Chapter Eleven
“What are you going as?” Lucia asked.
“I’m going as … zombie teacher.” Jack thrust his arms out and started to groan.
“Oh, come on, that is so lame. Seriously?”
“Halloween is lame,” Jack said, dropping a kiss to her lips before stealing the carton of noodles from her hands. “What are you going as?” he asked.
“I don’t know. I was thinking of not going.”
“No, come on. You’ve got to go to the Halloween party. It’s, like, the most awesome party in the entire world.” He flicked his head back, and she rolled her eyes.
“You’ve got to stop doing that. It looks so you.”
“I thought so. How do you think I’d look with long hair?”
“Like something out of the seventies.”
“Hey, they were supposed to be good times.”
“I’ll take your word for it.”
“I wasn’t actually born then, loser,” he said.
She giggled.
“In all seriousness now, and stop giggling. What are you going as?”
“I’m not going. It’s … boring.”
“Everyone is going, and I think it could be fun for you. Marie’s going.”
“I know, but…”
“Come on. No buts.”
“I don’t know.” She wrinkled her nose.
“Have you ever enjoyed Halloween?”
“Sure. I’m the one with the large bowl of candy feeding the kids. My parents are always the ones heading out to a party or something. I stay in and watch Halloween movies.”
“That is just sad. I won’t have you staying in while I’m having to make sure they spike the punch properly at the school.”
“Seriously?”
“How do you think I get through a party like this? I have to spike something, as otherwise the alcohol is in short supply.” She watched him slurp up some noodles. “And some of the kids can get their hands on some really good stuff.”
She stood up and went to his liquor cabinet, pulling out a bottle of really strong whiskey. “You mean like this?” she asked.
“How do you know that’s good stuff?”
“I have eyes, and this is pretty up there, pricewise.”
“I have expensive taste.”
“I always think whiskey tastes like mold anyway.”
He laughed. “That just goes to show you’ve not got the taste for it.” He grabbed a glass and took the bottle from her hand. Lifting it up, she watched him take a sniff before downing it in one. “You’ve got to be drinking the hard stuff from a good age.”
“You’ve mentioned how you were a rebel. Did you cause some trouble as a kid?”
“I drove my parents up the wall with my behavior. I drank a lot, smoked at the time as well. I didn’t do drugs though, not even a little. I just screwed around, a lot.”
“Maybe that’s what I need?” she asked, teasing him.
“What’s that?”
“To screw around, to act rebellious.”
He caught her hand and pulled her down onto his lap.
She gasped and then moaned as his hand moved between her thighs, cupping her pussy. She loved it when he touched her.
“This is mine, Lucia. You can screw around, but only with me. I’ll give you everything you need.”
“You will?”
“I know what I’m doing, and I’ll take care of you.”
He flicked the button of her jeans, and he used his legs to get her into a position that spread her open.
Arousal flooded her pussy, and she bit her lip, trying to contain her moans. His hand slid between her jeans, moving past her panties. He gave a little tut. “You need to start wearing skirts.”
“I like you working for it.” She leaned back, flicking his earlobe before sucking it.
He groaned, and then she cried out as he plunged a finger within her pussy.
“Now there’s my dirty girl. All wet and desperate for my nice, hard cock.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she watched him fill his glass once again. He didn’t make a move to drink it.
“Take your shirt off,” he said.
Her hands shook a little as she worked her shirt off, and then her bra at his instruction. Sitting with just her jeans on and his arm wrapped around her, and down her pants, it felt so fucking good, even wicked.
“Damn, I love how wet your pussy is. Especially as I know it’s only my dick that has been inside you.”
He drew his finger up, stroking her clit, making her shudder with the pleasure as he moved back down to tease her some more.
“Wriggle out of your jeans.”
She started to, but he wouldn’t let her go, so she had to do some weird shimmy to get her jeans down.
“I love to feel you move against me. Your cunt is tightening around my finger, Lucia. Do you want my dick?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
He pulled his finger from her pants, and she watched as he sucked the digit into his mouth, tasting her on his tongue.
