Traitorous Heart: #7 (The Traitorous Heart Series) Read online

  Cage helped me to my feet. “Careful, Dandelion.” He put his arm around my waist and helped me to the couch. “Take these.” He handed me the pain meds and the water.

  “Thank you.” I quickly swallowed the pills.

  Cage took the glass and placed it in the sink. Then sat beside me. “Are you sure it’s a good idea to travel three thousand miles to see Griffin? With your neck and your shoulder and the bigger issue.”

  I gave him a questioning glance.

  “Chloe didn’t act alone. The mastermind behind the killings is still out there. It seems like too much of a coincidence that Griffin has been shot suddenly. Someone wants you all dead. I don’t imagine he’s changed his mind about your need to die because Chloe failed.”

  “I know,” I agreed. “You’re right.” I turned to face Cage on the couch. “But I have to go anyway.”

  Cage’s face fell, but he nodded.

  I took his hand in mine. “It isn’t because I want to get back together with him. It doesn’t have to do with anything romantic or sexual.” I shook my head. “I really don’t understand my reasons, but I feel like if Griffin is going to survive this, he needs me to be there.” I laughed bitterly. “That probably sounds narcissistic.”

  Cage squeezed my hand. “I won’t pretend to get it, but I meant what I said last night.” He paused and I remembered his words. He’d said he loved me.

  We’d been having sex so I hadn’t put much weight into his words. Now though, as he looked at me with those beautiful blue eyes, I realized he meant what he said.

  My heart melted.

  Cage went on, “I’ll support you. If you feel like you need to go, then that’s what you’ll do.”

  I pulled his hand to my mouth and kissed the tips of his fingers. “Thank you,” I said, closing my eyes, wondering how I’d been so lucky to find a man like Cage.

  He leaned in, taking my face in his hands and kissing me. It was more urgent than last night, more needy. I responded as forcefully as I could, pushing my tongue in his mouth.

  “Dandelion,” he whispered, carefully kissing the bandage on my throat.

  Using my good arm, I yanked off his tee shirt, freeing his gorgeous upper body, and ran my fingers along his back.

  All I wore was one of his oversized tee shirts and a white thong. The shirt was white with Mets written across the front in navy blue. Cage’s fingers found my nipples. He pinched and teased until I moaned, arching into him. Pain from my shoulder radiated along my left side, but I ignored it. Cage pulled the shirt over my head so that I sat in front of him in only my thong.

  “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.” He brushed my bottom lip with his thumb.

  I believed him, but still felt a little insecure, especially since the doctor had said the cut on my neck would scar. “Even with all of my war wounds,” I said with a small laugh.

  He gave me a serious look. “Yes. In fact you’re even more beautiful now.” He took my hand and we went to his room. Then he helped me step out of my thong. It was easy to see he had a huge hard on. His cock pushed against the gray sweatpants, begging for its release. I obliged, pulling at the elastic band and pushing them off.

  His cock was huge and delectable. I wanted to take it in my mouth, suckle and caress until he squirted his orgasm all over me. I stared to bend toward him, but Cage shook his head, pulling me up.

  “No. Let me pleasure you.” He helped me lay on the bed so that my ass rested on the edge. Then he spread my legs. “Stunning,” he said, kneeling in front of me.

  I tried to lift my head so that I could watch but it hurt my neck too much.

  “Relax,” Cage said. He spread my pussy slightly and pressed his lips to my clit.

  I gasped at the immediate rush of pleasure. His tongue circled my clit then ran down my slit and pushed inside my pussy. He rocked in and out a few times before running his tongue from my pussy opening to my ass opening and back again. The feeling was new and feral. My body responded to him hungrily. He did that a few more times before his tongue found my opening and he pushed inside once again.

  “God, Cage. That feels so good,” I moaned, pinching one nipple between my finger and thumb.

  “I know, tiger. That’s what I want. To make you feel good.” His tongue ran up to my clit and his fingers took his tongues place in my pussy. First one finger and then two, three and then four until even his thumb was inside my pussy. He moved his hand in and out, slowly pumping while his tongue worked its magic on my clit. My orgasm erupted hard and fast. I grabbed hold of the covers and moaned, “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.”

