by H. Q. Frost
"No, El. There was no dog."
"I saw a dog. He had a glowing collar. You hit him, Justin." She pushed his arm.
"There was no dog."
"He was there." It sounded like she could cry.
"I promise you, ZP, there was no dog. You're high."
As if the conversation never happened, she started pushing on the dashboard again.
He grabbed her hand, not letting go. "Close your eyes."
"I'm not tired. There's too much to see." She looked out the window and his foot pressed harder on the gas, wanting to get her home.
After parking in the structure he gently woke Tash and Ashley, afraid they might react crazily, but they lethargically stumbled out of the jeep.
"Why don't you stay together, hold hands or something," Justin suggested as they all began to drift apart. "Stay in a little huddle." He felt like an overwhelmed father.
"Is that car flying?" Lilith stared toward the street and stopped walking.
"You're high, Lily!" Tash boasted with a laugh.
"I'm fucking tired. I think I'm hungry but I'm not," Ashley muttered.
"That car is flying." Lilith pointed to a parked car and Justin hurried her along.
"Ms. Lily." The doorman nodded and Lilith wiggled her fingers at him, then suddenly pulled her fingers close to her face.
"Is that blood?" she whispered, staring at her hand.
Justin got them into the elevator and stopped an older couple from getting on. "You gotta take the next one. I'm only going to floor seven." He pushed the button.
"My fingers are bleeding." Lilith pushed her hand into Justin's face.
"Your fingers are fine, ZP."
"You're the worst high, Lilith." Ashley laughed.
"Why are you drugging me?" Lilith blurted as the elevator doors opened.
"Okay, shh, come on." Justin led them down the hall and fumbled with Lilith's keys.
Taking a step back, he allowed the girls to walk in first. Lilith was last and the second she walked in, she started to backtrack, walking backward and into Justin.
"Is that blood?" she burst out.
"No, there's no blood." Justin forced her inside, fighting against her stiff legs.
When he got the door closed she backed up against it, staring at the wall in horror. "That's blood. There's blood on the wall. Why is there blood on the wall?" Her wide eyes stared at the stark wall and Justin let out an aggravated grunt, grabbing her arm.
"Come on, El, there's no blood. Let's get you into bed."
"Someone was murdered," she whispered sinking to the ground. "That's most definitely blood."
Ashley had already lay face down on the couch and Tash was in the bathroom. Justin picked Lilith up over his shoulder and she tried to scream but was too scared by the hallucinated gore.
"We're going to die!" she exclaimed when he laid her in the bed. "You're going to die." She grabbed his shirt as he untied her boots. "I don't want you to die. I like you, don't die."
"No one's going to die, El," he mumbled.
"Oh god." Lilith threw her head back onto the pillow. "I'm high."
"Yeah you are. Arms up." He pulled her up to sit and after taking her coat off, he pulled her shirt over her head.
Turning to the chest of drawers, he stared at it, worried he'd open it to Ian's clothes. Slowly opening a drawer, he was greeted with female clothing and grabbed a tank top. Unhooking her bra, he paused as hateful memories of Layna played in his head. He'd dressed that woman while she was in a drugged state too many times to count.
"There's blood on the walls," Lilith whispered.
"No blood on the walls, no dog, no buttons on the dash. You're high and you're going to sleep this off and more than likely feel shitty tomorrow." He slid her skirt off, immediately being drawn to her naked pelvis.
The reminder of what he wouldn't be doing to her because she was high made him let out a frustrated sigh.
"Do you think I'll be high forever?" Her body went limp and she stared at the wall, twisting a lock of hair around her finger.
"No, you'll be fine tomorrow."
He went back to the drawers and opened another, hoping to find pants or shorts. No bottoms in that drawer so he carefully moved to the next. Finding what he needed, he pulled her cotton shorts up.
"If I stay high forever do you think I'll just lay here? I don't want to move right now. There's blood everywhere. I don't like it."
