Damaged Love

by Sarah J. Brooks

  Chapter 30

  Chelsea yawned and stretched. Upon checking the time, the phone told her it was only 4:30 a.m. She turned over in the bed and closed her eyes. So much had happened during the past two weeks that she was unable to process it all. Between Colt’s melt-down and return to the hotel, they made love … sort of.

  A wave of pleasure coursed through her at the memory of his touch. The memory of his lips on her skin caused a rush of heat from her stomach to her vagina. Her skin also felt hot from thinking about him, causing her to toss and twist in the bed sheets. Never in her life had she been kissed and touched. She’d read many romance novels and fantasized about her first time. And even though they hadn’t gone all the way, it was more than she could have imagined.

  Another wave of current washed over her as she thought about his tongue on her labia. He’d parted her panties and did things to her vagina she never imagined possible. She’d become wet and sticky, and he’d licked her until she cried out in ecstasy. Her nipples now became hard while her mind settled on Colt. Her breathing became shallow at the thought of his naked torso, his lips and his tongue on her.

  Instead, she slipped her hand inside her cotton underwear and touched her clitoris, brushing the tip of her finger on the tip. The sensation was not as she fathomed. Colt’s tongue was different, but her finger had given her a shock. She was surprised at the moist heat betwixt her thighs. She pictured Colt’s hot tongue driving into her the way it did before, and she arched her back to savor the sensation. She was about to plunge her finger into her crevices when the ringing of the cell phone startled her.

  For a moment, she was unsure of what it was. The vibrating sound on the nightstand filled the silence. She flung the covers off and picked it up, knowing it was Reid. He was the only one with the audacity to buzz her before 5:00 a.m. She took a deep breath, placing the instrument to her ears.

  “Hello,” she knew her voice registered her annoyance.

  “Get over here, now!” Reid’s commanding tone made her sit upright.

  “What …?” she started to ask, but there was a click.

  Reluctant and unhappy, she dragged her feet off the bed. Whatever it was, Reid would have to wait until she showered. She would not show up hot all over with wet panties and erect nipples. As she walked to the bathroom, she peeled off her PJs, dumping them in the hamper. She adjusted the shower to warm, and as her body adjusted to the temperature, she turned it on cold.

  Ten minutes later, she was inside the suite, and Reid was throwing a fit. His voice was hard as nails as he glared at both she and Colt. Colt was sitting on the sofa unconcerned. The band members were standing around with obvious discontent on their faces. Chelsea was still standing at the door where she had just slipped through. She did not want to venture in.

  “Chelsea!” he bellowed at her. So much for not getting involved. “How could you be so careless?”

  “What did I do?” She was confused.

  Reid stomped toward her, shoving the early morning news at her. She stared at him before grabbing the paper. The thought that ran through her mind was of her and Colt in the lobby. She’d warned him, but … her thought broke at the photo of Colt’s mother lying in the hospital bed. Her heart jolted, then did a backflip as she stared at the paper. Reid’s eyes burned into her, and she swallowed.

  Her mouth hung open as she perused the contents of the third-page section. A smaller photo of her and Colt getting in the cab in the hotel parking lot was to the left of that. The headline was clear: “The Secret Colt Montgomery Has Been Hiding; His Mother The Criminal.” There was even a small photo of the guard standing in front of the room.

  “What? How did they get this?”

  She scanned the article. It stated that his mother was hospitalized after getting sick while in prison. There was no reference to her crime, but the writer speculated that she’d been in prison for a long time. Her eyes dropped to the byline: Carl Benson – Freelance Contributor.

  “When I get my hands on that jerk!”

  “What were you thinking? I trusted you,” Reid’s voice had a note of disappointment. “How could you go to that hospital after I said no?”

  Meanwhile, the hotel phone, which was used for business purposes, was ringing. Everyone paused a moment and stared at it. Reid ignored it, turning back to Chelsea with his hard stare. She tried to keep her gaze on the phone, but she felt Reid’s eyes burn into her.

