Stuck in Between (Bound by Your Love)

by Bennett, Blakely

  “Promise,” she said, crossing her heart.

  “Watch my bag,” I said as I grabbed my wallet out of it. At the bar, I ordered the house blush and sighed out all of my stress.

  The old bartender wearing a ratty, long-sleeved, plaid shirt and jeans that looked like they might stand on their own, asked, “That bad?”

  “Worse,” I said, resting my elbow on the wooden bar.

  “It’s good you came for your friend.”

  “Sister.”

  “Sister, then. This isn’t the greatest area of town.”

  “I noticed.”

  “I’m sure you have,” he said, wiping the counter down in front of me.

  “I meant no offense,” I said, shaking my head as real exhaustion set in.

  “None taken. A piece of advice?”

  “Sure.”

  “The later it gets, the worse it’ll be.”

  “Gotcha and thanks.”

  “No problem.”

  I paid, left a tip on the bar, and walked back over to Sam and her entourage. “Let’s get out of here,” I whispered into her ear.

  “The game is almost over,” she said. She eyed the man next to her, and a look passed between them.

  “I’m going to the bathroom, and when I get back we’re leaving.”

  “Okay.”

  Fortunately the women’s bathroom wasn’t nearly as bad as I expected it to be, but when I came out of the restroom, the game had broken up, and Samantha was nowhere to be found. I snatched my purse out of the booth and found my cell phone.

  Me: Where the hell are you?

  I received no call back, so I rummaged through my bag for my keys.

  “Mother fucker!” I yelled, knowing she stole my car.

  “She left with Frank,” the bartender said.

  I just shook my head, at a loss of what to say. I had to know if my car was really gone so I tromped outside to make sure. “I am going to kill her,” I said to no one.

  “I can give you a lift, little lady,” a heavyset man said, taking me by surprise.

  “Uh, no thanks,” I said as I scurried back into the bar and sat up front.

  I texted her again:

  Me: You better bring my car back this instant!

  I dialed Lainie, but it went straight into voicemail.

  “Hey girl, I hope you’re having a fun time on your date. My bitch of a sister stole my car and I’m stranded at Dirty Joe’s west of US1. Please call me if you get this.”

  Next I texted Cat and received nothing back. I imagined the party at Red’s was in full swing, which would mean she probably couldn’t hear her phone. I had Red’s phone number on my refrigerator at home, but not in my cell. I realized I didn’t even know his real name. Bond had a habit of doling out nicknames to the ones closest to him. I decided to text Bond to get Red’s number. Red could relay my message to Cat.

  Me: What’s Red’s phone number? I can’t seem to reach Cat.

  Bond: I thought you were at Red’s.

  Me: I’m stuck at Dirty Joe’s and need a ride.

  Bond: What the fuck are you doing there? Do you know how dangerous that place is?

  Me: Can we do this later? I’d like to get the hell out of here!

  A few minutes past and another text came through:

  Bond: Red’s on his way. Stay at the bar near the bartender.

  Me: Did you have to send him?

  I wasn’t thrilled to be seeing Red again, but at least someone was coming to get me. I moved over to the bar and lowered my shoulders in relief.

  Even though I was still steaming mad at Bond, I wished he could have been the one to come.

  Sam’s previous boyfriend liked to rough her up when they partied to excess. The last time I received a crisis call from her, Bond left work in the middle of his shift to help me out.

  We found her high on drugs and alcohol with a black eye in the middle of a club, barely coherent. He held her in the backseat as I drove us to my place. We took turns holding back her hair as her stomach purged her overdose. I felt immense gratitude for Bond’s support and not having to handle the situation alone. I don’t know what Bond said to her boyfriend that night, but he never bothered her again.

  My thoughts were interrupted by a tall man looming over me and poking my arm.

  “Where’s Samantha?”

  “I have no idea, Darren. When she was kind enough to steal my car, she didn’t happen to tell me where she planned to go.”

