20

Christian

The police left a few minutes ago, and Hailey was in the shower. I locked the doors and set the alarm.

I knew as soon as I found the car empty that Ingrid was up to something. But it didn't matter how prepared I was, nothing would have prepared me for seeing the woman I love being held at knifepoint.

I'd only been gone a couple of minutes, but it was enough time for Ingrid to reach Hailey.

I replayed my actions over and over again, and while I should have known better, I couldn't let it get me down again. I learned from my past that I couldn't dwell on it. It wasn't helpful. We all made mistakes. It was what you did afterward that mattered.

I'd saved Hailey.

I didn't want to think what would have happened had Ingrid pressed the knife any harder. I'd seen people like her before. I was no psychologist, but she wasn't a killer. She was hurt, and she wanted to hurt Hailey back. Her left hand had trembled while she held the knife with her right. If I thought for even a second that Ingrid would have killed Hailey, I wouldn't have hesitated to pull the trigger. I'd been trained to shoot, but it didn't mean I didn't hate it.

Now that the threat was neutralized, I could begin planning my return home. But I wasn't here as a bodyguard anymore. No, that changed a while ago. I was here because I loved that woman. So damn much.

The water stopped and Hailey emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later. Steam swirled around her wet hair.

I grabbed a brush. "Come here."

She sat in a chair, and I brushed the tangles from her hair. Slowly, ensuring I didn't pull too hard and hurt her. I had no sisters growing up, so I didn't know how to braid it, but living with some of the local families while on tour, I learned to manage with elastics. Tying her hair back, I noticed a tear fall down her cheek.

I thought I would suffocate from the pain that clogged my throat, seeing that single tear. I picked her up from the chair and carried her to my bed. Removing the wet robe from her body, she shivered.

I quickly undressed and lay down beside her, wrapping one arm across her chest and another around her middle. Her wet hair dampened my chest and her tears fell onto my arm, but despite it all, a warmth rushed through my veins. She no longer shivered, and her breathing was slower.

I wiped her cheek and rubbed her arm with my thumb.

"Thank you," she whispered.

The gentleness in her voice tore at my heart. "I love you, Hailey. I love you more than a soldier like me could ever say. Don't ever doubt how much you mean to me, even when I don't have the words to tell you myself."

She pulled my arms tighter against her. "I love you, too. Don't ever leave me."

The words haunted me throughout the night. Every part of me wanted to stay except for my sense of loyalty to my family and friends. How could I leave them? We'd been through so much together. But for her, I would.

I closed my eyes and prayed for a solution. I didn't know how I would do it, but I had to find a way.

***

The next morning, Sam came by the house. I'd spoken to the investigator on the case before granting her access to see Hailey. She and her manager, Frankie, had been cleared of any connection with Ingrid.

"Hailey, girl. How are you holding up?" Sam busted through the house after I opened the door and pulled Hailey in for a hug. "I just can't believe Ingrid was behind it all. She seemed like a sweet kid. A little possessive of her phone, but sweet. Are you okay?" She slowly moved her hand toward Hailey's, but Hailey stepped back, rubbing the faint red line on her neck. It wasn't a cut, only a bruise, but I'd be lying if I said it didn't bother me.

"I'm doing all right. Last night was rough, but I'm feeling better this morning."

"Good. That's good." She pushed a thick strand of her blonde hair behind her ear. "This may not be the best time to mention it, but I spoke with Kendra's manager. She's willing to meet with you."

Hailey sighed. "That's a relief. I need to explain how I wasn't the one behind all the nasty texts. I haven't even had time to check my account to see what Ingrid wrote." Hailey rolled her eyes. "I don't even know if I want to read it, but I think I should."

"Yes," agreed Sam. "It's best to know what you're up against. Kendra may not believe you at first, but I know you'll win her over."

As Hailey mulled that over, I received a motion alert on my watch. Checking the window, I recognized her manager's car. "Frankie's here."

"Frankie?" Sam asked. "That guy's been MIA for some time."

"He's been acting strange lately," Hailey said. "I hope everything's okay."

I hardly recognized the guy who walked up to the door. Frankie wore gray sweatpants and a gray hoodie. His eyes were red and swollen and his face ashen.

Hailey's eyes rounded when she saw him, but quickly recovered. "Frankie, hey, good to see you."

"You, too, Hailey. It was too late to come by last night after the police showed up, but I knew I had to see you this morning. How are you doing?"

Frankie's hands shook. When he noticed us looking at them, he shoved them in his pants.

"I'll be fine, Frankie." Hailey stepped closer to her manager and put a hand on his shoulder. "How are you?"

He bowed his head and sniffed. After a while, he rubbed his face with both hands. "I tried to hide this from everyone, but I can't do it anymore." Looking up at her, he added, "Hailey, I'm checking myself into rehab."

Hailey inhaled sharply, then pulled Frankie into her arms. Frankie's face crumbled as he clutched Hailey's back. It was heartbreaking to watch. The man was in obvious turmoil.

"It's all right. I'll be here when you get out. Do you need someone to drive you there?"

