Art of Loyalty

by Monique Orgeron

  We’re laying there, neither one of us knowing what to say. In the dead of silence, she stands up and slips her robe on.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I’m hungry. I’m going downstairs to get us something to eat. I’ll be right back.”

  She hurries out the door before I even get the chance to say anything else. Laying back down, I try to figure out how tomorrow will go. Time passes, as I start wondering what the hell could be taking her so long. Sitting up, I slide out the bed. Walking downstairs, I round the corner to see her crying. I want to comfort her, but I find myself backing away. She came down here, needing space. She would hate me going to her right now. I quietly walk back upstairs and wait it out in the bedroom.

  Brittany

  The last two nights have just been too much. I knew helping him would be leaving myself open to him again, but I never imagined how much. His overall presence since the day I met him has always sent me into a tailspin. Now I find myself open without a wall built around me. It shattered, not in the pool, but in the shower when he washed me, showing his caring side. I needed to get out of that room and get away from him, so I could release my tears for the pain that I know tomorrow will bring.

  I don’t know what is going to be the hardest part, tomorrow or spending the rest of the night together? Tomorrow he will leave on his own or I will make him leave. Either way tomorrow will be the end.

  I splash some cold water on my face and wipe my eyes, then begin to fix a platter of sandwiches and fruit. Once our late-night snack is complete and my emotions are in check, I go back upstairs. With every step I take closer to him, I can feel the pull he has on me. It’s like my heart and body senses my proximity to him. I stop at the door to gain a moment of strength, telling myself all I need is to make it through the night, then tomorrow things will be back to normal. If only my heart would believe the lie my head is repeating.

  Walking into my bedroom, I swear to God, my breath ceases at the site of him. Any words I tried to use to build myself up, vanishes. He’s lying in my bed with his back against my headboard and his legs sprawled out with the sheet laying between his legs. What makes him even more appealing is the fact he has no idea how gorgeous he is or how many women would love to have him in their beds. He sees me appreciating him, so he gives me an actual cocky half smirk. Well maybe he does know it after all.

  “Like what you see baby?”

  “I did until you opened your mouth.”

  I walk up to the bed and pass him the platter I made; sitting down on the bed with my legs crossed under me.

  “What did you bring?”

  “Not much, just some fruit and sandwiches. It’s all I had since we ate the leftovers earlier.”

  “This is great. You took a long time. I was starting to get worried.”

  “I was just digging around.”

  We each grab a sandwich and start eating. He eats so fast it makes me wonder if he even chews.

  He’s watching me eat and it makes me nervous. “What?”

  “I like watching you.”

  I cock an eyebrow and make a face. “Okay.”

  “I think we should talk.”

  I shake my head. “I think that is the last thing we need to do.”

  “Why?”

  I throw myself back on the bed and tell him. “Because sexy Vin doesn’t talk much, now this Vin always wants to talk. I don’t get it.”

  He pushes the platter out the way and pulls me by my legs.

  “Hey, what are you doing?”

  “I told you I want to talk. Come here.”

  He pulls me up to sit on him, straddling him. “There is an us to talk about now.”

  “You’re wrong Vin. You and I both know this was never anything more than sex.”

  “Is it though?”

  “What do you want from me?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Exactly, I provide a service…”

  He stops me. “Is that all you’ve been doing with me? Providing a service?”

  “What else? You’re the one that came to me stating what you were looking for and you paid me to provide it. I think you’re confusing the girlfriend experience to having an actual girlfriend.”

  I watch his face and know he is starting to get a little pissed. “What about the other women in your life? Don’t they try to get close to you?”

  “Why are you bringing other women into it?”

  “Because you don’t pay them and because I’m a woman. Women that are sleeping with you will eventually want more.”

  “I don’t want more with them.”

  “Why not? Have you ever even given them the chance to get any closer?”

  He repeats himself. “I don’t want more with them!”

  “You don’t want more with me either, you just think you do.”

  “You’re different.”

  “You’re damn right I am. I’m paid to be different.”

  He crosses his arms and leans back. “So, it’s all an act? I think you’re lying.”

  “I’m not lying. I know something changed between us, but you and I need to both realize it can’t ever go anywhere.”

  He’s starting to lose his patience. I can tell by his tone when he says, “I don’t understand, why?”

  “Because Vincent, you never wanted to settle down and I think you still don’t. I don’t either, I can’t. My job is to be with other men. Not just one.”

  “So, tomorrow is it? We’ll just go back to our separate ways?” he asks.

  “Yes, but we have the rest of the night. Right here and right now in this bed, is where we make sense. Not outside where the world will interfere. They’ll scold you for being with a prostitute, they will never accept me.”

  I lay down on his chest running my fingers over his heart.

  “Brittany, you know that wouldn’t bother me.”

  I shut my eyes tight because no matter what he says, it would. In order not to get too deep, I change the subject, wondering what had him so upset to cause him to spin out of control.

  Raising my head, I look at him, “Vin, why were you staying in the hotel getting drunk? Why didn’t you want to go home?”

