The Keys to Jericho

by Ren Alexander

  “We just have to get an apartment now.”

  “I’ve been looking online, so I have some ideas. Just relax. You deal with the wedding details, I got the rest.”

  “That reminds me.” Kat rolls over to pick up a piece of paper from the nightstand, the blanket slipping from her, exposing her ass. I roll over, running my hand over her stomach as I kiss her shoulder. She purrs and asks, “What are you doing?”

  “Just seeing what you’re doing.” As my cock sparks to life against her ass, she lightly moans.

  “Didn’t you get enough of me last night?”

  I shake my head, my lips grazing her skin. “Just catching up.” I grin over her shoulder. “But if you’ve had enough of me…”

  Answering me by opening her legs, my hand slides down to her pussy, feeling just how much I couldn’t get enough, which makes me harder, and eager to give her more.

  She sighs as her hand goes over mine. “I’ll never get enough.”

  As she holds onto my hand, I finger her clit and whisper, “Good, because I love giving it to you.”

  Moving my hand, I push against her body, urging her onto her stomach. Kissing her neck, I brush my dick over her ass, and she opens her legs. I guide my dick between them, where I easily slide into her.

  As I mount her, she gasps and says, “Happy birthday, Jared.”

  Leaning down, I groan into her ear and say, “Best birthday ever, Kit Kat, spent inside you, coming over and over again.”

  She moans, “Oh, fuck.”

  I whisper, “You’ll be dripping all week with my cum. I’ll make sure of it, so you don’t forget who owns you.”

  “You do, Jared. I’ll never forget, but I may need reminding.”

  Pushing up, so I’m hovering above her, I grind my cock into her and growl, “Then I’ll be your wakeup call all fucking day.”

  On Easter, Dad was going to visit me for the weekend in Philly, bringing Kat, but I ditched that idea and stayed in Annapolis instead. Kat and I never would’ve been alone, and we need our privacy, since we only have limited time together.

  While at Dad’s for dinner, I wasn’t hungry and my stomach had been queasy all day. Thinking that maybe I was getting sick, I told Kat that we’d eat dinner with Dad, but then go home. Hadley was with Finn, visiting his mom for Easter in Delaware. My grandparents were on a cruise, and surprisingly, Brenda had plans at a friend’s house for dinner, so she wasn’t able to join us, either, which I found to be a reprieve from thinking of Kat as my potential sister. Fucking hell. That alone makes me want to barf.

  After dinner, a familiar, dull pain struck me in the stomach; however, before we could leave, Dad opened his laptop on the coffee table to show us Finn’s most recent dare, since Finn had said it’s one we apparently shouldn’t miss.

  Kat, Dad, and I watch Finn’s dare, and all of us gape at the computer, stunned by what he did.

  Irritated, I ultimately snap, “What the hell was that?”

  Kat says, “Oh, wow. That was drastic, but so sweet.”

  “Sweet? Are you serious? So I’m supposed to go do that now?”

  She shakes her head. “No, you’re not Finn, but it’s romantic that he did that for Hadley, don’t you think?”

  Rolling my eyes, I shrug. “He seems too desperate.”

  “Well, that dare seemed pretty genuine to me.”

  Dad says, “It rather proves he’s committed to her.”

  I sneer, “Without actually committing to her.”

  Kat asks, “What do you mean?”

  “Finn would rather take a flying leap without a parachute than get married.”

  Kat asks, “Are you serious?”

  “Very. Fearless Finn Wilder does have a fear: marrying Hadley.”

  “You think Finn doesn’t love her?”

  “He says he does. He claims he doesn’t want to marry her just to get divorced. I don’t know whether to believe him or not.”

  Dad says, “Yeah, but look what he just did. Still, divorce isn’t a reason not to get married if he really loves her. It’s the risk you take in the name of love.”

  I shake my head. “I’m still not buying it. If he did love her as much as he claims he does, he’d risk it all.”

  Smiling at me and brushing at my hair, Kat says, “I think he does love Hadley. The way he looks at her, even when she’s not looking, he adores her.”

  I retort, “Yeah. Just as long as nobody else sees him adoring her.”

