Love Again

by Christina Marie

  He leaned back and grabbed his beer and took a drink. His Adams apple bobbed as he swallowed. “Let’s go dance.”

  “No, tell me how you know!”

  “I will.” He stood up from the booth and held his hand out to me.

  I hesitated for a few seconds, “Fine.” I said with a sigh.

  ‘Promiscuous’ started playing when we reached the dance floor. Dominique was so tall he towered over most of the crowd and his broad shoulders made him look like a massive wall in front of me. Couples were grinding around us and pushed me right into his solid chest. He put his hands on my hips effectively stopping me from pulling away from him. I looked up at him and inhaled when I felt his thumbs caress the skin of my back above the waistband of my jeans. My nipples tightened, if I didn’t get away from him I would end up throwing myself at this man. I quickly turned to try and walk away but he stopped me and pulled me against him, may back against his solid chest. “I know because I’ve seen them together. Her name is Jill, her dad is the mayor of Mackinac Island she moved to New York a few years ago to try and become a model. She was successful for a few years until she got into heavy drugs. I’m not sure when her and Justin started sleeping together but I can tell you he’s into the heavy shit that she puts in front of him. They’ve been to numerous red carpet events that I’ve attended and parties that I’ve held while there. I looked you up on social media today and that’s how I figured all of it out.”

  I spun around and looked up at him, “I…I need to leave.” I didn’t want to start crying in front of him or anybody else for that matter. Dominique grabbed my hand and pulled me through the crowd and up a flight of stairs—away from the noise and away from everybody else. We walked into what appeared to be an office. He flipped the lights on and shut the door behind me. I leaned against the door, “I need to go find Corrina she is going to freak out if she can’t find me.”

  “She knows your fine, trust me.” He grinned.

  I shook my head, “When you look at me like that, you make trusting you pretty hard.”

  He raised one eyebrow at me, “Is that so?”

  I nodded my head, “Yes, we should get out of here before we get caught.”

  Dominique took a step closer toward me, “I’ll deal with it.” He lifted his hand and placed it against my cheek then slowly slid on finger down my cheek to my neck. I closed my eyes when my skin felt like it was about to be set on fire. The bass of the music vibrated the door I was leaning against. “You were saying something about the way that I look at you. I think you should explain that.”

  When I opened my eyes he was staring at me, waiting for me to say something. I licked my lips, “I—“

  I didn’t get a chance to say anything because he leaned in and pressed those perfect, soft, full lips against mine. The kiss started off slow, my body was shaking so bad if I didn’t grab onto his shirt I was pretty sure I would fall over. He brought his other hand up and cupped the other side of my face. I needed to stop, I needed to push him away but my body wouldn’t let me. Once his tongue teased my lips I surrendered and parted my lips. When our tongues touched, he let out a deep-throated moan and stepped closer to me so our bodies were pressing against each other. With his hands now on my hips he slid his fingers under the waist of my jeans, his touch leaving a trail of blazing heat on my skin. I broke away from the kiss, dizzy and breathless. He kissed from the corner of my mouth down to my neck where he kissed and licked until he found my pulse point that would make me weak in the knees. I untucked his shirt and pressed my hands against his solid sculpted stomach. His skin was hot and his muscles tightened as I slid my hands up his torso.

  A loud banging on the door made me jump, “BOSS, her uh—husband is down on the floor yelling at her friend…making one hell of a scene.”

  My eyes got big, “Oh my god, oh my god…”

  Dominique didn’t pull away from me instead he kissed feather light kisses up to my ear, “I can go throw him out.”

  “What? No you can’t!” I yanked my hands from under his shirt and started straitening my clothes.

  “I own this place I can do whatever the fuck I want to.” He pressed his hands against the door, blocking me in.

  “You—own this club?” I asked with shock.

  He stared at my lips, “Yep.”

  “BOSS, her friend just slapped him…we need to diffuse this quickly!” the same guy yelled from the other side.

