Through all of the fun and romantic times, there were two questions that kept nagging at Evie: did her dad know (and if he didn't and found out, what would he do), and was her relationship with Nikki really all that happy?
Throughout her childhood, Evie (mostly) stayed out of trouble and Mick rarely ever gave her a reason to lie, but through some minor practice, she discovered that she was decent at deception. However, all the things she was used to lying about were petty: 'how did you do on the test,' 'did you clean the bathroom,' never 'are you sleeping with my bassist?'
Mick never actually asked her that, but maybe that made it even harder to hide. If he asked outright, she could shut it down in a convincing manner by acting disgusted and offended, and she would convince Mick that all the signs he took as evidence of something going on between her and Nikki had been misinterpreted by Mick, probably because he subconsciously thought of his daughter as a whore, or so she would manipulate him into thinking.
Instead, she was stuck considering every move, every comment, and every smile, wondering if that would be the thing that made her father realize what was happening.
And she was right to do so. When Mick first started noticing how much time Nikki and Evie were spending together, he brushed it off as friendship. Evie was a friendly girl and he supposed Nikki could be nice if he tried, and that explained that.
Looking back on it, Mick realized this idea was fueled by denial. He didn't truly believe Evie would be interested in Nikki, and the concept of your child, that little kid that was once an innocent little baby, having sex is one that every parent struggles to wrap their head around. He was still in denial even after Vince told him exactly what was going on.
It was about a week ago, two days after, unbeknownst to Mick, Evie lost her virginity. Vince called the Deal home, and Mick picked it up. He told Mick to get Nikki. After he informed the bassist of who was calling, Nikki said something along the lines of 'tell him I'm not in the mood for sex and drugs.'
Vince scoffed when Mick told him this, then said, "that little princess of yours has turned him into a saint, huh?"
Mick was only confused.
"You don't know?" Vince knew he was being an asshole by bringing it up, but he truly believed Mick knew at least some of what was going on. He almost dropped the topic right then and there, but he decided it was actually a bit fun, getting Nikki in trouble.
"Don't know what, Vince?"
"Nikki's been sleeping with your daughter."
Mick almost hung up the phone right then and there, certain that Vince was just being a dick. It took him a few moments to reply. "What do you mean?"
"How do you not know? I don't know how long it's been happening but a few weeks ago he was making out with her at a party, and he told Tommy that something was going on between them."
That was when Mick hung up. Some part of him told him that Vince was a liar, that he was holding something against Nikki or trying to anger Mick. He told himself that even if Nikki had the nerve to try something, Evie would never allow it. She had never dated anyone before and Mick knew it. She cared too much about her academics and future to let anyone, much less a guy like Nikki, waste her time.
But then again, Mick knew that the pair were getting along well and always doing something together. And there were moments that made Mick think there was some sort of attraction between them, like when Nikki could make her smile and laugh just by looking at her, and when Evie sat next to Nikki on the couch without even thinking about it, especially when there were plenty of other spots for her to sit.
They were small things, but looking back on it, he recognized it as young love, the same type of love that begot Evie all those years ago. After he took the time to think about what Vince said and watch how Evie and Nikki interacted, Mick realized how much of an idiot he was for missing the signs.
So, he had accepted it: Evie and Nikki were more than friends. How much actual love and romance were involved, Mick didn't know, but he accepted that it was happening. Now, he had to think about what he was going to do about it.
At first, Mick was angry at Nikki. He believed that Nikki was taking advantage of Evie's naivety and kind heart, making her think they were going to be together forever when all he really wanted was sex. Had Nikki been home instead of driving Evie to her job when Mick was in that mindset, there likely would have been a fistfight and a vacancy in the basement.
But then, Mick cooled down and thought about the situation more rationally. Was he being fair to Nikki, he thought. What evidence did he have to suggest that Nikki was no good, that he couldn't care about a woman? While he could find plenty of evidence to suggest Nikki was untrustworthy, there was also plenty, if not more, evidence to suggest that he was well intentioned, if not the smartest.
Mick ultimately decided that he couldn't tell if he should be angry at Nikki or not.
What mattered more to him, though, was Evie. He was never angry at her. Frustrated, sure, but in every one of Mick's assumptions she was either a victim or a teenage girl acting like a teenage girl. The main dilemma to Mick was whether he was going to talk to her about it or not.
