by A. Ensbro
“Why don’t we use the restrooms, hmm? We’ve got quite a bit of driving left, and we shouldn’t have to stop again.”
“Sounds good, Tessa. Thanks for thinking of me,” I say with a smile on my face, but inside I’m picturing strangling her.
“It’s all I do, my love,” she says while grabbing my hand.
I almost flinch, but luckily I keep myself in check. Just a few more minutes and I can get Remmy help. I don’t know what I was thinking getting involved with her. With Tessa running free, I should have been more careful. At first, I didn’t know who she was when I met her at the café, and I didn’t think I’d ever see her again. Forgetting about Tessa and pretending to have a normal life, even for such a short amount of time, was too good to pass up. When I saw her again at the bar, I started putting two and two together. Though, I wasn’t positive she was who I thought she was until Rylan showed up for his bachelor party at the bar where she worked. He’s the one who confirmed my suspicions.
I definitely didn’t expect her to text me that night. But again, pretending to have a normal life was too good to pass up. It didn’t help that she was probably the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. No, not probably. She was. She was short, curvy, and absolutely stunning. I had to find out what she looked like in my bed, under me and wrapped around me. It was a dick move to keep her in the dark about who I am, but I couldn’t take the chance of her not coming back to my place. I suppose I should have thought about it longer; Tessa was always closer than I thought. If only my big head had more control of my little head.
I wonder what could have happened between her and me if Tessa wasn’t involved. Remmy seemed more than okay with a few rounds in the sack, but something tells me it would have been a challenge to get her to agree to a date. I’ve never turned down a challenge before though, so why would I start now?
The sound of the bell announcing the door opening brings me back to reality. Fucking hell is more like it.
“Be quick Lincoln, we have to keep moving. Don’t try anything funny,” she whispers before walking into the woman’s bathroom.
This is easier than I expected. I must be a better actor than I thought. I quickly walk to the counter to talk to the man standing there playing with his phone. He didn’t even look up when we walked in.
“Hey dude, look my name is Lincoln Cook, I need you to call the police and give them my name. Tell them there’s someone in my house and tell them to contact Detective Jeremy Scott,” I say while grabbing a piece of receipt paper and writing everything down. “Don’t mention this to the lady I walked in with, she has a gun. Just stay calm. Please, someone’s life depends on this.”
“Uhh. Yeah, dude. Ok. I got it. I’ll call as soon as you guys pull away.”
I nod my head in thanks as I rush to the bathroom. I’m too nervous to go, so I just flush the toilet and wash my hands. I go to open the door as someone pushes it open.
“You were taking a long time, I just wanted to see what you were doing,” Tessa says while walking in and looking around.
Thank God I didn’t leave a note in here or she would have found it. She’s smarter than I gave her credit for. But not smart enough.
“Of course I’m fine, Tessa. I’m a grown man, I know how to take a piss,” I snap. There’s no reason to be nice anymore. Remmy will get help and be ok.
Fuck you, Tessa. You can’t always win.
“Of course you can, I just wanted to make sure you weren’t going to try to do anything funny. Like leave a note in here. But now I know you want to be here with me. Now I know you don’t want to leave me again.” She rubs herself against my chest.
Her hand starts to rub against my crotch; she wants to fuck in this bathroom, I may be into some kinky things but fucking in a disgusting gas station bathroom isn’t one of them. I’m never fucking in another public bathroom. No fucking chance.
“Not now, Tessa.”
“I know you want to. I can feel you getting hard. You want me, Lincoln, don’t deny it. Don’t. Deny. Me,” she grits as she slips her hand beneath my jeans.
Fuck. If I don’t do something, the guy won’t be able to call the police anytime soon. The longer where in here, the longer Remmy is in that basement.
It’s time to get some control back. This bitch has had it long enough.
“Not in here, Tessa. I’m in control when we fuck, you know that. You want to play?”
“Yes.” She takes her hand out of my waistband.
“You want me to make you cum?”
“Yes.” She takes a step away.
