The Suicide Princess (20 page)

“I know it could,” Stephanie said with extreme confidence. “And I know it will.”

Jacob replied, “Let’s do it then. Start tomorrow?”

“We’ll start tomorrow!”

Jacob drove Stephanie back to the house, and as he stopped the car in the driveway, he asked, “Are you sure you're ready to do this?”

“I am,” said Stephanie. “But I just can't go back inside there.”

“You don't have to. I'll do my part and take care of everything inside the house. Where are you going to stay?”

“I have no idea,” Stephanie replied.

“It's okay. Just use your emergency credit card and stay in a hotel for a few nights. This should all be over by then.”

Stephanie, scared to tell Jacob, said, “I used the emergency credit card to buy some things for the house.”

“A hotel won't cost that much if you stay somewhere cheap. You left enough room on your card for that, right?”

“No, I
maxed it out,” Stephanie said with a look of embarrassment on her face.

“Are you shitting me, Stephanie?”

“Not now, Jacob. This seriously isn't the time.”

Jacob reached his hand into his pocket to retrieve his wallet. He thumbed through the various cards inside until he pulled out a credit card with both his and Stephanie's name embossed on the front. He handed her the card and said, “Here, but please only use this for the hotel and nothing else.
Promise?”

“I promise,” she softly answered.

“Will you come in with me while I pack a bag?”

“But then you have to hurry. It's going to be daylight soon, and I have to hurry my ass up to make this work in time.”

Stephanie and Jacob walked into the house, and Stephanie could still feel Karen in the air. She was glad Jacob was there since she knew she could never have gone back in alone. As she started to climb the stairs with Jacob, she suddenly stopped and said with panic, “I can't, Jacob. I can't go back in there. Please, don't make me go in there,” as she started crying.

Jacob wrapped his arms around her, consol
ing her as he whispered, “Shhhh... It's okay, it's okay. You don't have to go in the bedroom. I'll go in and get whatever you need.”

“No, I don't even want anything from inside there,” she said as she started to calm down. “I don't want to wear anything that's in my closet. I just can't.”

“That's fine,” he said while continuing to hold her. “Use the credit card to buy some clothes in the morning, and also get whatever else you need to get you through the next few days. Is that better?”

“Yes,” Stephanie said as she wiped the tears from beneath her eyes. She looked up at Jacob, as he was standing just inches from her, and she continued, “I'm so sorry Jacob. I really am.”

“You promised me you wouldn't do this, Steph. I didn't come here for that.”

“You're
right, I'm just going to leave. Call me when you're done?”

“I will,” said Jacob. “What time is it now?”

“It's three-fifteen.”

“Shit! You have to go, because I need to hurry. Let me take care of everything here, and you go take care of things on your end,” Jacob said as he started quickly walking up the stairs. After a few steps, he stopped and said, “Steph... Please be careful.”

“I will, Jacob. I know you're not going to say it back, but I love you.”

Stephanie walked out of the house, and as the door closed, Jacob said, “I love you, too.”

Stephanie sat in her Jeep, and she cautiously looked around as she started a text message to Derrick. “
I know things are so fucked up between us right now, but you are in a lot of danger. Meet me for coffee at 8am, and I'll explain
.”

Derrick replied, “
If you're texting me at 4 in the morning, shit better be important
.”

“
Didn't you read my text? This is important!
”

“
Whatever... I'll meet you at 8.
”

Stephanie backed out of the driveway and drove off into the darkness of the early morning. As she looked at her home slowly shrinking through her rear-view mirror, she knew she could never go back there, and this was likely the last time she'd ever see the house. Her only thought was
,
I guess I just lost my house, too - how the hell did all of this ever happen?

***

Ten minutes before eight, Stephanie arrived at the coffee shop to wait for Derrick. She waited until almost eight-thirty before he finally strolled in. He looked like he just woke up as he pulled on the empty chair at her table and sat down. Stephanie had been up all night, and she looked every bit of it.

“You look like shit,” said Stephanie as Derrick sat down.

Derrick quickly replied, “Obviously, there aren't any mirrors in your house.” He sipped his coffee before continuing, “You called me here, so what's up?”

Stephanie glanced over her shoulders to be certain no one could overhear her conversation with Derrick, and she began, “My husband found out about us, and he left me.”

“Yeah, so? That sounds like a Stephanie problem to me.”

“God, you're an asshole. I'm actually trying to help you,” said Stephanie. “And now, I'm starting to wonder why I am. It's going to become a Derrick problem really soon.”

“How is it going to become my problem?”

“My husband has been following us around, and he knows who you are. Do you remember meeting a guy in a bar not long ago, and talking to him about the blonde and brunette you were
tapping
? Well, that was him.”

“That guy was creepy as fuck – I knew something wasn't right with him. So he knows who I am, big deal.”

“Derrick, I'm telling you, he's completely lost it I had a feeling he was going to want to do something to you, so last night I set a trap for him. I made up a story about wanting to get back at you, and he bought it. He told me all about what he's going to do to you, and it's not good.”

Derrick, starting to take the conversation a little more seriously, asked, “And what exactly does he plan on doing?”

“He knows you park your motorcycle in the parking spot next to the alley behind your building. He's going to start following you and watching until you leave on your bike. Once you're gone, he's going to wait in the alley for you, and when you come back, he's going to make it look like a robbery that went bad.”

“He's going to make what look like a robbery that went bad?”

“What do you think, asshole? He's going to kill you.”

