Pretend for Daddy

by Hamel, B. B.

  She looks terrified as I slowly back down the driveway.

  I know she thinks I’m abandoning her, but of course I wouldn’t do that. She doesn’t know it, but there’s another little cabin on the property. It was my father’s workshop once upon a time, but when I renovated this place, I turned it into extra living quarters.

  I’ll stay there. Close enough to watch over her, but far enough that she can have some time to herself.

  She needs to be sure. This isn’t just about the next few weeks or months… it’s about the next year or more. Having my baby isn’t going to be a small thing.

  I need her to be absolutely positive.

  I need her to trust me implicitly.

  And so I’m giving her space to think, to weigh her options… and to decide.

  7

  Ruby

  I’ve never felt more alone and exposed in my entire life.

  I’m livid at first. I think he abandoned me to die.

  But as the hours wear on, I start to wonder…

  A box of food shows up on my doorstep along with a note.

  Don’t worry, you’re safe. - K

  So he says. So he thinks.

  But I know these people. They’ve done things… terrible things… and gotten away with it. I know I’m next on their list of victims.

  Except I can’t forget that I’d already be a victim if it weren’t for him.

  I take the food inside and make myself something to eat. The day wears on and the silence starts to get to me.

  I hate being alone out here. I feel so exposed. I don’t know how to get away and I don’t even have a car if I need to run.

  I just have to trust him…

  That’s the question, isn’t it? If I can trust him or not.

  I spend the day looking around the house. There’s no TV or computer or Wi-Fi, so I’m stuck reading books out on the back porch. At least I find a bottle of wine, a little old but still good. I drink it slowly, watching the sun set, before forcing myself to go to bed early.

  I slip into the large master bed and wrap myself in covers.

  That night, I dream about him coming into my room. He touches my skin… kisses my lips… gets me off again and again.

  He has me down on my knees, panting and begging him to keep going…

  When I wake up early the next morning, I’m soaking wet.

  “Shit,” I whisper to myself.

  I get up and shower, not sure what else to do. I make some coffee and pour it into a travel mug that I find in the cabinet… and take a walk down to the lake.

  It’s beautiful in the morning. There’s a dock at the edge of the property. I walk out onto it and sit at the end, my feet curled under my legs. It’s too cold to dip my toes in, but I think I’ll try later.

  I keep coming against the same problem in my head, over and over. I want to give in to him… trust him… follow through with his offer for real.

  But I’ve never done anything like that before.

  I’ve never had a man… inside of me.

  I’m a virgin.

  God, it’s so pathetic. Twenty-two years old and still a virgin.

  But I haven’t had time to settle down with any guys. I’ve been too busy running away my entire life, trying to find someplace safe to settle down.

  He’s the first man I’ve given in to…

  And he wants everything from me.

  That’s what terrifies me the most. If I go through with this, I’ll sleep with him for the first time… my first time… and he’ll want to get me pregnant. I’ll go from virgin to pregnant to… what?

  I don’t know. Assuming I even survive.

  “Excuse me?”

  I turn around, startled. It’s still early morning and I thought I was alone.

  An old man is standing down near the end of the dock. He has gray hair, light jeans, and a red down jacket. He smiles at me and waves a little.

  “Sorry if I startled you,” he says. “I didn’t know you folks were here.”

  “Oh, sorry?” I stand up, coffee clutched in my hand.

  The man smiles at me sweetly, but I feel a pulse of fear run through my veins. Adrenaline courses and I’m ready to fight him off if I have to. I’ll throw my coffee, splash it in his face…

  “You’re a friend of the Reed family? I figure you’re a friend… since the Reeds don’t come much themselves anymore. Well, I guess it’s been years since I saw any of them. The son owns it, you see, but I guess you know that.”

  “Oh,” I say, blinking. “I know Knox.”

