Page 54 of Havoc

“I know you love me, Pres. I can see it in the way you look at me. In the way you rip my clothes off me and have your way. I don’t need children or you to tell me you love me.”

“Lennon—”

“I will always have your back, Pres, no matter the cost.”

“You know,” I started. “When I first got there, I thought you were dead. The idea planted itself in my head, no one told me. They just played on the fear. You were the only reason I broke, but you know what? I needed to break in order to be this woman lying here next to you.”

“I guess that means you do love me, then.”

I rolled my eyes as he playfully smiled over at me.

“Fine, but no one is to know.”

“I’ll know,” he whispered in my ear before claiming my mouth. I fought to roll my eyes but the pressure against my mouth won out and I rolled over onto him.

“And I’ll always be on top.”

“Anything for you, my queen.”

Lennon

Presley and I watched as Chance yanked the girl across the floor. I’d never seen Rudie so out of it before. When Pierce had told us he’d tracked her down, I told Chance to grab her. She would know where Hendrix was hiding. Chance pushed her onto the chair before us and tied her hands behind her back.

“Rudie,” Presley started. “So nice of you to join us.”

“Presley.”

“I’m going to start out with a question but if you don’t answer me with what I want to hear, things are going to get a little dicey.”

“I don’t know where he is.”

“See, I hadn’t asked the question yet, Rudie.”

“I know he’s the one you want.”

Presley knelt beside Rudie and moved her hair out of her face. Rudie flinched, knowing any act of kindness on Presley’s part was probably of a sinister nature.

“Rudie, Rudie, Rudie…why are you so loyal to him?”

Rudie didn’t respond, instead she kept her eyes to the ground.

“He’s not loyal to you.”

“You lie,” Rudie spat, looking Presley in the eyes. “He loves me.”

“Hendrix isn’t capable of that,” I told her. “You may have kept him occupied for the last few years, but he grew tired of you and I think you know that.”

Rudie’s eyes turned to me. “He loves me, and he wants to be with me.”

“Afraid not, sweetheart,” Presley said, standing again. “And we can prove that.”

Chance wheeled in the TV and left the room again. Presley pressed play. Video footage played on the TV of Hendrix with another woman, enjoying her in every way possible. Rudie’s eyes widened, and I could see she knew who the woman was. It was someone who came to the apartment in Brisbane a lot.

A lot, because she was the mother of his child and the woman he loved, but Hendrix couldn’t help himself, he loved sex too much. He’d never settle down, no matter how hard Rudie tried.

“She’s the maid.”

“No,” I replied. “That’s Talia, she’s the mother of his child.”

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