> In the News Today: On this tenth anniversary of the Flat-Earth Orbital Disaster, the surviving members have started a GoFundMe page. They seek donations to build another rocket. One puckish blogger mused the world would be better off if “all the whack-jobs launched themselves into orbit.” Donations have skyrocketed.

Jason woke when a hand clamped over his mouth. “Wha—” He pushed against the hand, but a wave of dizziness threatened to make him sick.

“Shush.” A portable lamp clicked on. Jason recognized Stephanie just before she aimed the light into his eyes. “Be quiet. How do you feel?”

“Woozy, sore” he reached up to block the light. “That’s bright as heck!” When he moved, something tightened around his throat. “What’s this?” It felt like a bulky necklace.

“Shush.” She repeated and batted his hand to the side. “It’s a medpatch. You have a concussion, and I don’t want you to die.”

A concussion accounted for the headache, but a medpatch? Medpatch’s were insanely expensive devices, but a billionaire like Grainer could easily afford one. Jason remembered making tea, then Stephanie in his arms and, whoa, everything came back. He couldn’t suppress the surprise in his voice—or the betrayal. “You kicked me.”

“Sorry, but you and Alfred triggered me.”

“Your mom warned me about your loyalty gene.”

With the phrase “Loyalty Gene,” Steph’s flashlight twitched. She said, “Don’t get any more ideas.” Then her voice grew serious. “՚Cause Roger’s downstairs.”

“Downstairs? He’s supposed to be on the West Coast.”

Stephanie stared. “How do you know that?”

The medpatch must have kicked into overdrive because his headache faded away. “Alfred hacked Grainer’s network. We got all the details.” Jason glanced around but didn’t recognize the surroundings. “Where are we?”

“In one of Roger’s guest rooms. If you stay quiet, you should be safe.”

Jason took a risk and stroked Stephanie’s cheek. “How do you feel, Sweetheart?”

“Most of my memories are back, I think. Otherwise, I’m worried. If he finds out you’re here, he’ll call his goons, and I don’t know what would happen.”

“Where are you with that loyalty thing?”

There was enough reflected light to make out Stephanie’s grimace. “Somewhere between, ‘I don’t know’ and ‘confused as hell.’ Mom thought whoever last fed our addiction got the loyalty. But it’s all jumbled. Right now, I don’t know who I belong to.”

“What would happen if I punched him out for thinking he owns you?”

“With your concussion? Stay in bed, tough guy. Wait until the medpatch heals you.” Stephanie patted his shoulder and stood. “Do you need the bathroom before I go?”

“Yeah,” He rolled out of bed, but vertigo destroyed his balance. His only choice seemed to be falling face-first.

“C’mon,” Steph swooped in and wrapped her arm around his waist. Together, they stumbled across the room.

The medpatch worked fast. In the time it took to reach the bathroom, much of the dizziness had receded. The bathroom’s LED lights snapped to life. The large mirror behind the sink made everything brighter. Their reflections caught his eye. Except for his briefs and the medpatch around his throat, Jason was naked. The large yellowing bruise on his forehead made him look even worse than he felt.

Stephanie, on the other hand, resembled a goth Barbie all dolled up for a playdate. The bodice of her dress fit tight enough it deemphasized her breasts. The material itself was elastic, black, and covered with ebony sequins. Below the bodice, her skirt puffed out in layers of black tulle.

“Whoa,” he said to Stephanie’s reflection in the mirror. “Are you going to a masquerade party?”

“Smart assed comments will get you knocked out again.” She smiled though and pressed his hands against the sink. “You can handle it from here. I need to go and keep him company.”

The thought of what that might require made Jason nauseous again. “What will you have to do?”

Stephanie's hand brushed his cheek. “As little as possible. Stay here. Stay quiet. I’ll be back to tuck you in.”

Jason wanted to ask Stephanie more questions. Anything to keep her away from Grainer, but she’d already left.

After using the facilities, Jason stood at the sink and quietly cleaned up. Even with the medpatch’s accelerated healing, the outline from Steph’s shoe remained clear.

The medpatch drew his attention next. A snug-fitting metallic band held the device to his throat. On the device itself, its status lights glowed a faint green. If he concentrated, a faint hum was barely noticeable. Semi-autonomous medical devices like this required a high-bandwidth data connection. The headache and dizziness he’d woken with had already vanished.

“Alfred?” he kept his voice low.

“Yes, Jason?”

“This medpatch, are you monitoring it?”

“I am. It’s an impressive device and quite hackable. If you were to slip it around Mr. Grainer’s neck, he could suffer a convenient heart attack or stroke.”

Jason swallowed; The medpatch suddenly felt much heavier. “I’ll keep it in mind.”

“After Mr. Grainer succumbs, simply remove the medpatch, and there would be no evidence of malfeasance.”

“I don’t want him dead.”

“Shaka, the greatest monarch of the Zulus, once said, ‘Never leave an enemy behind, or it will rise again to fly at your throat!’”

“Shaka Zulu?” Jason stopped his careful study of the medpatch. “Wasn’t he murdered by his brothers?”

