Hi again all of you lovely readers.
The story continues.
A little bit longer than usual, but I hope you all will find it okay.
All three of them, Cody, Lance and Phil, stopped talking and stared bewildered at each other as they heard a loud ruckus from the kitchen. Then a female voice yelled out loud, and they heard a fist connect with someone's jaw.
Cody was the first to launch himself from the table. He did it so fast the chair fell backwards, crashing to the floor. Then he ran towards the kitchen like it was on fire.
Lance and Phil followed close behind.
The sight they saw when they entered the kitchen literally made their jaws slack like never before.
"Holy shit!" Phil exclaimed with his hand covering his mouth.
On the floor, Diane sat straddling an unconscious Laura, aiming another punch in her direction. Blood was pouring from Laura's nose spilling out on the floor. Diane looked furious enough to do some serious damage.
"MOM! What the hell?" Cody yelled and grabbed her arms, lifting her up from Laura like he was lifting the weight of a feather. He gazed down at Laura, worry written all over his face. "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?" he yelled with anger at his mom as he shook her violently. "WHY DID YOU DO THIS? ANSWER ME!"
Diane calmed down slightly when she saw her son, but she was not prepared for the immense anger that radiated from him.
"I had to do it. . " she sniveled, wiping her own nose, "Laura's a slut and she deserves it."
Cody gaped at her. "WHAT?" He could not believe his own ears.
"She's so much older than you, she should know better. . " Diane winced in the fierce grip Cody had around her upper arm.
"What the HELL are you talking about, mom?" Cody growled at her, his grip getting tighter.
Lance and Phil knelt beside their mother and scooped her up, carrying her to her bedroom. Snatching one of the towels from the kitchen, Phil used it to wipe the blood from her face on their way there. Both of them shook their heads at the whole mess.
Apparently Cody's mother also knew by now. But attacking their mom? Geez, that was to take it a little too far, wasn't it?
Cody stared at his mother, his eyes cold and dark with fury flashing from them.
"You have been in bed with her, " his mother hissed through her teeth, getting some well needed courage back.
Cody stared in shock at her. How the hell could she know?
"She should know better than to seduce boys your age, Cody." Diane snarled as she tried to free her arm from her son's hard grip.
Oh god! Laura's been knocked out because of him. By his own mother! Jesus Christ, this had turned out to be quite a mess. And it's all his fault.
Cody groaned as he slowly let go of her, his other hand rubbing his temple with vexation. How the hell would he find words good enough to explain to his mother? Oh what the hell. . . those kind of words does not exist. Just go for it!
"Laura had nothing to do with it, "he said giving his mother a stern look.
Diane snorted and gave an equally stern look back at him.
"Aha, so what did you two use? Remote control?" she blurted out, "I'm not stupid you know."
"No god damn it!" Cody growled and slammed his fist on the kitchen counter, "I was the one who seduced HER."
Their eyes met and he dared his mother to speak. Damn, he did not want to be here wasting time talking to his mother. He wanted to be with Laura. God, he was worried.
Diane's shoulders slumped down as the words her son said registered with her.
"No!" she said.
"Yes I did, " Cody told her through gritted teeth, holding up his finger in a warning gesture to her, "Do not say another word about it."
"But. . ." her voice faltered.
"But what? " Cody hissed, "That I am that perfect son of yours who does nothing wrong? Huh? Think again, mom!" he paced around the kitchen waving his arms around in anger, "Dad would be proud though, he would without no doubt give me an A in performance for nailing the hottest woman in town."
He stopped as he got to the counter, there he turned around and stared at his mother.
Diane gaped at him. Slowly she raised her hand to cover her mouth.
"Cody!" she gasped.
Cody leant his head to the side and watched her. Then he shook his head.
"You know it's the truth." he said short, pushing himself from the counter, "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to check on Laura."
With another finger of warning held up in front of her, he walked out from the kitchen to head for Laura's bedroom.
/ /
Flinging the door open to her bedroom he stared with horror at the vision of Laura lying on the bed. Lance and Phil stood up as he entered and both of them gazed at him with distress.
