Yet, maybe even Ryan realizes that he’s not able to entirely satiate her desire for entertaining sex. He’s just a regular, hardworking guy, not a porn star. Maybe the real reason Ryan spends so much time away from home is to escape from having to role play each time he wants to make love to his wife. Most of the time a guy just wants to have good old-fashioned sex with his lady. After it’s over, you roll over and go to sleep. There’s no telling what type of hoops Amanda is making Ryan jump through when she asks for sex, which is often. He truly thinks Amanda has got a sex addiction problem. The kind of help she needs cannot be found inside a jar of chocolate love sauce.
Fabian shakes Amanda awake. “Wake up, Amanda.”
“Humph? No, lemme sleep.”
Fabian shakes her roughly this time. “I wanna talk to you now,” he says angrily.
Amanda crankily stirs awake. “I can’t believe you’re waking me up. What do you want?”
Fabian reaches over her and turns on the table lamp. “We need to talk about how screwed up you are.”
Amanda squints from the sudden glare of light in her eyes. She rubs her eyes to better adjust her vision. “Who’s screwed up? I’m not screwed up.”
“Yes, you are. You’ve got a serious psychological problem and you need to get help. I’m not going to allow you to keep pretending this is all normal.”
Amanda pulls her hair away from her face and assumes an air of respectability. “I don’t need to get any help, Fabian. I’m not crazy.”
“I didn’t say you were crazy. I’ve figured out what’s wrong with you. You’re addicted to sex. It’s a real medical problem that many people suffer from.”
Amanda bristles at the suggestion that there may be something wrong with her mentally. “You think I have a sex addiction? That’s ridiculous. I just need more sex than the average person. Not everyone is made the same, you know. Instead of one or two times a week, I need it like five times to feel normal.”
“Chaining people up in your room to a stripper pole isn’t normal, Amanda. Doing this to me isn’t normal. Enlisting Clancy to help you keep people imprisoned here by force isn’t normal.”
“Fabian, you’re really overreacting to what we’ve been doing in here. Do you know that there are clubs where couples, and other free-spirited people, get together and exchange partners while enjoying all kinds of out of the norm sexual encounters?”
“You mean swingers?”
“Yeah. All sorts of people belong to these clubs. They’re not crazy either, they just approach sex differently than the boring crowd.”
Fabian is not going to let Amanda distract him from his main point. “I don’t care what other people are doing. I’m talking about what you’re doing right here in your own home. A home that Ryan, your husband, works his butt off to provide for you so you don’t have to go out and actually work for a living.”
“Fabian, I’m not twisting Ryan’s arm or anything. He told me he doesn’t want me to work.”
“So instead of doing something useful with your time you spend it watching porn movies and figuring out how to kidnap another sucker so you can get off on being perverse. But no, that’s not weird at all, according to your mindset.”
Amanda furrows her brow. “I’m sick of this. I don’t have to listen to you insult me.” Amanda hops out of bed and goes over to her dresser. She grabs her phone. “I offered myself up to you on a silver platter and all you can do is tell me how weird I am. Don’t push me, Fabian, or I swear I’ll call the cops right now.”
“You see? You just proved my point.”
“You don’t have a valid point.”
“As soon as the truth about your behavior starts getting too uncomfortable for you to deal with, you use threats against me to shut me up. Well, you know what? I’m done with this bullshit. Call the friggin cops. Betray one of your husband’s best friends.”
Fabian knows he’s taking a risk by inviting her to call the police. But, he’s at his wits end. If she does actually go through with her threat, he’ll have to think fast to figure out how to defuse Amanda and get her back on his side again.
“It wouldn’t be a betrayal, Fabian. I’d be protecting my husband’s ass from getting caught up in your bullshit. The only reason why you’re here is because Ryan is such a softie. You knew he couldn’t say no to you, even if it jeopardizes our lifestyle.”
“Ryan hasn’t done anything for me that I wouldn’t do for him in a heartbeat. It’s a friendship thing that you wouldn’t understand because you don’t have any friends like that.”
