When Art Falls

by Lorrain Allen

  “That was quick. Thank you so much.”

  Hopefully she’ll have the chance to live a normal life. Her self-esteem took a major blow when she lost her eye. Being able to work will give her the boost she desperately needs.

  “I’m keeping up my end of the deal. Make sure you do the same.”

  “I will.”

  The front door swings open the moment I slide my key into the bottom lock. My mom stands in the doorway, tapping her foot with a hand on her hip.

  “Good morning. I’m surprised you’re up this early.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me you were expecting deliveries last night?”

  “Do you mind if I come inside first? Then I’ll answer all your questions.”

  “Oh, sorry.” She steps back, allowing me entry.

  “I didn’t know or I would’ve told you,” I answer as I plop down on the sofa.

  “It must be pretty serious between you and Adrian for him to give you such extravagant gifts. Do I hear wedding bells?” She sits beside me.

  “He didn’t buy me the cell phone or the car. We’re not dating anymore.”

  “I don’t understand. I thought everything was going great.”

  “We were only dating, nothing serious. It’s run its course.”

  “Who bought you the phone and car? You can’t afford to make those kinds of purchases.”

  “I have something to tell you, but you have to promise to hear me out.”

  “You’re scaring me, Cin. What’s going on?”

  “Just have an open mind. Can you do that for me?”

  “I’ll try.”

  “I ran into Art the other day. He’s the person who drove me home when my car broke down.”

  “Do you plan on seeing him again?” she asks with a worried frown on her face.

  “Yes, but only as a friend.”

  My mom would choose to suffer for the rest of her days if she knew the details of our arrangement.

  “You have to stay away from him.”

  “He’s not the same person.”

  “People like him don’t change. He’s vindictive and unstable.”

  “He wants to make amends for what happened.”

  “How?”

  “Art bought me the gifts.”

  “Give them back. We’ll manage. We always do.”

  “He’s already arranged for you to start seeing specialists this week.”

  “What?” The hopeful expression on her face is worth dancing with the devil.

  “You can finally receive a diagnosis.”

  “But at what cost? I can’t believe he’s doing this out of the kindness of his heart.”

  “This is your opportunity to live a normal life.”

  “Mom!” Sebastian runs from the bedroom and jumps in my lap.

  “Hi, handsome, did you sleep well?”

  “Yes. I’m hungry.”

  “Well, a growing boy does need to eat. How about some pancakes for breakfast?”

  He eagerly nods.

  “Go take out the ingredients. I’ll be right there.”

  “Okay.” He runs into the kitchen.

  “Please think about it,” I plead. “You want me to forgive myself for what happened. This is how.”

  It was an underhanded move on my part for making that comment, but at least she’ll be on board now.

  Thoughts of Cin have been on replay since dropping her off. I’ve spent the last several hours working out in my home gym. I should be past the point of exhaustion by now, but my body is a live wire. I swear she’s a fucking virus, pumping through my veins. After having a taste of her again, there’s no way in fucking hell I’ll be able to let her go a second time. There’s no point in denying it. Whether Cin likes it or not, she belongs to me. I’m going to have her on a leash so tight, she’ll barely be able to breathe. I have six months to figure out how to keep her with me.

  Damn.

  This wasn’t part of my quest for revenge. My T-shirt and shorts cling to my sweat-drenched body as I reach thirteen miles on the treadmill.

  “There you are. Were you purposely dodging my calls?” Josh asks, coming into the room.

  “Yep.”

  “We need to talk.”

  “I’m not interested in hearing whatever it is you have to say.”

  “You don’t even know what I want to discuss.” He stops in front of the treadmill.

  “Don’t treat me like an idiot.”

  “Then stop acting like one.”

  I jump off the treadmill and get in his face. “She’s not a topic open for discussion.”

  “You’re being fucking stupid.”

  I push him. “What I do is my fucking business! I don’t need a damn babysitter!”

  “Obviously you do!”

  “You’re walking on dangerous ground.”

  “What are your intentions for the little school teacher?”

  “How the fuck do you know what she does for a living?”

  “It wasn’t hard to find out.”

  “Stay the fuck away from her, Josh. I mean it. If you go anywhere near her, I’ll beat you to within an inch of your life.”

  “We had a rocky start, Art. Luckily, we finally came to an understanding. You would ruin that over some washed-up pussy?”

  Before I realize what I’m doing, Josh is on his ass with a bloody mouth.

  “I guess the answer is yes,” he says, spitting blood onto the floor.

  “You’ve been in Florida long enough. It’s time for you to go home.”

  He stands. “I really need to explore between her legs so I can understand what has you so fucking crazy.”

  I headbutt him, sending him toppling on his ass again.

  “Fuck! My nose! You motherfucking son of a bitch!”

  “You deserved it.”

  “Damn, asshole. I’ll have to cancel my date tonight. I can’t show up looking like I was used as a punching bag.”

  “Not my problem. You should’ve kept that hole in your face shut. Look on the bright side, now you have a bloody nose to match your bloody mouth.”

  “So, this is how it’s going to be?” he asks, glaring at me.

