PLAYED - A BRITISH BAD BOY ROMANCE (43 page)

Epilogue

Angel

One Year Later

As I nodded tearfully
with what must have been a ridiculously goofy smile, the roomful of pop stars
and rock musicians burst into thunderously cheerful applause. Trent, happier
than I had ever seen him, almost fumbled the ring as he slipped it up onto my
finger.

Living with a mega
rockstar for twelve months had been an enlightening experience. I’d adjusted to
his world now – the endless promos, the record deals, even the paparazzi.

Trent Masters and the Whiplash
dissolved
a few weeks after we arrived back home, citing “creative differences.”

Of course, I knew
what really happened.

It had ended with
split lips and broken bones.

The other musicians
were off doing their own thing – the last I’d heard of them, they had tried to
pull together a new band with pair of new singers, but were inwardly struggling
to define their sound. It wasn’t looking hopeful.

And that was
before
dreadlocked Waylon wound up with
possible charges of sex with a fan
just
below
the age of consent. It was still inconclusive, but from what Trent
had told me… it was probably inevitable.

Trent, meanwhile, had
rescued his old bassist from that fate. Terence, ever quiet and studious, was a
talented professional of several instruments. With Trent on vocals, acoustic,
and electric guitar, Terence handled bass, piano, and occasionally violin
duties.

But they still needed
a third.

I politely declined
when they originally approached me to play drums. I didn’t have any
professional training, but they were convinced that my ability to keep rhythm was
all I needed to get started. I practiced day and night…

Turned out, it
worked. The two of them kept throwing out words like “a natural” and “drumming
prodigy”, but I didn’t really believe any of that. I wanted this, and these
days, I was willing to work hard and take what I wanted.

Together, we called
ourselves
The Tonic Electronic
,
quickly striking out a single that surprisingly found its way onto on the
Billboard Top Ten. A few months later came our debut EP, up for critical
acclaim and routine radio play.

I just liked the feel
of the drumsticks in my hands. Although we knew we weren’t going to tour much,
I loved knowing that I was onstage with my lover and our friend – making music
that drew large, dedicated crowds.

It didn’t hurt that,
while I completely trusted Trent, I got to watch him routinely turn down
thirsty, lustful groupies and send them towards our very grateful stud of a
musician.

Trent’s repeat
success had also drawn the attention of a major label veteran – and that
friendship quickly blossomed into mentorship. Guided every step of the way, he
was weeks away from formally debuting his own label,
Whiplash Records.

Not only were we
self-representing, a couple of other singers wanting to go solo had already
headhunted Trent to support them. He was just putting the finishing touches on
the proper team of studio professionals to see their careers rise.

Some of them were
here this night, watching Trent propose to me. I’d naively thought this was
some kind of a label pre-launch party, which is why I’d been surprised when
other Top 40 musicians had been present.

As the champagne
popped, and musical celebrities came to offer their congratulations, I realized
that I had found my place in the world – a place beside the man who had always
looked out for me and kept the evil men in my life away.

With that said,
though, my distorted memories from before the accident were probably never
going to come back…

But you know what?

I didn’t need them.

This new life of mine
that Trent and I had forged together was perfect, just the way that it was. And
now, with his ring on my finger, I knew that we were going to be happy together
for the rest of our lives… I even took the time to let Old Greg know about it…
It just felt right.

While we enjoyed the
company of our friends, my fingers slipped into my pocket for my phone. I was
going to make a post to Facebook for our fans to see. That’s when my fingers
brushed against the folded sheet of paper – the results from my surprise exam
earlier today.

I hadn’t even told
him my big surprise yet.

Trent was going to be
a daddy.

The End… But I’m not done
with you yet. Turn the page for another FREE special bonus novel: PROTECT AND
SERVE!

Bestselling authors
Kat Jackson and Nikki Wild arrive with another sexy full-length novel!

