by J B Heller
I plonked her on the bench top. Yes, plonked. I know it wasn’t the smoothest move but she didn’t seem to care. Her arms wrapped around my neck, and her tiny fingers threaded into my hair. She clenched her hands into fists, grabbing hold of my hair before she yanked my head back severing our kiss.
I was about to complain, then I felt her hot little tongue making its way along my jaw to my ear. She sucked my earlobe into her mouth before she bit it gently. Damn! The ear biting thing was my biggest weakness, well that and blow jobs…
“I need in you, now Sweets.”
Her hands suddenly were no longer in my hair, they were tugging at the buttons on my jeans.
I think I’m in love.
I pulled on the sash tying her robe together and it fell open, revealing her gorgeous naked body. Sloan was petite, but curvy. I loved it. Her tattoos didn’t look tacky or cheap, they were art that told her story. Later I would sit down and read it. But right now, I had other plans.
I pulled one of her perfect tits into my mouth at the same time she freed my cock. I didn’t waste any time, my fingers sunk into her curvaceous hips, dragging her to the edge of the bench. It was the perfect height for me to sink right into her drenched warmth.
I was in in one smooth stroke. She felt so I good I had to pause and get my shit together. I didn’t want this to end before it started. I bit down on her nipple before I let it go with a loud pop. Sloan moaned and arched her back, pushing herself down harder on my cock.
I lunged for her lips again. I could kiss this woman all day, every day, for the rest of my life.
After our impromptu shag on the kitchen bench, we half-dressed ourselves and decided we had some things to hash out if we were going to make a good go of this.
Dexter
We were sitting on the couch and images of our activities from last night kept playing through my head like a movie. I cleared my throat hoping to clear my dirty thoughts… With no luck.
I shook my head, and asked, “So, where should we start?”
“How should I know, I’ve never done this before, remember!” She was looking at me like I was a crazy person for even asking her.
“Ok, well how about you tell me a bit more about you?”
“You already know all you need to know for now.” She was so guarded.
I would have to prove myself to her, show her she could trust me. “Alright, how about I tell you a bit about me then?”
Sloan was quiet, but after a moment she nodded.
“What do you want to know?”
“Umm, I don’t know. Your last name maybe? How old are you?”
“My last name is Jordan, and I’m twenty-six.”
Her face paled. Actually it took on more of a green shade, like she was about to be sick.
“Sweets, you ok? You don’t look so well.”
“Jordan… your name, your last name is, Jordan?” she stuttered.
I frowned at her sudden change in demeanour, “That’s what I said, why?”
“Who’s your father?” she gritted out.
“I don’t see what my father has to do with anything. He’s a friggin’ arsehole. I hate him, next question please.” I told her with finality. I was not discussing him.
“No.”
I reared back, “Excuse me?”
“Answer me Dex, what’s your father’s name?”
I ran my hand through my hair, my frustration building by the second, “Friggin’ hell Sloan, I really don’t want to talk about my father right now. Just drop it.”
She stood up and started pacing around her lounge room. Her little hands fisted in her hair.
“What’s wrong Sloan? You’re scaring me.”
She stopped her pacing and turned towards me. She stomped over until she was right in my face, her tiny finger was poking me in the chest. “I’m scaring YOU!” She backed away from me, shifting her pointy little finger towards the front door. “You need to go. Now. Get out.”
My eyebrows shot up at the same time as I shot to my feet. “What! Why? Because I wouldn’t tell you my father’s name? Fine, it’s Johnathan. Now would you sit down and stop acting like a crazy person.”
“I said GET. OUT!” She had backed herself up to the wall. Her hands were in her hair again and tears were streaming down her face. I took a step towards her but she put her hand out in front of herself to ward me off. “Don’t touch me Dex. Just leave. Please.” Her voice was soft, almost broken, pleading. What had I done?
“Sloan, please Sweets. I don’t understand. What did I do?” I begged.
“Please Dex, please leave.” She was sliding down the wall, her hands now covering her beautiful face as she sobbed on the floor.
I felt like the biggest arsehole in the world and I didn’t even know what I had done. I couldn’t just leave her here like this, a crumpled heap on the floor. Her sobs were so powerful now her little body was shaking.
I knelt down in front of her little form. I wanted to reach out and scoop her into my arms. But she’d asked me not to touch her. FUCK! I ran my hands through my hair griping onto it and pulled, hard as I paced back and forth. I couldn’t just leave her like this.
I walked into the kitchen, when I found my phone I dialled Bray. It felt like it took him forever to answer.
“S’up Dex?”
“Bray, you gota come to Sloan’s place, like now man.”
“What the fuck did you do to her?!” His voice was booming through the speaker of my phone so loud I had to pull it away from my ear or risk losing my hearing.
“Settle down man. I don’t know what happened. We were sitting on the couch talking about things between us, she asked about my dad. I didn’t want to talk about it, and she started pacing and yelling at me to leave and now she’s on the floor crying and she won’t let me touch her.”
While I explained I could hear Bray getting his keys and his girlfriend, they were already on their way. “I don’t think you should bring your girlfriend Bray. Sloan’s a mess. I don’t think she would want anyone to see her right now. I just didn’t know who else to call.”
