Twisted Heartstrings Read online

  Soft sighs and moans can be heard coming from me. The pleasure he is giving me is beyond what I'd experienced with him earlier. My legs shake, hips buck against his mouth.

  “Lucius,” I cry, as I fall over the edge into an orgasm that lasts for what feels like forever.

  Beyond sensitive after his continued onslaught, I beg him to stop. I can’t take anymore, I need him to fill me. Reaching for the condom, he quickly covers himself before easing into me. Knowing we don't have much time, I know this will be quick. His thrusts are deep and powerful, yet gentle. Meant to send us both over the edge rapidly.

  My orgasm crashes through me before I even realize it’s upon me. I’m unaware of anything going on around me other than the euphoric pleasure coursing through my veins. Stars dance across my vision, blocking the sight of the man who's brought so much pleasure to me in such a short amount of time. A man I was surely falling for.

  As I blink into awareness, I find Lucius staring down at me, an amused smile on his face. “We have enough time for a quick shower before we need to leave for the show tonight,” he says, as he leans down and gently kisses me.

  My groaning protest earns me a chuckle. “Can I just stay here and sleep?” I ask, yawning.

  “No,” he replies. When I pout, he continues, “There’ll be no security here, so if someone does get into the room, there won't be anyone here to help you. You can always lay down in our dressing area.”

  I drag my tired body into the bathroom for a quick shower. He's right, no one would be here to help me if something were to happen. Crazy fans have broken into hotel rooms before, and who's to say they don’t have any crazy fans.

  Chapter Eight

  Toni

  Being backstage is certainly a different experience. When we arrive at the venue, a waiting crowd outside goes crazy at the sight of the guys. As I look around, I see girls openly glaring at me when they see my hand clasped by Lucius’s. I can only wonder what they’re thinking, or if they have the pang of jealousy I use to get seeing pictures of him and Nikki, even Sarah before her.

  The guys stop and sign a couple of autographs and pose for pictures before continuing their trek inside. I can't help but admire that they would take a few moments of their busy schedule to make some fans happy. But without happy fans, they wouldn't be successful. I’m going to have to get used to seeing girls try to hang off Lucius while he's on tour.

  I’m more than surprised to see Rick still milling about backstage as we walk toward the dressing area the band is using. I ignore him and allow Lucius to wrap an arm around me. He leaves a kiss on my temple before heading to get ready.

  I take a seat on one of the couches and pull my phone out. I don't have any messages from Keri, but I briefly filled her in when we stopped at the apartment earlier. I watch as the guys get ready. I had figured there was a stylist who helps them, but was surprised to see there isn't. The six of us are the only ones in the room; the door closed so that no one will disturb them.

  As I watch them get ready, they act as if I’m not even there, with the exception of the odd glance from Lucius. They joke and tease each other. Alucard is right, they act like brothers. It makes me sad that I never had that bond with anyone, even Keri. The family I could have had that bond with I've kept at arm’s length to keep myself from being hurt and let down. And yet, I have wanted that family bond so badly.

  On my phone I open the email app and do what I should have done years ago. I pour myself into the email.

  Hey, guys,

  I’m sending this as a group email because it's easier to express what I need to each of you. The last twenty-four hours have been different for me. I've had my eyes opened to see things in a new way. When you took me in, you knew about my past, but that didn't stop you from accepting me into your family; from loving me. I can only imagine the hurt I must have inflicted by not showing that love in return, or showing my acceptance and happiness to be part of the family. I’m sorry for any pain I have caused you because of that.

  Jessica - I wish I had been the big sister you deserved to have, and for not being that for you, I’m truly sorry. I want to be a big sister you can be proud of. One who can be there for you when you need it, whether it's for a shoulder to cry on or even just to talk about guys. I want you to know that I am proud to have you as my sister. I’m proud of how far you have come from the bratty pre-teen I saw you as when I first came to live with you. Even though I never said it, you were the first person in the family I loved because of your continued pestering to get me to open up. I missed that pestering when you stopped; when you gave up on me. I vow to you that I will be the sister you deserve. You'll have to forgive me when I make mistakes, because I know I'll mess up sometimes.

