Not So Prince Charming: A Dirty Fairy Tale

by Lauren Landish

  I’m addicted. I’m never giving her up. She’s mine.

  Isabella’s body shakes as she finds the deep release I’ve been driving her toward, whimpering as her orgasm shakes her, and I pull back, holding her as she trembles. “You’re mine,” I whisper in her ear, letting my possessive thoughts take weight in the words. “You’re mine, and I’m going to show you what that means.”

  She nods, her legs still spaghetti as we get into the shower. The warm spray feels amazing on my back as I hold Bella close, my cock rock-hard and pressed against her back.

  I let her recover, picking up the bar of soap and washing her body, my fingers tracing the curves of her stomach and hips before massaging her breasts.

  Her nipples pebble tightly under my slippery fingers, and she turns her head, looking at me with lust-filled eyes. “You . . . I need you, Gabe.”

  “You have me,” I reply, kissing her lips softly at first. Isabella turns around and wraps her arms around my neck as the warm water cascades over us, our bodies slipping together as we kiss again, need building quickly between us. I lift her leg, holding under her knee until her foot finds the rim of the tub as I push her back, pinning her against the tile wall.

  “Tell me what you want,” I command, looking in her eyes. “Tell me who you belong to.”

  “You . . . I want you to fuck me with that big cock,” she rasps.

  My lips smash against hers the second she gets it out, kissing her hard. My hips drive forward, and I’m rewarded with her cry into my mouth as my cock splits her open, swallowed by her tight pussy until I’m deep inside her. Her arms tighten around my neck, holding me still as she adjusts, and I grind against her, letting her feel me until she relaxes, and I feel her nod slightly against my neck.

  “Please.”

  Her voice is soft, barely audible over the rush of the shower spray, but it’s all I need as I pull back and start pumping my hips hard, my cock thrusting in and out of her as Bella holds onto me. The slightly curved bottom of the tub and the angle of our bodies mean I can’t go full out, but somehow, that makes each stroke even more enticing.

  Her pussy squeezes me as our bodies press against each other, her nipples dragging over my chest as I pump in and out of her, our bodies moving not frantically, but with a harmony that grows within the confines of the shower.

  “Give it to me, Gabe,” Bella grunts in between my strokes, her eyes looking deep into mine. A little hope flares inside me that there are layers to what she’s saying, and my cock swells, emotions adding to the pleasure pulsing through me with every slide of my cock in and out of her body.

  “You’re mine,” I growl again, looking in her eyes and hoping she can understand that my two words mean a lot more than just my cock stretching her and setting her nerves on fire. She moans, and my hips speed up a little faster, my toes gripping the porcelain as best I can as the two of us come together, our bodies shaking as we approach the precipice.

  Her pussy’s a vice around my shaft as the head of my cock rubs over the spots that she loves best, her stomach clenching as I pound her, deep and powerful. Bella tightens, her breath hitching as she’s driven to the very edge, and I kiss her hard again, swallowing her cries and biting her lip as I slam into her.

  Once again, she shatters, her legs giving out, and she’s held up by just my arms and my cock, buried deep inside her perfect pussy. Her convulsions shake through her body and my cock, triggering my own climax. Lost in the waves of pleasure, I growl into her mouth, pulling out at the last possible second to cover her ass with my cream as my fingers dig into her hips, holding her still.

  We stay there, frozen in our climax until the water starts to cool down, and I pull back, shutting it off. “Guess we ran out of hot water.”

  Bella chuckles and nods, getting out. “Take me to bed.”

  I wake as close to paradise as I’ve ever been. Bella is nestled in my arms, her soft warmth pressed against me and her lips parted as she snores lightly, squirming every once in a while in her sleep.

  She’s like this adorable combination of cuddler and gymnast that woke me up more than once as we slept. She’d turn, move, and nearly flip over me at times, all while totally asleep.

  Her most recent position has her sleeping with her knees tucked up underneath her, her head turned toward me and her hair half lying over her eye. I run my hand over her back, and she hums, smiling in her sleep.

