I Found You

by Erica Marselas

  “Hey, could you also do me a big favor and book us a room somewhere…nice? I need something quick because I’m not staying out here with these assholes floating around.” I look out the porthole to see them still out there—waiting.

  “I can do that. I’ll meet you at the marina to take you there.”

  “Thank you, Collin.”

  Even if we’re followed out of the marina, Collin can lose anyone.

  “Before you hang up, I have other news.”

  “What?” I blow out a large puff of air, wondering what it could be now. Violet stands and walks over to me. She wraps her blanket covered arms around me and rests her head on my chest.

  “An Amber Adams came to the front gates of your estate asking to see Violet.”

  “Oh, this just gets better and better,” I grumble. Violet looks up at me with a raised eyebrow. “Your mother is in town,” I say bitterly. Another thing to ruin this trip.

  “Are you flipping kidding me?” She pushes off my chest, her face turning red as a tomato, while she paces the small area. “What does she want?”

  “She refused to leave, demanding to see her daughter. She wouldn’t leave the property, so the cops were called. They made her leave, but she mentioned she would be back,” Collin answers.

  “Great. Thanks, Collin. I’ll call you when we’re five miles out.”

  We say our goodbyes and I hang up. Violet has moved to the bedroom and is sprawled out on the bed on her back, the blanket discarded on the floor. She’s staring up at the ceiling, her chest rising and falling rapidly, and her face still rosy.

  I lie down beside her and turn her to face me. She gives me a small smile before kissing me on the lips several times. The heaving of her chest calms and we both enjoy the moment of peace.

  My hand runs down her arm and I watch as the goosebumps rise on her skin. “I’m so sorry, baby. I really wanted this to be special. I’ll find a way to make it up to you.”

  “It was special. I always kind of knew what I was going to get into if you became a famous singer. Plus, it’s when they stop hounding you, you have to worry.” She snuggles closer into me and kisses the side of my neck. “Besides the end, I had a great day and I know there’s more to come. You don’t have to make up for anything.”

  “Well, I’m going to try and save this weekend. We’re going to get a hotel room and I plan to cherish every inch of your body before I fuck you raw, Mrs. Reid.”

  Her skin flames with her arousal. “Yes, please.” She pants, throwing her leg over mine, and running her core into my stiff dick. “Can we start now?” Her lips hover mine, her baby blues begging me to show her a preview.

  There’s no way in hell I can say no to those eyes. I push my tongue into her mouth, accepting her request, and rolling her into the mattress. Screw the parasites outside. This is my honeymoon and I’m making love to my wife. If they get it on camera, at least everyone will know Violet Harper Reid is mine.

  The people on the boat follow us back to the docks, but Collin meets us as promised, blocking the two assholes from getting any good shots. It doesn’t stop them from asking their moronic questions though.

  “Is it true there isn’t a prenup?”

  “Violet, Violet, is the reason you broke up because you cheated on him?”

  “Violet, is the only reason you sought him out again because he’s a big star now?”

  “How do you feel about all the women who came after you broke up?”

  Collin manages to get us into the back of the car before I punched their lights out. Couldn’t they just taken their pictures and be done.

  “I don’t remember the other reporters being this harsh.” Violet snuggles into me as Collin’s leaves the assholes with their flashing cameras.

  “Most aren’t, but sometimes you get the ones who try to provoke you to do something and try to sue you, or twist your words around and put you in the cover of Star magazine. Those are bottom feeders looking for a story.” I put my arm around her, burying my nose in her hair, needing to breathe her in.

  “It reminds me of our mothers. Annoying as fuck.”

  Fair assumption.

  Violet

  We arrive at Hotel Casa del Mar in Santa Monica just as the sun disappears fully into the ocean. Leave it to Cooper to get the best room and his only words are, ‘Don’t complain, it’s our honeymoon.’

  I won’t.

