The Keys to Jericho

by Ren Alexander

  Her dad crosses his arms, settling into the high-backed, feminine-looking chair, appearing very much a contradiction in every way possible. He sighs. “Both Brenda and my girlfriend think I’m suffocating Katriona. Maybe that’s possible, but I didn’t want to enable her back then, but now, I feel she’s so disabled that I need to intervene.”

  He rubs a fist over his wet cheeks and his deep voice curtly says, “He may have torn her down, but you will not be the one to finish the job.”

  Blinking and glancing around the room, I tighten my hands into fist and lightly pound my knuckles together between my knees. “You’re right. I won’t be.” His eyes narrow and he nods, expecting me to cave, and I coldly smile. “I’ll be the one building her up and putting her back together. Kat is my greatest treasure, so if you think I’m going to throw her away like that fucker did, well, you don’t know shit about me. I’m righting that wrong turn we took in high school. In the sum of it all, he did us a favor. I’m taking back what should’ve been mine in the first place.”

  He sneers, “So, you’re going to gallop in like some white knight, saving the princess?”

  I shake my head, remembering Kat saying I’m her hero, and I scoff, “Princess? She’s my queen. I’d lay down my life for her, but I’d rather live it with her.”

  He stares at me, undecided. “Do you really want to marry my daughter? Out of love, rather than boredom or for any other reason?”

  “Yes. It might not be much by anyone’s standards, but I love Kat with everything I have in me to give. Your daughter saved me, and I’m returning the favor.”

  He sighs, but nods. “I’m trusting you with my daughter, one of my most prized possessions.”

  “As she’s mine. Her happiness is paramount to me, and I always keep my word.”

  Again, he’s silent before he says, “This could be you someday, looking out for your daughter.”

  “I know, and just as I’ll protect your daughter, I’d protect your granddaughter, too.”

  The sound of the door opening makes us both shift. He nods at me and says, “Do not let her down.”

  “I won’t.”

  Well, fuck me. I think I just passed his test.

  Damn karma strikes again.

  Kat guardedly returns to the room, the white ball with legs following her. “Is everything okay in here? I don’t see bloodshed or bodies.”

  Her dad looks at Kat and actually smiles again. “Just a friendly discussion.”

  Kat sits next to me, taking my hand, holding onto it tightly. However, I untangle my hand from hers and stand. Glancing at her dad, I then say to Kat, “We need to get going. We have plans later.”

  Bewilderment sweeps across her face, but she assumes she knows what it’s about, and glares at her father. “What did you say to him? You will not come between Jared and me. He’s my soulmate, Dad. I promise you.” She blinks away tears and says, “He’s also my best friend. I wouldn’t attempt this again if he weren’t. He’s what I want. What I need. Please, be happy for me that we found our way back to each other.”

  As he stands, I offer Kat my hand to help her up, but she doesn’t let go of me. Her father sighs and says, “I only look out for you, Katydid. Your happiness is what I’ve always wanted for you.” He looks at me and then back to her. “If Jared is who makes you truly happy and you want to share your life with him, as well as build one together with your love, then you have my blessing.”

  Kat shakily asks, “Really?”

  He nods. “You’re radiant and you have such an effervescence in your eyes. Therefore, this time, I approve.”

  “Thank you.” Kat wipes her cheek and gives Mr. Holy Shit a hug.

  Letting go of her, he asks, “How are you going to be together if you’re living in two different cities?”

  “Jared is giving up his job in Philadelphia next year to move to Virginia with me.”

  He turns to me. “You’d give up a new job for Katriona?”

  I nod. “Not even a second thought. I’d follow her anywhere.” I would do anything for Kat.

  Goddamn it. I am a pussy. Laugh it up, Rio Duquesne and Finn Wilder. Fuckers.

  Stepping back, he clears his throat and offers me his hand. Smiling, which looks odder than a frown, he says, “I trust that you will take care of my daughter, Jared.”

  “I will, Mr. Merrick.”

  “Clayton.”

  I smile. “It was nice meeting you.” Now, I need to bathe in holy water.

