Crimson Fate (R-M)
Chapter 12- Love Me Harder (The Weeknd & Ariana Grande)
Bonnie stood across from Damon, peculiarly with her glasses on. He was fed up with her attitude right now. She was moody and in no mode of cooperation to spar with him. The trees whistled quietly, and the stand off between the two continued silently. He rubbed his hand on his forehead, and looked up at the sky. She crossed her arms thinking he was being dramatic. But of course she was crashing before his eyes, and he was trying not to assume the worst about her behavior. But she was making it easy to judge her.
"So, you gonna take the glasses off?"
"No. I told you I have a headache."
"Fuck... you're difficult. You know that?"
"You know, I didn't ask for this. I didn't ask for you to bring me out here everyday, to lose money so you could help me."
"No, excuse me for being fuckin worried about your well-being while you're hollering for freedom. This was our deal in order for me to keep my mouth shut about you leaving town to "make money" for a weekend." He quoted.
"So you didn't believe me. Of course you didn't. I'm not surprised."
"No I don't believe you? But I can't force the truth out of you." He rushed towards her forcing her to tense up, and he yanked at her glasses. "Take them off."
"No. Damon stop it. Leave them alone." She fought him off, but he managed to grab them anyways.
"Gucci?" He stare at her loosely, with crazy eyes. "How the fuck are you affording Gucci sunglasses on a housekeepers salary?"
"I save my money."
"Bullshit! Four hundred dollar Aviators. I don't fucking think so. Look at me. Look at me!" He yelled. She turned away from him and walked towards the bike, but realizing she couldn't hide in side of a bike like she could a car. In actuality, she had nowhere to go. As long as he could take advantage of her disadvantage he would, following behind her, and giving her no space. "Let me see your face!"
His bigger body towers he'd form behind.
"No. Go away."
"What are you, twelve? Turn around." He yanked her body towards him, roughly, and examined her face. "You're fucking high? What the fuck Bonnie? It's a got damn school day! And YOU are high?"
"I'm not."
"Don't fuckin lie to me! You think I was born yesterday?" He was right she was high, but who she'd smoked with and what she was on, was a whole different situation. Knowing these things would make him go crazy. He assumed it was weed. "Why are you high?"
"Because, people get high sometimes Damon!" This was her name for him when she was angry with him.
"Quit calling me Damon!" He yelled.
"You called me Bonnie!" She yelled right back, realizing he called her by her name when he was also angry.
"Because you called me Damon!"
"Well? What do you want from me?" They continued yelling.
"Quit changing the routine. I am who I am, you are who you are. Why are you dressed like that? Where are those boujee ass clothes from?"
"I work and make money and buy clothes." She yelled.
"You think I'm a fuckin idiot don't you? You trying to play me, right fuckin now?" He closed in on her space.
"No."
Damon had never felt the need to bite back his own anger more than the times he was with her. He sighed heavily trying to understand her motives. How was the good girl, becoming such a reckless one? All he could do was wonder and try his hardest to gain her trust so she'd tell him the truth behind her lies.
"Baby girl, what gives? Why do I feel like you're lying to me about some straight up bullshit? Are we building trust here or no? Because I thought that's what we were doing?" As of right now, he couldn't tell she was having a debilitating Cocaine crash. He'd assumed she smoked a lot of weed and was tired. "Are we or aren't we?"
"We are!"
"Then tell me! What is going on?"
"Nothing okay. I'm a exhausted. School, is kicking my ass. Work, when I'm there is taking its toll."
"These are not fucking excuses! You know better. What the fuck has gotten into you?i could shake your fight now."
Bonnie noticed he was breathing heavily and he was angry at her. She didn't realize how much she didn't want to be the reason behind Damon's anger.
"I'm sorry."
"Sorry? Huh? That what you said, sorry?"
"Yeah. I didn't plan to-"
"Who plans it, huh? It's about being smart. You knew you had to come see me today. And you did it anyway. You're impossible. I can't keep going through this shit. I'm not your parent! You stress me out."
Bonnie had become the opposite of who she was a year ago. She was an excellent button pusher. And she tend to allow herself to make irrational decisions at the drop of a dime. He was right, she knew she had to see him today and she didn't stop herself.
"Listen... My brother expects perfection. My mom expects understanding. I can't even be a normal teenager, and go on dates, or have boyfriends. And then there's you!" She yelled.
"Me?"
"Yes! You are so demanding. You demand so much of me, Papi. I'm just one person. My life consists of work, and having no fun, and more work. I can't be seen as attractive. I can't have boyfriends. I can't party. I have to work, go to school and pay bills. Why can't I fuck up sometimes, like everyone else?"
"Because you can't. You're not like everyone else."
"I guess so. And that's unfair: I never drank or smoked until three months ago. For seventeen years I followed every rule carefully."
"There's nothing wrong with that."
"Says the habitual rule breaker." She corrected. "You know after school, Caroline goes shopping, or hangs out with Tyler. Elena is with Stefan or preparing for some beauty pageant and hanging out with her beauty pageant friends when she's not with Caroline. You know what I do? I go to work or come here and learn to defend myself."
"You hate this, don't you? I'm wasting my time?"
"That's not what I'm saying."
"Then what are you saying?"
"I don't know."
"Of course you don't. You're coming down from a high. You probably forgot why you're here and what we were talking about. What a fucking joke this fuckin day has been?" He shrugged his shoulders and shook his head feeling disappointment. She was bringing him to a boiling point with her antics.
"You know, baby, you're not the only one under pressure. I am in charge of a club of twenty men. I'm busy running deals and making money. Not just some money here and there. I have to make enough to divide between these twenty men's families! To top that off, I have to make enough for myself. To take care of my own household. Which is me and my brother. That fucking private school you guys go to... across town... I pay for both of your tuition." Bonnie had forgotten that. "You forgot that didn't you? Fifteen hundred a month. For each of you. That's three grand a month. You wanna pay that shit?"
She couldn't respond because she didn't realize how expensive her school was. It cost more than her mom's mortgage.
"So yeah, the club couldn't front that shit. Fifteen hundred a month per kid? Imagine we pay for everybody's kids to go to private school baby. No! I agree to do that out of my cut, so you and my brother had better opportunities. So that you could go to a good college if you wanted. I pay you and Stefan's tuition, and because of that, I don't live on the good side of town. I still live in the neighborhood. And that's fine. I pay for the condo my brother and I live in. He wants to be a man, he has to start making his way. Because once school is over, I'm finished paying his shit."
"I didn't realize-"
"No. You didn't. Another reason I pay that money for you two to go to school, is so I don't have to be at the school twenty-four-seven. It's in a safe neighborhood." He grabbed a cigarette, as she'd stressed him out. "Damn, you know... I've been watching you for eight years. Do the same things. No changes. Be a good girl. And suddenly, you're reckless as fuck! I mean you literally were home everyday on time. You went to school and cheer practice. You did the diner every other Friday after a game. Libraries on Thursday's, and to the Spanish bakery..."
"Panadería."
"Yeah, that place, once or twice a month to load up on those sweet breads things-"
"Conchas." She was still shocked how closely he watched her.
"You worked every summer at the pool as a lifeguard. You were a good girl. And then this year, you're fuckin wildin' out. For no fuckin reason."
"I'm just trying to be a normal teenager. You were a normal teenager."
