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Falling for a John 8
ASHTON Willow rests her chin on my chest and looks up at me. "Just the two of us. Well, except for the two strapping bodyguards, the bakery staff, and your three siblings who will join us at seven." I had invited my two sisters and brother to join us later. "I appreciate you calling the bakery in advance," I say sincerely, without a hint of sarcasm. When I asked Willow if my younger brother could come along, her immediate response was, ‘I'll reserve the entire bakery for a couple of hours.’ Willow and I don't usually shut down establishments for our own convenience. We can handle the attention from the media and the public. But Willow understood that my brother, Blake, wouldn't feel comfortable with strangers around. Instead of suggesting we leave him behind, she was the first to offer a solution that included him. "Avec plaisir," [With pleasure]she says in a smooth, silky tone. So here we are, fluent in two foreign languages for completely different reasons. I won't delve into th
Falling for a John 9
LENNOX Ashton descended to the first floor. "It's only been two minutes since I last saw you." "Thirty-three," I corrected, watching Willow settle down on the loveseat and unscrew the bottle of sweet almond oil. I had a feeling I knew its purpose. I shifted my attention to Tony. "Security wants more information about the Camp-Away." Realization dawned on him, and he nodded. "You'll have to wait. I promised Willow a massage, and she comes first." "Are you giving or receiving?" I inquired, a mischievous smile playing on my lips. His eyebrows shot up, and he licked his lips, tilting his head slightly as he rubbed his sharp jaw. I smiled, feeling a flutter in my chest, but I pushed the sensation aside. "The massage, wolf scout. Are you giving or receiving it?" "Receiving," he answered more easily. "Willow is trying out massage therapy." She tied her wavy hair into a low ponytail. "If you two need to discuss the Camp-Away, I can wait—" "No," Ashton firmly replied, shaking his head
Falling for a John 10
ASHTON I find myself in a state of utter desperation. With every breath I take, I try to calm the raging emotions coursing through my veins. Is it desire? Frustration? Obsession? I stare defiantly into his eyes, unashamed. However, deep down, I can't deny that I've never wanted to obey an order as much as I do in this very moment. I've always been drawn to alpha males, those who crave dominance as much as I do. Most of the time, I get what I want, but the idea of being with someone equally strong and dominant entices me like nothing else. As I stand here, I can't help but imagine that person. And it hits me like a lightning bolt that Lennox Burke is the ultimate match. He's my bodyguard, a fact that my moral conscience reminds me of. It's the reason I refuse to let my gaze wander to his tempting lips or his imposing six-foot-three build. I don't even allow him to read my reaction for too long. I quickly tie the loose drawstring of my pants and then kneel on the rug, eventually ly
Falling for a John 11
LENNOX The street was alive with activity as the bright street lamps illuminated the scene. Rapid camera flashes filled the air, casting intermittent bursts of light on the idling black Escalade. Ignoring the continuous chatter in my right ear from the security team, I confidently maneuvered through the chaotic swarm of paparazzi. Around five men swarmed the car, desperately trying to capture a glimpse of whoever was inside. They pressed their lenses against the tinted windows, while others paced anxiously on the sidewalk, hastily relaying information to their colleagues. "Hurry up and get here!" "We think it's one of the Johnson kids, hopefully Blake." Two men were huddled near the rear door, but I powered forward. With each stride, I exuded an air of menace that sent them stumbling backward. Taking hold of the Escalade's handle, I mimicked opening the car door to shoo away the overly eager fools. Suddenly, a man rushed towards me and collided with my solid back. I shot him a br
Falling for a John 12
LENNOX I handed her a cup with a mixture of mouthwash and saline solution. "Swish it around and spit." Blanca winced as she swished and attempted to say "dammit" with a mouthful of salt water. Saliva dripped down her chin, and I guided her to the sink. "Now spit," I instructed. She did as told, and bloody salt water splattered into the metal sink basin. "That stings so bad," she breathed, gripping the sink's edge. "It's happening again," I warned her. "Stick your tongue out." Blanca winced preemptively. "Right now?" She wiped her forehead with her arm, her cheeks turning beet-red. I needed to take her temperature. Ashton glared. "Do you plan on going somewhere, Blanca? What else are we doing?" "Well, Willow promised a movie night. We could watch the movie first and then come back," she suggested, awkwardly shrugging her shoulders. "Yeah?" She gave me a thumbs-up. "Stick your tongue out," I said. Blanca frowned. "Tony is supposed to be the tough one." I rolled my eyes. "I was
Falling for a John 13
LENNOX Seth absentmindedly scratches his unshaven jaw, sweat glistening on his golden-brown skin. A small scar lies beneath his eye, and his slightly crooked nose bears the evidence of a past boxing injury. Davin shares similar marks. Security personnel often joke that no matter how many punches they've taken in their professional boxing careers, they will always be good-looking. "I was deliberately censoring myself," Seth clarifies. "I didn't want to mention anything inappropriate about a teenage girl, you know?" "Clit," Perry interjects. "Jelly bean," Davin adds with a smirk. "Magic button," Perry chimes in again. Seth shakes his head, as if thinking we're all messed up. I raise an eyebrow at him. "You're the one who jumped to 'clitoris piercing' when I said 'unmentionable.' And weren't you a teenager yourself just a year ago?" Davin and Perry burst into laughter, while Seth gives me a half-hearted glare. He still has a lot to learn about intimidation—he's new to the security
Falling for a John 14
LENNOX Perth began, "Tony made it crystal clear that he won't allow any of his siblings or cousins under eighteen to attend the event." "Then Epsilon is out," Davin remarked, referring to the security provided for the young kids by SFE. Perth shook his head, his black hair slightly tousled. "Most of them will be present at the event to enhance security measures." I stretched my legs, feeling the strain in my muscles. We had never needed extra security for the Camp-Away before, and that realization hung heavy in the silence that followed. "We asked Tony for more than seven days to conduct background checks on the attendees. That means the raffle would have to be closed more than a week prior to the event," Perth mentioned, addressing the main point of contention for the security team. "Tony agreed to give us more time, but he handed us twelve pages of statistics compiled by Willow." I shook my head, a smile forming on my face. Wolf scout. I already knew what he had done before Per
Falling for a John 15
LENNOX The saltshaker slips from my fingers, falling to its side. Tony glanced at me as I straightened the salt shaker on the table. It was a simple gesture, but it triggered a surge of jealousy within me. I found it absurd that I could feel this way about an anonymous celebrity wearing a beanie at a bar. My ex-boyfriends would have found it hilarious that I cared so much about a twenty-two-year-old famous person. I unwrapped a piece of gum and just as I peeled off the foil, Ashton, sitting across from me, asked an unexpected question, "What's your favorite color?" A smile formed at the corners of my mouth. "My favorite color?" I repeated, as if he had asked me something trivial. Well, it was a kindergarten-level question, but in that moment, I couldn't help but think that Ashton's interest had shifted from that other guy to me. Ashton crossed his arms and challenged me, "What kind of high school names someone valedictorian when they can't even answer their favorite color?" Leani
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