  “Yes, Knox, he’s a good boy.” The man chuckles. “I remember when Knox was just a little kid, swimming in this lake with his parents. But now he’s all grown.” He blinks a little, looking far off. “Sorry, I’m being rude. My name is Gary.”

  I walk toward him. “I’m Ruby.”

  “Nice to meet you, Ruby.”

  I shake his hand tentatively.

  “Old Tiger’s around here somewhere.” Gary puts his fingers in his mouth and whistles. “Tiger!”

  I wince at the sound, breaking an otherwise silent and pretty morning. I watch as a black dog suddenly pulls itself from some underbrush and comes bounding over. He’s a fat old black lab with gray around his muzzle and chest. He runs right up to Gary and nuzzles at his legs and comes over to me, sniffing curiously.

  I pet the dog on the head. He licks my fingers and wanders off again.

  “I walk Tiger along here most mornings,” Gary says. “Nice to have him around, you know? Gets lonely out here sometimes.”

  “You’re alone out here?” I ask.

  “Oh, sure, sure. Wife passed away ten years ago now. Children all grown and gone. But in the good days, we were always here, the whole family of us… it was real nice.”

  I frown a little. “I’m sorry about that.”

  “It’s okay, Miss Ruby. I loved my family. Still do. Just wish they were all here with me, but that’s okay. I got my Tiger.”

  The dog barks and wags his tail.

  Gary grins at him.

  “I’m sorry if I’m bothering your walk,” I say.

  “Oh, no, no, no bother. Technically I’m trespassing, but, well, folks don’t normally mind. Especially since they’re hardly ever here anymore.” He smiles at me kindly. “I’ll leave you alone, if you like?”

  “I have coffee,” I blurt out stupidly.

  Gary smiles wide. “Well that’s a tempting offer.”

  We walk up to the house together. I make him a cup and refill my mug. We sit on the back porch and watch Tiger run around the yard, smelling trees and digging at the dirt.

  “Family’s important, Miss Ruby,” Gary says. “Real important. That’s what I’ve learned in my old age.” He looks at me for a second. “Married?”

  “Nope.” I hold my fingers up.

  “Ah. Too young for that these days, I guess.” He smiles. “I was married at eighteen, stuck with her my whole life. It was a good, long life.”

  “How old are your children?”

  “Grown, grown. But they’re good kids. They come out as much as they can.”

  Tiger barks, chases a squirrel.

  I listen as Gary talks more about his family. At first I thought he was just a doddering old man and I was worried he was lost or something… but I quickly realize he’s just lonely and happy to have someone to talk at.

  And I’m happy to listen to someone talk. The more he mentions his family… the more I think about my own future.

  I never really had a family. Well, I did, but it was a long time ago. I can barely even remember those days when my dad was around and my mom wasn’t an addict. Those were good days… happy days…

  I forgot that it could be nice, having someone in your life. I’ve been relying on myself for so long…

  “Ruby?”

  I look over at Gary, suddenly aware that my mind was wandering. “Sorry,” I say. “I must’ve been daydreaming.”

  He smiles kindly. “My wife used to do that
.” He stands up. “Thanks for the coffee. Maybe I’ll run into you again.”

  “You don’t have to go,” I say.

  He shrugs. “Gotta get the dog back. Plus, I have my chores to do. Thanks for indulging an old man for a bit.”

  I smile and walk with him halfway down the hill. He waves and disappears into the tree line, Tiger hot on his heels, trotting along.

  I wrap my arms around myself for a second. It’s getting warmer, and my mind keeps spinning around my problem.

  Do I give myself over to Knox… or do I run again and try to make it on my own?

  There’s still no obvious answer. I end up at the dock again, but now the sun’s up so I risk dipping my toes in the water.

  It’s cold but it feels good.

  I lean back on my hands and close my eyes. I see Knox staring back at me, his hands between my legs… his lips against mine…

  My back arches, orgasm ripping through my body.

  I open my eyes and shiver.