"Make up your mind. You want to be a normal teenager or a grown up. Because the two ain't the same."
"I'm practically an adult, the way I help my mom."
"That's your fault for telling the club to stop paying the mortgage pretending the house was paid for. Which by the way, I'm going to have Marcel back paying that shit out of his own cut."
"No!"
"Why?"
"Because when he does that, he acts like he owns the house, and us. He tries to run everything and it's not okay."
"He need more responsibility. So, fight me on that." He dared.
"What do you want from me Damon?"
"Don't call me that."
"Tell me then, Papi. What do you want from me?"
"To understand the pressure is not just on you. On top of that shit I watch out for my guys safety. You Stefan and Marcel are making my life hell."
"I'm sorry."
He didn't realize how much he was demanding out of her. She was right, she didn't have a normal life, for a teenager. Everyone expected things from her, and not the normalcy she deserved. He felt like shit. "No. I'm sorry. I didn't realize. I didn't mean to change your life like this."
"It's not your fault." Instantly his guilt made her feel awful inside.
"Yeah, it is. What was I thinking? I should take you home. This was a mistake." He said with a serious face.
"No, Papi. Don't, please. I honestly look forward to our time. It's one of the highlights of my day."
"You don't have to say that."
"I mean it." She admitted. She turned towards the creek and let silence best them for a few moments. It was slightly awkward, and because it was awkward, she let it be, for a few minutes, watching him feel helpless was new for her, and she enjoyed it.
Damon walked to her and grabbed her face, looking at her eyes. "I know at your age, doing this shit seems cool. And I'm not saying you should never do it. Because you can only learn from experience. But come on you are too smart for this shit. Reserve it for a party or something. Sitting in Caroline's room."
"Fine. Just don't be mad. Don't end this, what we're doing. I need this. I do."
Damon looked at her as she'd slowly been sobering up.
"Who gave it to you?"
"I'm not crazy. You'll never know."
"Why?"
"Around okay. Kids at school have weed and sell it."
Bonnie looked at him as if he was foolish to try to get it out of her. He took her purse and opened it.
"Hey. Give me my purse back."
Damon shuffled through it only finding lipstick, about two hundred dollars in cash, a credit card, bank card, Drivers license, and a pack of gum. "$200?"
"Yeah, So?"
"Where'd it come from?"
"Work."
He had no choice but to take her word for it. She wasn't budging on too much information right now.
"Is it just weed?"
She didn't want to lie, but she knew her honesty might be a deal breaker. So she didn't come out right and admit to it, to keep him from walking away from this friendship.
"Listen, I'll stop being reckless. Only smoke in a social setting once in a while. I'm sorry."
"Baby girl I don't want you smoking weed. But I guess I can't stop you. But, if I find any other type of drugs on you, besides weed, ever, you're going to hate me. I swear on my club patch, I'll be your worst nightmare. We have an understanding?"
"Yes."
"Don't let me catch you doing anything besides smoking weed OCCASIONALLY. You hear me?"
"I hear you!"
"Good." He paused giving her the most aggravated look. "You seem to be not in the right headspace for this today. So, we should call it a day. I'll take you back."
Damon started loading everything back up. The water he brought for them, and a few other things. Bonnie watched him, as he avoided her. She was acting out. She realized it. She had gotten too deep to stop her behavior over night. Her level of trust was blown out with the club and every time she gave Damon a piece of her soul, he took it and ran. He never stuck around to allow their connection to manifest into something worth nurturing. He just used the club and Marcel as an excuse to make her feel like a child. And while she was fully capable of being more mature, she felt a deep need to rebel because it was all that gave her the feeling of being real some days. Because before she started acting out she was moving like a robot. And life was becoming boring and numb.
Bonnie was always capable of winning. Yet, somehow, pretending she had no common sense was more fun. Not in a childish way, type of fun. But in a 'I'm living, and breathing, and existing in a world where I'm taking the wrong turns just to feel the shock of it.
A good girl for seventeen years. Straight A student on honor society. Cheerleader, and student advocate. She wasn't existing in the world. She was moving according to the rule book. And rules were meant to be broken. After all, how would you ever learn to get up if you didn't let yourself fall once in a while.
Lessons learned were lessons earned.
The more the water grew louder and louder the more his conscious beat him up. She watched him become afraid of her again. She watched him get ready to run from her again. It was too tempting to jump in and disguise the fact that she was off her rocker and she couldn't very well answer questions about it. She started to take off her ridiculously priced clothing. Starting with her tiny shorts. When Damon turned to see her, he turned back away.
"Whoa, what the fuck are you doing?"
"I don't know about you, but I think it would be fun to go for a swim." She said, needing a pick me up after yet another deep and heavy discussion. "Come on, we work so much we don't enjoy each other at all. We fight like an old married couple. Let's just, exist in this moment, it'll be fun." He turned back to her to pick her clothing up.
"No. And put your clothes back on." He protested but quickly turning away the moment he saw her hips decorated in pink lace. "I'm serious, this is dead ass wrong."
"Why? Im not going to attack you. Unless you make me chase you." She laughed. Consider this a random side affect of cocaine. A coke high didn't usually last this long, but Bonnie's virginal system to drugs, seemed to hold a high, slightly longer than normal. The affects were a little stronger on her because of the receptors interacting more with her endorphins as she dealt with and interacted so intensely with Damon. Though she was crashing, from the cocaine in her system, her endorphins were still active enough to keep her momentum up. After Damon reawakened her brain to his lecturing her she knew she had to take her chance and save this day.
"Fuck it." He tossed his hands up. "I'm going to go for a walk in the woods if you don't put your fuckin clothes back on."
"Make me." She dared.
"Ya know, I told myself dealing with you beyond watching your house was a mistake. But did I listen to myself? No. Instead I fucked up by allowing this shit to got his far." And she laughed as he verbally assaulted himself. "I'm fucking stupid. This is my fault. I'm about to lose my mind because this fucking girl, takes shit too far sometimes."
As he spoke to herself she couldn't help but to find it sexy how angry he became.
"Hey, Papi." She called out softly watching him walked away.
"I'm not turning around."
"You're insulting me. Come on, I'm a big girl. I won't tell. Remember our pinky promise?" She yelled out. "Come protect me..." Damon walked away avoiding her looking at her body. Bonnie walked backwards heading towards the riverbed. "Oh no, sharks! Whooo!" She joked forcing Damon to roll his eyes, walking away and planning to fully ignore her. He kept his back to her.
She was his best friends little sister, is what he kept re-iterating to himself over and over like a record broken ten times over. She was pushing boundaries, that she shouldn't have. Her shirt was gone, but she kept her bra on, no shorts but kept her panties. "Oh my God, the water feels perfect. Come on." She ran into the water and let her body get soaked.
He avoided her at all costs. She was off limits. Staring at her was off limits. Talking to her about personal things was off limits. Laughing with her was off limits. Hugging her, was off limits. Wanting her, was off limits.
Marcel was his best friend. She was his little sister. Therefore, any thoughts or feelings evoked form inappropriacies were off limits. He turned his back to her and started messing with his bike for no reason. "I'm just fucking with shit that doesn't need to be fucked with." He spoke to himself.
"Holy shit!" She yelled for his attention. He told himself he wouldn't turn around. She was just seeking attention. "Papi, please... come swim."
