Page 57 of Dark Notes

“You should leave it.”

I chuckle. “Why the change of heart? No pun intended.”

She tilts her head back and gazes at me. “I deserve the reminder. The punishment.”

Honestly, I would probably feel the same way if I were her, but I pinch her nipple anyway. “Enough. It’s done. We are not dwelling on the past. There were reasons for everything. Don’t you think you have spent enough of your time punishing yourself?”

She rolls her eyes at me, and I smack her ass.

“Ow! You sound like my therapist.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

MCKINLEY

Three Months Later…

I have spent the last three months terrified for us to go out into public together, after what happened the last time we were seen together. After three months of staying cooped up inside, Jagger demanded we go out. He guaranteed me that yes, the paparazzi would be there, and would probably say unkind things, but we need to learn how to handle it, if we are going to be together. By ‘we’, he means me, because Jagger does not seem to be fazed by the assholes with cameras, or the things they yell. This is a definite test for my mental health. I’ve spoken to my therapist a great deal, and she feels like I’m ready. She said I have all the tools I need to handle the bullying because, really, that’s what it is. Learning to live normally, when you’re not normal, is going to be interesting. Normal people are not recognized by nearly everyone that walks down the street. Jagger’s popularity only increased when he released a solo album last month. And mine is about to skyrocket, when people realizeMcKinley’s Songis about me. I’m sure they already have, but I don’t think they’ve connected the fact that we are together again.

“McKinley!” He yells from the bottom of the stairs.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m coming,” I yell back.

I grab my purse and race down the stairs to where Jagger waits, looking different. I arch an eyebrow. “Why are you wearing a suit?”

I have never seen him dressed up like this.

With a smirk, he says, “I can look nice. It feels like a celebration tonight.”

I giggle with an embarrassing snort. “Or a funeral. Either way, you’re dressed appropriately.”

He arches an eyebrow in disapproval. “Sometimes I don’t enjoy your sense of humor.”

Gazing down my body, then back up again, he licks his lips. “Someone’s going to steal you from me. You look too good.”

I feign shock. “And you’re going to let them?”

He chuckles. “Not a chance. I’ll kill them all.”

Laughing at his absurdity, I say, “Alright, Manson, let’s go.”

JAGGER

“You look good enough to eat, baby,” I say from the backseat and am, of course, rewarded with pink in her cheeks.

I’m not just saying it though, she looks fucking delicious. She’s wearing a champagne colored dress, with a satin shawl over her shoulders. The dress falls above her knee, complete with strappy heels I have every intention of fucking her in later. Her dark hair is pinned up, with a little hair hanging down, to frame her face in soft curls. She grabs my black tie, and pulls me to her as she licks her pretty red lips.

“You look yummy yourself, Wild.”

My eyes drop to her lips. “I don’t want to ruin your make-up, but I want to kiss you.”

“Kiss me. I have more in my purse.”

I lift my gaze to hers. “So beautiful.”

Pressing my lips to hers, I don’t care if she gets lipstick all over my face. It will be worth it if she does. I push my tongue into her mouth, eliciting a sweet little moan from her. Taking her face in my hands, I deepen our kiss, as my tongue swirls with hers. She is everything I want. That feeling never lessens. Every time I touch her skin, it’s like it’s the first damn time. When I fuck her, it never gets boring. McKinley is my own little slice of heaven, and I’ll never stop indulging.

She worries that someone will say something negative about her, and I’ll change my mind, which would never happen. Every interviewer now knows if they say anything negative about her past struggles, they will never get another interview. For a long time they tried to bring her up. Honestly, I was terrified she’d see it and I’d never hear from her again. There were several times I got up and walked out in the middle of the filming. I didn’t give a fuck what people thought, and I still don’t.

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