Rafe (4 page)

I was a Grade A upper class bitch.

Chapter 4

Rafe

I tell Lucy that I also had a crush on her in high school but she isn’t saying anything, she is just staring at the floor. She won’t even look at me after I tell her what she was like back then. By the look on her face, she is totally ashamed of what she used to be like. “Baby, look at me” I tell her. I raise her chin to my face after a beat because she still won’t look at me. “Lucy, I liked you a lot and yes, things got in the way but I still like you and I think that you still like me.” I give her a little smile. She nods her head but still looks unsure and bites her bottom lip. Fuck me; I so want to bite that for her.

I really want to kiss her right now but from the look on her face I’m thinking I need to take things with Lucy very slow. Dallas has really done a number on her. I need to step up and take care of Lucy before we take our relationship any further. I wrap my arm around her shoulder and pull her along to her work place. We stop outside and I can’t stop myself from
kissing her hair softly. Good God, she smells amazing, like lavender and vanilla. Okay, I now love lavender and vanilla. She tenses a little from the kiss but I needed it. “Can I see you tonight? Maybe after you finish work we can go get a drink or something?”

Lucy pulls out of my hold and turns to face me full on. The look on her face makes my stomach fall a few inches. “Rafe, listen I’m not into dating right now. I need to just concentrate on me okay. Maybe we can be friends though. I know what I said last night and I know I was harsh but it was a shock seeing you and Reeve and Ryder. I know that they know about the baby, I saw the way they were looking at me. I’m fine with that because I know that they respect you enough not to tell anyone. I will tell, Maisey and Gunner...soon. Besides, you still have not apologized for your part in last night’s fiasco” I really don’t know what to say to that. I did tell the boys but that’s because like Lucy said they won’t say a thing. She is right about the apology part though, it did kind of slip my mind. All I wanted to do was see her and be with her today and all thoughts of last night were far from the front of my mind.

“Luce, you are right. I do still owe you the apology of my life. I was a total dick and had no excuse. Seeing you again threw me for a complete one-eighty and I did not know what to do or say when you acted as though you hated me being there. What I said and what I did are inexcusable and all I can do is hope that you can forgive me”

I take a breath “
I hate what Dallas did to you, Snowflake, but I understand where you’re coming from and I respect that. So friends?” I say, offering my hand. She smiles her full beautiful smile that makes my heart melt that much more for her. Dammit. Not too fast Rafe, I scold myself.

“Okay friends
and I accept your apology. We both could have handled seeing one another again better. I finish at five-thirty, maybe we can grab something to eat then?” She tells me.

“Okay, sounds like a plan.” I raise my eyebrows again and she laughs. I look towards the store and see two young looking girls watching us through the front window. I have seen them at Inside Noise’s gigs along the coast and a few times at Max Point. They scare me.

Right, I need a plan. Think, Phoenix, think. “Snowflake, can I ask a huge favor? You know, because you love me” I tilt my head and give her the puppy eyes.

“What, Rafe?” I look back at the girls who have now stepped closer to the window.

“Those two girls who you work with, they scare me. They are Inside Noise fans and they follow us everywhere and try to get in our pants. If I kiss you maybe they will leave me alone. Pleeeeease, Lucy, it’s the least you could do after what you and Jack did.” She bursts out laughing.

“Oh my God, that is so damned funny. Milly and Mia are sisters. I have now put two and two together. Oh my God. Funny as fuck!” She bends over laughing so the girls must have said something to her. She straightens up and I snake my arm around her waist and pull her flush against my body. She stops laughing and looks up at me. “One kiss, Rafe. And only because I now know who they are talking about and you need saving. They freaking stalk you, dude.”

“Thank You, Snowflake.” Fuck! I’m actually going to fucking kiss Lucy Cooper! I have been dying to do this for so long. All those other girls don’t seem to count anymore.

