Owned (Rockstar Romance) (Lost in Oblivion Book 5) (23 page)

She understood it. She’d lived under its thumb for years.

No more.

Not this Christmas. Maybe not ever again.

She led him out of the room.

“Where are you going?” Her mother’s voice chilled. “Cook is serving dinner.”

Margo watched Simon for a reaction, pleased when he suddenly grinned. “Do you care?”

“I’m good with McDonald’s.”

She nearly laughed out loud. They’d be lucky if even that was open this late on Christmas Eve. She crossed the great room to the foyer and up the stairs. Her sister was on her way back down.

“What’s going on?”

“We’re leaving.”

“We are?”

“We are?” Simon echoed.

Margo stopped on the stairs. “Feel free to come to my house, Jules, but I’m not staying here.”

Juliet’s eyebrows shot up. Her gaze shifted to the bottom of the stairs where their mother stood with her arms crossed, then back to Margo. “What the hell did I miss?”

“Your sister has lost her mind.”

Margo’s grip tightened around Simon’s hand. When he laced their fingers and squeezed back, she gulped down a panicked breath. No, she was finally thinking on her own. Finally ready to reach for something better than she’s had growing up.

S
imon urged
her up the stairs. Now that they were actually moving he was definitely on board with this plan. He just wished he hadn’t had that second scotch-hold-the-water.

Juliet stayed on the landing between the two flights of stairs. Her usual bravado and give ‘em hell attitude was missing. Now she just looked young and lost. He wasn’t sure what to do.

He didn’t want to leave her here with Jayne. Under the glittering disapproval there was a very lonely woman. Taking both of her daughters away on Christmas day seemed extensively cruel.

But he also knew Juliet didn’t deserve to sit here like a lonely olive in a dirty martini. She’d been galavanting all over the damn US for the last eight months. She deserved to spend time with her sister—even more, she deserved some happiness. He and Margo may not be perfect, but they were a helluva lot more enticing for a week of vacation.

It was such a tough spot to be in, but Jayne had also created this crappy cocktail and now she had to drink it.

Oy. He really needed to sober up.

Enough with the alcohol metaphors.

“If you walk out that door, consider yourself cut off.”

Margo paused on the stairs. Her fingers trembled in his. She straightened her shoulders and kept climbing. He rushed up beside her and and curled her into him as they reached the top of the stairs.

“Are you sure?”

She nodded with a sniff. “More than ever.”

When Juliet didn’t follow, he grabbed the bags they hadn’t even had time to unpack. He glanced at the big reusable bags that were filled to the brim with presents.

“Leave them,” she whispered.

He put them all down except for those that he’d bought her. They deserved a Christmas tonight. A peaceful week before the New Year.

He needed it as much as she did. He extended the telescope handle on his overnighter and stacked hers on top of his. “We can go down there and make nice.”

She shook her head. “This place is getting more toxic every day. I just can’t. Not now.” She glanced back at him. “Not when we’re finally starting over again.”

“Right.” Simon stuffed down the nerves that he’s managed to drink into submission. As much as he disliked Margo’s mother, she wasn’t nearly as scary as January first.

Facing everyone—Facing Donovan and that recording booth. Those were the things that had him wishing for an alcoholic stupor that lasted fourteen days.

He stood at the threshold of their room, his arms full of festive cheer that he sure as shit didn’t feel. But he was getting to be a damn good actor.

Fake it till you make it. That was his motto.

At least for this week.

She rushed out after him, then turned around. “One second.”

He stood at the top of the stairs with their bags all around him. She came back out with a little green bag. “My mother isn’t ruining Christmas, dammit.”

Simon leaned into her and cupped her jaw. “She will never ruin anything about us.”

Her eyes shined for a moment before she nodded and blinked the tears away. He lowered his mouth to hers for a gentle kiss. “You’ve always been my Christmas. Hell, you
are
my family Violin Girl.”

“The band is too, Simon.”

He nodded. “They are. But not like you.” He smoothed his thumbs over her cheeks. “Nothing like I feel about you.”

She rose onto her toes and met his lips. “We are in total agreement.”

He curled his arms round her back. “Then let’s get the hell out of this place.”

They rushed to the door, only to find Juliet there. Her eyes were starred with tears, but she hadn’t allowed them to flow over. Margo’s had.

She dropped her bags. “I’m sorry.”

Juliet waved a hand. “She’ll get over it.”

“I’m not so sure about that.” Margo dabbed the back of her hand against her cheek.

