5. Deserving of Worship #2
“Sir,” the concierge interrupted. “There are no cameras allowed in here.”
“Oh! Sorry, I was just taking in the decor,” Carter smiled when Francesca returned wearing a bikini. His eyes quickly roamed her body as he swallowed hard. “Shit…”
Francesca rolled her eyes. “Shut up and mic me. I gotta go before I miss her.”
Carter reluctantly pinned a tiny waterproof mic to her bikini strap when she turned to leave. “Fran,” Carter said, grabbing her arm.
She looked at him impatiently, annoyed. “What now?”
“Is this… Are you sure this is safe? I mean, Jax Donovan was reported dead, yet he’s walking around like a fucking zombie. And he tried to kill me.”
“That’s part of what makes this story incredible, Carter!
Nobody knows he’s alive. Nobody except us.
And we will be the first to break this story.
Jax Donovan and Deja Louis: Relationship Scandal.
Do you know what this story is going to do for us?
For me?! We need this! Besides, I’m just speaking to her. She’s harmless.”
Carter sighed. “Fine. Just be careful.”
Francesca smirked. “You’re so cute when you’re pining over something you can’t have.” She gave him a playful pat on the cheek before walking off.
Carter swallowed hard as he stared at Jax Donovan. The man petrified him. It was like death followed him like a shadow.
“Just this way, ma’am.” The host guided Francesca through the spa-salon to the steam room and handed her a small plate with gray clay. “Mud mask for your face.”
“Thank you,” Francesca smiled.
Pushing the door open, Francesca was immediately hit with a face full of steam.
She couldn’t see anything, but she knew Deja was in there.
Sitting down on the damp marble bench, Francesca slowly exhaled, waiting for her eyes to adjust. Until she finally spotted her lying down on the bench with her face covered in the mask and her eyes closed.
Francesca attempted to spark a conversation.
“Wow, it’s hot in here!” she winced in embarrassment.
But Deja remained silent. “But it’s so good for the pores, right?” Francesca continued.
Finally, Deja looked at her. “Oh. Sorry. Didn’t know you were speaking to me. Yeah, it feels great,” Deja responded.
Francesca smiled. “We girls need to pamper ourselves once in a while…”
“Seriously…” Deja hummed.
Francesca struggled with keeping Deja engaged. “These 60-hour weeks are killing me.”
“Girl, I hope they’re paying you your worth for 60 hours,” Deja said.
Francesca chuckled. “As a woman? Yeah, right.”
Deja snorted. “Tell me about it. What do you do?”
“Uh, I’m a software engineer,” Francesca lied.
“I love meeting other women in STEM,” Deja said, sitting up.
“Yeah? What do you do?”
“I’m an environmental scientist,” Deja smiled. “Environmental sustainability is my passion.”
“Don’t tell me you’re one of those save-the-world types,” Francesca teased.
“Guilty,” Deja laughed. “Though, seems silly trying to save a world that hates you…”
Francesca frowned at the strange comment as silence lingered. “So are you like some famous scientist I don’t know about?”
Deja smiled. “Not unless you read Science journals.”
“‘Fraid not,” Francesca chuckled. “Mainly trashy magazines.”
Deja snorted. “Hey, if you like it, I love it.”
“What about you?” Francesca asked.
“Not my thing.”
“Why?”
Deja shrugged. “I don’t like gossip. Besides, those things always paint women horribly.”
“I mean, it’s just entertainment.”
“Mocking a woman for her size or slut-shaming her for how many men she dates isn’t entertaining to me,” Deja said matter-of-factly.
“But I mean, all publicity is good publicity, right? At least people know who you are,” Francesca added.
Deja shrugged. “Sure.”
Francesca fought to keep the conversation going. “Um… you sound like you have personal experience.”
“I can empathize with other women regardless…”
“But, I mean… have you?” Francesca persisted.
Deja suddenly looked at Francesca. “You sound like you’re looking for a story yourself…”
Francesca immediately froze before chuckling nervously. “I’m just trying to be friendly. My mother always said I asked too many questions.”
Deja spoke quietly. “Asking questions is how you learn, though… right?”
