Moth to a Flame

by K. Webster

  “Thanks, Dad. This means a lot.” I hung up and ran my fingers through my hair.

  Finally, we had a fucking lead.

  When I went into my room to check on Lia, I found her in just an oversized T-shirt, rubbing lotion on her toned legs. She smiled at me when she caught me staring.

  “Need any help?” I teased with one eyebrow cocked.

  Pulling that shirt off over her head, revealing nothing underneath, she purred, “I sure as hell don’t want to do it by myself.” Her wink told me that we were done talking about lotion and had moved on to more interesting topics.

  This girl is a damn minx.

  THE NEXT DAY at work, I struggled to stay focused. I tried to remain upbeat as I heard Anj excitedly tell me about the Halloween party foods she’d made and what kinds of mixed drinks Deion was going to make. Anj and Deion always threw an awesome Halloween party. This year was the first time I was bringing a date. It would have been majorly exciting except for the fact that I couldn’t stop thinking about Sam’s promise to come see me.

  When the flower deliverywoman showed up while Anj was at lunch with a dozen red roses, my stomach turned at the sight of them. “Delivery for Lia Finch,” she chirped, setting them on my desk before she walked away, leaving me to stare at them in disgust.

  Slowly, I opened the card, fearing the words I was about to read.

  I cringed as I crumpled up the letter, tossing it and the roses into the trash. Needing his comfort, I texted Cale.

  Me: He had a dozen roses sent to work, which means he knows where I work. No surprise there. His note said that he couldn’t wait to see me later. Cale, I’m tired of being scared.

  When he didn’t respond for a while, I started to worry about him. But the front door opened and in came my knight, who stalked right over to my desk and pulled me up from the chair.

  “Lia, I’m here.” Safe.

  I tried not to cry as he held me, but I was so emotional from this week that the tears fell anyway. In a way, I was almost glad to get today over with. At least I wouldn’t be sitting in anticipation of what might come.

  “Are you okay?” he demanded, pulling away from me.

  I nodded. “Yes, but he just scares the hell out of me. What do you think he’ll do?”

  A murderous look passed over Cale’s face at the thought of exactly what Sam might do, and I shivered.

  “He’ll never have the chance, Lia. I promise, the moment he tries anything, I’ll kill the son of a bitch,” he vowed. “You sure you don’t want me to pick you up this afternoon?”

  “Yeah, Anj is taking me to her house so we can get ready. Deion will be there, so I’ll be safe till you arrive,” I assured him.

  He looked uneasy but agreed that he would see me then.

  Leaning down, he kissed me on the lips. “I’ll see you soon, babe.”

  I sadly watched him walk away, already missing him.

  AFTER LEAVING A very vulnerable Lia at work, I slid the gun out from under the seat in my truck and tucked it into the waist of my pants. The drive to the address Dad had given me took no more than ten minutes from the bank. I arrived at a small home that was kept up in decent shape.

  There wasn’t a car in the driveway, so I got out and walked around the back. That door was locked, so I stuffed my fist into the sleeve of my jacket and knocked in one of the panes on the door, allowing me access to reach inside and unlock it. I drew the gun and slowly crept into the house. After doing a quick sweep of each room to make sure nobody was there, I began digging for information.

  The house barely looked lived in. There wasn’t anything in the house that was remotely useful in my investigation. I couldn’t find any filing cabinets, pictures, or documents. The house had furniture in it, but there were no clothes in the drawers or the closets. It was almost spooky. I finally gave up on yet another dead end and headed back to the truck.

  In a last-ditch effort, I peeked in the mailbox. I withdrew a neglected stack of mail. After sifting through many items addressed to Jose Juarez, I finally found a car payment bill for a Sam Vickerson. Bingo. I tossed everything else back in the mailbox before stuffing the bill in my jacket pocket and heading back to my house to continue my investigation.

  Once I was sitting in front of my laptop, I Googled Sam Vickerson. There was nothing on this guy. I expected an old Facebook page, a phone listing—something. The guy was a damn ghost. Realizing it was getting late, I decided to email the information to my dad so he could ask his friend to look into it.

