by KL Shandwick
“How are you feeling?”
“I’m doing okay; I’m more interested in how you’re feeling,” I giggled and was rewarded with a wicked grin.
“Hard and horny at the sight of you, babe. I’ve been talking him down all morning watching you sleep in that bed, that’s why I came down here. He wanted to jump you, but I knew you would be sensitive today.”
Smiling again, I stretched on tiptoes to kiss his mouth. It was supposed to be a peck on the lips, but Flynn had other ideas. His large hands cupped the sides of my face, and he stared into my eyes. His were glassy and half closed, his pupils blown with desire. The way he looked at me told me everything he said the night before was true. I felt that look; it touched my soul. My heart stuttered inside as he stole my breath with the next kiss that followed.
Lee cracked open the kitchen door, and I broke the kiss. I stepped away from Flynn slightly as I’d thought it might be one of my parents.
“Looks like the welcome home party is about to get started. There’s a guy out front who asked me, ‘Who the fuck are you?’ My guess is that would be Daryl?” he chuckled.
I stared at Flynn, and he pulled me in for a tight hug. “Go to your studio, Valerie. I’ll bring him up there, then follow my lead, this is where he gets the rock star experience,” he smiled a big wicked smile. I froze for a second and when I didn’t move Flynn waved his hands to shoo me out the door. “Go. I’m so looking forward to this.”
I turned and opened the glass slider, let myself out and ran toward the studio. Quickly firing up my laptop, I sat clicking past each frame I’d taken on the SD card. When the ones of Evette and Elias ran out, the ones of Flynn and I started to flip by. The first few were me climbing on the bed, but they got progressively raunchier. One, in particular, had made me catching my breath. The angle of the camera caught Flynn staring up at me, and I’ve never seen raw sexual need pour from a picture as the look on his face did in that frame.
The studio door opened, and Daryl burst in followed by Flynn, who casually closed the door and leaned against the wall. A shadow passed by the window and I knew Lee was outside, and that he would have been inside in a heartbeat if we’d needed him.
“When the fuck did he get here?” Daryl asked angrily.
“Hey, Daryl, did you miss me?”
“Of course, I did. I asked you a question.”
“The day before yesterday,” I said turning to Flynn I pretended to question that. “That was when you got here, isn’t it? It’s been so busy it feels more like a week.”
“So you got back when? I thought you were coming home last night. Why the fuck didn’t you call me? Did he pick you up from the airport?”
I smirked at Flynn and he raised his brow in question, “Don’t…”
I held my hand up to Flynn to say, “I got this.”
“I found out everything I needed to know the first day of the meeting, Daryl. I never called because I knew you weren’t expecting me home. I used that time to work and spend time with Flynn.”
“So the rock star turns up, and you suddenly forget about me?”
“Kind of. I mean I called him, so it was only right we spent some time catching up.”
“Well, now that he’s caught up to date he knows you’re taken, right?” he snarled and glanced angrily at Flynn.
“Hmmm, I do,” Flynn replied. An amused smile played on his lips when his eyes met mine.
“What the fuck’s the deal, Val?” Daryl asked in his barking voice again.
“The deal is there is no deal between us, Daryl.”
“What are you talking about?” he asked looking confused.
“You were right when you said she was taken, Daryl. Valerie’s mine,” Flynn stated with authority.
“You’ve been cheating on me… with him? All this time, I’ve treasured you. I’ve never pressurized you because I thought we were waiting.”
“No, Daryl, you were making me wait. What were you thinking? I know about your woman in Minnesota by the way.”
Daryl stopped moving. “What? What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Don’t insult her intelligence. Listen, I don’t know why you never had sex with Valerie, but I guess you had your reasons. I have to thank you for saving that gift for me,” Flynn goaded.
Daryl chuckled and shook his head. “Yeah, I know about the shit you two pulled on the bleachers that night, but you’re not dealing with a bunch of fifteen and sixteen-year-olds now. I call bullshit on you sleeping together. I’ve been with Valerie since she was sixteen, and when she sees sense and realizes I’ve been faithful, all this shit will go away. You’ll go away again, Mr. Rock Star and one day I’ll ask her to marry me. We’ve abstained because my princess is going to be a virgin when I take her to my bed on our wedding night.”
