The Deviant

by Tiana Laveen

  They began to both hum to the music, talking about what they planned to do for the rest of the week.

  “Hand me some soap, baby.”

  He turned and handed her the bar of light green soap, then rinsed off.

  “My big bottle of liquid soap is boxed up. Hopefully I’ll find it tonight and we can use it in the morning.”

  “But I didn’t bring a spend-the-night bag. You weren’t sure you and Shane would get the bed put together, remember?”

  “Oh yeah, that’s right.” It had totally slipped his mind. The last few days had been quite hectic. “Just throw your clothes in the washer. I’ll hook that up tonight then, too.”

  “Okay. Let’s switch places.” He stood behind her, allowing her to stand under the stream of water.

  She’s so damn beautiful…

  He started at the top of her head which was now moist. The round shoulders, the perfection of her back, and the way her waist flowed into rounded hips and long, silky legs. Soon, they were drying off, sharing the same towel. They took turns slapping each other with it, laughing and screaming. She popped him hard on the arm, then took off, running butt naked down the hall. He gave chase and spotted her immediately crouched by the side of the couch.

  “Gotcha!”

  She flailed her arms, giggling and yelling her head off as he carted her away to the guest bedroom. He pressed her against the wall, biting her neck, tickling her, making her regret what she’d done for sure.

  “Nooo! I’m sorry! I won’t do it again! Ahhh! King, stop!” She hit him on the chest, laughing so hard and loud, it seemed her voice was growing hoarse by the second. They kissed and played and had fun until… they grew serious. He looked deep into her eyes, pushing slick curls out of her face, and tilted his head. Still smiling. Unable to stop.

  “What?” she asked coyly.

  “Remember a while back when you found that painting I had done of you? The one I had kept hidden?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I want to do that again. But this time, with you in front of me. In person. I want to paint you nude.” He leaned in to kiss and suck on her earlobe as he twirled one of her curls around his finger. “Will you let me do that, baby?”

  She seemed thoughtful.

  “Yeah… I’ll do it,” she finally said in a whisper.

  Moments later, he had her in the bedroom, lying across the clean, crisp white sheets while he gathered his tools. ‘Tell Me,’ by Usher, serenaded them in the background. He opened box after box until he found the brushes he desired. Then, paints, cups, water, towels.

  He joined her in the bedroom, leaned over her and kissed her. She reached up to caress his beard. After kissing her hand, he pulled away and put up his easel beside the bed. He sat on a stool and began to paint, starting on the outline of her body along the canvas.

  “Do I have to be quiet?” she asked softly.

  “Yes, only because when we move our jaw muscles, it completely changes our facial expressions, our lip shape, nose, and so on.”

  “Okay, I understand.”

  “Just relax, baby. You can even take a nap if you want, but keep the same position.”

  She nodded, but kept her eyes open, looking up at the ceiling. The music drifted around them, setting the mood. Dipping his paintbrush in the water, taking his time, he snuck a glance at her and his chest burned with desire. Love. All things the opposite of deviant…

  “I love the shit outta you, Suri. You have no idea. I’ve never cared for a woman the way I care for you. My love for you can’t fit into words. Not in Portuguese or English. My love for you is its own language. You’re my soulmate. I know this with every beat of my heart, baby.”

  She fought a smile, but did a damn good job staying still. He studied the curve of her soul, the bend of her essence, the rise of her beauty, the fall of her grace, the lines of her fears, the twists and turns of her anger…

  And he painted them.

  His right wrist muscle ached as he painstakingly brushed his own heart into the flesh of another human being. He had no sense of time, but he knew it must’ve been a while for her muscles began to relax, her eyes fluttered, and before he knew it, she went to sleep. She never moved a muscle. The perfect subject.

  When he was all finished, he quietly stood up, surveyed his work from various angles, and fought back tears. It was almost perfect. He tiptoed about so he wouldn’t wake her as he put everything back in its place, then rinsed his brushes in the kitchen sink. He hooked up the washing machine in the small laundry area, then returned to the kitchen. As he opened the refrigerator door, he noticed his arms and chest were splattered with paint.

