“You busy? You owe me.”
“Uh, I’m not busy, what’s up?”
“Your friend stopped by. That was not wise to send him my way, Jack.”
“Aw, man, I’m sorry. I didn’t think he’d find your place, honest I didn’t,” he stumbled over his words.
“Yeah. Well. He did. And now I’m gonna need a ride when I go dump his vehicle. And you’re gonna bring me back.”
“Dump his vehicle?” he said quietly, so whoever he was around wouldn’t hear him.
“Yeah. Have to get rid of the evidence.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Aggie
Drake’s idea of tying my arms to the post on my new bed was exhilarating. Instead of going out for dinner, he brought takeout and we didn’t get much eaten before other desires outweighed the hunger.
“I’m sorry I was late,” he whispered, my arms bound to the post with a silk scarf, my eyes covered with another scarf so I couldn’t see what he was planning to do to me.
“It’s okay...you’re making up for it,” I gasped the words. He made quick work of my shorts, taking care as he pulled them down my legs and over my knees. His sweet kisses on my healing wounds gave me shivers. The soft touch of his lips on such tender skin made me weak.
Completely naked and bared to the man I barely knew, I heard a silence. I knew he was still there and I could feel his presence, but a darkness arose around me and I felt different.
Not scared. Not uneasy. But different.
A metal object of some sort grazed down my neck and chest and further down my body. The intense change in temperature perked me up and my body was at attention.
“What is that?”
“I won’t hurt you, Cutie,” he whispered and made me wonder more what he was planning to do. This fuck was quick and hard, not with the sweetness from before, but with a driven purpose and a need to be fulfilled. His body crashed into mine and I couldn’t force away the pleasure, even if I had wanted to.
Our Meet Cute had turned into a week-long love fest that I hoped would continue on and on. Was this love at first sight? Lust at first sight? A fling? I wasn’t sure what to call it, but the one thing I was sure about was that I didn’t want it to end and I wanted to learn more and more about my butcher.
He untied my wrists and we laid together quietly for a little while listening each other breathe.
“How was your day today? I didn’t even ask why you were late getting here?” I said as I rested my chin on his chest.
Cool, calm, collected, his response was typical Drake. “Unexpected visitor, just had to have some meat cut tonight,” he said, “I’ve decided that I’m going to stop working on my off days now though. I’ve never had a reason to say no before, and now that you’ve arrived, I suddenly have an amazing reason.”
His response made me feel all giddy inside. Running my hands up and down his chest and stomach made me excited too. I loved touching him.
“Can I ask you something else?” I pestered, hoping he wouldn’t mind.
“Always, Cutie. What’s on your mind?”
“Remember when we were talking about pools around town? You said the public pool, the one the kids peed in, wasn’t a place I needed to go? What did you mean by that?”
“Ah, that’s a place in town that’s typical for crime to happen. Drug deals often happen there and you can always expect to find the wrong crowd.”
“Oh, that’s what you meant...yeah, I don’t want to go there.”
“Nah, you don’t...plus I hope you’d rather be in my pool?” Of course, I’d rather be in your pool. He knew what my smile meant.
The large pocketknife was closed and sitting on the side table next to his keys, cell phone and a spoon. I wondered which of those items grazed along the curves of my body and hoped it was the spoon.
Drake
A QUICK TRIP OUT OF town several days earlier...
“I’d like something waterproof, and somewhat professional...she’ll be wearing this at her job,” Drake told the clerk.
“This is one of our best smartwatches,” the clerk said and held it out to him.
“I like it...can we go ahead and install some apps ahead of time before she syncs her account?”
“We can, what did you have in mind?”
“Oh definitely one of those ‘find your friend’ apps, so we can find our phones from other devices. My wife is prone to losing things...always asking me to look and see where she’s left her watch or phone...would you believe it usually turns up in the car?!”
“I know how that goes, Mr. Smith, your wife is lucky you’re able to look out for her!”
“Yes, look...out...for her. Indeed. I’ll take it! Could you wrap it up?”
“Certainly, sir! How about a blue bow?”
“That would be splendid.”
Demonic Destiny
Michelle Edwards
Chapter One
Kassandra
I ran my fingers over the colorful ink on my arm. It was new, but you wouldn’t have known that from looking at it. I had no idea what it meant or why it was on my body.
I reached down for my phone and scrolled to my mother’s number. Then I remembered. She wouldn’t pick up.
My throat felt dry, and my heart stung at the thought of my mother.
Just last night, Lela and I both received the call. Our mother was gone. Today I was headed back to her house, and I was more terrified than anything else.
I hadn’t seen Lela since Christmas, and I barely spoke to her when she called me last night.
I pulled myself together, ignoring the brand-new tattoo on my body and went about my morning. I was a witch. Weird shit happened to me all the time. Why would this be any different?
I STOOD OUTSIDE THE house that had been in my family for decades. If it wasn’t for my mother passing, I wouldn’t be here right now. The wind whipped around me sending a shiver down my body.
“Looks daunting, doesn’t it?” Lela’s voice came from behind me.
I nodded.
She was now next to me.
“We’ll go in together,” she said holding her hand out to me.
I turned to face her, unable to control the tears now streaming down my face.
“Let’s go,” I took her hand and walked up the steps and through the large wooden door.
It was quiet, and I could still smell my mother’s perfume lingering.
“Now what?” I asked.
“I know the mayor said he’d be by later with a few people from the church. I guess mom had everything already set up for her death.” She swallowed and whispered the last word.
I nodded. Her death. It’s like she knew she was going to die.
“So, in the meantime, I guess we just hang out here?” I asked.
“We can start packing up things. I don’t know about you, but I don’t plan on living here.”
“This house has been in our family for decades! What are you planning to do? Sell it?”
“Yes,” Lela answered almost immediately.
“We can’t just sell the house. Mom would flip out.”