Persona - A Disturbing Psychological Thriller (29 page)

‘Ben…oh, Ben…oh my God! My God…I can feel it…oh yes, I can feel it!’

Blood rushed to her vagina, felt as if it would burst out of her skin. She writhed and wriggled in elation. His iron penis slid in and out, massaged her, drove her insane. Her eyes rolled back in her head. She couldn’t stand the feeling and had to break free to keep her mind. She dug her nails in his back, clung onto him, rising and falling with his body and then slumped back onto the mattress. Her screams intensified, her body tensed, consciousness deserted her, and then she came and thought and hoped she’d never stop…

When she regained control of her faculties, she realised Ben had stopped riding her.

‘Did you come?’ she asked.

He laughed. ‘Didn’t you hear me?’

‘No.’

‘You must have felt it!’

Absorbed in her other world, she had barely registered the hot liquid squirting into her. Now she remembered it.

‘Oh, Ben, it was…it was…oh…’

‘Perfect,’ he added.

Jenny smiled, feeling proud and emotional that she had given him his best orgasm.

‘I just didn’t know… I never thought I could love so much. God, I love you, Jenny. No one could love someone more.’

When Jenny excused herself to use the toilet, Geoff’s fists were clenched so tight it hurt to release them. He got to his feet, slipped into his room, and was under his covers before she opened her door. Was there any point pretending to be asleep? he wondered - the bitch must have woken the whole fucking neighbourhood.

He felt incredibly frustrated and demoralised. Even though it had been excruciatingly painful to overhear the entire episode, he’d had to, because there may have been something he could use.

There had been. And he would exhaust its potential.

The cunt had belittled him in front of her. The arrogant bastard thought he was better. Geoff wouldn’t give up. He’d do everything possible to fuck Jenny and break Ben. It would be more difficult now they’d fucked, but not impossible. There was a point of attack to be utilised. She was vulnerable, susceptible, and would fall into his trap.

34

The next morning, while Ben and Tash were at the shopping mall, Jenny was lying on the couch watching Pretty Woman on video. She heard Geoff get up. When he joined her he was wearing black shorts only.

‘Morning, Jenny.’

‘Hi, Geoff.’ She sat up at the end of the couch so he could sit there too if he wanted, rather than the armchair.

‘What’s the time?’ Instead of sitting at the other end of the couch, he sat down beside her. Feeling uneasy with him so close, Jenny closed her legs.

‘Nine-thirty,’ she replied.

‘Fuck, I overslept.’ Geoff stretched his arms. ‘I found it hard to sleep last night.’

She flashed an awkward smile.

‘How was it?’ he asked.

Jenny frowned. ‘I’m not discussing that with you,’ she said sternly.

Geoff tensed up. ‘Why the attitude?’

‘There’s no attitude.’

‘Yes there is – you’re so defensive. What have I done? We’re good friends. If I’ve compromised that friendship in some way I’d like to know how, so I can repair it.’

‘I’m not stupid, Geoff. If I’m your friend, respect me.’

‘What’s triggered this?’

‘You’re a good actor.’

Geoff sighed, glanced at the blue sky, shook his head, and then looked back at her. ‘Jenny, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I care about you and I won’t give up until I know how I’ve offended you.’

She didn’t want him thinking he could fool her into believing he couldn’t understand her hostility, when he was the one who’d orchestrated that animosity. He had fooled her before and it had threatened her happiness. He had to know it was pointless to try it again.

‘I’m not your friend, Geoff. I know the truth and I know you lied to me.’

‘It’s because I’m your friend that I’m trying to break up you and Ben. You’re too good for him and I don’t want him hurting you. I lied about nothing.’

Frustrated, Jenny closed her eyes. She’d hoped he’d back down. ‘I love Ben and I don’t want you to interfere anymore.’

‘I won’t allow him to hurt you like he has everyone else.’

She shook her head. ‘You’re lying.’

‘Why would I lie?’

‘Because you want to fuck me.’

He stared at her. She held his gaze. ‘You’re beautiful and I love you, always have.’ His head sank. ‘Don’t let us fall out over this. I swear that everything I said was true, and I told you because I care for you.’

‘I’m in love with Ben. If you try to break that up then of course it will change my attitude towards you.’

‘It wouldn’t if you knew what I know. I’ve known Ben long enough to see his true colours - you can’t pretend that long.’

Jenny looked away. In the film, Julia Roberts was fending off a sexual assault from Richard Gere’s lawyer.

‘I told you not to try to break us up and you keep ignoring me.’

Geoff smiled. ‘You’re afraid of the truth.’

She glared at him. ‘I’m sick of your lies! Leave us alone, Geoff! You’re just selfish!’

‘I’m not, Jenny,’ he said placidly. ‘You’re in danger. You’re too trusting to see that. Ben will treat you differently now – he’ll be true to character.’

‘Why?’

‘Because he’s fulfilled his goal.’

Jenny rolled her eyes.

‘He only wanted to sleep with you. You were his challenge. The longer it took, the more determined he became.’

Jenny stared at him. ‘Don’t you care that saying things like that hurts me? Because they’re cruel. Not true.’

‘I see it as damage limitation. And though you resent me now for telling you, in time you’ll thank me. To me, it’s worth the cost, because I love you and hate to see you being used.

‘Ben told me you two hadn’t had sex. He told me he’d fuck you senseless on this trip. And he told me he could fuck any girl he wanted to.’ Geoff sighed. ‘Even my girl.’

