Access Granted (13 page)

Chapter Twenty-Five

Sahara’s studio...

You need to stop trying to find ways to get me back.

We are over.

Your words, cards  and texts are nothing to me.

You didn’t want me before so why are you back now?

You might have changed your mind.

But I have moved on, I found someone better than you.

Please stay out of my life.

Please go back to one of your past loves.

They want you. They need you, but I don’t.

Please know this has to stop. This ship has sailed.

Please isn’t a word I like to say.

Especially to someone like you, but I’ll say it over and

Over to get you away from me.

Maybe it is my fault., I used to think the world

Revolved around everything that you did.

I was so blindsided by my crush on you, but now

My eyes are open.

I see I wasn’t in love with you, but with the idea of

Having you in my life.

However, now I know that true love is. I found the perfect match

For me and he isn’t you.

So listen to what I have to tell you.

Please stay out of my life.

Please go back to one of your past loves.

They want you. They need you, but I don’t.

Please know this has to stop. This ship has sailed.

Please isn’t a word I like to say.

Especially to someone like you, but I’ll say it over and

Over to get you away from me.

I hope you are listening to me, because I am done talking to you.

I’m better without you. I have never felt more cherished

Than I do now with him.

I found the man for me and if you take your

Attention off me. I bet you would find your perfect

Woman right before your eyes.

We are meant to be me anymore and I honestly

Don’t think we ever were.

Please stay out of my life.

Please go back to one of your past loves.

They want you. They need you, but I don’t.

Please know this has to stop. This ship has sailed.

Please isn’t a word I like to say.

Especially to someone like you, but I’ll say it over and

Over to get you away from me.

****

“I swear every time I hear my Sahara perform a new song she gets better and better. I couldn’t be more proud of wife than I already am,” Jax admitted.

“Don’t you think you’re being a tad bias,” Zander teased, patting his brother on the shoulder. He had just installed another camera to replace the one that had gotten trashed. He reinforced the screws this time, so nothing, not even a tornado, was going to bring it down a second time. The fact his sister-in-law’s stalker had gotten that close to the house still bothered him horribly.

“No, it’s the truth. My wife’s voice is beautiful and she deserves all of the praise she had been receiving,” his brother answered, looking away from the studio booth over at him. “So, what’s going on with you? Have you made any progress with Sabrina? Does she know she’s your mate or is she still scared to be alone in the same room with you?”

Zander couldn’t stop his grin. “No, I think after last night she sees me in a brand new light.”

It was hard as hell for him to sleep on the couch last night after putting Sabrina to bed, but he had to do it. Everything was still so new between them and he had no intentions of scaring her away by being too demanding.

“Are you telling me that you slept with her?” Jax asked, surprised. “I thought you weren’t going to push her into anything too soon. I know you didn’t tell her about being a vampire.”

“No, she’s still in the dark about my secret and we didn’t make love either. All I’m going to tell you is we got to knew each other a little better. I have never been so tempted in my life to continue, but I got myself under control.”

“I know how hard that must have been for you. I remember the time you saved me from going to far with Sahara. I practically tore your head off for making me stop. I wanted her so badly that day. It was then I started to realize who she was to me,” Jax admitted.

“I do remember that. You were so far into it that I didn’t think I would be able to get through to you, but I did and look at you now,” Zander said.

His brother glanced back inside the booth at his smiling wife. She waved at him and he waved back at her. “I know. She’s everything to me. I love her more than anything. I would give my life for her,” Jax admitted freely. “So when are you going to have the talk with your woman. You have to tell her pretty soon. Doesn’t she have two men after her besides you?”

Zander’s eyes flashed as he thought about Brent and Sean. He wouldn’t allow them to get in his way when it came to his mate. “Those two better stay away from my Sabrina,” he growled, low in his throat. “I will rip them apart if I feel them thinking about looking at her the wrong way now I have had a taste of her. She’s mine for the taking and no one else’s,
ever
.”