Watching Daryl lying made me wonder if I really knew him at all. I should have been heartbroken, but I had no feelings at all for him. I wasn’t even angry at him or sorry. Not since Flynn arrived.
“Oops,” Flynn commented. I almost laughed when he said that, and he raised his eyebrows in surprise, “You failed to mention that last night, Valerie. Naughty girl,” he started chuckling,
Daryl banged on the table. “Alright, you sick fuck. I’ve had about all I can take from you and your fucking games. Valerie, you know I’d never cheat on you, and I’m surprised you’ve taken things this far. Call off the dogs and send them home. I’m tired of this. I can’t believe you’d let him pretend you’d slept with him either,” Daryl said angrily.
“Oh, there wasn’t much sleeping, Daryl. How are you by the way, babe? Still sore?”
I blushed but I knew why Flynn said that.
It was Daryl’s chance to laugh. “Now you’re really trying to fuck with me,” he said moving closer to Flynn.
“I wouldn’t fuck you, Daryl. You’re not my type, besides, Valerie and I are into monogamy,” Flynn goaded.
“Maybe you’ll want to check some of these out and see if you still don’t believe him,” I opened the laptop, and turned it around to face Daryl. Flynn moved slightly behind him, and I saw by the way his pupils dilated and he grinned widely as he looked at the pictures he loved them. His eyes flicked to mine and creased at the corners as his smile reached them.
Before he could say anything Daryl snapped the laptop closed and took a swing at Flynn but missed. Flynn chuckled, “Oh, you want to hit me now, huh? See her?” Flynn pointed at me, “She’s mine. I’ve come back to claim her,” he stated decisively.
Daryl turned to stare at me. Anger radiated from his body as he rolled his shoulders. “You’re wrong. You have to live with that, Valerie. I never cheated on you, but I guess you’re nothing but a dirty little groupie after all. He’ll tire of you. Wait and see and don’t come back looking for sympathy. And you’ll be sorry because there is no other girl, you were it for me.”
“Lee, bring your ass in here,” Flynn shouted. Lee cracked the door open and came over to the desk.
“No girl, huh? Lee? Do you have something you want to share with Daryl here? Seems like the guy has a terrible memory about the women he’s involved with.”
Lee pulled out his phone and swiped it. He shared a picture of a petite Hispanic woman and Daryl walking into a restaurant. Daryl had his arm around her, and she was glancing up at him with an adoring look on her face. He turned the phone to point the picture to Daryl. “It’s not what it looks like…” he protested.
“It never is, Daryl,” Lee muttered back sarcastically. “I have more if you want them. One of you arriving at her home with her. Another one leaving this morning in the same clothes…”
Daryl knocked the phone out of Lee’s hand, and it skimmed across the wooden floor.
“I think unless Daryl has anything more to contribute we’re about done here, babe. I have to fly to Chicago later so I guess we’ll have to cut this short. You’ve got packing to do.”
Daryl strode toward the door and turned to face me. “I’m telling you, Valerie, he�
�s going to fuck you over, and when he hurts you…”
“If he ever does you are the last person I’d come to for a shoulder, Daryl. Good luck with your life it seems like you’re going to need it.”
Without another word he slammed the door as he left. Lee, Flynn, and I stood silently in the studio for a moment. Flynn reached over and disconnected the laptop and placed it under his arm. “Alright, now that fuckwad is dealt with, grab the charger for this, Lee. I think what’s in here is the in-flight entertainment. I’ll leave the car here and have it driven or shipped back. Charter a flight to leave at 4:00 pm, I have a meeting at 9:00 pm downtown.
Turning to face me Flynn lifted his brow and exhaled deeply, “I never even got the chance to ask you, will you come with me?”
