Vanguard Security

by S. J. Bishop

  “What do you mean?” He rested his hand on my thigh.

  “You’re up to something, I can tell.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, feigning innocence. Slowly, his hand crept further along my thigh, disappearing underneath my skirt. “Is it bad that I want to spend some time with my girlfriend?”

  As his hand got closer and closer to my panties, I found myself spreading my legs for him. I shivered with desire. It had been so long since we had spent the night together without the kids. My mind started to reel through all of the different things we could do. Some naughty and some romantic. If I was lucky, the night would consist of both.

  Suddenly, Franklin hooked his finger around the waistband of my panties. A second later, they were sitting on the dashboard. “Red. My favorite.” He mused, “Too bad you won’t be able to wear them again…” As he teased me with his words, his fingers started to dance along my pussy. He found my clit with ease, flicking it back and forth.

  I arched my back in pleasure, already moaning his name. “Franklin…”

  He smirked, one finger slipping inside my wet little hole. It started to pump in and out of me, starting off slow but quickly picking up the pace.

  By the time we pulled into the driveway, I was dripping wet.

  I looked at him as he slowly withdrew his finger and licked it clean. “Mmm, I can’t wait to taste you right from the source.” He winked before getting out of the car, rounding the hood, and opening my door. Before I could properly get out, he had already swept me off my feet. He cradled me against his chest and smiled down at me.

  “I hope you’re ready for a night you’ll never forget,” he whispered, leaning down so that our lips could collide.

  I held onto his hair, refusing to let go as our kiss intensified, growing hot and passionate. I was addicted to him, much like he was to me. His tongue slipped into my mouth, tangling with mine.

  Between my legs, my pussy quivered in desire. God, I wanted him. So bad.

  Effortlessly, he carried me into the house and up the stairs. It was only when we reached the bedroom that he broke away from the kiss.

  I gasped for air, about to kiss him once more when I noticed the rose petals leading up to the bed. The comforter was covered in them. Candles burned with a soft light. A bottle of champagne was being chilled in a bucket of ice. “How did you...?” I asked, trying to figure out how he could have set this all up when he had been in the office all day.

  “I have my ways…” he answered mysteriously. “And a good magician never reveals his secrets.”

  “Seriously… how’d you do this?” I pressed.

  He answered by throwing me onto the mattress. I bounced, landing with my legs spread and my pussy exposed.

  Franklin took his chance to pounce, spreading my legs even further, both hands on my thighs. Without an ounce of hesitation, he started to lap at my pussy. His tongue was rough and greedy. He ate me out as if he was addicted to the taste.

  I moaned, my head tilting back and my eyes rolling with pleasure. Wanting even more, I grabbed at his hair, shoving his head down so that his nose was pressed against me and the only thing he could do was keep working his tongue in and out of my pussy.

  The pleasure was intense, coursing through my whole body. It didn’t take long for me to near the edge. And I thought I would get there in record time, but at the very last second, Franklin pulled away.

  There was an animalistic hunger in his eyes as he unzipped his pants and freed his cock. Growling, he pinned my wrists above my head and plunged inside of me. Instantly, his thrusts were hard and fast, taking me by surprise. Usually, there was a bit of foreplay and buildup, but today, he had turned into an animal, taking what he wanted.

  I screamed, writhing underneath him as the pleasure seemed to explode inside of my every nerve ending. My heart drummed inside my chest, drowning out everything else. My toes curled. Just when I thought I would climax, he slowed down to an unbearable pace. I knew then that tonight would be one of torment. He was going to take me on a rollercoaster of pleasure, just to leave me wanting more.

  “Fuck… Franklin… don’t do this…” I pleaded with him.

  “What’s wrong, baby girl?” he whispered. “Don’t you like it?” He had my nipple between his fingers, rolling it back and forth. “Do you want me to stop?”

  “No!”

  “Good, because I plan on going at it all night long…” he whispered, his voice soft and seductive.

  I moaned, bucking my hips into the air for him.

  He chuckled and started up his killer pace once more. As he did so, he leaned down and kissed me, muffling my screams of pleasure. His cock filled my every inch, stretching my insides.

  This time, he didn’t stop. He kept pounding into me harder and harder until my climax washed over me like a flood. But even so, he still didn’t stop. He pushed me through another orgasm before finally filling me with his seed.

  He collapsed on top of me and smiled. “That was only the beginning…” he said before slipping out of my pussy and reaching for the champagne. He poured us both a glass and smiled. “To a long and happy life.”

  I clinked my glass against his and smiled, knowing that my life was about to start a new and exciting chapter.

  Ned

  Part 4

  1

  Ned

  Click, click, click.

  Ah, there’s nothing like the sound of a mechanical keyboard. There’s just something about the tactile feedback that soothes the soul, especially when it’s the only sound bouncing off the walls.

  Giving my fingers a break, I leaned back in my chair and cracked my knuckles. My eyes closed for a moment, making a mental list of all the things I still wanted to accomplish by the night’s end.

