Club Manhattan: Parts One and Two

by Jennifer Louise

  He breath smelled like cheap liquor as he started yelling in my face. “My life is all fucked up because you left me. That woman that was at our house the night you left was the principal at our school. After I whined to her one too many times that I couldn’t believe you left, she ended up non-renewing my teaching contract. I ended up bouncing from one shitty school to the next and finally was fired. They said I was missing too many days and coming in smelling like alcohol or some stupid shit like that. It’s all bullshit if you ask me! And now the bank wants to take my house! You can’t let them take my house!”

  The rantings of this crazed man were delusional. He stared at me with wild eyes and fear. Even though he blamed me for his demise, I felt sorry for him. But I was still afraid of what he might do.

  The hold on the knife was getting stronger and I feared he would do something stupid. I didn’t think Mark intended to hurt me. He was just trying to scare me. When we started to struggle, and he was rambling and cursing at me like a man possessed, fear surged through me, and all I could think of was Aidan. How I may never see him again and how we left things unsettled.

  As if my thoughts somehow conjured him up, my phone rang in my pocket and Mark growled at me like it was somehow my fault that someone was calling me. I just knew in my heart that it was Aidan. Even though I hadn’t spoken to him in weeks, I just knew it was him.

  Mark had one hand tightly gripping both of my wrists and had them pinned above my head. He set down the knife that was against my throat next to my head so that he could search my pockets for my ringing phone. I instantly tried to struggle to make a grab for it.

  “Don’t even fucking think about it bitch! Is it your boyfriend calling? I always knew you were a whore!” He spat at me as he frantically searched my pockets and finally found the ringing phone. He held it up over my head for me to see. It was indeed Aidan.

  Mark’s face was lit with rage. I had never seen him this angry before and I was trembling with fear. “You answer this goddamned phone and you better not fucking say that I’m here or that you are in trouble, you hear?” I nodded my head in agreement and he pressed the answer button but also put it on speaker and placed it next to my head on the floor.

  “Hello… Hello…” I could hear the sexy timber in Aidan’s voice and it immediately calmed me. Even though Mark was still on top of me pinning me down.

  In the calmest voice that I could muster. “Hi Aidan, I’m here. How are you? I’ve been trying to reach you.”

  “I know and I’m sorry. I just needed to sort through a few things. Are you home? I’m just outside your building and would like to come up.” My heart was pounding in my chest. Yes! Aidan was here, and he was going to save me. But Mark had a different idea. He was once again holding the knife to my throat, and this time his hand was shaking.

  He shook his head no as if to warn me that I better not agree to letting him come up. I had to think fast. I couldn’t send Aidan away. He needed to help me. I could tell though that Mark was starting to panic.

  My voice cracked over the stress of Mark on top of me and the impending fear that he might indeed harm me. “Um... yes but now is not a good time Aidan. I was just running to the store to get some peaches.” I thought that maybe using my safe word would somehow signal to him that I was in danger. I was grasping at straws at this point. If ever we needed to be in sync, now would be the time.

  He replied quickly and sounded disappointed. “Oh, okay well...another time then. Call me when you can.” He hung up. Fuck! He didn’t get the hint that I dropped. Peaches. What was I thinking?

  “Well… well… well...seems like lover boy isn’t going to save you after all. Shame really. I was looking forward to meeting him and maybe he could have had a front row seat to see his precious girlfriend take her last breath!”

  I closed my eyes and tried to conjure up any happy thought I could of Aidan and I together. If I was going to die, I wanted my last thought to be of him.

  Chapter 19

  Aidan

  When I arrived at Chloe’s apartment, the doorman wasn’t happy to see me. “I’m sorry sir, but I have been instructed by Ms. Weston’s fiancé to not let anyone up to her apartment.”

  The fuck.

  Mark. It must have been him and that meant he was here and in her apartment.

  “Reading his name tag… Frank, is it? Would you happen to catch the name Ms. Weston’s fiancé?”

