Nowhere Left to Fall (The Nowhere Trilogy Book 1), page 3
“Do you really think I’m stuffy and boring?” I asked instead. “I was raised as a proper royal, so I’ve always had a set of rules to follow, a way of doing things outsiders don’t understand.”
“You’re right, and I understand that part of it.” She closed the dishwasher and turned, leaning against the counter. “Look, I don’t want to argue. I was just pointing out how different we are and why we don’t have any kind of relationship. I didn’t mean to be rude.”
“What would I have to do to prove to you that I’m not a bad guy?” I didn’t know where that came from, but I was suddenly pissed off and intent on showing her I wasn’t stuffy and certainly not a snob.
“I never said you were a bad guy.” She laughed. “But, anyway, why do you care what I think? You’re going back to Limaj, or wherever you spend your time, and I’m positive you won’t give me a second thought once you go.”
“How do you know what I think about?” I demanded. “You just admitted you barely know me. So, I’ll ask you again…what would it take for you to believe I’m not all bad?”
“And I’ll tell you again, I never said you were bad. I just said we’re very, very different.”
“You didn’t answer my question.” I stood up, towering over her, fixing a gaze on her that seemed to surprise her based on the way she took a hesitant step back. “What would I have to do to prove to you I’m not truly stuffy, that I know how to have fun, and that I care about people? Maybe even you.”
She stared at me, squinting slightly as she tried to come up with a response. Finally, she shrugged. “Come to New York with me. I’m going on a rock ‘n’ roll drinking and partying fest. I’m going to see old friends, get drunk, and forget all about this debacle with my band. If you truly want to be my friend, come with me to make sure I don’t get into too much trouble.”
“Fine.”
“But you can’t sit there like a stick in the mud.”
“All right.”
“And you have to lose your bodyguards.”
“That’s not possible,” he said. “My father wouldn’t allow it.”
She pursed her lips. “All right, but just your personal guard, Sandor, and he has to dress like us, act like us, and hang out with us. He can wear his gun under a jacket or something, but he can’t tell anyone who he is or who you are.”
“And a car with my personal driver to follow us discreetly, just in case.”
“As long as they stay far away, and the only way they come anywhere near us is if they see something that looks dangerous.”
“Done.”
She gave me a funny look. “I’m heading to the airport in the morning.”
“We can take the family plane. Mother and Dad aren’t planning to travel any time soon.”
“Hmmm, now that’s downright useful.” She chuckled. “I’d like to be out of here by around ten if that’s okay with you.”
“I’ll arrange it.”
“Perfect. See you later.”
I watched in frustrated astonishment as she blew me a kiss and strolled into the living room to join the others without giving me a backward glance. What the hell had just happened, and what had I gotten myself into?
I’d always had a hard-on for the bright-eyed blonde, but she was two years younger than me, and I’d never spent more than a few weeks at a time in Las Vegas growing up. Between boarding schools, summer camps, and official family visits to Limaj, I’d worshipped her from afar. Watching the insanely talented and sexy woman she’d turned into had me jerking off in the shower more often than I wanted to admit, but I’d never dared let her or anyone else know just how much I wanted her.
Up until recently, I’d believed I would marry the woman chosen for me and go about my life the way everyone expected me to. After the last meeting of the royal family, something sour had settled in my gut. I enjoyed life as a royal, but with virtually no chance of taking the throne due to my father’s abdication, I was content to be a bit of a playboy, enjoying all that life and my position had to offer, though I was always discreet. Recent events, however, had shown me that things were changing in my country. As part of the royal family, I couldn’t sit back and allow things to happen the way they always had.
Limaj sat in a unique position both geographically and politically. Settled between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, it was what I’d once thought was the perfect balance of old and new. East of Turkey, bordering Iraq and Iran, with Georgia to the north, we were a tiny blip that essentially spanned three regions. Limaj had always represented the best of all those worlds to me with the food and summer tourism of Turkey and the rest of eastern Europe, the pride and history of Asia, and the oil of the Middle East. We had wealth, freedom, and decent weather. There were some antiquated laws, like giving men almost complete control of their wives, but spousal rape was no longer allowed, and women had the freedom to work, get an education, drive, and most other rights.
As in most things in life, Limaj wasn’t perfect. Families still believed in arranged marriages, winters in the northern part of the country could be brutal, and some of the newer politicians had radically old-fashioned ideas, suggesting longer hem lengths for women’s clothing and less freedoms for citizens, in general. Thus far, they’d been shut down by the general assembly of senators and the king himself, but the fact that they kept popping up bothered me. Anwar seemed to be aligning himself with that faction of the government, and though King Isak made noises about not approving, he hadn’t removed him as next in line to the throne either.
All of this had been a quiet nagging in the back of my mind, and since I’d finished my master’s degree, I’d been paying a lot more attention to what was going on. My father had abdicated the throne before I was born so I’d never thought about being king and it seemed like a huge hassle anyway. I preferred my much less demanding life and had brought up getting a job more than once. But the family always shot me down, leaving me far too much time to think. And every time Anwar said something stupid, something deep inside of me burned with a need to find a way to take my rightful place as heir to the throne.