“Then get me out of this gross bathroom and to wherever the hell it is we’re going,” I say using the most demanding and harsh tone I can. She likes it rough, too rough if you ask me.
She sticks her bottom lip out but nods anyway.
I sneak a glance at the guy and he nods his head to me, letting me know he will do what I asked. After getting back in the car, I turn to look at him while I put on my seatbelt. He’s already holding a phone to his ear. A little too early but Tessa doesn’t notice, and she’s starting to pull away.
Hold on Remmy, not much longer.
Tessa turns the radio on and puts her hand on my thigh. Before I can stop myself, I slide my hand over hers. She snaps her eyes to me and jerks the wheel a little.
“We’ve got an hour before we’re done for the night.” Her breath hitches as I slide my hand up her arm. “Do you think we should pull over and finish what we started in the gas station?”
Fucking pathetic. She’s so goddamn pathetic. She’s so freaking crazy; she thinks I want her after all of this.
“I think that’s the best idea you’ve ever had, love.” It takes everything in me not fucking gag as I try to believe me.
I rub my hand down her side and around her stomach and stop at her waistline. I know I need to play her, but the thought of touching this crazy bitch makes me think of Remmy, and I just can’t. Instead, I rest my hand on her thigh and rub slow circles with my thumb.
“Yes. I’ll pull off at the next rest stop. That is if you think you can handle waiting a little longer?” she purrs.
Yeah bitch, I can. You disgust me.
I nod, words escaping me.
I think back to the first time I met Tessa. What a joke. If only I knew then what I know now. I shake my head as I turn to the window.
“You’re seriously going to ask her to marry you? Dude, you’ve known her for what? Six months? You can’t be serious,” I say to Rylan as we walk into the bar.
“Yeah, dude. I don’t want to sound like a chick or anything, but when you know, you just know. I don’t want to waste any more time, man. She’s it for me.” Rylan pats my back and heads to the bathroom.
“He’s right, you know. About knowing when something is right.” A voice behind me grabs my attention. I slowly swivel on the bar stool, and my dick immediately jumps to attention. Damn.
I let my eyes make their way down her body. Long red hair falling down her shoulders, big green eyes staring at me, plump red lips, her skin-tight black dress hugging every inch of her body. Full, beautiful perky breasts that look like they might spill out at any minute and long legs. Damn. I need to get them around my waist.
I flash my award-winning smile, making sure she sees the dimples for the full effect.
“Well, I think I might have to agree now.” I stick my hand out. “Names Lincoln. You are?”
“Tessa.” I take her hand and bring her knuckles to my lips and plant a small kiss.
“It’s a pleasure, Tessa. Could I get you a drink?”
“You can just take me in the bathroom.” She leans in and whispers against my ear, “You look like you can pleasure me all night, baby.”
Fuck yes, I can.
“Did you hear me, Linc?” Tessa’s high pitch voice shakes me from the memories. What I wouldn’t do to go back to that night five months ago and walk away.
“Sorry, just tired,” I lie.
“I said we’re coming up to
the rest stop. Should I still stop?” she asks while rubbing my cock through my jeans.
Good luck, bitch. He’s not joining the party tonight.
“Abso-fucking-lutely.” It’s ok to sound eager now. She’ll think it’s because I’m excited to fuck her, not that I’m planning to get the hell away from her once and for all.
Not even ten minutes goes by before we’re pulling off the freeway into the rest stop. I stick on a grin, making sure my dimples are showing. Full effect, bitch. Watching her like a hawk. I need to see where she puts her keys and make sure she doesn’t grab the pistol from the glove box.
“Stay there,” I say while I jump out of the car quickly. I slide over the hood and reach for the door as she opens it.
“Jesus, you scared me! I thought you were going to run away from me, Lincoln baby,” she says as I grab her hand and place a kiss on her knuckles.
I watch her stick the keys in her sweatshirt pocket. Thank God for hoodies.
“Never,” I say as we walk towards the bathrooms. I slide her under my arm and look down at her beaming face. If she wasn’t so fucking crazy, I might feel bad for her.
