by Zoey Derrick
“Don’t you fucking hurt her,” I scream.
“Oh, I can’t possibly hurt the woman that I love.” I see his face come right next to hers. “I’m just going to take what she’s been flaunting all night.”
I watch as absolute terror slides over her face…those words…the words…
He licks her cheek. “That’s right, baby, we’ve been here once before, haven’t we? I thought for sure it was never going to work, but then that night, in the dingy bar, you came right up to me, smiled and wiggled your ass, taunting and flaunting it in front of me. Then you started talking to me and ooooh wow, I couldn’t get enough, so I decided that maybe I could finish what I’d started what was it, four years ago at the time.” He licks her cheek.
Her eyes are filled with absolute terror. “I’m coming for you, glowbug,” I whisper and stand up, turning around. I jump off of the stage and run across the empty space directly under the projection light.
“Where you goin’? Aren’t you going to watch me take what’s mine?”
“She wasn’t yours then and she isn’t yours now. So help me god, I will kill you when I find you.”
He laughs. “You’ll never find me in time.” I hear her crying and the metal chair scraping the floor. I turn around just in time to see her being knocked over onto the floor and the video goes to snow.
“Goddammit!” I growl as I nearly run into Talon. “Find her.”
“We’re looking, we’re all looking.”
I feel my grip on reality slipping away the longer I search, slamming into closed doors, open doors, doesn’t matter, I’m checking every fucking room I come across.
Hopping concession counters, doing everything I fucking can to find her.
I run into Kyle, then Peacock along my path to finding her.
When I come back around to where I started, I climb the steps, headed for level two.
With each passing minute, my mind starts playing out the worst.
She recovered once. She’ll never recover a second time.
“Raine?” I keep shouting as I go. I run into Addison. “No, no, no, get out of here. Go back to the bus.”
“I can’t sit idle,” she says near tears.
“I will never forgive myself if something happens to you too, please sweet girl, go,” I beg her.
“Alright Dex, alright.” Something passes between us in that moment. I felt our entire relationship altering, and if it wasn’t for my desperate need to find Raine, I would have apologized to her right then and there for all the times I’ve been a dick to her, treated her like she was nothing but a piece of meat. Been an assholian, as Raine would put it.
“Raine!” I scream again, listening, amazed at how empty this place is. Where the fuck is security? Where the fuck are they? “Raine!” I scream again. The longer this takes, the more scared I get. I can’t fucking lose her, I’ll die without her.
My phone rings.
“What?” I snap.
“We’ve got them.”
“Where?”
“We’re coming back to the floor now.”
“Is she hurt?”
“No.”
That was all I needed to hear and I hang up, running back toward the door I’d just passed a moment ago.
I run down the steps, looking around, looking for them. No one is there. I spin around, trying to see them, find them. “Dex.” I hear the voice that saves my life, brings me my sanity in a single word, my name. I turn toward the sound and see my glowbug coming down the steps. My heart shreds when I see she’s wrapped in a blanket, but relief replaces pain when I realize she’s walking on her own steam next to Rusty. Behind him, Mills has that fuckwad, Michael.
I run toward them, skipping three steps at a time. When I get to her, I throw my arms around her, harder than I should. “Oh god, oh god,” I breathe. “Are you okay?” I sob into her shoulder.
“Physically, I’m fine,” she sobs.
“Thank fuck.”
I release her, looking her over. Her mouth is red where the tape was, her eyes are black and puffy with makeup, but she looks relatively unharmed. But looks don’t stop me from trying to examine her. “I’m fine,” she whispers, thank god.
The fucker who assaulted her is squirming in Mills’ grasp. “Go with Rusty, baby,” I say to her but I’m looking at him.
“No, Dex, don’t. Let the police handle it.”
“Yeah, because they’ve done a bang up job so far.”
“Dammit, Dex, don’t. I need you. I don’t need you going to jail.”