Staring down at her, she was beautiful, even a high mess. Her finger slowly twirled in her hair and her mouth hung open slightly as she stared at the wall.
"You won't stay high forever, El," he softly said and ran his hand through her hair. "There is no blood either. Close your eyes."
"If I close my eyes you'll disappear." She looked at him. "I don't want you to disappear."
"I won't. I'm going to make sure the other two are okay but I'll be right back."
Her head flopped to the side again and her eyes focused on the wall. Justin hurried out of the room finding Ashley was still on the couch and Tash was curled up in a chair looking uncomfortable but asleep. He locked the door then began turning lights off.
"Justin!" Lilith screamed and he hurried into the bedroom. "It's on my hands!" She was sitting up in the bed flipping her hands back and forth. "I killed someone. Oh god, who'd I kill? I didn't mean to! Was it the dog?" She looked at him and he quickly turned the light off so she couldn't see anymore. "Was it the dog?" she whispered.
He kicked his shoes off and slid his pants down, getting into the bed next to her. Prepared to treat her like he had Layna, he got in the bed, ready to hold her down if she went into a fit.
"There is no dog, there is no blood." He pulled her to him.
He was going to tighten his grip but she snuggled into him like she was already at ease in his arms. His hand softly ran back and forth at the small of her back. She was sleeping only minutes later but he lay awake wondering what the hell he was doing. He only put up with it from Layna because they'd been together so long. He should have been saying 'fuck this chick' and getting the hell out of there, but he couldn't, and not because he was a nice guy. She was his undoing.
Ashley woke Lilith at six in the morning and barely let her say goodbye to Justin. Lilith apologized profusely for the night before and he kissed her once before Ashley was dragging her to the car. When Lilith arrived at the condo for her bag, Ian was already at work but left her a note.
Beautiful
I packed jeans, two causal shirts. I neatly folded your red dress with the black lace but as I understand it you won't be wearing clothes tonight…
I hope you have a great experience and don't worry, I have not forgotten about Rich. I'll pick them up today. I love you beautiful. You are the single most important entity to me and you make me the happiest man in this world.
A smile filled Lilith's face and she was relieved he wasn't angry at her for not going home the prior night.
With Ashley in work mode, they didn't talk much. She prepared Lilith's naked body for the exhibit, only asking if she was comfortable.
It was an experience Lilith would never forget, but the pose she had to hold for over an hour while blindfolded, gagged, and covered in paint grated on her nerves. Turning her body slightly, Caesar stood and quickly removed the blindfold and gag bar.
"I need a bathroom," she told him, giving Ashley a smile from across the room.
They found a bathroom and Lilith pulled him inside.
"I need help," she chuckled and took her robe off, handing it to him. "Oh god," she groaned walking into the stall. "This is hard. I'm going to pee on my legs!" Her giggles floated around the bathroom and he smirked.
"I can't help you with that. I'd like to, but you already have a full plate."
Lilith was quiet until she finished.
"Can't wash your hands." He chuckled and she rolled her eyes.
"What's that mean? Full plate?" She looked at him.
"Exactly what it sounds like. You're
in a relationship with two guys. You have a full plate, or pussy."
"Caesar!"
"Just sayin', Lily. You're playing them both."
"What do you mean playing them?" The genuine confusion on her face made him huff.
"You'll move onto another then another and you'll keep going through guys."
"I'm not doing that!" Her tone raised and her stance went rigid.
He folded his arms and leaned against the wall. "So what're you doing then?"
"I love Ian. I want to spend the rest of my life with him." She reached to spin her ring but it wasn't there because she was completely nude for the exhibit.
"But not unless you can get more dick somewhere else."
"He did it to me first!" she exclaimed, defending herself.
"I know he did and he was a fucking idiot and when he gets another girlfriend, she'll be a fucking idiot."
"He's not getting another girlfriend," she snapped. "I told him no more."
"But you can?" He laughed. "What's with Justin? Why him?"
Lilith stared into his face a minute and his prior cocky expression had morphed into sincere questioning.
