Mechanic

by Riley, Alexa

  “They all kind of taste the same,” she says, taking another bite of what seems like the twentieth sample of cake this afternoon. Maybe that giant breakfast was a bad idea. I tingle between my thighs just thinking about what Paine and I did afterwards. Nope, it was totally worth it. One of the small pleasures I was going to take for myself.

  “Yeah, I say we just pick one.” Moving the plates over to a side table, I lie across the end of my grandma’s bed and unbutton my jeans. If I keep this up, I won’t fit into the wedding dress. Then maybe I won’t have to get married.

  “Go with the vanilla bean then. It has a nice filling.” She sets the plate down on her nightstand, then pulls out a ring box from the drawer.

  “I’ve been wanting to show you this. Do you remember it?” She hands me a small velvet box, and I open it, gasping at the ring inside. It’s a beautiful circular diamond, surrounded by a halo of sapphires. The band is studded with diamonds that wrap all the way around, making it look antique. It’s the most perfect ring I’ve ever seen.

  “Your grandpa gave me that.”

  I pull it out of the box and read the inscription.

  Only you. Only us. Forever.

  “I’ve never seen you wear it.” My eyes drop to her ring finger, which bears the wedding ring she’s worn ever since I can remember. It’s a simple gold band that looks beat up after all the years of wear.

  “I did from time to time to make your grandpa happy when he was alive, but I could never bear to take this one off.” She runs her wrinkled hand over the gold band on her ring finger. “This was the one he gave me when he didn’t have a penny to his name. The one he asked me to marry him with. This is the one I’ll be buried with. He only gave me that one because he thought I’d want something better.”

  She moves the gold band back and forth on her finger, and can I can tell she’s having memories about him. “I never cared about all this.” She waves her hands around, indicting the house and their wealth. Grandpa played the stock market, and it paid off big. “I’m happy that I don’t have to worry about you, and I know your grandpa felt the same. He wanted to make sure we never went without, but I’d give it all away to have even just one more day with him.”

  “I wish I could remember him better,” I tell her, putting the ring back in the box. Life seemed like it was so different before I was born. So much love filled the house. I don’t know how my father snaked his way in, but it just didn’t fit.

  Grandpa died when I was young, and I can’t remember him at all. My mother died when I was born, and he followed soon after her. I’m not sure how my grandma survived losing her husband and her daughter so close together. Another reason I wouldn’t let her lose me.

  “He’d light up whenever he looked at you. He loved you so much.” I love when she talks about my grandfather. Her whole face warms, and the love she has for him shows even after all these years of him being gone. I want a love like that one day. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but one day I’ll find that. I’ll just have to suffer through this marriage for a while and enjoy the time I have left with my grandmother. Life seems to be about living day to day at this point.

  I reach over, handing her back the ring box, and she puts it in her bedside table. “Your grandpa got me that ring because he wanted to make me happy. It’s what he always wanted for his family. It’s a beautiful ring that he worked so hard for. And to me, it’s a sign of the purest love and devotion.” She smiles at me, and I can’t help but wish for that kind of love and happiness.

  I know she wants me to be happy. Happiness is all she and my grandfather ever wanted for me. It’s a bitter pill to swallow because this wedding is a lie. I’ll be miserable.

  “Life is about being true to yourself and finding the love you deserve. It’s too short to do it any other way.” She rests her head back on her pillow, and I can tell she’s tired and probably needs one of her pills. She’s right, though. Maybe I can soak as much up as I can before I walk down the aisle to my fate.

  Getting up from the bed, I go to the bathroom, get her pills, and fill her glass of water. Placing them next to her bed, I lean down and give her a kiss.

  “I’m so happy you’re marrying someone from here. I missed you so much when you were away at school.”

  “I’m not going anywhere, Grandma. I promise.”

  Seven

  Paine

  I’m losing my fucking mind, I think to myself as I see a clearly freshly fucked Tammy leave Scott’s law office, which sits in the center of town. Not ten minutes later, I see Scott exit his office, throw a bag in the trunk of his car, and turn, spotting me sitting on my motorcycle. I stare at him, and I can tell by the look on his face the whispers have already reached his ears.

  He straightens his suit and starts to head my way. He thinks because we’re in the middle of town and he’s a lawyer, I won’t lay his ass out. He’s wrong. Normally, I wouldn’t. Not over something stupid or petty. But Penelope’s more than that, and she’s definitely worth a night in jail. Though I couldn’t track her that night if I was. I don’t like the idea of not being able to have my eyes on her if I wanted to. I sound like a stalker, but I don’t give a shit. If tracking my girl and showing up at random places keeps her out of another man’s hands, you can label me however you want, and I’ll wear that title proudly.

  “Can’t you run over to Kirksville if you need to get your dick wet, Paine? I’ve never known you to dip into the local girls.”

  My whole body goes rock solid at his words. Did he really just talk about the woman he was going to marry like that? Not only that, but he was just fucking local pussy himself. But that’s nothing new. I never understood the guys who chased women around here. Everyone would just be fucking each other at the end of the day. Not something that sounded appealing to me.