Turning, Jax looked at him directly in the face. “Are you sure about this? I’ve meet your mate. She’s very sweet and naïve. Do you think she will be able to handle the change from human to vampire? Could she leave her past life behind to live forever with you?”

“What are you getting at?” Zander asked, taking a step closer to his brother. “Do you think your woman is stronger than mine? Are you implying Sabrina won’t accept me for who I am?

“I know you aren’t because didn’t your mate run from you in fear when she saw your fangs? She wasn’t accepting you with open arms. Hell, you were about to suffer from the sleep of the dead for her. So, how about you stay out of my business? I can handle things with Sabrina in my own way.

“Did you ever think if you spent more time protecting your wife than in my business her stalker wouldn’t have gotten close enough to the house to damage the security camera?” Zander sneered.

“Bastard,” Jax growled a second before Zander’s body was slammed against the wall. “How dare you tell me I don’t know how to protect my mate!”

“Move your arm, big brother or I’ll move it for you.” Zander pulled at the thick arm pressed firmly against his chest.

“Do it! I don’t think you’re man enough.”

Zander grabbed Jax by the front of his shirt getting ready to shove him away from him. He didn’t come here for this shit!

“Jax, Zander. Stop it!” Sahara yelled behind them. “What are the two of you fighting about now? God, I think the two of you argue more than you get along. Honey, let go of your brother.”

“Yes, listen to your wife,” Zander said, staring at Sahara then back at Jax.

“No, I think you should be taught a lesson about who is the oldest and who that makes in charge. You don’t want to listen because you’re too damn stubborn.”

“She’s right,” Zander agreed calming down. “We’re brothers. I take back what I said. It was wrong, I’m just out of sorts because of Sabrina, knowing she’s my mate and not being allowed to tell her is driving me slowly out of my mind.”

He watched as Jax’s eyes flashed going from a dark black color slowly back to the vivid green he was used to seeing.

“All right. I accept your apology, but remember I’m still older and stronger than you,” Jax said then took a step back. “You won’t ever get the better of me.”

“Great. I’m happy the two of you calmed down,” Sahara said, staring at him. “God, Zander. You and Jax are horrible the way you get into it.” Stepping back from them, she crossed her arms over her breasts. “I swear I don’t know how the both of you grew up in the same house with all of this fighting.”

Zander grinned at Sahara as memories of his childhood came flashing back. “Jax was a difficult big brother. He was constantly picking on me for no reason. It wasn’t until I started going and gaining some muscle, he left me alone.”

“Don’t you dare try to give my wife a poor sob story,” Jax cut in. “You gave a good as you got.” His brother shoved him in the shoulder and then took a step back.

Uncrossing her arms, Sahara tossed her hands up in the air then grinned back at him. “I bet both of you were handfuls growing up, but I don’t know if I can handle this while I’m trying to get my CD completed.”

Instantly, Zander felt horrible for putting Sahara in the middle of his stupid fight with Jax. She wasn’t involved in their disagreement. “Alright, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have lost my temper. I just have too much going on with Sabrina. It’s my fault for taking it out on Jax.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Jax said, cutting in. “I should have shown you more empathy. I know how it feels to be chasing after your mate.”

“Oh, so that’s what has you in such a bad mood,” Sahara said, looking at him. “I think chasing after Sabrina will help bring your ego down a few notches. You need to know how it feels to be on the other end.”

Smiling, he grabbed his spunky sister-in-law and gave her a huge hug. “Keep giving my brother trouble and I’ll be just fine,” Zander whispered in her ear. “He needs to be kept on his toes.”

“I know he does,” she said returning his hug.

“Enough. Stop touching my mate,” Jax warned, pulling Sahara away from him. “If you want a woman to hug, go and find your own.”

Stepping back, Zander’s smile grew even wider. “You’re right. I haven’t talked to my woman since I dropped her off at work. I need to check on her car also. I’m hoping the mechanic was able to get it fixed.”

“Since you have so much to do, I guess you better get going,” his brother told him.

“Honey, stop taunting your brother,” Sahara said, grabbing Jax by the arm. “Anyway, I want you to help me with something upstairs.”

