Anything for a Price.
Chapter 7
The unmarked patrol car in front of Jeremy’s house didn’t improve his mood.
“Now what?”
“I know that car. They are investigators from the sheriff’s department,” said Maria.
“Shit,” said Jeremy, sick to his stomach, knowing that he had failed to allow his mom to dress while he was gone. Once inside, as he feared, he saw his mother’s breasts on display and her face bright red, while she talked with officers Vega and Ritz.
“Ah, my son and my girlfriend have returned. Jeremy, can I speak with you? Excuse us Leon, Anthony… I prefer to be on a first name basis with the men I am naked with,” turning to her son she said, in a voice so cold it sent chills down Jeremy’s spine.
“I’m sorry, mom. You may wear clothes in the house.”
“That’s nice, but it’s a little late. Did you get help?”
“There’s no help for us there.”
Jeremy and Tawny walked back to the table where the two detectives focused only on Maria.
“So this is where you live now?” said the tanned Leon Vega, running his fingers through his hair.
“Since this morning.”
“Sounds serious. Does that mean you’re out of circulation?” said Detective Ritz, with a wink and a sarcastic smile.
Maria looked at Jeremy. The action puzzled both investigators, especially since Tawny was the one calling Maria a girlfriend.
“It’s complicated guys. The hero here and his mom have been a lifesaver for me. Um, and, well, we haven’t had the chance to discuss boundaries.”
“I’m not hearing a yes or a no in that,” said Leon, rubbing Maria’s thigh.
She moaned and obediently spread her legs.
“I guess you can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” said Anthony, chuckling as he put down his pen.
“What… what’s going on here?” asked Tawny, surprised by the unprofessional behavior of the two detectives.
“Lady, we know Maria. I mean to say we, fucking, know Maria,” said Leon, making a crude gesture that seemed, by the loud moaning, to make Maria feel as if he was actually fingering her asshole.
“You told us you weren’t turning tricks, but here you are half naked. Now that’s a goddamned first, and I can’t wait to tell the boys down at dispatch,” said Detective Ritz, gawking at Tawny’s bronzed legs. “Your little girlfriend Maria is a flat out slut, none easier. Oh yeah, one other thing you failed to mention, Ms. Barnhart. You have a record for prostitution not just in Florida but in Nevada, California, and Idaho. So, Ms. Barnhart, do you want to try again?”
“What’s it gonna take for you boys to do a fair investigation?” said Maria with a sigh.
“Sweetheart, open your goddamned eyes! She’s a fucking prostitute, just look at her. Your girlfriend lost her case before it even started. The question is… what’s it gonna take to make us write a piece of fiction that the DA can use in court?” said Leon, grabbing Maria’s sex. “
“My mother is not a prostitute! That guy was a rapist. What more do you need?” said Jeremy.
“That guy was Sam Middleton of ‘Midtown Coffee.’ You know, the same Midtown Coffee that is on every street corner of America and half the street corners around the world. He’s already bought Blind Man’s from Chauncey. He’s gonna level the place and there ain’t a damn thing you can do about that. Not to mention Midtown Coffee has given the max donation to Governor Palto, a max donation that was matched by each one of Sam Middleton’s assorted holdings. Enough goddamned dough to launch the governor’s presidential bid in two years. The only reason they haven’t appeared together in a press conference is because the Lt. Governor found out about this investigation and thought the optics would be bad,” said Detective Ritz.
“Not bad enough though, there is a press conference scheduled for after the trial,” said Detective Vega.
“There’s already a trial date! Boys, seriously, what’s it going to take?”
“Oh, you know, nothing special. We’re all family here, the girl in red and the boys in blue,” said Anthony, leering at Leon as he unbuttoned Maria’s pants.
“This is not a work thing. I’m here as a private citizen.”
“Then show us your privates… citizen,” said Leon, spreading Maria’s pussy.
“It’s up to him,” she said with a gasp, pointing to Jeremy.
“You’re shitting me, right? This guy? You take orders from Baby Fucking Huey?” said Anthony, laughing in disbelief.
Insulted by the two beefy men with guns, Jeremy sat terrified and confused at his dining room table.
Tawny took matters into her own hands.
