Rangers of the Dark

by Michelle Hart

  A beach and an ocean, Lilly? That's so amateur. What were you thinking?

  I sighed and dropped the brush to the ground. A painting of an ocean wouldn't be good enough for my first art show. I needed a piece that would wow the audience. Something that could evoke an emotion. Get people talking about me.

  All that schooling and I couldn't come up with anything. A Bachelor's in Art couldn't help with being creative.

  My phone rang. A welcome distraction. “Barbara Ann” by the Beach Boys boomed out of my vibrating phone. I checked the screen and smiled.

  “Hey Samantha!”

  “Lilly, why the hell haven't you called me?”

  Samantha was my roommate freshman year of college. Even though she was also an art major, we couldn't have been more different. Samantha was too preoccupied with boys to really focus on art. Her idea of painting was throwing some streaks of paint on a canvas and calling it a day. I couldn't knock her for it though because she produced some really beautiful pieces. She had natural talent. I on the other hand did not. It took me weeks to produce a somewhat passable painting, sometimes not seeing the sun for days.

  “I'm sorry, Samantha, I've been a little busy the past week.”

  “Oh the art show is next week! How is the painting coming?”

  I looked at the blank canvas and laughed. “Will anybody appreciate a framed white canvas?”

  “Paint the words “The Beatles” and it will be just like the White Album.”

  That was actually a pretty good idea. There were definitely people out there that loved that lazy approach to art. But it wasn't me.

  “That's really good but I won't steal your idea, Samantha. I need to come up with my own.” I walked away from my work station and into the kitchen, glad to be able to breathe in a different room.

  “How did you get in this art show again? I heard it's for some pretty big players.”

  “My dad got me into it. Said he had to sell an arm and a leg.”

  “Of course it was your father, Lilly.”

  Sam was making me feel guilty for being from a rich family again. Better to just change the subject. “Enough about me. Tell me how it's going with that guy...what was his name?”

  “Greg? Oh, we've been done for a week now. I actually have a date with this super hot guy I met at a bar last night.”

  Samantha was always neck deep in men. In college, she was known for sleeping around and nothing had changed since.

  I rolled my eyes. “What's the new guy's name?”

  Samantha couldn't wait to scream out his name. “Walter. He's an engineer or architect. One of those. Doesn't matter. The main thing is he has a brother that he's just as hot. And he's available...”

  I already knew where she was heading and I wanted nothing to do with it. “No way, Samantha. I'm not going on a double date with you.”

  “Come on, Lilly. You've been cooped up in that apartment for too long. You need to get out and see the world.”

  She wasn't wrong. I couldn't remember the last time I actually left the apartment other than to get food. “Yeah but remember how the last double date went?”

  Samantha huffed. “You're never going to let me live that one down are you?”

  I giggled. “Nope.”

  Samantha had tricked me into going on a double date with her. Tricked me as in taking me to a bar to “have a couple drinks” and then ambushing me with a guy.

  “Just because the guy turned out to be woman didn't mean the date was bad.”

  I bent over the kitchen counter and rested on my elbows. “Taylor really was an attractive guy.”

  “Well I can promise you this next guy will be one-hundred percent male.”

  “No thanks, Sam. You go out and have fun.”

  “You're going to have to get over him eventually, Lilly.”

  Don't say his name. Don't say his name.

  Samantha continued. “It's been years since he's been gone. It's time to move on. Find someone who makes you happy. I just want the best for you, Lilly.”

  “I know. I know. I'm really just not in the mood to date anybody right now. This art show is the only thing on my mind right now. And I barely have any time to finish this painting.”

  “I'm kind of glad we're not roommates anymore. I could never get any sleep when you worked for twenty-four hours straight.”

  “Oh really? You could never get any sleep? How about the guys you would sneak into your bed every night? Try sleeping through all that moaning.” We sounded like an old married couple arguing.

  Samantha laughed. “Sorry, I guess I went a little crazy in college.”

  “God bless noise-canceling headphones.”

  A knock at the door interrupted our conversation. “Hold on a sec, Sam. There's somebody at the door. Probably my father coming over to teach me how to network or something for the art show.”

  I unlocked the front door and opened it to a memory from my past. My jaw dropped and the phone dropped to the floor. I could still hear Sam on the other line trying to talk.

  Muscles, tattoos, and that cocky smile.

  Kellan was back.

  Kellan

  There she was standing in the doorway, her long blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail. She wore a dark blue apron covered in dry paint protecting her clothes. Exactly how I remembered her.

  My Lilly.

  We stared at each other for an eternity. I wanted to take her in my arms, force my lips against hers. But that wouldn't be appropriate. So much time had passed. How could I ever explain to her how much I missed her?

