Always Belle Ch. 12

"Remind us your name again!" Belle followed up quickly, while squeezing my uncle's hand.

"I'm Jenna."

"Lovely name for a lovely woman," Belle complimented. "Do you have a family of your own, Jenna?"

"I'm single."

What the fuck was Belle doing right now? I had no clue what or why, but I just hoped it wouldn't end up with spit in our drink refills.

Belle continued, "Do you mind taking a photo of us before we dig into dinner?" She handed our waitress her phone, camera app ready to point and shoot.

Jenna happily aimed the lens our way. "Alright folks, say cheese. Ready? 3...2...1." Click.

Belle then stood next to me, instructing her once more, "Do you mind taking another, just me and my brother?"

"I thought he was your future stepson," Jenna replied, catching Belle's error.

"Oh right, duh!" Belle giggled, lightly smacking the top of her forehead. She then posed next to me in my seated position, bending forward to bring our faces level.

"3...2...1." Click.

"And Jenna, get me and my fiancé." Belle stepped over to Uncle Frank. "Honey, pull your chair out a bit so I can sit on your lap."

Uncle Frank still wore a bewildered look, but he complied nonetheless, knowing it'd be awkward if he didn't. Belle then sat across his thighs, wrapping an arm around his neck, facing the camera.

Click.

"Aw, you two look adorable!" Our waitress warmly pointed out. "If it's not too forward, do you mind if I suggest some poses? I actually do photography in my free time."

"By all means, please!" Belle encouraged.

"Awesome! Sir, could you place your hand below your fiancé's hip?... Um, a little lower, like more relaxed... Yup, like that, right on the side of her thigh."

Click.

"Great. And then faces closer, so you're touching cheeks."

Click.

"Perfect. And if it's not too much to ask, perhaps a cute peck on the lips," Jenna requested.

Belle tilted my uncle's jaw toward her and inched her lips forward, but Uncle Frank swiftly turned his neck in the other direction, avoiding her advance.

"Okay ladies," he interrupted. "I think that's enough photos for now. I'm hungry."

"What's wrong babe?" Belle chimed in. "Don't want to kiss me? Do I have bad breath?"

"Bad's one way to put it," he returned, gently nudging Belle to get up off his lap. "Ken, maybe cut off your future stepmom here from any more margaritas."

I sat silent, feeling like a foreign spectator in this alternate universe.

Jenna handed Belle's phone back to her and wished us bon appétit, then left to tend to other tables.

"That was such a fun prank!" Belle casually remarked, as if there was nothing inappropriate about what she just did. "Do you think she believed us?"

"I don't even know what to say to any of that Belle," my uncle responded.

"Don't be so uptight Frank. Just having a little fun on a Monday."

"And traumatizing Ken here in the process," he added.

"He knows it's all in good fun." Belle looked at me, sharing a smile. "Right Ken?"

"Yeah, um, I think I'm gonna wash my hands before I eat." I nervously stood up and turned quickly, making my way across the dining room floor into the restroom, where I had the privacy to process Belle's antics. As well as rearrange the erection in my pants.

***

For what it's worth, the remainder of our meal was devoid of any more peculiar role-play.

On the stroll back to her car, Belle told us she had forgotten her credit card inside. She then gave us the keys to wait in her white Audi, while she scampered back toward the Mexican restaurant.

Inside her car, neither my uncle nor I brought up the oddities of Belle's earlier behavior. Instead, we listened listlessly to the radio.

When Belle returned to us, she drove us all back home to the mansion, where we all retreated to our respective rooms.

After washing up, I turned off my lights, changed into comfier clothes, and settled into bed, where I found myself twiddling on my phone for more hours than I would've preferred.

Exhausted but not really feeling sleepy yet, I decided to video call Eva.

"Hiya cute guy," she quickly answered, her bedroom wall in the background.

"Hey future pop star! How was your rehearsal?"

"Good! Not totally sharp yet, but getting there! I'll be going back to the practice studio tomorrow morning. I want to be 100% ready for the showcase!"

I feigned a pout. "So does that mean there's no time to hang out with your boyfriend before then?"

"None at all, I'm already sick of the guy!" Eva cackled way too much for my comfort. "Sorry, excuse the maniacal laugh. I think I'm still reeling off a secondhand high I got at the studio. My keyboard friend Greta was smoking weed all day."

There was a knocking sound through my phone's speaker, followed by a voice, "Eva, it's late sweetie. No more screen time. Blue light before bed will keep you up."

