Chapter Thirty-Six: The Dragon's Den

Her heart lodged in her throat as the car rolled up outside the Trump Towers. It was kind of funny as she’d been living in New York for a few years now and yet she had not even tapped the tip of the lifestyle within the city. But now this was just so different, fun and terrifying all in the same sentence.

He squeezed her hand. “Are you ready?”

Her hand smoothed down over her belly. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready for this but I guess as ever as I could be. Any tips?”

“Yeah just smile and don’t answer any questions.”

“Ok, that won’t seem rude?” It was a silly question but she had no idea what to expect with this. Every move she was about to make was going to be captured in photographs, it was a little daunting.

He kissed the tip of her nose. “Not at all, it’s how I roll. They don’t expect you to answer and if you do it’s a bonus.” His megawatt smiled flashed with ease the way he’d been doing it all his life. He was a pro at this compared to her.

When she stepped out of the car there was a frenzy of flashes and catcalls. Scenes like these were usually confined to the E-channel so never in a million years did she expect to be living one. Sure, Princesses, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt… but her? A simple girl from a far away land causing this much interest was quite extraordinary not to mention terrifying. In some ways she may have well be naked under the glorious sheen of the regal black she wore.

Jon linked his fingers in hers and led her along the red carpet which was dotted with cameras, stars, and starlets all being led into the Trump Hotel.

“This is quite the event huh?” She whispered as she stepped carefully in her strappy shoes. Never had she been more aware of not to trip as she walked gracefully beside him.

“Elton always throws good parties.” Jon grinned and nodded as the photographers bent before then and snapped away.

“Um...Elton?” She smiled wide and stood quietly next to Jon.

“Oh yeah did I not tell you that?” He grinned cheekily and waved briefly to the crowd.

Of course it was Elton. She didn’t know why she wasn’t surprised at all. She smiled and talked through her teeth. “No you might have forgotten to mention that little tiny detail.”

“Jon!” A voice called as they made their way to the entrance way. Elton was standing in a deep red suit with matching glasses. He grabbed Jon’s arms and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you so much for coming and who is this ravishing beauty? Where on earth have you been hiding her?” He held his hand out and smiled warmly. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“This is Devon.”

“Gosh, it’s a pleasure to meet you Sir Elton.” She didn’t know if she was meant to courtesy or what the custom was for a Knight. She was being ridiculous as Elton in the five seconds they’d met seemed more like a lovely big red glitzy Teddy-bear than anything else.

“New Zealand’s where you’ve been hiding her. How delightful.” She eased as he winked and rubbed her arm gently. Don’t worry about all this riff-raff--they’ll soon move on to the next best thing that walks down the carpet.”

Jon wiggled his eyebrows. “We’ll meet you in there?”

“Yes - go in and get yourself a drink as there is plenty and don’t forget to donate.”

Jon tapped his suit jacket. “Cheque book is all ready.”

“Good man. You take care of him now, you hear Devon?”

Devon grinned. “Of course.”

She walked into the Atrium where gold and marble spun out everywhere. “He is a lovely man.”

“He’s certainly one of the better ones in my industry, that’s for sure. I’ve known him for years on various charity projects. Smile, this is the last stretch.”

Inside they had a deliberate red carpet that faced what was a stream of paparazzi against a backdrop. Her heart hammered in her chest, how could this not be over-whelming to anyone else? There were so many of them, it was ridiculous.

“Elton doesn’t let them inside so once we’re through -- we’re home. Just relax.” His kiss to the side of her temple would have been sweet if the flashes of light didn’t feel so intrusive.

They against the backdrop on the red carpet. She felt glamorous but also oddly exposed.

“Jon-over here!”

*click*

“Who’s the lovely lady? Smile here Jon!”

*pop*

“OK that’s enough. My face hurts.” Jon whispered as he led Devon away.

“Devon! Devon Scott!” A voice called and her feet froze.

She looked into the face of camera pointed in her direction and tried to keep the smile on her face. How in the world did they know her name?

“C’mon love.” Jon tugged her hand.

The man dropped the camera and grinned. “My wife loves your salon.”

Relief swept over her and she smiled quietly. “Thank you.”

“You OK? You look like you’ve just seen a ghost.”

“I’m fine- really, I just didn’t expect anyone to know my name.”

“Trust me-they’ll know, Google. People will know who you are but you haven’t got anything to hide so don’t worry about it. They’ll move onto the sideshows that are bound to come in here soon and distract them.”

She stopped. “They’ll google me?” Shit. Get it together. “I mean why? I’m so uninteresting.”

He tipped his head back and laughed. “You’re dating me love. That’s enough.”

Jonathan warned her about this and maybe she should have thought this through a little more than she had.

“Relax-it’s just what they do. They try and find out information and they don’t know jack about me because I don’t do anything stupid and I don’t throw them a bone. Unlike some of the media whores around here.”

Jon led them into the function centre through the safety of the black and gold double doors. Inside the atmosphere was lovely, chandeliers hung from the ceiling that dripped with crystals. Ceiling high velvet curtains framed the windows, pinned back with gold knots of rope. Lavish simply wasn’t the word, this place was out of this world.

Each table was set with fine silverware and stemware. People drifted by and smiled, nodded more-so at Jon. It still niggled at her how exposed she was but there was no way anyone here would even be interested in her unless they were looking for dirt. Jon had been pretty clean-cut as well, what if they wanted to find something? That’s what they did right?

