Apollo, p.5
Apollo, page 5
“Angel, that is my first, angel. I never had one before and I imagine it’ll be heavenly and sinful at once.” She maneuvered to slide a hand down to the waist of his pants, but her fingers slipped and landed on a large, rigid object. Her eyes widened, accompanied by her sharp intake of air.
Apollo knocked her off him and stood her up.
“I weep for you, Lauren.”
She scoffed. “Don’t.” She pulled a wad of bills out from one side of her breast and fanned them in front of Apollo. “I just made one hundred and forty dollars out there, as soon as I took my top off. Of course, it helped once I wiggled the tassels on my pasties.” Lauren knew she was being mean but something in him brought it out of her. Every time he preached to her about Layla’s and how she could do better, she wanted to defy him and prove him wrong. His convictions and self-confidence could upset her like no one could.
Apollo placed his hands on her shoulders and an electrical current zapped through her, stilling her for several long seconds. Her shoulders softened and her will to fight him waned until she recalled the exact reason why she was upset with him in the first place.
“I wish you’d stop. I can’t interfere with your free will, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it or agree with it.”
“Come on.” Lauren pushed him back onto the barstool. “Don’t be jealous. You can have your turn with me if you like. You got cash?” Something in Lauren kept telling her to stop, to make up with him but she ignored it. Apollo’s smug grin propelled her to keep going. She couldn’t help the nasty words pouring out of her mouth.
“You’re trying to hurt me, but you don’t understand you are hurting yourself.” Apollo jolted upright, again knocking her off him. He steadied her to a stand. “I’m not one of your customers. I will never pay for this. This ridiculous act is not you. What you are doing leads to dangerous dealings, trades and impositions. Greed never leads to good.” He crooked her chin up. Her eyes locked with his gaze. “You deserve better than this. You are worthy of so much more, beautiful.”
She backed away, out of his immediate reach, and with a heavy sigh said, “Why do you say such nice things to me when I’m upset with you?”
“Because I love you and I want the best for you. You don’t know how marvelous you are.”
A single tear fell down her cheek. Apollo had a way with words—she’d give him that—but he was still a man. Men cheated, lied, and manipulated. Men broke her heart and her trust every time. Even Carl, whose continual lust for her ended in her domination and humiliation in his bed one tawdry night—a night which led to many more countless ones she’d rather forget. Even he, Carl, her lover, her rescuer, didn’t escape the macho male stereotype. Why should Apollo? Apollo was male and therefore, he too, had an agenda for her which would likely end up, only in his favor.
“So, you’re like every other man in this joint then. Here for a free show?” Her hand whipped toward the door, and she pointed at it. “Get out then! Get out, Apollo. You’re not welcome here and I’ve got work to do.” Lauren stormed off past the exit door, held ajar by the curious bunch of women waiting to return to the dressing room. She frowned at them as she walked down the hallway and up to the center of the stage.
Beyond the blaring lights shining at her, she stared out at the several faces smiling back, took a deep breath, and twisted her frown into the widest flirtatious smile she could muster, winking to several known heavy hitters in the crowd and to one particular male who took a shining to her a week ago. This was the fourth time he’d been in Layla’s since the week started. He seemed shy, a bit strange but nice, and he always found some way to talk to her during her shift.
Apollo was mistaken. There was no danger involved and no way she’d get into trouble. She was safe and, besides, she had extra bouncers to watch her back even if she missed a foreboding sign. Tonight, despite her strong desire to run back into Apollo’s arms and apologize for upsetting him, she was going to give it her all and perform the biggest show of her life just to show Apollo he was wrong. Why did he always have to criticize her? Could she ever make him happy? She gazed over the crowded room with rebellion in her eyes and a determined, saucy stance.
Lauren turned ninety degrees on one heel, bent forward, and slowly rolled down her thong.
