Blind Trust

by Peiri Ann

  I babbled, shifting around in the car as Kyle tried to lose the couple behind us.

  “Babble away, Spirit. Babble a-fucking-way.”

  “Kyle, you sound like a pissed off girl,” I said, grabbing hold of the seatbelt. It was stuck and Kyle did not know how to drive safely.

  “Great, Spirit, just great!”

  “Are you trying to lose the people behind us or are you trying to kill us? Watch out for the pedestrians!” He drove up on the sidewalk, barely missing the people. “Oh my God, Kyle!” I covered my eyes as we charged at a child and her mother.

  “I missed them. You can open your eyes.”

  I yanked my hands from my face and seized the seatbelt. It was still stuck. “Why won’t this seatbelt get loose?” I yanked and I yanked.

  “Because! Vampires go to hell and death is helping make that possible.”

  “Kyle, if you keep on, I’m going to slap you,” I said, pointing.

  “Shut up, Spirit!” he yelled, swerving.

  The car bumped around as he drove back onto the street. “Kyle, please don’t kill us.”

  “Spirit. Remind me to go back to the listening classes for you. Why is this damn car so small?” He turned and I flew into him. “Why the shit are they still behind me.” He pushed me off of him, back into my seat. He looked back and forth from me to the road before reaching around me and pulling the seatbelt, fastening it, and then picking up speed. “There.” He patted my thigh. “Nice and snug. Now be quiet as I try and focus and get these people off our asses.” Without tearing his eyes from the road, he grabbed my hand, kissed it, and placed it back in my lap.

  I watched him zip through traffic. How could he be a jerk and perfect all at the same damn time? Cursing me out as he made sure I was safe, belted, and rescued from the people who were trying to kill me.

  “I’m going to stop a few miles before we get to the hotel. We’ll jump out, split up,” Kyle said.

  “Okay, I’m ready.” I unbuckled my seatbelt. “I’ll come by later?”

  He shook his head. “I don’t know, Spirit. It might be better if we just wrap up whatever we’re doing here. Whatever you’re doing here. And we’ll talk when we get back home.”

  I ignored him. “Okay. I’ll be by at two or three. Make sure you’re alone… and clothed.”

  “Whatever. You jump first.”

  I threw myself from the car.

  Kyle was flying, but he made sure I would be on grass instead of on the street. I rolled across the grass until stopping. I watched the cars zoom past before the car in pursuit of us stopped. The window rolled down and the female passenger shot at me.

  “Shit!” I crawled on my hands and feet, trying to push myself from the ground and scramble to a tree that would guard me against the bullets.

  Glass shattered from a second round of shots bursting from a gun. A woman screamed. I peeked around the tree. The woman that was once shooting at me had gone limp, the top half of her body hanging out of the window. The man driving gave me an angry glare and then sped away.

  Kyle was outside of our car, watching the other car drive away. He looked in my direction and I moved back behind the tree.

  “Shit… Shit… Shit…” I whispered to myself, lightly hitting my head against the tree. “This is not going to be easy, Val. It is not going to be easy at all.”

  I peeked back around the tree. The car was there, but Kyle was gone.

  “When I agreed for you to go out with Kyle, I didn’t mean for you to be gone for hours. We have work to do.”

  “Rick, hush. I’m here. Let’s do this.”

  He slid into the back seat of the limo first, and I got in after him. The driver closed the door behind me.

  “We’re going to take care of Reynolds, right?” I asked.

  “Yes. He’s on a yacht, in the middle of the water. We’ll ride a smaller boat to it and board. Remember… clean. No blood. No indication of murder.”

  “When do I get to meet Melor?”

  “No one has met him. No one sees him. We’ve only spoken with him.”

  “When can I speak with him?”

  “That will never happen.”

  “Who is the gentleman I met last night?”

  “Associate.”

