Claimed by the Alpha Celebrity (Rockstar Romance, Alpha Male Erotic Romance, Billionaire Romance) (The Star Struck Trilogy) (7 page)

I felt Christoff’s body tense, as he pulled me closer in his arms. “I actually haven’t seen or heard from my family s
ince I was eighteen. Last month it was exactly ten years since I’d spoken to them.”

“Oh... are they still alive?” I asked hesitantly.

“I don’t know. I’d like to think so. I moved out when I was seventeen. I was really close with my siblings when I was younger. I have two little brothers. One is four years younger than me the other is six years younger than me. My father passed away when I was thirteen. He was really creative and he taught me everything I know about music. When he passed away it was hard on all of us but my mother took it the hardest. She went into a deep depression and she was unable to really take care of us after we lost him. So I became the man of the house and I took care of her and my little brothers until I turned sixteen.”

“That must
have been tough, being so young. I’m sorry.” I caressed Christoff’s back.

“It was hard, but I got used to it and I did what I had to. But everything went to shit when my mother got remarried.”

“Did you not get along with your step dad?”

“That would be an u
nderstatement. I don’t really like to talk about him. In fact I’ve never talked about this to anyone aside from my bandmates. But my stepfather was not a good man. He was violent toward me and my siblings. I tried to protect them and my mother, but there was nothing I could do. My mother eventually gave my younger brothers away to foster care to protect them. I was seventeen so no one wanted me. So I got a job at a factory and moved out on my own in what was formerly known as East Berlin. I tried to keep in contact with my mother, and I did for awhile, but my stepfather didn’t let that last for long. After I turned eighteen I never saw her or my siblings again.”

I was stunned by Christoff’s story. I couldn’t believe that he had endured so much and yet
he
was the one comforting
me
. I wanted to comfort him in return, but I didn’t know how. I lifted my head from his shoulder and looked into his piercing sapphire-blue eyes. I couldn’t quite read his expression, but I thought I saw a trace of emotional discomfort. “Christoff, I’m so sorry,” I whispered.

After a brief silence Christoff cleared his throat. “It’s okay. I’m at peace with everything that happened. It took a long time to get there but I’m okay now. If it wasn’t for the music industry I don’t know where I
’d be today. I’ve always found solace in music, both other people’s work and in making my own. I had played and sung in bands since I was a teenager. It was my only means of escape from what was going on at home. But when I moved out, I started looking at my music as more of a career than a form of escapism. I would work the early morning shift at the factory, go to band rehearsal in the late afternoon, then work another night shift at the factory. If I ever had a day off I would use it to write. I was so busy making a living and trying to make it in the music business, I didn’t really have time to break down over everything that happened. But the times when I did hit rock bottom I would listen to my favorite bands, and as strange as it sounds I found peace in their pain. I enjoy really dark music. It’s always been cathartic for me.”

I nodded and embraced Christoff. There were no words to express how much I understood what he was saying. Although my story wasn’t as tragic as his, I was similar to him in that
I always found peace in music. When I was younger and my parents made me feel unwanted, I found a deep sense of comfort in my favorite albums. Even though back then I had no idea that one day I would be meeting some of my favorite musicians face-to-face, I developed an intimate connection with all of my favorite artists through their records and interviews. I felt like the artists, especially in the metal and hard rock genres, really got me. Christoff’s band Aus Deutschland was no exception. His work really resonated with me. His music has always been a part of me since I discovered it back in college. And now I knew why. Even though we hadn’t met until now we had been connected all along.

* * *

I sat silently cradled in his arms for a long time. I felt honored that Christoff had opened up to me and trusted me with secrets from his past, and I felt strangely comfortable and safe, despite the fact that I had so ungracefully let my walls down in front of him. I didn’t want to pry myself out of his arms, but it was a work night, and I needed to get to bed. “Well it’s getting late. I should probably get ready for bed so that I can be to work in the morning.” I attempted to stand up, completely forgetting about my ankle. I winced in pain, but Christoff caught me before I hit the ground. He gently laid me back on the couch.

“Maybe you should call off tomorrow and let your ankle heal,” Christoff suggested. I grimaced at the thought of missing work but I knew Christoff was right. “Could you work from home?”

“Yeah, that’s a good idea. I actually got so much work done today that I don’t have a ton of work to do tomorrow anyway.” I dug my phone out of my purse and left my boss a voicemail, telling him I needed to work from home tomorrow because I had injured my ankle. He texted me back shortly after, telling me to rest and to take the weekend to heal. He told me I could work from home on Monday too if I needed it.
Awesome.

“Is it okay if I hang out here tonight, so that I can be around tomorrow, in case you need help gettin
g around the apartment?” Christoff asked. I was pleased that Christoff wanted to be near me. And even though I didn’t want to be needy, I wouldn’t mind getting help around the apartment tomorrow. My sprained ankle made me pretty immobile.

“Sure, I would li
ke that.” I smiled.

Christoff helped me get out of my dress and into a comfy satin nightie. He even let me prop myself against him while I brushed my teeth. He was my rock. He laid me down under the covers before stripping down to nothing. I admired the
flawlessness of his chiseled body. It had been too long since I had actually seen Christoff totally nude. It was a sight to be seen. His arms were so strong and masculine and his chest and shoulders were fit and broad. My gaze traveled down his body to his thighs. They were massive and perfectly toned. I stole a glance at his rising manhood before I became so overwhelmed that I had to look away. My entire body ached for him.

“You look amazing Christoff,” I whispered as he shut off the lights.

“You
are
amazing Gia.” Christoff said quietly as he climbed in bed behind me. I think he was surprised by his own unguarded sincerity. Christoff wasn’t one to be overly sentimental or sweet, but his words warmed my heart.

