Crossed Off

by Lacey Silks

  “Ah shit!” I screamed, “Cash, please! Cash!” The orgasm charged through me like lightning, shredding me to pieces. I felt my nails dig through his shirt right into his flesh. And it wouldn’t stop. He continued stroking me, slowing the power of my release yet reviving it each time he touched me. When my body finally went limp, Cash slowly pulled away from the wall and lowered my feet to the ground. We moved to the side where I rested my body on a plush seat. My torn panties were down on the floor, and my purse on a small table against the wall. I half recalled how we got here and thanked my consciousness for the ability to think on its own so that I could put the purse away.

  The click of his buckle drew my attention to the bulge in Cash’s pants. At the sound, I felt the drip of my impatience leak down my inner thigh. He had that look of hunger and unsatisfied need in his dark eyes, and I was sure that not even an atomic bomb could stop him from what he was about to do to me.

  “Sit there.” He pointed to the round hallway table right in the middle of the room. That’s when I first noticed the size of the foyer in this penthouse. It looked like it stretched for miles, and I was thankful that he didn’t ask to go far because my legs were so soft I wasn’t sure I could stand for long. I made my way over to where he instructed, pinning my naked ass right in the middle of the round table. Its cold surface shocked my heated skin.

  He reached into his pocket and removed a foil packet. I swear I heard every rung in his zipper click as he opened his pants. When they fell to his knees along with his boxers, I gasped. He ripped the packet open with his teeth and rolled the rubber over him. It seemed like he took forever to get it down his length, and the lower he went, the wider my eyes opened.

  When he looked into my eyes, he had a coy smile on his face and I regretted staring. I didn’t want to encourage his confidence as he didn’t lack any, but I just couldn’t take my gaze away.

  “Open your legs for me, Sky. I want to see how wet you are.”

  No one had ever talked like this to me, and I’m not sure I would have listened to anyone’s request, but Cash wasn’t just anyone. That initial honesty I saw in his eyes when I first met him was still there. In fact, it never left. I scrunched my dress up and parted my knees. Hearing him wheeze a breath in put a smile on my face.

  “You’re gorgeous. Pink and slick. Just how I like it.”

  His words held the power of ecstasy—not that I ever tried any. They egged me on to give in and let instincts take over.

  With three long steps, he was in front of me. His white shirt draped across his shoulders as he stood with his erection reaching up to the sky. My dress was still tied behind my neck, covering my breasts. I looked down at the two poking nipples. The bunched-up pebbles were visible even through the built-in bra. Cash pushed down his cock with his hand, lowering it to the height of my opening and drew his shaft back and forth over my slit, coating the condom with my juices. Though I could feel my body tense up with nerves at the anticipation of having him inside me, I still couldn’t wait for him to ram into me. I half expected him to have done so already. Instead, he teased me, rubbing himself over my clit. I felt the swell almost immediately, as if he’d breathed new life into my nub. If he didn’t stop now, I wouldn’t let him until he finished me off—again. Just imagining his thickness penetrating me caused my walls to clench all on their own.

  “Come on, Cash. Are you afraid of what’s waiting for you?” I coerced. The moment the words left my lips, he thrust inside me.

  I screamed out with pleasure. The vase behind me fell off the table and crashed onto the marble floor. “Oh crap!”

  He gently tugged at my chin, bringing my attention back to his beautiful face. “Look at me, Sky. I want you to see what you do to me.”

  “But....”

  “Don’t worry about the mess, baby. It’s just you and me now.”

  To make a point, he rammed into me again.

  “Ahh!” I heard my voice but it didn’t sound like me. The joy in my scream was completely new.

  “You all right? You’re quite tight.”

  “Yes, wonderful. It’s... been some time.” I leaned back on my elbows, inadvertently tilting my ass higher for deeper penetration.

  Cash held me by my hips, moving slowly at first, looking at me from above. He finally reached forward and pulled the halter over my neck, removing the top of my dress and lowering it to my belly. Freed from the tight fabric, my breasts ached to be touched.

