I'm coming in hot

Chapter 3

So far it has always amused you when Denise has behaved like this towards you. Of course, you found it touching and also a bit lewd, okay, quite lewd, when your kitten submitted to you. And of course, you were worried about your girlfriend. She's too precious to be careless with, and even though Denise would certainly hate to hear it, those worries have prepared you for the moment that now lies ahead of you both. Her mother looks at her with wide eyes in horror, speechless at the loss of control she has had over her daughter all her life. Her father understands, but Denise doesn't look at him or Olivia. Her eyes rest on you and should strike fear into your heart, an all-consuming panic as you hold the fragile happiness of this beautiful girl in your hands. But all you can ask yourself is if Denise knows how much she does for you, just by looking at you with her round googly eyes. Whether she knows that it's only because of her that you feel nothing but love at that moment. And so, through Denise and her strong nature, you can be the friend to your girlfriend that she deserves. Love and lust, control and trust, flow together in you.

"You know best of all of us what your life looks like Denise," you say in a firm voice, shattering the foundation of the Van Buren family with just a few words. Denise smiles. "I know how smart you are and there is no situation you can't get out of. And I support you in every decision you make." A heavy, all-enveloping silence spreads through the room and it almost seems as if outside the trees are dropping their leaves and the birds are falling dead from the sky. Fortunately nothing happens to the birds, but Denise still kills something inside. You look at the girl closely as she gets her words together.

So much has happened in the last week and as she sits quietly in her seat, now completely relaxed and confident, the beautiful memories with her flicker by in front of your inner eye. The blank look she had that night when Millie had led her into your world. The shock when you yelled at her, the wonder when you stayed with her anyway. Then the lust that had slowly but surely replaced her insecurity. The simply bumbling attempts to get close to you, this time for real, not by cheap tricks. And finally, it had worked. You were so proud of yourself when her bum had risen in front of you, ready to let you into her folds. And after that, the changes. So much, so suddenly, but Denise mastered them all with you by her side. And now she's taking the final step in the direction she wants her life to go.

"I..." A last look at her mother, a slightly longer one at her father, who can't stand up to her. A soft and, unlike you, fragile inhale. A decision. "I don't want to be here Finn."

Everything inside you begins to work. The inertia of shock over the Van Buren family is washed from your system and your body responds on autopilot. Immediately you rise from the sofa in one smooth movement even before Olivia can process her daughter's words.

"Come on Denise," you say, having to stifle a grin. It feels wrong to be excited about your girlfriend's decision now but as you turn and look along your arm at her you recognize the same anticipation in her face. Also smiling, Denise grabs your hand and you're already on your way across the room.

"Wait..." gasps her mother but no one in the house listens to her.

"Where's your room?" you ask, and are shown the way up the stairs with an outstretched arm. "You know what to do," you say, nodding encouragement to Denise. She looks back at her gym bag, which she almost went to Josh with, but which then accompanied her into a life that couldn't be better.

"I won't be long" she murmurs and gracefully climbs the stairs. Like a hellhound guarding the gate to Hades, you guard the stairs and stand in the way of Olivia, who now approaches you, spitting fire.

"You're not taking my daughter away from me!" she shouts angrily and makes you grin.

"Your anger and indifference have already done that," you reply. Wait a second... But you actually don't have long to wonder about the influence of pop culture in your life, because just like on hell-like Mustafar, things get worse in the peaceful, white-painted suburban cottage of your hometown.

Everything happens almost simultaneously. From behind you, you hear the soft and excited footsteps of Denise dancing down the stairs. Even though she has made her decision, you must realize what this means for her life. You have only a split second to decide how to help her leave her former life without putting too much pressure on her. She may be euphoric now, or at least okay with the situation, but you have no illusions about how it will look in a few days. The battle for her soul is not over yet. From beside you, Misses Van Buren emerges to push past you to her daughter. An outstretched arm will certainly not stop her, for she has a hysterical look on her face and her cheeks are flushed with grief, anger and shame. That wouldn't be a problem for you, but before you can react to the woman the door opens and all eyes immediately wander in the same direction.

"I'm home!" booms the cheerful voice of Nathaniel Van Buren through the hallway. Then his gaze lands on you. He stops abruptly and looks at the strange figure standing imperiously in the hallway. Then his eyes wander left to his mother.

"Thank God you're here!" exclaims Olivia to her son. She lets go of you, and with it her daughter, and turns to the man in the house. Surely she's hoping for an explanation from Nathaniel. "This boy here wants to kidnap Denise!" Actually, it's a good sign, signaling that you're not the least bit capable of understanding this family's thought patterns. Immediately after Nathaniel's attention turns back to you, you feel Denise against your back. She presses herself so tightly against you that you take a step toward the boy who is blocking the way out with his bag over his shoulder.

