Hidden in the Stars (Falling Stars #2) (41 page)

He dips his head and I knot the hair at the back of his head in my fingers, taking his mouth with mine.

Palming my ass, he lifts me onto the kitchen island and moves between my spread legs.

"People prepare food on that surface," Sid yawns the words.

Groaning, Jackson lifts his head, narrowing his eyes on her.

"Don't give me that look," Sid scolds. "This is public domain. Go play grope-and-poke in your bedroom."

She pulls open the fridge, taking out the jug of orange juice. Closing the door, she levels a look at Jackson and holds his stare.

"Cockblock," he taunts.

She stops, tilts her head, and looks contemplative before she says, "Hundreds of thousands of sperm and
you
were the fastest?"

I stiffen, immediately reminded of the no condom incident.

My period can't come soon enough.

They silently standoff for another minute before Jackson turns his attention back to me.

"I also have Julia contacting my lawyer today," he says in a casual tone.

"For what?"

"About Sean," he answers in the same cool tone.

"Explain, please."

I push on his chest, putting some space between us. He steps back, leaning against the counter behind him.

"I told you not to worry about the caseworker." He shrugs. "My lawyers will contact the caseworker and his grandmother to get your guardianship solidified. Then he'll be able to feel secure about being here."

The fact that he makes it about Sean feeling secure melts my insides.

"You know that shit affects him, right?" He raises his pierced brow.

"He told you that?" I slip from the counter onto my feet.

"No, not directly, but he's made comments to Luke about appreciating the mom he has and how his house will never be anything like this." He motions to the open space.

I cover my mouth to hold in my gasp.

"We're gonna get things handled before this week is over. So, don't plan on your caseworker returning your call. At least, not until my lawyers are done filing motions or petitions, or whatever the fuck they do." He waves a hand in the air.

"Well, well," Sid says, walking between us, a bowl of cereal in her hands, "you're good sperm after all."

Chapter Twenty-Three

Jackson

Five days. The mornings filled with school routines and—my favorite—afternoons in bed with my snake charmer. It's been five amazing days. It's also only been five goddamn days and she already has the head of security for the W in my penthouse foyer.

Liza stands to the side, scowling at a smirking Sid.

She's pissed, but I know part of the problem is the upcoming meeting with Kristy. Liza won't say it, but I see the flames light in her eyes when the psycho bitch is discussed.

"I promise it won't happen again," I assure, closing the door on the departing manager.

"Why?" Liza growls.

"'Cause it was way too easy," she says, shrugging and turning a pointed look on me. "And if I can hack their firewalls and change the network settings, you really need to rethink how safe you feel in this place."

"You changed the hotel's Wi-Fi to
Free Porn – click me long time
,” Liza blames.

Sid snorts, "Yeah." She grins, proud of her accomplishment.

"It's not funny," Liza cries, covering her face with a hand.

"It kind of is," I say, still not happy, but able to admit the humor.

Dropping her hand, she glares at me. "Not helping."

"Come on," Sid draws. "It's only Wi-Fi. It's not like I gave everyone free room service or reversed room charges."

"You could do that?" I ask, intrigued.

She gives a sly smile, and says, "Maybe."

My phone vibrates in my back pocket, ending my opportunity to ask more about her hacking capabilities.

"I can't take you anywhere." Liza throws her hands up, striding away from Sid and down the hallway.

"Liza," she calls after her cousin, following.

"Hello."

"Mr. Shaw, this is Susan, Mr. Lawrence Preston's legal aid."

"What can I do for you?" I ask my lawyer’s assistant.

"I'm just calling to update you in regards to Gertrude Johnson and the minor Sean Johnson."

"And?" I press, walking into the kitchen to reclaim the drink I poured before the Wi-Fi incident.

"The guardianship papers will need Miss Campbell's signature. They are being brought over now for her to sign. Just return them to him and he'll bring them back to us this afternoon."

"When will they be final?" I lift my juice to my mouth and gulp.

"They should be filed with the state by the end of the week. We'll send your copies as soon as they come available."

"So, they should be here in two days?"

"Yes, sir."

I visualize the girl nodding.

"I also wanted to let you know, Mrs. Johnson, the boy's grandmother, will not be returning to their previous home. It looks like she will have to go into an assisted living home. You may want to let Miss Campbell know so she can coordinate the retrieval of Sean's things."

"Do you know where Mrs. Johnson is being sent?"

"No, sir. I'm afraid I don't."

"Okay, thanks. Tell Lawrence to call me when he's free. I may need him for something else shortly."

"I'll let him know."

"Thanks."

Disconnecting with Susan, I walk to the couch and call Julia.

"Yes, sir?"

"Don't start with that sir shit again," I admonish, settling onto the sofa.

"I don't feel right using your name," she laments.

"Julia—"

"She's right," Julia hiccups. "I'm so sorry for the choices I made that night."

"I get why you did it. Liza doesn't understand the dirty side of working with public figures."

"But she's still right."

Sighing, I rub the back of my head.

"Yeah, Julia, she is," I confess.

"I'm sorry." She sniffs.

"I know you are, and, if you want to make it up to me, I need you to add something else to your list of tasks."

She sniffs once more, takes an audible breath, and says, "Of course. What can I do for you?"

"I need you to research assisted living homes in the same area you're looking for homes. Sean's grandmother is going to need a place to go and I'd like her to stay close to him."

"You are so amazing." Liza's voice surprises me, making me twist to look over the back of the couch.

"I'll start this afternoon," is Julia's reply.

"Great, thanks."

I disconnect, watching Liza come around the couch. When she reaches me, she sits on my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck.

"You don't have to do all this," she says, furrowing her brow.

