Backstage Demands (5 page)

CHAPTER 3:

EARLY BIRD GETS THE WORM

They ordered in Chinese food and made love into the night, but now it was morning and Lauren was up and about. She had to be at work in two hours and the excitement was making her stomach flip. She sat there on their sofa, quietly having a cup of coffee. In her mind’s eye, she went through her day trying to foresee events and prepare herself for what the day could potentially hold. Peter was still in bed. He has been with his firm for years so he was way past the point of nervousness and first-day jitters. She envied him.

Her legs bounced as she sipped her coffee staring at the clock, second hand ticking away. Committing to appear as an overachiever, Lauren set the cup down and gave herself one last look over in the mirror before heading out. Being early was better than being late.

Lauren was pleased with her reflection. Her auburn hair was smooth and fell straight, just below her shoulders. She tucked a stray strand behind her ear as she further examined herself. Her skin was a soft porcelain, dappled with freckles that matched her hair. Her green eyes sparkled brilliantly under dark, lush black mascara covered lashes. She probably wore a little more than she should have, but she decided to leave it. No sense in causing raccoon eyes in trying to take some of it off. She couldn’t risk it now.

Her suit was a dark charcoal colored pants suit with a matching single-buttoned blazer. It was perfectly tailored to her slightly curved frame. Her buttoned down shirt was a soft cream color that accented her skin tone and hair color. To Lauren, she felt she looked the part. Now she just needed to act it. It was time to go.

She left a note for Peter thanking him for de-stressing her, grabbed her things and headed out the door. Thirty minutes later, she’d be standing in front of the impressive law office with its glass doors and windows accessorized with brass trim. Staring up at it, Lauren thought about how she had bumped into Darla Lovell yesterday and how the building itself reminded her of Darla, “Tall drink of water.” While she couldn’t put her finger on it at the moment, Lauren felt uneasy about seeing Darla in her modest apartment building. Darla was just so out of place there. She buried that uneasy feeling in the back of her mind. Now she had more important things to do – like start her new job.

*

Upon entering the main lobby, Lauren confidently flashed her ID as if she had been doing it every day. She always tried to give the impression that she belonged. Today she did, but it was something she struggled with her whole life. Now, she felt as if she finally made it. She had a handsome fiancé, the perfect job and while it was no Triumph Towers, she did have a nice place to live. Lauren was on the path to success and happiness – the kind any princess could ask for.  As she rode the elevator, she contemplated getting a dog. That was, after all, the logical next step.

Bridget Muller was waiting for Lauren at the reception desk.

“Lauren Holden?” She asked. When Lauren offered a smile and a nod, Bridget introduced herself, “Excellent. I’m Bridget Muller, the office administrator. I’ll show you to your desk.” Lauren followed Bridget dutifully and glanced around the office. She offered simple but friendly greetings to all that caught her eye. Once at her desk, Bridget would help her get settled in, “Now you have a staff meeting at 10 am in the conference room. Be sure to be on time.”

Lauren laughed at this warning since both she and Bridget were apparently early birds.

“I don’t think that will be a problem.”

With that, Bridget gave her a stoic nod and walked her through everything else Lauren needed to know to get through her busy day. When Bridget finally left her, Lauren pulled out the engraved desk sign that her mother had given her as a gift. It read, “Lauren Holden, Attorney at Law.” She put it on the desk and took a selfie with it. Only when she looked at the photo did she notice Darla Lovell in the background. Lauren had shot the photo from her desk seat, the sign turned toward her, but the camera was facing the open door. Across the hall, Darla stood in the conference room watching her. When Lauren turned her head to look at the door, Darla was gone. No trace of her except the photo now in her phone. Lauren frowned to herself, “Great … first embarrassing moment on the job.”

CHAPTER 4:

THANKS FOR THE JOB, DARLA

The glass doors of the conference room swung open and Darla stopped mid-sentence. She glared at the secretary standing in the doorway. She did not like intrusions.

“What is the matter, Marta?” she asked without attempting to mask the dissatisfaction in her voice.

Marta stammered as she attempted to answer, hoping she wouldn’t get her head chewed off.

“Uh … I’m … I’m very sorry to interrupt, but there’s a Jasper Connor on the phone calling from prison and he insists he needs to speak with you.”

Darla smirked and arched a perfectly shaped brow.

“Always drama" she muttered. Darla was never one for anyone interrupting her process and this included well-paying ones accused of murder. “Take a message.” She flicked her hand at Marta as if she was a fly and then suddenly stopped her, “Wait. Lauren … go take the call. See if you can help Jasper while I finish the meeting.”

Lauren had been hanging on Darla’s every word as she first introduced her to the group and then went over the cases. They hadn’t yet discussed Jasper’s so Lauren was not prepared to speak with him in the slightest. Still, she rose from the table reluctantly as she wanted to hear the rest of the story Darla had been telling them. Darla was charming and a magnificent story-teller.

