Free Dom Wars Round Three by Lucian Bane Page B

hungry, and planted my lips on her neck and sucked too hard. I moved to her ear. "Your mouth looks so good wrapped around my cock sweetheart."
    She moaned and pulled my hair in response then burst out in laughter when I bit her earlobe.
    They began playing another song with a faster tempo. I pushed Tara away from me then pulled her back to my body with an oomph . She loved it and laughed and I began spinning her, shoving her, dipping her. Hearing her laugh that way was gold. Fucking made me so happy that I could give her that.
    Between songs, Tara danced her way to the table and drank more. I didn 't stop her. She needed to get good and drunk. Maybe it'd help her when it came time to do what needed doing.
    Which did eventually come when Steve and Dale got tired of singing and playing.
    And then we talked about everything but what needed talking about. I finally took Tara's wrist and held it up. "Nice bracelet you have there, Miss Reese."
    She jerked her hand away and slapped m y leg. I'd finally talked her out of more drinking, I didn't want to have to carry her out. Or sleep at the man's house.
    I eyed Steve and eyed Tara to hopefully get him to help me get this shit over with.
    "Sooo, Dale. You used to work for Tara's school."
    " Yeah. And?" The black man eyed Steve now, his tone clearly one that knew something was up.
    Steve shrugged a little. "That's… an interesting profession. My father was a janitor. Once." He took up his wine and drank a few gulps.
    " Don't forget you're driving," I reminded him.
    " Oh! You're right." He set the cup down. "In fact, I think it's probably tiiiiiiime we got going? Tara? What do you think? Do you think it's tiiiiime we got going?"
    " What the fuck is going on?" Dale said finally, looking from Steve, to Tara and me.
    That obvious?
    "Tara?" Steve did that graceful hand-slide. "You want to go ahead and take care of unfinished business?"
    " Yes, love. It's time."
    " Goddamn better hurry," Dale threatened.
    Tara moaned and put her head in her hands.
    Dale stared at her, concerned. "She ain't gone be sick, is she?"
    " No," I said, "I don't think so, she just… she's not eager to talk about it."
    He nailed me with a hard gaze for several seconds. "See, this is why I hate white people. Beat around the bush 'til the goddamn roosters crow."
    " I can't tell him for you, love," I reminded her.
    " Alright! Alright, Jesus, I will tell him." She sat forward and put her hair behind her ears. I reached for her hand and she fluffed it away. "Dale. I told you I knew…know that girl that got you fired…" She looked around a little then finally went on when nobody saved her with an interruption. She opened her mouth to speak and it stayed that way for several seconds before she blurted in a tiny frail voice "…I'm the girl." She nodded and lowered her head. "I'm the girl that got you fired. That ruined your family's business. That…that ruined your life. And I just need you to know how very…very…very sorry I am. Hours and hours in therapy sorry. And I'm sorry about your son. And your wife." She shook her head, looking down at her wringing hands.
    " You went to therapy over that?" Dale sounded incredulous and maybe even a little pleasantly surprised. "Why would you go to a shrink over that?" His grin said he was ready for the punch line to the joke, because obviously, she couldn't be serious.
    She looked at him, seeming worried he might not believe her. "Because I…I felt so bad. I remember when they fired you…" She looked at me then back at him. "You were so sorry about locking me in the closet." Tears rolled down her cheeks unchecked.
    His grin disappeared as her sincerity sank in. "But I didn't lock you in the closet."
    Tara froze at his words then wiped tears from her cheeks. "See?" She looked at me. "Did I not say I didn't think he had?"
    I nodded. "You did."
    " She did," Steve added.
    Tara looked at Dale. "I believed you. I fell asleep and I never really knew, but I believed you."
    " Then why