I’d thought he was joking about me going with him. I had my studios and appointments I’d committed to. My independence was important to me. It wasn’t as important as Flynn though. My heart began to race, and those tight feelings rose in my belly. What if I do this, and he lets me down? What if I can’t stand the pace? What if he breaks my heart? Even with all the questions and doubts I had, I knew that despite those, I wanted him badly, so I went with my gut.
“I’ll come, Flynn but only for a few days at the moment. My business is here, and I’ve made commitments. I need to see those through. I won’t add anything new to my schedule for a while, and we’ll see how it goes. This is so new… I don’t want to be left with my heart broken and my business in ruins.”
“Well fuck, that shows a lot of faith in me, babe. I told you the road was going to be rocky, and there’ll be a few humps along the way. It’s up to you to hang tough with me. You think you can do that? I really want you with me, babe.”
My split-second decision was that I wanted to try. I’d die if I didn’t give it my best shot.
Chapter 27 ~ Concerns
No one seemed surprised when I told my family I was going to Chicago with Flynn, but my father was my strongest objector. I understood his fears I was only one of two children he had left, but I couldn’t live life wrapped up in cotton wool. Flynn again declared his feelings for me and promised my parents that he’d keep me safe and treasure me. He was so adamant about that.
“She’s eighteen, Flynn. I don’t want my daughter around all that excess and sick, corrupt lifestyle you live.”
“Neither do I, Sir, but we love each other. If you let her come with me, I promise you with my life that I’ll do my best to protect her. She’s it for me. I have loved her since the first day I saw her. You know that. How many conversations have we had where I’ve expressed my concerns about her? She’s smart, strong and she’s way different than the girl she was a couple of years ago. Just the same as I’m different. What you read in the papers? That’s not who I am anymore. I’m in love with Valerie, and she loves me. We’ll ride all the waves that come, and I’ll make sure that I’m always there for her.”
I stared adoringly at Flynn, proud and touched by his conversation with my dad, and more than a little surprised that he’d already shared his feelings with my dad before he shared them with me.
The only thing my mom asked was if I’d thought about what I was doing. I’d done nothing but think about it from the moment he’d asked me to go. I’d been expecting some more resistance, but after Flynn’s speech my dad agreed with a look of resignation on his face, and he said that he knew I’d be okay. When I’d asked what changed his mind he said, “God’s had my quota of children. I don’t reckon he’ll take another.” It hurt my heart that my dad could be that blunt.
I had lived for the previous two years in a house full of broken people. The pain of losing my brothers was excruciating and I’d felt abandoned when my brothers died and my parents went to face the horrible sight of my dead brothers. I believe that whole experience made me the person I became. Strong and independent and a little side of selfish. For some reason, I felt like I was abandoning them because leaving the place full of memories meant I was moving on, and they were stuck with the past all around them.
Kayden was the one who took me aside to have a quiet word.
“Valerie, you sure you’re happy about this?”
“I am.”
“Then I’m happy for you. I know that Martin would have had something to say about this, but I hope my judgment is good. Flynn seems to really care about you. You’ll need to keep your head straight stepping into his world, honey. Stay clear of anything that’s going to make your body or your mind sick. And don’t believe everything you hear. Always question if something is too good, or too bad, to accept as fact.”
I’d thought that was Kayden’s way of saying don’t take drugs and watch out for sharks. Neither had any place in my life. Flynn had said he’d taken some drugs at the beginning but that it had been a one-time thing. Since he’d been with me I hadn’t seen any evidence of drugs, in fact apart from that first time he came home with Martin, I hadn’t seen him drink alcohol either.
I pulled Flynn aside for another conversation about drink and drugs, and he’d told me that since that day at the pool he hadn’t touched drugs. It had been a one-off experience, and he was happy not to repeat it. As for alcohol, he could take or leave it, but he did drink socially. At eighteen, it still wasn’t legal for me.
Less than four hours later, we were in the air cruising at 29,000 feet in a small chartered plane heading for Chicago, and I was as nervous as hell. The last time I was due to take a flight the day of the accident. I sat reflecting on some memories of my brothers and I had to fight back tears because the last time I’d been in an airport was the day they came home.
