by Lauren Wood
“So, what should I do? Should I go back to Cambodia and try to find her? My damn sister is a pain in my ass. Why couldn’t she just come home?”
I was thinking the same thing, but we both knew why so it was really a rhetorical question. I knew that we wouldn’t have been able to change her mind. Even Carl had realized that from the get go, so it was safe to say that not much could have been done. I didn’t know if anything could be done now.
“No, I don’t think that’s going to help. I should have gotten Callie out at the same time. They offered to let Eve go and I just went with. She was my priority.”
“You did what I asked of you. I can’t thank you enough Stan. This isn’t your fault. You know how women are.”
I had to agree, and I was waiting for him to ask me to go and save her again. I didn’t want to offer because he didn’t need to know how much she meant to me or what had happened between us.
“I just wish I would have done more. Its not a safe place for a woman like her to be all alone. I know that she thinks she can take care of herself, but it’s dangerous.”
“What do you mean, like her?”
Alarm bells were going off, but the answer was out before I could really filter it.
“You know that your sister is beautiful Carl. It’s not like its not noticeable. Everywhere we went there, people couldn’t stop looking at her and that was with me and Callie with her. I don’t know what will happen when she is by herself.”
“I didn’t know that. Do you really think she is pretty?”
He was clueless to what his sister looked like and how people reacted to her because it was his sister. But I didn’t have that kind of hold back. I saw what was clearly right in front of me. I knew what men saw when they looked at her because it was the same thing that I saw as well. I was not immune to her in any sense of the word.
“Yes Carl, I hate to be the one to break it to you, but your sister is hot.”
Carl didn’t want to hear it and he told me so. I knew that I wouldn’t want to if I had a sister. Thank God that I didn’t.
“So, what should I do Stan?”
“You need to get her to get her ass back to the states.”
“I don’t know if I can go back there right now. I didn’t sleep for days after that plane ride.”
He was hinting around and that was enough for me to offer to go.
“I couldn’t ask that of you Stan. You’ve done too much as it is. Aren’t you busy as hell there?”
I was busy. I was always busy, but that was a problem for me. If I knew that Eve was MIA, I wasn’t going to be able to focus on what I needed to. Hell, just thinking about her in general made it hard to pay attention. Before I was the one that caught all the small details that would change a case. I was good at that, but now all I could think about Eve. She’d done something to my damn head. Debbie couldn’t even wipe it clean. She’d just became strange substitute that never really scratched the itch like I wanted.
“It’s no big deal Carl. I like to travel anyways, so it just gives me an excuse to get out of here for a while. It gets old, the same thing all the time.”
He thanked me and again I told him that it was no problem. I was looking forward to the trip for more than one reason. I got to see Eve again. The worry was out of my head because I knew that soon I would get to see her and have her in my arms once more.
Chapter 16
Eve
Cambodia was a place that grew on me quickly. I know that I was here temporarily to get Callie back, but I liked the slower pace and the people were nice. It was a far cry from my first couple of weeks here and the impression that I got.
Callie was calming down a bit, though I know that she was going through a different kind of hell in there. It seemed like her knowing that I was here and not leaving without her seemed to make her feel better. I hope it did anyways. It made me feel better about her being in there. I wanted to make a difference.
The hotel I had been staying in was quickly becoming a problem. Too many people recognized the hotel and me from the paper and curiosity got the best of them. I don’t know why I was so interesting to them, but I was taller than most and I stood out because of my white skin. No amount of tan was going to change that.
It meant that I had to move hotels and this time I didn’t get one with air conditioning. I was already wishing that I hadn’t changed that, but after a few days I was starting to get used to the feeling of being steamed all day.
After a week, I’d figured out one thing. I could get Callie out, but I was going to have to raise some funds to do it. Her conviction was boasted and now if she slipped out, it wouldn’t be that big of a deal. She had gotten what was coming to her as far as the public thought, so that meant I just had to come up with the cash.
It wasn’t as hard as I thought it was going to be. I was halfway there, but I was running out of ways to get money. I was about to do a round through my family and hers, though neither one of us had a rich uncle that would have been rather helpful right about now. Her brother might have some cash, but I doubted he would have enough.
I was on my way to the jail. After a couple of days, they let me come and go longer and out of the normal visiting times. I don’t know why, but the guards were much nicer now that I wasn’t a prisoner, though I still remember a few of them rather vividly and I wished that I didn’t.
Callie was waiting for me and she had a smile on her face which I was happy to see. I brought her the coffee that I’d bought on the way, as well as some sweet breads that she liked.
“I’m glad to see you Eve.”
She looked like she’d had a good night and I asked her how it was.
“I don’t know. I guess I’m getting used to the heat. I feel like I’m in an oven most of the time and we’re just so jammed into this place. There is no air, no windows, no fans. I finally got to sleep this morning, but it was hot again before I could get a few good hours. I will never underestimate air conditioning again.”
