The Call
By: Lara
Section One “The Call”
Chapter One
“Call Made”
“Hi, it’s me…what’s up baby?”
“Nicky…hey, sweetheart!”
“I’m sorry…listen…I’m gonna be late tonight so
don’t stay up and wait for me, okay?”
“Nick, where are you?”
“Say that again?
You’re really dropping out…my battery must be low…”
“Nick?”
“Listen…if you can hear me…we’re going to a place
nearby…alright? Gotta go…”
Click.
“Hello?”
“Lara…it’s me.”
“Hey, what’s up?”
“You sound miserable.”
“Nick just called…he’s staying out and not coming
over. Do you realize how often I’ve
seen him lately? Almost never.”
“Lara…I need to tell you something…I’m at a club…I
just saw Nick…he’s not alone.”
Lara opened the door at noon and jumped as a
bouquet of flowers was thrust in her face. White roses. Her favorite. “Mmm.”
She grabbed the bouquet and buried her face in the fragrant flowers.
“Hi there.”
Nick smiled bashfully. “I’m sorry I bailed on you last night. Things
just got crazy…Howie begged me to go to another club…and it woulda been so
late.”
“And you were probably drinking, right?” Lara
guessed. Guessed correctly, by the way
he blushed. “That’s fine, sweetheart.
You work so hard…you deserve playtime, too!”
“Right now, I wanna play with you.” Nick nudged
Lara into her apartment and shut the door behind them. “I’m yours for the next three days, if you
want me.”
“I want you, all right,” she said, tugging at his
tshirt.
As Nick dozed beside her, Lara reached out to touch
the frail petal of one of the roses that sat in a vase on her nightstand. She carefully pulled the rose from the vase
and crushed the bud in her hand. She
dribbled the petals over Nick’s bare back and smiled as she lay back, a plan
slowly formulating.
“Yo.”
“It’s me.”
“Lara…baby…how are you? I should have called again to check on you and see how you were.
Maybe I shouldn’t have told you.”
“No…you definitely should have. I’m grateful to have friends like you, since
my other so-called friends have kept me in the dark.”
“Lara, maybe they didn’t know.”
“The Backstreet Boys are tight. They know.
Probably help him find the skanks.
I need your help…will you help me?”
“Absolutely.”
“What do you want to do today?” Nick wandered into the study where Lara was
working at her computer. He munched on an apple.
“Whatever you want,” she said vaguely,
distracted. “Honey, how much money is
in that joint account we have?”
“I dunno…ten grand, maybe?” Nick replied just as vaguely. She referred
to an account they had created to buy things for Nick’s house. They both
contributed, because Lara had wanted to feel like she was adding to the home
she would eventually move in to.
“Why? Something wrong?”
“No. Not at all.” She closed down her computer and
stood up. “Let’s call Brian.”
“Brian?”
Nick stopped in mid-munch. “But
I thought these days were for us.”
“They ARE.
But he’s alone and I feel bad for him. I like Brian.”
“I do too, but…”
“For me?”
Lara slid her body up against his provocatively. Nick moaned and tossed the apple into the
trashcan.
“Anything for you, babygirl.”
“Fuck.”
Nick growled as he checked his pager.
Lara was setting out a light lunch for when Brian arrived. “I need to go.”
“Go where?”
Lara asked.
“My mom’s.
Some kind of urgent page. Dammit
all to hell.” Nick frowned. “I should just call her and tell her to go
the hell away.”
“No…you should help her,” Lara urged. “She’s your mom.”
“But she’s annoying,” Nick replied.
“GO.” Lara
lightly shoved him towards the door.
“Brian should still be here when you get back.”
“I’m sorry Nick isn’t here right now,” Lara said,
moving aside so Brian could come in.
“He had to run over to his mom’s.”
“Oh, NOW what?”
Brian asked with a grin, knowing full well how annoying Jane could be.
“Who knows?”
Lara asked with a shrug. “Can
you help me in here?” Lara motioned to
various vegetables that were on the counter.
“Cut those for the salad?”
“Sure thing,” Brian said, always willing to help
out. He picked up a knife and began
slicing cucumbers.
“You’re good with your hands,” Lara observed,
standing close to him. He laughed.
“Or something. Leigh doesn’t cook much…but I like
it.”
“So, how IS Leigh?”
“Good, I guess.
I hate not seeing her. This
marriage thing isn’t easy when we’re always apart. But this new movie could be really good for her career, you
know?”
