A Winter Moon

by S. J. Smith

  “Just for a few minutes? Or…” he leaves the rest of the sentence hanging. A mischievous smile finds its way to my lips.

  “Or,” I answer. His eyes widen and he smiles as well.

  “I think I know what I want to do with my time off,” I say, pulling him inside.

  “What’s that?” he asks with a chuckle as we reach the stairwell. I reach up and pull his mouth down to mine. We share a swift kiss before I open the door and lead him two flights up the stairs to my floor.

  A soon as I open the door to my apartment, I gasp in surprise as Alex pulls me to him, pressing my body forcefully against his.

  He kisses me. It’s not a soft tender kiss, like the one he gave me that night with Simon; nor is it the lustful kiss Simon forced on my mouth. This is something in between. It’s the kiss of a desperate man. A man who has held himself in check for far too long.

  Before I know it, we’re tearing each other’s clothes off and I know we won’t make it to the bedroom. I maneuver us over to the couch and flop down onto it.

  Alex unbuckles my bra and tosses it aside as I hurriedly push his unbuttoned shirt off of his shoulders. He moves his hand to his belt and slides both his pants and boxers off of his hips as he kisses my throat, my chest and moves his mouth to suckle at each of my breasts in turn.

  He moves his mouth to kiss along my stomach before he reaches my pants. He gently unbuttons and unzips them, then slides them down my hips along with my underwear.

  He stares at my naked body for a moment and I feel goosebumps as I once again see a look of utter awe fill his face.

  “You are so beautiful,” he mutters. He kisses my lips and I feel him gently enter into me. I wrap my arms and legs around him.

  As I do, I know one thing to be true: I’m safe here.

  While Alex is with me, it feels like no one will ever be able to hurt me again. Not even Simon. Even though neither of us knows what will happen tomorrow or how Simon will react to the story. I know that Alex and I, the two of us, together, will be able to weather whatever he has in store.

  Epilogue

  We don’t have to wait long to see Simon’s reaction. Just as Ben promised, he was able to get the story in the early edition of the paper the next day. And, just as he had predicted, the fallout was huge.

  Everyone in the company was talking about it when I walked in the next morning. Even the news channels on the televisions in the lobby mentioned it, along with calls for Simon to step down as a full partner in the company.

  It’s not a surprise, therefore, when Simon bursts into the office at ten o’clock this morning demanding to speak to Alex.

  “I’m sorry,” I tell him calmly. “Alex is busy at the moment. He’s not taking any calls or walk-ins.”

  “Don’t try to pull that shit with me,” Simon growls at me, his sophisticated façade gone completely. “I know he’s in there and I’m going to see him.”

  “You know I can’t do that, Simon,” I answer him, sounding much calmer than I feel. “You have to have an appointment.”

  “Then make me a goddamn appointment you stupid—”

  Before I can find out what horrible name Simon plans on calling me, I hear the door to Alex’s office open.

  “Evie, something wrong?” he asks, looking calmly from me to Simon.

  “I’m going to have a word with you,” Simon says striding past him and straight into Alex’s office.

  Alex sighs and follows him in. Before he closes the door, he gives me a secret smile. I think about going to door to listen but, it soon becomes clear that I don’t have to.

  “WE HAD A DEAL!” Simon’s voice yells so loudly that I see employees beyond the glass doors stop in their tracks and look towards the office.

  “You agreed to this! Now, I find out you’ve gone behind my back and—”

  I hear Alex interrupt him, but, his voice is softer than Simon’s. I can’t exactly make out what he says.

  “I DON’T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT THAT FRIEND OF YOURS!” Simon screams. This time, one of the employees tentatively makes his way to the door and looks in.

  “Is...is everything okay?” he asks, “I mean, does Alex need someone to call security?”

  “Actually,” I say giving him a calm smile that seems to confuse him, “that’s a great idea.”

  I put a call into security before making my way to Alex’s office. I knock on the door before opening it.

