“Yeah. Tamara told her that she first had to go to the house and work as a waitress but she would get paid for that also. That would pay $100 an hour plus whatever tips anyone gave her. That was the first level. If she got past that, then she would be invited back to do a massage.”
“What happened then?”
“Then Tamara gave her the address and told her about everything that was going to happen and how it had absolutely no sex and how he wouldn't even touch her. She really needed the money. She would never have done this otherwise. Her parents are going through a divorce and her stepdad is really abusive and he's threatening to take her little brother away and her mom can't afford a lawyer. That's why she did this. It wasn't to get a fancy purse or anything like that.”
“Of course not,” Jackie says. “Even if she did just want a purse, it would not make what Franklin did any less wrong.”
“I know,” the girl says. “I'm just trying to explain that Taylor is not like that.”
“What happened then?” Jackie asks.
“I don't know most of the details because she wouldn't stop crying but apparently, he was lying naked on the massage table and he told her to get naked. He wouldn't take no for an answer and at one point he even yelled at her. That's when she got really scared and took off her clothes. He touched her. He told her to go down on him and then she massaged him. After that, he touched himself and she had to watch.”
Anger starts to boil up within me. I stare at my fist ready to punch something or someone.
“After he handed her the money,” the girl continues, “he gave her an extra hundred dollars, and she was so distraught that she freaked out when she ran into his wife in the elevator. His wife kept asking her what was going on but Taylor was freaking out because she didn’t want her to think that they were having an affair.”
“That's pretty much it,” Jackie says, turning off his phone.
“She cried for a while after that and I told her that everything will be okay and that I will do everything in my power to help her friend,” Jackie says.
“Holy shit,” I say.
“Yep.”
“He’s a rapist and a pedophile,” I add.
“Yeah, I know,” Jackie says, staring into space.
“What’re we gonna do about him?” I ask.
“We have to stop him.”
9
Aurora
I meet up with Henry three days later and those are the longest three days of my life. Every hour away from him is excruciating.
I crave him and I need him.
I want to touch him more than anything I've ever wanted in the world. I'm waiting for him on my father's boat. He knows the address because this is where we had first met.
I leave it open and sit downstairs in a form fitting black dress. It's cold outside so I wore my trench coat here so that I could show off my legs. The heels are uncomfortable. I don’t bother with the Spanx because I want to be comfortable and I know that he loves my curves.
The boat is slowly heating up, but it’s still cold enough to see your breath inside. I’m grateful for the long sleeves and the scarf. While I wait, I play a game on my phone and check social media but mostly I think about Henry.
The last time that we were together, we came very close to actually making love. He had an appointment set up with his mom's doctor and he had to rush off but I hope that tonight we can make up for what we didn't have the opportunity to finish.
Whatever guilt I used to feel about Franklin and my so-called marriage, has disappeared. I made him a promise but it's not a promise if someone is practically holding a gun to your father’s head. But it’s even worse than that. Franklin doesn't care about me as his wife. If he did, then he wouldn’t have strange women in and out of his bed almost every day.
I crack my knuckles to try to make the anger that's bubbling up within me go away. This is supposed to be a good night. I won't let my so-called husband ruin it.
There's a knock on the door and I tell him to come in. Henry comes downstairs dressed in a slim pair of jeans and a formfitting jacket that hugs every muscle in his chest. I get up and practically run into his arms.
When I imagined this moment in my head, I saw myself sitting seductively on the couch and crossing one leg over the other. I saw myself kissing him softly and passionately and holding his hand tightly as I led him to the bedroom.
Now, seeing him in the doorway, I can barely stop myself from charging at him. It's silly and immature yet it's exactly how I feel and I'm so happy that he opens his arms and welcomes me inside.
We have both waited so long for this moment.
We can't wait any longer.
When I rush him, I jump into his arms. Henry carries me to the bedroom. I laugh and kiss him over and over again. Our kisses are sloppy and out-of-control. My hair falls on top of his face and everything between us intermingles.
Henry plops me onto the bed and I bounce. He stands before me and I reach up to unbuckle his jeans. I push them down to his ankles along with his boxer briefs. His ass is round and his thighs are the most massive and muscular ones I’ve seen. He flexes them as I look for a moment admiring the strength that I see before me.
I laugh and then I shift my eyes to his hard dick. It’s large and hard and I can’t help but reach over and wrap my fingers tightly around the base. I bring my lips to him and open my mouth. As he slides inside of me, Henry leans his head back and moans.
He is so big that he fills up my whole mouth and my jaw feels like it’s going to lock with each move. After a few moments, I pull away and run my tongue up to his belly button and then stand up to kiss him. Our mouths touch and our tongues intertwine. This time, there’s nothing tender about our kiss. We have been there and we have done that. Tonight, we want it dirty, quick, and delicious.
He flips me over onto my stomach and pushes me down onto the bed. I love the way that he handles my body, directing me in every move. It allows me to let go and to enjoy the moment, the way that I normally can’t.
I hear the crackling of a condom wrapper somewhere behind me but before I can even turn around, Henry drapes himself over me, pressing himself into my back.
I can’t help but arch and pull myself off the bed just a little bit. His hands find their way into my dress and over my breasts. Then he turns my head to the side and moves my hair off my neck. As he slides inside of me, he starts to run his tongue over my neck and up to my ear.
“I love you,” he whispers with each thrust.
I whisper something back but it all comes out muffled.
“I love you,” he says. “Don’t you ever forget that.”
“Do you hear me?” Henry asks, pushing into me again and again.
“I hear you,” I mumble. “I love you, too.”
Henry’s movements become faster and faster and I can’t handle it any longer. I try to hold it off as much as possible but suddenly, the pressure that has built up in me explodes, and I let go. Waves of pleasure rush through me as his thrusts move faster and faster.
My whole body shakes as he pushes me more and more into the bed.
“Aurora,” he says with a huff, repeating my name over and over again. Lying in each other’s arms afterward, we exhale simultaneously and nuzzle together. Nothing has ever felt so right.