I hang my head in exhaustion, but nod, assuring Roger I’ll be there. I better get going if I want to get home. I pull off the dominatrix outfit and slide into a very pretty, very feminine, front lace-up corset with a tiny white thong, garter, and stockings. I slide my feet into a kick ass pair of pumps, fluffing my hair to ensure I look tousled and sexy, and I’m good to go.
When I get to the VIP room I can see Gerry, the bouncer, at his post. I nod at him and then look over to see none other than my sexy stranger sitting on the couch, waiting for me to begin. He looks so good, so sexy, and so damn edible. He has one arm on the back of the couch and his eyes are hooded, as they look me over from head to toe. The longer he stares at me, the more they pool with desire. Oh my. I get a sudden burst of energy. I better get this show on the road. I start my music and head over to him to do our thing. “Hey, stranger,” I say softly, smiling at him.
He smiles back as his eyes scan my body. “Hi, Cherry.”
I start my dance, swaying side to side, letting the music flow over me. Before long I’m lost to the music and close my eyes as I move effortlessly. It comes naturally to me, as my hips circle and my hands slide up and down my body. I turn away from him and sit down in his lap, shaking my ass against his jeans. He’s already hard beneath me and as I squirm a bit, wanting to feel it inside me. He bucks his hips forward. Just feeling him so hard and turned on has me soaking wet.
I feel wetness pool in the crotch of my panties. My body starts to tremble. I’m so excited. I need to get a hold of myself, but I think I’m past that point. I turn around to face him and slowly pull at the laces of my corset, watching his face. His eyes are drawn to my hands as they watch every slow and deliberate movement. At that moment there is a knock on the door. I hear the whispers as I continue. Apparently there is a problem on the floor and Roger needs all hands on deck. Gerry turns to look at me as I glance at him, and I nod my head, telling him it’s ok to go. This guy won’t hurt me. I’ll be fine. I turn back and I continue my dance, smiling at my stranger. I can tell he wants to say something, so I arch a brow in question. “I’m Sawyer,” he says. I nod in response, but don’t say anything in return, because he knows my name.
I continue pulling the laces free of my corset until my breasts are bare and directly in his face. I discard my corset on the floor. My nipples are a peachy pink color, and hard, as they drag against his chest. I drape my arms around his neck and twirl my fingers in his hair. My entire body is on a high, tingling with every touch and glance from this man. I inhale deeply, smelling his aftershave, and his unique scent. I close my eyes briefly, just enjoying the moment. I feel his cock as he thrusts upward. I rub myself along his length shamelessly. The heat between our bodies is overwhelming.
Our eyes stay connected as I grind my pussy onto his cock. I feel how wet I am and I know I’m about to come from the firm stimulation of his cock against my clit, but that doesn’t stop me, as I continue grinding and rubbing myself. My instinct is to shut my eyes, but I force myself to keep them open as my body stiffens and I come, moaning loudly. Sawyer doesn’t take his eyes off of me, and at my moans he growls, gripping my hips tightly. The music ends and I halt my movements.
I’m sitting on his lap, breathless, and just staring into his eyes. The air is electric almost, and the hair on the back of my neck is standing on end. Something is passing between us, but I don’t know what it is. Uncomfortable, I drop my eyes from his and get up, my legs weak with fatigue. I cringe as I look down at his lap. He is soaked, a large, wet stain prominent on the front of his jeans. I’m mortified, and I can feel my cheeks getting red.
“I’m so sorry.” I apologize, pointing at his pants.
“Um, don’t be sorry. It wasn’t all you,” he says softly, biting the side of his lip to keep from laughing. “Unfortunately, I blew my load like a teenager getting his first hand job.” He laughs as he says this and I relax immediately. His laugh makes my skin tingle. You have to love a man who can laugh at himself. Humor is something every person needs.
He stands and walks toward me. “Now that we’ve exchanged names and bodily fluids, will you please consider going out with me,” he asks in a teasing voice. “I think it’s only appropriate at this point.”
