Hypergeniture Bk. 01 Pt. 02

"Wow. You're asking a lot of questions."

"It's my safety too," my cousin asserted. "I want to know how we're being protected."

The metallic taste of fear and suspicion filled my cheeks. I wanted straightforward answers — honest ones — and that would take real talk. I wasn't comfortable with that kind of talk in a room I knew could be filled with listening devices — a room in an unfamiliar house.

Paranoia? Yes, but the wound in my side was proof that paranoia was necessary for survival.

"Let's go for a walk," I suggested. "It's a beautiful farm, and I'd love to show you around."

Tash agreed, taking her t-shirt and tying the edges into a makeshift crop top. "Sorry, I didn't pack for the weather," she pointed to her thick sweatpants.

We made our way through the narrow corridors of the home until we were outside in the beauty of the Cape. I noticed Skylar hanging around, but she gave me a wide birth while still keeping an eye.

The world around us was unlike anything I'd ever seen before. The mountains and lush soil seemed unique to this part of the world. The air had a different smell — a fresher smell — which reminded me we weren't actually that far inland.

Following a trodden path around the far perimeter of the main house, we talked about where we stood. In a way, I began to see traces of the cheeky and blunt Tash that I knew and loved.

"I want to be with you," she said. "God knows if it came down to just the sex... You're an awesome lover, cuz."

"Wow! I'll take that as a compliment," I blushed.

"No. For real. Your cock... Magic. That tongue of yours... Oh, baby!"

My blush grew deeper, brighter, and warmer. "Okay, so the sex is good, but we feel more than that, right? I'm trying to follow your reasoning, but it keeps changing, and I can only look at this one way. We're best friends, and best friends should at least give it a shot."

Tash shrugged. We were close to an old hut of some kind, and I wanted to be entirely out of security's sight. Other than Skylar, three or four guys with rifles were loitering nearby. Grabbing my cousin's hand, I whisked her into the little building. The interior was barren, except for a few laundry machines. We had privacy, but I still had a lingering sense we could be under surveillance. If not from my people, then from some unknown enemy.

I put my hand on the dial of one of the washing machines and turned it on. It was old and full of what looked like tattered shoes. The roar, clatter, and combustion would disguise our voices from any electronic ears. My cousin gave me a funny look, clearly not understanding my actions. Yet, the need to speak louder seemed to help get her guard down.

"Love? Best friends? Romance? I don't know about all that stuff, Olly. It scares the shit out of me! Can't it be sex and nothing more? You can have mistresses, girlfriends, even wives, and I'll be there for you."

I shook my head. "Fuck that! You know I want you all to myself. I want to go steady with you."

"Really?! And what about the other women in your life? Your sisters won't allow it, your security people will say it's a risk, your mother will explode... And don't lie to me; I know you were with someone else in London!"

I felt the heat of guilt as my secret was exposed. "It was a mistake—"

"Yeah? Well, just answer one question: Was she a prostitute?"

"No, never!"

"Fine, then you can fuck her again if it's really what you want. You and I can never be more than a rich man and one of his side-pieces. Society won't let us love each other — won't let us get married, have kids, or even kiss in public. But, we can give ourselves to one another in one beautiful way, Olly. We can have amazing sex in secret, hidden from judgment. All we need to do is forget about love for our own sanity."

I shook my head. "No! Nothing you say makes any sense. Nothing you're doing—"

"It all makes perfect sense! If you want me, those are the rules!"

I snaked a hand behind my cousin's back and pulled her towards me without another word. Why? Why did I feel such a strong urge to love a woman I couldn't trust?

Our lips became entangled in a confused kiss that had been waiting too long — boiling up until now it was free to explode.

Craning her neck back with a manic smile, Tash laughed. "You're a dork, but don't stop kissing me!"

Our tongues began a dance — waltz, not a tango — with a rhythm that seemed practiced and an intensity in equilibrium that could only exist in love. We got closer until our hearts could share a beat. The kiss turned sloppy as anxiety faded into confidence and she let my body guide hers.

Tash bumped into the corner of the washing machine — its vibrations suddenly hit her as the shivering in her hips led to her lips shivering against mine. It was sensational and it made me crave more. My cock was flexing, and she could feel it as she slowly edged her way onto the rumbling machine.

Breaking our kiss, she giggled. "Haven't ridden one of these in a while!"

