An Illicit Attraction: A Roleplay

Kara awoke and got started with more pep in her step than usual. They weren't expecting any clients at the shop until later, so she, GQ, and Garrett and the boys had spent the night at The Mansion. It wasn't a mansion by any means, but it wasn't a quaint little home, either. Garrett showered himself in his hard earned riches, and his house was no exception. She had been staying there since she'd started college, and had denied herself dorm housing. She loved being able to have her privacy, her own shower to herself, and a walk-in closet that made her girlfriends weep with envy. She had her half of the home, and Garrett had his. From her side of the place, she could hear the sounds of Garrett and his boys and her sexy GQ sleeping.

Having found herself sprawled out on her queen sized bed with her party clothes still on, Kara emerged, showered and garbed herself in a tank and shorts and made her way into the kitchen. Her boys would be hung over, so she decided on making them her famous hangover breakfast. She whisked up omelets, pancakes, sausage, biscuits and gravy with chunks of freshly fried bacon, and set it all on the dinner table to await their arrival.

Within minutes, they crowded into the room looking a little worse for wear, Garrett having lost his shirt sometime during the events of the crazy night before, and plopped down in their seats. She immediately found Hayden's gaze, but knew better than to wink as she'd wanted to. Instead, with a seductive sway in her hips, she joined them and dug into her meal.

"Hangover cakes," Garrett said in awe, digging his hand into the plate piled high with his favorite meal and dropping them in front of his chest. "Baby sis, you're the fuckin' best."

Kara grinned. "I know."

Again, her eyes homed in on Hayden as he drenched his breakfast in maple syrup, and damned if it didn't make her hot when he licked his lips before stuffing a food-filled fork into his mouth. Breaking her gaze away from him, she nodded at Garrett. "You and GQ have yourselves a nice celebration?"

Hayden looked at Kara, the shorts she was in. He was an ass man and hers was fantastic. Remembering how he was looking at it just hours ago. He looked away and Garrett spoke, "GQ? That's this kid's nickname...?"

"Apparently.." Hayden says, eating some more food and drinking his coffee. Garrett looks at Hayden, "School is a waste of time man...you will make so much money working for me."

Hayden looks at him, "I appreciate that...I still have a bit to finish though, it's the whole reason I moved to L.A."

"Maybe a new dream has come your way bro..." Garrett ate some more.

Hayden thought about it, how he their next target can be businessmen. They would trust Hayden, he knows how to talk to people. He kept quiet and Garrett burps,"Shit...,that was one fucking hell of a night." The man got up and left to use the washroom.

The second he did, Kara sat next to Hayden and he could feel her place her hand on his thigh, going up higher and no one at the table was any wiser.

Kara watched Hayden's jawline, how it twitched the higher up her hand went, and almost to keep face, he looked down at her plate, saw what she didn't have, and raised the plate of sausage she'd set at the table's center in offering.

He was adorable when he was flustered.

Her fingertips lightly teasing his thigh, she leaned in closer to his ear. "Not hungry for that kind of sausage," she whispered. "I find yours much better."

And just as the words escaped her lips, she gave his crotch a squeeze to further her point. Hayden seemed to choke on his breakfast, and just then, her brother reemerged. He'd found himself a shirt this time.

As quickly as she'd come onto Hayden, she pulled away and returned her hand to her own lap.

"Garrett, GQ's free to do what he wants, drugs or education," she reminded her brother, continuing the discussion from where it had been left off as she toyed with the edges of her biscuit. "Let's remember that."

Garrett looked at his sister and then at GQ, who was very quiet. He looked at his sister,"What do you care anyways..., where are you going?" He says, seeing Hayden stand up.

"Well considering it's Sunday and we are not opened...I have an essay waiting for me." He started to leave.

"You rather do that, then help me deliver a package and make 5 grand?" Garrett said, Hayden looked at him, speechless.

"5 grand each..?" Hayden said, Garrett laughed "I love this kid, dude..come on. Stop being a pussy and help me out today."

Kara silenced herself and merely shook her head at the two men. If Hayden wanted to succumb to the pressure and throw his life away, he was free to do it. She just didn't want him to be dragged down into this life, screaming. Garrett had to give him some breathing room. He had to realize that this was temporary.

Temporary. The thought hit her like a ten ton brick for some reason and tugged at whatever she'd stomached for breakfast. She couldn't send him back off for his college life and expect him to return. Garrett's life of crime was a magnet of the strongest kind. Once in its vicinity, it pulled you in and kept you prisoner. He was either out or in, and if he was out, then so were their secret meetings.

