by Kat T. Masen
“No, he won’t be there. I’ll be at the Hamptons. How about next weekend?”
He continued to stare at me, waiting for me to crack under the pressure. I was a lawyer. I spent years learning how not to crack under the pressure. He leaned in, grabbing my arm with a slight force. I jumped slightly, unaware that this possessive Julian existed.
“I believe you, but you listen to me Charlie. Lex is not who you think he is. He’s a ruthless man. You don’t get where he is today by playing nice. This ten million-dollar deal he is wrapped in right now, there’s plenty of strings attached. You think he is the Alex you knew back in high school? Think again, Charlie. I have no doubt he won’t stop till he has you, but if you choose him, don’t expect to be the only woman in his life.” With that he released his grip on my arm and walked out the door.
…
It was Saturday evening and Elijah and I were sitting at a coffee shop waiting for Adriana who claimed she needed to grab some stuff for our weekend away. I reminded her that there were shops in the Hamptons but she was adamant that she could only find what she needed in the city. I didn’t ask any more questions, it was probably some sex toy. Bull’s, Rocky and Will drove up with a friend of theirs that was staying a few houses away from us early this morning. Bull’s had texted me saying that the place was gorgeous and so was the weather considering it was October. I was looking forward to a relaxing weekend away especially after what Julian said to me. I decided to push those thoughts aside. He was just jealous and wanted to scare me. At least that’s what I kept telling myself.
“So basically children from the Bronx area, the ones who normally wouldn’t be able to afford a class, come by every Friday night. We go through the basics but I tell you they are extremely talented kids,” Elijah said.
“I admire you, Elijah. For following your dreams and passion. For helping others.”
“But you do that as well, Charlie. Don’t you love what you do?”
“I do. I mean, I’m glad that I chose this career path but people’s first reaction is to think I’m one hell of a mean bitch.”
We talked a little while longer, checking our phones to see the time. It was a little after seven and Adriana had been gone for forty-five minutes. Her lack of consideration for time drove me insane. Some things never change.
“What on Earth is taking your fiancé so long?”
“Me.”
The voice sent shivers down my spine but found its way back up to my heart. It was him. We hadn’t made eye contact but already I couldn’t hide my happiness. I slowly turned around and there he stood in front of me, looking as perfect as ever. His eyes lit up as he saw me and I did the most unexpected thing: I hugged him. Actually I think I jumped then hugged him. So much for trying to act mature and play it cool.
“I can’t believe you came!”
He laughed, eyeing me up and down. I wondered what was so funny. Oh gee, another foot-in-mouth incident. Of course he was thinking dirty thoughts. He whispered in my ear, “Not yet…friend.”
I couldn’t help but smile. I was so ecstatic he was coming with us. It felt wrong to be there without him. He ran his thumb down my cheek, very un-friend like but I didn’t push him away. He grinned, that beautiful crooked grin of his and I melted, I fucking missed him. I knew that but didn’t know the intensity of it till I saw him standing here in front of me.
“Let’s get this show on the road. Lead the way Char, where did you park?” Adriana asked.
“Excuse me?” Lex asked, confused.
I ignored his question on purpose. “Behind my building is the car park entrance. I'm lucky to get a car spot but that was a bonus to my apartment,” I rambled on then stopped myself as Lex looked at me strangely.
“You have a car here in New York?”
“Yes, Lex. It was a twenty-first birthday gift to myself although I bought it last year for my 24th.”
He chuckled, like a private joke inside his head. Well the jokes on him, assuming like every other man he expected I drove some little pink hatchback with Hello Kitty stickers on the bumper or some shit like that. I pressed the remote to the main garage door and walked down to my spot as they followed.
“Bullshit,” Lex mouthed.
“Oh Char, super awesomeness! Love love love it!” Adriana jumped up and down. Elijah whistled as he ran his hand along the paint job rambling on about car stats which of course I already knew.
“Cat got your tongue, Lex?” I teased.
“This is not yours,” he said adamantly.
“Would you like to check my license and registration, Officer Edwards?” Mocking Lex was fun.