God. She clutched her purse tightly. The room may have been huge but right now it could have been matchbox size and the velvet curtains were choking her. Her belly churned, she needed to get out of here for a minute.

“I need to go to the ladies.” She pulled away but he tugged at her hand.

“Are you sure you’re OK?” His brow creased and his eyes were deep and warm.

“I’m fine – I’m hot and need to freshen up but I’ll be right back.” She didn’t look for his reply and instead made her way into the ladies and safely into a stall. She sank down on the closed lid and covered her eyes. How long could she go on like this? She was fine until she had to go and fall in love with Jon.

He was the worst person that she could have fallen for. For someone that had had done well to fly under the radar and build herself back up from nothing she had done well. It didn’t bother her before hiding something as it just didn’t matter and naively she though that it wouldn’t with Jon but it did.

She wanted to be honest with him but it was too late, she couldn’t ever imagine he’d understand what she did and the choices she’d made. It was a harsh judgement but telling him could be the difference from losing nothing to losing it all.

God. What have I done?

She’d just about died when the photographer recognized her even though they would have never recognized her as Devon Scott if they had truly known her so she didn’t know why she panicked in the moment.

Because you’re guilty.

Maybe he would understand? Maybe there was a way that he could and that she could be completely honest with him. It was dangerous as he’d have the power to destroy her and that was going against the one thing that she’d always vowed never to do again. She’d already foolishly let a man destroy her before. Even though she knew deep down that Jon wouldn’t, she thought Jared couldn’t either once upon a time.

This was crazy. She waited till the stalls had cleared out and looked at herself in the long mirrors in the powder rooms. Through all the beauty and glitter she could see an impostor. She wanted to be here but she wanted to deserve to be here and right now she felt far from that reality.

She fumbled through her purse for compact and decided she needed to pull herself together as this wasn’t exactly the place to fall apart.

“I’d stay in here all night too if they let me.”

She jumped and grabbed her purse before she lost it but she eased when she looked up into familiar green eyes. Patti.

“Hey-honey. What are you doing hiding in here?”

“Hiding. Jon’s probably noticed by now.”

“I don’t think men really notice how long we spend in the ladies.” She winked and popped open her lipstick and applied it next to Devon in the mirror. Her lush red hair was swept up in a fancy knot with over-flow down the back and she was wearing a long deep green and gold shimmery dress with a bo-ho style flowing skirt.

“I just-god.” She closed her eyes. “How do you deal with all this? I thought I’d be OK but I’m clearly not.”

Patti chuckled. “I don’t think anyone really is prepared for this side of life. Bruce and I barely attend these functions for one of those reasons. We’re not interested in the whole sensationalized side of life.”

“It as just – well, scary.”

“Is that all?”

“Yeah it is. I’m just being stupid. It’s a bit overwhelming.”

“Mmm.”

Patti had a way that was so easy to open up to her, infact both her and Bruce did.

“You don’t look convinced honey. What’s bothering you? Is it Jon?”

“God, no. It’s not him. This whole thing with him has been like a perfect storm, maybe the wind is clearing and I’m just nervous.”

“Devon honey, what’s really going on?”

She sighed. “I feel like I know so much about him which isn’t hard when he’s who he is, but even his personal life he’s opened up so much to me so quick. Something tells me that he doesn’t do that easily.”

Patti straightened a few long fire red flecks of hair. “You’d be right there.”

“He doesn’t know that much about me, I mean he does but I’ve only told him half of it. God.”

Patti brushed a loose wisp back from Devon’s face. “You want my advice. Be honest with him.”

The idea of it made her want to heave into one of the toilets but Patti was right. “I want to be but I just don’t know how, it could change everything.” And that was just it. She’d never thought she would find someone again and feel the way she did about him.

“If he loves you, it won’t.”

She rolled her bottom lip under her teeth. She was pretty sure even love would be exempt from this. “I know it’s the right thing to do.”

“Just think about it. And for now, just enjoy yourself. C’mon. We don’t dress up in these glad rags to stand in the powder rooms all night, There are men out there with our names on, so let’s get out there.”

She smiled and straightened herself up. “Thank you.”

“No problem honey and if you ever need to talk, you know where I am.”

The problem was it wasn’t just Jon that she risked - it was the life he’d breathed back into her.

Chapter Thirty-Five: Diamond in the Rough

The next morning work had been hell by eleven am. She stood covered in  in bright copper hair colour because a rogue bottle of colour had exploded on her. She blew her hair out of her face and cranked the tap on.

“Bad morning?” Jonathan joined her at the big basins out the back as she scrubbed her arms. They quite often likened the scrub basin to a scrub room in a hospital as each stylist or beauty therapist always scrubbed up before they started work and in between clients. She was strict about sanitary measures in her place and they’d never had one single complaint and she was keeping it that way.

She pumped some scrub into her hands and then slathered her arms. “A grenade of copper exploded on me in the middle of stock-take.”

She blew the loose strand out of her face and used a loofah on her arms.

“Take an early lunch. I didn’t see you had any appointments till 1.30pm.”

She sighed. “I need to find something to wear. I have this gala thing with Jon tonight and I promised I’d go and I have no idea what I’m going to wear.”

Jonathan slid his glasses down his nose. “That’s tonight? And you didn’t tell me! You were meant to tell me so I could block some time to glam you up. Kelly!”

“I’ll make do Jonathan you don’t have to go to any trouble.”

“Oh, I don’t think so.”

“What’s up?” Kelly poked her head around the corner, her hair pinned up in a pile of red curls on her head.

