Chapter Twenty - One
Flame…
Empty bed? It was my first thought as I opened my eyes.
Where was Michelle? Then I heard the shower.
Fuck yeah. It looked like morning wood and I were getting lucky.
Or not. The water turned off and my phone beeped telling me I had a message at the same time.
What the fuck? Sorry dude looks like we’re shit out of luck this morning.
Now who the fuck was texting already. Shit, it’s eleven, I guess it’s not too early.
Then I saw the name. Good bye hard-on. Fuck me running.
What the fuck was her problem? Fucking whore, she only wanted me now for the money. Did she really think I was going to fall for this shit twice?
Me: “Go the fuck away. I told you I don’t want anything to do with you.”
Ashley: “No. If you don’t come down I’m coming up.”
Me: “Like fuck you will. You don’t know the room.”
Ashley: “You know I can get someone to give it to me. Have you forgotten my talents?”
Fucking bitch. She’d do it too. I’d seen her work her body enough to know it wouldn’t be hard at all. Michelle didn’t need this bitch in her face.
“What’s wrong?”
Not expecting the question, I almost dropped the phone. Actually I wanted to throw it against the wall but it wouldn’t accomplish anything. “Nothing babe.”
“Bull. You’re pissed off. What happened?”
I didn’t have much choice I had to tell her. We’d promised to never lie, and not telling her was the same thing, right? Or was it? I’d be saving her aggravation. But she’d kick my ass if she found out. Fuck, fuck, fuck. “It’s Ashley.” As soon as the words were out of my mouth I was sorry.
“What does she want?”
“I don’t know. She’s here, downstairs I mean. She says she needs to talk to me.”
Michelle grabbed her brush and started dragging it through her hair. I thought she was going to be bald she pulled on it so hard. Damn. Last night was so good, I didn’t want it to all go to shit now.
“I guess you need to go talk to her then.”
“I told her no.” She raised her eyebrows and put the brush down.
“Baby, it’s okay. It really is.”
“No it’s fuckin’ not. I was on my way to meet you in the shower and now she’s fucked up everything and she’s not in my life anymore. Why the fuck did she show back up?”
“Because she’s a money grubbing bitch and wants the spotlight you’ll bring her.”
“But I’ve told her to leave me the fuck alone.”
“Looks like you’re going to have to suck it up buttercup and go tell her in person.”
It was all I could do not to punch the wall. Enough already. Why did all this shit keep getting in the way? “I’m going to shower before I do anything else. I probably need to calm down.”
“Probably.”
“Can I convince you to come with me?”
“To see her?”
“No way. The shower babe.”
“Umm kinda not in the mood now.” I really hadn’t expected her to say yes but I figured it didn’t hurt to ask.
Pulling her into my arms I kissed her with all my pent up frustration, ravaging her mouth with my tongue, lifting her and wrapping her legs around my hips and grinding my cock against her damp pussy.
Hot, naked, and fresh from the shower—was there anything better?
My phone buzzed on the nightstand and once again the mood was fucked.
“You’d better answer the twat.”
“I’m sorry, babe.”
“I know.” She disappeared into the other room while I grabbed my phone. I really wanted to smash it now. Saying I was pissed off would be a freakin’ understatement.
Ashley: “Are you coming or what?”
Me: “Showering then I’ll be done. Give me 10.”
Ashley: “Hurry.”
The shower was hot but sucked in the satisfying department, not that I had a hard-on anymore, still the thought of sliding my hands over wet Michelle’s body was enough for Mr. Dick to twitch. Oh well, there’d be later, lots of laters once I got rid of this pain in my ass.
“I’m going to take care of this, then we’ll go to the school and clear out your classroom. We can talk to the detectives tomorrow, okay?”
“It might be better to wait until school is out for the day, I don’t want to disturb the kids.”
“No problem. Just wait for me okay?”
“Yeah. Go see your skank, I’d warn her if she doesn’t leave you alone she’s not going to want to deal with me.
