Lussuria (New Version)

by SJ Molloy

  I return with the platter, and the girls start gossiping about one thing after another. I leave to remove some clothing and swimwear out of the dryer and bring them back into the living room, placing them next to Jessica’s pile. Carrie is sitting on the edge of the couch with her surgical scrubs on, her blonde hair beautifully shaped around her chin and face.

  “Carrie darlin, are you hungry? I just put out some nibbles. Do you want some wine?”

  Thanks Lex, but no, I’m good for wine. I have an early start tomorrow.”

  “Okay. Carrie, grab something to eat. I’m a bit preoccupied packing.”

  “Just chuck the flipping things in, Lexi. Bloody hell, stop being so fucking fussy,” Hazel scoffs from the sofa. She is getting ignored for her poor behaviour tonight.

  “Sam, have you told the girls yet what the script was at work today?”

  “Well, Hazel can relate to this. There is an absolute bitch working for Jerry, Hazel knows her, and she’s a member at Club di Energia. She winds me up, and my skin crawls when I’m near her. That woman is a spoiled brat and knows what she wants, and I think that jackass Italian husband of hers is pandering to her… or not and that’s why she’s so fucking stuck up.”

  “Oh just ignore her, Dolly,” Lucy pipes up.

  Jess rubs her back and tries to comfort her, the rest of the girls give Sam reassurance with soft smiles and understanding nods of the head and friendly words of wisdom. “What’s her name?” Carrie asks, I was just thinking the same thing.

  “Morven…fuckin…Stewarts.” Sam’s voice gets louder and more agitated even saying her name; she really despises this woman.

  “Lex, you okay? How was your unpacking, what’s your new clinic like?” Carrie asks concerned.

  “Eh, it’s good actually. It was tiring today, more challenging than I expected.” My thoughts cast back to my encounter with a certain blue eyed, sexy Italian Mr. Lucca Caruso.

  Hot flush.

  I put the last of my outfits in the case, and I’m relieved it’s all done.

  My mind is working in overdrive and with the heat from the open fire and the red wine. Yawning, I mumble, “Oh I almost forgot, Lucy have you brought the hair straighteners?”

  “Oh, shit. Lexi, I’m so sorry, I forgot. I’ll drop them around first thing in the morning.”

  “Put a fuckin post-it on her forehead, Lexi, so the silly bitch doesn’t forget,” Hazel chides.

  I can’t help myself, and I start laughing as I shake my head. I’m not that bothered about the straighteners, but Hazel on the other hand, likes her hair poker straight, I inwardly laugh that she will die a thousand deaths if she has frizzy hair in Italy.

  “Justin and I are having a house warming party. Maybe second week in July.” Sam smiles.

  “Fabulous news. Why don’t you just do a barbecue and we’ll all bring something over. Can I bring a date?” Lucy asks optimistically.

  “Yes, I thought we would just make it us and partners. Have you got anyone in mind?”

  “I’m going for dinner with that guy Justin recommended, Harris Jones. I’ve finally accepted that Cameron is never going to dump Rachel, so I need to explore my options. I can’t keep waiting on him,” Lucy says assertively.

  “Wise decision, Lucy,” Carrie contributes.

  “Get yourself some sexy new lingerie Lucy. I hear Harris Jones is a rampant rodeo in the sack from what I hear” Hazel adds. Lucy blushes and looks horrified as do I.

  “Your ridiculous” I scold her.

  “Oh, you two pair of prudes need to get laid very soon” She’s referring to Lucy and myself of course.

  “Well, Steve and I would love to come Sam, I will look forward to it, and I’ll come over and help you organize,” Jessica offers sensing our embarrassment.

  “Carrie, are you and Nicole in, my darlin?”

  “Well, yes...no...well, erm…I mean, I don’t know. We’ve had a fight. Nicole is complaining we don’t spend enough time together. I think she wants more from our relationship.”

  After a string of dates and a relationship with an unhinged lunatic who was a bit too immature for our Carrie, she finally met Nicole, and they’ve been seeing each other for two years now.

  “You two always fight, but you’ll make up again.”

