Power of the Pen

by Xyla Turner

  “What?” I asked him.

  “Uh,” he seemed to be shocked.

  “What do you know this guy?” I asked. “Ooooh, yeah. You did say you were a writer, so you know him, don’t you?” I accused.

  “Know?” he started. “I, uh, know of him.”

  He shook his head, “Wait, so you blog on The Jay Blog?”

  “How do you know about The Jay Blog?” I became suspicious.

  “Who doesn’t know? That blog has received national recognition.” He countered.

  “Yeah, okay, but do you know this author?” I pointed to the screen. “He’s such an asshole. He portrays his writings as one thing but sends women’s literature back thousands of years with his submissive, BDSM, servitude bullshit.” I shook my head. “Then he has the fucking nerve to call me out like I’m the one that has the problem. In his books, some of the men characters drag women around with collars on their neck, then treat them like dogs, having them lap up their food, like fucking ANIMALS. He’s probably 5’2 with a short man complex,” I kept ranting.

  I was already upset about the post, but the fact that Zach may know him was getting me antsy.

  “Do you know him?” I asked, at this point standing and looking at him with my hands on my hips.

  “I’ve heard of him and read his work.” He stared at me with something in his eyes.

  “You’ve read his work?!” I exclaimed.

  “Why are you so upset?” he asked.

  “If you read his work and you don’t know why I’m so upset, then I’m not sure what else there is to say.”

  “He is a writer, he has another point of view, and so as a blogger, shouldn’t you keep an open mind?” he asked me.

  “WHAT?!” I yelled. “Are you serious, right now?”

  “Have you read all of his shit?” I asked. “It’s fucking degrading. You have a mother right? How would you feel if your mother was doing this shit? Do you have sisters?”

  He shook his head, but I was on level ten and it did not matter what answer he provided.

  “The man’s a sadist, and he promotes that crazy shit, sending woman back millions of years. He acts like it is empowering, but it’s not.” I started and then realized that he was looking at me funny.

  “I’ve got to go,” he said.

  I looked away from him and said, “Yeah, I think that’ll be best.”

  His eyebrow went up my comment. Then he nodded and went to the bedroom, allowing me to return to my task so I could blast real_zhays’ ass. A few minutes later, Zach emerged from the room.

  “Well, this was fun,” I said.

  “Yeah, see ya.” He did not even look at me and left.

  “Really,” I whispered under my breath.

  Yeah, see ya?

  Well, damn. I mention zhays and he gets all weird, and then leaves. After everything last night? Trying my best not to feel dumb for giving him my address, I knew with certainty that he would not be back. That was my only concern. It was one night and some breakfast, but it would be alright.

  Fuck him.

  There were more guys at The Em that could make breakfast that made my mouth water, stroke me until I came all over his cock, and spank me until I was dripping wet. Zach was my first that did all of that, but I’m sure there would be more. There had to be since I was craving his touch now. He exposed me to something new and erotic, so if he was not giving it to me, then someone else had to.

  Bastard.

  ******

  Two weeks had passed, and I had heard from Gab every single day. I had not heard from Sheree, and I had not heard from Zach. I also had not reached out to anyone of them, and after the first two days, I blocked Gab’s phone number, so she got hip and called me from a blocked number. Someone rang my doorbell a few times, but I never opened or even acknowledged that I was home. My brother, Whit, called a few times and I had to explain that I was not depressed. He informed me that I better not be because he would send Kendell and mom after me if I were. This is what I got for telling mom that Gab and I were no longer speaking and about the incident at Sal’s. Mom was astonished, and the first thing she wanted to know was who saw it, so she could do damage control. Whit was happy that all the training we did worked out and Kendell was a little upset that I let her get to me. He was all about self-control. I told him that I was in full control, but he was not buying it.

  Gab left messages on my answering machine every day with varied versions of the same message. “Lauren, give me a call…this shouldn’t end like this…we’ve been friends for years now…please let me know that you are okay.”