“Charlotte, how on Earth did you get this car? There was only a limited amount and not even I could get it.”
“I don't know…batted my eyelashes a little, showed a bit of leg… You know, the usual,” I answered, playing dumb. Okay, I did flirt with the dealer but nothing happened. He was a naive middle aged man probably going through a mid-life crisis and so when I worked my magic, my name was bumped to the top of the waiting list.
“But it's a Maserati Granturismo MC Stradale?”
“Yes I am well aware of what car it is.” I rolled my eyes. How long till the shock wore off?
“Give me the keys. I'm driving.” He held out his hand like he expected me to just hand them over.
“Sorry dude, no one drives my car,” I said, brushing him off. This was fun. I played cool, not showing him how much I was enjoying taunting him.
“Charlotte, come on,” he whined.
“Char, do you want me to move your bike?” Adriana asked.
“Wait, back the fuck up… That is your bike?” Lex asked even more stunned than before. I’m sure he could’ve jizzed right there and then. I had never seen this side of Lex and I was loving every second of it.
“Yes, Lex, these are both my toys. Now can we please go? Elijah, do you want to take the bike?”
“I thought you'd never ask.” His eyes lit up and immediately he placed the helmet on and grabbed a jacket and the spare helmet I got back from Rocky.
“What’s wrong? You wanna play with my toys too?” I joked as Lex stood there. He broke out of his trance and tried to snatch the keys from me. “I’ll let you drive on one condition?” I offered.
“What's that?” he asked excitedly.
My heart was racing, wondering if I even had the balls to say how I felt but I surprised myself. What the fuck was I doing? I had no idea. I was taking the biggest leap of fucking faith, free-falling again praying that down below that safety net was waiting for me or maybe I wouldn’t need one. Maybe this is what it was like to rely on fate.
“This weekend, you and me…” I whispered in his ear. “Nothing’s off limits.”
It was no longer the cars that shocked him, it was my words. His face broke out into a smile before he leaned in and planted the softest kiss on my lips. I wanted to preserve this moment, much like a first kiss it warmed my heart, made my stomach flutter and everything I had wished for was falling into place.
“I missed you,” he said.
I held my keys before him and watched him take them from me. I was trusting him, not just with my car, but with my heart. I sighed because I knew there was no turning back. And I knew what I had to do once I returned to the City.
Chapter 28
Lex
The warm breeze filtered through the car as we opened the windows enjoying the drive down the freeway. Charlotte's display of toys left me speechless. When she said she had a car I expected a little bright colored girly piece of plastic with fluffy dice hanging from the rearview mirror, but no, parked in front of me was a Maserati. A fucking goddamn Maserati MC stradale for Christ’s sakes. The exact model I was trying to get my hands on a year ago but was told it was no longer available, not that I needed another car for my garage but I wanted this one. Fuck was I shocked.
On top of that, I was still trying to register what she had said. “This weekend, you and me… Nothing’s off limits.�
�� HOLY FUCK. So this meant we were on. My brain was all over the place but no matter what exactly she meant, I was happy. I couldn’t have asked for more at that moment so I told her I missed her because I fucking did and then I cupped her face and kissed her. She tasted like perfection and watching her smile that way in front of me sent that warm fuzzy feeling straight to my dick via my heart. Adriana and Elijah were standing there, leaning on the bike watching us all googly-eyed. Adriana looked like she was about to cry.
It was Saturday night and the traffic was scarce. We would make it there in an hour and a half, especially the way I was driving. Adriana and Elijah were taking their time, something about the scenic route. I refused to ask questions. When anyone took the “scenic route” it was because they were stopping off somewhere to get laid.
“So Mr. Edwards, how’s the drive?” Charlotte teased as she connected her iPod to the auxiliary port and pressed play. It was Bon Jovi. One of my favorite bands. If that didn’t bring back memories.
“Smooth,” I said, grinning. I mustered up the courage and asked her the question that had been nagging me since we were in the garage. “So tell me something, Miss Mason, how did you really get this car?”
