 
# The Reluctant Hero:

# The Tainted Series

# T.L. Tate

Copyright 2017 by T.L. Tate

Distributed by Smashwords

Cover Photo Copyright of Maksim Toome/Shutterstock

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

### ***Now Available!***

## Hearts that Bleed

## A Romance Novel

## By. T.L. Tate

### He is the doctor. She is the patient. Michael Steele and Lana Groves are two strangers who have each suffered a crippling loss. Drawn to each other by forces unknown, they find solace and excitement in an immediate, yet forbidden chemistry. However, nothing ever goes that smoothly. Between a needy sister-in-law, a stunning resemblance, a manipulative friend, a beautiful club owner, and a major ethical dilemma, the two struggle to find out if there could ever be a future between them. One thing is certain—their lives will never be the same again.

***Available in print and eBook. Go to www.TLTate.net***

I hold you in my arms and open my heart. Without you, I can't survive.

### Table of Contents:

Part I

Part II

Part III

Epilogue

# The Reluctant Hero:

# The Tainted Series

## Part I

I was out of breath and covered in sweat. I looked at her from across the room. Her green eyes watched me closely. I could feel them following me the entire time. I started to say something but she shook her head slightly and smirked. I knew what she was thinking. She was thinking that she owned me. Despite my own feelings to the contrary, she did have a point. Straightening myself to my full height, I reached behind me and grabbed the cold glass of water that was waiting for me.

I heard her laugh, "What's the matter, Lance? Need a break already? We've barely just begun." She stalked towards me, her large breasts bobbing as she twisted her hips while she walked. Alone, in her bedroom, Jessa placed one hand on my chest while the other hand was on my stomach. She smiled up at me, "What's wrong? No stamina?"

I could hear the laughter in her voice. I wanted to tell her what I really thought about her but I couldn't. Instead, I turned to leave in order to grab another piece of her ridiculously heavy furniture.

Today was moving day. Jessa, my sister-in-law, flew back into town on Sunday. As soon as her plane touched down my wife, Jen, scooped her up and they went shopping for all of the necessities. Jessa flew back home a few days ago, only to pack more of her things and officially separate from her husband, Richard. Now she has a condo just a few minutes away from my home and I couldn't be more irritated. See, a few months back, Jen and I were invited to spend a week at Jessa and Richard's home. From the moment we arrived until the moment that we left, all they did was bicker. It was like having a front row seat to the viewing of a train wreck. I didn't think that two people could ever be so ill matched until I saw the two of them together. Why they ever agreed to get married and stay married was a mystery.

Now, while all of that was sad and uncomfortable, the worst happened on one of the last days that we were there. My wife hasn't had the easiest life. She was raised by a pair of narcissists with too much money and egos the size of the Grand Canyon. They raised their children with just enough ambivalence to be considered neglectful. Of course, that was assuming that one of their two daughters didn't do anything to embarrass them or their family name. As long as Jen stayed in her lane, they didn't so much as acknowledge her presence. On the off chance that Jen did something that may (in some obtuse fashion) insult their image then it was hellfire and brimstone. In the rare instances when they deigned to be actual parents, they would only spare their limited parental expertise to their eldest daughter, Jessa. They considered Jen a mistake and treated her as such. Therefore, the first chance she got she left home.

Unfortunately, this wasn't the end of her struggles. Years in college didn't exactly improve my wife's sense of self-worth. Instead, it made it even worse. She was alienated from her family and would only hear from her parents if her grades slipped. She adopted a dark and solitary persona. In the rare instances when she would meet a guy, she would allow herself to be used and the guy would toss her away. This happened over and over and continued to erode her self-esteem until the point that she resided on a very dangerous cusp. That was when we met.

I say, "met", but we actually went to the same high school. During our time there, we both wore masks that better fit the expectations of our peers and families. She played the role of a spastic prepster. I played the part of a dull-witted jock. In college we both shed our masks and her darker side came out while my nerdy side took sway. When we met again it was only because I was working as a part-time tutor in order to fuel my weekend escapades. We didn't really meet the other person until that day when our masks were shed and we were forced into confronting who the other really was.

But as it turns out we hit it off extremely well. After months of spending time together and allowing a budding attraction to take hold, I almost lost her when I (under the influence of way too much alcohol) slept with another woman on her couch. In my drunken state, I thought the girl was Jen. It wasn't until after we were done that I realized what happened. Although she was angry and hurt, I was able to convince Jen to give me a second chance. From there, we hit the ground running and it was nothing but roses and sunshine.

That was 12 years ago. Now we're married with a beautiful set of boy/girl twins, Aesop and Avi. I love my wife with everything that I have and would do anything to protect her. And it was that love and sense of protection that put me in this godforsaken mess. As I said, a few days before we were to leave Jessa and Richard's, Jessa cornered me in the bathroom and forced me into an unwanted sexual encounter. Over the years, Jen has made remarkable progress in building her self-esteem, but the demons of her past are not easy to shake. She was always looking for an excuse as to why I would leave her and I was always pulling her back from the edge. This was more than apparent to Jessa, and considering that Jessa has held a hateful grudge against Jen since Jen went away to college, she used it as a cold-blooded but well aimed threat. Given the circumstances, I didn't feel that I had a right to refuse.

Right after it happened I swore that I would never allow myself to be alone with Jessa. Things were going well but unfortunately, Jessa was already several steps ahead. Earlier in that day she had already secured permission from Jen to come stay with us during the summer months. Jessa used the guise of being a concerned big sister who just wanted to spend more time with her little sister and her niece and nephew. Jen bought into her lies and agreed. In the two months that followed Jessa and Jen got remarkably close. They were so close that Jen forgot all about the angst that used to plague her when it came to her sister. But I didn't forget.

A couple of weeks ago, Jessa finally showed up. I drew a line in the sand immediately and she claimed remorse. I didn't buy it at first but as the days went by her regret seemed genuine, as did her feelings for her sister and the twins. I believed her. I truly believed her. Unfortunately, all it took was for Jen and the twins to be gone for a few hours for Medusa to poke her head up out of the shadows. She showed me a video that she took when she had (unbeknownst to me) knocked me out with drugs. And like that mythical Gorgon, she had me frozen in terror as her true self emerged. Under the weight of her threats I gave her exactly what she wanted...again. While I thought that that was the end of it, reality slapped me in the face. Jessa and Richard were separating and she would be moving up here to live by us. Once again, Jessa was several steps ahead.

While it's only been two days since she has returned, Jessa's presence has seeped into nearly every facet of my life. My wife and kids couldn't stop gushing about her and now she was moving into the neighborhood. There was no getting rid of her—a fact, in which she seemed to enjoy taunting me.

I felt her hand on my shoulder when I was halfway out of her bedroom. I stopped. Her voice was in my ear, whispering for only me to hear. "You know I got a king-size bed."

I hated being this close to her. My voice was gruff, "Yeah? What of it?"

I felt her tongue on my earlobe, "Just letting you know so that you're aware when you stay the night and we christen the place."

"Jessa, please. You know I don't want any of this."

She pressed her body against mine, "Who ever said you had to _want_ it? I don't care what you want. As long as you do what I _want_ then Jen will never need to find out."

I wanted to scream. I wanted to fight. I clenched my fists tightly as my body shook with rage. Right before she left last week, Jen found out she was pregnant. We were going to have another baby. It should've been a happy or even overwhelming occasion. Unfortunately, this information only acted to strengthen Jessa's control over me. She knew that I wouldn't do anything that would cause me to lose my family. I was her puppet. The only things that were missing were the strings.

Willing myself to calm down, I sighed. "Understood." Without another word, I left her room and headed downstairs to get the next load of crap.

On the first floor, I found her bent over the boxes as her ass and thighs made a delectable heart-shape in the air. Despite all of the stress that Jessa brings me, seeing Jen always made me feel better. I leaned against the wall and watched in silence as she sorted through the box. She was humming a tune and was waving her bottom in the air in beat with her tune. When she turned she let out a startled yelp.

I smiled, "Looking good, babe."

Her cheeks turned pink out of embarrassment. "Lance! Don't do that."

I walked over to her and wrapped her in my arms. After all of these years, Jen has only become more beautiful. Her oval face had subtle age lines, which filled her with even more character. Her dark eyes were big and piercing. It was like two pools of dark chocolate that you could fall into and never resurface. Her lips were upturned at the corners, which led to plump pillows that were beyond kissable. I watched her smile as I pulled her closer. I felt her humble breasts against me and could feel the edges of her piercings as they poked through her sports bra. My hand slid down the arch of her back and threatened to firmly grasp her curvy backside.

I kissed her lips and she pushed back and smiled. "What was that for?"

"Can't a man kiss his wife? Especially when that wife is looking so fucking sexy."

She blushed, "Lance!" She slapped my chest and I laughed. I grabbed her ass and she squeaked. "Lance, I'm all sweaty."

"I don't care. I just want a little taste."

Her eyes grew larger as she felt my cock hardening. "Easy there, mister. We're not doing anything over here."

"Not even a _little_?" I pouted and this caused her to laugh.

"Not even a little." She smiled, but that didn't stop her for teasing me. She turned and pretended to drop something. Bending over, she rubbed her amazing ass against my hard cock. Once she was sure that she gave me a nice good teasing, she stood up slowly, arching her back the entire way.

I couldn't help myself. I reached into her shirt and cupped her right breast and rolled her hard nipple between my fingers. Despite her early rebuttal, she was butter in my hands. She gasped as I touched her and pressed herself to me even more. Moving her butt side-to-side, she held my wrist in place as I teased her nipple. We were in a world of our own making and it was a sweet place to be.

"What do you two think you're doing?" And just like that, our world dissolved.

I turned to see Jessa standing against the wall that led to the staircase. She was watching us with unguarded fascination. Jen practically jumped out of my arms as she tucked a long strand of her hair behind her ear. "J-Jessa!" She rushed over to the box that I found her in like Jessa didn't just catch us in the act of fooling around.

Jessa smirked as she watched me. I didn't feel an ounce of levity so I leveled my eyes at her.

"Don't you guys have your own house to do that stuff in?" There was a slight aggressiveness to her tone. To some, it might've seemed like she was teasing us but I knew it for what it was...jealousy. She wanted me all to herself and hated that I loved her sister.

But Jen didn't know this. Grabbing a handful of plates, she rushed into the kitchen, her cheeks red. "Sorry Jessa! God that's embarrassing."

Jessa walked passed me into the kitchen where Jen was and wrapped her in her arms and laughed. She watched me as she spoke. "Don't worry about it. I'm just giving you a hard time. Who wouldn't want to have a piece of that hunk you call a husband?"

Although she wasn't facing me, I could sense Jen's face turn an interesting shade. She whined, "J-Jessa!"

Jessa laughed. Normally, Jen would explode if anyone showed even the slightest ounce of interest in me. Hell, I'm not even allowed to go to the twins' preschool by myself because some of the mothers and teachers have a thing for me. But that doesn't seem to be the case in terms of Jessa. Jen doesn't rise to provocation when Jessa does it because she thinks that her sister is ultimately immune to me. But she's wrong. Dead wrong.

Right on cue, Jessa blew me a kiss and I turned away in disgust. Grabbing her expensive nightstand, I headed towards the stairs.

It was hours before we were finished. By that point we were all exhausted. I fell down on the leather couch only to have Jen fall on me a second later and Jessa the second after that. There I was, with my angelic wife and fucking Satan sitting on opposite sides of me. We were covered in sweat and all of our stomachs growled at the same time. We all chuckled.

"Well, I guess that does it." Jessa placed her head on my shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm glad we're finally finished." Jen slid her head onto my lap.

"..." I sat there in uncomfortable silence.

I felt Jessa nuzzle into me, "What do you guys want to eat? It's my treat."

"Oh, you don't have to do that, sis."

"Like hell she doesn't", I said. "She put us to work. The least she could do is feed us."

Jen looked up at me and stuck her tongue out. "Fine. I'm good with whatever...as long as it's not too spicy."

"What about you, Lance?" Jessa wasn't looking at me but I could feel the tension in her voice. "What are you _hungry_ for?"

I shifted uncomfortably. "E-excuse me." Both women let me up as I stood up and stretched. Jen moved over until her head was now on Jessa's lap while Jessa watched me with flint in her eyes. "Umm, how about I go out and grab it? I mean I could use the fresh air."

"Are you sure, babe? I wouldn't mind going. You carried all of the heavy stuff all by yourself."

"Yeah, Lance. Let Jen go." There was a warning in her words but I ignored it.

"No, that's fine. You're pregnant. Just take it easy. Why don't you guys get showered up? I'll just run home real quick and clean up and then I'll come back with food. Deal?"

Jen nodded her head sleepily and yawned. "Sounds good to me. I could use a nap."

Jessa looked like she wanted to take my head off but after a moment she nodded coolly. "Okay." That was all that she said but it wasn't a normal 'okay'. It was more like an 'Okay, you do that and I'll feed you your own nuts.'

I swallowed loudly and then headed out to my car and drove the couple of blocks to our house.

Once inside, my phone started buzzing immediately. It was a text from Jessa.

I know what you're doing.

I don't know what you're talking about. I just came home to grab a quick shower that's it.

I'm not stupid.

I didn't say you were.

You think that just because you left now that I'm not going to get what I want.

I don't know what you're talking about.

Yes you do. You should've let Jen go. Now I'm going to have to show her the movie. It's your funeral.

My heart was in my throat.

No. Please. I'm sorry. What can I do?

That's a good boy. First off when you get undressed I want you to get your dick nice and hard and take a pic then send it to me. Then, when you get back you are going to fuck me. Understood?

We can't do that. Jen is there. She'll find out.

That's your problem. Not mine. You should've let her go in the first place and this wouldn't happen. Maybe this will teach you to not disobey me again.

I wanted to choke her. I really did. Instead I caved.

I'm sorry. It won't happen again.

See that it doesn't. Hurry back...Lover! LOL

I had to find a way out of her clutches. She was evil. Pure evil. But how? She had me right where she wanted me. If she showed Jen that video she took of us on the couch the night that she drugged me then I would lose it all. My stress was at an all time high. But standing here steaming wouldn't fix anything. So without a plan, I ordered some take out and then jumped in the shower.

By the time I made it back, Jessa and Jen were showered and relaxing. One with a glass of Pinot Grigio, and the other with a glass of mango juice.

"Hey babe!" Jen jumped up to greet me and like always, seeing her made me feel like I could run a marathon and never get tired. I kissed her and felt refreshed.

"Hey, Lance." Jessa stood right behind her, a knowing smirk on her face. I was really beginning to hate that smirk. "Did you bring the food?"

I raised the bag over my head. "Yep."

"Good. I'll go get the plates." She took the bag from my hand, her fingers lingering on my hand for a bit too long.

As we ate, the girls talked about their plans. Jessa didn't plan on looking for work. Frankly, she really didn't need to. She still had access to Richard's bank accounts; besides, her trust fund has remained untouched so even if she divorced Richard, she wouldn't have to worry about money. As they started talking about the OB/GYN appointment later this week, I heard my phone buzz. It was my parents. I went in another room to take it. Once I came back they were right where I left them.

"Who was that, honey?"

"It was my mom. She just updating me on the twins."

"Everything's okay, I hope." Jessa's eyes displayed obvious concern. It was her one and only saving grace. Out of all the lies and manipulations she employed, the one thing that was honest was her affection for my children. She genuinely cared for Aesop and Avi and it showed.

I sat down calmly. "Yeah, everything's fine. They want to come by and see your new place though."

Jessa let out a low sigh of relief, which I saw Jen smile at. I wasn't the only one that noticed how in love she had become with our children. Jen reached over and grabbed Jessa's hand. "Will it be okay if they come over for a little while?"

Jessa didn't hesitate. "Of course! Those little monsters are welcome here anytime!"

Jen laughed. "Okay. Well, I think it's my turn to get some fresh air." She looked at me and smiled. "I'm going to go to Mom and Dad's and pick them up. We'll be back in a little while."

I loved how freely Jen called my parents Mom and Dad. Although, my parents were reluctant at first when I started dating Jen, they warmed up to her ridiculously quickly. I knew that my parents wanted me to find another Black woman to marry but I found Jen instead. Its not like I was looking for love when it happened but that was just what I found. My parents understood. But...the same couldn't be said for Jen's parents. Of course, having a Black son-in-law wasn't in tune with their WASP-y nature and they showed their displeasure as propriety allowed. While they didn't come out and say 'Don't marry the Black guy', they've never been out to our home and haven't even seen their grandchildren. But I didn't care. Their racist attitudes were their problem, not mine. And if that prevented them from meeting the sweetest children that have ever graced this planet then they were the idiots that lost out. I half expected the same from Jessa but she doesn't suffer the same hang-ups that her parents did. No, she saw those two kids and melted. If I had _anything_ good to say about Jessa it would be that she was actually a great aunt to my kids.

My parents lived half an hour (one-way) away from us. That means given travel time and the time it took to actually wrangle two 4-year olds in the car, I was looking at 1 ½ or maybe 2 hours alone with Jessa. You didn't have to be a genius to figure out what she would want to spend her time doing.

Jen took her plate to the sink. "So what are you guys going to do while I'm gone?"

While I stammered, Jessa calmly spoke. "Well, I wanted to hang some window treatments. Maybe you could help with that, Lance."

I remembered her earlier threat. "Y-yeah. No problem."

Jen smiled and chirped, "Awesome! Okay, well I'm going to head out. Be back in an hour or so." She kissed me on the lips and then kissed Jessa on the cheek. Once she was out of the door, I watched her drive away. I've avoided being alone with Jessa for two days now, but that was all over.

When I turned I half expected Jessa to be half naked. Instead, I found her going through one of the left over boxes. She pulled out a couple packages of curtains that were unopened and sat them on a table by the window. She picked up each one and held it against the wall.

"Lance, come here will you? I need your opinion."

I did as I was told. She held up two packages and held them on either side of the window.

"Which of these do you think would look better?"

I was confused. Wasn't she going to ravage me? Isn't this the chance she had been waiting on? What the hell was wrong with me? Why should I care if we don't have sex? I should be happy. It's not like I want to have sex with her anyway.

"Umm, I don't know. The purple and gold one seems nice but I also like the green and white one."

"Hmm." She pulled them closer and took a closer look at them. "No, I don't like either. Do me a favor and reach into that box back there and grab out the sapphire one."

"Sapphire?"

"Yeah. You'll see it. It's right on top."

I did see it. It was right where she said it would be. I grabbed the package and walked it over towards her. "Here you go."

"Can you open it and hang it up? I want to get a better look at it."

I did as I was told. Standing with my back facing the room, I reached up as I held onto her curtains. "Like this?"

"Yeah, just like that. Don't move." I heard her shuffling around as she moved to get a better look at the curtains. A couple of minutes in and I felt her coming closer. "Yeah, I like that. I like that a lot."

I froze. She was standing right against me and even without looking I could tell she was naked. Her large breasts and prominent nipples rubbed against my back, as her tight stomach touched me. I felt her hands as her arms slowly wrapped around me and pushed me against the wall.

"J-Jessa."

"Shut up." Her face rested against my back as she breathed in deeply. "Mmmm, I've missed this." Her hands rubbed my chest and moved down my stomach into the waist of my shorts. "God! It's so hot. I can't wait to feel it inside of me."

"Jessa, please. Don't."

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Goddamn it! Don't you get it by now? You don't have a choice? Your tight little black ass is my bitch! That means you do as I say. Capiche?"

I nodded in silence.

"Good. Now drop the curtain and pick me up. I want you to carry me to my bedroom."

I dropped the curtain and turned as she ordered. At about 5'8", Jessa looked like the perfect depiction of westernized beauty. Her long blonde hair was tied loosely at the top of her head so that strands fell in an elegant fashion against her face and down her back. Her green eyes were bright and intelligent. Her lips were plump and glossy. Her large breasts were winning the war against gravity as her nipples were upturned and pointed towards my eyes. Her slender figure opened up to a delicate pair of hips, which led to a sturdy backside. Her shaved mound was highlighted by a clit that, even at this moment, looked swollen and ready for attention. Her legs were strong and seemed like they could and would crush you under her lovemaking.

Despite her obvious attractiveness, she wasn't for me. Jen was. Jen was everything that I wanted but to keep her I had to do this. I had to have sex with her sister or else Jessa would do everything in her power to destroy Jen and everything that she holds dear. I had to protect my wife. I had to protect my love.

