Stronger With Him

by JA Hensley

"Thanks, I guess. Let's just get out of here. I can't deal with him again tonight."

  Stephanie links my arm in hers and we walk to the car. I'm definitely going to get drunk tonight after that. I don't even want to think about what he meant about always being his.

  Christin drives us straight to Stars. She knows that I need to unwind with loud music and dancing. Thankfully, the ride here has been relatively quiet. The girls understand that I don't want to talk about what happened.

  Once we make it inside, we immediately go to the bar where Steph and I order shots of tequila. I don't normally drink it straight, but the night seems to call for it. After two shots, I'm sucking on a lime wedge and heading to the dance floor. At this point, I don't know if the girls are following me or not and I just don't care. I need to get lost in the music and forget Ron.

  Justin Timberlake is blaring out of the speakers and everyone is moving to the beat. I turn around and see Christin grinding on a hot guy. Steph is dancing next to me with her eyes closed. The music changes to Ke$ha's latest song and I get lost in it.

  I don't know how long I've been on the dance floor, but I feel someone grinding into me. It doesn’t matter to me who it is, but I can tell he's enjoying himself. I take a small step back and rub my ass on his bulge, raising my hands above my head. He runs his hands up my arms and brings my wrists behind his neck. His hands skate back down my body and rest on my stomach. We continue to dance like this until the song changes. I bring my arms down and turn to see Adam standing behind me. I grin like the Cheshire cat and allow him to lead me off the dance floor.

  "Do you live here?" I ask him with a smile as soon as we've cleared the crowd.

  "It seems that way, doesn't it?" He smiles at me while leading me toward the same table where he was sitting the night before.

  "Seriously, this is the same table as last night. What aren't you telling me, Adam?"

  He sighs and looks at me like he's been caught lying. "I own this club, Becca. So I guess your question is accurate. I do practically live here." He grins and laughs a little.

  "Oh, well, that's pretty cool, though I'm not sure why you look like you're embarrassed about it."

  "I just don't want you to get the wrong impression about me. I'm just a regular guy who happens to own a new nightclub."

  "I don't think I have the wrong impression of you," I say as I slide closer to him in the booth. Obviously the alcohol is making me bolder than I usually am.

  He leans down and whispers in my ear, "Really? What’s your impression then?"

  "Seems to me that you're a nice guy who’s good looking and spends time in a new club. I don't care if you own it or not. That stuff isn't important to me."

  He kisses his way down my neck and I can't help but tilt my head to give him more access. God that feels good.

  He works his way back to my ear. "I'm glad you have a good opinion of me because I’d like to spend some more time with you." He ends his sentence with a nibble on my lobe.

  My entire body breaks out in goose bumps and I shiver. I haven't been touched like this in so long that I'm starting to enjoy it way more than I probably should. I pull back and look Adam in the eye and see all I need to know. His eyes are full of lust and I doubt mine are any different. His fingers are running along my arm leaving a trail of fire in their wake. I can't think of anything other than Adam being buried inside me and that thought both scares and thrills me.

  "Why don't we go someplace a little quieter for a while?"

  "I can't leave my friends."

  "My office is in the back. It's quiet and private. We can talk there and you'll still be in the building." He stands and reaches for me.

  "Okay. Let me send a text so Christin knows where I am." I send off the message and follow Adam back to his office. I can't believe I'm doing this. Never in my life have I been so bold. I'm always the cautious one, but there’s something about Adam that draws me in.

  We pass through a door behind the bar. I can still hear the music in the club, but it’s much quieter. Adam opens a door at the end of a short hallway. This room is large, with a U-shaped desk in the center, a wall of televisions behind it, and a large seating area on the right. There are two leather couches and a wingback chair surrounding a coffee table. Adam leads me to one of the couches and pulls me down to sit with him.

  "Can I get you a drink? I have a small bar in here."

  "I'd love some water, please." I need to try to keep some clarity right now.

