Anika:
As I lay here on his office floor, my body is still humming from the way Carter completely took control and played my body like a well-practiced instrument. Not only did he manage to completely satisfy my needs in a way no one has ever managed to do before him, he somehow managed to work his way into my every waking thought over the past few weeks. The only thing I’ve ever been addicted to is revenge and the feeling of having control over my life and people, but quickly Carter Linwood is becoming my newest vice and that simply cannot happen. He was only meant to be a stepping stone on my way to finishing what I set out to do the day my father pulled the trigger and ended his own life. My father was left with no other choice as they waited inside our house for him to pull that trigger. It was either take his own life, or they would take his children’s, and of course as any father would, he chose to save my brother and me. He should’ve died the night my mother did, but the men that came didn’t account for the fact my parents shoved my brother and I inside a closet with a phone to dial for help.
The day my father died changed everything for me, though. Before, I just thought I was a pawn in life’s cruel game. I thought everything that happened to my mother was just a horrific home invasion gone terribly wrong, but that wasn’t it, and I had almost learned to deal with my less than stellar life situation until that day I discovered that I was in fact a pawn, not in life’s game, but in someone else’s. Lance Jennings’s sick games. I know I am only a number – one of many that have fallen under the dark shadow of his crushing reach, and that’s why I need to end it. What I discovered when I pulled that bag from the floorboards of my father’s office was earth shattering.
He worked for the government, brought over from Russia because he was the best at what he did. Hacking – finding information and manipulating it. What he discovered would have meant the end for Lance, the end of his senate career, and the end of his life as he knew it. Instead, it was the end of mine and my family’s. Lance already knew everything, and he came for it – to silence it. Papa uncovered the fact that the good senator is actually Russian and has strong ties to the mafia and to the country that his family’s roots are so deeply planted in.
But that isn’t all – it’s everything else that would have destroyed him completely. The human trafficking, the drugs, and the countless lives he’s ended and destroyed. He sits on a mountain of bodies and money he stole from the very government that he’s sworn to protect and uphold. Now that very man is running for President, and he isn’t stupid. He knows what I’m doing… I’m still just a piece of this plan, but he’s about ready to learn what failure feels like as I’m the one standing above him holding all the power.
“Have dinner with me. Let me take you out,” Carter says softly as he tucks his shirt into his dress pants. He’s looking at me differently now. It’s softer and it does things to me that I wish it didn’t. I’ve never had anyone look at me like that before, but it can’t happen with Carter. I’m destroying him and he doesn’t even know it. Not his company any more, but his heart and for the first time in years, I’m beginning to question my actions.
“I can’t do that, Carter. I have plans already,” I say, taking his offered hand as he pulls me to stand in front of him. The way my breasts brush the fabric of his shirt has me wishing we had more time, and I know he feels the same way by the way his thick erection presses against me through his pants.
“Because it’s your birthday?” he questions.
“How did you know that?” I ask, quietly.
“I make it a point to know everything about my employees.” If he knew everything about his employees, this conversation wouldn’t be happening.
“No, not because it’s my birthday. I don’t typically celebrate it.” I turn away so he can’t see my face. For some reason, I feel like he’s the only person that can see through my walls and it makes me feel uncomfortably exposed. I quickly start to dress to give me any excuse not to continue this conversation with him.
“That’s a shame.”
“No –it’s really not. Nothing good happens on my birthday, so I choose to ignore it. It’s just another day. Another marker of time passing, and another reminder that I’m still here.” I button my shirt quickly as I steal a glance up at him.
His brow furrows as he mulls over my statement. He takes me by the elbows, pulling me to him as he brushes away the hair that has fallen from my ponytail. “Let me take you out. Just let me take care of you,” he says, his lips lightly brushing mine.
“I can’t do that.” I look into his eyes, and he’s searching me. He’s probing for a weakness in my walls that he can fit into and destroy me, but he doesn’t need to because it seems he’s already found a way in.
“Why?” he asks, before planting another kiss.
“Because I like control, Carter. I need it. It’s the way I live… the way I breathe even. I need control in my life, in my relationships, in my work. I say when, how much, where...” I trail off realizing it’s probably not the answer he’s looking for, but it’s the only honest answer I can give.
