by Ford, Mia
“Alright, since you said the magic word.”
With that I climbed on top of him, quickly lowering my soaking wet muffin onto his raging, hard member. He slid in easily through the pool of wetness. I instantly began to grow tighter wrapping tightly around his huge prong, not letting the girth slow me down. I wanted to come so badly. My whole body was on fire with it.
My thighs were burning but I would not let up my relentless pulsating, bouncing up and down on Joe, balancing my weight by placing my hand on his muscular shoulder. It wasn’t long before we were both getting pretty spent, but we held on stubbornly knowing that it was going to be worth the payoff.
And it was.
My orgasm came a split second before his did setting off an almost simultaneous earthquake of body shaking and insanity laced writhing and grinding. I refused to stop moving up and down, even though my body had long given up the idea. I wanted to get as much of him inside of me as I could and I never wanted to stop.
And as long as I had a say in the matter, I never would.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Joe
“Anyway,” I said. “Unfortunately, I didn’t see anything of any value in the crime scene photos. At least nothing that would exonerate Ronnie.”
I shoved another fork full of pancakes into my mouth and took a big gulp of coffee. Wow, that was a good combo. I’d just finished telling Gina about my interview with Detective Beck. So far we’d managed to go the whole weekend without talking about the case.
But it was time to start getting back to the real world.
“Damn,” Gina said. “Well, I guess we are back to square one.”
“Hey, you ever see Ronnie chew gum? Or rather a specific type of gum called Black Jack? I’m not sure I’ve even heard of it,” I asked. For some reason that had stuck in my mind. It was weird. There had to be something to it.
“Black Jack?” Gina asked excitedly.
“Yeah,” I replied. “Why?”
“Victor Silas was chewing Black Jack gum when he confronted me the other day. He opened a piece, and dropped the wrapper on the ground. It was weird to me, too.”
“That’s something, but it isn’t anything that a judge wouldn’t laugh at.”
“No, but maybe it will give them a reason to at least question Victor,” Gina said. “Couldn’t you call Beck and ask him to pull you that favor?”
“It’s worth a shot but I think Beck is done doing me favors,” I said. “We didn’t end on such a friendly note last time.”
Gina’s phone rang just then vibrating the table. She glanced at the Call ID and answered after mouthing the word “Janie” at me.
“Hey,” Gina said.
I tuned out for a moment trying to give her some privacy, but she stayed seated at the table.
“No, I’m not going to divulge where I am but I’m safe, I assure you,” Gina said. “I just needed to get away for a few days. Joe is with me.”
I smiled and poured more syrup on my pancakes.
“No, nothing,” Gina said. “Joe looked them over. There isn’t any new information.”
I hated hearing the despondence and uncertainty in Gina’s voice. We didn’t have much time to find anything else that might be useful in Ronnie’s case. And it was obvious if we were going to find a break then we had to be the ones to find it. The police and even Ronnie’s lawyer were all pretty much up in the air on the whole thing.
“That’s great,” Gina said. Then she turned to me. “Joe, did you remember seeing anything in the reports you looked at about a positive or negative test for gun residue on Ronnie’s hands?”
I thought for a moment.
“No, but I’m sure they did a test. It’s basic forensics, right? I mean the ballistics matched,” I replied. But as I thought a few more minutes I could not for the life of me decide if that particular test had been done. Was it possible that the forensics had made that big of an error?
Or just that they didn’t see the need to waste the time or resources on a test for such an open and shut case.
I grabbed my phone and called Beck. He was going to do me another favor whether he liked it or not.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Gina
“So how long until we have the results?” I asked nervously. I was practically about to wet my pants. I couldn’t recall a time when I’d been so desperately nervous.
“It should be any time,” Beck said casually. “I told them to put a rush on it and call me directly. I had to pull in a few favors, but certain debts that are owed eventually have to be paid.”
Beck sounded very proud of himself.
The moment that Joe called Beck and asked him point blank if the gun residue test had been conducted I knew it hadn’t been. It was such a basic forensics goof up that no one in a million years would have guessed that they didn’t do it.
Beck was fit to be tied when he contacted the forensics lab and discovered that nothing had been done of the sort. When Beck called back, Joe said he was visibly upset and sounded like he was ready to wring someone a new orifice to pee out of.
The next day they brought Victor Silas in to have his hands checked for gun residue. Apparently it stays on the skin for weeks afterwards unless you wash your hands thoroughly with alcohol. I could never thank Janie, my forensics college student best friend in the whole world for her brilliant suggestion. It almost felt like some kind of miracle.
Beck didn’t really have enough to bring Victor Silas in and force him to submit to the residue test, but thanks to the coincidence about the gum wrapper, he did. Apparently Victor had been a wild kid and started getting into trouble at the age of twelve. His juvenile records were sealed, but Beck had several people who owed him favors he was cashing in. Victor’s prints were on file. They matched the prints on the gum wrapper at the crime scene. That put him there. If the gun residue matched then that was all she wrote.
“God, I can’t breathe,” I said.
