Meadowlarks 3 : Endless

by Ashley Christine

  “Leah,” I whispered. She was awake. I cleared my throat and stood up, running my fingers along her face, making sure she wasn’t an apparition. “You’re back.”

  “What happened?” she asked, her voice small and raspy.

  “You fainted. You’ve been out for hours.” I kiss her warm cheek.

  “The shoes…” she whispers, closing her eyes.

  “No, baby. Don’t….don’t worry about them, okay? I’m here. We’ll deal with this together. You’re safe. I’m not leaving you.”

  A small pool fills each of her eyes, and she blinks them, trying to push away the tears. As her bottom lip begins to tremble, my heart lurches out of my chest and thrashes. I can’t stand to see her like this. I can’t begin to imagine how she must feel…and it’s all because of me.

  After stealing some time to myself, I kiss her again and press the call button attached to a cord beside her bed, signaling a nurse. Giving the medical staff some space, I step back and let them assess Leah. She keeps her eyes on me the entire time.

  “My dear, your heart is really goin’ in there…you sure you’re okay?” the older nurse asks, tucking a piece of Leah’s hair behind her ear.

  “I’m okay,” Leah says softly, smiling quickly to the nurse and then back to me. “I’m just…feeling a little better now.”

  I smile. My heart was racing too. Like an engine in a drag car, revved and circling a track, lap by lap. I just want to hold her. Keep her safe. Drag her away to a cave over my shoulder or in my arms, protecting her from the world. From bad dreams…from everything. If this is love. It hurts like a bitch. The feeling is so overwhelming, I could cry. Oh, shit, this is too much.

  “Leah?” Neil peeks his head into the door and lights up like a Christmas tree when he sees that she’s awake. “Sweetheart…” he walks in and stands beside me, hands in his pockets.

  “Hey,” she says. “You look tired.”

  “Thanks! That’s just a nice way of saying I look like shit. But, it’s all your fault. You got me worried. I think I’ve sprouted some gray hairs while sitting in that waiting room.” Neil walks around the other side of her bed and holds Leah’s hand. “You ready to talk yet?”

  Her smile fades. She’s not ready. My heart aches again.

  “Neil…” I growl quietly. I spoke to him on the way here, about some of the details. I told him not to push her. She’ll talk when she’s ready…if she’s ever ready.

  He ignored me. “Leah, you gotta do this…”

  “Don’t push her.” I clenched my jaw and my fists. I don’t care if he cares about her. I’m feeling all too possessive and crazy right now. I might just scale the old nurse and Leah’s bed just to shut his ass up.

  “Weston, it’s okay. He’s right.” Leah smiled and shrugged. “Call Detective Soloman, will you? I’m ready to talk. I can’t keep this in any longer.”

  I exhaled through pursed and angry lips. But, I nodded and pulled out the cop’s card that I was given when I was questioned after her abduction.

  “This is Soloman…” he answered, his voice gruff.

  “This is Weston Casey. I’m at St. Michael’s hospital with Leah Marshall. She would like to speak with you.”

  “Marshall? Shit. I’m all the way downtown. Give me a few, I’ll be right there.”

  “He’s on the way, baby,” I said, shoving my phone and Detective Soloman’s card back into my pocket.

  “Can I get you anything, dear? Some water, maybe?” the nurse asked before leaving the room.

  “Yes, please. Thank you.” Leah smiled and leaned her head back to rest it on the pillow.

  The nurse nodded and smile before she walked out. Her white shoes squeaking slightly on the tile floor.

  “You didn’t call my mom, did you?” Leah asked Neil.

  He closed his eyes. “Of course not. I wouldn’t want to flip her out, and piss you off.”

  “Good, thank you.” Leah sighed. “Weston, what did you do with them?”

  “The shoes?” I asked. “They’re still at the hotel. Neil and I left right after you were taken away.” The memory of her lain on that stretcher, motionless with eyes closed, will haunt me forever, I think. I’m at her side again, opposite Neil, holding her other hand. Her soft skin feels like velvet in my hands. Running my index finger up her wrist, I feel her pulse quickening. She feels it too, her eyes sparkle and a small smile curls on the corner of her mouth.