“Detectives, I know how this looks. I know what you want. I am also trying to be a mother to my son. That’s what got me into this mess. Why don’t we leave Jeremy alone and keep him out of it?”
“Well, he still needs to write a statement,” Leon said, fingering Maria.
“Is that alright Jeremy? Will you do what I say and write your statement while me and Maria take care of Leon and Anthony?” said Tawny as she removed her panties. She stood naked in front of her son without waiting for his reply. “Or you can stay and watch. Either way, it doesn’t bother me. I told you we couldn’t fight Sam. This is just the beginning. Being the hero means learning to live with the consequences of YOUR decisions.”
“Maria can stay, and I will write my statement,” Jeremy said before he plodded off to the basement.
As Tawny watched her son go, a lot was going on in her mind. She was completely at a loss about her intense feelings for Maria. She couldn’t remember a time that she was this infatuated with someone, ever, but it broke her heart watching her little man shuffle away. He had fought so hard. He had done nothing wrong, but he was losing. She had always wanted Jeremy to stand up and be a man, only to see him get knocked down by a bully police detective.
Her moment was short-lived.
“I’m glad that fat fuck’s gone,” said Anthony. If he had more to say, he didn’t get a chance before Tawny bitch slapped him hard across the face.
“Aw shit, momma likes it rough,” said Anthony, pulling off his gun belt.
“Tough talk from a man that just put his dick on the table,” Tawny said, shoving detective Ritz into the refrigerator before she ripped open his shirt and bit into his chest.
“So how’d things go with team G?” Angus asked with a hearty laugh.
“I don’t get it. I can call you on the phone, but the best the priest can do is tell me to pray.”
“Well, I’m a little biased, but yew know HE’S never been one to pick up on the latest technology. Not to mention I told yew sew and before yew ax me again, yew done went and shook Juanita’s hand. That’s a deal and there be nuttin’ I can dew for it.”
“So, I will not get my mom, and I have to serve at the feet of a woman that will happily feed me to the fishes.”
“Oh yeah, yer thoroughly fucked. Too bad too, yew were dewing sew good.”
“And you’re going to charge me for telling me what I already know?”
“Oh yeah, psychologists dew it all de time. A hundred dollars ought to be enough. Please call as often as you like, laddie.”
“Wait a minute Angus, you’re asking for a hundred dollars more on top of what I can’t already pay. At least give me a hint or you won’t be able to collect any of what I owe.”
“Augh, yew give up too easy. I thought yew wanted to be the hero of this story? It’s easy to win with someone tippin’ d’ scales in yer favor. I should remind yew that there are still five months and twenty-six days to get me my one hundred and sixty thousand, five hundred and eighty-five dollars… Alright, how’s this? Everyone has a weakness. Yers is yer maw, mine is me payment. All you got to dew is find Juanita’s weakness. Good luck, laddie.”
Angus hung up the phone.
“She wants to be governor. No, she wants power. Jaunita has power, and she has the governorship sewn up because she’s promised her soul to Angus… Maria!”
Maria is Juanita’s weakness. If I sacrifice Maria, we might survive.
Once again, Jeremy heard the familiar sounds of sex from upstairs.
Tawny had pulled down Anthony’s zipper while she was chewing on his nipple, and she wasn’t nice about it. She kept in mind Anthony’s smart-ass remark about her son and she bit a little harder.
“Rough enough?” she said, growling at detective Ritz while she fished his cock from his slacks. Grabbing on to his balls she said, “Now, I bet I can make you call me mommy. Isn’t that so, Tony?”
“Jesus fuck, lady!”
“That’s Mommy Fat Fuck to you.”
“Take it easy lady—”
“What’s my name, bitch? What’s my name?”
Tawny wrenched on Anthony’s balls again.
“Say it, goddamn you say it, or you can carry these back to your wife in your wallet!”
“Mommy.”
“All of it!”
“God Damn! Lady please Oh, oh, ok shit please Mommy Fat Fuck please let go.”
Tawny grabbed Anthony’s ear with her free hand and pulled the humiliated detective to where Maria, lost in elation, was sucking on Leon’s long, veiny cock. “Get that ass in the air, baby girl,” said Tawny, still seething hot at Anthony’s careless comment.
Maria complied without letting the dick in her mouth slip out.
“There you go, sailor, one fresh hole.”
