by Anna Collins
“I hope you don’t take this the wrong way, but you were an ass. Making me feel last night was a mistake is not a good thing. It detracts me from doing it again, and maybe you should think about it before you say something disparaging. Your parents did what they could, and you were just a kid at the time. It was only human nature you took advantage of the situation, especially when you didn’t know the full scope of how they were so close to ending it all,” I said as I looked out the window and watched the ocean down below through the coverage of the clouds.
I could smell garlic and mushrooms, and I turned to see that the stewardess who was busting out all over the place had brought us something to snack on. It was a fusion of Mexican and Italian flavors which really didn’t make much sense on paper.
“You really do need to try this, Willa. It’s not up to your father’s standards, but it certainly does hit the spot. If it’s all the same to you, I would really like to refrain from talking about my parents. It’s a sore subject and one I hope you would respect not to mention again,” his tone was neutral. Pushing him any further would only be causing more problems and it was not worth it.
The food tasted something like a taco but it was more flavorful. I decided if I was going to live for a short time I should put my misconceptions on the shelf. It was painfully clear I was only going to live this one time. It was possible the ripe old age and dying of natural causes were not going to happen. I had to hope for the best but prepare for the worst. I was in my twenties, and I had done very little to take chances in my life. My company was a developing baby in need of my steady hand at the helm.
I had been in contact with Emily by e-mail, and she had informed me things were going swimmingly well. The product was flying off the shelf. I had to assume word of mouth passed from one resident to another, and the gossip train was running at full steam. It made me smile, but also frown at the same time. I was gleeful my business was thriving, but sad I wasn’t there to witness it taking its first unsteady steps.
“I have told you time and time again this trip is necessary. The man is a little squirrelly, and the address he sent me is in a remote part of Wyoming. He has cut himself off from civilization and lives a modest lifestyle with everything being off the grid. He doesn’t want the government to know where he is. He likes his solitude, but he does have a satellite connecting him to the world through Internet and television. He lives off the land. I have been trying to piece his identity together, but a lot of people have been searching for a way to disappear so I can find exactly who he is,” Tristan said as his fingers flew over the keyboard putting in search parameters, coming up with five people in the list of 20 he had mentioned.
The hours grew shorter as the days went by and it was never more evident than when I had learned what I was fighting against. This was the one day I was going to find the beauty in it all. My vibrant skin and hair like lace would not be appreciated by the opposite sex for very much longer. It was dangerous to think about my mortality. I had to keep my spirits up. The best way to do it was to think about Tristan and the way he felt as he surged forward in my mouth and hands.
“He sounds like somebody who has lost touch with reality. That certain something happened to make him feel he needed to keep people at a distance. I know I’m in darkness here and somewhere there is light about to bleed through. You came along, and you gave me a reason to stand up and be noticed. I have to say last night was out of character, but it is something I would do again in a heartbeat. The poison has an interesting side effect. I don’t know if you will believe me, but my sex drive seems to be like a runaway horse. I crave the taste of you, and it makes me feel weak to admit such a thing,” I said while my hand lingered on the inside of his thigh. I made him squirm like a fish out of water.
“Normally, I would be ready to take you right here and right now, but we need to stay focused. The more we know about this man, the better it will be for us. We need to be fully armed with the information going forward. The five men I have shown you have all declared themselves independent. They lost their faith in humanity, and they decided to hide away from the rest of the world. I look at everything I have learned about the man we are going to meet, and I have come to some irrefutable answers. These two men, Spencer Ames and Carlos Rodriguez, are the ones I have narrowed my search down to,” Tristan said as he sat there and let me move my fingers like a spider up the inside of his leg.
“You are saying one thing, but your body is saying something else. You haven’t tried to slap my hands away from you. You are enjoying the attention I give you. It could be that you are powerless against the soldier who calls all the shots. You like what I’m doing, but I cannot say the same thing for the stewardess. The way you have filled out those pants tells me I could probably give you a repeat performance of last night, and you would be more than willing to oblige,” I said tickling his balls and then squeezing the shaft through the membrane of his pants and his underwear combined.
“Let’s stop this before we put on a show for everyone,” Tristan said as I put my hands in my lap like a pouting child.
Chapter 9
We landed with no fanfare. I didn’t know what I was to expect. For a moment there, I thought the doors would open, and there would be a cavalcade of people taking photographs, making me wave as if I was being put under a microscope yet again.
When the door of the plane opened, there was only a black Sedan to greet us. It was waiting at the bottom of the stairs with a very staid looking young man wearing a dark suit, white shirt, and dark Aviator sunglasses. He saw us approaching, and he opened the back door to reveal there was nobody there.
“I have been requested to take you to an undisclosed location. I know this might seem a little unusual, but I need you to wear these blindfolds. You might find this a bit extreme, but my boss takes these things very seriously. I can’t even mention his name as it will surely get me fired immediately,” this man said as we complied with his demands and let the world become dark with only the sound of the engine and our breathing being the only things to be heard.
