IMPORTANT - Due to rating reasons, a scene involving Lillian has been cut from the FF version of this chapter. If you want to read it then keep an eye open for the A03 version, which is coming soon! It will also include some slight changes to the second half as well.

Either way, it's still going to be intense no matter which version you read. This route of the series is fast becoming one of my favorites to write. It's been quite a no holds barred experience. Now, without any further delay, let's begin! Nora fans? This one's for you!

Hot 'n Heavy

There always came relief from the gentle glow of ambient lights and a soothing glass of golden liquor. Didn't matter if it was ten bucks a glass or sometimes more. No, for Mike Winters, the price for a moment of tranquillity was never too high.

Tonight's was going smoothly. Have a few drinks and meet with Markus. After that? Relax for a couple of hours at the Hot Springs, and head back home to Lillian. Speaking of Miss Aurawell.

'Hey Lilli. Last night was… awesome. Fire a text my and let me know you're good when you get up, yeah? I'm in the Bar and Lounge for a few right now. Mikey. x x x'

'Message sent'

It was hard to get the ivory white girl out of his head – her alluring demeanour and personality. Not to mention her gorgeous eyes and slim, curvy figure. There was something about her – something that made a man want to stand at her back – something powerful enough to make sure she'd never have to feel screwed up inside ever again.

"Huh… now there's a thought. Me, actually trying to put things right with honest intentions. Makes a change Winters. Makes a damn fine change."

Not that he didn't want to do the same thing with Audrey and Kyanna. Miss Delrio? She'd always been great, but the chaos of their respective life situations sure hadn't helped. Throw a love fairy and ties to a dangerous ex-boyfriend into the mix and there was only so far that one could've gone.

Audrey? Now there was a situation more colorful than a full dancefloor lightshow. Damn, even the setup at Lusties wouldn't be enough, and they sure as hell had the neon.

"Between blazing four-twenty and being drunk out of your skull…. Wow, life can be ironic when you least expect it to be. In some ways we're better suited than I would've thought."

A girl and a guy with too many inner-demons and too many destructive ways of dealing with them. A red firecracker who could only cope through booze and brownies – a singer with too much on his shoulders. A pillar of Talent, or so Kyu kept on telling him at least. Speaking of Kyu.

"Where's she been hiding lately? Been over a month now since Lilli moved in and I've not heard a word from her. Shit. How long's she gonna cover another client?"

That's what she'd said, anyway. Mike's eyes found their way to the phone again, this time flicking to the profile screen belonging to his candyfloss guardian. Four beating hearts. Sturdy and strong. Unlike so many of the other girls on here, she didn't fluctuate. She never fluctuated.

Audrey's meter flew up and down like a rocket, going from black hearts back to red all the damn time. Tiffany bounced between one and two. Nikki popped between four and five. Then there were the new additions to think over.

"Nora and Lillian. Still, there's this feeling I can't shake about one of those two..."

It was something that'd been bugging him for a while. A simple gripe, really, but one Mike couldn't put to rest completely. Something just felt off about this little nitpick. A sigh slipped out. Here he was, thinking about pointless crap instead of taking the weight off.

"No matter how many times I reset the Huniebee… certain parts of your profile won't update, will they Nora? I mean, damn. I know your last name and I know your favorite drink, so why won't they show up on here like everyone else's info?"

Mike couldn't help himself – couldn't stop a low, painfully ironic laugh from slipping out. Only way he could silence himself was taking ahold of his lovely golden firewater and slamming it back with a fierce growl of relief.

What did it matter about the profiles on the Huniebee? Was it important to know that Audrey's favorite hangout was Lusties and she had a love for daiquiri's? Would the world end if he didn't know Nikki Ann-Marie had an almost unnatural obsession with gaming and her family came over from Australia when she was little?

"Nope. Doesn't make a shred of difference… so why's this shit bothering me when it comes to you, Nora?"

The rough and ready gal – first up when it came to a tussle or an adrenaline-fuelled car ride. She loved loud music, was handy as fuck in a fight – a real ride or die kinda babe. Despite that tough shell though, she had heart – real heart.

"I know you better than anyone…."

