“That’s amazing, pumpkin. When do you start?”
When do I start? How to answer that?
The truth was out of the question, and so I’d let the lie started by Hendrix himself flow. Made me look good and not like the cheap plaything that was being held onto by strings. Pulled in the direction of her master’s liking.
An egotistical jerk who cared for himself.
One of these days I’m going to trip Zoe on purpose.
“This Monday actually. Bright and—”
“Titi!” Aubrey yelled out mid-giggle a few feet from where we were sitting on a blanket. It was moments like these that I thanked God for Aubrey’s fascination with the ocean. Without knowing, she bought me a few more minutes to mentally put the finishing touches on my lie.
Little omission.
She was in an adorable mermaid inspired bathing suit and running from her mom and the new family friend, Ivan. The man had become ever present since meeting him. Always around, eating dinner with Gloria and Aubrey every night—playing house.
For a school’s director, he seemed more invested in the mother than student. Not that my niece wasn’t thriving, because dear God, she was. Best place for her was at this facility and I’d never argue that, but his interest was more on a personal level.
Watching my sister’s booty was one of those priorities.
“Run, Aubrey!” I yelled out while opening my arms wide. She ran as fast as her little legs could carry her and settled on my lap. Took my towel and burrowed into its warmth while Gloria and Ivan pretended not to see or hear her.
Drooping eyes met my own, and she smiled. “Nap.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Settling her in a more comfortable position, I draped the towel low on her back so the nice breeze coming from the ocean could keep her cool. My fingers played with her hair, pushed the strands back from her face, and within minutes she knocked out.
“Birthday girl tired herself out?” Mom came up from the water and settled herself on the corner of my blanket to dry off. “Poor thing has been running around since five a.m. because it’s her beach day.”
“Yeah, just knocked out.” From the corner of my eye, I watched Dad get up and tend to the meat on the grill. “Can you pass me a Pepsi, Dad?”
“Sure.” he reached into the cooler holding our drinks and grabbed a beer for himself and a soda for me. He walked over and handed it to me, opening it before parking it next to Mom. “You going to tell me where you’ll be working now? Or do I need to have you followed.”
Was a joke. Something he’d said before, but this time I froze, eyes wide and scared.
God help me, if they were to ever find out what I’d done.
No. They can’t. Would never find out if I could help it.
Both looked at me with worried eyes, not understanding my reaction. Before they could say anything, I sucked in a deep breath.
“Something bit my foot near the ankle,” I hissed out low while rubbing my foot on the blanket. “Had to be an ant. Jesus, that hurt.”
Dad sprung up and examined my foot and the area around where I was sitting. Thank you Jesus I’d been bitten earlier today in the changing rooms and had a small red bump on my ankle.
“Pesky fuckers,” he muttered, swatting away two he found walking near the middle. “Looks like tiny fire ants. It’ll itch, but go away in a day or two.”
The man upstairs had come through, and tonight I’d add an extra thank you to my prayers.
“Want me to take her?”
“Nope.”
Mom smiled, and I knew it was coming. “And about that job...”
They are acting like dogs with a bone.
“I’ll be working at H. P. Builders as an assistant to a P. A. who is pregnant. I’m the glorified gopher, and will have to travel most weekends to the office in the Keys to make up what I missed due to school.” Mom wasn’t happy with that part; her frown was deep, but she’d adjust. We all didn’t have a choice. Were this a real job, she’d get no say either. “Pay is great, and benefits kick in after sixty days. Recommendations from them on my resume will look amazing. Win win in my opinion.”
“But weekends? Where will you stay?”
“Mom, I love you, but stop.”
“Honey, help me out here.” She raised a brow at Dad who rolled his eyes. “You see nothing wrong here? Our family dinner on Sunday is sacred and—”
“She’s an adult with a good head on her shoulders who works and goes to school full time. Be proud, don’t meddle.” Before she could interrupt, Dad held up a hand. “And I’m even going to stop you from comparing her to Gloria, who makes time. I love our oldest, but she’s made bad choices. Plenty of them, except for having Aubrey. She has time now because she’s single, but look around. Where is she?”
Mom let out a heavy sigh, and her shoulders dropped. “With Ivan.”
“Exactly. Not here.” Dad ruffled my hair with a triumphant smile on his face. “Twenty-three and has yet to give us a headache. Let her go, explore, and grow. That company is huge and reputable. Will give her great work experience, and Beau will be safe. The owner...”
Owner is also a controlling jerk who I’m going to kill tonight. And safe?
“You’re right, Dan.”
“Always am, Barbara.”
No one said anything after that or discussed the giant elephant in the room named Ivan. It took him and Gloria, who looked quite disheveled on her return, a good thirty minutes to join us once more. Her daughter was still sound asleep and none the wiser.
They sat side by side on another blanket a few inches from mine with their fingers intertwined. Funny; not once did Mom question what was going on between them, yet I got the third degree.