Bending forward, I lifted her in my arms and carried her (princess-style) up the stairs. Once we were in her room, I gently laid her on the bed and stood back up. She spread her legs wide and smiled.

"Kiss me." Pushing her back on the bed, I leaned forward and kissed her lips. Her tongue was in my mouth within half a second. Her hands tore at my t-shirt while her legs wrapped around my lower half.

She was panting and was clearly enjoying it. Although I didn't know if she was enjoying it so much for the pure sexuality of it all or if it was because of her sadistic nature. Either way, she was getting what she wanted. Releasing me, she placed her hand on my head and pressed down. "Eat me out." It wasn't a request.

I remembered her threat from the last time that we did this. If she didn't think that I was giving her my all, then she would send that video to Jen. If I fantasized about Jen, in order to get myself off and she found out, she would send that video to Jen. If I didn't please her how she wanted to be pleased, she would send that video to Jen. Basically, I was her human vibrator or to be more accurate, I was her sex slave.

Her legs were spread wide but once I was between her thighs, I pulled her legs to my shoulders while jamming my face in her cunt.

I watched her reactions. As my thick tongue spread her wet lips, she threw her head back. "Ahhhh! Fuck!"

Her hands squeezed her breasts but avoided her nipples. I thought this was odd. The only thing I could suspect was that she wanted more but was afraid of tossing herself over the edge. I wasn't afraid. The sooner she came the sooner I could go wash off the shame.

I reached up and grabbed her large orbs. Pressing my hand to her chest, a good portion of her chest overflowed from my palms. It didn't matter. I rolled her breasts, applying pressure from the base towards her nipples. While steadily licking her slit, I continued to slowly work my way towards her nipples. Once her hips started moving against my face and while her mouth hanged open, sloppily, I went in for the quick finish.

Her chest was heaving as she moaned, "Oh! Oh! Oh!" She was ready. I unrelentingly pinched her nipples and pulled them tightly. The sudden pain caused her to scream, "Shit!" In the same breath, the sudden pleasure caused her to scream, "More! More! Please, give it to me!"

I pulled my head back to tease her. Her eyes opened immediately. They were wild. She was right on the cusp. "Please, don't stop. Don't stop, baby. I need this so bad. I'm so close. Please. Please!"

In our 'relationship' this was one of the few times where I could be dominant over her. I enjoyed these small moments because it showed me that she wasn't 100% in control. Still, why poke a sleeping bear? Especially, when that bear had the power to eradicate my entire world.

Without an ounce of joy, I wrapped my lips around her clit. I gently rolled her bean on my tongue. The contradiction between the hard nipple action and my tenderness on her clit pushed her too far.

She held my head as she stared at me through water-filled eyes. Her mouth was open as her chest heaved against my hand. "Th-th-thank...you! Yes! Thank you! Th-that's it. Oh God! I-I-I! Ah fuck!" Her hands and thighs were the first to start shaking. That was followed by her stomach and then moved up to her chest. By that point, her head was pushed back so far in her pillows that I could only see the bottom of her chin, and a part of her neck. I released her nipples and slowly massaged her breasts in the opposite direction so that the pressure moved from her nipples to her outer-breasts. At the same time, I released her clit. When I did, she sighed loudly. Her hands shot down to my face as she desperately pulled me towards her.

I had hoped that she would be spent, and from the look of release in her eyes, I could say that she was close. Unfortunately, she wasn't close enough. "Kiss me. Please." Normally, when she ordered me to do something her eyes were as hard and impassive as a mountain. So you can understand why I was taken aback when I saw a bit of softness there. Still, that didn't distract me for long. Despite the 'please', it was still an order. I knew that and I obeyed.

When my lips touched hers, she wrapped her arms around my neck and held on for dear life. When she finally released me, I hoped that we were finished. "Take off your clothes." No such luck.

As I stood before her, as naked as the day I was born, she reached out and grabbed my hand. I toppled easily as she pulled me towards the bed. She was on top of me within moments. Her hands went to my chest as she ran her nails through my chest hair. Straddling me, she rubbed her warm and wet pussy up and down the length of my cock. Despite my hatred my body still responded. As my cock filled with blood her mouth opened in ecstatic glee.

"I'm going to fuck you today, Lance. I'm going to fuck you so hard, baby." She bent forward and kissed my lips and then moved towards my neck. She was nibbling and kissing on my neck when I felt her tilt her hips at an odd angle. Once my hard cock was against her entrance, she pressed back.

As I slowly spread her out, she bit me hard. She was so tight that I couldn't help it when I moaned. "Mmmm!"

I felt her smile. "You like that tight pussy, baby? I bet it's the tightest you've ever had. It's just for you too. I'm not fucking anybody else."

That's right! Jen told me that the only person Jessa's ever been with was Richard. That makes me the second man she's ever slept with. Yay me. Yeah, I rolled my eyes at the thought.

Putting my focus back on Jessa, I grunted in assent. Yes, she was tighter than anyone else that I've been with but beyond that it all felt so wrong. Jen's body, both inside and out, was the perfect partner for me. Our compatibility was incomparable. But I didn't say this to Jessa. Instead, I grabbed her hips as she moved up and down shallowly.

When I squeezed her ass she yelped. "Yes!" But her lips never left my body. As she pressed down further, her lips moved from my neck to my chest. She was licking my nipple when I pressed myself in the air, suddenly taking more of her than she expected. She gasped for air as her face turned to the side. Resting her face on my chest, she squeaked each time I pressed inside of her. Soon she was bouncing on top of me in response to my efforts.

"Fuck me! It feels so good, baby. You feel so good!"

I was pounding her because I wanted this to be done with quickly. When she was close she sat back and stared down at me. Her hands were firmly on my chest as she lifted her body in the air. She was nodding wordlessly. I knew what she was trying to say. She was telling me that she was close and to give it all to her. So I clenched my teeth and tightened my core. Within moments I was pounding her so hard and fast that the loud slapping of my balls against her ass sounded like the roaring or applauds.

She continued to watch me as best as she could, but when she came she tilted her head back, "Oooooohhhhhh! Fuuuuuuuuuuuuccccccckkkkkkkkkkk! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Ah! Fuck!"

Exhausted and out of breath, her head fell forward as she fell down, completely putting me inside of her. She didn't move as she gasped for air. During our romp, her hair had completely fallen out of the tie she was using. Her golden hair covered her face but I could still see two emerald jewels staring at me. After a couple of minutes I saw her teeth as she smiled. Sitting back, she flipped her hair behind her head.

"That was incredible."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it." I wasn't.

"I hope you don't think we're finished."

"I don't." I did.

"Good."

"Yeah." It wasn't.

She started rolling her hips. Every time I felt a particularly bumpy area of her pussy, she would grimace and her face would twitch. On the sixth or seventh rotation, she started to gasp as I rubbed against that spot. I made a mental note of this. I found her spot. That would help in the future when I want to get this over with quickly.

Despite her earlier claims that she was going to fuck me hard, she was being oddly tender. But we were running out of time. I moved my hands to her hips again, ready to pound her once more. But when I did she reached down and grabbed both of my hands and pulled them off of her body and slammed then against my pillow where my head was resting.

"Wh-what are you doing?" I was confused.

She smiled down at me, her face mere inches away. "I don't want that. I want..." She looked away.

"Huh? I don't understand."

When she looked back at me, there was a hint of embarrassment in her eyes. "I want to find something that works for you."

I blinked several times. "Works for me? Why?" It's not like it was a stupid question. She knew that she had my nuts in a vice so I would do whatever she said. Since when does she care what I want?"

"I-I-I don't want to be the only one to enjoy it. I want to find your spot so that it feels good for you." Her face was red. Of course, that could've been because she was mindlessly rubbing her sensitive spot against my cock over and over again.

"I don't get it. Why?"

Her embarrassment gave way to frustration, "Why? Who cares? It's what I want! Got it?"

"Yeah. Okay." I didn't fully believe her and her next words only made that doubt more apparent.

Her words came out so fast that it seemed like she was likely trying to convince herself of something instead of trying to convince me. "What? You think I care about you? I don't. I just want you to cum and I want you to fill me up with your seed. So it makes sense that I'd want to know what works for you in the bedroom."

To punctuate her claims she slowly started moving her hips in small circles while moving so that I went in and out of her with the same exaggerated slowness. At first her eyes were tightly shut but after a minute or two, she opened her eyes as she studied me. Her bright green eyes were focused on every twitch, grimace and shudder that her slow sex manipulated from me. Every once in a while she would hit a spot that made my teeth clench, causing me to grip her hips a little harder while a pleasurable moan would escape my lips. She was paying close attention to the changes that her movements caused. After several passes, she started focusing on moving just the right way as to cause my toes to curl. Despite my mental and spiritual distaste for what was happening, my body loved it.

"Right there!" She leaned back and smiled triumphantly. Holding her large breasts in her hands, she started playing with her nipples. She alternated bouncing and rolling her hips over the areas that gave her the greatest reaction from me. Soon she was moving faster and faster. I was powerless to resist as I was assaulted by pleasures that I should've never been feeling in her presence.

My hands moved from her hips to the bed sheets. With them knotted in my hands, I tilted my head back and groaned, "Oh fuck!"

I could taste her excitement. It practically radiated from her in noticeable waves. "Yes! That's right. Cum. I'm going to make you cum!" She was moving so fast that the only way to keep her balance was to place her small hands on my stomach for balance.

She was moving so fast and fucking me so right that we were both out of breath. I was close and she could tell.

She bent forward until her chest was against my chest and her head was right before me. I was so lost in the pleasure that I did the unthinkable and unforgivable. I kissed her. The moment I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her lips, her eyes flew open in shock. It wasn't the first time that we've kissed but it was the first time that it was initiated by me. It's not that I wanted to kiss her but I was driven mad by the pleasure. But that didn't matter to her. She had just received undeniable proof that her plan had worked. She greedily drank me in.

"Yes! That's it. Cum for me. Cum! Cum!" Her face was in my neck as she sucked down on my skin. She was bouncing over and over again at just the right angle. I was powerless to resist.

I felt myself fall headlong over the edge. My cock swelled and I clenched down, desperate not to fulfill her wish. But that was the worst decision I could make. It only helped to prolong and increase the pleasure.

"Ah! Ah! Ah!"

"Fuck! I'm cumming! I'm cumming!" I wrapped my arms around her and held her close as my hips slammed into her from below. I heard her scream in my ear but I was too far gone to care. When I came all I felt was a glorious release. My body shook as I emptied my seed inside of her. I felt incredible and this feeling lasted for approximately 3 seconds. 3 seconds after my orgasm ended shame and regret were all that I felt. I still had my arms wrapped around her so I quickly released her.

What the fuck did I just do? Oh God!

I had sex with her under duress. But I kissed and hugged her because (if for only a moment) that was what I wanted. I'm trash. I'm simply filthy trash.

Having released her, she continued to lie across me. Her lips were still on my neck as she kissed me all over. Soon she moved up to my lips and kissed me. Her eyes were exhausted. "Oh my goodness! That was incredible. You came so hard!" There was a satisfied smile on her lips and I didn't need to wonder from where it came.

I could only nod as I dealt with the despicableness of my actions.

I was prepared to listen to her gloat about me kissing and holding her but she didn't. Instead, she laid her head on my chest and sighed, "That was amazing. Thank you."

We lied there for several minutes as she basked in the afterglow of good sex and I willed myself to melt away so that I would never do another dishonorable thing. With a low grunt, she turned her head to look at her alarm clock.

She sighed again as she rested her head on my chest, "I could just stay like this all night." She grunted as she tilted her hips and I fell out of her. She moved her leg over me and lifted herself up. Looking down at me she smiled quite cheerily, "Come on. Jen should be back in about half an hour or so. Lets get cleaned up before she shows up."

I was half way out of her bedroom when she called after me. "I told you didn't I?"

"Told me what?" I found it hard to meet her eyes so I looked over her shoulder.

She came over to me and rested the length of her body against mine as she kissed my chest. "I told you that you would like it." Her voice oozed with a satisfied smugness that made me sick to my stomach.

But instead of arguing with her I grunted in assent and walked out of her room. The guest bathroom's shower was nowhere near hot enough or powerful enough to wash away my shame. Nevertheless, I stood under its streams for ten minutes before I even touched the bar of soap to my body. When I was finished and dried, I headed back into Jessa's room to find my clothes on the floor. As I finished getting dressed, Jessa came out of her bathroom with her phone in her hand.

"Hey. So I just got a message from Jen. She said that the kids fell asleep at your parents and she let them rest for a while before she got them ready. They're just leaving now so it'll be some time until they get here."

I should've been depressed that Jen wasn't going to be back for a while but I wasn't. This was a godsend. After my contradictory actions, I needed the time to get my head together. "O-okay."

Tossing the phone on her bed, she dropped her towel to the floor and crawled on her bed. Her fit ass was on display as she pulled herself up on all fours. She looked back at me and waved her naked ass in the air. "Hey, there's something I want to try."

I was exhausted. I didn't have the spiritual focus or physical stamina to go another round. Still, I knew the cost of disobeying her. Gathering my remaining energy I exhaustingly asked, "What is that?"

She smiled, "Remember the first night that I saw you and Jen at my house?"

I nodded. I would never forget that night. After arguing in the car, Jen and I got busy in the guest bedroom. At some point during our lovemaking, Jessa appeared. Unbeknownst to Jen, Jessa watched us through a crack in the bedroom door. For obvious reasons, I never said anything to Jen.

My voice was flat as I rolled my eyes at the memory. "I remember."

She waved her ass at me while smiling. "You did some pretty dirty things to her that you haven't done to me."

I knew what she had in mind but I didn't want to give voice to it.

I didn't have to. Her next order clarified everything. "I've never had my ass eaten out. Get over here and make me feel good." She fluttered her eyelashes, "Please."

Although she said 'please', I knew that she wasn't asking. I walked over to the bed like I was walking to my death. When I did that with my wife it was in the heat of the moment. It was passionate and playful. There was joy in it for the both of us. Placing my knees on the ground and watching as she bent closer to me, I could feel no pleasure in doing this now. It was work but not the type you get paid for. It was the type that sucks your soul dry and leaves you wishing for an early death.

She was watching me up until the point that I knelt down. Now her head was down on her bed and I could feel her body tense. I guess this wasn't necessarily something that she was looking forward to either. The thought should've filled me with some sort of relief but it didn't.

"G-go slow. Please." Her voice was muffled by the covers and seemed smaller and much further away than her normal bossy shriek.

Spreading her cheeks, I started by slowly licking from her clit to the bottom of her slit. I did this over and over again while her body slowly relaxed and she started to bounce. I felt the tension leave her body as she moaned into her sheets. Once my tongue touched her rim all traces of pleasure fled from her and she froze.

The next moment she screamed and launched herself forward. "Ah! Wait! No!"

It was almost comical watching her gather the messed up sheets around her and stare back at me with a mixture of fear and disgust in her eyes. I started to laugh.

"Hey, you're the one that wanted to try this. If you don't want to then just say the word."

Her face was red out of embarrassment. Trying to save face, she straightened herself as best she could and tilted her head back so that her nose was in the air. "I-it's not that. It just felt weird having you that close to my butt."

I couldn't help but tease her. " _That_ felt weird? If you recall, I fucked your ass only 5 days ago."

"I-I-I know! But this is different. You know what I'm saying?"

"Yeah, I get it."

"I-I don't think I can do it."

"Okay. Fine with me." I turned to leave and was out of the door when she called after me.

"Wait!"

Looking up at the sky, I cursed the ceiling. "So close." Turing back into the room, I plastered a fake smile on my face. "Yes?"

"I-I want to try again."

I groaned. "Don't push yourself. It's not for you. I get it."

"No." Her voice was defiant. "No, if that little cunt can do it then so can I." I was beginning to wonder which of the two was the older sister and which was the younger. Jessa claimed to hate Jen but she seemed oddly competitive with her younger sister.

"So what do you want me to do?"

"What do you think? Bring your black ass over here and finish what you started."

I sighed again, "Fine."

This time when she bent over she watched me while I buried my face between her cheeks.

She threw her face on the sheets. "Ah! T-that feels so strange." I looked at her and her face was bright red and she was panting. "P-p-please don't stop. Don't stop." Just like Jen, she got into it seconds after assenting. She was moaning sweetly. "Oohh! Oohh! Ah! Don't stop." I reached forward and stuck my fingers in her mouth. She greedily sucked them in as she moaned. Pulling them out of her mouth with a trail of saliva, I rolled them over her clit over and over again.

"H-h-holy fuck! Shit!" Her eyes were tightly shut as her face was twisted in pleasure. "Holy fuck!" She screamed so loud and so long that I was worried her neighbors would call the police. After she came, she slid down on her stomach while I went into her bathroom and downed her mouthwash. When I came back out of the bathroom she hadn't moved from the spot where I left her.

"I'm going downstairs."

With a satisfied smile on her face she simply nodded, "Mmhmm." Then I left.

It took almost 15 minutes for her to meet me downstairs. By that point I had already grabbed a beer from the fridge and was sitting on her couch staring at the wall. I was trying to figure out where, in this farce I call a life, did I go wrong.

Her creaking stairs let me know that she was coming. Seconds later I heard a cabinet, in the kitchen, creak open. After hearing her fumble around for something for a couple of minutes, she appeared next to me. She was dressed in the clothes she had discarded earlier and holding a glass of wine. Sitting next to me, she pulled her leg beneath her. I could feel her staring at me but I was too lost in shame and regret to give a damn.

She eventually got tired of the silent treatment, "You know, this will go a lot better for you if you just learned to enjoy it."

I rolled my eyes before responding as sarcastically as I possibly could, "Oh I'm sure that I'll just start loving it any day now."

She sat her newly filled glass of wine on the coffee table and leaned in. I hazarded a look at her and noticed that her eyes were oddly sincere. "I'm serious. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. So you might as well get used to the idea."

"I've already gotten used to the idea that you're a manipulative cunt. What else is there to get used to?"

I expected her to explode in rage. Instead, she smiled sweetly. "Yeah, I can be. But you only know my dark side."

"Are you trying to tell me that there's another side of the Bitch of the Bourgeoisie?"

She didn't take the bait, "Yeah, I'm a cunt and a bitch. But if you play your cards right and stop fighting this then maybe you'll learn that I can also be as sweet as they come."

I threw my head back on the couch and moaned. She climbed on top of me, straddling my legs. I opened my eyes and she was staring down at me. "You're mine, Lance. That's a fact. You can't escape it so just accept it. As long as I have that video and as long as Jen trusts me, you're life is in my hands. I don't want to use threats to control you. I would much rather you come to me on your own. But don't get me wrong, I'll use whatever tools I have at my disposal to get what I want."

"Even if that means playing second fiddle to your younger sister?"

She shrugged, "What can I say? She got to you first. If you had met me first then I'm sure you would've been all over me instead."

"I don't think so. You're dead inside. There's no room for love."

Now she did look angry. "What the hell gives you the right or the balls to presume that you know what's inside of me? Huh? Do you have any idea..." she closed her eyes and mumbled something to herself that I couldn't make out. "No, never mind. The point is that you're mine now. You're my little Black bitch." She patronizingly patted my cheek and I boiled underneath. Unfortunately, I couldn't fight her. She was right and I knew it.

When I didn't say anything, she smiled and leaned down and kissed me hard. With my face between her hands, she looked mightily pleased with herself. "See? That wasn't so hard. Was it?"

Laughing, she climbed off of me and grabbed the wine glass. I tilted my beer back while wishing it was something much stronger.

We passed the next little while in silence. Neither needed to talk. I had made my disdain for her clear just as she had made her position clear. We were at a pseudo-impasse. The only thing that differed was that she was in control and we both knew that she had the power to force me in any direction that she wanted.

Headlights through the open window brought an end to our alone time.

"Oooohhhhh! They're here! They're here!" Jessa jumped off of the couch and ran to the front door. Throwing it back she knelt down with her arms wide open. Moments later I heard two little birds screeching.

"Auntie! Auntie!" Aesop and Avi bounded into Jessa's waiting arms as she smiled widely to greet them.

"My babies!" She enveloped them both in her arms and stood. They giggled as her hair tickled their noses.

Jessa sat them on the ground and they ran over to me. Avi was the first to make it to me.

"Daddy!" I ruffled her hair as she squeezed my leg.