It was my first time on an airplane, and the ride was pretty bumpy. Flynn was great, keeping me calm distracting me with kisses and talking about the band and Bernie, his manager. He filled me in on their personalities and the issues they had. It was the first time I’d heard him talk freely about them apart from when he’d mentioned that they weren’t on the best of terms.
Chicago was Flynn’s base and his home, and from the moment we landed his cell rang repeatedly. I commented on that, and he said he’d had it switched off most of the time he’d been with me. Callers were making up for that fact as we left the airport. Each time it rang, he’d take his cell out reject the call, and put it back in his pocket. I began to wonder if it was the same person or different people. I’d wondered each time if it was Iria. The thought of dealing with that obstacle to happier times made my chest tight.
Flynn seemed genuinely excited to take me home, but I was nervous about going to his house. It had been different being on my home ground to stepping into his world. I’d been through a lot, and I’d grown up quickly since the boys died, but suddenly I felt my age. Everyone seemed sophisticated, and I felt a little awkward and shy by the time his management’s car service dropped us back at his house. One thing I’d promised myself before I stepped off that plane was that I was determined to appear confident and secure to everyone, even if I didn’t always feel it.
Lee pointed his phone at the solid metal gates and pressed the security code to open the solid twelve feet tall black steel gates that protected Flynn from his fans. The noise they made when they clunked back heavily made me understand the risk he took coming to see me. We were lucky enough to have the anonymity my parents’ place offered.
I expected a house behind the gates, but instead there was a long tree-lined gravel driveway for about half a mile before the road curved and dipped to another which led up a hill to a large white board clad house. His place was stunning. Everything about it had been thought about in great detail.
Immaculate lawns bordered by rugged rock gardens with cherry trees either side flanked a large wide flagstone driveway leading to the house itself. Huge willow trees swayed gently along either side of the house creating a feeling of privacy. The massive wrap around veranda framed both sides at the front leading up to the grand, centrally positioned oak double doors. Symmetry was obviously important to the person who’d designed
the house and the surrounding area; the effect was breathtaking.
Lee opened the front car door and jumped out then ran around the trunk to open Flynn’s door. Flynn slid out of the seat and grabbed my hand. “Come on, Valerie. We’re home.”
His use of ‘we’ made my heart flutter. I hadn’t agreed I was staying long-term, and everything seemed to be moving at a pace I wasn’t sure I could manage. A security guard in uniform appeared at the side of the lawn a few hundred yards away, and again my concerns about the security needed to keep Flynn safe played on my mind. He followed my gaze and put his arm around me, “Don’t worry about that. No one has ever tried to come over the walls, it’s just Bernie’s way of showing me he loves me,” he snickered.
Lee was already inside the house, and when I heard him talking to someone, I realized someone else was there. Taking my hand, Flynn pulled me through the den. It had the biggest, white leather, sectional sofa I’d ever seen. A tall bank of windows adorned one wall with expensive sheers covering the whole way across them.
Adjacent to the den was a simple music room. We passed a few guitars and a baby grand piano. It linked the den and the kitchen. A small, blonde female was cooking, and when she saw Flynn, she dropped her bowl, wiped her hands on her jeans and ran to hug him. Instant embarrassment flushed my cheeks, and I wasn’t prepared for how jealous it made me. “Niamh, this is Valerie. The love of my life.”
Niamh eyed me from head to toe, smiled widely and stepped forward to hug me, “So when did your short-sightedness start to be a problem,” she joked, “I’d imagined this ugly bugger would have struggled for a woman to love him for the rest of his life.”
Flynn chuckled and stepped forward, tugged me away from Niamh and wrapped his arms around me. “I’ve been waiting a few years for this one,” he stated without a hint of humor in his voice.
“Well, thank goodness she agreed to come with you then or we’d all have suffered. We know what it’s like having to live with that grumpy fucker you have hidden right now.”
