‘Fabulous.’
She bounces slightly on the bed,‘Gosh this mattress is fucking awesome. When I wake up tell me where it’s from, I need one.’
‘What do you mean, when you wake up?’
But Ronnie has already slid herself well under the quilt and in thirty seconds she’s snoring lightly.
I get out and hit the shower.
I choose a black sleeveless v-necked long dress with a slit up to the thigh for dinner. I’ve arranged to meet both Ronnie and Gabe there. I didn’t want Gabe to pick me up from the apartment as I want him to see my independence and Ronnie had already headed off to meet Rob.
Saints is decorated in white tones, with white floors. The furniture sleek. The tables and chairs are white. There are soft furnishings on the walls. It’s how I would imagine inside an igloo to look. It’s famous for it’s exquisite fish dishes.
Gabe is already seated. He rises up on my entrance and gives me a brief kiss on my cheek. It sends a shiver down my back. I notice his eyes glance at my cleavage from his proximity. He’s wearing plain grey trousers and a loose fitting black top. The colours set off his skin tone and contrast so finely with his eyes. Along with his dark hair he just seems to smoulder so much, he’s ashes. I want to run my hands up his top. Instead I step away towards my chair.
He raises an eyebrow, but holds out my chair for me.
‘So, a double date. Is that to help you resist me?’ His question holds part of the truth and he knows it.
‘I’ve not seen much of my friend this week, so when she suggested it, I thought it would be nice.’
‘Speaking of which, where are they?’
I look back towards the entrance. ‘I don’t know, I thought they’d be here by now but I’m sure they won’t be long. How about we order some drinks? I think I’ll have some olives whilst I’m waiting.’
Gabe signals the waiter, ‘Well I’d better order those for you then seeing as I need to be on my best behaviour for this evening.’
I smile at him whilst trying to make my face look innocent.
‘That just so doesn’t work. We both know you want me to fuck you across this table, but I’ll play along until you admit it.’
‘I’ve never thought any such thing.’ Then I wink at him. He stands up to adjust his trousers and I think crikey this is going to be hard for both of us.
The olives arrive and I make a show of eating them, extracting the stone and sucking the rest of the olive into my mouth.
‘You’re killing me.’
‘You can have an olive, I don’t mind sharing.’
‘Only if I can take it straight from your mouth with my tongue.’
I’m now on my second glass of champagne with no Ronnie or Rob in sight. They are now over thirty minutes late.
The waitress heads over to us. ‘I’ve just received a telephone call from a Mr Rob Reardon that the rest of your party will be with you shortly, but something came up.’
‘Thank you.’
She walks away.
‘I bet it did,’ I say to Gabe, ‘his cock.’
‘Stella, wash out your filthy mouth with more champagne.’
I sit back in my seat. ‘This is typical Ronnie, I’m afraid. She’s not very reliable.’
He doesn’t answer and looks somewhere near his feet.
‘Is everything okay?’
‘Sorry? Oh yes, fine, was just thinking of something I forgot to do at work.’
I fake mock outrage. ‘You’re out with me and thinking of work? Oh that won’t do at all.’
I lean back in my chair, remove my shoe and lift my foot up between his legs. He looks shocked but then smiles and settles back. My foot soaks in the warmth from his crotch. I work from the side of his zipper, moving my foot lazily, but with pressure across the ridge of his hard-on.
The waitress is back. ‘Can I get you anything else whilst you’re waiting.’
‘No thanks, we’re all set here right now,’ Gabe drawls in a leisurely tone.
He holds my foot and pushes his erection against it. Then he tickles my foot. I nearly knock everything off the table as I retract quickly. My glass knocks over and the champagne hits my dress.
‘Idiot,’ I shout, flushed as people have looked over at the commotion.
‘How did I know you were so bloody ticklish? I had to do something, otherwise I was going to come in my pants at the table, which would have been a lot more embarrassing for me.’
Gabe beckons the waitress over. ‘Could you sort out the table please and get us some more champagne whilst I just head with this lady to the bathroom so she can sort out her dress.’
