Caught in the Devil's Sheets (48 page)

“Just for me,” I see him mouth the words with a smile behind them.

I nod.

The flash goes off, and I try to look at him seductively, pushing my breasts out like I imagine a model would in this position. He makes his way around me, snapping more photos as he goes. Finally, he puts the camera down and comes back to bed. He lifts me by my hips, carefully placing himself underneath me so that I am straddling him once more. I rock back and forth, his cock sliding over the lips between my thighs before I finally mount him. His head jerks back and his eyes close as he moans. His hands make their way to my hips and he glides me up and down, back and forth, moving his hips beneath me so that he slides deep inside me. My arms are helplessly strung up above me and Odin reaches up to play with my breast.

I move my hips faster, coming down on him harder, and he growls, his grip on my hips tightening. He bucks his hips beneath me, and his cock rubs me inside, massaging my tenderness. I moan wildly, as his hand moves from my breast, down my torso and tucks between his pelvis and mine. His thumb begins toying with me, smoothing over me and making my body jerk in pleasure.

I love you so much Odin Swift. If you only knew
, I think to myself. I’m so wet, and his cock easily slides deeper and deeper until I’m screaming, it feels so good! His thumb moves faster and I rock my hips, grinding against him. Odin is panting beneath me, moaning hoarsely as he pushes his hips upward, burying himself in me. I feel myself tightening around him. When I do, it pushes my nerves against his cock that moves swiftly in and out.

“Baby, I want you!” I cry out, begging for release.

His thumb presses into me harder and my muscles start flexing at their own will while still his cock impales me. My mind is completely lost in the intense sensation that consumes my entire body. He doesn’t let up, his thumb moves faster, and he pushes into me deeper.

“I want you to cum, Lila! You’re so tight when you cum!” he says, and his words send me into a familiar spiral of pure, intoxicating pleasure.

My toes curl and I give into him, tightening, and squeezing him inside me.

“Fuuuuuck Baby!!!” he yells, and I feel him filling me.

He bucks into me so hard, that my tits are bouncing, and I scream and moan in pleasure. His thumb holds me in a spellbinding orgasm where there is only him, and nothing else matters.

A long hollow moan escapes him, vibrating his whole body as we climax long and hard together. Odin’s head lifts off the bed, all the muscles in his chest straining, and his thumb moves furiously over me. I shut my eyes tight, holding on to every last second, until I am too sensitive to bear any more.

Odin’s head hits the pillow with a loud thud. He lies back, panting aimlessly as do I, my arms still suspended above me. My breasts lift with every deep breath I take. After a few moments, he moves out from under me and unties me. Then he takes me down to the bed and wraps his arms and legs around me, encasing me. My face is pressed against his bare chest. He’s moist with sweat and he smells like 100% hardworking man, a scent I would like to fuck every night countless times. We are both panting. I look up at him, and he tilts his chin down so our lips meet. Our tongues dance together like lovers. His fingers weave through my hair. Our lips close meeting in a sweet kiss, followed by another, and another. Then I return my face to his chest, needing to breathe. Odin caresses my side, moving his hand up and down over my hip.

“Odin,” I start, trying to find the courage to get out what I need to say.

“Yeah, baby?” he whispers.

I scramble to think of something else to say, but then my body is so disorientated that it slips out with unexpected ease. “I love you.” There it is. My heart stops as I await his response.

He pulls his head back, then looks down at me. I meet his gaze, not shying away from my words.

“What?” He looks bewildered.

“I love you,” I repeat, staring him straight in the eye.

His lips seal over mine, passionately he pulls me into him, kissing me. He doesn’t say it back, but he doesn’t have to. I can feel it in his touch, in the way he makes love to me again. This time, mounting me and pulling my legs around him. His lips never leave mine the entire time. My back moves up and down on the mattress. My feet lock behind his back and I wrap my arms around his back, gently caressing his shoulders in my hands. My biggest fear was that he wouldn’t say it back. But now it hardly matters. This is his way of reciprocating. He loves me or he wouldn’t be bringing me here, back to this heightened state of ecstasy that only he can bring me to.

Chapter 35
Burn

Odin kisses me early in the morning, on his way out the door. It’s still dark when he leaves me in his bed. I wish so badly that he didn’t have to go. I say a silent prayer that he will come home to me safe before I drift back to sleep, clinging to his pillow and his scent.

When I awake again, it’s light out. I lie in Odin’s bed, listening to the sound of the birds in the woods outside. I wish he was here. Without him, I don’t even want to get out of bed. I have little desire to spend a weekend alone. Odin won’t likely be back until Friday, just in time for us to spend next weekend together. I get up and wrap his sheet around me, heading downstairs. I get into my suitcase that is still by the door and fish out fresh clothes. I decide not to shower, happy to let his scent linger on me for as long as I can. This gives me an idea. I steal a pillow off his bed and pull my suitcase back into the Mustang, heading home.

