"You don't have to do this," I finally whisper.

  "It's just a job, princess."

  It's not just a job, and we both know it. For him, this is huge. He hasn't been on a film set since he almost died on one. But he's going back to one now. For me. He may not have said the words yet, but if this isn't proof of how he feels about me, I don't know what is. This grumpy, beautiful man loves me. Enough to jump into the fire for me.

  "Fuck," Kaiden growls, staring in dismay at the film set early the next morning. Christmas decorations glint from one end to the other, turning the entire lot into a literal Christmas fairytale. One section of the lot is even covered in fake snow, with more of it drifting down from snow machines set up overhead.

  "Grinch," I giggle from beside him, trying to lighten the mood. He's been tense and anxious this morning. Despite trying to act like it's no big deal, I know this isn't as easy for him as he's trying to pretend. The fact that it's a Christmas movie probably isn't helping matters. My man is not a fan of the holiday. I'll win him over to the Darkside one way or another, though.

  He shoots me a dirty look that makes me laugh again. The whole set is eerily quiet. No one seems particularly thrilled to be here. I think Kaiden may fit in more than I do. Everyone is scowling or glaring or grumpy. I seem to be the only one excited by the prospect of making this movie. Then again, I'm the only one walking into work with the world's hottest man by her side.

  "I'll show you what grows six sizes if you keep smiling at me like that," he grumbles.

  "It's three sizes."

  "I've been in you, princess. Mine grows a helluva lot more than three sizes, and you know it."

  "Yay for me," I sass, flashing him my dimples.

  He shakes his head, a ghost of a smile flashes across his lips. Finally.

  And then we come to the trailers. He stops walking mid-step, his gaze drifting along the row until it lands on the one with my name on the door.

  Crap.

  "We don't have to go in," I rush to assure him. "We can hang around out here until the set meeting."

  "I'm not afraid of the trailer," he says quietly.

  "Oh." I swallow hard, wringing my hands together. I search for something to say, floundering wildly out of my depth. "I don't know how to help," I finally admit in a whisper. "I want to make this easier for you, but I don't know how to do that."

  "You make it easier simply by existing."

  "Kaiden."

  "Let's go check out your trailer."

  "Are you sure?"

  "Laura," he growls.

  "Let's go check out my trailer!"

  He chuckles and nudges me in that direction. I think I may be more nervous than he is about this. Jeez. He's so damn brave. I wish I had his courage. I'd be unstoppable if I did. But I'm a coward at heart, and he's a warrior, willing to face any battle.

  He hesitates for a split second on the threshold of the trailer before stepping inside. The trailer is small with him inside. The kitchenette is to the right, with a coffee pot and microwave and a two-seater table. A sitting area to the left boasts a small couch, a glass coffee table, and a television. The hallway leads to a bathroom and a small bedroom. A bouquet of red and white roses rests on the table in front of the sofa, along with a note welcoming me to the cast. There's a gift basket of goodies as well.

  Kaiden grunts when he sees the flowers, a shadow passing in front of his eyes.

  "They send them to everyone," I say softly, fighting a smile.

  "I should have bought you flowers."

  "You're here. That's better than flowers any day," I murmur, wrapping my arms around him and leaning up on my toes to kiss his cheek. At least that's my plan.

  He hooks one arm around my waist, anchoring my body to his. His free hand plunges into my hair, angling my head as his mouth comes down on mine. He kisses me hard and deep, not letting me up for air until I'm practically climbing his body and purring.

  "Fuck." He bucks his hips into my hand when I cup him through his jeans and squeeze.

  "I want you."

  "Horny little girl." He bites my lip, dragging it through his teeth. "Take my cock out then. Take what you want."

  "What if I want you down my throat?"

  His hand in my hair tightens, his eyes darkening.

  "You want to choke on my cock?"

  "Yes," I breathe.

  "On your knees then," he orders, his voice a rumbling growl.

  I obediently drop to my knees, eager to taste and please him. He has his mouth on me at every opportunity, eating me until I'm pleading for him to fuck me. But he rarely lets me get my mouth on him. When I do, he loses his mind. I love it so much. Nothing is sexier to me than watching him unravel above me.

