Chapter 9
When Barbara awoke the next morning, Betty was sitting up in bed with the covers pulled around her shoulders. She barely returned Barbara's smile, then rested her chin on her knees and stared moodily in front of her.
"Bad night?" Barbara inquired.
"Yes. I kept thinking about the party."
Before they left Harry's apartment, he had handed Barbara some money and told her to split it with Betty. "Get over here bright and early tomorrow evening," he directed. "It's my birthday. We're going to celebrate." He had not mentioned who else would be there.
"He seems to have us down for some kind of exhibition," Betty said, after a little silence. "At least, that's what he hinted at."
"With Harry, you can never tell. All I know is that the stinker has got us where it hurts and we'd better keep him happy."
"Can't you see it? 'The Delsey Sisters, the two best lays in town, will now give a demon stration of how it's done.' " Betty's tone was bitter. "like a pair of trained seals. I wish I could get my hands on that negative."
"You can't. He's too clever to leave it around." Barbara got up and put her robe on, then went over to sit on the foot of her sister's bed. "Calm down, Sis. You're all upset. It won't be that bad."
"It's all right for you to talk. You-you don't seem to mind. You take his d-damned money." Betty's lower lip was trembling. "I-I wish I was dead!" She began to cry.
Barbara moved closer and put an arm around her sister's shoulders. "There now," she soothed. "Cry if you have to but it won't change anything. I talked to Hank last night"
Betty looked up quickly. There was a tear on the end of her nose and she dabbed at it with a corner of the sheet. "W-what did he have to say?"
"Nothing much. You know how he was when we went over to see him. Doesn't talk much. But he hinted he might be able to tell us something soon."
"Oh, golly! Do you think-"
"He didn't go into details. But I feel better for calling him."
"Maybe he's planning to steal the negative. Oh, Barb! If only he could. I'd do anything for him; anything at all."
"We'll see. Don't get too hopeful. And about liking the setup, let's face it. We both like sex and at the time, even with Harry cracking his whip, it's good and exciting. I hate the mess we're in perhaps more than you do. But you get so damned righteous, like last night when you threw the money on the floor. What have you got against cash? We earn it."
"That's not the point. I won't touch that kind of money. I'd starve first."
"What difference does it make? Money's money."
"Not that kind. When you get paid for screwing, you're a whore, like I said the other day."
"Aren't most women?" Barbara got off the bed and went over to look out of the window. "We all fuck for something or other," she said over a shoulder. "Whether it's money or food and shelter or a new fur coat or what we like to call security."
"Not me." Betty was wide-eyed again. "I'm going to get away from it somehow. Then Harry can take a jump."
"Let me know when you decide how. In the meantime, we've got an all-night party to think about. Help me to figure a nice lie to tell Mother."
They sat in the drug store for a full half hour before the taxi came and when they got to Harry's place, the party was in full blast.
"Listen to that groovy drummer," Barbara said. "They must have the hi-fi turned up." Already her eyes were bright with excitement.
Harry answered their knock and bowed when he saw who it was. "My shock troops!" He sounded a little drunk. "Come right in."
"Happy birthday, you bastard." Barbara pushed past him and Betty stepped around him distastefully as he closed the door. The living room was full of people. Harry had got some extra chairs and there was a portable bar against the wall next to the record player.
Someone put a drink in Barbara's hand and to her surprise, she saw it was Hank. Right away then, she spied Sam sitting next to a pretty brunette and holding her hand. "Where's your whip?" she whispered.
"Aw, come on," Hank protested. "Be nice now."
"You didn't tell me you were invited," she accused him. "I thought you and Harry were pouting."
"This is different. It's Harry's birthday."
"So that makes it okay?" Without waiting for an answer, she asked him if he had anything to tell her.
"Plenty." He rubbed his bald head and looked mysterious. He was about to say more when Sam, with his girl friend in tow, joined them.
