Rockstar 04 Interlude(22)

I see Carina standing there in the shirt I gave her, but no boxers-a  great big what the fuck moment-and then I see my Fee standing in the  rain, both women on the wrong side of the door. I see the hurt flash in  Sera's eyes, and I know the second she decides to run. I know it looks  bad but does she really think I'd go screw someone else when we just  admitted our feelings to each other …  after we made love all night and  all morning?         

     



 

She turns and runs to her car, the rain pouring down on her, soaking her to the skin. I run out after her.

"Sera!" I yell. She looks at me with eyes void of emotion before she  takes off down the drive. "God damn it!" I yell. "Noel, get a tail on  Sera right now. Tight."

"Yes, sir. They're already behind her," he tells me.

I nod, hanging my head as the rain pelts down against my skin.

Son of a bitch. Now what do I do?

"Get Carina out of my house and find out what happened to Aleo," I tell Damian, who's standing next to me.

"Done. Are you going after her?" he asks.

I shake my head. "No. She's running now."

"Run faster," Damian tells me.

"It's not that easy."

"Then work hard," he says and walks away.





I call her. I go to her house. I text her. I send flowers. I try  everything but she avoids me, even when we're in the same room at the  same time. It kills me to know she's hurting because of a  misunderstanding but she's not ready to listen to the truth. All I can  do now is wait and hope she'll find her way back to me. That one night  with her will never be enough for me. Never. I'm pretty sure it won't be  for her either.

So I'll wait.





Sixteen days later I watch her mourn for her parents as she talks softly  to them, placing a large floral bouquet in the vase by their  gravestone. When she's finished arranging the flowers, she kneels down,  bows her head, and weeps. It takes everything in me not to go to her but  this is her private moment. The one she needs with her parents.

Her body jerks with the violence of her sobs and when she reaches out  her hand to me, I go, scooping her up into my arms, holding her while  she purges her heartbreak. My heart breaks at the sound of every  pain-filled wail. I sit in the grass, holding her, rocking her,  comforting her, loving her.

"Fee, shhh," I soothe. "You're going to make yourself sick."

She just keeps going and when the grief has passed, her anger surfaces.  She pounds on my chest, screaming out her anguish. Damian looks over to  me and I see the grief he feels with her in his eyes.

"Shh, Fee. It's all right," I murmur as she gets it all out, this year  is worse than the one before. I'm not sure what's made it so much harder  on her, but I'm going to try to make it better in any way I can.

She sobs so hard she heaves.

"Baby, please. Please calm down," I beg. "Please, Fee. Shhh," I soothe  again, rubbing her back. She's still crying silent tears as she rests  her head on my chest. I wrap her up tight in my arms, rocking her back  and forth, murmuring words of comfort.

It isn't long before she's drifted off to sleep. I stand up with her in  my arms and make my way to the car. Damian opens my door and I slide in,  holding Sera tight so she feels safe. Damian walks around and gets in  the other side, his hands fisted on his lap.

"I want to kill them. Every last one of them. She was just a little girl and they did it so she'd see," he mutters softly.

I nod.

"What happened? Why was this year so much worse than last?" he mutters.

"I'm not sure, but if I had to guess I'd say Carina," I tell him honestly. "You've seen the security footage."

He nods. "It's only a matter of time."

"Agreed."

"You know your girl is going to want a piece of that bitch, right?" Damian asks.

I nod. "And she'll get it. Gio and I have already discussed it. Whatever she wants or needs, it's hers."

"Good," Damian tells me.

When we reach the house, I carry Sera to my bed, and begin to undress  her. She sits slumped over, so forlorn and dejected it hurts my heart. I  would take every ounce of pain from her if I could.

I pull one of my t-shirts over her head and push her arms through the  sleeves. I quickly strip off my clothes and put on my sleep pants. When  she finally looks at me, it's with such anguish in her eyes I scoop her  up into my arms.

"Oh Fee," I whisper and slip beneath the covers, pulling her on top of me and the blankets on top of her.

"Please don't make me leave," she whispers brokenly.

"Never, Fee. Never," I tell her and she nods once.

