Use Me

by Kimberly Knight

  Home.

  The word struck me, but I didn’t mind. When I was with Bridgette, it was as though she was invading my space. Now, with Ashtyn, I didn’t want her to leave even if it was right across the street.

  After we caught a movie, we grabbed a cup of coffee and then took an Uber home. Once the car dropped us off outside of my building, I asked, “Want me to go up to your place and get you some clothes?”

  She thought about my question for a moment. “Yeah, I’ll stay down here and talk to Jose if that’s okay. I’m not ready to see what my place looks like.”

  “You know I love being of service to you.” I winked and kissed her lips before we walked into the building.

  “Ms. Valor!” Jose beamed. “How are you doing?”

  After Ashtyn handed me her keys, I continued to the elevators while she stayed to talk to Jose. Once I was on the fifteenth floor, I stepped off and walked slowly down the hall. I wasn’t sure what I was going to see because Ethan had been the one to lock up the night before. When I finally got to the closed door, I expected there to be yellow caution tape on the doorframe like I’d seen so many times on TV and in movies. But there wasn’t anything. The door was closed as though a man hadn’t died inside less than twenty-four hours prior.

  I slipped the key into the lock, and just after turning it, I thought better of it. Instead, I pulled my phone out of my pocket and dialed Ethan’s number.

  “Hello?” he answered.

  “Hey, Ethan. It’s Rhys.”

  “Everything okay?”

  I nodded. “Yeah. I was calling to see if it’s okay to go into Ashtyn’s condo and grab her some clothes.”

  “Is there yellow tape on the door?”

  “No, there isn’t.”

  “Then yeah. That part of the investigation is over.”

  “Okay cool.” I reached for the door handle but stopped when he spoke again.

  “Is Ash with you?”

  “No.” I shook my head. “I came up alone to grab her some clothes.”

  “Good. I’ve put in a call to a crime scene cleanup company, but they can’t come until tomorrow.”

  “I’m not sure if she’ll want to come back tomorrow after work anyway.”

  “Take care of her, yeah?”

  “Of course.” I fucking ran into a room with a crazy man who was trying to kidnap her. I didn’t do much except distract him long enough for a cop to arrive, but I’d been ready to fight for her, and I’d take care of her until the day I died.

  We hung up, and then I slowly opened the door. There was no chalk outline of Philip’s body, and no brains splattered over the entire room. Instead, the only thing that looked as though there had been a person shot was a small pool of blood where I assumed his head rested until he was taken away by the coroner.

  I knew the longer I stared at the dark crimson pool, the more I would relive what I’d seen. So, I hurried to Ashtyn’s room and grabbed some dresses. I had no idea if they were anything she wanted to wear, but I didn’t want to take too long. I rummaged through some drawers, grabbing underwear, and then went to the bathroom to grab some toiletries. Whatever I didn’t grab, I’d buy for her until she was ready to come get the stuff herself. I also grabbed the two Emmys we’d won because I still wanted to display them, but this time it would be so we could remember the good part of the night.

  “Ready?” I asked walking out of the elevator once I made it downstairs.

  “Yep. Did you get everything I’ll need for a few days?”

  I waved goodbye to Jose as we exited the building. “Yeah, Cupcake, but I left the vibrator I found in your nightstand because that’s my job now.”

  Breaking News: …

  The thought of my own breaking news was too surreal to finish the sentence. It seemed that I reported breaking news almost every night, but when it involved me, I didn’t want it to be true.

  I knew there was a silver lining to what had happened. Even though I was attacked and almost kidnapped, Philip was dead. My big brother had come in and once again protected me like always. When I was younger, I thought my brothers were too overprotective, but now, I was grateful.

  Tonight, though, would be the first evening I’d come home to an empty place.

  Home …

  I wasn’t going to go back to mine. Rhys had given me a key to his place, but he wouldn’t be there by the time I would arrive home. Most nights after there was a game, he wouldn’t come through the door until after one in the morning. Tonight would be no different.

