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Chapter 58
Flesh to flesh...his eyes burning with love as Richie stroked in and out of her wanton body. He held her hands above her head, their fingers laced together, a fine sheen of sweat covering them. Their bodies moved together, hungry for the love they shared. Their climaxes washing over them, their bodies trembling with the magical release, and they clung to each other as their hearts raced.
Spent, Richie pulled out of her and lay on his side. He watched her as she lay on her back, her eyes closed. He reached out and lightly traced imaginary lines on her skin. "Did they hurt you?" he asked softly.
"Not really," she answered opening her eyes to look into his. "Todd, my mom's boyfriend, used something to knock me out and when I woke up, I had a really bad headache."
"Where did they keep you?"
"In a room in a basement....there was only one really dim light, a chair, a bed, and a nasty bathroom that I was afraid to use. The door was locked from the outside and Todd had the key. They allowed Frankie to bring me something to eat when I first woke up but I never saw him after that...until the FBI freed me."
"Do you know why they grabbed you?"
"Mama had some major gambling debts and whoever she owed....an Al somebody...was trying to collect."
"And she used your engagement ring as a down payment?"
"Todd did. She didn't know about the ring because I think he took it from me when he first grabbed me and she wasn't with him then. She didn't have any clue I was engaged to you. She thought Daddy was still alive and that's who she was trying to get the money from."
"I knew that....Tony told me some strange woman had called and thought she was talking to Chris. I told him it was your dad. When I called Tony...before you got to the venue....he said they were still questioning you."
"That was me," she smiled. "I didn't want your voice, Richie...I wanted your arms. I'm sorry if it upset you."
"It's okay...but I was about to go nuts not knowing what was going on."
Jesse closed her eyes for a minute, images of that room flashing through her mind and the feeling of fear that consumed her. "Richie, I have never been so scared...especially when they found out I was engaged to you. They were going to take the first money from Tony and demand more...not letting me go until they got it."
"I know, baby...I was scared too," whispered Richie. He didn't want her to know what Jon had thought.
Something in Richie's voice made her look at him. "What aren't you telling me?"
"Nothing!" he replied quickly rolling onto his back.
"You're lying." Jesse sat up, the sheet pulled up around her, as she looked at him. He had his eyes covered but she saw the tears escape from under his arm. That's when it hit her. "You thought I'd used you...that I'd taken off after I got the ring," she said, anger lacing her voice, hurt filling her eyes.
Richie sat up and tried to take her hands but she pulled away. "It wasn't MY first thought, Jesse."
"But it DID cross your mind?"
"Only to deny it! Jon brought it up....wanting to know how well I really knew you."
"Jon?" She felt like she'd been punched in the stomach.
"He was only looking at what he thought was going on."
"And you denied it?"
"Of course, I did. I told him I didn't believe it, that you weren't like that."
"You DO know that I don't like it when you buy me expensive gifts....I can't afford to do the same for you."
"I do know that, Jesse, but I want to do it...Jesse, I love you." He reached out again to take her hand and this time, she let him take it. He pulled her back into his arms. "Please, baby, Jon was just concerned for me....worried about me getting hurt."
"I'd never hurt you, Richie," she whispered.
"I know, Jess," he replied as he ran his fingers through her hair.
"Why doesn't Jon like me?"
"He does, baby, it's just that we have to be careful of fans."
"You knew I was a fan when you asked me to have a drink with you."
"Yeah, and I stick by the fact that you aren't a typical fan."
Jesse laughed but then grew quiet. She was thinking about her ring and what her mother had said it was worth as they lay back down. Nestled in his arms, her head on his shoulder, she asked, "Richie, did you really pay fifteen thousand dollars for my ring?"
"No, it's worth that but I didn't pay that. I'll call the store tomorrow and order a new one."
"Give it a little while. The FBI are going to try to recover it."
"Are you sure? I don't like you not having a ring on your finger."
"I don't need a ring to know you love me." Putting her hand on his chest, she said, "Thank you for bringing Stevie down. I need to call Kevin and tell him so he doesn't worry."
"Why? It didn't involve Stevie."
"You'd want to know if something happened to Heather, wouldn't you?"
"Only if it involved Ava."
Jesse sighed. "Doesn't really matter anyway. His number was on my cell and it's busted."
Richie smiled, "Go look in my big bag."
Jesse looked up at him. "What have you done?"
"Jon and I went shopping today...for you. There are a couple things in there for you."
Jesse jumped up and rushed to Richie's bag. Digging through his clothes, she found two boxes...one was small and the other was long and flat. She took them both back to the bed and sat down in the middle.
"Which should I open first?"
"The smaller one."
Richie sat up pulling as he watched Jesse tear into the first gift.
"OH MY GOD! RICHIE! It's is a blackberry!"
"When Billy told me about your phone, I decided to get you a new one. Obie took your old one and was able to transfer your contacts to it."
"What about my ringtones?"
"You can download whatever you want and you'll need to let everyone know your new number."
"Richie, I can't afford to download a lot of stuff, especially with the extra fees for a blackberry."
"Jess, stop. You're going to be my wife so I put your phone on my plan. Make the phone yours...download whatever you want."
Jesse leaned to him to kiss him. "Thank you!"
"Go on, call Kevin and then you can open the next one."
"Kevin can wait."
Richie laughed, "Are you sure?"
"Positive! You've given me new earrings and a new phone. What more can you have done?"
"This is more for us."
Jesse opened the box to find the laptop complete with a case and all the peripheral devices. "Richie?"
"I want to keep up with what's out there about us. In case you didn't know, someone got pictures of me proposing to you and they were in the National Enquirer this morning."
"That's probably how Mama found out about us. How are we going to get online?"
"I got an air card that's on my cell phone. Obie took a look at it and said it's one of the best out."
"Cool! I can play with it tomorrow during soundchecks." Setting the laptop off to the side, Jesse took her new phone. She looked through her contacts and found Kevin's number. She pressed send and waited.
Richie put his hand on her leg as she waited, stroking the soft flesh of her inner thigh.
"Hey, Kevin...yeah, I have a new phone..." and she told Kevin what had happened.
When she finished talking and hung up, Richie took the phone, set it on the table beside the bed, and took Jesse in his arms. Laying her back, he kissed her. "Let's go to sleep, beautiful."
