The Keys to Jericho

by Ren Alexander

Yet, if I don’t trust her, then why can’t I stay away from her?

  I can’t even answer my own damn questions.

  On the way back to the house, I walk next to her, but she refuses to acknowledge me, which stings. With the crowd around us and the other three distracted, I grab Kat’s hand, sliding my fingers between hers, but when she wrenches her hand free from mine, the sting is harsher.

  Without thinking, I take her hand again, only now, clamping my fingers around her wrist. When she tries to jerk her hand away from my grip, she can’t.

  She testily asks, “What are you doing?”

  “We’re going to talk.”

  “No.”

  “Yeah. We are.”

  “You can’t force me to talk to you.”

  “Then I’ll do the talking.”

  “No, thanks.” Even though she’s arguing with me, she doesn’t make it known to the other three. When Dash stops to unlock the front door, she doesn’t overtly struggle as I grip her wrist.

  Upon entering the living room, Dash says, “Okay. What now?”

  Plopping down on the couch, Rio says, “I don’t know.”

  Liberty yammers about having to check her messages, but not before she and Calder get into a discussion about what movie they can watch.

  Bypassing them, I tow Kat to the stairs and she hisses, “Jared.” She finally pulls to break from my grasp, but I tighten my grip as I lead us up the stairs.

  From below, Dash yells, “Hey, where are you two going?”

  Liberty shrieks, “Do you think…?”

  Rio says, “Just leave them alone.”

  Marching us to my bedroom, since it’s the closest, I drag her in and promptly shut the door, locking it.

  Releasing her wrist, she lightly rubs it. “What the hell is your problem? Are you trying to kidnap me?”

  Crossing my arms, I shrug. “Call it whatever you want. If it’s the only way I can get you to listen, then yes.”

  She rolls her eyes. “Can I go now?”

  I sigh, scratching my jaw. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to …”

  “Say something stupid and childish? You did.”

  “I know. It just came out in the heat of the moment. She knows how to get to me.”

  “Why? She said we’d make a hot couple. That’s horrifying to you?”

  I shake my head, glancing at the carpet. “Not horrifying, just unexpected.”

  Kat sullenly says, “Oh. I’m not pretty enough?”

  Closing my eyes, I groan. “Shit. Again, that’s not what I meant. I can’t fucking win.”

  “I’m going downstairs.”

  My eyes fly open and I move with her to block the door. “No, you’re not.”

  She frowns and her irritated gaze drills me. “Why not?”

  Keeping my voice even, I ask, “How could you say I’ve only used you for an ‘extended one-night stand?’”

  She crosses her arms, looking to the left wall. “That’s what it feels like.”

  Tossing my hat onto the chair, I agitatedly fluff my hair. “Then you’re not feeling it with the right organ.”

  Swinging her head to me, her eyes widen and I slowly slide my hands underneath her shirt, brushing my fingers over her stomach. “I would never use you. I told you that you’re all I’ve thought about since my junior year.” I lean down and kiss up to her ear. “You’re all I wanted.”

  Kat shakily gasps. “For what? Random sex?”

  Shaking my head against her, I whisper, “You’re the only one I wanted to have sex with.”

  I hear her swallowing. “But you were with others.”

  “Before I met you. Then after, I was only with you. Every time. Now, I have the real thing.” I lift her shirt, pulling it up and over her head. Tossing it behind me, I untie her bikini top, letting it fall, and I bend to take a nipple into my mouth, lapping until it’s hard and she’s moaning. I push my hand into her shorts, down into her bikini, and swirl my fingers into her, feeling how wet she is. Kat steps out of her shoes, and pushes her shorts and bikini bottom down until they fall to the floor as I switch tits.

  “How do you do this to me?”

  Releasing her nipple, I say, “I could ask you the same question.”

  Taking more of her into my mouth, she moans before whispering, “They’re going to wonder what we’re doing up here.”

  Kissing up her chest, I mutter, “Screw it. I don’t care.”

  Her hands go into my hair, tugging until I straighten and dive for her lips. When she reaches into my swim trunks to pull out my dick, I groan as her fingers eagerly wrap around it.

  She whispers, “Put it inside me, Jared.”

