Never After

by Billie Dale

  Curiosity blooms across his face, snapping me out of my visual trance, realizing Dex asked me a question and I’m standing here stunned mute. “Oh, uh, no.” I lose my thought, blinded by his sparkling white toothy smile. I think I even see a glimmer like in a toothpaste commercial. “I- I’m getting ready to mop the floor and heard voices. Is there anything you need in the kitchen before I get started?” I’m shocked I could come up with a lie so easy to believe. Look at me being all cool and collected. Elsa would be proud.

  Continuing with my burst of self-confidence, I step toward the hunk, reaching out my hand, “Hello, I’m Sno..” my words halt when I stumble over Harlow’s latest prank, a tripwire strung across the walkway.

  Face planting into the rock-hard planes of his chest. Inhaling his manly spice, I attempt to correct myself, but my feet are still tangled in the invisible wire. Wrestling my knee up to free my foot I connect with his groin. Jerking back, the top of my head collides with his chin as his body coils in to cover his crotch knocking me back. Freefalling to the floor landing on the corner of Dobey’s skateboard, I flip it up in the air, and the edge connects with the man’s nose busting his lip. He drops to the floor groaning in pain as Dex scurries into action grabbing the towel I dropped in my fall holding it to his friends face to stop the deluge of blood spurting from his nose and lip. Shiloh strolls around the corner, seeing carnage and Dex tending to his friend, he moves to kneel next to me to make sure I’m okay.

  Harlow hears the scuffle and rounds the corner busting out laughing at the mess his prank made.

  My body is on fire, my skin bright red and on top of mortification, I’m terrified I’ll lose my job. “Oh my gosh. I-I’m so sorry.” His leafy colored eyes focus on me, where I expected anger is light and judging by the crinkling at the side, I think he’s trying to laugh through his pain.

  Holding the towel to his face, he pushes Dex away, “It’s good Doc. I got it.” His deep voice rumbles, lit with humor, nasally from the inability to breathe through his nose. With the shot to the face, he seems to have forgotten the hit to the crotch. He stands, his legs a tad shaky and steps toward me offering me the hand not tending his injuries.

  His large hand engulfs my small one sending electricity pulsing up my arm. Zapping through my veins, my heart skipping a beat, pulsing down between my legs. My vagina wakes up and says, ‘Huh,’ giving her approval with a flash of wetness soaking my panties. His mouth tips up on one side from behind the cloth covering half his face. Pulling me off the floor with a smooth effortless tug, pressing me against his chest as he releases my hand and slides his arm around my waist to steady me on my feet. The heat and smell of him stirs every dormant part inside of me. My body comes to life and begs for more resuscitation.

  “Hi there, Bright Eyes,” his hindered voice whispers along the shell of my ear, sending shivers all the way to my toes.

  Inhaling him one last time, I force myself to step back. Purple slashes begin to bloom under his eyes, but the bleeding has stopped, and he’s removed the saturated towel.

  “Snowy, this is my good friend, or he was before you tried to kill him, Royal Princeps. Royal this is Snowy Whitaker our housekeeper.”

  “Nah, she didn’t try to kill me.” He winks and my knees wobble, “With eyes so wide and innocent she couldn’t intentionally hurt anyone. It’s nice to meet you Bright Eyes.”

  Even with bruised eyes, swollen lips and blood smudging his face, he’s rendered me speechless with the timbre of his voice, the twinkle in his eyes and the glowing of his teeth from his smile lighting his entire face.

  Eyes never leaving mine, “Which one of you lucky bastards scored her?”

  “No way Man. She cleans up. She’s too old for me.” Cheeks turning pink Dex is quick to correct himself. “No offense, Snow, but dude, you’ve got kids almost my age.”

  I shouldn’t enjoy the punch Royal delivers to Dex’s arm, but I do. I could have kept the laugh from bursting out when Dex screams like a girl and rubs the spot, but I don’t.

  “Never tell a beautiful woman she’s old. What the fuck is wrong with you?”

  I miss the rest of Royal’s chastising, my heart and breath stuck on him calling me beautiful. Nic’s idea of a compliment was a swat to the butt, no one has ever said I’m pretty.

