by L. P. Dover
My heart started to ache again, and it was demanding that I talk to him. I missed him … missed his touch, but I hated him. He hurt me worse than anyone had ever hurt me in my life. I loved him and he betrayed me.
Turning the knob, I left it ringing where it sat, the tone echoing in my ears as I made my way down the long hallway and out into the bright afternoon sun.
“Damn, Mare, your skin is scorched. Why the hell didn’t you put on sunscreen?” Kristian scolded when he took in my red body. It didn’t hurt, but it sure did look bad. Normally, when I got out in the sun it usually turned brown within a couple of days.
Rolling my eyes, I scowled at him from across the table. His bare chest had already gotten brown in the short time he was here, and his hair had lightened up a little making his stormy gray eyes stand out.
He stared at me intently and it made me falter and sputter my words. “It’s not … it’s not that bad. I usually get red my first real time out in the sun. Give me a couple of days and I’ll be just as dark as you.”
Lazily, he shook his head and smiled. “I’m sure you’ll say ‘it’s not that bad’ when you develop skin cancer.”
I threw a fortune cookie at his head and laughed. “Speak for yourself. I know you think tanned girls are hot. You said it yourself when we were in Fiji. Anyway, I can’t help it. I like to get a little bit of sun.”
Nighttime had come and Kristian and I were getting ready to eat take-out from the little Chinese restaurant down the street. Neither of us wanted to go to the store so we ordered in food, not to mention we’d spent the whole afternoon on the beach and were wiped out.
Kristian passed over my sesame chicken and fried rice while he opened up his container of beef and white rice. Since I wasn’t an expert on chopsticks, I chose to eat my food with a fork. Kristian, on the other hand, refused to eat his food with anything except the chopsticks.
“I think you look good no matter what, Marissa, tan or not. After we eat, how about we go for a night swim?” he asked with a twinkle in his eyes. “I’m sure the cool water will feel good on your … burnt skin.”
“Ha-ha,” I taunted sarcastically. “But that actually does sound good.”
My phone started ringing again in Kristian’s bedroom and he snuck a sidelong glance at me. He paused and then bit his lip, contemplating. “Are you ever going to answer his calls?” he asked curiously. “Because if you don’t he’s just going to keep calling until you do.”
I shrugged noncommittally. “I guess at some point I will, but I’m hoping he’ll forget about me and leave me be. Maybe if he does that then whoever sent him those notes will forget about me as well.”
“I highly doubt he’ll forget about you, Mare. You might also want to call the detective and see if they’ve found out anything about the case.”
I nodded. “Yeah, you’re right, but I’ll do it in the morning. I just want to spend one night where nothing else matters except right here and right now. Even if it’s not real, I want to believe that it is.”
“I think we could both use that,” Kristian muttered softly.
After we ate, I grabbed a bottle of wine and two plastic cups. I didn’t want anything breaking while we were out there by the pool. Kristian grabbed us some towels and set them on the patio chairs while I poured us both a cup. Instead of getting in the water, I sat on the edge of the pool and dipped my feet in; it was cold, but it felt good.
Kristian sat down beside me—dipping his feet in as well—and took my offered cup of wine. “To a night where nothing else matters,” he said, holding up his wine.
Tapping his cup with mine, I smiled. “Ditto.”
I gulped down my wine and poured another glass. Closing my eyes, I breathed in the cool, salty air as it caressed my heated skin. The wine helped me feel relaxed and I needed it. Downing my second glass, I reached for the bottle of wine, but Kristian put his hand on my arm to stop me.
“Slow down, Mare. I know you want to drown your sorrows, but that’s not the way to do it.”
Sighing, I put down the bottle. “Then what do you suggest?”
He glanced at the pool and slowly gleamed mischievously at me. I got up on my feet and backed away as he prowled toward me. He was going to throw me in the pool.
“Kristian, don’t you dare,” I warned teasingly. The water was a little chilly, but I wanted to glide into it to get used to it instead of being thrown in it.
