ROMANCE: Mr. Mystery: (New Adult Bad Boy Romance) (Contemporary Mystery Short Stories) (4 page)

Beside her, Gianna turned in her seat to look at her.  With her other hand, she reached for the door handle. 

“Who would want to kill Dad?” 

Bianca had a suspicion, but she didn’t want to say it.  Actually, she didn’t have to.  The other car pulled into the driveway and then into the garage.  Kevin waved to them.  Sighing, Bianca got out of the car. 

“Where were you girls?”  Kevin asked.  Patti came around to stand beside him.  His arm immediately went around her. 

“Out at Ray’s.”  Gianna moved to Bianca’s side.  “B was singing.” 

“Really?”  Patti looked surprised.  Kevin looked a bit turned off.  “Bianca, you know I always said-.” 

“I know what you always said.”  Bianca smiled.  “I’m pretty tired.  I think I’m going to bed.”  She headed into house.  Something was uncomfortable.  She didn’t know what, or why, but something was already wrong. 

******

Keith had become an escape for her.  Keith was not her family who looked at her weird, or didn’t want to talk about things that had happened while she was in a coma.  Keith wanted her to sing, and she did. 

She’d started spending more time with him.  It became less about the band and more about the two of them.  Every now and then, they grabbed food when he walked away from Ray’s.  He never questioned why she didn’t drive.  Bianca appreciated that.               

One evening, Keith’s band had played the set which would be the last before it turned twenty-one and over.  His band was staying for the show.  Keith wanted to leave. 

“You want to go somewhere quieter?”  He was packing up his guitar. 

“Such as?”  She had a feeling what he was suggesting.  He finished putting the guitar away, slinging the case over his shoulder. 

“I don’t live far.  We could order a pizza, chat for a bit.”  They did a lot of chatting, but it was usually on rushed time.  As much as she thought that this might not be her best idea, she did want to be alone with him. 

“Drop me off after?” 

“Absolutely.”  He took her hand.  She smiled, and willingly gave in.  She decided right then and there that she didn’t care what the rest of the night brought. 

He did live close-only a few blocks away.  It was a small apartment on top of a store.  He unlocked the door, ushering her in.  While it looked like a guy lived there, it was surprisingly neat. 

“So, where do you want pizza from?”  Bianca laughed. 

“My grandma was born and raised in Italy.  It doesn’t matter to me because you’ll never find a pizza to compare to Grandma’s.” 

“That’s entirely fair.”  Keith dug through the menus.  “How about the basic pepperoni from a mediocre place?” 

“That sounds…incredibly acceptable.”  Bianca sat down at the kitchen table. 

Keith ordered the pizza.  The two made small talk until it arrived, and then set the pizza on the table between them.  They picked at opposite sides of it. 

“Why are you such a mystery?”  Keith finally asked her.  “Why type of background do you not want me finding out?” 

He was smiling, but Bianca knew that his words were serious.  He’d been trying to get information out of her, and now he wanted it.  She could not fault that. 

“Well….”  She said softly.  “Do you really want to know?”  Keith abandoned his food. 

“Bianca, talk to me.  I look at you and I see this look like you’re hiding from something…from someone.”  Bianca hesitated, and then spoke. 

“I was in a coma until four months ago.”  Keith hadn’t been expecting that.  He pulled back, looking surprised. 

“No way.” 

“Way.”  Bianca rested her elbows on the table, her chin in one hand.  “One night, my friends and I went to the local college basketball game.  It was snowing.  But we’re from New York, that doesn’t keep us in, right?  Anyway, he-his name was Brian-hit ice and the car skidded.  It went off the road, crashed and flipped.  My friends in the front seat were killed.  I survived, but with a head injury no one thought I’d recover from.” 

Keith was staring at her in amazement.  Bianca wondered if he believed her.  If he didn’t, she’d understand. 

“That’s amazing.” 

“It’s not-.” 

“No, Bianca, really.  You have an amazing survival story.  I don’t know why they aren’t putting you all over the news.” 

