by L. J. Woods
I haven't been able to get the look and feel of Lexi reaching an orgasm out of my mind. I need a release. And now, thanks to these savages, it looks like I’ll have to cancel.
“We have much to discuss while Lexi and Dominic get caught up.” Cassandra uses my trick to her advantage, leading me inside the glass-walled wine cellar.
It’s a good thing. This way, I can keep my eye on Lexi and her brother. Considering what I know about his sister and mom, chances are, he’s not looking out for me either. No one is. But I have my boys. My brothers. And if Lexi’s recruiting more to her fucked-up army, I have my own.
Grabbing a bottle from the rack, I uncork it. “The fuck do you want now, Cassandra? Putting a black man in jail isn’t good enough for you?”
She scoffs, pulling the bottle away from my lips so she can pour a glass of her own. “You’re far from what the media thinks when they hear black man." Air quotes frame her words. “You’re a privileged, ungrateful brat who's going to follow my next request. I hear privilege doesn’t hold up behind bars.”
Lexi glances at me the entire time, catching my glare. She gives me that little worried look she gets when she knows something’s up. The same look she gave me when she was at my mercy at the engagement party.
My cock twitches thinking about it. The way her cheeks flushed the more I upped her punishment. The sigh she let out when I felt her entire body tense, then gave way to what looked like a hell of a climax. She clung to my blazer like she was gasping for air, the heat of her body sinking through the fabric of our clothes.
Damn. I really needed to get laid.
I have to remember Lexi's not worried about me at all. She wants me gone. For what? To take my place. I’ve seen the board in her room with ERU and its fashion elites. I’ve seen the way she twirls students around her fingers.
I’m not letting the Lyons get away with it.
“You’re going to help Dominic get into the NHL.”
I almost spit out the wine in my mouth when I hear Cassandra’s request.
“You’re fucking kidding me, right?” I size Dominic up through the glass, Lexi’s arm almost completely around his waist as she hugs him. “The kid’s like what? Twenty pounds?”
“And old enough to be on the ERU Hawks. I know what a position on that team means. A direct line to the NHL. Isn't Christian going to the Bruins?”
“Yeah but dude’s been training for years. Dominic can’t walk in and expect to get a top spot. He needs training. Plenty of it.”
“And it looks like I found his trainer. His father is a former player for the Flyers, he’ll get the hang of it.” She glances over her shoulder. “I know you can pull strings at ERU so pull some for your freedom. I want Dominic on the team. And that means getting him to the championship where real scouts will see him.”
“What’s in it for you?”
She shrugs, pissing me off even more and that only makes me glare harder into Lexi’s head, the hate for her burning a blaze inside me.
“Championships are in what, a few months?” Then Cassandra fakes her surprise. “Like your trial.” She levels out her performance with a smirk, my fists tight. “Better get to work.”
And with my eyes on Lexi, I vow that I will.
SLAP!
The puck flies way past the net, hitting the far corner of the rink.
Perez’s greens follow the puck before he blinks, meeting my eyes. “Are you serious, Johnson?” Skating over to the puck, he hits it back. Hard.
Dominic doesn’t move, staring off beyond the bleachers so I hold out my stick, catching the puck myself. “As serious as your dad’s drinking problem.”
“Oh, and you don’t have one?”
We all do. Vices are the only way to survive in this town. “He’ll learn.” He better.
My life depends on it.
“Dude, I can’t put him on the team when we’re gearing up for championships. It’s too risky.” Perez spreads his arms wide like I’m crucifying him. “I have two coaches to impress and I can’t do that if we don’t make it past qualifiers.”
“Fuck!” I toss my stick to the ice.
Perez scratches the back of his neck, gliding over to me. “Why do you want him on the team anyway?” He lowers his voice but since we’re the only ones in here, there’s no doubt Dominic hears it all. “You said he has skills.”
To be honest, I thought he’d have learned something from his hockey dad, but Lexi’s got more aim than he does.
