"Tomorrow. Six a.m. Don’t keep me waiting."
"Six a.m.?" I gape. "Did you say—"
"Six a.m." He tilts his head. "I need to get to practice. And you’re coming with me."
26
Cade
"She accepted the job offer?"
Declan glances down at me as he spots me on the barbell. We’re in the gym in the basement of the 7A Club in Piccadilly Circus. The place owned by Sinclair Sterling and JJ Kane has quickly become a favorite meeting place for me. It has the best bar and gym facilities in town, not to mention, enough security to make even a well-known Hollywood actor like Declan feel protected from the paparazzi.
I push up the bar that holds fifty percent more weight than what I’d normally bench press. My shoulders scream in pain, and my biceps protest. Maybe I have a point to prove to myself. Maybe I’m pissed off at having been so unyielding with her. Not like I had a choice. She seemed hell bent on turning down my offer of employment, and I wasn’t having that.
I’m well aware that Knight would tell me to keep my hands off Abby. I need to not be impacted by her sweet scent, those big eyes that seem to swallow up her face, her skin that seems softer than flower petals, those curves that call out for me to caress them, those tits so perfect, they invite me to bury my face between them, and other parts, too…and her thighs. Those fleshy, juicy thighs that make me want to bite them and mark them; then lick my way up between them until I stab my tongue in her hot, honeyed depths. The bar begins to slip from my grip, and once again, Declan grabs it and slams it down into its cradle.
"Jesus, King, can’t trust you to lift weights without trying to kill yourself, eh?” He pants.
More like, trying to kill the desire she invokes in me, this need to own her, to possess her, to rid myself of the yearning I’ve carried around for her for so very long, despite knowing it’s all wrong.
I push myself to sitting, and every muscle in my body protests. I push aside the pain, reach for my bottle of water, and chug it down.
"No, I’m not trying to kill myself, and to answer your earlier question, I didn’t give her a choice."
Declan wipes his face with the towel, then walks around to stand in front of me. "So, you forced her into taking the job with you?"
"It was the only way to ensure I could keep an eye on her."
His gaze narrows. "So, the only way you could ensure you were looking out for her was by having her take a job with you?"
"That’s what I said. Yes."
He stares at me.
I glower back at him. "You don’t believe me?"
He raises a shoulder. "It’s immaterial whether I do or don’t believe you. If you think this is the only way—"
"It is." I place the bottle of water on the floor, then rise to my feet and begin to stretch.
"Well, then, it must be true."
"It is." I stretch out my quads, then my arms, crack my neck, then head for the showers with Declan in tow. "How long are you in London for?"
"Until I finish the shoot."
"Is Solene with you?"
In the silence that follows, I glance sideways at him. His forehead is furrowed, his jaw tight. Uh-oh, guess not all is well with that relationship then. "Everything okay?"
He draws in a breath. "I’m not sure, to be honest. We’ve both been incredibly busy of late, and every time we’re together, the press can’t stop hounding us. It’s like they want to infiltrate our lives and track every move."
"That’s rough, man."
"It’s not easy. Not on a fledgling relationship, especially."
"So, when are you seeing her next?"
His features turn inscrutable. "She’s on a tour of the US. Fifty cities in five months.”
I whistle. "That’s insane."
"I told her to slow down. But the woman won’t listen. In a way, I understand how it is to find success for your art. You’re scared you’re a one-hit wonder. You want to make the most of it when you think your fans love you. You want to capitalize on your track record and keep upping the benchmark. You want more of it. The adulation, the success, the validation of the confidence you had in yourself. Hell, I’m the same way, so I can’t blame her."
"But one of you needs to give in, if you want to have any common meeting ground." I walk into the locker and begin to strip out of my sweaty workout gear.
"Unfortunately, that can’t be me. I need to travel for my shoots. I need to keep churning out the films while I’m still in demand, know what I mean?"
Declan follows me into the showers. After we’re both dressed and on our way out of the club, he turns to me. "Sorry, didn’t mean to download all that emo stuff on you."
"I hope it helped. Besides, we’re the only two bachelors left standing—considering the Seven and the Sovranos are hitched, not to mention, JJ, Liam and now, Hunter."
"Hunter and Zara. Did not see that one coming." Declan shakes his head.
"In the space of a year, he became the Prime Minister of the country, got married and had a child. That’s a fuck-load of stuff to deal with." I walk down the steps and toward the exit.
"To see him, you wouldn’t know." Declan laughs. "The man dotes on his son, and with Zara by his side, he seems far happier than I’ve ever seen him before."
Good for Hunter. To fulfill his dream and find the love of his life is special. More power to him. Although, it doesn’t explain the strange burning sensation in my chest. I’m not envious of him. Nope. It’s not like I want to marry and settle down.
My own career is ascendant. I just signed up with a new sponsor, and I have the tour of the subcontinent coming up with my team. Hell, I’m the most successful captain of the English cricket team ever. Just one of the many records I aimed to break during my career. And then, there are the businesses I’m investing in, which help me multiply my money faster, while helping me grow my power and influence even more.
Nope, I’m right on track. And no curvy woman with big green eyes and skin like the softest satin is going to make me veer me off course. I’ve done my duty to ensure she’ll stay close, so I can keep an eye on her. It’s for her safety—so Knight won’t have any reason to worry about her. I have no interest in her beyond that. Nope.
My phone buzzes with a notification. I pull up the security app and watch as the green dot which is Abby’s phone heads up her street and toward the tube station. What the devil? What is she up to now? I dropped her home earlier and felt sure she’d stay there until I pick her up tomorrow. So, where the hell is she going at— I glance at the time on my watch—nine p.m.? Is she going to a club? Or to meet a secret lover, maybe? Either way, I’m going to make sure she’s okay. It’s not safe for her to be wandering around late like this.
"You alright?" Declan’s voice cuts through my thoughts.
"Eh? What?" I glance up at him. "Of course, I am. Something’s come up though; gotta dash."
27