Persona - A Disturbing Psychological Thriller (30 page)

She sniffed. ‘Don’t apologise about it.’ She glanced at his crotch again.

‘It’s no Ben Special, but it can satisfy.’

She nodded emptily.

‘Is it much smaller?’ he asked.

‘I don’t know.’

‘Feel it then.’ He took her hand, brushed it over his stomach, and closed his eyes when he realised she’d let him guide her to it. His penis burned when he placed her hand on it.

Maybe this was a dream, she thought. Only dreams cause such pain and create such surreal outcomes. Her hand was on Geoff’s penis. Ben would be furious. He’d feel inferior and beaten. He’d urged her not to let Geoff manipulate her, only because he knew Geoff wanted to protect her and that threatened his plans to hurt her. Maybe she could get revenge this way. No, he’d already won – he’d had sex with her. But he wanted to continue doing it until the end of the holiday, so maybe she could still hurt him. Well, not hurt – he was too emotionless, too cold, to be hurt. It would just damage his ego. But to do that she would have to be a slut. No, a slut slept with numerous men she didn’t know. Geoff was an ex. He’d looked after her, tried to save her from being hurt. Unfortunately, she’d disbelieved him. It wasn’t her fault - Ben had tricked her…

The thoughts screaming at her didn’t make sense. She wanted to shut them out, to be with her family.

‘I want to go home,’ she said, withdrawing her hand.

Geoff grabbed it again. ‘This holiday doesn’t have to be spoilt, Jenny. When I say I love you and won’t hurt you, I mean it.’ Excited and frustrated, he was dying to fuck her and had never needed it so much, but he was reluctant to persist right now, as she might question his integrity and then never sleep with him. At the same time though, he was closer to victory than he’d ever been.

‘I don’t know what to do.’

‘You mustn’t underestimate the threat he poses. Ben will hate both of us for messing up his plans. He can be very violent and he’ll hit me, but as I said, that’s a necessary consequence. You’re more important to me than a busted body.

‘He’ll try to retrieve what he’s lost and you know how convincing he can be.’ He stroked her thigh. ‘You must resist him. Don’t give him the satisfaction of knowing you’ll run to him when he clicks his fingers. You can control this, Jenny. You can punish him. It won’t undo the pain, but will limit it.’

She wanted to be with her family, people she wholly trusted who would never harm her. She needed that assurance and comfort, but at the same time, she didn’t want to cut short her holiday. She felt inclined to stay here and didn’t know why. She knew she didn’t want to give in to despair and run, or leave this place before she had to, but these reasons were minor – nothing that would force her to stay. There was another reason she couldn’t pinpoint. Maybe she wanted an explanation. To know why he did it.

She shook her head, closed her eyes. ‘I’m so confused. I feel cold and paranoid.’

He pulled her over to him, rubbed her arms. ‘It’ll be all right, Jenny. You’ve got me.’

She welcomed his warm hands on her skin. How might she have reacted had he not been here to console her? If Ben had abandoned her when she got home, it might have destroyed her. Geoff would help her get over the experience. Parental assistance wasn’t the same – she’d still feel the loss; there’d be nothing there. Geoff, though, could be a substitute. Maybe he could replace Ben. He genuinely wanted her.

Jenny squeezed her eyes shut. What was she thinking? Nothing made sense anymore. Her thoughts were cluttered and uncontrolled.

Geoff’s hand slid to her breast. A pleasant shiver trickled through her. His other hand wandered between her legs.

She stroked his hard penis, encouraged by his moans.

Everything was happening too fast for contemplation. Her reactions were instinctive. Her thoughts were nonsensical and disturbing anyway, which she didn’t need.

‘Jenny, I love you so much.’

His words vanished in thin air. Everything was physical. She knew where she stood with physical. She wanted to take off her leggings so that his fingers would touch her flesh. Sliding her fingers along his shaft, she imagined it inside her. Last night, she had imagined Geoff in Ben’s place. Had that been a sign, a glimpse of fate? The thought excited her. She was wet.

Geoff took off his clothes. Jenny grabbed hold of his hard-on and he rolled his head from side to side as she masturbated him. Moments later, he took her clothes off. Then they were naked, kissing, her on top of him. She could feel his erection burn as it pressed against her thigh.

Geoff turned her so that she backed onto him, held her hips, and then drove his penis into her, making her gasp.

He pumped savagely, lifting her hips as he retracted his penis and yanking them down hard as he thrust it back in. She writhed, but felt a perverse pleasure too, and he whined with joy.

His moans intensified and before long he told her he was about to explode. He roared as he ejaculated and then burst into laughter. Finding it inappropriate, she told him to stop laughing, but he continued.

‘Geoff, what’s the matter with you?’

‘I’m so fucking happy!’ he explained, tears rolling down his cheeks. ‘I feel so privileged.’

‘What do we do now?’ she asked.

He wiped the tears from his eyes. ‘I told you. Ignore Ben and remember what we’ve done – it’ll make you feel better.’

Uncertain, Jenny nodded, hoping he’d say something more.

While they dressed, Geoff kept giggling and then apologising which annoyed her. ‘Should I just ask him to leave?’ she asked.

That, he thought, wasn’t an option. If she simply ignored Ben for the rest of the holiday, it would devastate him and he’d beg her to see sense, which would be infinitely amusing for Geoff. However, if she told him to go, Ben would know all was lost and might launch a fatal assault on Geoff. That couldn’t happen, so Ben must think he had a chance to repair things. Back in England, Geoff could hide. Here, he was a sitting target. Ben wouldn’t attack Geoff if he was trying to redeem himself to her - it would reflect badly on him. Ultimately, Geoff wanted to hear the cunt humble himself, while he bathed in the memories of what he’d done.

