Aryn's Desire: A BOLD Security Novel (Finding Submission Book 1) (34 page)

I smile and press his hand to my cheek before kissing his palm. “Thank you,” I tell him and he takes his hand back and climbs into the town car that’s waiting for him.
 

Watching the car drive away is my undoing.
 

As the car turns out of sight I know that giving Caden what he wants is far less painful than watching him walk away from me again.

FORTY~EIGHT

“WHAT’S THE DEAL with you and that dude?” Casey asks me as we leave Alyssa’s house in Los Angeles the next day.
 

“What guy?”
 

“You’re an idiot. That guy, he was in Nashville and then he shows up in Australia and you get all dopey. Are you gay?”
 

“Would it matter if I was?” I ask.
 

“No, except you’re as much of a womanizer as Dex is and unless you have some shit fucked up in your head like Calvin does, I don’t picture you suddenly turning gay.”
 

“What’s wrong with Calvin’s head?”
 

Casey rolls his eyes. “You focus on that?” I shrug. “Nothing.”
 

I scowl at him but I don’t press him for more information. He won’t tell me. He lives with Calvin and Eric so I can only imagine the shit he knows, but he won’t tell me anything. If it was important for me to know, I’d have heard already.
 

“You going home?” Casey asks me.
 

“No, I have to swing by Dex’s place, then I’ll be heading home.”
 

Casey nods. “Thanks, man.”
 

“For what?”
 

“Letting me tag along on this trip. I had fun.”
 

I smile. “You’re welcome. You did great, Troy too.”
 

“Thanks, bro.” I shake Casey’s hand. “See you later?”
 

“I’ll be here.” I smile and we both climb into our cars. He backs out and takes off before I do and I follow him out, turning left instead of right as I head toward Dex’s house.
 

I ring the doorbell twice before Raine finally comes to the door.
 

“Well, hello you. Welcome home.”
 

I look her over. She’s dressed in a robe with bare feet. “Am I interrupting anything?” I smirk.
 

She laughs, “No, come on in.” She holds the door open for me and I step up the three steps into the living room to find Dex sitting on the couch. He’s paused something on the TV and I notice a cushion on the floor at his feet. I don’t think much of it.
 

“What going on, man?” Dex gets up and shakes my hand while Raine goes to kneel on the cushion.
 

“Uh, not much. Just tired.”
 

“No doubt, want a beer?” he asks.
 

“Love one.”
 

Dex turns to Raine who hops up without hesitation and a smile on her face as she goes into the kitchen. “I should have called first,” I tell him.
 

“We have no secrets with you. Though she’ll keep the robe on,” he laughs. “Come, sit down.”
 

“I’m not staying long. I just came by to say hi.” Raine hands me a beer and then hands one to Dex.
 

“Thanks, pet,” he says and she beams with pride before returning to her cushion. Dex gestures toward the other couch and I take a seat as I take a long swig of the beer in my hand.
 

“When are you guys leaving for Nashville?”
 

“In the morning, flight’s at eleven. Why?”

“How are you flying?”
 

“We chartered a plane. Didn’t want to do the whole commercial thing. Why?”
 

“Got room for one more?”
 

“Absolutely,” he says with enthusiasm. “What’s made you change your mind?”
 

“I got a visit from someone in Australia,” I say cryptically.
 

“He flew all the way to Australia?” Raine chimes in and I chuckle.
 

“Yeah, he went to New York too, though I didn’t know it at the time. He showed up in Nashville, for obvious reasons.”
 

“How’d he know how to find you?” Dex asks me. “Those trips are kept under lock and key.”
 

“It’s pretty simple when you hold one of the keys.”
 

Dex’s eyes go wide briefly so I explain, “In the interest of anonymity, let’s just say I’ve figured out where his money comes from.”
 

“Hollywood?” he asks and I just raise an eyebrow as I take another sip of my beer. “Didn’t see that coming. But I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. He never seems to be working. So I can see why that would make sense. Derek is always working.”
 

“Speaking of which, I’ll handle my own accommodations in Nashville, just need to get there.”
 

“Why not stay at Derek’s?”
 

I smirk. “Because he gossips worse than an old lady. I don’t need Caden knowing I’m in town.”
 

Dex shakes his head. “I don’t understand what’s going on between the two of you, but secrecy is never a good thing.”
 

“Not much will be a secret much longer.”
 

“Oh?” Raine perks up from her perch next to Dex.
 

I launch into full detail of my plan and when I’m done, Raine is bouncing up and down with excitement. With my plan in place, I leave them to go home.
 

Once home, I send a text.
 

Beck to Ash
: Just got home, I need your help with something.
 

Ash to Beck
: you name it.
 

Beck to Ash
: This stays between us, you cannot tell Caden.

Ash to Beck
: I’m all ears.

I only tell her what I need her to do. She is my best bet at getting Caden to where I need him to be without involving Derek. Derek would do it, but I’d have to explain everything to him and I don’t trust him to not tell Caden, or anyone else at the club for that matter.
 

Ashley’s instructions are simple but I don’t offer her much explanation and while she presses me for details, I refuse to tell her by letting her know that when it’s done, I’ll tell her everything.

FORTY~NINE

*~* CADEN *~*
 

Ash to Caden
: Are you coming to the club Saturday?
 

Caden to Ash
: I hadn’t planned on it.
 

Ash to Caden
: I haven’t had a chance to see you since that night, I’d like to talk, to apologize to you.
 

Caden to Ash
: No need to do it at the club.
 

Ash to Caden
: Actually, Teddy told me I had to do it in person.
 

Caden to Ash
: I’ll talk to him.
 

Ash to Caden
: No, it’s alright. I really would just like to apologize.
 