“I understand all about feeling lonely,” Lara said
huskily, placing a hand on Brian’s shoulder.
He froze. “Nick comes home, and
then he’s out with you guys all night.”
“I wasn’t out with them last night,” Brian said
softly.
“I didn’t say you were,” Lara replied. Her hand moved and inch and her fingers
brushed against the softness of his neck.
“I hate sleeping alone, don’t you?”
“Yeah,” Brian whispered again. Her hand slid to the
small of his back and he turned to face her. “Lara…”
“Brian…” she repeated, and grinned. “You guys are like brothers, huh?”
“Yeah…”
“Do you share everything?”
“Well…” Brian was saved from replying by Lara’s
lips on his mouth. He tried to squirm
away, but her body was insistently pressing against him. “You should stop!”
“Do you want me to?” Lara asked, falling to her knees and unbuckling his shorts.
Section One
Chapter Two
Three weeks later
Me and my boys went out just to end up in misery…was
about to go home when there she was standing in front of me I said hi I got a
little place nearby, wanna go?
“Hi, Josh.”
Lara offered her cheek for JC Chasez to kiss. “Lancey.” She offered the
other cheek to Lance.
“You are gorgeous, young lady,” Lance observed,
taking Lara’s hand and whirling her around.
She giggled.
“I try.” The dark blue skirt swished around her
long legs. “Why are you two handsome
devils all alone tonight?”
“I try not to bore dates with these Jive things,”
JC said.
“Shows yet again why you shouldn’t be with a
Backstreet Boy. No sense of decency,”
Lance said, and Lara playfully smacked his shoulder.
“You’re supposed to be the nice one.”
“Oh…yeah…right…” Lance grinned his sweet grin. Lara had gotten to know all of NSYNC at the
various Jive functions Nick dragged her to, and she enjoyed hanging out with
them. Nick usually deposited her in a
corner and went off to talk to people, and she normally ended up talking with
one of the NSYNC boys. Lance looked
over her shoulder across the room and frowned.
“Let’s walk outside.” He put
down his drink, took Lara’s arm, and they strolled out of the ballroom onto the
balcony, JC close behind them. Lance
hung back, quickly whispered something to JC, and JC made an excuse to return
to the ballroom.
“Lara, I’m sorry…I really didn’t know this would
turn into a business thing,” Nick said sadly as he handed her into the
limo. “I’ll call you when I get home,
okay?”
“It’s okay, Nicky, really. Don’t bother. I’ll take
a long hot bath and tumble right into bed.
I won’t even worry about it,” Lara said cheerfully.
“I wish I could tumble you right into bed,” Nick
said under his breath, and she giggled. “Good night, babygirl. I love you.”
“Love you, too,” she said.
Lara entered her apartment, tossed down her purse,
kicked off her shoes, and went straight to her desk. She opened her address
book and flipped to a phone number. She
closed her eyes and thought as the phone rang.
Tears came easily. “Kevin…God…Kevin…this is Lara…can you call me
tomorrow when you get up? I really need to talk to someone…”
Lara was sunning on her tiny balcony when the phone
rang at noon the next day. She answered the cordless. “Hello?”
“Lara…it’s Kevin.
Are you okay?”
“Yes,” she said, sadness filling her voice. “I shouldn’t have called you.”
“If I can help in any way you know I will,” Kevin
said. She smiled. That’s what she had counted on. Responsible Kevin.
“It’s Nick, Kevin.
He…something’s up and I can’t figure it out. Could…could…could you come
over?”
“Of course I can.
How do I get to your place again?”
Lara paced by the door. She had thrown a sarong
skirt over the bottom of her red bikini and made sure it was hanging just
right. There was a knock at the door
and she threw it open. “Hi,” she said shyly.
“Hey,” Kevin stepped inside, his green eyes running
over her body. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” she sniffled, and she welcomed the warmth
of Kevin’s friendly embrace.
“It’s gonna be okay.” He led her to the sofa and they sat. Lara made sure they sat
close.
“It’s Nick…I don’t think…” Lara drew a shuddering
breath. “I don’t think he wants me
anymore.”
“What?”
Kevin stared at her. Nick’s
horny feelings towards his girlfriend were legendary. “Lara, he loves you. I…”
“He might love me but he doesn’t want me.” Lara turned the full effect of blue eyes onto
Kevin. “Am I so nasty?”