  I don’t wake her up, even though the touch of her thigh against my cock is certainly waking it up this morning, but I let her rest.

  Instead, I watch her, my hand tracing soothing circles on her back until she smiles. “I can feel you looking at me.”

  “Didn’t know I had such a weighty gaze,” I murmur, kissing her forehead. “How’re you this morning?”

  Bella stretches out, turning toward me and half opening her eyes. “I’m pretty sure I’m going to be walking funny again.”

  “Are you saying I should be gentler?” I ask, making her laugh softly and snuggle against me, but I can feel her shaking her head, almost as if she’s embarrassed. “No?”

  “I want it every way I can get it,” she promises me bravely, nuzzling under my chin. “But before anything else, I need two things . . . brushed teeth and a potty break.”

  I pull her into my arms, kissing her gently. “Deal.”

  Bella goes to take care of her bathroom needs while I do my best to make peace with the cat, giving her a bit of canned tuna in her bowl. Vash warily looks me up and down, then struts by like the actual owner of the house she is before starting to eat.

  “Yeah, I see you, Vash. I get that you’re the boss. Maybe we can call a truce?” She doesn’t answer, but her tail waves lazily left to right, so I take it as a sign that she’s considering my offer.

  I go back to the bedroom and pull on my pants before running my hands through my hair to tame the crazy mess I’m rocking. I’m barely half-dressed when Bella comes into the bedroom, her face freshly washed and looking as pristine and beautiful as an angel. “Bathroom’s yours.”

  “Thanks,” I reply, going in and washing my face. Using my finger, I do a quick little rub over my teeth, hoping it’s enough to kill the morning breath, and while I do, I hear someone knock on the front door.

  I’m instantly on alert, realizing how quickly I relaxed into being here with her and how readily I forgot about the dangers lurking.

  As Bella comes down the hallway, I poke my head out of the bathroom. “Hey, let me—”

  “I got it,” Bella assures me, tugging a long T-shirt over her head and down to brush her thighs. She goes to the door, opening it before I can say anything else.

  Fuck.

  “Good morning, Izzy. I’ve come to collect.”

  I hear the sniveling voice, half bullying and half whining, and my fists clench as I realize who’s at the door. Carraby.

  “Go away, Russell,” Bella says in a tired voice. “We’re done, remember? I’m paid up and on a payment schedule. I don’t need anymore of your bullshit.”

  “Bullshit? We’ll see how much bullshit it is when I kick you out on the street.”

  “You’re not kicking me anywhere, legally or otherwise.” I’m proud of how steady her voice is, so I pause, giving her a chance to handle this herself if she wants to. I’ll give her backup if she needs it, but Carraby should be glad that I don’t teach him a lesson the hard way.

  “You’d best watch your tone. You’re paid up, but there ain’t nothing keeping me from taking what I really want.”

  Even from here, I can hear the slimy threat. Money . . . and more.

  I won’t tolerate any more.

  I grab the hand towel, wrapping it around my right hand as I hear Bella say, “You mean like human morals and ethics?”

  I take the three steps down the hall to find Bella staring at Russell, her face etched with fury. She’s got one hand on the door and one on the frame, acting as a roadblock to keep him from entering, but he’s taking advantage of her unwillingn
ess to move back and grant him access by moving in closer and closer.

  “You need to leave,” I say coldly. I’m measuring the distance from me to Bella, me to Carraby, and Carraby to Bella, already formulating how I’m going to protect her while quickly disabling him. It won’t take that much . . . it’s just how much I can get Bella to move out of the way.

  Carraby looks at me, taking in my shirtless upper body and zipped but unbuttoned pants, his eyebrows lifting. I can see him trying to look more intimidating, and I already know this is going to end badly. He’s too out of control, too stuck in a rut of habitual bullying that he doesn’t recognize when he’s challenging someone better than him. Of course, that’s part of my special skill set. I’m an intimidating guy when I need to be, but it’s like a switch I can flip on and off.

  “Oh, tough guy, huh? Fuck off. This ain’t none of your business.”

