by Neal, Xavier
Nonchalantly I shake my head. She moves further in the bathroom to reach for it again.
Oh I know exactly what I'm doing. Don't call me a child.
“There aren't cameras in here,” I state slowly. “How come?”
“Because there's audio.”
Baffled how that makes sense I toss my hand in the air waiting for her to explain.
“False privacy tactic. You think you're safe. You might slip up and make a mistake. Say something you wouldn't have when cameras were watching. No. He doesn't listen to it any more than he watches the tapes. Like I said, unless he's given a reason, it's more for show than anything else.” She moves towards me again. “Now, glass.”
When I pretend to lower the glass, she takes the bait. Swiftly I wrap an arm around her waist and guide her against the wall that's opposite of the entry way. As soon as her back hits it, I drop my lips on top of hers. Like I expected she fights back, a hand banging at my chest while her lips don't try to deceive. They fall apart, inviting more of me in. I use the hand that's slipped around her back to pull her into me as I lean backwards to feel for the counter space for the glass. The second it's out of my possession, I use my other hand to support myself against the wall. With it stretched out, and my other hand tugging her into me as she tries to put on a facade of escape, I get lost into the rife waves of ecstasy.
I've kissed enough chicks to the point where after the initial moment, there's nothing left to be surprised by. Nothing left to thrill someone that's seen it all. Well...almost seen it all, it seems. I could kiss this chick forever. That's something I damn sure haven't had before.
She whimpers and pushes at my shoulder, which pulls my lips from hers. Melody stares at me, her azure eyes glazed over with a look I've seen a million times, but never been more thankful to as I am now. Slowly her head moves back and forth. I use the hand that was lingering on her hip to stroke her cheek. Her eyes lazily close. I take the invitation to return our tongues together, this time even more feverishly. Desperate to consume as much of her as I can in this one moment, this one moment I may never get again, I offer up my kisses like an oblation to this goddess who is just as imprisoned as I am.
To my surprise Melody grips the waist band of my boxers until my body is flush with hers. My dick nudges towards the heat radiating from her.
Can you blame him? He just better not come. If I bust a nut from the idea of this shit alone there's no reattaching my balls.
For only a moment longer, we remain lost in a whirlwind of tongues, touches, and the temptation to moan our delight and desire for more.
When she pulls back this time, she touches her swollen lips, regret as prevalent as excitement. Pushing past me, she grabs the glass and doesn't say another word. She shuts the door once she's on the other side, leaving my body in a state of distress that almost matches what's going on in my mind.
I pull back the shower curtain and start the water. In one easy motion, I'm naked and under the water, dick in my eager hand that's more than ready to help me find some relief. Letting my head hit the space under the shower, the warm water rolls across my shoulders acting as a pathetic replacement for the warmth I'm seeking. It doesn't stop my hand or my mind from pretending it's something else. Suddenly the image of Mel naked, hands wrapping around my waist floods my mind, causing me to leak out the groans I couldn't before. The thought of her soft hand wrapped around my cock, jerking me back and forth, feels like I've stumbled upon the keys to the castle. The path to the ultimate fucking orgasm. In my mind she strokes faster, hand occasionally giving my nuts a tug. Each time her palm rubs against my ampallang piercing I let out another moan. At the moment they're so close together that it feels like I'm no longer breathing, I come hard, the fluid falling down the drain. Struggling to capture my breath, I keep my eyes closed, the fact that I shouldn't be thinking about sex at a time like this is irrelevant.
Look, there's no escaping before the heist is to be completed. That's a fact. When the chance comes, I won't miss it. And if I can, I'm gonna free her too. Free her and bring her home to my bed where I will show her a life she hasn't been able to see in years. Keep showing her how good life should be. Keep sharing my life with her. My word.
Once I'm dry and in a pair of fresh sweat pants, I stroll out of my room to where Melody is putting breakfast on the round kitchen table.
Without looking at me she announces. “Omelets.”
“Are there veggies in them?”
Puzzled, she looks at me. “No...do you...do you not like vegetables?”
Flopping down in the wooden chair, I answer, “Not for breakfast.”
“Why not?”
“Do I look like Popeye to you?”
The joke works. Melody lets out a priceless laugh and another wall from her resistance fort comes down.
Hey, the sooner she realizes I'm not here to hurt her, but help her, the better.
“You grow all your own vegetables, don't you?” She nods as she hands me a napkin. “Is that what makes your garden special enough to be called Eden?”
Slowly she shakes her head in denial before having a seat. “It's so much more than that.”
“Oh yeah?” I pick up my fork. “Will you show me?”
Melody's face tries not to smile. “Maybe.”
“Maybe is better than no.”