As Lauren exited the conference room, she asked Marta to bring her Jasper’s file and to transfer the call to her office. She closed the door and waited for the line to blink.

*

Jasper leaned his large form against the wall, waiting for Darla to get on the phone. Generally, anyone that found out that Darla Lovell was Jasper’s attorney was shocked by the news. They were first surprised that a high-powered attorney such as Darla would represent a Brass Bonds MC member. The Brass Bonds was known as a small-time gang with a bike garage and tattoo shop on the outskirts of the city. Most often they were brought in for small time gang-related crimes, mostly guns, and drug charges. Not to mention the fact that most people thought a biker couldn’t afford an attorney like Darla Lovell but as usual there was more going on than meets the eye.

“C’mon you bitch, get on the phone.” Jasper was getting antsy.

Finally, a female voice on the other line spoke.

“Hello … this is Lauren Holden and I’m a first-year associate here at Bliss, Lovell, and Wiseman. Darla Lovell is …”

Jasper cut her off.

“Wait who are you? Where is Darla? Put Darla on the phone now!” The volume of his voice beginning to rise. It caught the attention of the guard standing nearby who threatened to end Jasper’s call early. Jasper lowered his voice but kept his tone insistent, “I don’t care who you are, but you go get Darla right now and tell her to get her ass on this phone. You tell her it’s Jasper Conner. She knows the deal. Get her now. I’m not dealing with a secretary.”

Lauren held the phone away from her ear and took a deep breath before answering back.

“I’m not her secretary. I’m an attorney here and she asked me to assist you, which I’m more than capable of doing while she’s finishes her staff meeting.”

Jasper lost his mind.

“A staff meeting? Get her on the phone now! I don’t give a shit about her staff! You tell her they found Lucas’ body and I want her on the phone now!” The guard came around and stood next to Jasper. Jasper held his hand up to indicate he had it under control. He was bigger than the guard and could easily take him down, but that would mean solitary and a beating later on by more than one guard.

Lauren remained calm even though Jasper was yelling at her on the other end of the phone.

“I understand you prefer the expertise of Ms. Lovell and I will relay the message that you are displeased that she didn’t get on the phone herself. Is there a number she can call you back?” As soon as Lauren said it, she winced knowing she just asked the wrong question.

“IS THERE A NUMBER SHE CAN CALL ME BACK?” Jasper lost his control. “Yeah, it’s 1-800-KISS MY ASS!” The guard was on him now taking the phone from his hand and hanging it up. Jasper didn’t fight him even though anger surged through his body. His fists clenched until his knuckles were white.

“Let’s go Jas … back in the cell. I’m sure lover-girl will show up tomorrow with muffins or something.” The guards had a bet that the only way Jasper could afford Darla was by banging her. Jasper may have been a low-life criminal in their eyes, but no one could doubt that women fell for Jasper – all women from the lawyers to the whores.

*

Lauren stared at the phone a moment before putting it back in its cradle. She didn’t see Darla in the doorway. The woman moved like the wind.

“Don’t worry too much about Jasper,” Darla said. Lauren looked up surprised then shook her head.

“I’m sorry Ms. Lovell. I really didn’t handle this well. He’s really upset and said ‘they found Lucas Jackson’s body.’” Lauren looked up confused. Marta still hadn’t brought in the case file.

Darla waved it off.

“Don’t worry, really. Jasper is just under an enormous amount of pressure with the state trying to frame him for the murder. Nothing I can’t handle. In fact, I’d like you to go to the prison and meet with him. You’ll be working the case with me so you may as well meet with him now and get acquainted. I will warn you, he is quite the good-looking bad boy so be careful of his … charms.” Darla flashed a wicked grin toward Lauren that made Lauren wonder if Darla had engaged in something other than a professional relationship with the man. Plus, the woman seemed incredibly confident in handling the case. Lauren, on the other hand, was beginning to panic about meeting Jasper – especially after how he spoke to her on the phone.

“I’ll head over there right away, Ms. Lovell.” Lauren watched Darla turn to leave the room. Marta passed her in the hall with the file. She dropped it on the desk but didn’t stick around for questions, leaving Lauren there to figure it out herself. When Lauren flipped open the file, she saw a photo of Jasper Connor and her heart skipped a beat.

CHAPTER 5:

THE CLUB HOUSE

“Jasper Conner. Your attorney, Lauren Holden. Miss … when you’re ready to leave just come to the door. No touching. No pens. Don’t leave anything behind.” The guard went the through the rules with her. Jasper dressed in an orange jumpsuit with a white thermal underneath sat cuffed to a chair across from the wide metal table. Lauren entered the otherwise empty room and took a seat. The door closed behind her.

