The hallway stunk worse than he remembered, but it was the last time he would set his eyes on the place. He had a new home and a new life with his girl. He took her hand. “I don’t have much. Just my clothes, my guitars and my amps. The rest of the stuff ain’t worth shit.” The one thing that was worth the most was gone – Elvira. He hoped she knew how to fend for herself and avoided the rat traps.
He cautiously stepped into his apartment with the hope that she would be scurrying along the floor or on the counter in search of a crumb, but she was nowhere in sight. He checked the corners of the room and behind the furniture, but there was nothing – not even droppings to indicate that she’d been there.
Damien joined Alyssa in the kitchen. She was on her knees checking under the sink.
“No sign of Elvira, huh?”
Alyssa’s mouth drooped into a sad, gloomy frown, and she shook her head.
Loss cut into Damien’s heart. Elvira was gone. He took one last look at her empty cage and the maze of plastic tubing that she loved to run through, and his heart truly ached with loss and sadness. He would never forget her and the companionship she provided him.
Damien left the shoddy apartment with Alyssa and his modest amount of belongings and shut the door behind him.
Alyssa’s apartment was heaven, not only because it was tastefully decorated and comfortable, but because she was there with him. He came up behind her and put his arms around her waist.
She leaned into him and cupped her hands over his. “All settled in?”
“Yep. Since I live here now, does it mean that I can do this any time I want?” He pushed her hair aside and ran his tongue over the back of her neck.
She sighed. “I love you, Damien.”
“I love you, too.” He slipped in front of her so he could look at her. After their time apart and then his stay in the hospital, his body ached to make love to her. The release in the taxi was just the tip of the iceberg. He had a geyser of passion to unleash. He took her small waist in his hands and pulled her close to him. His erection hit her right in the pubic bone and sent a bombshell through his lower half.
She let out a provocative chuckle. “Bullseye.”
He slid his hand over her hip and across her flat stomach. He took hold of her crotch and squeezed the soft denim in his fist reclaiming what belonged to him. “Can I do this anytime I want, too?”
She exhaled a breathy sigh. “You better.”
He smiled into the crook of her neck and inhaled the scent of her hair. The floral aroma filled his nostrils, reminding him of the way it cascaded over his face when she was on top of him. He was ready to explode in his jeans. An arm across her lower back pressed her close, the other hand took her chin and held it in place so he could land a hard kiss on her mouth. His tongue dove inside with an insatiable hunger. He hadn’t touched her body in so long, and he needed it. It wasn’t the drugs and alcohol he craved, it was Alyssa.
She laughed with surprise when he picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. She landed on the mattress with a light bounce. One by one, he unzipped her boots and placed them next to the bed while she shed her tank top and bra. The buckle on her belt gave him resistance, and he almost ripped it open before it yielded to his prying fingers. He removed her jeans and her panties in one quick tug, eradicating all of her clothing.
Her naked body was perfection. Other than the artistry of the tattoos that covered her flesh, it was unblemished, and her creamy pale skin glowed with a supple sheen. Her hips fit perfectly in the palms of his hands. He pinned her to the bed, while his lips skimmed her lower abdomen. Like an animal, he could smell her scent and it drove him mad. He needed to taste her. The hunger was too great to deny.
His tongue slid down the center of her belly and fell right into heaven. He dipped his tongue inside her and moaned at the pleasing, familiar flavor. Licking and sucking at the folds of skin, memory guided his mouth into the crevices that sent her into a frenzy.
She wrapped her legs around his neck and dug the heels of her feet into his back. Her hands gripped his wrists like a vice while she arched her back. The spray of her black hair was tangled across the pillow from the way she was flailing back and forth. Her moans and pants were deep and raspy, and he loved the animalistic sounds that emitted from her throat.
His fingers probed the depth of her pussy while his tongue continued its assault on her clit. He didn’t waste time with a vibrator or dildo or any of their other toys. He wanted to feel every pulse inside her and swirled his fingers against the tight muscles.