"Daddy!" I did the same to Aesop, when he made it to me.

I leaned forward and kissed them both. "How was Grammy and Pop-Pop's?"

"Great", Aesop beamed.

"We got cotton candy and corn dogs. And look!" She held up a bag with what looked to be containing a folded poster board.

Jessa walked over and placed her hand on Avi's head. "What's that sweetheart?"

It was Aesop who answered, "We made you a picture to hang in your new house!"

She smiled at him and he lit up. "You did?"

The spoke in unison, "Yup!"

"Well let's see it!" They giggled and pulled the poster board from the plastic bag and Jessa helped them unfold it.

Right then, I heard the front door close. I looked up into the loving eyes of my wife and she smiled back at me. In that moment I felt like everything would be all right.

Walking over to her, I kissed her deeply. Pulling back, she smirked. "Hey there sailor!"

I laughed, "I missed you."

She touched my cheek and smiled. "That's sweet. I missed you too, honey."

We walked back towards Jessa and the twins as they were gazing at the picture they made her. It was an orange poster board that was overflowing with pictures of chests, flowers, clouds and lines. It was covered in glitter.

Jessa looked up at us with a childlike grin on her face, "They made me a treasure map!"

"I hope you like it, sis."

Jessa's smile got even bigger as she looked back at Aesop and Avi. "I _love_ it!"

The two twins looked three feet taller when they heard that. Even I was moved by their reaction. They looked proud of themselves.

Avi picked up one of the corners, "Where are you going to hang it, Auntie?"

Aesop picked up another corner, "Yeah. Where?"

Jessa grabbed the other two corners and stood. "Where? Hmm. Let's see." Her eyes got wide as she acted out her scene. "How about we hang it in your bedroom?"

The twins looked at each other, surprise and excitement coloring their cherub cheeks. Aesop looked up at Jessa, "We have our own room, Auntie?"

Jessa nodded. "Of course, you have your own room. This is Auntie's house! You guys absolutely have your own bedroom."

The twins were bouncing up and down. Avi looked at me with wonder in her eyes. "Daddy! Daddy! Did you hear? We have our own room!"

I smiled. "Yeah. I heard, baby."

Jessa smiled, "Do you guys want to go see your room?" That was met with a unanimous yes. "Great! Lets go!"

Jen and I followed behind the three of them as they bounded the steps in raucous glee. Their room wasn't large but it had two twin beds and enough space for a small entertainment system and wide play area. The twins immediately went to their beds and started jumping.

Jen stepped forward, "Hey, now. No jumping on beds." But such was their joy that even the imposition of discipline didn't damper their spirits. Instead, they each climbed down and started opening drawers and closets. Jenna turned on the entertainment center and they started watching an old animated movie.

They climbed in their beds as they watched the movie. "Mommy?"

"Yes, sweetie?"

"Can we sleep here tonight?"

Jen laughed. Before she could answer, Jessa stepped forward and whispered, "I don't mind if they stay the night. Honestly."

Sighing, Jen looked at Avi. "Auntie Jessa says it's okay. So you can stay the night tonight. But the TV goes off in 20 minutes. Got it?"

"Yay!"

While the kids watched their movie, the adults headed back downstairs.

Once we were there, Jessa went back to her glass of wine and plopped down on the couch. I grabbed my beer and sat on the bottom of the stairs. Jen went over to the window where the curtains were discarded.

"So, did you decide which window treatment to go with?"

Jessa smirked and looked over her shoulder at me. "Yeah, we kind of came to an agreement, of sorts. Right, Lance?"

I nodded slowly.

"Oh, we'll that's good." Jen picked at the curtains. "So which will it be?"

Jessa walked towards her, "I happen to like the sapphire one. Lance said that he liked this one too. Right, Lance?"

I grunted as I saw her smirking.

"I thought you guys were going to hang them. What happened?"

I nearly choked on my beer as I stumbled to find and excuse as to what happened.

Fortunately, Jessa saved me. "Oh, I only have one sapphire one. It didn't make sense to only hang one. So I ordered the second one and Lance said he would come help me hang it up when it arrives." Well...she _sort of_ saved me. "He's also going to help with the plumbing."

Jessa smirked while Jen looked confused. "Plumbing?"

Jessa nodded and I rolled my eyes. "Yeah. He said he would work on my pipes. Apparently, they've been neglected for awhile." She's so childish.

Jen looked between Jessa and myself. She looked confused. "Since when do you know about plumbing and pipes?"

I just shrugged. I refused to participate in Jessa's taunts.

Nevertheless, she continued on. "Oh, while you were gone we noticed that one of the pipes was rattling so he tightened it right up. Now it purrs like a kitten."

"Your pipe purrs? I don't think it should do that. Listen. If you really do have a problem then you should call a plumber. I love Lance and he can fix just about anything but he's not bonded or anything."

"Oh don't worry about it." Jessa put her arms around Jen. "Lance will do just fine, I'm sure."

"O-okay." Jen blushed. She wasn't used to this level of affection from her sister but she enjoyed it nonetheless.

We hung around Jessa's until the twins fell back asleep. When we left, Jessa and Jen made plans to get together the next day to go shopping for necessities.

Since then, 3 days have passed. Because neither Jen nor Jessa works, they spent a lot of time together. To any outside observer, two estranged sisters getting over their crap and becoming closer would seem like a good thing. But I'm not an outside observer. I'm more privy to Jessa's true self than Jen is. Because of that, I'm fully aware of the dark depths she would go just to satisfy her twisted desires.

In the last few days, Jen and Jessa had shopped, ordered, and organized Jessa's condo. When Jen dragged me over to Jessa's for a house warming party, even I was surprised by the shear magnitude of what they had accomplished. In three days, they had painted walls, hanged window treatments, hanged pictures, had new appliances installed, had new furniture delivered and rearranged the rooms.

"Wow! This place looks great." I was flabbergasted the moment I walked in the open living area. The condo looked so different from Jessa and Richard's home. Their home reminded me of a French country house, with it's white walls, heavy doors, cabinets and a ridiculous amount of French inspired furniture and artwork. But her condo was different. It was more subdued. It had tan walls with a deep blue accent wall surrounding the fireplace. The furniture wasn't plush but looked exceedingly comfortable. There was a dining area that contained a humble but functional table that could easily seat six. The kitchen had dark appliances, which were even more muted by the dark countertops. All in all it seemed like she had shed all of her pretensions when she left Richard. The organization and colors she displayed in her condo reminded me of Jen's transformation when I met her in college. Compared to the hyperactive preppy that she pretended to be in high school, the person I met in college was a dark and sullen woman who seemed more happy and natural with that affectation than she ever did as a preppy. While Jessa didn't chop all of her hair off, or get piercings and tattoos, she did seem a lot more comfortable now that she didn't have to put on airs.

Without a word, Jen steered me into the living room and then left to help Jessa with the food. I took a few minutes to peruse the living room. I noticed that, in regards to the drapes, she decided to go with a blue that matched the accent wall. I guess the sapphire wouldn't work. While checking the area, I stopped in front of the fireplace. What drew my attention was the framed artwork. It was the map that my kids had made Jessa. I smiled. For all of her devilishness towards me, the contradiction of her affection towards my children tripped me up every time I saw it happen. This time was no different.

I might've been standing there for several minutes when I felt someone press themselves against me. I didn't need to look to know who it was. By this time, I had a pretty good feeling for when a tigress was in the midst.

"The place looks good." I tried to make my voice light. With Jen here, I didn't want to patronize Jessa into acting like a raging bitch.

She placed her head on my shoulder and smiled. Sighing, she replied, "Thanks. Jen helped out a lot."

I stepped closer to the mantle, pretending to get a closer look at the map. When I moved, she lifted her head off of my shoulder. "So you decided to place this on display here, huh?"

"Yeah. They did such a good job making it." I was once again taken aback by the affection that fell from her lips when she talked about my kids. "I fell in love with it. Out of all the overpriced artwork that's in this place, this is definitely my favorite piece. I call it _Aesop and Avi: The Adventures of the Wonder Twins_."

I could only nod, "It's a good name."

She smiled, "I think so too."

We were silent for a few minutes. I moved on to look at something else while she sat in a chair and watched me.

Jen came in with a bottle of water and sat down. "Whew! I don't remember being this tired this early in the pregnancy with the twins." She sat her hand on her stomach and looked lovelier than a thousand angels.

I couldn't stop myself. I headed towards her and bent down to place a lovingly tender kiss on her lips. When I pulled back she looked out of breath and turned on. "You're so beautiful. I love you so much."

She smiled brightly, "I love you too, honey."

It would've been a nice moment but unfortunately Jessa found it her place to ruin it. "Well, if that wasn't the most sickeningly sweet thing I have ever seen."

She looked like she meant it. She was staring daggers into me as if she was daring me to try something like that in front of her again. I wasn't foolish enough to call her bluff.

Jen turned red. "S-sorry, Jessa. I know it's got to be hard for you right now."

I sat down next to Jen and pulled her legs atop mine and started rubbing her feet. While the warning was clear and I couldn't make out with Jen in front of Jessa, she didn't say anything about this. But just in case, I didn't meet her eyes again.

In response to Jen's apology, Jessa chirped, "Oh, yeah. I'm sorry. It's not your fault that I'm in this position. I shouldn't take it out on you guys." Now her voice became sweet (or in her words), sickeningly sweet, and she said, "Go on. Act like the little lovebirds that you are. I don't mind."

I knew the last bit was meant for me. She was testing me. She wanted to see if I would be foolish enough to defy her. I wasn't. At least not yet. But that day would come. I just had to bide my time.

"So who is all coming tonight?" I looked at Jen and she closed her eyes and threw her head back in concentration.

"Umm, lets see. There's you and me. Jessa invited a few of the neighbors, but I don't know them. And Mom and Dad are bringing the twins."

Jessa's voice rose to an interesting octave. "Mom and Dad?"

Jen laughed, "Not ours. Lance's parents."

Jessa sighed, "Oh. Thank God. I think my heart stopped. There's not enough alcohol in the world to help me deal with those controlling jerks."

We all laughed. When the laughter died down, Jessa looked at me, "I thought your parents lived in the same city where we grew up."

"They did."

"Then why'd they move all the way out here?"

I shrugged. "Well, after I graduated and Jen and I decided to get married, we started talking about moving them out here. They knew that neither of us wanted to go back home. Besides, I had gotten a good job here. But it was still just talk until Jen got pregnant with the twins."

"So they moved out here because of Aesop and Avi?"

"Yeah. Well, I'm their only child, and the twins are their only grandchildren. Because we lived so far away they would never get to see them or me. So I found them a safe neighborhood a few cities away. They put their house up for sale and moved out."

Jessa looked flabbergasted. "Weren't they upset? I mean they left their home for God-only-knows of how many years."

Jen spoke up. "No, I don't think Mom and Dad were that upset about it. They were excited to be closer to Lance and I."

"Lance and you?" Jessa looked confused.

"Yeah. Despite their early hang-ups, they have been great to me. Besides, when I was pregnant Mom and I got so much closer. It was pretty amazing."

Jessa suddenly looked sullen, "Wow. Must be nice."

"What's that?"

"Well, _our_ parents are like Nazi's. There was zero love only ruthless control. I just think that it must be nice to have parents that actually and truly give a damn about their kid and grandkids."

I had heard enough about their parents to understand that my relationship with my parents was markedly different from what they endured. "Well, I think it is."

Jen picked her head up, "When you finally get to meet them tonight, I bet you're going to love them too."

Jessa could only nod. "But even if they do like me, it's not like they're my parents or in-laws." There was a sour note to her voice that I chose to actively ignore.

Jen on the other hand didn't, "Don't worry. I know that things have been hard for you. But if you give it time, things will get better. I promise." Now Jen looked at me conspiratorially, "So, since it's just the three of us. Tell me something."

Jessa looked amused. "Yeah? What do you want to know?"

"Who's this guy you're seeing?"

If she were drinking something, she would've spit it across the room. As it were, her eyes bugged out of her face, belying her next words. "Guy? I'm not seeing anyone. What are you talking about?"

Jen smelled blood in the water. "Oh no you don't. I can tell that you're seeing someone. You've been on cloud nine for weeks now. Come on spill it. Who is it? Is it someone I know? Will he be here tonight?"

Jessa blinked uncontrollably for several seconds, as she looked at her little sister. Even I was holding my breath. "Umm...no. That is...I don't think..."

"Oh come on Jessa! It's so obvious." Then she turned and looked at me. "Remember when I told you that I thought she was seeing someone?"

I nodded, "Y-yeah. Right after I took her to the airport last week."

Jessa looked at me but I couldn't exactly read what her look entailed. "Is that so?" Now she looked at Jen and she finally looked calm. "Well, it's true that I might've met someone. He might be here. He might not."

Jen was practically exploding. "Oh! I want to meet him! What's his name? What does he look like? Did you two...you know?"

Jessa laughed, "I'll introduce you to him, but only if it gets serious."

Jen pouted, "That's not fair. But if he shows up will you point him out?"

"Deal." Both sisters smiled at each other while I wanted to bury my head in the sand.

One hour later, the guests arrived. The first to arrive were the neighbors that lived on either side of her. On one side was a married couple, David and Elizabeth. They were older than us by about 25 years, making them closer to the age of my parents. Her other neighbor was drop dead gorgeous. She was a buxom redhead named Lisa. Lisa was single and looking at her it was hard to tell why. Jen was my wife and the love of my life. I thought she was the most beautiful thing in the world. However, Jessa was also exceedingly attractive. But having Jen, Jessa and Lisa in one place at one time seemed unfair. It was like all the beauty in the world had been magnetically congregated to Jessa's condo.

Lisa brought a nice and expensive bottle of brandy, which she happily opened and shared. We talked and it was lovely. Apparently, she owns a bar called Maxine's, and invited all of us to visit. Jessa agreed but I had to abstain. Although the talk was friendly and the distance was always appropriate, I could feel Jen's inner demons getting ready to erupt. This time it was simple to see why. Lisa was gorgeous, funny and easily likeable. And Jen's jealousy was legendary. So before Jen exploded and caused Jessa's housewarming to come to an immediate halt, I excused myself and went to go chat with David and Elizabeth, leaving the three women to talk amongst themselves. When I was sitting with David and Elizabeth, I looked back over at the Trio-of-Temptation, and saw Jessa smirking at me. She knew why I left and apparently found it funny. I didn't take her bait. Instead, I continued chatting up David and Elizabeth.

Ten minutes later, the door opened and two beautiful children with their dark curls came bounding in. "Mommy! Daddy! Auntie!" Aesop and Avi stole the show. The moment they appeared this get together transformed from a housewarming party to the Aesop and Avi show. David and Elizabeth fell in love with the twins as soon as they saw them and even Lisa melted as she fawned over them. Aesop and Avi loved the attention. They drank it in, each trying to out perform the other in hopes of garnering more attention. When Avi would stand on her head, Aesop would try (and fail) to walk on his hands. When Aesop would show how high he could jump, Avi would show how fast she could run. All in all, they were loved and we all got into the high-energy vibe that these two little monsters created.

A little while later I saw Jessa and my parents nestled in a corner, while Avi sat on Jessa's lap and played with her hair. Jessa didn't seem to mind. If anything, it seemed like she was in Nirvana.

I walked over to see what they were talking about. I leaned down and gave my mom and dad a kiss. "Hey Mom. Hey Dad."

My mom patted my cheek as my dad smiled. "Hey kiddo! You're looking good."

I laughed and sat down in the chair. "Thanks Dad. You too. How were the kids?"

Mom smiled, "They were lovely. They are such good kids. I'm so proud of you and Jen. You've done such a good job at raising them."

I smiled, "Thanks Mom. So what are you guys talking about?"

"Oh nothing. Jessa was just telling your mom about why she moved here." My dad looked sad. "It's so sad that all of that happened."

Jessa looked up at him and smiled, "Thanks Cliff. But I have my sister now and her family. I'll be okay."

"I just wish your parents weren't the way that they were. I mean chasing out a sweet girl like Jen. Humph! I have half a mind to go down there and tell them what I really think about them." My mom looked at me and whispered loud enough to be heard across two counties, "Lance made me promise to play nice at the wedding but I mean honestly! Can you imagine? Them treating my baby like that just because he's Black. Hell I should've put them in their place right then and there."

I rolled my eyes and glanced at my father. He nodded as if to say _I'm not getting in the middle of this._ Humph! Smart man. "Mom, we were in a church. You couldn't do that."

"Yes. Yes. I know."

Jessa started laughing. "It's okay. Their idiocy is its own punishment."

My mom and her both laughed. Suddenly, Avi placed her two small hands on the side of Jessa's face. "Auntie, you have to stop moving or else I won't be able to make your hair pretty."

Jessa nuzzled her nose against Avi's, which caused Avi to erupt in giggles. "Okay, I'm sorry."

I saw the love and appreciation shining in my parents' eyes as they looked at Jessa and Avi on the ground together. I knew then that my parents had accepted Jessa as a part of the family. For some reason I felt relieved. I shouldn't have, but I did.

I looked across the room and saw Aesop sitting on Lisa's lap while Jen talked to David and Elizabeth. I headed towards them and sat between Lisa and Jen.

Aesop was too busy flirting with Lisa to pay any attention to me. He was telling Lisa about all the games that he likes and invited her to play with him. She graciously agreed. Once she did, he giggled and slid down and then ran into my father's arms.

Lisa sighed and I smiled. "Do you have any kids of your own Lisa?"

She shook her head. "No. Unfortunately not. Maybe one day but I'm not sure."

"Hmm." There wasn't really anything I could say to that so I just let it hang there.

Luckily Jen came to the rescue. "You should talk to Jessa. You both are the same age. She's been talking about having a baby a lot lately. Maybe she has some advice that could help."

"Thanks. I will." Soon, everyone gathered around the dinning room table as Jen went into the kitchen to fetch the food. I moved to help her but she insisted that I stay and keep the conversation going. It wasn't difficult. Everyone gathered were easy to talk to so the conversation flowed easily.

As Jen was bringing out the first of several dishes, I heard a knock at the door. Jessa got up to go answer it.

Jen poked her head around the wall, "Hey babe. Can you run out to the car and get the other table?"

"Sure!"

Task in hand, I got up and headed towards the entrance. I heard the door open as Jessa started to talk.

"Hey! You made it. Come in! Come in!" She stepped aside.

I heard a feminine voice emanate through the door. "I'm sorry that I'm late. I got stuck at work."

"Oh it's no problem. We're just getting ready to eat."

"Oh. Thank God. Here, I brought you this." The stranger stepped inside and handed Jessa a bottle of wine. Her body was angled so that I couldn't make out her face. But I noticed that she had a slight body and long brown hair that fell passed her shoulders.

Jessa saw me and smiled, "Hey Lance. This is the last guest. She lives across the way. Her name is Lily."

"Hi Lily. It's nice to meet you."

Lily turned slowly, her hair moving in a wave, obscuring her face. "Hi Lance..." She saw me and froze. Her smile faded and was replaced by a shocked slack-jawed stare.

I wasn't much better. Once I got a good look at her I was frozen solid. The last time I had seen her had been 12-years ago. At that time she was both the impetus and the architect of the beginning and near ending of my relationship with Jen. "I-Izzy?"

The moment I spoke that name, her hand went to her mouth and she stepped back. "Oh God."

Jessa looked between us confused and curious about the obvious turn in events. "What's going on? I take it you guys know each other."

Izzy... _Lily_ continued to cover her mouth and shook her head.

I stepped closer, which caused her to step back until she hit a wall and there was nowhere to retreat. "No. How?"

I stopped moving as I looked down at her. Normally Jen was the angry one in the relationship, but when I saw her I felt a fire erupt in my heart. The last time that I saw Lily she went by Izzy. She was a Goth-inspired co-ed that Jen and I met at her apartment party. Attaching herself to Jen and I, Lily pretended to befriend Jen. However, that ruse ended the moment that the lights went off and she hid who she really was and climbed on top of me. We had sex on Jen's couch and right after climaxing, Jen caught us in post-coital bliss. I only slept with her because I was (drunkenly) convinced she was Jen and she knew it. Still, that didn't absolve me of my sins. To make matters worse, after Jen caught us and kicked us out, Lily explained that she had planned to screw Jen over from the beginning all because she didn't think that Jen was "tortured enough". I honestly never thought that I would see her again and to have that be right now...it had to be some cosmic joke.

