Chapter 13
Three months later
Elinor
Tears are streaming down my face. Half the band are crying, too.
It’s the last night of the tour, and we’re in New York.
Ninety days and thirty-eight gigs later—including three secret gigs I set up—and we’re done.
What a ride. It’s been unreal. Electrifying.
So much emotion and excitement. And this final gig has just been awesome. The crowd was so loud and excitable.
I’ve had the best time. So many adventures, so many photos, so many great memories.
Today is my last day with the band, though. They’ve asked me to work for them permanently, but I’ve realized two things.
One: I don’t want to spend my whole life on tour. It’s been a blast, but it unsettles my bird too much. I need my permanent roost. My family. I miss the guys in Perdue like crazy.
And two: I haven’t gotten over Blake one bit. Not one iota. Every second that my mind hasn’t been occupied by work, it’s flown back to him. Painful, aching, longing thoughts. So many memories of us kissing, holding hands. Mating. Just lying in bed together, talking about our dreams.
I haven’t been in touch with him. I stopped myself from stalking him on social media. Haven’t even looked up JC’s to see how it’s doing. Because I know he will have moved on. And, that’s right.
He hasn’t called or come looking for me, either. Ninety percent of me is glad for that. But the other silly little part wished he’d checked on me… and hurts like hell for the fact he let me go so easily.
I’ve got to get over him now. I’m stronger than I was three months ago.
I’ve got to take my heart back to Perdue and build my life there.
The band has given me a real generous bonus, and I’m thinking, maybe I can start up my own little live music venue in Perdue.
There’s a ton of empty shops there, crying out to be converted—
“Elinor, come celebrate with us!” Jennifer, the lead singer’s wife yells, shoving a JD and coke into my hand.
I say cheers with the band and pretend to sip it.
But the truth is, I haven’t been able to touch JD since I walked out of Blake’s life.
Just the smell of it takes me back to that night when he picked me up off the floor, cleaned all the broken glass off my ass, then kissed me senseless.
I thought Blake belonged to my past, but I was wrong. He’s a part of who I am now—he gave me wings to become who I really am.
But I still need to put him behind me.
The after-show party gets louder and louder, then Jennifer pulls out her karaoke machine, and everyone groans.
She loves singing as much as her famous husband does, but unfortunately, she’s tone deaf.
A fact she’s aware of, but after a few drinks, nothing’s going to stop her.
So, she cranks up the machine and starts belting out her favorite songs.
The more people complain and jam their fingers in their ears, the louder she gets.
“Girls, come join her,” Rick says, beckoning to us desperately. “See if you can drown her out a little,” he mouths when she’s not looking.
“Come on, Elinor!” Kimberley, one of the other wives, grabs my hand and drags me over to the machine. One ear-splitting song finishes, and everyone squabbles over what to sing next.
“Oh—I got it!” Jennifer jabs at the screen triumphantly. “I used to love this one when I was a kid.” She hits play.
And shivers race down my spine. Because it’s my song.
The one that used to give me comfort and courage when I was a lonely teen. The one Blake was singing that first night at JC’s.
“Okay, one—two—three—four—” Kimberley counts us in. I close my eyes, take a deep breath and start to sing.
I sing the intro, the first verse, and the chorus…
And I realize that no one else is singing.
My eyes fly open. The girls have fallen silent, and the band is staring at me. Like they’re shocked or something. I break off, confused and embarrassed.
“Keep going, girl,” Rick calls, pressing a hand to his chest. “That’s freaking beautiful.”
My heart gives a little jump and I keep singing. These words that touched me so deeply when I was struggling so much. This tiny flicker of hope for a better future that I carried deep inside me. When I sing the last few words, my voice chokes up and I can barely finish.
There’s a big round of applause from the room.
“Geez, Elinor, where the hell have you been hiding that talent?” Rick says.
I blink, too stunned to say anything. Out of all the rock bands I like, Rick has the best voice, in my opinion. And he thinks I’m a good singer?
And I do a double take.
Because, standing off to the side of Rick is Blake.
Huger and sexier than ever. His eyes burning with admiration and—love?
And then he’s walking toward me.
“How did you… you’re here!” I blurt out, making no sense at all, because my heart is pounding so hard I feel dizzy.
“I’ve always been here, baby,” he murmurs close to my ear, as he sweeps me up in his big arms.
“You have?” I draw back and look at him confusedly.
“Nearly all the time. I had to go back and work with dad from time to time. But most nights I’ve been here, keeping watch over you.”
“B-but you never contacted me?”
He shrugs. “You needed to spread your wings and become the person you’re supposed to be. But I also knew I wasn’t going to let you out of my sight. You’re mine, Elinor. And I’m never letting you go.”
I cling to him again, pressing my face against his big chest, my emotions spilling over. “I thought I’d never see you again.”
“Are you kidding me?” he growls. “A wolf does not abandon its mate.”
Mate, my bird echoes. Overjoyed that he’s back.
Blake’s hands run over my body, possessively, urgently. “Do you think we can get out of here soon?”
I look around, thrills racing through me.. Everyone’s drinking, having fun. Jennifer is flicking through her karaoke catalogue for more inspiration. “Let’s go,” I say. “Right now.”
He takes me back to his hotel room. The place the band booked for me is nice. But this is on a different level. Five-star luxury. It’s the fanciest hotel I’ve seen in my life. “This is unreal,” I murmur as we walk through the huge glittering lobby.
“Only the best for you,” Blake says, snuggling me tight against his body.
The room is beautiful. There’s a huge, king-size bed, luxurious white furnishings, and a soft fluffy rug on the floor. There’s also a ton of mirrors and a gigantic floor-to-ceiling window. Keeping his arm around me, Blake leads me over to it.
