by Amiee Louise
I smile, and Danny makes a vomiting motion.
“I’m so sorry you two haven’t been properly introduced. Sam, this is one of my best friends and neighbour, Danny. Danny, this is Sam.”
Danny curtseys in front of Sam. “It’s so nice to finally meet you, Mr. Rock Star.”
Danny winks, and I can see him blush. I know he is having the same effect on Danny as he has on me, and Sam chuckles.
“Nice to meet you too, mate, but you can call me Sam.”
Sam bows dramatically and they both laugh. The tension from a few minutes ago has soon dissipated. I look around, and I think by the growing crowd, the party is getting into full swing. Sam looks up, and his face breaks out into a grin.
“All these people are here for you, son, who would have thought it?”
An older man joins us; he is rather handsome for his age. He is tall, thin and his salt and pepper hair compliments his features. I look at him; he has the same bright green eyes as Sam, framed by thick, black-rimmed glasses and he has the same dimpled smile as Sam. He's wearing a black suit and white shirt, minus a tie. He pulls Sam in for a hug. Danny and I look at each other, seeing the situation unfolding in front of us.
“You came? It’s so good to see you, Dad.” Sam’s face lights up as he grins.
“Of course, I wouldn’t have missed it for the world, son.”
Danny raises his eyebrows, and he brushes my arm. “I’m going to mingle, sweetie, catch up in a little while.”
He winks and kisses me on the forehead, leaving me with Sam and his dad.
“Dad, this is my girlfriend, Peyton.”
His dad nods and smiles warmly. “Ah, the famous, Peyton. I’ve heard a lot about you, you’re even more beautiful in the flesh. It’s so nice to finally meet you. I’m Marlowe Newbolt.”
He takes my hand and plants a soft kiss on the back. I smile shyly, and I can definitely see where Sam gets his astonishing good looks.
“Pleased to meet you, Mr. Newbolt.”
He rolls his eyes. “Marlowe, please. People only call me Mr. Newbolt if I’m in court!”
Sam and Marlowe laugh.
“Dad, there’s a few people I want to introduce you to.”
Marlowe nods, and Sam kisses me gently on the lips.
“I’ll be right back, baby. I promise.”
I nod. “I’m going to the ladies. I’ll come and find you.”
He smiles, and I go off to find the toilet. I go down a short corridor, and someone grabs my hand. Startled, I jump.
“Shit, sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you, baby cakes.”
I spin around and find myself looking at Callum’s amused face.
“Cal, I didn’t realise you were coming tonight.”
“Me either. Sav kind of sprung this on me last minute. I thought it was a bad idea to begin with, but she insisted, she kind of makes it hard for me to say no.”
I shake my head. “It’s OK, it was just a shock to be thrust into the presence of the woman you fucked behind my back,” I snap, and Callum recoils.
“Ouch! That stings! Right for the jugular, baby cakes.”
He puts his hand to his heart mockingly, and he laughs.
“I said I understood why you cheated and I’d forget it, so we could be friends, but I didn’t say I forgave you. You fucking destroyed me, Callum, you sent me beyond the pits of hell with what you did and the way you treated me.”
He glances to the floor and backs me against the wall. He is so close to me I can feel his breath on my cheek.
“I want to make it right, baby cakes. Tell me how I can make it up to you. I know I don’t deserve it, but give me a chance, please,” his voice sounds pleading.
“There’s no way you can make it up to me, Cal, the damage has already been done. Please just let me be happy with Sam.”
He looks me in the eyes and says, “He can never make you happy, not the way I can, baby cakes.”
He reaches over and strokes my cheek gently with the back of his hand.
“He has already cheated on you. Why do you think he hasn’t been in touch? I know for a fact he has been AWOL for a week. Let me guess, he used the excuse of ‘recording in the studio and his oh-so-hectic schedule’ and he showed up at yours on … Wednesday evening? Am I right? He’ll go on cheating on you, Peyton, because that’s the sort of man he is, the man he has always been. He won’t change no matter how hard you try; you deserve so much more than a tosser like him.”
How does he know all that? My heart constricts in my chest. Sam has cheated? I shake my head and try to quell the tears I can feel stinging my eyes.
“No, you’re lying. Sam wouldn’t do that.”
I try to sound confident, but I hear heels clicking across the floor, abruptly ending our conversation.
“Well, well, well, isn’t this cosy?”
Savannah’s ice-cold voice cuts through the silence. Callum pulls back from me, and Savannah moves closer.
“It’s not what it looks like, babe, we were just chatting,” Callum defends himself.
“It didn’t look like just a chat to me, Callum. Do you get as close to all the people you talk to as you do to her?”
Callum rolls his eyes but doesn’t say anything, and she moves closer to me.