She looked off-screen. "I know, dad. Just talking to Ken."

Ned then appeared within the frame. "Hey Ken, I'm sure Eva's already filled you in, but she's got to wake up early for vocal practice tomorrow. And I'll have the unenviable task of dragging her out of bed if she doesn't get a good night's rest."

"Couldn't agree more Ned!" I smiled. "Have a good night Eva!"

Ned waved through the phone. "Good night now. Say hi to Belle for me, hope she's doing well."

Eva blew me a kiss goodbye then ended our call.

I suddenly remembered Ned and Belle's interaction at Castle Slate, where I had intentions to watch them fuck, before I fled the annex out of fear of being caught. I wondered if Belle was still seeing Ned on the side. I highly doubted it. Their session felt like a one-time deal, thankfully, for Eva's sake. And mine.

Eva's mention of marijuana did remind me of something: Adam's green duffel bag. In Paris, he had bestowed his weed stash to me, which was probably lying somewhere in the pool house.

At this hour, a late-night toke sounded like the perfect sleep solution. I picked my ass up off my bed, then eagerly headed downstairs.

***

Inside the pool house, I spotted Adam's green bag, noticing it was already unzipped. I grabbed the duffel and turned off the lights, readying to head back to my room, where I planned to smoke on my balcony.

Just then, I heard faint voices outside the pool house's paned doors. When I crinkled the edge of the drapes to peek out, I saw Belle and Uncle Frank in swimwear, walking out into the backyard. They were headed toward the spa pool, my uncle carrying a stack of towels.

To my absolute surprise, our waitress Jenna was also with them, also in a bikini, a black sling bag across her shoulder. She was carrying a bottle of wine and three empty glasses.

I then squinted my eyes, taking a harder look at what Belle was holding—it was Adam's glass pipe!

As the trio continued walking toward the pool, I observed Uncle Frank bringing a finger to his lips, pointing up at my room's balcony on the second story. He was telling the women to be quiet, to not disturb my slumber.

The trio eventually settled into the bubbling spa pool, their bodies brightly illuminated by lights under the water. From inside the pool house, I watched them at a safe distance, where they sociably chatted over pours of red wine, enjoying each other's company.

Belle eventually lit the bowl in Adam's pipe, taking a deep puff. She passed the weed around, all of them smoothly blowing smoke into the night air, painting a relaxing, dreamy scene.

At one point, Jenna enthusiastically reached for her sling bag, withdrawing a nice-looking digital camera, being careful not to get it wet. She then pointed to Belle, giving her some instructions. The blonde model smiled and stood up, water glistening all over her delectable bikini body.

Belle happily repositioned herself, sitting on Uncle Frank's lap as she had done at the restaurant. In turn, my uncle, unlike earlier, now had a lustful look on his face, appearing more willing to play along, absent my presence.

He then stared into Belle's eyes, as she did the same with his, both of them glancing down at each other's mouths. As if in slow motion, I watched as their lips came together for a soft, sensual kiss.

An eye glued to her camera's viewfinder, Jenna captured what eventually grew into a full-on make-out session between the two. I oddly thought of Rodrigo at this moment, wondering how photos of Belle taken by a waitress stacked up against a renowned photographer's. I could probably jack off to either's set.

After their prolonged kiss, Uncle Frank then surprisingly pulled down Belle's bikini cup, bringing a groping hand over her breast, squeezing it, lightly pinching her nipple. Belle, ever the inclusive one, then guided Jenna toward my uncle, ensuring the two met for a kiss of their own.

The model then stood up from my uncle's lap, fixing her bikini top, now encouraging our waitress to take her place. It was Belle's turn to play photographer. She began taking photos of my uncle and Jenna, the pair still locked in their steamy kiss.

After a few minutes, Uncle Frank and Jenna finally stopped for air, with Belle at the ready to hand them their wines. All three of them soon exited the spa pool, where they toweled off to the side. Was this the end of their fun? I suspected it was far from it.

Belle then got Jenna's attention. Unprompted, the blonde model then felt for my uncle's erection, grabbing it on the outside of his trunks. I tried to read Belle's lips and body language; it was like she was a saleswoman on a late-night infomercial, seemingly promoting the great qualities of a product—in this case, my uncle's cock.

Belle then got more bold. She slipped her hand under Uncle Frank's waistband, overtly taking hold of his shaft, intending to unleash it into the open. My uncle swiftly clenched her wrist, stopping her, again pointing to my bedroom on the second story, warning Belle to be less brazen.