  He undoes his pants, his eyes on fire as he pulls his cock out.

  I moan at the sight, my mouth watering.

  He fists it in his hand, yanking roughly.

  "You live for this dick, don't you?" He pants as he stares down at me.

  "Yes." I squeeze my thighs together, not denying it. Before him, I never understood why people were so obsessed with sex. Now, I get it. God, do I ever. I want him every moment of the day. When he isn't in me, I ache for him. When he is in me, I want more, more, more. He can't fuck me often enough or hard enough to please me. He claimed me and turned me into a greedy little addict. Except he's the only one I want. Him and his cock, his touch.

  He steps up in front of me, running the head of his cock across my lips. He bounces it there, teasing me. Always, he teases me, toying with me, seeing how far he can push me before I crack. Before I beg. It never takes long.

  "Please," I plead. "Please, Kaiden."

  "Suck me, princess," he growls. "Be a good girl and suck it hard."

  I lick around the head, moaning as his taste hits my system. God, I love it. I dip my tongue into the slit, making him growl and curse. His hand tangles in my hair, his expression turning savage. His lip curls up, ecstasy washing over his face. It softens his features and hardens his eyes.

  I suck him into my mouth, wrapping my tongue around the head.

  "Goddamn." He rocks his hips against my face, unable to help himself "Ah, princess. That hot little mouth of yours."

  I moan around him, his praise spurring me on. I never have to wonder if he enjoys what I do to him or what we do together. He tells me. Praise falls from his lips in a filthy flood. He's crude and dirty, saying things no one has ever said to me, at least not to my face. When he says them, though, I love it.

  "That's right. Suck it like the greedy girl you are," he demands. "Take it all."

  I try. God, I try. I plunge down, taking so much of him that I gag. Still, I can't fit him all in my mouth. My eyes water, and I pull back, taking a breath before I plunge down again. My lips stretch wide around him as I fight for every inch.

  "Ah, God, princess. I can feel your throat closing around me."

  I moan and push forward again, swallowing around his length.

  "Laura!" He chokes out my name as his dick slips down my throat. "Ah, Christ. I'm going to come, princess."

  I wrap my hands around his thighs, refusing to let him go as he tries to pull back. He curses, trembling above me. And then the first splash of cum hits the back of my throat. I swallow the salty tang and then pull back slightly as he spills into my mouth and down my throat repeatedly.

  I barely have time to swallow the last drop before he drags me into his arms. His wild gray eyes meet mine, his breath a ragged pant. And then his mouth slants over mine, his kiss hard and insistent.

  "Fucking perfect little princess," he growls against my lips.

  "You're not so bad yourself," I whisper, beaming.

  "My turn." He reaches for my zipper.

  Bang, bang, bang.

  Kaiden whips his head in the direction of the door.

  "Two minutes until the set meeting, Ms. Groves!" someone shouts through the door.

  "Son of a motherfucking bitch," Kaiden curses.

  I bury my face in his shoulder, laughing loudly.

  Chapter Seven

  Kaiden

  "Jesus Christ," I mutter, dodging boxes of Christmas shit as I scour the set in search of Laura. This place looks like the North Pole took a shit right in the middle of it. I suppose it's not entirely terrible. It has a certain charm about it.

  Or maybe Laura is softening me. I don't fucking know. All I know is that being here isn't nearly as intolerable as I thought it would be. I've mainly stuck to the edges of the set, keeping to myself since the set meeting ended an hour ago. But being here feels a little like coming home. I didn't expect that. I expected it to hurt a whole helluva lot more, truth be told.

  For months after the accident, I woke in a cold sweat, plagued by nightmares. The sounds of the trailer caving in on me haunted my mind. Small spaces gave me full-fledged panic attacks. The myriad of bandages and the never-ending parade of surgeons and specialists drove me insane. All I wanted to do was fucking forget what happened to me, but it was everywhere.

