Chapter 16
SIXTEEN
PROBABLY FUELLED BY ALCOHOL
Taylor
“Jeez, lass, give me some space. Nah, come on, what are ye doing?” Ally shoved me away then dragged me back to his side, playing the joker and teasing.
I cackled a laugh, staggering on the pavement and nearly losing a heel to a tram track. Maybe that last glass of wine had been one too many.
“Idiot.” I tucked in against Ally, anchoring myself by gripping his shirt.
At two AM, the medieval streets of old town Milan thrummed with people, everyone dressed to impress, though the day’s warmth had lifted.
We’d been out for hours, living it up in bars.
I could’ve picked up Charity’s diary, but it felt wrong ticking off items without William present.
Ally had friends in the city—models, not intimidating at all—and we’d met for cocktails but had since moved on.
Now, my feet ached in my stilettos, and I just wanted to find my Highlander.
His twin made me laugh, but he was no substitute for the real thing.
“Ooh!” Ally hooted. “Nightclub up ahead! Want to dance?”
“Sure, but when is William going to be done?” I checked my phone again, blinking at the screen. A new message landed, right in front of my eyes. I read it then groaned. “He’s still at the afterparty. It’s at some place called Boutique.”
Ally stopped. “You mean the place right in front of us?”
“No way!” I stared. Ahead, people queued outside an impressive building, velvet ropes separating them from the passersby. A thudding beat hummed. William was inside. “Yes! We have to go in!”
Ally wavered on his feet, gazing between the enticing club and me. “Wasp said the singer of his band is a dickhead. He wants to keep him away from you.”
“Rex? If he touches me again, I’m going to knee him in the balls.”
“Wasp didn’t say not to come here, but—”
“Then we’re going in! Come on. You want to dance. I need your brother.”
Ally’s grin returned. “Yeah, ye do. And I know he’ll be missing you. Let’s do this thing!”
Without any kind of coordination, but probably fuelled by alcohol, we marched to the head of the queue. I eyed the doorman, rolling back my shoulders and pushing out my boobs. “I’m a photography assistant to Wasp McRae. He’s onsite already with Viking Blue.”
The stony-faced man switched his gaze to Ally.
Ally gave a one shouldered shrug. “I’m a model.”
The man blinked then stooped, unclipped the rope, and gestured us to go inside.
Well!
I hustled into the plush red corridor and peeked at Ally.
He winked at me. “This face opens doors. You should’ve said the same. He’d have ordered us drinks, too.”
Any reply I could’ve given was lost to the pulsing beat that shook the walls around us and vibrated up through my shoes.
A further doorman waited by a pair of double doors at the end of the corridor.
He nodded at our approach and pressed a button on the wall.
The entrance swept open, ramping up the ear-shredding beat to monster proportions.
Oh man, I needed to dance.
Lights swirled over a darkened, wide room. Humidity rose from the crowd, instantly sticking my dress to my skin. I searched the corners first, expecting to find William with his back against a wall, observing.
Ally nudged me then gestured to the dance floor. I shook my head as I really needed to find his twin. Just to look at him, even if I couldn’t steal him away from his job. A waggling finger stole my attention again, and Ally pointed across the room to where William moved through a group of people.
My heart leapt, and I clamped Ally’s hand in mine then dragged him forwards. But as soon as we’d descended the single step onto the dancefloor, bodies obscured our path. I pressed up on my toes to track William, but already he’d vanished.
We moved deeper into the throng. Ally took out his phone, and I gathered from his gestures that he was messaging his brother. The music changed as the DJ upped the tempo. Happiness infused me, and I threw up my arms, getting into it.
I hit someone in the face.
Horrified, I spun around, ready to apologise.
Rex stood right behind me.
Ugh. This guy?
Glassy-eyed, he looked me over, a sour expression on his face. He leaned in and yelled something.
Alcohol fumes hit me, and I wrinkled my nose. Then I shifted my posture, ready with a knee if he tried to grab me. Try it, buster.
Rex tried to speak again, but this time I stepped back, pressing closer to Ally. He raised a quizzical eyebrow.
“Rex,” I mouthed and jacked a thumb at the jerk who still stared at me like he was considering something. Surely he didn’t think I was still an option? Oh no, Mr Rock Star obviously thought any woman was fair game.
