Cherry Locked Ch. 16-20

I get back into my work groove. I have loads of vacation days and a valid excuse to call off. Yet I don't want to be at home like a beached whale. Also, I need more than movies to keep me occupied. Time goes fast when you're busy. Being active is better than stuffing my face and watching TV. On my way out to work, Lil, who washes the dishes, asks, "are you sure you want to go back? We have emergency days."

"I'm sure." I open the door.

"Are you taking a ride?"

"I'm walking."

"How about on the way home?"

I face the kitchen, pulling my thumb holes farther down my hands. "I'll walk."

"At night? By yourself?" She steps into the bedroom and crosses her arms.

"I'll be careful."

"You could ask Brad for a ride," Lil says with an edge to her voice. She's sour about me talking to him again.

"I..." I pull at the thumb holes. "I can't do a car...I can't." I admit drearily.

Lily drops her arms and comes to hug me. "Aww..." Her hands rub down my forearms. "Sorry...I wasn't thinking. How about you give me 15, and we both walk? How about that?"

"That works."

"Okay, I'll get ready." She goes to my closet. "There's pepper spray in my bag, in the side pouch."

I eye her gym bag of clothes at the foot of the bed, then go to unzip the pouch. The long, black sprayer has a clip on the end. I add it to my dress pants loop. I used to hate these trousers for eliminating my hips and ass, but now I don't care. My sex appeal is buried six feet below...along with my past self.

I follow orders at work like a robot. My witty and engaging demeanor is no more. I simply serve and repeat two phrases in a bland tone. "Hello, what drink would you like?" and "thank you, have a nice day." All the advances from men are given no response, no raunchy retort or playful flirting. I'm a simple bartender who zips through orders faster than usual. My lackluster mood is obvious to all around me. Lily even notes my detachment.

There are sympathetic stares from everyone in the banquet hall whenever they look my way. There's pity, sadness, and shame in all of their eyes. Everyone knows who I am...and what happened. I can't escape it. I decide to skip lunch and head out for a walk to avoid the overbearing gazes from everyone.

I turn the knob of the main door, wishing for nothing more than to disappear. "Madison, wait up." Sam summons me to the receptionist's desk. I glide over stiffly. "Umm...we all put something together for you. For, you know..." He scratches the back of his head and retrieves a tip jar from under the desk. "Everyone pitched in...I know it's not much."

"No, it's perfect. You guys didn't have to." I express gratefully.

"It's the least we could do." He drops his hand from his brown hair. "I'm sorry about all my joking. If it's offensive now, I'll stop..."

"Sam." I shake my head dismissively. "No worries, thank you." I accept the jar with a rushed grin and head to the locker room. That's nice of the crew. It's already impossible to get good tips here. The fact that they gave what little they had is the greatest. It's about $50.

A short girl with pink hair jogs into the locker room. "Hey...I see you got the gift." She points to the jar. "We're all going out later to the carnival. You should come. It'll be fun...you could use some cheering up." She adds sentimentally.

I scroll the combination lock and put the jar inside with my phone. "I'm usually tired after work..."

"Mr. Thompson is letting us leave early."

"Look..." I close the locker roughly. "I get that you all feel bad for me. The donation was nice enough. That's all that needs to be done." I strain. "I don't need special treatment."

"Oh..." The girl twiddles her thumbs and shrugs. "I'm sorry if it came across that way." She grimaces before leaving.

I massage my temples and sit on a bench. I should've stayed home. I should leave early. Then again, I don't want to be home. I'm going stir crazy. I'm losing my mind. My hotel will remind me of my call with Brad.

I'm trying to avoid thoughts of him. He's still mad at me. All of our texts are short. I'm still on punishment. He needs time to cool down, and I need time with an eased mind. I thought work would help. I glance up at a clock over the table. It's 5:30 pm. I can do it. I can do the two and a half hours. I need to busy myself.

I find a tall stack of cash at my bar station. Huh? I look around to see if Jace is here. He's not. It's Tuesday; his week is sown up with business travels. I checked. So, who left this? "The bastards need a tragedy to leave a big tip." Lil's voice sounds from across the bar. "I heard you have a jar full of cash, too. We can put it towards college."

"Yeah, we can," I respond with a pep in my voice. "UCLA!"

"Yasss!" Lil raises her hands in celebration. "That's at least $7k."

I pull out the drawer below and scoop the cash into it. "That's really nice of them."

