Hello, My Name is... (A Miss Hyde Novella Book 1)

by Kindra Sowder

  “Alright,” I sighed as I pointed to my ensemble, “I, at least, need to change.” I began to walk out of the kitchen slightly annoyed but happy I wasn’t alone tonight and caught her picking up the wine bottle out of the corner of my eye. She took a large swig from the bottle, and when I looked at her, she used her arm to wipe off her mouth.

  “I decided you had the right idea about starting early,” she stated as she raised the bottle slightly into the air and then took another swallow. I walked away shaking my head and giving a slight chuckle. I strolled down the whitewashed hall and into my room, making sure to take my time in picking out my clothes for the evening out on the town.

  I had a gigantic selection to choose from to choose from, and the walk-in closet was spacious. Shoes upon shoes lined one wall while clothes lined the other. I had things categorized as casual and formal, and everything in between. I had something for every occasion, so I was always prepared. After searching through my dresses for a total of five minutes, I chose one that I had only worn once before and actually really liked. It was a tan dress with a dark blue lace overlay, and it was extremely form fitting, but not uncomfortable. My dirty clothes from work ended up in a black wicker hamper while I grabbed a strapless bra to slip on underneath the dress. I changed out of the one and threw it into the hamper with the white shirt and pencil skirt, slithering my feet into a pair of tan pumps that did all the right things for my legs. Even my casual clothes made me look fantastic. I didn’t like to look like a bum no matter what I was doing.

  The only thing left to do was touch up my make-up and with a small dab of nude lip gloss, a splash of fresh eyeliner, and a light feathering of dark blue eye shadow I was ready to take on New York City’s nightlife once again. As I stood in front of the full-length mirror, I could see just why it was impossible for me to come home alone at night. Sometimes I doubted myself, but tonight there was nothing but confidence, and I wasn’t sure if it actually had to do with Hyde or me.

  Chapter Four

  Lauren and I were now standing outside of the Marquee situated on Tenth Avenue, and a huge line started from the door and ran down the sidewalk. It was nearly impossible to see the end of it as we stood there, wondering how in the world we were going to get in. Of course, when you were a couple of single and attractive women in New York you had an easier time getting into places like this. She strung me along to the man standing right outside of the door with the velvet rope and clipboard. The purple neon lights were glowing, turning my skin into a lovely lavender color that complemented Lauren’s dress perfectly. The outside looks like a movie theater with an actual marquee on the front of the building above the doors. I could feel the music thumping in my chest, nearly making it hard to breathe.

  “Lauren, we won’t get in. Do you see what it looks like out here?” I let the irritation leak into my voice and snake around her like a fog. I wanted her to know that I didn’t want to be out, and I would make sure she felt it. She didn’t even turn back to look at me, but I knew exactly what she was doing. We were going right to the front of the line where she would flirt with the bouncer to get us in without having to wait and without a cover charge. This was just something she happened to be good at.

  Without even glaring back at me she said, “We’ll get in. Don’t you worry.” Her fingers were entwined in mine so tight that I knew I wouldn’t be able to wriggle mine free, so I had no choice but to tag along.

  “Oh, I’m not worried.” Sarcasm leached its way out without permission and flitted right off of my tongue unbidden. It was like she barely noticed. Either that or she was ignoring me, which was something she was excellent at. That and getting any man she wanted into her bed whether they were actually attainable or not.

  The bouncer was leaning against the black exterior wall, arms crossed over his wide chest and head slightly bobbing along with the beat of the music coming from the inside. His hair was buzzed close to his skull, and I could see his scalp peeking out from understand raven colored peach fuzz. I felt like a dwarf walking up to him. He was so tall that the only way I knew to describe him was the giant from “Jack and the Bean Stalk.”

