by Amelia Shea
“Thanks, girl! I thought my day was going to be a bust not having my girls here to celebrate with me. But you made it one of my best ones yet.” Sadie’s heart warmed with her words.
“Thanks for inviting me. I had so much fun. I don’t know if I’ve ever laughed that much in one day.” She hugged her back, gave her a tight squeeze.
Sadie had never been an affectionate person. She was never a hugger. Hugs, even the rare ones from her mom, made her feel uncomfortable. But there was something so genuine about Roxanne. She meant everything she said to her, Sadie felt it.
Bogs grabbed Sadie in a side hug while they walked to the door.
“I can’t believe I spent all night with a hot chick and didn’t get any. Fuck, I must be losing my touch,” he teased.
Sadie laughed. They walked out the door and she locked it behind them. Sadie cleaned up the mess from the food and washed the glasses before going to bed. Sadie walked down the hallway to Stone’s room when she heard a beeping sound. It was coming from the closed door.
Sadie stood in front of the door and debated on whether she should go in. She didn’t want to snoop around, Stone deserved his privacy. If he wanted her to see that room, he would have showed it to her or at least left the door open. That space is private. She shouldn’t go inside.
She stared at the door again as the beeping continued to go off. She spoke to Stone earlier so she knew it wasn’t his phone. If not a phone, what was the beeping? She considered calling Bogs but she didn’t. Instead, she opened the door.
Sadie poked her head in, the room was drowning in complete darkness. There was a blinking light to the right of the room. She turned on the light and looked around. It had a large bed with two nightstands. Instead of a dresser like Stone’s room there was a large desk. The beep went off again; it came from the closed laptop.
There were moments in life when there is a fork in the road. There are two choices. Go with a gut feeling or risk it and choose the other. Sadie had always believed you were choosing right from wrong. Sadie would go with her gut, she played it safe. The computer beeped again. Her gut was telling her to turn around and walk out. It was the right thing to do, the right choice. Just walk out, close the door and go to bed.
As she walked over to the desk the old saying rang in her head, “Curiosity killed the cat.”
Sadie flipped open the computer and the screen lit up. She stared at the words on the screen. It was a document. In the top left corner, a name in bold print caught her eye, Cavanaugh. The same name T said. This was the job. She knew she should have closed it and walked away. This was Stone’s business. It was private. He told her himself, he couldn’t discuss business. Walk away, Sadie, walk away.
With a deep breath, she scrolled down the screen. There were directions to a town called Quigley, Nebraska. It looked like a dozen maps of the town and surrounding areas. She scrolled further down and saw what looked like a blueprint of a house. It showed the entire set up of the house including the placement of the furniture. It looked very elaborate. The next page included what appeared like court documents and a mug shot of Bryant Cavanaugh. Sadie leaned in closer to the picture. He looked to be about fifty with graying hair and a worn wrinkled face. His eyes were what caught hers. He looked almost sinister in his picture. This must be the guy they were apprehending tonight.
There were several more pages of court documents and an arrest sheet. She stopped to read one. Bryant Cavanaugh was arrested for the rape and murder of a fourteen-year-old girl in Indiana. Oh my God. Sadie scrolled down again and saw newspaper articles, dozens of them from his arrest and court trial. There was a photo of the victim. She was a beautiful brown-haired girl. She was smiling in what looked like a picture taken at the beach. Macey Donavan. Sadie read the article below it. She was walking home from a friend’s house and was abducted. There was a massive search for her that lasted three days before her body was discovered in the brush two miles away from her lake home. The article said she had been raped and tortured during her two days in captivity.
Sadie didn’t even try to wipe her tears away. She let them fall as she continued reading the article. Bryant Cavanaugh, a local man, was arrested for her murder. The trial lasted seven weeks. All the evidence pointed to Cavanaugh as the killer but a witness, Barry Shaw, testified that Cavanaugh had been at his restaurant at the time of Macey’s disappearance. He had receipts as proof, along with his testimony. The trial ended in a not guilty verdict. The community was stunned and outraged. The defense portrayed a framed theory. The prosecution had proved their case but the witness had the jury stumped. Barry Shaw was a reputable citizen, a business owner, and a family man. There was no reason the jury shouldn’t believe him. One juror was quoted, “Innocent until proven guilty, the prosecution just didn’t prove it.”
