by Sarah Monte
“So, what about Donovan’s wife? Did you see her at all?” asked Jennifer to David, who looked down a little sadly.
“Well, after Donovan found her and found that she had HIV – he thrashed her up a whole lot. Being the illiterate idiot that he was, he assumed it was because she was having sex with me. Not that he was wrong, but that isn’t how things happened. And because he found her guilty of adultery, he tortured and raped her every single day till one day her body gave up. The worst part is, I don’t even know if it was the withdrawal from drugs or the abuse she faced from him that killed her,” said David with a grim shrug.
“But wait a minute, how do you know that he did all of this to her? And how did you know when she died?” asked Mike curiously.
David continued looking down at his hands as he folded and unfolded them. He seemed to be trying to remember something, or perhaps upset that he could remember some things at all. “When I met Lilly, I was at a really low point in my life. I felt worthless and completely good for nothing. I know she was a junkie and turned me into one. I know that she’s probably the reason that we all ended up going through the past few days. But she was also the one who made me feel better about myself to no end. Even when we were sober, she made me see the beauty in the world and in myself through her eyes. If we had gotten a little more time together, things would have been completely different.”
“What do you mean?” asked Jennifer as she exchanged a look with Mike, who looked completely surprised.
“We were planning to quit quite soon. I was thinking of starting something, probably with her and of living with her forever. I think we were falling in love with one another, probably already in love and just a little unaware of it. Or maybe a little scared to accept it. Lilly was a smart woman. She would text me from Donovan’s phone when he slept at night. I would wait for her texts every single night, and they would come at the same time. They were never more than five sentences, but it was reason enough for me to keep living. I always thought that with Mike’s help I’d get out of the hot water with Donovan and escape with Lilly somehow. But one night, her text did not come. I was a little worried, but I just assumed that Donovan hadn’t gone home that night or that Lilly hadn’t woken up. But I was worried nonetheless, because I knew Lilly never broke her routines. When more than a week passed, I knew she was never going to text me again,” finished David.
Jennifer looked at Mike with tears in her eyes. She wondered how it could possibly feel, to lose one you had loved so dearly. The mere thought of losing Mike drove her insane, she wondered how David found the courage in him to live and laugh and love even now. Mike on the other hand stared at his brother in wonder, and felt a little ashamed of himself for not knowing what was going on in his head. He had never asked David about his feelings as such before, and David too hadn’t been too much of a sharing type. He wished he could have shared in his brother’s pain; that his brother did not have to feel as alone as he once did.
“I’m really sorry about that man,” said Mike, placing a comforting hand on David’s shoulder.
“It’s okay, Mike,” replied David, wiping away a stray tear that has escaped his eye, “The last text she ever sent me will probably last me forever. She said –
You may not find my now,
No matter how far you see
Just close your eyes for a moment however,
And imagine all of me
When fear and sorrow get you down,
Trust in our love and know that it’s right
I’ll kiss you just a little,
And things will be alright.
So you see? She’ll always be there with me. I guess that’s what you get for getting involved with someone who clearly looks a little off and dangerous,” he finished with a small smile as Jennifer looked at Mike at that.
Ted came in just then, looking at the lot of them and taking in the extremely charged emotional quotient of the room. He sighed and smiled as he said, “If you little girls have had a good time catching up and getting along and sharing your feelings – can we go get some breakfast? The missus hasn’t seen me properly in days and I want to get a good meal in before I go home and go into hibernation!”
The three of them laughed as Mike took Jenny’s hand and said, “You should go home and dine with the wife Ted. I need to do some catching up of my own here,” and he nodded towards Jennifer.
David chuckled and replied, “I’d come with you mate but as you can see, I’m a little bound right now.”
Ted nodded and pretended to be offended as he said, “I guess it’s every man for himself now that nobody needs the inspector anymore. I’ll just go home to the loyal and lovely lady then!” and they all laughed a little more. It was an almost light headed feeling, being able to laugh when they once thought that everything was bleak. Mike walked up to Ted and held his hands in earnest as he said, “Thank you so much Ted. I know you owed me a favor, but you’ve done a lot for my brother and me these last few days. I really don’t know how to thank you.”
