by Jayce, Aven
“No, why out in the snow?”
He sighs. “I don’t know, Sophia. I’m not an artist. Maybe she wants to show what the day was like when she came across the objects, or maybe she wants them to look frozen in time. I’m sure she doesn’t have the same thoughts about snow as I do. Most people don’t. She may find it lonely or maybe it represents death and decay, killing the nature that it covers each year. She’d probably love it if you asked her.”
“You know, the world would be a better place if everyone was as sincere and self-reflective as the two of you.”
He smiles at my comment, the morning sun glistening in his eyes.
“What time is the expo tonight?” I ask.
“It starts at four and will end at midnight. I thought eight would be good, after dinner and some drinks.”
“Twelve hours?”
“Yeah, we have twelve hours.”
CHAPTER SIX
Cove and I shower together and although we are both deeply aroused, we keep our hands to ourselves. He allows me to pick out his clothes and is happy when I choose a light grey gingham button-down shirt from Banana Republic, one of his favorites I’m told. I roll the sleeves to expose a light brown trim under the cuffs. With the shirt untucked and the top two black buttons left open he looks fucking hot. Too hot to leave the room and I wish I could rip the shirt back off. I tame myself and hand him his black jeans. He rolls the bottom cuffs and slips into his oxfords. With a cleanly shaven face and his wavy dark hair tumbled perfectly into place he smiles in approval of his wardrobe. I hate it that he always looks fantastic while I have to work to look half as good. As for myself, I pull on one of my short black dresses and accessorize with a jean jacket and a pair of high riding boots. He adds his black baseball cap on our way out, and although I love to be able to run my fingers through his hair, I understand that we both need protection from the sun. We leave with sunglasses in hand, ready to explore the city.
It’s seventy-five degrees and sunny in Vegas, the perfect weather for a walk around the strip. We get a coffee and watch a crowd of tourists gather in front of Treasure Island. Cove tells stories about what they’re doing in Vegas and I laugh at his playful side.
“That woman over there, her name’s Belle and she runs a twenty-four hour nude taxi service, but you can only ride in one of her fleet of cars if you own a turtle.”
“A turtle? Does the turtle have to have a specific name as well, since we’re being so specific.”
“How about ‘Guy’?” Cove laughs.
“Okay, so this woman runs a nude taxi service for turtle owners, but only for people who have a turtle named Guy?”
“Yup.”
“And those two, over there to the right?”
“They’re here on a search for a backward spoon.”
“A what?”
“They have the largest collection of backward spoons in the country. They’re only missing two and they heard they might find one here in Vegas.”
“Can’t you just flip the spoon over and it would be a regular spoon?”
“Shh, don’t tell them that,” he smiles.
I look at my watch and see that it’s almost eleven. “Why don’t we head over to the Erotic Heritage Museum? It should be open by the time we get there.”
“Perfect,” Cove says, taking my hand as he stands. “It’s just a block or two off the strip so it won’t take long.”
We walk hand in hand through the large crowds, weaving in and out of family photos taken in front of the casinos and elaborate hotels. Every block has a line of men who snap business cards and flyers, trying to get us to take one from them. Cove places a hand up and stops them before they get too close. One person places a card in Cove’s front pocket then quickly walks away. He takes it out and throws it on the ground.
“What are those?”
“Ads and coupons for strip clubs, exotic dancers, massage parlors, other places like that.”
“There are so many of them.”
“This is where they pick up business, especially on the weekends. They can reach more people out here on the main strip of the city than anywhere else.”
“I didn’t see them last time I was here.”
“If your father was with you and they recognized him, they would’ve stayed away, or maybe you were too drunk to remember. You did say you were wasted.”
“True. Mera and I were drunk that entire weekend.”
“Well there you go,” he says, putting his hand up to another guy who approaches us. “Do you need anything from the mall since we’re about to walk right past it?”
“No, I’m not a mall-ite.”
“You don’t like to shop?”
“Love to shop, just not at the mall. I like unique stores where I can find one-of-a-kind items. Mera too, she only shops online. She’s actually the one who’s bought most of my clothes.”
“Really? That’s odd.”