  Dad frowns. “That part bothers me.”

  Kat sighs. “Finn seems like a nice guy. I want to believe he’ll change his mind and marry her. I know it must be hard for Hadley, especially when she’s in two weddings so close together.”

  Amid the pains getting closer together and stronger, making me feel like I’m in fucking labor, I irritably ask, “Whose?”

  Kat says, “One of her friends is getting married in June.”

  I shift on the couch, trying to ease the pain, without letting on that I’m seriously hurting. “Well, damn. No wonder Finn’s losing his shit and doing crazy-ass dares. He’ll be in the nuthouse in no time.”

  Kat clasps her hands together. “I think it may be getting to her. The weddings, I mean. She seems to not want to talk about them much. She’s been great at getting fitted for her dress, but I think both of these weddings are making her sad. She hasn’t been talking as much to me, either.”

  Dad scratches at his jaw. “Poor Hadley.” Dad then asks me, “Are you asking Finn to be in your wedding?”

  Glancing at the paused video, I say, “No. I have the three I need matched up to Kat’s three, and I’d ask Tony before I’d ask Finn, anyhow. The way he’s treating Hadley pisses me off.”

  Kat points to the computer. “Come on! How can you still be pissed at him?”

  “He’s yanking her chain still. It’s almost like a diversion. He’s not even coming to the wedding.”

  Kat asks, “Why not?”

  “He said he has to work and probably won’t make it. Bullshit. He can’t take off a couple hours to at least see Hadley dressed up and dance with her for one song?”

  Dad rubs his graying beard. “God. I wish I knew what his true intentions were with her, and if he really does love Hadley.”

  I say, “If he is at the wedding, Hadley will have to dance with Calder at the reception. Finn will see Hadley with someone else, especially one who has a crush on her. And if he doesn’t go, take pictures and make sure he sees them.”

  Kat argues, “But you said you didn’t want Hadley and Dash together.”

  “I don’t, but since they will be for the wedding, I’ll use it to spur Finn on.”

  Dad sighs. “Jared, don’t start something with your sister, or get between her and Finn.”

  “I’m not. I’m just working the situation. Finn needs to quit dicking around with Hadley. He’s aware that other guys are interested in her. Maybe he should actually see proof.”

  Kat asks, “You’re going to use Dash for the very thing you were pissed off at him for doing with her? He’ll hate you.”

  “I’m not going to tell him what I’m doing. Jesus. I’ll just be watching Finn’s reaction to them paired together. That’s all. I’m not arranging Dash and Hadley’s damned marriage.”

  Dad says, “You do know that it’s your reception, though. You’ll be walking around, talking to people, getting your picture taken, not worrying about what Finn is doing. You’ll be too busy.”

  “I’ll have someone else keep an eye on him, too.” Duquesne needs something to do.

  Kat says, “I don’t want any drama at our wedding or reception, Jared.”

  I laugh. “There won’t be. Finn won’t openly make any kind of scene that would draw unwanted attention to himself while he’s not on TV. Trust me.”

  Dad sighs. “It’s the afterward I’m worried about. He and Hadley could have a big fight.”

  “As long as Hadley doesn’t go kissing Dash, they won’t fight. He wouldn’t want Hadley to think he�
��s that insecure.”

  Kat shakes her head. “Wow, Jared. You’ve really thought about this.”

  I shrug. “When you have a lot of alone time in the evenings, you think about all kinds of crazy shit.”

  Kat frowns. “That’s what worries me.”

  After going to Kat’s apartment, the hope that the pain was a fluke proved a cruel joke as it intensified on my right side. I knew my fucking appendix was throwing a damn hissy fit. I had appendicitis in grade school and a bout in high school, but apparently, doctors back then didn’t feel the need to remove it. Assholes.

  As I grew paler, Kat fretted over me. When I started throwing up around 11:00, as my body burned everywhere from the pain and the sweating, Kat forced me to go to the emergency room. When they admitted me for further tests, I had to stay overnight for observation bullshit. I’ve been through this damn song and dance before. They diagnose me with appendicitis, I stay in the hospital for observation, they throw some pills at me, and then I go home.

