by Shayne Ford
“Mmm...” he says, crushing a smile.“Eighteen, you say...” He trades looks with Lex before he shifts his focus back to me. “You’re not supposed to be here. You know that.”
“No... no... I’m not here for myself...” I rush to explain as if I talk to mom, and then I stop as I get a glimpse of their amused grins. “I’m not...” I say and pause, somewhat disappointed that I’m not taken seriously. “I’m looking for someone.”
“Who are you looking for?” Lex asks, both watching me, intrigued.
“My sister.”
“Oh... okay,” he says, and they share a soft laughter.
That can’t be good.
“No... no... It’s not what you think... She doesn’t work here.”
“Mmm-hmm,” James mutters.“How old is she?” he asks.
“She’s twenty-one.”
“Hmm... Then, it’s exactly what we think,” James say.
“Seriously... She asked me to pick her up. She was supposed to be here an hour ago.”
“Are you sure this is the place? Maybe she went somewhere else,” Lex says, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes, this is the place, but I’m not sure if she’s still here. I want to double check before I go home.”
“All right then,” James says and curls his arm around my shoulders pulling me to him as Lex swings the door open.
3
RAIN
* * *
We enter the place under the eyes of a couple of bouncers who open their mouths but don’t dare to speak.
They nod at us, or rather them, before we stroll across the club, past several booths all dressed in dark red velvet. The place is different than what I imagined.
There are round tables and tucked in booths, a stage with several dancing polls stretching in the center.
Way larger than I thought, the place is subtly lit, the decor decadent, a lush mix of red upholstery and rugs, espresso finish furniture, and glass tabletops.
Shaped like a crescent, the booth tucked in the back is bigger than the rest and extremely private. Completely out of the customers’ sight.
James motions me to the sofa. I look at him, hesitant. His hand goes at the back of my neck as he leans close to me.
“We’ll have someone look for her,” he says.
Lex scoots in first.
Reluctantly, I slide in next, and then James flanks me, blocking my exit.
The hostess, a dark-haired woman, clad in a red dress paired with golden jewelry, rushes to us. Her eyes go over me, her face looking somewhat familiar.
Out of reflex, I hide behind James. She takes the order, and I’m about to sigh with relief when I catch her eye, and she points at me with her tablet.
“She’s not supposed to––”
She stops abruptly as James slowly tilts his head up and gives her a questioning look.
“I’m sorry. I’ll be right back,” she says, shifting through colors, regret and panic steamrolling her face.
Their drinks come within minutes. Three glasses of scotch on rocks. James slides the third glass to the other side of the table, and just as I start to make all sorts of suppositions, a man joins us at the table.
Tall, like them, and about the same age, he sweeps us with a warm gaze, his boyish face lightening up with a smile as he notices me tucked between Lex and James.
“Who the hell is this?”
He tosses his phone on the table, his hazel-brown eyes roaming on me as he runs both hands through his soft brown hair.
“Language, Ed,” James says.
Ed presses his lips together, his eyes dancing with a smile.
“Why is she here?” he asks.
“She’s looking for someone.”
I slide my hand up James' arm, to get his attention. He turns to me, his finger held up, and then I notice the phone glued to his ear.
His eyes stay on mine as he speaks on the phone.
“Yeah... Who do we have down there? Mmm-hmm...”
His eyes float over my face and then dip to my lips before he locks my gaze again.
“How does your sister look like, sweetheart?”
I give him the description, and he relays it to the other person. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Ed’s stare.
I flick my gaze to him, and his smile broadens.
“Leave her alone, Edward,” James rasps.
Unfazed, Ed gives me a cheeky grin, his eyes darting between James and me.
“Ed?”
Lex squeezes Ed’s shoulder, shaking him softly and rather playfully. “Can you please stop?”
“Okay, okay...”
Edward holds his hands up, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
“She’s not what you think she is,” Lex says to Edward, and I wonder what is that supposed to mean.
James holds his finger up again, and they turn silent.
“Is she with one of ours?” James says on his phone, and my ears perk up. “Pull her out.... Uh-huh... Give him ten minutes... It’s more than enough,” he says and slides his phone on the table.
They all start laughing as I innocently glance from one to the other.
“I’m sorry, baby,” James says, his fingers curling casually around my arm and staying there as he swings his gaze between Lex and Ed. “She’ll be out momentarily,” he says, and they chuckle some more.
“So... What’s her name?” Ed asks, looking at James.
“Why don’t you ask her?”
They all cut their eyes at me.
“Are you going to tell us, sweetie?” James asks, drinking me in.
“Rain,” I murmur.
“As in… rain?” Ed asks, amused, clasping his fingers under his chin, looking at me as if I’m a baby panda.
“Yes,” I say softly.
Ed’s lips curl into a sly smile, his eyes smoothly slipping below my chin. I pull my neckline up.
James' fist crashes onto the table, the ice cubes clinking in their glasses.
“Stay away from her or I’ll chop your balls off,” he says, only half seriously, and then they chuckle again.