  “Fuck, you’re so goddamn hot, Kit Kat.” I shove my shorts down and kick them off, along with my shoes. I don’t even care about my T-shirt at this point.

  She stops kissing me to ask, “How hot?”

  Tugging her to the bed, I sit down and move to the middle, pulling her down onto my lap. Gazing into her brown eyes, I say, “Ride my cock, baby, and I’ll show you.”

  Kat kisses me, and we tongue each other as I guide her to straddle me. She slides onto my more-than-willing cock and she gasps into my chest, “It’s so hard to be quiet.”

  “Don’t be, then.” Lifting her, I haul her back down onto me. “Kat. Oh, fuck.”

  She brokenly says, “Shh.”

  I lift her again, and then slam her into my lap so I’m all the way inside her. “Shit. You feel so fucking good.”

  Kat stutters, “Jared…”

  “You’re not riding me, Kitty Kat.” Holding onto my neck, she pushes off of me and then glides back. “There you go, baby.”

  My hands go to her tits, and my mouth returns to her nipple, lightly biting her, hoping she yells my name, but she stays to a subtle whimper. “Even your tits taste good,” I whisper. Although I don’t care if they hear us, I don’t want them to hear details about her body. They’re only for me to know.

  Grabbing her ass, I steer her onto my cock at the perfect speed as she rides me. She breathlessly says, “You’re all I’ve ever needed, Jared Beckett.”

  My hands drive into her loose hair, holding her close to my mouth as she gets us both off. Panting, I whisper, “Kat Merrick, you have no idea what you’ve done to me.” I don’t even know what exactly, but I do know that she has roused my soul.

  We go faster and our lips touch, but we don’t kiss. We only huff our heavy breaths over each other, and the sound is electric.

  Looking almost scared, she whispers, “Jared, I… Fuck.”

  As she narrows, making it harder for me to burrow into her, I whisper, “Come, Kitty Kat. I want it over me.” She moans into my neck as she rocks onto me, tensing. Her muffled shrieks do it for me.

  “Fuck! Katriona!” I gutturally growl as I yank her hips into a fast, grating rhythm. “God!” I gasp along with the bed squeaks.

  She urgently whispers, “Jared, they’ll hear us!”

  “Holy shit! Oh, fuck!” I restlessly and noisily groan, erupting into her, which grips my entire body. My groans echo the room, as well as be heard elsewhere, I’m sure.

  Loudly panting, and before she can object again, I pull her mouth to mine, ravenously kissing her, because all hell is about to break loose.

  CHAPTER 21

  Kat ends our kiss and we sit in a breathless silence. When I go to kiss her again, she pulls back, nervously whispering, “God, Jared. Why’d you do that?”

  Unashamed, I grin, looking into her eyes before they fall to her lips. “I couldn’t help it, Kit Kat.”

  Her mouth twitches into a doubtful smile. “Why don’t I believe you?”

  I shrug and look back into her worried eyes. “If you were me, and felt what I do when I’m inside you, then you wouldn’t be able to keep quiet, either.” Total truth.

  Holding onto her waist, I push her onto my semi-hard dick still inside her, and she makes the humming sound I like so much. However, still skeptical, she glances at the door and then back to me.
“Except for our first time, you have been quiet.”

  “But it’s getting harder for me to stay quiet. It was bound to happen.” More truth.

  Kat looks to the door again. “Do you think they heard us?”

  I again shrug, grinning wider. “Maybe.” Hopefully.

  Her eyes widen with a horrified smile. “You’re not even worried about what they’ll say?”

  My smile tumbles into a frown. “No. Why should I be worried?” Putting my hands into her hair, I lean in to kiss her, trying to ease her anxiety, while taking advantage of her lips. It can’t be helped.

  They can tease me all they want, but if they tease Kat, making her regret us being together this weekend, then they’ll have their own regrets to deal with when I tear into them.

  Knowing she’s not into our kiss, I end it, hovering over her mouth. “I’ll go downstairs to see what’s going on. Stay here.”

  Kat sighs as she lifts off of me, and I morosely fall out of her. “It’s probably better if you go and feel them out.”

  “I’m not feeling Liberty’s ass. I’d rather feel up Calder.” A wave of nausea washes over me for thinking of those two while I’m not wearing pants. Fucking disgusting, but I still laugh when I see the annoyed look on Kat’s face.

