Rocking Esme (The Rocking Series Book 1) Page 4

  “What?” I asked.

  “Seriously? How can you only want to be friends with him, have you seen him, he’s H.O.T!” Marcy exclaimed.

  I just shrugged my shoulders and tried to change the subject, as much as Rick was a really nice guy, he wasn’t for me. “So Marce, you coming to the bar Friday night?”

  “Hell yes! Need to get laid!” She replied. We all laughed and I felt a little relieved that the conversation had changed.

  We all ordered and sat around chatting, it was so nice chilling out, laughing and joking around with my friends. This place was nice, it was quiet and small, not a lot of people knew about it unless you were a local.

  We were all getting ready to leave, “Just got to pop to the bathroom, meet you outside.” I said to the girls.

  They just nodded.

  I walked into the bathroom and I heard some moaning and slapping together of body parts. I screwed my face up, and was about to turn around and leave, as I didn’t want to hear that, when the cubicle door opened and out stepped Cindy and Will - he was the drummer of the band. Apart from us, the toilets were empty.

  All I heard was a gasp that sounded like it came from Cindy, and a “Fuck.” That came from Will. I put my head down, turned around and walked out the door, before either of them could say anything to me.

  I passed the bands table and saw Jackson and Rick watching me, I gave them a slight wave and left the cafe.

  That was twice now I’d seen her being intimate with someone else, well I didn’t see it with Will, but what I had heard didn’t leave much to the imagination. Maybe Rick’s suspicions were right about Cindy. Why did I have to be the one catching her? I had to tell Jackson, didn’t I? What if he found out I knew and I hadn’t told him? I didn’t know what to do, would I want someone to tell me? Hell yes, I would.

  I turned back towards the cafe, and all I could see was Cindy sitting on Jacksons lap and she was scowling at me as if she was warning me not to mention anything.

  I gulped, turned back around and walked over to where my friends were stood.

  ***

  It was three o’clock and I was working the mid-afternoon shift and things were very quiet. I mean, honestly, who had the time or money to be drinking this early? I heard the door open and I looked up to see Flix standing there, a slow smile spread to my face and I felt a little giddy.

  “Hey, guys, what you doing here so early?” I asked them as they wandered over to the bar. Rick leant over the bar and gave me a kiss on the cheek. It made me blush, why was he doing that? I just smiled at him and returned my attention to everyone else.

  “Got to do a sound check for tonight.” Frank answered.

  “Oh, awesome, you guys can keep me entertained then, it’s so dead in here.” I told them, then I asked “Who wants a drink?”

  They all smiled and at the same time said; “Usual please.”

  I think I must have looked shocked, as I said; “Usual? Its three o’clock guys, seriously?” I chuckled and they all just nodded at me.

  “Ok, I will bring them over.”

  They all walked away talking about the show tonight, and how good it was going to be, they all seemed in a good mood and excited.

  I gathered the drinks together and put them on a tray and walked over to the guys.

  “Here we go, shout if you need more and I will bring them over.” I told them, I went to walk away and Rick said to me;

  “Hang out, we’re just waiting for them to set it all up.” As he nodded his head towards the roadies.

  “Can’t guys, I’m working” I told them.

  They all looked at me and pulled pouty faces, I laughed and said, “Ok, but just for a few minutes.”

  We were all talking and laughing away, when I felt a bump on my shoulder. I looked over and it was Cindy barging past me. She walked straight up to Jackson and threw herself into his arms, and started kissing him.

  “I missed you.” I heard Cindy whine to him.

  I scoffed as I heard what she said, which earnt me a glare from her.

  “Sorry, babe, we got to do our sound check.” Jackson told her.

  He put her down and got back to his work, she sat down in a nearby chair crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. She looked like a four year old who couldn’t get her own way.

  I walked back to the bar and shouted over my shoulder, “Shout if you need anything, guys.”

  “I want a rum and coke.” Was all I heard Cindy shout at me.

  I turned around smiled sweetly and said, “Coming up.” I did not like this girl and she was trying my patience.

