Under the Cornerstone (3 page)

"Don't stop," I beg. 

"I want you to come with me,” he speaks against my skin. 

He continues to kiss until he reaches my chest, where he takes his time with his hands, mouth, tongue, and teeth on each one of my breasts. I almost come again, but he stops. I pull my knees back as far back as I can, hoping he'll get the hint.

"Put me in,” he whispers against my neck.

My hand is full of him when I reach between him and guide him to my entrance. His lips land on mine as he pushes inside.

Fuck me running, his cock is glorious. 

He doesn't move once he's seated inside of me, but gives the kiss he's yet to break all of his attention. I squirm underneath him, needing friction and to end this torment. 

It gets him moving. I expected a hot, steamy, porn-style, fuck from Johnny. I could write a book about the things I've heard in the girl’s bathroom in high school and in the bars he's played in. I've heard play-by-play recounts like it was a damn football game. He fucks and he fucks hard. I didn't need to hear the other side of the stories to know, he'll tell anyone who will listen. 

That's not what I get. He doesn't fuck me hard. I don't feel like a porn star. I'm not being tossed around like a rag doll licking all of his tattoos from the different angles he bends my body. 

"You're not hurting me," I urge him on as I realize he might be afraid of the bruises. 

He doesn't respond, but keeps up his slow pace instead. His hands and lips travel all over my body, and I return the favor. He's six feet. He's toned. He's tattooed and even I have to admit they look good from my missionary vantage point. Maybe there's something to being fucked by a man covered in ink. 

I finally turn off my brain and let my body enjoy the experience. God only knows it's the best one I've ever had. Our bodies become tangled with our limbs moving, pulling, pushing, and fingers touching every inch. 

Our mouths connect almost constantly, but there's no fight for control like I've experienced in so many kisses. I find myself looking back into his blue eyes a lot and trying not to wonder what he's thinking as he looks inside of me.

His hand pushes under my right ass cheek and when he squeezes he slightly changes the angle.

He's hit the jackpot.

"Fuck. Right there," I beg and throw my head back. 

He kisses my chin and moves in and out of me with expert precision. His free hand creeps under my head and pulls my face back to his.

"I want to watch,” he says. "Always wondered what you'd look like."

He slowly works up the frenzy between my legs and places his lips all over my face in kisses while I wait for my first ever man-made orgasm. And not one produced by a damn battery operated man-made gadget. 

My eyes flutter closed as the tingles start in the center of my body and explode to every cell inside. I have no idea what I say or scream rather, but I'm pretty sure I get my point across. I want one of these on the hour every hour for the rest of my life.

I open my eyes when the spasms subside and find those gorgeous baby blues staring at me in... Awe?

He pulls up on my ass even harder and grabs a handful of my hair. I wince since it's still tender from Tony's ass whopping earlier. He doesn't notice. His baby blues get this far away look and his full lips part slightly as he calls out my name. He gets the same look on his face when he's lost in another world with his guitar. His dick jumps inside of me and then his eyes close as his release overtakes him. 

His lips press to mine as a shiver runs through him... a shiver I can feel. His tongue touches mine and we stay that way for a while... gently kissing like we've been lovers our entire lives, instead of friends for fifteen years. Friends who have never crossed this line before. We've never even been close. 

Johnny pulls out of me, reaches down, removes the condom, and drops it over the side of the bed. His body lands next to mine on the bed, and then I'm pulled into his chest. 

Chapter Three

I wake the next morning to an empty bed. I shouldn't be surprised. It's Johnny we're talking about here. Maybe I thought all these years of friendship meant something, that he would’ve treated this differently than all the others before me. But I've officially joined the platinum club level of the Johnny Rome One-Time Wham, Bam, Thank You Ma'am Club.

I wipe my hands over my face and instantly regret it. I forgot those damn bruises were there. The bruises don't hurt as much as my fucking soul does though. I look over at the pillow next to me and see the bed is still ruffled from where he slept beside me... Naked. 

Coffee. I need coffee. 

My wary body protests, but finally cooperates as I exit the bed and step to the coffee maker wishing I had a fairy that knew when I want this shit so I never have to wait. I'm a fan of instant gratification. 

Clearly.

I drink my first cup of coffee and look around my apartment to see if he left a note. I even check the toilet because that would be such a Johnny thing to do. I flip his pillow over one last time to make sure he didn't tuck it underneath. 

Nothing.

The light bulb in my head goes off. I check my phone only to discover forty missed calls and texts. I swipe through them quickly. 

All last night. None from Johnny since he stuck his dick in me. I've become the kind of girl who allows a man to push her around and now I've become the stupid, stupid bitch who wonders why a man isn't in her bed the next morning. Better yet, I've become the stupid bitch who gets all torn up about it. 

Shit on a stick. 

I take a sleeping pill and go back to bed. If I'm sleeping it won't hurt so fucking bad. 

I wake at two in the morning and instantly check my phone like the pathetic woman I am. Nothing from him. So, I do the next stupid bitch thing and check his social media. 

Motherfucker.

He left my bed before six this morning and apparently joined the end of his party. Pictures of him with all of our friends are tagged at Rich's place. They’re plastered all over his accounts. Women are in the background while I bet he still smells like me.

Platinum club member on a Saturday night with a bruised body and a mangled heart.

Pathetic. 

