Thrill! (50 page)

fr & #

Later, Nikki rode in Aiden's truck to his apartment, stopping at supermarket on the way to pick up a couple of steaks and s^m salad.

They stood side by side at the checkout line. When it was tjm to pay she waited for Aiden to make a move. He made no atte^^ to do so.

"I don't know why I'm doing this,"

she grumbled, fis^ out her credit card.

"Yes, you do,"

he said, picking up the grocery bag and carryjn it to his truck."

"Cause you want to."

"No, I don't,"

she responded, trailing after him.

"I told you _ what we had was a one-off."

"Glad I made such an impression,"

he said, throwing open ^ passenger door.

Til fix you a steak,"

she said, climbing into his truck,

"the^ j have to go home. Richard's bugging me, I think it's time I sp^ to my lawyer."

"You're going for a divorce?"

351 "That's the plan."

His apartment was a dump. She walked around in shock.

"How can you live like this?"

she demanded.

"Wanna move me into the beach house?"

he joked.

"Yeah, right,"

she said, inspecting the tiny kitchen, noticing that the grill had not been cleaned in months.

"No maid service?"

"Doesn't cut it, does she?"

he said, ruefully.

" That's the understatement of the year,"

Nikki replied, going to work - cleaning the grill, washing the steaks and placing them on it.

While the meat was cooking she chopped up tomatoes, lettuce and cucumbers, tossing everything into a big wooden bowl.

"Where's your olive oil?"

"You think I cook?"

"How am I supposed to fix a salad dressing? You'd better run out and pick up a bottle."

"Jeez! This is so friggin"

domesticated,"

he complained, but he went anyway.

As soon as he left she took a more thorough look around. Aiden was obyiously not into possessions. His bed was a futon on the floor, his closet was almost empty, and the only personal things were stacks of scripts piled everywhere. What kind of man was he, anyway? Interesting for sure. Different. And a pretty sensational lover.

She couldn't help herself, she opened the top drawer of his dresser just out of curiosity. Tons of mismatched socks, all mixed up. And a gun.

She shut the drawer as quickly as she'd opened it. Dangerous territory. What was Aiden doing with a gun?

I am not getting involved., she told herself sternly. No way.

By the time he got back the steaks were nearly done.

"Clear some of those scripts off the table, and we'll eat,"

she said, searching in a cupboard for a bottle of steak sauce.

"Then I'd appreciate it if you'd drive me back to my car."

"You're really pissy for somebody who had great sex,"

he remarked.

"One orgasm doesn't do it for you, huh?"

352

^^Sir

THRILL!

"I hate to burst your ego,"

she said quickly.

"It didn't mean a thing."

"No?"

"I can be exactly like a guy in that respect."

"Fuck and run, huh?"

"I've always thought that anything a man can do, a woman can too. It was retribution - pure and simple."

"Oh, I get it,"

he said, a little bit pissed off.

"It was a revenge fuck. And the fact that you and I have this kind of electric thing between us had nothing to do with it - am I right?"

"What *m;you talking about?"

"I'm talking about hot. . . lustful. . . sex.''

And before she could stop him, he spun her around and grabbed her, pressing his lips down on hers, his hungry mouth devouring her, while the steaks burned on the grill and neither of them cared.

She made a feeble attempt to push him off.

It was useless. She was as into it as he was.

# # #

Shopping with Rachel was fun, although not as much fun as cruising Melrose with Tina. Summer yearned for LA. It was like a sickness, being there was all she could think about as she trailed Rachel through Saks. Rachel spent Daddy Dearest's money at a pretty fast pace - throwing her credit card in Summer's direction whenever she needed it.

Idly Summer wondered what Rachel would do if she told her the truth. Freak out and cry. She didn't have much backbone.

When she got home she called Tina again and they had the same old conversation.

"When are you coming back?"

Tina demanded.

"Maybe for Christmas. I'll be sixteen then. If things work out I can stay."

"Darlene says you got rave reviews from Norman. He keeps asking where you are."

353

jACi-KlJbi COLLINS

"Wow!"

she said. Norman Barton, an actual movie star, wondering where she was. This was too amazing!

A few days later Rachel came into her room crying.

"It's my mother,"

Rachel sniffed.

"She's sick. I have to fly to Florida."

"Want me to come with you?"

Summer offered.

"No, I'll be all right."

Summer didn't much care if Rachel would be all right or not, she dreaded being left alone in the house with her father. It had been over a year since he'd touched her, but what if he started again?

Rachel departed the next morning. Summer watched her go from her bedroom window, fervently hoping she'd be back soon.

An hour later she set off for school, but before she could make a clean getaway her father strode out of his study, blocking her by the front door.

"You and I will dine together tonight,"

he said.

"The two of us - it'll be like old times, sweet pea."

"Uh ... I already have a date, Daddy,"

she stammered - the words

"like old times"

striking fear within her.

Sheldon did not look pleased.

"Who's the lucky young man?"

he demanded.

"A boy at school,"

she lied.

Sheldon stared at her for a moment, his thin lips twitching.

"I would like to meet him,"

he said.

"Make sure you bring him in when he collects you."

Oh no! What was she going to do now?

As soon as she got to school she approached Stuart, the school geek, who had a mammoth crush on her.

"Wanna go to a movie tonight?"

she asked, cornering him by the lockers.

Stuart swallowed three times, so impressed was he by the invitation.

"Y . . . yes,"

he stammered.

"OK, pick me up at seven, and don't make me wait around."

Stuart was right on time, washed and brushed and eager as a frisky race horse. Summer marched him in to meet her father.

Sheldon looked him over with a cold eye.

"Be sure to have my daughter home by ten. And no monkey business."

