by C. Lymari
“Let’s go, dog. I want to get food on the way…”
The words died as I said them when I came down to the stairs and saw a plate with food for me. Ren was nowhere in sight.
Something warm stirred inside of me, a different emotion I’d never felt before. It made my eyes water and my throat clog. Fuck, I was going to cry.
There was a grilled cheese and bacon sandwich on the plate.
My mouth watered. I was starving, and the art of cooking was one I didn’t know anything about. The only baking I knew how to do was my makeup.
“You’re ready?” Ren came out, tucking a gun into his waistband as I finished off my food.
“Thank you,” I said.
“For what?” He passed by me, dismissing me.
Well, if that was how he wanted to play it, that was fine by me.
Once in the Maybach, I gave Ren the address to the flower shop.
People did a lot of things for their parents, and in trying to know my mother, I’d found her religion. Not that I went to church often, but my father, riddled with guilt over his wife, had me brought up Catholic. I assumed it was what my mother would have wanted.
One holiday intrigued me, in particular. El Día de los Muertos. Day of the Dead. As a society, we feared death because we feared the unknown. A holiday dedicated to celebrating it fascinated me.
“What are we doing here?” Ren scanned the area, looking skeptical about getting out.
People were walking down the street. Someone was selling corn on the corner, and kids play with a soccer ball in the empty parking lot. I thought the place was bursting with life.
“I’ll be quick,” I told Ren as I got out of the car. I was about to get the door open when he grabbed my elbow.
“How many times do I have to tell you that you don’t get to run away from me?”
“Wait in the car.” I turned around and crossed my arms, glaring at him.
“Either I go in with you, or I carry your ass back to the car.”
He stared me down. The harder I glared, the more I could see the laughter in his eyes.
“Don’t say a word.” I pointed a finger at him.
He raised his hands in mock surrender. Seriously, sometimes I didn’t get this guy. He ran hot and cold, but I guess he could say the same about me.
The place smelled like flowers. I liked the fresh smell; it was pure.
Mrs. Rosales came from the back and greeted me. “Niña.”
“Hóla,” I greeted her, making my way to the counter.
“I see you have another one,” she mused at Ren.
“This one is annoying,” I told her.
She looked at Ren and then at me, and she smiled. “Está guapo.”
Yeah, not going there. I was going to pretend like I didn’t know what she said.
“I brought donations for the festival, and Jorge told me my stuff was ready.”
I could feel Ren staring at me, but I ignored the heat of his gaze. I would rather he never knew this about me, but he was like a thorn in my side.
“Jorge!” Mrs. Rosales yelled.
“Sí, abuela.”
Jorge came out. He looked taller than the last time I’d seen him. He was tan with dark eyes, skinny, but now with a little muscle.
“Brasa.”
I gave him a look. He got a kick out of saying Ember in Spanish. He came up to me, ready to give me a hug, but Ren pulled me back.
What. The. Hell?
“Let me go.”
Jorge just shrugged it off. “So, now that I’m nineteen, will you go on a date with me?”
“Hor-hay, boy. Eighteen, nineteen, thirty, I’m not the girl for you. You need a good girl.” I told him the same thing I’d been telling him since I met him. He thought I was joking, but I wasn’t.
“Denied again.” He shook his head but had a smile on his face. “I’ll get your stuff.”
While Mrs. Rosales helped him, I put my wallet on the table and wrote the check. I needed to make sure I laid low and didn’t get the board pissed at me so it could clear.
Ren whistled. “That’s a lot of cash.”
“It’s a donation for the Day of the Dead.”
“Do you fund the whole thing?”
I ignored him. Some of the money went to the parade, the rest for local charities in this community, but I didn’t handle those.
When I heard the steps coming back, I turned to Ren. “Open the trunk.”
Jorge came carrying stacks of thick Mexican blankets, while Mrs. Rosales brought a huge pot.
“Gracias,” I told her.
“No, mi niña, gracias a ti.” She thanked me and gave me a kiss on my cheek. I turned around and left.
“See you at the parade,” she called after me.
I didn’t turn around but said, “You know I’d never miss it.”
As soon as Ren and I were alone in the car, he moved the mirror so he could look at me. “Are there drugs in those blankets?”
I laughed. “Do you think I’m some kind of mule?”
When he didn’t answer, I knew he wouldn’t put it past me. That hurt a bit, but like with all other disappointment in my life, I shook it off.
“Drive back home,” I said, putting the partition up.
The drive back home was uneventful.
As Ren made his way to the hotel, I told him to take a turn into one of the alleys. He brought the Maybach to a halt when he saw the tents all around the end of the aisle.
“Are you here to score drugs?”
“No!” I was appalled. “I can get my dealer to deliver those.”
“Then why haven’t you?” He regarded me with a weird look.
“Because you have them.”
When he didn’t admit nor deny anything, I tried to get the door open, but he’d locked it.
“I want you at my side at all times,” he demanded.
When I nodded, he opened his door, then came to mine. As soon as I was out, his hand came to my back. It was hot and felt like it burned. I had never been more aware of someone’s touch in my life. I could tune them out during sex. Focus on other things and pretend like no one had their hands on me. With Ren, that seemed impossible.
