by R. R. Banks
Setting my bottle down on the counter, I step forward, closing the distance between us. I'm standing in front of him, looking into his eyes, the tips of our noses nearly touching. Caleb sets his bottle down before he leans forward and kisses me.
The moment our lips touch, I feel like my body is exploding with sensation. It feels like fire is racing along my nerves, setting my skin ablaze as our tongues swirl together in my mouth. He pulls me to him, holding me tight against his body and I feel him begin to stiffen. I slide my hand down, stroking his hard cock through his pants, relishing the feel of it getting even harder beneath my touch.
He pulls back and looks at me, a look of uncertainty upon his face. “What are we doing, Veronica?”
I give him a sultry little smile. “I'd say we're about to fuck.”
“Are you sure?”
I squeeze his cock harder, drawing a gasp from him. Not saying another word, I unzip his pants and pull his cock out, gripping his shaft nice and tight, stroking him firmly. Sliding down to my knees, I never break eye contact with him as I circle the tip of my tongue around the head of his cock. He moans softly and runs his hand through my hair as I run my tongue up and down his shaft, encircling the base of it with my fingers and giving it a hard squeeze.
Caleb pulls my hair a little harder as I take all of him into my mouth, sliding it up and down his thick shaft at the same time I stroke him.
“Jesus, Veronica,” he gasps.
I tighten my lips down around his cock and start sucking and stroking him harder, faster, his moans growing louder by the second. With my other hand, I cup his balls, squeezing them and he lets out a loud groan. His body tightens, stiffens, and I know if I keep going, he's not going to last much longer.
Reaching down, Caleb pulls me to my feet. Giving me a kiss full of fire and passion, he picks me up and sets me down on the counter. He kisses my neck, sliding the tip of his tongue down to my collarbone as he cups my breasts through the thin material of my sundress. I gasp when he pinches my stiff nipples through the fabric.
Sliding the straps of my dress down, he exposes my breasts. And when his tongue touches my hard, sensitive nipples, it feels like bolts of electricity are being shot through my body. As he licks and sucks on my breasts, he slides his hand up my thigh, slipping it beneath my dress. I moan softly and grind myself against him when Caleb slides my panties aside and slips his finger into me.
Gripping his hair and pressing his face to my breasts, I cry out as he starts to move his finger inside of me, driving it deep. The fire between my thighs is burning out of control and I'm dripping wet as he bangs me hard and fast on the kitchen counter. I call his name when he slides a second finger into me, plunging into my pussy deep and hard.
It's been so long since I've been with somebody that the sensations coursing through my body are even more intense. And as Caleb is driving his fingers into me, I feel the pressure that's been building inside of me suddenly explode. My body is trembling and I cry out, squeezing his hand between my thighs, his fingers still deep inside of me, as I come. Hard.
It takes several long moments for the trembling to subside and for my breathing to get back to anything close to normal. I look Caleb in the eye and smile.
“That felt amazing,” I say.
As if a thought suddenly occurs to him, he holds up a finger. “Be right back.”
He dashes out of the kitchen, leaving me sitting on the counter, looking after him. My body still feels like it's on fire and I want more. It might be crazy – in fact, there is no doubt, this is crazy – but something happened when we were looking into each other's eyes earlier. Something changed between us. I don't know what it is exactly – but there is some sort of a connection between us that didn't exist before.
We've been great friends since we met, but this is – different. Deeper. On a different level. I don't know how to explain it, but something just feels different. And I like it.
“Caleb?” I call.
He steps back into the kitchen completely naked – except for the condom he slipped on. He looks at me sheepishly, as if he's still uncertain. I pull him to me and run my hands all over his lean, trim body. Caleb has the body of a runner or a swimmer – toned and somewhat muscular, without being one of those bulky behemoths. I don't think he's got an ounce of fat on him. His lean body is all angles and hard planes – and he's undeniably gorgeous.
