Suburban Cyborg

by Gloria Martin

  This is not a question. Even if it was, I would not answer it. I stay stiff and still in my chair. Silently, I look over to Alex, hoping that he will save me from his partner.

  He doesn’t say a word. But, he has raised his eyes from the floor. Now, he’s watching me and Simon, as though he’s keeping watch over us.

  “And, as I said yesterday,” Simon goes on, “I know Alex is attracted to you. So, I thought that the three of us might come to a kind of… arrangement.”

  “What kind of arrangement?” I ask in a small voice, forcing myself to look Simon in the eye. He gives me a good-natured chuckle and steps closer to me.

  “Evie,” he says, “I think we all know the answer to that.”

  To emphasize the point, he moves his hand to touch my cheek the same way he had the day before. For a moment, I think he’s going to close the gap and kiss me again. Before he can, Alex finally speaks up.

  “You don’t have to if you don’t want to, Evie,” he says, loudly giving me a chance to take a step back from Simon, “you can say no.”

  “So...just to be clear…” I begin slowly looking between them, “you want me to...sleep with you? I mean with both of you?”

  “Alex and I talked it over,” Simon answers, “And, it’s something we’d like you to consider.”

  “Don’t worry about it if you don’t want to,” Alex cuts in again. “You’ll still have a job if you say no. Your answer won’t change that.”

  “But, if I say no,” I say moving towards the window in the room and not looking at either of them, “then, you might let Gabe go.”

  “It’s a possibility,” Simon says. I hear him move towards me and I stiffen again. He puts his hands on my shoulders. “But, if you say ‘yes’, we can guarantee that both your jobs are safe.”

  I move away from Simon and look over at Alex. His eyes are downcast again. He looks as confused and torn as I feel. All the same, when I think about what he and Simon are proposing ,when I think about what they’re willing to do if I say no, I can’t help but feel a swell of angry resentment towards Simon on behalf of Gabe.

  Even before this moment, I could easily have pictured Simon behaving like this. Despite my attraction to him, I always knew that he had a sleazy and even slightly dangerous side.

  But, Alex has been Gabe’s friend since high school. The idea that he would so easily threaten to fire him unless I agree to this ‘arrangement’ with him and his partner makes me more furious with him than I am with Simon.

  Even so, I know that my brother can’t lose his job. He has a wife, and a baby on the way. They won’t be able to function if he’s not employed. I know what my answer has to be.

  I send a harsh glare at Alex before steeling myself and turning back to Simon.

  “Okay,” I say to him, “I’ll do it.”

  *****

  We agree to meet at Simon’s apartment for “drinks” late that evening. I was expected to have eaten beforehand. Simon made it very clear that this was not courtship. There would be little romantic or refined in this. It was a business arrangement.

  I am to do whatever Simon or Alex wanted any time they call for me. Of course, I could break the arrangement at any time. But, as soon as I did, my brother was free to be laid off. And me too, I suspected.

  So, I take a cab to the fancy apartment building on the Upper East Side where Simon lives.

  I stand on the corner staring up at the building for several moments before going in. Now, standing at the front door of Simon’s penthouse apartment on the top floor, I feel a thousand times more nervous than I did on my first day of work.

  I knock.

  To my surprise, it’s not Simon but Alex who answers the door. He looks smart as usual. But, less formal.

  He’s not wearing a suit jacket like he does at work. Instead, he’s in a button down shirt with several of the top buttons left undone, revealing a smooth, tanned chest.

  My stomach ties in knots when I realize that I will be seeing a lot more of that chest very, very soon.

  “You look beautiful,” he says, taking in my low-cut green dress. It’s the most sensual dress I have and even then, it barely hugs my curves.

  He smiles at me and I almost smile back before I remember that I should still be furious with him.

  I pull my face into a frown and move into the room without looking back at him.

  “Look, Evie. If you don’t want to—”

  “Where’s Simon?" I ask cutting him off loudly.

