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gothpanda · 4 years ago

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A Little Bit of Attitude Ch.22: Some Visitors

WORD COUNT: 5.6K

A/N: The flashback is for my own pleasure as i just found out Motley played at my small ass town in ‘83

TAGS: @madamsixx

WARNINGS: none

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April 12, 1984

Laredo, Texas

The sound of Ozzy could be heard throughout the west side of Laredo. The Bordertown getting a taste of rock music for once from its usual Mexican bands. It was already warm like summer down in this part of Texas, making Sammi feel at home. The warm air pleased all the guys, breaking out of the winter clothes finally. Laredo's venue was the most different from all of them, seeing a high school right next to the Civic Center and two different types of buildings. One being an auditorium for ballet, and the other just open space for the guys. In the stone courtyard in the middle of everything, Sammi sat on the fountain, hearing the water cascade down while smoking her first cigarette of the night. She could see the small crowd of kids her age at the gate of the civic center, hoping for a chance to either meet someone or listen to music. Sammi felt a light hand push her head down, turning to see Nikki smirk down at her.

“May I sit?” asked Nikki, Sammi nodded silently. He sat next to her, staying silent as he pulled out a cigarette for himself, flattered to see a light already waiting for him to take. They stayed silent for a while until Nikki began coughing uncontrollably.

“You okay there, Nik?” asked Sammi, patting Nikki on the back to help him in some way.

“Yeah. Yeah I’m good,” answered Nikki, clearing his throat. “Just getting smokers lungs faster than I thought. I thought I had a good two years left! Cruel world!” Nikki yelled out into the night sky, shaking his fist in the air and proud to hear Sammi giggle. She playfully shoved Nikki’s bare shoulder, shaking her head at him. “Idiot,” mumbled Sammi, stepping on the small cigarette bud.

“Hey, it takes one to know one. Have you met Tommy and Vince? Don’t get how you and Mick don’t want to hurt us,” said Nikki.

“Oh I know I do, but I don’t feel like getting yelled at by my parents. Or get arrested for domestic violence,” joked Sammi, smiled right at Nikki, her pinky lightly grazing Nikki’s. Nikki felt his body become stiff for a moment, looking away at the girl.

“I would pay to see that fight between you and blondie. Might help you,” uttered Nikki, finishing his cigarette for the night.

“Of course you’d be up for that. It’s not like he’s your friend or anything,” provoked Sammi, poking Nikki’s cheek.

“He’s barely even my singer. I only tolerate him because of you fucking Bass siblings,” said Nikki, shoving away Sammi’s hand.

“Why don’t you like him?” asked Sammi.

Nikki raised an eyebrow to Sammi. “You really wanna know?” Sammi nodded. “Maybe because the son of a bitch got something I wanted, but I could just take it from him if I tried hard enough,” answered Nikki, lowering his face right to Sammi, seeing her eyes change from teasing to nervous.

“Nikki… don’t,” begged Sammi, slowly moving away from him.

“And why not Princess? There’s a nice difference between us. I stay with a girl I like,” said Nikki, tucking a piece of hair behind Sammi’s ear. “And Vince has wandering eyes if you haven’t noticed yet,”

Sammi swallowed hard, “I trust him. Please just leave it alone for now,”

“Alright I will, but you’ll always know where to find me,” said Nikki, kissing Sammi on her forehead before disappearing back into the sound of Ozzy. Sammi bit the nail of her thumb, thoughts running at a rapid pace. She didn’t even feel Vince slide right next to her, making Sammi jump when feeling his hands.

“There’s my girl. Are you okay? You look like you have a lot on your mind?” asked Vince. Sammi nodded, kissing Vince before he can think of any further questions.

"Of course I am. Let's just stay here," whispered Sammi, pulling Vince for another kiss, this time harder to make him truly forget any questions.

July 1st, 1985

On the nightstand by the bed, a clock reading 7:45 rang out in the spacious white bedroom. Sammi tossed onto her side, slamming the clock to stop beeping while letting out a morning groan. Sammi rubbed away the sleep from her eyes, aiming to not fall back into a deep sleep. When Sammi started to feel more awake, it dawned on her the silence in the room. No one was snoring in her ear. Rising slowly, Sammi turned to find an empty spot next to her. The duvet looked almost done as if Nikki made the bed before he left. A note from a torn notebook paper laid on the pillow, messy handwriting in black pen yet still blurry for Sammi to read. Sammi put on her glasses, bringing the piece of paper close to her face.

‘Sorry I had to leave, Princess. Didn’t want to wake your pretty face up. Thanks for the special attention. Call you later- Nikki”

Sammi scuffed at the note, a tiny smile crawling on her lips. She tossed it by her lamp, rubbing her face slowly to stay awake. “At least he left a note this time,” muttered Sammi, ripping off the heavy blue blanket, jumping off the bed to seize the day. Sammi looked at the black mini pencil skirt and purple blouse that hung on the closet door, happy with her professional wardrobe. Cascading down the small apartment hallway, Sammi entered her bathroom to head straight to the shower, the water running cold as Sammi liked it. She carried on with her morning routine of applying light makeup and curling her hair, halting as the phone in the bedroom rang out. Sammi ran into the room, jumping on the bed to quickly pick up the telephone, holding it up against her ear as she deeply scrunched her eyebrows.

“Hello?” responded Sammi, sitting on her bed.

“Good morning, Sammi. It’s Doc, how are you doing?” said Doc on the line.

“Oh, I’m doing good, just getting ready for work. What’s going on?” asked Sammi, checking her clock as reassurance she wasn’t wasting time.

“I just wanted to quickly let you know, we are going to Elektra for a meeting. I don’t know if Mr. Harrison told you,” Sammi closed her eyes tight for a second, trying to not mess up her done hair. Sammi knew Mr. Harrison told her last Friday about some meetings, but she completely blocked it out after drinking the night away. She didn’t feel the need to ask that day. Now Sammi wished she could take a sick day.

“Uh yes. Yes he did Doc. I’m one of his secretaries, remember?” said Sammi with sarcasm, smiling a small bit with nerves setting in. Nikki was beginning to rub off on her in his mannerisms. Sammi questioned if this was a good thing for her.

“Right. Of course. I only wanted to give you a heads up about Vince before your day started. Since it could be very difficult to see him in person after a while,” said Doc. Sammi smiled to herself, lucky to still have Doc care for her.

“I really appreciate it, Doc. Thank you for looking out for me,” sincerely said Sammi, “So, I should probably give you a heads up so you don’t go in blind to the meeting,”

“Harrison still worried about the boys?” asked Doc.

“It’s more him being worried about his money going down the toilet than anything else. You really need to be prepared to get your ass chewed or get a cold man,” said Sammi, pressing her lips tight together. She saw the time begin to creep up again, eyes shooting wide. “Doc, I really have to be getting ready. I’ll see you at the meeting,”

“Okay, thanks Sammi. See you soon,” said Doc, cutting the line before Sammi could. Sammi shut the phone, dropping back onto the bed, smothering herself with a pillow as she groaned out loud. Her nerves became setting in more while thinking about seeing Vince for the first time. Sammi began thinking of excuses to not participate in this meeting, rushing to the kitchen for some breakfast. Her mind was turning almost empty, going into autopilot as she got ready for the rest of her day.

Sammi looked out the car window, eyes following Sabrina walk out of her apartment building, coming straight to the passenger door. Sammi smiled in a blink second at Sabrina, driving off into the busy morning traffic. Silence filled the car ride, unusual for the two on their carpool rides. Sabrina eyed Sammi for a moment, changing the radio station to get a reaction for the music. Nothing. Sabrina narrowed her eyes at Sammi, seeing her only focused on the freeway.

“You good? Did Nikki piss you off this morning?” asked Sabrina, relaxing in the passenger seat.

“What? No, we’re fine. why?” replied Sammi, glancing at Sabrina quickly.

“Well, you just seem quiet for a morning. Did you get into an argument with Athena?” said Sabrina.

“No, we’re fine. She hasn't done anything to annoy me for a while,” replied Sammi.

“And she’s not asking Emma 100 questions?” asked Sabrina again.

“No, Emma is doing a pretty good job at hiding which I feel kind of bad for,” muttered Sammi, tucking a hair behind her ear.

“Yeah but Athena doesn’t need to know about Nikki if it’s not serious business. Emma can handle holding a little truth to Athena. She would’ve spilled already if she couldn’t,”

“Oh, by the way, we are gonna have some visitors at work,” mumbled Sammi, staring up at a traffic light. Sabrina raised an eyebrow to Sammi, “Motley’s coming for a meeting with Mr. H,” added Sammi with a glare.

“Oh shit. That’s gonna be fucking awkward,” muttered Sabrina.

“Thanks, S! You know how to lift my spirits in times of need!” sarcastically barked Sammi with a fake smile.

“I’m sorry, but come on you know how bad everyone is towards each other. It’s not like Motley is a happy family band that don’t piss people off especially not each other,”

“Yes I know, but you couldn’t be optimistic as we’re pulling up to work?” asked Sammi.

“You really want me to give you extremely fake hope?” Sabrina uttered blandly, almost hurting to say words.

“Yep!”

“Fine! Things could be completely great and Mr. H won’t chew their asses. It is all good!” shouted Sabrina as Sammi pulled into an empty parking lot space of the office building. Sammi rolled her eyes, glaring at Sabrina who didn’t want to sugarcoat things so early on this Monday morning. Turning off the ignition and opening the door, Sammi left Sabrina hanging but hearing her catch up behind. Sabrina’s long legs made it easier to speed walk right by Sammi in comparison to her short stature. “Okay, maybe the meeting won’t be the worst thing ever. Do you know what they’re gonna be discussing?” asked Sabrina, opening the glass door for Sammi as they entered the building. The girls did their routine of polite smiles to anyone that passed by them, heading to the elevators. Sammi smashed the up button, leaning against the wall. “I have no idea, Mr. Harrison really doesn’t explain in great detail to anyone,” uttered Sammi. Sabrina was about to speak until more people gathered around the two girls, entering the elevator with them. Sammi and Sabrina glanced at each other, stuffed into the cramped elevator with unknown people.

In a short time, the girls were finally alone again, walking out to their respected work areas. “I just don’t want them to make a fucking scene to anyone. I’m expecting the worst reactions when Mr. Harrison orders them around,” muttered Sammi to Sabrina. The girls came to a halt in the middle of cubicles when suddenly, a young intern came walking fast, holding a notepad against her chest. “Hi, Sabrina! Hi, Sammi!” said the intern with enthusiasm.

“Hi, Jessica…” the girls said in unison, almost groaning at the sight of her. Jessica smiled happily, Sammi not understanding how someone could be so cheerful this early in the day.

“How’s your guys morning going? It’s such a beautiful summer day!” exclaimed Jessica, having a pep in her step.

“Great. What do you want?” asked bluntly Sammi, crossing her arms as Sabrina withheld a smirk.

“I came to tell Sabrina something. We’re needed in the conference room right now to set stuff up for a meeting. Apparently, all of Motley Crue is coming!” excited Jessica was, only making Sammi sulk more, infuriated.

“Why me? I’m not gonna be an intern anymore after next week,” asked Sabrina. Scowling at Jessica.

“But you’re still an intern… come on if we finish early maybe we can catch Motley walking in,” said Jessica, bouncing on the balls of her feet with a smile.

“A little too excited to see a band, aren’t we Jessica? It’s not like you haven’t seen one walk around here before” teased Sammi, giving a smile that made Jessica scared of the girls. Sabrina biting down on her index finger, not caring if Sammi hurts someone’s feelings today. It was fun to see sometimes.

“Well, they are a cool band. Plus they aren’t bad to look at, especially Nikki. That’s all,” mumbled Jessica, feeling small to Sammi even when being the same height.

