She looked at Allison and acknowledged she understood, without saying a word.
“Thank you for trusting me. Besides, you have the hottest fucking guy in New York as your bitch. Why are you even worried about Nick?”
“Good question.” Jess laughed, dabbing her lips.
Good fucking question.
They left the bathroom, finding their way to the bar. Eric finished his set and was talking to a crowd of groupies. Several of them practically humping him right in the bar. She hated every last one of them. Fantasized about killing them. Often.
She understood they came with the territory. He wasn’t the first rock guy she dated. Hell, she dated actual famous rockers before him.
She knew the game quite well.
No fucking groupies in your home state. What happened on the road, stayed on the road.
Yeah, she got it, alright. Didn’t mean she had to like it.
“Want a drink?”
“I’d like two Long Islands, please Tony.” Jess answered, turning to the bartender.
“On the bands tab, Jess?” Tony asked.
“Of course.” She smiled at him and winked.
Tony handed them their drinks. She slammed one back, staring at the girls all over Eric. Amy had joined them. Even from where she was sitting, Jess could see her hands all over Eric’s back.
She really couldn’t stand that bitch.
“That dress outlines your bottom nicely.”
Jess didn’t turn around. She’d recognize that voice anywhere.
“I’m surprised you came.”
“And miss the chance to observe your ass with no panty lines?”
Nick walked up, standing behind her so that her back leaned into his chest.
“And just so you know, I came several times before I got here, sweetness. Every time I imagined what your lips would feel like around my cock.” He gave her a hooded glance as she felt his semi-erect hardness jut against her back.
“Besides. I had to size up my competition.”
He took a sip of his whiskey, staring at Eric with a look she was very uncomfortable with.
“Umm…you have no competition, Nick.” She hoped he would stop before things got out of hand.
Nick chuckled.
“I’m glad you see things my way.”
“That’s not what I meant and you know it.”
“What I know is you apparently have bigger things to worry about.” He gestured to Eric and Amy, who had her arms tightly wound around Eric neck. Whose hands rested comfortably on her ass.
“Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but that’s your man, right? Because it looks like he’s wearing someone else’s brand right now.”
Jess’s gaze narrowed. She’d seen enough, even more pissed Nick witnessed it. Slamming her empty glass down, she stormed up to them both. She heard Nick, somewhere in the background calling her but ignored him.
When she reached them, she pushed Amy out of the way, wrapping her arms around Eric. He bent to kiss her, not even noticing her scowl.
“Hey, baby. This is Amy. Amy, this is my girlfriend Jess.”
“We know each other, Eric.” Jess frowned.
“Oh that’s right, Amy works at Takers too. Small world, eh?” Eric laughed, totally oblivious to the tension between the two women. Jesus, he could be a fucking moron when he was drunk. Not to mention high.
Always a winning combination.
“How’s it going, Jess?” Amy’s smile was syrupy sweet, celebratory. And as fake as her silicone breasts. Jess resisted the urge to knife her right in the fucking throat.
Nick walked up, putting his arms around Amy. Jess found herself growing angrier at the sight of the two of them.
What the hell was this? Why was she feeling more jealous of Nick and Amy, than her own man?
“Ready to go Amy? My dick is hard and needs your assistance.”
Amy giggled. “Sure thing, Daddy.”
Jess looked from Amy to Nick.
Did this bitch just call him Daddy?
Daddy? Really?
Nick glanced at Jess briefly, acting as if Eric didn’t exist. Eric was too high to even notice the slight. “I’ll leave you to your…boyfriend.” He chuckled at her murderous expression.
“See ya, kid.”
Jess stared at the two of them, frowning as they walked away.
Nick noticed her reaction and smirked, pleased with himself. He’d watered the little seed he planted.
Now it was time to watch it grow.
7
“You’ve been quiet, mami. What the fuck’s the matter with you?” Eric stumbled through the apartment door, holding onto Jess for support.
“How do you know Amy? And could you please explain why the fuck you had your hands on her ass?”
“Baby, not tonight, please? It’s all part of the game. You know that. I don’t even know that tramp, other than when we went to Takers. She grinded on my dick for an hour. Now she comes to the all the shows. No biggie.” He said it just like that, too.
Like he honestly didn’t think it was a big deal. Jess, on the other hand watched her vision get hazy...and red.
“An hour? So, you basically fucked her?” Her voice was quiet. Too quiet.
“No more than you fuck every single guy that walks into that club each night. I fucking deal with it. So can you.”
“Really, Eric? You’ve dealt with it one night. One. I’ve put up with your groupie whore shit for six months. Six, Eric. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to bed. I’m tired. Tired and done.”
She attempted to push past him. He grabbed her, shoving her up against the wall.
“What did you just say?”
Jess swallowed. Her pulse began to beat erratically against her throat.
“I-I said I was tired and-”
He backhanded her across her face. Hard. She muffled a scream as pain coursed through her body.
“Say it again, bitch.”
She gave a bitter laugh, watching his face change right before her eyes. She knew that look well. She should. She’d dealt with it for as long as she could remember. Realizing at that moment who he reminded her of.