“I gotta, I gotta wear a rubber, or her sister will kill me.”
“You got a rubber Mr. Dick Tracy?”
“Ya, ya, in my shirt pocket.”
“Well? Fucking put it on. I want to see the Key’s finest fuck my girl up the ass. Mmm, look at how hard you are, Anthony. Mommy Fat Fuck thinks you’re enjoying being a quarter inch away from castration!”
“Lady, please.”
“Shut the fuck up! Drop your pants, now! I want to see that peachy ass of yours, bitch boy.”
Leon tried to laugh at Anthony, but Maria’s occasional nips kept Leon focused on his blowjob.
Tawny picked up the olive oil decanter from the kitchen table, and poured it all over Anthony’s condom covered dick.
“Saddle up, cowboy,” said Tawny, letting go of Ritz’s balls and slapping him as hard as she could across his ass.
“I said fuck her! Shove that pull toy of yours up her asshole and hammer away. And you!” Tawny said, turning her focus to Detective Leon. “Don’t you dare cum in her mouth!”
She threw one of Anthony’s condoms at Leon.
“When I’m kissing on her, I don’t want her to have fucking oyster breath!”
“Oyster breath?”
“Just put the condom on, or put your pecker away. Oh, yeah, good boy!” she said, giving Ritz another sizzling slap across his ass cheeks. “Would you just look at what a beautiful ass my baby’s got? God, how I love to watch it jiggle! Make it jiggle, Tony, make it jiggle.”
Maria spat Leon out of her mouth and wouldn’t touch him.
“Not until you put on a condom, Leon. So fucking hurry, ah, ah, I really want your dick in my, ah, mouth before Anthony blows his, ooo, load.”
The home phone rang. It was Juanita, although no one in the orgy upstairs cared.
“I thought we had a deal, partner? You were supposed to send Maria back so I could take credit for freeing her from the curse.”
“Well, my mother has taken an interest in her and they are enjoying themselves…”
“Don’t bullshit me! I know you two were at the church today. Father Dempsey was very concerned for my safety that a fugitive and my troubled sister were claiming I was out to get them. Do you always double cross your partners?”
“What do you want for Maria?”
“What?”
“You heard me… your sister. She told me that family means everything in her house. What would you be willing to trade to get her back?”
“A guaranteed conviction in the Sam Middleton case.”
“So? You have to get a conviction to win the governorship and we both know what you have bartered to get that deal. Try again.”
“Um, money? I will pay off your debts?”
“Perhaps I miss judged you. Have a good night, partner.”
Jeremy hung up the phone. Almost instantly, it rang again.
“Alright, cut the shit, punk. Tell me what you want!”
“First things first, once we get a judgment or the case gets dismissed, our partnership is over—nonnegotiable. I have your promise on Angus that you will not come after me or my family, regardless of how this ends.”
“Oh, well yeah, it was going to be that way all along.”
“Say it, say I swear by Angus I will not come after Jeremy and his family in any form or fashion, regardless of how our business ends.”
“I swear by Angus I will not seek to harm Jeremy or his family in any form or fashion, regardless of how our business ends. Are you expecting me to double cross you?”
“I am thinking of the possibility that we might lose the case. I don’t want to be on the hook to you, and I don’t want you to come after me or my family just to soothe your anger,”
“Is that all?”
“And a half a million dollars.”
“Jeremy, I’m disappointed. Why not a million or two million?”
“Because five hundred thousand is big enough to pay what I need to pay, and it’s small enough that you will say yes, so say yes and we have a deal.”
“I love doing business with a man that can’t lie and, on that note, allow me to make some demands of my own. You don’t get to chase after me or my family begging for money or looking for favors. After our business is done, I don’t know you and you don’t know me, understood?”
“Fine, for half a million dollars, I will set Maria free.”
“Free? You will give Maria to me. That’s what you will do!”
“No, Juanita, you cannot gain control over your sister as long as she is in my possession. For half a million dollars, I will release your sister, and it’s up to you to enthrall her on your own.”
“Fine!”
“Good, I think we have a deal in principle. I will draw up the paperwork and have it ready for signature tomorrow,” said Jeremy.
“What? I’m not signing any contract.”
“We shook hands to get into this deal and I want a signature to get out of it. Or I keep Maria all to myself.”