Monkey business! Was her father under the impression they were living in 1960?

354

"Yes, sir!"

Stuart said, standing ramrod straight

Ass-kisser, Summer thought.

Stuart took her to an action adventure epic starrin T

st ;trme"

"*
»*
* - * -

She snatched it away.

"Like get a lifr

u _ , ,. , , . , , &ct a Me, Stuart, she said in disgust

crushing any hope he might have had

After ^e movie they stopped for a hamburger and milkshake Summer wolfed her burger, SiPped her milkshake and *

to Stuart men they were finished he drove her homeTw secondhand Buick.

insidf 8M * °f h'm ""* " brUSqUe'

"G>ni«ht-"

ed

Her father was waiting in the front hall - a bad sien ^Didyou have a nice evening, dear, he istcd> puffing ^ ^ ^

"I'm really tired,"

she said, feigning a yawn

"I want to talk to you,'he responded

"rr>m ^

cu .j-j » ,, H^naea. Come into my study'

She didn't want to talk to him Sh/> A\A v ,

*e house ^ hi. She ^ «n,?o^eZ'ag± ^ ta

into hf rdr "° Ch°'Ce"

S° ^ relUCMd^ "^ ^

"We haven't had much opportunity t~ ^ <- ... . . , Fi^1 "-unity to chat since you got back

"

deTatd^? f°r 3 ^ °(bm* -

" ~* «- 4. It do*', She balanced uncomfortably on i-h^ ^H^ <- c , .

Ur^^^^H^-"

frnmr iv u , , ner"

he said,'since you returned

n-om California, you haven't been the same

"

"Yes, I have,"

she answered defiantly

No^ir^8 different about you-i *m »«

andTf T .Pr<*SSi0nal "hen " coln« » human behaviour dear

^pS^^^E^^--^^: Ki^-^r^^^"^^^

*^acnei and me, instead of running off to LA

"

355 Ha! If he cared about her so much, how come he'd done all those vile things to her while she was growing up?

He refilled his brandy glass, fixing her with a penetrating stare.

"Did you go out with boys in LA, Summer?"

"I ... uh ... I dated a bit,"

she stammered, wondering where this was leading.

"I'm nearly sixteen. I can do that."

"I know how old you are,"

he said sonorously.

"You're my daughter."

Tm allowed to date, aren't I?"

she said boldly.

"Everyone else does."

"I don't care what everyone else does."

Another sip of brandy.

"Tell me, pumpkin. Do these boys you go out with try to get fresh with you?"

Wow, he really is living in the sixties.

"No,"

she lied, saying what he wanted to hear.

"I never let them touch me."

He puffed on his cigar.

"How about kissing?"

f

"No ... I don't let them kiss me either."

He nodded to himself, satisfied with her reply.

"You're a good girl, Summer,"

he said.

"I always knew you were a good girl."

She twisted restlessly in her chair, hating every minute of this stupid inquisition.

"Can I go to bed now, Daddy?"

she asked, biting her nails. Tm really tired."

He nodded again, and before he could stop her, she leaped up and ran upstairs without looking back.

There was a lock on her bedroom door, but no key. Where was the key? She searched frantically, but couldn't find it.

She was scared, for tonight he was bound to come to her room, she'd recognized that horrible look in his eyes. And yet - if he dared to do so, she was determined to repel him, because she didn't have to take it any more, there were laws against incest and sexual abuse. Besides, she was big enough to fight back.

She quickly put on her pyjamas and got into bed, pulling the covers up around her neck, watching television until she fell into an uneasy sleep.

She didn't know how late it was when she heard the click of her door opening. By the time she was fully awake, he was sitting on the side of her bed stinking of expensive cigars and too much 356

brandy. He always has to have alcohol, she thought, her heart sinking. Alcohol and abuse. The two had gone together for as long as she could remember.

"Wass it like, kitten,"

he asked, slurring his words,

"when boys kiss you? Whyn't you show Daddy

"xactly how they do it?"

"Daddy,"

she said, reverting to the frightened little girl she once was,

"please don't do this any more. Please, Daddy, you know it's not right."

"CV»0», sweet pea,"

he mumbled,

"tell me what boys do to you. Do they put their tongue in your mouth? Touch your breasts? Your vagina? All your private places."

His big clumsy hands began unbuttoning her pyjama top.

"You can tell Daddy. Daddy's entitled to know."

"No!"

she shrieked, shrinking away from him.

"I warned you you can't do this to me any more!"

"Wassamatter?"

he slurred, his big hands fondling her breasts.

"Aren't you Daddy's little angel any more?"

"No! No! No!"

she yelled, shoving him away with all her strength.

"But Daddy loves you,"

he said, brandy breath enveloping her.

"You're my baby. My own little baby girly."

And as his hands started to fondle her again, she leaped from her bed, raced into the bathroom, slamming and locking the door in his face.

Then she slid to the floor and burst into tears.

Enough was enough. She had to get out.

357

j^^^Jfl ALISON SEWELL had more money than she'd ^^imBL** ever dreamed of. Her photographs of Lara Ivory were making her a fortune - especially the more explicit ones, too detailed for a weekly tabloid. Although she didn't believe in sharing her new-found wealth, she'd gone to an agent who specialized in selling the more sensational type of photos. He'd cut a deal with one of the monthly men's magazines, and now she was about to become even richer.

How proud Uncle Cyril would be of her. She regretted his demise and the death of her mother, who'd always said she'd never do as well as Uncle Cyril. She'd shown both of them. Pity they were ten feet under.

Now that she had Lara Ivory back in her sights, she thirsted for more. Staking out her house from a distance - because it wouldn't do to get thrown back in jail - she'd soon observed there was a new man in residence.