Chapter 23

Nick smirked evilly, sitting on the edge of the bed as he looked at Billie’s stricken expression.

 

“Well, this is an interesting turn of events.”  He said quietly, almost gently, but Billie wasn’t fooled.

 

“It’s none of your business.”  She snapped, shuffling backward in the bed until she hit the far edge then sliding out, pulling the sheet with her.

 

“Oh, I dunno.”  Nick grinned, a nasty grin that Billie didn’t like at all.  “Seems to me that it’s something should be public knowledge.  I mean, I’m sure his wife will be very interested to know he has a grown-up son with another woman.  Sure his kids will be interested to meet their big brother, too.”

 

“You sonofabitch!”  Billie wrapped herself in the sheet.  “This has nothing to do with you, or anyone else, Nick!  You have no right to ruin Jon’s life!”

 

“Hey, I’m not the one who fucked him.”  He protested, mock innocent.  “I’m not the one that had his brat.”

 

“Fuck you.”  She spat, continuing flatly.  “And the horse you rode in on.”

 

Nick looked at her calmly, speculatively.  Something told him that, despite her blustering defiance, Billie would walk barefoot on hot coals to protect her son and his father, and the possibilities intrigued him.

 

He was honest enough - with himself at least - to acknowledge that part of his sudden interest was to do with Billie putting him down so effectively.  And the desire burning through him now had less to do with sexual attraction than with a darker desire.  The desire to take this beautiful, wilful woman and break her.  To debase her purely for his own pleasure.  To take advantage of the power he had over her to exploit and explore every dark, dirty little fantasy he’d ever had.

 

Billie suppressed a shudder of fear at the expression on Nick’s face.  She wasn’t sure what, or how, but every instinct she had in her was screaming that she had some serious trouble coming her way.

 

“So let me get this straight.”  Nick said, his tone soothing, but his face and words anything but.  “Jon Bon Jovi is Jay’s father - now, don’t try to deny it - and he never even knew?”

 

“That’s right.”  Billie said reluctantly, but with a sudden flash of hope that her fears were groundless.  Sadly, she was wrong.

 

“And nobody but the two of you knows now?”

 

“Nobody.”  Billie whispered.  Not strictly true, of course, but there was no need to drag Richie into this, too.

 

“And you’re trying to keep it quiet?”

 

Billie just nodded, and Nick smirked in delight.  Perfect.

 

“Okay, so just how bad do you want to keep it quiet?” 

 

The frown on Billie’s face betrayed her confusion, so Nick was a bit more direct.

 

“What are you willing to do to keep this quiet?”

 

“Whatever I have to.”  Billie said honestly, then regretted the words the instant she saw the wolfish grin.

 

“God, I hoped you’d say that.”  Nick grinned, beginning to unbutton his shirt again.

 

“What the hell are you doing?”  Billie yelped as Nick dropped his shirt and went for the button of his jeans.

 

“More what you’re gonna be doing.”  He smirked evilly.  “You did say you’d do whatever you had to.  So you have a very simple choice to make, Billie.  Either you do exactly - exactly - what I want, or I call a very close friend of mine at the Philly Inquirer.”

 

For long minutes, Billie just stood, the sheet clutched protectively around her body as she tried to think.  Tried to think of a way out of this.  If Nick went to the media, even if Jon and she both denied it, the seed would have been sown.  Once the words were spoken - or printed - they couldn’t ever be taken back, and she could clearly imagine the pain which would be caused to so many innocent parties if Nick went ahead with his threat.

 

Nick waited for a few minutes, then sighed as though he was being forced to act against his will, reaching down to pull his cellphone from his jeans pocket, punching a speed dial and raising the phone to his ear.

 

“Hello?  Mikey?”  His eyes were fixed on Billie as his friend answered that of course it was him, who the hell else would it be?  “Hey, buddy.  I just thought I’d give you a heads-up.  You know that young kid on the team?  One that got hurt?  Yeah, that’s right, Kelsall.  Jay.”

 

“Okay.”  Billie whispered, looking like she was about to throw up, her hands white-knuckled on the sheet.  “Okay.  Whatever you want, Nick.”

 

He grinned, speaking into the phone again.  “Yeah, that’s right.  Just thought I’d let you know he got out of the hospital.  Looks like he’s gonna be just fine.”  A pause.  “Yeah, that’s all.  Why?  Oh, you’d heard already?  Ah, well, I been busy and forgot to call ya.  Yeah, okay.  I’ll see ya.”

 

Closing the phone, he was still gazing at Billie as he laid it down, trying to decide where he wanted to start with this exciting prospect of exploring his darker side.

 

“Lose the sheet.”  He muttered in a low, harsh voice.  “And come over here.  Now.”

 

 

Across town, in his apartment, Jay was enjoying Kadie’s company.  Neither of them was in the mood to go out on the town, so they’d ordered pizza and sat on the living room floor to eat it, washing it down with cold beer.  Now they were sitting close together on the floor, leaning against one of the couches as they kissed, learning each other’s taste for the first time.  After kissing each other breathless, it was Jay who drew back, looking at Kadie with longing.  And uncertainty.

 

“What’s wrong?”  She asked softly, reaching to touch his cheekbone with a fingertip.  “Jay?”

 

“I……….”  He flushed slightly.  How the hell was a guy supposed to say this?  “I just didn’t know if you wanted……..I mean, if we were going too fast or……umm……”

 

Kadie frowned.  She liked him.  A lot.  And she thought he liked her equally.  Something wasn’t making sense here.

 

“Not going too fast for me.”  She assured him.  “Or do you mean you don’t want to……don’t want me?”

 

“Oh, hell no!”  Jay blurted.  Shit.  Seemed like he’d just have to bite the bullet and say it.  “It’s just…….I……well……”  He lowered his gaze, picking up his beer bottle from the floor and fidgeting with it nervously, picking at the label then smoothing it down.  If he only knew it, yet another habit he’d inherited from his father.

 

“Talk to me.”  Kadie said, rubbing her palm on his knee.  It almost seemed like he was trying to tell her……but he couldn’t be!  Not possible.  Was it?

 

Jay screwed up his courage, raising his eyes to hers again. 

 

“Kadie, I haven’t…….I mean I’ve never……well, I……….umm………..ah, shit.”  He grinned crookedly.  “What I’m trying to say is I’ve never…..been with a girl before…..I’m still…..”

 

“Really?”  Kadie was shocked.  And turned on.  She’d never been with a virgin before.  “You’re…..you’re a virgin?”

 

“Yeah.”  He blushed brighter.  “Sorry.”

 

“What in the hell are you sorry for?”  Kadie asked, twisting onto her knees to face him fully. 

 

“For never having…….for not knowing……”

 

“Oh, Jay!”  She smiled tenderly, reaching to stroke his face.  “Do you want to?”  She didn’t let him answer.  “Because I want you.”

 

“You do?”

 

“Oh, yeah.”  Kadie moved across to straddle his knees, one hand sliding up his thigh to his crotch, gently caressing what she found there.  “I want you, Jay.  Do you want me?”

 

“Jesus, yes!”  He groaned at the feel of her hand on his crotch, the warmth of her palm through the denim a tantalising hint of the delights he could expect.  “I wanted you the minute I opened my eyes in the hospital and saw you, Karenza Desiree.”

 

Kadie gave a tiny shiver.  Normally she pretty much hated her full name, but in his voice…….

 

“Where’s your bedroom?”  She asked softly, rising to her feet and holding out a hand.

 

Nerves warring with growing arousal, Jay stood and took her hand, leading her through the apartment and into his bedroom.