‘Of course Sir.’ He whispers something to the waitress and she points towards the exit.
I look at Gabe. ‘Thank you. I’ll go use the hand dryer.’
He beckons me with his head. ‘Follow me.’
‘What are you up to?’
‘Nothing, just come this way.’
He heads me in a different direction from the sign pointing to the ladies bathroom and we approach a door marked ‘staff only’.
‘I asked if you could use the staff restroom as you needed to remove your dress. A promise of a very high tip got her to agree.’
‘You are certainly earning my respect tonight, that’s most considerate.’
‘Now I’ll wait out here and guard the door whilst you sort out your dress.’
I walk inside the small staff bathroom. It’s beautifully clean and smells of lemon. Someone really takes care of it, so I’m happy to place my bag down on a chair and slip my dress over my head. I rinse it at the sink and then hold it against the hand dryer until its dried. Luckily there’s no stain left.
I see myself in the mirror, in my heels and undies. I move to the door, slide the lock across and grab Gabe’s arm and drag him into the bathroom.
‘What’s going on?’
‘I’m horny, that’s what’s going on. Fuck the word earn, lets go for eat.’
I remove my underwear and sit myself across the back of the sparkling white toilet cistern, legs apart.
‘You hungry?’ I ask, ‘the buffets open.’
He doesn’t need a further invitation. He sits across the toilet seat so my crotch is at the perfect angle for his face and he dives in, raising his hands up to cup my breasts. I feel his tongue flick within my wetness. I could come right now. I push my hands through his hair, pulling him closer and begin to raise myself up towards him. Within a few minutes I come over his face, my breathing ragged.
‘You dirty bitch.’
I run my tongue around my lips, ‘Your turn.’
He raises himself off the seat. ‘I want to screw you so hard but I didn’t bring any condoms. I didn’t think I’d need one. You’d made it quite clear that I probably wasn’t getting any you bloody prick tease.’ He pushes me against the wall and claims my lips in his. At first I try and back away as he’s just had his tongue between my legs, but then the thought of the taste of me being on his tongue turns me on even more and I kiss him back hard.
I look around the bathroom, but with it being a staff toilet there’s no condom machine.
I get down off the cistern and indicate for him to sit on the toilet seat facing me. He drops his trousers to the ground and I pull his pants around his ankles.
I mouth him a while, moving him up and down towards the back of my throat and listen to him groan. When I feel him start to pump faster, trying to fuck my mouth, I let him slip out into my hand and then I pump him hard and vigorous until he begins to come. I let his semen spray out over my tits and chest.
He looks at me, his breathing slowing down. ‘You are quite something, Miss Mulroney.’
I smile up at him. ‘I am aren’t I? Now get yourself dressed and out of here. That waitress will be wondering what’s taking so long.’
He dresses, whilst I wash myself in the sink. Our eyes meet in the mirror.
‘I’m going to give the waitress that tip. I’ll meet you back out there.’
I nod, a look of smugness in my gaze.
‘I’m so going to screw that look out of you later.’ He leaves the bathroom.
I return to find a disturbance occurring at the front desk where a drunken Ronnie is arguing with the staff. I can see Gabe talking harshly to Rob, no doubt about the state she’s in. I begin to walk over to them when I hear my name being called.
‘Stella? Darling.’
I turn and come face to face with my mother and my Stepfather.
My mum rises and hugs me, ‘Are you alright beautiful girl? I’ve been worried about you.’
I tense in her arms. ‘I’m fine mum, I’ve just been very busy lately.’
‘You should answer your mother’s calls, she worries about you.’
I give my stepfather an icy look. He sighs.
‘Who are you here with darling? Would you care to join us?’
My stepfather turns around, ‘What is that damn racket. Can’t they get that drunk ejected. Bloody riffraff trying to get in. This used to be such a fine establishment. Oh Jesus, that says it all.’ He turns back to my mother. ‘He’s involved. Arnie’s son.’ He says this as if he has a bad taste in his mouth, like he’s had to digest a piece of vomit.