“Sorry to burst your bubble Jess, but I don’t think you’re very much Nikki’s type. Trust me, we’re pretty close,” said Sammi, patting Jessica on the arm, hearing Sabrina chuckle at them. Jessica pressed her lips tightly, shoulders falling a bit.

“Besides I already get to see Motley on a normal basis anyway. They’re not that rare to see after a while,” added Sabrina.

“I’m gonna head to my desk. Have fun arranging water bottles,” Sammi told Sabrina, walking from the two without caring of Jessica’s feelings. Jessica looked up at Sabrina with big eyes only getting a shrug from the taller girl.

“You really should’ve seen that one coming, Jessica,” said Sabrina walking past the redhead to her desk. Jessica only followed the girls' footsteps, ready to work.

Sammi knocked on the heavy wooden doors, MR. HARRISON displayed on a gold plaque.

“Come in,” Mr. Harrison announced, Sammi pushing the door open. “Oh good morning, Samantha, how are we doing on this Monday?” asked Mr. Harrison, peeking above his leather notebook while sitting behind his expensive glass desk.

“Pretty good. I’m just happy to start another week, and be with my favorite boss,” said Sammi, smiling as she stood right in front of Mr. Harrison with perfect posture.

“Oh you flatter me, Samantha, but that please save it for when you’re trying to leave early on Fridays. I hope you remembered the meeting I told you on Friday. You’ll need to write down everything I say because I have a feeling I’ll be too busy talking my head off,” said Mr. Harrison, shutting his notebook tight to hand over to Sammi. Sammi took the notebook in her hands but began thinking for a moment.

“I’m sorry sir, but don’t you think it could be more beneficial to have an intern write your notes. Take Jessica for example who can get more practice since she just started,” explained Sammi, still putting on a generous smile for more convincing.

Mr. Harrison frowned hard at Sammi, his forehead wrinkles becoming deep crevasses. “Are you sure you aren’t just coming up with excuses to avoid this meeting with a certain band?” asked Mr. Harrison.

“Of course not, sir,” uttered Sammi.

“Well while I appreciate your care for the interns, you are going to be at the meeting right next to me rather you like it or not,” ordered Mr. Harrison, making Sammi drop her shoulders for a moment. She nodded, beginning to head to the doors until Mr. Harrison interrupted her walk. “I do have a question, Samantha. What are you going to do now that you have a degree?” asked Mr. Harrison. Sammi walked back slowly as she thought of an answer.

“I really don’t know. I’m just going to be working until I feel I should go back to school,” answered Sammi.

Mr. Harrison nodded slowly, “Well if you need any help, I do have connections with people in different medical branches. All you need to do is ask,”

“Thank you, Mr. Harrison, I appreciate it,” said Sammi, turning around as a gentle knock came from outside of her bosses office. Jessica peeked her head behind the heavy door, shuffling into the office.

“Sorry to interrupt but Motley Crue is here Mr. Harrison,” said Jessica in a small soft voice.

“Huh, they’re on time for once. Thank you, Jessica. Come along, Samantha,” said Mr. Harrison, fixing his blazer as he stepped to the door, smiling at the two young girls. Sammi rolled her eyes, grabbing a pen from the desk to act as an employee with no connections to this band. Jessica stood by the doorframe, eyes following Sammi get closer to her. Sammi scowled at Jessica staring at her, halting in front of her.

“Can I help you with something? Or are you just gonna keep staring?” barked Sammi, walking away from the nervous young girl.

Mr. Harrison marched down the halls of the office floor, Sammi being his shadow all the way to the conference room. Sammi straightened her posture, balancing perfectly in her work heels while entering the vast boardroom. She almost held her breath from seeing the band seated down, quickly noticing her designated seat being occupied by Tommy. Doc, Vince, and Nikki all sat to the left of Mr. Harrison, not seeing Sammi walk. Samm couldn’t help but give small glances to the blonde man when he wasn’t looking. Mick and Tommy smiled shortly at the young girl, Sammi flicking Tommy’s ear to make him move down a chair. They give each other a kiss on the cheek as Sammi sat down finally, her sight carried out across Nikki who looked almost asleep behind his dark sunglasses. She stayed clear of making eye contact with Vince, feeling the stare once again.

“Okay let's get this meeting on its way,” announced Mr. Harrison, sitting at the head of the table like always. “I’d first like to tell the boys congratulations on the album, even after the many many delays, people love it. You’ve managed to fix one thing,” said Mr. Harrison with firmly pressed lips, giving a cold stare to everyone. The silence could be cut with a knife, Doc already thinking of what to say to make things civil. “Because of the new album, you must now go on tour for promotion. Also because it is written on the contracts, and you must all still follow it,” ordered Mr. Harrison.

“I believe this would be great for the boys to hit the road again. They’ve had plenty of rest for a good long tour,” said Doc, nodded along, eyeing Sammi from across the table, writing everything down at lighting speed.

“I’m not so sure rest is the right word for their break of touring. I’m also not sure about a long tour for these men,” said Mr. Harrison. Sammi stopped writing for a moment, switching glances between her boss and the boys. Nikki would clear his throat every so often to drink water, while only Vince seemed to be paying attention. Their eyes catching each other for a split second before Sammi looked down at her notes. “We will only make North American dates ranging from the beginning of August to the third week of November, pretty easy for you rockstars,”

“Mr. Harrison with all due respect, I do believe these boys can do more than just North America. These men can go to Europe or Asia right after November,” said Doc. “The album has been doing great for the first week. You said it yourself,”

Mr. Harrison leaned back into the desk chair, crossing his arms as he glared right at Doc. “Doc. You really think Motley Crue can tour by themselves for more than four months without messing something up?” asked Mr. Harrison, only seeing Doc slowly retreat.

“They’ve had their moments, but yes. I do think we can just pick up after Thanksgiving,” uttered Doc.

“By moments you mean the multiple things that have been brought to my attention that raise concern. Tabloids with pictures of Nikki & Tommy intoxicated at almost every single day on my desk. The incident happening in one of the recording studios. A singer who has a bigger record than all my other talent. Do you know I’ve never had to deal with any of these things in my lifetime in this industry?”

Vince, Tommy, Mick, and even Nikki all turned their eyes on Sammi, Sammi looking only at her notes or boss. Sammi only gave the proper secretary to look for everyone to display. Mr. Harrison snapped his fingers, gaining the attention back to him from everyone. “Do not look at Samantha. She’s not your friend. She’s not your sister. She’s doing her job right now. You all pay attention to me. You are all lucky I’m even allowing a headlining tour. If you all don’t lose me money, I’ll allow a European extension at the beginning of the year,” said Mr. Harrison. Sammi stays quiet, looking back at Nikki having trouble keeping his head up. “We will go as I said starting in August. Any further questions or interruptions?”

“I have my court date the second week in September,” said Vince, speaking up for the first time. Everyone became silent again, switching glances between Harrison and Vince. Sammi gave a sympathetic look to Vince for once in a long time.

“We will make sure there is a week off in September for you to come back, Vince. Anything else?” asked Mr. Harrison.

“Everything will run smoothly, Mr. Harrison. I reassure you on that,” said Doc.

Mr. Harrison scuffs at Doc. “I’ll believe it when I see my money back in my wallet,” Mr. Harrison stood up from his seat, buttoning the middle of his blazer once again. “Samantha, there are documents in the back of that notebook. Please give it to Peterson in legal. Meeting dismissed,” ordered Mr. Harrison to Sammi as he left the boardroom. The weight in the room soon lifted, Doc dragging a hand down his face. Sammi relaxed her back, slumping in the office chair as she sighed loudly. Doc rose from his seat, reaching over Vince to smack Nikki in the head to wake him up. Nikki only groaned, resting his head in the palm of his hand.

“You all better listen to everything your boss just said,” said Doc, standing up to grab a bottle of water.

“Don’t worry I barely listen to everything my boss says,” muttered Sammi getting a chuckle from Tommy and Mick, Vince withholding a smile.

“Everything is gonna be fine,” slurred Nikki, yawning out loud. Sammi couldn’t help but keep an eye on Nikki from his demeanor.

“Yeah, I fucking doubt that,” mumbled Vince.

“Things would be fine if you all just acted like adults for once,” remarked Sammi, glaring at Nikki and Tommy who didn’t care.

“We got it covered. We can pretend to be responsible for a good while,” said Tommy, patting Sammi on the head.

“If only we had Sammi tour with us again to keep us in shape,” croaked Mick, readjusting his sunglasses. “We could really use you, little girl,”

“Yeah fuck that. I’d be unemployed and broke then be on a bus with my ex for a long time,” added Sammi, flipping her hair to one side. Everyone from Doc to Mick switched glances between Sammi and Vince, seeing Vince’s discomfort. Sammi raised an eyebrow at every, curling her lip. “What? Someone had to fucking say it. He’s here at my work bothering me,” grumbled Sammi, pointing a sharp finger at Vince. Vince shook his head, pulling on his earlobe.

“So you’re not even gonna say my name anymore?” barked Vince, crossing his arms. Sammi rolled her eyes, not caring if she looked rude to Vince. “I thought at least here you’d give me something, and not keep ignoring me,”

“My god you’re so dramatic,” Sammi mumbled under her breath. “Alright, here's something! Can you kindly shut the fuck up, Vince? Last time I checked I told you I wanted to be away from you,” bossed Sammi, staring coldly at Vince. Vince flared his nostrils, knocking his knuckles against the hard wooden table.

“Enough you two. Boys you’re free to go. I don’t want to hold Sammi from her job any further,” said Doc, grabbing his briefcase and stepping into the hallway. Vince was the first to jump out of his seat, not caring to say goodbye to anyone from his band. Mick squeezed Sammi’s shoulder before he left, showing his usual form of compassion. Tommy stood up, stretching out to feel his long spine crack seeing Nikki just stay quiet.

“Hey Sixxter, I’m gonna hit the restroom. Wait for me in the lobby,” said Tommy, getting a groan in response. “See you later Sammi,” Tommy kissed Sammi on the forehead before disappearing in the hallway. Sammi waved Tommy a goodbye, keeping her eyes on Nikki’s silence. She could hear him begin to lightly snore, making her finally walk over and take the empty seat right of him.

Sammi shook his shoulder roughly, hearing more groans in return. Nikki slowly turned his head to Sammi, staying hidden behind his dark sunglasses.

“What?” croaked Nikki, slumping in his seat and crossing his arms.

“What?” mimicked Sammi, raising an eyebrow to him. “What’s going on with you? Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Everything’s-” Sammi interrupted Nikki, pushing his sunglasses above his head. Immediately Sammi could see something was entirely right. Nikki’s eyes looked dull and dark. Dark circles under his eyes as if he hadn’t slept in years, the whites of his eyes almost turning pink all around. Sammi frowned at Nikki, Nikki pushing her hand away to hide behind his glasses again.

“You’re not fine. Seriously Nikki what’s going on with you?” asked Sammi again, softened her expression with compassionate eyes.

“I haven’t been feeling the best lately,” uttered Nikki, taking his glasses off to rub his eyes. “I haven’t been able to sleep… for some reason,” lied Nikki. He knew exactly why he couldn’t sleep at night anymore. Unlike coke, heroin made him awake at all hours even when he didn’t shoot up after a while.

“How long have you been like this?” asked Sammi, putting her hand on top of Nikki’s. Nikki could help but feel a little ping in his chest from the small act of affection. Nikki knew he had to make up a lie fast to not lose the small affection he likes from Sammi.

“Going on a week? That’s why I left last night. I didn’t want to wake you up by accident especially when you have work,” said Nikki, shooting a lopsided grin to Sammi. Nikki silently prayed Sammi bought his lie, lying to himself it was going to be the last lie. Sammi pursed her lips, looking between Nikki and the desk for some room to think.