  “Yes of course. I make it my business to know everyone living in this building. His name is Mark. Mark Robinson.”

  “Are they both home right now? I wanted to drop by and say hello to my friends.” Trying to lie my way for information was the only thing I could think of to confirm or not if Mark was with Chloe.

  Frank wasn’t at all comfortable giving out this information. But he must have figured that I was harmless, because he relented. “Yes actually Ms. Weston just got home a few minutes ago, and Mr. Robinson was already here.”

  Shit. So, it was Mark and he was in her apartment. What is he up to? I didn’t have time to waste. If he was still there and Chloe didn’t want him around, I needed to find out.

  I quickly stepped out into the lobby and made my call. It rang more times than I was comfortable with. I wasn’t sure if she would ignore my call or if he was there, would he let her answer. When she finally answered, I wasn’t sure if she could talk. There was such a long pause on her end. But when she did finally speak, I just knew something was wrong, but I wanted to keep her talking.

  I could tell the phone was on speaker, so I didn’t want to risk asking her questions she couldn’t answer. When she used the word peaches, I just knew she was in trouble. That was our safe word for when she was in distress at the club. It worked.

  When I hung up the phone, I immediately dialed 911. Chloe was a clever girl using her safe word. She knew that would be an innocuous word to use that only she and I would understand and know the meaning behind it. I couldn’t signal to her that I was getting help. I hoped she would understand.

  I gave the 911 operator the short rundown that there was a woman in trouble in her apartment. Since I didn't know exactly what kind of trouble it was, I couldn't give them that many details. But I heard the anguish in her voice, even if she was trying to hide it.

  What felt like forever but was only minutes before the police cars came screeching up to the front of the building, I was there front and center giving them her apartment number and the brief synopsis of what might be happening and who I thought might be in the apartment with her.

  “Thank you, Mr. Montgomery. We will take it from here.” I have never in my life been so scared and concerned for another human being. I knew in that moment that when I got to hold her in my arms again, I was going to tell her. Tell her just how much she means to me and that I don’t care about her past. I know she was just trying to protect me as much as herself. I just wanted her safe.

  While I was inside my head and searching my heart for what to say to Chloe, the front doors to the building burst open and out came the police and Mark in handcuffs. His crazed appearance took me aback. I could only imagine how scared Chloe was to be stuck with him in her apartment, feeling like I had abandoned her.

  I saw Chloe coming out of the building with tears streaking down her face, and my heart skipped a beat. It soared for the knowledge that in that moment, I knew she was my everything and I would do whatever I could to take away the tears that were in her eyes.

  She was frantically searching for something. When her agony filled eyes peered up at me and noticed me, she ran straight for me. When she was a few feet in front of me she leapt into my arms. I just stood there, holding her and breathing her in. Her lavender and vanilla scent that I have come to know intimately. It’s permanently ingrained into my mind, just like the woman herself.

  I was the first to break the vice like grip that she had on me and lowered her feet to the ground. I peered down into her red rimmed eyes, stroking her hair and kissing her forehead. “Chloe! Are
you okay baby? The safe word. Peaches. You are so brave my sweet girl! I knew you were in danger. Did he hurt you?”

  I knew I was rambling and was trying to control the emotions in my voice. I was just so fucking happy to see her safe.

  “Aidan. You saved me. No, he didn’t hurt me this time, but he is done hurting me. I have so much to tell you. I’m sorry that I walked out on you and didn’t tell you I saw Mark. But this was all a big misunderstanding. Please let me explain everything.” I could feel her heart beating erratically and she was winded from talking so fast.

  “Baby girl. You don’t need to explain anything to me. I already know everything. I’m sorry that I doubted you. I will never do that again. I love you Chloe Weston, and I will spend the rest of my life showing you just how much you mean to me.”

  She cocked her head to the side, looking at me with confusion. When her face broke out into the biggest smile I had ever seen she said, “You love me?”