  I look at Simon. Hair askew, red-faced with sweat patches appearing on his brow. He doesn’t look even remotely handsome now.

  “Alex, I wanted to let you know, security is on its way,” I tell him. “Some of the staff were getting nervous so I called them.”

  Simon suddenly turns on me.

  “This is you, isn’t it?” he says.

  “Simon, leave her out of this,” Alex says, warningly. He moves from behind his desk and closer to Simon.

  “This little slut convinced you to turn your back on me, didn’t she?” Though he’s talking to Alex, his eyes, no longer bright and gleaming are fixed on me.

  “This stupid little—”

  Before he’s had a chance to finish the sentence, Alex’s fist flies to Simon’s face and sends him reeling backward.

  Two men from Security come in to find Simon staring slack-jawed at Alex as though he can’t believe what’s just happened.

  They escort Simon out. As soon as they do, Alex closes the office door and pulls me into a hug.

  “Thank you, Evie,” he says, “for everything. I promise you’ll never have to worry about Gabe losing his job again.”

  “Are you just saying that so I’ll keep sleeping with you?” I ask looking up at him with a flirty smile.

  “No,” he answers, “but, I hope you’ll keep sleeping with me anyway.”

  “You’ll never have to worry about that either,” I answer before pulling him down for another kiss.

  At last, at long last, I feel completely safe in Alex’s arms.

  THE END

  Bonus Story 9 of 40

  Tumbleweed and Daggers

  The beginning of summer on the edge of the desert was always challenging, Terry thought to herself looking at the line of people at the register. Fortunately her new hire, a girl named Charlene, was handling it like a pro. A small convoy of people was heading out into the desert to take pictures and drink water. As far as Terry could tell anyhow. She liked the desert, she lived in it, but traveling a long way to just look at it did not make any sense to her.

  Not that she would complain. Tourists were her bread and butter and the more the merrier, she thought. Especially since she was the owner of Tumbleweed Grocery and Pies and the tourist business allowed her to hire someone to work the till and cook. With Charlene working the register and her sister Cheryl baking the pies, Terry could finally be a real owner and just watch things and oversee the operation. Most of the time.

  She heard the familiar rumble of Harley Davidsons, and two motorcycles could be seen pulling off the lonely highway that passed the front of her place. She recognized the bikes and smiled slightly. She knew these two bikers, and despite their reputation and “occupations”, they were always good to her and her place. Not to mention good looking. Terry took a sip of her coffee and thought about a cigarette, watching the line of customers diminish down to just a few. Yep, she thought, she could slip out for a minute. She got up and went through the employee door.

  “Give us all your money!” came a voice from the other side of the door she had just gone through.

  “Holy shit dude, calm down…I’ll get you what you want,” Charlene said.

  Terry went back and peeked through the little window and saw the last two people who had been in line facing the register, one of them was holding a gun. She also saw two people getting close to the front door from outside and smiled slightly. A noise behind her made her turn and it was Cheryl. Terry put a finger to her lips.

  “Call the cops, we are being robbed,” she whispered softly before turning bac
k to watch the drama unfolding in her restaurant. She prepared herself to go through the door in Charlene’s defense if she had too. Charlene was pressing the buttons on the register to get it to open without a purchase. Terry could see she was deliberately messing it up. She was a fearless woman, not to mention a beauty, so batting her eyes at the two was softening them up to her stalling.

  “Come on, idiot. Give us the cash,” the bigger of the two growled.

  “I am trying damn it! I’m nervous. Just a second and I’ll get it for you,” Charlene said as the two bikers came through the door behind the thieves. They immediately saw what was going on and the taller of the two laughed. The thieves spun around. The one with the gun backed away to stay out of their reach. Just a little further, Terry thought, both scared and excited by the dangerous activity. A little further and I’ve got you.

  “You guys wanna get the hell out of here,” the tall biker told them.