  “Shit,” he said under his breath as he reached for a bottle of water from a case Shane had brought. Downing half the bottle, he went to the bathroom to rinse off. His mind traveled to a million different places. There was so much to do. So much to take care of. He returned to the bedroom, prepared to tuck her under the sheets and fall asleep next to her, but found her standing, facing the canvas that was drying against the wall. He stopped in his tracks. Watching her.

  Her shoulders moved up and down, her head fell forward, and the curve of spine caught the light as she slumped forward, wracked with emotion. Wild black curls tumbled about.

  “Oh, my God,” she managed to choke out. “It’s beautiful.” She shook her head.

  He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him. When she rested her head on his chest, they began to sway. He kissed the top of her head and held her as tight as he could without hurting her. But it simply wasn’t enough. He needed to be closer to her, so much closer. Tears webbed in her eyes, making his heart flutter when he settled his gaze upon them. Cupping the back of her head, he brought her in for an urgent kiss. It seemed time lapsed, for somehow, he didn’t recall how, they were soon on the bed, limbs stretched across the sheets.

  Mint Condition’s, ‘U Send Me Swingin’ played as he embraced her, his arms beneath her breasts. Depositing kisses along her jaw, he practically overdosed on her warmth and the beautiful, natural scent of her skin. She caressed his arms, tickling the hairs. Laying her down, her head towards the foot of the bed, he gently spread her legs open and hooked his hands around her hips. Then, he pressed his lips against her soft, wet pussy and kissed her flower, making her purr. Easy, slow flicks against the soft folds of her love built into fast tongue grazes. He eagerly sucked and lapped up her juices as she writhed and screamed out his name.

  Her body was an orchestra, her muscles like strings of a violin as she contorted and bent, then fell into glimmery vibrations. He couldn’t wait another second to be inside of her. After savoring the last of her essence, he placed her on her stomach and yanked her towards him, his dick almost painfully hard, and entered her pussy with visceral vigor. He fell upon her, flowing and grinding against her with each thrust. Her screams turned him on at each pass. They reached for one another, fingers intertwined as he humped her soft ass and delved in her heat.

  “I’ve been staring at your body for hours. It was torture, baby. Beautiful torture. I had to stop several times as I painted you just to catch my breath. Just to calm down. Just to not toss the brushes aside and have my way with you…”

  “You can have me any way you want me, baby.”

  He nibbled on her neck as he slowed his thrusts, taking his time. Rising on his palms, he pivoted his hips, rocking back and forth inside her. His flesh heated as his climax drew closer. He felt good all over, and she was to blame.

  “Are you loving it, baby?” he asked, wanting to give her maximum pleasure.

  “Yes… keep it just like that.” She panted. “I love your big dick, baby. I love it almost more than I love you. It should have its own name and zip code.”

  Suri could be so comical, occasionally at the strangest of times. Their laughter felt good. He always felt good with her. He bent down and kissed her shoulder, then her cheek. Speeding up his pace, it wasn’t long before he was panting, on the brink of exploding. He grippe
d her shoulder, keeping her in place as he drove inside of her, unable to slow even if he wanted to.

  “Ahhh, God! I’m about to cum, baby!”

  Her pussy began to squeeze him, the walls giving his cock a spasmic hug. Any hope he had of savoring another second or two of being inside her was over. He moved at a rapid pace, crashing into her, flooding her with his appreciation. His head spun, delirious with love and longing. When he was satisfied, he pulled out of her, turned her on her back, and lay between her legs. Wrapping their limbs around one another, they kissed and tasted, hearts beating faster and faster.

  “I never thought I would have a connection like this with someone, Suri. I can’t believe it. I wake up in awe, every morning, knowin’ that you’re mine.”

  She ran her fingers through his hair, their noses practically touching.

  “You know what I want to be mine?”

  “What?”

  “Some damn food. You got anything to eat in here?”

  He burst out laughing and shook his head.