  “Don’t you have something to clean?” Dex’s hurt tone cuts through my musings.

  “Oh, uh, yeah. It was nice to meet you, Royal.”

  As I turn away he grips my hand, stopping my movement. Drawing it to his lips dragging his warm battered lips along the line of my knuckles. My vagina fist pumps in the air and begins humming a tune of appreciation while my core clinches with another flush of wetness. His whiskers scrape and my mind drifts to how they’d rub along other soft places on my body. My lady bits start chanting ‘yes, please’ while I try to reel in my attraction before I embarrass myself further.

  I’ve never had such a visceral reaction to a man. Nic was handsome but almost feminine, never interested in getting his hands dirty or trying something new. Even during sex, he was methodical about staying clean. I can’t say I was unsatisfied cause I’m not sure what satisfied feels like. Although with the way my body is careening toward pleasure from the simple ghosting of Royal’s lips across my skin, I’m guessing Nic’s wooden, mundane lovemaking was subpar.

  “I’m sorry for messing up your face, but it was a pleasure to meet you.”

  “Bright Eyes, you can do whatever you want to my face, and the pleasure’s all mine.”

  Now even my vag’s without words from his face comment. Afraid I’ll blurt out what I’d like to do to his face, I scurry up the stairs to clean the bathrooms, willing my heart rate to lower and cursing Nic for not being a better lover. Of course, going months without human touch, it’s not surprising I’m at the edge of an orgasm from the touch of his lips and the vibration of his voice. I’ve never been so wanton or lost in dirty thoughts.

  Six

  Returning to my dungeon, I drag my tired body up the stairs into the main part of the house to do a quick clean up before the step-monster returns from whatever she occupies herself with throughout the day. She’s simple to clean up after but a tyrant if she finds even the smallest speck of dust. The house is cold and even when she’s here, seems empty.

  Dusting the fireplace my eyes gaze around the sterile room. White throw rugs, an expensive cream sofa and a stiff looking high back sitting chair circle the hearth. Shaking my head my thoughts go to my Dad. He would hate this place.

  As a little girl, our home overflowed with laughter and love until he met this beast of a woman. My mother died while giving birth to me and though I saw the sadness in the depths of Dad’s eyes, he made sure to show me all the love in the world.

  I had turned nine a few months before he met Hilde and they wed soon thereafter. Young, naïve, and hopeful to finally have a mom to shop with, gossip and someone to show me how to dress and wear makeup but she hated me from the start. Never in obvious ways in front of my father, she kept to herself and acted as if I wasn’t there. I kept my dislike for her to myself because my father loved her. Four years later, dad died of a massive heart attack. Leaving everything, including custody of me, to her. At fourteen, I lost my warmth and security, falling into a world of despair. Hilde sold the house we lived in and used up most of our money to buy this place in the rich part of town, thinking she could rub elbows with the elite and find her a new husband.

  I learned Hilde’s reflection is her worst enemy, the mirror never kind. Plastic surgery and repeated Botox injections left her looking fake and plastic like Joan Rivers. She despised my youth, demanding I never be in her sight. Ordering me to stay in the left tower of the house and never be in her presence. I remained in my section, cooked for myself and kept company with my animal friends, staying far away from her. A darkness hovered over me, I know now depression shadowed me but then I only knew I couldn’t bring myself back into the light. Then I met Nic and he rescued me from the tower of lonel
iness, helping me step back into the sun until he too brought sadness into my life.

  When I returned to this great white castle with pointed spires, I hoped Hilde would once again offer us the tower, but instead with a sneer and a glint in her tight skinned eyes, she pointed us to the basement. Now it’s up to me to make sure my kids have all the love I lost. Getting them far away from this palace of misery is my top priority, meaning it’s time to accept Elsabeth’s offer.

  Gripping my cell in my hand, I scroll my contacts searching for her number. She programmed it in before she left earlier today. At first glance, I don’t see her name, so I scroll again and see Sexy Ice Bitch listed. Groaning at her name for herself, I tap out a message asking her when we can start. She’s quick to respond telling me to get my ass over to her sister’s place and she’ll show me what she’s set up so far.