I look at him, taking him in, and contemplating my response. Should I trust my gut? I suppose I don’t have anything to lose. If it doesn’t work out then all I’ve lost is a night out with some drinks. I smile at Sawyer and nod my head. He smiles and grabs ahold of my hair in his hands. “I’m going to kiss you now. Do you object?”
I bite the front of my lip and my stomach flips. I shake my head. He pulls me toward him and presses his lips to mine. In this moment I know I’ve made the right choice. He doesn’t make it a long one. I know he’s trying not to push me. “Goodnight, Sawyer,” I say as I turn to walk away.
“Sunday. I’ll pick you up,” he calls out from behind me. I nod and head back to my station to gather my things and head home.
***
I’m excited, yet very anxious about the upcoming date. Fuck. Maybe I should cancel. Geez woman, you just agreed to go. Don’t cancel it. Just go. You can do it. It’s just drinks.
My mind is churning and I’m already doubting my choices, but I need to get over this and get over myself. I want to burst with happiness as I step into my house, eager for bed. I waste no time before I finally drop into bed, exhausted beyond belief. I’m thankful I fall asleep almost instantly.
How could I have forgotten to complete my college applications? I’m so angry with myself, and my stupidity. I see the other students looking at me and whispering behind their hands. I’m so stupid. My hands are shaking as the magnitude of my mistake hits me full force. College is my way out, the only way to get away from Mama, and especially Mike. I’ve spent so much time being their cook, maid, and all around slave that I forgot, and I’ll never forgive myself for this mistake.
I angrily grab everything from my locker. I’ll just go see Mr. Avery. He can help me. After all, it is his job as my guidance counselor. Maybe he can come up with a solution. My heart is pounding with fear and uncertainty as I head to Mr. Avery’s office. His door is closed, but I don’t think twice about it and try the knob as it turns easily in my hand. I open the door and step into the room a bit before my mouth drops open in shock. Mr. Avery is sitting on the couch with his legs spread wide, and one arm on the back of the couch. His other hand is tangled in Candy Abernathy’s hair and she is between his legs, sucking his cock. Mr. Avery is using the hand that is tangled in her hair to guide her head in a steady rhythm, but it doesn’t end there. Behind Candy is a boy from math class, Justin. He is on his knees behind Candy, furiously pounding into her. The only sounds in the room are the wet sounds of Candy’s mouth, heavy breathing, and Justin chanting, “Yes, yes, yes.”
I’m frozen in shock. I can’t un-see what I’m seeing. My eyes finally raise and meet Mr. Avery’s. I expect him to be ashamed, or sorry, but he’s not. Instead, he just smirks and asks if I’d like to join them. I look at him, the tears flowing down my face. One after the other they shout out their release as I stand here like a fool, feeling as if I might vomit on my feet. I’m angry with myself that I’m frozen and unable to move. At that exact moment Candy turns around and wipes her mouth, smirking when she sees me.
“Oh look at your face,” she says laughing. “It’s fucking priceless. Do you honestly think you’re the only one, honey? You don’t even know his first name for Christ’s sake. You still fucking call him Mr. Avery. I bet you think you’re in a special relationship with him, writing his name in hearts all over your binders,” she taunts. “Do you really think you’ll be Mrs. Avery? You are such a pathetic fool.”
Her words prick at my pride, but she’s right. I don’t know his first name. How did that escape my notice? I do think I’m special and in a relationship with him. He is everything to me, and I love him. How could he do this to me?
“I loved you,” I shout at Mr. Avery, my breath hitching in my
chest. “I gave you everything, every part of me, including my virginity!” I’m angry with him, but also angry with myself, because that’s something I can’t get back.
“Justin, lock the door,” Mr. Avery says as he stands and then approaches me, before slapping me hard across the face. Instantly, my hand covers the stinging skin.
“I made you who you are, and don’t you forget it,” he sneers into my face, his eyes devoid of emotion. The skin under my hand is hot to the touch as I stare at this man I no longer recognize. I thought he was my Prince Charming. “Make sure she doesn’t go anywhere.” I struggle as he proceeds to undress me. This time it feels wrong, and dirty.
