Dangerous Desires

by Tia Siren

  The woman straddling him was assertive. She knew exactly what she was doing. As though reading his mind, she released the top two buttons of her blouse and plucked a breast from her bra, bringing the nipple to touch his lips.

  Julian knew he should be fighting this. Not fifteen minutes ago, he’d kissed his ex, and she’d kissed him back. What was this? What if Nicole wanted to get back together? But Colleen smelled and felt so good. No strings attached, that’s what she’d said… right?

  With little hesitation, he took a nipple into his mouth and sucked. He then licked the tip until it was hard and pointy. Not satisfied, he reached for the the other and proceeded to do the same. Colleen groaned and arched her back, giving him full access to her luscious mounds.

  It was months since he’d been with a woman… masturbation didn’t count, and he was bursting at the seams. He could tell she wasn’t wearing underwear, and when she reached down and guided his thickness into her woman place, he was only too happy to oblige.

  Her hot wet flesh welcomed him as his cock slid into her. Her hips moved in a circular motion while he continued to nip and suck her breasts. Julian thrust his hips up to meet her grinding. Soon, she was gliding up and down his pole, her movements becoming rapid.

  Her grunts and sighs filled the room as waves of pleasure assailed him. It didn’t take long before he felt her grip him tightly, throw her head back, and let out a shrill cry. Even he was on the brink, as his cock swelled, filling her to the hilt. He thrust his hips upward in short rapid movements as his release came. He was grunting like a wild hog, letting go of the tension.

  When their breathing almost returned to normal, Colleen kissed him. “See, that wasn’t so hard… well, it was hard…” she winked at him with a grin. “See how easy it was to let go?”

  He could hardly catch his breath. What the hell just happened? This was good… so good… but what about Nicole? If he could help her, would they get back together? He resolved to forget about what happened and focus on helping the one he loved. The situation with Colleen had gotten out of hand, and he needed to stop it now.

  Gently, he eased her from him and stood, straightening his clothes. Colleen smoothed her skirt and hair before going into his bathroom. After a few minutes, she exited and walked to the door. “Let’s have dinner tonight,” she suggested. “We can do this properly.”

  “I’m afraid I can’t.”

  “Ok. How about tomorrow?” she queried with a brow lifted. When he shook his head, she asked, “The next day?”

  “I’m not sure; I’ll let you know.”

  If he was going to help Nicole, he needed all the time he could muster. By his recent calculations, if he injected himself with the serum, the cancer cells would take about three to four days to populate. He could then insert the chip and wait. The problem was that he wasn’t sure how long she had.

  “I’ll be seeing you then. Call me when you do have time,” Colleen was saying, bringing him back to the present.

  Julian walked her to the door and let her through. She was barely out when he rushed to his computer and started tapping the keys. He was so caught up with what he was doing that all thoughts of the previous half hour slipped from his mind.

  Colleen gritted her teeth as she made her way back to her office on the second floor. This wasn’t going as planned. Nicole wasn’t supposed to return. She wouldn’t allow that woman to worm her way back into Julian’s life. It was her turn now; she’d waited long enough, and she’d be damned if she were going to back away.

  It was difficult to concentrate on work for the rest of the day, but she got through it. At 5 p.m., she clocked out and went to the tech room to check on Julian. He was locked in his private office.

  After work, she decided to stop by the Italian restaurant in the business district to get her dinner to go. She didn’t feel like dining by herself. She’d open up a bottle of wine and enjoy her dinner on her sofa while watching a movie. That was the plan.

  She was sitting at the bar waiting on her order when Nicole and a man walked in. The guy had sandy blond hair and pale blue eyes. She watched as a waiter showed them to a table. Keeping her eyes on them, she noticed how affectionate the guy was toward her. He held her hand across the table and even brushed her hair away from her forehead.

  This was too much for Colleen to handle. Just today, she was kissing Julian, and now she was out with another man? No, she could not sit and allow this woman to play games. Sliding from her perch on the barstool, she straightened her back before walking over. Both Nicole and the man looked up at her as she paused by their table.

  “Hi, Colleen?” Nicole greeted with a bright smile.

  “Have you no shame?” Colleen ignored the greeting.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “What game are you playing?”

  “Excuse me… I don’t know what you’re talking about”

  Colleen laughed. “Stop messing with Julian’s head. He doesn’t need your kind of trouble.”

  Nicole’s face fell. “What…”

  “Stay away from him if you know what’s good for you.”

  The man stood and was about to face her when Nicole grabbed his arm and shook her head. The man sat. Oh, that’s sweet, Colleen thought. The guy was big, about Julian’s height. He was handsome too but couldn’t hold a candle to Julian.

  “I think you’ve misunderstood what’s going on here, Colleen.”

  “I don’t care to know what’s going on. I need you to stay the hell away from him. He’s taken… got that?”

  Without waiting for an answer, she walked away. Maybe now Nicole would get the message and just leave him be. Colleen knew that what she did would perhaps get her in trouble with Julian. It was not as though they were officially a couple. However, she felt that Nicole’s presence was confusing him, and that wasn’t fair. Nicole had her chance and blew it; now it was her turn.