Ed flicks his hand up.
“All right... all right.”
“What do you like to do, Rain?” Lex asks, and I turn my eyes to him, going quiet for a moment as I study his features.
His lips part into a soft grin. He narrows his eyes and takes a swig of his drink.
“Are you going to college?” he asks, setting his glass on the table.
“I don’t know. Next year. Maybe.”
“What about this year?”
“I’m working on a book.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“So besides books, what else do you like?”
“Cars.”
“What kind of cars?”
“Power cars. Anything that moves fast.”
Silence grows between us.
“Cars, huh? Fast and hard.”
“Edward,” James growls.
“What? We can give her a ride,” Ed insists, smirking, and Lex clasps the back of his neck, pulls him close to him, and whispers something in his ear.
His expression changes, his eyes still on me.
“Got it. She’s cute, though.”
“You can get plenty downstairs, ”James mutters.
“I’m fine. That’s where I come from,” Ed says, smiling slyly.
James’ phone rings and silence hovers over us as he picks up the call.
“Yeah... Okay.”
He sets his phone on the table and looks at me.
“She’s outside, waiting for you,” he says, not moving an inch.
“Thank you.”
I push up to my feet, and as I straighten, the hemline of my top rides up, exposing my lower stomach. The fabric stretches over my full breasts, revealing their round, full shape and hard nipples.
Their eyes go to my chest and then down on me, and I suddenly feel naked.
Ed tips his head back and takes me in, grinning. Lex runs his e
yes over me discretely, and as I turn to my right, I catch James’ peering.
“I need to go,” I say, pulling them out of their reverie.
James slides out of the booth and raises his hand, stopping Lex and Ed from leaving their seats. He wraps his fingers around my neck, and tips his chin, motioning to them. On cue, they silently nod goodbye to me.
Their eyes follow us as we stroll away.
We stop near the entrance, James’ hand sliding down my back, sparkling an electric storm.
I turn to him.
“Take care, Rain. It was nice meeting you,” he says with a soft voice.
“Likewise,” I murmur and without pondering much, I push up on my toes, take his face in my hands, and before he can say something, I press my lips on his.
He stifles his impulse to pull back, and lets me kiss his lips. I linger a moment longer, relishing the taste, and scent of him before I pull away.
His fingers peel off my arm, his eyes still harboring surprise as I push the door and slip outside.
JAMES
* * *
The bouncers keep their mugs under control and look away as I swagger back to the table. They know better than getting fired because of stupid smirks.
I motion for another round of drinks.
“Well, well... What the hell happened to you?’ Lex ask, studying my face.
“Nothing,” I say, smiling.
Ed chuckles.
“Not, my ass. What did she do to you?” he asks.
“It’s none of your business,” I mutter, suppressing a grin.
“What the fuck is wrong with him?” Ed asks Lex, having nothing better to do.
I slice my eyes to Lex, our gazes locking as he shrugs.
“Isn’t she the blonde we spotted on that bench when we drove to town?” Edward asks.
“Yeah. That’s her,” I admit, suddenly in a bad mood.
“You okay?” Lex asks, raising an eyebrow.
“Mmm-hmm.”
“Where did you find her?”
Ed looks at Lex first and then at me.
“She found us. She was roaming in front of the club looking for her sister,” I say.
“And who’s her sister?”
“Daria Morgan.”
“Fuck me! Are you sure they’re sisters?”
“I have no reason to believe otherwise,” I say.
“I didn’t know there were two of them.”
“That’s because Rain was always the little one and no one had paid attention to her. She’s never been out in the world,” Lex mutters.
“Damn, she’s no longer the little one,” Edward says, using his hands to draw an hourglass silhouette in the air, putting extra emphasis on Rain’s chest. “She’s fucking hot,” he says, his eyes glinting with carnal hunger.
“That, she is...” I grumble.
“What’s your problem? We can wait a week or a month or whatever the fuck it takes.”
“We don’t need her. We have her sister.”
“Who wants mac and cheese when you can have the finest steak?”
“Not for that, Ed. It doesn’t matter.”
“I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about us.”
Lex’s hand goes on his shoulder.
“Take it easy Ed. There’s no us when it comes to her. She’s already gotten under his skin,” Lex says, winking at me.
“What the fuck are you talking about? Nobody’s ever gotten under my skin,” I toss at him, annoyed. “It’s not about that,” I murmur. “She’s never been touched, and I don’t fuck virgins.”
Ed’s lips curl into a naughty smile.
“That really makes her perfect.”
“Since when do you like virgins, Ed? They’re no fun.”
Swaying his head slowly, he curls his lips into a wolfish smile.
“Not if they look like her. Besides, she seems to be the kind of girl who learns really quickly.”
He groans to Lex amusement, and I wish I could smile, but for some reason, I can’t.
I run my hand over my face and rub my eyes, trying to push away the headache that’s been curling around my head, squeezing my brain for the last few minutes.
“I’m surprised she’s never been touched. She likes girls?” Ed asks.
