Malibu Betrayals (23 page)

He shoved Dani away.

She laughed. “Oh, come on now, people. This is Gage Cutler.” She turned and ran her fingers across his jaw. “He was just showing me the ropes, weren’t you, Gage?”

Gage grabbed her fingers and flung them away. He searched Sam’s eyes. She looked at Martin and then the floor.
No, no, no. Goddamn it.
“This is not what it looks like.” He skirted the office chair. “Sam.”

Sam stepped back. “No? You promised me, Gage.” Before he could say a word, she turned and ran from the room.

He stepped to go after her. “Sam!”

Dani moved in front of him. “Let her go. We have some unfinished business.” She grabbed his crotch again.

Fury surged through him and joined his utter confusion. Who was this woman? “What the fuck?” He shoved the woman out of his way. “Martin?” A glance at Martin showed nothing but disapproval, his lips turned down and pressed in a tight line.

Gage shot him a look. “I can explain this later. I’ve got to go talk to Sam.”

He didn’t wait for an answer and ran out of the office.

He’d promised to always choose her, and now he had to convince her he had.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Sam brought her car to a screeching halt in front of Raquel’s house. Sobs wracked her. Pain radiated from her chest, her head ached, her fingers numb. Damn it. She knew this would happen.

She pushed the door open and made her way to the front entrance. Within seconds Raquel answered and ushered her inside. “Martin called. Come on in, honey.”

Sam followed her friend to the kitchen and sat at the breakfast bar. Tears streamed down her face, and she couldn’t catch her breath. “Why? Why would he do this?”

Raquel filled a glass with water and a tumbler with scotch. She handed both to Sam. She indicated the tumbler. “Drink this, then wash it back with this,” she said, pushing the water in front of Sam.

“It’s not even noon.”

“It’ll settle you. Do it, darling.”

Sam did as she was told, thankful for once for her bossy friend, and her breath seized as the liquor burned down her throat. After a fit of coughing, she downed the water. Her insides warmed, and she pulled in a deep breath.

“Now.” Raquel took a seat next to her and folded her hands in her lap. “Tell me what happened.”

Sam filled her in, as well as she could. She hated crying.
But it’s Gage
.

Raquel smiled in the understanding way that mothers did. “What did Gage say?”

Sam rolled her watery eyes and blew her nose with an offered tissue. “What could he say? I left.” She shook her head. “I’m not going to let anyone do this to me again, living or dead.”

“Darling, I doubt Gage is as guilty as you think.”

“What?” Sam tilted her head, desperate to know how Raquel could come to that conclusion. “Since he had that debacle with his mother, he’s pulled away from me. Dani’s been stopping by, sending him messages. Along with all the crap on the set, he’s Gage Cutler.”

“And you’re Samantha Dekker.”

Sam sniffed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Raquel sighed and studied Sam. “Ethan hurt you—”

“This has nothing to do with—”

“Darling.” Raquel sent Sam a look that both questioned the interruption and warned of arguing. “As I was saying. Ethan hurt you, in many ways, while living and after he killed himself.”

Sam’s stomach turned. Moments of disbelief still caught her off-guard at times.

Raquel continued. “You are primed to distrust, to believe the worst, to run instead of facing your fight.”

Her head hurt, and she rubbed the space between her brows.

“Darling, it isn’t meant in one way or another, and you know it, just simply is. Gage will always be chased by women, but to my knowledge
he’s
only been chasing one.”

Sam dropped her chin to her chest. The image of Dani pressed up against Gage, a black and white glossy in her mind. Then, too, Dani all but jumping away from him the morning at the condo. She’d reeked of guilt.

Sam shook her head.

Gage pushing her away, caught twice with Martin’s assistant, along with the drinking the other night—was that what she was in store for? The tension between her shoulder blades twisted painfully. A heavy weight settled in her chest.

His world was impossible. It wore on him in the past, and she couldn’t help but worry.

Which meant she needed to find out what had really happened. One thing he’d always been was honest; it wasn’t fair to act like he hadn’t been. He’d said he’d chosen her, that he’d always choose her.

She pulled her shoulders back and squeezed Raquel’s hand. “Thank you.”

A genuine smile shone from her friends face. “Whatever for?”

“For helping me see clearly.”

Raquel leaned in and wrapped Sam in her arms. “We’re not just friends, we’re family.”

She returned the hug with a nod. Gage was part of that family, too. They needed to have a conversation.

Loving Gage meant she owed him that much.

