The ties that bind 3, p.23
The Ties That Bind 3, page 23
part #3 of The Ties That Bind Series
“Keep it real here. East Coast, West Coast, my ass. You jump from man to man, freaking out when anyone mentions commitment,” Billy added. “It’s like watching a game of ‘the floor is lava’ but with dicks.”
Dominique smiled slyly. “So, you’re saying that you’re mad at the way that I finesse the penis? I guess we’re even then because I’m mad at how none of these fools can awaken my inner freak like your biker does for you.”
Billy shook her head and lifted her eyes to the afternoon sky, squinting. “I’m not doing this with your triflin’ behind again. How are the trees coming along? We’ve got another thirty minutes of good light before calling it quits. Let’s make it count.”
They were busting their asses to finish the props for scenes in acts two, three, and four of a Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Dominique slid her goggles into place, slipped on her gloves, and picked up the paint sprayer. Walking around the willow tree prop that she and Roshani had constructed, she gave Billy a thumbs-up approval.
“The grooves you and Claribel carved into this make it come to life. This shit looks authentic, no doubt! Nice work, ladies!”
“Likewise,” Billy replied. “How many shades of brown did you guys decide on?”
“We’ll do a couple for a more weathered look,” Roshani piped up, adjusting her goggles carefully over her hijab. “Give it two days before you paint the grooves black, then we can see if more variation is needed.”
“Sounds good to me. Claribel and I are just about done attaching the faux moss to the stones.”
A sigh escaped Claribel’s lips, and her expression turned dreamy. “I still can’t believe Professor Olente has managed to get us everything we wanted. I’m spoiled now! Especially with these sprayers! I can’t go back to using paintbrushes on the regular! That man is heaven-sent.”
Billy smiled. As he’d predicted, the faculty was in an uproar about his ballsy moves, but after the publicity blitz he’d given the program and the school, their hands were tied. Now, Professor Olente was making good on his word. He’d thrown himself into the program and was committed to every aspect. Billy found it interesting to listen in on his discussions with the actors. His hands were always in motion to drive home his point or raking through his curls and leaving them sticking up every which way. Professor Olente loved what he did, that much was evident to Billy. He called her, Claribel, Roshani, and Money the ‘‘Dream Team’’. Under his tutelage, they were doing it all--set designing, prop prepping, scenic construction, and painting.
“More like he fell from heaven,” Money joked. “Homeboy is the fuckin’ booomb!”
Claribel and Roshani cosigned while Billy remained mum on that line of conversation. Professor Olente was a hit with the student body for several reasons. He was much younger than the majority of the faculty and relatable as a voice of experience in this business. Billy had discovered he was funny and greatly enjoyed a healthy debate. Professor Olente was also creating a mild level of Beatles hysteria with the female population on campus. They raved about his physical appeal and sophistication and indulged in rampant speculation concerning his love life. No way Billy was touching those subjects. Talking about anything other than theater stuff with him made her uncomfortable. They’d been in a good place since the day she’d run into him in the rain. Professor Olente now had the right balance of professionalism with a crisp yet business-polite manner and personality that bared his inquisitive nature and resolute candor.
“No comment, Billy?” Roshani inquired curiously.
Before Billy could respond, Money chimed in mischievously. “I’d be surprised if she’s even noticed ‘Professor I Could Give You The Big O’ the way she and Ransom are always playing kissy-face. Have you ever taken a trip to Walmart with them? They make everything look like they’re on a first date,” she rolled her eyes. “It’s nauseating! Besides Rosh, her man is five-alarm fire hot! I’d be wearing blinders and putting them on every bitch in sight too.”
“That doesn’t mean she can’t find other people attractive,” Claribel pointed out reasonably. “I’m not trying to start any mess, but I’m not in a relationship and am curious as to how a couple might handle any outside attractions they might experience.”
