11

Hailey

God bless, Victor. He immediately texted me back that he was in. He suggested a new club that opened two weeks ago. It was the biggest celebrity hotspot at the moment and since I hadn't checked it out yet, I wholeheartedly agreed.

I smoothed down the wrinkles in my tight-fitted black dress and pushed up my boobs. Turning to my right and then my left, I checked my profile in the tall mirror. Not bad.

Lifting my hair off my shoulders, I pushed the curls forward and pouted my lips.

Mmm…I should try the red lipstick tonight.

I'd just finished applying my makeup when the doorbell rang. Christian answered it. "Hailey, Victor's here."

"I'll be down in a minute."

With one last look, I grabbed my stilettos and ran down the stairs. I threw myself into Victor's arms and squeezed. "Thank you for coming with me tonight. I really needed to get out."

"Of course. I've been dying to go to Lively, but it's impossible to get in. That won't be a problem with you tonight."

I frowned. "Oh, do you think I should call ahead, so we'll have no issues at the door?"

Victor pursed his lips. "Maybe."

"Okay, give me a second. I'll call Sam."

While I dialed Sam's number, I caught Christian's gaze. His eyes smoldered for a moment, but then he quickly turned away.

"Sam, hey it's Hailey."

"Hi, is everything all right?"

"Yeah, great, actually. Victor and I are heading to Lively tonight. You don't think we'll have a problem getting in, do you?"

"Absolutely not. But just to make sure, I'll call the manager."

"Thanks, Sam. I appreciate it."

"No problem."

I hung up and smiled at Victor. "Let's go."

Christian opened the door for us and turned to Victor. "You drive. My attention will be on Hailey all night." His eyes moved to me, and his gaze dropped for only a fraction of a second, but I noticed it.

Victor smiled. "Oh, I'm sure it will." He led the way to his car and clicked the remote, opening the doors.

I walked around toward the passenger seat, but Christian stopped me and opened the backdoor. "Sit in the back with me. I can protect you better from there."

I knew better than to question his instructions. He had given only a few so far, but each time, his manner had been polite, yet left no room for argument. My shoulder still tingled from the last bodyguard who wasn't as interested in keeping me safe.

I nodded and climbed into the back. He followed me in and narrowed his eyes when he looked down. "Aren't you going to put on your seatbelt?"

I smiled and reached across to buckle my belt. When he did not move to follow suit, just stared straight ahead, I asked, "What about you?"

His brow furrowed when he turned to me, unsure what I had meant. I pulled at my own belt and he smiled. "You know, no one's ever asked me that."

I laughed. "Well, they should have."

His smile fell, and he mumbled softly, "Maybe."

Christian

Her words unsettled me.

They should have, she'd said.

I never gave much thought to my childhood. My parents provided a clean and organized home, three meals a day, clothes, and a place to sleep. But had I ever felt that someone cared about my safety? I couldn't say for sure. It wasn't that I felt unloved. But there was never this feeling growing up that my parents were overly concerned about me, either. It was hard to describe. They never took an interest in what I did, as long as I followed my father's rules and the plan he had set out for me. So Hailey's comment, as off-handed as it probably was, had me thinking about my parents and past relationships.

Or lack thereof.

The longest romantic relationship I'd ever had lasted perhaps three months. We never fought and rarely disagreed. But after three months, she told me she loved me and I couldn't say it back. She was a smart woman and left shortly after that. That was more than a year ago.

As my mind wandered, I watched the road and any signs of trouble as cars idled beside us at a traffic light. No one paid any attention to us.

At one particular stop, I felt Hailey's hand brush up against mine when she adjusted herself in her seat. It was purely accidental, but I didn't move my hand away. And neither did she.

"We're here," said Victor, pulling the car up in front of the club.

There was a long queue of people wrapped around the building, as well as several paparazzi hanging around the front and back entrances. The front entrance was lit up like a movie premiere with a red carpet and everything, while the back one only had a single light above the door.

"Wait here while I speak to the security guard at the back."

Victor swiveled in his seat to face us. "Don't you think we should go by the front?"

"Why?" asked Hailey.

"Because it's the hottest club right now, and it would be good publicity for you to be seen walking in."

"Good publicity for her or the club?" I asked, wondering if the risk was worth the reward.