Snapping back to the present, I glanced at Jessa as she watched us. "Yeah, we know each other. We met back in college." I could hear the anger radiating in my voice. I thought about all of the hurt that that one event caused Jen and I wanted to hurt Lily. As I moved closer, Jessa interceded, placing herself between us.

"Whoa there cowboy. Just calm down." She placed her hand on my chest and I tensed. If I had to toss her aside to get to Lily then I would. She seemed to read my mind. She looked up at me, her eyes serious. "You're not alone here. Your children are here too."

That was enough to bring me back to the world. I took several deep breaths and stepped back. Lily was pressed against the wall and was shivering, tears streaming down her cheeks. I looked at Jessa and nodded. She stepped back.

Lily looked at me, "A-are you two...?"

I shook my head and raised my left hand, "No. She's my sister-in-law. Jen and I got married...no thanks to you."

She looked around wildly, "J-J-Jen's here? Oh God! I've got to go. I'm sorry."

I reached out and grabbed her arm before she could run. "Oh no you don't. Remember the last thing that I said to you?" She nodded. "You're going to find Jen and apologize. It's been 12-years but what you did still haunts her."

Her shaking got worse but I didn't let up. Eventually, she nodded. Raising my voice, "Jen, sweetheart? Will you come out here please?"

I heard her from the other room. "Sure! Just give me a sec."

I released Lily's hand and moved to close the door and then stood in front of it. Preventing her from making an escape.

Jessa stood next to Lily, a smile on her face. "There's a story here and I can't wait to hear it." I rolled my eyes. She was getting way too much joy out of our collective discomfort.

A few minutes later, Jen came in the room. She saw me standing by the door and smiled. "Hey! What's up?"

I nodded grimly towards Lily as she looked down at her feet and shuffled from foot-to-foot.

Jen stopped and looked at her, confusion on her face. But when Lily tipped her head back and moved her long hair from her face, Jen's eyes burned with recognition. "Izzy?"

"H-hi, Jen."

"Izzy! You motherfucker!" Jen rushed forward with murder in her eyes. Fortunately, I was faster. I stepped forward and scooped her into my arms as she reached her claws towards Lily. She struggled desperately as she huffed in my ear. "I'm going to kill you, you fucking bitch! Come here so I can kill you!"

I sat her on the ground and stood in front of her, completely blocking Lily from view. Jen continued to struggle but when I held her arms and pulled her into a kiss she froze. When I stopped kissing her, her face was flush and she was mumbling something. I said the same thing that Jessa said to me, "The children are here."

This seemed to get Jen's attention as she calmed down. Taking a deep breath in and then followed by a long and exaggerated exhalation, Jen looked like she was in control.

I stepped aside and sure enough she didn't rush forward and hit Lily.

Instead, she glared at the woman that nearly caused our relationship to end before it got started. "What the fuck are you doing here, Izzy?"

"Umm, m-my name is Lily."

"What?"

"My name. It's not Izzy. It's Lily."

"I don't give a flying fuck what your name is. What the hell are you doing here? If you're trying to hook your claws into Lance then I promise you that I'll break your fucking face."

I placed my hand on Jen's shoulder. "Babe, take a breath. She has something to say."

Jessa was standing next to Lily, holding her hand and watching the show unfold with unguarded interest.

Lily took a nervous step forward, her voice small, "I-I'm so sorry."

Jen looked like she grew several feet larger in that moment. "Sorry? You're _sorry_? Do you have any idea what you did to me? Huh? Do you have any idea? I'll piss on your _I'm sorry_ bullshit! I hate you."

Things were getting intense. Jen wanted to rip Lily's head off and I wasn't any better, but I had to be. I held Jen's hand and looked at Lily. "You said that you had something to say. Say it."

She nodded. It was odd seeing her after all of this time. The last time that I saw her she had the same sullen look but her face was marked with several piercings, her hair was black and cut short and she openly displayed the cartoon mouse tattoo on her breast. Now her face was without piercings, her hair was long and brown and her flashy way of dressing was subdued. Just like Jen and I, Lily simply looked like she grew up.

"Jen, what I did to you that night was wrong. I thought a lot about it and I realize that I hurt you out of jealous spite. The two of you seemed so in love back then that I wanted to have a piece of that for myself. I'm sorry. I know this doesn't make up for what I did, but I really am sorry."

Jen was shaking but her voice had lost a bit of its edge. "You think that just by saying sorry, that you're going to be forgiven? You fucked my husband on my couch. I won't ever forgive you."

Lily stepped forward, her eyes wild. "But he wasn't your husband then. You guys weren't even dating."

Jen looked like she was going to explode. "I...but...t-that doesn't matter!"

Jessa was positively glowing. I forgot how much she loved witnessing her sister's misery.

Lily looked like she wanted to say more, but what was the point in arguing? I spoke up, "She's right Jen."

When she looked at me it was as if she was seeing a stranger. "She's right? What the hell do you mean? You remember what happened, right?"

"I remember Jen. But I don't want to see you carrying this baggage anymore. I don't want to see you hurt. You know that I love you and for my part in what happened I'm sorry. But we were just kids when this happened. The three of us were different."

"Just kids? We weren't children we were adults, Lance!"

"Sweetheart, we were adults chronologically but not emotionally. You have to admit that we didn't act like adults."

"But Lance she slept with you." Her voice was small—pitiable even.

"I know, sweetheart. But that was then. We both have a past it just so happens that her and I hooked up before you and I had the balls to make it official. Was it sneaky and fucked up what she did? Yeah, absolutely. But did she also apologize? Yeah, absolutely. We're not kids anymore and I think its time to put it all behind us and move on. You are my wife and the love of my life. That will always be the case. I only want you and the fact is that I don't know if or when we would've gotten together if I didn't fuck up in the first place."

Jen was silent for a few moments while she thought over what I said. I could sense that Lily was holding her breath along with me; however, I could also sense Jessa's extreme glee. I tried to pay her no mind.

When she finally spoke, her voice was small. "Okay. I forgive you." There was a loud exhalation from Lily and I. "But don't you think that I forgot. If you try anything like that again I will hurt you."

Lily nodded quickly and I smiled at Jen. She squeezed my hand in return.

Jessa finally stepped forward with a smile on her face. "Well, that was tense. But I'm glad it all worked out. Lily, why don't you come with me and I'll introduce you to the other guests."

"O-okay. Sounds good."

We watched the two of them go as we hanged back.

"You know that I only forgave her for you, right?"

"I know baby, but I wish you would do it for yourself."

"What do you mean?"

"Anytime a girl shows any interest in me, your claws comes out and it all stems from that day. It was a trauma that you've never been able to really forget. I hope that you will forgive her, not because I think it's the best thing, but because you believe that you're ready to move on."

"Hmm. I guess you do have a point. Every time I see you talking to another girl I would picture Izzy...err... _Lily_. It's just hard to not see it."

"I guess I understand. But you don't get angry _every time_ I talk to another girl."

She cut her eyes at me, "If you're talking about that Lisa woman then you're fucking crazy. She's too hot for me to be anywhere near comfortable with you talking to her."

I laughed, "No. I'm not talking about Lisa. I'm talking about Jessa."

Her dark eyebrow raised in confusion. "Jessa?"

"Yeah. You seem to be fine when I'm talking to her."

"Yeah, but Jessa doesn't count. She's my sister and I know that nothing would ever happen there. It's like you having a conversation with Mom."

"Yeah, you're right. I was just using it as an example."

She laughed, "It's not comparable at all. Jessa equals not doable. Every other woman equals potentially doable." She laughed again before touching my cheek. "Thanks for that, Lance. I wouldn't have been able to calm down if you weren't here. You really are my rock. I don't know how I would manage without you."

Hugging her, I spoke into her raven-colored hair, "I love you so much Jen. I would do anything for you."

"I know, honey. I know."

After that, we followed Jessa and Lily into the dining room. Jessa had set Lily down next to her and was quietly grilling her about something that I couldn't hear but that made Lily blush. Her eyes would constantly float between Jen and I. It didn't take a genius to figure out what Jessa was asking her.

Other than the small thing with Lily, the housewarming went very well. It went so well in fact that it went very late into the night. My parents took the twins home and stayed the night. David and Elizabeth soon followed suit and went back to their own home. That left Jessa, Jen, Lily, Lisa and myself. I wouldn't say that it was the most comfortable that I have ever been but it wasn't half bad. Although Jen had accepted Lily's apology, there was still a bit of ice between the two. Twelve years worth of pain doesn't just disappear because someone says they're sorry. Nevertheless, Jen was making a remarkable effort to be civil and I couldn't have been prouder.

Soon, Jessa took Lily into a quiet corner, where the two of them huddled together. Not wanting to be a third-wheel, Lisa soon followed, which left Jen and I alone. While the three women talked, laughed and drank, Jen and I got started on cleaning up the party. Fortunately, other than the messes left by the twins, things were pretty easy to deal with. The adults acted as such and cleaned up after themselves. All that was really left was to load the dishwasher and wipe down some surfaces. I took out the trash and when I came back, Jen had already washed the table and the countertops. With nothing else to do, we went and found the others.

"Oh my God!" Jessa was covering her mouth and pretending at being shocked but I could tell that she was enjoying every second of their conversation. It wasn't difficult to guess at what they were talking about. While the other guests were here, Jessa put a cap on her inquisitiveness. But when the others left she quickly roped Lily into a corner. I knew she was forcing her to expound upon the details of our first and last meeting.

As we approached, Lily looked at us and then back down at her drink. I don't know if her cheeks were red out of embarrassment or because of the copious amounts of alcohol that she imbibed. Either way, she looked guilty.

As I sat down, I pulled Jen onto my lap. She sighed and kissed my cheek. Looking at the three women in turn she asked, "So, what are you all talking about?"

Lily stumbled. Lisa was tightlipped. But Jessa beamed, "Lily was telling us the story about how you three met." She reached over and touched Jen's leg. Her face twisted as she feigned empathy, "I'm so sorry that you had to go through that."

What Jen thought of Jessa's empathetic display, I didn't know. She didn't say anything.

"I-I'm sorry guys. Jessa said she really wanted to know. I wasn't bragging or anything. I promise."

I felt Jen stiffen, so I rubbed her back until I felt her relax again.

Deciding to reroute this dead end of a conversation, I asked, "So, did Jessa tell you all the good news?"

Lisa and Lily looked at us questioningly, and I looked at Jen. She nodded so I pressed forward. "Jen and I are expecting!"

There were gasps all around as Lisa and Lily jumped from their seats and descended on us. Hands immediately went to Jen's stomach and she didn't immediately smack them away. They started firing questions off one after the other as the gushed over the news that Jen was pregnant.

For her part, Jen seemed relieved to be talking about something beautiful instead of discussing something that caused her a lot of grief. Her eyes lit up as she talked about the pregnancy.

I took the first opportunity that I could and slid from underneath her as she took over the chair. Grabbing a beer, I went over towards the bay window and looked outside at the night sky. I could hear the three of them gushing and decided that they would probably be better off without me. But I wasn't alone for long.

Jessa plopped on the pillows that filled the deep windowsill. She crossed one leg over the other as she leaned back, using her arms to keep her upright. I looked down at her and saw that her breasts were prominently displayed. I tried to avert my eyes but it was slow going.

She sighed, "Geez. Just when it was getting fun too." She reached up and snaked the beer from my hand and took a drought and then handed it back to me like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Taking the beer back, I leaned against the window frame. "Fun for you maybe. Jen and I weren't enjoying it as much."

"Yeah. Yeah. But come on, it was so long ago. Don't you think that it's worth getting over it already?"

"Honestly, I thought I was over it. But when I recognized her, I realized that I wasn't."

"I can see that. I don't know what the big deal is though. You had sex with her and because of that you and Jen got together, right?"

"I don't think it was as straightforward as you're suggesting that it was, but yeah. Things ended up as you said."

"So get over it. It's not like the two of you were virgins or anything right?"

"Yeah. I guess."

"Everyone has a past so why get all bent out of shape about it?"

"So you're saying that you would be fine having drinks with Richard's exes?"

She snatched my drink again and this time she kept it. "Honestly? I wouldn't give two fucks. I never loved him anyway."

I sat down next to her and she scooted over. "Come on. I know things have been rough for you guys for a long time but to say that you _never_ loved him...isn't that a bit of a stretch?"

She shook her head, "No. I'm serious. I married him because my parents wanted me to. I didn't even like him. I wasn't even attracted to him. His parents and mine were old friends from old money so they pretty much forced us together."

Despite everything that I knew about her, I couldn't help but feel for her. "T-that sounds horrible." I looked over at Jen. Her bright smile lighting up the room as Lisa and Lily's eyes sparkled with questions. She looked over at me and her smiled brightened even more. She winked at me and my heart soared. I couldn't imagine a life without her and I couldn't imagine loving anyone else.

Jessa's response was filled with despondence, "Yeah, it was. What's worse is that they are trying to keep us together. Like what they did wasn't bad enough."

Then something came back to me. "Wait...Jen said that he was your first."

She cut her eyes at Jen. "She told you that did she?"

I nodded.

"Well? What of it?"

"Is it true?"

"Yeah, it's true. He was the first person that I had sex with."

"B-but you didn't love him. How did you...?"

"How did I have sex with a man I didn't love?"

"Yeah."

She giggled. "Well, don't you have a very puritanical view of virginity?"

"It's not that. I just think that it would be better if you were in love that's all."

She turned to look at me. Her green eyes pierced the depths of my mind. "Were you?"

"Was I what?"

"Were you in love with the first girl you fucked?"

"I...uh?"

"Do you think that broken brat over there was in love with her first? The answer is no. She had sex because she thought it was what he wanted, which it was. But as soon as it was done he was out the door and she was left to clean up the mess...both figuratively and literally."

"I didn't know that."

"I know. She never wanted to tell you. But since she's spilling my secrets then I'm going to spill one of hers."

"I see."

"Yeah. So you see if neither you nor Jen were in love with your firsts then why the hell did I have to be? I'll tell you why. Because you just want to feel righteous and tell me what's best for me. I don't need your righteousness. I _get_ what I need from you already."

Despite her aggression, I knew she was trying to bait me just so that we could switch topics. I didn't fall for it. "Yeah, that's true. I wasn't in love with my first. I thought it was love at the time but in all honestly, I was just attracted to her and wanted to graduate from being a virgin. But that doesn't compare to you. Sure, you don't have to be in love and I'm sorry for trying to force my ideology on you. But you _married_ him. You married someone that you didn't love and as near as I can tell, you're trapped in a marriage with him. Do you really think he'll ever sign the divorce papers?"

"I'm not trapped. I can and did leave him. Remember?"

"So what about him? He was just okay with letting you go?"

"I don't give a shit. He feels how he feels. There's nothing I can do about it."

"Well, what about him?"

"Huh?"

"Does or _did_ he ever love you?"

"Hmm." She was quiet for a couple of minutes as she contemplated my question. "I think at the beginning he tried to love me. I can't say if he ever succeeded but I think he tried."

"I see. Well when did that all change?"

"I guess it change when I didn't..." She hesitated and glanced towards Jen. When she continued there was a spiteful tone in her voice. "It changed when he started wearing saddles on his back."

"I see."

We were quiet for a bit. When she finally broke the silence, her voice was quiet. It almost sounded shy. "W-what else did she tell you about me?"

"Who Jen?"

"No! The Dalai Lama! Of course, Jen!"

"Oh, well she told me...she told me that he was the _only_ one that you've been with."

She bit her lip and under her breath she seethed, "That little bitch!"

I couldn't look at her so I stared at a blank space on the wall in front of us. "Was that true?"

She sighed loudly, "Yeah it was true. He _was_ the only man that I've been with."

"S-so that makes me the second man?"

"My, aren't you good at math? Yes, genius! You're the second guy to get to fuck me. Aren't you lucky?" She cackled but I felt like her frustrations were directed at herself and not at Jen or I.

"So why did you do it? I mean, why me? You're an attractive woman. You could have your pick of guys. So why did you choose to focus on me?"

"You know why."

"Do I?" I've often wondered how much was true from what she said the first time that she coerced me into sleeping with her. Was there antagonism towards Jen? Yeah. Sure. But was that all that there was? I don't know.

Instead of answering me she turned and growled, "It doesn't matter. Nothing has changed between us. You're my little Black bitch and you're going to do whatever the hell I want you to. Got it?"

I sighed, "I got it." Despite her words, I could feel that I was touching on a nerve. Perhaps it would be sensitive enough that it would help me find a way out of her grasp. I just had to unravel the mysteries surrounding Jessa.

A little while later things finally wound down. Lisa and Lily went to their homes while Jen and I left too.

As were drove the few blocks to our home Jen leaned over and kissed me. "Thank you for being there for me tonight."

"Of course, baby."

"I don't know what would've happened if you didn't stop me."

"I do. It would've ended with me needing to bail you out of jail."

"I can't help it. When I saw her it all came rushing back. I'm surprised you were as calm as you were."

I laughed, "Oh I wasn't. I felt the same. Jessa stopped me before I could get my hands on her."

"Jessa did? Hmm. How did she do that?"

"She just reminded me that the Aesop and Avi were there. Despite how hurt and angry I was I wouldn't do anything violent in front of them."

"Well that's good."

"Yeah. So how are you doing now?"

"I don't know. It's not like I want to be friends with her or anything but towards the end of the night I started to think what if she was as damaged as I was back then? I mean I did some pretty bad and self-degrading things. It's not hard to think that maybe things were bad for her too. We were just kids."

"Yeah. You do have a point."

"Besides, did you see her tonight? She's like a totally different person. _Lily_! Heh! Her name is Lily. All this time I hated anyone named Izzy and come to find out that that wasn't even her real name. I guess she works as an executive assistant at some place downtown. She's like a functioning adult in society." She leaned back and closed her eyes as I pulled into our driveway. "Man...time is strange."

Our house was dark. After checking on the twins to make sure they were both asleep and covered, I met Jen in our bedroom.

She was lying in bed with her tablet on her lap. When I came in she sat it aside. "Come here for a second, Lance."

I did as she asked and sat down next to her. When I did she grabbed a handful of my shirt and pulled me closer to her until her face was less than an inch from mine.

Her brown eyes were lovely and I could see mirth in her eyes. "I saw you tonight."

"Yeah? I saw you too. We were both at Jessa's."

"Nuh uh. That's not what I mean."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. I saw you staring at that Lisa chick."

I laughed. "I didn't stare at her." "Oh yes you did. You stared and I caught you."

I smiled. Leaning forward, I kissed her lips gently. "Yeah? So are you going to punish me?"

She smiled back. "No. I'm going to make you beg me for forgiveness."

I continued kissing her. Once my lips touched her neck, she sighed. "Oh? And how should I beg forgiveness?"

I pulled down the covers and just as I expected, she was naked. Her small perky breasts were hard as the neon green piercings grabbed my attention. She pulled my arm until I was bent over her body. She slid onto her back and smiled. I leaned down and rolled one of her hard nipples on my tongue. She spread her legs and I positioned myself between them.

She reached down and grabbed my face. She looked like she wanted to eat me alive. And if I'm being honest, that sounded like a damn good proposition in that moment. I could see the wanting written on her face, but we couldn't have sex. My parents were there and despite her best efforts, Jen was not quiet when it came to lovemaking. She knew this and so did I. So instead of getting undressed I decided to pleasure her another way.

Holding my face, she smiled, "Apologize."

I smiled back and while making my way down her body, I said I was sorry.

I started at her neck.

_Kiss_.

"I'm sorry."

I moved towards her chest.

Kiss. Kiss.

"I'm sorry."

After rolling her nipples in my mouth, I continued south.

Making my way passed her navel.

Kiss. Kiss. Kiss. Kiss.

"I'm sorry."

I kissed the jumping koi fish on the side of her abdomen.

Kiss.

"I'm sorry."

When my chin first touched her triangle of brown pubic hair I kissed around the entire triangle before I delved further south.

Kiss. Kiss. Kiss. Kiss. Kiss. Kiss.

By this point she was more than ready. But what's a proper apology without putting in the effort? Instead of diving into her delectable snatch, I kissed down her legs, paying special attention to her foot and toes.

She was rolling her hips and gasping for air. I watched her squeeze her nipples while she tightly shut her lips. She was trying to quiet her moans but every so often a cute little squeak would emerge.

