“It hurt them a lot, Alan, and I just want to do something to make that hurt go. Getting engaged to Jeremy Raybourne would make that happen, and I was all for that until…this.”
“If Staffan is in love with you---”
She said very simply, “I’m his.”
But it wasn’t going to be that easy.
When they reached the concert venue, screams greeted them. The number of fans lined up for the concert had grown exponentially since Saffi had left, with the entire lobby already packed. And right in the middle of it was a makeshift stage, with a beautiful, sexy and devilishly smiling Staffan surrounded by five sexy and exquisitely pretty girls.
She felt herself turning white as Staffan locked gazes with hers – just before he kissed each girl one at a time. But when he reached the last one, he didn’t bend down. He took her hand instead.
No!
Saffi could see herself in that girl. Physically, they didn’t have a thing in common. The other girl was tall, blond, and blue eyed, with an engaging and confident smile. But her eyes were shining the way Saffi knew hers did.
Staffan pulled the girl close for a scorching-hot open-mouthed kiss.
No.
No, please, no.
But it wasn’t a dream. Or – it was a fangirl’s dream. It used to be her dream until she had fallen in love with Staffan.
Saffi broke into a run when she saw Staffan leading the girl off the stage, leaving his fans screaming deliriously in his wake. She didn’t care who she was shoving out of her way. All she knew was that she had to get to him before he did something they would both regret.
“Staffan!” she screamed just as he walked towards the hall leading to his dressing room. She would die before she’d let them go in there together. She knew what could happen inside Staffan’s dressing room and she just couldn’t---
“Staffan, please!”
Staffan stiffened at the broken sound of Saffi’s voice, but he forced himself to ignore it, telling himself it was all part of her act.
“Staffan!” She sobbed his name out this time, willing herself to run faster but the few feet that separated them seemed like a huge gaping cliff that she could never cross – not without his help. Saffi knew Staffan had heard her but he still didn’t look her way. Instead, he nodded at his security personnel while talking to Bob, who immediately shook his head.
Staffan spoke again, and this time Bob became stoic looking.
“Staffan!” She was just a step away this time, and she reached out, her hand shaking, only to find the entire security force blocking her away, a grim-faced Bob appearing behind them.
Saffi couldn’t believe what was happening.
“Bob?” she asked shakily.
“I’m sorry, H. The boss says you’re not to approach him while he’s…” He swallowed.
“Bob, you must have misunderstood,” she whispered. “Please, Bob, I just need to talk to him.”
He shook his head.
“Bob, please.”
“Don’t make me say it, H. Just let things lie low.”
Dread skittered across her spine, but she still forced herself to meet Bob’s gaze. “Make you say what?”
Bob was the first one to look away. “The boss says you can approach him if you’re willing to…” He suddenly cursed. “Don’t make me say it, H.”
“Bob, please, I need to see him, I’ll do anything---”
“He says you can get in but only if you’re willing to do it with him…and the other girl.”
Her mind reeled, the vicious reality behind those words making her heart ache even worse than her broken ribs. This was a test. This was Staffan pushing her away. This was another risk she had to take.
She closed her eyes, praying for strength, surrounding herself with the warmth of the memories she shared with Staffan. When she opened her eyes, she was able to smile at Bob. “Take me there then.”
Bob cursed once more. “Are you serious? I’m not kidding---”
“Neither am I,” she said firmly. When she’d get to his dressing room, Staffan would be waiting for her. He wouldn’t be doing anything to the girl. He would listen to her, and everything would be all right again.
Realizing that she was not going to budge on this, Bob reluctantly ordered his security team to let her through. “This is not going to go well, H,” he muttered as they entered the backstage area. He stopped walking when he noticed how much difficulty she had moving. “Are you okay?”
She nodded, not knowing that her face had gone white with the pain she was forced to endure with every step she took. She supposed she needed to see a doctor right away, but this – what she could have with Staffan – was more important than a few broken ribs.
“I just had a little accident. You know how clumsy I am,” she lied.
Bob reluctantly resumed walking. “You will regret this, H. It’s not too late to turn back---”
“It will be fine, Bob.” She added simply, “I love him.”
Bob wanted to kill himself after that. “H, listen to me. This is not what you want to see. He’s in a black mood for some reason and---”
They stopped in front of Staffan’s dressing room door. “Bob,” she said very softly, “Be honest with me. When you see Staffan and me together, did you ever think I was special to him?”
The optimism shining in Saffi’s gaze was almost ethereal, and he mentally cursed his employer for doing something that was sure to take those stars out of Saffi’s eyes. This girl was special---in every way, a breath of fresh air that no evil could pollute.
Unable to deny the truth, not when Saffi was looking at him so expectantly, Bob admitted grudgingly, “Yes, you do seem special to him.” He frowned then, adding warningly, “But tonight’s different. He’s gone crazy.”
“He doesn’t want to get hurt again after what happened. I know that. We all know that, and I’m willing to wait until he’s ready to trust again.” She smiled at him. “Wish me luck?”
“I’ll even give you my lifetime’s worth if it will help, H,” he said as he slowly opened the door.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped past Bob.
“Staffan---” Her voice broke down.
No, please, no, this couldn’t be real. It couldn’t.
But it was.
Staffan was only wearing his pants, his chest laid bare, shirt thrown on the floor---together with the rest of the other girl’s clothes. She was moaning softly in Staffan’s arms, obviously in the throes of pleasure as Staffan f**ked her with his fingers.