Page 38 of Straight to Me

I shake my hand free of VP’s, who looks at me questioningly for breaking the contact. “We spoke about this,” the president says authoritatively.

His body blocks the exit, he still hasn’t moved a muscle. VP shoves both his hands in his pockets. I dare not speak, but the look I give lets VP know I’m confused and pissed off. “She wasn’t part of business. I told you that,” VP says.

The president looks like he’s talking to a child. “How you get your end away, is none of my concern. But not with this one," he points at me without looking, "not where business was involved.”

Before I realise I’m moving, I brush right past the terrifying man, holding my breath as I go. I push my way through the exit and exhale deeply once outside, glad to be away from him. He’s an intimidating man, but I couldn’t just stand there and listen to him talk about me like I wasn’t there.

Having no choice but to wait for him to take me back to Jess’s, I go and stand by VP’s bike. Not long after, he walks out, letting the door slam closed behind him. The president doesn’t follow. VP pulls out a cigarette, lighting it as he walks towards me. My thighs tighten together. I’m pissed off, but my body definitely wants him again.

“Mads—” he begins, but I cut him off.

“Dean don’t.” I cross my arms, shifting on my feet.

“Dean? You only call me that when you’re mad… or when I’m making you come,” he says with a hint of a smile. I look down to the ground so he can’t see me blushing.

“Can we go?” I ask.

“Only if you’re not angry with me. I need you to believe me Mads, I didn’t use you just for an alibi like he thinks I did.” He walks towards me as I start moving backwards, trying to keep the distance.

“Then why’s your president so against me? Because I’m just business?” My eyes narrow, my lips squeeze together.

“Forget him.” I don’t move or change my expression. “Mads?” he pleads, taking a drag of the cigarette. It takes all my strength not to look at him as he smokes. It’s a dirty habit, but he makes it look so good. He knows that I like it, his face starts smiling at me smugly.

“Stop,” I huff, still refusing to look his way.

“Stop what?” Yep, he knows.

He moves towards me, his body invading my breathing space. His smell mixed with the cigarette filling my air.

“VP,” I whisper on a lost breath.

“There’s my girl,” he says, placing his hands on my hips. I don’t like how bold he’s being. But at the same time… I love it.

“Tell me the truth. Did you use me for business, an alibi for that night when you… you know…” I can’t bring myself to say ‘killed someone’.

“What do you think?” He takes a small step back towards his bike.

“I don’t know. I hope not, but then I’ve hoped for a lot of things before that turned out the opposite.”

“Put this on,” he says dismissively, holding out the helmet.

“Answer my question.”

He raises his eyebrows at me as I cross my arms over my chest. He discards his cigarette and, swinging one leg over the bike, sits down placing the helmet on the back seat. I don’t move.

VP picks up his own helmet and puts it on, clipping it shut before kicking up the stand and hovering his thumb over the start button. A small part of me thinks he’s just going to ride away and leave me here.

I refuse to put my helmet on until he answers though. “I didn’t use you,” he says defeated, “when I saw you dancing, I’d considered it, but then I saw your face, your body. You’re too good to be used. I want your body for me. I want you, for me.”

I don’t say anything. Instead, I walk to the bike and put the helmet on, gripping his leather to mount and sit behind him.

We only ride for ten minutes before we’re pulling into a more residential area. Terraced houses line the pavements either side and VP pulls up outside number seventy-seven. There’s a small front garden with a black iron gate attached to the brick perimeter wall. The curtains move from the front window of the house next door catching my attention. Just a nosy neighbour watching from her living room. I look at VP.

He dismounts, removing his helmet.

“My home,” he says, nodding towards the house. A whirling sensation takes over me. Again, the realisation of what’s going on and how fast things are moving is overbearing.

“I don’t want to scare you Mads. I want you to trust me. You coming here, it’s the best fucking news I’ve had in ages. Rocco, the guy you met earlier, club president, he shouldn’t have talked like that in front of you. He’s just worried I’m mixing business with pleasure.”

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