Mallory

by Michelle Love

  ‘Ain’t I seen you somewhere?’

  Jules smiled coolly. ‘In the fresh produce aisle.’

  The sarcasm didn’t bother the kid who laughed as if Jules had made the funniest joke ever. As high as fuck.

  ‘Nah, man. I mean, on the t.v.’

  Fuck. ‘Nope. Never been on t.v.’

  ‘You sure?’

  ‘Pretty sure, guy.’

  The kid lost interest. ‘Okay, well, sorry to bother you.’

  Jules turned back, away from him – and straight into the eye-line of Amelia Storm. She smiled brightly.

  ‘Clem! How lovely to see you again.’

  ‘You too, Ms. Storm.’ Ugh. Pretending to be subservient to this rich bitch made him want to throw up. His eyes darted quickly from side to side. Where the hell was Jessica? If she saw him now…he fingered the knife in his pocket.

  No. It wasn’t going to be rushed this time. ‘Sorry, I can’t stay and talk today, gotta run.’

  He was flattered that she looked disappointed. ‘Oh, I don’t want to keep you then. I would have liked to introduce to my daughter-in-law, well, soon-to-be anyway but she seems to have wandered off…’

  Jules tipped his cap to her and said goodbye, walking briskly towards the front of the store. As he strode down one of the empty aisles, he saw her. She turned into it, not even glancing up at him.

  God…this was the first time he’d seen her since the night he’d stabbed her when she’d bled for him. He’d forgotten just how fucking beautiful she was, even in a simple sundress with no makeup. Her hair, a dark brown cloud, hung almost to her waist, was soft and messy. She took his breath away. He glanced around. No-one else was around.

  A hand over her mouth, push her back against the wall, put the knife in her…

  He recalled the feel of that first spurt of blood, her hot blood, that had covered his hands that night. Her gasp of agony, of shock. He stared at her now. How the hell did you survive?

  She looked up then and he stuck his face low into his collar, slouched down like an old man, and started to walk toward her. Everything in his body was telling him to do it, kill her now but he balled his fists up in his pocket. When he passed her, he slowed, pretending to study something on the other side of the aisle. He turned to make sure she wasn’t looking at him then stepped immediately behind her. He breathed in, the fresh soapy scent of her skin filling his nostrils. Jesus, he was hard, so fucking hard, she smelled so good and…

  ‘Jess?’

  Jules turned and stalked off at the sound of Amelia Storm’s voice. So close, so close… But at least, finally she was back. Jessica was home and now he could see the end of this all.

  She was home.

  Jess felt frozen inside. The guy in the store, harmless as he may have been, had creeped her out and when he’d stepped behind her, she could have sworn he was going to touch her. She heard his inhalation and her fists had balled, ready to fight. But then Amelia had called her and the guy had gone.

  She felt sick. On the way home, Amelia hadn’t noticed a thing but Theo, as soon as he’d seen her face had asked her what was wrong. She just shrugged, told him she had a headache and went upstairs. She sat on the edge of the bath now, nausea roiling around in her stomach. She tried to think why a lone creepy guy could make her feel this scared, this bad.

  She knew, of course, she did. It was he’d reminded her of Jules, that sneaky, stealthy way of his. Jesus. Was she that paranoid now? A wave of sickness hit her and she threw up into the toilet, retching again and again until she was dry heaving.

  ‘Well, goddamn Miss Wood, you’re beautiful.’ Amelia put on her best Southern-Belle accent as she opened the door to Jess and Theo on the night of their engagement party.

  Jess had gone against all of her natural instincts and had poured herself into a long gold shift dress that clung to every curve. The color radiated against her olive skin, setting it aglow, and her tawny mane rippled down her back. Amelia hugged her proudly, her eyes shining. ‘I knew you’d scrub up well, even if you are trailer trash.’

  ‘Mom!’ Theo was shocked but the two women dissolved into giggles.

  ‘Told you that would get him,’ Jess nudged her future mother-in-law and Theo sighed.

  ‘Oh so this is how the rest of my life is going to be, my mom and my wife ganging up on me.’

  ‘Yep, pretty much.’

  ‘Live with it, son.’ Amelia squeezed Jess’s arm. ‘You do look absolutely stunning, though.’

