Rock Me Faster (Licks of Leather #4) - Jenna Jacob Page 0,49

purge it all.

“Will it mess up your plans if I take a few days to get some personal things in order before heading to Chicago?” Bernie asked, glancing at Ross in the rearview.

“Not at all. Take as long as you need. I’ll book your flight whenever you’re ready.”

Will he book a flight for me, too…a flight to Kentucky?

Seriously? You’re throwing in the towel on day one? a little voice in my head scoffed.

Clearly, I’d given Ross the power to disturb my peace of mind…my sacred utopia within. I might have started down the path of this new journey on the wrong foot, but I still had time to retrace my steps and take my power back…starting now.

While the two men continued discussing Bernie’s move, I turned my head, closed my eyes, and blocked them out completely.

After inhaling several deep, calming breaths, I focused on quieting the chaos swirling within. First, I imagined myself back home, sitting on the smooth slab of stone beside the rippling creek. I could hear the water bubbling over the rocks, the birds chirping in the trees, and the squirrels scampering across the carpet of leaves and sticks on the ground. I could feel the sun warming my skin, the cool mountain air skimming over my flesh and blowing through my hair. The sharp tang of the pines and rich, loamy soil filled my nose.

When my soul finally settled, I mentally began reciting my favorite mantras, wrapping the familiar healing and empowering words around me until I was safely cocooned in a familiar blanket of peace once more.

“You plan on staying in the limo all night, princess?” Ross’s derisive tone tugged at my veil of serenity.

I opened my eyes and turned my head. He was standing on the sidewalk in front of our hotel peering at me. There was no sign of Bernie anywhere. I wrapped my fingers around my clutch and scooted across the seat. Ross extended his hand to help me out, but I brushed it aside and exited on my own.

“Don’t push me away in public. If the press sees you do that, we’ll have to start this farce all over again,” he murmured, sliding a possessive arm around my waist. Bristling, I pinched my lips together. “Better find a smile under that pout, princess. We’ve been spotted.”

Forcing a smile as plastic as the one stretched over Ross’s lips, I caught sight of several reporters frantically snapping photos as they hurried our way. He quickly guided me inside the hotel, across the lobby, and to the elevators. I could feel Ross’s eyes trying to peel the blanket of calm from my body. Mentally holding it tightly in place, I let several soothing phrases flutter through my mind.

When the doors slid open, I turned and flashed him a brittle but polite smile. “Thank you for dinner.”

He scoffed. “That wasn’t much of a dinner. I mean, neither of us really ate anything. But thank you for enduring that hell with me.”

“No problem,” I said, stepping into the small conveyance. As Ross started to follow, I blocked his path and shook my head. “You don’t need to escort me to my room. I’m capable of—”

“I know exactly what you’re capable of, but I’m still walking you to your room.”

“Suit yourself.” I shrugged, backing into a corner as far away from him as I could.

Neither of us said another word until we reached my room. As I retrieved my key card and went to slide it into the lock, Ross captured my hand.

“You need to stay like this.”

“Like what?”

“Pissed.” He held me prisoner with hungry dark eyes. “I’m not one of the good guys. I only pretend to be when the paparazzi’s around.”

“I don’t believe you. I’ve seen—”

“Exactly what I want you to see, but it’s not the real me. If I let the real me out of its cage, there’d be nothing left of you. I’d destroy you. I’d eat you up…devour you like the sweet, juicy morsel you are and spit you out. I’ll do everything in my power to keep that from happening, but I need you to do the same…for both of us. Understood?”

“Let me get this straight. You’d rather humiliate me than destroy me?”

“Yeah. The longer you’re pissed at me, the safer we’ll be.”

I yanked my hand from his, shoved my card into the lock, then twisted the handle and opened the door. I stepped inside and turned to face him again.

“I thought you were a smart man, but obviously I was