Can't believe what, I wondered? What the hell was she talking about? What had she seen that I'd missed? I wanted to keep working, I really did, but I couldn't stop wondering what she meant. I had to message back. If I didn't, it would have messed with my head.
Me: What?
Lauren: I thought that might get an answer.
Me: You're so full of shit.
Lauren: I've been working all night. What have you been doing? Better catch up.
Me: Leave me the fuck alone.
Lauren: You haven't even started, have you? I've got this. It's like taking candy from a baby.
Me: Fuck you!
A few minutes went by without a word. Had I shut her up, I wondered? I should have known better.
Lauren: You already did.
I thought back to that night and couldn't believe she was the same woman I'd been with. That woman was ready and willing for what I had to give her. She wasn't cocky and definitely didn't get smart with me. My mind began to wander. What would she have done if I would have bent her over my knee and spanked her perfect ass? A picture of her, on my bed, with her hands cuffed popped into my mind, and I felt my dick twitch in my sweats. Then I thought about her, on her knees, with her hands behind her back and my cock in her mouth and instantly hardened.
Me: I can think of a few things I didn't do.
I typed and hit the button without thinking. It was too late to take it back. Her reply came instantly.
Lauren: In your dreams.
Me: I bet I was in your dreams last night. Did you think about my mouth between those thighs while I fucked you with my tongue?
Lauren: Fuck you!
Me: Anytime. Just let me know when, and I'll fuck you so hard that you'll feel me for days.
As soon as I hit the button, my bedroom door flew open to Sammie standing in the doorway.
“What the fuck,” I snapped out. “You need to knock.”
“That will never happen, Lancie,” she said. “Never.”
“I thought you were gone,” I said.
“I'm back now,” she said with a smile, as her eyes moved from mine toward my screen.
I slammed my laptop lid and narrowed my eyes at her.
“What?” I asked.
“Jillian wanted to come see you, but I told her I needed to see if you were busy,” she said. “She wants her Uncle Lancie.”
“That shit is not funny, Sammie. You need to put a stop to that. I love that little girl more than anyone, but she cannot call me that.”
“But it's cute,” she said with a little laugh.
“Out!” I snapped, as I pointed to the door.
“Calm down,” she replied. “Take a break and spend a few minutes with your niece.”
“Fine,” I growled.
“What is going on with you?” she asked. “Is it your tough competition.”
“Out!” I snapped again.
“I'm going,” she said. “Maybe Jillian can get you out of that pissy mood.”
I spent the next hour with my favorite little girl. She has a way of taking all the stress away. Sitting with her, watching a show, is relaxing. It reminds me how important family is.
When I opened my laptop again, I shook my head at what I saw.
Lauren: You wish! I don't remember feeling you at all after you left.
I felt the rumble in my chest, shut her message, put my earbuds in, turned on some music, and worked for the rest of the night. When I finally went to bed, I could barely keep my eyes open. I had to be at work for James early the next morning, so I did my best to sleep. That damn dark haired beauty filled my dreams. I dreamt about the good Lauren, my mystery girl, not the evil Lauren, my enemy.
The next morning, I went to work, came home, went to my room, and worked until it was time to go to bed again. My mom brought my dinner to my room, and my dad came by later to grab my empty plate. I never said a word to anyone. The rest of that week continued the same way. I hadn't heard from Lauren at all. Part of me was hoping she was going to leave me alone, but a very tiny part of me kind of missed her. It was crazy, I knew it was.
By Saturday, I was losing it. I hadn't made any progress. Whoever created what I was trying to get through knew what they were doing. Before you say it, I already knew. They're the government. Of course they're going to get it done right. I was just used to get through things quickly, and that wasn't the case. It was stressing me out. Knowing someone else was racing the clock like I was had me freaking out more than I ever had before. I was getting the job, so I needed to finish faster and with a better fix than she did.
After a month of losing my mind and working every waking moment that I wasn't at James' company, I still hadn't gotten through. Part of me wondered if maybe it wasn't possible. James had offered to cut my hours or give me the time off, but I didn't let him. I'd told him I was going to be there for work, and I needed to stand by my word. Lauren hadn't left me alone at all. She gave me that one week of silence before coming back at me every single day. That only added more to my stress and was really pissing me off. She was distracting me, which I knew was her goal. I wanted to ask her if she'd gotten through yet, but I couldn't do it. That would show her I was failing. It would only give her more ammunition, and I wasn't about to do that. Her ass was already bad enough. Then came a message that had me ready to scream.
Lauren: I'm so excited. I'm going to show those guys how it's done at that meeting. Good luck, Lance. I've got this.
What the fuck did that mean, I wondered? She'd gotten through. How did she do it? Maybe I wasn't as good as I thought. For a split second, I doubted my abilities. Then I thought about it. I needed to pull out the big guns. I needed to get down and dirty and pull out everything legal and illegal that I knew. I was going to make it happen, and I was going to do it better than her. I wasn't going to be beat by a girl, not that one at least.
Just as I got back into my work determined to make it happen, my bedroom door flew open. It was Sammie coming through the door with Jilly on her side.
