Love Lust (4 page)

“You didn’t break the universal girl pact and ditch her back at the club, did you?”

I chuckled. “No. We’re roommates. She probably needs a ride or lost her keys or something. No biggie. If it’s important, she’ll text me or call back.” And, as if on cue, Paula did both. Shit.

Scooting out of the booth, I answered. Justin stayed, thankfully, and gave me privacy—leastwise if talking in front of totally curious strangers counts as private. “Hey, what’s up?” I answered, prepping my speech in my head.

“Liv? Oh, thank God. I’m in bad shape.”

“What is it? What happened?” I knew right away, she wasn’t at our apartment. The music, the drugged slur to her words.

“Exhibition club. I’m getting sick.”

She’d lied to me. She hadn’t gone home at all. Of course, neither had I. I’d gone and followed Justin and gotten a fix. I wanted to get angry, anyway, but she sounded bad. “Where are you? I’ll come pick you up.”

We hung up. My pulse staggered and apprehension took residence alongside my omelet, souring my stomach.

“I have to go.”

“You look panicked.” Justin got up. “Can I help?”

“Thanks, but no. It’s my roommate. She does this every now and again, unfortunately. I just need to catch a cab and get her. I’m sorry to rush out on you like this.”

Actually, part of me was a bit relieved to be forced to leave. He was so easy to like and if I started falling all over myself again over him—three times over breakfast and once on the walk over was plenty—I’d definitely blow the chance of this becoming long term. He’d be a really good long term. And a tiny part of me, as always, hoped, this time, this one, would be the last, the love that would free me.

I’d be free of Vegas, free of starving for sex, free of Jimi Gale. Even if the incubus had given up on finding Paula and me, he was ever present in our lives. Like a ghost dictator ruling our movements.

“Don’t worry. I understand. Can I walk you to a cab?”

All the gentleman stuff made my knees weak. That crooked, panty-melting smile made other things weak. Like my resolve. “I would say yes, but I’m going to be running. But, thank you. And thanks for breakfast. All of it.” My cheeks bloomed with heat. Typical.

I turned to leave, but his hand on my arm made me pause. He handed me a folded paper napkin and pulled me quickly in for one impressively mind-numbing kiss, considering how fast it ended. “I have a driver,” he said. “Let me call him and meet us outside.”

I hesitated. He tipped his head a little and squeezed my hand.

“Really, he’s fast and I’ll feel better.”

I finally nodded knowing I should be getting my ass the hell out of heaven. He only raised both eyebrows sky high when I told the driver where we were going. The driver didn’t blink, though. Good man. Must be local. Another bonus about Vegas. Not much shocked the locals.

“I’m not that type, but my roommate is a little reckless,” I said.

Justin shrugged. “I think we all have a friend like that.”

“Thanks for the ride.”

“No biggie. It’s Garette’s. He won’t mind.” Then he reached for my hand and the radio filled the gap of silence.

I was beyond grateful. If he’d probed any further I couldn’t have said how I’d have reacted. And he didn’t try to get any, either. Just held my hand lightly in his. The sedan pulled up to the club valet in record time and I pulled my hand free.

“Want me to come in?”

“No!” I said, a bit too fast. “I mean, it’ll be better if I find her myself. It could be a minute, though. You don’t have to wait.”

“We’ll wait. Take your time.”

I nodded. I got out and paid the club’s exorbitant cover charge, leaving me enough to maybe catch the bus home. I didn’t mind the bus, but having a ride was nice. Justin was nice. Finding Paula was all that mattered, though. Finding her before she got too sick.

I weaved past a couple in bondage, a heavy-petting threesome on a heart-shaped lounger, and an occupied love swing before locating the first peer view window. Music pounded from unseen speakers. Moans cooed. Sex perfumed the air. A murmur ran through my veins. I blocked out the sensations, focusing on the carpet, on the task at hand.

Three views later, I definitely recognized Paula’s movie star mouth on a stiff cock. A redhead had her face between Paula’s long legs. As bad as she had been half an hour ago, she’d come back for more? Damn it. It wasn’t like emergency room doctors, or any others for that matter, had orgasm overdose protocol in place. At best they could treat swelling, if she had any, contusions, which Paula generally avoided.

