Chapter 16
SIXTEEN
Spreading Penelope’s basket of gifts on the table in the basement apartment for the sisters, I leave everything for them to pick through. I don’t want anything from that woman, no matter how expensive or nice some items are. As far as I’m concerned, the sisters can take what they want and toss the rest. Not that I think they will. The cost of the skin care alone could feed a family of five for a month.
Leaving the empty basket on a chair for whoever may want it, I wander into the kitchen for a treat. I am pleasantly surprised to find a plate of fresh chocolate chip muffins on the island. One of my favorites. Because I’m a chocolate whore, I lift the oversized yumminess to my nose and inhale deeply, like an addict getting her fix. My eyes slide closed with an indulgent sigh. I nibble the peak and moan as the richness bathes my tongue. Then, like a savage, I sink my teeth into the muffin and snatch a napkin from the counter so I don’t make a mess before wandering into the living room, where I drop unceremoniously onto a couch.
“Boss Lady?” Cell calls out from her nerd corner.
“I’m here!” I holler around a bite of breakfast.
A redheaded bombshell with pale skin and the cutest freckles emerges from the hallway, a towel wrapped chaotically around her head. She's rocking a purple workout bra that spills half of her boobs from the top, eggplant-printed boxer briefs, and purple Crocs in sport mode covered in an array of charms.
“Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?” I address the woman I haven’t seen in damn near nine months.
Her olive-green eyes brighten as I wave, and she nearly trips over her feet, running to the couch and launching herself on the cushion beside me. Before I get a chance to say hello, she’s squeezing the life out of me from the side, and we’re both laughing.
“Hello, Sola.” I nudge my friend with my shoulder when she finally settles onto a cushion.
“I wasn’t sure I would see you before I left.” She beams, crossing her legs as she turns to face me like the best of friends at a sleepover, ready to get all the juicy gossip out of the way.
“Left?” I ask, confused. Didn’t she just get here?
Sola clasps her hands in her lap. “Yeah. I got back three days ago.”
“And nobody called me?”
“Till and Cell said you had a lot on your plate and didn’t want to disturb you.”
Grumbling around a bite of muffin, I roll my eyes.
Sola laughs tinkly like a fairy and fixes her wild, freshly showered locks as Cell wanders over to join us. My techy sister grins at me in a timid, don’t-be-mad way, with her looking everywhere but my face. Apparently, the exposed ceiling is fascinating today.
“So, she’s been home for three days and is leaving again?” I arch a brow at Cell for not keeping me in the loop. That’s part of the agreement. Keep me informed. Sola returning after such a long job is one of those need-to-know things. Sure, I’ve gotten updates via email on her whereabouts and how things are going, but that’s not the same as seeing her in person.
Chewing her bottom lip, Cell rings her fingers in her lap. “I was gonna tell you, Boss Lady.”
“Cell—” I start, but she cuts me off.
“I know. I’m sorry. But with the Todd, Sunshine, and Dark crap, you have had your hands full.”
“I know. But I haven’t seen this lady in… what?” I sidelong look at Sola for clarification. “How long were you on this last job?”
“Just shy of ten months.”
“Exactly. So, how’d the porn industry treat ya?” I tease, waggling my eyebrows, knowing she had the time of her life.
Dramatically dropping her entire body against the back of the sofa, Sola chuckles. “It was great. This one guy. Wow.” She parts her hands to show us just how wow his size was. Then she giggles again, unable to contain her excitement at such a specimen.
Here’s the thing. Some women who join us, after everything they’ve been through, ya know, in the trafficking world, stay far away from anything that involves direct contact with cocks. Which is understandable. But not Sola. She’s a sexual deviant through and through.
“So, what you’re saying is… you spent the last nine months feeding information to the club and getting dicked down,” I tease.
“So much dick, sister.” She sighs wistfully. “Big dicks. Little dicks. Medium dicks. All. The. Dicks.” Giggling happily, she fans her face as if thinking about them gets her all hot and bothered. The flush of her pale skin confirms as much. “Too bad I wasn’t allowed to play in the movies. The sleazy director tried to convince me…but rules.” She huffs as if life’s unfair.
Poor Sola couldn’t be a backwoods porn star.
I snort inwardly at the thought and pat her knee in mock sympathy. “Those pesky rules that are meant to keep you safe.”
“I know. But I got to play between shots. Even with the director.”
