by A. L Long
“What the hell were you doing? You had no right going after him that way. He did nothing wrong,” I hissed, pulling my body away from his grasp.
As I stepped back. I could feel my stomach begin to churn like something had taken up residence and was attempting to make its way out. Without warning, I found myself bent over, emptying the contents of my stomach on the black asphalt. Maybe this was what I deserved. I had certainly made a mess of everything. TJ was probably out of my life for good and Lou would never forgive me for what I did.
CHAPTER NINE
Gainer
I could feel my body begin to overheat the minute I saw that guy move in on Emma. I knew that she had at least four shots while I was there, and who knew how many she had before that. But when that guy placed his mouth over hers, I knew that things were just about to go from bad to very bad for her if I didn’t do something. Even though I had done my own share of taking advantage of women while they were plastered, someone trying to take advantage of Emma hit home, and I just couldn’t sit back and watch that happen.
Downing the rest of my Crown, I headed to the dance floor, needing to put an end to this. Pushing through the crowd of people, my hands began to tighten into fists and I could feel my body begin to tense. When I finally got to the lowlife who had his grubby hands on Emma, it took everything I had not to flatten his ass to the floor right there. Grabbing him by the shirt collar, the only thing I could think about was getting this guy outside and teaching him how to respect a woman. Even though Emma and I weren’t officially together, I wasn’t about to let any man touch her.
I could hear Emma yelling at me as I made my way to the back of the bar, but it didn’t stop me from doing what needed to be done. Pushing the door open, my hand was still cinched to his collar. Positioning his body so that he was facing me, I cocked my hand back ready to lay into him when Emma’s voice cried out.
As I listened to her explanation, I couldn’t believe that she actually liked this guy. I could tell when she pushed me away that she was beyond pissed. Her arms came up between us as she pulled away from me. Before I could reach out to grab her, she was hurling her lunch.
“Emma, what the hell?” I asked, concerned as she looked up at me.
“I don’t feel so well,” she said, her face turning different shades of green.
Before she could protest, I had her up in my arms, walking in the direction of my truck. Given how sick she just got, I knew that she was going to be feeling pretty shitty in a couple of hours. Pulling open the passenger side door, I lifted her up onto the seat and made she was securely buckled in. By the time I got to my side of the truck and behind the wheel, Emma was out. If I had to guess, this was probably the first time she had ever drank. The way she was downing the shots, it made me think she had no idea what alcohol would do to her if she consumed so much in a short amount of time.
Looking over to Emma to make sure she was okay, she looked so helpless as her head kept bobbing back and forth. It was only then that I realized how beautiful she actually was. The dress she was wearing, although very sexy, was something that I could never imagine her wearing. She had a natural beauty about herself and the makeup she wore only enhanced her beauty more. Even though most of her lipstick was smeared on the outside of her lips, she was still the most gorgeous woman I had ever met.
Arriving at my apartment building, I pulled into my designated spot and turned off the engine. Emma was still out cold. Unable to take my eyes off her, I noticed that her dress had slid higher up her leg, revealing the soft creamy skin of her thigh. A man would have to be dead to not want to take her at that very moment. Shaking away my desires, I focused my thoughts on getting her up to my place and settled in. It was late enough in the evening that nobody was around when I got to the elevator. When I pushed the up button, Emma began stirring in my arms and I had to shift her in order to make sure I held her close.
As I watched the floors increase on the LED panel, all I could think about was how good it felt to be holding Emma in my arms. It was as though she was meant to be here, her body close to mine, just like this. The doors to the elevator opened and I once again shifted her to make sure she remained in my arms as I fumbled for the keys to my apartment. Once inside, I flipped on the dimmer light and proceeded to take her to my room, where I knew she would be the most comfortable. Placing her carefully on the bed, I held her upright as I began to lift her dress up over her head. I had no idea that the only article of clothing that she was wearing under the dress were her lacy panties. Removing her heeled shoes, I swung her legs onto the bed and pulled the comforter over her body. Emma gave a little moan before she finally settled. I could have stood beside the bed all night and just watched her as she slept, but lying beside her was a much better option or me.
Taking off all of my clothes except my boxers, I crawled under the covers beside her and pulled her body close to mine. Emma’s body began to mold to mine as I slipped my arm around her. I wasn’t much of a snuggler, but with Emma that all changed. Soon her cherry vanilla scent filled my mind and my eyes closed.
~****~
It seemed as though I had just closed my eyes as the sun began shining through the half-open vertical blinds of my floor-to-ceiling windows. Once again, my past crept inside my mind. Rolling over to my side, I looked over to the other side of the bed to find that Emma was still sound asleep. Careful not to wake her, I slipped from the bed and put my jeans on while heading out the door. I knew the minute she woke up, she was going to need some coffee, but more importantly, she would need a couple of aspirin to take care of the headache she was going to wake up to.
