When I emerged from my room, both my parents smiled. “You be careful, sweetheart,” Mom voiced for the hundredth time.
“I’ll be careful.” That one sentence had become her mantra. Our parents insisting security accompany us wasn’t anything new. But after what had happened last week, it was now mandatory to have two of Oscar’s guys with us everywhere we went.
Before Shane had asked me to stop coming to the studio, I would sit waiting for him in the lobby, no different than I’ve done so many times before. Distracted by my phone, I hadn’t noticed the person JLL’s receptionist had buzzed in… not until she got right into my face, yelling I was a slut, daughter of a whore, and some other insults I blocked out.
The shock of it stunned me, and I froze while she spit and hissed into my face. The minute or so it took for the receptionist to react and for security to reach me felt like days.
That meant a game plan needed to be put into place for me at NYU. As for tonight, Alec would be driving Shane from the studio to the party. Ryan, another one of our security guys, would be waiting for us there before holding post outside the door. Chase had no issue with it… not that he would have a choice. To want Shane there, or even me, meant to have to allow our security.
Serving as my handler until he handed me off to our henchmen, my father came closer with a worried expression that seemed to have become a permanent mask over his handsome face. He also hadn’t been himself, and that was a testament that Shane and I weren’t the only ones afflicted with stress.
“Ready to go?” he asked, searching my demeanor for a sign I had changed my mind. If it were up to him, he would’ve locked me in our apartment to keep me safe forever.
“Yep, I’m ready.”
After I hugged my mom, he and I headed out together. Not much was said during the elevator ride down to the garage, or in his Corvette as he drove me downtown. It was a comfortable silence. Just his presence was enough. He was a man of few words and had already voiced everything he wanted me to know. So when he pulled up in front of the firehouse’s party room they had rented and reached for my hand, that simple gesture was all I needed from him in that moment.
“I love you, baby girl. So, so much.”
“Me too,” I strained to say back because of the ever-present lump in my throat. Just as I opened my door to get out, Shane appeared on the sidewalk, with Ryan hovering a few steps away.
Dad lowered the window and as a greeting said, “Where’s Alec?”
“He’s parking the car.” When I slipped out, instead of touching me in his usual way, Shane shoved his hands deep into his pockets. Some kind of unspoken conversation happened between them. No doubt, Dad saying, “Take care of her or I’ll have your ass,” while Shane responded, “How could you doubt I would?” The entire exchange had me feeling like a child being passed off between divorced parents.
Over the last week or so, there seemed to be a new tension hanging between my father and my boyfriend. I had asked them individually, but both remained tight lipped as to what if anything had happened. It was when it was just the three of us together when it was most obvious.
The moment my father pulled away, Shane took my hand. Ryan came closer, but, undeterred that we had an audience, Shane remained facing me as his gorgeous hazel eyes raked over my face. When he fingered an errant curl near my cheek, a shiver traveled through me.
“They’re back,” he said with a small smile.
“They’re back.”
“I missed them.” I miss you sat on the tip of my tongue, but I swallowed it as he stretched the space between our clasped hands. His gaze now assessed my jeans, Rolling Stones T-shirt, and Chucks. “You look gorgeous, Liv.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “You lie, but I look like myself if nothing else.”
“And that’s when you’re most gorgeous.” Just as he leaned in to kiss me, a large group turned the corner, heading for us. It was dark out, but that meant nothing if one person recognized him or me.
“Let’s get inside, kids.” Ryan pressed a firm hand on Shane’s back, and just like that the moment was ruined.
We hustled through the door and climbed the steep staircase toward the thumping sounds of music.
“I’ll be right out here,” Ryan said with an authoritative tone.
Shane merely nodded and tugged me through the door. The room was jammed, some recognizable faces, some I had never seen before. There was only one person I cared about, but I couldn’t locate my petite blonde bestie.
Shane leaned into me and whispered directly into my ear, “There’s Chase.” Feeling his warm breath and smelling that clean scent of his that I loved brought sadness before desire. My body had already primed itself for our separation, and because of it, my heart took control of my libido.
Mimicking him, I responded into his ear, “I don’t see Kim.” Our eyes locked, and in that moment familiarity finally came through. But just as his focus dropped to my lips, a rush of bodies came at us, screaming above the DJ’s music. There were seven of them to start, all gushing over Shane. At some point, a girl I’d never seen before pushed her way between us, breaking the hold he had on my hand.
“Whoa… girls… ,” Shane said in an attempt to stop their high-pitched squeals and chatter. His eyes connected with mine, but he made no attempt to pull me back near him. He did manage a “Liv,” to which I just waved a dismissive hand.
“I’ll be by the bar.”
“What?”
Walking away, I knew he’d figure it out at some point. Where the hell was Kim when I needed her?
The commotion caught Chase’s attention, along with that of a bunch of our classmates. Leaving my boyfriend to deal with these fair-weather fans, I stalked to the farthest corner, where a bar was set up. “Diet Coke, please,” I said to the blue-haired bartender.
“Coming right up.” She scooped up ice in a glass, and while pouring the soda over the frosty cubes, asked, “Who is that?”
I had no plans to respond, but the redhead beside me leaned over the bar to do the honors. “Shane Lair. You know, Jack’s son?” Instantly, the bartender’s brown eyes bulged as they both gazed at my boyfriend, having forgotten I was even there.
“Excuse me, can I have my drink?”
“Oh, sure… ,” she said, passing me the glass without looking my way.
“Jesus Christ,” I muttered, taking my sorry ass and my sorry beverage toward a quiet corner, which was easy since the entire party now congregated near the door. Over their heads I could see Shane’s tight smile and rigid posture. None of that mattered to anyone there wanting a picture with him or an acknowledgment he did indeed know them personally.
“What the fuck is happening?” a familiar voice asked, and I practically cried with relief.
“Thank God you’re here.” Pulling her into my arms, I held on for life.
“You’re choking me!” She giggled while prying my arms off her. “Seriously, though, Liv, this is crazy.” Kim focused on the ridiculous situation across the room, then stared at me with her big blue eyes. “I say we slip past them all and get out of here.”
“As tempting as that sounds, I can’t quite yet. But I’ll give him ten minutes… then I’m game.”