“Why, do you like to shop?”
“Yeah, sometimes. I like to go into stores and feel the fabric. My favorite is Saks Fifth Avenue, but they’re all the way out on the East Coast. I try to find similar stores around the St. Louis area. I touch everything, in search of material that’s soft and comfortable.”
“Well doesn’t everyone?”
“No, some people buy crap because they like the way it looks, but if it doesn’t feel good, why would you wear it? I couldn’t order things online because of that. I won’t wear anything that’s stiff.”
“Are you stiff right now?” I whisper.
“Soph,” he sighs. “I’ve been stiff since I pulled out of you last night. Your face, body, and heart keep me aroused all the time. When I hear your voice I’m instantly hard. Your touch, your breath, your warmth…all keeps me erect twenty-four seven. God, you saw how much I wanted you when we were in the shower together.”
“Awesome.”
“Awesome?”
“Yeah, that’s great,” I say with a smile, swinging his arm as we walk.
“You’re pretty damn cute, you know that?” he grins.
“Yup.”
“We’re here,” Cove stops, taking his wallet out of his pocket.
“Whoa, this place is huge. Much bigger than I thought it was going to be.” We step inside and find ourselves in the gift shop where we see there’s a fifteen-dollar fee to get in. Cove pays my way and I thank him. I realize that since we’ve met he’s paid for everything, which seems awfully rude of me.
“Can I get lunch today?” I ask.
“That’s not necessary. I want to treat you.”
“Well, this relationship needs to be equal, so I’ll buy lunch.”
“Okay, but dinner’s on me.”
I agree and we begin our tour of the museum. I’m surprised by how real it is. I thought it would be some kind of a joke but it’s actually informative. We come across a collection of artifacts, carvings, and sculptures from around the world; many are hundreds of years old. There are stone penises and many figural works of bodies entwined. It’s Cove’s favorite part of the museum and he takes a few photos to show his mother. I fall in love with the giant penis made out of pennies and the retro electronic stimulators. I’d never put one of those things in me, no way, no how. I’d be afraid of being electrocuted or that it would catch fire... inside my vagina. Cove takes my photo in front of the penis of pennies and then we ask one of the workers to take a photo of the two of us next to the Ron Jeremy fortune-teller machine. It’s a blast and I’m glad Cove suggested it as one of our stops for the day.
“That was great, where to next, Babe?” I ask as we exit the gift shop still holding hands.
“I’d like…”
“Hello, Star,” a low voice cuts into our conversation, stopping us both. I feel Cove tremble as he clutches my hand. He pulls me next to him and whispers in my ear, “Don’t call me by my real name.” I nod, looking at the man who stands in front of us.
He has on a grey sport coat with a black t-shirt underneath and dark
blue jeans. He twists a toothpick that hangs out of the corner of his mouth and reaches his hand out to greet Cove. I can feel the tension that emanates from Cove as he hesitates and takes the man’s hand. I’m uneasy in this moment since I can’t see his eyes through his reflective sunglasses. You can tell a lot about a person through their eyes. His hair is dark and cut short. He uses way too much gel and the ends clump and stick off the top of his head. I notice his broad shoulders and muscular build are awkward in relation to his tiny head. His jawline is covered in stubble and he rubs his chin, waiting for Cove to respond.
“There’s no need to call me that; NOVA ended years ago.”
“Did it?” the man asks.
“You know it did, now what do you want?”
“Sophia,” he says, turning his head toward me. “Sophia, the princess. I have a message for you from your father.”
Cove uses his arm to guide me behind his back and creates a barrier between the stranger and me. “Don’t talk to her, whatever you have to say you can say to me.”
“Oh no, Paul was very specific with his instructions. He wants me to look into her eyes,” he says, peering around Cove’s body. He stares at me as Cove places a hand on his chest, halting him from any further movement. “And he wanted me to say, you need to wise up, Kiddo. If you think he brought you out here to get your friend back, think again. He’s only got one thing on his mind, and it’s not you. His entire life revolves around getting his father out of prison. Now walk away, before he abuses you just like he abused Natalie.”
