I couldn’t sleep. But I blamed it on my busy day on set. I tossed again before deciding that a midnight snack would do me a world of good. I checked my phone as I grabbed it off the nightsatand.Three A.M.I wore my inside slippers. They were quiet. And it was better than going all that way barefoot. I paused at the threshold and glanced at Pierce’s corner. I pictured him in bed, with the sheets tangled up around his legs.I held the banister and went down the stairs slowly.He could be in his office working. Maybe he would be on his computer. Would he be shirtless? Maybe only in briefs because it was past midnight.I let out an exasperated breath. Pierce, naked should not be a concern of mine. He could be working in a frog costume for all I cared. I was serious about the no sex deal. Doing that meant there would be no more portraits of me with my emotions shining in my eyes. I envisioned Pierce studying my face. Committing every ridge and sweat glistening on my skin so he could r
“I’m guessing you’re here for the same reason I am.” he said. “I couldn’t sleep. Needed a snack.” I answered gruffly. “That clearly isn’t going great.” He pulled out an already opened bag of chips while I dumped the gelato regrettably down the sink. He leaned on the counter leaned on the counter, holding the chip bag invitingly. Could he not turn it out into a bowl or something?That would make sure I would not brush his hand accidentally. I let out a sigh. I was being a child acting like I could not eat out of a bag Pierce was holding without physically combusting. I trudged to him, hesitated, before I dipped my hand in to fish for chips. We crunched in silence. “How long did it take you to make the painting?” I blurted out, stunning myself. Shit, I should not have said it out loud. He shrugged, “A couple of weeks. You were a very helpful muse.” “I wasn’t given an option.” “Do you want me to pay you?” He asked casually. Of course. He assumed it was about mo
“I have no right, he repeated.One more step and there was barely any space between us.A shiver of thrill went through me. Pierce glowered in anger, but I could see arousal too. I preferred this to his usual blank expression. The need to see him like that pushed me to speak.“I’m not your property, Pierce. You have your life outside of this house and so do I.”“What do you want outside of me?” He growled, his head lowering. If I pushed off my toes, I knew our lips would touch. My heart thudded in my chest loudly. How would I answer his question? Pierce had always been everything I wanted, even after we were through, I did not think it would be possible to meet someone and fall in love like the way I had done with him. His eyes were dark, nearly black as he watched my confused expression. He grabbed my waist roughly and turned me so my back was to him and my hands on the counter for support. The air crackled with sexual tension, very different from how it was mere seconds ago. Thi
“I want to fuck Pierce.” I announced to Hannah the second my butt was in a booth with her. An innocent customer glanced at our table before hurrying along. “Damn sweety, at least let the food get here.” Hannah’s face lit up with an intrigued smile. She placed both hands on the table, under her chin and leaned in.“You look too happy to hear this.” I said dryly.“Of course I am. I have been missing out on juicy Pierce details because you had been so secretive. If you want to talk now, I am all ears. So you want to bone him, tell me all about it.”I let out an exasperated sigh and shifted in my seat. “I mean you know what he looks like. And then I see him in the house all…normal.” I spat the last word out like it was poison. “I still don’t get why you can’t…” someone passed by the table and Hannah’s voice dropped an octave lower, “fuck him.”“We both thought it was smart to end the physical part of the relationship.” She already knew how complicated things were already. “He’s still hi
“It’s not a bracelet sweety, I mean it could be called that, I guess you’re right, it IS a bracelet.”“Okay?”“Yeah, but this one doesn’t go around the wrist.” She wriggled her eyebrows. “It’s a cock ring.”“A what ring?”“A cock ring. You slide this one down the shaft and it basically squeezes it. Damien LOVES the sensa-““Nope, absolutely not! That’s enough information, you’ve gotten what you wanted, let’s go.”“Oh come on, we’re bonding!” She yelled to my retreating back, even though she followed behind me. The cashier looked between the both of us, amused. She dropped the two items on his table with a smile, while I tried to keep my eyes down. “That looks great, does it come together or is it removable?” Hannah asked, and I reacted out of instincts. My eyes landed on what seemed to be the centerpiece of the cashier table.Oh god. Oh god, oh god.There was a big-no giant penis stuck onto the table and yeah, it was a show stopper on its own but spikes? It was decorated with small
I finally understood what had distracted Derek: Pierce’s arrival.He could’ve atleast, given me a warning. Now Angie would present whatever sex toy was in the box to her ‘master’ and I would have to endure judgemental looks from Pierce AND Angie.When I turned to look at him, my breath caught in my throat. He was back in his dark suit getup with a shirt that had a few buttons undone. He was toying with said button as he looked straight at Angie. “Don’t tell me what?” He asked again. Oh dear/“Don’t tell you…” Angie started, “…that she had missed a dose today.” I turned to look at Angie. Both of her hands were behind her back like they were crossed, not hiding a box of a possibly ginormous dildo. Her expression? Bored.I wished I could look as cool headed as she did. As it was, I was bright red and reading to flee.Pierce glanced at the watch on his wrist, irritation marring his brows. Good to know a conversation about me was ticking him off. Pun unintended. The grandpa jokes were fo