Her father.
Why hadn’t she seen this before? It all made so much sense.
“It takes a bitch to know one, Eric. And get your fucking hands off of me. Now.”
He hit her again, pressing his hands against her throat hard enough to cut off her air supply.
“Learn your place, mami. It’s on my arm. As my little stripper Barbie. You knew the rules of this relationship. You agreed to them the day you decided to fuck me. Don’t make me hurt you again, baby.”
He wiped the tears rolling down her cheek, licking the saltiness off with his tongue. “You know it hurts me to do this.”
She stood stunned, as he eventually removed his hands. She immediately started coughing. Trying to get as much air in her lungs as possible.
What the hell just happened?
Did this fucker just put his hands on her?
She slid down the wall, sitting on the floor dumbfounded. He bent to her, raising her head, kissing her on her lips.
“Come to bed, mami. You have to get up in three hours for your audition.”
He’s speaking to you. Say something before he hits you again.
“I’ll be there in a few minutes Eric. I have to wash my face.”
“Hurry up, love. I want that sweet pussy of yours fucked raw before I go to bed.”
She headed to the bathroom, not answering.
“Jess?”
“What, Eric?”
“Don’t take too long.”
He smiled at her. A slight warning in his tone.
She turned on the light, looking in the mirror. He left a hand print on her face. You could see where he choked her. She would bruise for sure.
Her nose started bleeding, too. She grabbed some tissue, dabbing her nose robotically. All her gestures familiar.
She was experiencing déjà vu
.
It was ok. No new territory, at least.
She knew what to do.
She removed her dress. Washed her face. Did a couple of lines to calm her nerves.
Looking back in the mirror, her bruised, battered reflection staring back at her impassively. Judging her, yet again.
She turned off the light, walking naked toward the bed.
Showtime.
8
She woke to the sound of the alarm.
“Oh my god, what the hell time is it? Turn that fucker off.” Eric’s voice was heavy, laden with sleep.
Jess looked over at him, watching while he lay there angelic, and peaceful.
Fucking bastard.
Every inch the monster her father was.
She slid the covers off, seeing several bruises on her arms, legs and breasts.
He made sure he kept his word last night. He wasn’t gentle.
Foul, alcohol-laced breath…sweaty hands…suffocating her…moving all over her body, touching her…violating her…thrusting forcefully…her coming with him, feeling sick inside that he could still make her do that, knowing she was pretty badly fucked up to not leave him...
She hit the snooze button on purpose, getting out of bed.
His jeans were flung to the floor. She picked them up, trying not to trip over them. As she put them in the basket, an open condom wrapper fell to the floor. Jess stared at it, feeling like she’d been hit in the stomach.
So the bastard was fucking someone else. She instinctively knew who the whore was. She flung his jeans back on the floor. Leaving the condom wrapper where it fell for him to see.
The alarm went off again as she was putting her hair in a bun. She peeked out of the bathroom, smiling at the sight of him jolting up to turn it off.
“What the hell, babe?”
“Sorry. I thought I turned it off. Must have hit snooze by mistake. My bad.”
Instead of lying back down he leaned over, cutting lines on the nightstand. She watched as he noticed the wrapper lying on the floor and paused.
“You ready to knock ‘em dead?” He sounded nervous. Like he was waiting to see if she would call him on the condom.
“Of course, papi. Ready as I’ll ever be.”
He snorted four lines off the table, raising the straw in her direction. She took it, doing four lines as well.
She knew she needed to stop. That things were spiraling out of control.
If only she could.
“We’re playing in PA tonight so I won’t be home until tomorrow sometime.”
“Oh, that’s perfectly ok. I have to work tonight. I made plans to stay at a friend’s place in Jersey. Guess there’s some after-party thing I have to attend.”
“Who all’s gonna be there?”
He laid back on the bed. Visibly relieved she didn’t say anything.
“Just some girls from the club. The party’s at Nicks’.”
“Have fun and be safe.”
What a joke.
He motioned for her to come kiss him. She leaned forward, allowing him to place his lips on hers, feeling him get excited. It repulsed her.
She pulled away. Trying her best not to touch him anywhere else.
“Love you.”
“Love you, too.” She walked out the door without a backwards glance.
Jess realized she still meant those words.
That was a problem.
Make-up and lies could cover bruises, if only temporarily.
It wouldn’t be so easy to cover this truth.
9
“Number 208, please step forward.”
It took her a few minutes to realize 208 was her number. She moved up in the line forming. If this was the cut line, she was going to be royally pissed.
“Back line, thank you. We won’t be needing your services. Front line, see the guy standing at the side of the stage on the way out. He will get you information for filming.”
She made it. Her first real legit dancing gig since moving to New York.
What did this make, audition one hundred?
She skipped to her bag, swinging it over her shoulder. Accidently hitting the guy standing behind her. “Hey, I’m sorry.”
“It’s cool. I’m Joe, the fairy godmother. And you princess, are?”