Caden to Ash
: Are you working the door?

Ash to Caden
: No, we have that new girl. Um, I’m wondering if…if you’d scene with me?
 

I stare at my phone. After everything she told me, she still wants to scene with me? I find it odd. Who’s the bigger glutton for punishment, her or me?
 

Derek to Caden
: Coming to town Friday. Dinner Friday night?
 

Convenient.
 

Caden to Derek
: Sure, what time? Where?
 

Derek to Caden
: The house, around seven, but come whenever.
 

Caden to Derek
: Sounds good, you guys going to the club after?
 

Derek to Caden
: No, Saturday night though. Dex and Raine are coming to town.
 

Those two names perk up my attention because with Dex comes Aryn.
 

Caden to Derek
: Aryn coming?
 

Derek to Caden
: No man, sorry. He just got back from his premiere tour. Dex said he’d come along next time.
 

I frown at my phone. My brief ounce of hope shatters. I guess I really had no right to think that he’d come along. I didn’t know Derek was coming to town and now Ashley’s questions about the club and scening with her are a little more intriguing.
 

Caden to Ash
: I’ll think about the scene, but I’ll come to the club.

Ash to Caden
: Good and okay. I’ll come prepared.
 

I arrive at Derek and Cotah’s just a few minutes after six. One of Derek’s staff lets me in and I head for the living room.
 

When I step into the living room, Dex, Cotah, Raine and Derek are talking and having drinks. The girls are at their mens’ feet and a twinge of disappointment rocks through me. I’d secretly hoped that Aryn would change his mind and come, though I had no right to think of him sitting at my feet.
 

We exchange pleasantries and Cotah runs off to get me a drink.
 

The conversation flows easily. Eventually Derek asks me about business.
 

“What do you do?” Dex asks me and I look from him to Derek and back to him.
 

“Aryn didn’t tell you?” I cock my head.
 

Dex’s eye meet mine. “No, why would he?”
 

I shrug and take a drink. “I work in Hollywood. I’m a producer and when I’m not producing, I’m a stunt coordinator.”
 

“Wow, no kidding?” Raine says with enthusiasm.
 

“Raine,” Dex admonishes her.
 

I smile. “It’s alright. It can be pretty cool, but it’s also a lot of work. Do you work?” I ask her.
 

She looks to Dex for approval and I admire her for it. He nods. “I do,” she says.
 

“And what do you do?” I ask her.
 

She lights up. “I’m a PR Rep, I work for Bold and I’m the assistant to 69 Bottles’ rep, Addison.”
 

“I take it you love your job?” I chuckle.
 

“Absolutely. Considering that a year ago I was an executive assistant to the company’s owner.”
 

“Cami,” Derek says. “She works for Bold.”
 

I snort. “Is there anyone in this room who doesn’t have something to do with Bold?”
 

Cotah sheepishly raises her hand.
 

“Well, Derek does, so indirectly so do you.” I laugh a little.
 

“That’s true,” Cotah says.
 

Our conversation is halted further when dinner is announced. The girls rush ahead, which doesn’t surprise me, and Derek heads to his office for something. I grab Dex by the arm. “Is there a reason Aryn didn’t come with you guys?”
 

“He was tired. He’d been home barely twelve hours before we took off. He needed time to do laundry and things like that. Why?”
 

I nod and give him a small smile. “I was just hoping that he’d be here.”
 

“Maybe you should try calling him,” Dex says. “Talk to him.”
 

“I told him that I would give him space.”
 

He gives me a sad smile. “Aryn’s complicated, but he’ll come around. If you don’t want to call him, at least text him, let him know you’re thinking about him or something. Let him know you’re there for him. That’s what he needs more than anything right now.”
 

I nod and follow Dex into the dining room. He gives me a knowing smile before taking his seat. The subject isn’t broached anymore and while I’m thankful for what he said to me, it doesn’t ease the loneliness I feel at the dinner table.
 

Seeing the two couple so happy makes me feel like a fifth wheel.
 

I do my best to ignore it. Aryn not being here and this loneliness is making me feel uncomfortable and weak. I don’t pine over people, it’s not who I am. In fact, it’s stupid of me.
 

Everything that I’ve done since Aryn walked out of my private room at the club is uncharacteristic of me. Yes, I always get what I want, but running around the world is insane.
 

I do my best not to let my downward spiral effect the rest of the night.
 

It’s around one when I leave Derek’s, but it’s only ten in Los Angeles.

Caden to Aryn
: Just wanted to tell you, I wish you were here.

I don’t get a response and I’m disappointed.

FIFTY

*~* ARYN *~*
 

Caden to Aryn
: Just wanted to tell you, I wish you were here.
 

“I am here,” I say for the thousandth time since this morning when I look at my phone again.
 

The later in the day it gets, the harder it is to sit still. I’ve been pacing back and forth in my room for so long I’m going to wear out the carpet.
 

I’ve never been good with sitting idle but it’s all I can do right now. I’ve already eaten, but if I have to stay in this room any longer I’m going to crack into the mini bar and that won’t do anyone any good.
 

I came out here for a reason. It’s time to get what I want, even if I go insane in the process.

Dex to Beck
: We’re on our way.
 

“Thank god.” One text down, which means it’s time for me to get moving.
 

I grab my jacket and my keys. I’d called for my car about an hour ago, I wanted it to be ready when Dex’s text came through. I step out of my room and let the door close behind me as I walk toward the elevator.
 

I can’t stop pacing while I wait for the elevator. I check my phone, you know, in case I didn’t hear it in the absolute silence of my hotel room and of course, nothing.
 

The elevator chimes and it makes me jump, but when the doors open, I step inside, press the ground floor button and descend to my car and what comes next.