Stand Close 1 Read online

  “I know! I know… it must be hard for you guys. It must be! But I just want to slap that smirk right off his fat face.” I laugh and she smiles, her eyes flickering as she sees him approach. I turn around and nod to him.

  With him getting closer, I mutter to her out of the side of my mouth, “You know what you just sounded like?” She shakes her head, wiping her eyes again. “A little sister. Come on.” I put my arm around her and together we walk toward Jack. “Hey Jack. Rue thinks your face is fat.”

  His head goes back like someone hit him and confusion knits his forehead. “What?”

  She reaches out her hand to him, smiling, her cheeks all rosy from the cry, the jacked-up mascara ridiculously charming. “I’m sorry. It’s just a little fat.”

  He’s so knocked over by her smile that he takes her hand and loses the grimace. “Okay. I don’t know what you guys are up to, but I’m pretty sure my face is just fine. Let’s go out.” He doesn’t apologize, but with my arm around her shoulders, and him holding her hand, I’m pretty sure we’re on a good path now.

  Chapter Fifteen

  RUE

  The music is so loud I can’t hear myself think. Thank God.

  Club Level is packed, so much so that I now have five different perfumes on me and even some cologne. There are go-go dancers on risers throughout the fog-filled room, and there’s a glass window where an actual live woman lies naked in the case with plants blocking her nudity. She smiles serenely and waves as people pass her. “Move the plants!” guys yell through the glass. She just wags a finger at them like they’re being naughty.

  The bartenders are all stunning. Biceps tightening as drinks are poured. Cleavages dipping down as ice is gathered into pretty glasses. Flashing blue and yellow lights ignite profiles of the club goers who were deemed worthy enough to make it past the bouncer. We went right in, the rope pulled back for us with the bouncer fist-bumping Sean and Jack like they’re old buddies, faces cool and unsmiling.

  “What should I get to drink?” I ask Jack. Sean’s talking to an actress I recognize from the show Chicago Fire, his back to us after she stopped him to say hello.

  Jack smirks. “Oh right, you just turned twenty-one. We have a table, so there’ll be several bottles of vodka, and some whiskey for us. You don’t want to try that. It’ll be too much.”

  I turn to say into his ear, over the noise, “Just because I just turned legal doesn’t mean I’ve never had a drink.” He meets my eyes with a look he should not be giving a sister. I step back, glancing away quickly, uncomfortable. “I’m just saying,” I mutter, flustered, feeling my heart race. He grabs my hand and I gasp as he pulls me suddenly through the throng of people, heading toward the back of the club. I glance hurriedly for Sean, but he doesn’t see us leaving; he’s still locked in conversation with that actress. I almost call out for him, but I’m so shocked and freaked out that I say nothing. Through at least fifty bodies we go, until he steps up into a burgundy, canopied booth and plants me into it with a firm swing of his arm. Bouncing off the seat, I stare up at him, speechless as the edgy lines of his jaw tighten on a challenging smile. He reaches down for one of the four bottles on the table: Bombay Sapphire Gin, Bookers Bourbon, Grey Goose and Chopin Vodka. Pouring a hefty splash of Booker’s into a curvy glass, he hands it to me. “Here you go, Butch.”

  Taking it, I cock my chin a little, realizing now what’s going on. “Oh, you’re bad.”

  His green eyes glitter and he says, dryly, “You’re just now figuring that out?”

  Interrupting us is the deepest, most recognizable voice I’ve ever heard. “Well, well, well. Is this the baby sister?” I look to the right and my heart smashes into a brick wall as I lock eyes with Alec Gabriel, Jack and Sean’s rockstar best friend. Everyone knows who he is, the front man for the band Locked Tight, but in person he’s so much taller than he appears in pictures. Like so many musicians, he’s lanky, with sexy hair, and great style. My breath catches as his glittering hazel eyes unapologetically tear my dress off. I respond by running my own gaze up his tall body, and I can feel myself getting wet immediately, a reaction I’ve never had so quickly with a guy. Like he knows, he looks down to my lap and flashes that famous twisted smile, one corner tugged up. The left corner. Always the left. Like he’s got a secret only he knows and he’ll never, ever tell. “Hey.”