“Stella is Sloan’s sister dickhead. We’ll be there in five minutes.” He hung up on me.
I put my phone back on the kitchen bench and went to check on Sloan.
She was still on the floor where I had left her. I approached her still shuddering body careful not to startle her. “Sweets, I can’t leave you like this. Bray is coming over, he’s bringing your sister.”
She didn’t say anything. I didn’t even know if she heard me. So I sat on the couch watching her, my hands clenched together so tightly my knuckles were white. I wanted to hold her so badly. A few minutes later Bray and Sloan’s sister walked in.
I had to do a double take. She was exactly like Sloan. Except for the hair and tattoos, they had to be twins.
“Stop eyeballing my woman.”
Bray’s words pulled me from my musings. “Sorry man, I didn’t know Sloan had a sister, let alone a twin.”
“Spun me out at first too. This is Stella.”
She nodded in my direction before she ran over to Sloan, who she was now cradling her in her arms. I couldn’t take my eyes off them, so alike, but worlds apart.
I felt Bray’s large hand slap me in the back of the head. I turned and shot him an angry glare. “Come on dude, we need to leave them alone. I’ll make you a drink.”
I nodded, got to my feet and headed for the kitchen. I turned back one last time before leaving the room to see Stella was gently stroking Sloan’s hair and rocking her, it sounded like she was singing to her softly. Just watching them made me feel like I was intruding, so I left the room.
Two Hours Later…
The girls were still in the lounge room. I was about to lose my shit. My hair was standing on end from running my hands through it so much. I couldn’t stand knowing she was in the next room hurting because of something I had said or done.
Bray had gone in to check on them an hour ago, but was shooed out. The
n I heard a shuffling sound coming from the lounge. They were coming out. Finally! I could get some answers, or so I thought. The girls came out, and walked straight past me. Neither of them looked at me, but Sloan stopped and hugged Bray. She whispered something in his ear and he nodded.
She didn’t even spare me a glance, just kept walking. When she turned around the corner and headed up the stairs I felt a huge weight settle over my chest. I wasn’t going to get the answers I needed more than air at this moment. “What’s going on man? What did she just say to you?”
Bray avoided my stare as he looked down into his glass of scotch. “I’m sorry dude, but you need to leave. I don’t know what’s going on, but she wants you gone.”
Crushed. That’s how I felt right now. Just hours ago I was the happiest I’ve ever been in my miserable life, and now, I can’t have lost that already. Can I?
I dropped my head into my hands, resting my elbows on the bench that we had made love on this morning.
Bray rested his palm on my back in an attempt to offer comfort. But nothing could stop me from hurtling into the black hole that would pull me back into darkness. She was my second chance. My chance to be who I wanted to be, live a good full life with love and hope. It was all slipping out of my grasp before I even had a chance to try. “I’m falling for her man. What am I supposed to do?”
Bray’s face was the picture of sadness. “Just do what she asks. Maybe you can talk to her about it in a few days.”
“A few days! I don’t even know what’s going on right now. How am I supposed to sit around for the next few days? I’ll go crazy Bray. Bat-shit fucking CRAZY!”
My voice was getting louder with each word that passed my lips but I couldn’t stop. The future I’d been building in my head was crumbling.
Stella
Sloan was the strong one. She always had been. I had never seen her cry. Not even when she hurt herself when we were little. Seeing her crumpled on the floor sobbing tore me apart. I had rushed to her trying to comfort her. I sang the song our mother would sing when were scared or hurt as children.
It soothed her, and she eventually stopped crying. I had never had to be strong for anyone else. Before Brayden, Sloan had been my pillar of strength. But now I had no other choice. I had to be that person for my sister now.
She wouldn’t tell me what was wrong, just that she wanted Dex to leave. After I convinced her to go upstairs and take a shower we sat on her bed together. Our legs crossed, just watching each other. Waiting.
We both jumped when we heard a voice booming from the kitchen. Apparently Dex hadn’t left yet. Sloan’s eyes started watering again. I placed my hand on her knee and told her I would deal with it. Doubt crossed her face but she nodded.
When I rounded the corner at the bottom of the stairs I saw Dex with his hands covering his face, hunched over the bench. It looked like he was crying. Brayden sat beside him with his hand resting on his back.
I cleared my throat to get their attention. Brayden’s hand dropped from his friends back and both their heads popped around in my direction immediately. Dex’s eyes were as blood shot as Sloan’s. “Will you tell me what happened Dex?” I asked softly.
He shrugged his shoulders, “I don’t even know. One minute we were talking on the couch, the next she’s poking me in the chest telling me to get out. Is she okay? Did she tell you what’s wrong?”
I felt badly for him. It was clear that he cared deeply for my sister. I found this whole situation unusual. Sloan never kept a man around for long. And she especially didn’t form any attachments. But something was going on between them and I found myself wanting to know exactly what they meant to each other.
Sloan was scared about something and I had to find out what. “No, she hasn’t said anything except that she wants you to leave. What were you two talking about?”
