Chapter Four
Caleb
I button the second to last button on my blue dress shirt.
Vivien says it goes with my eyes, so I hope she appreciates it.
Of course, she’s not going to be with me tonight.
Still, I have no intention of wearing this shirt for anyone else.
I forgo my tie tonight and then slide on my charcoal grey suit jacket, adjusting the cuffs.
After checking my appearance, I hope my fake girlfriend gives me her approval.
“I’m headed to the bachelor party. You can just chill here,” I call out from the bathroom.
“Actually, I’ve been invited to the bachelorette party,” she replies.
I step out just in time to see her come out of the closet.
My mouth falls open like a damn cartoon character.
She has on a sinfully tight and shiny pink club dress.
I see red, and it’s got nothing to do with her hair that’s up in a high ponytail, neat and straightened.
My chest tightens as visions of strangers touch and tease their way against her perfectly curved figure.
“Invited?” My gaze rakes up and down her body, from her fuck-me heels to her gorgeous green eyes. This isn’t how everything is supposed to work out.
“Yes, as your girlfriend.” She uses air quotes for emphasis. “They thought it was a good idea that I go with them as well. I agree. After all, I have to play a part.” Yes, I remember that she met them this morning while I was meeting with my cousins.
I move in closer, inches from her, breathing in her scent, and growl, “Be careful, and remember you’re supposed to be mine, so don’t be trying to hook up with anyone else.
” A violent image of me destroying this imaginary prick fills my head.
She’s so enticing that there’s no doubt she’ll have men falling at her feet tonight, begging to please her.
Vivien presses her finger into my pressed dress shirt, stabbing me with force. “I’m not a whore, you know. I’ll be just fine. And by the way, two can play that game. Remember—no fucking the strippers.”
The only one I want to fuck is her. I want her to strip for me, and I’d love to see her do it right now. I roughly grip her chin with my thumb and forefinger roughly, watching her eyes flair with intensity. “I doubt my cousin will have strippers. He’s not that kind of guy, and neither am I.”
She jerks her face out of my hold. “Well, then, everyone will still buy the bullshit we’ll be selling. Have a great time, dear.” She winks and then opens the door, holding it open. “Shall we?”
“Fine.” I smile as we make our way to the elevator. The party for the guys is on the top floor, and I should be pressing the button for it. However, I find myself hesitating. “I’ll see you down to the lobby. I don’t want you to get left behind.”
“Whatever. Let’s sell the act.” I’m not going to go up until I see her out and let every bastard in the hotel know she belongs to me and only me.
As we enter the lobby, Vivien sees the girls and rushes to their sides, hugging them with the flair of a woman who has been best friends with them her entire life while pretending to ignore my presence with a bit of attitude.
That shit pisses me off more than it should; after all, we’re not a real couple, and I want her to love the people in my circle.
“Vivien, wait up,” I call out, striding toward her.
She turns around as I reach her. “What?” she barely gets the words out as my hand wraps around the back of her head and my mouth lands on hers.
I grip the small of her back and drag her firmly to me, deepening our kiss for all to see before quickly pulling back and leaving her stunned.
“Remember what I said,” I growl out my warning, winking before I turn on my heel.
I leave before I do something idiotic and drag her back to our room to devour her body like I just tried consuming her lips.
“Oh my goodness. That was hot. He’s jealous as hell. I’m surprised there’s not a ring on your finger already,” I hear one of the girls say as the sound echoes in the lobby.
“Nah, Caleb is all work,” Vivien answers. Not anymore, love. You’re all I need.
I don’t speak to anyone as I make my way up to the top floor and to the bachelor party.
Once the doors open, I enter the dark-colored room that’s dimly lit, full of men and cigars.
Women move around serving food and drinks.
There are poker tables set up, but all I can think about is Vivien out dancing with men around while I’m at a fucking sausage party.
I love my cousins, but I don’t want to be here.
She’s not mine, and she doesn’t owe me her fidelity.
Hell, she doesn’t even like me, and now I fucked that shit up by kissing her. No. She loved that shit. I had to be the one to pull back. Still, I’m her supervisor and in charge of her while she finishes her degree. It could cost her everything.
“Can I get you something to drink, sir?” one of the female servers asks.
“A vodka whatever.” I don’t drink, but I could use something to calm my nerves.
“Hey, Caleb, come over here and let me introduce you to my friends. You’ve met a lot of them already, but you’re always busy.” Sam makes introductions, but I won’t remember those I don’t already know. I don’t give a fuck about anything but Vivien right now.
My cousin Ryder is looking at me like he knows where my head’s at, and it’s because I’m guessing he’s in the same spot as me right now. Both of our mothers want us to settle down. I’m ready, now more than ever, and I’ll do whatever I can, but I don’t know how.
“It’s nice to meet all of you,” I mutter as politely as I can manage, but I’m not up for any of this.
“Don’t mind my cousin. He’s completely focused on work all of the time,” Sam says to the group of guys.
“By work, do you mean that beautiful woman he brought,” Ryder adds with a smirk.
“Here you are.” I hand the girl a tip. She smiles at me too flirtatiously, but it’s none of my business. They’re here to make tips. I down the first glass in one fast gulp. It takes a few seconds before the taste hits my tongue, and my face twists as I remember that I hate vodka.
