False Romance (Jasmine and Rogue)

[Rogue]

My fingers twitch, tapping the shoe and impatiently waiting for the caller to give up. Alexandria desperately wants to answer but I think at the moment she is just grateful that it interrupted my latest assault. I hear her sister’s voice as she bursts into tears. I try to hide my amazement that Carla has woken up already but the second I hear the word “detective” my ears prick and I instinctively hop off the bed. Riley has probably escaped his moral dilemma; Carla will do the job for him once she is fit enough to talk. Stevens is minutes away from finding the missing piece of the puzzle so I have to stall him. He had enough to interrogate me but soon there will be a warrant out for my arrest. I rush to fetch the other telephone from Lacie’s room and barely notice Charlie. Alexandria’s screams must have been far louder than his pawing at the foot of the door. The mutt makes a brief attempt to chew on my leg as I whiz by him, Lacie still pleading with her sis to pick up. I know that she will expect Alexandria to be anxious to return to hospital with this news, so it is unrealistic to avoid that fact and avoid suspicion. After hitting the answer button and palming the speaker, I give Alexandria her instructions clearly and they come with a genuine warning. The cordless phone is placed between her ear and suspended arm and I listen in on the conversation with the landline next to the bed. When the dog approaches me again, I scoop him into my arms. As he squirms awkwardly, my girlfriend delivers her lines with forced enthusiasm. Her eyes stay on me for the rest of the phone call. I see her relief that her relatives are safe from me and she’ll want to keep it that way. With her beloved Charlie on my lap, his fur being stroked and my dangerous knife nearby, perhaps she begins to suspect what I meant by regretting any attempt to appeal to Lacie. Unfortunately I hadn’t planned for her next question and Charlie is barking again, running away before I have a chance to think.

“Is that Charlie? What’s wrong with him?”

“Sorry I have to go, he has one of your shoes again”, Alexandria mumbles

“Did you have to be so weird at the end?” I snarl in a whisper, having hung up on both phones and ending things abruptly. At least I might have achieved what I set out to do. With Alexandria reluctantly claiming not to know of my whereabouts, and saying she will be leaving here soon, the cops will most likely begin their search at my mother’s house – and we’ll be long gone by then. I smile to myself knowing I have outsmarted Stevens again.

“That niece of yours is a fighter, I’ll give her that”

The unexpected revival of Carla has accelerated my plans. Her aunt watches me curiously, pacing back and forth with my thumb on my lip. She nervously suggests I leave now, because I will have an hour’s head start. Suddenly, I return to the bed and clutch the bottom of her pretty dress. Her body is practically shivering with the thought that I might want to force her high heels inside her again. The outfit is tugged down her body and beyond her legs and ankles. Her nude body fidgets in embarrassment. I kneel down to where the dress is at my feet and grab two stockings from underneath the bed. For once, she doesn’t struggle, allowing me to hold her leg and slip the first one on. Once it reaches her thigh, I squeeze the end of the other and feel the semen inside the material. Her toes twitch in discomfort when the pantyhose fits around her foot and slides up her smooth leg.

“See how much I was thinking about you last night? Now, I don’t want your feet to get cold when we go down there.”

She wonders where we are going, not vocally, just by that look in her eyes when her head turned my way. I swiftly crawl to the top of the bed and un-do the handcuffs. Alexandria immediately caresses her wrists and can finally relax her arms. I hook her arm and slide her off the mattress. Landing on the carpet for the first time, I love it when she looks down at her right foot in disgust. For the time being at least, she doesn’t slow me down and follows me out of the bedroom. Our arms held firmly together, the knife and my trousers in my free hand, we walk almost side by side down the stairs and to the right. We make a quick stop at the table by the window to collect her keys. She suddenly attempts to reach out for the front door but the feel of the blade against the skin of her stomach puts an end to that. Back to the hall, and knowing the structure of the house from my enjoyable sleepover last night, the door straight ahead leads to the garage. She may not be herself, so it is polite to remind her to watch her step. Charlie chases us from the kitchen but I shut the door in time. Her hosed feet step onto the dirty ground where tire tracks and oil have altered the colour over time. She takes in her surroundings; this dark, isolated section of the house. The lady slowly backs away from me, eventually pressing her backside into the hood of her own car, yet still having to check what it was. We circle once. I sense her weakened state. Her body tends to shiver when I approach, her wrists are red, she can barely look me in the eyes. Without restraints, she is free to make a legitimate break for freedom. If she can do it, she can refuse to have sex with me, but I don’t believe that’s what she really wants. I challenge her mettle and dare her to show some guts. I make it clear that frankly, I don’t think she has it in her.

