Chapter 12: The Lollipop
POV: Gabby
I probably should have told him it was my game, but he was trying to be slick. Yet, the games and time had made me forget about Simon for a bit, which was good. I took a huge risk asking about the ultimate fantasy but I expected something close, not the question he asked. Bad sex? Yeah, there was a lot of that. Bad and unwanted.
I had laid down feeling okay and then Simon sent me a message, wanting me to accept his apology. He hadn’t really stopped since the call, texting and calling all hours of the day and night, keeping me awake and making it hard to do anything.
I didn’t have to be awake anytime soon today but we did arrive in El Paso about noon and I went ahead and got up, Simon had sent several messages through the night. Austin was getting ready to run with Carrick and they waited on me to change to go as well. I was doing pretty good about keeping up now but they were both aware and would slow some so I didn’t at least fall behind. We had a hotel stay here until after the show and then we were driving half way to Tennessee and then an extended stay, where I’d cash in my anything for three days.
By the time we reached the hotel Zac was up and we were apparently checked in, the bus was remaining here at the venue though. We did cool down movements, Isaac was by the door talking to the venue manager and Zac was getting his bags. I was about to walk over to get my bag as well when I heard someone calling “ma’am” and I was the only here so I turned around.
He had long blonde hair and he looked familiar, but it wasn’t until he was closer that I realized who he was.
“Newt?” I asked.
He paused and then clearly appraised me. “Gabriella? Is that you?”
“Yeah.”
“Fuck you look different without the black hair.”
“Well, for the most part you only saw me with black.”
I saw his eyes travel down and paused and I crossed my arms. “Newton. My eyes are not there.”
“I still remember Gabby, I’m not incapable of remembering. Why are you here?”
“Traveling with Hanson, I’m there roadie slash personal assistant to Zac.”
“Not just me!” He said.
I shot him a look, he knows full well he makes 99 percent of my request to do anything. But when I looked at him he was looking at us curiously.
“Hanson? Seriously?”
“Yeah, Maxwell got me the job and said I needed normal, I think is what he used. Why are you here?”
“I do part time work for a paper, doing a photo spread of them for the Sunday edition. Our interviewer will be here tomorrow too. I was just here to make sure I knew where I was going.”
“Nice, when did you move?”
“Um...when I got married actually.”
“Married?” I asked.
The last time we’d spoken, when he broke up with me for someone else, he’d never wanted to settle down. It was part of the reason for our break up actually, that and he slept with another woman.
“Yeah, Mary.”
I felt the little twist of pain, she’d been the other woman. Perfect. Just what I needed for today.
“We have a three year old daughter, London.”
“So, you settled down then? You let your hair get long and it’s natural color, not multi-colored.”
“Well, we dated broke up, dated and then she got pregnant. I figured the best thing was to make it official. I also gave up touring, the band was falling apart anyway, so we just stopped. I do photography on weekends and I do 9-5 during the week. I see you still do roadie work.”
He wasn’t telling me everything, I knew he was fudging that some. He never was a good liar and especially not to me, it’s how I knew he was having someone on the side.
“Yeah, um..yeah. It’s what I like and I haven’t found anything else.”
“You look good Gabby.”
“Thank you..Um…you don’t still have those pictures you took of me, do you?”
Honestly, married with a child I wouldn’t expect him to have them still, they were borderline porn and well, he’d taken some that were porn.
He smiled at me, his blue eyes shining very bright. He leaned in very close to me, his voice sounded soft and sweet, the way I remembered it.
“I have every single picture I ever took of you, why would I ever get rid of them? You were my best subject.”
I felt my face heat up, compliments weren’t always my forte. I heard the bay door slam shut, much louder than normal and that startled me enough to look and Zac was standing there.
“The shuttle will be leaving in ten.” He said.
“Okay.”
“Why were you asking?”
“Is it possible to get copies of them?”
“Sure. I scanned them a few years ago in case they ever got destroyed. I’ll write them on a disc for you. Do you want them all?”
“Yes, Newt. I want them all.”
“I’ll bring the disc tomorrow night then, uh where will you be?”
“Merchandise table or ask for me.”
“Okay.”
He gave me a tight hug. “I mean it Gabby, you look good.” He gave my cheek a quick kiss. “I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
He turned and walked away and I grabbed my bag, making it just in time. The only seat was beside Zac which wasn’t bad.
“He seemed to know you.”
“He should, he toured with her and I think he was the bass player for Twisted Metal.” Carrick said.