"Hi, Barbara. This is Doris. Still making the scene, I see." Doris beamed and reached up to tweak Hank's ear. She seemed a bit high. They left to. go and talk to Betty, who was standing by herself, biting a fingernail and looking unhappy. Barbara noticed that she brightened when Sam spoke to her. She smiled as he made the introduction and sat down with Doris while he went to the bar. Barbara felt relieved. She had been worrying, wondering if her sister could take it much longer. Betty was too sensitive. She let things hurt her that should have been shrugged off.
"Did Sam and Harry kiss and make up?" she wondered aloud. Then she wondered to herself why she had bothered to ask. Harry and Sam could have a duel with machine guns at forty paces for all she cared.
"Who's talking about me?" Harry inquired. She turned her head and found him standing at her elbow. "Hello, hello. How's everybody?" He looked Barbara over and grinned. "Ready for another knouting, pussycat?" Some of his drink spilled on the rug when he raised his glass to them.
"You're drunk," Hank told him. "Go away."
Harry pretended to scowl. "That's a hell of a way to speak to your host. Just for that, I'll ignore you." He winked at them and wandered off. He answered the door again presently and another couple came in. The girl was young; her escort had a dark Latin face and was at least ten years older. They were strangers to Barbara.
"Tony and Helen," Hank grunted.
"What is he? A baby farmer?"
"Tony's a good friend. Don't knock him." He leaned closer. "I've had him working on your thing," he confided. "I'll tell you more after I've talked to him." He took her empty glass and headed for the bar and she had a chance to look around.
Sam and his girl had left Betty. She was talking to the girl who had come with Tony. He wasn't around. Bathroom, Barbara figured. He showed up after a minute and she thought he nodded to Hank. Pat and Molly, the swinging husband and wife, were sitting on the couch. She wondered if they were going to do their thing again. The thought made her try to guess what she and Betty were supposed to do. Knowing Harry, she was sure he didn't mean for them to stand around and make like the furniture. He must have something up his sleeve. She suspected that his appearing stoned was mostly an act. He was too smart.
People kept arriving. Harry greeted another couple who looked so mismatched that Barbara found herself staring at them. The man looked like Bull Montana, whom she had once seen in an old movie. He was broader and heavier than Hank. His broken nose spelled box fighter, as did a thickened ear. He was so ugly that he fascinated her. His partner, on the other hand, was a short blonde type who did not reach up to his shoulder. She kept hugging one of his thick arms, as though she was afraid someone might steal him. Hank, carrying a couple of drinks, stopped long enough to nod to them.
"Magilla Gorilla, isn't it?" Barbara queried. "That's cozy. Who's he going to strangle first?"
"That's Benny Ames." Hank handed her a highball. "He's a male nurse. Used to be a wrestler."
"Don't tell me. I hope I never get sick." She turned to watch them sitting down. "However did Harry happen to invite a pair like that?"
"He didn't," Hank answered. "I told him I'd like him to show in case I needed him. Didn't you see Harry giving them the eye? He's not sure but he's not up to throwing Benny out. Benny'd eat him."
Barbara wished that somebody would tell her what was going on. The way things were shaping, she wasn't sure if it was Harry's party or Hank's. The door opened again and Betty sat up straight as Tommy Dillon, looking happy and healthy, came walking in. He barely nodded to Harry and made straight for the chair where Betty was sitting. Barbara saw them look at each other without saying anything for a full minute. Then Tommy found another chair and pulled it up to sit down and take Betty's hand. They were both talking at once when Harry walked over to the hi-fi and turned it down. He made an imaginary bull horn with one hand and said, "Hear this!"
He took a swallow of his drink, waiting until he had everybody's attention. His voice when he began to speak was clear enough. I was right, Barbara thought. He's as sober as a Baptist on Sunday morning.
"I hope you're all having a good time. We're a bit too crowded to dance, so to avoid boring you, I have arranged with two very gifted people to entertain us with what to them comes naturally. Let's have a hand for Pat and Molly."