  “He’s upstairs,” Alex answers. I hear him moving towards me but, I still don’t turn to look at him. “His girlfriend’s in Florida. She called him out of the blue to see how he was doing.”

  My eyes widen in shock and I turn finally to look at Alex. It only takes a moment to realize I should have expected something like this. If both of them were treating me like a whore they probably had real girlfriends stashed away somewhere.

  “I take it she doesn’t know about our little agreement,” I say sarcastically.

  “That’s a safe assumption,” he says. “No one knows but us.”

  “I see,” I answer. “So, I’m the dirty little secret.”

  “For Simon,” Alex says moving towards me again. “Not for me.”

  He’s looking at me with that confused, torn look again. The one that almost makes me feel sorry for him. But, then I remember why I’m here.

  “So, you’re going to just go in on Monday and tell everyone that you’re sleeping with me?” I ask skeptically.

  “I would if I could,” Alex says. “But…”

  “But, what?” I ask. “You’re the one who thought up this whole ‘arrangement’, right?”

  “No,” Alex answers. “This whole thing was Simon’s idea. I didn’t really want any part of it, but…”

  “But?” I press, though I can’t think of anything he might say that would redeem him in my mind.

  “I didn’t want him to hurt you,” Alex says. I pause, a sarcastic retort, prepped and ready dies on my lips. Alex continues.

  “I’ve seen him do this kind of thing to women before,” he tells me. “He uses them and then gets tired of them and tosses them out. So, when he asked if I wanted to...at first I didn’t, but then...I thought about you. I would never want to see you treated like that. Then I thought that, maybe, if I were...involved...I could...I don’t know. Protect you.”

  “So, you just did this to protect me?” I ask. I’m not certain if I should feel relieved or disappointed. On the one hand, if this is true, Alex is not a horny douchebag. On the other, if the only reason he agreed to this was for my protection, then that could mean that he’s just a big brother looking after little sister.

  “Well…” Alex begins, “it’s not just that. It’s—”

  “God, she would not stop yammering,” I almost gasp when Simon’s voice issues from the stairwell. When he appears, he gives me a pleased grin.

  “Evie!” he says. “Sorry I missed your grand entrance. That is a hot little number.”

  He gazes lecherously up and down my body before suggesting that we all sit down for a glass of wine before ‘getting down to business’. And there’s an awkward tension surrounding the stilted conversation.

  The only one who seems to be thoroughly enjoying himself is Simon. He’s laughing and telling stories that Alex and I are hardly listening to.

  Eventually, his hand on my knee slowly starts to ride up my skirt. He leans over and places a kiss on my neck as his hand moves further upward.

  He jumps and moves away when he hears Alex loudly clear his throat.

  “We should probably move this to the bedroom,” Alex says moving over to me and holding out his hand to help me up from the couch.

  “I knew you were going to be too traditional for me,” Simon mutters. All the same, he follows us up the stairs, occasionally grabbing at my ass or moving up to kiss my neck again.

  We reach the bedroom and Alex pulls me inside. Just before Simon can reach us, Alex wraps his arms ar
ound me and kisses me tenderly, softly on the lips.

  Suddenly all my silly little adolescent fantasies come back to me as I open my mouth to return his kiss.

  He moves his lips from mine and they press against my ear.

  “Remember, I’m right here,” Alex whispers to me. “No matter what he tries to do to you, I’ll keep you safe.”

  As soon as these words are said, I feel my arm being tugged. Simon grabs hold of me and pulls me away from Alex.

  “Last time I’m letting you lead her up, Alex,” Simon says. He wraps his hands around my waist and places them firmly on my bottom. I gasp as he presses me to him and I can feel his very long member, fully erect and pressed against me through his pants.

  “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you wanted her all for yourself,” Simon says directing the words to Alex, even though they’re spoken right above my lips.

  He presses his lips down on mine and forcefully, desperately opens my mouth with his tongue.

  This is not like Alex’s kiss. It is not gentle or tender. It is a kiss based in pure, undiluted lust.

