Picking Up The Pieces

Chapter 37: Just Wanted Your Love, Part Two.

Author's Note: Just a quick note here to thank the reviewers for the last few chapters, love2burn4tim and Saderia. It's funny how I'm getting fewer reviews, but this story is getting added to more "alert" or "favorite" lists... Anyway, I'd love to hear from some more of you, especially as this story is winding down...

Chapter 37 : Just Wanted Your Love, Part Two

While Portia schemed, Tommy and Angie enjoyed their romantic picnic. It could not last long enough. In the remote meadow, Tommy reluctantly checked his watch.

As always, Angie was aware of his every move.

"We have to go." she said sadly.

"Yes, baby, we do." Tommy apologized, as his lips grazed her temple. "I have to meet with Darius."

Angie's eyes brightened with understanding.

"You're going to pitch your album?"

"Yes." Tom's eyes glowed with pride.

"Well, then..." Instantly, Angie was on her feet. "Let's go!"

"This is the most important thing to you ever!"

"Yes." he easily agreed, then looked at her, the meaning of those words sinking in.

"It's not the only thing." he added.

Angie smiled and said.

"Don't worry. I'd never ask you to choose."

"I won't need to." Tommy said arrogantly. He had it all figured out.

"I'll see D today! Sell him on the solo project before Portia comes home. When she does, I'll take care of that."

"You really think this is going to work. That even if D commits to your album today, he won't back out tomorrow if you divorce his sister?"

"It's business." Tommy's inner voice proclaimed. "It's money. I'm the most popular member of this group... Hell, just my name alone would sell the album. Even if it were shit... which it isn't!"

"There's no way D will pass this up! He never wanted me and Portia together anyway..."

"And if he does, someone else will jump at it! I can't lose."

Tommy's thoughts completely absorbed him as he and Angie slid into the Porsche and drove back to the hotel.

Angie was equally preoccupied. Her thoughts grew darker with every mile they drove.

"I know what he's thinking about... The album... and Portia. How to both launch his solo career and divorce his wife... It's a lot to handle... So complicated."

"But he will. He can. He promised!"

"We'll be together always. We have to be."

"I already lost one man I loved. I'm not gonna lose two..."

Their drive together ended, their thoughts far apart. Too soon, Tommy steered the car into the secret back entrance of the hotel garage. Seconds later, he parked it.

Only then did he bother to look at the fragile blonde girl besides him.

Tommy hesitated for a moment.

"I want to know what's bothering her... I want to tell her... But there's no time now."

"Whatever it is, it will wait. She's not going anywhere..."

"Bye." he said, quickly pecking her lips. "I'll call you later."

Angie nodded.

They headed off in their separate directions.

Tommy's path took him straight to the express elevators, and up to the top floor, where Darius occupied the hotel's most expensive suite. He inhaled deeply as he headed down the hall.

"Get it together, Quincy... You're a sure thing!"

Emboldened, he knocked on his manager's door.

"Enter."

Tommy pushed the door open and entered the suite's living room. Darius sat behind his large desk, staring at something on his computer. He cursed softly, then turned to face his protegee.

"Yes, Mr. Quincy?"

"Mr. Mills." Tom replied, echoing the older man's formal tone.

"You have business for me?"

"Yes." Tommy said strongly. "Picture this. "Boyz Attacks" front man releasing his own album!"

Darius smiled and shook his head.

"That would never work."

Tom's eyes widened slightly, but he remained calm.

"Chaz doesn't have that kind of star power!" Darius finished.

Tommy smirked.

"Not Chaz. Me."

"You want to do a solo album?"

"Already have." Tom boasted, taking a CD case from his jacket pocket.

"How'd you do that?" Darius was intrigued.

"With Kwest."

"It's rough." Tommy said, handing the recording over. "But it shows what I can do. You need to give it a chance."

"I do, huh." Darius was impressed, not necessarily by the music. He wasn't sure what to expect of that. But he admired Tom's nerve, as the youth stood before him, pitching his sound.

"Taught him everything he knows..." Darius congratulated himself.

"I'll listen. But I'm not promising anything."

"Ok." Tommy agreed, knowing this was part of the game.

