Contracts of the Heart

Chapter 0: The Prelude

The rain hammered.

Zed lay on the couch, half-dead to the world. A nap. The sound dragged him out of it. A heavy, rhythmic drumming against the siding, then a knocking sound, like fists coming down on the door.

He pulled himself up. Groggy.

He opened the door to a wall of water. Two girls stood on the other side. Soaked through.

-Hi. We got caught.

The dark-haired one spoke first. Alice. She looked like she wanted to fight the weather and win.

-Our phone died. Could we charge it a bit?

The other one, Betty, stepped closer. She pushed a wet strand of hair from her face.

Shivering.

-Hello. Urgently need to call a taxi. But the phone is dead. Could you help us?

Zed rubbed his eyes. The storm raged behind them. They didn't wait for an answer.

They just looked at him. One sharp, one soft. Both drenched.

-I'm sorry?

They stepped inside. The wind pushed them in. Betty offered a grateful, tremulous smile.

-We're so sorry to bother you. Just absolutely drenched.

Alice crossed her arms over her shirt. It clung to her skin. Her expression was guarded. Sharp.

-Yeah. Ride ditched us in this downpour. Got an outlet? Maybe a towel?

Zed was still waking up. Confused by the sudden invasion. He pointed toward the linen closet by the stairs. Then he pointed past the stairs, toward the kitchen.

-There's a, uh, outlet in the kitchen.

Alice didn't wait. She strode past him. Her wet boots left dark, heavy prints on the floor.

-Don't gotta point twice. I see it.

-I wasn't pointing twice, Zed said defensively.

Betty lingered. She touched his arm lightly. Her fingers were cold. Damp from the rain.

-Oh, thank you so much. We're so sorry for intruding like this.

She followed her sister. Her movements were hesitant. Apologetic. Zed watched them go. Water dripped from Alice's hair onto the carpet.

He walked to the linen closet and opened the door.

-I was pointing to the closet, he explained to himself. Then the kitchen.

Alice appeared at his elbow. She snatched a towel from the stack. She didn't look at him.

-Semantics. You point, we move. That's how it works.

Betty took a towel from him. She used two hands and smiled softly.

-Please ignore my sister. She's... not at her best when she's wet.

Betty blushed. Realized how that sounded. Zed let go of the towel.

-That's ok, he said. Who is?

Alice scowled. She rubbed the towel roughly against her dark hair.

-Men certainly aren't. A little rain and they whimper like puppies.

Betty giggled softly. Her cheeks flushed as she patted her face dry.

-Oh, I don't know... some people look rather dashing in the rain.

She peeked at Zed from under damp eyelashes.

-Not me. I look like a vagrant. I always try to carry an umbrella. I don't care if it's fey.

Alice laughed derisively and wrung water from her hair.

-An umbrella. How predictably cautious. Real strength doesn't hide from the weather.

-I think it's rather sweet, Betty said, tilting her head. It shows you... plan ahead.

Zed leaned against the wall.

-Well Alice, sounds like you want me to fit into a heteropatriarchical role. And if real strength means not hiding, why not stay outside?

He looked at the open door. Alice's eyes narrowed. A flash of irritation.

-Don't you dare twist my words. This isn't about roles. It's about not being afraid to get uncomfortable. But since you're so keen on playing the victim, maybe we should leave.

Zed chuckled. He walked over to close the door.

-Well, I know you're not vampires because you walked right in without an invitation.

Alice rolled her eyes. A faint smirk touched her lips.

-Vampires? Please. We have better taste than to feed on your type.

Betty giggled again. She pressed the towel to her lips.

-Oh, but what if we were?

She leaned in. A playful whisper.

-Would you let us in then?

Zed looked at Betty.

-If you asked, I'd let you right in. Maybe even if you showed your fangs.

-This one certainly is, he said, pointing at Alice.

Alice bared her teeth. A mock-snarl. Water dripped from her chin.

-Careful. I bite harder than I look.

Betty blushed deeply, tucking a damp strand of hair behind her ear.

-Oh my... I'd only bite if you asked nicely. And only a little.

-Two girls after my heart, Zed laughed. Is the phone charging?

Alice gestured toward the kitchen counter. Her phone lay there. Still off.

-It's charging. Give it a minute.

Betty stepped closer. Her damp plaid sleeve brushed Zed's arm.

-We really do appreciate this. It's... cozy in here. Much warmer than out there.

-No, the rain is no place to be. There's no shame in hiding from the weather.

Alice leaned against the doorframe. Arms crossed.

-Hiding implies fear. We weren't hiding. We were strategizing.

Betty nodded gently. She watched the rain streak down the window.

-Sometimes being caught in the storm leads you to the best shelters.

She turned to Zed. Grateful warmth in her eyes.