"Is she completely nuts, Cody?" Phil asked shaking his head as he motioned outside the room.
"Yeah. . I think so. "Cody answered shortly, making his way over to Laura, squatting down beside her by the bed. "How is she?"
"Out for the count!" Lance stated flatly with his mouth in a grim line. "I think her nose is broken, we need to get her to the hospital."
Cody clenched his teeth hard. His mother had not heard the last of this yet . . . oh no!
"I'll take her, " he said determined and stood up, "You two, try and talk some sense into my bat-shit crazy mother will you?. I think she will be more receptive now than she was earlier." Cody scooped Laura up carefully and carried her from her room. When he got out in the hallway he turned and looked at his friends.
"Well, if my mother continues being such an idiot, you have my permission to clog her mouth thoroughly." he said loud enough for his mother to hear, and before turning around to leave, he added, "She sometimes has a nasty habit of being totally unable to put a sock in it."
~ ~ ~ ~
Neal glared at his watch. It was late. . but not too late.
He owed it to her, to give her a call. To tell her how sorry he was, that he had to split so suddenly when he was so close to having her. That particular flaw was driving him out of his mind, and he damned Kay to hell to have been the one interrupting him.
It was like he was cursed with bad luck.
As he flipped the pages in his phonebook, he reached for his new cellphone, his lips in a flat grim line.
The signals sounded and he listened intently staring straight into the wall opposite him. Damn this ugly and worn down motel. He had to take her somewhere else.
When about 5 signals had passed, he started to get impatient, and when 10 had passed he was down -right furious. Not again. He would not be able to control his temper if this bad luck of his would last any longer.
Growling, he had to reach down in the deepest pit of his concentration as to not throw the damn phone in the wall again.
Why the hell did she not answer? He had been positive that she would have. Especially now, when he so delicately had told Diane the news about her and Cody.
He was sure as hell that she was going to be alone and abandoned by now. So why the hell did she not answer?
He looked at his watch again. Was she out? Working maybe?
In a flash he stood up from the bed. Yes! He would go down to the Pint to check.
A broad smile crept over his lips. Maybe if he were lucky and, contrary to expectation, would find another easy target for the night, it would just be well needed practice for the big event.
His eyes turned dark as he snatched his jacket from the hanger by the door, and his broad smile changed its nature into deceptive and scheming as he opened the door and walked out.
~ ~ ~ ~
She could hear people talking in the far distance, and the first thing that entered her mind was that her face did hurt, a lot. Mostly her nose.
Laura opened her eyes slowly. Damn. Even they did hurt like shit. And the first thing she saw was the blurry vision of Cody standing a few feet away from her . Jesus! Even as blurry as he was right now, he was stunningly handsome.
She chuckled a little to herself. And as her memory came back slowly, she chuckled even more. Oh God! Diane had really shown her what she thought of the situation.
Somehow Cody must have heard her, because the next second he was by her side squatting down, immediately taking her hand, holding it in a steady grip.
"Oh baby. . . I am soo sorry:" he whispered in her ear, slightly brushing his lips against her, letting them travel gently down her slender neck as he inhaled her lovely scent, "We're at the hospital. I had to take you here. Your nose is broken."
As her vision got more clear, she gave him a soft, small smile. Her lips just slightly curved, as that to did hurt like the dickens.
"Okay, " she said short and turned her eyes down, then she silently whispered, "The others?" She had almost been afraid to ask the question.
Cody closed his eyes for a brief second. God, he felt awful for what his mother had done to her. That crazy woman had some serious explaining to do when they got home. He was just afraid that his own bad temper was going to mess the whole thing up. Oh! Thinking about it, he just realized where his bad temper came from. His mother.
"They are still at your house, " he said as he opened his eyes and looked at her, "Keeping my crazy ass mother on a short leash and tied to your kitchen table, "
Laura blinked. Cody looked so remorseful she actually felt a twinge in her heart. She reached out and put her hand to his face, caressing him.
"This isn't your fault, Cody." she told him silently, "You couldn't have known. "
He grabbed her smooth hand and held it to his face. He kissed each of her fingertips slowly, like he worshiped them for the simple fact that they just were a part of her wonderful body.
