Afterlife- Chapter 15

15

Author's Note: Sorry for the long delay- again. Thanks to the person who helped inspire the last flashback of this chapter...Credit goes to her for her ideas which I framed into words and then added to my own dirty mind. Love you! ~ E ) 

“I really wish we could have flown back together….”

Lisa closed her eyes and swallowed hard to keep that burning feeling in the back of her throat from taking over again. Eroding her shaky resolve.  Burning her with tears born from that abysmal well feeding her addiction to having him close.  Fucking hell! She hated being a whiny little baby, and she knew this was only a very temporary separation.  And still…

Still…So much could happen. Shit always tended to happen when they weren’t together.  It certainly seemed as if the universe saved up great truckloads of manure and dumped them on their relationship whenever things looked somewhat rosy.  

Not that things were looking all that rosy right now.

Lisa, chill! You are such a cry baby. This is nothing. It’s outside stuff.  Shit that has to be dealt with anyway. Everything else is solid…

Yeah…except… 

And just like that, the iron fist slammed itself into the pit of her stomach. Except…  Impossible to finish the thought trough.  Impossibly and vertigo inducing.  Lisa felt nauseous.  And dizzy.   She took a deep breath.  Not quite of the cleansing sort, but enough to make her feel successful in putting her big girl pants on to face the constant tape running in her mind, scaring the shit out of her:

Except that one big secret left.  The doozie. The mother of them all…

Lisa wanted to bash her head in every time she went over this in her head. The thoughts were like noisy four wheelers destroying the solid ground of her sanity. Throwing dust. Making her choke.

Why, oh why had she not taken that golden opportunity when it had presented itself.  He was so open.  Even after she sorta kinda had ambushed him in the middle of the act.  He didn't do what she half had expected: he didn’t hedge. He didn’t lie.  He came clean.  And she forgave him- was leading by example.  The hurdle had been taken and for once no limbs were ripped off. 

Which for any sane person would have been the green light to say: Hey, since we’re being all honest and all, here is something I gotta run by you. You know, the man who has been abusing you and making your life a living hell? Well, I went behind your back and totally undermined you.  But it’s okay. I did it all for love.  To save you. Cause that’s something you always are keen about. Me making decisions for you.  And he would smile, tell her he totally understood, they would sing kumbaya together and then skip into the sunset.  

Yeah, sounded perfect.

Which was why a very modified version of that statement had made it to the back of her throat and even started to glide down her tongue. And then created a big, fat bolus she almost choked on.  So she kept quiet. And now was stuck. 

“What? Are you glad already to be rid of me?” 

Geez, Michael! Not very likely.  God, she missed him already. And they had been separated for what? Two hours? And much of that time was spent chatting via the expensive as shit onboard network and making air to ground calls back and forth. 

Lisa focused on his voice and cleared her throat. 

“Something like that. Actually, I’m already planning my next getaway with some gorgeous, sexy, slightly insane, sex crazed man who unleashes his unhinged ex-incubators at me.”

“He sounds like a catch. You should hold on to him. He’s got all kinds of girls chasing him, I hear.”

“I’ll kick his ass. And theirs.”

Michael giggled. “Yeah, you are a kick ass sorta chick. You kicked Deb’s - almost. And you kicked mine in oh so many ways…”

His voice lowered to that danger zone that tended to make her panties fly off her body.  Particularly, when her body was still buzzing from all the things he had done to her body. All the things she’d let him do… God, she hated leaving. Hated they were at times like small sail boats on the ocean of other people’s insanity. People like that hateful bitch…

“She’s lucky she could walk out of there…” It was difficult for Lisa to sort out what heat was due to Michael sending sexy vibes and what due to the red hot rage filling her every time she thought back to yet another disastrous encounter with that cow. 

“You’re lucky you could walk out of our room…It was kinda nice how you converted all that kirk-out energy into our love making.”

Michael was totally trying to distract her from her poisonous thoughts. And it was totally working.

Lisa could not help but laugh. “Kinda? Nice?  Dude..you were almost comatose after I laid my lovin’ on you.”

“Uhum… yeah. Sure.  I don’t think that was me calling for mercy saying I couldn’t handle another inch…”

“Michael!” Lisa laughed out out loud now for real, and covered the phone.  Glancing around. Making sure the nanny didn’t hear.  Just what she needed.  Shit- she was getting paranoid.  Not like everyone ran their fucking traps to the tabloids.  

Stop it Lisa! Forget about her. Concentrate on him. He is all that matters.  Soon it will be just him, the kids, and her, Lisa.  The family they had always dreamed of.    

Michael… Yeah, he was damn right.  She almost could’t walk when he was done making sure she found out about all his little purchases.  Damn… That heatwave again.  Lisa squirmed in her seat, noticing the familiar tingling.  

No, it was okay he was nuts.  At least him being goofy and reminding her about all that insane passion they shared was helping her cope with the fact that that bitch he once had married again inserting herself into their lives.  Intruded by showing up like some witch who was dropped onto their room.  A room that currently was occupied by Lisa’s babies, making her see red.  It was bad enough Deb had to be meddling in the lives of Michael’s children.  But she was not, under any circumstances to be tolerated around her two angels.  Oh, hell to the no!  And then she had the audacity to talk about them?  Make some mindless quip?  Of course, before Lisa could rip her a new one, she also had, in one disgusting breath, referred to Paris and Prince.  Calling them “her” children.  The children she had sold.  The children she used as leverage.  The children she had hoped would earn her a lot of money and possibly some of Michael’s cock.  The children she suddenly had motherly feelings toward.  As she fucked with their heads.  Got Paris all confused. And added stress to Michael’s life he didn’t really need.  Cause thats what good mothers and “dear friends” do in Deb’s book. 

“What?  You know I ain’t lying. Hey- no, for real, Lise: You did damn good. I was afraid you were gonna lay her out and rip her head off.”

“No: I was just gonna offer her some beneficial beauty improvements.  Like take down that pumpkin of a head… That bitch…”

He laughed. “The babies must be asleep for you to be carrying on like that..”

Lisa looked over at her two treasures. Yes, they were finally out.  They had been so wound up they didn’t know if they should laugh or cry.  Hopefully, they’d sleep for a bit now.  Maybe till they got back.

Back to LA.  Just a skip and a hop by plane from Vegas.  And yet so far away. Stranded on a planet  outside the galaxy of her guiding star.. 

Away from her heart.  Any separation was almost impossible to bear. Another thing she could thank Deb for.  Maybe she should not have gone after the bitch.  But damn… Lisa could not listen to one more word as Deb stood there, acting entitled and sanctimonious.

“Guess this time, you play family with her kids. At least mine are out of the loop for once.”

Lisa had gritted her teeth and picked up the girls, her urge to protect her children from the toxic snake surpassing her wish to stick that ugly head up her humongeous ass. Time had not been kind to Deb.  Which was only a small relief for the pain the ogre had caused. And obviously it was ongoing.

“They are not your children. What are you doing here?” Michael finally had found his voice.

“Your broom lost its GPS again, Deb?” Lisa chimed in as Harper protested and reached out for Michael. He touched her little girls hand automatically, reassuring her with a smile.  Deb caught the little gesture and obviously did not like what she was observing.  Good! 

“I’m here, because I want to see Paris. You poisoned my son against me, but Paris wants to spend time with me. And you sending them off to supposedly bond with your family is a low blow. Plus, a judge disagrees, Michael. I am their mother and they are my children. I have visitation rights, remember?”

“Yes, and you exercised them to the full extend of the court order.”  Michael’s jaw was tense as he kissed Harper’s hand and gently played with Fin’s hair.

“I’ll go give the girls a bath…lots of filth in the air suddenly.” Lisa used the last smidgeon of self control and walked toward the bedroom.  

“Kay… I’ll handle the situation. Don’t worry.”  Michael kissed her on the mouth as she walked by. Wow! Things had changed! Other than those kisses outside the Ivy, he had never tried to rub their relationship under Deb’s nose. Guess he finally was tired of being fair and classy only to end up with a kick to the groin cutesy of one of Deb’s hoofs.

“Well, isn’t that sweet.  The girls seem perfectly enraptured by you, Mike.  They are very pretty.  Look like their Dad, don’t they? Aren’t you married again, Lisa Marie? Wonder what your husband might think about this? Are you guys trying to set some sort of record in the adultery olympics? Or is he into sharing like all your other men have been?”  

Michael grabbed Lisa’s shoulder.  Reading her willingness to kill the cow  ninja style while whisking her kids to safety.  All in a day’s work.  

“Don’t. She’s not worth it. You take  care of them… I handle…this” He motioned over to Deb.

“This? I’m not THIS.  I’m the mother of your children… I was there for you when someone else  wasn’t?”

Had nursey hit the bottle a tad bit hard lately? She seemed a bit more unhinged than was the norm.  Still, inebriation did not grant her impunity. Lisa still did not fully understand how she had not killed the woman. At times she really marveled at her own strength!  Before she could change her mind, she left the room, slamming the door behind her. 

Bathing the twins helped her calm down a bit. They were so goofy and sweet, blowing soap bubbles at each other and Lisa as well. They probably felt Mommy needed cheering up! Gosh, kids were so amazing.  As she toweled them off, her phone rang, and glancing over, she saw it was Lockwood.  Oh great.  Lisa rolled her eyes.

“Daddy!” Harper announced, her eyes sparkling and her face bright and alert, her little hand reaching for the phone.  Yup- the twins knew her ring tones, alright.  Fin chimed in.

Immediately, guilt surfaced. This whole situation was such shit.  The girls loved Lockwood. He was a wonderful father. She’d have to rip apart another family.  Could she really do it again?

The pain born from having to ask the same question over again was nothing compared to the immediate, and competing emotions of fearing to lose Michael. This time, forever.  There was no choice.  Being with him was a not wrong. The mistake had been not being with him.  And righting that would bring healing in the end. To everyone. 

She had to focus on what she knew: Riley and Ben turned out amazing. Danny, for all his faults had been a great co-parent.  And he had never seen the shit she had pulled coming.  Yes, the way things went down with Danny and Michael had caused her boatloads of guilt and grief over the years- despite how she loved Michael.  And Danny got over it. Eventually.  Was civil.  Never let the kids feel how angry he had been. Would Lockwood react the same? Be fair and be able to put the death of their relationship aside to raise the girls together? He had been so damn angry during their last conversation at Graceland - and he had made no qualms about how he felt about her “playing house in Vegas” as he had termed what she was doing during the call that prompted her premature departure.  Not that she could blame him: No one likes to read about his wife and her ex-husband getting frisky in the tabloids.  Another thing she could thank Deb for.  

The already complicated situation had gotten even murkier - Deb’s actions had taken an iron hot poker dipped in acid and stirred around in Lockwood’s wounds.  Hurting others was getting so fucking tiresome! All her bad decision of the past cumulated in this mess like winding roads all dead ending in some bizarre labyrinth. 

Maybe Lisa should have taken the high road with Deb.  Stayed out of sight. Let Michael handle the woman.  Maybe, just maybe, Deb would not have felt provoked enough to run and set her dear friend Harvey and his vipers at TMZ on their scent.  

“Which love-struck Moonwalker holed up in a top Vegas hotel with the sexy little ex of the blue suede eyes?  Maybe playing family with his and her kiddos will give us the musical version of the Brady Bunch?” 

The blind item was quickly followed by more overt exposes, idiotic nicknames, and dirty innuendos. 

No, this was not on her…Even if Lockwood disagreed and blamed her for making ‘a fop’ out of him.  A fop?  What an odd choice of words that had been.  She had little to do with him being a fop, that was for sure.  He basically had ordered her back to LA under the threat of filing for divorce and sole custody based on adultery. Had given her an ultimatum, too.  

