The morning after fucking Callie I woke early and headed into the studio. I felt more like myself again and was eager to work. While a creative part of me thrived on anger, the constant rage lately was exhausting. I was glad to be rid of it.
I'd finished two songs by the time the sound engineer arrived. Looking up I saw Tyrese Jones, the other technician I often worked with, entering the studio. He was built like an offensive tackle and looked a little like Denzel Washington. He was also one of the traitorous rat possibilities.
But I was feeling good and getting shit done so I pushed the paranoid thoughts away. The day got even better Denaun stopped by.
"Yo, I want you to hear what I finished this morning," I said, turning the knobs for replay.
We sat and bobbed our heads to the beat as the track 'Life 'n Death' played. It was my favorite one so far for the new album.
"That shit's hot!" Denaun said and Tyrese nodded in agreement.
"It's got a Tupac vibe to it," Tyrese said. "Is it for the new album?"
"Yeah," I nodded, pleased he'd picked up on that.
"Ya back on track?" Denaun asked. "How many songs you think you have now?"
"Discounting the leaked two, I've got six."
Tyrese's phone buzzed and he glanced at the screen. "You mind if I take five? I gotta get this."
I waved him out of the room as my phone buzzed as well. Slipping it from my pocket I saw yet another message from Nat. I wasn't dealing with her shit today.
"Nat again?" Denaun asked.
"Yeah," I said, flipping through her latest messages. She was begging for another chance. Swore it would be different this time. She believed in me, in us. I owed her a chance to prove her loyalty.
"Ya still standing firm?" he asked.
"Yeah. I can't do this anymore."
"Good for you dawg," Porter said as he clapped me on the shoulder before gathering his stuff.
"Why'd you never like her?" I asked suddenly.
"It's not that I didn't like her..." he said thoughtfully. "It's more I didn't like her for you."
"Why?" I asked again.
"You're ... how to say this nicely ... a strong personality. And at times, a complicated motherfucker," he said.
I nodded. Couldn't argue with that. "So?"
"I think you need someone with an equally strong personality. Someone secure enough to let the little shit slide but call you on the big bullshit," Denaun shrugged. "Just never saw that in Nat."
"That's deep man. Why ya spending so much time analyzing my relationship?" I grinned.
"Fuck off," he laughed and headed out.
Tyrese returned minutes later and slouched in his chair.
"Everything okay dawg?" I asked.
"Yeah. Bitches be crazy!" he mumbled.
"Don't I know it!" I laughed. "Problems with your girl?"
"Nah, not really. She's amazing," he grinned. "But crazy as fuck."
I nodded. "How long ya been with ... is it Ayisha?" I asked, trying to remember his girlfriend's name.
"Three years now," Tyrese said, rolling his chair up to the soundboard.
"When you find a good one, hold onto her," I advised.
"That what you did?" he asked, turning towards me. "Never stepped out on her?"
"For as long as I could," I said. "And no."
He nodded and we got back to work.
After Tyrese headed out for the day, I called Paul to check on the leak investigation.
"Tell me you know who the rat is?" I said.
Paul sighed. "Not yet. These things take time!"
"It fucking sucks working beside someone who might be a traitor."
"I've managed to rule Zack out. Because he's new, he doesn't have all the permissions to access the system yet. He couldn't have done it."
I nodded. "Okay. So that leaves Jared and Tyrese as the main suspects. Or anyone else that figured a way around access to the system."
"That about sums it up," Paul said.
"I can't see Jared or Tyrese throwing away their career like that. It must be someone else," I said. Paul agreed, promised to let me know when he had anything concrete and hung up.
I sat alone in the studio, thinking. Having a traitor in our midst was a nasty feeling. But it'd been a good day and I wanted to focus on better things. Swinging by Callie's later tonight was appealing. I could go home now and have dinner first. Or I could grab dinner near the studio, then head to her place.
But I was already craving the release she brought and didn't want to wait. Hoping she was already home from work, I drove straight to her house and was relieved to see a car in the driveway.
I banged on the door and waited. When she didn't answer, I tried the handle. Finding it unlocked, I walked in.
She was in the laundry room, stuffing clothes into the washing machine. She wore her hair in a ponytail and yoga pants that showed every curve of her ass. My dick hardened. Fuck I needed her.
Slipping an arm around her waist, I held her against me and bit her shoulder.
"You're letting yourself in now?" she asked.
"Oh yeah," I mumbled. "I need in."
"Too bad. I'm busy," she said, slamming the lid shut and turning on the washing machine.
My arm tightened around her waist and I spoke softly in her ear. "You're not denying me, are you slut?"
"What if I am?"
"I'd rather fuck than destroy you. But that's the other option," I said, pressing my hard cock against her ass. "Be a shame if you lost the job you just moved here for."
Callie stiffened but remained silent. I pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it, then did the same with her bra. Moving in front of Callie, I leaned back against the washing machine and dropped my sweatpants and boxers.
"On your knees bitch," I ordered. "Suck me off. And get them titties into it too."