Christoff slid up behind me and pressed his body
into me as he began softly kissing my neck. I could feel him harden against my back. His kisses made me feel warm and tingly inside. He peeled off my nightie and massaged my entire body with firm, deep strokes and soft, sensuous kisses that made me moan with delight. Just as I felt like I was going to explode with anticipation, he slowly penetrated me from behind. My body welcomed his. I melted into his embrace as he wrapped his arms around me, and squeezed me tighter with every thrust. The pleasure was indescribable. He grunted softly in my ear each time he entered me. The sound of his satisfaction always titillated me but tonight the way the bass in his baritone voice reverberated through my body almost drove me mad. He continued to pleasure me with slow, rhythmic thrusts. I enjoyed the way his thick German hardness filled me up completely. I felt an overwhelming warmth start at my core and radiate through every fiber of my being. It felt like my body was melting into a pool of liquid pleasure. My legs quivered as I wrapped them around his. I could feel his body tremor with excitement as well.

“Mmmm you feel so good right now. I don’t want this to ever end,” Christoff murmured in my ear.

“Yeah, me neither.” I let out a breathy whisper. My heart fluttered and my core tightened as the sound of his voice and the warmth from his body sent me completely over the edge. I softly called out Christoff’s name as I became light-headed with pleasure. I felt his heartbeat wildly in his chest, and he let out a deep sensual groan as he exploded soon after me, with a long deep thrust. We interlocked fingers and he squeezed both my hands as we came down together. He kissed me on my cheek before we slowly drifted off to sleep, with our bodies still intertwined.

Chapter 5

I
woke up, feeling Christoff gently shake me out of my slumber. “Gia, I know you’re not going to be happy if you sleep in too late and don’t get any work done. Wake up, it’s almost 10 AM.”

I was groggy. The busy week had finally caught up to me, but I wanted to
get some work done so I could enjoy the rest of the weekend guilt free.

“I need a shower,” I mumbled.

“Not on that ankle. I’ll draw you a warm bath. I don’t want you to slip in the shower.”

I sat up in bed and opened my mouth to object, but Christoff gave
me a look that indicated that any objections would be fruitless. I laid back down, defeated. “I’ll come get you when it’s ready,” Christoff insisted.

“Okay,” I responded as I curled up under the covers.

Christoff turned and started out of the bedroom.

“Ch
ristoff,” I called after him.

“Yes?”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Christoff replied coolly. I thought I saw the faint hint of a smile on his lips. I closed my eyes and reveled in how lucky I was.

Christoff dutifully got me in and out of the bathtub, and he quietly helped me get dressed before depositing me on the couch with my laptop. He said that he was going back to his hotel to get his things and that he would come back and spend the day with me. He assured me that he would stay out of my way while I did my work, and he would just be on standby to help me get around the apartment. I couldn’t refuse. I liked having him around.

I got a couple of articles written while Christoff was gone. He took my key, so I didn’t have to get up to let him in when he ret
urned. When he came back, he had all of his belongings and a bag from the drugstore.

“I brought you an Ace bandage and some ibuprofen so that you won’t have to be so immobile.” He placed the bag on the coffee table.

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“But I wan
ted to.” He wrapped my ankle for me, and I was actually able to walk around a bit. Perhaps Christoff was a doctor in a past life.

Christoff sat and read silently, while I continued working for a few hours. I enjoyed how we could be comfortable in each othe
r’s silence. I finally reached a point where I could put my laptop away for the next couple of days. I backed up all of my files and shut down my computer. I glanced over at Christoff. He was absorbed in his book. He looked so studious. It turned me on. I was curious about the book he was reading. It was called
Dante’s Inferno
. I had heard of it, but never read it.

“Hey, what’s that you’re reading?”

“
Dante’s Inferno
. It’s a part of the epic poem, the
Divine Comedy
. It’s an allegory about the soul’s evolution through hell, purgatory and heaven.”

“Wow. That sounds intriguing and complex. What made you want to read that?”

“I love reading books with philosophical and theological themes. It really helps inspire my lyrics, even if only on a subconscious level. Reading, especially this kind of stuff, makes me a better writer and a stronger artist.”

“I see. I love hearing about your creative process. It intrigues me.” Christoff tried to stifle a smile but he couldn’t. He was delighted by my interest in him. “I’m
curious, how are you able to read such high-level literature, when English isn’t your first language?”

“Even though English isn’t my first language, I understand it very well. I’ve always loved the sound of the English language. It’s beautiful. Many of my
favorite musical artists as well as my favorite writers growing up wrote in English. So I started teaching myself English when I was young. We also had English lessons in school. Once I started making a little bit of money with the band, I saved up and lived in the U.S. for a year. I lived in New York City when I was twenty-three, and it really helped my English skills. I know a little bit of many languages, but English is my strongest and my favorite foreign language.”

Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t hide
the fact that I was in complete awe of Christoff. His brilliant mind mesmerized me even more than his flawless body.

“Wow, that’s impressive. English is a difficult language. That’s awesome that you love it so much. I feel the same way about your language
as you do about mine. I love German, and I have for a long time. I think that’s one of the many reasons why I love your band so much, because a lot of your work is in German. The German language is beautiful. It’s assertive and sexy. I love it, even though I only understand it a little bit.”

Christoff’s gaze lingered after I finished speaking. He gave me a smoldering look. “Küss mich,” he growled assertively. That was one German phrase I understood well, and it sounded so good on Christoff’s lips.
Kiss me.
I eagerly complied with Christoff’s command. I crawled across the sofa, and Christoff lunged forward and met me halfway. He grabbed a fist full of my hair, and tugged at the roots, as he guided my mouth to his. The sensation caused my nipples to harden.