Heads turned to where he was pointing and Pat stood up, bringing his wife with him. They bowed and there was a ripple of applause. Harry called for volunteers to help him move the couch to the middle of the room. Hank and Sam went to give him a hand. They pushed the chairs back against the walls after Harry asked everyone to get up and gather around. "I should have got a spotlight." He put his glass down while he straightened a corner of the rug. "Can everybody see?"
Barbara looked around for Molly and her husband, telling herself that she had guessed right again. They were going to put on their act She couldn't see them among the others. The low-pockets blonde who had come with Benny pushed in alongside of her. "What are they going to do?" she twittered. "What do they need the couch for?"
"I think they're acrobats," Betty informed her. "You know. Jump up and down."
"Oh." The short girl sounded disappointed. "I've seen that."
"Not this-you haven't, sister. If you don't come in your drawers before it's over, I probably will," Barbara commented as she took Hank's thick arm and they worked their way over to stand with Sam and Doris. Betty and Tommy had disappeared.
Harry went to look along the hall. He turned around and said, "Here they are."
The fact that both were naked did nothing to Barbara because she had expected it. What did impress her was Molly's complete lack of embarrassment. Maybe if you took your clothes off often, enough, you got that way. She took no notice of the "ahs" and "ohs" that greeted their appearance. With all her detachment, she was quite gracious, smiling at everyone as Pat led her over to the couch.
Barbara looked quickly to see if his penis was hard and saw it already starting to stand. She had never heard of a man who could get an erection at will but evidently this one could-and stay that way, as she had discovered earlier.
Neither said anything. Apparently, they were going to work in pantomime. like someone on television, Barbara reflected, only they'd get arrested if they tried that. Molly pointed to her husband's rising penis and at once leaned forward to take it in her mouth. A sort of collective sigh ran through the audience as they craned forward to get a closer view. Pat had remained standing and the stiffening prick slipping in between Molly's distended lips was visible from both sides. Does my pussy look like that, Barbara asked herself, when there's a big cock in it? More gasps and murmurings ran through the onlookers. Then the room became suddenly quiet. Someone had turned the music off. Only some quickened breathing and the little sounds of Molly's sucking mouth accompanied this opening act.
In less than a minute, she released him and looked around, smiling again with understandable pride. Her husband's wet penis now stood up against his belly as though it worked on a spring. She stroked it lightly and leaned forward again to hold it between her generous boobies. The head shone as it swelled even harder. Someone said, "Jesus!"
Still holding his erection, Molly lay back against an arm of the couch to give him room to stretch out on his back. Then, almost savagely, she straddled him and parted her thighs to receive his stiff length all the way. Blonde hair and dark mingled as she pressed his balls into her crotch.
"Reverse missionary," Barbara murmured. "What did you say?" Hank did not look at her. His eyes were glued to the couch.
"Forget it." She had watched all this before.
Now she wanted to do something more than just look. "Let's split." She squeezed his arm. She leaned near to whisper, "I don't think anyone's using the bed."
Hank brought his eyes around reluctantly. "You mean now?" He looked back quickly at the pair on the couch.
When she nodded, he said, "Sure. But can't we watch a bit longer? They're just getting to the interesting part."
"Let them go. I'm in the mood. Don't you want to take advantage of me? If you like, you can bring that whip." She couldn't tell him that she wanted him to beat her and make her hurt all over. He wouldn't understand. He'd think she'd blown her mind.
He put his chin on his shoulder as she drew him away. Nobody, including Harry, noticed them leave. Betty passed them in the hall, leading Tommy by the hand. They must have just finished having a quickie. The thought sent anticipatory shivers through her. She wanted to screw so badly that she could taste it.
In the bedroom, she locked the door and began to undress, dropping her clothes onto a chair, careless of how her dress might look when she put it on again. Already, in her mind she could see Hank's big prick and feel it stretching her cunt as it entered her. "Hurry." She reached over impatiently to pull his zipper down before unhooking her brassiere. "Get 'em off, daddy-o. Take me while I'm hot to trot." Then she bit her lip, wondering if she sounded like a chippy.
