Whoever is on my property got past my direct security team, who are nowhere to be found.
Chapter Nineteen
Roman
“Now for a Billboard Top 100 hit, this is the music video for Love Me, Hate Me by Rose Beckett.” Kairo’s phone spouts off before breathy, familiar vocals fill our rented office space.
“Love me, hate me, I bet you want to fuck me. Up against the wall, in the shower, in the back of your Porsche, baby, it’s your call…”
We all know the fucking song by heart, but Kairo isn’t just after the enchanting, seductive vocals. He’s bookmarked the damn video on every streaming platform imaginable. It features the woman we bullied in high school, naked, but covered by the expertly placed shadows created by the production crew as she crawls towards the camera with siren eyes and plush lips that are fuckable. There’s a scene where she rolls onto her back, her figure perfectly outlined by dim, subtle lighting that makes my friend go absolutely feral every fucking time he sees it.
It’s annoying.
But a small part of me can’t blame Kairo. Rosalie Beckett is all of our possible wet dreams combined into one curvaceous, petite package.
My tastes are a little different from Kairo’s. Where he openly watches every interview, music video, or press conference that pertains to Rosalie, I privately enjoy the moments of hers that stick with me like an addiction.
My favorite video is a little stunt she pulled on paparazzi almost a year ago. She was out in the city with Charlie, Charlie’s wife, and their surrogate when a swarm of cameramen began shoving their way through security to get to the women.Rosalie puffed out her chest, her face twisting into a rage I had never seen on the shy, quiet girl from our past before she verbally shamed the paparazzi for pushing around a pregnant woman. She shoved one of the cameramen in her rampage, and it was plastered all over the headlines of every gossip site and social media page imaginable.
She was forced by her PR manager to apologize, but as I watched the press conference, undeniable pride sparked in my chest.
“I won’t apologize for being angry over someone so careless and selfish, hurting my friend. Anyone who thinks senseless violence is the answer is always in the wrong, which is the only thing I show any remorse for. I shouldn’t have stooped to such a low level, and for that, I apologize.”
Oh, her littlego fuck yourselfspeech had my palm and cock twitching. Would she be that bold towards me? Would she fiercely stand up for what she believes in, all for me to bend her over my fucking knee and make her squeal?
It’s all fantasy, playing on repeat in my head, but if I ever got the opportunity…
I shake myself out of it as I fill out a report. I need to focus on our last contract, which is now up. No work means no money coming in.
As a small security business, we rely heavily on contract work that often ends before we can find new work. After retiring from the military, we thought opening our own independent security business would be the best bet for us to be our own bosses, since we don’t play well with others. If we had only fucking known…
“Turn that shit off,” I snap. “I can’t focus.”
Kairo ignores me, his eyes trained on his phone screen.
Maddox comes out of the connected bathroom, wiping his hands with a towel. “Anything new in the inbox?”
I rub a hand across my mouth, mentally crunching the numbers that aren’t equaling what we want them to. “Haven’t checked yet.”
Honestly? I don’t want to. Disappointment is a hard pill to swallow multiple times a day.
“Open it and get the hard part out of the way,” Kairo suggests helpfully.
I sigh as I click on the email inbox, waiting for absolutely nothing to pop up, but blinking my shock away when I see the one unopened message that was sent at twelve this morning. I don’t say anything out of fear of getting our hopes up as I read the email.
Hello, Contract Co. Security Detail,
I hope this email finds you well.
My name is Elijah Moore with Starlight Records. It’s my understanding that your company deals with smaller-based security gigs, but I’m desperate. As Rose Beckett’s PR manager and a close friend, her safety and security are my main focus. Most companies employed in Los Angeles are connected, and we’re looking for something new that doesn’t have the same knowledge of this area.
Please respond at your earliest convenience.
—
Elijah Moore (PR manager)
Licensed by Starlight Records