“Alright, I guess that makes sense,” cautioned Sammi. “Thanks for leaving a note by the way. The princess appreciates it,” smiled happily Sammi, making Nikki’s frown turn upside down for a moment. Nikki lightly snaked his hand behind Sammi’s neck, pulling her in for a surprise kiss. Sammi’s eyes went wide, pushing Nikki away to look back at the open door. “You really like to get to the edge of getting caught don’t you?” smirked Sammi.

Nikki smirked at Sammi, “Admit it. It’s pretty fun. Especially when you’re looking sexy in this outfit,” Nikki’s hand crept up Sammi’s thigh, bringing her chair closer to him with his foot. Sammi’s heart began to race, feeling Nikki’s hand feature between her legs. She gripped his wrist tight, stopping Nikki from any further moves. Sammi looked deep into his eyes, trying her hardest to resist kissing away the smirk on Nikki’s lips.

“I’m at work. And you should get some sleep,” said Sammi, pushing herself away from Nikki. Nikki shrugged his shoulders, putting on his glasses as he rose from the seat. “Oh, I’m gonna go out with some guys tonight. Don’t be surprised if I come knocking on your door. Maybe then I’ll sleep,” said Nikki, kissing Sammi on the cheek. Sammi shook her head, smiling slightly to herself, looking over her shoulder to Nikki leaving. Sammi fell back against the chair, huffing loudly. She could feel the nerves in her body calm down, noticing her palms were becoming sweaty. Being in complete silence made her process the sight of Vince, being right in front of her. Was she being too hard on him? Should she talk to Vince finally after months of this? The questions that always played in Sammi’s head, played louder than ever today. Sammi only took a deep breath in and stood up to be a grown-up like she’s supposed to be.

July 5, 1985

“Sammi, I don’t think I can keep lying to Athena,” said Emma, pouring three glasses of white wine from Sammi’s collection. Sabrina and Sammi each placed a bowl of food on the small glass dining table, sitting down for their Friday dinners together. Sammi took a sip of her wine before even thinking of what to say in this conversation. “I get it. I’m your best friend, but Athena is also my girlfriend,” pleaded Emma, serving herself a portion of cold pasta salad.

“What is she even asking you, Em? I doubt Sammi’s making it obvious,” said Sabrina, grabbing a piece of chicken with her salad.

“I know she’s not, but Athena can’t help but keep her nose out of Sammi’s life. Almost every single time I say we went out, she asks if you got with someone,” shared Emma, eating with a touch of annoyance.

“Well tell her to stay out of it. I already told Athena I didn’t want her or Tommy anywhere near my love life,” spat Sammi.

“It’s a love life between you and Nikki?” asked Sabrina, smirking at Sammi with a quizzical expression. Sammi shot a glare at Sabrina, making her giggle amongst herself. “Maybe you have to remind your sister again, Sam. Say it isn’t nice to be badgering her girlfriend because you two are friends,”

“I’m glad we keep you around. You solve all our problems at record speed,” joked Emma, raising her glass to cheer with Sabrina. Sabrina gladly clanked her wine glass with Emma’s, Sammi playfully shaking her head. “I second this reminder. You’d also be helping out me and yourself,”

“I would love to, but Athena never learned to listen if you haven’t already figured it out,” mumbled Sammi, drinking the chilled wine.

“That’s probably the one thing I don’t like about her, but in this case, it comes from a place of love. Please still try though,” told Emma to Sammi, giving her a lopsided grin.

“What really is the worst thing if at least Athena knew about Nikki and you?” asked Sabrina.

“Athena would tell Tommy, Tommy would tell Vince, and Vince would yell at my ass. And a mad Vince is the last thing I want in my life,” informed Sammi, refilling for a second glass of wine.

“You really care what Vince thinks or you just don’t want to deal with his shit?” added Emma, scrunching her eyebrows at Sammi. Sammi thought about it for a moment, not knowing if she just never wanted to hear from Vince ever again.

“It’s more of I’ve been a bitch to him for 6 months, so I don’t want him to think I’m two-faced. Because I know his mind will run wild like it always has with Nikki,” admitted Sammi, shrugging her shoulders.

“You can’t be two-faced if all you did was have sex when you were single. You chose Vince and he fucked up. He still needs to know that and be reminded from time to time. Like at the meeting,” said Sabrina.

“The one moment I wished I worked at that fucking office,” utter Emma, gulping her last bit of wine. “Since we are on the topic of Vince, have you ever thought about talking to him? You don’t think you deserve some answers?”

“I have but I don’t know how to talk to him without sounding like a bitch anymore. It’s almost as if he made me get an attitude and Nikki made it worse,” pondered Sammi, pushing the last of her around with a fork.

“Like that poor poor Jessica girl you read to filth?” joked Emma, giggling louder at Sammi scowl to her. Emma shrugged her shoulder with a playful smile.

“Maybe you could write down everything you want to know? It could help you keep your thoughts in order instead of going off from your emotions,” suggested Sabrina, wiping the corner of her mouth as she finished her food.

“Emma’s right, you do solve our problems at record speed,” answered Sammi with a soft smile. “I guess that would be a good starting point, and talk before he leaves again… But it’s so nice being mean to him!” whined Sammi, pouting at Sabrina like a little girl. Sabrina shot a look at Sammi that made her quit the pouting and straight her shoulders, almost like a mother. “Fine, I’ll try my hardest to be civil and demand answers with kindness,”

“Atta girl,” encouraged Sabrina, lightly punching Sammi's shoulder. “It could bring you some great closure,”

Sammi smiled to herself, beginning to clear out the dining table with Emma’s help. “Or maybe it’ll just make me sadder than ever,” shouted Sammi, dropping the dirty dishes in the sink to wash later as she drank her wine.

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vampirrediaries · 5 years ago

Text

Enemies Of The State : Dark!Klaroline {4}

summary:

This fiction follows the events of just how Klaus Mikaelson and Caroline Forbes lost everything that tied them to their humanity, leading them into something neither of them can come back from.

———————

{10 years ago}

She was bloody. Sweet, red ecstasy dripping from her mouth as her fangs protruded, swiftly sinking them into another helpless victim once more. She felt nothing but satisfaction as it ran down her throat, hungry for more. Humanity was nowhere to be found. He stood beside his queen, proud as she cracked her victim’s neck, staring at her with love and lust. He was always insatiable for power as they made it rain blood. He kissed her bloodstained lips when she looked at him, whispering with a deathly tone “It’s you and me, my sweet Caroline. You and me ruling the world forever,”

Caroline suddenly woke up with a jolt, heavily breathing.

“What was that,” She whispered to herself, trying to wrap her head around what had just happened. That was the first time she dreamt of him. It was also the first time she’d dreamt of her bloodlust.

The events of yesterday rushed into her mind quickly. The phone call with Klaus, Rebekah’s house...how she threatened Damon so much he fled her house in an instant. Caroline shivered as the memory of her actions came to her. It confused her. Caroline figured out she liked what she did to Damon, and it terrified her. This wasn’t her. She was good. Sweet, bubbly Caroline who needed to be good.

Yes, she needed to be good. But what did she want to be?

Caroline shook her head, trying to get rid of these thoughts. Get yourself together she thought as she got up from her bed. Looking outside her window drearily, the heavy rain matched her mood perfectly. School was the last thing on her mind, and it was Monday. Caroline only wanted to remain in her room after yesterday, and she felt as though she deserved a break from the hysteria that was surrounding her constantly.

What she did want was blood, and even then she felt irked to go near it after her dream. When did life become so difficult?

The door to her room opened as Caroline was about to get something to eat. Her mother looked tired, leaning against the doorframe “Hey, honey”

“Long shift at the office last night?” Caroline gave Liz a weary smile, to which she returned. “We were working on a case late, animal attack”

“It was probably Stefan,” Caroline joked. Liz raised an eyebrow. She forgot how her mother didn’t find vampire jokes funny, trying to change the topic quickly.

“So, what’s up?”

“I wanted to tell you Elena called. It seemed urgent so you might wanna call her back,” Liz said as she backed out of the room. Caroline groaned. She did not want to meet her friends today, not after being emotionally and physically drained yesterday.

She quickly makes her way to her phone, turning it back on to find Elena had given her four missed calls. She couldn’t help but feel annoyed, Elena had probably gotten herself into another vampire mess and needed help. Hastily pressing down on the contact, she brought it up to her ears. Elena answered immediately.

“I’ve been trying you all morning, Caroline” Elena said sharply. She simply rolled her eyes, falling back on her bed.

“Sorry, I just woke up”

Elena breathed heavily through the phone. “Can you come around in a few hours?”

“I’m not feeling great today” She groans, hoping her friend would say that they could meet some any time other than today.

“It’s important, Caroline” Elena said with seriousness. She knew she couldn’t get out of it at this point, hesitantly telling the doppelgänger that she’d be there before hanging up.

Caroline sighed, running her fingers through her blonde locks in thought of what Elena could’ve gotten herself into that she needed her. I really cannot catch a break, can I? Maybe she should just disappear. She’d never been to Paris before. Her mind immediately drifted off to the night of the Mikaelson ball when Klaus showed her his paintings. I’ll take you. Wherever you want. Rome, Paris...Tokyo?

Caroline felt a deep pang in her chest. It was as though every memory she had of him hurt her just as much as his call did. They were nice ones, her favourite being the time he stole her Miss Mystic application. She smiled faintly, that being the start of when she slowly fell for him.

Caroline shook her head. That phone call was the last she’d ever hear from him. She repeated herself this often when she started to miss him a little too much. It was times like these when she wished she was human, missing not feeling such emotions at a heightened degree.

“Well this is quite depressing to watch,”

Rebekah Mikaelson stood in Caroline’s room with a bored look on her face. The young vampire jumped at the intrusion, groaning when she found the Original leaning against her bedroom wall.

“Has nobody told you to knock?,” Caroline hisses. Rebekah shrugged nonchalantly, pulling herself off as she looked around her room. “I like your room. Very human.”

“Can you tell me what you could possibly want at ten in the morning?,” She got straight to the point. Dealing with Rebekah was the last thing she needed right now.

“I wanted to ask you about your rather alarming visit yesterday, but it seems by your attitude you’ve already dealt with your issues with my brother”

“Not that it’s any of your business,” Caroline said sharply “But I’ve handled it”

“So you do have a thing for him,” Rebekah chuckled. “I didnt know you liked sociopaths, Caroline”

“Kindly get out if there’s nothing else you want to talk about” She angrily diverted the conversation. If she wanted Klaus out of her life for good, she needed to avoid his family members, including his bitchy sister.

“You should be nicer to me,” Rebekah said sharply “I even delivered your little message this morning”

“That wasn’t necessary-”

“I’m sure he won’t be a bother to you or your little group anymore,” Rebekah hastily cut her off. Caroline felt her face drop. She wanted him to not be a bother, right? She wasn’t the best at knowing what she wanted, even as a human. Rebekah noticed Caroline’s sudden expression change, rolling her eyes as she sat down on her unmade bed.

“Nik only cares about himself,” She tried explaining. “He’ll break you. Tear you apart. I think the only person who’d be suitable for him is someone without humanity”

Humanity.

Caroline often thought about turning it all off sometimes. More times than usual following the events of the day before. She wanted to when she broke down in the middle of the street, when her father died....when she liked the power she felt attacking Damon. She’d never done it before, which had made it all the more tempting. Especially since the predatory nature she bore was coming out of her more than usual.

“Humanity is a vampire’s greatest weakness,” Caroline murmured to herself. Klaus had said that once, whispering it in her ear on the front porch when he had shown Tyler mercy. She inwardly smiled at the thought.

“Right well i’m going to school,” Rebekah got up, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder. “I have a dance to plan. You coming?”

“I’m skipping, actually”

“You really are changing,” The Original scoffed as she made her way out of the bedroom. Caroline fell back on her bed in exasperation. Even Rebekah saw it, and she wasn’t surprised in the slightest.