“I’m sorry,” Dominic says, his head hanging. “I know this is stupid, but it’s the only way to unlock my inheritance.”
My head whips towards him.
Bingo.
“Your what?” I ask to confirm.
Dominic looks around like it’s obvious but this is one part of the deal Cassandra left out. And something tells me that’s deliberate. “My dad left me a bunch of money when he died." He shrugs. "But I can't access it until I get signed to a team. Start me off right.” He puts on a deeper, sterner voice. “You won’t get ahead with things handed to you.” He tugs on the new Hawks jersey I gave him to get him in the mood.
Didn’t work.
But I can see where Lexi gets her mimicking practice from.
My stomach twists when I remember that morning in the kitchen. But I need to ignore it. “So your mom’s making you do this for money?” I ask again. “Your money?”
“My mom has no money of her own and she’s the queen of desperation. Not like we can rely on Lexi’s PleasureChat.” He chuckles to himself.
Perez catches my eye at the same time mine switches to his. “What does your dad’s girlfriend have to do with this?" he asks. "Wait, is this about Lexi?”
So I haven’t told Perez what happened with Cassandra. I’d fill him in now, but Dominic gives me an idea.
Lexi wants this money as much as her mom does. Starting her own business is something she has her eye on to show she’s better than me. Smarter than me.
Well, now it’s time I outsmart her.
“Show him your wrist shot.” Gliding over to the rink entrance, I slip off my gloves, throwing them on the ice. “I got something to handle.”
Better yet, someone.
Eight
Lexi
Swallowing hard doesn’t bring the moisture back in my throat.
A deep breath doesn’t settle my shaking body either, my eyes on the gold plaque beside the door.
Xavier Malik - ERU Head Counselor.
Glancing behind me, the old woman behind reception eyes my outfit. A neon pink skirt and matching crop. I know she’s already judging me the way she twists her lips.
Wait—if schools have a file on these things, does she already know?
My legs beg for me to turn around, but Professor Tsang’s words flow through my head.
“If your counsellor tells me you’ve been keeping up your appointments, I’ll do what I can to help.”
And I need all the help I can get.
Opening the door, a whiff of burning incense greets me. So does a cheerful, deep voice. “You must be Lexi.”
My shoulders drop, my chest getting lighter.
I was expecting my past to hit me in the face. Instead, Xavier Malik looks nothing like my last therapist. He’s older, his white hair gelled to one side, round owly glasses perched on his face. He’s in a turtle neck that makes him look more artsy than professional and the DIY art behind his desk helps.
When the door closes, I jump. Xavier sits forward. “It seems you have a lot on your mind.” He gestures to the old leather sofa in front of his desk, moving over to the matching chair next to it. “Why don’t you take a seat? Take a load off.”
It’s more like talking to a grandfather than a counsellor and Xavier is as wise as one. In ten minutes I’m pouring out all that’s happened with Isaac, my mom and moving to Eden. He nods through it all with that pleasant smile on his face. An hour flies by and when I’ve said all I can, I flop back into the sofa with a deep breath.
“Moving around must have been exhausting,” Xavier says, notebook in hand. “And dealing with a bully of a stepbrother—”
“Not my stepbrother.”
“Are you having trouble accepting that?”
My brows furrow, blonde hair falling over my face when I look his way. “Xavier, I’m having trouble accepting all of it. I can’t even do the things I love with Isaac around. I'm even afraid to swim at the house and I love swimming. It keeps me in shape and it helps me de-stress. It’s why I joined the team.”
Xavier hums. “Let me talk to your Coach. I’m sure she’ll be willing to open up the pool to you after hours.”
I sit up. “That would save my fucking sanity.”
“Hera was right,” he chuckles. “I’m happy you came to see me and by the sounds of it, if you keep coming here, she’ll have your back. I have your back too.”
By the time I make it out of our session, I'm lighter. Freer. Someone here actually has my back outside of Ray. Not once did Xavier mention my outfits or my body. He only listened. No judgment. No second-guesses.