“I’m sure we’ll think of something eventually Mike,” replied Ted with a smile, “Besides, the only thing I’ve really put up with and should be thanked or even awarded for is putting up with you! You take care now, I’m off!”
“I guess you both should push off too now. Jennifer has been hurt too, something that we’ve all managed to overlook a little in this shit. I’ll be discharged soon, you both need to come chill with me every day till then though. I get bored out of my mind and I really can’t sleep anymore!” said David.
They laughed and waved bye to David – after first promising to come back the next day with the exact time of arrival, and Mike knew that his bad days were finally behind him. What Donovan had said to him still remained etched in every part of him, and even as he drove home holding Jenny’s hand, it tickled some part of his mind. Was Mike really as bad as Donovan had made him out to be? Jennifer had looked at him when David had made the comment about meeting and getting involved with the wrong kind of people. Had she thought of him when David had said that? Did she think that Mike was a bad influence in her life; that she probably would have been better off without him?
Just then, Jennifer leaned over and rested her head against his shoulder, sighing with content. “Am I disturbing you or making you uncomfortable right now?” Mike shook his head in a no as she smiled at him and looked ahead. No, he was just being a little stupid. If he had learnt anything at all from David, it was that not everyone got the love they deserved or wanted in life. And after a lifetime of searching for it, he had finally been fortunate enough to find Jennifer and have her love him. After all they had been through, he would be extremely stupid to ask her if she loved him for real, or that if she was having any doubts or second thoughts about him.
She had plenty of time, opportunity and even perfectly valid reasons to leave him and go. She could have left him the first time he had told her about the mess with David, or the minute cops had gotten involved, or at the very least when her own life had been threatened and in danger. But no, his Jenny had stood firmly by his side, being every bit the support that he needed her to be and even spearheading the whole situation at times when he had fallen weak and needed her help. She was so smart and successful and nice – and he was lucky enough to have her all to himself, forever.
Mike looked at Jennifer with loving eyes and said, “I don’t know what I would have been without you.”
“Single,” she replied with a wink and a soft laugh that warmed the cockles of his heart.
Chapter Thirty
"I'm so glad we are finally free from this mess", said Jennifer to Mike while they were driving to his house. Mike snapped out of his reverie, looking at Jennifer and wanting to do nothing more than to hold her and tell her just how much he loved her. But the urgency wasn’t needed anymore, seeing as they had the rest of their lives to enjoy with one another.
"Oh I can't wait to go home and take a hot bath", replied Mike. "Would you mind if I j
oined you?" asked Jennifer. Mike looked away from the road and turned his attention completely onto her for a full minute, absorbing the effect of the past few days on them for the umpteenth time. It felt like a few years had passed, draining them of every last feeling and yet bringing them closer in a way that seemed binding forever.
Love was in the air for sure, but so was an increasing consumption of lust.
"Hmmm, do you think that would be a good idea?" said Mike to Jennifer as he placed his hand over her thigh. "Focus on the road Mike, we have a lot to accomplish once we get home", said Jennifer in her sexy voice. All this got Mike really turned on and made him grab and pinch whatever part of Jennifer he could find with his other hand on the steering wheel.
Jennifer knew there was no stopping him and it was quite worrying to see him drive like that so she decided to take matters in her own hands. She too had waited for as long as he had to have some fun so she thought why not start then and there. She took off her seatbelt and bent over towards Mike and started to kiss him all over his ear and neck while slowly opening his belt. This made Mike really horny and he started driving faster because of the things he wanted to do to Jennifer once they got home. Jennifer got his dick to pop out of his pants and underwear and didn't waste a single second before she took it inside her mouth. Mike led out a very ravishing moan when this happened which encouraged Jennifer to take his hot throbbing dick deeper into her mouth. She blew his brains out of the car that day as she teased him simultaneously while stroking and sucking him off at the speed of 120 miles per hour. This rush was getting Mike closer to his orgasm faster than ever and Jennifer did not stop working that dick. She continued to suck and stroke his member which took him to heights of pleasure he hadn't come across ever before.