She spent the next few hours by taking a shower and snacking on blood bags. She even took out one of her favourite things she’d ever received, the drawing that Klaus had left on her bed. Thank you for your honesty, written on the bottom right corner on the parchment in his neat handwriting. Her heart clenched. No, she wouldn’t ever throw it away. Not this.

Her phone rang a few minutes later, Elena’s name shone on the screen like it was taunting her in some way. She put down the drawing beside her, hastily picking up her phone. “Elena, i’m coming okay?”

“Everyone’s just waiting for you Caroline. I told you to be here in a few hours?” Elena heavily sighs on the other end. Why would all of her friends be waiting on her? They usually pay no mind and start talking about whatever trouble they’ve gotten themselves in without her. She wasn’t important in any means.

“I’m on my way,” Caroline says before cutting the call, but as she reached for her purse, the drawing caught her eye. Caroline was paranoid, and she knew Liz snooped in her room sometimes. Her drawer didn’t have a lock on it either. Hesitantly, she carefully placed the parchment into one of the pockets of her purse. It was small, nobody would know unless they looked into it.

At least you haven’t changed being paranoid as hell. Pulling on her shoes hastily, she walks out the door eager to get Elena’s thing done with so she could go back to being invisible.

She reaches Elena’s house in a few minutes, standing outside on the porch as she peers into the window that looked into the living room. Her friends were all there, including Damon. She felt anxious, gathering her will to knock on the door.

Elena immediately opens up, her face sullen and serious, she doesn’t greet the vampire as she simply steps aside. Caroline walks in confused. Her friend had never acted so deviant towards her before, and it was for this reason her nerves went through the roof. Surely it wasn’t because of her, right?

She began questioning this when Bonnie, Matt and Stefan all stood next to the fireplace, a serious expression painted on their faces when she reached the living room. Damon Salvatore gave Caroline a glare as hostile as ever. Her anxiety was heightened at this point, dreading what she knew was inevitable, yet holding on to hope that it was not what she thought.

“So, what’s this about?” She asked tiredly, not knowing the storm that was about to happen shortly after. Elena calmy walked towards the blonde vampire, arms crossed.

“We know, Caroline”

She froze instantly. No.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Elena”

“Seriously?” Elena says with a raised voice “Damon told us everything. There’s no point in denying it”

They weren’t supposed to know. They were never supposed to know.

“What exactly do you think I did?” Caroline asked, her voice wavering.

“Let’s start with how you went all Barbie Klaus on me,” Damon spat out, referencing his name on purpose. She could see it in his eyes. He longed to call her out. She stiffened.

“Because you threatened me! You followed me around and had the nerve to show up thinking you could mess with my head-”

“Wait,” Stefan interrupted in the middle of her sentence “ What exactly did he threaten you with Caroline?”

Damon smirked with a merciless look in his eyes. The same look he gave Caroline the day before. The one that said got you. She quickly figured it out. Damon hadn’t told them about Klaus. Damon was waiting on her so he could tell the truth in front of everyone, making her suffer just as she wanted him to.

“Well that’s the fun part of this whole thing,” Damon clapped his hands tauntingly, turning his amused gaze towards Caroline. “Should I tell them or should you?”

She felt her heart in her throat, wordlessly pleading him not to as she remained still, knowing what was inevitably coming. “Blondie has been lying to you all,”

“Damon. Please,” Caroline’s voice cracked weakly. She couldn’t move. The older Salvatore brother merely gave her a sadistic look.

“What is he talking about?” Elena asked sharply. The air was thick with tension as her friends waited impatiently for some clarification. Caroline felt faint, wishing she could disappear in the moment more than ever. This wasn’t supposed to happen. She was supposed to forget about him, without letting the people she cared about know her betrayals against them. The room felt at a loss for words with the next that followed.

“Caroline,” Damon spat out mercilessly “Is in love with Klaus Mikaelson.”

—————

There was a storm going on when Klaus went over to the cemetery in order to finish what the Deveraux witch had started once and for all.

It all looked very diabolical when the lightening cracked above, the rain heavy as Klaus took Sophie Deveraux roughly by the arm, dragging her towards the grave he had dug for her when he was done with the deed.

“You shouldn’t have meddled with my life Love,” Klaus spat out venomously as Sophie looked hopeless as ever dangling by his grip. “This is the fate my enemies meet, and it will now be your own.” Klaus swiftly pulled her up, his hand against her chest, ready to take her heart when Sophie weakly said her next words.

“You can’t stop what’s coming,”

Klaus narrowed his eyes at the witch, interested in what she had to say before he killed her, he roughly asked what she meant.

“I saw it,” Sophie meekly said “I saw what would happen if you lived another day. I couldn’t let that happen.”

“What did you see?,” He demanded sharply. Sophie looked terrified now, the type of look that he’d expected her to have when she was brought here to die. The witch looked as if a horrible memory came back to her.

“Your humanity, Klaus” She said shakily “It wasn’t there. T-The both of you are going to start something you can never come back from,”

“What do you mean the both of you?,” Klaus growled with impatience. “Answer me, you incessant witch!”

“I’d rather die than to live in the world you’ll soon create.” Sophie coughed, rain mixing with the blood staining her mouth as she whispered her last words.

“You can’t stop what’s coming.”

Klaus had enough at this point. The witch obviously wasn’t going to give up what she knew, and it was for this he ravenously plunged his hand in her chest.

Sophie Deveraux went wide eyed, blood filling her mouth as it dripped on her rain soaked clothing. Klaus left his hand against her rapidly beating heart, evidence that she was fighting for her life. He chuckled mercilessly wanting her to suffer before giving her the peace of death.

“You witches truly are the bane of my existence,” He said, shooting daggers with his eyes as the dying witch begged for him to end her suffering, choking on her blood. He finally complied, swiftly grabbing ahold of the organ as he ripped it out.

Sophie went limp with death in his hands. Klaus felt satisfaction as he roughly tossed her body in the shallow grave, along with her heart. However, he couldn’t help but feel conflicted with what little information he’d been given about his future. Perhaps she was just trying to antagonise him. Klaus scoffed, uncertain yet satisfied he dealt with the reason he came here for in the first place.

You can’t stop what’s coming. Your Humanity. It wasn’t there.

Klaus calmy walked away from the scene, wiping his bloody hands on his jeans as he thought about it. Yes, he knew things would escalate on another level with his humanity gone. He had never turned it off for this very reason. He had gone through horrific events, yet he kept it intact.

Caroline Forbes was one of the things that tethered him to his humanity, the reason he helped Katherine to live. Rebekah had surprisingly called him that morning, letting him know that she wanted nothing to do with him anymore. He expected it after the phone call, but it didn’t hurt less either.

He shivered thinking about what he would do if Elijah killed Caroline, had he not given a damn about his vain lover. His family was another aspect to his humanity, he loved them unconditionally, even though they were placed in a box for centuries on end.

Yes, Klaus knew the consequences if anything were to happen to either of the two, which is why he went to great lengths to protect them. The witch was right, but the future she’d told him was a future he would make sure would never happen if he had anything to do with it. The question remained on his mind, however.

Who was the other person?

——————

masterlist

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danteshope · 5 years ago

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Slow Burn, Chapter 1

Born in a Hurry, Always Late

“JEREMY!” I called, holding up a warm coffee that I had just made and placing it on the bar. I turned quickly to move on to my next task before I heard a polite voice.

“Oh! Excuse me? Can I get an extra napkin? This is pretty warm.” His face was kind, he was older but he looked like the type you could immediately trust.

“Absolutely! Can I get you anything else?” I smiled, passing a napkin across the bar.

“No, that will do it. Thanks...Melynne.” He peered at the name tag on my chest.

“No problem, enjoy your day!” He smiled again, offering a shy finger wave before walking off. I looked towards the clock, 2:45. 15. More. Minutes. The last fifteen minutes ALWAYS drag on. I quickly mixed another Frappuccino, repeating the process like I do all day, every day. I was a single mom, of two boys and couldn’t ever afford to really take days off. I loved my job, as a barista at a local ski lodge coffee shop, Tahoe’s Best Brew, but most days it was monotonous. Like clockwork, Nikki, my relief for the afternoon waltzed in; her hair wild and wavy. I hope she planned on pulling that back before she came behind the bar. “What’s up Mel?” She asked, tying her apron behind her back. “Not a whole lot, pretty slow day. Think the snow got the best of everyone. I have Foster’s talent show tonight so I gotta leave kinda quick today.” I finished filling up the drink mixes and stocked the coffee filters. “Go ahead and take off Mel, give the boys a hug for me.” Nikki patted my back. I nodded, removing my straight raven hair from a hair tie and pulling off my apron, before stuffing it into a dirty linens bin. “Thanks Nik! I’ll see you tomorrow!” I pulled off my worn out converse and slipped into snow boots, concealing the shoes in a backpack. I wrapped my jacket around my body tightly, and pulled on a beanie. It was a cold winter, but not nearly as cold as it has been before. The snow was enjoyable, crisp enough but not bitterly cold. I ran out to the old Jeep parked on the side of Tahoe’s Best and turned the ignition on, quickly turning on the heat.

The drive to my sons daycare was a quick one, only ten minutes from work. I always picked up my youngest, Joey before going to pick up Foster. I ran inside the daycare, signing into the front office and into his classroom. “Mommy!!” Joey smiled, and wobbly ran to the door giving me a big hug. I picked him up, kissing his cheeks. “Well hey there Joe. How was your day?” I smiled, hugging him even tighter. “Miss Prescott, he was an angel today, per usual.” His daycare teacher, Brittany was a saint. She loved all of the kids in her room, and I was fortunate to have someone care for Joey as good as she does. “It’s almost time for him to move to the next room, I’m gonna be sad when he turns two!” She put Joeys bag, he shrugged away from her as I signed him out; wrapping his arms tightly around my neck. He was always afraid if Brittany touched him again, I would leave without him for some reason. “Ugh, I know! I’m not ready for that either. We gotta head our though, brother has a talent show today.” I grabbed Joe’s belongings and swept him out to the Jeep, strapping him into his car seat. “Momma momma momma!” Joey babbled pointing towards the front window. “Is Hawk momma! Is Hawk!” He exclaimed, his excitement eluding him.

“What, Joe? A hawk?” I asked. He pointed towards the window again. All I saw was another parent leaving with their daughter. Wait, that was the guy from the coffee shop. Weird. Anyway, a hawk? “Well, I don’t see a hawk Joey but we gotta go see Foster!” Joey smiled and clapped his hands. I watched the man from the coffee shop, Jeremy, strap his daughter into his SUV. Obviously this guy had some money. How have I never seen him before but now I see him twice in one day?

“Mom! Did you like my talent!” Foster jumped into a hug. “I did, big boy! I think we gotta tighten your drums a bit but nothing went wrong and I’m very proud of you!” I hugged him, Joey reaching from my hip to grab his big brother. Foster was my musical prodigy, he was 8 years old and had more talent on the drums than a lot of musicians I know. “Did you see Candance Witherby? She was totally checking me out.” Foster smirked, I whacked the back of his head gently. “Foster Henry, you are way too young to Be worrying about Candace Witherby.” My son blushed, flipping his hair out of his face. Note to self, haircuts for both boys. I looked at Joey, whose hair was just as long as Fosters. I loaded both boys up in the car, and proceeded to drive home. In the midst of Foster telling me about his day, my phone began to ring. I groaned looking at the screen, my ex husbands face flashing across. “Here Foster, it’s your dad.” I handed the phone to the seat behind me. I waited for Foster to grab it, “I don’t want to talk to him.” “Babe, he’s calling to talk to you. Just answer.” As much as I hated my ex, he still somewhat tried to maintain a relationship with the boys, even if most of it was out of spite for me. He sighed, taking the phone out of my hand while I listened.

