Tina’s eyes grew wide as she saw Jay’s face. “Babe, your eye!”
Not in the mood, Jay threw two robes on the bed for her girlfriends. “Yes, Tina. I’m more than aware of the issue with my face. Are you going to lend a hand or just sit there staring at me?” Tina made a face of disgust. Blood made her squeamish. Plus, she did not like Jay enough to want to help. “That’s what I thought. Both of you get dressed and get out. I got shit to suss since the world is going bonkers over a fucking cough!”
Ding Dong.
Now what? Jay thought as she hurried out of the room to answer the door. Since her assistant was busy with her manager and her maid quit, Jay had no other choice but to get the door herself. Loud footsteps echoed down the grand staircase as she hurried to see who required her attention.
Jay swung the door open with a bit more force than intended, causing it to bang against the wall. The sound caused Jay’s migraine to thud even harder in the middle of her forehead. Bright light illuminated through the open door, so Jay held a hand up to shield her eyes. Forgetting that she had a cut, Jay winced in pain as her hand touched the sharp glass protruding out.
“Fucking shit, bitch!” Jay exclaimed, moving from the door to the half bath a few feet away.
One look in the mirror and Jay could not believe the damage done. Not only was a long piece of glass wedged into her eyebrow, but blood dripped down the side of her face. Black eyeshadow and eyeliner were smeared all over her eyes, making it appear like she was styled by a rabid raccoon rather than the models in her bed.
“That is going to need stitches,” said Johnny in her doorway. Jay rolled her eyes at the man, already annoyed by his presence.
“Ya think. Do you have what I need, Johnny?” Jay asked, turning around to see his large build taking up the frame. Right behind him, however, Jay saw a woman looming in the background. Johnny moved to the side so Jay could see the woman who would now be cleaning her house.
The woman appeared cute enough. Long blonde hair was pulled back in a bun. She wore the standard maid uniform, gray dress, with polished white shoes, and a white apron tied around her waist. Beyond the outfit, the woman had toned legs, a petite frame, and a decent-sized chest. But what caught Jay’s eyes was the woman’s face.
She’d seen it before.
Beautiful caramel flesh which appeared flawless that one might’ve missed the scar right along her cheek. Eyelashes so long that one would think they were fake, hid red eyes that made her appear almost inhuman.
Consumed by the woman in front of her. Transported to previous years. Jay moved around Johnny to confront the new woman she’d seen before.
“I’ve met you before…”
The woman held the same shocked look. As if registering that exact moment, their paths connected.
“Mexico, my home country. I was panhandling, you gave me money…”
Jay nodded, inches away from the woman who seemed to look at her and see her soul, touch her spirit in a way that made the rockstar feel nude...raw, exposed, scared.
“Jay, we’re leaving!” Tina exclaimed, coming down the stairs.
Spell broken; Jay turned from the mysterious maid to see both her girlfriends descending the stairs. “Grand, take me to the hospital.” She moved to grab a wallet out of the dresser in the foyer room. “Johnny, you know where everything is. Make sure to get her settled in the servant quarters, then she can start in my chambers. We made a blot last night.”
Chapter Three
Working hotel rooms in New York had prepared Octavia for the mess that was Jay Firefly’s room. Luckily, she was more than aware of how disgusting rockstars could be since she cleaned after a few of them before. But this was different because this would be her new normal.
Octavia tried not to think about the fluid on the latex mouthpiece she disposed into a plastic bag. She tiptoed around the glass, making sure to pick up as many big pieces as she could before vacuuming up the rest. Thankful that there was no carpet for small particles to get lost in.
Octavia worked quickly and efficiently, moving around the space with a trained speed that would ensure she’d be out of the room by the time Jay returned home. The last thing she wanted was to come face to face with that woman again.
Before coming to the house, Octavia had no idea who Jay was. She looked familiar. But when face to face Octavia could not deny that same short silver pixie haircut, dark haunted--almost pitch-black eyes, and ghost-white pale skin. Octavia remembered that moment. The one time she’d ever seen a concert was in her home country.
Panhandling outside of massive events always served as an excellent place to get money. Especially something as upscale as a concert.
After the show was over and everyone had left, a group of fancy people came out to get into an awaiting limousine. Octavia and her friends were just about to leave until they saw the group.
Not wanting to miss their chance, they hurried to ask for some change. Everyone ignored them, but at the last moment, someone stepped away from the group and approached the panhandlers. Octavia stepped aside to meet the person halfway, right below the one street light that illuminated the dark world around them.
“We’re down on our luck and could use anything you could spare.”
Too afraid to look up, Octavia waited until hearing the person say something. “I’m sorry to hear that. Here you are, this is all I have.” the person grabbed Octavia’s dirty, calloused hand and placed a wad of cash into it.
Stunned by the fact that someone would actually touch her, Octavia looked up to be met by the most intense black eyes she’d ever seen. The person’s breath stopped as their gaze met. Something crossed between them, understanding. But as soon as it registered, it was gone. And so was the woman.
Until now.
∞
Jay sat in the back of her girlfriend’s SUV as they drove her back home from the doctors. All stitched up and drugged out on pain pills, Jay’s mind wandered as she looked out the window.
Manhattan’s busy streets were jammed packed as usual. It was even worse now at 5 P.M., and all the Wall Street workers were getting off work. Lines started to form at the restaurants. Tourists rushed around the Time Square plaza, taking photos and basking in all the chaos of it. Lights flashed here and there from billboards and mega TVs.
Rolling her eyes, Jay moved her attention onto the pain pills in hand. Prescribed for her wound with two refills. The bottle was already nine pills down since she shared with her girlfriends.
“Do you want us to come up with you?” Tina asked as they pulled up to Jay’s high-rise condos.
The rockstar shifted in her seat, repositioning so she could grab the sunglasses in the pocket of her leather jacket. She shook her bangs out of her face before exiting the car without answering Tina’s question.
In truth, Jay was over the girls. They had spent the past four hours, almost sober at the hospital. Far too long for Jay to deal with them without being in the throes of ecstasy or beyond wasted. Trying to have a conversation as they waited for her physician to sew her up was beyond painful. If Jay didn’t pay the girls for their time, she was certain that they would not have stayed.
“Welcome home, Ms. Firefly,” said the doorman, whose name she did not know because she never bothered to ask. Plus, she was pretty sure he was a new doorman.