I look into Lucy’s eyes and take a deep breath. I lower my forehead to hers and breathe her scent in. Freaking lavender. She licks her lips and I can’t help but follow suit. I gently brush my lips across hers… damn, so soft. I hope I can control myself. I pull back to look at Lucy and she is looking me right in the eye.

She surprises me by putting her hands around my neck and pulling me back to her, and just as our lips are about to touch, Lucy speaks. “Make it look good, Phoenix. You never know when you might be able to do this again,” she smirks at me. Okay girly, I’m game. I kiss her again with more force, but not enough to hurt her. I lick her bottom lip to ask for entry with my tongue and lucky for me Lucy opens her mouth and her tongue meets mine in a wet and hot dance.

My heart is beating so fast it’s all I can hear. I tilt my head to gain better access to her mouth and Lucy moans; that’s all the answer I need. I walk her backwards a little and lean her against the store window. She wants to give them a show, so let’s do this. I glide both of my hands down her body and cup her amazingly curvy ass, pulling her tight to my body. I can’t stop the moan that escapes my throat. I’m not a moaner but fuck me, Lucy is dragging all kind of sounds out of me. If I don’t stop now I think I will take her here against the window. I pull back and rest my forehead against hers. We are both breathing heavy and the swell of her breasts rise and fall in a steady rhythm against her tight white tee.

“You need to walk into the store, baby. My self-control is wearing thin.” She giggles. I have never heard Lucy Cooper giggle. I can’t help but let a little laugh out also. I place my mouth to her ear, “Don’t laugh, baby. I would be more than willing to take you right here, right now against the window. What do you say to that?”

Lucy licks her lips and I groan. “I need to get to work, Rafe. I’m glad I could help you out with Milly and Mia.” She slides to the side and heads for the door leading to the store. I see a small tattoo on the back of her neck, just below her hairline. It’s a black peace sign with a small blue butterfly in the center, with what looks like the letter ‘S’ just hanging off of it. I will have to find out about that tattoo. It looks as if it has a deeper meaning, just like my own tattoo.

“I will see you later, Rafe.” She smiles and heads inside. I chuckle, and since I’m a Phoenix boy, I have to have the last word, so I follow her to the door.  I lean into the door and I smile at the looks on the freaky twins’ faces.

“Hey, Luce. I will pick you here after work, yeah?” She bites her damned lip and nods. “Okay, because, baby? We need to finish what we started out here. I’m all fired up now.” I bring my hand down and adjust my dick in my pants. I smirk at Lucy and catch the sisters watching my hand and licking their lips. I quickly pull my hand away and a shudder runs through my body. I blow a kiss to Lucy then turn and walk down the street feeling quite pleased with myself. So happy I don’t have classes today. I might just go and visit Mama Phoenix.

I walk back to Lucy’s apartment to get my car. THE car. I worked on her with my dad. He bought me a 1971 Dodge Challenger, black on black. My baby. I pull up at ‘Phoenix Records’, the record label started up by my parents. It was my dad’s way of staying in the industry but not being over worked. Also, Black Angel wanted to enjoy their children and not miss out on anything. It was a good way to get all us rock kids involved in music too, both up front and backstage. I climb out of my car and see Frankie having a smoke by the back entrance. He is a bit of a prick, not many people like him. We just tolerate him because Frankie is the son of Black Angel’s front man Scar, aka Mike Freeman. He sees me coming towards him and smiles a fake ass smile. We all just get along because it’s easier.

“Yo, Rafe, how you been keeping my man?” He blows out a big puff of smoke while he speaks.

I cringe at the smoke. Even though Inside Noise performs at clubs and pubs, smoke still bothers me, which is why I don’t smoke. Only Reeve does. “Nothing much man, just school and the band, ya know. What’s up with you, Frankie?” I keep walking towards the door, hoping that he doesn’t follow me in.

“Not a lot man, just chilling
taking it all in. Hey, I saw you last night at Max Point. You really fucked that piece of ass over man. Did you fuck her and leave her or something? Because she looked pissed.” I can feel my blood boil in my veins.

