Absolutely Unforgivable (21 page)

While we drove around, I started to cry. I thought about Jeromy and how he had treated me lately and then about Billy and how he had all but fallen over himself to care for me. I thought about how Billy always made me breakfast and how he stayed up in his chair reading and watching me sleep at night. I thought about how Billy always watched over me, even before the accident.

I thought about how much Jeromy made me feel like I was just an afterthought. The more I drove the more I began to wonder what kind of future Jeromy and I could really have together. I didn’t want to fault Jeromy for being ambitious and being so good at his job. I know that was wrong of me. But still, I wanted someone who didn’t make me feel second to his job. I wanted someone who didn’t lie to me and take secret trips to Las Vegas. I wanted someone who loved me.
Did Jeromy still love me?
I needed someone to talk to. I needed Mindy. She would make me feel better. She always seemed to know how to put a smile on my face.

With Vin in tow I drove over to Mindy’s. She and Bran were getting ready for their gig tonight at Rowdy’s. I asked if she could help me. I wanted to go with her to the bar.

She looked up at Vin to see if he approved but he just shrugged, so she took me into her bathroom to take a shower while she went through her clothes to try and find something for me. In my rush to leave the house I had grabbed the first shoes I could find, which was a pair of black suede platform heels, so Mindy looked around to find something to match then. Before long she came traipsing back into the bathroom with a little black cocktail dress.

“Thank you Mindy. I really do appreciate all of your help. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“Don’t be silly. I’m glad you are going with us tonight. Now sit down and let me fix you up. I love playing with your hair.”

I sat in front of her oversized mirror doing my makeup while she messed with my hair. I felt consumed by sadness as thoughts of Jeromy leaving for his trip crossed my mind. I also felt confused, angry, and even guilty. I knew he had to go out of town for work sometimes, and I really did understand that was part of his job, but lately he had been distant and I didn’t know why.

Did he not love me anymore? Has he grown bored of me? Did he find someone else? Did he blame the accident on me? Maybe if I hadn’t been dancing around on stage, I wouldn’t have attracted the attention of that crazy man in the first place.

I tried my best to push all of these horrible thoughts out of my head and finish getting ready. It wasn’t easy. I was overwhelmed by my negative emotions and my eyes started to water.

“Please don’t cry, Stacy. I know you are going to miss Jeromy but I also know he is going to miss you too. He loves you. You do know that, right?” I didn’t answer her. I didn’t really know how to. I didn’t know if he loved me anymore and I couldn’t find the strength to lie and say that I did.

When we stepped out of the bathroom Vin was there waiting, with his arms crossed. “Ladies,” he said as he looked us up and down.

“What? Are you going to tell me what I can and can’t wear now too?”

He shook his head and grabbed the keys from the nearby table. “I’m driving this time. I don’t know how we made it over here alive with you behind the wheel.”

“Fine. Whatever. Let’s go, Mindy.” I knew Vin was only trying to lighten the mood but I was still upset from earlier and not in the mood to hear anything any man had to say, no matter who it was. We met up with Bran who was in the living room and concerned by my sudden arrival. I assured him I was okay and pointed back at my bodyguard to let him know that Vin was watching out for me.

When we got to Rowdy’s, Billy was already there helping Travis set up. He took one look at me and ran towards me. My heart surged as he rushed to my side. “Where the hell did you go? Why didn’t you answer your phone when I called you?”

I shrugged. “I’m not a child, Billy. I can walk and talk all by myself. I promise.”

Billy paused for a moment, as if he didn’t expect that response from me. This time with a much softer voice said, “You’re right. I’m sorry. I was just worried about you. Please don’t scare me like that again.” He leaned in and kissed my forehead. “Jeromy told me about his little
business
trip. He also told me you didn’t handle the news so well.”

I sighed. “It’s not that. Well maybe. I don’t know. Can we just not talk about it please?”

Billy led me over to the band’s table and I took a seat next to Trista, who had just ordered me a drink. She winked as she handed it to me and I quickly took a sip while looking up at Billy. A look of fury crossed his face so I playfully patted his chest. “Billy! Did we not just have this talk earlier today? It’s only Sprite with a few cherries thrown in for good measure.”

He groaned and started to walk away but not before he turned to Vin and told him to keep a close eye on me.

The band played until about 1 am and Billy didn’t take his eyes off of me the entire time. I loved the way he kept a protective and loving watch over me. I only wished Jeromy was as concerned for my well-being.

By the time they were finished with their last set I could barely keep my own eyes open. The band was gathering their equipment, when I barely said his name and Billy flew off of the stage and was by my side.

“Billy, I don’t feel so good. I think I might have overdone it. Can we go home?”

He put his hand on my head, gently caressing my forehead. “We’ll be heading out in a second.” He motioned to Vin who scooped me up in his arms and carried me to the car.

Billy drove up not too long after us and opened the door to help me inside the house. I started to walk but he lifted me up and wrapped me lovingly in his arms.

“Billy?”

“Yeah, Babe?”

“Can we watch TV again?”

He looked down at me, smiled and then kissed my forehead. “Of course we can. I couldn’t imagine anything that I would rather do more.” His answer was so tender, it warmed my heart.

I rested my head back on his chest and he carried me inside. When we got in the house though, I noticed he was starting to carry me upstairs but I protested. “Billy, you promised.”

He let out a soft sigh and then took me to his bedroom and gently laid me on the bed and crawled in beside me. I put my head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat as he flipped through the channels trying to find something to watch. He settled on some show about cars and then put his arms around my body holding me tightly.

“Please don’t leave me Billy.”

“I’m not going anywhere, Stacy. I promise. I’m right here.”

“No, I mean when I fall asleep. Please promise you’ll stay here with me all night.”