Sam thanked Raquel and headed toward Gage’s. She let herself into his place, thanks to his instructions to security. Even when she’d run from him he took care of her; that said a lot that words never could. The house was quiet. “Gage?”

The silence triggered memories and her heart pounded in her chest, but she pulled in a deep breath and tamped down her panic.
Gage isn’t Ethan. Let it go
.

She walked through the house, looking for signs Gage was there as she went. “Hello?” Rounding the corner into his room, a breeze blew the sheers hanging from the ceiling in front of his sliding doors, and she saw the shadow of his form through the gauzy fabric.

Stepping through the doors, she stood and looked at him. He sat with his wetsuit unzipped and hanging at his waist, water dripping from his hair, off his chin, down his chest, and his board leaning against the railing.

She cleared her throat. “You went surfing?”

He looked at her—pain shone from his eyes, and she felt ten times a fool—and then back out to the waves, his lips pressed into a grim twist. Fatigue left his expression bare. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Then why’d you tell security to let me in?”

He made a sound low in his throat, a mix between a grunt and a laugh and full of derision. “Because for some reason, when it comes to you, Sam…I keep hoping.” He leaned back in his chair and stretched his legs out in front of him. “You can’t keep running every time something happens.”

Denial sprang to her lips. “I don’t…I—”

His look silenced her. She did, every time, but what was she supposed to do, stay and be humiliated—again? Find out in front of everyone that she wasn’t enough—again?

She moved in front of him, sliding her hand along his shoulder, keeping it there though he’d flinched. “It looked bad, Gage.”

He continued to stare out at the ocean, stubborn and defensive. “Looked bad. We’ve talked about this.” His eyes locked on hers. “You, I want you, have been waiting for
you
. Do you really think I’d toss it all aside for that woman…any woman?”

She’d been a fool, but she was scared. Her future was processed by her past, and her past overflowed with betrayal and infidelity. “I’m sorry…I…” Tears welled in her eyes, and she pulled in a breath to keep them in check.

Gage slid his hands to her waist and dropped his forehead to her belly. “Seeing you run was torture. I can’t keep chasing you, Sam. Someday you’re going to run too far for me to reach.”

Sam ran her fingers through his hair, down to his neck, and then over his shoulders. She nudged him back and slid onto his lap. Staring into his eyes, she lowered her mouth to his, hovering a breath away. “I have to get used to women throwing themselves at you all the time. I knew it happened, but I wasn’t prepared to see it.”

With a firm rub of both hands up her arms, Gage slid his calloused fingers under her hair and gripped the back of her head, holding her tight while he kissed her, gently exploring her mouth.

There was so much to lose with her love holding onto him so tight.

Gage stood, still kissing her, and she gave a yelp into his mouth, wrapping her legs about his waist. He smiled against her lips and it warmed her heart. He’d forgiven her. Walking to the edge of his porch, he slid her to the ground and grabbed his board.

She rained kisses over his face. “What are you doing?”

“I’m going to show you how much I love you, so there is no room left in that over-thinking brain of yours to ever doubt it again.”

Sam tilted her head.

He looked out to the water and tucked his board under his arm. “I’m going to share something with you I’ve never shared with anyone.”

Glancing at his board, she turned back to find a determined glint in his eye. “Really?” Her heart picked up its beat. He wanted to take her surfing? Her lips trembled into a smile.

He gave one tip of his chin and held out his hand. After making quick work of a wetsuit, she took his hand for a second time and followed him down to the beach and into the water. Gage floated his board between them. “Slide on.”

Darting glances between him and the waves washing into shore, she hesitated. He held her gaze, steady and sure. Sam slid on the board and then sat up, her legs straddling each side. Gage went to the back of the board and found his way behind her, wrapping his arms about her waist. They floated in silence for a bit, the sun’s rays still warm as they reached from the horizon. He settled his chin on her shoulder, and they rode the waves in lazy rolls. His voice rumbled close to her ear, sending shivers down her spine. “So beautiful.”

She glanced at the sunset, but when she looked back at him, he was looking at her, and her heart squeezed. “Thank you for bringing me out here.”

He looked out over the ocean. “Solitude and freedom are amazing gifts, Sam, but you have to fight for them as much as accept them when they come. The waves are a challenge, but the reward is worth it.”

“Are you talking about the ocean or us?”

Gage turned her chin toward him with the slightest pressure at her jaw. “Let’s ride, Sam.”

He slipped back into the water and steadied the board. “Lie on your stomach and then slide your knees under you.”

She rubbed the smooth surface of the board.

