CHAPTER 12: THE MORNING AFTER

L ISA WOKE TO muted sunlight streaming across her face. Gradually, she opened one of her eyes and tried to stretch, groggily attempting to make sense of where she was and what happened. With a wince, she felt her hands bound behind her back and rolled to the side, blinking at her surroundings. She was laying on a cold dirty cement floor in some place that smelled like oil and steel. With a push, she managed to get herself in a sitting position, her neck stiff and sore from the floor.

"What a bitch, huh?"

Lisa turned and noticed her roommate Valerie sitting against the wall in shadows. She too was bound and dirty. Clearing her dry throat and licking her lips, the dark-haired girl croaked out a few words.

"Wh..what happened?"

Valerie's face was dark so Lisa couldn't see it very clearly. They appeared to be in a large storeroom, the walls rising high above them. Dirty windows far up allowed the morning sun to bleakly shine in the room. It was empty save for a few cots and chairs and a big bucket in the corner. The heavy steel door against one wall was the only exit. Valerie's voice slightly echoed in the room.

"Teddy sold us both out to that fucking psycho, Cirra. They knocked me out right after we got inside the club. Don't you remember?"

Lisa's mind tried to replay the events of the following evening but couldn't put all the pieces together. The last thing she remembered was getting out of a van someplace and going into some building with music, a club she supposed. That was it, she couldn't really remember much more than that.

"Wait...what do you mean Teddy sold us out...where are we and what's going on?"

She heard Val chuckle as the girl struggled to her feet and began to pace around the storeroom, her anger seething.

"That fuck Teddy...he's so pussy-whipped. We're fucking in some goddamned place because of that blond bitch. She's gonna fuck us over."

The words coming from Valerie told Lisa that this was not a good situation, not good at all. She didn't remember any blond...

"Hold on..Cirra? I sorta remember that..is that who did this to us?

Valerie paused as she kicked at one of the seats, her booted foot sending the metal folding chair clattering to the ground. Her hands were bound behind her back and she struggled in vain to get out of them. She knew she was fucked. She gambled and lost. Hell, she was lucky to still be alive. As long as Lisa was still oblivious though, she might have some leverage left. All she knew is that she was not going to fucking get shipped who the fuck knew where for who the fuck knew what. Fuck!

"Yeah, she's the one. She's completely insane. Listen, if anyone comes in here, you let me do the talking, I'll get us out of here."

Lisa scooted herself over and leaned against the wall and rested her head back against the wall. She was parched and dying for cold water. Her head was throbbing something fierce and Valerie's voice echoing in this room was not helping. Looking down, she noticed she had lost a shoe. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, desperately wishing she could remember what happened last night. With a quiet voice, she spoke.

"We're in big trouble, aren't we?"

Valerie stopped pacing and looked over at the dark-haired girl, one tiny little tinge of regret before her instinct to save her own ass kicked in. Sitting down on one of the wooden benches, she shook her head.

"Yeah, but I'll take care of it. Trust me."

Lisa swallowed and nodded, willing her body to feel one iota better than it did now. 'Think good thoughts, it helps you forget the bad'. That's what her sister had always told her. Vaguely, Lisa remembered thinking about Mariel last night, picturing her or dreaming about her or something. She decided that she needed to think about that right now and wish more than ever that she hadn't been so stupid. Her last conversation with Mariel had been on the phone right before Lisa left home. Her sister had encouraged her to get her GED, to make something of herself. Lisa had argued, too selfish to admit she needed Mariel's support and too angry at her life to work at it. So many times she had wished she'd simply called home or called Mariel. It seemed that the more time went by, the more distance grew between them. She never got a chance to say goodbye. Taking a deep breath as a tear ran down her cheek, Lisa sniffled. 'Think good thoughts'. So the dark haired girl thought about how Mariel was now and what she might be doing.

Valerie swallowed and looked around the storeroom. With Lisa off in her own world, she suddenly became acutely aware of her body. A slight sheen of sweat broke out on her brow despite the chill in this building. She knew what the fuck she needed. Dammit, the last time was right before they left Teddy's places. This was not good at all. Fuck.

* * *

"You are magnificent."

Ari's rumbling voice spoke, the morning light shining through the penthouse windows. The room was bright and cheery, despite the dark occupants, and the view overlooking the lake on one side and the city on the other was breathtaking. They were at his place, the cozy top floor suite of the round thirty-two floor highrise building was all his. Crystal clear windows surrounded the entire place, light sheer curtains half-drawn. Ari smiled, looking up at the blond skillfully riding his muscled body.

"That's true, I'm such a good fuck, aren't I?"

