by Eve, Melody
I pull up to the practice stadium where the Chicago Cubs workout regularly and find a parking spot right next to David’s sleek candy-apple red Ferrari. Only a pretentious asshole would drive a car like that. And he’s broke to boot. I bet he’ll be selling that off soon to pay off his debts.
I check my dash for the time. Fifteen minutes until practice is over. I settle in and open my email to keep looking at what Anthony found on my mother’s new boyfriend, Pierre. He hasn’t had much time to search, but already I smell a rat.
First of all, my mother is under the impression that he is from France, but he is Canadian. The second red flag is that he is in trouble financially. Not big trouble, but he owes some money. He could be weaseling his way into my mother’s life looking for a wife to bail him out. Or he could be trying to obtain American citizenship via marriage to hide from his debt. I’ll have to wait for the complete report to find out.
I scan the lot for David when people start exiting the stadium. It takes a while, but he finally emerges looking pale and worn down. Maybe owing a hundred thousand dollars to loan sharks and losing the best woman he will ever know is finally getting to him. I hope so.
I exit my car and lean against it with my eyes on him. He feels me watching him and raises his head. He looks surprised at first, and I expect him to be angry or at least irritated, but he looks relieved instead.
“Roman Forrest?” he says approaching.
“Yes. I’d like to have a word with you.”
He offers me his hand to shake, and I look down at it and back up at him letting him know that there’s no way in hell I’m going to shake hands with the likes of him.
“I’m glad you’re here. Listen, Aria called me a while ago and said someone is stalking her? Is she okay? She hung up before I could tell her it’s not me. I don’t know why she thinks I would do something like that. I love her.” His words rush out like he’s being timed.
“Were you loving her when you were fucking her best friend on her couch? Or how about when you were out every weekend spending all your money on strippers and prostitutes? Oh, or maybe it was when you stole her engagement ring and hocked it to pay for a condo for your girlfriend in Atlanta and replaced it with a fake diamond?”
The more I speak, the more his face opens up in shock. Eyes wide, mouth agape, he would drown if it started to rain. “You’ve been following me for… for years?”
“Yes, I have. I was actually following Aria. You were just background noise.” I actually hated paying to follow this piece of trash around while he made a mockery of his engagement to Aria.
“What’s your deal, man? Why are you trying to destroy my life?”
I almost laugh. “I’m not destroying your life. I don’t have to, you’re doing a bang-up job of that all by yourself.”
“You’re the one railroading my relationship with the love of my life. If it weren’t for you, I’d have a chance at fixing what I had with Aria, but you have her brainwashed into thinking you’re some rich and gallant prince riding in to save the day. I love her, I’ve loved her for six years. We have history. You need to step back and let us work out our shit.”
Anger reverberates through every muscle in my body, and it takes herculean strength not to throttle this idiot in front of me. The only thing that keeps me from doing it is my promise to Aria. I swore I wouldn’t let this get physical, and unless David takes a swing first, I am going to keep that promise.
“You’re living in a fantasy world, David. I don’t think it’s possible to rationalize with you, your stalking speaks for itself. Aria doesn’t want to work anything out with you. She knows the real you now, thanks to me, and she’s through playing your games. I haven’t brainwashed her, that’s your specialty. And for the record, I’m not a prince riding in to save the day. I’m the fucking King who is going to show her what real love and devotion is. I’m going to say this once and only once. Leave Aria alone, stop contacting her, stop sending her texts and photographs, or I will have no choice but to let the goons you’re involved with in Vegas know exactly where you are.”
The color drains from his face at the mention of his loan-shark friends. “Yes, I know all about the trouble you’re in. I know everything about you, David.”
“I’m not stalking her. I can’t tell you I’ll quit because I’m not doing it. I love her. I’m trying to get her back, why would I want to scare her?”
“Fine, if that’s the way you want to play it, I’ll give my contact in Vegas a call.”
“No, man, listen. I swear to God it’s not me. Please, don’t rat me out. I‘m trying to get the money together to pay them. I’m in outpatient rehab trying to get my life together, stop drinking, stop doing drugs. I’m on probation with the team, and I can’t get myself out of this mess without that income.”