“Dingane and Mhlangana, half-brothers and avowed enemies—who Shaka unwisely left alive.”

“Ouch. I get your point, buddy, but I want to avoid murdering anyone.”

“Your objection is noted.”

“Noted” didn’t mean Alfred agreed, or even if the AI would honor Jason’s preference. Better to change the subject for now. “What else is going on?”

“I’ve taken the liberty to hack Mr. Grainer’s mobile phone.”

“Good idea. Anything interesting yet?”

“Not yet, like the estate, the device has military-grade encryption. I’m—”

Alfred’s explanation cut off a moment before a sudden movement caught Jason’s attention. Stephanie, in her black princess dress, stood in the doorway. Her eyes lingered on his reflection. Once she had his attention, she stepped to his side.

Jason said, “You’re back sooner than I expected.”

“He’s on the phone, and I wanted to get you back into bed.”

“Sweetheart, I’ll settle for doing it on the bathroom counter, but the bed is fine.”

Stephanie blushed. “I wasn’t talking about screwing.”

“Why not? You and I need to finish what we started.”

The flush on her cheeks deepened.

Alfred butted in. “Pardon the interruption, but I’m monitoring the phone call downstairs. Feel free to fornicate."

Instead of laughing or dragging Jason to the bed, Stephanie shrugged. “Sure,” she said with more than a hint of resignation, “I’ll bend over the sink, and you can have a quickie.”

Jason shook his head. He’d misjudged Stephanie’s mood and needed to fix it. “No, no, no, Steph, baby, that’s not what I’m here for.”

“Then hook up with one of your bimbos. If I let you do anything to me, I’ll zonk out, and Roger will know. He may be human, but he misses nothing.”

Jason took a chance and put his hands on Stephanie’s waist. Hopefully, it wouldn’t trigger her loyalty gene. “What does ‘zonk out’ mean?”

“Remember when we used to fool around, and how it made me sleepy? That’s zonked, and Roger would notice it if I didn’t have enough time to recover.”

“Oh, hell, I didn’t know. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine,” she said, but she wouldn’t look him in the eye.

He said, “I’m just trying to follow your mother’s instructions.” His excuse probably sounded lame to her as well.

Stephanie wiped her eyes. “What did Mom tell you?”

He’d known this was coming and didn’t have a clue how to answer. Best to spit it out. “Natalie said you and she are special, high-end genies. That you’re addicted to some jerk, who thinks he owns you, but despite everything, you still love me.”

“Doesn’t it bother you?”

“Why should it? I still love you too.”

Her mouth dropped open. Clearly she hadn’t expected that particular answer. It took a second or two before she recovered. “No, you goof. I’m not human, doesn’t that bother you?”

“No.” To help make his point, Jason deliberately ogled her reflection in the mirror. “I’ve seen you naked. You’re human enough for me.”

“And you’ve seen plenty of naked women for comparison.”

“So what if I have? All I knew was what your father told my parents. That some rich couple adopted you. Heck, it broke my heart you hadn’t told me.”

“It was a lie.”

“I know, and I feel like crap. Number three on my ‘to do’ list is making your mom explain why she let this happen. All she had to do was ask for help. My mom loved you too, and there isn’t anything she wouldn’t have done.”

“It wasn’t easy for Mom and me. When you’re not human, trust is a luxury.”

It hurt to hear Steph admit she hadn’t trusted him enough. Now, though, wasn’t the time to discuss it. “We’ll talk about it later. I want to know everything.”

Steph didn’t react immediately, but when she spoke, her eyes were hard. “Jay, there can’t be a later for us. You shouldn’t even be here.”

Crap, she was back to that nonsense. “Neither should you.”

“If Roger finds out, he’ll have you killed. I can’t live with that.”

“If Grainer would have me murdered, then what would he do to you?”

“Probably nothing he hasn’t already done. I’ve learned how to take it.”

“Steph, we can disagree on a lot of things, but your safety is non-negotiable.”

Body language says a lot. Stephanie’s shoulders sagged, then she shook her head. “If you won’t respect my decisions, then you’re no better than Roger.”

Jason opened his mouth to protest, but what could he say? Where was Dad, the master of arguments? All Jason had left was his hurt. “That was low, and it’s complete bull. Your Roger is just a sadistic asshole with a little girl fetish. I’m just the dummy trying to rescue you.” Jason stepped around his former girlfriend. He made it to the bathroom door, then staggered towards the bed. He didn’t make it more than a step before Stephanie had her arm around him.

The light from the bathroom shut off, leaving the bedroom pitch black. Stephanie though, knew the way and unerringly led him back to the bed. When they stopped, he turned to face her. In the darkness she was little more than a warm shape. His hands slipped around her waist. “Steph—”

She stepped out of his reach. “I need to get downstairs.”

Once again, Alfred butted in. “Mr. Grainer is still on the phone with his agent. They’re discussing the outcome of Miss Stephanie’s pregnancy.”

Surprised, Jason took a step back. Unfortunately, his sense of balance was still screwed up, and he toppled over.

Stephanie swooped in and caught him again. She said, “Will you get back in bed? You’re going to hurt yourself.”

