Beyond The Leather

Chapter 47: Nobody to Her...Everything To Me

Warning: Violence

April 1987

I finished up my 3 shoots for today and met up with Derek around 5. The movers were clearing out the boxes in his studio and putting them into the moving truck while I was sweeping up the ground to get rid of the dirt. I was extremely exhausted and needed a break. Derek was inside his office as usual doing God knows what.

"Hi, Miss. Darlington, all the boxes are in the truck can we take them over to Mr. Richards storage now? "

"Uh yeah, that's fine, thanks," I say to the moving guy. The truck drives away and I put all the garbage outside and come back in.

"Where's the moving truck?" Derek asks as he comes out of the office.

"Oh, he drove your stuff over to your office," I say grabbing my purse.

"Excuse me?" He raises his brows and limps towards me. "And who gave him permission to do that?" He hovered over me with agitation in his voice.

"I thought...I thought that's what you wanted." I mumbled.

"SLAP"

"How come you don't listen to me when I'm talking to you!" He shouted as he slapped me across the face and shoved me against the wall. I held my face and started trembling and tensing up a bit when I saw his jaw clench and his fist ball up. "I'm going to teach you a lesson in listening." He says as he gripped the front of my shirt and pointed in my face.

"Derek please I'm so-"

"Iman!"

I turned and sighed in relief as I saw Slash running in. "Slash what are you doing here?" I let out a shaky breath.

"Mani it's Albion he's sick!" Slash said in a panic. "You need to come with me OK it's serious!"

My eyes went wide, "Oh my God is he OK?" I asked with worry as I rubbed my cheek.

"No, you need to come now please." He grabbed my arm and pulled me towards him. I was about to go when I felt Derek grab the other side of my arm.

"She's not going anywhere with you! She has things to do here!" Derek raised his voice.

"Let go of her arm right now!" Slash demanded and gritted his teeth as he got in Derek's face.

Derek scoffed and smirked at Slash, "You don't scare me... Slash." He mocked saying his name.

"Whoa, boys calm down." I got in between them to separate them so they wouldn't fight each other. "Derek, I have to go OK I'll call you later." I turned to go.

"No! You're coming right back here after!" He demanded as he squeezed my arm

"OK," I mumbled in pain and he let me go. I ran out the door with Slash. I saw Duff in the front seat and got into the back seat of the car while Slash sat shotgun.

"Slash, is Albion OK though is he...is he alive?" I asked with a shaky voice.

"Mani, I don't know we have to get there for us to know," Slash said.

Duff started driving and we were all silent in the car. I was praying that Albion was alright. I loved him like he was my brother. I started tearing up in the car hoping that this wasn't as serious as Slash was making it out to be.

"Stop at that gas station quick Duff," Slash said.

He ran inside and came back 5 minutes later, and we continued to drive on.

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"Slash you hole let me out of this closet right now!" I yelled as I banged on the door.