Tapping his finger on the screen, Mike sighed, nudging the magically charged fairy phone across the table. The sweet burn of more firewater numbed everything, leaving him staring at an empty glass. In some ways he was left wishing he'd gone to Lusties. At least the crowds and the noise would've helped him get lost. In here everything was too quiet.

A classy drinking establishment, sure, but too quiet. Speaking of classy.

The wall clock above the booth ticked on slowly, offset by little more than the faint hum of ambient background music from a small speaker propped up against the bar.

"Where are you, Mark? Timekeeping is usually your strong point. Not like you to be late."

Shit, the sky could rain fire and the four horseman could roll on through, and Markus Jonathan Kane would still be on time. So why, on tonight of all nights, had the impossible decided to become a distinct and somewhat unnerving possibility? It could only mean one thing – something unmistakably-

"You'll have to forgive my lack of punctuality."

Thank the almighty. Mike would recognize that strong, well-spoken voice anywhere. Relief washed over his shoulders like cooling water during an evening swim. Small mercies.

Before him stood a tall, muscular guardian. Six feet of integrity and dependability – a man of rugged features and chocolate hair, eyes hidden behind the protection of darkened glasses. There he stayed, one-hand rested against the leg of his leather pants, waiting with patience for the offer of a seat, gifting a faint smile as he held an old fashioned file stuffed with paper under his arm.

Mike smiled – pointing his thumb toward the opposite booth seat. "No need to be so polite here, Mark. You're the one doing me a favour right now. Sit yourself down. Cool your heels!"

"Most appreciated. Once again, sorry I'm late. There came a few complications in finding what you asked for. It wasn't the staff, most ironically. The issue came from upper management. Somehow my father became aware of my asking questions. It took a while to… negotiate with his secretary."

Of course. Winters rolled his eyes, standing to go get them both drinks. "You're almost twenty-five, Mark. Why the hell does your old man still keep tabs on everything you're doing like that?"

Slapping the file down on the table with a hefty thud, Mark tilted his glasses, giving a mocking smirk to the stupidity of it all. "I am the one element he cannot directly control through money or fear. I imagine that makes him quite nervous… especially since I'm privy to a plethora of company secrets."

How Mark had survived that rigid corporate family upbringing, Mike would never know. Sure, he was an uncaged lion, but that didn't stop the jackals circling from all sides.

Smiling, the musician got down to business – the good kind. "Brandy? Same as usual? I'm paying tonight. My treat."

A polite nod to seal the deal. Ever the gentleman, Mark pulled a silver card from his pocket and slid it across the table. Oh mercy. The Kane Industries Credit Union wasn't footing the bill tonight.

Mike waved off the offer with a weak, defensive smile. "I'm the one that dragged you out. My round. Sorry friend, but I'm insisting."

As usual, his words didn't matter. The company credit card remained on the table. Of course – there was no escaping.

"Fine," the musician sighed, defeated as his friend enjoyed a short chuckle of amusement. "But I'm getting the next one. It's not like you of all people need to build that credit rating."

"Oh you would be surprised. For a reason I cannot fathom… my interest rates with the family bank are just… atrocious."

The Kane brand of humor – dryer than fucking sandpaper.

Drinks on the table and ready to go – the duo pushed on, Mike looking at the large leather-bound book opened wide on what looked like the centre page.

Mark took back a sharp mouthful of liquor and jabbed at the book with his thumb. "They gave me the entire guestbook after enough protest and complaint. Of course, these are copies, not the originals… but I should be able to find check-in details you want."

"Thanks." Though everything surrounding that dreaded night was a total blur, Mike still remembered the date itself with an aching, painful clarity. "November seventeenth. That's the night you're looking for."

"Consider it done."

Markus thumbed through, leaning in to compensate for his vision in the light. Wincing behind his shades, struggling even in the low ambiance, he traced his fingertip along the newly opened page. He brought his shades back to cover his eyes.

"Here you go."

Mike took hold of the book as it came his way. "Alright. Thanks. Let's see what we can find here, huh?"

The moment of truth – at least they'd finally be able to see if anybody in particular, or at least somebody he knew was out to cause trouble or settle and old score. Not many names on the paper, either. That made things all the more simple. Again with the small mercies. Tonight wasn't going too badly, all things considered.

