OF ALL THE explanations Zayn could have told Gia, he tells her we’re related? How in the hell am I ever going to explain this once people have found out we’ve been sleeping together? Zayn could’ve come up with a better excuse than that. He could’ve said we were friends. That would’ve been a simple enough answer. Why make up some crazy lie?
“Ah. Okay. So my next question is, are you single?” Gia asks, touching Zayn’s arm and batting her long lashes at him.
The muscle works in Zayn’s jaw, and I’ve noticed that’s a thing he does when he’s uncomfortable. “Yes. Right now, I am single.”
“Good to know,” she tells him. “Vivi can get my number if you want it. Keep me in mind if you want to go out while I’m here in town.”
Zayn lifts his chin. “Thanks, but no thanks.”
Gia’s face twists like someone has smacked her. “Excuse me?”
“I said I’m good,” he says with a little more firmness in his voice. “I’m not interested. You’re not my type.”
Gia’s nostrils flare as she glares at Zayn before turning on her heel and strutting away from us.
My mouth hangs open. I can’t believe for one, Gia threw herself at Zayn like that, and two, I loved how Zayn shut her down.
“That made my damn day,” Bella says with a giggle next to me. “Zayn, you are officially a god to me. I’ve been waiting for someone to put that bitch in her place for over a year now, so I’m glad I witnessed that.”
Zayn sets his empty champagne flute on a table next to us before turning back to us. “I didn’t do it to be cruel, but I know she’s been an asshole to the two of you, so I couldn’t stop myself from giving her a little taste of her own medicine. I don’t have any interest in getting to know a woman who behaves like that, so it was very easy for me to be perfectly blunt with her.”
“Well, whatever the reason. I fucking loved it.” Bella laughs. “I’m going to head over to the buffet. You all hungry?”
“I’m always starving,” Zayn tells her.
I pause for a beat. “You two go ahead. I’m going to go to the ladies’ room first.”
“Need me to come with you?” my friend asks.
I shake my head. “No. I’ll be okay. I’ll only be a sec.”
I head out of the ballroom and to the restroom across the hallway. When I finish peeing, my eyes widen when I open the stall door and find Gia waiting for me on the other side with her arms crossed and a scowl on her face.
Her eyes burn into me as I wash my hands. “Do you need something?”
Gia takes a few steps and closes the distance between us. “I do. I need you to hook me up with your uncle. He’s hot, and it would do wonders for my personal brand to date someone like him.”
A harsh, humorless laugh releases from me. “Not going to happen. You heard Zayn. He’s not interested. What makes you think I can do anything to change his mind?”
“You’re new to this business, so let me give you a tip on how things work. Sometimes, we have to do things a little unconventionally to get ahead. Zayn doesn’t have to like me in order to take me on a couple of dates. We just need some Instagram-worthy photos of us to help boost my desirability status.”
“Zayn doesn’t care about social media, so those photos won’t do anything to help him.”
“The photos might not, but I would be willing to do anything he wants me to if he agrees. You tell him that, and if he’s interested, tell him to call me.” I curl my lip, which only causes Gia to cackle. “Oh, grow up, Vivi. Sexual favors are the currency of stardom. Maybe if you’d learn to spread those legs of yours, you’d be more than an assistant in a dressing room by now.”
Flashes of what Harry said to me yesterday flicker in my mind, and the anger I felt at that moment bubbles to the surface. “You disgust me. I want to earn my way based on my merit, not how well I can ride a man’s dick.”
“Pussy is power, sweet, naïve Vivi. The sooner you learn how to use yours, the faster you’ll get to where you want to be.” She takes a step back. “Tell Zayn what I said. I’m sure he’ll change his mind.”
When she saunters out the door, I grip the counter in front of me as I stare at myself in the mirror. I cannot believe that bitch, and there’s no way in hell I will allow her to sink her claws into Zayn. Gia needs to take the hint and move the fuck on because he is not interested in her skank ass.
I take a deep breath, attempting to calm myself as I stand straight and smooth my dress back into place.
I pull the handle of the bathroom door and find Zayn lingering in the hall outside. He inspects my face, and the concern in his eyes is evident. “You okay? You were gone a long time.”
I lift my chin. “I’m fine. Just had a run-in with Gia in the restroom.”
His brow furrows. “What happened?”
There’s no way I want to repeat what Gia said because I don’t want the terrible idea of Zayn and Gia being together out in the universe. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
A frown touches Zayn’s face, and he stuffs his hands into his pockets. “I get things are different between us now, but if something is bothering you, I still want to hear about it. I don’t want to pretend—” He cuts himself off and turns his head to look away for a moment before returning his gaze to me. “I still care about you, Vivi, and I don’t like the idea of anything hurting you. I’ll do anything I can to make you happy.”
“Everything but being with me, right?” My lips twist as I tell him the one thing he can do that would truly make me happy. “And how could you tell Gia you’re my uncle? Now everyone on the freakin’ planet will think that because she has a big mouth and a huge social media following.”
“It just came out, and it’s easier to repeat the same story I’ve already told once.”
I tilt my head as I stare at him. “Who else believes you’re my uncle?”
He grimaces. “The Devils organization.”
My eyes burn, and questions assault my brain. “Why would you say that? Are you that ashamed of me that you want to hide the fact you’ve been with me?”
