Page 5 of Don't Break My Heart
His lips form a thin line, and he and Orlando share a look, one I don’t fucking like. Like they have been talking about me behind my back and they know what’s best for me.
Without warning, the jet starts to move along the tarmac. I inhale a deep breath.You can do this, Sloane, it’s just a fucking airplane, people fly every day. Pull up your big girl panties and be the badassI know you are.
Orlando moves his arm so it’s wrapped protectively around my shoulder, then with his other hand, he takes mine in his, cocooning me in his protective arms. I should push him away, but I can’t. It feels too comfortable. “You’re safe with me, treasure.” He holds me so damn close I want to believe him.
But this is the same man who nearly killed me with his bare hands because his papa was watching him. I’m not safe with him. I don’t even know who he really is.
His lips brush my earlobe. “Close your eyes, let me take you someplace else.”
“Where?” I whisper, playing along.
“Wherever you want.”
I shut my eyes, putting my trust in him even though I know I shouldn’t; if I don’t, I’m going back into panic mode, and we all know that will cause more problems we can’t afford. “My club,” I whisper, knowing that’s the only place I want to be right now. My happy place, where I’m in control.
The hand around my shoulder plays with my hair, softly running his fingers through it. “You’re in your office, getting ready for the day,” he starts. “Right before you leave, you turn to the wall of women you’ve lost and give them a little nod, just so they know why you work so damn hard. Then you stride out of your office, with Onyx closely behind you, of course.”
I glance at him, grateful for the distraction but surprised he has flipped back to my Orlando. The sweet man who would do anything for me. The last part of his story makes me smile just a little. “Then what?” I ask, curious to see where this story goes. My stomach dips as the plane takes off, and I shut my eyes even tighter. Fuck.
“Then you walk onto the floor of the main bar and Myriah is by your side, talking your ear off about some stupid situation she gotherself into the night before. You humor her because she drives you nuts, but you love her anyway, and her stories give you a glimpse into a life you wish you had the guts to explore.”
This time I open my eyes and look back at him. I feel like this story comes right from a day in my past, a time before these four boys had taken over my life.
He raises a brow. “Sally will join you,” he goes on, “and go over the agenda for the day, mentioning anything you need to be made aware of as she ticks each item off her today list. Then Asher will stride in like he owns the place. Myriah will swoon, and you will roll your eyes.”
Yep, this shit really did happen. “How often did you watch me in the club?” I ask, already knowing it had to be way too much, just by how detailed his little story is.
“Every day.” His eyes lock with mine, an intensity in them that scares me. He doesn’t even care if I know how bad his stalking ways are. I don’t think he even sees a problem with them. To him it’s normal that he watched me every day for nine years. Acceptable even. “Do you want to know what happens next?”
I nod, already knowing, but I’m ready for him to go on. His distraction is working. I’m already less stressed about this flying thing and more concerned with how much he was actually watching me. It’s like Sloane Stryker TV around the clock for him.
“Romeo would be there next, doing whatever he could to get your attention. Even if it was baiting you until you snapped at him and stormed off back to your office.”
“That doesn’t sound accurate,” Romeo complains, and I realize he’s listening in as well.
I look his way and raise a brow. “Really? Sounds about right to me.”
His lips twist up at the sides cheekily. “Maybe sometimes. You’re pretty easy to bait, and when you snap, you’re sexy as hell.”
Romeo goes to run his hand up my thigh, but I see the subtle way he glances at his papa first, then he places his hand back on his own lap. I look his papa’s way to find him watching us with hawk eyes. How the hell does he have so much power over these boys, and what the hell is really going on? Even Orlando admitted that Romeo had spent years doing what he could to take what he wanted from the family. Even him sleeping with me was a major fuck-you to his papa. Why is he now cowering from him? It doesn’t make any sense.
Orlando’s hand skates deliberately up my thigh, bringing my attention back to him. “Do you want more story time?”
“Yes.” I offer a half smile. Anything to help me escape this situation and the ten hours I will be stuck on this jet. “Can you make it less PG?”
Romeo chuckles, and I know he agrees with me.
Orlando grins back at me, and I can see all sorts of ideas formulating in his fucked-up brain. “Close your eyes, let me take you back to your club.” He kisses my forehead, and I settle into his hold on me, relaxing back. Is this how I’m going to survive this hell? Pretending to be someone else, while I dream of who I really am and my old life.
Chapter 3
Exhausted,Ifinallydriftedoff to sleep in Orlando’s arms, the gentle hum of the jet lulling me into a restless sleep. Even though my body was on edge, my brain was done. I couldn’t process anything more about the twins’ papa or the fact they were actually forcing me to travel to another country to be Orlando’s wife.
A tap on the shoulder jolts me from my sleep. Overwhelmed, I blink rapidly, trying to clear my vision and regain my bearings, seeing Orlando’s bruised face come into view kicks me straight back into reality.
“Sorry, treasure, our papa wants to talk with you,” Orlando explains, a warning in his eyes that says please behave.
I run a hand through my now-fallen-out ponytail. “What, why?” I ask groggily. I glance across to find Onyx and Reef both watching us. Reef has his laptop out. The two of them look like they were in the middle of something.
