She heard strangled sobbing and realized that the sounds were coming from her. Her shoulders shaking with every sob that racked her body, she ran her fingers over little. She was the same size in the painting as she was that day. I glanced at her own on the table at back down at the painting in my arms. “My little girl.” I whispered, wiping away a tear that would’ve fallen on it. With unsteady steps I walked to the memorial and rearranged it, placing the painting at the back and sat back on my knees to look at it. I imagined celebrating my birthday with her here. It would’ve been more joyful. Maybe she would’ve cried and I would have to leave early, or she would sleep soundly through the whole thing and I would brag that my daughter was not a fussy baby. All that had been taken away from me. I trudged back into bed, lifting the covers to climb back in, but stopped as a thought crossed my mind. He wouldn’t, I told myself, but the thought remained. Silently I replaced the covers
my face hurt from smiling so much. And not just the smiles of today, but all the smiling I had to do for the past months for publicity, but God is was so worth it. It shouldn’t have surprised me but I still needed time to wrap my head around the fact that our movie was a blockbuster! “Myra, can you smile for the camera.” A reported said and I fought the urge to roll my eyes. All I’ve been doing was smiling. Jace tugged me closer to make room for Roberto on the red carpet. “When this is over, I don’t think your face is gonna go back to normal.” He whispered. “I’m gonna be buried like this.” I joked back. Jace and Roberto were with me every step of the way. This had been the most hectic months of my life but I had them ribbing and teasing the whole time. O’Malley joined us and took the middle position as we posed for more photos. Then, other male casts that were afilited with my character, then all of us. “Wow, Myra. Talk about an army of men.” A reporter joked as Jace and Robert
I dug in my heel, forcing him to stop. Finally he turned, “well?”He sighed, “Before your press tour began, I paid Pierce a visit. Told him about the press tour and that him pestering you would distract you, make you fail. So we both came to an agreement tht it would be best if he stayed away till it was over.” He finished. “I shouldn’t have mentioned it out there.”“You spoke to him for me?” I asked softly.“I wanted your premiere to be a success.”I wrapped my hand around his neck and brushed my lips over his lips as his hands rose to steady me against him, his eyes bore into mine like he wanted more but didn’t want to voice it. We should’ve passed this stage. I hadn’t kissed him since the night of my birthday, and so far my only excuse for not exploring what I had with Carter, was that I had been so busy with work. He hasn’t said anything about that night and neither had I. A few times I would catch a strange look on his face, but then it would be gone, and he would flash me one of
My face twisted into a scowl as I watched her approach him, slip on an imaginary barrier and fall towards him for him to catch her. It all happened in a second; me stepping forward and being held in place by Rhonda’s strong hands, Tami’s gasp as she fell forward in front of him, the look of surprise that crossed her face when she continued to fall past him and then the sound of her body as it hit the floor. Through it all, Pierce’s eyes never left my face. He pulled his gaze downward finally and looked at Tami- who for some reason was still on the damn floor- with indifference. Why was no one else moving, everyone was waiting, barely breathing as they watched the drama unfold. She moaned as she sat up, raising her hand to her head. “I don’t feel so good, Pierce?” He lifted his drink to his lips, finished it off in one gulp, and then he casually stepped over her form to get to the bewildered waiter, and grabbed another drink. Just like that the quiet spell was broken and soun
I watched as he moved closer to me. “Your ruby? What happened to doll.” “You are everything, Myra. My ruby, my fireball, my doll. Mine…mine, mine.” He stopped a few inches from me, his hand in his pocket. “But if you like doll, then doll it is. You came all this way just to run away from me.” I turned away from him. “I hope you don’t plan on asking why. Besides, it’s bad publicity to be seen with you, I don’t want you to ruin my image Pierce.” He was grinning when I turned. “If I wasn’t the egoistic son of a bitch that I am, that would’ve hurt my feelings, Myra.” “Good, you know how I felt.” He withdrew his hand from his pocket and my heartbeat quickened. It was just a fucking hand you idiot, I swore to myself. Then he started a slow stroll toward me and my panic was justified. “I do. but I didnt mean it like that.” “It’s not what you meant it’s what you did, and it doesn’t matter anymore.” I backed away. “It does, but not tonight. So, don’t I play the part of the
My body froze for a split second and then yielded to his touch before I could make a brain connection. No no no no. It took immense self will to move my head back when all I wanted to do was bury my fingers in his scalp. He leaned with me, his hold on me tightening. I tried to push against his chest but there was barely any space between us. I bit down. A setting that was all to familiar happened in front of my eyes. Him drawing back in surprise his eyes on my face wondering if I meant to do it, and then realization. His arm loosened from around me and I shoved him away, stumbling and still being caught by him. He set me right on my feet and stepped back. His eyes searching my face. I remembered when this had first happened. He had been angry, threatened my life if I left him. Now, Pierce had the most heart wrenching look of hurt on his face. I could still taste his blood in my mouth and it made my stomach coil. “We’re never going back to this Pierce. No matter how strong our phys