“Hello, Jasper. I’m Lauren Holden.” She smiled softly at him and studied his features. She couldn’t help it. While she wouldn’t admit it, she was instantly attracted to him. The buttons over the chest were open revealing the tight white thermal underneath. The sleeves of the thermal were pushed up to reveal his tattooed, muscular forearms. Lauren found herself staring at them and wondering if he was tattooed all over. She shook her head free of her thoughts and focused on his face, which may have been even more distracting that his tall, muscular build.

His face was beautiful. He had thick dark hair that was messy at the moment as if he had been running his fingers through it all day. His eyes were a deep brown, hooded by thick lashes, the kind that any woman would envy. His jaw was sharp and covered in stubble, he hadn’t shaved yet, but the feature Lauren couldn’t take her eyes off most was his lips. They were full and kissable even when angry and right now they were moving a mile a minute but Lauren didn’t notice the words coming out of his mouth.

“Hello? Are you listening to me?” Jasper waved his hand in front of her face, “Have you been listening to a word I’m saying?” His tone was rising. A guard looked through the window and he smirked and calmed himself.

Lauren shook herself out of her trance

“Oh yes … I’m sorry. You mentioned on the phone this morning that they found Lucas Jackson’s body.” She hadn’t been listening to a word he said, but she picked up from her last recollection of their conversation, “Are you familiar with the area where they found his body?”

Jasper nodded.

“They found his body by the Triumph Tower Three. It’s a new building that’s going up by the other two.” He used his finger to draw an imaginary map on the table. “The Triumph construction site is here.” He marked a spot with an “x”. Then he continued, “The Bonds' club house is here …” He marked another spot across a wide span of the table. “The club house was the last place that Lucas was seen, with me and a few other Brass Bonds Brothers. The clubhouse is our turf. One of our guys owns it, it backs onto an open field. That field is adjacent to the Triumph construction site.”

Lauren listened and processed the information he was giving her, then asked, “You know the lay of the land, Jasper. That won’t look good.” She looked up at him.

Jasper noticed Lauren’s eyes when she looked up at him.

“Your eyes are very green and I know the lay of the land because the club uses a backroad that crosses the field for deliveries. Once the construction is done, that road will be closed off. That creates problems for the club.” He didn’t go into further details. He didn’t know who might be listening even though their conversation was protected under attorney-client privilege. Jasper watched Lauren process his words before asking, “Why didn’t Darla come? Why did she send you?”

Lauren had been taking a few notes based on what Jasper was telling her. She looked up and shrugged.

“Busy I guess. She took me on to help with the workload. She’s still going to oversee the case.” Then she offered a soft reassuring smile, “She just couldn’t be in two places at once and wanted to make sure you spoke to someone today. She didn’t want to leave you feeling like you were … isolated.”

A moment of silence passed between the two of them and Lauren felt herself blush as Jasper kept his eyes on her during that moment of silence. He liked her. He didn’t want to like her, but now he found that he was the one staring at her.

“You’re very pretty, you know.”

Lauren cleared her throat and shifted in her seat a bit.

“Thank you. Let’s get back to the night you last saw Lucas Jackson.”

“Your hair has this pretty shine to it.” Jasper licked his lips and leaned in as far as the restraints would allow him to go, “I’m not trying to be forward, but you smell real pretty too.” He smiled softly at her and Lauren felt herself giggle nervously like a school girl. Inside she was dying! What on earth was she doing flirting with an alleged murderer? Plus, she was engaged! Still she felt an instant attraction to Jasper and the more she spoke with him, the gentler he seemed to be. Yes, he was tall and looming and muscular and incredibly charming and sexy but she noticed he was also smart. He had this brilliance in his eyes as if his mind was always working to solve a problem, which he was. He was trying to get himself out of prison! He just didn’t seem like a murderer to her.

“That’s really nice of you to say, Jasper.” She rolled her lips inward, pressing them together. “Now tell me about the night Lucas Jackson died.”

Jasper smiled to her and relented.

“He was at the bar. Drinking and carrying on. The clubhouse is not a place Lucas Jackson would normally go to. When he walked in, we were actually surprised that a wannabe politician would even be there, especially since he was the guy pushing for Triumph Tower Three to be built on that particular piece of land. Whitey Smith, the president of the Club, had words with Lucas about closing the road. Lucas claimed he was there that night to ‘break bread’ with Whitey. He didn’t want any bad blood with the MC. See … a lot of people think that the Brass Bonds MC is nothing more than a low-life biker gang. That’s not true. The gang’s ties go high up in this city.” He tapped the table as if it marked his statement fact. Perhaps it was, perhaps it wasn’t. Lauren was sure she fully believed him yet but so far, she was getting the feeling this case was about much more than a biker fight gone wrong.

