by L. L Hunter
“Are you okay? Am I squashing you?” he asked.
“No. I’m fine. Don’t stop, Frankie.” I pulled him back down against me. He kissed me once more, and then moved back into a crouch. I thought he was going to leave, so when I saw that he had only moved so he could take off his shirt, I was excited.
“Are you sure you want this now?”
Was I sure? I don’t know. Did I want it? Yes. Should I do it? No.
Again, I shut off my conscience and listened to what my body wanted. I let Frankie strip me of my clothes.
Nathan
The girls led me into a bedroom at the end of a short hallway.
“Nervous, sexy?” the red head asked, stroking my arm. I shivered.
“No.”
“We can do this anyway you want.” I almost smirked. That was what I sometimes said before an interrogation.
“What exactly are we doing?”
“It’s your lucky night, sexy. What do you want to do?” Before I could protest, the girl with the bleached hair ripped my shirt from my torso and chucked it aside. As the red head began stroking my back, the blonde began running her hands up and down my abdomen.
“Mm. I like a man who works out,” said the blonde.
“Um… thanks. Look, this isn’t really my scene. I have a girlfriend…”
“Well, it’s her loss. Isn’t it? She’s missing out on all the fun.” Before I knew what was happening, the red head pushed me down on the single bed and climbed on top of me.
Shit.
I had to get out of here, and I needed to find Charli.
“Jac, get me the stuff,” said red head. The blonde, ‘Jac’, reached into the side of her knickers and pulled out a small, transparent satchel of white powder. Drugs. They were going to snort drugs in front of me.
Raised Christian, and being a cop, I was anti-drugs. Should I sound the alarm and blow my cover, or go along with it in hopes they’ll let me go? I was torn.
“Let us show you how this it’s done, hot stuff,” Jac said.
“I don’t do drugs,” I announced, hoping.
“But this is part of the initiation ritual. If you refuse, then you won’t be initiated. Simple as that.”
It was now or never.
“What if I don’t want to be initiated?” I said suddenly, sitting up. The red head’s bare breasts were almost in my face, so I pushed her off me, and I got off the bed.
The two girls looked at each other, dumbfounded that I had refused. I quickly found my shirt and put it back on. Most of my buttons were gone. I found my leather jacket and slipped it on, zipping it up. As I walked out of the bedroom, I heard someone call out, “there will be consequences.”
Yes, there will be, I thought to myself, smiling as I ran out of the apartment.
Charli
His hands explored every inch of me from my breasts to my toes. Nowhere was untouched by Frankie. He kissed me everywhere, igniting the passion and setting me on fire. I burned with desire for him.
“Frankie,” I shuddered.
“You’re shaking, Charli.”
“I’m fine. Come on. I’m ready.”
“Are you sure?” He teased me by circling my breasts with his finger.
Was I?
Before that question could be answered, we were interrupted by a knock at the door.
“Shit,” Frankie swore and looked around.
“Don’t worry about them. Pretend we’re not here,” I said, trying to pull him back to me, but he was distracted now. “Frankie?”
“Go and answer the door.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. I can’t do this if I know there’s someone on the other side of that door who could possibly hear us.”
“Shit. You’re right.” I got up and went in search of my clothes. All I found was Frankie’s shirt draped over the end of a nearby chair. I slipped it on and headed to the door. Like mine, Frankie’s room also had no peephole. I cursed the lack of a peephole again before opening the door.
Who I found on the other side was not who I was expecting. Or was I?
“Nathan?” I quickly looked over my shoulder to make sure Frankie couldn’t be seen. He had disappeared, but I quickly stepped out into the hallway with Nathan.
“What are you doing here? How did you know where I was?”
“Coming to make sure you’re okay. Mia told me where his apartment was.” His eyes trailed over my body, taking in my appearance, my lack of clothing, Frankie’s shirt. “Are you with Frankie?”
“What? No.” The question had caught me off guard. I crossed my arms and leaned against the doorframe. “Why do you care, Nathan?” I tried to flatten out my bird’s nest hair. Fidgeting with my hair was one of the tell tale signs I was lying. Nathan seemed to know that.
“Don’t lie to me.”
“Tell me why you care so much?” He had moved closer, but I pushed him back against the opposite wall.
“I… because I do. I’m worried about you, Charli.”
“Well, don’t. I’m almost twenty-one, I’m a big girl.”
“I know. But Frankie… “
“Frankie, what?”
“Look, there’s stuff you don’t know about him, things he’s not telling you.”
“Like, what?” I crossed my arms over my chest again. I was sure Nathan was just jealous.
“I can’t tell you here. Will you come with me to my room so I can tell you in private?”
“No, I can’t. You can’t just come over here and pull me away from my boyfriend and tell me to come with you.”
“Boyfriend? Charli, he’s not your boyfriend.”
“Whatever, Nathan. You’re just jealous.” I headed back to the door, but he grabbed my wrist.
“Charli, please.”
“No, Nathan.” I tore my wrist away and re-entered Frankie’s room, slamming the door behind me.
Chapter Fifteen
Nathan
Charli was in denial.
