Give and Receive - Bundle (Books 1-2): New Adult Romance (5 page)

His bid for obscurity was successful, to some degree.

As with most elusive, reluctant, rock star types, the press and the fans chomped at the bit constantly. Someone always wanted a peek inside as to what made him tick.

A reporter sarcastically nicknamed him “The Dark Prince.” The name stuck.

Lena never judged him, though. She always seemed to
know
him. From day one. Saw to the heart of him.

Without him ever having to explain.

She had an uncanny knack for knowing what to say to him at just the right moment. Keeping him sane when all he wanted to do was smash something, or someone.

Destroying everything in his path.

One glance. One smile from her at press time, helped him not always be so inside of his craziness.

Where he was one step away from screaming at the room and everyone in it, to leave him the fuck alone. But you don’t do any of that, of course. Not after you work so hard for the limelight.

Not when, in an instant, you could lose it all.

After all, he asked for the fame.

And everything that came with it.

Didn’t he
?

Danny knew it did no good to moan and complain.

No one wanted to hear the rich and famous bitch.

Certainly not about being rich and famous.

So he dealt in silence.

He saw her, as well. Knew the drive she had to succeed. He knew she was spoiled, self-centered and had one of the worst tempers he had ever seen. Besides his own.

She had absolutely no patience to speak of. If there was anyone who sought to please themselves first, she was it. He knew her ego was six times the size of the earth itself.

He adored everything about her.

He knew she could be cheerfully ruthless. Cutthroat even, when it came to getting what she wanted. Not thinking twice. For him, that only added to her appeal.

He couldn’t stand a woman insecure in herself.

Or her sexuality.

For her, that was never an issue.

He also knew she was as loyal as a pit bull when it came to the ones she loved. She wouldn’t hesitate to “take care” of a problem, should someone decide to become one.

She made no apologies.

Danny wanted her. Had always wanted her.

With an ache and need bordering on obsession.

Every ounce of him craved her.

She was his one weakness.

His one addiction, he was never able to get clean of.

She was as necessary to him as the air he breathed.

All of this he kept from her. And from everyone else.

To know he could never have her, was a parasite. Tearing apart his insides.

Day by day. Hour by hour. Minute by minute. Second by second.

Misery was a fucking bitch. A demon, gorging on pain. Feasting on despair, with great pleasure and satisfaction.

Sometimes, he was too tired to fight.

So here he was. Without her.

Married to someone else.

What he wanted, what he needed, who he loved, didn’t mean dick shit. Not as long as he wore that bitch’s ring.

Sometimes, it was nice to pretend.

Pretend he and Elizabeth were happy.

Pretend for the first time, things were ok.

Pretend he hadn’t managed to fuck up the only good thing in his life. Pretend he didn’t feel like he was drowning
all the time.

Pretend Elizabeth didn’t exist. Pretend he never met her. Pretend he had just waited and met Lena first. So the rest of his life could begin.

Pretend he never thought he loved her. Even for a minute. Because he knew now what love truly felt like. Pretend he never agreed to this stupid farce of a marriage in the first place.

Pretend she didn’t know what she knew.

Pretend he had some way,
any w
ay, out of this charade other than the one that would destroy everyone he cared about. Pretend he didn’t care the woman he wanted, was within arm’s reach. But never further away.

It was a nice fantasy.

But it was just that.

Fantasy.

In the real world, reality was a shot of battery acid.

Burning his veins. Scraping his insides raw.

He was married to a woman he hated.

And he had no one to blame but himself.

But enough of the pity party. Didn’t change a solitary thing. It wasted the time he managed to have with Lena, if only for a little while. He learned to treasure even the passing moments. These days, it was all he got.

Even if he had to stomach Ty to do it.

Who continued sitting there. Looking smug.

Remaining unmoved behind her.

When she leaned back into him, her familiarity with him was evident. Touching him seemed natural.

With Danny, every careful touch, every connected breath. Always seemed like it caused her physical pain.

He ordered a scotch and soda, sitting down at the bar.

It was what it was.

“So…hey.” His voice casual.

“So, hey…right back.” Her voice low. Hesitant. Sensual.

“It’s been a while, right?”

“Yeah. I guess so.”

She looked into the grey storm of his eyes.

Becoming a little lost.

Ensnared by a man’s cornea.

How pathetically stupid.

“I’ve missed you.”