Jack tapped her thigh, and she got to her feet as he moved the coffee table out of the way.
She stood completely naked, desperate, excited, and she wanted more.
He removed pillows from his chairs and placed them on the floor. Then taking her hand, he eased her down on the floor.
“Lie back.”
She lay back and was surprised by how comfortable it was.
“That’s it. Now, spread those pretty thighs for me.”
Even though she blushed, she did exactly as he asked, spreading her legs open for him to see. She wanted this, craved his touch, and what he did to her, she was addicted to. The porn she’d watched and the books she’d read had nothing on this man.
He was a force to be reckoned with, and she loved every second of it.
Not once did he humiliate her.
Jack was sweet, caring, loving, and sexy as hell.
He didn’t just take, he gave, and he showed her how good it could be if only she allowed herself to relax in her own skin.
“Now, touch your pussy,” he said.
Sliding a hand down her body, she cupped herself, giving a little gasp as she was so sensitive to her own touch.
“Slide a finger inside yourself and let me watch.”
This time, he sipped his whiskey, and she found him fully dressed, the sleeves of his shirt rolled up, giving a hint at his inked arms, and the way his presence seemed to command attention, so sexy.
“Let me see how wet you are.”
Removing her finger, she held it up. He left his place and took her wrist. With his blue gaze on her, he sucked her digit into his mouth, and she felt the pull deep within herself.
He released her hand and stepped back, taking his seat once again. “Again.”
Thrusting a finger inside herself, she moaned as she lifted up, fucking her own fingers.
“Now that is a pretty sight. Enjoying my expensive whiskey, watching my woman finger-fuck herself. That is something that’s priceless. Money cannot buy what you give me, Lucia.” He sipped at his whiskey, and she continued to play with herself, loving every single second that he was watching her. “Now, pull your finger up, circle your clit. I want to see how you get yourself off.”
She stroked across her clit, closing her eyes as the pleasure flooded her entire body. The ache began to build, and she didn’t want it to stop, not for a second.
“I didn’t tell you to close your eyes. I want your gaze on me, Lucia. No one else.”
She stared at Jack, watching as he drank his whiskey. She glanced down his body and caught sight of his rock-hard cock pressing against the front of his pants.
He wasn’t unaffected by this.
Lucia loved his cock.
He was always so hard and ready for anything.
“Slowly, you don’t need to rush, Lucia. You need to learn to take your time, to let your body build, to become aroused. That’s it … yes. Feel how good that is. Slowly, oh baby, your tits are shaking. I fucking love your tits, so big. They call for me to suck on them. I thought about that the other day, you know. Watching as you were making your way down the corridor. You didn’t know I was there, watching you. Every step you took there was a little bounce, and I knew you had on that silky little bra. The one that drives me crazy. I wanted to pull you into my classroom, spread you over my desk, drive my dick inside you, and tear that bra off.”
“You can have them now,” she said.
She didn’t know that he thought of her during school.
Lucia knew she thought of him often. In fact, during class, she’d get aroused as she watched him write out their assignment having firsthand knowledge of just how good his hands were on her body.
“Oh, believe me, baby, I will.”
The promise in his voice made her ache.
Stroking her pussy, she slowed her touch, relishing every pull of pleasure. She couldn’t look away, nor did she want to.
“You feel it?” he asked. “Building?”
“Yes.”
“Good. I want you to come for me, Lucia. Come screaming my name. Let me see.”
She stroked her pussy, watching him as he stared at her. There was something hypnotic in his gaze as he held her captive.
The pleasure started to build, to drive her closer to the edge.
Her release was just there, and she cried out, hurtling over the edge of her peak.
The sound of his name echoed off the walls in another sign of her orgasm.
She’d closed her eyes as she came, and now she opened them as Jack moved between her spread thighs. His pants were gone. His cock sprang out, the tip already slick and ready.