“Sola.” I use her name like any good mom, affectionate but stern with a smile in my voice. Even if I’m not her mom, she’s one of ours, and I am on the cusp of being old enough to be her parent. Maybe. If I had a baby in middle school.
“What?” She bats her red lashes at me, trying to act innocent when she’s anything but. “Bongo and Cell never said I couldn’t fuck him. He’s dead now, anyhow. The brothers raided the business last Monday. That’s why I’m back.”
“And onto the next job,” I guess, knowing she can’t sit still. She’s the human embodiment of the energizer bunny, always going, going, going. It’s both endearing and frustrating when she should take time to herself, unwind, and decompress, but that leads to pacing the apartment and annoying the shit out of Sugar and Till when she tries to work at the shop to keep busy.
“Yes…” Her leg bounces in excitement. “And I’m glad you’re here because I need some chocolate bars and tea to take with me.”
“The special ones?” I ask.
Sola nods. “If that’s okay. Apparently, I’m being gifted to a group of men. For my protection, I’d like to have something on me to use should things go sideways.”
That’s smart.
I look to Cell for clarification, and she reads me like a book when she explains, “Dark’s presenting Sola as a gift to a group of his ‘friends.’” She air quotes.
Right. So, they’re not Dark’s friends, they’re Maxim’s, or they have something to do with the club.
I nod, and she carries on. “The club needs information, and Sola is our only sister skilled enough to be convincing.”
Which is code for Sola loves to get fucked, and fucking powerful men gives them a false sense of superiority. In Sola’s case, it also tears down their walls just enough for her to slip past their defenses because no one would suspect a meek sex fiend could ever be a threat.
“Okay. What does this entail?” I ask Cell as I finish off my breakfast.
“Multiple men. One house, I think. We don’t know much. They get a new plaything every few months, use her up, and then she vanishes. Dark wants to bring Sola in, give her time to find whatever she can, and get her out before they use her up.”
Of course, he does.
I turn to my sister on the sofa. “Sola, are you sure you want to do this?”
Excited by the prospect, she plays the drums on my thigh. “Yes. I'll be fine as long as I have your special chocolate and tea with me. If they get out of line, or Dark can’t get me out in time, I’ll poison them.”
“Have you killed anyone before?”
“No. But I’m not killing them. I’m poisoning them, and only if I’m concerned for my safety.”
Fair enough.
Sounds good to me. I’m not going to try to change Sola’s mind. That’s not my job, anyhow. She’s a grown woman. If she wants to work this job, then she can work this job. If she wants to bring my special tea and chocolate for protection, so be it.
Getting up from the couch, I wave for Sola to follow. Before we ascend the stairs to the stores, I discard my muffin wrapper. My sister tails me to my small office at the rear of Dark’s Delicacies, on the chocolate side. I press a code on the door into a high-tech keypad to unlock the steel bolts. They slide free with a loud bang, and I’m welcomed into a white-walled room no bigger than an average walk-in closet. The overhead lights flare to life as we corral into the space and shut the door behind us. I engage the lock again, not wanting anyone to see what’s inside. Most people don’t know this room exists. If they do, they don’t acknowledge its presence.
Black shelves line the back wall from floor to ceiling, filled with various apothecary bottles ridiculously labeled for my amusement. The dried poisonous berries, plants, flowers, and other goods have unique names—each derived from my notebook growing up. Kraken Kock is my favorite, with the outline of a Kraken devouring the label. One of his tentacles looks like a dick. Thankfully, only I know what resides in each bottle. The darker the glass, the more dangerous the contents. Shhh…you didn’t hear that from me.
“Now I can see why everyone jokes you’re a witch.” Sola giggles, wide-eyed in awe, as she sits on the stool I point to for her safety so she doesn’t accidentally bump into anything.
Humming to myself, I get to work and slip on black latex gloves from the box mounted on the wall. Plucking whatever dried tea jars and poison bottles from the shelves, I line them on my small butcher block island—the safe items on one side, the naughty ones on the other.
My mortar and pestle help me pulverize the ingredients into a fine powder. I use my best guess on flavor profiles to make the tea drinkable. A pinch of this, a scoop of that, careful not to cross-contaminate.
The mix goes into a small floral tin similar to the ones I have at home. I add it to a black Dark Delicacies foiled stamped bag along with two of my small, single-serve chocolate bars, which I make in batches and infuse with the best un-aliving agents.
When I’m done, I return the bottles to the shelves, declutter my table, set the instruments in the small sink area, and hand the bag over to Sola.