” Her eyes flashed anger and something else, and it was hot.
Damn she turned me on, but it wasn’t just lust either, I loved this woman.
She was going to be mine for the rest of our lives if I could work up the courage to give her the ring I bought in England.
I should have proposed as soon as I saw her instead of letting all this shit get in the way.
My lips took hers, my tongue sweeping her mouth, tasting coffee, cream, sugar and her own sweet flavor. Of course now Mr. Dick decided he was ready, always at the wrong fuckin’ time. “You know I love you, right? Only you?”
“Yes I do. But she doesn’t and that’s the problem.”
“One I’m going to take care of now. Be back soon and we’ll get lunch and then go by the school.”
“Okay. Good luck.” Pulling her into my arms for another kiss, my need for her borderline desperate.
“I love you, Michelle.”
“I love you, Eric.”
It wasn’t until I was in the elevator heading to the lobby that I realized she’d finally said the words.
I. Love. You. And I didn’t even acknowledge it.
Before I had the chance to decide if it was something I should worry about, the doors slid open and of course the first thing I saw was the blonde bitch waiting for me.
With a deep breath I stepped out of the elevator and went to confront Ashley.
She needed to learn no was no, and nothing she could do or say would change it.
Michelle…
Fucking skank. Who the hell did she think she was to try to take my man? She had her chance and it was too fuckin’ late now. Grabbing a bottle of water from the mini-bar, and dialing Cyn I hoped she’d be able to talk me off the ledge. Didn’t she always?
At first I thought it would go to voicemail and but then she picked up and she sounded out of breath. Damn, I must have interrupted some play time.
“Hey Michelle, everything okay?”
“Yeah. Sorry I interrupted.”
“What are you talking about?”
“It’s okay you can tell me we’ll talk later. Go on back to Chaos.” When she didn’t say anything at first it made me wonder if something else was going on.
“If you’re sure you’re okay?”
“No worries. I’m going to run over to the school and pick up the stuff from my class. Flame is stuck with his ex and I wanted someone to know where I was going.” A little white lie never hurt anyone, right? I was going to the school, but I didn’t need to bug her with the rest of it.
“Oh okay. Wait, he’s with Ashley? What the hell?”
“Yeah she’s here, wanted to talk to him about something. I don’t feel like waiting around to see what is going on. I’d rather get this over with at the school.”
“Are you sure you’re okay going alone? What if that weirdo is there?”
“Bob? I really think he’s harmless. He’s never done anything but give me the creeps and I’ve been around him for over a year now. I’ll be fine.”
“Call me as soon as you get back. We’ll go do a little shopping.”
“Sounds good. Talk to you later. Tell Chaos ‘hi’ for me.”
“K’ bye.”
I needed to get this shit over with, and the sooner I told Mrs. Pincher where to shove her Morality Clause the better. It was a half day for students so I could safely get this done now without disrupting the class. Besides I didn’t want to know who was taking over for me, I loved those kids.
After a quick check to make sure I had the key to my classroom, I grabbed my phone and headed for the elevator.
I half expected to see Flame on his way to the room since it’d been over an hour already.
But nope. No sign of him until I got down to the lobby.
Then it was obvious why he hadn’t made it back upstairs.
A crowd of adoring fans surrounded him, which was really cool, until I saw the skanky bitch hanging all over him like she owned his ass.
The only thing stopping me from going over there and showing her the way out was knowing it would be bad for Raining Chaos.
Or maybe not, who knew, sometimes cat fights made for juicy gossip and probably sales.
Still, I had my own evil bitch to deal with.
Flame just better hope she’s gone by the time I get back because after dealing with the Pincher bitch I won’t be in the mood for any more shit.
The doorman held the door. “Can I get you a taxi, miss?”
Did I want a taxi? I’d planned on taking the subway but maybe a taxi was better after everything that’d been going on the last few days. “Yes, please.” Two seconds later he was holding the cab door and then I was on the way.
