Grumpalicious by Mia Faye
Chapter 21
GENEVIEVE
I had worked hard all morning, but singing with Taylor was effortless. We hit it off right away, she learned the song in just minutes, and we were off and running. We vibed like we’d been singing together our whole lives.
“Okay, so we’re doing this!” Taylor looked at me and we playfully high-fived. “We can work on getting a proper recording out and a video. I’m sure Cash knows the drill.”
Taylor threw Cash her signature smile which he returned.
“Yep, we’ll get this all set up. I’m pretty sure you both just shaved ten years off of our lives for the little stunt you just pulled, but it’s going to be crazy. I can’t think of a better intro for Genni.”
Cash was quickly turning this fun impromptu moment into work and I sort of hated him for it, but he was a record producer, that was his super power. I figured he was just being himself, which is what I had asked him to be. I couldn’t fault him for the fact that at the moment I didn’t like him very much.
After we all watched the YouTube video quickly gain views we had lunch delivered to the suite and talked over logistics for the song. When it was all said and done, I wanted to stay and hang out with Taylor, but she was being pulled away and so was I. We secretly texted each other and planned on a ‘midnight rendezvous’ when all of the people were out of our way. I told her I may have a hard time losing Cash, but I did intend on sleeping in the hotel bed that night. I needed some time to process. The last few days had been too weird to be believed.
“You sounded amazing,” Cash said when we were finally alone later that evening. “Do you want to go out to dinner before we head back to my place?”
“About that.” I had to just say it.
He looked at me as his face fell. “Yes?”
“I need a night off. I mean, all to myself so that I can process all of what is going on.”
“And you can’t process that with me around?” He sounded as if he was accusing me.
“Just for tonight.” I offered a warm smile.
I really did want to spend more time with him and explore what we’d begun, but not that night. I wanted to go hang out with Taylor and jam and have a minute to myself. Also, I needed to call Peyton because as soon as she saw the video she had flipped out and wanted all the deets and I just hadn’t had time to talk to her. I had promised that I wouldn’t leave her stranded, that I was her best friend, and I always would be. I wasn’t being much of a friend these days so I had to step up and show her that I wasn’t going anywhere.
“I have to say, I’m disappointed.”
“I know, I’ll make it up to you tomorrow. I’m not getting cold feet and I want to keep, um...enjoying what we have with one another, it’s just tonight I need space. I’ll call you tomorrow and we can make plans.”
“Actually, tomorrow I’m going to have most of the renovations done on your apartment. I think you should plan on moving into your new home and then prepare yourself to never be there. And if on the odd occasion you need a night away from me, I’ll be near you, in case you change your mind,” he said as he put his hand on my knee.
Sex was not going to entice me, not that night. I squeezed his hand. “You are one helluva intense fella.”
He laughed, I laughed, and a tense moment was avoided.
“So you just want me to leave you here?” He sounded so hurt.
“Yes, because if we order room service, we’ll have drinks and we’ll make out, and then you’re gonna stick your dick in me and we’ll be toast. So, to avoid that particular chain of events, I’m going to kick you out of my room so I can have some space to breathe. Out you go.” I stood up and started pushing him. “Out, out, out.”
“You know we shouldn’t be starting our relationship with you wanting to get rid of me,” he grumbled.
“Just for tonight.”
It took a minute, but I finally convinced him to leave and I did breathe, then I called Peyton and gave her the lowdown and was just in time for Taylor’s assistant to knock on my door.
“Taylor would like to come over if you have the time?” She was very polite and kind.
“Sure, I’m starving though so if she hasn’t eaten maybe we can order in.”
“I’ll let her know,” was all Taylor’s assistant said before she walked away.
A few minutes later Taylor showed up at my door and we sat and talked like we’d known each other our whole lives. While she didn’t ask about Cash I did tell her that we had a weird animal attraction to one another that I was trying to figure out. Taylor’s advice to me was to take it slow. I wished I could have told her everything. I really did need a friend, but I think I told her enough. She understood; I wasn’t being blindsided by Cash.
“I’ve only met him a couple of times, but I don’t believe all the rumors. He’s a businessman though, just keep your eyes open,” she cautioned.
“I know. I should really just run, but my stupid heart wants to stay.”
She laughed. “Stay and keep notes, perhaps there’s a song in it.” We both had a good laugh over that, and the night passed quickly.
By the time we were saying our goodbye’s the YouTube live video had gone viral.
“Well, welcome to the rocket ship,” she said before her assistant and a bodyguard escorted her down the hall back to her room.
“Ha, ha very funny!” I yelled out behind her as she waved with a sly grin.
But as funny as I thought she was being, she was dead on, the next few months were exactly like a rocket ship speeding into outer space. So much happened, I hardly had the words to describe how significantly my life changed.
The next day I moved into my new apartment, which was odd because there were still workmen there so I had to live with Cash. I’m sure all of it was carefully crafted to get me to stay with him, which I thought was childish until I had his face between my legs giving me what had to be the best cunnilingus a woman had ever received. My vagina had a Matai in one hand and a Martini in the other as she laid spread eagle on the shores of Martinique. I came right on the man’s face and didn’t regret it one bit. We were being playful and fun. He entered me while I was on my hands and knees and as much as I wanted to play along and have him just pound me from behind, I kind of hated that position because I couldn’t see his face. I wanted to watch the euphoria in his eyes, but instead, he came on my back and collapsed on me panting and sweating. It really wasn’t the kind of experience I’d been hoping for.
