Page 3 of Property of Grifter
I study C.I’m not sure how I feel about this club just yet, but I trust this man completely.I reach in my pocket and pull out my keys.“I’ll walk out with you.I need to get my phone and wallet.I locked them up in my saddle bag.”
“What the fuck did you do that for?”
“Wasn’t sure of the reception I was going to receive.If I had to knock some heads together, I wanted to make sure those were safe.”
He laughs but doesn’t say anything more.He knows I learned my lessons the hard way.At last count, I’ve gone through at least twenty cellphones.Now, I take precautions, mostly because I got tired of the process of getting a new one.
When we step outside, the sunlight catches a mural across the street.It’s a building about a block down from the garage and the on the front and side of the structure is a picture of a winged horse soaring up in the sky.There’s also a moon and stars shining everywhere around it.The horse is white, but it looks like its coat is covered in glitter that is even brighter than the painted stars.The mural is beautiful but looks entirely out of place in this neighborhood.It does match the whimsical and colorful paintings downtown.At once, I realize that the work all belongs to the same artist.
My heart goes crazy when I hear the sound of a woman laughing.Hearing it, does something to me.It rains down on me with the force of an eighty-pound hammer, but it isn’t painful.It’s something else altogether.The sound is gentle, sweet, and so warm that it made me ache, causing an erection that I really shouldn’t have, given that it was just from a woman laughing.What the hell?
My gaze moved to find the source and there she was—definitely heart-stopping.From this distance, it’s hard to tell, but I’d venture to say the woman was tiny.I’d say five-four to five-five in height—and that was being generous.In fact, it is almost as generous as the voluptuous curves of her hips and the ample cleavage of her breasts.I could only see the side view of her face as she was talking to a boy—who couldn’t be more than twelve.I knew there was nothing romantic between them.The woman has to be in her mid-twenties.Still, the fact that he is standing so close to her and gets to enjoy her laughter so freely grates on my nerves.My hand tightens up into a fist.Her laughter should belong only to me, that smile on her full lips is meant for my eyes only.The long wavy blonde hair that falls to her fucking delicious ass is meant for my hands to wrap in as she takes my cock.
Fuck, she is spectacular.
She is light in a darkness that had infiltrated my soul years ago.A source of comfort that I didn’t think could penetrate the shell of the man I had slowly become over the last few years.
Almost as if she could feel my eyes staring at her, she turned to look at me.Our gazes connect and I swear to God, it feels as if I had been struck by lightning.I wanted her.No, it was more than that.As I continue to watch her, I have to acknowledge the truth.Ineededher with a hunger that I had never felt in my life.It was as if there was an invisible string between us, drawing me to her and pulling me to get closer.I hold back my groan because even from this distance, I could see her tongue come out and lick against her lips.
I watch, transfixed as she says something to the boy who was with her.Then, they turned and went inside the building.It disappointed me that she was running away from me—and that’s exactly what it felt like.Silly woman is mine.She should be running to me.In time, she will.
I won’t give her a choice.
For now, I’ll back off.Tomorrow, however, is another day …
2GEORGIA
I laughas Tony and Lara fight amongst themselves.They’re the oldest kids that come to the community center and their help is immeasurable.Today they’re helping me get a start on the new mural.I’m painting on the side of the diner in town.The kids at the community center voted on a depiction of the mad tea party from Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland.Tony and Lara are going to help me on the project.I always do the main characters, but the two of them do the sketching of the background and do the clear varnish over the final product to protect it from harmful UV rays and vandalism.Their skills are growing and soon I’m going to give them a space to do their own mural.In fact, I’ve already got it arranged on a small building at the end of town.A local optometrist has his practice there and he’s commissioned the project.I’m going to surprise them after we finish this one.
They’re currently sketching for me.Lara is working on the table and Tony is doing the swirls of color that make up the background along the edges of the mural.Me?I’m drawing the white rabbit complete with his giant top hat and pocket watch.I’m excited for this project.I’ve always loved the story of Alice and to bring it to life makes me happy.I haven’t had the easiest road in life.Art has always been my safe place—an escape.
“What do you think?”I ask, while looking at the rabbit I just sketched.
Tony and Lara take a step back to view my handiwork.I see Lara tilt her head, taking it in.Tony, however, just keeps staring at it and frowns.“Miss Cutter, don’t get mad but …”
“What is it, Tony?”I ask, worried I messed up something.It looks okay to me, but I have to admit that sometimes I concentrate so deeply on the character I’m drawing that I miss the position and scale of the grand scheme of things which sometimes gets me in trouble with the other elements in the project.
“Well, the way that mushroom is poised in front of him …”
“Yes?”I ask, sensing he doesn’t want to finish his thoughts, but I can’t see what he’s hung up on.It looks pretty good to me.
“Is the rabbit naked?I mean I know you have his topcoat and hat on, but is he not wearing pants?”
I frown.You couldn’t see his pants because of the mushroom.So, I’m not sure what he’s getting at.“Well, yes, he has pants on, but you won’t be able to truly see them because he’ll be hidden by the mushroom and the table.”
“True, but …”
He stops talking again and I can tell Lara is getting as frustrated as I am.“Just spit it out, Tony.You know by now that you can’t really hurt my feelings.”
“Ms.Cutter you drew his, well his …” he stutters, and I swear his face grows bright red.
What on earth?
“Just tell me, Tony, because I’m not seeing anything.”
He points to the giant caterpillar that is lying on top of the mushroom.“You drew his di—his thing.I mean, geez, kids will see this and that’s kind of not okay.Plus, it’s almost as big as he is.I’ve never seen a rabbit’s private parts.Then again, I’ve never seen a rabbit who wore a suit and could tell time.It’s just I’m pretty sure his thing wouldn’t be that big and huge!”
Lara starts laughing, unable to stop herself.I’m trying to hold my laughter in, though.I don’t want Tony to think I’m mocking him.It’s a struggle though.“Tony,” I finally say when I get a little bit of control over my response.