He looked back at hers.

Noticing the golden flecks dancing in them.

She gave an uncomfortable laugh.

“Did you. Why is that?”

“Of course. I always miss you when I don’t see you.”

He missed her now, and she was right in front of him.

“Oh. Well it’s nice to be missed. I guess.”

Silence.
Awkward
.

“How’s Elizabeth?”

Your wife.

That part unsaid. Unnecessary.

“She’s fine. Never better, I guess. How’s Jason?”

She cleared her throat.

“Not here. We um. Broke up.”

Two sets of eyes on her. Another awkward silence.

“I see.”

“What do you see, Danny?”

Lena inclined her head in his direction. Her voice deceptively indifferent.

Then another female voice. Distinctly heard.

“Yes, Danny. Do tell. I’m sure we’re all ears.”

Elizabeth walked up behind him. Wrapping her hands around his waist. He stiffened.

She ignored him, turning his head. Deliberately kissing him on the lips. She smiled at Lena.

“So. What exactly
were
you discussing with my husband?”

Of course Elizabeth was there.

She never let him go far.

Too much like him having a real life.

Oh my…snarky much?

Lena plastered the biggest, phoniest smile she could muster. Holding up her glass in greeting.

“Elizabeth. I was just asking about you. I didn’t know you’d be here tonight.”

“Oh, you know me. I had to see what all the buzz was about. I heard you got a new club and revamped the place.”

Elizabeth reached to touch Danny’s face.

He turned and abruptly stood. Rejecting her caress.

“I need some air.”

Danny excused himself, heading for the door.

He needed to clear his head. Being near Elizabeth suffocated him. Her muddied, tarred energy, was cloying.

Her gravity pulled him to a dark, twisted place. A place that was ugly and mean. Cruel. He hated who he was around her. Didn’t like for others to see it, either.

He could barely stand being near her. Let alone touching her. Worse…her touching him. Her very presence made him physically ill. It was best he did walk away. Before he said something he regretted.

Or worse, something he didn’t.

He and his thoughts needed to be alone for a while.

Lena watched him leave, glancing at Elizabeth. Who seemed smugly satisfied to get a rise out of him.

She sighed, shaking her head.

Such a simple, basic bitch.

Simple bitches always gave her a migraine.

Elizabeth looked around disdainfully, as if she stepped in something sticky.

“Nice place, Lena. It must have cost you all of your food stamps to pay for this spread.”

Lena heard Tyler inhale a shocked breath behind her.

She on the other hand, wasn’t all that surprised.

Elizabeth was never too fond of her.

She seemed the type never fond of anyone not her shade of porcelain. But that was just Lena’s suspicion.

What did she know.

She also suspected Elizabeth hated her for a much deeper reason. Which she could only partially understand. In the end, she got what she wanted, didn’t she?

She got the fame, the rock…the man.

Trailer park, she noted, never lacked for nerve.

Lena smiled sweetly at her.

“Thanks, Elizabeth. Ever since your mom got fired from the stripper pole for having too many stretch marks, she can’t loan me money like she used to.” 

Ty snickered. Lena elbowed him in the ribs.

“What?” Elizabeth sounded confused, trying to hear Lena over the loud music.

“Um. What?” Lena sounded equally as confused.

“What did you just say?”

“Oh…I said
hole
. Gaping hole. I thought I smelled smoke and hoped there wasn’t a fire. Otherwise it might leave a large
gaping hole
in my kitchen. Like the size of your vagina.”

Ty spit out his drink.

“Jesus, Ty. Do you have to be so sloppy all the time?”

Lena grabbed a napkin, blotting the bar.

Elizabeth still looked genuinely puzzled.

Not that this was a difficult place for her to be.

“The size of my what?”

“Aunt Jemima. I was thinking out loud about pancakes. I’m kind of hungry and wish I had some. A whole lot of them. With lots of butter and Aunt Jemima syrup. My favorite kind.”

Lena checked her phone, furiously texting someone. Who exactly, remained a mystery. Even to Lena.

Elizabeth looked mollified for the time being.

“Oh. You might want to watch that. I mean with your hips and all.”

Elizabeth almost sounded sincere. “Is she a relative?”

Ty snorted.

“Aunt Jemima? Oh yeah…absolutely. My mom’s great aunt, actually.”

Lena gazed warmly at her. Wondering how many pieces she could chop her skull into.