A Story About Love
Chapter
Eight - El Tango De Roxanne
More codes to remember:
+++ Brady sings
((( Argentinean sings
--- Chloe sings.
^^^ Phillip (that rat bastard!) sings.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter Eight: El Tango De Roxanne
Chloe had gone to the tower to save them all. To save the production, the Moulin Rouge and the Bohemian revolution. And for everyone else, all they could do was wait. Brady sat in the theatre with the rest of the cast and crew, plagued by thoughts of what was going on in the tower just around the corner.
He had promised not to get jealous, but how could he avoid it? Chloe was not someone's property, but she was being treated as such. Brady had tried to show her that she was worth much more than that, but still she had to follow through with her contract.
Brady looked around the theatre, everyone seemed to be sad and afraid. No one liked Phillip much, even with all of his money and power. And, they knew that Chloe was sacrificing her self for all of them. Even with that sacrifice, they still might not have the ending that they all desired. The ending that fit the Bohemian ideals, the ending that Brady wanted, not only in the show, but in reality.
~*~
Chloe took a deep breath in and pushed through the curtain, walking into the large dining room of the gothic tower. She walked towards Phillip, even though just the sight of him made her skin crawl. But, still, she was an actress and if she had to pretend to love him, she would.
She spoke softly and seductively as she neared him. "My dear Phillip. I hope I have not kept you waiting..."
Phillip smiled in appreciation, a smile so unlike that of her beloved Brady. A smile that chilled her to the bone.
~*~
Apparently, Nini felt she hadn't done quite enough damage for one day. She was the cause of Phillip's earlier outburst, and she figured she might as well have some fun taunting the young writer as well. She grinned wickedly and sat on his lap.
Her tone was nothing but mocking. "Don't worry, Shakespeare. You'll get your ending. Once the duke gets his... end... in."
She cackled with delight, and Brady pushed her away from him roughly. She glared at him angrily and started to go towards him. "You keep your hands off me!"
She was pulled back by the Argentinean, not wanting any violence to ensue. Brady was thankful as he certainly wasn't in the mood to be hit by a woman. The Argentinean waved her away and turned to Brady, trying to explain to him what a mistake it had been to fall in love with a woman like Chloe.
"Never fall in love with a woman who sells herself. It always ends BAD!"
Brady looked around the room guiltily. It wasn't as if he could help it. You can't help who you fall in love with, and even though it was causing so much pain, his love for Chloe was worth all of it.
~*~
Chloe slowly took her long black gloves off, walking towards the roaring fire in the fireplace. She paused for a moment, staring into the flames that were licking the stone walls. As try as she might, she could not keep Brady's face out of her head. The heartbreak and jealousy that had filled his eyes when she last saw him made her cry on the inside, even as she pretended to look happy on the outside.
She continued to allay Phillip's fears as she did earlier, pretending that her relationship with Brady was nothing but professional. "The boy has a ridiculous obsession with me. I mean, I... I indulge his fantasy because he's talented. We need him... but only until tomorrow night..."
Chloe went to her chair at the dining table and sat down. Tomorrow night the show would open and this would all be over, for better or worse. She would probably lose Brady forever, and be stuck playing this game of false love with Phillip for a long time to come. But, at least she had known a taste of true love, if only for a brief shining moment.
Phillip came to her chair and leaned over, kissing her deeply. She wanted to cry, wanted to push him away and run back to the waiting arms of Brady. But, she didn't, she couldn't. She coldly returned his kiss, even though it made her sick to her stomach to do so.
~*~
The Argentinean walked to the middle of the dance floor, shouting out to the assembled cast and crew as he told a story to illustrate his point to Brady.
"We have a dance in the brothels of Buenos Aires. It tells the story of prostitute..."
He pointed at Nini who laughed in response and joined him on the dance floor as he continued. "And a man... who falls in love... with her."
Brady watched with interest, his own anger and jealousy rising within him as each second on the clock ticked by. The musicians started playing the beat to a tango, and the Argentinean danced with Nini as he continued the story.
"First, there is desire. Then, passion. Then... suspicion! Jealousy, anger, betrayal! When love is for the highest bidder, there can be no trust. Without trust there is no love. Jealousy, yes, jealousy, will drive you, will drive you... MAD!"