“He was the bass player, Newton Miller.”
Zac looked at me. “When you were seventeen?”
“Yeah, uh they were the first band that I traveled with. In fact, Zac he took the pictures of me you saw last night.”
Muhum, that totally caused him to look at me and he started to ask, but didn’t. We got to the hotel and got our rooms and I got settled. I took a hot shower and slipped something comfortable on. I then flopped onto the bed, intending on a nice long nap as Isaac has texted and told me I had the day off. Which lasted fifteen minutes until Simon started calling. I tried to ignore it but he kept hanging up and calling back. I finally picked it up.
“What do you want Simon?”
“I want you to talk to me, so we can work through this problem of ours.”
“There is no problem. You cannot remain faithful to me. You nearly broke my arm Simon.”
“You know I was just mad, I didn’t mean to.”
“You said that the first time too, and the second time and the third time.”
“You wouldn’t be this concerned if you hadn’t ran to Maxwell.”
“I went to Maxwell because I didn’t have anywhere else to go Simon. He was human enough to at least care. You need to stop calling me and give up. I’m not coming back.”
“You will eventually. You know you love me.”
“Simon, I’m not coming back.”
I hung-up and sat up. I then called Maxwell, getting his voicemail though so I just laid back. It wasn’t ten minutes before the text messages began, how he loved me, how he cared, how he’d do whatever I wanted. So many times he’d told me that, so many times he’d lied. When the hotel phone rang I started not to answer, but I did.
“Simon, please just stop!”
“It’s Newton..Who is Simon?”
“Oh..I didn’t think you knew where we were.”
“Well, no one would confirm them but the room is under your name. I literally called them all until I found you.”
“Creeper.”
“Oh come on, you know how I am. So, um…are you doing anything today?”
“Um, not really. Isaac gave me the day off. Why?”
“Do you want to come over?”
“Newt, isn’t that how you got in trouble before?”
“Please?”
I had the day off…all I needed to do was tell Isaac where I was. “I don’t know…”
“It’s the studio…please Gabriella.”
“How far are you away?”
“Thirty minutes, I promise I’ll bring you back tonight.”
“Fine. Are you coming to get me?”
“Of course, I mean..I’m kind of calling from the lobby.”
I sighed. “Let me change you mega creeper.”
I heard a giggle as I hung-up and I quickly changed into what I’d taken off which was shorts and a t-shirt, after I had my shoes on I got my wallet and room key and headed out. I pulled up Ike’s name on the way to the elevator.
Newton is picking me up. Going to his studio for a while. I have my phone. I will text when I am back.
Okay – thank you for letting me know.
He was in the lobby, wearing black jeans and a t-shirt.
“You really did act like a creeper.”
He pulled me in for a tight hug. “It’s been too long. Lunch?”
“Sure.”
I followed him out of the hotel and to his car, boy loved the run down decrepit cars. But they always purred and this was no exception. He went to a nice place in town where we had lunch and then he took me to his house.
“This is nice, but um….won’t your wife be mad if she comes home to me being here?”
“She won’t be coming home.”
He lead me to the side room, which was the garage from the outside but this was a nicely done room. It wasn’t really huge but it was painted solid white with a few prints of his hanging around the walls, included in those pictures is the one of me laying on the floor. He sat down at the desk with three monitors and I sat down on the stool.
“Why won’t she be coming home?”
“We um dated off and on, then she got pregnant. We did DNA when she was born to make sure, because she wasn’t and then we got married. I thought it was the right thing to do, we don’t get along really, she um cheated on me again and we decided that it was better if we divorce and just co-parent London.”
“Oh..So what is your 9-5?”
He just smiled. “Computer networking mostly.”
He brought up a folder with the name Skye on it, he’d always liked my middle name. He hadn’t lied to me, he had every single picture still, even the unfocused or blurry ones. I couldn’t believe he had them all.
“I’m not sure which set I liked more.”
I laughed. “Please, it was the ones you used the clicker for. The ones of us having sex.”
“There high on the list but I couldn’t see your face in most of them. You may enjoy seeing balls and all, but I didn’t.”
“Bullshit. You wouldn’t be looking at the balls Newt.”
“I’m serious here. They were hot though. I think it was the set in the back of the bus, when I asked you to go topless.”
I felt my cheeks heat up as he brought them up. I’d been in a lot of different poses but he’d made sure they were decent, he used my hair most the time to cover up the breast. The one he pulled up was slightly different than the one of me laying, this one had me on my back, hair covering anything that didn’t need to be seen.
