02 Unforgivable - Untouchable

by Lindsay Delagair

  I figured that was why he was smiling, but I had no intentions of being nosey, “You don’t have to tell me anymore; I get the picture.”

  “No, I don’t think you do. Would you be like offended or jealous if we did talk about it?”

  I reached over and touched his cheek. He looked so handsome in his basic black tux. “I can handle it, if you can. That’s what having a best friend is for, right? When you’re dying to tell about something that rocked your world.”

  “She definitely did that because last night was the first time I’ve made love,” he breathed out the words with a sound of pure amazement in his voice.

  Whoa—that hit me square in the chest. “But—but—it couldn’t have been.” I must have really missed something in what he’d just said because I knew last night wasn’t his first time.

  His smile grew broader, “We’ve been having sex, Leese, but last night she was on a whole different playing field. She wasn’t like ‘do me now, I want it.’ She was vulnerable and timid. She let me hold her instead of crawling all over me. I don’t even know if I can describe it.” He sounded like he was struggling. “I finally got to really make love to her and it was beautiful and peaceful and sexy and… You’re going to have to forgive me for saying it this way, but it was how I’ve assumed all along it would be like to have you.”

  I couldn’t stop the tears, although I was grabbing a tissue and trying to catch them before they ruined my makeup.

  He looked over at me with an alarmed expression, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have.”

  “No, no, it’s not that. You don’t have any idea how happy I am for you—both of you. This is all I’ve wanted for so long was for you to be really, really happy. This is what you’ve deserved all along.”

  “So you’re not like freaked out about me telling you this?”

  “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for us to have this conversation,” I said as I kept catching the downpour.

  We pulled up to the hanger and he leaned over and wrapped me in his strong arms and kissed me gently on the temple, “I love you, Leese—someday you’re going to be happy again because God knows you deserve to feel this way, too.”

  The rest of the trip to L.A. was pure fun. The best part was that I told him, since we were both familiar with L.A. now, I had rented a car. His eyes lit up as he asked what I had rented. I wasn’t going to tell him that I’d called the exotic car rental and had a Lamborghini sitting on the tarmac, so I said there wasn’t much available and we would have to be happy with a Ford Taurus. He deflated. I knew what he was thinking. ‘We’re going to pull up to the red carpet in a Taurus?’

  We spent the rest of the time laughing and discussing the tabloid tales, and then he got serious and asked if there was anything I needed to tell him about Sadarius.

  I got a little Candace in me when I slugged him, although not too hard because I wanted the airplane to remain on a level course, “No, you idiot. He and I have gone out twice, once for lunch and once for dinner, but I’ve already told him the only thing I’m in the market for is a friend.”

  “I’m a friend and I get to crawl in bed with you,” he said giving me a sharp look.

  “Ryan Faultz, I do believe I hear a little jealousy in your voice,” I smirked.

  “But—I—”

  “You are a very special friend and there isn’t anyone else like you in my world. Superman can crawl under my covers,” I teased, “but other than that, everyone else can forget it.”

  “I’m just making sure. Just want to know if I’ve got to be prepared for a fight when we get there.”

  I laughed, “No, no fights unless Micah should decide to track me down.”

  We were walking off the plane when I saw the beautiful, blue-as-his-eyes, Lamborghini. What was hilarious was that two cars away sat a plain white Taurus. Ryan sighed as he headed for the economy car. I pressed the key into his hand as we approached. They had over-nighted it to me, so that I could leave as soon as I was ready.

  He didn’t look down until he got to the door, “Hey, this isn’t a key for a…” His eyes grew brighter when he saw the symbol.

  “Yeah, I know it sucks, but they were out of Taurus’ so I had to get a Lamborghini.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  The party was in full swing when we pulled up to the red carpet. Ryan was reluctant to relinquish the keys to the valet, but he finally turned them loose and took my arm as the cameras flashed and reporters shouted out questions to us wanting to know if he and I were ‘back together,’ and how was Sadarius handling it. He was good at this whole fame business, comfortable even. But I hated it. He flashed his dazzling smile as he walked with me, looking more like the star than the starlet’s date, and showing no discomfort with the attention.