"Nah. I'm good." He said without turning around, prompting her go take matters into her own hands. He would use the little power he had left, and ignore a beautiful, half-naked woman. He thought to himself how he was doing a good deed to mankind, by not allowing he and Bonnie to move in an inappropriate direction. Because he had a fear that the relationship between them would create something that he couldn't walk away from. Even if he pushed his own boundaries with her from time to time. She was someone he didn't want to lose, almost as much as he didn't want to lose his best friend. And if keeping her at a safe distance, was best, then it was what he'd do.
That is, until he felt her cold hands wrap around his eyes, and her wet half dressed body pressed against him while she played, "Guess who?"
"Bonnie, stop-" she shushed him with her finger.
"Not Bonnie, remember? I'm baby girl, and your papito." She laughed.
"Papito?"
"Yeah, it has a ring to it. And you're kind of a big baby sometimes." She grinned. Her accent was sexy when she used it, and it didn't matter if she said Papi or Papito, he was willingly there for anything that came out of her mouth in regards to him. Suddenly the color pink tasted sweet in his mouth and he wanted to eat it off her body. Before he could fully turn around, she didn't give him a chance. She pulled him by the hand behind her, and he stopped fighting her. He just watched her ripe body lead him to the pile of clothes, and begin to help him remove his.
"Stop."
"No." She smiled at him. He came to realize she was more trouble than he could've ever imagined.
"This is fucking wrong?"
"Who are we hurting?" He couldn't answer her question. "This is our spot. Our time. Our place. Our privacy. Remember? We are just friends, doing a spontaneously reckless thing." She smiled, taking off his cut. "I wanna be reckless. And clearly you have issues when I'm reckless without you. So, why don't you be reckless with me. And we can call it spontaneity." She giggled.
"Spontaneously reckless to me, is robbing someone, or putting a gun to their head and making them beg for their life." He joked, making her eyes widen. "I'm kidding."
"Very funny." She grinned, grabbing his cut to sit it down.
"You can't lay my cut on the ground. Ever!"
"Fine, here we can hang it on the broken branch."
"No fuckin way."
"Papito... live a little. Okay?"
"No, my cut doesn't go far from me."
Bonnie's eyes rolled heavily. "Fine. We'll walk it to the water closer to us." She held it carefully in her arms. "Come on, Finish taking your clothes off."
"Fine." He slowly removed his belt.
"Gucci?" She noticed. "Wow, how can you afford Gucci, on an assholes salary?" As his pants dropped, she refrained from looking down.
"Asshole? Really?" He grinned.
"Yeah." She said.
"You'll regret that one."
"Oh yeah. How?"
"You'll see. By the way... You're lucky I wore boxers today. I normally go commando."
"Gross."
"Nah, I'm very clean. Probably one of the cleanest men you'll ever meet."
While he removed his shirt, he watched her eyes totally avoid his body and his deliciously decorated skin. The two of them avoided looking down all together, which made things awkward, because it underlined the hard tension between them. She unknowingly bit her lip, and he, enjoyed watching her do that, more than he liked to admit. She walk towards the water, pretending to almost drop his leather. "Oooop." She teased. "It's almost touching the ground."
"Baby girl, I swear to baby Jesus, if you let that-" she pretended to drop it again. "What the fuck?" He ran after her, forcing her to quickly lay it on a nearby boulder and jump into the water. He took off after her and picked her up. "Asshole huh? You got jokes, baby?"
"No, Papi... I'm sorry don't get my hair wet!" She screamed out as he began torturing her with the notion of dunking her.
"Why?"
"Because you just don't wet a black girls hair like that." She screamed as he lowered her body slowly. "Don't be an asshole." She begged. "Please?"
"Oh, well according to you, I'm already an asshole, right. I may as well live up to it." He watched her face, as he slowly dunked her head under water, laughing the whole way. When he held her under water a while she came up gasping for air.
"You dick." She shouted.
"Yeah, well... I try." She popped up from the water, and tried to wrestle him down into the water, but he was far too strong. Their arms fought until they were tangled up inside of each other in a fit of laughter. Bonnie's legs wrapped around his waste and she tried hard not to let him muscle her around. Until the reminder that the closeness of their bodies brought sudden silence. His whole body held hers, tight against him unknowingly, and in these moments she didn't feel like anyone's little sister. She didn't even feel like his mentor's daughter. She was a woman, fully and completely, and he was a man, and the matter of tension, was once again, filling the air and water, with awkward silence. But this time, he just let himself feel her against him. He looked down at her wet skin touching his. His stomach breathing against hers and her breast against his chest. She felt so soft against him. He watched her stare at his art work. And all he could do was look at her while her hands held his biceps and traced the crowns tattooed on his body. He saw her lick the water off her lips, and as the beads of water dropped from her lips to her chin, others fell from her chin to her breasts. Where his eyes followed.
He was breathing heavier and his insides were fighting him on what his eyes were observing and what they were to ignore as his body fought against reacting to hers.
And he could no longer feign the idea that she was just Marcel's little sister. Unabashedly, his manhood, was awakened by her body, her scent, her laughter, her smile, her face... her.
Without thinking at all and being ingrained in this existence they created for each other, he told her, "You're so fucking beautiful."
Catching her off guard, her eyes met his momentarily, forgetting who he was.
"You think I'm beautiful?" She asked surprised.
"Ridiculously."
"Thanks." She followed back, quietly, gulping every nerve down her throat, into her empty stomach, which began circulating with butterflies again. He felt her swallow all the way down her stomach, against his. He made her feel things no one else ever had and she wanted to melt when he called her beautiful.
Damon's left arm pulled her in tighter, around her waist, while his right arm, pushed her wet thick hair out of her face. He watched her eyes drip with water, and her lips the same, while he now, bit his, in anticipation. Bonnie didn't know what they were doing, but she didn't stop it. She trusted any move he decided to make from this point on. Touching her, kissing her, holding her, letting his body continue to be awakened by hers. His pink lips and blue eyes were some fierce weakness that stabbed her through her groin like a samurai sword. She felt every nerve end in the lips of her womanhood, and she had never felt that before, except with him. Not even James made her feel that feeling, when he tasted her. Her heart began beating harder.
"Papi?" She breathed into his space.
He nervously responded, praying she didn't ask him to let her go with "Yeah baby girl?" Watching her lips say Papi, made him so hard, he couldn't disguise it. Bonnie felt it as they were pressed against each other. It made her feel a sensation in the pit of her stomach that reached all the way to her womanhood.
"Something's happening, inside of me as we touch like this." She said innocently, and without muzzling her reality. "I can't quite explain it. But, I don't want it to go away."
His fingers gripped her waist harder, allowing her to feel him fully when he held her tighter. She maoned slightly. Then he watched her face as he squeezed her. He wanted to own her body right there, in the riverbed and make her moan again. But instead he continued to play it safe as hard as it was for him to do. "Tell me... in three simple words, what you feel."
She gulped her nerves down her throat once more and quietly hummed him answer.
"Tickling. Pounding. And throbbing."
Damon wanted more than anything to remedy her nerves with his body. He now realized wearing boxers today was beyond a good idea, or he'd be in trouble. And as pure as it was, and as beautiful as the words sounded out of her heart shaped lips; he remembered suddenly she was someone's daughter, someone's little sister, and the legacy of a fallen soldier.