-Yeah, you know, as long as you two aren't trying to rob me or something.

Alice barked out a laugh. She scanned his belongings.

-Rob you? Of what? Please. We have standards.

Betty gasped, putting her hand to her chest.

-We would never! We're just two girls trying to get dry. You don't really think that, do you?

-No, Alice is right. There's really absolutely nothing here of any value.

Alice smirked.

-Finally, something we agree on. Your honesty's refreshing.

Betty bit her lip. Her voice dropped to a hush.

-But value isn't always about things. Sometimes it's even about moments like this.

Zed nodded slowly.

-I read a story recently. One of those light novels. A girl came in from the rain. The guy was worried she'd rob him. When he woke up in the morning, I think he was hoping he had been.

Alice chuckled. Her eyes locked onto his.

-Hoping to wake up emptied out? Sounds like a man's fantasy, to be relieved of all responsibility.

Betty blushed.

-Or maybe he just wanted to wake up with a beautiful memory instead of his possessions, she offered.

-No, she stayed in a different room, Zed explained. The sex came later. You know how those stories go.

Alice rolled her eyes.

-Of course it did. Men always write the delayed gratification into their cheap fantasies.

Betty tugged at her sleeve.

-Sometimes the anticipation is the most beautiful part, isn't it?

-Anticipation IS the most beautiful part.

Zed looked at them both.

-But Alice is right too. Wanting to get robbed of everything, it's like getting rid of all your responsibilities.

Alice laughed again. She approved.

-Finally. A man who gets it. Not just the sex, the surrender.

Betty's breath caught. She twisted the damp edge of her shirt.

-It's, it's not about losing things. It's about being seen. Understood.

Zed stood up from his chair.

-I know enough about light novels to know that if we were in one of them, this would've been the end of chapter one.

Alice's smirk widened. She stood to face him.

-End of chapter one? Hardly. More like the prelude.

Betty rose slowly, hesitantly.

-And every good story needs a turning point, she offered.

-Oh, a prelude. I love that, Zed said.

Chapter 1: Promises

Alice stepped closer. The damp fabric of her shirt brushed Zed's arm. She tilted her chin up.

-Preludes are just promises. And I hate empty ones.

Betty let out a shaky exhale. She traced the pattern on her towel nervously.

-What kind of promise would you want to keep?

Alice's eyes darkened. Her voice dropped. A low purr.

-A real one. Not some flowery words. Action. Proof.

Betty's gaze flicked to the charging phone on the counter. Then back to Zed. A faint tremor in her hands.

-But... the taxi. We should...

-Where is it you girls were going?

Alice scoffed. Her eyes were still locked on Zed.

-Some party. Full of people pretending to be happy. Boring.

Betty shifted.

-It was a rooftop gathering... with fairy lights and music.

She glanced toward the window. The rain still poured. She sighed.

-It sounded magical, Betty said wistfully.

-The party might've survived Alice's cynicism, but not the rain.

Alice laughed.

-The rain did them a favor. Saved everyone from another night of forced small talk and cheap champagne.

Betty's shoulders slumped. She watched the water streak down the glass.

-All those fairy lights... probably ruined now.

She turned back to Zed. Tentative hope in her eyes.

-But this...

Zed smiled at her.

Alice saw the smile. Her lips twisted. A wry, possessive smirk.

-Careful. She'll think you're actually sweet. And then I'll have to ruin it.

Betty's blush deepened. A smile spread across her face.

-Some things are worth risking a little ruin for.

Alice stepped even closer. Her shirt nearly touched Zed's chest. A challenge in her eyes.

-Go on then. Risk it. Let's see if your sweet words hold up when the storm's still raging outside and we're all stuck here.

Her voice was taunting. Betty's breath caught. She took a half-step closer.

-Maybe the storm is the best part, Alice wondered out loud. Maybe it's what makes it real.

Zed looked at Alice. He took the challenge. He tilted his head down and locked his lips with hers.

Alice's breath hitched sharply. Her body tensed for a split second. Then she let out a low groan.

Her hands came up. Gripped his shoulders. Fingers dug into his shirt. She kissed back with a fierce intensity. Sharp teeth.

Zed pulled back.

-That felt real.

Alice let out a ragged breath. Her lips were swollen. Eyes of shock and hunger.

-Fuck. That was... real.

Betty whimpered softly. Knuckles white on the towel. Trembling.

-Alice... oh god...

Alice didn't wait. Her eyes flashed with triumph. She crushed her mouth to his again. One hand tangled in his hair. The other slid down his back possessively.

-Mmph, see? No lies. No pretty promises.

Betty moaned. Unsteady.

Zed lifted his eyebrows in surprise as Alice pulled him back in. She deepened the kiss. Her tongue swept against his.