Shock sucked the colour from her face. ‘What? Tash?’

Geoff nodded. ‘They’re doing it now.’

‘No way,’ she said, her lips quivering. ‘You’re making it up, you sick bastard. They’re at the shopping mall.’

Geoff shook his head. ‘I tried to kid myself at first.’

Jenny stood up. ‘This is just more lies. You better tell me you’re lying!’

‘I’m sorry to have to do this to you.’ Geoff walked to his room, and when he returned he handed her an A4 envelope.

‘What is this?’ Teary-eyed, the envelope shook in her hand.

‘It’s the proof we don’t want to accept.’

Jenny’s trembling fingers removed the contents. In the first photo, Tash was spread-eagled on the bed, with Ben’s face between her legs. The second showed Tash going down on Ben, most of his penis in her mouth. In the third he was deep inside her…

She lost her balance and fell into Geoff. He held her tight, stroked her back.

‘I’m so sorry, Jenny.’

Ben had told her that all Geoff could use against them was lies.

But this was the truth.

‘Remember yesterday I told you there was something else you should know?’ Recalling this, she shivered. ‘That was it,’ he whispered. ‘You were too upset to let me tell you.’

‘I tried to warn you before you gave yourself to him, but I failed.’ Gently, he pinched her shoulder. She wore a white T-shirt with a smiley, yellow face on the front, and blue shorts. Her body was almost convulsing in his arms.

‘It’s in his character. He devotes himself with a mission and then revels in its success.’ He sighed. ‘Has he told you about his past yet?’

‘Yes,’ she bawled.

‘He had a tough time and though he tries to pretend it’s irrelevant, I know it haunts him. It explains his aggressiveness and insensitivity. He needs help and I feel obliged to look out for him. At heart, he’s insecure and unhappy, but that doesn’t excuse his desire to hurt people. When it involved hurting you, Jenny, I had to intervene. I knew I’d face hostility.’

Geoff’s heart thumped in his chest.

‘The real reason I got up late today was because I didn’t want to hear him gloat about his conquest, so I waited till he left. You’re not an object, Jenny. You’re a human being I adore.’

‘I need to be alone.’

Geoff exhaled loudly. ‘Don’t let him sweet-talk you again. He’ll tell you what you want to hear and you’ll believe it. Don’t do it, Jenny. Ben told me that as soon as we get home he’ll leave you.’

‘He-he-he won’t sweet-talk me.’ She tried to pull away, but he kept hold of her shoulder.

‘You don’t have to be alone. I’m always here for you. I care. You can trust me.’ He pulled her towards him, blood stirring within him when her body pressed against his. ‘Jenny, you’re safe with me.’

She felt scared, helpless, abused. She wanted to be in England with the people who loved her, who wanted her, instead of in this foreign country with an animal who’d used her. She’d given him everything. He had tricked her into believing he was the one she should love. She should have known - Geoff had warned her yesterday, and most of what he’d told her had been true. Ben hadn’t denied it – he’d discussed the subjects with her and sweet-talked her…

She rested her head on Geoff’s chest, and choking with emotion stuttered, ‘Why…how…how could he do this to me?’

‘Because he’s an arsehole.’

‘But…he told me it was…perfect.’

‘It probably was. He knew it would be fantastic, that’s why he persisted with you.’ He ran his fingers through her hair, felt himself get hard. ‘You’re so beautiful, Jenny.’ He kissed the top of her head and stroked her back. ‘It doesn’t have to be bad… You met me and I care about you.’

‘It…it felt so good…so right last night. And now, so suddenly, it’s the worst thing I ever did. I feel like…taking my own life.’

Geoff turned her so that she faced him. ‘Don’t say that, Jenny! Don’t ever say that! Like the other girls, you’re a victim. It’s happened and you have to move on. You can’t let the bastard win, you can’t. You’re better than him and you can get over this.’

She bawled, ‘Three times I had him inside me…’

Three times! After the first session, Geoff had gone to bed, miserable, and had fallen asleep. He hadn’t expected them to do it twice more!

‘He makes girls feel special and important and then breaks their hearts.’

‘He told me fate had brought us together, that I was precious and important, that…he’d never…hurt me…’ She buried her face in Geoff’s chest. He felt dampness on him.

‘Jenny, you have to forget what he said. Remembering will do you no good. It’s all lies.’

‘How can I just forget?’ she asked feebly.

‘You can. It’s self-preservation. You’ll get over this and find true love.’

Maybe he was right. She found that she couldn’t hope he was. Hope was dead. It was responsible for much of her pain and she’d never feel it again.

Noticing Geoff’s penis poking at his shorts, evidently erect, she stared curiously at it.

‘Geoff, are you hard?’ she asked him, strangely appreciative of the distraction. Seeing him firm and excited while she was sad and miserable was almost funny.

‘I’m only flesh and blood, Jenny. If you talk about sex I’ll get aroused. I’m sorry.’

She felt dizzy, disorientated. Two facts seemed apparent – Ben had broken her and Geoff wanted to pick up the pieces. How could Ben be so malicious? How could he tell so many lies, yet appear genuine and sincere? How could he live with himself? Why had she been punished?

Right now though, while she was vulnerable, afraid, and feeling worse than she ever thought possible, Geoff made her feel better. He was there for her and Ben had hurt both of them. Right now, she needed him. She couldn’t get over this alone – she’d cry herself to death.