by Franca Storm
“So…fucking…tight,” I growl.
“Ah! Yes! Yes, John!” she screams as her pussy clamps down hard around me. She comes apart in my arms and I grip her hips to hold her up as I slam into her. Once. Twice. My orgasm hits me hard and I crush my lips to hers.
“Oh my God,” she breathes.
“I know,” I murmur as I bury my head in her neck while I catch my breath and we both come down from that sudden intense explosion of passion.
“This is definitely becoming one of our rituals,” she chuckles.
“Damn right it is.”
Chapter 43
~Nicki~
Chloe slams down the final beat and John thrusts his microphone into the air, signaling the end of our thirty-minute set. There’s barely a pause before the huge crowd around the stage erupts into a fit of deafening applause.
“Guys!” John calls out to the three of us. Mitch joins John on his left side, wrapping his arm around him and then Chloe. I bound over to John and he pulls me close. He signals us with a nod and we bow in unison.
We were amazing tonight; at the top of our game. I’ve gotten used to what an amazing—and sometimes distracting—front man that John is, but tonight he was on another level altogether. He really worked the crowd and he seemed to have limitless energy as he bounded up and down the stage. His vocals were right on the money too and I had to force myself to get a grip several times so I didn’t get swept away by the distinctive rasp of his powerful voice and mess up on guitar.
We break apart and exchange high-fives. I snatch John’s shirt up off the floor. Yep, every show has him ripping it off. In all fairness, tonight he had a better reason than ever before. For once, we got to play on a real stage complete with professional spotlights and everything. And those things are hot as hell. I’m completely drenched in sweat myself and the leather pants are not helping one bit. But it was worth it. I look good. John had made that clear when we’d struggled to leave the hotel room earlier without him pouncing on me. My silver corset top wasn’t helping matters either. Poor guy. He didn’t know what’d hit him.
John’s gaze stalls as he looks out at the crowd. I follow his line of sight to see him looking at a bunch of A&R reps waving him over.
“Be right back, guys,” he says.
I grab his arm quickly and push his shirt into his hands. “You might wanna put this on first.”
He laughs. “Right, yeah. Thanks, baby,” he says, quickly slipping it on, before hopping off the stage.
I walk over to Chloe and Mitch and the three of us watch intently as John strides confidently up to the label guys. He shakes their hands and they start talking.
“This is good, right?” Mitch asks.
“Hell, yeah,” Chloe answers. “Don’t forget what a professional schmoozer John is.” She looks at me, suddenly aware of what she’s just said. “Nicki, I…uh…I didn’t mean the women. I meant, in general.”
I smile and wave my hand dismissively. “Don’t worry about it. You’re right. He’s got this.”
It hasn’t bothered me for a while now. I’d even seen a couple of girls in the crowd with their eyes on John tonight. He handled it like a pro, though, and flashed his new tattoo at them before pointing at me and winking slyly. I know it’s just him and me. I’m not worried anymore.
“Nicki!” a voice calls from the edge of the stage.
I look over and see John’s parents standing there waving me over. I walk up to them and they throw their arms around me, before I can even get a word out.
“The band was amazing,” Karen says.
“Thanks.”
“Truly. And John….something else entirely,” Tom says in awe.
This is the first time he’s ever seen John perform; the first time he’s witnessed his talent. If he wasn’t on board before, he sure as hell is now.
“We know he’s busy right now, but tell him to call us after. We want to take you all out for a celebratory dinner,” Karen says.
“Sure. I’ll let everyone know.”
They nod and then head off back into the crowd, navigating their way towards the bar at the rear of the club.
***
“You’d be signed to them exclusively,” Tom murmurs as he and John look over the two contracts at the desk in our hotel suite.
Me, Chloe, Mitch and Karen are sitting on the couches behind them, working on a plate of mini-cheesecakes that we had brought up to the room and listening intently, trying to make sense of the lawyer-speak between father and son.
During dinner, John received two emails from two different A&R reps for different record labels with an offer to sign the band. Both of them are prominent labels and, from what John told us, they’re both offering very similar things.
“I won’t compromise on the music, Dad. I need full creative control.”
Tom nods. “All right. Look at this one. It’s hidden in the fine print…” he says, trailing off as he reads whatever passage he was referring to. John leans over him and does the same.
“Yeah, I see it. Nice spot, Dad.”
“Just doing my job—both as your lawyer and your father,” Tom chuckles. “So, this one is out.”
John nods. “Agreed.”
They really get into it then and I turn my attention to the other three. “We were awesome tonight.”
“Did you really expect anything less?” Chloe says.
“I wanna do it again. I could’ve played all fucking night,” Mitch says. He stills and looks over at Karen. “Sorry about the language,” he says quickly.
Karen just laughs. “I suppose I’d better get used to it now that you’re all going to be rock superstars.”
Rock superstars. She’s so sweet. If only she knew what a party mouth her son already is. He always tones it down around her.
Wait…she’s right. We’re about to sign on with a label. This is…this is it! In all the excitement tonight, I haven’t had a chance to process it. But now it’s finally hitting me. This is a huge deal. We’re there.