"About time they rich asses gave something." She leans onto the counter and surveys me. "Are you alright enough to stay?"

"I am."

"Good, you need to get back to normal."

"Davidson!" Lil does an animated hop before running off toward the tables. "Thank you!" Mr. Thompson strides my way. "Madison, how are you? If you need any time away, just let me know."

"I'm able to work."

"Just know you can go if this is too soon."

"Thanks."

"I have Sydney and Robb for backup in case you change your mind about the 4th of July."

"I'll be here."

At home, I soak my feet and online shop. The money I got today is mostly going to savings, but I need more clothes—the less revealing kind. I fill my Shein cart with long sleeve graphic tees, v-necks, leggings, jeans, and long socks. After I purchase, I sort my closet. The sexy short dresses and heels I have, are stored in a trash bag.

When done, my wardrobe has five outfits hanging. Outfits that I used to wear before Lil spiced me up. I'm dressing like a virgin again, which is good. I'll only show my skin on my honeymoon when it'll be presentable. I need to do heavy work on it. Bleaching cream, perhaps, so I'm no longer ugly. I wish Brad was here to lighten my mood.

I text him: Hey, can we have a date night? I go to the fridge to grab milk to swallow my pain meds.

Brad: Sure. My place. I'll pick you up.

Me: You could come over here...js.

Brad: Why not my place?

I exhale longingly and type: I can't be in a car after what happened. Pls, could you come over?

Brad: Alright, sweety, be there soon ❤️

Me: ❤️

I change into a pastel floral blouse with puffy sleeves and slip into white jeans. I wash my hair and tidy up my bed and bathroom. I add more makeup to the body scars around my chest and neck. Every place else is covered by clothes.

I text again while blow-drying my hair: Pizza? I comb through the wetness.

Brad: Is that the only meat on the menu 😈

Me: stop it 🤭😳

Brad: make me 😘

I place a pizza order from Domino's and go to a mini-fridge for a bag of fries. Lil stocked up well enough for the week. There's sandwich meat, breakfast food, burgers, and hotdogs. I pluck out Pepsi. I power on the pressure cooker and set the temp to 300 degrees. Then snap open the bag of fries and dump some in.

I get an alert from Twitter. I follow Jace's profile. My hand closes the cooker's lid, then taps to read it. His official account has a black and white title of his company as the background. His main photo is so dominant. Hands in pockets, head balanced, and a gaze so alpha that a lion would cower.

He confuses me. Is he a nice guy or not? Or is that pose done for a persona? The Jace from the hospital and beach house is nothing like what I see here. He's portrayed as a cold man, not as the caring one I know him to be. Doesn't he want that side of him spotlighted to the world?

The post, which is ten seconds old, has 59 retweets already. It reads: Product Scavenger Hunt: Glass.

There are loads of comments below:

Is the new WIP a glass car?? Tell us!! 🤪

Hmm...maybe it's a glass replacement or something?

Omg, it's a glass dick. I knew it! 😝

Could we get another hint? That's pretty broad.

What you cooking in that lab of yours?? 👀👀

Knocking from the door breaks my attention. I lock my phone and scurry to it. It's been so long since we've seen each other. The last time was his tirade. I can't wait to see him. I missed him.

I open the door and am immediately flattened against the wall. Brad slams the door, lifts me by the waist and suckles my mouth. I grip his neck and return the strenuous kissing. We eat each other's lips and tongues. He takes one of my hands and wedges it on his dick. The guttural groan that escapes him makes me tighten my hold.

Oh god...that sound! It's killing me!

"I want you in bed." Brad nibbles at my neck and compresses my breasts with his hands. I cry out. "You need to be fucked." His ravenous eyes dictate the situation. Brad guides me to the bed and plops me down. Unbuckling his pants.

I sit up. "Could we just play?" I watch him unzip his fly. "Brad? You know I'm waiting...."

"Are you serious?!" He complains.

"I am."

"If I were Jace, you wouldn't be opposing, would you?" He crawls onto the bed and halts above me. "You owe me...you cheated. If you say no, that's selfish." Brad pins my arms down.

"I wouldn't...and I didn't! Can you stop?!"

He observes me with despising eyes. "You're being difficult...you can't deny sex until your honeymoon; that's impossible. Maddy, you want it." His hand slides into my jeans; he uses the other to pull his pants down.

