“I stopped to take in the terrific view.” The second my briefs hit the floor, Rachel attacks me, rubbing her hot body against mine.
I pick her up and toss her on the bed then I quickly follow. I move between her legs and my eyes come up to hers, judging whether she’s okay with what I’m about to do, but she doesn’t give me any reason to stop. I rub my finger up and down her opening then my tongue takes the same trail, tasting her, giving her a memory that I hope she keeps.
“Oh, shit. That. Feels...” She trails off without finishing her sentence, but she’s plainly enjoying what I’m doing. My tongue pushes in and out while my finger rubs her clit, ensuring that I send her over the edge, which moments later it does.
“Umm...” Rachel says after she comes down from her release. I clear my throat, and her eyes pop open. “That was amazing. Anytime you want me for dinner, just say the word,” she says with a chuckle.
I quickly get the condom on and move back between her legs, sinking deep inside.
“Yesssss,” Rachel mumbles.
I start moving in and out in a fast rhythm, just the way I know she likes it. Her fingernails dig into my skin, spurring me on. “Oh. Oh. Oh,” she chants. I can tell she’s already close again, but instead of letting her come, I pull out and flip us around so that my back is on the bed.
“Take what you want,” I add with a drunken smile on my face. Rachel sinks back down on my cock and starts riding me fast. She’s sitting straight up while staring down at me during every thrust we make. “You feel deeper this way.” She adds with a groan before I can feel her starting to clench around me. She grinds up and down a few more times before she finally explodes, riding my dick as she comes down from her release.
“Damn, damn, damn. I was going to make this one last longer.” She giggles.
I tighten my grip on her waist, and I start thrusting up fast, ensuring I get what my body desperately needs. Our eyes connect, and my mouth drops open as I start coming. Rachel pushes back and helps me ride out the last of my climax before dropping down on my chest.
She continues to lie on me while my hands rub up and down her back as I debate if I should tell her how much she means to me. I think—I think I might be in love with her. I’m not sure what love feels like, but I think about Rachel all the time. When we’re not together, I’m already wondering when I’ll get to see her next and when something happens she’s the first person I want to tell. And God forbid if something were to happen to her, it would have a lasting effect on me. If that’s not love, then I’m almost afraid to know what love feels like.
“Rachel?” I ask, causing her to bring her head up. She smiles before looking me directly in the eyes. “I...” I pause in an attempt to work up the courage to continue. “I care about you more than I’ve ever cared about a person before. I’m not exactly sure where your head is at, but I want you to know that I’m all in with you. I unquestionably want you in my life, maybe if our cards work out...maybe forever. I don’t know.”
Rachel slowly smiles, capturing my heart even more. “I feel exactly the same way, and I’ll give you forever for as long as you want it.” Her tone causes me to pause for a second, but I quickly forget her words when she brings her mouth down to mine again.
“I’ll take it. I’ll definitely take it,” I add once she pulls her face away from mine. I slide out from under Rachel and dispose of the condom then I hop back in bed where Rachel, who’s still very naked, curls around me and the two of us fall asleep.
RACHEL
“MOM’S GETTING WORSE,” RUSS SAYS as we both look over at our mother who’s watching the monkeys like they’re her new best friends. “I know.” I groan, knowing there’s no way to deny Russ’s comment.
Today, I decided to go with Russ while he brought our mom to the zoo. She’s been begging him to take her and watching her when she’s in her childlike modes is extremely hard for one person to manage. If a kid ran around acting the way she does no one would think twice about it, but when they see a woman in her fifties behaving this way...well, it’s viewed as unacceptable and rightfully so—but it still makes me angry that people so easily judge others without knowing all the facts.
“Russ, I want to take this one home. Please, can we?” Mom begs.
“We’ll see,” he mumbles our usual answer when she asks for something she can’t have.
“Dr. Wilbert said she’d be okay for the most part if we can get her to take her meds regularly. If not, his suggestion is we think about long-term care.”
My heart falters hearing Russ’s words. I’ve heard this before, but the fact that Russ is bringing it up means he’s ready for the next step, and I can’t blame him. I ran off and left him to deal with her everyday brand of crazy. He wants his own life too, but I also know mom won’t make it in a therapy setting.
“I hate the idea of locking her up, but I also hate that I’ve left you all alone to deal with her.” I sniffle as the reality of what we’re dealing with sets in.
“I don’t blame you, Rachel. You needed to get out of there,” he sadly replies. We haven’t talked about it, but we both know why I left. However, I don’t believe Russ knows just how far things have truly gone, and I don’t want him to know. He might go crazy himself if he learns the truth.
“I like your boyfriend,” Russ adds while we watch our mom bang on the glass that separates her and the animals.
“Me too,” I whisper, wondering how much longer it will take until someone asks us to leave. “Maybe we should move her along to the next exhibit,” Russ says after mom makes a strange face at a small child standing next to her.
“Yeah, we probably better,” I mutter as the kid starts crying. The two of us stand up and walk over to our mother where we’re once again stuck acting like the parents.