  Dean - I wish I could have been the sister to you that Jessica was. I wish I had let you push me into the things you found out interested me. I wish that we'd have studied together like we should have. I wish that I let you be the big, scary brother you wanted to be. I’m glad that you did stand up for me when you saw how the other kids were treating me at school; it was something that made me love you as the brother you tried to be. You did more for me than anyone else ever had, with the exception of Keri. I know I’ll screw up, but I will do all I can to earn the position of being your sister.

  Mom and Dad - I know it must have been hard taking a troubled teen into your home, especially one like me who had a rough go at life before you. I know you did everything you could to make me feel welcome and part of the family, even going as far as adopting me and giving me your family name. I cannot express my gratitude for the gift you gave me, the gift I didn't realize I had been given until now. I know I never said it before, so I will say it now: I love you both. I was scared to love you because I was terrified that you would be taken from me. I want to be worthy of the title of daughter and to make you proud. I want all of you to be the family I wanted but refused to believe I could have.

  Love always,

  Toni

  Smiling to myself, I know that my family will be shocked with my new revelation. It may even take time for it to sink in with them. The only thing holding me back from happiness is myself, and I’m going to change that starting now. If all I can have with Lucius is short spurts of time, then so be it. Any time spent with him will be worth the cost of a broken heart if we can't make it work. It’s worth it because he’s showing me how to live again. I feel happier than I ever have. It’s like a weight has been lifted from me, one that had left me feeling smothered for so long.

  I glance toward where the guys are still getting ready. I swallow, my mouth and throat suddenly dry at the sight of Lucius. His hair styled into messy spikes makes me want to run my fingers through it, making a bigger mess. His expression is serious as he and Nicholai talk. The black muscle shirt is stretched across his back, no doubt it will be the same against his chest. His black jeans make his already long legs look longer and they hug his backside perfectly, making my hands itch grab him.

  I’m drowning in the desire I feel for this man. I want to rip every piece of clothing from his body and take him right here, right now. I want him to make me fly with the pleasure only he has been able to bring to me. My previous boyfriends didn’t compare because they were never the one I truly wanted.

  Chapter Nine

  Toni

  I’m watching the show from backstage, which is a whole other experience, one I will never forget. I have an up close and personal view of the guys playing. And it is spectacular. Every now and then Lucius glances my way and winks. He probably knows how hot I am for him right now. All I want is for the show to be over, and to be back in the hotel room in his arms. We don't have to be making love, just being held by him is good enough.

  Even if we've only spent less than twenty-four hours together, I know that I’m falling for him, and falling hard. It just feels right.

  I nearly jump when my phone starts to buzz in my back pocket. I pull it out and make my way toward the dressing area.

 
“Hello?” I answer.

  “Toni, it's Mitch. I had a talk with Rick about Twisted Tragic.”

  Holy shit. My boss’s boss is calling me. Mitch is one of the managers higher up at the magazine, and is a very personable guy. “I didn't think that he would even call you about that.”

  “He wants the story. I've checked their concert dates. The deadline we’re hoping to make for the article won’t be something we can hit if we don't agree to send you out. We might be able to push it back some, but it will be close. If we send you, you’ll get paid your normal salary, plus expenses. However, you will need to submit copies of the receipts in order to be reimbursed. I'm going to assume your transportation will be with the band, but if it's not, then you won’t be going.”

  “I can talk to the guys once the show is over and get back to you.”

  “Call me back right away. They have a show tomorrow, so the decision has to be made as soon as possible.”

  “Ok,” I reply, as Mitch hangs up. Seems like Mitch is more receptive to this idea than Rick was.