“Anika, sometimes control isn’t the answer…sometimes, relinquishing it is. Give it to me and trust me to help you and make it better.” His intensity startles me, as his eyes burn into mine. Something about the way he says these words with such conviction, has me believing that he is talking about more than just my needs.
“I’ve got to go. I have somewhere I need to be,” I say, ignoring is statement as I grab my bag and begin for the door.
“I’m not letting it go that easily, Ani,” he says, and my heart thunders at the nickname. It’s what my parents used to call me. I only turn to give him a sad smile before walking out.
****
“You never showed up at our meeting.” A familiar voice echoes off the concrete walls, stopping me only steps away from my car.
“You must be an idiot. You shouldn’t have come here, Braxton,” I say, slowly turning around.
He smiles that cocky smile that reminds me somewhat of Carter’s as he pushes off the pillar he was leaning against. “Why? Scared that the golden boy is going to see me? What’s he going to do, call security?” he laughs.
“You shouldn’t have come here because there are cameras, you dipshit,” I grit out looking up and grabbing his arm to drag him behind the stupid pillar again.
“So, I see you found a way in. What’d you find?” he asks like an eager puppy.
“I’m not discussing this with you here.”
“My associate is giving you six weeks. That’s it,” he says, still not giving Lance’s name.
“You can tell your associate to fuck off. He’ll get the info when I can get it. You guys are fucking stupid if you think that those plans aren’t divided up and encrypted every which way. It’s not that simple, but obviously you wouldn’t understand.”
“He chose you because you’re the best,” he defends.
“Oh, I’m sure that’s the only reason he chose me,” I say sarcastically. “I may be the best, but it doesn’t change the process or how this works.”
“That may be, but you’re just going to have to make it work,” he mocks.
“Why are you even doing this, Braxton? What are you getting out of it?” I ask already having a few guesses, but I want to hear it from his mouth.
For a second, he looks almost ashamed, but it quickly disappears. “Let’s just say that my brother owes me and I owe someone else. This makes it even.”
Makes sense enough to me. I know he has a gambling problem, and I have a feeling that he’s gotten himself into even bigger trouble than that.
“Let’s just say, you’re an idiot.” It feels good to not give a shit as I tell him exactly what I think.
He reaches out to touch me, and I can’t help it, I lash out, grabbing his hand and I snap his wrist as he howls out in pain. “God damn it! You crazy bitch!” he yells and clutches his newly broken wrist to his chest.
“Oops.” I say with a smile. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have shit to do.”
“Give my brother my love,” he says to my back as I walk to my car.
“Go fuck yourself, Fortner. But you might want to get that wrist checked out. If it doesn’t heal right, you won’t be able to get yourself off anymore,” I say opening my door. His only reply is to curse under his breath as he cradles his arm. I watch him slink off into the shadows where he belongs.
***
I zip up my black leather jacket and start up my bike before walking her out of my garage. It looks like rain, and I curse, hoping it doesn’t screw up my plans. After a quick ride to downtown, I find a fairly full parking lot, and park. I know where I’m going. I’ve memorized the address in my head, and I’ve calculated out each and every step. I’ve already hacked in and disabled the CCTV cameras. They’ll be down for the next thirty-two minutes, and that’s all I need. It’s all in the planning. The execution is the easy part. I laugh to myself at my own unintended pun. A passing couple gives me a weird look as I laugh and I smile sweetly at them as I pass.
Slipping off the brightly lit, busy sidewalk, I turn down an unlit alley and walk with haste to the back alley that runs perpendicular to it. Breaking into a run, I count the doors at the back until I find the space between the two buildings I’m looking for. The space between the buildings is just wide enough for a person to squeeze through to maintenance the meters and electrical lines that run through. Once I’m where I need to be, I unzip the pocket at my hip and take my phone out to check the time. Two minutes to spare. I turn it to silent and zip it back into the pocket and unzip the front of my jacket just enough so when the time comes I’ll be ready. As I wait, it begins to mist just enough to coat everything with a slick, shiny wetness that pisses me off.