Joe reached out and held my hand. “It’s all going to be alright. We know how this is going to turn out.”
“I know,” I said.
I knew my brother was innocent. But I couldn’t shake the idea that something would somehow go wrong and that the residue test wouldn’t work. What if it was worn off Victor? What if some of it had splattered onto Ronnie? There were just too many “what if” questions up in the air. I felt sick.
The phone rang on Beck’s desk.
He answered it slowly. Was he trying to mess with me? Or was that just his natural, slow, gruff demeanor?
“Yes,” Beck said. “Those are the final results?”
Beck paused a moment.
“Ok, thanks,” he said hanging up the phone gently.
“There was no gun residue found on Ronnie’s hands,” Beck said with a huge smile.
“Yes!” I shouted leaping from my chair and throwing my arms around Joe’s neck.
Beck was grinning ear to ear now.
“And the residue was all over Victor Silas’s hands,” Beck said.
Joe picked me up in a giant hug and held me close. He looked deep in my eyes and kissed me sweetly.
“I told you it would all be just fine,” he whispered.
Through teary eyes I replied softly, “I know. I know.”
I hoped Joe would always tell me that. And that he would always be so right.
Chapter Thirty
Joe
“Now this is a celebration!” I shouted before cranking the stereo even louder. I wasn’t sure the neighbors would mind too much, but if they did we’d invite them over for some beer, too. This was something that was long overdue and much needed.
I couldn’t believe it had been a whole week since Ronnie was released from jail. He was free. All of the charges had been dropped against him and there would be no blemishes on his record. He was a free man and he was able to go back to his life
“Damn right!” Ronnie shouted before grabbing two bottles of beer, slamming the caps off and chugging both of them at the same
time. He probably spilled at least one beer’s worth all over his chest, which kind of defeated the purpose, but it was still cool as hell to look at. Ronnie was happy as could be and I was happy for him. My friend was back.
Ronnie and Gina’s mother, some cousins, their aunts, and uncles, plus a bunch of friends had come over to Ronnie’s house to celebrate with us that night. So far everything was perfect. Victor Silas and two of his other Cobra members were going to jail and Beck was pretty sure he could pump at least one of them for some kind of a lesser sentence to shut down a good portion of their activity in the area.
Being the kind of guys they were, they would talk eventually.
I had to admit that Beck had really come through for us. He didn’t have to do what he did. Everything was set in motion and he could have just told us to piss off, but he didn’t. He hung in there and made sure that justice was done. My uncle Bob would have been damn proud of the cop that Beck became.
When I thanked Beck for everything, he just smiled and said, “Tell your uncle I had a great teacher.”
“Wow, this is awesome! I’ve never seen Ronnie so happy,” Gina said sidling up beside me and putting her arm around my waste.
I kissed her softly and held her closely.
“Yeah, well he has every reason to be. Something like that will give your life focus in a heartbeat,” I said.
Speaking of which, as I looked over at Gina I realized that my own life had come into focus recently. I knew exactly where my future lay and what path I wanted to follow. I’d known for a while, but I wasn’t sure until earlier that day that I was following the right train of thought. But holding Gina there in my arms surrounded by family and friends, I knew exactly what felt right and that I’d made the right decision earlier in the week.
I had waited for the right time all evening and I felt that it was right now.
I turned the stereo off for a moment and stood up on a chair to get everyone’s attention.
“Everybody, I have an announcement to make,” I said loudly. My eyes began to scan the crowd trying to gauge the response this interruption was having on the group in front of me. I’d never been great at public speaking, but practice makes perfect I guess.
Gina was looking up at me with a dazed expression. She was genuinely curious and I could see a bit nervous in her eyes. She was a smart woman; I’m sure she had an idea about what was going on. Still it was fun to leave her guessing for a moment.
“Thank you for your attention,” I said. “Now, anyone who knows me has always known me as a guy who was focused on my goals and my dreams. I’ve always had that blind ambition. It’s blind because I am immune to everything else going on around me, and often that included other people.”
I paused a moment and let that sink in, but mostly I was gearing up sfor the biggest part of my somewhat prepared speech.
“Now,” I continued. “Recently Gina Breyer and I became an item.”
The crowd applauded loudly and I waited for them to stop.
“Thank you,” I said. “And my priorities have shifted, much to the surprise of many people. Now, Gina I love you with all my heart and soul. I can never imagine or even entertain the thought of my life not having you right by my side for the rest of my days on this earth.”
I took a deep breath.
“And if you will do me the honor of making the me the happiest man on Earth… by becoming my wife.”
The crowd erupted. Everyone started cheering and jumping up and down. I glanced over at Ronnie who was standing there with a big smile on his face.
I waited a moment for the crowd to die down before I hopped down off the chair, got down on one knee, pulled the ring from my pocket, and opened it for Gina to see.
“Well, Gina, will you marry me?” I asked.
The tears of joy in Gina’s eyes said it all, but I patiently waited for her to get her bearings so that she could say the words, “Yes, I’ll marry you!”