  Cage pulled his hand from my pussy and brought his fingers to his lips, sucking and tasting. “Delicious,” he said, positioning himself so that his cock could slide inside. He grabbed his cock with one hand and pushed inside, pulled out and used the tip to massage my clit. He was huge and wet and the feeling was amazing.

  He did that several times: pushing inside, pulling out and massaging my clit. The effect caused my body to tense as another orgasm started to build.

  Cage took my legs and put them on his shoulders. Then he pulled me a little more off the bed and more fully onto his cock. With a swirling motion he moved in and out.

  It felt so good, so right. “Oh god,” I moaned, glancing at Cage. His eyes held mine. They were full of intensity.

  “My sweet Dandelion.” Cage moved faster and I grabbed the covers to hold myself steady. “You ready to come again?”

  I barely nodded, my breath coming faster and faster. When I was nearly there Cage pulled out and moved his cock to the opening of my ass.

  I opened my eyes, watching. He pressed against the opening but didn’t push inside. Taking his time he moved against the opening slowly. It felt amazing and my body responded, opening to him, until his cock slid in. The feeling was one of pain and exquisite pleasure. He stopped a moment. “Does it hurt?”

  “A little,” I admitted. “But don’t stop.”

  He nodded and slowly began to push deeper inside. As he went, his thumb massaged my clit.

  A guttural moan came out of me. Cage watched my face, the intensity of his gaze held me fast.

  “Holy fuck, Dandelion. You are amazing. I’m all the way in.” He held there a moment, allowing me to adjust to his thickness. And then he began massaging my clit with more force as he moved his cock in and out of my ass.

  “Fuck, that feels good.”

  I closed my eyes, working toward understanding if I thought it felt good or not. The truth was it did. So fucking good I could barely stand it. The feeling was different. More instinctual, more down and dirty.

  As he moved his thumb on my clit faster and faster he slammed his cock in my ass faster and faster and something changed. The feeling of kind of good changed to holy fucking hot and my body was suddenly racked with an orgasm so strong it was like nothing I could’ve imagined.

  “Oh my god,” I moaned, moving my body against his. I wanted him deeper and deeper.

  When his orgasm came he yelled out. I felt his whole body shudder with the force of it. Then he slowed and gradually pulled out. “How was that?” he asked, helping me stand.

  “Amazing,” I admitted.

  “Good,” he responded. “Now let me help you clean up and then we’ll see about getting you a ticket to Los Angeles.”

  CHAPTER 8

  Katie

  As soon as I landed at LAX I hailed a cab and went straight to the hospital. I only had a small carryon so it was easy to get around, even in my condition.

  When I reached the hospital greeting area, I asked for Griffin’s room and was told how to get there. He’d been moved out of critical condition and was stable so I was glad of that.

  His room was large and covered from ceiling to floor with flowers, cards, balloons, teddy bears, and even panties. I added my little contribution of flowers to the dozens he’d already received.

  When I turned to study the man lying in the bed, I was shocked. Griffin didn’t look like hims
elf. He’d always been larger than life to me. But now, lying in the stark hospital bed, he seemed small. His head had been shaved and wrapped in white gauze. His usually tanned skin seemed pale.

  “Griffin,” I said quietly, placing my hand over his. It was cold and I flinched at the sensation.

  His eyes blinked open.

  “Katie.” He tried to smile but it was more of a grimace. “They’ve got me loaded up on all sorts of pain medication. Is it really you? Or am I dreaming?” His eyes closed. “If it’s a dream I don’t want to wake up.”

  Awwww, I thought. He was sappy but sweet.

  “It’s really me,” I said, patting his hand.

  “But how did you get here?” He opened his eyes again and focused on the sling binding my arm against my body. “You shouldn’t have come. You’re still recovering.”

  “I had to,” I said, sniffling. Tears filled my eyes and fell onto my cheeks. I had no fucking idea why I was crying, but I couldn’t stop. “I needed to thank you for saving me. If you hadn’t come to my apartment when you did…” I couldn’t finish the sentence. The truth about what had almost happened didn’t compute.