As soon as we walk into the bathroom, I slam her up against the wall and crash my lips to hers.
Worst day of my damn life. There’s only so much looks can cover. And bat-shit-crazy isn’t one of them.
“Oh God, yes Lincoln,” she pants. Of course, I remember she likes it rough.
“Turn around, Tessa. Now,” I practically yell. She giggles in response.
I grab her breasts and rub all over her body. I need her to get used to my touch. I slide my right hand down her belly, I can feel the keys through the pocket. I cup her sex and squeeze her tit with my left hand at the same time.
“Fuck yes. Oh my God, baby. I’ve missed your hands on my body.”
As I move my right hand, she cries at the loss of it. With my left hand, I squeeze her other breast hard. I need her mind occupied. I slowly slide my right hand into her hoodie pocket then yank the sweatshirt up.
“What are you doing?” She cranes her neck to see me.
“I don’t have a belt on tonight, Tessa. I remember you like to be restrained.” I pull her sweatshirt up over her breasts, over her head, but I leave it there. Covering her face and keeping her hands up over her head.
“Keep your hands up. Don’t move,” I say in the most serious, demanding tone I can muster. I’m grinning so big; I’m surprised she can’t hear it in my voice. Hell, she probably can and thinks it’s because of her.
Oh, darling. It is. Just not how you think.
My right hand is still in the pocket, gripping the keys. One good yank is all it’ll take. But I’m not done yet. No, she can untangle the sweatshirt too fast.
I use my left hand to unbutton her pants and start to pull them down.
“Kick them off.”
She starts to, and I stop her when they pool at her knees.
“Good girl. Don’t. Move.” I slide my hand slowly into her panties as my other hand starts moving with the keys.
All at once, right before my fingers make contact with her clit, I yank the keys out of the pocket and shove her as hard as I can into an empty stall.
All I hear as I’m running out is her shrieking my name, “LINCOLN!”
Game over, bitch. I won.
I run all the way to the car and peel out of the parking lot as I see her running towards me in the rearview mirror.
Bye, Tessa.
I’ve been driving for so long, and I still haven’t seen that gas station we stopped at. I start to panic; I know I could stop anywhere, but I need to see that guy again and make sure he got Remmy safe. I start to consider turning around and driving back the way I came, just to make sure I didn’t miss it, when I finally see the damn thing in the distance.
I barely have the car in park and the keys out of the ignition before I’m running inside. Gripping the counter so hard my knuckles are white.
“Did you call?” I ask between heavy breaths.
“Yeah, dude. Are you ok?”
“No. Can I use your phone?”
“Yeah, here ya go.” He hands me the store’s phone.
I know I should call Jeremy first, but I have a feeling if Remmy is safe, she’ll be with Samantha. I dial him first and listen to it ring twice before going to voicemail.
“Fuck, man. Answer your phone,” I shout at his voicemail before hanging up and dialing again.
He picks up after the first ring this time.
“Hello?”
“It’s me, Linc.”
“Oh my God, dude…”
“Is Remmy ok?” I cut him off.
“Yeah, dude, she’s ok.”
“Are you sure? When was the last time you’ve seen her?”
“Yeah, she’s sitting in my dining room right now.”
“Fucking hell, man. I’m sitting at a gas station. I… fuck man, Tessa is a crazy bitch. I left her at a rest stop about thirty miles from here.” I start looking around, peeking outside. I can’t have her sneaking up on me. I wouldn’t put it past her to take someone’s car from the rest stop.
“Are you kidding me?” He breaks me away from my nervous thoughts.
“No, man. She’s completely nuts, bro. I need you to meet me at the border, I stole her car. I can’t have her finding me again.”
“Wow. Yeah, ok I can do that.”
“Ok, when can you leave?”
“Now?” he questioned
“Yeah, see you soon.” I’m about to hang up before I blurt out, “Bring Remmy please.”
“I’ll ask, man, but I don’t know.”
“She’s probably thinking some fucked up shit. I had to play Tessa so she wouldn’t fucking shoot Remmy in that basement. You need to bring her; I need to explain it to her and see that she’s okay for myself. Okay?”
