by Iona Rose
I felt her tremor as my hands cupped her curvy ass and squeezed her against my cock. "You're so beautiful,” I whispered to her.
"Then what are you waiting for?" Ella prompted.
I shifted us around, so I was on top. Then I kissed her cheek and trailed kisses down along her neck to her breasts. I thumbed her perfect nipples.
Her hands caressed my back and hair, and then held my head in place as I sucked her nipples.
She rubbed her pussy against my stomach, her wetness coating me like a second skin. I dropped further, trailing kisses all the way, until I was looking at her sweet pussy. I inhaled her sweet scent of arousal.
Usually, I would have dove straight in, licking, and eating her pussy, but I was in the mood to tease her. I nibbled on her inner thighs. She clutched at my head and tried to steer me back to her pussy. But my head remained like an immovable block of cement. She let out a moan of frustration as I continued licking and biting her thighs.
“Please Luke,” she said. “I’ll do anything.”
I chuckled. “What do you need?”
“I need you to eat my pussy,” she cried.
Her words went straight to my cock. I let out a ragged breath and swooped down on her. I dragged my tongue along her slit, as she raised her hips up to meet the onslaught. She thrashed her legs as I devoured her tasty little pussy.
Before she could come, I moved over her, my cock throbbing painfully for some part of the action. I wrapped my hand around my shaft and shoved it into her pussy.
“Yes!” she gasped. “Fuck me, Luke. Please?”
She thrust her hips upwards as I pumped into her. She let out a cry every time my cock hit a certain spot, deep inside her. We moved as though we were born to mate together.
I stared down at her as her orgasm started to tear through her and in that moment, I knew that I loved Ella Cooper.
Ella
As I ironed my dresses, I glanced at my phone fearfully, then remembered I had switched it off. Luke had been going to the office every day this week and it was a good thing he had, because he definitely would have noticed that something was terribly wrong.
I wasn’t as strong as I’d thought I was. I felt like an animal trapped in a cage with nowhere to run. Even the house had started to feel unsafe. I closed the curtains during the day when I was in my bedroom.
Stan was succeeding.
I could feel myself unraveling. I was becoming crazy and barely holding it together. I needed to turn on my phone in case Luke had called or texted. He would get worried if he found my phone switched off.
With trembling fingers, I reached for it and turned it on. As soon as the screen came alive, messages started coming in, one after the other.
Dread filled me. They were all from Stan.
You're my woman.
I know you miss me just like I miss you.
You're going to keep ignoring my messages, as if I'm not important to you.
I was ready to give you another chance. A chance to right what you did wrong.
Do you fucking understand that I was locked up because of you?? And you won’t answer my messages.
BITCH. BITCH. BITCH.
You'll pay for all this. For getting me locked up. For thinking you’re better than me and all you are is a whore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I dropped the phone and sank to the floor. I buried my face in my hands. What could I do? I lost all track of time as I tried to think about my options. But my brain refused to function. All I could feel were his hands wrapped around my waist and his hot breath on my neck.
A knock on the door jolted me back to the present and I scrambled to my feet. I yanked the door open, heart pounding. I sagged in relief when I saw Paul, the chef.
He narrowed his eyes at me. "Are you all right?"
I arranged my mouth into a smile. "I’m fine."
“Why are the curtains closed?”
“Uh… I was uh changing.”
"Right. I want to ask for a favor," he said. "Could you go to the grocery store for me? I’m in the middle of making a pastry and I need a couple of things, but I can’t leave the oven."
"Sure," I replied with a nod. "Just keep an eye on Molly for me, will you?" I wasn’t worried about leaving her with Paul for half an hour at the most, since Luke had told me it was okay to leave her with Paul when I had to run out for a few minutes.
“Thank you," Paul said. "You're a lifesaver."
I followed him to the kitchen where he gave me a list of stuff he needed. I popped into my room to grab my handbag and changed my shoes. Then I went to stand at the window and peered out.
I had no doubt that Stan already knew where I lived, but he'd probably seen Luke and Paul, so he’d stayed away. When I was sure no one was lurking about, I sneaked out of the house like a thief and hurried down the street.
I walked fast, checking over my back constantly. I felt exposed. As if Stan would appear any time. I hated what my life had become. In a matter of weeks, I had gone from a happy, carefree woman to a nervous mess.
The grocery store was a ten-minute walk but it felt like half an hour before I was in the safety of the shop. I stood for a moment to catch my breath, then grabbed a shopping basket, and proceeded down the aisle.
I was being paranoid, I told myself. He couldn’t follow me everywhere. I refused to think about those text messages and what they meant.
I shopped fast, grabbing the things on the list without inspecting them for flaws as Paul liked to do. When I was done, I went to the cashier and paid. Then I began to walk back home.
It happened when I was crossing the road. One minute, I was standing on the sidewalk and in the next, a blue sedan veered off the road and came straight at me. My instincts took over and I jumped back just as it swerved in my direction.
I stared at it horrified and caught a glimpse of the driver.
Stan’s grinning face stared back at me.