As livid as Lisa had been, at least she understood his anger.  What was more difficult was figuring out what Deb’s game was.  What the fuck did she care if Michael was again seeing her?  Not like Nursey stood a chance.  That boat had sailed.  No- make that, it had launched into outer space.  Michael had finally woken up and smelled the rat. Was this about the Prince and Paris?  Deb had come back into their lives now that they were older.  What was her game?  Did she hope to worm her way back for financial gain?  Or was it still about her goddamn vanity?  Coupled with her obsession.  Michael.  In the past, her actions had proven to be unscrupulous: She wanted Michael Jackson for herself and she got to be his wife.  Got to have his children.  Pretended to relinquish any hold. Until they were old enough …old enough to ask questions.  And voila- she could once again be in the limelight.  Or the blacklight- shining brightly like the remnant of a pile of shit someone thought they had cleaned up.  Or maybe, maybe it was about control.  If you got to the kids- you got to Michael.  Lisa’s stomach turned at the thought that the viper was charming his most vulnerable soft spot.  Paris. At least Prince had been given a repellant in the form of the truth a long time ago. If only Michael had granted Paris the same protection.

It was no use trying to figure all this out.  No point explaining crazy.  All that counted was that Lisa had not been able to stay quiet- or stay put.  Probably, it didn’t matter all that much.  The fuse had been lit before Deb set an oversized, orthopedic loafer into their suite. It had certainly not been a coincidence Paris was suddenly exposed to on online fact finding mission involving Lisa and Michael. Which, by the way, was the topic Lisa had interrupted when she finally could not stand it any longer and sauntered back into the room.

Immediately, she could feel the negative energy.  Michael tightened like a loaded coil.  Controlled, but seething. 

“You had absolutely no right to allow Paris on the Internet, that’s all I’m saying. From now on- there will be no more of that. Or I really don’t care what some judge says, heaven help me, Debbie.”

“No right? I’m their mother… I’m…”

“You have no legal right and you know it.” Lisa could not help but jump in, fearing Michael was dangerously close to losing his temper.  

“Oh- please.  Like I need your input, Lisa Marie.  I have more rights here than you, and you damn well know it.  You can play family with my children and your children and all that jive- and it’s all very nice. But I’m the one who gave the man his half black babies.  Not your little prejudiced ass.”

“You stupid, bitch…” Lisa advanced toward Deb.

“Classy as always, Lisa- Dropping that mask like you drop your panties…”

Lisa was temped to point out that at least her panties didn’t double as a parachute, but she refrained.

“Deb- that’s enough- time to go.  Michael picked up the phone and at the same time grabbed Lisa who advanced accords the room.  Or he tried, anyway.  

You can’t stop lightening.  Or a wildfire.  Lisa only saw red.  

“How dare you? You stupid, deluded….You still can’t stand that he only loved me, can you?  That he only used you for your womb to rent.  You sold the kids! And now you try to poison Paris’- Well, let me tell you, it ain’t gonna happen.  Not while I’m around! ” Lisa took a deep breath, trying to preserve some degree of dignity.

“Lisa don’t. She’s just trying to provoke you…Miss Rowe is ready to leave- NOW” he barked into the receiver, slamming it down.

“I’m not trying to provoke her. I’m just speaking the god’s honest truth. And you know it.  I saw you playing with her lilly white babies, Michael.  Isn’t it funny she had all those babies…with white guys? Guess you’re good enough to screw but not good enough to breed with according to the Presley book.”

“You…you…fucking bitch…” Lisa was honestly too astonished to kill the woman straight out.  

Michael came at her and pulled her behind him in one swift, protective move. 

“Out, Deb. Before I totally forget myself and…”

“Daddy…?”  a small voice interrupted them and they all froze, staring at Prince, Paris, and Blanket who in turn stared at the grown-ups in horror.  

“Someone is so fired…” Michael hissed from between clenched teeth. “Prince….” Michael started, obviously laboring hard to keep his voice even.

Understanding right away, Prince immediately took his little brother’s hand. “Blanket…let’s go see the twins.  Miss Lisa, that’s okay, right?”

Oh God! Lisa seriously had rarely ever felt more like shit.  She was so damn angry, she was shaking.  How long had the kids been standing there? And how shameful was it that an eleven year old was the most mature person on the room?  Swallowing she nodded, her voice cracking. “Yeah, sweety. Sure. I’ll go with you…”  She had to leave the room before she’d forget that Deb was not worth a life sentence.  

“Mom…Daddy?  Why are you all fighting?” Paris looked from her father to the woman masquerading  as her mother, while round tears tumbled from the crystal blue eyes.  

And had she just called Deb “mom”?  Lisa looked over at Michael whose jaw had tightened even more.  Lisa noticed a nerve twitching there.  He was livid.  But kept it together for the sake of the children. 

“Paris, go with Prince and Blanket for now, okay?  I’ll be right over to talk to you.”

Michael looked over at Prince who started to reach for his sister’s hand. Dramatically, Paris shrugged him off and ran over to Deb, hugging her.  

“Paris, now” Michael reinforced with a stern voice, causing Paris to cut short the hug and follow her brother out of the room.  The little shoulders still heaving from barely contained sobs.  Lisa was about to follow them, when Michael reached for her.  Okay. At least he didn’t seem upset with her.

What a fucking nightmare.  Curtesy of Disaster Deb.  Maybe prison wasn’t that bad, after all. And surely, any judge would let her off based on temporary insanity. Induced by the nurse from hell. Hey- wasn’t there a category of justifiable homicide as well?

Thankfully, security finally remembered they had to earn a paycheck, and came into the room.  Looking like they had no idea why they were there. Even looking a tad bit scared.  What were they worried about? That Deb would sit on them? Right now, the much greater danger was their irate boss. Of course, since they were paid by AEG, they probably didn't care about that part too much.

“Miss Rowe is leaving. And she is not, and let me emphasize again: NOT to be admitted into our suites without my stated permission. Am I being clear this time?”  

If Lisa hadn’t been that mad, she would have seriously been turned on by his demanding tone. 

Deb seemed less taken in by it. “You can’t have me escorted out like some beggar off the street, Michael.”

“I would never throw a beggar off the street out.  You overstayed your non existing welcome. Don’t you ever, and I mean ever talk to Lisa that way again. She is the woman I love- the woman I have always loved.”

“But …”

“No!” Michael pointed at Deb, standing close to her now, still keeping Lisa behind him. “No, but.  I know the past. We all do. It’s over. We’re together. Now. Live with it. Or you will regret they day you thought you could cross me. Again.”

Deb turned beat red and Lisa hoped suddenly her old nemesis wouldn’t stroke out. No way in hell, would she give her CPR. The cow could choke! On second thought, choking was out, too. How would she hoist her up during the Heimlich? No crane in sight…

Deb stared at Michael, then suddenly lowered her gaze and took a deep breath.  When she looked up, she faked a smile and looked from Michael to Lisa.

“Fine. Have it your way. You’ll never learn.  I came here to warn you.  But no- you figure it all out yourself. You and this…” she nodded over at Lisa, “this supposed love of your life.”

“Ma’am.  Time to go.”  The big, burly security guy grabbed Deb’s elbow. Good, he wasn’t all for show after all. Comforting to know. 

Shrugging him off at first, Deb seemed to finally give up as she followed the guard to the door.  

Michael pulled Lisa close to him, his arm protectively around her. “Are you okay?”

“Me? I’m fine…But you… and Paris…”  The thought of Paris’ face once again brought tears to Lisa’s eyes.  Michael must be so distraught! 

Deb, almost at the door, turned. “Don’t you worry your pretty head about my daughter, Lisa Marie. I’d be more worried about certain secrets.  Thankfully, I don’t have to do a damn thing… I’ll just watch as you hang yourself in all your lies.  Again. And I’ll be here for him.  Him and my children.”

“You are so deluded, it’s not even funny.  I pity you…” Lisa tensed, and Michael pulled her back into his embrace protectively.

One arm around her he yelled, “Out!,”  pointing toward the door. Finally, security ushered the vicious spider out, and the door closed behind them.

Silence was sucked into the vacuum, almost choking Lisa.  At first the faint echo of Deb’s last threats rang faintly in her ears…each repetition growing louder and louder, until Lisa wanted to cover her ears and scream.  Secrets?  What the hell was Deb talking about.  What did she know?  Lisa started to tremble and feel faint.

Was the bitch just running her mouth, throwing out anything that might stick?

Yeah, that had to be it.  There was no way…

Then again, Deb had friends in low places… Friends who could dig up shit… Dangerous maggots…

Breathing became hard and the world was spinning.  Lisa clung to Michael- her center in the storm.  Suddenly, she was deathly afraid of losing him. Maybe forever, this time….

“Can you ever forgive me, Lisa?”

What?  His pained voice burst through the cacophony of Deb’s jabber. Lisa turned toward Michael and they looked at each other.  His eyes were huge. Swimming in tears. She could tell his lip was quivering… Damn..she was upset, but look at him.  What was he talking about?

Forgive him?  

Michael pulled her into even closer, clothing her to him as if his life depended on it. 

“I’m so sorry… so sorry. I did this. I brought her into our lives.  The kids’ lives.  I did this.  Me and my selfishness.  My doubts. My fears.  My distrust of you.  I’m so damn sorry, Lise…”

His words, barely a whisper, spoken as he kissed her hair and neck, almost brought her to her knees..  Each one, wrapped in a barely contained sob was like the strike of a mallet, taking little chips out of her heart.  

All these years…even when he had been fed up with Deb to the hilt- he had never said anything similar. Taking responsibility.  For his part in the disaster.  And she was oh so aware of her own contributions.  Her own fears.  Her worries.  Her lack of faith in the strength of their love.  Her weakness and her stupidity to let willingly drink the poison offered her from too many seemingly helpful hands. They both let outsiders get to them…erode their solid foundation. Outsiders…Like Phillips. Like Deb. 

Tell him, Lisa. You gotta tell him. Now.  If you tell him, Deb will have no power.  He will understand.  He’s changed.  He loves you and trusts you.

But no, she had, in the end rationalized that he had been under enough stress.  She had held him and assured him he had nothing to apologize for.  Kissed his beautiful, tortured face.  Looked into the soulful eyes, not able to take the chance that he would look at her differently if he knew she interfered. Oh, she’d tell him.  Just not right then.

The road to hell…

Together, they had gone to try make things right with the kids.  Or one kid, in particular.  Paris was upset, but did not argue with her father.  She also made no qualms about the fact that she blamed Lisa for the nasty argument.  Saw her ‘mother’ as an innocent victim.  Any ground that Lisa had won with Paris was lost in a dirty, distractive landslide.  Now she knew how Lockwood must have felt when he tried to win over Riley who was solid on team Michael.  Not a fun place to be.  

Neither was being on this plane.  Lisa sat in her seat, making sure she was buckled up and that the girls were strapped in tightly as well. The captain had just informed them it would be a bumpy ride into LA.  Of course! 

“Lise? You’re not still upset about, you know, the stupid stuff in the rags?” Just focusing on his voice made things so much better.  The topic he brought up had quite the opposite effect. Fucking tabloids! 

No doubt, Michael could read her mood.  She had been monosyllabic while running the encounter with Deb over in her mind again. No matter how she twisted and turned it- this was a pile of hardened crap. Not a gem in the rough. Not even a piece of coal. Petrified shit! 

And it left a trail of putrid funk.  Like those fucking articles… Lisa swallowed hard, trying to keep her own tone light.

“Hey..not the first time the press gets a hold of a private matter when Deb is in the vicinity.” 

