Win a Filthy Bad Boy: A Bad Boy Romance

by Lacy Carter

  Leslie gaped. Shaking her head, she gathered her wits. “Oh, if I'd known that was the case, then I wouldn't have invited Henry.” She cocked her head, forced a smile, and looked past them.

  Bonnie followed the direction that Leslie’s eyes pointed. Henry walked up to Bonnie sheepishly, clearly apprehensive about Chad.

  “Hey,” he waved to everyone. “Can I have a word with you, Bonnie?”

  “No,” Chad said. “Who are…? Wait, you're the guy who’s been going on all the talk shows, talking shit about Bonnie.”

  “I'm her ex-boyfriend.”

  “I don't give a damn who you are,” Chad said, and his booming voice was enough to command his entire entourage to gather around him. Not that Chad needed help dealing with Henry.

  “Problem, Chad?” Asked a mountainous man with a large bald head.

  “It's okay,” Chad said. “I’ve got this.”

  “No, I've got this Chad.” Bonnie said, punctuating her words by poking him in the chest.

  He grabbed her hand and pulled her close to his chest. His arm tightened around her waist and his lips curved.

  “Make sure you hurry back to me,” Chad said with a wink.

  “Bonnie,” called Henry, but his voice was flimsy.

  “Okay,” Bonnie said. “Let's talk.”

  Bonnie led Henry to the entrance of the mansion. “So tell me, how's the Bonnie-bashing going? Has Ellen called yet?”

  “Okay, I deserved that, I’m prepared to take whatever is coming to me.”

  “Well, you didn't expect me to be cordial, did you?” Bonnie asked.

  “No,” Henry said, making a concerted to show his shame, he looked at the floor.

  Bonnie sighed and relaxed her shoulders “So, what is it you wanted to talk to me about?”

  “I’ve broken it off with Anya…” Henry inhaled deeply.

  Bonnie stepped back, shook her head, and turned to head back into the mansion.

  “Bonnie, wait,” he grabbed her arm.

  “I don't know why you're so upset, I've apologized.” He opened his hands and let them fall helplessly. “I've left her. Isn’t that enough? Look, I know what I've done. I made a terrible mistake. Don't you forgive me?”

  “No. If you've finished. I'm going back inside—”

  “—where, back in there? Face it, Bonnie, you don't belong there.” He shook his head and stared at Bonnie with a look of pity. “Do you really think you're good enough for a guy like Chad DeMarco?” His laugh was mirthless. Bitter. “Come on, you're making a total fool of yourself. Maybe Jill won't tell you the truth—”

  Bonnie slapped his hand away. “You absolute bastard.” She was filled with rage and it became hard to breath. “The only reason you're here now is because I’m getting attention and you don't like it.”

  Henry stood back. “I was doing you a favor, believe me. It's hard to believe many decent guys would want a relationship with… a… fat girl.”

  “You piece of shit…” Bonnie was speechless. When she found her voice, she said, “I can't believe I ever saw anything in you.”

  “I'm just telling you the truth. You’re an easy lay. That’s it.”

  Bonnie’s throat burned. “You can go straight to hell.” She turned to leave, but he grabbed her again. “Just stay away from me,” she hissed.

  “Get away from him!”

  Alarmed, Bonnie spun in time to see Anya charging at her with fists clenched. She threw herself between Henry and Bonnie.

  “Just what do you think you're doing?” Anya said. “I knew the moment I turned my back, you'd have your claws in him.”

  “You have got to be kidding me! This can’t be happening.” Bonnie looked from Anya to Henry to Anya, again. “You can have him. Just keep him the hell away from me.” Bonnie spat the words with venom.

  “Anya, I told you it's over,” Henry said. “You need you understand. We didn't work. After I saw the video with you and those guys all over the net…”

  “But you forgave me for that, right? It must be something else. It's her isn't it?” Anya said. “What does she have that I don't?”

  “You cheated on me, Anya” Henry said. “Look, we were a mismatch from the start.”

  “Oh really, now?” Anya turned to scowl at Bonnie.

  Bonnie knew Anya wasn’t worth it and turned to leave. Making her way back to the party, she tried to maintain her composure. Back inside, she looked Chad. She found him stood by the indoor water fountain, bored while Leslie spoke to him.

  She told herself the smart thing would have been to call it a night, find Johnny, find Jill, and get the hell of of there. That would have been the smart thing to do. However, Bonnie opted for the not-so-smart thing. She walked around the crowd of guests to strut straight for Chad.

  Seeing her, Chad’s eyes grew wild as if he were already scheming of all the dirty things he planned to do with her.

  Adrenaline whirled through her body, exacerbated by the look in Chad’s eye, which also made her feel wild and unafraid. She grabbed a glass of champagne without so much as a glance at the catering tray as it passed. She downed it in a single gulp.

  Bonnie shoved Leslie aside. “Nice try, bitch. Hold this.” She pushed the empty champagne into Leslie's hand, who glared at her and stalked off to the corner of the room. “I want to know what you meant when you said I was your woman,” Bonnie asked.

  “Just that. My woman. My girl,” Chad said with pride in his voice. His eyes never left hers. Leaning in close to her. “I want you.”