  Glancing at the door, Kat smacks my thigh. “Stop joking.”

  “Ow!” I laugh, rubbing the sting. “That’s the total truth, Kit Kat.” I lean forward, kissing her cheek. “But I’ll feel you up anytime.”

  Ignoring me, she says, “They may think I’m a slut.”

  I sigh, sitting back. “They won’t. If they do say anything, it’ll be the last thing they say before they’ll need their jaws wired shut.”

  Getting up, I pick up my shorts and she says, “I can handle it.”

  Pulling on my shorts, I shrug. “Not alone.”

  She smiles and I watch her beautiful body move to the edge of the bed, still in disbelief of what we’ve shared together, which is a first for me to share with anyone.

  Breaking into my musing, Kat says, “Maybe I can listen from here.” She snaps her fingers and her eyes brighten. “Or you can text me. My phone is in my shorts. Do you have yours?”

  Grinning, I nod as I sit on the bed to put on my shoes. “It’ll be okay. Not a big deal.”

  Her anxiety falters into a quick gloom and she looks away. “Oh. Okay.”

  Knowing she’s worrying too much, I lift her chin and kiss her. “Don’t worry about it, baby.”

  She gives me a small smile. “Okay, honey.”

  Standing, I offer her my hand and she proceeds to put on her clothes. Waiting for her to be dressed before opening the door, I stare at her. When she finally notices, I grin as my gaze unabashedly wanders over her, taking in the fact that her body has been one with mine.

  She giggles and quietly yells, “Go!”

  Rolling my eyes, my grin amplifies as I leave the room and go downstairs.

  As soon as the three come into view, I feel their flabbergasted eyes on me.

  Trying to remain casual is a bust, but I do try to tone down my smile when I reach the bottom of the staircase and ask, “What?”

  “Flipping hell, Jared Beckett!” Calder exclaims with bugged-out eyes and a cavernous hole where his mouth should be.

  I scowl at his reaction as I head to the kitchen; however, Liberty says, “Stop right there!”

  Actually listening to her, I stop, but don’t turn around as I roll my eyes. “What now?”

  “Did you…? Was that what…? You and Kat…?” I reluctantly turn around. Sitting next to Rio with his arm around her, the skank’s facial expression is like one of those Scream masks.

  Dash perches himself on the edge of the couch cushion, and stutters, “Did you and Kat just have sex?”

  Before I can answer him, Rio throws his hands into the air. “Okay, stop. None of our concern.” He avoids looking at me and nods at the TV. “Aren’t we watching this movie?”

  “Not when there’s a porn upstairs!” Dash squeals.

  Irritated by his comment, I shout, “Jesus Christ, Dash! Why do you have to say shit like that?”

  Laughing over at Liberty, he then raises an eyebrow at me with a smirk. “So, you didn’t shout her name in the throes of passion?”

  Crossing my arms, I look at him with a shrug. “So what if I did?”

  Dash’s gaze drops to my crotch and I frown, but before I can yell at him, Liberty jumps up and says, “What the hell? How?”

  Behind her, still sitting on the couch, Rio makes a face at her. “Really, Lib?”

  Shaking her head at him with a scoff, she then turns to me. “No! I thought you were fighting! She left! Hell, at dinner, you said you weren’t dating!”

  My scowl can only deepen so much. “We’re not dating.”

  Dash says, “Wait, wait, wait. Hang on. You’re only using Kat to get laid? Not to figure out anything?”

  I fervently shake my head. “Figure out what? We’re friends. It works out for both of us.”

  The wench says, “Friends just don’t jump into bed together.”

  Rubbing the back of my neck, I casually shrug. “Some do.”

  When I move to go into the kitchen, she asks, “How long has this been going on?”

  I again shrug. “Not long.” I glance at Rio, who with his chin resting in his hand, shakes his head and won’t look at me.

  Dash throws himself back against the couch with a look of dismay. “Fuck.”

  “What, Calder? Are you mad I beat you to her?”

  Dropping his hand, Rio snaps, “Shit, Jared! She’s not a swing at the playground!”

  Liberty says, “I hope you don’t treat her as such.”

  I glare at her as Dash glances to the stairs, asking, “You don’t feel anything for Kat?”