“Hi Dad....yeah, I played the drums...well, mom told me I could...I had fun, though...she’s right here, hold on...okay...love you too...mom, he wants to talk to you.” I rolled my eyes, taking the phone.

“Yeah?” I asked, probably a little attitude tinted in my voice.

“Why are you letting Foster play the drums for a talent show?” Aaron barked.

“Because he’s talented. And he that’s the whole point of a talent show, Aaron.” I could hear Foster snicker in the backseat.

“You should be focusing on him playing football, you know, something that will pay for his college.”

“There’s no football in the winter, and he hates it.”

“Who cares if he hates it? I pay for his extra curricular and I’m tired of wasting it on music.”

“Aaron, did you call to talk about something productive or did you just call to belittle your sons talent?” He scoffed.

“I want to see the boys, this weekend. I got Saturday and Sunday off, Laura can watch them Friday.”

“You can pick them up Saturday, your girlfriend has no business watching them while you aren’t there. They aren’t there to spend time with Laura.” I could hear the frustration growing in my ex husbands voice.

“Look, I’m picking them up Friday whether you like it or not.”

“Or what? You’re gonna have daddy save you again? Get a grip, your kids don’t even want to see you, much less your girlfriend with an IQ of 60.”

“I’ll be there Friday at 6 to pick them up, we can do this easy or hard. See you Friday.” He clicked the phone and hung up. I very annoyingly threw my phone onto the seat next to me.

“Mom, I don’t want to go to dads. He’s mean, and Laura is weird.” Foster choked in the back.

“No dadda!” Joey chimed, I thought he was asleep.

“Hey, I know. I get it. But your dad loves you, and I can’t stop him from seeing you. You know what happens.” I frowned. Both boys got quiet in the backseat. I felt horrible, and my stomach dropped. I pulled into the driveway of my small home in Tahoe, unloading both boys and ushering them into the house. I directed Foster to start him homework and put Joe in a playpin, with a few toys while I made dinner. “MOM! CAN I WATCH TV WHILE I DO HOMEWORK?” Foster yelled from the living room while I diced chicken. Normally, I would say no, but I know his dad has him bummed.

“Sure, but you better do your homework Foster!” I yelled back. I heard him yell back in agreement. As I finished dinner up, I portioned two plates, for Foster and Joey. I walked out to the living room, and placed Joey in a high chair with his food and a sippy cup. Foster has apparently just finished his homework and was putting it away. “Smells good, mom.” Foster smiled. I placed the plate down in front of him.

“Momma, hawk!!” Joey started yelling again. “Foster, do you know what Joes talking about? He said that earlier today too.” I brushed the hair out of my oldest boys eyes. “He’s talking about Hawkeye. That’s his favorite Avenger.” Foster pointed at the TV, one of the Avengers movies playing. I immediately recognized the face, the guy from the coffee shop. Holy shit.

I quickly tucked both boys into bed, I knew Joey would probably fall asleep quickly but Foster usually had a hard time. I had to double check, with him watching that all doors and windows were locked before he even got remotely comfortable. After the boys, were snug, I jumped onto the shower. Thinking about the older man that has appeared in my life several times today. As quickly as I got out, I jumped in bed and pulled out my phone and googled the Avengers cast. He surely wasn’t a Hemsworth, not an Evans, most definitely not a Downey. Renner. Jeremy Renner. That was him. I spent the next 30 minutes or so diving into this, Jeremy Renner and what the hell he possibly was doing in Tahoe. I dozed off, phone screen lighting up my face and drifted into a deep sleep.

Aaron paced in front of the bed, his hand ruffling through his tousled brown hair. His breathing was hitched, the vein in his forehead protruding out. He was angry, and the whole house knew it. “Look, Aaron...” I began to ramble, he immediately jumped towards me placing a firm hand around my throat. “We aren’t getting divorced Mel. You can forget it.” I gasped, trying to pull his hand away from my throat. “P...p...please let...go...” I choked out. He smirked. He fucking smirked as he watched my face turn blue. He pushed me back my throat into the wall, trying to stay quiet so the young boys in the room next to us didn’t hear. As if it was fate protecting me, my husbands phone began to ring. He stomped towards the dresser, and forcibly answered.

“Detective Prescott.” He greeted. I slumped down against the wall, trying to regain my strength.

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll be there in about 15. Got to finish some business before I head out.” He smiled, making eye contact with me before hanging up his phone. He slowly crept towards me, who was still shaking on the floor. “You’re gonna regret asking for a divorce Melynne. I’m the best thing that ever happened to you. You know that.” He grabbed my small upper arm, leaving marks and pulled me off the ground, staring me dead in the eye. He could smell the fear. He knew I was terrified. That’s exactly how he liked me. “I have to go investigate an accident on Murphy and Staples road. I’ll have Greenhouser watch the house to make sure you don’t get any ideas. In the meantime, clean yourself up. I want something nice to look at when I get home.” He kissed my cheek roughly and pushed me back down. I was speechless. He quickly tossed on his uniform, and duty belt, loading his firearm into a holster. I held my breath, and finally exhaled when he was out of sight. I rushed myself to the bathroom and got into the shower, where my emotions overwhelmed me. I let the tears silently fall, as I thought about my life and where I went wrong. My heart hurt, for myself yes, but more for my two sons, who had to grow up in the shadow of a father like Aaron. I edited the shower, and stood in the mirror, observing the new purple bruises on my neck. I thanked Aaron mentally, for being smart enough to bruise me where my uniform could hide them. I quiet knock on the door revealed my eldest, Foster, who was far too empathetic for his own good and always knew when something was wrong.

“Momma, I wanna leave here. I don’t want us to live with daddy anymore.” He whispered, afraid that Aaron was lurking still. I pulled him into a hug, and apologized. I had to do something. I had to get my boys away from him.

#jeremy renner #mcu #marvel fanfiction #hawkeye #fanfiction #mission impossible

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idkxwriting · 6 years ago

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Another Love - Part 1

Author: idkhaylijah

Pairing: Elijah Mikaelson x Reader

Summary: Human AU - Reader’s life gets a little complicated when she falls for our favorite Mikaelson brother.

The doorbell went off three times before Elijah rolled his eyes and shut his laptop. “Kol!” He shouted - but his youngest brother didn’t answer. Elijah huffed, knowing he wouldn’t get any more work done for the evening. It was just as well, he thought as he glanced at the clock to see it was already past midnight.

The doorbell rang again, followed by impatient knocking. He stood, making his way to the front door, already knowing who would be there at this time of night.

He swung it open and Kol’s best friend pushed past him. He stepped aside. “By all means, Y/N, please do come in…” Elijah said dryly.

Y/N didn’t bother thanking him. “Where’s Kol?” She asked urgently.

It wasn’t unlike her to show up any time. She often popped in to the Mikaelson home at all hours, day or night, looking for Kol. When she was younger she had fallen and broken her wrist trying to climb into Kol’s bedroom window on the second floor - and while Elijah (who took on the responsibility of raising his younger siblings) preferred she not visit at all during the night, he knew she was stubborn. He had made her promise to use the front door, and it had become a habit since.

It was, however, very unusual for her to not give the eldest Mikaelson brother an attitude.

Elijah furrowed his brows. “What’s wrong?”

She shook her head, already making her way to the staircase. “Upstairs?”

He nodded, and she made her way to his brothers room, Elijah’s eyes trailing after her with curiosity and concern.

“Y/N, I have to be up for work at six in the morning, this better be good.” Kol grumbled, sitting up in bed and pulling a T-shirt on.

She sat at the bottom of his bed, pulling her knees to her chest. “It’s an internship with your brother’s company, I’m pretty sure you’ll be fine,” she snapped.

Kol sighed. “An internship you could have as well, darling,” he pointed out.

She occupied herself by picking at the sleeves of her jacket. “I have no desire to work for Elijah,” she scoffed. “He hates me.”

Kol chuckled. “He doesn’t hate you.”

“Right,” she laughed. “I’ll believe that when I see it.”

Kol ignored her comments, changing the subject. “What’s going on?”

She laid back onto his mattress, her feet dangling off the edge. “Matt broke up with me.”

Kol laughed. “I’m sorry...lovesick Matt Donovan broke up with you? The guy has been following you around like a lost puppy for ages! What happened?”

Y/N covered her face with her hands. “Nothing, it doesn’t matter,” she sat up and stood, glancing around his room. A picture of her and Kol when they were seniors in high school sat on his dresser. It was a lifetime ago. They had been laughing at something, though she couldn’t remember. Kol’s arm slung lazily around her shoulder.

Next to it sat a more recent photo of him and his siblings, all of which were unfairly gorgeous. She picked it up, studying each of their faces - her second family. She let her eyes drift to Elijah’s smile for a moment before she cleared her throat.

“He broke up with me because of my friendship with you,” she finally said. “How dumb is that?”

Kol stood up, and moved next to her, taking the frame from her hands and putting it back. He contemplated her for a moment. “What do you mean?”

“He thinks we are too close, and he wanted me to spend less time with you and your family, and we fought...and ultimately he ended things.” She shrugged as if it didn’t matter. “It’s so ridiculous.”

Kol swallowed nervously and cleared his throat. “It’s not that ridiculous, darling,” he muttered quietly.

She turned to him then, her Y/E/C eyes filled with confusion. Kol was watching her, waiting for understanding to dawn on her face. When she tensed, freezing in place, they both knew what he was implying.

She bit her lip, unable to move. Kol had been her closest friend for as long as she could remember, and it suddenly felt like she couldn’t talk to him at all, the words dying in her throat.

He moved toward her slowly, dipping his head and pressing his lips to hers nervously.

She closed her eyes, and he placed his hands gently on her cheeks. When he tried to deepen the kiss she pulled back, a scared expression on her face.

“What was that for?”

Kol rubbed his thumb gently along her chin. “I’ve wanted to do that for as long as I can remember,” he whispered.

She pulled away from him. “Don’t.”

“I love you, Y/N, I always have.”

Y/N shook her head, wiping her lips.

“Say something,” he pleaded.

She felt her eyes burning and ran her hands through her hair. “What do you want me to say, Kol?” Suddenly she was angry with him. “You’ve ruined everything,” she hissed. She pushed past him as her anger continued to bubble. She hated Matt for making her choose between him and her second family, Kol for changing everything...herself for snapping and hurting Kol. She knew things would never be the same.

Elijah sat in his office, a drink in his hand. He had popped upstairs just to check in, Y/N had looked visibly upset, and he couldn’t get it off his mind. When he went to knock, he saw the door had been open a crack, and Kol’s lips were pressed to hers. He turned quickly, and left them be. When he really thought about it, it was a natural progression for them - he had always known his little brother was in love with Y/N. It was obvious.

But that still didn’t stop the jealousy that wrapped itself around his chest, suffocating him. He dismissed it, taking another sip of his bourbon.

Y/N awoke the next morning, her eyes red rimmed and swollen from crying the night before. She glanced at her phone to check the time, and noticed she had no new messages. She opened her texts and pulled up Matt. She glanced through their last text conversation, feeling a little sad, but knowing breaking up was the right choice. She never loved Matt, and while she enjoyed his company, it never felt right. She deleted the thread and moved to her conversation with Kol. She typed out a message three times before deleting each one and shoving her face into her pillow.

Maybe the whole thing had been a terrible dream, she wondered.

She hopped in the shower, trying to wash the memories away, but she played the evening over in her head again, and again. It was like a bad movie. The only thing worse than the kiss itself was the expression on his face when she told him he had ruined everything. She winced when a little voice inside her head told her it was so terrible because he wasn’t the Mikaelson brother she had wanted to kiss her. She shook the thought away quickly.

Halfway through the day Y/N still hadn’t received any messages from Kol. She missed her best friend - they had been constantly connected, and the silence was deafening. She finally picked up her phone and hit dial, but he let it go straight to voicemail.

