“Fuck you Adam.”
I scowled at him in disgust then marched towards the house, heading for the comfort of my room; my safe place where he couldn’t reach me or hurt me.
I couldn’t stay behind another minute to witness the personality attack that Adam was no doubt planning to dish out to me. I was cold, lifeless, boring, frigid, oh and let’s not forget plain and dumpy too. God could my self-confidence take any more knocks? I very much doubted it.
I heard shouting in the street and walked into Robyn’s empty room at the front of the house to glance out of the window. Adam was lying on the floor and holding his nose, blood pouring out of his fingers. Joe was leaning over him pointing his finger into his face as Chris was holding Joe’s arm in some sort of effort to pull him away or calm him down.
Adam stood up, took one look at our house and stalked off down the street. Joe stood talking to Chris for a few minutes, glancing up at our house a few times. He took his phone out and typed something into it before turning back to his car, getting in and driving off. Chris turned round, saw me at the upstairs window and gave me a comforting smile. I walked off back to my room to dive under the covers and lick my wounds.
“That was so embarrassing Chris, how am I ever going to live that down?” Chris sat down on the bed next to me and held my hand.
“You’ve got nothing to be embarrassed about Elle, he’s an ass even a blind man could see that. Don’t listen to him, if you let his poison in then he’s won, He can’t win Elle, not after everything we’ve done to build you back up babes. You wasted nearly six years with that narcissist, but you’re free of him now. Stay strong beautiful, please.”
My mobile sounded a text message alert from my bag and I sighed and lifted it out. Number unknown but the message read.
I get it now. I’m so sorry. I went about everything all wrong. I’ll make it right. Joe x
“What’s this?” I asked, holding my phone up to show Chris the message.
“Joe asked for your number, he was worried about you. I couldn’t not give it to him Elle, after he’d punched Adam in the face like that.” Chris shook his head. “That was the highlight of my freakin year babes.” He chuckled and grabbed me in a hug.
I groaned and closed the message, then dropped my mobile onto the bedside table. Well I wanted closure and I sure got it tonight in the most spectacular fashion. I didn’t think I would be hearing from Mr Madden any time soon. Why would a sex God like him want a cold, frigid girl like me?
Chapter Twelve
The next day I woke up with my eyes burning from all the tears. I contemplated ringing in sick and spending the day eating crap and watching chick flicks, but Robyn burst through my door and strode over to my curtains, throwing them back to let the summer sunshine in.
“Wakey wakey my lovely, time to take a new day by the balls.”
She grabbed the duvet and flung it back forcing me to sit up groaning.
“I don’t think I’m going in to work today, I don’t feel too good.” I said flopping back onto my pillow, but she was having none of it.
“No you’re not. You’re going to put on your most killer outfit, get your make up slapped on, hold your head high and get your sexy little ass into that office. That dick has taken enough from you he’s not taking any more. He’s nothing, he’s less than nothing. Get rid of him from your mind Elle, he’s poisoned it long enough, take back the power over you. You have the control over what you think and feel not him, you. Now get your pretty ass in that shower, wash his vileness off you and get to it. I’m not gonna tell you again.” She scolded putting her hands on her hips and glaring.
“Yes Mam!” I saluted her and she smacked my ass as I walked past.
“Good, and don’t forget its Friday so no working late okay, we need this drink tonight dude.”
Boy didn’t we just. I might even pop out and treat myself to a new outfit at lunchtime I thought as I washed away the night before. I’d have to take Chris with me though just to make sure it was the right level of amazing. His eye for fashion was second to none.
I walked into the office ready to face the day with an air of confidence and sat down at my desk. I frowned at the starbuck’s coffee cup and box of something yummy that was sitting in the middle of my desk. An envelope on the top with my name on. I looked round but Chris wasn’t in yet. Maybe Kim had done an early morning coffee run I thought. I sipped the coffee, yep that was definitely it she’d got me my favourite caramel latte. What a super star, she must have known in her subconscious that we all needed a pick me up this morning. I opened the envelope to see what I assumed would be a flyer or advertisement of some sort.