Billy was nonplussed when they stared at her expectantly. “I think…it would be unrealistic if Ransom and I never found other people attractive because we’re in a relationship. For instance, as a creative, I’m drawn to details, so finding the beauty in everything down to the mundane, whether it’s a person, place, or object is par for course. Does that mean I’d ever act on it? No way. It’s a respect thing. Not just for your partner but for you too. Respect yourself enough to realize a potentially risky situation and make adjustments that won’t jeopardize your integrity or your partner’s trust in you. My mother was insistent about driving that point home to me.”
The group didn’t even notice Nick who’d been leaning against the door listening to Billy’s response. He’d been passing by when he heard her voice. Per usual, she’d filched his attention. They jumped when he made his presence known by rapping on the door frame.
“Are you ladies just about finished? I’ve got to close up here.”
“Yeah,” Money replied, giving him a flirtatious smile. “You must have really big plans for the weekends. You’re always eager to get out of here on Fridays.”
Nick nodded. “Monday through Friday, from seven in the morning until five thirty in the evening, I belong to Famon. Anything after that is my own private time. It is now five-thirty-five, Ms. Eaton. Ladies, go ahead and take off and enjoy your weekend. I’m going to put these props away for now. See you on Monday.”
“Anyone feel like coffee?” Claribel offered.
Roshani and Dominique accepted, but Billy declined. “I told Ransom to meet me here at six, and I still need to grab my stuff from inside. Have fun! Don’t forget; I’m not back until Tuesday, Money.”
She returned to the dimly lit theater and moved down to the first row where she’d dumped her oversized tote. Billy sat down and exchanged her paint-stained Converses for ruby ballet flats and retouched her light make up, unaware that she had an admirer. A thrill ran down Nick’s spine as he viewed the object of his desire from his office door with restrained yearning simmering in his eyes. Billy was the highlight of his day. Thanks to her, he found himself doing silly shit like checking his appearance and swishing Listerine before she was due to arrive for class. He swallowed hard when her glossed lips parted slightly as she applied a coat of mascara and her brow crinkled adorably in concentration. Billy had removed her braids. Her dark hair now fell in a curtain of mussed waves that skimmed her shoulders. Presently, she’d tucked them behind her ears, exposing delicate pearl filigree earrings. Nick cringed at how much he noticed about Billy. He’d become a stalker. He knew it was inappropriate and creepy, but it really was all her fault.
Falling for her had been easy. She’d made it so when she looked at Nick with veracity in her inadvertently flirty eyes and passion etched into her face and that heart-stopping smile. He wasn’t used to being defied by a member of the opposite sex. She was an oddity, an intriguing mixture of bold outspokenness and keen intelligence that Nick wanted to bury himself in while she submitted to his every command. She’d changed his world and he honestly had no clue how he was going to survive her. The second Billy had fixated her stare on him and blinked, he was a man obsessed. She commandeered his thoughts. She was his student and him, her professor. It was forbidden; however, that wouldn’t be enough to deter Nick from wanting Billy.
Neither would her relationship with the biker.
“What are you still doing here?” he called out. “The weekend started fifteen minutes ago.”
“I know. I’m actually waiting for my ride.” Billy gathered her things with an apologetic grimace. “If I’m keeping you…”
Nick approached and motioned for her to sit back down and leaned against the stage across from her. “No, you’re good. How’s the set decorating coming along?”
“I’m happy to report that we’re slightly ahead of schedule. Thanks for letting us take the lead with it.”
Despite her initial resistance, Billy admired the way he’d recognized the team’s strengths. The professor had lit fuses that ignited their passion for learning to the next level, which translated into their best work yet. She appreciated that he didn’t make them feel indebted to him for sharing his experiences.
“No worries. I’m eager to see the finished product.”
Impulsively, Billy asked, “What was your first job?”
Nick was surprised by her personal curiosity. Her keen look indicated that she was genuinely interested in his answer. “Believe it or not, I was a Foley Artist.”
Billy cocked her head and gave him a mystified look. “What’s that?”
