Chapter 14 - Stary Night
1415 Words
Kace
Kace had been planning this night for over a week, and it was a perfect evening. He glanced at Niki next to him in the pickup as they drove through the streets of the city. Her eyes beamed with anticipation.
He reached over, took her hand in his, and kissed her fingers. She looked over, flashing him a smile. It was her smile that seemed to erase all the horrors in his life, reminding him that there was still humanity in the world.
He pulled off, and parked near a rocky slope. They got out, and while holding a flashlight walked down to the shore line. The soft crashes of the waves filled the night.
“Come on.”
He set down a blanket on the sand and laid down. Niki laid beside him.
“Look up.”
At the click of his flashlight, the night sky lit up with stars. Each shining their brilliance to the world below like diamonds glittering on a woman's neck. Niki sucked in a breath.
Kace said, “Makes you believe there is more out there for us.”
“I want there to be.”
“There has to be. You know, the mafia can’t get to you if you’re in outer space.”
He turned his head and caught her expression of feigned disbelief.
“And how will we get up there?”
He turned and leaned on his elbow towards her. “0h you know, same way we take over any place. We sneak in, threaten the man in charge, and then there you go, a whole rocket to ourselves.”
She giggled. “And how will we fly this rocket?”
“Good point.” He paused to think. "Guess we will have to do some k********g too.”
She turned and leaned on her elbow, looking at him. He could only see the silhouette of her. But he knew her enough to know what he was looking at. Green eyes full of light like the sun shining through the trees on a warm summer day. Her brown hair cascading over her shoulders. Rosy lips, slightly parted as if a word hung from them, a word she wanted to utter, but dared not. The soft curves of her face. He wanted her, all of her.
“Then what, Kace?”
Hearing her whisper his name only heightened his desire for her. He wanted to take her away and claim her, to make her his. He scooted closer to her, feeling the curves of her body against him.
“I guess we will live happily ever after.”
He felt her shake, and her chest quiver against him, as her sweet melodic laughter lifted into the air.
Niki said, “Just like that?”
Kace put his hand on her cheek, feeling the angles of her face.
“Just like that. We’d live happily ever after in a space station. Have astronaut babies, and explore the universe. Maybe find a liveable planet and live out the rest of our lives among little green aliens.”
Niki laughed. “Only you can make something that ridiculous sounds romantic. If only we can have that, or just have a fraction of that moment.”
He heard the desire in her voice and he wanted to give her that world. Kace grabbed her arm and pulled her on top of him.
“We have this moment now.”
From the dim reflections of the city lights off the coastline, he could see her beautiful features, and within them he was certain he saw the universe displayed in her eyes. He felt that if he could have her, he would be holding the universe. He brought her head down and kissed her lips. His lips caressed her. His hands went the length of her back to the edge of her shirt, feeling the curves of her body. Gently, he put his hands under her shirt, feeling the smooth surface of her exposed back. In a moment, he had her shirt off, exposing her back and sports bra. He rolled on top of her. Trailing his lips down her neck to her collarbone, kissing the scar there. He could feel her breathing quicken as her hands reached under his shirt, feeling his skin.
She pulled the shirt from over his head and brought his head down as her hands explored him.
He lifted his head, and his lips brushed hers as he said, “You’re mine, Niki.”
Her eyes bore into his with her lips still parted. He could almost see the word she wanted to speak, but was afraid to. And he wanted to hear it. He wanted her to take him, and call him hers. Wanted to see her submit to the desires that sparked and snapped around them ready to explode.
“You can say it, Niki.”
She shook her head. “I can’t.”
“I want you to say it.”
“Kace. It’s too dangerous.”
He put his head by hers, and closed his eyes. Kace cursed the world they lived in. Cursed the people that kept them apart, to force them to live on this earth when all he wanted was to be among the stars with her. He could feel her breathing, the warmth of her cheek, the exposed skin of her stomach touching his. He wanted her, but he could not have her.
He rolled off and put his arm across his eyes. Niki leaned over to him, lying close to him. It felt both soothing and torturous at the same time.
“Kace, I’m sorry. You know… if any of our fathers find out about this, they will use it against us. We can’t go too far, because then we will never be able to come back from it.” Her fingertips gently touched his chest, rubbing in slow circles. His breath constricted at her tormented touch.
Niki continued, “If we submit to this, you will become my weakness, and my father will find out and destroy it.”
He took his arm away and sat up.
“I know. No weakness, no fear. It’s the game we play.”
She nodded her head and kissed his shoulder. He closed his eyes to her warm lips on his skin.
“But we can play a different game. One, that if we win, we will get to set the rules.”
Niki wrapped her arms around his stomach and rested her chin on his shoulder.
Kace turned his head to look at her.
“We can do it.”
He shook his head, knowing she was referring to taking down the mafia families. It was a dangerous work, one that could get them both killed.
“Niki, you’re trying to flip a coin and hope it lands on both heads and tails. You can’t have both sides. There will always be a price to this. You can’t win.”
She kissed his shoulder again. “Maybe we can. If we are both flipping a coin, then we can win both heads and tails.”
“It’s still a flip of a chance.”
“We are the mafia. When do we not like the odds of chances?”
Kace stood up. “I’ll think about it. Come on, I had better get you home before your brother notices.”
He hated these short spurts of moments they had together. But people were watching them. It was all they could afford without detection.
“Don’t worry about it, Kace.”
He looked back and saw her putting on her shirt.
“Why?”
“I got business on this side of town.”
Probably scouting a man who owed money, that was usually the nights they were able to meet. But her father would also expect results.
She walked up to him and placed a kiss on his lips. He grabbed her hips, holding her close.
“I’ll see you soon, Kace.”
He let go.
“Get home safe, Niki.”
She gave him a smile and winked as she turned away. “Don’t worry about me.”
“That’s my girl.”
He watched her leave, then looked up at the stars, wondering why it felt like they were so close. But it was a cruel trick, because he knew that no matter how hard he tried, the stars would forever be just out of reach.
- Writer