  Griffin sighed heavily and caressed my hand. “It was the least I could do.” He searched my face. His gray-blue eyes were filled with tears. “My mom died when I was little. Did I tell you that?”

  I thought back on our first nights together. “Yes,” I whispered as more tears rolled down my cheeks.

  “It was my fault she died. If I hadn’t been so selfish she’d still be alive.” He blinked rapidly and I could see he was trying not to cry too. “My father could barely look at me after her funeral. He still struggles to look me in the eye.” A ghost of a smile licked his lips. “I’m his biggest disappointment.”

  I shook my head. What could I say? It shocked me his father would be disappointed in Griffin. He’d accomplished so much. I shuddered internally. I felt disappointment that our relationship hadn’t worked out. “He’s a fool if he can’t see how amazing you are,” I finally said.

  Griffin shook his head. “I’m the fool.” He looked me directly in the eyes. “I was afraid you would hold me back from my career. I was scared that my feelings for you would overshadow my commitment to Crushed Velvet. I worried that I would love you more than I loved my band.” He turned away before continuing. “I let my fear and my need to prove to my father that I could make it in this business eclipse everything else. Including my feelings for you.”

  I realized with profound sorrow that he was trying to explain why he’d sabotaged our relationship before it had a chance to really bloom. “It’s okay, Griffin.”

  He swallowed, fighting back more tears. “It isn’t. My whole life I’ve believed I was strong, stronger even than my father. In reality I’m a coward and I let my fear destroy the one pure and beautiful thing in my life.” His eyes locked on mine. “What you and I had—it was bigger than anything I could’ve believed possible. And it was amazing. I fell in love with you.”

  I started; surprised he’d used the L word. Was he being serious or were his words a side effect of the medication he was on?

  “What’s so crazy is I don’t need my father’s money. I don’t need him. My mom left me with an enormous trust fund. I’m probably richer than my dad. What I needed though and I guess what I still need is his approval.” He covered his eyes with a hand. “I’m nearly thirty and I still give a fuck what my father thinks.”

  I pulled his hand from his eyes. “Of course you do. I think that’s part of life. Regardless of the size of asshole our parents choose to be, we want them to be proud of us.”

  “But I hurt you. Can you ever forgive me?” He frowned.

  “Of course,” I said, brushing a tear from his cheek.

  He smiled sadly. “Can you ever love me?”

  That was a question I couldn’t answer. “I appreciate you and am so glad we’ve cleared the air…” I trailed off. Could I love Griffin? There was a moment in time when I believed I did love him. But then I’d met Cage. Kind, gorgeous, knows-his-way-around-my-body, and is totally faithful Cage.

  “I’m with someone,” I said, leaning down and kissing his cheek.

  “The lawyer,” Griffin said, looking away.

  I shook my head and smiled unable to help the slight blush that crept into my cheeks. “Yes, the lawyer. Cage.”

  Griffin sighed. His body tensed and then began to shake as his eyes rolled into the back of his head.

  “Griffin. What’s wrong?”

  He didn’t answer.

  “Help,” I shouted. The machines attached to his arm began to beep rapidly.

  Several nurses and a doctor ran into the room. “You need to leave,” one of them shouted.

  I moved to the side, out of the way, watching while they worked on Griffin.

  “We’re losing him,” the young male doctor growled, his gaze falling briefly on me before refocusing his attention on Griffin.

  “No,” I cried. “Please no.”

  “Come on. You need to leave.” A nurse with short black hair, brown skin, and big brown eyes forcefully escorted me from the room.

  I found my way to the waiting area, grabbed a Styrofoam cup, filled it with hot water and took a bag of tea before sitting down.

  Hours later the same nurse returned. “Mr. Maxwell’s brain was swollen and there’s too much fluid surrounding it. He’s been taken into surgery.”

  “Is he going to be all right?” I asked, standing because I was tired of sitting.

