Danny's jaw tightened as he watched Marnie escape the hot tub and scurry back into the hotel. Only one person could've been responsible for her flight response: Jessica. He tossed the ball to Kevon and waded his way over to the group of women. With his index finger, he motioned for Jessica to get out of the tub.
“What?”
“Come with me up to my room. I need talk to you about something for a sec,” Danny whispered into her ear.
The only way to get Marnie accepted by the women was to first smooth things over with Jessica. Although Phyllis was older, Jessica was the one who swayed opinions in the group.
They both walked to the elevator, but Danny decided against heading straight to his room. Instead, he gave Jessica his room key and told her to wait for him.
He turned and walked down the hall to knock on Marnie's door, intent on making sure she was okay. Jessica could be vicious at times. He'd been on the receiving end of her poisonous tongue before. He knocked, but when no one answered, he used the spare key to enter. Her purse sat on the nightstand, but she wasn't in the room. His grip tightened around the handle, but his shoulders sagged. He would have to talk to her later. She was going to have to develop a thick skin if she wanted to remain sober.
Danny left the room, a bottomless pit tunneling deeper and deeper in his stomach. Although there was no reason for him not to remain optimistic, he worried that this was the excuse Marnie needed. Stress was the perfect reason to give in to the hunger. For Danny, he knew it didn't solve problems, but that's not why he used them. Perhaps that was the reason it was always so hard for him to remain sober. He'd have to deal with her later. Right now, Danny needed to focus on finding out what the fight was about and smooth things over with Jessica. He entered his room, pushing Marnie out of his thoughts.
Jessica sat on the white plush Persian couch with a wicked smile on her face. Her short, blonde curls framed a face that drew him to her. Beads of water dotted her tanned skin, trickling down her thighs, melting into the couch. Her magenta bikini set had already begun to dry, highlighting the strain her breasts made the fabric endure.
“So,” Danny said, taking a seat next to her, “What kind of shit were you starting downstairs?” He let his hand caress her right knee.
“What?” A frown darkened her features and the smiled slipped from her lips. “Nothing happened; we were having fun until she got mad and left. She's very immature.” Her body tensed and then softened as he increased the pressure of his massage. Her eyes became transfixed while he continued to stroke her knee, this time with one finger in wide circles that lightly brushed the inside of her thigh. “The girl is totally anti‐social,” Jessica whispered.
“Yeah, she's definitely a loner, but she makes a great assistant.” His hand was fully on the inside of her thigh now, stroking slowly. “I think she would warm up to everybody quicker if she had a female friend to hang out with. You know whose name is on the list for that job, right?”
For a second, Danny thought she hadn't heard the question. He wondered if perhaps both his hands caressing her thighs was too much for her, but then she said, “I'm seeing someone now.” His hands recoiled as if her thighs had generated an electric shock. Jessica's wicked smile returned. She must've been waiting for just the right moment to drop this bomb.
He waited a beat, letting her words sink in.
Unperturbed, he flashed a smile. “Does this mean he doesn't let you out to play?”
Before she had a chance to respond, Danny grabbed Jessica's hips and pulled her thighs on to his lap, allowing her to sink deeper into the plush loveseat. He tugged the bows holding her bikini bottom in place, and dipped a single finger inside of her. The boyfriend bomb hinted she wasn't interested in Danny, but he was relieved to find her wetness telling him a different story.
He looked down and found her eyes closed and a face‐splitting grin on her face. For a moment, he couldn't help smiling himself. She was such a tease and he loved it. Jessica would always be his. There may be other men, but no one knew how to fuck her like he did.
He skipped the foreplay and tore down his zipper and entered. The long, deep thrust soon had her climbing walls. How quickly had she forgotten he knew her rhythm? Danny glanced at the clock on the wall, deciding there was more than enough time to remind her.
She quivered under him, her eyes closed in the throes of passion. He breathed deeply, smelling the harsh scent of chlorine. Damn. Where did Marnie go? As much as he wanted to wrap himself up in Jessica, his mind kept trying to solve a puzzle with very few clues. Perhaps she went down to the restaurant for dinner?
Jessica gave a deep guttural moan and Danny looked down at her. He had half a mind to pinch her. Hard. It was partly her fault he couldn't enjoy this moment with her. Sponsoring was more than he bargained for.
He thrust for a few minutes and then pulled all the way out before plunging in again. She slapped his ass and begged him to go faster and harder. He ignored her request, keeping the rhythm he had created just for her, slowing to nip at her breast now and again. This only served to make her beg for more. Typical. He glanced again at the clock. Three more thrusts and she'd be done. Then, they could finally, talk. Once she came, Jessica would agree to whatever he wanted.
Marnie breathed in the evening air as she walked down the street. It was ironic she was walking when she had just been celebrating an excuse not to abuse her feet. She couldn't stand to stay in her hotel room though. In there she was a caged hamster, but out in the Florida breeze, she was free. She wandered for hours, aimlessly. At one point she strolled along the beach, white sand turning golden as the sun set, and passed a few picnics. Finally, she came upon an alley. Homeless men and women had carts and makeshift beds lined along the alley wall. A group of people hung around a lit barrel. She sniffed the air and was greeted by a welcoming scent. Heroin. Although she preferred to take a syringe and mainline, she was open to anything tonight. She looked wishfully at the tinfoil. She wrung the pockets of her pants, because she didn't even have a loose penny hidden inside the folds.
Each minute that ticked by caused her rage to steam. She had no money to offer them and she wanted to smoke badly. Danny didn't pay her a dime. He gave her money for lunch and breakfast, and like a hawk watched her return the change. That fucker even demanded the pennies. She turned and put all her might into kicking the brick alley wall.