  I tried to push Dominique away from me but he caught my wrists, “Don’t you dare go home with him tonight.”

  “You can’t tell me what to do!” I yanked my hands free. “I’m sorry, what happened shouldn’t have. I’m married and I’ve never been the type to do—that.” I told him. When I turned to grab the door handle he stopped me from opening it.

  “DO NOT, go home with him. He’s probably loaded up on drugs and lord only knows what else. What just happened wasn’t an accident, I’ll make it my mission to make sure it happens again.” The warmth of his breath and the intensity of his voice made my insides tighten.

  I shook my head and yanked the door open.

  A large guy wearing a shirt that said Security across the chest gave me a sad look, “Sorry Ma’am. You might want to reapply your lips gloss.” He wiped a smudge from my bottom lip. “I’d take Boss’s advice, his eyes don’t look right. He was starting to get physical with your friend but another bouncer pulled him back before he made contact with her.”

  “Oh my god, you could hear us?!” I asked with wide eyes.

  He held his hand up to his earpiece, “He’s outside the building ma’am. I could faintly here him talking to you.”

  “Call me Lennie, where’s Corrina?”

  “She’s safe with one of Dom’s friends.”

  As I rushed down the metal stairs and past the table, I could see Justin outside. He was pointing a finger in one of the other bouncer’s face and yelling at him.

  Corrina was standing on the other side of the entrance with the guy from the elevator in front of her. His thick muscular arms crossed over his chest, and he was glaring at Justin.

  I walked out the doors with the other security guard in front of me, Justin’s head snapped in my direction. “Get in that car you stupid fucking whore! What the fuck were you doing in there, trying to get some motherfucker to fuck you against a wall like in the books your read?” He yelled.

  A set of hands on my shoulders stopped me from talking or moving toward Justin, “I don’t think that’s any way to talk to your wife.” Dominique growled out.

  Justin laughed, “Were you fucking that..that nigger?! You SLUT!” he said with wild eyes.

  Dominique dropped his hands from my shoulders and stepped around me, in just a few strides he was in front of Justin. Towering over him he backed him against the rough brick wall, with one hand on Justin’s throat he leaned in and whispered in his ear. I tried to take a step closer to tell him to stop, I didn’t want Justin to press charges against him. But before I could get too close, the guy that was standing by Corrina stopped me. “You should probably just come over here.”

  Corrina pulled me into a hug, “I’m so sorry this is happening. He is on something Lennie, you should see his eyes.”

  “I’m sorry that this happened, I guess I should have just let you order us some takeout.”

  “We’ll order some when we get back.”

  I frowned, “I’m not really very hungry now.” I pulled away from the hug.

  The guy standing next to us smiled at me, “Name’s Trevor, Dom’s friend.” I shook his hand.

  I looked back over at Justin that was rubbing his neck, “Get in the fucking car.” He tried to step toward me. Trevor grabbed my arm stopping me.

  “She’s not leaving with you, sorry.” Trevor told Justin.

  “Lennie either get in the fucking car so we can go talk or I’m filing for a god damn divorce!” His voice echoed off of the buildings around us.

  My eyes got big, “I think you need to calm down firs
t, we can talk tomorrow.”

  His jaw muscle ticked, he looked at me then Corrina, “And you fucking bitch—it’s your fault my wife is such a little whore anyway.”

  One second he was standing upright glaring at me the very next second he was lying on the sidewalk not moving with blood seeping out of his nose. Dominique had effectively shut Justin up. I tried to rush over to my husband but Corrina stopped me.

  “Don’t,” she shook her head, “I know he’s your husband and you love him but you need to remember what started all of this.” She told me. When she released me she walked over to him and felt around in his jean pockets and pulled out the cell phone we had both read the messages on, then she slipped it into her purse. “Let’s go home.”