Cirra's voice was playfully rough, her lithe body moving up and down sensuously. Her hands were resting on Ari's well-toned chest, fingers tangling slightly in the dark hair covering it. Blond hair was wild and her breasts moved in time to her hips, the creamy white mounds swaying perfectly. Ari's hands were planted firmly on her waist, pulling her down on him and groaning at her movements.

"That you are, Cirra. I knew the first time I saw you you'd be a wildcat in bed..."

Cirra threw her head back and laughed, her fingernails scraping against his chest, scratching him before she leaned back and her hands came to rest behind her on the top of his muscled thighs. Her hips never stopped their rhythm, her body taking in his length with slippery ease. Slowing down, she brought her brown eyes to lock into his and smiled a wicked smile.

"You like this, don't you, Ari?"

He chuckled, his chin raising a bit as his head went back into the silk pillows. Licking his lips, he gave a shrug of his head and replied in a deep voice.

"I like it as much as you do, Cirra."

With that, his biceps bulged as he pulled her body down on him harder, grinding his hips into her. He could feel her body clamp down on him and he groaned, her wet warmth squeezing against him. Cirra's eyes sparkled as she moved against him, her words spoken in a pleased voice.

"I'd call it a mutually satisfying relationship, wouldn't you?"

At that, Cirra leaned forward and put her hands on the bed at the side of the dark curls adorning Ari's head. She began to lift her body faster, pressing hard against him and pulling back as she looked down into his dark eyes. A slow smile eased across her lips as her breasts heaved in time to her hips. In the morning sun, their primal sounds filled the lavish penthouse.

Ari's jaw clenched as he felt her slide over him. With a growl, he muscled his strong body up and turned them over, pressing Cirra's back down into the spot against the sheets he had once occupied, never losing contact between them. He felt the blond's hands reach down and grab him, pulling his hips into her with intensity as her legs curled around his. He shook his head, his sweat dampened hair sticking against the side of his face. With a growl, he pressed hard into Cirra.

"Just remember our deal, Cirra. It's only a matter of time before she finds you."

Cirra's controlled pant turned into a breathless smile as her eyes narrowed. Her fingernails dug into his skin as she felt his thick length slide into her. She had to give Ari credit. He fucked as good as he looked. But Ari Warinopolis was her ticket to vengeance. With a push of her own hips, she spoke harshly.

"Oh, I'm counting on it. You'll get what you want and I'll get what I want."

Ari reached one hand and tangled it into Cirra's blond hair while the other arm held him above her. Roughly, he thrust into her, her slim body taking his with ease. He never trusted Cirra despite her being one of his most productive business associates. Oh, but she was good. And ruthless.

And uncontrollable.

"Don't try to fuck me on this, Cirra."

The blond laughed as she arched her body up against him, her firm nipples pressing into his dark hairy chest as her arms went around his neck. Letting her lips find his ear, Cirra spoke into it with a seductive tease.

"What? You don't like how I fuck, Ari? I'm insulted."

He closed his eyes as Cirra's legs bent up and wrapped around his muscled buttocks, pulling him into her while her body began tightening around his length, wetly squeezing and clutching. With a growl, he shoved her back down into the bed and let his weight fall on hers as his hips moved faster. Forcefully, he moved against her while he ground out his words.

"And I'm tired of talking."

Outside, clouds drifted across the October sky, the Chicago skyline shadowed in random patches of dark and light. The traffic on Lake Shore Drive below them began to pick up as the business commuters made their way to work. The lake was blue and frothy as the ever-present wind whipped across its surface. With a groan, Ari thrust one last time before he spilled into Cirra Callistone's arching body, her deep sigh the only indication of her pleasure.

* * *

The summer trip to camp, the one in Ohio where they roomed together in a cabin full of other giggling 10 year old girls. It was one Lisa's favorite times. For a week in July, she and Mariel left their sometimes lonely farm in Indiana and went to girls' camp at Lake Laurel. Tucked away in some woods, it was a chance for them to run and play with other girls their age, something they only got to do during the school year. It had been a blast. Canoeing, swimming, roasting marshmallows, singing. It was there that Lisa smiled with pride when Mariel discovered she had a knack for telling stories, ghost stories around the campfire or funny little tales of monsters and heroes. Every night in their cabin, the other girls would beg Mariel to tell a story and Lisa felt a sense of pride knowing it was her sister that everyone wanted to know. That made her someone they wanted to know as well, simply by relation.

Lisa was smiling before a harsh scrap of metal against cement startled her. Opening her eyes, she watched as two guys she didn't recognize came into the room, one holding a tray of food and drink, the other one carrying a blue tackle box. Valerie jumped up from her chair and got in the shorter one's face.

"Where the fuck is Teddy. Get him in here now!"