“Right!” Francesca perked up.
“What’s your name?” Deja asked.
“Uh, Linda,” she said quickly.
Deja smiled. “Well, Linda. I’m a woman so, yes, I’ve had similar experiences. I’m also Black, so I’ve had to deal with misogyny and racism. Such is life.”
“Ugh, men, right?” Francesca rolled her eyes. “I swear they’re the source of all evil. This is why I prefer the single life.” Deja snorted. “Any men giving you grief?” Francesca added.
“Men always give me grief.”
“Boyfriend? Husband? Baby Father?” Francesca persisted as Deja laughed. “Oh come on, Deja. I know someone has gotta be stressing you out to have you in here!” Francesca chuckled.
Deja abruptly paused for a long moment before speaking. “...I never told you my name…”
Francesca felt her heart drop to her stomach. “Uh… Y-yes you did-”
“No, I didn’t,” Deja cut her off. Francesca panicked as Deja’s silhouette abruptly cut through the steam like a knife as she approached her. She struggled to breathe through the thick steam as Deja glared down at her.
“Let me tell you something, sweetie,” Deja said, leaning forward.
“I caught on to you the moment you defended the freaking tabloids. You, people, have no damn shame, following me to my home, stalking me, pretending you’re all about women's empowerment when you’re willing to lie and manipulate for a goddamn story-”
“I-it’s not-not like th-that-” Francesca stammered. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t trying to be deceitful! I just- I’m… I’m a huge fan of your work, and I wanted to meet you.”
Deja snorted. “Well, as my ‘hugest fan’, word of advice, hun: leave me and mine alone… or you’ll get way more than you bargained for…”
Francesca’s fingers were practically digging into her thigh out of fear. The scientist had always come across as warm, meek, and humble in her interviews.
Who the hell was this?
“If I see you again, I’ll have you arrested,” Deja said, walking out of the steam room.
Deja shook her head in frustration. She couldn’t believe that reporter had gone to such lengths to follow her. Just for a story on Jax. The man who had thoughtfully booked her a day to be pampered. She wasn’t going to let ‘Linda’ ruin her day.
Stepping into the massage room, she stripped off her robe and got down face-first on the massage table. “The therapist will be with you in just a moment, ma’am,” the host advised before leaving her alone in the room.
Several minutes passed before the door opened again.
Deja heard her therapist moving things around, but they hadn’t spoken a word to her.
She felt their firm hands on her back as they started to knead out the knots.
Despite the uncharacteristic rudeness of not introducing themselves, they did a wonderful job.
She felt their hands massage her thighs, gradually moving upward until sliding over her ass and squeezing hard. “You can avoid that area, thanks,” she mumbled.
But the hand kept massaging her, sliding between her legs. “Excuse me!” she snapped, turning around when she rolled her eyes with a smirk. “Since when were you a licensed massage therapist?”
“Since now,” Jax said, leaning over to kiss her.
Deja grinned as Jax flipped her onto her back. “I hope you didn’t kill a masseuse to do this.”
Jax smirked, amused. “I paid him triple and allowed him to keep his hands instead of touching my wife…” Jax said, pushing his thumb into the inside of her thigh.
“...so possessive, Mr. Donovan,” she teased. “And I’m not even your wife.”
His fingers sensually slid into the crevice between her pelvis and thigh. “I’m just protective of what’s mine… And you will be…”
Deja’s smile gradually fell as she remembered her conversation with Caleb. “Jax. I know Keith and Ian were out last night doing things they weren’t supposed to.” But Jax remained silent, affectionately massaging her hips. “Jax, you promised-”
“Deja, I love you with everything in me. And I will do whatever it takes to keep you and our daughter safe,” Jax said firmly.
Deja sharply exhaled as he roughly pushed into her hips.
“Sometimes, you won’t like what that entails,” he continued.
Deja bit her lip as he sensually pressed against her pussy.
“...but that won’t stop me from doing it… ”
She abruptly grabbed his wrist to stop his erotic motions. “But Jax, this is my home. Where my family is. I don’t want them at risk-”