On the one hand, he didn't want to tell Evie she couldn't date Nikki. If he had learned anything in his life, it was that if you tell someone they can't do something, they only wanna do it more. While Evie was never the most rebellious child, she could certainly be a spiteful bitch sometimes.
However, he did want her to understand what was likely going on. Mick couldn't fully convince himself that this was happening, but he had seen far too many cases of older guys taking younger girls for a ride because the girl was too young and inexperienced to realize when someone was treating her like shit. Mick never saw Nikki be mean to Evie (or any woman, for that matter), but he did notice the vast quantities of liquor that went into the basement, and he did notice the white powder sprinkled all over the dashboard of Nikki's car, which he rushed to brush away when he gave Mick a ride a few days ago. The only thing Nikki had going for him was that (to the best of Mick's knowledge), he had managed to stay away from the Motley house.
All of these different ideas flowing through his mind, Mick ultimately decided to remain quiet on the topic of Nikki and Evie's relationship, but he would be watching.
Mick wasn't the only one who worried about the future happiness of the relationship. Evie found herself having doubts too.
Some of it could be attributed to her own internal issues. She often worried about Nikki's loyalty. Part of her was self conscious, believing she wasn't pretty or sexy or likable enough for him, and that one of the hundreds of other women who came to his shows and tried to sneak backstage would lure him away. It didn't help that Evie knew Nikki and his friends had a long history of hooking up with random women for fun. Though he assured her that he wasn't going back to the apartment and there wasn't evidence that he was lying, her own insecurities told her that he was sneaking away while she was at work.
The issue that caused Evie the most distress, though, was Nikki's substance abuse. Evie had a fleeting idea that Nikki was still doing hard drugs. The only evidence she had was the way his pupils got big, and that he sometimes spoke fast and breathlessly. It wasn't hard proof, but it was enough to make Evie's blood pressure rise.
Even more infuriating, he didn't hide the fact that he drank. Every time Evie went into the basement, there were a minimum of six empty liquor bottles scattered around the room. Almost every time she went to kiss him, she was assaulted by the smell and taste of alcohol. Since the night he first kissed Evie, Nikki had cut back on the nights where he drank himself into oblivion, but Evie could tell that he was almost always at least a little buzzed.
Deep down, she knew that it wasn't fully Nikki's fault. Nobody becomes an alcoholic just because they like the taste of liquor. She knew he was addicted, and probably needed professional help or at least an intervention. She tried to keep this in mind and be empathetic, but that didn't make it any easier to deal with. When she got frustrated with him, she would begin to resent him for his drinking, thinking he was being selfish for refusing to get help, that if he wasn't going to do it to help himself, he could at least be mindful of the pain it brought her. Evie really wanted to bring it up to him, the same way she had talked to Mick about his drinking problem, but something told her that it would turn into an explosive argument, one their relationship was not yet strong enough to withstand.
But these thoughts took up only a fraction of Evie's feelings towards Nikki. For the most part, she loved spending time with him. Even when he was drunk, he was still funny and kind enough to make Evie forget that he had downed a bottle of vodka an hour before. She hadn't had much of a chance to meet sober Nikki, after all; to her, the inebriated Nikki was the one she was beginning to fall in love with.
They would go to concerts at the same venues Motley played at, sometimes watching bands like Dokken and Ratt from the back row of the venues, and sometimes listening from the street when money got tight. They would use what they learned from the bands they liked to continue working on new music for Motley Crue's next album (even though the first one hadn't been released yet). They both discovered that not only could Evie write guitar pieces, but her lyrics weren't bad either. In the end, she would have four writing credits on the as-of-then unnamed second album.
On their more lax nights, the pair watched vintage horror movies or went to the library, where they would pick out books for each other. Nikki loved making her read science fiction, while she hoped her romance paperbacks inspired him.
But Nikki didn't need a novel to give him ideas. If anything, it was Evie who needed inspiration. He would have her three times a day and four times a night if he could, but she was still so scared. Of what, Nikki wasn't sure, but her fear was real enough that she didn't want to do anything more than kiss for a week after he took her virginity.
At first, Nikki assumed this fear was related to the sex itself-- she was self conscious of her body, or afraid it would hurt, or afraid he wouldn't stop if she wanted him too. It wasn't until one memorable Tuesday night that Nikki learned the truth: it was her emotions she was afraid of.
"I want to talk to you about something," Evie said, descending the staircase to the basement after watching her father's car pull out of the driveway.
Like most people after hearing that phrase, Nikki felt a surge of fear. He put down his bass and motioned for her to come nearer.