Cove lunges at the man but he slips away and heads for the strip. I grab a hold of Cove’s arm, stopping him from a chase. “Let him go, it’s not the guy’s fault he had to do that, you know he probably didn’t have a choice. My dad’s an ass.”
“And a liar,” Cove says in a raised voice. “I’d never hurt you, Sophia,” he declares, with panic-stricken eyes. “Don’t believe him.”
“Yeah, well we just had this conversation in the car this morning, so I’m a little concerned about your anger.”
“No,” he whispers. “Sophia, don’t. Don’t let him brainwash you.”
“Well what the fuck. He’s an ass, but I’ve seen you be one as well. And now this guy comes up to us and tells me that you’ve abused someone, and you’ve already hurt me… twice.”
“No,” he repeats. “It’s not what you think.”
“Well then tell me. Tell me about this woman named Natalie.”
“I… I can’t.”
“What the fuck?” I yell, placing my hand on my waist. “Tell me, or I can’t trust you. Why would this guy say that to me?”
A crowd begins to gather and Cove looks uncomfortable. I can tell he’s worried about losing me, but there’s something else. I need to know more about this woman.
“Let’s take a walk, back to the strip, we can get a bite to eat for lunch and discuss this.”
I want to know now, right now, but with all the eyes on us I decide to give in and walk back toward the hotels and casinos.
“No more lies, Cove. When we find a place to sit down I need to have more details.”
“I’ve never lied to you, Sophia, I just keep things from you so you don’t have to deal with the same shit that I deal with every day. I want to protect you.”
I stop as he continues to walk ahead of me. He turns to ask what the problem is and I shake my head.
“What?”
“You sound like my father.” I respond in a quiet voice. “What you just said is exactly what he would say.”
“Well I’m not him. I actually mean what I say. The words that leave his mouth are entirely for his own benefit, and he doesn’t care who he hurts, or whose life he ruins along the way. What you just witnessed a moment ago is a perfect example.” He takes hold of my hand and we walk in silence, searching for a quiet place to eat.
“Here, is this okay?” he asks.
I look up and see Neiman Marcus. We’re at the mall again and I’m in no mood to shop for clothes. “I thought we were getting lunch so we could sit and talk?”
“Yeah, there’s a café on the second floor. We can sit and eat outside on the terrace. It won’t be as busy as the places directly on the strip.”
“Okay,” I grumble, following him into the store. We take the escalator to the second floor and the beauty of the café surprises me; something I didn’t expect to see in the mall. We’re seated outside and the bright sun feels magnificent on my skin. I take off my jean jacket and warm my shoulders, admiring the view of the city. “This is amazing, thank you. I’m calm enough that I think we should continue this conversation. Who’s Natalie?”
“She’s part of your father’s company, or I should say, she was part of it a few years back.”
“And what’s her connection to you?” I ask as I sip my lemon water and look through the menu, keeping my cool.
I watch as Cove opens his menu and follows my lead. “She was my first.”
“First what?”
“First woman I was with… forced to be with, first at almost everything. We both did what Paul told us to do and then she just disappeared from the industry for a while. She said she was too old to be a part of it anymore. I was with other people as well, and in later years I did a lot of things on my own for the camera, but I already told you about that. She came back after NOVA was over, when Paul wanted us to be together again. By that time I had loyal followers, and they wanted her back with me. I guess they enjoyed the connection we had. To be completely honest with you, I was comfortable with her. I didn’t like her, for a few reasons, but it was a hell of a lot better than a circle jerk with Doron, or any of the NOVA stars.”
“Oh jeez, Doron?”
He nods. “Then she got pregnant, and I didn’t know.”
“Wait…I thought…”
He shakes his head and smiles, “Of course it wasn’t mine, Sophia. I really did give you my virginity.”
“Go on.”
“Your father’s a fucker. Excuse my language while we’re out in public together, but he is. Remember this was after NOVA ended so I was legal. He took me a step up into a new realm once I hit eighteen, then it got worse when I turned twenty. He wanted some hardcore bondage scenes from me, something I’m completely against and find sickening, but hey, that’s Paul’s industry for you. It’s not a romantic company.” He hangs his hat on the back of his chair and runs his fingers through his hair. He’s nervous. Our salads arrive as he takes a sip of his water and clears his throat. “I hogtied her hands and feet behind her back a few separate times and duct taped her mouth. It was terrifying to see someone so vulnerable and helpless.”
