London Calling: BWWM New Adult Romance (Chase Brothers Book 2) (6 page)

Xander cocked his head. "I'm British, this is just how I am. No stick up the ass required."

"Don’t be daft, Xander. I know when something is going on with you. You want to tell me why you’re being such a douche to that girl?"

She always knew when something was going on with him and he didn't like it. She was privy to information about his past that he would rather not have her know. "I'm not being arsey. I'm just getting ready to work."

"Like your brother would say, bollocks. What’s going on?"

He ground his teeth together. What the hell did she know? "Everything is fine. Let's just get to work."

She spread her arms. "I came ready to work. You’re the one acting all crazy. Sniping at that poor girl."

“Fucking drop it, Abbie. You are my assistant. Act like it.”

She blinked at him in surprise, then threw her hands up. “It’s your show. Like always. But try to keep in mind that this is my career too. I’m hitched to you like an unwanted albatross. So your damage is my damage.”

He could see the hurt in her eyes and he wanted to make it better, to soothe the lash, but he couldn’t seem to contain the anger ricocheting inside him.

He snatched up his favorite Nikon and left Abbie to finish the lighting. He didn't need the shrink lesson from her. Not right now. He had work to do.

I
mani placed
her hands against the brick in the courtyard and sucked in several deep breaths. What the fuck was she going to do? She would give a million dollars to start the day all over again. As it was, she was already in the hole a couple of grand. What was a million more?

“Think, Imani, think. There is a way out of this mess. You just have to find it.” One problem at a time. Of her current stink piles, Ryan was the most pressing. She had to talk to Charles—alone. And pronto. For the last two years she’d been trying to bury the memories of her first year. She’d worked her ass off to get back to normal. No way she was going back to being that girl. “Are you out here hiding from me or from our new photographer?”

Hearing Ryan behind her, she whirled around with her hands up. When in doubt, go for bravado. She tilted her chin up. "Maybe you've forgotten how this works. You stay the fuck away from me, you don’t touch me, you don’t speak to me, you don’t even so much as look at me and you get to keep your nutsack. I can’t imagine that is hard for you to remember. What the fuck are you doing here? You must have known I had the lead."

His smile was slight, but practiced. "Charles called and it was a good part. You can’t expect me to not take a job that would be good for my career.”

She shook her head. “I should have known all those pleas for forgiveness were total bullshit. You gave me your word, but here you still are.”

He ran his hands through his hair. “Look, what happened between us was…regrettable. But I don’t know how long you expect me to pay penance for it. I fucked up. I know it. I’ve said I’m sorry. I’ve given you space to heal or forget or whatever. But I need to work. If you don’t want to be near me then you can quit.”

Anger coursed through her, making her vibrate. “Regrettable? Did you just fucking say regrettable? You
know
what you did to me. You knew the second you did it. That’s why you showed up at my flat the next day crying like a baby, begging for
my
forgiveness. And you thought I would just conveniently forget? That it’s been two whole years so I wouldn’t remember?” She stared him down, daring him to refute her words and he had the good sense to slide his gaze away. “What you did…” Her voice broke and trailed off. How dare he stroll back into her life and think she would have no problem with him?

“I’m sorry, Imani. I never meant to hurt you. But it’s been long enough. You can’t punish me forever.”

She dug into a well of strength she wasn’t sure she had, but she wasn't letting him get away with this like he had before. She was not the same girl, alone and ashamed and willing to accept her culpability. “Why don’t we call a spade a spade, Ryan? You
raped
me. I loved you and you raped me.”

He flinched backward as if she’d physically slapped him. “You know it wasn’t like that. You act like I was some stranger who dragged you off the street and assaulted you.”

“You
did
assault me, you piece of shit. I said no.”

He took a step toward her and she immediately took one back. “I’m not going to hurt you. Jesus, Imani. We had been drinking. And you—you were looking so beautiful and you were my girlfriend. And you wanted me. I know you did. It wasn’t like I was trying to hurt you. I just wanted to be close to you. I never—Fuck. I didn’t know you were a virgin. I thought you were messing me about.”