“If we get mugged, I’ll kill you,” he whispered as people started to come our way.
“You’re kinda dramatic,” I told him as I motioned for him to open the trunk.
“And you have no regard for your life.”
I went to the side of the car to grab the pot Mrs. Rosales had given me.
Ren didn’t say anything more as we handed people blankets and tamales. He kept giving me weird looks that made me feel self-conscious. Once the last blanket was gone, I turned around and went to the car. Ren still stayed five more minutes, talking to the homeless. By the time he came into the car, I had put the partition up.
I think he got the feeling he knew I didn’t want to talk about what had happened today. Pretty soon he would stop feeling sorry for me and I would go back to being a bitch and he would go back to being an asshole I couldn’t get rid of.
Except it was those small acts of kindness that made their way to your heart and didn’t want to let go.
The last few days had not been kind to me. Whatever sort of truce Ren and I had fallen into was now gone. He was short clipped when he talked to me, barely around only when I really needed him. If I stayed home, he would lock himself in the surveillance room and ignore me.
Silas had sent me one text message.
I want him gone.
And I knew Ren’s days were limited. With that in mind, I knew the chance to get him in my bed was diminishing by the second. I was being nice for that whole purpose alone, but nice wasn’t working.
Last night Ren had to go out. Who the fuck knew where he went or what he did.? Poor Marcus was stuck with me, and since he didn’t bitch or moan, he just did the job. I went to the club, and when I got there, I realized it had been a while. When I got home, I could have sworn Ren was pissed, but he didn’t come
directly at me; he just yelled at Marcus.
Now my head was pounding, and one thing I knew for sure was that Ren Falcon was going to fuck me and fuck me over before he left me—and I was okay with that. What was one more mistake in my long list of fuckups?
My hair was a mess from last night’s party, and my mascara had run a bit. I’d learned a long time ago to just run with the look; it gave me an edge. There was no one in the living room or kitchen, and I knew Ren would be done with his workout soon. While he got done with that, I went to the fridge, then sat my ass on the kitchen counter and waited.
It didn’t take long for Ren to emerge. He was wearing sweatpants that low rode on his hips—and damn. I didn’t know what that V was called, but I knew it was like arrows pointing straight to getting the D. I wanted the D, and I wanted it bad.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m having a mimosa,” I said.
“Where’s the orange juice?”
I took a sip of my champagne glass, then answered, “We ran out.”
“So basically you’re having champagne for breakfast,” he stated in a judgmental tone.
“A mimosa sans the juice,” I corrected.
He didn’t say anything; he just kept looking at me with his icy stare.
Grabbing another bottle, I handed it to him. “Can you open this for me?”
“No,” he snapped
“Excuse me?”
His response ticked me off.
“You. Work. For. Me.” I glared at him.
He really was handsome, by far more attractive than all the men who came before him. He had a good five to six years on me. His hair was not too short, but perfect “pull me while I eat you” type.
“My job, darling, is making sure nothing happens to your body, and that’s it.”
I got chills whenever he said your body. He looked like he could give my body a good time. Manly hands, muscles in all the right places, not too thick, but not thin. I would sleep with him soon because time was running out. I hadn’t pushed the issue because when I fucked someone, it was, “Thank you. Next,” and I didn’t want to let him go.
I crossed my legs, relishing when he followed the movement of my exposed flesh.
“Nothing is going to happen to my hot little body,” I said in a breathy tone. “Nothing ever does.”
That seemed to anger him; I could tell because he had very expressive eyes. The blue became icy.
“You change guards faster than you do underwear. You don’t think people notice this shit? It leaves you vulnerable.”
“I don’t wear underwear,” I replied casually. “And the way I see it, I could get hurt with the cork of this bottle. It can hit me in my eye and blind me, and then you will have failed in protecting my body, bodyguard.”
I stretched my hand at him and smiled when he made his way over to grab the bottle.
“I’m glad you could see things my way.” It was hard not to gloat.
Ren didn’t answer. He snatched the bottle from me with more force than necessary, then went to the kitchen and opened it. He came back and put the bottle on the table instead of in my outstretched hand.
I was about to take a sip when he spoke again.
“You’re such a bitch. That’s why no one likes you. Not even your daddy.”
He hit a nerve with the last part, but like hell if I would let him see me flinch. “You have no right to talk to me like that.”
Ren smirked at me, and for a second, it was like looking at a different person, not the one I had gotten used to these last few weeks.
“I don’t think you’ll fire me for that, princess, or else you would have done it already. Newsflash: the world doesn’t revolve around your spoiled ass.”
He thought I didn’t know pain, but he had no idea. I also had friends. I didn’t see them often, but they were there. I just didn’t want my bullshit to affect their lives, so I stayed away. Except for Lilah—she got that life in the spotlight wasn’t all that it was cracked up to be.
When I didn’t answer him, he smirked at me and walked away while I sat there drinking on my own. I drank until the last of the champagne was gone. While I was under the effect of alcohol, I realized that I didn’t give many fucks about what people thought of me, except now I cared about Ren’s perception of me or if he even remotely cared. I turned my body to face the nearest camera knowing full well whoever was in the surveillance room with Ren was still in there since no one had left. Let’s see if he was watching.