“Block my calendar out after Mia Jamieson, she’s at 2.30. I’ll be busy with Devon.”

“Jonathan really I don’t need-”

“Hush. Have you thought about what you’re going to wear? If you say no, I’ll die.”

She chuckled. “I’ll have a dress. I was going to look through my clothes after work.”

“You’ll do no such thing. My lunch is from 12.30-1pm. We’ll take a cab uptown to the best little boutique dress shop. Avery, one of my clients owns it. The dresses are to die for as well as the suits. So we’ll get you a dress.”

She didn’t want to go to all this trouble. It was just a night out for Jon - a normal engagement and he probably attended dozens of them a year. On the other hand, she hadn’t had an excuse like this ever to dress up and she did like to dress up.

“How much will that set me back?” She didn’t splurge on herself normally and was pretty tight with her money preferring that it went back into the business or into her stash.

“It’s my treat. If I make you go to the ball dressed like Cinderella then I’ll foot the bill, it’s the least I can do.”

She frowned. “You don’t have to pay for them.” She knew Avery’s clothes weren’t cheap. Nothing Jonathan liked was ever cheap.

“We’ll be able to get shoes from the store next door if we need to as well. You are a naughty girl Miss Scott for not telling me this earlier!” He sighed and squirted some hand-cream on his hands before spraying some cologne neatly at his neck. “I’ll see you twelve-thirty sharp.”

She dried off her hands and applied a blob of Shea body butter up her arms and on her elbows. Not a fan of massive crowds she had kind of hoped tonight she could just hang on Jon’s arm and blend in easily. They’d be more interested in him, surely. Then her stomach flip-flopped. Then of course they would also be interested in Jon Bon Jovi’s new woman. He’d taken other women on his arms to these things so they might assume she was another one of his one-nighters. That would kind of piss her off though as she knew she wasn't. She couldn’t win.

God. Stop it.

She pinned back the sides of her hair and disappeared into her office to take a moment for herself. She’d need money for her shopping expedition with Jonathan even if he said he’d pay she wouldn’t let him. She smiled. Jonathan always looked after her even if he loved doing it.

She lifted the locked box out of the draw, glanced over her shoulder and twirled the combination. She tucked a few bills into her purse and smoothed the rest of the money in the box down.

“So this is your hidey whole?”

Her heart leapt into her throat and her off her chair. She slammed the lid down.

Fuck.

“Hey baby it’s only me.” Jon’s soothing voice was on her neck as she froze.

Pull yourself together.

“Hey-sorry. I just got a fright-” she stammered but it wasn’t convincing.

He rubbed her shoulders. “A big one by the looks of things. Everything ok?”

She closed her eyes as his fingers rested on her shoulders and he gave them a gentle squeeze. She clicked closed the lock on the box.

“I was just getting some petty cash.” Her fingers were still curled around the edges of the box and her knuckles had turned white.

“Are you sure you’re ok?”

She shut off the paranoia and plastered a grin across her face as she twisted her seat around. “Of course, I just got a hell of a fright.” She lifted the box and slid it into the draw shut. “What are you even doing here?”
Her heart banged in her chest.

He paused and his eyes shifted to the draw and then back to her. “Uh-well. I just thought I’d drop in on my gorgeous girlfriend and let her know that the car will pick her up at six tonight.”

She clasped her hands together to stop herself from trembling. It was an uncanny feeling to have the man you loved and the secret you hid from him so close to each other in the same room.

He eased a smile and rubbed her arm. “Is that ok?”

“Oh, god-yes. Of course! Sorry, I am all out of sync. It’s been one of those mornings. I had colour explode all over me and I’m a mess.”

He snaked his arm around her waist and dragged her in. “Well we’ll have to change that now won’t we, starting now.”

She didn’t have time to even breathe as he lifted her from the chair and crushed his mouth down on hers. The nerves rolled out of her as she melted into his kiss. He had a way about him that made her forget about the world for a while. Their teeth clicked as she tip-toed up into the kiss and her fingers twisted in the soft tuffs of hair at the base of his neck. Every reason to be with him sang true to her through his kiss. He broke apart but left their lips barely touching.

“Better?”

She grinned and nodded. “Better.” He made everything better that was just it.

“I could make things so much better.” He untwisted her apron strings and the tips of his fingers grazed against her skin under her top. But she stepped back.

Hell no. Not in here.

“Not here babe.” That wasn’t even the problem. Taking her on her desk rated right up there in her top ten sexual bucket list but not here, not now. She didn’t mean to snap but he stepped away as he got the message loud and clear.

“I’m having a bad day.” She was a coward and she knew it. She didn’t want to have sex on her desk with him when she had a two-hundred and fifty thousand dollar secret locked in the draw below them. It just wasn’t right.

“It’s ok. I’ve caught you in the middle of it all. I understand this is your business. I get it, I’m good.” The pad of his thumb brushed her jaw and across her bottom. “I’ll see you at six, k?”

She nodded and closed her eyes as he pressed a kiss onto her forehead. “Absolutely.”

When he closed the door behind himself she slumped into the chair and let the lone tear spill down her cheek. This sucked.

~

By the time she was in the chair and Jonathan was working his magic on her hair she was feeling better. Avery’s had been overwhelming but they’d found a dress. She thought it might have been too much but Jonathan soon reminded her of the types of people she was about to rub shoulders with. They weren’t strangers to the glitz and glamour that she found so foreign.

Jonathan had assured her she was going to look fabulous, seven-hundred and eighty dollars of fabulous that was. You had to live once and the more that she tried to slide into Jon’s lifestyle the easier it was to deny the fact she didn’t belong there.