This surprises me. Anthony hasn’t said anything about him getting into rehab. “When did you start rehab?”
“Five days ago, when I realized Aria wouldn’t want anything to do with me the way I am. I decided to clean up my act, pay off my debts, and prove to her I’m worthy of her love.”
Five days ago. Anthony sent me a report yesterday that I haven’t gotten to yet. This bit of info is probably in it. He’s delusional if he thinks she’ll take him back, but I don’t see any reason to kick a guy when he’s down. Even a jerk like David. “All right, I won’t say anything as long as you stay in rehab and leave Aria alone.”
He scrunches up his face in disbelief. “I’m not bothering her. She just called me an hour ago accusing me of stalking her. I don’t know why you guys think it’s me doing whatever is happening. Why don’t you have your goon vouch for me that I haven’t come near her store since before the ‘wedding’ and have only been to her apartment once.”
“I’ll do that.” I turn and leave him standing in the parking lot with several teammates looking on from a distance ready to defend him if I make a move.
I thought talking to David was going to bring me some closure, put an end to the shit that’s been going on, but now I’m even more perplexed than I was before. He genuinely didn’t seem to know what was going on. Maybe he isn’t the stalker? And if he isn’t, then who?
At home, I find my women out on the patio overlooking the pool. The patio just off the kitchen runs along the center of the house with matching stone staircases on either side that lead down to the pool. They are on the upper deck having what can only be described as a party. Some kind of Latin rap music is playing loud, drinks are flowing, and from the looks of it, Ella has whipped up a Hawaiian style spread of food to celebrate what I don’t know.
Hanging back, I lean my shoulder against the doorjamb to watch the show. Leeza is standing in front of Aria shaking her ass. Aria occasionally slaps her ass, and my mother… oh my, my mother is shuffling around and clapping her hands over one shoulder like a Spanish Flamenco dancer.
“Mr. Forrest, the ladies are having a party, can I get you a drink?”
I turn to find Ella standing behind me holding a tray of fresh tropical drinks with little umbrellas in them. “What are they celebrating?”
“They said it is a forget the…” She hesitates, and I can guess what’s wrong. Ella doesn’t like to swear. I’m guessing this party’s title includes the ‘F’ word.
“Go ahead, Ella, I don’t mind if you swear.”
“The ladies are having a forget-the-f’ing-stalkers luau.”
I chuckle at their party name and take the tray of drinks from Ella. “I’ll have my usual, thank you. I’ll deliver these.”
She nods and retreats back into the house. “Aloha, ladies. I come bearing drinks for your luau,” I say loudly competing with the crazy rap music.
Aria stops dancing, and her eyes pop when she yells, “You’re back! Woo-hoo!”
I enjoy the enthusiastic welcome but wonder just how much they could have had to drink in the ninety minutes I’ve been gone. I place the tray on their table, and it’s a good thing. Aria runs to greet me by leaping into
my arms. I stumble back and laugh at her playfulness.
“You’ve had quite an attitude change since I’ve been gone.”
“We decided not to let the fucking stalkers of the world get us down!” Leeza yells holding her empty glass high in the air over her head.
“Yes!” Mom agrees and flops down onto a lounger out of breath and panting.
Leeza swipes a fresh drink, and Aria slides from my arms to take one herself. She holds up the glass showing it to me. “I was gonna stop drinking like forever after I fell in the shower, but these things…” She looks at her glass of rainbow alcohol with adoration. “They are just so damn delicious.” Her expression changes from love to shock. “I can’t stop, seriously I can’t, they’re goo tood.” She frowns realizing she’s mixed up her words but unsure of exactly how.
“Too good, you mean?” I ask.
She points at me and nods once sharply. “Yes, that.”
“I don’t mean to be a party pooper but just remember the doctor’s orders. You’re supposed to be taking it easy.”
“I am! It’s a party, how can life get any easier?”
