by Tabatha Kiss
The wine is helping. A little.
The alcohol flushes my tear-stained cheeks as I try to decide what will be kept and what will be tossed. I don’t have a huge amount of personal possessions but it’s definitely too much for me to carry around in a backpack.
I sigh and down the rest of the mug wine in a single gulp.
A bang on the door breaks the silence. I jump off the floor and balance on my knees, nearly dropping the mug. Terror fills my senses. My instincts strike and I roll over the floor, reaching underneath my bed for the baseball bat I keep strategically hidden from view. I leap to my feet and raise the bat over my head. The room shifts back and forth in my vision, lost in an alcoholic haze.
Another round of bangs pound in my ear. I reach for my phone and wonder how long it will take the police to respond. Hopefully, before I’m murdered.
“Rocky, let me in.”
“Zeke?!” I drop the bat and shuffle toward the door. My heart is thumping fast in my chest as I attempt multiple times to unlatch the door and swing it open.
I look up at Zeke and try to keep the door partially closed.
“Let me in,” he repeats. He takes a step forward and pushes on the door.
I don’t fight him, not that I ever could in this condition, and shift to the side to allow him in.
Zeke walks into my small apartment. His eyes glide over the bare white walls.
“So, you know where I live…” I notice.
“I’ve always known,” he says as he slides his hands in his pockets.
“Really?” I ask.
“When dad put me in charge of the hotel here, I looked you up.”
My mind swims. “That was like… two years ago.”
Zeke shrugs his shoulders. “What are these boxes for?” he asks.
“I have to move out,” I say.
“Why?”
“Because I can’t pay my rent,” I say, my lips feeling loose. “I’ve only made partial payments for three months so my landlord is evicting me.”
I feel a twinge of embarrassment, wondering what thoughts are in his mind as he sees how I live.
“Zeke, what are you doing here?” I ask.
“I realized something.”
“What?”
“That I lost you once already,” he says. “And I won’t go through that again.”
“Zeke…” I breathe. “I’m not yours to lose. I can’t be yours.”
“Says who?”
“Says me.”
He pauses in the middle of the room, his eyes staring down at me. “Is that what you really want?”
I hesitate. I want to say that I want him to hold me. I want to say that I want to feel him inside of me again. I want many things. But they are things that I can’t reasonably have.
“You should go, Zeke,” I say.
“You’ve been crying. I can tell.”
“I’ve had a rough day,” I say, laughter boiling in my gut. I step into the kitchen. Dirty dishes are strung out on the counter, but I can’t bring myself to care about that right now.
“Talk to me, Rocky,” he says. He follows me into the kitchen and leans against the counter, blocking my exit.
I sigh and point to the stack of mail next to him on the counter. The red eviction notice sits on top. The letters beneath it are from my university. Zeke grabs them and flips through the pile.
“I’ve been dismissed from school,” I admit. “I read that letter today when I got home.” I turn around and open the refrigerator to grab the half-empty bottle of wine.
“You don’t need that. Put it down,” Zeke says, tossing the letters back onto the counter.
“No, Zeke,” I say, bringing the bottle to my lips. “This is pretty much all I have right now.”
“That’s bullshit and you know it.” He steps toward me and grabs the bottle. “You’re drunk.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Yes, you are.” He takes the bottle from me and places it on the counter behind him. He uses his other arm to push me away from it, an easy task for his muscular frame.
“Well, what do you care, huh?” I shout, wiping some of the dribbling wine off my chin. “Mister handsome rich dude? Not a care in the world! I’ll just throw some money at all my problems and poof — all gone!”
Zeke shrugs. “I was dealt a better hand.”
“Yeah, no shit,” I say, tears stinging my eyes. “I’m nobody. I always have been.”
“You’re somebody to me,” he says. “You’re somebody to your whole family, Rocky. You’re acting very immature.”
“I think I’m allowed at least one day to feel genuine human emotion over how much my life sucks, Zeke.”
“I’ll give you thirty more seconds.”
I laugh. It rises from the depths of my gut and splits the air, tearing my body in two.
“What?” I chuckle between breaths.
“Twenty seconds.”
I stare at Zeke. For some reason, he seems taller. The silence weighs on me. “You’re so fucking ridiculous.”
“Ten seconds.”
He takes a few steps toward me.
My eyes fill with tears. “Zeke, please, just go—”
“Five,” he whispers, taking my face in his hands.
“Stop it—”
“Three, two, one.”
I freeze in his arms and look up into his eyes. The world feels heavy upon my shoulders as it crashes down around me.
“I don’t know what to do,” I admit.
“Move into the penthouse with me,” he says.
I wiggle free of his grasp. “I can’t do that, Zeke. It’s not right…”
“Then, take a room at the hotel. Pick one. It’s yours.”
“I can’t afford that!”
“You don’t have to,” he says. “It’s your name on the building.”
I close my eyes. “I’m so tired of hearing that. I’m not a Belmont!”
“Yes, you are.” His tone is fierce. Final. “Stop looking for excuses to say no. Just take it.” He moves away from me in frustration. “You can live there while you go to school.”
“I can’t afford school either.”