  Technically, I should have been out of the office hours ago, but right about 4:30, I had made a breakthrough in my code. If I could just debug everything, I could make sure our security was ironclad. It would be next to impossible for someone to hack into the database.

  But there was this one particular kink that was giving me a hard time.

  Trying to clear my mind, I got up, stretching my legs.

  HQ was a ghost-town at this time of the night, especially the tech department.

  Plus, with Cruz and Franklin away on a top-secret mission (somewhere in Korea -- both the exact location and goal had been unspecified in the briefing), no one bothered to work overtime. Well, no one but me.

  I was a nerd like that. Always was, always will be.

  You could say I’ve always had a thing for computers, ever since I was a little boy. They fascinated me, especially with all of the ways you could manipulate them. Sure, they were a machine, like any other, but at the same time, they could transform into just about anything.

  In a way, it was modern-day magic.

  And since I couldn’t be a wizard, being a computer geek was the next best thing.

  Rumble.

  My hand dropped to my stomach.

  I couldn’t remember the last time I had eaten something… lunch maybe? Had I even had breakfast?

  Rumble.

  “Alright, alright,” I mumbled to myself. “I guess we can go home and get something to eat…”

  Hesitantly, I saved my progress and turned off my computers. I didn’t need one of the new guys stumbling in and messing with my work.

  I chuckled.

  And to think, I had been the new guy just a few months ago, but now, I was in charge of cyber-operations. Well, at least until Franklin returned. Still, I was a big deal now.

  Ego inflated within me like a hot air balloon.

  Okay, Ned, don’t go off getting a big head now, I thought to myself.

  Knowing it was best to just leave before I persuaded myself into pulling an all-nighter, I grabbed my jacket and headed out the door, locking down HQ as per protocol.

  After I got home, I plopped in front of the TV, a takeout container of fried rice in hand. For the umptee
nth time, I tried to master the skill of using chopsticks, but it was a lost cause. I had watched YouTube tutorials. I had read the back of the wrapper. Hell, I had even gone to an authentic Chinese restaurant, just to try to learn how it was done. But it had been all to no avail.

  So I was stuck with using the flimsy plastic fork they’d tossed into the bag for guys like me.

  "This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill - the story ends, and you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill - you stay in Wonderland, and I will show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes."

  The Matrix was my go-to movie. There was just something about it that captured my imagination like nothing else. I swear, I could watch it on repeat until the day I die, and I still wouldn’t be bored of it. That’s what you call a true masterpiece.

  Suddenly, the movie was interrupted by a baby’s wail. It was loud and penetrating, managing to pierce through the otherwise thick, concrete walls.

  It was the first time I had heard anything coming from my next-door neighbor. I hadn’t even known that the apartment had been rented. Most of this condo building was vacant, unable to compete with the flats downtown.

  The crying continued, getting louder and louder.

  Maybe something was wrong…

  Still, it wasn’t my problem. Right?

  I turned up the volume on the TV, trying to enjoy my midnight dinner.

  Somehow, however, I could still hear the baby.

  Something was definitely wrong, and I was going to get to the bottom of it.

  I discarded the rest of my rice (it was disgusting, anyway) and walked down the hall to my neighbor’s door.

  For some reason, I hesitated. Realistically, I was in no position to advise someone on how to care for their child. I had been a bachelor all of my life. I didn’t know the first thing about raising a kid. Maybe it was normal for them to cry like this. I had no clue.

  Yet my gut told me that something was wrong, and it rarely led me astray. Well, except when it had convinced me that it was a good idea to get Chinese takeout at two in the morning.

  Knock, knock.

  The sound was deafening in the quiet halls of the complex.

  I waited, listening for footsteps. At first, there were none, but then I heard the muted sound of floorboards squeaking underneath a carpet.

  Whoever it was, they lingered at the door. I could see their shadow dancing along the gap.

  Of course, they weren’t going to answer the door at a whim. It was two in the morning, after all. Any sane person would be wary. So I stood there, a smile on my face, hoping I looked friendly enough.

  Although the longer I waited, the more I worried. My fingers ran through my messy hair. I probably should have made myself a bit more presentable before showing up at someone’s door…

  I was just about to turn back when the door opened, only a nudge.

  “Hello?” a soft, frightened voice called out.

  I peeked through the crack, offering a warm and harmless smile.

  To my surprise, I was met by a tired sight. The woman standing at the door looked ragged and worn. There were clear bags under her eyes, and the skin on her face looked taut, almost like it would tear at any moment. Her long hair fell down to her waist in unkempt tangles.

  She looked like she hadn’t slept in days.

  The baby kept crying.

  So maybe she hadn’t.

  2

  Stacey

  It was two in the morning. Missy had been fussy all day, crying and whimpering, no matter what I did to try to calm her down.

  I knew what was wrong, but there was no way for me to remedy it.

  She was hungry.

  And I didn’t have a single penny to my name. I had pawned off everything of value to take her to the doctor the week prior, and now, I was left with nothing.

  To make matters worse, I had stopped lactating. Without the proper nutrition, my body had just given up on my child.