  Jess's face flushed at Amelia's words. Theo's reaction had been similar, but far more physical and considering Jess had just got redressed in five minutes flat, she was absurdly pleased with the result.

  ‘Come on, circulate, there is a lot of people for you to meet.’

  Two hours later, Jess was exhausted. All of Amelia’s friends were utterly charming but she could see in their eyes, they were all curious – not about her, but about what had happened to her. Sex and death sells she thought wryly, searching for Theo. He was nowhere to be seen and, excusing herself, she went to look for him.

  Pushing open the door of the study, she heard Max’s voice. She slipped inside quietly, not wanting to interrupt.

  ‘Theo…you should tell her. You promised each other no more secrets. Jess is tougher than you think she is. God knows, hasn’t she proved that? How many other people would have come back from such a violent past to be the person she is. She can handle this.’

  ‘She shouldn’t have to! Dammit, Max, how do I tell her what I’ve done, I can hardly believe it myself.’

  ‘You did what you had to do, Theo.’

  ‘Did I? I had a choice, Max.’

  Max sighed then as he glanced up, he saw Jess, frozen. He paled and glanced at Theo.

  ‘Theo..’ He nodded towards Jess and Theo stood, his face a mask of distress.

  ‘Sweetheart…’ He came to her immediately but she backed away, his eyes full of pain.

  ‘What did you do, Theo? Tell me.’

  She gazed up at the man she loved and waited for him to break her heart…

  Love With Me Part 9

  Stormfronts

  By Michelle Love

  Seconds felt like hours.

  Theo Storm watched Jess’s face as she took in what he had told her. I killed Malcolm. I broke his neck. We covered it up. Eleven words. Eleven words that could finally, inexorably rip them apart.

  For the first time, he wished Jess’s eyes weren’t such a deep, deep brown. He couldn’t read them. Jess turned to look at Max, who gave a short nod, unsmiling, obviously worried about her reaction. Jess turned back to Theo.

  ‘I would have done the same.’

  Theo had to grab the top of a chair to stop his legs collapsing with relief. Relief and astonishment. He saw Max’s whole body slump. Jess reached out and put her hands on his face.

  ‘I love you and I know you. Malcolm was a monster, as much as Jules is. He gave Jules an alibi for Josh’s murder – that, or he was the one who killed him. I’m glad he’s dead. I’m fucking over-the-moon he’s dead. I wish you had told me sooner, is all, but I get why you didn’t.’

  He couldn’t help himself then and pulled her into his arms and kissed her fiercely. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Max put his hand on his heart, smile, then slip out. Jess started to giggle as the kiss went on and finally they broke apart.

  ‘Dude, just sometimes, I need oxygen.’

  He grinned down at her, so lovely in the gold dress which clung to her soft curves, molded to her high, rounded breasts. ‘Damn, Jess, how’d I get so lucky to find you?’

  She answered him by pressing her body into his, cupping his cock through his trousers. At her touch, it responded immediately and then he was lifting her onto the desk, pushing the silk of her dress up to her waist as she unzipped his pants. She pulled his shirt open and teased his nipples with her tongue as he tugged her legs around his waist and plunged into her, lifting her easily into his arms. Jess shook her hair back from her face and grinne
d at him. ‘You wanna fuck against the bookcase, big boy?’

  God, he loved it when she was playful. He felt his cock thicken inside her, her soft vagina clenching around him, urging him on. He pressed her back against the books and thrust harder, finding the rhythm as they kissed, and bit, and sucked at each other. Jess dug her nails into his butt as she came, muffling her cries by burying her face in his neck. Theo came and came, his entire groin jerking hard as his semen pumped into her.

  Catching their breath, they kissed tenderly but didn’t speak. There was no need. Tidying themselves up, smoothing down their clothes, Jess giggling while she shoved a handful of tissue between her legs, they kissed again and nodded. ‘Time to get back to the party, beautiful.’

  He held the door open and as she passed, he ran a fingertip gently down her bare back. She shivered with pleasure and turned to smile at him. Something had changed in that room. A deeper connection had been forged.

  Theo couldn’t help but feel good about that.

  The party had gone on until the early hours and the sun was coming up when Theo and Jess finally made their way home. It was another hour until they made it to the bedroom and then they fell onto the bed, exhausted, exhilarated and slept, locked in each other’s arms.

