HeartThrob

Mandy slammed the last of her belongings into the suitcase and looked around the room. She needed only to grab one more item before jumping out the back window and slinking through the dark alley and away from Samuel. He was pounding on the door nearly as loud as the thunder in her heart. This part never got easier. "Mandy! Mandy! My Darling. Open up, please." She could hear the futility in his voice; he was close to the breaking point, and when her victims became desperate enough, there was always that element of danger that fueled her adrenaline. But then again, she never lured the sort of men who would cause her any physical harm. She was a sucker for those who had an ego the size of Texas. "I love you so much. Please just hear me out." Samuel was a fun assignment. And generous. The enormous diamond solitaire he had proposed with sat nestled in pink satin under the dim light next to her bed. This wasn’t about money or love for that matter. And although she could keep the expensive bauble, since he had given it to her in a public display of devotion with a hundred witnesses, she didn’t operate that way. Besides, she had what she came for. She grabbed for her valise, and then bent down and reached for the velvet case she hid inside the box spring. Her fingers could feel its tender pulse curse through her veins, but now was not the time to reminisce. On the kitchen table, she left a note explaining to Samuel, as best as words could describe, what she had done, and her reasons. Sadly, he would never be the same, but then that was the point. Dressed in skintight black, she put on a balaclava to obscure her face and the wayward volumes of blonde ringlets. To escape, she had to blend into the night and become as invisible as a night stalker. The sash window grumbled when she lifted it; there was a four-foot drop down into a flower bed; she had already cased-out her exit root. A practice routine was always first on her agenda to ensure she was as effective at her job even in her relatively short career span. Out on the damp lawn, she took cover next to a magnolia tree in bloom and looked back toward the house. She had liked it here. Louisville was both a grown-up metropolitan city and had quaint roots with a flair for vintage that it never outgrew. If she could keep a world map, she’d pin a gold star on this city. When she made sure she wasn’t being followed, Mandy stepped away from the tree and moved like a sly cat along the hedge while concealed in darkness. Sooner or later, Samuel would figure out that the door wasn’t locked and enter only to find the devastating explanation, the immense diamond he thought he could buy her with. But she wasn’t the sort of woman who could be dazzled with bling. Out through the back garden gate, Mandy became invisible and blended into the night. As scheduled, a Towncar was waiting at Lexington and Briar Hill and would whisk her to the airport and off, to hopefully, a mini-vacation. She was exhausted and only a few hundred yards separated her from reaching safety. Branches clawed at her like greedy fingers while she found cover beneath the old-growth trees that lined the streets and gardens. But Mandy felt safe from being discovered by Samuel. By now he may have discovered that she had bolted and was on the run. She could picture him racing in his fancy Diablo through the neighborhood and demand to have what was rightfully his. Not that she could—she had a job to do. But being alone and out past midnight was creepy, albeit she was used to spur of the moment escape routines. Then again, this is what she had trained for and she’d give any cat burglar a run for their money. Walking briskly, her warm breath collided with the cooler night air, and a light mist danced under the reams of light glowing from the streetlamps. An unwelcome cold front dropped the temperature, and she wasn’t dressed for it. But rounding the corner, she saw the car idling at the curb, and she picked up the pace and crossed the median. As soon as the driver saw her approach, he held the door for her and took her valise. "Go as planned?" He smiled with his Denzel Washington grin that made her instantly comfortable and coaxed her into smiling too. "Perfect. Thanks for being here. I feared that any minute, Samuel would be behind me." "No worries. We’ve had a camera installed at the front door, in case, you know." "Great, but why wasn’t I told of this?" "Didn’t want you to feel spied on—safety precaution. But you can rest assured that it’s a procedure we will be implementing going forward. There was an incident in Chicago." "I heard. Glad it didn’t escalate into something worse." The nameless driver flicked his wrist and glanced at his watch. "The jet is ready to take off in half an hour. We best get going." "Where to this time?" "It’s in the brief on the seat." When Mandy successfully concluded the more complicated cases, she was flown to exotic locations like Barbados, Bahamas, or the Virgin Islands to indulge in pampering and rejuvenating treatments. But Samuel had been a relatively easy conquest, that more than likely meant on to the next assignment. Inside the car, Mandy folded her long legs beneath her into the butter-soft leather and reached for the brief, the precious velvet case she stole away with nesting securely on her lap. There was no point in delaying the inevitable. She flicked on the overhead light and scanned the details of her next target. James Winter. Age 28. Successful manager on his way to becoming a junior VP at Tribe Marketing in Manhattan. She caught her breath when she flipped the page, and the 8x10 glossy of James greeted her. It was true. Most of her targets were handsome. That was what the business was about. But man, oh man, this one should have come with warning labels. "Nice one?" The driver asked into the rearview mirror. "Yikes. Explosive like a bomb."  