When I finally wrapped my lips around her pussy she grabbed one of our pillows and slammed it on her face as she moaned. "Oh shit!"

Her muffled cries reached my ears and furthered my own excitement. Her wet pussy was dancing on my tongue as I plunged myself in and out of her depths. Her flower tasted delicious as it continued to leak all over me. There was so much nectar that I thought I would drown in it and I didn't care. That would be the perfect way to go.

Soon she was moving her hips up and down as her hand snaked down and started to rub her clit. While she played with her clit I kept assaulting her depths with my tongue. Both of us were rewarded by a loud but muffled scream. When she came she wrapped her legs around my neck and squeezed. I couldn't move and all that I could breathe and taste was her. It was Heaven. I loved it so much that I almost came right then and there.

Once she released me, I crawled up her body and lied next to her. "How was that for an apology?"

"Mmmm! It was glorious. I forgive you."

I laughed, "Thanks." I kissed her cheek and then stood up.

"I'm going to take a quick shower."

She nodded and sighed. "I'm going to go to sleep."

I laughed again and headed into the shower, leaving her to her post-climactic bliss. Before heading in the shower, I stopped and looked back at her. She had somehow managed to grab a handful of covers and pulled it up to her chin. There was a beatific smile on her face that showed how happy, satisfied and in love she was. I left her to her dreams, praying the entire time that I would one day regain my honor and that I would be the man that I can see reflected in her eyes.

## Part II

Several months have passed. During this time I continued to be at Jessa's beck and call. However, the further that Jen got in her pregnancy the less Jessa would call on me. My guess is that even for her, seeing her sister pregnant was enough to put a damper on her seduction plans. As a matter of fact, the last few times that she's called me over to "help around the house", she actually did need help around her house. It's been weeks since she's made me have sex with her. I was beginning to think that I was going to be seeing an end to this little arraignment of ours and I was more than okay with that.

I was sitting in the living room reading when Jen and Jessa showed up.

I heard Jessa's voice through the door but I couldn't make out what she was saying until the door was open. "...So that's why I didn't see him until then."

When they both saw me sitting on the couch they stopped. "Hey baby." Jen waddled over towards me and I stood to kiss her.

I smirked and she hit me. She knew why I was smiling. "Ouch!" I laughed.

"Yeah, whatever you jerk. I know that didn't really hurt you. Would you stop laughing at me already? I can't help it if I walk like a penguin. It's your big-headed child that I'm carrying around you know."

I wrapped her in my arms and smiled. "I'm sorry. But you know this is my favorite time. Look how beautiful you are. It's comical when I see you moving around like that."

She hit me again and then smiled. Kissing me, she said, "You're lucky I love you."

Jen took Jessa to her 32-week appointment. Apparently, Jessa had an appointment at the same time so it made sense to drive together.

"I love you, too. So how was the appointment?"

"The doctor says I'm doing well and that the baby is healthy."

"Did she say anything about twins?"

"No! How many times do I have to tell you that there's only one baby in this belly?"

I laughed again. "Sorry honey but a man can dream right?"

"You're crazy. So speaking of twins, where're the kids?"

"Upstairs. They wanted to build Aesop's racecar track."

"Oh."

Jessa stepped forward, "Hey, Lance."

"Hi, Jessa." Now that we haven't been having sex I reduced the general animosity that I would normally direct towards her. "How's it going?"

"Fine." She seemed bothered by something. As she plopped down on the couch, I looked at Jen for answers.

Jen walked (waddled) over to Jessa and placed her hand on Jessa's shoulder. "Why don't you tell Lance what's been going on?"

Jessa reached up and absentmindedly squeezed Jen's hand. "Well, I'm having a hard time with this car salesman."

"Car salesman?" I sat down on the couch next to her. "I didn't know that you were looking to get a car."

She nodded. "Yeah. I normally just take one of your cars when I need one but I don't like being dependent on you guys."

"So you went looking for a car? Makes sense. What's going on?"

Jen lowered herself into the chair. "I think he's being uncooperative with her because she's a woman."

Jessa didn't disagree. "I've been holding out for a better deal. I've been telling him that my husband wouldn't agree unless he came down on the price. He's asked to speak to my husband on a few occasions and I think that he knows I'm stalling because I haven't let him."

"Your husband? You mean Richard? Do you really think he'll help you? You guys haven't spoken in months."

"I know but I didn't really plan on getting him involved. I doubt that he would even speak to me even if I wanted to though."

"So what are you going to do?"

She sighed and rubbed her temples, "I don't know."

"Why don't you do it, babe?"

Jessa and I both looked at Jen. It was like she had grown a second head. We asked in unison, "Huh?"

Now that the floor was all hers, Jen looked at us in turn. She looked at us like we were idiots and were missing something very obvious. "Why don't you pretend to be her husband and see if you can help her out? We're talking about thousands of dollars here. There's really no reason that he's being difficult on this."

I shook my head. "Let me get this straight, you want me to go to the dealership and pretend to be her husband?"

She nodded without an ounce of hesitation. "Yeah."

I looked at Jessa and she was watching me. Looking back at Jen, I had to ask, "And you're okay with that?"

She shrugged, "Why wouldn't I be? It's just pretend and she's my sister. We should try to help her, don't you think?"

"Well, yeah. I guess."

"Okay. Then it's settled. The dealership closes in a few hours. Why don't you two head over there right now? Oh! Wait. I have something that'll help." She reached up and unclasped the chain around her neck. Several weeks ago, when her bloating was worse, she was forced to stop wearing her wedding bands. Instead, she had them wrapped on a chain around her neck. She slid them off the chain and held them towards Jessa. "Here. You don't have your wedding bands anymore, right? When Jessa nodded in wordless awe, Jen smiled. "It'll be pretty hard to play a married couple without the right props right?"

We both nodded. Jessa took the rings from her and slowly slid them on her finger. They were a perfect fit.

Jen watched us both and smiled. "Come on guys. I know this isn't ideal but you don't have to look like you swallowed something bad. This will work. Trust me. Now get going. I'm going to go play with Aesop and Avi."

I helped Jen stand and she kissed me. "Take care of my sister, okay?"

"Of course, honey. Of course."

I watched her walk up the stairs before turning to Jessa. She was oddly quiet as she stood there staring at the rings on her fingers.

"Well, shall we get going?"

There was a queer look in her eyes when she finally tore her eyes away from the rings. "Oh! Umm, yeah. Lets go."

As I drove her towards the dealership, she gave me a rundown on what has been going on. She's only been in communication with the salesman, Todd, for a week. She's looking at purchasing a new SUV. She wanted one big enough to fit all of my kids in it. I guess she had plans of being just as involved with the new baby (whose sex Jen and I refused learn). Apparently they hit a standstill when she wanted him to either take a few thousand off or agree sale her the luxury version for the same price. He wouldn't budge on either, saying that his manager wouldn't allow for the reduction or swap.

Pulling into the dealership, Jessa reached over and grabbed my hand. "Thank you for doing this. I really appreciate it."

"You're welcome. Happy to help."

"I know this is a little awkward but I'm really appreciative. You're my hero."

I smiled, "Don't mention it."

Once we walked into the dealership a tall White man in an expensive suit approached us.

"Welcome! My name's Harry. What brings you folks in today?"

I shook his hand. "Hi, Harry. My name's Lance and this is my w-wife, Jessa. We were hoping to speak to Todd."

"Nice to meet you Lance and Jessa. I'm sorry but Todd is on vacation. He left today. I don't think he'll be back for a couple of weeks. Is there something I can do for you?"

I looked at Jessa and she shrugged. I suppose if Harry doesn't mind stealing his co-worker's potential client then we didn't care either. "Sure. My wife was working with him in hopes of purchasing the new SUV over there but they couldn't come to an agreement."

"So she decided to bring in the big guns, huh?" He laughed.

I smiled, "Just thought we could all work this out together so that we all get what we want."

"Okay, sounds good. Lets go back here to my office and you can tell me all about it."

Jessa and I followed him to his office. He offered us coffee and Jessa told him about what was happening.

A half hour later, he left and came back with paperwork to sign.

"I'm sorry that you had this experience here, Jessa. But I'm glad you came back when you did. Your request wasn't unreasonable. He should've been able to make that happen for you without throwing you through the ringer like he did. I'm sorry."

She smiled and he melted, "It's okay, Harry. Thanks."

Harry sold her the luxury version of the SUV for the same price as the stock version and as an add on, he threw on 3 years worth of free oil changes. It was a little bit more than what she wanted so she didn't complain.

"So now we just need to figure out payment. Are we going to lease or finance?" He looked at Jessa and smiled. It was obvious that he wanted more than to just make a sale. If she was really my wife I would've knocked him out but as it was I just smiled. Beneath the table Jessa squeezed my hand. I looked at her and smiled. I could tell she wasn't enjoying the attention he was giving her.

She looked bothered by his none-so-subtle leers. Every time he would glance at her, I could feel her tense. It was as if he was infecting her with his smarmy machismo. It was a bit odd considering how she loved to dominate me but I guess seeing this side of her had its merits too. It was almost cute.

Still, I felt it was best to rescue her since I was sent here by Jen to do just that.

"Cash."

When I said that, he turned and looked at me like I was crazy. "S-sir. We're talking about $70,000. You're going to pay cash?"

I nodded. "Well, not cash but I'm going to write you a check." I looked at Jessa and her mouth was on the floor.

"B-but honey. We talked about this. I'm going to put it on my credit."

Shaking my head, "Financing requires paperwork and _too much time_. We'll just pay cash and get it over with."

She understood what I meant by too much time. She was uncomfortable being here with him and I was offering her a way to speed up the process.

Harry stammered for only a few seconds longer before he said that he would go grab a different contract.

When he left, Jessa turned to me. "Lance! You can't. That's a lot of money."

I nodded, "I know. I'm not giving it to you. You can pay us back. Besides, this way you don't have to worry about paying additional interest. We can afford it and it helps you, right?"

Her eyes moistened with tears. "Oh my God. This is the nicest thing that anyone has ever done for me."

I smiled, "Just say thanks."

"T-thanks. Thank you. I'll pay you back. It'll just take a couple of weeks to get the cash."

"No worries. I know you're good for it." It was true. Although, Jen's parents cut her off after we got married, I had worked hard and invested wisely. We weren't anywhere near as rich as her parents but we wouldn't really miss the money either. Besides, even if it was a stretch for us, by Jen's parents cutting her off, that meant that Jessa inherited Jen's portion. While, their parents didn't "approve" of Jessa and Richard separating, because they don't have the stain of a divorce on their name, they continued to fund Jessa. Besides, in a few months time, Jessa will have full access to her trust fund. At that time, she could do whatever she wants and her parents can't really do anything about it. She's been waiting all of this time to officially file for a divorce from Richard. So, Jessa didn't need our money but she did need to get out of Harry's presence and I could help with that.

Without warning she kissed me...on the lips. I was so shocked that I couldn't do anything. When she pulled back, I saw Harry standing there watching us. There was disappointment in his eyes.

Without breaking character, Jessa smiled at him. "Just giving my hubby some love."

"O-of course." Harry sat down deflated but his mood improved the moment I pulled out my checkbook and Jessa signed on the dotted line.

Several hours after leaving, Jessa and I pulled into my driveway. I drove my car while she drove hers.

"Auntie! Auntie!" Aesop and Avi were out the door by the time I stepped out of my car.

Jessa met them in the middle of the yard. "Hey you little monsters!" She wrapped them in her arms and they were surrounded by love.

Avi jumped up and down. "Mommy said you were getting a car. Is that it?"

She nodded. "It is."

Aesop screamed, "Can I drive it."

She laughed, "No, sweetheart. You're too young to drive it."

Aesop seemed sad by the news but didn't give up. "Can you take us for a ride?"

Jessa laughed. "Yes. But only after I get some boosters for you both."

They made plans to ride in her car the very next day.

The four of us made our way back inside. "So how'd it go?" Jen was in the kitchen getting dinner together.

Jessa pulled up a chair at the island as Aesop and Avi took up residence on either side of her. "It went well. I got what I wanted and more."

She smiled, "Good. I'm glad." Jessa pulled the wedding bands from her finger and handed them to Jen. "Thanks. So the ruse paid off?"

"I'll say." Jessa was letting Avi play with her hair. "My _husband_ even offered to pay for the whole thing...in cash."

Jen laughed, "Yeah, he told me."

Jessa looked at me and I shrugged. "I texted her while you were busy pressing every button your car has to offer."

"Ah!" Then she looked at Jen. "Don't worry, I'm going to pay you guys back."

Jen just shrugged, "I'm not worried. I know you will. So are you staying for dinner?"

Jessa nodded. "Yeah, but I can't stay long. I need to go get some boosters for these little monsters and a car seat for the munchkin in your stomach."

"Oh! Okay. Well maybe Lance could go with you. He knows how to install all those things and he's done a stupid amount of research on car seats. I'm sure he could help you find a good one."

Jessa looked at me nervously. "I, umm, I don't know. I've already kind of imposed a lot on you both already."

Jen waddled around the island and kissed her sister. "Stop acting like you're a hindrance to us. We _want_ to help you. Right, Lance?"

When she looked at me with those big beautiful brown eyes, I could only agree. "Yeah. That's right, babe."

"I don't know guys. I already kind of owe you a lot as it is."

"You owe us? You're constantly watching the kids for us when we need you to. You've really helped me out by going to all their school stuff when I couldn't make it or helping me with all the art and crafts or foodstuff. The least we can do is help you pick out some car seats that'll be used to shuffle our kids back and forth."

I stepped forward, "She has a point Jessa. Besides, I don't mind. I'll help out. We'll go out after dinner that way you can keep your promise to Aesop and Avi about taking them for a ride tomorrow."

I expected her to fight back a little more but she didn't. She nodded mutely and turned towards Jen. "Thanks."

"Of course! That's what families are for."

As promised after dinner, Jessa and I took her new car downtown where we purchased the car seats.

While heading back to her condo she spoke, "I just want to say thanks again. It was really cool what you did for me today."

"You're welcome."

After she pulled into her garage, I got busy setting up the car seat and boosters.

Once that was finished, I went in search of Jessa. I found her upstairs. She was just getting out of the shower.

She had stepped out of her bathroom into her bedroom. The only thing on her body was a towel at the top of her head.

I stopped, "Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't know you were showering." I turned my back...slower than I should've and headed towards the stairs.

She called after me, "Wait!" I stopped. "It's okay. I don't mind." Now her voice changed. Its tone was commanding. I knew in that moment that I was no longer dealing with a grateful sister-in-law. I was dealing with the woman that still had control over me in the worst possible way. "Don't go." It wasn't a request. It was a command.

Slowly facing her, my eyes went to her large breasts with the upturned nipples. I knew where this would end and didn't want to move in fear of propelling things to their inevitable conclusion. I thought if I stood there frozen then her eyes would pass over me and I would be able to escape in the relative obscurity of darkness.

"Come here." Of course, I had no such luck.

I moved towards her, "I have to get home. Jen will be expecting me."

She unclasped the towel from her head. I watched as her wet blonde hair dropped to her shoulders. "Don't worry about that. I've already texted her to tell her that we're still looking. Apparently, your headstrong selectivity of just the right model was drilled into her mind. Heh! She actually wished me luck!" She laughed.

I felt faint. "Jessa, I helped you out today. Can't we just call things even?"

Shaking her head, she moved towards the bed. "No, we can't. Get undressed and come lie next to me."

What was the point in putting up a fight now? She knew and I knew that she would get what she wanted. I unbuckled my pants and followed by slowly undressing. If she was bothered by my lack of enthusiasm she didn't show it. With the removal of each article of clothing I had the distinct impression that she was getting more and more aroused. Once I was fully nude, I followed orders and crawled into bed with her.

There we both were, lying side-by-side looking into each other's eyes. Her green orbs were shimmering and I could smell her floral body wash mixing with the heat of her body. Her skin was flush from her shower and her body looked almost delectable. I say _almost_ because I realize that I shouldn't have been having these thoughts. I shouldn't have...but I did. I gasped in horror at the realization...I was attracted to Jessa. No, it was more than that. Somewhere and not buried very deeply, I wanted this. I wanted to have her. I closed my eyes and checked my feelings. Yep! There it was. I could see it like a cancerous weed destroying my beautiful garden. Despite how I tried to excise it, it continued to grow back stronger and stronger. This had to end. I had to end it before I did something unforgivable...before I fell in love with Jessa.

"Lance?" When I opened my eyes, she was watching me. When I didn't respond, she placed her hand on the side of my face. I was forced to look into her eyes and I practically fell into a pool of emerald jewels. "Lance, I want to try something tonight that we've never done before."

Despite my flummoxing feelings I pretended annoyance. "Oh? And what's that?"

She smiled hungrily, "Lets role play."

"Role play?"

"Yeah."

"We've done that before. You even made me wear a tool belt."

"Heh! Yeah, that was fun. But I meant something a little more intense. In honor of you pretending to be my husband, I want to continue that..." She patted the bed between us. "...Right here."

"Don't you think that's a bit too much?"

She plastered a pretty but fake pout on her face. "Oh come on. You know that you're going to end up doing it anyway. I understand the fact that you need to keep up appearances but lets be honest. You're starting to like the things that we do. I can tell. The last couple of times you didn't try to imagine Jen at all. It was all me. Wasn't it?" When I didn't answer it was just as good as admitting that she was right. "Besides, it's not like you're getting any at home. Jen is ridiculously terrified of going into early labor so she told me that other than a few BJ's, she hasn't been putting out these last few weeks. Aren't you a little backed up?" She cackled at her cleverness.

My voice was flat. "I'm fine."

I watched her sit up, her breasts swaying to the side. She sat cross-legged on the bed, her shaven slit with a single landing strip. I couldn't tell if she was wet or not. If I had to guess, I would say that she wasn't. However, knowing what would be happening I had no doubt that that would change soon.

When she started speaking, her voice was chipper and excitement practically oozed from her pores. "Okay! We're going to start now. I'm your wife and you're my husband!" There was no point in arguing so I just let the scene play itself out. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Once her eyes opened, there was a softness and depth that I wasn't prepared for. I had seen her with that look before, but typically it was directed towards the twins. But now it was directed, in its full force, towards me and I wasn't prepared for it. I felt my heart quicken in my chest as my breath came in gasps. It was a look of deep unending love and it was directed squarely at me.

Slowly, she uncrossed her legs as she crawled towards me. I had nowhere to go so I lied on my back as she crawled on top of me.

She was straddling me. I felt her left hand as she slid it down the right side of my body. Her fingers interwove mine and she forced my hand up passed my head. Her right hand went to my face as she was mere inches away. She paused as she searched my face for something. She must've found what she was looking for because she smiled sweetly and kissed me.

She didn't try to force her tongue in my mouth and there wasn't a feeling of desperate wanting. It was controlled and intensely passionate. When she pulled back all she said was, "Hello Husband."

I blinked a few times before realizing that that was my cue. "Uh, h-hello Wife."

Her smile broadened and she kissed me again. As she kissed me, her breasts rubbed against my chest, igniting the fire within. I felt myself harden just as she did. She smiled and then reached down with her right hand and grabbed the base of my cock. Lifting herself ever so slightly, she shifted it from between her cheeks until it was pressed against my stomach. She slowly lowered herself on my shaft as she slid her silken slit up and down my length. She was careful not to insert the tip as she paid special attention to that spot I loved oh so much. In all the times we've had sex she had figured out where my spots were and would constantly and mercilessly attack them.

But I didn't get the same feeling this time as I did in the past. Sure, she was in control and we both knew it but a part of me was happy to be along for the ride. I wanted to see this through. I realized that I had feelings for her. Somewhere along the line I had become tainted by her evil and now I wanted her just as she wanted me. The feeling should've disgusted me but it didn't. I felt...relieved.

She continued sliding herself up and down my shaft as I felt her juices flow. I pulled her down so that I could kiss her again. This time it was I that forced their tongue into the other's mouth. She opened willingly and drank me in. When she pulled back there was a sense of triumph in her visage but I didn't care. We had come too far for me to continue to be concerned with my pride. If this was what my life was going to become then I was going to find a way to enjoy it.

She started moving faster and faster. "Oooo!" Her moans increased as her excitement grew. "I'm close. I'm close!"

This was pretty normal. She would always cum during foreplay. It made her more sensitive for what was to come.