I’d never said these things aloud, of course. My father probably wouldn’t be happy, and my uncle would have a heart attack, but what else was there for me to do? My role as an ambassador was boring, I’d had enough parties and polo matches to last a lifetime, and sex with giggling debutantes and ladder-climbing socialites had begun to bore me in ways I didn’t understand. In fact, until running into Casey today, I’d given up on women altogether. Just sparring with her earlier had gotten my dick hard, and I wanted her more than ever.
Unfortunately, she didn’t seem to like me very much, though she’d been polite at first. It had always been that way, with her politely avoiding me since our teens. She’d started calling me “Your Greatness” instead of my appropriate title, and though I never knew why, it always made me laugh. Hearing it today had sent blood flowing to regions I’d thought were dormant, so that undoubtedly had played a role in my deciding to go to New York with her.
“Erik?” My mother’s voice brought me out of my reverie, and I looked up at her with a smile.
“Hi.”
“I’m so glad you decided to come with us. When was the last time you saw Uncle Lucas and Aunt Teal?”
“Too long,” I admitted.
“Did you and Casey have a nice chat?”
I snorted. “She mocked me for a while and called me stuffy, to which I promptly invited myself along on her upcoming trip to New York.”
My mother bit her lip, the twinkle in her eyes belying her attempt to not laugh. “I see.”
“Go ahead and laugh. She doesn’t like me.”
“Oh, she likes you.” She ran a gentle hand along my cheek. “I think she feels you’re out of her league, so she covers it with sarcasm and snide remarks. Take the time to get to know her, my love. She’s a smart, talented, strong young woman who’s still finding her way. I think the two of you would be good for each other.”
“How so?” I asked curiously.
“She needs someone to guide her through adulthood now that she’s at a crossroads professionally, and you need someone to show you how to let go of everything you can’t have.” Her words were filled with hidden meaning, and I searched her face, trying to grasp what she wasn’t willing to spell out.
“Mom, I just—”
“I know. You’re troubled, unsure of your place in the world… Trust me when I tell you I know what you need better than you do.”
I sighed. She was probably right—she always was.
“Go to New York and let yourself get lost in fun. You’ve always been the perfect son, well-behaved and loyal, intelligent and cognizant of your role within the royal family. But that’s not your life, so why not enjoy the one you have instead of the one you feel was taken from you?”
Damn. How did she always do this to me? It was like she read my mind. It pissed me off sometimes, but not today. Today, it made sense because I was making myself crazy watching things out of my control go sideways. Whatever happened in Limaj, in the government, with Anwar, had very little to do with me, and I’d be so much happier not worrying about it. At least in theory.
“Thanks, Mom.” I rested my head against her side, and she gently stroked my hair.
“My daughter has never taken a single piece of advice I’ve given her,” she whispered. “And look where she is now. So, do me a favor and be the child who does.”
“Okay.” I nodded, and for the first time in many years, I was genuinely excited about something. Whether it was Casey or merely the freedom to be myself for once, I couldn’t tell, but whatever it was, I was ready. Consequences be damned.
5
Casey
I didn’t usually do things that would lead to heartbreak, but apparently, I wasn’t firing on all cylinders right now. Inviting Erik to come to New York with me had been stupid, and as I finished fixing my face for a night out, I stared in the mirror self-consciously.
I was a rock and roller through and through, from my collection of leather jackets to my custom Harley-Davidson to my penchant for Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire, but I often found myself struggling with that label. I had no interest in drugs, though I smoked a little weed once in a while, and I longed to get a bachelor’s degree in music even though I’d probably never need it. I liked ball gowns and makeup just as much as leather pants and worn jeans, and though I didn’t get to travel for fun very often, one of my goals was to visit every corner of the earth.
I didn’t fit into any mold and had always liked that about myself, but with Erik tagging along now, I wondered if he had any idea who I really was. The thought of rejection made me wince a little on the inside, but it wasn’t like I lacked male attention. Men came out of the woodwork anywhere I went, even though most didn’t interest me at all. Touring with Nick meant I’d had a convenient, sexy lover available whenever I wanted so there hadn’t been any need to date. Except now I had the opportunity to spend time with Erik and that was all I’d thought about all day. Hell, I’d been thinking about it on and off since I was about twelve.
A knock on the door forced me to step into my black high heels and grab my purse.
When I opened the door, Erik nearly took my breath away. How was it possible he was even hotter in ripped black jeans and biker boots than he was in a suit? I was in so much trouble.
“Ready for New York?” he asked with a grin.
“The question is, are you ready?” I laughed, hoping my attraction wasn’t somehow tattooed on my forehead.
“I think so.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll be gentle.”
His eyes smoldered, and I pretended to be checking my purse for my room key to avoid staring into them too long. I had too much to do and too many plans to make to allow myself to act on whatever was going on between us, but I really wanted to. It was just a few days of fun, though, right? We were adults and would be able to handle something casual and brief. Then, when it was over, I would dive into a few projects I’d had on the back burner for a while now. My dad was in the process of opening a recording studio; I wanted to produce solo albums for myself and for Jade, and then I would use the studio as a way to discover and mentor new talent.
