by Lila Moore
‘Don’t call the police. We need to talk. Let’s meet tonight. Somewhere quiet. I’ll bring the ring. Gx’
Genevieve
I stared at myself in the mirror. I was completely naked. I turned to the side and pushed my stomach out. Is this what I would like a couple months from now?
Only if I decided to keep the baby.
I sighed and stepped away from the mirror. It was making me paranoid. I was sure my body hadn’t changed at all, but the longer I stared, the more convinced I became that my stomach was growing.
Fueling my paranoia, I picked out a top that was loose and flow-y. It would hide any weight gain and ease my nerves a bit. I pulled on a pair of skinny jeans; they buttoned easily. Maybe my waist wasn’t growing? I wasn’t even sure I was pregnant. Though I strongly suspected I was. Four out of five of the pregnancy tests I’d taken gave a positive result. Still, there was a one in five chance I wasn’t. Desperately, I clung to that hope.
I put on a pair of sneakers and headed out. I was less concerned about looking sexy for Luke; I was too obsessed with looking normal. A paranoid part of me thought he would take one look at me and instantly know I was pregnant.
I walked a block down the street to my favorite coffee place. I was twenty minutes early, but Luke was already inside. I stood outside the café and watched him through the window. He had a short, scruffy beard that was a shade lighter than his hair. His brow was furrowed and there were dark circles under his eyes. He was strikingly handsome, even though he looked like he could use some sleep.
Suddenly, he turned. Foolishly, I tried to hide. I slipped off to the side, pressing myself flat against the wall of the café. It was incredibly stupid. He’d already seen me. My face burned hot. I considered fleeing. I could run back home or dart into the subway.
“Genevieve!”
I jumped and turned to find Luke standing a few feet away. He smiled brightly. If he thought I was acting bizarrely, he gave no indication. He crossed the short distance between us quickly and wrapped his arms around me.
I stiffened. I wasn’t expecting a warm embrace. But once I was in his arms, something inside me weakened. My defenses broke. I buried my face in his chest and took a deep breath. He smelled warm and faintly of trees as if he’d been working outside. Tears welled-up in my eyes.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
I cleared my throat and rubbed my face. I didn’t want him to see me cry.
“I’m fine.”
“I was worried when you didn’t respond to any of my calls or texts.”
“I’ve been busy,” I lied.
He nodded slowly as if he didn’t quite understand. Before he could ask any more questions, I held up my hand showing him the ring.
“I brought the ring. I think it will come off my finger this time,” I said with a forced laugh.
I pulled hard; it slid off easily. Under the stress of these last three weeks, I’d lost weight. All the more reason why it was silly to obsess over my imaginary baby bump; I was the thinnest I’ve ever been.
Luke turned the ring over so that the diamond caught the glow of the streetlight. It shimmered beautifully.
“Your mother has good taste,” he said.
“Yeah, she really knows how to pick ‘em.”
He looked up at me with a cool expression. A moment of awkward silence passed between us as Luke tried to figure out if I was trying to insult him.
I cleared my throat.
“You won’t go to the police, will you?”
Luke sighed. “No. I shouldn’t have threatened you like that. I just wanted to see you and you weren’t responding to any of my texts. Is something wrong?”
“No, of course not.” My voice sounded high-pitched even to my ears. I coughed and added: “I mean, other than the fact that my mother is clinically insane?”
“Other than that,” he replied with a weak smile.
“No. Everything’s swell.”
Another awkward silence descended upon us.
“Look, there’s something I have to tell you,” I said.
“Do you want to go inside?”
I looked into the café. A couple sat near the window, leaning in close to each other, whispering. They smiled deviously as if they shared a secret. I looked back to Luke. His eyes were severe; his jaw tight. He looked like a man bracing himself for bad news.
