I reach over and pick up the receiver.
“Hello?”
“You. Bitch.”
Oh great, the evil foster mother.
“Funny. That’s the name we’ve given you,” I respond, like a true smartass.
“You will pay for this. You don’t know who you’re fucking with, little girl,” she hisses through the phone. Her voice is lowered to just above a whisper and that makes me wonder why she’s not screaming like a banshee. Like she normally did.
A click and a dead line tells me she hung up on me. I chuckle a little and hang up the receiver while I tell Luke about that abrupt conversation. He looks worried.
“She hasn’t been involved until now. I wonder why not,” Luke states thoughtfully.
“I’m sure she saw the interview,” I say with a single shoulder shrug. “She couldn’t not say anything after I told everyone she knew what was happening in her house but didn’t care – that she actually encouraged it.”
“Maybe,” he says absently, but he’s looking away from me. I know he’s concerned about my safety.
The national network news broke into the local programming for a special story. Guess who it was about…..
“A Georgia woman appeared on a local talk show this morning and claims that she saw Speaker Jackson Rhoades raping a young girl when she was a foster child in his home. These claims are currently unsubstantiated but with a recent amendment to Georgia law to remove the statute of limitations on felony child abuse, Speaker Rhoades could be facing long-term prison time, if convicted.
Again, these are unsubstantiated claims at this time. A Georgia official, speaking anonymously, tells us that these claims are being taken very seriously and will be investigated to the fullest extent. We’ll wait to see if the Speaker will schedule a press conference to publically address these allegations. Stay tuned as we bring you live updates as they happen.”
And the three-ring circus begins. My phone starts ringing and this time I check the caller ID before picking it up. Unknown caller is always sent to the answering machine. One news station after the other leaves messages asking for an exclusive interview. Everyone wants to get the scoop first. Some offer money, others offer promises of fame and fortune, while others are just downright rude in demanding I pick up the phone because they know I’m home.
That is just creepy.
"I'm going to take my shower now," I announce, as nonchalantly as possible, as I rise from the couch. He looks at me with his eyebrows raised, eyes wide open and his sexy, half-grin. I know that gesture means he wants an invitation, so I grab his hand and tug on it.
He hops off the couch, throws me over his shoulder and takes the stairs two at a time. "I thought you'd never ask, woman!"
The water is hot but my man is hotter. He undresses me, opens the shower door and slowly backs me under the water while he melts me with his kisses. He pushes me back against the wall then his hand reaches under my leg to pull it up. My other leg joins it and now both are wrapped around his waist. His fingers trace the folds between my legs, and his tongue mimics the movements along my lips, as he teases and tempts me.
Two of his long, thick fingers plunge deep inside me. "Why are you always so wet for me, baby?" The deep, bass timbre of his whisper reverberates through my body and my hips move involuntary, grinding on his fingers.
"It's...what you....do...to me," I stammer out during the times I can actually breathe.
I feel the rumble through his chest when he groans in appreciation and desire. He removes his fingers and I feel his thickness rub against me, waiting for its turn. I lean my head back against the wall as his mouth takes my nipple, sucking until my nipple is hard, then he lightly rakes his teeth across it. The pleasure and pain mixture is such a turn on I can't hold in my approval.
"Oh God, Luke," I exclaim. Loudly.
"That's my girl," he says as he lowers my legs until my feet are on the shower floor. I'm so confused until he turns me around, wraps his arm around my waist and pushes me forward to bend me over. Have I mentioned how much I love it when he takes complete control and treats me like his rag doll? Oh yeah, I definitely do.
When my hands touch the floor, he thrusts into me from behind and the sensation of him inside me, stretching me wide open and hitting the top of my cervix makes me scream out his name. "Soak me, that's it, baby," he says as he continues his welcome assault on me. Our combined moans, groans and words of love drown out the sound of the water sloshing between us. Luke increases his tempo, his fingers dig into my hips to hold me in place, as he commands me, "Come for me now, Andi. I want it now."
My response is his name is screamed from the top of my lungs. Which, technically, is at my feet right now. But it's good. So good. I tighten my inner muscles and he moans my name when I feel his release into me, his warmth flooding me and his shaft pulsating inside me.
He melts me to my core.
Luke and I walk down the stairs and the sound of someone suddenly pounding on the front door makes me jump.
LUKE
I really wish I could take Andi away from here for a while. A year or two should do it. But I know there’s no way in hell she will walk away now. She never backs down from anything and I can’t expect her to start now. Especially not now that she’s shared her story and it’s gone viral on the national news. She single-handedly made Andi Morgan and Lindsay Blair household names within the span of a one-hour television show.
While watching the interview with Andi this morning, everything she’s been through kept running through my mind. But those thoughts were quickly replaced with what’s to come in the next few days. I know it’ll be bad – Rhoades will come after her in one way or another. I am waiting and watching for him. He’s already shown up at the club at least once and there’s no doubt he’s stupid enough to do it again.