I grinned, pushing forward as our kiss continued. There was passion, fusion, knotting, exploration, and the crush of lips on lips and tongue on tongue. It had an electric buzz that pumped gigawatts into our bodies. Tash was trying to balance herself with our kiss and our contact. Her pussy felt the vibration — her body moaning — as her tongue settled between my lips.

"Mmm... Ngggh..."

Tash purred as my hands helped her out of her pants, then her panties. I could feel her bare skin under the sensitive tips of my fingers. I could rub two along the length, top to bottom, as she bit down on her lip. Then, I could slip a digit inside, feeling the wondrous sensation as she pined for more and more.

I gave her more... And even more then.

Slipping a second finger inside my cousin's pussy, I felt her release tension into my mouth and into our kiss. A greedy third finger helped stretch her out a little more, and as I went deeper, she reacted intensely. Taking on the temptation, I pulled out only to return with four fingers.

With the vibrations, my fingers in her pussy and tongue down her throat, Tash was soon in ecstasy as her eyes went wide. Her pussy flooded with excitement, almost crying out for more as her body reached an apex. My cousin's pelvis was beginning to bounce up and down as her feet lost contact with the floor. She was at the mercy of the machine, riding it like a mechanical bull.

Tash was cumming so hard it hurt — good hurt, happy hurt — the kind of hurt you crave. The type of orgasm that makes your stomach twist, punches you in the gut, slaps you in the face, and makes you want more.

I felt an urge after all the back and forth. All the suspicion and irritation.

My free hand trailed up along my cousin's body and carefully squeezed the sides of her neck. She gasped, "Fuck! Fuuuck! Nghhh... Olly, that feels so fucking... Fuck!"

I kept pumping my fingers into Tash's core as her abs tensed; as her back kept arching and her limbs kept locking. Nothing changed except the intent. I now wanted to own her body — whereas before I wanted her to accept me, I now wanted to make her mine. My other hand kept a careful pressure on her neck as she rejoined our kiss with a new sense of constriction. Eventually, she was left with no choice but to break it, holding herself against me as she lost control.

Driving my cousin wild gave me a wicked grin as I felt my cock expand to its limits. With adrenaline pumping, an almost superhuman strength saw me free my shaft.

I pulled Tash's hips so they were on the very edge of the booming machine. Now, my cock could easily find its way to her wet pussy... So wet that I almost slipped in automatically. Yet, as ready as she was, my girth still stretched her out as my length filled her up. The feeling of vibration from the washing machine wasn't lost on me either. I felt it shake through my bones as I pushed my cock to the hilt.

My cousin grabbed me; her head relaxed against my shoulder as I let go of her throat and we found rhythm and ease. I didn't think another orgasm could happen so soon, but I sure as hell felt it. The muscles of her sex were tensing around mine. She was contracting, moaning, collapsing — her body contorting around my cock.

"Fuck, Olly... You feel so big inside, cuz. Fill me up, Olly... Cum inside... I wanna... Feel..."

I didn't need an invitation as my hips kept fighting for dominance against her body and the roaring engine.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" Tash cried out; her voice exceeding the noise of the machine and cracking as another orgasm struck.

I was over the edge. My body seized with my cock buried to its maximum inside my cousin's pussy. Hit after hit, cum shot into Natasha as I enjoyed the feeling of filling her up. Claiming her. Making her mine... Yes, mine. All mine.

For a moment, we held each other — the shaking of the machine meaning we had no real rest as aftershocks overcame us. She felt good in my arms. It felt like it was meant to be and as I lifted her chin we got to kiss one last time, tender and true. My rage and suspicion (all the confusion) had been doused by fire, extinguished by heat.

Totally unsustainable, but sweet relief nonetheless.

So, it was finally settled... If nothing else, we'd be fuck-buddies for life, which was enough for now. But I knew I'd want more; like any man who loves any woman would want it all. Love, commitment, consistency. Lust too — sure — but that was the least of it all.

18 • The Sum of Confusion

We made our way back to the main house without shame or regret. What we did felt right. It made us feel strong and in control, but for different reasons.

Sex with her made me feel I still had some power... Power to understand her, or even stop her if my worst fears were realised. Yet, I also felt a strange type of guilt — like submitting to the carnal urge was a failing. Calling myself conflicted was an understatement. I needed answers on everything, and as Tash's mood dulled our walk, I realised we were back to square one. That was our way: Love, sex, love, reset...