Why didn’t I go back to therapy sooner?
You know why.
And that’s the next thing I’ll address with Xavier because I can’t keep letting my past haunt me. And he’s right. Isaac is a bully and bullies are weak. I just have to find that weak spot. For now, I'm gonna bury my woes in the pool.
Coach Jansen makes us run laps for our drills today and after the session with Xavier, I’m on fire. I’m like a penguin in the water. A bullet. And when I see Isaac watching me from the entrance, it makes me go that much harder. I’m showing him I’m not bothered by his antics.
I’m not bothered by him.
The rest of the girls cheer me on and I’m reminded Xavier isn’t the only one who’s rooting for me. These girls accept me as one of their own. Okay, it took a lot of flaunting my designs and showing my skills. And stealing that vodka from Isaac’s bar that one time, but now? It’s like I’m one of them.
After an hour in the pool, I’m rejuvenated. Climbing out, a huge grin settles on my face as the girls cheer around me, Coach dismissing us.
“Great job today, Lexi!” Coach calls as I make my way to the showers. I give her a nod, my body buzzing with pride. And right now, nothing can take that away from me.
Pulling the frosted shower door open, I kick off my slides and slip into my favourite stall. The one near the front. It’s a little more spacious than the others and helps me rid my hair of all the chlorine. You don’t want that shit ruining your keratin treatment.
Leaning my head under the tap, warm water streams over my body, reducing the chill from being fresh out of the pool. The smell of chlorine dissipates, the water soothing my muscles, my mind.
“Ahhh!” A scream escapes me. “What the fuck!?”
The water turns cold and it burns, the strong smell of chemicals filling the stall.
Reaching for the door, I call out. “Help!” My eyes burn, my skin prickling. “Something’s wrong with my—”
A chuckle cuts off my words. A sound I’d know anywhere.
Opening my eyes, they widen when I see who’s in front of me but that makes them burn even more. “Mother of fuck!” Squeezing them shut doesn't make him disappear.
“How’s it feel, Lex?” Isaac’s smooth voice adds to the itching heat on my body. “How does it feel to be burned?”
“Lexi?” Juliette’s voice from the team rings through the room.
“You might want to get out of here, baby,” Isaac calls back before I can answer.
“Is that—”
“Don’t make me ask you twice.”
“Isaac!" I yell through the pain, not even caring if the door is open, my naked body exposed. “I can’t—” A sharp pain adds to the burn on my skull, Isaac pulling hard on my hair. “Stop!” My back slams into his hard, warm pecs.
“You didn’t stop, did you?” His voice lands by my ear, another prickle creeping up my spine.
He’s in the shower with me, the water getting warmer, soothing the burn away. It drenches his clothes, turning stiff fabric to a soft mould against his hardened muscles. Then it all becomes clear. "You—You did this …"
“Now that’s something I made sure you can’t prove.” Trying to pull away, I’m no match. He keeps me in place, my naked body under the stream.
I’m trapped. No one will go against his word.
I’m at the mercy of a King. Again.
“Why are you doing this?” A gasp escapes me, Isaac’s hand sliding up my stomach. My body turns to stone. Rigid and frozen. His soft and slippery hands glide along my tingling skin like he’s added soap. And when they slide over my breasts, I hate that my hardened nipples beg for him to soothe them. My voice trembles. “You can’t just—”
“I warned you.” He pushes my head under the stream, the water turning cold as it calms my burning scalp.
Then it hits me as his fingers massage my head. “What kind of fucking psycho puts bleach in the shower?”
“Dunno, but whoever did isn’t playing fucking games.” Once the burn on my scalp is gone, he tugs my head back again, exposing my tits to the water. His free hand slides between my chest, his gentle touch a contrast to the grip he has on my hair. “And something tells me they won’t stop playing until you stop too.”
The stall fills with a floral scent, the chemical smell no longer burning my nostrils. The way he lathers the soap on my body takes the burn away, but not the one within.
