The Laws of Love

by Belle Winters

  Anyway, I lured him in thinking he had won and was in fact going to get a kiss goodnight. It ended with me reaching behind him, unlocking my door, and the hand he thought was going to wrap around his neck? Yea, that went upside his head right before I hopped out of the car and ran full speed into the safety of my little closet apartment.

  After that little incident the man left me alone. It was like the last straw or something because he went cold turkey on me. I would be the first to admit that I didn’t realize how much I liked our fighting until he cut me off. What the hell was that even about? We had the best hate relationship ever and he just goes ahead and drops out the battle? This is a war mister and I will not be easily left behind!

  I spent the next couple of days trying everything I could imagine. Once he came in Monday morning and gave me a polite good morning even after I flipped him off it felt like something was missing. I bothered him on the messenger, left him threatening notes, even pulled a prank or two that I know pissed him off. I knew I was getting to him with my antics but he would not cave. By the end of day one I swear his finger prints were permanently embedded on the bridge of his nose.

  Tuesday went similar… well it was actually worse. Not only did he refuse to engage, he barely spoke to me. The only thing he said to me outside of just hi and bye greetings was, ‘Cassie, we’re leaving tonight. The flight is at six, so it would be fine to leave early this afternoon.’

  I had no response. I sat there like an idiot staring at him with my mouth gaping open. When I didn’t say anything he took that as affirmation and went back to his office. When I finally came back to planet earth I marched into his office and told him in not so nice words I was in fact not going. He just shrugged and said it was my choice. If this is how he wanted to play it, then I’m absolutely ready for round two.

  Chapter 7

  Drayden

  Acting oblivious to Cassie was a hell of a lot harder than I thought it would be. The woman could grate anyone’s nerves if she really put her mind to it and boy did she. I spent most of my day wanting to toss her out the window, against my wall, on my desk, and across my lap.

  The good thing about the little show she’s been putting on is that it’s only been proving to me that these feelings aren’t one sided. She feels lust for me. I’ve been sure of that, but now I know, she also feels deprived when she doesn’t have my attention. She wants it and she can give herself any excuse she wants, but I know better, because I feel it too. Only in this case I have her attention. Aside from how annoying it can be, I have all of her attention… nonstop.

  She even texted me last night to bring her clothes – which I didn’t – or else she was going to burn mine. I didn’t respond and she sent me the fist emoji, I went to sleep grinning from ear-to-ear. And now, we’re going to Houston together. She said she wasn’t going, but my money is that she is. She wants to get to the bottom of this. Either that, or she wants me to crack. I on the other hand have a whole different plan. She can try to play this game with me but she won’t win. It’s damn near impossible when you don’t know what you’re playing for. In this case the winner gets Cassie. Naked, writhing, and hopefully screaming like she always is. I know this because I’m going to win.

  I made my way to my gate and took a seat in the first class lounge. I didn’t look for Cassie, I knew she wasn’t here. There was another 45 minutes before we were supposed to board and that girl always toed the line of being on time. You would think I would be concerned right? I mean this trip, is a huge part of my plan. She doesn’t know this yet but we have to share a suite.

  Now, now, don’t start judging me. While I would love to say that this was all a part of my grand scheme; I would be lying. The trip was so damn last minute and thanks to the holidays everywhere was booked up. We aren’t even going to be staying at my choice of hotels. I finally found us a room, it had to be in a hole in the wall motel outside of the main area which we needed to be in. I can only imagine what the thing looked like, but if I so much as see a roach or bed bug we’re sleeping in the rental car.

  I had on my headphones but the music was playing low. It was crowded and busy in the airport and I didn’t want to be unaware of anything happening around me. I heard her before I saw her and I checked the time. I chuckled, 5 minutes until boarding time.

  “Bastard, watch where you’re going! You almost ran me over.” I heard her snarl at someone behind me.

  I didn’t turn, I didn’t need to. I knew she would find me and when she did I felt her presence beside me before I saw her. I didn’t turn or acknowledge her, I continued to pretend like I didn’t know she was there.

