Red Hourglass (27 page)

“Oh boy,” he muttered as his erection pressed against my stomach.

Conan’s tongue invaded my mouth. He kissed me deeply as he pushed me into the bedroom.

“I need to unzip my pants,” he said, pulling away. “They’re getting too tight.”

“I was just about to do that for you.” I laughed as I unbuttoned his pants and carefully unzipped them halfway. “Better?”

“Much better.”

“Kiss me.”

Our tongues twisted and circled each other as hot rushes ran through my spine. I unzipped Conan’s pants the rest of the way. They dropped to the floor and he clumsily stepped out of them. He groped between my legs as I played with the growing erection trapped in his briefs.

“I think I’m addicted to you,” he said as he kissed me harder and harder, thrusting his tongue deep into my mouth.

I stepped back and looked in his eyes. “You sure are,” I said before sucking and nibbling his lips.

Conan moaned softly and threw me on the bed. His fingers caressed my curves, massaging and tickling every sensitive spot he could reach.

“You’re making me so wet.” I moaned.

“Good. I need to be inside you my Scarlet Queen.”

“Not just yet.” I rolled over and grabbed the strawberry lube from the nightstand. “I want to play with your hard cock.”

“Uh oh.”

I pulled his briefs off and threw them on the floor. His organ was fully erect and in desperate need of relief. I squirted a little bit of lube on him and began rubbing it around, alternating between the gentlest touch and a hard squeeze as my hand went up and down and over the tip.

“You are a … very bad … girl,” he said, panting.

“Not as bad as you are.” I lowered my mouth over his cock and sucked it a little as I teased the tip with my tongue. “I want you to watch me,” I said as I put a pillow behind his head. I sucked his cock hard, moving my head up and down as I squeezed his balls.

“Ah.” Conan groaned and his legs began to shake.

He was on the verge of coming and I couldn’t let that happen yet. I sat up and started playing with his nipples.

“Scarlet, you’re driving me crazy.”

“That’s the idea.” I bent forward and licked his lips, giving his cock one last squeeze. “Your turn.” I laid back on the warm bed and spread my long brown hair over the soft sheets.

“You’re going to get it,” he said as he spread my legs. His fingers got lost in my wetness, sending tingles of ecstasy through my nerves.

“Stop … wait … don’t make me come … please.”

“What?” He circled his fingers around my little girl and shoved them inside.

My pleas tuned into moans as I arched my back. “Condom … get a condom.” I had to surround his stiffness.

“Right.” Conan opened the nightstand and retrieved a packet. He tore it open with his teeth and rolled the condom over his throbbing organ.

He took me hard and fast as our bodies burned with an intense need that grew stronger with every thrust. We merged into one, clawing and biting as we each tried to consume the other. I wanted to melt into his intoxicating scent. I dug my nails into his back and clamped my teeth onto his shoulder, riding his cock as if my life depended on it until I quivered with pure, divine pleasure. Conan gave a sharp grunt and buckled, collapsing on top of me. We were panting as he rolled off me and his eyes disappeared behind his eyelids.

“Conan.” I turned toward him and snuggled against his arm. “I want to tell you something.”

“What do want to tell me?” He turned over to face me and played with a strand of my hair.

“I … want to tell you …” I hesitated, not knowing if I should break the spell and ruin the moment … ruin everything.
Will he stop loving me if I tell him the truth
? I clutched my fists to my eyes in confusion.
STOP
!
You can’t afford to lose his love
!

“Sweetheart, you can tell me anything. What is it?” Conan said as he took my hands away from my eyes and kissed my cheek.

“I … I … I love you … so much,” I spluttered.

He held me close and stroked my hair. I wrapped my arms and legs around him, wishing that every single inch of our flesh could touch. I wanted to feel his sensations, think his thoughts, breathe his breath. I was consumed by this beautiful man who would soon disappear from my life like a phantom. This man who taught me how to dance with him, how to kiss his beautiful lips, how to love … this heavenly creature might as well have been a figment of my imagination.
This isn’t real
.
We can never be together
.
How will I live without him
?

