Breathless (168 page)

I hobbled more than walked as I made my way to the door. My body was sore after spending most of last night having sex. I enjoyed teaching Emma new positions while I explored her body. We’d finally fallen asleep only a few hours before.

I threw the door open to see some guy standing in front of it. He had to be at least six foot five inches, and he was built like a tank. The whole speech I had planned for whoever was at the door died on my lips when I saw him.

This guy could rip me in two without even trying.

“Who the hell are you?” the guy asked.

His voice sounded like thunder, and I took a step back.

“Um, Jesse?”

“Where’s my Emma?”

“Your Emma? Oh shit.”

My brain started functioning again and I finally realized who he was. Seducing Seductresses wasn’t one of my favorite bands, but I remembered seeing a photo of them before. The man standing before me had definitely been in it.

“Yeah, shit is right. Where’s my baby girl?”

I am so fucked.
I couldn’t let him in this room with his daughter asleep and completely naked in bed.

“She’s sleeping. The flight wore her out, so I’d let her sleep if I were you. I can let her know you stopped by though.”

“I’m sure it was the trip that wore her out. Move aside.”

“I—”

“Move, or I will make you move.”

I stepped aside to let him pass. I groaned as I closed the door and followed him back into the suite.
This isn’t going to end well.

“Emma Bellokavich Preston! Wake your ass up!” her dad shouted when he reached the bedroom.

I walked in seconds after he did to see Emma’s eyes spring open as she scrambled to pull the covers around her.

“Daddy!” she shrieked.

“Don’t
Daddy
me! You’re in so much shit! Who is this tattooed asshole?”

“Hey!” I grumbled. “You have tattoos, too.”

He shot me a look that could kill before turning his attention back to

Emma.

“I, uh…he’s my boyfriend. Jesse, this is my dad, Alexander Preston.” “I gathered that,” I said.

“When I told you that you could bring someone with you, I meant Lucy or another girl
, not
your boyfriend.”

“Let me explain! This isn’t as bad as it looks!”

Her dad pointed to the garbage can that was filled with empty condom wrappers. “Please do. I’d love to hear this.”

“It’s as bad as it looks,” I said.

We were busted, and I knew it. There was no point in Emma trying to lie.

She’d only dig our graves deeper in the process.

“At least you’re honest,” he growled.

“Look, I know it looks bad. But it’s not.”

He raised an eyebrow, but he said nothing as he waited for me to continue.

“I care a lot about your daughter. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t. I’m not an asshole who is just screwing her for the hell of it.” “Jesse! Shut up!” Emma shouted.

“No, I’m going to tell him the truth.” I turned back to her dad. “She means a lot to me.”

He stared at me for a minute before he said anything. “I’m not happy about this, but I appreciate the fact that you had the guts to be honest with me.”

“Thanks…I think,” I said.

He looked at Emma. “As for you, does your mother know about this?”

“No! And you can’t tell her. Please, Daddy. She’ll never let me see him again.”

“I’m not who she wants for Emma, but I’m sure you’ve figured that out already,” I added.

“I figured as much. Andria was always set in her ways.”

“And she’s a stuck-up bitch,” Emma said from the bed.

“Watch it, missy. You don’t speak like that in front of me.”

“Sorry, but it’s true. We both know it. Look, can you leave for a minute, so I can get dressed?”

He sighed. “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea. Jesse, I think it would be in your best interest to follow me out of the room.” “Yes, sir,” I said.

I followed him from the room and closed the door behind me. I hoped that Emma was hurrying because spending any alone time with her dad was not something I wanted to do after what he’d just walked in on. I considered myself lucky to be alive at this point.

He walked into the living room and sat down on the couch. “Have a seat.

I think we need to talk.” I sat.

“Obviously, I’m pissed at the situation that I found my little girl in a few minutes ago. I think any dad would be.”

“I understand. I’m sure I ruined any chance of you liking me.”

“I wouldn’t say that. You didn’t lie to me when I asked, so you have a few bonus points for that. Something tells me that things are serious between the two of you if she brought you clear to London with her.”