This article was dated two years ago. The next article stated Cavanaugh relocated after the trial and by all accounts had no further arrests. Sadie scrolled up to his arrest documents but the only one was his murder charge. He should have another arrest in which he skipped out on his bond. There was no record of his bond. Before she could look further into other documents, a small message screen popped up.
E: You back already?
Sadie jumped back from the desk. She looked around the room and started to panic. This message was not meant for her. E must be Ethan. He thought Stone was back on the computer. Shit! Another message popped up.
E: ?
Oh God! What should she do? She couldn’t respond, she wasn’t even supposed to be in here. Sadie completely invaded Stone’s personal business and now she had been caught. Another message appeared.
B: line compromised
Suddenly the screen went black and all the flickering lights on the computer stopped. The computer had been shut down. Her heart was racing. She stepped back from the desk and ran to the door, turned off the light and closed it. She ran to Stone’s bedroom and closed the door behind her. She crawled onto the bed and sat in the pitch black. Would they know it was her? Maybe they would think it was a hacker. Her hands twisted in the sheets nervously. She should have never gone into that room.
Her panic heightened when she heard the front door open.
Bogs called out. “Sadie?” His voice was calm.
Oh shit!
Sadie jumped under the covers and lay down with her back to the door. She pulled the covers up to her neck and closed her eyes. Her body was shaking, her eyes were squeezed tight. She could hear footsteps coming down the hallway. The footsteps were slow and methodical and getting closer. Her panic elevated. She felt like she was in the middle of a scary movie. Her heart was beating so hard, she swore she could hear it. Sadie knew Bogs but she didn’t really know Bogs. That thought scared the hell out of her.
He stopped outside her door. A faint knock sounded before the door opened. She tried to level her breathing. She was so still, not one move. He didn’t say anything but he didn’t leave.
Sadie thought relaxing thoughts to calm her pounding heart. A hot bath with soft music and rain falling on leaves through an open window, embraced in Stone’s arms while she slept. Her eyes relaxed and she was no longer squeezing them shut. She was relaxed and content, soft even breaths. Her heart was still beating fast but her breath was controlled. Her mind began to recite a silent chant to keep her calm—“wrapped in Stone’s arms while I sleep, wrapped in Stone’s arms while I sleep.”
Moments later the door closed and footsteps descended to the living room area. Sadie remained still with her eyes closed. She heard the front door open and close. He was gone.
Sadie spent the rest of the night wondering if Stone would know that she went into his office. She should have gone with her gut feeling. Eventually, all her panic and fear wore her down and she fell asleep.
Chapter Fourteen
She was having the most amazing dream. Stone was in bed with her. She was lying on her side with his body pressed beside her. His hands were dipped into her pajama pants and he was rubbing
her outside of her panties. Oh God, it felt so good. Her panties moistened. Her hair was pulled away from her neck and he drew kisses down her neck to her shoulder. His teeth grazed her skin and her body broke out in chills. Her nipples beaded and strained against her tank top. Sadie leaned into him and his erection poked against her backside. He was naked and hard, and it was all for her. She wanted to kiss his lips but she didn’t want to turn because everything he was doing to her felt too good. His hand gripped her pajama bottoms and dragged them down along with her panties. She wiggled out of them. She didn’t want anything between them.
His hand was back to rubbing her and she pressed her ass against his hard dick. His breath tickled her neck. This dream was so real. She could smell his scent of woodsy pine and musk. He dipped his finger inside her and she moaned aloud. Sadie moved to the rhythm of his hand. It was so good. “Stone.”
“Right here, babe,” he whispered in her ear.
She turned her head and slowly opened her eyes. He was there, it wasn’t a dream. Stone was home. Through her hooded eyes she saw him. His gorgeous face leaned in and captured her lips in a hot passionate kiss all the while fingering her pussy slowly.