  He couldn’t get the grin off his face as we walked into the roomful of people dancing, laughing, and enjoying the party. Remake had become the smash hit of the year and sponsors were lining up to spend millions of dollars promoting it. Whoever had been the brains behind this show would reap in substantial financial benefits.

  Sadarius was one of the first to greet us and ready to steal me away from Ryan, but Ryan politely refused, “Hey man, we just got here. Let me wear her out a little bit, before I have to turn her loose.”

  They played many of the hits that made the show popular, some were our versions and some were the originals. Akon was making a guest appearance as well as several other artists that had coached our crew of fledgling singers. Ryan only left my side long enough to make a special request which was for the DJ to play Kryptonite. When we began our dance, the floor opened up as the majority of the people made space for the two of us to take over. I was having the time of my life.

  We stopped long enough to grab a drink, Ryan was grabbing for champagne, but I reminded him he was flying us home tonight and I might be able to keep us in the air, but I needed a sober pilot for take-offs and landings. Besides, I didn’t want to see what the effects of a drink or two could do to one’s reflexes behind a Lamborghini.

  The lights lowered as the DJ’s voice came over the microphone, “And now we have a special request for Miss Annalisa.”

  I arched an eyebrow at Ryan, “What did you request?”

  “I didn’t request anything, I swear. I’ve been with you the whole time except for asking them to play Kryptonite.”

  Akon came on stage and the music began. He was singing ‘Right Now.’

  “We can’t waste a special request,” he said taking my hand and leading me back onto the dance floor. He was smiling as he lip-sank to the song. That was one thing superman couldn’t do—he couldn’t hold a tune.

  “You had to have requested this song,” I stated. “I wish you could fly with me? I miss how you lie with me? I wish you could dine with me? Ah, the grind part though…”

  “I didn’t request the song, but I do recall the grind,” he smiled, pulling me close.

  “I never—”

  “No, no, no, Annalisa, think before you say never. Remember the night you were kissing my neck? You had those hips working against me pretty hard and I’ll never forget that.”

  I know my face turned deep red as I recalled I had done exactly that the night I went a little too far over the line, “So you’re saying you did request this song.”

  He laughed, again, “I’m sorry. I don’t know who is sending out this dedication, but baby girl, it wasn’t me.”

  I was puzzled, but the mystery faded from my mind as the next song began. The twins, Melissa and Melanie, approached and said they wanted a turn with the hottest guy on the floor. He was blushing as I watched them dance him away from me.

  “My turn,” came a male voice. Cedric was standing there pulling my hand toward the opposite side of the floor.

  I hadn’t spoken to him very much, it seemed he spent most of his time running interference between ownership and the producers, but I knew him well enough to dance with him. The only problem was he kept pulling me farther and f
arther away from the crowd and I was starting to get nervous. I finally had to refuse. “Cedric if we go much farther we’ll be down the hallway—I’m not going down the hall to dance.”

  “Well, Leese, I have to admit I’m setting you up.”

  The next song changed as they said it was an anonymous request to a special lady. ‘Far Away’ by Nickelback began to play.

  My heart began to increase in speed, “What do you mean?”

  “I had strict orders to separate you and Ryan on the dance floor so the owner could finally get to meet you. He’s kind of private, but he’s had his eye on you for a while. He requested this song for you.”

  I didn’t like the sound of this. I didn’t know who the owner was, but a creepy guy who stays in the shadows and watches from afar didn’t sound like someone I wanted to meet. But, then again, it was the owner and I supposed it would be extremely rude to refuse.

  Cedric had me spinning as he continued toward the office door. One more spin. I heard the door open and then I was caught in a steel embrace.