“It’s cool. Soon, it’ll all taste the same. Get him a mojito,” Ryder says, clapping my back while addressing the waitress. He turns back to me and says, “At least this will be a little kinder to you.”
“Thanks.”
“Maybe you should eat some food and play some poker.”
“Sounds like a much better idea.” I head over to the table and get into the game as best as I can, but Vivien lives in my head.
What was I thinking, letting her go in the first place?
Letting her go? That’s hilarious. Like I have the right to tell her shit, but I’m going to have a say soon.
The second she has her degree, I’m going to claim her as mine. I don’t give a fuck what it cost me.
An hour into the game, I’m losing money left and right because I can’t concentrate on anything but Vivien.
I overheard that they went to a club called The Wave.
A quick search on my phone and I tossed back my drink a little too fast. The server stepped up and hastily replaced it.
I push it away from me. I’ve drunk way more than I should have, so I call it a night.
Standing, I drop a tip onto the server’s tray and set the drink on there. “I fold.”
“Where are you going?” Sam asks, as he tosses down a pair of jacks.
“Doing what all of you should be doing—I’m going to get my woman before some asshole decides to put his hands on what belongs to me,” I snarl and leave without another word.
The elevator ride down to the lobby feels like a damn eternity, but I make it and grab one of the waiting cabs. “Where to, sir?”
“The Wave. Duvall Street.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I need you to wait for me. I’m just picking up my woman, and we’re coming right back here.”
“Okay. I can do that.”
“Good. I promise it won’t be long.” I sober up a bit as I consider what’s going on in there. If she’s dancing with some bastard, I might kill him. He pulls up to the curb, turning off his cab light while he waits for me. I nod and go to the entrance.
The place is crowded when I get inside, but I recognize a couple of the girls, and I know one is the photographer. I need something from her, but I can’t remember her name. Damn it. “Hey, I need a favor.”
“Yeah, Dr. Hall.” Good. She remembers me.
“It’s Caleb, actually. Can you get a few pics of Vivien for me at the wedding without her knowing?”
“Sure thing.” She goes about drinking with a smile on her face while I go looking for my woman. She points me in the right direction when she sees what I’m doing. “Right there, Caleb.”
“Hey, little mermaid, do you want to dance?” I hear the bastard talking to my woman and calling her my own personal nickname for her.
“I have a boyfriend. Sorry, I can’t,” she says like a good girl. Damn, the anger abates for a moment and my slacks tighten.
“He should be here watching you if he was your boyfriend, but he must not care for you.” She doesn’t respond, like she’s considering his words.
I try not to get pissed because we’re not a couple, and as far as she’s aware, this is just a favor in exchange to keep her position in the project: a blackmail deal.
“See, you know it, don’t you? I’ll treat you nice and good all night. ”
That’s it. I’ve fucking had enough. “Get the fuck away from her. She’s my obsession, and she’s my fucking mermaid. Call her that again, and I’ll fucking make you chum for the sharks.” A growl comes from deep inside of me as I stand behind the asshole about to lose his teeth.
“What are you doing here?” Vivien asks.
“I’ve had enough of you showing off what’s mine. It’s time to go back to the hotel.” I push past the loser and scoop her up in my arms. She presses her head to my chest. “Damn, I played the jealous boyfriend well, didn’t I?”
“Perfectly,” she mutters. “Although I could have handled it just fine.”
“Yeah, it looked like it.”
“Wow, the depth of that sarcasm is deep.”
“You’ve had too much to drink,” I inform her as we head outside to the waiting cab. The driver comes out and opens the door for me. I nod at him with a subtle smile.
“Well, it’s none of your business, Dr. Hall.”
“It’s Caleb. Remember that, Vivien,” I growl against the shell of her ear, brushing my lips on it.
“We’re not around your people.” The driver pulls away from the club, and I feel some fucking relief.
“I’m about two seconds from spanking your ass.”
“You wouldn’t.”
“Don’t try me.” She has the nerve to actually turn in my arms to give me a nice view of her ass while she presses her hands to the seat of the car and I can’t pass up the invitation. I run my hand up and down her thigh before I swat her ass cheek through her dress. “Now behave.”
We get to the hotel, and I carry her up to the room.
She’s half-asleep in my arms and once we’re in the room, I help her take off her shoes and then I change into a pair of pajama pants.
My dick throbs painfully when she drops her dress in front of me.
She stands in front of me in nothing but a pair of black panties.
I grab the undershirt I wore tonight and slip it over her head.
“Tonight we’ll share the bed, and I’ll be a good boy and keep my hands to myself.”
“I’m starting to think you’re a dirty boy, Dr. Hall.” She reaches out and grabs my stiff cock through my pants. I groan, fighting the urge to let her continue, but I remember that we’re both drunk and this isn’t how this should happen.
I pull her hand away. “I’m starting to think you want to be punished, and I assure you that one day I’ll make you pay for all the bad things you’ve done, my mermaid.”
I settle her in bed and lay over the covers. “A few more days, and you can go back to your life as normal.”
She says something against the pillow that sounds like a muffled, “Love that.”