by Shade, S. M.
“That’s a great idea!”
Wyatt frowns. “She thought so too, but I’m not sure. I usually keep these things separate. Are parents really going to want to let their kids hang out at a place owned by the local smut peddler?”
“Are you kidding? If you give them a place to park their kids after school without having to pay for a babysitter, they’ll start marching with Vibrators for Everyone signs.”
Excitement shoots through me, and I sit up and pull his laptop half onto my lap. “Tell me about the Lawson House.”
He rests his arm over my shoulders and clicks on the website showing pictures of his community center. Pride emanates in his voice when he starts giving me a virtual tour. “There’s a gymnasium with a basketball court, an outdoor playground, a game room with a ping pong table, Nintendo Wii section, and a place to play board games. This section is set up for classrooms, where the kids can meet with tutors, get help with their homework and stuff. I’ve been considering putting a pool in at the next one.” He turns to me. “Do you realize a lot of kids who grow up under or near the poverty line never learn to swim? It’s dangerous.”
“Our county doesn’t have a pool. I imagine most of the kids here have never been swimming.” I peek up at him. “Isn’t all this really expensive, though?”
“It’s well funded by donations. People in my father’s social circles are eager to give and get on his good side. He has a lot of influence among the affluent. They all try to one up one another on who gives the most to charity the same way they compete to have the biggest house or most expensive car. I’ve invested some of it, plus the interest it earns is more than enough to keep three centers running.”
“That’s amazing.” As someone who scrapes by, just trying to keep my car running and the lights on, it’s hard to imagine so much money.
“Maybe this is the way to go. Show the town we can be good for the community.” He rubs his chin.
“I’d make it clear that the store is funding it though. Make them understand the center is dependent on the funds from Scarlet Toys. Might sway the vote. Assuming we could get the center up and running before then.”
Wyatt sets the laptop aside and pulls me into his lap. “We?” he says with a grin.
Damn. This really doesn’t have anything to do with me. It’s his money, his center, his idea. “I mean, if you want my help, I’d love to be a part of it.”
“Of course I want you to be a part of it.” His lips leave warm kisses on the nape of my neck. “We’ll start looking for a suitable building tomorrow.”
“Mmm…sounds good. You know the rule if you mess with my neck.”
I grab onto him in a panic when he suddenly stands. “Grab the Scooby Doo soundtrack. I’m going to unmask the monster.”
Gah, I’m never going to live that down. “The monster usually turns out to be a crooked old man,” I laugh. “I guess your monster does lean a little to the left.”
Wyatt’s phone rings and he groans, grabbing it from the table. I excuse myself to grab a drink while he answers. When I return to the living room, he’s pulling on his shoes.
“The police want to show us the video from the night of the arson.”
Well, there’s a surefire way to kill the mood.
Wyatt was informed that the fire was indeed arson a week or so after it happened, but it wasn’t a surprise. We’ve been waiting to hear back from the police about the parking lot video, and they finally called today to have us come in and view it.
“You can’t identify the suspects?” Wyatt asks, as we’re led back to a small room with a television.
“Not yet, but I don’t expect we’ll have a problem once we get their pictures out to the public.” The officer glances at his partner and they both grin.
“What’s so funny?” I demand. Nothing about some assholes torching Scarlet Toys is amusing.
“You’ll just have to see for yourself, ma’am.”
The picture flips on to show the parking lot as a nondescript truck drives past and parks just out of range of the cameras. “No shot of the plate,” Wyatt murmurs.
When the men walk up to the back door of the store, the rear camera picks them up as clear as glass. “What the hell? What’s on their faces?” I exclaim.
“As far as we can tell, Ms. West, black marker.”
Wyatt’s chest rumbles with laughter. “They colored in their faces with black marker? That’s their disguise?”
The officers laugh and lay out two photos they’ve taken from the videos. Both men would be instantly recognizable to anyone who knows them, despite the fact they’ve scribbled over their cheeks, foreheads, and noses with a black marker.
