Paper Dolls Read online

  The physical was what she needed. Alexander inside her, filling her, his meaty cock pounding into her attention starved pussy. How had she become so complacent and lived without lust? She’d never know. The heat and passion from their reunion built steady in her womb. It spread outward to her trembling limbs. And her entire being braced, poised on the edge. One deeper thrust and she would tumble over into bliss. She bucked her hips up against his invading cock, and demanded with her pussy to be fucked.

  “That’s right, baby, come for me. You’re so beautiful when you come,” he said. He kissed her face and grabbed the fleshy cheeks of her ass with unyielding roughness. He pumped his hips, exhaling between deep grunts. He announced his intent to join her. Raven’s toes clenched, and her hands curled into tighter fists until her nails pierced his skin.

  “Alexander, oh yes.” She heard herself say. She wanted to be his again. That much she was sure of. Her head spun, and a dizzying sense of desire fried her brain.

  She wanted him to make it all go away, all the regret and loneliness the divorce brought into her life. Determined to recapture the love, she matched his thrusts with her own upward toss of her hips, and joined him in the climax of a lifetime. The wine, the memories, the professions of remorse with promises of something new, all came crashing down on her as his chest did, and she gave in under the weight. She closed her eyes. She realized something she refused to acknowledge since he arrived at her door. It felt good to be his again.

  Later—

  Alex woke. He doubled blink and let reality descend on him. Was it a dream? It had to be a dream. His gaze dropped to the right and he saw her. Raven lay on her side, turned away from him. It wasn’t a dream. She was real. The night they shared with each other was real.

  The relief that overcame him almost made him speak. He scooted in behind her and kissed her shoulder. Slow and careful to not wake her, he eased his hand beneath her arm to caress her flat tummy. Alex remembered how her body changed when she carried their daughter. How she would have to sleep on her side to be comfortable. How many nights had he pressed his ear to the swell of her belly to feel the tiny kicks of his little one?

  He wanted another baby with her. He wanted to try again. They could do it. The doctors said she was healthy. No one could explain the stillbirth of their precious angel. Raven’s mother told him the baby wasn’t alive when she pushed her out. But in Raven’s grief she swore the baby took her last breath in her arms. The biggest regret of his life was not being there for her. Their life and marriage spiraled out of control ever since.

  “I lied to you, Rae. I want to go back. All the way back to the day you said you would marry me. I want to start again. I want a baby,” he said to her sleeping body. “Give me another chance, Rae. Just one more.”

  She didn’t respond. She snored lightly. He smiled. He had two hours until sunrise and he wasn’t going to waste another moment of it. His hand inched down to her sex and he was able to reach his middle finger to stroke her clitoris. It was her secret spot. And she responded. A soft sigh escaped her plump lips and her head dropped back to his shoulder. He was positioned to see her, resting on his elbow as he peered down at her. Raven pressed the ripe swell of her ass to his groin and bent her knee.

  Access was granted. Alex’s cock jerked, thick and insistent. His dick aimed at her opening and eased inside of her as he tugged on her clit. He kissed the side of her face, and grazed his tongue over her ear, releasing her clit to rub his hand over the sweet curve of her thigh and grasp it. He wanted her to stay still. This was the best part. With her pinned down on her side, and his dick sliding inside, he could feel every inch of the melting caress her tightness offered.

  Raven gasped and tilted her ass back to force him to deepen his thrusts. Alex complied. And his sweet baby responded, she moved against him and with him. The moment she brought him to her bed her body had welcomed him. She felt more sensual, more loving than usual. Alex’s lips curled into a satisfying smile as he flexed his butt cheeks and hammered into her pussy. His eyes closed. He held her to his chest; he had both arms folded around her so she couldn’t escape. He prayed he wasn’t hurting her or holding her too tight. He refused to let her go.

  He withdrew and dropped her to her back so he could get between her thighs. Her breath hitched and her lovely breasts heaved up between them. Her eyes were at half-mast, dazed from weariness and lust. He knew his baby. She wanted it. He was going to fuck her good.