"But in return, you're going to do something for me."

"Yes?"

"Stop fucking around with Angie!" Darius demanded.

Tommy just stared at him.

"Don't try to deny it. I know every move you make. I own you."

"No..."

"Angie, too. I own her. You are both under contract. Neither of you can do anything without me."

"So. You stop it with her. Right now." Darius finished.

"Or what?" Tommy said cooly. "You won't produce my album?"

"No"

"You think that will stop me." Tom laughed. After all these years, he finally had the upper hand.

"No." Darius replied.

"No"

"I know I can stop you." Darius said calmly.

"You are under contract. Like I said, I own you. That means, you can't perform or release anything. At all. Not without my okay. Which you're not getting."

"I'll just go somewhere else..."

"You can't. Not unless I nullify your contract. You can't sign with anyone else while it's valid. And I won't do that."

"And what about Angie." Darius threatened. "I can end her career too."

"She's the best you got!" Tommy insisted.

"She's not irreplaceable. Plenty of pretty girls out there who want this. Who will do anything for it."

"This is non-negotiable." Darius's voice was harsh.

"End it with Angie. Right now. And then, maybe I'll give your solo album a shot. If I like the demo."

"You will." Tommy replied confidently.

"So..." Darius said, dismissing him.

"When will you let me know?" Tom pushed, wanting to retain some control.

"When I decide." Darius replied, not surrendering any.

"We're done." the man added, turning back towards his computer.

Dazed, Tommy left the suite and headed back to his own.

"What just happened... Did I just agree to..."

"No! I didn't agree to that! I wasn't given a choice. There is no choice."

"I have to have this album. Need this... It's the most important thing to me."

Angie's face floated into his mind, and just as quickly, dissipated.

"I'll talk to her... We can work this out. Her career's at stake, too. She'll feel the same way..."

"We'll just... take a break. Until our contracts end. Then..."

A strange foreboding seized him.

"It's just a break. That's all."

"I need a drink" Tommy said out loud. He headed straight for the minibar and grabbed a beer.

"Hello." a voice called out from behind him.

Tommy jumped, splashing beer onto the carpet.

"Didn't mean to startle you." the voice added, not sounding sorry at all.

"Portia" Tom said, steadying himself. "I wasn't expecting you."

"No" she laughed, a harsh, bitter sound. "You never do."

"Portia..." Tommy repeated, his voice softening.

"We need to talk."

"Right." she said, shaking her head. "I know all about you and Angie."

"Who told you?" demanded her erstwhile husband.

"Everybody..."

"Chaz... The other "boyz"... And the "girlz"... Even Kwest!"

"Did you honestly think that I wouldn't find out?"

"No...:" Tommy realized.

"My "friends" would never keep that secret... Why should they?"

"So... where does that leave us?" he asked. To him, there was only one answer.

"I've been thinking about that..." Portia's voice was thoughtful, as she poured her own drink.

"We've got to spend more time together. Talk. Do whatever we have to and work all this out."

"Do you really think that's possible?" Tommy didn't believe it.

"I love you." Portia was clear. "You're my life."

Her words hung in the air for a few moments, as her spouse remained silent.

"But you don't feel the same way..."

"Portia..." Tom pleaded gently. "We made a mistake..."

"No!" she screamed hysterically. "I need you! You're not leaving me!"

"My brother will destroy you! End your fucking career! Is that what you want!"

"No." Tom replied, as rage erupted inside him.

"I can't believe you're doing this to me!"

He threw his drink against the wall. Portia screamed as the glass shattered violently into pieces. Liquid streaked down the wall, teardrops of amber fluid dripping onto and staining the carpet.

"You're blackmailing me into staying with you!"

"Think of it as a choice." Portia was calm now, walking up to the bar and refreshing her own drink.

"That's not a "choice"!"

"It's the only one you're getting." Portia said cooly, emptying her glass in one long sip.

"I can't live this way!."

"You'll have to."

"You can't leave me." Portia insisted. "And really, is it so bad? We're pretty good together..." she insinuated.

"And you'll have your music. The chances you always wanted."

"You can't leave me..." she whispered seductively, handing the telephone to Tommy.