“We’re obviously not dealing with criminal masterminds here. We wanted you to have a look first and see if you recognize the idiots before we release the picture to the public.”
Wyatt shakes his head. “No, but I don’t really know anyone here.” He peeks up at me. “Cass?”
I give the two morons another look, but there’s nothing familiar about them. “No, sorry, but they’re older than I expected. I figured teenagers or maybe my age.”
One of the officers nods. “We’re estimating they’re in their fifties.”
“Is there anything else you need from me?” Wyatt asks.
“No sir. We’ll let you know if we get any leads.”
Wyatt thanks the officers and we head out the door.
“That should be an interesting news story,” I laugh as we climb in the car.
He smiles at me. “More publicity.”
* * *
We don’t have to look far for a building for The Lawson House. The old elementary school building seems to be perfect when we do a walk through. It’s small compared to most elementary schools now, but it’s equipped with a gym and classrooms. Wyatt thinks the auditorium could probably be torn out and converted into a swimming pool.
“This is going to take a long time, isn’t it?” I ask, after he speaks with the realtor.
“The pool will be a bit, but the rest is actually in really good shape. I think we could have that half open within a month or so. I’ll get a crew in to clean and paint. The old art studio would be a great area for the game room since it’s so large.”
Wyatt grins down at me. “We’re going to be busier than a dog with two dicks the next few months.”
“You have such a classy way of putting things.”
“Speaking of classy,” Wyatt laughs, pointing at the pitiful laundry room located at the end of our street. It’s provided for the tenants, but the machines don’t work half the time, so most of us use the laundromat in town.
It’s apparently in use today, though. One of the women who lives on the far end of the circle bursts through the door, completely naked, and proceeds to saunter across the street to her apartment like she doesn’t have a care in the world.
Neal comes out the door a few seconds later and starts shaking his head the second he sees our expressions. “No, no. Wasn’t nothing like that. Mary threw her clothes in the washer, sniffed the shirt she had on, then just stripped off everything she was wearing and added them to the load. Smiled at me on the way out. Bat shit crazy,” he laughs.
“Are you sure you want to stay with me?” I ask Wyatt, as we head back to my apartment. “Violent Circle is insane.”
“It’s growing on me.”
Wyatt wasn’t exaggerating. The next few weeks we really only see each other at night and in the morning. He spends his days at the future community center while I run Scarlet Toys. Things have been going well. Business at Scarlet Toys is still great, and the community center is coming along quickly. Apparently, when you have enough money to throw at it, construction projects can be done quickly, because the pool has already been dug and installed.
We hear back from the police about a week after the photos are broadcasted on the local news that they have the men responsible. The grand jury indicts them and both accept a plea agreement instead of awaiting trial. Po
ssibly because the pictures of them and their ridiculous scribbled faces have gone viral and they’re the laughingstocks of half the country. It didn’t exactly bring the honor and respect they hoped to the little extremist group they belonged to. Obviously, some people have a real problem with porn. They were both sentenced to ten years in prison, and Wyatt is satisfied with that.
Wyatt and I are getting along, and I know I’m falling more for him every day. It’s unreal how much I enjoy the little things with him, like snuggling up every night to watch our favorite show before bed, or our routine, good-natured morning argument over who gets the first shower. Between Wyatt and work, I don’t think I’ve ever been happier.
Still, the upcoming vote looms over our heads. I’m not oblivious to the fact that all my happiness can be undone by a group of puckered up assholes.
Jani bounces into Scarlet Toys on her night off with a big box in her arms. “Hey skank, you had any weirdos tonight?” she asks.
“Nope. It’s been pretty quiet. What is all that?” I ask as she digs into the box.
Standing up, she smiles and throws me a white t-shirt with Save the Scarlet scrawled across the front in bright pink letters. “I had them made. I was thinking. Wyatt’s planning a grand opening for the community center? Like a little carnival?”
