Chapter 2: Our First Storm (nine years ago)
Harley (13)I’m not too thrilled to spend the next four years stuck at East Bridgewater High School with absolutely no friends whatsoever. The ones I made through elementary and middle school either moved, went to private school, or we grew apart. Luckily, one of my best friends, Alec, came to this miserable prison with me, so I’m not technically alone. Our first assignment for the year is a book report on the Civil War, and Alec and I got paired up for the project. I’m ecstatic about it, and I’m pretty sure he can tell.“What are you doing after school, Har?” Alec asks all smooth and casual as we walk down the street toward our apartments.“Hudson and I are going to the bookstore to find a book on the Civil War. You know, for the book report we have to do.”I make the attitude in my voice known, hoping he’ll decide to cancel his plans and help me with the damn project. I know he has plans. That’s just the type of person Alec is. He’s popular, just like my twin brother, Hudson. Me, not so much, but I’m not an outcast either. He puts his hand on my shoulder, stops walking, and spins me so we’re facing each other. His hands cup my face, and he rubs the pads of his thumbs along my jawline. “Harley, Hudson, and I are going to football practice after we grab something to eat. Would you mind grabbing the book anyway, and I promise that tomorrow I’m all yours?”I roll my eyes, but I can’t help the smile that curls playfully on my lips. I nod my head, yes, rolling my eyes as I do it. He grabs my face tighter and kisses my forehead before releasing me from his comforting hold.“Yeah, I’ll grab the book, Alec, but you need to stop ditching me when we have homework to do.”He grabs my hand and interlocks our fingers as we start walking again, just as a thick, gray cloud hovers above us, blocking the bright sun entirely. When hard, cold droplets of rain begin pelting us, Alec pulls my hand and begins to run, trying to get us home quicker.After parting ways when we hit our street, instead of going home, I bypass my driveway and keep walking in the direction of the bookstore, enjoying the rain that soaks my body. I’ve always loved the rain and storms—any kind of storm, to be honest. I was born in the middle of a rainstorm on April 1st. My mother was somehow lying on my father’s Harley on the side of the road when my brother and I decided to make our grand entrance into the world. My father says we’re blessed because the day we were born, the rain poured down and baptized our souls immediately. Whatever that means.I see the bookstore ahead of me, the neon light flickers each time a rumble of thunder booms, rattling the small town. It’s raining, therefore there shouldn’t be anyone inside, and I’ll get to bury my nose in every book they have.As I open the door, I pause briefly with my senses on high alert. The baby hairs on the back of my neck and my arms rise stiffly as the feeling of being watched begins to invade my mind. The only person I see when I turn my head to scan around me, is a scruffy-looking man in his twenties, approaching the bookstore in clothes that cling to his sculpted body. I smile at him to ease the discomfort as I hold open the door for him and walk inside, taking shelter from the icy rain. He follows behind me and enters the store but ventures to the self-help area, disappearing behind an array of crowded shelves.Mhm, who is he?...Brixton (26)The second I walk through the doors of High Point Rehab over in Brockton and I sniff in the putrid, fresh air, the urge to score a bag of dope smacks me in the chest like a fucking punch. Still, I carry on walking through the somewhat familiar city, headed right for the T. Since this rehab stint was court-ordered, I still have to check in with parole and attend NA meetings to stay out of prison. It's been six years since I’ve had my freedom, but I can already tell you that this little tease will be short-lived. I’ve been behind bars more than I’ve been in the real world. I just wasn’t fucking made for that specific population, I guess. Even though I’m from Southie, I got busted out here in Brockton for carjacking and grand theft auto, so all my legal shit is down here. Hence, I'm traveling to my PO’s office in good old Brockton, Massachusetts.The ride on the T isn’t long at all, and I’m walking off the dingy platform before I fucking know it. Dark, gloomy clouds begin to consume the once-bright sky, hiding the sun from shining down on the city. Thunder rolls in the distance and silent claps of lightning strike vividly in the sky moments later.“You must be Brixton Steele.” A pudgy woman with a bad perm and oversized glasses speaks over the brim of a coffee mug as she takes a sip and motions for me to sit down.