by Jess Bentley
Okay, I've gone from ridiculous to somewhere close to certifiably insane. What am I doing, fantasizing about a ring? In Daniel's bedroom?
But when I close the drawer and back out of the room, it's still on my finger. He probably won't notice it. I'll take it off. There is just something kind of sweet about it and having it on makes me feel just a little bit closer to him.
I spend the rest of the day studying, going over my notes long into the evening. Since they’re just freshman level classes, they're not incredibly advanced but I still want to keep as high a GPA as I can.
A map of pre-World War II Southeast Asia swims in front of my eyes as I try to concentrate. The borders have shifted since then, but it's important that I memorize this the way that it is. The old names like Formosa… it means beautiful girl. Such a lovely thing, to name an island beautiful girl…
A bang wakes me up and I leap from my chair, knocking it over backward behind me. But then I don't hear anything for a few more seconds and wonder, was I just dreaming?
I strain to hear, squinting and standing completely still as my heart races. Quickly I pad across the wide slate tiles to the front door, going as silently as I can.
And then, there it is: laughter. Voices. I hear them quickly go quiet and hear a shuffling sound like somebody rummaging around the front door.
Freddie might be here, but he might not. I can't remember. He more or less avoids me, so I'm not sure. Am I alone? Should I open the door?
You're being ridiculous, I tell myself. Open the door. What are you going to do, just stand here and be afraid?
Slowly I unlatch the big door, pulling it open. I don't see anyone, but I can still hear shuffling. Whoever it is, they’re not far away. I begin to close the door, and that's when I see it.
Wrapped around the door handle is a bright pink swatch of stretchy fabric. It's the halter that Lizzie gave me to wear at the bake sale. Why is she leaving it here? How did she even know where I was? What am I supposed to think about all this?
I yank the halter off the doorknob and slam the door, snapping the deadbolt into place. That was just for show, since I'm fairly certain whoever's outside can still hear me.
And I’m completely ticked off, remembering the videos that they posted, remembering how callously Lizzie acted to humiliate me. Am I supposed to take this as a threat? Is there going to be more?
I back away from the door, unsure what to do next. Without even really formulating a plan I find myself tapping out a text to Daniel immediately.
Hi. Is all I say.
I scowl at the cell phone, realizing what a pathetic thing that was to write. I need to say more.
Do you know if Freddie is still here?
He texts me back immediately. No, he's at his sister's house this weekend, I believe.
I don't say anything, just stare at the words. So I am alone here. The phone begins to ring immediately, buzzing in my hands. I thumb the face to connect the call.
“Kita? Is everything all right?” he asks me urgently.
I don't know what to say. It is something like 2:30 in the morning. What am I thinking? Just freaking out like a little kid and calling him?
“Kita? Answer me please.”
“It's just that… I'm sorry,” I say in a rush. “I thought I heard something… I mean, it's probably nothing.”
“You heard something? What did you hear?”
He's taking me seriously, I realize. He doesn't sound angry with me, but he does sound upset. But he's not going to just dismiss me, so I figure the least I can do is answer his questions.
“I thought I heard a noise,” I explain, trying to assemble the words so that they make sense. “I went to the front door and somebody left… a top.”
“Top?”
“I'm sorry, Daniel… It's so late. I should not have called —”
“— what kind of top?”
I swallow, my mouth suddenly dry. “The top that I was wearing to the, um, bake sale.”
There's silence on the line. I can easily imagine his face, that cloud cover that disguises the raging storm behind his calm exterior.
“Did you lock the doors?”
“Yes, all of them.”
I wait, breathing slowly and deeply. Just hearing his voice makes me feel a little better.
“Kita, I’m going to ask you to do something that is going to sound a little strange. Do you trust me?”
“Of course.”
“I want you to sleep in my bed.”
I don't say anything. My heart sort of flops in my chest.
“There is a keypad behind my bedroom door. Can you go to it now, please? Take whatever you need with you.”