He placed a strong hand on her knee. “Do you trust me?”

She looked down at him. Water droplets clung to his lashes, his eyes intense. She nodded. “I trust you.”

…

A few days later, Sam hummed while she slicked gloss along her lower lip, picturing Gage’s naked ass as he’d walked to the shower earlier that morning. They’d woken early and gone out to the water with Gage’s board. She sighed, remembering the peace of floating on the ocean waves together in silence.

She didn’t feel like going out, but obligations held her to it. Another party promoting the new film, and Martin required her attendance. Of course.

What she really wanted to do was curl up on the couch with Gage—and his ass—and watch an old movie, tucked safe and warm in his house away from the world. She wanted to laugh and talk and have a hot, steamy evening away from the potential of something ruining it.

Especially with the latest tabloids hitting the markets. Headlines like,
Cutler Strikes Again
and
Cutler’s Party Trick
. The paparazzi splashed old photos of his hot-rodding and photos from the accident between him, the paparazzi, and Ethan, alongside photos of Cecilia’s screaming face from the night of the premiere party. Gage was an easy target. He was an A-list actor who lived large. The guy couldn’t seem to stay out of trouble years back, and now the trouble was simply dangled in front of his face like day-old meat. This time, though, she was ready for it. Gage’s publicist let them know before the magazines hit the market and did quick damage control. Sam had a feeling he had his work cut out for him.

Smoothing her hands down the front of her dress, she studied her image in the mirror. She looked a bit tired, but the pink flush to her cheeks at the thought of why she was so tired helped, and the side-sweep of her flowing curls lent more of an appearance of mystery than weary, thank God. The ivory pencil-skirt dress glowed against her tanned skin. A few days passed out on her balcony had brought a glow to her skin at least.

Martin sent a town car to pick her up. She relaxed back against the seat but had to force her fingers out of their tight grip. Her stomach performed somersaults as she imagined Gage in his tux. He had a slew of interviews scheduled right before the premier, so he needed to get there early. She worried about how he’d been dealing with all the drama lately, his own with his mom and hers with the Evanses. Apparently dating her came with a lot of baggage, too. She winced. The film was a big deal for him as a debut director, not to mention as the star of the movie, and it needed to be a box office hit. The last thing he’d needed was Ethan’s name splashed in the headlines again.

The driver pulled up to the front door of the event. A mini red carpet stretched before her as the car door opened. Sam made her way along the red pathway, heart pounding in her chest, the atmosphere thick with excitement and anticipation. Cameras flashed and strangers called her name. Something was definitely in the air tonight. She thought of Gage, and head held high, grinned into the cameras. He needed some good energy.

One brave individual stepped in front of her and shoved a magazine under her nose, all but shouting in her face. “Do you have a comment? What do you have to say about dating your husband’s killer?”

Shock numbed Sam for a heartbeat.
Wait. What?

Just then, Brigitte Evans marched forward. So much for a restraining order. “You’re sleeping with the man who killed my brother? Was it planned all along?” Brigitte slapped at the magazine shoved in Sam’s hand. Sam’s first assailant stepped back, his camera flashing, capturing the verbal attack on film.

Sam turned the magazine over in her hand. Her stomach sunk. Pictures of her and Gage from the night they met, dates included, splashed across the front page with inset pictures of Ethan’s dead body. A wave of nausea rolled over her. “Oh, God.” The world around her faded gray with each beat of her heart.

This couldn’t be happening, not again. Sam turned, trying to make her way back to the car, but Brigitte stepped in front of her. The woman’s eyes glittered. “Tell me now, you bitch. Were you fucking Gage Cutler all along? Did the two of you plan this?”

Security grabbed Ethan’s sister by the shoulders, but she screamed and struggled against their grip.

Sam snapped. “Your brother killed himself.” Tears burned behind her eyes, and she blinked rapidly in an attempt to hold them at bay.
I have to get out of here
.

“So you say,” Brigitte sneered, her breath rapid and her cheeks pink with adrenaline. “I want those photos, Sam. Get them for me, or I will ruin you.”

The paparazzi swarmed, tossing out questions over the noise of the crowd. “Some people are saying this will end Cutler’s career. What’s your take on such statements?”

“If you were with Cutler when you were married, when did your relationship with your husband end? When did things go bad? Was it because of the accident?”

Sam turned, and another stopped her from moving away. “Miss Dekker, Miss Dekker, If you were sleeping with Cutler for this long, did the two of you plan his death, or was it just a welcomed accident?”