Fetch

Chapter 9

I chuckle when I read her reply. I take it she found the box I left her. I start to respond when the chat disappears. My stomach knots. I click on my friends list and scroll. I can’t find her. I type her gamertag into the search bar. No results. No JillChick22. Fuck. She fucking blocked me.

Oh, Roxy. I think it’s time you meet the real me.

The sky is bright orange when I pull up to Vinyl Delights. It casts a glow that makes the ground look like it’s on fire. I park my bike in front and peer through the window. Roxy laughs with Juniper behind the counter. She looks stunning when she smiles. Her whole face lights up like tonight’s sunset.

I remove my helmet and walk in, avoiding eye contact as I head straight toward the classic grunge section. Within minutes Juniper calls out, “Holler if you need anything.”

I pause my browsing and turn my head to the side, giving them my profile. “I’ll let you know.”

They continue chatting, but I can feel both of their eyes on me. They’re curious. I look familiar. I may even sound familiar. She’ll wonder where she’s heard my voice before. And when I turn around to face them, she’ll recognize me from TV. Her brain will convince her that’s how she knows my voice.

I smirk with my back turned as I peruse the vinyl stacks. When I finally find the one I’m looking for, I put it under my arm and stalk toward the counter. Their eyes widen as I approach. Roxy licks her lips, drinking in the sight of me. All six foot three inches of me. In my leather jacket, faded band tee, and ripped jeans, I’m very aware of the effect I have on women. I’m almost angry that she’s checking me out since she doesn’t even know yet that Punk and Jack are one and the same. Should I be jealous of myself?

When I place Nirvana’s In Utero album on the counter, their mouths drop open. Five. Four. Three. Two. O—.

“Oh my god. You’re Punk Wilder,” Juniper blurts out with zero decorum.

I run a hand through my dirty-blond hair, fingering the waves back off my forehead. I glance back and forth between them in an attempt to look nervous about being spotted. “Um… yeah. You know me?”

She snort laughs. “ Everyone knows you, dude.”

I dip my head, feigning shyness. “For sure. You skate?”

“Yeah, right. Roxy used to though.”

Roxy’s face turns bright red. It’s adorable. “Oh, yeah? You get up to Heights Park lately? I just helped them build a new ramp.”

She folds her arms over her chest, defensively. “My friend here is embellishing as usual . I haven’t touched a skateboard since I was twelve.”

I tilt my head and relish how the blush of her cheeks inches down her chest, consuming her. I bet her nipples are two stiff peaks under that fuzzy sweater. The corners of my lips turn up into a smirk. “And what about skateboarders?”

Juniper stifles a laugh.

Roxy narrows her eyes at me. “Have we met before?”

“I get that a lot.” I don’t take my eyes off her. Deep inside, she knows me. Her mind will rationalize a thousand different things. But Roxy Luna knows my voice better than anyone. She’s the only one I talk to the way I do.

“I bet you do,” Juniper drawls.

I keep my gaze fixed on Roxy as she rings me up for the record. “You a gamer chick, Roxy?”

Her breath hitches, and her fingers freeze around the record. “Why would you think that?” she snaps.

I hold up my hands in mock defense. “So you hate video games. Noted. I was just wondering if you’ve played my game. Since you used to skate, I figured you could check it out.”

She blows out a deep breath while her friend stalks off, shaking her head. “Sorry. Um, yeah. I am a gamer. But I don’t play sports games.”

I can’t tell if she’s confused, angry, aroused, or all three. But I’m enjoying every second of flustering her. “Fair enough.”

She drops the receipt in the bag before handing it to me. “This is a great album by the way. One of my favorites from that era.”

Our hands lightly brush in the exchange, and it sends a shiver of excitement directly to my cock. “Same. I collect copies of it wherever I go. It got me through some tough times.”

For the first time since she laid eyes on me, her expression softens. My story is not a secret. I led a very public downward spiral for all the world to see.

“What’s your favorite song on it?” she asks, biting her lip.

My fingers tingle. I want to reach over and touch her so fucking bad. “Heart-Shaped Box.”

We stare at each other for what seems like an eternity, locked in the grip of the chemistry between us. She finally draws in breath. A storm rages in her eyes. She takes a step back. “I better get back to work. Nice meeting you in person, Punk.”

I wink. “Likewise, Roxy.”

I tuck the record inside my leather jacket and zip it up before hopping back on my bike. I glance back through the store window before putting my helmet on. Sure enough, she’s still staring after me. She’s a clever girl, as smart as she is beautiful. It won’t be long until she figures out who’s come to claim her. Soon, she’ll be kneeling in front of me with her tongue out, as addicted to me as I am to her.

