Dirty Law

I arched my back off the ground, but Law placed a hand on my lower stomach, forcing me flat. Law sucked me, the sensation causing my eyes to roll back. Even in the cramped elevator, I felt loved and worshipped. Law had the ability to do that, though. He had the ability to make you feel completely purposeful and worthy, even on the floor of an elevator.

I got lost in Law. I was swept away in his sensations: the feeling of his five o’clock shadow rubbing against my inner thigh, his soft lips against my own, lower lips, his artful tongue driving me to oblivion. My orgasm didn’t come crashing down. It came as Law had come to me: slowly, with patience, but with a fervor that consumed me.

When it was over, Law put my clothes back on me with deliberate care. I watched him through dreamy, post-orgasm eyes. Was it possible I’d really gotten so lucky? Pulling me in by the waist, Law held me to him. He reached out and started the elevator once more. As the elevator started to rise, I examined Law as I had so many times before. His smile was fastened on me, no hint of smugness in the upturned corners. All I saw was love.

The elevator doors dinged open, alerting us that we’d made it to our floor. Law pulled me up and out of the elevator, pressing his lips against mine. He pushed me against the hallway wall, sliding a hand up my shirt to cup my breast. We were only a few feet from his room but the fuse between us had blown. We were blacked out on each other. Lost in the darkness, we were each other’s light.

Law lifted me into his arms, lips still fused to mine like we held each other’s only oxygen, and carried me the last of the way to his room. When we entered, Law laid me on his bed.

“I have plans for you Nami.”

“What kind of plans?” I asked, my voice more breathless than I would have thought possible. Law gave me a crooked grin, the kind I felt all the way in my thighs, and walked over to the closet. He pulled out a black leather bag. I watched with equal parts excitement and trepidation.

Law unzipped the bag and slowly pulled out its contents: a long, silky looking, red braided rope. Law laid the rope next to me and, keeping his hand pinned to my side, put his other hand next me. I was boxed in.

“Do you remember what you wanted, Dandelion?” Law immobilized me with his gaze. I sucked in a breath. Law was referring to the conversations we’d had when he was Huck and I was Dandelion. He was referring to the things I’d posted anonymously. They were my secrets. They were my hidden desires. They were what got me raped.

I looked away, but Law grabbed my chin. “What are you thinking?”

“I don’t want to do it,” I lied.

Law raised an eyebrow, but let my chin go. “If that’s what you want.”

I wanted to be tied up and I wanted Law to be the one to tie me up. The rope rubbed against my arm, the smoothness edging away my resolve. The idea of Law tying me up…it had my heart pounding and my thighs wet. I was pretty sure Law knew all of that, because his eyes betrayed his doubt. He wanted me to tell him, though. That was the way Law worked. Law didn’t take anything that wasn’t expressly given—at least, not from me.

“It was the reason I was raped,” I blurted out.

“What?” Law’s stood up off me, giving me space. “What do you mean by that?”

“I mean…” I exhaled, dreading giving an explanation. “I mean, I was on the website and Morris saw and he said I was asking for it. He said any girl who wants to be tied up is asking for it.” I intertwined my fingers, staring at the paintless nails. Rationally, I knew Morris was a pig. Still, there was a little part of me that thought maybe he was right. What person asks to be tied up?

“Nami, look at me.” Reluctantly, I turned to look at Law. “You are not responsible for what happened. You could have been surfing the internet naked in Morris’s office and you still would not be responsible. Morris is a rapist and you are everything. You are light. You are purpose. He will die and wither away and you will have lived despite him.” I sucked in my breath. Law’s gaze was fierce, his eyes like fire. He stood straight with everything in him strained, from his breathing, to his stare, to the muscles in his neck and the veins in his arm. He looked ready to fight and I realized he was ready to fight, for me.

Neither of us said anything. We let the words he’d spoken do their magic, twisting around us and settling like dew. At last I nodded. It would take a while to internalize what Law had said, but I was getting closer and closer each day.

“Do you think…” I paused, feeling dumb. “Never mind.”

“What?” Law unclenched, sitting down next to me. The fury in his voice dissipated like embers in a bonfire. All that was left was a warm, comforting smolder.

“Do you think we could just lie here for a while?” I turned to see Law’s reaction. Smiling, he gestured for me to come closer. He pulled me into him and I was warmed. I didn’t know how long we lay there; it seemed time stopped for a while. I lost myself in the comfort and safety of Law. I may have even fallen asleep. I knew Law would protect me and shelter me.

Our dreamlike world couldn’t last, of course. Sometime later, when the sun had gone down and the city lights twinkled through the hotel window, Law’s phone rang. I sat up, startled by the noise.

“Ignore it,” Law mumbled, stroking my hair. I lay back onto his chest, but a minute later the phone rang again. And again. And again. Law sighed and answered it on the fifth ring. I watched his face for any sign of emotion, but he betrayed nothing. He gestured for me to return to the nook I’d created between his chest and his arm, and we returned to our dream. For another hour, everything was perfect. Then Law spoke.

“Okay,” Law said into my hair. “This is kind of the worst time in the world to do this…”

“Are you proposing?” I joked. When Law didn’t respond, I quickly added, “I’m just kidding. Don’t freak out.”

“Nami.” Law stood up and separated us, holding my stare for longer than I would have liked. “I love you. I don’t plan on letting you go any time soon, hopefully never. Unfortunately, that’s not what this conversation is about. I have some…news.”

“News?” I shrugged off his gaze and looked at his phone, limp and alone on the nightstand.

Law rubbed his forehead. Looking out the window, he said, “I’m not sure if it’s good or bad.”

I crinkled my brow, not happy about the game he was playing. “Spill it, Law.”

Law looked away from the window and back to me before saying, “I’ve received word that Becca Riley is dead.”