  Dominique tried to walk toward me but Trevor stopped him.

  ~~~~~~

  Once back at Corrina’s apartment I decided to go ahead and order something, we agreed that Chinese would be the quickest.

  “So tell me what happened with you and Dominique.” Corrina asked before taking a bite of food.

  I finished chewing my food and swallowed, “Well…when you abandoned me to go use the bathroom he informed me that he knew about Justin and that Jill woman.” Corrina’s eyes got big and she motioned for me to continue on with the details. When I was finished telling her about everything she dropped the fork in her hand to the plate.

  “You—I don’t even know what to say. Tell me how you feel about him. You said he mentioned, “feeling it too”.”

  I sighed, “Corrina, I don’t know how I feel about him. He’s sexy as hell, it’s hard to describe because I’ve honestly never felt like that around anybody else. Not even Justin. I mean Justin has always made little butterflies erupt inside me but when Dominique’s breath caressed my skin along with his hands. The butterflies were in my stomach my skin felt electrified, I’m married I should have never let things get that carried away. I really am a slut.” I said while trying to fight back the tears burning my eyes. “It’s in his kiss, the way Dominique kissed me. I lost all my ability to think rationally. I should call and see if Justin is okay.” I reached for my cell phone but Corrina quickly yanked it out of my hand.

  “Lennie STOP! Please, as your best friend you have to see things from my point of view. You’re being mentally, verbally and emotionally abused by your husband. I can’t stand back and just pretend that this isn’t happening. If he wants to divorce you—let him. YOU deserve better.”

  “I’ll having nothing though, he’ll keep everything. What if he destroys my mom’s stuff, I can’t replace any of it.”

  She held the cell phone up, at the same time we both said, “Blackmail.”

  Childish? Maybe. But Corrina was right; I couldn’t go back to him. And that was breaking my heart too. I loved Justin and had for years but letting go would be the only way I could save myself.

  After we finished eating Corrina showed me to the guest bedroom that was identical only a little smaller than her master bedroom. She hugged me tightly before walking out of the room.

  I stripped out of my clothes and went to shower. Standing under the wide stream of massaging hot water I closed my eyes and tried to relax. I thought about the kiss between Dominique and me he hadn’t forced me to kiss him, my body reacted to him and I was unable to push him away…I didn’t want to push him away. His final words to me in his office, making it his mission to have more of me, sent chills all over my body. I soaped my body, as I smoothed my hands over my chest my nipples tightened. I sucked in a breath, imagining Dominique’s full lips sucking one nipple into his mouth as he massaged my other breast with his hand and his deep blue eyes staring up at me. I slid my hand down my stomach until I reached my pussy lips. My clit was already sensitive, thanks to Dominique at the club. I began circling the swollen bundle of nerves, each circle bringing me closer to orgasm. With a little more pressure and faster massaging of my clit I was braced myself against the shower wall as my orgasm rippled through my body leaving me weak in the knees. I caught my breath and decided then, that I needed to make it clear to Dominique that nothing could happen between us again. As if my own mind was telling me I was crazy for thinking about a man that I didn’t hardly know, Justin’s voice popped into my head, “Only a slut finger fucks herself.”

  I shut the shower off and got out, after drying off and putting my pajamas on I went to bed. I was physically and mentally drained. As soon as I laid down I fell asleep.

  The following morning when I woke up Corrina was already up and making breakfast for us. She put a steaming, mouthwatering stack of pancakes in front of me. “Did you get any sleep?” she asked.

  “A little, I’m really sorry…”

  “Stop apologizing, please, just stop. I’m just glad I’m able to be here for you, because I have a feeling that things are going to get worse before they get better.” She looked down at her plate and pushed her food around. “I looked through that phone last night, I—I can’t let you go back to him.”

  “What was on it?”

  She shook her head, “I don’t think you need to see it, I’ll just tell you this. There’s not just Jill and I think he’s in pretty deep with drug dealers. Some of the text messages are getting pretty threatening, one said they want twenty thousand by next Friday.”