A notification pings on my phone. I swipe it and see Johnny has posted another picture. Five fucking seconds ago. And he's with a long-haired blonde bitch with blue eyes and a nice chest. At least we know he has a type.

I throw my phone across the room. I might cry myself to sleep at the deplorable low I've reached in my life. I let my best friend make me that girl, and it’s not like I really liked the girl I was to begin with.

My phone rings as I sit on a tropical beach with a mojito in hand and look at all the eye candy I could ever wish for. I reach down into my beach bag and silence my phone, but the damn thing starts right back ringing. 

My beach fades to dark and the sounds of beeping horns and shouts from the Brooklyn street below assault me. Reality blows. 

The phone silences and rings once again. I climb out of bed to find where I threw the damn thing but it's dark so I'm following the sound.

The phone casts a light I finally find.

"Hello?" I answer the unknown number.

"An inmate at the New York City Police Department, 13th Precinct, is calling collect. The call is from... 'Noely it's Jimmy!'... If you wish to accept these charges, please press '1'."

I press one.

"Jimmy?!!" I ask freaked the fuck out.

"Shit, Noe. I didn't think you'd ever pick up.  Look, I know it's late, but I need bail. I'll stop at an ATM and pay you right back when I get the fuck out of here," Jimmy says in his thick Brooklyn accent.

"What the fuck did you do?" I ask in my best mother tone.

He chuckles. Only this guy would chuckle while calling me collect from jail.

"Got into a skirmish."

I roll my eyes, "Yeah? They book you on first degree skirmish, asshole?" 

He whines, "Come on, Noely baby help me out. I'd bail you out of jail, no questions asked."

He would. True story.

"Yeah, but you'd probably be in jail with me and then where the fuck would we be?" I ask him half-joking.

"Reliving the high, Noely baby."

"I'll be there in twenty," I tell him.

"I can always count on you, Noles," I hear the smile in his voice.

We disconnect and I jump in the shower for all of three minutes. I brush my teeth, throw on a Blood Feather tee without thinking, roll my eyes, and push my feet into some combat boots. I run the brush through my long blonde hair and throw my favorite Yankees cap on. 

I half-walk, half-jog to the precinct and wait for someone to tell me how much Jimmy's bail is going to cost me. Once I get an answer, I make the withdrawal at the corner ATM and head back to the precinct to pay it. 

"I'm paying bail for Jimmy... James Crawford," I tell the man. 

I hand him the money, sign paperwork, and wait for my friend in the lobby. As I enter the waiting area, Johnny's father, and their manager Leo walk in the front door of the precinct.

Johnny's father sweeps me up in his arms and asks, "What are you doing here?"

"Jimmy called to bail him out," I explain. 

"We've got to bail the rest of them out,” he says.

"The rest? Jimmy didn't say he wasn't alone."

Jimmy, Johnny, Rich, and Ryan were all booked, " Leo replies. 

Johnny's dad smirks, "Boys will be boys."

"Shit. Is this going to fuck with their tour? " I ask.

Leo's creepy smile appears, "I'm already spinning it. The fans are eating up the whole white knight story."

These industry people are snakes in the grass. I don't trust any of them, and I was instantly wary of Leo when I met him.  

I take a seat while the new arrivals post bail. Johnny's father is the first to join me and takes a seat next to me. 

"Noely?" He asks and I turn my head.

He looks my face over and it dawns on me that I didn't put on any makeup. He can clearly see the bruises. 

"He got what he deserved. You don't ever put up with that from a man, sweetheart."

"He got what he deserved?" I arch my eyebrow.

He frowns, "That's what they were arrested for. They beat the hell out of Tony."

My face must turn crimson red and I'm almost positive smoke comes out of my ears as my blood starts to boil. I specifically told Johnny not to tell anyone, right before he fucked me and left me. Shame, anger and betrayal shoot like spikes through my blood until it travels to the marrow of my bones.

The rest of the group steps into the waiting room, but I don't make eye contact or speak a word for fear I might harm someone. My hands grip the sides of the chair until my knuckles are white. 

I have to get out of here. I bolt from my seat, but Leo's slimy voice stops me dead in my tracks.

With a big smile he announces to the entire room, "The fans are eating this shit up! The band is arrested for assault on a deadbeat who beat on his girlfriend. These guys are heroes." 

He pauses as Johnny, Jimmy, Rich, and Ryan step into the waiting room with ear-to-ear smiles.

Leo lets out a big laugh, "You guys defended the honor of a helpless friend. The public is going to want this asshole's head. If the judge doesn't drop the charges completely, he'll give you a slap on the wrist and send you on your way."

I asked Johnny not to tell anyone. Not only do my friends know, but now the entire fucking world knows. The entire fucking world. It'll make headlines. That’s great for the band since it will be great publicity for an up-and-coming act, but not so great for me.

I look over at Johnny who is staring a hole into my head with a barely imperceptible smirk.

He thinks shit is funny? 

Before I realize what I'm doing, I march up to him and deck him square in the jaw. I pull my hand back and cradle it. Johnny cradles his jaw and winces. 

Fuck that hurts. 

Rich gets in between us. 

I scream, "I told you not to tell anyone!  I told you I didn't want anyone to know. What the fuck were you thinking?!! Did you slip out of my bed and tell everyone how you finally got me to spread my legs? It's not a fucking game, Johnny. "