CHAPTER 14
Sparks
You know what they say, if they can’t get it done right, then do it yourself. I’m tired of being disappointed with unsatisfactory results, so I’m taking matters into my own hands. The vibrator buzzes as the switch is flicked on. The lights are dim, and low music drifts from my radio. Let’s do this.
My sheets are soft, cushioning my bare skin.
My fingertips glide across my ribs, following the curve of my body to my breasts.
My nipples perk at the sensation. I force myself to release the breath I was holding and relax.
I’m not in a hurry, I can just enjoy the feeling of my touch for a minute.
My head pushes back into my pillow as I pinch my nipples, casually rolling the buds between my fingers.
Yeah, this is what I want. I smile, giddy and excited.
I part my legs, shivering at the cold air on my bare skin.
One hand stays massaging my chest while the other ventures south.
My fingers slide between my folds, already dripping with anticipation.
My eyes roll to the back of my head as I find the spot I’m looking for.
My hands move with a practiced precision, touching exactly where they can elicit the maximum pleasure.
The tension in my gut is growing. It’s time. I gasp as the vibrator connects with my sensitive nerves. My toes curl and I arch my back from the mattress. Fuck. The pulses send jolts up my spine, and I’m trembling from need. Suddenly, my hands aren’t mine. Soft skin. Blue eyes. Blonde hair.
Someone pounds at my door.
“Not now!” I roar.
“Sparks, we need you upstairs,” Derek calls through the door.
“Take care of it yourself.” My voice is strangled. So close, I’m so close.
“We need you.” Derek pounds on the door again.
“Five minutes,” I plead. Go away. Go away. Go away.
“Now!”
I scream in frustration as the orgasm that was so close fades away. Fucking hell. I throw my vibrator across the room, the batteries roll across the floor.
Because I’m needed upstairs, it’s implied I need to get dressed up in club attire.
I am so not in the mood for sequins and rhinestones.
I pull out a leather miniskirt and a black corset.
I need to throw out this skirt. It’s short, even by my standards, but it’s good enough for now.
There’s probably not time for makeup since Derek is pounding at my door again, but I can’t go upstairs barefaced.
I grab a stick of lip gloss and eyeliner, shoving them in my bra as I fumble with my heels.
Derek ushers me to the elevator, and I use the door’s muddled reflection to draw winged liner on my eyelids.
“LaRusso’s here.” Derek brings me up to speed. LaRusso is our main competitor. We’ve been joshing with each other for territory lately. Things have been heating up. “Showed up out of the blue with a whole team. I don’t like the look of this.”
“We’ll hear him out.” I swipe red gloss over my lips. “And we’ll handle it.” I hand my makeup to Derek who looks at the tubes blankly.
“What do you want me to do with these?”
“I don’t have any pockets.” I gesture to my outfit. “You do.”
Derek grumbles and stuffs them in his pants pocket as the doors open.
He walks out first, commanding the scene.
I sway my hips as I follow him to our booth.
LaRusso is already sitting, flanked by three men.
His eyes greedily follow my legs until I sit down.
This is going to suck. I lean back, all too aware of how much this top pushes up my boobs. It seems LaRusso has also caught on.
“We typically require appointments,” Derek calmly states to LaRusso. “Bold of you to ask to be the exception.”
“Funny.” The older man doesn’t laugh, eyes narrowed. “I don’t remember asking.”
“Can I offer you a drink?” Derek suggests icily.
“I’ll pass,” LaRusso scoffs.
“Fine.” Derek shrugs, before turning to me. He runs his index finger along my jaw. “Can I get you anything?”
“Please, baby,” I purr.
I don’t know what Derek’s angle is with this faux flirting, but I trust him enough to go along with it. Derek flags down a member of the waitstaff and orders two drinks. I lean into his shoulder, and he places an arm around me protectively. LaRusso says nothing, only glares at Derek.
After a moment, the waiter returns with two whiskey sours. Derek tips my chin up and dangles the cherry into my mouth. I bite the fruit off the stem, sensually licking my lips after.
“LaRusso, didn’t your wife recently leave you?” Derek asks with a pretend innocence. Found his angle. Derek’s trying to make him jealous! Oh, I can help with that. I nestle into his side, playing with the top button of his shirt.
“That’s not the way I would tell that story.” LaRusso grips the table, indignant from Derek’s boldness.