  His lips have moved to nibble along my jawline as he pulls me towards the bed. He moves away from as he flops down onto it. I’m left standing beside him, unsure of what to do, when I feel Alex come towards me.

  He wraps an arm gently around my waist and pulls me into him as he nuzzles his face in my hair for a moment. Against my backside, I can feel his member too as he moves his lips once again to my ear.

  “Don’t be nervous, Evie,” he whispers, “it’s all right. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  “Alex,” Simon barks. “Come over here and watch the show.”

  I can tell it’s an order, not a request. Apparently, Alex can too. He moves his warm strong arm from my waist and hesitantly leaves my side to go to the bed.

  I’m once again feeling extremely exposed and more than a little nervous. I’ve never done anything like this before. I never imagined I would do anything like this.

  Finally, another order is barked from Simon.

  “Strip,” he tells me. “Make sure to do it slow. I want to see every inch of you.”

  As slowly as I can, I reach behind me to unzip my dress as I do, I see Simon unzip his pants and reach inside to pull his long, hard member out. He begins to stroke it up and down as I pull the straps of the dress off my shoulders.

  I let the dress fall to the ground and stand only in a matching bra and pantie set that I picked out for the occasion. Simon moans with approval at seeing me.

  I look from him to Alex. Unlike Simon, Alex has not removed his pants though I can see the tent made by his sex. His eyes are wide as he stares at me.

  It’s as though he’s never seen anything quite like me. Like he’s seeing some great natural wonder for the first time.

  This quiets my nerves and I smile at him as I reach back and unbuckle my bra. Then, I slowly step out of my panties and let them fall to the floor.

  At this, Simon removes his pants fully and sheds his button down shirt, revealing a strong, tanned torso. He moves quickly towards me.

  When he reaches me, he grabs hold of my neck and kisses me fiercely. I gasp when I feel his hand move between my thighs to finger my center. I close my eyes tightly and give in to the sensation, while his lips move from mine to nip along my jaw, then my neck, then my collarbone. Finally, they bite fully at my breast.

  I let out a yelp. More of surprise than pain.

  Nevertheless, it causes Alex to stand from his place on the bed, a concerned look on his face. Apparently, Simon hears him stand.

  “Don’t worry, Alex,” he says. “You’ll get your turn with her once I’ve had mine.”

  Simon then moves me and pushes me against the wall in the room. He moves his lips to my ear and whispers as Alex did. But, this whisper is not gentle. It’s hard and course.

  “I’m going to fuck you right here,” he tells me. “Once I’m done, you’ll be passed along to Alex like the little whore you are.”

  Something inside causes me to jump at his words. Something inside me tells me to push him away. To shove him aside and run to the safety of Alex’s arms.

  But, before I can, I feel Alex move to my side. He takes one of my hands from around Simon’s neck and puts it to his chest.

  His chest is bare now. He’s taken off his shirt. I turn to look at him. I barely have time to appreciate his smooth strong chest, paler than Simon’s, before I look into his eyes.

  “I’m right here, Evie,” he tells me gently as Simon bites at my collar bone, his hand fiercely fingering my center. “It’s all right.”

  He holds my hand when Simon enters me. It’s painful and forceful and not at all pleasant. But, I try not to focus on that. Instead, I look at Alex. His eyes are gentle and, as Simon finishes with a shout, Alex lifts his free hand to touch my cheek.

  I feel a swell of relief when Simon pulls out of me.

  “She’s all yours,” he says to Alex, all but shoving me towards him. I hear him leave the room.

  “It’s just us now, Evie,” Alex tells me. "I know Simon. He won’t come back in."

  Alex’s arms circle around me in a fierce embrace. As I nuzzle into his chest, I can feel him place a tender kiss on my hair.

  “We don’t have to,” he says. “If you don’t want to, you don’t have to do that with me.”

  I pull back to look at him in the eyes. They’re shining down on me with that same look. Like I’m the most beautiful creature he’s ever seen. Suddenly, even though my insides still ache from Simon’s forcefulness, I’m filled with an unquenchable desire for Alex. It’s more than lust, more than an adolescent fantasy. The tingling up my spine is something bordering on adoration.