A wave of jealousy washed over me. I wished Luke stared at me the way the man in the café stared at his female companion. I straightened up and tried to push those thoughts out of my head. I had to focus. What was important now was saving Luke from making a huge mistake. He didn’t know it yet, but he was walking into a trap. As soon as my mother broke the news of her pregnancy, I was sure she’d use it as a tool to manipulate Luke into marrying her.
“There’s something I need to tell you first,” he said. “What happened between us…”
“…was a mistake. I know. You don’t have to say it. I get it; you got caught up in the moment and now you regret it.”
“No. I don’t regret anything. Well, maybe a few things. But I don’t regret what happened between us. We hardly know each other, but I feel… a spark.”
“A spark?”
“A connection. Chemistry. You don’t feel it?”
I’d felt drawn to him since our first meeting when he offered to give me a ride home from the restaurant. It didn’t matter now, though. As soon as he found out my mother was pregnant, he would cut off all contact with me. It was understandable. You can’t date the daughter of the woman who’s expecting your child.
Then there was the floating question mark hanging over my future. Was I pregnant? A voice inside me said, yes. Luke could never know. It would only bring more chaos to the situation.
Discovery of my mother’s pregnancy was inevitable. Once the cat was out of the bag, I’d probably never see him again. Maybe a goodbye was in order? One last fling?
“I do- feel it, I mean. That night, after dinner with my mother, I leaned in a tried to kiss you. I don’t know what I was thinking. I was just drawn to you.”
“Why didn’t you respond to any of my calls or texts?” he asked.
I shook my head and looked away. I couldn’t answer his question honestly, not yet.
“That’s fine. It doesn’t matter now,” he said.
“Let’s get out of here. Take me back to your place.”
Luke
There was something off about Genevieve. I wanted to talk, but she kept insisting we go back to my place. I didn’t argue. It would be nice to spend some alone time with her.
As we drove to my place, she stared out the window sadly. I tried to talk to her, but I was met with short, dismissive responses. Finally, I gave up and we rode in silence. She perked up once she caught a glimpse of the building where I live. The Towers were a shiny skyscraper that stretched into the sky. My place was on the top floor.
Genevieve craned her head back and looked up. Most girls have the same reaction when I bring them back to my place for the first time. It always makes me cringe. They always get this look on their faces like they just won a jackpot. I usually try to hide the fact that I’m wealthy for as long as I can. Money changes everything. I’m more than happy to treat a girl to dinner and a nice night out, but I’ve had girls straight up ask me to pay off their student loans and mortgages after knowing them for less than a month.
Genevieve looked back at me. I expected to see a gleam in her eye. Some women become predatorily when they get their hands on a man with money. Genevieve looked the same as she always did though. There was something about her that was different. I don’t think she cared about my money. It was refreshing, but I’d made the mistake before of assuming a girl didn’t care about money only to have her shake me down for cash later. As I led Genevieve inside, I hoped she didn’t disappoint me.
Genevieve
The elevator ride felt like it took ages. Luke’s penthouse was at the very top of the building. My ears popped as the eleva
tor climbed. When the doors finally opened, I was taken aback by what I saw. The penthouse covered not one, but two floors. There were huge floor to ceiling windows that overlooked the city. Expensive-looking artwork covered the walls. I recognized a few pieces. A Warhol and a Keith Haring hung above the bar on the far right side of the penthouse.
The space was huge and open. It felt like we were floating above the clouds. It was all a bit shocking. I knew Luke was rich; I had no idea he was this wealthy.
I cleared my throat awkwardly; I had no idea what to say.
“Sorry for the mess,” Luke said.
A couple of boxes were stacked against the far wall and a coat hung from the back of a chair. Other than that, the penthouse was immaculate.
“You should be sorry. What a dump,” I said.
Luke turned to me with a tense expression. For a brief moment, he thought I was being serious. Once he saw that I was joking, he started to laugh.
“Does it meet your approval?” he asked with a sly grin.
I shrugged. “It’ll do.”
“Do you want a drink?”
“No, I don’t drink.”
Though a part of me thought maybe this was a good time to start.
“Water? Juice?”