She hesitated and it made me panic. No, this was Charlotte; she wasn’t that type of girl. Continuing to fiddle with the iPod, she finally answered me. I swear she was a fucking tease. “Lex, I’m a lawyer. I argue for a living. I went to the dealer knowing it was a limited production. I did my research and of course the salesman tried to take me for a ride. I told him I knew there was a black one left in the Beverly Hills showroom. I was willing to pay all shipment costs and of course full payment for the car. He kept going back and forth to his manager with lame excuses then I demanded to speak to his manager. I read the disclosure to him that where a car remains in another showroom, the dealer has full rights to sell that car to a customer provided all payments are received up front. Basically he didn’t think I was good for the money.”
“But how on Earth were you good for the money? I know how much this car is worth.” I was hoping I didn’t offend her. Her silent pauses were dragging out and I felt myself constantly on edge.
She laughed. “Well, I do make a nice living but I guess I learned how to invest well. I inherited some property and money from my grandmother when she passed away. I paid off my Harvard bills and put a deposit on my apartment. I became a bit obsessed with the stock market and it paid off. Bull’s and I went halfsies to open the firm. It really took off, more so than we expected, so my first present to myself was the bike, although sometimes you’d think it was Rocky’s. The car came as my twenty-fourth birthday present to myself. I never really had a twenty-first birthday, you know, with studying and stuff…” Trailing off, she stopped mid-sentence. “Anyway, I don’t have much time to go on holidays so I don’t spend much money. I guess it’s there for a rainy day.” She sighed.
It dawned on me that there was so much more about Charlotte I didn’t know. This weekend I was hoping to get to know her better, as well as getting my hands on her. I adjusted uncomfortably in my seat as mental images of her naked on the hood of the car flashed before me. I contemplated reaching over and fingering her tight pussy while I drove but the car was so precious, plus she was wearing jeans.
We spent the rest of the car ride talking about the stock market, strange I know, but she was interesting to talk to and she definitely knew her stuff. It was a little after nine when we arrived at the house and wow, what a house. It was huge, your typical Hamptons estate. Luscious green lawns surrounding the house were manicured to perfection. The beach sat in front of the property and towards the back was a massive Olympic-sized pool. Hidden in the corner amongst some ferns sat a Jacuzzi. Well I’ll be damned. We parked towards the rear of the property and grabbed our bags. The lights were on so I assumed that the others were still up. As we passed the pool area, I couldn’t help but point it out: “Nice Jacuzzi… I hope you brought your bikini, Miss Mason.”
Lingering by the door I pulled her into me and took her mouth again. All I wanted to do this weekend was kiss these beautiful lips. Oh, who am I kidding, I wanted to taste her pussy, fuck her in the pool, on the beach, up the ass, make her blow me…the list went on.
“I didn’t think we needed it in there.” She pulled away laughing as she entered the front door. Well fuck me.
I said hello to Rocky and did the friendliest greeting I could conjure up for Nikki. She did her usual grunt back, nothing that surprised me. I turned to look away, my attention focusing on Will and Charlotte. I understood why Charlotte was so in love with him, he was such a great kid, but it was the sight of her with him that captured me. His tiny arms wrapped around her neck and the way she held onto him. I was in awe. Imaging her with our child, what that would be like. She was so good with him and…wait, shit, did I say with our child? I shook my head trying to clear the thought, jumping the gun when she wasn’t even my girlfriend, yet.
“Will, we allowed you to wait for Charlie and Lex but now it’s bedtime,” Nikki scolded in a soft tone. It was a side to Nikki I had never seen before.
“Aww, Mom! Okay, but Cha Cha can you please read this awesome new book I got? It’s about a dinosaur that invades New York City,” he pleaded.
“Sounds…um…promising.” She laughed. Will grabbed her hand and said goodnight to all of us.
Twenty minutes later she emerged from Will’s room. I happened to be walking down the hall as she stepped out. She placed her fingers to her lips and low and behold there was a sound-asleep child holding onto his precious dinosaur book. “You’re really great with him, Charlotte,” I whispered as I took in the sight of this beautiful sleeping child. He looked so peaceful and content.