He pulled his shirt off, revealing his muscular chest with his tribal ink tats. She knew he’d gotten them when he was in high school. She’d spent a lot of time tracing the outlines. Each piece of ink had a story, a moment in his life when he felt like he was going off the rails, and she loved that he shared these stories with her.
She loved hearing everything about his life, not just the glamorous parts either, of where he went on vacation. Jack had made her aware of his wealth and who he was related to. She didn’t care about that. Money didn’t matter to her.
Jack wrapped his fingers around his length, and she watched him work from the base up to the tip then back down again.
He reached into his pants pocket and handed her the condom. “I think it’s time you knew how to put these on me.”
She tore into the packet as she’d seen him do so many times.
Slowly rolling the condom over his cock, she was careful not to break it, covering his cock in the thin layer of latex. The moment she was done, he sat back, gripping her knees. Sliding his hands up her thighs, he cupped her pussy, sliding a finger deep within her.
“Such a nice, tight pussy.”
He withdrew his finger and grabbed the bottle of whiskey. “Now, there is only one thing that I can think of right now that would make this whiskey taste a little better.”
He slowly tipped the bottle, spilling some of the amber liquid over her tits.
She gasped as his mouth licked and sucked at her flesh, drinking up the whiskey.
“Now that is tasty.”
He poured the bottle down her stomach, and he kissed again, licking a path up her body until he claimed her lips.
She tasted the whiskey and him, and she wasn’t repulsed either but excited.
“You’re the tastiest thing I’ve ever had, Lucia.”
He kept on spilling his expensive liquor onto her body and licking it up. She moaned, his touch driving her crazy. She didn’t want him to stop as the arousal flooded her.
Jack didn’t fuck her straight away. He took his time, drawing her closer to another orgasm before he finally filled her with his cock.
This time when she came, she did so on his dick, and he fucked her harder. He held her down, and she watched as he drove his cock within her. She screamed his name, thrusting up to meet him, not wanting this to end or to stop.
“You’re mine, Lucia. All fucking mine,” he said, groaning out as he came.
Even with the condom between them, she felt every single pulse.
Wrapping her arms around him, she smiled. “And that makes you mine.”
****
“Hello, earth to Lucia,” Marie said, waving a hand in front of her face.
It was bitterly cold outside. There had been a freak snow shower, which had made eating outside impossible.
“Sorry, I kind of zoned out there,” she said.
Her thoughts were remembering a wicked teacher and a bottle of whiskey. Every time she passed the whiskey bottle now, she thought of him, of the way he held her body as he licked the amber liquid from her skin.
“You’re doing that a lot lately. Is everything okay?”
“It’s fine.” She twirled her fork in the spaghetti she had bought. It tasted like cardboard and grease, not very nice.
“So, Halloween party. I know every single year you turn it down, but it could be awesome and tonight I’m going to pick out an outfit, and I miss you, Lucia.”
She laughed. “What do you mean you miss me? I’m right here.”
“You know what I mean. I feel like I don’t get to see you anymore. You’re always so busy with helping out at the school, or arguing with your parents, or doing your homework. Other than around school, or if I demand a movie day, I don’t get to see you.”
Guilt flooded her.
She’d been blowing off her friend in favor of driving over to Jack’s.
Biting her lip, she forced a smile. “I was actually going to ask you if you’d like to come and help me find a costume for this party?”
“You’re really going?”
“Yes, I’m really going. Why not, right? It’s our last year. We should do something amazing.”
“I know you love Halloween and that you avoid celebrating it because of your parents.”
“Let’s not talk about them,” she said.
“Still not good between them?”
“It’s not bad. I guess I could go back to being blissfully ignorant. You know, where I didn’t think they knew any better.”
“But that wasn’t a good place.”
“It was better than the one we’re at now where I know they love work and each other more than me.” She waved her hand in the air. “Ignore me. Honestly, I don’t want to talk about them anymore.”
She also didn’t want to risk tripping up to the fact she’d been telling her parents that she was staying at a friend’s. She never said that she was staying at Marie’s as she didn’t want to add another lie on top of a lie.