“They create sound effects for movies. Foley Artists use a variety of objects to create sounds like footsteps and other secondary noises in films. I interned at an audio-post production company and hustled my ass off. I was there every day, scheduled or not, watching and listening, and helped out wherever I had the opportunity. Even if it was just walking the owner’s dog or taking his kids for ice cream.”
Billy was fascinated. “Wow! You seriously wanted the job.”
Nick laughed. “I did! Eventually, my persistence paid off with an experienced artist. He was an invaluable mentor, and I asked to be his assistant for practically next to nothing just to get my foot in the door. He agreed and finally, I got my break.”
“Was it everything you thought it would be?”
He was contemplative. “I was simply happy to learn. I took on all kinds of jobs to absorb the various aspects of filmmaking. I used to date a girl who hooked me up with a gig serving at Oscar after-parties. I’d maneuver the room, eavesdropping on conversations and imagined that I was on their level, hobnobbing with Spielberg, Howard, and Scorsese. One day, I will be.”
Billy believed Professor Olente would do it too. With his steely determination and the cool confidence he projected, it was only a matter of time. Dressed in his fitted black turtleneck and tailored charcoal slacks and black dress shoes, it was easy to visualize him sitting in a director’s chair shot calling.
“My mother used to dress some of your future friends,” she quipped. “She was a celebrity stylist.”
“Ah, that’s where your flair for fashion comes from,” Nick deduced, a smile tugging at his sculpted lips.
“Yeah, I got it honest.” Billy wavered and looked away from him, debating on whether or not she should say something.
Seeing her doubt, Nick straightened from the stage and squatted in front of her, concern in his wide gray eyes. “What’s on your mind? You look like you need to vent. If you need a soundboard, I’ve been told that I can be a decent listener,” he offered.
This close up, Billy noticed his irises reminded her of an impending storm, light gray with the centers a darker, charcoal hue. And he smelled good. She refused to examine the notes too closely but knew whatever the fragrance was, it had to be expensive.
“No. I was actually wondering if you needed one. I’ve been wanting to address what you told me about your father. Did they ever catch the person responsible?”
Nick was finding it hard to focus when she stared with those pretty eyes, full of compassion—for him. “No,” he whispered. “He’s never been brought to justice. His identity is no secret but obtaining justice has always felt insurmountable.”
“Just like cancer,” she softly replied, thinking of the Wilson family who was still demanding answers and justice. “My mother’s villain had a name, and, in the end, it won also. Are you at peace, Professor?”
His makeshift smile was an open wound that his grief spilled out of in an agonizing, one-word response. “Never…”
Billy’s throat thickened with sadness, feeling the pain and loss not for him but everyone surrounding her. Most days life felt perfect, yet, it only took one instance, such as this, to bring everything front and center for her. Billy’s feelings consumed her like a tornado, sucking her in and battering away at her spirit. The secrets she’d promised to keep for Ransom and Claudia and Angela were eating away at her soul. How much longer could she keep it up? Loyalty had her emotions conflicted. She’d sworn her allegiance to so many people but should have started with herself.
Nick inched forward, near enough to pilfer her unique fragrance. His nostrils flared and he struggled to keep his eyes open while savoring her enticing aroma. He was close to Billy yet not quite where he wanted to be, which was under her skin and swimming in her veins. For once, Billy didn’t lay into him with a lecture of over-familiarity and him getting comfortable in her space. She was lost in her own thoughts. Keeping his spine rigid, it took herculean effort to remain cloaked in feigned indifference and not move a muscle. Nick wanted to grab Billy and find solace in her arms, to lay his head in her lap and have her hold him close. He wanted to make her moan with pleasure exclusively for him. The need to possess her and drag her into the madness of his world was illogical. Nick’s fog of hyper-awareness dissipated when Billy shifted and broke the spell.
She was startled to find him so close. He had no choice but to back up when she grabbed her things again and jumped to her feet.
“Then I’ll add your family’s name to my prayer list,” Billy replied politely, determined to re-establish their professional boundaries by imposing careful neutrality to keep him at bay. “Good night, Professor.”