Kevin’s eyes dipped right down between her breasts
as she leaned towards him. “No…not at
all,” he said. Lara almost smiled.
Kevin Richardson had almost stuttered.
“I’ve tried everything, Kevin. Candlelight romantic dinners,
stripteases…erotic dancing…”
“Dancing?”
Kevin repeated as she leaned forward again, placing a hand on his
chest. She drew back.
“Yes.
Dancing.” She stood and began to
slowly unknot the sarong. It fell to the floor and she swayed her hips in a
tantalizing motion. “Wouldn’t something
like this turn YOU on, Kevin? Or am I a stupid bimbo who can’t keep her man?”
“Oh…that would definitely turn me on,” Kevin said
before he thought. His eyes widened and
she smiled. She slowly walked over to
him and straddled his lap. Her hand reached down and his eyes closed.
“Yes…I’d say it would.”
“Hello?”
“It’s me.”
“Hey, beautiful.”
“Well?”
“He left at seven this morning. Some dingy
apartment I’m assuming he’s renting.”
“Left alone?”
“Yes. She
left at six.”
“Fucking bitch!”
Lara spat. “Well, two down…two
to go.”
“Why are you doing this, Lara?”
“These are his brothers. The worst thing anyone could do to Nick Carter is betray
him. The worst people to ever betray
him would be his brothers. Easy as
that.” She thought for a moment. “Why are YOU doing this?”
“Because I have wanted you for a long time…and the
sooner he is out of your life, the sooner I can seduce you.”
Lara laughed. “I like the way you think.” She hung
up.
Section One
Chapter Three
One month later
“I love you so much.” Nick kissed Lara passionately and she giggled.
“Nicky…people are watching!”
“I don’t care.
They need to know how much you mean to me.” Lara gasped as he slipped the diamond and sapphire bracelet
around her wrist.
“Nicky…why…what…”
“Because I love you. Does there have to be any other reason?”
“How’s it going?”
“Hi, Lara.
It’s good…but I’m getting impatient.”
“YOU’RE getting impatient? It’s driving me crazy. Yeah, the sex is
still good…but I hate him so much it’s hard to be nice to him.”
“Remind me never to cross you.”
“I’m a good person. You know that. I give my love
easily and freely. But when you play with that love…use it and use me…you face
the consequences.”
“I will definitely remember that. When’s the next move?”
“Well…these last two will be a bit more…delicately
handled. Mr. Dorough has a sweet
surprise coming to him. I just need to talk to my friend Scott…and I can talk
to him at the party. I’ll see you there, right?”
“Of course.
I can’t wait.”
“I still don’t see why you’re letting me throw this
party,” Lara said for the ninth time as she put her earrings in.
“Because I know you want to show off everything
we’ve done with the house, and I thought you’d want to do it before you move
in,” Nick replied, doing a double-take. “Holy hell…where’d you get that dress?”
“At the store,” she teased, turning around. The pine green dress dipped low in the front
and rose high at the knee. “You like
it?”
“How quickly can I tear it off of you?” Nick
growled, nipping at her neck as he inhaled her perfume. “You’re irresistible.”
“Just what I was going for,” she replied, grinning
at her reflection in the mirror.
She was at the door when the guests started to
arrive. All five Backstreet Boys, of course, with wives and/or
girlfriends. All five members of
NSYNC. Lara made herself be polite to
Britney when she and Justin arrived, but she happily greeted JC, Joey, Lance
and Chris. Justin Jeffre and Jeff
Timmons of 98 Degrees. Various other
business people as well as friends of her own.
She carried a glass of wine over to Howie about an
hour later. “Hey, handsome.”
“Lara.” Howie took the glass and kissed her cheek.
“You look ravishing.”
“Thank you.”
Lara smiled up at him and clinked her glass to his. “Howie…we’re friends, right?”
“I would hope so.
Nick would kick my ass if I didn’t get along with you. Not that it’s all
that hard.” Howie winked at her.
“I want to ask you a favor…a huge favor.” She set down her glass. “Could you come with me?”
“Sure,” Howie said, giving her a confused look.
They stopped by Nick long enough for Lara to kiss his cheek and tell him she
was going to talk with Howie about something.
She led Howie by the hand, up the stairs and into one of the
guestrooms. She shut the door behind
them before turning the light on.
“Oh…sorry…we didn’t know anyone was in here,” Howie
said politely to the handsome redhead lounging on the bed.