“Which is what people say while waiting for a reason to say yes,” she quotes.
Oh yeah. A girl who can throw my words back at me? How could I not wanna keep her?
After a chuckle I start in on my breakfast. Each bite, somehow, taste better than the last.
I've never fucking had eggs this good before. It shouldn't even be humanly possible to make them taste like this. No, you can't have a bite.
“What else is in the garden? Just flowers and shit?”
She leans back in her chair, eyes falling on me. “That too. Herbs. Plants that can be broken down to make different pharmaceutical needs. Ointments. Poisons. Antidotes.”
If she can do all that shit, why hasn't she poisoned The Devil yet? I mean, yeah it's probably not that easy. Chances are if she tried and failed, he'd kill her on the spot. Knowing how his fucking mind works, he'd probably spot the idea a mile away. Well, I bet the thought has at least crossed her mind.
“How do you even get started learning that shit?”
Melody offers me a wide smile this time. “Plants are easier to get along with than people.”
I chuckle. “That's how my big brother feels about cars.”
She giggles.
Fuck I love that sound.
“Given that you think being Queen of the Amazon is easier than Queen of the Social Pyramid, what else spurred you to wanna...be Poison Ivy?”
When she laughs again, this time her head falls back and the smallest snort comes out of her. “A Batman reference, really?”
“So you do know movies?”
“Old ones,” she sheepishly confesses.
“Well when I get you the fuck out of this place, updating you on those will definitely be on the list of things to do.”
Melody doesn't acknowledge the declaration. “My father died of an overdose. I wondered why. Wondered how. I had an early interest in chemical compound break downs like that. I graduated high school early, started college at 17, was almost done with my master's degree when I ended up...here.”
“Wait. Wait. Wait. How the fuck is that possible? College is like four years!”
“I started taking college credits as freshman. Went to summer school. Did courses online. Wasn't that hard.”
“Wasn't that hard?” I snap. “Are you joking?”
“Studying came natural to me. I didn't have a lot of friends-”
“Boyfriends?”
Her mouth opens to say something, but she hesitates.
Why do I feel like she was going to deny anybody would wanna date her? If she said that we all know it would be a lie. Look at her. No. Seriously, look at her. She's could easily be a porn st
ar with the way her body is stacked and a makeup ad model with her perfect complexion. Come on.
“I didn't have that problem.” Before I can ask any more questions, she picks her fork back up and asks, “What about you? Did you always know it was cars and motorcycles for you?”
I hum and reach for my juice. “That's one way of putting it. We were never really given a choice to consider other options. Madden needed more hands in the shop. He wanted a family business. We had always had an attraction for cars 'cause of our dad and bikes 'cause of our uncle, so it seemed to fit. College was never on the agenda.”
Melody questions, “Do you wish it was?”
My eyes cut over to her, hands still wrapped around the glass.
“Do you wish it would've been an option? I mean...if it had been, you wouldn't be here.”
In a whisper I confess, “I don't know that I don't wanna be here.”
Immediately her face starts to burn bright once more.
“Yeah, being held hostage, not exactly the ideal way of meeting the girl of your dreams, but I think what matters is actually meeting her.”
Oh yeah. That...that totally sounded like a line. Shut up! Let me fix it.
With a slow head shake she pushes her barely eaten meal away from her. “Drew, I'm not who you think I am.”
“Let me ask you something.” I mimic her last action. “If The Devil granted you your freedom, no consequences, no repercussions for walking away from him, would you go?”
She turns her head towards me to nod.
“Exactly.” Under the table I let my hand slowly slide across her thigh to her hand that's lingering in her lap. “You're just as much a prisoner as I am. Your chains may not be the same, your sentence may be a little longer, but you don't belong here anymore than I do.”
Instead of pushing me away like I expect, she folds her fingers with mine, an ease washing over her. Seeing the softness blanket her causes a tranquility to invade my own body unexpectedly.
What the fuck is that? Side effect of the pain killers?
In a whisper she confides, “You're the first person to touch me like this in years.”
“Good,” I reply.
She scoffs. “Good?”
“Yeah.” My hand squeezes hers tighter. “I honestly hate the idea of anyone touching you that isn't me.”
Her bottom lip slips between her teeth.
“About that kiss...”
“You regret it?”
“Fuck no.” The quick response causes her to jump slightly. “I just wanted to say, I wasn't finished when you walked away.”
Melody giggles and shakes her head. “I had to.”
“And I have to finish what I started. I'm not a man who likes to leave projects unfinished.”
“Is that what I am?” A cold expression crosses her face. “A project? Something to toy with to help pass the time by?”