Deciding enough was enough and that they were adults, she got in her car and sped off to the Mikaelsons. Fifteen minutes later she was in their driveway, Elijah loading a bag into the back of his Bentley.

“Where are you going?” Y/N asked. She didn’t realize Elijah had a trip. Normally before one of the siblings went away for an extended period of time they had a family dinner, which always included her.

Elijah stood, turning to face her, looking her up and down. His soft brown eyes held no annoyance, like they often did when he addressed her, but instead a sadness to them. She furrowed her brows, wondering what had happened in the few hours since she had last seen him.

He tore his gaze away, continuing to load his luggage. “Business trip,” he said dismissively.

“I didn’t realize you were leaving,” she spoke softly.

Elijah said nothing.

“It’s just that I normally get invited to your send off dinners,” she cursed herself internally for sounding so pathetic. When he didn’t respond, she turned to go inside.

“There was no dinner,” he called after her. She turned to look at him. He stood, his suit impeccable as always, his hand in his pocket. His jaw tightened. “Some last minute business came up in our Chicago office,” he explained.

She nodded. “Oh. When will you be back?”

He looked down at his shoes for a moment and fiddled with his car keys. “I’m not sure,” he stated matter of factly. When he looked up again his gaze had hardened. “Goodbye, Y/N.”

She swallowed, biting the inside of her cheek. “Travel safe, Elijah.” She made her way into the house, refusing to glance over her shoulder at him like she so desperately wanted to do.

“Kol?” She knocked on his bedroom door, and she heard him shuffle around.

“Come in,” he called out.

She entered nervously, taking a deep breath to steel her nerves. “Hi,” she said softly from the doorway.

He didn’t look up at her, instead focusing on packing clothes into a suitcase.

“I called you earlier,” she began.

He nodded. “Yep, I saw.”

“And when you didn’t pick up, I called the office, but Vincent said you hadn’t shown up…”

Kol nodded again.

She sighed. “I’m sorry.”

He finally looked up at her. “Don’t be.” He walked over to his closet, pulling a pair of dress shoes out and placing them in top of the suitcase.

“Wait a minute,” she said, noticing the luggage. “Where are you going?”

“I’m going to work from the New Orleans office,” he explained. “Get out of Mystic Falls for a while...Nik said I could stay with him.”

“Why?”

Kol chuckled. “Oh, come on, darling. We both know last night changed things, let’s not pretend.”

She began to cry softly. “I’m sorry, Kol.”

He wanted to pull her into him then, but held himself back. “Don’t cry,” he whispered. “I hate when you cry.”

“Don’t go,” she replied.

He wiped at his own cheek, a tear spilling over his eyelid. “Y/N,” he sighed. “I can’t…” he struggled for a moment, looking for the words. “You will always be my best friend, but I can’t pretend like I’m not in love with you. Maybe some space will do me some good,” he explained. “I’ll be back at the end of the semester.”

She began to apologize again, but he cut her off.

“Don’t apologize for not loving me back, please,” his voice cracked and he swallowed. “Please don’t do that.”

She nodded, tucking her hair behind her ears.

“It’s just for a little while,” he reassured her. “We’ll go back to being best friends, graduate, with our master’s degrees, I might add, and start fresh.”

Y/N hugged him tightly, and left.

Tag list: @rissyrapp20 @cougar007 @mschellehitt @pietro-goes-nyoom

If you’d like to be added or removed from my everything tag list just shout :) Let’s be honest - everything is just gonna be more Elijah fics :P

#elijah mikaelson imagine #Elijah mikaelson x reader #kol mikaelson x reader #elijah mikaelson #kol mikaelson #the originals fanfic #reader insert #to fanfiction

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mattryancompclass-blog · 7 years ago

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Personal Narrative

It was Wednesday, that meant wings at Sunset Bar and Grill. Nik, Alex, Ben, Francis, and myself were going for Wednesday night wings after work. We all got off work around 5:30 PM. We met at Nik's family farm at 6:30, except for Francis. He was running late, a week and a half earlier he had started a new job as a steamfitting apprentice in Madison, a 30-minute drive. He had gotten caught in rush hour traffic, and he still had to change out of work clothes and shower. He told us leave at 7:00 without him, he'd meet us at Sunset as fast as he could. We were planning on all piling into either Alex or I's truck and getting wings at 7. We never leave for anywhere on time though, had to complain about work, girlfriends, and car troubles first. Nik's Ford Ranger had a cracked radiator, Alex had no idea why his girlfriend was mad at him, my Silverado needed breaks badly, and to top it off Ben crashed his Mustang the night before, totaling the car, and taking a telephone pole with it. Eventually after making enough jokes about Ben's driving we piled into Alex's F-150 and tore out the field lane headed for Sunset.

We made it to sunset around 7:30 and didn't have to wait long for Francis to show up; ridding his baby, a 2006 Honda CBR600 motorcycle. We ate our wings in the back of the bar, after I tried buying a beer. I figured since the bar tender was a friend, only a few years older, I had a chance. "Don't even pull this shit Matt, you barley look 16" shouted Davis as he took our orders of wings. We made fun of Ben's driving some more, offered Alex poor advice about his girlfriend, and even came up with an idea for a television show, starring us of course. At quarter after 8:00 headed for the parking lot and decided the night was still young. We were going to do what everyone in Sauk Prairie did for fun, cruise around and raise hell. We had a target in mind, the road sign for Stoney Ridge Road. It was spelled wrong, ridge was spelled "R-I-G-D-E". We all believed it was our moral obligation as citizens of Sauk County to remove that miss-spelled road sign, so nobody got lost because of it. We had our target and our plan. We were going to drive to town, so Alex could get gas and Francis could leave his motorcycle in the gas station parking lot, that way we could all ride together in the truck.

We headed towards town and split off at the intersection of Highway 188 and Highway J. We took J in Alex's truck, so he could point out where he had put a new tree stand for deer season and Francis stayed on 188. Highway J was being re-surfaced at the time and had loose gravel on the surface, not a good road for motorcycles, hence Francis's decision to stay on 188. After seeing Alex's new deer stand we were in town gassing up and wondering what was taking Francis so long to get to town. Highway 188 was a faster route, he was on a motorcycle, and we spent time looking at Alex's deer stand. On Monday of that week he called me and needed a ride, his motorcycle battery kept dying on him and he needed to get to his second job, milking cows. Figuring he was having the same electrical issue and was now stranded we left the gas station and headed back down 188 to find him. He didn't answer his phone, but Francis's phone always seems to be low on battery. We made it all the way to the intersection of 188 and J where we split up and he was nowhere to be seen. While we paused for a second to come up with a new plan I hopped in the bed of Alex's truck and shinnied the corn fields along the road with a flashlight Alex had in his truck. Now we were worried he might have crashed his bike. We started to drive down 188 towards town again as I shinned the fields, looking for signs of a motorcycle entering the field. When we reached the first corner after the 188 intersection with J Nik shouted that he saw a small skid mark on the road. I hopped out of the truck to look and everyone else stayed in the truck as they went a few hundred yards around the corner to park the truck on a side road. I could not see the skid mark and at first though the small mark at the entrance to the ditch was nothing, Nik was being paranoid. As I shinned the flashlight up towards the woods I saw a clear path through the brush and my heart instantly dropped into my stomach, I knew my best friend was in the woods. I took off running through the ditch down the trail through the brush yelling Francis's name, hoping I would get no response and find nothing in the woods. I didn't get what I was so desperately hoping for.

"Matt, thank you, yes!" I could hear Francis moaning as I got past the brush and saw him. His bike was on its side up against a tree. He was laying on his side a few feet from his bike. He was on the on the phone with 9-1-1 already, Francis is not someone to call 9-1-1 “Matt, talk to 9-1-1 for me" Francis said as he handed me his phone. Just as I began speaking to the emergency dispatcher Francis said something that scared the living shit out of me. He said "Matt, hold my hand." None of us are the type of guy to hold hands, get emotional, or show any fear at all; Francis especially. Just after I grabbed Francis's hand Nik comes running through the brush. He just yelled "Jesus Christ" and stood there for a second. At the same time the 9-1-1 dispatched told me the ambulance was only four miles away and to park our truck right next to the crash site, so the ambulance could find us as quickly as possible. I instructed to Nik to run and tell Alex to pull his truck onto the shoulder at the by us. Nik just said "OK" and ran faster than I've ever seen him run before. Ben made his way into the woods and asked what to do. I told him I think everything is under control, the ambulance was just a few miles away. Then Francis asked me "Matt, how's my bike?" I hadn't even looked yet but I told him just a few scratches, maybe a new headlight and she'll be good as new. "Don't fuck with me Matt, how bad is it?" I told him it wasn't bad at all. Ben ran through the ditch to help Alex park his truck on the shoulder in the dark. "I have to piss, so bad." said Francis. "I don't know what you want me to do their buddy, I'm not helping you with that." I replied. Alex, Ben, and Nik came running back into the woods. "Where does it hurt?" asks Ben. "It don't hurt too bad." said Francis. "It's going to be OK, your fine." said Nik. “I knew you guys would come back for me, I knew it.” responded Francis. We could hear sirens and see lights as a Columbia County squad car pulls up.

Alex runs to get the officer. The officer walks calmly through the brush and asks Francis's "How much alcohol have you had to drink tonight?" "Not a fuckin' drop!" Francis shouts back. We all confirm with the officer has hasn't drank anything. "Do you feel any pain" asks the officer. "Yeah, it fuckin' hurts like a son of bitch!" shouts Francis again, showing how he was too tough to tell us he was in pain when we asked. "You’re going to have to drop the profanity, and can we lose the attitude?" responds the officer as the EMT's from the ambulance run through the brush towards us. "Moose, it better be Moose!" shouted Francis. Moose was the nickname for a teacher at our high school, Ryan Mussack was a history teacher at SPHS and an EMT at night. Everyone loved Moose, he was a great teacher and he was just all around a good, fun guy to be around. Moose put up with a lot of our shenanigans and juvenile pranks, even laughed when we made a huge sign insulting the principle using words similar to his name. Moose saw me through the flashing lights and looked straight at me and said "Matt, Oh God, who is it?" I told him "It’s Sisul" to which he responded "Sisul, Oh God what did you do?" Moose shined his light on Francis and his EMT team started to get to work. "Moose! I'm so glad it’s you!" muttered Francis as he started to slip in an out of consciousness. "Hey, It's Carla too!" said Francis. Carla was not only one of the EMT's on duty that night; but the mother of Francis's younger sister’s boyfriend. "I already checked, I can move my toes, I'm not paralyzed." said Francis before slipping out of consciousness again. "Francis, you gotta keep talking to me." demanded Moose.

The EMT's did an amazing job saving Francis's life that night, he was med-flighted to Madison. We drove to his house and told his parents what happened and where they were taking him. We drove straight into Madison from there. We waited until after 2:30 AM to be able to see him. He was all drugged up, so we couldn't talk to him. His sister Veronica and mom were a complete wreck, his dad stayed at home with their infant son. I tried to comfort them the best I could. Alex, Ben, Nik, and I decided to leave and give his mom and sister some time to themselves. I couldn't sleep that night and was very slow at work the next day. Francis had a miracle that night, he shouldn't be alive, but he is. He is at home slowly recovering now. He is planning on steamfitting again come January. We did eventually go remove the Stoney Ridge Road sign so nobody got lost.

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anavoliselenu · 8 years ago

Text

Relase me chapter 13

I lick my lips. “Now you’re breaking the rules.”

“Oh, I don’t think so.” He lifts his hands. “No touching. No demands. You’re not mine yet.” He glances at his watch. “Not for a few more hours,” he adds, and I have to stand up. My legs are too weak, my body too tingly, to let me remain squatting in the sand.

“Totally free for now,” I agree, but I’m thinking about those hours. About what will happen when they pass.