  My mouth goes dry and I can’t speak. I’m pulsating in places I’d expect, and some I don’t, like the back of my knees and the palms of my hands! Staring at him like a mute, I just blink.

  Jack slides in next to me and puts his arm over the back of the booth around me. Possessively? Protectively? I steal a look at him, but I can’t tell which. He doesn’t introduce Alec. I will come to find that they never introduce the famous people. They just assume the world knows who they are. “The very one. What do you think?”

  Alec looks away to the dance floor, saying nonchalantly, “Very nice. Can I borrow her?”

  Jack doesn’t miss a beat. “No.”

  Alec laughs and picks up a bottle as I stare at his smile, transfixed. I’ve heard of bottle-service where you get a reserved table of your own with bottles you’re free to pour from until they’re empty… and then you can order more if you want. I’ve never been able to afford the five hundred to several thousand-dollar price tag, depending on the venue. I used to think it was obscene to spend thousands so you have a place to sit, and your own alcohol, but now that I’m here? It’s pretty awesome.

  I can’t take my eyes off Alec as he pours himself a Bombay Sapphire Tonic and gives me a wink before he rises up to survey the gyrating crowd. His eyes land on a group of mini-dressed girls dancing like they want to be noticed. Instantly, jealousy punches me in the gut. With the glass rising slowly to his perfect lips, he gives them the audience they want, and I stare at his profile, wishing he’d turn around and look at me.

  Jack gets up to shake hands with a couple of guys I don’t recognize. With the freedom to stare at Alec all I want to now, I sip from my whiskey glass and can’t even taste the burn of it as I take in his body, the slope of his back, those broad shoulders pulling at his well-tailored gray blazer. His ass is perfect; slim hips, a little meat to the high rise of it. But then I get a look at his fingers. They’re so thick, I can feel myself gushing. I wish I were that glass he’s drinking from.

  “How do you like it?” Jack asks me.

  “I like it a lot,” I murmur, still staring at Alec.

  “I can see that.”

  I look at him with a start, sheepishly lower my eyes to the glass, and find it almost empty. “I was proving a point that I can handle this.” Wait, am I talking about the whiskey or my new life?

  He raises an eyebrow. “No, I meant, I can see that you like my best friend. AND the drink. Catch up slowpoke.”

  “I wasn’t looking at your best friend,” I lie, and drink the rest the glass way too quickly. A coughing fit overtakes me and I can’t stop. I almost die coughing. Alec glances to me and I want to vanish into the wall and come out three minutes earlier to redo this moment.

  Jack chuckles over a sneer and shakes his head. “Instant karma for your lie.” He grabs a napkin and tosses it to me. “You’re a mess. Go fix your face.”

  My eyes narrow as I cover my mouth with one last cough. “You’re truly poetic in the way you phrase things, you know that?”

  “I try. Go.” He jerks his chin toward the bathroom.

  I hold the hem of my dress as I scoot awkwardly out of the leather booth, and cut a last defiant look to my stupid jerk of a brother. Alec is watching me, amused. “I’m normally more graceful than this,” I mumble.

  “What?”

  “Nothing.” Pushing my way through the bodies, I head for the bathroom, unsure of where I’m going.

  I’m so mad at Jack, I can’t see straight, and the whiskey is making me feel loopy. A couple swear words slip out of my loosened lips, but people don’t move out of the way to let me through. Exasperated, I ask a girl with fake boobs
, too much makeup and too little clothing, “Excuse me, where’s the bathroom?”

  She eyes me for a second, and points with one fire-engine-red fingernail. “That way.”

  “Thanks.”

  I turn to leave, but she stops me with a grab of my arm. “Hey. Are you with them?” Confused, I look at her hand until she releases me. “Sorry. Was that too tight?”

  “No, it’s fine,” I lie. “Them? Who’s them? Oh… yeah. I guess I am.”

  “I’m a friend of theirs. I’ll come with you.” She slides her arm through mine. “You don’t want to get lost. I love your dress!”

  “Yeah? I wasn’t sure about it, but it’s okay I guess.” I glance down and see our legs keeping time as we head through a hallway littered with people engaged in conversations, voices bouncing against the walls over the beat of the music.

  “I’m Desiree.”

  “Rue.”

  “So, who made you cry?” She holds the door open for me.