In the middle of the intimidation, out of nowhere, Alexandria slaps me with everything she’s got. I stumble back, drops of sweat flying from the fringe of my hair, the knife and pants dropping out of my hand and the sting leaving me rattled for a moment. I check my lip and glare back at her in disbelief.

[Jasmine]

I keep my eyes on James. I watch as he strokes Charlie. I realize that Charlie hates James by his barking and squirming. Why didn’t I see that before?

I don’t reply to his question about being weird nor do I reply to his comments about Carla being a fighter. We all are. He is about to find out. I will find a way out of this. “Look, why don’t you just untie me. I will be able to buy you some time. Please, James. You will have an hour’s head start at least.” I tell him as he paces back and forth. I watch him for signs of anger, knowing how personally he takes things. I missed it. I pushed him too far I realize when he pounces on the bed and grabs my dress again. He strips me bare. I am completely exposed to him. I realize that struggling is no use. I close my eyes and block him out. “This is not real. I feel nothing. He is nothing to me. This is not real”. Despite my attempts I feel him dressing me. I realize that I may have a chance to escape if he dresses me. I will myself to not fight him as he slips the stocking on my leg. I can’t help but be repulsed when I feel the fluid inside the stocking. Oh my god, this..this pervert has jacked off in my stockings! Ewwww! I manage not to vocalize my disgust, but can’t help but move my foot to try and avoid the wet, sticky semen.

It takes a moment for me to focus on his words about last night. Then, it hits me that he spent the night in my house last night! I don’t have time to think about it though because he says something about not wanting me to get cold when we go down there. I wonder where “there” is. I refuse to ask. I want to be dressed, to be free. He uncuffs me but my arms are like jello they have been cuffed so long. He pushed me to the floor and I feel his cum squishing between my toes. “Ugh” comes out before I can stop it. My stomach turns, but I forge ahead and concentrate on getting away from him. I follow him meekly from the bedroom. I realize he has the knife when I feel it against me when I make an attempt for the front door.

In the garage, my fear gets the best of me. I back away from him, finding myself against the hood of the car. I move away from him. I can’t do this. He is going to kill me I know. My body trembles, my mind is about to shut down. No longer brave, I feel myself retreating mentally and emotionally from this reality. His voice penetrates the haze I am creating. He challenges me, dares me. I straighten and without thinking I slap him in the face. I watch as all of my anger, betrayal, hurt and humiliation is focused in that one moment. He falls backward the knife flying from his hand. My eyes move from him to the knife. We both lunge for the knife. I have the handle in my hand when he grabs my wrist. The pressure of his hand on my already weakened wrist causes me to drop the knife. He swoops it up and pulls me to my feet.

He looks into my eyes with a crazed look, he slaps me across the face and pushes me to the ground. I land next to the left over paint, brushes and empty buckets. As I get slowly to my feet, I watch him open the car door and run on the radio full volume. The rock music blares as he actually sings some of the song before realizing that I am moving toward the door. “Oh no you don’t” makes my blood run cold as he grabs me by the hair and slams me against the hood of the car; knocking the breath from my lungs. I am sliding down the hood toward the ground when he grabs me, turns me around and presses my body onto the car.

[Rogue]

I can’t believe she just did that. Maybe I have underestimated her. Noticing the knife falling to the ground, Alexandria dives for it but only manages to lift the edge of the handle. Her hand is squeezed, causing it to tense up and release the weapon. I have to put her down in retaliation. Still in control of her wrist, I smack her firmly. Her body twists around and I let her crash onto the paint buckets behind her. The trousers are quickly folded and placed on one of the shelves, the knife put inside it. I walk round to the driver’s seat of the car and unlock the door. The little light effectively lights up the garage, beforehand only the tiny brightness sneaking under the door to the main house was supporting our sight. I fiddle with the radio until I hear something heavy, and luckily one of my favourite bands are playing. I whistle one of the riffs as in the corner of my eye she can be seen struggling to her feet. The car keys are tossed up into the air without a care as to where they land. Wherever she was planning to go, it’s nipped in the bud when I pick up her legs like a wrestler and plant her onto the bonnet of the vehicle.