  My fork clanked against my plate, my appetite suddenly gone. I covered my face, “There’s no way he’s going to let me go easy. What about the big commission check I’m going to get from selling the Wilson place? He’ll use my money to pay his dealers off.” I was shaking and on the verge of crying—again.

  “Put it in my savings account, any money you have put it in my savings account. I promise I won’t spend a dime. I can help you find an attorney first thing Monday morning to file for a divorce. You need to get as far away from him as you can.”

  I shook my head, “Un fucking real, my entire marriage thrown away. I guess with the money I need to find a place to live.”

  She reached across the table, “You can stay here for as long as you want to. He can’t get to you here because of the security. I love you like a sister I don’t know what I would do if he physically hurt you.” Tears filled her eyes.

  “I promise as soon as I find a place I will be out of your hair. I love you too. I do know one thing we need to do…we have got to go buy some food. I can’t eat pancakes nonstop.” I said with a laugh.

  Corrina laughed, “Let’s go change then we’ll go get some grub.”

  Two hours later with my car loaded down with bags of food and some wine, we were headed back to the apartment. “I’m really surprised that Justin hasn’t been blowing up my phone.” I said as I pulled in to the parking garage.

  “He’s stewing, you know that. Or his jaw hurts too bad to bitch you out.” Corrina said with a laugh.

  She pulled out her phone and sent a text, “Help is on the way! Ben is on his way.”

  A couple of minutes later, Ben the doorman, appeared with a luggage cart. We piled the groceries on it, there was no way I was going to put the wine on it and risk it getting broke though. Ben and Corrina both laughed when I refused to load it onto the cart.

  Once we had everything inside and the bags lining the countertop, we started putting everything away. “So does that Trevor guy live in this building or was he just visiting somebody?” I asked.

  “Actually he does, he’s one floor above us. He was helping a friend pack some things up the other day when we seen him.”

  I nodded my head, “I see…” My cell phone interrupted us.

  Corrina continued putting things away while I read the text from Justin.

  Justin: You need to come get your shit out of the house—ASAP!

  Me: When is a good time? It’s going to take a while to box it all up.

  Justin: I’ve got it waiting by the front door. If you aren’t here in an hour I’m putting it outside.

  Me: I’ll be there in a bit, please don’t do that.

  Justin: You better not bring that fucking
nigger with you or Corrina.

  “Justin?” Corrina asked.

  “Yeah.” I handed her my phone so she could read the texts.

  “That explains why he wasn’t blowing up your phone. You’re not going there alone, he’s fucking crazy to think that you are. I can go see if Trevor is home. I bet he would have no problem going with you.”

  “No, I’ll call Lyle and see if he’s working. Justin will remember Trevor and probably start a fight with him.”

  Luckily Lyle was there and promised to go to the apartment with me. We talked for a little bit about everything. “I had my suspicions for some time now but I wasn’t going to intrude if I would have been wrong Justin would have had me fired. I’ll see you in a little bit, don’t worry Lennie I won’t let him get out of hand.”

  By the time I changed and ready to leave my nerves were on end and my stomach churning.

  “You call me while you’re there if you can, if not you call me as soon as you leave.” Corrina told me.

  “I’ll call when I leave, I need to call my dad sometime and tell him about everything too.”

  “Okay, I love you. I’ll see you when you get back.” We hugged each other and I left.

  On the drive over I called dad:

  “Hey sweetie!” Jennifer answered.

  “Hey Jen, is dad around by any chance?”

  “Yep he sure is, here ya go. We miss you!” she laughed then handed the phone to dad.

  “Hello my beautiful daughter.” I could tell he was smiling.

  “Hey dad! I just wanted to call you and tell you that…Justin and I are separating.” I exhaled and waited for him to reply.

  “Oh—really? What’s going on?” he sounded shocked.

  “Well…” I launched into the story including the scene at the club, but left out my short encounter with Dominique.

  “That mother fucker! You get an attorney and get away from him as soon as you can. You’re not still living there are you?”

  “No, I’m on my way over to get some of my things. Corrina is back and has a nice apartment so I’m going to stay with her until I can find a nice place.”