“I promise. I’m not going anywhere.” He started to run his fingers through my hair and within minutes I was out.

When I woke up the next morning he was sitting up in the bed, still holding me tightly. I let out a big smile, stretched, and then jumped up on his lap, leaned in and kissed his cheek. With his hands around my hips he let out a soft moan and said, “Mornin’. Feeling any better?”

“Much, much better,” I said as I scooted down, positioning my legs between his and resting my head on his chest. Mmmm. Billy always smelled so good, like he was just freshly out of the shower. Then suddenly I realized that Billy had a growing bulge in his pants. I know I should have immediately pulled away, but I couldn’t. I got so turned on just thinking about him wanting me.

While I was scooting down, positioning myself between his legs he let out another soft moan and I lost myself for just a moment. His desire was overwhelming. I desperately wanted to grind against the swell in his pants, but I realized what I was doing and forced myself to pull away from him. It took everything I had to stop myself. My face was flushed and my heart was pounding as I rolled off of him and out of the bed.

I went upstairs to take a shower and get dressed for the day. When I got back downstairs I found Billy in the kitchen cooking us breakfast and soon after Trista came in the door.

Vin and Billy looked over the schedule Trista had set out for the band for the rest of the month and they agreed to several of the venues she wanted to book, except one. Vin warned that the club was too big and had too many dark corners that could potentially be a problem if one of the girls happened to get out of his line of sight.

As long as I was inside the house Vin didn’t follow me around or bother me much, but the second I get near a door he was all over me. I wasn’t happy about having him follow me around like a child. But I also knew the boys were only worried about my well-being so I tried to get used to him.

Wanting to give them privacy to discuss important things about the band, I decided to go upstairs and put on my swimsuit and lie outside by the pool. It was truly relaxing to be in the warmth of the Houston sun and it was quickly becoming one of my favorite pastimes.

It wasn’t long before I popped my head up from the lawn chair. I thought I heard a noise from off in the big flowery bushes to the side of the house. I was right. It was someone I didn’t recognize coming towards me. He was an older man with a deformed and pitted face with wild eyes and a wiry figure. I screamed in horror as my eyes locked on the strange man coming my way. He had his right hand buried in the pocket of a dirty brown overcoat and he started to make his way toward me. His walk was slow and strained, like he might be limping just a bit.

I started to ask, “Who are you?” But before I could even get out the first word, Vin was there and with a single hand, picked me up and threw me inside, shutting the door behind him with the other.

Before the door closed all of the way Vin shouted to Billy, “Don’t let her out of your sight.”

Trista was in the background dialing 911 while Billy pulled me into the kitchen and held me tight. I was scared and confused and panicked. My heart pounded as if it was going to leap out of my chest and my mind raced. “Who was that, Billy?”

He simply said, “I don’t know,” and pulled me closer into him, holding me tightly. My body trembled in fear but hearing Billy’s steady heartbeat helped me relax.

I was still scared, petrified in fact, but seeing the anguish on Billy’s face made my heart hurt and I didn’t want him to worry about me so much. I think I used my concern for Billy to help me block out my own fears. I was okay, after all, well technically. I was alive. The crazy man didn’t get anywhere near me. The whole situation could have been much worse.

So I took a deep breath, and then pushed Billy back into his chair. I plopped down on his lap and said, “So I guess that means you aren’t going to let me play with you on stage anymore.”

I wasn’t really okay. I wasn’t really that carefree, not even close. I just wanted to push all of this fear and anxiety in the room aside.

Billy sat there, with an angry look across his face. His big sexy eyes suddenly turned hard and lifeless. Trista did speak up, however. “Just tell her, Billy. She’s going to eventually find out.”

“Tell me what? Find out what?” I glared at Billy, then at Trista and then back to Billy. “Tell me!” I demanded.

He sighed and then sat all the way up in the chair, holding the back of my thighs to keep me in place on his lap. “Your superstar video has kinda gone viral.”

“What do you mean?” My eyes made their way to Trista, who was now leaning over the center island, and she filled in the blanks.

“It means that video of you shaking your cute little behind has had over one million views on YouTube. Your Twitter account has over 180,000 followers now and Brick has been tweeting your fans updates about your condition since the accident. We run your Twitter feed through the band’s website and it’s gotten so much activity we had to upgrade the servers.”

She looked over at Billy holding me in his arms. “Everyone seems to want to know the latest on Billy and Stacy.”

I tilted my head, giving her a look of confusion. “Do they not know that it’s Jeromy and Stacy? How did they get the idea Billy and I were an item?”

She shrugged and continued. “I know it’s crazy. But the fans want what the fans want. Did you not notice at the gig last night that everyone kept wanting to take your picture?”

“Yeah. I thought that was kind of weird but I just wrote it off as a side effect of sitting with the band. Fans have always thrown themselves at Billy and I just figured since I was sitting near him, well ... I don’t know.”

Trista let out a laugh and Billy glared back at her, not happy at all. “Fans want Billy and Stacy and as a result requests for bookings have been pouring in. It’s so insane, I can barely keep up.”

I looked back at Billy and smiled. “That’s great! I’m so happy for you, Billy.” I leaned in to hug him. In my excitement I almost forgot about what was going on in the backyard.

Billy wasn’t, however, as happy as I was at that moment. He lifted me up and then gently pushed my back against the wall. “Do you not get how serious this is? Do you not realize that just a few minutes ago some crazy man tried to attack you? This isn’t a game, Stacy. Take this shit serious.” As his body pushed up against mine, I could feel his heart was now beating much faster. His face was just inches from mine. His look was intense and deadly serious. It made my body tingle.

Wow, only Billy could actually find a way to turn me on while a man who is trying to do God only knows what to me is running around in my backyard right now, being chased by my bodyguard.