by Clare Cole
Divine. Simply fucking divine.
He looked me straight in the eyes. “I love you so much I could cry, Amy.”
Before he had chance to say another word, tears of overwhelming happiness began streaming down my face. “And I already am.”
Within seconds he was pulsating inside me as a second, violent orgasm tore through me. We held each other as if we would never see each other again, my body wrapped tightly around his as my head span and my insides clenched with utter delight. Maybe everything was going to be all right, after all. Maybe I had been worrying too much about nothing. And maybe, for all his nonchalance, Rick was right all along and Louisa was just a hollow threat.
In that moment, with Rick’s love flowing inside me and mixing with my own sweet nectar, I didn’t care. This was my life now. This was my future. This was my man.
Nobody was going to take that away from me.
Chapter Three
“A parcel? For me? Okay, I’ll be down in the next ten minutes.”
Reception had called to let me know that Rick’s PA had sent some items over to us. I didn’t have a clue what they were but they would have to wait. Breakfast in bed was just too damn good.
“This toast is off the charts,” Rick mumbled.
“Don’t talk with your mouth full. Didn’t your mother ever teach you manners?”
“Didn’t stop you in the middle of the night.”
I slapped his arm playfully, recalling our second lovemaking session at around 3am. “I wasn’t talking, I was…um…”
“Moaning uncontrollably at my length and girth, unable to comprehend the sheer size of the god-like penis that was filling your delicate little mouth.”
“I was…enjoying the moment,” I chuckled.
Rick held his toast up to the air, inspecting it. “How do you think they make it this good, Amy? Is it the quality of the bread, the consistency of the butter? Could it be the toaster they use?”
I rolled my eyes. “No idea, Rick. I don’t lie awake at night thinking about these things.”
“No, you lie awake at night sucking my cock.”
“Knock it off, potty mouth.”
“Maybe it’s a combination of the three? A perfect union of three disparate elements all coming together to create the perfect piece of toast.”
“Yeah, that’ll be it,” I sighed, swinging out of bed to get dressed. “You’ve hit on the formula. Quick, Rick, patent it. Steve Jobs would be so proud.”
“You know,” Rick smiled as he munched on his toast, “you truly are my intellectual equal.”
“That’s worrying,” I giggled. “Your bandmates used to tell me you were thick as pigshit.”
“Hardy-har-har. No, your withering put-downs are almost poetic, certainly lyrical in their delivery. You should write some songs, babe.”
I leaned in to kiss him. “I’ll leave that to you. If there’s one thing you’re exceptional at, it’s music.”
He slipped a hand onto my ass and squeezed. “Just one thing?”
“Okay, maybe two things. Definitely two things.”
“Play your cards right, sweet thang, and you’ll get more of my burning rod of love later.”
“Groovy,” I replied, poking my head around the door. “I can barely contain myself. But right now, I’ve got a parcel to pick up.”
“There’s a parcel right here for you,” he snorted.
I shook my head. “Enough of the sex jokes, Rick. It’s like living in an episode of ‘Californication’.”
“Fuck me, this toast is good,” his disembodied voice said as I wandered down the hallway. “Call room service for some more, then,” I shouted.
Last night had been amazing. It confirmed everything I already thought about Rick; he was talented and funny, creative and sharp. He had a personality that bordered on arrogance – at least to some people – and I knew his filthy sense of humour was never going to appeal to everyone. But that didn’t matter. It appealed to me.
Last night had also reminded me of the side of him most people never got to see – the caring side, the gentle touches and soft kisses that said more than most people could in a thousand words. Sometimes he didn’t have to do anything more than throw me a simple glance, a look in his eyes and a hint of a smile that told me all I needed to know.
I’ve got your back, Amy. Don’t worry about a thing.
I had daydreamed my way down to the hotel’s reception desk. “Parcel for Amy Reid?”
“You must have an admirer,” the pretty brunette behind the desk smiled. “I wish I got packages like this sent to me once in a while.” She pulled out a huge, gift-wrapped box, covered in shiny wrapping paper and an enormous red bow.
“What the hell is this?” I laughed. I picked it up, surprised at how light it was. I shook it, hoping for a hint as to what was inside. Not a sound. Nothing. I felt a chill make its way from the base of my spine to the back of my neck.
Louisa.
I tore the parcel open, leaving a mass of paper and ribbon all over the marble floor of the lobby.
“Miss! Um…could you do that in your room, please?”
A single note lay at the bottom of the box.
NOTHING FOR YOU HERE, AMY.
HOW WAS ROOM SERVICE?
“Shit.” I turned to the receptionist. “Call security to the penthouse. She’s here…”
“Who, miss?”