“It’s okay.”
The man stood and Lara watched Howie’s dark eyes rake over the long
body.
“Howie, this is my friend Scott. Scott, this is Howie…the friend I told you
about.”
“Hi.” Scott
held out his hand and Howie barely remembered to shake it.
“Howie…this is what I want. I REALLY want a threesome, and Nick won’t do
it.”
Howie quickly recovered from his shock. “Nick won’t
do a threesome? But he’s done…” Howie
caught himself in time.
“Not the kind of threesome I want, Howie.” Lara advanced towards him, pressing her body
against his. “I want a threesome with
two guys…and I want them to do ALL kinds of things that Nick won’t do.”
“But…”
“I know you’re gay, Howie. It’s quite obvious, actually. Do you have a boyfriend?”
“N-no.”
“When’s the last time you got laid?”
“Well…”
“Scott’s more then willing, aren’t you Scott?” Lara looked up at her friend, who smiled at
her. His eyes never left Howie.
“More then willing.”
Two hours later Lara carefully arranged her dress
before leaving the guestroom. She locked the door behind her and grinned. She hoped no one was looking for Howie. He and Scott DEFINITELY were not
finished. She wandered down the hall
towards the steps, but someone grabbed her arm, pulling her into the bathroom.
“You look like you’ve just had some great sex.”
Lara smiled.
“GREAT sex. Wanna see the
pictures?”
“God no. I’m totally not into that scene. I’m into you, though.”
Lara pushed away the face that was tilting towards
hers. “Not yet. All in good time, sweetheart.
Then I’m all yours to seduce.”
Section One
Chapter Four
Three months later
“Hi.”
“Hey. You sound down.”
“Just tired.”
“Lara…you know…I wonder sometimes if I never should
have told you what I saw. I was happy
being your friend. I could have found
someone else.”
“I’m glad you told me. I hate knowing that he’s
been lying all this time, but it’s for the best. My heart would have gotten
broken sooner or later.”
“But you wouldn’t be…”
“I wouldn’t be getting out of this. That’s all that matters. Finishing and getting out. I mean, I could have walked in on him or
something.”
“He’s too careful.
I’ve seen him. Sometimes I don’t
even think the other guys know.”
“They know.
I know they know. It’s funny
though…we were at some shindig at Kevin’s and it was like I had the
plague. When Nick was around they were
nice and all, but when he walked away…man…Brian blushed to the tip of his ears,
Howie avoided my eyes, and Kevin avoided me all together. I was a walking case of the social plague!”
“I’m sorry…Lara…I promise you…if we hook up…I will
NEVER lie to you like this.”
“I hope not.”
“I promise.”
“Nick promised once.”
“But I mean it.”
Lara dressed in he r oldest clothes, deep in
thought as she pulled on old denim shorts.
AJ would NOT be an easy conquest.
He was too worldly, and she didn’t trust her powers of persuasion all
that much. Brian had been lonely, Kevin
had been shocked. Howie…well…actually
it wasn’t true revenge. He was too damn happy about what had happened. She had to smile. Scott had called and told her that Howie was calling him every
day. Should he call him back? Yes, Lara finally decided. If Howie was
gonna make her friend happy, then he should go for it. Scott was bi, and Lara was pretty sure Howie
was too, so it was all good.
Lara dragged the ladder down to the smallest
guestroom and set up her supplies. She was painting while Nick was out playing
basketball with Brian. He actually wanted her to paint it as a room that could
someday be used as a nursery. Lara had tried not to shudder as she convinced
him not to count their eggs before they were fertilized. She had accidentally on purpose left her
purse at AJ’s the night before when she and Nick had been over for dinner, and
he was supposed to drop by any minute.
She knotted her sleeveless blouse at the waist, ran her hands over the
back of her short denim shorts, and went to the CD player in the living
room. She picked out a CD, set a
certain song on repeat, and went to the bedroom to start working.
AJ arrived about fifteen minutes later. There was a note on the door telling him to
come on in because Lara was busy up in a bedroom. He grabbed the note and walked in, dropping her purse onto a
chair. A song blared from the stereo,
and AJ tried to recognize it as he walked up the steps. He could hear Lara singing along and he
grinned.
“When I see you sad…with your head down low…didn’t
know what she had…but she’s a fool to let you go…gonna take away your
pain…gonna make her loss my gain…” AJ walked into the room and Lara turned
around to smile at him. She continued to sing.