  Her legs went up to tighten around his waist. Instead he captured each at the crease of his arms. He pinned her thighs as far back as he could. Raven moaned with pleasure instead of resistance. He sank again into her tight wet heat. Her pussy spasmed and made a wet sound as it welcomed his repeated down strokes. He saw no signs of strain or discomfort on her pretty face. So he fucked her harder, keeping her shapely thighs pinned down. He moved his hips in circles and screwed her deep.

  Tension curled around his pelvis and seized his balls. He wouldn’t last much longer. He kissed her swollen lips and tasted her stale breath. He kissed her with as much passion as he could summon and released in her. Was she on the pill? He prayed and prayed, and prayed for another chance to love her as he slipped back under her spell.

  **

  Raven’s eyelids flipped open. She blinked. The pounding headache sent seizures of pain through her temples. The front and back of her head throbbed. Her tangles were in her face, and a strong surge of bile rose in her throat. Raven fled her bed and raced into the bathroom in time to vomit.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  Surprised she turned and was face to face with Alex. He stood behind her naked and rubbing his eyes. She grabbed a towel and covered herself. “What are you doing here?”

  Alexander scratched his face. “What?”

  “Why are you here?” she demanded. The memory of him on top of her, behind her, to the side of her, fucking her all night flashed like a strobe light picture show in her mind’s eye. In her dazed state she had forgotten. Oh sweet, lord how could she have forgotten? She shook her head at her weakness. “Oh no! Oh God no! We shouldn’t have done this! And here? In my house? Damn it, Alexander! You should have stopped it!”

  “Raven, sweetheart, wait—”

  “No! No! You can’t just come back here and turn me inside out again,” she said in a panic. “I can’t take it!”

  “Last night we made love,” he reasoned. “You wanted it. I wanted it. It was love!”

  “Last night you got me drunk and took advantage of my feelings for you. Took for granted the way I felt about you. Again!”

  “No. Never, sweetheart. We both know our marriage isn’t over,” he said. “You’re still my wife.”

  “Noooo! This isn’t happening.” She turned and gripped the sink. He tried to enter and she shot him an angry look. “Get out of my house.”

  “You were there with me. You invited me in, Raven. I didn’t force any of it on you, damn it!” he shouted at her. “I know my woman, my fucking wife! I want my fucking wife back! I’m sick of this bullshit!”

  “GET OUT!” she yelled.

  “I’m staying at the Ritz—”

  “Get out, Alexander, now! OUT!” she shouted at him. He shook his head and walked out of the bathroom. Raven slammed the bathroom door and locked it. Putting her hands to the door as if to keep him from forcing it open, she dropped her head between her outstretched arms. “GET OUT!” she shouted again through her tears.

  Chapter Five

  The Princess and Drama

  Alexander stared out of his hotel window. The beaches were seen from his elevated view. He drummed his fingers and thought over his mistakes. It was all he seemed to do now. And then he heard the knock at the door he’d been waiting for. At the Ritz he had butler service in his suite. The servant answered and greeted his visitor. Alexander sipped his water and waited.

  “Mr. Katz?” a man spoke.

  “Have a seat,” Alexander said.

  He had vowed to never go this far
. He wanted to be a better man when he returned to her. Win her back the old fashion way. And if last night hadn’t happened he might have been able to see that goal through. It did happen, however. She was his wife. She could deny it and run from their love, but he wasn’t. Not anymore. He’d never let her go now.

  “Sir, are you sure you want my services?” the man asked.

  Alexander’s gaze switched over to him. “I said sit.”

  “Her name is Liza-Rayne. I suggest we use her.” The man took a seat. A folder was slid over to Alexander. He reached for it. He skimmed the images.

  “TMI?” he asked.

  “I spoke to them before I arrived. The video will be sent to them. Just give the word,” the man said. “You pull the trigger and the wolves will come out. It goes viral and there is no way to pull it back. You must be sure though. The blowback could affect your investment.”

