Thrasher

by K. S. Smith

  Before she could answer, the two biggest men in the group ripped our doors opened and yanked us out of the car. I tried to break loose, but before I could, my captor had already let me go and yelled back to the other guys. “Shit, they’re girls.”

  I looked at each of the men who still had their guns drawn on Megan and me, locking eyes with Duke last. I could hear Megan arguing with the guy who’d pulled her out of the car, but it was muffled.

  Then I heard Duke’s voice yell, “Lower your weapons, now!”

  My body instantly went into a state of shock, and I gripped the side of the car to keep myself erect. Footsteps thumped the pavement, growing louder as they ran toward me, and before I could see what was going on, a body crashed into mine, engulfing me into a tight embrace. The smell of a familiar cologne filled my nose, and I knew it was Duke holding me. My body trembled with fear as he slipped his arm around my waist as he led me toward the building. He yelled over his shoulder, directing one of the other guys to bring Megan inside as well.

  I watched, still in shock, as he opened the door to the warehouse and pulled me in before setting me on top of a messy desk. Another man took Megan and placed her in a seat across the room.

  Duke’s hands rested on my waist. “Brie, talk to me. Are you okay?”

  His words were ringing through my ears, plain as day, but my mouth wouldn’t produce a response. Instead, I sat there staring at him for what seemed like hours. When one of the other guys came over and tried to hand me a bottled water, I snapped out of it and went directly into fight mode.

  I jumped off the desk and slapped Duke across the face with as much force as I could possibly conjure up. “Have you lost your damn mind?” I screamed. He backed up, rubbing his cheek, and I continued. “How dare you and your group of mercenaries, or whatever it is they are, pull guns on me and my best friend. What in the hell is wrong with you?”

  He reached his arms out toward me, and I swiftly pushed them away. “Don’t touch me!” I yelled, scanning the room for Megan who’d already forgotten about the incident and was batting her eyelashes at one of the guys.

  “Clear out. I need to talk to Brie.” His words were loud and demanding, causing the guys to follow his orders, taking Megan with them as they exited a door different from the one we’d entered.

  Duke grabbed me, one arm around my waist, the other delicately holding the side of my neck so I couldn’t look away. “Brie, listen to me, please.”

  I closed my eyes to avoid his stare, and he rested his head against my forehead, letting out a loud sigh. “I had no idea it was you and Megan in that car. How in the hell did you even find out I was here? This location is listed as an abandoned warehouse.”

  My eyes flew open, and I responded, irritated. “I don’t know. Megan probably got your information from her brother. He’s in the CIA, and she always uses him to help her when she plays detective.”

  Rubbing his hands over his face, he sighed again. “What are you doing here? I swear to all that’s holy if you would have been hurt today, I would have never forgiven myself, not to mention your father would have killed me.”

  Finally able to relax, I let out a tiny laugh. “You have no idea, but what the hell, Duke? Why in the world are you all suited up with guns? What kind of job do you have?”

  A grimace took over his face before he spoke. “I know you want answers, and after what just happened, you deserve them, but I can’t risk the safety of the guys, myself included, to fill you in on what we do. It’s not as dangerous as it looks, trust me.”

  I rolled my eyes at his response as I rested back against the desk and crossed my arms over my chest. “Oh, give me a break. If it wasn’t that dangerous, you all wouldn’t have come crashing out of the building, guns blazing, acting like you were ready to put a bullet through both of our heads.”

  His fists clenched at his sides as his jaw tightened. “Look, I can’t give you the details. Me and the guys are in private security, not your typical rent-a-cop shit. We deal with very high end clients and do whatever it takes to get the task executed. If you are going to be involved in my life, you have to realize that I can’t tell you everything. In fact, I can’t tell you most things. Our job is to protect without knowledge. Most of the people we are hired to protect don’t even know we exist, and we have to keep it that way.”

  I tried to process his words as I began to think inwardly. Of course, his entire life is one big secret. Why would his job be any different?