“So I have no authority now,” he says, his eyes roaming over my body. “I can’t tell you to touch yourself. I can’t insist that you lie naked in the surf and slide your fingers over your cunt. I can’t take you back to the pool and ease you in, then suck on your nipples while the water washes the sand from your body. I can’t slide my fingers inside you and feel how slick you are, how much you want me.”

His eyes are locked on mine, and my breathing has become shallow. My skin glistens with sweat, and not from the heat of the sun. I’m standing at least three feet from him, but it’s as if he’s right there. As if we’re connected. As if his hands are moving over my body in time with his words. And, dammit, I do want to touch myself. It takes all my willpower to keep my hands at my sides. Even then, my thumb is brushing the outside of my thigh, the motion slow and sensual. It’s all I have, and I’m clinging to it even as I cling to his words.

“I can’t take you into the hot tub and turn you around so that I can fuck you from behind while the water jet strokes your clit. I can’t clutch your breasts and fuck you harder while you come for me, exploding all around me. And I can’t make love to you on a balcony under the stars.”

Make love …

My heart flutters.

“I can’t, Selena,” he continues, “because you’re not mine yet. But I can soon,” he says. “Soon I can do whatever I want with you. I hope you’re ready.”

I swallow. I hope I am, too. Dear God, I hope I am.

When we exit the plane in Santa Monica, there are two cars waiting. Justin’s sleek red expensive car with the unpronounceable name and a Lincoln Town Car. A short man in a cap stands by the Town Car. He inclines his head when I glance at him.

Justin presses his palm to the small of my back and steers me toward the man. “This is Edward, one of my drivers. He’ll be taking you home.”

“You’re going back to your office?”

“I’m so sorry to cut our afternoon short, but it can’t be avoided.”

“No, no. Obviously you have work to do. It’s just that my car is in the parking garage. Why don’t I ride back with you?”

He presses a kiss to my forehead as Edward opens the Town Car door for me. “I would love the company, but your car is at your apartment.”

It takes me a second to process. “What? How did it get there?”

“I arranged it.”

“You arranged it,” I repeat. I’m not angry so much as baffled. No, actually, I’m angry. I feel the tension boiling up inside me. “You just did that without asking?”

He looks perplexed. “I thought you’d appreciate it.”

“That’s micromanaging my life and putting your sticky fingers all over my property.” I can hear my voice rising and force myself to tamp it down.

“I think you’re overreacting.”

Am I? I think about my mother and how much her fingers in every aspect of my life irritated me. Am I projecting my issues with my mother onto Justin? Or has he actually crossed some line? I’m not sure, and it bugs me that Elizabeth Fairchild is still haunting me from fifteen hundred miles away.

I run my fingers through my hair. “Sorry,” I finally say. I slide into the back of the Town Car and look back out at him. “You’re probably right. Just ask first next time, okay?”

“I was trying to help,” he says, another nonanswer, but he’s closing the door and that’s that.

Well, damn.

Edward climbs into the driver’s seat and takes off toward my apartment. But the truth is, I’m not ready to go home yet. “You can just drop me on the Promenade,” I say, referring to the shopping street in Santa Monica. “I’ll either catch a taxi home or have my roommate pick me up.”

“I’m sorry, Ms. Fairchild,” he says, guiding the car onto the entrance ramp to the 10. “My instructions are to take you straight home.”

Oh, for Pete’s sake!

“Instructions?” I echo. “Don’t I get a say?”

Edward looks up, and I meet his eyes in the rearview mirror. The answer is clear: No.

Dammit.

I pull out my cell phone and call Justin.

“Hey, baby.” His voice is low and sensual and now I’m even more angry—this time at myself for letting the caress of his voice shift me from my mission.

I rally and speak very firmly and clearly. “Would you please tell Edward that he doesn’t have to take me straight home? He seems to be under the impression that you were giving orders and not just telling him a destination.”

The pause before he answers is ominous. “You need to be ready at six. It’s already past two. You need to rest.”

“What the fuck?” I snap. “Are you my mother?”

“It’s been a long day, baby. You’re tired.”

“The hell I am.” Except he’s right. I am. Not that I’m about to admit it to him.

“No lying,” he says. “Remember.”

“Fine,” I say sharply. “I am tired. I’m also pissed. See you tonight, Mr. Stark.” I click off without waiting for an answer, then flop back in my seat and cross my arms over my chest. I close my eyes just for a second, but when I open them again, it’s because Edward has pulled up in front of my apartment. I must have been asleep for almost an hour.

I exhale, bemused and frustrated.

Edward opens the door for me, reminds me to be ready at six, and then gets back behind the wheel. He doesn’t drive off, though, and I realize he’s waiting for me to safely make it to my door. I stomp up the stairs, jam my key in the lock, and shove the door open—and am immediately confronted by the sight of a high-quality tote bag with Third Street Promenade silk-screened on the side, along with the logo for a local street fair. I know, of course, who sent it, but I can’t imagine how he pulled it together so fast.

“It just came for you,” a male voice says, and in the split second before I recognize that it’s Ollie, I jump. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” He gets up from the armchair tucked in the far corner of the living room and comes toward me. I notice he’s barefoot. He’s left a magazine in the chair—Elle. Apparently he’s been reduced to reading my and Jamie’s coffee table fare.

“Just came?” I say.

“About five minutes ago. I put it on the table for you. It doesn’t weigh a thing.”

I’ve crossed to the table while he was talking, and I immediately see why it’s so light. It’s filled with nothing but crumpled tissue paper. On top is an envelope. I break the seal and pull out a card with words written in ornate calligraphy: I am jealous of your time away from me. I owe you a shopping trip. D.S.

My smile is as refreshing as a cool breeze. Somehow, he always knows the right thing to say—and manages to say it with incredibly efficiency. Once again, I can’t help but wonder how he got this to me so fast. The man must have staff all over the city.

I slide the card back into the envelope and tuck it back into the tissue paper; I don’t want Ollie to see.

“Who’s it from?” he asks.

“Long story,” I answer, then change the subject. “So what happened to you yesterday? Jamie said she invited you over.”

“Yeah, well, you know. I had stuff to do around the house, and then Courtney came back early from the conference, so we did the engaged-couple-hang-out thing.”

“What’s she doing today?”

“Work,” he says. “Same old, same old.”

“Right.” I put my bags down on the table and go into the kitchen for a bottle of water. As I’m taking a long swallow—I’m parched from alcohol and altitude—I realize what’s wrong with Ollie’s statement. “Why is she at work and you’re not?” I ask as I head back into the living area.

“Deposition ended earlier than I expected,” he says. “So I decided to come hang here.”

“That’s great. You didn’t come to see me, did you? Sorry I wasn’t here. Starting tomorrow, though, you might actually find me at home during the day.” It’s a hefty hint, but he doesn’t take it.

“No, I popped by to see Jamie. You know, to make up for blowing off her invitation yesterday.”

“Cool.” I flop down on the couch next to him. “So where is she, anyway?”

“Um, the bathroom. She’s taking a shower. I think she’s going out in a bit. I told her I’d hang out for a while and watch some screen, but now I think I’m getting hungry.” He stands. “Why don’t we go grab something?”

I shake my head. “I’m stuffed. You go on.”

“At least come sit with me. I’m just going around the corner to the Daily Grill.”

He’s already at the door. For someone who was casually vegging a moment ago, he’s certainly eager to get food. “Do you want me to make you something? We have a ton of leftover pizza.”

“Nah. I’m craving their burger. You coming?” He has the door open now.

I think about the camera and the pictures I want to dump into Photoshop. And then I think that Ollie is one of my best friends. “Sure,” I say. “Just give me a sec.”

I grab my sack and head toward my bedroom, but I pause long enough to tap on the bathroom door.

“Don’t be coy,” Jamie says. “Just come on in.”

The shower’s running, but Jamie’s voice is clear, and I imagine she’s probably got her leg propped up on the toilet seat as she shaves. Since we haven’t been shy with each other since ninth grade, I open the door. I’m not at all surprised to see her leg slathered with shaving cream. I am surprised by the expression on her face. It’s one of complete and total shock.

Everything clicks into place.

“Hey, Nik! Why are you home in the middle of the day?”

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I snap. “He’s engaged. Off limits. Jesus, Jamie.”

“I—” But she doesn’t finish. Just grabs a towel and wraps it around herself.

“Shit.” The curse bursts out of me. “Shit, damn, fuck.” I am not an expert curser, so that’s pretty brutal for me. “Did you fuck him?”

Her lips are tight together, but she gives just the tiniest nod.

I leave the bathroom and slam the door behind me. Ollie is still standing by the door, and I can tell from his expression that he either overheard our conversation or is smart enough to have figured out the gist of it.

“Jesus, Ollie,” I say.

He looks contrite. Hell, he looks beat up. “I fucked up, Nik. What can I say?”

I exhale. I’m furious, but this is Ollie and I love him and I have to be there for him. For him, and for Jamie. Oh, God. Jamie. “It had to be Jamie? You couldn’t have fucked someone I don’t love? You guys are my best friends—I don’t want to be in the middle of this.”

“I know. I do. I’m sorry. Look, come get some lunch with me. I’ll—we can talk. Or not talk. Just come, okay?”

I nod. “I’ll just have a tea or something. I had a huge lunch with Justin.”

“Justin,” he repeats, and I force myself not to wince. I hadn’t meant to mention Justin’s name. “Christ, Nik. He’s bad news.”

“Don’t you dare,” I say, and I have to work to keep tight control on my voice. “Don’t you dare give me that shit. You can’t stand here and tell me you don’t like Justin Stark. You can’t toss something like that at me and stand there like you’ve got the moral high ground beneath your feet, because you so do not.”

“You’re right—you’re right.” He runs his fingers through his already untidy hair. “Listen, I’m just gonna get a burger and head back to the office. We should talk tomorrow, okay? You can berate me about Jamie all you want. And maybe I’ll even have some shit to tell you, too.”

“About Justin?” I ask coldly.

He hooks his thumb at the door. “I’m going to just—I really am sorry.”

I don’t bother saying anything else. I watch him go, and then I take my stuff and stomp off to my room. My mood is vile, and twice I pick up the phone and think about calling Justin. But what would I say? Hi, you want to paint me and you’re paying me to be your plaything and so I thought I’d call you and dump my friends’ problems on you? Somehow, that just didn’t seem right.

Jamie’s still in the bathroom, most likely because she’s either avoiding me or working up the courage to talk to me. Honestly, I’m not in any hurry.

I boot up my laptop and use the cord from the Leica’s box to download the images into Photoshop. The first one that loads is the rippled image of the wave-battered beach. It’s crisp and clean and makes me think of escape. As if I could step into the froth that the camera has captured and let the tide tug me out to sea, away from everything and everyone.

Except I don’t want to get away from everyone.…

I open another image, and find myself looking at Justin. I’ve caught him in motion, and I think that’s appropriate. When I think of Justin Stark, he’s always moving. He’s a man who makes things happen. He’s action personified, and I’ve managed to catch that, along with something else. Joy.

He’d been turning toward me when I snapped the picture, and his face fills my screen. His lips are parted with the beginning of a laugh, and the afternoon light is reflected in his eyes. His expression is wide open and he’s completely in the moment. My chest feels heavy with emotion. I’ve seen him smile and laugh and smirk and tease, but only in this captured moment have I truly seen exultation.

I press my fingertips to the computer screen and touch Justin’s face. Justin, so strong and yet so injured.

I think of the scars that mar my body and pull up my feet so that my heels rest on the desk chair. Then I hug my knees tight. Justin may not have taken a knife to his skin, but I know that he’s scarred, too. But when I look at his face—at the euphoria in this image—it’s not the injuries I see, but the man who survived them.

After a few minutes, I hear the bathroom door open and Jamie’s soft footfalls on the carpet. They pause outside my door and I tense, but she doesn’t knock and a few moments later I hear the click of her door. I wait a minute, and then head for the bathroom for a shower. I feel gross, soiled by my friends’ dirty laundry. I want to stand in scalding water and let it wash the grime off me.