  “Yeah, this is one of our favorite stores. Leave now and we won’t leave you for the ambulances,” the shorter one said. Terry watched Charlene crouch down behind the counter so when the bigger thug looked to the counter, he couldn’t see her. It looked like she had disappeared.

  “Well, you lost the bird in the hand boys. So why don’t you just leave now. Like my brother said, you don’t want to be left for the body bus,” the tall biker said.

  The two thieves muttered curses to themselves that got worse as the sound of sirens could be heard. That was fast, Terry thought. Then the two wanna be robbers backed up further, putting them right in front of the swinging door she was watching them from. Perfect, she decided, making eye contact with the tall biker and he gave a slight nod. She stood back a step and then threw herself against the door.

  It swung open like a shot and caught the big thug between the shoulder blades with the edge. This knocked him into his partner while he also dropped the gun. The two bikers stepped up and cold cocked them. One punch each had them groaning on the floor. Just like that, Terry thought, beginning to shake a little as it was over and she could recognize how dangerous it had been. She nodded to the two bikers, who stood over the crooks waiting for the cops. Then she went over to her friend and employee.

  “You okay girl?” she asked Charlene. She looked up at Terry from where she crouched.

  “It’s over?” she asked.

  “Looks like it, the cops are here too,” she informed her. Charlene stood up and looked around.

  “I guess I am alright then,” she answered as her sister Cheryl came out of the back. The cops ran in the front door with their guns drawn. Terry reflected that it was a weird way to start a day.

  ********

  Terry waved to the cops as they pulled away with the wanna be robbers. She immediately pulled out her cigarette case from inside of her leather vest and lit one. She exhaled and felt herself relax. She was always brave until after anything dangerous happened. Then she had to fight to keep from falling apart. Now that the cops and bad guys were gone she could relax. She heard the squeak of the door and she was joined by Ajax Lowell, the bigger of the two bikers and the president of the motorcycle club called The Daggers. He was a muscular guy at six foot two with long brown hair and a mustache. His sleeveless denim jacket had patches from all over the west coast as well as a big one on the back of two crossed daggers pointing up, dripping blood.

  “Those things will kill ya, you know?” he told her as he lit a thin cigar.

  “If you say so Ajax. I am glad you and Red showed up when you did. I would have had to kick some ass,” she told him taking another drag off her smoke. He laughed.

  “I would have thought you would let that girl Charlene do it. That is a tough chick,” he said with another chuckle.

  “Keep that in mind if you or your boys ever start anything around here,” she told him with a grin. He returned it and she caught him eyeing her figure before he looked back out at the empty road. She was used to it. She got a lot of looks.

  Terry was about five foot ten inches tall with long blond hair with thick pink streaks in it. She was wearing a black vest over her white t-shirt and black leggings with a white mini-skirt. She loved how it accented her generous curves and flat belly. She could tell Ajax did too. Then again she never minded eyeing him, or his friend and second in command Red. He was equally as muscular with short red hair, although he was clean shaven and maybe five foot ten, her height. He joined them on the porch and leaned against the building. Now what? Terry wondered.

  *****

  “Well, that was fun,” Red said in his deep rumbling voice. Ajax and Terry laughed. She heard the rumbling of engines faintly and it began getting louder. Ajax and Red looked at each other.

  “It couldn’t be, could it?” Red asked Ajax.

  “The way this week has been going, probably. Damn we don’t need this right now,” he responded, then turned to Terry putting his hands on her shoulders.

  “Go back inside and close up Miss Terry Tumbleweed. I think some trouble is about to catch up to my brother and I. Lock the door. These people won’t be going in, but it is best to be safe,” he told her and gave her a gentle push towards the door. She wanted to demand to know what was going on, but the look in his eyes and the hardness of his handsome features convinced her to do as he asked. She wasn’t sure but he looked like he was worried about her. Terry went into her store and locked the door behind her with a strange warm feeling in her gut.

  “We are locking up ladies!” Terry shouted as she began closing the blinds on her store front. Cheryl and Charlene came out of the back.