Instantly, Jax’s attention was off him and completely on his wife. “Is it what I think it is?”

“You’ll just have to wait.”

Zander laughed as Jax spun around and pulled a grinning Sahara behind him towards the studio door. He already knew they both would be on each other before they made it upstairs to the bedroom. He might fight with his brother, but loved the difference in Jax since he found Sahara. For a while there, he thought he might lose him to the sleep of the dead.

“Guys, don’t worry about seeing me out. I’ll lock up when I leave,” he hollered after them as they rushed out of the room.

Shaking his head, Zander couldn’t believe how one minute Jax was upset and ready to fight him over anything, but any time Sahara wanted his brother to do anything, he got the goofy, lovey, dovey look on his face. He would never think his big, massive sibling would totally become all agreeable and compromise for his mate at the drop of a hat.

He was more than a little jealous Sabrina didn’t realize she could have him in the palm of her hand the same exact way. However, he couldn’t ignore the fantastic progress he’d made with his mate at his house last night.

Now, all he had to do was make sure she didn’t try to retreat back into her shell embarrassed by what the two of them had shared. Nothing was wrong with his woman finding pleasure in his arms.

Going across the room, Zander gathered all of his belongings and headed for the door. He had to talk with her, it was almost lunch time and he hoped that he would catch her before she left. Sabrina was his and no other man should be within twenty feet of her.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Sabrina walked through the parking lot, headed towards the park across the street with her lunch and drink. She had to practically make a mad dash out of the restaurant near the courthouse to get away from Sean. He wasn’t getting through his head that they were only co-workers and nothing else.

Besides, she wasn’t in the mood for a long, one-sided conversation with him. The only person he loved talking about with himself and she wasn’t in the mood to nod and smile at him today.

She had too much on her mind. All this morning, she found it almost impossible to concentrate on her job in the courtroom when all her head wanted to do was to wander back to her night with Zander.

How could she had done all of those things with him? She’d never gotten naked with a man before, but it felt so natural with Zander like she was supposed to be with him. Brent’s kiss weren’t near as intoxicating as Zander’s. All he had to do was look at her and she wanted to be with him which almost happened last night, if she hadn’t passed out against his chest.

She never thought a man could make her lose control with such abandon like he had. What was it about him that made her want to confess her deepest and darkest secrets?

Making her way through the park, Sabrina found a picnic table underneath a shade tree and sat down. Opening her sack, she pulled out her turkey club with avocado along with a bag of chips. She laid everything out on the table in front of her before reaching for the bottle of water inside of her purse.

She took a bite of her sandwich and thought about how good she’d felt this morning when Zander drove her to work. Everything was relaxed and calm like he should be doing that for her every morning, but it wasn’t going to happen.

She wasn’t ready to get deeply involved with Zander that away. He was so intense. Sometimes he acted like everything he did was for her and nothing else. He constantly looked at her like she was the most perfect woman in the world, but that was so far from the truth. She had flaws just like everyone else. Yet, Zander seem willing to look past her imperfections just to be with her.

She took a long satisfying sip of her drink enjoying the cold water as it slid down her throat; Sabrina sat the plastic bottle back down and looked around the park. She used to love coming here as a little girl with her brother. Every single time she and Avery would fight about who would get to go down the blue tornado slide first and of course, he would win because he was the oldest.

It was times like that she wished Avery was still alive. She would be able to call at work and he would talk her through her personal problems no matter how small they were.

Damn Avery for dying
, she thought.

Sabrina tossed her half-eaten sandwich back down on the paper bag. If he wasn’t already dead, she would kill him for doing this to her and everyone else who loved him.

The old school sound of
Girlfriend
by Pebbles blaring from her purse and Sabrina reached for her cell phone.

“Hello,” she answered.

“Sabrina. Where are you?”

The unexpected sound of Zander’s deep, warm voice had her body tingling.  She should have known he would call her today, but she wished that he hadn’t. She was still trying to figure out things despite what they did last night.

“Ummm...I’m at lunch,” she hedged, hoping to hold him off.

