“Where’s Hector?” I ask.
“He had to go to class. He couldn’t get excused like I did.” He runs his hand through his messy hair. “Claire’s parents removed all of her stuff from your room. The stuff the cops didn’t take. I stopped by to talk to them and they treated me like I was some kind of criminal. How could they think I had anything to do with her death? I loved her.”
Tears are forming in the corners of his bloodshot eyes. “We need to do something.”
I glance at Alexander. There has to be some way we can get the video of Claire and her murderers to the authorities without implicating Alexander.
Before anyone has a chance to say anything else there’s another knock on the door. Is it wrong of me to hope it’s not Hector? His attitude toward my relationship with Alexander makes me uncomfortable. He keeps looking at me and Alexander like we’re doing something wrong.
This time it is our store delivery. The guy has several large boxes and even a few bags. It seems like a miracle that he’s able to hold that much stuff all at once. Both Alexander and I grab as much as we can and Julio even grabs the bag that’s left.
“There’s more in the car,” the delivery guy says none too happily.
After we place all of the boxes and bags on the living room tables we go back to the front door to retrieve the items that were left in the car.
I nearly gasp when I see the delivery man is carrying not one but two large bouquets of flowers. One is red and the other pink roses.
Once the flowers are out of the delivery guys hands he removes a small machine from his pocket and holds it out to Alexander. “Sign for confirmation of delivery.”
After he gives his electronic signature Alexander hands the guy a twenty dollar bill which seems to brighten his surly mood slightly. “Thanks.”
As soon as the front door is shut Alexander hands me both bouquets. They’re so large I can barely see over them. “Why so many flowers?”
“I couldn’t decide between the two colors so I ordered both.”
When I glance over at Julio he looks even more defeated. “I’m glad Hector isn’t here right now. The guy is still hung up on you.”
I’m not sure what to say. Before I have a chance to speak, Alexander says, “We’re together.”
Julio nods. The two words are simple, but when Alexander says them they seem to hold so much meaning. Not just that we’re a couple, but God help the person who tries to come between us, or hurt me.
“Give me a few days,” Alexander says to Julio. “I have some ideas, but I need to get ahold of some of my contacts. They’re in China, South America, Romania. A lot of different time zones. I also need to construct a frame or maybe two.”
“A frame?” Julio’s brow creases. I notice that he now has lines etched in his forehead that weren’t there when we first met, or even a week ago. He seems to have aged ten years since Claire’s death.
“Likely suspects they can investigate for the crimes I’m planning against the DOGs. People who lead far away from any of us.”
Julio nods, but he still looks concerned.
“You can always say no. Back out. We can let the authorities handle it.”
Alexander and I look at Julio as he seems to consider this. Julio has always been a good guy. A great guy actually. And now we’re asking him to commit to taking justice into our own hands. It’s one thing to want revenge; it’s another thing entirely to actually exact it. There’s a fine line between being the hero of the story and being a villain. Both Alexander and I know what it’s like to be a villain, or at least be perceived as one. We’re now asking Julio to take a step over the line and join the dark side.
If we actually do decide to go through with whatever plan Alexander devises we’ll be forever changed as a result.
Finally Julio looks up at Alexander and says, “Let’s do this.”
“Hector doesn’t have to be involved in any of this,” Alexander reminds him. “Give him an out just like we gave you.”
Julio nods. “I’ll let you get to it then.” He hesitates for a few moments and then says, “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me until it’s done.”
***
I don’t remember seeing anyone type as fast as Alexander. He’s got fingers of fury on the computer keyboard. He said he’s putting out some feelers. Seeing what he can put together. He’s quite focused even though he doesn’t actually have any skin in the game.
“Why are you doing this?” I ask him when he takes a little break from the typing frenzy.
He seems to be considering it for a moment then he says, “Because Claire and Luci and all of the other girls they hurt deserve justice.”
I’m not sure why it didn’t dawn on me that there are other victims. Maybe I was just too focused on Claire and Luci. The other victims may not have been beaten, or killed, but they were still hurt by the DOGs.
“Do you know how many?” I ask. Implied in my question is the fact that he knew about their crimes, but did nothing to stop them. And if he had stopped them maybe Luci wouldn’t have been beaten and Claire would still be alive.
He swallows. And I’m surprised when he removes his mask without my coaxing so I can see his entire face. I take the opportunity to study him. The unevenness of his features. How one side of his face is nearly unblemished and the other side is ravaged from the burns. Alexander’s face is a metaphor for his place in life. Caught between the innocence of his youth and the horror of his experience. I truly think he’s a good person at heart, but he’s also willing to do very bad things.
“I’ve known about the rape rooms for a while,” he admits. “There have been a lot of girls. Too many to count. They have thousands of hours of tape that I know about. Their exploits have been going on for quite a while. It’s an open secret, but no one has done anything to stop them. I’m sure that’s why they feel invincible. And now that the violence has escalated I’m sure it will only get worse.”