  I never heard Cedric walk away, though I knew he was gone. I couldn’t hear the music or the party going on because my world simply stopped as I stared into the most beautiful green eyes on the planet. “Micah,” I whispered the name that my heart had been begging to hear for so long.

  “Baby,” came the velvet reply. He was singing to me, “…I love you. I have loved you all along. And I miss you, been far away for far too long… On my knees, I'll ask, last chance for one last dance, 'cause with you, I'd withstand all of hell to hold your hand.”

  My legs came out from under me, but he knew me well enough to expect the reaction as he held me up, suspended by a fraction of an inch from the floor. His mouth closed the gap between us and I floated into heaven; my arms encircling his neck, my fingers running through his hair. It was real. He was in my arms and his kiss was stripping me of all the reasons why I had left him. I didn’t want it to end, but he eventually pulled breathlessly away from me.

  “Oh, Micah,” I whispered as our lips parted, “I’ve missed you so badly.” My tears were flowing freely down my cheeks.

  There was a look of confusion on his face, pain intermingled with the expression, but it didn’t stop him from pressing me against the wall with his body as he came back for another kiss.

  “Take me—” I started to say when something broke the spell I was under. Micah’s expression went deadly blank immediately as his head turned to what had ended my words.

  “Stay the hell away from her or I’ll kill you,” he hissed with so much intent that it sent a chill like ice being injected into my veins.

  I turned my face to see Ryan’s stunned expression as I was locked in Micah’s hold.

  “Leese, baby girl, you can’t.”

  Micah pulled away from me as he growled out for Ryan not to call me baby. The explosion was about to take place, and I knew what would happen to my best friend if it did.

  “No, Micah,” I cried, holding on for dear life to his shirt, “don’t touch him.”

  “You’ve got to let her choose, Micah. This isn’t about me or you, it’s up to her.”

  It wasn’t wise to talk to Micah when he was in such a volatile mind set, but I could see Ryan’s words were breaking through the void.

  He was right. It was up to me and only he and I knew the repercussions of what that decision would mean for Micah. I had never expected to be face to face with him and make the choice between right and wrong.

  Micah could read the indecision on my face, the hurt and the pain I was suddenly in as I looked from one to the other.

  He was afraid, but willing as he backed away to give me a moment to decide, “Don’t do it. Je t’aime, Annalisa. Please, baby, don’t leave me twice—I couldn’t take it. Tell me now that you want to be with me. I’ll take you away from here and make love to you until the world fades—don’t leave me, again.”

  The tears welled over my eyes and poured down my cheeks because I knew there was only one right decision to make. I could feel my heart being ripped out of my chest as I gripped his wrists to keep him from encircling me. I raised up to put a tender kiss on his mouth; then I backed slightly away. I couldn’t take my eyes away from his even though I didn’t want to be looking into them when I knew what I had to say, “Get me out of here…Ryan,” I breathed.

  Ryan was reaching for my arm as Micah suddenly exploded to get to him.

  “NO MICAH!” I yelled, putting myself in harm’s way to keep the animal inside him from attacking. My hand was firmly on his chest as I pushed him back. He was struggling hard to regain control over his emotions as he looked at my face.

  “I made my decision; honor it, please… I have to leave.”

  I watched defeat crush him as he slumped away from my hand. Ryan grabbed my free hand, and we ran for the door.

  I didn’t remember getting into the Lamborghini, or even getting into the airplane. I do remember lying on the floor in the back of the plane feeling like I was going to die. I must have laid there for the entire flight back to Colorado because the next thing I was conscious of was Ryan trying to get me to sit up.

  He was holding me and shushing me, whispering that it was going to be okay.

  How could it possibly ever be okay? How could anything stop all the pain I was in?