Terror took over as it hit me that Stan was not kidding around. He actually intended to kill me. I ran across the road and sprinted all the way home, stopping every so often to see if I could spot the blue sedan again.
I rushed into the house and slammed the door shut. I leaned on it and tried to come to terms with what had just happened. Stan had tried to kill me! I felt sick and dizzy. My phone vibrated in my handbag and I jumped. It took a moment to collect myself and answer it.
"Luke." My voice sounded different even to my own ears.
"Ella, what is it?" Luke asked.
"It's a long story, but I'm fine now," I said and then burst into tears.
"Are you home?" he asked, almost shouting down the phone.
"Yes," I managed to say.
"I'm coming. Sit tight. Everything will be fine, I promise," Luke said and disconnected the call.
I pulled myself together and took the groceries into the kitchen. Surprisingly, everything inside the bag was intact. After everything that had happened, I’d at least expected the eggs to be broken.
"Thank you," Paul said. "I owe you one. Molly is still napping. That puppy does a good job of tiring her out."
"You're welcome," I said and added, "I'll just go check on her anyway."
I needed to see for myself that Molly was safe. If anything happened to her, I'd never forgive myself. My heart pounded as I pushed her door open even though Paul had assured me she was fine.
She was snoring gently with one hand hanging from the bed. I tiptoed in and tucked it back into place. I stared at the innocent image she was for a moment longer, then left.
I stayed in my room and peered out through the slit in the curtains. I kept reliving the moment when the car had veered off the road and climbed up onto the pavement. If I hadn’t jumped back, I'd be dead or seriously injured now.
Clearly, I didn’t know Stan or what he was truly capable of.
Murder!
Did he hate me so much that he wanted to kill me? The sound of Luke's car coming into the drive brought me back to the present. Weak with reli
ef, I hurried downstairs and opened the front door for him.
"Ella!" he said and took my hand.
I led him to the living room.
"Tell me what happened," he said when we sat on the couch.
He kept my hand in his as I told him everything, leaving no detail out.
"Why didn’t you tell me when he started?" Luke asked in astonishment.
I searched his eyes and saw no hint of what he was thinking. A feeling of dread filled my stomach. I was about to lose my job. I hadn’t given one thought to my job all that time but now, it hit me afresh that my being here, taking care of Molly was putting her at risk.
It didn’t matter if I lost my job. As long as Molly was safe.
"I truly thought if I ignored him, he would go away," I defended. "I knew Stan could be violent, but I didn't think he would become a dangerous stalker."
"My poor baby. You've been carrying this burden alone," Luke muttered and massaged my hand.
His kindness brought fresh tears to my eyes. I didn’t want to take advantage of the kind of person he was and I didn’t want to make him say it. "I’ll understand if you don’t want me to continue working for you," I said, my voice shaky.
He frowned and looked confused. "What?"
"I don’t want to put Molly at risk," I said.
He took both my hands into his. "Listen to me Ella, I'm going to take care of you. Both of you. Bullies make you believe that no one can help you. Their tactics are to make you feel helpless and alone. You’re not alone. I’m here. He has no idea about the kind of man he has picked as his opponent. No more talk about leaving your job."
Tears flowed furiously down my cheeks. I could hardly believe he wanted to protect me. I’d never felt like I did in this moment. So completely safe and protected. Was that how people felt when they were in a loving relationship?
If so, I had missed out on so much during the time I’d been with Stan.
Luke pulled me on his lap and held me close. "Everything will be fine, but first, we need to go to the police station and report this."
My heart skipped a beat. I remembered what Stan had said about Molly. If I told anyone, something would happen to her. “He said he would hurt Molly if I told anyone about him,” I whispered with a shiver of dread. Even the thought was too frightening to contemplate.
"That's exactly the kind of reaction stalkers want you to have. The first rule is never, ever give in," Luke stated. "I’m glad you told me and now, we'll tell the police. That bastard cannot get away with such behavior." His jaw was set and a white line of fury appeared around his mouth.
I felt sure that if Stan had been nearby, he'd have gotten his face punched into a pulp.
Luke came to my room that night rather than me going to his. I was paranoid and wanted to sleep close to Molly even though I knew the house was secure. Stan had no way of entering the house. I wore a negligee and slipped into bed to wait for Luke.
At my insistence, he was out doing one more check around the house, double checking that the windows and doors were locked. He came in a few minutes later. “Safe,” he said grimly. He came and knelt on the floor close to me. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For the fear that madman has created in you,” Luke said with feeling. His face was close enough that if I moved an inch, our noses would touch. “I want you to feel safe Ella. I promise I’ll keep you safe. I’ll work from home from now on, until this mess is over.”
I threw my hands around his neck and pulled him to me. He slipped into the bed and we held each other. It meant so much to me that he would be working from home.
The police had been non-committal though earlier today, they’d said they would call him in for questioning. Luke had been as frustrated as I was and had raged at the policemen who had taken down my statement.
"Thank you," I murmured into Luke's ear.
He got into bed, propped himself on his elbow, and looked down at me. "You are so special and so beautiful. I’m not losing you just when I’ve found you."