"Hers," said Victor, barely refraining from rolling his eyes. "She's having a bit of a tough time in the media lately. It would be good if people talked about something else."

I turned to Hailey, not convinced that was a good enough reason. "It's your call."

She looked at me and then at the crowd. "I am a little worried about someone getting too close to me, but I can't let that stop me. I'll do it."

The valet approached the car, and I stepped out to chat with him. After introducing myself, I told him to park the vehicle in a well-lit spot, so that he could keep an eye on it. I slipped him a hundred-dollar bill and then opened the car door for Hailey.

"Let's go," I said, looking around for anyone noticing us.

She climbed out of the car, one tanned leg after the other, wearing those fuck-me gold heels. She took my hand, and I pulled her close to my side as we approached the doorman. "You go first," I said to Victor, and he immediately stepped ahead of us.

Walking around the crowd, I used my body to shield Hailey from onlookers as we approached the bouncers outside.

"Hi, it's Victor Payne. I'm here with Hailey. We should be on your list."

"Hailey!" someone shouted from the queue, and Hailey's head automatically turned in their direction. A photographer popped out from the other side of the line and started clicking his camera.

Immediately, I pulled Hailey away, but someone broke through the roped-off area and grabbed her arm just as we were about to enter the front doors. They tried to pull her away, but I pried their fingers off of her.

"Hailey, Hailey, can I get a selfie?"

"Maybe I should stop and take the picture?" Hailey asked.

"No way. Not here. We're not prepared."

Victor held the door open for us, and I ushered Hailey inside.

The dark entrance engulfed us and hid us from prying eyes. Hailey breathed a sigh of relief and unclasped my hand. My palm felt cold where she'd left it.

The hostess greeted us with a smile. She blinked twice when she saw Hailey. It was the only sign that she recognized the pop star. "Good evening and thank you for coming to Lively . Your manager called earlier and we have a table waiting for you in our VIP section. Let me call someone to escort you there."

She pulled out a walkie-talkie and called a bouncer to the front. The guy was bigger than me and looked meaner. I liked him instantly. We nodded our acknowledgement of each other and I followed him inside the club with Hailey by my side.

After indicating which table was ours, Hailey and Victor sat on the couches facing the crowd. We were on the second level of the club. Despite my lack of social media, I recognized several celebrities at nearby tables, along with their bodyguards. There was a smaller dance floor on this level compared to the one below. Most people danced in their section rather than in the middle, but there was a mix of dancing and drinking.

Victor grabbed Hailey's hand and pulled her off the couch. "Ooh, I love this song." Hailey laughed and followed him to the dance floor.

She moved in rhythm with him, her arms pumping and her hips swaying. I wasn't an expert, but the moves reminded me of Bachata. I learned the dance when my family lived in Puerto Rico.

She looked beautiful in the light, and her body was mesmerizing.

Hailey laughed and dropped her head back as Victor spun her around. That black dress hugged every curve of her body and made me want to reach out and put my hands on her hips.

Stay focused, Christian. You've got a job to do, and it's not eye-fucking the gorgeous woman dancing in front of you.

I scanned the club once again, looking for anyone who may have moved closer. But no one had. However, a familiar head of stringy blond hair caught my attention and my eyes narrowed when I recognized Hailey's boyfriend Trey two tables down.

He wore skinny ripped jeans and a white T-shirt. Three women danced around him as he held up a bottle of champagne. I groaned.

Stupid, self-centered child.

I was torn between walking over to him and telling him to get the hell out of here with his selfish self and bringing Hailey's attention to it all.

I moved closer to the dance floor, hoping to block her view of the man-baby. With my arms crossed, I figured I blocked a good portion of him out.

She noticed me and smirked at me. "You look disapproving, Christian. Why is that? You don't like my dancing?"

I fucking love her dancing. I could watch her dance all night . Instead, I said, "Just doing my job."

She shook her head. "Christian takes his job very seriously, Victor. I think we should bring him onto the dance floor and show him a good time."

Victor looked at me, his eyes roamed across my body. "I think that's a wonderful idea, Hail."

I put my hands up to ward off her approach, and she placed her hand on her hip and pouted. "Come on," she said. "For me?"

Those two little words had me thinking so many inappropriate things. "I'm good." I crossed my arms again and resumed my sentry position.