I lean against my bike, devouring my sandwich as I watch Oliver try to teach the new kid how to do a kickflip over a trash can. He’s agile and fearless in every attempt. No matter how many times he eats shit. They’ve asked me countless times to help instruct, but I don’t have the stomach for it anymore. It hurts too much, knowing that I can never skate like I used to. It’s a miracle they even asked, considering the size of the match I used to burn my whole fucking life down. I guess time helps people forget. Or at least soften the blow.

But I still like to come out here and watch. It quiets the rage for a little while. And it makes these kids want to push themselves hard when they see their idol standing by on the sidelines. I cause a stir every time I show up. At least I gave them an example of what not to do when you get a bunch of money and fame. Skaters have always had an edge to them. A mystique. But I took bad boy to a whole other level. I became the villain.

The old-school cats still show me respect, but the people who really matter—the sponsors, my family, my fucking friends… They gave up on me a long time ago. Getting clean didn’t matter. I lost their trust. I don’t fucking blame them for turning their backs. I did some really horrible shit.

But now I have Roxy. And I’m going to make sure she never wants to leave me. She’s an outcast like me, broken, lonely, and misunderstood. When I found out that she also lost her career over an injury I felt even closer to her. We are cut from the same cloth. We are destiny.

I look down at my phone and check the tracker I have on her car. It’s moving toward her apartment. I throw my sandwich wrapper in the trash, wave to Oliver, and fire up my bike. As I drive over to her neighborhood, I contemplate my next move.

Part of me wants to knock on her door and demand that she unblock me. But I’m not ready to show my cards just yet. I need to know that she wants me too. And not because I’m Punk Wilder but because I’m the man who made her cum harder than she ever has.

It doesn’t take a genius to figure that out. The second I slid my fingers inside her wet cunt, when I felt her folds tremble against me, I knew she hadn’t been touched like that before. It made me hungrier, needier, for her release. The way she fucking shuddered when she shattered all over my hand… Fuck. I became addicted to that sensation right then and there. Now I want to see what else I can elicit from her. What I can provoke out of her.

I kill the engine and park a block away from her apartment, leaving my helmet on just in case. She hops out of her car and darts up the stairs with a fury. Like she’s late for something. Interesting. I nod at the old lady walking her dog. She eyes me cautiously, so I take off my helmet and hold up a random map on my phone.

“I think I’m lost. You know how to get back to the main road?”

She keeps her distance but relaxes a little. “Turn around and head straight for three blocks, then take a right. You’ll run right into downtown.”

I nod. “Thank you, ma’am. Have a good night.”

She hurries off, not bothering to look back. I take my time putting my helmet on and revving my engine. As soon as she turns onto another street, I drive closer to Roxy’s place. Her lights are on, and I can see her shadow darting around. It’s not her usual behavior when she’s settling in for the night.

“What are you up to, pretty girl?” I mumble to myself. The need to touch her again is festering, consuming my every waking thought and even my dreams. That is when I’m able to actually fall asleep.

Another thirty minutes tick by when I see her front door fly open. It’s pitch black out now with few streetlights. She doesn’t spot me as she barrels down the stairs and jumps into her car. Looks like my little doll is going out. I guess that means I am too.

I hang back for fifteen minutes before driving to where the tracker is headed. Back to Push. I smirk. Someone hoping they have another run-in with their favorite masked man?

By the time I arrive, there’s already a line forming around the block. I take off my helmet and walk right past it to the front entrance. No mask tonight. Just me. The bouncer gives me a nod and steps aside. I’ve spent so much fucking money in here over the years, I’m surprised they haven’t changed the name from Push to Punk.

The crowd parts as I walk through the strobe-lit club. Let the whispers and eye fucking commence. I can’t keep the smirk from forming on my lips. I forget how good this feels sometimes. The power of commanding a room with just my presence. I can bend and break anything and anyone.

I spot Roxy at the main bar. Her hair is piled up in a messy bun, revealing a snake tattoo on the back of her neck. Fucking hell. I want to drag my tongue in circles around it until her knees give out. She looks like my own personal feast in tight jeans, a black lace bustier, and red heels. Well, that’s a surprise. She’s never been out in anything other than sneaker wedges. Is she wearing those sexy stilettos for me?

I saunter up to the bar a few feet from her and her friends, giving enough space for them to think I haven’t seen them. I nod to the bartender, who I used to buy coke from, and he comes right over.

“What’s good, Punk? You still clean?” He wipes a spot in front of me with a wet rag.

I nod. “Yup. I’ll take a cranberry and soda.”

He snickers. “That’s a shame. I just got a new batch. Shit will make you orgasm.”

If he doesn’t shut the fuck up soon, I’m going to add him to my list of murder victims. I give him a wink. “My cock orgasms just fine, thanks.”

I take the mocktail from him and turn toward Roxy while still pretending not to notice her. Out of the corner of my eye, I see them staring. My belly does a little flip. I wish it weren’t so loud in here so I could hear what they’re saying. Although, I imagine it’s of the should we or shouldn’t we variety.