“Maybe she does as a side dish, but I can tell you, dick is the main course,” Lex says, a smile tilting his lips.
“Then how do you know she’s a virgin?”
“Don’t be an idiot Ed. I know it, and you know it. We rarely see it, and that’s another story, but you can tell,” I say.
“She almost passed out in front of the club in James’ arms. She couldn’t breathe or speak. She was fucking melting. I bet her panties were wet,” Lex says, and blood pools between my legs, my cock getting hard and heavy.
I make myself busy with a cigarette, trying to push the thought of her out of my mind.
“Okay then. So what are we talking here?” Ed asks, unable to drop it.
“Nothing. Drink your whiskey and forget about her,” I bark at him, then forcefully blow the smoke to the side.
Lex studies me, serious.
“Is that final?” he asks, and I sense the bafflement in his voice.
“Like I said, we don’t need her. We have no reason to mess with her life. Daria is a different story. She came looking for dick, and she got it, but I’m not gonna pull this girl into the mix.”
Ed tosses his drink back, shuddering as the alcohol hits his throat.
“So what did you tell her when she left?” he asks.
“Nothing.”
He cocks his head to the side, grinning.
“Seriously? Nothing?”
I stay quiet.
“Did she say anything?”
They both look at me, waiting, as I ponder whether to tell them the truth or not.
My lips curve into a slow grin.
“She kissed me… She fucking kissed me.”
4
RAIN
* * *
I slip out the door, my blood pounding in my wrists, my thoughts unraveling. I run my fingers over my lips looking for a trace, or proof that the kiss was real. Still craving the taste of him.
What has gotten into me? That wasn’t well-thought or even carefully planned. It was an impulse I couldn’t resist. One I can’t explain. Maybe it was the relief that I could finally go home, or maybe I was grateful that he had found Daria for me.
One thing I know, the little time I spent with them was one of the most intense and terrifying in my life.
I could sense their effort to keep things clean and polite, mainly because James gave the tone, and enforced it, but I could see through the appearances. I felt like fresh food in the lions’ den. They circled and sniffed, and they licked their lips in anticipation, their eyes feeding on every inch of my body.
I’m not used to being out and in the company of men, especially this kind of men, and to my surprise, the mix of fear and excitement gave me an unexpected, unfamiliar thrill.
“There you are,” Daria says, somewhat bored, tossing her cigarette on the pavement, crushing the stub with her stiletto.
I swoosh by her and dash to the car.
We climb in, silence setting in. She gives me a side glance.
“What happened to you?”
“Nothing,” I say, cranking up the engine and swerving the car onto the road.
“You’re so quiet,” she says, suddenly interested in my state of mind.
She sticks her fingers into her purse and retrieves another cigarette.
“Don’t,” I say firmly, snatching the cigarette out of her hand. I roll down the window and throw it out.“It’s mom’s car and you know she doesn’t like the smell of cigarettes.”
She looks at me, stunned, her fingers crooked in the air, her lips pulled apart.
“Who are you?” she mutters derisively. She shifts in her seat and trains her eyes on me. “And how did you find me, anyway?” she asks suspiciously.
; “You told me to pick you up at Red’s, remember?”
“I didn’t say to come look for me inside. I wasn’t inside when I called you.”
“Well, I kinda figured out that someone from Red’s could help me find you.”
“Hmm... Really?”
“Yeah, really.”
“So, who did you talk to?”
“It’s not your damn business,” I say with a voice she’s never heard before.
“Man? Woman?”
“Why do you want to know?” I ask, somewhat surprised by the nervousness streaming in her voice.
“Who let you in?” she asks, pressing me.
“Why do you want to know?”
“Because normally, there’s no way you could’ve gotten in.”
“Well, perhaps it was my lucky night.”
She swings her eyes to the road, her fingers drumming on her thigh.
“I’ll tell you if you care to share who was the man you fucked inside,” I say.
She whips her eyes at me. Angry and... surprised? She really thinks I’m dumb. She tears her gaze away again.
“Were you applying for a job? I guess you were. Life must be tough for Daria Morgan. The silver spoon in her mouth no longer does it for her. ”
“Go fuck yourself self-righteous bitch!”
I smile, smug with satisfaction.
“Hmm. You don’t know that... You don’t know if I’m self-righteous or not. I may be no better than you. At least, if I start sleeping with men, I’ll have the decency not do it behind my fiancé's back.”
She flicks her gaze in my direction, her eyes spewing hatred.
“You know nothing about men, and you’re in no position to judge me. You have no idea about fucking, or me for that matter. Yes, I’m going to get married, and in the meantime, I’m having a good time. So fucking what? What do you have? A bicycle, a book, and your virgin friend. Don’t fool yourself, Rain. No man is going to put up with you. It doesn’t matter how hot you look. You’re as boring as the book you’re writing. Otherwise, someone would’ve dipped their dick in you by now. You should consider yourself lucky if next year when you go to college, you find a drunk frat boy willing to ram you. In the meantime, call your friend, chant your virginal thoughts and leave me alone.”