Leesha sighed when her phone buzzed for what seemed the hundredth time. David's name popped up and had been since she left their home with Ethan and Ellie. He'd tried to give her the beach house keys but she refused and left for the Four Seasons.

"Bring back my kids" She stared at the string of text messages, knowing he'd see that she read them. "Please, baby. Come back home." She rolled her eyes and watched Ethan feed Ellie from a jar of applesauce. "Come on...please answer me. I love you, Babygirl."

Knock Knock

She jumped violently and dropped her phone, clutching her heart as Julie's voice came from the other side. "Leesha?! It's me. Open up?"

Leesha sighed and opened the door to her best friend. "Fuck, you gave me a heart attack," she laughed.

"I-I'm sorry," she sniffled, "I tried texting you. You didn't answer."

"My phone's been ringing non-stop with messages and calls," she complained.

Julie closed the door behind her and leaned heavily against it, sliding to the floor. "Where did we go wrong?" she said vacantly, tears welling in her eyes.

"I've been asking myself that question for over a year. Still have no idea."

"Where's Scooby, Aunty J?" Ethan asked excitedly, wiping off his sister's mouth.

"Oh, um...I'm sorry, honey," Julie sighed sadly, "She's at home with her dad." Julie sent Leesha a meaningful look before burying her face in her hands.

Leesha slid to the floor next to Julie and laid her head on the blonde's shoulder. "Why would they do this?" Tears slipped down her cheeks. "I mean...haven't we done everything to make sure they were...satisfied?"

"I thought so," Julie sighed sadly, "Oh, Leesh, what are we going to do?" Ellie escaped Ethan's watch and toddled over to the women, climbing into Julie's lap. "Hello, sweet girl," she cooed and kissed Ellie's hair.

"Part of me wants to leave Jersey with the kids and never look back," Leesha confessed, "The other part doesn't want to tear the kids from their Dad but I can't trust him."

"Can't trust him how, hon?" Julie was startled when her phone beeped from her jeans pocket. She ignored it, knowing it would be Jon. She would deal with him later.

Leesha wiped her tears away and sniffled. "You know how I told you about him using again? I never told you that after I found out, our fights got violent. Physically. He's a completely different person. Ethan's seen him slap me on several occasions. I'm not innocent. I've swung at him too but only defending myself."

"Oh no!" Julie cried, "How could you not say anything? You know I'm always...always...here for you! Have you been hurt? The kids? Coz I'll kill him myself if I have to."

Leesha nodded. "Not the kids but I have. He pinned me down while he's drunk or high. It got to a point where I stopped fighting back. Always the next day he'd come home with flowers or jewelry and stumble over himself apologizing. But when I started finding phone numbers or the photos of women on his phone, I was done with his bullshit."

Julie pulled her friend into a one-armed hug, the other still occupied with Ellie. "I'm so sorry, honey! If I'd have known...." She let the sentence fade. If she'd known then she should have known about her own husband's infidelity. If she poked that wound too hard at the moment, it made her physically sick.

"I need to move," she said eventually, "this old ass isn't designed to be sitting on a hotel floor anymore." She gently set Ellie on the floor and pushed from where she was sitting and held out her hand to Leesha. "C'mon, Leesh. Time to stand on our own two feet and show these fuckers what us Bon Jovi women are made of."

"Daddy!" They heard Ethan screech in joy. "I miss you too, Daddy. Yeah, Mommy's here. Okay." Ethan ran over and held out the phone to Leesha. "Mommy, it's Daddy!"

"Ethan, what did I tell you?!" Leesha snatched the phone from her son and stared at it. She glanced at Julie and put the call on speakerphone. "What do you want?"

"My kids...you, back home. Now," David's voice crackled over the line. "We can work this out, babygirl. I promise...I truly mean it this time."

Leesha's hands shook and she snapped her fingers at Ethan, pointing towards the living area. "Take your sister and go sit over there," she said to him then turned her attention back to David, "You've said the same thing for a year. What the fuck makes this any different?"

"You've never left me before," he said. "What's it going to take? I don't want to take the kids but I will if I have to?"