Evie stood in front of him, clearly thinking about how to phrase her thoughts.
"Are we dating," she finally asked.
Nikki looked past her, trying to decide how to answer. "I-I don't know. Do you want to be dating?"
"Yes."
Nikki blinked twice, taken aback by her bluntness. Then he smiled. "Then I guess we're dating."
Evie thought his confirmation would come as a relief to her, but it didn't. There was still a more pressing issue that she was afraid to bring up. She decided, though, that it was now or never. "I only brought it up because...I guess I'm just a little worried that you're not being monogamous."
She looked at his chin, hoping he didn't notice her eyes watering.
He did notice, and he reached out for her. "I am being monogamous," he said, holding one of her arms. "I promise, I haven't even kissed someone since...since at least a day or two before you kissed me."
Again, Evie had no reason to not believe him, but her insecurity kept her from accepting his answer right away. She didn't respond.
"Come on, Evie," Nikki said, guiding her to sit on his lap. "You know I'd never cheat on you." He played with her long hair, pulling it in front of her shoulders and fluffing it out.
Evie nodded. "I know." She took a deep breath and looked at his fingers in her hair. "I think I just get worried sometimes and I want to make it clear moving forward that you're mine."
"I'm yours, huh? And you're mine." He ran his hand along her hip. "All five feet of you."
Evie kissed him. His affection soothed all of her fears. They made out with her sitting on his lap until Nikki pulled the lever that turned the futon into a bed. Then they made out with her straddling him while he laid on his back.
It was only a few minutes before Nikki freed himself of his pants and undid Evie's bra. She was about to flip onto her back when Evie had a better idea.
"You remember that shower you keep teasing me with," she asked, her mouth inches away from his. "I think it's time we finally take it."
Evie stood up and took her clothes off, beating Nikki to the bathroom. She was the one who turned on the water, finding the perfect temperature while Nikki undressed.
She stepped into the shower first, loving the feeling of the warm water on her skin. Nikki got in behind her and kissed her neck. Evie turned around. Feeling emboldened, she reached down and started jacking him off. Nikki had to gasp, partly because he hadn't expected her to be so brave, and partly because the gentleness of her touch sent shivers all over his body.
"You eager little slut," Nikki said with a smirk. The comment made her pussy throb. Smiling, she kept getting acquainted with Nikki's penis, feeling its ridges and veins, and trying to tell what movements made him squirm.
"Why don't you get down there and suck it?" Nikki said, one hand on her ass and the other on her elbow.
Evie froze, considering what he was asking her to do. The idea was really hot. She thought it was both degrading and powerful, getting on the ground and doing something far too personal solely for his pleasure, though she got to choose how much pleasure. But now that she actually had the chance to do it, it just seemed intimidating.
Nikki sensed her hesitation and was about to move on when he heard Evie whisper, "just a little bit. And let me have control."
Nikki nodded and she lowered herself onto the floor. Evie had never felt so vulnerable or small, being on her knees in front of a man. She paused for a moment, and Nikki fought the urge to put his hand on her head and guide her.
Finally, she held the base of his dick with her hand and put the tip in her mouth. She licked it all over, eventually falling into a rhythm that made Nikki throw his head back and groan. Once she got more comfortable, she tried moving beyond the head. She took a deep breath and relaxed the muscles in her jaw and throat.
With her heart pounding and wetness almost dripping down her thighs, she took a good four inches of his almost six inch dick into her mouth. The sensation was entirely new, a weighty object that sat on her tongue and restricted her breathing, yet she couldn't get enough. She went up and down eagerly, sometimes gagging herself in the process.
"Gooood girl," Nikki moaned, his hand on her head gently pushing her forward.
She pleasured him for what seemed like a long time, but was actually only a minute or two. Finally, she pulled away, gasping for breath. She looked up at Nikki, who was looking down at her with a dreamy look in his eyes.
He helped her up and spun her around, so that her back was to him. "That felt amazing," he said in her ear. "Are you ready for your reward now?"
She nodded, not sure what he was planning. Wrapping his arm around her to keep her steady, Nikki lifted Evie's left leg. Her foot found the edge of the tub at the same time Nikki told her to bend over. She held onto the safety bar while Nikki began fucking her.
He slid in easily. He could tell that sucking his dick had made her wet. He hurled his hips over and over again, thrusting in and out of her while she whimpered. But he could only keep it up for a minute or so. At 5'1, she was a foot shorter than him, meaning Nikki had to squat down at an awkward angle to penetrate her. Soon, his thighs began to burn.