Bringing his finger downward, crossing each name from a mental checklist, the singer tried his best to concentrate. Did any of these people sound familiar at all? Even if they were distant acquaintances or somebody he'd signed an autograph for at a show, something was better than nothing. In some ways, this was the first chance and last chance all rolled into one.

Dominic Tanner

Elizabeth Sanchez

Ellie Carlson

Abia Nawazi

Grant Danton

Charlotte Mayweather

Larry Yao-Shin

Takato Mumbatu

Sarah Stevens

Frasier Jones

Carrie West

"Dammit… Oh for fuck sakes…. It was worth a try."

"No luck?" Markus broke in – his voice almost comforting in the face of defeat. "Are you certain that you don't recall hearing a single one of those names before?"

How certain did a guy need to be? Mike reached for his glass – all too happy to burn out his throat with the welcoming fire of fifteen-year whiskey. "Only name on that list I can connect dots with is Charlotte… and we both know why that is."

Letting out a deep, painful sigh, Mike bit back his anger with a nip of the tongue from his teeth, thumping his balled fist against the table top. "I was sure we had something too. Now we're back to square one all over again. Thanks anyway, Mark. You've still got my back even though you don't have to. Appreciate it man. Big time."

Mark took the book back and flicked through one last time – just to be sure. "Are you absolutely sure without a doubt that the girl's phone has map data linking it to that hotel? You don't perhaps think this could be a ruse set up by the young lady helping you, do you?"

A fair but empty thought – there was no way Nikki would do something like that. She didn't have it in her to hurt a fly, let alone mess around with somebody like this. There was far more to it, as well. If she'd rigged the phone then she would've been screwing around with Tiffany, too.

Mike shook off his suggestion. "No. Nikki-Ann isn't that kinda girl. Trust me, I've gotten involved with a few ladies that've been real rough around the edges, but she's not one of them."

"In that case," the prodigy paused, closing the makeshift book and folding his hands into a tight clasp. "I may have one further method that will assist in your search. If you give me a few days longer I shall go to the hotel myself and make a few requests."

That tone in Mark's voice – assured and in control. The son of a business family to the core. It brought a feeling of hope, and nervousness.

"What kind of request?" Mike asked carefully, looking around to make sure there weren't too many people within earshot. "I hope you're not thinking about something too-"

"You can rest easy," Markus assured him, his lips curving into a thin smirk. "I shan't be doing anything bleak and untoward. I'm not my father."

That last part felt too stern. It was time to back off and leave well alone. Nod and let the prodigy do his work. Still, a little curiosity wouldn't hurt too much - hopefully.

"I have connections to somebody in Glenberry who excels at investigating rumours of workplace misconduct… and I happen to know how frequently such things go 'unnoticed' at any premises owned by my father or my uncle. A simple whisper here and there and the staff should help me obtain something with more depth than this check-in book."

Before Mike could even speak his question was already answered. Now a completely new line of questions crashed together in his brain, not at all eased by the calm atmosphere of the small, homely drinking spot.

New question number one was all too bright at the front of his thoughts. "Is doing something like that completely above board? I thought you could only do that kinda shit i-"

"I said I wouldn't do something untoward." Again, Markus was up on his horse and charging miles ahead with an answer. "I'm simply the son of a CEO making an enquiry… into business conduct."

Business conduct? Of course.

"You sly, sly bastard. Fall in a snake pit and you'd come out with leather shoes."

Mister Kane clanged their glasses together – standing from his seat and eying the bar. "Always, my friend. Always."

Next on the agenda? Some good, simple relaxation. What was better than a hot tub? Natural hot springs. One of the great advantages of being in vibrant, quirky Glenberry. Past the weekend clubbers and the frisky students groping and pawing outside the club.

Halfway between the doorway to Lusties and the cabstand, Mike came to a stop – his phone signalling for attention with muffled vocals and mellow chords. Bringing out the Huniebee, he swiped at the screen. Well, points for being surprising.

"Nora. Didn't think she was free tonight. Huh, color me surprised."

Something about babysitting for a distant family member that lived around town somewhere. Either way, it must've fallen though – because the text was plenty intense – as always.