“With who,” he demanded as his voice grew a little deeper. “I’m looking at Sean in the parking lot flirting with some woman.”

She didn’t belong to him. How dare Zander imply that she did? She was a grown woman who could have lunch with anyone she wanted.

“We’ve been over this before. I can hang around anyone I want including other men.”

“Not if I have anything to do about it. Didn’t you love our time together last night? Do you really think either one of those boys can give you what I did?” he asked.

“Brent isn’t a boy,” she corrected. “Sean is older than me, so he isn’t either. He’s around the same age as you are.”

Zander chuckled. “Sweetheart, I can promise you I have some years on both of them combined. I just don’t look like it. Now, will you please tell me where you are?”

God, she hated when Zander let his voice drop to that low seductive tone. He didn’t know it, but she had the hardest time telling him no. He seemed to will this power over her. Zander was a hard man to say no to no matter what it was.

“I’m at the park by my job sitting at a picnic bench,” she answered giving in.

“Give me about five minutes and I’ll be there,” he told her then ended the call.

Sabrina hung up on her end before tossing the phone back into her purse. Why was she so torn between being with Zander and still trying to be her own person? He was such an amazing guy and constantly made it known how much he wanted to be with her, but it was a little scary to have someone like him totally focused on her.

Not that she was lacking in the looks department; men had told her most of her life how attractive they found her. Yet, none of them had the power that surrounded Zander. Anytime he came into a room everyone seemed to stop talking to watch him since he commanded attention and he had no problem getting it.

So, why would a man who was so charismatic want someone who was his polar opposite? Most of the time she loved being in the background and staying to herself. Even her job let her do that without much problem. The last person the courtroom was paying attention to was her sitting off to the side typing away.

She loved her job and wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. It was made for her. Even Avery used to tease her about how she went into the perfect career for her personality.

Lost in her thoughts, Sabrina didn’t hear someone walking up behind her and jumped when a pair of arms wrapped around her waist. She started to scream until she smelled the familiar scent of Zander’s cologne.

“Hello beautiful,” he whispered against her ear planting a kiss on the side of her neck. “Do you know how much I missed you this morning?”

She shook her head as Zander nibbled at her neck. She bit back a moan as his hands cupped her breasts and pushed his thumbs over her nipples through the white blouse she was wearing.

“Each minute has been torture for me,” he admitted still kissing her neck.

“You have to stop. We can’t be doing this in a public park.”

She heard Zander sigh, but he moved away from her and sat across from her on the bench. “Sorry, baby but I can’t seem to control myself when I’m around you.” He grinned at her. “You have no clue what your body does to me.”

Her face grew warm as memories of how good Zander made her feel last night flooded her brain; she had a very good idea at what her body did to him but she needed more than hot, sexual chemistry in a relationship.

“Hmmm...how is your day going?” she asked, changing the topic to something more neutral. She couldn’t go back to work with her mind daydreaming about Zander’s wonderful tongue.

At her attempt at diversion, his dark eyebrows arched mischievously as the beginning of a smile tipped the corners of his mouth, but he didn’t say a word.

“I got into an argument with Jax over Sahara,” Zander answered.

Sitting up straighter, Sabrina glared at Zander. She hated the jealousy she felt. Sahara was everything she wasn’t: a confident, sexy woman on and off the stage. Could he want a woman like his sister-in-law and was only toying with  her for his amusement until she finally came along?

“Why were you fighting with your brother about his wife?” she asked, trying to keep the anger out of her voice.

“Sabrina, why don’t you tell me why I was fighting with Jax about Sahara?” he asked, leaning across the table towards her.

Sabrina wasn’t in the mood to play games. If Zander wanted to play them then he better find someone else to do them with.

“I don’t know. That’s why I asked you, but if you can’t tell me than I have to leave. My lunch is almost over.” Gathering all of her lunch, she started shoving it back into the brown paper bag ignoring how Zander was watching her from across the table.