  “Of course, I do! I have been waiting for the right time to tell you. While this may not be the perfect time, I can’t wait any longer. I think I have known that I loved you the first time we met eyes across the crowd at the club. You are it for me Chloe. I. Love. You.” I punctuated each word between kisses as her eyes fluttered closed.

  When she opened them, there were new tears in her eyes. “Aidan. I love you too. I have been too scared to tell you that I was starting to feel this way. Too scared to let myself have these feelings. I have been such a mess these past few weeks. When Mark started harassing and threatening me, and then you weren’t returning my calls… I thought I had lost you forever.”

  “I know sweet girl and I’m sorry. I will explain everything to you and you can fill in the blanks for me. No more secrets, you hear me?”

  “No more secrets.” She melted into my embrace and I knew she was where she belonged.

  “Ms. Weston? My apologies for interrupting but we need your statement as to the events that happened today. Can you please come with us to the station?”

  “Officers, if you don’t mind. I’m not letting this beautiful woman out of my sight tonight or anytime soon, for that matter. Do you mind if I bring her to the station in the morning?”

  “Of course, Mr. Montgomery. We will see you tomorrow morning at ten?”

  “That is fine. I will have her there by ten.”

  And with that, I pulled her into my side and guided her into the back of my awaiting car. I instructed the driver to take us to my place. I needed her alone and all to myself tonight.

  Chapter 20

  Chloe

  The ordeal that I experienced in my apartment was surreal. I thought Aidan didn’t get my hint when I dropped my safe word. I was sure that I would never see him again. But when the police broke down my door and rushed in with their weapons drawn, I was scared and relieved at the same time.

  There was shouting and screaming going on around me. I realized I was the one screaming as they wrenched Mark off me from where he still had me pinned to the ground. He had been yelling obscenities at me and still blaming me for everything. I was worn down, crying, and scared.

  Aidan. He saved me in more ways than I thought possible.

  When I was led by the officers outside, I could not wait to get into his arms. Aidan was waiting for me to emerge with evident worry on his handsome face. When he caught site of me, it was like a wave of relief washed over his chiseled, strong features.

  Love. It’s a strong and powerful that I was sure I would never get to experience.

  Until Aidan.

  We may not have known each other for very long, but when you know…. you know. Hearing him tell me he loved me, was by far the only way to wash away such a horrific experience. And I wasn’t letting him go.

  The entire car ride to his place, Aidan showed me his love and comfort after the ordeal that I had just been through. He kept his arm around me as I buried my head in into his chest, soaking up the feelings and emotions that I felt pouring off him in waves. We didn’t need to talk. He just held me close.

  Just being near him sets my mind and heart at ease. I have longed for feelings like this. I never knew it could be this way.

  I made a vow to myself when I left Georgia five years ago, that I would never fall in love and never let a man make me feel small or weak again. I wasn’t even willing to date, let alone give love a chance. These past few weeks with Aidan have convinced me that I was wrong.

  Aidan has been my source of strength when I was weak. Pushing me to try new things and learn about how my body craves the touch of a man. Craving him. We have explored, and he has guided me to experience so many new areas of my sexuality that I didn’t even know I had. He delved into that part of my broken soul and made me a better person. Someone that I didn’t know existed.

  When we finally arrived at his penthouse, he gently guided me up, treating me as though I were made of glass. I know he is just being overly cautious, but I love this feeling of being cherished. As though I do matter to someone, and that someone can love me for me.

  When we were settled in his living room he finally spoke to me. He was all shades of adoring, devotion, and concern for my well-being. “Chloe, are you sure you are alright? We can still go to the ER and get you checked out.”

  “I’m fine. Really. Just being here with you is all the healing that I need. In fact, there is one thing that you can do for me.”

  “Name it baby girl. I would do anything for you.”

  “Make love to me Aidan. Make me forget about what happened today.”