“I know you haven’t seen me…thought of me that way…I’ve been watching
you…waiting for this day…I’ll be all you need to forget her…You’ll see through
different eyes…I’ll make you realize…”
“And what are we doing here?” AJ interrupted. Lara
rolled his eyes.
“This is Nick’s nursery. It’s my spare bedroom.” AJ
laughed.
“I dropped your purse downstairs.”
“Thanks. Wanna help?” Lara climbed up the ladder, bringing AJ face to face with her
backside.
“No thanks. I try not to do manual labor if at all
possible.”
“Come on, Aje, it’s…” Lara gasped as she turned
around and the brush flew out of her hand, hitting AJ in the head and sliding
down his chest. “Oh…God…AJ…I’m so
sorry.” Lara scrambled down the ladder,
trying to hide giggles at the shocked look on AJ’s face.
“It’s okay,” AJ said, blinking hard as paint
threatened to run down his cheek.
“C’mon.”
Lara grabbed his hand and led him to the bathroom. She started the shower. “Get undressed.”
“Lara, I…”
“Oh, you big baby. Like you’re shy at all. I won’t
look at you,” she lied. She dug through
cupboards for shampoo and towels as AJ carefully stripped out of his painted
clothing. Lara began to hum as she
worked, then she started to sing again. “I’m not as naïve as you think I am…I
know what goes on between a woman and a man…don’t act so serious just take my
hand…if you wanna know can I do you right can I make you want me I know I
can.” She stood and faced AJ, who was
standing in his boxers.
“What do you want?”
“Nothing,” she said, her face a mask of
innocence. “Here you go.” She handed him the soap and he grabbed her
wrist.
“What is all this?
What’s going on between you and Nick?”
“What’s going on between you and Sarah?” Lara
countered.
“We broke up and you know it.”
“Yes, and I’m sorry to here it. When’s the last time you got laid?”
AJ’s mouth almost fell open but he caught it. “None of your business.”
Lara laughed.
“AJ, your sex life is ALWAYS everyone’s business and you like it that
way. I bet it’s been a while since you got laid. Hard to get it up when you’re
drunk off your ass.” Lara’s eyes
wandered over his slim body, and she grinned as she saw the tent in his
boxers. “Problem?”
“I think you should just take your sweet self out
of this bathroom so I can get cleaned up,” AJ said, a dangerous gleam in his
brown eyes.
“You look at me and see innocence…” Lara sang,
taking a step closer to him. “Might
seem like I don’t have experience…”
“Dammit, woman, you need to get out of this room if
you know what’s good for you,” AJ growled, clenching his hands in fists to keep
from touching her.
“…Nothing you give to me is too intense…if you
wanna know can I do you right can I make you want me…you know I can…”
AJ’s lips pressed against hers as his hands reached
back to grab her backside. Lara moaned against her mouth, and they almost fell
into the shower. The stall door was
wide open, and before she knew it they were under the hot water and AJ was
pulling at her clothing. He peeled it
from her body, and it was all she could do to lead him into the bedroom before
he began to explore her body.
Section 2
“Don’t Want You Back”
Chapter One
“What are you doing?” Nick gasped as Lara dropped
his cellphone and pager into a lockbox.
She pocketed the key and smiled sweetly.
“It’s your birthday. I’m taking you out for a nice
dinner, then we are coming back here for your present.” Lara licked her lips
slowly. “I want you all to myself.”
She squealed as Nick picked her up and wrapped her
long legs around his waist. “Can’t I
have some of my present NOW?”
Lara’s body weakened as he sucked on her earlobe.
She moaned and yanked at his hair as he kissed her. “No,” she said finally. He
sighed and carefully set her down. “Go shower and get ready. Something nice. A
suit.”
“A suit?”
“GO.” Lara shoved him towards his bedroom. “I need to make a phone call.”
“Did you get all that?”
“Yes. I have the numbers. At eight tomorrow morning I call home numbers, cellphones,
pagers…whatever it takes until I get an answer. I tell them to be at Nick’s at ten for an emergency meeting.”
“Perfect.”
“Lara…um…can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“Why me?”
“What?”
“Why me? Besides the fact that we have chemistry.”
“Because you’ve ALWAYS been nice to me. You’ve
ALWAYS been my friend. Even though you know I might hate you, you were honest
with me about what you found out. And for all your flirting, I know you’re
willing to take it slow with me.”