  Her place is not too far from the slob’s house, just outside of town. I swallow a large gulp of air before I exit the car trying to prepare myself. My feet tap along the concrete up the drive, watching the ground move under me, when I reach the porch before I can knock she opens the door. Wearing baggy sweats and an off the shoulder sweatshirt, her white hair piled on top of her head in a huge ball she’s still stunning. Grabbing my hand, she pulls me inside, dragging me through the house so fast I don’t have a chance to look around except to see the large brown reindeer with huge antlers, chewing on carrots in the kitchen.

  “Ignore Ivan, I do,” she calls over her shoulder and I hear a line of obscenities come from the deer which I can’t help laughing at.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “You know he curses you out, right?”

  “What? Who?”

  “Ivan. He hates you as much as you hate him.”

  Stopping, tilting her head, squinting her eyes with a snarled lip she glares back into the kitchen. I swear the deer’s mouth tips up in a grin. Huffing, she whips back around, stomping into what I assume is her bedroom. As she pushes the door closed, I hear a chuckle from Ivan.

  Bone-chilling cold engulfs me, spots of ice coat the navy-blue walls. Every hair on my body stands on end as goosebumps cover my flesh and my teeth begin to chatter. A frozen mist hangs heavy in the air, she moves about grabbing her laptop before plopping on the queen size bed situated in the center of the room which also has random spots of ice and snow.

  “What are you waiting for?”

  “I-I-it’s freezing in here.” My body trembles and teeth chatter as I try rubbing my hands up along my arms hoping for some warmth.

  “Oh, for fuck's sake,” she groans, shooting off the bed she grabs a stack of blankets from the closet and throws them at me. They slam into me knocking me back into the door. Regaining my balance, I move to the bed and begin to pile the covers under and around me. When I’m done the only piece of skin still exposed are my eyes.

  “Mrph, brmp?” I ask, the blankets covering my mouth muffle the sound.

  “What?”

  Pulling them away from my lips, I repeat, “Aren’t you c-c-cold? Why is your room so f-frosty?”

  She shrugs, her eyes focused on something outside her ice-covered window. “The cold doesn’t bother me. I can’t feel it. I, uh, haven’t been able to control my ability since my husband left thus one of the many reasons I had to sell the lodge. Also, why I didn’t stay in your dank little basement for too long. If I spend too much time in one place the ice bursts free and freezes everything.”

  “How are you going to manage the bar if you can’t control it?”

  “I don’t know.” A sadness waves over her face. She’s quick to quell it with an angry, “I’ll deal with it when I have to.”

  She grabs her computer and slides it between us, then situates a stuffed snowman on her lap. She notices my cocked eyebrow and questioning look.

  “What?”

  I nod toward the snowman.

  “This is Olga. You talk to animals, I talk to a stuffed snowman. Don’t judge me.”

  She has a point.

  I notice she’s wrapped her computer in a wool sheath to protect it from her cold. Clicking away at the keys, she loads up a page with empty boxes and text, explaining it’s the template for the website. Slamming the top down she grabs my hand and rushes me back through the house to a small shed outside. I’m grateful for the warmth of the sun until she pulls open the double doors filling my vision with radiant reds and blues. Satin pieces of material stretch from wall to wall and in the middle of the room is a full size four post bed draped with more shimmering pieces. Laying in the center of the bed is another scrap of fabric and a mask. Off to one corner is a small camera set on a tripod with cables running to another laptop, in the other are bright LED lights on stands.

  “Well, what do you think?” She asks.

  “I don’t know. What am I looking at?”

  “Your Den of Sin, Ho.”

  “My what? Don’t call me a Ho.”

  “Ah, come on, Snowy. Get in the spirit. Sing it with me, “Hi Ho. Hi Ho. It’s off to bed we go. I paid my di-.”

  I slap my hand over her mouth, “STOP. Please just stop.” I plead holding my other hand to the bridge of my nose where a migraine is beginning to form.

  Shoving my hand away from her lips, “You’re no fun,” she pouts before she continues to tell me this is where all the filming will take place. The reds and blues match the colors in the outfit I’ll be wearing, the minuscule thing laying on the mattress. Slipping long gloves over her hands, she scoops it up and holds it before my eyes.

