The Beautiful Katastrophe

(XVI) Testing, Testing

     In this moment, it was my heartrate and breathing pattern that had changed. I pushed myself off of him to catch his eyes. "Excuse me?"

"You don't remember her?"

"Yeah. The rude bitch that answered your phone."

Prince smiled and put his chain to his lips. "So, you know I like her," he said, nibbling on the tip of the cross.

"And?"

"I worked hard getting to her. She finally broke up with her boyfriend."

I was scowling.

Prince leaned back on the headboard. "I wrote a song for her. Ever since, we've been kind of inseparable."

"Yeah, except when you came here and fucked me this morning."

He laughed. "And when I took you out," he added. "And now..."

"You get off on this, don't you?"

"Oh yeah," he said, still smiling. "You're so sexy when you..." His fingers waggled in my face. "You know. Look like this."

I slapped his hand away from me. "Fuck Susannah."

"Oh. I have already."

I cursed him under my breath and tried to get away but his strength pulled me back to my spot on the bed.

"Baby, relax," he said, laughing. "It was a good song."

I wanted to leave but he was holding on to my hand pretty tight.

"I wrote you one, too. I call it, Darling Nikki."

Really? Just with the title alone, I was not impressed. "What do you call Susannah's?"

He cleared his throat. "The Beautiful Ones."

"Oh," I said, nodding. "How nice."

"Yeah. I think I'm going to use them both for the movie. Maybe I'll cast her so I can kiss her on screen."

"So, what happened with the show tonight?"

Like magic, his stupid smirk disappeared. "What?"

"Were you nervous?"

Prince rolled his eyes. "You can't just pick up someone's guitar and start playing it like it's your own."

I was now the one smirking.

"Your little boyfriend is an asshole for that."

"Michael's not my boyfriend."

"Whatever he is or was, I'm sure you showed him a good time."

"Oh, I did." I was basking in it. "He even bought me an eight-million-dollar bracelet."

"Why?" Prince was really pissed off now. "You obviously fucked him."

I snatched my hand from his tightening hold. "I didn't. I swear," I laughed. "But can you imagine what I could've gotten if I did?"

"Don't be cute."

"He got it for me because that's just what he does."

"Well, don't expect that shit from me."

I shook my head. "Listen. I'm tired." I rolled over and laid down on my pillow.

"Then, I'm leaving."