  “Wait, what? Cry?” I throw her a weird smile and run to the mirror, remembering I never checked my face after the restaurant. “Holy crap! Oh my God! My face is a disaster! I can’t believe he saw this! I look like a heartbroken druggie after a bender!”

  Desiree leans her hip on the bathroom counter. “You can’t believe who saw this?”

  Snatching a paper towel, wetting it and wiping at the smears, I mutter incredulously, “Alec Gabriel! Oh my God! Just looking at him made my panties fall off and here I was this whole time looking like THIS! How is he ever going to want me now?” From out of nowhere, Desiree punches me in the face. In the mirror I see it coming at me like I’m watching an alien pop out of the wall. The hard blast of her knuckles cracks me hard and fast in the cheek. My head swings to the side and I drop the soggy paper towel and make a horrible sound of agony.

  I hear her screaming, “Put me down! Put me down!” I spin around to find Alec carrying the crazy bitch, kicking and screaming into the larger of the stalls. “PUT ME DOWN YOU LYING SACK OF SHIT!”

  Oh. So that’s what’s going on.

  He jogs his chin to the older female bathroom attendant in a silent command for help. Wide-eyed, she leaves her counter of necessities–gum, deodorant, hair ties, all available for the price of a tip–and runs over to do his bidding. Everyone knows who he is. Everyone has him in their playlists. Everyone has seen that famous shot of him wearing no shirt on stage in Germany, shiny sweat droplets flying off his hair as he sang their favorite song, I Need You More Than I Need Air. When this guy asks for your help, you help. You want to take off all your clothes and THEN help, because that’s the natural state to be in with a guy who has this much testosterone.

  There are other girls in the bathroom, gawking at the scene. I stare open-mouthed, my hand on my hurting cheek as he commands her, “Hold the door. I can get security to get her out of here.”

  The lady practically jumps on the stall door to hold it shut. On the other side, Desiree is still kicking and screaming, “You fucking liar!!!” She grabs at the woman’s hands. The attendant yelps and moves them, holding the door with both hands flat, her rear sticking out, and her feet staggered like she’s about to take off for a race. Thank God the doors go all the way to the floor! Alec pulls out a hundred dollar bill, shows it to the attendant and slips it into one of her straining hands. “Hold on a little longer.”

  She sees the bill. “I’ll hold her all night!”

  He turns around, and when his eyes lock on mine, a calm falls over my body. “You alright?” He walks to me and takes my hand, his skin warm and soothing. I nod, gazing up at him. “Good,” he says with his crooked smile.

  Chapter Sixteen

  RUE

  We walk through the hallway as the lights of the club flash in time with my heart’s steady beat. Ba Boom. Ba Boom. Ba Boom. I interlace my fingers through his and he gives my hand a firm squeeze. Where are we going? I don’t even care. All I can think of is him. Holding my hand. Coming to my rescue.

  Alec Gabriel cares about my safety. He knows who I am.

  He walks up to the bouncer at the front of the club. “Desiree punched Rue. She’s trapped in the bathroom.”

  Dark Shades doesn’t lift an eyebrow or miss a beat. “I’ll take care of it.” He raises his dark hand and makes a signal like a catcher to the pitcher at the bottom of the Ninth. As we walk away from the club, I glance behind to see two guys heading in to handle the problem, the word SECURITY in bold white letters across the backs of their black shirts. Security. That’s exactly what they offer.

  Alec and I walk in silence past the valet who does a double take as he recognizes Alec. I feel like I’m in a dream, so when the guy smiles at me, I don’t smile back. I just keep following the leader. My leader.

  We turn a corner. As soon as we’re out of sight of the club, Alec backs me up against a graffiti’d wall and lets go of my hand to touch my face and turn my chin from side to side, checking if I’m bruised. His body is five inches from mine. His face is close enough that if I leaned forward just a little bit, we’d be kissing. The deep timber of his voice ricochets through my body. “Does it hurt? Are you okay?” As I look at his lips, they part. We don’t speak for a few heated seconds.

  Oh, did you ask me something?

  “I’m okay. It doesn’t hurt anymore.” I sound like I’m saying Take me to bed, but I can’t help it. He’s formed a human shield around me and the sense of protection is a tonic I’ve never known. “You’re so warm, Alec.”