I grab my books from the kitchen counter and dash upstairs, holding the phone to my cheek. Closing Daniel’s door behind me I stand in his room, staring at the glowing keypad I hadn’t noticed was there.
“Okay, what's next?”
“All right, that's good. Just close the door and key in 66528. Then enter.”
I thumb the number pad. As soon as I press the enter key I hear a mechanical scraping behind the door.
“All right,” I confirm. “That's done.”
“Excellent,” I hear him sigh. The sound of his relief is obvious. “You can stay there until I get home in the morning, all right? The keypad engages titanium barrel locks in the door. Perfectly safe, I promise.”
“Really? Okay.”
I turn around, still holding the phone to my ear and look around his room. In the dark, it seems much different than it did earlier today when I was just snooping around like a little kid.
“Kita?” he asks me in a gentler voice. “Everything's fine, I promise you. Lizzie's just created a situation she's not sure how to manage. She is desperate and lashing out. I have plans for her, don't worry.”
“You have plans for her? What does that mean?”
I can almost hear him scowl on the other end of the line.
“Really, it is not something you need to worry about. The main thing is just to make sure you feel safe. Do you feel safe?” I look around for a few more seconds. Being here, surrounded by his things and his scent, hearing the cool confidence in his voice on the other end of the phone, I do feel safe.
Knowing the door is bolted behind me and probably couldn't even let a whole fraternity worth of lacrosse players through doesn't hurt either.
“Yes, I do feel safe. Thank you.”
“You can sleep in my bed,” he says carefully. The words clang around in my head.
“I'm sorry, what?” I say, and realize I just want to hear him say it again.
“Kita,” he says slowly, his voice a demanding growl in my ear, “I want you to sleep in my bed. Can you do that?”
“Yes,” I whisper.
“I want you to go there now.”
I stare at the bed across the room, already imagining what it will be like to sleep where he sleeps.
“Are you doing it?”
“Yes,” I answer.
I walk across the charcoal carpeting and draw back the comforter, breathing deeply as the scent of his cologne and body washes over me. I can hear his breath on the other end of the line, and it's almost like he's here with me.
“Go on, get under the covers.”
“Okay,” I breathe, my voice shaky. I don't know why, but I'm trembling everywhere. Sliding in between the cool sheets almost feels like sliding into his arms. I shudder as the soles of my feet push against the thick fabric and curl up on his pillow with the phone pressed under my ear.
“You’re perfectly safe there, Kita. You know that?”
I yawn, immediately so tired it feels like I am made out of melting taffy.
“I know,” I agree softly. “Though I would feel safer if you were here with me.”
“Oh… Yes, well. You sound so tired. You go to sleep now, okay? We will talk about this in the morning.”
“Okay, Daddy,” I sigh dreamily, then immediately half sit up, shocked and embarrassed. �
�I mean, Dan. Daniel. Is what I meant!”
I am babbling, pressing my fingers to my lips.
Oh my God, did I just call him Daddy again? That's insane!
But he doesn't react the way that I think he's going to. His breathing is slow, and I hear him sigh deeply, maybe making a humming noise that sounds like he didn't mind. Or maybe he liked it? Could that really be possible?
“Good night, Kita,” he finally says, sighing and smiling. I can hear it in his voice.
“Good night,” I repeat, almost saying it but not saying it. But still, the word is right there on the tip of my tongue.
Daddy.
Chapter 37
Daniel
It’s a short flight, and we touch down just as the sun is rising. I rush back through the airport and to my Mercedes with almost a sense of tunnel vision. I've got a single mission: get home and assess the situation.
Kita's late-night phone call upset me more than I want to admit. Who does Lizzie think she is, coming to my home? Trying to upset Kita? This is a whole new level of behavior, and I'm not going to stand for it.
