I was in my happy place—Blake’s pussy, when my phone began dinging continuously, shattering the mood like a disgruntled violinist in the middle of a serene sonata. I fully planned on ignoring it, but it was too far away for me to reach out and mute it. And that many messages seemed a little dramatic. I gave her perfect cunt one last lick before I sat up, my tongue licking her juice off my skin so I didn’t miss one drop.
“Be right back, baby.”
She’d just had three orgasms in a row so her smile was a little lazy as her eyes fluttered closed.
The sight of her like that was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.
My phone dinged again and I growled as I walked over to the dresser to grab it, freezing when I saw the text.
Evidently, news of my antics at the game the other day had spread and Clark was finally well aware he’d been dumped. The P.I. said he’d booked a flight and was on his way to the airport now to try and get her back.
Seriously, this guy was a loser. It had literally been weeks since they’d had a real conversation, and besides that one time, he’d been a total bump on a log.
Honestly, I’d expected him to put up more of a fight. He was making it too easy.
I turned to tell Blake I’d be right back, but she was fast asleep. I took a picture because the sight of it was just too good and then I strode out of the room, letting Waldo in behind me. I never let him in during sexy times–he seemed far too interested in my ass.
Once I was in my office, I dialed my go-to strategist, Lincoln.
‘Hello, Ari,’ he purred through the phone.
“Oooh, that was a spooky sexy way to greet me,” I responded, and he barked out a laugh.
‘What’s up?”
“Well, I have sort of a situation—”
“Oh shit, she found out, tried to leave, and you tied her to your bed,” he interjected, his voice a little…excited.
I frowned. “Um, that was oddly specific…but no. Wait—you sound like you have personal experience with that. Do you have a story to tell me?”
Silence for a half beat too long to not be suspicious. “Nope,” he finally said. Suspiciously.
“Lincoln—Golden boy—Daniels. DO NOT LIE TO ME!”
“Don’t you have a problem to fix?” he asked frantically.
I sighed, checking the flight information, because the dude’s plane would be leaving soon.
“We’ll come back to this,” I warned, and he snorted. “So, the “other” knows.”
“The other?”
“Oh, did I not tell you I now refer to the ex as the “other?” Keeps me from going insane, ya know.”
“Ahh. Understandable.”
“Anywayssssss. He saw the game the other day—”
“The one where you made sure that Blake and you would be on every news outlet in America?” Lincoln drawled.
“Well, yes. But listen. That was the goal. But honestly, the guy seemed too uptight to watch something like ESPN.”
“Buddy, that cutesy shit was everywhere. Monroe saw it on the Bravo channel.”
I preened because obvi I was awesome. But then I remembered there were fucking time constraints happening here.
“The “other” is on his way here. I need some more time…to secure the situation.”
‘So you’ve come to the master, young grasshopper,’ Lincoln mused.
I threw up a middle finger before realizing I wasn’t on Facetime and he couldn’t see me. “Just so you know, I told Walker you were cool. I’m going to have to go back and tell him otherwise now…just because you tried to Mr. Miyagi me.”
“Do you want my help or not?”
“Yes, I need your help! That’s why I fucking called!”
“Then call me Mr. Miyagi.”
I stared at my phone in disbelief.
“Is this real life? Am I being punked?”
“Final offer.”
“Uggggh. Fine. Can you help me, Mr. Miyagi?”
“I thought you would never ask,” Lincoln said calmly, only laughing after I growled at him.
‘Okay, so my idea is a little unconventional.’
“You…unconventional. The guy who just casually threw out tying someone to a bed to stop them from leaving you…I would have never guessed.”
“I can neither confirm nor deny.”
‘Focus. Unconventional. I’m here for it.”
‘I’ve got a guy who can make Clark’s flight plans go haywire, putting him on the no-fly list for at least a while.’
“Lincoln, honey bear, I could kiss you!” I said excitedly.
‘I do what I can,’ Lincoln said, and I could practically see the sly grin on his face.
We said goodbye so he could get Clark grounded, and I sat back in my seat in satisfaction that at least that little nuisance would be delayed.
I was also thinking it was way past time for Blake to move in. With her having her own place, I couldn’t control who she saw. If she was at my place, in a gated community, Clark wasn’t getting in to see her.
Yes, I could have just asked Blake to move in with me.
But that would have been a failure.
And I didn’t set myself up to fail.
Despite the progress we were making every day, she was still scared. Scared this wasn’t real, or about something else. But she was still scared.
Hence why I was now plotting like a James Bond villain to get her out of her apartment.
I’d recently gotten the background check about her roommate, Charlotte. A girl, it turned out, who had a mean streak a mile long judging by the complaints against her for bullying all throughout childhood. She also happened to have a penchant for gambling, a drug problem, and lots and lots of credit card debt. All good things to have when I needed her cooperation.
Through my assistant, I’d hired Charlotte to “force” Blake out. It was a little scary that she hadn’t even asked questions like why…but debt and drug dealers breathing down your neck could do that to you. She was supposed to be channeling her inner wrecking ball, creating enough destruction for Blake to want to move out…immediately.