Ally narrowed his eyes at the man, clearly not impressed with what he saw. Then, oh, thank the lord and the heavens and all the pretty angels, I caught a glimpse of William a few metres away in the crowd.
How it should’ve gone down was he’d take those few steps, I’d kiss him, we’d all go grab a drink, then dance our asses off. But no, my vision dissipated as a hand landed on my shoulder again, pulling me the other way.
“Get off!” I yelped at Rex.
The blue-haired singer held both hands up, but that odd, twisted set of his features was still there.
Anger, hot and ready, built in my gut, and I squared my shoulders.
But I didn’t need to do a thing.
In slow motion, Ally’s arm passed me, and he shoved Rex in the centre of his chest. Rex stumbled, catching himself on a table at the edge the floor.
Then William was at my side, whipping me around to create a barrier in front of me.
At the same second, Rex leapt forward, fist flying. His punch glanced off Ally’s cheek.
William surged, his expression one of terrible anger. He grasped Rex by his shirt, lifting him from where he’d half fallen from the lucky strike.
Then he hit Rex.
If you’d blinked, you would’ve missed it.
Rex was on his ass, and a furious William stood over him, glowering, his fist ready to lay a second hit.
A man darted over. Two more barged through the crowd. Road crew. Staff.
Oh God, this needed to be over. This was all going wrong. I lunged for William and took his arm. Ally grabbed his other, then we were moving. Through the club. Down the corridor. Into the fresh air and the no-longer-beautiful night.
“What happened?” William demanded as soon as we’d cleared the end of the street. He shook us off and marched ahead a few steps. Then he spun around, and his gaze took me in. Checking me over. Putting me into one piece as though I’d been scattered apart.
I had whiplash from how fast that had all taken place and a big case of the guilts.
“I’m so sorry. That was all my fault.” I ached for the comfort of his arms around me. I didn’t deserve any of it.
Because I was ninety-nine percent certain I’d just lost William his job. I’d said I’d stay away from the band. I hadn’t. I’d wanted to do everything I could to support him. I’d failed.
“What are ye talking about? I saw both your faces. I know he did something.”
I wrapped my arms around myself, the cold creeping in. “I’m sorry,” I said again, smaller this time.
William gave his brother a frustrated look. “Alasdair, talk.” Then he stepped up to me. “You,” he said, quieter, depositing his camera bag at his feet. “Come here.”
That closeness I so badly wanted descended. Despite myself, I clutched on to him.
“That dude with the blue hair tried to corner Tay. He wouldnae leave her alone. He was the singer you told me about, aye?” Ally replied.
“Yeah, him.”
“Then he deserved the hit. I’m fucked off that he got one on me, though.”
“My fault,” I said again, muffled by where my face was smushed against William’s chest.
“No. That wanker has form this evening.”
I raised my bleary gaze.
William gave me a quick kiss to his forehead then winced at his brother. “Fuck, that’s left a mark.”
“You’re kidding me!” Ally clutched his cheek. “It can’t. I have my audition in the morning. Christ on a bike.”
“Quick. We need to ice it.” I waved at a passing taxi. “We have a machine in our hotel.”
In a few minutes, we’d sped through the winding streets to the monastery and filled a cup with ice. In our room, I slipped into the bathroom with a t-shirt and shorts to change into while the brothers treated Ally’s face.
When I emerged, makeup removed, alcohol burned off, and feeling shit in fifty different ways, two identical faces raised to watch me. William with his thick thatch of hair and beard, and Ally with his shorn head and black eye.
Oh boy. This had all been going so well.
“I was just telling Ally what Rex’s plans for the evening had been.” William patted the bed next to him.
Gingerly, I sat. Ally stood at the mirror, running a lump of ice over his bruise.
William continued, “He invited a woman along tonight—a model—with the single idea of getting into the gossip pages by a well-timed photo of them kissing.”
I blinked, a distasteful picture forming. “Was she in on the plan?”
“Nope. He had me follow him around until she showed up. It was so fucking clear what he was about to do.”
I gaped. “He kissed her?”
William shook his head. “Again, nope. I caught her and told her what I thought was about to happen. Do ye know the fucked-up thing? The poor lass rolled her eyes like this was commonplace. She posed for a single photo with him but then left the club, thank God. Rex was fuming, but he hadn’t heard the conversation, so he just stormed off and hit up the bar.
All night after that he was stalking women.