“You don’t know what kind of friendships I have, so shut up.”
“Argh…” Amanda is so deep in denial that Fabian isn’t sure he can get through to her how destructive her behavior is not only to her, but to Ryan, Clancy and now he and Claire.
“Can’t you understand, Amanda, that every time I touch you in a sexual way, I’m betraying the trust Ryan has in me? You blow it off as if it’s nothing. But the bond I have with him is really important to me, and now you’ve practically ruined that with your stupid sexual antics.”
Amanda stands in front of the entertainment center wearing a smug expression. Fabian immediately wonders what’s churning in her conniving brain now.
“My antics? You’re one to talk. It’s your antics with your stepmother that got you in deep shit trouble in the first place. Maybe I shouldn’t be messing around with you. You probably strangled Sloane and dumped her body in the river.”
This typical New York City crime scenario is so clichéd that Fabian is sure Amanda just shot it out of her mouth without even thinking.
“That’s absurd. I never laid a hand on Sloane. I’m innocent, got it?”
“Sure. All crooks say they’re innocent. There’s video of you leaving her hotel room.”
“So what? There’s video of me doing a lot of things. Doesn’t mean I’m guilty of making Sloane disappear.”
Amanda slides her hand along the edge of the entertainment center cabinet. “Maybe. But if you’ve got any ideas about attacking me, just know that you won’t get away with it. There’s a hidden camera in this room recording your every move as we speak.”
“Are you serious?”
“Dead serious.”
“You mean you secretly record all the men you bring in here for sex?”
“Every last one. It’s my insurance policy that they’ll keep quiet about what goes on inside these walls.”
“You sneaky little bitch.”
Amanda smirks. “I’m a smart bitch, baby.”
“You know those recordings show your actions too.”
Amanda shrugs. “I’m just a girl having some private fun. Kinky sex isn’t everyone’s thing, but it’s not illegal.”
“Drugging and kidnapping people is illegal.”
“Who’s going to accuse me of doing something like that? You? Claire? Ha. I think the cops will believe me over a fugitive and his fawning girlfriend.”
Fabian rolls off the bed and throws his shirt on. “I’m done with this, Amanda. You can keep me chained up here, call the cops, whatever, but I’m not going to lift a muscle to give you one iota of sexual pleasure. From here on out, I’m saving myself for my awesome girlfriend, Claire.”
This angers Amanda. “Huh. I’ve got more sensuality in my little pinky than she has in her whole body.”
Fabian hoists his body up as high as he can reach on the stripper pole and swings himself around it in a way he imagines Amanda does, sensuously gliding to the floor. “You mean sexy like this?”
Fabian hopes Amanda gets that he’s mocking her. “You’re pathetic, Amanda, you know that? I feel sorry for you.”
Amanda is livid. She grabs one of her expensive designer high-heeled pumps off the floor and hurls it at Fabian’s head. He swerves. The shoe barely misses his head by a half an inch.
“You asshole! Amanda is poised to throw another shoe, but stops when she suddenly hears extremely loud moaning and cries of passion coming from the room
on the other side of her bedroom wall. “What the hell?”
Fabian hears the noises too. It sounds like two people are having a rousing good time in bed. “Clancy must be enjoying one of your porn movies.”
Amanda drops the shoe and listens with rapt attention. “Clancy doesn’t watch porn inside our house. I’m going to go check it out. You stay here, Fabian.” Amanda goes to investigate.
Fabian throws up his hands in utter frustration. He was this close to getting Amanda mad enough to release him. “Where would I go? You’ve got me chained up to a friggin stripper pole!”
*****
“Ah, oh! Do it, Jeremy. Yes, that’s so hot, baby!”
Jeremy and Claire pump their bodies up and down with overly exaggerated movements to make it look like they really are having sex so hot it could melt the paint off the walls. They’ve been going at it now for several minutes. Claire can feel Jeremy’s erection against her thigh. It would be hard for him not to get excited while pantomiming having sex with a woman. She knows it’s just his body doing what it normally does in these situations.