Like the tidbit how Michael had impregnated his best friend the surrogate nurse. That report was the TNT that made an already fucked up situation go up like an oil field someone used for target practice with a match.

Michael sighted, no doubt reading the reference very well.  “Lise…I’m sorry. But at least it’s out.  He has to deal with it now.”

By “he” Michael meant Lockwood.  Lisa emitted a humorless laughter. More of a snort, really. 

“Yeah- and we all know how wonderful it is to be blindsided by way of tabloids.  Always a favorite of mine.”

Like when she could not, for the life of her, get a hold of Michael. Only to find out he was in Disneyland with the Cascio boys… ignoring the fact that he was a married man with his marriage in grave danger.  The articles served a purpose, though: they sent her a message- intended or not.  Maybe that’s what this was to him now. A fitting message to an inconvenient obstacle.  Like she had been…

Dammit! Those damn thoughts about the past again. Maybe it was due to going home.  Back to LA.  Back to the Hidden Hills house… Their house…

“Well- I don’t know how well he is dealing with it- summoning me back to that house…”  

“If you don’t get your ass, and my children back to Los Angeles by tomorrow, I will have a court order filing for temporary custody  and an expedited petition filing for divorce on the basis of adultery waiting for you- your choice Lisa Marie.”

His reaction, even the ultimatum, while pissing her off, had not been a surprise.  The choice of locations, however, had been quite startling. Lockwood, after all, never had felt at home at Hidden Hills.  Even after she changed the furniture, changed everything about the house.  Except the few things she could not change. Like the studio.  Or the dance studio Michael had put in to his very own specifications.  

“That house?  Why do you say it like that?”  Michael’s voice had a hurt undertone.  Guilt rose.  Oh what familiar a flavor it was.

She was such a fuck up! Always hurting someone.  Or everyone…

Lisa! Stop it! You gotta hurt Lockwood.  That dead limb has to be amputated! And Michael- you just feel like shit cause you are not with him. And it scares you… But it’s just temporary, remember?

The plane hit another air pocket and lurched upward, causing Lisa to grab her cup of water before it spilled all over the place.  Her nerves had been too raw for even a glass of wine.  She had to get home sober.  Face what was waiting for her…and soldier on.

“Babe…I didn’t mean it like that. I just still don’t know why he wants me to meet him there. He never got over this being our house.”

“Well, too bad.” Michael sounded so cute when he was huffy. “He could have bust his piggy bank and sprung for a new house…”

Lisa giggled.  “I love it when you’re snide.  Let your human side peak through that godlike veneer…”

“Girl….you saw enough of that.  My human side.”

Oh indeed. And the tone of his voice left no doubt what he was talking about. “Yeah.. I saw it. Felt it, tasted it… still feel it…” Her turn to use that little sexy voice to distract from more serious, and frustrating matters.

“Oh girl… I have some more, too. That human side is real mad you’re not here, by the way.”  Michael was a willing participant in following the ‘detour’ arrow of their conversation. 

“Not sick of me yet?” 

“Girl? The air up there must be too thin. I can never get enough of you. No such animal.  I want you right now.  All of you….”  His voice was deep and lush, making her cream into her panties yet again.  The power that man had over her…

All of her…. 

“Lisa, girl, I want you….I want you so much. You’re mine.  All of you…”  

Michael’s hoarse, deep voice, his lips  at her ear as he bent over her body. Rubbing her back…then her ass, spreading her…HIs fingers rubbing over her swollen, dripping pussy. The pussy he just had fucked, leaving her screaming his name, collapsing against the couch he had her bent over.  Reaching over, he angled for one of his purchase items…a bottle of lube…the same bottle he had already used to get her used to his little toy.  One of them, anyway…

“You just had me…all of me.”  Lisa tried to take a deep breath. But when she closed her eyes all she saw was his eyes…his flushed skin…smelled his arousal, felt the heat emanating from his body.  Felt his hard cock at her backside. Finally a pleasant memory!

They had been at it hard and heavy after the Deb Disaster.  The kids had finally fallen asleep.  Lisa had been in the bedroom, her mind a tangled mess after everything that went down. Then her gaze had fallen onto the object on the nightstand.  Oh God… She had forgotten all about their little game…the little shopping trip.  Immediately, images of Michael tied to the headboard rushed back, as did the juices to her pussy.  And just like that all the other craziness was forgotten.  Or at least pushed back behind a very high wall. Of a different kind of insanity.

Smiling, she reached for it. Turned it.  Getting all sorts of turned on.  Dammit!  Lisa squirmed, feeling the stickiness between her legs.  

A sound made her look up.  How did he do that? How did he enter rooms so damn quietly?  Like some sort of feral cat.  A cat with hungry eyes, ready to devour her whole.

“You like?”

“I don’t know yet….”

Well, that was a lie.  She liked it last time he used one on her.  A similar kind anyway Before he made love to her that way… A long, long time ago. 

“Well, Imma gon’ make you like it.  Take your clothes off, Lisa.”

Oh, was that how things were going down?  If he kept using that tone, her clothes were going to fly off her body all by themselves anyway. But hey- why not up the ante a bit…

“And what if I don’t?”

 Michael leaned against the door frame and smirked.  “If you don’t I guess I’m gonna have to show you who the boss is round here.”

“You and what army?”  Lisa grinned, her body buzzing as if she had been lit up by 2000 Volts.  

“The army of toys I got waiting for you, baby girl. Using them all on you…preparing you so I can do with you what I wanna do..what I know you want me to do, too…”

Lisa swallowed, looking at the item in her hand once again.  Her body was tingly and her pussy tightened, throbbed… Michael sauntered over to her.  

“Oh yeah, Lisa. Look at it.  Look at it good.  You’re gonna feel that in just a little while… you’re gonna beg for me to give it to you…”

Michael pulled Lisa up and into him, kissing her hotly, then grabbing her ass hard. Pulling her into his already solid hard on.  

“First I’ll spank that ass till it’s nice and pink…then….we’ll get it nice and ready…with this…”

The images his voice invoked in her mind’s eye were making her tingle all over.  And knowing him, her imagination would pale next to the reality of how high he would make her soar.  She pressed herself into him, delighting in the throbbing of the ridge against her.  All that tension and anger at Deb would channel his adrenaline into needing to fuck her hard.  To play it rough and dirty- just like she needed it tonight. 

“You feel that?  You feel my cock… I bet you’re dripping, aren’t you?” His lips were night to her ear, his voice and the dirty talk were killing her slowly.  “I’m gonna get you begging for me..begging for me to fuck you till you scream…have my way with that amazing body of yours…make you all mine…And you’re gon’ like it.  All of it…”

Shit…that low, husky whisper alone was enough to almost make her just about lose it…

“Michael….” She reached for him and he kissed her hard once again, then ended the kiss, stepping back. Leaving her dizzy and disoriented with lust.

“Wha…”

“Take your clothes off, Lisa.  Now. I ain’t gonna tell you again.”

And so the games had started.  When she finally complied, she almost hoped he would spank her as promised.  She burned for his touch. But he just stood there..following her every move, directing where she was allowed to touch herself, and when she was to hold off.  

“Now lay back on the bed.” His voice was soft and demanding.  His eyes were on fire.  

He ordered her to spread her legs.  Slowly, he walked over, applying pressure to there thighs.  “Wider.” She complied.  It felt so wicked, laying before him, open…naked…vulnerable.  Her arousal on display for him.  The cool air caressed her skin. Increased her awareness of the juices dripping from her.  

“Shit…Look at you…It’s pouting.  Dripping…  Your pussy is ready for me, Lise… Your skin is flushed…so pretty. And I haven’t even touched you yet…”  

No shit. She certainly was dying to have his amazing fingers on her…or his tongue… The point of being picky had way past. Michael sat next to her on the bed.  His hand coming up to cup her face, gently, gingerly.  His huge hands a frame as he bent forward to kiss her. Greedily, she opened her mouth to him.  Her tongue ready to meet his.  Her arms came up and closed behind his neck, pulling him in closer. She caressed his back, starting to pull his shirt up, needing to feel his skin.

Suddenly, she felt him move, but was too drugged by his mouth to be able to open her eyes.  She felt something on her wrists…

“Great minds think alike….” he whispered against her lips.  Her eyes flew open when the handcuffs closed around first one wrist then the other.  They were the special kinds- lined with fur to not hurt her.  Michael kissed and rubbed her arms, wrists, and hands as he secured them above her head…then he went to kiss, lick, and torture her nipples, making her body arch up when he sucked hard, then bit the sensitive peaks with just the right pressure until she cried for him to touch her down where she needed him…

“Oh, don’t worry…. I’ll touch you alright…”  With that, he stepped over and retrieved an impressive dildo from his bag.  Not quite as big as his huge cock- but still quite large.  Lisa swallowed.  

Michael held the toy up to her.  “Lick it Lisa.  Suck on it like you’ll suck my dick in a bit…And then I’m gonna watch you take it. Watch that tight, hot cunt spread while I play with it…till I spread it for real. ”  His tone and dirty talk were absolutely killing her for real! And he knew it!   For a second, Michael seemed to hesitate, then he bent down and whispered into her ear. 

“Don’t worry- I cleaned it off for you…”  

She almost had to crack up.  He was too cute at times, breaking his demanding macho role to make sure she knew it was all safe and kosher. .

Before long, she didn't think he was all that cute. Torturing her, fucking her with the Dildo- having worked it into her dripping cunt, turning it, playing it just right.  He finally had removed his clothes as well, but not allowing her to touch.  Which was hell.  She was so damn close to paraodise: the dildo in her, his delicious dick in plain view.  But he kept her dangling on the edge with one and denied her the other.  “You want it, don’t you?”  

Lisa nodded, licking her lips.”

“Too bad you ain’t in charge then, ain’t it?”  With a cheeky smile, he grabbed himself. Rubbed it, pumped himself- but did not let her touch or taste.  Fuck, he looked so hot… And his dick..huge..throbbing…and out of her reach.  

Finally, she begged.  

“Not yet….you’ve been too naughty….”

“Michael…please….I need to…I’m so close…dammit…”

“You got a potty mouth…  A sweet pussy…but a dirty mouth…”  With that, he bent forward, licking her clit, while moving the dildo just enough to keep her at the edge of an orgasm.

His next move took her by surprise. He took a pillow and wedged it under her hip, elevating her hip, exposing her to him even more.

“Oh yeah…I can see you real good. See your dripping, swollen cunt.  Grabbing the dildo… I see your little ass as well… Tell me Lisa… Tell me what you want…”

He removed the dildo, making her cry out, then used the escaping juices to lube her tight little hole…. Oh, holy shit…. She was about to go crazy…

“Please…put it there…. put it in…”

“Oh, baby…so many things I can put there… You tell me what you want…And I decide if your hot little ass deserves it.”

“Michael…”  She whined as she strained against her handcuffs. Helpless…

He rubbed her again- from her pussy up to her asshole.  Lisa shivered.  Michael grabbed his cock and pumped himself.  “See this, baby girl? See how hard you get me just by looking at you? Tasting your sweet snatch.  Your juices are so delicious… Feeling your heat…You’re so amazing. So responsive. So…bad. ”   His free hand increased the pressure and he entered her back hole with one finger, making her yelp with pleasure.

“There’s my dirty little girl…You like this, don’t you?” 

“Oh, hell yeah…oh God…” There was no way on earth she could stand this another second… She was in overload. 

“Say it Lisa…what else do you want there?”

Lisa looked over at the toy.  “Put it in…the toy..”

“The what?”

HIs eyes sparkled.  He was such a pervert. That’s what he wanted! He wanted her to say it.

