Page 20 of Rockstar Retreat

“Fuck that!”

I suddenly shouted, cutting the woman off.

“Would you please just stop fucking talking and go away? I don’t want to go anywhere; understand that already. You’re giving me a headache.”

She looked surprised, but I didn’t know why. Did she think I was going to let her walk all over me, even with that excuse? Yeah, I didn’t want my bad behavior coming back to bite me in the ass, but I wasn’t thinking rationally just then, so to hell with Tom and the label.

But her surprise was short lived, and she frowned at me in disapproval. “Sir, I’m sure there’s no need for you to shout; I can hear you just fine.”

I gave her a look of disbelief. “How do I know that? Because clearly, you’re not listening to me, or what I’m saying.”

“But, sir, if you would just come with me—”

I grit my teeth in annoyance, and couldn’t hold back my outburst. “I already told you to shut up and go away! I will go for the stupid session when I am damn good and ready.”

“But, sir—”

“Unless you intend to drag me there, leave me alone! I already said I'd be going for the session.”

I wasn’t outright shouting, but I wasn't all that quiet either.

And then, her voice came.

“Jerrik!”

I turned immediately to the side her voice came from, and I wanted to smack myself for reacting to her so readily. Instead of feeling happy like I would have earlier, seeing her there just made me angrier.

“What do you want?” I snapped at her.

She stopped a couple of feet away from me, eyes a little wide in her surprise.

I chuckled darkly, feeling a little amused. “Of all people, you expect me to listen to you? You know what? Go away. I have shit to do.”

It was drinking myself to oblivion with my second last bottle of whiskey, but that was none of their business.

Sharon hesitated, but stupidly, and maybe a little bravely, she took some steps closer. “Look, Jerrik, I think you’ve been told that you need to attend the session. It’s not mandatory, but…”

“If it isn’t, then I don’t see why I have to attend when I don’t want to,” I countered, raising my eyebrow as my voice went low and tight. Then I pointed at the other woman, who was still standing right there. “And can you please tell this officious cow to go away? I am tired of dealing with her because she seems to have lost her hearing. I already told her no, and she wanted to drag me. I don’t care if you people tell Tom, so leave already!”

Sharon glanced at the other woman, then scowled at me. “Jerrik, you’re making a commotion. You need to be a little calmer, please. Whatever she did or said to make you mad, just let it go, all right? She’s just doing her job.”

I narrowed my eyes at her. “And what about you, Sharon, huh? Why are you here? Just doing your job?” I said, my voice thick with sarcasm, and sneered at her.

Her face flushed as she glared at me. “If you want to play it like that,” she said, keeping her voice low with difficulty, “yes, I am here to do my job, Jerrik.”

“What the hell was yesterday, then, huh?” I was cruel, and I knew I should shut up and keep my shit to myself, but then the words were spilling out. “You know when you drove me down to the beach? We had some fun, and then we fucked. What was that? A pity fuck?”

She was frozen, and I could see the shock on both women’s faces. I was probably just pissing Sharon off by airing dirty laundry where I didn’t need to, but I didn’t care.

“Are you having fun bossing me around or do you do this all the time?” I continued. “Tell me, Sharon, how many other clients have you been with because they were messed up bastards, huh? Who else have you given special care to?”

I knew I was making a scene; I also knew I was acting like the jerk I didn’t want to be. But really it was partly her fault. It felt too much like she was trying to make a fool of me, and I didn’t like it. I’d had plenty of that the past several years; I could live without more of it, and especially from the first person I’d opened myself up to.

“What is going on here?” came another voice, loud and booming, and we all stopped and faced the new guy.

I could tell, just looking at him, that he wasn’t just another member of staff. I confirmed it when I noticed Sharon out the corner of my eye look at the man with a horrified expression as her face paled.

“S-sir!” she stuttered, and whatever else she would have said must have gotten stuck in her throat.

“Sharon, my office, right now,” the man said and made a sharp about-face, then walked away from all of us.

I heard Sharon groan beside me, but before I could get her to stop, she was already up and heading after the man I was pretty sure was her boss.