My mother looks panicked, ‘Don’t start anything Mitch, Arnie did his best.’
I look between them confused. ‘What are you talking about?’
My mother whispers, ‘Not here Stella.’
‘No I want to know, what’s he talking about?’
‘Well, he was the one who was involved with your stepsister.’
I look at my Stepfather, ‘Isabel?’ I’ve never had anything to do with my elder stepsister as she’d been estranged from Mitch for years.
‘Yes, he’s the one who got her into the drugs.’
I turn shocked towards the entrance, but Gabe’s no longer there.
‘Thank goodness he seems to have been ejected,’ says my stepfather, ‘along with that trollop. I’ve seen her many a time at The Rodeo.’
‘The Rodeo?’
‘Yes the nightclub I run along with Arnie. If you took any interest in my life at all Stella you’d know about it, but you choose to behave like a fourteen year old brat all the time.’
‘Mitch.’
‘Well it’s true Fran. Anyway who are you here with tonight?’
My face falls.
‘You have got to be fucking kidding me. That boy doesn’t know when to quit. Where’s he gone anyway?’
My voice is small, ‘I don’t know. Mitch, what about that girl who was there. You said you knew her from the clubs?’
‘Yes Ronnie. By all accounts she gives a good time; she latches on to all the rich blokes. I suppose if you’ve been disinherited you have to do something to pay the bills.’
Tears start to fall down my cheeks as the world as I’ve known it starts to unravel.
‘Oh honey, whatever is the matter?’ says my mum, holding me in her embrace.
I crumple. ‘I’m sorry I’ve not been in touch mum,’ I sob into her chest, ‘I’ve been an idiot.’
I hold myself away from her, wiping my eyes. ‘I’ll ring you tomorrow, I promise. Enjoy the rest of your meal, I need to get home.’
‘Do you have a bill to be paid?’ Mitch asks.
I nod, ‘I think so. Just some olives and champagne.’
‘We’ll sort it darling,’ my mum says. I nod at her and leave the restaurant.
He’s waiting for me outside. He’s crying, I can see the tears on his cheek, lit by the restaurant lighting.
‘I need to explain, let me explain. Please Stella.’
I just turn away from him and get into a taxi waiting out front. He runs over and tries to hold onto the door, not letting me leave.
‘Please Stella, it’s not what you think.’
All of a sudden he’s dragged backwards by the Restaurant’s security staff. My stepfather is standing alongside them.
‘Get your hands away from my stepdaughter, Mr Gregory.’ He comes over and closes my door.
‘Goodnight Stella.’ He addresses the driver, pats the side of the taxi twice and it sets off.
I sit back in my seat as the taxi travels away and Gabe and Mitch disappear from view.
F to K
THE ALPHABET GAME
PART TWO
F TO K
Chapter 1
I throw a twenty pound note at the taxi driver and hurtle out of the car, only to be stuck at the wrong side of the apartment block doors rummaging for my keys as I was too busy ruminating to get them out ready. Where are the damn keys? I end up on my knees on the pavement, taking things out, like I’m begging for help. Please, no more delays, I need to be home. At last, my hands clasp the solid, cold metal and I pull them from the bag, the magnet part getting caught and pulling the inner lining in a hole. Damn it to fuck, I loved that bag. Waving the magnet over the panel, it beeps in error three times before I can stop my hand shaking enough to do it properly. Racing to the lifts, thoughts pierce my mind like arrows.
Why has Gabe not mentioned Isabel?
What the fuck is Ronnie doing?
Have I misjudged my stepfather?
I miss my mum.
The lift seems to take forever to arrive and then travel the thirteen floors to my apartment.
Finally inside my home, I slam the door and vault myself face first on the sofa. As I throw it, my bag slides across the laminate floor and lands near the television, spilling some of it’s contents.
My mind feels like that bag, scattered.
Please let this be a dream.
Waves of nausea keep coming. My legs curl up to my chest in a foetal position and I hold myself tightly.
