girl?” he asks, tightening his hold around my waist as he nuzzles my neck from behind.
“You,” I tell him, turning around to look him in the eye. “Us.”
“Us?” he asks, and the hopeful look in his eyes nearly does me in. He’s been so patient with me, and I wish I could’ve done this much sooner.
“Yeah. I mean, if you still want that. I know I’ve made you wait longer than most guys would’ve waited.”
“I’ll always want that. I’ll wait as long as you need me to, because I love you, and you’re the only woman I want.”
“I love you, too.”
It’s the first time I’ve said it to him, and his smile is the brightest I’ve ever seen before he leans in and kisses me. “This is the best day ever.”
Before I can agree, there’s a knock at the hotel door. We look at each other, and he shrugs. The knocking turns to pounding. “Who is pounding at our door this early? I thought your sound check wasn’t until 3.”
“It isn’t. Hold on, and let me see who it is.”
He throws on the jeans I practically tore off him when he opened the door for me last night, and I sigh, because he looks almost in good in his jeans as he looks out of them. I start to climb out of bed, too, but he stops me.
“Don’t you dare get out of that bed. You finally admitted you love me, and I’m not nearly done with you yet.”
He’s smiling when he walks out to the living room area of the suite. I hear him open the door, but what I hear next sends me out the bed and scrambling for my dress.
“Wayne Preston? You’re under arrest for the rape of Sonia Cordova.”
“What? I didn’t rape anyone! I don’t even know who that is!”
I hear a thud, and when I walk into the room, Wayne is being pressed against the wall, his hands being handcuffed. The police are not being gentle, and it’s pissing me off.
“He didn’t rape anyone.”
“Who are you?” one of them asks, a sneer on his face as he looks me up and down.
“His girlfriend.”
“She may have some info. Take her with us.”
“No!” Wayne yells, and starts struggling. “Don’t you touch her.”
I watch in horror as he’s slammed to the floor. “Move again, and I’ll tase you. I’m tired of you pretty boy celebrities getting away with shit.”
I hold out my wrists. “It’s okay, Wayne. I’ll go with them. I have Diplomatic Immunity, so they can’t question me, but I’ll go.”
They read him his rights, and then we’re both led down to the waiting police cars. We’re not allowed to ride together, but I give him what I hope is a reassuring smile as I get in the back of the other one. I know he didn’t do it. He didn’t rape anyone. Even if we weren’t together, he’s just not that guy. He’s a rock god, but he’s also sweet and kind.
Once I’m released, I’ll call Reina. The Society will help him, just like he’s helped us over and over again. We’ll clear his name, and this will all go away. He’s innocent, and we’ll prove it.
I’ll
prove it, and then we’ll finally be together the way we always should have been.
A
s always
, I’m shouting out to my daughters, Dominique and Gabrielle! Love you both!
Helen, you keep making my covers better and better! For those who don’t know, Rhieve was on the mock-up Helen sent me when she was showing me what she wanted to do with the covers for this series. I immediately loved the pic, and the other one she later showed me (that she took herself)!
To all the readers and friends, I wouldn’t be doing this without you! You’re all AMAZING and I love hearing from you!
Don’t forget to check me out on Goodreads to see what I’m reading! I have too many great author friends to mention here, but I hope they know how much I love them and their books!
C
rystal Perkins has always been
a big reader, but she never thought she would write her own book, until she sat down and did it one day. She lives in Las Vegas, where you can find her running author events and selling books at conventions when she isn’t reading, buying too many Sherlock t-shirts online or finding a place to put all of her Pop! figurines. She recently one the Creative Initiatives Award from Romantic Times for encouraging literacy, and she also won the Community Advocate Award from the Clark County School Librarians Association. A mac and cheese connoisseur, she travels the country looking for the perfect version, while attending book conventions and signings as a cover for her research. The Griffin Brothers series, Corrigan & Co., and the Society Girls series are international best sellers, and she’s thankful to the readers who made that happen!
F
ind her here
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