Knock! Knock! Knock!
Fully dressed, Winston Richards stepped from his double sized hotel room directly next door to his ward Nova Khar-Issawi's single room. Living on the premises was just who he was. The carefree lifestyle of a long-term soldier with no family, he never required much. Those three knocks intended to make a point hit where it counted. Within her hotel apartment Nova sat in her bathtub cleaning herself up, humiliated by her mistake in taking her own virginity. She was a scared young woman who had zero experience with a man. Her mother kept her innocent, too innocent. Now that her mother was no longer in her life, she had no guidance outside of the burly ex- Marine that her mother had grown attached to as a friend.
Without his fatherly support neither would have made it here in America. Their Arabic roots led to escape here years ago, but family still living overseas called her mother back to the desert. A fatal mistake, her mother was stoned to death the second she stepped foot off the plane. Nova... had no real future outside of Winston giving her a job and a roof over her head, and three meals a day. Her friend Mazie Loomis helped her buy clothing online just to look good in hopes of finding a man, something Winston was just not capable of. His idea would have been from shopping on a budget at Goodwill or yard sales. Impressionable, she only had Winston to guide her in the right direction. He was like the father she never had. Now, she felt as if she failed him.
"You know I have a key. Don't make me use it." She heard him say. No deadbolt on her door she pouted and put on a pair of black shorts and hoped for the best. T-shirt over it worn wet she answered her door, head lowered in shame. Silent they stood facing one another until Winston grumbled with a misty-eyed sigh, "You, okay?"
"Not really."
"Dolan's not mad at you. I get your predicament Nova. I may be old as dirt but I'm not going to throw you over my knee for being... " He didn't want to say stupid. "...naive. You're human just like the rest of us. I know you need companionship, but Dolan isn't the guy for that. Listen, Barbie can run the front desk. We don't open the bar until eleven. Relax and..." A glance at her legs he saw a thin trickle of blood from her thighs. "Monthly?" She decided honesty was best and shook her head no. "I know Dolan didn't cause that. Did you hurt yourself?"
"Yes. I am no longer a virgin. I am ashamed. I pressed too hard... " Tears fell! Clearing his throat, he chose valor and offered her a hug. Hesitant, she accepted even as he let her droplets of blood collect on her carpet.
"It's going to be okay Nova. Rest up! Clean your carpet here before it's impossible to get out. I'm going to drive Dolan back to Caretaker. I know it sucks but clean up room 8 too. Best you can at least." Nodding on his shoulder he briskly rubbed her back.
"Winston?"
"Yeah?"
"Dolan offered me a job last night. His father's antique store. May I accept it?"
"How are you getting there and back?"
"Bus, I guess?"
"Let me talk that over with his daddy Albert. We can figure something out. Tired of working for me?"
"It is not that. You know I love you, Winston. I just need change."
"I get it. Maybe I can teach you how to drive and buy you a cheap car to get back and forth."
"You would do that for me?"
"You're the closest thing to a daughter I have Nova. I'd pretty much do anything for you. Out of respect for your mother." He brushed her hair out of her eyes and eased her back. "Let's discuss this later." A silent nod, he rubbed her arm then turned. Coming upstairs they saw Dolan Roster heading their way. Nova could not stop crying and stepped out behind Winston. Sucking up her pride she walked around her mentor and greeted Dolan with an apology.
"Forgive my earlier intrusion. I was..." Dolan paused her with a finger, eyes barely open due to the sun.
"Nothing changes Nova. Yes, you invaded my privacy, saw too much, but I'm not bitter over it." He winced, his erection still agonizing in his pants. Whatever that bitch Opal did to him his dick just refused to go down. Even Nova noticed it, trying not to but failing miserably. "You might want to keep your distance." Refusing, she stepped up and hugged him. "Or risk it."
Like Winston, he rubbed her back. Feeling his huge cock up against her tummy she flared her teary eyes. Did he want her? Emotions ran rampant within her mind. Tensing up over being near her Dolan nutted in his pants uncontrollably. Face strained a bit he looked over at Winston and lied by mouthing the words, "Bad indigestion." However, Nova just knew it was due to her. Smiling she looked up at him, directly into his eyes.
"Thank you."
"For?"
"That! I will accept your job offer." He looked confused, but at the same time ready to pounce on this diamond eyed beauty. Shaking it off the best he could, he just held her talking.
"Oh! Okay, well, let me talk to my dad. Dispatcher job too?"
"I will try both."
"You okay by that, Win?" He looked over her at Winston with a cringe as if holding in a painful fart.
"Her life." Win had no clue the effects that Opal's drug T16R355 had over him due to her teeth wounds sinking within his body and piercing epidermis. "Just help me keep her safe."
"That's my job." Dolan palmed her cheek using his thumb to wipe away a tear, "I'll call you through Winston there and arrange things." Sighing at the thoughts on his daughter Alexis moving out soon he chuckled. "Might be you can camp out in my daughter's old room. She's moving out in two days. That is, if Winston is okay my offering that." She couldn't even look back for Winston's approval. Her mind was made up.
"Like I said, her life. I trust you, Roster."