As Meghan scrunched her brow and looked at Ryan confused, she heard a familiar sharp click. Quickly, Ryan’s arm rose to her shoulder level, and she felt a scratch against her neck. As she raised her hands to rub the itch on her neck, Ryan stepped back and smiled. Meghan smiled in return as her fingers fumbled along the base of her neck. The smile quickly turned to a frown, followed by a look of despair.
As Meghan pulled her hands from her neck and looked at her fingers, she collapsed into a puddle of blood that had dripped from her breasts and elbows. As she lay on the floor, dying in a pool of her own blood, Ryan stepped over her body. She attempted to rotate her head and see where he was going, but was incapable of moving. As she pressed her hands to her neck, and gasped her final living breaths, she blinked her eyes in wonder.
And the last thing she heard was another familiar sound.
The door closed.
And the door lock mechanism clicked.
CHAPTER TWENTY - NINE
GRADUATION DAY.
TWENTY- NINE. “Ladies and gentlemen, mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, friends and associates, I present to you the graduating class of 2012,” the announcement echoed throughout the auditorium.
As the children hugged their respective parents, friends, and family members, Ryan watched the girl work her way through the crowd. As she approached the rear of the auditorium, he walked toward the exit closest to him, paying close attention to the movements of the girl through the overfilled auditorium. Dressed in her graduation gown and holding her cap, she closely resembled every other girl in the crowd.
Ryan watched as the girl walked to the exit, pressed her hands against the door, hesitated, and looked back into the auditorium. After a moment’s wait, she turned to face the door again. As she pushed the door open on the other side of the auditorium, Ryan opened the door at the opposite end and walked outside, clutching the gym bag in his hand as he attempted to follow her across the courtyard unnoticed.
Staying approximately one hundred feet behind the girl as she walked toward the parking lot, Ryan watched as she approached a twenty year old Honda Prelude and started to unlock the door. As she fumbled to insert the key in door’s lock cylinder, she glanced attentively around the parking lot.
Ryan increased his pace as she opened the door. Nervously, he scanned the parking lot for witnesses. Seeing no one within eye shot, he increased his walking speed to an almost jog toward the car as the girl rolled down the window. As he stepped to the driver’s door of the car, the girl was unsuccessfully attempting to start the car.
“You little piece of shit, start. Come on. Start,” the girl pleaded as she cranked the engine of the car over. As the engine cranked, the battery became weaker, turning the engine slower and slower.
Softly Ryan spoke, trying not to startle the girl, “Excuse me, are you having problems?”
The girl turned to face Ryan quickly, startled by his voice. As she looked out of the vehicle’s window and up into Ryan’s eyes, he immediately noticed the similarities between her and her mother. As she made eye contact, she stopped trying to start the car.
“Sometimes it doesn’t want to go. It’ll start in a minute,” she smiled as she spoke.
“Well. I have something for you,” Ryan raised the gym bag, feeling considerably more nervous than he expected.
“Excuse me? You don’t know me. Are you a cop?” the girl asked as she looked down at Ryan’s shoes and back up at his face.
“No. I am not a police officer,” Ryan took a step away from the car as he spoke, attempting to make the girl more comfortable with his presence.
“Are you Jessica Rodriguez?” Ryan stood beside the car, holding the gym bag in his right hand.
“Who wants to know? Is this about my mother?” the girl asked as she watched Ryan step away from the car.
“Well, yes. In a sense, I suppose,” Ryan fumbled with his choice of words.
The girl opened the door and stepped out of her car, now standing between Ryan and her car.
“I’ll do my best to explain. I’m quite wealthy. I learned of your mother’s disappearance through a friend of a friend. I know that you’re an only child, and you’ll be eighteen soon. I know if your mother doesn’t resurface, you’ll have a difficult life,” Ryan extended his arm, holding the gym bag in his hand.
The girl looked down at the gym bag and back up into Ryan’s eyes.
“Here, take this. It’s for you,” Ryan swallowed a lump in his throat as he held the bag at arm’s length.