“The woman who’s been threatening us! The woman you were supposed to not let into the building!” I shook the note in front of her as the hotel manager came rushing to see what the commotion was. “Louisa Harper is here! She’s here and she wants to kill us!”
Within seconds I was running up the stairs with a security guard and the manager behind us. “Call the police!” he shouted back to the receptionist. “Get them here now!”
I looked back to see the security guard puffing and panting his way up the winding steps. “What’s your name?” I asked.
“Roger, Miss,” he gasped. “Roger…Reynolds…whew…”
“Roger, I’m begging you. You’ve got to hurry up. Please!”
“I’m doing my best, Miss. I’m maybe not as fit as you are.”
I placed a hand on his shoulder. “I’m no supermodel, Roger. But I can run.”
“You’re curvy, Miss,” he smiled. “But I’m just plain fat. Come on, let’s go. I’ll have a stroke later.”
I nervously pulled out my key card as we finally reached the penthouse door. I looked at them both and Roger placed a hand on his gun. “Slowly, Miss,” he whispered. And stay to the side.”
Green LEDs lit up the lock and I slowly pushed the door open. Right in front of us was Rick, sat on a chair in nothing but his boxer shorts. My worst fears were confirmed. A slim brunette stood behind him in a cleaner’s outfit, holding a gun to his temple.
“Nice to see you brought the cavalry, Amy,” she smirked.
My throat was bone dry. “Are you Louisa?”
“Well, I’m not your fairy godmother, am I?”
Chapter Four
“Tell the fat man to back off.”
“He has a name,” I replied. “Roger.”
Louisa scowled at me. “Well, Roger that, over-and-fricking-out. Do I look like a give a shit about getting to know him?”
I looked at Roger but he was having none of it. “I’m not putting this gun down until you do, lady.”
She sighed. “Then we’re in for a long afternoon.”
“Morning,” Rick said. “It’s not noon yet, so technically it’s still morning.”
Louisa pressed the gun further into his temple. “What is this, English 101? Have any of you clowns noticed I happen to have a goddamn GUN pointed at this bozo’s HEAD?”
I held up my palms. “I’ve noticed, Louisa. And, trust me, I’m taking you deathly seriously.”
“Well, good. At least somebody is paying attention. How typical that it’s the only other woman in the room.”
I edged forward. “What do you want?”
“Back off, big boobs. Take another step and I’ll turn your boyfriend into a vegetable.”
“Better do as she says. I don’t want to be a vegetable, Amy,” Rick interjected. “I have the next album all planned out and everything.”
I stared at him in disbelief. “Are you kidding me right now?”
Louisa grinned. “Once a smartass, always a smartass. You want to know what I want, Amy? I’ll tell you. I want my life back. My life. I want my child and his father back where they belong – with me.”
“You think this is the way to do it, Louisa? By trashing Rick’s house and threatening us? By holding a gun to his head?”
“It’s the only way I know how. Nobody listens to me. Nobody! I can’t get near Rick because of his goddamn managers and PR assholes. I can’t get near Luke because of those fucking pigs at social services. And…”
“Because you’re crazy, Louisa!” Rick barked. “Look at what’s happening here. You think we want to invite you out to dinner after all this?”
She pushed the gun under Rick’s chin. “If I blow a hole through your mouth, will that get you to shut up?”
My heart was pounding. “Please, Louisa…stay with me. I’m taking you seriously, okay? I’m listening. Tell me what you were going to say.” She looked up at me, her face turning red with anger. I desperately needed to get her to calm down.
“Before I was so rudely interrupted, I was going to mention how that shitstain of a doctor doesn’t give a damn, either…”
“Your doctor? Your psychologist, right?”
She started to breath at a normal pace again. “Yes, Dr Mace. He keeps feeding me those fucking pills…I’m not crazy. I’m not! I love my son. I just want him back…I’m not crazy…”
“I know,” I said calmly. “I don’t think you’re crazy. But you’re not well, Louisa. If you want anyone you love in your life again, you have to get better and that starts by taking your medication.”
She smiled. “You mean well, Amy. I quite like you. You seem nice.”
“Thanks.”
“But as much as I quite like you, I fucking hate you, too. I hate you with a passion because you’re with Rick. So there’s only one thing for it.”
She raised the gun and pointed it straight at me. I’d never looked down the barrel of a gun before and, in that split-second, time seemed to stand still. I couldn’t hear, couldn’t move. I just stared at it, waiting for the worst.
“Oh, this is ridiculous!” Rick sprang from the chair and grabbed Louisa’s wrist, pushing the gun skyward. They grappled awkwardly for a moment before Louisa, knowing she was overpowered, sank her teeth into Rick’s arm. “AAARRGGHHH!!!” He sprang back in shock. “Not well, my ass! I told you she was crazy! Crazy as a fucking coconut!”
