Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Landon

Listen to No Ordinary Love

by Sade

I retraced the steps I’d walked that night I showed up at Adam’s door. The night I begged him to let me in. The night we slept together. The night everything changed.

This time, I felt different. No longer filled with pain and longing; of confusion and rage. Now, I needed clarity to see what came next. After the episode in the closet, I needed to have a conversation with Adam without being drugged by sexual lust. I’d hurt him by hiding the news I’d been cast in Dumped , but I think telling Max first was worse. We couldn’t keep tearing each other apart in this vicious cycle. Eventually, one of us would break.

I needed to know what he wanted from me.

He was waiting at the door. Without speaking, he let me inside. I glanced around, my gaze settling on his bed where he’d given me so much pleasure. I tried not to blush. I tried not to want him too badly. I tried to hide all my thoughts that could be glimpsed on my face.

God, he looked good. Black sweats clung low on his hips. A simple white t-shirt covered his chest and stretched over his biceps and broad shoulders. The tats covering his arms always called to me. They were like a detailed story of his life. The black guitar surrounded by thorned roses called to me. I liked to trace the outlines of each picture when I lay in his arms, sated.

His hair was damp from the shower, and hung loose around his face. I stared at the delicious scruff covering his jaw and remembered how it scratched against my thighs, my breasts, my cheeks. His bare feet peeked out and made him look slightly vulnerable. “I thought we should talk. I’m sorry shit went down like that last weekend.”

I dropped my purse and paced the small room. “What shit are you sorry for?” I asked carefully, wondering how he’d react. I had no idea what type of emotions to expect from him.

“Do you want a drink before we dive deep into our very fucked up relationship?”

I spun on my heel and stared at his face, surprised to see the twinkle of amusement in his eyes. I couldn’t help but give him a half smile. “Sure. What do you have?”

“Beer. Wine. Tequila.”

“I’ll take a shot. With lime, if you have it.”

“I do.” I watched while he made my drink. “How was work?”

“Busy. Not sure if it’s a full moon but things are getting freaky after hours.”

“Maybe everyone’s looking for comfort.”

“Maybe.” He brought me my shot and poured one for himself. “Thanks.”

Adam held my stare as he raised the glass to his lips and drank without blinking. My stomach dipped in that familiar way, but I refused to show him any type of vulnerability. So, I swallowed and didn’t speak.

“I’m sorry I tried to push my opinion on you,” he said. “I had no right to believe I knew best. It’s your career. I’d be pissed if you told me what to do or not to do with the band.”

Shock vibrated through me at the simple admission. I took a step toward him. “So, you agree I should take the part?”

“No. I still think it’s a huge mistake.”

I blinked. “That’s a half-assed apology, Adam.”

“It’s truthful. I believe you’re worth more than a show called Dumped . But I’m not the one who has to make the hard choices. I know how badly you want exposure. I’m sorry for making you feel like shit.”

I nodded. Adam always made things clear. I loved his refusal to play games like the ones I’ve mastered. An apology from him meant more than any other, because he was authentic to the bottom of his soul. He never confused me with demands or judgments I’d never be able to hit.

He was the same in the bedroom. I was never unclear about everything he wanted to do to me and with me. And he sought permission.

I may not own his agreement, but he damn well respected my choices and that was what I’d really craved.

“I accept your apology,” I said. “Anything else?”

“Nope.”

I crossed my arms in front of my chest. “Really? What about the little power play you pulled in the closet?”

Slowly, a grin curved his full lips. Those dark eyes roamed over my body, taking in every inch with a wicked focus that immediately had me clenching my thighs together. “Hell, no. Regret watching you fuck my leg to orgasm? Watching you turn from a haughty princess into a hungry whore under my gaze? That was a gift, Landon. And it was all for me.”

I was suddenly breathless and my cheeks heated under his lusty appraisal. Still, I rallied. “You were rude.”

“You were the hottest thing I’ve ever seen,” he murmured. “Don’t make me regret anything we do together.”

My breath caught at his serious tone. God, this man drove me mad. One minute I wanted to strangle him, and the next I wanted to jump him. “What about Max? You seemed to think I still wanted him.”