"Oh! Oh!" She was almost there. To push her over the edge I did something that she didn't expect.

I pulled her lips to mine and bit her lower lip. She gasped in my mouth but that was what she needed. Her eyes flashed opened and then squinted shut as her lower half shook.

"Ooooohhhhh God!" It was a stronger orgasm than she normally has at first. For a moment, I thought that she was completely spent. She fell on top of me as small successive tremors rocked her body. This went on for almost a minute. Once they ended, she turned her head and kissed my cheek and then my neck. She moved herself down my chest until she was above my throbbing cock.

I looked down my body and watched her eyes light up as she took in the sight of my member in front of her. She grinned like she was getting a present and then dove right in.

"Mmmm!" She moaned in pleasure as my dick filled her mouth. As she licked and sucked my tip, her hand grabbed my base and she jerked it up and down with astonishing speed. Within moments she had me falling into a pleasurable tailspin.

"Holy fuck! That feels incredible! Fuck!"

Her moaning and ferocity only increased at my approval. She kept moving faster and faster and attacking me with even greater skill. She was going to make me cum but that wasn't what I wanted.

I tapped her shoulder, "Stop! Stop!"

She looked up at me, her blonde hair all over the place and her green eyes gleaming. "Why do you want me to stop, baby?" She moved her thumb to my frenulum and gentle moved in small circles. "Are you going to cum for me?"

I was losing control and loving it. "Yeah. I'm going cum. But I don't want to cum in your mouth. I want to cum in your sweet pussy."

She practically gushed right then and there. She wiped her mouth and then climbed up my body. She kissed me hard as I positioned her. Once my cockhead pressed against her entrance, she released my lips as her face went to my neck. I plunged into her without warning and without regret.

She screamed, "Holy fuck!" I continued to pound inside of her. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"

She bounced back, slamming herself against me. We were both lost in lust and nothing short of a mutual explosion would do.

I fucked her hard and fast. She fucked me just as hard and just as fast in return. The air was filled with our moans and the smell of our sex was intoxicating.

She was on her knees as I pounded her, making her toned ass shake each time I slammed into her. She held me down as her hands were on my chest and she rocked back and forth, nearly making me cum multiple times. She was on her side with my arm around her neck, pulling her close as I moaned in her ear. She was on her stomach as I spread her open and stabbed her deeply, clawing at the covers as she screamed out loud.

By the time she crawled back on top of me, we were both sweating and ready to explode.

She was rocking her hips and back forth as I held onto her sides for fear of being thrown across the room if I didn't. She was huffing loudly as beads of sweat rolled down her body. Her face was flushed and she was moaning so sweetly. Hair covered her face but through the curtain of flax I could see her green eyes. Those eyes screamed even more loudly than her voice could that they wanted more. However, our bedroom acrobatics had taken its toll. Without warning she collapsed on me, breathing hard in my chest.

"I-I can't. I can't move any more. I'm so close. Please...please fuck me."

I was right on the edge. I grabbed handfuls of her ass as I stabbed her from underneath.

She screamed, "Fuck!"

I yell, "I'm going to cum."

She clenched as she moaned, "Oh! Oh! Oh!"

When I came I felt her pussy clench down, desperate for my seed. With each burning eruption she came a little more and when I was spent she fully collapsed. All that was left of our sex was my swollen cock in her abused pussy.

She lay on my chest for several minutes, just breathing. Despite the powerful release I just had, my cock was still wanting more. I didn't move as I continued to feel her pussy warmly embracing my cock with the occasional undulation as she breathed in and out. If she had a problem with my still being inside of her, then she didn't act like it. Instead, she seemed oddly at peace.

"That was nice." I rubbed her back and she sighed deeply.

"Mmmm. That was incredible." Her voice was soft and sweet. It spoke of extreme pleasure and intense relaxation.

We continued to lie there for a couple more minutes before she started to slowly rock back and forth. As my cock filled alongside my arousal, she lifted her head and kissed me. We made out as her body lay across mine and we made soft love to each other.

It wasn't rushed. The sex wasn't even the focus of the moment. There was something else there...something more pressing that took center stage. Unfortunately, I couldn't put my finger on it.

When she released my lips, she continued to move with exaggerated slowness. Burying her face on my chest she spoke. "Lance?"

My voice was scratchy after all of the moaning and yelling so it came out as a deep broken melody. "Yeah?"

"Are we still roleplaying?" Her voice was so small that it felt like she was speaking from a world away.

"Umm, yeah. I guess."

I didn't know if that was what she wanted to hear or not. Her movements stopped for only a moment before she buried her face in my chest. I put my arms around her and held her. I heard her mumble. "Of course. Of course." She pressed against my arms and I released her.

She sat up and began rotating her hips in slow wide circles. She grimaced as I hardened inside of her. That grimace soon turned into a salacious grin.

"Damn that feels good." Her glare looked conniving. She smiled but it was filled with guile. "So Husband...I'm going to make sweet and passionate love to you while I tell you a story. Will you hear me out?"

My hands moved to her breasts as I squeezed and then rolled her nipples. She tilted her head back and moaned. After which she looked at me and smirked. "Hey, that's not fair. You know that I can't think straight when you grab my nipples like that." It wasn't a sincere complaint. This time when she looked at me, all traces of duplicity were removed and she was back in character.

"Sorry, honey." Her movements altered for a moment after I called her honey, but it was so slight that had I not been paying attention, I would've missed it entirely.

"Well sweetie, I don't believe I ever told you about my time in high school or my first love. Did I?"

I shook my head. "No, I don't know anything about your time in high school." It was getting hard to think straight. While she was moving slower, she was grinding against me in such a remarkable way that I knew I wouldn't last long.

"Well..." she paused as a pleasurable tremor passed through her body. When she continued her voice was colored by passion. "I tried not to stand out too much. My parents you see. They didn't like it when one of us made waves. So I kept my head down and focused on my studies. I didn't have many friends because it was all just a show but I was well liked by my classmates. I spent two years just doing what my parents wanted. I was a ghost. People knew I was there but I was no real threat so I just kind of floated by. But all of that changed in my junior year."

Not only was the sex addling my brain, but also her story had taken up what remained of my attention. She had me intrigued. "What caused it to change?"

She moaned as I squeezed her nipples again. "Oh God!" After a few seconds she smiled sweetly, "Jerk. Anyway, I'm getting to that. See at that time I was very close to my little sister. I knew how horrible my parents were so I made an extra effort to keep their attention off of her but I was failing. I wanted to give up because no matter what I did, they would always cast their disapproving looks and discouragements her way. But after a few weeks into the new school year, I was running late for a class when I heard a boy scream. To be honest, at first I didn't know if it was a boy, a girl or even a small animal. All I knew was that there was a high-pitched scream coming from the direction where I was headed. When I rounded the corner, I saw what the cause of that cry was. There was a trio of senior jocks pummeling a hapless freshman. I paused for only a moment before I hid so they wouldn't see me. It wasn't uncommon for bullies to turn their attention to even a passerby, female or male, if they feared they were caught being despicable."

Her story was dragging on but I wasn't the least bit bored. I could see the entire scene before me. There was a young Jessa still awkward looking as puberty was in its last legs. She was just trying to make it through a difficult and, at times, impossible situation.

She continued, "As I was hiding, I continued to watch. I was fascinated by the twisted and sick carnage of it all. These three giants were beating on this boy and the boy couldn't do a thing against them. But all of that changed when another freshman showed up."

I knew who she was talking about. I had never told anyone about that. I had no idea that she was there that day.

"You walked in, Lance. I watched you. You were big but nowhere near as large as the seniors that were beating on that poor boy. I watched your face change. I don't think I've ever seen you look so pissed-off. You walked straight up to those three. I remember your exact words. 'How strong can you dicks be? The strong don't need to pick on the weak to be strong, they just are!' There was such conviction in your voice that for a moment I thought that you could really make a difference. But that blind ideology ended after the largest of the three pushed you back and his friend took the opportunity to punch you. The sound was so loud that I screamed. I thought they had killed you. But you hardly seemed to notice. I watched as you dropped your book bag on the ground and looked at the hapless freshman. You told him to stand up and step back. He could barely stand but such was your strength that he did what you told him without hesitating. You looked back at the boys and said 'I was nervous at first. When I saw you beating on Harland I thought that you would be stronger but if that's the best that you can do then I'll have to hold back or I'll look like a bully.' I had no idea where this courage was coming from. Sure, you looked tough but not get-into-a-fight-with-3-people tough. The boys must've thought the same thing because they laughed. When they rushed you I thought that I would watch you be beat into submission like that other poor boy."

Finally, I spoke. "But I wasn't."

She smiled sweetly and with a deep softness. "No. You weren't. Now I watched it happen and have replayed it countless times in my head but I still don't quite understand how you could do what you did to those boys. There were three of them and they were bigger than you. But you beat them down one after the other until the biggest was left. I watched as he practically pissed himself. You broke him down to his knees. You made him apologize to that boy and then you helped the three of them up and made them promise not to do this again."

I remembered that moment. I was headed to see the freshman football coach when I happened on three varsity players. My dad always told me that there was a purpose for my strength and my intelligence. He said that it was to help those that couldn't help themselves and to be a pillar. I never sought violence but I was always prepared. When I saw what they were doing I knew that I was in that space at that time for a reason. That reason was to protect who would become my first true friend. After the incident, Harland and I spent a lot of time together. He never really knew the depth of my intelligence but over the years he sort of suspected it.

"So you saw it all. Why didn't you say anything until now?"

"I could ask you the same thing. I waited and watched for weeks but neither you, the boy that was beaten or the seniors ever said a word to anyone."

"What was there to say?" I went for her breasts again and she grabbed my hand and grinned.

"Oh no you don't, buster. You could've told the teachers or the coaches but you didn't do any of that. Why?"

I sighed, "It wasn't my place. I just happened to be at the right place at the wrong time and did something about it."

"Oh! So not only are you a hero but you're a humble hero. That was what I thought back then, too." Grabbing my wrists, she held my hands against her swaying breasts. She squeaked and moaned when I teased her sensitive nipples. "Anyway, you held my attention. Here was someone that did what was right, without any acknowledgement or even the assurances that you could win. You threw yourself into danger for someone that you hardly knew. I thought that if I could just have a piece of what drove you then I could also be a better person...a better sister. And with that in mind, I worked even harder. I was there for Jen. I protected her as best as I could from our parents. I rerouted any and all people that meant to do her harm. All the while I was watching you...studying you. At some point...I fell in love with you."

I stopped squeezing her breasts and she stopped moving. She looked at me with a rueful smile on her lips. "H-how? Wait I don't understand."

She nodded. "It's true. I fell in love with a man that I didn't know all because of his hero complex. For two years, until I graduated, I watched as people—especially girls—threw themselves at your feet. You were welcoming to everyone and everyone loved you in return. But only _I_ was in love with you. Unfortunately, I was only one in a long line of girls vying for your attention. It didn't help that I lacked confidence. I never did anything and I ended up graduating without you ever knowing my name." She moved her hips once more. When she felt my hands go slack and almost fall to the bed, she pressed them firmly against her breasts again until I continued to manipulate them.

As she was riding me with an ecstatic look on her face, she continued her tale. "Isn't that so sad and pathetic. There I was, heir to a giant fortune but too afraid to even say hi to the guy I idolized...the guy that I loved. The only person that I told was Jen."

That caught me by surprise. "W-wait! Jen knew? Are you sure?"

Anger flashed in her eyes for only a moment. "Yes! Jen fucking knew. She was my only real friend so of course I confided in her. Because you guys knew some of the same people she offered to introduce me but again, I was too afraid."

Her story shocked me. I was even more surprised by the notion that Jen knew. It didn't change how I felt about Jen but it did make me question the true motivation she had in keeping Jessa at arms length ever since we got together.

"What can I say? I was young and in love. I did the stupid things that people that are young and in love do. I placed you on a pedestal. There was no one who could measure up to you so I didn't date any of the other boys and I protected my virtue all because I thought that one day you would surely come to call. Unfortunately, that had the disastrous effect of attracting my parents' attention. Because I was the eldest, it was expected that I would marry and bear children. I knew that I had to fulfill my role otherwise they would turn their gazes towards Jen and I felt like I had to protect her at all costs. So when I never brought any boys home, even in college, my parents decided to force me into marriage with Richard. Two old money families with appearances to keep. Richard and I never stood a chance."

I could imagine it. A young Jessa, her love unrequited, being forced to marry a complete stranger. It was heartbreaking. My vision grew blurry as my eyes moistened. She saw this and smiled. Kissing my lips she continued with her story.

"My devotion paid off and they left Jen alone. She was allowed to live her life far away from their influence. To be honest I was hurt that she decided to leave but I understood. Besides, I had already allowed myself to be traded like chattel. Before, I told you that I was trying to get back at Jen because she left me...that wasn't the entire truth. I was glad that she left but I was hurt that she left and she relegated me in the same boat as our parents. I did everything for her and when she left she never even called. She forgot all about me...her own sister. She forgot. Still, she was free and I was happy. I knew that one day she would reach out to me again. I just had to be patient. But when she finally did reach out it was to tell me about her wedding."

She leaned down. Her arms were on the sides of my head and her hair hanged over my face. She looked me dead in the eyes as she bounced up and down on my cock and in a slow rhythm. "She didn't call me to tell me that she was _dating_ someone. She didn't call to ask how I was doing. She didn't call to tell me she was sick or coming for a visit. No. She called to invite me to her wedding. But she didn't tell me who she was marrying. She just said that it was someone she knew in high school and reconnected with in college." She was getting more and more agitated and as she did, she moved faster and faster until she was speaking between taking in huffs of air.

"No! She didn't say a goddamn thing! I didn't find out who it was until I walked in and saw you at the fucking rehearsal dinner. I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. I thought that it was a reward for always trying so hard. I thought that finally the Fates deigned to put us together. By that point I wasn't a teenager. I wasn't a child. I was no longer afraid of rejection. I was ready to tell you about all the things I felt for you and continued to feel even in the years that I hadn't seen you. You see, it was always you. Ever since that first night that Richard climbed on top of me until this very moment. It was always you that I saw in my mind. You were always the one that I was making love to. So when I saw you standing there in all of your tall and dark glory, I was blown away. When I made my way over to you it was like the seas parted and all I could see was you standing before me. That was when you turned. When you turned I saw that your arm was draped around another woman. To make matters worse, that woman was my little sister, Jen. I prayed that I misunderstood. I prayed that you were both just good friends. But when she saw me, I could clearly see the look of shock and shame in her eyes. She probably never intended for me to show up and her inviting me was just her way of keeping up appearances. So when she saw the hurt that I felt, I could see the guilt flashing in her eyes. It was in that moment that I truly began to detest her. It wasn't because she fell in love with you. You're easy to love. It wasn't that she married you. Who wouldn't want to marry you? It was that she was with you and felt that she had to hide it only to let me find out when it was all over and done with. The Jen I grew up with would never do that to me. I did everything for her and all I ever asked for was honesty. But she was worse than my parents. She used my kindness as a stepping-stone to get away from our parents. She used me and then she threw me away. To make matters worse she stomped all over my heart. She pissed on it! She pissed on it and smiled all the way to the altar. Everything changed that day. The blinders were taken off and I saw her for what she really was...a manipulative, toxic bitch and she had her hooks in you nice and deep. There's no question that she was twisted and broken but I think that it was just a result of her realization that she was an even greater monster than our parents could ever be."

I could feel her anger. It seethed through her pores. Reliving these experiences had made her feel their pain all over again. It was like a fresh wound that had just had lemon-juice poured in it.

"All the years and all the effort I expended went to waste. It took me years to climb out of the darkness. But by that point my marriage was in shambles, my parents were disappointed in me and my sister was married with children. But when I picked my head up, I vowed to get even. I would take what she loved, just as she had done to me. I would take it and I would piss all over it. I would mark it and make it my own. So I started with reconnecting with my parents. I knew they couldn't help but gossip to Jen about how my marriage was failing. When she finally had the balls, she reached out and I invited you both to come stay with Richard and I. Of course, you know the rest."

"So all of this? This entire time, you were just trying to get even with Jen? Why didn't you tell her you were upset? Why didn't you talk to her?"

She laughed, "You think I didn't try? She wouldn't talk to me. I called her a hundred times over the years and she never even returned a single call. She treated me like garbage. She broke my heart!"

"And now?"

She held my face in her hands as she pressed her forehead against mine. "Now, I have what I want. I have you in my home and in my bed. I worked hard to convince Jen that I forgave her and that I really wanted to be sisters with her again." I felt droplets on my face as her voice broke while she cried. "I did. I worked so hard to convince Jen that I messed around and convinced myself. I love her, Lance. I do. I missed my sister so much you have no idea. The twins. The new baby. Jen. I wanted her back in my life so bad that I nearly died of happiness. But I can't stop. I can't stop my heart from loving you even though I know it's going to have to end. I can't stop it and I want to. I don't want to love you anymore. I don't want to hurt her...I don't want to hurt you. I hate who I became but I can't stop. I have you and even if it is by force...I have you. In this moment you belong to me and no one else and I can't let you go. I don't ever want to let you go."

I was too stunned by her story and admission to do anything. She slid down my face until her face was pressed against my chest.

"I wanted you for so long that I became addicted the moment I first touched you. She thinks that I forgot those feelings, but I never have. I just bury them when she's around. I wish I could cut them out of me but I can't. It's been 18 years since that day in high school and I haven't been able to forget you even once. I love you, Lance. I really truly do and it's killing me."

I couldn't breathe. I was okay when she was maniacal. I could even deal with the random bouts of altruism she displayed. But to learn that she was actually in love with me...that was a pill that I was unprepared to swallow.

But what did it matter? I was married and in love with her sister. Regardless of her feelings, they just aren't something that I was prepared to return. "J-Jessa I..."

She placed her finger on my lips. Shaking her head, she leaned back. "No. Don't. Right now we're just roleplaying remember? Stay in character."

I was blown away. "Is that all this is? Just an elaborate story for your roleplaying fantasy?"

She nodded and smiled fiercely. "Yes. That's all this is. Now come on. I'm close. I'm so close. Make me cum, daddy. Cum with me."

She moved faster and faster until we were both on edge and then, as she predicted and requested, we both came at the same time. She fell on top of me, shaking the whole time.

But this time I was spent, both physically and psychologically. She claimed that it was all a part of her role but I didn't really believe that. The story about the bullies was true so then what else was true?

She climbed off of me just in time to pick up her phone when it started ringing.

"Oh! Hey sis!" She looked at me as I continued laying on her bed, my wet soft cock sticking to my hip. "Lance? Yeah, he just finished installing the car seats. He's coming in right now. Hang on." She pulled the phone from her face and pretended to call out to me. "Lance! Jen's on the phone."

She tossed the phone to me and I caught it in fumbling hands. "H-hey, babe."

Her voice was sweet but tired. She yawned loudly. "Hey babe. I tried your cell but you didn't answer. Is everything okay?"

"Umm...yeah. Yeah, everything's fine."

"Good. What's taking so long?"

"Well, we had to go to a few different stores in order to find the right seats."

She laughed, "A few, huh?"

Just then, Jessa came over and climbed on the bed. She put her finger over her lips to indicate that I should be quiet. Then she slid down my body and started licking and sucking on my cock. I looked at her like she was crazy and all she did was smile innocently before going back to sucking me off.

I cursed her silently and went back to the phone call. "Y-yeah, just a few."

"Well, with you a few could mean 10. I knew I should've gone instead. You're psycho when it comes to car seat safety."

Jessa had moved from my cock to my sac and was burying her face in my balls. It felt incredible and she knew it. "Y-yeah, sorry."

I could feel her voice filled with a love that I knew I didn't deserve. "Don't be sorry. I just wanted to let you know that the kids are asleep and I'm exhausted. I'm going to bed too. Since I'll probably be asleep by the time you get back, I wanted to say goodnight and that I love you."

My despicable and traitorous heart shattered. "I-I love you, too. Goodnight."

By the time I hanged up the phone, Jessa had me clean and had my cock wanting more. But after everything that happened tonight, my heart wasn't in it.

After setting the phone down, Jessa stood up and offered me a hand. "Come on. Lets go get cleaned up."