“None of the girls have ever come forward? Pressed charges?”
He shakes his head. “Not that I’m aware of. And I think if they did attempt to come forward they’d probably just get paid off to be quiet. Like they paid off Sheila Sheppard. These guys are very well off and very well connected.”
When he closes the distance between us my entire body heats in response. “There’s nothing I could have done to stop them. Not without really stopping them, which is what we’re planning now. The risk to me would have been too great and I didn’t have a reason. Not like I do now. They hurt Luci, almost killed her, and she didn’t deserve that. Not that any of their victims did. That’s not what I mean. She wasn’t even at one of their parties. All she did was have the bad luck to be in a math class with Mercer and Colby. And they treated Claire like she was disposable.”
“They’re monsters,” I state.
“And they’re only going to get worse.”
I look into his eyes. They’re filled with turmoil.
“Do you think we’re doing the right thing?” I whisper.
He lets out a cynical laugh. “I used to think I knew what was right and what was wrong, but now I know it’s not that simple. I’ve developed the ability to be morally flexible.”
As we stare at each other for a long moment the energy between us intensifies.
“It will probably be a while before we hear back from my contacts.”
I give him a sly smile. “Are you propositioning me?”
“Maybe. Do you want me to proposition you?”
I nod, but I’m a bit more hesitant than I want to be. I’ve never been so drawn to anyone in my entire life. Most teens have crushes on boys, but I didn’t have that luxury. Everyone in school treated me like a pariah. They probably would have been happy if I had died in the fire, or was arrested like my brother. I think it was difficult for my classmates to believe I didn’t know anything about my brother’s plan to bomb the school, or that I wasn’t somehow involved, or that I should have stopped him.
As I look into Alexander’s eyes I realize maybe I shouldn’t blame him for not doing more to stop the DOGs before their criminal behavior escalated. The guys come from rich and powerful families, and he’s an outsider just like I am. Probably one of the many reasons I find him so overwhelmingly attractive.
“Are we really together?” I ask.
He nods. Then he runs his thumb down my cheek. “For as long as you want to be.”
I close my eyes and prepare for a kiss. He doesn’t disappoint me. His lips are as soft and tender as the last time he kissed me.
“Would you like to go into the bedroom?” For the first time I hear a bit of playfulness in Alexander’s voice and he actually sounds like the twenty-year-old that he is instead of a forty-five-year old trapped in a twenty-year-old’s body.
“I would.”
He doesn’t hesitate to grab my hand and pull me toward the bedroom. He makes a stop next to one of the boxes of stuff that got delivered and removes a huge box of condoms. “Can’t forget these.”
“That’s an enormous box. Do you plan on using all of those?”
He gives me a sly grin. “If you’ll let me.”
The fact that Alexander wants me is still a little difficult to accept. After the Back to School bombing I gave up on the idea of dating anyone while I was in high school. Even after changing my name and building a new life for myself I was still afraid of getting close enough to anyone to ever have a relationship.
And now standing before me is an extremely sexy man, who looks like he’s ready to devour me.
He tosses the box of condoms onto his bed and then devotes his full attention to me. The hunger in his eyes sends of wave a desire right through me.
“Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?”
I shake my head. I’m not even sure he expects an answer, or if it’s really a question at all. I’m glad he thinks I’m beautiful; no one has ever expressed those sentiments to me before. My parents weren’t ones to give compliments with the rare exception of my academic achievements, and it’s certainly not something a brother typically says to his sister. The names I was called by my classmates were always derogatory and definitely never included beautiful.
He kisses me again, this time deeper and greedier. And when he pulls me close I can feel his erection pushing hard against my body.
When our eyes meet I can see something deeper, and maybe even troubling. “What’s wrong?”
He bites his bottom lip. “It’s just…I never thought I’d have this again.”
I furrow my brow. “What?”
“I never thought I’d have someone care about me. I definitely never thought anyone would want to be with me.”
I can’t help but smile. “You’re not the only one.”
Now he looks confused. “What do you mean?”
“I didn’t think I’d ever have this either.”
“But why?”
I don’t answer right away. I let the question hang in the air and let him think about it for it moment. It’s almost like just for moment he forgot what my brother did to him.
“But it wasn’t you,” he assures me. “You had nothing to do with your brother’s actions.”
“Unfortunately a lot of people don’t see it that way.”
“I didn’t either,” he admits. “At first. But now I can’t imagine being with anyone but you. Is that messed up?”
I very carefully run my fingers along the scars on his cheek. “I’m not sure what it is or isn’t. All I know is how I feel. And I know I want to be with you.”
My declaration seems to ignite something deep within him. This time when he kisses me I’m nearly overwhelmed by the intensity. And when he kisses my neck and nibbles my earlobe my entire body shudders in response.
“I want you,” he whispers.