“If you ever hurt my brother, I swear to God I will fucking kill you. Do you understand, you filthy little slut? There’s stuff you don’t know about Sam, he was a … drug addict. He has been in rehab, and if you ever send him back to that place, your life will not be worth living,” she says coldly, and I feel my eyes glaze over. All the things I am told about Sam are overwhelming me, and I don’t know if it’s the truth or a complete lie. I feel like I have been punched in the gut. I try to steady my erratic breathing and calm my trembling hands.
“Back the fuck away from my girl, Sav,” Sam’s voice comes out of nowhere. I hear his footsteps getting closer and the tears I am trying to blink back blur my eyesight.
“I’m just filling Peyton in on some of the Newbolt family history, little brother.”
She smiles innocently, and Sam’s face is like thunder.
“And I thought I told you before to stay the fuck away from her? Didn’t I make myself clear enough last time?” He jabs his finger in Callum’s direction. “She already broke your nose. What else has she got to do before you get the fucking hint?” he says through clenched teeth, and I know by the look in his eyes that he is angry. By the look on his face, I think he is going to punch him, and Savannah looks wide-eyed.
“You told me that you broke your nose at the boxing gym? You fucking little prick, you lied to me!”
Savannah slaps Callum across the face, and Sam comes closer to me, leaving Savannah and Callum arguing heatedly behind us. He tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear and rests his hand on the wall beside my head.
“Are you OK, angel?”
His voice is filled with concern. I ignore his question, duck under his arm, and run off down the corridor.
“Peyton, baby, wait!” Sam shouts, but I don’t respond. I open the door to the toilet and step into the privacy of a cubicle. I lock the door, pull the seat down, and sit down. It is then when I put my head in my hands that the tears start to freely fall. I hear the toilet entrance swing open.
“Peyton, angel,” his husky voice sounds pained. “Excuse me for a second, ladies.”
I hear the giggles of a few females, and the door clicks shut—I think we are alone.
“Baby, please.”
I let out a strangled sob and jump when the door bangs.
“Fuck, let me explain. Open the door, please?”
I can’t bring myself to speak. Is everything he has ever said to me been a lie? My mind is so conflicted right now. After Callum, I vowed I would never allow another man to lie to me ever again. I thought Sam was different.
“Peyton, please talk to me, angel,” his voice is barely a whisper and so tender. I unlock the door reluctantly, and he pushes the door open, backing me against th
e wall. He wraps his arms around me, and I sob into his chest, clinging desperately to his soft t-shirt.
“Shhh, I’ve got you. Jesus, please don’t cry, you’re tearing me apart.”
He runs his hands up and down my back soothingly.
“Everything’s going to be all right, angel, but you need to let me explain.” His voice is rough and sounds almost desperate. “Sav told me what she said. She had no fucking right, and it wasn’t her place to tell you.”
I pull away and unravel some toilet paper from the dispenser. I dab my eyes and blow my nose. It is at that particular moment I feel brave enough to speak.
“When were you going to fucking tell me, Sam?”
He hangs his head.
“Not here, baby, the place is crawling with press. Ryan, the owner, is a friend of mine and Alistair’s brother; he said we can use his office, we won’t be disturbed.”
I nod. “I just need a minute to fix my make-up.”
“I’ll be waiting right outside, angel.”
He kisses the top of my head and leaves. I stand in front of the mirror, and my eyes are red. Great. I re-apply my makeup in record time and look almost normal again. I run my fingers through my hair, check my reflection one last time, and leave the safety of the ladies’ room.
Sam is leaning casually against the wall outside with his hands tucked into his pockets, looking handsome as ever. He is going to make it so difficult to be mad at him being a total distraction and incredibly good looking. Sam gestures for me to step ahead of him, and he directs me into an office further down the corridor, closing the door and locking it behind him.
Sam sits down on the edge of the desk and folds his arms. I stand a few feet away from him; I can’t bear to be near him right now, and I don’t meet his eyes. I know if I meet his eyes, I will fall under his spell.
“So when were you going to fucking tell me you were in rehab, Sam?” I spit out, and he hangs his head.
“I thought it was common knowledge, it was all over the news, the internet, and the papers when it happened. But when I found out that you had no idea, I kept putting it off. It was refreshing that you seemed to know virtually nothing about me. I was terrified you were going to run again. You have to believe me; I was going to tell you, babe, I promise.”
“Don’t you think it was important? You could have told me the night we went out for dinner, we were being honest with each other laying our cards on the table, and you’ve had plenty of opportunities since then. How do you think it felt for me to hear it from her? Isn’t it enough that I have to endure being in the same room as her? She is the woman who Callum fucking cheated on me with!”
Sam gets up and stalks towards me. “Callum this, Callum that. I’m sick of hearing his fucking name. He is the third person in our relationship; you always bring it back down to him. You’re with me now, isn’t it enough that I love you and worship the ground you walk on? I understand he hurt you beyond belief and he broke your heart, I can’t imagine what you must have gone through, but it’s in the past now. You need to get the fuck over it!” Sam shouts, and my eyes widen. I can’t believe he just said that. I am trembling with anger as I slap him hard across the face. The slap echoes around the room.