“Yeah, that’s me, unfortunately.” I tease as I take in my surroundings while she digs through a stack of files on her desk.Cats and guns; there are pictures of her with cats and of her shooting and holding various weapons scattered neatly around her office, giving me a confusing picture of who she is.“Ah, here you are. This is a thick one for sure, Brixton. Why don’t we see why you’re here, eh?”I scoff, and my stomach tightens at the thought of her rambling off my twenty-page record.“I can tell you why I’m here. I stole a car at gunpoint and ended up doing time for it. Then, while in prison, I got addicted to heroin and was sent to a rehab facility, which I was just released from today.”She gives me a kind smile and sets my thick file down in front of her as she begins to explain the conditions of my parole.Back on the T, I follow my PO’s directions written down on a Post-it note. She’s sending me to a dank bookstore in a small town about twenty minutes from Brockton in search of a specific book about the twelve-step program that I’ll need for my mandatory weekly meetings. I’ve gone through all of this shit before, and it never seemed to stick. There’s no use thinking this time will be any fucking different.I spot the flickering “OPEN” sign hanging above the door to the bookstore, swaying in the heavy wind that whips the cold rain against my body, making me break out with a shiver that slowly travels along my spine.And that’s when I see her. She’s fucking breathtaking, even with her dark hair matted in wet strands over her head. She opens the door and walks into the bookstore, safe from the torrential rain that’s drowning the small town.And for the first time in my entire fucking life, I’m anxious and excited to venture into a fucking bookstore. All because of her.Mhm, who the fuck is she?...Chapter 3: The Day the Storm StruckHarley (age 21)As I exit the building for the last time, I push open the studio door and step out into the hot sun. Navigating through the campus at Brockton Community College, I notice the smiling faces of all the other graduates who are leaving their last class of the day. Tomorrow, we graduate from college and are now in control of planning the rest of our lives. Hudson is going off to New York to continue his football dream, glad to be getting out of this vile city. Me? I’m sticking around Massachusetts, but I’m taking a job at a dance academy up in Dorchester, much closer to beautiful, magical Boston.Since the sun is shining and there’s not a cloud in the sky, I decide to walk back to my apartment instead of hitching a ride. Alec is due home any day now. His return is all that I can fucking think about. He stayed true to his word and enlisted in the Marines right after graduation, leaving me a few short weeks later. We’ve talked here and there
Chapter 4: Shattered and Spiraling Three months laterBrixtonShe's fucking shattered. She lost her brother and her fiancé at the same time. On the same day. In the same fucking place. The same day Alec proposed to her. The same fucking day he got home from being overseas for a fucking year.The sound of the crisp fall leaves crunching under my feet is oddly satisfying, keeping me calm as I venture down the street looking for some business. I've been out in the fucking streets more lately, all because Harley is always out now, and I just need to keep an eye on her to make sure she's fucking safe. They're not nice out here in Brockton, even though Southie is much worse, and Harley doesn't know what she's getting herself into.She's spiraling and completely out of control. We've crossed paths a lot these last few months, and never under the best circumstances either. But we still haven't spoken a single fucking word to each other. But why would we? Shit, she doesn't need to know anythin
Chapter 5: Trapped in Different PrisonsHarleyAs I strut down the street tonight, a little unsteady on my feet, the high black heels I chose to wear start to irritate my heels. I'm actually shocked that I haven't busted my ass yet considering how much alcohol is currently rushing through me. The number of people who have stopped their cars by the side of the road and catcalled me has increased, but every time I check the John, I leave dissatisfied. I won't get in the car with just anyone because, believe it or not, I have standards. Another car pulls up to the curb as I approach one of the gentleman's clubs on the city's main drag. The man rolls down the window and pokes his head out while whistling at me. Eh, he’s not bad looking, so why the fuck not?I never thought I’d be walking the streets trying to fuck for some money. Fucking NEVER.I never thought I’d be shooting dope, sniffing coke, or smoking meth, either. Fucking NEVER.I never thought I’d give up on my dreams of dancing. N