“I’d hate that.”  Bianca shuddered at the very thought of such a thing.  “Anyway, when I woke up from that coma I found out that I was now twenty-one, my father had supposedly killed himself, my older sister vanished, and my mom had shacked up with a guy that she used to be in a band with.” 

For a moment, she thought that Keith’s jaw was literally going to hit the table.  He just stared at her. 

“You must be….” 

“Kidding?  Please, I wish that I was.”  Bianca sighed.  “Sadly, this is entirely true.  This is my dysfunctional life now.  I used to be normal-I swear.” 

“I think you’re still normal.”  Keith rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand.  “How could you not be normal?” 

“I don’t drink, I don’t drive.”  Bianca pulled her hand from his so that she could shrug.  “I don’t drink because I’m afraid of the risk on my body.  I don’t drive because I’m not allowed to have clearance yet.” 

“That’s not what makes you normal.”  Keith pulled her hand back to his.  “What makes you normal is that you come out there, and you get up on that stage and sing with us.  You’re amazing, Bianca.  Truly.” 

She smiled.  No one had called her amazing.  Not in all of this.  People murmured about being a miracle, but Bianca felt overlooked despite the fact that it was her own life. 

“Thanks.”  She murmured. 

For a second, the two of them only looked at one another.  Bianca wasn’t entirely certain which one of them moved first, but suddenly they were kissing.  It was her first kiss in years.  She didn’t think she’d been kissed since November of her freshman year at college.

Things were suddenly getting serious.  She hadn’t done anything like this in so long, and she was a bit out of practice.  Even then, she hadn’t done it much. 

“Wait,” she whispered as she pulled back. 

“What?”  Keith stroked her hair.  “Don’t you want to…?” 

“I do.”  She did.  She wanted to feel normal.  She couldn’t think of anything that would make her feel more normal than this.  “But I haven’t done this in a while…”  That was obvious. 

“It’s ok, Bianca.”  Keith pressed a kiss to her cheek.  “We’ll go slow.”

He pulled her back to him.  His kiss slowed down a bit.  That relaxed her some.  She was able to wrap her arms around his neck.  Keith’s hands reached up to caress her breasts. 

“How far have you gone?”  He pulled back to whisper. 

“I’ve done this…. Once.”  Bianca murmured softly.  Keith smiled. 

“Ok then.  I promise to be better than him.”  His lips moved back onto hers.  He kissed her slowly for a long moment.  But Bianca needed more, had to have more. 

“Don’t take it too slow.”  She pulled back.  “I need you.  I need to feel normal.” 

That seemed to be all he needed to hear.  He pressed his lips back to hers while he tugged her shirt up.  Bianca pulled back, tossing it aside. 

Keith got up.  He took her hand, leading her into the bedroom.  Bianca sat down on the edge of the bed before she unhooked her bra.  That had always been another of her best features-her breasts.  Apparently he thought so too. 

Keith’s hands moved up to cover them.  He squeezed them while he kissed her.  Bianca groaned into his mouth.  It had been so incredibly long that anyone had done this.  She hadn’t even realized that she’d missed it.  But judging by her body’s reaction, she had. 

Keith pushed her to lay back on the bed.  He crawled on top of her.  Bianca pulled at his shirt until he drew back long enough to take it off.  He tossed it aside before he returned to press his chest to hers.  Bianca thought that she could kiss him forever. 

His fingers were working her jeans free.  He pushed them down, easing them off of her hips.  Bianca was momentarily nervous.  She hadn’t wasted her time becoming one of those girls who bought pretty underwear.  She’s grabbed the five for twenty at Target and made it work.  But now a boy was actually seeing them. 

Keith didn’t seem to mind.  He slipped his hand under the waist band.  Bianca whimpered a bit as his fingers brushed over her.  Then they were passing through the wetness that had pooled there.  Bianca cried out entirely.  All the time, his mouth was sucking on her throat. 

Slowly his middle finger rubbed a circle on her clit.  Bianca’s head fell back.  Her eyes stared dimly across the room as she focused on his actions. 

Keith’s finger left the nerves and pushed inside of her. When he received no cries of protest, his index finger followed.  Bianca spread her legs wider for him, driving her hips up to his fingers. 