He stare at her beautiful features as her face was captured in an everlasting view he encapsulated into a small memory chamber in his brain of the most beautiful visions he'd ever laid his eyes on.
"Baby girl, we can't-"
"I know."
She sadly interrupted, with one of her hands against his chest, and the other wrapped around his neck. The war against their closeness re-entered the equation. The hand on his chest slowly moved up and around his neck and into his hair where her fingers planted themselves and maneuvered relaxation into his scalp as she lightly massaged it, wanting nothing more than for him to kiss her. Bonnie had no idea how to make a move on a guy, but she surely put herself out there for Damon. He was the only man she dared put herself out there for, with hopes he didn't leave her hanging like he frequently did.
Damon felt his heart pound as she held him and stare at him. Her touch was some type of saving grace and her fingertips in his scalp made him want them digging into his back while he took everything about her and made it his. He'd never felt his heart beat this hard except when he was in the middle of a fight. And even then, this feeling was was different and over powering him, beyond his control.
"I-" Bonnie tried speaking but his hands moved down her back, from her waist, to the curve in her lower back above the crest of her ass until he cupped it. He squeezed, to hear her moan once more. And he bit everything back to keep from destroying her in that water.
Bonnie's eyes shut living in that moment inside of his arms, and having felt him pressed into her, made her want to know what he felt like naked on top of her. And these feelings were why she realized her friends were having sex with their boyfriends.
Damon's hands held her back side a few more seconds, until he felt her legs wrap around his waist again. At this point if he didn't turn back, he'd bury his desperate need inside of her in that creek.
"Cel is my dude, and-"
"Yeah, totally. I get it." She admitted nervously, though she wished the stupid rules didn't exist. Damon made her forget everything. Even the fact that she had her first oral sexual experience today, which wasn't with him. Still, this feeling was far stronger than that. But, he was that magnetic, she couldn't resist the feelings he gave her. The feelings made her feel like both a woman and an insecure little girl. Slowly they let one another go. The moment was bittersweet because they both wanted much more.
"Sorry."
"What? No. This is my fault." She said.
"No. I knew better than to let it go that far. I'm the adult here."
"You're literally just a few years older than me."
"Almost eight to be exact."
"Closer to seven. But- Who's counting?"
"Me."
"Stop. Age is a technicality."
"Baby girl, my job is to look after you. I can't be selfish here. Your brother will fucking kill me."
"Okay. I get it." It was sadness and lingering silence as they separated their bodies in the water and moved away from one another. Damon gave himself awful thoughts about things to make his erection go away. He was embarrassed he'd let her feel that part of him. He felt like he violated her. He turned his back and rubbed his hands through his hair from his face in the water and mentally kicked his own ass over what transpired.
Bonnie took several deep breaths to calm down and Damon snapped her out of whatever trance James had her in.
"I'm sorry."
"No. I am." He said. "You know, in some other world, if I were the "good guy" and I graduated college and had a legitimate job, I'd break the rules for you. Because just maybe, I'd be worth the risk to someone like you."
"Someone like me, we come from the same place."
"No. I come from the gutter. You are a casualty of it. But you can leave. Graduate college and be with some guy with a briefcase and a degree. A legit bank account." He sighed. "Also you weren't in your right mind just now. For me, I could never take advantage of a situation like that. You understand? You came here high, and that, meant more than anything, that I was to look after you. I failed. I did. I would never intentionally take advantage of you. You're very hard to say no to."
She was definitely no longer high on what happened earlier in the day. But she was high on Damon and how naturally they connected.
Bonnie broke the monotony. "Hey, wanna race?" She boldly asked changing the subject, so he wouldn't have to.
"Seriously?"
"Yeah. I'd hate for us to end on a weird note. We are still friends. Right?"
"Of course."
"Well, I happen to be a fast swimmer. And I've never lost. To anyone. Even Cello."
"Fine. Under one condition."
"What?"
"Loser has to give the winner their Gucci shit!"
"You want my loafers?"
"No. But I'll wear the shit out of those Aviators."
"You won't touch my glasses before I get that belt."
"Whatever you say princess." Suddenly the names that only her father called her, Damon was calling her. He let her body go slowly and got his body ready alongside her. "Ready... set..." he took off before "Go!" Forcing her to try and catch up.
And no. She didn't win the race.
...
Marcel wanted to start off on a good foot with Gia. Everything about Gia was good for him. She was patient, kind, and understanding. He knew, someone like her, would be calming for someone like him. So, the more time he spent at her place, the more access he was given when she went to work. Today, Saturday, he'd slept in, and woken up to a note from her.
Hey sleepyhead. Sorry I dipped on you. I had a second job to work. Can't wait to see you later.
Lots of kisses, Gia.
He couldn't believe he had a girl like her, which was why he did whatever it took to protect their relationship ship from any threat. He picked up his phone to dial her number.
"Hello?"
"Hey baby."
"Well morning." She grinned.
"Hey, I was gone head home today. Just wanted to let ask how you wanted me to lock up?"
"Aww. You have to go?"
"Yeah. Sorry. I got some business to attend to."
"Okay." She said quietly. "Well, Marcus is dropping off the key today. He promised me he would."
"Your ex? Still has a key?"
"He's been procrastinating brining it. He said he'd bring it. I told him you'd be there."
"How long has he had a key?"
"Well, he moved about a year ago. But, because we don't get along, he just... avoids me by not bringing it."
"Is that all it is?" He asked suspiciously.
"Baby- yes. You don't think he and I-? No, okay. We are done. He just has an issue letting go of the past, and I refuse to play games with him."
"What time is he bringing it?"
"He said around noon."
"Fine. I'll wait til then. I can drop your key off to you, at work on my way out of town."
"No, baby. You keep it. I want you to have it." She surprised him, with her words and he was stunned into silence. "Hello?"
"Yeah uh... you sure baby?"
"Yeah. I mean we are getting serious, right? My place is yours."
"Okay. Anything else I need to know about this guy, before he gets here?"
"No. Just give him his old mail and tell him I forwarded his current shit to his mom's house since he hasn't changed the address." She laughed.
"Aight, baby. I'll hit you up later."
"K, baby. Bye."
"Bye." He hung up, and quickly went into her front room looking at the desk where he mail was. There he saw it, Marcus Daltry. He then did some Intel on Marcus Daltry. It took an hour before he got someone to find out where Marcus worked. He figured he'd give Marcus until noon.
He did. He waited until twelve-fifteen. Then he rode his bike to Marcus's job. A white collar, sales executive. He went inside the building where Marcus apparently worked and asked for him.
"Marcus Daltry?"
"Marcus hasn't worked here in months."
"Really? Any idea on his whereabouts?"
"No Sir."
"Alright. Thank you." He told the secretary. He then drove to the current address he was given, by his connection. Some run down motel on the outskirts of town. He managed to get the room info out of the motel clerk, without an issue. "Marcus Daltry's room?"
"Excuse me? No Marcus Daltry here."
"Any long term tenants? Possibly problematic."
"Oh, yes. If you're referring to whom I think, he's here. Room 105 on the first floor. Please tell me your coming to pick him up, he's been sleazing up the place for weeks with his prostitutes and his drugs. I know we're a motel, but there's some bad business he's got going on and it's costing me."
"Yeah, sure. I came to help out with the problem." Marcel left the office and headed towards room 105, promptly. He knocked on the door a few times, and no answer. But he heard noise coming out from inside of the room. "Marcus!" He yelled.
