Heat (Parker Reed Book 1) (21 page)

“Shit. Alright. I’ll get on it.” Greyson rubbed the blond goatee on his chin. “You know this comes with a price right?”

“I’ll pay you.” Parker’s voice was eerily calm and even. “Whatever it fucking takes.”

“Did Devin say anything about why he was back?”

I shook my head.

“He wants Keely. That’s all I know,” Parker mumbled.

“Like that’ll happen,” Greyson scoffed.

I allowed Parker to finish up the conversation. I was too tired. Exhausted from the emotional trauma of seeing Devin again the night before and how the rest of the night played out. But seeing the dominant side of Parker made me feel safe, protected. And yes, owned.

A lump formed in my throat. I needed one last wonderful moment with him before he left me. And he would leave me when he found out that what Devin and I had was more serious than he thought.

“I’m sorry for taking you away from your business dinner last night,” I said, curling my feet under me and wrapping my hands around Parker’s arm.

“You didn’t.” Parker typed away on his lap top when his phone rang.

We were finally on our way to the airport, heading home. Leaving the city that opened up new possibilities.

“We’re headed there now. No. Shouldn’t be too long of a wait. They’re just fueling up the jet. I don’t mind waiting.” Parker rolled his eyes. “I’m not that high maintenance, asshole.” He looked down at me, a slight smile spreading on his face. “She’s…fine. Well, what do you expect?” He sighed. “We’ll be at
Rope
sometime soon. If you see or hear from Devin, call me. Right away. You hear me?”

“Parker?” I said after he hung up his phone.

His tense shoulders drooped and he put his laptop away before turning to me.

“I am sorry,” I said softly, chewing my bottom lip.

“Stop,” he snapped. “Stop fucking apologizing for everything. It’s not your fault. None of this is your fault.”

I nodded, forcing back the tears that had welled in my eyes. “I’ve worked so hard at becoming strong but seeing him last night made me feel like I’m that sixteen-year old girl that he destroyed.”

“Shit.” Parker pulled me into his arms as the tears flowed freely down my cheeks.

The sobs hardened as they wracked through my body. “If I could erase those nightmares and replace them with just you, I would. Even if nothing comes of this, you’ve made me the happiest woman alive,” I said through my tears.

“I want to help you. In any way that I can. But Keely…”

“What?” I wiped under my eyes.

“You may not like me at times but know that everything I do is for you. I
will
break you. I wasn’t just talking out of my ass.”

“Why?” I whispered.

He pinned my hands behind my back and cupped my nape, holding me in place as he stared intently into my eyes. “I can see the broken soul inside of you but I can also see this strong darkness that wants to come out and play. That, little one, will be the thing that will erase those nightmares. You may never forget them but you will learn to deal with them. And I will be the one to help you.”

My chest rose and fell, small bursts of air leaving my lips at being restrained by him. Again. “How?”

“BDSM is not all about sex.” Parker licked along my jaw, nipping lightly. “It’s a connection on a deeper level. But my favorite part is the trust. Last night when I bound and gagged you, you knew I wouldn’t hurt you. You knew that I wouldn’t leave you alone or take you in ways that only that monster did. I’m not that monster. I’m not Devin. Yes, I can be an asshole. I know it and I own that title.” His hold on me tightened igniting a small whimper to leave my lips. “But the only pain I give you is the pain that you crave. I will teach you anticipation. And you will hate me for it.”

“I could never hate you.” I gasped when he flipped me onto my stomach, pushing me face first into the bench of the limo.

“You will. But that anticipation, the beautiful knowledge that when I enter a room, your body will tremble. One look from me and your legs will shake. A graze of my finger against the back of your neck or down your arm, and you’ll be panting at my feet.” His deep voice caressed my ear, his hips grinding against mine.

“I like being at your feet,” I blurted out, momentarily surprised at my confession.

He chuckled. “All in due time, pet. Although I have no patience, with you, I’m willing to be as patient as possible in order to make you see that this is right. That I am here. For you.”

His big body wrapped around mine, pinning me beneath him. If we could stay like that for the rest of our lives, it would make all the shit in my past worth it.

“Hmm…you like it when I pin you down.”

I nodded.

“You’re doing so much better.” Parker brushed the hair off my nape, linking our fingers. We laid there in silence for what felt like an eternity. “Don’t be scared of what my cottage has to bring. I made it for training purposes but now I know that it was made for you.”

I rolled over onto my back. “For me?”

“I’ll show you. I’ll reveal parts of yourself that you never thought existed.” He brushed a hand in the collar of my shirt, rubbing his thumb over the top of my breast. “I’ll make it so you give me your heart,” he said softly.

Those words. Those beautiful words. Deep and melodic when they left Parker’s mouth. And that was when I realized it. Something I swore to myself that I would never let happen again. As I stared into his beautiful green eyes, I knew. I was falling in love with him.

“Troy. You home, babe?” I yelled as we entered my apartment.

Parker followed me to my room, placing my bags by the closet.

“Hey,” Troy said from his doorway. “What are you guys doing home so early?”

“We had a minor setback,” Parker mumbled.

“What’s wrong?” Troy asked as Patrick came up behind him.

“Hi Patrick.” I introduced him and Parker and went back to packing some clothes in my gym bag.

“Devin showed up.” Parker grabbed my bag, holding it open while I searched through my drawers.