“Now here’s my predicament, Lauren.” If Jasper could have taken her hand, he would have. He wanted to touch her. Maybe it was being without a woman for so long and locked up in that tiny cell or maybe it was something specifically about her, but he definitely wanted to touch her. He put his hands on the table and splayed his fingers out as if they had the possibility of grazing hers, they didn’t, but he tried nonetheless. “I didn’t kill Lucas Jackson, but I also can’t rat on a brother. So you and Darla need to be crafty enough to connect the dots and get me out of here, understand?” He flashed his deep chocolate eyes at her. “I’m trusting you, Lauren.” Then his voice went soft, almost seductive, “Can I trust you?”

Lauren was falling right into his spell.

“Yes Jasper, you can trust me. I’m your lawyer now.” For a moment, Lauren felt like a superhero declaring how she would protect and serve him. If she could touch him, she would. She needed to touch him. She felt it was necessary to assure him she was on his side. She looked over at the door to see if the guard was looking then glanced at the overhead camera in the room. Casually, she placed her palms on the table and splayed her fingers like his. Slowly she let them inch closer toward his until just the tips of their fingers grazed each other. An electricity passed between the two of them. That simple finger touch was as intimate as a kiss shared by their lips. Jasper’s eyes fell on where they were touching and Lauren pulled her fingers back not wanting to push her luck.

“I’m going to check out this road and Lucas’ connection to the Triumph Tower Three. I’ll come back later today or tomorrow to speak with you again.” She rose from the chair and the guard opened the door for her. As he escorted Lauren out, Georgie moved in to return Jasper to his cell.

“What do you think, Jas?” Georgie asked him quietly as he brought him back to the 6 x 8.

“She’ll make a great little pawn, Georgie. You just get word to the guys to hold them off. Then once I get out of here, I’m going to settle all open business.”

“Darla really knows what she’s doing.” Georgie shut the cell door locking Jasper in and moved on to his rounds.

*

The lights were out and the prison was quiet. Jasper lay there on his cot deep in thought. He needed to get Lauren to expose the links between Lucas Jackson and the club. That would put the target on her back for a bit and buy him some time to get out of jail. She was just some pawn he needed to use to his advantage. Darla’s little sacrifice to the cause. After all, Darla owed Jasper big time.

But now in the quiet of the night, Jasper was thinking about Lauren in another way. She was sexy in a cute way. Her auburn hair looked soft to the touch and she smelled like coconut and oranges. Jasper closed his eyes, remembering her face. His hands were resting on his bare chest, fingers laced together as he began fantasizing about her …

“Hello, Jasper. I’m your lawyer, Lauren Holden.” Lauren slid her round ass in her tight skirt on the table of their meeting room. Jasper was still chained to the chair. She kicked off her stilettos and placed a bare foot on either side of his chair. Her legs were parted, the shadow of her skirt hiding her sex. Jasper tried to reach for her, but the cuffs were too short.

She slipped her fingers under the hem of her skirt and slid it up her supple thighs. He could now see she left her panties at home for the meeting. Bracing her palms on the desk, she lifted her hips off the table. Her sex now within reach of his mouth. Her scent was intoxicating, making him grow harder with every breath. “Show me how much you need me, Jasper.”

Jasper slid his hand down into his pants. His fingers touched his hardened cock as he continued to fantasize about Lauren’s thighs and what lies between them.

He pressed his lips to her slit and kissed it. A brief tease before sliding his tongue inside her and tasting her. Her hair fell from her shoulders as she rocked her hips, her wet sex grinding against his lips, tongue, and chin … it drove Jasper crazy that he couldn’t touch her with his hands. He wanted to grab her and pull her down onto his lap. He wanted to slide his thickness deep into her wetness and feel her walls wrap tightly around his shaft. His desire grew to cause him to clamp his mouth over her folds hungrily.

He gripped his shaft and began to stroke himself thinking about her and while he couldn’t touch her in his fantasy, his fantasy Lauren knew exactly what to do …

The way his mouth moved against her made her want him more. Lauren released herself from his lips, they shined with her wetness on them. Then she reached down and opened his pants. Lauren shifted from the desk to his lap, letting him slip deep inside her wet cave. She wasted no time in riding him, her bad boy biker. While she rode him, she ripped open her blouse, buttons flying everywhere. Then she pulled her bra down under her heavy breasts so he could take a nipple between his teeth.

Her breasts were much bigger in his fantasy than they had been in real life. Jasper quickly stroked himself to orgasm. He needed it. The stress and loneliness of being in this cell were straining him. His body bucked quietly as he came to climax, then he lay still. He stared at the ceiling realizing he was about to wreck this innocent woman’s life and he didn’t want to do it. He’d have to find another way to get what he needed without involving Lauren Holden. Hopefully, it wasn’t too late to change the plan. He’d call Darla in the morning and get word through Georgie once he started his shift.