Slay Me (Rock Gods #1) (10 page)

Twelve

             
Sabrina looked nervously around the shoddy neighborhood. It looked like the outer boroughs of Brooklyn where she'd been sent on one of her earliest scouting trips. But then she'd had a driver to take her. They'd also waited for her outside. Now it was just the two of them out on the streets. And the light was starting to fade.

             
"Where are we Nick?"

             
"The East End. Getting tired?"

             
"A little. Can we find someplace to sit for a little while?"

             
"Just a little bit further love."

             
Sabrina had stopped correcting him when he called her that. Mostly because it was fruitless but also because she was starting to like it. Too much.

             
Finally he stopped in front of an ordinary looking row house. Well, it was fixed up more than the others they'd passed. Actually, the whole block was fixed up. Spiffy. New windows and doors and the brick work all repaired. Flowers and trees planted out front of each.

             
"What's this?"

             
He turned her to and kissed her hand. It was incredible the way the man could give her butterflies with the lightest touch.

             
"Home."

             
Just then the door opened and a funny looking woman came to the door. She was dressed as a maid would be in the finest establishment. But her hair was pink.

             
"Mrs. Falcon! Come quick, it's Nick!"

             
Sabrina turned to Nick in astonishment.

             
"Wait, your
real name
is Falcon?"

             
He nodded and shrugged sheepishly. Then another odd looking woman came to the door. This one was dressed like a lower middle class housewife. Except for the
diamonds.

             
The woman was swimming in them. Her ears, neck, wrists, fingers. Sabrina glanced down, half expecting to see diamonds on her feet.

             
No, but she was wearing Chanel ballet flats.

             
"Nick! My boy!"

             
He grinned at her and threw his arms open.

             
"Mum!"

             
She was squeezing him with all her might as bussed her cheeks with kisses.

             
"You are not eating enough!"

             
"Mum, I want you to meet someone."

             
She perked up at that, finally noticing Sabrina.

             
"A young lady now? What's this?"

             
"Mum, I'd like you to meet Sabrina Newton."

             
Sabrina was quickly enfolded in a warm hug. Mrs. Falcon smelled like sugar cookies. No. It was scones.

             
"Well it is very nice to meet you. What a lovely girl. Come in, come in. You are just in time for tea."

             
"That's what I was hoping for."

             
Nick winked at Sabrina as he ushered her into the modest little row house. She was absorbing the fact that he'd taken her home to meet his mother. A warm feeling was in her chest, spreading outward in all directions.

             
But once inside, all she could do was stare around her in wonder. It wasn't a simple row house at all. It was three or four row houses all remodeled to be one giant, opulent, over the top city mansion.

             
"Make yourself at home now. I've got to call the girls! Jasmine, get the tea ready- we have guests!"

             
The little maid bopped her bright fuchsia head and scurried off on Mrs. Falcon's heels. Sabrina felt like she was in an old movie all the sudden.

             
A comedy. No- a farce.

             
"I don't understand- what is this place?"

             
Nick guided her to a sitting area in what could only be called a 'front parlor'. It was so opulent that it was almost too much. Just a little bit tacky… The sort of thing that a woman with a sudden influx of money might do.

             
"She refused to move out of the neighborhood or away from all her friends. So I bought the block."

             
"You what?"

             
"This was a couple of houses before we combined them. The next few houses are Sadie's. On the other side is Gertrude. Around the corner are my aunts on both sides. And my mum's hairdresser. She needed a house too."

             
"You bought houses for all your mom's friends?"

             
He shrugged sheepishly.

             
"She deserved it. She did everything for me."

             
Sabrina's heart did a crazy little flip flop. Who would have thought it? Nick Falcon was a mama's boy.

             
"He means that I put up with him dear girl. I started going gray when he was ten! Not that you'd know."

             
Mrs. Falcon patted her head as she sailed back into the living room with her maid at her heels. Nick beamed as the maid set down a tea kettle and a heaping tray of tiny sandwiches.

             
"Don't forget the scones please Jasmine!"

             
Mrs. Falcon started serving tea. Nick bussed her cheek.

             
"Be right back mum. Have to use the loo."

             
She leaned in conspiratorially as soon as he was gone.

             
"He'll be stuffing his face back there, just watch. Now my dear, how do you take your tea?"

             
"Lemon and just a half spoon of sugar."

