The photo must have sparked the same memory for Tyke because he hooks his pinky around mine. My heart thunders in my chest at the feel of our skin connecting. This is completely inappropriate, but I don’t care. This small touch is already sending my body into overdrive.
This small touch is so comforting, knowing that he’s thinking about me, too.
As quickly as the moment comes, it fades away when Wayne leads the group onto the next painting, and Tyke releases me.
The rest of the tour goes on much the same—simple touches when we’re sure no one is looking. I’ll admit there’s a certain adventure in our little game, dangerous yet thrilling, but it’s making me all the more anxious to have Tyke again. By the end of the exhibit, I’m so turned on it’s hard for me to see straight.
Tyke must feel the same way because he leans in and whispers, “I have to have you.”
My knees nearly buckle as the urge to drag him into the nearest secluded corner and allow him to have his way with me hits.
“Can you meet me by the fountain?” he asks and I nod.
The entire trip back to Serenity, my body is ablaze with anticipation. Knowing I’m going to have Tyke again is making me embarrassingly wet. We sit next to each other but have to refrain from doing anything that would give us away. Josie could turn around any moment, or Randall could glance up in the rearview mirror at the wrong time, and we’d be so busted. Not to mention the fact that I have Arnold squished next to me, on the other side.
“What was your favorite exhibit?” Randal asks openly to anyone who wants to answer.
“The picture of the people fucking,” one of the male clients shouts from the back. “That shit was hot.”
Tyke and I look at one another and burst out laughing, knowing that was the very painting that got us turned on.
Finally, we make it back to the facility, all piling out and saying our goodbyes as everyone heads to their rooms to rest up before dinner. Tyke and I walk far enough apart so as not to draw suspicion, but each of us knows what lies in wait for us.
I make it back to the cottage and practically run into my bathroom to freshen up. I shove my hair into a cap and jump into the shower, quickly scrubbing every inch of me down before running a razor over my legs and nether regions.
After I’m dressed in a sundress, I head to the fountain, the crisp evening air caressing my freshly washed skin and jolting every nerve in me awake as I sit down on a bench and wait for Tyke.
I casually flip through the book I brought with me to look busy as I wait. It doesn’t take long before I see Tyke making his way down the path.
He grins the moment he spots me, but looks around cautiously before rushing down and scooping me up in his arms. “God. You don’t know how hard today was, not being able to hold you.”
I wrap my arms over his shoulders and toy with the hair on the nape of his neck. “I think I have a pretty good idea.”
He crushes his lips to mine and then sets me down. “Come on. I made sure I wasn’t followed, but we won’t have much time.”
He begins to pull me into the woods, but the idea of being out in the open again scares me. We got lucky last time. I think it’s better if we don’t push our luck.
I pull back on his arm and he turns to me, a perplexed expression on his face. “What’s wrong?”
I tip my head toward the cottage. “This one’s mine. I think it would be much more private.”
He glances around and then smiles. “Lead the way.”
Quickly, I sneak him inside. Once the door is shut, he shoves me up against it and attacks my mouth with his. As much as I would love to take our time and savor every moment of our passion, we both know time isn’t on our side.
I wrap my arms around his neck, and he pushes my sundress up around my waist before picking me up, my legs wrapping around him, as he presses his thick erection against me. I writhe against it, hungry for him to be inside me.
When he walks us over to the bed, he lays me down and slowly slides my dress up my body while kissing a path up my torso. Once he gets to my breasts, he pulls back and removes my dress completely.
“No bra or panties this time?” he teases.
“I figured they would only get in the way.” I grin at him and then my eyes trail down his body. “You’re still completely dressed. I don’t think that’s fair.”
He laughs and grabs the back of his shirt, yanking it over his head in that sexy way that guys do, completely ruffling his hair up in the process.
My eyes travel down his toned body and take a moment to appreciate all the artwork etched into his skin. Tyke Douglas is most definitely a tasty treat.
Tyke drops his gray shirt on the floor and raises one eyebrow while he grins at me wickedly. “Better?”
I lick my lips and scoot to the end of the bed. “Much.”
I quickly unbutton and unzip his jeans, shoving them, along with his boxer briefs down around his narrow hips. His cock springs free and I take a moment to trail my tongue down one side of his “V” before continuing my path down his shaft.
I wrap my lips around the tip of him, and he groans. “Holy fuck.”
Dirty talk from Tyke is encouraging. It pushes me to keep going because I’m obviously pleasing him.
I wrap my fingers around his shaft and tug in rhythm while I work him deeper into my mouth. His breathing becomes ragged, and he tangles his fingers in my thick hair. I’ve never claimed to be an expert at giving head, but I feel pretty damn proud at how much he’s enjoying this.
Pre-come drips onto my tongue, and I taste the saltiness of his excitement, so I begin to slow my movements. I pull away and stare up at him. His green eyes are lust filled as he strokes the side of my face with his thumb.
I grab his arm and tug him onto the bed with me. Tyke kicks his clothes the rest of the way off and I straddle him, his erect cock, still slick with my saliva, glides against my folds as my hips grind into him, the tip of his cock hitting my clit as I work. I close my eyes and lean back, cupping my own breasts as I get lost seeking my own pleasure.