‘No, asking him to leave wouldn’t be wise.’

‘Why not?’

‘Take my word for it, it wouldn’t. It could get messy.’

When Ben returned, Jenny was in the toilet and Geoff was in his room. Having run back from the shops, he took a shower. Tash was still at the mall.

Tentatively, Jenny walked to the sofa and sat down. Geoff joined her, put his arm around her and then whispered, ‘He’s already broken your heart, so don’t let him scare you, too. Remember what he did, how it makes you feel.’ He stroked her face and then ran the back of his finger along her lips. ‘What better way to retaliate than to take me to Heaven?’

‘What d’you mean?’

He stared hungrily at her. ‘You’ve given yourself to me.’ Hearing it spoken aloud filled him with pride. He felt triumphant, fulfilled. Nothing was unattainable or impenetrable… He smiled. ‘Give me oral pleasure, too. The thought of sliding my penis in between your lips drives me wild. Ben won’t hear in the shower.’

When he lay down on the sofa, Jenny moved so he could stretch out.

She hated Ben and wanted to reward Geoff. He’d betrayed his friend for her and would lose him because of it.

She freed his erection and took him in her mouth. His body thrashed about as she sucked him and he pushed her head into his lap. She absorbed herself in pleasuring him, tirelessly moving her lips up and down his thick, smooth shaft. Ben’s tones reverberated as he sang in the shower. At this point in time, Jenny felt content again. She had Geoff now and Ben would suffer. Never again would he feel the excitement Geoff now experienced. It satisfied her to be vindictive. It was a new, welcome thing that gave her strength and courage.

Geoff groaned loudly as he came into her mouth, and she swallowed it. Then he quickly dressed himself.

The sun kissed the balcony as the curtains swayed gently in the breeze. The house was beautifully decorated. Birds were scattered against a backdrop of evergreens.

She heard Ben turn the shower off and step onto the mat, still singing Forever in Blue Jeans.

‘Jenny, come here,’ he called.

‘No,’ she responded. ‘You come here. I’m comfortable.’

‘Yeah? Well I’m drying myself, you come in here!’

She pushed herself up and joined him. He put his arms around her and pulled her toward him.

‘Kiss me,’ he said.

‘No,’ she said coyly, trying to break away.

‘Hey,’ he whispered softly, ‘you do what I tell you!’ He laughed playfully as he tensed his muscles and kept a hold on her. She knew there was no point in resisting.

‘I haven’t brushed my teeth yet!’ she protested.

‘Don’t worry about that.’ He pressed his body against hers. ‘You’re shaking.’

She locked onto his deep blue eyes. ‘I don’t know why.’

His smile was so sincere. With his lips closed, he kissed her softly seven times. Then he opened his mouth and massaged her tongue with his. Seconds later he broke contact, looked into her eyes, stroked her hair, then moved to the sink and began to brush his teeth…

Jenny returned to the lounge. Geoff smiled at her and she reciprocated.

‘Shall I make lunch for us?’ he asked.

‘Good idea. I’ll help.’ They made their way to the kitchen.

Ten minutes later, while they were preparing sandwiches, Ben walked past them, dressed in jeans, black boots, a shirt, and carrying his rucksack over one shoulder. He said nothing, just opened the front door, walked through and then shut it behind him.

Bewildered, Jenny and Geoff stared at each other.

‘Where’s he going?’ she asked.

Geoff smirked. ‘I think he knows.’

‘How could he know?’

Geoff fell into a fit of laughter and couldn’t respond. He backed against the fridge. Everything had progressed better than he could have hoped. He’d expected a beating, but it seemed Ben had been too broken to retaliate. He’d been so distressed that he hadn’t even packed all his stuff.

‘Did you see his face, Geoff? He was crying…but why?’

No more arrogance from Ben…ever! He’d fucked his bird’s brains out and every thrust had stabbed a blade into the cunt. So who was right, Ben? Had God really guided you to Jenny, my ex? D’you still believe that fate is fixed, that some are granted a life of happiness and others not? What a load of bullshit!

Now Ben knows. Now he understands. The stupidity and gullibility infuriated Geoff. So many fucking idiots find love, convince themselves some higher purpose was responsible, and then preach their misguided wonder and reverence to everyone else. He wasn’t interested. He cared about his own life and he achieved what he did alone - external forces played no part.

‘Geoff?’

He’d agonised over the misfortune of Ben and Jenny’s romance. It had been such a cruel injustice after she’d dumped him, and every day since, he’d been subjected to Ben’s superciliousness. But who was laughing now? His patient, painstaking strategy had worked – the stupid bitch had fallen for it. He’d never given up, even when the odds had been overwhelmingly stacked against him.

‘Geoff, listen to me!’

Her piercing voice was interrupting his train of thought…No more would he have to endure Ben’s smugness. Whatever happened, wherever their paths took them, this would never be topped. No more chasing, anxiety, jealousy–

‘Geoff!’ Jenny screamed, pushing him.

‘Will you fucking leave me alone!’ he snapped. ‘I’m thinking!’

The fuck had been superb. She’d been wild, absorbing herself in the intensity, encouraging him as the come gushed out of him. He had come buckets – no surprise after the frustration of the wait. This had been his toughest challenge and he’d succeeded. Now he could rest and reflect.

‘Geoff, why are you being like this?’ She was crying. ‘Why? What?’

Geoff looked at her and laughed. Her confusion and naivety amused him further. ‘Can’t you see what happened?’

She backed into the corner of the kitchen. ‘I’m scared, Geoff. What do you mean “What…happened”?’

‘I broke up the perfect love.’