Wonder Land by Alexis Rey

Author:Alexis Rey [Rey, Alexis]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: And Why Not Books
Published: 2023-07-01T00:00:00+00:00

THREE

the friend

We both looked toward the door. The new guest stood leaning on the doorjamb, arms crossed over his chest. He was wider and a little taller than Gabriel. His beard was meticulously groomed. A short-sleeved white t-shirt showed off bulky arm and chest muscles.

He was also covered in tattoos. Shapes snaked their way up his arms and into the sleeves, and even from this distance I could see letters and symbols on the backs of his hands and on each knuckle. Tips of something showed over the collar of his t-shirt. Though his facial expression was one of kindly amusement, I sensed a vague danger behind all that decoration.

“Don’t judge him by his cover,” Gabriel said. “He’s an old friend of mine. And always very good to his playmates.”

“His playmates?” I repeated, still not understanding.

Gabriel cocked his head and looked at me, blinking, waiting for the penny to drop. It took a few moments. And when all at once it finally dropped, so did the ground from under me.

The full sentence I planned had been what do you want me to do with him, exactly? But what I said, my voice suddenly raspy, was, “What…”

“I’m a good friend.” Gabriel shrugged with a twinkle in his eye. “If I have something nice, I like to share. Sharing is caring.”

My mind frantically searched for what I’d put down in regards to sharing on those endless Wonderland lists. I’d just reviewed and updated them too. Had I skipped that section? Had I marked it “Willing?” “Curious?” “Interested?” Gabriel wouldn’t be doing this if I hadn’t noted it was allowed. And why was I so surprised he would pick that up and use it? He was detail-oriented when it came to me; I’d already learned that.

Seeing the panic that must have been written all over my face, Gabriel dipped his head to look deep into my eyes. “Alice,” he said, “I told you I would push and test you. You said you were ready for anything. That’s why he’s here.”

I nodded and took deep breaths as he spoke. He was right, of course. I did say I was ready for anything. He did tell me he would test me. But that didn’t help keep my heart from trying to break through my sternum, nor to give me back my suffocated voice. It didn’t change the fact that there was a tattooed stranger at the door, and I was being offered to him in a gesture of apparent caring, like a toy or a meal.

Mute, I just kept nodding as I listened.

Gabriel’s voice softened. “You know nothing happens here without your explicit consent. Consent I can believe. Those aren’t just words. If you say no, ‘red’ to this, I will tell my friend ’it was nice to see you,’ and he’ll walk out of here the same way he walked in.”

“And we—“ I was able to whisper.

“And we’ll have a nice play session doing something else. Or have a cuddle, if that’s what you prefer.

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