SHUT DOWN | JENLISA

27

Lisa

"I think you're a liar. Most people don't like to give women the upper hand, whether it's in sex or not. The alpha in you wouldn't let me cuff your hands and ankles to my bed and fuck you at my own pace. No, you'd want control. You'd want to touch me, taste me with your fingers, change the position of how we fuck. No, you wouldn't be able to lay back and let me have control, but it's not your fault. You probably grew up with this wiring in your brain that tells you never to take commands from women. You're more wired to take and take and fucking take from a woman and never give back."

This woman spoke of people as if they were rabid animals, savages. As if the whole human species had offended her or wronged her. There was truth to her words, and I could agree with her in some aspect, but not all of us were that cruel and unyielding. It made me wonder if I missed something about her when I did my background check. I didn't bother to check for any sexual assault records or reports.

"Is that why you cuff people to your bed? To take back the control or because you don't trust anyone to touch you?" I probed. Her eyes shined at my words, but that was the only crack in her façade. I couldn't even decipher anything from that little crack.

"I suppose most people are greedy." She said, and her voice was calmer, despite the fact that she looked infuriated.

"Very." I agreed.

She closed the robe over her body and kept her arms there as she leaned forward. "It's one of the seven deadly sins."

"There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community."

"Do I have a devout Christian in my midst?" She asked in fake awe. "Or someone whose parents forced her to go to bible camp?"

I laughed, and it was genuine. "The latter."

She stood up suddenly, and her moves were as soft as her face as she went to the bar in the corner of the room. I heard the sound of glass tinkling and alcohol pouring. A minute later, she came over, with her robe this time tied up, and handed me a drink. She left the middle seat between us empty and sat on the other end. "I hope you don't mind the stiff drink." She said as she lifted the cup to her mouth. "I find it the stiffer, the better." The corners of her lips tugged into a half-smirk.

"I find that to be the case as well."

She let out a laugh that didn't belong to someone like her. It was musical, charming, and played me like a fucking violin. I took a sip of the musky and bitter drink and watched her peer at me through her lashes.

"A secret for a secret?" She suggested. "Or would you like me to just take off my clothes and dance for you right here?"

"Shall I go first?" I asked.

"You want to strip naked and dance for me?" She teased, with her brow cocking up in amusement.

"After I learn your little secret, I'll do whatever it is you desire." I told her.

"Big words."

"Don't worry. I have something bigger to back them up with."

She laughed louder this time, and I swear to God Almighty, I was all water, melted down into a puddle from that sound alone. Goddamn. Her laughter resembled the night sky, uncontrolled waves, and angelic halos that shined ever so brightly.