“You could save me the trouble if you just jump in yourself, but I kind of like the chase.”
Placing my hands on my hips, I narrowed my eyes at him. “Fine, if it’s a chase you want, come and get me.” I flew past him and jumped in the pool, screaming the whole way. The cold water rushed over me as I sank to the bottom of the pool. Kicking off the bottom, I started to swim to the other side. I could feel the vibration of Kristian’s body jumping in as well, so I opened my eyes under the water and tried to swim away from him.
His hand brushed my foot and I kicked harder to get away. I wanted to laugh, but couldn’t since I was under water. When I got to the shallow end, I lifted out of the water and sucked in a deep breath.
Kristian bellowed when he surfaced and grabbed me by the waist. “Gotcha!”
“Oh, whatever,” I teased. “I let you get me.”
There was really nowhere to go in the pool so he was bound to catch me at some point. He held me crushed against him, his front to mine, and slowly he lowered his hands under my thighs and pulled my legs around him, straddling him.
Time froze still in that moment and I had no clue what I was doing, but I went along with it. Kristian’s gaze burned into mine, and he dipped his head lower as if to kiss me. I gasped when I realized I was leaning toward him willingly.
Placing my fingers to his lips, I asked softly, “Kristian, what are we doing? We can’t do this.”
He leaned in closer, our lips almost touching. “I’m going to kiss you, Marissa, that’s what I’m doing. For so long I’ve wanted this, and now you’re here. I don’t want to fight it anymore.”
“It’ll be a mistake,” I whispered. “Things will never be the same between us.”
My head screamed at me to do it, except my heart was in agony over Alec. Although, I couldn’t deny the response my body was having to Kristian. I wanted to feel needed, to feel wanted … was it so bad that I wanted to give in to the pleasure just for one night to someone that I knew honestly and truly cared about me?
Kristian’s hand snaked up my back and tenderly cupped my head. “It doesn’t have to be a mistake, Marissa. You said you wanted one night where nothing else mattered. Let me give you that, and not second guess it. You need this … I need this.”
Without any thought or reason, I gave in to Kristian’s touch and melted against him. His lips closed down on mine, and I eagerly took him in. I wanted the pain of Alec to go away, and if giving myself to Kristian was what worked I’d happily take it.
Our tongues intertwined and caressed so greedily that I barely even noticed my bathing suit was no longer on my body. Kristian had untied and discarded it, and it was floating away off into the water.
He lifted me up so he had full access to my bare breasts, and I arched my back to feel his lips searching my body. The cold breeze made my nipples pucker and grow rigid, making them more sensitive as his tongue grazed across them. I could feel his erection pressed against my opening and I craved the intimacy of someone that cared about me. Kristian cared about me; he always had.
Kristian sucked and licked my taut nipples while slowly lowering me over his cock. “I want this, Marissa. I want to feel your body wrapped around mine,” he whispered huskily before trailing his tongue up my neck to my jaw. “Please say yes.”
His cock pressed hard against me and I whimpered. The friction of his movement over my clit had me aching to feel him inside me, thrusting and taking control.
“Yes,” I replied breathlessly. “I want this, too.”
That answer was all he needed. His eyes penetrated
mine at the same time he pushed gently into my throbbing cleft. He filled and stretched me to the point of pain, but it was a delicious pain that I welcomed with every fiber of my being.
I sighed, letting my eyes roll back into my head as I rode wave after wave of his delightful thrusts. Kristian grasped me tighter and I could tell he was getting close. He grew harder and more rigid inside me as he pushed deeper, driving me to the brink of ecstasy.
“Kristian …” I breathed, raking my nails down his back.
My muscles clenched and tightened around his cock, making the sweet taste of orgasm vibrate throughout my body. Kristian rocked me hard up against the pool wall, and screamed out his own release after a couple more hard thrusts.
“Fuck,” he growled through clenched teeth, spilling his orgasm inside me.
Breathing hard, his grip around my waist loosened and he laid his forehead on my shoulder, still hard inside me. “Is it bad that I want to fuck you again?” Kristian asked. He lifted his head and smiled at me; his stormy gray eyes gazing at me with longing.