“The tea is strong to hide the bitterness of the berries and flowers,” I explain. “Steep the tea like you would any tea. It’s heavy on the spice—lots of clove, orange, and cinnamon. Throw in a few sugar cubes to sweeten it before it’s served.”
Holding the handle of her bag, Sola nods along with my instructions as I continue, “The chocolate is bitter, too—Dark chocolate with dried cranberries.”
“What should I expect?” She peeks into the bag's contents as if secrets are hidden inside. It might not look like much... The tea and a few bars, but they pack a mighty punch and can down at least six men.
“The tea will take an hour or so to kick in,” I note as I wipe down my chopping block with a paper towel. “Serve it at night, before bed, if possible. It’ll be subtle at first. Their heart will race. They’ll think they’re having a heart attack, and they are. It takes about twenty minutes after the initial racing for them to die.”
Sola nods as if memorizing everything. “And the chocolate?” she asks.
“They’ll go into anaphylaxis. Expect puking. Gasping for air. It’s quicker than the tea but also more dramatic of an end.” I toss the towel into the trash.
Sola reaches out and grabs my arm, squeezing gently. “Thanks, sister. This means a lot.”
“You’re welcome. Use it responsibly.” I tap the side of the bag.
“I promise I will.”
There’s a double knock on the steel door, followed by three more specific, secret-coded knocks that only one person knows. A smile splits my face. “I’ll be out in a minute,” I say loud enough for our visitor to hear me on the other side.
“Take your time, Sweets. I’ll meet you at the bar whenever you’re done,” Sunshine relays, and Sola’s eyes grow to the size of bike wheels at the sound of his voice.
Knowing Sunshine won’t wait for me to respond, I focus on my googly-eyed sister, swooning off her stool.
“Spill, sis,” she urges, bouncing on the stool in anticipation.
“We’re together,” I admit.
“Fucking finally,” Sola cheers, tossing a hand in the air.
My smile widens until my cheeks hurt. “Shut up.” I wave off her enthusiasm, even if having another sister on my side feels good. “Why does everyone keep sayin’ that?”
“We’ve all been waiting for you to finally pull your head out of your stubborn ass and get you some daddy dick.”
Oh. My. Goddess.
A silly blush burns my cheeks. “You did not call Sunshine daddy.”
The mischievous woman winks. “Oh, sister. I did. He has sexy daddy vibes written all over him. That man is sex on a stick. How nice is his dick?” Sliding the bag up her forearm, Sola shows me various sizes of cock lengths using her hands.
When she lands on one similar to Sunshine’s, I announce, “It’s that nice.”
“Yeah. It is!”
Chuckling at this wild lady, I shake my head. “You’re the horniest woman I know. ”
“Which is why these jobs are perfect for me.” Sola jangles the bag and shimmies her shoulders.
“This is true.” She is perfect for these jobs. Let’s just hope she doesn’t have to use the poison. It’s one thing to have them as a last resort, as a backup plan. It’s another when you do what I do and watch someone die. Not everyone is built to handle death. Thankfully, I am.
My redheaded sister motions to the tea and chocolate as she gets to her feet. “Thanks for this. I appreciate your help, and I love you for not tryin’ to talk me out of going. I know you prefer we relax a few weeks between jobs.”
“Yeah. I do,” I agree. “But we’ve been sisters for what… six years? Seven?”
Sola nods. “Somewhere around that.”
“You’ve been whoring around with marked men since you took your first job.”
“It’s fun sleeping with almost dead men. There’s something sexy about it. Knowing they’re gonna die. I wanna be the last pussy before they’re gone. Kind of like their last meal, but with my body. I wonder if they think about me and how I bested them with my pussy power when they’re rotting in Hell.”
Snorting a laugh, I pat the dear woman on the shoulder. “You’re insane.”
Sola’s lips break into the prettiest, toothy smile and winks. “Yes. But you love me.”
“I do.” Spinning her by the shoulders, I point her toward the exit. “Now, let’s get you a drink.”
Unlocking the door, Sola follows me through the halls and stores her wares where we keep our purses whenever we’re drinking—in a cubby behind the bar. Till’s already pouring me a glass of red and Sola a rum and Coke when we join Sunshine. Not wanting me to sit on a stool, he pulls me directly into his lap and nuzzles my neck. “Hey, Sweets.”
My stomach dips as I settle on his legs, his strong arm a possessive band around my middle. “H-h-h…” I clear my throat. “Hi.” The greeting comes out in an embarrassing, cracked squeak.