“Oh God, Please no.” This can’t be happening, please make it stop. “Just let me go. I swear I won’t say a word.”
They don’t listen to me, or even act like they hear me. Like everyone else in my life, they might see me, but are looking right through me. I struggle trying to get out of Justin’s hold as one piece of clothing after another falls to the ground. When I’m fully undressed Mr. Avery forces me to the ground and thrusts into me with brute force. I can feel my dry tissues tearing as I scream for them to stop. Why can’t anyone hear me? Tears are flowing down my face and I’m begging, chanting for them to leave me alone, to no avail.
“Shut the fuck up,” Mr. Avery shouts and I flinch, not recognizing who he is. He rolls us over and I try to get away as I’m on top, but my strength is no match for his. “Fucking take her, now.” I feel Justin behind me, and before I know what is happening he is entering my ass while Mr. Avery is embedded deep in my pussy. No one has ever been in there. A horrible pain is shooting through my core as they both roughly fuck me, enjoying taking from me without my consent. It feels like forever, but is likely only a few minutes before they come again, shouting and growling. They both pull free of my body and leave me lying here on the ground, broken. I’m curled in the fetal position, whimpering, as warm fluid starts running down my leg.
I look over and see that Candy watched the whole thing. Not only did she watch it, but also filmed it. It takes a heartless person to do something like that. “Before the day’s end this will be viral. Get ready to be a star, baby, a porn star. That’s about the only way anyone wants you, so you can go back to being the poor little broken girl with no daddy.”
I jolt upright in bed, my body and the bedding soaked with my sweat and tears. I shiver as I bring my knees to my chest and rock myself back and forth. The more I think about it, the more I gag, and before I know it I’m running to the toilet and emptying my stomach in the bowl. My throat is burning with shame and from the bile brought up from my stomach. I can’t believe he did that to me. I thought we had something special. Is my subconscious bringing up this nightmare because I want to move forward with Sawyer? I just want a small slice of happiness...for once.
Chapter Twenty-one
Sawyer
She agreed to go out with me. All of my persistence has finally paid off. I’m excited, but nervous, only because she’s so fragile away from the club. I don’t want to do anything to scare her away. It’s been a while since I’ve been on an official date. Mandy and I had fallen into a comfortable space with each other and I didn’t have to “work” to impress her, because we were together already. Maybe that’s partly what went wrong. I didn’t put much effort into our relationship.
I pull out my phone and send a quick text to Dylan.
Me: Need your help. Do u have time now?
Dylan: What’s up?
Me: I need date ideas.
Within seconds after I send the last message my phone rings and I see from my call display that it is Dylan. He knows that I’ve been trying to get Cherry to go out with me. He rags me about not closing the deal all the time. Fucking asshole. To make matters worse, he rubs it in my face that he could’ve had her first had he not been trying to give me an epic birthday. He’s lucky I like him. As usual I listen to his taunts. I just snort at him and agree. He did give me some great ideas, so I need him around. I hang up, knowing I’ve got a lot to do to prepare.
I still haven’t talked to Dad about Mark, and walking in on him and Mandy. Even though Dad never liked Mandy and won’t be surprised we’re apart, he will be upset that Mark played a part in all of this. He always hated seeing the bitter jealousy Mark had for me. After that first summer to me we were best friends, but not to Mark though. He always resented me. While I saw the annual jealousies, I never clued in on the resentment, not until recently. That’s when it seemed to me that he changed, became even more of an arrogant prick than he always was. Dad doesn’t spread gossip, but he insinuated there were issues at work for Mark, and that’s partly why he is acting the way he is. I get that Dad wants to protect his child, but Mark is destroying himself and taking so many people down with him.
I don’t want to spare another minute or thought on him, because he doesn’t deserve it. I know he’s family, he’s blood, but he literally spit in the face of the people who love him and want to help him. I’ve got better things to do and think about, like Cherry. I smile as I think about last night and that fucking hot lap dance. Damn, she’s hot. Her little ass grinding against my cock felt amazing, and I blew my load like a fifteen year old touching a pussy for the first time. I laugh at myself when I think about it, knowing that was the icebreaker. I was still surprised when she agreed to go out with me. Looking at her lips I couldn’t stand it anymore. I needed a taste.