  “Leave,” I sneer, walking towards the exit. “You’ve overstayed your welcome.”

  There’s no denying Cin has me by the balls. Fuck, I’m in too deep already.

  My lips form a mischievous smile as I answer Anneli’s call. “Hello?”

  I’ve been expecting a phone call since her shift ended an hour ago. I really should be in bed this late on a Sunday night, but instead I’m glued to the sofa, watching television while eating my weight in cereal.

  “Tell me all the juicy details,” she exclaims.

  “I had a great day. Thank you for asking. How was work?” I say, placing my late-night snack on the floor.

  “Awesome. Spill, I want to know everything.”

  “No time for small talk tonight?” I ask teasingly.

  “How long are you going to leave me guessing?” Anneli whines.

  “There’s nothing to tell,” I say nonchalantly.

  “Oh, so you’re really going to leave me hanging? I think it’s time I advertise for a new best friend.”

  “Isn’t that a bit drastic?” I laugh.

  “Nope.”

  “Well, he’s still a level-one asshole.” I click the television off, then stretch across the soft cushions.

  “Duh, that information isn’t newsworthy. Come on. Give me something I can work with.”

  “He’s already scheduled my mom to see specialists this week.”

  “That’s amazing. I’m so happy for her.”

  “I had to convince her to go.”

  “Does she know about—”

  “Are you crazy? She can never find out, so make sure you keep your mouth shut.”

  “I want what’s best for her, just like you. At first I was on the fence about your decision, but I understand why you did it.”

  “Thank you.”

  “No
problem, babe.”

  “He bought me a new car and cell phone.”

  “My goodness. How does it feel to live the lifestyle of the rich and fabulous?”

  “Fabulous is something I could never be.”

  “Did you have sex with him?” she whispers conspiratorially.

  “Sex is definitely too tame of a word to describe what we did.”

  She squeals in my ear. “Psychotic men fuck best.”

  “He owns my body.”

  “Damn girl, he must’ve fucked the shit out of you.”

  “He did, but it’s more than that. When I was with him, it was like no time had passed between us at all. It’s strange how something so wrong could feel so right. I promised myself I wouldn’t let him get the best of me, that I would distance my emotions. I knew it was a lie. By the time this is over, I won’t be the same. With him, I’m different.”

  “Don’t give him that kind of power over you.”

  “He already has it. God, I’m so fucking pathetic.”

  “You’re not.”

  “You remember how he was in high school. Multiply that by one million. He’s so intense and terrifying. And his mood changes are unpredictable, but it doesn’t lessen my desire for him.”

  My pussy weeps for him. Trained like a bitch in heat. No foreplay needed—his dick slides right in with no resistance.

  “I’m afraid for you.”

  “Not as much as I am for myself.”

  “I led you straight to him by convincing you to move here.”

  “Stop it. I’m not going to let you blame yourself. The day I met him, a fuse was lit. Eight fucking years later, the fire is still blazing.”

  “Just end it. We can find some other way to help your mom.”

  “Even if I wanted to, he wouldn’t let me.”

  “Shit.”

  “Look, don’t worry about me. I’ll be okay. I would follow him into hell if it meant a better life for my family. Let’s change the subject. How are things going between you and Christian?”

  “Great!” she answers too quickly.

  “What happened?”

  “I need to enroll in acting classes.”

  “And it still wouldn’t help. I’m waiting.”

  “We’ve been fighting…” she trails off.

  “Because of me?”

  “No. Yes.” She sighs. “He wants to understand your reasoning behind breaking up with Adrian, but obviously I can’t tell him. We haven’t spoken today.”

  “I’m so sorry. I’m always fucking up other people’s lives.” I walk to the kitchen and put my bowl and spoon in the sink.

  Socializing with me should be considered a health hazard.

  “He’ll cool down in a few days.”

  “Maybe I should call Adrian and be up front with him.”

  “Definitely not. This is the type of secret you take to your grave. Tell no one.”

  “Christian probably thinks I’m a bitch now,” I groan, leaning against the counter.

  “He’ll get over it, so will Adrian.”

  “Have you talked to him?”

  “Stop torturing yourself. What’s done is done.”

  “You’re right. I’m not going to dwell on it.”

  “Good. I’m going to let you get to sleep so you can be prepared for those bad-ass kids in the morning.” She laughs.

  “Don’t remind me. I’ll talk to you later.”

  “All right, babes.”

  Instead of going to bed, I plant my ass back on the sofa and turn the television on. My body is too active to settle down for sleep. I slide my hand between my legs, thinking of him. There’ll be nothing left of me after six months of Art.

  I glance at my cell phone lying on the desk when it begins to ring for the eighth time in the span of ten minutes. My grandfather is annoyingly persistent. The goddamn bastard irritates the fuck out of me, so I avoid conversation with him at all costs unless it’s absolutely necessary. Grimacing in irritation, I answer my cell when it rings for the ninth time, just in case there’s an emergency.

  “Yeah.”

  “Finally,” he says dramatically.

  “What do you want?”

  “Joshua told me you’ve been seeing that girl from North Carolina.”