  The house returned to disarray, as I was blogging and responding to comments and posting most of the time. I had not responded to real_zhays the day Zach was here, nor after that. The fact that he might have known him or agreed with his work gave me pause. After being secluded in the house, I decided to go The Em for a book event that was during the day. I figured none of the people I did not want to run into would be there at that time.

  Local Authoress C. Lynette had just released her debut novel, so she was doing a reading and signing at 2:00 PM. Upon arriving, I saw that there were a lot of cars as usual, but someone must have just left because there was a spot right up front. Charlie was the first person to greet me as if I were the queen of Egypt.

  “Lauren, my Lauren, I haven’t seen ya lately.” He chimed.

  “Yeah, work has been busy Charlie.” I smiled at the older man, who couldn’t quite be my father, but a big brother sort.

  “Ahh, yeah.” He smiled back at me.

  “Just water for now,” I nodded.

  “Sure thing.”

  After Ms. Lynette had read from her erotic romance book, Ebony Articles, I was suddenly in the mood. For the past two weeks, I was nowhere near that mood, but I was horny as hell at The Em, and it was only 4:00 PM. When the reading and signing was over, I sidled up at the bar and talked to Charlie, who proceeded to give me my regular Cosmo. Thirty minutes later, another Cosmo was delivered and Charlie pointed to a guy across the bar, near the bathrooms. I held up the drink and nodded. The tall black man took that invitation to come closer, which got me even hornier since he physically resembled Idris Elba.

  Whew, hot damn!

  He had to be around 6’3 with dark brown skin, no blemishes and a fresh fade. He had on black pin-striped tailored pants, a dress shirt, and his matching jacket was wrapped around his finger and slung over his shoulder. He sauntered towards me and led with, “You are here too early.”

  “Excuse me,” I responded.

  “You’re here too early.” He nodded as if he were right. “All the pretty women come later, after they have dolled up, put all that paint on their face, wear skin tight clothes and accept drinks, but not numbers.”

  I busted out laughing. This man was too much.

  “Isn’t it too early to be so cynical?” My laughter died down.

  “You may have a point, but you are still early.”

  “Well, maybe you are late.” I flirted back with him.

  “God, I hope not.” He smiled.

  After another hour of Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome talking, I was definitely tipsy. I had not been out in two weeks; I was pissed at my friends and did not even want to think about Zach. So, I planned to enjoy this moment thoroughly. His name was Kenneth, and he was a technology consultant who was temporarily in the area for a special project. I did not explain too much because he really did not need to know. Also, I was trying to get laid, not be laid up with the man. His hands were big, his feet were big, and I’m sure he would be big all over. Secretly, I was hoping he would cook breakfast, spank my ass and make me cum all over his dick. I planned to find out.

  “You ready to go?” he asked knowingly.

  “I’d n-never thought you asked.” I stumbled on my words a little.

  Not only did I stumble on my words, I stumbled a little, causing him to pull me closer to him. He was definitely big all over! My neck twisted to look up at him and gave him
a knowing smile. He whispered, “I got something that will make you crawl.”

  There was like a wet blanket that fell on me, my buzz and my horny thoughts when he said crawl. Jerking my arm for him, I snapped a little too loudly, “I don’t crawl for no one.”

  He blinked and said, “I-I didn’t mean it like that.”

  “Yes, you d-did.” I accused. “What the fuck is wrong with you men, needing control, needing to degrade women?”

  My voice was elevated, as I had probably drank too much. Kenneth took a step towards me, but I bumped into someone, who wrapped their arms around my waist. “What the fuck, get off of me,” I yelled.

  Charlie put down his rag, “Lauren, are you alright?”

  “I’ve got her,” a familiar deep voice said.

  Slowly turning around, I could smell his cologne. It was Zach. Charlie nodded at him and turned away.

  “Sergeant, she’s with me.” Kenneth pleaded.

  “No soldier, she’s mine,” Zach responded.