“Yeah, we’re hoping it’ll draw in the kids, get some sign-ups for swimming lessons, tutoring, and stuff.”
“We should have an adult festival at the same time. You know, with adult activities.”
“Pretty sure that’d be illegal,” I snort.
Jani looks at me like my cheese has slid off my cracker. “I wasn’t going to set up a glory hole, for fuck’s sake. I was thinking about a kissing booth, maybe a lingerie fashion show, that kind of stuff. We could have it the same night so parents can drop their kids off at the center and come here while they’re waiting.”
I’ve never seen Jani care about much of anything except her mother so I’m surprised she’s putting so much thought and effort into this. “You really like this job, don’t you?”
Jani smiles and holds a t-shirt up to her chest to judge the size. “It’s a lot of fun. And I don’t want those prudes to win.”
“Wyatt’s working late at the center. Why don’t you stop by and ask him about your idea? And show him the shirts. These are great.”
Jani’s beam practically illuminates the room. “I will.”
A man approaches the counter with one of our new items, a talking vibrator. “Hi, I was thinking about this for my wife as a gag gift. She’ll be forty this week. Do you have any idea what it says?”
The only phrase listed on the package is Not tonight. I have a headache.
“No.” I grab a pair of scissors and cut the top of the package. “But let’s find out.”
Jani hands me some batteries and I install them. As soon as I turn it on, along with the low buzzing, a voice groans, “Again? Don’t you have a husband?”
All three of us crack up, but it keeps talking. Every thirty seconds or so, it spits out a new phrase. “Help, it’s dark in here! I knew I should’ve gone to college.”
Laughing, the man nods. “I’ll take it.”
While Jani runs back to get him an unopened package, the vibe keeps going. “Ugh, aren’t you done yet? I’m bored.” It then proceeds to sing Ninety-nine Bottles of Lube on the Wall.
We’re all nearly in tears when I shut it off and bag up his purchase.
“Would you like a T-shirt for your wife?” Jani asks, holding one up. “They’re free.”
“Hell yeah. I heard they’re trying to shut you down. I’ll be there to vote no,” he informs us. We thank him, and he heads out, still chuckling.
“See? What job could be more fun than this?”
Jani offers to help me close the store, but I tell her to go, and she calls me a few minutes later. “Wyatt said go for it! He put me in charge of the adult festival.” She pauses for a moment as the responsibility sets in. “Shit. What have I gotten myself into?”
“Please, there is no one with a more creative dirty mind than you. You’ll be fine. And you know I’ll help you.”
“Ooh, we could bob for something. Butt plugs? Nah, that’s too gross. Don’t worry. I’ll think of something. I’ve got to go. Mom’s not feeling well tonight. Talk to you later.”
She talks a million miles an hour then hangs up on me.
Wyatt is standing right behind me when I turn around and I practically jump out of my skin. His chest rumbles with laughter, and I shove him. “You scared the shit out of me!”
“Sorry,” he replies, sounding anything but. “Was that Jani?”
“Yeah, she’s really excited.”
He swipes a lock of hair off of his forehead. “Do you think I made a mistake putting her in charge?”
My fingers wander up to play with the lock of hair as it stubbornly falls back into place. “No, she’ll be great. I’ll let you know if she tries to do anything too dirty.”
“Good. I need a haircut. Any idea where I should go?”
I throw my arms around his neck. “I like it long, but if you insist, I’d ask one of the guys you’re working with. I go to the salon, but most guys around here go to a barber.”
His hands travel down to cup my ass, like they usually do. “I’d hate to have my masculinity called into question because I went to a ladies’ salon,” he teases.
“You know a barber won’t offer you a manicure, though, right?”
His lips twitch. “Very funny. Nail hygiene isn’t just for women.”