  I leaned my head back against the seat. The glistening black dress I wore was entirely too tight. It squeezed the life out of my body. I hated the way clothes fit me. I remembered Audrey Hurdel and her perfect clothes-fitting body. Why couldn’t I have a body that fit in clothes just right? Either my hips were too wide or my chest was too big, and I don’t even have jumbo tits. They just always looked bigger because of dresses like this. This “Hey, Daddy, here are my lovely lady lumps, take a bite out of these cantaloupes” cleavage-displaying dresses. And my ass sits high so dresses are always shorter on me than on the manikin. Everything about the outfit with these stiletto heels said, I’m for sale. Which I was… it was how I was going to get Reynolds alone.

  “You and him okay?” Rick asked in code. The limo was rigged. He never said Kyle unless we were not behind closed doors.

  “No.”

  “You think he knows.”

  I heavily exhaled. “Yes.”

  “Can you do it?”

  I swallowed hard, taking on the weight of his question. I straightened in my seat as I said, “Yes.”

  Rick nodded. “Hmm. The hare, you know… he could’ve won the race if he wanted. There was no point to that race. Had it been a less conceited hare, a more attentive one, the tortoise would have lost. The story would be pointless. It was only because of that specific hare.”

  I tried to study his words, to understand what he was really trying to say. “Slow and steady wins the race is the point of the story.”

  “Exactly, but how not true is that statement.”

  I stared at him, coming up with nothing. The hare lost the race because he took the tortoise for granted. He slept, and as he slept the tortoise passed him. I tried to make the point of the story line mean nothing. Slow and steady never wins the race. You always have to be one step ahead of your opponent. But was Rick suggesting I stay one step ahead of Melor? Or that Kyle would stay one step ahead of us?

  I shook my head at him, letting him know I was lost.

  “Had that turtle and the hare talked before the race and the hare was less of a dick, the turtle might have suggested the rabbit watched his back… kept his eyes open. But because the tortoise knew the hare would underestimate him, that’s why he won. He won because knowing his opponent is what gave him the upper hand. Not being slow and steady. The point of that story… is know your opponent. You befriend your opponent, you comfort them, you lure them in, and you run side by side with them throughout the race. Then when you make it to the finish line…”

  “You kill them.”

  “No, dummy. You don’t kill them.” He rolled his eyes, slapping my leg. “What is your problem?” He looked at me like I was crazy.

  Nope, still lost. I shrugged. “I’m sorry. I’m taking something else from this story.”

  He rubbed his hand along my thigh.

  I grabbed it, stopping him.

  His free hand reached for the side of my face and he turned my head to face him. He kissed my cheek and trailed more of them to my ear.

  “Rick, wha—”

  “Shh, look in the rearview mirror.”

  I peeked, seeing we were a show for the driver.

  But Rick was literally making out with my neck. If he wanted to throw the driver off, he could have fake-kissed me. I wished he was fake-kissing me. But I got why he was doing it for real. To get a reaction out of me, to make it look real. Because it definitely felt real. His hand was on my outer thigh, gliding up to my ass. He grabbed it with his big, rough hands and my lips parted, releasing a soft gasp. His tongue slid over my neck and his lips kissed my pierced ear holding the ten-karat diamond they made me wear.

  “Keep acting like I’m kissing you,” he whispered. “Grab my neck.”

/>   I slid my hand over his neck and pushed my fingers through his hair, seizing it.

  “Too much. Too much,” he cried softly, pinching my side. “You’re making my dick hard. Do not touch my hair.”

  I tried to hold in my laugh as I moved my hand from his hair back to his neck.

  He had taken a breath before he said, “Val, you do not kill your target. You warn him. Now kiss me, let’s play this out. Then we’ll get ready to get out of the limo when he stops.”

  My heart thumped nervous and eagerly in my chest. Rick was hot, and he looked pretty damn good in his tailored suit, cufflinks and trim. His beard was on point, aligned perfectly, and his hair cut looked better than I’d ever seen it. Total Brad Pitt swag. Rick’s blue eyes were mesmerizing and if you were his girl, you’d drown staring at them.