  “You weren’t there to see him, Reid,” she said in a low tone.

  She recalled how Colt had been, the pain on his face, in his voice along with the torment of knowing what he did. That’s what she tried to convey to Reid, but the manager did not seem to get the message clearly. He went off on a tangent.

  “I wasn’t there? Where was I these last fifteen years?” His voice sounded incredulous.

  “I-I-I didn’t mean that,” she stuttered. “I mean the last few days.”

  He smirked while his titanium eyes glinted dangerously. “I’ve been there every step of the way for the last decade and a half, and you say I wasn’t there? I don’t need to be in the room to know what’s going on!” His voice rose a few decibels.

  “She didn’t mean anything by it, Reid. Calm down, man,” Colt chimed in.

  “Just shut up, Colt!” Reid bellowed. “I’ve had it with you and your antics. You know what? I’d just quit right here if I didn’t promise … forget it.”

  “What did you promise?” Colt stood, stepping toward him, their eyes locking.

  Andrew, Mike, and Tony who had been uncomfortable spectators, now passed by, heading to the entrance. “I think we’ll go to rehearsals early. You guys sort this out,” Tony said.

  Reid waved them away, but Colt did not even glance their way. She smiled as Tony passed by and waved, but for the most part, she kept her eyes on Colt. As soon as the door closed behind the boys, Colt resumed his question.

  “What or whom did you promise?”

  “I said forget it,” Reid ground through his teeth.

  His face was set in a hard line, and his eyes shot darts at Colt. He started to move away when Colt grabbed his arm. Chelsea’s mouth dropped open when Reid turned and landed a fist on the rock star’s jaw. Colt reeled back a couple of steps before regaining his ground. He straightened and moved toward Reid, but she was quick and grabbed his arm.

  “No, stop!” she said.

  The shock of seeing them angry at each other was making her head spin. Reid looked on as if waiting for Colt to strike, but Colt only fingered his jaw and stared at him. They glared at each other for a while before Colt sauntered to his room and closed the door. Reid strode to the window, stuffing his hands in his pants pocket. Chelsea looked from the bedroom to the window and wondered what she was supposed to do.

  Damage control was in order. How to get that done was mindboggling to Chelsea. On all the other occasions that she’d handled, Colt had been the main focus. Now that she was involved, Reid was clearly angry … no … furious with them both. How would she temper him? She approached tentatively, wanting to explain her actions. He turned to face her, and she hesitated.

  “I-I-I’m sorry Reid,” she stuttered nervously.

  Her bravery of the last few days suddenly disappeared, leaving her as vulnerable as before. Reid glowered at her for a few moments before his shoulders sagged with the exhalation of a long breath. His eyes rested on Colt’s door before returning to her. She tried to steady her nerves, but they were increasingly getting the better of her. Had she made things worse?

  “Forget about it. You had the courage to do what I didn’t. I’m so concerned about his image that I forget that he’s human,” he explained. “Tell me, how is she?” He was referring to Colt’s mother.

  She shook her head slowly while she spoke, “Not good it seems. She’s hooked up to machines and oxygen.”

  “Poor woman has been through a lot,” he said with much concern etched in his voice. “I promised her I’d take care of her son.”

  �
�So that’s the promise?”

  “Yes, I saw her after I met Colt. Somehow he trusted me and told me what he remembered. I had been through a similar situation, so I could relate to him,” he said while walking back to the window and turning his back to her.

  “You want to talk about it?’ she asked.

  He turned his head and glanced at her before turning to stare at something far away it seemed. “I also grew up with a stepdad. My parents were divorced, and my father disappeared on us. My mother went through a lot of abuse.” He paused. “He ended up killing her; that bastard killed my mother. I was glad when Colt told me what happened. Colt’s mother became like a sort of hero for me.”

  “That’s why you stuck around all this time, isn’t it?”

  Reid turned abruptly. “You can’t tell him any of this.”

