Ash

by Julieanne Lynch

  “Goodnight, Mom. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” I kissed her cheek and opened the front door.

  “Survive. It’s what the Benton’s are made of,” she replied, and closed the door behind me.

  God, I loved my mother. I’d die for her. If there was one person on the planet who showed nothing but love and compassion on a daily basis, it was her. She was my saving grace. Of course, that hadn’t always been the case. There was a time in my life when she was public enemy number one, and I hadn’t given a shit about her or anyone else.

  One particular time would always play over in my mind.

  Andrés stood in front of the cash register and held the gun to the shop owner’s head.

  I filled a bag with the day’s takings, and helped myself to a bar of chocolate.

  The man cried. “Please, just take what you want, but don’t hurt my daughter or me.”

  In the corner, by a door that led out the back of the shop, a petite Asian girl stood trembling. She couldn’t have been more than twelve years old.

  One of Andrés’ cousins blocked her escape.

  Andrés eyed her and shook his head. “You afraid I’ll fuck her?”

  The man shook his head and put his hands up. It was clear he was frightened for both him and his kid.

  “You saying I’m some kind of fucking pervert?” Andrés’ voice got louder.

  “No . . . no . . . no,” the man replied. “Please, just let her go. She is all I have.”

  Andrés scowled. He lifted the gun and used the tip of it to scratch his head. He then looked at the girl, eyeing her bare legs. He smirked and returned his attention back to the man.

  “She does look good enough to eat. Maybe I’ll help myself to a little Asian pussy. How about that, boys?” He laughed.

  A few of the other guys joined in.

  I, on the other hand, hated when he played these games.

  “Hey, the register and safe are empty. Let’s bounce,” I said, and stepped out from behind the counter.

  “Not so fast, Benton,” Andrés remarked, and winked at me. “Tell the pretty little thing to come over here. I’d like to get a better look at her. You know how I like ‘em young.”

  Laughter filled the shop, and I wanted to run.

  “Let’s just go, okay? Leave the kid alone.”

  Before I had the chance to say anything else, Andrés’ cousin, The Tank, otherwise known as Felipe, grabbed the girl’s wrist and led her over to where Andrés stood.

  “You can stop talking now, Benton,” Andrés said, and glared at me.

  “Fuck, man!” I muttered, and stepped back.

  Andrés tipped the girl’s head back and pushed his face against hers. “Do you suck cock?”

  The girl started wailing. Her piercing screams echoed all around us. It was horrifying.

  Andrés laughed like a menace.

  The girl’s father pushed his head against the barrel of the gun. “If you kill me, do it quick. Just spare my daughter.”

  “Oh, the love of a father, eh? I bet you get to stroke her nice, tight pussy, huh?” Andrés teased. “I bet you make her so wet, you jerk off onto her pert little titties.”

  “Hey, fuck this shit,” I shouted. “I’m outta here.”

  Andrés snapped his neck to the side and glared at me. “You’ll go when I fucking tell you.”

  “I didn’t sign up for this shit.” I growled. “She’s a fucking kid. Leave her and her father alone.”

  Andrés grew silent. His nostrils flared and he kept eye contact with me.

  I never knew what to expect from him when he got like this. He was unpredictable, and that was always a dangerous thing.

  His posture relaxed. He took a deep breath and removed the gun from the man’s head.

  “Okay, the party’s over,” he declared. “I was just fucking with you, man.”

  The rest of the crew roared in laughter. There was nothing entertaining about what had just happened.

  The guys walked out of the shop.

  I moved forward.

  Andrés put a hand on my shoulder. He whispered in my ear.

  “Next time, I’ll cut your throat. Never undermine me again.”

  I didn’t respond and joined the rest of the guys outside. We all went our separate ways.

  Andrés was either going to get me killed, or kill me himself. Not a sobering way to accept that your fate was predestined. I had to make several choices, hard decisions that could cost me more than my future.