  “I’ve never let Tammy suck my cock in the back of Smokey’s, no matter how much she begged me to do it. So it seems I’m not the one getting my dick wet.”

  I know we aren’t talking about Tammy, but I want him to know I’m on to his games. He hasn’t had my girl because she’s still cherry sweet and waiting for me to take it. I don’t know what’s going on with these two, but things aren’t adding up. I don’t see a girl like Penelope letting her man run around on her, so maybe she doesn’t know, or maybe she doesn’t care. She doesn’t seem like the kind of woman who just wants to be kept and made into a little trophy. I might have thought that when she first strolled into my office, but the woman I had in my arms while I ate her cunt this afternoon was nothing like that. She was different, no matter how this situation appears to be.

  His eyes harden at my words. Seems Scott thought he was the only one Tammy liked to suck off. No, Tammy just goes for anyone with money. I may not be as flashy with mine as Scott is, but I make a good living, and that’s something someone like Tammy can easily sniff out.

  “Stay away from her,” Scott says, the smugness he first had now long gone from his words.

  “Who are we talking about here, Scott?” I bait him, because I’m not totally sure. He didn’t seem too pissed when he was warning me off Penelope, but one comment about Tammy and his tone completely changes.

  “My fianc—”

  I’m off my bike before he can finish the word. No way can I bear to hear him call her that. Not fucking happening. I have him by his suit jacket, lifting him so he’s eye level with me.

  “Paine. Let him go.”

  I feel Law’s hand come down on my shoulder, and I let go of Scott with enough force to send him falling to the ground. He’s lucky the Sheriff showed up.

  “I’m pressing charges!” Scott shouts, picking himself up off the ground and dusting the dirt off his suit.

  Law lets my shoulder go, shaking his head at me. Shit, I should have had better control. No way Law isn’t going to throw my ass in jail after I just tossed his soon-to-be (or so he thinks) brother-in-law to the ground.

  “Scott, all I saw was you about to fall and Paine here tried to prevent that
. Seems you tripped anyway.” Law’s words shock me.

  “You can’t be fucking serious right now,” Scott barks out, but keeps his distance no matter how hostile his tone is. He’s smart enough now to keep a few feet between us. That’s good. At least he understands I’m not fucking around here.

  “I don’t have time for your shit today.” I have a feeling the Sheriff Isn’t talking about mine and Scott’s shit, but probably the Mayor’s.

  “He’s going to hear about this,” Scott fires back, but Law just shrugs his shoulders like he doesn’t give a shit. I find that hard to believe, with the Mayor being his father and all.

  “Whatever. I have a date to catch with Penelope.” He turns to walk off, and Law has me by the arm. I didn’t even realize I was lunging for the dipshit. “I’ll haul you in if you make me.”

  I jerk from his hold but stay rooted as I watch Scott jump into his car and speed off. Looking around, I see a good portion of the town staring at us, probably having seen most of what just went down.

  I don’t know much about Law other than Joey might be head over heels for the guy, judging by the song she was singing this morning at work. But how could he let a shit like Scott marry Penelope?

  “You’re going to let that pompous fuck marry your little sister?” The distaste is clear in my voice.

  “Stay out of it, Paine. This is family business you don’t know anything about.”

  “I know a man like Scott would ruin a woman like her.”

  “I agree,” he says, and starts to walk away. I grab him by the shoulder like he did to me moments ago.

  “You agree?” I’m being loud, and I don’t give a shit who hears us, but apparently Law does because he leans in closer to me.

  “I’m doing what I can but trying to keep my hands clean. It’s not your concern. Like you said, she’s my sister.”

  “She my woman.”

  “I don’t believe town gossip,” he says, referring to the whispers running around town. “I’ve also never heard my sister even utter your name, so to me she’s not your anything.”

  It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him she moaned my name over and over just today, but I won’t make what I have with her dirty. What we have and what we’ve done is special, and I won’t throw it around like that. It might be dirty between us, but between us is where it fucking stays.

  “Please, Sherriff. Tell me where Dipshit and Penelope are going tonight and I’ll make sure she doesn’t end up with him. I’ll make it my life’s mission to keep her from making a mistake and walking down the aisle with that piece of shit.” I can see the hesitation in his eyes as he looks away and looks back at me. “Don’t let her do this.”

  He takes a deep breath, making a decision, and nods his head.

  “Deal.”

  Eight

  Paine

  That’s it. I’m done fucking around. I tried being nice and talking sweet, but I’m through with that. I don’t care why she’s marrying that douche. It’s over.

  I’ve got my bike parked in front of Lucinda’s, the fancy Italian place two towns over. It’s funny that Scott is willing to fuck Tammy in the middle of our small town, but he makes the woman he’s supposed to be getting married to have someone drive her almost an hour away. It’s as if Penelope is the dirty secret, and that thought makes me even madder. She’s mine, and she’s something to be proud of.

  I wait for a long time until I finally see a dark town car pull up and Penelope step out. Scott still isn’t here, but as the driver pulls away, I’m guessing the plan was for him to drive her back home. That thought has me off my bike in a flash and crossing the street to get to her.