“No, I’m good.”
Luke walked to the bar and poured himself a drink. He swallowed it all in one gulp. Was he nervous? Surely not. Why would I make him nervous?
I took off my jacket and set it down on the couch. I walked to the window and looked down. People scurried across the sidewalk as small as ants. A wave of nausea hit me. I took a deep breath. I did not want to puke now. This was supposed to be our goodbye. I didn’t want Luke’s last memory of me to be cleaning up a puddle of vomit off his floor.
“Maybe I will have a drink,” I said.
“What would you like?”
“Whatever you’re having?”
I noticed too late that he was drinking straight alcohol. Gratefully, he didn’t pour me the same. He mixed it with soda and lime, then handed it to me. I took a sip. The soda did little to hide the strength of the alcohol. I coughed.
“Too strong?”
“No, it’s perfect,” I lied.
I took a drink and felt the nausea swirling in my stomach fade away.
“Where’s your bedroom?” I blurted out.
He choked on his drink.
“It’s, uh, in the back.”
He pointed over my shoulder to a dark hallway.
“Show me.”
I grabbed his hand and dragged him in the direction he’d pointed. I opened the first door I came to and was disappointed to find a gym.
“Upstairs,” he said.
A set of stairs at the end of the hall led up to a second floor. It was hard to imagine climbing higher than we already were. Luke’s apartment felt like it sat on top of the world.
The stairs led straight to Luke’s bedroom. It was a large, mostly empty room with artwork decorating the walls. In the middle of the room was a large bed with black velvet sheets. The sheets were thrown back messily like he’d just climbed out of bed.
“Sorry for the mess,” he said again.
I turned around, grabbed his shirt and pulled him to me. I kissed him hard. I don’t know if I was emboldened by the alcohol or the sense of finality that coursed through this last meeting. This had to be our last meeting. There was no other way for us to continue on together.
“Gen…” Luke protested. “Slow down.”
I grabbed his collar and ripped his shirt down the middle. This was not the time to slow down. I wanted to feel his body against mine and forget about my mother and the fact that this was the end. I bit his lower lip and ran my tongue inside his mouth.
“Fuck me,” I said breathlessly. “Fuck me hard.”
Luke grabbed me behind the knees and lifted me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist securely, as if he might change his mind and toss me aside.
Luke walked over to the bed and threw me down. I bounced on the mattress, then sat up and pulled off what remained of his shirt.
Luke’s hand slid over my stomach and came to a rest on breast. He kneaded my tits softly, then peeled off my top. I froze. Was I showing? Did I have a small baby bump? Luke’s eyes scanned my body. His face betrayed nothing. As far as I could tell, he didn’t notice a change.
He unhooked my bra and pushed me down flat on the bed. He kissed my neck, then my breasts and stomach. I thought he lingered for a time on my stomach, but it may have just been my paranoid imagination.
Luke unbuttoned my jeans and pulled them off forcefully. He’d apparently changed his mind about wanting to take things slowly. Not that I’m complaining. I wanted him to fuck me raw.
I grabbed his arm and pulled him down on top of me. I kissed his face and neck, then stopped. Fading scratch marks ran across his neck and down his back. Had I done that the last time we fucked, or had he been with another girl? Had he been with my mother? I nearly hurled him off me in disgust, but I knew for a fact my mother had not been back in contact with Luke. Even if she had, I don’t think Luke would sleep with her after stealing his credit card and lying to him about everything.
“What’s wrong?” Luke asked.
“Nothing.”
I kissed him again and ran my fingers through his hair. I dragged my nails down his back, following the path of the fading marks. It felt familiar. I had scratched him before. I breathed a sigh of relief.
A second wave of hunger rose inside me. I pushed Luke over onto his back and climbed on top of him. I slid down onto his hard cock slowly. My pussy pulsed as the head entered me.
I threw my head back. A small whimper passed over my lips.
