Running to the Edge of the World...

Devour

Chapter 10: Devour

My friends Emily and Kate had met Marilyn when he’d shown up on my doorstep one night last week with Chinese take-away and a bottle of red wine, and they’d told him several tid-bits about me.

There was a very good reason I didn’t like people to know I could sing…or dance…in several different ways. And I had my reasons for not wanting people to know about my father and what he used to do to me as a child. But, tonight, they’d told him when I’d left the room to take a call from my mother. The look he gave me when I returned told me he would be asking questions later…and, after my friends left, he did.

“So, that was…interesting?” Marilyn raised his eyebrows at me momentarily.

“Yeeeeaah… interesting. That’s definitely the word I would have used to describe tonight.” I smiled sideways at him as I washed the dishes and wine glasses we’d all used that night. “So, what did they say?”

“Apparently your dad isn’t the most wonderful of people.” Marilyn stated bluntly and I stiffened.

“Let’s just not go there…ever…please?” I murmured as I placed another dish onto the drying rack.

“Alright then.” He replied, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder momentarily, placating me a little.

I looked sideways at him again, nervous. “I’m sure that’s not all they told you…”

Marilyn smirked. “Well, apparently you can sing… very well, according to Emily.”

“Uh-huh…” I felt my cheeks darken a shade. “Other people seem to think I sing well…I tend to always have a difference of opinion with them.”

“About the dancing too?” I stiffened at that. “You never told me you were a dancer…or that you took pole dancing classes with your friend Kate.”

“I didn’t think you needed to know.” I shrugged. “And the pole dancing was part of a fitness class I took with her after she had her first baby…that part is not something I’m particularly proud of…”

“You shouldn’t doubt yourself or your ability. She showed me a video of you singing…and of one of those classes, that she keeps on her phone… you are quite good, darling.” Marilyn leant against the counter next to me, his voice sultry, roughened slightly as if the memory of the video turned him on a little. “Are you going to let me help with this?”

“Seriously, its fine,” I smiled up at him. “It’ll dry by itself overnight and I can put it away in the morning.”

“If you insist…” he shrugged and moved to stand behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. “So…”

“So?”

“Do I ever get to see the dancing?” he asked playfully, pulling me back against him slightly.

“You mean the exotic dancing…don’t you?” I groaned, silently cursing my friends for telling him.

“Of course.” He replied, kissing the top of my head as he did so.

I sighed. “Well… maybe… I just… whoops!” I exclaimed as the glass I’d been holding slipped from my grasp and onto the floor before I could catch it. “Damnit!” I said, shaking my head at my own idiocy as I bent down and started to pick up the shards of glass. But luck, it seemed, was not on my side tonight. As I stood to deposit the shards in the bin, one of the pieces slipped, cutting my finger. “Ow! Bloody glass!”

I threw the glass in the bin and made my way back to the sink to run clean water over my bleeding finger, but Marilyn stopped me.

“Here…let me…” he brought my hand up to his lips and placed my hurt finger in his mouth, sucking gently whilst his tongue brushed back and forth, soothing the pain whilst ingesting… my… blood.