She pointed the gun at Rick and looked at me. “If I can’t have him, Amy, then neither can you!”
To all of our horror, she did it. She pulled the trigger.
Rick slumped to his knees, clutching his chest. “Fuck…you shot me.” He turned to meet my gaze. “I love you, Amy…tell Luke I’ll miss him…”
I cocked my head to the side. “You can tell him yourself. Look down.”
He opened his hands. “What…there’s no blood. How come there’s no blood?”
Roger interjected. “Because given the puny sound of that shot, I do believe you’ve just been hit by an air pistol.”
Rick picked a pellet up from the floor before standing up to look at Louisa in disbelief. “You shot me…with an air pistol?”
“You got a problem with that, you poor man’s Springsteen? Would you prefer I’d blown your insides to smithereens?”
“Poor man’s? Wait a minute, I’ve won a Grammy, you know…”
“Back off or I’ll take an eye out. This is a SIG Sauer P226. Cost me over a hundred bucks. If you’re going to get an air pistol, might as well make it a decent one.”
“It’s quite nice,” Roger smiled. “Handles well.”
Rick turned to him, aghast. “And you’re security? Will you shoot her in the leg or something, so we can all go home?”
“Can’t do that,” he replied. “My gun isn’t loaded.”
I rolled my eyes skyward. “Oh, Jesus. Don’t tell her that!”
“Sorry. Never, er…been in this situation before. Wasn’t really trained for this.”
“You don’t say,” I replied, folding my arms. “You may as well put your gun down, then.”
“Why?”
“Because you just told us it isn’t loaded, Einstein. What are you going to do, throw it at her?”
Louisa started waving her gun around. “Well, this has turned out better than I expected. I take one of the biggest rock stars in the world hostage with an air pistol and yet, against all odds, I appear to hold all the cards. Who woulda thunk it?”
“Give it here, Louisa,” Rick growled, lunging for it. She fired another pellet at his thigh. “Ow! Will you stop fucking shooting me! That’s going to graze!”
“Would you rather I shot someone else? How about fat boy over there? Or your big-boobed slut? Look at the size on those puppies! I certainly won’t be able to miss.”
“That’s enough,” Rick replied, rubbing his thigh. “Don’t talk to Amy like that. You’re way out of line.”
She stuck out her bottom lip. “Aww, what’s the matter, Wick? Are you afwaid I’ll upset your poor widdle girlfwiend? This baby’s full to the brim with pellets! One more word out of you and I’ll have you leaking like a sieve.”
“Enough!” I shouted. “This is ridiculous. Rick, put a top on. Everybody, be quiet. Listen. Can you hear that?”
Louisa sighed at me. “What am I meant to be hearing?”
“Sirens. They’re coming, Louisa. The police are on their way. This nonsense is over.”
She scowled in my direction. “Yeah? You know what I hear, sweetie? The sound of bullets spraying all around this room, massacring every one of you asshats!”
“You don’t have any bullets,” I sighed. “Think about what you’re doing here, Louisa. You can't win. It's over. Rick loves me and he'll never take you back. I might sound harsh and to the point, but that’s the way it is.”
“Wow,” she smiled. “You don’t beat around the bush, do you? And here I was, thinking you were all good hair and great tits. Maybe he does like you for your brain as well, after all. You’re a stronger woman than I gave you credit for.”
“It’s why I love her,” Rick agreed. "I'm not the man for you, Louisa."
"Why not? Couldn’t you be?"
"No, I can’t. Because I'm an asshole."
She nodded. "True."
"An arrogant, childish asshole who needs to start growing up."
"And overrated."
"Hey! Who are you, Rolling Stone?"
I interjected. "Rick! We’re making progress here, okay?"
He turned to look at Louisa. "Most of all, I'm a coward. I'm a coward for leaving you to look after our child alone. I'm a coward for not giving Lucas a proper father all these years. He deserves better and so do you. But it's not with me, Louisa. We both know that. I'm a coward who's in love with a girl who'll put up with my cowardly ways, probably more than anyone ever should. I love Amy and I always will."
“So there’s no hope for us?”
Rick shook his head. “There never was, Louisa.”
“But we’re Luke’s parents! We could build a new life together! Give him what we should have all these years…”
“We’re not Luke’s parents,” Rick interrupted. “We conceived him, but we’re not parents to him. We never were. Julia and Michael are his parents now. To pretend otherwise would be horribly unfair to them and him.”
I knew how tough that must have been for Rick to admit, feeling tears well up in my eyes.
“He’ll always be in my life. He can be in yours, too, Louisa. But only if you listen to your doctors and the people trying to help you get better. Only if you try.”