Rubbed Raw by Bella Jeanisse Page A

my head and with his other hand rubbed my back. “You’ll never have to. I love you way too much. Even when I’m gone, a long time from now, I promise to always be with you. I’ll find a way.”
    His words eased my worry. I didn’t know what I would ever do without him. The few hours that day hurt so badly. When he let me go, I sat on the bed. Still breathless, worn out and in slight pain, I put my hands behind me and leaned back.
    Giovanni knelt in front of me and touched my thighs. “Holy shit, I didn’t mean to hurt you this bad. I’m so sorry.”
    I looked down. I was shocked to see huge marks on my inner thighs. I had never had sex like that before. Still with a scratchy sound to my voice, I assured him, “It hurt, but in a good way. I would’ve asked you to stop if it was real bad.”
    While the vans were loaded that night, Chad and Giovanni ignored each other. I watched them as I leaned on the garage wall. I kept thinking that the band was doomed. How in the world can we keep it together with all the tension?
    Then I shifted my legs and cringed. My pussy ached, and my thighs hurt much more than earlier. I was trying to hide the pain from Chad. I had no idea what he would do if he knew what Giovanni had done to me.
    “Dude, what the fuck’s your problem?” Chris almost shouted when Giovanni threw a wad of cables at him. “What the hell did I do to you?”
    Giovanni took a deep breath. “Sorry, I’m just in a bad mood.”
    “Well, don’t take it out on me!” Chris shouted.
    “You OK?” Chad suddenly asked me.
    I looked up at him, “Yeah.” He had a cut next to his left eye and a bruise on his left cheek.
    “What’s wrong with your voice?” He touched my shoulder. “And why’re you just standing there? Usually you…”
    “Get the fuck off her!” Giovanni roared.
    Chad backed away quick and went in the house. I was glad he didn’t argue, and I was sure he understood why Giovanni was so pissed off.
    Chris came to me. “What the hell’s going on with Giovanni? Did you guys have a fight?”
    “Kinda. It’ll work itself out, OK?” I replied, hoping I was right.
    He sighed, “It better.”
    In the van on the way to our gig, Giovanni squeezed my leg. “I don’t want you alone with him tonight.”
    “OK.”
    Then he picked up my hand and whispered. “Does it still hurt?”
    “Yes,” I quietly answered.
    He kissed my fingers. “I’m sorry, really.”
    “What’s with the whispering?” Phil suddenly asked.
    Giovanni pulled his hand away from me. “You don’t need to know.”

Chapter Eight
    The next morning, I lifted my head off Giovanni’s chest and looked up at him. He was watching me sleep. Something he seemed to enjoy. “You’re so beautiful, my love,” he said as he raked my hair with his fingers.
    I rubbed his rough beard, which grew in quickly every day. “You’re still a bit scruffy, but cute.”
    “Hey, I thought you liked that about me?”
    “I do. I’m just teasing.” I smiled. “And I’m still amazed I wake up to you every morning.”
    Then it was his turn to smile. “The first time I woke up with you in my arms, I never wanted to let you go. You have no idea how hard it was not make love to you. I wanted you so bad.”
    I caressed his cheek. Then I ran a finger over the tattoo he had over his heart. Slowly, I traced the cross that matched his brother Rosario’s. “Did you get this for someone?”
    His body stiffened. “I don’t wanna talk about it.”
    “Was it someone you lost?” I didn’t want to drop it yet again. He never answered me when I asked. I looked up at him, and his eyes had closed. “This date is before I knew you. Did you know Chad back then? I think he said you guys knew each other longer than this.”
    He suddenly turned away from me.
    “I’m sorry.” I slid my hand up his back, then around to his chest, feeling its strength. “I didn’t mean to upset you, but I’m your girlfriend. You don’t wanna share it with me?”
    “I