When the article loaded, my stomach dropped into my toes. Mason was front and centre, in the bathroom of a club, fucking some girl. For a moment I got my hopes up that it wouldn’t be recent, but the small bandage on his head gave it away. He was with some slut in a bar. My eyes prickled, and I quickly shut down the site. Opening my emails, I logged in. Sure enough, there was a message from my father. Shouty capitals to begin with confirmed that I was right to hang up.
I took another deep breath, not sure how much more pain I could take. That’s all my life was at the moment, a huge pain. I needed to sell the flat, my cars and work here for a few months. Then I’d go somewhere new. Somewhere no one knew my name or who I was. I’d get out of here and run as far and as fast as I could.
HAND YOURSELF IN AMBER!!! RIGHT AWAY!!!!
Amber,
What did you do? How could you do that to Ellis? The police were here looking for you. You need to hand yourself in immediately and face the consequences of your poor choices. I knew something was going on with you, but almost killing your best friend is something I never expected of you. Do not use my name, you are disowned. Use your mom’s maiden name from now on. Amber Davis died the moment you killed your best friends’ baby and we are all sickened by your actions.
Do not reply to this email and do not ask me for help.
I’m not interested in helping you.
That was it. That was all my dad had to say. My heart broke. With shaking hands I closed the Mac. My own father believed I was guilty of hurting Ellis. I was his baby, his youngest and he couldn’t believe that I was innocent. Tears rushed down from my eyes and I sobbed into my hands. I realised I really was completely and utterly alone. No one cared about me. They didn’t need me and no one loved me. Not my friends, who’d ditched me when I was cut off, or my family, who’d rather believe the lies than see that I was telling the truth. And Mason. He’d been screwing some bimbo in a bar. Clearly I didn’t mean anything to him.
A pair of warm hands engulfed me and I turned into the embrace of Betty, who’d come through to collect the cutlery. She held me and let me break apart. When there was nothing left, she looked at me worriedly as she squeezed me, before sitting back a little to speak to me.
“Amber, what happened sweetie?” She asked in a soft, gentle voice. I told her everything. About my job and my parents disowning me, to Henry breaking up with me and his infidelity. Finally coming to Ellis and her lies.
“No one believes me, and she was pregnant. He killed their baby and everyone believes it was me. Even my own father believes them. What do I do?” I asked her desperately.
She looked at me thoughtfully, before answering, “you stay here. Let Mr Michaels and his lawyers deal with it and you stay hidden here. No one will tell them where you are. You’re safe here and Mr Michaels will see to it that it stays that way. He takes care of people and he cares about his staff.” I nodded, but I didn’t really believe that he’d do that for me. He proved how little he cared about me when he fucked that girl in the toilet.
The rest of the day passed in a blur of playing with the kids in the playroom and garden, eating in the kitchen. Finally, at six pm, I bathed Sophia and played with her a little, before settling her down with her bottle and reading her a story. Lucca was in the baby swing by my chair as I read. I giggled as she belly chuckled at the story. A noise at the door startled me and I glanced over to see Mason standing there. He smiled at me, and I turned away from him. As I stood up and began gathering Sophia before placing her into her crib, he moved into the room to stand at my side, placing his palm on the bottom of my back.
His touch made me shiver, but the image of him and the skank from earlier was burned into my eyes. I shrugged out of his touch, gathering Lucca and heading back downstairs. He followed a few moments later, but I didn’t speak to him. I just concentrated on Lucca. He moved into the family room and sat opposite me on the armchair. I didn’t look at him. I put my vampire show back on and settled back on the sofa to watch it.
He stood up and placed something down beside me. Without saying a word, he wandered out. He returned a moment later. His face was livid as he held up my ruined cell. “Amber, what the fuck was this doing in the sink in the downstairs cloakroom?” I shrugged and he moved closer to me. I could hear his raged breathing as he fought to control his emotions. His anger scared me a little, but I wasn’t about to be intimidated by him.
