Warlord Metal (13 page)

Rather than ease her sobs, the closeness intensified them. The physical sensation of being comforted harkened back to before Sonny's parents had died. Foley, realizing she was in for the long haul, slowly leaned back, putting her feet on the edge of the coffee table and pulling the youth with her. The women sat this way for nearly a half hour.

At first, the intensity of her weeping scared the teenager. It felt like she just wouldn't be able to stop - she would keep crying and crying until there was nothing left but a dried up shell. It was very disconcerting. But, as her tears flowed, the tension of being alone with her burdens eased and the pain began to recede. As the tears began to subside, real life began to intrude. Embarrassed at the emotional display, she reluctantly pulled away from the blonde woman and sat up, sniffling.

"Better?" Foley asked, not relinquishing her touch completely. Her fingers were straightening the long ebony hair down the teenager's back.

Sonny shivered at the sensation, wishing it were Jordan's hands, Jordan's fingers. "Yeah," she said with a slight hitch in her breathing. She rose from the couch. "I'll... be right back," the teenager offered, blushing. "Gonna go clean up a bit...."

The older woman nodded in commiseration and watched the youth disappear into the bathroom. She sighed and returned to her previous seat as she heard a nose being blown and water running in the sink. "You never did answer my question," she called.

Turning the water off, Sonny glanced at herself in the mirror. Her eyes looked an even paler blue when they were bloodshot. She grabbed the hand towel and patted her face dry. "I don't know," she finally answered, stepping back out into the living room with a box of Kleenex. "Sometimes I think so. Sometimes not." She settled back onto the couch and blew her nose again.

Foley digested this. "Okay. What makes you think she does?"

The dark teenager shrugged, staring down at her hands as they shredded a tissue. "Well... I kissed her last winter." There was absolute silence and Sonny risked a glance at the other woman.

Foley's eyebrows mingled with her hairline and her mouth was wide open. Blue eyes stared blankly at the youth.

Despite herself, Sonny chuckled even as she blushed. "Close your mouth. You'll catch a fly or something."

The woman's mouth worked silently for a few more seconds, looking much like a fish out of water before she finally gained her voice. "Who kissed who?" she demanded softly.

"I kissed Jordan." Sonny's smile faded. "She didn't make the first move. I did."

Still amazed, Foley leaned forward. "Well? What happened?"

"Nothing happened," the teenager snapped. "Lando happened. I dunno." She sighed and glared back down at her hands. "He showed up at the door and kinda interrupted... things." Pales eyes cast back through the memories from the tour. "That was the night they got into that bar fight and Jordan ended up with a black eye. Remember?"

Foley nodded. "So that's why she got into a fight.... Lando said she was pushing for one with that cowboy."

Her thoughts confirmed, Sonny nodded. "I thought that's what it was, too, but I couldn't be sure."

"And you haven't talked to her about how you feel?"

Mutely, the teenager shook her head. "She told me that I needed someone who would take care of me and treat me right. That she'd only hurt me."

"When? The night you kissed her?"

"Yeah."

Foley studied the teenager before her, frowning in thought. It was obvious that despite the rejection, the youth had continued on a path to gain Jordan. And it's eating her up inside. Now all the months of outrageous flirting became clear to the blonde. Her respect for the redhead went up a notch. Jesus, it musta been driving her batty to have a beautiful young woman throwing herself at her. "Have you considered letting it go? Just walking away?"

"No!" was the adamant response. "I've known from the first time I heard her play that we were somehow connected." Sonny rose and began to pace in agitation. "I know that she won't hurt me. But she doesn't."

"Maybe you should make another move."

The dark woman stopped to grimace at Foley. She gestured at her clothing - tight black jeans and a stretchy knit tank top that left little to the imagination. "You think I haven't?! It's a constant thing when we're in the same room together, Lisa! You know that!"

Conceding the point with rolled eyes and a nod, the blonde considered the options. Flirting hasn't done it. Besides, Jordan's got women around her as thick as stink on shit. Her blue eyes narrowed. "So, the only thing that stopped you two before was Lando's interruption?" At the teenager's nod, she asked, "And Jordan responded to your kiss?"