Selfishly, and with a fine amount of self-hate, she bit her tongue and offered up nothing else. Hayden's life was his to lead, and Kara could keep or change no one.

Suddenly, she felt nauseous. Pushing herself away from the table, she stood and ran a hand through her hair. "You boys have fun doing whatever the fuck you plan on doing," she finally said. "I'm heading down to the shop to do some renovating."

Hayden watched with the rest of the guys, as Kara walked off and it caused Garrett to swear at all of them and threatened to poke their eyes out.

That afternoon, Hayden and Garrett got into Garrett's car which was a mercedes benz. Hayden sits inside,admiring the car. Garrett looked at him,"You could have this too../"

Hayden looks at Garrett, "Let's go do this..." He wouldn't lie and say this didn't appeal to him. How could it not? They pulled up to a house in Orange County, a few hours away.

It was a rich looking house, mansion if you will and they were escourted in by a butler. They headed to a room, Garrett was holding some that was wrapped up in a box.

They were seated in the living room and a short man, looking like Danny Devito came in to the picture.

"Garrett...about time." The short man says, Garrett nods "I said it would be awhile..."

"Whose the kid?" The man said, Garrett nodded to Hayden "My trainee.., look I have it and we all know I want the cash first before handing it over."

The man was looking at Hayden, who suddenly remembered who this guy was. A few years ago, this man's face was everywhere, he was a famous mobster and was arrested. The mobster looked at Garrett,"I don't like someone I've never met...in this house."

"He's cool, alright? 10 grand or you don't get it." Garrett says, the mobster clicks his fingers and a henchmen hands over a bag, Garrett hands it to Hayden "Count it, GQ."

Hayden did so, finally "Yeah..it's 10 grand."

Mobster opened up the box and inside was a shit load of guns, Hayden looked at that and the mobster looked back at Hayden, "You talk, I cut your face off.."

Garrett smirks, "No need for threats..,come on GQ." They left and got into his car. Hayden looks at him, "Drugs,guns...what else do you sell?"

Garrett looks at him, "Drugs mostly..., so 5 grand, for you. Easy as that."

Hayden looks at him,"I didn't do anything..."

Garrett laughs, "You will...you will pay me back for it, it's kind of an unspoken agreement. You take this money and you're in my debt."

Hayden looks at him, thinking about it. Then takes the money, Garrett pats his shoulder,"Good decision..let's go get some drinks."

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It was finally Monday and Hayden was back at school, that essay was not finished and he didn't pay for the summer courses yet. He now had 7 grand to his name and wouldn't lie saying it didn't feel good.

He was walking back from the gym, ipod in his ears when he heard someone call him and he looked round, to see none other than Kara, "Don't tell me...you go here? We should have had this conversation but instead I fucked you."

Kara grinned. Of course she'd recognized him from somewhere. He went to the same damned school she did.

Stepping forward, she licked her lips and let her gaze roam his body. "Oh, but it was a great fuck, GQ." When his cheeks blushed that lovely shade of pink again, she grinned a little wider. "And yes, I go here. I'm majoring in English. You?"

He looks at her,"Business..., any of your guards near by?" looking around and then back to her,"I ask because you know..I do live here, my dorm is in fact right across the parking lot..."

Next scene, they were crashing into his room and luckily his roommate was out. With his door closed and they had sex again, the whole secrecy of this made it all the more hot, he pounded into her and then rolled to his back, looking at her and he smirked.

She rode him like she promised and he yelled out her name, she was so fucking amazing. They both came the same time, she collapsed and he lays their, "Not to be a buzz kill or ruin the moment...but I hope you're not the kind of girl against taking Plan B."

He strokes her arm gently as she lays on top of him.

Kara brushed her cheek against Hayden's slick chest, reveling in the warmth he exuded and how safe she felt in his arms. He stroked her skin lovingly, back and forth, his spent breathing lulling her more than anything else could.

She could still barely speak. Gathering up enough words to make sense, she explained. "Birth control."

He laughed at the barely worded answer, and she sunk even lower into his body. She'd never had this with any man. This, with Hayden, no less, was nice. She liked the way he held her. The way his lips formed her name as if she were the only woman on the planet. She'd been so sheltered, so guarded for so long, the feeling of being exposed and adored was almost too good.