  The two-bedroom suite looks out to the pier and the purple and white lights from the Ferris Wheel shine in the large windows. The palm trees sway in the breeze as the waves crash into the sand. I have a sudden urge to stick my feet in the cool sand. Though, my plan to run outside is ruined, when my cell rings, and my mother’s name lights up on the screen.

  Why won’t anyone leave us alone?

  “How did she get my number?” Cooper only got me a new phone a couple days ago, unless she managed to get it from Julie or Alexa.

  But they wouldn’t do that.

  “No clue. You want me to tell her to get lost?” The phone stops ringing, but a second later it rings again with another incoming call.

  “Yes, but she’ll only keep bugging us.” My shoulders slump, defeated. “I’ll talk to her.” Coop hands me the phone and I hit the green button accepting my doom. I already know this isn’t going to go well and plop onto the fluffy cushions. “Hello, mother.”

  “Violet, I’ve been trying to get in touch with you. Where have you been? They called the cops when I came to your place to visit,” she yammers, and my head starts to throb with an oncoming headache.

  “That’s because people can’t just walk up to the house and demand to get in. Plus, Cooper and I are trying to take a honeymoon. How did you even get this number, or know where we live?”

  “If you must know I got it from his mother,” she grumbles, as if I have no right to ask. “I tried to get here in time for your little party, but my flight got delayed.”

  “You were invited?”

  And Dad wasn’t…Rude.

  “Yes, of course. Why wouldn’t I be?” she says smugly and I bite down on my tongue trying to contain my growl.

  I wonder when my mother and Evelyn came to be on such great terms. They had always hated each other. Now they’re buddies?

  “Why would you come to a party to celebrate my marriage, if you’re not even happy about it?”

  "I figured being here would show you I was trying. I only wish you could understand from my point of view why I didn't want you two together. I mean the first time I met Cooper, he was getting thrown in jail hours later for almost beating that poor boy to death..."

  Did she really call Thomas Ryan a poor boy? The words shock me to my core; rage bubbles inside of me, and like a can of soda, shaken one too many times, I explode.

  "POOR BOY!" I scream into the phone and jump to my feet. Cooper is by my side in a second, taking my clenched fist in his hand. "He was no poor boy, mother. The bastard stalked me for months, then attacked me, and would've killed me if Cooper didn’t come in and save me. You saw the damn marks on my neck. Why the fuck did you never let me press charges? That had nothing to do with Cooper..."

  “We’re still on this?” she groans and it only serves to piss me off more.

  “Yes, we are. You brought it up, you called him a poor boy. He should’ve gotten in trouble.”

  "There was no point." My eyes go wide as I look at Cooper. His eyes match mine, as he listens to this drivel.

  "No point?" I hiss. “No point? Of course, there was a point! He needed to pay for what he did! God knows what else he’s done to other people!”

  I watch as Cooper pulls out his phone and starts typing away. I have no idea what he’s doing, as I go back to listening to my mother’s antagonizing voice.

  “Listen, Violet, there were a lot of politics involved. Thomas had a bright future ahead of him. Plus, his father made him change schools shortly after, so you were safe. I’m sure he’s very successful now. Made amends.”

  “Made amends?
For trying to rape me? I never got an I’m sorry letter.” I shake my head as something dawns on me. “Did he pay you off?”

  “Vi, why are we talking about something that happened forever ago?”

  “HOW MUCH? How much did his dad give you to drop the charges?” I bellow into the phone. I’m sure my words are ringing in her ear.

  She doesn’t say anything and I’m grateful for the sudden quiet to cool down. Cooper hands me his phone and points to the screen.

  The words instantly repulse me as I read the ‘bright future’ Thomas had. In college, he was arrested for raping a couple of girls. He only served a couple of months for each crime. I snort, loving how great our judicial system works. I scroll down further and have to laugh. It seems karma works though.

  The bastard died of a heroin overdose shortly after getting out of jail. Bright future, my ass.

  “You seem speechless mother? Are you not going to tell me? I’m sure I can figure it out. Maybe Evelyn knows. She was there that night. She thought I was always money hungry, like my mom.”