'Yo, dude. I'm bored and I ain't sittin' on my ass all night. Figure I'll come find ya – hang with you for a while. Where you at? The club? I could do with gettin' a few drinks. Text back, alright? If we're not drinking I'll drive. Don't keep me waitin' ese. We need to talk. X x x'

Sighing, Mike hailed a car, climbing into the back and slouching against the leather seat, small sports bag slung over his shoulder. The gravelly driver gave a short, unwelcoming grunt. "Where you heading, kid?"

Tossing his bag free, the singer pulled from his phone. "Hot Springs. Take the scenic route past the Outlook. I got time."

"Hmph. Whatever you want."

Back to the phone, Mike flickered open the reply screen, ignoring the constant prodding of the Huniebee's fairy helper as she went about her business, wiggling her digital ass and sweeping away old messages with a sparkly broom.

Fingers ablaze across the screen – he got down to business replying. What needed talking about? Nora sounded kinda serious there.

'Hey. Everything okay over there? I'm on my way for a dip in the Hot Springs. Wanna join me feel free. Then again, don't think I've ever seen you do bikinis before. Huh, that'll be a first, right Nora? X x x'

Mike set the phone down after the fairy helper buzzed away, holding his little message envelope in hand. Able to enjoy the quiet at long last, he rested his head, listening to the smooth hum of the engine as the car continued on its way.

A sharp 'ping' shamshed his Zen with a hammer – bringing his eyes back to the pinkish glow of the phone screen. A reply. Fast as after.

Nora's response? Gold. Pure eighteen-carat good stuff. Running the gauntlet with her never got old.

'Oh, fuck you bro. I'll show you what I got! This chica has style for every occasion. Be there in an hour. Man you're such an asshole these days, Mike. Nice change. Yeah. I'm good, dude. Don't worry about it. Just got back from my cousin's place. You better watch out! X x x'

The meeting was set.

Cold winter air and steaming hot water – an amazing contrast for the time of year. Early December. Christmas was right around the corner and that magical feeling was in the air. The one time of year Mike could feel happy to sit back and hold onto some of that childlike wonderment. It was half the reason he'd come out here tonight.

Chilling in the hot springs, he stretched out his tired, achy legs and let out a long, drawn-out sigh. He'd done plenty of worrying for weeks now. Nikki and Markus were still looking into everything. The next couple of hours? No stress, no worries. Nothing like that.

"This is more like it."

The patter of bare feet against a tiled floor. Mike didn't pay too much attention – paid even less attention when somebody got into the water. Instead, he kept his eyes closed, lost in thoughts, lost in himself – at least until a pair of arms slipped around his shoulders.

"Damn, boy. Estoy impresionado."

Mike met with blue eyes and a sassy smile when he looked again. Everything froze solid, the breaths catching in his lungs as they struggled to escape. The girl in front of him. Wow. His chest pulled tight.

'Holy shit… jus'… wow….'

Crystalline moonlight shone from the cloudless winter sky, basking the water in radiance, every perfectly shaped curve dripping with water, squeezed tight in an eye-catching ocean blue bikini. Mike panned upwards, still desperately short of breath, his sight crawling across each detail with painstaking appreciation. Her delicious thighs, her pear-shaped silhouette and those gratuitous, glistening breasts.

"Hey Nora…."

She winked, sliding her hands without a care to grip tight against his shoulders. "Sup there, Sparky? You're lookin' a little red. Cat got your tongue?"

"Errrr…. Yeah. S-something like that I guess." Finally, he forced out a short rasp, filling his lungs with what little he could muster in a slim second. "You're erm… looking great."

"Ohhhhh…" The Hispanic babe only came in closer – her womanly assets pressing against his chest as she pinned him up good. "Not teasing about the bikini now, are ya? 'Kay fucker… let me put something to ya… nice 'n straight."

Mike fell silent against her advances – the Talent and Charisma both proving utterly useless against the fire and flare of his long-time friend.

She smiled like a wicked bitch – knowing damn well, what she was doing, too. Sure they'd been close, still close as ever since she came riding into town, but this? Whatever this was, Nora wasn't playing around.

"You're my guy, right? You've always watched my back. I'd ride 'n die for you, holmes. So let me say it my way. Other night at the club when we were slammin' shots together…."

Nora brought her hand upward, caressing his cheek with her palm, sliding her digits downward with slow, scratching fingernails. It stung – his head spun in a circle, the edges of his sight fogging under the sensation.