He leans forward and kisses me again and I can feel the absolute want and desire pouring out of him – and into me. Sliding his hand beneath my skirt again, this time, he pulls my panties down. I kick them off the end of my foot and they land somewhere over by the refrigerator. He steps forward, his hands sliding along my thighs as he pushes my skirt up to my waist.
I wrap my legs around Caleb, shuddering as the head of his cock presses against my hot, wet opening. He leans forward and kisses my neck, giving it a gentle bite as he thrusts his hips, driving his stiff cock deep into my pussy. I throw my head back and cry out as he begins pumping his hips hard and fast, burying himself deep inside of me.
When we dated, we actually didn't sleep together, so this is my first taste of him – and I can't seem to get enough. Caleb sucks on my nipples as he fucks me, driving himself into me again and again. I am moaning loud enough to wake the dead, raking my fingernails down his back. He grunts and thrusts his cock into me even harder, making me cry out.
He feels amazing inside of me. Caleb is long and thick; every inch of his glorious cock is filling me up and stretching me open. I squeeze my vaginal muscles, making myself tighter as he fucks me. He cries out and reaches up, pulling my hair nice and hard, yanking my head back. He kisses my neck as he pounds his cock into me and the rush of sensations filling me up takes my breath away.
“Oh, Jesus,” he stammers.
His body tightens up and I know he's close. He grabs my ass and pulls me closer to him, thrusting his cock into me again and again, driving himself even deeper. Caleb throws his head back and his cry sounds more like a guttural growl. And when I feel his cock begin to pulse, I know he's filling the condom inside of me with his warm, sticky seed.
Feeling him coming inside of me touches off another wave of sensation – one that topples me over the edge. The orgasm that tears through me is intense and leaves me breathless.
We stand there in the kitchen, our bodies still intertwined, as we try to catch our breath and ride out the waves of incredible sensation that wash over us.
Chapter Five
We climb out of the shower, towel off, and get dressed – neither of us is looking at the other and an awkward silence hangs in the air between us. We've been best friends for years and we just had sex. Pretty intense and incredible sex, but sex nonetheless. I haven't had time to sit back and ponder the ramifications or what it all means, but I don't really feel compelled to – something that surprises me.
“I don't regret it, you know,” I say, finally breaking the silence between us.
He looks over at me, really meeting my eyes for the first time. “No?”
I shake my head and give him a smile. “No,” I say. “Not in the least.”
“Good, because neither do I,” he says. “But, what does –”
“What does it mean?”
He looks at me, a strange little smile playing upon his lips. “Yeah, I guess so.”
I walk over and place a soft little kiss on his lips. “I don't know right now,” I admit. “But, I think between the two of us, we'll figure it out. I mean – assuming you want to figure it out.”
He gives me a warm and genuine smile, which makes me feel a thousand times better about the situation instantaneously.
“Of course, I do,” he says.
“Good,” I reply. “Then finish getting dressed and let's get something to eat. I'm ravenous.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
A few minutes later, I'm in the kitchen, drinking a glass of cold water, when my phone rings. I glance at the display and furrow my brow, seeing that it
's Melinda. A sudden jolt of fear shoots through me knowing that she wouldn't call me unless there is something wrong.
“Melinda?” I answer the phone. “Is everything okay?”
She's crying, on the verge of hysteria – and trying to speak at the same time – and I'm having trouble trying to understand her.
“Slow down, Melinda,” I say. “I can't –”
I hear the muffled sound of the phone being passed and the anxiety inside of me ratchets up a few levels. The adrenaline is surging through me and I'm suddenly terrified. A moment later, I hear Melinda's husband, Aaron, on the line. And what he tells me sends a powerful wave of fear crashing down over me.
I click off the line, my hand trembling so hard, it took me a few tries to actually disconnect the call. I stare out the window at the darkness beyond, seeing the white foam of the waves breaking against the shoreline glowing in the silvery moonlight.