I took my phone with me to the bathroom. One look in, and I figured I might as well run a bath. I had nothing else to do for the day. Soaking would be good for my nerves. I opened my messages. They were both from the same person. My eyes narrowed into slits as I expanded the text from Hannah. ‘Did you like your not so little present?’ She texted with double wink emojis. ‘Bet you’re having too much fun to respond.’ I shook my head in disapproval as I typed out a response. ‘Fun? I’m busy trying not to get caught with that thing!’ I checked the water in the bath to make sure it was at a good temperature. A new message entered my phone a second later. ‘After you do that, HAVE fun. A world of pleasure awaits you’ more wink emojis. “I swear to God.” I said out loud, then chuckled. ‘You know you’re a bad influence.’ New message, ‘you’re welcome.’ Underneath that one; ‘Rumors of the Destan show wanting to interview you.’ My heart skipped a beat. Barely looking at what I was doin
TAMI…“So, he’s actually letting her stay with him?”“That what I can tell from the situation.” A voice messed up by static responded from Tami phone. She had been enjoying a glass of wine in her family’s living room when her mole had called with day ruining new. “Her bodyguard is ex-CIA. Definitely not someone she can afford on her own.” They continued. Tami squeezed the phone tighter in her hand. She had suspected it but wasn’t sure. So Pierce had found out about the pregnancy AND was reacting fine- even more than that.“You’re sure she’s living with him?” She asked the person in the line. “Yes, I already told you that. I went on her phone and the messages with her manager-Tami…”The person hesitated. “I can’t do this anymore, Myra’s a friend to me.”“You didn’t think about that when needed money did you.” Tami snapped, “I’ll call you when I need you.” She ended the call abruptly, now pacing around the room. Suddenly she screamed and pushed the wine glass she had on the table.
The first second I felt dawn break the next morning, I slipped out of Seth’s house after dropping a note to say thankyou, and went into mine to take a shower. Then I spent the last day of my weekend in Hannah’s home who listed the many merits of accepting Pierce’s money.“You don’t have to convince me Hannah, I’m not saying No. That choice was taken away, and in exchange, Pierce will stop bothering me.” Everytime I answered that, she would look at me with a sad expression on her face and whenever I glared at her, she would raise her hands in the air. I tried to spend a little more time with Lily while I was there. Seth’s story reminding me just how valuable she was to me, but Lily was out most of the time, I figured she was still mad at me for not taking her to the new house. Monday came, and I marched into Pierce’s office building with false confidence . When was the last time I had been there? That was right, when I brought lunch for him as a thank you. Then, I had told him that I
I thought about my neighbors while dad was acting a tyrant over us. We tried to be quiet a lot. But a few times dad would yell. Or shove us too hard against the walls. Our neighbors said nothing, and avoided eye contact. “It’s easier to pretend.” I answered quietly, staring down at my twisting fingers. “True. I got tired of pretending. I got into a lot of fights as a kid.” He continued. “So I could pretend the welts on my body were from my scuffles, not from my father. Now I cover those scars with tattoos.”“What about the scars in your mind?” He slowed his chewing, “those ones, we just have to live with. You’re doing a good job of it.” I let out a laugh, ready to deny knowing what he wad talking about, but the knowing look he gave me told me there was no point. My shoulders sagged. “You think so?” “Oh yeah, movie star.” “You know?!” He chuckled, “I’ve seen a couple of your series while in prison. Was my warden’s favorite . Seeing your…friend, jogged my memory.” “I d
His eyes zeroed on Donna with the money outstretched. “What did Donna do?” “Why do you think I did anything?” She retorted, shoving the money back in her pocket while I looked around. I had to find a place to sleep tonight. “You’re offering money to someone else and her house is empty, you did something.” “Oh piss off.” “She helped Myra’s…uhh, pack a mattress and collected a bribe for keeping it a secret.” “I thought it was a prank!” “He took your stuff?” Seth asked me, his brows raised in surprise. “Yeah, he did. But I’ll get it back.” Maybe I could just lay on the floor? I didn’t check the bathroom yet so I didn’t know if he had taken the sheets too. “When?” “Monday? Tuesday maybe.” “Where are you going to sleep?” Layla asked, hitching her bag up her hip again. “Till monday, I can crash with a friend.” “Today?” Three pairs of eyes looked at me expectantly, and I shrugged. “A motel.” “There isn’t one nearby. Oh! Seth can drive you to the closest one thou