This little coffee shop definitely knew how to brew a good coffee, and their buttered scones were delicious which was all I was eaten since I tasted it while Carter explored their menu.”Their quiche could definitely use some work.” He gave his final verdict and dropped his spoon, I giggled and took a bite out of a fresh scone. “What?”“I think you’re adorable.” I admitted, the way your brows furrowed in concerntration as you pass judgement…that’s tv worthy stuff.” His expression softened into a smile. “But it does make me curious about your cooking. Tell me this, do food critics usually know how to cook?”“Not always, their gift is in the tasting. But I know how to, that’s my secret weapon, if I made anything for you you would be trying to jump me right now.” He winked at me and I grinned. “That good huh? As good as Angie’s?”“I don’t think I’ve tried anything of hers.”“You have. At my birthday.” He paused, “She’s got a gift.”“She’s amazing-“I felt a tap on my shoulder and turne
“Come on ladies chop chop!” The man in charge of arranging us, Micah, yelled as he walked down the line. Fifteen women. That was the number of women that were to be “auctioned” tonight, me included. We all wore the red off shoulder midi dress that we were given and our hair was in the same styles. Bianca tried to hitch her dress higher over her boobs. “This was a bad idea. This was a really bad idea.” She said, Sophia rolled her eyes and moved to stand beside her, then helped pull the dress up. “Oh stop panicking, we’re not even doing anything! They call your number, you catwalk up there with a smile and do nothing.” “What if they don’t bid on me?” I looked down at the chest that she was currently trying to cover. No better than a man, I know. But it was an impressive rack. “I think that’s the least of your problems.” I remember peeking through the curtains earlier and Jesus the men! “What you should worry about is not getting picked by a weirdo.” “That man Solo Red? Stupid fuc
Tami’s POV She watched yet another story on the news about her family as she nursed a glass of bourbon. Her father was in his study, tearing it apart, at least the sound of crashing objects had stopped. Her mother on the other hand was in her bedroom, checking out all her diamond jewelry. Good, Tami thought. With the rate at which their companies were being raided, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they came to their home and confiscated every item worth anything in the house. She should enjoy her jewelry while it lasted. Everything was falling apart. All the connections her family built here over the years, crumbling one by one. People they thought were their allies had been completely silent since the raids started, if she had to point a finger to the cause of this, she would point at Pierce. And the only reason he was doing it was because of that…she tapped her foot on the ground as she thought of Myra. She thought getting rid of her baby would be enough to get rid of her. To g
This had to be the longest bidding battle in forever. As expected, about a hundred men had their batons raised. And then they kept coming up, no matter how high the amount went. Soon the number reduced, thirty, ten, three, two. I knew the first guy was Jace, but who was the second? I couldn’t see him from here. “That better not be who I think it is.” The woman peeking from under me said. “Who?” “Leonardo.” The name didn’t ring a bell. “They call him the patron. He’s Mafia.” Oh God, what have I done? The two boards were still staying up. Jace was still holding his own. Man was going to go bankrupt at this rate. One of the men stood up. “Nine hundred thousand.” Gasps rang out from around the room. Was Jace gonna do it? “One million.” Jace said smoothly. “Bloody hell.” I cursed. “Two.” I heard the cocky smirk in the other man’s voice. “Going once, twice. Won by the gentleman at number thirty!” He hit the mallet on its stand as everyone clapped furiously. She had beaten
“Come on ladies chop chop!” The man in charge of arranging us, Micah, yelled as he walked down the line. Fifteen women. That was the number of women that were to be “auctioned” tonight, me included. We all wore the red off shoulder midi dress that we were given and our hair was in the same styles. Bianca tried to hitch her dress higher over her boobs. “This was a bad idea. This was a really bad idea.” She said, Sophia rolled her eyes and moved to stand beside her, then helped pull the dress up. “Oh stop panicking, we’re not even doing anything! They call your number, you catwalk up there with a smile and do nothing.” “What if they don’t bid on me?” I looked down at the chest that she was currently trying to cover. No better than a man, I know. But it was an impressive rack. “I think that’s the least of your problems.” I remember peeking through the curtains earlier and Jesus the men! “What you should worry about is not getting picked by a weirdo.” “That man Solo Red? Stupid fuc