I take off my clothes and get in without waiting for the temperature to adjust. At first it’s ice cold, and I want to scream from the shock. Then the heater kicks in and I close my eyes, taking it, wanting to slough off the outer layer of myself.

I squirt some of Jamie’s strawberry scented bodywash into my hand and rub it all over myself, including my inner thighs. I slow down as I feel the raised flesh beneath my fingers.

Justin’s going to see them tonight.

I squeeze my eyes shut, thinking about how stupid I’ve been. I’d been planning on turning his little game around on him. Making the revelation of my scars some sort of triumphant fuck you instead of the reminder of how weak I’ve been. Of how much I let the pain take over.

But I no longer want my scars to be a weapon. I no longer want to risk losing this week with Justin. I’ve lost so much already today.

I stand there in the shower, my shoulders shaking as I cry, and hot tears snake down my cheeks to mix with the scalding water that beats down upon my damaged skin.

I am standing on a cliff, the waves crashing far below me.

I look down. Justin is there, his arms outstretched, his head back. He’s calling to me. You’re mine, he says. Jump to me. I’ll catch you.

Jump,

Just jump,

Just jump …

I wake with a start as the timer on my phone blares. I’d closed my eyes after my shower intending only to lay in bed for ten minutes. Thankfully I had the foresight to set the timer for an hour just in case. It’s almost five—Justin will be here in just over an hour.

I don’t bother dressing in anything fancy. After all, I’m just going to be taking my clothes off again. I frown and tell myself it will be okay. He won’t want the painting once he learns the truth, but he won’t be cruel. Justin might be ice sometimes, but he’s not cruel.

I pull on jeans and a Universal Studios theme park tank top I bought last year when I’d flown out to visit Jamie. I slide on the flip-flops, check my hair in the mirror, and decide that I look passable. I’m not wearing makeup, and I feel a bit naked without it. One of those sad truths that annoys me, since I only feel like I need makeup every time I step out into the world because my mother drilled into my head that a woman shouldn’t leave the house without first putting her face on.

Really, Mother? Because I’m pretty sure that faces aren’t actually removable.

Yet despite my quick dip into the land of sarcastic comebacks, I still bury myself under cosmetics every day of the week. I console myself with the knowledge that most girls do the same. It’s not a mother thing, it’s a feminine unity thing. Or, better, it’s a me thing.

But I’ve done enough pageants and photo shoots to know that artists often like their subjects to start out as blank canvases. So here I sit with a naked face to match my soon-to-be-naked body.

I spend the next half hour at my computer fixing up my resume. I shoot it off to Thom, the headhunter who got me the job with Carl. I include an email explaining the situation so that he understands why I’m looking for a new job after less than a week at the first one. With luck, he won’t decide I’m a problem client and cut me loose. With even more luck, he’ll get some new interviews lined up this week.

I still have a few minutes, so I decide to work on some code. But instead of pulling up my template, I find myself typing Justin’s name into a search engine. I’m not looking for anything in particular. I just want to know more. Instead of satisfying me, the bits and pieces of himself Justin has tossed my direction have only whetted my appetite.

Not surprisingly, I get about as many hits as the man has dollars. His tennis career, his industrial empire, his philanthropic causes. His women. Though I’m still desperately curious about his youth, I can’t fight the compulsion to narrow the search to Justin and the women he’s been photographed with. I click on the link that shows me images only, then sit back as an array of beauties fill my screen, each on Justin Stark’s sexy but enigmatic arm.

Justin has rarely been photographed with the same woman twice, which matches what he told me. I find one girl and click back to the original source of the image. It’s a celebrity gossip blog, and the woman is identified as Giselle Reynard. When I look closer, I recognize her as Audrey Hepburn with much longer hair. Some of the tension leaves me. I already know that Giselle is married.

There are also a number of pictures that show Justin with a wide-eyed blonde identified as Sara Padgett. Several of the captions reveal that Sara was found asphyxiated. And though none come out and claim that Justin was involved, there are enough hints that I have to wonder if these photos and captions are Sara Padgett’s brother’s doing, and if this is the kind of stuff that Justin is pushing Mr. Maynard to fight.

I press my finger to my monitor and touch Justin’s face, but my eyes are on Sara. Did she kill herself on purpose? Or was she really trying to get off and died accidentally? Either way makes me sad. I’ve felt so lost and helpless that I hurt myself in order to feel real, but I never crossed that line into desiring death. On the contrary, I was trying to find that pulse of life inside me.

I close out the website. I’m already melancholy, and this is not the way to feel better. Instead, I go to YouTube and watch old Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire dance clips. I start with “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes.”

Fred is just dipping Ginger when there’s a knock at my door. I shut my laptop, grab my purse, and head for the front of the apartment. Already my pulse has quickened and my body is more aware of the space it’s occupying, as if readying itself to share that space with another human being.

I pause, take a deep breath, and reach for the doorknob.

I tug the door open expecting to see Justin, and am surprised to find Edward. “Oh,” I say. “I thought—”

“Mr. Stark apologizes,” Edward says. “He got held up.”

“I see.” I follow him to the car, each of my steps weighed down with disappointment—and with a rising anger. Not at Justin, but at myself. I’ve been letting myself get lost in girlish fantasies, and I’ve lost sight of the larger picture. I’m something Justin bought, like his hotel or his jet or his car. I’m not his girlfriend or his lover. Not really. I’m simply his, and that’s okay because I agreed to it and I’m getting paid for it. But I can’t start thinking that a tantalizing arrangement has some semblance to reality. This is a game to him, and I came in as a willing player, negotiating hard for the terms I wanted.

I got them, too. And I remind myself of that important fact. It may feel as though Justin has all the power, but he doesn’t. I kept a little bit of control—and I’ll walk away with a million.

The grounds are dotted with workmen when we arrive. They’re hauling dirt, planting flowers, clearing rocks. Another crew works on the stone facade on the eastern-facing wall. At least I assume it faces the east. As far as I’m concerned, anything that looks out on the California ocean is west and the opposite is east.

For a moment I fear that there are workmen inside, too, because I never added privacy to my conditions. I assumed that only Justin and the artist would be there. But now, seeing these men …

Surely Justin wouldn’t ask me to stand naked in front of the world?

Don’t be so sure.

But when Edward opens the door for me and leads me in, I see that my fears are unfounded. The place is silent except for the soft strains of music coming from somewhere in the back.

The house is not yet finished, but the shell is firmly in place. The walls still need painting, the wood needs to be finished. Light fixtures are missing, with only a few dangling wires indicating where they will go. But the grandeur of the home is obvious. The ceilings soar. The floors are stunning, even though I can see only bits and pieces under the protective brown paper. And the marble staircase and twisted iron handrail look like something out of a five-star hotel.

I follow Edward up that staircase, and the change when we step onto the third floor landing is astonishing. There is nothing raw or half-complete about this area. The wood floors are polished to a shine, and accented by thick, expensive area rugs. The walls are painted in a pale rose, and I imagine that the space glows at sunset.

The entire room is stunning and inviting. It’s obviously meant for entertaining, despite the fact that the focal point is a giant bed. It’s been put there for my benefit, I’m certain, and I squeeze my thighs together in an attempt to stall the blood that is rushing to my sex.

The room appears to be missing a wall, but I quickly realize that the wall is made of glass partitions that have been pushed aside and hidden, like pocket doors taken to the extreme. I step outside and find myself on a stone balcony that looks out over the ocean. It’s closer than I expected considering how twisting and turning our drive was, and I can actually hear the crash of the waves.

“Mr. Stark will be right with you,” Edward says, and then he bows and leaves, and I’m left to explore on my own.

Part of me wants to stay outside and feel the sea breeze on my hair and listen to the ocean crashing beneath me. But I want to see the room. I go back inside and stand by the bed. It is positioned at an angle to the wide-open wall, and in that area sheer drapes have been hung from the ceiling. They flutter now in the breeze. An easel stands a few feet away, and I know that this area has been staged. For me. I tremble at the thought and run my hand over one of the bedposts. It’s old-fashioned, iron polished to a reflective sheen. Sturdy and yet sensual. Like Justin. Strong. As if this bed has demands of its own.

Oh …

The bed has no spread, only blue-gray sheets, rumpled to give it a slept-in quality. I wonder if Justin has slept here and I move to sit on the side facing the ocean. A gust of wind catches the drapes and they blow in, brushing my arms, bare in the souvenir tank top. I close my eyes and lie back, no longer wondering why Justin isn’t here yet. He wants me lost in my thoughts with this bed and this breeze and the gossamer feel of the silky drapes on my skin.

“I like that view.”

I know that voice, and I don’t move. I stay on the bed, but allow a smile to creep onto my face. “Then why don’t you come enjoy it?”

A moment later, I feel the mattress shift. I keep my eyes closed as his thumb strokes my lips, then traces downward between my breasts to the waistband of my jeans. “I told you not to wear underwear,” he whispers.

“I didn’t,” I say.

In the silence, I think I can hear his smile.

I keep my eyes closed as he unbuttons my fly and unzips my jeans. They fit loose, and his hand glides easily inside. My trimmed pubic hair is already damp, and by the time his fingers slide over my vulva, I’m slick with desire, my hips rising off the bed to meet his touch, my clit throbbing with anticipation.

“Mmm,” he whispers, sliding two fingers inside me, the sensations so surprising and arousing I bite my lip to keep from crying out. “And no more jeans. I want you only in skirts. No underwear. A garter if you want stockings. I want you accessible. Anytime, anywhere.”

My sex clenches around his fingers with excitement, and he moans softly. “God, you’re so responsive.” He pulls his fingers out of me, and I want to whimper from the loss. “Keep your eyes closed,” he says, and then I feel his fingers on my lips. “Suck,” he orders, and I draw his finger inside. It is slick with the taste of me, and I shift on the bed, squeezing my thighs together, sucking hard on him as I try to reach satisfaction.

Slowly, he pulls his fingers free.

“Justin,” I whisper.

“Mine,” he whispers, the word telling me everything I need to know. I’ll come when he’s ready for me to. The knowledge is arousing in itself—and damn frustrating, too.

I feel the press of his mouth against my breast. He sucks me through the tank top, and I arch up to meet him, then cry out when his teeth nip at my tender nipple. My eyes fly open and I find Justin Stark grinning playfully down at me. “Well, hello. I take it you like the bed?”

I sit up, trying to present a prim and calm facade. “Is it yours?”

“No,” he says. “Not the way you mean. It’s for the portrait. And this week. That means it’s yours, I suppose.” His eyes skim over me, and I shiver under his inspection. “Or ours.”

I swallow. “Well, you’ve staged a lovely room. I’m sure the portrait will be wonderful. When is the artist getting here?”

“He’s already here,” Justin says, then laughs when my eyes go wide with horror. “Don’t worry, he’s in the kitchen. I don’t do public sex.” He nips my ear. “I do everything else, though,” he whispers, and I feel my body flush as I wonder just what “everything else” could mean.

“Blaine,” he calls. “Why don’t you bring your coffee in here.”

“Blaine?” I ask. “I thought you didn’t care for his work.”

“On the contrary. I think his skill is exceptional. He conveys an intense eroticism. I simply wasn’t impressed with his models or with the staging. I want that same erotic allure, but without the trappings. I’ll tie you up, Selena, but I won’t put a picture of it on my wall.”

Tie me up …

I nod stupidly. He keeps knocking me off kilter.

A moment later, Blaine comes in carrying a mug of coffee and I quickly button my jeans and get off the bed. He’s more casual than he was at Evelyn’s party, just Dockers and a black T-shirt. He smiles in a wide, friendly greeting. “Great to see you again, Selena. Are you nervous?”

:"Hel:�� /

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