Knowing where their energies were leading, Uncle Frank then pointed back toward the house, back toward privacy.

-Oh fuck, they're going back inside! What do I do now?

-What else you idiot, you follow them and watch!

-But where would they do it? Belle's room would be too risky. It's right next to mine. They wouldn't dare.

-Belle would, apparently. But you're right, your uncle would steer them elsewhere.

-What about Uncle Frank's guest room? It's on the opposite wing upstairs.

-Let's go!

***

After the trio re-entered the mansion, I quietly waited until it felt safe to follow. I abandoned Adam's green duffel in the pool house, then made my way back inside, tip-toeing up to the second story toward Uncle Frank's guest room.

The door was ajar, with no sound coming out of it. This had to be the quietest threesome in history! When I reached the opening, I carefully peeked inside. It was empty!

-Shit! Where could they be? Dude, this house has way too many guest rooms, bathrooms. They could be anywhere!

-Ken you idiot, calm the fuck down. Take a moment to think. Where would they go if they didn't want you to stumble upon them...

A memory of a pool table flashed before my eyes. Green felt. White dress. Gold-colored heels.

-The basement!

-Bingo!

I slowly crept back down to the first floor, silencing my footsteps until I reached the door to the basement. I took a breath, bringing my hand to its handle, beginning to twist it open.

Wait, what the fuck?! It was locked! Why! How! No! Fuck!!!

I placed my ear to the door, trying to salvage what I could. There were faint, muffled sounds. Not loud enough to make out, be it sex or otherwise. But they were definitely down there!

Disappointed, I returned to my room empty-handed, in utter disbelief that I'd been denied an opportunity to watch Belle engage in a threesome. The saddest part was, I couldn't even jerk off now to the erotic scenario, my psyche feeling defeated.

Now way past midnight, I wallowed in bed for a long time, adrenaline still high. Just then, the door to my room creaked open. I lay still as a stone, pretending to be soundly asleep.

"Ken, you're not awake right?" Belle whispered.

After a good ten seconds, my door was then softly closed shut, its latch making a small clicking sound. I slid my eyelid open a millimeter to inspect. No one was there. Belle had retired to her own bedroom.

***

The next morning, I walked into the kitchen, the scent of warm food tickling my nostrils. Uncle Frank and Belle were dressed modestly in gym clothes, preparing a light breakfast.

"Morning Ken, here you go buddy!" My uncle passed me a cup of coffee.

"Did you not sleep well?" Belle asked.

"Why do you say that?" I politely countered.

"You've got eye bags," she noted, a friendly smile on her face.

"Oh, weird. Maybe my nerves are seeping into my sleep," I improvised. "My girlfriend's got a big performance tonight that I'm anxious about."

"Hold on, did I hear girlfriend?!" Belle eagerly followed up. "Is it Eva?"

"Yep, we're dating now. Well, 'again,' I guess."

"Aw Ken!" She cheered. "Always said you two'd make a cute couple!"

"New job, new girl!" Uncle Frank hollered my way. "Life just keeps on giving! Happy for you Kenny!"

"Thanks Uncle Frank," I replied, thinking that my life would've been even better if I could've entered the basement last night.

"So what's this performance all about?" Belle inquired.

"Eva's singing at some music showcase for up-and-coming artists. If she impresses, then there's a chance she'll get to collaborate with Enzo on his next album."

"Oh cool!" She reacted. "Tell Eva I'm rooting her on!"

"Sure thing. So I'll probably leave the house around 7:30pm." I made it a point to specifically mention the time.

"Feel free to take my car," Belle offered. "When will you be back? Just curious."

"Maybe late, past 11," I replied, noting her eagerness to know my itinerary. I suspected Belle probably wanted to gauge what she could get up to with my uncle in an empty house.

"Have fun for the both of us Kenny!" Uncle Frank remarked. "I'll be stuck here tonight, working on a balcony design for a needy client," he pointed his thumb at Belle, getting her to smile and playfully prod the side of his head.

I took my fork and started digging into my food. "You guys look like you're dressed for a workout or something."

"I'm taking your uncle to my gym every day he's here," Belle responded. "He could use way more cardio if you ask me."

Uncle Frank chimed in, "You should join us Ken. Nothing like a morning spin class from hell to make you wanna kill yourself."

Belle admonished him, "Don't make jokes like that, please." She then turned to me. "Did you wanna join us Ken? I could get you in with a guest pass."

