Chapter 34

Camden was standing in the closet with me, watching me closely while I got dressed…like Michael was going to pop out of my clothes and take me if he left.

He’d been like this since the bathroom incident, watching me every second as if I was going to disappear if he even blinked. Freya had ended up being diagnosed with a concussion that night, so she’d been on leave for the last week. Camden had gone everywhere with me, not leaving my side unless Olivia’s bodyguards were also present.

I was also on a no-peeing ban at games unless all the girls—and the bodyguards—were with me. Under no circumstances did I want a repeat of that night, so I wasn’t pushing back on anything. It was clear that Michael was losing it, becoming even more unhinged and desperate. It made him even more terrifying than before.

For Camden’s away playoff games, I’d taken off from practice to go with him. He’d said he wasn’t going if I didn’t come too. He’d gone to Madame Leclerc himself about the situation, and whatever he’d said…had been very convincing. She’d started being way nicer to me. Which I guess was a perk of having the hottest, most charming man alive as your boyfriend—especially if he was an NHL star who was sponsoring the Company.

Her change in attitude didn’t bother me as much as I would have thought. I needed a breather from the stress and the drama and the constant ridicule.

However it came.

“You look beautiful, baby girl,” Camden said, his eyes heating as he slowly took me in. We were having a dinner party at Geraldine’s to celebrate the Knights’ first round playoff win. They’d won four games in a row and finished early. The two teams battling it out to play them next looked to be headed for a seventh-game, so the Knights would be home for a few extra days before the next round began.

I wasn’t sure about meeting Geraldine. She’d evidently been in Europe for the last month, which is why I hadn’t met her even though she lived across the hall. I kept imagining this gorgeous modelesque woman trying to sweep in and hit on my man.

I may have become a touch possessive myself.

“What are you thinking about?” he murmured, crowding me against the wall as he dipped his lips to my shoulder and dropped decadent kisses across my skin.

I gasped, losing the ability to talk for a moment. Camden had been very careful with me since the incident, and I missed the hair-pulling, spanking, fingertips digging into my skin Daddy that he usually was.

“Just tonight,” I finally whispered as his fingers slid down my stomach and between my legs, sliding over the damp silk of my underwear—I was pretty sure I was always wet around him.

His fingers had just started to dip beneath my panty line when the doorbell rang…at least five times in a row. Camden groaned, his forehead falling to my shoulder. “I’m guessing that’s Ari,” I said in a raspy voice, and his head snapped up.

“I don’t want to hear another man’s name coming out of your mouth when you sound like that. Do you understand?” he commanded in his silky, dangerous voice that could get me to do whatever he wanted.

“Yes, sir,” I whispered.

“Better remind you just in case.” His fingers finally pushed under my panty line, thrusting inside me as he expertly worked my clit. I was a trembling, panting mess by the time he was done with me.

And the only name I obviously screamed as I came…was his.

Camden left the closet to answer the door, still licking my essence off his fingers.

I stood there for a second, my insides fluttering from the orgasm he’d just given me.

And then I finally got dressed.

I was way more nervous than I should have been as our group stood at Geraldine’s door, waiting for her to open it.

“Are you sure this is good enough wine?” I whispered, staring at the bottle clenched in my hands.

“Relax, baby girl,” Camden murmured, smacking my butt and making me jump. “She’s going to love you.”

“Rookie, you must be really excited to see your girlfriend again,” Ari said with an especially evil grin.

I glanced back at Logan who was looking unusually pale. He was staring at the wall with wide eyes. “You have no idea what you’re in for,” he muttered to me, his voice filled with dread.

I shot him a quizzical look, but before I could ask, the door flew open with a flourish. There stood a woman, resplendent in a peacock-blue turban adorned with jeweled pins and a matching caftan that flowed around her like a regal robe. Silver hair peeked out from beneath the turban, and her eyes sparkled with mischief. She had to be pushing eighty. Was this…

“Welcome, darlings!” she exclaimed, her voice booming with delight. “Come in, come in!”

We stepped inside, and the woman’s eyes immediately landed on Walker. A devilish grin spread across her face. “Well, who is this handsome young man?” She sauntered over to him with a sway in her hips that belied her age.

Walker’s eyes widened in shock, but he managed a polite smile. “I’m Walker, nice to meet you, ma’am.”