She exhaled a deep breath. "With Ian I have this insane chemistry that comes out when we're fucking. With Justin I have chemistry with him when we're just hanging out. I catch him staring at me sometimes and when he is I get this surging feeling inside—"
"So you're not having sex with Justin?"
"Of course I am. Only once and it was good. He makes me feel good, but it's nothing like I have with Ian. With Ian there's this bond and I can feel how much he needs me. With Justin I can tell how much he wants me."
"So you've built the perfect man with two men."
"I don't need a perfect man." She rolled her eyes, walking to the door. "I need Ian and I want Justin."
"Well said, Lily." He put the robe over her shoulders then followed her out with a laugh.
Before being gagged, blindfolded, and resuming her stance, she asked, "How's she doing?"
"Decent. Only shit that's selling is of you."
"That's not good."
"Yes it is. For both of you." He put the gag in her mouth. Wearing a smile, he waved to her then tied the blindfold on.
Another hour passed before she couldn't take it anymore. All her senses were failing and she no longer felt the high she initially had from standing nude, painted on, and in a domineering stance while in a room full of people. She was tired, at least of standing stiff and not being able to see or move her mouth. At one point when she stretched, a cameraman snapped picture after picture of her and it was infuriating not being able to see the man.
About to drop her arms, ready to call it quits, a very familiar smell of cologne consumed her. It immediately heightened all her senses and she clenched her pelvic muscles.
IAN hides his eyes in heaven and lies
I enter Ashley's small allotted space and the first thing I see is Lily standing on a box with her fists on her hips and her head held high while she's blindfolded and gagged. This image is so erotic my cock stirs. After taking in the beautiful sight of my fiancée, I observe the message behind Ashley's art and it's influential. These two together make an unstoppable team.
Lily's covered in abstract images painted onto her flesh that are partially hidden by white paint that was splashed over her body. There's a board in front of Lily that stands tall enough to hide the apex of her thighs that are spread because of her stance. The words on the board are:
I WILL BE SEEN
I WILL NOT BE SILENCED
As much as I appreciate Ashley's message, I can't pull my thoughts from fucking Lily covered in all this, making a mess between our bodies. The bar gag and blindfold can join us too.
Caesar sees me but I push my finger to my mouth and take his chair to stand on so I can get to her lips parted by the bar. Leaning in, I grab her bottom lip between my teeth and put my hand on her lower back. Her restricted smile pulls upward and I slide the blindfold off, watching her eyes light up like Christmas for me. Or she's just grateful she can see. I'm gonna say it was me though. The grin on my face can't be tamed right now and I reach to the back of her head to unhook the gag. The second I pull it from her mouth, her lips land on mine.
"Mmm, Lily," I quietly moan then help her down. "A lot of people been going in for a kiss and feel all night? You weren't even alarmed."
"I knew it was you. I could smell you and I know your bite and touch."
Staring into her happy eyes I want nothing more than to fuck her right on this table. How long have these people been staring at my naked fiancée's body? How many bastards out there are jealous of me right now?
With my fingertips I softly graze her hip then look over because I can feel eyes on us. Caesar's eyes. I smirk and drop my head because he knows what I'm thinking, the things I want to do to her. Out of the corner of my eye I see him look away and I chance a glance, suddenly getting stuck on his expression. I know this look, it's his concerned look.
My fingers slip from Lily's side as Caesar's discomfiting expression makes my stomach flip. I suddenly feel sick. Is there something he knows that I don't? Did she tell him something? Maybe about Borg.
Caesar puts the robe on her shoulders and Ashley walks over, pulling her into a hug. Trying to get Caesar's attention, I glare at him, but he begins to clean up Ashley's exhibit.
"I'll be right back." Lily slides her hand down my arm all the way to my fingertips as she walks away.
"Spit it out," I tell Caesar as I carefully pick up a painting.
"Hmm?" He glances at me, opening a large box we're supposed to stack the paintings into.