The unbidden memory popped into Sonny's head and she blushed at the intensity of the arousing rush that suddenly pulsed through her. "Uh... yeah. I'd say she responded. If it hadn't been for Lando.... Well, let's just say we'd have... um... done it." She blushed furiously and chewed her lip but Foley didn't notice.

The blonde picked up her iced tea and sipped it thoughtfully. With the proper planning and backup... Her eyes met pale blue and a slow smile crept onto her face.

Aug 27, 2001

Warlord now has its first official recording contract! I'm happy for the band - they've all worked so damned hard to get something like this! Of course, it's just a small independent label. A local company. But, at least they'll get more coverage and a little publicity! They're gonna go into the studio and get started sometime within the next month.

Needless to say, a party has already begun to develop downstairs. I've come up here to change and get ready for tonight. Hopefully, it'll be a really good one this time!!

Lisa's promised to help me with Jordan! Wow! She knows how I feel for Jordan. I cried for a long time with her. I think I really needed that. I feel so much better now - more alive and hopeful than I've been in a long time. And, if things work out tonight then....

No. I won't say it. I don't wanna jinx things. Not tonight.

As the last of the drug seeped from her system, Jordan put the final touches on a sixth song.

After Hampton had found her in the park, they had returned to the stuffy office and signed the paperwork. The redhead's only goal was to get to her guitar. She had been oblivious to anything else as she was deposited in a nearly boneless heap on the couch in the living room. Sonny had gone to her room and acquired the instrument, a pad and a pen. Jordan had been playing ever since, pausing only long enough to jot down the tunes and lyrics.

But the muse was slowing down. And the redhead was coming out of her drugged haze. As the last chord faded, she looked around, taking in her surroundings.

Jordan was still seated on the couch, guitar in her lap, pen and pad on the coffee table before her. Middlestead was parked in his favorite armchair, bare feet resting on the same table and a beer in his hand. On the other end of the couch was one of his friends and they were deep in conversation.

In the dining room, Hampton and his sister were seated at the table. She had changed out of her power suit to jeans and a t-shirt. It looked like they were playing cards, laughing at as they joked around. Foley appeared from the kitchen to place a bowl of aromatic popcorn beside them. She ran her hand across the bald man's shoulders and then turned, spotting Jordan. The blonde smiled warmly before moving out of sight back into the kitchen.

A hand played with her hair and the guitarist swiveled her head to see one of the women she'd been sleeping with lounging on the arm of the couch. She was a platinum blonde, wearing a skimpy spandex skirt and some sort of halter. As the guitarist's attention focused on her, the woman smiled down at her.

"Hey, baby," she cooed. "You ready for a drink, yet?"

Jordan studied her for long seconds. What the hell is she doing here? And do I really want her here? She realized that at this exact moment the answer was a resounding, "NO!" But, the redhead also knew that as the night wore on she would change her mind. Especially with Sonny here....

As if in answer to her thoughts, the teenager stepped out of the kitchen. She was wearing short shorts that hung low on her hips and a white t-shirt that had been gathered up and knotted to one side, revealing a tanned belly. She smiled warmly as she reached the guitarist and held out a shot glass. "Trade ya," she said, looking down into the woman's lap.

Emerald eyes narrowed before glancing down. The guitar.... She wants the guitar. Looking back up with comprehension, Jordan suddenly realized she was very, very thirsty. Without a word, she passed the instrument over.

Sonny's smile widened as she took the guitar by the neck. She handed the shot glass over, taking the opportunity to brush long fingers against the redhead's knuckles. "I'll be right back," she said with a wink.

Jordan watched her walk away and carefully lean the beat up guitar in the corner by the entertainment center. Her hand still tingled where the youth had touched her and she licked her lips at the erotic image that blasted through her mind. Down, girl! she growled to herself. She tossed the shot back, the warm burn of whiskey breaking the spell. With a glance to the woman beside her, she reconsidered. Maybe it is a good thing she's here.

Hearing the sound of glass against glass, the redhead brought her attention back to her hand. A bottle of Johnny Walker Red was tilted, pouring another shot into the glass she held. Even without visually following the arm up to its owner's face, she knew it was the dark woman returned. Jordan inhaled deeply of the teenager's perfume and very recognizable scent.

