by B. B. Hamel
A movement to my left caught my eye. I looked over, and standing there, framed in the door, was Emory.
“What are you doing?” I asked him.
He took a few steps toward me, the door closing behind him. He kicked a trashcan in front of the door and then looked up at me, his eyes dark and heavy.
“Emory?” I asked again.
He walked up to me and grabbed me by the hips, pulling my body against his.
He didn’t say a word. He just kissed me hard, his lips soft and hard against mine, his mouth hungrily kissing me hard.
I pushed him back. “What are you doing? What about Mason?”
“Travis is with him,” he said, and he grabbed me back, pressing me against his body.
His eyes, his lips, they stared into me. Travis was with Mason. Emory was with me.
“What are you doing here?” I asked him again.
“You know why I’m here.”
“We’re in a rest stop bathroom. Someone could come in.”
“Nobody’s coming in, princess,” he said. He began to kiss my neck again, pushing me back up against the wall. I moaned as he unbuttoned my jeans.
“Emory, someone could. We can’t do this. We need to get back on the road.”
“I need to feel this soaking pussy,” he said, slipping his hands down my panties. I gasped as his fingers found my clit, and I realized in that moment how incredibly wet I was.
As he stroked my clit, fingers rolling around my skin, I felt something suddenly wash over me. I had been numb the whole time, but suddenly something rushed into me, took me over, put life back into my limbs.
It was Emory. He was the thing that kept me going. I was walking and fighting for Mason, but Emory was what gave me any strength at all. Without Emory, I’d be dead, and my family would be dead. Everyone I loved and cared about would be gone.
I pressed myself against him, grinding down against his fingers, kissing his lips hard. I needed this, needed it just as much as he did. I needed to feel again, to feel him. Emory gave me strength, and I needed him to give me everything he had.
His fingers worked me, pressing deep inside my wet pussy, stroking in and out, rolling along my clit. Pleasure and desire flooded through me as I rolled my hips, kissing his lips harder, my arms locked around his neck. He pressed his fingers deep inside me and I gasped, kissing him and moaning against his lips.
“Fuck I needed this too,” I gasped as he kissed my neck and tugged my jeans down over my hips. “I really needed this.”
He dropped down to his knees in front of me, his hands on my ass, pulling my hips forward. His lips kissed my stomach and slowly moved down over my panties to lick and suck at my pussy.
“Nothing better than fucking after a fight,” he said. “And there’s no pussy I’d rather fuck than yours.”
He pulled my panties down with a swift tug and then began to suck at my pussy and clit as I stood there, back arched, shoulders against the wall. I held onto his hair as he held onto my ass, supporting most of my weight with his powerful arms.
His mouth was up between my legs, his tongue working my pussy, licking my clit and sliding up inside me. He ate my pussy like a starving man, working my body, driving loads of pleasure through my skin. It pulsed and worked, rolling through my clit, up my soaked pussy, all around my skin.
I fought to stay quiet, but small moans escaped my lips as he kept working me.
“Emory,” I gasped. “Oh my god. You make me want to scream.”
“So scream,” he said between licks. “Go ahead. Nobody’s coming.”
“I can’t,” I gasped.
“You’re embarrassed,” he said, “but I wouldn’t be embarrassed of this tight, delicious little cunt.”
His hands squeezed my ass as he worked my clit, sucking and licking, his tongue rolling in circles, alternating pressure, working me. I could feel my muscles tensing, pleasure rolling through my body, delicious pleasure, intense feelings returning like tingles in a frozen limb.
He suddenly stopped and stood, unbuckling his belt. I watched him, soaking wet, practically dripping onto the ground. He grabbed a condom from his jeans before kicking them aside and sliding his boxer briefs down.
I took his thick, rock-hard cock in my hands and stroked him. I spit down on his cock and used that to slide my palms along him, working his length. I jerked him like that with two hands as he grunted and tore open the condom wrapper, his eyes dark with lust and desire.
He pushed me back roughly against the wall, his hands between my legs, mouth against my ear. “Tell me you want this cock,” he whispered. “Tell me you want me to fill your cunt up until you come again and again.”
“Please,” I whispered. “Emory, fuck me. I need it.”
He rolled the condom down his length and then grabbed my hips and turned me. I gasped as he pressed me forward, my hands up against the wall, my legs spread wide.
“Fuck I love this thick ass,” he said.
I felt him grab my hips and then slap my ass, hard. I gasped but didn’t have time to say a word, as he pressed his cock deep inside me.
I moaned, feeling him fill me to the brim. I couldn’t believe how easily he slid inside me, probably because I was so damn wet. His thick cock filed my every inch, and I loved his grunts of pleasure as he slowly began to fuck me, his cock sliding in and out of me, his hands hard on my hips.
I couldn’t believe I was letting him take me this way, in the middle of a public bathroom. But I couldn’t stop it, didn’t want to stop it, needed it more than I could have said. He began to thrust deep inside me, insistently and needing, rough and hard. His hand slapped down on my ass, sending bolts of painful tingles down my spine, mingling with the pleasure, making cool waves of good along my mind.
