Together We Lie

“What do you mean?” I asked, rubbing my thumb across his without a second thought. It had become almost natural every time my hand was in his.

“I wanted to create a product that would give the user the same high experienced when taking MDMA, heroin, or coke but without the addictive qualities or the chance for the person to overdose. Drugs are here to stay, regardless of law enforcement, the government’s or activist’s opinions on it. With my product, it would be cheaper and better than the shit peddled on the streets, but more importantly; clean and safe.”

I was in stunned silence as I sat watching Jake explain his less than legal job ventures with bated breath. If he was successful, this would flip everything to do with the illicit drug trade on its head.

Turns out, Jake isn’t as strait-laced as Alex and I first thought - and could possibly have more enemies than anyone I’ve ever been assigned.

This whole situation was a mind fuck, and I hated not having a complete picture.

“Did you manage it? Make a successful product, I mean?”

“Yes!” he exclaimed, his eyes glistening with pride and a drop of excitement as he continued to explain the science behind the active ingredients and compounds used to make his new commodity.

“Jake, surely you of all people know you can’t just run to the FDA and ask for marketing approval on an untested drug, regardless of your intentions. Plus, wouldn’t the government want to tax the shit out of it?” I asked, lowering my voice as my tone changed to something more serious. Jake would obviously know the ins and outs regarding drug approval, but he didn’t know the ins and outs of the crime world. Specifically illegal drug distribution and turf wars. “You’d need to find someone who would deal on your behalf. Someone you can trust not to fuck you over and take a higher pay cut than agreed or worse: cut it with the crap that would actually kill people just to make the batch bigger.”

Jake’s eyes popped and flashed with mischief before smiling. “You seem to know a lot about this, Stefany.”

I took a long sip of my red wine and patted my lips with the napkin. “I watch a lot of true crime shows. Al- Matt is a nature geek, and I’m the one who loves corruption.” His head tilted, and he looked like he was trying hard not to laugh as he looked at me with a dark hunger in his eyes.

Maybe it was the soft glow from the candles or the romantic undertones of the restaurant’s interior, but I was relaxed and enjoying for once not having to be ‘on,’ I could just let myself be me.

Jake stood at the back of my chair after he had settled the bill with the waiter. He bent down and ran his lips up my neck, stopping beneath my ear, sucking my earlobe between his teeth and giving it a sharp nip. I gasped and jumped in my seat.

“You’re coming back to mine tonight.”

It was a statement, not a request, and the way he grabbed my hand, pulling me to my feet, told me he wasn’t going to accept any protesting on my part anyway.

His hand slid down my arm, leaving ripples of goosebumps that were igniting my body. He knew the effect he had on me as he drew me in at the waist, planting his large hand under the wolf’s tail and playing with the gold and bronze sequins that lined my hip with his thumb.

Once outside, the valet passed Jake my keys, which he caught seamlessly in mid-air. I held my hand out, ready to drive us back to his apartment, but he jingled them between his forefinger and thumb, beaming in delight.

I gaped as he let himself into the driver’s seat and turned on the ignition, the roar of the six-cylinder engine rumbled along the sidewalk. The passenger window slowly rolled down.

“You getting in?” he called from the car. I bent down, glaring at him through the window.

“What do you think you are doing?” I asked, putting my hands on my hips. He was not driving my car. No one drives her except me. Alex hadn’t even been behind the wheel of my orange baby.

“Taking you for a ride,” he quipped with a shit-eating grin plastered on his lips. “Then I’m going to take you home and let you ride me.” I felt my mouth drop as I took in the rugged man sitting in the driver’s seat. “I’m talking about sex. I am going to fuck you, Stefany. Hard.”

“Yeah, I got that, Jake, but that still doesn’t explain why you are sitting in the driver’s seat.”

“Get your sexy ass in the car so I can take you home and make you come. And if you’re quick about it, I’ll let you come more than twice.”

“Promises, promises, Jake,” I replied with a hint of breathiness, then reluctantly got into the car. I shouldn’t want it, I should fight harder, but who was I to argue with the incentive of multiple orgasms in exchange for letting him have a shot of my car. He leaned over, placing his thumb under my chin and tilting my head up to place a chaste kiss on my lips.

I groaned. Actually fucking groaned at the small contact.

Maybe if I slept with him once I could get over this pull or whatever and then go back to the emotionless Stevie that Will is so desperate for me to constantly be.

“I am a man of my word. I never lie about orgasms.”