  Lauren approached the velvet rope as I trailed behind her and cleared her throat, but the noise wasn’t even necessary. He had noticed her before we even made it up to the door, his dark eyes trailing over her body within seconds of her arrival. She had been swinging her small purse but now slung it over her shoulder, the small pouch of black leather sticking out from under her arm. The man had even leaned forward slightly showing she definitely had his attention, unfolding his arms and letting them fall to his side with the clipboard still clasped in his large hand.

  Lauren was practically pressed up against the velvet rope when she began to stroke the man’s arm, and I could see it twitch underneath his skin like he was trying to keep himself from responding to her touch. Every man responded to her. We both seemed to have that effect, but I only used it on men I knew that Hyde would want. This man wasn’t it. Not yet anyways, if he ever would be. A good lay sure, but worth a place in my room? Neither part of me was sure yet. His eyes flitted to her and then moved to me, focusing like I was the only one there. I tossed a small wave and smile in his direction, and he beamed back. If anyone were going to get us in it would be me it looked like. I could feel Hyde stirring in that instant. He was a good candidate, but too out in the open. He was the front man out here, and people would notice if he left. I needed someone who wasn’t on the job.

  I could hear her begin to whisper to the man, but couldn’t hear any of the words that were spoken. She turned back to me and smiled, and then back to him and began to whisper again. She had noticed that his eyes were on me, and she would use that to her advantage. A slight breeze ruffled my hair as I stood there, watching what I can best describe as nearly turning into smut happening in front of me. Apparently it wasn’t just me he was interested in, and she was going to use that to get in. Oh, what any man would do for a roll in the hay with a beautiful woman. It seemed it almost made them crazy enough to commit murder even.

  His arm slid down, and he unhooked the rope, barely moving it so we would have to squeeze against him to get through and so that the back of his hand would graze inappropriate places. I caught it, but I wasn’t sure Lauren had. She was too close to the action to see what was truly going on behind those eyes. I saw hunger, sexual and wicked, peeking out from behind them. It was only too easy for one monster to spot another and I knew he had spotted the one within me when the sly grin had spread across his lips. There was only one difference between the two of us. He was truly a monster, and only a part of me was. That morality was what separated us.

  “Thank you,” Lauren murmured as she squeezed between him and the metal stand that the rope was hooked to. She somehow managed to keep at least half an inch between them, not touching him in the slightest. Not even one accidental graze. He then looked to me, and a chill ran up my spine. The look was pure animal instinct, and I instantly felt like I was in danger and wanted to run, but I wouldn’t leave Lauren here alone, and I knew she wouldn’t leave.

  I turned slightly and moved myself through the small space, managing to keep at least an inch or so between us. Taking in a deep breath I moved my foot through the space, planting it on the ground next to his. That’s when it happened. His foot swept mine slightly, causing me to tumble directly into his chest. My palms were placed on his pecks where I had reached out trying to break my fall, which he seemed to enjoy. I was pressed against the length of him, and his smile grew even wider when the look of shock and disgust crossed my face at what I felt next.

  I pushed away from him in that instant and moved towards Lauren, who seemed to be sporting the same expression I was. She even felt the need to say something.

  “Well, that was crossing the line. We’ll be talking to your boss.” She turned away with a flip of her hair for drama and marched into the club, aggressively prying the doors open with emphasis. I could barely hear anything the man yelled
as we passed through the threshold, the music pounding around us like waves. I knew this bit. We weren’t going to be talking to anyone. This was just a way to get past the cover charge if there was a band or specific deejay playing that night. Luckily enough no deejay and no band. Just the music and the pumping bass that surrounded us and beating my eardrums into a pulp as we stood there. Purple, green, and blue lights were flashing in all directions and a large disco ball dangled in the center of the ceiling over the large dance floor, each landing a cascade of a different color.