“Amber, it’s important I can contact you at all times and that you can contact me. Why did you leave your cell floating in a basin full of water?” He was as close to me as he could get without moving Lucca’s chair. I paused the TV, before spinning round and glaring at him. I accidentally hit the controller, turning it onto a news channel. I didn’t pay attention to what was on TV, but his eyes widened as he took in the screen. I glanced at the screen and saw his toilet fuck on the TV.
“I dropped my cell into the sink. Kinda like you dropping your pants.” I pointed my thumb at the TV. His eyes widened, but I continued, wanting to make him feel like complete shit. “And I forgot all about it, because Lucca was crying when I was in the bathroom. I meant to go back in, but I obviously forgot.”
His eyes tightened as I spoke and I turned away, ignoring him. His mouth opened and closed a few times. He turned and stormed out of the room, coming back in once and then leaving again. The front door slammed and I took a deep breath. He probably hated me now. I knew I had no claim over him, but damn it, I wanted him and he brought my desires back. He was an asshole though. The sooner I got over whatever it was between us, the better.
Nothing would be happening now. I wasn’t a door mat and I wouldn’t let a man, any man, walk all over me, no matter how hot he was or how much I wanted him. He could go screw himself. After a few moments the front door opened and closed softly, but he didn’t come back in to see me. I didn’t know where he went and I didn’t see him for the remainder of the evening.
As I tried to fall asleep I found myself wondering if he had cared about me, or if I was just something he hadn’t done yet and wanted to tick off his list? I closed my eyes and my mind wandered to the previous night when he pulled me into his bed. My heart thrummed and I let my hands wander as I pictured how he had kissed me. Lifting my top, I ran my thumb over my nipple and pinched it gently between my thumb and forefinger.
My other hand wandered down my pyjama pants and I slid a finger through my wet folds. I pressed on my clit as I pictured his mouth over mine, his tongue slipping into my mouth with determination. I rolled onto my side and let my finger slip inside, followed by another. I panted as I brought myself to orgasm. As my orgasm subsided I thought about Mason and bile rose in my throat. I got myself off to the memory of last night, while he’d went out and fucked some bar bimbo. I was worth more than that. I’d never go there again.
I stood up and went to the wash basin. I cleaned my hands and crawled back into the bed. I realised how much I was missing my cell. I had my kindle app on there and I usually read until my vision blurred. Since I didn’t have any back-ups, I was stuck.
I drifted off not much later, exhausted because I hadn’t slept much the previous night. In my sleep I thought a hand touched my head, moving my hair away from the front of my head. Gentle lips pressed on my head. I opened my eyes, but couldn’t see anything around me. I drifted back to sleep, waking at three am with Lucca fussing for his formula.
I rolled out of bed, my nightwear all dishevelled and headed towards the stairs to make his feed up. As I reached the top step, Mason was there with blood shot eyes and a bottle of formula in his hand. He smiled at me and his eyes lit with desire as he took in my appearance. I moved closer to him to take the formula, when he leaned down and whispered, his breath tickling my ear and his tongue flashing out to taste the flesh, “it’s okay Amber, go back to bed. I got this one.” I shivered for a second, standing an inch from him, before I nodded once and turned, walking back into my room. I glanced down and I groaned at the fact my bright red bra was poppin
g out on one side of my tank.
Mason
I hadn’t been able to sleep. I’d gone to bed early, partly to avoid Amber and partly because I was exhausted. As I’d hit the sheets all I could smell was Amber and I wanted to talk to her so much. I wanted to explain my dickish behaviour to her, but she hadn’t been able to look at me when I’d come home. And then I’d gone off on her.
Quinn had told me about what was going on with her and I had my lawyers on it already, but I wanted her to tell me. I wanted her to trust me. But after the stunt I’d pulled today, fucking that skirt in the bar, I didn’t deserve her time or her trust.
I’d tossed and turned as I thought about how my day had gone. The funeral home had sucked. Seeing Cass like that sucker punched me in the gut. We’d headed back to the office, given a press statement, liquidated the shares of the two cocks who’d tried to destroy us and gone to the studio to let some steam off. Jackson was happy to stay on until Monday was over. We sat in the studio for half an hour dicking about. None of us had the heart to put anything down so we’d left and gone to the bar across the road.