I followed her into the shower. Other than asking me to help wash her back, we didn't speak. I was torn and confused by her story. I didn't know how much of it was true and how much wasn't. I resolved to find a way to ask Jen. Perhaps she would be willing to shed some light on Jessa's claims. I just had to find a way to ask her without revealing all that I had done.

Once I was clean and dry, I slipped on my clothes and headed for the door. It was late but Jessa's condo was only a few blocks away from my home. I decided to walk. I needed the fresh air and a little time to myself to get my thoughts in order. By the time I made it back home, all of the lights were off. I walked up the stairs and checked on the twins. They were sleeping soundly in their beds. In my bedroom, I found Jen lying on her side. I removed all of my clothes and threw them in the hamper and then climbed in bed next to her. She shifted a little when I climbed in bed but she didn't wake. I spent the next hour staring at the ceiling and trying to come to grips with too many mixed emotions. There was my obvious attraction to Jessa. There was my newfound willingness to engage in the affair. There was my love for Jen. There was the suspicion that Jessa's words were all true and not just spun as a part of her roleplaying game. There was the fact that Jen may have hid it from me all of these years. There was a lot to think about. As my eyelids grew heavy I knew that I wouldn't get any answers tonight. I closed my eyes and prayed that in the morning things would go back to how they were and I would be a devoted husband and father. Jen would be my loving, honest and faithful wife. Jessa would be a loving sister and great aunt. I prayed that our lives would magically fit within all of these boundaries. Of course, things never really work out the way that you want them to. In the weeks to come, I found this to be true.

## Part III

Jessa held my hand as Jen stared daggers into us. She looked like she wanted to kill and sure enough, moments later she screamed, "Go get the fucking nurse!"

Jen was in labor and we were in the room waiting for the anesthesiologist to come and give her the epidural. I was watching her go through intense pain and all I wanted to do was make the pain go away. I hated seeing her like that.

Soon the pain passed and she fell back against the pillows. She smiled, embarrassed. "Sorry about that. I thought this little beast was going to rip me apart for a second."

Jessa rushed forward and held a cold towel to Jen's forehead. "It's okay. We get it."

Just then the nurse, anesthesiologist and OB/GYN, came in the room.

Jessa moved back to stand beside me as they prepped Jen for the epidural. Once again, Jessa grabbed my hand and held it. I could feel her shaking as she watched them work on Jen. I squeezed her hand to let her know that I was there for her.

~~~~~~

It had been a few weeks since the incident in her home. The next morning, at breakfast, Jen and I had a chance to talk.

"So last night, when I was with Jessa, I realized something."

She was picking at her eggs but not eating them. "Oh yeah? What's that?"

"I remember a lot of people from high school. I remember you and all of your friends. But I don't remember ever seeing her. Did she go to a different private school than we did?"

She hesitated for only a moment. Before, I wouldn't have noticed but after what Jessa said, I made sure to pay extra-special attention. "Yeah. We went to the same school. She was a couple of years ahead of us because she's older."

"I see. I never saw you with her."

She laughed. "What? Are you my stalker now?"

I smiled. I loved it when was playful but I suspected that she was also being evasive. "Yeah. I want to know everything about you from the moment you were born until this very second."

She threw a piece of toast at me. "Eww. Stranger danger!"

"Yeah, you know me. I'm all about the danger."

When her mirth died down she spoke more solemnly. "To be honest, I've never really talked about it because I was a bit embarrassed by how I handled things."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean with Jessa. She was kind and sweet to me and I just kind of abandoned her."

"How did you abandon her?"

"Well, when I left, I stopped contacting my family. Not just my parents, but Jessa as well."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I guess I just wanted to get away and have my own life. She was always protecting me. I wanted to be able to fend for myself."

"You wanted your own life. That's nothing to be ashamed about."

"Yeah...well...I guess there's more to it."

"Want to talk about it?"

She shrugged, "Yeah, I guess it doesn't matter anymore."

"What's that?"

"Back when we were still in high school...Jessa had a little crush on you."

I didn't have to pretend to be surprised. I was. I was mostly surprised that what Jessa had said was true. "On me? Really?"

Jen nodded. "Yeah. To be honest, I think she was rather infatuated with you."

"That had to be a kick in the teeth when she found out we were together."

"Yeah. Well, no. Maybe not. I mean it was a long time after and she was already married. I don't think she had those feelings anymore. When she saw us at the rehearsal dinner, I asked her about it and she said that it was all good." She looked up at me and smiled brightly, "We actually joke about it when you're not around. I can tell that she gets uncomfortable. She thinks that I'm worried that she's holding a grudge but I told her that I don't think that. She's gotten over you a long time ago."

"Wow. That's a lot to take in."

She reached for me. "Please promise me that you won't say anything. If she knows that I talked to you about it then she'll get worried all over again. I don't want her to be concerned."

I patted her hand. "Okay honey. Don't worry about it. I won't say a word."

And I didn't. In the weeks that passed, the number of doctor's appointments for Jen and the baby increased. I was putting in more time at work so that I could put things in order before the baby came and I could take the necessary time off. Jessa went to all of the appointments with Jen in the last leg. So this morning, when they were at my house and Jen started complaining about contractions, Jessa took her to the hospital. She called me at work and met them here after arranging for my parents to pick up Aesop and Avi from school.

~~~~~~

The anesthesiologist and company left after injecting Jen. Thanks to the numbing agents, her pain was drastically reduced. Jessa and I stood to either side of Jen and she looked at us both and smiled.

She slurred, "Man, I really love you guys."

Jessa laughed. "Yeah. We love you too."

It was 2 hours later when, exhausted and sweaty, Jen gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. 21.4 inches and 9lbs 4ounces. She was perfect.

Jessa, who had never been in the room during a delivery, looked just as worn out as Jen. But when the nurses handed our little baby to Jen, Jessa and her were rejuvenated.

"Hi little one. I'm your mommy. This is your daddy. And this is your aunt."

Our little girl was snuggled tightly in a blanket. She barely even opened her eyes when Jen pressed her lips to her breast. After a little bit of trying, our daughter, Alexia Piper Lancaster, latched on for the first time.

Jessa rubbed her head, "Aww! Alexia! That is such a perfect name for you isn't it?" Jessa kissed Alexia's head and then kissed Jen's cheek. I could tell that Aesop and Avi now had competition for Jessa's attention.

After Alexia was finished, I held her and sang to her. I rocked her to sleep and then Jessa had her turn. After a while I was considering taking a crowbar to Jessa's arms so that she would finally release my daughter but Jen stopped me. She just watched the two of them and she couldn't seem happier.

She reached for me and I held onto her. "I love her so much. I love her so much, Lance."

"Yeah, me too honey. Me too."

Alexia and Jen came home the very next day. Aesop and Avi got to meet their little sister in the hospital but when she came home they were just as excited then. Jessa and my parents prepared the nursery while Jen and I were gone so when we came home, and after everyone had their chance to hold Alexia, she went into her nursery where Jen and her camped out for a time.

It was wonderful and peaceful but that peace didn't last.

A few weeks later, I walked in the door and I heard Jen sobbing. I rushed into the kitchen after checking the bassinet and saw Alexia sleeping soundly. In the kitchen, Jen and Jessa were embracing. Jen was sobbing but Jessa looked like she had just been ran over by a semi.

"Hey. What's going on?"

When they heard me, they separated and Jessa turned her back to me, wiping her eyes.

Jen's face was covered in tears and snot as she reached for a tissue. "N-nothing."

I stepped closer. "It sure doesn't look like nothing."

Jessa cleared her throat, "Ahem. I-I'm going to go sit with Alexia." She marched away at a smart clip. I could tell in just one glance that the effort had cost her.

I asked Jen again, "What was that about?"

Shaking her head, she wiped her nose again. "I'm sorry but I can't say."

I looked in the direction where Jessa ran off. "Is everything okay with Jessa?"

"No. No it isn't. But you'll have to ask her. I really can't tell you."

I didn't know what it was. I assumed it might have had something to do with Richard. But from what I could tell, he signed the divorce papers without an argument and their divorce lawyers were working on the amicable split. Jessa had full access to her trust fund so she had more than enough money. That along with what she would be getting in the divorce meant that she wouldn't need to work a day in her life. No, this wasn't about money. There was something else going on.

Jen and I followed Jessa into the living room. She was standing with Alexia in her arms. When we came in the room she looked absolutely heartbroken. "How can something be so little and so big all at the same time?" She wasn't looking at us. She may not have been talking to us. Nevertheless, I answered.

"Jessa? What's wrong? Why are you so upset?"

She didn't answer right away. Instead, she rocked Alexia back and forth and hummed. After a while she looked at me and smiled. That smile would continue to haunt me in the coming days. She looked more broken than I thought a person should. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't moved by that look. "You know, I think you and Jen are very lucky. You love each other so much and you have beautiful kids and a wonderful life. I can't say that I ever loved Richard. But I can say that we don't have kids and our life together was awful. When I look at the love you both have and the fact that you get to have each other and your kids until you die...I feel a little jealous."

Jen reached out and just as quickly pulled her hand back into her chest as she started to sob once more. "Oh Jessa."

I didn't get what was going on between the two of them. I only understood that it wasn't good. "What's going on, Jessa?"

"I went to see a doctor today. I found out that I can't have children."

I felt my heart deflate and my stomach drop. So this was the reason for her intense melancholy. "J-Jessa. I'm sorry. Are they sure?"

She shook her head and kissed Alexia. "As sure as anyone can be. They don't know the cause of my infertility but said that there's a 80% chance that I'll never have a child."

"I didn't know that you really wanted a kid." When she first coerced me into having sex with her, she had made mention that she wanted me to get her pregnant. I figured that it was because she knew that Jen and I were trying for another child and that she couldn't help but taunt me. Looking back now, maybe those were her honest feelings.

She placed Alexia back in the bassinet and moved to the chair. "Honestly, I would love to have kids but I'm happy that I didn't have them with Richard. You guys saw us together. That was not a healthy marriage. It was like my parents 2.0."

Jen went over and picked up Alexia and began nursing her. "So 80%? What are your options?"

"I don't know. I could do IVF or IUI cycles but I don't want to just use some random guy's sperm you know?"

"What about that guy you're seeing?"

Jessa's eyes bulged. "Wait? Huh? W-what guy?" She looked between Jen and I.

Jen laughed. "Oh no you don't. I remember you telling me that you would introduce him if things got serious. I know that you wanted to keep things close to the chest but you seemed, I don't know, like he is someone important."

"Why do you think that?"

"I don't know. You just seem happier. It's like all the pieces of you are aligned and things just flow. So am I right?"

She hesitated. "Yeah. I guess you're right."

"So is it serious enough to consider him for a donor?"

Jessa shook her head. "No. Maybe at one point I did. But I'm not seeing him anymore." While Jen shifted Alexia to her other breast, Jessa hazarded a glance in my direction and just as quickly looked elsewhere.

"Not seeing him? Why not?"

"I don't know. A few weeks ago things got too serious, too quickly. So I ended it." She looked straight at me.

For some reason, I was upset. "Did you tell him that?" I should've been happy that she had finally released me from her grasp. So then what was this feeling of wanting that I had?

She shook her head. "I haven't been able to find the right words."

"So you're not going to say anything? You're just going to leave him dangling in the wind?" I could hear the anger in my voice and when Jen looked at me, I could tell that the others could hear it too.

"What's the big deal, Lance? It's her relationship. If she wants to end it then she can do that."

"You're right, sweetheart. I'm sorry Jessa."

"No. It's fine. He's right. I'll let him know the first chance that I get."

Jen relaxed into the couch. "Well, that's settled but I'd still like to know what your plans are. If there is anything that Lance or I can do please let us know."

"No. It's okay. Not every dream is meant to come true." After walking over to Jen and Alexia, Jessa kissed the baby's forehead and then headed into the kitchen. She looked sad but resolute. I could tell that she had just given up.

Now that Jessa was gone, Jen sighed. She lifted Alexia in the air and then brought her down close and reached for me. I walked towards her. Even whispering, I could hear the desperation in her voice. "Lance! We have to help her."

"I know that you want to babe, but there's nothing that we can do. She'll just have to come to terms with it."

"No. No. No! That's not good enough." Alexia burped and Jen wiped her mouth clean. Holding our daughter in the air, Jen's eyes glistened with tears.

Jessa came back in with a bottle of water for each of us.

Looking only at Alexia, Jen cried, "It's not fair. I see you with our kids and I just know that you'd make such an awesome mom. It's not fair that I get to have this and you don't. It's not fair."

"Life's not fair Jen. If it was then we would've had better parents."

"I know. It's just that..." A strong ray of light came through the window, causing Jen to flinch. When her eyes opened, there was this almost manic look in her eyes. "Oh my God! Oh my God!" Her brown eyes flashed between Jessa and I. She looked downright crazy. The next words that came out of her mouth made me seriously doubt her sanity. "What if it was Lance?"

"Wait? Lance what now?" Jessa was just as confused as I was.

Jen handed Alexia to me as she stood up. Grabbing Jessa's hands and kneeling between her legs, Jen exclaimed, "Lance! Lance could be the donor. Lance could do it!"

We both yelled, "What?"

Jessa said, "No. Nuh uh! No way."

I said, "Not going to happen. Are you crazy?"

Jen didn't heed either of us. Instead, she began to pace. "Just think about it you guys. Jessa, you _know_ Lance. You know that he's smart, fun, handsome and a great dad. Lance, you _know_ Jessa. You know that she'd make a great mom and she really really wants this! It would be perfect."

Now I was standing. "Babe? Babe? You know this sounds ridiculous right? You want me to donate my sperm...to your _sister_?"

Now Jessa was standing. "Yeah. I'm with him. Don't you think that it would be weird? I would be having a baby...by your husband!"

I could see the wheels turning in Jen's eyes. She had already worked it all out and nothing I could say was going to stop this car from pushing forward. "It would be perfect. Think about it. I'm not getting pregnant again. I mean it. I'm done. Jessa you would get to have a kid and Lance would get to see another one of his beautiful babies born. Besides it's not like you guys would be doing it. Its just insemination. I don't mind it if it's you Jessa. Besides, I think this will work out well considering you used to...umm never mind. But you know what I was going to say. Anyway, think about it. I'm fine with it if you are. Honestly. This isn't some messed up postpartum brain nonsense. I honestly don't see the downside. All he has to do is go shoot his load into some plastic cups and he's obligation is finished. I can live with that if you can."

I looked at Jessa and the look on her face was indescribable. I could see her quickly coming around to Jen's way of thinking. It seemed like the only logical brains still at work in this space was Alexia's and mine.

"No." My solitary voice was the only sound in the room. When I spoke they both looked at me in shock. It was as if they forgot that I was even there or that I even got a vote. "No. I'm not doing it. I refuse."

Jessa looked both shocked and hurt but she didn't argue. Instead, she nodded and fell into the chair. "It's okay. I understand." I suspected she did. She had manipulated me into breaking my vows and betraying my wife. Now she's in a bind and she wants me to come to the rescue like some ignorant hero. I wasn't going to do it. I wasn't going be what she wanted.

"Please." Jen's voice cracked as she fell to her knees, begging. "Please, Lance. Please, baby. Please. Please do this for her. I'm begging you. Please!"

Jen's never acted this way. I wasn't sure what was going on in that head of hers but she was deadly serious about this. Honestly, I was beginning to wonder what lengths she would go to just to get what she wanted. Maybe I would come home to see a sample collection kit at the side of our bed.

"Jen."

"No, Lance. You have to. You absolutely have to. Please. She's too proud to ask you. I know it and you know it. But I'm not. I'm telling you that I'm okay with this and I know it's asking a lot. But please do this."

"Jen. Think about it. What happens if she does get pregnant, huh? How are we going to explain that to the kids or to my parents? How could I ever have a child and not be in that child's life? I couldn't do it. Not for all the begging or money in the world."

Jessa finally spoke. "What makes you think I would keep the child away from you?" There wasn't an accusation in her voice. Her tone was light and questioning.

"I just assumed. It would be pretty hard to explain don't you think?"

"I don't care about that. If you did this for me, I would be happy to have you in our child's life. I could think of nothing better actually. Jen's right. I want this. I want this more than you could possibly know. So please." She got down on her knees next to Jen. "Please, say yes. Say that you'll do this."

With these two beautiful women on their knees begging me, I didn't have very much wiggle room. "Jen, are you sure you're okay with this? He or she will be my child and I would treat it as such."

Jen nodded without a moment's hesitation. "Yes. I'm totally fine with that."

I knew that I was beaten. I tilted my head back and held Alexia closer. Why was this happening? Things were only getting more and more complicated. I sighed, "Fine. I'll do it." And just like that, I sold my soul with both eyes open.

Jessa didn't waste any time with setting up consultations and scheduling appointments. She even set up appointments for me to go in and give a sample. I'm not going to lie. It was extremely uncomfortable. I mean, it wasn't like there was someone standing at the front desk with a nudie magazine and a bottle of lube but I felt like everyone, even the janitor, knew what I was coming there to do. So I did my business with little relish and left as quickly as I could. I called later to check my numbers and they were all normal to outstanding. It looked like I was going to be a good donor for Jessa.

To be honest, I thought that Jen would change her mind in a day or so. So I went along with it. But a couple of weeks went by and the only thing that changed is that I would walk in on a bunch of disturbing conversations about ovulation days and hormone shots. Jen was Team Jessa-Get's-A-Baby. As a matter of fact, she was the damn captain of the team. She went to Jessa's appointments with her and would tell me what was going on and what the doctor had said. Jessa would come by to have dinner with us and that was all that the two of them would talk about. So between the three kids, work, and donor-hood, I didn't have much of a life.

Since then it's been almost 2-months and Jessa has finally scheduled the insemination for this coming Friday, which meant I had to go in and give my sample in the morning. I took time off of work because I promised Jen I would be there during the insemination. Of course, she made me promise not to look at Jessa's lady parts. I agreed. The night before the appointment, Jen and the kids all went to my parents' for the weekend. My parents had won some tickets at church and would be taking the kids to see some ice-skating show. Jen missed them and wanted to spend the weekend with them.

So Friday morning I awoke to an empty house and set towards getting my day started. I was just putting on my shirt after having taken a shower when I heard the doorbell. I opened the door and there stood Aphrodite. Jessa was standing at the door holding two cups of coffee. Her long blonde hair was straightened and had lowlights throughout. Her green eyes were gleaming in the morning sunlight. She wore an emerald green 1-shoulder dress that stopped just south of her business. She looked damn near edible. I assumed she showed up so that she could go to the appointment with me or to wish well on my trip. However, standing there looking at her, I could easily imagine that she was going out to some trendy club.

I had to pick my jaw up off the ground. "Umm, h-hey Jessa. What's up?"

Her voice was like smoke wafting through a sugary tunnel. "Good morning, Lance. Can I come in?"

I stepped aside and she sauntered in. It was a little chilly out for the dress that she wore but I didn't care. She was wearing the hell out of that dress and I couldn't help but be mesmerized by her.

She handed me a coffee and I thanked her. Placing the cup to my lips, I took one final long look at her before taking an equally long draught of my coffee. Sure, she was beautiful. No one could deny that. But there was something different about her today. It was like there was sex in the air and it was all oozing from her. My mind was muddled and I was putty in her hands.

"So what brings you over this morning?"

Her smile told me all that I wanted to know. "Well you know. Jen's gone. The kids are gone. I just sort of thought we could continue where we left off a few months ago."

"You mean the roleplaying thing?"

Nodding, she placed her hand on my chest as I watched her small tongue dance over her lips. "Yes. The roleplaying thing."

It was only a moment but I saw my chance and I went for it. "I don't think that's a good idea."

She wasn't deterred. "Why's that?"

"Well, the doctor said that I shouldn't masturbate or have sex for 24-48 hours before giving my sample. I have an appointment in an hour. We can't have sex."

She laughed quietly and it sounded insanely erotic. "Oh. That. You don't have to worry about that. I thought we would try something a little different this time around."

"Different? Like what?"

"Well, you know the hormones I was given? Well, I've taken those and my trigger shot. Basically, today is the best chance I'll have at getting pregnant and I don't want to do it in some lab." She stalked towards me and I could feel myself shaking in excitement. "Besides, that little drink that you just took has enough drugs in it to make you more potent than you have ever been in your life. Today is the day that you get me pregnant for real and I want it to be you. I want to feel it when you slam your seed into me. I want you to hold me while you give me your child. I want it to be just you and me in a room where no one can reach us."