I can hear my heart beating my ears just like it does every time, and I feel light headed and tingly with the simultaneous overload of adrenaline and anticipation. I hear a door open around the corner.
“I’ll have the next delivery next week,” a deep voice sounds, speaking in Russian.
“You need to be cautious, Yury. The feds have been sniffing around,” a woman’s voice replies.
“Hush. You know we’re good. The boss has it on lock.”
“Next week then,” she says.
“Next week,” he confirms and I hear the door shut.
I slide on my leather gloves, and edge closer to the opening of the alley. I watch him light up a cigarette and the cherry flares in the dark as he inhales. I ease out, the rubber soles of my boots help to cushion the sound. The sound of keys falling to the pavement has him stopping, but I continue to close in silently like the predator I am, using it as my opening to catch him off guard. Yury Volkov has nearly a foot of height on me and at least a hundred and ten pounds, but I’ve planned this out. I just have to find a way to get him on the ground, and I’ve found my opportunity when he squats down to pick up the keys he dropped.
I make my move quickly grabbing both of his ankles and pulling with all the strength I have, causing him to lose his balance and topple forward with a curse. Before he even gets a chance to right himself, I’m on his back, using my body weight to force him back to the ground. He’s struggling to right himself as he grunts and curses, but I’m faster and I force his face into the pavement with an audible thump. To say that the sound is gratifying, would be a gross understatement.
“That’s for beating my father senseless,” I say.
“I was told to watch out for you,” he grunts as he finds a burst of strength and rolls beneath me. I adjust and move with him, and end up sitting on his chest.
“You didn’t watch close enough,” I say with a cruel smile. And although at a disadvantage, he still manages to land a hard punch to the side of my head and stars dot my vision. I reach into my jacket for my holster and pull out my Kimber -1911 Custom TLE with a silencer. Taking the grip firmly in my hand I bash the butt of it against his cheek. Even in the dim lighting, I see where the skin has split open providing me with a certain level of satisfaction, but I’m not done yet. Not even close.
“That’s for holding my mother down while they fucking gutted her like a fish,” I seethe, and he attempts to fight me off, hitting and clawing at any exposed flesh he can, but I barely notice as the demon that lives inside me begins to take over, suffocating the only part of me that feels anything anymore. I hit him again and again as his warm blood splatters my face and coats my lips. I name off reason after reason that he deserves everything he’s receiving until he stops fighting me altogether, and his face no longer resembles anything remotely human.
I finally stand, righting myself as my friend, Yury lets out a weak, gurgling moan. I kick him as hard as I can in his crotch, but he doesn’t even respond this time. “That’s for fucking my mother’s cold dead body after your friends were finished with her.” I grunt out, steadying my breath.
I raise my gun and line it up as I pop two muffled shots in the middle of his forehead for good measure. “And that’s for me, you sick motherfucker. I’ll see you in hell.”
I know I only have a few minutes left, so I unzip my jacket and use my tank top to wipe my face and neck off. I look down to see dark smears against the light fabric, and curse myself for getting too carried away. This was supposed to be quick and clean, but something inside me snapped like it always does and I thirsted to feel that control, that peace that only the feeling and smell of my enemy’s blood can bring me. I click the safety back on and clip my gun back into its holster, tuck my tank into my leather pants, and stow my gloves in my inside pocket with my key and zip my jacket back up, mostly concealing my crimes from prying eyes.
I take one last look at my handy work before I head back to the parking lot a few blocks over singing Happy Birthday quietly to myself.
CHAPTER NINE
Carter:
I stayed late working on a new software update roll out that Lintech is working on and some new firewall issues one of our IT Security guys brought up to me. It was all I could do to keep my mind off Anika. Everything I do lately circles back to her and those blue eyes and pouty lips. God, that mouth. I’d give anything to taste that mouth again and fuck it until I cum. I nearly went to the club, but it wouldn’t be the same – not after experiencing perfection with Anika. It was only a little bit of rough fucking, but yet the way she surrendered, the way she gave herself up completely, even if it was quick, was so fucking satisfying I can’t go back.
Not without her.