“Me either.”
I was thinking about the hotel, but at least there was a window to open and get a slight breeze from. It wasn’t much, but it was something. I could always go run a cool shower if it got too bad. Callie didn’t have any of them choices to make.
“These are so good.”
She was talking about the sweet breads. I didn’t care for them, but I did like the coffee that I’d found. It wasn’t like normal coffee I was used to with lots of cream and sugar, but it grew on me much like everything else in this place had done.
“You seem to be in a really good mood today. It even looks like they let you have a shower.”
That was a surprise since we were in here for longer than a week and one wasn’t even mentioned. It was more of a privilege that was used to keep the inmates in line.
“Well things are better here I guess. I’ve met some nice people and I’m starting to learn the language. One of the guards has been real nice to me. He…”
“Wait, he?” It was all starting to make sense and I couldn’t believe the smile that came over her face. Was she seriously dating one of the guards? It sure the hell looked like it from the way she was blushing. I was shocked, genuinely shocked by the way she was acting, but if I was honest I was relieved in a way.
If Callie was seeing a guard romantically, it meant that she would get better treatment and that made me feel better to think that she was. The place was hell, so anything to make it a little better would be something that was advisable. If she had someone on the inside to look out for her, it was just going to help me sleep a little better at night at the very least.
“So, who is it? Is it someone that I met when I was here?”
“I don’t think so. Qing works in a different part. I was transferred somewhere else when trial was up. I don’t go to the same place that we were held in. It’s a little better on this side.”
“Good, I’m glad. I’ve been so worried about you Callie. I’m still going to worry, but it makes m
e feel better to think that someone is here looking out for you. Do you like him for real or?” I didn’t know how to ask the question that was on my mind. I wanted to know if this was because she was trying to get protection, or had she really found love in such a strange place. I liked to think that it was the latter.
She confirmed it with another smile as she looked down. “I really like him. I know it hasn’t been long, but when you meet someone, and you just know. That’s how I feel. I feel like those movies say your supposed to. It’s super weird, isn’t it?”
I would have agreed that it was, but it didn’t matter. This was a rough thing to go through and anything to make it better was just that, better.
“Not really. If he is nice to you and treats you well, what more is there?”
“Well it would help if I wasn’t locked up and he wasn’t the one with the key.”
I giggled with her. “So, is he cute?”
She nodded that he was. “And he is very generous when it comes to making sure that I’m taken care of. I think I’ve been having the best sex of my life and I’m in jail. That doesn’t sound right, does it?”
I shrugged. “Whose counting?”
“No one I guess. How is it going on your end?”
“I’m halfway there in less than a week. It won’t be long Callie. I just need to raise a bit more. I’m about to hit the family up next. There is also a couple of programs back home that I’ve been looking into. The WIFI is better at this new hotel, so at least that’s a bonus.”
“That quick huh?”
Why did she say it like she wasn’t sure that it was going to be enough time? Like she wasn’t happy about the idea that I could have her out in a week or two?
“Yeah that quick. I figured that you would be happy about it.”
“I am, it’s just. I don’t know. Qing and I have really been hitting it off.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. What kind of spell had he put on her? He must have given her some great sex to make her talk this way.
“Well if you want to stay with him, get out and be with him in a regular way.”
She smiled, like she hadn’t thought of that and I had to shake my head in amazement. Callie was always running headlong into the unknown abyss and this was just another example of it. How well could they really know each other? But I was learning that how you felt about someone didn’t always make sense. How I felt about Stan was still a mystery to me.
“You’re right. I don’t know what I was thinking. I do want to get out, sleep on a real bed, but would you be so bummed if I stayed a bit longer?”
“Not at all Callie. I just want you to be out of here first.”
She agreed and we both talked about her new love. It was happening so fast, but the happiness was written all over her face and there was no way that it wasn’t visible when I looked at her. She was practically beaming.
The guard told us that we had to cut it short today. There were some officials coming in and they wanted everything to be going as it was written. I wasn’t supposed to be there, so I had to go.
“I will see you in the morning, okay? Any requests?”
“Find me hot chocolate or just chocolate of any kind. I think I’m about to start.”
“Got it. I will see you in the morning Callie. Don’t have too much fun in here.”
She laughed, and I just shook my head. Who would have thought that I would say that to her, about a place like this? It just didn’t make any sense.
Walking out of the jail, I decided that it was time to call my brother and see if I could hit him up for a loan. I’d exhausted my savings already, but he knew that I was good for it.
“Hey bro.”
“Damn Eve, I have been worried about you.”
“Don’t be. I told you I would be fine.’
“You haven’t answered your phone.”
“I had to get a new one. You wouldn’t not believe the roaming charges that they were trying to charge. There is no way I was going to keep paying it, so I switched carriers while I am here. Its not too bad. It actually flips.”
He didn’t find it funny and I could tell he was worried.