  “No, but they’ve got some of the best delivery spots around here, hands down. Mexican, Italian, Chinese, French, Thai, whatever you want… I got you.”

  “You sure do have me, baby.” She wrapped her arms tightly around him and squeezed. “King, all jokes aside… Can I admit something to you?”

  “Yeah, of course.”

  “I was a little afraid to fall in love again. I, uh, I’ve been through some things, you know.” She looked away, averting eye contact. “Nothin’ probably out of the ordinary, everyone gets screwed over sometimes in relationships, but it hurt. I do learn from my mistakes, or I hope so. Anyway, I was affected.” She shrugged. “Pretending otherwise doesn’t benefit me like I thought it would. You taught me that admitting the negative emotions doesn’t mean I’ve been defeated by them or succumbed. It means I just acknowledge, and sometimes I have the right to be mad.” He nodded in agreement. “Those hurts didn’t stop me from loving you, but I do think about the past sometimes. I hate that. I know it’s counterproductive to sometimes worry if this is going to turn bad. I can’t compare you to anyone else I’ve loved. You’re unique. You’re your own person, and I’m different from anyone else you’ve been around, too. My fear of losing you trumped my fear of listening to my heart. I know I made the right choice. We belong together.”

  He kissed her, then looked deep into her eyes. “How about you spend the night?”

  “I am. Remember, you’re going to hook up the washer and—”

  “Nah, not that. I want you to spend the night… forever. Move in with me, Suri.” He kissed her neck. “I didn’t pick this new place out just for me. I wanted it for us…”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  Tears of Pain, Tears of Joy

  Suri leaned back in her chair at work and took a deep breath before picking up her cup of warm coffee with a touch of cream and took a nice, long sip. She was filled with both elation and trepidation. King had asked her to move in, and she’d told him she’d think about it.

  The fact of the matter was, her aunt was returning to New York soon, and she would need a new place to stay. The timing seemed almost perfect. A bit too perfect. She took another sip of her coffee, then looked around the office. Everyone appeared busy but her. A rare sight to see.

  Her stomach clenched. She’d called several girlfriends asking for their opinions, something she rarely did. Typically, she was the go-to person for advice. Several of them had spent periods of time around King, and they all, including her mother, admired the man. King was just so damn likable, it was virtually impossible for him to have an enemy.

  The truth was the truth, though, and she needed to face it.

  I would love to live with King, but I’m afraid that if I moved in with him, everything will fall to pieces. I’ve seen it happen time and again. I’ve warned my friends to not move in with these motherfuckers because as soon as you do, they never buy the damn cow because they’re getting the chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla milk for free. I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to be married, I’d go back and forth on that, but now, I definitely think I do. It’s funny how everything changes when we meet someone we didn’t even think could exist. I will never forgive you for this, God. I wrote out the man I wanted, prayed for him, and you sent him. How could you? She laughed at herself. Am I going to be a road block? Take my own advice? I hate being indecisive like this. It doesn’t suit me.

  But they were moving forward, evolving, and she either had to get with the program or fall back. Falling back was not an option. She pushed the button on her phone, bringing her short break to an end.

  “911, what’s your emergency?”

  “Oh God! Hurry! This is Evelyn Kirkland. Please send the police! My ex-boyfriend broke into my apartment and he’s tryna kill me! He’s got a gun!” There was a loud bang, and then another.

  “Ma’am, please give me your address.” The woman rattled off her location in between screams. Suri remained calm as she heard more banging, sounding like someone trying to break a door down.

  “I’VE CALLED THE POLICE, BRANDON!” the woman yelled out in terror.

  “Evelyn, are you hurt?”

  “Yes! He punched and slapped me. I ran into my bedroom and locked the door. He chased me and is tryna get into the bedroom!”

  “Stay right there, okay? Do not open the door under any circumstances. In fact, is there a closet you can get into so that in case he does enter, it can slow him down?”

  “Yes!” She heard a door slide open, and the same sliding noise again. “I’m inside.”