“We were at Parker’s business dinner and that’s when everything happened.” I explained that Devin just wanted to mess with my head but he didn’t actually do anything.

A part of me probably could have missed him. If Parker wasn’t in my life, I would have. Even after everything Devin had done, the insecure part of me would crawl back to him.

“Are you okay?” Troy asked, biting his bottom lip.

“I’m…I’m alright. Oh. We saw Greyson Mercer today,” I told him with a smirk.

Troy’s eyes lit up.

“Who’s that?” Patrick asked from the doorway.

“Only one of the hottest men I have ever laid eyes on.” Troy sighed and clutched his chest.

I smiled and shook my head. A sense of relief washed over. Although I had been running for the past several years from a man that I thought loved me, a man that took everything from me…these small moments with my best friend helped turn the scared little girl inside of me into the woman I was today.

“Well, lover. You will just have to introduce me to this fine specimen,” Patrick said, waggling his eye brows.

“Wait...” Troy walked up to me and grabbed my shirt from my hand. “What are you doing? Trying to distract me with hot men so I don’t notice you packing?”

I reached for the shirt when he pulled away. My eyes narrowed. “Troy.”

“Tell me what’s going on,” he demanded, placing his hand on his hip.

“Tell him, Keely,” Parker said in that Dominant tone of his that I had grown to love.

“I’m staying with Parker at his cottage for a couple of days.” I pulled the shirt from Troy’s grasp and shoved it in my bag.

“Why?” His face paled. “Do you think Devin will come here?”

“I don’t know but I need to get away. I need...I don’t want him near you,” I said softly, hugging Troy around his middle.

He cupped my nape. “But—”

“Keely,” Parker said firmly. “Can I talk to Troy for a second? Alone.”

I met Parker’s stare and nodded. I went to walk by him when he grabbed my hand.

“Do you trust me?” he whispered in my ear.

“Yes,” I said without hesitation.

“Good.” He kissed my head and gave me a light smack on the rear. “Now take Patrick and give us a minute.”

I glanced between him and Troy who looked concerned as much as he probably should have felt. He chewed his bottom lip. The movement almost made me giggle coming from my gorgeous best friend.

“Under normal circumstances, I’d probably be really excited that you asked to be alone with me,” Troy told Parker. “But right now, it’s making me nervous as hell.”

“I love you. You know that right?” I asked Troy.

He nodded and let out a heavy sigh.

I left my room and closed the door quietly behind me before making my way out into the hall. Finding Patrick standing by the large patio window, I walked up to him.

“I don’t know who this Devin guy is, but know that if you need anything, I’m here,” Patrick said, crossing his arms under his chest.

“What did I ever do to deserve friends like you three?”

“Honey, Parker is not just your friend.” Patrick gently nudged me in the shoulder. “He loves you.”

I scoffed. “Yeah. Okay.” But a part of me wondered if it were true. I sure as hell knew that I was falling in love with him but I also knew that it was too early to tell him. He needed to know everything before I allowed those three words to slip from my mouth.

“Keely, come sit.” Patrick took my hands and guided me to the couch, sitting me down beside him. “Now sweetheart. I may not be the best person to say this but Parker…I’ve read the tabloids, I’ve seen the shit they’ve written about him but as the saying goes, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

“Most of the crap in the tabloids are lies.”

Patrick hesitated. “Have you seen what they’ve written about you?”

“Um…no. I saw one thing but that’s it.”

Patrick sighed and handed me a folded up magazine. “I’m not giving you this to hurt you. Honest. But I want you to be warned before whatever this is between the both of you turns serious.”

“Why? You hardly know me. Why do you care?” I asked, taking the magazine from him.

“Because I love your best friend and he loves you. You’re family.” He shrugged.

My eyes welled, my heart swelling with happiness. I threw my arms around his neck, squeezing him tight. “Oh I am so happy for you! Does he know? Did you tell him?”

Patrick laughed. “Yes.”

“What did he say?”

“He told me that he loves me too,” he said, his eyes sparkling.

I clasped my hands to my chest, a soft sigh leaving my lips.

“Well at least someone made her happy,” Troy said, coming up behind us.

My cheeks heated when I caught Parker’s gaze.
He
made me happy and he knew it too.

“We should go,” Parker pointed out, pulling me from the couch.

“Thank you. All of you. For everything.” I looked up at Troy. “I don’t say that enough.”

He gave me a hug and kissed my head. “Talk to Parker.”

My heart jumped. “What did you tell him?” I whispered.

“Nothing but he knows that you’re keeping something from him.” Troy released me and walked into the kitchen. “I’m going to stop by the cottage in a couple of days. Parker gave me the address.”

“Okay.” We all said goodbye before Parker and I headed out to the limo. “How long is the drive?” I asked, sliding onto the cool leather seat.

“About two and a half hours. I wanted it as far from the city as possible.” He pressed a button on the intercom. “We’re good to go, Jones.”

“Roger that, sir,” came the deep reply.

I leaned against the back of the seat, watching the world pass us by. The tension in the vehicle grew thick and I knew Parker was waiting for me to say something. But I couldn’t. Not yet. As selfish as it was, I wanted this moment of happiness with Parker to last for a little bit longer. I hadn’t been happy in years. Looking over my shoulder every chance I got, I grew paranoid that Devin would come find me. Now that he had, I felt stronger with Parker by my side.

I rummaged through my bag and pulled out the magazine that Patrick had given me while Parker worked on his tablet.