Driven by lust [18+ ONLY]

Leila & Joseph [3]

It was the night of the fourth of the July and the last gig for Hewitt that summer. Lockley's was packed, people kept drinking extensively. Clock strike 2 a.m. and Joseph prepared to sing the last song of the night. It wasn't a cover of a well-known rock band or a pop single that shook the ground beneath the people that summer. It was one of his own. An original one.

"Pull me deeper, watch me burn, lay me down 'cause we are stopping."

Slowly the song picked up its pace and people gathered back on the dance floor. The sound of bass and gentle strokes of the acoustic guitar laid the foundation for the track.

"Found the girl, I needed the most. She left me, broke my heart without stopping."

The black colored tie with silver stars hung around Joseph's neck, the only reminder he had of her.

His hands found their way to it from time to time.

''...Every day I tell my foolish heart, I started to love you from the very start...''

Before the song reached the chorus, he lowered his head and took a deep breath. Singing those lines hurt him a lot. When he lifted his gaze- there she was. Standing by the door.

Leila.

It had been four months since they spent that night together in the hotel. She left without another word that morning.

"I thought to fall in love was hard, but it's not. I caught her eyes on me and I couldn't fight it."

Joseph sang off key but he couldn't care less. She was here. She was back. He signaled the guys behind him to raise the tempo, so they'd finish the song faster. But when he turned back toward the crowd, she had disappeared. Wasn't he seeing right? Was he imagining her standing there?

Now he was set to finish the gig as soon as possible and get off the stage to go look for her. Marcus was wiping down the bar when Joseph pushed through the crowd.

"Was she here? Tell me you saw her too!" He yelled over the music that came from the speakers.

"Who? Who are you talking about?" Marcus looked around the pub frantically.

"Leila. She was here, standing by the door. For fuck's sake." He slammed his hand against the counter and rushed to the door. Swinging it open, he stepped into the warm night air. There was no sign of her until Joseph felt someone standing behind him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to leave you like this but I couldn't stay there any longer." She apologized to him. Leila had a messenger bag hanging over her shoulder and it seemed heavy.

She kept adjusting the lace often, preventing the fabric digging into her bare shoulder.

Joseph didn't reply, he went straight to her, pulled the bag off her shoulder and embraced Leila.

"Forgive me, please. I didn't mean to use you like this and then run away."

She had her hands around his neck, whispering those words to his ear.

"You kind of fucked me up. I haven't been able to think straight."

And it was the truth.

"I am done. I can't take it anymore. I swear to God, he will eventually kill me. So I ran, took everything I own." She pointed to the bag. "I am leaving town. I don't have any money but I have my ring and if I take it to the pawn shop tomorrow morning, I'll have enough to get a bus fare out of here and some food money."

She held out her hand and showed him the gorgeous diamond ring on her finger.

"I wanted to see you before I left. I needed you to know that I am fine."