“Fuck, Genni,” he said after he caught his breath. “You are so fucking tight.”
“With a good grip, I’m sure your hand could be tight too.”
“Is there something the matter?”
“No, but I want to see you when we make love. I feel fucked.” I looked at him, in earnest.
“We need to get you to the gyno. I’m afraid if I get too deep into the emotions I’m not gonna pull out and then we’ll have a catastrophe on our hands.” He shook his head as if some horrible natural disaster had luckily been avoided by him ejaculating on my ass.
“You mean we’d have a baby?”
“Not me...that is not going to happen on my watch.” He kissed my tits and slapped my ass as I turned into him.
“I agree. Until I get birth control sorted out, let’s not do this anymore.”
The expression on his face fell as if I’d gravely wounded him. “What no sex? I can get you in to see the doctor tomorrow. We’ll have this all sorted out by tomorrow night.”
“I go into the recording studio tomorrow and I have rehearsals with Taylor for the next couple of days…” I was trying to let him know that getting something that would stop me from having his baby was not my priority.
“We’ll squeeze it in.” He kissed me and turned over and went to sleep.
He certainly wasn’t as romantic as he had been and frankly I hadn’t enjoyed the experience as much. I was in a place where I was seriously rethinking everything. The next day he had made an appointment for me to see the doctor, but I had to cancel it because I was still in the studio. I was so busy the following few days, I wasn’t able to make it to the doctor, which pissed Cash off, but I reminded him that I was working on my career, and the plans he’d set in motion.
I came home too tired to even eat let alone have sex with him, so it had been a couple of nights and he was restless, antsy, and not the nicest man to be around. During that time, the viral video with Taylor became a sensation and I had speaking engagements with her on the Ellen show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and James Corden. I barely even saw Cash. My apartment was finished by that time and I’d just sneak in and go to bed, then wake up to his texts asking me where I was.
I hadn’t given him a key, but I wasn’t surprised to wake up with him standing in my bedroom one morning. It was the end of the week and I had successfully avoided him for four full days. That was a lot for Cayden and me especially since we hadn’t been apart for more than a couple of days since we’d met.
“What the hell is wrong with you? Dr. Gannett said you’ve canceled all of the appointments. Do you know how hard those are to get?”
“Just wear a condom,” I groaned and tried to keep my eyes closed. It was way too early in the morning for all of his nonsense.
“I can’t, they literally strangle me,” he huffed.
“I’m working on getting songs out. You wanted me to come in hard, well that’s what I’m doing. I can’t be the receiver of your ramming cock all night and then work all day to be the next big thing. Frankly, I’d rather make my singing career work because when this ends I want something to build on.”
“This ends? It hasn’t even started!” Was he really yelling at me? “Get the fucking birth control, Genni! And hair and makeup are here. You have a press conference with Taylor in two hours. And while you are cute just being you, we need you to up your game. We’re going full Cinderella on this so don’t kick back. Let them do what they do to make you that much more special. We want glamour. Big lips, flirty lashes, long thick hair… You’re lucky you already have a stunning hair color.”
“Yay,” I said sarcastically.
He gave me a weary glance and the hair and makeup brigade descended. I was trapped. They primped and pulled and painted. I had fake nails, fake eyelashes, a fake tan, hair extensions, inserts to make my breasts look bigger. When they were done, very little of me was actually me. I felt like a wax doll.
“Ooh, okay,” Taylor said as soon as I walked into the room. All I could do was look at her and roll my eyes. “Don’t worry, you’ll find your groove,” she whispered and I knew she wasn’t meaning I’d find the perfect eye shadow.
More she was giving me the assurance that one day, I’d find the words I needed to get out from under all the people who wanted to make me something I wasn’t. We had a good press conference and by the end of the day, the paparazzi were on both of us. We had to split up as Cash whisked me into the car he had waiting for us, but people followed in vehicles, and on foot running as the car pulled into the crowded streets. It was frantic. Fans were pounding the glass, screaming and yelling. It was downright scary.
When we got out of the car to go to the restaurant to have dinner with the producers of Allie’s show, a man rushed me and nearly threw me to the ground. He kissed me so hard, my lips felt bruised. A bouncer for the restaurant was able to get the man off of me, but he yelled at Cash for not having security.
“I’m getting on it, man. Thanks, that was a close one.” I was shuffled into the restaurant where people gawked and whispered.
“We are going to have twenty-four-hour security on you,” he laughed, oblivious to how this was all hitting me. “You have literally blown up. You are trending everywhere.”
I didn’t care. My feet hurt, my heart was numb and all I wanted to do was curl up in bed and sleep for a week. Dinner was awkward at best.
“I want you to film Genni’s rise,” Cash nearly commanded the producers. “I’ve moved on and your viewers know it. Let Allie work her own angle, but for me, I want to put Genni in front of the world, and this is the best platform for it. I signed my deal and I know I still have two more episodes to film, so make them count. She is going to be a mega star—don’t miss your chance. We’ll film the fundraiser as planned.”
I didn’t want to be a mega star, I just wanted to play music and have a comfortable place to land at the end of the day, perhaps someone to love and start a family with. Cash swirled in a world I knew nothing about, but more, it was also a place I didn’t want to be.