“Ma’am?” Geraldine echoed, her eyebrows arching dramatically. “Call me Geraldine, darling. Or better yet, call me anytime.” She winked, her fingers trailing lightly along his arm. “Tell me, Walker, have you ever been with an older woman before?”

Walker chuckled nervously, glancing at Olivia for support, but Olivia was no help, she was laughing so hard I was afraid the baby was going to pop right out.

This was the famous Geraldine?

I glanced up at Camden with a scowl. His face was stretched with a wide grin, obviously eating every minute of this up. “You enjoyed me being jealous over a senior citizen, didn’t you?” I hissed.

He winked. “I always enjoy you being jealous, baby girl. Makes me not seem so crazy.”

Ari had been standing a little to the side, and he huffed loudly, frowning as he stared at Geraldine fawning over Walker. “Geraldine, baby cakes, don’t I get a greeting?”

Geraldine glanced disinterestedly at Ari. “Oh, they brought you along again.” Her face dripped with condescension as she looked him up and down. “Still not interested,” she sniffed.

Ari was staring at Geraldine like the ground had fallen out from under him. I imagined that this was one of the first times a woman hadn’t been charmed by him.

Monroe and Lincoln exchanged amused glances, while Blake and Olivia tried to stifle their laughter. Camden squeezed my hand, his eyes twinkling.

Geraldine spotted Logan then—trying to hide behind Lincoln…unsuccessfully since they were about the same height and build.

“I see you, pet,” she cooed at Logan, waving a finger at him before she clasped her hands in front of her face. “We’re going to have so much fun tonight!”

“And who is this lovely young lady?” Geraldine turned her attention to me, her gaze sharp and assessing.

“Mimi, this is my Anastasia,” Camden introduced. “Anastasia, meet Geraldine.”

Geraldine’s eyes softened slightly as she looked at me. “Your Anastasia. She’s the stunning dancer, isn’t she? My, my, our boy moves fast when he knows what he wants.” She wiggled her eyebrows at me. “I like that in a man, don’t you?”

I grinned awkwardly.

Camden leaned close. “Geraldine was with me the night that I first saw you.”

Oh! I nodded at that, feeling a bit more at ease now that I knew who he took to the performance that night. “It’s nice to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you.”

“All good things, I hope,” she said with a wink, then turned her attention back to Walker. “Now, Walker, do tell me all about yourself. How do you feel about rope play?”

Walker choked, his eyes wide and terrified.

Geraldine laughed, a rich, throaty sound. “Oh, I’m just kidding, darling. I prefer handcuffs.” She winked at him again and glided ahead of us down the hall into a…very unusual living room filled with statues of what appeared to be the same man.

“Her late husband, Harold,” Camden murmured, noting the expression on my face as I stared at the statues. “I’ll explain later.”

I nodded, sure it was going to be an interesting tale…

Ari had hustled up to Geraldine’s side, clearly trying to get her attention. “How do you feel about Batman, Geraldine?”

She glanced at him and sniffed. “Superman was the superior hero, everyone knows that.”

Ari’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water as she continued to flirt with Walker, not giving him a second look. Blake linked arms with him and whispered something in his ear about letting him be Batman when they got home…and he seemed to perk right up.

I wasn’t going to ask.

Logan was walking along beside us now, a huge frown stretched across his face as he glared at where Geraldine was still flirting with Walker.

“What’s wrong, Rookie?” Camden teased.

“It’s like I’m not even here,” he growled, gesturing forward. “I’m just as interesting as Disney!” He huffed as Geraldine patted Walker’s bicep, acting so impressed. “You know what, I’m going to show her my bicep…maybe my quad too. That will really get her going.”

Logan hustled ahead and started doing just that. Monroe was laughing so hard she was crying as Lincoln held her up.

“I think Logan has left out a few details from the other night,” Ari mused, his eyes mischievous as he cocked his head, no doubt planning how he was going to torture Logan about this later.

We moved to the dining room where a long table was set with fine china, gleaming silverware, and crystal glasses. A chandelier with pink crystals hung overhead, casting a warm, pink glow around the room.

Dinner was served, and the conversation flowed, mostly led by Geraldine. She regaled us with tales of her younger days, her flirtations with famous men, and her various escapades. Throughout it all, she kept her focus on Walker, who handled her advances with increasing awkwardness.