Brushing away strands of hair from her face, I say, "I know, but it matters to you, which means it matters to me. Also, his grandmother is the closest Sean's got to a mother. He needs her."

She burrows against my chest, warming my skin and heating my blood. Encircling her in my arms, we sit this way for a while.

Fuck, this girl twists my insides.

Friday arrives and the Bel-Air hotel feels foreign to me now. Like my time here was so long ago, when, in fact, it's only been a few weeks. From where I’m sitting in one of the beige seats, I glance at the chair across from the couch—the same chair Liza and I began our first night of debauchery in. A smile comes to my face and I tighten my hand on the thigh she has propped on the arm of my seat.

"What the hell are you smiling at?" Elliott asks, sitting in said chair. He puts his hands over his t-shirt covered chest. "Quit checking me out. I'm a married man."

"There's something wrong with you," Jimmy says.

"If you're referring to my awesome manly physique, there's nothing wrong." Elliott rubs over his chest. "I can't help it if he wants me."

"You finally get laid by your wife and you think you're a sex god," Kat says from her spot on the couch next to Jimmy.

He scoffs, "I've always been a god."

"Enough," Chris exclaims, pushing off the wall, starting to pace. "When the hell is this bitch going to show up?"

"She's not exactly known for being on time," I answer, bored with this already.

"No, she's known for being God's gift to runway," Sid adds, causing everyone to look at her. She shrugs. "I could make her famous for other things."

The evil glint in her eye matches my own malicious desire to post that sex video to every website imaginable.

"She's on her way up." Una steps out of the bedroom, slipping her phone in her pocket. "We should clear out this area."

"Why?" Chris stops pacing, crossing his arms over his chest.

"So she doesn't go running out the door when she sees everyone in here," Una explains.

"Screw that," he snaps. "Julia, you answer the door, excuse yourself when she comes in, and close the door behind you. I block the door as soon as you're out. This shit ends and he does it with us at his back."

Always the asshole, he raises a brow, challenging Una.

His out of character caring, in his own asshole-like way, doesn't go unnoticed by Una. Her lips thin to hide her smile and she gives a nod.

When the knock comes at the door, Julia hurries to pull it open.

"Hello, I'll just get out of your way." She motions Kristy in and closes the door behind her.

Chris moves in a blur, pressing his back to the door.

Kristy stops in her stilettos. Taking in the group, the smile she wore disappears. Her eyes flit from Elliott to Jimmy, Kat, Una, Chris, Mia, and Sid, finally settling on Liza sitting at my side.

"Well, this is unpleasantly unexpected," she says, her voice heavy with sarcasm. "I thought you wanted to be alone, Jackson?" She bats her eyelashes.

"You're going to cease providing source material to the media," Una demands.

Kristy rolls her perfectly made up eyes. "Didn't we already have this conversation? I don't repeat myself."

"No, you fuck three guys at a time," Sid mutters.

"What did you say?" Kristy sneers, twisting her head in her direction.

Sid opens her mouth.

"Eyes on me, Kristy," I order, preventing Sid from launching into all the dirty details.

Her eyes come to mine, fire still blazing in them.

"I know you're the one spreading shit and providing whatever pictures you can get your hands on." Reaching out to the table, I pick up the bedazzled cell phone. "Whether it's from your own phone," I lift it for her to see, "or someone else's."

"How did you get my phone?" Stalking forward, she rips it from my hand. "You stole it?" she accuses. "I'll have you arrested."

"Oh, no, that would be me." Kat raises her hand, a large smile on her face. "But, I didn't steal it. I happened to find it on the floor of a club. I grabbed it so it wouldn't fall into the wrong hands." Kat's face is a mask of sweetness.

"Like mine," Sid adds, smirking.

Kristy, trying to ignore Sid, sees right through Kat's act. Seething, she turns back to me. Her mouth twisted in fury, she parts her lips to breathe fire.

"You'll pay for this and everything else, you pathetic asshole," she threatens.

Standing, I tower over her.

"You," my voice rises, "will stop this bullshit or every dirty thing we found on your phone will find its way to certain people."

Our eyes bore into each other, neither one wanting to back down.

"That means," Sid steps up next to me, "a particular celebrity will find out you have a video of him and his lover. And if he happens to believe you're trying to blackmail him, well…" Sid lets the sentence fall off and shrugs.

"You fat fucking—"

"And perhaps YouTube needs a new celebrity sex tape!" Sid claps her hands together, smiling. "Could you imagine the number of hits my channel could get?" She looks wistful.

Kristy's face falls, her body going still as a gush of air puffs out of her.

"Let me just tell you," Sid drops the smile and steps into Kristy's personal space, "You are no Kardashian. I don't think you'll skyrocket to fame on that one." Her eyes rake over Kristy's body. "You don't have the ass or tits for it, so I suggest you do as Jackson asks or I'll crotch kick your boney ass."

Liza grasps Sid's arm, pulling her away from a shell-shocked Kristy.

The room falls silent, aside from Kristy's heavy breathing. Her mouth pops open and closes, then opens again to say, "You wouldn't?" Her watery eyes come back to mine.

My silence widens her eyes. Stepping forward, her hands come to my chest, fisting my t-shirt. "You can't. I didn't…it wasn't..." she sobs.

Gripping her wrists, I pull her off of me and step back. Reaching back, I take Liza's arm and haul her to my side, wrapping my arm around her back.

"You mean like you tried with her." I nod to Liza.

A large tear spills over Kristy's cheek.

"And with me," I add, pointing to my chest. "You're a fucking piece of work, you know that?" I sneer.

Her shoulders shake and another sob escapes her mouth. More tears flow, causing her mascara to run.