Hearing those words from him was like having a bucket of ice poured over her. “What part didn’t you understand, asshole? When I said no? Or the part where I begged you to stop? Or the part where I said that you were hurting me? Or maybe it was the part where I was crying uncontrollably as you kept going?”

He tightened his jaw. “You need to know I’m not that person. If I’d known, I never would have—“ He inhaled deeply. “You were my
girlfriend
. It wasn’t like you said. I’m not a monster, for fuck’s sake. I loved you. I
still
care about you. But I can’t have you saying these things about me.”

“So what? You plan on shutting me up somehow? You’ve already done the worst thing you can to me.”

“No. I just want to make sure we can work together. That’s all. I wouldn’t hurt you.”

She raised a brow. “You’ll forgive me if I don’t believe you. As for working together, you can forget about it. There is no way in hell.” She tried to brush past him, but he reached out and snagged her upper arm.

“Imani—”

A voice from the auditorium door interrupted Ryan. “Ellison, I’ll be needing our star now.”

The ice in Xander’s voice chilled her to the bone. How much had he heard? Ryan’s grip tightened for a moment, then he released her. “We were just catching up on old times.” His voice dripped with venom and he glared at Xander.

Xander leaned into the open doorway, his camera slung around his neck. He looked entirely relaxed, but there was something in the way he narrowed his gaze at Ryan that told her he was anything but. Ryan shoved past them, leaving them in the doorway.

They all stood like that as if in a silent play. But finally, Ryan exited through the main entrance. Even with him gone, she didn't relax. “I guess you’re ready for me?” She asked him quietly.

Xander nodded slowly. "If you're done making out with your boyfriend, I'll need you on stage.”

She flinched as she thought about how they must have looked. “Not your business.”

His voice low, he said, “Even after what happened last night? Tell me, can he make you come like I did last night?”

She scowled at him.

“I’ll take that as a no. Just tell me, what are you doing with that cunt?”

Did he really think she wanted to be there with Ryan? To have his hands all over her? She spoke through clenched teeth. “Screw you.”

Xander smirked. “Does last night count? Because I feel like we’ve already done that.”

In that moment, she wasn’t sure whom she hated more, Ryan or Xander. As she walked toward the stage, she heard a voice behind her. “He’s kind of an ass sometimes. But I promise you, he has some redeeming qualities, you just have to find them.”

Imani glanced up when Abbie joined her in the aisle. “I assume you mean Xander. And if that’s the case, I’m going to have to take your word for it.”

“I wasn’t the biggest fan of his when I met him either. I promise you, he grows on you.” The other girl nodded reassuringly. “Like a fungus.”

Despite the morning she was having, Imani laughed. “Thanks. I was sort of in need of that.”

“Anytime. His heart’s mostly in the right place. He can just be an ass sometimes.”

“I don’t know how you manage to work with him.”

“Between the women literally running over me to throw themselves at him, to the assitude we just discussed, I expect canonization any day now.” Imani wondered if she’d gotten it wrong. Maybe the two of them weren’t a thing. Or at the very least, as far as Abbie was concerned.

“You’ve got my vote.” They climbed the stairs to the stage. “Where do you want me?”

“We’ll start with you on the Fleet Street set first, over here. If you don’t mind, let’s sit you on the edge of the desk.” Set design had been working for months already, so luckily some of the sets were already in working order.

“Sure thing.”

While Abbie arranged her, she whispered. “Look, I know you don't know me, but I have to ask, mostly because I wished someone had asked me. Are you okay? You know, with Ryan. I wasn’t spying or anything, but I saw how he grabbed you in the courtyard.”

Heat suffused her face. “Great, did everyone see?”

Abbie shook her head. “No. I was about to come out there when Xander stepped in. I just know what it’s like to need someone to ask me if I was okay.”

“Truth?”

Her new friend nodded.

“Probably not. But I will be.”

“Okay, but uh, if you need someone to talk to, I’m around. I know what it’s like to date or have dated the wrong guy.”

Imani rapidly blinked the tears out of her eyes. She had a hard time believing this confident girl had once been like her. “Ryan was a mistake I made a long time ago. Never to be repeated.”

Abbie nodded. “Glad to hear it. Offer stands anyway.”

