Page 12 of Piper's Pyro

I heard a loud bang. “What was that?”

“I kicked over a goddamn garbage can outside. I don’t know if I can do this, man.”

“Yes, you can. Not because you have to but because you love Suri.”

He sniffed. “Yeah. Yeah, you’re right.” He blew out a breath. “Tell me about you. How are you holding up?”

“I don’t want you worrying about me.”

“Too late. How’s the anxiety?”

“About a six on my meter. The concert is several hours away.” I paced in my room, squeezing the phone in my hand. “I know I promised not to go on a binge this weekend. I don’t think I can honor it. I’m coming apart at the seams. It doesn’t help that I hooked up with a chick last night, and I can’t get her out of my head.”

“She must’ve been hotter than hot. Did you get her number?”

“No. It’s better if I never see her again.”

“Christ, Russell. You deserve some happiness in your life.”

“I just need a hit. The whiskey I just downed isn’t doing shit. I won’t lose control… Only one line.”

“Are you asking my permission to have some nose candy?”

“Just a line. I know Singe has some.”

“Fuck. You’ve been clean for seventeen months. Don’t start up again.” Of course he was keeping track of my sobriety. “If I’d known my absence would make you relapse, I—”

“No, you needed to be with Suri. I’ll be okay.” I had to get through tonight without drugs, or I’d end up in rehab for the fifth time.

“I say find the chick and work out your stress on her. If you can’t stop thinking about her, there must’ve been something special about her. The right girl doesn’t come around more than once in a lifetime. Don’t let her go… Life is too short.” The emotion in his voice gutted me. He was talking about Suri. Months ago, he’d vowed never to love another.

“Dude, people can fall in love more than once.”

“I will never love another woman. Suri is it for me.”

“I know. I should let you get back to her.” I wasn’t sure why he was pushing me to find Piper when he refused to ever love again. Our reasons for staying single weren’t all that different. Soon he will have lost a loved one like me. Luckily for him, he wasn’t the cause of Suri’s death.

“Don’t ask Singe for blow. He’ll give it to you. Get drunk if you need to, or find a woman to suck you off. Just don’t use. I don’t want to visit you in rehab after Suri dies.”

I sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed my eye with my palm. “Okay. I’ll do my best.” But I wouldn’t promise him shit.

“Call me afterward if you want. I won’t be sleeping until…” His voice trailed.

“You can call me anytime too. I’m here for you.”

“It’s gonna be all right, Russell. Just get into the zone. Keep your eyes on the drums, and never look up. You can do this.”

I exhaled a heavy breath. “Yeah, I got this.”

“You don’t sound convinced.” He snorted. “I believe in you. Now you need to believe in yourself.”

“Enough. I’ll talk to you later.” I ended the call before he launched into motivational-speaker mode.

I didn’t need or want a random woman to suck me off. I removed Piper’s panties from my pocket and inhaled her addictive scent.

My cock woke and strained to be released.

I unzipped my jeans and took my dick into my free hand. While smelling Piper’s thong, I wrapped my hand around my shaft and slowly pumped it.

---