No answers promoted his quick temper to arise. He banged a couple more times, and nothing. After a few minutes, he went back to the office and asked for a key. Last thing he needed was to bust the door down and have the cops called. He walked back to the room and unlocked the door. All that he saw was a lot of pictures of Gia, some sex toys, and paraphernalia of sorts laying around he room. "What the fuck?" He said to himself. The shower was on, and he sat patiently waiting for the person on the shower to come out. He had some of Gia's underwear, and things that were missing out of her apartment.
A man walked out of the shower after ten minutes. "Yo! Who the fuck are you, and why are you in my room?"
"Where's my girl's key?"
"Oh, you Gia's new nigga?"
"Yeah I'm her nigga. Not her new nigga. Her nigga! And I'mma need my girl's key."
"Mutha fucka, you betta get the fuck out-"
Marcel jumped up and busted Marcus' head against the wall. "Nigga, the key!"
"Who the fuck you think you are-"
"Listen, I'm not gone ask again. The key, before I fuckin kill you." Marcel had his hands around Marcus's neck, pressing his thumbs firmly into his throat. As the man began blacking out he reached towards the desk drawer and pointed at it. Marcel let go, and got up, quickly looking around for the key. By the time he found it, Marcus grabbed a knife, and stuck it in Marcel's side. "Aww shit!" Marcel stumbled around, being caught off guard, as Marcus came back at him. Marcel held his hands up, and blocked the knife but was cut twice along his fist. The relentless man was high off some strong drugs as Marcel saw the meth scars and holes on his arms. He reached for the young guys towel, removing it, and temporarily distracting him, before he tripped him, and got him on his back. With Marcel's blood everywhere at this point, he had to take care of this guy before the guy took care of him. He fired on him, straight to his jaw, three times. First time, "This is for stealing my girl's shit." Second time, "This is for my girl." Third time, "This is for me!" The last time, Marcel hit him, the guy still couldn't be kept down. He must've been on some good shit. Marcel grabbed the man's hand, and sliced his throat with his own knife, putting him out of his misery. "Fuck!"
He thought to himself how he was alone out there, and needed to get rid of this body. He couldn't call the club, because nobody knew about Gia except Damon. And Damon denied him the right to leave town without permission. Hut he couldn't trust anyone else, BUT Damon. He quickly grabbed his phone and dialed his best friend. "Come on, pick up the phone." He said to himself in paranoia.
"Ayy." Damon said answering a burner phone.
"Nigga, I need you, here... now!"
"Where you at?" He asked with no hesitation.
"Out here with my girl. Bruh... it's bad." Damon felt trouble in those words.
"What do I need?"
"Bring the truck and the supplies!"
"Okay." Damon didn't say much, but he knew what that meant. Marcel texted him Back 40 Motel. Then Damon destroyed the burner phone and drove to Marcel. When he got there, he saw his friend covered in blood of his and another man's and the man completely bled out on the floor, naked. The two men spent the next half a day disposing of a body and cleaning that room.
Marcel found about twenty grand in cash, and got rid of the rest. He was shaken about the whole thing. As for the club, he was breaking rules left and right. Traveling without the club knowing. Killing someone, the club had no idea about, and needing to cover it up and clean up his mess without telling the club. And now, dragging Damon into his downward spiral.
Marcel stare at his best friend, who had every right to hand him over to the mercy of the club. But Damon hated watching Marcel spiral out of control. Especially considering his little sister would be destroyed if anything ever happened to him. Damon finished up grabbing fresh supplies from the room service, and making the room look almost new. He then found a supply closet, and cut up part of the carpet and replaced it.
Marcel stood there speechless. "Sal... I don't- I mean I can't-"
"We'll figure this shit out. But not today, I got shit to do." Damon and Marcel disposed of the body somewhere in the woods, and when it was said and done, Damon didn't know what to say. He was stricken with so much guilt behind his feelings for Marcel's little sister, that he just tried to swallow all of his anger towards Marcel right now, and move forward. But keeping this from the club wasn't smart. As of right now, he figured he'd try and save Marcel's ass, again.
...
Bonnie thought about everything that happened at James' house. While she tried hard to escape her life when she visited him, something about Damon proved her escapism was more and more complicated.
She thought to pick up the phone and dial James before Damon was supposed to show up to her house.
"Sweetie!" She heard from the outside of her door.
"Yes Mom. Come in."
"Hey, I'm heading out for a few hours."
"Mom you just got home from work, aren't you tired?"
"Yeah. But you know I rarely get out. I'm meeting with a couple friends. Drinks. Dancing." She smiled.
"Okay Mom. That's a good idea. You work seven days a week. Have fun."
"Thanks love. I should get going. I'm driving to Joan's house and she likes to leave early. So..."
"Sure." Bonnie stare her her mother. Still young and beautiful. Hasn't dated anyone since her father died ten years ago. Her mother was a young widow and barely met people the last couple years to have fun with. "Love you Mom."
"Love you Baby. Oh by the way, I finally got paid. You know they hadn't paid me in close to two months. So, I put most of the mortgage in the cookie jar."
"We can do it alone Mom. We've been doing fine."
"I don't like you having to pay my bills Bonnie."
"But I don't want the club's money. We are so capable. Women are capable Mom."
"Yeah. But I didn't feel right lying to Vin about the house being paid. They'd been helping us for nine years to pay on the mortgage. Since we lied to them, we are struggling. But if this is what you want me to do, to prove to you that we are capable I will."
"I do Mom. And we are capable. Thank you."
"Sorry we cant afford to send you to homecoming this year. And don't get me started on Christmas."
"Mom. We are okay. Who cares about homecoming. I don't have a date anyway." Which reminded her she needed to call James.
"Boys are probably blowing up your phone."
"Actually, no." She laughed. Bonnie didn't want to have the boys talk with her mother. "Mom- Go! You'll be late." She smiled. Plus Damon would be here within the hour. She wanted alone time with him.
"Okay bye baby."
Her mother walked out and when she heard the car start, she dialed James. She had to make it short and sweet.
"Kitten. To what do I owe the pleasure."
"Sir. I- I-"
"Spit it out doll. Don't be nervous. Is it about the last time we spent together." He worried. "You okay? Did what I did bother you?"
"Uhh. I'm fine. But about that, James I'm not ready to be in a deeply committed relationship ship.. we've got to ow things down."
"Did I scare you? Because I promise you, I just wanted to make you feel better. You were so distraught and you have been for weeks."
She hesitated a bit. "It was amazing. Don't get me wrong. It's just- with everything in my life, I can't complicate things."
"It's him, isn't it?"
"Who?"
"The man who has your head twisted in a frenzy the past few weeks."
"No. I just-"
"Is there someone else Kitten?"
"No." She trailed off.
"Please don't lie. I get it. If there's someone else, I told you, I'm a patient man. I'll wait. I have a busy life. You just brought this newness that was refreshing."
"Same to you. And- And I don't want to ruin it."
"I get it. I'm older. It's been a while since I've dated. I mean I probably scare you because I'm very mature compared to what you're used to."
"I have a crazy life and my family is protective. They can't find out about you, or they will-"
"They will what?"
"My family is complicated. As long as communicate and see them daily, they will pay close attention to me. So, I'd rather us stay friendly right now. And keep things simple. Because I can't give too much right now."