“The butt plug, Michael… I want it up my ass… I want you to play there….”  Even saying it, she blushed.  

They had enjoyed anal play in the past.  When their trust was implicit.  Before the world had come between them and barriers had been built.  She knew he was into that.  She also knew it was only with her.  And it was clear from his earlier play that his mind was going down that route.  Now, she had no clue how far he would take it.  But there was no too far for her right now. Not with him.  There was nothing she did not enjoy with Michael- nothing she’d deny him.  No one could please her like he did.  Because she never had loved - or trusted- anyone else like that.  

So, when he grabbed the lube, she took a deep breath, hoping she would not pass out from the undiluted pleasure.  He was so very careful.  Teasing and rubbing her, preparing her gradually before he inserted the pug.  Then pressed the button causing it to vibrate.  Holy shit! 

Michael once again inserted the dildo into her pussy, making her whimper.  The pressure was almost too much…Testing her limits, adding to her incredible arousal.  To top it off, he moved around the bed, coming to kneel next to her.  His cock jutting out at her.  Straining. Veins bulging. Oh, he was as into this as she was…barely holding on.  His body could not lie to her. 

“Open up, Lisa- I wanna fuck your heavenly mouth….”  He traced her lips with one hand, before guiding himself to her, slapping her lightly across her mouth with his rock hard erection.  Tied to the bed, Lisa was at his mercy, and he enjoyed teasing her before he finally allowed her to suck him into her greedy mouth as far as she could take him.  The pleasure of tasting him was heady.  Greedily, she sucked him into her mouth, allowed him to hit her throat, making her gag before she relaxed and took more.  

“There you go…oh shit…oh yeah….suck it, baby….take it…shit….Look at you- filled in all three holes by me… fuck…that’ so damn hot…”  His eyes screwed shut for  second as he fought for control.  Lisa tasted precum, felt his dick straining and jumping in her mouth. 

He was right, though.  This was damn hot.  Being filled by him like that drove her mad.  Sucking him, tasting him, while being stretched by the dildo and the butt plug at the same time had her orgasm hit her hard.  The wave came and she took a deep breath before the intensity pulled her under. Her cries were muffled by his cock pumping in and out of her mouth still.  Wave after wave of pleasure made her spasm hard. She felt dizzy and breathless.  Michael caressed her nipples, pulling and plucking, then palming her tit just right. Lisa felt as if her body was like a minefield- with explosives being triggered all over, each one prolonging the intense climax.  

Michael eased up on her a bit, removed his cock from her mouth, then kissed her greedily, removing the dildo, petting and caressing her softly to let her come down off her intense climax.  Kissing her and rubbing her arms, Michael removed the handcuffs, but left the plug in place, pulling her up, directing her to the couch. Half drugged and shaky, Lisa followed his lead. 

“Now bend over, Lisa.  I let you have that cum- but don’t think I forgot about what else I owe you…Especially since you just came without my permission…”

And so she finally got her spanking- before he spread her legs, and played with the plug: Pumping and twisting it in her tight opening, hearing her whimper and sigh before he positioned himself just right at her pussy, teasing her with his soft head.  Finally, with her straining and bucking back into him, he entered her swiftly, fucking her till she came hard twice- seeing stars, fearing she’d faint… Michael played on every one of her nerve fibers…he knew when to increase the tempo and when to ease up.  When to play with the toy inside her and when to just fuck her hardcore, making her call out his name as his movement drove the toy in further with each thrust.  Just when she thought he was going to let go, her removed the toy and she came apart, screaming once again.  Still whimpering, she noticed his movements became tamer, slower as he caressed her back. And then…she felt him withdraw…bend over her…and announce in that sexy as growl he wanted all of her.

She wasn’t sure it would go that way, but she was glad it did. The orgasms had taken the edge off, but she wanted more.  She wanted to be completely and totally his.  Wanted him to claim her and never let her go.   

“If you want me…take me…” came her hoarse reply.  Michael bent forward and kissed her gently. 

“You sure… I don’t wanna do anything you don’t want to…”

He searched her eyes. 

“I know that. I trust you…I love you… I want you to make love to me that way.”

“Oh baby…you got no idea what making love to you does to me…”

He kissed her again, then picked her up and took her to the bed, kissing her, then guiding her into the position he wanted: on her hands and knees.  Bracing herself, Lisa dipped forward onto her elbows, her ass up in the air.   Glancing behind, she saw he seemed to hesitate, then holding his hard, throbbing cock, decorated with her juices still in his huge hand, while his other hand was on her butt again, massaging and teasing.  Lisa reached back and joined his hand there.

“There you go…finger that pussy…play with yourself…oh yeah…”

Spreading her with two hands,  Lisa, very helpfully positioned his cock.  “No wait…I wanna feel your hot cunt first…”

Well, that worked, too. She placed the broad head at the swollen opening. Michael bore forward, entering her in one swift stroke, making her call out his name.  Her body taking a moment to adjust to his size, despite her just having had him minutes earlier. He filled her so completely.  Staying in to the hilt, he rotated his hips, taxing her g-spot.

“Oh yeah…gosh, I feel you grabbing me already, girl…” He spread her further. “Dammit…I love to see my cock in you…love to see your cream drip out…oh baby…” With that, he started to move in strong, controlled, demanding strokes.  

Her hand was at her pussy, feeling him there.  His hand joined her as he guided it to her clit. “Rub that clit..get it all nice and hard for me…” Michael continued to fuck her, alternating hard, straight jabs with that rounding, teasing motion she loved to get lost in.  His balls slapped against her ass, mixing with the moans and sighs in the room.  Lisa reached down and fondled them, giving them a little squeeze, feeling him shiver.

Michael continued to spread her juices toward her ass, while spreading her again.  HIs thumb was at her tight hole, probing and rubbing, using more lubricant, then entering her, relaxing her once again. The added pressure had her moan.  The spiral in her stomach once again tightened.  

“I’m so close…oh god…Michael…” She threw her head back, arching her back.  

At the last moment, Michael withdrew and positioned himself at her tight opening. “Ready…I don’t think I can hold it much longer…”

“Fuck…neither can I…fuck my ass, please…”

Michael applied more lubricant to his cock, then applied pressure, guiding himself into her tightness.  Lisa took a deep breath and willed her body to relax, working against the little muscle’s innate tendency to clench.  

“Dammit…oh shit….Lisa…I don’t know if I can…”

Little by little, ever so careful, he entered her, allowing her body to get used to his girth before he went further, all the while kissing and caressing her shoulders, neck, back…turning her face to kiss her.  Their eyes open, staying connected.

The fullness she experienced was heavenly- as was the pleasure/pain combination, with pleasure definitely winning out. Sweat dripping from her, Lisa focused on breathing, letting her body relax to be able to take him.  Her nerve endings were on fire and the pleasure was so intense, her vision was foggy and her body shaking from the approaching climax.  She was almost afraid, knowing it would be heart stopping.  

“Lisa…rub your pussy…God…you’re squeezing me so hard…Imma gon’ pass out, girl…fuck…”  

Lisa did as instructed, rubbing her tight little nubbin, then entering her weeping love canal, being turned on by the feel of him on the other side.  Michael started to move in and out, pushing slightly forward one more time, groaning with the effort to hold back and be careful.  His fingers joined her at her turgid, dripping lips, and he entered her with two digits.  She let him take over and withdrew, bracing herself as his movements increased.

“Holy shit…I can feel myself… You alright…?”

Lisa was more than alright. She was racing headfirst into the blinding hot light once more.  Everything seemed to constrict, then explode into a rain of golden sparks, electricity, and heat. Convulsing, screaming his name, she pushed back against him, being faintly aware of him holding her steady to keep from getting hurt.  

“Dammit..oh fuck…Lisa…I can’t …shit…Imma cum hard…oh fuck….” She felt his cock expanding and screamed as another wave carried her away.  The pleasure was almost impossible to bear.  There was no adequate way to describe all the sensations assaulting her at the same time.  She was flooded with the purest, most blinding light, heat, sounds… She was flying and being lifted all at the same time, tumbling higher and higher, nearly able to breathe.  Only able to exist in that perfect moment.

Michael, finally surrendering his tight control, also started to shake and she felt his cock pulsing forcefully within her as he moaned and sighed, his high pitched shouts and yelps indicating his rapture.  Keeping his fingers pumping into her, he withdrew, his hand continuing to pump himself as he continued to ejaculate. Him leaving her sensitive muscle ring, caused her to scream as another orgasm hit her. hard and sharp this time The dirty pleasure of him spraying his thick, hot seed all over her ass and back kept her riding high as she looked over her shoulder.  Michael also eyed his eruption, then grabbed her face and kissed her hard, their tongues battling, then dancing.

Both were lost in the intense moment.  The room was filled with moans and sighs, rapid breathing, whispers of love and scents of pure lust.  Michael finally pulled Lisa against him, then collapsed onto the bed, his body still shivering.

“God, Lise… The things you do to me. The ways I love you. It ain’t even funny… Don’t you ever let me go again.  I would die…for real…” He kissed her neck and she turned her head, kissing his lips.

“I love you. I love how you love all of me…Please don’t ever stop…”

“Oh, you got no idea.  I can’t stop. Ever.  Just you and me…forever…”

“Forever….” She whispered against him, pulling his hand to her, kissing it.  

++++

So, in the end, this was all just another step toward that forever.  This flight. The conversations she had to have with Lockwood.  The truth she’d have to reveal to Michael…

“Hey, maybe I can come to LA and we can have a little do-over.  I think I need a refresher how all of you feels like.”  His voice brought her back to the moment.  Lisa looked out of the window.  Oh, good! They had cleared the clouds.  Ahead was the smoggy landscape of the City of Angels. 

“Well, all I have to do is move a muscle and I remember…” Lisa replied, smiling.  

“You’re okay, though, right?” She loved how he was always concerned with her feelings. Always checking in with her.  As if her begging him to take her wasn’t assurance enough.  

“I’m more than okay.  I’m just not used to that love marathon you enrolled me in in Las Vegas…”

“Yeah….” Michael giggled. “We went a bit nuts, didn’t we?”

“Lots of lost time to make up for…”

“Oh, and once I got you in my bed every night, don’t think that will ever end, lady.  Don’t think you get a break or something.”

“Oh, I think you will beg me for a break…you know I like to get wild and freaky.”

“Oh, don’t I know it. Totally corrupting pure little me.”

Lisa had to laugh out loud. “Oh, please! I’m not buying that little innocent act you like to peddle.”

“I was innocent! Till you corrupted me. Made me a slave to your body…to the rhythm of your love.”

“Hey- did you ever finish that song?”

“Slave to the Rhythm? Yeah- just about. You wanna hear it? I can bring a copy with me when I meet you in LA. I owe you a listening to an unfinished song or…several.”  Oh yeah, did he ever!

But, was he serious? Oh, if she knew she’d see him so soon, she could do this.  Maybe they could even fly back to England together?

“I thought you had a meeting in Vegas today?” 

“I do- but I can leave right after. I told you I got some new people that now work for me and they’re pretty handy.  I also got some stupid call from Phillips about some shit he wants to do now.  That man never gives up. So I could look into all that in LA real quick.”

Look into what?  

“What does he want you to do now?” Lisa asked very carefully, trying to not sound too interested. 

“I don’t wanna talk about it. He wants to extend the shows into some kind of national tour, then going international.”

Phillips wanted to do what?  Over her dead body!  Maybe she had been too distracted with Michael and his efforts to sneak a peak into her music and before she left for Vegas. Seemed like Phillips had forgotten that little stipulation of keeping her informed of any other plans.  And the fact that she had made it crystal clear that she wanted the schedule adhered to.  The new schedule. Lightening the pressure on Michael.  She’d take a minute before she landed to send the fuckhead an email reminding him of their agreement. Her money in exchange for Michael’s freedom.  He better not fuck her over!