"When a girl kisses you it means she wants something… and I'm done waiting for you to figure it out. I ain't always been honest with you, Mike… Real talk… I'm fuckin' liar, but I guess that means I better make it count now. One liar to another."

Where was all of this coming from? It was so sudden. The singer could barely keep track. His mind was going a mile a second over everything. This was Nora – and she was all over him like a bitch in heat! Why?

"What are you talking about? What's this-"

"Nuh-uh." Nora brought him to silence with a finger against the lips. There she kept him – on her terms as always. "Shut the fuck up. Let me talk. I'm in charge tonight."

Mike nodded – dismantled by everything she was.

"I know all about your shit, holmes. Biggest playboy round town. Half a dozen girls chasing you like stray puppies. Fans crawling out the woodwork to park up on your dick…. You play dirty. Real dirty."

Mike's eyes widened – how'd she know about that? He'd kept it under wraps so damn well, made sure come hell or high water his stint as a local ladies man was kept under lock and key from her, so where-

"I ain't letting you go. I'm done sitting on the side-lines waiting. I want you Mikey….."

Confident and empowered – a true beauty under the light of the moon, she crashed in and held him with one hand, sliding the other behind her back to tug at the simple string of her bikini top. Like magic, the piece of thin fabric fell away, floating upon the water with shattered innocence.

Mike's heart flew into a frenzy as Nora closed the gap, her voluptuous chest pressing against him - all natural – utterly mind blowing. Fingernails clawed across his collarbone and down his chest, bringing a shiver even in the heat of the water.

Nora stared into his soul – stole him away with eyes deeper than the ocean. "Baby…. I'm not gonna make the same mistake my 'lil cousin did. I'm too damn good for some greaseball with gang tats in a wifebeater… No way…. Nora Delrio's beneath that shit…. Sure you're a fuckin' pretty boy…."

Another self-confident wink from the sexy tomboy, "But you're mine….."

Mike's thoughts imploded – bursting outward in a scream of warning red fireworks. All those times he'd had a strange feeling he couldn't quite place. All those times he'd looked at Kyanna in days past and wondered why they felt so right together.

The truth was out there – brighter than any festive firework and more revealing than the all-seeing eye of the moon. Delrio. Nora Delrio. She'd been living the perfect lie all this time.

A shallow ping rang through Mike's head from the Huniebee sat at the water's edge. Now her profile information was updating. Fan fucking tastic.

Weak and bewildered – the stunned musician tried to match her advances, his hands creeping lower and lower, cupping her within lithe, attentive fingers. No amount of Talent or Charisma would save him here, but no surrender, no matter the odds.

"You played me," Winters growled softly, impressed as much as he was wounded, fighting the chaotic pang within his chest. "Kyanna's your-"

"Bingo," she brought him to pause, sweeping in close, her breath caressing his neck, her teeth nipping against his lips with hunger, laced with desire. "Vasquez? It's papas name…. Changed it back to Delrio when we graduated…."

The opening song to Mike's most recent show in Lusties kept playing over and over in his head – mocking him, teasing him. This girl had moved back, watched him from the bar, helped him stand tall once again on a pedestal fit for only the most talented bastard – and here she was, stealing his motherfucking spotlight.

"Guess that means you know everything that happened there… hmm?"

"Every… fucking… thing," Nora paused. "Every single time the 'lil chica called… all the dates you went on. Fuck… I came into town to babysit most nights. All me, ese. All me."

The guilty pleasure struck hard – Mike didn't quite know where to put himself. Tangled in the web of a badass black widow, he languished, tangled and unable to get away. His only chance? Play her back at her own game.

"And yet," Mikey moved in, exhaling softly – letting the lover loose. "You're straddling me in a glorified hot-tub… Sounds like someone's jealous. Cute… real cute…."

A sharp rasp slithered out as Nora squeezed at his crotch with her wandering digits. They crawled beneath the fabric of his swim shorts, clasping tight, ripping the air from his lungs in a sea of razor sharp bliss. Talk about rough.

"Careful now, Sparky…."

Fluid wrist movement – back and forth, perfectly skewed between bitter and sweet. Mike's head spun, slumping against her shoulder in passionate breaths. He writhed under every second, trying to claw back his enjoyment for fear of drawing too much attention.