My arousal coats him, and I quicken my pace. Tyke’s gaze never leaves me as the familiar tingle of bliss tears through my body and Tyke squeezes my hips as he watches me come apart on top of him.
“Jesus, I nearly came just watching that,” he says as he leans up and presses his lips to mine. “You are too fucking sexy for your own good.”
Before I have a chance to respond, he flips me onto my back and covers my body with his own. He trails a path of kisses across my jaw and then whispers in my ear, “I can’t wait to be inside you again.”
I wrap my legs around his waist and his cock presses against my entrance. “I want you there.”
With one swift thrust, he’s inside me. He stays still for a moment and allows my body to stretch around him, but then begins to move at a deliciously slow pace.
“Heaven. Even better than I remembered,” he says with a raspy tone in his voice.
Each time he pulls out and pushes back inside, his pelvis makes contact with my clit. I spread my legs wider and grab his ass, attempting to control his rhythm.
“You like that?” he murmurs as my fingers dig into his backside.
“Ohhh, yeah,” I whimper.
I should be embarrassed. I’m sure I sounded like some cheap porn star just then, but the truth is, I’m enjoying what he’s doing and I don’t want him to stop.
“You want it harder?” he asks and then gives me one hard thrust. “Huh?”
“Oh, God.” I pant as every nerve ending in my body ignites.
“That’s it, baby. Come for me again.”
With that vocal cue, I lose all control. My body jerks as I come for the second time, and my vision goes dark from the intensity.
The moment I come back to my senses, I freeze. “Hold on.”
I reach into my nightstand and unearth the emergency stash of condoms I bought when I made a run to the store last week. After the randomness of the woods, I wanted
to be prepared if there was ever a next time with Tyke, even as much as I was trying to fight it.
He simply stares at me, and I shrug. “I got them just in case we ever happened again.”
He nods. “Smart thinking, considering I can’t leave this place to get them.”
The foil crinkles in my hands as I tear the package open. Tyke leans back, pulling himself out of me so I can roll the condom onto him.
Once it’s on, Tyke settles back on his forearms and his cock slides back into me with ease. Now that we know we’re protected, he begins pounding into me at full speed, sweat slicking his back as his muscles work to find their own release.
It doesn’t take long before his movements become more rigid and a deep moan rips out of his throat as he comes hard. I stare in amazement as this beautiful man gets off on the pleasure of my body.
Small tremors shake through his body before he sighs and then opens his eyes to gaze upon my face.
“Fucking beautiful,” Tyke says, leaning down and crushing his lips to mine. “You’re never more breathtaking then when you completely let go.”
I smile up at him lazily as I reach up and push his hair back from his face. “You’re the one who’s beautiful—inside and out.”
This time, it’s Tyke who blushes, leaning in and kissing me again. “How did I ever get so lucky as to find you?”
I toy with his hair. “I don’t think luck had anything to do with it. A string of bad choices brought us to rock bottom, and then finally getting our shit straight brought us to one another.”
He smiles. “Like fate?”
I bite my lip and think about how I’ve always laughed of the idea of fate being real, but in this instance, it seems very fitting. “Like fate,” I agree.
After we cuddle for a few more moments, we quickly work on cleaning ourselves up before we have to go face everyone at dinner. Tyke leaves the cottage first as soon as he’s sure no one is around, and then about fifteen minutes later, I make my way toward the main house.
“Hey, Frannie,” Kimmy calls from behind me, making me jump.
I rub the back of my neck. “Oh hey, Kimmy. I didn’t see you there.”
She laughs next to me. “No, I’m guessing your mind is elsewhere after having Tyke Douglas in your cottage.”
The blood instantly drains from my face and my heart pauses for a beat.
Oh shit!
Kimmy nudges me and laughs. “Girl, don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me. I won’t say a word to anyone.”
“Kimmy...I...” I scrub my hand across my forehead, completely lost for words.
“Relax, Frannie. If it were me in your position, I’d pounce on him, too. He’s so sexy.” She grins. “So tell me, is it just sex between you two, or what?”
I bite my lip. “I’m not sure. I don’t think so. When we’re together it feels right, and that scares me.”
Her brow furrows. “Why?”
I pull my lips into a tight line. “I’ve never been in a real relationship before, and I have no clue what in the hell I’m doing.”
She laughs. “First of all, you’ve got to be doing something right. I’ve seen the way he looks at you when he thinks no one is watching. He’s crazy about you. And secondly, just be yourself. The best relationships are the natural ones.”
I give her a small smile. “How’d you get so wise?”
She shrugs. “I’ve got five siblings, and I’m the oldest. They all come to me for advice.”
“If the design thing doesn’t work out, you should think about going into counseling,” I tell her.
When we make it to the main house, I tell Kimmy that I’ll see her later, needing space to freak out about the fact that our secret isn’t so secret anymore. I make my way into my office and sit at my desk before firing up my laptop. I quickly type my passwords in and log into my email, needing to focus on something else before I have a complete anxiety attack.