  He just looks back at me. It isn’t until I lay my head back down that he answers me. “I have some old buddies from the Marine Corps in town. They’re trying to use me for something that I don’t want to do. I’m not about to let them get away with it.”

  “Why not go home and tell Catherine?”

  “Because there is no reason to bring her into this. I can take care of them. I just needed time away. They bring up a lot of my past that I hate remembering.”

  “Your nightmares?”

  “Some.”

  “Do you want to talk about them?”

  “No. There are some things that are indescribable and some that should never be told.”

  I lift my head and kiss him tenderly. I’m still straddling him, so I lift up, raising my robe. He’s already hard for me, so I wrap my hand around him and slip him inside of me. Once I’m fully seated, I lay my hands on his face looking him straight in the eyes.

  “Just be here with me right now. That’s all I need, is for you to be present with me, here and now.”

  “I’m here.”

  I raise up and start making love to him. It’s slow and passionate. It’s the first time I’ve shown him my vulnerable side; the first time I have shown anyone, but he makes me want to let him in and be open to him. I will give him tonight, no more walls, no more protective barriers, just me and him.

  His eyes are telling me so much, but then his voice gives them life. “I love how you make me feel. I don’t want tomorrow to come.”

  I throw my head back and ride him, rolling my hips. He wraps his hand around my throat holding just for a second before he slides his hand down my chest between my breasts. I love how he touches me, but his voice alone can bring me over the edge. It’s so deep and smooth.

  “I love your voice.”

/>   “My voice?”

  “You can make me cum just from hearing you.”

  He quickly pulls me up, sliding his arms underneath mine and laying his hands on the back of my shoulders. The pressure he applies stops my movements. Face to face, he tells me, “Now you want me to talk to you baby?” He smirks and then pushes himself further inside me. “Then I’ll talk baby. I told you before the night was through I was taking that cherry ass of yours. You better get ready baby, because I am going to make damn sure you don’t forget about me.”

  I smile and slide off him, to open my nightstand drawer, and grab my lube. I make him put his legs together, then I turn my back to him and straddle his legs. Handing him the lube I bend down, laying my hands on his knees, sliding them down his shins and wrapping them around his ankles; giving him one hell of a view. He pours the lube, letting it slide down the crack of my ass, using his finger to circle my hole, then he starts stretching, preparing me for him. I slide my hands back up his legs, then I sit up with him guiding me. I help him as he starts to insert himself, stretching me to full capacity. I even moan out in discomfort from the pinch of being stretched to accommodate his large size. When he hears me, he slides me back up and then wraps his arm around my front to play with my clit. When I feel myself opening more, I push further on him, but he stops me.

  “You’re not ready, baby.”

  He takes extra care which is something most men wouldn’t do. He continues to play with me, and then he pushes his body up causing me to take him inch, by glorious inch.

  “Fuck, you’re so tight.”

  He wraps his arm around me, pushing me back against his chest. He’s seated in me, not moving, as he plays me like an instrument. With one of his hands on my breast, he plays me with the other.

  He whispers in my ear, “I need you to cum for me. I love hearing you scream out my name.” He inserts two fingers into my pussy and continues thrusting in and out with just his fingers, making me feel so full. “I’m going to make you cum and then I am going to fuck you so hard, you won’t be able to sit tomorrow. You want to cum for me baby?”

  “Yes, yes oh Vin, yes!” I scream as he has my walls tightening all around him.

  “That’s it, baby, God you’re squeezing my cock like a vice.”

  He lets me come down from my orgasm, then he lifts us both up, flipping me under him onto my stomach.

  “My turn.”

  He forces my legs wider and slides a pillow underneath me, propping my ass up. He leans over me, covering my body.

  “Hold on to the footboard.”

  I grab hold of the footboard railing as he positions his hands on both sides of my arms. He starts to move, thrusting in and out. It’s slow at first but then he gains in strength and momentum. Soon he’s fucking me hard as I hear him growling my name. He pauses and slaps my ass, letting me know he’s in control. When he gets his bearings, he begins again.

  “Fuck, Brittany!”

  He has me so hot for him, I’m thrown into an ecstasy that I’ve never felt. I find myself cresting when I have never been able to orgasm from just anal, but he has me there. He grabs my hair tight and pulls my head back.

  “You like me like this!” He starts moving faster, grunting and moaning his own pleasure.

  “Look at me, Brittany.”

  I turn my face as much as I can, to see him in deep concentration. I know he’s starting to feel me tightening around him because he looks at me and says,

  “Fuck, baby, let me have it, I want to hear you.”

  I holler out my orgasm which causes him to cum with me. He grunts out his satisfaction and his body trembles from how hard he cums. When I feel that last push from his orgasm, he lays his sweating body over mine, holding most of his own weight.

  Panting hard and kissing my neck he says, “I don’t know how I’m going to let you go.”

  I answer him the only way I can. “But you will.”

  He slides off me and gets up. He leaves the room abruptly. I hear the shower turn on and I take the time alone to let a few tears slide silently down my face.

  I must have fallen asleep because suddenly, I’m woken by the movement of the bed and his arm sliding around my waist.