  In the last week I’d been off work—boss’s orders—I hadn’t been alone. When Rhys worked, either Jaime, Kylie, or Colleen would come over and keep me company. I knew Rhys was the one coordinating everything with them, and that made me like him even more. In fact, I was certain I was falling in love with him. Rhys was the most caring, thoughtful, fun-loving man I’d ever met let alone dated, and it wasn’t because he brought me coffee first thing in the morning. Whenever I was with him, he made me laugh, and when he was at work, I missed him.

  “You want me to drive you to work?” Rhys asked coming into the bathroom where I was doing my makeup.

  “You’d do that for me?” The entire time I was doing my makeup, I was trying to psych myself up about having to walk into parking garages alone. When I got off work, the garage would more than likely be empty because it was after the normal hustle and bustle of working hours.

  “Of course. You know my studio is only a few blocks away, but do you think Abby can bring you home?”

  “If not, I’ll find a ride.”

  “If you can’t, text me. I’ll figure something out.”

  I turned to him and wrapped my arms around his neck. “Thank you, but I think I can manage.”

  “I’m sure you can, but that doesn’t stop me from worrying about you.”

  I kissed his lips softly and stepped back to finish my makeup. “I’ll text you as soon as I’m home.” There was that word again. I liked the way it made me feel to think that Rhys’s condo was my home too.

  “Good.” He kissed the side of my head and then started to walk back into the bedroom. “Let me know when you’re ready to roll, Cupcake.”

  Rhys pulled his black Mazda SUV into the loading zone in front of my work building. It was snowing lightly, and people were walking the streets, but in just a few hours, the city streets would be bare.

  I hesitated before getting out of the car. Maybe I wasn’t ready to go back to work. What if I had another stalker and they were waiting to make their move? After the nightmare with Philip, it was breaking news that I was attacked in my home. Mine and Philip’s names were reported as well as my brother’s since he was the cop involved in the shooting. It felt weird to be the name in the news, but now a week later, the dust has seemed to settle.

  Rhys grabbed my hand. “Try not to think about it too much. It’s over. He can’t hurt you.”

  I nodded and looked into his electric blue eyes. “I know. It’s just a weird feeling.”

  “For me too. We’re getting through this. Together.”

  I leaned across the center console and kissed him. “I know.”

  “I’ll try to catch your broadcast tonight.”

  I smiled and opened the door. “Ditto.”

  Everything seemed like any other day. As I made my way toward my desk, people were on the phones or typing away on their computers as though I hadn’t been away for a week.

  “Hey, Ashtyn. How are you doing?” Mitch asked as he came out of the break room.

  I turned to address him. “Hanging in there.”

  “I’m happy you’re back, and I’m glad everything turned out all right for you.”

  “Thanks. I’m happy to be back.”

  “You got a delivery,” Abby stated, walking up behind me.

  My heart stopped, and thoughts of my Monday deliveries from Philip came to mind. “Flowers?”

  “Yeah, but they don’t look like your usual ones.”

  “What? How’
s that?”

  She smiled. “Go look.”

  Everything the police had told me about the flower deliveries must have been wrong. They’d said they were linked back to Philip, but if I were to get more flowers after his death, then how could that be? Did he have it set up to deliver every week automatically? Were they delivered last week and no one had told me? If that was the case, why would the flower shop still deliver them after the cops looked into the charges from their store? Maybe they didn’t care because money was money and everyone was always trying to make a buck.

  When I finally made it to my desk, I realized that Abby was right. The flowers looked different. They were in a clear vase, and there were only a few stems, not the usual twelve. I stepped a bit closer. The flowers were made out of icing. I furrowed my eyebrows and pulled the card out.

  I clutched the card to my chest as though someone was reading the note over my shoulder. All worries about the mysterious flowers disappeared, and an instant smile spread across my face. Rhys had sent me a bouquet of cupcake flowers that looked like purple petunias, and that was one more reason why I loved him.