He helped her stand up straight again, this time pushing her back against the wall of the shower. They made out passionately for a few moments, then he went to fuck her again. This position took even more effort. No amount of squatting on his part or leg lifting and hip arching from her was going to let him in more than a few inches.
On the fourth failed attempt, Evie burst into laughter. So did he. Her arms wrapped around his neck, they looked at each other with love. They gave up trying to have sex, instead kissing each other in between laughs. Evie finally suggested that they take it to the futon.
They turned off the water and got out of the shower, sharing the one towel in the basement in an effort to get semi-dry. Then, Evie laid down on the bed.
Nikki quickly guided Evie into a doggy style position. At the last moment, he remembered to grab a condom, tearing it open with his teeth. Evie wasn't sure what the hold up was; she simply sat there, bent over, waiting to be filled.
When she finally was, it felt even better than the first time. While that first time had involved some element of pain, some pinching feeling when he thrust too deep or at the wrong angle, it now felt like Nikki's dick had been made to fit perfectly inside of her. She moaned from the pleasure.
"You like that?" Nikki said, out of breath. "You like being fucked, you little whore, my little cocksucker?"
"Yes," she squeaked.
"That's what I thought." He flipped her over onto her back, meeting her eyes as he reinserted himself inside of her.
Nikki stared at her for a moment, seeming to be thinking about something. Then, his hand went up to her throat, holding it but not applying pressure.
"Can I choke you?" He asked.
Without even thinking, Evie nodded.
He started lightly squeezing the sides of her neck. Evie's eyes widened. A few seconds in, she felt a fleeting sense of panic, her body recognizing that she was in danger. But she fought the urge to push him away. The instinctive fear sent sparks through her, including in between her thighs. It caused a spike in her pleasure, and, after she realized that Nikki knew just the right time to release his grip and allow her some air, it felt exhilarating.
She had never felt so dominated, and she loved the feeling, knowing she was at the mercy of the strong man on top of her. He would hold her down until he wanted her to get up, restrict her oxygen until he wanted her to breathe, and he would keep fucking her was done. She felt helpless underneath Nikki and she loved it.
"You're being such a good girl for me," Nikki said, smiling down at her. "I didn't know you were so obedient."
Evie tried to respond but couldn't because he was still choking her. Watching her squirm and struggle to speak made Nikki lose it.
He picked up his speed. Her arms tightened around his neck as he came with a hard thrust and a loud groan.
When he was done, he collapsed next to her.
She breathed rapidly, taking in the air that she had been denied. She was still getting tingling feelings of excitement all over her. She wanted to tell Nikki how great it had been, but she couldn't think of a sufficient enough way to express how she was feeling.
Nikki got up to clean himself up and try to dry his hair a little more. When he came back, Evie had tears in her eyes. They weren't tears of sadness, though. Instead, they had come from the overwhelmingness of it all. She had felt euphoric, terrified, in love, and overstimulated, all at once. Somehow, Nikki knew that she didn't need to be asked what's wrong and consoled. She only wanted to be held.
He laid next to her again, her head resting on his chest and her arm extended over his torso. Nikki waited until she stopped shaking.
"Did you like what I did to you?" He asked gently.
Evie laughed, then nodded her head. "I did." She nuzzled in closer to her.
"Do you like it when I'm in control? When I'm a little rough with you?"
Evie thought for a second. In her fantasies, she was always being a passive participant, letting the man use her roughly, but she had always tried to suppress those thoughts. She thought she was the only one who fantasized about that and it made her feel ashamed. She told herself that she wouldn't actually like having that happen to her in real life. Hearing somebody else express her feelings without her having to bring it up first validated everything she dreamed of.
"I guess so. Yeah, I really like it," she said, more to herself than anything.
Nikki smiled and held her tighter. "Good to know."
They laid in silence for a while, enjoying each others' company. Nikki was about to tell her she should probably head to bed when he realized her eyes were closed. She had fallen asleep in his arms. Nikki froze. It certainly wasn't the first time a woman had fallen asleep while they were cuddling, but this was the first time in a while that it brought him comfort, rather than making him choose whether to let her sleep for an unknown period of time, or try to sneak out undetected.
He kissed her head, very gently pulled the blanket over the two of them, turned off the bedside lamp, and fell asleep, too.