Simon came over and dropped a kiss on Juliet’s forehead. “I don’t have blue blood money, but I can float you for awhile, kid.”

Juliet fanned her hand in front of her face. “No, you are not allowed to be generous. I really will cry, and this girl doesn’t cry.”

“You are a Reece,” Margo said fiercely.

“Damn right.” Juliet hugged her sister fiercely. “But if I want this band thing to work, I need some capital. I need a place and a car to live in LA.”

“Yeah you do.”

Juliet laughed. “So, I’ll stay and keep her company. Daddy’ll show up soon.”

The “I hope” was unsaid, but it was there hanging in the air.

“I’m sorry to leave you like this.”

“Are you kidding. I’ve been waiting for you to kick some butt. Finally, you did. Only took joining a rock band and a hot stud singer.”

Margo laughed and leaned back into Simon. “Yeah, it’s been a crazy couple of years.”

Simon brushed his chin along her hair, dragging in her honeysuckle scent. Guess they both had to be brave.

“You left my presents right?”

Margo gave a watery laugh. “On your bed.”

“At least there’s that.” Juliet opened the door. “Go. I’ll take care of this. Don’t you worry.”

“In my room there’s a bag full for Mother and Daddy, as well as for Truman and Cook. Can you make sure everyone gets what they should?”

“Sure. I’ll rip the tags off and pretend their mine. That’s fine right?”

Margo laughed. “At least Mother would take her gift then.”

Juliet snorted. “Truth.” She waved them out the door. “Now go, before Mother is back.”

“Right.”

Margo ducked out the door, waving over her shoulder as she left. Simon followed her down the driveway. He got to the car, and after he stowed their bags he patted his pockets. “Um, Margo?”

She opened the passenger door. “Yeah?”

“Maybe you should drive.”

“Oh.” She rolled her eyes. “I should be mad at you, but I left you alone with her for over an hour.”

“Yes, you did.”

She rounded the front of the car and held her hand out of the keys. “That doesn’t mean you should have gotten buzzed you know.”

He opened the door for her. “It does mean I should have
not
gotten buzzed either.” She got inside and he shut the door before she could anything else.

The ride into the outskirts of Boston where she lived was a quiet one. He knew she was beating herself up for leaving, but he was proud of her too. She’d been a dutiful daughter for a long damn time.

Everything about the end of this year was a revelation. He wanted to keep that up. As she pulled up the hidden driveway at the back of her house, he unbuckled and turned to her. “Margo.”

She sighed. “Yeah.”

“This wasn’t your fault.”

“I now that, Simon.”

“Do you really?” When she tried to get out, he held her arm. “You aren’t responsible for your parents.”

She blew out a slow breath. “I know.”

“If you’re having second thoughts—”

“God, no.”

“Good.” He leaned in and tilted his head to take her mouth. “Because we just got a jump start on our holiday festivities.”

She laughed into his mouth which gave him ample opportunity to open her up to his invading tongue. He did his level best to take away all her misgivings, and return only pleasure. He reached into her coat and cupped her breast, finding her nipple ring under the velvet.

He groaned into her mouth. She didn’t even bother to wear one of her padded bras. Sweet Jesus. To know that she only had a silky scrap of something under this already fuck-worthy dress hardened him the rest of the way.

He tugged lightly and she hissed into his mouth. “Fuck.” He did it again, because dirty words from this woman’s mouth as always a path to Incredible Town. And the ride had been just enough to sober him up to a pleasant buzz from a shot glass away from drunk.

“Inside,” she breathed against his mouth. “I’ll show you just what I put on for you.”

“Right. Yeah, let’s do that.” He kicked open his door and rushed to her side. He opened it and drew her out so he could fill his palms with her luscious ass. The lodge had been a sea of perfect, but there hadn’t been much in the way of privacy.

Here and now there was no one. Just them. Just a king sized bed that he could spread her out on. Tasting every blessed inch of her sweet body would take all damn night.

And he was so good with that.

“Wait.” She ran back to the car for the little green bag. “You really want me to bring this one in.”

“Amazing things come in small packages.” He lifted her up and wrapped her legs around his hips. “Now, start by undoing the buttons of this dress.”

She curled her arm around his neck and gripped his shoulder. Her little green bag poked him in the neck as she used her free hand to pop the one-hundred-fifty fucking buttons down the front of her dress.

Instead of each releasing each cloth covered button there was a hidden snap behind half a dozen buttons each.

“Tricky,” he said.

“All these buttons? No way was I going to be patient enough.”

“That’s okay, I figured I’d just flip it up if I had to.”