  I move closer, slowly and methodically cutting the distance between me and the front door until I lay my hand on Bella’s shoulder. I ease her back from the threshold, taking her place. As soon as I do, I pull the door open wide, not wanting it to impede my actions if I have to make a move.

  “She is my business. You heard her. You’re paid up. Leave, and don’t come back. I’ll be handling any future discussions you might need to have.”

  It’s a huge overstep on my part, considering this isn’t something I’ve talked about with Bella, but I need to protect her from assholes like Carraby who will take advantage the instant my guard is down. He needs to learn now not to mess with what’s mine, and on a larger scale, that he can’t do whatever he wants without consequences.

  There’s always a bigger fish in the pond, a sneakier fox in the henhouse, and a crueler hunter in the forest.

  Carraby looks like he’s about to argue more, but instead, he takes one step forward. I let him, even step back as if I’m retreating. It’s a ruse, but I’m the only one who knows it.

  Quick as a flash, he takes another step, leering wolfishly, and Bella cries out, “No!”

  But it’s just what I want. As Carraby gets fully in the front door, he unleashes with a short-armed haymaker that barely avoids hitting the doorframe. I let the punch land on my chin, dodging just enough to let him connect but not hurt me.

  And now the tables have turned.

  He’s both come in, effectively trespassing without permission, and assaulted me first. Every legality is on my side. More importantly, though, he’s off balance, and I can do any of a half-dozen things to him that would range from inflicting pain to inflicting death, and he can’t stop me.

  But I can’t overplay my hand with Bella here to witness this. So I temper my brutality and grab his shoulders, throwing a single powerful knee to his gut, delighting in the whoosh of air that leaves him as he doubles over.

  Not letting him gain any distance, I turn him, wrapping my arm around his neck and holding him in a loose chokehold, darkly growling in his ear as I shove him toward the door. “Leave. Do not come back. Ever. Do not speak to Bella ever again. This is the only warning you’ll get, Carraby. Nod if you understand.”

  His head moves slightly inside my arm, and I take that as agreement, though I know he’s only giving in right now because I have the upper hand. This isn’t over.

  But any further actions will take place away from Bella.

  I shove him out the door, and as soon as the pressure is off his neck, he begins blustering, red-faced and yelling nonsense, “Messed with the wrong . . . gonna regret . . . fucking bitch.”

  I want to follow him, take him to a deserted place in the woods and teach him a real lesson in fear and intimidation. But instead, I use every ounce of willpower I possess and close the door, turning to face Bella.

  Hoping she isn’t disgusted by me, by my actions and overstepping comments, I await her judgement. It comes as she breaks down and launches herself at me, hugging my neck and wrapping her legs around me. “Oh, my God, what the fuck? I can’t believe—”

  Her seeming appreciation is broken by a loud ‘bong’ sound outside. It’s the sound of a boot hitting metal, likely Russell’s foot connecting with my Range Rover. But that doesn’t matter now, not with Bella in my arms, safe and sound. And not flinching away from me after seeing the violence in the one place she considers a sanctuary.

  “He’s gone. You’re okay, I’ve got you,” I say, rubbing her back.

  “Thank you,” she breathes against my neck, and though I don’t say it, I think the same thing back, thankful she didn’t kick me out too.

  Chapter 20

  Isabella

  After a dramatic and crazy morning, the spell I’ve been in, the fantasy Gabe wove around us, shatters. It feels awkward and there’s something niggling in the back of my mind that I can’t stop prying at.

  But I can’t figure out what it is.

  Gabe drops me off at the Gravy Train for my shift with a kiss and a soft question of whether I’m sure I’m okay. I reassure him that I am, even though I’m not sure myself.

  “I’m sorry about Carraby. I didn’t mean for that to happen, but I’m glad you’re safe. I won’t let him hurt you, okay?” He pushes a lock of hair behind my ear, eyes imploring me to believe him. “I’ll see you tonight for your nine o’clock dinner break?”