  I thought about the revolution and realized I did, in fact, love Rhys Cole. I wasn’t only falling. I’d fallen, and I was completely in love. That was better breaking news.

  Breaking News: Ashtyn Valor is in love with Rhys Cole!

  “Are those cupcakes?”

  I looked over to see Abby walking up behind me again. “Are you a ninja today or what?”

  She chuckled. “What are you talking about?”

  “Always coming up behind me.”

  “You’ve never hidden the notes before. Rhys write you a dirty note or something?”

  “Nooo!” I lied. “You just keep popping up out of nowhere.”

  “I just want a cupcake.”

  “Later.” I laughed. “It’s time for our meeting.”

  “You’re killing me. I’ve been smelling these for an hour.”

  “They were here when you got here?” I asked as I grabbed my notepad and pen.

  We started to walk to the conference room. “Okay, fine. I know all about them. Rhys asked me to pick them up for you.”

  “So you know what the card says,” I stated.

  “No, I swear I didn’t look.”

  We walked into the conference room. “I’m not sure I believe you.”

  “I promise.”

  “All right. Does that also mean that you know I need a ride home since you’ve been talking to my boyfriend?”

  “Yeah, and I’ve got you covered.”

  “Thank you.” We took our seats, and the daily meeting commenced.

  After we went over everything for our broadcast and leads for stories we wanted to break, everyone started to gather their belongings until Leonard spoke again.

  “Before everyone goes I have an announcement. Barbara came to me this afternoon and gave her notice.”

  Everyone gasped and looked over at the greying woman. She smiled tightly.

  “What station are you moving to?” Mitch asked.

  Barbara shook her head. “I’m not. It’s time to retire.”

  “Wow!” I breathed. I knew the time would come, I just didn’t expect it to be so soon. Barbara had been doing the evening news for as long as I could remember. Even before I’d graduated from college.

  “So we all know what that means, right?” Leonard asked.

  My eyes widened with hope. Did it mean what I thought it did?

  “Ashtyn …” I smiled at Leonard, waiting for him to continue. “Do you know what that means?”

  I nodded. Since I’d been hired, Leonard knew I’d always wanted to broadcast the evening news and not the ten o’clock nightly news. It had the best hours for what I wanted in life—or what I wanted in life before Corey broke up with me—and had the best ratings.

  “Will you be ready once the new year hits?”

  That was in two weeks, but I nodded my head again. “Yes!”

  “Then let’s go talk in my office.”

  There were congratulations sputtered to Barbara and me as we all exited the room. I followed Leonard to his office, and he closed the door as I sat in a chair in front of his desk.

  “So, your yes is a yes to move to the evening news?”

  “Of course. That’s where I want to be.”

  “Perfect, and just so you’re aware, there will be a raise involved.”

  “Thank you so much!” I beamed.

  “Tomorrow you can work on promos for the switch with the marketing team.”

  “Great. I’m excited.”

  “Good. And just for the record, I’m glad to have you back.”

  I smiled. “Thank you.”

  “Have a good show tonight.”

  “Thank you,” I said again and stood to leave.

  People say that when you hit rock bottom, the only way is up. I thought breaking up with Corey was my rock bottom when, in reality, it was the change I’d needed in my life for all the pieces to fall into place.

  A few hours later, I was heating up a Cup Noodles—or what I called a cup of noodles because Cup Noodles sounded funny on my tongue—in the microwave for dinner. I’d already eaten a cupcake and was going to have another after I ate my soup.

  My phone dinged with a text.

  Rhys: You doing okay, Cupcake?

  Me: Yes, thank you for my cupcake bouquet. I’m looking forward to all the ways you promised in your note ;)

  Rhys: It’s my favorite dessert.

  I wasn’t sure what I was going to walk into when I arrived home, but two girls singing Baby Got Back with our new Emmys as the microphones wasn’t it.

  At first, they didn’t hear me come in, so I stood just inside the door, leaning against the doorjamb with my arms crossed over my chest and a huge fucking smile on my face.