"I see." He said.
"Please don't hate me."
"I don't hate you."
"Because you've been great. I just need to move slower."
"Can we still spend time together and you visit me? I really do like you."
"Of course we can. If you're willing to move at a slower pace. This type of thing is new to me."
"Okay. I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable."
"You didn't. Okay. I just came home feeling overwhelmed with emotions I wasn't ready for."
"I get it. And I'll wait. I'm here for you. I guess that's what I want you to realize. Your happiness is addictive. I've never seen a more beautiful smile on a woman. I want to keep putting it on your face. Until your ready to take me seriously."
"I really don't deserve you." She smiled. "But thanks for being there anyways."
"Anything for you Kitten. And when you're ready, I'm taking you away from all the complications in your life."
...
After a tumultuous afternoon with Marcel, Damon went home, showered and got ready to go see the only person who made him feel anything remotely close to comfort and sanity. He drove to Bonnie's house, parked a block away, and walked the rest of the way, waiting out front, seeing her reflection in the window. He wanted more than anything to go inside and see her face, but his guilt forced him to turn around and walk away. Until he heard his phone ring, and looked to see her name.
"Ayy."
"Hey? You still coming?" Him coming every night, was beginning to be what she looked forward to. Having him in her room at night, felt like safety, in more ways than one.
"Uhh, I was thinking I may give you some space tonight." Marcel's stunt had Damon feeling guilty to be round Bonnie. Knowing how much Marcel needed him, he felt selfish giving everything these days to his little sister.
"Oh." She sounded down. "Look, if this is about yesterday, it's fine. I get it. You are his best friend. But, at the same time, you and I are friends, right?"
"Baby girl, I-"
"And, at the end of the day, my selfish brother, isn't here. You are. If you're his friend, like you say, you'll not allow yourself to just, keep away from me. Especially if I need you."
"Ahh, I know it makes sense, it does, and I really think, you could be right, but-"
"But what? You're making me feel like I did something wrong."
"You didn't." He assured her, and as he tried to fight himself to go in her house, he was surprised to find her outside, walking up behind him.
"But, why do I have to keep paying for whatever mistakes my brother makes? You talk about loyalty all the time. And who's been loyal to you, more than me lately? I'm here. I listen to you. You asked me to trust you. I do."
"If only it wasn't so complicated."
"I'm just some kid, right? Well, if you really believe that, it shouldn't be complicated. I won't cross any boundaries. I promise. But don't give me this great thing, then take it away. I've never had this before. How is it fair to me? You going to abandon me too?"
He looked at her with a guilt ridden face. "That's really unfair."
"Is it?"
"Yeah it is."
"It's unfair, because you feel what I feel, and you're afraid to admit it. Because I'm a "kid" in your eyes."
"Yeah you are." He said, and didn't call her a liar for saying he felt something too. "And don't you have boys your age after you?"
"Yeah. So?"
"Well..."
"I don't like boys my age."
"Yeah, well, I'm a twenty-something, and a fuck up."
"I'll be eighteen soon. And I don't care."
"You are really persistent, and it's hard to stand my ground with you. You can get me in trouble. I can get you in trouble. I'm just supposed to look out for you. I was always, ONLY, supposed to look out for you."
"Then look out for me. I'm not stopping you. You are."
"Yeah, I am. One of us has to be very aware of our surroundings, and think here." He said, watching her shiver outside in her shirt and shorts as the breeze kicked in. "You're going to freeze your ass off." He walked up to her rubbing her arms. "You should get inside."
"Fine. I'll go. But you should come too. My moms not home." She grabbed his hand, and tugged at him. He wouldn't budge. "Okay, I can take a hint." She walked on without him, "For the record, I'm not this girl with a school girl crush who writes our names in a heart bubble with an arrow through it. I also don't imagine us getting married and having children or a white picket fence. And I damn sure don't obsess over or need anyone who doesn't need me." He saw her carry on bare foot in the cold walking away. She was shivering because it was a chilly late night. He ran behind her and stopped her.
"Hop on kiddo." She smiled, and walked behind him, until he bent down a little waiting for her to hop on his back. He then carried her into the house, and up to her room. Locking the door behind them. Bonnie got off his back and looked at him. Something was off about him right now.
"What happened today?"
"Nothing. Why?"
"You're in a different head space. I feel it. And it's not because of what we just spoke about. You came here, and left, because something happened today. Something, is on your mind." She removed his cut, which was becoming a routine. She hung it in her closet, and got the blankets ready for the floor. She also changed her own shirt in front of him, because it had happened a few times already. Why deny the closeness they shared? She turned her lights out immediately anyways once he was in her room.
"How can you tell?"
"I know you Papito. It's like, you get this far away look in your eyes. And I can tell your head is somewhere else. Sometimes it's in a sad place, sometimes it's in a really detached space."
"What are you reading right now since you know me so well?"
"Sadness." She said without hesitation, and she couldn't have been more right. Finally someone in his life who saw beyond the surface of who he was.
"Fine. You want the truth baby? You want to know how my day went, without judging me?"
"Yes." As he removed his boots and sat on the floor, she sat with him. She leaned against her bed, and listened to him, and he sat beside her.
"I'm not one of the good guys. I buried a man today. I buried a man I don't even know, that a club brother killed, and without questions, my loyalty was there for my brother. And now, I can't tell the club about it, because this member was somewhere he wasn't supposed to be, after being told to stay away, and now, I'm jeopardizing all of my loyalties, to everyone with is secret. I'm losing myself in this life some days."
"It's a lot to deal with. It's got to be hard also with your father being across the coast helping out other charters. There's a light at the end of the tunnel papi."
"Ya know, before... I couldn't even find the light at the end of the tunnel. Nor did I want to. Everything was dark and I liked it that way. Then one day, things changed, and now, somedays I question everything, and think I want more than this life."
"I'm so sorry. It's an awful burden to carry. Especially since I know how loyal you are. And I won't even ask the club member, because I know your loyal as hell." Her brother was that man, and maybe deep down she knew, and maybe deep down he worded everything that way for a reason so, she could understand without him telling her. "But, one day, no matter who that club brother is, you need to find the one thing that makes you happy, and hold onto it. Even if it means that club brother becomes less of a priority."
"I try to. But I'm not always sure the thing that makes me happy is good even for me."
"What? Why?"
"Let me rephrase that. I'm not very good, for the one thing that makes me happy."
A piece of her wanted to hold on to that and never ask what it was that made him happy. She wanted to believe it was her, and she'd rather hold that notion by not asking him. "Well that fucking blows." She said sarcastically, making him laugh.
"Yeah, it does." He sighed, holding out his hands. "These hands are covered in blood baby girl. And nothing, not even a ocean of holy water can clean them." She grabbed his hands, and started to rub them. His tired fingers, and sore knuckles. She massaged his pressure points, and made his head fall back onto her bed in a relaxed state.
"Geez your hands are so rough, and tight. And your knuckles are very banged up." She kept kneading his hands, with her small fingers.
"Damn who taught you how to do that?"
"Nobody. I just imagine what'd I'd want, and I do that." She said. "Here lay on your stomach . I give good back rubs too."