"How the hell could she have known?" he asked as he shook his head totally taken aback, "Nobody knew until just a few hours ago, and neither Lance nor Phil had any opportunity to tell her. "
Laura swallowed and gently pulled her hand back.
"Except. . ." she whispered.
Cody looked at her questioning. Then it slowly dawned on him. He had to bite back the instant fury he felt just by thinking about the guy.
"Neal." he hissed angrily through his teeth.
Laura nodded back at him." I don't know why, but he seems to be seriously pissed at me, " she said dejected biting her lip slightly.
Cody snorted with disgust.
"Oh, I can tell you." he started and took hold of her hand again, "That guy has been watching you for months. And he's pissed that you turned him down."
Laura gasped.
"I never told you because I never thought it would be something that mattered. All men down at the Pint practically drools over you. . . and so did he. I saw him down there dozens of nights, hiding in the far corner of the room." Cody continued. His eyes never left Laura's as he spoke." He wants to get back at both of us."
Laura raised her brows and wrinkled her forehead at the information. So, he had been down at the Pint. Funny. She could not recall seeing him there before the night that Kay came down and introduced him to her. But then again, she had no interest in the men down at the Pint. None what so ever.
The next second a male nurse approached the bed she was lying on.
"Laura Stevens?" he asked in a professional tone.
Laura gazed at him and nodded. He looked pleasant. Not over the top handsome, but good enough looking, with blond hair and blue eyes, making him almost look like a Nordic Viking.
One of his hands reached out to examine her face.
"Yes, that is definitely a broken nose," he stated a moment later and scribbled down something on a paper he held in the other hand, "But don't you worry. We will patch you up well enough, so you'll look as pretty as before, okay?" He gave her a reassuring smile, then his eyes turned to Cody. His smile slowly faded away.
"What happened here?" he asked, his tone a little darker now, "By the way she looks, I am not going to settle with the 'she fell of her bunk' talk."
Cody caught his breath. What? Did that bloody nurse really think he did it?
Laura both heard and saw the change in Cody, and she became somewhat annoyed that the nurse had asked that question. Come on. Really?
"I can tell you myself, "she said with a hurry and cut in before Cody had any chance to reply, "I am perfectly capable of telling you what happened."
All of a sudden Cody stood up and reached down his jeans pocket for his cellphone. It was vibrating and it was on soundless.
"Sorry, I have to take this.." he said and backed away, getting a glare from the nurse.
"Cellphones should be off when you enter a hospital, " the nurse said with clear dislike.
Laura bit her lip hard as to not tell him to go and seek up a warmer place, her glare giving him a hint of what she struggled with.
"Maybe that wasn't his first priority when he got here with me?" she said with acid coating.
The nurse cleared his voice with a slight embarrassment.
"Eh, off course not." he said and backed away one step, "Can you sit up?"
Laura glanced at Cody, who was standing next to the door to the room, as she carefully sat up on the bed. She swallowed hard as her head started spinning, but after just a few seconds it subsided.
"Whoa, head spin there for a moment, " she mumbled as she corrected her seating, "Okay, now I am up."
"Good, " the nurse said, his professional tone back again, "Let me look at you, so we can estimate the best way to fix your nose."
"Okay." Laura answered lazily, her eyes still at Cody. Damn, he is so good looking. And you Laura Stevens, are one hell of a lucky woman.
She smiled a little as she thought about it. Then she saw him approach her bed.
He gazed at the nurse to make sure he did not interrupt as he sat down beside her on the bed.
"I have to go down to the garage to pick something up. Brady called." he said with annoyance in his voice.
Laura made sure it was okay with the nurse, then she turned her head and looked at Cody.
"At this hour? It's almost midnight." her voice almost a whisper.
"I know." Cody hissed low, "I am the only one who knows where the damn thing is. It is more neat and fucking tidy in hell than it is down there, I can tell you."
He gave her hand a squeeze and looked her deep in the eyes.
"I'll be back before you know it." he whispered in her ear.