  Losing my patience, I shout, “Fucking hell! Why am I the one under a damn microscope with my damn feelings and shit? For some fucking reason, it’s a twisted fascination with everyone lately! I already told you that I do care about her, just like all of you do.”

  Liberty shakes her head. “No. That’s not how this works.”

  I sneer, “Don’t worry about ‘how this works’ because it’s none of your business anyway.”

  She asks, “So, it’s just sex? No strings?”

  Rio loudly sighs and grabs her hand to sit her back down or throw her into a kennel. “Lib, stay out of it.”

  She swats Rio’s hand off her. “Kat told me today how she really feels about you. I just didn’t know about this detail.”

  Rio warns, “Lib, don’t!” She turns her head, shaking it at Rio, before looking at me again.

  I complacently nod at her. “Told you what? She wants me as a storybook, obedient boyfriend? Not news, and not for me.”

  Liberty growls, “If it was only that.” She looks to Dash, and back to me. “You obviously like her enough to call her a friend. I don’t understand. You’ll casually have sex with Kat, but won’t date her or call her your girlfriend?”

  I mockingly laugh. “Jesus. I suppose that’s how it does work. I’m only fucking her for the hell of it.” Throwing my hands out, I laugh louder. “You figured it out! Congratulations!” I inwardly roll my eyes at stealing my sister’s go-to PMS reply.

  “What the fuck, Jared?” I spin around to see Kat on the staircase, holding onto the banister. Shit.

  Rio’s bitch set me up. I know it.

  Watching Kat descend the stairs, her face takes on different expressions, kind of like a slot machine.

  Liberty sullenly says, “Oh, God, Kat.”

  Shaking my head as Kat approaches me, I try to say something, but she cuts me off with a sharp tongue and glare. “I know, Jared. That’s not what you meant, right?”

  I nod and then shake my head, unsure of which one I should do. “Kat…”

  She yells, “Cut the bullshit!” I cringe as I’m reminded of her saying that to me before we had sex for the first time. “So it is true? You’re just killing time with me
until you have to leave? And, of course, what better way to do that than to screw with my head and pussy?”

  I go with vehemently shaking my head. “Kat, no!”

  Her eyes are darker with her fury. “You just couldn’t wait to come down here and tell everyone that you’re banging me! Not that they didn’t hear you first-hand!”

  Swinging my arm out to our audience, I ask, “So what if they did? I told you I didn’t care if they knew!”

  Her hands clamp into fists. “But I did! I wanted to hang onto some kind of dignity!”

  My forehead crumples as I process the word she just used. “Dignity? Christ! You make it sound like I’m a damn player, and I rented a billboard to brag about my conquest!”

  She crosses her arms tightly over her. “Well, the way you’re talking about it, like I’m just another damn notch on your dashboard, is horrendous!”

  Putting my hands on my hips, I try not to divert my attention away from Kat to the three watching us, and yelling at them for their gawking interference. “I wasn’t doing that! I—”

  Interrupting me, but slightly calmer, Kat says, “I’m mindful of your feelings about your refusal to have a relationship with me. You’ve told me more than necessary. However, do you have to make a mockery of me or what we’ve been doing?”

  “I’m not!”

  “I just heard you laughing about it!”

  “I wasn’t making fun of you or of what…” Frustrated, I harshly sigh. “Kat, please, just—”

  “Shut up, Jared.” Kat looks around to Rio, Dash, and the bitch. “Now, you all know how stupid I am. I had sex with Jared.” She sourly laughs, looking to the floor. “I’ll give him credit. It was more than twice.” Kat clears her throat and says to Calder, “I wouldn’t say you’re the only charming one, Dash. Jared knows exactly what to say and how to look at me, turning me into a mindless bimbo.”

  My eyes nearly pop out like Dash’s did earlier. “What in the hell?” Stunned by her assertion, all I can do is stare at her, leaving out that she was the first to seduce me, both at the bonfire and in my room.

  Kat shakes her head, sadly laughing more. “I agreed to something that had no possible good outcome, yet I gave in and pushed past my doubts because I believe in something you don’t.” Turning to me, she inhales a deep breath and her eyes glisten with tears, but none spill over. “I sacrificed my body for the sake of my heart just so I could get close to yours. Now, I just feel used and humiliated.”