"I'm so tired, Cage."

"I know, baby. I know. Rest now. I've got you."

Within seconds she drops off to sleep. I stay up all night watching to  make sure she's okay. I'll do the same every night, for as long as it  takes for her to feel safe again.





Chapter Seventen





Jesse


Past





I spend the rest of the afternoon cooking for dinner with Lucy and when  the pie is about halfway done, Xander comes sniffing around.

"Whatcha makin'?" he asks.

"Dinner for me and Lucy. Don't even fucking think about it," I warn, pointing at him.         

     



 

"Damn dude. No pie for me?" he whines.

"You think I'm stupid? I made three knowing how you fuckers are. No  touching the one I set by the stove. The other two you guys can fight  over."

He grins. "Kick ass. Your pie's the best."

"Just call me Betty fucking Crocker," I tease and Xander snorts.

"So Lucy."

I nod.

"What's going on there?" he asks.

"I'm not sure just yet," I tell him when Ben and Kennedy walk in looking  for food. "Pies are in the oven. Two for you. One for me and Lucy.  Touch it and die," I tell them.

Ben holds up his hands. "Why so hostile?"

"I want this to go right, man. I need it to."

"You got this, bro," Ben tells me and I nod.

Kennedy hops up on the counter. "What'd you make her?"

"Chicken stir fry and apple pie."

"Good choices. We'll all take off for a while tonight or stay in our wing," he tells me.

"Thanks, Kennedy. I appreciate it guys."

"She's a big deal," Ben tells me and I nod.

"Huge."

They all nod.

"We get it, man," Xander reassures me. "You're going to be the first one  of us with a ball and chain and I'm feeling pretty fucking good about  that."

I laugh. "It's our first date. There'll be no ball, chain, or marriage talk happening tonight."

Xander shrugs. "Marriage is a pretty cool deal with the right person."

"I suppose. But that's not even a blip on my radar at this point. Hell, I  don't even know if she really likes me. Me. You know, not the guy she  was crushing on, but me," I confess.

"Hmm," Kennedy says. "You'll know pretty fucking quickly. Lucy's not one to play games."

"I agree," Ben says. "I see her laying her cards on the table if it's just one of those ‘making a dream reality' things."

"Yeah, yeah," I mutter, still not liking the possibility. "I gotta get  changed. Think you can take the pies out when the timer goes off in ten  minutes?"

"Does a bear shit in the woods?" Xander answers.

"Dude," I murmur, shaking my head. "Remember, only two pies for you assholes."

"Yeah, we got it. Now go get ready for your woman," Ben urges, pushing me out of the kitchen.





"Did you just use a keypad to unlock your bedroom?"

"Yep."

"Why on earth … ?" she asks, hanging over my shoulder.

I gently set her on her feet, holding her up while she gets reoriented.

"We used to throw tons of parties-"

"Not anymore?" she interrupts.

I walk over and relock the door. She looks nervous. About as nervous as I feel.

"Sometimes. Not nearly as much as we used to."

"Let me guess. Women like to go into your room and snoop, take things, or lay there naked waiting for you."

I grin. "Lucy, I really love the way you think."

"Are you trying to tell me I'm wrong?"

"Nope."

"Good, because if you did I'd call you a liar."

My grin fades fast. I walk right up to her and run the pad of my index  finger down her cheek. "There's one thing you'll learn about me,  Cupcake. I don't lie."

"Oh come on, Jesse. Everyone lies."

"Not about stuff like that. Not about the important stuff."

"Who decides what's important?"

"Well, right now that'd be me and I'm deciding that it's really  important for you to press that body up against mine so I can get you  naked."

When she does it, my cock leaps in my pants. Damn she's lethal. Even  with her high heels on, she's tiny, and I find that sexy as hell.

I rest a finger gently under her chin and raise her face so she's looking at me. I want her to see this is no joke to me.

"I like when you look at me, Lucy. I want you to watch me while I make  you mine." I lean down and kiss her lips, her eyes drifting closed when  my tongue slips into her mouth and tangles with hers. She smells so damn  good. Like flowers.