  ****

  It’s been nice catching up with the girls tonight. We wave them off, and Hazel helps take the platters into the kitchen as I fetch Doris. I want to cuddle her, so I allow her up the stairs and onto my bed to sleep. I don’t let this happen very often, so she leaps up the staircase excitedly and waits for me at the top.

  I do my evening ritual of locking the doors with the double lock I had Cameron put on them, unplugging all the plugs, closing all the blinds, then checking the doors are locked again. After I text Cameron to remind him to be home for 8.30am tomorrow, I open my bedroom door, and Doris jumps right on the bed and onto Samantha’s cream dress.

  Oh, holy shit. I’m a dead woman!

  Chapter 6

  Don’t touch me!

  I’m so scared.

  I can’t breathe, there is no light, no oxygen, and I smell moss and dampness. My heart is going to explode. I am frantic.

  I ‘m locked in a cold dark stone building, pitch black with a corrugated iron roof. The rain is wildly thrashing off it, it’s deafening. I hear thunder roaring from afar; it’s damp, loud and petrifying.

  I don’t hear him at first because of the rolling thunder, but I smell the moss. He is here, he is tormenting me, and he is going to take me.

  He’s behind me; I can hear his breathing increasing. He grabs my hair and yanks me back towards him. My eyes have not adjusted to the darkness yet, but I feel a cold sharp knife blade being held at my throat, and he frees his hand that is pulling my hair. I hear the zip on his jeans and they fall to the floor. I feel the soaking wet denim brush against the back of my legs as they fall. He kicks them off, and I squeal with disgust, feeling his bare flesh against my own. My knees tremble as I shiver and I scream out, but he only slaps my head hard to silence me.

  I want my mom. I want Cameron. Why are they not helping? Where are they?

  I hear his feet clank on metal chains next to his jeans. I clench my teeth and squeeze my eyes shut. I’m going to be tied like my mother, I’m going to feel what she does when she is taken, and my body is going to be crushed. I will be ripped apart. Why am I alone? I am going to die alone.

  Tears fall down my face. He licks the side of my face with his wet tongue, and I feel sick. It’s repulsive. I need to scream, but I’m afraid he will stab me with the knife or do awful things with the metal chains.

  I beg him not to hurt me, beg him to let me go.

  I beg. I beg. I beg.

  Punch. Kick. Slap.

  I close my eyes again. He yells at me and uses the knife to tear the strap on my vest to rip it off my body. It’s sharp, and I feel hot blood trickle and drip from my left shoulder down my arms to my wrist ... to my finger tip ... he grabs my breasts…

  I can’t! I can’t! I can’t!

  I won’t! I won’t! I won’t!

  God, please! God, please! God, please!

  ****

  I jump upright in my bed, wiping sweat from my brow and gasping for air, clutching my shoulder in a panic. Doris wakes and bolts up to my face, whimpering. She senses my fear as she snuggles her face into my neck, and then I realize where I am.

  Safe.

  “It’s okay, Doris. I had a bad dream. Stay calm. Let’s try to sleep, little girl,” I whisper.

  My lips feel swollen as if I have been biting them in my sleep, I taste blood. I’ve been doing this through fear, and the bed sheets are damp slightly with my perspiration. I cry quietly into her soft velvety fur as she lays her head on my chest comforting me.

  Chapter 7

  Wings

  The alarm goes off at 6.45am.

  Slamming my hand on it I pull the pillow over my head. Doris jumps up and barks like mad after hearing the alarm. She’s wa
y too excited, kissing my face and burying into my neck, but if I’m honest, I like it; it’s the one piece of contact in my life I could not do without. Playing with her, I pet her with long strokes for ten minutes, feeling somewhat guilty for leaving her soon.

  “Right, Doris. We need to get up. You better be a good girl for Cameron and Mr. Carlin.” I rub her ears and stroke her velveteen coat as she sighs and hums, wagging her tail excitedly. I stretch and smile to myself, knowing I will be enjoying some beautiful culture and sunshine soon.

  Walking down the hall, I knock on Hazel’s door. “Hazel, we need to get up. I’m going in for a shower first.” As I open her door, a faux fur cushion comes firing at me.