"My boyfriend's going to drive me. But thanks. I appreciate the offer." He shook his head. "I never thought I'd be back there, but I had a few setbacks six months ago and—"

Hailey held his hands. "You don't have to explain anything to me. Just get better."

Sam appeared from behind Hailey, and Frankie wiped the tears from his face. "Sam, hey, I didn't see you standing there."

"I'm sorry to hear you're going through a hard time. As Hailey said, we're all here for you. If you need anything, just call."

Frankie sniffed and smiled. "Thank you." Turning to Hailey, he added, "Thank you both. It means a lot to me knowing I have a welcoming place to come back to when I'm ready."

Hailey pulled him in for another hug. "We'll see you soon."

Frankie then turned, shook hands with Sam, and saluted me. "Take care of my girl," he said.

"With my life," I assured him.

As he was about to turn and leave, he snapped his fingers. "Hailey, I almost forgot. We've got some tour dates planned. I'll have my assistant send them to you while I'm away. It includes Europe and Japan. Should be a blast, babe."

Hailey maintained her smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Amazing, thanks."

"Sure thing." He waved goodbye and walked back to his car.

"A world tour? Hailey, that's huge! We need to announce those dates on social media and get everyone excited about it. It will help with ticket sales."

Hailey looked at me. I smiled weakly and turned away, hoping it would seem like I was trying to give them some privacy. The truth was. I didn't want her to read the disappointment on my face, not until I had some time to process how I felt. We moved around a lot throughout my childhood. I'd never imagined I'd ever live like that again. Living out of a suitcase wasn't easy. I enjoyed the stability I had now.

After my tour, I moved to New York with my brothers. I thought I'd never move again, but I'd been considering it ever since falling in love with Hailey. But a world tour? That would last six months, maybe more.

"Excuse me," I said and turned away.

I walked back to my room and sat on the bed.

Could I live like that again? I thought, pressing the heels of my hands to my eyes.

I needed to talk this through with someone.

I dialed Jager's number.

"Hey, Chris. How's Hailey doing?"

"She's good. Yeah, she's doing much better today."

"That's good news. What can I do for you? Do you need me to hack into anyone's phone?"

I chuckled. Jager made that sound like a normal request, like the way someone else would ask if they could pick up a jug of milk at the grocery store instead of infiltrating a stranger's life.

"No, I'm all good on that front. I called because I've got relationship issues."

Jager groaned. "Ah, man. Why didn't you call Jake first?"

"Because this one has to do with being an army kid, and you're the only one that gets that."

Jager went to four different high schools growing up. He knew the toll moving could take.

"All right. What's going on?"

"You know that Hailey and I have grown close while on this assignment."

I could hear Jager's eyes roll over the phone. "Yes. It seems to be an epidemic among my brothers. I hope I don't catch it."

"That's the thing. I love being in love with Hailey. She's the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"Then what's the problem?"

"She'll be going on tour soon. You know how it goes. It could be six months or more before she's back home. I'd go with her, of course. I just… well… I hadn't thought I'd be back to living that sort of life again. And what will that mean for you guys? I'd be leaving you one man down."

Jager inhaled and blew out loudly through the phone. "Well, there's a lot to unpack there, brother."

"I know."

"But it comes down to this. Are you willing to lose her because she's disrupting your plans? Was the future you had imagined better than being with her?"

I shook my head. "No. Of course, not. The way she makes me feel is better than anything I could have hoped for, much less planned."

"Then that's your answer. As for us, we only want the best for you, Chris. Whether that's being here in New York or halfway around the world. We'll always have your back."

My eyes stung, and I sniffed. Sitting up, I cleared my throat. "Thanks, Jag. You know I'd do the same for you."

"I know that. Good luck, Chris. Call me back if you need to."

"I will. Thanks, man."

After hanging up the phone, I paced the bedroom floor. I'd been so worried about what to do, but Jager made me realize how simple the answer was. I'd follow that woman to the ends of the earth if it meant I could be with her. Enough moping around. It was time I got back to Hailey.

When I returned to the living room, Sam was gone. I checked the time. "Hey, you ready for breakfast?"

She smiled. "Yes. I thought you'd never ask."

I chuckled and pulled her into the kitchen with me. She grabbed the carton of eggs, but I shook my head. "I think after a day like yesterday, we need pancakes."

She groaned. "Yes. Pancakes sound perfect."

I kissed her lips. "You're perfect. I want you to know that I would do anything for you."

She wrapped her arms around my neck. "I love you, too." She kissed me again, slowly taking her time. When she pulled on my bottom lip, my stomach tightened. This woman drove me insane. My heart, my head, and every part of my body wanted to be in sync with hers. I wanted to show her how much she meant to me.

"Do you have any plans for the weekend?" I asked while bending her neck and running my tongue up to her jaw.

"Uh… I can't think about what I have to do this afternoon when you kiss me like that."

I grinned. "Me neither. But I want to plan something with you."

I grabbed her hips and swayed them back and forth. "Let's go Salsa dancing."