“Sweetheart, I’m not interested in my sister-in-law,” he said, touching the back of her hand. “Jax would kill me if he ever thought for one second I had any kind of feelings toward Sahara more than brotherly intentions. Besides, she’s crazy in love with him and nothing will ever come between those two. We got into a fight over how to deal with her stalker. You’ve heard about him, haven’t you?”

Instantly, Sabrina stopped trying to leave as guilt began coming over her. Everyone who watched the news knew about Coco’s crazy stalker. Sahara’s Uncle Frank had hired Jax because the guy was getting too close to her and almost hurt her at one of her concerts even with Jax there. How could she have thought anything was going on between Zander and Sahara? She really just came across as a world class idiot.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions like that,” she apologized. “I have no right to do it.”

Letting go of her hand, Zander got up from his side of the table and joined her. “Baby, you can do anything you want to when it comes to me. I liked you were jealous of her. It showed me you weren’t totally emotionless when it came to me and another woman but you are the only female I want in my life and bed.”

He grabbed her hand and placed it over the erection in his jeans. She tried to move her hand away, but Zander pressed it even closer. “Believe me when I tell you that you are the only woman that makes me this hard.”

Against her better judgment, Sabrina traced the outline of his thick cock through the jeans with her finger. “You are so hard,” she whispered amazed by the size of him.

“Damn baby,” he growled, moving her hand so she fully had him in the palm of her hand. “I want you so badly my entire body is hurting from it.”

She squeezed him the way he taught her at his house and his cock jerked under her light touch. “Did you think about what happened between us?” Sabrina asked, noticing how Zander grew even thicker beneath her hand. He felt so
big
.

“Sabrina, the memory of how sweet and delicious you tasted hasn’t left my mind,” he admitted.

She couldn’t help but feel sexier knowing she did this to the man with her. Zander couldn’t control his reaction to her. Just thinking about it made her panties wet, but her lunch break was almost up. She probably only had a few minutes to get back to work and into the courtroom.

“I need to leave,” Sabrina said, removing her hand. She scooted back from Zander watching how his eyes roamed over her body lingering on her breasts.

“How can you leave me in pain like this?” he complained, rubbing his hand over his erection.

Sabrina’s pulse jumped at the sight of Zander touching himself.  She had never seen anything so hot before. She shook her head to get herself back under control. “I’m sorry,” she apologized then glanced at her watch noticing she only had fifteen minutes to get back to the courtroom.  The judge hated when anyone came back a minute later.

“God, I’ve got to go or I’m going to be late.” Jumping up from the bench, she grabbed her trash off the top.

“Wait. Let me give you a ride back,” Zander said, standing up next to her.

“No, I better not.” Sabrina knew being inside a closed car with him at the moment wasn’t a good idea. “I can walk and still make it on time.”

Disappointment crossed his handsome face, but he didn’t push her. “Alright,” he agreed reluctantly.

“How about we do something after work?” she suggested, wanting to spend more time with Zander. Sabrina couldn’t deny how much she loved being around him.

“I would love to,” he said and the warmth of his smile echoed in his voice. “How about I pick you up at your house about seven?”

Sabrina just remembered that her car was still down, so she would have to get a ride home from one of her co-workers. “I should be home way before then, I just need to get a ride home from someone.”

“I knew I forgot something,” Zander said as his hand reached inside the pocket of his jeans and pulled something out. “Your car is fixed and in the parking lot in your spot.”

“You got my car fixed?” Stunned, she took her car keys from Zander. She didn’t even remember giving them to him in the first place.

“Yes, I called a buddy of mine who owed me a favor. He fixed it and dropped it off at your job. I hated the idea of you being without a vehicle for too long.”

“Thank you, Zander.” Going up to him, Sabrina gave him a hug, but as she tried to step back he tightened his arms around her and placed his hand underneath her chin, tilting her head back staring into her eyes.

“You’re welcome,” he said then kissed her on the mouth before stepping back. “You better leave before you’re late.” Zander took a step back sliding his hands into the back pocket of his jeans.

Sabrina took one final glance at Zander then grabbed her trash off the picnic table and hurried out of the park back across the street feeling his eyes on her the entire way.