Where was this girl two years ago when Imani was desperate for someone to talk to? “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

“Listen, if you want, some of us are headed out tomorrow night. You should come. You look like you could use the fun to take your mind off today.”

Fun
. That hadn’t been part of her vocabulary for a while. She still had to figure out how to help Ebony. But a night out wouldn’t kill her. Maybe if she were less stressed, she’d come up with a better solution to her problem. “That actually sounds like a good idea.”

T
he last place
on Earth Xander wanted to be was at this club tonight. From start to finish, the whole fucking day had been shite. Not entirely true. It had started good with Imani in his arms, but from there completely downhill.

He’d started out the day desperate to have her. But then she’d vanished on him. Only to resurface in the one place he didn’t need her. Complete with a twat of a boyfriend.
Fuck
. This shit would only happen to him.

He hadn't meant to act like a total arse, but seeing her there had thrown him for a loop. All he wanted was a chance to have a private conversation with her. But he’d had a job to do. And Abbie hadn't really left his side for most of the shoot. No real time to say,
Hey, about last night. You know when you pretended to be a hooker and gave me the hottest orgasm I’ve had in years, I’d like a repeat.

And by the time he’d finished with the rest of the cast she was long gone. He was still holding out hope for Miriam, but she hadn't texted or called him back all day.

At least he now knew where to find her, though Charles had said proper rehearsals didn't start for another two weeks. So the timing was bad. He needed her help in less than a week.

The music blared, the latest hip-hop track mashed up with house music underlying it. All of Alexi’s friends had come out to congratulate the happy couple. The idea that his brother was getting married still seemed insane to him. When had he grown up?

"You look like you are in need of another drink."

It was hard not to smile at the infectious blonde with the bubbly personality and the Geordie accent. Tamsin was one of Abbie’s best friends and spent a good deal of time at the studio, in particular when there were male models being shot. "Thanks, Tams, but I've probably had enough."

"At my count, two is hardly enough to celebrate with. You at least need another. Come on, try a screaming orgasm with me," she said with a wink.

His brows shot up. Was she flirting with him? It was always hard for him to tell these days.

"Oh, Tams, leave the poor man alone." Sophie, another friend of Abbie’s, slid between them. "He needs to work up a thirst first; let's go dance."

Sophie slid her hand into his and tugged him to the center of the VIP section. He wasn’t in the mood, but for Lex and Abbie, he could put on a brave face. He snuck a glance in their direction and the smile on his brother’s face as he watched his fiancée said it all. He was a completely blissed-out twat. Couldn’t have happened to a better man.
Certainly not you
.

Sophie was fun and enthusiastic. She also had a way of attracting attention. Before he knew it, several blokes were dancing on the periphery, trying to get her to dance with them.
Suckers
. She might dance like a free woman, but her boyfriend, Max, was never far away.

The DJ changed the music again to something groovier and Xander leaned into her. "I'm going to head out for some fresh air. I'll see you back at the table." She nodded and waved at him.

What he wanted to do was make his escape. But that wasn’t fair to Lex or Abbie. He could suck it up for an hour or two. He sidled up to the bar, signaling for the bartender. If he was going to stay, there was no reason he had to do it sober. To his right, a curvy brunette looked him up and down.

“I was wondering if you were ever going to come over and talk to me,” she said with a sly smile.

She wasn't his usual type. Who was he kidding? Most of the time, he didn't have a type beyond beautiful. And he could find something beautiful about nearly every woman he came across. At the same time, she was brasher than he liked. “Well, a beautiful woman like you doesn’t strike me as the type to sit around and wait to be hit on. You seem like a go-getter.”

She grinned. “So you were waiting for me to come and get you then?”

Under normal circumstances, he’d be all about this woman. She was beautiful, available, and didn’t require much work. Best of all, she wouldn’t require a repeat performance. But somehow, he couldn’t stir up much interest.
This is what you need. Maybe last night wasn’t a fluke.
But even as the thought ran through his skull, he knew that was a lie. He could do the easy thing, go home with this girl, revel in her curves, try to forget. But he wouldn’t. He couldn’t. Because unlike last night, he felt absolutely zero connection to this girl. She wasn’t Imani.

“Tonight I’m just here to drink.”

