In the text messages, Mama told me I needed to come see her that evening. If I refused, then something terrible would happen. She was rattling off horrible insults about Eli and threatening to ruin him. I figured she was bluffing and I tried to ignore her, but the messages kept coming. Finally during my lunch period I broke down and replied. I told her I would come to her immediately after cheerleading practice.
By the time I pulled up to her cottage it was nearly dark outside. I remember feeling a chill as I approached her front door.
I found Mama lying in bed. She looked terrible. She sat up and glared at me, and I couldn’t help but shudder and avert my eyes. Mama’s face was terribly disfigured from so many cosmetic procedures gone wrong. She resembled a clown whose skin had begun to melt.
“Come here, Avery,” Mama said. When I hesitated, she made an impatient noise. “Oh, for the love of God, I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to look at you.”
I took a few steps forward, stopping just out of reach.
“Look at you,” Mama said. “So young, so pretty. Got your whole life ahead of you. Your birthday is coming up in a few months. Yes, I remembered. Then you’ll be eighteen, and you’ll be free to do whatever you want. You’re just waiting for that day so you can be rid of me, aren’t you?”
“That’s not true, Mama.”
“Nonsense,” she snarled. “Well, you can have your birthday present early this year. I’m through with you.”
Mama snatched a large pill bottle from her nightstand and tossed down its contents. She drank as many pills as she could and chewed the rest, the white medicine mixing with her drool and dribbling from her lips. When she was done, Mama dropped the bottle and sneered at me.
“I have the most trouble sleeping these days,” she said. “So much on my mind. The normal stuff doesn’t work, so my doctor prescribed something a little stronger.”
“Mama, how many pills were in that bottle?” I asked.
“Oh, I don’t know,” she said. “Thirty, perhaps forty. Soon I’ll drift off to sleep, an eternal sleep, and you’ll never be troubled by your own mother again.”
Mama let her resentment spew for another couple of minutes, even after she had leaned back against her pillow, unable to hold up her head. “What you always wanted,” she said, her voice going drowsy. “Ungrateful …”
Mama couldn’t keep her eyes open.
“If you love me,” Mama said, coming in and out of consciousness, “ambulance … pump my stomach …”
I realized what was happening. If I didn’t call 9-1-1, then Mama was never going to wake up from her overdose. She had never wanted to die in the first place. It was a cry for help and a way to get petty revenge.
My phone was in my pocket. I could have reached for it, but I didn’t. I stood beside her bed and watched her as her breathing became heavy and she began to snore. Then I slipped away from her house, drove to the mansion on the other side of the property, and enjoyed a nice, quiet meal with my stepfather.
If I remember correctly, Maurice served oysters Rockefeller and a side of french fries. To my relief, but not my surprise, the subject of my mother never came up.
13.
Eli held me tightly as I told him about Mama’s death. Our naked bodies were entwined on the cabin floor of his jet, thousands of feet above the earth.
“That’s a sad story,” Eli said, “but it doesn’t explain the house fire. It doesn’t explain your mama’s blood found in the kitchen, either.”
“Let me finish, Eli,” I said. “You haven’t heard all of it.”
“Then go on,” he said.
“A week went by, and then two more. I was afraid to go back to Mama’s, afraid of what I’d find in her bed. When Maurice asked if I had heard from her anytime recently, I panicked and spilled everything.”
“You felt you could tell Maurice but not me?” Eli asked.
“Maurice warned me not to mention a word to you. He said that if you knew what I had done, you’d hate me for it, that you’d kick me out and never want to see me again. Maurice said he would handle the ‘indiscretion,’ as he called it, and he told me to pretend like nothing had ever happened.”
Eli was beginning to understand. “So Maurice disposed of the body, and he burned the house down for good measure,” Eli said, piecing together the obvious. “That crafty son of a bitch.”
“I’m sorry, Eli,” I cried. “I’m so sorry. I thought I could trust Maurice. I never knew he was planning to steal the entire family fortune.”
I felt Eli’s body tense. He lifted his arm from my shoulder and let it fall to his side.
“Avery,” he said. “You could have come forward at any time. The arrest, the trial. You let me go to prison, for Christ’s sake.”
“It’s all my fault, I know that. I am so ashamed,” I said. “I couldn’t bear the thought of losing your love. That’s the only reason I didn’t tell you.”
By now I was crying. Tears were running down my cheeks and dampening the floor.
“If you never want to see me again,” I said between sobs, “I couldn’t bear it. But I would understand.”
Eli pulled me into his chest and I wailed, unable to control my emotions. He caressed my back as he held me close.
“There, there,” he said. “You know I’m not going anywhere. I love you, Avery. There is nothing you could do to make me love you any less.”
Eli lifted my chin to his, and his lips nuzzled mine. His kiss was soft and sweet and just what I needed.