  “What’s up boss?” Charlene asked.

  “Dagger trouble, I was advised we should close for a minute,” she answered closing the last blind as four bikes pulled into her dusty lot. Ajax and Red were sitting on their bikes now, waiting patiently. For what, Terry didn’t know.

  “Let’s lock the back and go upstairs,” she said heading to the back of the store. Then she led the girls into the private residence section of the building, locking that door behind them before they went up the stairs. Once there they went to the window that was open so they could watch and hear what was going on.

  “Why are you dodging us Ajax? I thought the Daggers were tougher than that,” said the man front of the two Daggers. He was a big man, as tall as Ajax, but heavier muscled with thick black hair and a beard. Ajax and Red were still on their bikes. The other three newcomers were standing behind the big one. Their bikes were behind them.

  “Ain’t dodging anything Killgood, I just never thought the Dragons were poachers,” Ajax told the big man.

  “Poaching, don’t make me laugh. The Daggers don’t go up to The Heights, so why do you care?” Killgood asked. His voice was a high pitched thing, at odds with is ferocious appearance.

  “Our territory, our Heights. It has been that way for thirty years and is going to stay that way. Didn’t you get my message?” Ajax asked him.

  Terry and the girls looked at each other wondering what was going on. Terry had heard of turf disputes before and hoped her place wasn’t getting caught up in anything like that.

  “If you mean breaking Weasel’s nose to let me know you were serious, I got it. I will give you that one if you back off. You don’t need the hassle. Just leave this section of the desert to the Dragons and there will be peace. Or you can start something, the choice is yours man, think about it,” Killgood said. Ajax laughed.

  “Right, I give up some territory now and everyones’ stupid cousins will start taking what they want from me, forget it boy. You go back to your territory and stay out of ours. You are the one who is starting something. Trust me, you don’t want a war. If we have to go there, I will end you,” Ajax said and even through the window, without seeing his face, she could hear the violence in the threat.

  The big man nodded with a half-smile on his face. He looked around and eyed Terry’s store.

  “Why is this place closed? They’re always open,” he changed the subject.

  “
They’re closed, that’s all you need to know Killgood,” Ajax responded and Terry could see his back straighten and Red leaned back a little on his bike. His hand went to his saddle bag slowly.

  “Oh I get it, you like this place. You got the hots for the pink striped bitch that runs the place Ajax, or is it something else? If she is that fine, maybe I should take a ride on her.”

  Terry shivered at the man’s words and Charlene put her arm around Terry in support. Cheryl was looking terrified and pulled out her phone. Terry shook her head and made a cut off gesture with her hand. Cheryl frowned but put her phone away. The last thing this situation needed was the cops. It felt strange but she knew she was better off in this instance with Ajax and Red.

  Ajax got off his bike and approached Killgood. She could see the anger in Ajax’s frame as he stopped several feet from the Dragon leader. Terry noticed Red had his hand completely in his saddlebag now and she had a feeling he was getting ready to fight.

  “You are going to want to go now Killgood. If you come near this place again it will be scorched earth. You hear me man. I will burn the Dragons down!”

  Terry was shocked by the words and realized that all the looks Ajax gave her were more than just checking out her tits. The three men behind Killgood started moving forward. Then Red removed his hand from his saddle bag and he had a gun in it. She was not a gun expert but she knew an Uzi when she saw one. He pulled it up and pointed it at Killgood’s men, then fired four rapid shots into the ground, right past Ajax and Killgood in front of Killgood’s men. They all cursed and their hands went up as they backed away. Killgood was the only one who did not look scared.

  “When the boss says scorched earth, we mean it boys. Every member of the Daggers is already prepped for this. Go on home and leave our turf to us, ya hear,” Red told them. Ajax had neither moved nor flinched when Red fired the gun from behind him. Terry could imagine the fierce look on his face. Was he really defending her? She wondered, or was there something else? She felt sweat running down her spine despite the open window. The Dragons got back on their bikes.