Conan drifted off to sleep, his head cradled in a pillow that looked like a puffy cloud. As I watched him sleep, I sighed with a mixture of pain and regret.
I’ll join him in another world
…
maybe in heaven if God will allow a serial killer up there
. I closed my eyes and prayed that our beautiful moments would last forever.

The Surprise

It was early morning, but the sun was barely visible in the distance through the haze. As I walked the narrow streets on my way to the subway, autumn leaves fell to the sidewalk, covering the city in dead hopes. I thought about my weekend with Conan.
We were together just yesterday, and now I’m alone again
.

I remembered lying hand in hand on the autumn leaves with Anna. She told me that she’d always be there for me, that we’d be best friends forever. Then she was gone.

Images of my mother walking away from me began racing through my mind. Her face was a blur as autumn leaves swirled around her. She collapsed in the field and I ran toward her until the ghostly hands of my stepfather pulled me back. I was overcome by the feeling that my mother was still alive … and looking for me too.

I bent over and touched my heel before I went down the subway stairs. The blade safely tucked inside reassured me.

* * *

I was delighted to see a dozen red roses on my desk. I picked up the vase and smelled the flowers.

“Scarlet,” Conan said from behind me. “I hope you like roses.”

“I like them very much.” I blushed. “Thank you.”

“I have something for you.” He took a white envelope from his inside pocket and placed it on my desk.

“What’s this?” My stomach dropped. The envelope reminded me of instructions from the White Queen.

“Your birthday present. Today is the actual day, after all.”

“Yes, it is.” I opened the envelope and pulled out a picture. “Niagara Falls? It looks dreamy.”

“I’m glad you think so.” Conan smiled. “We’re leaving Thursday morning.”

“But …” I said.

“No buts. It’s your birthday present and you deserve a break.”

“But … why Canada?”
Shit. Will my passport and ID work, or will I be caught
?
I can’t tell the White Queen I’m leaving the country with Conan, although I’m sure she’ll find out somehow
.

“Niagara Falls is beautiful … and romantic,” said Conan. “It’ll be just the two of us with no interruptions and no distractions.”

“Can I let you know in a few days?”

“The reservations are made and I’m not taking no for an answer.”

“It does sound nice.” I looked down at the photo and touched the edges. “But I can’t say yes just yet. I think I have plans with my friend Mimi on Saturday night. She wants to take me out for my birthday.”

“You can cancel.” Conan kissed my forehead. “I’m sure she’ll understand. Tell her it’s a work thing. She won’t be able to argue with that.”

“I’ll try.” I did like the idea of leaving this dreadful place where I was forced to live a double life.

“Good.” Conan grinned and clapped his hands. “I’m off to meet the board. We’re meeting the Zhong Yuan executives next Monday afternoon and we have a lot of negotiating points to finalize.”

I picked up the envelope and slipped the picture inside. I was torn. I would trade anything to work a normal job, have a boyfriend … to live like a regular human being. The thought of going back to the White Queen—risking my life, killing her enemies, soiling my soul—was terrifying.

I didn’t want to end up back on the streets, but I couldn’t go on serving two masters.
I’ll have to make a decision
.

* * *

“Roses! I don’t have to ask who these are from,” said Mimi in her high-pitched voice as she bent over and sniffed the flowers. “Smells like the countryside. What’s the occasion?”

“It’s my
birthday
.”

“Oh yeah! Happy birthday!” Mimi winked at me. “In that case, lunch is on me. Let’s go.”

“Just a sec,” I said. I slipped the white envelope into a drawer and grabbed my bag from under the desk. “Ready.”

We took the elevator down to the lobby and walked over to Café Ristretto.

“Scar, grab that table.” Mimi pointed to table in the corner of the patio. “I’ll go inside and get lunch. What do you want?”

“Coffee and a bagel with cream cheese.”

“Is that it? Don’t you want a treat for your birthday? A piece of cake? A muffin? Something sweet?”

“No. I’m not in the mood for anything sweet.”

“Okay. I’ll be right back.”

I took out my phone and looked at the calendar.
Everything will be different this time next week
.
What am I going to do
?