  “This is all your fault!” he yelled, grabbing my shoulders and shaking me. “Why did you make her go see Sarah? Why couldn’t you just leave us alone?”

  “Let go of me,” I yelled, trying to dislodge his grip by scratching the back of his hands. “I did no such thing. She’s clearly lying to you as well. Let … me … go!”

  “Samantha said you were forcing her to see her daughter. She said that—”

  Darren seemed to get angrier and tightened his grip. I thought he might throw me to the ground.

  “How did you know she was here?” I squeaked out.

  “She told me to come pick her up. Do you know how many days she’s been sober until now? What kind of sister are you? You bring her to a bar?”

  “Darren, stop! I didn’t bring her here! She—”

  He shook me again, not listening to me. “Why can’t you just butt out of her—”

  In quick succession, Red entered the establishment, grabbed Darren’s wrist, and flipped him around, sandwiching his face against the bar. “Another boyfriend of yours?” Red said.

  “Fuck off,” I said, pursing my lips.

  “Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?” he said to me and to Darren he warned, “I’m going to let you go but if you take a step towards either of us, I’m going to cold-cock you and I promise, it’s going to hurt.”

  “Yeah,” Darren mumbled.

  “Jacqs, head for the door, I’m right behind you.”

  I lifted my purse off the bar and stomped off. What an asshole, I thought, and I didn’t mean Darren.

  Red caught up to me as I pushed my way out of Dirty Joe’s. “I can take care of myself.”

  “You’re doing such a fine job that I had to rescue you from this sleazy bar.”

  I turned to face him and said, “There were extenuating circumstances.”

  “I’m sure,” he said, sarcasm coating his words.

  He had parked his ostentatious silver Mercedes SUV up front. Because of his extra-large tires I had to climb to get into the passenger’s side. As soon as I settled into the seat, I started to shake. The accumulation from the day exacted its toll and my tears mutinied down my cheeks. Red caught me up in his arms and I punched his chest for him to let me go, but he held me tight as I continued to sob.

  “It’s going to be okay,” he said as he let me cry. After several minutes past, he said, “We should get out of here before any more of your boyfriends show up.”

  “Really? You too?”

  “You’re right, I’m sorry. You just don’t get it.”

  “Get what?” I said, staring into his bright, green eyes surrounded by golden-red eyebrows and light lashes.

  “Never mind. Where do you want to go?”

  “Goddamn it, there she is,” I said, scooting away from him. “I’m fine now and have my own way home.”

  “I’m waiting until I know you’re safe and I can tell Bond that I took care of things.”

  I paused with my hand on the door. “So, the only reason you’re here is because Bond sent you?”

  “Would you like there to be another reason?” His serious expression gave me pause.

  “Um, well, you should know I asked Bond to have you send Cat to get me.”

  “To this dive?” He waved his hand toward the bar and we watched a man stumble out.

  “Well, I … maybe it wasn’t the best of ideas, but I had no intention of bothering you.”

  “You bother me all the time,” he said, rubbing his short-cropped beard. “Even when you’r
e not around.”

  “Well, you can’t blame me for that!”

  “Who should I blame, Little One? Please come by the house for a little while.”

  “Why?”

  A knock sounded on the window, startling me back to the present. I opened the door and hopped down, almost twisting my ankle. Samantha stood in front of me dangling my keys.

  “Come,” I heard Red say just before I closed the car door.

  “You’re on my shit list,” I said to my sister.

  “I simply gave him a ride and came right back.”

  “No, Sam, what you did was steal my keys and car and if you ever do something like that again, I will call the police immediately and press charges. Your boyfriend is here and practically assaulted me because of your lies. You need help and frankly, I don’t want to hear from you until you get some.”

  I stalked to my car and threw my purse into the passenger seat. Flopping into the driver’s side, I flipped down the visor and saw blue streaks of makeup running down my face. “Great,” I said out loud.