“I don’t mind saying this feels like I am part of some kind of spy novel. If this wasn’t a matter of life and death, I might have laughed at the way we are being treated. I kinda find it exciting to not know what is going to happen around the next corner. I like the idea I can be unpredictable although this has never been the case in my life. There’s almost something liberating about facing my own mortality. It’s quite a feeling to not give a damn. There’s a bit of a rush knowing I can do anything and not have to be called on it,” I said as I realized that coming alive for the first time made my body shoot those endorphins into the pleasure center of my brain.
“Willa, I have to say your outlook is refreshing. Others would curl up and scream it wasn’t fair. You have been amazingly calm and collected through this entire ordeal. The only thing which has changed for you is the way you see life. You can no longer sit idly by when you get a chance to smell the roses. You don’t let life push you along in its wake. There is something kind of beautiful in the way you perceive things, without those rose colored glasses. The truth has always been staring you in the face, and you have been reluctant to see it,” Tristan said as if he was trying to reveal something that was going to be quite dramatic, like a magician about to perform his final act.
“I don’t know where this is coming from, but you’re making me blush. I am not so special, and I don’t want you to get caught up in the hype of how I am feeling. I’m going to live like every moment is my last. I’m sure others have made this declaration a time or two during a new year’s resolution. Most often than not, they never live up to anything that resembles flying by the seat of their pants. This is the most influential time of my life. It is blowing up. I could stand here and watch everything I have, burn down to ashes, but I will not do that,” I said listening to both of our heartbeats, knowing they were almost synchronized as one.
“I know you’ve noticed the way I have been looking at you. I have
certainly seen the errant glances in my direction. Don’t think your interest in me has gone unnoticed. I have something to tell you, but I’m not sure how to say the words. There is a reason why you feel we are so familiar to one another. I didn’t see it at first, but when you mentioned how you worked your fingers to the bone for your parents, it finally dawned on me,” Tristan said as the car came in contact with railroad tracks and made us both bounce in the very seat we were sitting in.
The pavement we had been driving on turned into potholes which made it very difficult to have a conversation without feeling as if my kidneys were going to come out of my chest. I had no idea what he wanted to say, but I had a feeling it was important enough he was willing to say it at the most awkward moment.
I was a little nervous, but the energy in the air was heavy with the unpredictable nature of the way we had been whisked away. I should have been screaming for some assurance, but I remained hopeful things were going to work out in my favor. It was possible this man, either Spencer or Carlos had been instrumental in doing this to me. I tried to think of their names and anyway I might have crossed paths with them. I went through my inventory and those who had bought from me in the two years I had my shop open. I started off with only an Internet site, but it soon became too much for the demand. I had to have something of more brick and mortar with the kind of foot traffic which would bring my customers to me.
There was still the question of what Tristan was going to say, but it was going to have to remain a secret for a little bit longer. The car came to a screeching halt with the sound of rocks and pebbles hitting the undercarriage. The car had barely come to a stop when we were pulled from the inside by burly men who really didn’t have much to say for themselves. I felt something hard against my side, and I envisioned the blunt end of a revolver pressing against my ribs.
“It would be best you allowed me to do the talking. I know you have a vested interest in all of this more than anybody. I can hopefully speak his language. We’re both scientists and doctors. That should hopefully give us something to build on. Conversation is the backbone of every society, and I have learned to play the game better than most. I may not like politics, but this is a man after my own heart. He understands how work can overshadow personal life. It’s the reason why he has sequestered himself out here in the middle of nowhere,” Tristan said as we shuffled forward. It was a wonder we didn’t trip and smash our noggin against some rock; that was going to end my life prematurely, even before the poison could do its work.
I heard our footsteps coming in contact with wooden stairs, and then the rush of air coming from a door being opened. Life was a mystery, and everybody stood alone. Nobody was calling my name in the middle of the night for a glass of water or in the throes of ecstasy. I felt like I had wasted my entire life on a pipe dream barely out of diapers. I heard the little voice in the back of my head telling me it was time to quit and go back to my father, but I forced myself to endure.
“I think it’s safe to say we can dispense with the blindfold. They are my guests, and it’s not like they’re going to know where they are. Keep them close. They won’t be staying for long. I would say no more than a few hours and possibly overnight. It depends on how everything goes. Take them into the den and have Leslie prepare some drinks. I have to return some phone calls, but I will be returning shortly,” this man said with an accent I couldn’t place. It sounded European.
He did not address either one of us. I think this was a bit of a shock to Tristan. He didn’t get a chance to say anything, and this went in the face of what he told me he was going to do. Just like a dream, Tristan and this mystery man actually didn’t appear to be what they seemed. He had taken me someplace off the grid and expected me to remain silent the entire time we were in talks with a man who had taken extreme precautions to keep his privacy intact.
The blindfolds were taken off, and I saw the back of the man’s head disappearing down a hallway. I was tempted to pursue, but I didn’t think I was in any frame of mind to do something like that. I had to slow things down and let this take its natural course.