“That’s because for all YOUR flirting and vengeful
bitchiness, I know your heart is broken.”
“You look amazing!” Nick gasped as he came
downstairs. His eyes drank in Lara’ s
purple slinky sundress. “I’ve never seen you wear anything like that before.”
“Thanks. I borrowed it from Britney Spears.” Nick laughed as Lara tossed him his car
keys. “Let’s go.”
Dinner was excellent, but Nick hardly ate. He couldn’t keep from drooling over
her…which was exactly what she wanted. She took the keys from him and insisted
on driving home. She took the longest
route possible, and Nick was almost whining when they pulled into his
driveway.
“I want you,” he growled as soon as the front door
closed behind them. His hands slid up
her skirt, ripping the underwear from her body.
“Nick…” Lara began, but all the protest died as
Nick sat her down on the steps and spread her legs for his talented tongue and
long fingers. Lara closed her eyes and
moaned. Revenge could wait.
She finally lured him upstairs to one of the guestrooms.
Nick’s eyes widened as he saw the silk scarves attached to the headboard. “But
you said you don’t like that kinda stuff!”
“It’s your birthday.” Lara’s fingers nimbly unbuttoned the silk shirt he wore. “I figured you should get something you really
wanted.”
“Oh…God…” he hissed as her lips pressed to his
chest.
Nick was incapable of rational thought for the next
three or four hours. Lara tied him down
and brought him to the edge again and again before finally sucking him to an
orgasm. She kept him tied and they talked, and she let her hands idly roam her
own body. Nick was amazed by the quick
recovery he had, and she teased him about it.
“If I knew this was what it took…I’d keep you tied
up all the time,” she said with an evil leer.
“I can’t believe…God…” Nick groaned as she
straddled his waist. “You just have
me…so hot…”
“Good, baby,” Lara whispered, sliding down his
length.
You started going out with so-called friends…but I
was blind and so I lost all common sense…but there were things that made me
realize…like all the hundred…no…thousand lies…
Nick woke up around seven and found himself still
tied to the bed. Lara wasn’t beside
him. “Baby? Babygirl?” He called, then coughed. His throat was dry. She
wandered back into the room fully dressed.
“Thirsty?”
She tipped a bottle of water to his mouth. He drank deeply.
“Yeah. Thanks.”
He looked her over. “Going
somewhere?”
“Yeah…in a bit…” she said absentmindedly. She walked out of the room and came back
with one of his easels. She propped it
in front of the bed and set a closed flipchart on top of it. Nick looked at her quizzically. “Pay attention, Nicky.” She sat at the edge of the bed and grinned
at him. “What did you once tell me was
the WORST thing someone could do to you?”
“Betray me,” Nick answered immediately. “My mom does it all the time and I hate it.”
“Right. I feel the same way. The WORST thing
someone could do to me was betray me…and then tell me lies.” Lara flipped the first page over and Nick
gasped. An 11x17 photograph filled the
paper. It was a picture of an apartment building. “Does this look familiar?”
“Um…is it downtown?”
“Yes.
Seventeen Market Street. Does
the number Sixteen-F mean anything to you?”
“No.”
“Okay. You
say no. I SHOULD believe you. But I
don’t.” Lara flipped to the next
page. On it were written the words
“Baby, I’m sorry…I’m gonna be late…don’t wait up.” Lara looked at him. “Look
familiar?” Nick’s face was a mask of
confusion and fear. “Hmmm…” She walked around to the other side of the
easel. “Maybe this will jog your
memory.”
Nick gasped and Lara smiled as his face turned
white. Artistically placed on the paper
were four pictures, digitally printed from videotape. The top one was Brian sitting on a counter, Lara between his
legs. “That’s…my kitchen,” Nick
whispered. His eyes darted to the
picture of Kevin then quickly moved away.
The blue eyes widened even more when he saw Lara, Howie, and a man he
didn’t know. Nick shivered. The picture
of AJ was clearest, and Nick actually whimpered. “Why?”
“WHY?” Lara snapped. “I waited around for you ALL
the time. I sat at home and waited while you went out to parties and clubs that
I was NEVER invited to…and then I found out. A TRUE friend told me about what
you were doing, and that your little bandmates knew. The Backstreet Boys practically run a fucking WHOREHOUSE for each
other…never mind the girlfriends sitting at home.” Lara checked her watch. “Well…I have to go…I have to pack for my
flight.” She bent down and sweetly
kissed Nick’s cheek, then slapped him hard across the face. “Someone will be along to untie you soon
enough.”