  When I glanced at the entrance I saw Red waiting for me to leave. As I drove out, I realized I had never thanked him for coming to get me. I’m not sure if I rationalized a reason to see him again or not, but I wanted to know what he meant in his car. Turning off the main drag, I took the back streets to his house.

  He stood outside of his SUV waiting for me and that, in and of itself, almost made me turn around to leave. He arrogantly believed I would follow.

  I had to park farther down the road to find a free space. I pulled a tissue out of the glove compartment and did the best I could to clean up my eye makeup. After pushing my purse under the passenger seat, I texted Lainie to let her know I had made it back to Red’s with my car.

  I shook out my hair, put my shoulders back and stood as straight as possible. I wouldn’t let Red intimidate me. When I strutted over to him, his expression left me confused. He’d always been as cold as a granite statue, and I couldn’t read the new side to him.

  “Why did you want me to come and what did you mean? Wait … no … shit, what I really wanted to say was that I appreciate you coming to get me.”

  “Let’s go have a drink.”

  “A drink?”

  “Yes, you could use one.”

  “Would you stop doing that?” I said, squinting up at him through the outside house light that cascaded around him.

  “Doing what? I just offered you a drink,” he said, resting his back against his vehicle and folding his arms in front of him.

  “No, you said I needed one. You’re so bossy.”

  He laughed and said, “You bring it out in me. I’ll do my best to temper the urge.”

  “You have urges?”

  “You don’t want to know,” he said, glaring down at me.

  “Oh … I,” I stuttered, my nipples flaring at his intent. I crossed my arms over my chest as well.

  Grabbing my hand, he pulled me along with him into the house and through the main sitting area. Dreamworld played through the sound system. Cat gave me a questioning look as Red led me into the kitchen. I shrugged my shoulders back to her. He opened the refrigerator, fingered a Mike’s Hard Lemonade and a bottle of Dos Equis, popped the caps and swooped up my hand again in his large palm, leading me out to the back.

  I loved all the palms and the large stone deck around the Jacuzzi and pool. His two-story home sat on the Intracoastal Waterway, allowing him to keep his boat right behind the house.

  Two guys I didn’t recognize sat at the wrought iron table by the pool, smoking cigarettes.

  “Hey Ray, Charlie, glad you could make it,” Red said, pausing but not releasing my hand.

  “Thanks for the invite. She’s a tiny one,” one of the guys said, tilting his head in my direction.

  “She makes up for it with a big mouth,” Red said with a smug expression.

  I tried to pull my hand out of his grip, but he held on so tight I had to use my free hand to punch him in the shoulder. I would have preferred to punch his jaw, but I figured it would hurt me more than him to hit the sharp edge of his face.

  His friends chuckled, leaving me even more incensed.

  “And he makes up for his Neanderthal size with his small personality or at least that’s what he calls it,” I said, purposefully looking at his pants.

  That made his friends laugh hysterically and I felt proud of myself.

  “Come on, you,” he said, dragging me back inside and up the stairs to his bedroom.

  I had never been in there before. So neat and organized, it could have been a room in an upscale hotel except for the antique furniture on either side of the fireplace and the art on the walls. A chair sat near the entrance to the room, a pair of slacks over the back of it.

  “What the hell is going on with you Red?” I said as I finally managed to pull my hand away from his. “You’ve never given me much notice over the years. How long has it been?”

  “Five years.”

  “I’ve been putting up with your crap for five years? Jesus.” I took the lemonade from his hand and took several swallows.

  “Take it easy, Jacqs,” he said, closing the door behind him and leaning back against it.

  “Stop telling me what to do, would you?”

  “I can’t help myself,” he said with a slight smile.

  “Try.” I sat on the edge of the bed, putting plenty of distance between us.

  “I didn’t much care for your joke.”

  “Your friends liked it and you started it. Don’t fuck with me and I won’t fuck with you back.”

  “Do you have to talk like that? It’s very unattractive.”

  “What the fuck … shit …um heck do you want from me?” I drank more to boost my courage.