  I had to park two driveways down from the address Lia had given me for the party since cars were already strewn about everywhere. I’d spent so much time researching Sam that I was running late to the party. But Lia was going to get a kick out of my costume when she saw it.

  When I made my way to the front door, I knocked and it burst open. Ike and Tina Turner were standing there looking very much the part. Laughing, I asked where Lia was.

  “Looking hot, Cale,” Anj—a.k.a. Tina—told me. “She’s around here somewhere. Last I saw, she was making herself a drink. The girl’s already had several. She was getting lit, worrying if you’d ever show up,” she laughed.

  “What’s she dressed as? I’ll never find her unless you tell me.”

  “Boyfriend, there is no way in hell you’ll miss her. Believe me!” she sassed at me and pulled Deion back into the throng of dancing people.

  Dammit. It was a fucking zoo in here. I should have gotten here earlier. My eyes began scanning the living room for her when my phone vibrated in my pocket.

  Lia: Hey, Cale. When are you going to get here? I miss you and can’t wait to see you in your costume. The drinks are great tonight!

  I rolled my eyes, realizing that she was giggly Lia, which meant drunk Lia. Looking towards the stairs from across the room, I saw her ascending them. The place was bouncing with loud dance music, so she’d never hear me from way over here. Her hair was curled in loose waves down her back. That perfectly round ass of hers was outlined in a tight white gown. She had a crown of leaves on her head and a gold band wrapped around her upper arm. I laughed at the irony. She was a fucking goddess.

  Me: I can see you. I always said you were a goddess and you proved me right. I’ll be with you soon. I just have to make it through this fucking crowd first.

  Lia: Grab a drink in the kitchen and meet me in the upstairs bedroom at the end of the hall. I’ll be waiting, lover boy. ;)

  Laughing at her text, I went into the kitchen to grab a drink.

  HE WAS HERE and I drove him wild with my costume just like I’d planned. It was kind of fun looking for him in the crowd. When he got in here, I was going to let him quickly fuck me and then we could go back to the party. There was something exciting and extremely erotic about the idea of making love in costume.

  When I heard the bedroom door open and close behind me, I smiled. He locked the door and came up behind me, wrapping his arms around me.

  “I’ve missed you,” I slurred slightly.

  His hands traveled up my stomach and caressed my breasts through the thin fabric of my gown, causing me to moan. One hand slid down to rub over my sex.

  “Oh, God. I want you so badly,” I whispered.

  One hand was pinching my nipple and the other was rubbing back and forth over my clit. Even though I was fully clothed, it was a crazy turn-on. Finally having had enough and needing skin-to-skin contact, I begged him, “Please fuck me.” I turned around and started to giggle when I realized that he was a damn football player—helmet and all. His face was painted completely black underneath making it difficult to see his normally handsome features. “Are you serious?” I laughed. “You couldn’t come up with anything better?”

  I missed him so much and couldn’t wait to get that damn helmet off him. However, my laughter died in my throat when he started to remove it. That was not the face of my sweet lover. No, the man who had been touching me was not Cale—he was Sam. I began to scream, but he covered my mouth with his hand and pushed
me onto the bed, falling with me. Frantically, I thrashed against him, but his strength overpowered my inebriated state. I started sobbing uncontrollably as he shoved my gown up over my hips.

  “God, I’ve wanted to do this for so long,” he growled into my ear.

  Muffled whimpers escaped my covered mouth and I felt tears pouring down my face as he ripped my panties away from my body. I kept squirming under his grip, but he was too strong.

  Still holding me down with one hand covering my mouth, he unbuckled his pants and pulled them down. “I fucking love you, Lia,” he murmured into my ear as he forced my legs apart with his knee. Finally finding a position that would allow him access, he poked my entrance, preparing to rape me. Terror consumed me as I tried like hell to not let him inside me.

  A loud crash made him pause, and I immediately felt relief when he was ripped away from my body. The fury of the angry god Zeus, my Cale, lashed out on him. Cale’s bare chest tightened as he launched toward Sam the football player, his fist in the air.