* * * *
JET
I hear my phone making a noise. I open my eyes and see Rachel wrapped around me. Last night when I got off work, I came by Rachel’s apartment instead of going home. I called my dad, and he said he was taking Kole out for dinner, so I made the decision to enjoy the evening with my amazing girlfriend.
I slide out from Rachel and see I have a text from Henry. Henry is a computer God who’s only in his early forties, but for whatever reason, he never text. He’s light years away from any normal person when it comes to technology, but he always says, “Why text when you can call?” Personally, that’s why texting is so awesome. You can send someone a message without worrying about whether it’s a good time or not.
Either way, if Henry is texting me, then I know it’s important. I flip open my phone. His message is short and simple.
Come to the office as soon as you can.
I glance around Rachel’s room until I spot her clock...it’s only seven in the morning. Damn. Something must be seriously wrong.
I know Rachel has her alarm set for eight o’clock. Therefore, I slide out of bed, dress, and scribble out a note to Rachel telling her I had to leave. By the time I make it to Kenner, I can feel a negative current bouncing through the walls. When I step into Henry’s office, I know why. He’s yelling, and he never yells.
“What’s going on?” I ask when he looks my direction.
“An injunction has been placed on our launch. Another company—or I should say person—is claiming to have a similar project. They’re going before a judge today to see if they can delay the project to prove they have a similar design that they plan to present at an extremely lower cost.” Henry drops to his chair in defeat.
“Won’t they have to prove they did the work and manufactured the transponder themselves? Otherwise, anyone who figured out how to breach our firewalls could have the blueprints, but those are copyrighted, which means we should be fine, right?”
“More than likely that will be the case, but it’s not going to change the injunction. A judge will order a hold on the launch until we can prove whatever the hell they have or are claiming to have, is actually our work.” Henry sighs. The man looks like sh
it. I’m certain he hasn’t had more than a few hours of sleep at any one time in the last six months.
“What company is making this claim?”
“Scott Media. A media company if you can believe that crap. Dennis Scott doesn’t know the first damn thing about a transponder if one hit him in the freaking face.”
Dennis Scott. Where have I heard that name before? Russ’s last name is Scott, but I don’t think that is it.
“We’ll get it figured out. I promise,” I add before walking to my office and firing up my computer.
I open up my search engine and type in Dennis Scott and a picture of the man I saw that day at the restaurant with Rachel appears. I remember asking our waiter, but I didn’t remember the name. I click on another link that has a complete bio of him. Dennis Scott is fifty-five years old. Three children, and his wife is retired model, Charlotte Ashmore.
My stomach drops but I keep scanning the article until my heart cracks completely open. Scott’s three children are Calvin, Russell, and Rachel. The icing on the cake is a picture of all five of them at some red carpet event from years ago. Rachel looks at least ten years younger in the picture but it’s clearly her, and it’s also without a doubt Russ standing next to her. I have no fucking clue what’s going on, but I’m about to ask the only person that owes me some answers.
* * * *
I arrive back at Rachel’s apartment about thirty minutes after her alarm should have gone off. I’m guessing she’s still home. I bang on the door for several long minutes before she finally opens it, wearing only a bathrobe.
“I saw your note. I wasn’t expecting you to return,” she replies with a smile, one that quickly fades when she notices my mood. “What’s wrong...did something happen?”
“What’s your last name?” I growl, which immediately causes Rachel to step back.
“I go by Ashmore. I have for years, but it’s not my legal last name.” Good. She didn’t fucking lie, that’s at least one step in the right direction—if there is a right direction.
“Your dad...is he Dennis Scott?” Slowly, Rachel starts to nod her head yes at the same time her eyes start to water.
“Do you know anything about the project I’m working on?” I ask, praying like hell she says no.
“Yes,” she softly whispers. Her answer feels like someone reached inside my chest and ripped my heart out.
I glare at her. “Did your dad ask you to get information for him?” Rachel’s gaze falls to the floor. “Well?” I holler, not giving a damn if I wake up her neighbors. Instead of answering me, Rachel nods her head yes.
“I can’t fucking believe this. You’re dating me for him? A man you claim to hate? Or was everything out of your mouth all a damn lie?” I question as I grind my teeth in anger.
Rachel shakes her head, “No. Please listen to me. I didn’t—”
“You didn’t what?” I cut her off as anger starts to blur my vision.
“You didn’t listen to your father and get fucking close to me to pass him information? Please, for the love of God, tell me I’m wrong!”
Tears start to fall down her face. “It wasn’t like that. Maybe at first but not really even—” I cut her off again when a thought enters my head.
“That night I first saw you. The night at the restaurant, the night when that man had you pinned up against the wall. Was that planned or did a man really attack you?”
Rachel silently stares at me. I’m willing her to tell me I wasn’t set up, but...she’s not.
I roar, “Was it planned?”
“Please listen to me—”
“No. My question requires a simple yes or no answer.” That night in the alley I saw the fear in her eyes, the tears on her cheeks. If that was a setup, then she’s one hell of an actress.
Our eyes lock and my chest continues to tighten while I wait for her answer.
