Up All Night Long: From Lust to Love (Romance Anthology) (28 page)

Prologue

Hordes of people milled about the entrance to the event, the sunny California sun inviting all to come out and play. Saturday had finally arrived and I planned on enjoying the festival, but someone called in. Someone always called in.

The beach sat just beyond the man-made platform, the sound of the waves crashing on the beach almost lulling me into a comatose state. I sat on a concrete pillar and worked to roll the sleeves of my button down shirt up high and tight. My tats were too pretty not to show off and the warmth of the sun was calling my name.

A few girls wearing the smallest bikinis I had ever seen danced around the gates, one of them blowing me a kiss. I pretended to catch it, winked at her, and tucked the treat into my shirt pocket.

"Ian. You're up, dude," my brother yelled from inside the large chain-link fence. He was the exact opposite of my appearance, but it was all a ruse. His blond hair trimmed nicely to his head, his clean-shaven face and blue eyes were all fake. He wanted to live the part, therefore he had to play it.

I learned every nefarious move I'd made from my brother Jake, but I wouldn't hold the past against him. He'd also helped me clean up some of the shitty messes I had made. One in particular being my resume.

Hopping off my temporary lookout point, I walked into the all-day concert and glanced around, making sure to take note of anyone who looked suspicious. The event was being put on by the Council for Political Awareness, but the onlookers didn't give a rat's ass who put it on. It was free and it was music.

I moved up beside my brother and smoothed my shirt down as he turned and rolled his eyes at me. He worked my sleeves back down and brushed something off the front of my pants before I swatted at him.

"Stop acting like my fucking mother," I growled, and turned to watch a pretty blond take the stage. She flashed a little tit and the crowd went wild. I smirked and turned to Jake. "Wouldn't it be the life to just sleep all damn day, smoke a little pot, and then get up on a stage half naked and lip-sing for a shit-ton of money?"

"She's not lip-singing, Ian." He turned back to scan the crowd and crossed his arms over his chest. "All right. You're up for this next bit. Watch closely for anything suspicious. Senator Moore has more enemies than friends and we're looking to provide a safe environment for him to present his platform."

"Yeah, yeah. Make sure no one blows the rich old man's head off. Got it."

"Fuck, Ian. Don't say that out loud. You'll jinx us."

"I don't believe in anything but luck and I ain't got any of it." I chuckled and poked my finger into his side as he jerked away.

"I'm serious. You never know when something seemingly small might lead to a life-changing opportunity for you." Jake shrugged and walked off.

I couldn't help but call after him. "What the fuck does seemingly mean?"

Laughing, I turned back around and dropped the act. I was a security guard most nights of the week at the local hospital, but it paid horribly and I worked my ever-loving ass off. There was never a moment of rest or, God forbid, a word of encouragement.

My brother had picked me up to work a few gigs with his private security company in hopes of getting me the attention he believed I deserved. He was the only one who believed in me.

The little tart before us finished dry humping the stage and stood, lifting her hands in the air and twirling a few times. One of her backup dancers had to catch her as she started to fall.

"High," I muttered and turned my attention to the crowd, looking at each face and seeing nothing but worship. Why people felt the need to drop to a knee for another human was beyond me. Not my problem anyway.

The girl walked off the stage and a thin guy with dreadlocks and a pipe hopped back up, his attire making it look like he rolled up out of the seventies.

"All right boys and girls. Now for the big event. We have one of our favorite big wigs here with us today. He's been running this great state from the center of Washington DC and is the reason we have regulations on the big bad oil companies, and pot on every corner. Let's give a big hand to our leader and your friend, Senator Mitch Moore!"

The crowd went wild and I lifted my hands, clapping a few times for the old man too. He was pretty all right in my book and had worked hard a few years ago to put together a program that helped juvenile delinquents push toward a better life. Between his programs and my brother... I was a different man with a future and a bit of hope.

A flash of silver caught my eye as the sun shifted. The Senator lifted his hands in the air, saying something that caused the crowd to scream again. Must have been about pot.

I didn't hesitate for a second, but jumped off the chair I stood on and bounded over people and benches, reaching the guy about the time he lifted his gun.

"Get down!" I screamed in the loudest voice I could muster, the crowd's screams giving acknowledgment that my warning worked. I plowed into the guy and popped the gun from his hands as it went off. Holding his arms above his head, I growled at him menacingly.

"Move and I'll fucking tear your head from your shoulders."

Someone tapped my shoulder and I glanced back, my body still pressed to the weasel below me. Jake extended his hand to me and smiled.

"Great job, man. The cops are on their way. Get up and we'll fill out paperwork and get the hell out of here."

I glanced behind me as the Senator jogged off the stage, turning and lifting his hand toward me. I nodded and turned back to my brother.

"No one was hurt?"

"Nope. Thanks to you. Impressive. Beers on me tonight."

"Then it was all worth it." I winked and turned back to stare the weasel in the eye, daring the fucker to get up or even twitch. Letting off some steam sounded wonderful and he would do just fine for my punching bag of choice.

Chapter 1

Two Weeks Later

"Summer vacay!" Alyssa screamed as she walked into my dorm room, her hands waving in the air as she danced to a song in her head. She pranced around as I finished packing everything up, a smile on my face as I watched her.

"I'm not ready for summer. I'm going to miss all the tests and parties and the late night lattes," I pouted, putting on the show they all had come to expect from me.

"Well, I will too, but at least you're headed down to the beach. I gotta go work in my father's restaurant in Times Square for the summer. Ugh."