I grab him by his shirt and jerk him towards me “Now you listen to me, you fucking piece of shit. You ever talk about her like that again and I will beat you senseless, do you hear me, Frankie
? I swear to God that all you’re daddy’s money won’t be enough to fix this pretty little face of yours. Got me?” I say slapping his face a little. He flinches away and nods. “Good, now get the fuck out of my sight.” I release him and head inside. I hear Frankie’s car start up and speed out of the record label’s car parking lot. I turn and head in through the door to find Mom, Brax and Nix. Uncle Nix is my dad’s little brother; he hates his given name of Darryl so we were brought up calling him Uncle Nix, short for Phoenix. My mom’s little brother Braxton is our security guy when we do a gig. I find my mom, Nix and Brax sitting in her office. I enter the room and they all turn to look at me. Brax speaks first.

“Hey, Rafe. You just getting home? Because there is no fucking way in hell that you would be up this early in the morning.” Everyone laughs because they know it’s true. I love my sleep, what can I say, but also I do stay out all night if the girl is hot enough.

“Fuck off Brax. I slept in my own bed last night, not that I wanted to.” I wink at him and he laughs.

“Watch your mouth, Rafe!” Mom shouts at me. Hayley Phoenix is a pretty laid back mom but when she needs to step up and be a mom she will and you had better watch out.

I shrug, “Sorry mom.” I walk over to her and kiss her cheek. “So, what’s happening today?” I ask, as I take a seat next to Nix on the black leather couch next to my mom’s desk.

“We were just talking about the gig you boys did last night at Max Point,” Nix raises an eyebrow at me, in the all-knowing way. Yeah, they knew about Lucy too. Fuck!

“Yeah, what about it? It was a pretty decent crowd. A few regulars, some newbies. I talked to Max and he wants more merchandise, as he is selling pretty fast, which is a good thing. I have also I come up with some new stuff we can sell. I believe Reeve took some redhead home and Ryder just said he wanted to go home and crash. Why, what did you guys hear?”

They all look at each other but I settle my eyes on my mom. She gives me a little smile, “Rafe, honey we know Lucy was there and you caused a bit of a scene. You called her out and she left in tears. What were you thinking, Rafe? Why would you do that?” I shake my head and shuffle forward and rest my elbows on my knees and place my head in my hands.

“Yeah, Lucy was there. She came with Maisey and Gunner. She lives with Maise. I was shocked to see her and all these feelings came flooding back and I couldn’t stop myself. But I called her out and she came up to the stage and by the look on her face I thought we might be friends but she told me that me and boys should forget that we ever saw her and...” I take a deep breath. “I don’t know. Something just snapped inside me it pissed me off that after what happened. I kept her secret for fuck sake. So yeah I called her out and humiliated her. Don’t worry I felt like shit after it. That’s why I’m up so early I talked to Monty last night after the gig and a few fuck up’s on my part but I’m not discussing that with any of you” I look at my mom and shrug, she knows us Phoenix boys are not saints.

“I went and saw, Lucy this morning she let me walk to her work so I could apologise for my dumbass
behavior. We sorted things out and we are going to be friends. It’s all I can ask for right? I told her I really liked her in high school and that I liked her now, she admitted she likes me too. But I think friendship is better than nothing at the moment” I look back to mom and she is smiling at me, yeah mama Phoenix gets me. Nix and Brax both nod their heads.

“Well, Rafe it’s nice to see you finally man up dude. I mean we all know how you felt about Lucy, shit you crushed hard on her for years. You kept her secret, which is a total sign if respect in our book you know this. But I agree with you on this boy, she needs a friend more
than a fuck buddy if you know what I mean” I jump to my feet, why the fuck would he say that to me; he knows how I feel about her.

“What the fuck, Uncle Brax” I snap at him, he hates being called Uncle, they both do. “You know, Snowflake would never be a fuck buddy to me. NEVER.” They all stare at me and I know why. I just called Lucy ‘Snowflake’ in front of them. Not good. I look away and avoid their stares.