  However, shortly after Kat returned Monday morning, the doctor came in to deliver the news I had not been expecting.

  “You need an appendectomy.”

  “No way. I’m not doing surgery.”

  “It’s going to rupture. Actually, you should’ve had it removed the last time you had appendicitis. Not sure why it wasn’t.”

  I grumble, “I don’t either, since I’m in the same hospital I was the previous two times.”

  “Well, I’m telling you that it has to come out now.”

  “Fabulous.”

  “Surgery is scheduled for 1:00. You’ll need to fill out the paperwork.”

  “How long will I be trapped here?”

  “You’ll go home tomorrow afternoon if you don’t develop any further infection, and you’re able to walk around.”

  I sigh and glance at Kat, who smiles. What the fuck? She likes seeing me in misery?

  When the doctor leaves, I snap, “I hate hospitals.”

  “I know. So do I.”

  Suddenly feeling like a douchebag, remembering that Kat was on life support in this hospital, I mutter, “Fuck. Sorry.”

  “It’s okay. I’ll tell your dad you’re having surgery.”

  “He doesn’t have to be here. Jesus. I’m only getting my appendix out.”

  “Jared, he’d want to know and I think he’d be hurt if you didn’t tell him.”

  “Christ. He already knows I’m in here for observation. Just don’t mention the surgery part.”

  “Yeah, but if you’re still in the hospital after he gets off work, he wants to stop by.”

  “He’s been texting you?”

  “He called me this morning.”

  “I’m glad you two are conspiring against me. Judases.”

  “Not against you. We love you.”

  Rubbing my hand through my hair, I say, “I guess I need to call work to tell them I won’t be in tomorrow, either.”

  “You won’t be allowed to return for a while, I imagine.”

  Looking up at her, I grin. “This may work to my advantage. Are you going to play my nurse?”

  Kat scowls. “No sex, either.”

  I cringe. “No surgery then.”

  “Sit back, Jericho. You’re having it done.”

  The nurse returns with papers and Kat steps out to call my dad.

  When my dad arrives an hour later, I roll my eyes at his concerned face. I say, “You didn’t have to race over here.”

  “I’m on my lunch break and I’ll be back when you’re out of recovery.”

  “I’m fine,” I complain. “This is stupid. I should’ve had this shit done years ago.”

  He says, “I asked the doctor about it the last time you had appendicitis. I even told him I had mine removed, but he said you should be okay. I’m sorry.”

  Kat says, “At least it’ll be removed now and you’ll never have to suffer through this again.”

  Dad laughs. “You’ll be scaling buildings again like Spiderman in no time.”

  “What the hell?” I laugh, but it hurts my stomach and I wince with a gasp.

  He pretends to be confused. “I thought that’s what you did for a living?”

  I roll my eyes. “I wish.”

  The nurse arrives to inform me that I’m ready to go. Before I’m wheeled out of the room, Kat squeezes my hand, “I’ll be right here when you wake up. I love you, baby.”

  From behind Kat, Dad grins and says, “Ditto, baby.”

  I roll my eyes at both of them, but when Kat encouragingly smiles, I automatically smile back at her. Pulling her closer, I whisper, “I love you, too. It’ll make me feel better if you get a nurse’s uniform, at least.”

  She giggles. “I’ll see what I can do.”

  Almost a month later for Kat’s birthday in May, and enough time had passed since my surgery, we again, chose to stay the weekend at my apartment. We need the time alone to fuck without interruptions, since that’s all we seem to have anymore, and every one of them have to do with wedding planning.

  Arriving at my apartment, she immediately goes for the balcony, hanging over the railing, watching the scenery.

  Leaning onto the railing, careful not to drop it over the side, I hand her a rectangular gift, wrapped in birthday paper. “Happy birthday, Kit Kat.”

  Glancing up at me, she grins as she takes the gift, unwrapping it to reveal the black velvet box. When she opens the lid, she giggles. “It matches my necklace!”

  “Uh-huh,” I say of the starfish bracelet.”

  “Oh my God, Jared. Are these real diamonds?”

  I scowl, but dubiously laugh. “I don’t buy fake ones.”