She clenched her teeth together and shook her head. "You threatening me, Bryan? Last I checked the courts don't side with cokeheads that fuck around on their wives."

"Fuck you! Don't you dare keep the kids from taking my calls, woman," he snarled.

"Or what? Is the big bad rockstar gonna come find me?"

"I can and I will," he replied, "I'll give you two days to get your ass back where you belong."

Leesha turned her back from the door, willing her voice to stay even. "Your attitude makes it so tempting. Why don't you go fuck one of your whores? Always seemed to be your go-to before."

"Why can't you be more like your friend," he snapped, "Jon doesn't seem to have this trouble with Julie when it happens?! Maybe I should have taken her backstage to fuck instead of you."

Julie felt herself blanch at the words. Her head swam and she felt a crushing weight in her chest. Was it her heart breaking or was she truly having a heart attack? She needed fresh air so raced for the balcony door, sliding it closed behind her to block out any further hateful words.

Leesha emerged from the bedroom ten minutes later and joined Julie on the balcony, crumpling into one of the chairs looking defeated and holding a bottle of Jack Daniels. "See why I can't trust him now?"

She took a long swig from the bottle and held out the offering to Julie, hiccuping quietly. Ethan and Ellie had zoned out with a movie on the couch inside.

"I know," she said sadly. "What are you going to do?"

"For tonight...get drunk..."

Julie's phone, which was sitting on the table between them, started ringing. She let it go. It rang another two times before a text message came through.

At least talk to your daughter before she goes to bed. She's scared.

"Damn it," she said. Julie took the bottle and took a swig, swallowing a hefty amount, before picking up her phone. "Give me strength," she murmured as the line connected.

"Where are you, baby?" Jon asked.

"I'm safe. I can't be with you at the moment, Jon," she said flatly, "Put Ari on, please?"

"Mama?" Ari's little voice came on the line, healing Julie's heart a little, "Where are you? Are you coming home?"

"Hey, babymine," she replied, putting as much normalcy in her voice as possible, "Aunty Leesha needs me tonight, sweetheart. I need you to be a good girl for Daddy. He'll take you to school tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay, Mama," Ari said, "I miss you but."

"I know, babymine," Julie breathed, her eyes closing against her tears, "I miss you too but just remember how much I love you. As much as all the stars in the sky, as much as -."

"As much as the hairs on a bear," Ari continued, "and as much as the sand on the beach."

"That's right, babymine," she choked out, "Now send me a kiss goodnight and get Daddy to sing you to sleep."

Ari kissed the phone a couple of times before saying, "G'night Mama. I love you."

"I love you, Ari. I love your Daddy, too."

"God, I hope so, baby," Jon's voice came on the line, "Because I love you too, so damn much it hurts. Please come home. Let me explain."

"No, Jon," Julie said, "Not tonight. Leesha needs me and I need to figure out where we go from here."

Leesha raised the whiskey bottle and muttered, "Fucking cheers to that."

"Tomorrow? Come home tomorrow," Jon begged, "I'll cancel all my meetings. I need to talk to you, Jules. Please...."

"I'll think about it. G'night, Jon." She hung up. And swiped away her tears as she reached for the whiskey again. "God damn him," she muttered before lifting the bottle to her lips.

"Both of them," Leesha agreed, "Did we miss any red flags? I feel like we were blindsided by a good dick."

"Damn good dick!" Julie smirked, the alcohol finally seeping through her system.

"Least Jon isn't dicking down a whore tonight. God only knows what or who David's picking up," Leesha said in disgust.

"You don't know that he is, hon," Julie shrugged, "He could be drowning his sorrows at home."

"Sounded like he was driving when he called. I'm not giving him any benefit of the doubt. Maybe I should call a divorce lawyer tomorrow and just get the fuck out."

"No! Don't, or not yet at least," Julie snapped, "I want you both to talk to someone...please. He needs to go to rehab too. Don't make me sic Matty onto him. Or should I? He might listen to Matt? Better yet, Laurin."

Leesha shrugged and grabbed the bottle, thoughts rushing through her mind over where her husband was and if there was any hope of saving their travesty of a marriage.