  I reach up and pull him down to meet my mouth. He does, willingly, passionately. I pull away and move to whisper into his ear.

  “I want to,” I say.

  That, apparently, is all that needs to be said. Alex kisses me again while moving us towards the bed. He gently lays me down while he unzips his pants, finally freeing his erect member from its confines.

  He comes back and moves over my body as he places light kisses all over my skin.

  It’s different, very different with Alex. With Simon, I felt like I was a toy. A thing to be used and tossed aside.

  With Alex, it’s as though I’m something precious. Like I’m something to be handled with care, treated with respect, loved.

  As Alex finishes, we both shout out to the room, reaching our climax together. He doesn’t leave like Simon did. Instead, he moves his arm under my waist and brings me to his side.

  We lie like that, tangled up together for a long while. Eventually, I begin to feel my eyes close with sleep. Just as they do, I feel a gentle kiss placed on my forehead.

  “I love you, Evie,” Alex says.

  I try to respond with something about love. But, before I can, my eyes close fully and I fall asleep.

  ***

  The next Monday, I come into work a bundle of nerves, hoping to see Alex and dreading an encounter with Simon. I don’t see either of them as I move to my computer desk.

  Just as I am about to begin my work for the day, my phone beeps and I look down to see a text from my brother. I have to read it twice before I fully understand what it says.

  “Simon just fired me”.

  *****

  Before I can stop myself, I’m marching into Alex’s office. Thankfully it’s open.

  “Evie!” he says smiling at me, “I didn’t know you were in.”

  “You son of a bitch!” I say as fiercely as I can without shouting. The smile slides off his face to be replaced by a confused frown.

  “Evie, what happened?” he asks.

  “You know damn well what happened. My brother just told me,” I say. I know Simon couldn’t make a decision like that without Alex’s approval. Alex’s face clouds over. I expect to see shame at having been found out. Instead, I see a wary sort of concern.

  “What’s
Simon done?” he asks carefully. I don’t answer right away, wondering if this is some sort of trick. But, I know Alex. I’ve known Alex for a long time. The more I think about him, the more I realize that this is not something he would do.

  Still unsure, I take out the phone and show him the text message.

  Alex stares at it for a while before looking up at me.

  “Did Gabe say why Simon fired him?” Alex asks warily.

  “Does he need a reason?” I snap back.

  “Of course he does,” Alex says. “That thing about layoffs was mostly BS.”

  “What?!” I ask, a new wave of fury enveloping me.

  “You mean, you let me...you made me do all that for nothing?!” I shout. I don’t care who hears me now.

  “I didn’t have a choice,” Alex says raising his voice almost to match mine, “Simon holds my life in his hands too.”

  “What do you mean?” I ask. “You’re partners! Gabe told me you were the one who brought him in! For the ‘good of the company’, you said.”

  “There’s more to it than that,” Alex says, speaking quietly now. He moves to his chair, still holding my phone and clutching it in his hand.

  “Okay,” I say. Though my voice is still fierce and I’m still entirely skeptical. “So, what’s the ‘more to it’?”

  Alex looks at me as though he’s horribly conflicted. He opens his mouth to answer but, at that moment, the text message beep on my phone comes to life. Alex looks down at it.

  “It’s from Gabe,” he says, reading the message. As he does, I see the color drain from his face. He looks from the phone to me and then down again. There’s something he doesn’t want me to know. I can tell.

  “What did Gabe say?” I ask.

  “He says that Simon told him,” Alex begins slowly, “that Gabe’s getting fired...has something to do with...you.”

  “Me?” I ask, surprised. “Why would it have anything to do with me? I mean, nobody knows about what happened.”

  “Simon’s planning something,” Alex says. “He’s been looking for a way to take complete control of the company. He might have found it. I just need to know exactly what he’s doing.”

  That’s when the idea comes to me. It’s simple but, I know I can make it work without Simon suspecting anything.