Hank's penis was standing when he stepped out of his shorts. This time he put them on a chair with the rest of his clothes, instead of kicking them out of the way like the first time. He stood there, fingering his hardness and looking at her.
"Stop thinking about those two swingers back there!" she threw at him. "Concentrate on me." Barbara turned her back and climbed onto the bed, wincing at the contact with the cold plastic. She lay flat, then got up quickly and dragged the offending sheet off and threw it on the floor. "I never did like that damned thing." She did not add that it reminded her of being forced to screw whoever Harry produced. Molly hadn't dug it, either. She had asked him to get rid of it before starting her demonstration. The bed had a completely different feel to it without the plastic cover; a warm, intimate feeling, yet firm enough not to give too much under Hank's bulk.
When he stretched out beside her, his erection stood straight up, as though he had a stick in his crotch.
"Um-m-m! Nice peepee!" She wrapped her fingers around the rigid shaft to massage it slowly. "Where'd you get it? Off a burro?"
"Let's fuck," Hank said.
"Shame on you. That Molly woman made you dirty minded." She wasn't about to let herself be hurried. This one was for free-of her own choosing. A little teasing would make it last longer. "How long is it since you've been sucked off?" She kissed his ear and breathed in it.
"Since last time." Hank put his hand out to feel her pussy.
"You mean when we did it?" She cut her eyes at him because she was bending over to nibble his nipple. "How faithful of you."
"Aw, it wasn't that." His exploring finger found her clitoris and she caught her breath and gave a little jump. "The broads say I'm too large. They claim I choke them and make them throw up."
"Do that again." She put a hand on his and guided it to where the probing finger felt best. "I don't think you're too big," she purred, remembering how his towering cock-had made her lips ache and heightened her pleasure. And he had come like turning on a faucet; good, warm man juice which ran out of her and made her crotch into a river. "Hold still. Take your hand away for a minute. Then play with me some more."
He looked a bit doubtful as she wriggled down and felt for his hardness again. When she started to lick the head, he slid a finger under her chin and raised it. "Don't make me come that way," he begged, so earnestly that she felt like laughing. "I want to do it in your box; the first time, anyway."
"Poor baby." She stopped long enough to make a face at him. "You don't mind if I have a little taste, do you? Such a pretty prick. It's a shame to waste it."
He mumbled something about it not being a candy bar and she went back to work. When she was ready, she let his horn push in between her stretched lips. Recollecting what Molly had advised, she tightened them behind the head, holding it while she teased the eye with little rapid flicks of her tongue. He grunted and moved and she knew he liked it. Such treatment, Molly had implied, would "put a hard on a dead man." His finger slipped into her pussy and his knuckle began to drive her crazy. Every time it brushed against her clitoris, she ached to come.
His balls were bunching in their sack. She moved them between her fingers, pushing them up against the root of his penis and letting them drop back of their own weight. When the shaft crowding her mouth began to throb and jerk, she let it go and straightened to kiss him and bite his ear. With an arm around his neck, she rubbed her nose under his chin and whispered, "Ready?"
"I've been ready ever since I got in bed," he grumbled. "How-"
"Let's do it the way we did after you beat me." She bit his chin, then kissed him again, cutting him off.
"Horse fashion? Yeah, I like it that way."
The bed swayed as he got onto his knees. She rolled over onto her face, allowing him to slide an arm under her and pull her buttocks up.
"Do it hard." The pillow muffled her voice. "Stick it into me fast." She could hardly wait for the pain to begin.
His prick seemed even bigger this time. As though understanding what she wanted, he fitted the head into the crack of her cunt, opening it wide and shoved it up in a single, long thrust. The pain of his entry stabbed through her like hot knives. She had to chew her lips to keep from crying out. The next thrust was easier, dispelling the brief numbness as his fingers dug into her thighs and kept her hard against him. He fucked slowly, giving her the full length of his taut prick at each stroke, holding it into her for a couple of breaths before pulling back. When he moved his hands to her boobies, he hurt her again and she backed onto the hard shaft.