“It is. I would never dream of hurting her.”

“That’s good to know. I don’t know how much Emma’s told you about our family, but things are…complicated. Her mother and I are civil with each other but only for Emma’s sake. I haven’t been around much for Emma because of that, and I live with that guilt every day. I love my daughter, but I haven’t been a very good father to her. Instead, I left her with a woman I despise. I’ve always been afraid of what Emma might become under Andria’s control, but Emma has proven me wrong time and time again. My little girl is a good person. How, I’ll never know.”

“She really is. I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who cares about people the way she does,” I said.

He smiled. “I’m very proud of her. She means the world to me, and I don’t want her to get hurt. Consider this your warning—if you hurt her, I’ll hunt you down and make you wish you’d never met her.”

I winced. “I understand. I promise that I won’t hurt her. I’m not good with people. I never have been, but for some reason, I opened up to Emma. I can’t explain it.”

“Do you think you love her?” he asked.

The question caught me off-guard. I was still trying to figure that out myself. I knew I felt something strong for her, but I wasn’t sure that it was love. After all, we’d only known each other a few weeks.

“I don’t know. I care a lot about her, but I don’t know if I love her. I don’t want to move too fast by throwing that out there unless I mean it.”

“That’s the best answer you could have given me. You’re both young, too young, to be in love. I know what it’s like to be seventeen and feel like you’re on top of the world. It will take a few years and a few times of getting fucked over to knock you both down a few pegs. But if you do eventually realize you love her, hold on to her.”

“I will. I have no intentions of letting her go.”

“Good because you have a lot to face. The biggest problem will be her mother. While I have no problem with Emma dating someone who isn’t rich, her mother has always been about the money.” “I’ve noticed,” I grumbled.

“You’re going to have a hell of a fight on your hands when she finds out about you two. I’ll back you up, but there isn’t much I can do since I’m not around that often.”

“I know we’ll have to face her eventually. I’m just hoping it’s later rather than sooner.”

“You seem like a good kid, Jesse. I hope things work out.”

“Me, too.”

“What are you two talking about?” Emma asked from the doorway.

“I was just explaining to Jesse about my days in a biker gang before I joined the band…and all the ways I’ve killed men.”

Emma rolled her eyes. “He’s lying. Daddy wouldn’t hurt a fly.” “That’s what you think,” he said as he grinned.

“Jesse, if you don’t mind, I’m going to steal Emma away for the day. I have a show tonight at Royal Albert Hall, so I want to spend a few hours with her by ourselves.”

“Of course. I’ll just hang out here or walk around outside for a while.”

“Are you sure?” Emma asked. “I hate to leave you after you came all this way with me.”

“I’m a big boy. I can entertain myself for a few hours. Go have fun.

Bond. Tell your dad how awesome I am.”

They both laughed as they walked to the door.

“Just call my cell if you need anything!” Emma said over her shoulder. “I will.”

I sat on the couch for a few minutes, debating on what to do. I could stay here and sleep for a few hours, or I could go out and explore the streets of London. The chances of me ever visiting London again were slim to none, so I decided to explore.

After eating the food I had ordered from room service, I got dressed and walked downstairs. The doorman held the door open to let me pass. Once I was on the streets, I started wandering.

I had no destination in mind. I just wanted to explore. I walked down Carlos Place until I hit Grosvenor Square. There was some kind of park there—Grosvenor Square Gardens according to the sign—and I wandered into it. Santa Monica had nothing on the scenery here. While I loved the ocean, there was just something about the landscape here that drew me in. I was amazed at just how large the trees were that surrounded me as I walked down the stone path. It was incredible to see trees this big right in the middle of London.

I finally made it back to the street and continued to explore. I had a thing for architecture, and I couldn’t help but be amazed by the obvious age of some of the buildings here. I hoped that Emma and I would have time to explore part of London together before we had to leave.

I continued to wander through the street until I found myself back at The Connaught. I glanced down at my phone to realize that I’d be walking for hours.

I made my way back up to the room and turned on the television to wait for Emma to get back. She didn’t disappoint me. After only an hour or so, I heard her key unlocking the door.