Her dark eyes went wide. “I’m good with that.”

He jostled her against the door, pressing his aching cock along the seam of her panties. “Like this?” He scraped his nails over her thigh, rolling up the flowing skirt that hugged her hips like a second, very green, skin.

When he got to the top of her thigh there was a strap. He groaned. “At your mother’s house?”

She flicked open the next button and a cranberry colored bra cupped her perfect breasts.

“Merry Christmas, me.” As soon as he got the security panel unlocked he pushed the door open and transferred her from door to the wall on the inside. “Code,” he said against her neck.

“Right.” She slapped her hand above the keypad. “Code.”

He lowered his mouth to her breast, flicking his tongue over the metal ring under the satin until her nipple was puckered tight. “New?” he asked against the wet spot he’d made.

They weren’t the jeweled bars she’d taken to wearing. The sharp edges of gemstones had been driving him wild, but he loved when she changed her jewelry.

“Festive,” she said on a moan.

He slapped on the light switch and the foyer lit up chasing shadows away leaving her completely on display for him. The wet material hugged her nipple outlining the delicate ring she’d put in. He nudged down the satin and lace with his chin, watching her face as his scruff distracted her. Her fingers shook over the glowing numbers. “We don’t want the police to come now do we?” He circled the top of her nipple and groaned at the rose gold that speared her flesh. “Twelve-fourteen-one…”

“I hate you.” She hit clear. “If I hit clear one more time the thing’s going to go off.”

“Then concentrate,” he said and unearthed the rest of her nipple and ring. “I’ll be busy with this beauty.” He tugged on the emerald teardrop that dangled from the center. Her nipple tightened up until the metal stood out from her body and the little jewel danced. “God, you’re fucking gorgeous.”

“There.” She dragged his mouth up to hers. “No police—I think.”

He slanted his mouth across hers. “Well, then I guess I better get inside you in case we only have three minutes.”

“Three minutes to start is good. Then times eighteen.”

He growled against her neck. “I’ll take that as a challenge.”

She dug her heels into his ass. “Then get a move on.”

“Gonna be that kind of round, huh?”

“Bag o’goodies to go.”

“Believe me, I remember.” He nipped at the fragile skin behind her ear until she made a specific purring sound. The sound that meant Niagara was on the way. He wouldn’t be happy tonight until she came all over him. On the fourth bloom of tiny stars she moaned. That sound.

He curled his fingers under the skirt to get to her panties.
Just move this aside…
His knuckle brushed against bare skin. “Margo?”

“Hmm.”

“Are you wearing crotchless panties?”

“Maybe.”

“You mean I could have bent you over any number of fine surfaces in this house?”

Her head dropped back as he slid his fingers over her dripping slit. “Well, if you want to get technical.”

He sat her on the sideboard under the mirror and jerked his zipper down. “I want to get technical.” He could have slid her underwear to the side. He could have ripped them off. He could have done all manner of things, but knowing that she wore something specifically to drive him insane. Yeah.

Merry Fucking Christmas.

He snapped the garter against the back of her thigh just as he slid inside her.

“Oh, God. Yes. Yes…” Her voice was little more than groans with words somewhere underneath the breathy sounds.

The mirror thumped against the wall as he slammed into her. Wet lace and silk hugged the length of his cock with each stroke inside of her. And that fucking nipple ring bounced as she reached up to try and hang onto something.

“Me,” he growled.

Her eyes went blind with the first trip up and over. Her fingers scrabbled along the frame of the mirror.

“Hold onto me.”

Her nails bit into his shoulders, scraped over the center of his chest as buttons scattered over the marble entryway. He invaded. Pulled up her knee until he could crowd in closer.

The bite of her spiked heels in his ass grounded him. The pain wouldn’t let him lose himself to the oblivion of her body. He arched into the pain and kept on thrusting as her groans gave way to screams.

She fluttered around his cock, her scent and heat branded him. He wanted more. Needed more. Wouldn’t stop until there was nothing left of them.

“Margo,” he said against her neck, against her breastbone, and down to the rings that adorned her. He curled his tongue into the delicate ring and tugged. Just a light suction and tug. He knew what she needed. He knew her like no other woman.

Her fingers fisted into his hair as she dragged him back up to her mouth. The kiss was hot and wild. No finesse, no seduction, just dirty clashes of teeth, lips, and tongue.

And before he could allow himself the chance to hold back and ride her through another crashing orgasm his own knocked him sideways.

His eyes went blind and the soft, buttery light of the foyer dimmed as his body took over.