Billy ignored the disappointment that slashed across his face, the pulse jumping in his neck and the hitch in his breath. Rattled by their exchange, she breathed a little easier with the space between them. For a moment, they’d connected on a newer, more intimate level they had no business being on whatsoever. Particularly after she’d always stressed formalities and the conversation with her friends earlier outside. It made her feel like a hypocrite and left a bitter aftertaste in her mouth that reminded Billy where her head should be.
Shared trauma was not compatibility, she mentally recited, stealing one last glimpse of the professor. He was staring bleakly at the floor, trapped in his thoughts, hurting in solitude. Automatically the fixer in her wanted to try and make things better for him.
“Not your problem, Stanton,” she mumbled.
She pivoted away and a movement in the doorway drew her attention and stopped her mid-step. Ransom stood motionless, arms crossed over his wide torso. Billy knew he’d been there long enough from the way his astute green eyes bounced sharply from her and the professor, questioning the narrow distance between them. Oh shit. With a sliver of apprehension making a home in the pit of her stomach, she cautiously advanced. Fury wafted off him, driving Ransom’s every controlled breath. The weight of his pitiless stare spoke volumes to Billy, and she gulped audibly. Carnage raged in his eyes, and if Professor Olente was smart, he’d retreat, waving a white flag. Instead, he offered Ransom a patronizing smile.
“Goodnight, Billy. I’ll see you next week.”
Intently focused on diffusing Ransom, she ignored Nick. “Hi, babe. Are you ready to hit the road?”
“In a minute,” he answered, eyes trained on the weasely bastard he knew better than to turn his back on. “I’ll meet you outside.”
She placed a hand on his taut forearm and stiffened at the fury pulsing beneath it. “Ransom, drop it, please. Let’s go. We have a long drive ahead of us.”
Fuck. That. Shit.
The junkyard beast in Ransom was straining to get off his chain and disembowel Olente. The way he watched Billy when she was preoccupied with her classmates had happened one too many times for Ransom not to address it now that he’d found them alone together. The way the asshole lusted after her whenever she was in the vicinity was going to make Ransom beat his motherfucking head in until the theater was decorated in bloodshed.
“I didn’t fucking stutter, Billy.”
The air pulsed with aggression. Billy shivered but held her ground, nonetheless.
“I attend school here, Ransom,” she reminded him quietly, hoping to dispel the insidious coil of tension twisting around them. “Whatever you’re thinking…you can’t. It’s bad enough that we’ll be dealing with the other thing soon enough…Let’s go.”
Billy exhaled her relief at his comprehension of her meaning and the deflating tension in his stance.
Nick had reached them by now. “Is there a problem, Billy?” he questioned, staring boldly at her and ignoring Ransom completely.
The tension was ramping back up underneath her hand. She shot her professor an incredulous look. Was he serious right now? Billy could practically smell the stench death in the air. His death to be more specific.
“No. We were just leaving.”
Ransom didn’t budge. She tried to push him along, and it was the equivalent to shoving a tank. Finally, Billy gave up and released him. “I’ll meet you at the car.”
He said nothing. His slitted gaze was still lasered on his quarry as he listened to her stomp away. Nick was slightly unnerved by the ominous silence that roared around them. It felt a lot like his encounters with Gualtierro.
The calm before the storm.
Nick pushed his mouth into a plastic smile. “Did you need something else? I’m just about to close up shop.”
Ransom cocked his head to the side and smiled too. Only his was a barbaric showing of the teeth that he planned on grinding Nick’s neck to dust in one bite with.
“Quit playing fast and loose with your life, Professor,” he advised. “It won’t end well.”
“I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about. Care to elaborate?” Nick countered smoothly, ignoring the danger signs emanating from the biker.
“You think I’m fucking stupid?” Ransom’s eyes were an inferno of unrelenting contempt. “I’m talking about the moments that you keep trying to steal with my woman. I’m neither blind nor deaf, Professor. There isn’t a shadow of doubt in my mind about what you’re hoping to accomplish.”
