Page 119 of My UnTrue Love
Clementine jerked against his hold. “Let me go!”
Johnny disregarded that, dragging her closer. “Don’t pretend you haven’t had the hots for me since high school. It’s your lucky day. I’m finally going to give you what you want.”
“Stop it!” Her breasts flattened against his chest. Up close, the horrendous smell of him struck her again and this time she realized what it was.
Burnt leather.
Clem’s fear somehow climbed even higher.
“Johnny,” her horrified eyes met his, “did you take Hasten-2?”
“I had to! I can’t spend all day at the studio, slaving away on one lousy song. I needed magic to write faster.”
“That elixir isn’t helping your creativity. It’s poisoning it!”
“It’s an organic inspiration enhancer! It’s made from all-natural herbs and lizard parts. The prairie dog who sold it to me says it’s actually healthier than people think.”
“You don’t believe that. Youwantto believe that. Youwantto believe things, because it’s easier to believe them, and so you do.”
“The elixir is what gave me the idea to come get my True Love back from that coyote, so I’d say it’s working.” His fingers dug in, bruising her flesh. “It’s your fault I had to take Hasten-2, in the first place. Since you left me, it’s the only way I can feel inspired.”
“You’re not inspired. You’re just pissed off and grabbing on to the first dark idea in your head.”
Hasten-2 burned out the best parts of an artist. It didn’t change who they were. It accelerated it. Twisted it. The ideas came fast, but they were much shallower. The easy answers that the person craved. An artist could get by for a while, but the insidious magic soon stole those, too. Their creative spark was fried forever by the artificial brightness of Hasten-2.
Not aka-pow! Aka-boom!
“Once you’re my muse again, I won’t need Hasten-2 anymore. Things will go back to normal.” He rubbed against her and she could tell he was getting aroused. “Betterthan normal, because we’ll be together. You’ll like that. I’ve seen the way you look at me.”
Clem tried to jerk free, but Johnny had her in an iron grip. “Please, don’t do this.”
“You’re feeling scared. That’s natural for an innocent girl. But I’ll show you how good it can be. Remember how we kissed at prom?”
“I kissed John Jacob Jingleheimer-Schmidt at prom. He was the only boy in the whole school who’d go out with a museand expectnothing,except laughing together and talking about music. What in the hell have you done to him?”
“I was weak in high school. I’m strong now. You should be happy that I improved.”
“You didn’t improve. You’ve killed the only part of you that I ever cared about.”
“You’ll get over it.” He watched her chest in growing interest. “You know, I was kind of ambivalent about consummating our bond.” His eyes crept all over her body. “I don’t really go for fat girls. They remind me of what I was like before. But,” he gave a half-amused, half-amazed snort, “I gotta admit, this is working for me. The softness is nice.”
“If you touch me, I will report you to Hank.” She told him honestly, fighting against waves of panic. “You will be arrested.”
He smirked, not believing her. “You wouldn’t do that to me. We’re best friends.”
“Bill’smy best friend. And I’ll tell him about this, too. And I’m pretty sure he’ll kill you for it. And I’m pretty sure I’ll let him.”
That threat pissed Johnny off. “You think I’m scared of Bill?” He gave her a hard shake. “You think I care that Dinah is letting him play at The Kitchen tonight? You think I’m worried that he’ll take me down, like he did Bowleg Bob, and Desert Pete, and Tenderfoot Tompkins?”
Clem had no clue who Tenderfoot Tompkins evenwas.
“Pecos Bill is nothing!” Johnny was all but frothing at the mouth. “I’m better than any coyote. I’m sick of seeing you look at him like he’s somebody special, whenI’mthe one you should be smiling at.”
“I will never smile at you again!” Clementine stopped trying to get through to him, giving into her rage and sense of betrayal. “Everything I ever felt for you isdead. You’re a rapist and a bigot and a bully.”
“I’m a man fighting for my happily ever after!” His lips crashed down onto hers, bruising her mouth with the force of his kiss.
The smell and taste of him almost made her gag. It was disgusting.Hewas disgusting. Clem didn’t want this. She wouldn’t go along with it. Johnny might be stronger than her, but she had someverybig brothers and they made sure she could take care of herself.