  “But -” Ken started.

  “You are dismissed,” Zach commanded, causing Kenneth to come to attention and salute him before he burst out of the lounge.

  The last few statements became clearer to me and I said, “What the fuck are you doing? I was going home with him tonight.”

  “The fuck you weren’t.” He murmured in my ears.

  “No, you can’t do this.” I pulled away from him. “I haven’t seen or heard from you in two fucking weeks.”

  “Stop,” Zach said, slowly walked towards me.

  “You stop,” I was yelling again.

  Zach made one big step, ducked and I was upside down again. He was carrying me over his shoulder once again.

  “Charlie,” I yelled. “Call the police! I’m being kidnaped and his name is Zach.”

  Charlie waved to me, “See ya later Princess.”

  “Charlie,” I yelled. “Charlie.”

  My ass got slapped, hard.

  “Ouch,” I yelped as we left the lounge.

  The man just carried me outside of a crowded bar and nobody felt the need to intervene. The one man I wanted to go home with, saw him, called him a Sergeant and obeyed him.

  “Everybody just does what you say, huh?” I pounded on his ass with my fist. “You are just the alpha male, and we are your minions.”

  “You probably have your women crawling around on all fours just to suck your dick.” I kept ranting away.

  He slapped my ass again and God did it feel good. My pussy pulsed.

  “I don’t give one fuck if you spank my ass or make me come on your big dick or cook me breakfast.” I kept pounding on him. “I’ll find another man to do that. I was planning to get laid and I would have rocked his world. You asshole.”

  He slapped my ass harder, but this time I moaned out loud.

  “You are a piece of shit,” I muttered, losing my outrage and becoming hornier.

  When he came to a stop, I realized we were in the back of the parking lot at the back of his pickup. He gently sat me down on the edge of the truck bed, opened my legs, so his body could fit between them.

  “What the fuck was that?” he looked livid.

  “Fuck you,” I pushed and tried to get up.

  He did not even budge. “You want someone to slap your ass, you call me. You want someone to cook you breakfast, call me. You want to come on a dick, you fucking call me.” He was in my face.

  “No, you forfeited those rights.”

  “Now I’m reactivating them.”

  “Fuck outta here,” I tried to push again. “You don’t reactivate when you feel like it. Oh, wait. You do. You got bitches sucking your dick outside, and then you dismiss them like they are nothing. Then you hound me, come to my place, fuck the shit out of me, and then dismiss me too. Fuck you, Zach.”

  He would not move, so I started swinging on him, landing one blow across his face. “Moooovvvvve,” I screamed.

  This must have done it for him because he picked me up, turned me around so my back was in his chest and persisted to squeeze the life out of me. So it felt.

  “Stop. Calm down, love.” He commanded.

  “No, let me go. I don’t want anything to do with you.” I was outraged.

  “Okay, calm down first.” His mouth was touching my right ear.

  His hard body pressed against me was causing me to be fuzzy in the head. I was so mad, but so horny as well. Only he could fix it, but I absolutely refused to let him touch me like that again. He made his point and I needed to make mine, if only I could get him off of me.

  “I’m calm,” I stopped struggling. “Now get the fuck off of me.”

  “Love,” he started.

  “Don’t fucking start with nicknames now.”

  He loosened his hold, sighed and let me go. Jerking away from him, I started walking towards the lounge again, but he grabbed my arm and said, “No, you are going home.”

  “I’m not going anywhere with you,” I snapped.

  “Oh, yes you are. You are not fucking driving and nobody in there is taking you home.” He grounded out.

  “Charlie will make sure I get home just fine.”

  Zach was red with anger. “No he fucking won’t.” He pulled me towards his truck, but I started hitting him on the arm.

  “Let me go.”

  “Lauren, you are fucking drunk,” He yelled. “I’m taking you home and that’s it.”

  “I can take care of myself.” I retorted. “I do not need you.”