  The nurse glanced at the floor. “His chances are good,” she said, walking to the door and opening it. “But I won’t know more until he’s out of surgery.” She left and I went back to my seat.

  Nearly two hours later, the nurse came back. “He’s out of surgery and the anesthesia is nearly worn off. You can see him if you’d like.”

  “Thank you,” I said, following her out of the room and down the hall to Griffin’s room.

  As soon as I opened the door, I regretted it. Griffin’s father stood near his son. He wore a navy suit, white shirt, and red tie. He seemed antsy, like he was in a hurry to be gone. At the sound of my entry, he turned and smirked. “Ah, I remember you. The girl from the restaurant, with the scarf.”

  I nodded. He had to know I was more than that, but I didn’t correct him.

  “He doesn’t love you. The boy can’t even comprehend the meaning. Doing so isn’t in his nature.” Griffin’s father came closer. “If you need—”

  “Where am I?”

  I glanced around Griffin’s father and saw that Griffin’s eyes were open. “Hey,” I said.

  Griffin smirked. “Who are you?” he asked, glancing at his father. “Who’s the girl?”

  Griffin’s father gave me an arrogant glare.

  I turned away, lifting my chin. “I’m Katie. Katie Jayne.”

  The doctor walked in. “You’re awake. Good.” He began checking Griffin’s vitals.

  “What happened? Why am I here?” Griffin touched the top of his head. “What the fuck happened to my hair?”

  “Hmmmm, it seems you may have some short term memory loss.”

  “Can he be fixed?” Griffin’s father asked.

  The doctor put the ends of the stethoscope to his ears and listened to Griffin’s heart. When he finished, he said, “As the swelling goes down he should regain his memories.”

  The doctor glanced at me. “It takes time. Be patient and you’ll have your boyfriend back.” He smiled.

  “I think you should leave,” Griffin’s father said.

  “Yeah, send the bimbo out,” Griffin shouted. I sensed his stress and felt back for him.

  I forced myself to remain calm. “I think you’re right.” I exited without saying goodbye. It was obvious my time in L.A. was over. Griffin didn’t even remember me.

  CHAPTER 9

  Katie

  The flight home was difficult. I worried about Griffin. I thought about what Cage had said. That maybe Griffin being shot had something t
o do with Chloe trying to kill me.

  According to the news the police hadn’t found a single lead in Griffin’s shooting. A spokesperson for Crushed Velvet had said that Griffin was in a coma and that their upcoming tour had been postponed until further notice.

  The idea that Griffin had realized his dream and then had it stolen away so quickly was sad. I felt bad for him and the other members of his band, but I couldn’t do anymore. I wasn’t meant to be in his life any longer.

  Goodbye, Griffin, I thought, realizing my time with him was over. I’d had sex with a rock god and it’d been amazing, but it was nothing more than a fantasy.

  When the plane landed I thought about going to Cage’s. He’d said I was welcome to continue to stay there and I did feel comfortable in his apartment, but I needed to go home. I needed to face the demons there.

  Climbing the steps in my brownstone took more effort than I remembered. Breathing heavily hurt the cut on my neck as well as my shoulder. When I reached my apartment door, I unlocked it and carefully went in. A pungent smell struck my nose. It was a combination of the sweat of too many men and possibly cleaning products.

  I went to the kitchen, pushed open the window and lit a pomegranate-scented candle Birdy had picked up a couple of days before she was arrested. Then I popped a pain pill to ease the discomfort in my shoulder. Once I’d handled the nasty smell and my pain, I faced the living room. It was still a mess. Blood stained the area rug and the cloth-covered loveseat. The police hadn’t moved the chair Chloe had tied me up in and there was a pool of dried blood on the floor behind it. I guessed that was Chloe’s blood.

  The whole scene made my stomach queasy. Part of me just wanted to leave. I wasn’t ready. Instead I decided to ignore it and went into my bedroom. It looked just the same, but somehow felt completely different.

  I wiped at the renegade tears sneaking down my face. “Fuck,” I whispered, falling onto my bed.

  My phone beeped, jerking me out of my wallowing. I took it from my pocket. It was a text from Cage.

  Are you back?