  “I imagined them, but can’t believe they’re real.”

  “Hey!”

  “No, I didn’t mean it that way. I mean they’re real. It’s just that I didn’t think I’d ever see them, like this, with you underneath me.”

  “Are you going to just stare?” I bent my knees, drew them up, and rested the heels of my shoes against his chest. He looked from one to the other, kissed my right foot, lifted it to his shoulder, and then put my left one on the opposite side.

  “All right, smart mouth,” he said with a smirk. “Let’s take these babies for a ride.”

  And with that, his hands cupped both my breasts. He felt their weight before molding them and inspecting them. His hips never stopped moving. Even when his attention shifted to my boobs, and thank goodness it did, because he had one heck of an arousing way of handling them. His cock worked relentlessly, stimulating my core from the inside with each advance. My hands slid to the edge of the round table and I held on. I closed my eyes only to feel his mouth around my nipple. His tongue licked the rim, his teeth pulled the pink flesh and lips pinched it. He repeated this over and over again on my one side before moving to the other. I relished the way he worked my breasts, and I had a feeling they grew in size as I pushed my chest out for him. A delectable zap was beginning to move from there to my pussy each time he released my stone-hard nipple. It was as if my clit was being resuscitated each time he let go. And when his hand drew down between us and his fingers began to play with me, touching me where he entered—and higher—I couldn’t hold on. I squeezed around his thickness, wanting him to find his release as well, but I couldn’t concentrate. This time I came quicker and in spasms I couldn’t control. If my first orgasm felt like lightning licking through me, then this one was a full-out atomic blast.

  “Ahh! Cash!” I heard the scream, but again, it wasn’t my own. There was no way I would have ever been so loud. Yet the echo that flew through the penthouse sure sounded familiar. I felt Cash still inside me. He shut his eyes tight, threw his head back, and with his mouth wide open let out a final grunt.

  Sweat dripped down his chest. I held still, watching his release end. The tightened contours on his face finally softened. Cash slowly opened his eyes and lowered his mouth to kiss me. The tender exchange was so different than our first rough kiss. This time, his luscious lips yielded, allowing me to return the smooch. He then slid out of me and lowered my legs. Removing his rubber, Cash tied its end and threw it in the trash bin. I wondered what the maid would think when she cleaned up this place. He stepped out of his pants and finally removed his shoes. For the first time tonight, I felt exposed. As if sensing my discomfort, Cash lifted my halter back over my neck.

  “Come on, Sky. We have a lot to discuss.”

  But before I could stand, he picked me up into his arms and carried me to the huge living room.

  “I can walk,” I said, although if I were to be truthful, I really enjoyed this attention, and my jelly legs were quite grateful for the help.

  “I don’t want you to step on the broken glass.”

  At first, I thought he would set me down on the carpeted area. Instead, Cash carried me right into a luxurious bathroom the size of which I’d never seen. He turned the knob on the gigantic tub and poured in some bubble bath. For a moment, I wondered whether it’d be quicker to call a fire truck to fill this puppy up.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Care to join me for a bath?”

  CHAPTER 6

  Before getting in the tub, I removed the red wig, a
nd using the accessories available in the bathroom drawer, I pulled my hair up into a bun. As we sat across from each other Cash held my foot in his hands, massaging it. The jets were humming, blowing up new bubbles from behind my back and from the sides. I have never had a day in the tub as relaxing as today, but maybe that was because of my company.

  “Are you still mad about the job? I really don’t want you to be.” Cash had a way of working his fingers so deep into my soles that it was very difficult to concentrate on anything serious. And how could I be mad when he made those beautiful puppy eyes and his dimples sunk into his cheeks?

  I had no doubt that it was wrong to accept the crooked money, and now I’d need to find a different way to keep my apartment in the city and upgrade my alarm. For now though, all I wanted was one night of peace.

  I leaned my head back against the tub, and my boobs floated to the top. I heard a low growl from the other side.

  “I sort of forgot we were fighting,” I said.