“Yes. You can,” he argues with a smile.
“You’re not paying for my school, Zeke.”
“No, you are. With the compensation you earn while working for me.”
“I was already kicked out!”
“I’ll make a few phone calls. The Dean of admissions is a friend of the family.”
I fall silent. I don’t know where to go from here. I’m so tired. I feel like I’ve been fighting this fight for a hundred years. I don’t have the strength for yet another battle.
“Rocky,” Zeke begins. “You are your own worst enemy. There’s literally nothing standing in front of you, holding you back, other than you.”
“But…” I exhale.
“But what?”
“But I didn’t earn this.”
I left this family so I could make my own way. What kind of coward would I be if I were to turn around and run home now?
“Do you think that really matters?” Zeke asks. “No one gets anywhere in this world without someone — somewhere — at some time — lending them a hand.”
He holds out his hand to me.
“Take it.”
I fill my lungs with air. My eyes wander around my tiny studio apartment. I look at the boxes and the water damaged ceiling and the stained carpet. “This is a little more than a hand, Zeke.”
“That’s the rest of life’s big secret,” he says. “You just get lucky.”
I laugh, shaking my head from side-to-side. “You’re fucking ridiculous, you know that, right?”
He nods. “Of course I do.”
I reach out and take his hand. He wraps his fingers around mine with a tight grip and pulls me closer.
“Pack a bag,” he says as he plants a kiss on my forehead. “I’ll send someone tomorrow to move the rest of your things to the hotel.”
&nbs
p; “I can manage it myself—”
“Rocky.” Zeke lays a finger across my lips. “I’ll take care of it.”
Fifteen
Zeke
“Oh, Zeke... don’t stop!”
Rocky’s nail dig into my scalp as I roll my tongue along her clit.
“I can’t stop,” I groan. “I can never stop...”
I lap at her, practically feasting on her dripping pussy and she can’t stop screaming at my ceiling. I don’t want her to stop. Ever. The pleasure of hearing her moan for me is just too perfect. She grinds herself against my mouth while her fingers and toes curl into my satin sheets slumped over her naked body.
I kiss her clit, pulling back to see the torture on her face. She’s so close to coming but I don’t want to end this bliss just yet. I thrust my tongue inside of her pussy, immersing myself with her taste like a ravenous animal. I slide my hands beneath her to cup her ass and draw her off the bed, pulling her closer to my lips.
“Come for me, Rocky,” I say, making eye contact with her.
She looks down at me, her face covered in sweat, as I raise her knees up and over my shoulders. She’s locked in place beneath me with nowhere to go and nothing to do but let me take her...
“Come for me,” I say again before sucking lightly on her throbbing clit.
Rocky grips the pillow beneath her head, her teeth chattering as her body shakes. Passions spill out of her, making her body buck uncontrollably. I hold her down as her wetness flows and I lap every drop of it off her her folds and thighs.
I sit up, smiling wide as I toss her legs off my shoulders but I keep firm hands on her body to move here where I want her to be. I pull her closer, wrapping her legs around me as I guide my cock toward her entrance.
“I have to be inside of you,” I whisper.
“Zeke...” she moans.
“I have to.” I part her folds. “I can’t take it.”
I thrust inside and she gasps, coming again before I even start fucking her. I feel the inner spasms of her muscles around my cock, instantly tempting me to fire my load inside but I will myself to make this last.
Rocky sits up, dragging her wetness along my dick as she balances herself above me. She slides back on and starts riding me. I hold her close, keeping her steady as I bounce her on me, taking her deeper with each fast thrust. Her nails dig into my back as her hips grind on me. I’m so close to coming. I just need one more thing to push me over.
I cup her face, drawing her lips toward mine. “Tell me you love me,” I say. “Tell me I’m yours, Rocky.”
Her lips tremble but she doesn’t hesitate. “I love you,” she says. “You’re mine, Zeke. Always.”
I wrap my arms around her, holding her against me as I come into the depths of her. “You’re so beautiful, Rocky...” I nibble at her neck, feeling her pulse pounding beneath her skin. “I never want to be inside of anyone else.”
I lean forward, my tired arms letting her fall softly to the mattress. Her chest heaves as she reaches out to lay a hand on the back of my neck and pull me down to kiss her. I crush my mouth on hers, stealing as many kisses as I can until my lungs force me to stop and breathe.
“Do you mean that?” she asks, her voice weak.
“Every word,” I admit.
I rest beside her and she lays my head against her chest.
My Rocky. All mine. I don’t care what anyone else says. This was the way it was meant to be.
We lay together, limbs entwined in love and sweat, until the comfort of sleep takes us both.
Sixteen
Rocky
I stare at the ticking clock on the wall of my room at Belmont Tower. It taps away the minutes of the evening, the second hand looping repeatedly about its face. It’s nearly eleven and this is not how I want to spend my Friday night.
My final paper for the semester is due by midnight. I’m in the home stretch. A paragraph here. A paragraph there. One last conclusion to tie everything together and I was home free for the summer. A whole summer full of no responsibilities and a whole lot of Zeke Belmont.
Ah, Zeke…
I smile to myself and my hand twitches toward my phone.