Their eyes met and locked. Time seemed to stand still and the room was absolutely silent. Something seemed to pass between them. And then the real world intruded once again.

The woman beside the guitarist reached out and ran her fingers through red gold hair, distracting her. At the same time, Atkins stomped into the dining room from the backyard, loudly demanding to know where the charcoal lighter fluid was kept.

What the fuck was that?! Jordan demanded of herself. She swallowed her immediate irritation at the groupie that had distracted her, forcing herself to lean into the caress and smile lopsidedly at the teenager before her. Don't make any difference, Jordie.... Gotta keep the status quo.

Did she feel that too? Sonny wondered in confusion. She blinked at the woman for a second before returning to the game. With a sultry smile, she capped the fifth and leaned over, pressing it suggestively between the redhead's thighs. "Lemme know when you're ready for... more," she insinuated in a low voice.

Jordan watched her straighten and sidle away, all leg and hip. Her center throbbed with instant arousal. Wowza! She knocked back her second drink, but it did nothing to quench the real thirst inside.

"Do you think it worked?" Sonny whispered to the blonde woman in the kitchen.

Foley risked a glance around the corner, noting the flushed skin and the sudden swallowing of the drink. "Oh, yeah," she murmured. "You did great."

The teenager fidgeted nervously. "Now what?"

"Just wait a bit. Let her get some more alcohol into her system," the older woman said, patting her shoulder reassuringly. "You know she's got a high tolerance."

Sonny swallowed. "And when she's done with the bottle...?"

Foley grinned. "Then we begin Plan B."

As the sun went down and the evening cooled, the party ended up out in the large backyard. The remains of a huge barbecue were scattered across the kitchen counter and dining room table and the drinking had now begun in earnest. As word had spread, more people had arrived to help celebrate the Warlords' victory.

To keep things safe, Sonny had gathered the notebook and guitar, returning them to the redhead's room over the garage. At every opportunity through the evening, she flirted with Jordan. However, this time it was on a different level than her other attempts. Where before she would act as a woman who wanted the guitarist, now she behaved as if she already had her.

Under Foley's expert tutelage, the teenager had stopped her usual blatant seduction attempts. No more brushing breasts, sultry posturing and hooded looks. Instead, Sonny doted on her - delivered a plate of food, refilled her drink, even lit her cigarette once. And always touching. A gentle and familiar sensation - stroking a hand across the back of Jordan's neck when leaning over with the plate, taking the liberty of brushing red gold bangs out of the woman's eyes while cracking a joke, reaching out to touch her knee to gain the guitarist's attention.

Which, of course, didn't sit too well with the platinum blonde who was hanging off Jordan. As the night wore on, she became more and more irritated with the young pipsqueak who was trying to horn in on her territory. The woman's actions became more outrageously sexual in an effort to keep the redhead's attention diverted.

Finding her bottle empty, Jordan sent the groupie inside to get something more to drink. The blonde happily complied since the kid had disappeared about a half hour prior. Maybe the brat went nitey winky, she thought as she negotiated the grassy yard in heels.

Inside, the only lights on were in the kitchen. The stereo was playing in the darkened living room, as well. In the kitchen, Hampton was rinsing dishes into the disposal and Foley was putting them into the dishwasher.

The bassist looked up and smiled at the woman in the doorway. "She run outta booze?" he asked, kindly.

The groupie smiled and nodded, waggling an empty bottle at the couple. "Yep. Wouldn't happen to have another one of these around here?" She looked about the kitchen.

"As a matter of fact, we do," Foley said with a grin. She wiped her hands on a towel and moved across the kitchen to the refrigerator. While she delved into the cabinet above, she asked over her shoulder, "How's she feeling tonight? No soreness?"

"Soreness...?" the woman asked with a confused grin.

"Well, you know how it is," Foley said. "Ah, here we go!" She pulled another fifth of Johnny Walker from the cabinet and turned around. "It was worse last week when the symptoms first came up," she shrugged. The woman handed the bottle over to the groupie.