Our arrival at the main house coincided with that of Alicia and Elle. The two were all smiles, clearly having enjoyed their outing to the gun range. For once, my little sister seemed to be warming to one of the other women in my life. But, it seemed that warmth was only for Alicia as I watched Elle's eyes burn through our cousin.

"Oh. I see you've arrived. It's nice to see you... Cousin."

My sister's expression was harsh, and the tightening of her fists obvious. She seemed to swirl some words around her mouth before setting her raw feelings aside to turn to me. "Alicia says they run a restaurant on part of the property," she said. "I've asked them to empty it out for us so we can have dinner there."

"Great!" I exclaimed. "Tash, do you have anything to wear—"

My sister cleared her throat, half ashamed of what she was about to say. "No. I want it to be you and me... No one else is invited."

Looking at Natasha, I could see she wasn't expecting me to put up a fight on her behalf. She'd known Elle her whole life and understood the dynamics. Plus, my little sister had a charm in how she dismissed people. It was hard to fight against that shy determination.

Spending quality time with her wasn't a bad idea. If nothing else, I could try to convince her that Tash and I made sense... Even though we didn't.

I could trust Elle completely. Meanwhile, I had painful — confusing — doubts about our cousin. It would be good to confide in her. Though, as her big brother, there were always things I would keep hidden to protect her.

"Okay, sis," I conceded. "Alicia can help you organise anything you need for dinner."

Elle smiled brightly. "Perfect! You've gotten lucky with her, Olly. She's fantastic!"

I could only agree as I beckoned Alicia to follow me inside. We rounded a corner to enter a room with good views through windows on two sides. Those views overwhelmed the general sense of decay. It must've been the farm's office many years ago. A desk and filing cabinet remained, along with some rickety chairs with stained upholstery.

As much as I wanted a cold shower, I also had responsibilities. Being non-executive chairman of Pellinore wasn't ceremonial. There was work to be done, and Alicia was the only person who could give a hand.

"This is such a nice house, actually. Why did you never tell me you used to live here?"

As I turned around, I realised Alicia was lagging way behind and hadn't entered the room with me. I could've sworn... No, surely my brain was just a little slow. I was forgetting things more often now. I was losing track of what was going on around me.

When Alicia finally did arrive, I said, "I need a tutor."

"Sorry, sir, I don't understand?"

"No, I'm being silly... I just feel a little lost with all this stuff. Private equity, venture capital, asset management—"

"You were a lawyer, playing in the big leagues," my new head of security reminded. "I'm sure you have the knowledge you need."

Shrugging, I spun around to face her. "Did Aaron catch you at the range? And how did Elle do? Is she going to ask for a Glock for her birthday?"

Alicia cast a cheek-warming smile my way. "Your sister loved firing away some of her frustrations, and I did get to see Aaron. It was nice... Thank you for sending him my way, sir."

"No worries," I assured. "You know, there's something very fatherly about him. And you... You feel like an older sister to me, and I can see Elle is starting to feel the same. I have no doubt the same will be true for Tecla."

"I... Thank you, sir. That's very sweet of you to say, though I'm not much older than you."

I laughed, "Don't worry, I'm not saying you look old. But, you carry yourself with wisdom beyond your years."

It was doubtful that Alicia really 'understood' where I was coming from. I had a feeling about her that made sense to me without needing to understand it myself.

She smirked shyly, somewhat puzzled. "You know, sir, I have enjoyed working for you... Even if you are a little silly, and we did get our asses kicked."

Lowering my voice, I raised an eyebrow at that last remark. "By 'silly', you mean my relationship with Natasha?"

"And the Prime Minister's daughter."

"The money hasn't even gone to my head yet. Can you imagine how rabid I'll be once I realise I'm rich?"

"Ha! I can't wait. It sounds like it'll be a real adventure."

"Tell me, was Liz Wharry ever a little crazy?" I asked.

Alicia shrugged. "I wasn't her protection officer, sir."

"But you were around," I retorted. "You must have heard some stories?"

"She liked her boat. That's about it."

"Ship," I corrected. "I saw a photo of the thing in London, but explained to the housekeeper I can't even swim. She was not impressed."