“You’re not gonna do that, are you?”

“Hell no! I’m done! I told him that before.  This was the the last thank you to my fans.  I’m done with live shows.  It’s too exhausting.  I mean…it’s better now that they eased up on the 50 shows, but it’s still hard, you know.  I wanna concentrate on the kids- and on you. And on other projects.  But don’t worry…I got this.”  Here was that tone again. Shutting her out. As if she was not able to help at all. He was such an exasperating macho at times! 

“Don’t let them pressure you, Michael. Don’t let them blackmail you either.  Your finances are better now, aren’t they? You got Neverland out of the threat of foreclosure, right?”

She damn well knew his finances were better. Thanks to some investments from a backer….which was a firm she was hiding behind.  She wanted him free from all their machinations.  Free from fear.  Free to start over. It was an investment into her future.  And his life was all the return she’d ever need.  

“Lise, don’t worry. I got it.  I don’t like when you worry about that stuff.”

No, of course not.  Heaven forbid she helped him! Would he never learn that she was a partner he could trust.  A partner in more than love…she had power. She had money.  And she was not traumatized by those damn vampires.  

Lisa sighed. “Michael, you know, in a real partnership, you gotta let me in… You gotta let me be there for you..”

“Lisa Marie. You are there for me.  I don’t need you to be involved in any of that.  I can take care of things just fine. Really.  So…How ‘bout you talk to Blondie and I come and meet you tomorrow?  Maybe go visit that dance studio…”

“Michael…don’t start that again….”  Her panties were still wet from her last trip down memory lane.  She’d get dehydrated while drinking all the water in the world on this flight.

“What?” He laughed, knowing full well he was not referring to all the dancing he did in his studio.  But the place had seen some other action as well… Which might be why Lockwood hated the place. 

The flight attendant chose that moment to inform her that they were preparing for landing and that she had to finish her phone call.  Her and Michael said their goodbyes, and once again Lisa got that horrible feeling of dream, feeling immediately disconnected from him after she hung up.  

Lisa, stop being such a damn baby.  All you have to do is set Lockwood straight, talk to Phillips.  Then see Michael.  And for heaven’s sake finally come clean.  Move into your future: free and clear. 

Okay…Perfect plan, now all she had to do was keep it together and hope Lockwood would get over having his pride hurt and play fair.  Easy as pie!

After landing, and managing to get two very tired and cranky little girls into the rented Limo, Lisa checked her phone and noticed she had several calls from Riley and Ben, who were flying in from Memphis.  They had originally planned to meet up at the house, but Rileys message indicated their plane was early and had just landed.  Lisa had the driver wait in the cellphone lot,  which gave her the perfect chance to email Phillips and also leave a not very patient voice message.  Before long, Riley called.  Yes! Not only was Lisa excited and happy to see her two older babies, but she also hoped having all the kids along would defuse conflict with Lockwood, who genuinely cared about Ben and Ri and surely would not want to expose them to more drama.  

While circling back to the airport, Lisa’s phone rang and it was the man who had already showered her with about fifty text messages.  Some of which were quite racy and had her giggling.  God, she had it worse than ever.  The Michael fever… Keeping her hot and sweaty…

“When you get to the house, I want you to only focus on all the good times we had there. That way, you’d be too distracted to care about his little tantrum.”

“Well, I’m hoping since Ben and Ri will be there as well, he won’t go overboard pounding his chest.”

“Hey…does he like ever get really mad? Like, you know, throw things, yell… I mean, homeboy looks like he’s hooked up to a nonstop weed infusion.”

“Stop being mean! I told you we barely ever fought, before…..well…before…”

“Before you recalled what real passion is again?”

“You really gotta work on that low self esteem.”

“No, just keeping it real. I got plenty of low self esteem, thank you very much. But I know what I know. And I know how to keep my woman happy. And in check.”

“Oh, you’re keeping me in check?”

“Hell yeah.  Hey- so- did he ever, like, kick a door in?”

“Michael- kicking doors in is not a good quality, you know.”

“I know. But it shows you’re passionate.”

“No, it shows you’re a two year old.”

“Well…whatever. But it does show passion…”

Oh, it showed passion, alright…

Lisa closed her eyes and thought back to one of their more memorable fights during their marriage.  In the Hidden Hills house. Involving a kicked in door.  A stupid fight, as most of them really were.  About Danny.  And a bunch of other  crap, but mainly Michael had come home and she and Danny had been outback by the pool.  Just chilling.  She had been smoking, which was a no-no, but Michael had acted as if she was there not drawing on a cigarette, but inhaling Danny’s dick or something.  He had been rude and obnoxious and after Lisa had ushered Danny out, they got into the same old fight for the millionth time.  How come she hung out with Danny. How come she was dressed as if she wanted to get fucked. How come he continued to live on the property.  Lisa told Michael he could go fuck himself and she didn’t owe him any explanations. And she stormed off to their bedroom, slamming the door in his face and locking it.  Michael pounded against it, demanding she let him in.  She told him to leave. He insisted she open up immediately.  She insisted he’d go to hell. 

Michael replied by kicking the door in. Hurting his foot, too.  Blaming her for weeks for that one. As if she had made him act like a total lunatic.  

“Get the fuck out or I’ll call the cops!” she had screamed at him, still stunned he had actually busted the door in.

“And what? Tell them what?  That your husband got upset you’re running ‘round your ex like a bitch in heat?”

“Maybe if you weren’t fucking busy with other shit nonstop I wouldn’t feel like I need attention from other men.”

“You want fucking attention?  Is that why you parade around half naked? Sucking on that damn cancer stick, suggesting you wanna do the same to his cock?  Like some little…slut…”

Lisa had launched herself at Michael who had caught her arms before she could punch him as she had planned.  

“You’re losing your mind, Lisa! You wanna punch me?  After you made me hurt my foot?”

“You lunatic kicked the damn door in! Called me names! What the fuck- let me go!”

Michael had let her go, alright. He pushed her onto their bed.  Lisa kicked at him, and he came down over her, holding her in place, as she struggled to break free.  When he throw one leg over her to keep her still, she felt it.  He was hard as a rock.  And he wasn’t the only one turned on- their adrenaline as usual igniting their bodies.  

“Oh, hell no! If you think I’m gonna do something about that, you gotta be more insane than I gave you credit for…and I give you loads of credit on that account…” Lisa had hissed, suddenly laying very still, being only too aware of his body…his muscles…his hands on her wrist…his ragged breath on her.  And his eyes… She shifted and felt her own juices lubricating her pussy.  How could he think she wanted another man… No one, not one single person had ever affected her like he did.  No one on earth could get her this angry.  Or that horny. 

Michael shifted and used one hand to secure both her wrists, his mouth coming dangerously close to her lips…his hand coming between them, sliding down her belly to her bikini bottom.

“I hate you…get the fuck off me…” Lisa lurched up- either in an effort to get him off her, or to feel him closer, it didn’t matter.  All she found was more heat-hardness- passion…

She turned her her head to avoid being scorched by the  the fire in his eyes.  Anger, but also love.  Damn him! 

“Show me…show me how you hate me…show me with that wet pussy… That better be for me, princess… Not that it matters- I’ll make you forget you know anyone else's name…” With that Michael claimed her lips and his fingers found her., entering her roughly. And she was lost…

‘You’re thinking about that hot sex we had after I kicked that door in, aren’t ch’a?”

Michael’s voice interrupted her thoughts just as the limo pulled up to her waving kids. Phew…great timing. 

“Stop it! The kids are here.”

Michael giggled. “You totally are thinking about hat hot sex we had after I kicked that door in…. Oh baby… you gotta call me later and we gotta talk about that some more. I’m in need of some first aid here…”

“You’re in need of some mental health first aid, that’s for sure.”

“Yeah baby. I’m a fool. A fool for you.  Totally insane from loving you. Hey- let me say hi to the kids.”

The limo door opened and the twins squealed as they spotted their siblings.

“Michael- they just are getting into the limo.”

‘Michael? Michael is on the phone?” Unceremoniously, Riley took the phone from her while plopping herself into the seat as Ben protested- stuck at the curb with his and his sister’s luggage.

Lisa got out, making sure she had her shades on and gave her big boy a huge hug, causing him to give her that embarrassed grin she so loved.  

“Mom, you’re squeezing me to death!”  He protested, while still returning her embrace.  God, she had missed him! He was her heart and soul- the one grounding her.  While Riley was fire and wind, Ben was solid, stable, her rock.  She loved all her kids with fierce passion, but there was something special about that mother-son bond they shared. 

“It’s my job! I gotta do it well!”

“You do.” Ben turned serious, “So, Michael, hm? You been with Michael this whole time?”

Lisa looked at him, surprised. She had not told the kids outright why she had to boggy to Vegas, but of course they were smart.  They also were privy to some history. And kids always knew more than adults gave them credit for.

“Yes…yes, I was. And I plan to be with him some more.” Time for lying and hedging had passed.  And it felt so damn good to say it out loud! 

“Okay.  Radical.  Hope you’re prepared for Grandmother to have an aneurism. She was hitting the herbal tea hard after you left.”

Lisa chuckled.  “Yeah…she will be thrilled.  But right now, I’m more worried about Lockwood.”

“Well…Ri and I are here for you.  This won’t be fun, I’m sure…”  Lisa could tell, Ben felt bad for his stepfather.

“No it won’t…”

The driver helped with the luggage, and Lisa and Ben got into the car, where Riley was happily on the phone, chatting with Michael.  Ben protested and finally got his share of talk time while Riley leaned over and gave Lisa a tight hug and a sweet kiss.

“Mom! I missed you like crazy! Why didn’t you take us with you?  I bet my little crazy monkeys missed me, too!”  Riley kissed and tickled each of the twins, who were ecstatic to see their big sister.

“Yes, I will.  You know it. I’ll look out for her. Promise. …. Love you!” Ben handed her the phone. “He wants to talk to you.”

“Don’t worry, Lise. The kids are behind you. They’re great kids.  Despite who their sperm donor is…”

“Nice…you’re not still on that tangent, are you?” 

“Whatever do you mean, Lisa Marie?  I’m fine.  But anyway. They got your back…”

Lisa turned away from her kids who played with the twins. “That’s the point, though. They shouldn’t have to.  I put them through enough during the years,” she whispered.

“You put me through enough, too. And I still love you.  See, easy?”

She had to laugh. “Yeah. easy.  Good thing you never put me through anything…”

Like marrying some ugly nurse.  Or almost dying…  

“I’m very low maintenance, I know. Seriously.  Go get this done.  What’s the worst he can do?”

“Don’t tempt fate…” Lisa got a funny feeling when Michael threw that question out there.  

Still, realistically, what could Lockwood do?  He wouldn’t take the girls.  Deep down, he was a good guy.  He’d let her go. Yes, his pride was injured.  But he’d get over it with a nice check to buy some more guitars. And like Michael pointed out- not like he had ever been given to violent outbursts or tantrums.  So what was the worst that could happen?

++++

 Obviously that was a question designed by some fun loving demons or devils who liked to play with the fortunes of silly little humans as Lisa found out shortly after arriving at the Hidden Hills house.  There was a car she did not recognize in the driveway- which was odd.  Unless it was Lockwood’s lawyer ready to pounce.  They entered the house which seemed eerily quiet but for some loud ass guitar music blaring from somewhere.  Riley called out, “Hello! We’re home….anyone here?”  “Hello!!!! Daddy!” Harper chimed in, followed by her sister in no time.  

