Free Rock Hard Bliss - the Finale by D. H. Cameron Page B

probably as responsible for the change in heart as the fact James owned a talent agency now. In any case, Battery was free.
    However, that wasn’t the end of the troubles for Vicky. The Malibu Police were surprised when Sylvia confessed she had lied about the assault and in exchange for immunity, offered to implicate the person behind her lies. We found out when Detective Foley visited James and me at the house. He advised us that the charges had been dropped and that the circumstances were under investigation. I also received a call that afternoon from Mr. Thompson at the talent agent licensing office in San Francisco about my ethics complaint. He told me that in light of certain information about the individual making the accusations against me, the complaint was no longer an issue. I knew who and what he meant though Mr. Thompson told me he couldn’t provide specifics.
    Phil had been busy. I suspect he had been responsible for everything except maybe the disposition of the complaint with the licensing board. I figure he had gotten to Sylvia, maybe told her that unless she rolled over on The Fraulein, she might be the scapegoat. I don’t know for sure. Phil had his reasons, but we never heard from him directly. Plausible deniability, I suppose. It didn’t matter. James and I were free. Once Vicky’s house of cards began to fall, it fell quickly and hard. Within a week, she had been arrested for framing James and she and Emma were under investigation for fraud.
    But that was just the beginning of Vicky’s problems. Apparently, she had failed to report all of the money she had received from her dealings to the Internal Revenue Service. We watched the news the day the IRS agents ransacked her home and carted off files and computers. The Malibu Police were nothing compared to what the IRS was going to do to Vicky for not paying taxes on the money she pilfered from her clients. Her arrogance knew no bounds but now she was going to pay the price for her selfish acts.
    James and I spent a quiet evening, a truly quiet evening, in the hot tub overlooking the Pacific Ocean. James puffed on a big, dark cigar and we sipped sparkling water. I felt rather odd. I’d spent so many weeks under the threat of Vicky’s games that not feeling the stress any longer was strange. It felt good though. I set my glass down and curled up next to James. He placed his big, tattooed arm around me and pulled me closer.
    “What are you thinking, little girl?” he asked as if he could read my thoughts.
    “I’m just wondering if this is really over,” I said. James pulled the cigar from his lips.
    “I was just wondering the same thing. I think so. Vicky has got herself in a bit of trouble. If she wasn’t such a vile bitch, I might feel bad for her,” James told me and I laughed.
    “Yeah, I’m having a hard time generating any sympathy myself. How could a man like Samuel spawn a child like The Fraulein?” I pondered rhetorically. James looked down at me as he put the cigar back in his mouth. We sat there for a while enjoying the moment. However, it wasn’t long before I thought we might find a better way to celebrate. “We should go to bed,” I said. James pulled his cigar from his mouth and looked at me as if I was crazy. His expression changed when I began stroking him under the bubbles.
    “Oh, go to bed,” he said understanding my real intent. I wiggled out from under his arm and climbed from the tub. I stood above James and let him take in my body dripping with water. James’ eyes swept up and down my body and I saw the fire in his eyes. “You’re in for it, little girl,” he said as he jumped out of the tub faster than I expected and came for me. I ran laughing towards the house as James chased me, growling and reaching for me with his big, strong hands.
     

 
    ~10~
     
    I made it to the bedroom before James caught me. I threw myself on the bed and suddenly, I felt free. I felt as light as air. James appeared in the doorway,