  “Too late for that,” Colt’s voice came from the doorway.

  Was that anger she heard? She wasn’t confident about it. There seemed to be an edge to his voice. He stalked forward and faced his manager. She retreated to the sofa and watched the back of Colt. His shoulders seemed tensed as the two of them watched each other in silence. She could not see their eyes, but she sensed their tension.

  “You hid this from me?” Colt’s gravelly tone surprised her.

  Reid turned his face toward the window and replied, “I couldn’t tell you. Don’t ask me why … I just knew I felt kinship with you when you told me your story.”

  “I had to tell you. You insisted on me baring my past so that you knew what you were dealing with if things got out of control.”

  “Yes, I needed to know for the very reason Jason showed up and then this,” he quietly stated. “Moreover, I knew I had to protect you after speaking with your mother.”

  “How’s that?” Colt asked, but before Reid could reply, he added, “she told you, didn’t she?”

  “Yeah, I went to see her after talking with you … I saw her several times before she finally told me the truth.”

  “So you knew I was a murderer all along,” Colt sounded dejected.

  Chelsea sprang from the sofa, and Colt turned away from Reid. She rushed to him and touched his cheek, trying to hug him. He turned away from her and tried to gently push her away. She would not let him. She finally got both hands on his cheeks, willing him to look at her. His eyes were heavy with the despair he was feeling. She ached for him.

  “You are not a murderer,” she softly said. He stared at her while she tried to convey her trust in his innocence. “You are not a murderer, and don’t ever let me hear you say that again.”

  Reid patted him on the shoulder. “She’s right,” he said. “Stop beating yourself up, man. I said your mom was my hero when you told me your story. Did you know why I stayed with you all these years even when you were being a jackass?”

  Colt’s voice was hoarse, but he managed to ask, “Why?”

  “You became my hero. You did something I was too chicken to do. You defended your mom, while me … I cowered in a corner and cried like a pussy. I hated myself.” He paused, looking Colt square in the eyes. “You were the hero.”

  Colt slumped to the sofa. Chelsea could see that being vulnerable like this was eating away at Colt. He was exposed, his true self, the one who hurt. He liked to show the tough guy when in fact, he was like everyone else … in pain.

  “Anyhow, we need to get your mom released so we can move her to a private facility and get her the best care,” Reid added.

  Colt pressed the heel of his palm into his eye sockets. He was still tense from all the emotions of the past two weeks and the guilt he was experiencing. Chelsea was surprised that he considered himself a murderer. As far as she was concerned, he did what he had to do to save his family from an abusive man. Even Reid’s mother died at the hands of an abuser.

  “How will that work?” she asked.

  “I’ll turn myself in,” Colt said.

  Reid held up his hand. “Don’t jump the gun. Let’s talk to your lawyer first and see what he can do. Maybe he can work something out. Your mom did confess and served a sentence.”

  Reid looked at Chelsea and back at Colt. She figured he was trying to send her a signal. She touched Colt’s shoulder, and he looked up at her. She beckoned him to follow her. She took him to the balcony while Reid made the necessary calls. There on the balcony, she rested her head on his upper arm and slipped a hand around his waist.

  “It’s going to be alright, you’ll see,” she murmured, feeling the tension in his body.

  Chapter 31

  He trusted her. She looked at him with such tenderness that he had to. His heart leaped as he looked into her eyes. She was smiling up at him, and he stopped breathing. His eyes rested on her lips, and her smile faded, but she kept her gaze upon him. She was breathing shallow, and it pleased him. He stepped closer to her, and she made a step back, meeting the balcony rail.

  They’d been out there for about half hour, standing in silence while he allowed his heart and mind to settle. If he was to move forward, he had to come to terms with the past, present, and future. What future? The only thing certain was that he wanted Chelsea in it, but did he even deserve her? What kind of future could she have with a man who was headed to prison? Still, he could not help falling head over heels.