“You’re home.” Sadie groaned. “I missed you.”
He smiled as he removed his finger. He lowered his hand to her leg and pulled it over his thigh. The crown of his cock probed her core before he entered her slowly. She leaned into him. Sadie wanted more and he was teasing her. His fingers slid up her thigh past her stomach and stopped under her shirt just below her breast. His fingers lightly caressed her skin as he glided in and out of her. Sadie moved her hips against his. It was a slow and erotic dance. She tried to move her hips faster. She wanted him to fuck her hard. But he wouldn’t relent. He was driving in and out very slowly.
“I dreamed of fucking you slow, so slow, baby. Loving you with my cock. You feel that, Sadie?” His strokes became even slower.
She couldn’t answer. She gasped for air. Sadie was so wet and hot for him she was losing her breath. He teased her breasts with his feather light touch, circling her nipples. The only sound in the room was their breathing. They were perfect at this moment.
“Stone, please, I want it harder.”
He groaned and pumped deeper into her, still slow but harder. The headboard knocked against the wall as Sadie screamed out, “Stone, please, I’m begging you, please!”
His loud roar was approval of her begging. He slammed into her as his fingers pinched her nipples and twisted them. She gasped. She’d never felt erotic pain. Sadie loved it. He pinched again. Her head thrashed back and she moaned from pleasure.
He flipped her onto her belly. He was still in her and riding her hard. Sadie could feel him sit up as he straddled her while fucking her. He squeezed her ass with both hands.
“Oh God, yeah!”
The friction of this position had his cock slamming against her g-spot and her clit rubbing against the bed. Sadie was so ready to come. The pleasure built up and she felt her orgasm surface.
“Fuck yeah, you like that, baby!” He growled.
It was a rhetorical question. But she moaned anyway to let him know she definitely liked it. Sadie was so close to her climax. His hand landed on her ass with a burning sting. She hissed! He had just spanked her. She wiggled her ass as he rubbed the spot.
“Fuck, Sadie, I just felt you get wetter.”
Sadie moaned as his other hand came down on her other ass cheek. Oh my God! He drove into her hard. He grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled back slightly as he landed a final blow on her ass. Sadie screamed his name though her orgasm. Sadie rested her face on the pillow as he hammered into her again and again and again until he exploded inside her.
He licked a line up her spine to her neck, biting her lobe when he reached her ear.
“That was a hell of a ‘welcome home,’ sweet girl.”
He slowly pulled out and she turned to watch him. He got rid of the condom and tossed it into the trash by the closet. He grabbed a t-shirt and wiped himself. His body was amazing, huge muscles, defined abs, and a solid chest. He must work out every day. She hoped he liked her body as much as she liked his.
He climbed back into bed and pulled her on top of him.
“I am so beat right now.” He yawned.
“Did you just get in?” Sadie asked.
“Yeah, drove all fucking night. It sucked.”
“Maybe I should go, let you sleep? I have to check on my place anyway. Make sure nobody has robbed me of my valuables.” She snorted.
He chuckled through another yawn. “Stay with me, just until I fall asleep. I want to drift off with you in my arms.”
“Okay,” she whispered, hiding a small smile.
A minute later he was out. She lay with him for fifteen more minutes. She didn’t want to leave; Sadie loved the feel of him around her. She’d stay just a few more minutes.
*
Sadie got to her place about forty minutes later. Her few more minutes lasted about thirty. Sadie left a note for Stone by his bed. She told him to call her when he got up. Sadie was hoping they could do something later, maybe talk. She was falling hard and fast for a man that she hardly even knew. It sounded crazy but it was true.
The trailer was the same as she’d left it. She cleaned up a few things before taking a shower. Her shower was tiny but the water was hot and she took a long one. Sadie would love to have a tub to soak in. When she was little she would look through old magazines and put together in my head what her house would look like. In her mind, the most beautiful room was her bathroom. It would have a gray tile backsplash with a gigantic Jacuzzi tub and a picture window so she could look out and see the woods.