“He makes it easy.” She hesitated, looking lost, almost saddened. Changing her demeanor almost instantly she smiled and asked what was going on outside.
“Rocky is organizing poker,” I responded.
“Well prepare to get your butt kicked by a girl, Edwards.”
I pulled her back into me as she attempted to walk away. “Speaking of butts…I can’t wait to get my hands on yours. Actually not just my hands. To have my cock slide inside your pretty little ass again.”
She pushed her ass against my cock which was throbbing like a motherfucker. “Patience, Mr. Edwards, that cock of yours is going to get a nice little workout this weekend.”
Pressing into her, I was ready to pull her into the room and fuck the crap out of her right then but Rocky interrupted us for poker time. He failed to mention earlier that it was strip poker.
“Rocky, come on, you always end up losing so what’s the point?” Charlotte whined still stuck in my embrace. Thankfully it gave me a moment to try to calm my situation down below.
“He reckons he is the poker king after a few sessions with some poker hot-shots in the city.” Rolling her eyes, Nikki sat down grabbing the bottle of tequila and four shot glasses. “Let’s at least make this interesting.”
An hour later Rocky was sitting in his jocks. Why he didn’t wear boxers was beyond me. I was shirtless which I could handle. Nikki was also shirtless sitting there in her bra which goddamn she did have a nice pair of tits. Then there was Charlotte looking all smug because she had the highest chip count and sat there wearing a tank top and jeans. It was our fourth round of shots and somehow the game had turned into strip poker combined with truth-or-dare—except it was all truth.
“Okay, my turn. Truth or dare, Lex?” Rocky asked loudly.
“Truth,” I answered. The bottom line was nobody trusted Rocky’s dares which was why we always picked truth.
“Age, who and where you first fucked a chick.”
I nearly choked on a peanut which I happened to just put in my mouth. I didn’t want to anger Charlotte but she looked amused by the question, quite possibly because we never had this conversation when we first started seeing each other.
“I uh…hold on… I was sixteen and the chick, Brittany I think was her name. It
was at a party one night. Not much to report. It was the first time I got drunk and there wasn’t much to it. She was some senior skank from another school and she got a kick out of preying on the inexperienced.”
“Dude, sounds like you were a dud. Did she at least give you head?” Rocky roared.
“Yes she did. I don’t know…am I, Charlotte?” putting her on the spot she laughed, we were on our fifth round of shots now and even I was starting to feel it. I was even surprised at myself for letting go and drinking this much but to be honest I couldn’t remember the last time I drank for fun. It was usually to erase a memory or drink away my sorrows.
“Mmm, you’ll have to remind to me again,” she murmured.
“WOO go for it! GO GO GO,” Rocky chanted.
“For Christ’s sakes, Rocky, they aren’t going to do it in front of you. I need to cancel your subscription to JizzTube.”
“Aww babe, no…it’s only $9.95 a month!”
The three of erupted into laughter as Rocky sulked at the thought of losing his precious membership. God knows why he needed it since he was married.
“Okay Charlie, same question,” Nikki coerced.
“I’d answer but Mister Possessive over here can’t handle sex and my past,” she slurred.
She had a point, but if there was any moment to spill the beans it was now while I was on the verge of a massive hangover tomorrow. Plus I knew part of her ‘dud’ sex encounter was with Logan. “I think I can handle it. Logan and the shitty sex,” I said, mocking her.
She shot me a look so I shut up. “I was seventeen. Logan and I had been friends for like, forever. One day we decided maybe it was fate, you know, us being together, so we lost our virginities to each other on the beach. It was cold, the sand was gross and I chaffed because I couldn’t get wet plus he was huge.”
“How huge?” Nikki asked with way too much interest.
“Not as big as some,” Charlotte responded with a wide smile on her face.
“Way to go, Edwards!” Rocky held up his hand to high-five me. I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to react, but I couldn’t help but laugh. Fuck, I was tanked. Everything seemed hilarious and Charlotte accidently spilling the shot glass down her top sent us all into a laughing fit.