And fuck, I knew that in hindsight what I was doing might be considered worse—depending which side of the coin you were on—but I should’ve had her trust the same way Gloria did.
For minutes I sat back with her daughter in my lap stewing in my anger. Her selfishness had repeatedly cost me important things.
I paid for my first car and its insurance because she couldn’t afford her rent. Mind you, my sister’s first vehicle came off a lot and was shiny red. Only the best for her.
My entire eighth grade summer was spent babysitting three kids, so I could buy new clothes at the start of the school year because once again, she needed something. That time it was the latest model of laptop and phone with the promise of going to college.
Gloria never went, but they gave in.
And now, here we were, celebrating her daughter’s birthday while she was sneaking off here and there with Ivan.
Enough was enough.
“What time are we cutting the cake?” Everyone but Dad watched me with surprised expressions—I was never in a hurry. He, on the other hand, gave me a subtle nod of approval which warmed my heart. This man understood me up to a certain capacity; his love was just too deep for all his girls to ever say no. “I have somewhere to be.”
“You do?” Gloria’s brow furrowed, her hand squeezing Ivan’s. “Ummm, I was going to have you take her for the night.”
“News to me, since you never asked.” Shaking my head, I let out a small laugh. Lately, everyone seemed to think that I was born to be at their disposal. Ruby, Gloria...even Mom at times. “Sorry, sis, but I’m not cancelling on a date, so you can go on one. Not happening.”
“Beau!” Mom yelled out, stirring the sleeping girl in my arm awake. “No need to—”
“Speak the truth?” Dad interrupted once more on my behalf, arms crossed over his chest. “If she wants to go out, we’ll watch baby girl, but don’t pawn her off on Beau just because you figure it’s okay. Ask, don’t assume, Gloria.”
Aubrey yawned—stretched her body out and blinked up at me, completely oblivious to the tension around her. “Cake?”
“Of course, kid. It’s time for cake.” Argument forgotten for now, we all stood, and Mom pulled the pretty fairy cake from one of the bigger coolers. Forget the fact that we had not eaten. If the birthday girl wanted her cake now, she’d get it.
So, we sang to her, off key and in funny voices, which made her laugh and clap. Her joy warmed my heart and thawed out certain annoyances I had with her mother. Aubrey was the sole thing that my sister had done right.
Looking around our small circle, I caught Mom looking at me. She smiled, and I mouthed the words “love you.”
And I did. All of them.
Then why are things bothering you now that in the past you’d brush off?
Because my love no longer blinds me to their faults. Can thank Ruby for that.
XXX
At seven p.m. that same night, there was a knock on my door as I slipped on a pair of chandelier earrings Mom gave me two years ago for my birthday. They were pretty, delicate, and sparkly. Complimented the simple little black dress I decided to wear.
“Coming,” I called out a few seconds before pulling the door open to a very handsome Hendrix, holding a single rose out for me. Won’t deny that he looked uncomfortable, but he was trying, and I’d give him credit for that. “Thank you.”
Standing on the tip of my heels, I stole a kiss and walked back inside without inviting him in. Not that he needed one, as the man who’d yet to say a word followed me in.
Paused at the entrance to my tiny kitchen and watched me put his gift in a small vase with water. He stood there in his tailored black dress pants and a light grey shirt. No tie. Sleeves rolled up and a silver Cartier watch on his wrist.
Hendrix knew he was a gorgeous specimen and had no shame. Even the fact he hadn’t shaved in a couple of days didn’t dull his factor—it made him hotter.
“We should go.” God, that voice. All rough and full of the same ardor from last weekend. “Our invitation is for eight.”
“Let me just grab my clutch.” It was never my intention to rub my body on his, but the man left me little to no room to pass. He’d blocked the entrance, hands squeezed into tight fists as I tried to figure a less painful way around this.
Sure, I could tell him to move, but he wouldn’t. Not even when it was beneficial for him.
So instead of arguing, I squeezed past him and the entrance trim. His scent, that woodsy with a hint of citrus smell, caused my body to shiver. The movement forcing me back and into a hard cock I knew all too well.
Abort. Abort.
I tried to behave and walk away, but his hand on my arm held me in place. His nose skimmed the side of my neck and lower—caused my panties to dampen and thighs to press together.
Try to find a bit of friction to quell my own need for him.
“I want to eat that pretty little pussy and then bathe in your come. Make you squirt all over me before I take this sweet...” strong hands wandered low and grabbed a handful of my flesh “...round ass and mark it as mine.”
“Please.”
“No.”
“Why?” It left me on a pained whimper, my body trying to arch back into him, but Hendrix held me still. Hands on my hips, he backed me into the kitchen cabinet closest to us and pinned me there. “Let me go.”
“No.” This time he pressed into me, let me feel every single ridge of his length. “I won’t take you again until you are moved and back in my bed. You want my cock?” At my eager nod, he chuckled. “Then take this as an incentive, nymph. Tomorrow, and not a second more.”