Her words rang in my ears. Drugs? Triggers? Potent? It all seemed too surreal. "B-but the appointment."

"Don't worry about the appointment. I canceled it a couple of days ago. Today it's just you and me...Husband."

She backed me into a wall. "I don't...I mean...I thought you said it was over."

I could feel her breasts against my chest and I could feel that she wasn't wearing a bra. Her nipples slid against my chest, igniting a fire down below. "I did say that and at the time, I meant it. I wasn't going to force you into having sex with me."

"And now?"

Her green eyes were hypnotizing. "Now? Well, now I technically won't force you. Nevertheless, that drink that you took should be having an effect on you in a moment. To be honest, I don't think you'll be able to resist. So what do you say? One more time as husband and wife?" Her lips were on my neck as I felt this fiery sensation coursing through my veins.

I sat the coffee on the ledge behind me and grabbed her shoulders. "No."

She looked shocked. "No?"

I shook my head. "I don't want to play a game with you. If we're going to do this it's going to be you and me. Jessa and Lance. No roleplaying. No fake backstories. None of it. It has to be 100% Jessa or I won't do it."

"100% me? I don't know if I can do that." In that moment, she wasn't a predator. She was a person trying to decide just how vulnerable she was willing to be.

I decided to help her out. "You can do it, Jessa. I'll be right there the whole time. Don't be afraid. Just be who you really want to be."

"Who I really want to be?" There were a thousand questions dancing in her eyes along with a thousand doubts. "Who I really want to be? I can't. I can't do that. What if...what if you push me away? I can't take that."

"Jessa. Just be you. That's all I'm asking. Can you do that? Can you just be your honest self while we're together?"

There was a flash of vulnerability in her eyes as she averted her glance. "Promise me that you won't push me away?"

"I promise."

"You swear?"

"I swear."

"O-okay. I'll try." She closed her eyes and took several breaths, when she opened them I almost fainted. She looked at me with so much affection and unabashed devotion that I felt like I was standing on the edge of a giant stage in front of a million screaming fans. I knew then that her story was the truth. She had developed more than a schoolgirl crush. She was in love with me.

"Oh Jessa." The air came out of me in a soft sob. I could feel it again. The years of anguish and regret, which she nursed all alone. I felt my heart tear open.

"Lance, I love you. I've loved you forever and I'll always love you. What would make me the happiest woman in the world would be if you would give me a child. I want _your_ child in me. I want to raise a child with your smile and your face. I want that child to have your name. Please, Lance. Please do this for me."

We were in a complicated and duplicitous relationship. Still, it was too late for me to pretend like I didn't know what I knew, or that I didn't feel what I felt. I kissed her softly. "Of course. I will give you want you desire."

Smiling like a girl in love, she took my hand and led me to the stairs. Her long legs stretched for miles as they flexed and folded on her way up the stairs. I was so turned on by the sight of her that I nearly took her right then and there.

Once we were at the top of the stairs I thought she would lead me into the guest bedroom, but she didn't. She walked straight into my bedroom and I followed right behind her.

"I want to do it here."

"Why here?"

She spun in a circle, "I don't know. It's just that when I think about you giving me a child, it's always been in your bed. I guess I'm a stickler for details."

In for a penny. In for a pound. "Okay."

She sat on the edge of the bed and spread her legs. All that she had on were a pair of pumps and that green dress. I could clearly see her slit as she began playing with her button. "Come here and taste me, Lance."

As she ordered, I walked over to her. "You look beautiful. I just want you to know that."

She smiled sweetly. "Thank you. I appreciate that. Now...on your knees."

I sighed pleasantly. I didn't mind her orders now that she wasn't threatening me. The hair on her mound had grown in a bit beyond the previous landing strip but it was still manicured as it made the cutest little triangle. Placing my hand on her chest, I pushed her back. She fell back slowly and I could feel her eyes on me the entire way down.

Her pretty pussy was right in front of me so I decided to dig in but first she needed to be teased just a bit. There was a small mound of hair right at the top of her slit and sitting elegantly above her clit. I put those strands in my mouth and tugged just enough to hear her gasp.

"Oh my!" She grabbed my head and pushed it down until my mouth was wrapped around her pussy lips.

I tilted my head slightly, like you would do if you were kissing someone. I kissed her wet pussy longingly, slowly and deeply. She grinded on my face as I did. That was the catalyst. Tasting her pussy ignited the drugs in my system and my body went into overdrive. I thought that I would tear a hole in my pants if I didn't get them off.

I was mad with desire for her and nothing short of a deep drilling would get me to calm down. She saw this and winked.

"Sorry. Maybe giving you that drug was a bit of a mistake."

I stood up and ripped my shirt and pants off. "You think? I hope you're ready to take responsibility."

She nodded, "Yeah. I'm ready."

As my hands went to my waistband, hers went to the hem of her dress. By the time I had my underwear at my ankles, her dress was above her head and on the floor. She moved back on the bed and I stalked towards her. I was hungry for her body and she looked like perfectly ripe fruit. I was going to devour her.

She spread her legs to invite me in. I was between her legs and was ready to invade when she reached out for me.

"Please, kiss me. Please, see only me. Only me."

In another moment or two, I would've been too engrossed in pleasure to understand the depth of those words.

I willed myself to calm down as I kissed her sweetly. "I'm only thinking about you, Jessa. Only you."

"I love you, Lance." It wasn't a question. And it wasn't something she said expecting a response. Nevertheless, I gave her one.

"I love you, Jessa."

Her eyes widened and just as quickly she looked away. "I didn't say it so that you would lie to me. I know that you don't love me. I wish you hadn't said it. I wish I never told you that I loved you."

I grabbed her face and forced her to look at me. "Jessa. I wouldn't say that if I didn't mean it. It's as much a shock to me as it is to you but its true. I love you, Jessa. I. Love. You."

I think I caused a miniature nuclear explosion to occur in her brain because she looked fried. "B-b-b-b-b-but you...I...you can't. You can't love me. You have Jen. You love Jen."

"Of course I love Jen. She's my wife. But I also love you. That's true too."

Her eyes were wet and there was a hint of distrust there. "Are you sure you know what you're saying? This isn't something to joke about."

"I would never joke about this. It's true. I love you. Will you accept my love?"

"Accept? Accept! Of course! Of course! I love you so much. I love you!" She pulled me down to her and this time it was her lips assaulting mine. She crushed her lips against me and I felt like we were melded together.

When she released me, she lustfully spoke, "Give it to me, baby. Give me all that you've got."

I grinned, "Game on."

When I slowly entered her, her nails went to my back and she screamed, "Holy fuck! How is it so fucking big?"

Even I could tell that I was harder than I'd ever been. It was like a miniature battering ram. Only mine was made of flesh, was pulsating and felt hot to the touch.

Only my head was in when she bit down on my shoulder. She bit down so hard that I was surprised when she didn't break the skin.

I paused so that she could grow accustomed to feeling me inside of her. When I felt her hands move from my back to my butt, I knew that she was ready for me to move. I moved in small circles as she moaned pleasurable songs in my ears. I nibbled and sucked on her sensitive nipples and she practically melted. I felt her pussy get even wetter when I did. That gave me what I needed to dive deeper. When I did she screamed. "Don't stop. Don't you fucking stop!" And I didn't. I didn't stop until I couldn't go any further.

"How do you feel?" I was slowly pulling in and out of her as she squeezed down on me from all angles.

"I f-feel good. I feel so good. It's so good. Give me more. Please, I need it."

"As you wish." I pulled back on final time until just the tip of my cock was still inside of her. She tensed, as she knew what I was going to do. Or at least she thought she did.

Knowing her response patterns, I went straight to her nipple and bit down hard. She gasped and pressed her breast against my face more. With her attention on her nipple and not on my invading cock, she relaxed. That was when I slammed inside of her.

"Ah! Holy fuck! Shit!"

The sound of me fucking her filled the room. _Slap! Slap! Slap!_

Her screaming echoed from the walls. "Shit! Yes! Yes! Yes!"

My bed was creaking with the abuse it was taking and the marks on my body increased with every pleasurable tendril that cascaded throughout her body. She was a fine tuned instrument and I was the conductor. She played as fast and as slow as I wanted. When I wanted her to reach a crescendo, all I had to do was take her there. In that moment she was my masterpiece and I was her god.

"Please cum for me, Lance. Please. I can't take anymore. Please cum. Oh...oh God! I'm cumming! I'm cumming! Ah!"

She squeezed down so hard that I thought she would rip my cock off of my body. Her body was twitching as she rode out her orgasm. Her mouth hanged open sloppily as she came. She moaned the sweetest tune and that was when I lost it.

I slammed into her one final time and delivered a full-blown explosion into her depths.

"Ahhhh! It's so hot. I can feel them inside me. It's so hot inside." She was speaking to me but at the same time she wasn't. She was driven temporarily insane by the strength of her orgasm.

I felt her arms wrap around my shoulders as she pulled me down. She kissed me hungrily. "That felt so amazing."

"I agree. I can't describe it." I noticed that even after my climax, I wasn't softening. I started shifting so that I could pull out of her and give her a break and she quickly crossed her legs behind my back.

"No! Don't move. Stay where you are." She wrapped her arms around my neck, possessively.

"But isn't it too much?"

"N-no. I'm getting used to it. Besides, we're going to have to go at least two more times today to increase my chances."

"We can always take a break and then when you're ready we can try again."

"No. I want you right now. Please. I'm finally able to be myself, plus Jen isn't here. I want to stay this way for just a little longer."

We lied there for a few minutes and we just talked. She told me that her parents were planning a trip to come see her in a few weeks. It was the first I heard of it. Apparently things haven't fully thawed between them and Jen. I wonder how they would feel if they knew that their eldest also wanted to be with a Black man. I chuckled at the oddities in life.

I began moving slowly. She relaxed her legs but still held me tightly in her arms. While kissing her neck and lips, we made love without the feelings that were there earlier. I wasn't driven into a mad rush by the drugs in my system and she wasn't clawing at me or crawling around because I was fucking her too hard. It was slow and controlled. It was sweet.

We were chest to chest, even when she climbed on top and rode me. There wasn't really a time when our lips weren't close together. When I came again, she pressed her forehead to mine. "It feels so good. Sex with you is the absolute best."

I held her closely as we basked in the afterglow. She kissed my lips and smiled. "Okay, I think that's it for me. I can't do it again after all." She kicked her leg over me and reached her hand over her head. She grabbed one of our decorative pillows and I watched in silent glee as she jammed the pillow under her lower back and lifted her legs in the air.

I smiled as I immediately recognized that yoga-like pose. "Comfortable?"

She could hear the mirth in my voice and face darkened out of embarrassment. "S-shut up! Jen told me that this increases the odds of conceiving. She did it and it worked."

I kissed her cheek. "Yeah, I guess it did."

I stood up and stretched. My boner was still there but it was slowly going away. "Want me to wait on you before I shower?"

She shook her head. "No. I'll join you when I'm done. Besides...this is embarrassing. Just get going."

I laughed as I turned and headed into the bathroom. I heard her growl but her legs and ass dangling in the air limited the ferocity of the expression. As promised, she eventually joined me before I got out. I helped her wash her body as I paid special attention to her large breasts and sensitive nipples. I wanted to go again but she still needed some time to recover, so I got my kicks by teasing her sweet body until she was practically humming.

When we finally did get a chance to have sex again she was horny and impatient. She screamed as I fucked her and while moaning, she collapsed as our combined orgasms brought her to her knees.

I helped her off the ground and carried her to the couch. Her dress was a mess but it made a lovely picture hiked up her back as her ass was exposed and I rammed into her tight little pussy.

"So, do you think you're pregnant?"

She was still feeling the aftereffects of her orgasm and was moaning quietly as she squirmed around on the couch. "Mmmm! I hope so...well maybe not. If I'm not we can do this again next month."

I laughed. "I don't think Jen and the kids will conveniently leave for a weekend this same time next month. This is a once in a lifetime sort of coincidence. We should make the most out of it."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

I sat behind her. She pushed herself up the couch until her head rested on my thigh. I looked down at her, her hair messy, her dress wrinkled and her make-up washed away. "You're so beautiful, Jessa."

She blushed. "T-thank you." She sighed as I ran my finger through her hair. "I can't believe that I finally get to be with you. There were so many times when I thought it would never be. I mean I know we're not _together_ and that you're married but I don't care. I don't care that you have a family. Does that make me a horrible person? Well, even if it did it doesn't change the way that I feel. I've loved you for so long that it seems like it's taken over my entire life. I had given up hope when I saw you that day at the rehearsal dinner. But now look at us. I've lied. I've cheated. I've stolen. But in the end it all was worth it because I get to be with the man that I love beyond all others. I get to be with you. But out of all of this the oddest thing is that after everything that I put you through, regardless of my feelings, you love me. Me! It's so freaking odd."

She was babbling and I knew that if I didn't say something then she would continue nonstop. "Yeah. Life is strange. A few months ago, if you'd told me that I would be in love with you, I would've laughed in your face. But here we are."

She snuggled against me. "Yeah. Here we are."

"Does it bother you?"

"What?"

"That I'm in love with you."

"No. Why would it bother me? I mean I don't relish the idea of sharing your love with Jen. But it is what it is. You love me and that's good enough for me. The only thing I'm concerned with is hiding these feelings from Jen. I don't want to hurt her or wreck your marriage. I don't mind being the second woman because I know that you do love me. It's like a dream come true."

I didn't know what else to say so I just held her closer. I didn't deserve this type of devotion or love. Nevertheless, here she was, offering it to me.

"By the way. I hope you're not expecting me to apologize about forcing you all this time, because if I'm being honest I'm not sorry. The only thing I'm sorry about is not saying something back in high school."

"Heh! No. I don't expect an apology."

"Good."

We stayed that way for a while. When she sighed, and pulled the afghan from the back of the couch and wrapped it around herself, I knew that she was going to go to sleep. Before she did, she looked up at me and smiled sweetly. "I love you, Lance."

"I love you too, Jessa." I rubbed her face with my thumb as her smile deepened. She fell asleep moments later and I stayed next to her while she napped. If you're wondering if I felt guilty, then of course I did. But not as much as I did before. I knew that I was no longer Jen's Knight in Shining Armor. I wasn't a hero. I was a man who had a difficult choice to make and I made it. That doesn't mean that I love my wife or kids any less it just means that I'm human. And being human...I can live with that.

## Epilogue

It's been 3 years since that day in my house with Jessa. Standing on the deck in the backyard, I stood before the heat of the grill.

I bellowed, so that my family could hear, "Okay guys. The food's almost ready!"

Jen, my beautiful wife, stood up from her seat next to my mom. She looked even more beautiful today than she did when I first fell for her in college. Although she had let her hair grow out in the past, she recently cut most of it off. She left just enough to be able to gather it up into a small ponytail. With her hair up, I could see her neck and the tattoo that she got a couple of years ago. It read: A.L.L, A.R.L, A.P.L. It stood for Aesop Lance Lancaster, Avi Rose Lancaster, and Alexia Piper Lancaster. She got it shortly after she stopped breastfeeding Alexia.

Her voice rang in the backyard as she tried to wrangle our eldest children. "Aesop! Avi! Come in and wash your hands!"

I watched as our twins raced towards the house, nearly knocking into the table as they leapt onto the deck.

"Whoa! Slow down you two. You're going to break your necks." Although my dad sounded stern, I could see the unguarded look of love in his eyes.

"Sorry Papa!" Avi stopped just long enough to give him a kiss on the cheek. And yes...he did melt the moment that she did. Heh! The big softy.

Aesop stopped to look into the grill. "I want a burger Daddy."

Jen crossed her arms and gave him the same look shared by mothers across the globe. "Manners."

Aesop shriveled a little, "Oh. Sorry. Umm, please Daddy."

"That's better young man."

He turned to walk away when a stunning woman with long golden hair smiled. Even after all these years the twins never lost their obsession with their aunt. Jessa smiled, "Where's your little sister?"

Jen looked over my shoulder. "She's inside."

Jessa stood to get a better look. "You know, I thought I saw them head in there earlier." She walked towards the house, as she passed me she placed her hand on my shoulder and let it trail across my back and fall as she continued her trek. I turned and watched her slide open the door. Jessa was another person that aged like fine wine. Her figure was even more incredible now than it was in the past. But what was most remarkable about her was that the melancholy that followed her around for years had dissipated. She was happy and at peace.

I felt Jen's touch on my shoulder as I turned and looked into her loving brown eyes. She kissed my lips and sighed as she rested her head on my shoulder. "I love you so much. You're such a good man."

I couldn't speak towards being a good man but I did know that I absolutely loved her too. "I love you, too."

Jessa appeared a moment later with packages in tow.

"Daddy! Mommy! Look! I made a flower." Alexia was proudly waving a legal sized sheet of paper with a beautifully drawn and colored sunflower in the middle. I smiled as I thought that she's only 3-years old and already the resident artist. Alexia looked more like Jen than either or our other two children. However, she had the same complexion and curly hair that her older brother and sister had only her hair was lighter than theirs.

"It looks great honey. You did a very good job!" Her smile got wider at the compliment. She then held up a second sheet of paper. This one had multihued scrawling all over it.

Jen knelt down as she looked at the paper. She tilted her head to the side and looked into the wide green eyes of my youngest child, Maxwell Lance Lancaster. She smiled so big and bright at him that you could never question her love for him. He was a miniature version of me with green eyes and a button nose.

"Did you draw this, Maxi?"

He nodded as he held onto his mother's leg. She looked down at him with love gleaming in her green eyes. "It's okay sweetheart. Answer Auntie Jenny."

Slowly he nodded up and down. Jen's smile grew larger. "Oh my goodness! It's gorgeous! You're such a great little artist. Can you draw me one?"

Maxwell melted, all fear forgotten. He smiled so big that the entire world grew brighter. Just as Aesop, Avi and Alexia adored their aunt, Maxwell adored his aunt. When he wasn't sure of her response he hid for fear that she wouldn't approve. But he needn't have worried. Jen loved him like a son just as Jessa loved the other kids like her own.

Jen picked up Maxwell and carried him to her chair with the drawing in hand. Alexia grabbed Jessa's hand and dragged her along to her own chair.

A few moments later, Aesop and Avi reappeared and took their position next to each other and between my mom and dad. I watched as my large family laughed. I saw my parent's eyes gleaming as they sat with their child (Jen), their adopted child (Jessa) and their grandchildren. I watched Jen and Jessa smile at each other in unbounded love as all of the pain and regret of the past was washed away. They were sisters and that was a bound that no one could tear away from them. I watched all four of my children laugh and play together and I was in Heaven.

I wished for these days to last forever but I knew that at some point my kids would grow up and want to have lives of their own. But right here and right now we were together. My parents moved closer and took over Jessa's condo while Jessa and Maxwell moved into our home. Aesop and Avi shared a room while Alexia and Maxwell shared a room. We were all together and things were blissful and amazing.

Yes, I was initially coerced and ultimately tainted by Jessa. But seeing how it all ended, I have to wonder if being tainted is such a bad thing. I thought back to the words that Jen had said when Jessa announced her pregnancy. She called me a hero. I wasn't a hero. I was a man. I lied. I betrayed. I loved and I protected. I wasn't perfect and that was fine. I didn't have to be perfect to be a good man, a good husband and a good father.

I carried the tray of burgers, hotdogs and a steak for my dad. "Okay! Who's ready to eat?"

There was a resounding cry of hungry voices and a look of deep love from 8 pairs of eyes. I was happier in that moment than I could ever remember. I closed my eyes and knew that I would remember this moment—this _feeling_ for all the rest of my days.

I looked at my family and unabashedly exclaimed, "I love you all!"

The End.

I would like to sincerely thank you for reading this story. I'm grateful to each and every one of you that purchase and download my work. I hope that you enjoyed this leg of the Tainted Series. This is the final story of the "Reluctant" part of the series. So while it is sad to say goodbye to Lance, Jen and Jessa, I'm excited that the "Gentleman's" part is still going strong. As you know, I've committed to making the Tainted Series free so if you haven't already done so, download the other books and enjoy. If you'd like to reach out to me, visit my website, www.tltate.net. I would love to hear your reactions and thoughts about my stories. And please, don't forget to rate and comment on my work. Blessings and love to you all. Thank you!

Sincerely,

T.L.

For other great reads go here www.TLTate.net

