Chapter Two

Alex

I pull down my cap when the taxi drives right by the spot where I am standing, watching my angel. Everything in me roars to get into my car and drive after them, but I stay back. I know where Mina is headed, I can take my time before I go after her.

Days of watching her, wishing for her from a distance end today.

Mina Hendricks is a goddamned wet dream. If I thought the short video she sent in was enough to drive me to the brink of insanity, it's nothing like the real thing, and goddamn it, she is a freaking goddess.

Every inch of her, from her long auburn hair to those bright, golden hazel eyes and the stardust freckles lightly spread under her nose are perfect. All I had was her face and a little bit of her body, but after watching the sexy little thing prance about the bar for the better part of a week – and try not to punch every man that dared look her way – I have made peace with the fact that Mina is mine.

I walk the two blocks to the spot where I left my car parked. The three men I left guarding my Bentley carry a fierce look in their eyes that serve to keep anyone from approaching the car. In this part of the neighborhood, I have no doubt the car would have been stripped naked if I hadn't offered to pay these guys to guard it. As soon as Mina and I are introduced, I am taking her away from this shithole and the crime-ridden part of town she lives in.

My beautiful angel deserves nothing but the best.

With a single nod at the men, I dig into my pocket for three heavy wads of cash and toss them one each. They slip the money into their pockets and with a nod, walk away. I climb into my car and tug off my cap and sunglasses before tossing them in the glove compartment. I strip off the dark hoodie and fold it neatly before placing it in the back seat.

In a few minutes, Mina and I will be officially introduced. Will she place me as the man who's been watching her for the better part of the week? Stalking her from the shadows and… wanting her, no, craving her.

Maybe I should have waited until we were introduced like a normal person would, but I had to see her. I needed to know if the connection I felt with the girl on the screen was real or not. And it is. From the little time I have spent following the girl around like some lost puppy, I have learned tons about my angel. Like how she likes her coffee – ice cold – or the way she smells – like a fucking field of roses. I have seen her smile brightly when she is around her friends and her brows furrow when she is having a bad day.

A man with a million fucking things to do but none more important than this girl.

Mine!

My head is filled with thoughts of finally getting introduced to Mina as I drive and when I make it to the studio, I wave at the security as I drive past the massive gates and to my designated spot where my manager is standing with a frown on his face.

"You're late!" he says in greeting when I climb out of the car.

"I'm not late, Ben. The meeting is at two, I doubt the actress has even arrived," I counter, knowing fully well that Mina is here. She left the bar earlier than I did.

Ben steps in line with me as we walk to the buildings. "The actress is here alright but… are you sure about her?"

My head whips to the man who has been a part of my journey for a solid seven years. Ben became my manager when band members of the Cosmic Rebels started pursuing solo opportunities and the company decided it would be easier if each bandmate had a manager. Other than my bandmates, Ben is the only person I trust to tell me the truth when it comes to decision making but, on this issue, it doesn't matter what he or any other person says, Mina Hendricks stays.

As if sensing my darkening mood, he quickly adds. "Look, I am not saying she is ugly or anything, but you could have any actress in LA for your music video. Heck, you have talented actresses from other countries begging to be featured in your video. I just don't get why you would choose some no-name actress who has never been on the screen before."

"It has to be her!" I say firmly.

"What about the pretty blond actress that was flirting with you at the Oscars' after-party? What was her name, Eva or Ava something–"

I step into the elevator and turn to face my manager; my expression is hard, but I force myself to relax. I cannot meet my angel when I am in a terrible mood and Ben is dangerously close to pushing me to that point. "I sat in my living room and went through all three minutes of each of the fifteen hundred audition tapes." Sure, I skipped through a few and didn't watch all three minutes of most of them, but I don't mention that. "That is seventy-five hours I dedicated to finding the right actress for my music video. Hundreds of beautiful girls and I choose her."

"Alex–"

"She stays," I say with finality before stepping out when the elevator doors open. My steps are hurried, and I have to push back the excitement at the thought of finally meeting my angel without the cover of darkness.

I get to touch her.

"Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you if she fucks up your video!" Ben warns as I push open the door to our meeting room. There are several people from the production team seated at a round table, but I don't pay attention to any of them, my eyes seeking hers immediately.

Jesus Christ, Mina is a goddamned masterpiece.

Seated in the corner with her hands folded on her lap is the girl I am going to make mine. Her hair, which is often tied to the back of her neck, is loose around her delicate shoulders, fanning her small face and when those larger-than-life eyes focus on me, she knocks my breath away.

