Innocent Lies (18 page)

“Favorite tat?”

“Ours?”

“Other than that
one?” I angled my head to the side and rolled my eyes.

“Oh.” He shifted and pushed his
shirt off his left shoulder. “This one.”

It was a white tattoo of the
contour of an ear with a thick line running through it. “What does
it mean?”

“It’s the symbol for deafness. I
got it for my momma.”

“Why?”

“She was born deaf.”

That was a new one. I knew that
other than a few pictures of his sisters and one brother, he only
had pictures of his mom. She was the one who decorated his place.
Then again his family was trying to kill me. They dealt in drugs.
Could she had really been that great? “What is she like? Are y’all
close?”

“That is a lot more than two
questions. But yes, she is this little firecracker. You can’t help
but smile when you’re around her. My dad is an arrogant bastard.
Yet, he even melts with her.” He shot me a sideways smile that made
me want to kiss him. “She can’t wait to meet you.”

“Me?”

“Yeah, you’re the woman who has
finally stole her little boy’s heart.” He curled his fingers around
my knee. “My turn. How is it that I know Deacon eats no less than
three donuts every morning, but I was unaware that she is a
lesbian?”

“I don’t know. It’s something I
don’t like talking about?”

“Lesbians?”

“Love. I don’t like talking about
who someone loves or even try to figure out why they do. Take us
for instance. If people understood the facts to our story they
would say I was crazy to feel the way I do. But that’s the problem
they don’t know how I feel. They can’t feel the way my heartbeat
speeds up every time you touch me” I blushed. “The way your kisses
send my whole body haywire. The way the sound of your voice just
makes me happy. If Allison does that for Deacon, I’m just thankful
she has it.” I twisted my head to look out the window. “You’re not
a homophobe are you?”

“No, I just think it’s
wrong.”

“Who says?”

“God.”

“He also says that murder is wrong,
lying, judging, sex outside of marriage, even marrying a divorced
woman. So whose place is it to say my sin or your sin is bigger or
smaller than someone else’s? I think we need to quit judging and
start loving.”

“How is it possible that I love you
more every day?” He had that damn look in his eyes that made my
toes curl.

“I’m pretty damn
lovable.”

“A-fucking-men to
that.” His too perfect face lit up with his most sinister
smile.

“My turn.” I was
not ready to ask the question that would probably wipe the smile
off his face, but it was the question I had been suppressing since
day one. “Who the hell is Victoria?”

He white knuckled the steering
wheel. His jaw tensed drawing his skin tight over it. “A bitch that
was dating my brother that died earlier this year. The brother who
attacked you.”

The air had been sucked from my
lungs. Ethan told me he had a brother who had recently died. It was
obvious he was a brother that Ethan cared nothing about. But to
know that the monster who hurt me so bad was gone; I would never
have to lay eyes on him again. That made me want to punch a fist in
the air. I bounced in the seat and bit down on my lip not to smile.
He was my nightmare. However, he was still Ethan’s
brother.

“She blames me for his death?” He
shrugged his shoulder. “Don’t blame her. Let’s just say we have a
rocky past. She wants to see me suffer. That’s why I never wanted
her to know who you were or more what you mean to me.”

“Did you?”

“What?”

“Have anything to
do with his death?” I honestly didn’t know how I would had reacted
if he had. Jamie was the man that had agonized me every day for the
last five years. But could I had stayed with Ethan if he was
capable of murder.

“I sent him on the
job, knowing, damn well, he could be hurt. But babe, I couldn’t
hurt him myself. Though I can honestly say I have not lost one
night of sleep over it.”

That was as close to the correct
answer as he could have given.

Ethan fisted and unfisted his
hands on the steering wheel. “He tortured you for four days and
would had killed you too if I hadn’t shown up. What did he get
twenty-two fucking months behind bars.”

The district attorney had never
known anyone found guilty of those charges to get the minimum
sentence. Six years, only having to serve twenty percent of
it.

“
It was his sentence.”
Even if he deserved
much more.

“Dad paid off the judge. Hell, we
have half the police force in the state on our payroll.” He looked
so tormented it made my heart sink. “Hungry?”

Change the subject
often.
“You’re honestly using
your question to see if I am hungry?”
and yes I am starving. I have not eaten all
day.

“That and trying to change the
subject.”

“
Yes, I’m starving.”
And thanks for being
honest.

“
Then we will eat.” He lit up another damn
cigarette. “Beautiful, never give up on me. Fight for this. I would
die for you.” He rolled down the window and stuck out his hand,
letting the wind whip around it. Another time he needed the subject
to change.

We rode in silence a couple of
more miles until he pulled off the interstate. There was a strip of
steak houses. He gave me my choice, but after the latest confession
I found my stomach in knots. So I left the picking up to him. He
picked a well-known steak place and pulled in. “The game hasn’t
ended. I like playing.” He said as he jumped out of the
truck.

“What game?” I
wasted no time getting out of the truck and slammed the door. If
Ethan wanted to play, I would play.

Ethan patted my ass as he held the
door open for me at the restaurant. His eyes brightened. “Tit for
tat. If you’re a good girl maybe when we get settled into the hotel
we can play tits for something else.” Ethan chuckled.