“Veronica?” Caleb's voice is soft. “What's wrong?”
I look over at him and open my mouth to speak – only to find that no words will come out. I just stare at him, wide-eyed and unable to form a single word. He steps forward quickly and takes my hand, giving me a reassuring squeeze. I look up at him, tears spilling down my cheeks and a dark rage boiling up inside of me.
“Veronica,” he says. “What's going on?”
“Glenn,” I say. “He took Justin.”
Caleb looks back at me, his eyes wide. “He did what?”
“He apparently followed me to Melinda's place,” I said, fighting off a wave of hysteria. “He just held Melinda and her husband at gunpoint and took Justin.”
“Oh, Jesus,” he said. “We have to call the cops.”
I shake my head. “He said if he sees cops, he's going to kill my son,” I say. “What am I going to do, Caleb?”
As if answering my question, my cell phone rings. I look at the display and don't recognize the number. I quickly connect the call, putting it on speaker so Caleb can hear.
“Glenn?” I say, my voice thick with emotion.
“I was gonna take him and disappear,” he says. “But he won't stop cryin' for you.”
“Bring him home, Glenn. Please.”
“Here's what's gonna happen,” he says. “You listenin'?”
“Yes,” I say quickly. “What? What do you want?”
“The three of us – you, me, and the kid,” Glenn says. “We're gonna disappear. We're gonna be a family again.”
“Please, Glenn,” I say. “Just bring him back home and I'll –”
“You ain't listenin', Veronica,” he snaps. “That's always been your problem. You run that fuckin' mouth of yours and you don't listen. So, shut up and listen.”
“Fine,” I say, wiping the tears off my cheeks. “What do you want?”
“I want you to meet me at the head of the pier,” he says. “And the three of us are gonna go somewhere and start a new life together.”
I look at Caleb and he nods, encouraging me to agree. My stomach is in knots and I feel like I'm going to throw up.
“Fine, okay,” I say. “Just don't hurt my son.”
“Our son,” he says. “Justin is our son.”
I bite back the taste of bile in my throat. “O – our son.”
“Good girl,” he says. “Be there tomorrow at noon. Not a minute later. And if I see a single cop or that prick of a boyfriend you got, Justin and I are gonna disappear forever. You got me?”
“Y – yes, fine.”
The line goes dead and I'm left staring at the phone, so much adrenaline running through me that I'm trembling. Caleb puts a hand on my shoulder and gives it a squeeze. I look up at him and see an expression of pure compassion on his face.
“It's going to be okay, Veronica,” he says. “Nothing is going to happen to Justin. I swear it. Let me make a couple of calls and then let's go get your son back.”
I throw my arms around him and give him a tight hug, hoping against all hope that he's right.
Chapter Six
The crowd at the head of the pier is thick as locals and tourists alike clog the place. Which is likely why Glenn chose it. He wanted the meet to be someplace public where he could see me without being seen. The knots in my stomach are painfully tight and it's all I can do to keep from throwing up.
I look around, desperately trying to catch sight of my son, but all I can see is the crush of bodies. It's chaos – just how Glenn wants it.
Target at three o'clock. Inbound. Two hundred yards. Target is alone. Repeat, target is alone.
My anxiety is through the roof as the voice comes through the small, discrete earpiece I'm wearing. After Glenn hung up last night, Caleb called a few of his friends from the military whom he said had the skills we needed. I didn't ask him because I didn't want to know. All I know is that they aren't cops. But as long as they get my son back to me, they can be Santa's elves for all I care.
Stay frosty, Veronica. He's got your son somewhere else. We'll have to wait to make the grab. Just go along with him.
My heart is racing and despite the cool weather, the stress of it all is making me sweat. I'm terrified, almost paralyzed with fear. But I just keep telling myself that I can't afford to be too scared to act. The only thing that matters is getting Justin back. That's the only thing that matters.