  Everything was happening in slow motion for me. I felt lightheaded—like I was going to pass out.

  Zeus was punching Sam the football player in the face over and over again. I could hear the sickening noise of flesh against flesh. Tina Turner was hovering over me, pulling a blanket to cover my body. Ike Turner was yanking Zeus off Sam the football player. Zeus was covered in blood and looking over at me with tears in his eyes.

  I was drunk and in shock. Everything went black.

  When I slowly came to, I realized that I was in Cale’s arms. His chest was bare and he was splattered with blood.

  “What kind of costume is this?” I asked him, still dazed.

  “Shh, honey. Don’t talk. You’re in shock right now. Did he hurt you?” he mumbled as a tear fell down his cheek.

  Why is he crying? I am so confused.

  And then, like a ton of bricks crashing down on me, I remembered. Sam had just attempted to rape me and gotten really close. Had Cale not come in at that exact moment, it would have been done. Comprehending the gravity of it all, I started to bawl my eyes out.

  Cale just stroked my hair, saying, “It’s okay now,” over and over as he repeatedly kissed my face.

  We hadn’t been sitting there for long when I heard a voice say, “Ma’am, we’d like to take your statement now.” It was an officer.

  “Where is he?” I questioned with my eyes still buried in Cale’s chest. I was terrified of seeing Sam again.

  “We have him in custody at the moment. An EMT is checking over his injuries right now. No worries though, ma’am. They’re outside,” he assured me.

  I sat up to look at the young officer. Being that it was Halloween and he was clearly new to the job, it almost appeared as if he’d dressed up as a cop. Cale wrapped his arms around me protectively. Anj sidled up next to me and put her hand on my leg to comfort me.

  After tearfully explaining to the officer the entire ordeal from the date last week to tonight’s attempted rape, I began to nod off sleepily. Cale pulled me closer and finished answering questions before the officer finally left.

  “Cale, hon, you and Lia should stay here tonight. She looks in no shape to travel anywhere,” Anj told him.

  Before he could answer her, I spoke up. “No, please. Cale, please take me back to your house. I can’t stay here!” I shrieked, feeling a panic attack forming at the thought of sleeping in the same bedroom I was almost raped in.

  Cale stood up and brought me to my feet in front of him. “I’ll take her home.”

  Anj and Deion exchanged sad glances but finally both nodded in agreement. As we left the room and passed through the house, I realized that everyone had gone home. I’d effectively ruined their party with my drama.

  I felt numb as Cale helped me into the truck. Staring out the window, I kept thinking over and over about what had almost happened. I began to sob again because I was utterly horrified of the fact that Sam had almost fully taken advantage of me. Thank God he was finally in custody. He could rot in hell for all I cared.

  WHILE I DROVE back to my place, I occasionally looked over at Lia. She was staring out the truck window, tears rolling down her face. I squeezed her hand and pulled it into my lap. She looked like a goddess that just came from battle. Her black makeup had run down her face. The red lipstick she was wearing was smeared over onto her cheek, where the motherfucker had tried to keep her mouth shut.

  Just thinking of the events from tonight had my blood boiling. I had just made a drink tonight when someone started asking me what I had dressed as. We’d been having a friendly conversation before I excused myself, eager to get to my goddess. When I got to the bedroom and heard her tearful whimpers through the door, I just knew he’d finally found her. The moment I realized it was him on the other side of the door with my Lia, I lost it and broke the damn door down trying to get to her.

  When I burst in and saw him holding her down with his pants at his ankles, I went crazy. I ripped him off her and pounded my fists into his face over and over again. He was going to fucking die by my hands. I would have smashed his face into a bloody fucking pulp, but Deion and another guy yanked me off of him. They dragged the asshole out of the room while I went to Lia. The shock had caused her to pass out, and I’d been sick with worry.

  Now that we were driving home, I was still worried. The asshole would be going to jail, but it didn’t change the fact that Lia had been assaulted and was borderline catatonic. I hoped that, when I got her home and showered, she would begin to pull out of this state she was in.