“Easy lemon squeezy,” my mother slurs, and all three girls laugh like it’s the most hilarious joke they’ve ever heard. I shake my head and sit down under the umbrella table to supervise.
“Why don’t you ever get sloshed, Mufasa?” Leeza asks.
“Who would take care of you if I were drunk?”
“That sexy security guard, Anthony, looks capable. He can keep me safe an-y-time he wants,” Leeza says raising her eyebrows for emphasis.
“That’s not going to happen. Anthony is my employee, and he isn’t allowed to fraternize with my family, anyone I work with, or the people I employ him to follow or research.”
“Research,” Aria says stretching out the word and rolling her eyes. “Did you know he does background checks on everyone he meets? He probably knows what color panties the checker at the grocery store is wearing or what brand of toothpaste she uses.”
“Don’t get saucy. Those background checks keep all of us safe, something I take very seriously.”
“You sound just like your father,” Mom says wistfully looking up at the sky.
“He thinks he is Daddy,” Leeza says.
“I took over his responsibilities. It’s what he would have wanted.”
“He would have wanted you to live your life and be happy, too,” Mom says turning her gaze on me.
“I am happy. Happier than I’ve been in years,” I say reaching over to take Aria’s hand.
Ella approaches with three fingers of Scotch and a new plate of hors d’oeuvres. “Thank you, Ella. You can retire for the night whenever you like.”
“No more drinks for the ladies?” she asks hesitantly.
“I’ll make them if they need more.”
“Okay, goodnight.” She waves at everyone, and they wave back and murmur their goodbyes.
“There go our good drinks,” Leeza says.
“Ye have little faith. I taught Ella everything she knows about bartending.”
“Even how to make these pretty little pieces of fruit?” Aria asks picking a piece of strawberry cut in a zig-zag pattern.
“Even that.”
“And the cute tiny umbrellas?” She holds one over her head, and I chuckle.
“And the umbrellas, yes.”
“Why do you know so much bout booze, but you don’t have fun?” She pokes out her bottom lip in that way she knows drives me crazy, and I swear it’s on purpose.
“I have fun. I just like to stay in control while I’m doing so.”
All three women moan loudly in unison. “Controlled fun? Come on, Mufasa, let your mane down and get tore up with us!” Leeza says turning up the music which has switched to modern pop instead of rap. Thank God.
I’m not one to cave under peer pressure, but just this once I am going to give them what they want. The stage is already set, why not play the part of the party animal and have some fun. We’re home, and the house is as safe as it can possibly be after Anthony’s guys went over it with a fine-tooth comb today.
I hold up my glass to show them I’m in and let the smoky liquid slide down my throat.
A collective whoop goes up, and everyone returns to dancing while I go inside and retrieve the bottle of scotch from the bar. As I grab the bottle, I notice an arrangement of flowers on the bar. We’ve had a florist deliver flowers every week for years, and they place them in the exact same place every time they come. Never has there been an arrangement on the bar. I look across the room to the breakfront where the flowers usually are and find the spot empty.
Anthony and his men must have put it back in the wrong place. I’ll have to remember to mention it to him tomorrow.
Outside, I join the party again drinking and eventually dancing around the pool until two in the morning. It’s a work night, and I have appointments that cannot be missed today after suddenly rescheduling. I’m not sure what Aria’s plans are for Tuesday, but she needs to go to bed regardless.
Her heavy eyelids and pouty lips tell me she’s overdone it. I wish Mother and Leeza a good night and sweep my woman off of her feet to carry her to bed.
“Whoa!” she squeals. “Me Jane, you Tarzan. You take Jane to bed and bang hard,” she says giggling uncontrollably. I shake my head and kiss her on the forehead.
“Tarzan has to go to work in the jungle in a few hours, and Jane has done too much for her first day back to real life. We are going to sleep.”
She pouts severely now, her lip out far enough that I’m tempted to bite it. “You’re not drunk enough,” she whines. “You were supposed to get fall-down drunk and have crazy monkey sex with me.”
“I never received that memo. I apologize.”
“You should loosen up, where’s the Roman I met in Mexico?”