  “You!” I snapped, suddenly feeling an angry, boiling tide rising up inside me. “Why did you come looking for me?! A few more minutes and I—I would have been gone!” I yelled at him. I balled my fists and thrust them hard against both sides of his chest, pushing him back against one of the seats. “Why didn’t you turn away when you saw that he had me?! Damn you, Ryan!” I hit him again and again, but he didn’t try to stop me. I looked into his beautiful eyes and finally saw the tears running down his face. “I’m sorry,” I sobbed as he pulled me into his arms and held me. “I’m so, so sorry—it’s not your fault—I’m so sorry.”

  We sat there together for several long moments as he rocked me gently back and forth, “I’m going to take you home,” he finally whispered. “I’ll stay with you tonight and—”

  “No,” I refused, a little bit of sanity returning to my muddled brain. “I’ll be fine.”

  “I’m staying with you until—”

  I pulled back and, even though having him help me through the night was what I wanted more than anything in the world, I lied with all the sincerity I could dig out of my soul, “I—I really want to be alone.”

  He smoothed my hair away from my face and looked at me with his still teary eyes, “Are you sure?” His voice was quivering, so I knew my refusal was causing him pain.

  “Yeah, I need some time by myself.”

  He didn’t say another word, he just took me home and walked me inside.

  The house felt horribly empty and hollow—so very, very lonely. I shuddered as I looked at my surroundings almost as if it was the first time I’d ever seen it.

  “Please, let me stay with you, baby girl,” he pled.

  “Go home, Ryan.” I was trying to sound convincing, “I’ll be okay.”

  “Candace and I will pick you up for church.”

  “No—I—I’d rather stay home. I don’t think I’ll be ready to see anyone tomorrow.”

  “Well, you’re going to see me because I’ll be here after church. You can talk and I’ll listen, or we can both be quiet and I’ll just hold on to you, but I’m coming over.”

  I nodded numbly as he embraced me, but kept my arms folded in front of me. If I hugged him back, I’d break down again. He kissed my temple, my ear, and then my cheek, whispered he loved me, and then he was gone.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Micah had never known the kind of pain he was experiencing. He thought the first time was the worst, until he actually held her in his arms and felt her push away. He heard it from her own lips that she chose Ryan. But, that wasn’t what he experienced before Ryan showed up. She yielded to him immediately, actually wanting him to kiss her. She didn’
t want him to stop, and she asked him to take her, but she never got to finish the sentence.

  There was a plethora of venomous obscenities caught in his throat as he remembered Ryan’s words. ‘baby girl’—he actually was calling her baby and that was so ludicrous and unacceptable to Micah. She was his and no one should be allowed to call her that. He tried to let the fury inside him subside. He had been completely irrational since he met with D’Angelo earlier in the day. His emotions were so raw and impulsive he had barely been able to stop himself when she stepped between them; and they were becoming harder to control by the minute.

  He wondered if D’Angelo had done something to him when they had lunch because he hadn’t felt right since. His heart had begun to beat faster and a light coat of sweat seemed to perpetually wash over him. D’Angelo tracked him down the day before and was furious about the entire affair. In particular, he wanted to know how long Leese had been aware that Micah owned the show. Why he needed to know that Micah couldn’t understand, but D’Angelo never asked anything without reason.

  “She doesn’t know anything,” Micah stated as they had a private late lunch meeting. “I haven’t shown myself, but I will during the party in a few hours. I’m going to get her back.”

  “You’re a fool if you think she’s going to come back and live the life of a mob wife.”

  “I’m not staying in the mob. I’ve gotten out once and I can do it again.”

  “You aren’t going anywhere—we have unfinished business and I am not releasing you from your obligations to me. You agreed to do what I needed in exchange for David.”

  “South America was for David.”

  “No,” D’Angelo growled, “I said he would help you with that job to reestablish his trustworthiness, but I told you that you would belong to me again. I have been looking for you for weeks and I don’t like being ignored.”

  “Then I’ll do what you need done, but I’ve got to finish this job first.”