After finishing preparing the coffee, I headed to the front to get the daily paper that would be waiting for me on the other side. Opening the door, I picked it up and noticed the headline “Unidentified woman found dead at Surge Nightclub.” I couldn’t believe what I was reading. I was just there less than six hours ago. Placing the paper on the kitchen counter, I got a cup of coffee for myself and one for Emma. Heading back to the bedroom, I placed her cup of coffee on the nightstand and went into the bathroom to grab her some aspirin. I didn’t think I was gone that long, but when I returned to the bedroom, she was no longer in the bed. Looking to the nightstand, I noticed that the coffee I had left her was gone. Knowing her all too well, I hurried out of the room to catch her before she left.
The minute I rounded the corner, I could hear her cry of desperation, “NO! Oh, God, no!”
“Emma, baby. What is it?” I asked, concerned.
When she turned around and was holding the newspaper, I knew exactly what had upset her. Her eyes were filled with tears as she focused on the front page. “Who would do this, Lou?” she asked frantically.
“Emma, do you know that girl?” I questioned.
“Yeah. She is one of the maids that worked at the Park Lane Hotel. Her name was Melissa,” she replied, still holding the paper with a death grip.
Walking to her side, I removed the paper from her clutch and helped her to the couch. As we both sat, I began reading the article about the dead girl. Seems that they found her in the alley behind the nightclub. Someone had slit her throat. It went on to say that the officials didn’t believe it was a mugging since her purse still contained all of her personal effects. They estimated that her time of death was around 1:30 a.m., which was only half an hour after we left. This could have been Emma.
Pulling her close to me, I could feel the warmth of her tears hit my chest. Stroking her soft hair, I could only think, “What if it had been Emma lying in that alley?” There had to be a reason that this girl died so heinously. Certainly, an autopsy would be performed and the medical examiner would be able to find out if there was any other foul play, and maybe even find some answers as to why this happened to her.
Kissing Emma on the forehead, I said softly, “Why don’t you take a shower?”
“What are you going to do?” she asked with worry in her eyes.
“I’m not going anywhe
re, Emma. I’m going to get in touch with Peter and see if he can find out anything about this girl. Maybe we can find out why this happened and who did this.”
“Peter?” she questioned.
“Yeah. He’s the head of Jagged Edge Security.”
“Maybe a shower would help,” she replied, pushing from the couch with the white sheet she had taken from the bed wrapped around her body.
Waiting until she was out of earshot, I dialed Peter’s number and waited for him to answer. I knew that he would be able to find out what happened to Emma’s friend. He had friends at the NYPD that would be able to give him information.
Hearing his signature greeting, I said, “Peter, I need a favor.”
“What’s up, bro?” he asked.
After I told him what happened at Surge Nightclub, he offered to get in touch with his friend and let me know what he was able to find out. Placing my phone in my pocket, I headed to my bedroom to check on Emma. She was pretty upset about what had happened to her friend and I needed to make sure she was okay.
As I opened the door, I could hear the water running in the shower. Peeking my head inside, I could see just enough of Emma’s body through the steamed glass of the shower to make my cock pulsate with need. Every curve of her body was perfect, and the way the soapy water ran down it made me hard just watching her. As much as I could have watched her longer, I knew that she would be finishing soon, and the last thing I needed was to be caught watching her.
As I was carefully closing the door so she wouldn’t hear, my cell began to vibrate in my pocket. Looking down at the screen, it was Peter. “That was quick,” I said, making my way back to the kitchen.
“Not so fast, bro. That’s not why I’m calling.” Peter paused for a moment before he continued. “There have been some developments on that guy who was killed at the Park Lane Hotel.”
“What kind of developments?” I asked, curious to find out what was going on.
“The dead guy at the hotel has been identified as one Mr. Walsh McGowan.”
“Seems as though I’ve heard that name before,” I replied, trying to figure out where I knew the name.
“He was well known among the Catholic community. Who knows how many millions of dollars he has contributed to the Catholic orphanages? He has helped so many young people get a fresh start in life,” Peter began, “I just don’t understand what he was doing at the Park Lane Hotel and why the hell he was in possession of counterfeit money?”
As soon as Peter mentioned Catholic community and orphanage, my memory came back. I knew exactly who this man was. Help young people get a fresh start in life, my ass. I wish I could tell Peter the real truth about this man, but in doing so, I would have to reveal my past and I just wasn’t ready to do that. My past was just that, and I wanted to keep it there as long as possible.
Hanging up with Peter, I didn’t realize I had been daydreaming until I heard Emma’s voice behind me. “Who were you talking to?”
“It was Peter. I thought he could get in touch with his contact at the NYPD to find out why your friend was killed,” I replied stepping closer to where she was. Even though she seemed to be feeling better, I could tell that she was still shaken up about the death of her friend Melissa. Pulling her near me, I whispered, “How about we get out of here? I’ll take you home and you can change. We can spend the day not worrying about anything.”
I knew that was going to be tough for her, but if I could get her mind off of what happened, maybe then I could get to know her better. Slowly, I was making headway, and I felt like she was beginning to trust me.
