The Boys Next Door

Everyone sat scattered around the living room. Arms draped over legs draped over chair arms, lounging on the floor on mismatched pillows and worn quilts. The remains of the Chinese takeout littered the scuffed coffee table and floor. Liam and Niall were recreating one of the scenes from Star Wars and using the chopsticks as light sabers… From their very bad imitations, no one could tell who was Luke Skywalker and who was Darth Vader until Liam started the famous whoosh of Vader’s breathing and said “Luke I am your father.” To which Niall/Luke squealed, in a very thick Irish brogue, “Daddy! ” and promptly threw himself into Liam’s arms, toppling them backwards onto the floor and thankfully onto the scattered pillows.
Danielle eyed Louis silently and he must have felt her stare. When he looked up through those long lashes she loved, she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. Louis smiled secretively, yawned and stretched.
“ I think I shall retire, mates.” stressing that beautiful British accent so that he sounded very formal.
“Right…” Niall laughed,still poking Liam with the chopstick, “like we don’t all know what you two are gonna be doin’ in about five minutes.”
“Three.” Louis grinned, taking Danielle’s hand. Pulling her to her feet he scooped her over his shoulder and walked nonchalantly towards her bedroom. Danielle waited until they were nearly there then lightly bit his ribs where her head rested against his back. Smacking her bottom smartly he disappeared into the bedroom and Louis firmly kicked the door shut behind them.
Terri rested across Harry’s lap on the old couch. Even the lumps couldn’t keep her from sleep tonight. After days of no sleep combined with the luxurious shower sex earlier this afternoon she could no longer keep her eyes open. And halfway through the second movie was sleeping peacefully across Harry’s long outstretched legs, his large warm hand resting on her hair.
Liam had, by this time, righted himself on the floor. Catching Niall off guard, he made a quick slashing motion with the chopstick light saber and with a yip, Niall pulled his hand into his sleeve so that it appeared to have been cut off.
“Daddy!!!Why’d ya have to go an’ do that for?! “Again a very Irish Luke squeaked.
Whoosh whoosh breathing… “Because Luke… I am your father… I can do what I want.” more whoosh whooshing.
“Well then,” Niall sighed, rolling away and standing with his “hand” cradled to his chest…“I’m going to bed to nurse me wounds.”
“As am I,my son…” whoosh whoosh. Liam tossed the chopstick onto the coffee table and rising to his feet,bowed slightly to Harry.
“You’ll be alright, yes? ”
Harry nodded, his fist curled against the side of his face,his elbow on the back of the couch.
“I’m going to let her sleep.” he said softly, brushing the hair off Terri’s face. “She needs it.”
“So do you, Mate.” Liam said heading toward the back door. “Think I’ll hang around in the hammock out back. No pun intended. Just call out if you need an'athing.” With a final salute and a click of his heels, Liam pulled the kitchen door closed behind him. Niall waited outside,stretched out in the folding lawn lounger. Harry listened for awhile. He’d shut off the TV and was just enjoying the sounds of the night. He could hear the muted sound of Niall and Liam still chatting softly. He watched Terri’s chest rise and fall with each peaceful breath. Occasionally she would make a tiny soft sigh and move slightly, but for the most part she was quiet. His eyes travelled around the chaos of the living room. The floor was littered with pillows and quilts, several chopsticks, empty containers and a few crushed fortune cookies. All that would wait until tomorrow morning… Tonight Terri was sleeping. Harry shifted to a more comfortable position,his barefoot kicking one of Terri’s marble chopsticks. She’d explained earlier that she and Danielle had bought the set because of their love of Chinese food. There were several pieces to the set, but the chopsticks were used the most. He studied the tiny veins of white swirled into the jade colored stick and yawned softly. Harry had no idea when he’d fallen asleep or how long ago it had happened, but he opened his eyes to find his head tipped backward and resting on the back of the sofa and a nasty crick settling in his neck. Straightening, he rubbed the back of his neck and yawned. Terri had not moved. Harry had to relieve himself badly… The pressure had become a very distinct ache in his groin. Even though he feared waking her, he began to ease out from under Terri’s upper body where it was draped over him. Just as he was about to push himself up off the sofa, he had a fraction of a second to see movement from the corner of his eye then felt a sharp blow to the back of his head then quickly, blackness overtook him and he slumped forward onto the coffee table.

Upon entering the bedroom, Louis had deposited Danielle onto the large pillow top mattress and flopped on top of her, causing her to exhale in a loud “oof”.
“My God!” Louis exclaimed, quickly rolling off her to stare down into her face. “Are you alright,luv? I didn’t actually mean to squash you! I didn’t break you did I? ” he asked worriedly.
“I’m fine. ” Dani reassured him, pulling him back over onto her again. “ I like the feel of you…. Right… There.” she whispered, touching, stroking him to life. Eagerly he straddled her small waist,pinning her to the bed with his weight. Pulling at the hem of her shirt, he eased it up her torso and over her head. Securing her hands above her head, he stared at her as he chewed his lower lip in thought. Slowly he cupped her breast in his one free hand, palming it, he gently kneaded it and a small moan escaped him as he again worried his bottom lip between his teeth. He released her hands to unbutton her jeans and work them down from her rounded bottom and hips. Danielle kept her hands above her head and squirmed beneath him. Her white lace bra was stretched taut against her breasts and Louis had never seen a more glorious sight. Her panties were the same sexy white lace and they were anything but virginal. They were actually laced up the front with a tiny black silk thread, each end of which, ended in a tiny fleur de leis embroidered into the panties. He let his hand glide over the unblemished skin of her stomach and upward to her breasts again, leaving a trail of goosebumps in his wake. Louis was just sliding those beautiful white undies down when he felt something cold and hard pressed against the back of his head… And the sound of a gun being cocked.
“Hello, Dani… Long time, no see. ”
Danielle felt the ice in her veins at the sound of that voice… The voice from every one of her nightmares… The voice that belonged to the man who’d killed her husband.

Notes