  Alexander sighed. He was a better man than this bullshit, but he was out of time. He stared at the girl in the image and then lifted his gaze. “Do it.”

  **

  “Ms. Katz, you have a call from Terrell Howard. He says that Liza-Rayne has missed three studio sessions. The label is angry and demanding that a meeting be scheduled.”

  “Then schedule a meeting,” Raven said. She stared out of the window of her office, lost in thought.

  Instead of leaving her assistant walked in. “I’m afraid I have some bad news.”

  Raven sighed. She glanced back at her assistant. “What is it now?”

  “TMI posted a video a few minutes ago. Ms. Katz, it’s really bad.”

  “What kind of video?”

  “Liza-Rayne snorting cocaine in her room before she missed her performance at Nikki Beach yesterday.”

  “Snorting wha—wait she missed her performance?” Raven paused. Inside her office she couldn’t hide her sleep-deprived eyes behind her sunglasses for long. She could tell by the way her assistant looked at her she appeared a sight. Coffee would be the only cure for her hangover.

  “Yes, ma’am, I can’t get her mother or Max Steele on the phone.”

  Raven couldn’t believe what she was hearing at six in the damn morning. She wiped her hand down her face. “Max? Why would you try to get Max on the phone?”

  “Didn’t you know?” her assistant asked.

  “If I knew, Candace, I wouldn’t be asking you.”

  “Oh, sorry. Mr. Fairfield put Max on the account. He’s now representing Liza,” Candace said.

  “Tell Kevin to come see me. Now.” She snatched off her sunglasses and tossed them to the office sofa. The glare from the sun pouring in from the office windows blinded her. She put her hand to her eyes.

  “Here I am, beautiful,” he strolled in. Raven cut her gaze up to him. In that moment his handsome charm underwhelmed her. Today she felt nothing. Just the deep empty cavity in her heart from a night she couldn’t shake.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  “Did you just ask me what’s wrong?” she snapped.

  “I can’t make it better if you don’t tell me what it is,” he chuckled. Kevin was the kind of man that most women found beautiful. From his deep voice, to his quarterback arms and thighs, he had a smile that would put Morris Chestnut to shame.

  “Talk to me, Rae,” he said with a serious frown when he didn’t get the response he desired.

  “So, apparently this little time bomb that greeted me this morning is funny to you, Ace?” When she called him by his nickname he knew she was serious.

  “That’ll be all, Candace,” Kevin said to her assistant. The woman blushed as if he asked her for a date, and then grinned up at him before she left. Raven shook her head in disgust.

  “You evidently have news that I don’t. Share it.” Kevin said. He sat down on the sofa.

  “You put Max Steele on Liza-Rayne?” Raven asked.

  “I got the Diamonds here and Liza at the same time. I needed help.” He stretched his arms out along the back of the couch. “Been running around getting press for both of our clients. While you were at dinner with your ex I was putting in work, remember?”

  “Oh really? So you were handling the press? Making things happen?” Raven crossed her arms.

  “Don’t I always?” he smiled in his sly cool manner.

  “I suppose it was you again that gave them a scoop?” she asked.

  “Scoop?”

  “Yes. Scoop. You leaked the video of her snorting coke in her hotel when she was skipping her concert last night?” Raven dropped her hands to her hips.

  Kevin’s smug smile dimmed. “What did you say?”

  “So you don’t know what’s on TMI right now?” she demanded.

  “I… uh, no,” he stammered. Raven marched over to her computer and punched in the TMI web address in her search window. She turned the large silver Mac screen to face Kevin and then hit enter. The video footage, taken by some jackass’s cell phone, began to play. Kevin sat forward. His eyes nearly popped out of his skull as he stared on in disbelief.

  “Have you checked on how much studio time she’s been missing?” she asked.

  “Max reports to me her schedule—”

  “And again I ask you why you chose Max of all people to watch her?” Raven asked.

  “Rehab,” he stood upright.

  Raven tried to calm her rage before she spoke. Kevin nodded that she had heard him right. “Again? That’s your solution to this! Rehab?”