“Now just a colour and touch up, we want your roots to be golden.”

He flicked up the comb as he applied a generous blob of hair colour with his brush. Her feet were soaking in a rose-petal foot-spa at her feet and her hands were drying with a new French manicure Jonathan had completed. The face-mask was bright green and one of their popular seaweed concoctions and her hair was scattered with foils. She looked a picture alright.

“I feel ridiculous; it’s just one charity dinner.”

Jonathan snorted. “Like it or not. What’s on your arm is A+-grade arm candy princess.”

“Well I’m happy for him to be the pretty one.” He can take the attention.

“Oh stop. You’re gorgeous and when I’m done you’re going to blow his socks off and everyone else there whether that is George Clooney or Brad Pitt.”

“You’re just hoping its George Clooney or Brad Pitt aren’t you?”

“Well more like Catherine Zeta-Jones or Oh! Sarah Jessica Parker. Now that I could get on board with.”

“I’m not sure Jon really knows them.”

“He was with Sarah Jessica Parker in Sex in the City for a cameo. I’m sure they’d do a “hi” from across the room.”

“Jesus Jonathan, maybe Jon should be taking you.”

“Maybe next time. You’re not getting out of it that easy.”

The little flip flops in her belly were not easing the closer that this event was drawing. “Maybe I should have some tea.”

Jonathan snapped his fingers. “Kels, can you get some Lemon and Ginger tea for Miss Scott.”

“Sheesh you’re bossy when you want to be.”

“Love you too darling now hush - I need to work we’re running out of time.”

She leaned back and closed her eyes while Jonathan did his magic. True to form he had her rinsed, dried and styled on time. Her skin was polished and he applied the last of the makeup. He swept the shadow along her brow and then touched her lips with gloss. She slid into the dress and he adjusted the straps of her shoes.

“Ok.” He clapped his hands together. “You can now turn around.”

She took a small breath, hell is was all she could in this dress as it was tight but the silky material felt amazing under her palms. She turned and the image of the girl in the mirror was breath-taking. Her hair was twisted neatly up away from her face with a side fringe was swept around one side of her face making the angle of her jaw softer.

The dress itself was a black sleek halter neck that flowed to the floor regally. A thin silver strap twisted high up around the A-line and through the halter. A keyhole of skin was left below between the breasts added an element of sexy but it was classy. Silver strappy shoes with a crystal white toe nails peeked out the bottom.
She looked freaking incredible. The girl from New Zealand that had come here unplanned five years ago had certainly done well to get to here. She had to remind herself of that once and awhile and take steed that she’d worked bloody hard to get here and that it hadn't all been for the wrong reasons.

The mirror image of the amazing Devon was startling though. She really wanted to be that girl, that girl that could do anything she wanted and have anything she wanted and she was on the cusp of that all with Jon.
“Well?” Jonathan crossed his arms and grinned.

She stood side on and noticed the dress held her tiny belly in perfectly. “Not too shabby.” She grinned and her slick pink lips widened. “I look amazing Jonathan, I really can’t believe it. I feel like Cinderella.”

“Indeed you do and here is your Prince Charming.”

She turned and Jon stood in the entrance-way to the salon part of the shop in a black and white neat suit.

“You’re early!”

He didn’t say a word but his eyes drifted down the length of her and then back up to her. “I didn't really want to go tonight in all honesty. But now, this wow- you...I can’t wait to show you off.”

Her cheeks flushed. “It’s not too much?”

“Hell. You’re breath-taking Dev.”

The little endearment on her name made her heart jump. “Well I don’t know about that but some people might say stunning.” She fluttered her eyelashes.

Jonathan had slipped out to the back room as Jon came closer. “It is missing something though.”

She fingered her ears. “Oh I know I was about to-”

He lifted a box from his jacket pocket and placed it in her palm. “Here.”

Her heart beat steadily as she looked down to the small blue box with a white box. “Jon - what have you done?”

He chuckled. “Open it and find out silly.”

She lifted the box open delicately afraid it would break. Her chest grew tight as nestled in the box were two diamond droplet earrings which were elegant and understated. They were real – no cubic zirconia here thank you very much. Her belly bottomed out and honest to god she was speechless. “They’re beautiful but you didn't-”

“Nonsense.” He took the box from her and lifted one of the earrings up to her ear and clipped it in.
She wasn't going to cry. Nope. But it was sweet. Damn him. No one had ever given her diamonds dammit.

“There perfectly...” His thumb-pad swept away her tear gently. “Perfect.”

Her heart was positively melting. “They’re gorgeous, thank you.”

“I’d kiss you but your lips look too pretty.”

“I don’t care.” She cupped the back of his neck and she pressed her lips against his. Her fingers teased the hair at the nape of his neck and then smoothed down the front of his suit. “You look very dapper Mr Bongiovi.” His suit was trim, dark and fit perfectly around his shoulders accentuating at the waist with a crisp white shirt and deep blue tie.

He laughed. “Dapper huh? Very British.”

She shrugged. “What can I say? We steal sayings from everywhere us Kiwi’s.”

Jonathan came back into the area armed with his camera. “A picture before you go kids.”

“Really?” She asked him raising her brow. “It’s not my prom night here you know.”

Jon snaked his arm around her waist. “Relax its fine. Good practice as you’ll be sick of smiling at the end of the night, I guarantee it.”

She smiled for Jonathan and he handed her the clutch purse. “You go. I’ll lock up.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course go, have fun. Live a little. I’m so damn jealous.”