The door was locked. I knocked, doubting I’d get an answer, but there was always the off chance one of the three would be game for a fourth. Thanks to Justin, I’d be able to resist the temptation of actually joining in. No luck with the first knock. I couldn’t stay and wait, though. Not without overloading my own system. I pounded on the door. “Paula!”

Peering through the window, I gulped back a moan watching as Paula got a cum shot over her naked breasts. The man’s abs rippled as his hips jutted forward. His taut hip muscles drew the gaze right to his long cock as he stroked it. The creamy cum poured onto Paula’s small, high mounds. Her small, pink nipples pointed high. Her head fell back. Her hands clutched at the woman eating her pussy.

A sheen of sweat broke over my neck. I tore my gaze away and leaned against the far wall, panting. Surely, she’d exit soon. Once I caught my breath again, I dared another glance. “She’ll be the death of me, I swear,” I said to the vacant corridor walls.

Paula was getting dressed. I could feel an interested stare roving my way. I ignored it. Paula came out, her eyes glazed with sexual inebriation. “You came,” she said and fell into my arms.

“I came,” I said and helped guide her out the front door, sending venomous glares to any interested onlookers.

Justin’s car pulled around. A bouncer and Justin helped me get her in. Justin took the front seat. He didn’t say a word as I negotiated Paula into the back seat and laid her head on my lap. She smelled like cigarettes and sex. The car started moving toward home and relief came over me. And a little anger.

“Why do you have to go on a bender every time?” I asked low enough for only Paula to hear. I wasn’t expecting any answer.

She shrugged against my thigh. “I dunno.”

“Were they at least clean?”

“I couldn’t smell anythin’ on ‘em. No HIV or anything, if that’s what you mean.”

Hearing as much didn’t make me feel any better for her. But I knew how much pain she’d be in tomorrow.

“I hate seeing you do this to yourself. No more, okay?”

She nodded; her eyes stayed closed. I drew messy blonde tendrils back from her face. She looked so childlike with her peaches and cream complexion and fair coloring, her features relaxed in a near sleeping state.

“I jess…,” she mumbled. “I guess I got my hopes up again. An-then Seth wasn’t the one. You know?”

I knew. Or at least had suspected. Paula might overtly scoff at my idea that true love could—would—free me of this succubus curse, but I suspected she too hoped it was true. Her flavor of curse didn’t require deep affection to feed or sustain her like mine did. Infatuation and attraction got her by. But her heart must long for more and yet fear it, too. Monogamy of any sort would take serious control on her part and a rare adventurous spirit in whoever won her heart. What a long shot.

I’d told Paula as much once. She’d rolled her eyes and sworn my crazy idea off. She didn’t care about love.

“I don’t wanna go back to Jimi, Liv. I’ll end up dead. But I might without him, too. Like this….”

“Don’t worry,” I said, as much to her as to myself. “Tomorrow is a new day filled with new possibility. And we’ll be home soon. Safe and sound.”

Paula didn’t respond. Her head lolled in my lap in rhythm with the car. I held onto her shoulder to keep her with me and couldn’t help wondering if it would always be her and me against the world.

If what she’d said caused any alarm, Justin didn’t show it. He helped me get her inside our apartment. Paula flirted with him. He only smiled, kissed my cheek, and said goodnight.

The next two days sucked more than words could describe. Paula dry heaved and writhed in pain. The kind of pain not even narcotics could kick. I forced her to smoke a little weed, knowing it would at least help her appetite. Throwing something up was always better than nothing at all. By evening, Paula lay sleeping on our couch, shivering and sweating. I tucked the blankets around her, refusing to cry. I was worn out and not only from the two days. From the last seventeen years living in want and worry, not just for me, but for her.

She’d saved my life seventeen years ago. But, for the life of me, I couldn’t figure a way to stabilize hers.