Full of confidence, she pressed up against him. She reached out and palmed his semi-erect cock, forcing a choke out of him. “You’re sure that’s all you’re looking for?”

Without knowing what he was looking for, Xander searched the crowd. The hairs on the back of his neck stood at attention. It was then that he saw her.
Imani
. She grinned, waving at Abbie, who stood and hugged her. He could only stare in shock as Abbie introduced her around. As his brother kissed her on the cheek.
Traitor
. What the hell was she doing here?

He removed the curvy brunette’s hand from his groin. “Sorry, love, but like I said, not tonight.” His instincts didn’t bother to engage his brain in the conversation. He couldn’t have walked in the opposite direction if he tried. When he reached her, she looked up and gave a startled jump.

"Karma really is a bitch. Seriously, why can’t I escape you?"

He grinned. “You must have done something really naughty in a past life. Or maybe just last night. You’re crashing my brother’s party.”

She cocked her head. “You should probably look up the definition of crashing. I was invited by Abbie.”

“You and I never got a chance to talk. You know, because you ran out on me.”

She flicked her dark hair over her shoulder and licked her bottom lip. “What’s there to talk about?”

“You mean, besides how we met last night? Or what you look like when you come with my name on your lips? Or how I’ve come to know about that cute little mole on your left breast. Or maybe how your puss—”

Her eyes went wide. “Would you shut up before somebody hears you?” She was way too easy to rile up.

She slid her gaze around as she lowered her voice. “Look, I would rather no one find out about…” She waved her left hand. “You know.”

He feigned ignorance. “Oh, you mean the whole escort thing.”

“Shut. Up,” she muttered through clenched teeth as she put her hand on his chest and shoved. He didn't budge, but the heat of her palm seared his chest.

“Relax. Jesus, thank God you weren’t nearly as uptight last night. All I need is ten minutes. Hear me out, then you never have to talk to me again.”

“I seriously want to forget that last night ever happened. I was an idiot. I know it. I don't understand why you won’t just be like every normal guy I know and avoid me like the plague.”

Because right now, you’re the only one who can make me come.
"Follow me."

She followed willingly enough as he tugged her through the crowd and up the stairs to the rooftop. Even though it was only April, the weather was balmy and warm. Even though they were on the rooftop in the middle of London, it was as though they’d been transported to a lush greenhouse. This was the best feature of the club in his opinion. He loved it up here so much he often chose it for shoots.

She stared in awe at all the flowers and touched several delicate petals. “What am I doing up here, Xander?”

"Better question, why were you there that night?"

She tipped her chin up to meet his gaze. "I'm not a whore."

The air whooshed out of his lungs and his head snapped back as if she'd physically slapped him. "I fucking know that. What did you think? I was chasing you down to make sure you took your money? What is it you Yanks would call me? Captain save a ho? Not fucking likely. I’m no one’s savior. I've dealt with a lot of escorts in my life and I knew from the moment I touched you, you weren't one."

Her bottom lip trembled. "Then what do you want from me?"

Xander took three steps until he stood directly in front of her. With every exhale, he could feel her warm breath on his cheeks. “For starters I want you to tell me what you were doing there. We’ve established you’re not a whore. That makes what you were doing even more risky then. I think we can both agree that agreeing to meet some strange bloke at his flat for ‘talking’ Is a huge lapse in judgment.”

“Really, you want to do this?”

He crossed his arms. There was nothing he liked more than when her eyes sparked with annoyance.

She sighed. “I was fucking desperate. Miriam made it sound too good to be true. And so easy. All I had to do was show up and talk to you and I could get the money I needed.” She puffed out a breath. "Well, you know what happened next."

“Why didn’t you take the money? You said you needed it.”

“In the morning…” Her voice trailed off as she shook her head. “I didn’t like how I felt. I wasn’t
that
desperate.” She shook her head. “And what happened. I didn’t plan it—it wasn’t like that.” Then she added a question of her own. “Why do you see hookers? You, ah, obviously don’t need to.”

If she only knew. “I don’t pay escorts for sex."

She frowned as she peered back up at him. "Then why?"

"Because they're less judgmental than shrinks."