The room spins and buzzes. My heart bangs my chest. "No..." My mouth moves, but I don't hear the words over the white noise of my ears.

My hands whack at his chest and aim for his neck. He restrains my wrists with one hand and flips me around with the other. My pants are wiggled down and thrown across the floor. I kick and scream. Brad's dick draws a line down my underwear...down my ass line.

Quick flashes of a wedding gown invade my sight. Two hands wearing engagement rings...and a veil dropping across my head of blonde hair. There's an abrupt glance of the groom, too fast to distinguish a face. His hair isn't brown. It isn't Brad!

My eyes stream tears. The tip of his penis hovers right at my hole. I hear him spit to lubricate it. "It isn't you!" I blurt, "It isn't you!!"

"What did you say?"

"You don't love me...you would stop if you did."

Brad sandwiches his body against mine and curves it. I feel his tip slip past my crack. "What do you think I'm doing this? "

"Because you hate me."

"You're being selfish again." He gets onto his knees and arches my ass upwards.

"Wait! Don't you want me on top? That's your fantasy, right?"

"I know what you're doing...it's not going to work."

"I want to apologize...I was wrong. Let me show you how sorry I am. Can I ride you?" I imitate my best porn voice and am sure to portray a horny enthusiasm.

Brad flips me around and mounts me atop him. "Do it!"

I dig my knees into the mattress and arch my back. One hand raises Brad's shirt above his head to remove it. My other gropes his dick. "I think I should suck you first...You'll love the washing machine." He doesn't protest. I kiss down to his waist, to his dick.

My eyes dart to my dress pants...to the pepper spray clipped on the side. The pants are on the floor...by the closet. I smooch his tip. Brad swallows hard. I lick the head from end to end. Side to side. Teasing him, getting him to relax. I need him to close his eyes. I need to catch him off guard. I pop his tip in and out of my mouth, tonguing it with all my might.

"Hmmm..." Brad shivers and closes his eyes.

GO!!!

I run from the bed, to the closet. There's a delayed response from Brad. I don't hear him jump from the bed right away. It takes him a few seconds. The bed creaks. I hear him running after me. I bend over. My trembling hands rip the sprayer from the pants loop. I spin around and hold it up.

"Put it down, Maddy."

"How could you?!" I yell emotionally.

He eyes the sprayer. "I'm sorry, just put it down...."

"No!!" I raise it higher. "How could you??! After." I sob and clutch the weapon. "After what I went through, how could you?!!! You fucking asshole!"

"Forgive me, please?" The considerate guy I knew overrides the one from seconds ago. "I'm just mad."

"Mad at me? I don't get why! I didn't cheat! I involved Jace so you wouldn't get yourself killed or locked up! I care more than you do. You don't love me!"

"I love you." Brad paces toward me.

"NO, STAY BACK!!!" I shout aggressively. "That wasn't love!"

"I went too far."

"You were wrong! You know I'm saving myself. You know this!" My finger rests on the releaser, my hand shakes. "You need to leave!"

"Let's talk about this."

I throw him a perplexed glare. "You tried to rape me! There's nothing to talk about. You need to leave!"

"Baby..." Brad pleads. "I don't know why I did that. I'm drunk...I've been drinking since last week. That wasn't me."

I take a big whiff of air to determine if this is true. He doesn't reek of it. If he was crazy drunk, he would stink of liquor. "I know the smell of alcohol; it's not on you. You're lying! You lied about loving me, too, didn't you? But...but you were so convincing. I believed you." I strain my voice to express my suffering.

"I do love you."

"You don't! You would have beat me for stopping if I didn't have this!" I hold the sprayer steady.

"No." He shakes his head.

"Yes."

"I would never hit you."

"You're lying!" My hectic breaths lengthen the words.

"I'm not...you can trust me."

"No, I can't!"

"You can." He says with all the confidence in the world.

"What makes you so sure?"

Brad's eyes the sprayer. "Because it's not switched on." I gawk down at it. The latch is off to the side, not in the middle where it reads "on." I peer back up at him. "I'm not nice when I'm jealous...that's all."

"You need help," I mutter shakily.

"I do...I need your help, please, Maddy. Just put it down. I won't hurt you."

"I don't know who you are!"

"I know...I'm not myself."

"Who are you?!"

"Someone who made a mistake."

"Three mistakes." I correct him. "You left me with a damn heart attack, treated me like shit, and now this!"

"I'll fix it...everything will go back to normal."