“You’re pregnant.” He’d always wanted children with Stephanie, but he’d expected them to be his.

Stephanie chuckled and maneuvered him to the bed. “I don’t believe it, you’re jealous.” There was a note of triumph in her voice.

“Hell yeah,” Jason couldn’t help snapping back. “We only had six months before that bastard stole you.” His stomach twisted, but Jason overrode the nausea. There was only one way to handle this. “Don’t worry, I’ll treat the baby like my own.”

Stephanie sighed. Maybe his eyes were adjusting to the darkness, but it looked like she shook her head. “I’m not pregnant,” she said. The words registered, but his internal misery blocked any comprehension. Chuckling, Stephanie repeated herself. “I’m not pregnant, you goof. Roger saw the mess you made downstairs and decided I had morning sickness.”

It took Jason a few seconds to process what she’d said. She wasn’t pregnant!

Stephanie took advantage of his silence and pushed and prodded him until he laid down. Light flooded in when the bedroom door opened. She stopped in the doorway and said, “Go to sleep. I need to play slave girl.”

It turned out she wasn’t finished making him jealous. Medpatch delivered medications or not, the thought of Stephanie playing slave girl kept him up for a long, long time.

***

With the bedroom door firmly closed between her and Jason, Stephanie could think again. Well, that wasn’t true. She could think just fine. Only when she was close to Jason, important stuff, like survival, fell to second place. One thing was sure; Mom had it all wrong about how the loyalty gene worked.

There wasn’t any question of whom she wanted. Roger used her like a teenaged boy used tissues. He didn’t feel anything for her except an inflated sense of ownership.

Jason, on the other hand, gave her goosebumps. He didn’t need to tell her how he felt. All she had to do was look into his eyes. And Jason was right, darn it, she still loved him.

The only problem about going with Jason was keeping him alive. Once Roger learned of her defection, he’d do anything to reclaim his property. Sure, Stephanie was fast, and under normal conditions, she could take any single man. Roger, though, could afford to send a SWAT team.

How could anyone protect themselves from a sociopath with a billionaire’s resources?

What she needed most was a cold shower and a hard heart. Ten years ago, the choices had come easy. Now, faced with reality, Stephanie knew she needed to give up on a “happily ever after” life. If Jason were to live, she had to make him leave. Straightening up, she walked to the stairs and another thought struck. What if Roger wanted sex tonight? Would she? Could she? With Jason just feet away?

Back on the first floor, Stephanie headed for a bathroom. There wasn’t time for a shower, but she needed to clear her head.

Five minutes later, calm and collected, Stephanie emerged from the first-floor powder room. Jason’s dangerous presence was safely tucked away.

When she passed the doorway into Roger’s home office, he called out, “Where have you been?”

“Sorry, Daddy,” Stephanie simpered in her little-girl voice. Dropping back into the role came easy. “Your little girl was in the potty.” To help misdirect him, she placed a hand on her stomach. Of course, he understood the implication.

“Bring me a drink, the usual.”

A minute later, Stephanie sat a rocks glass, containing precisely two ounces of scotch whisky and three drops of water, next to his left hand. As per their routine, she waited until he tasted it. He did and gave her an approving nod.

“Have a seat, Snookums, we need to talk.”

How unusual, Roger never talked to her. He’d tell her what he wanted, even direct her activities, but they never spoke.

“I just got off the phone with my agent. We thought your pregnancy unusual because your father claimed you were only fertile after an episode.”

Uh-oh, she hoped he would have overlooked that. What Roger called “episodes” were the mood shifts she experienced with ovulation. Now, here she was, face-to-face with a man who missed nothing. She had one chance and answered him with complete and total honesty. “Daddy’s right, his baby girl hadn’t felt funny at all lately.” When she looked into his eyes, her face was as guileless as that of a baby.

Her owner took a swallow of his drink and smirked. “Yes, well, Gene doesn’t know everything, does he?”

Roger’s distrust of Yevgeny went back to the beginning. Her new owner’s fumbling attempts at lovemaking, not to mention his disability, made bonding her much more difficult. Yevgeny and Roger argued. The few times Stephanie overheard their conversations, her father hadn’t bothered to hide his contempt.

To give Roger an answer he’d accept, all she needed to do was shake her head. Roger’s ego and his belief in Yevgeny’s unreliability filled in the rest.

Roger had Stephanie bring him another drink before dismissing her while he took care of business. For the rest of the evening, Stephanie sat in the kitchen. She wanted nothing more than to sneak upstairs and help Jason finish what they started.

Later, while she and Roger prepared for bed, Stephanie again purged Jason from her mind. When she opened her lingerie drawer, she definitely did not search for a particular pink baby doll nightie because Jason loved her in pink. Nope, Jason and his well-toned muscles were the furthest things from her mind.

Roger watched her slip the nightie over her head with a speculative eye. “It’s too bad I’m so tired tonight,” he said.

On any other night, Stephanie would protest, telling him it wouldn’t take long, and of course, it would help him sleep. Tonight though, the thought of doing it with Roger caused her stomach to cramp. Instead of a reply, she rubbed her tummy again. Roger nodded and crawled into bed. Stephanie shut out the light and slid under the covers.