Facing Jimi, who’d infected us both, wasn’t the answer. We’d already tried. We’d begged him for some sort of antidote. It was like his semen had given us a lust STD. He’d only shrugged his shoulders, looking a bit defeated. He’d told us, “Leave if you think it will help. It won’t. You’ll be forced to come back.”

When we hadn’t come back, apparently he’d been forced to start looking for us. I wish I knew why. I told myself he liked to keep his brood of lust suckers close. Occasionally, though, thinking about the soft look in his eyes that last day three years ago, I wonder if it wasn’t something else.

I couldn’t go back to Jimi. It would ruin me. I wouldn’t be Liv, anymore. I’d lose whatever was left of my heart, maybe my soul. Going back would mean I accepted what I was. If not for the whispers, the rumors that snuck past the veil of ignorance among Jimi’s throng, I’d have lost hope long ago.

Some said it wasn’t a disease. Some said it was a curse. But curses could be lifted.

Some whispered of a demon inside. Could we find someone who could exorcise it? Jimi didn’t know. More likely, he didn’t care. He’d learned to live with it-had tamed his beast. He had learned to like what he was. My stomach hurt remembering Jimi. No one had ever hurt me like he had. But, he’d also taught me.

I suppose, thanks to Jimi, I had tamed mine to a point, as well. Paula, though, lived on a lust rollercoaster. I couldn’t let it kill her. I’d seen it kill one of us. No living, breathing creature deserved that level of agony.

When the phone rang, I jumped. I’d been staring at Paula’s sleeping form, tears sliding down my cheeks, despite my resolve. I grabbed my phone. I didn’t recognize the number, but answered anyway. I’d take a telemarketer at this point. Distraction was distraction.

“Olivia? It’s Justin.”

“Uh, hi there.” Justin? How’d he get my number? Had I given it to him? “But it’s Liv, remember?”

“Yeah, I know. I just like it when you correct me.”

I chuckled. “Sick. I like it.” I wiped my nose on my pajama sleeve, trying to sound casual. “How are you?”

“I’m pretty bad off, actually,” he said.

“What’s wrong?”

“I can’t get you out of my head.”

My belly flipped. “Oh, no. That’s terrible. What have the doctors said?”

“It’s withdrawal, apparently. The only cure is more.”

I grinned wryly. If he only knew. Thankfully, I couldn’t infect him with this obsession. “Well, I suppose I’ll have to nurse you back to health.”

He chuckled. “Good. How soon?”

“Oh. Sick and eager. I like it.” A lot. I took in Paula’s appearance, feeling her forehead. Her fever was gone. “Whatcha doing later tonight?”

“Waiting for you at my hotel room?”

Heat warmed my cheeks. I didn’t even know if he was a local, that’s how slutty I’d gotten. Oh, well. Least he liked me loose. “What hotel?”

“MGM. It’s a suite. I’m here with two friends, but they’ll be at the tables all night.”

My body lit within. Guilt soon followed.
“Give me a couple hours. My roommate should be up soon.”

“I’d say bring her, but…”

“No, I didn’t mean that. I want to make sure she’s alright. Rough night, you know?” So what that it was two nights past.

“Okay. Well, I’m in 767. Shall I send the car?” he asked in a pseudo chic voice.

I loved it, but turned down the offer.

“Just call me when you’re on your way?”

I grinned, agreed, and set down the phone. His hotel was near the strip, but more on the edge of the risk zone. My mind calculated my options, quickly rationalizing through the guilt of abandoning Paula. I could order take out, have it waiting with a note. I could tell her to call me if she still needed me. And every idea made my body crave leaving more. A night with Justin, even an hour, naked, in his arms was too tempting to resist. I needed the nourishment. I needed the distraction. I stretched my arms above my head. Whew! I needed a flipping shower.

Two hours later, I left dressed to thrill, wondering how much time I’d have. Before Paula woke. Before Justin left town. Before I gave up on true love, curse cures, and exorcisms altogether.

Chapter Four

There is no more powerful feeling in the world than making a guy’s jaw drop and his eyes flash. Justin’s reaction to my skinny jeans, platforms, and slinky top made the toe-pinching walk up worth every blister.