“Stan is already on his way over there. We thought you’d done something stupid and you were back in jail.”
I groaned inwardly. They must really think I’m an idiot. I won’t say that I hadn’t thought about it, but it was fleeting, and I knew there had to be a better way.
“What in the world did you send him back here for?”
“I didn’t. He offered.”
Even better.
Chapter 17
Stan
I was back here again. The airport was bustling, and I was already feeling the heat. If it was possible, it felt even hotter than the last time I was here. My hand was already loosening my tie to take it off. The jacket was hanging off my arm. I traveled light this time. I wasn’t going to need much. I was here to fix it and fast. The rest of the time I planned to spend with Eve. It was going to be just me and her, no one to get in the way of what came next.
The cabbie was taking me to the hotel that we’d stayed in before and I hoped that Eve would still be here. I worried a little about her, but at the same time, I didn’t feel like anything was wrong. I would have had a knot in my gut that wouldn’t go away. I didn’t have that.
When I got to the hotel and asked about Eve though, the knot did start to form. They said that she was gone and had been for almost a week now. I didn’t have an interpreter this time, but I did have this little program on my phone that was supposed to translate for me. I don’t know how well it really worked, but it seemed like I was getting the point across.
What I couldn’t get from the man behind the desk was where she was or an idea of where she would have gone. That’s what mattered, and he just kept shrugging his shoulders and nodding his head back and forth. He had no idea and I think I was getting a bit too worked up because he looked at me like I was intimidating him or something like that. I was doing nothing of the sort though. I just wanted answers. Where could Eve have went? It wasn’t like she could really hide away much here. She stuck out like a sore thumb.
I got back in the cab and sighed. I didn’t know what to do and he asked me twice where to next. I didn’t know where to go. I was out of ideas and I was about to tell him t o a hotel for the night when my phone rang.
“Are you back?”
I didn’t recognize the number when I answered, but I did recognize the voice on the other side of the phone.
“Where are you?”
“At the hotel. Where are you?”
“In Cambodia.”
She sighed loudly on the phone and I smiled to myself. She was okay. All was well.
“Tell me where you are so I can come to you.”
She rattled off an address that I gave to the driver and I told her I would be there soon. I didn’t say anything else, but goodbye and hung up. I didn’t realize how much I wanted to see her until just now. I was practically shaking inside because I wanted to be with her so badly. She was the itch that I couldn’t get to and now that I was here, there was no sense in prolonging it any further. She was going to be mine and I was going to take her from this place once and for all.
The cabbie couldn’t have driven fast enough for me, and he was already driving a little reckless for my taste. I wanted to get there, but I also wanted to get there in one piece. When he stopped, I paid him well and told him that I wouldn’t be needing him again that night. We had a lot to talk about and a lot to do. I didn’t plan to leave her room or her bed tonight.
He asked if I would need him tomorrow and I said I would. He gave me his number and I told him I would call him when I needed him. My mind was on other things tonight. Tomorrow we could worry about Callie and getting them both out of here. Tonight, I was worried about me and Eve getting reacquainted in the right way.
I walked into the hotel and it was a little rougher than the one before. I didn’t know how she was
doing for money, but I didn’t like her here. Tomorrow we would find something better, but it would work for what I had in mind tonight. I hadn’t seen her in a while, though I knew that she was going to be up for it.
She answered the door and I smiled at her. She was looking good and happened to be wearing the dress I had bought her when I was here last time. It was revealing, and it made me wonder if she had been walking around today like that.
“Are you going to invite me in?”
She shook her head and asked me if I was going to lecture her.
“That’s not at all what I had in mind.”
“Well tell me what you had in mind.”
“I would much rather show you.”
Eve was trying to be serious, but I could see the corners of her mouth tugging upwards and I knew that I was right to think that she would be receptive to me seeing her. Her body moved out of the way and to the side behind the door, so I could come in and she closed it behind me.
“I’ve missed you Stan.”
The smile was devastating to my senses, as was the small voice that she said it in.
“I’ve missed you. I really hoped that you would take me up on my offer in Chicago. You’re stubborn.”
She nodded her head and agreed as she walked towards the bed. Her hands were undoing the tie around her waist and she looked back at me with a grin that took my breath away.
“So, are you here to save me again Stan?”
I told her that I wasn’t. “No baby, I’m here to fuck you.”
Eve shivered as I moved to pull her into my arms. Her dress was open in the front, but her heaving chest caught both sides and her nipples and tits were still not in my view.
“That’s such a dirty word.”
“I know, but what we do is dirty.”
Eve didn’t answer me. Instead she went to her tip toes to get a kiss and she moaned into my mouth as our tongues met. I missed the taste of her and the fire that it started in my loins. There was no substitute for the real thing.
“You’re like a drug Eve. I can’t get enough of you and all I have thought about was you since I left. What the hell have you done to me?”