He pulled my hair, tipping my head back as he fucked me, his body rocking against mine. His strong chest and arms controlled me so easily, made me do what he wanted, made me take him how he wanted.
“Your pussy is so fucking tight,” he whispered in my ear. “I can’t stop thinking about it. I can’t get you out of my brain.”
I rocked my hips back, moving my ass, rolling around his cock as he fucked me. “Keep going,” I panted. “Keep going.”
My whole mind and body were tense, balanced on the edge. I needed him so badly, needed his thick cock filling me, needed his strength as he took me. I was dripping wet with intensity, pleasure rolling down my spine.
It was his strong arms, gripping my body, pulling me close. He pressed me against him and I moved my hand, putting it on his head, gripping his hair as he fucked me hard and fast. His cock thrust savagely deep inside me, taking me, making me his. He reached around and pushed my legs open wider as he began to rub my clit in circles, working me as he fucked me rough, deep, and hard. I moaned loudly, out of my mind, pleasure rocking through me, no longer caring who could hear me.
And as he fucked me deep, his hand working my clit, I knew I was about to tip over. My whole body tensed as the orgasm exploded through me, my whole body trembling. It was almost too much, too intense. The feeling overwhelmed me as I twitched and trembled, moaning his name over and over, but he didn’t let me go. He fucked me unrelentingly, pushing through the incredible, intense pleasure, pushing me over the edge.
And in the orgasm, I knew what I needed. I needed Emory, his strong arms, the way he controlled and worked me, the way he could so easily tip me over the edge and make me come. But more than that, I needed his protectiveness, his amazing smile, everything about him.
As my orgasm finished, I bent over again, pressing my ass against him. “Come inside me,” I gasped. “Fuck me hard, Emory.”
He grinned and fucked me deeper, harder, his body thrusting against mine. The cool slap of his skin against mine sent chills all over me as he groaned and grunted his pleasure, working me and fucking me hard.
And then I watched him tense, his face locked in a blissful look. I could feel him coming deep inside me, his cock spurting its pleasure deep in
side me.
“Fuck,” he groaned as his orgasm slowly passed and he rocked slower and slower in and out of me. “Fuck, Tara.”
He pulled himself out and leaned against the wall next to me, panting. I pressed myself up against him as I sweated, and he wrapped his strong arms around me.
“I really, really needed that,” I said.
“I know you did.”
He grinned at me and I gave him a look. “We should get back out there, relieve Travis of his duty.”
“Yeah,” he grunted. “In a minute.”
I nodded, not wanting to move either. I stayed there in his arms, feeling safe, comfortable, warm.
But most importantly, feeling something at all.
Emory made me feel something, took the numbness away with his strength, and I knew that was more important than anything else.
24
Emory
I began to get dressed, relaxation running through my body.
I hadn’t been able to stop myself. As soon as Travis pulled up, I followed Tara back into the rest stop bathroom, desire rolling through my core. After what had happened, I needed her, couldn’t risk waiting another second.
She was going to pretend like she didn’t need me just as much, but we both knew the truth. She couldn’t turn me down as much as I couldn’t turn away from her. The attraction between us was intense, powerful, drawing me ever deeper into her.
She smiled at me as I pulled my pants on. “What?” she asked.
“Nothing,” I grunted, realizing I had been staring at her. “You have something hanging out of your pants.”
“What?” She looked down at herself. “Oh shit. I forgot about this.” She pulled a little business card from her pocket. It had been hanging slightly out, just so that I could see the white tip.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Business card. I found it on the body of one of the guys.”
“Let me see.” I reached out and she handed it to me.
“I meant to tell you sooner, but I forgot in all the excitement. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. You did good finding it.”
I studied the card. It was pretty plain, with only a man’s name on it, a company, and his contact information.
“Donald Richardson,” I read out loud. “Works for Atomic Contracting.” I looked at her, frowning. “I’m not sure what this means.”
She looked surprised. “I do actually.”
I cocked my head at her. “You recognize this guy’s name?”
“Not the name, but the company. They supply parts for nuclear power plants.”
Something clicked inside me, something I didn’t even realize I’d been thinking about.
“How do you know that?” I asked her.
“My dad works with them a lot. He’s something of a middle man, hooking up contractors to local nuclear power plants, mostly in Michigan.”
“Fuck,” I said, the plot falling into place all around me. “Your dad works for nuclear power plants?”
“Not just that,” she said. “Power stations all over the place, but yeah, he does nuclear power too.”
This was it. This was the reason Omar and his people were here. This was the reason they were targeting Tara and her family.
It was a fucking coincidence. Omar could have gone after any of the employees who did Roger Bright’s job, but they decided to target him because of me. They must have seen how it could benefit them: Not only would they get to go after the nuclear power plant, but they’d also get some revenge on me.
How could I have been so fucking stupid? I’d done a background on Tara’s family and seen that her dad worked in the energy sector, but I hadn’t delved any further into his job. I just hadn’t thought it was important. I was so focused on my own relationship with Omar, so convinced that the whole thing was just a personal attack on me, that I had missed this.