Carl slipped a hand to his groin and adjusted it. “Girl, you’re on fire. Now, I need you to do big Carl a favor and strip your top off so I can see that nice, fine rack of yours. I want you naked and natural all the way down to those big, beautiful jugs of yours I’m itching to feel.”
“Why do you have to talk to me that way?”
“Are you sassing me?”
“No, Carl.” She shook her head.
“You think you’re Ms. Big Thing now that you’re dating the boss?”
“No.” Lauren looked down at the floor.
“Let me tell you who you are, missy. You’re my employee, that’s who, and when I say I want to see you nude, girl, that’s what I want, right now. Now come straddle me and give me some of your goods. No lip from you unless it’s on me.” He patted his girth and threw her a wicked smile.
Lauren didn’t know why she put up with Carl but there were times when he was nice, caring and even loving. However, those days seemed to be fewer in number. She sauntered over to Carl. He grabbed her ass. She yipped as he spanked one cheek twice before he pulled her down on him.
“Your jugs.” He growled.
She worked on unhooking her bra.
“Closer, girl. Yeah, you know what I like.” He scooted her bottom over his hardening length. She slid her bra down her shoulders.
“Oh yeah. I like those. Your headlights are shining tonight, nipples glistening like little pearls I want to touch.” He pulled his hand back and smacked her bottom hard. She yelped. “That’s what you get for sassing me. More of that and I’ll pull you over my knee.” He tore her bra off. “I know you don’t like that, but I do, so you go ahead and talk smack. You’ll get what’s coming to you.”
She bit her lower lip and shook her head. “No.” Lauren didn’t mind rough but not from Carl. She wanted consensual but Carl sought to dominate.
“Yeah, Carl likes it when you’re bad and Carl likes these.” He palmed her breasts in his large hands.
“You really like me, Carl?” Lauren’s hopeful question was ignored. If only Carl could be the man she desired, but he was selfish and self-absorbed, nothing like… Apollo. Mmm.
Carl fondled her nipples, flicking an index finger across the center of each, causing her to moan. “Wow, mama, let me suckle you while you fondle me. Unzip me baby and let’s have some fun.”
After unveiling him, she slipped her panties down to the bottom of her thighs. He reached a hand out to stop the descent and fell to his knees. With his arms wrapped around her thighs, he held her still while his tongue explored and swirled around her pink parts. He pulled her panties down to the ground, lifted the crotch of it to his nose, and inhaled. “I’m going to do you like you’ve never been done before, baby. You got me full of lust and desire and I don’t know how much longer I can hold off. Now get on the bed and spread those fine legs of yours.”
“Why do you have to say such things? Can’t you be romantic? Like on our first date.”
“Girl, you want romance, read a Hallmark card. I want you bad, buck naked in my bed, right now. What more do you want?”
She closed her eyes, lay on his bed, and moved her legs apart, awaiting the inevitable use of her body as a sex toy for Carl’s pleasure. She hated it but she had to comply or else there would be worse consequences for her.
“More Lauren, spread them real wide.” He sat back and grinned, a look of wickedness shadowing the good-natured man she knew and cared about. He watched her legs open further.
“Nice. Now stop.” He opened a dresser drawer pulled out a sturdy rope and tied her legs to the low-seated footboard.
“No, Carl, please. I don’t like it.”
“This is what you need, girlie. You need a strong man to take you on and that’s me. Now don’t struggle, you know you like this as much as I do.” He tied her arms together, returned to the foot of the bed, and looked down at her, his eyes focused on the most intimate, private area between her legs. She begged him, again, to untie the ropes, squirming to get loose from them. He pulled her down toward him, exposing all her private parts to his lustful gaze.
He ran two fingers up her clit and she murmured.
“Beautiful. Now get ready because you’re all mine tonight and I plan to take you on a nice, long ride.”
“Carl.”
He settled himself on top of her, positioned himself at her entrance, and without warning, surged forward.
She screamed.
He pulled back with a devious grin and set up a slow rhythm at first that turned into a nightmare of groans and grunts while he pummeled her into oblivion.