She laughed, knowing immediately they were going to be friends. “I’m Jess.”
“Well, it’s nice to meet you, princess. See you at the first filming, mama.”
Joe sashayed away with a walk putting most runway models to shame. He was going to have to teach her how to do that.
She got the information for the first filming, looking at her watch on the way out. It was already five p.m. She decided to head directly to the club.
It would give her time to talk to that bitch.
Woman to woman.
Feline to feline.
Or something.
She pulled up to the club, seeing Amy’s car already there. Her car was barely in park before she opened the door and got out. Rage was building inside of her. She knew exactly who to take it out on.
She flung open the door, seeing Angel’s massive biceps folded as he stood there.
“Sup, Jess? You seem like you’re on a mission.”
She gave him a short nod, walking right past him. She didn’t say so much as a word.
She was on a mission, all right. Finding Amy, which didn’t take long.
She was sitting at the bar next to Nick, per usual.
Jess walked up behind her, grabbing a handful of her badly bleached blonde hair. Pounding her forehead into the bar. Amy screamed.
“Lemme talk to you for a minute.”
“What the fuck are you doing, kid? Stop!” Nick jumped up, gesturing for Angel.
She pounded her head into the bar again.
“I just need to ask this whorish, bitch of a slut, a simple, motherfucking question. It requires a simple, motherfucking answer. Amy,” Jess smiled cheerfully.
“Are you fucking my man? Yes, or no?”
Amy’s forehead was bleeding. She looked dazed, but still found a way to smirk at Jess through the blood. “Wouldn’t you like to know, bitch?”
Jess reached for the beer bottle sitting by her, calmly breaking it on the bar. She held the bottle casually with one hand. Pointing it towards Amy.
“Now. I know simple bitches can be stupid. So I’m going to give you one last chance for your simple, whorish, bitch ass, to answer my question. Are you. Or are you not. Fucking my man. You skanky, little gutter tramp.”
Nick saw the look on Jess’s face, and grabbed her.
“Get off me Nick.”
“Not happening, kid. You need to relax.” His voice was calm, but authoritative.
He motioned for Amy to go upstairs. She quickly followed his command, instinctively looking like she knew not to ask questions. Angel moved to block the entrance so Jess couldn’t get to her.
Damn him and Nick for stopping her.
Nick let Jess go. “Sit.”
She ignored him. Staring at him defiantly. He said it more sternly.
“I said sit. Now, do I have to make you? Because that might be fun.”
She sat, knowing she wasn’t going to win.
“Here. Drink this.” He handed her a shot of whiskey. She downed it in one gulp.
“What…in the fuck. I’m not even….What the hell am I going to do with you?” He laughed, ducking when she took a swing at him. “Easy, Slugger. Settle down. You’re a little hellcat, aren’t you?”
“She shouldn’t have fucked my man.”
“I’d say not, Rocky. Remind me not to piss you off.”
She smiled, and reluctantly laughed. She was mad at him for making her do so.
“She’s not worth jail. Let it go, ok?”
Oh, she would let it go….for now.
Besides.
She knew exactly how she was going to get even with Eric for betraying her.
And she certainly mustn’t forget Amy.
Oh, no. Never that.
10
Before Jess took the stage that night, she looked around, making sure Nick was in the club. She saw him, sitting in a booth with the godfather of Brooklyn and several other men. He was engrossed in a conversation that seemed rather heated. Rather than be afraid, she was intrigued.
She stopped on the way to the stage, asking Mike to play Justify My Love as the first song of her set. He gave her a knowing grin. Blowing him a kiss, she walked away.
She climbed on the stage, waiting for the song to play.
Nick raised his head, acknowledging her with a nod, then went back to his conversation.
The song began and Jess started dancing. Her eyes closed as she moved her hips. Rubbing her curvy body with her hands. Enjoying the feeling of her own tight, young flesh.
Being a dancer had its rewards.
She immersed herself, getting lost in the music.
Tonight, she didn’t allow much time before letting the music overtake her.
Nick heard Johnny C. say, “Damn,” under his breath. He raised his head again, looking at the stage.
He took in everything. The way she moved. Her beautiful face. Her fully rounded breasts. High, upturned. Spilling out of her demi cup bra. Her lithe, young, nubile body climbing, writhing around the pole so fucking sensually.
Jesus. She was absolutely amazing.
She turned, locking eyes with him. Darting her luscious pink tongue out to lick the cherry red gloss from her lips.
Fuck. Was she dancing for him?
Now he was amused…and maybe a little obsessed.
He leaned back in his seat. The other men at the table turned to see what he was staring at so intently.
She smiled at him, slowly working her shorts down. Bending over, revealing her round ass and red thong barely covering her pussy.
He swallowed hard. Feeling his cock expand and tighten.
Tonight.
It would be tonight.
She wrapped her legs around the pole as he got up from the table. As he walked toward the stage, she allowed herself to slide down it slowly, using only her legs. Rubbing over her body with her hands.
Fallen Angel: A Mafia Romance - Part 1 (Roman Crime Family) Page 3