So here I am, driving… aimlessly. Searching for what, I’m not sure, but I’m just about ready to call it a night and drive home when I see her. That glorious ass in those skin-tight leather pants walking hurriedly down the sidewalk. I turn on my signal and pull up next to the curb ahead of her.
“Anika!” I say getting out of my car to jog after her.
She stops and turns slowly, “Carter?” she questions, looking around like she’s making sure no one is watching.
“What are you doing out here all alone? This isn’t really the best part of town for you to be wandering around in by yourself,” I say getting a good look at her as I get closer, but she seems cagey and on edge.
“I could say the same for you,” she says wrapping her arms tightly around herself, but her voice is odd like she’s completely isolated herself from any emotion.
“Christ, Ani… What happened to you?” I ask, noticing some drying blood on her forehead and just below her eye. There are welted scratches on her cheek and down her neck. A panicked look crosses her features, giving me the first real glimpse that anyone is home inside her head at all.
“Did someone hurt you? Are you ok?” I ask and I don’t care if she wants it or not, I pull her into my arms and just hug her even though she doesn’t hug me back since her arms are still wrapped securely around herself. Her warm scent mingles with the smell of sweat and blood and I’m suddenly freaking out a little bit as her body starts to shake uncontrollably and she pushes me away.
“Anika, baby… talk to me. What happened?” I put my fingers under her chin to force her to look at me, and she does with tear filled eyes.
“Some guy just tried to mug me,” she says suddenly.
“Jesus Christ! Did the fucker hurt you?”
“He tried, but I think I broke his nose. There was blood everywhere. I guess those advanced self-defense classes are paying off.” She laughs an odd laugh, although the tears continue to fall.
“We should go to the cops, report this guy. Give them a description, something…” I start back towards my car pulling her with me.
“No!” she shouts quickly. “He didn’t end up getting anything since I’m not carrying a purse, and I was able to fight him off. It just shook me up a bit.”
“Jesus, baby. Let me get you some food and take you home at the very least.”
“I’m parked two blocks over. I can’t just leave my bike out there.”
“Trust me you can.”
“No, I can’t. It’s a fifty-thousand-dollar custom built motorcycle, Carter,” she argues.
“I’ll buy you a new one,” I say ushering her towards my car.
“I don’t want a new one. Besides, I can buy my own damn bike. You can take me to the parking lot, but I’m getting my bike.”
“Will you let me take you out to dinner?” I smile, opening the passenger door for her.
“If it means, you’ll stop asking me questions, then yes,” she says climbing inside as I shut the door.
“For now,” I concede.
After dropping her off by her ride, I watch her mount the machine and try like hell to keep up as I follow her back to her home.
She slows her pace when she enters a residential neighborhood and pulls up outside an updated traditional two-story home. It’s got a large bay window with heavy white trim and nearly black siding. It definitely isn’t the type of home I’d picture Anika in, but it makes me smile to see the softer side of her. The one that isn’t all hard edges and black leather – although, that side definitely holds allure.
She pulls the motorcycle inside alongside her shiny M3. My woman likes her fast toys, I smile to myself. I get out of the car and begin heading her direction and she eyes me with uncertainty.
“Home sweet home.” She shrugs looking up at it.
“It’s beautiful.”
“Sorry. I’m not used to having anyone over…ever. So, I apologize that it probably isn’t as clean as it should be.”
“Not even your brother?”
“No. He’s been in and out of rehab facilities since he was sixteen… so, he hasn’t been around much. He recently got engaged to a woman he met while travelling. He’s got his own thing going on.” She talks as I follow her up the back steps and I don’t say a word since this is the most she’s ever opened up and talked about herself ever. I don’t want her to stop.
We enter into the laundry room that’s pretty basic as far as I can tell and she switches on the light to the open kitchen and living room area. This is exactly what I’d expect of Anika. Black stained floors, dark gray cabinets with antiqued brass hardware and antiqued mercury glass pendants above the peninsula with filament bulbs. The countertops are a smooth black leathered granite and I follow her into her living room that’s decorated in very much the same fashion.