CHAPTER TEN
Emma
I thought I was living a nightmare when I saw Melissa’s picture on the front page of the newspaper. It had reminded me so much of my mom, when they had placed that white sheet over her body thinking she was dead as the blood pooled around her head. I will never forget that day as long as I live. It was my first day at the hotel, and after getting off, I walked through Central Park, taking a shortcut to where my mom and the rest of the homeless people stayed. There was so much commotion going on by the bridge to Belvedere Castle, and as I walked down the trail, my curiosity got the best of me. It was late, and if it hadn’t it been for the lighting in the park, I wouldn’t have been able to see what was going on. Then I saw the white sheet. I had no idea who was under it, but when the police officer lifted the sheet to show another officer the body, I knew then that it was my mom. I had never felt so helpless in my life.
When I walked up to her body, the police officer tried to keep me away from her, but when I yelled out that it was my mom, he let me go. Kneeling beside her, I could feel the coldness of her blood beneath my knees. I had never prayed so much in my life, but as I did, there was movement under the sheet. First it was her hand reaching out to me. Pulling back the sheet, her eyes fluttered open. It was only for a second, but it was long enough to let me know that my prayers had been answered. I had never yelled so loud in my life.
I never knew exactly what happened to her that day, but the doctor said she had so much heroin in her body that it was a wonder she didn’t die. He also said that may have been what saved her life. Whoever split her head open must have thought she was dead. Sometimes I think that she would have been better off. Now she doesn’t even know she has a daughter, let alone her name.
~****~
“You are awfully quiet, baby. What’s on your mind?” Lou asked as we headed towards the motel.
“I was just thinking about Melissa. Who would do this to her?” I frowned, feeling a tight knot in my stomach.
“I don’t know, Emma, but we are going to find out.”
Lou took hold of my hand and squeezed it gently before bringing it to his lips and placing a soft kiss on it. It was comforting to know that he cared and was willing to find out what happened to Melissa. Letting go of my hand, Lou made a quick turn, which brought us to the parking lot of the motel. When he pulled into a parking spot and turned off the engine, I muttered, “I will only be a minute. No need for you to come up.”
Opening the door to his truck, I got out and walked the short distance to the concrete steps. One at a time, I climbed them, feeling completely numb. Reaching my room, I went inside and was reminded of last night by all of the items I left scattered on the bathroom counter as I got ready. Shoving everything inside the trash can, I fell to the bed, letting my feelings get the best of me. Hearing a light knock on the door, I wiped the tears from my face and pushed myself from the bed. When I opened the door, Lou was standing on the other side. It was like he knew exactly how I was feeling. His arms wrapped around me, bringing my body close to his.
Holding me at arm’s length, he brushed a stray hair from my face and lowered his head until our lips met. Consumed by his warmth, I was helpless as I pushed to my tiptoes to meet his demand as he parted my lips. The mere touch of his mouth to mine sent a shock wave through my body, leaving my head spinning. Breaking our connection, his eyes fell upon mine and I could only feel the beating of my heart as he said, “No one will ever want you as much as I do.”
I wasn’t sure what he meant, but at that very moment, he was the only man that I ever wanted as well. Wrapping my arms tighter around his shoulders, I pulled him closer as I pressed my mouth to his. Without warning, my body was off of the floor and cradled against his body. Lou walked us to the bed, where he gently lowered me. It didn’t matter that my clothes and things were scattered across it. All that mattered was that I needed him. With our lips glued together, I began tugging at his t-shirt like a mad woman. The only way I was going to be able to get it off him was to break our connection. No sooner than his shirt was off, our lips once again found each other. Taking hold of my arms, Lou placed them above my head and held them in place with one strong hand. Keeping me from moving (but more than anything I didn’t want to), Lou trailed his other hand down the soft material of my dress to where my thigh was exposed. Slipping his hand between my skin and my dress, he caressed my sens
itized skin as he worked his hand up my dress. Pushing my dress further up my body, I could feel the warmth of his hand as he lowered it underneath my panties. More than anything, I wanted this. When he released my hands, I pulled him to me as I struggled to undo the zipper on his jeans.
Even though our bodies were so close together, I managed to get his zipper down before he knelt before me and worked my dress the rest of the way up my body. With my dress off, he rose from the bed, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a small packet before taking his jeans off. Sitting beside me, he looked down at my nakedness and stated softly, “I want you, Emma, but only if you want this.”
I wanted this more than anything. Taking a breath, I gazed into his eyes and said with conviction, “I want this more than I have ever wanted anything in my life.”
Lou lowered his head and placed his mouth over mine, letting me know that he wouldn’t hurt me. My mind was reeling with pleasure as the velvet warmth of his kiss continued down my neck to the valley of my breasts before he tenderly fondled one small peak with his tongue. As he continued to tease my taut pink nipple, I could feel the moisture begin to pool between my legs. Not only was I wet with desire, but my heart was beating so fast, I thought it was going to come right out of my chest.