Sola and Till laugh at my expense—the assholes.
Sunshine chuckles warmly like he finds it adorable and kisses my neck, sending a wash of shivers to my toes. I steal my wine from the bar and guzzle the contents, trying to ignore the singe of awkwardness at being here with my friends and my… man?
Not that it should be weird. But it’s… Sunshine. Sola was right. He’s the embodiment of hot daddy vibes. Not that I’d ever tell him or her that. I’m taking that to my grave and into my next life… and so are you.
“I hear you’re a real couple now,” Sola announces far too loud so everyone can overhear, not giving a single damn she’s sitting at a bar, drinking in a workout bra and men’s boxers.
“Soon to be married,” Sunshine casually relays before sipping his craft beer like he didn’t just drop another bomb on my group of sisters.
I nudge him hard in the ribs, and the bastard snickers. “Colton,” I whisper-hiss under my breath. It elicits a rough, panty-melting laugh from the man I’m using as a seat, who decides cupping my breast in public is a perfectly normal response than using his words.
Enjoying this far too much, Till loses it and breaks into a fit of laughter. Sola’s not far behind. Before long, we’ve drawn a small crowd. Sugar, in her apron, has joined us, along with a few other sisters, and they’re all watching the Sunshine-Kali show in living, breathing color, including the fondling and ewy-gooey neck nuzzles.
This is not how I expected today to play out. Then again, I woke up this morning wrapped in a sexy man and showered with said sexy man before we decided to stop by the apartment to drop Penelope’s basket off and check in with both the sisters underground and those working Dark Delicacies.
Polishing off my glass, Till’s poised and ready to refill it when I return it to the bar top. “You gonna give her a property of cut?” she asks Sunshine as she pours the sweet red and discards the empty bottle in the recycling.
I feel him shrug. “If she wants one.”
This man has all the right answers.
“When are you tying the knot?” Sola asks from the stool beside us, twirling an umbrella in her drink that she loves because they’re colorful. She’s the only person I know who puts umbrellas in every beverage. Even water.
“Whenever I can get her to agree.” Sunshine squeezes me around the middle as if urging me to put him out of his misery already.
Drawing the edge of my glass to my lip, I speak against the rim before sipping. “Can we talk about this later?” I beg, not wanting my sister’s input on such a big thing.
Sunshine pats the side of my leg in silent agreement that he’ll drop it for now, but I know, from how often he’s mentioned it, it’ll be up for discussion again soon. Possibly tonight. Tomorrow. The next day and then the next. Something tells me this agenda of his won’t be evaded for long. A gigantic part of me is terrified to consider the question beyond a passing amusement, a funny what-if, while a small part of me, the innocent part that grew up like most girls, longing for a soulmate, someone to grow old with, to trust, to love, to ride or die with... that part… that lives in the soft underside of my heart, beyond the broken, blackened bits, is ready to leap into the unknown because it’s not the unknown. This is Sunshine. Colton. The man I trust most in this world. My forever ride-or-die. He’s safe.
Blending in with the group, we carry on like old friends because we are. Nobody cares that my man plucks my nipple through the cotton of my tank top or the fact my still sore pussy is wide awake. I’m simply a decoration on Sunshine’s lap as everyone else chats about Sola’s leaving for a new job soon, Till’s new shipment of craft beer, and the chocolate croissants Sugar is prepping for tomorrow.
Before too long, the warmth of the wine soaks in, relaxing me.
Sugar leaves for a beat, and when she returns, she sets a plate of chocolates on the bar top with a smile and a wink, knowing how much I love her creations. Scooting the dish closer, I share them with Sunshine because he loves chocolate almost as much as I do. It’s one of the thousands of things we agree on. Till swaps out his beer for one that compliments the yummies.
Biting a turtle in half, Sunshine hums in appreciation when I feed him the other piece. “So good. ”
My sentiments exactly.
So good.
Like being here.
Spending time in my store with people I love.
When the bar fills with regulars, I greet the ones I recognize and introduce them to Sunshine. Despite his leather cut and tattoos, which can be intimidating to some, they treat him like he’s one of us. He chin lifts with a soft smile, and they return the sentiment. He starts a casual conversation about nothing important, and they’re right there with him, commenting on how the plants look in the bar or the new selection of spring beer. Or how the farmers' market will open soon. It’s simple, small-town chatter that feeds your soul.