They reached his place before he could cum so they quickly got out of the car and rushed for the door. Before entering they stared into each other's eyes for a second and then kissed each other very passionately until they found themselves inside the house and on the couch. Jennifer threw Mike on the couch and began a very sexy strip tease for him. She slowly removed her top and started to grind over his already hard dick while he unhooked her red bra that he loved watching her wear. She turned around and removed the rest of her clothes and came closer to him and kissed him while unzipping his pants. The moment Mike's penis was seen popped out again she quickly sat on it and took it inside her. Mike mounted her deeper and then started to fuck her slowly while grabbing her large breasts and squeezing her pink hard nipples. Jennifer moaned really loudly every time Mike's dick would be completely deep inside her vagina.
"Stop teasing me and Fuck me like you normally do", said Jennifer to which Mike replied "I'd like to be progressive since we finally have nowhere to be except for in each other".
Mike slowly picked up the pace and started fucking Jennifer faster. Her louder and faster moans kept motivating him to go faster and harder inside her. As he grabbed her hips and mounted her comfortably he fucked her brains out till she came really hard and screamed really loudly.
At this point Mike wanted to switch positions so he lifted Jennifer up and lay her on the couch while he took off his pants and slowly pushed his dick inside her while on top. They gazed into each other's eyes while making love to each other, every thrust Mike pushed made Jennifer's eyes fall deeper into his. Steadily Mike fucked her and enjoyed as her moans turned into screams for him. "Oh yes baby fuck me harder", Jennifer would say to get Mike fired up after which he spread her legs wide and fucked her harder and deeper. Watching his member disappear into her vagina would really turn him on and made him go faster and faster till she would scream out an intense orgasm.
At this point they were a little tired but didn't want to stop so they decided to shift this session to the bedroom. Jennifer made Mike lie on the bed while she continued the blowjob that she had started in the car. While Mike relaxed and enjoyed the pleasure of Jennifer's skills, she licked his member and blew him in the most sensual way possible till he couldn't resist her anymore and pulled her on top of him. Jennifer then mounted herself on Mike's penis and rode him just like a typical cowgirl. Their flow and rhythm were in perfect sync as she went up and down on his dick he would thrust back and forth giving her ultimate pleasure that kept her screaming for more and more. As they fucked each other Jennifer could sense that Mike was closing in on his orgasm and thus she pushed him down and humped him really hard for a few seconds till he blew his hot load inside her vagina.
"I love the feeling of your warm cum shooting inside my vagina", said Jennifer when Mike completely came inside her. They lay beside one another, holding hands and slightly out of breath, but still the happiest they had been in a while.
“Jenny, if you don’t mind – can I ask you something?” asked Mike, turning towards her with a small frown on his face.
“If this is something to do about how good you are again, then please spare me. I’ve told you a hundred times already that you’re fucking amazing, I’m not going to nurse your ego anymore,” replied Jennifer, turning towards him and laughing a little.
“No, it’s not that – although I do love it when you tell me how amazing I am,” said Mike with a smile, “But I want to talk to you about something a little more serious.”
“What is it?” asked Jennifer, propping herself up on one elbow and looking at her boyfriend with concern.
“Well, we’ve finally put all the bad things behind us, but before we start our new life together I want to get some things cleared out with you. Please remember, this is nothing to do with you being at fault – just my insecurities and fears,” said Mike. When Jennifer nodded in agreement, he continued, “I’ve been feeling for a while now that I really don’t deserve to be with someone as amazing as you. I’m an arrogant and aggressive bastard as it is, in the past few days I seem to have developed an evil and cruel side too. Maybe I am really bad, and you don’t deserve to be with someone like this. If you want to take some time off from this relationship and maybe reconsider things, then I won’t begrudge you that.”