  Finally, she tapped my shoulder and I looked up and met her eyes. She glared at me and I cleared my throat taking my time removing one of my headphones. “You made it.”

  Her eyebrow flew up and she nodded slowly. “I did…”

  I nodded and reinserted the earphone. I pretended to be extremely engaged in my playlist and she plopped down next to me with a growl. I could hear everything that she was doing, the fidgeting, rummaging through her stuff, and the huffing and puffing.

  The flight while only three and half hours was brutal. She slept the whole way so I was pretty much bored. I tried to sleep myself but it never came. By the time we landed I was truly cranky and bothered. Add my sleepiness to it, and I knew I’d have to watch myself. If she pushed the wrong button, I would give her the reaction she wanted.

  Naturally, the car I reserved was now not available which turned my day even shittier. The one they did end up getting us was small and cramped. I felt like a fucking sardine in a can in this little damn clown car. At 6’2, you would think these people would have found a better option.

  The streets were jam-packed and it took us forever to get to the motel. Does the fun stop there? Not at all. We circled the block three times looking for the damn thing and I saw it each time and never thought that could be it. That’s how bad it looked. Maybe I read google wrong; it probably said negative two stars.

  We got our key and went to the room. It was a really small room and there was a really small murphy bed. The TV looked like it was the first one ever invented and the bathroom looked like home of the termites. The sheets on the bed looked dirty and I was afraid of what type of shit it was possibly infested with.

  When we got a full inspection of the room, I grabbed our shit and put it in the car. We were burning these clothes tomorrow. There was no way in the flying fuck we were going to keep our stuff in here. For once, Cassie actually looked afraid of something and I didn’t blame her. I was scared out of my ever-loving mind too. Not of anyone breaking in, but of anything.

  Cassie stared at the bed and cringed when I got on it. It squeaked and I was afraid the shit was going to break underneath me. She climbed up onto it too and looked just as uncomfortable. I felt every single spring underneath me and I knew I would probably be better off staying up for the night. I was too jet lagged though to fight it.

  I felt something move beside me and all of a sudden, Cassie’s screams filled the room. I jumped up into a sitting position while I searched frantically for her. She was standing up beside the bed hoping from foot to foot shaking her body wildly.

  “Cassie! What’s wrong?” I asked.

  She turned to me and she had tears in her eyes. I flew off the bed in a nanosecond and rounded to her. “What’s wrong?” I asked again as the anger and fear that something happened to her settled in.

  Big fat tears started to fall from her eyes and she looked at me in total and complete horror. She still hadn’t stopped moving around like a crazy person. “I – I don’t know! There’s something on me, get it please, please, please.” She started to beg.

  I ran and cut on the lights and turned to her. I couldn’t see a damn thing on her. “Where? I don’t see anything.”

  “All over! Oh my god!” she said in between tears. She was a blubbering mess and she was either suffering a psychotic break, this place is messing with her brain, or someth
ing was really on her.

  I took a few steps forward until I was standing right in front of her. “Point to where you feel something right now.” I instructed her.

  Her arm shook as she tried to hold it still and pointed to a place on her forearm. I narrowed my eyes and looked. There was indeed something on her, small and moving. “What the fuck?” I asked.

  I looked closer and saw more on her arm, small red bugs running around on her – Wait a fucking minute… are those mites.

  “Holy shit Cassie, I don’t know what to do to help you right now but get out of all your clothes. I don’t want you to freak out anymore but I’m going to tell you the truth.”

  She nodded her head as she started shedding her clothes. I didn’t have it in me to appreciate the fact that she was stripping naked in front of me at the moment, this was serious. There was so many on her and I only looked at her arm. I swatted my arm and groaned. Why didn’t I think they would be on me too? When I focused in I could feel the small movements and I started shedding my stuff immediately.

  “Hurry fuck! Come to the bathroom, there’s mites on us.” I told her leading the way.