"Then why the hell are you dancing around like you have a vacation coming your way?" I pulled my long blond hair up into a messy bun and gave up on trying to remain organized. Picking up my last duffel bag, I dropped it beneath the dresser and started opening drawers and dropping crap by the armful into the waiting bag.

"Anything is better than studying and classes. I fucking hate school." Alyssa rolled her eyes and ran her hand through her dark hair. "Is Jeremy going with you to San Diego?"

"No." I glanced over my shoulder. "We broke up a while back. You knew that."

"I know, but I've seen you guys together off and on." She wagged her eyebrows as I rolled my eyes at her.

"Just no. He's like ten years older than me. Why I decided it might be a good thing to try dating a non-traditional student here, I have no clue. I guess the fact that he loves politics and really gets along well with my dad." I shrugged and picked up the bag, lugging it back to my bed.

"He's a little creepy about your dad, like he has a man crush on him or something." She moved to the door.

"Yeah. It’s better that we ended things. I'm looking forward to hanging out with some old friends from high school and reconnecting with a few beach hotties I grew up with." I smiled and sucked my bottom lip into my mouth.

"You're so bad." She swatted at me before pulling me into a tight hug. "Be careful and text me three hundred thousand times a day. Promise?"

"I promise." I laughed and squeezed her until she grunted. She was new to UCLA and to our sorority, but she had made quite an impact her first semester. We had become close fast. She had extended an invitation to join her in New York, but I needed my beach and my sun for a long rest from the hectic course load I forced myself to take this last year. Impressing my father was the only way to get noticed, so impressive is what I had become.

"I'm out. Lots of love for you girlie." She walked out and I let out a long sigh, not sure about what time to leave. My father wanted to meet for dinner, but he was leaving the time up to me. I knew the minute I got into San Diego I would be bombarded with old friends. Growing up in the sunny beach city and being the daughter of the most-loved Senator in Cali history left me more popular than I wanted to be. I played the part well, but I was as fake as a California tan on an Alaskan cheerleader.

I heaved my last bag over my shoulder and walked down the hall to the long staircase that led to the first floor of the house. Having been the longest-standing member in the Sigma Kappa's, I got to choose my bedroom for the spring semester. I took the smallest one, simply for the fact that it had a great view of the outdoor track. All the boys in the shorty shorts would run each morning as I got ready for school. Nothing to get you in the mood to study like watching men who took care of themselves huff around in something shorter than undies.

I smiled at the thought and jogged down the final few stairs as my least favorite sister, Lizzy, opened the door.

"Who's going to have a great summer? You are! That's who." She smiled and flipped her arms around as if holding pom-poms. I had no clue why we had let a cheerleader into the Sigma's, but we did.

"Thanks, Lizzy. Have fun." I walked out into the lazy day, the sun sitting at the far end of the sky.

It was going to be a great summer. I had absolutely nothing planned other than a week-long vacation with my father. He was going on the campaign trail and wanted me with him when he went to New Hampshire for a festival. Something about showing family values and such. It would make him look good, which would keep him busy like he had been all my life. I accepted his absence simply because there was no other option.

I walked to the bright red beamer at the far end of the parking lot and dropped my bag by the trunk, letting out a long sigh and waving at a few of the basketball guys who called my name.

"A whole summer of just being me." I opened the trunk and heaved the bag into the back of the car, smooshing it down on top of the other bags. I hated to pack up my whole room, but not knowing who was staying in the house for summer school, I just wasn't willing to leave my stuff laying around for anyone to take.

My phone chirped in my purse as I walked to the front of the car and got in. I started it and rolled down the windows before pressing a button on my dash.

"Hi Dad." I pulled my sunglasses from the visor above me and turned as I backed the car up.

"Hi pumpkin. Where are you? I'm back in town and hoped we were sharing a meal today."

"Yeah. I'll be in San Diego around four. Are you here in L.A. or already there?"

"I'm down in La Jolla at a beach house for a few days. Just call me when you get into town and I'll take you to dinner."

"Sounds good. Flight go okay? Nothing else happen as of late?" I pulled the car out onto the busy side street just outside of UCLA. Students swarmed the campus, everyone preparing to leave for the summer, or mostly everyone.

"No, honey. I'm fine. It was just a one-off situation. Stop worrying." He chuckled and I tried to release the anxiety that seemed to be part of my new life. My father had decided to run for President, and the world went ape shit. Most of the constituents in California seemed pleased with his decision, but there were always a few crazies. Funny how they kept showing themselves in various manners. The last one had pulled a gun at an open-air concert a few weeks back. I still had nightmares of my father bleeding out on the stage.

He was all I had left in the world, which wasn't saying too much.

"All right. I'm gonna let you go. I'll see you soon, Daddy."

"Okay, baby. Be careful. I have some news to share with you. I think you'll be pleased."

I saved my huff for after we got off the phone. His surprises were never a good thing. He was single minded and his success held his attention for the entirety of my life. Anything he thought might be exciting or good usually had to do with protecting or promoting his assets, namely himself.

I cranked up the radio and let my concerns fly out the open windows of my convertible beamer. All I wanted was a Honda, but my father refused, his gifts the main means for him to show his love. He hadn't figured out in the past twenty-one years how to simply say that he loved me with words, so he felt the need to show me with tangible items.

My favorite song came on the radio and I sang at the top of my lungs, ignoring the stares and odd glances I received as I jumped on highway five and gunned it all the way back home. San Diego was my paradise and the beach was my playground. I planned on diving into lust and intoxication and not coming up for air unless I was forced to.

"Welcome to summer, Chloe. Welcome to summer."