  “That’s good. It’s exactly what I wanted.”

  “Hey!”

  “Oh, come on. Being inside you was much more rewarding than a stupid fight I would have won anyways.”

  “Hey again.” I felt my brows narrow and lifted my head, pulling my foot away. Cash reached forward and brought it back to his chest. He definitely had talents I wasn’t aware of.

  “I’m teasing you, Skyler. I’d rather be here with you than anywhere else in the world.”

  “Really?” I asked, somewhat pleased. It felt amazing to be someone else’s focus—in a good way this time.

  “Of course.” He waited a moment before grunting. “Now you’re supposed to say that you prefer to be with me rather than anywhere else in the world.”

  I pulled my finger up to my lips and lifted my gaze to the ceiling as if pondering a difficult thought. “I don’t know....”

  “Hey, come here, you smart mouth.”

  Water swooshed in the tub, spilling over the sides as he reached for me and brought my entire body toward him, twisting me around so my back pressed against him. I reached for the sponge on the side, lathered it, and leaned back against his hard chest.

  “I’m teasing you as well, Cash. I’m not sure why, but I do feel very comfortable with you.”

  “That’s good. Hold on. I need to make this last.” Cash got a hold of his phone he’d set in a basket full of shampoos, sponges and body washes, stretched his hand out front, and before clicking he said, “Smile.”

  He then scrolled through his phone to show me our first official selfie.

  “Look at that. Not too shabby, Mr. Wagner. And thank you for being discreet.” I noticed he cut the picture just above my cleavage.

  “Are you kidding? There’s no way I’d take a chance of anyone seeing this. You look good, Sky. Too bad I left my good camera at home.”

  “You take pictures.”

  “Lots.”

  I loved learning more about Cash with each passing moment. I noticed that his left arm had a sleeve tattoo of beautiful black roses climbing a thick vine. As I drew my hand over it, I said, “It must have taken a lot of make up to cover this up in Vegas.”

  “It did. But when you’re trying to be someone else, you’ll go to great lengths to succeed.”

  I stilled. Did he know that was exactly what I’d been doing for the past two years? Trying to be someone else. Had I spilled my secrets without knowing?

  “Do they mean anything?” White bubbles covered the flowers on his arm.

  “Yes, my youngest brother has a similar one, but the roses are red. He’s been the hardest in my family to reach out to because he doesn’t fully consider himself part of it. My father had an affair, so he’s my half-brother. I guess I wanted something that would connect us. One day, when we’re back the way we used to be before Father began involving everyone in the world in his extracurricular ventures, I’d like to fill the color in.”

  “That’s very thoughtful of you.”

  “What about you? Tell me what this means.” He pointed to my right arm where a vine of ivy climbed to my shoulder. Getting the tattoo was one of the first things I did when I arrived in New York. I wanted to cover up any connection I’d had to the man I killed. And that included the identical birthmarks on our forearms. Plus, the vine reminded me of the ones that grew around where I had planned to have a home, just before Rick Menzos took it all away.

  “I guess I just wanted to fit-in in the big city,” I lied and felt my heart squeeze in my chest. I didn’t want to lie, but I wasn’t ready to tell Cash the truth, either. I wanted to. I could tell that he was a trustworthy man, but I wasn’t too sure how to do so. “Why do you keep trying with your father if he’s not willing to change? You know, sometimes they’re not worth it. You have everything, he gives you everything, yet you choose to go against him and waste precious time you could have had with him. Why bother fighting with him?”

  He took a long breath in before releasing it. “He may not seem that way from the outside, but he’s worth it. He wasn’t always the way he is now. I’m not quite sure when the change happened. You know, not too long ago that I was exactly like my father as well; a ruthless man who didn’t care who got hurt while doing business. We used other’s misfortune to make money. It was always about the money and never about the family. It took a lot of therapy, for which I can thank my mom, to realize what had to be done to turn my life around before I threw it all away. I didn’t want to disappoint her. Not anymore. She sacrificed her life for all of us; fixing us one by one to be the kind of men she always believed we were. And if I could change, I know that my father can as well.”