Jeremy pants, and moans and groans loudly. He’s performing like a star.
Suddenly, the bedroom door swings open with such force that the doorknob bounces off the wall. Claire sees Amanda’s petite figure darkening the doorway.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing in my house?” she bellows.
Jeremy rolls off of Claire and gets his first eyeful of Amanda Burdett. “Whoa. Claire, you weren’t kidding. Your sister is totally hot.”
Claire covers her breasts with her hands while pretending to be caught by surprise. “Amanda! I thought you were too busy playing with your captive to care about what I do to pass the time.”
Amanda sizes up Jeremy then trains her fierce gaze back onto Claire. “How dare you bring a stranger into my home and screw him without my permission.”
Claire can see that Amanda is not only a sex freak, but a hypocrite as well. She stares right back at her with her own defiant attitude. “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.”
Amanda turns her attention to Jeremy. “Who are you?”
Jeremy is expecting her to be mad, and therefore, is able to maintain his easy-going demeanor. “Hi. I’m Jeremy. And, I bet you’re Amanda. Your sister here told me all about how you enjoy getting it on with hot guys in chains. Well, I’m here and I’m up for anything you got.”
Claire was hoping that Jeremy would play it nice and cool by being mysterious at first. But, he’s too young and horny to hold back his desire to jump Amanda’s bones. She’s worried that his over eagerness might throw a monkey wrench into her plan.
Amanda puts her hands on her hips. “Sister? Fat chance. Claire, what kind of lies have you been telling him?”
Claire’s only option at this point is to keep pretending they are sisters in order to keep Jeremy in the dark about her and Fabian’s real identity. “Why are you acting like we’re not sisters? Just because you’re the favored one, doesn’t mean you get to disown me whenever you want.”
Amanda is momentarily taken aback, but quickly recovers her composure. “I don’t know what you’re trying to pull, but this bullshit is gonna end now.” Amanda points to Jeremy. “You! Get your clothes and get out of here.”
Jeremy just sits there and looks at Claire. He’s not sure whether to blow off Amanda’s angry demand or do as she commands.
Claire doesn’t know what he should do either. Her plan could be going awry. However, she regains a spark of hope when she notices Amanda checking out Jeremy’s naked physique with her eyes. Amanda may be angry, but she recognizes a hot guy when she sees one. Claire sure hopes that Jeremy is smart enough to keep himself from being thrown out of this house. The longer Jeremy stays on the premises, the more time she has to free Fabian from his chains.
“Did you hear me, or are you too dumb to follow basic instructions?”
Jeremy slowly gets off the bed and begins gathering up his clothes. “Hey, there’s no need to get all worked up over what is clearly a tiff between you two ladies. I’m just a local guy who somehow wound up here in bed with a woman I barely know.”
“Hurry it up,” Amanda barks.
Jeremy bends over, exposing his perfectly shaped rump for Amanda’s benefit. “Let me find my other shoe. It’s down here somewhere.”
Amanda looks for the shoe, finds it and hands it to Jeremy. “Here. Now take your things and get out.” Amanda shoves Jeremy towards the door.”
Jeremy reluctantly goes out into the hallway, but hesitates to move further. “I don’t even know where I’m going. Where’s the bathroom so I can change?”
Amanda sighs loudly. She goes out into the hallway. “Walk ahead of me. I’ll tell you how to get to the downstairs front foyer. You can put your clothes on there before I kick your ass out.”
Jeremy gives Claire a quick glance before being forcibly shoved towards the stairway.
Claire waits until the two are out of sight before springing into action. She grabs her jeans and fishes inside one of the pockets. She pulls out a small key and swiftly unlocks the padlock around her waist. The circular chain hits the floor with a clanging noise. Clancy had given her the keys to freedom and she’s not wasting one second in using them. Claire hurriedly dresses, barely taking time to tie her shoelaces.
“I gotta get to Fabian before she comes back.”