Alice broke the kiss with a gasp. Chest heaving. She stared up at him. Wild.

-Fuck--you're not scared?

Zed smiled.

-Scared? Me?

Alice's eyes narrowed.

-Most men would be. But you... you're just smirking.

-I don't mean to smirk. You've certainly caught me off guard since you bursted through my door.

He looked at them.

-You girls aren't on drugs are you? Nothing wrong with that, just...

Chapter 2: Chaos

Alice laughed. She shook her head, fingers still tangled in his shirt.

-Drugs? Please. We're high on chaos. It's purer.

Betty bit her lip. A shy, playful glint entered her eyes. She stepped closer. Her voice was soft but clear.

-And maybe, a little bit on the thrill of being somewhere we shouldn't be.

Zed looked at them. The rain drummed against the roof.

-But you're welcome here.

Alice's grip on his shirt tightened. Her sharp features softened for a moment. Then the defiance rushed back. She let out a low, disbelieving chuckle.

-Don't say that. You'll make her think you're nice.

Betty's breath hitched. Her eyes glistened. She took another step.

-But, what if we want you to be?

-And what if I actually am nice?

Alice narrowed her eyes.

-Nice? Nice gets you used.

Her voice dropped to a rough whisper.

-Nice gets you left in the rain.

Betty moved in. Her damp sleeve brushed his arm.

-Or, she started, maybe nice is what finds you shelter when you're lost.

Alice laughed again. She flicked her gaze from Zed's face to Betty's.

-A shelter? Or a trap?

She leaned in.

-Nice men don't keep girls like us.

Betty's lower lip trembled. She looked at Zed. Pleading.

-But what if, what if we want to be kept? Just for tonight?

Zed turned to Betty. He reached out. He held her hand and pulled her closer. Into the circle with Alice.

-We could do that, he whispered.

Betty gasped as his fingers closed around hers. Her other hand came up to rest on his chest. Hesitant. Eager.

Alice watched. Her gaze flickered between their joined hands and Betty's flushed face.

-Careful. She'll believe you.

She watched Zed pull Betty closer. Her gaze softened, then hardened. She gritted her teeth.

-Don't. Don't make promises you can't keep.

Betty laced her fingers with his. She pressed against his side.

-But, what if we want to believe you?

-No promises, then.

Alice's tight expression cracked.

-Good.

She snatched his free hand. Pulled it against her damp shirt. Right over her pounding heart.

-Promises are for fools.

Betty shivered. She pressed closer too. Her cheek brushed his shoulder.

-Just tonight. No promises. Just, something real.

Zed leaned in. He captured Betty's lips.

Alice watched. Her breath hitched in a ragged gasp.

-Fuck...

Her voice was full of want. Betty melted against Zed. A soft, surprised moan escaped her. She kissed him back. Slow. Sweet. Then desperate.

Her hands lifted to his face. Trembling. Pulling him closer.

Alice's fingers tightened on his arm. Nails digging in. Just enough to sting. She watched Betty surrender. She growled quietly.

-Yeah... like that.

She leaned in. Breath hot against his ear.

-Now show her you mean it.

Betty's moans softened into whimpers. She arched into him. She broke the kiss. Lips swollen. Eyes dazed.

-Oh...

Zed wrapped his arms around Betty. He lifted her up. Kissed her again. He turned and fell back with her onto the sectional couch.

Betty gasped. Startled. Then let out amoan. Her arms wrapped around his neck.

-Oh--!

She clung to him. Light. Pliant.

Alice followed close behind. Quick. Deliberate. A dark, approving smirk on her lips.

Zed buried his face in Betty's neck.

-No promises.

Betty arched against the cushions. A sharp cry.

-Zed--!

Alice dropped to her knees beside the couch. Her eyes blazed. She watched with a terrifying intensity. Her hand slid up Betty's thigh. Possessive.

-Yeah, show her how real it gets.

Zed pulled back. He checked on Betty. Her eyes were glazed with tears. Overwhelmed.

-I--I can't... it's too much... but don't stop...

He cupped her cheek. She leaned into the palm. Warm.

-You're... you're really looking at me.

Her voice was a fragile whisper. Alice watched. Knuckles white on the cushion.

-Don't fucking break her, she said sharply.

-Never.

Zed kissed Betty again. His hands worked down her back. Alice shifted closer. Her breathing was ragged. She bit her knuckles.

-Faster. Don't make her wait.

-You, or her?

Zed mumbled it against Betty's skin. Betty fumbled with his zipper. Clumsy. Frantic.

-I can't, it's stuck.

Alice growled. She slapped Betty's fingers away.

-Move.

Her palm pressed against him through the denim. Hard pressure. She made him gasp.

-Guess you're not just nice after all.

-It doesn't have to be naughty, he murmured.