"Tell me something?" Julie asked. Leesha was off in her own world, her eyes blank. "Do you still love him? Truly, deeply?"

"I love him as my husband, yes. But I hate what he's become and I hate how I can't trust him."

"What is it that you love the most about him...take out the drugs and alcohol," she asked.

Leesha gulped the warm whiskey. "Good looking, good in bed...he WAS kind-hearted and respectful--"

"Stop!" Julie snapped, "Listen to your heart, honey...truly listen, then tell me? Put the hurt aside for a moment and tell me what you fell in love with? Because I'm damned sure it's still there...deep down. I can see it in you...and that's why it hurts so bad right now."

"He was the one I could run to in the darkness and knew he'd protect me." The dam broke and Leesha started sobbing hard, staring down into the bottle of amber liquid. "His laugh, his calm voice and demeanour, warm and caring heart that loved unconditionally."

Julie moved to kneel between Leesha's knees and gently extricated the bottle from her hands, taking her friend's hands in hers. "Isn't that worth fighting for, honey? Fight to get that man back. Fight for his life because that's what it's going to come down to."

"What if he isn't willing to fight?"

"Then you need to show him that your life together is worth fighting for. You, Ethan and little Ellie," she said, brushing the tears from Leesha's face, "He loves you just as much as you love him. He's just got himself lost somehow. You need to show him the way home."

"Just as I have to show my Rockstar...," Julie said softly as the epiphany hit her.

She was talking about her marriage as much as Leesha and David's. The Bryan's had wandered down separate paths for too long and gotten themselves lost. Whereas she and Jon had only just let go of each other's hands; turning around for them would be relatively easy.

*~*~*

The house had been too quiet after Leesha left with Ethan and Janelle, leaving David on his knees at the door and begging her not to go. He'd been remorseful when confessing to his affairs, hadn't he?

It had been nothing short of a miracle that David, emerging from the house high on coke and drunk on heartbreak and tequila, hadn't killed anyone including himself after staggering into his Porsche and speeding down the Expressway.

The world around him was a haze of red fog as he tried to call Leesha and was sent to voicemail. He tried again and Ethan picked up, his tiny voice causing David to tear up as he drove. Heated words and threats were exchanged and ended with the line going dead.

He needed her to feel the hurt he felt from his kids being ripped away, his wife not staying where she belonged. David made that call with a smirk on his face. He arrived at his destination, car squealing to a halt in the driveway.

His breath hitched in his throat as the door opened promptly at his knock. His eyes met those of Lexi, his ex-wife, still as gorgeous as ever with long blonde waves and clad in black fishnets with her favorite garter belt, thong, lace bra and matching black leather heels.

Her robe hung open as she simpered, "I always knew you'd come running back to me."

"Old habits die hard," he replied and stepped through the doorway, kicking it shut and pinning Lexi to the wall. He growled as her nails scratched along his scalp, fingers twirling through his curls.

Lexi pulled him close and his lips fell to hers naturally. His tongue teased her bottom lip and slipped in, massaging hers and tasting of the finest red wine.

"Fuck, I miss you," he mumbled against her lips.

"I believe you called me the drug running through your veins," Lexi whispered, moaning as David lifted her slightly and pressed his body to hers. He nuzzled into her neck, kissing and nipping the delicate skin.

"My novocaine," he growled, "Mmm you're so hot, baby."

"Now now, my pet," she cooed with her hand at his throat and pushed him back. She stopped when she saw his eyes up close, "Again?"

David bowed his head in shame and withdrew a pill bottle from his pocket, handing it to Lexi. He watched her for a moment then fell to his knees. "Please help me forget, Mistress. Help me forget this whole fucked up life I'm living for one night," he begged.

Lexi stood there and looked between her ex-husband and his addiction. She extended her hand to help him stand and led him down the hallway to the master bedroom, locking the door behind her.

David stumbled over to the bed and leaned back onto the mattress, smiling as Lexi hovered over him and allowed her robe to fall off her shoulders. He licked his lips as his eyes drank her in.

"Why? Why are you here, my pet?" Lexi peered down her nose at her ex-husband, "Why are you using again? Doesn't your little nobody keep you amused anymore?"