I could have burned down the whole building or had it condemned, but there was a cute gray haired lady who lived across from Blake. And I just couldn’t do that to her. I was a simp for grandmas.
Or at least I wasn’t going to attempt one of those until this didn’t work.
The idea was that Charlotte would throw some clothes around, steal some stuff, throw a rager—in general make it look like a category-five tornado hit the place.
Foolproof.
Or so I thought.
Blake
I walked into the apartment, exhaustion weighing heavy on my shoulders after a long shift at the restaurant. All I wanted was a peaceful night’s sleep. My eyes widened in surprise when I saw Waldo in his kennel in the living room, whining as he stared at me sadly. I’d put him in my room before I left so he could sleep on my bed. Why had Charlotte put him in his kennel?
I’d gone to let him out when I heard it—the rhythmic creaking of a bed accompanied by a chorus of groans and moans.
Lovely, Charlotte had Soto over.
“Be right back, buddy,” I muttered, rubbing a hand across my face, as I stalked towards my bedroom to get some of my stuff. I’d call Ari and tell him I was coming over after all.
As I approached the bedroom door, however, I realized the sounds were not, in fact, coming from Charlotte’s room…they were coming from mine.
Dread coiled in my stomach as my hand hovered over the doorknob. This could not be fucking happening.
Finally, I turned it and pushed the door open.
And stumbled upon a sight that would forever be etched into my memory.
There, sprawled across my bed, was Charlotte, on all fours, Soto fucking her from behind while her head bounced up and down on another guy’s dick. As if that wasn’t bad enough, there was a large dildo protruding from her ass that Soto was moving in and out.
Shock was not a strong enough word to describe the situation, stealing my voice for half a minute.
Before I could react, Charlotte’s voice, tainted with a hint of mockery, cut through the silence. ‘Hey, Blake, care to join us? There’s plenty of room for more holes.”
Disgust and anger welled up within me, and I finally let out a horrified scream, a raw expression of my shock and revulsion. They just continued on, their moans mingled with laughter.
This was not happening. I dashed into the bathroom to gather up my stuff…because I was not staying here tonight. Or ever again.
Grabbing my phone from my pocket, my trembling fingers fumbled with the keys as I quickly dialed Ari’s number.
“Hi Sunshine,” he murmured.
‘Ari—” my stammering trailed off because I didn’t even know how to explain what had just happened.
“Blake?” he asked, concerned.
“Can you just come over? Soon? I…think I need a place to stay.”
“Coming right now,” he said without any questions.
Soto suddenly appeared in the doorway, completely naked, his muscles flexing as he moved towards me. I kept my gaze waist up, but I couldn’t take my eyes off him. There was a predatory gleam there, and I was suddenly terrified.
‘Blake,’ he purred, “come back in, sugar. We were just having some fun. I’ll make it good for you.’
I recoiled in horror as he reached for me, his touch like a searing brand on my skin.
“Stay away from me,” I growled, but he just smiled.
“I’ve seen the way you look at me.” His hand stroked up and down his dick. “Now’s your chance.”
He had me cornered and I gripped onto the counter behind me, wondering if I could grab my blow dryer and knock him in the head.
Charlotte popped up beside Soto, a smirk on her lips. She pressed her breasts against Soto’s arm. “I bet that ass would be fun to play with, Soto. A little extra to grab onto,” she teased.
Her words cut into my veins. I was bigger than Charlotte, that was true. When we’d auditioned for the same jobs, I was always very aware of that…
Evidently she was too.
“Nah, I want those weird purple eyes on me as I fuck her mouth,” Soto smiled. “I’ve been thinking about it constantly.”
I held up my phone. “I’m going to call the police if you don’t get out of my room right now.”
Soto moved Charlotte away, his smile widening. “I do like a challenge, Blake.” He walked towards me, but there was nowhere for me to retreat. He had me pinned.
He’d just grabbed my hip when there was a crash in the living room as the front door slammed open. A second later Ari was there…his face almost unrecognizable from his rage as he took in the scene. His towering figure seemed to expand, filling every inch of the space with his furious presence.
“You’re a dead man, Soto,” he spat, a darkness in his gaze I’d never seen before.
Ari lunged forward, ripping Soto away from me and throwing him onto my bedroom floor.
Soto scrambled to his feet, a smile still on his face…
“I was just about to show your girl what a real man fucks like,” he drawled.
Ari chuckled, gesturing to Soto’s now limp penis. “I doubt a woman can even feel that, Soto. I didn’t know you had “mini dick syndrome.” Soto snarled and charged at Ari. But Ari just grinned and punched him in the gut as Soto butted into him. Soto gasped in pain as Ari grabbed his hair, yanking his head back.
“There’s no refs tonight, you pathetic little asswipe. No one to help you either,” he said in a silky, smooth…terrifying voice. Still holding him by his hair, Ari broke Soto’s nose, blood spraying everywhere.
He staggered a few steps after Ari released his hold. But Ari didn’t give him a chance to recover. Blood sprayed from Soto’s battered face as Ari’s fists connected with bone and flesh, again and again. The sickening sound of impact filled the room, echoing in my ears.