  I was almost relieved when people stopped coming around. When they stopped asking how I was doing. It allowed me to move on and put it behind me. I just never realized until today how far I'd moved on. It doesn't hurt like it used to hurt. Being back on a film set feels good in a strange sort of way.

  It's bittersweet.

  I round a corner and nearly bowl down Audrey…at least I think that's her name. She works in hair or makeup or something like that. I wasn't paying attention when everyone was introduced. I was too busy staring at Laura. She thinks it's hilarious that someone interrupted us before I got to eat her cunt in her trailer. She'll change her tune when I finally get my hands on her.

  "Shit, sorry." I take a quick step back into the shadows out of habit, not that it matters. Everyone here has already seen the scar across my face. There were a few uncomfortable stares and lingering looks. No one commented on it, though. Then again, they usually don't say anything to my face. They wait until my back is turned to start whispering.

  "You look lost," she says, giving me a friendly smile. She focuses on my eyes, barely even glancing at the scar. Interesting.

  "Not lost," I mutter.

  She ignores my surly attitude and presses forward with the conversation. "You're Kaiden, right? Kaiden Huxley?"

  "I am," I growl and then huff out a breath. Fuck. I'm being an ass. I'm trying to rejoin society, not make everyone hate me. I need people to root for my relationship with Laura, not go out of their way to destroy her reputation for choosing to be with me. I don't get the impression this woman would do that, but still. I'm supposed to be playing nice. "Sorry." I grimace apologetically. "Yeah, I'm Kaiden."

  "I'm Audrey Jones. It's been a long time since you were on a set, hasn't it?" she asks softly.

  I jerk my head in a nod.

  She smiles kindly. "Well, I'm happy to see you back on one, Kaiden." Her expression turns knowing. "And so is your girl."

  "My girl?" We've been on set for all of an hour and a half. How the fuck does work travel so fast? Not that I personally object to the world knowing she's mine. Fuck no, I don't. But I don't want to make her life more difficult than it already is, especially right now.

  The last thing she needs is to be linked to someone like me.

  "If you're looking for her, she's over in Wardrobe," Audrey says instead of answering. "They're fitting her for tomorrow."

  "Thanks." My gaze flicks over her shoulder as Luca Regis, the director, spots us. His eyes narrow as he looks between us, his broad shoulders tensing. His gaze lingers on me for a moment, cool and assessing. Even from here, I can read the hot stamp of possession in them, the territorial warning. Ah, goddammit. He's read the situation all wrong, and he's pissed.

  Right on cue, he charges toward us like a bull, his dark eyes spitting fire.

  Audrey glances over her shoulder at him.

  I decide to beat a hasty retreat. The last thing I need is to piss off the director on day one, especially over a woman I have no interest in pursuing. Laura owns me, heart and soul. He's welcome to this one.

  "Erm…which way is Wardrobe?" I ask Audrey.

  Luca steps up beside Audrey, spearing me with a dark look. "How would Audrey know? She's hair and makeup. Wardrobe is Edie's department."

  "Right," I mutter, shaking my head. Guess I'll be finding it by my damn self then.

  Halfway to Wardrobe, Laura's love interest in the movie stumbles out of his trailer with his assistant hot on his trail. Abel Clarke. He's one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. He's also one that can't seem to stay out of the papers. Everyone has an opinion on Clarke, and most aren't great. He's known for being difficult.

  I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried about the fact that he's starring alongside Laura in this movie. It has nothing to do with his dark good looks and everything to do with his reputation. The last thing she needs right now is a bad boy on his redemption tour fucking this up for her. And I'm not nearly dumb enough to believe he decided to do this movie of his own free will. I'm guessing he's one more scandal from serious trouble, and this is him paying his dues.

  "They're going to make such a good couple," a woman sighs.

  I whip my head in her direction. "Who?"

  She turns wide eyes on me, blinking as if just noticing me. Her gaze darts to the scar across my cheek, her heavily made-up face paling slightly. I don't know who she is. She wasn't there when Laura introduced me earlier. And then I see the studio badge clipped to her shirt. Loraine Templeton. Production Assistant. She works for Heart & Soul.

