AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Ramiro lived in a five-thousand-square-foot penthouse.The doorman greeted Carmen as she nodded at him. She got on the elevator reserved only for Ramiro and his guests, fortunate enough to have the passcode. After punching in the four-digit code, the doors opened. It was a quick, smooth ride, with the elevator opening at the penthouse.
Carmen was wearing only a light, pale blue sweater because the weather was warm but with calm winds. The temperature in Ramiro's place was arctic. Her nipples tightened painfully, and she crossed her arms, looking around.
The interior designing to reflects tastes and sensibilities that were not Ramiro's. Temperance? Carmen wondered. She had been here many times, and yet this knowledge, nor her familiarity, gave any comfort. The dark, wooden divisions that reminded her of claws seemed ready to gouge at anyone walking close enough. The carpet that hushed her footsteps were the bright crimson of blood. It was sunny outside, yet it was dark and forbidding, unwelcoming.
"Ramiro?" She called out, still hugging herself. She had given him a heads up of her visit, and, as the guys had said, he took her call. She kept walking and looking around, peering inside rooms. She knew this place like the back of her hand.
When it was clear he was not in any of the rooms, she took a deep breath and knocked on the red-lacquered double doors leading to the main suite. She listened for a bit, then pushed them open.
Sprawled with abandon in the middle of the bed was Ramiro.
Naked.
Carmen gasped and quickly averted her eyes, swaying on her feet. As she righted herself, her hand brushed on a wine bottle on the table, and it fell, crashing into pieces on the floor. "Fuck!" She whispered, looking frantically at Ramiro, who was stirring and smacking his lips. As she turned to get out, her hip hit another table. A pained yelp escaped her as she doubled over and tripped on more bottles on the floor.
"Carmen?" A confused-sounding Ramiro demanded. "What the fuck are you doing here?"
Her cheeks the color of beets, she whirled around and shut her eyes. "Ramiro, for the love of God, will you put some clothes on!"
"Oh, please. It's nothing like you haven't seen before," he drawled.
"Ramiro!"
"Alright, alright," he muttered, and she imagined him rolling his eyes to the ceiling and shaking his head. Her eyes still closed, she listened to him shuffle, the bed squeaking as he left, hopefully, to cover up. He was taking too long. Hand over her closed eyes, she demanded, "Are you decent?"
"Well, I'm covered, but I don't know about being decent." There was a brittle edge to his voice. She opened her eyes and turned to him again. He had put on a cheesy, dark red robe with black piping. He was hungover because he struggled to remain on his feet, and his stare was blurred and unfocused. He sighed and sat down at the foot of the bed. As he did, the robe parted, and Carmen again had to turn away.
"Ramiro, if you could shut your legs, please."
"God, what is this - the mighty Carmen is a prude!" Ramiro exclaimed. "You've seen cocks before, Carmen." But as she turned to glare at him, he crossed his legs. "There? Better?"
Carmen gestured at the bottles on the floor. "Did you empty your wine cellar?"
"I tried."
"That's not wise, Ramiro."
"Funny you should say that. My brother Robin has always believed that drinking brings knowledge." He looked at her in a way that had her arms wrapping around her chest. "You could use a drink or two."
"Be serious. I'm here to talk to you about the band."
Ramiro looked bored. "What do those cunts want now?"
"Those cunts are your friends, and they're concerned about . . . "she stared at the bottles and then at him. "Your behavior."
"My behavior."
"You're due at the recording studio in three months, and you still need to give them something. Are you going to write something or not?"
"Are you asking as my manager or as my friend?"
Carmen put her hands on her hips. "They're worried, Ramiro. Getting smashed and high aren't exactly productive."
"No," he agreed. "But then I don't hit the bottle because I want to accomplish anything worthwhile."
"Then why?"
"Why?"