  Penelope is in a black dress and black heels. Her blonde hair is pulled into a tight knot at the nape of her neck, and it looks like she’s got on a ton of make-up. She looks like she’s a different person than the sweet sexy girl I had breakfast with this morning. I hate it.

  When I get to the front of the restaurant, she turns and faces me, the shock clear in her eyes.

  “Paine? What are you doing here? You have to leave. Scott is going to be here any second.”

  “I don’t give a fuck.” I grab her by the wrist and pull her behind me, walking towards my motorcycle. I turn around and take off my leather jacket, holding it out for her to take. “Put this on and climb on the back.”

  “Paine.” There’s a plea in her eyes, and as she looks over her shoulder to the restaurant and then turns back to look at me, indecision runs through her mind. “It’s not that I don’t want to go because believe me, I do. It’s because I can’t.

  “Duchess, I don’t know what’s happening with you and that dipshit, but the wedding isn’t happening. You’re mine, so get your ass on the back of my bike. You’re coming home with me tonight and every night after.”

  “This is ridiculous.” She stomps her foot when she says the last word, and it makes me smile. “I can’t go with you. Things could go really bad for me if I don’t do this.” She takes a small step towards me, and her eyes plead with me again. “I want more than anything to run away, but this isn’t just about me.”

  I reach out, grabbing her chin, and keep my eyes locked with hers. I don’t want her to miss anything I’m about to say because this is crucial.

  “Do you trust me, Penelope?”

  I see little tears start to form in her eyes, but they don’t fall. She just nods her head as I hold her in place.

  “Then trust that no matter what is happening, I’ll take care of it. I’ve got all the money you could ever need and a house to keep you in. There isn’t anything I won’t do to make you happy, and no lengths I won’t go to fix what’s hurting you. You’re mine, that’s the bottom line. Now you tell me, do you feel what’s between us?”

  She closes her eyes to try and shut out my words, but I squeeze her chin a little and she opens them back up. After just a second, she nods.

  “That’s right, Duchess. This isn’t a bit of fun. This isn’t a fling. This is real. Now, you getting on my bike or do I have to tie you to it? Because I brought rope.”

  She takes a deep breath and I release her chin, holding out my leather jacket to her once again. She looks at it and then reaches out, taking it and putting it on.

  I turn around, get on my bike, and sit there, waiting for her to come with me. She turns and looks at the restaurant one last time before climbing on behind me, and I crank it up. It’s in that moment Scott pulls up and gets out of his car.

  “Take your hair down, Duchess. I want it blowing in the wind on the back of my bike, and I want that fucker to see it so he knows.”

  After a second I feel her warm hands come around my waist and her front press to my back. I pull out of my parking spot just as Scott turns and spots us. When we pass by, I reach one hand back, running it up Penelope’s thigh, and make sure he’s sees she’s mine.

  Game over, Dipshit.

  I keep my hand there the whole way back to my house, holding on to my girl.

  * * *

  “You’re gonna tell me everything after I have you in our bed. We clear?”

  She nods, and I pick her up off my bike and hold her as I walk inside. Her legs go around my waist and her arms around my neck. The feeling of her pressed against me as we rode was wonderful, but I’m looking to press against her in a lot of other ways.

  I take her through the main entrance and walk her down the long hallway to my bedroom. Once there, I stand her up in the middle of the room and take a step back.

  “I want you to go into that bathroom and take off that dress you wore for him, and then I want you to wash your face. You’re too beautiful to hide under all that stuff, and I want to see the real you. After that, you come out here and lie on my bed with your legs open.” I reach out and touch her blonde locks, which are down and windblown. “You ready to do that for me? Give me that virgin pussy?”

  She looks away as a blush creeps across her cheeks, and goddamn if it doesn’t make me harder. After just a second sh
e nods and then walks past me to the master bath. I watch her go in there and shut the door, and I walk to my closet to undress. I pull off my white V-neck shirt and kick off my boots and jeans. I keep on my boxer briefs for now, wanting her to take them off me. I run my fingers through my dirty-blond hair and then over my dark-blond beard, thinking about what I’m going to do to her.

  I walk out of the closet, my dick hard and ready to fuck. I have to wait for only a second before the bathroom door opens and she walks out, completely naked. Her face is rosy from washing it, but she looks like the girl I met this morning. She looks sweet and innocent, and I can’t wait to get my dirty hands on her pure body.

  “On the bed, Duchess. Legs open for me. I want to see it all spread out for me. What you’re offering me. Only me. ”

  I stalk closer as she climbs on and lies in the middle. After just a moment of hesitation, she spreads her legs wide. I move to the end of the bed and stand there with my arms crossed.

  “Knees up, baby. I wanna see all your pretty pussy. Don’t hide from me.”

  She takes a nervous breath and does what I ask, pulling her knees up and exposing everything. My mouth waters at the sight, and I can’t wait to stick my face all in it.

  “Fuck, you look so beautiful like this. Laid back on my bed, legs spread, and ready to be taken.”

  She’s too good for a dirty mechanic like me, but here she is, pussy out and open, begging me to fuck it. I can see her horny cunt dripping down to her asshole, and I lick my lips at the invitation it’s giving me.