FIVE
Cain
T
he fucking audacity. Alicia had arrived at the bar after me. It was only because I had seen her that I wanted to say hello. There was nothing more than that involved, it was completely innocent. Yet she had come running back to me after talking to her friend like some errant schoolgirl, desperate for attention. It was pathetic. Yet I was not going to hold it against her. I knew that she had a job to do and I was not going to no longer hire her after that. It was clear that she had been drinking and so had I. But now was not the time for rash decisions.
She had been helping my knee, that much had been true. And based oM Gichael ’iMordCs recommendation, she was one of the best in the city. Honsidering that man was one of the few xghters that I looked up to, I trusted him. “aving seen the e?tensive rehab that he had gone through, I knew it was going to be a lot of work regardless of what was put in front of me. But coming up to me when I had a dead certain right in front of me like Gelissa. That was a mistake that would have to be punished. I smiled to myself as I thought about what I could do to her. That was until Gelissa was snapping her xngers in front of my face.
”“ey, A?eman, you goodDR
WN G.A. KAEO4, GATT G4G4GAE8
I snapped back to reality. I was only three drinks deep, but Gelissa did not have to know that. The stress of the past few months had taken their toll on me, and tonight was purely to blow oM steam. Kuncan did not know that I was out, but he did not have to know everything I did. “e was like this anytime I got injured, watching me like a hawk, ensuring I did not put a step out of line. “e wanted the belt back as much as I did. I glanced down at Gelissa and took another sip of my drink.
”Yeah, ICm good.R
She was just my type. A shorter, more petite blonde and had more daddy issues than I could poke a stick at. 9e had matched on one of the dating apps, and I had promptly asked her out. She was a cool chick to say the least, a sandy blonde that was anything but natural, with hair so long I could wrap it around my xst and pull. 4?actly what I needed for tonight. 9e had hung out a few times already, and I had been intentional in taking it slow, especially given how my injury was. So far, she had been generous with her time and had been intentional in return, but tonight that was going to change.
”9hatCs on your mind, big manD YouCre not thinking about her, are youDR
I did everything I could not to roll my eyes in that situation. It had been an innocent interaction. I had told Alicia what I had thought, and Gelissa should have known that she had nothing to worry about. Yet it had not been enough. I threw back my drink and immediately went back to the bar for another. Somehow, someway I had found my way into an unbusy section of it and at least had a clear bit of space.
”Ko you want another drinkDR
Gelissa was not going to say no to more alcohol. 9ithin moments, we had more shots lined up and I was just waiting for my card to decline. This time, it thankfully had passed, but for how long would the amount of money in my account satisfy the gods that ran the xnancial industryD I was not going to stop to think about it, instead, now that GelissaCs mind was
“AEK OF8HOS W
elsewhere, she was beginning to get handsy. Truth be told, I hated partying and wanted nothing to do with it. This had been all her idea, and, in my mind, this was a means to an end.
I held out my hand, and Gelissa took it. There was only one other place that she wanted to go. 9e headed straight to the dance5oor. 0ighting was much like dancing and I kept it slow, still weary of my knee. It was slow at xrst, but the rampant tunes from whoever was in charge of the music, was forcing me to speed up. Gelissa was as wild as a twisting tempest. I had a brace on underneath my pants, and it was keeping my knee somewhat intact whilst it was recovering. Yet it did not take me long to realise I should not have been moving around.
4ven though she was overbearing to some degree, Alicia had her head in the right place. I was not going to get any better if I kept doing activities like this. Gelissa was still enjoying herself and it would have been stupid of me not to capitalise on the moment. I brought her in close for a kiss. Gelissa was waiting for it and fell into my arms, but the dancing did not stop from her. She e?plored my mouth with her tongue and given the urgency at which she did it, there was only one place that our night was going. I did not want to stay here for long. Breaking the kiss, I took half a step back from her, still remaining close enough so that she could hear me.
”Ko you want to get out of hereDR
GelissaCs face lit up with delight, and she nodded her aqrmation. ”I thought youCd never ask.R
0eeling satisxed with my choice for the evening, I led Gelissa towards the e?it of the bar, my xngers loosely intertwined with hers. The pulsing bass that had vibrated through my chest all night gradually faded with each step, until it was nothing more than a mu1ed heartbeat behind us as we pushed through the heavy door. 8utside, fat raindrops splattered against the pavement, creating tiny e?plosions of water that soaked the hems of my pants. Tires hissed against the slick, obsidianzblack bitumen, their headlights smearing into golden streaks across the wet surface.