These people will chew you up and spit you out.
“I’m not playing your fucked up games, Johnson.”
“You sure about that, Lyon?” Beads of water hit my stiff nipples, aching for him to touch them. My legs clench as a hand drops to my inner thighs, the other wrapping around my neck. When he squeezes, I gasp again, his thumb on my quickening pulse. “You’re my toy until I say otherwise, you understand that, don’t you, Lexi?”
“You might be a King in Eden, but you don’t fucking rule me.” I fight against his hold before my nipple lands between his fingers. When he pinches, hard, tingles burst through me and I whimper.
“Wrong answer,” he growls. I yelp before his hand drops to my mouth, stifling my cries and the more I wiggle from his grasp, the harder he holds on to me.
His heated body presses against me and my eyes widen when his fingers land between my legs. When he grazes my clit with his thumb, it startles me, shockwaves hitting my core. A sigh leaves my lips like my body’s been craving this. And with the way my legs open for him, the yearning becomes clear.
I’m fucked.
“So you can be a good girl,” Isaac chuckles, his finger slipping between my swollen lips. I'd say the water has me soaking but I know better. I know it's him. And when he grazes my clit again that makes my knees as wobbly as they were that night. “You’re such a fucking a slut, Lexi. But I won’t let a slut like you ruin me. Understand?”
Isaac moves his finger before the pressure of the shower lands on my clit. I gasp as the patter of the water shoots prickles of pleasure through my core. It makes me press my ass into him and when I do … he’s hard as hell. “You’ll pay, Lexi. Mark my words. I’ll fucking ruin you.”
I murmur under his grip, my body on fire from the quick change of feelings. I’m burning hot again and it’s not because of his twisted prank. Whatever this is, my body needs it. And the way I push my ass into his hardened rod, only makes me want it more.
His heart pounds against my back as I buck against the pressure, Isaac releasing the demons inside me. Whatever I felt before disappears and right now, it’s all pleasure.
And that? That scares me more than Isaac Johnson ever will.
“You want me to make you come, don’t you?” he growls in my ear, my abs clenching as the fire grows inside me. "You think you fucking deserve it?"
With my eyes closed, it’s hard to feel like I’m still in this shower. No, I’m floating, my body about to explode but I can’t let this happen.
Not with him.
Not again.
I try to stop him, but wiggling only makes it feel better. Only makes me feel how his cock throbs against his soaking slacks. Every pulse. Every twitch. This game turns him on as much as it does me. Bucking harder against him, he gives me no choice but to give in to it. Give into him. And that makes the entire stall blur.
My nails grip the wet fabric of his slacks as my knees begin to buckle. “Oh my fucking god …” I murmur against his palm but it comes out a mess, pressure building in my core, my entire body stiffening. And fuck … Isaac Johnson is about to make me come.
He chuckles, then the water stops … right when I’m there. But it’s too fucking late.
My eyes widen, my quivering body hard to control as I fall into mind-numbing, reality-blurring bliss. A weight lifts off my chest, my body and my mind while Isaac holds onto my shaking frame. And for a moment, everything feels perfect.
He feels perfect.
Then he lets me go and I collapse to the tile. Plunked back to reality. A doll falling from the moon.
His chuckle is the last thing I hear before the shower door opens, cold washing in. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
He leaves the door open as I curl up on the shower floor. Soapy water swirls down the drain, my mind twisting with it. The stall mixes with the gut-churning smell of roses, bleach, and him. Bitter, sweet and … Fuck.
Did I let that happen?
I’m as easy as they say because he’s the last person I should let touch me like that. The stall spins around me, his words spinning with it. My stomach rolls, my head light before I lean over the drain and puke it all out.
Tears fill my eyes as I watch it all twist away.
You stupid, stupid girl.
It’s been a while since I’ve given into that push. And I’m not even drunk.
Maybe you should be.
Closing my eyes, I try my best to push the intrusive thoughts out of my mind while I calm my breaths. My shaky hands. My pounding heart.