"Well, you're bumming me out standing there." She shooed me away with her hand and my lips twitched. I looked over my shoulder and Trey was still jerking his body awkwardly, pretending to dance.

I sighed.

Sitting down wasn't an option. And if Hailey sat down now, she would see him for sure.

The next song was one I'd danced to growing up, and without thinking about it, I stepped forward and grabbed her hand.

Her eyes rounded when I held her hands in front of us. That same electric current that ran between our hands in the car rocked me here on the dance floor.

Hailey smirked. "Are we going to just stand here?" She put her hand on my shoulder and moved her hips. "Follow my lead," she said, and I refrained from smirking, too.

I kept my footwork simple, following her back and forth. "Good. Now, spin me around." She turned her back and looked at me over her shoulder. Her eyes darkened in the stream of streaking lights.

She wanted to dance. Well, then, let's dance.

I grabbed her hand and pulled her body up against mine. Running my other hand along the side of her body, I felt her shiver in my arms. Then I pulled away, spun her around once, and pulled her back up against me.

She inhaled sharply and her eyes grew bigger. She looked surprised by the accuracy of the steps. When I pulled her back against me, her ass perfectly aligned to my groin, I swayed my hips from side to side and laid a hand on her belly to match her movements to mine.

When I spun her around to face me, her chest heaved. Whether it was from the adrenaline of the dance or shock, I wasn't sure. She stared at me as we moved in sync, her mouth slightly open. I wanted to bend down and close it with my tongue, but I pulled back. I couldn't look at her that way.

I pulled her tightly against my chest and danced with her in my arms. I thought not seeing her face would make it easier, but feeling her body next to mine was a million times harder to resist.

Finally, the song ended and our chests rose and fell as I held her in my arms, unable to let go just yet.

"Damn," Victor said next to me. "We should use him for your next video. That was smoking hot."

Hailey pulled away and stared at me, her chest rising and falling. "Where did you learn to dance like that?"

I smiled, remembering the past. "Some of the local girls were quite helpful in teaching me when I lived in Puerto Rico."

"When did you live there?"

"That was a long time ago. I—"

Her gaze drifted behind me, and then her mouth dropped open. "Oh, my god," she whispered.

I closed my eyes, knowing exactly what she was seeing without having to turn around.

"Trey?" she squinted and then narrowed her eyes. "That son of a bitch."

She stormed past me and I spun around to follow her. The idiot had his tongue halfway down a girl's throat. I shook my head and ran after Hailey.

By the time I'd caught up to her, she was a foot away from her boyfriend and was pulling him off of the girl. "What the hell, Trey?"

The idiot looked annoyed. I couldn't fucking believe it. Then he looked between Hailey and the blonde in front of him and he wiped his mouth. "This isn't what it looks like."

Hailey cocked her hip. "Really? Because it looks like you were French kissing her tonsils."

I cringed. It did look like that.

"Are you Hailey?" the girl asked.

Hailey stared at her, but ignored her question. Turning back to Trey, she said, "You have two seconds to tell me what the hell is going on before I lose my shit on the both of you."

Trey put up his hands and shook his head. "Can we talk someplace else?"

"Fine." Hailey walked away from the group and toward a quiet alcove.

Trey looked around. "I meant your place or something."

"Oh no. You're not coming back to my place until you tell me what's going on."

Trey gave me a side-eye glance. "Does he have to be here?"

"He's my bodyguard, so yes. I might ask him to kick the shit out of you if I'm not happy with your response right now."

Yes, Hailey. Please, just say the word.

Trey pouted, and Hailey looked at me. With a sigh, I turned my back to give them privacy, but I wouldn't leave her side, not to make that asshole comfortable.

"Trey, I'm going to ask you one more time. Why in the hell were you kissing that girl?"

"I already told you we need to keep a low profile on our relationship. So, when Jason suggested I should be seen in public with some other girls, I thought it was a good idea. You know, make it seem like I'm back living the single life."

"Jason, your manager, thought it would be a good idea if you cheated on me? Are you seriously blaming him for your mistakes?"

"No. No, I'm not blaming him. I'm just telling you why I did it."

Hailey was silent for a few seconds. I wanted to turn around to ensure she was all right, but her words stopped me. "I don't understand, Trey. How could you not know that kissing some other woman would hurt me?"