  Jess moved through the house, ethereal and weightless in her wedding gown, her long hair tumbling to the center of her back. Every room was bathed in a soft, gold glow and she drifted through the house, calling for Theo…she wanted to see him, touch him, see his face when he saw her in the dress, know she was his for all time…

  Then he was there, at the end of the hallway, smiling at her. She moved toward him only to realize he wasn’t smiling…it was a rictus, there were too many teeth and his face wasn’t Theo’s handsome face but a contorted parody of it.

  ‘Come here, Jessica.’ Jules. It was Jules. She tried to turn away but the Theo/Jules monster was pulling her to him, closer, closer, his hands were metal, his fingers knives and he slashed at her, spattering hot blood across the dress, cutting her open and the pain, the pain…

  Jess woke up, shaking. Theo slept beside her, his own face creased with stress. She moved closer to him and he stirred and locked his arms around her. She lay there, unable to sleep. A plan was forming in her mind. Something she in her life would never have dreamed she would have considered.

  Killing another human being.

  ‘Hey, Mrs. Storm.’

  Amelia turned and smiled. She really was a stunning woman, graceful, patrician. Her hair hung in a smooth bob around her face, a face untouched by a plastic surgeon.

  ‘Clem! How many times have I asked you to call me Amelia? Good to see you.’

  She kissed him on the cheek and Jules felt his junk tighten. Really, dude? They were standing at the edge of the harbor, watching the ferries slink in and out of the terminus. It was a clear Washington day and Mt. Rainier rose over the Evergreen state. The weather was warm as Jules and Amelia walked slowly back into town.

  ‘I’ve got a lead on those champagnes you wanted for your son’s wedding,’ Jules mentioned casually and Amelia grasped his arm.

  ‘Oh, you are kind. Clem, can I treat you to lunch? I’m so grateful for all your help, really, I can’t believe how quickly the wedding day is coming.’

  They walked down to a small family restaurant where Amelia had parked her car and they ordered a crab salad each. As they ate, Jules studied her with a smile on his face.

  ‘So the wedding of the year is almost upon us, hey?’

  Amelia rolled her eyes. ‘For a wedding that the bride and groom wanted to be small and private…it’s entirely my own fault. I love Jessie like a daughter and after everything they’ve been through, I just want it to be perfect.’

  ‘I’m sure they’ll love it, whatever you’ve planned. Tell me more about Jessica.’ Go on, tell me how much better you know her than I do. I dare you.

  Amelia smiled, a doting look on her voice, and she leaned forward conspiratorially. ‘I can’t tell you how right she is for Theo. I was beginning to despair that he’d ever find the right woman for him but as soon as I saw them together…She’s had a very traumatic past, did you know? Her step-brother is a monster, there’s no other word for it.’ Her face had hardened.

  Jules was suddenly aware he was clutching the table in anger. He released his hand and put it over hers. ‘Tell me, Amelia. You know you can always confide in me.’

  Amelia smiled and Jules could see something shut down in her. ‘I don’t want to talk about it all of a sudden. When I think of her tiny body in that hospital bed…would you excuse me, Clem? I need to go use the bathroom.’

  After lunch, he walked her to her car. ‘Thank you for lunch. Next time, my treat.’

  She smiled at him. ‘You’re on. Look, I have to get to Theo’s but I’ll catch up with you soon.

  ‘Look forward to it.’ He weighted the words with meaning, and was gratified by her deep flush.’

  She got into the car and tried the ignition. Nothing. He rearranged his face to register confusion. ‘Pop the hood for me, Amelia.’

  A minute later. ‘Sorry, I can’t see why it won’t start. Why don’t I give you a ride?’

  Ten minutes later, he pulled the car into Theo’s driveway.

  ‘Thank you, Clem, you’re a lifesaver. If I missed this delivery guy one more time, they’ll give up and Jessie will have to get married naked.’

  The familiar tug of his groin when he thought of Jessica’s smooth skin, her curves. HE tried to smile. ‘No problem.’

  The security guy gave him the once over but Jules could see he didn’t recognize him. Good. Amelia led the way into the house and Jules couldn’t help the smile that spread over his face. Last time he had been here, Jess had been helpless under his knife as he stabbed her over and over. In the hallway, the wooden floorboards were still stained with her blood. Amelia must have seen him staring at the large stain.