My phone is almost dead, but I check my message from Odin. {Good morning Beautiful. What did I do to get so lucky?}- Odin.

I smile just as my phone dies. Odin had gotten me a gift certificate for the Mila’s Day Spa, and I decide to go get pampered to pass the time instead of sitting at home. Mila’s is a very rich and extravagant spa, and I feel like I hardly belong here as I set my tattooed feet into a foot bath aside some of the most well-to-do women in Santa Monica. I relax while a very polite Asian girl scrubs and massages at my feet. There is enough on my gift card to buy me any treatment I want, so I decide on a light green pedicure and then go for a full body skin treatment that leaves me silky and smelling like oatmeal. I’ll have to add this to the list of things Odin does that makes me feel special the next time I see Dr. Burkhart.

I finally get home, and pull my suitcase in. I have finally gotten used to this big empty house, although I have never been one to spend much time at home. Working through the week and staying at Odin’s on the weekends has really passed my summer away. I drag myself into my room and plug my phone in, admiring my beautiful furniture that I have finally gotten used to having.

I pretty much waste away my weekend, smoking bowls, laying out in the backyard, and I even get enough things in the driveway Sunday morning to have a little yard sale. Jeff stops by. He and I haven’t talked much since I started dating Odin. He parks his bike and strolls up the driveway.

“How much for the cookie jar?” He holds up a cookie jar shaped like Betty Boop riding a Harley Davidson.

“For you? A hundred dollars!” I tease him, happy to see that I get a smile out of him.

“Sold!” Jeff smiles as he approaches me, still holding the cookie jar.

I miss his red hair and his freckled face, cracking jokes constantly. I started to resent him when he and Jaime were just getting high all the time, but Jeff was one of my first friends in the club and the best man at mine and Jaime’s wedding.

“You planning on moving?” he asks.

“When Jaime gets out, we’re selling the house. No one really needs multiple cookie jars anyway.”

“Yeah, I’m supposed to go pick him up when they release him,” Jeff has a smile on his face.

I’m sure he’s happy to have his buddy back. “I heard he’s getting released early,” I tell Jeff.

“I heard there’s a chance he’ll get out tonight or early tomorrow morning.”

The news catches me off guard, but I smile at Jeff. I don’t want him to think I’m not happy for Jaime. I’m glad he’s getting out, I just don’t want to have to start seeing him all the time. I can’t help but think that if Odin knew Jaime was getting out, he wouldn’t have gone out of town.

“So seriously, how much?” Jeff holds up the cookie jar.

“It’s yours.” I wink at him.

He gives me a hug for old time’s sake, and I’m glad. He makes me feel like I’m still very much a part of the family that is the Devil’s Bandits.

“It’s good seeing you Lila,” he whispers.

“You, too, Jeff. Don’t be a stranger.”

He puts the cookie jar in a saddle bag on his bike and I watch as he pulls off my street. The news that Jaime will be out of jail tonight sinks in, and I can’t hide my anxiety. I take my phone out of my pocket and call Odin.

“Hey, babe. It’s kind of a bad time. What’s up?” Odin’s voice is rushed.

“I just bumped into Jeff, he said Jaime is getting out tonight.”

“Son of a bitch. He’s up to something. I think Fish is in on it,” Odin whispers quietly into the phone. “I’m gonna call Cole, I want you to stay with him. Just till I get home. I’ll be out of here as soon as I can.”

“Odin, I don’t want to stay with Cole, I—”

“Lila, it’s not a request.” Odin is firm.

I roll my eyes, though he obviously can’t tell. “Fine, I will head to Cole’s after work tomorrow.” I’m not happy about putting myself on Cole. We’re all going to have to live peacefully somehow. I had kind of hoped that Jaime and I could have a heart to heart, alone when he got out. I know that would mean sneaking behind Odin’s back, or waiting for him to come to me. I think that’s exactly what Odin is trying to prevent.

“I have to go.” Odin is short with me, but I can tell he wishes he was here as much as I do.

“Be safe,” I tell him.

“You too.” I want to tell him I love him, but I don’t want to face rejection over the phone.

We hang up, and I finish up with my yard sale. A large group of ladies fresh from church stop and buy up a lot of my kitchen and glassware. There’s not much to pack back into the garage when they are finished.

I stand against the workbench, staring at Jaime’s bike. I remember the first time he ever took me for a ride down Highway 1. We stopped at Neptune’s Net for lunch and then rode back. I fell in love with motorcycles that day. Jaime and I had a lot of good times, but we had a lot of bad times too. We fought a lot right here in this garage. I would catch him snorting coke at the workbench and we’d just start fighting.

