Book 4: The Way We've Always Done Before (Axl Rose FanFic)

Ch. 20: Wife Beater

"So, where are you from, exactly? Your accent is cute," Tommy asked, gently resting a hand on my bare thigh. I tried not to let the gesture bother me.

"Lafayette, Indiana," I answered. "I grew up with Izzy and Axl."

"Oh, really?" He asked, looking more at my cleavage than at my face. "Fascinating. What made you come to L.A.?"

I slid away from him slightly on the leather couch, acting like I was repositioning myself when, in reality, I was trying to get further away from him. He was starting to creep me out a little.

"Axl said he was going to marry me-"

Tommy burst out laughing. "You believed him?"

I felt my hands clench into fists. "Of course I believed him. Why wouldn't I?"

He shook his head, still chuckling. He scooted closer to me. I leaned away from him, but ended up being stuck between his body and the arm of the couch. He towered over me, a sly smile on his face.

"Axl is a rock star. Rock stars don't get married."

"That's not true," I stammered. "He did marry that one girl named Erin. And Jon Bon Jovi got married. So did John Lennon."

Tommy shook his head, running a finger along my jaw. "You just don't get it, do you? You don't want to marry Axl Rose."

I pulled away from his touch, giving him a sour look.

"And why the hell wouldn't I?"

"You really haven't heard?"

"Heard what?" I demanded.

He laughed again, this time it sounded much more evil than I remembered it sounding a few moments ago.

"You really do live under a rock, don't you?"

When he had said that earlier, it sounded like he thought my naivety was cute. Now, he made it sound like I was just plain stupid. Why did everyone seem to know things that I didn't? I always felt like a child. Nobody ever told me anything.

Tommy suddenly leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine. I pounded my fists against his chest, but he simply held onto my wrists with a firm grip and pulled me down onto the couch.

"God, you're so sexy in that dress..." He moaned, rubbing my inner thigh with his free hand. "And you're so innocent...I'll bet you're a virgin, aren't you? I'm gonna' have so much fun with this one..."

I began to panic. I had never been in this situation before. The furthest I'd ever gone with a man was with Will and all we had done is touch each other a little through our clothes, and that had been years ago before he had left. In my vulnerable state, I did the only thing I could think of to do: I kneed him in the groin.

He let out a breath less cough and dropped to the floor, clutching his manhood in both hands. He rolled around in agony and I headed for the door.

"I mean it Hazel," he shouted after me, gasping for air. "You'll pay for that. Either I'll beat you, or he will. But it'll most likely be him."

I paused halfway through the door. "Excuse me?"

"That's right," he coughed, a devious grin on his face. "Your little boyfriend is a wife beater. Why else do you think Erin filed for divorce? Bet he forgot to mention it, am I right?"

I thought back to when I had overheard Izzy and Will talking in Will's backyard. The secret Will had been keeping from me.

I didn't want Tommy to see that he was right; that Will had left me in the dark, that our relationship was built on lies, and that the man I loved was a monster.

"Rot in Hell," I snapped before stepping out of the room and slamming the door.