  It was shortly after three a.m. We had already had two call outs. One to a little old lady who had gotten trapped in a lift. The other, a wreck with one fatality. I was finishing up my report when Danny came in.

  “What’s up?” I asked as he sat down.

  “Can’t sleep.” He popped his hands behind his head and sighed.

  “Is the whole Marcy thing still playing on your mind?”

  He looked at me and nodded.

  “I told you, she’s fucking with your head. She’s doing her best to come between us.”

  “I know. I just hate that she raised that level of doubt in my head, and I despise myself for it,” he admitted. “I know you would never betray me or Connie.”

  Danny was well known for his long bouts of depression. They were few and far between these days, but when they raised their ugly head, the dark days were on their way.

  “Listen to me, Danny,” I said in a calm voice. “I would never judge you for reacting the way any normal man would. Our circumstances are exceptional, and Marcy is playing a cruel and twisted game.”

  He smiled. “I fucking loved her.”

  “I know you did.”

  “Nowadays,” he said. “If she were to drop dead, I’d piss on her.”

  “And keep remembering that, okay?”

  “Yes, sir.” He saluted me and grinned. “Nice addition to the family.”

  I touched my neck. “Yeah, it was the right time.”

  “I like it. It’s very you.” His grin grew even bigger. “I wonder what Miss Dubois will make of it.”

  I shook my head and cringed. He had to go there.

  “Never you mind what she thinks.”

  “Ah, so it’s true?” he remarked.

  “What?”

  “That you two are an item,” he said in a ridiculous French accent.

  “Fuck off,” I snapped, and laughed. “Don’t you have duties?”

  “I do. However, I needed a little bro time. But I understand that commanding tone,” he said, and stood. “And now I shall bid you farewell.”

  “Get outta here.” I scrunched up a sheet of paper and threw it at him as he closed the door.

  Chuckling to myself, I finished off the report. I filed the last one and noticed my phone. There were two texts messages from Sophia. I scrolled to them and smiled when I saw her ass on the screen with the caption, ‘Feeling peckish?’ I sniggered and opened the next picture. To my utter surprise, she had captured the perfect angle of her pussy. I stared at the image, feeling the boner grow beneath my pants.

  Fuck, this was all I needed. Me, stuck at work, thinking of nothing but eating her out.

  I closed the image and dialled her number. It rang a few times before her sultry voice answered.

  “Well, you took your time.” Her accent was so sexy when she was being sarcastic.

  “If you haven’t forgotten, I’m at work,” I replied.

  “Even more the reason to hurry up and get that shift over with.”

  Jesus Christ, this woman was driving me crazy. “I’ve breakfast with Jake. Then, I’m dropping him off at his other grandparents. I can make it to yours by eleven a.m.”

  “I can wait, but just know that I have worked up an appetite.”

  “Oh, really?”

  She laughed and replied, “Yes.”

  “Tell me,” I whispered.

  “Well, the thing is, if I tell you, you might get a litt
le too hot under that collar of yours.”

  “Too fucking late,” I replied.

  “Ooooh, my little clit needed tending to,” she said.

  “So what did you do?” I looked at the door, making sure no one was outside.

  “I rubbed it a little, slipping a finger inside me, lightly fucking myself.” She moaned.

  “And then what?”

  “Then, I stroked myself faster, pinching my hard nipples, wishing you were here licking and sucking me off.”

  Holy fuck!

  “You are a very bad girl,” I said, and smiled.

  “Oh, but that’s not all,” she continued. “I couldn’t hold back, so I got on all fours and slowly stuck my dildo deep inside me. I closed my eyes, fucking myself, thinking about your cock ramming me hard.”

  “You are driving me nuts,” I whispered. My cock twitched.

  “And when I came, I cried out your name.” She sighed. “And now, I am all wet and needing your tongue to clean the mess up.”

  “Jesus, woman,” I muttered. “I am about to jizz in my pants.”

  Sophia giggled. “No, save it for me.”