“I don’t mind, but you know you’re more than welcome to come and stay at my place.”
“I know.” She reached over the table, gripping her friend’s hand.
She had to be a better friend to Marie.
Marie deserved better.
“Angry bitch coming our way,” Marie said.
Spinning in her chair, Lucia saw the threat in Rachel’s eyes. Over the past couple of incidents since the whole locker drama, she’d successfully avoided the other girl. Now, that was not going to happen.
In fact, Rachel came up to her and pushed her hard.
“This is not your cafeteria. You do not get to sit here.”
The push had shoved her off the bench, and Lucia landed on her back with a hard thud. Rachel had never liked her. In fact, one of the reasons she stopped eating in the cafeteria were Rachel’s taunts about how she’d eat all the food, or that she should be banned as she made people want to vomit by looking at her ugly self.
She didn’t have time to get the upper hand as Rachel straddled her, pulling on her hair so hard that she let out a scream as Rachel landed a punch to her face.
Lucia didn’t know what was happening, and the pain exploded behind her cheek.
“This is not your place. You’re a fucking dog, you bitch.”
“Fight!”
“Fight!”
“Fight!”
“Fight!”
The sound echoed around the room, and as Rachel landed another punch, Lucia couldn’t handle it. Using all of her weight, she pushed Rachel off her, and seeing as she wasn’t holding onto anything, Rachel tripped.
Getting to her feet, Lucia stared at Rachel. She saw that Rachel’s friends were holding onto Marie.
“I thought I told you not to come to this cafeteria again.”
“You don’t own this place.”
“People like you disgust me. Your fucking fat ass on display for everyone to see.”
Her jeans were very much in place.
“What the hell is going on here?” Principal Dowed said, entering the dining room.
“She started it,” Rachel said. “She just attacked me.”
“You lying bitch,” Lucia said.
“She didn’t,” Marie said. “Rachel started it.”
No one else would come to her defense, and she saw the smirk on Rachel’s face.
“You don’t want me to phone my mom again, would you, Mr. Dowed?”
Lucia was all too aware of what happened, but she couldn’t mention that. If she even let anyone know that she knew about Jack, it would raise suspicions. Her face hurt.
“Come with me, Lucia.”
Stepping up to Rachel, she stared the popular girl down. “One day, you won’t be able to hide behind Mommy.”
She grabbed her bag and smiled at Marie.
Leaving the dining room hall, she followed Principal Dowed down the corridor.
“I will phone your parents,” he said.
“Why waste your time? Just send me home with whatever you’re going to do.”
“Sit,” he said.
She sat down on the seat outside his office, arms folded. Her cheek burned because of the punch. Using her chilly hands, she placed it against her cheek. She had been in her first fight, and she was the one that was going to pay the price and she’d not even started it.
“What the hell happened?” Jack said, rounding the corner and taking a seat beside her.
She glanced over at the receptionist, who was on the phone and not paying them any attention.
“I dared to eat in the cafeteria. Rachel took offense, and then she blamed me for starting the fight.”
He reached out as if to touch her, and she pulled away, shaking her head.
“No.” She mouthed the word, and she saw it was hard for him to ignore. His hand clenched.
“Where’s Dowed?”
“Phoning my parents. Good luck to him. This will be the first time I’ve been … suspended.”
“You won’t be suspended.”
“How did you know what happened?”
“I heard a couple of students talking about it. They didn’t know I was listening.”
The sound of footsteps drew her attention, and she was surprised to see her father heading her way.
She frowned. “Dad?”
“I came as soon as I got the call.” He moved toward her, and she stood up. He cupped her chin. “We need to get some ice on that. You started a fight.”
“No, I didn’t. I was sitting in the cafeteria, eating and talking with Marie, when Rachel started it. I promise, Dad, I didn’t.”
“I heard a couple of students talking. Lucia didn’t start anything,” Jack said.
Her heart started to pound. This was her dad and … boyfriend? Lover? She didn’t know what Jack was.