No, Rocky. You promised yourself no fun until this was all over!
I pull my hand away and sit up taller in my chair. I run my fingers through my brown hair, feeling the stiff pull of oil against my fingertips. It’s been two days since I locked myself in this room, determined to write this paper in record time. But it’s just so easy to excuse myself upstairs for a quick “break” in Zeke’s penthouse…
Would it really be so bad to take another one?
A quick glance at my mirror tells me that’s not going to happen. This is definitely not my sexiest moment. I sit at the desk, clad in an over-size sweater and shorts. I haven’t put on make-up in two days. The state of my hair pretty much seals the deal. I’m not going anywhere anytime soon.
I sigh and look down at my laptop again. The black cursor blinks repeatedly against the white page, mocking me. I crack my knuckles and lay my fingers on the keys.
Knock. Knock.
I whip my head around toward the door. A rush of adrenaline pulls me from my work.
“Zeke…” I say, raising my voice. I jump up from my chair and walk to the door. “I told you I was busy tonight—”
I open the door and pause.
“You’re not Zeke,” I say.
“No, I’m not,” Becky says. She flicks her eyes up and down, her face speaking volumes over my current state. “I need to talk to you.”
“I’m actually really busy right now, Becky,” I say. “I don’t have time—”
“It’ll only be a minute,” she says as she pushes herself inside. “I see you’ve made yourself comfortable here…”
I glance around the room. It’s been two weeks since I moved into the suite. After a few years of poverty, it feels odd to call this place home.
Of course, this doesn’t keep me from tossing my clothes in piles on the floor or taking advantage of room service.
“You could say that…” I say. I shrug my shoulders beneath the large sweater.
“I’ve always liked the suites on this floor the best…” Becky says, her heels tapping toward the windows.
I watch her move around my room. Her tight body swims inside her stunning cocktail dress. Her perfect blonde locks frame her face, making her eyes pop in just the right way. She truly is an all-American princess and she knows it.
“You get the best views of the city lights from this side.”
“I don’t mean to be rude, Becky,” I begin. “It’s nice to see you, but I really do have some homework to finish.”
“You’ve been spending a lot of time with Zeke lately,” she says as she stares out the window.
“Yeah,” I agree. “I work for him.”
“You can say that you’ve gotten pretty close, then?”
My heart beats faster in my chest. “I guess? What’s your point, Becky?”
She turns toward me, the outline of her body standing out in front of the gorgeous city skyline. “I didn’t say anything when you came back because I hoped it wouldn’t be an issue. But I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be working for Zeke.”
I force a laugh, trying to remain oblivious. “What are you talking about?”
“Cut the crap, Rocky. We both know he’s had a thing for you for years.”
I remind myself to breathe. “That’s insane,” I say. “I’m his sister.”
“Not by blood. And blood is all that matters.”
“Our relationship is professional. That’s it!”
“Then, why did he dump Madison the second you moved in here?”
I shrug my shoulders. “Who the hell knows? It wasn’t serious.”
“I’ve watched Zeke go from girl-to-girl the last few years. All of them have one thing in common,” she pauses for dramatic effect.
I take the bait. “What’s that?”
“They’re al
l short. Brown hair. Big eyes. Pale skin. Just like you.”
“You just described more than half the women in this city,” I say, hoping to deflect her suspicions.
Becky sighs with annoyance. “Fine. Live in denial. But know this. If something does happen between you two, and it gets out, it will destroy this family,” she says. “My father will be publicly humiliated, your mother included. Zeke will be forced out and left with absolutely nothing. And you will be thrown back onto the street where you belong.”
I keep my emotions in check, trying very hard not to show how much I’m screaming inside. “Well, Becky, thank you for the warning. But I really need—”
“I know about the pool house, Rocky. Logan told me everything.”
My cheeks feel like they’re on fire. I roll my eyes to hide my thoughts. “Becky, I really need to finish my paper.”
Becky steps toward me. Her heels keep her towering above me and she looks down on me with her judgmental blue eyes. “You should leave. It’ll be better for everyone.”
“There’s nothing going on between us,” I say unconvincingly.
“Good,” Becky says, not buying it. “I sincerely hope there isn’t. Either way, you need to ask yourself what you really want here. Do you want the man? Or the billionaire?” She opens her clutch and withdraws a golden cigarette case.
“I want to finish my paper,” I say.
“Because you can’t have both,” she continues. “Sure, you two can be together…” She does nothing to hide the look of disgust slithering across her face. “But you’ll have nothing. You’ll have no school. No fancy hotel roof over your head. No money. Zeke will lose everything. Or you can leave. I’m sure your mommy can convince step-daddy to continue letting you leech off his checkbook for rent and food.” She pops a cigarette out of the case and slides it between her lips. “Do you think you can handle that?”
“Becky,” I say, taking a deep breath. “I’m a big girl.” I pull away from her. “I can handle this.”
“I just want my brother to be happy,” she says. She shakes her head from side-to-side. “And if you take all of this away from him, he won’t be. I guarantee it.”
I say nothing as she steps around me. She pauses at the door and looks at me over her shoulder.