Sandra Williams
is a by-the-books detective with a job to do: Protect
Nathaniel Hale
, the most infuriatingly
arrogant and hopelessly self-entitled billionaire playboy on the planet. There’s
only one problem…

He’s the man who took her virginity…

It was supposed to be an easy ride… Just spend a few
days shacked up in a cheap apartment until the bastard could testify.

The rules were simple. Keep him alive, keep him quiet,
and
don’t
have sex with him… Again…

Two out of three isn’t bad…

This is a stand-alone novel with a HEA and NO
cliffhanger.

Published by the Kat Jackson Publishing Group

Copyright
©
2015 by Kat Jackson
and Nikki Wild

This book is a work
of fiction, any names, places, and situations portrayed within are products of
the author’s imagination.

Thanks to my
husband and my wonderful children for being so patient with me. You have no
idea how lucky I am to have you all.

Thanks to Nora,
my tireless editor who never fails to get the job done. Thanks to my cover
artist Ethan and my incredible publicist Devlin Rice.

A special
thanks to the too-many-to-list authors and friends who have given me advice and
helped me along the way. I may never be able to fully repay your generosity,
but I shall make every effort to do so.

And finally I
want to thank you, dear reader. It is your graciousness that allows me the
opportunity to press these words onto paper. I could never live my dreams
without you.

CHAPTER ONE

The
last place on
earth that I wanted to be was at Nathaniel Hale’s front door.

I sighed as I looked up at the obscene decadence
looming before me. This was the mansion I’d come to loathe over the past few
years, and one I’d ended up at more times than I cared to count. It was home to
one of the most obnoxious playboys I’d ever met, a walking, talking,
self-entitled stereotype who had made my life hell on more than one occasion.

And
this time, I was
not
coming here to
fuck him. It didn’t matter how much I wanted him to open this door and pull me
inside by my hair for old times sake... I was here on police business, and that
was the beginning and the end of it.
Our history together didn’t put him above the law, and
neither did his pile of money.

I stared at the thick wooden door, waiting for a
response. Nathan wasn’t exactly a criminal, but he was
definitely
a
nuisance. Maybe having a multibillion dollar inheritance dropped on your lap
could do that to a person. Even now, the front lawn was strewn with remnants of
another of his famous parties. I never knew what exactly he was celebrating,
but it
almost
always involved half-naked women and rivers of booze.

And despite my best intentions, here I was again.
Nathaniel Hale’s little puppet… He knew the power he held over me… Every time I
showed up at his door, badge in hand, he’d flash me a lopsided grin and tell
me:
Loosen up a little, Officer Williams. Come on in and have a drink with
me.

That wasn’t going to happen
today. No matter how much I wanted it, I had to be strong. If I went through
that door, I wouldn’t be able to stop myself. This time, he was coming with me.

I smiled at the thought. It
was about damn time some of Nathaniel Hale’s skeletons came out of the closet.

The
first
time I
knocked on this door I was a rookie just out of the academy, and I didn’t know
anything about those skeletons. Barely twenty years old and on my own, I
couldn’t even legally have the drink he offered me… But Mr. Hale insisted. He
knew what he was doing. I was young and innocent and he was the kind of man who
gets what he wants. Maybe if I hadn’t gone inside I wouldn’t be standing here
again…

I could remember following
him through the door that first time, ticket-in-hand and ready to fine him for
the disturbance and get back to my beat. I lost my entire train of thought as
he drew me inside. I’d grown up on the wrong side of the tracks, and I’d never
been close to a house this big, let alone inside one. There was a chandelier
hanging over the entry that probably cost more than my salary. Music pulsed
through me, the beats keeping time with my own racing heart.

Nathaniel Hale didn’t give
me a chance to get my bearings. “Come upstairs and we can get started,” he
said, his voice barely audible over the sounds. He had gripped my arm and led
me up the stairs toward his office, the crowd of beautiful people stepping
aside and letting us through. I could feel the heat from his fingertips, my
heart fluttering in an unexpected way with every step we took. I don’t know why
I didn’t stop him. A moment later we were standing in front of the large wooden
doors, my eyes widening as he threw them open to an even more opulent study.