She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you Jonathan, I don’t know how to thank you for all this.”

“God just go. Have fun, seriously.” He fingered her earrings and his eyes widened. “Holy cow batman.” He whispered just out of Jon’s earshot.

They both waved at Jonathan and laughed as he took one last picture of them out the door.

*Click*

It would be a moment she’d always remember but now it was time to face the Dragon’s Den.

Chapter Thirty-Four: Splish-Splash

"It smells, well girly." Jon said as he dipped his toe into the bath that overflowed with bubbles.

"It's supposed to." She chuckled as she unbuttoned his shirt. She kicked off her shoes and stood on her tip toes to kiss him softly. She was glad dinner was over and in all honesty it wasn't as bad as she had pictured it previously in her head. His father was lovely and hilarious. Carol, well was Carol but they seemed to be on mutual ground which she figured was always the best way to be with your boyfriends mother.

A bubble bath was just what she needed. She needed to decompress even if it was with the whirlwind that was Jon. She was lying if some of this wasn't overwhelming, the family, tomorrow the public event and she’d been in his life only a couple of weeks.

“Where’s the pizza?” He asked as she undid the side zip in her dress.

“I thought we were eating it after the bath? It’s the in kitchen.”

“Noooo. Get in the bath, I’ll be right back.”

She shrugged and didn’t have to be asked twice. She sank back and let the hot water and clouds of bubbles engulf her. The suds sizzled around her and the heat soothed her aching body. Being bent over a staircase wasn’t exactly easy on the joints.

Jon strode in with his shirt open and the top of his pants undone balancing two glasses of wine on top of the pizza box.

“You’re not serious, pizza in the bath?” She chuckled as the scene reminded her of some corny porn movie she’d watched in college with a pizza boy and a woman in a bath.

He rested it down on the bath-side table and dumped his clothes onto the floor. “You haven’t lived until you’ve done this. I used to do it back in the eighties ... with a beer.”

“Does this look like the eighties?” She laughed as he gingerly slid into the bath and sat at the opposite end of her, sliding his legs up on either side of hers. He reached over, leaned forward and handed her a glass of wine grinned as she took a sip.

“Cosy.”

She snorted. “Well it’s not like the swimming pool of a tub in your bathroom or on your deck even. But it’ll do.” She leaned back, tipped her head and groaned as she stretched under the water. “I could so get used to this.”

“Well get used to it but next time can we use some more manly scents?”

She laughed and met his gaze which in the low light of the bathroom the blue was deeper, darker. “What exactly qualifies as a man scent? Pizza? Beer? Yeah, that sounds like a bath I really want to take.”

She flinched as he splashed her.

“Hey!”

He smiled smugly and leaned back reaching for a slice of pizza. “So you still love me after meeting my family?”

“Only just.” She rolled her eyes as his foot slid up her leg and he wiggled his eyebrows. “Do you ever think about anything else?”

“Woman. You’re in a tub naked with suds where I can see to the tops of your nipples when you move. How can you expect me to think of anything else here? I’m not a saint.”

“Look at that, something we agree on then.”

He snorted, licked his pizza fingers as he laid back and polished off his glass. The simplicity of the intimacy was something she’d missed, hell she wasn’t even sure if she’d ever had it in previous relationships. She was a lot younger and naïve back then. Now she had responsibilities such as her own business and her own life to look after. Who was she really kidding? Her business had been her life until this moment. Jon had given her something of a life back in only an instant in being in hers.

Was she cut out for the type of life he lived? Jon’s life was like an average Joe’s life but on speed. Who knows if she was ready for that but she was willingly to take a risk and that was something she never thought she’d do again.

She yawned as the day caught up with her and Jon laughed.

“God, I’m obviously riveting company.”

She giggled and shook her head. “No, I’m just tired. I feel like a loser when I am sure you do a million things all day and every day like this.”

“You work hard too, I’m lucky as well. Most of my projects and things now can easily get off the ground due to the celebrity status thing. I admire you for having a business purely on your talent and hard work.”

She lifted her toe and rubbed the underside of his arm gently with it. “That’s how you got to that celebrity status, with hard work. But I’ll take the compliment anyway, thanks. “

“I’m very blessed though and I don’t mind admitting that. I’d be an ass not to.”

“Do you ever wish you were just John Bongiovi? Truly?” She had to admit she loved the stripped down Jon. And when he was, he wasn’t much different from what she was.

He shrugged. “Sure some days I wish I didn’t have to deal with it all and could go to work from nine to five and come home to my family. But I can still have that. I wouldn’t be able to do half of the useful things for the world that I’ve done if it wasn’t for Bon Jovi though so I can’t say I’d trade it in.”

She loved the honesty. He was proud of who he was and where he’d come from. Sure, he had a little arrogance in him but you had to in the industry, even she got that.

“I’m not that exciting though. I’m not your next Lindsay Lohan scandal or Britney Spears so the celebrity thing is more about the exposure I get and can use. I’m just a boring old man really.”

She groaned as he cupped her leg and ran his hands down her calves. Legs that lived in heels thanked the lord as her muscles eased under his touch.

“You missed your calling.”

His thumbs dug into her skin releasing the pressure in her body melted away like butter. She lifted her glass to her lips. “And you’re not boring. Far from it.”

He half-smiled but it was genuine.

“Was the divorce messy in the press?”

He changed his hands to her other leg and she felt like Cleopatra sitting in her tub of suds with her slave rubbing her calves, ok maybe he wasn’t her slave and he’d probably be horrified to hear that.