His lips drift open as his face contorts like I’ve smacked him. “What?” The word tumbles from his mouth like he can’t believe what I’ve just said. “I can’t believe you’re asking me this right now. Don’t you know how much I fucking worship you—every fucking sexy inch of you?” He closes the distance between us, and he cradles my face in his big, powerful hands. “Do you want to know the real reason I agreed to come here with you tonight?”
My chest heaves, and I’m desperate to hear what he has to say.
His gray eyes bore into mine. “I came here because of what you said about your boss.”
“Oh.” I feel a little deflated because I was hoping he came here for more than that.
“But it’s not only about keeping you safe from that motherfucker like you think. I’m here because the thought of any man touching what’s mine drives me crazy, and I’ll rip their goddamn hands off if they try. And Vivi…You. Are. Mine.” His fingers encircle my hip, yanking me flush against his body. “Mine. You have been since the moment you stepped foot inside my house.”
Before I can say another word, his mouth crashes into mine, and he’s backing me into the ladies’ room I just came from. The lock on the door clicks and he rips away from me long enough to check under the stalls to make sure we’re alone before he returns to devouring my mouth. His tongue twists with mine, and I gasp when he hoists me up onto the counter and pushes himself between my legs.
Warmth spreads down my spine as he works his way to my ear with fervent kisses. I twist, giving him better access as he kisses a trail down my throat. “Fuck. I need you, Vivi.”
His hands snake up my dress, and he grabs the silk material of my panties and rips them off my body.
“Shit,” I hiss, so fucking turned on it’s hard to get relevant thoughts out of my head. “I thought you said this would never happen again?”
“I did say that, and I’m a fucking idiot for believing it because you’re all I want—what I dream of—of having you…” His fingers trail against the soft flesh of my inner thigh before he runs the tip of his finger down my wet slit. “Just. Like. This.” A moan rips out of me as he thrusts one of his fingers inside me. “Always so wet. Tell me, Vivi, do you get wet like this for anyone else, or only me?”
My head drops back, and in a breathy tone, I say, “Only you.”
“Good girl,” he growls before his mouth is on mine again, and he presses his thumb against my clit.
The pressure is almost more than I can take as he massages me inside and out. “Zayn,” I whisper his name, and he nips at the bare skin on my shoulder.
“Tell me what you want, gorgeous, and I’ll give it to you,” he growls as he continues to work me.
“You,” I breathe. “You inside me.”
“Fuck,” he grunts as he uses his other hand to pop open the button on his trousers. I help by shoving his hand out of the way, taking over, and unzipping his pants. My hands snake into his boxer briefs, and he smashes his teeth into his lower lip as I take his length into my hand and stroke. “Damn, baby. Keep that up, and I won’t be able to hold back.”
“I’m not asking you to,” I say as I look up at him under my long lashes. “Promise I won’t break.”
This seems to trigger something within him because he nudges my legs open with his powerful thighs, shoving himself between them. He grabs the base of his cock and nudges the bare tip against my entrance. He grows as he pushes himself inside me, and his head drops back like he’s overcome by its sensation.
“Goddamn, you feel so good. You always feel so good,” he chants as he pulls back and slips back in all the way to the base.
He’s like a madman pounding away inside me, taking what he wants from me, and I fucking love it. I love the idea I make him lose control like this. Knowing I do this to him turns me on so damn much.
He reaches between us and thumbs my clit. “Don’t make this all about me,” he growls. “I want you to come all over my dick. I want to feel you let go while I’m inside you.”
My high heels dig into his ass when I wrap my legs around his waist, and I gasp as warmth spreads through my body. His dirty talk always pushes me over the edge.
“That’s it, baby. Come for me. Let go,” he orders.
“Zayn!” My cry is muffled by his hand covering my mouth. I bite down on his hand as I come, causing him to grunt and follow right behind me.
The warmth of his release fills me, and he shudders. As he leans his forehead against mine while he both try to catch our breath, I realize in our haste, we didn’t use a condom.
I glance down at where our bodies connect, and Zayn’s eyes do the same.
“Fuck, Vivi. I’m sorry. I was so caught up—”
“It’s fine.” I cut him off. “I’m on birth control, so we’re okay on that front, and I promise I’m clean. I haven’t been with anyone other than Robert in the last year and a half, and he was a virgin before he met me.”
Zayn nods. “I’m not worried about you giving me anything. I know you’re a good girl. On the other hand, I’ve been around, but I get tested after I end each of my…relationships, so I’m clean.”
“That’s good to know,” I say.
He presses one last kiss to my lips. “We need to clean you up.”
The minute he pulls out, I immediately miss his warmth. He takes a moment to stare at my pussy, watching as his release drips out of me. Zayn takes his finger and pushes it back in, as if wanting to keep it inside me. He stuffs himself back into his slacks and zips them up before going to the paper towel dispenser and wetting a couple. He goes to work, wiping me clean the best he can before taking time to dry me off.
“This is going to have to do until we get home. Sorry if it drips down your leg since I destroyed your panties.”
I poke my lip out. “Those were my nice ones, too.”
He chuckles. “I’ll buy you new ones. But these are mine. They’re like a trophy.”
I laugh as he helps me off the counter. “You’re crazy.”
He stares down at me with his piercing gray eyes. “About you? Yes.” He throws his arm around my shoulders, tugging me against his side. “Let’s go home so I can fuck you properly all night long.”
“Sounds good to me,” I reply.