“Hey, did you have fun?” I asked as I watched her put her key card on the dresser.

She started pulling off her shoes. “I had a blast. Dad and I went to this cute little cafe to eat, and then we spent the rest of the day going to places he likes to visit every time he comes to London. I wish you could have come with us.”

“I’m glad you had fun. And I didn’t need to go. You and your dad needed some time alone together.”

“True, but I still missed you.” She walked over to the bed and kissed me.

“I missed you, too.”

“So, what did you do all day? Please tell me that you didn’t hide out in our room, or I’m going to feel even worse.”

“I didn’t. I went out and explored. It was kind of cool actually. Thank you for bringing me along.”

“Of course. I wouldn’t want anyone else with me.”

“I’m glad to hear it. I’m going to go shower and head to bed. I’m exhausted.”

“Me, too,” Emma said before she yawned.

I grabbed a pair of shorts and walked into the bathroom to shower. After a quick shower, I went back into the bedroom to see Emma had passed out on the bed. I smiled as I watched her roll over in her sleep. She looked so peaceful. I hated to wake her up, but she was lying across the bed, and there was no way I could go to sleep. I picked her up gently, hoping that she wouldn’t wake up.

“What are you doing?” she mumbled.

“Shh, I’m just moving you. Go back to sleep.”

“Okay.”

I laid her down and settled next to her. As soon as we were both under the covers, she curled up against me and rested her head on my chest.

“Night, Emma,” I whispered, and I kissed her hair.

“Love you, Jesse,” she mumbled in her sleep.

I squeezed my eyes shut.
Jesus, she loves me.
I stared down at her sleeping figure as I thought about her words, thinking that I loved her, too. I just didn’t think I’d ever be able to say it.

***

I’d been awake for just over an hour. Emma was still on my chest, sound asleep. She was so damn beautiful to look at that it actually hurt.
How the hell did I manage to end up with this beautiful girl?

She stirred in her sleep as her eyes slowly opened.

“Morning,” I whispered into her hair.

“Morning,” she replied as she stretched. “Can we just stay like this for the rest of the day? You’re kind of comfortable.”

“Fine by me.”

She smiled as she rested her head back on my chest. Her fingers started tracing the tattoos covering my left arm. “I’ve never really taken the time to look at your tattoos. I thought it was just one big tattoo, but it’s not. It’s a bunch of smaller ones.”

“It is.”

“What do they mean?” she asked.

“A lot of different things. Most of them are reminders of things in my life that I don’t want to forget. Others are just designs that I drew and liked enough to tattoo permanently on myself.”

“Did you do them all yourself?”

“Most of them. The ones that I couldn’t reach I had my friend from the shop do. Tony is wicked talented.”

“That’s incredible.”

“You told me you loved me last night in your sleep,” I blurted out.

Her body tensed up at my words. Finally, she said, “It’s because I do. I know we’re young, and there are so many things fighting against us, but I don’t care. I know what I feel, Jesse. I love you.”

“You know when I saw you that first day of school in the parking lot?”

She nodded. “Of course.”

“That wasn’t the first time we met.”

She raised her head to look at me. “I’m pretty sure it was. I think I’d remember meeting you before then.”

“It was a long time ago, but I never forgot you. You were the first person who ever told me I wasn’t good enough.”

“What on earth are you talking about? I would never say that to you.”

“You were too little to realize what you were saying, but I never forgot your face or your words. We were just little. My mom took me to the nice park on your side of town to play for the day, and you were there with your mom. You were playing in the sandbox, and I wanted to play with you. Even at six years old, I was drawn to you. You were the prettiest girl I’d ever seen. Instead of playing with me, you told me that I was trash, and I didn’t belong at your park. You ran off after that, but I never forgot what you said. That’s why I was so distant with you when we met. I expected you to be a stuck-up bitch, but you weren’t. Instead, I found out that you are one of the kindest people I’ve ever known. I love you, Emma, even if I shouldn’t. I’ve battled with myself over this time and time again, but I can’t deny it any longer.” A tear slipped down her cheek, and I reached up to wipe it away.