The black sedan ICd ordered pulled up precisely when I needed it, its headlights cutting yellow streaks through the rain. I opened the door for Gelissa, catching the scent of her perfume as she ducked inside, raindrops glistening on her bare shoulders. The interior smelled of artixcial pine and someone elseCs lingering cologne. As we settled into the cool leather seats, the driver accelerated away from the curb, tires hissing against wet pavement. The city lights blurred into water colour smears outside the window, gradually thinning as we headed toward the darker, Uuieter streets that would lead us home.
Gelissa turned her attention to me, and we continued where we had left oM inside the bar. She started kissing me with passion again, and I was already ready to have her out of her clothes. Somehow, I knew that the uber driver would not have been thrilled me with undressing her in his backseat, so instead, we were kept to just making out. I was growing impatient as the car took itCs sweet time in getting back home.
The gym was as Uuiet as it always was this late at night. Kuncan had left the front light on but that was it. Gelissa did not at xrst get out of the car, wondering instead where we were.
”9here are weDR
”This is my home.R
”You live in a gymDR
”Yeah, is that going to be a problemDR
Gelissa gave me a strange nonzverbal grunt. It was like she cared, but it was not enough to comment about. I sUuinted at her, confused as to why she was being like this. It had been hot and heavy only a second ago, but now it was like she had no interest in me. I fumbled with my keys to open the door. There was only the one light, and I knew my way around the gym like it was the back of my hand. 9hen Gelissa was inside, I closed the door behind her and led her into the darkness.
”Ko you know where youCre goingDR
”Yes, I live here.R
“AEK OF8HOS !;
I was beginning to regret this decision, but I was going to see it through. Gy room was above the gym, and mounting the stairs was one of the hardest things about dealing with this injury. Gelissa was up the stairs ahead of me, and in that very short dress, all I could see was her ass. She jiggled it at me, and I stretched out and slapped it. That was a mistake. I overe?tended myself and stretched my knee out too far. It gave way and I caught myself on the railing.
Gelissa did not see me stumble and instead continued up the stairs. I groaned and forced myself up behind her, not wanting to show any weakness. She reached the top of the stairs and turned her head back at me.
”9hich way, A?emanDR
I pointed to the right and Gelissa headed that way following the walkz way along to where a door stood in her way. There was a clear twinge in my knee as I walked along behind her and fumbled with my key again. 4ven though there was no need to have locked my room as I went out tonight, it was discipline that I had from a force of habit.
I pushed open the door and 5icked on the light, revealing my bedz room with its unmade kingzsi3ed bed, the charcoal sheets twisted from this eveningCs hasty departure. A halfzempty glass of water stood on the nightstand catching the warm glow from the bedside lamp, and the faint scent of my cologne still lingered in the air.
Gelissa threw herself onto me, even before the door was shut. I scooped her up into my arms and pushed her back towards the bed. I was lucky I knew where I was going because with how forceful she was, I was blinded. “er blonde hair was smothering me and I moved my hand around behind her head to pull it. Gelissa threw her head back and I moved forward, aiming kiss after kiss at her neck. I was rough, matching her energy, but no sooner than I had started, she pulled back.
”FoJ Fo marksJR
I frowned, wondering what had brought about the sudden change. She had told me that she was down for anything. But I wanted her, and I was not going to Uuestion her. Gelissa shimmied down out of my arms and made her way towards the bed. She turned when she reached the foot of it and looked at me with e?pectation.
”9ell, are we going to do thisDR
I nodded, there was no need for anymore words between us. 7ndressing her was as e?citing as I thought it would have been. The moment that her dress fell from her shoulders, I was enamoured. She was just my type even though I already knew she would be. This was the xrst time I was seeing her in less clothes than had been on her dating proxle. As her dress fell, I was treated to the sight of a multicoloured tattoo that cascaded from her shoulder down to her elbow. It featured a tigerCs eye, surrounded by butter5ies as it peered out from amongst a green background.