  8

  Nicole leaned her head on the backrest of the sofa in her bedroom. Quite often, she was lethargic and had to lie down to regain her energy. Most days, she was nauseated and tired, just like today.

  Closing her eyes, the face of Colleen flashed before her and the confrontation last night. Obviously, Colleen thought Brady was her lover. The woman’s words played over in her mind. Julian deserved to be happy, and she wanted to be the one to be with him. If only she could fight this disease, but she could not put him through that.

  However, something inside her wanted to fight for his love. She knew he still loved her, but it was obvious he was trying to move on. Slowly, she arose and got dressed. She’d have to call a cab since Brady was due in court.

  The cab arrived within fifteen minutes to take her to Maconn MedTech. As she entered the reception area, Colleen came down the stairs. Nicole and Colleen shot darts at each other across the expanse of the room.

  Colleen was the first to break the tension and rushed to meet her. “What are you doing here?” she snapped.

  “I’m here to see Julian if you don’t mind.”

  Colleen’s face twisted derisively. “He’s busy.”

  “He’ll see me,” Nicole said easily. “And by the way… enjoy it while you can.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Colleen asked.

  Ignoring her, Nicole continued on her way to see Julian. She thought Colleen would follow her, but she didn’t. It was obvious the girl was jealous, but she didn’t care. At least she got to see Colleen squirm.

  Seeing Nicole enter the tech room was a pleasant surprise. When the buzzer went off, he thought it was Colleen or Ryan. The receptionist usually informed him of any visitors who would wait in the lobby. Julian quickly rose from his desk and walked her to his private room. He could feel all eyes on them as he left his team to see to his guest.

  “Sorry for barging in like this,” she apologized.

  He offered her a seat. “No need to apologize; it’s a pleasant surprise.”

  “Have you thought about what I asked?”
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br />   “Yes, but I need to run some more tests before I give it to you.”

  “I don’t have time, Julian. I’m fading. I may look okay on the outside, but I can barely get through the day.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “I want you to do it now. Insert the chip today.”

  “What’s so special about today?”

  “The sooner we start, the sooner we’ll know if we have a future together.”

  Julian wasn’t sure he heard right. Did she just mention a future with him? He stared at her. He so wanted to do it now, but the chip being untested on humans was of concern. He had been planning to test it on himself, but that would take two to three weeks before he could have a definitive result. It was as though his heart and brain were going in opposite directions because he found himself saying, “Okay.”

  As soon as the word flew from his mouth, Nicole jumped up from the chair and flung her arms around his neck. They held each other as she rested her head on his shoulder.

  “Thank you,” she said. Her voice was weaker than a moment ago, and he felt her sag against him. Her breathing sounded labored, and a grimace crossed her face.

  “Nicole?”

  “Not… feeling… so good,” she managed between breaths.

  With a sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach, he put her to sit on the armchair. He then called for Brady. The man was not answering.

  “Nicole, can you hear me?” Julian touched her shoulder. “Should I call the ambulance?”

  She was unresponsive. Moving into action, he picked her up and rushed out the door. He’d have to drive her to the hospital. She seemed unconscious, and he hoped that she was going to be okay. Speeding all the way, he was at the hospital within a short time, where he took her to the emergency room.

  When they realized she was an oncology patient, they admitted her to the cancer unit. Julian paced the halls while the doctors ministered to her. He was still pacing when one of the doctors came out to see him.

  “Are you a relative?”

  “No, I’m her…” he began. What should he say? “I’m her friend. Will she be okay?”

  “She’s regained consciousness, but we’re keeping her for a few days.”

  “Are you her personal physician?” Julian asked.

  The doctor smiled. “Yes, I’m Dr. Lowe.”

  “Did she mention anything to you about an experimental technology?”

  Dr. Lowe narrowed his eyes. “Yes, we discussed it. Are you the developer?”

  He gestured for Julian to follow him to his office where they continued to discuss the matter. Dr. Lowe introduced himself as the head of the oncology department. The doctor offered Julian a seat while he took his chair behind the desk.

  “I heard a lot about you. I’m impressed,” the doctor continued.

  “She asked me to have the chip implanted in her. What do you think?”

  “At this time, we are willing to try anything. Tell me about the pros and cons of using this technology.”

  Julian filled the doctor in about its development and testing. They spoke for a long time about how the chip would be implanted, how it would be monitored, and the tests that needed to be done on a regular basis.

  “The signals sent to each tumor takes them apart cell by cell,” Julian said. “Not only does it destroy the tumors, it repairs damaged cells in the process, so the recovery time is faster.”

  “I see.” Dr. Low nodded. “We could start the process immediately.”

  “Doctor, the chip has not received final approval from the FDA.”

  “Has it been approved for testing?”

  “Yes, but…”

  “Then Nicole will be your first human subject. She doesn’t mind.”

  “I’m not sure about this.”

  Doctor Lowe leaned an elbow on his desk. “I know the next step is difficult, but the subject is a willing participant. We do experimental treatments every day, especially in this field. Many times, the patient doesn’t even know they are being tested with a new drug. Sometimes these drugs have adverse side effects. With this technology, the chip can be removed easily if something goes wrong.”