Mid-afternoon traffic wasn’t too bad considering it was springtime.
Of course thinking about spring pissed me off even more.
She couldn’t have waited until the end of the school year?
What the fuck ever. Would it have killed her to let me finish out the year, I knew for a fact none of the parents from my class were complaining.
I loved my kids. Now with a little less than a month of school left they’d need to get used to a new teacher.
Stupid wench. I couldn’t figure out why my dating Flame burned her ass so much.
Seriously…she needed therapy for something, or maybe surgery to get the stick removed from her ass.
Just thinking about it made me giggle. The cab driver looked at me in the rearview and I shrugged.
Not like I was even going to try to explain.
Fifteen minutes later I was standing in front of Crane Park Elementary.
It was my first teaching job and it hadn’t even lasted two full years.
Was Pincher’s problem really with the whole dating a rock star thing or was it just me?
She’d been a little weird from the beginning but I’d chalked it up to the stuck-up private school environment.
I’d never fit in. I doubt an Italian from Brooklyn’s shadow ever crossed the doorway of Crane Park, let alone someone who’d attended public school and taken care of her grandmother after my parent’s car accident.
Definitely not Crane Park material. We weren’t poor but we weren’t loaded either.
Even if my parents hadn’t died I’d have gone to public school.
Oh well, might as well get to it. Nothing was going to get done if I stayed out here all afternoon, besides I had to catch Pincher before she left for the day.
Pulling open the heavy front door the hairs on the back of my neck rose like an alarm.
I walked down the long wood hallway to my classroom trying not to think about the unease tightening my shoulders.
The floors gleamed and from the scent of wax they’d just been polished.
Nothing but the best for these kids. I would really miss a couple of them especially.
I’d been looking forward to following their time at Crane Park but now that was shot to shit.
My temper simmered as I unlocked the door to my classroom and stepped inside.
Apparently they’d been anxious to see the last of me.
Two neatly stacked boxes with all my personal supplies were on the desk.
She obviously couldn’t wait to get rid of me.
Maybe waiting for Flame would have been a better idea, I’d forgotten how much stuff I’d had in the classroom.
I’d have to carry them out one at a time.
“I’ll be happy to help you.”
Startled, I barely caught myself from screeching as I turned around and came face-to-face with Bob.
Great. Why hadn’t I heard him follow me?
My heart jumped into my throat as I choked back the scream.
Fear washed over me like a rain shower and my flight or fight instinct kicked in.
The smell of his cologne reminded me of something, was it the hotel room?
Had he been the one who’d drugged me? Was he the stalker after all?
Stepping back without thinking, I needed space.
A flash of anger crossed his face so quickly I’m not sure I really saw it.
Damn, I really should have waited for Flame.
He was staring at me like I was losing it and I remembered he’d asked me a question.
What was it? Oh yeah, I needed to say something.
“Hi Bob. I didn’t hear you come in.”
“You must not have been paying attention. It’s not like I was trying to sneak up on you.”
“I’m sure you weren’t.” Yeah right. My skin was crawling with the heebie jeebies. It sure as hell seemed like he’d been trying to sneak up on me.
“Are you feeling better? I heard you were in the hospital.” Oh yeah I bet you heard, you creepy mofo.
You probably put me there. Not like I could say it out loud.
“Something didn’t agree with me I guess.
I don’t really remember.” Maybe if he didn’t think I suspected him he wouldn’t do anything and I could get the hell out of there.
“Really? I heard your rock star boyfriend drugged you. You shouldn’t be with him, he’s not good for you. You know that right?”
“Yeah, you’re probably right.” I was going to do anything to get out of there. Taking another step away from him, I backed into the edge of my desk. Shit. Cornered. Now what?
“Are you going to leave him? You really should. I bet I could get Mrs. Pincher to give you your job back if you did.”
“Do you think she would?” No fucking way, he was crazy, the old bitch couldn’t wait to get rid of me. As if thinking about her conjured the witch, and Mrs. Pincher appeared in the doorway.