  I smile to myself, excited that it's a possibility that I'll be able to spend more time with Lucius than I expected. We'll be able to strengthen our bond before we’ll have to be separated. Plus, I love to travel and see new places. It’ll just suck that I can't be a normal tourist. Usually, I take a day or two and do tourist things wherever I go.

  Arms slide around me from behind and a warm mouth nibbles at my neck. I know it's Lucius without looking. I know the feel of his lips on my skin, the way it tingles when he touches me.

  “You look happy,” he says.

  “I am, but I could be even happier, depending on what happens after talking to you and the guys,” I say, as I turn in his arms to wrap my arms around his neck, offering my lips for a kiss.

  The kiss is over sooner than I'd like, but I know he’s tired and probably wants to have a shower and go to bed. Sweat soaks his shirt and dampens mine where our chests are pressed together, but I don't care. The sweat isn't a turn off, but more of a turn on. I can only imagine it's because I now associate that smell on him with sex.

  “Keep looking at me like that and I won't wait till we’re back at the hotel to take you,” he jokes. “But seriously, what do you want to talk to us about?”

  “One of the higher ups at the magazine called me. They spoke to Rick earlier about your suggestion of me coming on tour with you to cover the story. They’re seriously considering letting me go. However, they have one concern about my expenses, since obviously I'll still be doing my job as much as I can while spending time with you,” I say.

  “What are their concerns?” he asks.

  “They'll cover my food expenses, which is a given anyway. They’ll cover as low as they can for accommodations, but they won't cover transportation. They’ll only consider sending me if I'm travelling with you, on the band’s dime.”

  He smiles. “Well, they won't have to worry about spending money for accommodations either because most of the time we stay on the bus. The only time we stay in a hotel is if we’re doing back-to-back shows in the same town. And even if we do stay in a hotel, you won't be needing your own room because you’ll be sharing mine. The bus itself has six bunks and a bedroom. Usually, we take turns using the bedroom, with the exception of Nicholai and Christoph hijacking it after a show to get laid by random fans. Either way, I’m sure the guys won't care if we take it over. Their stuff will have to be stored in there, though, since there's not much for storage space when you live on a bus.”

  “So, you won't mind me being around you all the time?” I ask, unsure.

  “We won't have as much alone time as you would think; we'll be with the rest of the guys the whole time.”

  “Are you sure they’ll be ok with it?” I'm curious as to how I'll be able to spend a month hiding my secret. I may have to talk to him about it before I confess to Luc. Maybe if I talk to him, we can forget about it altogether and put it behind us, so it won't be awkward. Then I won't have to confess to Luc at all.

  “Nicholai and Alucard wouldn't have suggested it if they didn't agree with the idea. They want the exposure it can bring, but they also want to see me happy. They saw how I was after you disappeared on me six years ago, and knew how badly I wanted to meet you.”

  I can't help but grin. “Then I guess I better call him back and tell him the advantages that being with you will bring.”

  “I'm going to get changed before we head back to the hotel. I guess we'll have to stop at your place for you to pack.”

  While Lucius gets changed, I quickly call Mitch back and advise him that I won't need the expenses for hotels and that I will be travelling with the band. He authorizes me to go for one month with the conditions that I provide a regular report and that at the end of the month a review will be conducted to decide if I stay on with the band or if I’m booked to return home. A month is better than nothing.

  “Are we going back to your place for you to pack?” Lucius asks.

  Pulled out of my thoughts by the question, I hadn't realized that he had snuck up on me. “Yeah,” I reply. “I get a month for now, and before the month is up they’ll decide if I stay longer or have to head home.”

  Taking my hand, he leads me out to where the cars are waiting behind the building. Thankfully, we get to use the back entrance this time rather than the front. Before getting into the car I spot a bus with a trailer hitched to it and I wonder what it’s going to be like living on a bus for the next month or so.