“Sounds like someone is having fun…” Ben mumbled, putting down his bag.  The twins toddled around the entry hall, and Lisa asked Ben and Riley to please take them upstairs and distract them while she’d find her husband- and no doubt the source of the music.

Well, that wasn’t too bad.  Worst case scenario, he’d be drunk off his ass, having his music on, or even playing, to get rid of some aggression.  The worst part about that would be that she’d have to keep the twins, who were hyper to see their father at bay.  Damn him! He knew she’d be home.  She had texted him her flight into, after all.  What the hell was his problem?

Other than just having had it publicized that he was officially the third husband you cheated on with the same man?  

Lisa silenced that little voice, informing it that technically this was not the first time this had happened.  Which was not something she was very proud of. But shit, she should have taken the other slip ups as signs that staying away from Michael was just not an option for her. No matter how hard she had tried.  

Following the sound led her to an unexpected part of the house: the dance studio. The place Lockwood hated. Mainly because he knew damn well Michael had it put in according to his specifications and needs.  The other rooms could be re-purposed, and Lisa now used the recording studio, but there was no forgetting why that dance studio was there.  And Lisa had come up with one excuse after the other to not have it changed to another purpose.

So, what was he doing in there now?  Dancing his sorrow away?  The man could play his guitars like no tomorrow and he was great at working with her music- but he definitely was not gifted in the dancing department.  Unless one counted tossing his head back and forth like Beavis and Butthead to headbanger music. 

“What are you doing in here. I looked all over the house for you… The girls…”

That was about as far as Lisa go after bursting into the room.  Stopping cold.  Blinking, because the site before her eyes was as unbelievable as it was disgusting.  

“Oh, hi.  You made it home, actually.  I’m…surprised.  Oh- my bad: This is…a friend.  Julie…this is Lisa.”

“Jillie…hi…” The chick with the raven black hair and too much eye-makeup replied, waving awkwardly at Lisa.

“What. The. Fuck?”

 Still not believing her eyes, Lisa stared at her scantly clad current husband and the even scantlier clad Julia or Jillie. 

Her other senses kicked in to assess this ridiculous scene: The room smelled like weed and booze.  The air was thick from cigarette smoke and the unmistakable odor of someone having just had sex. There were bottles and cups everywhere.  And pieces of clothing.  It was a fucking mess.  Finally averting her eyes from the disgusting site of Lockwood pulling up his zipper, Lisa looked over and saw an ashtray.  Feeling as if she was in some sort of trance she went to pick it up and noticed a cigarette had fallen down and burned a hole in the floor.  Close by was a bottle of some clear liquid that had spilled, probably ruining the varnish.

“Hey…I guess I forgot what time you’re coming home… I …we had a little fun.  You know how that is…right?  If you had come a bit earlier you could’a joined in. You like it dirty and freaky, don’t cha? And maybe if not with me…having a third wheel would have steamed you up a bit…”

Lisa ignored his obvious attempt to get her goat.  She picked up the bottle of boze, as well as the ashtray, placing them on a table.  

“The floor is ruined…I’m gonna have to have it redone…” she whispered.

Obviously not pleased with her response, Lockwood threw some clothes at the chick.  

“Julie..ah.. Jillie…why don’t you get dressed…” He went over and handed the chick her pants… Thankfully, she had her panties still on.  Didn’t take much to accommodate his needle dick, after all.  “Seems my wife wants to…”

His wife? How dared he call her that? Lisa looked up without really seeing him. All she saw was the red fog before her.  And Michael’s trashed studio. 

“Get rid of the trash. Have the place exterminated. That’s what I wanna do. Get out, whatever your name is.  And Lockwood, you might wanna make sure the kids don’t see her.  You son of a bitch…”

“What? Like the twins will notice…”

“Shut the fuck up!” Lisa finally raised her voice.  “Ben and Riley are here. As are your daughters…you ….you…scumbag…” she really wished she was not still too out of it to think of proper curse words.  

“Hey…you are Lisa Marie Presley, aren’t you?  Wow… I really love your Dad.  Oh- and  your ex-husband…I’m such a fan!”

Lisa just stared at the dumb little thing.  Oh. My. God.  This was getting unreal. If she now asked for an autograph, too, Lisa would burst out laughing. 

“Yeah, Nic Cage is a great actor.” Lockwood stated, with a smirk.

The girl stared at him with a blank expression.  “Huh?  I meant…”

If she dared to take Michael’s name into her mouth after fucking up and fucking in his dance studio, Lisa would seriously forget herself and toss the little slut out like yesterday’s garbage.

Thankfully, Lockwood also did not seem too inclined to hearing Michael’s name. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. We know who you mean.  Okay- time to go, sweets.”

Sweets?  Oh, this was wonderful. Who was this girl? This was obviously a setup to pay her back.  Lisa hoped it would get him some well earned veneral disease. Something to rot of the rest of his twig, draw up his berries, and dry up what was left of his brain. Which can’t be much. Where had he found this cross between Elvira and Edward Scissorhand? And how had he convinced her to let him fuck her?  Not like he was all that. But hey- this was LA. And people liked to hang on to someone married to someone famous, too.  Getting fucked by some loser who tried to pay his wife back .Oh God… Lisa felt bile rise.  She was going to be sick.  The reality that Lockwood fucked the little bimbo not only in her house, but right here in Michael’s studio slammed into her gut.  And strangely enough, that was the part that made her want to kill him.  There was no jealousy.  No hurt pride. No anger at having been cheated on in such a gross way.  But the way he had planned this… it was intended to hurt her where he knew he could get to her.  

“Out back…show her out the back way.  Where we take the trash… And you can take yourself out with her.”

“I don’t think so, Lisa. This is my house.  And my children are here. I have a right….”

“Get her the fuck out!” Lisa yelled, almost scared of the echo of her own voice. “Out of this studio- out of MY house. And don’t you dare talk to me about your children! Or about your rights! What would you have done if I had them with me? You dirty, stinking piece of shit!”

“We’re not done, Lisa Marie. I’ll walk her out and then you gotta deal with me.”  He took the confused looking woman by the arm and dragged her to the door.

“Oh, no. YOU have to deal with me! You bastard!”

“What in the world is happening here? Mom, we could hear you all the way across the house? What… Oh. Holy. Shit.”  Riley entered the studio and stopped, frozen. “What happened to Michael’s studio?” 

“It’s NOT HIS STUDIO!” Lockwood yelled as he slammed the door behind him.

“Mom?” Riley came close and touched Lisa’s arm.

“Can you believe this?  Do you see this mess? He…they…burned a hole into the floor. I gotta get someone out to fix this Riley… I gotta…” Lisa finally broke down, on her knees, staring at the fucking black pock hole in the floor.

“Mom… mommy… It’s okay. You get it fixed…we get it cleaned up… What in the world happened? What …who was that woman?”

Lisa allowed herself two seconds, then she took a deep breath and wiped her tears away.  “Ri..is your grandmother back in town?” 

“Yes…yes, she flew back yesterday.  Do you want us to take the girls there?”

“Yeah…quick… Take them and drive them over to Priscilla’s.  Just grab the bags I had downstairs.  I’m sorry, Ri…but they can’t be here…. I gotta talk to Lockwood… I…”

“Mom, maybe you should leave, too.  I don’t like this. I don’t like what I think went down here.”

“What went down is that he fucked up Michael’s studio! With this…this woman… Just to fucking get back at me…Dammit!”  Lisa immediately regretted her outburst.  She should not drag the kids into this. Not more than they had already been.  This was her mess.  Hers and Lockwood’s.  But no worries: she planned to clean it all up.  She’d wipe the floor with his ugly ass.  He’d be sorry he fucked with her like that. 

“Mom, let me get the girls.  I want Ben to stay here, though, kay?  Or he can take them and I stay here. I don’t want you alone with him…not now. And I think we should call Michael.”

“No, baby.   I got this.  I call Michael later. No need to upset him or worry him. He got enough going on.”

“He’d wanna know, Mom.”

“Yeah, and I’ll tell him…after…after I deal with Lockwood… Just get the babies out. I feel like shit to drag them out again, but they can’t be here. Not when he’s stoned and drunk off his ass.”

“I agree. But Mom- I don’t want you here with him, either.  But I know you. How ‘bout one of us stay here? I’m sure Ben would wanna stay. I’d make him go and take Harper and Fin, but I know him- he won’t want to leave you. Not like this.”

Lisa enveloped her daughter in a tight embrace.  She must have done something right to deserve those four wonderful children. It was not Ben’s job to keep her save, but she sure as shit was glad he’d be in the house.

Lockwood came back into the room after several minutes; which was Riley’s cue to leave.

“Hey, Ri. Good to see you again.” he drawled. 

“Wish I could say the same….How could you?” With that, Riley kissed Lisa and left the room, her gaze shooting daggers at Lockwood. Slamming the door for effect.

“She shouldn’t slam doors, Lisa.” Lockwood barely was able to say. 

“My daughter is none of your fucking business. She has every right to slam the fucking door.” Lisa replied, staring at the man she once thought she knew so well.

“Okay- you wanna talk about rights? I wanna see my daughters.”

“You’re drunk. You’re stoned. You reek of cheap booze and that little slut you just fucked. If you think I let you anywhere near my children you’re more insane than you look.”  

“Just to clarify. I did not pay for her.”

Was he for real? Like she cared if he paid for his STD?

“Well- goody for you. I hope you feel better now.  What the fuck? You’re hurt and I get that. I’m sorry for the tabloids shit.  I did not mean to have all that come flying at you, but…”

“Oh, shut the fuck up.  You’re sorry? Are you sorry for fucking Jackson? Again?”

Lisa took a deep breath and counted to three.  Man…age was a great thing. Ten years ago, she’d have laid him out for this. Sorry? For making love to the man she was meant to be with? Born to be with? No- she only was sorry for having wasted so much time.  With this….fool. 

“I love Michael.  I’m not gonna be sorry for that. Ever.  I’m sorry for hurting you, though. But… I probably have loved him all along…” Lisa tried to take the high road, knowing it would probably lead only to the cliff she was about to jump off.

“Oh shut up! Did you love him when he married that nurse and had kids with her? When you sliced yourself into shreds for him? When he refused to commit to you? When you cried to me about him over and over and over?”

“I’m not gonna discuss our history with you..”

“Oh no. Of course not. Your precious history with him.  The fucking history that’s everywhere. Like here. In this place..”

“Oh, this place? That’s what this is about, isn’t it?  That you never could erase him. Not from my mind, my heart, or from this place.  And you taking some little hooker and messing up his studio will make it all better?  I hope she was good.”

“Better than what I had for a while.  And she was more into me than you have been in….years. YEARS, Lisa! Years of living in someone’s shadow.  Years of catching that lost expression on your face when you thought no one was looking. Years of being cockblocked by this….” He gestured over the room. “This goddamn room!”

“The room cockblocked you? You’re pitiful!”  Lisa let off a sardonic scoff.  He was just plain ridiculous.

“You’re right. I AM pitiful. I loved you Lisa Marie.  Loved you. Unconditionally. Knowing I could never take that place he held. I trusted you when you said it was over.  When we decided to have the girls, I took that as a sign that things were finally different. That you were ready this time. Ready to move on. With me. With us…”

“I was… I just….. I didn’t know…. I never .. I never set out to hurt you. I loved what we had…”  Lisa’s voice had become very quiet. A whisper. The pain in his voice was like another presence in the room.  There were tears in his eyes.  Tears reflecting the ugly truth.  She had hurt this man.  Just like she had Danny.  And Nic in a way, too. Even though he had his own motives for being with her. But Lockwood… He had been her friend.  Her confidante.  He made her feel safe.  Content. And loved. And she had loved him.  Just not like…

“But you never loved me, did you? Not like him. Not like Jackson.” Lockwood framed her thoughts into spoken words. Words that could not be denied.  