  Aidan took my breath away. His handsomely schooled features were firmly in place. He took a concerned breath. “Chloe.” It was a warning.

  I placed one of his hands on my chest above my rapidly beating heart and held it there. “Aidan, you have become my everything so quickly. I wasn’t scared that Mark found me. I was scared that I would never find my way back to you. Because of you, I’m no longer afraid to be the person that I have always wanted to be. Make love to me and make me yours.”

  He leaned forward, placing his masculine strong hands on either side of my face pulling me towards him so that our foreheads were touching. “Chloe, you are already mine.”

  His kiss was tentative at first. Exploring my lips asking for permission. Keeping his eyes locked with mine with each passionate kiss that started to trail down my face, kissing away the tears that I didn’t realize were there. As much as my body craves the dominance of how we have played in the club, I can relinquish control and give in to my instincts. My sexual needs. And right now, I need this beautiful man.

  “Not here on the couch. I need you in my bed. Where you belong and deserve to be cherished. Do you want that baby?”

  “Yes Aidan. Please….”

  He scooped me up into his arms and carried me upstairs into his massive bedroom suite. The room screamed masculinity with its rich mahogany furniture and walls that matched the color of his eyes. The back wall of the room was all floor to ceiling windows letting the moonlight shine through.

  He placed me in the center of his bed staring down at me in wonder. “Chloe. I….”

  “Shhh... Aidan. I’m fine. I want this. I need you.” I reached for him and he easily slid into the bed and instead of coming over me, he cuddled in behind me. He held me tight, breathing in and out slowly, as if to calm himself. His hands started a slow exploration of my body, starting with my breasts. Gently giving each of them attention while we slowly started to grind against each other.

  He was placing open mouthed kisses on my neck and his hand was making the painfully slow journey towards my pussy. I was already so wet for him and breathing heavily. I wanted and needed him.

  “Aidan.” I groaned his name with impatience.

  “I’ll get you there baby girl. I want to make you feel wanted. You made it so easy for me to fall in love with you. Let me show you just how much.”

  He made quick work of undoing the button of my pants, grabbed my thigh, and placed it over his hi
p. This angle gave him easier access to all I had to offer. The moment his hand was in my pants and near my throbbing heat, I was already on the edge. I just needed to feel his fingers inside me and I would be lost to his touch.

  Sensing I was quickly ramping up and already quivering with desire, he whispered into my ear and said, “Not yet baby.”

  He quickly pulled away to kneel at the end of the bed and yanked my pants and panties the rest of the way off. I whimpered with the loss of his body heat, but I love the way he looks at me. It’s the same way that he did the first time we were together. The look of pure desire. Like he wants…me.

  He slowly and tortuously started to unbutton his shirt to reveal his gloriously sexy body to me. Every time I see his body, I’m in awe. He is perfect. And he is mine.

  He grabbed each foot in turn and started gently rubbing the bottoms of my feet, placing kisses on each ankle, placing my feet against his chest. He massaged his way up my calves to my thighs and my legs fell away to his sides opening myself up more to him. He leaned forward and just breathed in my essence and placed a kiss on the inside of my thighs but not where I wanted him the most.

  I was squirming under him, arching my back towards his mouth. He let out a small chuckle. “Baby. I know where you want my mouth. Patience my love.”

  “Aidan. I changed my mind. Don’t make love to me. Just fuck me!”

  I heard a low growling sound coming from Aidan that I have never heard before and then his mouth was locked onto my lower lips. He was devouring me like it was his last meal. Licking and sucking as if he wanted nothing more and it was his job to make me come. And come I did. Hard and fast.

  “Yes...yes… yes… Ohmygod, baby… please… don’t... stop…” I was begging and pleading for the feeling to last and he was not letting up.

  “That’s one.” He declared from between my legs with what I can only assume a satisfied grin. He was coaxing another orgasm from me, right on the heels of the last one, and I was in heaven. Lost in the feelings like I was floating and on the verge of nothingness.