“We were trying to figure out how to go forward with our relationship—”
Their what? I had to cut him off. “I’m sorry, your what? Sloan doesn’t do relationships.”
“Yeah, I know. But she was going to give it a go, give us a go.” He shook his head and buried it in his hands again. He was very upset by all this. It warmed my heart that he clearly cared so much for my sister. Maybe he would be her Brayden?
I shook my head to clear it, I needed to focus. “Okay, so how did talking about your relationship turn into my sister in hysterics on the floor?”
“I don’t know. She asked about my last name and my age, I answered her then she started pushing about my father and well, I don’t talk about him. But she kept pushing, wanting to know his name. I told her to drop it, then she started pacing, when I told her she was scaring me, she started poking me in the chest and told me to leave.”
He paused and took a deep breath. This was really upsetting him. He obviously didn’t know what had set her off. I figured it had to have something to do with his father. Sloan doesn’t push unless she has a reason. I listened to everything he had to say then sat at one of the stools next to Brayden to think it all over.
It definitely had to do with his father. “Out of curiosity, what is your father’s name?”
“Johnathan Jordan.”
That name didn’t mean anything to me, but it definitely meant something to Sloan. “Thank you for telling me all that just now Dex, but I have to ask you to leave. She is really upset about something and I intend to find out what exactly it is. I’m sorry but I can’t do that while you’re still here. It’s keeping her on edge, you being here. I can see that you want answers as much as I do, so please go. I’ll have Brayden call you later.”
I could see it in his face, he didn’t like the thought of leaving while Sloan was like this, but he accepted that he needed to leave if I was going to work this out with her. He got up, pocketed his phone and headed to the front door. But there was no sound of it opening. I turned around as he walked back into the kitchen. “I don’t have my car here.”
Brayden thankfully was willing to drive him wherever he needed to go. After they left, I made some hot tea for Sloan and I then went back upstairs to check on her.
Sloan
Stella had been gone for a while when I heard the sound of Bray’s car pulling out from my townhouse. That meant Dex was gone. Relief flooded my body. How could I have been so stupid to let my guard down, and start falling for him without knowing more about him? I was so angry with myself and the unfairness of the situation.
I wanted to hold onto the anger, it kept the overwhelming grief for what could have been at bay. I should have known that happiness was never on the cards for my future. I finally open myself up to a man, begin letting emotions grow that I never thought I could possess, and he’s the son of God Damn Johnathan Jordan.
Just thinking his name made my skin crawl. I closed my eyes and recalled standing in Gabe’s office down town.
“Are you sure you want to know this Sloan? You can’t do anything with the information. I only got this for you so you can have some closure.”
“I’m sure Gabe, I need to know what really happened to her, just tell me. Please.”
Gabe handed me the file he had compiled over the last few months. I’d asked him to look into my mother’s car accident. My mother was a very cautious driver. Always aware of the other drivers on the road and she was extra careful in the wet weather. I didn’t understand how this could have happened. The CCTV logs from that night had somehow been erased. System error they told me.
I didn’t buy it. It just didn’t add up. According to the accident report I had received from the police, my mother had been drinking and lost control of her car when it was raining crashing into a dumpster at an unusually high speed. Mamma hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol since our father died, let alone got drunk.
She hit the dumpster so hard that her car crumpled around her small body, she died on impact.
I could feel the tears rolling down my cheeks but the memory kept coming, like I was right there with Gabe all over again.
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br /> My hands shook as I took the file from Gabe. I flicked it open to the first page. I couldn’t focus my eyes, my mind was racing. I shuffled through the pages but nothing became any clearer. Gabe came to stand behind me, resting his steady hands on my delicate shoulders. He soothingly ran his large hands up and down my arms before pulling my body back into his, so my back was pressed into his big comforting chest.
“There was no alcohol in your mother’s system. And the damage caused to the back of her car couldn’t possibly have been caused by hitting the dumpster. Someone rear ended her. They hit with such force her car propelled into the dumpster so fast, there isn’t anything she could have done to prevent herself from hitting it.”
I was shaking, but Gabe held me steady. I tried to focus on keeping my breathing under control. My mind was whirling so fast I was dizzy. Deep breaths Sloan, you knew something wasn’t right with all this. Keep it together just a few more minutes.
“Who?”
It was the only word I could get passed my quivering lips. Gabe took a deep breath in and wrapped me in his arms. I was wracked with grief. My mother had been murdered. Tears spilled from my eyes, my throat hurt from trying to contain my sobs.
“This can’t go past us Sloan. My connections inside the precinct could get kicked off the force or worse for letting this get out. And I’m sorry baby girl, but I need them. A good PI needs inside sources, you understand?”
All I could do was nod. I really did appreciate Gabe using his connections to get this information for me. I couldn’t repay his kindness by stabbing him in the back and running my mouth.
“He’s one of the big guns in this town Sloan, he probably owns three quarters of the force and most of the judges in the city too. His name is Johnathan Jordan…”
I didn’t hear anything Gabe said after that. But that name would forever be etched into my brain, along with a few others. And he too, would receive the same fate they had, one day. Whether by my hand or not, he would get what was coming to him. Men like that always did, eventually.