by Lila Moore
I closed my eyes and let the warmth wash over me. In spite of the heat, I still shook.
I leaned into the water let run down my face and over my body. A hand slid across my stomach. I opened my eyes and looked down. Luke’s hand was swollen and bruised. He’d come by his injuries defending me.
I smiled. I hated to admit it, but it felt good. No one had ever stood up for me.
Luke pressed his chest against my back. I leaned into him. He rested his head on my shoulder and kissed my neck. I closed my eyes and felt his other hand slide across my waist and come to a rest on my stomach.
In that moment, all I wanted was to play pretend. Could we pretend that my mother was nice, normal and supportive? That my pregnancy was planned? That we were a couple in a trusting relationship with no drama?
I placed my hand over his.
Could we pretend that his penthouse at the top of the world was mine? That I belonged here beside Luke?
Luke grabbed a wash cloth and started to bathe me. I went limp as he lifted my arms, washing my hands and fingers. The cloth slid around to my front. He ran it over my breasts, squeezing and kneading them slowly. Soap bubbles ran down my cleavage, tickling my skin.
The cloth passed over my stomach and down between my legs. I groaned as Luke started to massage my pussy. The cloth moved in slow circles over my clit, focusing on my g-spot.
His hard cock pressed against the back of my thigh. I wanted to turn around and touch him, but I was frozen. I needed him to take control.
As if reading my mind, he grabbed my hips and spun me around. I opened my eyes. Luke was staring down at me searchingly. What was he trying to see? Did he still suspect I was lying to him?
I pressed my body against his. It was like striking a match. The distance between us disappeared as our desire took control. For now, distrust could take a backseat.
Luke kissed me hard. His tongue slid in and out of my mouth. I ran my nails down his chest, scratching him. Luke’s hands found their way around my waist to my ass. He squeezed, then lifted me into the air.
I wrapped my legs around his waist and groaned. He pushed me against the shower wall. The wall was slick, but Luke held me firm. He squeezed my ass as he positioned himself between my legs.
The anticipation was maddening. I wanted him to fuck me so hard that it erased all the feelings of doubt and mistrust between us.
Luke stared deeply into my eyes as his cock found the sweet spot between my legs. A cry escaped from deep inside me. His thrusts came fast and hard. My pussy stretched around his throbbing cock as he pounded into me.
The hot water hit Luke’s chest. Drops clung to his chest hair and ran down his muscles. I placed my hand over his heart. It beat like a bird trapped in a cage.
Luke pumped into me harder. I squeezed him between my legs.
“Come for me, sweetheart,” he growled in my ear.
My body reacted to his voice as if on command. I fell into his arms as he finished inside me.
We clung to one another as the water ran over us. I rested my head on Luke’s chest and listened to his heartbeat.
Eventually, Luke turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. He selected a white towel and wrapped it around me. The towel was so big it made me look like a child. I hugged the soft fabric around me.
Luke dried off quickly then took my hand. He led me into his bedroom. The room was dark, but light enough to see that it was empty. I was relieved to see we were alone. If my mother had shown up, I think I might have lost my mind.
Luke pulled back the sheets on the bed, then took my towel. I spun free from it like a mummy being unwrapped. I smiled and slid between the silk sheets.
Luke laid down beside me. I rested my head on his chest and closed my eyes. I drifted off to sleep to the gentle beat of his heart and the warmth coursing between my legs.
Luke
Genevieve’s legs twisted together with mine beneath the sheets. Her skin felt as soft as velvet pressed against mine. I held her until her breathing slowed and I was sure she was asleep. I then kissed her forehead and slipped out of bed. I moved slowly so as not to wake her.
She moaned in her sleep and turned over.
The sound of her voice made me want to stay. I was crazy for leaving. I had a beautiful naked girl in my bed and I was walking away. But I didn’t have a choice. There was business to attend to.