I took a deep breath trying to hide away my own tears welling up in my eyes. It wasn’t like me to get emotional, but this woman touched something deep inside of me that I doubt anyone in the world could touch.
I placed the ring on her finger, stood up, and swept Gina up in my arms.
“I love you!” I said in her ear.
“I love you, more!” She said right back to me.
As I kissed her sweetly on the lips and held her close I couldn’t help but think back to all of the times when I had actually been lonely, but didn’t realize it. I’d been chasing a dream that I thought would make me truly happy, but really only had superficial results.
This was it. This was what true happiness felt like.
“Congratulations, you two!”
Ronnie’s voice came behind me.
“Thanks, man!” I said.
“Thank you!” Ronnie replied. “I owe you both my life!”
“Well, you could repay me by being my best man,” I said.
Ronnie smiled. “What are best friends for?”
I shook my friend’s hand and held it high.
This. This is what best friends are for.
31
Sneak Peak: Come for Me
She left me. Married another man and ripped my heart out.
Now she’s back and begging for my help.
No way am I getting involved. Except I already am.
Savannah.
Her name still makes my head buzz.
We were in love, or so I thought.
But she broke my heart.
I made the army my home and tried to forget her fresh floral scent.
Her heart-pounding beauty.
The fool who stole her from me.
I thought I’d succeeded.
Until I got the call.
“Jayden, I need your help.”
What could I say?
It’s been years since Savannah begged me for anything.
Her child is missing.
The cops think he’s dead.
Her husband thinks she’s depressed. Crazy.
Maybe she is.
I won’t stop until I find out the truth.
The man who stole her son will pay.
And just maybe Savannah and I can fix what we used to have.
* * *
Savannah
Panic coils through my body like a bitter snake, I can feel it creeping through my veins, working its way over my stomach, in my intestines, surrounding my heart… it’s changing me, wrecking my insides, tearing me to shreds. A scream starts in the pit of my belly and it works up through my chest until it explodes past my lips.
“Where is he?” I demand. “Where the hell is he? Where’s Peter? Why can’t I find him?”
“Shh, shh, shh.” A pair of reassuring hands rest on my shoulders. “It’s okay, sweetie. It’s fine.”
I dart my eyes up to the pair of eyes that I married. The deep brown eyes that I’ve been staring at for ten long years, finding comfort, searching for love, and I look at the comfort he’s trying to give me. I want it to work, I need it to work, but to be honest I don’t think he has a chance in hell today. I’m all messed up.
“Bryan, I need him,” I weep. “Where the hell is he? I can’t do this anymore.”
My chest gets tight. I clutch on to it and claw as if I’m trying to rip it open. My lungs need air, they’re screaming at my brain to suck a while load in, but it isn’t happening. My mouth and throat won’t obey.
“You’ve been drinking again, Savannah.” Bryan rests my head in his hands and I lean into him willingly. “You know it isn’t good for you to drink. It makes things a little… confusing.”
“I… only had one.” Is my voice slurring? It’s hard to tell. “I didn’t mean to have one, I just needed to…”
To what? Forget, I suppose. To dull the pain. It isn’t working though, everything hurts now and I don’t know if there’s a damn thing to calm that sheer ache down. I could drink all day and I’d still feel it.
“Peter,” I
mutter pathetically. “I need Peter, where is Peter?”
“He isn’t here anymore, is he? You know this Savannah. I don’t know how to keep telling you that.”
“No.” I shake my head vigorously. “He isn’t gone. I won’t accept it. I refuse to.”
Bryan’s fingers begin to clutch a little too tightly around me. I can almost feel them digging in and piercing my skin. I try to wriggle away from him but I guess I am a little drunk because my motion isn’t great. I can’t seem to escape him. Anger flashes across his expression. It’s clear I’ve gone a little too far.
“Savannah, you’re starting to make me mad now. I can’t keep talking about him. It’s over, okay?”
A single tear leaks down my cheek, I brush it away rapidly before he can see it. I know that will piss Bryan off, he doesn’t want me crying over Peter ever again. I suppose I can understand his point of view, he wants to move on with our lives, but am I supposed to just have no heart? I can’t just switch off my emotions.
“Now, Savannah, since you have been drinking,” Bryan continues through gritted teeth. Rage flies out like a bullet with every single word “I think it’s much better if you get to bed now, isn’t it?”
“But don’t we have…” I wave my hand, trying to search for the right words. “A thing?”
“I am not letting you out in public like this, Savannah. It’s fucking embarrassing.”
The curse word makes me flinch. I cringe under the power of it. Bryan’s rage is like a freaking hurricane. It tears through the house and my life, leaving a trail of devastation behind me. If I hadn’t been drinking - and to be honest, I might well have had more than one - then I’d be so much more aware of that.
“I’m… I’m sorry… I don’t mean to be…” I stammer, only winding him up more. “I don’t want to…”
“Savannah, stop it now. I’m not arguing with you about this anymore.” He shakes his head and slides away from me, almost as if he can’t stand to be near me. “I’m trying to be sympathetic with you, I want to help you out with all you’re going through, but you’re making it very hard. This has been going on too long.”
