Pop Life: Volume 3

Chapter 21

We made it to Minneapolis 10 minutes before midnight. The van had parked behind First Avenue as Prince dropped off a few blocks away. I got off his bike and he gave me a kiss. Before he pulled off he looked at me and smiled. His smile was out of pure nervousness.

"Stop. You're gonna get me all worried. Make it look real remember?" I said to him as I ran my hand through his wind blown black hair.

"If you wanna back out I-"

"I'm doing this for all of us. Especially René. She may have been a bitch in the beginning but she had her reasons. She didn't deserve Marcus taking her life."

"Be careful my love. I'll be waiting for the signal."

"Kiss me troll."

He gave me one last kiss and revved the engine to his bike.

"Go." I whispered to him.

He ran the back of his hand down my face as he looked into my eyes. I backed away from him and smiled. He smiled back and sped away. I faced towards The Avenue and walked to the meeting point at the corner. When I got there the street was busy with people but none of them were Marcus. I could feel my hear racing the longer I waited.

"Ugh this is stupid. Why am I doing this?" I said to myself pacing back and forth at the corner. I turned to look at the big black building behind me and to keep my mind from getting the best of me I tried to think about the first time I snuck away from home to see Prince play Purple Rain for the first time. I'll never forget that night he saw me in on sea of unfamiliar faces. When his eyes fell on me he began to smile and mouthed the words 'Thank You' to me before he began to play. Prince played the first chord as I blew him a kiss for good luck. He couldn't keep himself from smiling since that night I came to watch him. Now here I am standing in front of the very same building his career shot into the stratosphere getting ready to meet the man who wants to drag my life kicking and screaming to hell. I wanted so badly to just call this whole thing off but there was no turning back. This was going to happen one way or another. I was sure hoping that Prince and the guys were close by just in case Marcus didn't talk and just drag me to a place where they couldn't get to me. Maybe he'd changed since the last time I saw him. Then again hell would have to be nearly frozen over a few times for that to happen. I couldn't take pacing anymore so I decided to find a spot and sit down on the ground against the wall of the building as I waited. Maybe he wasn't going to show. Maybe Prince and the guys jumped him the moment he walked passed. Maybe he just died. That may have been a reach for him to be dead but it's better than him torturing me more that necessary. Just as I let out a deep frustrating grunt and dropped my face to my knees I heard a voice.

"Hello Regan."

My head shot up to find who was standing in front of me. My eyes had fallen on to the devil himself.

"Marcus."

I looked over at my watch then back to Marcus who now as a hand out to help me from the ground. I looked at his hand and then looked up at his face. He looked different. His demeanor was even different. I didn't trust any of it.

"No thanks I'm sure I can manage." I huffed as I stood up.

"Come on Regan."

"I'm good! Really! Besides you were supposed to meet me at midnight exactly. It's quarter after." I shot at him as I stood to my feet and brushed the dirt from my pants.

"I'm sorry. I almost didn't come."

"Really? And whys that?" I asked him annoyed.

"I figured that now that I'm trying to turn over a new leaf you might not wanna see me again."

"HA! That's funny!" I snapped.

"Come now girl I'm serious!" He said slightly raising his voice and reaching for my arm.

I backed aways quickly score he had the chance to touch me. He could tell that I was apprehensive about this meeting and I wasn't trying to take any more chances after everything he's put me through. He adjusted his tie and cleared his throat as I still stood leaning against the wall.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. Can we talk about this? Maybe have a few drinks?"

"We're gonna talk but there will be no drinking involved. Understood." I said.

He let out a sigh and shook his head.

  "Why are you doing this? I'm trying to be nice now come on trust me I've changed. I swear."

I raised an eyebrow as I looked at him.

  "Yeah! Real improvement! When did you make this so called change huh? Was it after you tried to blow us up or after you landed Andre in the hospital?"

  "Speaking of them did they put you up to this?" He asked with a smile.

  "No. They don't know about this because me and Prince are over. I caught him cheating on me."

Marcus had a smile that was bigger than his ego. The look on his face disgusted me but I still had to keep playing the roll of looking for a rebound.

  "So does this mean......you're single again?" He asked.

He definitely didn't waist any time.

  "Yes. Yes Marcus I'm single." I said to him in a convincingly sad tone.

  "Awww darlin' well that's too bad for him. But it's good for me."

The lust in his eyes grew suddenly as he took a few steps towards me. My heart was racing a mile a minute. As he licked his lips he took me by the hand.

  "Let's go somewhere private and talk." He said in a deep voice.

  "We're keeping this meeting public remember?" I said to him as I pulled my hand away.

He stepped back and agreed with a nod.

  "Sorry. Force of habit. Well then let's go someplace to talk. Where would you like to go?I'll buy the coffee."

I looked over at the small cafe just across the street. I pointed past him and he turned in that direction.

  "Well then shall we?" He said as he put his arm out.

I wrapped my arm around his and we walked to the cafe and sat at the tables outside. When I sat down I looked over in the direction of the hidden black van and flashed them an 'I'm ok' while Marcus went inside and ordered the coffees.