  Lauren was here for the dancing and the men, but I was here for the bar. If I met a man, that would only be a plus. All I had wanted to do at home was drink, but I wasn’t at home now so the bar was the closest I would get tonight. She asked me where I was headed, and I used one slender finger to point to the long stretch of counter space where the bar was, and a man was mixing drinks furiously behind it. We split ways, and I clunked my way to the bar, my eyes on the rows and rows of liquor lining the shelves as well as the bottles in the bartender’s hands. Sliding onto an empty barstool, I ordered a drink. Whiskey sour on the rocks. One of the few drinks I actually preferred. I was always made fun of because it was more of a man’s drink than anything, but I liked what I liked. If it wasn’t wine, it was a whiskey sour. I moved the black stirrer around in the liquid, trying to more evenly distribute the whiskey and the sour mix. Most bartenders had a tendency to barely mix them, leaving the whiskey to be the first thing you tasted.

  I took a sip of the liquor and was in heaven. The whiskey wasn’t overpowering, and neither was the sour mix. The cherry at the bottom of the drink would soak up the alcohol, so I had a nice little surprise at the end. The sweet burn of the whiskey along with the tang of the sour was what I looked for in this drink, and it was a delightful combination. Poking the stirrer around in the glass, I could feel it squish into the cherry and out of the corner of my eye I couldn’t help but notice someone staring. I had an audience, and as I turned to look back I could see a menagerie of men looking in my direction, but my eye only caught one. He was tall, broad chested, and had penetrating blue eyes. His brown hair was cut short and was slightly spiked, but not in a way that made him look like a douchebag. His jeans hung low on his waist and the green t-shirt he was wearing really offset his eyes, making them shine from a distance even with the fantastic lights around us. Not wanting to be too obvious that I had spotted him I turned back to the bar and took another sip of my drink, resisting the urge to guzzle it down in one gulp. The burn from the whiskey on its way down had me letting out a content sigh and waiting for him to come my way. I never went running to them because I never had to.

  I crossed my legs and took another of the whiskey, and that was when I heard a voice sound over the blaring music. I recognized the song as one by Framing Hanley talking about lollipops and “shorties” at the club and the voice, no matter how good that song was, drowned it all out. It was dark and rough, just like I knew the slight stubble on his jaw would be. And it had the hint of danger that caused Hyde to react inside of me, the warmth beginning in the pit of my stomach and spreading slowly, but I swallowed it down. There was no place in public for Hyde. Not even in a place like this. Dance clubs and bars were a haven for roughnecks usually, but not any of the female persuasion that had a tendency to go homicidal.

  “Hi. Are you here alone?” Oh, the cheesiest way to ask if someone was indeed somewhere alone. Either that or the best way to tell you had a stalker on your hands. I looked to him and met his eyes. Definitely not a stalker. He had a broad smile on his face that bled sex, and my own body was responding in ways that should not happen in public. The heat began to move through me again, and I knew this was a man that I would be taking home with me. Not just for me, but for Hyde and it was a damn shame.

  “I guess you could say that,” I said as I took a glance over towards the dance floor. Lauren had disappeared into the crowd of grinding bodies, and I knew I wouldn’t be seeing here again until the morning when we would both be at work. I knew I would be getting all of the dirty details and being forced to give only half of my own.

  He held his hand out to me and introduced himself as Dax. I took his hand in mine, giving it a little squeeze and told him my name. If only there were a way to skip over the pleasantries and straight to the fun part. Well, both fun parts. The sex was fun for Hyde and myself, but the rest was only for Hyde. If I could avoid being present for the initial kill, I would be more than okay with that, but it never worked out that way. The only time I blacked out was during the disposal of the body. Hyde usually only left me with some blood to clean up and a heart to put in my freezer. It was really too bad she would be tearing that smooth skin apart in my room of death perfectly hidden within the walls of my apartment.

  We ended up talking for only a few minutes but my body was yearning for more than just a great conversation, and I wanted to move this along. I let my fingers graze his hand softly and his eyes never once left mine.

  “You want to get out of here?” I asked it may have been brazen, but there was never a point where I wasn’t when it came to something I wanted. It was a part of me that Hyde showed me that I knew I couldn’t hide anymore and that I didn’t even want to.

  He nodded, the smile spreading even wider over his kissable lips as I took his hand and lead him back into the dark outdoors and into fate.