“No, that’s not bad at all,” I remarked teasingly. “But I think we should get out of the pool.”
“Why? I thought it was fun.”
I pointed to the sky and his gaze followed. Out in the distance, thunder rumbled and a flash of lightning streaked across the horizon. “Okay, so yeah, I think we should get out of the pool,” he advised.
Slowly, he pulled out from between my legs and swam off to the other side of the pool to retrieve my bathing suit and his. He slipped his on and grabbed our towels from the patio chair. Completely naked, I rushed out of the water, which was starting to get really chilly, and let Kristian wrap one of the fluffy towels around my body.
“Come on, let’s get inside and take a shower before the storm hits,” he suggested.
Nodding, I followed him inside and the coldness of the air conditioning had my teeth chattering. “Geez, it’s cold in here,” I stuttered.
Kristian wrapped me in his arms and kissed me on the forehead. “Why don’t you get the shower started and I’ll join you in just a second.”
When I gazed up at him, he smiled and tucked a strand of my wet hair behind my ear. I didn’t regret what we did, but if it ruined our friendship I would never forgive myself. “Are we okay?” I asked softly. “I don’t want things to get weird between us.”
Shaking his head, Kristian took my face into his hands and gazed lovingly down at me. “It’s not going to get weird if you don’t let it, Marissa. Just stop thinking too much about it and enjoy what we have.” He kissed me on the lips and said, “Now go start the shower and I’ll get us more towels from the laundry room.”
I nodded. “Okay.”
As I walked down the hall, I noticed there were two other bedrooms on that floor. I had no clue what was on the upstairs level or the basement level. Once my shower was done, I needed to remedy that and go exploring. Shivering, I rushed into Kristian’s bathroom and turned the knob in the shower to get the hot water running.
My toiletry bag was sitting on the counter, so I took out my razor and soap and placed them on the edge of the tub. I figured Kristian would’ve been back already, but he wasn’t so I got in the shower anyway since the room was all steamy.
I hissed as the hot water beat down on my frozen skin, but once I stepped all the way in I started to get used to it. By the time I washed my hair and shaved my legs, Kristian still hadn’t shown up.
“Kristian,” I called out loudly. I didn’t hear a reply, so I quickly rinsed the shampoo out of my hair and the soap off my body. I stepped out, turning down the water.
There was a towel hanging on the rack so I grabbed it and wrapped it around my body. When I stepped into Kristian’s room, he wasn’t there. That’s strange. He said he’d be right there with me. Before going to search for him, I checked my phone and groaned when I saw how many more messages I had. I really needed to listen to them.
“Kristian,” I called out again.
There was still no answer, but I heard a shuffling noise coming from the kitchen. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, and the fear that something was wrong crept along my spine. I was always told to believe my instincts, and my instincts were telling me to run.
As quietly as I could I fumbled in my bag that was lying on the floor and pulled out a T-shirt, underwear, and jeans. Hoping I didn’t regret what I was about to do, I called the one person I never wanted to speak to again.
He picked up on the first ring. “Marissa! What the fuck? Where are you? Are you okay? Please let me explain.”
The heartbreak and worry in his voice gave me pause, and guilt crashed over me in waves. Did I make a mistake sleeping with Kristian? Shaking my head from those thoughts, I got back on track.
“There’s no time for that,” I hissed quietly. “I think something’s wrong.”
“Where are you? Emily said you wouldn’t tell her. I know you don’t want to talk to me right now, but you have to hear me out. The detective knows who’s after you, but you’re not going to believe me when I tell you who it is. I’ve been trying to call you and tell you.”
My stomach tightened in knots and I felt like I was going to throw up. The regret in Alec’s voice was answer enough, and I knew that whoever it was, it going to be someone I knew.
Releasing a shaky breath, I asked, “Who is it Alec?”