  Her tongue came out and slowly ran across her soft pink lips. As he dipped his head, he heard someone clear his throat. Chelsea took the opportunity to duck under his arm and flee. He watched as she slipped through the French doors back into the main room.

  “What are you doing, Colt?” Reid’s voice was hard as nails.

  “What do you mean?”

  Reid glowered at him. “With Chelsea.”

  “I don’t see that as any of your business.”

  “All I’m saying is that you need to sort this thing out before getting serious. She’s no ordinary girl,” Reid said in a cool tone.

  He sighed and replied, “I know.”

  The phone rang once more, and Reid rushed to answer it. He followed the manager back inside and took a seat close to Chelsea. While Reid spoke with the lawyer, Colt continued to tell Chelsea about his past. He won the guitar when he was sixteen and had no idea how to play. His boss at the restaurant had a friend who was a tutor and got Colt into the music class. There he learned to play different instruments and develop the love for rock music.

  “Colt,” Reid’s voice interrupted them again.

  “Yeah,” he raised his face to his manager. “Have you made arrangements to see my mother?”

  “The attorney wants you to go to the San Pedro Police Department. There’s something you need to know.”

  “Is she dead?” he asked, fearing the worst.

  “No, it’s not your mother, let’s go.”

  Reid picked up the keys to the car he’d rented a few days back. He always got a car for quick travel. They left the suite and headed down to the hotel parking lot. Reid drove in silence all the way to the police station. Colt didn’t know what to think. If it had nothing to do with his mother, what then? Was this the final destination? He knew that he’d have to face some jail time; he just didn’t expect it so soon.

  Reid was the one to speak to the officer at the front desk when they got there. “Detective Henry—is he around. He’s expecting Reid Richards.”

  “Over there.” She indicated another officer by a desk.

  He was wearing a baby blue shirt rolled up at the sleeves with a loosened navy tie. He looked more like a white collar executive than a police detective.

  “Colt Montgomery?” the officer asked as they approached.

  “Yes,” Reid replied.

  “Your lawyer called and asked for the case file. I was the officer on duty at the time. I was a sergeant back then. It’s strange, why do you need the file now. We know Williams died of a brain aneurysm.”

  Colt wasn’t sure what he just heard. “What?” he asked, dumbfounded.

  Henry repeated, “Williams died of an aneurysm, didn’t you know
this?”

  Colt staggered back. A heady sensation washed over him as the night he stabbed his stepfather resurfaced. Lightheaded, stomach churning, he stumbled to a nearby wall leaning wearily, trying to regain his strength. He could not believe what he was hearing. This must be a mistake. His mother spent the last twenty years in prison covering his crime, though it was a crime of passion or self-defense.

  “What are you saying?” His shock was quickly being replaced by a deeper emotion, which began to burn fiercely in his belly.

  The anger was quickly becoming a raging fire that flared and made his skin burn. His hazel eyes became as hard as rock as he listened to the detective recount the events of the cold case.

  “Edna Montgomery married Williams,” he was reading from a file. “They had three kids between them. She made several complaints against him during the course of their marriage. The day he died, it was reported that he was stabbed by Edna in defense. However, the case was resolved before the autopsy report since she confessed. We sent a copy of the report to the DA. We had no jurisdiction over the matter. When the lawyer called, I knew the name was familiar, so I drew up the file and here it is.”

  The detective picked up a sheet of paper from the file and handed it to Reid. Colt ground his teeth together in agitation as the mystery of the past unraveled before him. Something was fishy about this. If the autopsy report was sent to the DA, why was his mother still in prison for a crime neither of them committed?

  Chapter 32

  Colt was at another meeting with his attorney along with Reid. The news that the police reported to them was shocking. Colt was angry. He’d returned from the police department in a stupor. Chelsea listened as Reid recounted the events to her, and she could not help feeling relieved for Colt. However, he was not taking the news well, which was understandable.

  “My mother spent two decades in prison, for what?”