Ari
ShawandIhad planned to have a movie night together. Every night for the past three days, we’d done something else as a distraction. Fresh out of the shower, I walked into the bedroom, expecting him to be comfy in his usual sweats and T-shirt, but he was dressed in a nice pair of black jeans and a button-down shirt. His belt matched his shoes, and his hair was slicked back. I’d shown him how to use my gel.
“Where are you going?” The ease I’d been feeling ever since he arrived home fled. I couldn’t come to the school with him every day. It was unprofessional, so I spent my days at home, safeguarded by the new security system Shaw installed. I felt a little bit safer, not because I believed my dad wouldn’t find a way in if he wanted to, but because if he did, he would trip the alarm, and someone would be here in under five minutes to check out the house.
I was convinced I could survive five minutes alone with him. Just as long as they didn’t take any longer.
“I’m going out for half an hour,” he said. “I promise not to be too long.”
“But why? We have plans.” This wasn’t what we’d talked about, and I didn’t like routine changes. It was difficult to figure out what the changes meant. I still feared Shaw would get tired of the babysitting and handholding and go to the police, which I couldn’t let happen. If they took in my dad, I would go down with him.
“I know we said we would watch movies tonight, but I’m thinking of something better.”
“Is that why you are leaving me?”
“I am not leaving you, Ari.”
“That’s what it seems like.”
He came over to me, took me by the shoulder, and pushed me gently to sit on the bed. He took the towel from my hands and patted my still-wet face.
“I am going out to take care of some business. But then I want us to go out for dinner. I already made a reservation for us at eight, so I promise this won’t take long.”
I grabbed one end of the towel to still his hands for a moment. “What kind of business? And do you think it’s a good idea for us to go out now? What if he follows us?”
“Then let him. He won’t do anything to you while I’m with you. Plus, he won’t be around for much longer anyway.”
“How do you know that?”
Shaw kept silent, and I tilted my head back and stared up at him. My heart skipped a beat at that knowing look in his eyes. What was he going to do? My skin tingled in excitement at the idea that forged its way into my mind. That couldn’t be what Shaw was talking about, could it? Shaw? I couldn’t see him getting his hands dirty.
“Are you going to—”
He placed a hand over my mouth to muffle the rest of my words. “We don’t talk about it. We know nothing. Is that clear?”
I widened my eyes, my heart pounding in my chest. He was seriously going to put an end to this. My cock twitched, adrenaline sending exciting thrills through me.
“Is that clear, Ari?”
I nodded, and he removed his hand.
“But how are you going to—”
His hand came back over my mouth. “I said we won’t talk about it. Just know that I’m getting it done. Now be a good boy and do exactly what your Daddy says.”
I nodded again, so hard now, knowing he was talking about killing a man for me. I would never have thought he had it in him.
“Good boy.” He slipped his hand from my mouth and cupped my chin. “As I said, I’ll be gone for a few minutes. When I get back, I want you to be dressed and ready to go out for dinner. Wear something fancy.”
“We’re celebrating?”
“Yes, to us.” He brushed his lips lightly over mine. “I haven’t taken you out on a real date since you came back, Ari. It’s long overdue.”
And the perfect alibi for us too if he was going to knock off Ken like I thought he had been hinting at.
“Okay, Daddy.”
“Good boy.” He tilted my chin higher and trailed his lips over my jaw. “You’re going to forget about him and think only about us. We’re going to have fun on our date, and no one’s going to ruin it for us.”