Andi insists on still competing in the karaoke competition even if it’s only to sing a song that’ll piss Rhoades off. She said she has the song all planned out and she can’t wait to do it. She won’t tell me what the song is though. She must think I’ll try to talk her out of it and she’d be right. I don’t think this guy needs to be antagonized any more than the interview’s already done. But I’ll be beside her when he decides to make his move.
We’re walking down the hall after our long shower together where I thoroughly washed every inch of her body more than once. Just as we leave the last stair, someone starts beating on the front door and Andi jumps. In one fluid movement, I grab her and put her behind me, shielding her from whoever has the balls to pound on our door like that.
“Stay here,” I say as I walk to the door to look through the peep hole. There’s a man on the front porch and he looks angry.
Without opening the door, I add several octaves of bass to my normal speaking voice, “What the hell do you want?”
“I need to speak with Andi Morgan. Right now.” Who the hell does this guy think he is?
“Get off our property. Now. I won’t give you another warning,” I say through the door.
I watch for several seconds and the guy doesn’t budge. I jerk open the door and take two intimidating steps towards him with my fists balled up. I wasn’t a street fighter for nothing. He senses I meant what I said about no further warnings because he takes off running to a news van at the curb.
“Damn reporters,” I say as I close and lock the door back. “It’s going to be a long day, baby. They are lined up down the street and they all want to talk to you.”
“No more interviews! It was hard enough doing the one I did. We are banking a lot on at least some of his victims coming forward. I don’t want to scare them off by creating a three-ring media circus everywhere I go,” she takes a breath, narrows her eyes in thought and finishes with, “Except for tomorrow night when I’m singing.”
That gleam in her eyes makes me cringe.
She steps outside the front door and calls out to the waiting news crews, who had already started approaching when she stepped onto
the porch.
“Everyone, please listen,” she yells over the questions being yelled at her, “I will not answer any questions today. Come to The Beta Room tomorrow night and I will answer all your questions. Except for anyone I see parked on my street or following me today – I will have you banned from the club. Now leave.”
Several walk briskly back to their van and leave while a few waited around in shock for a minute. She stops on the front porch and looks pointedly at the stragglers and they quickly leave. All I could do is smile at her – my girl has style.
“Very nice, my love,” I say as I pull her to me, wrapping my arms around her waist as hers go around my neck. I love the feel of her body molded to mine.
She smiles and kisses me, “Thank you.”
“Now that you got rid of them, what do you want to do today?”
“I need to go by the club later and practice my song onstage, but I’m all yours until then.”
Nice try, but I’m not falling for that trick. “You’re not going to the club alone, Andi,” I reply dryly, “but I’ll take you up on that offer to be all mine.”
She gives me her pouty look for a second but finally relents. She knows I’m not bending on this. Besides the fact that I’m not leaving her alone with all these damn nutcases everywhere, she doesn’t want me to know what song she’s singing or what’s in her show. That makes me want to go with her even more.
“While I have you……,” I start tentatively because I’m not sure how to finish this sentence.
“Yes?” She draws out as she answers, prompting me to continue.
“We should talk about our wedding date. Have you thought about what kind of wedding you want? And where? And when you’d want it?”
Don’t all girls plan this shit in their head from the time they’re little? Just tell me where to show up and what to wear, I’ll be there. Open bar? Even better.
“Oh. Ummm. I’m not sure, Luke,” the hesitancy in her voice is palpable. There’s a little bit of nervousness in it, too.
“Have you changed your mind, Andi?” I ask in all seriousness.
“No! No, of course not. I just…I thought we’d have a long engagement and figure that out over time. I’m just not prepared to answer all that right now.” She’s looking around the room, looking for something to put her focus into and buy herself some time.
“OK, baby. If that’s what you want, I will wait for you however long you need.” I mean it from the bottom of my heart. I lost her once and I’ll be damned if I’ll go through that shit again. She now looks visibly relieved and I can’t believe how much that bothers me. I’m legitimately concerned that she doesn’t really want to be my wife.
She wraps her arms around me to reassure me. “Stop thinking that, Luke.”
“What?” I ask innocently, even though we both know exactly what.
“I love you and I do want to marry you. I just want this behind us before we start planning our life together. I don’t want it in the way at all. OK?”
“OK, baby.”
I fucking love her.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
ANDI
The promo commercials leading up to my interview airing created a lot of media buzz for me and for MaxMorgan Music, some good and some bad, but all of this has really made me think about our life together. I don’t want to start it with this black cloud hanging over us – always waiting to rain on our parade. I just want a clean slate when I walk down the aisle and become Mrs. Lucas Woods.
Even though Travis Malone is supporting me, the bastard and the bitch upped their smear campaign immediately after the first promo aired in their preemptive strike and they have plenty of people to help them. The attacks on my character increased yesterday immediately after the Lindsay Blair show ended. The big national stations began airing several "biographical exposé" segments - also known as complete loads of bullshit - that were aired by journalists no one has ever heard of before.