The first few are spam emails but then one catches my attention. The subject line reads: I have something you’ll want to see. It’s from an anonymous sender, which is even more puzzling.
I debate leaving it alone, worried that it’s one of those crazy virus emails with a link inside that will crash your computer, but then decide to at least open it.
Dr. Mead,
I have something you’ll want to see. Tell me if this is you and a certain rocker in this video. If you don’t want this to go viral, you’ll email me back asking for my demands.
Sincerely,
A Concerned Citizen
My eyes widen as I make it through the email and then I quickly reread the text before my eyes see the thumbnail of the attachment.
Oh—my—fucking—God.
No.
NO!
This cannot be happening to me.
I click play on the video as my heart races and turn down the volume on my computer. The shaky camera focuses on Tyke and I in the woods, catching the moment when I practically beg Tyke to fuck me.
The camera stays on us as he thrusts into me and I beg him to fuck me harder. I watch in horror as I writhe against the rock as I come, and then it shows where he shoots part of his load inside me and then pulls out.
The video stops and the breath I’ve been holding whooshes out of me. What in the hell am I going to do?
One thing is for sure, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep that video from going out to the world.
I square my shoulders and fire back a reply.
What do you want?
And now I wait.
Chapter 12
“No Matter What” – Papa Roach
Tyke Frannie is unusually quiet at dinner. I try, subtly, to catch her eye when no one is looking to make sure she’s okay, but she won’t even look in my direction.
I lean back in my chair, perplexed about the entire situation. I thought we finally had things worked out—that we were going to give “us” a shot—why won’t she look at me?
“Since we’ve all had a long day, I think it would be nice to have an evening off. Group therapy is cancelled for this evening, but I highly encourage you to use the time for personal refection,” Dr. Shepherd informs the group after we finish dinner.
The room begins to buzz as everyone considers having time on their own. Most of them discuss getting a card game together in the recreation room. Another client asks me to join, but I politely refuse because the only thing on my mind is finding out what’s bothering Frannie.
The moment she gets up from the table, I follow her. “Dr. Mead? Can I have a moment of your time?”
I’m careful to address her properly in front of everyone as to not raise suspicions. No one pays much mind when she instructs me to follow her to her office.
Once we’re alone she closes the door and then turns to me, tears streaming down her face. I quickly cross the room and wrap my arms around her in an attempt to comfort her.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
She sniffs. “People know about us, Tyke.”
My breath catches as I pull back from her so I can see her face. “Who?”
“Kimmy saw us go into my cottage together earlier today, but she swore she wouldn’t tell anyone.”
I furrow my brow. “Do you trust her?”
Frannie shrugs. “I don’t know. I think so. Gah! I’m not sure because when I checked my email today I got this.”
She walks over to her laptop and shows me the email she received.
My eyes hone in on the video and my hands begin to shake as anger washes through me. “Is that what I think it is?”
She nods. “It’s us in the woods. Someone filmed us, Tyke. What are we going to do? If this gets out not only will I lose my job, but the press will know all about you coming to rehab.”
I scrub my hand down my face. “I couldn’t give two shits about my reputation, Frannie. It’s you I’m worried about. I know how much this job means to you.”
I sigh. She’ll be so screwed if this gets back to Dr. Shepherd
. As much as I want to run out there and threaten bodily harm to each and every person here to make them confess, I know I can’t do that. I have to keep my cool and figure out whatever this sick fuck wants.
“Did you reply to this?” I ask.
“Yes. I haven’t heard back though.”
I thread my fingers behind my head and stare up at the ceiling in attempt to keep my cool. “I want to kill them. I want to beat the shit out of whoever did this. They’ve got some fucking balls.”
Frannie grabs the hem of my T-shirt. “I know exactly how you feel. I’m beyond pissed—and scared—but we can’t lose our heads. We have to be smart about this. They can ruin everything with a few clicks of a button.”
She’s right. Another media scene portraying Black Falcon in a negative light would probably push Riff over the edge. He’s pissed at me enough already.
Even though I couldn’t give a fuck if people saw another sex tape of me, knowing the world was able to see that private moment shared between Frannie and me makes me sick to my very core. I want that look in her eyes when she comes to only be mine. I don’t want to share that part of her with the rest of the world.
I take a deep breath and try to relax my shoulders. “Can you forward me this email? If they respond, send it to me immediately so we can figure this out together. Okay?”
She stares up at me with tears in her blue eyes. “Okay.”
I lean over her desk and write my email address on a Post-it note. I hand her the paper. “I mean it. We’re in this together. I’m not going to let anything bad happen to you.”
I pull her to my chest and hold her in my arms. I know she feels lost without her twin, but I want her to know that she doesn’t have to feel so lonely anymore because she has me. I’ll be there for her.
Chapter 13
“I Write Sins Not Tragedies” – Panic At the Disco
Frannie It’s been five days since I replied to my blackmailer and still haven’t received any word back. Every day that I sit here in this place, I grow more and more paranoid. I’m driving myself batty analyzing every single thing that every single person does here. Any one of them could have sent that email, and I’m determined to find out who in the hell is fucking with me.