  I ran a hand across the back of my neck and glanced at the clock. “You better be ready for me.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “I’m going to fuck your brains out.”

  “I fucking hope so,” she replied, and the call ended.

  As far as eventful nights went at work, this was one of them, but for completely different reasons. Sophia had planted the seed of desire, and it was running rampant.

  Jake was with my father as I pulled into the drive. They were outside, setting potted plants on the steps.

  “Daddy!” Jake beamed and waved at me.

  “Hey, buddy. Has Gramps got you doing all the dirty work?” I asked, and walked up to them.

  “He’s showing me how to arrange the flowers neatly. Didn’t I do good, Grandpa?” Jake asked my father.

  My father patted him on the back and winked. “You did a great job, son.”

  “Yes!” Jake shouted, and gave my father a high five.

  “You hungry?” my father asked.

  “Starving.” I nodded.

  “Then, let’s eat,” he replied, and took Jake’s hand.

  I followed the two of them into the house. The delicious aroma of bacon and pancakes filled the air.

  My mother’s warm smile was enough to make me feel welcome in my childhood home. She reached her arms out toward me, and I hugged her tight. The fresh scent of vanilla musk wafted from her silver hair. She was still as beautiful as ever, and knew the way to a man’s heart.

  “Go sit down. Let me get you a plate,” she said, and ushered me to the breakfast table.

  I took a seat next to Jake.

  He grinned like a Cheshire cat.

  “What’s the cheesy smile for?” I asked.

  He giggled and bobbed his head from side to side. “Grandma showed me pictures of you when you were a baby.”

  “Oh, did she now?” I laughed and glanced at my mom.

  He nodded. “Yup! You had a funny face, Daddy.”

  Jake was amused by my old baby photographs. I loved that my mother did these things with him. Connie used to sift through all our albums from back in the day, but Jake was too young to take any of it in. He was now the perfect age to be introduced to life before him, and he was certainly loving it.

  “What can I say? I take after good, old Pops here.” I pointed to my father and earned myself a look from over his glasses.

  “It runs in the family, Jake, so be prepared,” my father remarked, and chuckled.

  “So who’s ready for this feast?” my mother asked, carrying two platters of bacon, pancakes, and eggs to the table.

  Jake threw both of his hands in the air and shouted, “Me, me, me.”

  “Then, eat up, sweetheart,” she said, and sat down.

  We all tucked into the food. It was like being a kid again. Hot maple syrup poured over the pancakes. Crispy fried bacon that crunched as you bit into it. Delicious fried eggs, sunny side up, my favourite way. Freshly brewed coffee that put a spring in my step. It was perfection and made me appreciate my parents a little more.

  “How was work?” my father asked.

  “It was quiet enough, but duties and paperwork keeps me on my toes.” I popped another slice of bacon in my mouth.

  “Did you not get any sleep?” My mother stared at me.

  I shook my head. “Mom, I get enough to get by.”

  “But you’re on two more nights,” she said. “It’s not healthy not getting the right amount of sleep.”

  “I intend on resting today once I drop Jake off at Michelle’s,” I replied, and playfully tousled Jake’s hair.

  “I almost forgot about his little tournament today,” she remarked, and turned her attention to Jake. “Are you excited, sweetheart?”

  “You bet. I am going to be the champion,” Jake replied, and wiggled his bottom in his chair, eating another pancake.

  “But always remember that it’s the taking part that counts, right?” I threw my two cents in.

  “Sure, Daddy.” He rolled his eyes.

  That got my parent’s attention, and they laughed hard.

  It was good to see them loving having us around. Jake certainly brought the best out in everyone. My father, in particular. He was a changed man. He still had his Marine way of doing things, but mostly, he was mellow, and that was a huge bonus. Jake needed someone like him in his life.

  After we helped clear breakfast away, and I took it upon myself to wash and dry the dishes, it was time to leave.

  “Thanks so much, Mom.” I kissed her cheek.

