ELEVEN
QUEEN AND GHOST
ATLANTA, GEORGIA
AFTER A MUCH NEEDED DEEP TISSUE MASSAGE, Beyoncé Knowles Carter held her ringing phone in her hand, seeing her husband's name flash on the screen once again. She pressed the decline button and threw her phone down, wrapping a robe around her naked body. She thanked her massagist who wished her a goodnight, before walking out. She looked outside the large floor-to-ceiling window, sitting on one of the lounge chairs in the suite. As she watched the nightlife below, she didn't have to put on a fake smile like she did on stage. She could finally take a moment to breathe.
But she couldn't, not when her mind was running circles. The phone rang again and she found answering it, closing her eyes. Then she heard the voice of the man she'd been in love with since she was 18 years old.
"Bee." He whispered. "I'm sorry."
She didn't say anything and only ended the phone call. She muted notifications from Shawn for the rest of the night, wanting to be left alone. Her eyes filled with tears once again and she dug her hands into her hair. In the background, she had played one of her favorite songs on the stereo, Second Nature. She still could remember when she recorded this with DC, she couldn't believe that was almost 20 years ago.
After about a minute, her ringtone rang once again, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She knew it wasn't Shawn or her employees. Her team knew not to bother her after the concert which only meant one thing. Out was her stalker. With shaky hands, she pulled it to her ear. For a moment, she only heard breathing and a chill traveled throughout her body. Nothing was said and she looked around her room, getting the sense that she was being watched again.
"You still pick up his phone? It seems like you need to learn a lesson."
She furrowed her eyebrows together. "I told you to leave me alone."
"We can't even call? Friends talk to other friends." He teased and she scoffed, clenching her jaw. "You are not my friend."
"Oh come on. I helped you figure out your husband was cheating. I think I'm your greatest friend."
"I didn't need you to do that, okay? I didn't need you to involve yourself in any aspect of my life. What you need to do is stop calling me and stay away from me."
"Doll, why so stingy today? Did you miss me that much?" She didn't say anything. How was it that only hearing his voice was enough to make her feel like she could orgasm? She hadn't orgasmed in years because of Shawn yet with this man everything was completely different.
"What are you doing right now?"
"You think I would tell you?"
"Can't a friend just know what his other friend is doing?" He asked and she rolled her eyes. "I don't know who you are but you piss me off."
"Yeah, well you drive me crazy so we're even." He asked and a small smile appeared on her lips. She couldn't help but feel a wet puddle form in between her thighs. "I'm not telling you anything, you should just leave me alone."
"You're so cute when you're stubborn." The man chuckled. "I can see you anyway. I know you just finished your deep tissue massage. And you're all oily and shit. You look so damn fuckable and ready to be used like the slut you are."
She was sitting on her bed, wearing nothing but a Versace robe, and her hair was tied into a messy bun. He was right, she was practically shining with oils and the sight was enough to make him go crazy.
"How are you seeing me right now? I should have you arrested." The answer was the television. He had hacked into the television's camera and used it to watch her. But she didn't need to know that.