The muscled leather man simply shoved her back and locked the door behind him as he and his friend made their way into the storeroom. As the tall dark-haired man set the tray down, the shorter one pointed over at Lisa.

"You'll want to eat and drink at some point, I'm sure."

Lisa looked at him and stood, her back still against the wall. With an angry voice, she spoke.

"Who are you and why are you doing this? Let us go...we haven't done anything to you."

The two men exchanged amused looks before the taller one crossed his arms over his bulky chest and spoke, his voice caustic.

"Would you listen to that, Adam. She wants us to let her go. What'dya think? Should we?"

Valerie stepped back and stood next to Lisa, warily eyeing the men and the tackle box the short guy, Adam was still carrying. The two girls watched as he walked over and sat down on one of the benches and took off his leather jacket, revealing a tight muscle shirt under it. He laughed as he opened the box.

"Oh, I'm sure Cirra would agree. After all, she's pretty easy-going, right, Bud?"

Both men laughed as Lisa and Val looked at each other. Lisa's eyes got wide as the tall one named Bud came over to her and grabbed her roughly, bringing her over to the bench.

"Hey! What are you doing?"

Her voice was desperate as her eyes fell on the contents of the tackle box. Reaching in, Adam took out a syringe, uncorking the needle before laying it on the bench. With a shrug of his shoulder, he nodded and spoke.

"Get her ready."

Lisa looked on in horror as the shorter man began to prepare, extracting a spoon and a small blowtorch. She felt the binds at her wrist loosen as Bud untied her and began to roughly pull off her jacket. She tried to struggle but his beefy arm wrapped around her neck as he pulled up the sleeve of her shirt, exposing her arm and holding it out tightly.

Valerie looked on, now completely understanding what was going on. Her body began to shake at the thought that she'd get a chance to feed her own habit. She licked her lips and moved forward slightly. She was starting to come down hard and it was making things unbearable. Val had mostly hidden her addiction from her roommate, holing up in her room or going over to someone's house. All she knew was that another hit was in sight and that would help her figure out how she was going to get her ass out of this fucking nightmare before Cirra came back. Lisa was on her own.

"Noo...please don't."

Lisa's voice begged as she realized what was going to happen. It did no good. Adam stood and tied the bind from her wrist around her upper arm. He smiled cruelly at her and he tapped his finger against the skin of her arm where it creased, searching for her vein.

"Trust me, sweetheart, where you're going, you'll be glad we started with this. You won't feel a thing and they'll keep you on it as long as you work out for them. Don't fight it."

Lisa struggled one more time, attempting to kick until the taller man holding her wrapped one of his legs around hers and kept her completely still. Never before had she wished for something as much as she wished for someone, Mariel, her mom and dad, anyone to rescue her. She gritted her teeth and closed her eyes when she saw the needle approaching. The prick against her skin made her cry out before she felt a warmth flood into her arm, the binding released. Her body relaxed as Bud picked her up and took her over to one of the dirty cots, setting her down on the edge. All she could concentrate on was the pulsating rush moving through her body as she sat silently.

Valerie jealously watched as her roommate was given a smooth hit of heroin. Sweat was now pouring down the side of her face, her crew cut damp from it. Shaking, she went over to where the two men were putting away their tools and preparing to leave.

"Hey, wait...what about me? I need a quick one.."

Adam turned to her and smiled, snapping shut the tackle box. He cocked his head and grinned down at her before they moved towards the door.

"None for you. Cirra's orders. She said she wanted you high and dry for your trip."

Valerie's eyes looked back in horror. With her hands still bound behind her back, she ran over to the guys and pleaded up to them as they began to unlock the door.

"You can't do this! Doesn't she know I need it?"

Adam turned again, his eyes cruel as his smile faded. He and Bud were some of Cirra's most loyal, serving her for years. Part of her coldness had long ago seeped into them and now they no longer felt anything either. Looking at the girl who tried to double-cross their boss, he shoved her back and spoke harshly.

"Of course she knows you need it, you bitch. That's why she's not giving it to you. She wants you to enjoy your misery in all its glory."

Valerie looked on desperately, the thought of going sober at this point was terrifying. Her body was too far gone for that to be anything but one big fucking nightmare. Just before the door closed, Adam's head peeked back in and he smiled.

"Oh, and she wanted me to tell you that you're headed for Marakesh."

With that, the big steel door shut and locked. Valerie stumbled back against the cold steel wall. The Middle-East. She had heard horror stories about what happened to girls over there, the ones Cirra sent to Marakesh and Shiraz. If her drug withdrawal didn't kill her, where she was going would. Either way, it would be slow and painful if she didn't get out.

"Fuck me."

Date: 2015-12-17; view: 480