What are the odds that I bought a record from them earlier and then showed up at their favorite club on the same day? Zero. Just me and my obsession with this exquisite creature. When she realizes all I’ve done to get next to her, she’ll stop fighting it and submit. I’m so fucking close.

And they’re on the move, inching toward me. My adrenaline spikes, sending little tremors down my shaft. My eyes widen, feigning surprise when they approach.

“Twice in one day,” I drawl. “You aren’t stalking me, are you?” I almost make myself laugh out loud.

Roxy blushes. “I come here all the time. What’s your excuse?”

Sweat beads in between her breasts, which are pushed up by the bustier like a shelf I want to rest my face on. The way I’d twirl the tip of my tongue around each one of her nipples…

“I used to come here a lot back in the day. When I was a raging alcoholic and drug addict. Sometimes I pop in now just for nostalgia.” Not entirely a lie.

Her expression softens and a flicker of sadness flashes through her eyes. Not pity. Empathy. Another reason why I love this girl.

“You’re not tempted?” Juniper shouts over the music even though I can hear her just fine.

I narrow my eyes at her. “Every day. That’s why it’s called an addiction.”

She winces. “Sorry.”

That was too harsh. Fuck . I smile and touch her arm. “No worries. You didn’t offend me.”

Roxy studies me. Her throat bobs, quickening her breath as she takes in every detail about me. I know the signs because it’s what I’ve done to her countless times.

“I still feel like we’ve met before.” Roxy crosses her legs and locks her ankles. She’s already clenching that pussy.

I shift closer to her and rest my arm against the bar. “Maybe we knew each other in a past life.”

Her eyes light up as she grins. “What, like fated mates or something?”

I scoot closer. Now I can feel her body heat radiating. “Something like that. You never know.”

I take another step so she has to crane her neck to look up at me. Her thick lips glisten, salivating for more of me. Her eyes glaze with lust and drunkenness.

“Not sure if I believe in all that.” Roxy drops her gaze to my tattooed hands. She runs her finger over the black heart on my thumb. “Are you a hopeless romantic, Punk?”

Her touch sends an electric shock through my system. I have to use all my willpower to keep from pushing her back into that dark corner again. “Not hopeless.”

I lick my lips and glance down at the button of her jeans and then back up. “You’re really pretty, you know.”

Her body stiffens, and she takes a step back. “Don’t say that.”

My curiosity piques. “Why not?”

She bites her lower lip as she plays with the straw in her drink, swishing it around in circles. “It’s complicated. You’re like super-hot, and I already feel like I know you but… I have a situationship that I’m dealing with.”

I can’t keep the grin off my face. She’s trying to reject me because of her feelings for me . Well, a different me, but it’s hilarious all the same. I hold back my laughter. “I can respect that. He’s a lucky man, Roxy.”

She pinches her eyes shut and swallows hard before gazing back up at me. “You say my name like he does.”

Is she figuring it out? Impossible. There’s no way in hell she’s going to put this together. To her, the man standing before her is a celebrity she has a crush on, a man who she just happened to bump into. Twice.

But I can’t help myself. I lean in until my lips brush her ear. “Do you like the way it sounds in my mouth?”

Her breath hitches, and she grips the edge of the bar. “Y-yes,” she stammers. “It reminds me of him.”

I draw in a deep breath, savoring her peaches and cream scent. “Understood. It was nice to see you again… Roxy.”

I set my glass down on the bar and walk away, leaving her flushed and breathless. I’m so pleased with myself I could float on this new high. Because this kind doesn’t end up with me face down in a dirty toilet. This new addiction isn’t going to leave track marks on my arms. But I do hope she does leave scars on my body. I want her marks all over me so I can tattoo them there permanently.

The crisp air feels better than usual tonight. I ride through the back streets first and then make my way over to the ocean. The wind chops up the waves so hard I can feel the spray all the way from the road that runs along its rocky cliffs. I lick the salt off my lips with a smile. I wonder which persona of mine she’ll fantasize about tonight when she’s thrusting her vibrator in and out of her slick cunt. Maybe both.

By the time I get back to my penthouse, it’s almost two in the morning. But I’m wide awake, energized from the brief encounter with Roxy.

“Let’s see if anyone’s still up playing,” I mutter.

I turn on my console and headset and lean back against my leather sofa. My chat requests are numerous, as usual. I change my status to offline as I scroll through them or else I’ll get inundated with game invites.

My pulse quickens when I reach the bottom of the list. I lean forward and blink my eyes a few times. It’s a new message from JillChick22. She unblocked me . My fingers tingle as I click on her chat icon.

Pre cum oozes from the tip of my cock when I read her words. Holy fuck.

I’m “wearing” your gift, and I’m ready to play.