I’d missed the obvious. Omar wanted Tara’s father to help them attack a nuclear power plant.
“Fuck,” I said again. “Tara, we have to go.”
“What?”
I finished dressing quickly and Tara followed, sensing my urgency. I quickly left the bathroom with Tara right on my heels. The sleepy teenage girl working at the fast food place gave us a stupid look, like she knew what we’d been doing, but I just ignored it.
I walked fast. “Emory, slow down,” Tara said. “What’s wrong?”
“You don’t see it for the same reason I missed it. You’re too close.”
“You’re freaking me out. Just tell me.”
I pushed open the doors and then stopped and faced her. “It was all about your father, Tara. Omar and his people, they want to use your dad to attack a nuclear power plant.”
She frowned, shaking her head. “I thought they were after me to get revenge on you.”
“That’s what I thought, too. And they probably chose your dad for that reason initially, but there’s a bigger plan happening here. That’s why Omar has been using American terrorists, why he’s risking so much. It’s more important than just personal revenge, although it’s that also.”
Her face slowly dropped as she realized the implications of what I was saying. I could see it etched clearly there, the worry and the fear coming back to her.
“Cooper is with them,” I said. “He’s more than capable.”
“But my parents are in danger.”
“Yeah,” I said. “I think they are. I bet those two guys who attacked us were the only two who even followed. I’m willing to bet Omar is still back in Dayton.”
“Shit,” she said. “Emory, we have to go back. We have to go help my parents.”
“Yeah,” I said, “we fucking do.”
I headed off again with Tara by my side. I could still sense the fear, but there was something else, too.
It was determination.
After everything that had happened, any other normal person would have curled up into a ball and given up. After all the senseless violence and fear, most people would be pretty messed up.
But not Tara. Yeah, she was fucking scared and worried. Of course she was. But she wasn’t giving up, she wasn’t begging for me to call the cops, and she wasn’t backing down. She wanted to run right back into danger to try to help her parents, because that was the type of person she was.
I truly admired that. It was easy for me to go into danger, because that was my job. I lived for danger and putting my life on the line. But Tara, she was just a normal person who got caught up in events so much bigger than she was. Tara was holding on and thriving, and that meant she was exceptional, so fucking exceptional.
We got back to the car. Travis was holding Mason, smiling at us.
“He stopped crying,” Travis said.
Tara reached out and took Mason from him. Travis immediately sensed our mood.
“What’s up, cap?” he asked. “Lover’s quarrel?”
Tara gave him a look but went to put Mason back in the car seat.
“Change of plans,” I said. “We have to go back to Dayton.”
He arched an eyebrow. “You know I’d follow you anywhere, cap, but I think you need to explain this one to me.”
And so I did. I told him about the card, about how this whole thing had felt wrong from the start. As I spoke, he began to nod along.
“Okay,” he said. “Let’s make moves then.”
He got into his car and I leaned down against his window. “Listen, stay close. I don’t think anyone is after us right now.”
“I think you’re right. I haven’t seen a peep since we left Indianapolis.”
“Try and get in touch with Coop. We’ll regroup when we’re in Dayton.”
“Roger that.” He pulled out and I walked back over to my stolen car.
Tara was sitting in the back with Mason, giving him another dose of antibiotics. I climbed in and started the engine.
“You ready for this?” I asked her.
“Absolutely,” she said, her face serious.
“Let’s go.”
I floored it, pulled back on the highway, and headed back into the fire.
25
Tara
I woke up in the back seat of the car, my head draped down toward Mason. He was sleeping too, his little chest rising and falling peacefully.
It was mid-afternoon and we were still driving, though I recognized most of the signs. We were getting closer to Dayton, getting closer to the terrorists who wanted to hurt us.
But now they weren’t the terrorists who were after me. They were after my parents, and they wanted to do something horrible that could end up hurting a lot of people.
I wasn’t going to let them do that, of course.
I was done wanting to run away. I needed to protect Mason, but I was finished being too afraid. Everything had happened so quickly, so intensely, and it took me so long to really process it all. At the end of the day, though, I wasn’t going to back down.
And that was all because of Emory. He gave me strength. He made me feel something more than just fear. Before him, I was just living my life, going through the motions, but he made me see that there could be so much more than just existing. The things Emory did and could do, he was important, he was strong. I wanted to be more like him, but I also wanted to be near him.
“You awake?”
I glanced up and saw Emory looking at me in the rearview mirror.
“Yeah,” I said. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”
“No problem. You needed rest.”
“How close are we?”
“Not far. We’re stopping soon, getting ourselves set up.”
“What’s the plan from here?”
“Well, that’s what I wanted to talk about.”
I yawned and stretched. “Okay, I’m listening.”
“I want you to go stay with a friend.”
“What?”
“I don’t think you’re in any more danger,” he said. “Omar and his people are likely with your parents or at least getting ready to try something. If we’re not too late, we’ll be able to stop them and help, but I can’t be worried about you, too.”