In one form or another, every one of the exposés portrayed me as a complete liar who was constantly seeking attention and love because my parents died at a young age. They also portrayed my foster families as the most wonderful people who just tried to give me a loving home but in return I lashed out at them in anger and didn't appreciate their generosity. Most of the stories were just entertaining fiction but some were blatant attempts to sway public opinion against me.
I don't normally care what others think of me, but this particular fight isn't for me. One story was particularly upsetting because it included a brief interview with the family who gave me all these scars. They talked about how impossible it was to control me and how I lied about everything. The doctor who treated me also briefly appeared to verify their story. He looked very unhappy with being forced to blatantly lie and say that I lied about my claim of being physically abused.
If I was a vengeful person, I would look into the legal aspects of that doctor breaching the confidentiality laws by talking about my medical information. IF.
Luke and I have talked a lot about what has been reported over the last few days. With each report that came out, I’ve corrected the "mistakes" the reporter made in the storyline. Local journalists got in on the action and started airing stories about Pop, Shane and of course, Luke. By the time this is over, it'll take Lisa Renee Jones to figure out all the twists and turns.
We also end up having another conversation about who should protect whom and I gave in to him again when he kissed me. With Luke settled on why I want to wait to set a date and with him being the protector, we settle on the couch to watch a little television and just spend some time together doing nothing.
Imagine my surprise, as Luke is flipping through the channels, he stops when he sees a familiar face being interviewed about me. Funny thing is, the story on the national network news isn't slander against me this time. Lindsay Blair is being interviewed on CNN right now. She is explaining why she pursued the interview with me.
"To be honest, at first I wanted to skewer Andi Morgan. I saw a spoiled little rich girl who didn't already have enough fame and attention. I saw a young woman who just inherited her father's kingdom and reportedly sold it for billions of dollars, but that wasn't enough for her. I wanted to be the one to expose her for what she really is.
What I wasn't prepared for was the complete life story of Andi Morgan. What I didn't consider was how many years she suffered - first at losing her family at such a young age, being turned away by a blood relative and finally the long line of abuse at the hands of her foster families. But what blew me away was how selflessly she devotes her life to helping others - both the younger girls who lived with the Rhoades and the youth center she funds here in Atlanta.
She has never publicly announced that and I hope I'm not betraying her confidence by revealing it, but her involvement with the youth center is being unjustly scrutinized. The kids are the ones who will suffer if the parents keep them away from Andi," Lindsay quickly wipes away a tear and takes a breath to give the anchor a chance to ask another question.
"Would you allow her around your children, Lindsay?"
"Absolutely. I would consider it an honor if she spent time with my children."
"Lindsay, as I understand it, the local station is changing their programming lineup for you to do a live show today. Tell us a little about that," the anchor prompts.
Lindsay's smile is knowing and confident, "Elle, that is correct. I am doing a live show this evening and I appreciate being able to comment on it. Immediately after my interview with Andi Morgan was taped, I tracked down other children who have been in the Rhoades' foster care over the years. Several of those who are now young adults have agreed to appear on my show to give their account of life in Speaker Rhoades' care. It will air at four o'clock Eastern today."
"Will they corroborate Ms. Morgan's version?" the anchor challenges. She's trying to get the scoop but Lindsay is too shrewd to answer that outright.
"Their revelations will definitely be something y
ou'll want to hear. I will also have a couple of surprise guests," Lindsay answers.
"We will all be waiting with baited breath. Thank you for joining us today, Lindsay," the anchor responds before starting the next story.
I am completely amazed and surprised at this turn of events. "I can't believe she found some of their former foster kids. I wonder who it is."
Part of me worries that it is Maria and that she resents me for not protecting her when she needed me the most. I wonder if she hates me for leaving her when they sent me off to the psychiatric hospital. I'm afraid I'm the last person she would ever want see - besides the Rhoades he- and she-devils, anyway.
Luke rubs up and down my arm as he continues to stare at the TV without speaking. I've noticed he does this when he's contemplating the best way to protect me. He doesn't think I've noticed this. I love the little acts of love he shows me without saying it. I secretly love how protective he is of me and how he wants to be the king of the jungle. I love my complex, alpha-male/street brawler/counselor/fiancé.
"Luke, you ok?" I ask, smiling and a hint of teasing in my voice.
"Uh, yeah. Lindsay's been busy, hasn't she? You didn't know about any of this?" The concern in his voice is blatant. But the suspicion that I was actually a part of it is a little more disguised.
"No. I didn't know anything about it, Luke." I'm not disguising the pissed-off glint in my tone.
He squeezes my hand in response - his way of apologizing for his minor offenses. He's well aware that he was about to cross the line. No reason for me to bring it up though.
“Are you nervous about seeing it?” Luke asks me, genuinely concerned.
“A little. I really don’t know what to expect. But I can’t help but think that since Lindsay has been so supportive of me, she’s found someone who will speak out against him. That’s what I’m hoping for anyway.”
The next thing he says completely shocks me but it also makes sense.
“This may not be the best time to talk about this but there’s something I want you to know.”
Crazy Maybe Page 25