  “I’m gonna…go and call Lucas. Tell him you’re okay.” Neil gets up. I think he’s got his cue. I’ve got this. Got her.

  “Thank you, Neil.”

  He kisses her quickly on the forehead, and I momentarily lapse into a small internal tantrum. He’s gay, Weston. He’s gay. He just cares about her. That’s it. Tell your caveman alter-ego to calm the fuck down…

  I don’t know if I’m cut out for this love thing. I might just want to beat every fucker who looks at her, let alone touches her in anyway. She’s famous. She’s always going to have people around her, touching her and shit…Oh, damn…I’m in trouble.

  ***

  Against the better judgement of the hospital staff, Neil, and Lucas, I took Leah to Mark’s condo. I couldn’t take her back to her hotel. Not with those shoes there—I’d deal with them later. I also didn’t want to take her to Josh’s. He’d have too many questions, and God knows what I’d be walking her into anyway. He could be having a Big Joshy party again…

  Neil met me at the entrance to the condo with a bag full of clothes and personal items for Leah. He handed them to me and gave me a man-hug after kissing Leah on the cheek goodbye. “Take care of her, man. Or I’ll fuckin’ hurt you.”

  I grinned. I guess I didn’t hate him that much after all. “I will,” I said, wrapping my arm protectively around what was mine and walking her into the building.

  Leah was quiet all the way up the elevator. She didn’t even speak when she walked into the condo or say anything when I unzipped Neil’s hoodie that she was wearing. She was still only wearing my t-shirt, her underwear and a pair of hospital pants. Neil gave her his hoodie when we were about to leave the hospital. She didn’t want to wait for him to go back and get her clothes, then bring them to her there. “I just want to get out of here,” she had said.

  So, I called Soloman and told him to meet us here at Mark’s, instead of the hospital. He told me on the phone that he was still at least thirty minutes away. This gave me enough time to bathe Leah, take care of her, calm her, soothe her…and ensure her that I wasn’t going anywhere.

  The warm water poured out of the tap while she sat on my lap and waited for the large tub to fill. I rested my chin gently on the top of her head and she nuzzled into the crook of my neck and chest.

  “The water’s ready, baby…”

  She looked up at me. Doe-eyed. Innocent. “Will you come in with me?”

  This strong powerhouse singer, with a fearless and exuberant personality is now so small—fragile—hurting. I need to get her back. No matter the cost. Her life is too important to be thrown away on a psycho with a bag and penchant for torching footwear. This bitch isn’t going to take Leah from the world—from me.

  Leah undressed herself and climbed into the tub, slipping beneath the water. I took off my shirt and pants and watched her intently. She bit her lip. My breath hitched. A small sign…but a hopeful one.

  I sat across from her and smiled. “Water feels good, huh?”

  She nodded.

  I grinned.

  Then, she raised her eyebrow.

  “Come here.” I held my hand out and she placed hers into it. “Turn around.”

  Leah whirled in the tub and leaned back into my chest. Her pinned up hair fell loosely around her face and neck, wet from the water. I brushed it off her shoulder and bent to kiss her skin. Heat radiated from her flesh, right into my mouth, warming me more than the heat of the water ever could.

  “I need you,” she whispered.

  “You’ve got me. I’m here.” I assured her.


  Suddenly, she pressed her ass back into me, feeling my growing erection. She slowly lifted up and down, rubbing her perfect behind against me.

  I bit her shoulder this time. Enough to make her gasp. Turning her head to look at me, I took her lips with my mouth. Slowly lapping and sucking. My hands moved on their own accord, around her body, caressing her breasts, rolling her nipples between my fingers.

  Leah’s hand reached back and gripped me. I groaned. She stroked me up and down until I had to warn her that I was going to let go if she didn’t stop. Her eyes flared and she kissed me again.

  Lifting her up, I directed her body down, filling her, stretching her, claiming her. We moaned together. Each feeling the same, yet different sensation. She was gripping me so tightly, I couldn’t think straight. Didn’t want to, anyway. My mind checked out of my body a long time ago. Probably the first time I laid eyes on her. Trailing up those boots, those legs, that ass, and then that face…Perfect, and breathtaking.