“How fucking dare you! You’ve got no right to bring it back around to me when this is all your fault!” I scream at him, and Sam nods.
“Yeah, and what good would it have done you knowing I’d been in rehab? Would it have made a difference? Would it have changed the way you feel about me?”
I pause, and I actually can’t answer that question.
“I deserved to know. We’re meant to be a couple. Being in rehab is a big fucking deal, Sam, don’t you get that?”
He moves closer to me. “I was in rehab because I was a fucking drug addict; I was a total fuck up. I was an absolute mess. I turned to drugs because I was barely an adult with the added pressure of our growing fame, because of J.D., because I was so God damn weak. I couldn’t resist the temptation, and I couldn’t say no. Is that what you want to hear? Do you really want to drag the past up? Because the past is fucking irrelevant, what matters is the here and now. Us, in this room, right now. When I saw you walk in earlier, you took my breath away, and I felt so proud to say you were mine. You are the most beautiful woman in this club tonight by far.” He reaches over to stroke my face. “Look at me.”
His voice is commanding, and I meet his eyes. Oh, shit, I’m in trouble.
“I’ve never felt like this ever it’s all new to me and hearing you constantly go on about Callum, I actually felt violent, and I wanted to smash his fucking face in as soon as I saw him near you,” he says through clenched teeth. “You’ve got no idea how vulnerable and fragile you are, baby. Being in this industry, there are people who’ll want to steal you away from me, and I’m not going to let them, I’d fucking die for you, Peyton.”
I melt at his words, and Sam’s voice is pained yet determined. There is something in the way he says those words that makes me believe him one hundred percent. I lean into his hand, which hasn’t moved from my face.
“I’m so sorry, that was like a different life back then, and I’m not that person anymore.”
I am silent, and Callum’s words begin to echo in my ears. He has cheated on you, and he’ll go on cheating on you because that’s the sort of man he is. I recoil from his touch and back away from him. His face drops, and he moves closer to me. I take a step back; I can’t be near him right now. Every time I am near him, I lose all sense of coherent and logical thought.
“Baby.” He frowns, and I shake my head.
“Is there someone else? Have you cheated on me?” My voice comes out desperate and barely a whisper. His eyes widen, and he shakes his head.
“What the fuck! No, of course I haven’t, I swear to you. I love you, you’re all I want.” I look to the floor. “Who told you that?”
I am silent, reluctant to mention Callum’s name again.
“It’s not important.”
“Yes, it is fucking important. Someone told you I cheated on you, and it’s quite obviously upset you. Do you remember what I said to you before? Anyone upsets you ever again, and I swear I’ll hurt them.”
“Callum,” my voice is small as a sob escapes from my mouth.
“I might have known, he is not going to be fucking happy until he has split us up, is he? You said it yourself, he is a born liar, Peyton. You don’t honestly believe him, do you? He fucking cheated on you, and he has the cheek to rat me out for the same thing?” Sam spits out sarcastically. “I’d never hurt you intentionally, baby, I haven’t been with any other women, just you,” he whispers the last two words and his voice sounds sincere. I shake my head.
“Why would he say it if it wasn’t true?”
Sam sighs.
“Jesus Christ, he has done such a fucking number on you that you’re completely stupid, naïve, and oblivious that he is trying to manipulate you and get back between your legs!”
I slap him hard across the face again, and he growls. He moves closer to me and backs me into the desk. I feel the back of my legs collide with the smooth wood. He places his hands on the desk either side of me, trapping me.
“I haven’t been inside you for a whole week, baby; I can tell you’re just as frustrated as I am,” he whispers huskily in my ear, and I shiver at the intensity in his voice. He runs his finger down my arm, and my body instantly responds, goose bumping under his touch.
“See how your body responds to me, you shiver every time I’m near you. You’re not really mad just … sexually frustrated”
He is so close I can feel his warm breath on my cheek.
“Lie back on the desk for me, baby.”
It is as if our argument has been forgotten. He is trying to satiate me with sex, and boy, is it working! I do as he says and lie back on the desk.
“Look how easily you submit to me, angel.”
He smiles cockily and runs his nose down the middle of my chest. He trails
down my stomach and stops at my sex.
“I can tell how ready you are for me, baby; I can smell your arousal.”
He has a mischievous glint in his eyes. He pushes the material of my dress up, so I am exposed to him. He slides his hand up my inner thigh, and I shiver with anticipation.
“This is going to be purely for my pleasure, not yours, do you understand?”
I whimper as his finger brushes my slick folds.
“You need to understand that it’s just you, Peyton, no one else. Just you.”