  "No problem, give me a second." Adam gets up and moves to the desk. He presses a button and a panel moves on the wall next to the televisions. It opens to a built-in bar with a small refrigerator on the bottom and crystal decanters with different colored liquids in them arranged on shelves above. Adam gets a bottle of water out of the fridge and pours himself a glass of amber liquid. I look at his ass when he bends over. It’s a beautiful ass and I imagine what it would feel like in my hands. Where did that come from?

  Adam returns to the couch with our drinks and sits close enough to touch me, but not as close as I'd like him to be.

  "Where's your boyfriend, Becca? I can't imagine a woman like you is single."

  "Why wouldn't I be single? What does that mean?" I reply sharply. What the fuck is he getting at? Maybe this was a bad idea.

  "No, I just meant that you're hot and any guy would be lucky to call you his." He smiles and I can feel my panties get wet.

  "Oh, well, I don't have a boyfriend." I'm blushing and I have no idea how to respond to that. Being this close to him has me flustered.

  "I see. Well, that's good for me then." Adam puts his glass on the table and runs his hand up my leg to the bottom of my very short skirt. I watch as his finger moves along the hem. I feel his other hand under my chin, turning my face to him.

  "I'm not going to play games here, Becca. I want you. I've wanted you since the first time you walked into my club. I think about what you might taste and feel like. I'm not looking for a relationship, though. I'm not really built for that. But I do want to fuck you."

  I don't know how long I sit there looking at him. Did he just say that he wants to fuck me but not have a relationship? Do I want that? I've only been with two men in my entire life. Adam is gorgeous, and judging by what I can see, he's got a lot to offer below the waist. I want to move on from the heartbreak I've been dealing with this week and sex with Adam would certainly give me the distraction I need. I answer him the only way I can in this situation. I climb onto his lap and kiss him hard.

  Adam leans back and grabs my ass with one hand and my neck with the other. His tongue runs along my lips so I open my mouth to taste him. Damn, this man can kiss. I feel like I need to get closer to him, but I don't know how. I run my hands up his chest and clasp them behind his head. I can't help my hips moving against his impressive erection. Adam’s hands are under my skirt, kneading my ass and grinding me harder against him. I can hear Daft Punk's Get Lucky playing in the club and I think that it’s appropriate.

  Adam breaks our kiss and moves his lips down my neck. He's nibbling and licking me and I can't get enough. I let out a small moan that makes his dick twitch under me. I want to see him so I start to unbutton his shirt. My body wants this and my head has decided to relinquish control.

  I'm lost in the feeling of having this man's hands on me. I feel my skirt being pushed up around my waist and my panties are moved to the side. While I'm enjoying this, my head decides to take control. Oh, god, why can't I just let this happen? I need to get over Ron. Fuck. Now Adam's going to think I'm a tease. But, I just can't do this. Casual sex is not my thing.

  "Adam," I say pushing on his chest. "I'm so sorry. This isn't me. I didn’t mean to lead you on, but I'm not made for one night stands."

  He has a pained expression at my words. "Are you sure, Becca?"

  "Yes, I'm sure and I'm really sorry," I reply moving away from him.

  He puts his hands on my thighs. "Wait, please. Can you just give me a minute to get myself under co
ntrol?"

  "Uh, sure," I say, sitting uncomfortably on his lap. "I'm really sorry. I know I keep saying that, but I am."

  "It's fine, Becca, really, I understand. I'm just sorry you feel this way because I think we could have a really good time."

  I stand up quickly, not wanting to cause any more sexual tension. "Thanks for being so understanding." I smile at him and adjust my clothes before turning toward the door. "I'm going to go find my friends before they start tearing this place apart looking for me."

  "If you change your mind, you know where to find me," he says as I leave the office.

  It doesn't take long to locate Christin and Steph. They're at the bar having a drink when I approach. Christin has a shit-eating grin on her face and Steph looks a little concerned.

  "Well, well, Becca. How's it going?" Christin asks, her smile getting bigger.

  "My night's been good, how about you girls?" I'm not giving any information unless they beg me for it.

  "Apparently not as great as yours. You have that just-fucked look and your hair is a mess," Stephanie says as she starts to laugh.