She had delusions of being in love with Frankie. Either that or he had brainwashed her. I was now certain my suspicions were correct. It was clear. I had to do something. Running my hands through my hair, I groaned in frustration and headed back to my dorm to make a call, or a few.
* * * *
“Yo, what have you got for me?” said Mark when he answered. It was his signature greeting.
“I found him. And he’s not working alone.”
“Whoa. Slow down, Champ. Your suspect?”
“Yes. He’s going by the name Franklin James Scott. Frankie for short.”
I could hear him typing away. “Okay, got it. Do you have a photo?”
“Yeah, hang on.” I switched the call to loudspeaker and clicked into my email. I searched through my camera roll until I found the correct photo and sent it to Mark. “Got it?”
“Yep. I’ll run that through the database and get back to you.”
“Thanks, man. I owe you.”
“Yeah, yeah. You just catch that creep and get your girl.”
“She’s not…” Mark’s way of telling me he didn’t believe me was to hang up.
“Dickhead,” I muttered to the handset.
I knew the facial recognition software took anywhere between minutes and hours to do its thing, so while I waited, I called Susan Jayne. She answered after two rings.
“Nathan, so nice of you to call.”
“Mrs Jayne, Susan. I’m afraid this isn’t a social call. I have some news.”
“Oh? Is Charlotte okay?”
“Um… that’s the thing. The suspect I was after before this job… while I don’t know for certain, but I think he’s here.”
“The one who’s been conning rich young girls to fall in love with him then going after their family’s money?”
“That’s the one. I don’t want to think the worst in case it’s not true. I’m running an image search now on his photo. But if my suspicions are true…”
“No! Please don’t say it.”
&
nbsp; “I’m sorry. I don’t want you to think its him when it might not be, but I wanted to warn you.”
I could hear Charli’s mother sniffling, and I knew she was crying.
“Mrs Jayne…”
“How sure are you?”
“What?”
“How sure are you that this is the right guy?”
I swallowed and took my time to say it.
“Ninety-five per cent.”
Susan began sobbing uncontrollably now. “Do what you have to do, Officer Wright. Keep my baby safe.”
“I will, Susan. I will.” As I hung up, I knew I would stay true to my word. I never broke it.
Charli
“It was him. Wasn’t it?” Frankie asked as soon as he re-entered the room.
“What?”
“At the door. It was him.” The way he said him... the word was poison in his mouth. He hated Nathan with a passion. But why?
“Yes. But Frankie…” I sauntered over to him and ran my hands up and down his chest. He was standing bare-chested in his bedroom and oh, how I wanted him on the bed at that moment. “You have no reason to be jealous.” I kissed the muscles that stretched taught over his breastbone.
“But that guy has an obsession with you,” He spat.
“Ssh, baby,” I said into his mouth as I kissed him. I would’ve pushed him back onto the bed, but my phone interrupted me.
“Crap. Sorry. I have to get that. Its probably one of my parents.” I hurried to find my phone where it lay buried under my jeans on the floor of the lounge room. I pulled it out and studied the display. Sure enough, it was my mother.
“Yes?”
“Charlotte, thank goodness. Are you okay?”
“Yes, Mum. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Your father and I are concerned, that’s all. How’s the studying going?”
“Yeah, it’s…” I glanced back at Frankie, who was sitting on the bed watching me. I couldn’t tell my mother I had been studying the human anatomy for the past few hours. “Coming,” I finally said, looking away. He was too much of a distraction.
“Good. I just wanted to make sure you were still up to coming home this weekend for your birthday.”
How could I forget? It was my twenty-first birthday this weekend and I knew my parents had something big planned. After all, they had been planning all my milestones since before I was born. But Mia also had something else planned.
“Uh… sure, Mum. But only if I can invite my friends.”
“Of course, honey. It is your birthday, after all. But they have to behave.” I cringed at her tone. I could almost picture her pointing an accusing finger at the phone.
“They will, Mum.”
“I mean it, Charlotte. No crazy antics from that Mia girl.”
“Of course, Mum.”
“Okay, great. We’ll see you Saturday.”
“Okay. See you.” I hung up and turned to face Frankie.
“Looks like you just scored an invitation to the hottest event of the year,” I teased as I straddled his lap and kissed him.
“I’m looking forward to it,” he groaned and pulled me back onto the bed.
Chapter Sixteen
Charli
When telling Mia about my party this weekend she screamed, almost shattering my eardrums. Obviously, she was coming. When I suggested that Frankie, Mia, and I all ride together to my parent’s place, at first Frankie was uncomfortable. But after numerous seductively slow teasing kisses later, he caved. As we packed some over night bags in my shiny red Audi convertible, my mind betrayed me and searched for memories of Nathan. No, I hadn’t invited Nathan for a reason. I was with Frankie, not him and he needed to see that. As I was about to climb into the driver’s seat, Frankie tapped me on the shoulder. “Here, let me drive.”
I smiled at him. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. This is a sweet ride.” I nodded and handed him the keys with an added kiss and walked around to the passenger side.
“I hope you two aren’t going to grope each other with me in the backseat.” Mia stated.
“Then you better be ready to cover your eyes, Mia,” Frankie teased, flashing Mia a grin while starting the ignition.
