Follow You Down (11 page)

Jason slams back his drink, pounds it on the counter, and grabs my hand. “This means you and Lucas have some things you need to discuss. You don’t have to do it tonight. Or next week. Or even next month. But at some point, you will have to discuss what is really going on between y’all, not just what you are assuming is going on because of the rules you put in place.” Jason is quickly becoming one of my favorite people. He is cocky and confident, but has a sweet side to him also. If he were straight, and I wasn’t in whatever this is with Lucas, I would totally make a move.

“Well, Dani dear, I have to head out. Todd should be home soon. I hope I helped some with the romantic conundrum you have yourself in.” He lays a hundred dollar bill down on the counter for his bill. “Keep the change.” Before I can refuse, he is heading out the door, but not before calling my name over his shoulder, “Dani, you were right by the way, he is fine as hell.”

I laugh at him using the exact words I used to describe Lucas to him earlier. Fine as hell, that’s the only way I can think to describe him. Well, that and addictive.

Suddenly, I hear screaming coming from the back of the bar. Tiffany walks out in the dining hall from the kitchen with Molly on her heels. They’re arguing and Molly keeps telling Tiffany to admit to something while Tiffany is crying. What the hell is going on tonight? It’s like everyone has lost their minds.

I start cleaning glasses, trying to listen to their conversation, but not be nosey. I notice everyone in the bar is tuned in to whatever is transpiring between the two of them though. Then I hear her say it; Tiffany is pregnant with Molly’s boyfriend, Brian’s, baby. Oh shit. Just a few minutes after the admission by Molly, Brian walks in the door. I have never actually seen him before, but Molly calls him by name.

He’s a good-looking guy. Tall, slender, covered in tattoos, but I know from the little Molly and Wynee have told me about him that he is a raging prick. And from Molly’s demeanor when his name is brought up, I think he abuses her. I don’t know if it’s physical or emotional, but there is something disturbing going on there.

Molly and Brian begin arguing, and Logan quickly jumps up and inserts himself in their argument. I think about calling Lucas. If Logan is going to get himself into some shit, Lucas would want to know about it. But I don’t. Geo walks out into the dining area and agrees when Wynee asks if she and Molly can leave early. Then he tells me to cover for them. I just continue to clean glasses, wide-eyed, and nod my head.

So much shit just went down that I’m not really sure how to handle it.

Molly and Wynee leave with Logan and Justin right behind them. Brian and Tiffany both slip out and the few patrons still left in the bar go back to their drinks and normal conversation.

“Hey, guys,” Geo address the room as a whole, “I’m gonna shut her down early tonight to deal with some shit.” The customers groan in protest. “Ahh, quit your bitching. When you close your tab with Dani, you get a beer on me, all right?” They all halfheartedly agree. It’s only midnight, so most of them will probably head out to another watering hole to waste a few more hours.

I close out everyone’s tabs, hand out beers, and lock the front door after the last customer leaves. I’ve never shut down the bar or restocked it, so I’m not really sure what to do next. I wipe down all the counter tops and tables, clean all of the dirty glasses so I can restock them at the bar, take the dirty dishes to the kitchen, and clean out the ashtrays. After I have restocked behind the bar with clean glasses and more beer, I start counting out the cash in the register. I write down totals, but don’t really know where to take it.

“Damn, Dani, you did a good job.” Geo walks out from the back of the bar holding a beer in his hand.

“Why do you sound so surprised?” I knit my eyebrows together and place my hands on my hips. I’m surprised at my own abilities, but I didn’t expect Geo to be.

He laughs and his belly shakes. “I like you, Dani. You have a bit of an attitude, without all the drama. I appreciate that.”

“Well, thank you, Geo. I counted the cash out and wrote down the totals, but put it back in the register ‘cause I wasn’t sure what else to do with it.”

“That’ll work. I’ll take it to the bank in the morning.” He glances around the room once more. “Everything looks good. You can head home. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

I smile at him and say goodbye. I walk to the back, get my purse and keys, and head to my jeep to drive to my apartment where Lucas is waiting for me so he can fuck my mouth.

This should be interesting.

I pull into my apartment complex and see Lucas sitting in his truck.

“Have you been here since you left Ricky’s?”

He’s caught off guard by my presence. “Naw, I went to work out first. I’ve only been here a few minutes.” He glances at the clock. “Why are you back so early anyway?”

He grabs a bag out the back of his truck that I assume has a change of clothes in it.

“Shit got crazy after you left!” We begin to walk side by side into the building. He doesn’t seem nearly as on edge as he did when he left earlier, so I think maybe he will just let it all go. Maybe he has thought it over and realizes how ridiculous his jealous little rant was.

He enters in my code, which has now changed since he said 0000 was too easy, and holds the door open for me, letting me walk in first.

“What happened?”

“Well, apparently Tiffany is pregnant.”

“No shit! I didn’t see that one coming.”

“Oh, it gets worse. Brian, Molly’s boyfriend, is the dad. And as Molly was confronting her about it, he showed up. Brian and Molly got into an argument and she ended it with him. She, Wynee, Justin, and Logan left headed to her house. I really thought Logan was going to kick Brian’s ass right there.”

“What?” We’re walking into my apartment and Lucas’ voice is full of shock.