  “I can't believe Leslie tried to use Henry to ruining our evening. I mean… how low.” Bonnie's voice stuttered and she needed something a lot stronger than champagne to still her nerves.

  “Don't change the subject, Bonnie,” Chad said.

  She swallowed hard. “What subject?” Bonnie bit her lower lip. She knew everybody was watching them as the volume around them had muted.

  “You.” He slid a hand on her hips.

  Bonnie's stomach flipped.

  “You being my woman. I want to get your ass in the pool,” he whispered close to her ear. His tongue darted out, grazing his lower lip, for a fraction of a second.

  Suggestive, seductive, it was so minuscule, and yet it stole her attention. All Bonnie wanted in that instant was for him to stick his tongue down her throat so far that it would have left her struggling for breath.

  “Not here, Chad,” Bonnie said. Even though she protested, she leaned into him and ran her hands over his hard chest. God, it hurt to think of Leslie’s and Henry’s comments—hurt her physically, as if their words raked into her soul.

  Chad slid a hand through her hair and smelled her neck. “Fuck, you smell good. So damn good.” He took her earlobe in his mouth, and his tongue went to work, flicking at her, slow and sensually.

  “Take me, but not here,” Bonnie said, and she pulled him by the jacket, so his heat wrapped around her. “You can take me anywhere. I just don't want to be here anymore.”

  Chad nodded, unable to speak. He took her by the hand, walked outside, and called for his car, which the valet brought around promptly. A blue Aston Martin.

  “Get in,” Chad said. “Now.” His eyes were ablaze with a singular intensity to kiss the ever-loving hell out of her while she came on his cock.

  Bonnie did as she was told, the tortured look of lust in Chad's eyes not going unnoticed. True, Chad's arousal was chartered territory, but that didn’t make it any less exciting, any less scary. On the contrary, knowing how unpredictable Chad could be only added to the thrill she experienced as they sped away from the mansion.

  They blasted down a highway and Chad sped courageously and dangerously around bends. Bonnie’s heart hammered, the beat thudded in her ears. She was at odds with herself, one side of her wanted to tell Chad to slow down, whereas the other side of her wanted to go with the flow. Feeling the breeze across her face, Bonnie felt daring; she pulled her dress up and let Chad see her underwear.

  “Shit,” Chad said through
bared teeth. “Take them off.”

  Bonnie didn’t protest; she hitched her dress and removed her panties. Chad grabbed them.

  “You won't be needing these.” He opened his hand and the rush of air that carried them off. He slammed his feet hard on the brakes and they stopped in the middle of the highway.

  “Jesus Chad, have you gone insane? We can't stop here,” Bonnie said.

  “I can't wait any longer, I want you… need you.” He pulled off his jacket and tossed it into the back.

  And before Bonnie could stop herself, she was clutching at his shirt, revealing his muscular chest, his tattoos, and his washboard stomach. She yearned to feels his lips, yearned to feel him and to be held.

  He unbuckled his belt, unzipped his pants, encouraging Bonnie's eyes to linger on his white boxer briefs that brimmed over the waistline.

  Bonnie reached out and touched his bulge beneath his briefs. The heat that conjured there was for her and her alone. Bonnie was the object of his affection and now matter how the Henrys and Leslies of the world tried to smash her self-esteem, she knew Chad wanted her.

  He hooked his thumbs under his boxers and began to slid them down.

  She was the object of lust for the sexiest man alive. Her heart only wanted one wanted one thing and that was to find herself in Chad’s world. To see if she had a place next to his beauty and power.

  Bonnie licked her lips and began to savor the sight of—no!

  She put her palms out, pushing back. Chad sat back looking confused. Bonnie shook her head and then looked away.

  “No. I'm sorry,” she said. “I can’t do this.”

  “Bonnie, what’s—”

  “Take me back to the party. Please.” She hugged herself.

  “What's wrong?” Chad sounded concerned.

  “I don’t want to be a fuck-buddy. But that's all we are, right? Fuck-buddies.” Desolation swept through her. She didn’t feel like crying, she only felt cold and numb. Out of nowhere, her relationship with Chad seemed empty and cold. “I want more than this Chad. I’m not going to do this to myself any longer. We should end this. I'm sorry.”

  “But…” Chad began.

  “Please. Don't make this any harder.” Bonnie wanted to feel a safety and closeness that she hadn’t experienced with anyone. She wanted unconditional love and the reciprocity of a real relationship.

  Chad wanted to argue, to find out what was really going on, but somehow he sensed she was wounded, and knew a fight would make it worse. He started the engine, and made a U-turn back to the mansion.

  During the drive they were silent. Although Chad's instincts screamed for him not to let the subject go, not to let her go, he backed off. The thing that clawed at his chest was the fact that she was right. Even if he stayed with her and they decided to get serious, the future held no guarantees. Chad didn’t do serious relationships or real affection. He often wondered if that was because he hadn’t experienced those feelings as a child. But he called bullshit on that excuse; plenty of people were raised in loveless, affection-less households and they didn’t grow to be as screwed up and single-minded as him. If he chose to be with Bonnie, he didn’t know if he'd want to go back to his escort lifestyle years down the line, or if she would simply find him intolerable.