“Go Raine,” I command her. I know she won’t be able to resist and I know she’s going to be so fucking pissed, but she’s not going to stand here watching me beat the shit out of this douchecanoe.
I hear Rusty whispering in her ear, “Do you really think we’d let that happen?”
I don’t bother to look back, I just hear them going down the stairs. I stand there, staring at the motherfucker.
“Are they gone?” I say through gritted teeth.
“Yes.”
“Uncuff him.”
“Dex.”
“Do it. Let him fucking fight back. Makes it easier for me.” I cock my head menacingly at him and I can see the fear creeping into his eyes. Oh buddy, you ain’t seen nothing yet.
I can’t see what Mills is doing but I can see the wheels turning in Michael’s head. He’s planning his escape, until I grab his hair and pull him down the stairs as Mills releases the last cuff.
“You’re fucking insane,” he squeals as we hit the last step and I throw him down onto the arena floor.
“I’m insane? You’re fucking kidding me, you’re the son of bitch that not only raped my wife once, but tried to do it again. Who falls on the insane spectrum?”
“Damn it, Rusty, take me back.”
“No, you don’t need to see that.”
“Like hell I don’t.” I spin in his grip and head back toward the stage.
“Dammit,” Rusty growls behind me, but I am not the only one in the hallway anymore. Behind me are Casey, Beck, Talon, Kyle, Addison, Mouse, Peacock, and Tori. I can feel the force of them coming up behind me as I step back onto the stage just in time to see Dex throw him onto the floor from a couple steps up.
“Come on, you son of a bitch,” Dex growls. The look in his eyes is absolutely terrifying.
I watch as Michael, or whatever the fuck his name is, gets up and tries to run toward me and the stage, the fastest way out of here. That’s when our entire collection of friends and family hop down off of the stage. It’s a massive presence that sends Michael sliding to a stop, but not before Peacock gets a solid grip on his t-shirt. I watch as his fingers shred the shirt before he releases one side and connects with his face. I watch Michael stumble backward, running straight into Beck. “You fuck with one of ours, we fuck you up.” Beck cranks his arm back, sending him careening toward the floor face first. That’s when Mouse connects with his ribs. Beck pulls him back up. “You see, there are eleven of us here, do you think your story will stand up, that you were attacked?” Beck whips him around to Dex. “He’s all yours, brother.” Beck pushes him forward, right at Dex who connects with his right fist, right in the side of Michael’s head.
I watch as rage fills him as he spits blood all over the floor and he charges back at Dex.
Dex is prepared, waiting for him to strike at him, and Michael doesn’t disappoint, connecting one right into the side of his face.
“Thank you,” he growls and he lets loose on Michael, kidney punches, throws to the face and finally one shitkicker to the balls that finally brings Michael back down to the ground, groaning and rolling around.
“Dex, stop,” I cry out.
His eyes meet mine. I watch as the menace, the rage and the fierce need to have control morphs into all the love and devotion that the man I love has for me. It’s beautiful to witness.
“Cuff him,” he tells Mills. “Get this son of bitch out of my sight. Where’s the other cunt bag?”
/>
“She’s locked away. The cops are on their way’” Mills says and Dex lands one more kick to the dude’s stomach before walking past him, walking past our friends, up the stage and slamming into me.
I break down into body wracking sobs as he picks me up. He nuzzles his nose into mine before carrying me toward the back of the venue and the bus. “I’ve got you, bug. I got you. I will never let you go. You’re the sweetest, most perfect person I know…” His sweet nothings continue as we walk through the back of the arena, through the parking lot and straight onto the bus.
Once he’s on board the bus, he bypasses our room for Talon, Kyle and Addison’s room. I don’t question him. He sets me down on the bed and I get a good look at him.
“You’re bleeding.”
“Fuck that.” He drops to his knees, wrapping his arms around me, holding me to him.
I manage to get an arm out of my blanket and I stroke his hair. “Are you hurt?” he chokes out.