  That will be that then.

  I quickly get dried and apply my moisturizers and creams, then go back to my room to grab my hairdryer as I will need it to dry quickly for going outside with Doris. After blasting it, I run my fingers through it. I’m impressed. It’s not frizzy at all, and the curls are loose and undone, looking quite classy and kind of sexy.

  Hmm...

  I throw it back in a loose ponytail. There. Not as sexy.

  I put my silver teardrop stud earrings in, apply makeup, spray some perfume then lift my travel clothes off the end of the bed. The new black, tailored, city shorts I got are a lovely fit, paired with a cream sleeveless blouse. I decide to wear my pale, salmon-pink blazer to finish the outfit. I place my Swarovski long silver pendant chain that Granny and Grandpa got me for my birthday last year around my neck and then put a thin black belt with silver buckle through the loops on the city shorts.

  Leaving my room, I rattle Hazel’s door to get her up.

  “Hazel Scott… MOVE IT!” I’m getting irate with her now. “I’m taking Doris outside, then I’m going through to see Mr. Carlin. You better be ready before I get back. Cameron will be here in forty minutes.”

  Her door opens and she looks as though she has been crying. “What on earth is wrong with you?” I ask impatiently.

  “Dominic can’t come over to say goodbye, He has an early meeting at work, but I wanted to see him again before the flight.”

  I feel rotten for being sharp with her. “It’s only two weeks, Hazel. You’ll have loads of time to spend with him when we get back, and you can Skype him if you get too anxious.”

  “You’re right. I’ll go get ready.”

  She turns reluctantly and heads to the bathroom, but I know she will sulk over this all day. Maybe I’ll need to give her wine on the plane to relax her.

  It’s a glorious Tuesday, May morning. I hear the birds chirping, the air is fresh and not a cloud in the sky. I walk briskly with Doris until I reach the park and let her off the leash, allowing her to run riot across the grass, in and out of the bushes and chasing birds to tire her out. After throwing some sticks for Doris to catch, I head back home with her. As I grab her food and some raw hide chewing treats, I notice Lucy has left the hair straighteners on the worktop with a note.

  Sorry, I had to leave to get to work on time. Please have a fantastic time and can’t wait to try all these delicious dishes you will be cooking for us when you are back.

  Bye, my Darlins. Safe flight.xxx

  I head into Mr. Carlins with Doris and her food supplies.

  “Lexi dear, come in. Do you want scrambled eggs?” Mr. Carlin shouts from the kitchen.

  “No, thanks. I’m good, I will grab something at the airport, but if you have any spare, Doris would love some,” I shout back after watching her run into the dining room with one of his slippers.

  Oh shit!

  I walk over to his fridge and check he has milk for today. All the blinds are opened, and he has the heating on full strength, as always so I adjust his thermostat.

  “Cameron will come and get Doris after he drops us off, but he’s on a backshift at headquarters, so he will drop her in again at lunch. Is this okay?”

  “Sure. I’m not exactly going anywhere, am I? In my day, police officers didn’t do all those crazy shifts he does. Changed days, Lexi.”

  I hope I’m not going to get the talk; the one that goes on about society, changes, the economy and the recession. I lean over to hug him. “Remember your appointment at the clinic on Thursday. Cameron will pick you up and your prescription from the pharmacy on Friday.”

  I bend down and squeeze Doris around her neck, planting huge kisses on her head and rubbing my thumb across her eyebrows to relax her, I hang onto her a little too long. I will miss her terribly.

  “Lexi, please try and enjoy yourself. Forget about other things, just savor the experience and relish in it, petal.”

  Mr. Carlin pats me on the shoulder. He can certainly be adorable sometimes when he is not grouchy.

  Cameron walks into our living room just as I’m zipping my case up for the last time. He looks tired, and his light brown hair is unruly looking like he might have been…well, preoccupied.

  We both have brown eyes and olive skin, but he is much taller, and my hair is a lot darker than his. He has on a white fitted t-shirt, a black leather designer fitted jacket, and indigo blue jeans.