  “Ooh, Rumpelstiltskin, you say you want to roll in my Benz? Well, use me, use me. ‘Cause my booty says I’m juicy.” Ashtyn turned around and shook her ass, the words Juicy spread across her backside.

  I chuckled silently as Abby laughed. “That’s not the words!” They moved their hips to the beat, and Abby turned, her mouth opened as though she was about to start to sing, but then stopped as her gaze met mine. She nudged Ashtyn, but Ashtyn continued to dance. I still had a huge smirk on my face because watching her finally laugh again was the best fucking feeling in the world. I knew without a doubt that I loved her. I just didn’t want to tell her and scare her off because we’d just started dating. I would, though, once the time was right.

  Ashtyn finally looked over at me and stopped dancing. When it registered that it was me standing with the door still opened behind me, she rushed over and threw her arms around my neck. “Tiger!”

  “Tiger?” I grinned.

  Ashtyn pulled her head back, her arms still around my neck. “Yeah. Rawrrrrr.” She nipped at my ear as though she was the tiger and not me.

  I chuckled. “All right, Cupcake. I take it you had a good night?”

  Ashtyn broke free and started to sway her hips to the rest of the song. I closed the door as she motioned to Abby the best she could. “Abs and I played a game.”

  “What kind of game?” I started to unbutton my coat as I looked over to see Abby walking toward my stereo to turn off the music.

  “When we got home, it was in the second period. We turned on the TV and watched your show like I told you I would,” she slurred every word.

  “Yeah?”

  I hung up my coat and then watched Ashtyn’s ass as she continued to shake it to no music. “We decided to play a drinking game where every time you or Jett said shot, we had to take a shot of Fireball.”

  “How many times was that?” I assumed a lot since I broadcasted hockey and that was what players did to try and make goals.

  Ashtyn shrugged. “We lost track, but it was a lot.”

  “I can tell.” I grinned.

  “I better get going.” Abby grabbed her purse.

  “You can’t dri
ve home,” I protested.

  “I only had a couple of shots during the intermission a few hours ago. I faked the rest and let Ash have a good time.” She opened the door.

  “Thank you.”

  “Don’t go, Abs!” Ashtyn reached out as if to grab Abby, but she had already walked through the threshold.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow, Ash. Eat some dinner, okay?” She closed the door and was gone.

  “You didn’t eat dinner?” I asked. It was a little after one in the morning.

  “I ate a cup of raw men.”

  I laughed, doubling over. “A cup of raw men?”

  “Yee-P. Chicken flavored.”

  “Well, I’m hungry.” I really wasn’t, but I needed her to eat and soak up the booze. I’d never seen her as drunk as she was. “How does breakfast sound?”

  “What time is it?”

  “Don’t you know it’s exciting to have breakfast for dinner, Cupcake?” I started to make my way to the kitchen.

  “Will you make pancakes?” she slurred behind me.

  “And bacon.”

  “You’re the best boyfriend ever. You even send me cupcakes that look like flowers.”

  I smiled as I opened the fridge to pull out the raw bacon. “I’m glad you liked them.”

  I wanted to be the one to send her flowers now. I wanted to be her everything. I remembered the time Romi had made Mom a cupcake bouquet for her fiftieth birthday, so I’d called a local place and texted Abby to ask if she could get them on her way to work. Obviously, she had, and then she’d taken care of my girl all night. I needed to pay her back. Was she single? I could set her up with Kenny or Clark. I’d think about it.

  Ashtyn slid onto the barstool at the breakfast bar. “I loved them. They were red velvet.”

  I took the bacon out and turned to the oven. “You going to show me how you licked the icing?”

  She giggled. “Yes, I practiced on two of them.”

  As the bacon cooked in the oven, I took a quick shower hoping Ashtyn wouldn’t join me—for once. Even though I wanted her to suck and lick my dick as though I was icing on a cupcake, I also feared she’d somehow mistake it for a real one and bite into me in her drunken state.