“Physically? No.” I brush my hand through his hair again. “Did they get her too?” I whisper.
“Yes, I found her in the dressing room.”
“Who is she, Dex?” My voice comes out harsher than I wanted it to.
He looks up at me, his eyes wary and worried. “I met her in San Diego, you know this. Addison’s told you this.”
“She said she was your fiancé?”
He pulls back and gives me a little half smirk. “Well, you’re my wife, so I think that trumps anything else, don’t you?”
“She said she was pregnant.”
He hisses through his teeth. “That’s impossible.” He stands up defensively and starts to pace in the small area. His defenses are up.
“Really?” I question and he scowls at me.
“It’s impossible because I never stopped using condoms until I met you.”
“Condoms are not foolproof, Dex.” I try not to snap, but I’m angry, hurt and I need answers.
“No, they’re not, but not coming is pretty foolproof.”
“What do you mean-” I don’t finish.
“I faked it, I faked it with her, much the way I’ve faked it with a lot of women. I fucking made them get me off with their mouth before I’d fuck them. Sometimes I’d come, sometimes I wouldn’t. When I wouldn’t, I’d play it off like I had, tie off the condom and bail as fast as I could. I didn’t orgasm with her, at all. She was horrible at giving head and even worse at getting laid.” He runs his hand through his hair. “Do you really need the details?”
“Yeah, Dex, I do.”
“With her, she started spouting bullshit about love and … I freaked the fuck out and ran as hard and fast as I could.”
“So you fucking knew then that she was fucked up.”
“That’s not fair,” he snaps at me. “I never fucking knew she’d go this far.”
“She fucking destroyed my apartment.” He looks at me. “Yeah, she’s the one who trashed my shit, the one responsible for destroying my entire world. She gave me a choice. Either she killed me, or I went with Michael. I chose Michael, I thought that I would at least have half a chance of surviving versus being stabbed to death. Either way, she was going to get rid of me so that she could get you back. She was convinced that you would stop fucking around when you got off the tour, so that you could go back to your life, that once the tour was over you were going to drop me like a bad habit, that she was the only woman you loved…” I keep rambling as I completely melt down.
“Dex! Raine!” a female voice shouts from the front of the bus. Addison.
“Back here,” he hollers back.
Addison comes bounding around the corner. “Raine?”
I look at her, tears and all. “What?” I mouth.
“The cops are here. They need to talk to you and Dex.”
“We’ll be out in a minute,” Dex tells her. “Give us a minute.”
“Absolutely,” Addison says and she leaves the room.
Dex turns to me and once again kneels at my feet. He takes my hand in his. “Thank you.” Before I can ask for what, he continues, “For choosing him. She’s fucking insane. I swear to god, glowbug, I never knew she’d even consider this kind of behavior. I’ve met some crazy women in my life, but this is beyond the pale. I swear to you that she is not pregnant. I am not that stupid, trust me on this, please. She was ready and willing to do anything she took to plant the seed of doubt in your mind, to push you away from me. Once this tour is over, I am buying a house with you, I am going to build a life with you, I will marry you again. You, Raine Montgomery are the only woman I’ve ever fallen in love with, have loved and will love for the rest of my life. Without you, I am not whole, I am not human. I cannot live without you.”
I cup his face in my hands, the blanket falling away. “I know,” I tell him.
His eyes grow wide with shock as I plant my lips on his, he unthaws, melting into my kiss, I stroke my thumbs against his stubble covered cheeks. “I know,” I breathe again and again as he captures my mouth, bringing me into a soul scorching, heart devouring kiss that sends shivers all over my body.
Dex helps me into our alcove and finds me a t-shirt. I can’t help but smile when he pulls out my white ‘Superman’ t-shirt. I just wish I felt more like him. More invincible. I flinch when his hand touches along my side. He freezes. “What’s wrong? Raine?”
“He…he got me in the kidneys.”