She murmured his name several times, caught up in the sexual heat of the moment.
“You’re so tight and wet. I’m going to shoot my load any minute.” He latched onto her waist and his balls slapped her ass.
His breaths became ragged gasps for air. “Oh, woman, oh, baby, yeah baby. Make me come, baby, yeah. Yeah, you lusty cunt, give it to me good. Right there, so good. Yeah. That’s the way I like it, baby. Yeah, make me come, yeeeaaahhh,” he shouted. His body stilled and then shook with the force of his release.
He pulled out of her and kissed her all over, fondling her breasts at the same time.
“Can you go slower next time? That hurt,” Lauren said.
“What did I tell you? Give it to me good when I want it and you get the best at Layla’s. Now, if you don’t...” — he shook his finger at her — “you know what happens then. Let me fondle those titties of yours. You know how I like them.” He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her to him, nipping and biting at one nipple and then the other until the softness between his legs grew hard again.
“Now.” He pushed her knees apart. “Round two.” He pulled her down and drove into her once again.
Lauren rubbed her swollen ankles and wrists. Carl was relentless last night, making love to her five times before kicking her out of his house to walk back, alone, to her studio apartment. However, she didn’t live anywhere near Carl. He lived in the fancy suburbs, and she resided close to the worst neighborhoods in the city. She had no choice but to shell out some of her hard-earned income to grab a cab, for her safety.
She was fond of Carl, and she said she loved him once after he asked her several times one drunken night. However, part of her wasn’t sure if what they did last night was out of love. What was love and how did one feel and act when in love was a question she’d like answered. The true emotion behind the word eluded her. What she came up with, was if you loved someone you did what you could to please them. That’s what she did with Carl last night.
What would Apollo say? The unwelcome thought of asking him lingered in her mind. She was ashamed of what she did but once sex became part of their relationship, there was no stopping Carl. He wanted it often and reminded her that if she left him, he’d give her a lousy reference. Carl was well known and respected in the “adult community” and a negative comment from him was like signing your death warrant. So she stayed and she put up with him.
There were times his nice side peeked out of the ugliness, but recent months highlighted his arrogance and self-interest. He did take care of her, buying her groceries every so often and taking her to dinner, as well as, giving her the best hours at work. He protected her too, making sure no one got too close to her. This prevented the illusive dangerous situations Apollo kept warning her about.
Apollo. Hmmm. Where was he?
The last time she spoke to him was back in the dressing room at Layla’s when he barged in after her. Since then, he hadn’t popped up. It was strange behavior for a man who professed he loved her. She couldn’t fault him. Between her work at Layla’s and extra-curricular activities with Carl, Lauren hadn’t spent a lot of time thinking of Apollo, either. Still, she missed her friend—at least, that’s what she considered Apollo. He was the only one she trusted, and she could relax and be herself with him. As much as he frustrated her with his strong advice, she longed to hear his deep-throated voice again. His tone soothed and lulled her to him like a siren to a sailor.
She lay back on her pillow, worried about Apollo’s whereabouts and concerned she lost him forever as her guardian angel. He mentioned in the past she had another guardian though this did nothing to satisfy her desire to see him again. Did angels take vacations and was he on one? She giggled. How crazy. There had to be another reason why Apollo was missing but what was it? Did she hurt him and not realize it? She widened her eyes and slapped her hand over her mouth. Did she make some stupid comment that caused him pain, enough that he left her, forever? Oh no, please come back to me, Apollo, please. You’re my only friend and I need you. Was the telepathic communication they shared still intact for him to hear her, or would he ignore her pleas? When he first mentioned their connection, she scoffed at the notion, but now she was desperate for it to be true.
She squirmed in the bed, wanting and waiting to hear his reassuring, manly voice. After a long, dreadful silence, she closed her eyes and recalled all the precious moments she spent with her guardian before he disappeared.