I had to protect Genevieve and our baby. The only way I’d secure our future was by getting rid of Val. The specter of our relationship couldn’t hang over my future with Genevieve.
Val needed to go away. Permanently.
Part Four
Luke
I put my hand in my pocket and felt the blank check. Still there. I was paranoid about losing it. If Val wanted money, then that’s what I would give her. The thought of rewarding her for her bad behavior made me angry, but I had no choice. If I was going to move on with Genevieve then Val had to be out of our lives. She only valued me for my wealth, so I doubted she’d have any trouble taking my money and running.
The question was: how much? What was it going to cost to make Val go away?
I cracked my neck and got ready for battle. I felt like I was walking into the boardroom. Hostile negotiations are my specialty. Though normally, I’m used to dealing with sane opponents.
The elevator door opened on her apartment.
“Val?”
I was met with silence. I checked my watch. It was the middle of the night. Was she out with someone? Maybe she was already in bed. I stepped into her apartment. The elevator dinged shut behind me. I walked down a long dark hallway and stopped. A man’s coat was lying in the middle of the floor along with a belt. A loud thump followed by a giggle echoed through the room.
I walked to Val’s bedroom door. It was cracked open. The first thing I saw was Val’s back. Her long blonde hair was pulled up in a messy knot on top of her head while she bounced up and down on top of someone. It was no secret to me that Val slept with other men. Our relationship was never serious, so I didn’t care. I always looked the other way and pretended not to notice when she come over to my place wearing new jewelry, or an expensive handbag. I knew the men she slept with bought her these things.
Val was not subtle about expecting gifts. She’d asked me repeatedly to buy her jewelry, designer clothes, to pay for her rent. Once she even asked me to buy her a car. I laughed it off and gave her a couple thousand dollars to spend however she wanted. She’d frowned at the ‘paltry’ sum.
All in all, I wasn’t surprised to see Val had run into the arms of another man, but it wasn’t until that moment that I realized what a fool I’d been to accept her lies. There was no proof she’d ever been pregnant and even is she was expecting a baby, there was no reason to believe I was the father. God only knew how many men she’d slept with while dating me. Besides, we’d always used protection.
I cleared my throat. “Sorry to interrupt…”
The man beneath her yelled, “Shit!”
He pushed Val aside and jumped out of bed. I was surprised to see that I recognized his face.
“Trent? What the fuck are you doing here?”
“I know what this looks like…”
“It looks like you’re fucking Val.”
“Look, I know you told me to stay out of it, but you know how I am. I thought I could reason with her and well, one thing led to another.”
Val stretched out naked in bed. She made no effort to cover up. She rested against the headboard and picked up a glass of champagne from the bedside table. She sipped her drink and watched with a pleased expression as Trent and I argued.
“We were just together earlier tonight. Did you drop me off and head straight here to fuck Val?” I asked.
I couldn’t believe Trent could be so stupid. Actually, yes I could believe it. He was notorious for acting impulsively. He followed his dick around like it had a mind of its own.
“I thought I could help. I came here to talk some sense into
her.”
“‘Talking sense into her,’ is that what you call it?”
“Luke, man, I’m sorry. I know this wasn’t cool of me. It just happened.”
“‘Not cool.’”
I started to laugh. It was a ridiculous understatement. Trent was making this a lot easier for me. I no longer felt bad about paying Val to go away forever.
“Listen, Val, we need to talk.”
“I know baby. Are you mad at me? I’ve been so depressed since losing our baby. After you stopped returning my calls, I didn’t know what to do. When your friend showed up and promised to help sort things out, I was so happy. He told me you’d sent him.”
“What? That’s not what I said,” Trent objected.
“He said,” Val continued without missing a beat, “that you were best friends and that he could make things right between us. I was so relieved that I kissed him. I never expected him to kiss me back. It’s been so long since I’ve felt the comfort of a man. I just lost control. Before I knew it, he was taking off my dress and leading me into the bedroom.”