((( Roxanne...
You don't have to put on that red light.
Walk the streets for money...
You don't care if it's wrong or if it is right.
Roxanne!
You don't have to wear that dress tonight...
Roxanne!
You don't have to sell your body to the night! )))
Brady stood and began walking towards the door, as the rest of the dancers went out on the floor to dance the tango. He had to get out of here, away from the Moulin Rouge, someplace where his jealousy wouldn't plague him so much. But, still, nothing could drive the images of Chloe and Phillip together out of his head.
+++ His eyes upon your face,
His hand upon your hand,
His lips caress your skin.
It's more than I can stand! +++
((( Roxanne! )))
+++ Why does my heart cry? +++
((( Roxanne! )))
+++ Feelings I can't fight! +++
Brady walked towards the door, continuing his song as he walked outside and into the street.
+++ You're free to leave me,
But just don't deceive me,
And, please believe me when I say I love you! +++
Chocolat had been watching from the balcony, seeing the Argentinean's tango and noticing Brady exiting the Moulin Rouge. He figured where Brady was heading, and knew he had to follow him. If Phillip saw Brady anywhere near the tower, then Brady would be in danger. And not only Brady, but Chloe as well. And, Chocolat had to do something to protect her.
~*~
Chloe was still sitting at the table. She felt so weak and so tired, but she would keep her phony smile plastered on all night if she had to. Phillip stood and came towards her, kneeling at her side.
"When this production succeeds you will no longer be a can-can dancer. You will be an actress. I will make you... a star."
He smiled at her and slowly ran his fingers up her bare arm. He pulled out a diamond necklace and laid it on her neck. It was beautiful, wrapping around her neck and cascading across the top of her chest. "A gift... From this Maharajah to his courtesan."
Chloe stared at him in surprise. The necklace was obviously worth a fortune, but to her it was just another material possession that she didn't need or want. All she really wanted was to be with Brady. The necklace was like a collar you would put around the neck of your dog, it was Phillip's way of marking his territory, telling the world that she belonged to him.
Chloe had to know if what she was doing would be good for the show. She had to let Brady have his ending, especially after everything she put him through. "And... And the ending?"
Phillip smiled from one corner of his mouth. What did he care about the ending to the show? He didn't care, not when he had the ending he wanted in reality. "Let Zidler keep his fairy tale ending..."
~*~
((( Roxanne! You don't have to put on that red light! )))
+++ Why does my heart cry? +++
Brady had walked down the street towards the tower, not even realizing how he got there. His mind was so filled with worry, that it had propelled him towards where she was. He stood in the courtyard, and looked up towards the balcony. He saw her standing there alone, without Phillip, but she did not see him.
((( Roxanne! You don't have to wear that dress tonight! )))
+++ Feelings I can't fight... +++
((( Roxanne! )))
+++ You're free to leave me,
But just don't deceive me,
And please believe me when I say I love you. +++
Chloe saw him and locked eyes with him. She could no longer deny what was in her heart. She couldn't lie to Phillip, couldn't pretend anymore. Chloe loved Brady, and she knew she couldn't bring herself to sleep with Phillip. Not tonight, not ever.
She sang softly, hoping that her words would float on the breeze and go towards him. He needed to understand that her love for him had not changed.
---Come what may...
I will love you...
Until my dying day...---
Brady could see her, but it didn't matter what she said or what she sang to him. She was up there in the tower with Phillip, and even their love would not change that. He held back his tears and walked away, heading back to his empty apartment.
Phillip came out on to the balcony, walking up behind her and wrapping one arm around her possessively. Chloe just couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't do this, no matter what the cost was. She felt tears fill her eyes and she shook her head.
"No..."
Phillip looked at her with a mixture of surprise and confusion. "NO?"
He looked towards the courtyard and saw Brady walking away, understanding exactly what she meant. "Oh, I see... It's our very own penniless sitar player."
Chloe loosened herself from his grip, the tears already flowing down her face. She walked back inside and Phillip followed closely behind her.
"Phillip..."
"SILENCE!" He growled angrily and grabbed her wrists with his hands forcing her roughly towards the ground. Chloe cried out with fear, gasping for air as he held on to her painfully. "You... made me... believe... that you loved me..."