Her bare skin keeps her in place but the silky pantyhose cause her to slip back down. I tug her forearm and spin her body around, pushing her face first into the metal. My right hand clutches her inner thigh and she fights my attempt to separate her legs. I keep the palm of my hand pressed into the back of her hair, feeling the sweat near her forehead. Her head squirms and she wants to stay closed. She had her chance to contest our second time together and she failed. I pry my pretty girlfriend’s legs open, keeping my leg there once I have an opening and begin positioning my penis. It is semi erect but growing all the time as I rub it past her backside. Her body struggles even more as this confirms my intentions, her elbows on the hood, hands trying to get rid of my own one. I enjoy the feeling of her legs through the stockings’ material. My re-hardening dick parts the lips of her already abused vagina and forcefully enters it. The woman’s head is on her side now, one eye looking back at my actions, one arm frantically attacking my strong grip.

As I slowly slide into her, I sense her protests coming to an end, so I place my hands on her ass cheeks. To my surprise, Alexandria begins to stand, backing into my first thrust with a half scream/half moan for company. Her beautiful black hair hangs down the smooth skin of her back. Am I mistaken, or is she finally accepting our love making? I do not expect forgiveness for my past overnight, even my own mother did not visit me in prison for the first two years. Then, my sexy lady drops back onto her elbows this time facing more to the right of the hood. One of her arms is slightly outstretched. Maybe it is one of her hidden fantasies to be taken on her own car. I remember putting the rose beside the window wipers three days ago, but there is nothing romantic about this raw fucking, the sounds of which being drowned out by the blaring music.

[Jasmine]

Despair grips me when I find myself sprawled on the hood of my own car. The humiliation of him grinding against my pantyhose getting his cock hard again feels me with disgust. I try to fight him, but his hand on the back of my head effectively keeps me in place. I buck and kick back at him but find my struggles useless. As I look through the windshield, I see the rose that James left for me in what I thought was a romantic gesture. It’s dying now, just like I am. I wail at my stupidity. I am a fool.

My breast is mauled by one of his hands, while the squeezes my thigh and rubs up to my cheek as he rapes me. His thrusts are hard and fast. I hear his labored breathing and his sounds of pleasure as he takes me. He is hurting me, but I know he enjoys that and I will not cry out. I long for him to climax. This is taking much longer than the first time.

Taking a deep breath, will myself to think. “Think Lexie,” I tell myself. Turning my head to the right, I see the edge of the key ring. It’s so close. If I can just reach it and hit the garage door opener at just the right time, maybe I can escape or at least draw some attention to us. Surely Laura will hear me. Someone has to wonder about the music. If I can just reach it. I slowly snake my hand toward the keys, hoping he won’t notice. I feel the telling jerking of his body as he climaxes inside me again. My fingers are so close. He lies on top of me and I can’t quiet reach the keys. I bang my fist on the hood of the car in frustration. His hot breath is on my neck and I feel his kiss on my neck. I take a chance and extend my hand toward the keys.

“Mrs. King?” I can barely hear a voice right after I hear someone banging on the garage door. James jerks me straight up by my hair and holds me there. My scream is ragged and barely audible above the music. He whispers harshly, “Scream again and your family will pay.” I dare not utter a word. There is no other sound from outside.

James pushes me back toward the car while he quickly puts his pants back on. He grabs the keys and tells me, “Come on, we have a train to catch." I realize that he intends to get away and take me with him. I look down and see the knife. It’s right there. I pick it up and jab it into the tire. .