“Not as much as it could have. The usual conspiracies one of us was cheating came out but we quickly closed that down. It was important for the kids we did.”

“Of course. How did they react to the divorce? That had to be hard.”

“Steph and Jesse the oldest ones took the news ok, they didn’t agree with it but they understood it. It was Romeo and Jakey that were more upset.” He stopped and a flicker of sadness flashed in his eyes before he continued. “They didn’t understand why we didn’t love each other anymore.”

“That had to be hard. They obviously like Bruce though, right?”

Would they like her? The idea of four children that now would understand what she was to their Daddy scared the living crap out of her. Kids were always on her radar but not in the last few years and despite what Jared had always told her about living happily ever after with him she had known once they had fallen into the bad ways of the world that was never ever going to happen.

Their whole plan had been to escape New Zealand and travel around Indonesia, maybe settle down in Bali and live an island paradise life with a tribe of kids. Looking back it had sounded romantic, running off into the sunset with your one and only and leaving everything you loved and worked for behind. It wasn’t. And ironically she ended up doing that anyway, for a completely other reason.

“Oh yeah they love the guy. I know I’m bitter about it but I’m only jealous. I should be thankful Dorothea married a good guy and not a brat. She deserves it.”

“As I said, it’s only natural to feel jealous but you’re their Dad and nothing’s going to change that.”

He tugged on her legs. “C’mere.”

Her eyes narrowed and her lips pursed as she knew that look. She placed her wineglass on the side of the tub and floated herself forward. He wrapped her legs around his waist and dragged her into his lap. The buoyancy of the water kept her just above him.

He nuzzled against her shoulder pressed his lips against her skin. She lifted his head up to meet her gaze. “What? No games today?”

His arms circled her waist under the water and he dragged her mouth down to his. “No games.”

She closed her eyes, breathed in and let the heat of the kiss sizzle through her body. The head of his cock bumped against her entrance but he angled the kiss deeper. Tangled up in skin and content to enjoy the tender moment she brushed her fingertips along his jaw. Her fingers threaded into his hair as he nipped at her chin and she tipped her head back. He devoured her throat and sipped from the dip in her shoulder.

Sensation rolled down her like hot wax dripping down a candle. She was hungry for him. Would she ever not feel so much for him? When he stroked her mouth, he laved her tongue and they both moaned. Slow and subtle kept the quiet moment as often it ran away from them into white hot passion. Her hands slid over his biceps, hard muscle flexed under her palms as she rose above him waiting for him to enter her. But he waited. She sighed into his mouth as her hands slid up his shoulders and snaked around his neck. She pressed her breasts into his chest and he cupped one, slowly running his thumb over the tip.

“I’m glad I found your shop.” He murmured into her shoulder still slick with water.

She took his mouth back, long and hot. He was quick to take a nipple in his mouth and she groaned appreciatively as he rolled his teeth over the tip. Every nerve twisted and tingled as he sucked hard.

She buried her nose into his temple and cupped the side of his head. “I love you Jon.” It came quick and true. “I’ve never met anyone like you.”

He growled in response and found her mouth, fusing it with his. His hands moved her hips and slid her easily onto his cock in the water. His breaths were short and kiss desperate but strong. She contracted around him and the water made it easy for her to move above him. He bit on her lip and she cried out as he hit the angle inside of her.

She arched back, steadied by his hand at the base of her back and drove deeper onto him pumping him for more. His mouth snagged her nipple and she cried out his name. He kissed her tenderly while keeping the rhythm quick and stretching the complete length of his cock inside her.

Her orgasm bled out slowly. And her voice was husky as she moaned unashamedly. “God.”

He didn’t stop and the power of his ejaculation rocked inside her and she took control and squeezed it out of him, feeling her power.

His breath was hot against her neck as he crashed against her and grunted through his orgasm. There were a few moments of short -fast breaths before they steadied and he tucked his head under her chin against her chest. She kissed the side of his head and enjoyed the rare moment of him against her before they slid apart.

In bed moments later once they’d dried off and in the dark, she closed her eyes and could feel his heart against her cheek beating strong. Her fingers sifted into the soft hair on his chest as they fell easy into slumber. She may have never met anyone like him but she knew one thing at this point.

She was scared to lose him.

Chapter Thirty-Three: Derailed

Dinner had gone without a hitch. He hadn't wanted to kill his parents and Devon hadn't screamed running from the building so he counted that as one big success. His mother's paranoia that his latest girlfriends were only here to rip off the Bongiovi dynasty had been absent and he knew they would be. Devon had slotted in easily and although she was nervous he could already tell she was a hit. Over the rim of his glass he watched as across the room Devon was introduced to his mother's friends and she slid into the charmer that she was.

The corners of his mouth twitched as he drank her all in from foot to tip. She was all poise and class when she needed to be but he loved the cheeky sweet ballsy girl he had when they were alone.

"You're going to make me sick." His Dad commented as he went to sign the check for the waitress.

Jon put his hand over his Dad's. "Don't you dare. Here." Jon reached for his wallet and handed her his gold card. "How often do my parents come and visit me?" He tucked his wallet back in his pocket. He joked, "Mom would kill me if I didn't."

"Thanks son. We'll be out of your hair tomorrow so you can have the place to yourself with Devon." John Snr wiggled his eyebrows.

"It's not a problem Dad, you know I love having you guys to stay."

John cupped his shoulder. "I know but you’re in the new can’t keep your hands off each-other stage.”