  "I'll tell you about it later. Are we done here or do you ladies want to dance some more?" I'm not trying to be a buzzkill, but I'm tired and I'd like to get some sleep.

  "Oh, we're ready. We’ve been waiting for you to come back, you whore," Christin winks at me and starts to laugh.

  "Okay, Christin, let's go before you lose it then." I grab her hand and lead her out of the club. Looks like I'm getting over Ron better than I thought I would.

  Chapter 5-Rebecca

  I have a ton of things to get done today since classes start tomorrow. It's my second year of graduate school, but I still get a nervous feeling at the beginning of each semester. I like to make sure I have all my books and notebooks the day before. It may be obsessive but I don't care. I didn't get this far by being unorganized. I know I need to run to the grocery store and stock up on coffee. I probably need to call my mother today, as well. She gets worried if I don't talk to her at least once a week.

  Dragging myself to the shower I start to make a mental list of the things I need to get at the store. I’m rinsing the conditioner out of my hair when I hear my phone. It's in the living room so it’ll have to wait until I finish up.

  When I walk into the living room, I see movement out of the corner of my eye. I jump back into the hall screaming. Who the fuck is in my apartment? Peeking around the corner, I see Ron sitting calmly in my recliner.

  "What the fuck are you doing here, Ron? How did you get in my apartment? We broke up, remember?" I'm not sure how serious I look standing here in a towel.

  "Oh, Becca. You keep saying that but you don't mean it. You love me and you'll never leave me. We were made for each other and you know it." He’s so calm it's unnerving and he doesn't tell me how he got in.

  "I don't want to be with you anymore. Why don't you get that?" I'm shaking now and I don't want to cry.

  "Please, Becca, don't make me beg. I can't live without you." There’s very little emotion in his voice. This is not the same man I fell in love with, is it? I've got to get him out of here.

  "I'm sorry, but we're going to have to talk about this later. I have to meet the girls for lunch and I'm running late. How about we go to dinner and we can discuss it then?" I definitely want to have this conversation in a public place.

  "I want to talk now. That's why I'm here. To talk." The way he says talk makes me very nervous. He's never actually hurt me, but I'm not sure what he's thinking.

  "Okay, let me send them a text and tell them I'll be late."

  "I already texted Steph and told her that you weren't feeling well and you'll be staying home today. She texted back that she understood."

  "You did what? Why would you do that?" This can't be happening. I grab my phone and see that he did exactly that.

  "I knew you would try to avoid this conversation and I want to talk, just you and me. No interruptions from your pain-in-the-ass friends." His expression changes for a second, but I'm not sure what to make of it.

  "All right, fine. Let me get dressed and I'll be back out here to talk." I've still got my phone in my hand and I plan to send a text when I get back to my room. I turn around to leave the living room and get about two steps toward the hall when Ron grabs my hand.

  "Leave the phone here, Becca. You don't need it to get dressed." Oh, fuck. Now what do I do? I let him take the device and walk to my room. I close and lock the door and try to figure out what to do next. I always thought it was comforting that he didn't want other guys talking to me, but now I know it was more possessive. I see my iPad on the dresser and I open the email program quickly and type a message to Christin and Steph.

  Ron was here when I got out of the shower. He wants to talk. I didn't text you. Please check on me in thirty minutes.

  I hope they check their emails because I don't know what might happen if Ron doesn't get the answers he wants.

  After throwing on a pair of yoga pants and sweatshirt I go back to the living room. Ron is pacing the length of the room. I calmly sit on the couch, trying to position myself as close to the front door as possible. They taught us in class that if we're dealing with an irate client to be as close to an escape route as possible. I don't know if I'll need it, but it can't hurt to be prepared.

  "So, what do you want to talk about, Ron?" I try to maintain eye contact, keep my posture nonthreatening, and my voice calm. All the things I learned in my therapeutic techniques class.

  "Why don't you tell me about Adam? I know you fucked him last night." Ron stops pacing and crosses his arms over his chest. I know my face is reflecting the shock I feel right now.

  "I . . . I have no idea what you're talking about. Adam who?" Get it together, Becca. That was not the way to handle that.