Lara disappeared and Nick screamed with anger and
frustration. He couldn’t help but look at the easel. These were his friends…his
brothers…and each one of them was there…with his girlfriend. They were all supposed to love him, and they
all had fucked him over.
Lara was long gone by the time four cars pulled up
in front of Nick’s house. AJ looked at
Kevin. “What’s going on?”
“I have no clue. I didn’t call this meeting. I just got a call this morning.”
“Me too,” Brian said. Howie simply yawned. He had only gotten in a few hours earlier.
“If Nick’s playing a joke, I’m gonna kick his ass,”
AJ said simply as he knocked on the front door. It swung open.
“Nick?” Kevin called.
“KEVIN!”
Nick screamed. “Get up
here!”
The guys quickly ran upstairs. Brian was first to
the doorway. He stopped short and the others piled up beneath him. “What the hell happened!” Brian gasped,
staring at his naked best friend.
“I’ll tell you if you would please get in here and
untie me, dammit!” Nick snapped. Brian hurried forward and untied Nick’s
hands as AJ dug through a drawer for some boxers. Nick hurried pulled them on, then practically ran to the
bathroom. They heard his sigh of contentment and grinned at each other.
“Um…what’s that?”
Howie asked, pointing to the easel.
They all froze.
“Is that Lara?” AJ asked, looking at Brian’s
picture.
“Yes…well…yes,” Brian replied, burning with shame.
“You’re married,” AJ said, glaring at Brian.
“So?” Brian snapped back. “Howie’s with another guy?”
Three pair of eyes turned to Howie. “So?” Howie tried, but it didn’t work. Nick reappeared and the friends looked
everywhere but at him.
“WELL?”
Nick growled. “I’m sure someone
has an explanation.”
“I…well…I was lonely,” Brian began.
“And she just…she looked so sad,” Kevin added.
“She hooked me up with someone I had only dreamt
about,” Howie said softly. AJ shrugged.
“I was horny. She played me like a well-tuned
piano, man.”
“I cannot believe you guys would do this to me.”
Nick sat on the bed and hid his head in his hands. “She’s gone…she knows. About the apartment, about everything. I
want to know which one of you assholes told her.”
Section 2
Chapter 2
Don’t want you back ‘cause you’re no good for me I
know…that’s all I can say don’t want you back…forgive my honesty but you gotta
go…I don’t want you back…”
“Hello?”
“Hello, Nickolas.”
“Lara!
Where are you?”
“Away. What do you want?”
“I want to apologize.”
“Yes…that’s what every page you’ve sent in the last
three days has said. I don’t wanna hear
it.”
“But Baby…”
“No. You
fucked up…and honestly, Nick, you’re an asshole. Quit calling me. My number at home is getting changed, and if you
call my pager again, I’ll change that number too. Don’t make me have to go through that trouble. Goodbye,
Nick.” Lara hung up the phone and
smiled cheerfully at the desk clerk.
“Bill it to my room, please?”
“Yes, Miss.
All international calls go to the rooms,” he said pleasantly.
“If anyone would…um…ask for me…I’ll be down at the
beach,” she said softly.
“Yes, Miss.”
Lara sighed as she headed for her bungalow to pick
up her bag. He was supposed to meet her
and he hadn’t. He was supposed to meet
her on the island two days earlier, and he hadn’t. She was still alone. Oh
well. She took a deep breath and shoved a book into her bag. She could handle alone. Better alone then
hurt again.
Lara put her hand up to her eyes as she stood on
the private beach. She wanted the
perfect spot. Close enough to run to
the water to cool off, but quiet so she could read. She frowned as she looked around. “Can I help you, pretty lady?”
“No, thank you, I…” Lara squealed as she turned
around. She dropped her bag and threw
herself into the man’s arms. “You made it!”
“Yeah…I’m so sorry…I got caught up with work
stuff.” JC Chasez bashfully smiled.
“You know how that is. I was gonna call…but I thought the LAST thing you
needed was a call saying I’d be late.”
“You don’t know how right you are.” Lara pulled back to look into the blue eyes
so like her own. “You actually came
down.”
“I told you I’d never lie to you. I’m not gonna start now.” JC held her chin in one hand. “You okay?”
“Yes,” she said, sighing. He leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on her lips. “And getting better every minute,” she said,
grinning.
The
End
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