“What the hell are you doing?” Tommy Blade took a step backwards, out of the young woman’s salacious grasp. “I’m married. I have a wife. And a husband. And you’re dating my son.”
Holly pursed her lips together with a tiny shred of guilt. “I know. But I can’t help myself. You look so much like him, with that long blond hair and those big blue eyes. Plus, you’re a superstar. An icon.”
“You’re my daughter’s age.”
Holly stepped closer and ran her hand over his shoulder. “I’m 22. A year older.”
“Stop. Just stop it.” He backed up to put distance between them and placed his hands in front of him in order to shield himself from her advances. “What’s wrong with you? Don’t you care about Lucas at all?”
She pouted slightly. For half a second. “Of course I do. But . . . he’s not you.”
“You need to knock it off. Pull yourself together. Get a cup of coffee.”
Holly let out a small giggle and tried to snuggle against his chest, but he removed her hands and pushed her away, holding her at arms’ length. “You need to leave, before I get my son. This is inappropriate and you’re making me very uncomfortable.”
Lucas never felt so used and betrayed as he did right now, helplessly watching his girlfriend come on to his father. He’d been dating Holly for almost a year. They weren’t in love, but he thought they had something special. Now, he realized that he had only been a stepping stone in order for her to get to his legendary father. He slowly blinked, stunned as he comprehended what he just witnessed, and found his voice. “Holly, what the fuck are you doing?”
She closed her eyes and lowered her head, shame coloring her cheeks. “Lucas. I didn’t hear you come in. It’s . . . it’s not what you think.” She abruptly dropped her arms to her sides and stepped back, as if she just realized that Lucas’ father still held onto her wrists in order to keep distance between them.
She couldn’t twist what happened. She couldn’t talk her way out of the situation. Lucas saw her actions with his own eyes and heard every word she said. “I can’t fucking believe this.”
“Lucas.” His father’s eyes were huge with innocence, shoulders low with empathy. “I didn’t do anything to provoke this. I swear.”
“I know, Dad. I know you’d never cheat on Mom and Papi.”
“Of course not. More importantly, I would never do anything to hurt you. I would never do something like that to you. You’re my son.” His father approached and placed a comforting hand on Lucas’ shoulder. “I’m sorry, Lucas. I really am.” Then he left the kitchen.
Lucas stared at this girl who, he realized, he didn’t know at all. The shock and disbelief at her actions quickly turned to anger, and he narrowed his eyes. “My father? Out of all the fucking guys you could choose, you go after my father?”
She rushed toward him, her eyes pleading for forgiveness, and the alcohol on her breath filled his nostrils. They had a few drinks by the pool, and she was a little tipsy. Maybe that’s why she was so brazen as to come on to his dad. The tiny bikini she wore hid little and put her amble breasts on display. Maybe that bolstered her confidence, as well.
Lucas had dozed off in the chaise lounge, so she probably thought the opportunity was perfect. He shook his head so he would stop trying to rationalize her actions, because this was the furthest thing from rational behavior. Thank God he woke up and saw everything firsthand, otherwise he would have spent the rest of his life wondering exactly what the hell happened.
“I don’t know what came over me,” Holly pleaded. “I guess I had too much to drink. You know how much I care about you, Lucas.”
“You don’t care about me at all.” Lucas took her hands from around his neck and held her away, exactly as his father had done a few minutes ago. “If you did, you’d never hurt me like this. That’s my father.”
“I know. But . . . you can’t blame me. He’s one of the greatest guitar players in the world. And he’s just as hot now as he was 20 years ago.” She let out a small giggle. “He’s Tommy Blade.”
“Is that why you’re with me? To get to my father?”
“No. Of course not,” she cooed softly, her face now filled with sweetness. “I’m with you foryou. You’re Lucas Blade, Tommy Blade’s son.”
Her statements totally contradicted each other, and he didn’t believe her authenticity for one second. “Really? So if my father was nobody and my family had no money and I was just another struggling musician living in a shitty apartment in a shitty neighborhood, you’d still be with me?”
“Yes.” She answered without hesitation, her voice entirely too buttery and sweet.
“Get out.”
She recoiled, as if he slapped her in the face, but she didn’t make any attempt to leave.
“I mean it, Holly. Just get the fuck out.”
“You don’t mean that. Calm down and—”
He took her by the wrist and led her into the backyard through the sliding glass doors, unwilling to listen to any more of her lies. He gathered her shorts and tank top into a ball and stuffed them into her arms. She stopped trying to protest, and her eyes filled with tears, but he couldn’t let it get to him, even though his chest was caving in from betrayal and anguish. He really cared about this girl. How stupid. It just proved that he didn’t know who he could trust in this world, besides family. There were too many gold-diggers and too many people along for the ride. His last name carried too much power and notoriety.
Taking her by the upper arm, he walked her to the gate without saying anything further. He hardened his heart at the sound of her soft crying and sniffling, opened the gate and told her to go. “Don’t call me anymore. I mean it. It’s over.”