  A grayish blue bra with red strings crossing in front of my cleavage running up to more blue lace on the straps with a small triangle of white lace down the middle. The bottom is a pale-yellow G-string with a skirt panel starting below my belly button and ending above the gap between my legs and a string up my butt, a yellow garter for one leg with a large red bow in the middle and another matching bow for my hair. That’s it.

  My stomach flips. “Your kidding, right? There’s nothing to it?” Picking it up between my thumb and index finger, holding it like it’s going to explode, I gulp in air to fight the building panic attack.

  “That’s the point. It’s functional, easy access.”

  Squinting my eyes closed, I inhale a deep breath, pep-talking to myself and remembering this is temporary. The last piece of the ensemble is a satin and lace mask colored to match with ribbon ties, large enough to only reveal my eyes and mouth.

  “Did you come up with a name?” She asks.

  “Get Lost in Snow,” I mumble.

  She leans one ear toward me and tells me to repeat it. I say it again a little louder than before and she bursts out laughing. Claiming it’s perfect.

  While she leads me back through the yard to the front door she explains she’ll need two days to finish creating the site and setting up the payments. She instructs me to become familiar with my body over the next few days because by the weekend I’ll be live. With a grim set to my lips and a heaviness in my heart, I nod and sulk back to my car.

  By the time I get home, Axel and Aurora are there and I prepare dinner. Once we’re done and everything cleaned, I excuse myself to bed for the night, claiming I’ve had a long day. With the openness of the room, there’s no locking myself away, only turning my back away from them and the sound of the television.

  Seven

  Morning breathes a deep breath through the little windows shining a bright spot in the middle of the room. The kids move around in their early zombie state. Grabbing my robe, I join them in the kitchenette, asking about their plans for after school. Axel has several club meetings, and Aurora claims she’s going to the library. I know she’s lying, but I’m not in the mood to fight her on it. Without a word, she leaves while Axel kisses my forehead and tells me he loves me before leaving for the day.

  Grabbing my purse, I count the money I have left until payday, two days from now. Enough to grab something to make for dinner tonight and then it’s ramen noodles tomorrow night. You’d think without h
aving rent and utilities to pay I’d have all kinds of money but the only way I could get a car was to go to a buy here, pay here lot. In other words, I bought a piece of crap car, paying a ton more than it’s worth and the payments plus insurance takes most of my paycheck every week. Plus, I put at least forty percent of what’s left in savings, trying to save for the kids to go to college. I know I won’t be able to help Axel much, but my hope is to be able to have enough to pay Aurora’s way. Saving such a large amount isn’t practical when we could be using it to support daily expenses but the guilt of Nic’s actions weighs heavy on my back and eats away at my insides. It’s rare for them to be home to eat dinner, making my skimping easier to justify in my mind.

  I don’t have to clean until later, and Elsa’s words echo through my mind. I scan my brain for something to turn me on and come up with nada. I can’t think of anything to get my motor running. I’ve never been successful at getting myself off. Throwing my hands in the air, ready to give up until emerald green eyes and jet-black hair surge forward in my memories. Sending a shockwave straight to my core.

  The mere thought of his eyes has me clenching my thighs together. Laying back on my bed I remember his sultry scent and allow my hand to begin traveling down my body. Over the top of my breast, my nipples harden to peaks when his smile lights up behind my lids. Moving slowly down to the edge of my pants, the feel of his beard across my hand urges my fingers inside.

  Hearing his voice, remembering how it vibrated across my skin combined with my fingertip meeting my little bundle of nerves has my back bowing off the bed and a moan falling from my lips. Slipping down my slit, I drag wetness back and forth until I’m lost in sensation and in my head, it’s no longer my hand.

  His warm, thick fingers circle me before tipping inside, my opening so tight and small he can only fit one. His voice rumbling my name before his lips latch ahold of my nipple. When he adds his thumb pressing with the exact amount of pressure, I tip off the edge seeing spots behind my eyelids. My breathing erratic and my heart pounding out of my chest, I realize it’s the first real orgasm I’ve ever had. Nothing Nic and I did ever felt this exquisite.