“You looked so serious all of a sudden,” he said gently. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” I shut off the light behind me. “Let’s go.”
We took the black SUV Erik had rented to a studio I was planning to visit. Friends of mine were playing a showcase for the press and a bunch of their record company’s executives, and I was hoping to surprise them. It would be a little odd showing up with Erik and Sandor, but since Erik had said his bodyguard and a driver weren’t negotiable, I wasn’t going to worry about it. My goal was to hang out with my musician friends tonight, get drunk, and maybe seduce the object of my fantasies. He’d probably use me and leave me, but you only lived once, right?
“What is this place?” Sandor asked as we pulled up.
“It’s a recording studio that friends of mine booked for a private event,” I said, getting out of the car before our driver, Aziz, or Erik could help me.
We were on the upper west side, at a studio I’d never been to before, and I was pleasantly surprised when we got inside. The room was set up for a combination performance, interviews with the press, and a meet-and-greet for contest winners who’d been invited. An incredible buffet was laid out, including everything from lobster tail to baked Alaska, and champagne flowed from some sort of ice sculpture formed in the shape of a tiger, which was the band’s logo. Tables were set with candles, fresh flowers, and immaculate linens. The band’s music played on the loudspeakers, but other than that, we might have been attending a wedding or a meeting of a board of directors somewhere.
“Remember,” I reminded Erik. “You’re friends of mine from the U.K., and you’re definitely not royalty.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
I laughed since I refused to call him that, and now he was throwing it in my face.
“Behave,” I said, looking around for my friends as I headed to the bar. I spotted them on the other side of the room and waved as I ordered a Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire with one ice cube.
Keegan Ryan and Tyler Thompson came running to the bar, lifting me in big bear hugs and spinning me around. Their band, No Intent, had opened for us for all of our New York area shows and we’d gotten to know them pretty well. Their bass player, Tyler, was incredibly talented and it had occurred to me that he would make a great replacement for Nick, but stealing him from his current band would be a shitty thing to do to the rest of the guys. Besides, Tyler was barely eighteen, so he needed a little time to grow up. I didn’t want to be anyone’s mom on tour.
“You didn’t tell us you were coming,” Keegan said, shaking his head. “How’d you get in?”
I laughed. “Really?” The guy at the door had almost genuflected when he recognized me.
“Dumb question.” Tyler nudged his buddy. “So what’s shakin’? How long are you in town? You wanna party?”
“You’re not old enough to party,” I pointed out.
“You weren’t old enough to party when you first went on tour,” he shot back, his eyes twinkling with mirth.
“Do as I say, not as I do,” I teased, laughing.
In my peripheral vision, I caught Erik staring at me and motioned him over.
“Come meet my friends,” I called, holding out my hand to him.
The sexy bastard approached us with a smile that did things to my heart. Damn, was he teasing me or was I just completely in love?
“Gin and tonic, please,” he said to the bartender. “Twist of lime.”
“Erik, this is Tyler Thompson and Keegan Ryan, with No Intent. This is their first album, and my dad co-wrote one of the songs.”
“Nice to meet you.” Erik smiled lazily, and then he gave me a once-over that made it very clear I belonged to him. What the hell was that about?
“This is my friend Sandor,” he continued.
“Where are you from?” Keegan asked, his eyes already glassy from one too many glasses of champagne. “The U.K.?”
“I just finished my master’s in business at Oxford,” Erik responded casually. “I guess I picked up a bit of an accent.”
“New boyfriend?” Tyler murmured under his breath.
“None of your business,” I whispered back.
“We gotta warm up,” Keegan said. “Nice to meet you guys—we’ll see you after, Casey.”
“Break a leg,” I called after them.
“They look young,” Erik commented.
“Keegan’s twenty-two and Tyler’s eighteen. He was still seventeen when they opened for us earlier this year. He turned eighteen while we were in Boston, and we had a huge party for him. I invited his parents and everything. It was great.”
“That was nice of you.”
“I’m actually pretty nice.”
“Are you?” His eyes met mine again and it took all of my self-control not to kiss him. Except he was looking at me like he wanted me to and suddenly, I didn’t care. Why shouldn’t I throw caution to the wind? What was the worst thing that could happen?
Before I could change my mind, I raised myself up on my tiptoes and pressed a light kiss right on his lips. Nothing prepared me for how soft they were. Or how much I liked it. I was in so much trouble.
6
Erik
Holy fuck.
Casey freakin’ Hart just kissed me. Her lips sent a shockwave rocketing through me that made me want to do unthinkable things to her. I wanted to grab her by the ass, yank her against me, and stick my tongue down her throat. She’d already stepped back, though, her eyes twinkling as she waited for my reaction. Damn, she was beautiful, and mischievous, and everything I never realized I wanted in a woman. How did the wrong woman feel so incredibly right? I’d always wanted her because she was beautiful and talented, but she wasn’t the kind of girl a guy like me could marry. She was a rock star, for god’s sake, and the thought of her dressing in conservative suits and hosting tea parties was almost laughable.