"Don't go bursting on me yet," Nora teased him like the queen bee she was, scratching her other hand down the length of his back – revelling in his wonderful anguish. "We're only just getting started…."

Pulling her nails from his slick skin, she grabbed for his chin, hungrily lunging with eyes of a tigress.

Mike burned under the pressure – shuddering in the middle of a two-sided attack from which there was no escape. Nipping at his lips as she kissed him, Nora left her mark, drawing back after stealing another piece of his cracked restraint and licking a glistening string of saliva away.

"Now who's dangerous, big shot? This is one Delrio girl you can't mess with…."

Oh, that did it. Mike chuckled, low and smooth, bringing those green eyes up to level the playing the field. Tease and torment as much as she pleased, but there's no way he'd let her win.

Moving his hands in a perfect motion, massaging and dominating her more than ample chest, the Casanova struck out. Every steamy cats purr, every stifled sigh from the chola was music to the ears, beautiful music. Sweeter than any vocal cord and more passionate than any violin.

"Fuck," Nora sucked in air, throwing back her head, little droplets of sweat sliding down her skin from the burning heat of their shared game. She followed every movement, trading every pleasurable squeeze with a dominating nip or scratch of her own. "C'mon…. Keep going. D-don't quit now, Mike."

The perfect moment to take command. Winters slipped down low, plunging his face between those gorgeous womanly assets. Using the tip of his tongue, he traced across the length of one of Nora's swollen nipples in perfect circles, basking in the invigorating burn of adrenaline as she growled sensually into his ear, those long, smooth legs crawling around his hips.

Nora splashed against the water, heaving for breath, her entire body quaking to the core as slowly, one second at time, he pinched her nipple between his teeth, squeezing down hard. She wanted it rough? She'd get it.

Everything fell hazy, Mike's entire body snapping tense before he could so much as make sense of anything. He was pinned up tight again – jammed between the smooth rock wall at his back and the gorgeous girl at his front.

Miss Delrio panted like an animal, sweaty and primal, squeezing so tightly around him that she ground against the bulge in his shorts through the fabric of her swimsuit bottoms.

Their eyes shared a mutual agreement – one free of a single shred of doubt.

Mike eased himself out of the springs, perched up against the water's edge beside his Huniebee - with the coldness of the wall at his back sending a shiver. Steam wisped around Nora's body as she joined him, pulling the final string of her bikini free – watching with a feral thirst as he slipped out of his swim shorts and tossed them to the water.

Smiling like the devil, he ran the tips of his fingers across the delicate skin of her most special of places, heart thundering with glee at the revelation. Wet. Soaking wet.

Nora slipped those legs of hers around him again, perched mere inches from perfect bliss with fire in those oceanic blue eyes. "Kinda surprised this didn't happen sooner," she teased with a nip of her teeth against his ear. "You ready for me, dude?"

Ready for this? Part of him had dreamed about it for almost five long years – never forgetting the moment they shared on Turtle Bay Beach after graduating high school. A gift given. A promise made.

How it'd turned out in the end? Far more passionate. Passionate was good all the same.

"Yeah," Winters nodded – his thoughts melting into blissful goo, savouring every second as Nora's pretty features contorted, feeling her slickness, her feminine essence consume him entirely, squeezing tight in ownership of everything he was. "Oh- Ohhhhh God….. N-Nora…. Fuuuuuuuck."

Her heartbeat rang through his ears, tying them together.

Streaks of sweat slipping from her every inch, pattering against Mike's skin in an icy heat, Nora jerked her hips in a deep, sexual heave of breath, holding her lover tight, stealing him away, taking him for her own. She didn't take her eyes off of him for even a second – not allowing him a single sight but her heavenly body bathed in the moon's glow.

Reaching down with one of her hands, she wrapped their fingers together in a tight knot, those ruby lips of hers curving into a dominating smile. "Ride or die, baby."

Mike squeezed her hand tighter – surrendering entirely. This moment right here? Five years in the making?

It was perfect.

To be continued….

Another chapter comes to a close. Did you enjoy the read? Is there anything you'd like to see in future? Feel free to leave some feedback and share your thoughts if you want to. I've held so many polls already and I still can't decide what the final pairing's going to be for this story!

As always, keep on supporting Huniepop and Huniecam Studio! I'll see you in the next chapter!