  I spend an hour down by the water and when I get up, my feet are pruned. I smile and walk barefoot back to the house.

  When I get there, his car is in the driveway.

  I stand outside, lingering there for a long moment, not sure what I’m going to say when I see him.

  But I sigh and head in through the back.

  Knox is sitting in the living room, reading a book. He looks up when I enter the kitchen.

  “There you are,” he says. “Enjoying your day?”

  “You shouldn’t have left,” I say angrily. “You shouldn’t have left me here alone.”

  “I was only down the hill,” he says softly. “There’s another cabin down there.”

  I frown at him. “How big is this property?”

  “Biggest lot in the area.”

  I sigh and stretch. “I met someone.”

  “Oh, yeah?”

  “Old man named Gary. Had a dog named Tiger.”

  Knox raises an eyebrow. “I remember him. He was always pretty nice. I think he lives in the house over there.”

  “He kept talking about his family.”

  “Did he?” Knox remains still, looking vaguely interested.

  “Here’s the thing. I don’t remember family as… something happy. I just remember it as a burden I have to carry. Do you have happy memories?”

  He nods slowly. “Yes. I do.”

  “I hate my family, Knox. I hate my father and my mother. I hate what I’ve been through.”

  “I can understand that.”

  “Can you? Then explain to me why you’d want to bring… to bring another person into all this.”

  He sighs and closes the book, slowly standing up. “Let me ask you something instead, little Ruby. Why are you so sure that a baby will be better off not born?”

  “Because this hell I’ve been through, because the men—”

  “They won’t be around when this baby grows up,” Knox says gently. “Believe me, Ruby. We’ll get through this. My child will have a good life… a safe life. I’ll provide the best life I possibly can.”

  “How can you be so sure?” I ask softly.

  “I guess I can’t. But that’s life, isn’t it? There are no promises. There’s only what we choose to do.”

  He walks toward me slowly. I back up and run into the kitchen counter. He stops in front of me, close enough to touch.

  “I don’t know what to do,” I whisper.

  “I know.” He reaches out and tilts my chin toward him. “Give yourself to me, Ruby. Give me what I want and I’ll make sure you don’t regret it.”

  I stare into his eyes… and for the first time in a long time, I don’t feel like running away.

  It’s scary, but I want to stay here with him. I want to trust him. And I think that’s what’s been holding me back the most.

  I’ve never felt this way before. I’ve never wanted to give myself over to a man, to anyone really. I’ve always been on my own, living my own way, keeping myself safe.

  Now I’m going to trust someone else to do it for me…

  That scares the hell out of me.

  I stand up on my toes and kiss him gently. He smiles and kisses me back.

  “I want it,” I whisper. “I really do.”

  “Good girl.”

  He kisses me again, this time with more hunger. I take a sharp breath as I feel his tongue against mine, his hands on my body.

  He pulls me away from the kitchen and into the living room. As we stumble, he pulls my shirt off, my bra. His hands are on my skin, teasing my breasts, my nipples. I’m moaning into his kiss…

  It’s going to fast and I can’t slow down. I don’t want to slow down.

  He kisses me nice and long and pushes me down onto the couch. I land with a gasp as he kneels down between my legs. My heart is hammering as he unbuttons my jeans and pulls them down.

  “There are benefits to giving yourself over to me,” he whispers. “You know what they are?”

  “I think so,” I groan.

  “I think you do, too.” He kisses my breasts and inner thighs. He kisses my lips, diving me wild. “Do you still need convincing?”

  “Maybe,” I moan.

  He smirks. He wanted that answer.

  His lips move down to my belly button, down to the waistband of my panties. He pushes them aside and his tongue laps me up, licking me top to bottom.

  I gasp, surprised as pleasure rocks through my skin.

  “That’s it,” he whispers. “That’s what I wanted.”

  I moan as he licks me. I didn’t know this could feel so good…

  I run my fingers through his hair, pulling it, pushing him down. My body tightens, clenches, relaxes. He licks me, sucking my clit before sliding two fingers deep inside me.