"No. You don't need to-"
She shut him down by pulling his body downward, and laying him on his stomach. "Just relax." Then she gently climbed onto his back, looking at his tattoos, grabbing a lotion from near her bed. She let her gentle fingers go to work. She was such a good girl, even through her terrible secrets. Maybe his taking her into the mountains for the past couple weeks and tearing her away from her topless career wasn't so bad. The attention she never got from a male figure was coming from him. And she wasn't lacking what her job had given her. Because Damon gave it to her in other ways.
His guidance wasn't conventional. It wasn't easy. But somehow, it worked for them the past couple months.
Bonnie massaged his back for about thirty minutes, over small talk. She rubbed her fingers over every scar, every tattoo, every part of his skin that she could. She wanted to ask repeatedly, what every word, and number meant. What every piece of art meant. Why he had so many scars, and what they were from. What all the tattoos meant. Instead she just observed him, looked at him, and massaged his body. She saw all of the stress and sadness associated with the ink. She could feel so much tension in his back. Her hands were overworked.
Eventually, they fell asleep. Him, on his stomach, and her on his back.
When they woke up the next day, he was on his back, and she was on his chest. He had one of his arms wrapped around her, the other one that wasn't holding her was thrown above his head. Their alarms went off, waking them up. The two of them slowly opened their eyes realizing the way in which they were sleeping. All of Bonnie's hair on one side of her face, fell to his chest as she looked up at him, and awkwardly remained in silence.
"Wow."
"Yeah, sorry about falling asleep on you."
"It's okay. You're light as a feather." He smiled, lookin at her wipe the drool from her lips. Then he laughed. "At least it means you slept good."
"I did. That's the safest I've felt since I was a little girl." She said.
Damon stare at her for a while. And she looked back. The two of them held a silent stare down as she lay on top of him facing him on her floor. He wanted to kiss her. Hold her in his arms and make her forget about everything she hated. He wanted himself to forget about everything he hated.
But it quickly faded to a frown when he saw a large red mark on her neck. "Shit!"
"What?"
"I think, when you laid on my chest, my chain must've imprinted on your neck. Well, more like your collar bone."
"Damn, does it look bad!"
"Well, it looks like a mark. Kind of like a hickie."
"Seriously? Fuck!"
"It's okay. It should fade by sun up." He suggested because it was about five am. Bonnie jumped up and looked at it through the mirror. "Hey, it should be done by sunrise."
"Yeah. Okay." She agreed quietly. He grabbed for his shirt and boots and put them on, while she stood by her bed and watched. After he was all done, he gave her a kiss on the forehead. "I'll see you later on today. Target practice."
"Yeah, maybe I'll hit my mark today." She grinned.
"Yeah. Well, I should go while it's dark."
"Okay. Bye Papi."
"Bye baby girl." He walked outside and left after her mother had gone. Bonnie got back in bed and about two hours later, there was a knock at her door. She heard it, as she lie in bed, thinking about Damon. About their conversations. How intimidate they were, yet how innocent they were. How much he'd become one of the closest people in her life. Lately, he was becoming closer to her than Stefan. She felt at ease around him, realizing he was this zone of comfort, that not only held her thoughts, but now her deepest desires. A fear she had from how much she'd began caring for him, and developing a deep fondness for him in every way.
A second knock at the door woke her out of her day dream. Bonnie stumbled out of bed, and threw some longer sweatpants on. She ran downstairs to open the door. She found a tall stranger at her door, a handsome man, with dark eyes. "Hey, can I help you?"
"Not really. Well, actually, darlin. I was just going to let you know, I'm you're new neighbor."
"Oh, okay. Well, nice to meet you."
"Are you the lady of the house?"
"No. She's working right now."
"Is the man of the house home?" Suddenly Bonnie was suspicious of his man with the boy next door charms.
"He'll be home soon."
"Sure, good. Good. Okay. Well, I'm just here to let you know you will be seeing us around a lot. My wife and I. I'm detective Parker, by the way."
"Detective?"
"Yes, that alarming?"
"Uh... No."
"Okaaay." He said suspiciously, while she wondered where his wife was. "Anyway, my wife is at work. But, we'll be sure to bring a pie by later. Just wanted to introduce myself." He said, taking several looks into her house. Bonnie, knowing the way her family lived, was not naive. She pulled the door up to lessen his view.
"Well, it's nice to meet you. I've gotta go."
"Okay, and your name, darlin?"
"Bonnie."
"Beautiful name, Bonnie."
"Thank you Mr. Parker."
"Detective."
"Detective Parker." She closed the door suddenly, realizing he stood there on her porch for about thirty seconds before walking away. Maybe the detective moving in next door was a coincidence, maybe not.
But it was official all of her memories of her and Lexi were in that house. That abandoned house was now inhabited by new owners and the memories that once existed were slowly fading.
Two minutes later another knock at her door shocked her. She hurried to open it. "Caroline?"
"Morning. Thought I'd pick you up to go take Elena to breakfast."
"What? Where is she?"
"She's home. I called her and told her we were treating her. It was your idea Bon."
"When?"
"Uhh, I called you, while you were with James a couple days ago." Bonnie forgot the conversation, until just now.
"Right."
"Okay. Cool should I wait in the car while you get dressed?"
"No. Come in. I need to take a quick shower."
"Okay."
...
After Marcel left Gia, he made another phone call. "D?"
"Yup!"
"I need to drive to Texas."
"Why?"
"You know why. I need to go and check on my son."
"When are you going to tell your sister that she has a nephew. I can't keep lying to her for you about why you disappeared a few months back."
"She can't know. Okay. Not yet, because it'll fucking break her heart. I just- I can't. I need to go see him, and take his mom some money."
"I'm going to escort you."
Marcel huffed angrily. "Really? I can't have privacy with my son?"
"I don't plan to barge in on your time. But you're not going alone. Now you wanna see your son? Then the deal is I go with you. I'll talk to Vince and let him know, then get a fucking room. You go do your thing. We meet back up. Sunday night."
"And B... I thought you were supposed to be watching her."
"I guess we'll just have to trust her next weekend." Damon said, regretfully. He didn't want to leave her to her own devices because she always managed to do something secretive. But it was either let her be secretive, or, let Marcel get into possible trouble again. He had to keep Bonnie's brother out of trouble. And for once Marcel became Bonnie's brother and not the other way around.
"I can't wait until next weekend."
"You have no choice. We have to speak to Vince and he won't be back for a couple days."
"Fine."
"Bye." Damon hung up and texted Bonnie.
Papi : Will be on a detail next weekend.
BbyGrl : Wait! You won't be here? :(
Papi : No
BbyGrl : Why?
Papi : Its really important. But you need to be good.
BbyGrl : Sure. But, everything okay?
Papi : Of course Baby. Don't worry.
BbyGrl : Is it Cello? He okay?
Papi : BbyGrl, relax. Everything is fine.
He didn't want to keep this secret form her. He knew it would hurt her but this secret would jeopardize somethings..
BbyGrl : Okay. You wouldn't be lying, right?
He hated this part. He hated lying to her.
Papi : Everything is fine. Trust your boy :)
BbyGrl : Okay.
And at this point she was happy to call Caroline and Elena and make some plans for Saturday again. It would be her second Saturday spent with friends. But something felt off about his text.
Papi : Have a good day at school!
BbyGrl : Yeah. Okay;)
She grinned like a typical school girl.
...
Damon took a dart to the dart board and looked at the jar with his Savage Sal Pussy Fund in it. Rose watched him. "What?"