"What's on your mind? What're you thinking? What did she tell you?" The last question wasn't supposed to come out, but it spewed with my insecurity.
For all I know that look was because something is going on in his own life. Maybe it had nothing to do with me and Lily, and now I'm the prick that just assumes it's about me.
"Nothin', man." He's diligently working and this tells me there's definitely something.
"Don't fuck with me. I know you better than that. What's going on? Is there something I need to know?"
"Nothing you already don't." He's pissed off too and this is the worst kind of Caesar. Pissed and worried.
"Like what?" I say sternly because now I'm not fucking around; don't fuck with me and Lily.
"You're going to marry that girl?" He's looking at me like I'm the sorriest bastard on the face of the earth. "You created a fucking monster, man, and she's going to destroy you."
My eyes drift to the box we're loading as I realize he may be right.
"Don't monsters usually save their creators?" The playful tone I was going for was dominated by hopefulness, like this is even a legitimate conversation.
"Not a monster like her. She doesn't even know she's a monster." His packing job is becoming a little more aggressive. "You know what's sad, man? She doesn't even know how fucked up this is. You found the most doe-eyed girl in Chicago and you put her through things people should never have to go through, especially when falling in love."
The girls' voices are getting closer and he moves in to quietly finish his thought. "The circle we run in is fucked up as it is but we were all tainted before we found each other. This girl needed one thing and you couldn't even do that."
"What?" I blurt, wanting to know what the one thing is, but before he can answer, the girls approach.
I look at Lily wrapped in the robe and her hands are still colored with whatever Ashley used on her skin. Ashley's talking to the exhibit director, Caesar's packing up, and Lily has started to help. I decide to focus on helping so we can get the hell out of here. While I'm aimlessly packing I'm wondering why Caesar thinks he knows her, knows the shit she needs or needed. I know they're friends but I don't think they're that close. I don't think Ashley could even tell me what Lily needs.
On the way back to their hotel Lily's telling me about her evening, and I'm listening, b
ut I'm still hung up on what Caesar said.
"So I'll just take a quick shower then we'll head out," she says and I nod.
I want to tell her about Heidi sending the text, but I really don't want to talk about Borg right now. I want her in a bed and under me while I pour my heart out to her in the sappiest way possibly. I need her to fuck this feeling out of me.
"I'll only be a minute." She gives my hand a squeeze before slipping into the bathroom.
Caesar hangs up his phone and whoever he was talking to brightened his mood and he's laughing. I can't shake this feeling he's put in me and it's putting a fucking damper on my big surprise of coming to see her.
The second Lilith stepped out of the bathroom, Caesar handed her a whiskey bottle that she happily accepted, until she saw Ian. The desolation all over his face had her putting the bottle down and quickly approaching him.
"What's wrong?" she whispered.
"Nothing." He tried to smile.
"Something's wrong."
"Are you upset I came?" he asked.
"No!" she blurted. "No, why? Did I seem like it? I'm not, baby, I'm ecstatic!" She giggled and grabbed his face, kissing him. He knew then wasn't the time to burden her with his worries that had been plaguing him for a couple of days but didn't fully surface until Caesar's rant.
The after-celebration at the bar got Lilith intoxicated enough to be too drunk to stand. Instead of going with Ian to his hotel room, she ended up with Ashley, and he couldn't object. He wasn't even supposed to be there.
The large hotel bed was uninviting. He used to like sleeping alone, mainly because Karen was a bed-hog, but since Lilith, he wanted her to be a part of everything he did.
In the morning, he barely got a chance to say goodbye to her before Ashley was rushing her off to do one thing or another.
He drove home alone, he arrived home alone, he made dinner alone, and he went to bed alone.
When Lilith finally climbed into bed after one in the morning, he woke.
"I missed you," she whispered as he pulled her into his arms.
"I missed you, baby, so much." He kissed her head and she yawned.
As his mouth traveled over her jaw she began telling him about her day, falling asleep before Ian made it to her chest.