A lot of groupies knew we hung out there. When we walked in, all I wanted to do was get shitfaced. I didn’t care about the meds from the hospital. I needed to take the edge off and drink would do that. As I wandered to the bar, I caught the eye of a pretty brunette. She was nothing like Amber, or Cassie, or anyone else. Her skin was a caramel colour and her eyes were a bright clear blue.
“What can I get ya mate?” The bartender interrupted my eye fucking of the girl. She knew who I was. As I looked at her, she licked her lips and stuck her tits out proudly. Her eyes danced as she took me in and I got a half chub looking at her. “Ahem?” The bartender cleared his throat and I glanced at him, taking in his shaved head, huge arms and ripped chest in his tight grey top.
“A bottle of Jack and four glasses please?” He nodded at me and strolled away, leaving me to wonder where Vince, the normal bar man was? As he placed the glasses and the bottle down, I handed over the cash and two of the girls came over to watch me. I headed back over to our table. Lewis had claimed a pretty redhead, while Harris ignored everyone, staring into his drink morosely. The other girl, who wasn’t the girl I’d picked out, watched Harris with interest. He was wearing navy blue slacks and a cream sweater over a white top. She looked at him as though he was dressed in chocolate. I let her hop into the middle of us. The girl I’d noticed came over and introduced herself to me.
“Hi, I’m Trina,” she told me as she’d sat down on my knee and kissed my neck. I grabbed my glass and saw it’d been filled to the brim. I tilted the glass back and swallowed the lot, ignoring the burn. I put the glass down. Quinn filled it back up and raised his in a silent toast. He smirked at me as Trina began loosening the buttons on my shirt, running her hand inside it.
I did the same with the second glass and the third, which left me feeling fuzzy. I stood wonkily after my third glass. I wanted to erase Amber from my thoughts, so I dragged Trisha or whatever her name was, into the bathroom. I pushed her against the stall and she pulled my shirt over my head.
I was buzzed enough that I didn’t think to lock the bathroom door, but not so buzzed that I didn’t cage my snake. Her eager face dropped a little as I popped the cover on my cock, but when she saw me standing there, she pulled me towards her and wrapped her ankles around my waist. Sliding in was easy and I fucked her hard and fast.
I didn’t hear the clicks in the background. As I came, I roared out in pleasure. But it wasn’t really this bar fly I was pumping. It was Amber. Afterwards, the pain in my chest caused a wave of nausea. If she’d thought she was getting a second round, she was wrong. As soon as she was down, I stumbled into the stall and emptied the contents of my stomach. I heard the bathroom door open and close a few times, but I leaned on my arms, squatting and back against the wall.
Harris knocked on the door. “Mase, you doing okay?” His voice was loud in my head and I groaned as a hammer pounded on my skull. I managed to stand, dragging my slacks up and crossing to the door. I stumbled out of the cubicle. Harris put a hand on my arm to steady me. “Fuck dude, you look like shit.”
“No shit,” I muttered, “I feel like shit.” He smirked and glanced around the bathroom. I swallowed the nausea as I spoke to him. “Harris, can we get the fuck out of here?” He lifted my arm over his shoulder, and moved with me out of the bathroom. As we reached the table, Lexa was there. Her eyes darted away from me as I slumped down. The bar flies were all gone now.
“Dude,” Quinn threw a chip at my head, “where’s your shirt?” I glanced down in surprise to see my shirt was gone. I shrugged and lay my head on the table, closing my eyes as nausea rushed over me again. They began talking over my head. I didn’t care enough to be bothered by what they were saying.
“We need to get him out of here. If the press catch wind of this, then the company will be sunk.” Harris spoke from beside me and I wanted to punch him in the nuts. I was fine. Completely fine. Except I’d tried to fuck Amber out of my system and it hadn’t worked at all. I still fucking wanted her. My body thrummed as I thought of her and my skin heated.