If I’d been standing, for sure, my legs would have buckled from under me. No one had ever spoken such words to me. Luke made me feel special. He turned us around and held me as if instinctively knowing‒that what I needed right now‒was comfort.
As I lay on his chest, he stroked my hair and murmured sweet words. It worked. Every worry dissolved and soon, all that remained in my mind was how perfect it felt to lie there. The sound of his breathing seemed amplified and his manly scent was everywhere. I let out a sigh of contentment.
“Feel better?” Luke asked.
“Much better. Thank you.”
We kissed and caressed each other unhurriedly. I found out there was something so sensual about knowing that your man could take care of you. I had no doubt I was safe in Luke’s care. This knowledge added another layer of sensation as we made love.
I was his woman and Luke took care of his own. I wasn’t the vulnerable Ella I had been earlier. I felt free of all the fears I’d had. Stan had another thing coming if he thought that he could take my life from me.
I heard myself urge Luke to take me.
I needed him more than I ever had. I needed to feel like his completely. I clawed his back and whimpered as he lifted me to new heights of passion. We made music together and when we came, we made cries of surrender, as though finally—it was official.
We belonged together.
Ella
In the days that followed, the knots in my stomach slowly loosened, and I stopped looking over my shoulder every time I was out of the house. The police had gotten back to us. Stan had been given a warning. He'd denied that it was him who had been in that car and they found no evidence that he owned a blue sedan.
Still, he'd gotten off with a stiff warning and as one day melted into the next, I became convinced that the stiff warning had worked.
Luke had been working from home for the last few days, but I knew he was needed at the office. I urged him to go and if anything happened, I would call him. Paul had gone off to the grocery store to stock up on food and the lady from the cleaning service had been in and left already.
It was just Molly and me in the house and we were in the backyard playing with Bean. The sun was out and we were both dressed in matching sundresses I had made myself. Luke had convinced me that if I allowed myself to live in fear, then Stan would win. There was no way I would let that happen now.
Molly's laughter rang out every time Bean caught the stick while in midair. He had grown bigger too, and more attached to Molly.
My phone sang that familiar tune in my pocket and I picked it up without a second thought.
"What are you up to?" Ruby asked.
I smiled when I heard Ruby's voice on the other end. "Molly and I are in the backyard, enjoying the sun and playing with Bean.”
"That’s some life you have there," Ruby said.
I laughed.
We caught up on each other's news.
Bean sprinted off towards the house, with Molly hot on his heels.
"I gotta go," I said to Ruby. Ending the call, I sprinted after Bean and Molly.
"Molly," I called as I entered the house.
They weren’t in the kitchen and I went to the living room. As I walked through the door, a hand appeared from nowhere and clamped over my mouth. A familiar sickening stench rose up my nose.
Fear gripped my chest. I looked around, wildly twisting my head this way and that way until I saw Molly on the couch, her hand on Bean. I was glad she was restraining him. He was a puppy and there wasn’t much he could do to save us.
"Don’t get any ideas," Stan said and pressed cold metal against my neck.
I knew even without even seeing it, that it was a gun.
“Did you think me and you were done?" he said and let out a bark of a laugh. "That will never happen. We're bound for life. You made a big mistake by telling the police. "
"Please," I tried to say. All I could think of was Molly. How could
I get her out of the house? I thought about Paul. I didn’t want him to come back soon. Not when Stan was still in the house. I had no doubt that he would shoot him.
Oh God, what was I going to do? I knew he wasn’t going to kill me. His interest was in me. I had accepted that. I needed to make sure he did not hurt Molly or anyone else.
“Let's go," he said abruptly and pulled me toward the door.
Molly made as if to stand.
“Make her stay!" Stan barked. "Unless you want her to come with us.”
"Molly, I have to go out for a while. Sit and wait there for Daddy, okay?"
She looked confused and unsure about what was happening, but to my relief, she nodded and sat back down.
Stan spoke in my ear, his breath hot and already reeking of alcohol, "I’m done playing games, so listen to me very carefully. I have a car outside. We’ll walk together and enter as if we're old friends. If you do anything stupid, like scream or run, I’ll go back in there and put a bullet into that kid’s head."
I stifled a cry. "I promise I won’t do anything.”
He opened the door and we stepped out. I did as he had instructed and slipped into the blue sedan. The one he had tried to run me over with.
"Good girl," he said, when he got into the driver's seat. He stared at me. "If you had cooperated this well from the beginning, it would not have come to this. We would have been so happy." A mad glint came into his eyes. "But you had to go and report me to the police. Do you know what you've done?" His voice rose in rage.
I shank away from him.
"Don’t worry I won’t touch you," he said, lowering his voice. “Not here anyway. Not when there are nosy people looking out their windows, poking their noses into other peoples’ business.” He switched on the child locks in the car.
I jumped at the clicking sound. Any thoughts of throwing myself out of the car were gone. As he drove away, I prayed silently that Paul wouldn’t be too long and Molly would do as I said… just sit there quietly.
"How have you been?” Stan asked conversationally, as if we were old friends who hadn’t seen each other in a while.