Alice laughed. Incredulous. Her grip tightened.

Betty shivered. She pressed closer.

-Maybe... maybe it can be... tender and intense?

-It can be anything you want it to, Zed murmured.

Alice yanked the zipper down.

-Yeah? Then show us.

Zed moved. Betty gasped.

-Slow... please... I want to feel every--

He pressed inside. Gently. Firmly.

-Oh--god--yes--!

Betty's nails dug into his shoulders. Head back. Arching. Taking him in.

Alice covered her mouth. Stifling a moan.

-Don't stop...

Chapter 3: Order

The rhythm was slow. Deliberate. Betty cried out. Alice watched, her fingers digging into the cushion.

Zed reached out. He moved one hand from Betty. He covered Alice's hand on the cushion.

She flinched. Tensed. Then her fingers uncurled. She turned her hand. Grasped his.

Desperate. Palm damp.

She looked at where he was joined with her sister.

Betty's hips moved. A small circle. The climax broke her. A high, broken cry.

Zed squeezed Alice's hand hard. He let go. Release pulsed deep inside Betty.

Alice crushed his fingers. Sharp intake of breath. Rigid.

Then it was over. The aftershocks faded.

Alice's grip loosened. Her hand slipped from his. She stood up. Unsteady.

She paced to the window. Her back was tense. The rain-streaked glass reflected her face. Conflicted.

-Fuck.

Zed carefully shifted Betty off his lap. She settled against the cushions. Drowsy. Content.

-The girl that came with the rain.

Zed laughed softly. He looked at Alice.

She turned slowly. A sharp, bittersweet smirk.

-Yeah. And now the rain's stopping.

-What are you thinking?

Alice watched him adjust his clothes. Jaw tight.

-Thinking I should hate this.

-Do you?.

-No. That's the problem. You got under my skin. Both of you.

She looked at the window again.

-Now what?.

-Well, how long is the rain supposed to last?

Zed reached for his cellphone. The weather app.

-Don't.

Alice's voice was sharp.

-Just... leave it. The app won't tell you what matters.

Zed stood up. He walked over to her. He placed his hands gently on her hips. Her love handles.

-What does matter?

Alice's breath hitched. She went rigid for a split second. Then she leaned back into him. She didn't pull away.

-This.

Her voice was low.

-Not the fucking forecast. This, us. Whatever this is.

Zed leaned in. He kissed her neck from behind. Working up to her ear.

Alice gasped. Her head fell back against his shoulder. Her hands came up to grip his wrists. Holding him there.

-Fuck. Don't you dare stop.

Zed slid his hands forward. Onto her stomach. He pulled her closer.

-God, yes, like that...

His hands moved lower. Under the waistband.

Alice bucked against him. A guttural sound. Her head thrashed back against his shoulder.

-Don't stop, please

She ground herself against his touch. The rain pattered against the glass in front of them.

-Let go, Zed whispered in her ear.

She seized up. A moan. A shattered cry.

She trembled violently. Her knees buckled. She would have collapsed if he wasn't holding her up.

Alice sagged against him. Breath coming in ragged gasps.

Zed slowly withdrew his hand. Her eyes tracked the movement. Heavy-lidded. Glazed.

He brought his fingers to his mouth.

Alice made a sound. Weak

-Unbelievable.

Betty watched from the couch. Hand pressed over her mouth.

-You really don't hold back, do you?

-Me?

Zed brushed the damp hair from Alice's face.

-Yes, you. Who else just, does that?

Zed pressed a finger to Alice's lips.

She froze. Jaw tight. Then she parted her lips.

Her tongue darted out. Tentative. Then eager. Tasting herself on his skin.

-I taste... different on you.

From the couch, a soft voice.

-I... I want to taste too.

Zed turned. Betty's eyes were wide.

He walked to her. Extended his hand.

Betty didn't hesitate. She leaned forward. Her tongue traced his fingers. A soft moan.

-Oh.

-Have you tasted her before?

Betty shook her head. Dazed.

-No... never...

Alice watched from across the room. Arms crossed.

-You really don't hold back.

-What kind of host would I be if I didn't oblige?

Zed traced Betty's lips.

Alice laughed. She dropped her arms.

-A shitty one.

She took a step closer.

-But you, you're not shitty. You're something else entirely.

-I'm not shitty, Zed repeated for himself. It's a low bar but I'm glad I cleared it.

Alice's smirk softened.

-You cleared it by a mile. Congratulations, men.

She took another step closer.

-Now what?

Zed glanced at the window.

-It's still raining.

Alice followed his gaze. The rain pattered steadily. A slow, wicked smile spread across her lips.

-Good. Then we're not going anywhere.

Betty let out a soft sigh from the couch. Eager. Zed turned to her.