Charlotte was screaming, and the other guy had already ran away. I watched in shock as teeth flew out of Soto’s mouth…and Ari snorted as he hit him again.
“Missing teeth might be an improvement on that ugly face,” Ari drawled.
Time seemed to slow as I watched his powerful fist connect with Soto’s face one last time, and he crumpled to the floor, blood and teeth spattering in all directions. Soto was a whimpering, pathetic mess, writhing on the floor in agony.
“I will kill you if you ever touch her again,” Ari murmured, before he kicked Soto in the gut one more time for good measure. Soto wouldn’t feel that one right now though, he’d fallen completely unconscious.
Ari didn’t hesitate for a second. He pulled me into his strong arms in a protective embrace, his body trembling as he squeezed me tight. I buried my face in his chest, tears streaming down my cheeks from everything that had just happened.
“We’re getting out of here,” he growled, glancing down at Charlotte, still naked, weeping next to Soto’s still form.
“What are you still doing in here?” he snapped at her, and she whimpered and ran to her room, slamming the door behind her.
“Let’s get your stuff, sunshine,” Ari said calmly. “I’m just going to get rid of the trash.” He reached down and grabbed Soto by the foot, dragging him out of my room. A few seconds later I heard the front door open…following by a thump of something hitting the ground.
Ari appeared in the doorway a minute later with Waldo, who had been barking and whining the entire time. Waldo jumped up, frantically pawing at my leg as I tried to calm him down.
“It’s okay, baby,” I soothed as I tried to reassure him. Ari took over for me so I could pack. I glanced over at them as I threw my clothes and toiletries into a suitcase and snorted. Ari had my dog completely in his lap and was cradling Waldo like a baby. I snapped a quick pic on my phone.
The rest of the stuff I’d brought from New York was still in boxes, so it didn’t take long for me to be completely ready to leave. After I zipped up my suitcase, I turned to tell Ari I was ready, catching him staring at my mess of a bed with a sick and almost guilty expression on his face.
“I’m all ready,” I said.
“We’re going to have to burn that bed,” he muttered, his gaze still stuck on my sheets.
“It belongs to the apartment. The place came partially furnished.” I gently pushed on his shoulder so we could get moving. “I guess I’ll just find a place to store my stuff and then I can start apartment hunting tomorrow…”
That shook Ari out of his daze. “Apartment hunting? Why would you do that?”
“Well, I can’t stay with you forever,” I said lightly, even though the thought of it made me warm all over.
He grabbed the suitcase out of my hand and wrapped his free one around my waist, pulling me close.
“Oh, you’re definitely staying forever.”
I stared up at him…not sure if he was kidding or not.
“Ari, I—”
“Name one good reason why you shouldn’t move in. I’ll wait,” he said patiently.
I opened my mouth. “Well…we just started dating.”
“But you’ve known me since we were kids,” Ari murmured, brushing a kiss across my lips. “So that doesn’t matter because you’ve known me for a long, long, long, long, long—”
“Okay,” I laughed, slapping a hand across his mouth so he had to stop.
“Okay, you’ll move in?” he asked, his face hopeful and excited.
I bit my lip and studied him, the voices in my head pointing out how hard it would be to hide all my issues if I was living with him.
Only—I didn’t seem to have so many issues anymore since he’d come back into my life.
Maybe it could work…
“I’ll move in,” I finally whispered.
“Fucking finally,” he said fervently, crashing his lips against mine.
I felt the relief in his voice right down to my bones.
“Spoiler alert,” he said happily as we walked out to my car to load my suitcase, Waldo pattering behind us. “You already have a key to our house on our keychain.”
“What?”
His use of “our house” seemed a little aggressive.
“Put it on there like the first day,” he explained…and it sounded like he wasn’t kidding.
I pulled out my keys, and sure enough, there was a new one there I hadn’t noticed.
“I’ll follow you back home,” he told me, smacking another kiss against my lips.
Later, when I’d finally pulled into his driveway, I’d completely forgotten how fast Ari had gotten to my place after my call.
All I could think about was the fact that maybe…Ari was my new home.
Ari
Later, when I wasn’t feeling so sick about what had almost happened to Blake because of me…I texted Lincoln.
Me: We’re best, best friends, right?
Lincoln: Since when did you turn into an eighth grade girl?
Me: Well, it’s an important question. I need to know how far this friendship extends.
Lincoln: What did you do?
Me: Nothing, per se. I just need to know if our friendship extends to say…burying a body.
Lincoln: Please tell me there’s not actually a body.
Me: Well, not yet. But it could be coming. Strike that. It is coming.
Lincoln: Who exactly are you planning on murdering?
Me: Who do you fucking think? I thought Soto was bad to play against…but I swear, I’m about to throw nunchucks at him.
Lincoln: You own nunchucks?
Me: …
Me: Ok, so you still haven’t answered the question. Accessory to murder…or no?
Lincoln: Where are we burying him?
I set the phone down, staring at Blake’s sleeping form. At least she was in my house now. Safe.
I’d just have to spend the rest of my life making it up to her.
