Fall by Autumn Archer

1

FIVE YEARS AGO

“What’s going on, Maria?”

I left her in my bed this morning and left for the city, expecting her to show herself out. She normally leaves after I’ve untied her wrists and offered her a cup of coffee. Instead, I walked into a candlelit séance. She’s either attempting to raise the dead or coax my dick to life. With those long bare legs and flirty lashes, it won’t take much persuading.

A while back, my sister Gabriela and I moved out of the slums and into a modest property. It’s nothing fancy. Better than a hillside box with a door. Drawing attention to my growing bank balance with a sudden switch from poverty to wealth would attract unwanted attention. It needs to be gradual. Planned. Believable. It’ll do for now. We’ll hide out in the suburbs until I’m ready.

With a couple of lit candles and a haze of weird smelling incense, our home resembles a funeral parlor.

Before I left the house this morning, I locked my laptop in a cabinet out of habit. With crime at an all-time high, it would be a disaster if my work fell into the wrong hands. I’m the finance guy for mediocre drug lords. The little guys trying to make it big. Their trade networks are my insurance policy. They trust me with their dirty cash and identity, and I trust them not to reveal their source––me.

Maria gives me a doe-eyed bat of her lashes and pouts her stained lips. I sling my jacket on the couch and take in her bold pink shirt dress cinched at the waist with a thin belt.

“Dante.” She sparks up the lighter and holds the flame to another wick. “I was thinking about you all day.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“And what were you thinking?”

The lighter clatters to the table. Her fingertips tease the curve of her breasts. A naughty purr rolls in the back of her throat. “I want you.”

Buttons pop open, and bare flesh greets me with luscious brown nipples. I slide my hand to the bulge growling in my pants. “Is this what you’re after?”

Her eyes widen and a dirty, flirty tongue glides over her lips. The swift nod gives my pulse permission to thrum. A filthy fuck is the remedy to my overworked mind and the perfect distraction before I start on my next project and get lost in the work for hours. The new client list has tripled, making the potential for cash exponential.

I’ve hit the big time.

“What do you want to do with it?” I grit out, switching my thoughts from currency to a basic carnal need.

Maria sinks to her knees and crawls over the cold tiles. Those peachy round buttocks of hers sways, mesh panties ride her golden ass and cocoa colored waves swing loosely with the catlike slink. I squeeze my dick harder, going from exhausted to pumped.

Resting on her shins, she gazes up. Obedient. Ready to take orders. Ringed fingers dally at my belt buckle in a game of tease. It’s when I catch her direct gaze that I notice amber eyes. We’ve been at this for weeks, and I’ve only just now pinpointed those wide copper pennies.

“I hung around so I could see you again.” She tugs at my zipper. “We have fun together, don’t we?”

“Stop talking and wrap those lips around my dick.”

Her eyes flash. “I really like you, Dante.”

The fiery blood surging through my arteries meets a skiff of frost. “Sure. You like my dick.”

In a blur, she stands and a swarthy flesh collides with my chest. “I like you… a lot,” she whispers her secret with a hope for acceptance. “I didn’t plan this.” A ring of amber circles wide pupils. “Be honest. Do you feel anything for me?”

My heart is numb. She’s just a plaything. “Hold on, Maria.” I roll my shoulders, unsure what the fuck is happening. “You’re right, it’s fun. I thought you were happy with casual sex?”

“Lately it feels different,” she says breathlessly, grabbing wildly at my jeans. “The way you put your hands on my body. It’s more than two people fucking. It’s real.”

My palms fly to her biceps, and I lean back. “Maria. We both knew this wasn’t going anywhere.” Her torso slants as if I slapped her. “I’m sorry if you thought differently.”

“But...” Her voice cracks. “I’m falling for you.” Small palms brush the contours of my chest. The contact isn’t pleasing or seductive anymore, it's unfortunate.

What the fuck have I missed? The heaviness in my dick has completely vanished, and I’m swamped with regret. “I think it's time we put an end to this arrangement. Don’t you?”

“Wait… I don’t want to end it… not yet.” She grabs my wrist.

“You’re a great woman.” I thumb her cheek. “And you deserve a guy who’s all in.” Her cheek blazes under my touch. “But I’m not that guy, Maria. This was...” Fuck, it was purely sex between two consenting adults who both understood it was a temporary fix. The desire was never that intense. Love never entered the equation, nor was it ever implied.

Coated lashes flicker. “I don’t believe you. Why are you lying to me, Dante?”

I’d rather not be a total dick, but she’s pushing this to somewhere it doesn't belong. “I’m not lying. There’s nothing more going on here. I’m sorry you went to all this effort for nothing.”

“Oh, yeah?” She lifts her chin and elevates her cleavage. “I know what you like.” Her hand cups my unamused dick. My spine goes rigid. Before, it was sexy, but now that her unexplained feelings are involved, I’m one hundred percent out. “I’ll let you be rougher, harder, merciless.”

“Stop it.” I snatch her hand away. “This is over, Maria.”

She sucks in, and holds her breath for a split second, then scowls up at me. “Fine.” The tone of her voice sharpens like claws. I release her hand and take a step away. Her neck reddens like raging wildfire. “Whatever happens from here is all on you.” A sinister glare sweeps from my face to her purse sitting on the coffee table.

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” This woman is babbling in riddles.

“It means I was prepared to choose you.”

My brows snap together. “Choose me?”

“Now that I know how you really feel, all this will be easier.” She scoops up the dress from the floor and covers herself.

The front door flings open, rattling the entire house.

“DANTE.” Gabriela’s howl sends prickles from my scalp to the base of my spine. “Where are you?” She storms in, eyes darting to the lit candles, to Maria and then settling on me. “We need to get out of here. Now!”

“What’s wrong?” My heart stills.

“It’s Miguel. He’s coming here.” From the corner of my eye, Maria reaches for her purse. “Quickly, Dante. Get your stuff. We need to go.” Gabriela snatches my wrist and tugs. “Everything was a lie. He’s been after you all this time, not me. I heard him on the phone. He was talking about a list of names and money and… you.” She sniffs back a sob. Worried eyes blink rapidly, and she yanks me closer to the doorway. “I’m so sorry. He’s not the man I thought he was.”

“Don’t move.” Slowly, in tandem, Gabriela and I rotate to find a handgun pointed right at us. “Stay where you are until Miguel gets here.”

“Maria, what the fuck are you doing?” I hiss, dragging my sister behind me.

She cuts her glowered gaze from my face to the exit. “I’m stopping you both from leaving. Sit the hell down and don’t try to sweet talk me. He’ll be here soon. You had your chance, and you blew it.”

“You know Miguel?” Gabriela gasps.

“Yeah.” Maria sneers. “Isn’t that a mind fuck?”