  At my place I have trouble trying to figure out what I should pack. Normally when I’m going out on assignment I have no problem deciding what I need, but I secretly hope that Lucius and I will get some time to ourselves and maybe go on an actual date rather than be cooped up on the bus or in a hotel, so I don’t know if I should pack some fancier outfits or not.

  I pack my notebook into its carrying case, knowing I’ll need it, along with several flash drives, my tablet, and my digital cameras. Knowing my hockey bag likely won’t fit through the aisle on the bus, I pull out a couple of my smaller duffel bags. The first things I make sure to pack are my toiletry bags and makeup.

  Lucius sits on my bed, leaning against the headboard, his big body dominating the space. The king-sized beds at the hotel allow him to sleep without having his legs bent, so my double will not be very comfortable for him. He probably needs a California King bed to sleep comfortably.

  As I begin rooting through my underwear drawer, I hear a groan. Glancing at Lucius, I can tell he likes the idea of the lacy thongs I started tossing on the bed near my bags because he's adjusting the bulge at his groin. I smile to myself knowing he's picturing me wearing them, and it gives me a rush of satisfaction knowing that he desires me.

  When I have everything that I think I’ll need laid out on the bed, I slowly start packing it all into the two duffel bags. I just hope I have enough packed and haven't forgotten anything.

  Lucius takes my two duffels while I grab my computer bag, and we head down to the waiting car that will take us back to the hotel. I’m surprised when we stop at a drugstore, but figure that he's stocking up on protection since we know we'll be having plenty of sex.

  When we get to the hotel, we head straight to our floor. A couple of the doors are propped open, something I found they do so they can visit each other without having to knock on doors. I can hear laughter coming from one of the rooms and assume the guys are hanging out, joking around.

  No sooner than the door to the hotel room clicks closed, Lucius drops my bags from his hands, then takes the one I’m holding and sets it down, before pinning me to the door. The hungry kiss he gives me leaves me leaning into him as desire courses through my body. I start tugging at his shirt, wanting to feel his chest beneath my hands.

  Stepping away, he yanks his shirt off along with mine before pulling me into his arms again. As he kisses me, I can feel him maneuvering us toward the bedroom. Somewhere along the way I lose my bra. I struggle with getting his belt unbuckled
before getting his pants undone. I can feel his erection beneath my fingers as I slip a hand into his boxer briefs to stroke his hard cock.

  When the backs of my knees hit the bed, we tumble onto it in a tangle of limbs without breaking the kiss. Lifting me with ease, he moves us up the bed. I gasp for breath as his lips move to my neck. My back arches as his soft lips trail farther down. And I moan as he takes a pebbled nipple in his mouth.

  “Lucius,” an angry feminine voice calls out.

  Pulling away from me, we both look in the direction the voice came from. Standing almost naked near the bathroom doorway is a woman. I recognize her, but my lust-filled brain cannot place her. I can’t believe whoever she is has the nerve to be here in only a pair of skimpy underwear. I'm even more horrified that she sees us in our half naked state.

  “Nikki, what the fuck are you doing here?” he growls, as he moves to hide me from her.

  “I came to see my boyfriend,” she says.

  “We broke up, Nikki,” he says, his tone sounding angry. “You have no right to be here. How the fuck did you get in my room?”

  “I told the nice young man at the front desk I was your girlfriend here to surprise you before you leave tomorrow. And you don't get to break up with me, Luc, especially not after my father made you who you are. And you certainly don't get to fuck around with sluts like her,” she says, glaring at me.

  “The only slut I see is you,” he says, voice laced with anger. “You don't get to tell me who I get to be with. And I certainly don't want to be with a cheating bitch like you. You don't get to use your father as a way to try to keep me with you either. I already talked to him, told him what happened and that I left you after finding you in our bed with another man. Your father actually said that you don't deserve me if that's what you've been doing. Now, get your clothes on and get the fuck out before I have security escort you out in all you have on now.”