“We came to see Uncle Lancie,” Sammie said, and I turned to shoot her a dirty look.
“It's not going to go away if you keep saying it in front of her, Sammie,” I said.
“I know,” she said with a huge smile on her face. “She misses you.”
“I know it,” I said, as I ran my hand through my hair, stood up, and took Jilly from her mom. “I've got two months to get something done. This shit is solid, but I know there's a way.”
“You need to at least leave your room for dinner,” she said. “You need a few minutes to yourself.”
“I can't,” I said. “If I do, she'll get ahead of me. I think she's already gotten in.”
“Why do you think that?” she asked.
“She pretty much said it,” I answered.
“Have you ever thought she might be lying just to mess with your head?” she asked. “It definitely seems to be working.”
“Maybe,” I said. “What if she's not? If I don't make this happen, they will never work with me. You don't get it. This is the only thing I have left to accomplish.”
“Lance,” she said sternly. “You're only twenty-one. You need to calm down. You have so many years to make things happen.”
“Not this,” I said. “This is the one that matters.”
“Maybe you shouldn't work with James for a bit,” she said. “That would give you more time.”
“No,” I said. “At least there I'm actually getting things done.”
“Don't be like that,” she said. “This is supposed to be hard. Do you think they'd hire two of you and pay you fat cash if they thought it was going to be easy? Of course not. They hire the best.”
“I know,” I said. “It's just driving me crazy, and she isn't helping.”
My sister was quiet for a second. When I looked back at her face from where I'd been looking at Jilly, I saw a smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth.”
“You like her,” she said. “You like this g
irl.”
“No I don't,” I snapped. “Why would you say that.”
“I can tell,” she said. “There's something in your expression. I can't explain it. You like her.”
“I don't,” I said again. “She's a cocky, rude, pain-in-the-ass. There's nothing to like. She opens her mouth and shit comes out. Nothing nice ever comes out of it.”
“You did her,” she said.
“Don't remind me,” I said.
“I don't think I have to,” she said with a smile. “I think she's already on your mind.”
“She was a totally different person that night,” I said. “It was only once. It's not like I haven't done that before.”
“I'm learning a lot about my little brother,” she said with a laugh. “One and done. Please tell me you do not say that.”
“No,” I snapped. “I just don't have time for love or a relationship. I've got goals.”
Sammie looked at Jilly and took her from my arms.
“We need to let Lancie get some work done,” she said.
Then she turned and walked toward my door.
“Sometimes things work out different than we plan,” she said before pulling the door closed behind her. “Good luck, Lancie.”
I let out a growl at the use of that name and sat back down at my desk. My head fell into my hands, and I stared at the screen.
“I need my own place,” I said. “I can't keep getting distracted like this.”
If I had my own place, I'd get so much work done, I thought to myself. That was the answer to my problems.
Chapter 8
Lauren
I tried to work but was too distracted. He was all I could think about. It wasn't like I thought there was anything between us. Part of me knew it was only because he'd been my first since I'd had my son. After four years, I think it made sense. It wasn't like I had time to go out and be with someone to erase him from my mind. That wasn't possible. I needed to use the time I had to do something amazing with what they had given me. My son was counting on it. I was counting on it for him I guess.
Jackson was down for a nap, and I was trying to get something done. I'd started looking at the files and papers but my mind went back to Lance. Was he working hard, I wondered? There was only one way to find out, so I sent a message, one I thought would get a response since the others hadn't.
Me: I can't believe this.
Before long he came back and the conversation turned in a direction I hadn't expected at all. By the time we were done, work was the last thing I was thinking about. That had to stop. I couldn't let it happen. There was no way I was going to be with him again. He hated me. I hadn't realized during those years that he'd felt tortured by me. All I had was my grandma and my little boy. He was someone into the same thing I was. I felt like someone else was there when I messed with him. He'd taken it a whole different way. Thinking back, I guess I could see why. Most of the stuff I sent wasn't positive at all. I'd send the messages when I was feeling stressed and my world was falling down around me. He rarely answered, but I knew he read them. It was crazy, but at the time, I just needed someone there even if they didn't know. My life was a mess, there was no denying that.
I left him alone for an entire week before I messaged him again. It was only me, Jackson, and my grandma. When he slept, I worked. Between the side jobs I was doing and my main goal, I didn't have a second to myself. As the days moved on, I slept less and less. By the end of the first month, I was a mess. All of the hours I'd put in were for nothing. I hadn't gotten through, and that wasn't something that had ever happened before. Of course, I'd never tried to break through anything the government owned. I didn't want to go to jail. Lance sent a response here and there, but we hadn't gotten into any additional inappropriate conversations. I wouldn't lie though, I definitely spent many nights thinking about him. With my only sexual experiences being before I was sixteen, fireworks shot off when I was with Lance that night. He was all man, and it made me see what I'd been missing. If being with a man felt like that, I wouldn't have minded feeling that again, just not until my job was done. I couldn't let anything distract me more than I already was.
I sat staring at the screen and couldn't stop wondering if he had gotten through. Would he tell me? How far behind him was I? I typed a message knowing if he was doing great, he'd come back at me, and if he wasn't, he'd freak out and hopefully slow down.