  “Kellan?” Lilly choked out. “What are you doing here?” She shook her head. “I mean how did you get out?”

  “Can you invite me in and we can talk?”

  Lilly nodded and bent down to pick up the fallen phone. I followed her inside and was amazed at how nice her place looked. Dark hardwood floors, long white drapes covered the windows, and an amazing view of the town from the twelfth floor. Her father had treated her very well since I'd been gone.

  Lilly led me to the kitchen that looked straight out of a home magazine. I felt so out of place. My jail cell was literal Hell compared to this.

  “When did you get out?” she asked, setting her palms down on the white quartz island.

  Lilly was nervous. But why? I expected her to jump into my arms with tears in her eyes when she opened that door. What happened since I was gone?

  “Just yesterday. Nobody was there to pick me up so I had to bum a ride to town.”

  “...It's been a long time, Kellan.”

  I walked around the kitchen island until I was only inches away from Lilly. All those ancient feelings came back. They were always there. But they were dormant. “Four years. Four long years.”

  Lilly put her hand on my chest to stop my advances. It'd been so long since I held a woman. I dreamed of doing it every day in that prison. My heart pounded against her hand. Something harder pounded in my pants.

  “How did you get out? You were sentenced to thirty years.”

  Why did she have to ask so many questions? One kiss from me and she'd forget about everything. I jerked off every day in prison to the image of Lilly. Now it was time to make that fantasy come true.

  I backed away to give her space. Lilly was obviously shocked at my return. Not exactly the warm reception I was expecting.

  “They let me out because of overcrowding.” The reason sounded idiotic in my head but that's what they told me.

  “Wait a second.” Lilly sat down at the bar stool next to the island and I joined her on the opposite side. There was an canyon of white quartz between us. “You were put in prison for attempted murder. They couldn't let you out because of overcrowding.”

  Why was she making this so hard? I was back. That's all that should matter. “I was put in prison for a crime I didn't commit. The county knew they fucked up and instead of publicly acknowledging it, they gave a bullshit reason.”

  Lilly put her head in her hands. “Sorry th
is is all so much to take in. I didn't think I'd ever see you again.”

  “Why didn't you visit me?” The question slipped out of my mouth. I wrote to her almost everyday in jail but never got a response.

  Lilly looked away. “I couldn't, Kellan. It would've been too hard.”

  “Then why didn't you at least respond to my letters?”

  “Letters?” Lilly raised her head with wide eyes. “What letters? I didn't receive anything.” She looked around the kitchen like the letters would just be sitting around.

  “I didn't know you moved into this expensive apartment. I sent the letters to your father's house.”

  “I never knew...”

  “It was your damn father,” I said so loud that the windows could have shattered.

  Lilly put her hands up in defense. “Please, don't bring him into this. Whatever he did, he was thinking of the best for me.”

  “And that brings us back to that classic argument we could never get over when we were together. Can't you see your father for who he really is?”

  Lilly stood up and walked to the window overlooking the town, Saint Marks. “I don't want to argue about him anymore.”

  I came up behind her and slipped my arms around her waist. She felt so warm against me. Prison would have been so much easier if I could've seen her face just once. “I want things to go back to the way they were,” I whispered in her ear.

  “I don't think they can,” she replied.

  Her words were like a shiv in my back but they wouldn't stop me. Nothing would. The whiff of her perfume brought me back to old times. Sitting by the fire, naked, bodies slick with sweat from making love. Talking about the meaning of life until dawn. Those were the memories that stuck with me through all those dark days.

  I turned Lilly toward me so she could see my eyes—see how much she affected me. “The only thing that got me through prison was you. I don't know how else to say it, Lilly. You're mine and you always will be.”

  “Please Kellan. We can't do this.” Lilly tried to escape out of my arms but I wouldn't let her.

  There was only one way to make her remember.

  I forced my lips on hers. Adrenaline surged through my veins. My grip on Lilly tightened. The sweet taste of her lip gloss was something that I'd forgotten. It had been too long since I'd been with a woman. My cock throbbed in my pants. If I didn't take her right now, I'd explode. Lilly struggled for just a moment before surrendering in my arms.

  She was mine again.

  Chapter Two

  Lilly

  My head was a tornado of emotions. I never thought I'd see Kellan again. Even after four years I still wasn't over him. He was the reason why I skipped out on so many nights out with Samantha. I could never find a man that could match him.

  Kellan sat across from me in the kitchen and I couldn't find a way to tell him. But he had to know—had to know that we were over. Every time my mouth opened, I couldn't make out the words. He was so happy to see me and I didn't want to break his heart.

  I looked out the window at Saint Marks. The sun was setting and the lampposts along main street were lighting up. There had to be an answer to my problem. Couldn't somebody tell me what to do? If my father was here he'd know.