Luke grabbed him hips and drove his cock deep. My hips started to move in fast circles. I focused on the head of his cock. If I angled my hips just right, I could work my g-spot perfectly.
Luke’s mouth fell open. He groaned as he watched my body sway on top of his. I ran my fingers through my hair, twisting and pulling. It was odd the way pain added an edge to the pleasure of sex.
Luke’s hands drifted up over my body. I leaned in a bit, encouraging him to massage my breasts. His soft hands passed over my nipples. He started to thrust into me harder. I met his strokes, moving my hips faster. It was like we were caught in a dance where the tempo kept increasing.
I rode him hard. Sparks of heat flooded my body; chills shot up and down my spine. Luke and I moved faster and faster until we couldn’t go any quicker.
The rush of energy boiling inside me came to a head. I put my hands over Luke’s and squeezed. I came as an explosion of energy broke inside me. I continued to ride Luke, but it was difficult. I felt weakened by my orgasm, though he finished soon after I did.
I collapsed on the bed beside him. I wanted to rest my head on Luke’s chest, but I was too hot. Sweat beaded my skin. I watched his chest rise and fall as he tried to catch his breath. He ran a hand through his hair then leaned over and kissed me.
“I’m going to go get us a drink. I’ll be right back.”
Unable to form a coherent sentence, I simply nodded. Luke kissed me again, then jumped out of bed. I watched his high, firm ass and meaty thighs as he walked away. I still couldn’t believe I was lucky enough to fuck a guy as hot as him. Not for long, a voice in the back of my mind said.
It was true. This was our last night together. Sadness threatened to destroy the rush of pleasure still coursing through my body. I wouldn’t let it. I was going to enjoy tonight. I’d only just gotten started with Luke.
Luke
I braced myself against the stairwell and caught my breath. My cock still throbbed wet and hot with the feeling of Genevieve’s pussy.
I rubbed the sweat from my brow with the back of my arm and continued on down the stairs. I reached the bar and poured myself a drink. I downed it all in one gulp. Genevieve’s behavior was strange. First she ghosts me, then she wants to fuck my brains out. It was odd. Why had she spent so long ignoring me only t
o jump on my cock the first chance she got? There was definitely something going on.
I poured a second drink for myself and a soda whiskey for Genevieve. I picked up the drinks and started to head back to my bedroom when the elevator dinged. Was someone coming up? I wasn’t expecting guests.
I put down the drinks and headed to the front door. The elevator opened directly into my apartment. You can’t get in unless you have a key. When I reached the elevator the doors were just closing. There was no one inside. Weird. Maybe it was a glitch? The building was new and they were still working out the bugs. The fire alarm randomly went off and sometimes the elevators shut down without warning. It was probably nothing.
I went back to the bar and decided to add cherry and lime to Genevieve’s drink. I could tell she didn’t like the first drink I’d made her. Maybe if it was a bit sweeter she’d enjoy it more. I was just picking up the drinks when I heard a crash from upstairs followed by a woman’s scream.
I didn’t think I just ran. Was Genevieve hurt? Was there an intruder?
At the foot of the stairs, I found Val. She was lying on the floor motionless with one arm twisted behind her at a painful angle. I stared at her dumbly. What was she doing here? How had she gotten inside?
Suddenly, she gasped. I fell to her side and cradled her head in my lap. Questions could wait for later. Val needed medical attention.
“Don’t move,” I said.
She cradled her arm to her chest and whimpered. Her lips moved as she tried to form words, but none came out.
“Don’t speak,” I said. “Save your energy. I’m going to get you to the hospital.”
“The baby…” she whispered.
“What?” I thought I hadn’t heard her right. Did she say ‘baby’?
“Our baby!” She screamed and clutched her stomach. Red blood stained the front of her jeans. “She did it! She killed our baby!”
A vicious look passed over Val’s expression. She looked up into the dark. I followed her gaze. Genevieve stood at the top of the stairs with a sheet wrapped around her naked body. Her eyes were wide with horror; her mouth hung open in disbelief.