“Un-fucking-believable. Nothing she said is true. I came here to talk and she threw herself at me.”
I rubbed my face. I didn’t believe either version of their stories. The truth was probably somewhere in between. Not that it mattered anymore. I just wanted to pay off Val and get this over with.
“Leave,” I said to Trent.
“I don’t want to go with you pissed at me.”
“We’re not going to settle this now. I’ll deal with you later. Get out.”
Trent sighed and started to dress. He glared at Val as he left. I waited until I heard the elevator door open and shut before I made my offer.
“Baby-” Val started.
“Just listen. I want to make you happy.”
She perked up. I could tell she expected me to yell. Surprisingly, I wasn’t that angry. Trent was an idiot. It was going to take me a while before we were cool each other again. As far Val, she was behaving exactly how Genevieve said she would. I was slowly realizing Gen had been right about everything. Val had made a fool of me; I just didn’t see it until now.
“You know, all I want is to make you happy,” she said. “You already do so much for me.”
“I’m going to do something that’s going to make the both of us very happy. I’m going to give you what you’ve always wanted.”
“All I ever wanted was you.”
She crawled across the bed naked towards me. She reached up to touch me. I stepped back out of reach. I pulled the blank check out of my pocket along with a pen.
“What’s that?” she asked.
“What you’ve always wanted: money. This is your retirement plan. A one-time payment. You’ll never have to work again. You’ll be set for life.”
She frowned. “Why? What’s the catch?”
“The catch is you stay out of my life and away from Genevieve forever.”
Val crossed her legs beneath her and sat back. “My daughter?” Her eyes grew wide. “You expect me to turn my back on my own flesh and blood? I’d sooner cut off a limb.”
She pulled at her hair, readjusting her ponytail. Her long pink nails pulled and picked at her hair in a way that reminded me of a bird. She pursed her lips and batted her eyes at me. Val’s face looked strange. Her eyes were pulled tight and her lips looked bigger. She’d had fillers or injections or something since I’d last seen her. It was distracting.
She blinked twice; her blue eyes were cold and calculating. Then it hit me: she didn’t care about Genevieve; she was negotiating. She had the advantage. I was negotiating from a position of weakness. If she didn’t know, then she strongly suspected that I would pay anything to make her go away. I was at her mercy. I’d have to play this smart. I needed Val to think she was in control.
“Obviously, your daughter means the world to you,” I said, trying to keep a straight face. “It’s not my place to dictate your level of involvement in her life. I apologize.”
“You don’t have to apologize. Genevieve can be difficult. You know she attacked me twice?” Val sighed dramatically. “I don’t know what to do with that girl. I’d kill anyone who hurt her. Being a Mama Bear isn’t easy.”
She took another sip of her champagne. “So, how much money are we talking?”
She was all business now.
“Give me a number,” I said.
She tilted her head to the side. “Thirty.”
“Thirty…?”
“Thirty million.”
Genevieve
I stretched out like a cat. The silk sheets felt light as a feather against my skin. I never wanted to leave Luke’s bed. I turned over expecting to find him beside me, but he was gone. I rubbed my eyes and sat up.
“Luke?” I called.
My voice echoed through the empty room. Was he in the bathroom? I couldn’t hear the shower running. The room was as silent as the grave.
Cautiously, I swung my feet over the side of the bed and stood. The floor was freezing beneath my bare feet. I peeked in the bathroom. Empty. Maybe he was downstairs? I wrapped the bed sheet around me and tiptoed towards the stairs. Even in the harsh early morning light the staircase still creeped me out. I peeked over the railing half expecting to see my mother. The room was empty of course.
I took one step, then another. The stairs seemed to stretch out beneath me in a never-ending descent. A wave of vertigo washed over me. I was suddenly nauseous. I ran back upstairs to the bathroom. I slammed the door shut behind me and spent the next hour sitting on the bathroom floor try to fight morning sickness.
