Gage
Icouldn’t ke ep my eyes off my date—
She’s not my date. This woman is fucking with my head. That explains why I couldn’t stop staring at her
as she floated around the venue with the grace of a ballerina.
In an effort not to be rude, I allowed my peers to pull me into different circles of conversation.
Lily was engaged in an animated conversation with two guys—a Puerto Rican-video-producer-duo.
Afterwards, she was talking with a blonde wearing an outrageous outfit I wouldn’t even attempt to
describe. The next thing I knew, she was gone.
Worried, I’d set off to find her. She was nowhere to be found. It’s like she vanished into thin air. I lucked
out when I stopped a waiter who had noticed her whereabouts. And now, I turn the corner and arrive at a
quiet area of the building. I spot a flash of soft pink and shoes in the same soft shade I’ve committed to
memory, and a man hovering over Lily.
Fucking Cadoc Cork Phallusburg. No other man at the event is walking around in a purple suit, so
spotting him is as easy as spotting an el ephant in a swimming pool.
He can’t be taller than five-nine, short compared to my own six-four, but a giant intimidating Lily, who’s
probably no more than five-two.
My hackles raise so fast, it’s a miracle I don’t bare my claws and fangs like a damn werewolf. The
thought of Lily being harassed by a man with
the r eputation for preying on women young enough to be his granddaughters, makes me want to tear the
asshole’s head off his shoulders.
I march on up to the sordid old cre ep, clamp a strong hand on his shoulder and yank him away from Lily,
forcing him to take several st eps back.
His orange complexion turns dark purple as he winces. I’ve made my point. I let go of my vice grip on his
shoulder, and approach Lily. “There you are.” I lace a possessive arm around her slender waist, pulling
her body into the shelter of mine. The heat emanating from her se eps through me and it’s so good, I want
to—
“You found me.” Her voice is higher by several octaves. “I did.” My words come out in a rough rumble.
We stare at each other for a long beat. “Gage, I didn’t know you were here tonight.” The bumbling idiot
reminds us of his presence.
I swing my gaze in his direction. Cadoc massages his shoulder, his face contorted in pain. “I see you’ve
met my girl.” Where did that come from? What the fuck am I doing claiming her? You’re delusional,
Hollingsworth. A pulse of surprise goes through her body and into mine. Her head whips up in my
direction and she almost drops the plate she’s holding.
From my peripheral vision, I catch her beguiling eyes widening so much, they practically take over her
beautiful face.
I ke ep my focus on the predator standing in front of me instead of fixating on where our bodies join.
The closeness screams, I claim you. You’re mine. End of story. It’s ridiculous. We met a minute ago. Yet,
I could get used to the press of her heavenly body against mine. Snap out of it. I let go of the beauty
whose eyes are still the size of dinner plates. I clear my throat. “You’ve met Lily,” I say in an attempt to
backtrack. Cre epy Phallusburg lifts his chubby hands in surrender. “Oh, man, I—I didn’t know she was
spoken for.”
“Now, you know.” “I was giving her some industry insight,” he says. I lock eyes with Lily. “Is that so?”
She places her free hand on my chest. Fuck. The contact is like I’ve been tasered. “Cadoc kindly offered a
private session at his place, so he could impart more of his wisdom about the industry,” Lily says.
“You were about to cheat on me?” Mock indignation colors my words. She gives me a solemn head
shake. “Never, baby.” Her response is priceless.
Oh, she’s good. This is pretend, but hearing the possessive moniker on her lips hardens my cock.
“Thank God,” I say. “Or else you’d break my heart.” “I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.” Lily’s gaze
grows... hazy? No way. Not only am I losing my mind, but I’m seeing things. “I was going to turn him
down,” she says. “I have enough daddy issues as is. Jumping in bed with a man who’s at least three times
my age is way up there on my list of stupid things to never do.”
Mic drop. “And not to mention, I’m a one-guy kind of gal.” Good girl. I turn to face the dirty old man.
“So, you were hitting on my girl?” Cadoc’s over tanned skin is now the color of a white sheet. “Gage, I
can assure you, it was a little misunderstanding—”
I take a threatening st ep forward. His hands fly to his face, shielding him. “Please don’t hurt me.” “You
use your title and position to get laid. Dickbags like you give our industry a bad rap.” I jab an accusatory
finger at him. Matthew’s good name is being slandered in the press, while this guy consistently abuses his
power. The sense of injustice makes me want to drive my fist into his smarmy gut. “Get the fuck out of
my face.”
I don’t have to r epeat myself. With his tail between his legs, the record company executive cowers away.
Lily lets out a sigh of relief. “You okay? He didn’t touch you?” She bites her lower lip. “Lily.” “He
silenced me by placing a finger on my lips—” “The motherfucker put his filthy hands on you? He needs
someone to teach him a lesson. I’m going to track down the degenerate asswipe and rearrange his face.”
Lily places a hand on my arm. “Let it go, Gage.” I take in de ep breaths to control my racing heart, as rage
and fury threaten to make me do something I might regret.
Lily’s lips part into a warm smile. I frown. “What?” “You.” My frown de epens. “No one’s ever st epped
up for me like that.” I didn’t see that coming. She tilts her head back to meet my gaze, her eyes
shimmering under the light. “Thank you, Gage.” She gets on the tip of her toes and drops a soft kiss on
my jaw. I’m guessing she was aiming for my cheek, but she’s this little thing.
The unexpected move causes my wires to crisscross. Goddammit.