“Finding each and every way I can make you whimper from pleasure is a project I don't take lightly.” Her mouth leaks out a small moan. “I'm not looking to just pass the time by with you, Mel. I'm looking to make the time with you mean something.” When her mouth shuts I add, “And I think you know that. And I think that's why you run. Because getting attached to something frightens you-”
“Because everything around me dies,” she blurts.
Comforting...
“I'm not gonna die,” I assure her. “Not here. Not on this bullshit mission for The Devil. I guarantee that.”
Melody looks away obviously not convinced.
Don't join her. Trust me here. I mean, I can see how you'd be a little skeptical, but I'm telling you. Have a little more faith.
Abruptly she drops my hand and stands. She reaches for the dishes. “If you're finished with your breakfast, you need to get started for the day.”
I nod. “I am but-”
“Hand me your plate please.” Once I oblige, she turns with both dishes in her hand. “I'll be out of your way shortly. Dishes and then I'll be in Eden if you need anything.”
Unsure of why she's trying to push me away again, I stare straight ahead out the window that's showing the gorgeous sight of the backyard area. “How will I contact you if I do?”
“There are intercoms all around the house. Find one.”
Keeping my back to her I continue to admire the way the green grass seems to stretch for miles, a dark forest area appearing to be much closer than it actually is.
Well if that isn't a fucking metaphor I don't know what is. I just hope whatever darkness Mel is hiding from me will eventually let my light touch it.
Melody
Oh yeah. I'm fucked. Royally fucked. I thought that kiss was a mistake. I thought that would be the ultimate 'I'm making a terrible choice' mistake, but I was wrong. Oh so wrong! All that kiss has done is spur me to keep making mistakes. To keep putting myself in a position I can't make it out of. But you know what? I'm tired of not being alive. I used to think as long as there was air in my lungs I was living. That as long as I woke up and went to sleep, that's all that mattered. Another day was won as best as it could be. I used to think all the tragic shit that happened in between was just one more tally on the long list of shit I needed forgiveness for at the gates of Heaven and as long as I made it to the end of the road, I was okay. My life had been lived. I've lied to myself for years. It's the only way I could stop from murdering myself. My own life was taken from me when I started working for The Devil and just because there's air in my lungs doesn't mean I'm alive. Hell, I'm more like the walking dead than anything else. I've always been worried about making it another day. In the process, I've failed to see my death clock has always been running. The Devil simply just adds minutes when he needs them. One day he won't. Shouldn't I live before then? Maybe I should run the clock out before he can. Is it bad I wanna run the clock out with Drew?
“Ouch!” I snap and quickly suck the blood from my pricked finger.
Stupid thorns. See? Mistakes.
Walking away to the opposite end of my greenhouse, I pass by my flourishing plants.
Unless you know a thing or two about plants, I wouldn't touch anything. There are quite a few things just lingering around that can kill you. You know why. You've seen why.
At my first aid station, I start to clean the prick, most people would've just brushed off.
Not in here. Can't risk that.
“Melody.” Omar's voice echoes around my sanctuary.
“Over here!” I call back patting the spot dry before grabbing a band-aid.
His heavy footsteps make it easy to track him. Within seconds he's beside me. Frowning. “How'd you do that?”
“I caught it on a thorn.”
“You rarely ever make that mistake.”
“Thank you,” I sarcastically remark. “I'm aware.”
“How'd you do it?”
“It just happened.”
He folds his arms across his chest with a displeased expression. “That doesn't just happen to someone who lives and breathes greenery. That's like saying 'my gun just went off'. That's not an acceptable excuse.”
As soon as the bandage is around my finger I look up at him. “Did you actually need something from me or did you just come to accuse me, once more, of not being able to do my job?”
“Are you doing your job?”
“Wow.” I snap. “How many times do I have to repeat myself?”
“What happened this morning?”
“Excuse me?”
“I checked in briefly this morning. I saw you walk into the bathroom. Audio seemed to cut out for a period of time. What happened?”
The memory of Drew's mouth consuming mine fervidly causes the unused muscles between my legs to clench like they did when it happened. “I gave him his medication and left.”
“After telling him there weren't cameras in there. Why'd you do that?”
“What does it matter if he knows he's not being watched while he pees? What does it matter if he has that little bit of inf
ormation, Omar? He's a dead man anyway you look at it, right?”
I wanna be wrong. I want Drew to be right. I want him to wrap me up in his arms and whisk me away like some trashy paperback novel. I want us to live a long and happy life together in a house with a backyard and a bunch of kids running around, but while I'm stupid enough to dream about it, I'm not stupid enough to buy it. He's going to die. He's gonna die and it's going to be my fault. Hate me. Go ahead. I do.