Lisa lowered her head.  

“Yeah. You can’t even deny it. Thanks for giving me that much. For being honest…now.  How long, Lisa? How long has this been going on?”

“What?  How long has what been going on? How long have I been in love with him? For a very long time… But I swear I didn’t know it. I thought it was over. My anger…my disappointment… I buried all those other emotions behind those.  And then…then he….”

She could not even say it without wanting to cry.  The memories were still too painful.

“Then he pulled off the master coup: he died! Fucking eh! What a master plan! He died…and the world- including my wife was at his feet again. Or at his cock, in your case.”

“Don’t be gross!”  When he talked shit like that, it was easy to snap back into angry mode, wanting to kick his ass. Lisa almost preferred that to the vulnerable, hurt man, she could not help but feel bad for. 

“Me?  Gross? How long…how long have you two been fucking… Laughing behind my back, making a fool out of me.”

“I’m not gonna answer that shit.  It serves no purpose. We gotta deal with our situation now…”

“I saw how you looked at him… I told you that before…what I don’t know is when did you start giving it to him again… When? Was it after his show. When he sang Lady In My Life to you? When you were out with Janet and Ri… Or did it just start again in Vegas?  Or..was it all along?  That day at the party at Sarah’s, when I couldn’t find you.  And you were acting all weird…was that it? When Lisa?” He stepped up and grabbed her arm, forcing her toward him.

“What the hell does it matter? I love him. I loved him all along…Why does anything else matter?”

They stared at each other for what seemed to be an eternity. Blue eyes clashing.  Lisa holding strong.  Unafraid.  

Lockwood finally broke eye-contact.  “You’re right. It doesn’t.”

“No…and you got even… You had your little sport here. In this studio…fucking some random chick. For what? Just to get back at me?”

“Oh, me fucking some chick wouldn’t be getting back at you. But fucking her here…that got to you, didn’t it?  The place where you fucked him…how many times, Lisa? Don’t think I don’t know.  Oh, you never said, but you got that look in here. Like it was hallowed ground or something ridiculous. And now….I pissed all over it…how does that feel? To have your precious memories shit on?”

Lisa stared up at him and his damn sneer.  “You fucking that dirty little hoe does nothing to my memories.  What Michael and I have…what we always had..you can’t touch that. No one can.”

“Oh yeah…. How ‘bout I change your memories…” He pulled her even closer and she almost was sick inhaling his rancid breath. “How ‘bout I take what’s mine? My wife.  In here… For old times’ sake…”  

Lisa just stared at him. Who the hell was this man?  

“Mike! Let my Mom go. Now- and get out. I called security and they are on their way.  Time to leave now!”  

Lisa and Lockwood both turned toward the resolute voice of her son.  Shit! Ben did not need to see all this crap! But she sure as shit was glad to see his face.  And to hear that security had been called.

Lockwood pushed Lisa away and she stumbled backwards. “Don’t worry. I don’t wanna have his left overs. Not again. Never again. But…I do wanna see my kids.”

Lisa stepped toward Ben who put his arm across her protectively.  When had her baby become so tall? So strong? 

“They’re at my mother’s.  Sober up. And we talk.  Remember them when you make your stupid ass decisions. And if you fuck up one more time, I have an army of lawyers come after you. You try to sue me for adultery, I cite this shit- and I make you seem like the worst unfit parent you could ever think of. Don’t think I won’t..”

“Fine.  I go… But I wanna see the girls tomorrow, Lisa Marie.  And you might wanna watch out. You think you and Mr Wonderful are all solid.  Does he know how you castrate all your men? Does he know it’s all about control for you? Does he know what you’ve been up to?  I had some very interesting calls today… and you might wanna hold on tight.   Your high and mighty ass might be left high and dry.  And you come running back. Sniffling. And maybe…just maybe… I’ll give you another try.”

“Time to leave…now…You’re done threatening my mother. ” Ben motioned toward the door.

“I’m not threatening her.  I’m just predicting the future.”

“You better predict away and find a new job while your’e at it.  Your free ride is over. And don’t worry about me coming running back. Ever. I’d rather joint a convent than to ever have to find my magnifying glass to deal with your charms again. So fuck off!”

Lisa turned toward the door and pulled Ben with her.  Two security guards appeared at the same time.

“Mister Lockwood is leaving. Make sure he makes it off the property. And he is not to be admitted again without my permission.”  With that, Lisa turned and left the stinking scene of Lockwood’s hissy fit. Pathetic loser!

“Lisa! Lisa Marie! We are not done! You can’t dismiss me like this.  Dammit Lisa….” 

Thankfully, his voice became fainter and fainter as he was escorted off.  

Lisa walked into the  living room and poured herself a stiff drink. Sitting down on the couch, she noticed how her hand was shaking. Shit, her whole body was trembling uncontrollably. What a fucking nightmare! 

“Mom…Let’s drive over to grandmother.  Ri and the girls are there. Let’s leave here for now…till it’s…till we get it cleaned up.”

Lisa was shaking her head. “No. I’m not gonna let him scare us off… This is my house.  Mine.  He can’t take that from me… He can’t take what it means..”

“No, Mom. But he made a mess. But we get it all straightened out.  Michael’s studio will be fumigated- and it’ll be brand new. We have some shamans come in and bring their sage swatch thingies…. And we get his dark energy out…We’ll feng shui this puppy into the right vibe in no time flat.”  

What?  Lisa woke from her stupor and looked at her son. Was he for real?

His cheeky grin told her he was just checking if she was paying attention. 

“You’re a mess, Benjamin, you know that?”

“Michael calls me that, you know that?”  

Lisa ruffled his hair, sucking comfort from the familiar blue eyes like balm for her soul. “Yeah…yeah, I know that…”

“You and he…you guy gonna make it work this time?”

Unless all the dire predictions from Deb from Hell and Lockwood the Loser came true.  They both had acted as if they knew something big was about to go down. Well…the joke would be on them. Michael would come to LA tomorrow. And she’d fill him in.  He would be angry.  Miffed.  Have a little fit.  And then they’d work it out.  Like adults. And that would be it. No more secrets. No more past crap to bury them. Only their future. Fights about leaving the cap off the toothpaste. And about him hogging the cover.  Normal, boring bullshit. Heaven.

And it was all so close.  The future she had always wanted was right there within her grasp. 

Lisa looked at her son.  His beautiful eyes. His bright, wise expression. And suddenly she was not afraid.

“Yeah…” A huge smile spread over her face and for the first time since she left Michael earlier she felt at peace. “ Yeah. We’re gonna make it work this time.  And it all starts tomorrow.”

++++

While this wonderful thought, together with several drinks helped to calm Lisa’s frayed nerves somewhat, trying to reach Michael got her worked up again in no time flat.  She had several erratic text messages from him, indicating Riley had indeed contacted him. Shit!  Lisa tried calling and it went to voicemail.  She tried texting, staring at the phone… No reply.  Maybe he was taking a shower.  Maybe he was …

Medicating himself due to being variously traumatized?  

No.  She had to really continue working on that whole trust thing. He was just fine in Vegas.  Alert, active….very active.  Now, there was a nice thought.  And at least she knew he wasn’t screwing some bimbo in a dance studio.  Damn, she still could not believe Lockwood had done that.  Guess the had overcome that no fighting thing for good now.  Leaving one more phone message for Michael to please call her, Lisa grabbed the bottle of Vodka and headed toward the bedroom…  When she walked past Ben’s room, he stuck his head out.

“Ben- go to sleep. It’s late. Or early… I can’t keep track.”

“Mom, I wanna make sure you’re okay. Hey…how ‘bout we watch some movies together?  We haven’t done that in like forever. I could go for a good old Star Wars marathon.”  

Lisa grinned, ruffling Ben’s hair.  “You know what? That’s a great idea.  I just gotta make sure…”  

Ben looked at her hand clutching her phone. “That’s what those handy dandy cellphones are for.  Make sure it’s on and you’re golden. Must be great not to have to worry about all those cords being too short anymore…”

“Very funny.  Actually, I still miss the good ole smoke signals.  You know- me being ancient and all…”

Laughing, Lisa went to her bedroom to get one of her spare chargers.  Well…another set of bedroom furniture she’d have to change. Even though Lockwood didn’t leave to much of his mark on this house, they still had shared this room.  It would be quite easy to evict his memories, though.  Unless those of the previous occupant.  And she didn’t mean Nic as they never shared a home.  

Oh, Michael- please check your damn messages and call me! I need you so badly. Only you can make this all better…

Even though Ben and his offer had helped.  Somehow Lisa had fallen asleep on the bed with Ben.  Her arm, aching from being asleep woke her.  The credits for The Empire Strikes Back were rolling, and Ben was also out like a light.  Lisa turned off the movie and kissed her son’s head, loving how he had taken care of his Mom tonight.  Both kids had shown their protective sides. Gosh, whatever she had fucked up on in her life, her kids were such a gift from God.  They would make her Daddy so very proud.  As a matter of fact she felt him in them…and felt his spirit telling her she did good.  

Not being able to sleep in the bed she had shared with her soon to be ex, Lisa curled up on the little sofa by the bay window, looking out at the fading stars as morning approached.  For the millionth time she checked her phone…nothing. This was so odd!  Where the hell was he? She knew he wasn’t sleeping, that was for sure!

Maybe he went to dance off his frustration and lost track of time.  Now, that would be within the realm of possibility.  She knew he still spent hours going over his routines.   He had assured her he was not wearing himself out like he used to, but she knew him too well.  He tended to lose all track of time, or space…or even himself when he became part of the flow and rhythm of the music cursing through him, lifting him. 

How many times had she watched him here, in this very house?  In the studio Lockwood felt cockblocked by.  Lisa had to chuckle.  Actually, he had been dead on.  It was impossibly to be in this house, and not think of Michael dancing.  The studio was at the center of the house like his dancing was at the center of the man.  He danced when he was happy. When he worked and wanted to get something right.  He danced when he mulled over new lyrics that weren’t just right, or when a song was not where he wanted it to be.  And he certainly danced when he was pissed.  

Memories lined up like perfect, unique pearls on the strands Michael loved to bestow on her.  Memories of her standing at the door, often unnoticed by him as he seemed transported.  Watching him was getting a glimpse into another universe.  When things were good, he invited her to watch. Or, if he caught her staring, he’d pull her in, goof around with her, make her part of his routine until they fell to the ground, laughing, kissing..his eyes sparkling with that inner fire of both his love for his art and his love for her.

And when things were bad… Well…when things were bad, she still could not pull away from the magnetic hold of watching him perform.  Actually, watching him when she was pissed was often even more intense.  Lisa remembered one particular fight.  Michael had ordered a truck load of manure dumped in front of Danny’s little house.  He pretended it had been an accident and that the landscaping company had made an error when delivering manure instead of top soil.  And then they had made another error when dumping it at Danny’s door.  They had been fighting about it for days. 

“Michael, I’m telling you- you had it dumped there. You arrange to have it moved.”

“He can damn well have it moved himself.  I can’t get a hold of the company- I’m busy and I got a life.  Tell that loser to get off his free loading ass and shovel the shit away himself.”

“If you can’t get a hold of them, have one of your minions do it. They hang on every world you utter anyway- let them do something useful. I want it gone.”

“Why do you care, anyway? Has he been whining to you? Is that why he was over when I got home?  I’m telling you- I’m damn well tired of that man being here 24/7. It ain’t his house. And it ain’t his family. And you sure as shit ain’t his wife!”