"What, Ma, what are you talking about?" Nathaniel grimaces in amusement and snorts. But then his eyes fall on his sister. A switch flips at the thought of that pig even touching Denise with his gaze. Like with Josh at the lake, you switch from being protective to something cold, analyzing, and assessing. As yet your enemy poses no threat, is sufficiently distant and still unsure how to react. Only that he blocks the exit is a hurdle, but not too big, considering the smaller stature than that of Josh. Where the ex-boyfriend of Maureen was a danger to your loved ones because of his body, with Nathaniel it's his behavior and the ice-cold ruthlessness with which he takes advantage of others. He's smarter than Josh. You get the proof as he eyes Denise, at least what your strengthening and tense body doesn't cover-up. Nathaniel realizes the truth and you see it in his eyes for a second.

He has always been your enemy ever since Denise told you about him, crying and sobbing. But now he loses everything human in your eyes as the first instinct kicks in. The second Nathaniel realizes what is happening and why you are here, he switches into his usual mode. He abuses.

"What?" he laughs, spreading his arms. "Denise little sister, what are you doing? Is everything okay?" He takes a step toward you both and you feel two hands digging anxiously into your sides. He wants to close the distance between you, inspire confidence and, judging by the looks he gives his mother, commit damage control. The march forward is cut short, however, when he recognizes **** in your eyes. "What's this all about?" he asks again, looking at his mother for help. Something inside you understands that Misses Van Buren is responding but the much larger part hears and feels only the panicked gasp for air behind you.

"I told you, this boy wants to take our Denise." Again Nathaniel snorts with feigned surprise, but says nothing but quickly considers how to act.

"And why is that?" his is getting too stupid for you. As if you're going to explain his wrongdoing to him now.

"Step aside," you growl menacingly.

"You can't give us orders in our parents' house" retorts your enemy. You shake your head. You can have respect for enemies. Nathaniel is just a dummy, a training target, something that is supposed to represent an enemy, but that you don't have to have any qualms about blowing into a thousand pieces. Yet you made a mistake in not standing up to him because his mother, the mother of an only child, now sees herself in the right.

"I want my daughter to stay here. Nate, he wants to take Denise away from us!" You recognize the conflict in Nathaniel's eyes. If he lets Denise go, he knows what will happen to him. Only if he keeps her under control will he make it out of this in one piece. But if he keeps her with him, he will have to deal with a mad attack dog, namely you, who will jump at his neck and rip his tongue out with his throat. He has lost and you feel disgusted to make his decision easier. But you're not doing it for him or yourself, but for the wonderful creature that's behind you for protection.

"Denise?" You don't take your eyes off your target, but your voice is unnaturally calm. It works, and the grip around your hips loosens a bit.

"Yes?" her voice is on the verge of collapse.

"We're going home now." You feel her chin on your shoulder, and she nods. "Is that what you want?"

"Yes." Quickly your eyeballs dart to the side, fixing on Olivia, then quickly back on Nathaniel.

"Then let's go." Gently, you reach behind you and clasp your kitten's hand with your paw. You pull Denise forward, step by step toward Nathaniel. At first she almost stumbles, holding onto your shoulder, but then she catches herself and soon you're striding toward Nathaniel at a normal pace. Not too fast, not too hesitant. Just right... and Nathaniel steps aside.

"Come back here!" screeches Olivia Van Buren but you hear her husband's voice.

"Let her go," he says tonelessly, sounding like an emaciated carcass from which the crows have pecked all the flesh. "Let her go." And Olivia listens to her husband. Nathaniel says nothing either as you push past him and he has to press himself against the wall of the hallway. You keep Denise on your other side, protecting her from everything this world throws at her, and by your side she stays, too, until the door of your car closes, admitting you to the air-conditioned interior.

And then you sit there staring out the window. For a few seconds you make sure no one steps out of the front entrance but the coast is clear. Denise sits next to you, hands wrapped around her torso and visibly interested in a small scratch in the dashboard.

"How are you?" you ask, and Denise just looks at you questioningly. The corners of your mouth twitch first, then your stomach shudders with suppressed laughter. Weakly, you shake your head and lean toward your girl. While congratulating yourself on not reenacting the opening scene of 'Saving Private Ryan' in the hallway of this hellhole, you gently stroke her cheeks and lips. Then you hold her choker in your hand. "You feel so good" you whisper and immediately chide yourself for thinking about yourself and your feelings now instead of the important person in this car. "Sorry," you grin sheepishly. "I don't know how I can be so cool with your family either but get shaky legs with you." Denise hangs her head, her hair falling like golden rain down the side of her head, covering her eyes but not reaching down to her mouth. A soft, fragile smile is on her lips. "My god you're beautiful. I... fuck, now I'm doing it again." Denise, freed from the welcome passivity of her collar can now take the initiative. Her fingers close around your hand, almost making you **** with love.

"It's okay," she murmurs, "you're my owner and..." She nibbles her lower lip, finds her words even sooner you can embarrass yourself with desire for her again, and seems satisfied. "And you're perfect for me." She brushes her hair out of her face but continues to gaze at the earth-shattering scrape in front of her. That's where Megan once threw her gym bag when she was mad at you about something. You didn't know it at the time, but now you realize that you had once again made her crazy with love. The gym bag of Denise instead, along with another bag and her backpack, lie unnoticed on the back seat. Your attention is on the profile of her face. She doesn't turn to you but allows you to admire her beauty, and that's very adult for a girl in her position. But then she does look at you and you realize that she has now moved out of her home completely. "And you are all I have left."