  He fucks me with them and kisses my lips. I can taste myself and I love how dirty it is. I let his kiss linger before he drops back down between my legs.

  God, I don’t know if I could ever get tired of this.

  He licks and sucks me faster. I groan, hips rolling. He knows where to push me, where to touch me. He knows exactly what I want just before I even know to beg for it.

  “Fuck,” I moan as his fingers push deep.

  He licks my clit faster. I’m rolling my hips, pleasure rocking through me. I’m panting, gasping. I whisper his name, let it linger on my lips.

  I taste his name on my tongue as he sucks my clit harder, his fingers pumping deep inside my tight pussy.

  “Knox,” I gasp as my body tenses again. This time, the tension doesn’t ease.

  He moves faster, pushing it further. I can hear my moans filling the space and he doesn’t slow down, fingers pumping, tongue licking, lips sucking, and fuck, oh god—

  I come hard on his mouth, my hips gyrating. My body tenses and explodes as it rocks through me. The orgasm feels so good I can’t think, everything is blinding pleasure, blinding intense pleasure.

  And slowly I come down. He’s kissing me again and I’m cleaning off his fingers, licking them clean. I want to taste more of him…

  “That’s a good girl,” he whispers, stepping back. “Now, I have one more thing I need from you.”

  “Yes?” I’m leaning back in the couch, heart racing, mostly naked. My panties are still pushed aside and soaking wet.

  He kneels down again, but this time… only on one knee.

  I sit up, eyes blinking.

  “Marry me,” he says. “Give me all the babies I want. Give me yourself, Ruby.”

  I bite my lip.

  Danger is so close…

  “Yes,” I whisper.

  He reaches into his pocket and takes out a ring. It’s simple, but the diamond is massive and flawless. He slides it on my finger.

  “Perfect,” he says.

  When he kisses me, I know I’ve just done something I’ll never come back from.

  And I’m not sure I’m going to want to.

  8

  Knox

  We spend the next week at my cabin.
/>   Well, Ruby does at least. I split my time between the cabin and the office.

  “You can’t just leave me,” she says the next day when I tell her I plan on driving back into the city.

  “I’m not,” I say, smiling. “I promise.”

  “So then I’m coming with you.”

  I shake my head. “Nope. You’re not.”

  She throws up her hands. “So then you’re just leaving me!”

  I laugh and put an arm around her shoulder, pulling her along toward the front door. “I’d never leave you unguarded.”

  Sitting out front is a black truck with three men sitting inside.

  Ruby stares at them for a second. “Bodyguards?”

  “Israeli mercenaries,” I say. “They don’t really speak English, but that’s fine.”

  “How the hell did you find them?”

  “I have my ways.” I grin at her and don’t bother to mention that I’ve done work for the Israeli Special Forces. Those were off-the-books jobs… just a little propaganda for our allies in the Middle East.

  “This is insane.”

  “I know. But trust me, it’ll be worth it.”

  She chews her lip then finally nods. “Okay. I’ll trust you.”

  “I know.” I kiss her cheek then head to my car. “Good luck. They’re staying in the guest house so they shouldn’t bother you for anything.”

  She waves uncertainly as I pull down the driveway.

  She’s fine, of course. I don’t think anyone knows where we are, and if they do, they’re not about to try to fight through three armed Israeli mercenaries. They’re the real deal, actual ex-Special Forces guys. A little crazy maybe, but competent.

  I have an ulterior motive, of course.

  This little situation won’t be solved by hiring muscle. I know that as well as she does. The mafia is patient, very patient. Sooner or later, we’ll slip up and get whacked. It might not happen for years, but it’ll happen one way or another.

  So I need to solve this issue some other way.

  Which is why I need to be in the city. I have contacts, men that can help me. But I can’t do anything from the fucking Poconos. I need to see them face to face.