“Even if I had known the truth all along,” Eli said, “I would have gone to prison all over again. Just to spare you a moment of grief. We’ve all made mistakes, and with time I will start to trust you again. But there’s one thing you need to know.”
Eli locked eyes with mine, staring intensely.
“Avery, you did not kill your mother,” he said.
“But I didn’t help her. I let her die.”
“Stop it,” Eli said, his grip tightening on my upper arm. “Listen to me. You did not kill your mother. You did not feed her those pills. She killed herself, and you have to accept that. If you keep blaming yourself for your mother’s actions, you’re going to carry that guilt for the rest of your life. And I won’t stand for it.
“Anyway,” Eli threw in for good measure, “I’m glad the bitch is gone. I would have watched her die, too.”
Eli’s words were modest comfort. Maybe in time I would learn to forgive myself. Eli still hadn’t told me his confession, which had been our agreement, but at the moment I was in no mood for additional secrets. Eli repositioned the blanket over my shoulders, and he wrapped his arms around me. I was rocked to sleep by the beat of his heart.
Soon we would reach our new home, and Eli and I would begin the rest of our lives together.
14.
When I wakened from my nap I opened my eyes and saw that Eli had been watching me sleep. I smiled and so did he. He kissed my cheek and then my lips.
“I love to watch you sleep,” he said. “It’s nice to lie beside you for a while and not have to listen to a single word of sass.”
“Don’t get used to it,” I said. “I talk in my sleep, you know.”
“Time to put you in your place,” he growled.
Eli grabbed me playfully and drew me into his embrace. We kissed, gently at first, then with more passion. His hand slid down my back and took in a handful of my ass. He squeezed. I gasped, thrilled by his touch, realizing I was instantly wet.
He rolled me on my back and suckled my breast, and a gentle moan escaped my lips as he massaged my delicate mound, his fingers parting my folds and pushing inside, feeling and probing my most private places. My body trembled at his touch and I bit my lip to stifle another moan.
Eli spread my legs and stroked himself, then slapped my tummy with his manhood. I could feel his balls brushing against my slit, and I could see the tip of his cock at my belly button. My eyes widened with amazement. I couldn’t believe Eli was able to fit such an
enormous cock all the way inside of me. But he did, and it was the most beautiful sensation I had ever experienced. My pussy was made for Eli’s cock, I realized with a smile.
Eli pinned me to the floor, and I gave myself willingly to him. He fucked me till we both came, and he kissed me again and then Henry’s voice came over the intercom, asking for Eli’s attention.
“Here, put this on,” Eli said, handing me his T-shirt.
“It’s like eight sizes too big,” I complained.
“Wear it like a dress,” he said. “You’ll look cute, I promise.”
Eli slid into his blue jeans, then kissed me loudly on the top of my head and marched to the cockpit to confer with Henry. I put on Eli’s tee, which fit me like a tent. I found my panties where he had dropped them and took the belt he had used to bind me up, and I tied it around my waist, hoping to keep my shirt from riding up and revealing my panties.
When Eli came back I was on the sofa, snacking on stale peanuts. Eli sat down and put his arm around me.
“Okay, kid,” he said. “You told me your secret. Now it’s my turn. I’m not ashamed of it or anything, but I am showing you a tremendous amount of trust by admitting this to you. You’ve heard of Cuban cigars, right?”
“Sure,” I said, no clue where has going with this.
“And you know the Rutherfords built our fortune in tobacco,” he said.
I nodded.
“Well, did you know there was a time when the Rutherfords were the largest private landowners on the island of Cuba? Right up until the revolution. Fidel Castro took control and booted us out, along with all the other rich white Yanquis. Power to the people, and all that.”
“Okay,” I said.
“This is the bad part. The part that your mother found out about, and threatened to reveal to the world. It probably would have spelled the end of the Rutherford fortune. Well, to get back at Fidel, the United States government imposed a trade embargo that blocked anyone in America from importing Cuban goods. It was meant to cripple the island’s economy and lead to another revolution, this time giving Fidel the boot.”
“Eli, I have no idea where you’re going with this,” I said. “Who cares what happened that long ago?”
“The U.S. government would care very much if it knew the truth. You see, the government just thinks we lost all our land in Cuba. The truth is we got it all back.
“My grandpa worked out a little deal with the Castro regime. In exchange for returning all of our lands and other holdings to us, we would secretly import substantial quantities of Cuban tobacco, allowing Cuba to prop up its supposedly socialist economy. Meanwhile, the Rutherfords secured a steady stream of high-quality and tax-free longleaf tobacco. The good stuff. We grew it in Cuba, rolled it in Cuba, shipped it to the Dominican Republic, slapped a new label on the packaging and freighted it back to the United States.
“The arrangement was highly lucrative and highly illegal,” Eli said. “When I took control of the Rutherford empire and supposedly divested the family from the tobacco industry, I put the Cuba operation under a shell company incorporated in Trinidad. But I secretly retained full ownership. As far as Cuba’s concerned, the Rutherfords have never left, and business is booming.”