Ever since my conversation with Candace I've been turning the implications over in my mind. If Lizzie has been involved in surveillance without authorization, she could be looking at a felony. She could be looking at jail time. We need to have a serious conversation very soon.
The miles go by without even registering on my brain. I'm completely on autopilot as I guide the Mercedes back home. After parking it in the garage, I jog around the front of the warehouse, looking for signs of intruders. Some of the plantings have been trampled, and the doormat is askew. I'm guessing two people, maybe three.
That's fine, ladies. You will be named as accomplices.
But even as I think it, I get a twinge of guilt. The plain fact is, there's only going to be one or two of them who are really responsible for what's going on. The rest just kind of go with the flow, letting Lizzie Whitmore boss them around, implicate them, maybe even form a shield for her. She is quite sophisticated that way. Kind of makes me wonder where she learned it.
Then again, I don't care. She's crossed a line, and there are going to be consequences.
After the garage door closes, I punch in the second code that double locks the door. The space is reinforced with extra security measures. Every window has roll-down screens. Every door has hidden bolts and panels. It's two layers of brick and one layer cinderblock, basically an aboveground bomb shelter if it needs to be.
I like to feel safe. There are a lot of bad people in the world.
But then again, there are a few good ones too. I dash up the stairs, taking them two at a time and pushing aside the framed photograph next to my bedroom door to reveal the security panel. After punching in the code, I hear the door unlock and open it carefully.
Even though I was prepared for it, the sight still sort of takes my breath away. There, in the middle of my oversized bed, I can just barely make out the curve of Kita's blonde hair, fanning over the pillow. I can hear her breathing slowly, calmly. I advance a few steps, careful not to wake her. Her hands are curled under her chin and she sleeps with her lips slightly parted, completely peaceful.
It's a relief. She shows no signs of distress and I'm glad that she followed my instructions and chose to sleep here. I felt a million times better knowing that there were safeguards in place for her.
Just as I'm about to back away, her eyelids flutter. She raises her chin and looks directly at me, as though she fully expected me to be there. Her lips broaden into a sleepy smile and she raises one hand, catching mine in her warm, supple fingers. I automatically squeeze back.
“I didn't mean to wake you,” I whisper. “I just got home. I just wanted to check on you.”
“Thank you. Good morning,” she murmurs sleepily.
“Okay I'll just let you be…”
I move to back away, but she tugs at my hand.
“No… stay. You must be so tired.”
She half rolls over, patting the wide expanse of the bed next to her. She is so tiny, she barely makes a dent.
“Well, I guess I am tired,” I admit.
Doubt creeps into my mind, but I kick it away with a vengeance. I walk around to the far side of the bed and fold the blankets back, slipping underneath but keeping a safe distance of about two feet. As soon as my head hits the pillow, I feel myself sink gratefully into the mattress. It is nice. It's warm in here. Comfortable.
And she rolls over under the blankets, moving closer to me, edging up and putting her head on my shoulder. To my surprise, she rests her palm against my sternum and tips her chin up to look at me, blinking.
“This is all right?” she asks me.
I'm sure she can feel how quickly my heart is pounding. It is all right. It's more than all right.
“Thank you so much for taking care of me last night,” she whispers, then wriggles up, moving to plant a sweet, delicate kiss on my cheek. When her lips brush against my skin, my body comes alive. I can feel every outline of her alongside me, from the pressure of her wrist against my chest to the curve of her belly against my waist.
“Kita, all I care about is your safety,” I mumble, realizing it's a half-truth. I actually care quite a bit more than that.
She pulls away so she can meet my eyes, smiling sweetly at me. “I love it when you say stuff like that.”
Then she leans forward again, brushing her lips close to mine. Her upper lip slides across mine gently, filling my mouth with the sweetness of her breath.
All those thoughts I've been trying to prevent crash through me all at once. I feel her body against mine, taste her on my lips, and hunger overwhelms me. My arms fold around her and I pull her to me, taking her mouth in mine, pressing against her lips as softly as I'm able, but it's all too much.