“How are things with Conan?” Mimi asked as she sat down with our lunch. “Do you still have that situation under control?”

“I think so. I’m just working a job, like you said.” I took a bite of my bagel. “I haven’t spent much time with him recently. He’s been really busy getting ready for the Zhong Yuan meeting next week.”

“Miller too,” said Mimi, biting into the sandwich that was almost as big as her face. “I’m so over this assignment. I can’t wait to get out of Wilmar … they’re such bloodsuckers!”

“Yeah, it won’t be long now.” My appetite disappeared and I picked at the edges of my bagel. “Do you think we’ll be able to stop the merger?”

“Of course we will. I can’t wait to get on to the next mission. I hope it’ll be more fun.”

“Have you ever thought about getting a normal job?”

“What can we do besides work for the White Queen?” Mimi took another bite of her sandwich. “Our identities aren’t real, neither are our qualifications. We’re only trained for undercover work.”

“Yeah, but we are educated, and we have real secretary experience now from the
bloodsuckers
,” I said. “I guess I was just thinking about what we would do if something ever happened to the White Queen … and we had to get real jobs. But you’re right. We’re agents and that’s that.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m sure Vanus is going to take over someday anyway. At least I hope she would. I like living a double life, it’s fun playing with people. I wouldn’t trade it for a normal, boring life. I can’t imagine working a nine-to-five job in an office just to pay a mortgage for the rest of my life.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s out of the question.” I sipped my coffee. “But at least we’d have our freedom.”

“Scar, you worry too much. The White Queen will never abandon us. She’s not like our parents. My parents left me in a brothel when I was sixteen. I was put into this tiny pink room and sold by the hour. I only escaped because I begged one of the johns to sneak me out when he was done. I’d been wandering the streets for days … in a skimpy dress … when the White Queen found me. She saved me … and you too. She made us who we are.”

“Mimi, I never knew. I’m sorry.”
What else don’t I know about her
?

“Thanks, but I’m over it now. It took me a long time to accept that my parents sold me into prostitution. They never valued me as their child. The point is that if you find your mother you may not like what you find. I think you’d be better off letting it go. She’s probably not even in New York … and she could be dead.”

“I know, but I still want to know what happened to her. I’m prepared to accept reality … whether she’s alive or dead.” I looked at the half-eaten bagel on my plate.
Meals will be hard to come by if I end up homeless again
. I finished the bagel and drank the rest of my coffee.

“Okay, it’s up to you, but dwelling on the past is no use. Let’s go back to the office,” said Mimi, shoving the rest of her sandwich in her tiny mouth.

* * *

I took a cab home with my vase of roses. I ran upstairs and dug through my files, looking for the passport.

I found the envelope Vanus gave me at the start of the mission and dumped everything out onto the floor. I kneeled down and scattered the papers until I found the passport. I opened it to the page with my picture.
If only I really were this young woman called Scarlet Walters
. I examined the passport. It seemed real.
I guess I’ll chance using it to go to Canada
.

The White Queen gave me my new identity, and her name was also on my bank account. She could take away my new life as easily as she’d given it.
If I go to the police they’ll just send me back to her
. I looked at the roses.
I want to run away with him, but there’s no escaping her
.
What am I going to do
?

Long Weekend

Conan told me to be ready by seven on Thursday morning. I set the alarm for six, but I woke up at five. I took a shower, got dressed, and ate breakfast.

My bag was already packed. I tidied the apartment and double-checked everything.
Have I packed everything I need
?
Check
.
Did I put out enough food and water for Milky
?
Check
.
Is the stove off
?
Check
.
Are the windows locked
?
Check
.
Do I have my ID
?
Check
.
Do I have my passport
?
Check
.
Will it work
?
God knows
.

I began pacing the floor and Milky followed me. I picked her up and gave her a kiss. “I’ll miss you my sweet little thing. I won’t be gone too long. Don’t hate me,” I said as I put her down in her favorite spot on the sofa.

If the White Queen finds out that I’ve left the country, who knows what she’ll do to me.
I opened the kitchen window just enough for Milky to escape in case I didn’t make it back.