  “Violet—”

  “No. Don’t talk. Do you want to know about Thomas’ bright future? Since you didn’t let me press charges, it appears the fucker thought he was invincible and raped a bunch of girls in college. Then, he finally met his own demise. So, how much was this bastards freedom worth? Because your hush money ended up costing more girls getting hurt a lot worse than me. How does that make you feel?” I sneer. She ruined other people’s lives when she took a bribe instead of doing the right thing. She didn’t do the right thing for me

  Hell, I’m partly to blame for rolling over so easily. For listening to her.

  “Just think. I did it for the boy too. Mr. Ryan dropped the charges against him remember.”

  “I do remember, but if Cooper didn’t save me that day, you would be singing a different tune. You should be thanking him. You didn’t have to bury your daughter that year, or if I’d survived you didn’t have to deal with my physical and emotional scars that would have lasted for the rest of my life.” I choke back the tears, the memory of that day coming back to me in flashes. Cooper’s arms are instantly around me, holding me tight.

  “Oh Vi, you’re being dramatic. Maybe we should get breakfast. Talk over mimosas.”

  Is she for fucking real right now?

  “I’m not being dramatic. I’m saying all the things I needed to say for years, some I’ve said before, but you don’t seem to want to listen. It hurt me, it hurt others, and it’s probably the catalyst to the Reid’s hatred of me. I want to know how much it was worth to you.”

  “Violet.”

  “NO! HOW MUCH?” I yell again, this time scratching my vocal cords. Cooper’s grip around me tightens, and he presses his lips to my forehead

  “Twenty thousand,” she says softly, but I hear every word.

  My life is only worth twenty grand to her.

  “As a mom, you want what’s best for your kids. At the time, it seemed right. I needed it then, and everything turned out fine. It’s over now, in the past,” she rambles.

  What the actual fuck? She’s insane.

  “It’s not in the past because it still affects me.” I inhale a shuddering breath and my body suddenly droops, my anger exhausting me. Cooper scoops me into his arms, reading my body’s signals, and sits me in his lap on the couch.

  “Vi, I’m here all week. We should get together. Talk.”

  “I’m done talking, and I’ll be busy all week doing honeymoon things with my husband.” I click the end button and momentarily wish I was on a landline so I could’ve slammed the phone down.

  “If I never talk to her again, I would be okay with it. I can’t believe she took a payout, and thought it was a ‘misunderstanding.’ AHHHH!” I scream through my cries, burying my face into the crook of Cooper’s neck.

  It hurts deep in my soul knowing she won’t allow me to live my life and be happy. If she could just come around and love me again like she did when I was little, everything would be okay. I take a shuddering breath, knowing I’m only kidding myself once again with the thought. It’s too late for us. I can’t let her hurt me anymore. It’s like every day she slices the open wound more, to the point it can never heal.

  I know in this moment, I’ve lost my mother because there’s no point in trying to fix something that’s permanently broken.

  Once my tears finally ease, I’m lifted back into the arms of the man I love who carries me to bed. He lies beside me, cradling me in his arms. I feel safe, loved, calm. His soft, warm lips gently kiss my face, kissing away the leftover tears, as he whispers how much he loves me, how much I mean to him, and that he’ll never let me go.

  When he kisses me it makes me forget all the bad we faced in our past. I know there’s more to come. My mom isn’t going away without a fight, but with Cooper, I know we can make it through this time.

  It would just be easier if our mothers would stop conspiring against us.

  Even if only for a day.

  EIGHT

  April 26th, 2000

  Violet

  W e've been staying at a hotel in San Diego for the last two nights and Brody, John, and Billy are staying in the room next to ours.

  X-Rated is competing in a Battle of the Bands contest. I’d seen an ad in the Herald about the competition and entered them. If they win, they get to play at the Del Mar Music Festival. It will be huge for them and I know they have what it takes to win. So far they are in second place and tonight is the final round. Hopefully, this time Evelyn won't ruin it all.