“So, yeah. I’m Jessica. What is it?” she asked as she motioned toward the bag.
“It’s a graduation gift,” Ryan sighed and placed the bag on the ground between them.
Jessica smiled and reached for the bag. Startled by the weight as she attempted to lift it, she raised her eyebrows in wonder.
“Let me explain, please,” Ryan crossed his arms and inhaled a slow breath, still feeling rather uncomfortable speaking to Jessica.
“It’s money. Actually, it’s a lot of money. You’re going to need to…” as Ryan spoke, Jessica interrupted him.
“Why you wanna give me money? You don’t know me,” Jessica lowered the bag to the ground and changed her gaze from the bag to Ryan and back again.
“Just look at it as a graduation gift. You’ll need to be careful how you spend it, because spending large amounts of cash is frowned upon. But that should get you by for some time. Maybe if you’re wise, a lifetime,” Ryan uncrossed his arms and pushed his hands into his front pockets.
Jessica bent over and unzipped the bag. She looked inside the bag, up at Ryan, and into the bag again. Carefully, she reached into the bag and shuffled the money around, looking through the banded bundles of fifty dollar bills in wonder. Shocked, she looked at Ryan and widened her eyes.
“It’s seven hundred thousand dollars, a graduation gift from me to you. Just in case you end up alone through all of this,” Ryan rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet as he spoke.
“You’re serious. You’re giving this to me?” Jessica asked as she picked the bag up and pulled it close to her body, clutching it in both arms.
“I am an only child. I know what it’s like to be an only child. I am fortunate to have my parents and can’t imagine trying to go about living life alone. When I learned of the disappearance of your mother, I decided I wanted to do this for you, just in case she doesn’t come home,” Ryan smiled an awkward smile, feeling fairly certain that the girl was going to accept the money as a gift.
“I don’t even know what to say,” Jessica said, her voice filled with emotion as she spoke.
“Say nothing,” pleased, Ryan smiled and pulled his hands from his pockets.
Jessica turned and faced her car as she clutched the bag.
“You need a ride somewhere?” Ryan asked.
“Well,” Jessica said over her shoulder.
“It’s probably not a good idea to get stranded with that amount of cash. I’m parked right over there,” Ryan motioned across the parking lot toward his car.
“The white car?” Jessica asked as she looked across the parking lot.
Ryan nodded, “I can give you a ride to the dealership out on east Kellogg. I know the manager. He’ll maybe let you pay cash for an inexpensive car - something that will start when you want it to.”
“Well, I suppose,” Jessica paused and looked in the window of her car.
“You can come back and get your belongings later if you prefer,” Ryan offered.
“Well, this is weird. I don’t know what to…” Jessica struggled with the weight of the bag.
“Here, let me carry it for you,” Ryan reached toward the bag as he spoke.
“No, I got it,” Jessica hefted the bag up and clutched it tight against her body.
“Yeah, you can give me a ride. You really think I can buy a car?” Jessica asked.
“I’m sure of it,” Ryan felt an odd sense of satisfaction as they began to walk toward his car.
&
nbsp; Clutching the bag against her chest, Jessica walked beside Ryan, smiling a little more with each step.
“So tell me about your mother,” Ryan said as they walked.
“Well, her name is Elena…”
As Jessica spoke, Ryan listened intently. The value that the girl placed on her mother made Ryan uneasy and jealous. Elena, to Jessica, was both her best friend and her mother – something Ryan never had in a parent. As they reached the car, Ryan pressed the button on his key fob and unlocked the doors.
As Ryan reached for the door handle, he took a slow breath and did something he had not done since his childhood.
The little fat boy inside of him prayed to God.
For Jessica’s well being.
CHAPTER THIRTY
CHECK PLEASE.
THIRTY. “I don’t know, it just always has. Ever since I was a kid and my dad took us deer hunting,” Ami raised her hands to her face and pressed her fingers against her cheeks.
“The smell of gunpowder and blood?” Ryan asked, making sure of her statement.