The thoughts are exhausting and relentless. Alongside the din and hum from my own head, my phone repeatedly rings, and vibrates with text notifications. I pull myself off the settee, sliding along the floor until I reach my bag. Picking up my phone, I turn it off and then I get myself up and disconnect the apartment buzzer.
There’s only one way to stop all this internal noise, so I head for the kitchen. Picking a wine bottle from the silver wine rack mounted on the wall, I unscrew the lid and swig straight from the bottle.
Oblivion here I come.
I wake on the sofa with drool slipping out of the corner of my mouth and a cramping pain in my neck. A few blissful seconds of peace, before I see the empty bottle on the floor and my head throbs with pain in recognition. Clutching my head, I just make it to the bathroom before I vomit.
Time passes whilst I sit at the dining table nursing a glass of water. I cup my face in my hands, sliding them down my cheeks, my fingers rubbing at my eyelids. I’m too numb to cry. When will I ever learn that no-one can be trusted, except for myself? I let my guard down again and was betrayed, again. If someone took a picture of my heart it would look as shredded as pulled pork.
Swallowing the lump that appears in my throat, I wonder what I ever did to deserve to be so alone? Is Mitch right, have I been a spoilt brat? Despite using all the opportunities given to me at Boarding School I resented every minute there. I made no friends, having nothing in common with the spoilt, rich, mean girls. Or was I so unaware that I was exactly like them?
Who the fuck am I?
Thoughts come into my mind of a Jigsaw Stella. I build myself up and then someone pulls me back apart into jagged pieces. I’m done with this, being the manure round the rose bush. Being fucking invisible.
I’ll crucify the next bastard to piss me off.
Picking up the discarded wine bottle I throw it at the wall, glass shatters everywhere like emerald shards.
The action breaks the tension. I slump and head for my bed, seeking strength from slumber. As I begin to fall asleep, ideas of how to proceed float around the edge of my consciousness.
I wake up feeling sharper, in focus. I know what I need to do. Drastic measures are called for and I need a trip out.
A few hours later I gaze at the new Stella, with hair of midni
ght blue, courtesy of a permanent tint. If at first you don’t succeed - reinvent yourself and start again.
I take a deep breath and switch on my mobile phone, listening as it repeatedly beeps with messages and then I tap through them one by one. My finger resonates on the screen like an annoying drip. Missed calls from Gabe, texts from Gabe, texts from my stepfather that get angrier with each new message sent. Nothing from Ronnie.
One voicemail.
Who will it be from?
I press the relevant keys and listen.
‘This is a call for Stella Mulroney. It’s Henry Jones here, Veronica’s father. I need to talk to you about my daughter. Please call me as soon as possible.’ He then rattles out a number.
I put the phone down at the side of me, my hand trembling. Her father sounded so serious. Probably wants my help in sorting her out. I’m not strong enough. The newly put up armour is comparable to spun sugar, liable to snap. I need more time.
Then the door rattles so hard with knocks, I jump, my heartbeat rapid.
I slowly open the door, using the safety chain and he’s there, between the couple of inches of shared view. Dark shadows under his eyes like bruises, the stubble under his nose and on his chin torments me, my fingers want to reach for it.
‘Let me in Stella.’
Not a chance, not again.
‘Why?’ The words come out flat and indifferent.
He punches the wall and I step back, despite the chain. ‘Why? Because of last night. You know why? I need to know what that prick said to you about me.’
‘Enough, let’s put it that way shall we? Will that be all, because I’m tired?’
‘For someone who hates their Stepfather so much, you were very quick to trust him over me,’ he snarls. ‘I thought you were different. Turns out you’re just the fucking same as them all.’ He turns to walk away.
I close the door on him with a slam. Then I remove the chain and swing the door back open.
‘I beg your pardon. Do not shout that crap at me and turn to stomp off. Get your ass in here right now, Gregory.’
The Alphabet Game the Complete Alpha Series a to X, Y, Z Page 7