“This one?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
He looked at me and smiled. “Because it was sexy without being overly done.”
“I think my favorite set was the one you took on the beach actually.”
He moved some screens and pulled them up. There was something about dark pictures but the beach ones were more fun and less darkness. Even with a simple bathing suit they were simple.
“So, who else did you photograph back then?”
“No one, just you.”
“Surely afterwards…”
“I didn’t take anyone else’s picture until Mary said I should do this on the side, I only do families now. The only single girl I photograph is London.”
“Why? You are great at it.”
“Because every time I go to take a woman’s picture I am reminded of how you left. Reminded of exactly how hurt you looked while you screamed at me. You my dear have a special talent of looking totally pissed off but devastated at the same time. It was the one time I never wanted to take your picture. Yet, it’s the one I can’t get out of my head.”
I frowned at him, he’d never used his talent because I walked away?
“Hey! No frowning in here.”
I looked at the beach pictures and then at the studio behind me. “Photograph me then.”
“Now?”
“Why not? You’re not busy clearly and I’m not going anywhere.”
“You don’t need to answer all those messages?”
“Simon, my ex. It’s all it is.”
“Your hair isn’t black.”
“So? It’s still my hair and it’s barely long enough if you wanna recreate a few.”
“Sure your boyfriend wouldn’t mind? He gave me a eat shit and die look when I leaned in.”
“My boyfriend?” I asked.
“The guy at the bus, he slammed the door.”
“He’s not my boyfriend, Newton. I’m not dating anyone.”
“When do you have to be back?”
“Long as I’m there to unpack in the morning.”
“As much as I want to recreate a few dozen of these I think I want to do new.”
“Okay, what did you have in mind?”
He picked up a fruit flavored lollipop off his desk and smiled. “Before you left I wanted to use one of these.”
“Lollipop huh?”
“What you have on is kind of close to what I had in mind.”
“So, what did you have in mind?”
He got up and went to the dark room returning with a duffle bag, one that clearly was the one I left on the bus when I walked away. He dropped it at my feet.
“You owned a pair of tight, short cut off blue jeans and a blue tank top. Use to wear them all the time.”
“Okay.” I said.
It took me a moment to realize everything in the bag was clean and in pristine condition, even the panties and bras that were shoved down in there.
“How did Mary not know about this bag?”
“I kept it in there, she never went in there.”
I found the items he referred to and then I got up and changed. There was no need for me to hide from him, he had seen me naked before.
“Not shy?” he asked.
“Oh please, you’ve seen me naked Newt.”
“True.”
The shorts were a bit more snug than I remembered but the shirt was a little shorter than I remembered.
“You want the make up too?”
“Lemon lollipop, so maybe red?”
I picked up the bag and asked for the bathroom, it felt very strange to be putting make up on. Especially red lipstick this shiny.
He was setting up a chair when I came back in, hair fixed.
“No heels?” he asked.
“Don’t have any.”
“That’s fine.”
He finished setting up and I waited. When he turned around he looked at me for several moments before he ran out of the room, returning a few minutes later with a blue jean shirt which he had me slip on. It was totally his shirt but it fit very well.
He did a few nice poses, over the shoulder looks and full facial ones.
“Lay down.”
The mat he had down was black, so the lighter hair kind of popped. But it felt weird having him standing over me again. When he brought me the lollipop I knew he was done with nice and he wanted something edgy and sexy. So I tried my damnedest.
“Fuck Gabriella, did you take porn lessons in the last few years?”
“I didn’t need too, you taught me everything I needed to know.”
He walked over and got a very close up.
“Mind getting another one?”
“Whatever you want.”
“You want to photograph the tattoo I got?”
“You’ll let me this time?”
I nodded. “Fuck yes I want too.”
He slid back some and I started to take the jacket off, knowing he was snapping photos his finger never stopped. I could hear Simon’s generic tone blowing my phone up across the room, could hear his booming voice in my ears.
Sexual photographs are for whores, is that what you are?
He’d destroyed every photos of me I had, every one that ever meant anything to me. Newton was so different from him, much more caring and loved sexy photos.
“You are doing amazing Skye.”
I slid the shirt down my arms slowly before letting it fall. I didn’t need words when he had a camera, he knew me better than Simon. I teased the hem of the shirt, raising it some and letting it fall back, before I raised it up and I could barely hear the click.