  I got her drink, took it over to her table, and noticed she was sat alone as the guys were now busy. I turned away and went to walk over to the bathroom, before I got there I felt a tug on my hair. I yelped in surprise because it hurt. I turned around and saw Cindy standing there glaring, with her hands on her hips. She got behind me and pushed me into the bathroom.

  “What are you doing?” I asked.

  “We need to have a little chat.” She sneered at me, her face inches from mine.

  I took a step back, crossed my arms over my chest and asked, “About?”

  She stormed towards me and pushed me, which made me stumble. The next thing I knew she had me pinned up against the wall, her face in mine.

  “If you tell Jackson what you saw, you will be sorry.”

  “What? I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I said.

  “You know exactly what I’m talking about, don’t play dumb. You. Will. Be. Sorry.” She spat.

  I couldn’t do anything but nod my head, she let me go and I stumbled again. The next thing I knew, Jackson was walking in the door.

  “Wwwhat are you doing in here? This is the ladies.” I said to him. I tried to act calm, but I was a bit shaken up.

  “I saw you girls head in here and wondered what was taking so long.” He explained to us.

  Cindy glared at me and said, “Nothing baby, we were just chatting. Make- up and stuff, you know how it is.”

  He didn’t look at Cindy at all while she was explaining, his eyes were focused on me. I smiled at him, walked past him and headed back to the bar.

  Jackson

  I saw Esme walking in the direction of the toilets, then I noticed Cindy walking in that direction too. I thought that was very strange. It was about ten minutes later and they still hadn’t come out, so I decided to go and see if they were ok, just in case one of them was ill or something.

  I walked into the toilets and Esme said to me;

  “Wwwhat are you doing in here? this is the ladies?”

  She sounded a bit off and a bit strange, I wanted to know what was going on;

  “I saw you girls head in here and wondered what was taking so long.”

  I saw Cindy look at Esme and then she said to me “Nothing, baby, we were just chatting. Make-up and stuff, you know how it is.”

  I didn’t look at Cindy as she was talking to me, my eyes were focused on Esme. She didn’t seem herself, she seemed withdrawn and nervous. She gave me a little smile that I knew wasn’t genuine, as it didn’t reach her eyes, then she walked out.

  “Come on, baby, you got your sound check to do.” Cindy said as she kissed me on the cheek and walked away from me.

  I made my way over to the band, stopping by the stage as they were discussing something; I wasn’t listening as I was thinking about what Esme and Cindy were talking about. Was Cindy telling Esme that she didn’t love me anymore? Though I’d never really known her to have any female friends before and certainly not ones she confided in, like a best friend. Esme did look really uncomfortable... Were they arguing? Though what would they be arguing about? I definitely interrupted something; I just couldn’t put my finger on it. I would find out though.

  Chapter 10

  Esmeralda

  It was a very busy night at The Archer, the band was playing and it was crowded, the busiest I had seen it. I was rushed off my feet and hadn’t had a chance to enjoy F
lix’s music, which I was a little disappointed at.

  “Hey, what can I get you?” I asked the next guy in line for a drink.

  “Hi, can I get a Scotch, neat” He asked me with the biggest grin.

  “Sure.” I replied and got to making it, I didn’t have chance for small talk tonight as it was so packed, which always made a difference to my tips. I passed the guy his drink, told him the amount and took the money. As I was handing him his change, he grabbed my hand and almost pulled me straight over the bar.

  I gave him a hard glare and he let me go, I turned around and walked away rubbing my wrist that was now red.

  Sometime later, I saw that the same guy was still sat at the bar and I could just feel his eyes burning into me. He was beginning to make me feel a bit uneasy. I looked his way and he was shaking his glass at me as if to say that he wanted another drink, so I had to go serve him, but to keep myself safe, I decided I was going to let him have the drink on the house so I didn’t have to get so close.

  “Same again?” I asked.

  He nodded at me and said “Fancy a dance?”

