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“The last person that called me pretty had to expand their dental coverage,” I quipped. She barked out another laugh that rocked her. She threw her head back, and I was positive Mrs. Whitcomb was on the hunt for her location. “I love your laugh, Bex.” She was closer like this; it would be nothing to kiss her the way I’ve craved since picking her up in the commons.
“You have bad taste. It’s awful,” she retorted and partially hid behind the sleeve of her sweater.
“Are you asking about Sigma because of the parties?”
“Somewhat, I guess.”
“Do you need an invite?” I asked, knowing Mari had already secured it. She looked down and turned the wheels in her mind.
“I was actually gonna ask if you knew someone there.” Her confession was her vulnerability. This was the moment everything inside me started declaring a state of emergency.
“Oh, Bexley has a thing for a frat bro, hmm?” I teased as she scrunched her nose.
“I don’t think so. It’s the two apples situation I brought up earlier. You have one apple you’ve known for a while, and the other was just given to you recently. But…” She looked to the ceiling. “But you don’t want to choose.”
“That first apple sounds rotten, if I’m being honest with you.” Her little hand swatted my shoulder, attempting to thwart my immaturity. “I’m going to guess these apples are people we know. My honest answer for you is to do whatever you wish.”I can’t exactly be jealous of myself.
“Do as I wish?” she asked as though it were a foreign concept. “You wouldn’t be mad?” Regret immediately crossed her face.
“Why would I be mad, silly girl?” I rubbed her head like earlier but changed the topic for both our sakes. “So, you’re coming Saturday?”
“Oh, actually, I was going to skip it.” Her gaze wandered behind me, and I looked to see Mari had returned sans Brent. “I’ve been feeling a little uneasy with the murders lately. I didn’t expect to witness what I learned in collegeascollege was happening. I also fit this pattern that seems to be emerging.”
“Ah, well, that’s a bit of a bummer. I was looking forward to seeing you,” I admitted. I twirled her hair between my fingers. I never made rules to follow, but I would have broken them all to enjoy this again. She stared at me with a fiery look.
“Jaiden.” Her delicate voice filled the space between us. Without thought, I hooked my hand behind her knee and slid her just off the table and into me. Her hands found my chest as I leaned toward her ear.
“Say it again.” I sounded gravelly and desperate.
“Jaiden,” she teased the syllables.
“You are the only one who’s allowed to call me that,” I whispered out of Mari’s earshot. “Only you.” I nuzzled into the crook of her neck, skimming my lips along the column of her throat.
“Why?”
“Because it’s tainted otherwise,” I explained. “You’re the only person who doesn’t say it with hatred.”
“Probably because I don’t hate you.” She leaned into the embrace and added, “I care about you.” Her cheek was soft and warm against mine. I wanted to sit like this for the rest of the day. “Mm, you smell good,” she said more to herself as her nose brushed my jaw. Her hands slid up my chest and over my shoulders. The same hand from last week caressed my neck. She didn’t grip me the same, but her nails grazed a similar path. My hand pressed so hard into the table; the edges turned white.
“Bex,” I whispered. I wanted her on this table, against these books. I wanted to destroy this entire building while I ruined her. It was like all sense drained as a curtain of darkness fell in front of me. I hooked the leg I held around me, and I braced her back as I bent her back.
She was halfway to the beige wood when Mari cleared her throat behind us, and the sudden noise made me jerk. It was as though every time Mari looked at me, she silently told me that she knew. The smirk she wore when I turned to look at her confirmed those thoughts.She knows.
I look down to see Bex shocked and aroused. I straightened her, tamped down all of the urges screaming for me to just take her.It’s her perfume; it’s crack, surely.I cleared my throat.
“I won’t see you Saturday, so library on Monday?” I traded my grip on her leg for a soft hold of her hand. She nodded as she rolled her lips and dipped her head out of Mari’s taunting gaze. “Sorry, you only hired me for boyfriend interference. I can’t help with this one.” My smile was just as teasing, and it deepened her embarrassment.
As I walked away from her, I gave Mari’s shoulder a squeeze and looked for an open room. I pulled out my vape, not giving a shit if Mrs. Whitcomb was around. I inhaled, and the coil crackled. I’d have no reason to see Bex this weekend, but with the way things were snowballing, it was best to take a cooling period. I’d been so desperate for her that I found reckless excuses to touch her.
What wonderful excuses they are.
October 22, 2020
Detective Bishop
I thumbed through the file I just finished printing. Andy managed to get in touch with a contact of hers in the FBI. They couldn’t justify sending a team to us at this point, but their review of the case did help a bit.
The profiles they provided us consisted of indicators we’d suspected. Our suspect was in his twenties, experienced and confident, a student, local to the area. Their other description was a white male, average to small build, but fit enough to move a small woman’s body across a short distance. He’d be unassuming, but dangerous given he’d killed prior to these women. I’d begin my examinations of childhood offenses and concerns with the names we’d been working through later.