“Did they tell you what I
like?” he asked as we made our way into the office. He moved to a large chair,
leaving me standing in the center of the space in a way that made me feel
totally exposed and on display.

“I’m here on a noise
complaint, not to discuss your likes and dislikes, Mr. Hale,” I’d replied, more
confused than anything.

“A feisty one. You must be
new. What’s your name, beautiful?”

I couldn’t help myself. I
blushed. Mr. Hale wasn’t some ordinary man.
His face was a masterpiece, as though he’d been chiseled
from the finest marble by the most divinely-inspired sculptor there was. His
burnt jade eyes were host to flecks of gold near their center, orbiting his
pupils and glimmering every time he flashed one of those blinding white smiles
. The man was unbelievably wealthy, almost
criminally handsome,
and
he thought I was beautiful…

“Officer Williams,” I
replied curtly, trying to maintain my composure. Standing here under his
withering gaze was enough to make me lose my mind. His eyes swept up and down
my uniformed body, appraising me the way a lion might look at a zebra.

“You said that at the door,
Ms Williams. I’m asking you for your
real
name,” he replied, a smile
blooming across his face.

“Sandra,” I whispered.

“Turn around, Sandra.”

The words were less of a
request and more of a command. I don’t know why, but my feet were moving before
my brain could catch up. I found myself facing away, gasping ever so slightly
as I heard Mr. Hale moving from his chair. All of my police training was
screaming out. This shouldn’t be happening. What in the world was I doing?

All of my protests came to
a sudden halt as his hands found their way to my hips. A tingle flashed up my
spine and I was lost. He held me so softly, his chest pressing into my back and
his head finding its way along the edge of my neck. Even the thrumming sounds
of the party downstairs seemed to fade away as he inhaled deeply, drawing scent
from my shoulder up and over my collar, his lips pressing effortlessly just
below my ear.

“Mr. Hale, what are you
doing?” I managed to whisper, heat rising up my body in a way I had never felt
before. No man had ever held me like this. I was too busy for dating, too
driven for a casual encounter. What in the hell was going on?

“You can stop playing
pretend, Sandra. We both know why you’re here.”

I couldn’t bring a single
word to my lips as he pressed himself tighter against me. I could feel
something pressing against the small of my back. Something almost frightfully
big…

His… Is THAT his…
Oh my
God… What am I doing?

“You’re here to be fucked…
Aren’t you Sandra?”

Oh GOD! My thighs clenched
together, heat suddenly blossoming from my secret place between them. The whole
world was being turned upside down, and all I could do was try to breathe and
make sense of it all. I felt as if I couldn’t move. It was as close to an
out-of-body experience as I’ve ever had.

Nathan’s hands swept up my
sides, brushing up against the edges of my breasts through the clean and
creased uniform. He gripped at my arms, bringing them together behind me.
Before I could make sense of anything, I felt the cold metal against my wrist.

My handcuffs!

 
I couldn’t believe what had just happened. I started to protest, but he
caught me mid-word and lifted me off my feet, spinning round and tossing me
toward the big heavy wooden desk. I crashed into it, my thighs stinging as he
came up behind me again, forcing me down until my face was pressed against the
cool hard surface. Without a moment’s hesitation, his hands were moving around
my waist, tugging at my belt and bringing my uniform pants down around my
ankles. I could feel the air sweeping across my skin, only the thin protection
of my panties maintaining my innocence.

“Happy birthday to me,” he
said, his voice taking on a hoarse sound as he swept his fingers over the curve
of my hips. I gasped as he brought one of them around and against the inside of
my thighs, forcing my legs apart as far as they could go with the pants still
wrapped round my ankles. “I don’t know where the agency found you, but remind
me to thank them later.”

What in the hell was he
saying? My mind swam and my body burned for his touch. None of this made sense.
There was no way anyone would treat an officer of the law this way. Mr. Hale’s
fingertips made their way to the scorching heat between my thighs and pressed
against the thin cotton between us, sending a wave of pleasure over my body.
Why in the hell wasn’t I stopping him? The cold realization dawned on me as
pulled my panties roughly aside.