Though if I’m being honest, morning sickness wasn’t the sole cause of the knots my stomach was twisted into. Luke’s condo freaked me out. I didn’t feel safe alone. I was being silly of course. There was nothing to fear. As far as my mother was concerned, she was convinced she’d won. She had no reason to seek me out. Besides, Luke said he got his key back from her. She didn’t have access to his penthouse.
I stood up and rinsed my mouth out with water. Where was Luke? Maybe he’d gone into the office and didn’t want to wake me? He could have at least left a note.
I took a deep breath and headed towards the stairs. I walked down them quickly, not stopping to look at the spot where my mother had fallen. I marched past it and headed towards the kitchen. There was no sign of Luke anywhere.
I went to the fridge and opened it. I doubted Luke would mind if I made something to eat. If I didn’t, I’d starve. I had no money and no clothes. I couldn’t leave.
I made a bowl of yoghurt with sliced strawberries, apples and peanut butter. I wandered around Luke’s penthouse as I ate, marveling at his impressive art collection.
I fashioned the bed sheet into a toga and sat in front of the window as I finished my breakfast. I looked down over the city. The day was hazy. The people below were lost to the fog. I couldn’t imagine a world existing below. I felt like the last person on earth.
I finished my breakfast and washed the bowl. I went upstairs and looked through Luke’s closet. I took one of his flannel shirts and slipped it on. It was better than wandering around in a bed sheet.
I dumped my handbag out on the bed and found my cell phone. I dialed Luke’s number. It rang once, then went straight to voicemail.
“Hey, it’s me… Genevieve,” I said awkwardly. “Just wondering where you are. Give me a call or a text when you get this. Bye.”
Where was he? I was staring at my phone trying to think of someone to call when I heard the ding of the elevator. I slipped my phone into the front pocket of my shirt and jumped out of bed. I ran down the stairs expecting to find Luke. Instead I was greeted by his friend from last night. He only glanced at me, as if he wasn’t surprised I was in Luke’s apartment wearing nothing but his flannel shirt.
“I need to talk to Luke,” he said.
“He’s not here.”
“Shit.”
He ran his hand through his hair and turned away from me. There was
something about his response that scared me. I felt hollowed out, like I’d just received bad news.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
He looked at me hard, like it was the first time he’d seen me. “I screwed up.”
“How?”
He looked away. “I need to talk to Luke.”
“I told you, I don’t know where he is.”
His eyes lit up.
“What?” I asked.
“Nothing.”
He turned to leave. I ran ahead of him, cutting off his exit.
“No. Tell me what’s going on. Did something happen to Luke?”
“No, I don’t think so.”
“You don’t think so? That’s not confidence inspiring.”
“I made a mistake in coming here. Don’t worry. I’m sure everything is fine.”
He wanted to comfort me so I’d leave him alone, but I wasn’t going to let him get away that easily.
“You know where Luke is, don’t you?”
“Maybe,” he said with a sigh.
“You’re taking me with you.”
He looked me over. I wasn’t dressed to go anywhere.
“Luke will be back soon. You should wait for him here.”
I lunged forward and grabbed his car keys.
“Hey!” he protested.
“You’re not going anywhere without me.”
I ran upstairs. My dress was crumpled up in the corner of the bathroom. The top was torn but the bottom looked okay. I slipped it on then put the flannel shirt over the top of it. I tied the bottom of the shirt in a knot at my waist. I looked half-way presentable. It would have to do.
I grabbed my shoes and ran downstairs barefoot. I was scared Trent would take off without me even though I had his keys. To my surprise, he was still waiting. His arms were crossed in front of his chest and he was leaning against the wall by the elevator. He looked upset. For a second, I thought he was mad at me, but his expression softened when he saw me. The look that crossed his face was closer to pity than anger. Why did he feel sorry for me? I’d been through a lot, but what was it to him?