But she did what she always did when a rare, great moment hit her. She enjoyed the hell out of it until it was gone again. And that was just what she intended to do now.

They seemed to spend hours, laying in his bed and talking. She eventually passed out from everything and he looked at that, when she woke up he was dressed and in the common room he shared with his roommate, who was still out.

She came out and saw him cooking some pasta, looking back to her "Hey..., I was starting to think of something I could do to wake you up. Dinner good with you or would your brother kill me for feeding you as well?"

He laughed, slightly joking and slightly serious. Turning off the stove and getting things set.

No freak-out? No kicking her out of his place? Hayden kept continuing to surprise Kara. He was nothing like the men she'd been with before.

Finding herself annoyingly speechless, she offered him a simple nod. The food smelled wonderful.

When he turned back to attend to the pasta, she pulled on her jeans and buttoned them at the waist before sitting down at the eating table. Watching him move around effortlessly in his small kitchen, his pants riding low on his hips, she almost wanted to forgo the food altogether and ride him again.

"I hate being this secretive," Kara admitted, crossing her arms over her chest as she watched him work. "It's just... Garrett's very protective."

Hayden had to laugh at that.

"He..." Kara swallowed. "He's all I have left. Mom died of breast cancer when I was ten. Dad killed himself a year later. We've been on our own since then."

That was more than she'd told anyone, ever, and Kara immediately felt stupid for revealing so much. They were fuck buddies. They should keep it that way.

Nonetheless, she'd started this shit, so she decided to finish it. "I went through some shit and rebelled against Garrett, and the world punished me for it. He blames himself for what happened. Now he's hellbent on making sure I don't get hurt again."

He looks at her and sets down a bowl, offering her a beer to drink and they sat. As he ate and finally replied to everything she said, "I'm an only child, so I never understood having a sibling but you know, maybe if I had a hot sister I would help her out..as well."

He drank his beer and looked at her, "My parents also are dead, died in a car crash when I was 12."

Kara nodded somberly. She wasn't dumb enough to say she was sorry for his loss or any shit like that. She'd hated hearing that as a kid. She still did. Sorry didn't bring her mother back. Sorry didn't make her father any less of a coward. Instead, she took a sip from her beer. "That sucks."

They'd been fucking like wild animals only a few hours before, and now the place had turned dead silent. Kara didn't like it. Deciding to try her luck, she straightened up in her seat and met his gaze again. "So, are you thinking about that deal with Garrett?"

He looked at her, "I actually rather keep that between him and me." He finished eating and set down his fork, looking at Kara "Don't try to get me talking about it, I like your brother and this whole thing is complicated."

Kara snorted. "Everybody but the enemy likes Garrett. It doesn't make what he does any less dangerous. He got into this life because we had nothing. You've got college, a life mapped out for you. First you said it was temporary, and now you're seriously considering throwing everything away for it."

She tried not to get too worked up, but the thought of Hayden taking a fall for their lifestyle was too much to take. He was still innocent. Lost, surely, and misguided, but innocent. "Hayden, I don't mean to pry. I just think you should consider what you're getting yourself into. I don't think you realize how big all this is. I've seen men come into our little family and end up with a bullet in the brain for it. You may be smart, but you're not invincible. I tell Garrett the same damned thing."

He looks at her,"No offense but you don't seem to mind living off what he does, if you did..you could move off on your own and pay for college yourself, I am assuming everything he does helps pay for it?"

At Hayden's words, Kara felt her rage building beneath the surface, damned near close to exploding. "My parents' deaths paid for college, you fucking asshole!" she spat. "All those checks I got after they died. Garrett wouldn't use a fucking penny of it. He saved it, told me to make a better life out of it. In return, I got a brother who killed and sold to junkies to keep ourselves a home!"

Fuming, she pushed away from the table. "Don't fucking act like you know me. I stayed because he's my brother. He's all I've got. And now you know me for two fucking weeks, and you think you've got it all figured out? Fuck you, Hayden."

Without a word more to say, she stomped over to the bed to find her heels and discarded bra, evidence of what had apparently been a huge mistake for them both. She didn't bother with goodbyes of any sort. She simply marched toward the door, prepared to kick him out of her life for good. This was what she got for opening up? He could fuck himself. He and all his righteous, I-know-all bullshit.

"Yeah well, you can't fuck your brother...and must be nice, to have all that money available to you and use for college, not all of us are that lucky...I actually had to work since I was 15 and still don't have enough..."