“Down here it is. You’re lucky if the guys aren’t digging the crud from under their nails with a pocketknife.” I slide my hand over his and trace the lines in his palm with my finger. “Your hands are the best of both worlds. Rough from work, but clean, with nails that don’t grate my insides.”
His laughter fills the room and he leans down to give me a soft kiss. “I swear I never know what’s going to come out of your mouth next.” He plants another light kiss on the corner of my mouth. “I love you.”
“Now you’re thinking of what you want to go into my mouth,” I accuse, moving my hand down to his crotch. “I love you.”
“You’d better.”
“What? Sorry, I was talking to your cock. Of course, I love you too.”
The room tips as he throws me over his shoulder. “That does it. I’m taking you home. You have another date with the paddle.”
“Only if you want to wake up with your balls glued to your leg.”
His deep laughter follows us out to the car.
Everyone’s relationships are like this, right?
Chapter Seven
I’ve spent the last two days alone since Wyatt had to travel back to Indianapolis for another board meeting. He’s due back late, but I gave him my key, so I don’t have to worry about hearing him knock. A small grin spreads across my face as I get ready for bed. Maybe I’ll surprise him. I have a set of skimpy lingerie that Jani got me as a gag gift last year. She thought it was hilarious because crotchless panties isn’t something I’d ever wear, and the bra is so sheer, there’s really no point in wearing it.
I quickly dress in the tiny scraps and step in front of the mirror, fully prepared to laugh at myself, but I have to admit, it flatters my lean body more than I expected. Wyatt will waste no time tearing it off of me.
Tomorrow is going to be such a big day. The carnival has to be a success if we’re going to show the town that Scarlet Toys can be a positive thing for the community. I’m sure the prudes will object to the kissing booth and the lingerie fashion show, but they aren’t the people we’re trying to convince. Shoving a lamp up their asses couldn’t get those people to lighten up. It’s the reasonable people we want to influence.
With all of these thoughts and concerns bubbling in my brain, I’m surprised I fell asleep so quickly.
A tapping sound pulls me from a dream a couple of hours later and I look up to see a shadow standing over me. I really should
’ve left a light on if I wanted Wyatt to see what I’m wearing. My voice is clogged with sleep when I tell him, “Turn on the light. I have something for you.”
The switch is flipped and the room floods with light that makes me wince. My eyes adjust after a second, and pure fear floods through me. I jump to my feet and grab the heavy lamp from my night stand.
A man grins down at my barely clad body, but it isn’t Wyatt. He’s young, younger than me from the looks of it, and the expression on his face says he’s struck the lottery.
“What the fuck! Who are you? Get away from me!”
He steps back, his grin fading. “Is this part of the scenario, Jade?” He takes another step towards me, and I cock the lamp back, prepared to bust his head open with it.
It takes me a second to realize what he called me. Jade. This fucker climbed through my window just like the last two attempted to do. Jasper is still using the hook up app or running another ad, apparently.
“I’m not Jade. You have the wrong apartment and you have one second to get the fuck out of here before I call the cops!”
His face pales and he darts for the window, clambering through. I set the lamp down and grab for my phone. Fuck it. I’m calling the cops again. I’m sick of this shit. And I’m going to tell anyone who will listen what’s going on next door.
Before I can dial, my bedroom door flies open and Wyatt is standing there, glaring at me. Without a word, he stalks over and drops my house key on the table.
“Wyatt—”
He raises his palm. “Don’t fucking bother, Cassidy. I saw the dude jumping out of your window. If you wanted to see other people, all you had to do was tell me.”
My adrenaline is pumping, and I can barely hear over my own heartbeat in my ears. “You don’t understand.”
His disdainful gaze travels down my body, taking in the skimpy panties and transparent bra. “No, you don’t understand. I don’t fuck with cheaters.”
I’m stunned by his response, and that he won’t even give me a second to explain. Whipping around, he stalks out of the room, and I hear the front door slam.