Mark Caudiff approached the Richardson house cautiously, glancing over his shoulder as always to make sure none of the prying neighbors were making note of his recent comings and goings since Kevin Richardson had been away on tour.
Making his way up the front walk he dug the key, provided by Leslie, out of his pocket and slipped it in the lock. Closing the door behind him he turned the deadbolt, depositing his key on the table beside the door before making his way up the winding staircase to the master bedroom on the second floor.
He walked quietly down the hall, pausing briefly outside of the door before opening it.
It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the low flickering candlelight as his eyes set upon Leslie lying on the bed in a soft cream colored silk negligée, her long blonde hair fanned out on the pillow, a seductive look in her eyes.
“Hey baby.” He said in a low sexy voice before shutting the door behind him.
“What took you so long?” Sitting up slightly Leslie held out her arms as Mark fell into them leaving a trail of hot wet kisses up her neck.
“I came as fast as I could.” He growled into her ear, nibbling on her earlobe.
“Whoa whoa.” Pushing at him Leslie backed up. “Slow down and stay awhile.” Mark laughed trying to catch his breath.
“Why don’t you take your clothes off and lie down over here next to me.” She patted Kevin’s side of the bed.
Smiling wickedly Mark slid off his button down shirt dropping it to the floor as he walked around the bed, his eyes locked on Leslie’s.
“And just for tonight,” Leslie began as he slid off his Levi’s climbing in the bed beside her. “Would you mind if I called you Kevin?” Trailing her fingernails down the bare flesh of his arm Mark sighed.
“You can call me anything you want sweetheart.” He whispered catching her bottom lip playfully in his teeth.
Tipping her head back Leslie laughed.
“So if I’m going to be Kevin what do you want me to call you?”
Leslie paused for a moment a twinkle in her eye.
How she would love for him to call her Lily. To whisper her name in her ear the way Kevin had always done when they’d made love, to tell her that he’d never love anybody the way he loved her. But if she gave away the name Lily then she was giving away too much and in the end that just wouldn’t do.
“Just call me Leslie.” She moaned wrapping her arms around him, the shadows of night dancing in the candlelit room as the soft sounds of Kevin’s voice singing a song from the new CD hung in the air all around them.
* * *
“LET ME GO.” Kevin shouted as Nick leaned into him using his body weight to pin Kevin hard to the wall.
“No way Kev, not until you calm down man.”
“If you’re fucking my wife you’re going to pay.” Kevin screamed. “I’m not kidding Nick. I’ll fuck you up so bad man.”
“Listen to you Kevin.” Shoving a forearm into Kevin’s chest Nick locked eyes with his one time mentor. “Listen to what you’re saying? Do you really think I would fuck your wife?” Nick’s voice trembled with a mixture of rage and disbelief.”
Finally breaking free from Nick’s hold Kevin turned walking back into the hotel room, crushing two vials of cocaine beneath his feet as he went.
“Kevin-“ Nick followed after him determined to keep Kevin confined in the hotel room until he calmed down.
“Go away Nick.” Kevin pushed open the door to the master suite walking directly to the phone on the nightstand.
“Who are you calling?” Stopping at the foot of the bed Nick looked nervously around the room.
“Fuck off.” Picking up the phone Kevin punched in the familiar digits of his lawyer. After three rings there was a muffled “What” on the other end of the line.
“Brad its Kevin.”
“What do you want Richardson, it’s 3:00 a.m. in the god damned morning.” Glancing over at his still sleeping wife Brad Raymond closed his eyes fighting the urge to drift back into a peaceful sleep with the phone receiver lying on the pillow beside him.
“Brad are you there?” Nick shifted his weight from one foot to the other, recognizing the name of Kevin’s lawyer.
“Yes I’m here Kevin.”
“I want you to draw up some papers for me Brad.” “Kevin c’mon-“ Nick leaned in dropping a hand on Kevin’s shoulder which he promptly shrugged off.
“Papers? What papers Kevin?” Rolling over Brad sat up rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
“Divorce papers.”
* * *
“What is he doing A.J., why is he doing this to me?” Tears streaming down her face Kristin didn’t have the strength to fight A.J. as he wrapped his arms around her tightly leading her down the hall to his room.
“Shhhhh.” Whispering into her ear A.J. stroked her hair trying to calm her down.
“This is like some horrible nightmare that I can’t wake up from?” Her legs giving out beneath her Kristin fell to the floor A.J.’s arms still wrapped around her as he knelt beside her.
“Look you need to be strong Kris.” Lifting her to her feet A.J. scooped her up tenderly in his arms.
“My love is slipping away from me A.J.” Leaning into his chest Kristin closed her eyes trying to match her breathing with the steady thump of A.J.’s heart.
“You just gotta hold onto it Kris, hold on tight with both hands and don’t let go.” Walking to his room A.J. reached in his back pocket for his key card.
“I don’t know if I can do it A.J……or if I even want to anymore.” Tears began to flow freely as A.J. slipped the key card into the slot pulling it out as the door lock popped open.
“I guess that’s something you’ll have to decide.” Walking inside the room he let the door drift close behind them as he made his way down the long darkened hallway toward the master suite.
“But for now you just need to get some sleep.”
“How am I supposed to close my eyes after all of that?” She answered, her voice growing thick with sleep.
“I’m sure you’ll find a way.” Walking into the room A.J. carried Kristin to the king sized bed, depositing her into the mound of dark paisley covers.
“Sleep tight.” He whispered placing a gentle kiss in the center of her forehead, her deep breathing filling the room before he could even close the door behind him.