“Who are you?”
“This is Mr. Parker, Dad. He teaches English.”
Her dad shook Jack’s hand. “William Deen. Most people call me Bill.”
“I’m going to go and have a word with Dowed. He needs to know what I heard.”
Jack gave her a look, and she watched him knock on the door, and then leave.
Turning back to her father, she frowned. “What are you doing here?”
“I was working from home today. Your mother and I have been taking it in turns to be at home. You’re right. We’re not home enough, and it’s really embarrassing that I think this is the first time I’ve even entered your high school.”
“It is. You’ve not made it for any of the parent-teacher nights.”
“Excuse me,” he said, looking toward the receptionist. “Can I have an ice pack for my daughter?”
“Yes.”
The receptionist left, and they took a seat.
It felt awkward, and she glanced at him, and looked away. Jack still hadn’t come out, and she was nervous.
Did her dad suspect anything?
The receptionist returned, handing her an ice pack. Pressing it against her cheek, Lucia winced. “Do I look like a badass?”
“No, it’s not funny.”
“I’m not laughing, Dad. For a skinny chick she knows how to pack a punch.” She was trying to make light of it to help settle her nerves.
Her father was in her school.
The man she’d been sleeping with was also in the school. The two had never met before or even passed in the same circles.
She was tense, scared, relieved, sad, and all other emotions in between. She didn’t know what to do or what to say.
“I will get this matter resolved, Lucia. I promise.”
“It’s fine, Dad, honestly.”
“No. If you didn’t start that fight, I won’t have you paying the price for it. You’re a smart, considerate young woman. I believe you.”
She felt tears fill her eyes, but she quickly pushed them down as Jack and Dowed came out of the office.
“I need to speak with your father alone. Mr. Parker has brought me up to speed with what he heard, and I will speak to a couple of students. You’re not suspended, Lucia, but I think it is best that you go home for the remainder of the day.”
She nodded.
“Wait for me,” her father said.
The door closed, and she turned to Jack. “What did you say?”
“We had a few choice words. Nothing for you to worry about. So that’s your dad?”
“Yeah.”
“He’s taller and bigger than I thought he would be.”
She smiled. “I don’t know if I should be thanking you for that.”
“I guess I imagined a small man or something.”
“No. Mom’s tall as well.”
The receptionist wasn’t there anymore.
“How do I look?” she asked, removing the ice pack. “Can I join your zombie war?”
“It’s swollen and already bruising.”
“Yeah, I told Dad that Rachel packed a mean punch. She may have even been wearing rings.”
He went to touch her again, and she shook her head.
“You can’t. You shouldn’t be here.”
“I’m not going anywhere until I know you’re okay. Class be damned.”
“You love teaching.”
“Don’t care. I’m not running off. I’ll wait until your dad is out, and then I’ll return to class.”
She liked that he cared so much about her. It meant a lot to her.
“So, zombie,” he said. “You’re coming to the Halloween party?”
“Marie already asked me to go shopping and with this and Marie, I won’t be able to make it tonight.”
She saw he didn’t like it, but still he nodded. “If I have to share you with your family and friend, I will.”
“I like how you said friend.”
“Marie’s a good friend. I heard she was yelling your defense and calling Rachel and the entire hall out on her bullshit.”
“It’s a shame that it doesn’t matter now. Thank you for whatever it was you’ve said. I don’t want to get suspended. It won’t look good on college applications.”
“That’s something we’ve got to discuss,” he said.
“I’ve been trying to talk to my parents about it, but they want to talk to me about opportunities available. So far, they’ve been too busy.”
It was something she’d put off as well. With spending more time with Jack, she was able to avoid a great deal of conversations. Applying to colleges was important to her. It just hadn’t come up in conversation.
The door to the office opened.
Her father and Dowed were talking as they appeared.
When they finished, she noticed Dowed and Jack shared a look, before the other man left. She didn’t know what that was about, and from the way they were looking at each other, she didn’t want to know.