Her legs went rigid on his shoulders, and she gasped. She threw her head back and grabbed a chunk of his spikey mohawk in her hand, pushing his face against her body.
He worked his fingers in and out, concentrating on the same little spot that made her grunt every time he touched it. His tongue was a blazing whirlwind and worked in unison with his fingers. Together, they made Alyssa cry out with a guttural moan. Her insides milked his fingers and then drenched them.
Her legs slipped off his back, her arms fell to her sides, and she went limp on the bed, but Damien didn’t stop. He didn’t get his fill. He was still ravenous and needed to drink every morsel her body offered. He licked up her juices with his tongue and sucked it out of her pussy with his lips. Her insides convulsed against his mouth and her pink swollen clit rested on his upper lip. He tickled it with his tongue until Alyssa whimpered and begged him to stop.
She clawed at his shoulders and pulled him on top of her. He licked his lips clean, and then he kissed her. Her ankles were already hooked behind his back, and she pressed her pelvis upwards into his cock, trying to guide it into her body. She was molded against him so tightly it was hard to squeeze his hand between them to guide his cock inside her. When he finally made contact, Alyssa threw her head back and moaned. Her legs locked him in place, and she held onto the round muscles of his shoulders, while he continually thrust his hips into her.
Without the barrier of a condom, her body enveloped him like a warm cocoon. Flesh against flesh, there was an intimate connection that filled his heart with love and lust. He wanted every part of her. He wanted to melt on top of her and share her spirit. He pumped his hips slowly, deepening himself with each thrust. The muscles inside her pussy clenched and released his cock, squeezing it with involuntary spasms. Warm wetness bathed his groin, aiding the momentum in which he slid in and out of her. The smell of her hair, the scent of her perfume – it all mixed with the sensual aroma of sex and turned into a powerful concoction that made Damien dizzy. His entire body trembled with a fiery sensation. It tingled like a million hands were on him. He thrust himself deeper, harder, until his moans overshadowed Alyssa’s cries. He came with a hard pounding of his hips and a long, loud moan.
He was covered in sweat. Tiny droplets fell onto the sheet. His strength was gone, and his arms were heavy and weary. No longer able to support himself, he dropped on top of Alyssa. He stayed there, with his face buried in her hair, inhaling the array of scents from their lovemaking while he caught his breath. When he recovered enough to prop himself up on his elbows and look into her smoldering, dark eyes, all he saw was the love that he longed for. His lips fell on hers and sealed their union. “I love you, Alyssa.”
Her fingers skimmed his cheek. “I love you, too, Damien.”
He rolled onto the bed, pulled her into his arms and let out a long sigh when she snuggled deeper into his shoulder. Content seeped into the corners of his being. They were reunited completely, and he never wanted to be apart from her again.
They stayed in bed for the next few hours, relishing in each other’s arms and enjoying the quiet time. The hospital had been a constant flow of doctors, nurses and social workers, and sometimes Damien just wanted peace to be alone with his thoughts, and with his girl.
He needed to get up, though, no matter how relaxing it was. He had spent most of the last two weeks in bed and his legs needed to regain their strength, plus he was starving. He put his pants back
on, tugged his T-shirt over his head, and escorted Alyssa to the kitchen. As soon as they got there, the intercom beeped.
“Hello?” Alyssa called into it.
“Hi. It’s me. Angel.”
“And Jimmy!”
Damien couldn’t get used to the thing and entertained himself with the buzzer.
Alyssa pulled his hand away. “Are you trying to get us thrown out on your first day here?”
Us. She said, get us thrown out. The inclusion solidified their union. She was going to stick by his side no matter what, as long as he was clean and sober. He knew she wouldn’t stand for a relapse, which meant he couldn’t afford one. Time in the hospital gave him a chance to reflect on his life, and he realized that he was a lucky man. He could have turned out bitter and full of hate or a criminal living on the street. Instead, he thirsted for love and acceptance, and channeled his frustration through music. He excelled at the bass and found true love and loyal friendships. His life may have been twisted and ugly in the past, but it underwent a metamorphosis and was now full and happy.