[Rogue]

I quicken the pace, having fucked earlier I can afford to now without worry that I will cum too early. The back of her foot kicks my shins but to no avail. I reach between her and the hood, finding her supple breasts. They are squeezed one at a time with my left hand, groping and pinching her nipples. They are tall and hard in the cold room. The other hand remains on her backside, enjoying the soft flesh and eventually slides down to her thighs. I feel where the hosiery begin and briefly think back to last night when I ruined them. I wished for her to be there with me and now I have her all to myself. When I come back, I notice the shelves full of tools along the wall, but there is no man in the house to use them.

I can sense her longing for it to end, how each jab inside her is like a cruel attack rather than her lover’s affection. There are no tears, only endurance, that little jump her body makes in anticipation, standing on her toes. Having shifted diagonally, that arm is stretched out and her fingers are crawling towards the windshield, perhaps to grip the edge as one would bite on a pillow. I roughly pull on her hair as my hips swing, thrusting deep into her pussy. Gradually my grunts are becoming audible, approaching climax again. The tune on the radio has changed twice over. The Red Honda squeaks faintly and the vibrations travel to our locked, sweaty bodies. I grip the edge of her stockings, so much so that I almost rip through them. I can barely hear the sound of our skin slapping and grinding, I only focus on the sensations around my shaft as it slams into her walls again and again. Our time together has been prolonged and my stamina finally proven to her. I make a number of drives in quick succession as my semen begins to shoot inside her cunt. Her body suggests a deep breath and her hand can be seen clenching. My strong arm wraps underneath her stomach and tightens with the flow of sticky cum. I have finally given Alexandria my seed and we can now begin the next part of our journey together. Tired, I hold her, thinking about our love and what the future may hold. I catch my breath and kiss her gently on the neck.

Unexpectedly, the palm of a man’s hand thuds on the garage door three times. It is too difficult to hear who he wants, but one can assume it is one of the sisters. I pull my girlfriend away, my first instinct is to duck, but nobody can see us. I warn her against another scream and start putting on my pants. My eyes are fixed on the bottom of the door, imagining him walking away. Whoever it is, they’ve moved from the driveway for the time being and will not be prepared for our sudden getaway. I was going to tell her to pack her clothes but there is no time now. Just as I collect my thoughts, she is kneeling down with my knife – I must have been too distracted to notice it fall. I step back awkwardly and she stabs one of the front wheels.

“What the fuck are you doing!”

She punctures the tire, rendering the vehicle useless, and we struggle for control of the weapon once again. After prying it from her hands, I deliver a cold stare, but there is no time for punishment either. We return through the door of the house and down the hall, investigating the caller. I stay behind, my hand firmly covering her mouth and the pleas for help. Peeping over her shoulder, the familiar blue cap is barely visible through the translucent glass. They knock again, using the doorbell this time too. My heart is beating faster. Was it somebody’s idea to escort Carla’s aunt to the hospital? I nudge her in the direction of the back door but soon change my mind. She is pushed in the back until co-operation is achieved and up the stairs we go. Once we reach the top, the bangs get louder, and the final time the door is forced open. I toss Alexandria to the corner of the landing, right by her bedroom doorway. She stays quiet, frozen almost. I wait. I count in my head how long it should take to check the living room, kitchen, and finally the garage. The radio is still blaring in the background so I listen carefully for the sound of footsteps.

“Ms. King, it’s the police. Let us know if you’re home.”

The first one climbs the stairs with his gun in front of him. I am crouched behind the clothes basket next to the bannister. No one says a word. When he passes the final step I pounce, charging him into the wall and knocking the weapon out of his hand. We roll to the carpeted floor and I deliver a fierce elbow to the head, knocking him unconscious. “Freeze!” shouts another. Thinking I am reaching with my hand, he aims his own pistol. I duck under his partner's body, the bullet piercing the back of his bullet proof vest. Grabbing the wrist of the second cop, we struggle for possession of his gun. Eventually, I free my leg from underneath the lifeless body of the younger officer. I kick him firmly in the chest, causing him to lose balance. He stumbles back and falls down the long flight of stairs. Now Alexandria screams, rushing to her room. I get to my feet and sneak my hand in in the last second as she tries to lock it behind her. She slaps my arm and wishes herself away from this brutal violence. I insist on taking her with me, tugging her into Carla’s room. I haven’t been in here since laying her into bed that Thursday night. Johnny Depp watches us go by and approach the window. I know where it leads and both parts open out; it is the biggest window in the house. I push them wide apart and prompt my woman to step through. She thinks I am insane. Her naked body climbs over the ledge and I join her onto the extension. Covered in stones, it is right above the kitchen. We’ll have no choice but to jump off at the side if we want to escape. Just as we stare down at the intimidating drop, a voice is heard from the window.