I jot down a list of things I need to do to prepare for my date tomorrow, and make sure I’ve got my wallet before grabbing my keys and heading out to my truck. I need more storage space than my saddlebags will give me. I lock the door behind me and jog to my truck with a bounce in my step. I pull myself up and push the key into the ignition, fiddling with the radio before putting the truck in reverse and pulling out of my drive.
***
It’s late afternoon, early evening, and the sky is starting to darken. I’ve got one more stop left to make and that’s back to the grocery store. I park my truck and get out, locking it as I walk into the store. I grab a basket at the front of the store and look down at the list in my hand.
I’m here for some fruit, a few different kinds of cheeses, and several different types of crackers. I’ve already picked up the wine and even the Tupperware to put everything in. Dylan had a large picnic basket that I picked up earlier and I bought a new blanket from a close department store.
I take my time in the produce section, making sure to select fruit that is ripe but not overly ripe. I head to the deli and a worker there helps me make the right choices for what I have in mind. He even goes so far as to name the type of crackers and flavors that would blend well with the cheese and the wine I’ve selected.
A song comes on that I recognize and I find myself humming as I take my basket to the cashier. She gives me a smile as she scans my items and hands me my receipt, which I stuff into my pocket before grabbing the two grocery bags and then walk to my truck.
The sky is a dark pink in color. It’s almost nightfall when I hear a soft cry to the left of me. A few car rows down I see a man approaching a woman who is calling for help. I drop my bags beside my truck and take off running, my intent to help her. As I get closer I see it is Cherry. The tears are streaming down her face, and just like last time it’s as if she’s defeated and won’t fight back. Before I get there another man has jumped in to help her and her attacker flees. Once again I didn’t get a good look at him and I’m frustrated. Who the fuck would do this to her? I want to help Cherry, but I don’t know how if she won’t go to the police.
I don’t get an opportunity to say anything to her, because she jumped into her vehicle and took off out of the parking lot, her eyes wide and her face pale.
I stand here and watch, her tail lights the last thing I see. What the hell is going on with that woman?
Chapter Twenty-two
Cherry
I wish he would leave me alone. I’m not going to open my mouth and tell anyone
of my humiliating experience. It doesn’t matter how many times I tell him, he keeps coming back and tormenting me, not allowing me to forget or move on. I tore out of that parking lot and didn’t look back, the bile sitting at the back of my throat. I had to work hard to swallow repeatedly as my mouth filled with saliva and my bitterness and resentment bubbled under my skin. The minute I get one step forward into happiness, he pulls me back into misery.
I went through the paces at work, feeling as if I were a robot, performing automatically but without emotion or feeling of any kind. I didn’t pull in as many tips, and that’s a first for me. I easily make close to four hundred dollars on our top nights, which are Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Even Roger had a furrow in his brows as he watched me from the sidelines, his mouth a thin line of disappointment. I’m ashamed, because I don’t like to disappoint anyone, especially not Roger. Fawn tried to get me to open up, but I couldn’t. I promised. Not only that, but I don’t want to humiliate myself any more.
I fell into bed, physically exhausted, but emotionally and mentally wound up like a top. I couldn’t sleep, finally falling asleep around four in the morning, exhaustion pulling me under. As usual, the nightmares that creep so close beneath the surface of my conscience burst forth, and yet again I’m up vomiting, hugging the toilet bowl as if it will give me strength. I’ve only been asleep for about three hours, but I’m not going to bother going back to bed. Today is my date and my nerves are strung tight, so I try and think about something else.
There is a part of me thinking about college. I know it isn’t too late for me to consider going back to school. I can probably swing my course load and still work a few shifts, earning enough money for my bills. I’ve socked enough money away to do this without incurring too much debt. Joanne thinks I’ll qualify for a scholarship, but I scoffed at her for that.
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