  After we parked in my driveway, I ran over to her side to help her out, leading her straight to the shower. Not sure if she wanted to shower alone or not, I started the water and turned to leave the bathroom.

  “Don’t leave me!” she shrieked, her hands trembling.

  “Okay, baby. I’m not going to leave you. Let’s get you clean,” I spoke softly to her.

  I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror and stilled. Blood was splattered all over my face and chest from when I’d beat the shit out of Sam. We definitely needed to shower because we both look like we’d been to hell and back.

  “Do you need help undressing?” I asked her tentatively.

  She shook her head and slipped off her dress. She was bare underneath, which caused me to feel rage at the thought of the ripped panties that had been taken for evidence by the police.

  Lia stepped into the shower, and after I dropped my toga, I followed. She stood under the hot water, not moving as it cascaded over her head and down her face. She just stared down, stone-faced. Carefully, I soaped up the loofa and began slowly washing her body for her. Next, I took the washcloth and wiped the makeup off her face. After pouring some shampoo into my hand, I started washing her hair, and for the first time since I’d seen her tonight, she briefly smiled at me.

  “Cale, you saved me,” she whispered. “Thank you.”

  “Babe, no need to thank me. I promised you I would take care of you, and it fucking kills me that I was almost too late…” I trailed off.

  Closing her eyes, she let the water run over her again. Quickly, I scrubbed the blood off my chest and face. She suddenly took the cloth from me and began rubbing it between her legs. With unexpected speed, she started scrubbing the hell out of that area. She was washing it so furiously that I thought she might hurt herself.

  “Lia, that’s enough. You’re clean now.” My voice was firm.

  When she ignored me and kept at it, I grabbed her hand and took the rag from her.

  “No!” she cried out, trying to snatch it back from me.

  I pulled her tight into my embrace to keep her still. She damn near collapsed as her body wildly convulsed while she wailed.

  “Shhh, babe. I have you now. You’re safe. Let’s get you to bed,” I told her as I shut off the water.

  When we got out, I reached for her towel, wrapped her up, and picked one up for myself. Slowly, I guided her into the bedroom and yanked the sheets ba
ck from my bed to where quickly she scrambled in. Climbing in after her, both of us still wrapped in our towels, I found the top of the covers and buried us underneath them.

  I placed my arm across her midsection and hauled her closer to me. Her sniffling was dying down as she gave in to her exhaustion. Snuggling as close to her as I could get, I kissed the back of her head and fell asleep as well.

  The morning light was shining in through the window as I watched Lia’s bare back rise and fall in a simple rhythm. I prayed that she would be better today. She had been through a terrifying trauma, and I wanted nothing more than for her to get past it.

  I reached over and stroked her back with my thumb. The pattern of her breathing changed indicating she’d woken up. She rolled over to face me so that our chests were pressed against each other. When she looked up at me, I couldn’t help going in for a long, deep kiss. One of her hands snaked up my body and she threaded her fingers through my hair with the other. I sucked her sweet lip into my mouth and nibbled. A needful moan escaped her.

  When my dick hardened between our bodies from the sexy sound, I felt her tense, instantly making me feel like an asshole. I started to withdraw from her, but she clutched onto me, wrenching me closer.

  “I love you.” Her words made my heart soar. She gazed into my eyes as her hand slipped down around my dick.

  “I love you too. You have no fucking idea how much I love you.” I hoped she could sense the honesty in my voice. As she began stroking my cock, I grew impossibly hard.

  “Baby, I need to forget last night. I have to erase his touch and fill it with yours. Please make love to me,” she begged with tears in her eyes.

  I could never deny her of anything she asked me.

  CALE STARED INTO my eyes for a moment before nodding and placing a kiss on my forehead. He was treating me like porcelain, and it was getting old quick. I pushed him onto his back, needing to feel in control. Straddling him, I began placing kisses all over his sculpted chest. Sucking his nipple into my mouth, I bit down and he groaned.