Mandy read the lengthy transcript of James Winter’s conquests. In a way, James was doing precisely what she was—harvesting hearts. But she was doing it for different reasons. Justifiable reasons. While James was busy breaking hearts, she was busy collecting them for safekeeping. Both had consequences. She looked into the photographed eyes of James and smiled, ready to take on this menace. Yowser! This one was going to be volatile. Relaxing into the seat, closing her eyes for a minute, she assured herself that what she was doing was for the best, and wasn’t it also decided by fate? Did she really have a choice? The nameless driver put on Moonlight Sonata, knowing Mandy loved the sound of a piano caressing the ethereal notes that lulled her soul. The image of James Winter crowded her thoughts; she’d see him soon enough. Now she needed sleep, even if it was only for a few precious minutes before they reached the airport. Mandy had traveled on so many Learjets that the thrill of luxury no longer phased her. In less than an hour, the jet would safely land at Teterboro airport close enough to Manhattan, and another nameless driver would deliver her safely to her apartment. If it weren’t the middle of the night, they’d send her via helicopter and deposit her on the rooftop of Trump Tower. She hadn’t been on her home base in months. She wondered if anyone else was at home.  A strong set of arms assisted her from the car and maneuvered her up the steps and into the jet. They politely asked if she desired anything.  “No, thanks,” Mandy yawned her appreciation. Within what seemed like the blink of an eye, someone woke her and she felt the overwhelming sense of relief of almost being on home turf. Ten minutes later, after arriving at the palatial front entrance, Mandy gazed up at the glass empire looming before her. In the darkness, reflected lights twinkled like ornaments on a Christmas tree in its glass facade. She allowed the concierge to carry her valise, he made the inevitable small talk about the weather and welcomed her back to Manhattan. Although Mandy was polite, she was too exhausted to speak, so she simply nodded and smiled and appeased him with a heft tip. Inside the door of the lavish condo, she kicked off her shoes, inhaled deeply from the bouquet of gardenias greeting her in the foyer. All stress vanished, here, she was finally at home. Walking barefoot on the soft carpeting, she headed straight for the ensuite shower, peeling her clothing as she walked and leaving a trail. Naked, she turned on the shower and stepped inside, allowing the heat of the water to rain over her body while steam fogged up the surrounding glass walls. The water revived her while she massaged shampoo into her hair, and masses of white lather washed over her skin and down the drain. She didn’t see the figure approaching from behind while she enjoyed the intense heat and gathering steam; she longed for nothing but the comfort of her silk pajamas and bed. Over the sound of the gushing water, Mandy didn’t hear the glass door pull aside, but she felt the subtle temperature change, so she looked through the suds at the intrusion.  Of course, it was too late already. She gasped when she felt the strong grip encircle her waist and a set of sensually familiar lips walked up each vertebra until they reached her nape and found a home there. "Simon.You shouldn’t."  Mandy half moaned a reprimand. That he was here was a surprise, albeit a welcome one. She spun herself into his arms, and although her eyes were closed, she found his mouth. Simon was a deadly kisser. There wasn’t a woman who wouldn’t succumb to the demands of his lips. But that was the thing about Simon, he knew when to start and when to stop. And more importantly, when to return and offer more of his samples. His hands had already locked onto her swollen breasts, and if there was one thing more enticing than a kiss on the mouth, it was what Simon could do to a n****e with his tongue. "Miss me?" He said while his mouth escaped down her wet throat toward the planes leading up the mountainous regions of her chest. Water was an irresistible aphrodisiac for Mandy, and despite being exhausted, the prospects that lay ahead refueled her enough to submit to Simon’s charms. She nodded and moaned when his lips reached the mountain peak and took up residence. His free hand was having its way with the lower regions of her buttocks and making plans for entering the valley. Standing so close, she could feel that his equipment was hard-packed and ready, pulsing and knocking but not asking for permission to enter. "I did. Oh, don’t stop."  Mandy leaned against the cold marble wall and grabbed the bar that was installed for just this reason. Her knees weakened under Simon’s commanding prowess and there was nothing she could do to stop what he already set in motion. Simon invaded all of her and overtook the space between them, their skin meshing into becoming one sensual unit. Although she wanted to taste his kiss again, she didn’t mind where his lips were heading.  She moaned, "take me." With a quick shift, Simon forced her to face the wall and pressed her even harder against the tile, his hammer thumping against her buttocks as she spread her stance, expecting his strong thrust. But Simon decided to tease her into begging by gently probing with his fingers while reaching from the front, the hammer awaiting Simon’s command to enter at the back. "So, how was the last lover boy?" Simon hissed into her ear. "Amazing. That’s the reason we do what we do." She toyed with Simon. "And he was well endowed. He didn’t hold back." Her breath was shallow as she rocked her hips to get what she wanted. "Oh, was he?" Simon squeezed her full breast roughly and pushed her a little harder against the wall, his teeth digging into the flesh of her shoulder. "And my god, he had stamina." Mandy moaned when Simon’s finger toyed with her soft folds, giving her a taste of what he was capable of and igniting her pleasure points. Despite being on the brink of exhaustion, Mandy wanted nothing more than to spend the next few hours taking a comprehensive tour of Simon’s lesson plan. In her experience, there wasn’t another man who could read her list of desires and urges as Simon. And under Simon’s spell, she allowed herself to submit entirely to his demands, even if they were completely unreasonable and drove her to the brink of exasperation when he refused to give her what she desperately wanted. "Could he do this?" Before he finished his question, he rammed his hammer into Mandy and conducted his own version of a survey pretending he only cared about obtaining his own results. And like the seasoned expert he was, he rested the tips of his fingers at the entrance to prevent an accidental escape. He understood Mandy’s body had precise X marks in that lower region that made her hum with ecstasy if he played them like the strings on an exquisite Stradivarius. While he pounded,  Mandy rocked her hips to the tune he conducted while opening wider until a shudder rippled through her at the same time as Simon exploded, groaned with pleasure, and stiffened from the bondage of exertion.