Lennox is at the wheel, steering us through the graveyard shift as we make our way to Cleveland. I find my spot in the passenger seat, keeping him company during the long drive. Out of all the people I know, Lennox is the one I trust to handle the driving. I've been feeling tense lately, on edge, and being behind the wheel would be a welcome relief, but I'm not willing to break the law to satisfy that desire. So, for now, I'm left with a sense of emptiness.
The bus is quiet, with dimmed lights and a gentle hum. My family and bodyguards are sleeping in their bunks, and the privacy door separates us from the front lounge. Only one paparazzi van is trailing us, but their view is obstructed by tinted windows, limiting what the cameramen can capture.
Lennox, with hi
ASHTONI nearly choke on my sports drink. "What?" I hastily wipe my mouth with the back of my arm. "You're kidding, right?""I wish I was," he replies. "We were working an event together a couple of years ago in New York—""What event?" I interrupt, suspecting it had something to do with my family."You weren't there," he clarifies. "It was a cover photo shoot for Forbes magazine, and the paparazzi leaked our location."I recall that my parents, Aunt Serena and Uncle Grant, and Aunt Natalia and Uncle Colton were all on that cover together. "Why was Kaleb there if he was assigned to Blake?"
LENNOXI gathered my radio, carefully untangling the wires of the earpiece, and descended a few steps towards the bus door. Ashton, my client, pulled up his hood and joined me, securing a hunting knife on his ankle and stashing a tactical switchblade in his pocket. He always carried these weapons, even though I knew he probably didn't need them. It was a security blanket for him.Colby had mentioned my name while defending his sister, Willow. I hoped he hadn't said anything incriminating. Ashton scowled, clearly displeased with the situation.Remaining relatively calm, I fastened my radio to my black belt, reassured that if Colby hadn't revealed too much, we would be fine. Ashton understood this as well and asked, "Did you mention who I'm dating?"&n
ASHTONHe nibbled on my ear, further fueling my desire and need. My entire body tensed with anticipation. "Fuck," I swore, gripping his jaw. I yearned for greater, harder pressure.His fingers, adorned with silver rings, trailed down the ridges of my abs. He sucked on the nape of my neck, bit my shoulder, my bicep. I let out a primal growl, overwhelmed by the intensity of my arousal.I hooked my fingers in his waistband, pulling him off the dresser. I watched as his fingers effortlessly and precisely unbuttoned my jeans. In a matter of moments, we were both stripped down to our boxer-briefs, engaged in a heated struggle for dominance. Our hands were everywhere, our movements forceful, igniting my nerves and setting me ablaze.
ASHTON"Good morning, everyone! I'm currently in Cleveland, and I wanted to share this moment with you all through an app Live video," I announce, holding up my phone with the camera facing me. Willow, my cousin, is known for going live frequently, but I felt it was my turn before the event. I playfully toss a couple of pillows against the headboard.Although I'm completely naked, I make sure to stay hidden beneath the champagne-colored comforter, and only my abs are partially visible in the frame.I comfortably slouch on the pillow mound, feeling more at ease. "My cousins and I are really excited to meet our fans at the upcoming meet-and-greet," I address the viewers. "We want to express our heartfelt gratitude for buying tickets. Today's FanCon sold out in just thir
ASHTONI stood in the middle of the room, staring at the padlocked, chained, and bolted door. Frustration surged through me as I muttered an expletive, my eyes fixed on the ceiling above.Lennox, my trusted companion, twirled the knob on his radio, seemingly unruffled by the challenge before us. "It's not a simple task," he commented, his voice steady.Confused, I questioned him further. "What do you mean?"Lennox clarified his statement while casually leaning half on the desk, nonchalantly slipping his hands into his black pants pockets. "What you're going through, what truly matters to you—it's not something trivial," he explained.
LENNOX"Her bodyguard skills are on point," Perry remarks, trading his beanie for a headband adorned with demon horns.Maddy glances over her shoulder to ensure Perth isn't watching. Little does she know, he notices every move she makes. She attempts to discreetly head towards the cash register.I can barely contain my laughter.Perth directed the bouncy ball towards me, drawing my attention. "She's not the only one who does that," he remarked.I stepped away from the table and let out a genuine laugh. "I love it when our clients think we're completely clueless about what's going on."
LENNOXRolling my eyes, I released my microphone and continued observing Ashton and the overly enthusiastic fans. I trusted our entrance security, so I wasn't worried about hidden weapons.Ashton received a basket of cookies from a girl, and as he was about to pass it to an assistant, I stepped in and told her I would take care of it.He handed me the basket, and I asked, "How are you holding up?""Good," he nodded and smiled at his fans in line. Their cheers erupted, and then he turned to me and whispered, "How are Maddy and Lincoln doing?""Maddy is struggling with time management, and Lincoln is being asked to lift girls for pictur
ASHTONAs we make our way to our next tour stop in Chicago, the unsettling news headline continues to haunt me. It announces the cancellation of Cleveland FanCon due to a power outage at the hotel. The technicians were unable to fix the issue for at least 24 hours, forcing security to call off the event prematurely. The disappointment weighs heavily on me, feeling like a stab in the chest.The cancellation means that the promised Q&A session won't happen, and the majority of our fans never had the chance to meet us. Some of them even spent a significant amount of money to travel to Cleveland, only to be let down.I did my best to find a solution to salvage the situation. I made phone calls, discussed options with the crew, and suggested moving the event to another