“Gah! Just drive.” I giggled and buckled my seat belt.
“My address is in the Navman,” I told Frankie.
“Got it.”
* * * *
When we turned onto my street, I heard Mia gasp. “This is where you grew up?”
“Pretty much.”
“It’s amazing!” she squealed. “I can’t wait to see your old bedroom.”
“Me either,” Frankie added. His hand found my thigh and made its way up towards my groin, touching me there. I gasped and quickly made sure Mia wasn’t watching. Luckily, she was already out of the car.
“You do know you’re at my parent’s place, right?” I warned.
“I know very well.” Before getting out of the car, he kissed me. It was a hungry, needy kiss, and I sighed. I hoped we could get some alone time tonight. I climbed out of my car and walked with my friends up the steep drive to my childhood home.
After introducing my friends to my parents and trying to dodge their raised eyebrows, I showed Frankie and Mia to my room. Mia and I had to be primped for tonight, after all.
“Wow. This is your room?” exclaimed Mia, turning in circles in the middle of my bedroom.
“Yeah. It’s not that great.”
“Are you kidding me? I’d kill to have a room like this!” She squealed and jumped up on my bed, flopping backwards onto her back. I laughed and shook my head. Frankie leaned casually on the doorframe and observed the scene, or so I thought. When I glanced over at him, I saw he wasn’t observing the scene. He was observing me.
“Do you have to do anything before tonight?” I asked, sauntering towards him. The way he was staring at me was unsettling.
“Nope. I’m right. Although…” he nodded towards the bed where Mia was still laying, waving her arms up and down making a ‘doona angel’. I glanced at the bed, then back at him, confused. His next action spoke a thousand words. He crushed his lips against mine and pulled me in tight against his body.
“Frankie…”
“Ssh.” He silenced my protests by placing a finger over my lips. “Mia? Do you think we could maybe have a moment of privacy?”
“Huh?” Mia said as she sat up. Frankie raised an eyebrow to emphasise the question.
“Oh, right. You two want to be alone…. well, why didn’t you just say so.” She jumped down off my bed and went to grab one of the garment bags by the door. “I’ll use one of the other bathrooms to get ready.” As soon as she shut the door behind her, Frankie claimed me by lifting my body up onto his.
“Mm, Frankie… my parents are here.”
“I know. And don’t worry—this is just a little tease for what I’ve planned for next week.”
“Next week?”
“I might as well tell you.” He walked us backwards until my legs hit the edge of the bed I fell backwards. Frankie climbed on so he was hovering over me. Oh God, was he going to do it? I could feel my nerves taking over. I began shaking uncontrollably.
“You’re shaking, Charli.”
“I… am I?”
“Yes. Am I making you nervous?”
“A little,” I admitted.
“You have no need to be nervous. This is only a little tease.” He leaned forward and his lips grazed my neck.
“So, what are we doing next week?” I asked as his hands found the patch of skin where my jeans and top met. I shivered.
“I want to take you on a little getaway. Just us.”
“Really? Gee, you must be really keen on me.” I kissed him as his hands found their way under my shirt and to the edge of my bra. My heart rate was now beating so hard I could hear it in my ears.
“I am. So how about it?”
“Yes. Sure.” He smiled. In a few minutes, my top was being pulled over my head, and his warm hands were on my brea
sts. I felt his fingers find the catch behind my back and my bra loosened. Then it was off. Now my heart rate was reaching record speed. His fingers began massaging my breasts as I moaned, arching my back. The next thing I felt was his lips over one of my nipples. I gasped.
“Frankie…”
“I know. As I said a tease.” He reached for my bra after giving my chest a few more delicate kisses. I didn’t want to move. I couldn’t move. He had paralysed me. He left me soon after, saying he would be outside mingling while I got dressed. I didn’t bother putting my bra and long sleeved shirt back on as I had to get changed into my strapless dress for tonight. I found the garment bag where I had left it draped over a chair near the door and walked into my en suite. I stared at my flushed cheeks and naked torso in the mirror wondering if I liked the new Charli before hopping in the shower. As I allowed the hot water to run over the contours of my body, I decided that I did like the new Charli. She was shameless, rebellious, and all things in between. I smiled as I dried myself and slipped into my party dress.
I had chosen a salmon pink and white strapless cocktail dress that Mia said matched my complexion. She was right. I twisted and turned, admiring the girl in the mirror who I didn’t recognise. A soft knock at my bedroom door broke my reverie.
“Charlotte?”
“Yes? I’m almost done.” I quickly slipped on my ballet flats and popped some strawberry lip-gloss on.
“Charlotte, all the guests have arrived.”
“I’ll be out in a minute.” As the last word slipped out of my mouth, my mother’s reflection joined mine in the bathroom mirror.
“You look beautiful.” A sense of déjà vu washed over me as I remembered the last time my mother had told me I was beautiful—the night of my senior formal.
“Mum, you’re not crying, are you?” I smirked as I turned to face her.
“No.”
“Liar.” I knew she was trying not to cry. She was proud I had reached another milestone in my life.
“Come on. There’s someone I would like you to meet downstairs.”