  I held and squeezed one breast, while slowly rubbing between her legs with my other hand. I could feel myself moving inside of her. The water lapped and splashed out of the tub when the momentum grew and our bodies began to lose to the power of the ecstasy.

  “I...I’m…” she cried out.

  “Let it go, baby. Give it up to me,” I growled. Biting out the words through gritted teeth. “I’m there too.”

  Truth was, I had been ready to go since I climbed into the water with her. All this was pure and delicious torture. I held myself back, restrained from just pumping once or twice and getting myself off. This was about her. It was always going to be about her. What she wanted, what she needed. And right now, what she needed and wanted was me. I was giving her all of me, right here in this tub.

  “Weston!” She cried as the first initial shock hit her, crippling her forward, almost pushing away from me. “I can’t! No more!”

  “Yes!” I pulled her back. She was going to stay wrapped around me. She was gonna stick this out; I wasn’t done yet.

  “Please,” she whimpered, throwing her head back as another ripple ran through her body. I reached down and touched her again, flicking my fingers across her swollen flesh. All of her muscles clamped down around me, and I felt like I was in a vise grip.

  “Damn, baby…”

  Pulsating heat tore through my body. Leah leaned back and lifted her arms to pull the back of my head down to meet her mouth. Kissing me softly and gently licking my lip with her tongue. “You’re not done with me yet, are you?”

  “Not even close.” I bit her lip and held her face as I kissed her careless abandon.

  ***

  Leah

  I couldn’t tell him. Nope, couldn’t. How could I tell the man that I was so madly in love with that I was terrified to be with him? That knowing that there was someone out there bound and bent on ending my life simply because I’m with Weston Casey. I needed him so badly. My mind wasn’t even willing to think about anything else. I fought a losing battle with myself, knowing that I was helpless. I couldn’t stay away from him, and I couldn’t handle the thought of what might happen if I didn’t.

  She could kill me. No, she would. Will. Maybe even both of us. Who knows? Who was she anyway? I need to ask him. I swear he knows…and if he doesn’t, he’s thinking about it awfully hard. I may not be a mind reader, but I can see through his eyes that he’s going crazy in his head. That perfect head. I swoon…and shake my head. Stop it, Leah. You’re focusing on how you’re going to get out of this fucked up situation, not about taking Weston again in some random place in this way too big condo.

  He’s sleeping now. Curled tightly around my body, like he’s afraid to let me go. I smile, looking over at his face. I can’t believe he’s thirty. He could pass for a twenty-four or 25 year old any day of the week. Then again, he does have these small lines near his eyes lately. Worry lines, I bet. My heart thumps, so loud I can only hear it in my eyes and nothing else. I’m falling fast, and hard.

  A small noise keeps buzzing on the other side of the bed. It’s his phone. It’s vibrating. I lean up to see. It’s turned over so the screen is barely lighting anything around it. If I could just push him over a tad—I could peek at his phone. No. I can’t…but, I want to. Who would be calling him this late anyway?

  I clear my throat slightly, and gently push his body. Holding my breath, waiting for him to wake up and hold me tighter. He doesn’t. Instead he actually releases me just enough that I can lift my arm and reach over to the nightstand just inches away from his body.

  The phone stops vibrating just as my fingers touch the smooth surface. I stop. I shouldn’t be doing this. It’s his phone, his privacy. I pull back and bite my nails.

  Oh, screw it.

  Two missed calls. Thirteen text messages. All from the same person. Sara.

  I swipe my thumb across the screen and instantly form a lump in my throat. The wallpaper behind all the icons on his iPhone…is of me. I recognize it from a photo shoot we did months ago. It was one of my solo shots. A fan blew my curled hair back from my face, I held up a fake golden microphone and pretended to sing. My mouth hung open and I scrunched my nose like I was hitting a really high note.

  Seeing that on his phone. I couldn’t snoop through his messages. As much as I wanted to. I couldn’t. Not now. I quietly place the phone back, face down and fall back into bed. I should be tired, considering everything my body has gone through in the past twenty-four hours—no, month—but I can’t sleep. I’m wide awake. Wide awake in a bed with a sleeping Weston Casey, no less.

  As soon as the light hits this bedroom, I’m pulling out my phone and taking a rare and treasured shot of a sleeping and beautiful Weston. It’ll be my home screen photo.