Her eyes lit up. "Oh, I do love to salsa."

"Perfect. I'll take you to Puerto Rico where we can salsa all weekend."

"Puerto Rico?" She pulled away and gaped at me. "Are you serious?"

"Absolutely?"

"Will we even find airline tickets on such short notice?"

I kissed her lips. "Darling, we won't need tickets. We'll take my private plane."

Now she pushed back and blinked at me several times. "You have a private plane. Are you serious?"

I smiled. "Why do you keep asking me that?"

"Do you have a yacht, too?"

"Yes."

She blinked again. "And how many homes do you own?"

"Do you mean how many do I live in, or how many do I own?"

"Oh my god." She stepped away and pushed back her hair.

"What's wrong?"

"I just realized I hardly know anything about you. I guess it's just freaking me out a little."

I grabbed her hand and pulled her back into my arms. I didn't like the distance between us. "There's no deadline, is there? We have all the time in the world to get to know each other. The question is, do you like what you know so far?"

She arched her brow. "Of course. How could I not?"

"Good. Then, let's just figure out the rest as we get to know each other. For starters, I want to know what you taste like with whipped cream on your nipples."

Her eyes grew wide, and she covered her mouth. "Oh, my god, Christian. I can't believe you just said that."

Turning back to the refrigerator, I grabbed a can from the shelf and shook it. "Why can't you believe it?"

She started to back away. "Because you've never said anything like that to me before. You've always been so…?"

"Predictable?"

"Professional." I frowned. Then, staring at her low-cut tank top, I pulled her towards me and sprayed a foamy dollop of whipped cream over the top of her breasts. She stood perfectly still, except for her chest, which rose and fell with each stilted breath.

I licked in between her cleavage, flicking the cream into my mouth when I reached it. "Breathe, baby."

She inhaled deeply, and I kissed her mouth. Licking her lips afterward, she said, "Do that again."

I grinned.

Lifting her from her waist, I placed Hailey on top of the kitchen island. She wiggled out of her panties as I pulled them down and off.

"Lay down."

She hesitated. I pressed my lips to hers and kissed her gently at first, but then I let my tongue explore her deeply and she moaned. Coaxing her down, I flicked her top lip until she lay perfectly straight on the island. Her tank top rode up, exposing her wet pussy to me. "Beautiful," I whispered, and she squeezed her thighs together. "Don't hide from me. Just looking at you makes me hard." I grabbed her hand and placed it on my stiff shaft. "Do you feel how much I want you?"

"Yes," she breathed.

Shaking the bottle once again, I held it over her pussy. "You're not going to—" I sprayed whipped cream just over her clit and goosebumps gathered all over her body.

"I love how your body responds to the gentlest touch. Makes me want to know what you'd do if I make it rough."

She tossed her head to the side and bit her lip. Enough talking. I needed to taste her. Pulling her legs, I brought her closer to the edge of the island and flicked my tongue once over her clit, scooping up her sweetness.

She moaned and raised her hips, but she wasn't getting off this island without coming first. I lapped around her lips and sucked when I reached her peak. It was rigid now. She was definitely aroused, and, fuck, so was I.

I pressed my tongue against her clit and circled. She moved her hips in rhythm to my movements. "Yes," she panted. Her legs shook and her hips raised until she shouted my name. "Christian!"

My name on her lips drove me insane. While she was still shaking, I lifted her from the island and set her on the floor, facing away from me. "Hold on to the counter."

She gripped the marble, and I unzipped my pants. Freeing my aching erection, I guided myself to her entrance. She was slick and wet, and whipped cream dripped down her thigh. It was so damn erotic, I couldn't take it any longer. I pushed inside of her and we both groaned.

Despite her slickness, her orgasm tightened her muscles. "I need you to relax, baby. I need you to take a couple more inches. Can you do that for me?"

She bowed her head, but nodded. Her hair fell in front of her face and I pulled it back.

Perspiration gathered at her nape and knowing that I was making her hot only increased my desire. I grew bigger inside of her and she moaned. She tightened again, but I still wasn't fully inside of her. Bringing my hand to her core, I pressed a finger to her clit and rubbed. She widened her legs and dropped her head to the counter. But best of all, her pussy opened for me. "That's it, baby. You're doing so good. Just a little bit more."

With one final push, I was seated completely inside of her. My balls pressed up against her ass, and I groaned.

Fuck .

I wanted to go slowly. I knew I should. But when she wiggled that ass, I lost control. I gripped her hips and pumped inside of her. I wasn't gentle. Fuck, I was out of control. I hammered her from behind, but she held that fucking counter and didn't let go. She shouted again, and I felt her pussy grip me at my base. The squeeze triggered my own release. My legs tensed and I jerked my body forward, spending all my pleasure inside of her.

I panted over her neck and she pressed her cheek against the counter, barely catching her breath.

I grinned through my labored breaths and kissed her neck. "You're amazing."

She reached behind us and pulled on my hair. "Don't let go. I don't think my legs will hold me up."

I laughed and pulled her closer to me from the waist. "I'm never letting you go, baby. Never."