One time Jaime got in my face right here. I run my hand along the tools hanging from the bench, remembering one of our ugliest fights. He grabbed me by my arms and was shaking me while I screamed at him. He just wanted to defend himself, and his habit and I wouldn’t let him. He slapped me across the face and just as he went to grab me by the throat, I picked up a wrench off the tool rack and I hit him in the head with it. I expected it to knock him out, but he was so high, that he stumbled back wiped the blood from his forehead and just stared at me with the scariest eyes I’d ever seen. My heart skipped a beat, and I ran into the house with the wrench.

He picked up a hammer and he threw it at me. I fell when it hit me in the back in the kitchen. Before I could get back up he was on top of me. I swung the wrench at him again, trying to fight him off me, but he pulled it out of my hand. Then he started hitting me in the ribs with it. It was probably the ugliest fight we ever got into. I wound up taking myself to the hospital that night after he left. I told the E.R. doctor that I went down on my bike. It must not have been a standing story, because the nurse gave me a pamphlet on abuse along with my discharge papers.

I had every intention of leaving him that day, when he showed up to the hospital to pick me up. That was the first time he’d taken any step to get clean. He admitted himself into a rehab. We took a short one month break, but we called each other every day. He dropped out to be with me, saying after that fight, he’d never touch drugs again. That didn’t last long.

I catch a tear falling from my eye, and I quickly remind myself that I am done crying over Jaime Mosley. I pack myself a bowl and head into the backyard. Then I call Kelli to vent. She, too, is surprised that Jaime is getting out so early, and that no one knew about it. We don’t put much thought into it, and she asks me if I wound up telling Odin I loved him.

“At least he accepted it well. Sometimes men just need time to work up to using the ‘L’ word.” she says.

In some ways she’s right, at least he is appreciative. I tell her that Odin wants me to stay with Cole, and she, too, thinks it’s ridiculous.

“You can stay here if you want,” she offers.

“I just might take you up on that.” I’d much rather camp out and have a girls week with Kelli, than feel like I’m intruding on Cole and Keila, though Keila and I have gotten closer over the summer.

“Well, I have to get to the hospital, but you have a key. Feel free to come by and stay.” Kelli is welcoming. We say goodbye.

I remember to check my mail, as it has been a couple of days. I find myself smiling with a warm heart when I see there is a letter from Billy. It doesn’t say much, but it feels good to know he still cares enough to write. He tells me about the art class he’s in and he even sent a drawing of a monster truck with the letter. I stick it to the fridge so I can smile at it each time I come into the kitchen. I can’t explain, even to myself, why it is Billy makes me so happy. Maybe it’s just because I have a million fond memories that all come back to me when he writes.

I get to work early on Monday. Gus invites me in his office.

“I heard you’re going to be moving soon.” He must have heard from Lisa that I was looking for apartments.

“I’m selling my house, but I’m planning to stay local.” I assure him I won’t be leaving.

“I just wanted to let you know I own some condos in West Covina. I’ll give you a deal.” His offer catches me off guard, though I’m flattered.

“Well, I need to sell my house first, but yeah! That sounds great.” I can’t help but smile at him. It’s so nice of him to offer.

I text Keila before I leave work. {I’m going to stay with Kelli tonight.}- Lila.

{Awe, I was looking forward to a girl’s night with margaritas and nail polish!}- Keila.

{Tomorrow, I promise. See you around 11.}- Lila.

I head home to pack a suitcase full of clothes before I go to Kelli’s. I park in the driveway. Fishing my keys out of my purse I unlock the door. It’s completely dark inside. I flick the light on in the entryway and begin to walk toward my room when I catch a glimpse of a figure sitting at my dining room table. My heart stops and I gasp, turning to face Rick, who is sipping whiskey out of a short glass.

“Hey there, doll,” he says smiling a sinister smile.

My instincts scream, “Run!” But before I can make a move, I’m pulled backward by my hair. I hit the floor and try to struggle away. I watch as Rick gets up from the table and rushes over. He gets on top of me, pinning me down to the floor. I scream, but before one lung has deflated he presses his hand over my mouth. Inside I’m panicking.

“Hey, babe. So nice of you to finally come home.” Jaime is standing over me.

He pulls a gun from his pants and points it at my head. My life and everything I love flashes before me. I look up at him, eyes filled with terror.

“Move, or make so much as a peep and I will blow your fucking brains out right here on the living room floor,” he threatens. His pupils are small and blazing green circles that match his dad’s stare down at me. He is high.

I have no doubt in my mind that he will kill me.