  What was I supposed to do?

  And then, someone came knocking on my door.

  I hesitated, clutching Missy in my arms. Could it be him? Had he finally returned? My heart leaped with a flare of hope.

  Quickly, I rushed out of the bedroom, about to fly toward the door when I hesitated. Why was I running to the man who had abandoned me? Who had seen his daughter for the first time and had decided that would be the best time to leave?

  Tears sprung to my eyes.

  No. I wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

  So I placed Missy in her crib and tucked her in. For the first time, she quieted down, but I could tell by the way her tiny hands were balled into fists that it wouldn’t last long. “Shh…” I whispered, praying she would remain silent just long enough for him to think no one was home.

  Carefully, I tiptoed toward the door, peeking through the peephole. To my surprise, it wasn’t Emil. It was someone else. Someone I had never seen before.

  He stood with a straight posture and a bright smile. Despite the late hour, he looked chipper and wide awake.

  A part of me trusted him almost instantly. I don’t know, there was just something about him that seemed genuine. There wasn’t an ounce of malice in his eyes.

  Step away from the door, Stacey. Any man knocking at two in the morning is bound to be bad news. Think of Missy.

  The voice in the back of my head was right. I knew it was right. And yet, my fingers tightened around the doorknob, ready to twist it.

  What was I thinking? How could I possibly open the door to a complete stranger in the middle of the night? It didn’t make any sense. But deep down, I wanted to.

  So I did.

  I only opened the door a smidge, but it was enough. He looked at me with piercing blue eyes that left me feeling electrified. My skin tingled as goosebumps covered my arms from wrist to shoulder. Underneath my cheeks, a soft fire burned.

  What was this feeling?

  Who was this man?

  “Hello?” I called out, my voice shaking with uncertainty and my hand tight around the knob, just in case he tried something.

  Missy wailed.

  “Hello!” he answered, his smile brightening. “I don’t mean to be rude, but I couldn’t help but overhear your baby –”

  “Oh… I’m so sorry…” I frowned. “You must be the neighbor… I’m really sorry about her. She’s just been a little… fussy… lately.”

  “Oh! It’s not a problem. I don’t really sleep much anyway.” He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “I was just concerned that something was wrong. I mean, I don’t have any experience with kids… but… I don’t know, it seems like something’s wrong. Is everything alright?”

  I just stared at him, unsure of how to react. On one hand, I was surprised by his concern, but on the other, he was so awkward that it was a little off-putting. I couldn’t tell whether he was being sincere or not. “Um…”

  “I know it’s not really my place to say or do anything, but if you need help with something, just let me know. I’m not doing anything, save for watching The Matrix for the 156th time.” He announced this number with a self-satisfied look on his face, as if he were proud of such an ‘accomplishment’.

  Was this guy for real?

  Or was my neighbor just a nut case?

  Great, that was exactly what I needed, as if didn’t have enough problems already.

  “Miss…?” He tilted his head to the side. Doing so, a few loose strands fell out of his bun, framing his face. He was a little rough around the edges, but even so, I could tell he would clean up quite nicely if only he put the effort in. Not that I looked much better myself. The last time I had looked into the mirror, it was like staring at the Wicked Witch of the West.

  “Sorry… I’m alright.” I said, about to close the door when he stepped forward, a determined look in his eye.

  “Please. If there’s anything – anything – I can do…”

  I narrowe
d my eyes at him. He seemed a little too eager. “Why do you want to help me? You don’t even know me.”

  He rubbed the back of his neck again. “That’s true, but your baby has been crying for the past five minutes, and you look like you haven’t slept in three days. I just thought I would offer a helping hand. I know it seems strange, being two in the morning and all, but seriously, I’d like to help any way I can. That’s what being a good neighbor is all about, isn’t it?”

  I studied his face for a moment. Although reason was telling me to close the door and walk away, I desperately needed someone to talk to. I had been completely alone for the last two weeks – abandoned in this shitty little apartment.

  Maybe this man was my saving grace, about to stop me from falling into the pits of insanity.

  Hesitantly, I pulled back the door, letting him in.

  God, I hoped I wouldn’t regret this.

  3

  Ned

  Heh, I guess I’m not so scary after all.

  Slowly, I stepped into the woman’s apartment. She had the appearance of a small brown sparrow, and I feared that if I moved too quickly or made any sudden movements, she would fly away with fright.

  Once I was inside, she closed the door behind me, locking the latch. She lingered there, her eyes moving quickly, surveying the apartment. She was definitely afraid of something. But what?

  She didn’t say a word as she walked up to her baby’s crib, rocking it back and forth, trying to quell the baby’s cries.

  But still, the baby kept screaming.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked, standing beside her.

  She did not answer me. Instead, she looked down at her baby, sadness painting her face. The corners of her eyes began to water.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked again, trying to scrutinize the child, but this was foreign territory for me. The little form was red-faced and trembling, its hands curled into fists. It looked like it was in distress, but for all I knew, it probably just had a bad case of indigestion – I mean, that was enough to make anyone grumpy.