Ami nodded, “Yeah. I’m sorry if it creeps you out. But it’s just a huge turn on,” Ami smiled.
“No, I suppose not. I’m not concerned,” Ryan laughed.
“It just seems weird being with you away from the coffee shop. You know, like actually sitting and talking to you. The good kind of weird,” Ami smiled as she raised her glass of wine to her mouth.
“The good kind of weird,” Ryan chuckled as he placed his index finger against his upper lip and admired Ami’s dress.
The plunging neckline revealed a considerable portion of Ami’s breasts, but was elegant enough to not make her appear cheap in any way. Her careful choice of complimentary jewelry was very tasteful as were her conservative three inch heels. All things considered, Ryan believed Ami, as she sat before him, to be the most attractive woman he had ever seen.
“Your dress is stunning, Ami. What a great choice,” Ryan tapped his finger on his lip nervously as he spoke.
Ami leaned toward Ryan, resting her forearms on the table and cupped her hands together. As she looked up into Ryan’s eyes, her breasts heaved as she breathed. Ryan attempted not to stare, feeling his level of already heightened arousal begin to rise even more. As he felt his cock begin to become stiff, he pressed his left hand against his slacks and smiled.
“If you want the truth, I have a spending problem,” Ami slurred her speech as she pronounced spending.
“Oh really?” Ryan asked, hoping to keep Ami in this position for as long as possible.
Ami raised her left hand to her face and brushed her hair behind her ear. As she pulled her hand away from her face, she covered her mouth lightly and giggled. Slowly tilting her head to the right, she tried to reveal her tattoo to Ryan’s watchful eyes. She noticed his eyes alternating glances between her eyes and her breasts, and intending on leaning over the table as long as she could possibly do so.
“I think I’ve had too much wine,” Ami carefully raised one eyebrow and waited for Ryan to respond.
“Define too much,” Ryan responded.
“Well. I’ve reached the point of brutal honesty. You know the two most honest people on the planet?” Ami asked.
“Who’s that?” Ryan smiled as he continued to admire Ami’s natural beauty.
“Kids and drunks,” Ami whispered.
“You don’t say,” Ryan said as he leaned a few inches closer.
“I just said,” Ami giggled.
Ami inhaled a long, deep breath and held it as long as she could, exhaling slowly. She had imagined what Ryan would be like in person for some time now, and was quite pleased with his intriguing nature, handsome looks, and solid muscular build. Ami lowered her chin to almost touch the table, and curled her index finger, motioning for Ryan to come closer.
“I steal stuff,” Ami whispered as Ryan’s face moved within a foot of hers.
“Oh really? Why?” Ryan smiled as he asked the question.
Ami turned to her head in either direction, verifying that there was no one within earshot. Her face felt flush from her last glass of wine. Three was certainly more than she generally drank, but the initial thought of Ryan made her nervous, and she intended to just have enough to loosen up. At his insistence, she had ordered the third. She focused on Ryan and raised her palms to rest on her cheeks.
“It’s exciting and I like expensive stuff. Something about stealing makes me feel like a criminal, and I just love it. I know it’s childish and I should stop, but it’s really a rush to do it,” she said softly.
“Interesting,” Ryan said flatly.
“You’re interesting,” Ami responded immediately.
“You think so,” Ryan asked.
“Know so,” Ami responded before Ryan had actually finished speaking.
“Well, I’m not drunk, but I suspect I owe it to you to be brutally honest with you,” Ryan sighed.
“Shoot,” Ami looked into Ryan’s eyes and blinked exaggeratedly.
“Well, I’m all but sick of living here, and I’m ready to get out of this place. As I am sure you can tell that I am, and I have been attracted to you for some time. I just don’t see myself staying here,” Ryan paused and waited for Ami to respond.
Ami glanced at her half full glass of wine and turned to face Ryan again. Slowly, without looking, she reached over and slid the glass in front of her face. With her chin still resting in her right hand, and maintaining focus on Ryan, she tipped the glass to her lips and finished the wine.
“I hate this god forsaken city,” Ami hissed.