  "Oh, um, Abel and Laura," she says.

  "They aren't together," I grit out through clenched teeth.

  "Oh! Of course, of course," she stammers. "I mean their characters. People are going to go crazy when they see them on screen together, you know. He's so freaking hot. And she's gorgeous. Audiences will eat it up. Especially once they see that sex scene in the candy shop." She fans her face and laughs. "It's going to be the talk of the town!"

  My brows pull together in a dark scowl. Fucking hell. She has a sex scene with him. I mean, I knew she had a sex scene with him. But I didn't think about the ramifications of her having a sex scene with him. He'll be touching her. People will see them together. People will see her.

  "Are…are you growling?" Loraine asks.

  "Where the fuck is a copy of this script?"

  Loraine shuffles through the stack of papers in her arms and thrusts a copy of the script at me. I take it and spin on my heel, stomping back toward Laura's trailer. I fling myself inside, my heart pounding. I want to hunt Abel down and break his pretty face. But I can't do that. Laura will fucking kill me. And it's not like he's even done anything wrong anyway. I'm rational enough to realize that, even with possessive jealousy roiling through me in a dark cloud.

  Instead, I read through the scene, said jealousy eating me alive. This is her job. I knew that when I fell in love with her. I'll swallow my own goddamn tongue before I ask her to quit, especially right now. But fuck my life. I did not consider the fact that I'd have to be here and see this scene unfold when I took this job. If I had….

  If I had, nothing. I'd still be here. Fuck. I'd still be right goddamn here. It doesn't fucking matter if he touches her for a movie. It doesn't matter if he pretends to make out with her or if he pretends to fuck her. And I don't give a fuck if every viewer on the planet sees it and cooks up some fantasy of the two of them living happily ever after. It'll never happen.

  She's my little shining star. No sex scene and no movie will change that. Neither will Abel Clarke. I don't care if he is "freaking hot," as Loraine said.

  I fling the script across the trailer, scrubbing my hands down my face.

  "Get it together, Kaiden," I mutter to myself. It doesn't help. Truth is…I'm losing my mind here. Since the day I met Laura, I've been in a freefall. Long dormant instincts have taken over. Jealousy and hot possession ride me every minute of the day. All I think about is her. All I dream about is her. Half of me wants to keep her all to myself. The other half wants to shout from the rooftops that she's mine and no one else can have her.

  The two sides constantly war with one another. Knowing she's being dragged through the mud is fucking me up. I don't like it at all. She deserves the world. This woman was made to be adored. And goddamn, how I adore her.

  If her name is going to be linked to anyone else's in the press, I want it to be mine. Not Abel Clarke's, not some other actor, but mine. The man who fucking worships the ground she walks on. I'm in love with her, and I want everyone to know it.

  Until the day I got trapped in that fucking trailer, I never cared what people thought about me. I did what I wanted to do, and I didn't make apologies for it. But I've spent the last ten years caring too goddamn much. Now, I'm frozen by inaction when it counts the most, terrified that Laura's reputation will take a hit if she's linked to me.

  But her reputation is already taking a hit, isn't it? She's already suffering, isn't she? People are already saying vile shit about her. And still, I'm letting their opinions shape our future. I'm allowing what they might have to say dictate what I do.

  It's bullshit.

  People don't have to like me. They don't have to think I deserve her. I don't care if they tear me to shreds in the papers or say she can do better. Maybe there are a thousand other men out there who look better than I do. It doesn't matter because not a single fucking one of them will ever love her harder or worship her like I do. That much, I can guarantee.

  Let them do their worst. It won't change a fucking thing.

  I'm claiming my girl. It'll be my name linked to hers or no ones.

  Anyone who doesn't like it can get fucked.

  Chapter Eight

  Laura

  "Whoa. Who is that?"

  "Is that…Kaiden Huxley?"

  I glance up from the script to see Kaiden barging through the space like a bull in a China shop, his eyes locked on me. He's wildly out of place amongst the rows of costumes, standing head, and shoulders higher than everyone else. The intense look on his face steals my breath.

 

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