  But I loved those swoon-over-me soft green eyes, with the deep brown hair and the light beard and mustache that accompanied Kyle’s face.

  To play this out, I kissed Rick, seeing the driver still watching. I let him lay me down on the seat as he bent over me and I tried to keep from heating up between my thighs as he kissed my neck, kneaded my legs and grabbed my ass. I didn’t know if I was playing into it, or if I was seriously into it.

  Rick was lighter than Kyle, but their lips felt the same. His touch was aggressive and the scrape of his roughened hands traveling over my legs and breasts regrettably aroused me.

  I warbled, “Rick, you have to stop,” when he made it to my chest. The limo was getting hot, my legs were spreading and he was dipping between them.

  I breathed deeply, feeling her tingle. Feeling him riled, nudging me as he slipped further between my thighs. Him gripping my hips, pushing me against him as he hesitantly grind against me. My hips lifted against him, keeping his hardness pressed against my center. “Shit, Val,” he drawled. I knotted my fingers in his hair and he groaned, shaking his head. I was battling against feeling good and feeling so totally wrong.

  Rick’s tongue slipped between my breasts and my mind forced me to feel it near my core. I moaned out, grabbing hold of his shoulders, tightening my legs on his waist.

  “Hey, save some for the buyers,” the driver said, rolling up the window that allowed him to see in the back of the limo.

  Rick moved away from me, sitting up straight, moving my leg from behind him. I straightened, trying to separate being horny and being confused.

  “I’m sorry,” he said low. “I was trying to get a reaction out of you. You weren’t loud enough.”

  I rubbed my hand over my chest, nodding. “Nope. I understand. Don’t apologize. It’s just really awkward sitting next to you now.” I was slowly calming down, regretting the last three minutes of my life.

  “I’ll tell him. You don’t have to.”

  I checked my reflection in the window. “No. Let me tell him.”

  “We’ll both tell him. Just not together… or in the same room. You go first and then I’ll go.”

  “I heard you,” I said. “What you said.” Him telling me I should warn Kyle.

  He grabbed my hand. “Good.” He nodded. “Really good.”

  I was up for auction. Standing in the middle of the floor, in front of a private group who had the biggest dollars. I stood in the center of a circle of sixteen chairs. The carpet was red, the lights were dim. The chairs were alternating black and white. Fifteen men, one woman. They were all of different races and from all over the world, speaking different languages.

  Before it was my turn to step up, I watched them auction off twenty other girls. It was the worst. Seeing most of them cry, not wanting to be here. Some were like me, straight face, looking confident. Others were drugged, stood because they said stand and walked because they said walk.

  “Turn around.” A familiar voice gave instructions through a nearby speaker. A female’s voice.

  I turned around. Rick was far back in the room, as others were, in the darkness. The light of the room was in the middle of the floor, in the circle of the sixteen chairs filled with disgusting pigs, paying for humans, like slaves.

  I was so disgusted I wanted to vomit. My skin was flushed, and I felt the back of my neck sweating under my hair.

  I wish she’d set a starting bid already.

  She gave another set of instructions, bend over, turn to the right, the left, hold your head back, lift your dress a bit, touch your thigh, pose, put your leg out. All she had to do was say Simon says and it would’ve been a game.

  “We will start the bidding at three million dollars.”

  Alright! Three million! That’s a confidence booster.

  The bidders called out, and the pot went up. This was where Rick came in. He was supposed to rig Reynolds’ bidding button. So whatever happened, he’d have the highest bid.

  Reynolds was older, fifty-six, but he looked in his forties. Not a grey hair on his head. He had a full head of black hair, clear skin, arched eyebrows, impeccable trim. He looked me over and I gave him a wink. The corner of his mouth twitched and his hand moved to hit the button on a short post beside his chair.

  I kept my eye on Reynolds as I listened to the number increase to five million. Reynolds ended up having the highest bid. Five point nine million.

  The woman’s voice asked, “Now or later?”

  On the post were three buttons: white—the bidder; green—now; red—later. His green button mashed down.