“Well, I think we should head on home for the day,” her father said. “Thank you for staying with my daughter.”
Jack and her father shook hands once again.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
With her father’s hand at her back, she followed him outside.
“I’ll follow you home. You’re good to drive?”
“Yes.” She’d left the ice pack on the bench. Climbing into her car, she headed for home.
Her dad followed her, and as she climbed out of the car, he was doing the same.
Entering her home, she felt nervous.
“Do you have any homework?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“You’re free to join me at the table.”
“What did you and Dowed talk about?” she asked, joining him.
“You and your exceptional record at school. I reminded him that you were not a troublemaker and this was your first ‘offense.’”
“Right. Am I going to school tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
“I had plans with Marie. Can I still go ahead with that?”
“I don’t know if it’s wise for you to go to that party.”
“I’d really like to go,” she said. Also, she wanted to see Jack as a zombie, which could be a lot of fun.
“I’m trying here, Lucia. You’ve got to give us a break sometime.”
She glanced down at the table.
“I know we fucked up. I get it.” This made her look up. Her father rarely cursed. “For so long we’ve been the ones our work has called on. We’ve worked our asses off to get where we are, and we know it has been at the expense of you and this, and everything. Something is going on with you. We both see it, Lucia. We’re not blind.”
“Nothing is going on.” The lie rolled off her lips, and she hated it. She didn’t like lying.
“You’re lying. I know you are. Is it a boy?”
“Dad, I’m just … you’ve not been home all the time, and I’ve been doing other stuff. Nothing is going on.”
“We trust you, Lucia, to make the right decisions.”
“That fight today wasn’t my fault.”
“I know. I know. You can talk to us about anything. You know that, right?”
She sat back, arms folded, and looked at him. “I don’t know what you want me to say.”
“I’m sorry,” her father said. “I had the restaurant booked, and I was even leaving the office when I got called back in. Your mother texted to let me know she was just running behind.”
“I get it, Dad. I do.”
“No, we wanted to be there for you. We want to be here for you. We know you’re going through a lot right now. It’s your senior year. We went through that as well. You’re doing amazingly well. You’re a good girl, and we want what’s best for you. We’ve sucked. We get that.”
“Then where is Mom?” she asked.
“I told you. Dividing our time between work and home. We’re trying, Lucia. You’ve always told us, and we’ve always treated you as an adult. Adults would meet halfway. They wouldn’t hold grudges or avoid the problem. They face it, head on. Stop acting like a child or we will impose a curfew and anymore sleepovers will cease. We are your parents, and we can do that.”
She stared at him, seeing that he meant business.
Being mad at him was exhausting.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m not a child though.”
He held his hand out, and she placed hers inside his. Her father was a large man, kind of scary to a lot of people, but she adored him.
She loved both of her parents, which was why it hurt a lot that they didn’t seem to care about her all the time.
“Now, was that so hard?”
Lucia smiled but shook her head.
“See, we can make this work.”
“You promise?” she asked.
“Yes. I’m a believer in conversation and talking through our troubles.” He gave her hand a squeeze. “I know this has been hard for you, but we’re here, and you won’t be alone anymore.”
“Okay.”
“Now, get your homework done. I’ll organize dinner.”
She worked on her homework as her father cooked. Her mother arrived before six o’clock, and Lucia was further surprised when her mother showed concern over her eye.
“Does it hurt?”
“It stings, but it’ll go with my Halloween look. I’ll scare off a few kids.”
Her mother kissed her other cheek. “I hate seeing you hurt like this. I should call that girl’s parents.”
“They’re not good people, Mom.”
“I don’t care. I’m not afraid. The only power people have, honey, is the power you give them. Don’t ever let anyone scare you like that.”
Then her mother shocked her again.
She pulled her into a hug and held her tightly.
Lucia couldn’t remember the last time her mother hugged her or even showed any real concern for her. It was … weird but good.
She held her mother, closing her eyes as she did so.
Maybe it was going to be all right.