Me: I'm so excited. I'm going to show those guys how it's done at that meeting. Good luck, Lance. I've got this.
When I didn't get anything back, it made me work that much harder. I was going to get him. I had to. There were no other options for me and my boy. I needed to keep my attraction to Lance and my memory of that night out of my mind. I needed to go after my future. He was a complete asshole the day of our meeting. That was the guy I needed to remember. That was the guy whose ass I needed to kick.
Chapter 9
Lance
I knew better than to let anyone know I was looking for a place, not even my sister. While I knew her huge secret, I wasn't trusting her with mine. She was pregnant and still hadn't told our parents. My dad was going to flip his shit when he found out. If I'd told Sammie and she'd slipped to my mom, it would have all been over. My mom would have been all over me, and that was the last thing I needed. Between her, my dad, and my sister, it was never quiet in the house. Sure, I had earbuds, but that didn't help my sister from walking in all the time. I'd have to cook and clean, but I knew I could visit and eat home cooked meals whenever I wanted. My dad made a huge deal when my sister wanted to get her own place. There was no way I was going through that. Besides, she was his little girl. He'd feel different about me leaving.
I didn't need a big house to take care of. Just a small apartment would be fine. James caught me twice looking online while I was at work. The first time, he continued on with what he was doing, but the second time, I wasn't so lucky.
“My office,” he said on his way by.
“What?” I asked.
“I need to see you in my office,” he said.
I let out a loud breath, got up, and followed behind him preparing myself for a discussion I most definitely did not want to have.
“Sit down,” he said, as he motioned me through so he could close the door. “What's going on?”
“Nothing,” I said. “Everything is fine.”
“Bullshit!” he snapped. “Be straight with me Lance.”
“I'm looking for a place, but you can't tell anyone,” I said. “You can't tell Sammie.”
“Why?” he asked.
“Do you remember when she wanted a place?” I asked.
“Of course,” he said.
“I'm not doing that,” I said. “I'm too stressed out as it is. I can't have the three of them on my ass, James.”
“I told you to cut your hours here,” he said.
“I know that,” I said. “I like working here. I feel like I actually get somewhere. I just need to get away from all the distractions at the house.”
“You want to come live with us for a bit?” he asked, and I let out a laugh I couldn't stop. “Are you saying we're part of the problem?”
“No,” I said, as I cleared my throat. “Your wife is though.”
“She loves you,” he said. “She worries about you and that enemy of yours.”
“She fucking told you,” I snapped, and it was his turn to laugh.
“She's my wife, Lance. Of course she told me you did the competition just before finding out who she was.”
“Your wife needs an ass beating,” I said.
Before he could say anything back, I held up my hand to stop him.
“Please don't respond to that,” I said, and he laughed again. “This job is harder than I thought.”
“If you can't get through, tell them,” he said.
“No,” I said, as I shook my head. “I'm sure it can be done. I'll figure it out. I just need quiet. Mom and dad are so damn loud and not just while they're d
ownstairs either. Then Sammie walks into my room and totally throws me off my game. I know it's payback and all, but this is my life we're talking about, my dreams.”
“I get it,” he said. “Do you need some help?”
“She'll kick your ass if you help me. You do know that, right?” I asked.
“I do,” he said. “You're my brother. I'm here for you, Lance.”
“I want to find an apartment with three bedrooms,” I said.
“Why three?” he asked.
“I want my laptops and stuff in another room. I can't have them where I sleep. I want my living room to be a place I can go to and not think about work.”
“What's the third bedroom for then?” he asked.
“Jilly,” I said. “She needs a room too.”
“She doesn't need her own room,” he said.
“Sure she does,” I said. “When I rescue her from you two and a new crying little one, she needs a place to sleep. Before you ask, they can share it once the little bit is big enough too.”
James shook his head and laughed.
“I'll help you look. Take a few hours to go and look at them, I don't mind. I'll even pay you,” he said.
“Not a word to my mom either,” I said.
“No way,” he said. “If her or your dad find out, I had no idea.”
“Got it,” I said, as I stood from my chair. “Thank you.”
“Anytime.”
By the end of the week, with James' help, I found a place. I just had to wait two weeks to move in. It was going to be great. I was actually looking forward to it.
By the end of the second month, I'd signed my lease and got my keys. I'd set it up with James for him, Sammie, and Jillian to be at the house for dinner that Friday night so I could drop the bomb on my parents. He'd already said he was going to help me move that weekend, but I wanted to get my dad on board too. I wanted to get moved in at least enough to have a place to sleep and a desk set up. The rest could wait. I had one month left until my next meeting, and I was going to need every moment of that time.
Lauren was still fucking with me daily in more ways than one. I couldn't tell you how many times I stroked by cock while thinking about the good Lauren, the one I wanted on her knees for me. It took all I had not to ask how she was doing on her work, but I knew if I did, she'd know I was having doubts about my own skills. I would not give her the satisfaction of knowing that I was struggling.
Hacked by Love, Part 2 Page 4