“It is his family. Ben and Riley are his kids.”

“Yeah- not like you forget to mention that every damn day. Like I forget…”  Michael pulled his shirt off angrily and threw it across the room. 

“You knew I got kids with the man.  Didn’t stop you from fucking me- so don’t act all injured.”

His eyes narrowed.  “Yeah- and now you act as if I somehow got him a a bonus.  You got any idea how it makes me feel you running ‘round and still playing house with him?”

“I’m not playing house. We’re friends. That’s what civilized people do.  Bad enough I broke up my kids’ family- I don’t have to make this hard on them. They need their father.”

“I think you need their father- that’s more like it.  Need him to make sure you don’t feel like some bad person for being with me. You want him?  You wanna go back with him?  Feeling guilty and shit?  Well- you know what?  Go get him, then, since you obviously don’t give a flying fuck about me and our marriage anyway.  Not like you’re having my children! Not like you worry about how I feel about all this shit round here. And I don’t mean the crap outside his door you’re so bothered with, either.” Michael stared at her, tears in his eyes. Furious.

“Oh great. Bring that crap up again.  You’re so damn unfair!”  Lisa felt like crying herself. She hated when he brought up the baby issue! Hated she couldn’t get pregnant again after her miscarriage.  Hated she started to feel she disappointed him as a woman..and a broodmare. Hated to feel that maybe, maybe her inner voice telling her she was flawed and lacking was as right as the people in her life constantly hammering her with their truths: that he never loved her.  That he used her.  That she was nothing to him.  

“I’m unfair?  I gotta live with your ex on my property! I gotta live with your mother constantly making trouble! I gotta live with you breaking your promises. But I’m unfair?  … You know what… Fine…. That’s fine…. Whatever.”  With that, he stormed off.

“Michael! Michael! I’m not fucking done! Get your ass back here!”

The only answer was the door being slammed behind him. Helplessly, Lisa screamed out her frustration, knowing that the kids weren’t home and staff was gone.  

He could run. Avoid their continued fight for now. She knew where he went.  And she knew it was a mistake to follow him. And yet…follow she did.  She spent the next hour or so trying to convince herself she didn’t care.  Was not going to go after him.  But hell, if she’d have him have the last word.  Yeah, that was it: She was simply going to give him a piece of her mind.  Oh, the ways we delude ourselves to get what we want…what we need. The driving bass line pulled her to the studio like some helpless fish caught on the torturous hook.  She did not want to seek him out, but dammit if she had a choice! 

Carefully and silently she opened the door, trying to steel her senses to what she would find.  Big deal, right? She'd seen him dance hundreds if times.... And yet, the vision before her stole her breath.  If he was a demon her soul would be sucked from her at that moment.  And if it would mean a moment longer to watch him, bathed in the light of the room, wrapped in the rhythm of the music, sparkling from the sweat dripping from his body and hair, she’d give her soul and her very life quite willingly.  

Lisa lost track of time, of why she was here, of anything that had happened before. Her anger melted from her, incinerated into nothingness like a useless waxen suit of armor for landing on the sun.  Michael did not seem of this world when he moved.  His torso naked, his skin flushed, sweaty… Her eyes took in his divine face, those sharp angles, the determined tensing of his jaw, his eyes full of passion and as if in some sort of trance as he watched his movements in the mirror.  The muscles in his neck, his shoulders, his beautiful, toned arms and chest calling to her in their own kinetic language to touch him, feel him.  Her gaze glided lower to the lose pants he wore.  The way they showed off his perfect ass…and then…as always…there it was.  Michael was sporting the evidence of the adrenaline- either from still being angry or from dancing…the rhythm his own aphrodisiac.  

And he hers.

And this man, this vision before her…he was hers.  It suddenly hit her with the force of the most powerful explosion.  Shockwaves numbing her while activating every nerve cell in her body.  He was hers to watch.  And her’s to touch.  Nothing else mattered. He was hers. And she most certainly was his.  As long as he would want her.  And longer.  Into eternity.  Nothing else mattered.  Nothing she and done and held herself accountable for.  It was all so damn worth it in that very moment.  

As if moved by a force beyond her willpower Lisa moved toward him.  The movement must have alerted him to her presence and he stopped cold, staring at her in the mirror.  His eyes blinked and narrowed.  His breath was moving his chest, while the rest of him appeared to be a gorgeous statue.  Lisa watched his abs constrict as his diaphragm worked to supply air to the lungs inside his heavenly chest.  The music droned on, becoming the beat forcing her to him.  

She came up and moved between him and the mirror.  Michael swallowed and the movement of his Adams Apple became the focal point of her fascination. Not realizing her own movement, she was almost startled when she noticed her fingers had reached up, brushing a curl from his face.  He cocked his head slightly to the side, as if confused by her presence.  Her touch.  Lisa traced a fingertip down his jawline, his neck, his collar bone, his sternum.  She had never really been a fan of sweaty man, but for some reason on Michael it was a huge turn on.  

And her body was about to go up in flames as it was.  The adrenaline from fighting, from watching him dance, from having him so damn near, from knowing he was her man.  

Looking down, Lisa noticed his hard on had become more pronounced.  Power rushed through her.  She affected him.  At least as much as the music he needed more than air to breathe. She felt he had followed her gaze.  Both their heads come up- their eyes meeting. Lisa reached out and up.  Grabbing his neck, pulling him to her a nanosecond before both his hands grabbed her face.  Their kiss was hard and passionate, making her teeth hurt as her tongue surrounded him, countered his attack. Their hands greedily roamed between and over their bodies. Michael roughly pulled her shirt from her, grabbing her tits, massaging and squeezing, before he pushed her against he cold mirror, stunning her when his hot mouth came down on her nipples, biting and sucking, soothing and torturing.  Lisa moaned, her own hand pulling down his soaking wet pants…finding him hard, thick, and hot.  Her hands closed around him and she felt him shiver.  Michael lifted his head and stared into her eyes.  His own orbs dark and passionate, asking for permission while communicating he was about to take what he wanted. His hands caressed from her swollen boobs over the plane of her abs to her little shorts.  Tracing the waistband, he reached around, his hand dipping lower, grabbing her ass, pulling her into him.  Kneading and spreading her, he found her dripping pussy and she made a little sound when he first spread her juices, then entered her roughly.  

Her hand on him increased the pressure and she felt him grow even more.  Leaving her heat, Michael pushed her shorts down and she stepped over them, kicking them off.  His mouth came down on her once more, crushing her, claiming her, stealing her breath until she was dizzy and saw little white specks dancing around them.

Michael picked her up in one swift move, pushing her back against the mirror, stunning her.   Their panting and moaning supplied the only lyrics to the ongoing music.  No words were needed.  Their bodies communicated the truth of their love and passion.  Lisa reached between them and placed his pulsing head at her opening, closing her eyes, bracing for impact.  Michael moved his pelvis up in a sharp thrust and brought her down on him.  He legs locked around him and she watched the mirror on the opposite side, enraptured by his back, his muscles, his ass, and also his balls- as he started to dance once more.  Taking her with him.  Allowing her to soar, taking her away from fake stupidity of their idiotic fights and releasing her into the clarity of her love for and addiction to him.

“Holy shit… Lisa….oh damn…You’re so…fucking tight…and hot…oh baby…”  His voice was dark and hoarse as he continued to drive into her.

“Michael…oh God…you feel so good…oh shit…damn…”  The pressure from his thick cock stretching her was almost unbearable.  

Michael reached down to where they were joined and applied pressure to her clit, providing the last little spark needed as Lisa jumped off some invisible ledge and soared into the light, screaming his name and her love for him.

“Girl…oh shit…you’re squeezing the life from me….I love you… I love you so damn much…. Hold on…oh fuck, I’m cuming….” She felt his penis expand, almost making her cry as his hot ejaculation and movement triggered another climax.  Once again she screamed, biting his salty shoulder while his body continued to jerk against hers.  One with hers.

It took them a minute to calm down. Lisa clinging to him helplessly. Knowing he had her.  Was her anchor.  

“Damn…” Michael finally breathed against her hair,  She lifted her face and he kissed her mouth gently now.  Then her cheeks, her lips again, her neck…

“Damn is right…”

“Guess you liked what you saw?” Michael smirked against her skin.  

“I liked seeing my husband, yeah…” Lisa whispered, snuggling closer against him, shuddering from his still semi hard penis inside her. 

“Well. This was certainly hot. But how ‘bout I take my wife to our bed now….and make love to her properly…slow…and deliberate…”

“Hey- ain’t nothing wrong with fast and hard…”

“No…but I wanna love you right… for hours and hours and hours.”

“And hours?”  

“Oh yeah…Cause you know, Lisa.  You gotta face it: I ain’t ever letting you go.  So you might as well get used to that.”

“Okay.” She grinned up at him and he kissed her deeply.  Possessively.  Lovingly.

“Damn! No argument?”

“Nope…”

 Another kiss.

“Well, you should come watch me more often…”

“I’m an obedient wife.  So…sure.”

Michael laughed.  “Okay then. Let’s see what else I get you to agree to…” He gently put her down and she shuddered when he left her.  

She looked down with a little scowl. “We made a mess on your floor…sorry…”

“Oh, I’ll make you pay for that.  Let’s go Mrs Jackson…you earned some punishment.” Smacking her ass fist, he helped her into her shirt and short, pulled his pants on, and then dragged her with him to their bedroom.  Where he indeed made love to her over and over until she was convinced he’d never let her go, indeed.  

++++

And now…all those years later… the studio was a mess once again.  But their lives would finally be back on track.  After all those detours and stops and gos.  The rhythm of their dance never had stopped.  Their song was ongoing.  

Lisa smiled, her eyes closed, her body heavy, and her mind finally where she felt she might drift off. Maybe she should make it over to the bed… but damn, she was so comfortable here snuggled up on the little sofa.  She relinquished herself to the soothing waves of her own breathing when something touching her check suddenly ripped her back to reality.

She swiped at what had to be a fly, then jerked up when she encountered something way more solid.

“What the..”  She blinked. Confused.

“Shhht… I’m sorry. I didn't wanna wake you. But you look so peaceful laying here.”

Was she dreaming?  She blinked again.

Impossible. 

Michael?

“I came as fast as I could. And let me tell y’a. Getting a chopper in the middle of the night is not exactly easy.”

“Michael….”

She grabbed his hand, making sure this was real.  Her fingers felt his skin.  Still, she barely dared to believe.  How could that be? 

“Hey- I went down and looked real quick. Well….Riley is right: the studio is a fucking mess!  I think we should send him the bill for the new floor…or at least send him a truckload of shit or something…”

Emitting a sound that was some mix between a sob and crying out his name, Lisa threw herself into his arms, about knocking him to the ground.  Thankfully, he caught her and pulled her toward so they both landed on the sofa. Finally, all the tension broke free as if a dam had been obliterated by a canonball. 

“Shhht…. I got y’a… I’m here… Don’t cry baby… It’s okay.  I’m here. And I ain’t ever gonna let you go. Not ever. This is nothing.  There’s nothing we can’t face as long as we’re together.  Come hell or high water.”

As she clung to him, Lisa prayed he was right.  

(to be continued) 

©2014 Erika B Michaels. All Rights Reserved. This story is a work of fiction. Any names, places, and other identifying features are used in a fictional manner, for entertainment purposes only, and are in no way representative of actual events. This work may not be reproduced, copied, transmitted, or stored without expressed written permission by Erika B Michaels. All photos and images, mentioned songs or song titles are copyright their creators. ABSOLUTELY no disrespect is intended to any persons portrayed in this work.