The walls are painted a dark pewter color and everything else is white and black. White couch, black pillows, white rug, black table. Everything is modern, but with touches of antique and gothic style here and there. If a home space could describe a person, Anika’s would perfectly. Dark and brooding.
“Give me just a minute to clean up. Dress or pants?” she asks.
“Dress.” I smile, imagining all the ways that will come in handy later.
“Ok, then. Ten minutes.” She says, closing her bedroom door nearly all the way. I know that she left it open just wide enough to keep her eye on me. She doesn’t trust me yet, but she will.
There are no photos anywhere, and nothing that really holds any personal significance. I browse the books on the well styled shelf. There’s a good mix of things from biographies and business books to romance novels, classics, and sci-fi. I wonder what’s upstairs if her bedroom is down here. It has me curious to see more of her and who she really is.
As much as I’d love to snoop, I decide I need to let her trust me, and something tells me that Anika’s trust is difficult to gain but easy to lose. I sit on the couch that looks like it has never even been sat on, and wait patiently. I’m taking it as a sign that I found her tonight. She’s mine and I’m not giving her up. She doesn’t know it yet, and she’ll resist, but she will be. I’m going to work myself into her mind and her life so deep that there will be no one before or after me. Once I’m done with her there will only ever be me and my name on her lips like she’s praying for salvation and I’m her fucking God.
A few minutes pass and I’ve already made up my mind. Tonight, we’re going to play. I don’t know how much she’s willing to give and take, but for the first time I don’t care. I’d take anything as long as it meant I was doing it with her.
I hear a noise and she steps out of her room wearing black thigh high stiletto boots, a short, skintight black long-sleeved dress that leaves almost nothing to the imagination, and her hair is styled in loose waves that look windblown from her ride on the bike. She has redone her makeup. Her eyes are smudged dark, making them look even more inhuman, and her lips are glossed. The only thing I can picture right now is how good my dick would look sliding between those lips. She grabs a knee length black jacket with gold zippers from the closet and slides into it.
“All set?” I ask, offering her my arm.
“Yes, thank you for waiting.” She’s back to being her reserved self after a moment alone, and I’d give anything to pull her back out.
***
I open the car door for her, and she climbs inside purposely flashing me her black panties before closing her legs with a devilish grin. I adjust myself before getting into the driver’s side and find her still smiling in the passenger’s seat. We make it all the way to the main road when she finally asks, “So, do you have any siblings?”
“I’m sorry?” I question, confused as to where the question came from.
“We were talking about my brother, and I was curious if you had any siblings yourself.”
“One half-brother,” I state simply. I hate discussing Braxton. He was my best friend until Dad died and we learned the truth. Something changed inside him, or maybe he just showed me what was always hidden there. I don’t know, but I do know it hurt to have someone who stood beside me through thick and thin, even not knowing what was happening part of the time, turn on me and hate me for no reason other than jealousy.
“Are you two not close?” she guesses.
“We used to be, but life got in the way, and he blames me for things I have no control over. He was given the same set of rules I was, but he chose a different path.”
“Hmm. People have a funny way of handling things.” Is all she says in response, leaving me to wonder if she’s talking about Braxton or herself.
After that, the conversation turns to lighter topics like our favorite foods and movies, and travel. It never falters even as we enter the restaurant and are shown to our table.
I’m surprised actually, by how much I just enjoy her company. This is the lightest I’ve ever seen her, and I find myself hypnotized by the sound of her voice and the smile she’s actually using tonight. The more I learn, the more I become addicted, and the more I crave. She’s highly intelligent – probably more than me or anyone that I’ve ever met for the record, she’s funny and her laugh is the best thing I think I’ve ever heard, and she’s extremely broken. She doesn’t let on, but you can see it if you know where to look. It’s in the way her body stiffens and her eyes harden every time the conversation ventures towards family or anything personal, the way that she seems overly cautious of everyone and everything, or even in the simple things like despite the smile on her face, she still doesn’t appear to be happy. Watching her and dissecting all of these vulnerabilities I ask myself, ‘how can you break someone who is already so beautifully broken?’ And for once I find myself wanting not to break a woman at all, but rather pick up all of the pieces and put them back together with myself inside.