  “You know I wouldn’t have it any other way,” she said, and touched my cheek. “We love having Jake here. He fills the house with noise and clutter. What more could I ask for?”

  “A long weekend away in the sticks,” my father piped in.

  “Ignore him.” My mother scowled at him.

  “Don’t worry. I’ve selective hearing these days.” I smirked.

  “I heard that,” my father bellowed from the living room.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow evening, Mom. Thanks again.” I kissed her cheek one last time. “Jake, what do you say to Grandma?”

  He held onto my hand, swinging it back and forth. “See you later, alligator.”

  “In a while, crocodile.” My mother pinched his nose.

  We left the house in fine spirits.

  My mother waved at us from the door.

  Jake settled himself into the back seat, switching on his DS.

  “Did you sleep on your own all night?” I asked, and drove away from my parent’s house.

  He scrunched his nose and nodded. “Yup.”

  “Way to go, buddy.”

  “Daddy?”

  “What?” I stared at him through the rear-view mirror.

  His face was serious. “Can I have a bath at Maw-Maw’s?

  “Why?” I raised my eyebrows.

  “Because when I fart, it makes really cool bubbles.” He looked back down at his DS, and the conversation ended.

  Sometimes, there was no telling what came out of the child’s mouth. He was unpredictable, carefree, and made me laugh. Connie would be so proud of him.

  “Do you promise to be a good little guy today?” I asked, pulling up outside Michelle’s house.

  “Yup.”

  “And do you promise to share?”

  “I sure do.”

  “And do you promise to sleep all night on your own?”

  He nodded and smiled. “Yup, I promise, Daddy.”

  “That’s my boy. Only two more sleeps, and I am off duty for two days.”

  Jake shrugged and popped his DS in his satchel. “I know, Daddy. You’ve an important job to do.”

  “That’s right, I do.” I got out of the car, opened the rear passenger door, and took his hand. “
And remember, everything I do is because I love you.”

  He gazed up at me and squinted his eyes. “I love you, too. So, can I go ring the doorbell?”

  “Off you go.”

  Jake ran up the path, making sound effects as he neared the door. He stepped onto a well-placed rock and rang the doorbell. He looked back at me and gave me the thumbs-up.

  Michelle answered the door.

  Jake zoomed in past her.

  “Well, someone’s in a hurry.” She chuckled.

  “He’s excited,” I replied. “I hope he has a good day.”

  “Oh, don’t even think about it. He’ll be just fine,” she said. “You stopping for coffee?”

  I looked at my watch. “No, not this morning, if that’s okay with you?”

  “You’ve somewhere else you need to be?” She raised an eyebrow.

  “Yes,” I lied, trying to keep my dirty secret hidden. “At eleven.”

  She smiled. “Then, you best be off.”

  “I will, just let me say goodbye to Jake,” I replied, and stepped into the house.

  Jake was building a fort in the living room with cushions and his blanket.

  “Hey, buddy, come here for a second.”

  He looked at me before strolling over to me.

  I knelt down in front of him. “I’ve got to go, okay?”

  “That’s okay, Daddy,” he said.

  “But I want you to be on your best behaviour today. Make us all proud. Okay?”

  He nodded.

  “And Jake?”

  “What?” He picked his nose.

  “I love you.”

  He wrapped his arms around my neck and kissed my cheek. “I love you, too, big guy.”

  I left the house, planting a kiss on Michelle’s cheek before embarking on my midmorning adventure.

  Sophia answered the door wearing nothing but a smile. “Well, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?” She winked at me and tugged at my shirt, pulling me into her apartment.

  I closed the door behind me and ran my hands over her well-rounded ass, gripping her firmly.

  “You’ve been on my mind all night,” I whispered in her ear, and playfully bit her earlobe.

  “And you invaded my naughty dreams.” She ran her hand over my chest. Her grip grew tighter on my shirt. “And you did promise to fuck my brains out.”