             
Mrs. Falcon handed her her cup of tea and made one for herself. Then she leaned back and leveled a piercing stare at Sabrina.

             
"So what's your story young miss? Are you after my Nick for his money?"

             
Sabrina choked on her tea.

             
"No- I'm- I'm not after anything."

             
Mrs. Falcon narrowed her eyes and stared at her for what seemed like an eternity. Then she nodded.

             
"Right. I can see that you're not. I read the papers too, love. Just had to be sure."

             
Sabrina had no clue what to say to that. She took another sip of her tea. It was delicious.

             
"Try one of the sandwiches dear. Go on."

             
Her mouth was full of cucumber and salmon on toast when Mr.s Falcon dropped the bomb.

             
"He's never brought a girl home before. Not even any of his wives."

             
Sabrina nearly choked. She tried to chew and swallow as quickly as she could.

             
"Really?"

             
Mrs. Falcon nodded sagely.

             
"Oh I went to one of the weddings. The one that wasn't in Vegas. But that was the only time I met the gel. It was over before the year was up anyway. He's always been like that. Women throw themselves at him you see. And he's always been obliging."

             
"Yes, I've noticed that."

             
"But you're different. He likes you. You aren't just a pretty face."

             
"I- thank you?"

             
Mrs. Falcon was peppering her with questions about her life and growing up when the doorbell rang. Sabrina nearly collapsed with relief when Nick's mother suddenly changed focus and clapped her hands together with glee.

             
"Oooh! They're here!"

             
Nick dashed by in the hallway, telltale crumbs on his face. His mother was right, he'd been sneaking scones.

             
"I'll get it!"

             
The sound of the door opening was shortly followed by the squeals of several women.

             
For the next hour Sabrina was surrounded by all of Nick's Aunts, Cousins, and his mothers best friends. Even the hairdresser showed up. The whole block was a Falcon compound. It was incredible.

             
It was a
disaster.

             
With every moment, she was getting pulled deeper into his world. She could feel all the crack in her heart being filled up with the sense of belonging, of being wanted.

             
With love.

             
Sabrina tried to enjoy it. She did her best. But she knew better than anyone how quickly things could change. How what you thought was safe, was yours to treasure, would inevitably be snatched away.

             
Life had taught her that time and time again, starting with the day her mother had left.

             
Leaving her with nothing.

**********

              "Isn't this cheating?"

             
Nick waved to his mum and friends as he helped Sabrina into the waiting limo. She stifled a yawn as he sat as close to her as possible. He'd been longing to kiss her all day. Now was his chance.

             
"I think we've earned a little luxury, don't you love?"

             
She nodded sleepily and nestled against him, laying her head on his shoulder.

             
Nick froze and then forced himself to relax. He lifted one arm up and held her, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. He relished the feel of her snuggling so trustingly in his arms. She had finally softened towards him.

             
He'd won.

             
Tonight he would take her. He be gentle, tender at first. But the second time, all bets were off. He'd be fierce, passionate, firm. They would make love all night, that way she could sleep on the trip to Paris. Nick was stroking her hair as he leisurely contemplated all the things they would do once they got back to the hotel room.

             
Filthy, naughty things.

             
But with her, they wouldn't feel dirty. He could tell. They'd just feel bloody right.

             
A tiny snuffling sound caught his attention. He turned his head to check.

             
Bloody hell.

             
Sabrina was sleeping like a babe in his arms. That adorably little sound had been a snore. He almost laughed. She was so cute, falling asleep when he had so many dirty things he wanted to do to her.

             
He leaned back against the seat and shook his head. They'd be back at the hotel soon. As much as he wanted to wake her up, he knew he wouldn't.

             
Damn, he'd forgotten to change their mode of transport! Gingerly he pulled his phone from his pocket and texted Marley.

             
Let's take the Chunnel tomorrow instead of flying. See if we can get a bus for the rest of the tour. Thanks Mate.

             
He slipped his phone back into his pocket and kissed her sleeping head.

**********

              Sabrina opened her eyes and sat up sharply. She was in a strange room. It was luxuriously decorated with an enormous four poster bed. One bedside table lamp was lit, on the far side of the bed. There was a bandana draped over it to soften the light.

             
Nick's bandana.

             
Where the hell was she? Was she in his bedroom???

             
Nick strolled into the room wearing a bathrobe over his torn up jeans. He held a steaming cup of something in one hand and a book in the other.