Good Morning Blue Eyes,
You never did get to enjoy your latte yesterday so I’ve brought you your favourite.
I know you don’t want flowers, but I couldn’t resist these roses. Pink roses represent elegance and grace. Something that shone from you last night. Beautiful girl, you are the epitome of elegance and grace and never let anyone tell you anything different.
Joe x
It wasn’t often I was gobsmacked but this morning I totally was. How the hell did he know that caramel lattes were my favourite? I hadn’t ordered a caramel one yesterday. I glanced round the office looking for a bunch of pink roses and after failing to see any I opened the cake box to find four delicious cupcakes each topped with a delicate pink rose crafted from icing. My God this guy was really working his way under my skin and I hadn’t even noticed it happening. How could he talk about one night stands and mutual beneficial fucking one minute, then send sweet messages and gifts the next? I don’t know about me being an enigma, he took the crown for that one. It had cheered up my morning though and made me feel warm inside. I smiled at his unexpected thoughtfulness.
To hell with a healthy breakfast I mused biting into a cupcake and groaning in appreciation. I took the other three and put one on Chris’s desk, one for Kim and the last into my drawer for later. Today was going to be a good day, no drama.
Later that morning Frank and Eric walked into the main office followed by a geeky looking guy in his 40s.
“Everyone if you could just stop what you’re doing for a minute and listen up I’d like to introduce you to Colin Peterson, who’s joining our little team here at Parker Hayes. He’s a very experienced graphic designer and we’re lucky to have him on board.” Eric announced as Frank patted Colin on the back.
“Hi Colin.” Most people barked out into the office as Frank led him to the corner desk to the right of Chris. Chris mouthed the words “gay” to me as he nodded in agreement with himself. I just shrugged, as long as he could do his job I didn’t care, but I knew Chris and he would be on Colin as soon as Frank and Eric were out of ear shot, prising personal information out of him to share with Kim our office gossip.
Sure enough by the end of the day Chris had found out that Colin was 43 years old. He was a widower with no children but two cats that kept him company and he lived close to his parents in Fulham because he still loved his Mom’s home cooked meals every night. He liked long walks in the countryside on the weekend and watching national geographic. He sounded a real hoot, I couldn’t wait for the office Christmas party! Fingers crossed I didn’t get lumbered with him, my knowledge of nature and indigenous tribes was very limited.
“I doubt he’ll be joining us tonight in Après!” Chris laughed.
“I don’t know…” I replied, “He could spend the night studying the tribes there. The drunken frat boys, the slutty whores, the groping old dudes and the dancing Dads.”
“Don’t forget the occasional sightings of the new Mom species on a rare night out, they save up all their energy over weeks and weeks with their spoilt little brats then unleash hell for 5 hours straight with reckless abandon.” Chris piped in.
“Hey that could be me and Robyn one day.” I chided him.
“Ella you would never have spoilt little brats.” He said. “Yours would be beautiful, patient angels just like their Mo
ther. I can’t vouch for Robyn’s potential little hellions though”
I gave him a playful punch and then laughed. It felt good to laugh after all my shitty luck just lately. I grabbed my shopping bags from our lunchtime trip, full of dresses, lingerie and other goodies to help transform me into a Goddess tonight. I was pumped and ready to let off some steam after a week from hell. This weekend would be the opposite, I was determined. Hedonistic was the word, I grinned in anticipation. I was going to unleash my inner slut and Adam was going to be buried in the graveyard of assholes in my mind. Never again to resurface and slay me.
Friday night was just what the doctor ordered. A good old slag off session about the exes in our life followed by a moan about how bad the choice of males were in the bar tonight, resulting in a whole lot of drunk dancing and flirting with guys we had absolutely no intention of ever taking seriously. We were just glad of the practise with our flirting techniques. We decided that Saturday night would be our night. We were going to hit a club and really ‘give it large’ as they say. The flirty threesome were on a mission this weekend.