A rat-a-tat on the door signaled his friends’ arrival. Angel stood in the doorway with a broad smile on his face. “It’s good to see you home, my friend, and in a posh apartment building.”
“Yeah,” Jimmy agreed from behind Angel’s shoulder. “Now we can visit without worrying about getting mugged at night.”
“Or catching a disease in the hallway,” Angel teased.
“Are you coming in?” Alyssa called from the kitchen. “Or are you still swabbing the hallway for contaminants?”
Angel chuckled. “I was just wondering if your lease allowed pets, because I brought you a housewarming present.”
Angel had one hand behind his back, but Damien couldn’t see what he was hiding.
Curiosity made Alyssa join him in the doorway, and she tried to peek behind Angel. “Is that a bird cage? You got us a bird?”
Angel’s smile widened, and he brought the cage out from behind his back. “It’s Elvira.”
Damien thought he’d never see her again. It wasn’t often that joy filled his heart with such intensity. It beat a little faster and his face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. “Elvira! Where were you hiding?” He stuck his finger in between the bars of the cage, and she sniffed it. Her little pink nose twitched, and she sat up on her hind legs.
Damien gave Angel a big bear hug. “Thanks, dude. I thought you hated her.”
“I never said I hated her. I was just a little squeamish, that’s all. I never saw a rat close up.” He smiled and tilted his head at Elvira. “I actually grew quite fond of her over the last two weeks. I guess you could say we bonded.”
“Man, I never knew anyone who had a rat as a pet before,” Jimmy said. “She’s pretty darn cool.”
Alyssa already had Elvira out of her cage and was cooing to her. It was pretty fuckin’ sexy to see his dominatrix of a woman get all sentimental over a little rat. “Don’t put her down,” Damien warned. “She doesn’t know this place. I don’t want her to run off.”
“I’m not letting her go.” Alyssa kissed Elvira between her ears and popped her back in the cage. “How did you find her? We just scoured the apartment looking for her.”
Angel took a deep breath. “The night I found Damien I noticed that her cage was open, and she was gone. I didn’t know whether to stand on a chair or hover over Damien while I waited for the ambulance. I chose to stay with him, of course, but I kept checking the floor to make sure she didn’t run up my leg. That’s when I saw her sitting in that little cage in the corner of the room.”
It was the first cage Damien bought when he took Elvira home from the pet store. He had just tossed it in the corner after he bought her the big habitat with the mazes. Now he better go back and get it from the apartment. It cost him a small fortune.
He was overcome with happiness now that Elvira was safe and back with him. “Thanks again, Angel. I can’t tell you how much this means to me. I didn’t even notice that small cage was missing. She never uses it anymore.”
“I probably scared her, and she jumped in there,” Angel said. “She was cowering, and I felt bad for her. I knew if I didn’t close the door she’d probably run away, so I worked up my nerve and tiptoed over to the cage and locked her in. She got really agitated at first, but she calmed down when she saw me with you. I think she knew something was wrong and I was there to help. I went back and got her after I left the hospital.”
Damien’s eyes rested on Elvira, and she looked back at him with her black button eyes. She had probably sensed his vitals were slipping and he was in trouble. She was a smart girl.
Alyssa was happy to have Elvira back as part of the family and wore a big smile. “I went to check on her too, but when I saw the open cage, I thought she took off. I didn’t notice the small cage was missing either. I left food for her, and I checked a few times, but I never thought you’d have her.”
“I’m sorry. I kept forgetting to mention it. Between work and going back and forth to the hospital, we kept crossing paths. I used a pair of kitchen tongs to give her a bowl of water and food, but I didn’t clean the cage.” Angel scrunched up his nose. “Sorry. It’s kind of a mess.”