  “Okay, keep your voice down, okay? You don’t have to say anything else. Just keep listening to the sound of my voice. I will stay on the phone with you. It’s going to be okay. I’ve alerted the police, gave them your address, and they are en route.”

  “He’s getting in! HE’S GETTIN’ IN!!!”

  Suri’s stomach knotted and her heart dropped when she heard the man yelling in the background. There was a big commotion, and then, she heard the closet door being shoved open.

  “I see you in there, you dumb ass, stupid bitch! You think you can just leave me?! You think I’m some fool, bitch?! Huh? You fuckin’ slut!”

  “Brandon, please! Please!”

  Suri heard the phone drop and what sounded like a tussle.

  “I’mma kill you, bitch!”

  “AHHHH! Brandon, you’re hurting me! God, help me! I’m sorry!” That was followed by shrill screaming and what sounded like thumping, as if someone was being tossed against a wall. “I’m sorry! I’M SORRY, BABY! Let’s talk… okay? Let’s talk?!”

  “Ain’t shit to talk about! I know you’ve been cheating on me. You’re dead, bitch!”

  Suri wanted to let the woman know the police were inside her apartment building, on their way to her floor. She felt so helpless. Typically, she was able to coast through these sorts of calls, but the sheer desperation in the woman’s voice blended with her own anxieties, making a stressful stew. The two women, mere strangers to one another, now had fused energy. They both lived in a world that had failed their kind. Suri wanted to save her. Protect her.

  “POLICE!” She heard the police burst in on the scene, and sighed with relief. They must’ve just come through the front door. “CLEAR!”

  She waited on the phone, recording it for possible evidence in a court case.

  But then, the gun fired several times in rapid succession.

  Please, God, no! Please let that have been the police shooting him!

  But she knew better. She would’ve heard them warn him, but she heard nothing…

  Suri’s eyes watered and she fought the tears hard. She’d been doing this so long, it took a lot to bring her to this point. Pure commotion ensued. “DROP THE GUN!” The man was being handcuffed; there was no sound from him, no words, no cries, no screams from Evelyn.

  “You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to an attorney and if you cannot afford an attorney, one will be app
ointed for you. If you waive these rights and talk to us, anything you say may be used against you in court.”

  She could hear the police moving about in the room, talking over one another. And then, the radio.

  “No pulse…”

  She knew the drill. Someone was doing CPR. Tears fell down Suri’s face like rain. She buried her head in her hands.

  “The ambulance is almost here. She’s gone. Call the coroner…”

  Suri slipped from herself, her body giving out. Several co-workers must’ve noticed her for when she looked around, they were standing near her.

  “He killed her,” was all she could muster before she was led to the break room with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Her boss approached and tapped her hand.

  “Suri, we call you soldier as a joke, but everyone gets that one call. Looks like this was yours. I want you to go home for the day, okay?” The woman patted her back. “You’ve got vacation time you’ve barely touched, anyway.”

  Suri nodded, still in a daze. She slipped on her coat, gathered her purse, and headed out the building.

  I can’t call King. He’s in an important meeting about his art show, getting sponsors. I don’t want to interrupt him right now. I can’t call my mom. She’s working. I don’t want to call my friends. I just need to calm down… This is part of the job. I just need to pull myself together.

  But the tears wouldn’t stop flowing. She sat on the train to go home. Numb.

  As soon as she got off, her phone began to buzz. She answered.

  “Dad, hi.”

  “Heeey, Suri. What are you into? Can I swing by your job at lunchtime to pick you up for a bite to eat?”

  Every blue moon, her father would call and invite her out to lunch. It happened at least once every few months, and she never knew what prompted it, but was happy for the visit all the same.

  “Actually, Dad, I just left the office. I’ve had a bad day and am on my way home.”

  “Oh, well uh, I could swing by your apartment and we can talk about it if you want?”

  She hesitated. A part of her just wanted to ball up under her sheets in her warm bed, and try to go to sleep, but another part of her wanted to have company and talk it out.