Saturday evening came and we danced around to Jax Jones’s ‘Instruction’ as we drank wine and got ourselves ready. Chris tended to my hair creating a waterfall of blonde bouncing curls to spiral down my back and over my shoulders. I wore my new berry red Bardot style mini dress that clung to me like a second skin. I’d caught the sun recently and my shoulders glowed a light brown. The dress made me feel sexy and brought the devil out in me, a feeling I wasn’t afraid of embracing tonight. Robyn lent me a handbag to match the colour of my dress and once we were all ready we gulped down the last of the wine and danced off to the waiting cab to get the party started.
The club was called XS and by some miracle or fate, the doorman called the three of us forward and let us past the rope without having to endure the queue. The place was out of this world. There were huge screens around the walls and gold chandeliers on the ceiling. In the middle of the dancefloor, coming out of the floor like a rocket or space ship was the DJ booth, and gold and cream leather private booths were dotted around the outside with sofas to lounge on and waitress service. Above the dancefloor we could see the VIP area with highbrow city types, sportsmen and wannabe models stalking about looking perfectly made up and composed. That was the opposite of what we felt like being tonight, tonight was all about the dancefloor and fun.
We headed to the bar and started off with a couple of shots of tequila each to keep the buzz going before ordering our main drinks. The DJ starting playing Tiesto’s ‘Jackie Chan’ and we danced our way to the floor to let the music take us over. The three of us waved our arms in the air and swayed to the beat. Each of us taking it in turns to grind up to Chris and play out our little routines we always did when we were together.
I felt a prickle on my neck and looked round to see if I was being watched but I couldn’t see anything so I put it down to the anticipation of the night and closed my eyes. I was the old me again and I loved it. I’d missed her.
The DJ announced a retro hour and Pussycat Dolls ‘buttons’ came booming through the speakers to cheers from the crowd, the screens showing us their sexy moves. Robyn and I did our version of the dance, jiggling up to Chris and anyone else we were standing next to. Some guy behind me grabbed my hips and pulled them into him, but I shrugged him off and slid over to Chris wrapping my arms around his neck and singing the words into his face as if I was asking him to ‘loosen up my buttons’ for real. He skimmed his hands over me like I was his and I laughed throwing my head back and then jumped up to wrap my legs around his waist. I dropped down in his front and turned my back on him dancing away and shaking my hips.
That’s when the first crack or pop sounded over the club. Some people stopped dancing to look around and then we heard it louder, ‘pop, pop, pop’ and then screams, blood curdling screams coming from the direction of the main doors. The place erupted into utter chaos with people pushing to get off the dancefloor and trampling over anyone who got in their way. I looked round frantically to see if I could find Robyn or Chris but I couldn’t see them. I was jolted in the side and lost my footing falling onto the ground as a guy ran over me with no care for my safety; it was each man for himself. What the hell was going on?
I felt arms circle around me from behind and I was yanked back and into a chest. I didn’t fight, I was too stunned to comprehend what was happening. A familiar American voice spoke into my ear.
“I need to get you out of here, now.”
“But Robyn, Chris…” I argued.
“They’ll be fine, but we have to go. Now.” Joe picked me up in his arms and pushed against the flow of the crowd heading for the front doors, he was going in the opposite direction towards the back of the club.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
“Back door, it’s quicker.” He said darting his eyes around him to check for any dangers.
“What’s going on?” I asked in a daze.
“Someone’s got a gun past security. A guy was shot by the front bar. We need to get out of here before the police show up.”
I couldn’t digest what he was saying. Guns? We were in the U.K, guns weren’t something we usually had to worry about. Joe reached a door marked private and pushed his way through it and into a corridor. I started trembling and he put me back on my feet and took his suit jacket off and draped it around my shoulders. He grabbed my hand and walked us towards another larger steel door that lead to an alley at the back of the club. Joe’s range rover was parked up there. It beeped open and he pushed me in the passenger seat leaning over me to buckle me up before sprinting round to the driver’s side and speeding off.