I'm instantly hard.

My cock is hard as nails as I shamelessly run my eyes over the smooth slope of her neck and down to the perfect swell of her tits. She wrings her fingers nervously on her lap and that pulls my attention to them and fuck, maybe I shouldn't have looked. The plaid skirt looked short back at the bar but seated, it tugs to her mid-thighs, exposing more of her creamy, porcelain thighs. Thighs I want to see wrapped around my waist as I ram my cock into her tight little pussy, her back arched and lips parted as I rut her like a dog in heat.

Thank fuck my shirt is long enough or everyone in this room would know that I am sporting a hard-on for this girl.

"Alex, you are already familiar with everyone in the room, but I would like to officially introduce you to Mina Hendricks," Ben says, pointing at the girl staring nervously at me with her hazel eyes that carry flecks of amber and green. The same eyes that I have replayed on my screen every night for a week straight.

I step forward like a proper gentleman and extend my hand to her. The same hand that jerked my cock raw while those eyes watched me on the screen. "Alex Adams."

"I know," she mutters under her breath, and I would have missed it if I wasn't watching her. If my eyes weren't focused on that pouty mouth.

Mina slowly rises to her feet, tugging at her skirt before extending her hand to meet mine and when they touch, a burst of electricity shoots between us. I close my hand tightly around her and for a moment, it's just us in the room.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Hendricks. I can call you, Mina, right? We will be working together for the next few days, after all."

Something akin to sadness crosses her face but before I can question what the hell that was, she smooths her expression and nods. "Uhm yeah. It's nice to meet you too. You can call me Mina."

"Great, now that everyone is here, we can start the meeting," Ben says, and I force myself to let go of the angel's hand, walking to my seat which is, unfortunately, not next to hers. Perhaps this is a good thing, I know I would not be able to actively participate in this meeting if Mina was seated next to me, her soft feminine scent driving me to the brink of madness.

I want her!

"We have updated Miss Hendricks on what the music video is about, but I will repeat it quickly so that everyone is on the same page," the assistant producer starts, passing out a file to everyone in the room. "All the scenes are scripted on the page but really, it all comes down to the chemistry between Alex and Miss Hendricks. The song is titled "Love Affair." The concept of the video is two strangers meet at a bar looking for company and without even asking for names, they start an affair. First in the bar, then in his car, and later on a bed…."

My gaze finds Mina's whose eyes are wide with shock as the assistant producer narrates the scenes. I can't tell if she is nervous or horrified by the thought of performing intimate scenes with me, but that was stated in the audition post.

Did she not know this?

Fuck, I didn't even consider that she might not like me the way I like her, and maybe it was conceited of me to not entertain the thought.

"… the bed scene is the most important scene and involves a lot of skin-ship. Of course, we will not film the scenes in that order. The first scene we shoot will be the bed scene where Miss Hendricks will strip for Alex."

"S-strip? Like, get naked?" Mina gasps, forcing all eyes in the room on her and she flushes at the attention, her cheeks picking up a beautiful rosy pink.

"Of course not, Miss Hendricks," the director, a man in his forties, says with a smile. "This is not that kind of video. All you need is to tease the camera by showing a little skin. You must've seen such on film before, haven't you?"

"I… aah, yeah?"

"Great," the assistant producer chips in, oblivious to the near-terrified look on Mina's face or even the blatant lie she just fed us. I would bet a million bucks that this girl has never stripped for anyone in her life. I've watched her long enough to pick up on this.

The meeting discusses everything that will happen at the shoot and when they mention rehearsing for the bed scenes, the red on Mina's face and neck deepens. Even so, she doesn't protest when one of the interns asks her to follow them to change for the rehearsal.

Everything in me wants to step in, grab her hand and assure her that everything will be fine and that I will not let anyone make her do something she doesn't want, but I can't risk touching her. I am not so sure that I will let go once I do.

"She looks terrified, are you sure–" My head whips to Ben and his words trail over, he raises his hands in surrender with a chuckle. "Fine. Jesus, don't say I didn't warn you."

For years, nothing outside the success of my band has held any significant importance. I wanted to be the best and so my bandmates and I worked our asses off to be just that. This music video is a solo project I have been working on for years – the first song I will be performing without my band mates, and my team has done everything for it to be perfect, and Mina is who I want to go on this journey with.

No one else will do!