“James Grant…..”

[Jasmine]

I am frozen for a moment as James stares at me. I look from him to the knife and manage to stand just as James reaches me. We struggle for the knife, which he wins – damn it. I expect to be hit again and steel myself for the blow that I know will come.

Instead, he drags me through the house to the front door. His hand covers my mouth and keeps me from crying out when I see the police officer at the door. He pounds on the door. I try to free my mouth so I can scream. James pushes toward the door and then forces me up the stairs. The officer has not given up. I hear him calling out to me as I stand in the center of the room while James focuses on the cop outside.

I hear the door being kicked in and my name being called. I don’t know whether to answer. I know the policeman doesn’t know what is going on. He’s here to escort me to the hospital. I don’t want to answer and not let them know that James is in the house. I hear the stairs creaking as the cop approaches. My inability to decide how to warn them has taken too long. James was a security guard and knows how the police will come in. I pray that this will be over quickly, but I fear that James would rather die than go back to prison. He has nothing to lose and that makes him even more dangerous.

I peer through the banister and see the young policeman on the floor. I gasp, thinking that James has killed him. Behind James, I see the other police officer with his gun drawn. He yells, “Freeze”. I look at James just as the shot sounds. I scream and close my eyes. I know that James is dead and part of me is relieved, but the part that loved him cries.

I hear the struggle and open my eyes. James is alive and fighting with the officer. James pushes the other policeman down the stairs, I have no choice but to run. I flee to my bedroom wishing it were Ft. Knox rather than a frilly bedroom. I almost get the door closed. James’ arm reaches in and I fight with him, but he pushed the door open. I run toward the closet, to try to find safety behind yet another door, but James drags me with him into Carla’s room. The policemen must be down since they don’t come to help me. James pushes me against Carla’s Johnny Depp poster and I wish the swashbuckling pirate would jump out and save me. I look around for something to put on. I grab a robe, but James rips it from my hand.

James pushes me through the window. “No! I don’t have on any clothes!” I struggle but he gets me onto the ledge. I am terrified of heights and am literally frozen.
“James Grant…..”

I hear the Detective Stevens say James’ name. Fear of what James will do now grips me. James wraps his arm around my neck and pulls me back against him.

It’s Detective Stevens at the window, he kept his promise that he would get to the bottom of all this by tonight. He steps onto the extension with us. He begins with the standard rhetoric and then starts with small talk designed to put James at ease. Stevens takes out a cigarette and offers one to me and to James. I think about reaching for one but James’ grip on my neck tightens. Stevens notices and pull back a little as he lights the cigarette and takes a deep draw. “We’re planning an extension this year. The wife, she wants to go all out, you know, the dream kitchen – dining area, breakfast bar.”

“Why did you come here!” James shouts.

“I listened in on Ms. King’s phone call. It’s over, James. Just let her go.”

James keeps me against him. I can feel his heart pounding as he frantically tells Stevens, “Don’t come any closer Stevens, I’ll never go back to prison. And I’m not going anywhere without her.”

Stevens hasn’t moved since he joined us on the ledge. His gun is still holstered. James warns him that he has a knife. Stevens looks at me, sort of tilting his head as a silent question. I nod. James pulls me back. The stones are sharp as we move backward. I feel some of them slip off the edge.

Desperate, I scream “SHOOT HIM!” I know that he can’t because I am between them.