  “Remove her,” the woman’s voice ordered.

  Another woman stepped into the circle, took my arm, and led me down a hall.

  I was on my own now. Rick would wait for me outside, our boat would wait for us in the water, and I would only have three more targets to go.

  “Undress,” the woman instructed. She was tall with a Russian accent, red hair pulled into a tight ponytail, and red lipstick spread over full lips. She looked at me with extremely long eyelashes. “Now,” she said, as I stood there staring at her.

  “Okay, woman. Hold your horses. I didn’t know I would be watched.”

  “We are making sure you’re not wired or holding any weapons,” she said.

  “I was searched upon boarding the yacht. I’m not holding any weapons.”

  “Then strip so I know.”

  Wanting to get this over with, I turned my back to her. “Would you mind? I can’t reach the zipper.” I reached my hand over my shoulder, unable to pull down the zipper.

  Her heels smacked loudly coming across the bright marble floor. Beside me was an extra-large king-sized bed with plush sheets and down comforters. She slid her hand across my neck, moving my hair out of her way. Grabbing the zipper of my dress, she pulled it down. It stopped at my tailbone.

  “Thank you,” I said and tried to turn around but she grabbed my shoulders, stopping me.

  “I will search you,” she said.

  “No, I—”

  “I will search you,” she stated aggressively.

  Okay… gosh.

  She took the shoulders of my dress and slowly slid them over my arms, sliding her hands down my arms and hands as it fell. “Arms up,” she ordered.

  She couldn’t possibly think I had anything on my upper body but tits. I put up my arms and her hands slid down from my elbows over my boobs, nipples sliding between her fingers. I got what was going on. She glided her hands down over my curves to my hips where the dress was still wrapped around me.

  It felt… very awkward. “Um, excu—”

  “Shh,” she hushed me harshly. Her heels sounded, taking two steps before I felt her against my back. She slipped her hands over my dress and pushed it down. “You leave on,” she said, running her fingers along the band of my thong. She popped it. I jumped a bit. “Spread them.”

  My head jerked back, dumbfounded. “I’m sorry. Spread what?” I asked, confused and in fear of where “spread them” would take this already awkward moment with this Russian redhead.

  “Your legs. Step one apart from the other.”

  Oh, my God…

  I stepped my right
leg from my left, stepping out of my dress, and my own heel tapped the floor. It echoed throughout the cream-colored room.

  “Are you hiding anything?” She slid down over my abdomen.

  “Where would I hide anything? I’m just about naked.”

  Her head turned toward mine as she whispered too close to my ear, “You would be surprised the many places we women can hide things.” She glided her hand down, over my thong, over my lady friend, quickly finding my entrance, faster than any man had.

  “I assure you, there is nothing down there,” I said, pushing her hand away. She grabbed my wrist with her free hand, stopping me. I cleared my throat. “I’d hate for this to get aggressive. I’d prefer you didn’t feel me up. Please.”

  She smelled my neck, running her fingers back up, stopping at the thong’s edge. “I will have to make sure you’re clean. Mr. Reynolds expects a full search. He will be ready in five minutes to come in here to… test you out. It is better I search you than him. He gets a little… aggressive.” Her hand slipped inside and she got to know me before she “searched” me. I grabbed her wrist to stop her and she slapped my hand away. “You remain still,” she ordered.

  My brain became so confused.

  She kissed the slope of my shoulder, slowly rubbing my pearl, gliding inside me and then massaging my spot. “Mmm, so smooth.” She slid out, rubbing my gem between her fingers before she dipped back in. “You’re worth every five point nine million dollars Mr. Reynolds spent on you,” she said, pressing her hips against my ass.

  I kept repeating to myself… I’m not into girls, I’m not into this. My lady friend was not listening to that shit.

  I reminded myself I needed to complete this mission. That’s the only reason I was standing there, getting felt up by a… chick.

  Keep a clear head, Val.

  The redhead slipped her hand into her own pants and lightly thrust against my backside. The back of her hand hit my ass as she made herself climax.