CHAPTER FIVE
One week later, Lauren sat in her apartment avoiding Carl’s phone calls when a certain missing angel decided to show up. His faded image shimmered into view in a darkened corner of her room. His features sharpened and she found him sporting a devilish smile.
“Beautiful flower, I missed you.” He rushed over to her.
“You could’ve fooled me.” She turned away from him, ignoring his arms reaching for her.
“My, love.” He took the seat next to her on the couch and grabbed her hand while she scooted over to the cushioned side arms, attempting to distance herself from him. “Don’t be upset. I was called away on a mission with The Guardian League. I couldn’t avoid it, but I hurried back to your side as soon as I was released.” He rubbed her upper arm with slow, gentle circles sending effective shivers of delight through her everywhere he touched her. His fingers rubbed over hers, sending mini electrical surges straight to her core. He lifted the back of her hand to his lips and kissed it. She shrugged away and lifted off the couch.
“Where were you and what is this Guardian League?” How could he come back now and pretend nothing happened? She’d spent several nights sad and lonely without her friend.
“The Guardian League is a volunteer group of guardian angels committed to helping in world-wide missions wherever they are needed. We take on these missions to help our fellow angels in any capacity, whether it’s keeping the peace, damage control, or saving human beings, sometimes from themselves. We are called at any time and have no control over this. I had to leave in rather a hurry. I’m sorry.”
“I wish you had said goodbye.”
“But it wasn’t goodbye, love, it was temporary. I wouldn’t leave you.”
“But you did.” She threw her hands up in the air. “Oh, never mind.”
He reached for her. “You missed me too. I can sense it.”
“No.” Lauren wanted to put up a brave front, but she knew it was pointless. Apollo knew the truth. She missed him terribly.
“Yes.”
She folded her arms across her chest and adjusted her footing to stand in front of him. He reached around her waist and dropped his hands to her bottom, mixing cupping her curvy globes with grasping and kneading them. His magnificent hands were efficient, relaxing the tension everywhere he touched, weakening, not only her knees, but she resolved to punish him for his absence with her uncooperativeness. She couldn’t give in no matter how much she wanted to. She swatted at his fingers. “Stop it, stop it, Apollo, I can’t think when you’re touching me.”
“But you like it.” She met his mischievous grin. He was right. His hands were magical on her body.
She threw her head back when he rolled his knuckles across the lower rim of her buttocks. “Oh, yes. Damn it, I do, but you know I have a boyfriend.”
“Oh, right, Carl.” Apollo’s smile dropped along with his fingers. He folded his arms behind his head and lay back on the couch. “How is the old, what do you humans say, ball and chain?”
“He’s not my husband.”
“I didn’t say he was. I compared him to what he does for you. He drags you down.”
“No, he doesn’t.” She placed her hands on her hips.
“Open your eyes, Lauren. Love is not forced. Love does not require your uneasiness or your unpleasantness in order to be given. It is shared freely to make you joyous.” Apollo leaned forward and moved her closer to him. He rubbed her sides, causing all sorts of butterflies to dust off their wings and fly freely within her stomach. Her head lolled to the right, and she whimpered.
How she loved his attention. The week he was gone was torture.
“Love gives you wings. It energizes you.” He pulled her onto his lap. She placed all her weight forward, on the balls of her feet knowing he couldn’t take her heavy weight, but his hand across her lap eased her down and he bore the brunt of her without a single protest. When she looked into his eyes with concern for his wellbeing, he shook his head.
“You must learn to trust me.” He was unlike any man she dated. Any other male, including Carl, would’ve thrown her off his lap, chastising her for the boldness of sitting on it when her “plus-size condition” made it near impossible to hold up her weight. He wove his fingers through several strands of her hair, twirling some and layering through sections as he answered her unspoken question, “I’m stronger than you think, wildflower.” His delightful fingers ran down her cheek. He let his hot breath caress one side of her exposed neck, teasing her with temptation. “Does Carl do those things for you? Does he love you? I think not. He doesn’t deserve a beautiful woman like you.”