“Let me see.”
“Dex, I’m alright.”
“Really? Because you’re bruised. We’re taking you to the hospital.”
I sigh. “For what? I’m perfectly fine.”
He cocks his head at me. “Let’s at least have the paramedics look at you, please? Let them decide if you need to go to the hospital.”
I realize there is no longer a point in arguing with him. “Yes, Master.”
He wraps me in his arms and he kisses my forehead before releasing me and helping me change into a pair of shorts. “Come on, let’s go get your face cleaned up,” he tells me as he leads me out of our alcove and into the bathroom. I wash my face with shaky hands as the adrenaline starts to fade.
He notices. “Sit down,” he says sternly and I do. That’s when he takes the washcloth from me and he gently cleans up my makeup mess. In the face of something that could have been worse, he’s being tender and gentle and being the caring man I always knew was buried in the tough exterior that is Dex.
I start to cry. He stops what he’s doing and kneels down in front of me in the tight space of the bus’s bathroom. “What’s the matter, glowbug?”
I gently wipe the tears from my eyes. “I don’t know how to explain it,” I tell him.
“Can you try?” His hands are resting on my thighs and I feel a gentle squeeze and I close my eyes a little tighter. “I just realize that,” sniff, “that you really do care, that...that hiding under your tough guy exterior is a soft, gentle person. That there is a caring Dom under all that.”
His hand cups my cheek. “I will never stop taking care of you. No matter what the circumstances. This is why I asked you to surrender yourself to me, to let me take care of you.”
“She burnt down my old apartment.”
“What?” he breathes. “How do you know that?”
I sigh, I have to tell him. “When I left the greenroom tonight, Rusty pulled me into one of the other rooms and Mills was on the phone with a detective from LA. They were trying to pin the vandalism and fire on me, despite the fact that I’d turned over my keys already.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because, I didn’t see you until Mills and Rusty brought me back into the arena. The phone call, the first one, was right before the fire was set. Mills put up a pretty big fight with the cop, he has a solid alibi for me, for you, for all of us, but the cop was being a douche. Apparently, Wednesday night, our night, there was another vandalism event at my apartment. Mills and Rusty know we got married.”
He smiles. “So does the band.”
&n
bsp; “What? How?”
“She trashed my drums and I realized the similarity in the spray painting to what I’d seen in your apartment. I panicked, looking for you, I sort of shouted, ‘where the fuck is my wife?’.”
“Oh Dex, you didn’t.”
He laughs. “Yeah, I did. It slipped.” He wipes the tears from my cheeks. “It’s all good, but I’m sure we’re going to get an earful.”
I snort a little laugh. “Well, then we better face the music.”
He cocks his head. “I really want to step in and stop this from happening.”
I smile then and cup his face between my hands. “This is the one time your Dominance cannot step in the way. I’ve got to talk to the cops, and so do you. It’s the only way we can get it over with, pack up and get the fuck out of here.”
“And get you checked out.”
I kiss his lips gently. “Honestly, I’m fine.”
“I know you are, sexy as fuck, but I will not have my glowbug getting sick, or worse.”
I release him. “Alright.”
“Good girl,” he says and I know I light up a little on the inside.
The minute we step off of the bus, we’re met with everyone, literally, surrounding the bus, though seemingly casual to an outside observer. Dex and I look at each other, knowing better. They weren’t going to let anyone on the bus before we were ready.
“Is he still here?” Dex asks.
“No,” Mills answers as he comes over to us. “They took him off in an ambulance. He’s probably got a broken nose at the very least, maybe a few ribs.”
“Am I in trouble?” Dex asks the question I’m thinking.
Mills snorts. “No, Beck all but took the blame for the incident, stating that Michael had attacked Raine, then you, then lastly him. The cop that interviewed him could clearly see that Beck was a bodyguard and that he more or less was doing his job. Though they may ask you about it.” He looks pointedly at Dex.