After all these years…John has succeeded. This is happening because of him, his determination, his relentless dispensing of demos, online marketing, schmoozing the right people. Finally, John never taking no for an answer, never stopping until he gets what he wants, has paid off big time.
He turns around suddenly and announces, “Black Widow Records, guys!”
Chloe and I start screaming.
Mitch shoots to his feet. “Champagne! Now!”
Chapter 44
~John~
My head is still killing me and now I’m thinking eating when I woke up this afternoon was a bad call. My stomach’s not handling it well. Even driving down here was too much of an effort. It’s too damn sunny outside and my sunglasses aren’t doing their job well enough. Shit, I partied way too hard this entire weekend after our show and the life-changing news of signing with Black Widow Records.
All of us did, except for Nicki. I guess after her drinking incidents lately, she’s not letting herself get too out of control. Although, nothing would’ve happened to her while I was around. But she didn’t listen.
And that’s the reason why she’s been at my uncle’s gym for the last couple of hours, while I’ve been struggling just to get out of bed. It’s a Sunday and the gym isn’t open, but he’s allowing her to practice there. He gave her his spare key. I’m like the walking dead right now. But she wants me to train with her, so here I am. Now, that’s love.
I’m a few feet from the entrance when something slams into me. Caught off guard, I stumble and smack into the concrete wall of the gym. Hard. My entire body jars at the impact. I scramble to turn around and I find Greg smirking at me with two huge guys at his back.
“What the hell is this?” I demand.
“You won’t get in my way this time,” Greg tells me. “My friends are gonna make sure of that.”
He breaks from his guys and makes a beeline for the entrance. No way is this happening. I lunge at him. But, before I can reach
him, his guys are on me, driving me back. Their fists fly at me, smashing into my face, my chest. As a boot plunges into my stomach, I fight not to hurl all over the tarmac. Shit, this isn’t the day to get caught up in a fight.
But all I can think about is stopping Greg from getting to Nicki.
He disappears into the gym and I struggle against the two guys to go after him.
But these assholes aren’t preppy little frat boys. They know how to fight and they’ve got a good few pounds on me. Enough to make a difference; that’s for damn sure. Shit.
***
I step back from the speed bag and spin around at the sound of footsteps. So, finally, John has shown up. Actually, I’m surprised. He’d been in such a state last night. He’d even turned down sex, because he was so wasted. I’m definitely teasing him about that later.
But when I turn around, it’s not John at all. It’s the farthest thing from John.
Greg comes striding into the gym.
His eyes find me immediately and a nasty smirk plays on his face. He has that predatory look in his eyes. It’s the same look he always had when…when he did things to me.
“Your boyfriend is busy getting to know a couple of my friends outside,” he tells me as he approaches.
What? John is in trouble? Oh my God. He won’t be able to deal with that in his current state. He’s gonna get hurt. I need to help him. Now.
It’s one thing messing with me, but harming the man I love is another thing entirely. I can’t lose him. Not John. It’s incomprehensible.
Adrenaline courses through me. But this time it’s different. It’s not incapacitating. It’s empowering. I’m not frozen this time. I’m pissed as hell.
I’m not that scared little girl anymore.
I’m not a victim.
I’m not powerless.
Things are different now.
I have a better life and with the record deal, it’s about to get even better. And there’s no way I’m gonna let this asshole piss all over that.
That is it!
I am done with this.
It ends right now.
As he nears me, I don’t step back or cower as I’ve always done in the past.
No, this time, I step forward, assuming a boxer’s stance.
Surprise flickers in his eyes.
“You can’t hurt me now,” I tell him. He steps closer until he’s right in my personal space.
All the hurt and rage I have towards the pervert who hurt me almost beyond repair, rises to the surface and I thrust my fist into the side of his face. He grunts and stumbles back. “But I can hurt you.”
He recovers and lunges at me. But I’m ready and I dodge out of his way. I sweep my leg at him, kicking him back. He struggles to maintain his balance and ends up crashing to his knees.
“You little bitch!”
I stride over to him and grab his hair, tugging it painfully until he cries out. I don’t avoid his disgusting eyes this time. I look right at him, right through him as I say, “You know, John thought I was kidding when I said I would kill you. Let’s see, shall we?”
He tries to grab me and just the memory of him laying his hands on me four years ago, enrages me beyond belief and I lose control, slamming my fists into his face over and over again. I can hear myself screaming at him, telling him what a sick bastard he is.
I’m so out of control, so caught up in the moment and the fact that I’m finally hurting him, that I miss his hands grabbing hold of me. He pushes me back hard. A second later, he’s on me, driving me into the wall.
He snarls at me like the animal he is as his hands pin me to the wall, just like they did once before when he tried to rape me. Last time, John had saved me. But this time, I will save me. John and I have been over this a thousand times. I know exactly what to do.
“You idiot,” I spit at him.
***
I drive one of the guys into the brick wall. See how you like it, asshole. He spins around, but I’m there, my fist at the ready.
“Stop!” he begs, holding his hands up. His face is already bloodied thanks to me. His buddy is also out of the fight, whimpering on the ground, clutching his broken arm.