Something disturbed her. She raised her head to listen. Someone was banging on the bedroom door. Hank muttered and kept still. When the knocking was repeated, he pulled out and got off the bed. "Don't answer." Frustration surged through her. She had been floating on a pink cloud and now some idiot was spoiling everything.
Hank was dancing on one foot, pulling his pants on while he growled something about the joint maybe being on fire. He slid the bolt back and opened the door a crack. Then he turned his head. "It's Harry."
"Tell him we're busy. Shut that door and come back here."
"He wants in." When she looked her annoyance without answering, he shrugged and said, "Aw, come on. It's the guy's birthday. He's seen us do it before." He stood aside and Harry, glass in hand, pushed the door the rest of the way open.
"Well!" He stopped in the doorway to grin at Barbara, who was sitting in the middle of the bed, scowling at him. "Sneaking one behind my back, as I live and breathe. Have you no shame?"
"Go and sit down, if you're staying," Hank rumbled. None of his old diffidence showed in his tone. Through her feeling of outrage, Barbara wondered. "Do us a favor. Shut your trap."
"Nasty man," Harry reproved. "I won't charge you this time. I'll just eyeball you and think rude thoughts." He carried his drink over to the chair by the bedroom window.
"Please to continue, as the French say." He eyed Hank's drooping prick and added, "That is, if you can."
"Don't pay any attention to him." Barbara reached to take Hank's hand and pull him over to the bed. "Get up here and put it in my boobies. There! Make like it's my pussy and you'll be hard again before you know it. Damn him, anyway." She ignored Harry completely.
Hank's prick rose between her warm tits while she was trying to bite his nipples. When he took it away, it was so proud that the eye opened. He skinned the foreskin back further and stroked it a couple of times. Then he lifted her back onto her knees.
She looked over a shoulder as he re-entered her. Harry had pulled his chair up to see better. She noted the bulge in his crotch and marveled that he hadn't taken his cock out to play with it, as he usually did when he was third party at a screwing. "What's the matter?" she taunted. "Can't you get it up? Or don't you jack off on your birthday?"
Hank resumed his unhurried fucking and the sense of frustration left her as his hardness stretched her cunt. But it wasn't the same. Harry had ruined it for her. The bastard would come busting in just when they were off to a good start.
She buried her face in the pillow and concentrated on coming. Hank must have had the same idea. He hurried the action, abandoning his leisurely stroking, until the bed was shaking under them, driving his stiffness into her in quick, shortening strokes. He grunted under his breath every time he drew back a few inches to push in again. His balls were cool in the fork of her thighs.
She fought an impulse to move with him, compelling herself to kneel there quietly and allow him to take her, feeling for his testicles and finding them with a quick sigh of satisfaction. When he caught her shoulders and began to fuck her harder and faster, she pushed back, wanting every inch of that rigid horn, hating him a little every time it retreated.
He came then and she threw a hand back to find his thigh, as though to hold him into her. The warm semen felt as if it was flooding her whole body and she closed her eyes, forgetting everything as the pink cloud came back and carried her off to nowhere.
Harry left when Barbara went to the bathroom. He seemed to have something on his mind and closed the door absently behind him.
"He didn't say anything," she remarked when she came out.
"He talks too much, anyway." Hank, half dressed, was hunting his other sock.
She put her clothes on and stood in front of the mirror to fix her face. Then she took his hand. "Come on, stud horse. I'll let you buy me a drink."
A little ahead of her because the hall was narrow, he stopped so suddenly at the end of it that she ran into him and bumped her nose. "What happened?" She caught his arm to regain her balance.
"Take a look." He moved so that she could see past him.
She edged forward far enough to look into the living room.
"Screwing like minks!" Hank muttered, as though he still couldn't believe it.
She stood there staring, half shocked, plagued by a desire to giggle.
Pat and Molly, fully dressed, were sitting on chairs, conversing calmly. Harry was leaning on the bar with his nose in his glass. She could hear Betty and Tommy talking in the kitchen.
Sam and Doris appeared to have monopolized the couch. He was taking his time, fucking her slowly the back way.