  One thing Chad knew for certain; hurting her wasn't an option.

  Chad pulled up outside of the mansion. The sound of laughter and chatter rang out through the night air. But for Chad and Bonnie, the scene felt weary and lifeless. Bonnie gathered up her black bag and said goodbye.

  Chad seized her hand. “Wait,” he said. “Just listen, Bonnie.”

  “Come on,” Bonnie chided lightly. “You're not getting into my panties tonight. You threw them away, remember?” She wanted to pretend they could go back to normal. That things could be lighthearted again.

  But he wouldn't relent. He crowded into her space and kissed her, slowly, fiercely. Then he pulled himself away, which apparently took enormous effort to do. He held her hand between his own.

  “I'm crazy for you, Bonnie,” he said. “Crazy.”

  “I’m sorry,” Bonnie whispered. Her eyes welled with tears. She fought them back and inhaled. Then she moved to him and kissed his cheek. It was a gentle kiss, a chaste kiss, absent of lust. “Goodbye, Chad.”

  Then she was out of the car, sweet, soft and warm, she was ephemeral. Chad couldn't believe what he was seeing. His obsession, craving, and fix were all contained in one woman. And all he could do was watch as she walked away.

  ***

  Bonnie sat in the back of the taxi between Johnny and Jill.

  “I can't believe Al had feelings for me all this time,” Johnny said. “I was so stupid; I couldn't even see the signs. You were totally spot on when you said…” Johnny trailed off when he glanced at Bonnie. He smiled guiltily.

  “That's great, Johnny,” Jill said.

  Bonnie lifted her eyes and caught Jill watching her.

  Until that point, Bonnie rehashed her same smile from the start of the night. And when Johnny or Jill weren't paying attention, her concentration flew out the window and she stared vacantly. She didn't want to bring the mood down with her problems.

  Both her friends had a great night. Al Gibson called Johnny and revealed he had feelings for him, which he tried denying for years. Jill and Dean decided they wanted to make a serious go of things. The outcome of Bonnie’s night didn't fit with the jubilant mood in the cab.

  Jill reached over to squeeze her friend’s hand. “I'm so sorry about what happened with you and Chad, sweetie. We’ll help you get through this, don't you worry.”

  “Thanks,” Bonnie said. A dull ache pained her chest.

  “And hey,” Johnny said. “It will get better.” He hugged Bonnie.

  There was a long silence that neither friend could find the right words to fill. All Bonnie could manage was to shrug her shoulders whenever Jill or Johnny asked whether she was okay.

  “I suck,” Bonnie finally said. Her voice sounded flat.

  “No, he is the one who sucks. He should be feeling awful for what he's put you through,” Jill said. “And, oh god, this is all my fault. If only I hadn't put you on that stupid show.” Her voice was devastated.

  Bonnie acknowledged Jill's attempt to help. “We weren't right for each other. Everybody could see it.”

  “You got that right. He's nothing but Class-A douche, conceited and entitled. He's clearly a narcissist,” Johnny said, wrinkling his nose.

  “Did he cheat on you or something. Is that why you broke it off?” Jill asked.

  “No. It was me. My fault,” Bonnie said.

  Johnny and Jill peered at each other in befuddlement and silence ensued. Bonnie didn't want to say anymore. The taxi continued on to the hotel they'd booked for the night.

  Bonnie knew it would take all the strength she had on Monday morning not to call in sick. Ending things with Chad was awful and she wouldn't be able to concentrate on work.

  However, on Monday, things took an unexpected turn.

  Chapter Twenty

  Almost an hour after Bonnie arrived, fifty minutes after their scheduled meeting, to be exact, Stephanie Stein took her seat across from Bonnie.

  “Sorry, I'm late,” Stephanie said, her beautiful voice resonating just as it had onstage.

  Bonnie had been too distracted by her thoughts, which were on Chad. But for now, she needed to focus on the woman before her; Stephanie Stein, a woman Bonnie considered a heroine of pop culture.

  “That’s okay,” Bonnie said.

  It was Bonnie’s first time seeing Stephanie Stein in person and the star looked smaller than she'd expected. As a teenager, Bonnie internalized the ugly duckling story that was Stephanie Stein.

  As a child, Stephanie Stein wasn’t popular. She didn’t get invited to the dances, boys never looked her way, and she couldn't find a place to fit in. Yet the thing that not only put her ahead of the popular crowd, but eventually made her who Time Magazine named one of the to
p hundred most influential people in the world, was her voice.

  Her voice made her a once in a generation phenomenon during the mid-nineties. She grew to be beautiful, desirable, and rich beyond her wildest dreams. But the thing that stopped the world on its axis was when she left the spotlight and gave up on singing.

  Bonnie had always wanted to know why someone who had it all would suddenly give it all away. She observed Stephanie’s tousled, highlighted, hair. Her upturned nose, full mouth, and big blue eyes. Now in her forties, she looked exactly as she had in her thirties, and even her late twenties. But Bonnie did detect a coldness about Stephanie.