“No one else but us Skye, you’re hesitating.”
“He didn’t allow photos like this…”
“Who?”
“Simon.”
He raised up and gently moved several strands of hair. “Then he was the idiot. Beauty is meant to be captured, explored, photographed. Show me, Skye. I want the black haired sex goddess back.”
He moved away and the phone’s tones faded, Simon’s voice telling me I wasn’t pretty enough or sexy enough faded. He smiled when I lowered my head but looked up at him.
“That’s the girl I want.”
I know he kept taking pictures as the top came off, the bra I’d put on had been blue lace, the whole thing was lace. He kept on as I undid the shorts and he photographed my ass as it slide down, but then again I was standing over him so he had no choice.
“God damnit Skye.”
“You know you don’t mind.”
“Oh hell no. But solid lace? Jesus I can see everything and it’s so fucking hot.”
I know he sat up when I moved away. Newton had been there when I got the tattoo but I was still feeling naughty so I eased the side of the underwear down and heard the clicks, clicks that I use to love and hate.
“Look at me when you do that.”
Subtle side glance and I saw him clicking, I returned to the seat and let the strap slide down on the sides, being slow on purpose as I unhooked it, I wasn’t afraid of nude photos. He sat up and got a lot closer to get the actual tattoo. But I wasn’t quite stupid, I could tell that being most nude was getting to him, the bulge in the pants more than proved that but it usually took a lot though. If I kept my panties on he’d be fine.
I should have expected it, but his lips on mine was so familiar. Reminded me of how I felt then, when I was with him and everything was fine. He pulled me down into his lap.
“Newton.”
“I know..you don’t do sex unless you’re with them, it’s your thing.”
Yet his hands slide down my back to my ass, one was going farther. “Nn..newt..”
“It’s not sex Skye. I can see it in every muscle of your body, you’re tense. When was the last time you were with someone?”
“March.”
His hand paused, just the tip of his hand there, fuck so close.
“Last time you really came?”
Fuck he knew so well. “I don’t remember.”
“Not good. Let me make you scream and then you can watch me.”
I really should get up but he’d reached that point on my neck where I couldn’t. His lips trailed down my neck, where he went for the exposed nipples. Slight pressure and the constant ringing seem to fade away, but then it dawned on me that wasn’t my phone and he’d paused.
“Shit. I need to get that.”
I nodded and moved back. He got up and went to the desk and answered, I couldn’t hear what he said but I heard mine ring and it wasn’t Simon, it was Rebel Yell so I got it.
“Hey Max.”
“What’s up?”
“Uh..nothing now. I’m okay.”
“Where are you?”
“I uh…ran into Newton at the venue here in Dallas. I came to his studio for a bit.”
I wouldn’t tell him anything else, such as that his home was here or that all I had on was my panties or that I wanted to abandon everything and just throw him on the ground.
“Gabby.”
“It’s fine really.”
“You told me about him, why did you go there?”
“Max please, I’m not a little kid.”
“I know that but I don’t want you to do anything you will regret later.”
“I know. Thank you.”
“Call me when you reach the hotel room, please?”
“Okay, shouldn’t be too much longer.”
I hung-up about the time he did. “Everything okay?”
Honestly, what I really wanted was for him to just take me there, it really was what I wanted and it felt so weird to want that now.
“It was Mary, she has to bring London over to me. She got called in and she’ll be here in like ten minutes.”
“I’ll um…get dressed then.”
“Might be best.”
He stepped out and I put the clothes I had on originally back on and sat down to wait. When fifteen passed I left the room and found him in the living room with Mary, based on the kiss they were sharing it wasn’t quite separated like he said.
“Oh..I didn’t know you had company.”
He seemed shocked. “It’s a client.”
I however noticed the absence of a child. “Where is London?”
“She’s with my mother. How did you know about her?”
“I asked about the picture in the studio. Mr. Miller I’ll wait for that disc.”
“I’ll be right there.”
I turned and went back to the studio, fuck. It took him fifteen minutes to come back and I simple sat there quietly as he downloaded the few hundred he’d taken, they were very nice ones. The ones with the lollipop were fucking hot, especially the one where it was barely on my lips. I knew the process of writing a disc and watched carefully as he zipped the file and then wrote it to a blank disc, he then used a laptop to make sure it worked. He wrote my name on the disc and put a phone number.
“I’ll take you back.”
“Don’t bother, I’ll call a cab.”
“Gabriella.”