I
wanted
this.

I’d spent my whole life
denying myself the pleasures of men. I had responsibilities. My sister… My
schooling… The academy... My work ethic kept me away from these kinds of
situations. Now I was at the mercy of a man who had never even bothered to ask
permission. A powerful man who could have anyone he wanted… And he wanted
me
.

And I wanted him.

“You’re so wet, Sandra,”
Mr. Hale breathed, his finger moving ever so slowly between my nether lips. My
body shuddered beneath his grasp, the scent of sandalwood and scotch filling my
nostrils as I inhaled deep. I could feel him moving behind me, and suddenly a
new sensation entered the mix. Something very large was being pressed up
against the soft and hidden opening.

“We can’t,” I gasped. “I’ve
never… I’ve never… Oh God…” I squealed as his cock moved downward, slipping
along between my virgin folds but not penetrating me. Instead, he brought his
hips forward, the length of his shaft pressing against the front of my pussy,
every inch of flesh sending courses of pleasure firing from my sensitive nub as
it drew slowly along it. I could feel my slick wetness being drawn out, coating
him in my own desire. His hands returned to the space between my thighs and I
could feel him rolling a condom over his impossibly large member.

“It’s too big…” I
whispered, feeling the sheer girth beneath me as my hips shifted, his cock
slipping side to side against me and driving me out of my mind with pleasure.

“They didn’t tell you about
that at the agency? Not every girl can handle it,” Mr. Hale responded, drawing
himself back until the head of his enormous cock lined itself back up with my
delicate tunnel. “What do you think Sandra? Do you think you can handle it?”

He was pressing just
slightly between my folds, the head barely pressed against my maidenhead. I
couldn’t respond. I couldn’t even breathe. His words held no meaning. Agency?
Telling me about his cock? Girls? He may as well have been speaking Greek for
all the sense it made to me now. I squealed as he lifted my arms behind me,
pulling my breasts just barely free from the desk as he gripped the chain
between the cuffs.

“Are you ready, Sandra?”

Oh God… Was I going to do
this? Could I possibly? What in the hell was I thinking?

“Say yes, Sandra.”

I bit my lip as his free hand
wrapped itself in my hair, pulling my head forcefully back and lifting me even
higher off the desk. My thighs strained against the edge of the wood, my legs
parted, his cock pressing against me but still unmoving. None of this was
supposed to be happening! Pleasure and desire was coursing through my veins as
I found my voice.

“YES!” I shouted, screaming
out as he thrust forward, taking my innocence. His cock impaled me, every inch
sinking into my willful depths, his body freezing up in the aftermath.

“Sandra… You’re a virgin?”
he asked, holding himself steady with his cock still throbbing inside me.

“Just fuck me,” I screamed
out, lost in the overwhelming sensations of pleasure mixed with pain. “Fuck me
please…”

I’d lost all control, and
Mr. Hale was no better off. His hips began to move faster and faster as he
wrapped my hair with his hand, forcing me around his cock as if her were
holding the mane of a horse at full gallop. Nothing mattered except this
moment, and I was overwhelmed as an orgasm seized my body, the shuddering waves
of pleasure rocking over me even as my overstretched depths grasped at his
flesh. That was all it took, and with one deep thrust that nearly sent me
across the desk, I could feel his cock throbbing and thrumming inside me. For
the first time, I could feel what it was like to please a man… And I liked it.

But something was wrong…

I could sense the tension
behind me as I lifted my gaze toward the doorway. With Mr. Hale’s cock still
throbbing inside me, I stared into the eyes of the young blonde who had let
herself in, her slutty police officer uniform clinging to her large fake
breasts, the blue shorts cut off high and showing off miles of legs. For a
moment, nobody said a word, but the leggy blonde smiled and broke the silence.

“Honey, I don’t do couples.
If that’s what you’re looking for, it’s going to be triple my rate.”