  “Sorry, I can’t, I’m working.” I said as I slid his drink across to him. He went to take some money out of his wallet and I said, “It’s on me.”

  He grinned at me and winked. I began serving other people and thought to myself, was that a mistake? Maybe I had given him the wrong impression.

  ***

  Last orders had already been called, it was starting to quieten down and I could see the dance floor in front of me as people were starting to leave. I headed out around the bar and began collecting glasses, when a hand touched my elbow; I froze and slowly turned around.

  I was relieved to see that it was Jackson, “Hey, you ok?” I asked.

  “Yep, can I get a drink from the pretty lady?” He said with a smirk.

  I nodded and said; “Yeah, if you can find her.”

  “Found her. Come on, gorgeous.” He then led me to the bar and I got him his usual after-gig bottle of water. He must have been dehydrated after all the singing and jumping around.

  “Thanks, better head back over and help pack up. Can’t wait to get home, it’s been an intense night.”

  “I know what you mean, so busy. See you later, Jax.”

  I turned around and carried on clearing up. I went back to the tables to wipe them all down when I felt someone close to me, I didn’t think anything of it, I just thought it was Jackson again. Then I heard someone say in my ear;

  “Is he your boyfriend?” I yelped and turned around quickly and took a step back. It was the guy from the bar earlier.

  I just shook my head and then scolded myself for doing that, I should have said yes and then he may have just walked away. He started walking closer to me, and I was walking backwards, trying to keep my distance. I could smell the scotch on his breath and he was a bit unsteady on his feet. I kept walking and all of a sudden, I felt something hard against my back and realised I was flat up against the bar.

  I didn’t know what to say and I didn’t know what he was going to do, I looked around for help and people were busy with their own friends, no one was paying attention to me. I tried to look for Jax or Rick to help me but couldn’t see over the top of the guy as he was towering over me.

  He grabbed my wrist and started pulling me towards the back of the club, I was starting to get worried now, I needed help, I didn’t think yelling was going to help as no one would hear me.

  “What are you doing?” I asked. “Where are we going?”

  He didn’t answer me, he just kept pulling me along after him. The next thing I knew we were out in the car park, down the side alley, next to the fire escape door, at the side of the stage. He pushed me up against the wall and pinned my arms to my side. I screamed from the pain of his force.

  “No, stop it. You’re hurting me. What do you want from me?”

  He just chuckled at me and said; “Just a good time, darling.”

  He yanked my jeans down just past my hips and then with one arm pinning me against the wall he undid his flies with his other hand. I started to feel the bile rise in my throat as he started to pull himself free from his jeans. I tried to scream but no sound would come out.

  I was starting to hyperventilate, when all of a sudden he was removed from me. I heard a grunt and someone had hit him and he had fallen to the floor. I managed to pull my jeans up before my legs gave way and my body slid down the wall and I fell to the ground. I couldn’t move. I felt someone pick me up and I screamed, until I heard;

  “Esme, it’s ok, it’s just me, it’s Jackson.”

  I felt a rush of relief go through me, I wrapped my arms around his neck, held on tight and began sobbing.

  Jackson

  It was a very busy night, I was exhausted and Cindy was nowhere to be seen, again, I was feeling a bit stressed and couldn’t talk to Esme as she was busy.

  I decided there was only one thing that was going to relax me and that was a cigarette, so I made my way to the side door to go out the back alley as I had told Cindy that I had quit.

  As I made my way outside, I heard a scream and looked around, all I saw was some guy pinning a woman to a wall. I thought about leaving them in peace as they were obviously getting their freak on but noticed he had her arms pinned to the wall, so I approached them quietly and that’s when I noticed that it was Esme. I ran full force, shoved him off her and punched him square in the jaw; he went down and stayed down. Then I saw the pub bouncers running towards us and I quickly explained. They grabbed him and walked off.

  I looked around and noticed that Esme had fallen to the floor and she was quiet, I picked her up and she screamed. I said to her;

  “Esme, it’s ok, it’s just me, its Jackson.”