  “I’m warning you, Jacqs.”

  “Warning me? From what? What will you do?”

  “Don’t push me.”

  “I push your buttons without even trying.”

  “I’m well aware of that.”

  “Are you going to answer me?” I asked. “Because, if not, I’ll just head home.” I stood, finished off my drink and took a step toward the door that he blocked with his massive frame.

  He crossed the distance between us, swiped the drink out of my hand, and placed both bottles on the corner of his dresser. Before I had a chance to fight or protest he lifted me under my arms, off my feet, and placed my back against the wall. He groaned as if it pained him and then he lowered his mouth to mine.

  I tried to push him off, but he remained determined and I finally gave over to the incredible sensations he stirred within me. I took his large face in my little hands, which caused him to groan in pleasure, deepening the kiss. As I wrapped my legs around his bulky frame, he held me closer and carried me over to the antique chair by the door. He sat down with me on his lap, and we just stared at each other for a moment.

  Afraid of breaking the spell that I knew would end once reality set in, I sat, waiting. He ran his hands up my neck, followed by his mouth, kissing and nibbling. Chills fluttered down my spine and I moaned, “Oh, Red.” Wetness pooled in my panties and I wanted him to take me. I wanted to know what his cock looked like, tasted like. I didn’t care if we ever spoke again, or if my motivations stemmed from getting back at Bond. Red had sparked an intense need and I wanted him to take me.

  Running my hands through his red hair, I pulled his mouth back to mine and he took control. Clutching my wrists with one hand, he held them behind my back freeing him to bite his way down my chest. He unbuttoned the rest of my blouse, pushing the silk down off my shoulders, exposing my breast and hard nipples to the air.

  “No bra? You’re naughtier than I imagined.”

  “You’ve thought about me?”

  “Incessantly. Keep your arms behind you,” he said as ran his hands under my breasts and lowered his mouth. “I had no idea.”

  “What?”

  “For such a tiny woman, you have large nipples.”

  I scr
unched my face, not sure if he liked what he saw.

  “No need for the funny face, I love them.” He sucked on my right nipple and I closed my eyes in pleasure. His big hands kneaded my flesh and pulled on my left nipple.

  “Ohhh,” I called out, arching into his caresses.

  “Shh,” he said, “I think I heard something.”

  “Don’t stop,” I pleaded.

  “Stay the night.”

  “That’ll go over well with Bond, for sure.”

  “Did you have to mention him?”

  The bubble had burst and in my embarrassment, I scurried off his lap and buttoned up my blouse. I glanced in the mirror on the dresser and smoothed out my hair.

  He pushed into me from behind, grasping my breast over my shirt. He nipped my earlobe and said, “I’m not done with you, but I need to check on the party below.” He clutched the nape of my neck, turning my head toward him and kissing me one last time. “I’ll see you downstairs.”

  As soon as he left the room, I ran and jumped on his bed, lying back and staring at the ceiling. “What the hell was that?” I said to the crown molding. Is that why he has been an ass to me all these years? Why give in now? Why did I kiss him back? My head hurt with all the thoughts, so I decided I needed another drink.

  I hopped off the bed and noticed an antique Victorian wooden trunk against the wall on the far side of the room. The leather straps and rivets reminded me of a saddle. I slipped into his bathroom to freshen up before rejoining the party. Once downstairs, through the open French doors, I could see Red talking to a tall, attractive woman. They both laughed and it pissed me off. I turned right into the kitchen for another lemonade. Scanning the people scattered around the house, I strolled until I found Cat in the front sitting room. The plump couch and love seat matched the rug beneath perfectly. I plopped down on the cushion next to her.

  “What was that all about?” she asked.

  “Long story short, Red had to rescue me from Dirty Joe’s. Well, he did and he didn’t. Sam showed back up with my car at the last minute.”

  “She took your car? What’s up with that girl?”

  Taking a long swallow of my drink, I said, “Trust me, I wish I knew because if I did, I would knock some sense into her.”