The smell of garlic and bacon
assaulted my nostrils as soon as I stepped in the place. My knotted
stomach instantly rumbled. Ethan escorted me across the joint, my
feet crunching over the peanuts sprinkled over the flooring, and
sat me in the corner. He ordered himself a beer and me a sweet tea,
light on the ice. I glanced around the room. Parents were coaxing
their unruly kids to sit down and eat. A group of women were openly
eyeing Ethan. A group of old men were playing a game of Rook in a
room off to itself. I was sure, not one other person there was
running to save their own life.

Ethan propped his arms on the
table and brought his face within inches of mine. “My turn. Did you
like our little scene this afternoon? I know it was fast and quick,
but would you play like that some more?”

“What scene?”

“The scene where I
tied you up and used that sweet pussy.” He ran his tongue
seductively over his upper lip.

I ducked my head. I started
focusing on the faux wood grains printed on the tabletop. They tied
me up. I never thought I would ever allow someone to do that to me
willingly. I peeked up at Ethan. The way he looked at me made the
pit of my stomach clinch together and soaked my panties. I focused
on a single grain of salt and pushed it around with the tip of my
finger. I didn’t know if I liked being tied up. But Ethan liked it
and something deep down told me I needed it. I could do that with
him. He loved me. “Yes,” I answered, I could so do that again with
Ethan.

“I’m glad because
I’ve daydreamed about all the ways I wanted to tie you up and
please you for years.”

I stared back, struggling to think
clearly. “Have you done that kind of stuff before?” I pressed my
palms together and started to twist my fingers.

“It’s the only way I would do it
until you. I’ve never been a plain, vanilla guy.”

He was being honest. I could hear
the sincerity in his voice. I wasn’t dumb. I’ve been around, Ethan
was admitting to me he was in to BDSM. Was Ethan a dominant? “That
is the only way?” I took a sip, relieved the waitress had delivered
our drinks. Would he be happy with the plain ole plain with
me?

“Look at me. I
want this with you. It’s what I enjoy, but my beautiful love, I
just want you. However I can get you.” He tucked my hair behind my
ear. “First, let’s get through the next few days. I will do
anything to keep you safe. I will bend the rules, bend my
principles, whatever it takes.”

The talk of bending
principles, the rules was too much.
Will I ever get to just experience happiness?
At least I knew what I was facing
this time. I wouldn’t be pulled out of bed in the middle of the
night. “What’s your plan?”

“I don’t know. First I’m going to
get you safely checked into a hotel room. Then I will go see my
dad?”

“Would it not have been safer to
leave me at home?”

“Oh no, my love,
I’m not letting you leave my side until I get this shit
straightened out.” Ethan unrolled his silverware and methodically
placed them by his plate. “You need to order.” He picked up his
menu and opened it. He worked his jaw back and forth.

Our waitress arrived, tapping a
pen against her pad. Ethan looked up and flashed her his
sexy-as-hell smile. She tossed a strand of her long blond hair
behind her ear and smiled back. Then she winked. “Hey, my name is
Casey. What can I do for you tonight?”

I slammed my menu
down. I didn’t miss the fact she spoke only to Ethan.
I will take care of him tonight,
sweetheart. Eyes off.

“
His
girlfriend
is ready
to order?”

Ethan had definitely put the fire
back in me. I had never been a possessive person, but Ethan was
mine. That little hussy could take her sorry ass to another
customer. Ethan laughed and reached across the table, clutching my
hand. “My favorite girl gets what she wants too.”

‘
Thank you.’
I mouthed over to him. The server reluctantly
turned to me. She took our orders and then gave Ethan one more
unnecessary smile. Luckily, he missed it. He was watching
me.

“
Babe, we’re almost there. I got a room booked at
the
Peabody.
Dylan, I
don’t care if all you want to do is talk. If it is then that’s what
we will do. I really don’t give a damn. I just want you with me. I
like waking up next to you.”

Wednesday, November 19,
2014

The sensation of his smooth moist
lips running over the sting on my ass from the bite of his hand was
soothing. “Damn, I love you.” Ethan moaned and fell back on the bed
beside me. “You are fucking beautiful like that.” He pinched the
nipple on my breast hard.

I yelped and tried to move, but
was unable too. Trussed up in the air, I was coming down off the
most amazing orgasm. He had tied me up until I was incapable of
moving. He explained that if I couldn’t squirm I had to absorb it
all. Oh boy, did I feel every inch. The only part of me not
securely wrapped in rope was: my ass that was open to him, my tits,
and my hands that were bound to my back and stuck up like a rooster
tail. Maybe I was a freak, too. Because not only did I enjoy it, as
much or more than Ethan, but the thoughts of what they did to me
never crossed my mind.

“You know you own
my ass. I can’t even stop telling you I love you when I am playing
with you.”

“I love you too. Now are you ever
going to untie me?”

Ethan moved with lightening
movements and had me untied. I collapsed on the bed, totally
sedated and uninhibited. I rubbed my wrist that was chapped from
the rope. Ethan kissed down my arm easing the tingling. “We need to
sleep, my beautiful love. We have a long day ahead.”

Before he even got the words out,
I was knocked out in total bliss.

I swatted at the fluttering going
down my face. “Wake up, Privy.” Ethan said and continued kissing
down my neck. I fought with my eyelids losing the battle. They
refused to open. Ethan spent hours making love to me. My legs were
still numb. My arms too floppy to move.