“Say yes, and I’ll make you feel better than you ever have in your life. Say no, and I’ll grab you a T-shirt to sleep in and we’ll crawl into bed, and you can drift off in my arms.”
His eyes bounce between mine, trying to read my thoughts.
“Yes, Cole. With you, it’s always yes.”
55
COLE
Anger still continues to vibrate just beneath the surface as I hold my hand out for Freya.
She stares up at me with her chest heaving and wide, hungry eyes. But there is more than just desire in them, and I hate it. There’s a nervousness that has no place there. Not while she’s with me.
He put that there. With just his presence and a few pain-inducing words, he sent her tumbling straight back to times she’s been fighting to forget.
I hate him.
I don’t care who he is, how well he sings, or how many number-ones or platinum albums he has.
I hate him for what he’s done to Freya.
He’s made her question herself, her worth, her beauty. No man should ever hold the power to tear a woman down like that, and I want to fucking end him for causing her so much pain, for shattering her self-confidence.
Freya sits up and hesitantly slides her hand into mine.
My teeth grind as I think about how differently she’d have reacted if we hadn’t seen him. In the limo, she was so carefree.But the second his voice echoed down the hallway, everything changed. It was like she’d seen a ghost.
I knew who he was the moment I saw him. I may not be a huge fan of his music, but he spends so much time in the media, it would be impossible not to.
A lot of things then started falling into place. Freya’s fear of going out tonight, of being in front of the public and photographed for all the media outlets. And Hailee’s warning about the backlash…yeah, now I’m understanding.
Rowan Conaway doesn’t do anything quietly. He doesn’t seem to care if it’s good press or bad press; he’ll take it all to ensure everyone is saying his name.
My stomach knots as different scenarios play out in my mind. But each of them leads me to one place.
He’s going to use us.
I close my eyes for a beat before I tug Freya to her feet. The instant her dress tickles against my stomach, I force all those thoughts from my head and stare down at her.
“You and me, yeah?” I rasp.
Her eyes still dance with tears, but there’s a determination within them that wasn’t there a few seconds ago.
“Yeah,” she agrees.
“Do you trust me?”
She bites down on her bottom lip. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if she said no. After everything she’s been through, really, it should be her answer. Hell, I’m an asshole for even asking. But I need to know that even a small part of her does before we take this any further.
Slowly, she nods, and the corners of her lips curl into a smile. “Yes, Cole. I trust you.”
My heart slams against my ribs as those five words flow through me.
I know it isn’t a big declaration, but it’s more than I’ve ever had before.
Wrapping my hand around the back of her neck, I pull her to me and take her lips in a heated and teasing kiss.
Long minutes pass as I explore her mouth as if it’s the last chance I’ll get, while my hand remains locked at her waist.