Benny, the ex-wrestler, had removed his pants and was spread out in another chair. His wispy girl friend, whom he had addressed as Lila, was sitting in his capacious lap, facing him and jumping up and down.
"I seen Benny's dong when he was taking a piss," Hank whispered. "By rights, he ought to bust that antsy chick wide open."
For want of a better place, Tony and Helen had chosen the rug. She had a couch cushion under her bare bottom and his slacks had worked down around his ankles. They must have just begun. He was screwing her languidly, as though they had all night to enjoy it.
"I've been to a lot of parties," Hank muttered, "but this is the fuckingest one I was ever at."
Nobody took any notice of them and they kept still, taking in the scene. Harry found a chair and motioned to Barbara to sit down. He seemed reluctant to make any noise, although she was sure he could have fired a gun and none of the busy couples would have heard it.
"Lila got her jollies." He indicated the jiggling blonde.-"Benny ain't come yet."
Molly caught Barbara's eye and smiled and nodded. She was as cool as if she was watching television in her own living room. Evidently being surrounded by fornicating couples was not a new experience. So much for swingers, Barbara reflected. They must get calluses on their psyches.
Apparently, Harry had not noticed them yet. He was patently interested in the youngster lying under Tony. She could not be much more than fifteen, Barbara had guessed earlier, as though two years difference in their ages was an eon. But already she knew how to fuck. She followed his timing carefully, holding him loosely around the waist with her legs crossed, giving him plenty of room to "put his back into it," as Hank observed in a undertone. Her bare thighs and buttocks looked all the fairer against her partner's swarthy skin. Each time he arched up, they could see his brown balls pounding her crotch and the shaft of his brown penis forcing her pussy open, turning the pink lips back on themselves, covering them as he bore down into her again.
"Reckon they're having a race?" Hank pointed with his chin to Sam and Doris doing their thing on the couch, oblivious to any one else except themselves. "Good old Sam," he applauded softly. "Just look at him pour the peter to that dame of his. He's got me beat a mile."
"Not really." Barbara appeared to consider. "In the first place, he isn't hung like a horse, silly. You are."
They were so absorbed in watching the action that they scarcely noticed Betty and Tommy come out of the kitchen and walk past them along the hall.
The sawed-off blonde was screwing Benny's cock again. She had both arms around his bull neck and was jerking her hips industriously.
"That Lila." Hank watched her for a minute, then shook his head. "It's all she's good for. A fucking machine. I tell Benny to dump her but he won't listen. I tell him she don't have any class."
Barbara ran a critical eye over the un-likely male nurse. He seemed quite happy. A foolish sort of grin curved his wide mouth almost around to his ears, like a clown's. He was staring fixedly at the ceiling.
"He's going to get his gun," Hank predicted.
Benny suddenly erupted into vigorous action. The vacant smile fled as he cupped the blonde's bare bottom in his big paws and stood up, lifting her with him. The chair toppled backward as he held her away from him to drive his prick in and out of her cunt as though he was raping her. After four or five furious strokes, he pulled her against him and came. When he finished, he dropped her like a bundle of laundry and looked around for his pants.
"A jump up," Barbara whispered. "That takes muscle."
"It takes guts, too." Hank's tone held admiration. "I'd be frightened I'd break my prick off."
Sam and Doris came to the end of their coupling at about the same time. They zipped and buttoned up and sat side by side, holding hands, as though that was what they had been doing all evening.
That left Tony and his pretty moppet still grinding away. They were breathing hard, coming to the short strokes but after Benny's spectacular finish, anything approaching straight screwing smacked of anticlimax.
"Come on." Hank took Barbara's hand and stepped over the lovers on the rug. "I'll buy you that drink now."
The bedroom door was locked again. Betty and Tommy were sitting up in the rumpled bed with their arms around each other. They had just finished what she knew was the most wonderful fuck of her life. Now she would have to spoil everything by telling him about Harry.