She looked down at the brown leather analog watch she wore, and eagerly tore it off her wrist. Perhaps she could barter. It was on a wing and prayer, but she had to try. She limped over to the ring of people and leaned against the wall. The group took turns with one person lighting the foil and two people leaning in with their tubes to inhale the smoke wafting out. Two groups on each side of the barrel took turns lighting and passing the foil, so everyone eventually caught the smoke. Men and women breathed the wisps of smoke and held it in their nostrils. After a minute, they released it into the air like pros. Like synchronized swimmers, one side inhaled, just as the other was exhaling.
Marnie pushed off the brick wall and tapped a man on the shoulder. The clean pair of black denims and bright white T‐shirt told her he was the sandman she needed to speak to. He turned his back to the fire and stared at her. She motioned with her finger for the man to come forward. He glanced at the group and then hobbled over to where she stood. Marnie shoved the watch in his face. “What can this get me?”
“Nothin',” the man said in a gruff voice. He swatted the watch out of his face and began to turn around and walk back toward his group.
She moved to block his path.
“Please help me. I'm hurting,” Marnie pleaded.
The old man snatched the watch from her hands.
“I'll give you one hit, girlie.” The man wagged his boney manicured finger in her face.
She smiled and eagerly held out her hand.
“Relax, I'll light it up for you.”
She leaned against the wall as the old man prepped the foil with black tar heroin. He handed her the pipe and held the foil underneath her face, as he began to run the lighter back and forth across the bottom of the tin foil. He must've had at least sixty percent pure, because even from just inhaling one hit, she was slammed. Calmness enveloped her. Her muscles relaxed and the throb in her right foot lessened. He placed his hand upon her neck.
“I'll let you have another hit for the necklace.”
Her eyes shot open and she pushed his hand away. She would never give away this necklace.
“I have something even better than that.” She smiled at him slyly and began to pull the zipper on her jeans down.
The man smiled a yellow toothed‐grin and quickly dropped trou. She bit back a laugh as he produced a limp, four inch dick. Can he even get it up with that thing?
“First, let me have another hit.” She could tell this was going to be a long night.
He handed her the tinfoil along with the lighter and produced a wadded piece of tissue paper. Marnie opened it, revealing the brownish powder she loved. Satisfied, she reached into her back pocket and tossed him one of the condoms she had pilfered from Danny. She closed her eyes and took another hit of smoke and ignored the man as he nuzzled her neck and rode her. The two sank down on the concrete as the man began to reach his climax. His customers never said a word as he groaned like a dog in heat.
When he was finished, Marnie felt a sharp tug on her throat and then a snap. She lifted a hand to her throat, but the necklace wasn't there. Her eyes snapped open. He fumbled to pull up his pants, the necklace dangling from his grip. He turned, shuffling fast, but Marnie flopped over on her stomach, her pants still down, and grabbed his leg. He fell and she crawled on top of him, beating his face with her fist. She tore the necklace from his grasp, leaned back and zipped her pants up. Even though he was panting and obviously tired from their scuffle, he charged at her, but Marnie rose and sped out of the alley. She quickly managed to put distance between herself and him.
She ran until she reached the beach in front of the hotel. Once there, she stopped to catch her breath. Her heart beat wildly in her chest. Just like old times, she mused. Perhaps tonight she'd be able to get a good night's sleep.
“So how was that?” Jessica said smiling. She was sprawled across Danny's bed on her stomach, butt naked with her feet in the air.
“Pretty darn good,” Danny said. He lay naked next to her, letting his fingers trace the cheeks of her ass.
“Did we just have sex because you want something from me, or because you wanted me?”
“Both.”
They looked into each other's eyes and laughed.
“I like this better than our makeup sex. So what is it you want from me?” Jessica asked.
“I just want you to be your charming self, and look after Marnie a little. Keep her out of trouble. You know how it is being on the road.”
“Yeah, she could run into a guy like you,” Jessica laughed, but the coldness in her eyes hinted she was dead serious.
He knew where that nudge came from. She wanted to know if Marnie and he were together. Danny never understood why women got possessive of men when they never promised them commitment. He'd never promised Jessica exclusivity, and felt no qualms about sleeping with the other dancers in his crew. They were all adults. If they wanted to mix business with pleasure, he wasn't going to complain.
Life on the road was fun and wild, but most of all it was lonely. It was only natural to seek affection and connection. Touring one‐hundred‐and‐twenty days out of the year didn't leave him much time to develop a relationship and create a connection, so he settled for the second best opportunity: affection. He didn't like breezing through towns and having sex with women he knew he'd never see again. It was much easier to satisfy himself and the needs of a willing coworker.
“It's none of your business, but Marnie and I are not an item. Since it's her first time working on a tour, I think it's best she doesn't become an item with anyone. Help her out. Keep her company. That's all I'm asking,” Danny said.
“How did you meet her? Is she through the label?”
Danny didn't want to lie to Jessica, but he also couldn't confide in her about Marnie's struggle with sobriety. Once people knew her problems, she'd be wearing a scarlet letter. People would treat Marnie differently. He already knew what that stigma felt like, and didn't want her to suffer. She had enough struggles as it was. At the same time, Danny also knew lies always came back to bite him in the ass. Instead of telling Jessica a fib, he opted for omission.
“No, she's not from the label. I don't even think they know about her yet.”
“Oh, please don't tell me that ridiculous story about meeting at Gary's is true.” Jessica playfully jabbed him in the shoulder, and told him what Marnie said in the hot tub.
“Well, yeah, I did meet her at Gary's, but it didn't happen exactly like that,” Danny said chuckling.
He glanced at the clock again. He had checked her room once more before his heart‐to‐heart with Jessica, but Marnie was still missing in action. If she ever returned, he'd help her come up with a better cover story.