  “Likewise. Don’t be strangers, and I want to know about your wedding plans as they come along.”

  Kat says, “It’s going to be at the gazebo at Quiet Waters, most likely right after school ends next year.”

  “That sounds great. Just let me know what you need. It’s on me.”

  “Dad, no.”

  “Don’t argue with me, Katriona. It’s my honor to give you this wedding. A real one.”

  Kat and I both say thank you at the same time, causing us to smile at each other.

  Clayton says, “Go celebrate your engagement.”

  Kat takes my hand and leads me out the door as my head spins from what I just learned.

  As I pull out of his driveway, Kat asks, “How did it go? He seemed to like you after I left. Maybe it was me sending the bad vibes.”

  I don’t respond to her comment as I turn onto the road, anger percolating in my veins.

  “What happened in there? I don’t know why he was so weird with you at first. I had not expected him to be like that. He seemed to have calmed after you talked, though.”

  Still not answering, I clamp my hand around the steering wheel as hard as my teeth grind together.

  “Jared. What’s wrong? You’re too quiet.”

  Not knowing how to tactfully broach the subject, I rigidly shrug, but want to scream instead.

  “He did give us his blessing.”

  Nodding, I mutter, “He did.”

  “Then what is it? Why’d you want to leave so fast? We don’t have plans until later.”

  “My sister will be at my dad’s soon.”

  “Oh. Yeah. That’s right.” Kat sighs and says, “There’s something wrong, Jared. Tell me.”

  Leaving the main road, my hands shake as I pull onto the shoulder. Turning off the engine, I take off my seatbelt and shift to face her, but still say nothing.

  Kat takes off her seatbelt, too, looking to the small farm on our left and then to the wooded area to our right, and asks, “What are we doing here?”

  “I should be asking you what we are doing.”

  Her forehead and eyes crumple. “Why?”

  I seethe, “Why? Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “Tell you what?” she asks, but fear and shame suddenly fill her eyes, and she noisily swallows before looking away.

  I steer her chin back to me. “That son of a bitch cheated on you, didn’t he?”

  Kat clamps her hand onto my wrist, but doesn’t force me to let go of her. Instead, she holds onto me as she closes her eyes, admitting, “Yeah. He did.”

  “Why did I have to find out from your dad?”

  She opens her eyes, but won’t look at me. “He shouldn’t have told you.”

  “That’s right. Your dad shouldn’t have told me. On the other hand, my wife-to-be should have.”

  Kat sighs, looking at the floor. “I didn’t say anything because after you told me about you and Hadley’s friend, I didn’t want to unload on you about it.”

  Releasing her chin, I go to push up on my hat, but realize I’m not even wearing it. Fucking hell. I thrust my hand through my hair, grabbing a fistful. “What the fuck, Kat? Do you think I wouldn’t have cared?”

  She shakes her head, still staring at the floor. “That’s not it. I saw the pain you were going through because of what happened, and you feel like in some way that you betrayed Hadley. And then when you mentioned about her boyfriend cheating on her in high school, and how you were upset to see her so hurt, my situation didn’t matter.”
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br />   “How in the fuck do you think yours didn’t matter, compared to my sister and her high school boyfriend? You were married to the guy! He shouldn’t have cheated on you!”

  Raising her head, she yells, “Because I didn’t love him! When I caught them at the restaurant where I was meeting my mom for dinner, I watched them for a few minutes before confronting him. They definitely weren’t business associates or old friends. The funny thing is that I wasn’t upset he was with someone else. I was upset because he made me look like a victim. My parents pitied me. My coworkers pitied me. Every goddamned person who knew about it pitied me, yet again! First, my grandmother died because of my stellar driving skills, and then I had failed with my marriage, not that we had much of one. We barely talked or saw each other. Despite being humiliated, I was relieved that I had an out. I was so unhappy with him because all I did was compare him to you, but he didn’t live up to that standard. He never came close.” She rubs her eyes and reaches for a Wendy’s napkin still on the console. “So as I said, mine didn’t matter.”

  “Yes, it does.”