  At that, he put me against the front of his car and pressed into my body. “Is that so love? Huh? Is that true?”

  He shook his head, leaned away from me, but kept his hands on both sides of me, pinning me to the car. It was cold, so he must have been there for a while.

  Zach sighed.

  “You have been running through my fucking mind non-stop for two goddamn weeks.” He looked at me with sadness in his eyes. “I come here to find you and you are with one of my soldiers.” He said, slamming the hood of the car with his hand. “I was ready to let you go, ready to rid myself of you, but you are everywhere. In my mind, your scent on my pillow, and under my skin. Now you are here, trying to run into the arms of another man, my soldier because you are in the same shit I’m in. Trying to escape this pull, but you can’t. So I can’t let you go.” His grip tightened. “Won’t let you go.”

  He shook his head again and said, “I just want to make sure you get home safe. I will drop you off and that is it.”

  “Fine,” I said while sticking my chin out and looking away from him.

  “Fine,” he breathed.

  Chapter 7

  Zach:

  Seeing her with Ken erupted a rage within me that I had not felt in a long time. It’s been a long time since I was unsure of what I may or may not do. The emotion almost paralyzed me, until I realized she was trying to get away from him. I came to rescue him, but when I saw that possessiveness in his eyes, I realized he must have seen the same look in my eyes. What the fuck was I thinking? I could not let her go; could not let her go with another man. I just couldn’t.

  For the past two weeks, I spent every day trying to get her out of my head. Spending more time on the job than writing because my writing reminded me of her. She was MzJames. My fucking arch enemy! For the past five years, she was the thorn in my side and here it was, the very one under my skin. The irony. I wanted to tell her, but she was so angry at zhays, that I thought it best to defend him rather than claim him. This technique did not work either because she got even madder at me. Her words hurt more than I knew I could feel, when she said, ‘it was best that I leave.’

  Fuck.

  Jeffrey had called a few days after our incident saying that he could not really find out who MzJames was, but he narrowed her down to the Maryland area. I let him know that I found her, so he could call the dogs off. The man could be relentless if necessary. This was good for me because my privacy is necessary. However, he could also be ruthless. The woman wanted her ano
nymity and so did I for my work. I would ensure that she kept it for her purposes.

  The car ride was quick and we didn’t speak a word. When I pulled up to her house, she barely waited until I stopped, before she hopped out and walked to her door. The only reason I caught up with her is because she had on high heels, which slowed her down, and because she could not get the key in the door. Taking the keys from her, I opened the door. She snatched the keys from me and tried to slam the door in my face. The way I was feeling, I was not having that, so I put my foot in the door to stop her.

  “What are you doing?” She huffed. “You said you would drop me off and that was it.”

  “Lauren, don’t you think we should talk?”

  “Fuck no!” She exclaimed. “What is there to talk about? We fucked twice and that was it.”

  “Listen,” I pushed the door opened some more, so I could fit through. “I just want to talk.”

  “No, Zach,” she folded her arms under her chest, causing the girls to be on display. “You just want to fuck and that’s not happening.”

  “Love, you don’t fool me. You want to fuck too, but I think we should have a conversation.”

  “Fuck outta here,” She staggered a bit. “I’ll get some tonight, regardless of you.”

  Fuck.

  Over my dead body.

  I pushed my way into the house, moving her back to close the door. When I turned to lock it, she jumped on my back with her arms around my neck, shielding my eyes, screaming, “No, Zach, I don’t want you. Leave now. Leeeaavvveee. You fucking bastard.”

  Taking her arms from around my eyes, I holstered her up higher on my back so she could wrap her legs around my waist, and then I carried her to the bedroom. I tried to get her off of me, but she was holding my neck like she was attempting to choke me or stop the flow by closing my windpipe. She was skilled, so I dropped my body on the bed, loosening her grip on my neck and turned over quickly, pinning her down.

  She was breathing heavily, but lust was all in her eyes.

  “Leave,” she said simply, staring at me.