“That’s so good.”  She whispered, turning her head to his. 

“Mmhmm.”  Keith met her lips.  His fingers sped up while his thumb returned to her clit.  Bianca thought she wouldn’t be able to take the pleasure. 

“Keith I…”  She wanted it so badly.  This was the closest to human she’d felt in months. 

“Come for me.”  Keith pressed kisses to her throat.  “Come for me, Bianca.” 

She did.  Her body came unraveled at his words.  The pleasure was intense.  She was sure that none of the college boys she’d fumbled with had ever made her feel this good. 

She was still recovering as Keith settled down onto the bed beside her.  Bianca finally mustered a smile to him. 

“That was…” 

“I’m glad.”  He kissed her again.  Her fingers were already moving to the front of his jeans.  His hand came up to cover them.  “Are you sure?” 

“I’m sure.”  Bianca nodded in affirmation.  She wanted him…needed him more now than she had in the first place. 

Keith did not waste time.  At her encouragement, he got off of the bed to remove his pants.  After he shed the boxers beneath, he moved back to cover her.  Bianca waited, feeling him fumbling to position himself at her entrance. 

She sighed as he pushed into her.  He felt good-so good.  Hearing no words of argument, he began to move inside of her.  Bianca brought her hands up to grip his shoulders.  Her legs wrapped around his waist, holding him tightly to her. 

His pace was growing more urgent.  She was growing close for the second time. 

“Yes…”  She whispered into his ear.  “Just like that.”  Keith needed no encouragement.  He angled his hips, pushing deeper into her.  Bianca whimpered, crying out his name as she came for the second time. 

She heard Keith’s hiss of breath, and then he stilled over her.  She heard what might have been a faint whimper as he came after her. 

“Thank you,” she whispered against his shoulder. 

“No thank you.”  He breathed.  “You’re incredible.”  He pulled out of her, settling himself onto the bed beside her.  “I didn’t ask you over here just to…” 

“It’s ok.”  Bianca looked over at him.  “I wouldn’t mind if you did.”  Keith laughed softly.  His arm draped over her waist. 

“Look, about your singing...you’re really good…like beyond Ray’s good.”  He met her eyes.  “You should really think about that.” 

Bianca considered what he was saying.  It was nice…to have something that could be hers finally.  And hell, she was good.  She knew that. 

“I appreciate that, but…”  She trailed off.  “I just don’t know.  I mean, I saw what pursuing a music career did to my family.  I don’t know if I could ever do that to my children.  I mean, it would mean giving up so much…” 

“It doesn’t have to.”  Keith tilted her face up to his.  “You have to know that.” 

“But my mom,” Bianca licked her lips, “my mom was always so good at leaving us.” 

“I appreciate that,” Keith told her gently.  “But maybe…your mom made mistakes.” 

“Enough of a mistake for my dad to kill himself.”  Bianca answered bitterly. 

“How did it happen?”  Keith’s hand played over her cheek gently. 

“I don’t really know.”  Bianca turned to fully face him.  “Apparently he killed himself in the garage of our house.  My mom found him.” 

Keith’s face registered a look Bianca couldn’t read.  He took a moment, finally answering her. 

“What was your dad’s name?” 

“Stephen Sullivan.  Why?”   Keith drew a soft breath. 

“I was afraid of that.”  This time, Bianca sat up. 

“What do you mean?” 

“Look, I didn’t know, ok?” 

“Keith!”  Bianca exclaimed.  “Tell me.  Now.”  Keith heaved out a sigh, and then nodded. 

“Stephen Sullivan’s suicide was a big question.  It made the news for weeks.  Everyone thought it was odd that he’d kill himself like that, but there wasn’t any proof otherwise and it just dropped off.” 

Bianca leaned back against the pillows, stunned.  If that was what Keith was saying, then there was a possibility that her thoughts could be true. 

“Who did they think did it?”  She looked at him. 

“Well,” he hesitated a moment, “they didn’t really know.  I mean, there was a lot of speculation….”  He brushed her hair lightly.  “We could Google it-if you want.”