  Cash pulled his hand out and spread his thumb and forefinger an inch apart. “I was this close to leaving this world, Sky. This close. And she was the one who saved me. I owe her to give her the kind of a family she always wanted.”

  I knew exactly what he meant. When Blake, my fiancé, was murdered and I lost our baby within minutes of his death, I didn’t think I could go on. I had a murderer’s blood running through my veins and oftentimes blamed myself for the tragedy. Killing one of my half-brothers when he attacked my sister was the only way I could ensure that my family would go on. It was the only way I could save them. Rick Menzos had tortured my sister for long enough. I wouldn’t allow him to take another one of my family member’s lives. Except at that time I didn’t think that his twin would come after me. When you’re enraged and determined, nothing else matters. Would I have not killed Rick if I knew Mateo would haunt me? No, I had no regrets about my actions. I never would.

  “What happened?” I asked. “What drove you to that point?”

  He shook his head sideways. “I’ll save that story for another time. But let’s just say that my conscience will not be clear until I see Father’s business straightened. I will not live off his crooked money, and I won’t let him encourage illegal activities where the poor are always the ones to pay the heaviest price.”

  “Wow, you’re like a superhero.”

  “I’m no superhero, Sky.” He sighed. “But I can dress up as one for you.”

  “Yes, I’d like to see that. Tell me more about your family.”

  “I have a younger sister who only started speaking to me a year ago. It’s been sort of formal but she’s coming around. Her name is Grace. The half-brother I told you about is just beginning to find his way back to our family too. His name is Scar. Well, it’s actually Nick, but he goes by Scar. It took me a long time to get those two back. And you met the other two dumb heads downstairs. It may take a bit longer for those two. I don’t know why, but they seem to have inherited more from our father than our mother. It’s like pulling teeth trying to get those two to do a day’s worth of honest work.”

  I listened to him while washing his other arm and moved on to washing his legs. When he spoke about his siblings, I could hear his voice brighten. It made me miss Eric and Annabelle too much. I missed everyone back in Ogden, but I didn’t miss the memories I’d left there.
Perhaps one day I’d be able to go back to make some new memories. But somehow I felt different than the shy girl who’d left two years ago. The city had changed me and toughened me up. But when you’re locked up in your apartment for most of the day and only brave going outside at the request of your rich boss, you learn to adapt. And being someone else each time I stepped past the threshold was my way of adjusting to this big city. Sometimes I did want to go back, but not yet. Not while Mateo, who was determined to avenge his twin’s death, was still out there.

  “Sounds like you’ve had it rough,” I said.

  “Not my entire life. Only when I realized that my law degree was only used at my father’s law firm to have a name on it. Honestly, it took way too much space on the wall. Father employed so many lawyers we didn’t have to lift a finger to work. Instead, he concentrated on getting us acquainted with his side businesses. The money lured us in at first, but I’d always known that when I found out all the details of his work, I’d take him down.”

  “Like the casino?”

  Cash let some of the cold water out of the tub and turned on the knob to refill.

  “Yeah, like the casino. At first, the lies he told us were small. We sort of always knew about his illegal operations, and growing up being exposed to all the lies and treachery, it doesn’t really hit you when your father says you need to collect money the hard way from a businessman who didn’t pay his monthly fee not to be blackmailed, until it’s too late.”

  “That’s extortion.”

  “That’s just one example. That’s who you were working for.”

  Maybe I shouldn’t have been so upset with Cash about losing my job. Yes, the money would have kept me safe for a long time, but how many people would be hurt along the way?

  “Five years ago, I didn’t think our family could be put back together. But now I’m beginning to see hope.”

  I turned my body around, put the scrub away, and shifted so that my legs were on top of his and around his hips. His cock sprung up. It seemed that Cash’s erection had never gone down when he was around me. Facing each other, my boobs bobbed on the water’s surface. I took his face into my hands, saying, “You’re a very different man than I perceived you to be downstairs.”