  The piece of shit actually ran and snitched on me. Tattletale-ass motherfucker. He’s due for a beatdown the next time I see him. I’ve warned him several times to stop discussing my business with our grandfather.

  “I thought something major was happening since you called back-to-back,” I deadpan.

  “Leave her alone. You have women falling at your feet.”

  “But they’re not who I want.”

  “Have you forgotten about her treachery?”

  “I haven’t.” How can I when the knife is still protruding from my fucking back?

  “She’s going to make a fool of you again.”

  “Your concern is very touching, but I can handle her.”

  “Are you sure? You spiraled out of control last time.”

  I was naïve to trust in her so explicitly, but that was then, and this is now. It’ll be a cold day in hell before I let her into my heart again. “Stay out of my personal matters!”

  “Tell me you’re at least using protection.”

  “I fucked her raw and came in her more than several times.”

  “Is she on birth control?”

  “She isn’t.”

  “What if she gets pregnant?” he shouts.

  “Then that’ll be my fucking business. Now, if you don’t have anything important to discuss, enjoy the rest of your day.”

  “You’re making—”

  I disconnect the call.

  Leaning back against the chair, I imagine Cin’s midsection swollen with my baby. The idea isn’t repulsive. In fact, I like it very much. I immediately shut down that line of thinking. What the fuck is wrong with me? The mother of my children will not be a two-faced backstabbing bitch. I know this, but still refuse to use protection and will be painting her insides with my cum this evening. I’ve been looking forward to seeing her again, even arriving at the hotel earlier than usual, so I can leave at a decent hour just to be with her. I’m a fucking idiot.

  Another sexy dress, panty set, and stilettos were not waiting for me when I arrived home from work, like I expected. The only communication I received from Art is a text instructing me to wear my hair down. He didn’t mention if we were going out or staying in, so I opted to wear leggings, an oversized T-shirt, and flip-flops. I check the time on my cell phone as the elevator stops at the penthouse level. I’m thirty minutes early. I thought about making a grand entrance by purposely arriving five minutes late, but self-preservation won over rebellion. My heart beats faster, excitement and trepidation battling for domination as the door slides open. I’m surprised to see rose petals on the floor, leading into the foyer. If I didn’t know better, I’d think Art is attempting to be romantic. I follow the path upstairs to the bedroom. A contraption that wasn’t here on Saturday hangs from the ceiling. The rose petals end at the foot of the bed where I find a blindfold and a note.

  I want you naked, in the center of the bed, legs spread, with the blindfold on. Place your hands behind your head where they must remain or you will be punished. You have two minutes to comply.

  Sincerely,

  Your Owner aka Pussy Connoisseur

  He’s fucking with me. I pick up the blindfold, eyeing it suspiciously. What adventures will he take me on tonight? Not willing to get on his bad side, I quickly shed my clothes and climb on the bed, then reluctantly cover my eyes. I’m on alert, turning my head towards the slightest noise. Low music fills the room. I’m unable to hear any movement at all. The suspense has me on edge. Art is the king of mind games, twisting me into knots but easing his hold before I snap. I move my hands, startled by a soft caress at my hip. Maybe a feather. A stinging slap is delivered to my leg.

  “The punishment will be more severe if you disobey again. Put your f
ucking hands where they belong.”

  I immediately follow the command given.

  The bed dips with Art’s added weight. I shake as he skims the feather along my body, but the true test of my willpower starts when he ventures to my most intimate area. I squeeze my legs shut, unable to bear it any longer, but he pries them back open. His fingers replace the feather, sliding through my slick pussy.

  “Have you ever squirted?” His lips brush against my ear as he asks the question.

  “No,” I answer breathlessly.

  “You must’ve only fucked amateurs after me. What a shame.”

  Maybe that’s part of the reason why I never made an effort to date. No man could ever measure up to him.

  “I’ve learned a few tricks over the years. You’re in for a sexual awakening.” He kisses my neck.

  I tremble, overwhelmed by the violent storm brewing inside me.

  “Do you know where your G-spot is?”

  I shake my head.

  “It’s located about three inches inside your pussy, on the front wall.”

  I moan as he slowly penetrates my wet pussy with his finger.

  “You’re so tight,” he murmurs.

  He rapidly moves in and out of my quivering cunt. A tingling sensation consumes me within minutes.

  “Stop. I have to pee,” I shout.

  I try to sit up, but he lays his upper body across my chest to keep me in place.

  “It’s not pee. Just relax and let go,” he says softly.

  “Please stop,” I sob, struggling against him.

  I’ll be so embarrassed if I pee on myself.

  His fingers become more urgent until the damn breaks and liquid pours from my throbbing pussy. The feeling is indescribable.

  “Oh my God,” I scream and then… nothing.

  I awake to Art calling my name. The blindfold no longer covers my eyes.

  “What happened?”

  “You lost consciousness.”

  I just received the most powerful orgasm I’ve ever had. It’s scary as fuck but exhilarating.

  “There’s more.”

  A naked Art leaves the bed, pulling me with him. He leads me to the contraption hanging from the ceiling.

  “What is this?”

  “It’s your ride for tonight.”