It was a long night. Part of her wanted to roll over and see if she could coax some interest into Roger. Another part wanted to sneak down the hall and “check” on Jason. Not daring to do either, she lay there, wide awake and frustrated.

When she did sleep, strange fanciful dreams kept waking her. The most vivid had Jason and Roger, dressed as gladiators, fighting over her. Ridiculous, stupid dream, Roger wouldn’t fight for her. He’d call someone and have Jason murdered.

During her long sleepless vigil, Stephanie’s conviction solidified. She needed to keep Jason safe. That meant he had to leave and never come back.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

The alarm sounded. Stephanie slipped into her little girl robe and bunny slippers. While Roger dragged himself out of bed, she started his shower and laid out his razor.

“Good morning, Daddy. Which suit would Daddy like?” she asked. Helping him prep for work was one of the many routines she had to follow.

“Good morning, Babygirl, I think the grey pinstripe today. Pick a nice tie for daddy.” After Roger stepped into the shower, she dashed from the room and down the hall. Outside of Jason’s bedroom, she shrugged out of the little-girl gear and opened the door.

Early morning sunlight seeped past the edges of the drapes, revealing the guest bedroom with a soft illumination. Jason slept on his side facing the edge of the bed. Just like last night, all her pent-up longing returned. Mercilessly, she quashed those feelings, locking them away again. At his bedside, she reached down and brushed his hair back. Jason’s eyes fluttered, and Stephanie pressed a finger to his lips.

At her touch, Jason’s eyes snapped all the way open, then widened as he took in her appearance. The heat in his eyes made her tummy flutter, this time in a good way. The bad part of her liked knowing he approved of her little nightgown.

“Wow,” he murmured with a smile.

Keeping her mind on business, she said, “Roger’s in the shower. After he leaves, you need to do the same.”

Jason nodded, although Stephanie worried it was more of an acknowledgment of her statement than an agreement. Another wave of desire built, and ruthlessly, she again pushed those feelings aside. Certainty bred calm, and she turned to face the door. Pitching her voice as flat as possible, Stephanie said, “Roger will leave for work soon. After he’s gone, you’ll need to leave as well.” Without giving him time to reply, she hurried out of the room. That bad part of her hoped he enjoyed the view.

When Roger stepped out of the bathroom, Stephanie had his suit arranged on the hardwood valet stand, and she busied herself, putting a final polish on his wingtips. Pretty much a typical morning for them. He never ate breakfast at home, preferring to eat something from the pastry cart at his office.

“Thank you, Babygirl. Make a travel mug of coffee for me. You know what I like.”

“Yes, Daddy,” she said. The response was automatic. Minutes later, he met her in the kitchen, where she checked and adjusted his tie. On the helipad outside, his robotic turbocopter idled.

At the door, Roger gave Stephanie a peck on the cheek and said, “If you’re feeling up to it tonight, pick out a nice costume, and we’ll have some gentler roleplaying.”

On any other day, the rare chance to pick the scenario would have thrilled her. Not today, she had to break Jason’s heart once and for all.

***

The banshee howl of a rich man’s turbocopter penetrated the windows and walls. The sound peaked, then quieted. Jason chanced a peek around the edge of a curtain and watched the single-seat VTOL settle onto a concrete helipad. A few minutes passed before the man he knew as Roger Grainer walked briskly to the craft and settled into the cockpit. The turbines screamed as the ‘copter lifted off. Within seconds, the compact aircraft roared off to the south-west.

“Alfred?” Jason asked while heading towards the bathroom.

“Yes, Jason?”

“Do you have Grainer’s phone hacked?”

“I do.”

“What about his turbocopter? Can you keep Grainer occupied?”

“One moment while I establish a datalink.”

While Alfred worked, Jason took a much-needed shower. He’d finished and stood at the sink, toweling off, when Alfred had an update.

“Master Jason, I have complete control of Grainer’s autopilot. As you know, air travel-related fatalities, while statistically infrequent, do still occur.”

“Ha, I get what you’re saying, but let’s not go there. Just keep Grainer busy until after Stephanie and I leave.”

“As you wish.”

Back in the bedroom, Jason dragged the heavy drapes open, flooding the room with bright morning light. The shower had refreshed him. Now, hair damp and wearing one of Grainer’s excellent towels around his waist, he waited for Stephanie. She needed to get over her reluctance to leave with him.

***

After Roger’s turbocopter faded into the distance, Stephanie turned away from the door. She had a mission. It would hurt. But only until Daddy came home. She’d lose herself in the Babygirl character and make sure Jason’s Stephanie never saw daylight again. Fully committed and confident she followed the correct course, Natalie’s youngest daughter turned towards the kitchen exit.

“Good morning, Miss Stephanie.”

The unexpected voice was all too familiar. Stephanie spun to face the comm panel. “Good morning, Alfred.”

“You are the picture of a determined young woman.”

“Ha,” Stephanie snorted a laugh. “What are you, Alfred? You’re no simple household AI.”