  I pushed off the desk and slowly walked toward Duke, forcing myself directly into his personal space.

  His eyes glanced down at me, unsure of what I was getting ready to do.

  I hesitated for a moment before I took my hands and rested them gently on his hips, slipping my fingers through his belt loops. I gave him a seductive grin and whispered just enough so the two of us would hear, “So tell me, how involved in your life do you imagine I’ll be?”

  His tongue darted out of his mouth, dampening his lips, while his arms wrapped snugly around my waist. “Knowing it’s not a good idea my response should be ‘not very,’ but not giving a shit at this point, I’d say ‘as involved as you’re willing to be.’”

  A grin spread across my face as I cocked my head to the side. I began playing with his response, moving my fingers from his belt loops, gently gliding them up the front of his black vest, and lacing them behind his neck. “Too involved?” I questioned teasingly.

  His grin was growing as he shook his head. “Nope.” He winked.

  Molding my body to his, I pulled at his neck while pushing up on my tiptoes, meeting the spot right underneath his ear with my lips. I lingered there for a moment and then placed several featherlight kisses along his neck. A hushed moan escaped his lips as I skimmed my teeth across his earlobe. “Too involved?” I whispered again.

  His arms squeezed me tighter, and he answered, “Not yet.”

  I moved from his neck and pulled back so I could focus on his face for a moment. His green eyes hooded with desire. Caressing the nape of his neck with both hands, I brought his face as close to mine as I could possibly get it.

  His eyes were burning into mine with raw passion, and before I could change my mind, I pressed my lips to his, taking his mouth in its entirety. It’d only been three days since he’d mysteriously appeared into my life, but it felt like I’d waited a lifetime to finally taste his mouth. I couldn’t help it as I pushed my tongue past his lips, a low growl escaping his throat.

  He met my tongue with his, and together they danced a beautiful ballet before I pulled back, taking the breath I’d forgotten while kissing him. My chest rose up and down quickly as I peered up at him. “Too involved?” I asked for a third time.

  A smirk took over his face. “I’m not sure. We may have to re-enact that in order to come to a firm conclusion.”

  Laughing loudly, I gripped the shoulder straps of his black bulletproof vest and shoved his massive frame up against the wall.

  He instinctively grabbed my ass with his bare hands, and in one quick swoop had me lifted up, legs wrapped around his waist, as his lips took mine with a force I’d never felt before.

  My insides heated all the way to the core. His tongue thrashed around my mouth, and I could feel the pleasure that his newfound touch evoked from my body.

  “Too involved?” he asked in between kisses, turning the tables on me.

  I pulled away slightly and smiled down at his perfect face, lips swollen from our exchange. “Not at all.”

  On that note, he lightly kissed my lips one last time before setting me back down on the ground. “Good.”

  And like clockwork, the other guys came back into the room just as we finished, Megan squished between the five of them. I couldn’t help but stare at the group as I reached up and lightly ran my fingers over my lips. “So, Megan, I think it’s probably a good time to go. What do you think?”

  She looked up at the guy on her left. He shrugged, and the smile on her face told me it wouldn’t
be the last time she saw him. “Sure.” Her body swayed as she sauntered over to me, laced her arm through mine, and pulled me toward the door we’d come in. “Bye, guys. It’s been fun.”

  I rolled my eyes and waved. “Yes, thank you for not killing us.”

  They all let out boisterously loud laughs before saying goodbye in unison. Duke followed Megan and me to the car. He opened her door first.

  “Why, thank you, G.I. Joe,” she remarked, chuckling at his gesture.

  He nodded and closed the door once she was seated inside. Then he approached my side of the car and placed both hands on my hips. “Call next time before showing up. We all know who is scheduled to come in and out of this building, and when someone pulls in who isn’t expected… well, you saw firsthand what can happen.”

  I nodded and reached for the door. His hand stopped mine from lifting the handle. “I’ll call you later on tonight,” he said before leaning in and kissing my cheek quickly and allowing me to settle inside of the car.