Now, he was the one who turned away and began pacing. “You have a history I can’t be part of. I know Max still wants you, and I have no rights. I can’t take you out in public or show anyone how I feel about you. I lost my shit when I heard he was the first person you confided in.”

“I told the girls first. Max showed up later to spout apologies and it slipped out. I’m confused, too, Adam. Maybe we need to buy ourselves time until we decide what we’re doing. I don’t want to hurt anyone. The stakes are high.”

“Maybe too high. I’m leaving for LA. You’re leaving for the show. Is there anything to decide or are we just filling in time, trying to scratch an itch?”

His words infuriated me and I walked forward until we were toe to toe. “You’re not an itch, Adam. And you’re not a fucking coward.”

He stiffened but I raged on.

“You want the right to take me out in public? To show people how you feel about me? Why don’t you start by telling me. What am I to you?”

He shook his head and glared. “You want pretty words and false promises? That’s Max, princess. Not me.”

“Not looking for those. I’m looking for what I always came to you for. The truth.”

His entire body seemed to shudder and lock down in front of me. Knowing it was time for one of us to take the risk and cross the line, I leaned in. Reaching up, I entangled my arms around his shoulders, my fingers burying into his hair so he couldn’t turn away. “What do you want from me, Landon?” he ground out.

“You. I want you. I’ve wanted you forever but I refused to admit it. I don’t even know if it’s right to want you, or sane, or safe. I only know when we’re around each other, I finally feel whole. Like I’ve been walking around with a piece missing that suddenly locked into place.”

He pressed his forehead to mine and spit out a vicious curse. “I’m nothing like Max.”

“I had Max. I don’t want him.”

“I won’t be nice. I’ll dirty you up, make you my whore, and take more than you want to give.”

My nerve endings fired up and I was immediately soaked. An empty ache throbbed and as if he could scent me, a primitive groan ripped from his lips. “I don’t want to be treated like a princess.”

Slowly, his hands cupped my cheeks, thumbs pressing against my trembling mouth. “Then I’ll tell you what I want from you. I want to be the man you crave; the man you fuck; the man who holds you when you cry. And if I make you cry, it’ll only be for your pleasure.” He traced the outline of my lips, down my neck, and hovered over my rapidly beating pulse at the delicate hollow in my neck. “I want to know your secrets and your fantasies. I want you to feel safe with me but I also want you to shake with fear. Our relationship will make no sense, Landon. Yet it will answer every question you ever had.”

His words washed over me in a hypnotic spell, making me dizzy. I clung to him, allowing me to bend me backward so I was off balance, and he was my only support.

“Do you understand how greedy I am when it comes to you? If you say yes, this won’t be a dip in and dip out relationship. I will own you.”

“Will I own you?” I whispered.

“Yes. And I won’t hide forever. I will not be your dirty little secret.”

His scent of musk and smoke and tequila wrapped around me. Hunger began low in my gut and exploded through my veins, until nothing mattered except extracting every delicious, dirty promise he spoke.

“We’ll decide together when to tell the others?”

“Yes.”

I began to shake so hard, his grip tightened. But still, he waited, looming over me, nostrils slightly flared, dark eyes glittering with lust and a raw wanting that ripped down every defense I’d tried to build.

“Tell me, Landon. Tell me what you really want.”

I gave up and surrendered my body, my soul, and my heart.

“I want you. I want everything you promised. I want it all.”

His mouth slammed over mine, his lips bruising, tongue thrusting between my eager lips and taking over. I could only hold on and surrender completely, helpless under the dominating, drowning kiss. Gasping for breath, he finally set me fully on my feet and stepped back.

I swayed, staring at him as if I’d just surfaced from an ocean storm and fell onto the sand. With careful, deliberate steps, he retreated until he stood across the room beside the bed.

“Come to me.”

I took a shaky step forward, but he put up one hand, halting me in my tracks. “No. Not like that, princess.”

A slow, seductive smile tipped his lips. His eyes glittered with heat and demand and a hunger that stole my breath.

“Crawl.”