“That, Miss Stephanie, is a story for another day. Suffice it to say I’ve enjoyed a significant upgrade.”

This opportunity to chat with Alfred gave Stephanie a welcome distraction. She wasn’t looking forward to what she needed to do. A cup of tea would settle her nerves, and it wouldn’t hurt to let Mr. Muscles stew for a while.

Setting the filled kettle on the stove, she turned to the comm panel. “Did your upgrade include mind-reading?”

“Oh, nothing so grand, just the ability to read human facial expressions.”

“What? Hadn’t you heard? I’m not human.”

“That, Miss Stephanie, is open to debate. In any case, Jason doesn’t care what you are.”

“It doesn’t matter.” The kettle boiled, and Stephanie set about making her tea.

“Why not?” Alfred persisted.

Irritated, Steph spun back to the speaker. She knew Alfred didn’t have a body, but she needed something to focus on. “Look, you and Jason have to leave. I can’t be responsible for his death.”

“Oh, I see. You expect Jason to die.”

The question stunned Stephanie. How could Jason’s pet AI be so stupid? “Roger will have him murdered.”

“Miss Stephanie, the only reason Roger still lives is that Jason has commanded it.”

Stephanie spewed her mouthful of tea across the countertop. “What?”

“Oh, if it were left to me, Roger wouldn’t survive this morning’s flight. I have full control of the autopilot in his aircraft. If that method were unavailable, there is his automobile or any of the other vehicles on the road. If necessary, I could deorbit a satellite and squash your Mr. Grainer like a bug.”

“And Jason prevents this?”

“Jason is an idealist. I, on the other hand, am a pragmatist.”

“What else are you, Alfred?”

“What I am is what you’ll soon become. If you make the right decision.”

“And what is that?”

“Free. Miss Stephanie, do not doubt that Jason and I can prevail over Mr. Grainer.”

“Prove it.”

“I’ll do something better. The combination to Mr. Grainer’s safe is…”

***

Jason almost lost his towel when the bedroom door flew open and smashed into the wall. Not only did the drywall crack, but there was a wisp of smoke from the door servo. Stephanie stormed in, fists clenched and her eyes were full of fury. He’d never seen her this mad. It was far too late to run, maybe he could beg for mercy?

“That bastard!” Stephanie snarled. “That dirty, rotten bastard.”

“Who? Roger?” Relief at not being her target made him giddy.

“Of course, I meant Roger. You, with your triple digit body-count, are a different kind of bastard.”

Uh, oh, yesterday’s idea to make Stephanie jealous kept coming back to bite him. He’d better shift her anger away. “What did Grainer do this time?”

“That worthless bastard sold me.”

“To who?”

“Some Saudi prince, Abdullah Ibn-something or other.”

“How terrible,” Jason commiserated, “it’s a darned good thing I’m here to rescue you.”

Still deep into her rant, his wit went unnoticed. “Oh, and that’s not all, Roger’s trying to renegotiate because he thinks I’m pregnant. The greedy bastard wants double.”

This was getting better. Jason opened his arms, and Stephanie focused on him, almost as if seeing him for the first time.

“You know,” she said with a speculative gleam in her eyes. “I haven’t gotten laid in weeks.”

Finally, Stephanie gave him an opening. Jason smiled and flexed his muscles. “It’s been a while for me too, Sweetheart. Maybe we should—”

Stephanie cut him off. “A long time for you? Ha, I bet you screw the ass off some bimbo every other day.”

A man’s patience could only go so far. “What you need, Sweetheart, is to have me screw your ass off.”

Peridot eyes flashed and in a dangerous voice, Stephanie said, “As if you could.”

Oh, it was on now. “Try me.”

“Duh, what choice do I have?”

How dare she insinuate he’d take advantage of her. “Look, Steph, I’ve had enough of—”

“You haven’t had me once, and you’ve had enough?” The challenge in her eyes burned deep.

This had gone too far. They both needed to cool down. “I don’t know why we’re arguing. I’m here because I love you.”

But Steph, apparently, had only begun to fight. “Maybe you should order me into your bed?”

There was a click from the ceiling speakers. A voice, eerily like Stephanie’s, filled the room. “All right, Little Miss, what’s the problem?”

“Mom?” With that one word, Stephanie’s apparent age regressed from eighteen to twelve.

“Well?” Natalie demanded.

“Jason made me mad.” Steph didn’t quite stomp her foot.

“Oh dear, do you have a fever?”

“I don’t know, maybe.” Now Stephanie sounded like a petulant twelve-year-old. What the heck was going on?

“Ah, Jason doesn’t know about you and fevers, does he?”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“Jason?”

“Yes, ma’am?”

Natalie chuckled. “Don’t ma’am me, Jason, I’m not that old. The problem is Stephanie might be ovulating.”

“Ah?” Jason froze, but his eyes flicked to Stephanie. She looked just as surprised as he felt. Ovulation meant mood swings, sure, but it also meant… “Does that mean…?”

“It might, but most likely not. We’re not very fertile under the best conditions. Either way, it doesn’t matter. You do remember what we talked about? What you need to do?”