"I'm fine, thanks though! I'm gonna stay here and read Seelby's new employee handbook to prep for my first week," I lied.

Belle followed up, "You know, once you get sucked up into the work grind, it'll be harder to make time for exercise. Ideal to build those good habits now."

"You're right Belle. Maybe I can start with the gym tomorrow."

"That's what they always say," Belle rolled her eyes. "But okay, tomorrow it is."

***

After a light breakfast, Belle and my uncle left the house for the gym. I had no reason to not believe they were heading there, remembering yesterday, when they had stumbled onto me watching Bryan, they had worn similar gym clothes then.

To Belle's earlier comment, if I had bags under my eyes this morning, it was because my brain was awake longer than it should've been, fixating on a plan to redeem myself for last night's exclusion.

With an empty house currently to myself, I returned to the door of the basement, certain now that my Uncle Frank was the basement guy on the night of his brother's party. It was only fitting then, that he had returned there with Belle (plus Jenna) last night.

I brought my hand to the basement's door handle, twisting with ease, finding that it was now magically unlocked. Of course it was, I chuckled to myself.

I then withdrew a tiny black circle from my pocket, the same spy camera I had used at Castle Slate, courtesy of Devin. Staring down the basement's stairway, a diabolical smile started sprouting on my face, knowing that even if I'd be at Eva's performance tonight, I wouldn't be missing a second of action back home.

-Wait! Hold on! You're not going to be home. Why would they even use the basement?

-What are you saying?

-The basement only has a couch, and not even a pull-out one at that. Stiff recliners as well. Your uncle and Belle would want something more comfortable.

-But the basement's safe though, sound-proofed and everything.

-Sound doesn't matter if you won't be home to hear it. If you're not here, they can moan and groan as loud as they like.

-True...

Shit, now my mind felt overwhelmed! There were tons of rooms in this mansion to place my spy camera in. This all of a sudden felt like I was at a betting booth for a horse race, trying to wager my money on one of these rooms being the lucky winner.

My brain suddenly began running scenarios in my head, weighing probabilities, controlling for variables, trying to output a calculated prediction.

I had an inkling of which room they'd choose. I just hoped I'd be right...

***

Later on, around 7:30pm, I drove Belle's white Audi toward the venue where Eva's artist showcase was being held. Interestingly, I realized it was located in a familiar hip neighborhood I'd been in not too long ago.

After parking in a nearby lot, I walked toward the front of the small music auditorium. There, I surprisingly found Eva standing outside, pacing up and down the sidewalk by herself.

"Eva!" I called out to her.

"Ken! Thank god you're here!"

"Um, why are you outside alone?"

"Did you drive here! Where'd you park!" She hooked her arm into mine and tried dragging me with her.

I kept her static, trying to make sense of her frantic demeanor. "Hold up, what's wrong E? You're shaking."

"I don't think I can do this Ken. I'm not good enough!" She confessed, hand to her head, looking stressed. "Let's get outta here."

"Eva wait, take a breath," I calmed. "You are good enough! You do belong."

Endless variations of "I don't know" spilled from her mouth.

I hugged her close, speaking into her ear. "Hey, I know it's scary, but you got this."

I held her for a good minute, saying nothing, letting my embrace pacify her fears. With time, I could feel her heartbeat on my chest slowly coming down to earth, her literal jitters gradually fading away.

When we released, Eva tip-toed up to kiss me, catching me off-guard. She then looked at me, a sense of gratitude coloring her damp eyes.

"Feeling better?" I asked.

"Thanks to you I am." She kissed me again. "I'm really glad you're here Ken. Thanks."

"Of course Eva. Wouldn't be anywhere else."

"I dunno what came over me. I just got so nervous, anxious."

"I know the feeling," I said comfortingly. "How are you now? Good to go?"

"Yes," she exhaled, looking more confident.

"Are you scheduled to perform soon?"

"I'm up in an hour. I should probably get back to the green room with the other artists, make sure my guitar's tuned and everything."

"Perfect." I opened the venue's front door for Eva, letting her pass first.

After she entered, she turned around, noticing that I hadn't followed her inside. "Oh, are you not coming in?"

"I'll be back before you go up," I assured her. "I'm just gonna grab a coffee nearby, if that's cool."

"Of course babe. See you in there," she flashed me a smile.

After Eva left, I went back to Belle's car, withdrawing my messenger bag from the trunk. I had packed my laptop inside it, bringing it with me tonight, just in case I found spare time to monitor the spy cam's live feed.