It felt like an eternity waiting on Alec to tell me who it was, but he never got the chance. Arms encircled me around the waist from behind and a sharp pain throbbed in my neck as something was stuck into my skin. The fuzzy feeling behind my eyelids had me falling over on the bed and losing my balance.
My phone was ripped out of my hand and taken by a figure all clad in black with a hat pulled low over his eyes. My gaze grew bleary and I couldn’t tell who the man was that was standing before me. All I knew was that my mind was fading out of existence and I was slowly succumbing to the dark.
I felt sleepy, tired. I could barely hold my eyes open, but I could hear the last clear words coming out of my assailant’s mouth.
“Hello Karey,” the man replied lazily into the phone. I couldn’t hear Alec’s response, but I could tell he was screaming. “No, no, there’s no need to get angry. Not yet anyway.”
Alec replied again, but the voices were getting muffled. I was losing consciousness. My eyes closed, but I was still awake; I had to hear more. I had to hold on just a little while longer. I recognized the voice, but it was too far away.
“I tell you what, Karey. I’m going to let you stew for a while and have fun with your girlfriend here. However, I do think she’s moved on from what I saw earlier, and why wouldn’t she when you obviously fucked her over.”
More yelling ensued on Alec’s end. “Yeah, well she doesn’t know that now does she? All she saw was what I wanted her to see. I’ll call you tomorrow and you better be ready. It’s payback time.”
He hung up the phone and threw it on the bed. I could feel his breath on my face when he got closer. I knew his voice, and I knew his smell. Betrayal weighed heavily on my chest and I wanted to cry. He grabbed my face and forced my eyelids open with his thumbs.
“Look at me, Marissa,” he commanded forcefully. “I know you’re not unconscious yet.”
Tears streamed out of my blurry eyes, but out of all the years I’d known him there was no way I wouldn’t be able to recognize him now. The man in front of me wasn’t the same man I thought I knew. The once warm eyes that stared back at me many times before were now cold and detached … empty, no remorse for what he’d done. How could I have not seen it before?
Was I that blind, and so oblivious to the danger that was hidden inside of him? Obviously I was, but now it’s too late.
My eyes fluttered open and immediately I thought I’d just had a bad dream. Unfortunately, when I woke up alone with my phone nowhere in sight I knew it wasn’t so. I was still dressed in my clothes from the night before, and my hair was still slightly damp from the shower. Sl
owly, I climbed off the bed and tiptoed out of the bedroom and down the hall.
I could hear the television in the living room, and the crinkling sound of someone jostling around a newspaper. When I walked into the room, I wasn’t surprised to see the one person who I thought was the sweetest and most down to earth guy I knew. He lowered the newspaper and smirked when he saw me.
“Ah, Marissa,” he crooned, smiling. Anger blossomed in my chest, and I scowled at him. I wanted to rip that smile off his face for what he did.
“Justin,” I replied in a clipped and angry tone.
He patted the seat beside him and grinned smugly. “Please, join me. We have much to talk about before your boyfriend shows up tonight. Oh, but wait, perhaps he’s not the one you want anymore. I do believe I saw you fucking Kristian last night in the pool. I must say you two put on a rather naughty show. It’s a shame Karey, no wait … Alec couldn’t see it.”
“You’re such a bastard,” I growled. “Where’s Kristian? What did you do to him?”
Justin rolled his eyes, and folded up the newspaper. “He’s fine. I just gave him a little more of the tranquilizer than you. I couldn’t have him spoiling my plans now could I?”
“That depends on your plans. What are you up to anyway?”
Justin tapped the seat beside him and said, “Sit, and I’ll answer all your questions.”
I didn’t want to sit close to him, but I feared I had no other choice. Reluctantly, I lowered myself down onto the couch and tried to scoot as far away from him as I could.
“Why are you doing this?” I asked.
He glared at me like I was stupid. “I thought that’d be quite obvious. Karey killed my girlfriend and got away with it. Now he has to pay for what he did. I’ve failed too many times, but this time it ends.”
I peered at him incredulously. “Lindsey made her own choices to take the drugs. You can’t blame that on Alec.”