The sound of police sirens echoed behind us. Neither one of us spoke as he drove through the dark city streets. I had no idea where we were headed and quite frankly I couldn’t care less as long as we were away from that club.
My mobile made the familiar ping of an incoming text message which told me that Robyn and Chris had made it out of the club and were safe. With shaking hands I texted back to tell them I was ok and I was heading home in a cab. I looked across at Joe next to me.
“What were you doing there tonight?”
“Saving you.” He replied.
I looked out the window not recognising any of the shops or buildings around us, “where are you taking me?”
“Somewhere safe.” He turned to glance in my direction and then back to the road in front of us. I didn’t have a clue what was going on in that head of his, but he obviously didn’t think my house was a safe place. I could see he was clenching his jaw and I could see a slight pulse in his neck. Was he angry right now? Had I done the right thing leaving with him tonight?
He pulled into an underground car park and parked up into a space next to a lift. He switched the engine off and without hesitation he jumped out of the car and round to my side. He held my hand confidently as he pulled me out of the car and strode purposefully towards the lift. He slipped a type of credit card from his back pocket and used it to swipe through a box at the side of the lift and open the doors. We walked in and he dropped my hand as he scanned his card against a small screen inside and it started to make the ascent to what I assumed was the top floor; the penthouse. I stood still, my heart beat in my throat beating so loud I was sure he could hear it from where he stood.
Suddenly he growled “Fuck it,” and instantly he was on me. Pushing me up against the wall of the lift with his whole body. He kissed me hard slipping his tongue past my lips and danced his tongue with mine groaning like a starving man. His hands were in my hair, pulling, yanking, then snaking down my back to cup my ass and pull my hips into him. I grabbed onto his shoulders hanging on for dear life, he was devouring me and I was loving it, I never wanted him to stop.
He kissed down my neck, biting and licking and making me gasp and groan in pleasure. All my senses on overload and lost to the delicious sensations he was creating. The lift chimed to tell us we were at our destinati
on and Joe pulled back, his eyes hooded in lust looking at me like he was a feral predator and I was his prey. He grabbed my hands and yanked me out of the lift, down a corridor and towards a door. The dominance with which he was moving turned me on and I was shaking with desire for him. I wanted him so badly I couldn’t wait any longer.
He put the card against another black box on the wall and the door clicked open to reveal a stunning open plan penthouse. Floor to ceiling windows ran along the one side of the apartment showcasing the city in all its splendour, twinkling lights and iconic buildings a back drop for this beautiful home to enjoy. Hints of silver, grey and white around the room, chrome and steel to add the masculine touch. The door slammed behind us and he threw me up against it.
“I want you so badly I can’t stop.” He gasped, “Please don’t tell me to stop.” He begged as he kissed down my neck making my eyes roll into the back of my head. How the hell could I stop this now? I was as desperate as he was.
“Don’t stop.” I managed to breathe out, as I ran my fingers through his hair and pulled on his neck to bring his lips down harder on me.
He pulled away from me slightly his breath heavy and urgent, his eyes drifting down to my chest as he slowly pulled the material of my dress down to reveal my black lacy bra. He gasped and cupped my breasts, massaging them and rolling my nipples in his fingers before putting his mouth over one and sucking it through the lace. The tightness in my groin sparking in response to his touch and tongue and I softly groaned.
He moved to the other breast doing the same as I hung my head back and panted softly, stroking his hair as he played with me, sucking, licking, and teasing me. He broke away and I huffed in disappointment before he pulled the lace cups down forcing my breast forward and up. I pushed my chest out further and forced his head back onto them. I could feel his smile as he worked his magic with his talented tongue and the groans he made as he was sucking me made my nipples vibrate and my body burn and climb towards a release I had to reach.
Obsessively Yours Page 9