“Nothing worth having in life is simple, but the answer is yes. That night at the restaurant when you found me in the alley, that was a setup but—”
I cut her off again. I don’t want to hear her excuses or apologies for making me believe she was someone or something other than a con artist. “I don’t fucking care. You played me. You fucking played me. Everything out of your damn mouth was nothing but lies.” I’m unable to mask the hurt I feel. This woman meant everything to me, only I was nothing more than a game to her.
“Everybody lies, some of us just have better reasons for doing it.” She wipes at her cheeks, “I’m sorry. I’m very...sorry.” Her voice cracks on a sob as the last sorry crosses her lips. I clench my fist, ready to punch a hole in her wall, but instead I shake my head in disgust before I turn and walk out her door without looking back.
I have no fucking clue what Rachel has or hasn’t snuck to her father. She takes pictures of everything. For all I know she snapped pictures of something in my office or something she could have seen on my laptop.
I make it back out to my car in the blink of an eye. I knew—I fucking knew when I came back here that this was probably how things would end, but I wasn’t prepared for how horrible I actually feel. And now, I have to return to Kenner and tell both Henry and my dad what a fucking fool I am, and that my foolishness could have cost Kenner Technology its future.
* * * *
“We dodged a bullet, kid,” Henry said as we left the courtroom two days later. As it turned out, Dennis Scott didn’t have anything to prove his claims. He kept asking for more time. The judge gave him until moments ago to bring everything he had, or the injunction would be lifted, and we could take our bid to NASA immediately.
“He had nothing and what papers he was pushing around over there didn’t have anything to do with a transponder. If I had to guess, I don’t think Dennis Scott even knows what a transponder is.” Henry chuckles as we leave the courtroom.
“Then why?” I question. Why would he do this if everything was for nothing?
“He was probably the one hacking our firewalls. My guess, he was hoping to stumble across something that he could sell to someone who understands what we created. He was only looking to get rich.”
And Rachel was his way in. I told Henry that Rachel had been using me. Probably spying on anything she could, but it doesn’t look like she leaked anything at least not anything of value to her dad.
“Everything worked out this time kid so don’t stress, but let this be a hard learned lesson.”
Henry drops me off at my car, and then I drive home. When I get there, dad and Kole are nowhere to be seen. I walk out on the deck and look out at the ocean as the sun starts to set when I remember something Rachel said.
“I never want to forget the memories I’ve made. I want to keep them stored right here.” She pats her chest over her heart. “And keep them safe forever. Sometimes people get angry and try to retract the emotions that go with the memory. My wish is to keep the ones I’ve made, the ones I’m making safe, just the way they are.”
She knew this was coming. She kept hinting around about things not being permanent, and I heard her...I just wasn’t listening.
* * * *
I come awake when I hear my cell ringing. I flip it open and hear my dad’s voice.
“Kole is in the hospital. I found her yesterday after she spent the day getting sick and I finally convinced her to come and get checked out and maybe even get a bag of fluids in her. As of now, they’re keeping her for observation.”
Shit. I knew she wasn’t fucking eating. “She’s going to be okay, though, right?”
“Yeah. The doctors said the stress from her breakup is probably the cause, but they’re running a few tests to make sure nothing else is wrong,” he adds.
“I’ll be there in a few minutes.” I hang up and head straight to the hospital where my heart cracks once again. Kole looks much worse than she did a few days ago.
“I thought you told me you were eating.”
Her sad eyes lock on mine, and I immediately feel like a jerk for getting on to her. “I thought I
was eating or at least eating enough, but I guess not.”
“You’ll be fine, or I’ll die trying to make you better, I promise,” I say in a consoling tone while squeezing her hand.
The next few days pass and Kole’s condition doesn’t change. If anything, she appears to be worse. A few times I walked in on Kole and Dad talking in hushed voices that always stop the second they spotted me.
“What the fuck is going on?” I finally demand when I walk in on them once again talking quietly while tears fall down Kole’s cheeks. The two of them are scaring the living hell out of me.
“I’m pregnant. That’s why I feel like crap,” Kole says in a tone that lacks any emotion. Pregnant? She’s going to have a baby? I’m going to be an uncle? And the father...oh shit. She’s in the process of getting a divorce from the baby’s father. No wonder she’s not the least bit excited about sharing her news.
“You’re going to be fine,” I firmly state. “We were a family of three, now it’s four. Every step of the way you’ll have the two of us with you,” I smoothly add, trying to make the best out of a bad situation. Kole nods her head as tears fall down her face.
“I’m going to be fine,” she states more for herself than for the two of us.
“Damn right you are,” I add with a grin on my face. Today...today is the day we officially became a family.
* * * *
1 MONTH LATER
The next month passes in a blink of an eye. Kenner’s launch was successful. Henry’s transponder was officially purchased by NASA and will hopefully change the rate in which internet speed is offered. The process will probably take a few years, but the credit will go to the company, more importantly, the person who created it and not a criminal who used his own daughter to con people.
I haven’t seen or spoken to Rachel since the day I walked out of her apartment, but yesterday a letter arrived for me, and my heart is telling me it’s from her. I can’t recall seeing her handwriting, but this letter is definitely addressed by a woman. I’m sitting in my office staring at it like at any moment I’m expecting it to jump out and attack me.
Damaged Love Page 10