I blinked and looked at the numbers glued to the door. It was my house, that much was true. But it was empty. No brown couch, lemon side-table, my ginormous bean bag. Even the bohemian style rug that managed to pull the whole together was hone. Every single thing was missing from the living. Color drained off my face as I wondered what else was gone. I rushed into my room and looked around in search of Yvette’s box, sighing with relief when I found her on a dingle table in the middle of the room. Everything else was gone, save for the bed frame, and a wardrobe. There was a small note and cute little teddy bear beside her urn. I grabbed the note and read it. ‘Call me.’ I didn’t have to dial the number to know it was Pierce. Did he really rob me?! “Ah there you are!” A woman exclaimed excitedly beside me and I jumped in surprise, I didn’t even hear her come into the house. She had on the biggest t-shirt and basket ball short and was grinning from ear to ear at me. “Nice to me
After the money I cost him, I figured I owed him an explanation. I wiped the corner of my lip nervously and adjusted the blazer. “When I left home today, I…someone who I didn’t want in the house was in it.” “Oh?” “Yeah.” I hoped he had deduced himself that the “someone” was Pierce. After-all he was the only touchy subject in my life. “Just to make sure we’re on the same page, we’re talking about Pierce?” “Yeah him.” “Oh.” He went quiet after that. But his face said the things he didn’t want to say. “You can…ask me about it.” I offered. “You sure?” He had stopped eating and was studying me like a wounded kitten. “I’m sure.” “Okay…why was he at your house?” “He wanted me to sign some papers.” I grimaced, remembering the amount. “He was trying to alleviate his guilt by buying me off. Such an asshole.” I muttered. Carter took another bite of his burger and chewed slowly. He had lost interest in the food but was trying to give me a sense of normalcy, so I wouldn
I cringed at the sound of the bottle shattering and cursed again. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to-“ “It’s fine, It’s just a little wine I shouldn’t have startled you like that-“ “Let me clean that up.” A waiter said, a barely hidden grimace on his face. I could feel a lot of eyes on us and my cheeks turned bright red as I tried to wipe the mess on the table. Carter’s hand slipped over mine again and gave me a reassuring squeeze. When I looked up, he was smiling. “Let me do it.” He said and collected the table cloth from my shaking hands. “That was a disaster.” I muttered under my breath as the waiter left to get a broom. “It’s not that bad, a disaster would be someone slipping and falli-“ A waiter chose that particular time to walk by and I guess he did not see the dark liquid on the ground with the dim lights because he slipped, hovering in the air for a split second before his body came down, and the lobster dish he held, rained down on him. “Oh my God!” I gasped a
He cradled his helmet in his left hand and had the other in the pocket of his jeans. His eyes looked past me and were focused on Pierce, the viking braids on his head turned him into a viking , biker God, if those existed. “Are you okay, Myra?” He asked bending his head to look at me. Why on earth was I always caught staring at him? “Yeah, everything’s fine-“ I started, “wait. No. Everything is NOT fine.” I turned my back by to him, crossed my hands, heels still in them, and glared at Pierce. “But it will be as soon as he leaves.” “Who the hell are you supposed to be?” Pierce asked her neighbor, sizing him up. “The one guy here she doesn’t want gone.” He answered coolly. I felt a mini war going on from the stance both men were taking. I started to think that it was a bad idea to get him involved. “Is this your date? He doesn’t strike me as your type.” “My “type” as scarred me for life, it’s time I try something new, don’t you think so, Pierce? Now for the love of God, LEA
He had the guts to look at me like I was the problem in this situation. His bushy brows were furrowed as he scowled, his eyes showing equal parts of desire and annoyance. Ditto. “Going out with Hannah?” He questioned. “This isn’t your usual filming getup. “Well excuse me, fashion police, but you need to get out of my house!” He looked at my face finally, then around the house like cockroaches were crawling all over the place. “Really Myra? This? This is what you settled on finally? It’s a dump. Why didn’t you take the apartment I offered?” “And be indebted to you even more? No fucking thank you.” It felt so hot in the house. I had Pierce to blame for that. He was only standing by the doorway, but he managed to fill the room so far all I could see was him, all I could smell was him, all I could think for crying out loud was him! I wanted him gone. “Now if you would be kind enough…LEAVE.” “You can’t be serious Myra.” He started, moving into the room further. “did you even have
I typed the name into google, having never heard the name before. Scrolling and reading while I peeled another pepperoni slice off my pizza. The mythological wife of Yahweh according to the Canaanite pantheon. Mother of sacred trees…Erased from history like most divine females. I slowed my chewing till it came to a halt. That last bit sounded familiar.A notification from Carter popped up on my screen. I opened it.-I understand that it could be taken the wrong way. But I consider her a powerful deity. Queen of the heavens. I think looking at you feels like I’m looking at the sky. I sat up on the bed and pushed my tongue through my cheek as I read the text over and over, trying to find a double meaning, or hidden insult. There were none.-I like Asherah. I texted back.l-I’m relieved. More dots hovered and I waited. Peeling a single pepperoni from the top of my pizza. -Would you like to have lunch with me tomorrow?”I looked at the text silently.-yes* * *The next d