I want him too, but the words stick in my throat. I’m nervous about finally taking the step and giving myself to him completely.
“Is everything okay?” He lifts my chin so that we’re looking at each other.
“I’m just a little nervous,” I admit.
“We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. I’m going to let you steer the ship, okay?”
“I just don’t want you to be disappointed.”
His brow furrows. “Why would I ever be disappointed?”
“Because—I—um.” I take in a deep breath. “I don’t have a lot of experience.”
I can’t believe that he laughs. “Do you think I’ve had women lining up outside my house?”
I shrug.
“I’ve had one girlfriend. When I was in high school. That was before the bombing. She left me. She never told me why, but I assume she couldn’t handle how I looked. I haven’t been with anyone since then.” He looks deep into my eyes. “There’s absolutely no way in which you could ever disappoint me. Just having you here, with me, is more than I could have ever imagined.”
My heart is nearly beating out of my chest as I slowly unbutton my shirt and let it fall to the floor. I can’t remember feeling so vulnerable in my life. I take in a sharp breath as Alexander lightly brushes his fingers from my shoulder all the way down my arm. My body seems to respond to his touch like a Pavlovian dog to a bell.
Then he slowly moves his hands toward my breasts. As he gingerly brushes his thumbs over my nipples I let out a low moan in response.
We both look at each other again, as if we’re trying to read each other’s minds.
He raises an eyebrow. “Bed?”
I nod eagerly.
He swallows before he speaks. “Maybe we could lose more of our clothes.”
“You first,” I suggest.
His shirt is removed without a moment’s hesitation. I notice that he waits for a long moment before proceeding. Just enough time for me to examine the scars that line the entire left side of his body.
When he finally moves towards his pants he glances up at me before proceeding. It’s like he’s waiting for my permission.
I give a quick nod and his pants come off. All that’s left are his boxer briefs, which he fills out quite nicely.
I bite my bottom lip in anticipation of what’s coming next. And before I can make the suggestion the boxer briefs join his other clothes on the floor.
Scars line the entire length of his body from his arms and chest all the way down his hips and his legs. There isn’t a part of the left side of his body that has been spared.
“Is everything okay?” His normally confident voice sounds small and unsure and pierces my heart.
I don’t reply. I just remove my bra and look at him.
“You still have too much clothing on.”
My pants come down in response. I’m now in nothing but my underwear. I’m surprised I’m not more self-conscious, but the way Alexander is eying me, with so much desire, fuels my confidence.
“Still too much,” he taunts.
I remove my panties. “Better?”
He shakes his head. “Not quite.”
Before I realize what’s happening Alexander grabs me and carries me over the bed. He carefully places me down and then hops into the bed with me. As he cups my face in his hands he says, “I want you to know how much this means to me. How much you mean to me.”
I’m not sure how to respond so I kiss him. My gesture seems to unleash something from deep within him and he ravages me. His mouth and hands claim nearly every part of my body.
My mind is a whirlwind of all kinds of thoughts, but the most prominent is the voice that’s eager for Alexander to completely take me in every way possible.
“Do you want me?’ Alexander’s plea is nearly breathless.
I nod, but that doesn’t seem to be enough.
“Tell me,” he prods.
; “I want you. Please.”
Every part of my body aches for release.
As his hands grope for the box of condoms he doesn’t take his eyes from mine. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone so needy and hungry in my entire life.
Once he’s got a condom in his hands I watch as he pulls it over his extremely hard erection. My stomach clenches for a split second while I consider what we’re about to do. I take in a deep breath and try not to panic as he moves over me.
“Just relax.” He gives me a comforting half smile.
When he pushes into me I take in a sharp breath.
He stops mid-thrust. “Are you okay?”
I quickly nod even though I’m not sure. There will only be one first time and as excited and turned on as I am, I feel equally apprehensive and terrified.
“I’m falling in love with you, Rovzan.”
I have a moment of panic when I realize he’s not using my new name, but he doesn’t give me a chance to think about it. He places his mouth over mine as he pushes into me and muffles my cry with his kiss.
He looks into my eyes as he brushes his hand over my cheek. “Do you want to stop?”
“Not at all.”
“You’re sure you’re okay? I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Keep going,” I urge.
He doesn’t hesitate. He moves in and out of me slowly at first until my muscles relax enough to accommodate him.
“Better?”
“Much.”
“Good.”
He thrusts into me again, this time a little more forcefully and my body responds with another sharp intake of breath.
“I’m not sure how long I can last,” he whispers. “This time.”
“It’s okay,” I tell him.
“I want you to have an orgasm with me.”
I have no idea what one even feels like, but I’d like to find out.
“Close your eyes and relax,” he coaxes.
I do as I’m told. I try my best to still my overactive mind and just feel him inside of me. I love the way he fills me so completely. And the way he wants to possess every part of my body.
The Nines Page 14