“Yeah. Okay bye.”
I thank the clerk again before heading back out to the car. I’ve got a few hours to think of what to say to Remmy. I hope she can forgive me. I’ll understand if she can’t, my life is complicated right now to say the least. I can’t expect her to want to be a part of it.
Doesn’t make me want her in it any less, though.
Chapter Three
Remmy
“Tessa did this on her own, Remmy. I know what you think you saw happening, but I promise you it’s not like that. What reason would he have had to take you like that? For a minute, let’s forget that he’s a good guy. You slept with him. Twice. Obviously, he was already getting what he wanted,” Rylan says.
After spending another couple hours going over what had happened, I was finally able to leave. Sam brought me to her house, I wasn’t ready to be alone. I don’t think she was ready to leave me anyway. Of course, I felt bad, they came home from their honeymoon this morning, and they’ve been dealing with me and this whole mess since they walked off the plane.
“I get it, Ry. I do, I swear. But you weren’t there. You didn’t see them together. I’m telling you, there’s something more going on. You and your dad aren’t telling me everything.” We sit down at the dining room table, and I stare at him. I’m not going to drop it.
“Fine. You’re right. There is more to it, but it’s not my place to say anything, Rem.” He’s interrupted by his phone. He looks confused for a second then hits reject. “It’s really not my place, Remmy. I’m sorry. I wish I could tell you. But I can tell you that I’ve never seen Lincoln look at anyone the way I saw him look at you. He’s had it rough the last six months. Go easy on him.”
“How can I go easy on him if he isn’t here? It’s not like we were together. We just slept together, Rylan. He’s not my boyfriend.” Rylan’s phone rings again, stopping me.
“Hello? Oh my God, dude… Yeah, dude, she’s ok.” He looks up to me. “Yeah, she’s sitting in my dining room right now… Are you kidding me? Wow. Yeah, ok I can do that… Now? Yeah, see you soon… I’ll ask, man, but I don’t know… Yeah. Ok bye.” Rylan jumps out of his sea
t and starts rushing around the house. Sam and I sit there, stunned.
“Baby, you going to fill us in?” Sam questions, looking just as confused as I am.
“Shit. Sorry.” He comes back into the room and sits down. “That was Lincoln. He got away from Tessa, but he’s driving her car. I need to meet him and get him before she has a chance to find him. Crazy bitch probably has a GPS tracker on it.” He stands back up and looks between Sam and me.
“Remmy, he asked if you would come with me. I know you don’t understand, and you might not trust him right now, but I think you should come. He’s going to tell you everything. Sam’s coming with too. You won’t be alone.”
I don’t know if I’m ready to face him yet. Everything is still so fresh. I can see the desperation in Rylan’s eyes, though.
“Yeah, let’s go.”
I sit in the back of Rylan’s car. He said we’d be driving for a few hours and I don’t want to talk to anyone, so I put my headphones in and rest my head against the window, staring at my reflection. Big, round hazel eyes that are a pale green-gray color today. My shoulder length wavy brown hair frames my round face.
Could I be wrong about Lincoln? I had already spent a week in my own hell, could he have had it so much easier than me? I don’t understand the scene between him and Tessa though. He wasn’t restrained in any way. He could have done something to stop her. I was hurt, confused, and scared. Even though he didn’t look it, I guess he could have been too. I didn’t know what their story was. It was obvious they knew each other, but I didn’t know how. I owe it to myself, and to Lincoln, to hear his side of the story.
I hope it’s not what I thought it was, I think to myself as I start to drift off.
I wake up to hands grabbing me, pulling me sideways. My first thought is that Tessa is back to get me. I scream and throw myself against the door, shaking.
“Hey hey, it’s me,” a man says. It’s not Tessa.
I open my eyes and see Lincoln’s eyes staring into mine, a brilliant blue hiding underneath long, thick black eyelashes. Rylan is looking at me over his shoulder, and Sam is turned around facing me from the front seat.