He had been gentle yet demanding, in a way that excited her more than when they did it at the lake. As before, there was no discomfort when he eased his heavy penis into her. Once more, as she lay quite still, only shuddering a trifle at the delightful sensation as his hardness entered her cunt, she told herself that she was half alive when he was not with her. She had strained up to kiss him as his cool testicles came to nestle between her thighs.
The head of his hard prick engaged her clitoris at just the right angle to send a shivery feeling all through her and bring goose bumps which went away as they settled down to screw steadily. Again, she experienced the sense of fulfillment, the sureness that they were natural partners and that nothing, not even the ugliness of Harry, could alter that. They had made love for the first time that night too hurriedly, so glad to see each other that they had both reached orgasm almost immediately. Now it was perfect. The first flush of excitement had changed to a deeper appreciation, a feeling of trust, which inspired the certainty that there was no hurry.
Remembering in time how she had interrupted their coupling when he first took her, losing him in her anxiety to help, she put her legs up to circle his waist, keeping her hips still, moving only her thighs and knees to pull him close each time his straining erection came plunging back.
"I love you, Tommy Dillon!" She heard herself say it as she nuzzled his neck and took the lobe of his ear between her teeth to nibble it, making small, gratified murmurings as the pleasure swelled into a surging wave of ecstasy, flooding everything out of her mind except his presence in her and his warm weight crushing her nakedness into the bed.
Barbara had once said that a man smelled different when he was screwing. No amount of cologne, she insisted, could eliminate the increased masculine odor, the purely physical scent of his maleness. That was how Tommy smelled now; a musky, intriguing fragrance which captivated her and compelled her irresistibly toward climax. His probing cock seemed to caress her at each new thrust It was heavenly; so wonderful that she did not want to open her eyes and remember that she was in Harry's bedroom and that he was waiting out there, like something evil, to drive her onto her back again for any man who had the price.
She wouldn't do it. Now that Tommy was back, it was unthinkable. Rather than go back to that degradation, she'd do away with herself.
He was fucking her in quick time, as though following the beat of some music she couldn't hear. His heavy breathing fluttered her hair, hot on her cheek as he put his face down against hers. She moved her circling legs and put her feet on the swaying bed, opening her thighs as wide as she could to receive all of his urgent prick. She wished he could push it up to her heart.
When they came, it seemed unimportant after the glorious thrill of being screwed. His stiff cock opening her cunt had been so delicious that she had wanted nothing more than to lie there and enjoy it with all her body and all her mind. Then, when his semen jetted into her in quick, warm squirts, she came all over again and the world went away and she heard the music at laat.
"You should have told me," Tommy kept on repeating. They were sitting close together, hugging their knees, with the sheets covering their nakedness. Betty had just made herself describe Harry's hold over them. "That's why I never called." She couldn't bring herself to look at him. "I was too ashamed."
"I'll kill him!" Tommy hit the bed with his clenched fist. "I'll take him apart right this minute."
"Wait." She put a hand on his shoulder and kissed him lingeringly. "Barb and I thought of that. We were going to pay someone to beat him up. She was saving the money. We told Hank-you met him tonight-and he said it wouldn't work. He knew Harry too well. He'd have put the negative in a safe place, like his bank. Then, if anyone jumped him, he'd swear that he had lost it. So that seemed to take care of that." Her voice shook as she finished and she hid her face against him. "Now you know. I suppose I'm as much to blame as he is, because I-I enjoyed some of it."
"We'll get out of this crummy town. I'll go to your mother and tell her we want to get married."
"I love you for that." She rubbed her face against his arm, so relieved when he did not appear to think less of her that she could hear that lovely music quite clearly. Then her quick happiness faded and she shook her head. "It's no good. I'd be in the clear but Barb would still be hooked. He'd make it all the worse for her if I stepped out. Don't you see?"
"She can come, too." Tommy got off the bed and put his pants on. He talked quickly as he paced up and down. "She can keep house for us. I've got money-"
"You're sweet. But she'd never leave Mother alone."
"Bring her along. Why not?"