Jon shrugged but then grinned with ease. "I suppose we are." He rubbed his belly as he leaned back against the back of his chair.

"She's good in bed too isn't she?"

Jon raised his eyebrows then covered his eyes. "Dad, c'mon."

"What? We used to talk about this all the time."

"Yeah, when I was twenty." He picked up his wine and Devon's musical laughter danced through the air. He took a sip and couldn't stop the grin on his lips as he watched her bedazzle his mother's friends. "Amazing might be a word I’d use."

"Attaboy." His Dad gave him an elbow nudge.

Jon had to admit it still bugged him that she was secretive but he had started to unravel her past so he had to be content with that. The control freak inside of him wanted to know everything now but maybe in this case the unexpected with her was good. Time would only tell.

"You know it's not my place to but in."

Jon folded his arm across his middle and sipped his wine again. "But you're going to anyway aren't you?"

"Just be careful with her."

Jon snapped his head around. "Why? What makes you say that?" Had his father noticed the way that she’d side-swiped the questions about her own family through dinner? It was hard to notice she did it at first but he noticed. She had a brilliant way of turning the question back on you.

"Relax son, I meant that someone like Devon isn't going to be used to the way you're life is so, well public. You're going to have to look out for her as it can be overwhelming.

"Oh, right. I know Pop. I'll take care of that, don't worry."

"What did you think I meant?"

Jon paused and then shook his head. "Nothing."

John Snr didn't have a chance to respond as Devon came back with his mother and slid in her seat opposite him. They stole a smile with each other before his mother announced they were leaving. He smirked and subtlety slid his foot up her leg giving her a hint of what he had planned for her once they were alone. His knees hit the table as she swiftly kicked his shin.

"Sorry, cramp." He muttered as his mother stared across the table with her eyebrow arched. Devon was looking down in her purse pretending to find something and John Snr snorted and patted him on the shoulder.

"That'll teach you son. Cramp my ass."

Jon chuckled as they stood up and said their goodbyes. "I'll be home in the morning before you go." Jon patted his Dad's back and then his brother before hugging his mother. "Bye Mom, thanks for the evening."

Carol stood back in her son's embrace and smiled. "Thank you Angel."

Jon glanced at Devon who was talking to his brother. "Thank you for not tearing her apart Mom."

Carol half-smiled. "Why would I? She's delightful."

Jon knew that was as good as it would ever get but he didn't really care. His mother always had an opinion on his affairs whether it was business or matters of the heart so he was taking it as a good sign as she soon would have told him otherwise.

He breathed a sigh of relief as they left leaving him and one gorgeous red-heeled lady in his sights. He curled his arms around her waist and kissed her forehead. "Congratulations, you survived my family." She laid her cheek against his shoulder as they snuck in a cuddle.

"They're lovely Jon. Really lovely." She sighed and he closed his eyes. The weight of her against him was comforting.

He paused as he sensed she was thinking about her own family but then thought twice about bringing it up. He wanted the rest of the evening to be about them. "Let's go home."

They made their way to the car and sat in the backseat with her tucked under his arm as they drove home. His fingertips dragged lazily down her arm, her skin was like velvet.

"Did my mother behave when she introduced you to her friends?"

"Behave? More like showed me off - well my business." She paused.

"What?” He prompted her.

"When we were in the powder room she indicated I would be good for you."

Jon snorted softly. "Did she now?" Yup she’d definitely got the Carol Bongiovi approval. "And how so?"

He felt the smile against his chest where her head was resting. "She suggested you could be a brat, and I'd be good for you as you've dated some entitled women and she doesn't like entitled women."

Jon laughed, loud. "She doesn't like them huh?"

"I did think that was ironic but she'd just given me her blessing, I wasn't going to argue with you."

"You know you don't need her blessing though, right?" He asked he squeezed her shoulder.

"Of course I do. But I know how much your family means to you, so it is important to me."

He dropped a kiss on her forehead again and grinned. "I love you."

"I know." She said matter of factly.

He snickered and tipped her chin to meet his gaze. Her slicked pink lips beckoned him so he didn't deny himself and covered her mouth with his. Her heat flooded his mouth and her fingers reached up and grazed along the bottom of his jaw. He buried his nose in her neck and tasted her sweet skin. "I need you."

Her eyelashes fluttered as he moved his mouth up to the sweet spot under her ear. Her moan against his ear sent a pulse to his cock. He wanted to make her moan for dressing in the demure black dress accentuated with those killer red shoes. Oh yeah, he wanted to make her moan good.

His mouth covered the shell of her ear. "Do you need me Devon?"

"God." She whispered. They still were very much in the backseat of the town car.

"That's not an answer." His hand slip up her bare calf and up inside her thigh where barely inches from his fingertips her wet center beckoned him.

She rolled her lip under her teeth and bit down on it and her nipples turned to bullets through the cotton on her dress as his hand brushed over them.

He grinned victoriously. "You know you want me." His tongue traced the outline of her ear. "Give in to the power that is me."

"You suck." She whispered hoarsely as the car rolled into the familiar cobblestone streets of Soho.

He was hard. He could have easily taken her right here on the seat. The scent of candy-canes and musk swirled around him as he bit gently down on her lobe. "If I recall, you suck. And suck fucking well." She unleashed his dark-side the side that made the clean-cut Rock-Star pack his bags and the master manipulator shine.