Wanting to leave space for paying customers, Sunshine, Sola, and I eventually move to a low top against the wall, away from prying ears.
Once again, Sunshine pulls me into his lap, not allowing me to sit on a normal chair, and resumes cupping my breast as he converses with Sola. “I heard Dark’s the one who got this new job for ya.”
She twirls the umbrella in her rum and Coke. The ice clinks against the side of the glass. “New, yes. But it’s not unlike ones I’ve done before.”
He hums.
“The setup reminds me of that job I did for your prez years ago,” I add, looking over my shoulder to Sunshine.
“Which one?” he asks, caressing the underside of my breast before he dips under my shirt to do the same skin-on-skin since I’m not wearing a bra. Stiffening in his lap, my back goes ramrod straight, and I suck in a quiet breath.
“Relax,” he whispers in my ear and presses the center of my stomach, willing me to calm down and settle against him.
I can do this.
I can let him touch me in public. It’s fine. If I wanted him to stop, he would.
Giddiness swirls in my gut as a certain thickness prods my backside.
I’ve never done this before with anyone, not like this, anyhow. The yacht doesn’t count. I was playing a part.
“Now tell me about this job,” Sunshine prompts, to focus my mind on something else instead of how acutely aware I am of his fingers when they graze my bare nipple. Or his equally mischievous hand that slips down to cup my pussy over my loose, cotton pants.
“The… th-the three hot doctors,” I stammer like an idiot, then close my eyes and focus on the conversation, not the predatory touches. Not the hardness of his body beneath my own. Not his hot breath on my neck. On the words. The words are key. “When Big’s woman quit her job, I filled her spot as a receptionist. I wasn’t there long. Maybe a week? It was one of the easiest jobs I’ve done.”
“Were they the ones you strapped naked to chairs in their office? Then poisoned them?” he whispers in my ear.
I nod dumbly, having a hard time concentrating. “Th-that’s them.”
“Right. Now I remember.”
“And why do you remember?” I press my lips together to keep from laughing .
“The butt plugs.”
Smiling far too wide for my own good, a small chuckle slips free. “And?”
“Ball gags.” He snickers as if he remembers it fondly.
That makes two of us.
Butt plugs and ball gags. Man. It’s the most memorable of my jobs to date. Kinky doctors. Switches. Looking for a woman to submit to them but also dominate them. We hadn’t done more than flirt. My texts were inundated with innuendo and promises of fun. I reeled them in within days of starting my job. The weekend came, and I drove to the nearest sex shop to purchase three ball gags, three large butt plugs, a bottle of lube, a few whips, and a strappy dominatrix outfit—black and shiny, with knee-high boots and sharp heels. The fishnet stockings were my favorite.
I asked them to meet me at their office on Sunday, our day off. I had the time of my life, watching them eagerly fuck each other, plug each other, and help each other attach the ball gags before I tied them to their chairs with the promise of pleasure. When really, I’d already poisoned the lube they put into their asses and wine they drank to loosen up. Waiting for them to die in the most humiliating way didn’t bother me. It was just another job well done.
“I bet that was fun to clean up,” I tease, knowing untying dead, naked men with toys attached was not the highlight of his month.
“Anybody you off, Sweets, is fun for me. I fuckin’ love what you do.” He pecks the back of my head, and I melt.
Sola audibly awes. “That’s so sweet.”
It is .
Turning around to kiss Sunshine, I give in to temptation and make out with my man in front of my sisters and customers, not giving a single fuck if they care. I don’t pull away when the raucous catcalls ring in my ears or the rod in Sunshine’s jeans pokes my hip, desperate to be set free.
Threading his fingers through the side of my hair, my man, my home, my love devours me, and I bask in all that is him. Just us in our bubble.
Together.
For hours…We drink. We socialize. We dance.
When day bleeds into night, we leave hand-in-hand, laughing, floating on the high of happiness and a bit of alcohol. Well, me. He stopped drinking hours ago.
On the ride home, Sunshine’s manly paw rests on my thigh, heavy and sure, a quiet promise of his unwavering love and devotion. Resting mine on top of his, we don’t speak. There’s no need to. Not when we climb the stairs into our home, and he unlocks the door with his reclaimed key. Not when we strip naked and smudge the house to clear the final remnants of Penelope’s bad juju from our space. Not when we climb into bed together. Not when he kisses me goodnight, and we drift in a dream, wrapping in each other’s embrace, my back to his front, his cock nestled against my pussy.
Every moment is perfection.
Every moment is us.