  One day Cooper is going to make it big, and they will eat crow.

  Since I stayed with my dad for spring break he allowed me to stay at the hotel with Cooper and our friends. It’s nice to be trusted and be a teenager without walking on eggshells. My mother doesn’t know I’m here, thank god.

  As for Cooper, he had to lie and tell them he and Brody were going on a “Road Trip” to spend some quality ‘bro time’ together. Once they mentioned I wouldn’t be around, they gave in.

  I stretch, my body stiff and sore from standing, dancing, and all the wild sex. When my arm lands with a soft thud on the mattress, I realize my boyfriend is missing. I faintly hear the shower running and perk up.

  Shower sex sounds wonderful right now.

  Rolling out of the bed, wearing only Cooper’s t-shirt, I head for the bathroom. When I get to the door I hear Cooper’s voice, but I’m not sure what he’s saying.

  Who the hell is he talking to?

  I crack open the bathroom door and spot Cooper in front on the sink, butt naked, talking to himself in the mirror. I lick my lips, admiring his firm ass, and toned back. He’s been working out this summer and he’s bulked up—a lot.

  I'm brought back to his monologue when his voice goes deep, sounding like James Earl Jones, announcing the winner of ‘band of the year.’

  “I would like to thank the people that helped me with my record so I could earn this award. My producer, my manager, all my fans…”

  I break into a fit of giggles, unable to control myself. This is so flipping cute. If only he was talking into a hairbrush it would be even better.

  Cooper’s eyes meet mine through the mirror and he spins around. His eyes roam up and down my body, and a seductive grin spreads across his face, replacing the fleeting embarrassment.

  “I would most of all like to thank the girl just standing in my shirt today, looking sexy as ever….” He strolls over to me and lifts my chin with his index finger. “You spying on me?”

  “No. I heard the shower and thought I would join you.”

  “Is that so?”

  “Mmm-hmm. You know one day you will make that speech.”

  He shrugs and grabs the hem of my shirt, pulling it over my head. Wet kisses trail down the side of my neck, his hands gripping my ass before lifting me into his arms. I wrap myself around him as he carries me into the shower.

  Later that night, Brody and I are standing in front of the stage
watching X-Rated perform. They are on point today and this is the best show they’ve had this week.

  Next to me are a couple of girls, totally drooling over my man.

  “God, he’s a dream…” one of them swoons. She’s licking her lips and batting her eyes as Cooper hops around the stage.

  “How I would like to be under that…” The other one purrs, and I swear she’s seconds away from flashing him her boobs.

  “Better get used to that.” Brody nudges me, drawing my attention away from the drool piles next to me.

  “They can look all they want, as long as they don’t touch,” I say simply and go back to dancing.

  The music changes and it’s one of the songs he wrote for me, called “Desire.” It’s sweet, but sexual. I almost didn’t want him to share it, but its beat is so catchy, it couldn’t be passed on.

  Cooper bends down in front of me, giving me a wink, singing the next verses to only me.

  “I want to keep you up all night

  having my way with you.

  In the morning,

  I’ll taste you on my tongue

  And I’ll be begging you for more

  because you're what I desire.”

  He kisses me forcefully before standing back up. I love the way he tells everyone he’s mine. The girls next to me are boring holes into the side of my face with their laser stares.

  “What?” I shrug with a smirk, doing my best not to laugh. “He’s mine.”

  Only mine.

  They both take the hint and push away from the front of the stage, pouting all the way to the back of the club.

  “I swear, I can’t take you two anywhere,” Brody groans beside me.

  After their set, the guys come and join us in the audience as we wait for the results of the winner.

  “The results are in! In third place, we have ‘Expo!’” The crowd claps as the band walks up on stage. “In second is ‘Defiant!’” The crowd goes wild again as the band takes the stage, but immediately silences, everyone anticipating who won. “And in first place…. the band who will be opening up for the Del Mar Music Festival is… X-Rated!”