Claire runs into the master bedroom, startling Fabian who is sitting on the floor. He looks up with surprise in his eyes. “Claire? How did you…”
Claire’s fingers are already nervously turning the key into the padlock around his waist. “No time to talk about it, honey. Just get dressed as soon as you’re free. We’ve gotta move fast before she realizes she’s been tricked.”
They both watch as Fabian’s chains hit the floor. Fabian grabs Claire and plants a big kiss on her lips. “I love you, baby, you know that?”
“Yes, I know. Now hurry and get dressed. We’ve gotta get downstairs fast without her seeing us.”
Fabian practically flies into his pants and shoes. He grabs Claire’s hand and they rush to the top of the stairs. They stop and listen. They both hear Amanda talking to Jeremy somewhere near the front entrance.
“That doesn’t sound like Clancy she’s talking to,” Fabian whispers.
“It’s another guy I brought here as a decoy. I hope he can keep her preoccupied so we can get back to the cabin.”
“Okay, we’ll sneak downstairs and wait for a chance to make a run for the back door. Where’s Clancy?”
“I don’t know. He doesn’t want Amanda to know he’s helping us, so he’s making himself scarce.”
“Let’s go.”
Claire and Fabian gingerly make their way down the steps as quietly as possible. They manage to get to the first floor without any problem. Amanda is still near the front door trying to get rid of her uninvited guest. They hear Jeremy pleading with Amanda.
“Come on, baby. Just give me a chance to feel what it’s like to be submissive to you. You can see that I’m already hard as a rock just thinking about it. You’ve already had that other guy. I’m fresh meat. Come on. Give me a chance to play some kinky games with you.”
“This whole thing is strange,” Amanda says with doubt in her voice. “I don’t know why Clancy would bring you here to have sex with Claire, or why she wants you to think we’re sisters. Something’s fishy.”
“What difference does it make?” Jeremy says. “I’m here for you to do whatever you want. That’s all that matters. Feel me up and then tell me you want me to leave.”
“You’ve got a great body for sure, but I don’t need…”
Claire and Fabian strain to hear more conversation, but there’s nothing but silence. This could be either good or bad for their chances of escape. Claire dares to get a wee bit closer in order to get a better view of Amanda and Jeremy. She observes them embraced in a hot, passionate kiss. This makes her a real happy camper. Jeremy has come thr
ough after all.
“I think we should go for the door now,” Claire urgently whispers.
“I think you’re right,” Fabian agrees.
Claire and Fabian quickly run through the house. They find the back door exit and make a mad dash for the cabin. The cute cabin looks just like as it did when Claire last saw it. The beer bottles and food containers are gone, though.
Fabian grabs her arm and pulls her into the bedroom. “We gotta get packed!”
The couple throws their belongings into their bags and is now faced with another dilemma. How are they going to get off the ranch?
Fabian looks completely lost for ideas. “Now what?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t plan this far ahead.”
The front door to the cabin opens and Clancy steps in flashing a weather-beaten smile. “Claire, you continue to impress me. You told me you would rescue your man, and that’s exactly what you did. I like your feisty spirit.”
“Thanks, Clancy. Although, we wouldn’t have made it this far without your help.”
“I think Amanda was getting tired of butting heads with Fabian, anyway. Still, she hates it when she’s not calling all the shots. Better you guys leave here before she realizes she’s been duped.”
Fabian shakes Clancy’s hand. “I don’t know why you decided to help us, but I’m glad you did. Only now we’ve got another problem. We’re stuck unless we get a ride to the nearest town.”
Clancy’s eyes twinkle as he pulls a set of car keys out of his pocket. “Here. You can take Ryan’s silver SUV. He doesn’t use it much, anyway. I’ll let him know you borrowed it.” Clancy hands the keys to Fabian.
“Thanks, man.”
“Clancy you’re a real gem,” Claire says. “In spite of everything, I’m going to miss you.” Claire gives Clancy a peck on the cheek.
Fugitive Millionaire (Fugitive Millionaire Book One) Page 12
