Broken Record

Chapter 18: Stevie

Immediately after having sex with Benton, Stevie had felt relaxed. Calm. Almost like being tied up and completely at someone else's mercy, especially someone as in control as him, was like a form of therapy for her. She felt crazy for thinking that but then again Stevie was always outside of the realm of normal. Alternative. Marched to the beat of her own drum. Could having sex like this be the piece she'd always been missing? A way to calm her raging energy levels? Or was it just...Benton?

As Stevie stepped under the hot stream of shower water, her skin broke out in goosebumps at the memory of the feel of Benton's strong hands against her things, his fingers against her most intimate skin. She scrunched her eyes shut, the water wetting her long hair. He'd been so large, bigger than anyone else she'd ever been with. Not that her list was that long. A few guys in college. A couple of struggling musicians who shared her passion for music but nothing more. Her list definitely couldn't be as long as Benton's. That guy knew what he was doing. She regretted not being able to see him, to watch his face, his strong body move inside of hers. But again, the lack of control, the total vulnerability, maybe that's what turned her on.

Stevie stepped out of the shower, everything feeling over sensitized as she first dried herself off and then applied lotion. She looked at herself in the mirror, the heavy eye makeup she'd applied before her arriving at The Den now gone as her large, pale green eyes stood out against her face, her lips still slightly swollen from Benton's kisses. That man didn't kiss like she'd been kissed before. He ravaged. He took without asking. She raised her fingers to her lips, the memory still so fresh when she felt her phone vibrate on her bathroom counter. It was her sister, Olivia.

"Hey Olivia, how's married life?" Stevie swiped to answer and put the phone on speaker, brushing out her wet hair and putting on her neon green pajamas.

"Oh you know, magical or whatever." Olivia huffed out through the phone and Stevie could tell she was being sarcastic which meant she had to be frustrated about something. Stevie just didn't know if she was up for getting into it with her sister right now. The two were like oil and water. And right now, Stevie had too much preoccupying her mind.

"How's working at the fancy record label?" Olivia continued talking over Stevie's silence.

"I mean, it's cool. Busy, you know, demanding." Demanding like Benton. Stevie's cheeks flushed and she was grateful Olivia couldn't see her, the tell tale sign of embarrassment staining her pale cheeks.

"Have you worked with anyone famous? Anyone I would know?" Stevie rolled her eyes and grabbed the phone as she headed into the apartment kitchen for a glass of water. The place was all modern and sleek, way fancier than anywhere she'd ever lived. She knew it was nice but it was also cold, sterile. Another few attributes of Benton's.

"Uh, yeah, I mean Jelena Kingston and Aero--"

"JELENA KINGSTON! As in the Jelena Kingston? You're shitting me."

"Nope," Stevie let out a small laugh, her sister being the most typical Jelena Kingston fan ever, "not lying. Just had a meeting with her and her mom today."

"You met...her mom? Ohmygod that's so cool."

"Eh, not really. Her mom is kind of a bitch."

"More like a genius. She basically invented Jelena's career." Stevie grunted in response, not really disagreeing that it was true. Still, the woman was a total stage mom. Poor Jelena's life was way cooler on the outside than in reality.

"I also work a lot with Aeronox. We're actually working together on some remixes of Jelena's songs."

"Aero-who?" Olivia set down the phone to say something in the background as Stevie made her way to the couch, crossing her legs underneath her. She loved her sister and even missed her at times, but there was too little common ground for them to bond over. I mean, how could her sister not even know who Aeronox was? The guy was a producing legend. Not to mention a DJ sensation. Stevie waited for Olivia to finish, briefly wondering why she couldn't be attracted to Aeronox herself. He was just as unattainable as Benton, but at least he was more her type. Kind even. Someone who she enjoyed spending time with. The idea of just spending time with Benton seemed about as silly as Stevie wearing a conservative suit.

"Sorry, Derrick just left." Olivia let out a small huff but didn't elaborate.

"Left? Isn't it like 10:00 PM there?" Stevie cocked her head, confused.

"Wait, so who was the other person? Aero something?"

"Yeah, Aeronox. He's the DJ on that song, Lemonhead."

"Ohhh shit, no way! Yes I know that song, it's on the radio all the time!" Stevie rolled her eyes again thinking no shit Sherlock, but didn't say it.

"Do you um...would it be weird if I maybe came to visit? I haven't been to Los Angeles in years." Stevie sat up straighter at her sister's question, feeling like there was more to her request than she was letting on.

"You want to come visit me...like as in spend one-on-one time together?"

"Geez, Stevie. It won't be that bad. You could show me the studio, we could get dinner. I'll go shopping and not bitch at you too much. Maybe I could go check out the touristy spots. I don't know, I just want to travel." Travel? You just got back from Costa Rica a few weeks ago on your honeymoon, Stevie thought to herself. But whether it was to avoid a longer drawn out conversation or because Stevie just didn't have the energy for any other unexpected events tonight, she didn't probe.

"Sure, yeah. I mean, if you want, that'd be fine--"

"Great!" Olivia cut her off, her voice too high. "It's settled. I'll find a good weekend and let you know. Night, sis." Olivia hung up and Stevie dropped the phone, letting out a small laugh at her much girlier sister's tendencies. The woman never took 'no' for an answer. The world revolved around her. If she wanted to come visit Stevie for whatever reason, it wasn't a matter of if, but of when.

Stevie set her phone alarm before turning on a TV show, a flutter of nerves filling her stomach at the thought of having to go back into the office tomorrow. It's not like she regularly saw Benton anyway. There was a very high chance that she wouldn't, especially if she and Aeronox were going to be heads down on Jelena's remix work. Still, the thought consumed her, warring emotions of not wanting to see him and needing to see him competing with one another. She wanted to see his reaction, his ability to keep himself so cool and collected while she felt completely out of control. How could she just treat him like she had before, knowing his secret, knowing what it felt like to have him inside of her? As she watched TV, her mind was still back at The Den. Back in room 2115, ropes around her ankles and wrists, her cheek against leather. How many different ways would Benton be able to tie her up and make her feel that satiated again? She shifted on the couch, her finger dragging along her bottom lip, remembering the coldly spoken words of Benton's rules:

Outside of this room, you're no one to me. If you ever say my real name again, this is over. No second chances. And never, ever text me.

Stevie stole a deep breath, replaying them in her head. And even though she knew it was worth it to stick to his rules, knew that this man meant his word and would not make exceptions for anyone, that glowing red part of herself that loved to break the rules, loved to walk the line, told her that she might not be able to stick to his list.