"Well, I knew I should have talked to you about it first, but I didn't know you'd be here. And what you and I have is great, but it's not like we love each other or anything."

Fucking, stupid son-of-a-bitch.

His words confirmed my suspicions of him, but I knew how much they hurt Hailey.

"W-what?"

"Come on, Hailey. Let's not pretend this isn't what it is."

"What are you talking about? What is this?"

"It's a mutually beneficial arrangement. You know this. Our managers discussed it. They both felt that if the two of us got together, it would be great for our images. Two rising stars dating and living the dream."

Hailey stuttered, and so did my breath.

"Oh, my god," Trey whispered. "You didn't know. Frankie didn't tell you."

"I—I—" Hailey's footsteps pounded against the hardwood floor and I ran after her.

"Hailey, Hailey," I called, but she wouldn't turn around.

I caught up to her before she reached the top of the stairs leading to the back. Grabbing her arm, I spun her around to face me. "Stop running. You have nothing to be ashamed of."

Her chest heaved and tears streamed down her face. She shook her head and tightened her fists. "Yes, I do. They made a fool of me. Frankie, Trey, Jason—all of them," she spat. Then she pointed to the crowd around Trey. "They're all laughing at me. Saying that I can't sing, that I can't keep a man interested in me. It's humiliating."

The tears fell past her cheeks, and she pulled her lips in, holding back a sob. My heart broke for her. I didn't know what to say, except for the truth.

"You have the most amazing voice I've ever heard," I said, and swallowed my reservations before I could continue. "And if you think you can't keep a man interested in you, then Hailey, you are grossly mistaken, because I've not been able to look at anyone but you all night."

She rolled her eyes. "That's because it's your job to watch me."

She turned her face away, and my chest tightened. With my index finger, I pulled her attention back to me and held her gaze. "It's my job to look out for danger. But Hailey, you are the worst kind of distraction. I have to remind myself that you're my client. Your body, and your smile, captivate me and sometimes I forget where I am. I shouldn't admit how much you distract me, but when you talk like that, I can't let it slide."

She wet her lips and I bit mine, using all my strength to hold back from kissing her senseless.

"I captivate you?" she asked, her expression blank.

I closed my eyes. "To distraction."

Her hands crept up my shirt until she circled her hands around my neck. She wet her lips again, and I stared, watching her tongue dart across her bottom flesh. "Kiss me," she breathed.

I inhaled sharply. My body reacted to her command, but my head screamed. Don't do it! Don't cross that line!

She stared at me and I fought against my lust, pushing it so far down my throat that I nearly choked on it.

But then, her pretty green eyes showed uncertainty.

"Christian," she whispered.

My name on her lips undid me. It was as though she had claimed me. My mind knew better, but it played tricks on me and, in that moment, I felt as though she were mine.

"Yes," I breathed back and without another second of thought, I pressed my mouth against hers and closed my eyes.

Her lips were soft and plump. I kissed them slowly, running my tongue along the same path hers had followed earlier, wanting to know what she did—wanting to know everything about her. I learned that while she smelled like white tea and sage, she tasted like strawberries and cream. I learned that when I gently nipped at her lips, she hummed in her throat. I learned that my body burned wherever she touched it.

Holding her face in my hands, I kissed her gently, taking my time to learn how she wanted to be kissed. I listened to her breaths and her heartbeat next to mine.

Click!

The sound momentarily snapped me back to reality. I sensed someone behind me and I turned.

Click!

A woman stood a few feet away, taking photographs with her phone. She laughed, but her smile fell when I growled at her. "Give me that phone!"

She ran faster in those heels than I would have thought possible. Hailey stopped me with a hand on my arm as I moved to run after her.

"Just leave it. Even if she erases the pictures, they're probably still on a cloud. Besides," she smiled and caressed my cheek. "I don't regret it. Do you?"

I shook my head. "Only that we were interrupted."

She smiled and kissed me again. "Thank you. I needed that."

Did she think that was a ‘pity' kiss? That I'd only done it to make her feel better? Or was that her way of saying the kiss was just OK? Fuck that. That kiss was better than OK. But clearly, Hailey was putting space between us, and I needed to back off.

I cleared my throat. "Don't mention it."