  Chapter Five

  If I had shared a floor with anyone all they would hear were the sounds of soft feminine giggles and a male voice whispering. Thankfully for me, I had the whole entire floor to myself, so I avoided the awkward and judgmental looks from neighbors and the sneering remarks. We were in the elevator on our way up to my apartment and as much as I tried to play hard to get he couldn’t keep his hands off of me, caressing my hips and toying with the lace on my dress and leaving small nibbles and kisses on my shoulders. Even though it was a sure bet he would make it into my bed I never liked to give in too easy to make the anticipation of the act that much more worth it. That feeling was buzzing inside of me and causing that tightening sensation in my gut as I watched the buttons blink, moving up in a line. We were almost there.

  I slid my hand around the nape of his neck and thrust my fingers into his hair. It was smooth and so soft I could ravage it. I turned towards him then and slowly traced his bottom lip with the very tip of my tongue, and that sent a shiver through his body that even I could feel. The little ding signaled that we were at my floor, and I shimmied away, letting him stand there watching after me for just a few seconds while he tried to regroup himself. It only took those few seconds before the elevator doors started to close for him to shake out of the stupor and slink through them, coming towards me like a predator, the hunger in his eyes that had nothing to do with the food in my fridge. The light bouncing off of his eyes in the light of the street lamps outside and the entire busy goings-on of New York City was penetrating and even just that caused me to shiver. No touch required if you had the right look. I stopped in the middle of the living room, legs spread and hip cocked, waiting for him to come to me, which he did willingly.

  His stride was slow and deliberate, and he studied me carefully, wondering what my next move was but not caring at the same time. Once he reached it his lips met mine, soft and lingering, and hungry. The need I felt in that moment left me breathless as I put my hand on his chest and gave him a little nudge which he thought meant something else entirely. I had plans for him, and it was going to be long and drawn out, and the eagerness would eat us alive until we couldn’t resist it any longer.

  “Not so fast,” I purred in the darkness. “I have plans for you.”

  His breathing was heavy, and he could barely get out the words without his voice trembling, just like his body was underneath my hand. “Oh, yeah?” I could feel his hot breath on my face as he breathed the words.

  I nodded and responded, “Oh, yeah.” Turning to walk away I could feel his need to follow me, but I stopped him with just two more words. “Stay
here.” I turned back to see him watching me as I moved to the kitchen and to the freezer. Grabbing a glass from the cupboard, I knew exactly what my next step was. The ice clinked into the glass nicely as I dug some of it from the freezer, letting the cool slickness as it melted in my hand drip down my arm. At this point, I didn’t care if the dress got wet. It was only going to be ruined anyways. From the look in Dax’s eyes, I knew this dress was going to be torn to shreds. Hyde was slithering through my blood, causing the warmth in my loins and my gut to become hot like embers. This was what she thrived on, and I had to admit so did I.

  My heels clicked on the floor as I made my way back to the living room, frigid glass in hand. He was still standing in the same spot, so I led him over to the couch and took once slender ice cube in my fingers, setting the glass on the coffee table behind me. I saw a sly smile cross his lips, and it didn’t leave his face as I pushed him onto the couch and kneeled between his spread legs. The sweet shiver that we both felt at the exact same moment when I put the cube in between my lips was electric. I then lifted his shirt and slid the ice down the length of his chest and stomach, stopping at the waistband of his jeans and then taking the ice into my mouth to let it melt and fill my mouth with a cold wetness that I knew we would both enjoy. He leaned his head back and made a guttural sound that I couldn’t describe deep in his throat when I placed my hand on the buckle of his belt and began to pull the leather strap through his pant loops. I swooshed the ice around in my mouth as I rubbed the crotch of his pants where I could feel the length of him underneath. He was as ready for it as I was, but I knew that the longer we waited to actually get down to business the better it would be. It was a standard practice of mine to be the best any man had ever had, and I was serious about that practice.