This little coffee shop definitely knew how to brew a good coffee, and their buttered scones were delicious which was all I was eaten since I tasted it while Carter explored their menu.”Their quiche could definitely use some work.” He gave his final verdict and dropped his spoon, I giggled and took a bite out of a fresh scone. “What?”“I think you’re adorable.” I admitted, the way your brows furrowed in concerntration as you pass judgement…that’s tv worthy stuff.” His expression softened into a smile. “But it does make me curious about your cooking. Tell me this, do food critics usually know how to cook?”“Not always, their gift is in the tasting. But I know how to, that’s my secret weapon, if I made anything for you you would be trying to jump me right now.” He winked at me and I grinned. “That good huh? As good as Angie’s?”“I don’t think I’ve tried anything of hers.”“You have. At my birthday.” He paused, “She’s got a gift.”“She’s amazing-“I felt a tap on my shoulder and turne
My body froze for a split second and then yielded to his touch before I could make a brain connection. No no no no. It took immense self will to move my head back when all I wanted to do was bury my fingers in his scalp. He leaned with me, his hold on me tightening. I tried to push against his chest but there was barely any space between us. I bit down. A setting that was all to familiar happened in front of my eyes. Him drawing back in surprise his eyes on my face wondering if I meant to do it, and then realization. His arm loosened from around me and I shoved him away, stumbling and still being caught by him. He set me right on my feet and stepped back. His eyes searching my face. I remembered when this had first happened. He had been angry, threatened my life if I left him. Now, Pierce had the most heart wrenching look of hurt on his face. I could still taste his blood in my mouth and it made my stomach coil. “We’re never going back to this Pierce. No matter how strong our phys
I watched as he moved closer to me. “Your ruby? What happened to doll.” “You are everything, Myra. My ruby, my fireball, my doll. Mine…mine, mine.” He stopped a few inches from me, his hand in his pocket. “But if you like doll, then doll it is. You came all this way just to run away from me.” I turned away from him. “I hope you don’t plan on asking why. Besides, it’s bad publicity to be seen with you, I don’t want you to ruin my image Pierce.” He was grinning when I turned. “If I wasn’t the egoistic son of a bitch that I am, that would’ve hurt my feelings, Myra.” “Good, you know how I felt.” He withdrew his hand from his pocket and my heartbeat quickened. It was just a fucking hand you idiot, I swore to myself. Then he started a slow stroll toward me and my panic was justified. “I do. but I didnt mean it like that.” “It’s not what you meant it’s what you did, and it doesn’t matter anymore.” I backed away. “It does, but not tonight. So, don’t I play the part of the
My face twisted into a scowl as I watched her approach him, slip on an imaginary barrier and fall towards him for him to catch her. It all happened in a second; me stepping forward and being held in place by Rhonda’s strong hands, Tami’s gasp as she fell forward in front of him, the look of surprise that crossed her face when she continued to fall past him and then the sound of her body as it hit the floor. Through it all, Pierce’s eyes never left my face. He pulled his gaze downward finally and looked at Tami- who for some reason was still on the damn floor- with indifference. Why was no one else moving, everyone was waiting, barely breathing as they watched the drama unfold. She moaned as she sat up, raising her hand to her head. “I don’t feel so good, Pierce?” He lifted his drink to his lips, finished it off in one gulp, and then he casually stepped over her form to get to the bewildered waiter, and grabbed another drink. Just like that the quiet spell was broken and soun
I dug in my heel, forcing him to stop. Finally he turned, “well?”He sighed, “Before your press tour began, I paid Pierce a visit. Told him about the press tour and that him pestering you would distract you, make you fail. So we both came to an agreement tht it would be best if he stayed away till it was over.” He finished. “I shouldn’t have mentioned it out there.”“You spoke to him for me?” I asked softly.“I wanted your premiere to be a success.”I wrapped my hand around his neck and brushed my lips over his lips as his hands rose to steady me against him, his eyes bore into mine like he wanted more but didn’t want to voice it. We should’ve passed this stage. I hadn’t kissed him since the night of my birthday, and so far my only excuse for not exploring what I had with Carter, was that I had been so busy with work. He hasn’t said anything about that night and neither had I. A few times I would catch a strange look on his face, but then it would be gone, and he would flash me one of
my face hurt from smiling so much. And not just the smiles of today, but all the smiling I had to do for the past months for publicity, but God is was so worth it. It shouldn’t have surprised me but I still needed time to wrap my head around the fact that our movie was a blockbuster! “Myra, can you smile for the camera.” A reported said and I fought the urge to roll my eyes. All I’ve been doing was smiling. Jace tugged me closer to make room for Roberto on the red carpet. “When this is over, I don’t think your face is gonna go back to normal.” He whispered. “I’m gonna be buried like this.” I joked back. Jace and Roberto were with me every step of the way. This had been the most hectic months of my life but I had them ribbing and teasing the whole time. O’Malley joined us and took the middle position as we posed for more photos. Then, other male casts that were afilited with my character, then all of us. “Wow, Myra. Talk about an army of men.” A reporter joked as Jace and Robert