“Logan went with her? Son of a bitch!” He starts digging through his pockets. “I gotta call him.” He grabs his phone, dials a number, and walks toward my fridge, grabbing a beer. I hear him talking to Logan, but I don’t really pay attention to exactly what he’s saying.

He looks so comfortable in my apartment. Walking around like he lives here, too. It has a strange effect on me. My heart warms a little, but I also have nervousness running through my veins.

I shouldn’t feel so comfortable with him being here. He shouldn’t be so comfortable here. This isn’t part of the plan. This isn’t what I intended to happen, but it has. I like Lucas. I really like him, and it terrifies me and excites me all at the same time.

My mom keeps telling me that one day Lucas and I will wake up and realize we are perfect for each other, but isn’t that what his former fuck buddy, Candice, thought too? She stayed because she was convinced one day he would grow up and see her the way she sees him, and he never did. So what makes me any different than her?

“So, apparently, even more shit went down once they got to Molly’s house.”

Lucas sits down next to me on the couch and hands me a beer. “Shit like what?”

“Well, Brian showed and started talking shit to Molly. Molly showed everyone some major bruises she had on her from Brian beating the shit out of her, and then Logan kicked his ass. Shit like that.”

“Good Lord. That’s enough drama to last a lifetime in one night!”

“Shit, I know. Logan says he’s going to stay there for the night and he’s taking off work tomorrow to spend the day with Molly. Maybe now they will finally get together and shit won’t be so dramatic.” He lays his arm on the back of the couch behind me. “I’m glad we aren’t like that.”

Since when did we become a
we
?

I don’t get to contemplate that for long because I am reminded of his earlier caveman episode because of Jason.

“I may not be like that, but you are.”

He turns toward me, leaning back slightly and raising his eyebrows questionably. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about you throwing a hissy fit tonight because I was talking to a friend.”

He laughs, and then chugs his beer. “Friend my ass, Red. You were pawing him like a fucking cat in heat. And since when are you friends with yuppies in designer suits?”

“Since his sister moved in down the hall.” He perks up a little at that. “Oh yeah, and he’s gay. I’ve met his boyfriend. So your whole ‘mine’s bigger’ bit earlier was pointless.”

“He’s gay?”

“Yes, Lucas, he’s very much gay.”

He stares at me for a moment before he gets up laughing loudly as he grabs two more beers from the fridge. He hands me one, plopping back down on the couch. “Man, I feel like an asshole. I’m sorry, Red.”

“Well, you did embarrass me a little, but once I realized why you did it, I forgave you. It was just a big misunderstanding.” One that should have never happened because we aren’t in a relationship; I can do whatever the fuck I want. He should not be getting jealous.

“Well, I guess I don’t need the stuff in my bag after all.”

His bag? I saw him bring one in, but I assumed it just had work clothes in it. “What are you talking about, Lucas?”

He rubs his hands together like he is about to hatch some evil plan, and then walks toward the duffle bag he brought in with him. He unzips it and pulls out a few long pieces of black silk. At first glance, I think he has ties in his bag, but why would anyone need so many black ties? Then I see the blindfold, also made of black silk, and it hits me.

Lucas wants to tie me up, blindfold me, and then fuck me.

Yes please.

So I like a little kink. Sue me. I’ve been known to tie a girl up a time or two with a belt or tie. I gagged Candice once with the sash to her bathrobe, but I have never actually bought restraints before, until tonight.

After leaving Ricky’s, I knew I had to do something to work out all of my nervous energy, so I went to the gym. I lifted for a while and then ran until I felt like I would pass out. It felt fucking amazing, and it gave me time to think. Why was I jealous, really? I never had been jealous before, but something about the douche in the suit set me off. Then it hit me, for the first time since I had met her, I saw Dani as mine. All mine. She has been partially mine for weeks, but at this moment, she is mine completely. And someone else was playing with something that is mine. I was basically acting like a child, but I don’t give a fuck at all.

I want to own her, sexually at least. And despite her stripper past, Dani is pretty tame when it comes to her sex life. I want to change that.

After showering at the gym, I thought about stopping by my apartment and picking up a few of my ties so I could tie Dani up, but I know she needs better than that.

One trip to the twenty-four hour sex store and I am ready for business.

Standing in front of Dani with the restraints in one hand and the blindfold in the other, I am trying to gauge her reaction. She looks excited and nervous all at the same time.

“You… you want to tie me up?’

“And blindfold you.” I raise the hand the blindfold is in.

“Why the blindfold?”

“If you can’t see, your other senses will heighten.”

She could flip shit right now or go with it. This is the moment where I will know if I’ve pushed her too hard or just enough.

“Do we need a safe word?”

I laugh at her and shake my head. “No, Red. I don’t think you’ll need to tell me to stop. If anything, I think you’ll want more.”

She takes a step toward me, wraps her hands around opposite sides of her waist, and pulls her shirt off as she’s walking. This is her stripper walk. One foot in front of the other. Every step slow and calculated. She knows it makes my dick go instantly hard.

She stops when we are almost chest to chest.

There is a flash in her eyes from sweet Dani to my sexy Red. She gets like this when we have sex. I’m the dominant one and she is the submissive one. She flips a switch that takes her from the girl who will rip me in two over not putting her toilet seat down, to the girl who will let me tie her up in knots, literally, and fuck her till she screams.

She puts her hands together in a praying position and holds them out in front of her slightly. “Tie me up.”