  “You’re spoiling me. I don’t even know what to say. You give me way too much.”

  “It’s just a bracelet.”

  “I mean everything you’ve given me. I can’t thank you enough, but I’ll try.”

  “You can thank me some other time. Tonight, it’s all about you.”

  Yanking on my arm, pulling me to the door, she says, “It’s bedtime.”

  As we pass the kitchen, I ask, “Aren’t you hungry? I want to take you out to dinner.” Right.

  She shakes her head. “Are you?”

  “Yeah.”

  Kat stops pulling on me, stopping outside the bedroom. Somewhat disappointed, she asks, “What do you want to eat?”

  I tilt my head and whisper, “You.”

  I push her the rest of the way into the room, and she attacks my mouth, but I break away to coax her onto the bed. She puts the box on the nightstand and crawls to the middle of the beige comforter. Pushing up her dress, I rip at her underwear, until I can slide them down her legs. Splitting open her legs, I lean down, taking a long lick. Looking up over her body, I say, “I’ve been saving myself for you for over a month now. I want to fuck.”

  She pants, “Jared. Your tongue.”

  Hearing her moan, I smile. “Damn, you taste good enough to eat.”

  She pulls on my hair and moans again. Taking more licks, I then whisper against her pussy, “Better than icing. Happy birthday, Kit Kat.”

  Standing on my balcony on a Thursday night in late June, after hanging up with Kat, I stare out at the Philadelphia skyline, thinking about our upcoming wedding in a little over two weeks.

  I’m going to be Kat’s husband. I still find it hard to believe. At the same time last year, I was in such a different place, yet still mourning the loss of her because of my stupidity.

  Then, I think of my sister and what she’s going through right now; however, my thoughts soon take me down a dark and vengeful road.

  Suddenly, my phone rings, and I nearly drop it over the railing. Looking at the screen, expecting it to be Kat remembering she had something else to tell me, I’m surprised when I see my dad’s name.

  “Hey, Dad. Have you heard from Hadley? I tried calling her, but—”

  “She’s in a hospital in Richmond. It’s not good, Jared. A friend of hers called me. I’m on my way down the
re now.”

  I grip the railing, looking aimlessly around the city. “Holy fuck. Dad, don’t tell me she tried…”

  He shakily replies, “No, but I hope you’re sitting down for this.”

  I impatiently ask, “What? Just tell me. What can be worse than what happened to her last week? I gave her enough time, this weekend I’m going to Richmond and—”

  “Jared, listen to me!”

  As I listen to Dad’s garbled news about Hadley, I go numb and the cityscape becomes a blur. I mindlessly look around and blink so I can see. I dazedly ask, “You’re joking right?”

  He answers, but I know Dad isn’t teasing because he’s crying. Not only that, this shit can’t be made up. It’s too bizarre, even for a joke.

  Swiping my hand over my wet eyes, I bow my head and drone, “Jesus Christ. What the fuck…? Will she be okay?”

  He says, “I don’t know. Kat may need to find someone to fill Hadley’s place in the wedding. I don’t know if Hadley—”

  I snap, “I don’t give a shit about a replacement.”

  “I know, but I just wanted to let you know ahead of time on Hadley’s behalf.”

  Trying to keep my voice steady, I mutter, “Got it.”

  “Jared, you should go see your sister at some point. She needs us.”

  “I’ll be there for her. Oh, fuck, Dad.” Ultimately losing it, I sob into the phone, along with my dad. I disjointedly say, “She can count on me. I promise.”

  Hadley can believe I’ll keep my fucking word.

  CHAPTER 34

  My heart bleeds for my sister.

  Rumor has it robots do that shit, too.

  Since Dad and a couple of Hadley’s friends were taking care of her when she was released from the hospital, I held off on driving to Richmond. Dad had said she wasn’t in a talking mood anyway, which proved to be true when she didn’t return any of my fucking calls. She no longer can blame her phone for her not getting the messages, having finally bought a new one. Dad did say Hadley insists she’ll be well enough to be in my wedding, which I think is ridiculous for her to attempt, and because she’s staying with my dad for the wedding, I will be having a talk with my sister.