"Not like she did," he slurred, "I miss you, my little minx." He straightened up enough to pull her in by her bra, kissing along her flat stomach. His hands reached around to unhook the offending garment. "Mmm...I've missed these." He cupped her breasts and circled her nipples with his thumbs.

"I very much doubt that," she said, arching her eyebrow, "but I'll take what I can when I can."

She arched into his hot mouth as he suckled at her breast like a newborn, a soft sigh escaping her lips. She allowed her fingers to card through his curls like she used to, pulling them into her fist and tugging his head back violently when his fingers went searching between her legs. "Did I say you could touch me yet?"

David blinked his eyes slowly and inhaled sharply as his hair was pulled. "No, Mistress. Please..."

"Please?!" she questioned, slipping from his grasp and pointed to the floor, "You come here and expect me to just lie back and not make you work for this? Get on the floor, bitch, and show me what you're prepared to do for me."

He quickly kicked off his shoes and climbed down to his knees.

"Oh you have gone soft, haven't you?!" Lexi mused as she strode around him, "STRIP!"

"Yes, Mistress," he replied and wiggled clumsily out of his jeans. He pulled off his t-shirt and tossed both on top of his shoes.

Lexi paced around the room, waiting, watching, as her ex-husband supplicated himself for her. It intrigued her as to what had happened for him to end up here, drunk and high as a fucking kite. Her eyes landed on her basket of summer-weight scarves. She drew two out and returned to stand in front of him. Even kneeling he was unsteady and his eyes unfocused, she observed.

"Better," she said, "Though since you can't keep your hands to yourself...arms behind your back and hands together."

It took David a minute to get into position with his growing erection and he sighed as his hands were bound. His breathing calmed as a blindfold was slid over his eyes and he was plunged into darkness. It surrounded him completely. He finally felt safe.

"Now that's more like it," she said. Lexi snaked a fingernail, hard enough to leave a welt, from his jaw, down his neck to his Joker. "Oh how I've missed this," she murmured as she flicked the nipple just below the fading ink, pinching it hard before letting it go.

David growled at the pain. "Please...more pain, Mistress...Please," his tone rose in pitch as he begged.

"When was the last time, my pet? When did she use you like this?" Lexi wondered. "Move forward three steps, if you can, without your drunk ass falling on your face." As he did as he was told, Lexi retrieved a cane from her wardrobe. Long and flexible, she knew it was exactly what David needed.

"Three years ago," he admitted, trying desperately to keep his balance.

"Three? Tsk, tsk," she replied, snapping the cane in the air and watching him flinch at the noise, "No wonder you've lost control."

Lexi stood in front of David, not close enough that he could touch her but close enough that he could smell her arousal. She ran the tip of the cane up the underside of his leaking cock and smirked when a full-body shudder ran through him.

"I...I've lost..control...of my life, Mistress," he groaned, the muscles in his arms and back flexing. His hips buck as Lexi gently taps the tip of his cock.

"How many others have you fucked?"

"F-Four?"

"Liar." Lexi snapped the cane across his chest and David cried out.

"I lost count, Mistress," he panted.

"That sounds more like it," she said. "Keep going."

"Consider this your confession, my dear, and I will mete out your punishment. What made you look outside of your marriage? Have you found someone else again? They do say history repeats itself."

David hung his head in shame. "I...I never wanted anyone else. The drugs...I thought I could handle one night of coke, just...just trying to kick the stress of more kids...I just wanted that one escape..."

"Tsk and I thought you were a man," Lexi sneered, "Men take care of their families, don't they? They work to provide for their families. They don't go and get fucked up at every chance they can, do they?"

She swished the cane menacingly through the air. She watched as he turned his head trying to figure out where she was. He yelped in pain when it hit him across the chest.

"I'm waiting," she said.

"Yes, Mistress," David answered obediently, "I'm a shit excuse for a man who let his addiction take over. Now I can't stop it. She withdrew from me after Ellie's birth. Instead of being there for her, I left on tour and that's when...when..."

"When what?" she asked, swishing the cane again, getting him across the back of the legs.

David whimpered pitifully as thin red welts rose off his smooth flesh. "When the girls came along. One after another...and I didn't stop them. My will to fight was gone."