“And now we’re going back? To Cuba?” I asked.
“Where else?”
“But what was Henry so worried about? Not enough fuel and all that?”
“Oh, right,” Eli said. “Normally, to play it safe with passport issues, I fly to Mexico City before secretly continuing on to Havana. We don’t have enough fuel to reach Mexico City, but we have plenty to get us to Cuba. Since we’re not going back the United States any time soon, there’s no need to factor in the layover. It’s a straight shot to Havana.”
Eli glanced at my attire. “I like that T-shirt on you, by the way,” he said. “I like the belt, too. Nice job accessorizing.”
I swatted him playfully and then we kissed, and Eli stripped the belt from around my waist. He turned me around and bound my hands behind my back, and he bent me over and fucked me from behind. The thrill was indescribable, knowing that Eli was in total control of my body. I had the most intense orgasm of my life.
We reached Cuba several hours later. To my surprise there were no delays or any other issues during the flight. I should have known to trust Eli. When we landed, however, I refused to leave the airplane until someone fetched me some proper clothes. Eli rolled his eyes, then jogged off the plane and returned a few minutes later with a pretty white peasant dress. It was old but clean and felt very soft on my bare skin.
Eli whisked me into an ancient taxi cab decorated with a black-and-white checker pattern. Except for a couple of breaks at gas stations, we didn’t stop until long after we had left the city. At one point Eli leaned over and said, “This is our property line. Everything you see from here till home belongs to me. Only now, it belongs to you as well.”
I looked all around with wonder at the beautiful landscape. Our property was a mix of jungle and mountains and clear, swift streams in the valleys, and rolling hills as far as I could see. But nothing could prepare me for my new home.
Nearly an hour after we had crossed onto our property, we began a steep ascent, the road winding around a mountain taller than all of the rest. When we reached the top, our car finally stopped. We had reached our new home built on the highest peak of the Rutherford property. I looked out the taxi window, and the view took my breath away. I had never seen anything like it. I felt like I could touch the clouds. And then I noticed the house.
15.
Eli held the taxi door open for me and helped me out. I felt as though I was being guided through a dream. The Don Rutherford Hacienda, as it was known to the locals, was a beautiful four-story mansion perched on top of the highest mountain on the island.
Eli guided me to a patio made of elaborate hand-painted tile, and he pointed off to the distance. I shielded my eyes with my hands and saw miles and miles of green rolling hills. My eyes kept going and I saw the ocean.
“The Caribbean,” Eli said.
I said something clever like “ooh” or “ahh.”
Beyond the hills, I saw a turquoise sea that sparkled in the sunlight. The ocean lapped against white beaches, a sandy buffer between sea and jungle. The view was mesmerizing. I could have stared at it for hours, but I felt Eli’s hand at my elbow.
“Come on,” he said. “Let me show you inside.”
We passed a front door and entered a modestly-sized courtyard with a stone fountain that gurgled in the center. The walls were covered with ancient vines sprouting waxy green leaves and red and yellow flowers, which were shaped like trumpets. Our presence startled a pair of brightly colored parrots. They flew away.
Strutting at the edge of the fountain was a large peacock. It fanned its long tail feathers, displaying a pattern of intricate markings.
“He’s flirting with you,” Eli said.
Everything was so beautiful it left me speechless. This tropical paradise was my new home. Eli tapped my elbow again, and I followed him inside. The home kept getting better. The rooms were bright and airy, a delectable mountain breeze drifting through open windows.
“What do you think of your new home?” Eli asked.
“Oh, Eli. I love it,” I said. “It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever been.”
“You know what I like best about this place?” he asked.
“What?”
“That you’re here.”
“Oh, Eli,” I said, my heart fluttering with love and gratitude. “That’s the sappiest thing anyone’s ever said to me.”
Eli smirked. “You’re still a goddamn brat,” he said.
Eli grabbed me and threw me over his shoulder, smacking my ass as he carried me up the stairs to our new bedroom.
That night we released the passion that had been building between us since we got off the plane. The next day, and during subsequent days, Eli took me on little trips throughout the Rutherford property in a
n old jeep that had been abandoned by the U.S. military after the Cuban revolution. We rumbled through the jungles and fields, inevitably down to our private beach that we liked the best. There, we swam and picnicked and lay in the sand and made love until sunburn drove us back into the shade.
Late one afternoon Eli and I were walking along the water’s edge when he stopped. He turned to face me and took both my hands in his. He said beautiful words that made me cry, and he dropped to one knee as I began to cry even harder, and he placed a ring on my finger. I could hear the waves crashing all around us. I said yes, and he laughed and leaped to his feet, throwing me into the air and twirling me in his arms.
Too Big Taboo Bundle: Naughty Brats, Forbidden First Time, Man of the House Page 15