  He smiles just for me, his eyes locked on mine. “You’re a couple steps above that.” His hand goes up on the wall above my shoulder and he looks at my lips. I back into the wall as though it’s pliable. It isn’t. He looks down at my cleavage and holds there. His hand comes up. With shortened breaths, I look down at his fingers and watch.

  “Oh my God. Yes…” I whisper.

  His eyes meet mine, a flicker of something heavy behind them. “What?”

  With shortened breaths, aching for him everywhere, I can’t believe I hear myself saying, “Please touch me.” My breasts rise in anticipation, breath caught in my chest. Frozen, tingling all over, I watch his thick fingertip drift ever so slowly across my soft curves of naked flesh, dipping just a little into my cleavage. I look up and meet his smoldering eyes. He reaches under my dress and tucks his finger into the soft, flimsy fabric of my panties, stroking me softly. He brushes his lips against mine as his finger slips inside my folds just enough where he can touch the most sensitive spot on my whole body.

  “You’re gushing.”

  “Mmmhmm,” I moan, parting my lips as he stares at them, hypnotized by my need for more. I’ve never felt this much hunger before. He’s about to kiss me. I can feel it.

  “ALEC!” Sean yells. I gasp and look over, dipping out of Alec’s reach, and pulling down my dress. Alec takes a longer time to react. He’s in no hurry. Sean is not his master. He’s his own master and he wants to make that very clear.

  But I’m not nearly so confident.

  “Oh God. I’m sorry,” I mumble and squirm away from the invisible, sensual grip this beast of a man has me in. Sean has closed the distance to us now, his face a mask of foreshadowing and irritation. “He saved me,” I mumble, realizing how odd that sounds.

  “Saved you?” Sean frowns deeply from me to his friend like he’s the one doing the saving, not Alec. “Is that what he was doing?” The sarcasm drips from every word.

  “Desiree cornered her in the bathroom and punched her. I saw them going in together and knew there would be trouble,” Alec explains, his manner unhurried, unapologetic.

  Sean isn’t impressed.

  “Come on, Rue.” Sean holds out his arm to invite me to walk beside him.

  I glance to Alec, wishing badly I could stay with him, that he might object and whisk me away to somewhere very, very private. There’s an ache in my chest that feels like it might burst if I can’t touch him. But the look in his eyes tells me silently to go with my brother. I lower my chin, ey
elashes falling to the ground as I walk into Sean’s outstretched arm. I steal a furtive glance at Alec as the three of us walk back toward the club, but he’s not looking at me. His body is relaxed, but his eyes are rigid as he strolls with his hands tense in his pockets. I glance down and see he’s hiding an erection. Suddenly my heart flips over and I turn to face the world with a smile of wonder on my face.

  Sean stops at the valet and gives him the ticket. Behind me, I feel Alec’s departure before I even see it, like a cord is attached to us and it’s being pulled taut. My head swings around to watch him walking back toward the entrance, the crowd behind the ropes watching him, too.

  “Isn’t he coming with us?” I ask, my eyes locked on his back. Jack walks out of the club’s entrance just in time to fist-bump his best friend, wordlessly saying they’ll catch each other later. As Jack meets my eyes with a devilish glitter, Sean warns me, “Forget him, Rue. He’s not the one for you.”

  I look up at my new brother and say nothing, because inside I know my response is a loud and resounding Oh yes he is.

  Chapter Seventeen

  ALEC

  “We got her. I wasn’t at the door when they let her in but now the guys know who she is,” Gabe explains in a low monotone.

  I clasp his shoulder on my way in. “Don’t blame yourself. Desiree always finds a way.”

  “Bitches, man.” He adjusts himself on the stool and reaches out for the I.D. of the next person in line.

  The music, lights, smells, and sounds of the club all feel very differently from when I arrived earlier. I knew there was a sister before I got his text. Jack filled me in. I knew about the money. I knew about his hatred for the whole situation and I was right there with him. It’s a fucked up turn of events to find out what they found out, and to have all that cash going away to someone they don’t know, but who they have to now call family...it’s fucked up. “You can disown her,” I’d offered when he dropped by my place after the trip downtown to their lawyer’s. “You can act like she doesn’t exist and let her go about her life, with her spending the money you never knew was stashed away for her anyway. What about that?”