Chapter 9 #3
I move my hips back, letting it slide in and out, and the guys stare.
I swallow hard, looking up at their piercing eyes.
‘I don't think she's going to do it herself,' Blake says low, kneeling beside me and pushing my hips back.
'That’s deep,' I gasp as it penetrates further.
But he ignores me, holding me there while Mav takes another device and places it directly on my clit. It vibrates hard and I whimper as Shade begins to fondle my hanging breasts, flicking the clothes pins and making my nipples throb.
I'm unsure what to do as Blake continues moving me back and forth.
'I can’t wait to get you in the Dark Lounge again,' he groans. ‘So many ideas.'
My hips begin to move on their own as the pleasure builds and Mav slides beneath me. He begins to lick me, moving with my body as I fuck myself with the toy on the wall.
I come hard, my body not certain how to move in the throes of pleasure. One of them helps by forcing me deeper onto the large, thick dildo.
It’s too much!
My moans are a mix of whimpers and squeals. My body bucks, and Mav makes a satisfied noise as I feel a rush of liquid between my legs.
I’m left on all fours, my body shaking.
Looking over at Mav, I see him wiping his face. His mouth is soaking wet, his chin dripping. My eyes widen as I realize I squirted all over him.
‘I’m sorry,’ I breathe.
His eyes are molten as he looks me over.
'Never be sorry for that,' he groans.
I look up and find Shade standing over me. Blake isn’t in the room. Even a few days ago he would have been drawing me a bath, but not now.
Neither Mav nor Shade picks me up or holds me, but I’m glad.
I got what I wanted. Sweet release and a rush of endorphins. Other than that, I let myself feel nothing as I rise on shaky legs and go into the bathroom. I stare at myself in the mirror, my face blank, not sure what I feel, what I’m supposed to feel.
‘Are you okay?’
Shade’s eyes meet mine in the mirror.
‘I’m fine,’ I say with my practiced smile, and realize my mistake as his eyes flick to my lips and he frowns.
He knows this smile is fake.
He opens his mouth to ask me what’s wrong. A question I can’t answer even to my own satisfaction. But then his phone rings and I’m saved because as soon as he looks down at it, he absently mumbles something about ‘having to take this’ and I’m forgotten.
When I come out of the bathroom, it’s dark out. I throw my clothes back on and leave the room. Shade is still speaking on the phone by the window. Mav is on his laptop, probably finishing up whatever he didn’t have time to do at the lab today. Blake isn’t here.
I go to the elevator and press the button.
‘Where are you going?’ Mav asks, glancing up from his screen.
‘Just down to the lab to start a new batch,’ I lie smoothly, frowning at how easy it is, how relieved I am to be getting out of here for a bit, how Blake’s bullshit actions must be rubbing off on me.
When the elevator comes, I take it down to Sauvage’s office, my tummy rumbling because I’ve had nothing to eat for hours. I bury the hurt I feel as I’m let in.
‘Chéri.’
‘Can we have dinner?’
Pierre smiles at me.
‘Of course. And, while we eat, you can tell me what is making you wilt, ma petite fleur.’
Mav
The next morning, I wake next to Daisy, my arm flung over her middle. I frown, not remembering when she came to bed last night. She must have been very quiet. I look past her at the clock and grunt in annoyance. Almost nine. I meant to get up to the lab by seven this morning.
I look down at her, so relaxed in sleep, and I frown a little.
She seems distant. She doesn't want to talk about The Heath anymore.
I get it, but a part of me knows that it's important to get everything out. She likes to do things her own way, in her own time, though. Trying to make her do what she doesn’t want to do, just makes her dig her heels in.
I think about what she said last night. If she really thinks revenge is going to give her relief, then that's what we're going to help her get.
I vow silently that I'll do whatever it takes to make sure that that fucking place is shut down and no young person ever has to go through what she went through there.
My hand sweeps down her left leg, the one where the GEDs have been attached to her for almost half her life. Fuck those assholes. If I have to, I'll go there and raze the place to the ground myself.
But, right now, I need to get to the lab.
I get up and grab my phone off the charger, careful not to wake Daisy, though I know she'll want to get up soon to start a new batch of Envy. She’s been spending a lot of time down there, I’ve noticed. I guess it’s good that she’s keeping busy.
To be fair, I've been spending a lot of time in the campus lab now that it's open again. It’s like a fire’s been lit under me.
I want to make sure the non-opiate, this homage to my mom, is done this year.