Her laugh was humorless. "And I thought I was fucked up."

"Here's the secret, sweetheart. Everyone is fucked up." He lifted fingers to her cheek and traced softly. "What is it about you that makes me feel like this?"

She blinked in confusion. "I'm not doing anything. I don’t know how I'm making you feel."

He traced a thumb over her cheekbone. "You know. You feel it too."

She ducked her head. “Are we done?”

Xander licked his lips and let her go. “Not yet. I have a proposition for you.”

“You know they’ve already done an
Indecent Proposal
movie, right?

Despite himself, he smirked. “Just hear me out. I need someone to go to Paris with me for three days.”

Her brows rose. “See earlier comment about me not being a whore.” She took a deliberate step away from him. "You know you're very good. You almost had me believing that bit about how I made you feel. But let me say it again and this time do try to listen. I. Am. Not. A. Whore. You are not Richard Gere and clearly I am no Julia Roberts. You don’t get a girlfriend experience."

“I need someone to
pose
as my girlfriend for four days. I’m not expecting anything in return. No sex. Just hang on my arm, socialize. Make me look good. I’ll pay you five thousand pounds.” He held up his hands and pressed on when she frowned. “Think of it as an acting job. Plain and simple.”

She narrowed her gaze. “Who would I be pretending for?”

“London’s Artistic Trust president. I need to appear settled and reformed from my bad boy ways. It’s very important that I make it onto this board.”

“Why?”

“It’s complicated, but trust me, it’s important. Life and death important.”

She shook her head. “Look, I don’t think—”

“I’m desperate. I’m willing to beg.”

Imani’s gaze slid around the room as she started to pace. “But you have Miriam. You could take her. She’s used to playing the girlfriend.”

She has a point, you git
. “I know, but for better or worse, the chemistry with us is real. Any idiot can see it. It’ll help sell it to LeClerc. Secondly, you seem to need the money. It’s a win-win. And I’ll keep my hands to myself.”

She scoffed. “As if. Why can’t you take Abbie?”

He laughed. “Well, since she’s about to become my sister-in-law, that will hardly make it look like I’m a reformed bad boy.” Frustrated, he ran his hands through his hair. “I can call Miriam, but I’d rather see that money coming to you.”

A slight frown creased her forehead. “Sister-in-law? Seriously?” She shook her head. “You don’t even know me.”

She had a point there. “Truth?”

She nodded.

“You’re the first person I’ve connected to in so long I can’t even remember.”

“I thought you said this wasn’t about sex.”

“It’s not.” He started to sweat. “It’s more about someone who understands me. Paris will be a test of improv skills. There are a few people who don't want me on the board and will do anything to make sure that doesn’t happen. You’re quick on your feet. You have a smart mouth. And I promise you, if we sleep together, it'll have nothing to do with the money."

Her eyes went wide. Imani sat back and crossed her arms. "Are you planning on trying anything?"

He wisely bit back a laugh. "Well, I'm a bloke. So of course I think about touching you again. Those are errant thoughts; my focus is this job. I need
you
to pull it off. So that will be my focus, not getting you wet and writhing underneath me again."

Imani rolled her lips in. As if she were holding back her words. "I see you're not taking it off the table."

He let his gaze slide over her magnificent cheekbones and the smooth skin of her neck to her delicate collarbone. Then dropping it lower to her breasts. No, he was certainly not taking it off the table. He licked his lips. "How about we call me a pragmatist. You and I clearly have some chemistry, so there’s really no point in denying it. Besides, what happens in Paris stays in Paris."

"There won't be anything happening in Paris."

"You sound confident in that."

"That's because I am. The other night won’t be happening again."

"Understood." He should probably have warned her there was nothing he loved more than a challenge.

“
A
lexander
, you have to stop this campaign against Alistair."

Xander pinched the bridge of his nose as he pulled into a parking spot at Heathrow. Damn his brother for telling her what they were up to. "Hello to you too, Mother." He loved his mother. But their relationship was complicated. Whenever she called, the overwhelming emotion was guilt. From the both of them. She because she still felt responsible for what had happened. And he, because he could never seem to let it go and give her the absolution she craved.

She sighed. "Alexander—"