The two men looked as if they had no necks. I thought Tristan was in good shape, but these guys made him look like a comical character getting sand kicked in his face by a bully. They were a little bit too muscle-bound for my discernible tastes. I liked the way Tristan carried himself with authority and a sense of self-importance, which really was quite galling to those he met.
“I don’t know about you, Tristan, but I think this was a bit abrupt. We came all the way out here in good faith, and he leaves us wondering what is going to come to us. He didn’t even say anything to us directly. At least, he had the decency to get the blindfolds taken off. I’m a bit claustrophobic, and I was quite surprised I didn’t go into hyperventilation. I’m going to try and say things softly and keep a positive outlook on things. Don’t expect me to sit here quietly and let the boys talk,” I said looking in his direction, seeing he was now standing and pacing back and forth.
“I don’t see there is a right moment or place to say this. I have been trying to tell you something, and I guess I didn’t have the nerve. You have to admit this thing between us is something that feels right. Man, I didn’t know how hard this was going to be,” Tristan had his hand up and his mouth open, but he was interrupted yet again by a willowy young woman.
“He will be in to join you in a few minutes. I brought some hot chocolate with mini marshmallows. I thought you would like something to eat. These are his favorite and please don’t tell him I gave you a couple of them. He can be quite cross when he wants to be. For the most part, he’s very quiet and lets us have the run of the house. If I get permission, I will be more than happy to give you the grand tour. What you see is barely scratching the surface. This place has many surprises including an Olympic sized heated pool in the basement I have been known to use from time to time. How else would you explain my girlish figure after all? I’m just kidding, but I do feel it’s necessary to treat my body like a temple. I keep him young. You may think it’s sex and that’s only a small component of our relationship. I am Leslie, and I came on board to teach him how to take care of himself. It was a battle to get him to stop smoking, drinking, and eating junk food. I weaned him off slowly, and now he is the epitome of health,” Leslie said wearing this yellow chiffon dress which barely hid her obvious assets.
“We appreciate the hospitality. We might take you up on your offer about the grand tour. If I were in his shoes, I would feel it necessary to be young again myself. I would want there to be no question I can keep up with you. I imagine he feels like a dirty old man. I’m not judging, and I see this arrangement works for the both of you. I know how he feels and this one is a firecracker. She takes me out of my comfort zone. I do the same thing for her, and we are better for it,” Tristan said.
“Don’t listen to him. I’m the lucky one. I thought all hope was lost and then he came into my life and gave me a reason to see things differently. I don’t know if you understand the reason why we came here. I don’t know how much he tells you about his business or if he tries to shelter you from his day to day work. I’m just grateful he was willing to give us an audience,” I said as I took one bite of those cookies. I could see the reason why he was hoarding them for himself.
The chocolate and the mint was a perfect addition to the hot chocolate and the marshmallows. It had this Christmastime feel and made me homesick for those days I would rush downstairs with a girlish curiosity for the presents under the tree.
“I have to tell you I was a little surprised to learn he was going to be having guests. He usually doesn’t allow anybody into his private sanctuary, but then again, I have only known him for a short while myself. He takes care of me, and all he asks in return is that I give him my undying fealty. I enjoy everything about him, and that includes the sex. He’s quite adventurous and creative when it comes to kinky persuasion,” Leslie said as she sat down with one leg crossed giving us both something m
ore to think about than meeting with a perfect stranger.
“If we're going to be completely honest with each other then I have to tell you we don't even know his name. The only reason why I would come here in the first place and subject myself to be looked at under a microscope is desperation. Tristan seems to think he has something to contribute to what is going on with me. I’m not going to elaborate and go into details, though. I really don’t know how much he tells you or what he wants you to know,” I said as I drank from my cup and ate the cookies sitting right in front of me.
“You have caught my friend at a disadvantage. She’s trying to come to terms with a few things, and you have to imagine it has to be pretty hard. If I were to hazard a guess, I would say his business has been kept from you for the most part, but I also know living under the same roof makes it possible for you to find out more than you have led on. Leslie, you must know you can do better than all of this. I’m a pretty good judge of character, and you take me for a woman who is independent and has a mind of her own,” Tristan said as he sat there and we both looked at our host and realized she was as much prisoner as we were.
“I never said I was completely happy. I do know he has dabbled into playing God from time to time. His fascination with life and death is morbid but also gives him that certain something to keep me interested. I was a doctor before I came here and then I lost it all when I had a mishap in surgery. He proclaimed he could give me the world. He backed it up with actions. The lab downstairs is nothing but the best. I’ve been able to do my research in private without government restrictions. I would be a damn fool if I didn’t say I was a little worried about the state of his mind. However, he has been very pleased with my work, and I now have a staff of five; they don’t say anything unless spoken to. Where else can I find the best technology money can buy and be afforded the opportunity to fulfill my passion?” Leslie said as both Tristan, and I hung on her every word.