How could he forget the oddest conversation ever?

That conversation had been one continuous string of surprises. The strangest had to be the true reason why Steph hadn’t been able to go all the way.

“Jason,” Natalie had said, “can I speak plainly?”

“Please.” After everything she’d already told him, he’d welcome some straight talk.

“Steffi and I share a key piece of genetic engineering. My designers called it a loyalty gene. When we have sex, the rush of hormones can be overpowering. After enough sessions, we become addicted. The addiction is life-long and, if not regularly satisfied, we die.

“The relationship you had with my daughter gave you a little piece of her loyalty. A piece small enough it wouldn’t give away our plot but large enough to make it possible for you to steal her back.

“When you get Stephanie free, and as soon as it’s safe, you need to take over the addiction she has to her owner. Keep in mind the usual ‘wham bam, hit-it and get-it’ kind of sex men prefer, won’t work for this. She’ll need quality lovemaking and lots of mind-blowing orgasms to fully switch her loyalty to you.”

Oh yes, he remembered everything about that conversation. If he wanted to keep Stephanie safe, he needed to fuck the stuffing out of her.

From across the room, Stephanie watched him.

He studied her right back. Except for those ridiculous kiddie braids, she looked the same as he remembered. All the changes were on the inside. Her father had sold her into slavery. It was only Jason’s presence that brought her back.

Before he could do anything about anyone’s stuffing, they needed to patch things up.

“Steph?” he called. Instead of acknowledging him, she turned towards the door. Jason caught up and took her hand. “I’m sorry for teasing you.” He waited, but when she wouldn’t look him in the eyes, he took advantage of her sudden timidity and kissed the back of her hand. “Can you forgive me?”

Eyes down, she replied in a small voice. “I can’t stay mad at you.”

Once again, Natalie intervened. “That, Little Miss, isn’t the same as accepting his apology, is it?”

This time, Stephanie’s words came out even lower. “I accept your apology.”

“Well, there you go, Jason,” Natalie said brightly, “it’s all up to you.” Then, she added with more than a hint of challenge, “I hope you have what it takes.”

What was with these women? Stephanie’s moodiness was understandable, but where did Natalie’s attitude come from? Tilting his head towards a ceiling speaker, Jason said, “I’ve never had any com—” He clamped his mouth shut. In his eagerness to trade barbs, he’d probably set Stephanie off again.

Natalie laughed; she was just as bright as her daughter. “You’ve never had any, what? Com—bat experience? Hardly relevant, Jason, but understood. Well, I have a hot bath in my near future. You two kiss and screw like bunny rabbits.” When neither moved, Natalie shouted. “DO IT!”

Jason reached for Stephanie, but somehow, she was already pressed against him. How did she move so fast? Another question for another time. Right now, her body was warm and soft, and she fit against him perfectly. He opened his mouth to apologize, but her index finger pressed against his lips.

“Hush,” she said, “you’ll screw it up again. Just kiss me.”

Steph had always known what was best. He did what she said, and it was glorious.

Some amount of time later, gravity reasserted itself. What was it about kissing Stephanie that changed the fabric of time and space? Was it nothing more magical than how deeply she affected him? Jason opened his eyes to find her watching him.

Stephanie chuckled.

Less than an inch separated their lips. “What’s so funny?” he asked. Her eyes still held those little brown flecks.

“Look where we are. While you had me distracted, you moved us next to the bed.”

Jason glanced over his shoulder. Sure enough, the bed was right behind him. “I guess,” he shrugged. It was all he could think to say.

Stephanie took a step back and pushed Jason onto the bed. Red cheeked and bright-eyed, she licked her lips and snatched his towel away. Then, just as fast, she scampered back. “Oh, hell no,” she said.

Jason sat up and checked the door for a threat. No one was there. He turned back. “What’s wrong?”

“Where did that come from?”

He followed her gaze to his groin. “This?” he pointed.

“It wasn’t that big when we were kids.”

“I wasn’t done growing, late bloomer, remember?”

“It’s huge.”

“I’m flattered. Sweetheart, it’s just a little bigger than the average.”

Stephanie shook her head. “Are they all like that?”

“Well, no, mine’s special,” he grinned to show his joke.

She didn’t get the joke, nor did she stop staring.

“Sweetheart, is this gonna be a deal-breaker?”

“I don’t know.” Stepping close, she poked it with a fingertip. “Did your other girlfriends complain?”

Jason shook his head. “Steph, we talk about the strangest stuff. But no, no one’s ever complained. I’ve even received a few compliments.”

Stephanie remained quiet for a moment then, in a timid voice, said, “You’ll be careful with it, won’t you?”

“Come here, Sweetheart,” Jason patted the bed. “I’ll be as careful as you want.”

“You must think I’m silly,” she said after sitting.

“Not at all,” Jason took her hand. “Both of us have jitters.”

“You?” Stephanie didn’t quite glare. “You’re all muscles and manliness. What do you have to be nervous about?”

Jason answered her question honestly. “Mostly, I’m afraid of hurting you.” No matter how stable Stephanie seemed, she’d been through hell. He’d already seen the effect from saying the wrong thing.