  Megan put the shifter in drive, took off, and delivered me back to my house in record time.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  I woke out of a deep sleep to a ringing cell phone, checking the clock before answering. Half-past midnight. “Hello.”

  Duke’s voice came through the speaker. “Did I wake you?”

  Not wanting him to know I’d already fallen asleep, I did my best to sound wide awake. “No, I was just watching TV.”

  Instantly, I heard laughter in his response. “You’re a terrible liar. Feel like company?”

  I smiled into the phone. “Yes, please.” And just as quickly as I’d answered, the phone call ended, only to be followed by the sound of the doorbell. I climbed out of bed and pulled my silk robe around my shoulders as I scurried down the stairs. I made a quick stop to check myself in the hallway mirror before opening the door.

  Duke stood there, eyes glistening in the moonlight, in a pair of cargo shorts, flips flops, and a dark grey Under Armour sweater.

  I quickly reached for his hand and pulled him into the house. “It’s freezing. Get inside.”

  He followed me up the stairs and into my bedroom, then pulled the door closed behind him and locked it like he’d done the night before.

  “Paranoid?” I asked teasingly.

  He shook his head. “It’s just a habit.”

  As I approached my bed, I quickly remembered my sleeping attire was a bit different than what I’d worn to bed the previous night as I’d had no plans for company.

  Suddenly nervous, I began to fidget with my robe before I glanced up at Duke and then back to my bed.

  I suppose he could tell where my mind was by his response. “Want me to close my eyes?”

  I laughed nervously at his remark and nodded. “No peeking.”

  His hands went to his eyes, allowing me to slip my robe off and climb into bed.

  I pulled the covers up to my chin so my barely-there silk nighty wasn’t exposed. “Okay, all clear.”

  He grinned and then dropped his hands down to the bottom of his sweater. In one quick swoop, he was standing before me, chest fully exposed.

  I drew in a breath before speaking. “Peeking permitted tonight?”

  His fingers undid the button of his cargo shorts, and he let them slip to the ground. Now standing there in nothing but a pair of boxers, his V muscles fully exposed for my enjoyment, “Looks like it” he replied before climbing into my huge bed. His warmth instantly radiating toward me as he slipped under the covers.

  Goosebumps took over my skin at the touch of his frigid hands, “Your hands are like ice.”

  Duke hooked his arm around me and tugged my body toward his as I snuggled up in the crook of his arm. His fingers trailed my back over the silk nighty. “These seem a little more fancy than last night’s pajamas. You have company before me?” he asked jokingly.

  I couldn’t help but get excited at the possibility of him being jealous when I formed my response. “Yeah, six or seven different guys. In fact, you just missed the last one. He slipped out of the window on my way down the stairs to let you in.”

  Duke took in a deep breath and then exhaled, and before I knew it he’d rolled our bodies so he was hovering over me. His arm muscles bulged on each side of my face while his serious eyes peered into mine. “I don’t share, Brie. You need to know that from the get go. It’s all or nothing with me. You understand?” His tone was menacing, but I couldn’t help the laughter that escaped my throat.

  I slowly reached up around his neck, pulled his face down toward mine, and lightly placed a gentle kiss on his lips. “Don’t you think it’s a little early to be staking your claim on me?”

  His eyes grew darker at my comment, and his next words were harsh. “I’m not staking my claim. I’m stating a fact. When the time comes, I just want to make sure you understand my rules. I don’t give second chances. Like I said, it’s all or nothing.”

  I kissed his lips again and pushed his body off me so he was once again at my side, snuggled up next to me. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get there. For now, I just want you to stay the night with me so I’m not alone in this big house.”

  He groaned into my ear as his arms wrapped tightly around my tiny frame, and I quickly drifted off to sleep.

  My alarm clock went off at exactly five in the morning, and I rolled over in bed to shut it off, noticing Duke was no longer lying next to me. I scanned the empty room in search of a sign of his presence, when I noticed a note on my nightstand.