“That Roman learned a valuable lesson about letting the love of his life drink too much. This Roman plans on making sure that never happens again, so he needs to keep his wits about him.”
She throws her head back and groans. “You’re exasperating.”
“And your point is?”
She straightens up in my arms as if she’s had an idea. “How about we have gentle sex if I promise to stay home from work tomorrow and rest?”
She’s becoming quite a manipulative minx. I can’t say no to that, and she knows it. I narrow my eyes and look down at the beautiful creature in my arms. “Yes.”
“Yay!” she squeals as we reach my bedroom. I stand her on her feet, and she closes the door and locks it with a wicked gleam in her eye. “Let’s start in here and work our way into the shower.”
She takes my hand and leads me to the bed as if she were in control. I decide to allow it and see where she takes us. With her hands on my shoulders, she makes to push me onto the bed, successful only because I allow her to be. I watch her unbutton my shirt slowly until she’s on her knees between mine. She fumbles with my belt and unbuttons my suit pants reaching inside to find what she has done to me.
Thick and hard, my cock twitches under her touch. She smiles, and I take her hands and place them at her sides. Her playful expression falls until I reach into my nightstand for a pair of handcuffs. The sight of the cold silver metal launches excitement in her, and she brightens. “Where did those come from?” she asks.
“I bought them just for you.”
She rolls her eyes. “Yeah sure, I bet you’ve used those on dozens of women.”
“No, I haven’t. I’m not saying I haven’t restrained a woman before but not with this particular pair of handcuffs. I stand and walk around behind her. “Raise your hands,” I command, and she does so quickly causing herself to wobble on her knees. I strip her out of her shirt and bra leaving her bare from the waist up.
Put your hands behind your back.”
“But how will I…”
“Hands behind your back,” I repeat, pausing between each word, and she does as she’s asked. I secure the cuffs on he
r wrists and slide my hands over her shoulders and down to her breasts. Her head falls back against my cock, and she moans when I stroke her pebbled nipples.
“Stand up.” I kiss the side of her neck, and goosebumps spread across her skin as I help her to her feet. I begin to press a trail of kisses along her shoulder and down her side to the curve in her waist occasionally nipping at her skin. I’m crouched behind her now, and I slide her skirt and panties off letting them drop in a pool at her feet.
Cupping her ass in both hands, I squeeze her cheeks and bite the plump flesh of her right side. She gasps, and I kiss and lick the pain away. I’d like to bend her over the side of the bed and bury my face in her luscious ass, but she had something in mind when we came into the bedroom and who am I to deny her what she wants?
I stand and guide her back down to her knees, hands bound behind her, her ass resting on her heels. I shrug off my shirt, drop my pants, and toe off my socks before rounding her trembling body.
“Is this what you wanted?” I ask, my cock pointing straight at her.
She nods, and I step closer threading my hands through her hair careful not to touch her wound. The sight of her kneeling before me, hands bound, and licking her lips is by far one of the most erotic things I’ve ever seen.
She wraps her silky pink lips around my cock and lunges forward eager to take it all, but I hold her head steady only allowing her an inch or two at a time. She looks up at me through thick black lashes, and I almost come watching her suck and lick the tip like it’s candy.
When I’m sure I won’t come, I push into her mouth until I hit the back of her throat. Guiding her head with my hands, I moan when she sucks me all the way to the tip, and something inside me snaps. I lean my back against the tall bedpost and slide in and out fucking her hot mouth until I explode with a roar. Gripping her silky blonde hair, I push into her pulsing until she’s swallowed every drop, and I’m trembling.
“My God, Aria, the things you make me feel. It’s not possible.”
I slide from her mouth and pull her to her feet. “What’s not possible?” she asks looking proud of herself.
“That you can have so much power over me when you’re seemingly helpless. Cuffed and on your knees in front of me, you’d think it was me in control, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. I wouldn’t tell you this if I weren’t sure you wouldn’t use it to your advantage, but you hold all the cards, beautiful. You have all the power. I am yours at this moment and every moment that comes after it forever.”