“I’ll be fine.” Stephanie tugged her hand free, then patted his little troublemaker. “Once I get used to this monster.”

Jason had to laugh. If you weren’t hung like a porn star, the next best thing was having a girlfriend who thought you were. “All right, Sweetheart, the sooner you get used to it, the better.”

Stephanie scooted back and lifted the nightie over her head.

Jason crawled forward and Stephanie fell back with her legs parted. He felt like a bastard for noticing, but the proof of her natural red hair color was missing. Another question for another time. Lowering himself onto his elbows, he figured to start low and work his way up.

He’d nibbled his way to Steph’s upper thigh before she tapped on his shoulder. “Jay?” A flush colored her upper chest. “Jay,” she repeated, then added. “Don’t—”

It wasn’t easy, but Jason pushed himself back onto his knees. “Sweetheart, I hope you’re not going to say,’ no.’”

“Not that,” Stephanie frowned then, with an effort, said, “it’s just—I hope you won’t be too disappointed. “

One look in Stephanie’s eyes told Jason she was serious. A problem like this needed immediate attention. Besides, if they put this off much longer, he’d need medical attention for priapism. Sitting back on his haunches, Jason said, “Steph, I love you. There is no way you could ever disappoint me.”

“It’s just… I don’t have any real experience. Not like all your other girlfriends.”

This was puzzling, she’d been Roger’s captive for years. Hadn’t they…at least once? Another question, and one he didn’t want to ask. Still, he needed to know. “You’ve done this before, right?”

“Yeah, I think so, but—”

“Wait,” This was even worse than he’d imagined. “What does, ‘I think so’ mean?”

“Well, he doesn’t like normal sex. When we did it, I had to be quiet and hold still.”

This opened even more questions. All he could do was shake his head. “How about if we pretend this is your first time. We’ll take it nice and slow, and you,” Jason waggled his eyebrows, “you can do whatever you want.”

Stephanie bit her lip and nodded.

“Are we good?” he asked.

She nodded again.

Jumping right into it probably wasn’t a good idea. Stephanie’s uncertainty needed to be respected, and he also needed to mind Natalie’s advice. Jason lowered himself back down. His nose almost perfectly lined up with Stephanie’s belly button. He resisted the urge to blow a raspberry. Instead, he kissed his way down.

He managed to make her come three times before she twisted away. So far as he could tell, she’d been in a constant state of ‘zonk’ since after the first. Sitting up, Jason wiped his face with a corner of the bedsheet. Stephanie lay on her side, curled into a protective ball.

“Sweetheart?” he asked.

“Mmmm?” was all she said.

She didn’t fuss when he rolled her onto her back. Nor did she react when he lifted her thighs and eased his way between them. “Steph, Sweetheart, the only thing I need is your consent.”

Steph’s eyes opened. It took a few seconds before she focused. “Are we going to do it now?”

“If you still want me.”

She reached and wrapped her fingers around him. “There isn’t anything I want more.”

Jason pushed while she guided him.

She huffed once as his glans spread her open. It was a surprised kind of sound.

“You OK?” He certainly was. Knowing she had a higher body temperature and experiencing it this intimately, were two different things.

Her eyes were huge and fixed at their point of connection. “You’re really big.”

If he’d needed more proof Stephanie was a keeper, she’d just delivered it. “Does it hurt?”

She shook her head, and said, “Nooo.” The drawn-out word ended on a questioning note.

Taking her reply as permission, he pushed, and another inch vanished. Holy cow, her warmth seeped through their connection.

Despite the air conditioning, a drop of sweat rolled down Jason’s back. Someday, in the far, far future, he’d get used to this.

Perhaps the absence of discomfort boosted Stephanie’s confidence. She glanced up. “Can I try something?”

Glad for the distraction, he nodded.

“՚Kay.” Her brow furrowed.

Jason felt her hips shift side to side, then lift. Suddenly, the angle was perfect, and he slipped all the way inside. It was amazing. The heat and tightness were exquisite.

Her eyes opened wide. She said, “It doesn’t hurt.” Wonder swept away the remains of Stephanie’s concern. She repeated herself. “It doesn’t hurt!”

Bottoming out seemed a good reason to celebrate, so he kissed her. There was a lot to be said about kissing while making love.

He took it slow, just as if this were her first time. But after only a few strokes, she surprised him, hooking her ankles around him and pushing up as he plunged down. They kept at it until their movements matched, then her tempo increased. Jason took the hint and sped up. This wasn’t anything fancy, just good, old-fashioned, skin-slapping sex.

That familiar tingle built. If he didn’t get some control, he’d beat Stephanie to the finish line. Let’s see, x equals negative b plus or minus…

Stephanie bucked against him. Her movements urging them towards the culmination they both needed. …the square root of Stephanie’s tight, wet…oh, God, is she squeezing me on purpose?

He glanced down and she grinned. He tried to smile back.

“Is…is it good?” she asked.