"The jar has over $6000 in it?"
"Hmm. Didn't notice." He said.
"Why you staring at it?" She asked. "And what the fuck does it mean?"
"You really wanna know?"
"Yeah."
"You sure?" He raised a brow playfully.
"On second thought, no. Uhh, so... who were you texting?"
"Work shit?"
"Ya know-" she say the rag down she was using to clean the countertops with at the bar. "You never felt the need to lie to me til you started looking after that fucking girl."
"Rose. Stop."
"No. I mean, you've become so secretive. I haven't slept the night with you in forever. You're never around at night? What gives?"
"Are you done for the day?"
"Just about. Hey don't ignore me. Answer me!" She demanded.
"Rose, go home. I need to take a shower."
"Wow. Really? No good bye kiss or hug? You not even gone fuck me?" She asked with her hick country accent.
"I could fuck you but my head wouldn't be in it. If your cool with me fucking you, and thinking about something else, then let's go."
"Something or someone?"
"Come on. You don't want details."
"Fuck you. Can I have my money, then. So I can leave?"
"Yeah. He pulled out his money. How many hours do I owe you?"
"Fifteen. The last three days."
"You clock in with Jesse?"
"No. Do I need to? You know I'm good for my word."
He handed her a wad of twenties. "Here, pat with interest. And it's about twelve hundred. Should cover your rent and your car."
"Thanks." She grabbed the money and stare at him for a few seconds. "So, I'll see you next week."
"Next week?"
"Yeah."
"I won't be here the rest of this week at the club house. And this weekend I have a detail out of town."
"What's new?" She rolled her eyes, kissed him and left. His mother's, brother stood by tampering with numbers and a calculator, with a bunch of paper work in front of him he was about ready to pack up.
"How long you gone let her think she has a chance?" Frank asked.
"Frankie Fingers... why do I have a feeling you want to tell me something?"
"Intuition?" He smirked. "Why do I have a feeling you have questions, nephew?"
"You think Rose is loyal? Girlfriend material?"
"Girlfriend? Ehh. Your bitch? Sure. Future Queen? No."
"Yeah. Figured."
"Why? You want her to be?"
"Just askin."
"I'm gonna 'son' you for a minute."
"Unc, don't 'son' me."
"No. I will. Look. I know we joke about you not taking these bitches that come here seriously. But this life has those females. The ones that just want the glory of this shit. Most females don't want this life. Not a respectable one. But- when a respectable one comes along, and they love a man who's about this life, they take on that loyalty stance. Rose ain't that chick."
"She's loyal to me. I know what you're thinking, but-"
"But nothin. I'm not done son'n you. Rose reminds me of a bottom bitch. She's loyal as fuck when it comes to the money and the prestige. Hell she even loves to fuck. But the minute you ain't got the money and the prestige, and you decide to stop dickin her down, she's on to the next mutha fucker. Who can support her lifestyle."
"A bottom bitch? Wow. What a comparison."
"You little bitch. She comes here fucks the shit outta you and works for money. When she supposedly has a fucking job. What do you call it?"
"Number one, I'm not a pimp. And number two, she's not my bottom bitch bro."
"Damn near close to it. That's what a bottom bitch does. If she can handle watching you fuck multiple women, and tries to be territorial over your role with those women, she's a bottom bitch. And believe me, I believe Rose was about that life before you."
"You saying my bitch was a prostitute before me Unc? That's a serious accusation." Damon asked.
"Don't be mad. I'm speaking what I've seen in the streets. Either way, nothing matters if you love her. Or want to claim her. It's your business. Nobody else's."
"I claim no one."
"No wonder. That jar is up to $6000 and counting. But let's be serious, you ain't fucking her at the moment. That's one down."
"It's only been a couple weeks."
"A couple weeks? If I don't fuck my lady for a couple days, she's sniffing my dick."
"Pft, Rose would never."
"Exactly. Rose knows you fuck other females."
"I don't."
"Then why you ain't fucking her. You flipped the coin on me?"
Damon's brow raised. "Fuck no. I still like pussy okay."
"Then There's someone else. Someone you care about. And she can tell."
"You just said, said she doesn't care if I fuck other females."
"Fucking a female and loving one are two different things. Rose is starting to feel like her bread and butter is being taken. You fuck another bitch, she knows your coming back to her because she loyal. She doesn't care who you fuck as long as you come back. But, you fall for someone, she knows it's deeper than what you have with Rose. Which, let's face isn't emotional. It's sex. That's it. Comfort. Not love. There's a difference between the top bitch you fuck, and the woman, you fall in love with."
"And what, Maia has you locked down, Doesn't she?"
"Pretty much." He laughed.
"You love her?" Damon asked as Frank was almost done packing his things.
"Maybe. I mean there's potential."
"How do you know it isn't a phase."
"Because I'm a grown man. What the fuck kind of question is that?" He laughed. "Don't you know the difference between loving someone and just fucking them?"
"Come on. It's not easy for me to talk about this shit as it it. Now you making me feel like a fucking Neanderthal."
"You know when you love a woman. Because it's not just about sex." Damon still looked clueless. "Let me ask you this, have you fucked this woman yet?"
"No. Hell no."
"How often do you think about her?"
"Unc." He laughed. "Come on, don't get soft-"
"Shut up you little bitch. Answer the question. Every day, every night, all day, all night? Or all of the above?"
"All of the above."
"Does she drive you crazy, and make you question your own sanity?"
"Every fuckin day."
"Is she perfect?"
"No. She's a nightmare sometimes."
"Sounds right. Does she have potential to make you better?"
"I think in some ways she already has."
"I definitely see some changes in you. You trust her?"
"I don't know yet." Frank stare at him a while. "Okay let me put it this way... we all make mistakes. I'm not asking if you trust every decision she makes. I'm saying, life and death situation, it's you in a ditch dying... she gonna run for help, or stay with you til you die?"
"I don't know."
"When you figure that out, tell me."
"Wait, Which is worse? What's the difference?"
"You'll know. Just ask her." Damon was more confused than ever. "And the answer matters. There's a right answer."
Damon stood quietly. "Okay."
"A good woman isn't put in your life, to change who you are. Or make you feel like shit about your choices. She's put in your life to enhance the man you didn't realize you were capable of being. And it's a challenge. SHE will be a challenge. If she wasn't a challenge, she wouldn't be worth it."
"Why's this shit so complicated?"
"I don't fuckin know. Because God is a woman!" He laughed. " Now I gotta go. My girl has called me three times. And she doesn't-"
"Call a fourth." He repeated. "I got it. Later bro."
"Later baby boy." Damon had so much to think about. Rose, Marcel, Stefan who was healing slowly. And Bonnie. Who was occupying his mind to know avail.
This chap was a doozy filled with lots. Damon and Bonnie's moment in the mountains. Again this relationship is slowly developing. From every big argument to every small moment they make of progress. Did they go to far in the water? Marcel kills Gia's ex. Damon helps him handle it, secretly. He opens up to Bonnie about it. Without telling her it was Marcel. She proves some loyalty, through her mistakes. He admits to questioning his choices. Bonnie calls James about their situation. Detective Parker moves next door. Abby, goes out. Marcel has a son. Rose questions Damon. Damon has a heart to heart about women with his uncle Frank (HTGAWM-Frank Delfino).