I took the disc from him and got up. “Don’t bother, it’s obviously that what she wants isn’t work.”
“Come on Skye.”
I just walked out. Mary was on the couch comfortably waiting, not in any hurry to get to a job, so the job she wanted was right here.
“You look..kind of familiar.” She said.
I turned and looked at her. “I had black hair, you recognize me from the photos hanging on the wall. Have a good afternoon.”
I let myself out and I knew he wouldn’t be following me out. I was pissed off and I’d almost been so fucking stupid. Seemed like that was my specialty. I called three cab companies before I used an app to see how far the hotel was. Newton had said thirty minutes, but that was driving. The hotel was over twenty miles away and that meant it would take at least two hours or more, it was going for six pm. I called each of the companies back and each was over an hour before they could reach me. Isaac said there was a rental for the band, so I called him and got no answer, I then tried Taylor and got no answer. I could feel the tears in my eyes, I’d trusted him and look where I was, stuck 25 miles from the hotel with no cab company that can come get me and this part of town did not look or sound very safe.
“Fuck.”
I tried both of them again before I called Zac’s number and of course, he answered on the second ring.
“Well this is weird, don’t I usually call you?”
“If it helps I called Taylor and Isaac twice before you.”
“Ouch, that does sting a little. Were you wanting help with your vibrator now?”
“What?”
“You called me at six thirty.”
“Doesn’t mean…You know never mind. I’ll call them back.”
I hung-up and again, tried Taylor and Isaac and both were going to voicemail. I didn’t have Carrick’s number or Austin, not even the drivers. Could Isaac really be pissed at me if they didn’t answer? Yes. Because Zac had answered. I started to throw the phone but I doubted that would do me any good at all. I was toying when the idea when his name came up and I really had no choice but to answer.
“Little rude to hang up.”
“Little rude to assume the reason I called was because I wanted help using a toy I told you I didn’t use. You didn’t even ask me!”
The other end of the line was quiet for what felt like forever and I was sure I’d over stepped and surely pissed him off. Great, the one person whom I can reach and could come get me I’d just pissed off. Stupid again!
“Gabby, what is wrong? Why are you crying?”
“Because I’m stupid that’s why.”
“Let me guess, your guy friend picked you up in his crappy looking car and now he won’t bring you back?”
How did he know about the crappy car? Or that Newton had been the one to pick me up?
“If you’re just going to be an ass about it never mind, I’ll walk the 25 miles back to the hotel. But, when Isaac jumps my ass for doing that I’m going to direct him to you. I only have three numbers and I’ve called them already.”
I had to hang up again, how can one person be such an asshole? He knew Isaac had been mad about the last walk and if I did that again, I was pretty certain he’d be sending me home. I mean, this was a two hour or more walk at night. Of course, I could go back to Newton’s and ask for the ride. My phone beeped and I got it.
Will you stop hanging up on me?! Call me back and tell me where you are.
I debated about ignoring it but I didn’t want to go home so I called back and gave him the address to Newton’s house and then I sat down in his driveway. I wanted to tell someone but who? Maxwell had warned me, I should know better. The house behind me was dark, so least I didn’t have to worry about leaving him with the problem. It was 7:30 when the rental car stopped in front of the address, I wanted to get in the back, be away from him but what the hell.
I was rather surprised that he didn’t make any snide comments the moment I sat down.
“Thank you.”
“Hey, you threatened Isaac’s wrath on me, I’d rather do anything than suffer that. He and Taylor went to the movies, it’s why they weren’t answering. Lucky they left the car there with me. Dinner?”
“I’m not hungry, stop if you want too though.”
“Gonna be weird for me to sit and stuff my face and you just stare.”
“Drive through.”
He did swing by some random burger joint but he ordered what I thought was twice what he could eat, yet he sat the second bag in my lap.
“If you don’t want it now, later.”
All I really wanted to do was cry and I so wished he’d get us back to the hotel before I did lose control. Simon’s tone started and I ignored it. He’d called a half a dozen times and then another fifty messages. I just silenced the phone, let it vibrate against my thigh.
“You know I am a decent listener too.”
I snorted. “I’m sure you are.”
He parked in the hotel parking lot. “You never know until you try.”
I got out and just went inside, a few floors and a few feet and I could fall apart. Despite him following every step of the way, talking about how he was a great listener. I was never so glad to make it to my room in my life. His was thankfully before mine. I sat the bag down on the dresser before falling across the bed and crying.