  There’s something in Gabe’s voice that piques the little concern working itself around in my brain, an uncertainty he doesn’t usually have. He’s not arrogant, but he’s always come off as confident.

  But maybe this morning bothered him too?

  I nod and get out, shutting the door behind me with a deep breath. Fuck. I can’t believe Russell attacked Gabe and Gabe had to fight him off.

  The scene replays in my head—Russell’s leering threats and attack, and Gabe’s immediate and powerful response.

  As the mental movie of this morning replays again in my head while he pulls out, I see a different side to Gabe. A side I didn’t know he had. He threw that knee with the skill and ease of someone who’s done it before.

  Suddenly, it clicks.

  Carraby.

  That’s the thing that’s bugged me this whole time. When I shared my problems, I told Gabe about Russell and his threats, but his last name? I can’t remember ever telling him Russell’s full name. But Carraby rolled off his tongue like . . . he already knew.

  But how? Why?

  And what does that even mean?

  Memories of Charlotte’s words ring in my ear. You should run a background check, girl. Wish I had, would’ve saved me a lot of heartache if I’d known who he really was.

  Shit. Is Charlotte right? Only one way to find out.

  I run inside and head straight to the back, hollering, “Martha!”

  “What?” she exclaims, coming out of her office quickly, her eyes wide and questioning.

  “I need your keys. It’s an emergency. Please,” I say, holding my hand out and bouncing on my toes.

  She digs in her purse, grabbing them and handing them over to me. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?”

  I shake my head, hoping I’m not too late. “I’ll explain later, I promise. Cover for me today, please!” I take the keys from her, running out to her silver Toyota. I have just enough time to fire it up before Gabe’s bright red SUV pulls through the intersection just down the street, turning left.

  I do my best to follow, glad that Martha’s car is small and nondescript. More than once, I ‘hide’ behind other vehicles, wondering what I’m doing as I follow him.

  Last night, everything had seemed to be going amazingly well. I’d begun believing that maybe Mia was right and that love, or at least the first tingles of it, can strike when you least expect it. Certainly, I’d felt like this thing between Gabe and me had grown well beyond a one-night stand considering all we’d shared, the stories we’d told, and the multiple times I’d seen his dimpled smile in response to a story I told, even when they were more tragically funny than outright humorous.

  And I’d learned a lot about him as we chatted,
flirted, and slurped down those delicious noodles. He told me about his job, or well . . . some about it. He told me about the things he likes and dislikes, and while we didn’t get too deep into his family history, he never shirked a single question I had for him.

  But this morning, when he looked at Russell, there was something in his face that scared me. I felt like I was looking at a totally different person, someone with the same face and body as Gabe but a totally different soul.

  I don’t know how I ended up following him. It just seems like the thing to do in the moment. Questions and concerns overlap each other in my mind with my sudden mistrust of Gabe, making me a little crazy.

  Am I being irrational? Have I just gone a little cuckoo?

  I know it’s a bit much, but even so, I don’t stop. I don’t turn around.

  Gabe pulls off the road and into the parking lot at a strip mall, and I follow, watching as he goes into . . . a Walmart?

  That seems anti-climatic. I don’t know what I was expecting, but my gut is still telling me something is up. And since I’m not really one to get weird vibes, I’m listening to this one, no matter how nonsensical it may be.

  So I sit in Martha’s car, waiting.

  When Gabe comes out, he’s got two bags and calmly beelines for his SUV. As he turns, I can see that one bag looks like it’s got some snacks in it, while in the other, I can see the clear outline of a rubber mallet.

  Gabe gets in his Range Rover, and I have a moment of clarity. Do I stop this madness or keep following? I glance up to the rearview mirror, seeing my eyes bright with worry.

  “What am I doing?” I ask my reflection. Relationships are built on trust, but relationships are also built on honesty, and my gut tells me I’m missing something important here. I just don’t know.

  But when I see the candy-apple red SUV pull out, I know I’m doing this. No matter how weird, how stupid, how embarrassed I’m going to be later when it ends up that I’m overreacting to nothing, I need to know.