“Walker, dear, how long have you been playing hockey?” she asked, her eyes twinkling.

“For basically all my life,” Walker replied, scooting closer to Olivia like Geraldine was going to reach across the table and snatch him up.

“It’s such an exciting sport!” Geraldine crooned. “Maybe you can teach me a thing or two about handling a stick.”

Logan nearly choked on his drink, while the rest of us struggled to contain our laughter.

“I like her,” I whispered to Camden and he snorted.

“She definitely never fails to make things interesting…”

“I play hockey too, Geraldine, remember?” Logan inserted suddenly, leaning toward her eagerly like he wanted her to scratch his head or something. “I’m very good at handling a stick.”

There was a beat of silence, and Ari’s face was literally going red from the effort it was taking for him to hold himself back.

“Go ahead, Lancaster. Just get it out,” Lincoln finally sighed.

“I–I don’t even know what to say first. ‘That’s what she said’ or ‘good to know’ or…”

Logan had realized by then what he’d just said. “I meant I could show her how to handle a stick!” he huffed, throwing his hands up.

We were all silent again, and then the group burst into laughter, Geraldine staring at all of us with a twinkle in her blue gaze. “Sounds good to me,” she said, finally stroking Logan’s bicep. He preened, like he’d just won some kind of medal.

I had to set down my soup, or I was going to choke on it because I’d never laughed so hard in my life.

“Pinch me, Golden Boy. Because I’m obviously in some kind of nightmare where people like Disney and the rookie are better than me. I’d like to wake up now,” Ari hissed.

“You’re my favorite, Lancaster,” Blake flirted, and Ari got a starry look in his eyes as he gazed at her, completely forgetting anything else.

So cute.

The rest of the evening passed in a blur of laughter and stories. Geraldine continued to flirt outrageously with Walker, occasionally throwing Logan a bone…and Ari continued to be offended about it.

Until she brought up how useful her fake teeth were.

Then Ari seemed quite content that she wasn’t paying attention to him.

As we left, Geraldine softly touched my arm before pulling me into a clove and cinnamon scented hug. “Camden is a lucky man to have you. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise,” she whispered in my ear.

I pulled back, feeling strangely emotional. “I won’t.”

She turned to the group, her gaze focusing on Walker as she blew him a kiss. “Come and give me a hug, you big lug.” Walker looked a little terrified as he carefully bent over to pat her back awkwardly. “Do come back and visit, Walker, dear.” Geraldine gave him a flirty smile, batting her eyelashes.

“Arrgh!” We all glanced at Walker and he was rubbing his butt, his eyes wide in horror. “She just pinched my ass,” he hissed. Geraldine winked at Olivia like a Cheshire cat. “Good job,” she mouthed at her. Olivia hadn’t really stopped laughing the entire night, and she was still laughing now. Walker shot her a dangerously sexy grin, and she abruptly stopped giggling, a blush rising on her cheeks about it.

I pretended not to notice that Logan seemed to be angling his ass toward Geraldine, like he wanted in on the action too.

“Cheeky boy,” she finally cooed at Logan, giving him a kiss on his cheek—the one on his face thankfully. “I’ll be seeing you soon.”

Logan grinned down at her. “Looking forward to it.”

She leaned forward. “You can show me how you handle those sticks.”

Logan’s face was red, and he was coughing and sputtering as he exited the penthouse—much to Ari’s delight.

“Bye, Geraldine!” Ari called in his most flirtatious tone.

She huffed…and closed the door.

Ari turned on Walker. “Don’t get any big ideas, Disney. You’re still a simp,” he snarled.

Walker grinned, looking far more confident than he had at the dinner amidst Geraldine’s advances. “But evidently Geraldine’s a simp for me, so I think that’s what counts.”

Ari was cursing at Walker hilariously as Camden began leading me across the hall to our home. “I can think of something more interesting to do than listen to Ari bitch, can’t you, baby girl?”

I grinned, my core getting wet at just the thought of what he could do to my body. “Yes, Daddy,” I whispered, enjoying the way his eyes flashed with heat.

Camden pushed me into the penthouse without saying goodbye to anyone, and the rest of the night was definitely more interesting than anything that had happened tonight.