Chapter 6: Trigger HappyBrixtonThe sound of the front door closing awakens me after having spent the first half of the night in a drug-induced stupor. In an effort to wake up and see my surroundings, I sit up and wipe the sleep from my eyes and the slimy drool from my lips. I notice right away that Trigger is no longer in the living room, and panic sets in. The blanket that once covered me tumbles to the ground in a heap as I leap off the couch. This motherfucker defied everything I said. I mutter to myself as I stumble over everything in my path to the door in the pitch-black room. When I get to the door and swing it open, the light from the hallway fucks with my eyes, even though it's dim and the lights are flickering. I march down the hard, steep stairs in bare feet while firmly holding onto the handrail as I try to look for this dick, fully aware that I'm only wearing my tight, revealing boxer briefs, which have a goddamn stiffy straining against the silk fabric. Unknown to me,
Chapter 7: Wicked DesiresHarley**I try to work on my tan as I lounge on the roof of our apartment building with the bright sun beating down on my shoulders. I raise my head toward the scorching sun and push my shades up my nose while listening to the hum of the city and the sounds below. The door to the roof opens, and Alec walks out, still dressed in his cammies. I immediately sit up, just as he grazes his hand up my bare leg at the end of the chair. "Hey, baby girl. Getting some sun?" He asks in a low, sweet voice, sweeping his desire-filled gaze across my body, taking in the sight of the tiny bikini covering my intimate areas."Yes, it's the perfect day for it. "How come you're home so early?"I can tell that something is wrong from the expression on his face. However, Alec remains silent. Instead, he frenzies over my lips, slipping his tongue inside and passionately curling it around mine. With each methodical brush of his tongue against mine, the worry in my heart fades, and th
Brixton"Come on, Brixton. Just one more time, please?" Raegan pleads with me to get back into bed and fuck her one more time, but I pull my clothes on anyway, ignoring her desperate whines. I can't stop thinking about my little bird and fucking Trigger, ruining every, fucking part of her. If she only knew who he was, she wouldn't let him into her apartment, let alone her fucking pussy."Now you're just ignoring me, is that it?"She huffs once more, but this time she sits up. My gaze flits from her enormous tits hanging from her chest to her pink, pointy nipples, which are hard and swollen from my sucking."Fine." I rip my clothes back off and snatch her off the fucking bed."You want me to fuck you again? You want me to beat that pussy up even more than I already fucking did?" I grab her throat and squeeze it until her face turns red, becoming aroused by the feeling of her veins pulsing underneath my fingers."Ye...yes..." She speaks in a hoarse whisper, her eyes bulging out the tig
Chapter 9: Harley's Sick LoveOctoberHarleyMy vision is blurred by the strobe lights as I seductively climb the shiny pole with both hands while eye-fucking the audience. When I reach the top, I wrap my legs around it and let myself fall. As I sway back and forth to the beat of the music blasting from the speakers, my hair sweeps across the stage. I twirl my body around the pole while still hanging upside down as Ride by Ciara hums in my ears and my hips methodically follow the beat. I see Stacks watching my routine from the back corner of the club, his eyes glistening with admiration and approval. Bills flutter throughout the air, cascading over the stage from the hungry men applauding my moves. I lose myself in the music and allow it to carry me to a soothing place free from suffering or loss. When my set ends and I walk off stage, flirtatiously waving to the cheering crowd, I run into Stacks on my way to the dressing room."Great fucking job, Savage. The fucking crowd loves you."
Chapter 10: Brixton's Sick LoveBrixtonI briefly glimpse the sparkle Harley used to fucking have when I look into her eyes. The one that drew me in the first time I saw her. It flashes briefly in her eyes before disappearing just as quickly. If I hadn't been fucking staring right into them, I might have missed it. I lean back and watch her shoot, noticing her eyes roll back as the intense rush hits her all at once. Her body settles against the back of the couch as her lids flutter in contentment and a smile curls along her painted lips. Taking advantage of her closed eyes, I adjust the uncomfortable bulge in my crotch, attempting to conceal the massive erection I'm sporting."You okay over there, little bird?" "I'm fucking great, B. All thanks to you."As she rolls the word off the tip of her tongue, she slurs, lust dripping from her voice. My cock twitches, and moisture seeps into the fabric of my shorts. She pulls her bottom lip in between her pearly white teeth as her eyes slowly