  Dabbing at her eyes, she asks, “Why? I went all these years not driving, being a victim, as you called me. I didn’t need you to pile on more sympathy for me. I didn’t want that look on your face when you looked at mine.”

  Reaching over, I take her face into my hands, my thumbs grazing her cheeks. “Katriona Elyse Merrick, I never saw you like that. I said you were a victim of a horrible circumstance, not a victim of life in general. Baby, you’re a fighter, too. You’re not a weakling. I’m in fucking awe of how far you’ve come. At the beach house, you asked for my respect. Well, I worship you. You’re so strong for doing this alone for as long as you did. All you needed was the right kind of help, and that’s my job as your driving partner, as well as your partner in life.”

  “You’re going to be an awesome husband with all your encouragement. Some woman will be lucky to have you.” She smiles, but it soon fades as her gaze falls.

  Pulling up on her face so I can look into her eyes, I ask, “Isn’t that what a spouse does? Even as friends, I supported you in everything. I’ll keep doing it as your fiancé, and then as your husband. When it comes down to it, they really are only labels. That asshole you were married to legally may have been your husband, but he just wore the label. He didn’t own it. But you don’t even have to wait for me to recite the vows to you or sign the license to own that role.”

  Kat says, “That’s exactly true. He never felt like my husband, where as you already do.”

  “I guess you should get used to that.”

  Sitting back slightly to look at me, she asks, “Was my dad that horrible to you? I’m sorry. I thought he would’ve acted differently.”

  “He’s protecting you.”

  “Do you think you’d be like that if we have a daughter?”

  “Fucking yes, but I’d have a baseball bat or shotgun handy.”

  Kat leans forward again and I kiss her lips before kissing over her cheek. She asks, “Remember how I mentioned about me being in love with the father of my children?”

  I mumble over her skin, “Uh-huh.”

  “It’s you, Jared Beckett. You’re going to be the father of my children.”

  “I’d fucking better be.”

  “You’re the only one I wanted it to be.”

  Kissing below her ear, I whisper, “And I almost told you then that I wanted it to be me.” Kat lightly gasps and I kiss her neck. “You’re the only woman I’d ever make a baby with.”

  Finding her hand as I kiss beneath her jaw, I push our joined hands up her skirt. Prying her underwear to the side with my hand, I tuck her fingers into the crotch for her to hold it. Kat looks to the road, whispering, “What are you doing? People might see us.”

  “Not a busy road.” I dive my fingers into her, feeling my slipperiness inside. Breathing against her throat, I say, “Fuck, Kit Kat. I love feeling my cum inside you.” I work through the hair, and caressing the outside of her pussy with my wet fingers, spreading me all over her, ensuring she knows that only I belong there.

  As I work my fingers and kiss her collarbone, she whispers, “Baby, I know what you’re doing. I’m yours.”

  I move up to her ear and say, “Just reminding you.”

  “I’ve always been yours. I’ve only ever made love to you.”

  “You’re the only one, too,” I whisper before kissing down her cheek. A car passes by, and Kat worriedly glances to the windshield, and I look with her. Leaning in to kiss her neck again I say, “Nobody’s going to notice what we’re doing.”

  Feeling her fast pulse against my lips, she sighs and whispers, “Jared.”

  Kat’s hand slides over my hand, and she pushes my fingers into her, momentarily distracting me, and becoming more aware of the growing bulge in my jeans. However, since I already got off with her earlier during our quickie, I focus on getting her off for now.

  “Kitty Kat, you’re so fucking sexy. Lose it all over my hand. I want to feel how much wetter I can make you.”

  Forgetting where we are and relaxing more, she thrusts her hips, pressing harder against my fingers, and she says, “Fuck, you’re so hot.” I apply more friction and rub faster, and she yells, “Jesus!” She tries to catch her breath as she grinds against my hand, no longer caring about any passing cars.

  Her pussy starts to tighten and I groan into her ear, “Come on, baby. Fuck my fingers. Make my cock feel it, too.”

  “Jared!” she yells as her legs stiffen and she holds my hand firmly to her pussy as a wave of wet warmth surrounds my fingers.