"Don't worry, sir, I'll get you back to shore if the need arises."

Alicia lightened up more than I'd seen before, which made me happy. This woman was exceptional, and I didn't doubt a single one of her promises or an ounce of her loyalty.

We were a team. Yes, we were a damn good team.

As my security czar left, I was free to take stock of life. There was no doubt the last few weeks had been an adventure. I'd loved and learned more than I had in decades of living. Glamorous and dangerous lovers pushed me to feel and think new things.

Sian Thomas — the woman who disappeared.

Romy Mansfield — the mad not-yet countess.

Natasha Orwell — the girl who made no sense at all.

I was getting lost in looping thoughts about my recent adventures. Luckily, there was someone important who demanded my attention. Checking my phone, I saw it was 9 PM in Singapore (or exactly when Tecla was at her most awake).

Reaching for the high-tech landline, I made a call to my faraway sister's new encrypted number. She greeted me with ultra-enthusiasm and started telling me about her day. "They let us get out of the penthouse with like 20 bodyguards and bulletproof vests under our clothes. We went window shopping, but everything is so expensive, plus Mom is being awful to all the staff."

Smiling to myself, I made my sister an offer I wish I could've made a decade ago. "Let me worry about Mom. As for the expensive stuff, why don't I start paying you an allowance? Twenty a month?"

"Twenty bucks a month?" my sister chuckled, genuinely believing I meant twenty dollars.

"Twenty-thousand. Obviously, I'd pay Elle the same so that you two don't end up fighting about it."

"Woah! You can afford that?!"

"I can afford to give you ten times that, but I don't want to spoil you. Will we settle on thirty-five?"

It had been a while since I'd heard Tecla laugh as heartily as she did. The sound beat the sobbing I heard when we had our first call after the stabbing...

Sometimes we give presents to make up for things we did wrong, and I felt all the chaos was one big wrong on my part. The allowance might not make up for it, but I hoped it could relieve some of my sister's trauma. I also hoped I could pay to make her dreams come true.

Tec's voice echoed the disbelief in her snickering, "Enough money talk. How are you?"

"Things are good," I replied. "Elle is still pampering me, and Tash arrived, but I don't know how to feel about either of those things."

"Is our sister being a bit much?"

I shook my head, remembering the twins told each other everything, and I had to pick my words carefully.

"I don't want her to get used to sleeping in the same bed as me," I confessed. Part of me felt the extra closeness was one of the reasons Elle was being more possessive and less like her reserved self.

Tecla tutted, "The guy who fucked his cousin shouldn't complain about some innocent cuddling... When we're all back together, I'm going to want to snuggle up with you too. I know you think I'm the cold one—"

"Cool, not cold."

"Whatever," my sister dismissed. "You almost died, Olly, and we want to... We want to feel close to you... Like, so close that we can hear your heartbeat and know you're alive."

The point was well made, and I felt my cheeks swell out of love and longing. I couldn't wait for us all to be together again, but my people wanted us to wait a little longer. Then, something hit me: I was the boss... Surely, I could make things happen faster if I wanted to?

"I'm getting on a plane tomorrow night! It's been too long since I've seen you."

"But, your advisors—"

"I want to see my sister, and that's final! We've been in hiding for long enough. Alicia is taking over as head of security — I know she'll agree with me."

Rhapsodic laughter perked my ears again as Tecla expressed pure joy. We ended our call with her suggesting that I phone Mom next. What she didn't know was that I'd been trying to call our mother five times a day, without answer.

Yeah, our mother didn't want to talk to her son.

• • •

The rest of the afternoon, I tried to get some work done. It seemed like the discipline that got me a top job and saw me through my education was gone. I blamed the pain in my side, but I knew the lack of financial pressure also played a role.

There was a lot on my mind, I suppose. Still, it felt inexcusable; I could never justify not giving my all to better my family, even if it seemed like we already had everything we needed.

I was done with my shower and half-dressed for dinner when Skylar knocked on my bedroom door. She had changed from a stylish blue blazer to a chic maroon blazer — the fabric reaching her thighs but not quite making a coat. Her dedication to being fashionable was impressive.

I asked what was up.

"Ms Orwell has asked to see you, sir."

There were two women with that surname in that house, but I knew my sister would never ask for permission to spend time with me. "Natasha? Why did she ask you and not just come to me?"