"I can't trust you." Brad's hand approaches my face. I switch the latch to the middle. "You're not the one...you're not him. I thought you were...but I was fooled. I was so happy. I was so sure...now I have the truth. You're sick!" His hand stays out despite the active weapon. "You know how I view my body. You undressed me!!!"

He drops his hand and eyes the floor forlornly. "I'll get better. Just give me time."

"You can't act like this when you're jealous."

"I'll get better...I'll work on it. Please Maddy, I can't live without you." His weak plea gets the best of me. My anger diminishes. "Give me another chance. I fucked up."

My lungs fill with air. I glance between his eyes to confirm if the evil part isn't there still. It isn't. He's back to his usual self. All the hostility is gone.

Can I...should I believe him? He went too far. But he could've gone farther...he hasn't hit me. He could have. Brad could still assault me, but he's not. His plan for help seems true. I don't know...I don't know him anymore.

"You don't have the right to handle me that way."

"I promise I won't do it again." Brad holds a hand out. "Let's start over...." I slowly lower the pepper spray but don't take my finger off the presser. "I'll be perfect."

"If you want to be perfect, how about you leave?!" I grit my teeth. He comes my way with a fast step...too fast for my comfort. I aim the deterrent at his eyes. Brad halts. "LEAVE!!!"

His brown eyes bounce between me and the pepper spray. He's doubtful of my threat. "You won't..."

I hold my breath and steady my arm. "Unlike you, I don't like hurting people, but don't test me." I jerk my chin and slit my eyes.

"Alright...I'll go." He backs up. I watch him collect his clothes. I'm alert, I don't let my guard down. Brad treads to the door at a slower speed. I swerve, circling him like a shark, allowing him to reach the door. Once he's at it, he grabs the knob. His glum gaze is believable. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Well, you did." I stomp his way, spraying the door as a warning. "I won't miss next time. You need to listen and toe the line." I quote his insult. He opens the door and backpaces into the hall. I stand directly across from the doorway. I keep the sprayer aimed at him. The heavy door automatically closes with a bang. I run to lock it.

What the fuck? I can't believe that just happened!! Does he expect me to believe that he's sorry? So far, all I know is that Brad is a good actor. There's a person with two halves outside my door. One half I unfortunately fell for...the other is a stranger wearing their face.

How could he be so cruel?? I saved him from jail!! I recall all the warnings. "His rage will only get worse. Do you know what I'm saying?" Lil's voice echoes my mind. "Maddy...don't wait to find out." Jess advises. The heeding from Jace comes next. "You're trapped by him...but you're smart enough to free yourself." I sit on the floor, in front of the door, with my spray still aimed at it.

Am I smart enough? Even after what he's just done, I can't un-care for Brad. That's awful of me...but it's true. I gaze at the door, managing my thoughts. I wish this was a nightmare. I wish I could go back in time and fix this shit! Or just had accepted the retreat Jace proposed. He was right. I'm drained.

I fall asleep on the floor. My dreams hold nothing. Everything is black. My bipolar mind is active, though. What if Brad gets help? What then? Do I go back to him? Is this just a rocky road in our relationship? I want to forgive the sweetheart of a guy, but I loathe his other side. It's foolish of me. He still has my heart, even after the evil deed.

Why couldn't he just listen when I said stop? Why did I share so much with him? Why did I get so attached? Am I that desperate for love? That desperate for marriage? Is it wrong that I want to look past this? Wrong that I want a wedding so badly that I will try to fix him? Who was that groom in my vision? Was it Jace?

"Maddy? Are you okay?!" She bangs on the door. Panicked. "MADDY???!"

I wake, scooting from the floor to go to unlock it. "I was sleeping..."

"I called ten times."

"My phone is in the kitchen...it must be dead. I didn't hear it."

My bestie studies my weariness. "What's with your voice?" She walks inside to lean beside the door.

I close it. "Brad and I..." I begin to tell the truth, but I alter it. Lil will kill him. Literally. "We had a bad argument."

"About?"

I look to the side. "About sex...and his behavior."

"Good, did you curse his ass out?"

My eyes fall on her. I can't hide the sadness. "I did."

"Why are you so down?" How bad was the fight?"

"Lil...I made a mistake with Brad. I fucked up."

"Mistake?" Lil pushes off the wall. "Why did you say mistake? He tried something, didn't he?!" My sis gets aggressive.