‘This is… crazy,’ Danny says, ‘I don’t understand?’
Lilith smiles, her bleached white teeth bright against her Mesoamerican-African-American complexion. ‘A gift, Daniel. From one who has-to one in need.’
Emotion crumbles Danny’s face. Glee. Tears. Relief. Exhaustion. ‘I don’t know what to say?’
‘Just say thank you.’
‘Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you-’
‘What’s the catch?’ Sia asks.
Lilith smiles. ‘Maybe I’m just trying to buy my way into heaven?’
‘I doubt that.’
‘Sia!’
‘It’s all right, Daniel. Your wife is right to question my motives. I’ve heard it said that sin is the Devil’s daughter. Do you know what’s worse?’
‘No.’
‘Fear.’ Lilith stands, allowing her hand to casually tease Sia’s hair as she walks by. ‘I was raised by fear. For as long as I can remember, fear dominated my dreams and every waking thought in between. It robbed me of my childhood, stole my innocence, and left me its victim. Fear of death. Fear of abuse. Fear of being abandoned, of being alone. Fear of losing love.’
She settles on the sofa opposite Daniel. ‘You know what the worst thing about fear is? It keeps us from recognizing our one true power… that each of us possesses free will. Fear kept me in check for fourteen years, feeding off me, until it pushed me to the brink of suicide. And that’s when I grew angry. Anger mobilized me to take risks. From that moment on, I stopped being life’s victim. I learned to use the powers of the flesh to get what I want.’ She motions with her hands.
Danny nods, mesmerized by her words and his Ecstasy-laced cocktail.
‘You married wealth,’ Sia states. ‘What risks did you ever take?’
Lilith spreads her legs slightly and winks at Danny, offering him a tantalizing view of her crotch. ‘It takes talent to marry into wealth, Sylvia, especially when you come from nothing. Wealth must be seduced… teased. Power requires trust, trust-deception. Look at Daniel. He took a risk tapping into his company’s funds, no doubt seduced by your own greed and ambition. I admire that. The ability to seduce makes us powerful, don’t you agree?’
‘And thank God for it,’ Danny says, feeling giddy.
‘God may have given us our sex organs, Daniel, but it was Lucifer who taught us how to use them. Now show me yours.’
‘Huh?’
‘My presence makes your wife jealous. Use it to your advantage.’
Danny’s pulse throbs. ‘I… I don’t understand?’
‘Show me the new Daniel Diaz, the man you always dreamed you’d be. You have your money, now take control of the moment. Order Sylvia to perform oral sex.’
‘You’re nuts, lady.’ Sia stands to leave. ‘Keep your damn money, I’m nobody’s whore.’
‘We’re all whores, sister. Watch me, I’ll show you how it’s-’
‘No!’ Sia pushes Lilith aside. Quivering with anger and adrenaline, she stumbles around the coffee table to her husband. ‘Take off your pants.’
‘Sia-’
‘Shut up and do it. She paid for a show, we’ll give it to her.’
Danny moans as his bride takes control, burying her face in his groin.
Lilith moves closer. ‘It’s all about power, isn’t it, sister. Who controls who.’ She grabs Sia by her hair and yanks her face away before Danny can climax.
‘Hey-’
In Lilith’s free hand is a small box. Sia opens it.
Inside is her engagement ring.
‘Sisters share.’
Sia feels dizzy, lost, as if she is living the moment from someone else’s perspective. She watches as Lilith places her mouth against her husband’s erect organ.
Danny lays his head back and closes his eyes.
For Daniel Diaz, senior structural engineer at NASA’s Top-Secret Project: GOLDEN FLEECE, the night is indeed still young.
Fraternity Row, University of Miami
Lauren wraps her arms tighter around Sam’s waist as he propels the Harley-Davidson HY-1200 motorcycle along College Avenue at 96 mph. Wind whistles past her headgear, the sleek black-and-chrome hydrogen- powered cycle cutting a hole through the humid evening air.
Sam banks hard, directing his hog into the student parking lot. He reaches for Lauren’s hand, but she pulls it away. ‘Come on, don’t stay mad.’
‘Why this Tanner woman? Can’t someone else interview you?’
‘It’s part of my PCAA obligations, Lauren. What am I supposed to do, insist on a male reporter?’
‘Yes!’
‘Well, I can’t, okay? So just drop it.’
‘Fine.’ They walk down Fraternity Row in silence. ‘You know, Sam, maybe it’s time we see other people.’
‘Come on, Lauren.’
‘No, I’m serious. We’ve been together since ninth grade. It’s not healthy.’
‘Says who? Your friend, Tierney? She’s just jealous.’
‘Maybe… but she has a point. We need a break before we get married. You should experience some other people.’
‘Lauren-’
‘I’m serious. If I get that research grant, I’ll be gone for four weeks. Use the time to “grind some fresh bone.” Get it out of your system. If you don’t do it now, our marriage’ll never last.’
‘And what about you? You planning on “draining” some park ranger while you watch Old Faithful?’
‘Maybe.’
‘Bullshit.’ He spins her around, then sees the tears. ‘Lauren, I don’t want to grind other women.’ He smiles. ‘I just want to grind you.’
‘Okay. But I swear, if I find out you were with that-’
He kisses her, cutting off the expletive.
Lauren kisses him back. Passion replaces fear as she grinds her pelvis into his, drawing him in deeper. ‘Let’s… skip… the party.’
‘Can’t.’
‘Yes you can.’ She continues kissing him, rubbing her hand along his crotch.
‘I can’t… okay maybe… no, wait-wait, stop, Lauren, stop-I have to make an appearance. Just a couple of minutes, okay?’
‘Why?’
‘Because they’re my teammates.’
She stops teasing him. ‘Some teammates. If you ask me-’
‘Which I didn’t-’
‘-they’re more like your employees. All they care about is their damn playoff bonuses. You need to look out for you. You should have turned pro last year.’
‘Well, I didn’t. Now come on, we’ll stay for an hour and finish this in your apartment.’
‘No we won’t.’ She pushes him away. ‘I won’t be in the mood.’
‘Fine.’ He takes her hand, leading her toward the frat house. ‘Hey, maybe I’ll meet some fresh bone-’
He winces as she slaps him upside the head.
The orange-and-white-stucco, horseshoe-shaped two-storey structure affectionately known as ‘Jock-U’ is an open-air hacienda-style mansion containing an in-ground football-shaped swimming pool, hot tub, and, for those
