AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I barely get two steps away when a snarky comment stops me for the second time. “Did you pre-plan your reply by yourself or while discussing with Slater how to keep your affair a secret from his heavilypregnantpartner?”
“Listen, your source iswayoff the mark. I—”
Before I can complete my statement, a beefy arm wraps around my waist, and I’m carried up the stairs of the private jet.
“No more questions,” the stern voice barks out when the paparazzi follow us.
They only back away when Laken plops me into a seat at the front of the plane before using his body to block their ability to snap my picture.
“I said no more questions!” He shoves the camera of the lead aggressor into his face before forcibly returning them all to the tarmac one push at a time.
With the jet no longer surrounded by the vultures of the media, Knox and River soon join me inside. Knox is too busy barking orders into his cell phone to check if I’m okay, but River hugs me to death like we didn’t greet each other in the same manner only minutes ago, before he takes the seat across from me.
The pride on his face can’t be missed when he slings his eyes to Laken, who is single-handedly manhandling over a dozen paparazzi into submission. “I taught him everything he knows.” His chuckle returns my focus to him. “He’s a fast learner.” He takes his time drifting his almond-shaped eyes over my face before asking sincerely, “Are you okay, Nicole? Those guys can be pretty mean.”
I nod. “Yeah. I’ve grown accustomed to it the past few years. I was just a little surprised they shifted their focus to Slater this time.”
As a flight attendant places a glass of champagne down in front of me, River balances his elbows on the same glossed table. “Not just that.” He nudges his head to the stretched town car, which is seeking an opening in traffic to return to the hotel. “With what happened in there? My brother can be a bit of a hothead, but I figured you’d be well versed on them since you’ve been dealing with Knox for the past year.”
I’m left a little stumped. Not about his assumption that Knox is arrogant. I’m surprised by his admission that Laken is his brother. “I thought you said you only have one brother?”
The surprise in my tone slants River’s adorable head. “I do.”
“Knox?” I query, still lost.
The axis of my world is tilted for the third time today when strands of dark hair fall into River’s eye when he shakes his head. “Laken.”
“Laken is your brother?” I choke on my spit when his headshake shifts into a bob. “But Knox introduced you to me as his brother. He said he raised you since you were three.”
My answers come from a voice above me instead of the man seated across from me. “Knox tells everyone that. Especially when he wants to get in her panties.” Laken works his jaw side to side before gesturing his head to the seats at the back of the plane. “We should sit back there, River. We don’t want people confusing us with thetalent.” He spits out my profession as if I’m a dog who performs for treats.
River stomps his foot down. “But I like it here.”
“Now, River,” Laken barks out, proving their relationship isn’t a ruse. His tone is bossy and determined, almost on par with my father’s stern tone when I act like a brat.
“Fine.” After dropping his eyes to mine to issue a silent apology and hugging me for the third time in the past ten minutes, River stomps to the far end of the jet.
It takes Laken a little longer to shadow his stalk. I assume it is because he needs time to work his apology through his head before delivering, but am proven wrong when he places a gold-hooped earring onto the tabletop housing two untouched glasses of champagne.
My hand shoots up to my left ear when I recognize its design. My left earlobe is still missing the accessory only my right ear wore throughout our exchange last night.
I hadn’t noticed I’d lost an earring until Laken pointed it out while gathering my hair in a fist. Since the earring’s value was a pittance compared to the confidence bombarding me because I was on my knees in front of a man I’d only just met, I mourned its loss for three seconds before shifting my focus to making Laken as deliriously spent as I was when he had his head between my thighs.
“Where did you find it?” I ask, my voice high with shock.
“In your bathroom.” I discover a reason for the angst in his tone when he adds, “Right next to a half-used bottle of aftershave.”
“Laken—”
“I’m no expert, but you should probably mix things up this time around.” When he nudges his head to my songbook, I snatch it up before he can threaten it more than he already has. “Not even country bumpkins want to listen to love ballads about homewrecking cheaters.”
He leaves before I can offer him an explanation I’m not sure he deserves.
11
LAKEN
For the first four hours of the flight to Los Angeles, I pretend I’m sleeping.