"Where was your almighty leader in all of this? Doesn't he keep his guard dog on duty at all times?" Lexi couldn't help admitting to herself how much this was turning her on. She could feel her wetness on the tops of her thighs.

When she was finished with him, David's body was decorated red and purple. Welts, bruises and a few gashes...memories of his confessions. He was allowed to finally lay and watch as she climbed on top of him, sheathing him for what would be the last time outside of his marriage.

Love him as she might, there could never be anything more between them. She knew her ex-husband was better off with Leesha, hating to admit it as she did. This was only cemented as he murmured for his wife as she rode him, nails digging into his chest and drawing blood when he called out Leesha's pet name as he exploded inside her pussy.

She listened to his mindless ramblings about the kids and how he needed Leesha. It could have made her puke. David drifted off into a deep slumber as she treated his wounds.

After watching him for nearly an hour, she wrapped the sheet around his waist and left the bed. Lexi threw on her robe and grabbed David's phone from the table, plunking down on the sofa and dialing Leesha's number from her phone.

"Hello?" A sleepy voice came from the other end.

"Hello Leesha, this is Lexi," she said. "I'm sorry for the late call."

"Lexi? David's ex-wife Lexi?"

Lexi huffed an amused breath before answering, "Yes, that's me. I just thought you should know that he's here with me."

"Oh is he now?"

"Now before you go getting all high and mighty," she said, "I would appreciate you listening to me without interruption."

There was a soft sigh from Leesha. "I knew he couldn't keep it in his pants. Fine...I'm listening."

"It's not about the sex, you stupid girl," Lexi snapped, "It's about the welfare of your husband's mental state."

When there was no answer, Lexi continued, "I thought Tico had taught you how to deal with David's urges? Or have you forgotten all of that? David came here needing a release; needing to confess to his actions. How long has it been since you've dominated him in that way?"

"Fuck if I know. A couple of years? I had two kids in the span of five years and depression and anxiety smacked me in the face."

"Right! So how do you think he's been dealing with that? With life on the road? With life in general? If he hasn't had the kind of relief he needs, he finds the next best thing." Lexi sighed and rolled her eyes, "Drugs, dear stupid girl."

"So now I'm the bad person for not stroking my husband's cock and ego?" The younger woman was sobbing into the phone.

"Oh stop it. I don't need to hear your pitiful whining," she snapped, wondering how David ever ended up with someone so emotional, "Yes, you are to blame, of sorts, but you don't get to claim it all."

"He needs you as much as you need him, probably more. If you're not there for him, he goes looking for something that will." Lexi shifted on the cushions, "His coping mechanism found drugs first, the drugs found the other women. Do you see what I'm saying?"

There was silence and Lexi could only hope Leesha was taking in every word. "David has to take responsibility for this too. I won't apologize for having my children and taking care of them, nor will I apologize for not giving in to his every whim. If there was something he needed from me, why didn't he just say so?"

"Because he can see how stressed you were with your children, dear. He didn't want to put any more pressure on you because he loves you to distraction," she replied. "He accepts that he has done wrong but he can't see a way free at the moment. If you can't spend the time together...as a couple...then maybe you need to re-evaluate your home life. I have some ideas that could help."

"He went to you of all people for a reason," Leesha finally relented. "Goddamnit, I hate this."

"Listen, he can sleep it off here tonight and you have my word I won't fuck him...again. He will be sent home tomorrow, whipped within an inch of his sanity, but he will be clear-headed. How about you and I meet for lunch and discuss this further? Then if you'd like, I can play mediator with you two. Whether I like his choice of wife or not, you know I'm bluntly honest."

"Can't argue there," Leesha agreed. "I can have Julie take Ethan to school. I'll have Ellie though..."

"Fine," Lexi sighed, "I will make the reservation later this morning and send you the address. Goodnight."

"Lexi...wait," Leesha said before Lexi could disconnect, "Thank you. For looking after him tonight. I do love him."

"Hmm, unfortunately, I know," the older woman said, "He hasn't shut up about you. I'll talk to you later." The phone went dead in Leesha's hand.