There was a lump in Damien throat again. “I don’t care about that. Thanks for taking care of her.”
Jimmy wandered through the living room. “Do I get the grand tour? Because these digs are a major upgrade from your last place.”
Alyssa smiled at Damien and extended her arm toward the rest of the apartment. “Go ahead. I want Angel to help me put something together for us to eat. I have a refrigerator full of food but no idea what to do with it.”
Angel was glowing and animated at the idea of cooking. “I’d love to, Alyssa. You should have told me you wanted to prepare something. I could have given you a shopping list or brought everything with me. I could have outlined—”
“I just want to throw something together, not cook one of your famous pork things with a half-dozen sides.” Alyssa rolled her eyes with a teasing smirk.
“You’re such a spoil-sport.” Angel took her by the arm and led her toward the kitchen. “I swear, I’m going to teach you how to cook a proper meal one of these days.”
Damien couldn’t hide his smile. They were the two people who meant the most to him, and they had a natural rapport together.
Jimmy was already starting the tour on his own, inspecting Alyssa’s gargoyles and dragons. “I would have pegged this place as Alyssa’s from the get go. It’s her, man.”
Damien never had anything to show off before, besides his bass guitars and his girl. Even though this was Alyssa’s apartment, he was proud to live in a space with taste and beauty. “The gargoyle I got tattooed on my back is from one of her statues. It’s an amulet to keep me focused on the good things in my life, and to keep away my demons.”
Jimmy stood up from the sculpture he was admiring on the end table and faced Damien. He paused before he said anything, and his carefree smile turned serious. “You had us worried, Damien, for a long time. I’m not one to preach to the choir, but I tried to keep my eye on you to make sure you weren’t in over your head. I guess I fucked up, man. I’m sorry.”
The genuine concern and sincerity in Jimmy’s usual lighthearted banter struck Damien harder than he expected. His recent sobriety must be amplifying his emotions, because his throat tightened with sentiment. The outpouring of support boosted his ego, but it also overwhelmed him with feelings of affection. He wasn’t used to people caring about him and expressing their concern for his well-being. He wanted to reach out to Jimmy, but his aversion to physical contact made him hesitate.
Jimmy didn’t care and gave him a bear hug. “I’m here for you, man. Anytime.”
At first Damien stiffened and didn’t return the hug, but his insides weakened at hearing Jimmy’s words of support. He threw his arms around Jimmy’s back and squeezed him tightly. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”
When they broke the embra
ce, Jimmy’s cheery smile was back, but Damien saw the glint of a tear in his eye. These last few weeks had been an emotional time for everyone.
Jimmy moved to one of the paintings that hung on the wall. It was part of the collection that Alyssa’s mom painted – a half-naked woman with her face painted like a sugar skull.
“This is one hot chick.” Jimmy’s cheek dimpled under his smile while he stared at the painting.
“Alyssa’s mom is an artist.”
“She painted this?” Jimmy turned halfway toward Damien with surprise.
“Yeah. They’re all over the apartment. Her mom’s one cool lady. She’s just like Alyssa.”
“We have arroz con pollo cooking on the stove!” Angel emerged from the kitchen and proclaimed with his arms wide open.
Alyssa swatted him with the dish towel. “Don’t be so dramatic. It’s just chicken with rice.”
“It most certainly is not just chicken with rice.” Angel scowled at her. “You are so mouthy sometimes.”
Damien went to Alyssa and draped his arm over her shoulder. “That’s my girl. She don’t need fancy names for her food. We’re eatin’ chicken and rice.”
Angel put his hand to his forehead. “The both of you are a culinary nightmare. I can’t wait to find someone whose palate can appreciate my cooking.”
Alyssa cackled with laughter. “You’re a trip, Angel.” She turned to Damien after she stopped laughing. “Did you show Jimmy the apartment?”
“We didn’t get past the living room. We were talking. He likes your mom’s paintings.”
Punk Rock Resurrection Page 21