She got up and went to him. "I'll marry you," she said, "if-if you want me after what I told you." She touched his hand pleadingly. "Don't do anything yet. Barb thinks something's about to break. Promise?"
"I'd rip him up only he's probably left instructions in case anything happens to him. Okay. I'll hold off for now."
"Make the check out to me," Hank directed. "That way, if you change your mind, I can bring Benny to call on you. You'd look silly with your back broken."
"You make my ass tired," Harry complained. "It's bad enough as it is. You don't have to steal my money."
"The girls need it. Start writing. Or do you want to talk to Benny?"
"No. Get that ape out of here. Give me a pen."
When Tony and Helen gave up rolling on the rug, seeming to appreciate belatedly that they had gathered an audience, Barbara looked at Hank and carried her drink over to the couch. Sam and Doris made room for them.
The living room had returned to normal. Pat and Molly were still talking unconcernedly. Benny was leaning against the wall, staring into his empty glass with a puzzled expression, as though wondering where his drink had gone. The low-pockets blonde was resting in his lately vacated chair, adoring him with her eyes. Harry had left the bar. They could hear him making noises in the kitchen.
He reappeared, carrying a tray with a bottle and glasses. "I'd have hired a caterer but you sex maniacs would probably have screwed him blind. So it's wait on yourselves." He brought a second tray and set it on the bar. "Have at it. The caviar's good beluga. I'll open the champagne." He was in a party mood.
"That's that whale shit he served last time," Hank grumbled. "And that fizzy stuff makes me fart worse'n my old grampa." He watched moodily while Harry undid the wire on the magnum. The cork bounced off the ceiling. Glasses were held out to catch the bubbling wine.
Harry cleared his throat, holding up a hand as though about to propose a toast. The conversation died and he started to speak when Tony produced a camera, interrupting him.
"Let's have a picture first." Expertly, he grouped them with Harry in the middle. When the flash went off, Barbara was painfully reminded of an earlier occasion. There had only been two faces in that picture but they were sufficient.
"Let's drink to sex," Harry proposed. "May it never go out of style."
Everybody drank. Tony looked at his watch, timing the picture. Harry joined him, looking interested. "Nice camera," he commented.
"You should know," Tony agreed. "It took a picture for you once before. You paid for it. I happened to be the photographer."
Hank and Benny came over. Benny managed to nudge Harry urgently. "So that's how it was," Hank said. "Harry, you're a first-class bastard. What did you do with that negative?" Benny growled and contrived to step on Harry's toe.
"He never had a negative," Tony told him. "This camera is a new Japanese version of the Polaroid. It develops its own pictures but only one. The negative is no good for a second print.
Look." He opened the back of the camera and peeled off a black-and-white photograph. The film when he held it up was already dark. The image vanished as they watched. "A little expensive," Tony admitted "but the pictures are fine."
"You faked it," Hank growled. "You showed them poor kids an empty envelope and made them believe you had them where it hurt."
Barbara, listening, suddenly felt a weakness in her knees. She sat down quickly, still not crediting her ears. Betty and Tommy came in, looking very much in love. Pat and Molly appeared to have taken advantage of the discussion to leave without bidding their host good-night. Outside, the street traffic seemed louder. Or perhaps it was just the steady beating of her heart.
The sun brightening the window curtains woke Betty and she lay with her eyes open, quite certain that this was the best morning of them all. She and Barb were rid of Harry, Tommy loved her and they were going to be married as soon as he could get the license. How different to yesterday, when she had wished she could die. It was all so sudden that she would need a little time to get used to it.
Barbara stirred and stretched her arms and yawned luxuriously. "Good morning, dear sister," she greeted blithely. "Are your thoughts clean and pure to start your new day?"
When Betty smiled at her, she lay back, making mental pictures on the ceiling. The newly-weds would live here with their mother. She was going to talk her into giving permission to rent an apartment. Barbara was going into business with Hank. They'd need a pad to operate properly. She rolled over and smiled at the wall. The money would roll in. Harry was a lousy manager but, with Hank controlling him, he'd make a good pimp.