He watched her storming across his dorm, "You're also being dramatic about this whole conversation..."

Kara pivoted, pissed beyond explanation, her fist balled at her side. She was suddenly too close to punching him in his pretty little face.

"Lucky?" she roared. "I've seen my brother come back with bullet wounds. I've seen men I loved and cared for die. I have the knowledge that my brother is damned because he had to support me. You don't know half the shit he's done for the money he's got. You think he'll have you selling drugs and weapons long before he shows you the rest of the shit he's got up his sleeve?"

Incensed, she threw open the door. "Go ahead and take the job, Hayden. Throw away what you've got because you're lacking adventure and sorry for yourself. See if I fucking care."

With that, she crossed the threshold of Hayden's dorm and took off down the hall, barefooted, frazzled hair and all.

Hayden looks after her,"I am not going to justify myself to a woman...that I can't even take on a fucking date, also one who can't stand and finish a conversation. " He slams his door shut and sits on his couch, pissed and thinking women.

Part of him thought she was right but he never had money growing up, his aunt needed help and he worked to help her out and save for school. A little taste of freedom here and he liked it, he liked it a lot.

Before he could think anymore, Garrett called him up with an assignment.

Garrett hadn't liked his first kill. He tried to convince himself otherwise at times, but he'd never liked the idea of taking a life. He just liked the idea of justice. The first one had deserved it most - he'd been the motherfucker who'd drugged his sister. Who'd hurt her when she'd been too vulnerable to fight back. He'd taken joy in making that kid's death slow and painful. But the end result? His sister was still hurt. And it was still Garrett's fault for letting her go.

The second kill had been arranged as a mere coincidence, really. He'd killed once, and he'd figured he was good to do it again. The first fucker's body had yet to be found, and with any luck, neither would the next.

He remembered being so fucking poor he'd been drinking from ketchup bottles and calling it a meal. He'd been too proud to beg for meals, and nothing would change that. He'd ended up working for Mrs. Johnson, a hot fucking thing who lived three doors down. She was in her mid-thirties, but she had the body of a supermodel. She also had some white trash of a husband who liked to beat her when he cracked open his beer at night.

Garrett had taken to doing her yard work for a little pay each week, and it had escalated to cleaning gutters and scrubbing windows. He came in, talked with her while she watered her plants, played with Buster, the dog he'd always wished he'd had, and tried with all his might not to bring up the bumps and bruises she always seemed to blame on a fall.

He'd been enjoying a sandwich after some particularly grueling yard work when she'd reached up for a glass to pour some tea and he'd seen the scattering of dark, harsh bruises along her midriff. Incensed, he'd nodded towards her and sprung up to retrieve the glass himself.

"Another fall there?"

Her cheeks had flamed red. "Garrett, you ought not keep asking questions. It's bad enough I got you over here all the time. Dave don't like it."

"Fuck what Dave likes," Garrett grumbled, slapping the glass back down on the counter. "Ain't no man who hits a woman got a right to say shit."

"Language," she'd scolded him, and her eyes had taken over that glossy state that warned him of an impending meltdown. She was closing herself off. "Go on outside. The garden needs weeding."

Sighing, Garrett stepped back. "Yes, ma'am."

And, just when she'd turned back to the dishes, he'd stopped in the doorway. "Some problems I can take care of, Ms. Johnson. All you gotta do is ask for it."

He'd known that in his eyes, she'd seen what he'd meant. She'd known his reputation. She'd known what he could do. And she'd waved him off, tears in her eyes, at the first mention of it.

But the next time he'd crossed her working on her prized garden, she'd had a bruise the size of Alaska on her face, her sunglasses barely shielding the mark of her husband's abuse, and he'd stopped dead in his tracks. She'd taken off her shades, making him wince at the sight of such a beautiful woman marred so badly, and she'd given him an almost imperceptible nod.

That was his permission. And, like the first asshole, good ole' Dave's body had never been found.

Garrett had lost count of the others after that. They were from drug deals gone bad. Shootings. He didn't care to think of the people he'd taken from their families. He'd only known that none of them had been, by his definition, good people. They'd been liars who didn't pay up what was expected of them, and he'd made it clear he didn't take it. Like tonight. He'd come for the money, and for the third time this month, the fucker didn't have it.

Garrett walked into the break room at the auto repair shop, his clothes spattered with the proof of his actions, and stashed his gun into the cabinet above the fridge that only he could reach before he turned to find Hayden sprawled on the couch.