  “It’s the only option we have if she’s on video doing a line! Barry is dealing with the Diamonds. Max will take her in right now,” he said. “This is perfect timing. We’ll say she had a relapse. Fucking TMI. Those cocksuckers! I’m so sick of them.”

  “Can Max handle this? You sure he’s ready?” she asked.

  “He’s thirsty.” Kevin answered.

  “Is he ready for this, Ace!” Raven asked.

  “Yes. He can control her. I think Liza has a crush on him. She’s likely to listen to him. We know she won’t listen to you or me,” Kevin said.

  “Yes, but Max has chased half the other clients you’ve given him away with his ego, dick, and that motor mouth of his.” Raven reminded him.

  “It was either give him something we can use or let him go. I thought this would be a great shot. Besides she’s a kid, so it’s more like baby-sitting duties for him. How could he possibly fuck it up, Rae?”

  “And if he fails, if he stirs up her alcoholic mother, or gets her caught in press shots we don’t need, what then?”

  “Then I’ll do what I always do. I’ll handle it.” Kevin stepped toward her.

  She turned away. She put her hands to her head.

  “Candace told me Terrell is calling about studio time. I can deal with the label.”

  “It’s not the record company I’m worried about. It’s Disney! They’ll drop her!” Raven felt as if she couldn’t breathe. She tried to calm down the anxiety strangling her throat.

  “Rae? What’s going on with you?” he took another step toward her.

  “I’m mad!” she shouted on the verge of tears. She shook with fury. “I’m so fucking mad at you!”

  “Over this? Nah, baby. We’ve dealt with worse. What really has you upset?” he reached for her.

  “Don’t touch me.” She tried to walk around him but he stepped in her way. She was forced to meet his stare.

  “You don’t look like yourself right now,” Kevin’s gaze swept over her. “I can tell you’ve been crying. Did you get any sleep last night?”

  Raven glanced to the sunglasses that she used to conceal her red swollen eyes. She touched her hair and looked down at the blue linen pantsuit she wore that could definitely use a dry-cleaning. She barely put on any makeup because her hands kept shaking, and her tears kept streaking it. That wasn’t like her. The constant presence of photographers around her office and South Beach required she always dress the part of a high priced agent. Not a fucking desperate housewife!

  “I’m fine,” she said.

  �
��No, Rae, you aren’t”

  “I’m fine! You know what. I can’t deal with this right now. I need to get my hair done.”

  “What?” Kevin frowned.

  “I need to get out of here,” she said. She picked up her sunglasses and purse. “I’ll be back. Handle Liza-Rayne . I’ll be back.”

  “We’re in the middle of a crisis. Since when do you run out on a crisis?”

  “Give me a fucking break, Kevin!” she shouted him down. “What the hell do I pay you seven figures for? Deal with it!”

  “Raven, I’m sorry. Wait!” he tried to stop to her. She walked out of her office refusing to give him the chance to say any more. She didn’t need to talk it out. Not with him...

  **

  Mattel turned his chair with the heel of his foot, his elbow against the armrest as he rubbed his chin and stared at her. Valentina had to smile. She liked when he gave her that stony expression. Often he tried to pretend at being a hard ass. She and he both knew that if she pushed hard enough he’d give her, her way. He was such a cutie too. He had that all American boy next-door look. His hair was coal black and his skin had just a hint of that surfer boy tan known to many who lived in South Miami. Mattel was clean-shaven, with Clark Kent stony features, and hazel green eyes. Who knew she’d be a sucker for the eyes of a man when they glistened like gems? Valentina told him many times if she wasn’t into her new boyfriend, and she woke up one day and acquired a taste for white boys, he’d be on the top of her list.

  “Let me have it.” Mattel said. She snapped out of her thoughts. He wore that expression again. The one that said he expected her to give a litany of excuses as to why they should continue. Well she wasn’t going to play that game. She had valid points this time.

  “Why did you kill my session? You think I’m made of money or something? This damn studio time is wiping me out financially. We have to get this track laid, and in front of the record label before—”