  ‘Jess won’t let Theo replace the floorboards. She says it’s a reminder of the night she survived. I don’t get that, but it’s not my house.’

  From the set of her mouth, he could see she disapproved. He touched her arm, stroked it gently. ‘Don’t think about it. She’s fine now, right?’

  Amelia sighed and went into the kitchen. He followed her and sat at the kitchen table while she made them coffee. He breathed in the scents of the room: wood, fresh air, newly laundered linen…and faintly of Jess’ gardenia perfume. He was almost giddy with glee at the thought that later, she’d be here, in this room, completely unaware he’d been here.

  ‘Something funny?’

  He shook his head. ‘No, just, you know…it’s a beautiful place.’

  Amelia smiled, handing him a cup of coffee. ‘Isn’t it? Look, Clem, I’d like to invite you to the wedding, as my guest.’

  He put his hands up. ‘Oh, no, thank you, that’s kind but…I don’t know anyone here, really I’d feel awkward.’ And besides, there will be no wedding – not when the bride-to-be is found dead…

  She argued with him for a moment but seeing his mind was set, gave up. He smiled. ‘I’m sorry but how about, to make it up to you, I take you out sometime?’

  Amelia’s eyebrows shot up. ‘Are you asking me out, Clem? Because I’m old enough to be your mother.’

  He smiled his best, most perfect charming smile. ‘Don’t be ridiculous. And yes…I am asking you out.’ The idea had come to him just then and he congratulated himself.

  What could it hurt? Or rather…whom?

  Jess was in the middle of a humongous yawn when she suddenly noticed Theo, leaning against her office door, grinning that smile that made his eyes crinkle. Hurriedly she covered her mouth.

  ‘Too late, I saw it.’ He squatted down on the floor where she was sitting surrounded by papers. He looked through a couple. ‘You know when we talked about taking it easy your first few days back?’

  Jess smiled ruefully. ‘I got immersed…they really did a great job whilst I was away. I’m not even sure they
needed me to come back in, telling them what to do.’ She looked a little tired. ‘Maybe I should take a step back.’

  Theo leaned over to kiss her, cup her cheek in his hand. ‘You just need to get your confidence back. They were always going to run the day-to-day stuff smoothly, you put together a great team. It’s the stuff that goes above and beyond that you’re here for, the creative side, they what-else-can-we-do, the difference between this and other art foundations. That’s your calling, Jessie.’

  She shook her head, laughing. ‘See? You always know exactly how to make everything alright. I love you.’ She kissed him, wriggling across the floor so she could slide her arms into his jacket and pull it off. Theo gently pulled a spaghetti strap from her shoulder, kissing the silky skin there, trailing his lips across her collarbone to her throat, pressing his lips to the hollow. Jess sighed happily and Theo pushed her onto the floor, covering her body with his.

  ‘Everyone’s gone home, Jessie…it’s past eight…’ He used his finger to pull the strap down further, exposing her breast. His mouth covered her nipple, sucking and pulling at it as his tongue flicked and teased the small bud. She moaned softly, closing her eyes at his touch.

  ‘That’s it, Jessie,’ he murmured, ‘I’m in charge now….just relax.’

  She felt him pull her dress down to her waist, his mouth warm and soft on her breasts, her stomach. She stroked his hair as his tongue traced a pattern, his lips against her belly, kissing her scars as his fingers pulled down her panties. God, she would never get tired of this man’s mouth on her, his tongue tracing a pattern up and down her sex, flicking and lashing around her clit. He bit down gently on the swollen bud as she shivered through an orgasm, then another as he slid two fingers inside her, then a third until he was filling her, watching her face flush and change as he caressed her, his thumb stroking a maddening pattern across her clit. He kissed her deeply, feeling her breathless and excited, her mouth soft and warm, as pink as a berry, hungry for him. She tensed and sigh, coming again and again under his touch. Only after she’d come for the fifth time did he release her, allowing her to unzip his pants and reach for his cock. She wiggled down his body and he sucked in a breath as her mouth closed over the wide head, circling the sensitive tip until he was half-crazed then sucking and teasing it until it was engorged and so hard that all he could think about was getting inside of her.