His finger found the edge of her panties and the tip rubbed against the silky skin of her pussy. They came to a stop so he withdrew his hand and quickly tipped the driver and stepped out of the car. People littered the sidewalk but took no notice of him as he pressed himself up against her as she fumbled with her keys at her door.

"Feel that?" He lunged forward and his groin pressed into her lower back. "That's how much I want you."

She snapped the lock open and they tumbled inside the door kicking it shut behind him. He pressed her up against the wall at the base of the stairs that led to her apartment above and her purse thunked to the ground. He cupped her neck and she took a quick intake of breath as her pulse racing under his fingers. He'd envisioned they'd wait till at least they got into her place but his cock had other ideas. Their lips hovered merely a breath from each other as his hand hiked up her skirt.

The rush of power was heady and addictive as he had her right where he wanted her before he planned to bring both of them to a screaming orgasm. "The things I'm going to do to you Miss Scott."

Her eyes narrowed and the tip of her tongue flicked out to her lips. "Do them then." Her eyes fired with challenge and he smirked as she skimmed the edge of what was bubbling between them

He unclasped the thin belt around her middle and pulled it slowly free. "Well, well what do we have here?" He dangled it in front of her and let out a whistle. "I do believe this is called revenge."

Her eyes widened as he wound the belt around her wrists and she gasped as he pushed her gently towards the railing. He looped a knot through the railing so she was strapped to it and bent over it.

"Jon! Untie me now, we can't in here."

"We can and I am." He knelt down behind her on a stair and ran his knuckle up in inner seam of her leg. "Such sexy legs."

She twisted above him and growled as the belt stretched but held its ground.

"Jon! I'm serious."

He nosed the back of her knee and kissed the back of her thigh. "No one is going to come in here. It's your place and it's nearly midnight."

"That's not the point-untie me and take me up the stai-oh god."

She groaned as he hooked his fingers into the side of her panties and slid them down off her legs.

"I hate you."

He swivelled himself around and tipped his head back between her legs so he could taste her. With his hand he reached up and let his thumb circle her clit causing her to lean forward on an angle that would be perfect for taking her from behind when he was done with her.

He started with gentle licks up and down her clit and his fingers stroked her entrance. Not yet penetrating, just prepping. She was already on the cusp of an orgasm by the way her short gasped moans. He'd learned that in the short time they'd been together. Long throaty moans meant he was hitting her centre and drawing her pleasure out where these ones meant he was close.

Warm wetness slicked over her clit as he teased and tasted her. He lapped up every drop. He imagined her face in the dimly lit stairwell light etched with pleasure so close to release. God he wanted to fuck her so badly. And they would more than once tonight. He wanted to her on top of him slamming into him, her perfect tits bouncing as she screamed his name. Her under him, his mouth latched onto her nipple as he pumped her again and again.

"Oh shit!" Her wrists slammed into the railing and her legs convulsed around him as his mouth filled with juices from her.

"Oh god yes! Yes!" His name was like a voodoo chant on her lips as she came above him. She slumped over against the railing and let out a sob.

He twisted himself out, stood up behind her and bent over her, so his mouth was on her ear. He cupped one of her breasts and made sure his blunt nail scraped over the tip causing her to shudder.

"Please untie me."

"Not done." He unzipped his pants and took his cock in his hands. It was so hard it fucking ached.

"Don't you want my mouth on that?"

He snickered. "Nice try." As fucking wonderful as that would be he needed to fuck her right now. His cock slid easily into her and he groaned as she braced for him.

"So tight and wet."

Rivers of sensation shot up his shaft as he moved inside of her. His muscles clenched as she took him deeper. He cupped one hand on her hip to keep them steady and the other one remained firmly on her breast. Tears of sweat trickled down her temples as his mouth hovered over the side of her face. It wasn't pretty, the sweat, the raw fucking but it was hot and his belly burned with the desire that he had.

He rolled his hips into her, each one stronger than the first. She threw her head back and her wisps of her sunny blond hair slathered to her face. She screamed as the tightness almost became unbearable for him as well. He needed to cum and he needed to hear her cum again. He quickened the pace, the slap of skin chimed in with the cries of pleasure.

He grabbed her ass and dug his nails as he slammed into her. This was going to be over fast but they had all night and for the first time in how many years he wanted to go all night.

She clenched up around him and then let herself go, he followed behind with the realization he really was in love with her. He'd just pictured in twenty seconds of hot passion where she fitted in his life. He wanted her there more and he couldn't think of it without her at this point.

"Aw Fuck." He poured into her and then melted over her like butter as they stood slumped over the railing. His chest was heavy, gasping for breath.

He chuckled as he buried his face into her sweaty neck. "We're even."

He untangled the belt and set her free turning her slowly. Her hair was dishevelled, her lips were swollen, and her blue eyes were soft. She looked fucking beautiful.

He tapped her nose before kissing her on the lips. "So what's the lesson here?"

A smile curled on her lips. "Don't wear a belt around you?"

He dragged her in and their noses bumped. "You're cheeky and that's half your problem."

She tugged gently on his tie but he clasped her wrist.

"What? I was just loosening it for you." Her innocent play wasn't convincing so he scooped her up in his arms.

"I need a shower and some food before the next round."

"We just had dinner silly." She draped her arms around his neck.

"Dinner isn't what I'd call that. Those portion sizes were for caterpillars, I think we need to order pizza after a long hot bubble bath." He grinned wickedly imagining her naked in suds wrapped around him.

"I'm in for that. These shoes maybe sexy but they're feet assassins."

He laughed as he climbed each stair with her sneaking in a kiss or two. It had been a good night.