“You mean like you? Even though you weren’t tied up, you were still in the same position with my father.”
“No, I should’ve just stopped and let your father do with me what he wanted, but the event with my father was still so fresh in my mind at that time that I did exactly what Paul asked.”
“And then what?”
“I’d put things in her, and I was rough about it. Paul said no holds barred. She acted like she enjoyed it but it was hard to tell since it was all scripted to the clients’ fantasies. I pulled her hair, clamped her nipples, made her hang from a bar and hold her body up by her arms.” He closes his eyes, sighing at the memories. “Another time I placed a clamp around her neck that was attached to the wall. She kneeled on concrete blocks and her hands were tied behind her back, defenseless, and helpless, she looked at me in a pleading way. I wanted to get out of there so I came as fast as I could. I was rough. It was similar to what happened that first time with you in my bedroom. What happened then, why I wanted to hurt your father is related to that time with Natalie. I was lost in an orgasm and unaware that I kneed her a few times in her abdomen. I think everything we had done over a three-week span was too much for her body to handle and this was the last of it. The stress, the weight of her body when I strung her up, pushing objects inside of her, and then the pressure on her stomach...”<
br />
“Oh my God,” I whisper.
“When we were finished I saw that she reached down and her hand had a small amount of blood on it. I thought I hurt her and when she saw the blood on her flesh she started to cry. She collapsed and wept. The sound of her cries and the sight of the blood made me sick to my stomach and I threw up, which I did a lot when I worked for your father. It took me a few minutes to realize she had a miscarriage, and it was because of me. My abuse did that to her. She lost a child because of me.”
“No. My father did that, not you.”
“I think it was his plan. He told me he knew she was pregnant after it all happened, and I think he wanted it to end that way. That’s why he made me do the hardcore bondage scenes. But then again, is it possible for a person to be that evil? I know he’s sick, but doing something like that would mean he’s worse than the devil, or, he is the devil.”
“Cove…”
“I was sick for weeks. I wouldn’t work for your father, I refused, and he got pissed and came out to St. Louis to talk to me. It was one of the few times I spoke my mind to him. I was angry that he didn’t let her go. I couldn’t comprehend why he did that, and I still don’t. All of his other workers who got pregnant were fired. It’s a breach of contract, and if a guy from the company is the father then he’s gone too. But he didn’t do that with her.”
“What did he say?” I ask quietly, taking his hand to comfort him, as he’s visibly upset.
“He said he knew, but that she wanted to continue to work. I thought that was bullshit. When other people wanted to continue he wouldn’t allow them, so why her?”
“Tell me what else happened, with her, and my father.”
“He said I was done in another year. He had a plan to give my devoted followers a gift on my twenty-first birthday. It was a way for him to make a bundle in one shot, and then he said I could take over Doron’s job in St. Louis since Doron and his wife were headed for Vegas. I no longer had to be online and instead I could film, edit, and be in charge of the sites in our region. I was grateful to be done, and after Natalie, nothing was ever the same. I couldn’t perform like he wanted me to. I wasn’t into it, not like I ever was before that time, but I couldn’t even fake it. It became so routine, machine-like, automatic, and in the end, I never gave him what he wanted. I let him beat me instead, both Dayne and Paul. That was my choice and a choice I had all nine years, only I was never man enough to back out until that time. Dayne had me on the ground and kicked my chest, giving me two broken ribs, and then Paul broke my arm. It was like a gang initiation, only I was on my way out, not in. Your father didn’t need to keep my face clean anymore since I wasn’t online, so he gave me a black eye and a swollen lip. It made his day to finally be able to leave marks on my flesh. My mother was hysterical, as you can imagine, and my father tried to sic the dogs on Paul from prison, what few he had left in his pack, but I stopped him. I made both of them let it all go, and it was over. I wasn’t in another scene again until I took you into my bedroom the other day.”