Just hang in there, Veronica, Caleb's friend says through the earpiece. Just go along with him and this will all be over soon enough.
I nod, not knowing whether or not I can actually pull this off. But then I see him coming through the crowd and the blood in my veins feels like it freezes. His eyes are narrow and lock on mine for a moment as he makes his way toward me. I watch him closely, see his eyes shifting this way and that, looking for the hidden threats, trying to make sure I'm actually alone.
And then he's there in front of me, reeking of beer, cigarettes, and body odor.
“Didn't think you'd actually show up alone,” he says. “You must really love the kid.”
“Where's my son?”
“Our son,” he corrects me.
“Where is he?”
Glenn looks around, still scanning the crowd. “Close,” he says. “He's close.”
“Take me to him, Glenn.”
He nods, watching the crowd a little more closely. He's like a dog that catches a scent on the wind – he smells trouble. Can sense it out there – but doesn't know where it's coming from. But then the moment passes and he flashes me a predatory grin.
“Ready to go?” he asks.
“Where are we going?”
He shrugs. “Not sure yet,” he says. “We'll see when we get there. All that matters is that the three of us are gonna have a new life. Together.”
I resist the urge to look around, to search out Caleb's mysterious friends – the men who are keeping watch over me. As I walk away with Glenn, I can only hope they have their eyes on me and will be in place when the time comes to pull Justin and me out of there.
We walk down Main Street and then turn onto a side street, passing by a parking structure, heading for a small residential street. Glenn is tense at first. Silent. His eyes constantly moving as if he is expecting an attack. But the farther we move from the pier, the more he relaxes – as if with each step away, his confidence continues to grow.
“Where is Justin?” I ask again, my anxiety soaring.
“He's in the car waiting for us.”
“You left him alone in the car?” I ask, almost yelling.
“Relax, he's fine.”
The street is dark and the cars parked along the curb are just shadows. There's an ominous feeling in the air. Caleb's friends have gone radio silent – which makes me nervous. I can only hope they're out there, tracking us, and didn't lose us in the crowds on Main Street.
Glenn leads me to a dark panel van and stops. Looking around, he unlocks it and slides the side door open. Justin is inside, bound and gagged on the floor. Rushing in, I scoop up my baby and hold him to me, tears streaming down my face.
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I take off the gag and check him over, breathing a sigh of relief when I see no bruises or cuts. Other than being tied up and gagged, he appears to be fine other than the fact that his eyes are red and puffy – he's obviously terrified and has been crying.
“Are you okay, baby?” I whisper to him.
He looks at Glenn and then back to me, nodding but saying nothing else.
“There? See? He's fine,” Glenn says. “Just like I told you.”
I turn and stare at him, fury filling my face. “You son of a bitch –”
“We got a chance for a fresh start, Veronica,” he says. “Don't ruin it by pissing me off.”
He starts to slide the door shut when I hear a loud popping noise followed by the hum of an electrical current. Glenn's body stiffens and he begins to spasm and jerk. He lets out a noise that sounds almost animalistic, somewhere between a growl and a groan. It's only then that I see the wires of the taser that had been shot into his chest.
Climbing to the doorway, I see a man dressed entirely in black, wearing a mask that reveals only his eyes, holding the taser. Movement out of the corner of my eye draws my attention and I see a second man emerge from the shadows. He raises his hand and that loud popping sound is repeated. Glenn's body jerks as he gets another dose of electricity from the newcomer's taser – and yet, he remains on his feet. He's slobbering all over himself and making a horrible noise, but he's still standing.
“Go down, stupid,” I shout.
I piston my foot out, catching him in the stomach, and send him toppling to the ground in a heap. He lays there, his body racked by spasms from the electrical current being pumped into him. In that moment, I want nothing more than to have a taser of my own. Though, it's probably best I don't have one – I'd be tempted to keep the electricity flowing until he was nothing but a burned-out husk of flesh.