He let go of one of her wrists and slowly moved to her neck, slipping his finger around the back of the necklace and ripping it off. Chloe felt her heart beat increasing with fear, suddenly realizing exactly what Phillip was capable of. If he couldn't have her willingly, he would take her by any means necessary.
She got away from him for a moment, running around the large dining table, but Phillip caught up with her. He grabbed her from behind and threw her to the cold marble floor. Chloe cried out and began sobbing. If she wasn't so weak and ill, she might have had a chance to get away from him, but she could barely catch her breath.
Phillip yanked her off the floor and stood behind her, his hands roaming up her chest and slipping through the top of her dress to fondle her breasts. Chloe wanted to vomit, she wanted to run, but she was frozen in one place. He moved his hands and began tearing at her dress, and with each rip that left her more exposed, she cried out with fear, her face covered in her own tears.
((( Roxanne! )))
Brady stood in his apartment at the window, looking out into the cold black night. A storm was brewing in the sky, and he sang out, releasing himself of all of his anger and jealousy.
+++ Why does my heart cry?
Feelings I can't fight.
Why does my heart cry?
((( You don't have to put on that red light. )))
+++ Feelings I can't fight. +++
((( Roxanne! You don't have to put on that dress tonight. )))
((( ROXANNE!! )))
+++ Roxanne! Feelings I can't fight... +++
Phillip was pushing Chloe towards the bedroom like a man possessed. He was crazed with anger, and Chloe felt her whole body trembling nervously. She had been hurt by so many people, but never in the way that Phillip was planning to hurt her.
^^^ Feelings I can't fight! ^^^
+++ Roxanne! +++
Phillip threw her on to the bed, his intent clear in his eyes. He was planning to rape her, there was absolutely no doubt in her frazzled mind about that. Chloe braced herself for the worst, but was suddenly saved by the appearance of Chocolat. The large man threw his fist into Phillip's face, knocking him to the floor into an unconscious heap.
Chloe let out a cry of relief and Chocolat came to help her off the bed. "Mademoiselle Chloe... Are you okay?"
Through her sobs she nodded slightly. She wasn't okay, but she would be soon. She looked up at him with just one request. "Take me to Brady... Please."
~*~
Brady was still standing at the window when she burst through his apartment door, with Chocolat behind her. She was still sobbing heavily and he could see the fear in her blue eyes. She wrapped her arms around him briefly and then looked him in the eyes. Her words came slower than usual, breaking through in between her sobs.
"I... I couldn't. I couldn't go through with it! I saw you there and I... I felt you in me and I couldn't pretend... And the duke... he saw... he saw and he... and he..."
She couldn't finish explaining to him, she was trembling all over, and crying too hard to speak. She wrapped her arms around him again, and spoke one important phrase clearly. "I love you."
Brady held on to her, trying to reassure her, although part of him wanted to rip Phillip from limb to limb for whatever he did to her. "It's okay, okay..."
"And I couldn't do it, I don't wanna pretend anymore. I don't wanna lie... I don't... And he knows... he knows... he saw!"
Brady put his hand on her cheek and looked into her eyes, trying to calm the storms behind them. "It's alright. You don't have to pretend anymore. We'll leave... We'll leave tonight."
"Leave? What... The show..."
Brady shook his head, the only thing he cared about was her. "I don't care... I don't care about the show. We love each other and that's all that matters."
He smiled at her sweetly and wiped away her tears with the tips of his fingers. Chloe nodded in understanding, knowing that he was right. She didn't care about anything else, just him. "Yes... Yes. As long as we have each other."
Chloe kissed him briefly and smiled back at him, continuing more calmly than before. "We have each other."
Brady nodded and grabbed his coat off the bed, he wrapped it over her shoulders, trying to cover her torn dress and her exposed skin. He looked towards Chocolat and gave him instructions. "Chocolat, take Miss Chloe to her dressing room and get the things she needs. No one must see you, do you understand?"
Chocolat nodded, if anyone saw what they were up to then surely they would try to stop them. "I understand."
Brady kissed her again and Chloe smiled in reply. "Darling, you go and pack. I'll be waiting."
He watched her go and then went back to his window to wait. They would get away from her, away from everything that stood between them. It didn't matter where they went or how they got there, their love could overcome any obstacle in their way.