[Rogue]

I instinctively grab Alexandria’s neck and stand behind her when my name is called. We turn to face him, the inevitable detective, stepping through the window. As if we have all gathered here for a chat, he casually helps himself to a smoke. Incredibly, the hostage thinks I will allow her to accept his offer to join him. With the first puff and exhale settling into the air, he continues his efforts to relax me, discussing future renovations of his own house. His gun, which he had no problem exposing to us when his long brown jacket opened slightly in the cool breeze, remains unused. I’m sure his marriage is to the job, while our blossoming love will not be dictated by occupation. He can’t possibly relate to me as we are on opposite sides. When I’ve had enough of the charade, I yell at him, angry that the phone call didn’t throw him off my trail.

When he tells me he heard the conversation between the sisters, I realize that Carla had woken up some time before the call was made. The teenager had already made her accusations and Stevens was waiting nearby for a sign that her aunt was under duress. Both our hearts are beating at the intensity of the situation and my bicep presses into her neck to ensure my control over her. She wishes she could have thrown the bathrobe on but now is not the time for embarrassment. I shout at him once more, insisting that returning behind bars is not an option; neither is voluntarily leaving here without my girlfriend. We are the ones near the edge, but the cop will be responsible for the outcome. It was his intuition that added me as a suspect the moment he first laid eyes on me, and experience that led him back here instead of my old apartment. If he had only stayed out of it, we would be on our way out of the state. Whatever happens now is on him.

“I’ve got a knife! It’s in my pocket, isn’t it Alexandria? You’ve seen it”

Stevens’ eyes briefly shift to hers as the stones below us hurt our feet. Some of them fall and can be heard hitting the garden. She stuns both men by suggesting he fire. Besides the fact that I am using her to protect myself and that we would fall together, I don’t believe she wishes me dead. I never liked ledges. The nerves shoot through my legs as if it's closer than it actually is and as if maintaining balance is impossible. I’m not only gripping Alexandria’s body captive, but pulling on it to ease my own anxiety. The detective tells me I have to answer for what I’ve done.

“Why don’t you tell me what I’ve done? Let’s get it all out in the open. We don’t keep secrets from each other anymore.”

“How about manslaughter?” he begins. “Grand theft auto, purchasing an illegal drug, breaking and entering…..sexual assault. That was real clever what you did with Ms. King, making that anonymous phone call. I guess we’re even now.”

I can feel my lover shudder at each one of my crimes. I whisper in her ear, assuring her that I had to do these things to win her heart. She would not have looked at me twice if she had known the truth from the beginning.

“You saw Carla putting her hand on my leg, she was harassing me. And the only reason your two boys inside are still alive is because I’m not a murderer.”

I remind him to get back, but he repeatedly ignores my warnings, moving inches closer with his hand up as if to say he has come in peace. I squeeze Alexandria’s neck a little tighter and begin reaching for my right pocket. The pebbles are digging into our bare soles and we are breathing heavily, we are going through the same things together. My hand has slid in, feeling the train tickets, and the tip of the second object inside. Stevens has seen enough and draws his weapon for the first time. Is he sure he’s willing to put Alexandria’s life at risk, or does he think the whole family are indestructible given Carla’s recovery? The gun points our way, complicating the situation. I don’t pay attention to the lady’s facial expressions, I’m sure the two are attempting to communicate in some way, and I am focused on him. I wonder if my poker face is as successful as it was 10 years ago in Rebecca’s living room. He watches it intently, but perhaps my knuckles bulging in my trousers is the most important thing.

“Last warning James, no one has to get hurt here!”

My hand is slowly coming out, bringing something with it. Alexandria squirms in my arms. Our bodies are cooling down and we appreciate our skin being together out in the open. I can feel her think, her fear, her disbelief. But I did not anticipate this. My legs are apart, finding balance, leaving room for her to back kick me. She does not deliver in full force, yet still enough to loosen my grip and hurt my groin. She falls to the ground of the extension and ducks to avoid potential gunfire. A bullet flies, and intentional or not, misses me by some distance. I am stunned but my hand is free, holding only a red rose, bent and deteriorating between my fingers. My foot slipped in the commotion, the stones between my toes are replaced by clear air, and I have only this flower to hang onto. My Alexandria covers her mouth and gasps, I look down at her as my head goes back and I see the blue sky. Stevens rushes to catch me, missing my finger tips by an inch and walking into a fallen petal. I drop, a second away from the approaching darkness that would engulf my mind.

Romance is dead.


THE END