  Caught up in how good she feels and how beautiful her reaction is, I pant, “Oh, fuck.” Her spasms continue to squeeze my fingers and my dick painfully twitches, needing to feel her orgasm, but I manage not to blow my load this time.

  Kat lets go of her underwear, leans forward and as I sit back, she tries to unbuckle my belt, but my hand goes to hers. “It’s okay.”

  “We have a long road of not being together, so I need to make you come as much as possible, while we are together. Shut up and help me.”

  Using my dry right hand, I rip open my fly and her hand digs at my underwear, yanking it down, springing free my throbbing cock. Grabbing it, she says, “You’re burning up.”

  I nod as I lean my head against the seat. “I’m almost there.”

  Her fingers disappear and I glance at Kat to see her hand up her skirt. I stammer, “What’re you doing?”

  She puts her hand back on my cock with wet fingers. “Marking you as mine.” She swirls her fingers all around, painting over me.

  “Fuck.”

  She says, “It’s probably a mix of us both, so you can think of it as our love all over you.” I hear the smile in her voice, but I groan as she touches me everywhere. When she has me covered, she starts stroking me.

  “Oh, Kit Kat. Don’t stop.”

  Kat whispers, “I love you, Jared Beckett. Be my husband.”

  I put my hands above my head, grabbing onto the headrest behind me as I buck into her firm grip. Staying true to my word, it doesn’t take me long. “Jesus Christ!”

  I spurt onto her hand as I wheeze for air. With my eyes closed still, I pant, “I love you, too.”

  Hearing her giggle, I turn to look at her and breathlessly ask, “What?”

  Following her gaze, I see the whitish mess dripping from my steering wheel. I look back to her and laugh. “Your fault.”

  Kat nods, trying to be serious. “You’re right. I could’ve just given you a blow job. I’m sorry.”

  I gape at her. “You’re apologizing for not blowing me? Holy fuck, we’re eloping tonight.”

  “You are adorable!” she teases, shoving my leg and then nodding to the steering wheel. “But I do have to say that this car just got 10 times hotter.” Kat laughs, reaching for the napkins. “Don’t you have hand wipes in here or something?”

  “Glove compartment. I often have a messy Dash Calder in this car.” I grab her
hand and say, “Hold on. I think there’s a better way to clean this up.” Swiping my fingers over my softening dick, I nod at her lap and then look up to her face. Kat smiles and pulls her underwear to the side. Reaching over, I push my fingers into her and say, “Jesus. Birth control or not, as much as my cum is inside you, I’ll knock you up before I leave for Philly.”

  She hands me a wipe from the container and says, “Maybe we should slow down then. I wouldn’t want to give birth to our baby while you’re living two hours away.”

  As I clean up my crotch, I say, “If it did happen, you’d be due at the end of the school year. I’d quit my job earlier to be with you.”

  “You’d really do that?”

  I scowl at her doubtful expression. “Yeah, I would. Remember? Obsessed.”

  Kat smiles, putting her hand into my hair and pulling me to her. “I hope you know I’m in love with you.”

  I grin against her lips. “What do you think I was telling you all this time when I say I’m obsessed?”

  Her smile slides over mine. “Wow, Jared Beckett.”

  “See? I’ve been in love with you. You just didn’t notice.”

  “No, but neither did you.”

  As she moves to kiss my neck, I sigh, admitting, “Yeah, I did. I just fought with it.”

  “So you really do love me?”

  I nod against her. “Just ask all those people in that field watching us.”

  Kat bolts upright and shrieks, “Jared!”

  When she sees there isn’t anyone there, Kat punches my arm. “Paybacks are hell,” she warns.

  Unable to stop laughing, I don’t notice her grabbing her phone until I hear the click.

  My eyes fly open. “What the hell did you just do?”

  Giggling, she looks at the screen and says, “Nothing.”

  Glancing down to my dick still hanging out and then to her gleeful face, I say, “Oh, no you didn’t.”

  She turns her phone around to show me, in fact, my semi-limp dick. I try to grab her phone and she says, “Nope. I think I need to send this to someone.”