Heart In A Cage

04

Isabella

This claim is much worse than Jasper's claim to take us on a date.

For now, I divert my attention away from his laid down body and take leisurely steps towards him, my arms folded in front of me as I pause several feet away. "You say that with a lot of sincerity."

"Do you expect something less?" he asks. I merely stand there, perplexed and waiting for his genuine nature to vanish. "Come over here. There's enough space for four of you." He pats the space beside him, and one part of me says to sprint out the room and fall asleep on the couch, but the other...I begin walking.

Closer, and closer, and closer. He gets off his elbows, hands tapping his thighs impatiently, like his attention is based solely on our nearness. Standing over him, I have the best view of his luscious lashes, then the plentiful eyebrows I want my thumbs to sweep over. A jaw I want to run a finger along. But thinking of probing his face isn't as brainless as what I do next.

Because I watch his fingers continue drumming on his thighs, the tattoos dancing, and let rashness take ahold of my speech. "They seem like they'd hurt."

He stops moving his fingers.

A tensions feathers through the room. His jaw locks in place, and my posture remains upright. Our gazes fix on each other, steady even as he speaks with that low, gravelly tone that feels like a slow caress down my spine

"You're going to be a troubling one, aren't you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

He chuckles faintly, but that humor fades away quickly. "You can find out how much they hurt soon enough, but now..." The hand he extends is a wordless offer to seat myself beside him. With what he just said, what it's hinting at, I'm not so certain that I want to accept it. Heat spreads through my palm, emanating from his fingertips, and soon, our hands lock together. Soon I'm gently led to his side and then we're lying next to each other. Our hands slide apart.

"Explain yourself," I breathe, my heart battering my chest. With his inescapable closeness, rousing flutters circulate between my legs, and I'm sure liquid is spilling out of me. He's making me wet. In need of more of his contact. I look over to his lap subtly and find that he's just as excited.

"We both know my house is a sanctuary away from your pathetic boyfriend, hence you're in my debt—"

"He's my ex now. Because of you."

"It was for your own good, baby."

"Don't call me that. Just hurry with the explanation."

He sighs and folds his hands over his chest. "Well, as mentioned, you've been put in my debt after coming here. And I've been facing some...problems lately. Perhaps not a problem. No, a problem actually. A problem in the form of a displeasing ex who has been agonising me for several years." Clarity is beginning to come to me. I'm here to make his ex jealous. He continues, "To get rid of her, all I need to do is cause a little trouble, and the most ideal way to do that is by using a pretty woman like you. We can play around together, no? I can give you a few kisses, and you can behave as though they're enjoyable—if need be. Call it...the Boyfriend-Girlfriend game if you ever feel it getting too intense. Which, unquestionably, I wouldn't mind. So perform as skilfully as you'd like. I'm a willing puppet."

I spring off the bed and point at him accusingly. "You brought me here for your own good. This is ridiculous."

"Don't be so upset; I can be fun to hang around with. Listen to the rest of my explanation." He gets up and into a seating position. "I and Dalia, my ex, share ownership of the store you were at today, so I inevitably have to suffer with her presence when she decides upon visiting on random days of the week."

"You own it?" That explains the difference in attire compared to the other employees.

"Partially."

"You dress like a boss. Why do you stay there if you're an owner?"

"I'm my own worker. During business establishment, me and Dalia decided that I'd take on the role of boss, because why not? I'm at the store frequently. Nothing is too daunting. And whatever—that's beside the point. You're going to come with me tomorrow, working the job and working as my girlfriend." 

"Okay. So now you're my creditor, boyfriend, and boss? Within the matter of hours?" The whole idea, despite how strange it seems, can't be that bad. Just a few weeks of standing at the register or hanging clothes while I get to play around with a pretty man and be far from Jasper. A good exchange, I'd say.

"Correct."

"I'm not participating in your game if you don't get me a secure job there. I need one." I cross my arms. Jasper being out of range completely means I can finally get a job without his endless protests. That would be amazing—if Andreas approves of my request.

"We'll complete your paperwork tomorrow." He moves over to the side of the bed and flips open the covers. With a graceful hand, he gestures that I accept his invitation to beneath the blankets. "Work begins at eight tomorrow; you don't want to be late."

"I'm not sleeping in jeans."

"You'll have new clothes tomorrow, from the store. For now, either deal with the inconvenience or find your own solutions." Much like removing my jeans.

Sighing, I take a position on the opposite side of the bed and consider how I'm going to undress with him beside me. But something familiar strikes me—that same feeling I'd got when I asked Andreas to purchase my vibrator all those months ago. Something that makes me feel...mischievous. It's run by eagerness and lust.  

"I'll take off my jeans. Be my audience."

Silence stands in the dark room. His emotions are unidentifiable. Maybe I shouldn't have suggested that I strip in front of him. I was keen to do it before, but right now, I'm less certain.

"Alright," he says, sliding into the bed. "As you wish."

Now I'm stuck to something I've willed myself to do. So I slip in beside him and urge myself to stay calm. On his side, he faces me with expectance, and for an odd reason, that motivates me to move forward. Reluctance fails to pave its way in and stop me; the button of my jeans pops off.

His breaths become lighter, more rapid, when I pull down my zip and the top of my panties are revealed, free to be observed. Now he knows the cotton I wear is white, almost translucent. A little while longer of undressing and he'll find me aroused.

"Why'd you stop?" he whispers, shuffling impatiently on his side, one palm resting on the mattress, near me, wanting to take over. I gaze into his eyes—those gleaming eyes—then bend my legs to deal with the remainder of my pants.

Struggle comes at the end when I try to remove the hem from my ankles, and he doesn't mind. He's enjoying that my body is baring to him. That he's my audience and I'm in his bed.

I throw my jeans onto the floor and flip the blanket over our bodies, putting my back to him and trying to find peace in being in a bed with a partial stranger. I can't even think, because not even ten seconds into my thoughts, I've scooted back and put my ass to his groin. Lust has prevailed and conquered my actions.

Immediately, he wraps an arm around my abdomen, pulling me closer. It's obvious in the way he holds so tight that he's trying to make sure I really feel how hard he is. His cock is a stiff pressure to my ass, in need of ripping through our clothes so it can fit into me.

"I know I said you're to be my roleplay-girlfriend," he whispers smoothly, "but don't think for a second that I'll hesitate to finish anything that you start." His hold on my abdomen loosens, though remaining in place. He continues talking just as panicked desire creeps through my chest. "For now, you've been warned. I'll begin on you tomorrow, beautiful."

It's not the easiest to fall asleep. Especially with his body pressed against mine—with us intentionally pressing our bodies together. I still manage, replacing my focus on the way heat whirls between my legs with thoughts of Jasper.

I don't know why I did though. The reminder of him is the core reason why I didn't get any sleep. Jasper is the villain of both my nightmares and my reality. Stupid fucking devil.