  She however exploded. “Mites! Mites? I’m covered in fucking MITES!”

  Well at least now I know they hadn’t completely defeated her. I turned the shower on to scolding hot and hopped in. She jumped in behind me and wiped at our bodies under the scorching water. Between the bites and this hot ass shower, we were going to be two miserable asses.

  I inspected the soap and shampoo to make sure there weren’t any more surprises like lice and we both washed quickly. When we were done I triple checked the towels to make sure they were without any bugs and we quickly wrapped ourselves up and ran across the lot, in towels, still soaking wet, to the rental car.

  I had packed mostly lounge wear because I really only expected to travel and go to that meeting. I tossed Cassie a sweats and a t-shirt and slipped myself into my own. I pulled out of that parking lot like a bat out of hell.

  It didn’t take long to find a truck stop with a shower. We wanted to make sure we were clean, so we stopped there and used our own personal shower stuff to wash up with. We inspected the clothes we had on to ensure that we didn’t bring any of those little fuckers with us. I looked at my body and cringed, I was covered in red spots and I was beginning to itch. Cassie was already scratching and if misery had a specific look, it would be her right now.

  When we got back in the car exhausted all over again Cassie turned to me. “I’ve been on google and there are absolutely no hotels or motels not that I think I’ll ever go to a motel again. I’m itchy, I’m sleepy, and I’m starving. When these bites kick in full effect which, it’s starting to now, I don’t think you’ll be having any meetings with anyone. It’s five in the morning and we’re not sleeping in this car. So, I’m making a phone call and I’m putting an address into your GPS. It’s like four hours away but we’re going there and you’re not going to argue.”

  Argue was the last thing I wanted to do. She was right on all accounts, and I will need to reschedule the meeting. Besides, we both got a few bites to the face and neck there would be no hiding what we’re dealing with. She punched in the address to my GPS and I headed off. She looked my way and gulped before pulling out her phone.

  I kept my head forwards, but I kept sneaking glances her way. Where the fuck was she taking us? I watched her put the phone to her ear. She sighed in defeat and pulled it away to hang up. I guess she heard someone answer because she snapped the phone back to her ear.

  “Hello?”

  I tried to hear the other side of the conversation but I couldn’t even hear a voice.

  “No, no, don’t worry. Nothing happened… well nothing like how you’re thinking. Anyway I’m with my boss right now and well we’re in Houston for business and things have taken a horrible path. We need somewhere to crash until we finish business.”

  She got quiet again as she listened. She snuck me a glance or two as she continued the conversation. I had to wonder if she was taking me to a boyfriends’ house, or an ex-boyfriend. That would be fucked now wouldn’t it? She did some more reassuring that it wasn’t a life or death situation. When whoever it was calmed down she let out a relieved sigh. Damn, who the hell was she taking me to that could exhaust her that fast. This is going to be fucking miserable I just know it.

  She caught my eye before she spoke again. “Yea, sure... Oh no don’t wait up it’s going to be a few hours I have my key, it’s on the same ring as my other ones. Yea, that works.”

  She smiled and I was jealous. Who the fuck is she talking to? If it’s a man I’m going to kick his ass. She shook her head and chuckled softly. “Sure thing. Love you too.”

  LOVE YOU TOO? Is this bitch messing with me right now?

  “Yup. I’ll see you and dad in about four hours. Go back to sleep mom, bye!” and she hung up.

  We stopped at the first drive thru for food, it happened to be McDonalds. We took a break and ate in the car and then I began our four-hour journey. The ride was eerily quiet but at the same time comfortable. We didn’t speak after we stopped for food until she told me which house and to park in the driveway.

  Her family home looked nice and cozy. It reminded me of the suburbs, and I noticed a dimly wooded area behind the house. There was a tire swing hanging from a tree and it all looked so… homey. I grabbed both of our bags and when we made it to the front door it swung open before she could insert her key.

  “Mom…” she groaned but couldn’t help her smile. “I told you to go back to bed didn’t I?”