We are twenty-four stories up, and the view is awesome.
“Wow,” I breathe. “You can see the whole city.”
Skyscrapers, bright lights. So much energy. Blake points out all the famous buildings, as he stands behind me, nuzzling my neck.
I sigh as his lips trace a line from my neck to my shoulder. “I still can’t believe you’re here,” I say.
“I’m never leaving you alone again.” I hear him breathe in and out, hesitating. “I love you, Elinor. You know that?”
“Oh—” I turn to face him. My eyes are suddenly stinging. “I love you too, so much.”
“You do?” he rushes out, like he can’t quite believe it. He dips his head and takes possession of my mouth again. Long, slow, then hungry.
At last, he draws back. “I’m going to claim you now,” he growls.
A shiver of excitement goes through me. “I was kind of hoping so.”
He turns me around again, so I’m facing the window. Then he sweeps my hair away from my neck and kisses it again.
Instinctively, I brace my hands against the cold glass. He lifts my black silky shirt up and pulls it right over my head. Then his fingertips run all over my upper body.
Light, maddening.
He cups my tits through my bra. But when his hands go to the clasp at the back, I stiffen.
“Aren’t people going to, like, see me?”
He chuckles. “Only if they’ve got a real strong pair of binoculars. And let them look. You’re beautiful.”
I swallow nervously. But the moment my bra falls off and his hands slide up to replace it, I feel sexy.
Yes. I, Elinor Earwood, weird-looking chick, feel sexy standing half-naked in the window of a skyscraper, with Blake Waldgrave running his big hands all over my body.
“You like that?” His breath is hot in my ear, while his fingers play lightly with my nipples, turning them into aching peaks.
“Yes,” I manage to say.
He yanks his own shirt off, and that velvety skin of his presses up against my back.
Then his hand slides down the front of my tight black pants.
Part of me wants to stop him. The other part is desperate for him to touch me there. That little spot between my thighs that’s aching for him.
When he slides his hand into my panties. I give a little cry.
“Already wet for me, huh?” he mutters, his voice thick with need. “You’re so sexy, Elinor.” He works a finger inside me, spreading my wetness all over.
Do I want people to see this happen?
No.
Yes.
It’s overwhelming.
Jesus, I’m already clenching around him. And it’s driving me crazy that I can’t touch him in this position.
“Let’s go to the bed,” I say.
He leads me over, we strip each other’s clothes off, and there he is again.
His magnificent naked body arching over me. His cock hard as a rock. Ready for me. Off to the right, the reflection of us in the mirror catches my eye. Usually, I avoid mirrors. But I’m so keyed up, so distracted by my arousal, that I turn my head and look.
And I’m shocked. Blake looks as sexy as ever. Poised over me. His big body musclebound, powerful. And I look—well—I look like a sexy woman. Passionately entwined with her man.
The thought hits me like a truck.
Blake follows my line of vision, then he turns back to me with a grin.
“Maybe we should turn the lights out,” I mutter.
He shakes his head. “No way. See how beautiful you are.”
I frown, and the girl in the mirror frowns back at me. “This is me?”
“Of course.” He gives an indulgent laugh.
“Did you put a spell on me or something?”
“This is how you’ve always looked, Elinor. I’ve told you a million times how beautiful and sexy you are. And I’ll tell you a million times more, until you believe me.”
He dips his head and kisses my throat. Then the valley between my breasts, then he takes one of my pebbled nipples into his mouth.
And I watch it all happen. For the first time in my life, I feel like I want to be seen.
I watch, entranced, as his dark head dives between my thighs and his skillful tongue slides inside me.
I only stop watching when he brings me to a climax, and all I can see is multi-colored stars.
When he lifts up again and flips me onto my front, I eagerly move into position eagerly. I’m on my hands and knees, my back arched, legs spread apart a little.
“So beautiful,” he murmurs, caressing my pussy with his fingertips.
In the reflection, I see him behind me, grasping his thick shaft in his hand, jerking it up and down a few times before he presses it to my entrance.
I cry out as his cock pushes inside me, spreading me wide open. His hips butt against my ass as he hits home. All of him, buried inside me. Tingles of euphoria pour through my body.
Then he begins to fuck me, while I watch. His big muscles flexing as he thrusts into me. Me, so tiny in comparison, my ass lifted, taking all he’s got to give me.
Damn, I never realized this could be so sexy.
That moment from high school flashes into my mind—when he tore that awful porno pic out of my hands.
Now I’m watching him fucking me, and it’s the sexiest thing in the world.
Blake holds me tight, his thrusts getting harder and harder, while he drills me into the mattress.
My legs are getting weak, and I collapse onto the bed.
He lays more of his weight on me, and I feel his skin sliding against mine, slick with perspiration.
His breathing is rough and growly, and his thrusts get harder, faster.
I feel his lips move to the back of my neck. Gooseflesh breaks out on my skin.
Then I feel the rougher touch of his teeth, and it happens—
He climaxes with a roar, then his sharp canines bite down on the back of my neck.
“Mine!” he growls as his cum spurts inside me.
“Mine!” my bird pipes up at the same time.
Bliss pours through me. I lose a few minutes. Maybe I even fell asleep. When I’m conscious again, Blake’s muttering words of love in my ear.
I sigh happily.
“Now we’re mates. For better or for worse,” I say jokily, minutes later. “You’re never getting rid of me.”
“For better, trust me,” Blake says, snuggling me even closer. “Elinor Earwood, you’re the best thing that ever happened to me.”