  But when Kellan put his hands around me, all those old feelings came rushing back. Then I knew what to do. Kellan was my first love. He was the only man I'd ever been with. Only man I ever wanted to be with.

  Kellan kissed me hard on the lips. My initial reaction was to push him away. But his grasp on me was strong—always was. I melted in his grip and accepted his kiss. Nothing could stop it now.

  Kellan whisked me off my feet and swung me around. “Where's the bedroom?” His voice was low and guttural. He carried me down the hallway and to the last door on the right. Kellan gently laid me down on the king-sized bed with a white comforter.

  Somewhere in the back of my head, my subconscious was screaming at me to run away. We were supposed to be broken up. But the love of my life was back...

  Kellan lifted his tight white shirt over his head and exposed that ripped body. He was more chiseled since the last time I saw him, more definition in his chest and abs. More tattoos too. A lot more tattoos. His skin was completely covered in ink.

  I couldn't help but attack his blue jeans. I fumbled around with his belt and snaked it out of the loops. Kellan unzipped and dropped his pants to the ground. His length was pinned beneath his gray boxer briefs, just waiting to be unleashed. The desire ran deep down in my core. Kellan pushed me back down on the bed before I could rip off those boxers.

  “I've thought about this moment for four years,” Kellan said softly, running his finger down my neck. I suddenly felt self-conscious about my outfit. I was wearing a paint-stained apron that couldn't be any less attractive. But for some reason, to Kellan, it was.

  “It's not a dream anymore. This is real.” I undid the tie around my back and threw my apron across the room.

  Kellan wouldn't let me touch the rest of my clothes. His rough hands did the rest, tearing my little blue t-shirt over my head, pulling my jeans, both legs off at the same time. I lay on the bed wearing white panties and a nude-colored bra. Again, not the sexiest but you wouldn't be able to tell by the hunger in Kellan's eyes. My flesh was his to devour.

  Kellan nibbled at the crook of my neck and worked his way down. It tickled at first, goosebumps forming on my arms. Kellan pulled at the front of the bra until it snapped and my breasts spilled out. I had forgotten how passionate he could be. Kellan kneaded my supple breasts, pinching my nipples until they hardened.

  “Did you miss me?” Kellan asked, pressing my nipple into his mouth.

  He chewed on me softly until I cried out, “Yes, I missed you.”

  Kellan slipped both hands into the waistband of my white panties. His arms flexed, pulling the fabric until it tore apart. He swept the shreds of my underwear to the side.

  Kellan pulled down his boxers until his hard cock bounced out. My breathing quickened and a spike of ecstasy flowed through me. I never wanted him more than I did in that moment. Our entire past between us floated away. All that mattered was this moment.

  “Take me now, Kellan. I need you.”

  Kellan gave me a devious smile. “Patience, baby.”

  Patience wasn't my best virtue but when Kellan grazed his finger against my slit, I instantly shut up. I closed my eyes and focused on the pleasure. Kellan rubbed my fleshy hood around, bringing me so close to the edge.

  This was what I had been missing for four years. I'd barely gotten by from touching myself in the shower. But nothing could compare to Kellan's touch.

  I opened my eyes to discover Kellan sucking on the fingers he used to touch me. “You always tasted like Heaven, Lilly.”

  The pressure was building. If Kellan didn't release it, I'd have to do it myself. “Kellan, please...”

  I didn't have to say another word. Kellan knew it was time. He spread my legs and plunged into me. My slick pussy stretched until his entire cock filled me up. I wrapped my ankles around his back and held onto his arms as I detonated around him. I quivered and shook, Kellan thrusting in and out of me.

  The room spun around and eventually my vision came back to me. That orgasm was like a punch to the face. Was this what sex with Kellan was like? It had been so long ago that I almost forgot.

  My first time was a very different experience. Kellan and I held off for a month but we couldn't wait any longer. We did it in the back of my old cramped VW Beetle. I loved him so much. Kellan was gentle, not wanting to break me. That was real love making.

  Not like this time. Kellan wanted to fuck me hard and I needed him to.

  “You're so tight, Lilly.” Kellan gripped onto my thighs and used them as leverage to fuck me even deeper. I raked my fingernails down his back as hard as I could.

  “Don't stop!” I ordered him.

  Every thrust into me sent my body into overdrive. I wanted to stay here on this bed forever with Kellan. />
  “Come for me one more time, baby. Come with me.”

  Kellan's words finished me off. My skin shattered into a million pieces as I came around his thickness. I couldn't stop shaking from the extreme orgasm. Everything became one when I felt Kellan flood me with his seed. Our screams and moans waked the entire apartment building.

  Kellan stayed inside me until his penis became flaccid. I never wanted him to leave. The feeling of being with him was like no other. “I missed that so much,” Kellan said.