One look at Garrett, and Hayden would get the gist. Without a word in explanation, Garrett shrugged off his jacket and stuffed it into a fresh trash bag.

Hayden looked over at Garrett, it had been a month since he and Kara spoke. If fighting with her was all it took to ignore her, it was easily done. Hayden got up and in seconds had a glass of bourbon in front of Garrett.

Garrett laughed and took it, swinging it back. Hayden sat and just handed the guy the bottle, who took a swig. "Interesting night..?"

Garrett, swearing "Bastards started shooting me, I shot back..but of course I probably pissed more people off and their will be a retaliation."

Hayden looked at him, "I got your back.."

Garrett looked at Hayden, "Thanks bro, we're going to have to be ready...you ever shot someone before?"

Hayden shook his head,"No...but my Dad was a cop if that helps."

Garrett looks at him,"Really..? Did you ever go out with him and stuff on patrols?"

Hayden nods again,"A few times..., I always thought his job is what would get him killed."

Garrett looks at him,"Is he dead...?"

"Both my parents are...,car crash. It happened a long time ago, I don't think about it much but I do know, I still owe you..."

---------------------------------------------------

The next week, Hayden and Garrett were out selling. Hayden was earning more and more money, he quit school and put his full attention into this business. He did the accounting for Garrett, the business was running better because of it.

One night, Hayden was in the office, working on some of the books. Kara was out and it was just him, Garrett was getting some beers. Hayden was typing away on the computer, when he heard the door open and close.

The footsteps stopped, Hayden looked at the doorway of the office "What are you waiting for?"

Nothing, Hayden got up and went to check it out. The shop was dark, it was quiet. When suddenly, "Move GQ..." Garrett out of nowhere, pushing Hayden to the side and coliding with someone who was behind him.

The man punched Garrett, a knife in his hand. Garrett of course could hold his own but the man fired his gun, shooting Garrett in the leg. Garrett fell to the side a bit, the man cocked his gun ready for another go, but not enough time when he was laying dead on the floor, bullet in his head.

Garrett looked at see Hayden, holding a gun at his side. Garrett looked at him, impressed but no time for chat as Hayden helped him to the hospital.

Next morning, it was early, around 4am. Hayden was helping Garrett up to his front door and opening it, they both walked in as Garrett was high as a kite, they had to pay off the doctor to not report the gun shot and Hayden promised her a date, she was actually a very cute doctor.

Hayden set Garrett on his couch, just as Kara made her way in hearing the noise.

Kara stared through the doorway wide-eyed, taking in the sight of Hayden helping her brother to the couch. Garrett had gauze around his leg, and a stupid grin on his face. Obviously he'd taken a liking to his doctor's methods of pain relief.

"Told you not to take me to a fuckin' hospital, GQ, but I still fuckin' like you," Garrett drawled, leaning his head over the arm of the couch, seemingly transfixed by the patterns on the ceiling. "Bang the shit out of that nurse for me, will ya? Least you can do for getting me shot."

His laughter was weak, and as always, at the worst possible moment, and Kara found herself striding into the room and plopping down next to Garrett, her eyes flickering towards Hayden in confusion.

"Hey!" her brother warned, jerking back. "Watch the fuckin' leg, darlin'."

Her lips set into a thin line, Kara ignored her brother and focused on Hayden. "Want to explain what happened to my brother?"

Hayden looked at her, "Guy came into the shop, shot him..."

Garrett laughed interrupting "And Rambo here took him out, that was a sweet shot by the way...never told you that. Right in the head,wasn't a lot of mess." Then, in mid grin, Garrett passed out.

Hayden looks at Kara, "It was self-defense..,your brother getting killed or whoever that guy was. Anyways, I know it's early but here he is..." He said, starting to leave the house.

A month of silence and avoiding each other, and Kara still couldn't let her anger get the best of her. Hayden had saved Garrett's life. And perhaps it had more to do with his friendship with her brother than his need to help Kara, but she was grateful nonetheless.

She grabbed his arm on the way out, knowing full well he didn't need to be left alone with his grief. He'd killed someone. She'd seen what it had done to her brother.

"Hayden, I-"

She cleared her throat, her gaze floating back to her brother in the silence. I'm sorry? she wondered. I wish things weren't like this between us? I wish we could be... more?

Swallowing back all she truly wanted to say, she took a step back and released her grip on his arm. "Thank you."