One or two of them obliged, but I wouldnae take the shot. ”
“Fucking creep,” Ally muttered.
“Ugh. Then that’s why he was looking at me strangely.” Not that I was a prize. Though in a few weeks, he would’ve had a golden shot if it was publicity he was after. Him with the presidential candidate’s daughter-in-law-in-waiting? That’d serve him up a nice row.
“He really didn’t touch you?” William took my hand. His frustrated expression turned gentler at my head shake. “I was glad to see ye.”
“You were?”
His fingers entwined with mine. “Aye. Always have been, always will be.”
“Even if I lost you your job?” And my sanity.
William raised a shoulder. “I was gunning to hit him. I’m just sorry you had to see his ugly mug again.”
“Talking about ugly mugs…” Ally stepped closer to the lamp. “Is it bad?”
His bruised eye shone.
I grimaced. “Maybe it’ll be better in the morning.”
Ally gave a groan. “It won’t. Which means I can’t audition. Ye have to be perfect or they write you off. Fuck! I needed this job.” He shook his head then collected his phone from the table, frustration in his moves. “I’m going to go to bed. I’ll see ye both tomorrow.”
“Ally?” William stopped his brother. “There’s another option if ye can’t model.”
Ally stared at his twin, then his shoulders went down a notch. “You’d do that?”
William shrugged, but his expression was anything but comfortable. “I could try. It’d be just like old times.”
Ally whistled low. “Something to consider. We’ll judge in the morning, aye? There might be no need.” He blew me a kiss. “Night, Tay. Sleep well, you two.”
Then he was gone.
“What did you mean? You’d step in?” My mind whirred. “You’d model for him? You can do that?”
William dropped back on the bed and covered his eyes. He gave another laugh that was half humour and half crazy. “Perhaps. We used to do it all the time. I sat exams for him. I even took his driving test as he can drive fine, but he’d never have passed the part where you read a licence plate.”
“This isn’t the same, though. Won’t this be a lot of pressure on you?”
Darkness passed over his vision, but he masked it with a quick grin. “My brother took a hit on my behalf. I owe him one. And that one would be me strutting around in my underwear. Baby, you could be looking at Europe’s next top model.”
Iclambered under the covers while William made a call to Viking Blue’s publicist. He left a message then did the same with his photography agency.
Then he slid behind me in the cool bed, instantly surrounding me with heat.
We’d both wanted this—the night together, the time to explore and connect. It felt like I’d waited all my life.
“Don’t even think about it.” He nuzzled my neck.
“Think about what?” I replied.
“Anything other than me. This.”
In the dark, his steady hands took my hips, finding the waistband of my shorts and dragging them down.
His dick prodded my ass. Automatically, I pushed into him, needing this. Him. William’s fingers found my core, and he leisurely explored me. His hot mouth laid kisses on my skin.
“Fast or slow?” he murmured. “You’re so fucking wet already.”
“Fast,” I said, and the bed dipped as he moved away. “Don’t wait to get inside me.”
Then the foil packet crinkled, his weight returned and, from behind, he fitted himself between my thighs. Both hands came around me, and he took my breasts in his palms, sliding his cock through my wetness. In one thrust, he was home.
I made an indecent sound built of gratitude and relief.
“All I thought about, all night, was you.” William held me close for a second, stretching me and crushing me in glorious equal measures. His thumbs played with my nipples. “Have ye any idea what ye do to my head?”
I snaked a hand to find his neck then twisted to kiss him.
With our mouths fused, we moved.
Our easy start turned rough and ready.
Ah, God. This was what I’d dreamed about. In the big bed, we tussled, gripped, groaned, and bit. William fucked me so hard I yelled the place down before I put him on his back and had him follow me over the edge.
That, I adored. The easy way we came together. But after…
After, once we’d settled again, sweat cooled and pulses slowing, we stayed. William stroked my bare arm, whispering sweet things until his drowsy voice drifted off. I lay awake, wallowing in the sensation of it all.
I’d never done this.
I’d never slept overnight in bed with a man. Even when I’d slept with him at the castle, I’d always returned to my own room. In the crofthouse, we’d been on the floor. A new reality settled, one I could no longer avoid recognising.
Ah no. Anything but that.
“This is all your fault,” I told William’s heavy form. “You’re making something happen, and I can’t handle it.”
But even as I spoke, I knew I liked this new thing far, far too much. Which meant it was doomed from the start.