“Quinn, call Archie and see if he can get here. We’ll take him out the back door and drop him home.” Harris spoke again. As Quinn stepped away he threw a top at me. He’d had a shirt under his button up and had given it to me. It was black and tight as I pulled it on. I couldn’t move in it. I tried to focus my eyes on my reflection in the mirror, behind the table, but there were six of me, so I gave up.
After another twenty minutes Quinn and Harris bundled me up, out the back door and into the waiting car. Lexa walked slowly behind them, not saying a word about anything. As we walked in the alley, the smell of garbage overwhelmed me and I retched again. The sun was blinding and the scent of rotten food almost had me dropping to my knees. They eventually managed to get me in the car and told Archie to take me home.
“No, I don’t want to go fucking home. Amber’s there and I can’t deal with her right now.”
Harris looked at me quizzically. When I didn’t flinch he nodded. “Fine, back to mine then please, Archie.” I closed my eyes. Before I knew it we were walking into his apartment on the other side of town. He sat down at the piano and started playing melodies.
The hours passed quickly and I began to sober up. Quinn and Lexa sat across from me on the love seat, conversing in low whispers. Harris sat at the piano, noting things down and changing things with each play. Lewis sat beside him, strumming on the guitar and singing random words.
I sat up and Lexa jumped to her feet as though I’d burned her. “You want coffee, Mason?” I nodded slowly at her, wondering what was going on there, but ignoring it because Quinn was looking at me worriedly. As soon as Lexa was out of the room, he grimaced and cracked his knuckles. I hadn’t seen him crack his knuckles since our early days. It was something he did when he was really nervous and it made me smile, remembering him doing it before our first ever gigs. We’d really sucked back then. I couldn’t bear to listen to our first album as we sang about sex in clubs, fucking while drunk and drinking.
The other boys stopped what they were doing and watched Quinn nervously. For a second I was worried that he was going to try and oust me from the band, but they fucking needed me as much as I needed them, so there was no way that he was going to do that. As I watched him, he squirmed uncomfortably, running his hands over his face. Then he steadied himself and sat up, straight backed and proud to face me.
“Mase, I need to tell you something.” He nervously glanced around and swallowed hard, before looking at his hands.
“Spit it out then Q, we don’t have all fucking day.” I smirked over at him, ready to know what the fuck he was so worried about. I wondered if he known about the coup and hadn’t told me? I couldn’t keep myself from asking the question. “Did you know about it then?”
His expression turned confused. “Know about what?” He asked me. I looked around the sitting room, taking i
n the other two boys. Lewis was writing some stuff down and Harris was texting on his cell at the piano.
“Did you know about what those two dicks were planning?”
His face paled as he watched me glare at him. “Fuck no. Is that what you think? Gee thanks so much for your trust.” He closed his eyes, pinched the bridge of his nose and opened and closed his other hand. My eyes shifted to Harris and I gave him a puzzled glance, nodding to Quinn. He shook his head, understanding my unasked question. He had no idea what was going on either.
“Fuck man, it’s nothing to do with that, I swear. It’s about Amber.” My head swam at the sudden change of direction.
“About Amber? Why? What about her? Fuck man, don’t do that.” My eyes narrowed at him and the pounding in my head returned.
“You’re not gonna like it.” His eyes looked at something over my shoulder.
“Will you fucking spit it out, dude? You’re worse than a fucking chick.”
He nodded at me, took a deep breath and started speaking. “You know she was assaulted yesterday right?” I nodded, annoyed that he had to ask. He’d been there when Amber had called Lexa to let her know about her sister. “Well the dick has almost everyone convinced that Amber was the one who attacked Ellis. Even her own father believes it. Lexa went to speak to him today. He told her that Amber was a disappointment to him and that he was embarrassed by her behaviour.”
Lexa walked back in at that point and handed out the coffee. I took mine gratefully, swallowing the sweet nectar that was gonna get me through this conversation. “What the fuck? Why do they believe that cocksucker?” I glanced between the two of them and Lexa stared at the floor while Quinn shrugged.
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