“Look kid, don’t turn into a reality TV lawyer on me. Draw up whatever you want and I will review it tomorrow!”
Jeremy didn’t feel like a TV lawyer. He didn’t feel like a hero. He felt like a heel, a loser. Lots of things hadn’t gone his way in life, but this one was all on him. He had his moment, and he blew it.
Meanwhile, Maria was blowing on Leon. Savoring the familiar taste of a condom covered dick inside her hungry mouth and enjoying the rhythmic pounding against her pear-shaped ass by another hard cock. Please let him put his hands on my head, please let him put his hands on my head and fuck my mouth hard, amen. Maria prayed silently, hoping Leon would boldly grab her ears and thoroughly fuck her face. Occasionally, the two men would sync up, fucking Maria in unison. That was her absolute favorite; so much so she whimpered just a little when Leon and Anthony got out of time.
She wished her hero could see her as a whore. So there would be no secrets, no assumptions. He would know how dark and empty, low and filthy, and vile a creature she was. Then he could be the hero and save her from herself. He could fix her on the inside and claim her heart, body, and soul as his own. That small, submissive daydream sent Maria over the edge. In her mind, her climax was like falling off the top of a one hundred foot tall wave into darkness. Warm, wet, and free falling into the unknown, she could hear the thunder, roaring all around her. She could feel the sensation of acceleration on her impossibly long trip down to her destruction. Just before she crashed on the bottom below, the pleasures of tens of thousands of would-be orgasms washed her into the safety of oblivion.
Watching Maria’s gyrating and spastic fit caused both detectives to shoot their load.
“You fuckers broke her!” said Tawny, holding her phone.
“What the fuck?”
“Oh, she’s fine. She just passed out from all the excitement,” Tawny said with a cheery voice.
“No, bitch, what the fuck with the goddamned phone?”
“Oh yeah, we are going to need your phone for evidence,” said Anthony, just back from the haze of his climax.
“Fine, get a warrant. Until then, shithead, my little film is already in the mother fucking cloud. The next time you two think about putting a hustle on me, I will take your badge, shove it up your fucking ass and pin it to your prostrate! You got your piece of ass. Now, get the hell out of my house and do your fucking job.”
A few minutes later, Maria awoke with Tawny’s well developed breast as her pillow. “Hi sweetheart,” said Tawny.
“Mmmmm, where did Tony and Leon go?”
“They had to go to work. I don’t think they will bother us anymore.”
“Mom,” Jeremy said softly as he approached the couple cuddling on the couch.
“Everything’s taken care of, honey,” she said, without looking up from Maria’s angelic face.
“Not really. I made a deal with Juanita. She will let me off the hook if I give up Maria,” he said, looking down at the floor.
The news was earth shattering. It was so incomprehensible that Tawny went into shock. “Why would you do that? Do you just want to hurt me? Is there something that I am not doing for you? Do you need to get back at me for keeping you alive all these fucking years?”
“It’s not you, mom. I swear,” said Jeremy, still whispering. “Juanita is a bad person with lots of power, lots of money, and the only thing that I had to leverage against her was her sister.”
“He’s right,” said Maria, looking into Tawny’s eyes. Maria placed her hand against Tawny’s cheek. “She will destroy you both and make me watch just to hurt me. She laughed as my father slowly died and took no end in the delight of reminding me I was what was killing him. Please, I have never felt love like this before. I have never been free before, I have never come before, my hero, and you have given me a taste of a life I thought I would never have. It’s alright my love. This is the way it has to be. When do we go hero... hero?”
Jeremy was gone. A simple note remained.
I am so very sorry.
It’s time I pay for myself.
I may never have you, but I will always be in love with you.
“Where did he go?” asked Tawny. “Jeremy, honey, come back here.”
The women went through the house. Tawny finally saw how empty her son’s clean room looked. The TV, gone, the game console, gone, his collection of figurines and his posters, gone, all gone. He had sold it all, desperately trying to raise money. It sunk in when she noticed the missing area rug. The rug that she deemed to be unsalvageable. Jeremy had declared himself unsalvageable. She collapsed on the steps and wept.
“What is it? What is it?” Maria called, as she ran to find where Tawny was crying.
“He’s gone.”