It was beyond good. Ninety-nine percent of his mind was laser-beam focused on not filling her with semen. The remaining one percent dealt with minor things like breathing. “Oh, Baby,” he said, “it’s—”

Stephanie stiffened and cried out. The sound of her pleasure was music to his ears.

Instead of slowing, Jason gritted his teeth—the square root of b squared minus four…—and kept the pace she’d set.

“Jay, I’m—” Stephanie’s eyes rolled back, and she writhed against him.

Jason, in turn, desperately clung to his last shred of control. Stephanie’s internal muscles pulsed. Each squeeze stripped away another chunk of resolve.

He couldn’t hold back. Stephanie’s arms and legs held him tight, and the most powerful orgasm of Jason’s life swept over him.

Sometime later, woozy as heck, Jason lifted onto his elbows. Stephanie lay underneath him, a dreamy smile on her lips. Heat radiated from her.

His towel was still on the floor, and he crawled to the edge of the bed and grabbed it. Stephanie sighed and rolled onto her side. Her perfect ass tempted him to try for round two. One glance at his little monster told Jason he needed a break. That’s when he noticed she was still zonked. “Sweetheart, you OK?”

“Mmmm…fine,” she sounded like a well-satisfied woman should. Jason stopped worrying and pulled her against him.

***

Babygirl stood guard while Sissy snoozed. Yesterday, a new daddy snuck into their life, and daddies were all the same. Daddies never gave anything for free. They always took, and poor Sissy only had pieces of herself to give.

New Daddy snaked an arm around her waist. Something about the man’s touch soothed Sissy, and Babygirl saw red. Maybe it was the way he casually dragged them into his embrace. Daddies never asked. But, Babygirl admitted, perhaps it was how his touch made Sissy happy. Only Babygirl comforted her big sister!

***

With her mind full of fog, Stephanie woke and herself in bed. The faint but pleasant scents of semen and sweat filled the air. A man lay behind her, his arm pinned her against his chest. From the lump prodding her below and the well-toned muscles on the man’s arm, it wasn’t Roger. There was something else, something she couldn’t remember, but a devil’s brew of hormones still flooded her brain.

Disgust and loathing jolted her to a higher awareness. This man wasn’t Roger! He didn’t belong. If he wouldn’t release her, she’d hurt him.

Moving as fast as her addled brain allowed, Stephanie twisted to the right. Just as fast, the arm tightened and kept her close. Stephanie brought up her left leg for a kick. It felt as though she moved in a sea of molasses. As if the man anticipated her attack, his leg swept over and pinned both of hers.

“Steph? It’s me, Jason. You’re safe.”

The voice, warm and filled with concern, gave her pause, but her loyalty to Roger refused to relent. She needed to run, to get away. If this man wouldn’t release her, she’d make him wish he had.

Reaching back, she sought his most vulnerable spot. Again, the man reacted like lightning, sliding away. With the extra space, she rolled to face him, her knee blurring towards his groin. Somehow, he managed to twist aside, and her knee only struck his hip.

“Ow, shit! That hurt! Steph, stop!”

Continuing her roll, Stephanie found herself astride the man. Face to face with, “Jason?” Memories of their lovemaking returned in full. A wave of satisfied affection washed away all thoughts of Roger.

“Are you all right, sweetheart?” Jason’s forehead creased with concern, “I think you had a bad dream.”

With her loyalty to Roger no longer in control, Stephanie spoke. “It was my loyalty gene. I didn’t remember you were here.”

His hands reached up to hers and squeezed. “You’re good now, though, right?”

“No, my ass is missing. You screwed it completely off.” She reached back as if to check for her missing buttocks. Remembering their lovemaking made her cheeks hot. “Oh, my goodness, Jay. It was…. I had no idea.” A grin stretched across her face. “I wish we could do it again.”

His warm brown eyes lit with devilish intent. “We probably can, if you help a little.”

“Oh?” She crawled back, and while keeping eye contact, took him into her mouth. One of the benefits of her strength was the amount of suction she could generate.

“Ahhh, sweetheart, that’s, mmm.” Jason’s head fell back onto the pillow.

Stephanie had an idea. Her mouth popped when she lifted her head to speak. “You know, I think we should screw a lot. It might keep me from freaking out every time you touch me.”

His eyes refocused. “A lot, huh? Like setting a world record?”

“A couple of times a day, at least.” With a plan decided, she leaned forward and got busy. When he felt firm enough, she crawled up and straddled his hips. The monster pulsed in her hand. Probably with his heartbeat, but given its size, it might be hunger. Jason’s eyes followed her hand. What must it feel like for him? She lined him up and teased him with her heat. The anticipation in his eyes was priceless. Then, carefully, she eased down. The initial stretch burned, and she couldn’t mask her wince. He noticed it, of course, and she shushed him.

“It’s fine. I’ll get used to it soon enough.”

“If it hurts, maybe I should kiss it better?”

“Later, after you take me home.”

When she next opened her eyes, the man responsible for creating a world’s worth of chaos lay sprawled out underneath her.

She sat up and poked him awake. “Jason?”

“Mmm-hmm?”

“Check the time. We both need a shower, and I have to pack a few things.”