I want it to go through clinical trials and be available on the market as soon as possible, so that people like my mom and families like mine don't have to go through what we went through.
My thoughts on the latest tests I’m running, I take a quick shower and get dressed, leaving the hotel as soon as I’m ready.
I’m still using the tunnels a lot, mostly because of Daisy.
I think we're erring on the side of caution because of the stalker still being at large. I sort of hope it was John or Joe, to be honest, since they’re already dead.
That email in Daisy’s junk was from Christmas.
It’s possible that there is no threat anymore.
But we don’t have any proof that it’s over.
I’m glad that she's not just wandering around the campus, and she seems to be quite content to stay within the hotel's walls, out of sight, at least for the moment.
But our girl has a fiery independent streak, and I know it's only a matter of time before she decides that she wants out. And when she makes up her mind, her actions will be quick. Impulsive.
I shake my head a little as I go through the dark passages. That girl's going to be the death of us. Sauvage is right. She isn't a woman to be tamed. We can only try and survive her.
When I get topside to where I parked the truck, my phone vibrates. I frown as I see that it's Applegate.
'Hello?' I ask.
'Mr. Shaw, I need you to come to my office. When can you be here?'
I glance at my watch. 'I was just on my way to the lab. I can be there in fifteen minutes,' I say.
'Good. See you then.'
The line goes dead, and I stare at the screen for a moment, wondering what he wants. Usually, when he needs to see me, he just comes down to the lab.
I see a notification my screen that my brother has messaged me, and I grimace. I’ve barely seen him since the club was destroyed. He wants me to come to the club for an update on the final repairs he’s been overseeing for us. I shoot him a quick reply that I’ll swing by later today.
Climbing into the truck, I head to campus, parking in the lot near the Novelle Center. I go in using my key card, the sterile atmosphere making me feel at ease immediately. But instead of going down to the lab, I go up to the second floor where Applegate's office is.
At his door, I knock.
'Come in,' he says, rising as I cross the threshold.
We shake hands and I sit down. He doesn’t say anything at first and I give him a moment, in case he’s organizing his thoughts.
While I wait for him to tell me why I’m here, I peruse the few documents in frames on his wall, showing his many awards in STEM.
When, after about thirty seconds, he still hasn’t said a word, I look at him.
'What's this about?' I ask, a little impatient to be getting downstairs.
Was that a wince I just saw?
'There's no easy way to tell you this.'
He finally looks me in the eye and I don’t like the pity I see in his expression.
'Your funding has been cut.’
I stare at him uncomprehendingly, the words rolling around and around in my skull. He can’t be saying what I think he is.
‘What?’ I ask dumbly.
‘The non opiate is dead in the water. No more resources are going to be devoted to it in the Novelle Center lab as of yesterday. The grant won’t be renewed.’ Applegate sighs. ‘I'm sorry, son. It happens.'
I blink at him, silent and still frozen, as I try to compute what he's telling me. His lips thin and he gives me a moment, typing on his computer slowly and shuffling some documents around on his desk. He doesn’t look at me.
'I don’t understand,’ I finally say faintly.
Applegate gives me his full attention once more, and I see the tightness in his eyes and the way one of his hands is clenched in the other. He's pissed.
'The Novelles… They'll no longer be funding the research, Mr. Shaw. Mav.'
'This is bullshit!' I exclaim, jumping to my feet.
'I know it is,’ he says quietly as if he’s afraid someone will hear. ‘But there's nothing I can do.'
'Fuck,' I snarl. 'This is Andrew, isn't it? Fucking Andrew.'
Applegate lets out a long breath. 'I believe so, yes. He didn't contact me directly, of course, but he's the head of the family now. He decides where his grant money goes. There's more. I'm sorry. You're off the lab roster, too. You, Jack, Blake, and Miss Evans. It's been given to the post grads.'
'Jesus.' I run my hands through my hair. 'This can't be happening. I was so close.'
I look at him with pleading eyes. ‘I’m so close, Fin.’
Applegate rises and squeezes my shoulder.
‘I’m sorry, Mav,’ he says again. ‘As far as I'm concerned, your project was more important and prestigious. I don't know why Andrew Novelle has made these changes.'
'I do,' I mutter. 'He's an asshole, just like his dad was.'
Applegate snorts. 'Unfortunately, without your own financial backing, there's very little that we can do when something like this happens. My advice to you is to take it on the chin. There will be other grants. Other chances.'
'Come on. You hated John Novelle.’
'That’s true. I did.'