Callie glared at me and looked like she was going to refuse. I grabbed a nipple in each hand and squeezed hard. She gasped, clutching at my hands but I didn't let go until she'd sunk to her knees.
She took my dick into her mouth and began stroking and sucking. When enough saliva covered me, she slipped my dick between her breasts. The tip was repeatedly thrust up through the mounds and swirled with her tongue. Oh fuck she was good at this! My hands rested on her head as she slid me back into her mouth. I leaned back, eyes closed, overwhelmed with the sensation. She bobbed up and down on the shaft while her fingers explored my balls, even travelling back to my asshole.
With a roar, I pulled Callie to her feet and clawed at her yoga pants. But she pushed me away and walked out of the laundry room.
I followed her into the bedroom and the rest of our clothing hit the floor. Callie climbed onto the bed and knelt face down, ass up. I enjoyed the view as I rolled the condom on.
"Coming?" she asked, looking over her shoulder and wiggling her ass.
"Not yet," I muttered. "But I'm about to."
I moved behind her, lined up my dick and thrust in. My fingers gripped her hips hard enough to leave bruises. Slamming in and out, I watched my dick being swallowed up by her pussy.
Callie began to whimper and I pulled her up against me. Kneeling with her back to my front, my dick still inside her.
"What's the matter slut?" I asked. "Too much for you?"
I reached around and my fingers played with her clit. She moaned and I scratched my beard along her neck and shoulder, before pushing her back down and resumed thrusting. Callie's hands gripped the sheets and her thighs shook as she came with a cry.
I wasn't far behind and continued thrusting as her pussy spasmed. My balls tightened, then released and with a groan I exploded.
Flopping back on the bed, I lay feeling peaceful and relaxed, in no hurry to get up. I was in a rose-scented utopia. Eventually I realized that Callie had dressed and left the room.
In the quiet, I heard my phone ding from my pants' pocket. Stretching, I walked over and looked at the screen. Six new texts from Natalie. I didn't bother reading them and got dressed. No point ruining my calm just yet.
Wandering into the kitchen I found Callie chopping bell peppers and onion.
"Whatcha doing?"
"Making dinner. I'm hungry," she said.
"Me too," I said, grabbing a piece of red pepper and popping it in my mouth.
"Too bad. You're not invited," she grumbled.
"You really should feed me after all the orgasms I give you," I said, chewing thoughtfully.
The knife sliced down with more force and Callie glared at me. "You blackmail me into sleeping with you and I should be grateful?"
"Blackmail's kinda harsh," I said.
"Oh I'm sorry. What would you call it?"
"Extra incentive?" I suggested, as she watched me settle onto a stool at the kitchen island.
"You do realize this isn't your house, right?"
"Yup," I said, eyeing the pile of peppers and the knife still in her hand. "Will I lose a finger if I steal another pepper?"
"Quite possibly," she said.
"Can you make sure it's not the middle?" I asked. "I kinda need that one."
She tried not to laugh and failed. With a smile she threw a pepper slice at me and I caught it.
"So what's for dinner woman?" I asked, pushing my luck.
"You're impossible," she said shaking her head.
Twenty minutes later we sat down at the table with chicken stir-fry over rice.
"So what's your deal? Aren't there millions of women lining up to sleep with you?" Callie asked as we ate. "Why resort to blackmail?"
"It's ... complicated at the moment," I said, not wanting to get into it. I pushed some rice around on my plate as I thought about how to ask what I wanted.
"About the blackmail... Do you really not want to sleep with me? I asked, looking up at her.
Callie thought for a moment before speaking. "Would you really trash my reputation if I said no?"
"I don't know," I answered honestly. "I'd like to think I wouldn't. But I sort of ... need this right now."
It was as much as I could admit about my situation. We ate in silence while I waited for Callie to respond.
"Well, sex with you isn't exactly a hardship," Callie said, with a small smile.
"Good to hear," I said.
"And if I'm honest ... being treated like a slut in the bedroom is kinda hot," she said, her cheeks flushing.
I nodded, relieved we finally had some sort of an arrangement. It also confirmed my belief that once a ho, always a ho.
After dinner, full and relaxed, I left. Climbing into my SUV, my phone dinged announcing a new text message. Deciding I couldn't ignore her forever and worried it might be something to do with the kids, I pulled out my phone and read through the messages. She begged me over and over not to give up on us, we'd been through so much together.
Backing out of the driveway, I drove a while and thought. The coziness of having dinner in Callie's kitchen was fresh in my mind. I missed that. Coming home to someone, having dinner and chatting about the day. Nat and I use to be like that. Maybe we still could be?
Before I knew it, I was in Natalie's neighborhood. Parking down the street, I stared at her house. The bedroom light was still on. I could go right now and talk to her.
And say what? I was wrong, let's give it another try? But I didn't think I was wrong. Whatever number of times a relationship needed to fail before calling it quits, Nat and I had surpassed it a long time ago. I was pretty sure I was doing the right thing in ending it. Porter thought so too.
Finding no answers, I drove home.