  “Sleep baby.”

  I fall back asleep, dreading the morning when everything will go back to normal, and I will be alone again.

  29

  Vin

  I left early in the morning before she woke. I sat there for a long time, watching her sleep, figuring out if I could leave or not. But after a while, I understood why we can’t go down this road. Neither of us are ready to have a relationship. She has responsibilities and I have issues that need to be handled. Even if I wanted to have more with her, I couldn’t drag her into my life now. Not when I have to put an end to Troy and the rest of my military brothers. It could get dangerous, so now is not the time to consider having any more than what we just had.

  When I get home, Catherine is already awake, eating her breakfast alone. She wipes her mouth with her napkin and says, “It’s nice of you to come home.”

  “I’m sorry, I wasn’t in the best condition to come home. I needed time.”

  “For what?”

  “Just time.”

  “I want to know. Time for what?”

  “Please, just know I am handling everything.”

  She stands and walks up to me. “What are you hiding from me?”

  “Nothing, this is my business. It has nothing to do with you.”

  “Everything that concerns my children has something to do with me.”

  I take a deep breath trying to figure out what to say next. But she starts again.

  “Just tell me, should I be worried?”

  “No.”

  “Will this hurt the family in any way?”

  “I will never allow anything to hurt my family.”

  “Fine Vincent, I will trust you for now, but I will expect an answer soon. Know that I am always going to be here for you, no matter what.”

  “I know Mom.”

  She smiles and walks away.

  For the rest of the day I try to come up with a plan, but I can’t think of how to prolong mom’s involvement for too much longer. I decide to call Teddy, he’s the only one I can bring in right now. I know I can trust him to keep his mouth shut, and he’s stealthy enough to help me keep an eye out on the men without being seen.

  Teddy and I have been watching my military brothers for a week now. They’ve done nothing out of the ordinary. They keep to themselves or they go back and forth to the warehouse where they are storing the weapons. I’m starting to lose patience. Troy has been reaching out to meet again and I’ve been giving him excuse after excuse not to see him. It’s obvious, he’s becoming frustrated and losing patience.

  Today is Teddy’s turn to watch them, so I take the time to go to the nursing home to see Willy again. I like the old man and have a little surprise for him.

  Walking into his room, I find it empty. I look outside the room and the male nurse I saw last time sees me. He lets me know that Willy is outside. I walk out carrying my packages and find him outside sitting on a bench. Walking up, he notices me right away.

  “Vin? Hey man, what are you doing over here?”

  “I came to see you, old man, I got something for you.”

  I lay the bag down and open the state of art walker I had custom designed for him.

  “Holy shit! What the hell, Vin?”

  “I had my friend who does metal work, make it for you. Then I had another friend of mine who does tattoos, design the etch work.”

  “It’s badass!”

  “I know. I figured you said the other guy gets more action because his son buys him the newest equipment. Well, I’d like to see him find something out there that even comes close to this. Now Dolive will think you’re the best son of a bitch in the place.”

  “Hey, I know you right.”

  He stands and starts checking out his new walker. “I had wheels put on i
t, now you should be fast enough to catch all the ladies.”

  “Oh man, they ain’t running from me now.”

  He looks down at the bag and asks, “What’s in the bag?”

  I wiggle my brows up and down and tell him, “Let’s go somewhere a little private.”

  He leads the way, taking us to some benches and chairs set up by an old tree.

  “What’s this place set up for?”

  “This is where me and my friends come to talk. It gives us some privacy. Sit down and show me what’s in the bag.”

  Doing as he says, I pass him the bag. He looks in it and then looks back at me. “I thought maybe you were tired of smoking O.P.C. Just don’t tell your granddaughter.”

  I bought him a carton of cigarettes to get him from having to smoke other people’s cigarettes.

  “Look further in the bag.”

  He looks back in and then smiles his ass off. I also added a small baggy with three joints in it. Why the hell not? He’s a grown man, let him live his life.

  “Boy, you’re my new best friend. Got a lighter?”

  I laugh, “Yeah old man. Here, catch.” I throw him the lighter, he catches it and lights up a joint. He inhales and then passes it over. Screw it, I start smoking it with him.

  “So, are you here to try and win me over because you like my Brittany?”

  I almost choke on the joint. “No, old man.”

  “So, you don’t like Brittany?”

  “Fuck man, you’re rough. I like Brittany, okay, but I have some issues. I don’t think it would be a good idea to drag Brittany into them.”

  “I see you’re troubled, you want to talk about it? I’m a good listener.”

  I pass back the joint and lean back in the chair. I start trying to think of a reason not to share with him. I need someone to run some ideas off of. Besides, what can he do to hurt me?

  “You know I went to Iraq, I was a sniper in the war.” I start telling him my story, though not all of it. I continue to tell him of my military brothers coming here and trying to use me to get to my mother. I tell him the story about the boy and the day Troy thinks he saved my life. I tell him all of it except for what Troy actually has on me. Then I tell him about the guns and all the weapons they want me to help them move. He listens to every word I say with interest.