Showered, dressed, and ready to start her day she caught up on laundry. Sadie separated it and planned to go to the Laundromat later. She ran out to the store to pick up some chicken to make enchiladas. She was hoping Stone would call soon. She wanted to invite him over for dinner. She had never cooked for anyone except Tyler but that didn’t work out as planned. Sadie spent the rest of the day doing errands. By the time seven rolled around, the laundry was done, her trailer was clean, and the chicken enchiladas were in the oven.
She still hadn’t heard from Stone after leaving his house at eight that morning. She thought about sending him a text earlier but she didn’t. From everything she learned about men from her mom, they hated clingy woman. They hated having to answer for their whereabouts. Apparently, she was the only one of them that learned that lesson. Tyler had called her a nag and stormed off the first time she had questioned where he had been. She didn’t ask again after that.
Once the dinner was done, she let it cool on the stove while she read. Her mind kept wandering. She couldn’t concentrate. The clock read eight forty-five. That was when she began a staring contest with the phone. She could text him. She should text him.
She was now one of those women she hated. Sadie was waiting around on a Saturday night for her guy to call her. Her guy? Is he even mine? Oh God! Could he be out with someone else right now?
Her heart was racing fast. Sadie had worked herself up into a tizzy. She picked up her book again and read another page. As she flipped to the next, she realized she had no idea what she just read. Sadie threw the book on the couch next to her. Don’t do it, Sadie!
The next half hour was a blur. It was as if she was watching someone else. She knew this wasn’t going to turn out well. It was Deja vu all over again. She packed up the chicken enchiladas, grabbed her purse, and headed out the door. Sadie always thought it was silly when someone said “the voice inside their head told them to do it.” Not anymore. Her own little voice demanded she go to Stone’s. If they were together then it shouldn’t be a big deal for her to stop by. All the while, she knew she should turn around. Sadie kept chanting in her head, turn around.
As she pulled to the gates and entered the code, her mind changed and she knew this was a mistake. Once in the parking lot, she decided to turn around. She needed
to just turn around and go home. But she slammed on her brakes when she saw a gray pick-up. He was home!
Sadie pulled into an open spot. She gathered the food, got out, and marched straight into the complex. If she thought too much, she’d turn around. Sadie continued up the stairs and stood in front of his door. She raised her hand to knock but stopped. What was she doing? She couldn’t do this, it wasn’t her. She was standing at the door of the man she thought was her boyfriend, about to barge in on him. She wasn’t here because she just wanted to be sweet and make him dinner. She was here to chase him down. She was here to check up on him. It hit her like a punch to the stomach. This was what her mom would do.
Sadie lifted her face toward the ceiling and closed her eyes. So many years vowing never to be like her and here she was. Sadie was doing the very thing she would have done. Clarity set in. Sadie was not her and she was leaving. Sadie turned to leave when a faint male voice came from Stone’s apartment.
“Get your ass back here; I’m not done with you.” The voice was playful but demanding.
A woman’s giggle followed. “Lover, I need a drink.”
There were moments when even the sanest people lose all sanity. Something happened and the person just snapped. It was almost like an out of body experience. It was like watching yourself in a movie. But it wasn’t TV, it was real and it really happened. This was Sadie’s.
Her hand gripped the door and slowly opened it. Her eyes scanned the room and landed in the kitchen on a topless, ridiculously large breasted blonde at the sink. Her blonde hair was in disarray, better known as “sex hair,” and she was drinking a glass of water. Her heart beat faster and her hand clenched around the glass enchilada dish. Sadie knew this girl, Krista, the one from the diner who was with Stone. And now she was here with him. Motherfucker!
Sadie watched as she put her glass in the sink and turned toward the hallway. She swung toward Sadie and looked surprised. She was now in full view and completely naked. Of course, he would be with her. She had a perfect body, absolutely, perfectly plastic. Sadie looked to her face and she appeared slightly shocked. She could just imagine what Krista must see on her face. Pure unadulterated anger coursed through Sadie; she couldn’t even contain it.