  Early morning at work. Will call you later.

  -DT

  I climbed out of bed and tossed on my running gear then headed downstairs toward Bayshore for my morning run, where I met up with my Monday-through-Friday usuals. Twenty years of running the same course at the same time, I’d become friends with the regulars, and we’d all chat along the route at some point during our morning routine.

  As I caught up to one of my favorites, I fell into place right next to my father’s college roommate, Henry. “Morning, Henry. How was your weekend?” I asked, slowing my pace to continue running alongside him.

  He smiled over at me. “Great. I was actually with your parents yesterday at the benefit in Tallahassee.”

  My thoughts escaped my mouth. “Must be nice. You’ve actually seen them more this month than I have. I’m happy my dad loves his job, but it comes at a price for all of us. Mom doesn’t care because she is just as busy as he, and the same goes for my brother. You know how it is for the girls. We’re expected to graduate college and then come home and frolic around the Yacht Club until we find a suitor that our fathers approve of.”

  Of course, Henry defended his best friend. “Now, Brie. You know your father would love to spend more time with you. He is just an extremely busy man. And as for frolicking around the Yacht Club, that’s just the way it’s always been. Your family lives in an elite society where the men still take care of the women. It’s been like that for as long as I can remember and will continue to be that way long after I’m gone. You’ve always been independent, but one day you’ll have to settle down and be a wife, a mother. You don’t want to have to juggle all of that on top of a full-time job. Your time will come. Enjoy Tampa Prep. I’ve heard nothing but wonderful things about your teaching, but just remember, one day you’ll follow in your mother’s footsteps. And who knows? Maybe you’ll be on the arm of our future governor.”

  I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at his old southern mentality as I waved, needing an escape. “Alright, Henry, I’ll see you tomorrow.” My runs were usually relaxing, but my conversation with Henry was a buzzkill. I loved the life my parents provided for me. It was all I’d ever known, but sometimes the expectations came at a price.

  ****

  Upon pulling into the parking lot of the school, I reached for my things and began my walk to my classroom. Occasionally along the way, a student or teacher stopped to say good morning and ask how my vacation had been. My classroom door was wide open, and when I steppe
d in, I was greeted by Megan, who was sitting behind my desk eating her breakfast of choice: a cranberry bagel with enough cream cheese to feed a small country. How in the world she kept herself in such great shape was beyond me. She was blessed to be one of those women who could eat whatever she wanted and still resemble a goddess.

  “Morning, sunshine!” she shouted across the room.

  I smiled back at her and tossed my things onto my desk. “Good morning to you. Do anything exciting last night?”

  Before she had time to answer, we were interrupted by one of my seniors, who walked in carrying a huge bouquet of red roses. “Ms. Tate, I looked for you in your classroom, but you weren’t there, so I figured I would find you in Ms. Hamilton’s room. These flowers were just delivered to the front office for you.”

  Megan leapt out of my chair, rushed over to the student, and pulled the vase from his hands. She hurried back over to my desk and set it down then swiped the card right off the holder and tore it open. A huge smile took over her face, and her cheeks began to flush bright red.

  She peered over the roses and handed the card to me. I read the message out loud. “’There’s nothing better than a woman on top. Let’s do that again, soon. —Tripp’”

  My jaw dropped, and Megan fell into my chair, laughing hysterically.

  “I take it last night was very eventful?” I asked curiously.

  She nodded just as the school bell rang. “Saved by the bell. We’ll chat over lunch.” And on that note she scooped up her bouquet of flowers and scurried toward the door as my students began filtering in.

  It was our first day back after Christmas vacation, so there was not much time for Megan and me to catch up over lunch. She’d been busy with a few students who’d needed extra help on an upcoming project, and I’d gotten caught up on the phone with one of my father’s aides, planning the spring break, senior-class trip to Tallahassee.

  The first day back after a vacation was always the hardest, which was why the younger teachers always went out for drinks afterward.