  Her mom stepped out so I could see her. Cassie had her black wavy hair, her mom’s was cut in one of those mom bobs, but it looked really good on her. She also had her wide blue eyes, but that’s as far as the similarities went. I’d have to see her dad; she must take after him.

  She wrapped her arms around Cassie. “Nonsense, now let me get a look at you.” She said pushing her back and examining her. “You look great, but maybe we’ll put a little more meat on those bones. Looks like you lost some weight.”

  I practically drooled. Was she saying what I thought she was? Cassie, with more tits and ass? YES, PLEASE!

  “You’d turn me into a giant butterball if you could.” She said laughing. She stepped to the side and gestured to me. “Mom, this is my boss Drayden Marks, Drayden this is my mom.”

  I smiled at her. “Pleasure to meet you Mrs. Richards.” I greeted her extending a hand.

  She placed her hand in mine and I lifted it for a kiss. Her free hand flew across her chest. “Oh my… aren’t you the charmer?” she said to me before turning to Cassie. “You didn’t tell me he was so handsome.” She chided her.

  Cassie rolled her eyes but her cheeks pinked a bit. “It’s alright, she doesn’t like me very much. She thinks I’m an ogre.” I confessed.

  Cassie’s eyes narrowed. “Cut it out.” She hissed.

  “Cassie, where are your manners! Now you two get on inside it’s freezing out.” She said waving us in.

  I had noticed that it has gotten considerably colder. I had a chill to my bones right now, but I had initially blamed it on the exhaustion. Her home was considerably warmer and it made the tiredness hit me full force. I couldn’t contain the yawn that escaped and when I looked towards Cassie she looked like she was fighting to keep her eyes open.

  Cassie’s mom closed and locked the door before turning to me. “The guest bedroom upstairs is ready for you,” she turned gesturing to Cassie, “Cass will show you – OH DEAR LORD!” her mother cut herself off clutching her chest and ran over to Cassie’s side. I followed her with my eyes and cringed at what she saw.

  Cassie had removed the sweater she put on in the car and her arms were on display. You could see the bumps all over her from the mite bites. “What happened to you?”

  Cassie grimaced then shrugged. “We could only find a place with available room at a motel… and well we woke up with mites all over us.”

  “Oh good
ness. This just won’t do!” she walked over to me and gestured for me to reveal my arms. When I did I sighed, I looked just as bad as she did. “I know you two are tired but you will both go wash up first, I have just the lotion to help you both feel better. Once you have that on you can go to sleep.”

  She was away from us in a flash and I met Cassie’s gaze and shrugged. “Let’s do what she said now before she starts stripping us and trying to wash us herself.”

  I let out a low chuckle and followed her up the stairs.

  Cassie

  I guess I should be embarrassed to some degree about my mom’s overreaction but I wasn’t. By the time I was thoroughly covered in whatever it was she gave us my body instantly felt better. I’m sure Drayden could say the same. We both retired to our separate rooms… right across the hall from each other. I made a call to Carl Fisher saying we were experiencing travel troubles and would need to reschedule. He was polite and said he would email me his next availability. With that done I laid down and as soon as my head hit my pillow I was out.

  I have no idea how long I slept but when I woke I was refreshed. I heard voices drifting upstairs and I smiled. It felt good to be home, no matter how much I disliked our town I loved my parents. I tried not to think about it but I was kind of sad that I was missing this holiday with them and by some stroke of luck and a handsome asshole here I was.

  FUCK! Here we were. He was here, in my house, with my parents… and tomorrow was thanksgiving! It hadn’t even dawned on me this whole time when we were going to be in Houston that home was so close. I rolled my eyes mentally punching myself, I could’ve made plans to come here. Who was I kidding I would’ve had to be able to afford a rental car and gas and stuff, so yea I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up.

  I rolled out of bed and made my way downstairs. My dad was sitting in the living room next to my mom and Drayden was occupying the other sofa. They were watching football and my dad and Drayden chatted away about the game.