Jennifer looked at him quietly for a long time, and Michael for once – was too afraid to break the silence. From her expressions, she seemed the kind of calm that she was when she lost her mind at him and got extremely angry, or when she got extremely exasperated. It was a terrifying kind of silence, and Mike hoped and prayed that she wouldn’t actually take up the offer of leaving him. It hadn’t been that long since Jennifer had walked into his life, but it seemed like Mike couldn’t remember what things were life before she got there.
Finally, Jennifer smiled at him mildly and said, “Don’t be an idiot. You’re not the nicest guy Mikey, nor are you particularly warm. But you’re honest, practical, yet strong enough to not be afraid to display your emotions anymore. You’ve made a friendship, family tie and relationship stronger than they ever were before all in the same week. Even when you could lose it and give up, you took on the responsibilities yourself to make it all right and holding yourself together. You ran around so much to ensure that everyone you cared about was safe. But you know what the biggest reason that you’re nice is and why I’m with you? The proof of you not being bad or evil? The very fact that you’re sitting here and thinking about all this, the fact that your conscience is needling you.”
Mike lay there beside her and stared at the ceiling, letting her words wash over him. She always knew what the right thing to say was – and the best part about her was that she wasn’t even wrong. There was a well-placed logic behind everything, and that made Mike feel better almost instantly.
Holding one another close, they fell asleep into a dreamless slumber. But who needed dreams anymore, thought Mike as he drifted off. Opening his eyes slightly just to see Jenny asleep convinced him that his reality was better than any dream his mind could come up with.
And if after all the pain, there was finally something to look forward to and live happily with – he wasn’t going to hesitate in plunging headfirst into what looked like the
beginning of a perfect forever.
EPILOGUE
The wind blew through Jennifer’s hair, something that didn’t particularly bother her but annoyed her a little nonetheless. “Where are we going Mikey?” asked Jennifer again, as Mike replied, “You’ll find out soon, we’re almost there,” and looked straight ahead.
It had been almost a year since their tryst with the underworld, and everything had pretty much sorted itself since then. Ted had been promoted, David was almost cured and currently working with Mike as a legal consultant, while pursuing his Ph.D. on the side. Jennifer too had been promoted in the company, based purely on her merit rather than her connections, which not many people knew about still. Mike was all for making it official and letting everyone know with a huge party on a yacht, but Jennifer had been firm about him not doing so.
“You’ll ruin everything I’ve worked so hard for all my life Mike, please understand. I want to be appreciated and accepted for my work and for who I am. If everyone finds out about us I’ll be the gold digger, you’ll be the predator and my identity will be lost somewhere behind the label that I’m your girlfriend!,” she exclaimed as she stomped her feet and walked around in his office.
“I can’t believe you actually just did that,” chuckled Mike, quickly sobering up at the look on Jennifer’s face as he said, “Listen will you please just calm down? It’s okay if you don’t want to do it, I just wanted everyone to know what a lucky son of a bitch I am to have you and be able to hold you like this,” he smiled as he walked towards her and pulled her against him.
They both sighed in contentment as she replied, “When you put it that way, it makes me want to scream off rooftops too about how lucky I am.”
Almost a year of them dating, three hundred and sixty five days of almost perfect harmony within the two. Their friendship just got more intense with the passing days, and every night was a new sexual adventure. But even all of these pleasant thoughts couldn’t distract Jennifer from wondering where the hell they were going. On a boat in the middle of the ocean heading nowhere, Jennifer wondered if this was just another one of Mike’s need for speed moments. But he had made her wear a gown and was in a gorgeous midnight blue tuxedo himself. He stood near the stern and looked at her, smiling in a way that melted her heart all at once. Jennifer had indeed come to love Mike’s tattoos with sincerity, but she had to admit how much better he looked when they were all covered up. Like he was just another hot guy with a bank balance to die for. Well maybe not just another guy, because no matter what you did to the physical appearance – you just couldn’t take the Michael Sinclair out of him.