“But you’re in college, you need to finish,” Ryan said, hoping for a response that he didn’t expect.
“I don’t need to finish. I need entertained,” Ami turned, looked at her empty glass, and rolled her eyes.
“Well, along those lines, I have another subject I guess we should discuss,” Ryan slowly sat back in his chair and studied Ami’s face.
The night, as far as Ryan was concerned, had gone remarkably well. Although this was their first date, he felt an immediate connection to Ami. He had desired her for years, and while he felt that previous desire could have come into play, he believed his current attraction was solely based on what he learned of her from this dinner date. She, by all standards, was exactly what he desired, hoped for, and felt that he needed.
Wondering about his ability to actually have any form of long term relationship, and continue to feed his potential desire for what he believed to borderline psychotic behavior, he stared at Ami and smiled.
“It’s a sexual statement,” Ryan said softly.
“Finally,” Ami sighed.
Ryan smiled at Ami’s response. Although he doubted it, if Ami’s sexual desires were comparable to what his expectations of his own were, he felt he may be able to make something work. With no expectation, and a minimal amount of hope, he decided to be brutally honest. After all, her drunken state would certainly soften her response somewhat if she was offended.
“Well, sexually,” embarrassed, Ryan stumbled with his words.
Slowly, he inhaled a breath through his nose, exhaled, and continued.
“Sexually speaking, my wants, needs, and desires borderline criminality,” Ryan whispered.
“Thank God,” Ami batted her eyelashes and stared at Ryan without moving.
“I mean, you have no idea,” Ryan smiled.
“Thank God,” Ami responded.
“I’m afraid you have no idea,” Ryan whispered, feeling relieved that Ami had not expressed dissatisfaction over his statement.
“Enlighten me. Give me a for instance. A really fucking good one,” Ami turned, looked at her empty glass again, faced Ryan, and rolled her eyes.
Ryan sat back in his chair and thought. Quite shocked at Ami’s lack of concern regarding his potential sexual desires, he became excited about the possibility of her truly being the woman of his dreams. In a perfect world, if she were a sexual deviant, a murderer, and obsessed with money, he felt t
hat they just might make it. As he chuckled to himself, he realized that she could potentially meet two out of three, considering her problem with stealing expensive articles of clothing.
Ryan leaned toward the center of the table and rested his hands on his chin. Slowly, he inhaled a short breath through his mouth and exhaled. His face a matter of inches from Ami’s, he could feel her sweet breath against his lips.
“I tied a woman to a bed once,” Ryan lied.
“And I fucked her face until she was almost unconscious. Then I untied her, turned her over and fucked her from behind until she couldn’t stand,” Ryan whispered, then slowly raised his eyebrows.
Ami batted her eyelashes and stared into Ryan’s eyes.
“After that, did you do anything exciting?” Ami whispered.
“That’s only the beginning,” Ryan assured her.
“Thank God. Because that sounded borderline vanilla to me,” Ami rolled her eyes as she spoke.
Trying to hide his excitement, Ryan chuckled lightly.
“You know,” Ami inhaled, pursed her lips, and blew her cheeks out as she exhaled.
“You know how you meet someone, and you just know. Like you know that person is the person?” Ami looked up into Ryan’s eyes.
“I suppose, why?” Ryan smiled.
“Because I think you’re that person,” Ami nodded her head lightly as she spoke.
“You really think so?” Ryan tilted his head and raised his palms in wonder.
“I think this. I would follow you to the fiery depths of hell,” Ami responded as she stared into Ryan’s eyes.
“To hell?” Ryan asked.
“To fucking hell,” Ami responded.
“To hell we’re headed,” Ryan smiled.
“Not quick enough,” Ami breathed.
“You ready?” Ryan asked.
“To follow you?” Ami asked.
Ryan nodded slowly.
“To hell?” Ami asked.
Ryan nodded once sharply.
Ami raised her right hand over her head and locked her elbow. While maintaining eye contact with Ryan, she cocked her head toward the aisle of the restaurant.