  The doctor made a good point. New drugs came on the market every day. It was nothing new trying something new with a patient. Julian supposed that since the patient was Nicole, he was being more sensitive about the matter than necessary.

  Doctor Lowe had Nicole sign the consent form, and the chip was implanted on the same day. Doctor Lowe was given a tablet with the software that would monitor the entire process from the physician’s end. Julian monitored the progress from his own computer in his lab. Pushing aside his reservations, Julian was confident that this would be a success.

  “Something’s wrong,” Julian murmured, staring at the computer monitor.

  Three days after the implant, things seemed to have been going well. He’d spent the last few nights at the office monitoring the technical details in the event that something should go wrong. The device he gave Dr. Lowe showed Nicole’s vitals and the progress of the destruction of the cancer cells.

  Julian had left the computer for a moment to get coffee. When he returned, he noticed something different. The signal for the microchip had gone off. He tapped a few numbers on the keyboard, but nothing happened. With a sinking feeling in his stomach, he picked up his phone and dialed Dr. Lowe’s number.

  The doctor answered after two rings. “Dr. Lowe here.”

  “It’s Julian, what’s happening? I can’t get a signal from my end. Is everything okay?”

  The last thing he expected was something to go wrong. He thought that perhaps his tracker was malfunctioning, and he needed some reassurance that Nicole was okay.

  “Julian, Nicole has gone missing.”

  “What do you mean missing?”

  Blood was rushing rapidly to his head, and he heard it through his temporal artery. He hardly heard the man on the end of the line explain that she checked herself out and was nowhere to be found. Even her brother had no idea where she was.

  Even if Nicole checked herself out of the oncology unit, he should still be able to track her movements within a hundred-mile radius. The lack of signal could only mean one thing. Nicole had traveled outside of Cupertino.

  9

  A few days after Nicole disappeared, with the police involved and Brady employing every resource to find his sister, a letter arrived. The letter was printed and not handwritten, which Julian found strange. However, the signature on the bottom was definitely hers.

  Dear Julian,

  I write these words with regret and gratitude all rolled up in one. I am grateful that you have agreed to do this for me. I know it will be a success. However, I regret that I cannot stay in that godforsaken hospital a minute longer. If I am going to survive this, I need to be free. I feel like a prisoner in there. I’m sorry to do this to you, but if I survive, I will return to let the entire world know what you have done.

  In the meantime, make Colleen happy. I’m counting on you to be happy, and don’t look for me. I told Brady the same thing, and I expect you both to honor my wishes; this may be the last thing I ask of both of you.

  Love,

  Nicole.

  Three months later, Nicole did not return although she sent one more letter assuring them she was fine. He wasn’t happy about it. She should be in a place where she would be monitored and cared for. However, she was an adult, and if she wanted to do this on her own, he wanted to honor her wishes.

  He had yet to find the culprit for the mishaps in the office, and nothing else happened after that. It was strange. Even though there was no evidence that his team messed up, he upgraded the security. Each member was now required to log in with fingerprint technology. If anything went wrong, he’d immediately know for certain who was responsible.

  Julian continued the lab tests with rats and later upgraded to larger animals sent over from veterinarians close by. Most of the animals sent to him had inoperable tumors. The owners w
ere more than happy to try this new therapy. If successful, the animals would become famous as well.

  Because of the trial on larger animals, he had to rent lab space next door to the Maconn MedTech building. Colleen offered to be his lab assistant, and he was not inclined to refuse her. Something about her made it difficult to resist her.

  It was a cold and windy day in mid-December. This year’s winter was unusually cold for Cupertino. Most days were damp and dark such as this one. They were in the new lab having coffee. The day’s work had ended, and it was time for them to close the lab. During the nights, a new security team was posted along with the added secure technology Julian employed.

  “We should take a few days off during the Christmas holidays. What do you think?” Colleen suggested.

  Now that they worked closely together, they had been seeing much of each other. Julian was slowly becoming attached to her as she offered much-needed comfort to him. Colleen had a way of knowing when he needed to de-stress, and that was quite often. She was fun to be around, and they had a connection that was becoming stronger with time.

  “You might be onto something,” he agreed. “A weekend away sounds good. No longer than two days.”

  The lake house she rented was beautiful. The place was tranquil, away from the city life of Cupertino. In this place, Julian could forget about work for at least forty-eight hours and just relax. That was what Colleen hoped. As far as she knew, there wasn’t a cell tower close by, so she hoped that the reception was non-existent. She’d turned her cell phone off so as not to be distracted by it.

  They arrived at the lake on Christmas Eve and would stay until Boxing Day. All the staff members were off for the holidays, but Robert promised to check on the animals on Christmas Day to feed and water them. They couldn’t very well leave the animals by themselves for the entire holidays.

  She’d gone to freshen up when Julian took a stroll down by the lakeside. He was looking out on the waters when she walked up behind him. He seemed far away, and she knew what or whom he was thinking about. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she hugged him close.