She kisses me back with light flicks of her tongue, exploring my mouth as I explore hers, sucking the breath out of me. As soon as I taste her, I want more. I want to taste all of her, want to consume her, to absorb all of her scents and flavors.
My hands roam down her sides, her ass, squeezing handfuls of flesh against my palm, trying to touch her all at once. She drapes her thigh across my middle and my cock jumps painfully.
I want to come so fast that it wouldn’t be fair. It isn’t right. I want to wait.
“Let me taste you,” I groan urgently into her mouth. Her eyes fly wide, blinking.
“Please?” I ask and wait. She bites her lips together and then nods.
Tearing the sheets back from our bodies, I expose her on the bed. She's wearing just a long T-shirt, with pink cotton panties underneath. As slowly as I'm able, I hook my thumbs under the sides and drag the panties over her smooth thighs then fling them to the floor. She presses her knees together tightly, suddenly shy.
“It's all right, Kita. Open up for me,” I ask her firmly.
Her hands drift up to her face, and she takes her knuckle between her teeth as she slowly lets her legs fall apart. I don't want to pressure her, I want her to want this. When she does open her thighs, I gasp at the loveliness. She's completely bare, her skin smooth and creamy, opening into a pale pink furrow of sweetness. I can see just the rose-petal colored opening, glistening with moisture.
One hand slips easily under her, lifting up from the small of her back. As her thighs slide over my shoulders, pushing her knees father part, I watch the petals unfurl, revealing the darker hidden lips.
At the first swipe of my tongue, her taste fills my mouth. Salty and decadent, yet sweeter than anything I've ever tasted before. I hear her moaning as I cover her sex with my mouth, flicking lightly at her clit with my tongue, teasing her and teasing her until she begins to rock against me.
The smooth skin slides back and forth over my hungry mouth, and I lap at her channel until she shudders, crying out against the back of her fist. Her legs clamp over my ears and I gulp the deluge of honey that she releases into my eager mouth.
When her trembling subsides, I lean over and take h
er into my arms, pulling her tightly to my chest. Her breath comes out in shallow, animal pants and I hold her to me as close I can.
“That was beautiful,” I sigh into her hair, kissing the top of her head. “Did you like that, baby?”
She nods urgently, pushing back so she can meet my eyes. Her gaze is slightly glassy. The tip of her nose is pink and she is still slightly breathless.
“Was it… okay?” she asks me timidly.
I chuckle, knowing there's no way she could possibly know how amazing that was. How could I even explain it to her?
“The most delicious thing in the world,” I tell her, and it's true. “Now just put your head down and rest a little bit, okay? Let's just lay here together for a little while.”
Obediently, she falls against me and I just hold her, waiting for the moment her breathing slows and I can feel her drift off against me. I wonder if I've ever been quite this happy. It's such a simple thing, to connect with her. It's effortless.
Chapter 38
Kita
I should be studying, but I can't. What happened between me and Daniel was… well, it completely blew my mind. I’ve never felt anything like that before. Of course I touch myself, of course I’ve had orgasms but… his tongue is so soft. So warm. Something about having him licking me there was like…
Oh my God. It was amazing.
What else have I been missing?
That same map of Southeast Asia swims in front of my eyes again. I swear, I'm never going to get this thing memorized. Instead, I find myself picturing him over and over again, the way his eyes were half-closed, the vibrations he made deep inside me as he groaned against me. He seemed so hungry, so excited to be doing what he was doing that I got over my shyness very quickly. Obviously, he was having a pretty good time. But not as good as I was.
No, I have to memorize this map. Where was Formosa again?
The little orange shape shimmers on the map. Beautiful girl. Surrounded by water, a place empires fought over. Eventually Formosa came to be known as Taiwan, and no longer considered independent. The people who live there still consider themselves a sovereign nation, but China disagrees.