My fist hovers in front of the guy’s face. I can feel the heat; the beast wanting to break free to finish it. I’ve been so worried about not being able to hold back, not being able to control my temper.
But just the thought of Nicki needing me has me lowering my fist and stepping back.
I’m not that guy anymore. Not now she’s with me.
The guy breathes a sigh of relief and slides down the wall trying to catch his breath.
I turn and bolt towards the gym entrance, my only thoughts of Nicki in there alone with that bastard. Shit!
“John!”
I spin around in surprise to see the last person I ever expected to see. Rita. Nicki’s mom.
“What are you—?”
“Let’s go,” she says, cutting me off as she hurries towards me.
I don’t hesitate. I push through the gym doors with her right behind me.
What I see when we make it through to the gym floor, shocks me.
Greg is lying in a heap on the floor and Nicki is leaning against the wall talking on her cell phone. I watch her shove it into the pocket of her jeans.
“Nicki.”
Her gaze snaps to mine and she pushes off the wall.
And then I hear a gun cock. A gun? What the hell?
“No, Mom!” Nicki screams, seeing what I can’t because I have my back to Rita.
I turn around to see Rita standing there, a pistol aimed Greg’s way. Her hand shakes with indecision. Before I can stop her, Nicki steps into the path of the gun, between Rita and her target, Greg.
“Nicki,” Rita says. “Move.”
Nicki shakes her head. “No.”
“I should’ve done this a long time ago. I should’ve protected my daughter,” Rita says, crying.
“This is not the way. Please, Mom. You’ll go to jail. I’ve already called the cops. They’ll be here any minute.”
“Self-defense,” Rita argues.
“It’s not. He’s already down. I put him down.”
“I don’t care. I’ll go to jail if I have to. You’ll be safe.”
“He’ll rot in jail for this. I’ll already be safe with that, Mom.” She steps closer to Rita and smiles, “Besides, how are we gonna rebuild things between us if you’re in jail?”
“What?”
“You heard me.”
Rita lowers the gun then and starts crying hard. She flips the safety back on and stows it back inside her jacket pocket.
“I’m so sorry for everything, Nicki.”
“I know you are, Mom. I know,” Nicki says, taking her mom’s hand.
She settles her onto a bench in the corner and takes a moment to calm her down and comfort her.
And then she turns to me. She breathes a massive sigh of relief. I close the distance between us and wrap my arms around her.
She looks up at me, her eyes wide. Her hand traces a cut on my right cheek. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Let me look at you.”
She shakes her head. “No need.”
“What?”
She smiles. “He couldn’t hurt me, John.”
“Baby, I’m sorry I wasn’t here like I promised. I’m sorry he got that close to you after I—”
“It had to be me, John. I had to know I could deal with it; that I’m no longer the victim that he made me into all those years ago. And now I know I’m not. I’m not that girl anymore. What happened then doesn’t define me. I finally get that now.”
I pull her closer. “I understand.”
I hear sirens in the distance and tell Rita, “You’d better get out of here.” She has a gun on her for fuck’s sake and I’m willing to bet she doesn’t have the papers for it.
She hesitates and Nicki tells her, “Go, Mom. We’ll talk later.”
She wipes her tears and mu
rmurs, “I love you, darling.”
Nicki smiles and nods as Rita hightails it out of the gym. She’s not ready to say it back yet. It’ll take a long time for her and her mom to fix things between them. Their relationship has been broken for so long.
“John.”
“Yeah, baby?”
“You’re squeezing the life out of me.”
I loosen my hold around her. “Sorry.”
She takes my face in her hands and tells me softly, “I’m fine. Perfectly fine. I told you I could take care of myself. I’m not some useless girly girl. You should know that by now.”
“Oh, trust me; I do,” I tell her, gesturing to the state of Greg on the gym floor.
But it sure as hell isn’t gonna stop me from trying to protect her at every turn.
This girl is everything to me. She has been for the last four years. She’s my fucking world.
“It’s over, John. It’s finally over.”
“I love you so much,” I breathe into her hair.
“I love you, too.”
Other Books by Franca Storm
STANDALONE NOVELS
Contemporary Romance
Comfort Zone
BLACK THORNS SERIES
Motorcycle Romance
RECKLESS (Black Thorns, #1)
SOULLESS (Black Thorns, #2)
THE REDEMPTION SERIES
Romance Thrillers/Romantic Erotica
Over The Line (Redemption, #1)
Undertow (Redemption, #2)
Reckoning (Redemption, #3)
Salvation (Redemption, #4)
THE BLEEDING LOVE SERIES
Romance Thrillers
All Or Nothing (The Bleeding Love Series, Part One)
Battle Born (The Bleeding Love Series, Part Two)
Love’s Lies (The Bleeding Love Series, Part Three)
THE TWISTED DESTINY SAGA
Paranormal Romance
Fated Desire (The Twisted Destiny Saga, #1)
Fated Betrayal (The Twisted Destiny Saga, #2)
Fated Ties (The Twisted Destiny Saga, #3)