  "You know exactly who I'm talking about. You fucked Adam Jenkins last night at Stars. I saw you go in the back with him and when you came out, you had the look on your face you always do after sex." He gets louder with each word until he's nearly screaming.

  "Calm down. You don't have to yell at me. Were you at Stars last night? I didn't see you there." Not the best argument, but maybe it’ll diffuse the situation.

  "Of course I was there. One of my buddies sent me a text that he saw you there dancing with a guy, so I came to see what was going on. When I got there, I watched you walk behind the bar and through a door I can only assume goes to offices. Then I watched you walk out looking flushed. So, I’ll ask you again, what the fuck are you doing fucking Adam Jenkins?" He's standing over me, so close that when he talks the saliva hits me in the face.

  I flinch and try to shrink back into the furniture. I take a deep breath to try to remain calm. I really want to jump up and scream at him, but I know that would be a bad decision. I decide to go for contrite and hope he buys it.

  "I'm so sorry, Ron. I didn't think it was a big deal since we broke up. I apologize if you feel differently.” What a load of crap. I hope he's buying it.

  He stands up straight and grins at me. I start to relax a little and I don't see his fist coming until it connects with my cheek. I'm thrown to the floor and hear myself screaming and crying. I can't believe he fucking punched me in the face. Nobody has ever hit me before. I’m so stunned, I don't move.

  "You stupid bitch. You are mine. You belong to me and nobody, I mean nobody else gets to touch you. Get off the floor and look at me." He reaches down and picks me up off the floor, tossing me back on the couch as if I weigh nothing. He grabs my chin and tilts my face up to his.

  "I’ll forgive you this one time, Becca. If you even think about leaving me again, I won't be so nice about it. Do you understand me?"

  Inside my head I'm screaming, telling him to fuck off. But on the outside I just nod and say nothing. I just need him to leave and get myself together.

  "Good girl. I knew you'd see it my way. Now, I'm going to go. Stay out of trouble today and I'll come back tonight so we can have dinner together. Why
don't you make my favorite lasagna and I'll bring the wine."

  "Okay," I whisper in response.

  He bends down and kisses the top of my head. "I'll see you later then, Babe."

  I sag down on the couch when I hear the door close. What the hell was that? I know I need to get some ice on my cheek, but I can't stop crying to make it to the kitchen. When my phone rings, I know it's Christin.

  "Becca, what's going on? Are you all right? What did that fucker say to you?" Christin sounds frantic, but I can't answer her. The only sound I can get out is a sob.

  "Fuck. I'm going to pick up Steph and we'll be over as soon as we can. Stay there, Honey, we're coming." She ends the call and I drop my phone on the floor. I lay on the couch crying.

  The girls arrive ten minutes later and my tears are drying up. I still haven't moved and my cheek feels like it's on fire. Stephanie looks at me and goes straight to the kitchen. Christin sits next to me and puts my head in her lap. Steph comes back with a bag of frozen peas and puts it gently on my cheek.

  "What happened?" Steph asks quietly.

  "I must have forgotten to put the chain on the door last night and I guess Ron used his key to get in. When I got out of the shower, he was sitting in here, waiting for me. He was pissed and said that he knew I slept with Adam last night. Then he punched me in the face. I honestly don't remember all the details, but he told me I was his and nobody else was going to touch me." My entire body is shaking now and the tears are flowing again.

  "That motherfucking piece of shit. I'll fucking kill him. What a psycho. Becca, we have to call the cops." Christin is stroking my hair, but I can feel the anger flowing through her.

  "No, I'm not going to call the police. They won't do anything anyway since he's not here. It's my word against his. I just want to forget this ever happened."

  Stephanie moves to kneel in front of the couch, looking me in the eye. "You know you can't just forget about this. He won't stop unless you do something. It's basic psychology and you know it." She smiles sympathetically.

  I know she's right, I just can't believe this is happening to me. "I know. I don't know what to do. I'm scared. He's never been like this before. He was angry when he threw dishes at me but nothing ever like this."