Page 129 of Unleashed

“I had dinner with a friend.”

“Like a date?”

“I guess if I were dating my friend, then yeah. Call it a man-date. That’s an order.” I laugh despite myself because I’m already close to the edge of my sanity. “A mandate? Order? Get it? Damn.”

“I found it hysterical, Mr. Rodwell. I’m saving my laughter for later. I’m going to bed. Please pause your nighttime antics with my daughter until I leave.”

“Sure thing.” When he goes upstairs, I head into the dining room and mutter, “Stupid fucker.” In the kitchen, I brace my arms on the counter and wonder where the hell Simone went swimming at night. I think of what I told Nico and realize I haven’t told him much. I want to tell him more if he says I’m one of his best friends. But I still have a hard time trusting people. I don’t strive to be like that forever. He’s Val’s kid. Yet, so is Ali, and I see how that went. I don’t know if I can tell Ferrera I fingered his sister.

I pull out my phone and stare at Tansy’s pictures. I have a woman throwing herself at me, but I’m here with a woman who hates me. I see her naked body, and so many thoughts run rampant in my twisted brain. Palming my dick through my jeans, I can only think of doing one thing.

Before I get too carried away in the kitchen, I put my phone down to get a drink of water, and something catches my eye in the window above the sink. I notice a building behind the apartment with bright lights streaming through picture windows, with a shimmering reflection bouncing off the walls. Outside of the building, a red sign stating Bell Creek Community Pool. Residents only.

Hot damn.

I pick up my phone and head upstairs to change and respond to Tansy’s text. But what am I supposed to say? Hell, yeah. I wanna fuck that pussy? It seems weird to type that.

That’s not my fundamental problem, though. Hers isn’t the one I want to ravage.

Shit.

AFTER DITCHING MY UNDERWEAR and changing into shorts I don’t mind using as swim trunks, brushing my teeth twice, gargling with Simone’s strong-ass mouthwash, and stealing some of her mint gum, I walk out the back door in the kitchen. Simone has a small backyard that meets another sidewalk leading to the pool.

When I approach the door, another sign states I need a key card to gain entry. Fuck. I lean against the railing, holding it behind me while thinking of a way inside. Peering through a side window, I can’t see much with tall bushes in the way.

Why am I here, though? I should be in my car, heading to Tansy’s, but no. I’m standing outside, in the dark, wearing shorts on a cool night because I feel bad for treating Simone like a whore, as she said I do. Or I’m a glutton for punishment.

As the door opens, a frail old woman emerges, taking small, careful steps. I push off the railing and say, “I’ll get that for you.”

“Thank you, young man. How gentlemanly of you. We’re missing that these days. Everyone is in a hurry. You remind me of my grandson Lawrence—” Son of a fucking silver bitch. Neither of my grandmothers rattled on like this lady. Grandma Rodwell would’ve pushed the door open and told me to move my fucking ass. Grandma Abramson would’ve barreled like a train blowing through town, smashing anyone in the way. How poignant.

I nod and smile at her, but I want to go inside. “No problem,” I mutter as I swing around the door and head into the building. That was easy.

Inside, the divided entrance leads into two locker rooms. The men’s locker room is empty, and I sail through with nobody seeing my naked shame. I stop and throw my shirt, shoes, and socks into a locker and try to remember the number, risking that someone could steal my Gallianos. I take the bath towel, and as I walk past the bank of sinks, I shove a hand into my hair, anxious and questioning what the fuck I’m doing. Christ. Just stalking my ex.

A sign on the wall states no lifeguard is on duty after nine p.m., and the pool closes at eleven. I turn the corner, smell chlorine, and hear water splashing as I walk into the pool area. The place is empty except for someone swimming in a cordoned-off lane. If it’s not Simone, I’m out of here.

I walk along the concrete and stop near the lane. I toss my towel onto a bench against the wall and sit on the tiled edge. From here, I can tell it’s a woman with a sopping wet blonde ponytail flipping back and forth with her strokes. I dip my legs into the water and shivers run through me. How in the hell can she swim in this ice water?

After more laps, she stops at my end of the lane. With her back to me, she swings her soggy ponytail over her shoulder and squeezes water from it. As she turns her head to look toward the locker room, Simone frowns, making me wonder what she’s thinking.

When she heads toward a ladder, she stops, and surprise brightens her face before it dims again. Simone looks into the water as she waves her hands through it. “How’d you get in here?” Though she speaks softly, her voice reverberates with a haunting echo.

“I auctioned off a blow job.”

Simone whips her head up. “You what?”

I laugh. “You have a lot of horny and desperate neighbors.”

She bites the inside of her bottom lip, and I can’t figure out if she’s trying to stop a smile or biting back something she wants to say. That’s not like Simone, though.

She stares into the water again. “I’m glad you can get your BJs elsewhere.”

“I don’t.” Simone looks up at me, and I shrug. “I mean, not at the moment, anyway.”

Frowning, she swings her hands through the water faster. “Because you already have an on-call blower.”

“No, that’s not what I...” Simone turns her back to me and walks closer to the deep end. I slide into the water and squeal, “Holy shit, it’s cold!” My voice echoes off the light blue-painted cinderblock walls. Simone swims away from me as every part of my body is stiff, except for the one that usually is around Simone.

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