Derrick ran his fingers through his hair and took a deep breath which he slowly exhaled. He asked, “What's his deal? Is he a threat? He didn't look like much, but I learned a long time ago to never judge that kind of shit just by looking at someone.”

“Honestly, I'm not sure. I don't think he's dangerous, but I don't think you can ever really know something like that.”

Derrick asked, “Was he in the military?”

“Yes, he was in the Air Force,” said Stephanie. “He was a fighter pilot in Afghanistan when the war first started, and then he taught some kind of school. I forget it was called sire school or something.”

“Derrick knew what Stephanie meant, and he corrected her, “It's called
SERE
School, S-E-R-E, Survival Evasion Resistance and Escape. And you're sure he taught SERE training?”

“Yes, he was an instructor there for his last two years.”

“That could be a problem,” Derrick said. “SERE training is actually some pretty badass shit. They teach fighter pilots how to survive through almost anything if they crash in enemy territory. The part I don't like, is they teach them how to keep from getting captured, including how to kill with almost anything.”

“Oh my God, Derrick.
I don't want him to hurt you.”

“Why are you even telling me all this?
What's in it for you?”

“Nothing's in it for me,” said Stephanie. “I'm scared you're going to get hurt.”

“Don't bullshit a bullshitter, Stephanie. You hate me, and I know you do. We both know you think I'm an asshole, so why are you really doing this?”

“Honestly? ...wait, forget I asked that,” Stephanie said with a chuckle. “I'm telling you because there is a part of me that still wants to be with you. Don't ask me to explain why, because even I don't understand it. You have a hold on me, and I don't want you to let go.”

“And what's in it for you?” Derrick asked suspiciously.

“Yes, what's in it for me?” Stephanie looked around again before she leaned in and quietly explained, “You're going to think I'm a cold-hearted bitch, but I just want Jacob gone. He has so much hanging over me that he's going to skin me alive in a divorce. He already took my car and left me with his shitty Jeep, and I know he's going to take everything else. If he's gone, well, he'll be gone and so will my worries.”

“Yeah, you're right I think you're a cold-hearted bitch, and I also believe the second reason a lot more than the first, but either way, I have to do something about this. If I know exactly when he's coming, where he'll be, and what he's planning, it will be easy for me to make it look like self-defense. I can kill him right there in the alley, and it will be nice and clean. Can you find all of that out for me?”

“I will, in exchange for one thing....” said Stephanie.

“And here it comes,” said Derrick. “I knew you were going to want something out of this.”

“Let Karen go, and be done with her. Just let her
walk away, don't hold anything over her anymore, and let her be free.”

“Not going to happen,” Derrick quickly snapped.

“Hold on, sparky. I'm not done yet. If you let Karen go, not only will I completely help you with Jacob, I'll also take her place.”

“You'll take her place
?” asked Derrick.

“Yes, I'll take her place. I know what I'll always be to you, nothing more than a toy, and I'm okay with it. The way you make me feel when you control me and have your way with me is beyond words. And I'm willing to accept that I'd never be anything more than just a little piece of trash to you. I only want to get to experience that
same feeling you give me, over and over again.”

“That sounds all well and good,”
said Derrick, “but I really pushed Karen hard. I made her do things that would definitely make you change your mind about this.”

“Whatever it is
you want, I'll do it. Make me your slave, baby. I'll be your obedient, naughty, kinky, filthy, little fuck-toy slave. I'll wear anything you tell me to, I'll do anything you say, and you can even bring home a different girl every other night and make me watch you fuck her - absolutely, one hundred percent no limits. Just let Karen go.”

“I'll make a deal with you. I haven't heard from Karen since yesterday, and if I don't hear from her really soon, I'm going to start punishing that little bitch hard. But I'll hold off and wait to give you one shot. If you really want to do this for her, come back, and be ready for me to push you just as hard.”

“Just tell me what to wear and when to show up, and I'll be here.”

“What the hell day is it today?” Derrick said while yawning.

Stephanie was exhausted and confused as to what day it was herself, but after a second of thought, she replied, “It's Friday.

“I'm tied up this weekend with some stuff from work, but I'm free Monday night. Once you start this, you know I'm not going to let you stop, right? This isn't something you get to just walk away from when it becomes too much.”

“I know, Derrick. I'm not going to want to walk away. I told you, I want to be your slave.”

“I'm going to video you
Monday night, and I'll make more videos as time goes on. If you ever try to walk, I'll show them to everyone you love.”

“I know, and I'm not worried because I'm not going anywhere.”

“Be back here at nine o'clock on Monday night,” Derrick said as he was simultaneously typing on his phone. Without saying another word, he stood to his feet and walked away. He reached the door when Stephanie received a text from him stating, “
Use your imagination, and wear something that screams
slave
.
”

***

Stephanie gathered her things and went shopping for clothes to wear over the next several days. She bought the essentials such as panties, bras, socks, and a few comfortable outfits. Her last stop was the lingerie shop near the District Attorney's Office.

“Hi, Amanda!”
Stephanie said as she walked in and recognized the sales associate.

“Well, welcome back. Is there anything specific you're looking for today?”

“There is actually,” said Stephanie. She was originally intending to shop by herself, but she figured Amanda may be able to help her pick out something more appropriate for the night. “My boyfriend and I are kind of experimenting with role playing, and I want something that will fit the bill for tonight's game.”

“Naughty
, naughty,” said Amanda as she continued, “And what exactly is tonight's theme?”