  ***

  Sure enough, I didn’t sleep. Not a wink. I did manage to climb out of bed when I whispered that I had to go pee, and Weston simply grumbled in his sleep and lifted his arm for me to get out of bed. Then, I grabbed my phone and climbed back in. Stealing a picture of him and saving it. I could have just downloaded one from the Internet. But, no. Someone else took those, everyone has seen them. This picture, was taken by me and will only be seen and appreciated by me.

  “I hope you’re not planning on putting that on Facebook…” Weston muttered softly, opening one eye slightly to peek at me through his long lashes.

  “How did you…”

  “You moved. You didn’t pee.”

  Oh, he’s good.

  I wanted to ask him who Sara was. Why she was calling him and texting him so late. But, I didn’t. I bit down on my lip and swallowed the words before they escaped and came out all wrong.

  His phone vibrating again made me frown and his brows furrow. He kissed me quickly before turning and reaching over to answer it, not looking at the caller ID.

  “Hello?” he answered. No, growled. “Fuck, I completely forgot. Shit, I’m sorry Josh…a lot has been going on…No…Yeah, I’m actually in New York right now…What? Yeah…Okay, well shit. Give me an hour….Okay, bye.” Rolling back over, Weston wraps his arms and legs right over me, his body almost right on top of mine.

  “Everything okay?” I ask, searching those beautiful eyes for an answer.

  “I have a job here. I forgot all about it. I’m not supposed to start until Monday,” he frowns. “But Josh has board members coming in today that I need to meet and sit in on a last minute conference.”

  That means he has to leave.

  “I’m going to take you with me. I’m not leaving you here alone.”

  “I doubt they have in-house daycare for your thirty year old friend,” I tease.

  “Friend?”

  “Well…” I shrug.

  “You’re mine. In every way. You’re my girlfriend. My…damn it. You’re everything to me, Leah.” Weston’s eyes narrow. “Why would you think otherwise?”

  I shrug, playfully. “I don’t know.”

  Weston rolls his body and towers over me, warning eyes and pursed lips, he glares at me. H
e inhales sharply, then leans down, hovering his mouth right above mine. “It’s me and you, Leah.”

  Then he kisses me. Without another second to let me speak or even think about what he’s just said. He takes me, as his own. And I let him, I want him to…I am his. Once the kiss breaks, his lips hover over my mouth again, heavy and hot breath blows down on me, leaving me desperate for his touch again.

  “I don’t care if you have to sit on my lap during the meeting, you’re coming.”

  I roll my eyes. “Weston…I’m not gonna do that! If I was with Neil, I’d be fine.”

  He glares down at me. “Baby…”

  “Baby, nothing! I’ll be fine. Besides, I’m supposed to go to the studio this afternoon.”

  He closes his eyes, seemingly having some internal battle with himself. “Fine.”

  I win. I giggle and pull him down into a kiss. “I love this whole caveman-protecting thing though, it’s so cute.”

  “Cute? I’ll show you cute…” Weston growls and reaches down between my legs, slipping his finger inside of me. “You’re always so ready for me.”

  I blush.

  ***

  Weston

  My heart thrummed when I walked away from Leah. Even though she was with Neil, and he was a big fucker all on his own, I still didn’t feel right about it. I need to be the one to protect her, to keep her safe. But Josh will have my balls in a vise if I don’t show up to the meeting today. Neil met us outside of a Starbucks near the hotel. I wasn’t going to let her go back there just yet. I needed to go and take care of those damn shoes.

  Slipping her card through the lock of the door, the light turned green and the latch clicked. Here goes nothing. I inhale, preparing myself the visual of the fried footwear. Sure enough, there they were, still placed on the plates like they were a forgotten dessert or something. A twisted knot rolled in my stomach as I entered the room and closed the door behind me.

  I found a plastic Walgreen’s bag under the sink in the tiny kitchenette and put both shoes into the bag, careful not to touch them with my bare hands. I was pissed that Detective Soloman didn’t come over to the condo to speak with her last night. He had called just as we got out of the tub, explaining he was still held up at a scene downtown and he regretted he wasn’t able to come. I told him I would bring her by this morning to see him.