Laura felt pleasant shivers run down her spine as his breath tickled her neck and ear. She smiled and nodded at him, then she watched him leave. The view as he left made her gasp for breath. Oh my, those jeans really clings to him perfectly, they are making his yummy butt look even more delicious.
The 'Nordic Viking' nurse did a good job patching her up, and it did not take long either. When they were done, he left her to rest on the bed while she was waiting for Cody to come back for her.
She was all alone in the room and it was a perfect opportunity for Laura to think. Not that she really wanted to dwell on what had happened, but she had a really hard time not to.
As far as she knew, she had been the perfect citizen. She worked hard, even harder than most people, and she paid her taxes. She had a nice house that was paid for and two good looking sons who had grown up to be even greater than she had hoped for. She had never picked a fight in her entire life and she was always polite towards the men who hit on her at work. She had never complained about that, even though they always were kind of obnoxious.
And as a big thanks to that as it was right now, she had been punched in the face twice, and she had a stalker cop after her.
Great going!
When the hell did everything go wrong? And why?
Oh shit!
Closing her eyes she sighed heavily. She knew. Oh, she knew all but to well when.
Everything had started at some point after that wonderful night when Cody had seduced her on the hood of his Pontiac Firebird. Oh, the lustful memories. Laura shivered with pleasure when she thought about it. He had really fired her up that night . . . and she was still burning . . . for him.
She closed her eyes and sighed. She really had to collect herself.
Shaking herself from her stupor, she located with fumbling hands her handbag at the foot end of the bed. Shaking her head in awe, she made another mental note in her head that Cody really was a gem to be hold. He had actually brought her handbag to the hospital. Okay, she knew that her personal information like social security number, hospital insurance and driver's license were in her wallet and needed for a hospital visit, but any other guy would probably have scooped her up and left the house without that. A wry smile crept over her lips as she thought about it.
Checking her watch for the umpteenth time, Laura yearned for Cody to come back and take her home. And deep inside of her a rage started to grow. She was officially so god damned fed up with everything that it was consuming her. She was not going to take it anymore!!
~ ~ ~
Neal stood at the far end of the bar and checked his watch . . . again.
Damn it. She was obviously not working tonight. Letting out a deep disappointed breath just to suppress his bad temper, he then took a huge gulp from the beer he had in front of him and allowed the cool liquid to caress his throat on the way down. Okay. There was no reason for him to stay any longer at this depressing joint. Damn it, he could actually see the disappointment on all of the men in there. . .and he knew why. Laura wasn't there.
God! That vixen really had all of the men in town in her spell, didn't she? It literally made him sick to his stomach. And what really made him want to hurl was that darn whippersnapper that had nestled his way into her panties. Prince 'the fucking' Charming.
Hey. . .She could not seriously be satisfied with what he had to offer, now could she?
Emptying his glass, he put it down on the counter with a bang. The noise from it turned several heads in the bar.
Then Neal left the bar and went out to the parking lot to locate his car.
Opening the door on the driver side, he smoothly slid in and then closed it.
He gazed at his cellphone.
Yes. He would give it another try.
~ ~ ~
Laura sighed yet again as she ruffled through her handbag for her wallet. How long could it take?
She really wanted to get home now. The nurse had done a mighty fine job with her nose and she had been given some medicine for the pain, she was good to go.
Suddenly her cellphone rang somewhere in her bag, making her jump. After a few signals she found it and answered in anticipation without checking at the number, thinking it was Cody.
"Laura Stevens!"
"Laura, my sweet Laura, " a scary and familiar voice whispered on the other line, "Finally you answered. Where. Are. You?" The voice was demanding and horrid, enunciating every word with scary precision.
Laura froze immediately and she held her breath. My god! She recognized that voice.
It was Neal.
She couldn't speak. Her tongue was frozen solid.
"You know, I am going to find you sooner or later, alone, "he wheezed with confident, " And when I do, I am going to finish what I started."
Laura stared with horror on the cellphone. Oh God, No! Would this nightmare never end? Why was he doing this to her? Why on earth was she listening to him? This was just madness.
She decided to end the call, but before she did, she heard his voice call out to her in a growl.
"I am going to make you suffer for being such a slut . . . trust me on that!"