“Either way,” Derek runs his fingers down my arm, “I find it’s easy to keep a woman if you keep her satisfied.” Derek doesn’t realize how ironic that statement is, my vibrator abandoned downstairs.
“I did not come here to be insulted,” LaRusso declares with a quiet anger. He stands, knocking his seat to the floor.
“No?” Derek looks up nonchalantly. I watch LaRusso suspiciously, unnerved by his escalating temper. “You haven’t told me why you’re here. I just guessed.”
“I’m here to reclaim the territory you stole from me by whatever means necessary.” His tone lowers, and the implication is clear. “You will give it back, or we will be having a different discussion.”
“I’ve been a gracious host,” Derek says, warning in his voice. “You would do well to avoid further transgressions.”
“Then you would do well to die quickly.” LaRusso whips out a pistol. Men on both sides draw their firearms, and I feel Derek stiffen underneath me. Fuck. LaRusso is definitely going off script.
“Finally,” I groan, thinking fast on my feet. I slide out of the booth. LaRusso’s eyes dart to me, getting stuck on my chest. “I’ve been waiting for a chance to leave this loser.”
“What?” Derek says, hurt.
“LaRusso.” I flutter my eyelashes, slowly striding toward him. “Do you think I could keep you company tonight?”
“Apparently you can’t keep them satisfied,” LaRusso cackles with glee. He keeps his pistol squared on a resentful Derek while extending his other hand to me.
I saunter into LaRusso’s arms, cradling his face with my hands. We lock eyes, and I gasp quietly. My lips meet his, deeply and passionately. I wait a few beats, and I feel his other hand drop to embrace me, the barrel of his pistol no longer aimed at Derek.
“See you in hell,” I whisper maliciously.
His eyes widen in surprise as electricity courses through his veins. The lights in the club strobe dramatically. Before his guards can react, I send bolts toward the three of them as well. They collapse to the ground without firing a shot, and the crowd below dances oblivious to the skirmish above.
“Yuck.” I grab a napkin and wipe the feeling of LaRusso off my lips. “That was disgusting.”
Derek doesn’t move from his seat. He stares off in the distance as the flashing lights return to their normal cadence. I grab his hand and pull him into the elevator, shielding him from the watchful gaze of our staff.
“I never thought that someone would actually…” His voice trails off. “He pulled a gun on me in my own club.”
“It’s okay, you’re okay.” I force him to look at me. “We’re a team. I’ve got your back.”
“I didn’t realize you were acting.” His expression shows his hurt and guilt. “I thought you were going to whore yourself out to him. I made you kiss him, I put you in that position.”
“Hey, snap out of it.” I wave my hand in front of his face. “It was a kiss. I’m an adult. I kiss random strangers all the time. I would kiss a hundred more to keep you safe. But not a hundred and one, I have to set a limit somewhere.”
A faint smile breaks through his stupor. He lets himself laugh at my joke.
“Thank you.” Derek pulls me close.
“Anytime.” I hug him back. “But if you ever feed me a cherry again, I am going to spit in your eye.”
“That was such a bad plan.” He shakes his head, embarrassed.
“And like, ew.” I punch his shoulder. “Never gonna happen.”
“Yeah…” He scrunches his nose. The elevator doors open and Derek steps out, waiting for me.
“I’m actually going to pop up to the roof.”
I smile and wave him off. He nods, and I hope he goes somewhere where he can process things. His entire family was assassinated due to mafia politics. I’m sure those memories are resurfacing right about now.
The elevator takes me up to the roof. I come here occasionally when I need space to be alone. It was quite nice in the winter, feeling the bitter cold of the snow on my skin.
I like to read up here, where no one can judge me if I need to sound out words.
I dropped out of high school when my mom died, but Astrid showed me that I can keep learning on my own.
Since then, I’ve been obsessed with textbooks.
I’ve read quite a few, with topics ranging from the Italian Renaissance to psychology and business strategy.
At one point I was working on a book about statistics, but I got lost in the math.
I keep the books in a waterproof tub next to a plastic lawn chair,
I unfold the chair and fish out my astronomy book.
The stars are shining brightly tonight. There’s something soothing about them.
No matter what happens down here on Earth, they are up there twinkling.
People thousands of years ago used to look up at the constellations, telling stories about legends and heroes.
Sometimes I wish I could float into the sky and live amongst the stars. It would be a simpler life.