  Then I felt her body relax a bit, she reached up put her arms around my neck tight and started sobbing.

  I took her into the bar, I was shaking from the anger that was running through me. How dare he? How dare he touch Esme, my Esme? My Esme, what? She wasn’t mine. I was just protective of her, she was young and innocent and nothing like that should happen to anyone, especially her.

  I began walking into the pub with Esme in my arms, I took her over to the bar, one thing she definitely needed was a shot.

  “What’s going on, what are you doing?” I heard Cindy screeching at me. Oh, now she turns up, I thought to myself. I put Esme down on a bar stool, turned around and faced Cindy and said; “Enough.”

  She looked shocked that I spoke to her that way and said; “Don’t speak to me like that, and what were you doing carrying her?” She screamed at me.

  I ignored her, walked around the bar and got Esme a whiskey. She was very quiet, and it was a bit worrying.

  “Es.” I said to her, she looked up at me and I handed her the drink. She took it and downed it in one, pushed the glass to me and said; “more.”

  “Ok, but we need to phone the police and it’s not going to look very good if you’re blind drunk when they get here.” I told her.

  “No, don’t. Let’s just forget it.” She said, looking at me with a pleading look.

  “You sure?” I asked.

  She just nodded and drank her drink.

  “What the fuck is going on? Police?” Cindy shouted.

  I saw Esme flinch and went over and put my arm around her to comfort her.

  “Esme was attacked out in the alley tonight and I got there just in the nick of time to pull the guy off her, now will you leave it, Cind.” I said, getting angrier by the minute. All I wanted to do was comfort Esme.

  I did want to comfort her and hold her, but it was only because she was attacked, because she was scared. It wasn’t because I was feeling more for her, I wasn’t, I loved Cindy, and she was my everything.

  “I’m sorry, Cind, I didn’t mean to shout. I just want to take care of Esme.” I paused and carried on with, “because she was hurt tonight, she is scared. I’m going to take her home. You go back to the hotel.”

  “No!
”

  “Please, Cind, she is in shock, I’m going to take her home, call her friend to stay with her. Go back to the hotel, I will make it up to you when I get back.” I winked at her and gave her a kiss on the lips.

  “Jackson, the police are here.” I heard one of the bouncers shout across the bar.

  “I said I didn’t want the police involved.” Cried Esme.

  “Sorry, Es, looks like the bouncers already called them, it’s for the best. Once you have spoken to them, I will take you home.” Esme nodded as her eyes filled with tears.

  Cindy

  How dare he? How dare he have his hands all over her like that? I couldn’t believe she was playing the innocent victim here, when she had probably asked for it, she probably loved the attention, that’s why she dressed like that, with jeans that were too tight and a t-shirt that only just met her jeans.

  She wanted my Jax, she wanted him for herself and this was the perfect way to get him, she knew he had a soft spot for her and that he wanted to protect her- hell, I’d seen it.

  If she wanted to play dirty like that, I would really give her something to scream about, she would NOT be taking Jax away from me, I would get that ring on my finger, I would get the high life, the big house and the money.

  Jax had asked me not to go with him to take Esmeralda home as she was very shaken up, so I came back to the hotel. I was angry, pissed off and needed to take the edge off, so I went and knocked on the door next to our room.

  “Hey, you ok?” Frank asked as he answered the door.

  I didn’t answer him, I pushed him inside, slammed the door behind me and jumped into his arms. I began kissing him and he didn’t hesitate in kissing me back.

  “Bedroom.” I murmured, as he was kissing me.

  He walked us in there and we fell backwards on the bed so I was straddling him, I was still feeling quite annoyed and frustrated, so this was going to be hard and rough.

  I stopped kissing him, sat up and pulled my top off followed quickly by my bra. I then pulled him up to a sitting position, pulled his shirt off and then pushed him back down; I pushed my breasts into his face so he would suck on my nipples. I groaned and ground myself into his very hard erection. I was getting wound up more and more. He then pulled me off of him, stood up and began removing his jeans, so I started doing exactly the same.