I lay down on the marble countertop, my legs facing the camera. I ran my hand through my hair, down my neck, over my breast, and then cupped myself between my legs. My back arched a bit at the feeling. I closed my eyes as I let my hands wander back to where my robe was tied. Once open, I ran my hands over the lacy cups of my bra while I kept my legs crossed.
I tried not to smile when I heard footsteps.
“Goodbye, Miss Remington,” the voice said in a rush.
Slowly I started to part my legs when I heard the door close. I spread them, letting my hand come to the top of my panties. I dipped one finger in, imagining it was Ren who had come down here and finally caved. One wasn’t enough, so I added two and started to fuck myself in front of the surveillance camera. Feeling bold, I removed my underwear so that Ren could see every little detail. The two fingers I was fucking, I brought them out and glided them up to my aching clit, where I started to rub myself faster. I could feel my orgasm coming, but it wasn’t enough.
Fuck this shit.
Sitting up, I looked straight at the camera as I licked my two fingers clean. Leaving my undies there, I jumped up and walked away.
“Open the door, Ren!” I screamed as I tapped the door to the surveillance room. I knocked and knocked until he opened.
“What do you want?” He looked angry.
“What do I want?” I mocked him. “You don’t get to ask me those questions.”
I pushed past him. The room was not very big, and it made me feel like I couldn’t breathe. I didn’t do well in small spaces. I fucking hated them. Smalls spaces didn’t leave room for me to hide.
“I’m busy,” he said through gritted teeth.
I was horny and frustrated and angry. I didn’t care about his own anger. I let my eyes trail from his pissed-off face down to the top of his unbuttoned jeans.
“You’d think I’d made your life easier by bringing my body to you.” My voice dropped to a sultry tone.
His eyes flashed as he sucked in a breath. I wasn’t in heels, so he towered over me by a lot. I gulped, and for a second, fear stroke through my body. I really didn’t know anything about him. Not that I thought it would matter. Ren was emitting waves of rage that made me want to get out of this confined space. I took a step back, but the door was already closed. Ren put his hand on either side of my face, and I waited to see what his next move would be.
“You seemed to think you can treat me like you did all those other fools who had the job before me.”
He had my number, but I was never one to shy from a fight. I brought my leg up, exposing it. My robe parted up to the apex of my thighs. I got up on my toes and then wrapped one leg around his waist. Both our breathing got heavier. His nostrils flared, and I smiled.
“Some of them did their job really well,” I whispered.
In an instant, his hands came to my waist, holding me up. My body seemed to spark to life. He brought his hand to my foot, where it was wrapped around his waist, making sure it was secured before he grabbed my knee and glided up to my thigh. I was heaving at the sensation. My pebbled nipples poked against the material of my nightgown. I thought he would have stopped, but he kept moving his hand farther up. My center started throbbing.
“Unlike you, Ember—”
His hand reached my pussy, and he stroked it with his knuckles, making my hips buck. Then he turned his hand over, gliding two fingers over my wet folds.
“—I have standards.”
His tone was smoky and hoarse a
s he rubbed my clit forcefully, enough to cause me pleasure mixed with pain. I held on to his arms for support because my whole body was shaking. I looked up to see Ren’s jaw tight as he looked at where his fingers were touching my pussy. Without warning, he roughly inserted two fingers inside me, causing me to writher in pain before he stroked a part in me that made me moan.
“I wouldn’t fuck you if you were the last woman on earth.” He was lying because, at that same moment, I put my hand to the imprint of his hard dick.
“You’re fucking soaked, Ember,” he growled as he buried his face in my neck.
“Ren,” I moaned when I felt myself getting closer.
He smiled against my neck.
“You like that, don’t you?”
I was so lost I nodded.
“You like the way I fucking hurt you.” He took his fingers out to pinch my clit, causing my body to burn up.
He pulled his fingers out of me so fast I almost fell. He tipped my head back, then put two fingers in my mouth until I could feel them down my throat, causing me to gag and my eyes to water.
“Hmmm, shame you lied.” His tone was now calm and icy, nothing like the loss of control from earlier.
He backed away so fast I lost my balance and fell to the floor.
“You can’t make me fuck you. Nice try, though.” He then walked away, slamming the door in my face.
Maybe because I was an only child or because I was rich and spoiled that hearing the word no made me want it more. Having something forbidden made for quite a thrill. Trust me, I knew. And it was past the time for Ren to go.
Ren said he didn’t want me, but his eyes told a different story.
They consumed me.
Followed my every move.
His eyes shone with hate, and I wanted to make him eat his words, for him to give in, and then I could kick him to the curb.
I’d been waking up early as fuck to go do yoga while Ren worked out. My back was turned to him, but I always felt his hot gaze on my skin. It only made me get up early the next day and do it again. However, I was getting tired. I looked at my phone and the reason for my need to get Ren out of my system, my life and in my bed. My cell phone was still turned off after the text I received from Silas.