"End it with Angie. Now."

"Fine." Tommy said weakly. "I'll go see her..."

"No. You won't." Portia smiled. "No more secrets. I'm going to hear this!"

"No!" Tommy insisted, knowing how devastated his girl would be.

"I don't want to hurt her. Portia, please..."

"Absolutely not!" Portia refused, enjoying his pain.

"You call her right now."

"She'll be so upset..."

"Like I care!" Portia retorted.

"Like you did... about me!"

"You should have thought of that before you fucked her!"

"Do it!" she insisted. "Or- I will!"

Tommy snatched the phone out of Portia's hands. Angie picked up on the first ring.

"Tommy!" she said excitedly.

"How did it go with Darius?"

"Not good..." Tom's voice was flat, empty. Angie was scared.

"I've never heard him like this before..."

"What's wrong?"

"I can't do this anymore."

"What..."

"This. Us." Tommy replied.

"Darius... knows."

"Yes."

"Come on. Talk to me. We'll work this out. You promised."

"You love me." she pleaded.

"I lied." Tommy said icily. "I never loved you."

"Yes, you do." Angie knew better. She didn't understand what had come over him.

"We're in love. You didn't mean that..."

"No." Tom repeated harshly.

"It's better this way... if she hates me. I deserve that."

"No!" he said again, realizing.

"I don't really love her... Or Portia. Not enough... It's the music. I need to be a star. That's always first..."

"Neither of them... are worth giving that up!"

Ironically, he remembered what Darius told him, after his first concert, years ago, at the mall.

"No attachments!"

Now, after all this time, he finally understood.

"Attachments... aren't possible. Aren't safe..."

"We're done." he added.

"Tommy!"

Her pleas went unheard as he slammed down the phone.

"Happy!" he screamed at Portia.

"Extremely." she answered smugly. "You destroyed her!"

"Like you do everyone!"

"I hate this!" Tommy yelled.

"Oh, you'll get over that." Portia said confidently. "Once you'll see how happy I can make you.

She stroked his inner thigh. He jumped away from her.

"Not interested."

He grabbed his jacket and headed for the door.

"Where are you going?"

"Anywhere but here!."

But Tommy couldn't go far. There was a concert scheduled for that night, and he needed to leave in an hour. So he took refuge with Kwest.

For once, his friend didn't have much encouragement for him.

"Glad I'm not you."

"What am I going to do?" Tommy asked.

"What do you want to do?"

"I want the album. I want Angie. I want Portia and Darius off my ass..."

"I can't have it all." Tom concluded.

"No. You can't." Kwest agreed.

"A first... Tommy Q not getting everything he wants. Being just like the rest of us..."

"You need to choose."

"I already did." Tommy knew.

"I chose... me!"

"Now you gotta live with it." Kwest advised.

"Yes." Tommy agreed guiltily.

"Everyone has to live with it. Especially Angie..."

________________________________________________________________________

However, Angie had decided otherwise. She carelessly tossed her belongings into suitcases. Not knowing- or caring- if she had packed everything, she slammed the bags shut and dragged them towards the elevators.

"I can't stay here... Can't live without him..."

Down in the basement garage, she placed her bags next to the Porsche she and Tommy had left there just a few hours earlier. She quickly retrieved the key and unlocked the car door, tossing her stuff inside, and getting behind the wheel.

"Goodbye, Tommy..."

______________________________________________________________________________

Backstage, Tommy stood, immaculate as always in his pristine white clothes. He watched Darius and Georgia conferring.

Angie had disappeared.

"We're going on without her!" Darius insisted, turning to Jen and Kyla.

"You two can handle it."

It was a demand, not a question.

"Of course we can." Jen's smile was syrupy sweet.

"No problem." Kyla echoed.

"Knew that girl couldn't be trusted." Darius snorted.

"Darius!" Tommy exploded

"Yeah!"

Tommy stared hatefully into his eyes.

"You got something to say, boy!" Darius ordered.

"No"

"Didn't think so!"

"Mr. Mills..."

A young crew member whose name Tommy didn't know entered the room. He gestured to the two police officers who had followed him. One spoke

"There's been an accident..."