  Hmm, I must take more rent money off him.

  He loves wearing those white t-shirts, revealing his tattoos on his toned dark arms. He says the chicks love it.

  Whatever.

  I flinch as I catch a scent, a familiar scent; trademark aftershave.

  “Lexi, what’s wrong?” he asks in his raspy northern accent. “Oh nothing. I was just thinking about something.”

  “Hazel, move your ass! Dominic called. He’s going to try and make it to the airport,” Cameron roars up the stairs and then faces me. “She’s fucking murder. Late for absolutely fucking everything.”

  I giggle which lifts my mood from the quiet corner of my mental library.

  She flies down the staircase, with wet hair and half dressed. “I just need to do my hair,” she quickly blurts out in a speedy panic.

  Cameron shakes his head.

  “I bloody well knew you were going to mess about and make us late. Hair straighteners are on the worktop.” I sigh. “And be quick about it. Is that what you’re wearing on the flight?”

  “Yes, when in Rome and all that. Why?”

  “No reason. Now move it.”

  She is wearing a pair of sexy, pale-blue, faded and frayed, fitted denim shorts and a burnt-orange, fitted V-neck, vest top which make her breasts look huge, her ass tiny and her waist petite.

  Oh dear God.

  She looks fantastic, but it’s very much what you wear on the beach and we haven’t left Glasgow yet.

  While we wait for Hazel, Cameron and I pack up the car, and I give him his to-do list, pleading with him not to have anyone over to the house that is not on the approved safe list. I also remind him to make sure he locks the doors, take great care of Doris and that he’ll need to sort out his own food shopping.

  Hazel comes rushing out; that girl is a headache sometimes. Cameron rubs her ego by wolf whistling.

  Oh, dear Lord. That’s all she needs.

  ****

  We arrive at Glasgow airport and have a look at the check in desk; it’s already busy with keen travellers. Hazel screams and launches herself at a flustered looking Dominic in his grey, fitted work suit. She jumps up, wraps her legs around his waist, and throws her arms around his neck while he clasps both his hands under her butt, holding her up and kissing her near to death. His blonde hair is styled and waxed, and he has a fresh shaven look. Dominic has dark skin, but not naturally dark. I’m convinced he uses tanning salons. He has a boy band appearance about him, and keeps himself in good condition.

  Cameron smirks and raises an eyebrow as I roll my eyes and look away.

  Dominic places her down, but she keeps her hands clasped firmly around his neck. “Hazel, we will need to queue up soon,” I whisper apologetically.

  “I know, I know, I just need a minute with my beautiful man.” She smiles at Dominic while she says this and he strokes her hair, pressing his forehead on hers.
It’s actually quite sickening, but she likes it.

  They exchange sweet words and kisses while I chat with Cameron. “Now keep your phone charged and on in case I need to get you, and when I return there is a certain matter we need to chat about. Granny called yesterday. Have you heard the news?”

  He shakes his head no. He ran out of battery yesterday, and he was not home when she called. I’m not about to tell him in the airport, so I suggest he calls her for the report on Michael Parks. We say our goodbyes to one another, Hazel sucking the life out of Dominic’s throat as she does. When I walk away, I turn and look at Cameron for reassurance. He nods his head to encourage me to go and blows me a kiss.

  “Take care, baby girl.”

  I hate goodbyes…

  My stomach flips with his words because I’m missing him already. Hazel drags her feet reluctantly, waving goodbye softly to Dominic with a pouted lip.

  We arrive in the departure lounge, and I remind Hazel not to leave the bags unattended.

  “Lexi, I love you dearly. You know I do, but relax and chill out. We will be fine, stop worrying about everything.” She holds her hand out to the duty free make up and smiles. Distraction, she knows this works every time.

  I start walking over to the perfume counter. I could roam around in here for hours looking at the lush summer colours, beautiful bright travel sets and latest trends, sampling and smelling divine fresh scents. I stop when I walk past the Tom Ford display with the male and female range, and I dwell for a moment about Lucca Caruso. He smelled absolutely sensual and intoxicating and had such an effect on me; a warm fuzzy, needy heady feeling.