Nikki's Secret Read online

  “Oh, I’m sure it’s fine,” she said.

  “Same here, but why chance it. Besides, you know you’ll feel better if I took a look around.”

  He was right; she would feel better. Still, she felt kind of silly having him look around, almost like a kid that wanted her mother to look under the bed.

  So what!

  With this final thought she led the way inside and then followed him around as he checked every little potential hiding spot. At one point, she even let out a small chuckle at a comment he made about the previous tenants and how he had often had to come down here to help them find their python who was a good escape artist. “Thankfully, there are fewer places to hide for a person,” he added.

  “Sadly, my imagination won’t think that later on when I’m woken from an odd sound at three in the morning.”

  “I know what you mean. My mind will – “ he stopped and twisted around toward the kitchen.

  “What?” she asked.

  He held up a finger and then slowly headed into the second bedroom, eyes looking up at the ceiling.

  Kimberly followed, heart racing.

  The silence grew heavy.

  “What is it?” Kimberly whispered after nearly a minute.

  “Thought I heard something on the stairway and my door isn’t locked, but it must have been -- ”

  A footstep, or something similar, echoed from the floor above.

  “Shit,” Bill hissed. He started to move toward the inner stairway door, but then stopped and quickly said, “Watch from the window and see if anyone runs down the steps.”

  Kimberly nodded and then listened as Bill headed upstairs, his own footsteps echoing across the floor.

  No one came down the steps.

  “See anything?” Bill called down.

  “No,” Kimberly replied.

  Nothing but the sounds of him walking back and forth up there followed. She then heard him coming back down.

  “Anything?” she asked.

  He shook his head. “Must’ve been the house or maybe Toby walking around.”

  “It sounded like a person,” Kimberly insisted, her heart still racing despite his ‘all clear’ attitude.

  “I know, but . . .” he shrugged “. . . nowhere to really hide up there.”

  She didn’t reply.

  “Look, we’re both probably letting our imaginations get the better of us.”

  “And it’s not even the middle of the night yet.” She attempted a smile with the statement, but couldn’t manage it.

  “Yeah.”

  Silence settled and lasted for nearly two minutes at which point Bill said, “Well, I suppose I should head back up.”

  Kimberly nodded.

  “Remember, if you need anything, or if anything happens, come get me. My stairway door will be unlocked.”

  “Thank you.”

  An awkward smile crossed his face. “No problem.”

  I’d rather he stay, Kimberly admitted to herself as he headed up. Making such a request would be too much, however, so she kept the thought to herself and, once his door was closed, went to her computer to see if any replies to her message had arrived.

  16

  Despite his statement to Kimberly that no one was in his apartment, Bill spent the next several minutes doing a thorough search of the place before attempting to call it a night. During this search he held a knife from the kitchen. It wasn’t a big knife by any means (he never bought any when moving in), but it would still do the job if wielded properly. He also figured a person’s natural fear of blades would give him the upper hand, thereby allowing him to run the person into a corner and subdue them rather than actually having to kill them.

  Then again, you have always wondered what it would be like to end a person’s life, and right now, if someone is in the apartment, it will probably be the best opportunity you’ll ever have.

  He let the thought fade as he peeked into one of the three closets his apartment sported, his rational mind knowing that subduing and questioning the person (with the help of the police) would be better than killing them since it would help uncover the why of everything.

  No one was in the closet.

  No one was in the apartment.

  And you knew that would be the case, but . . .

  It was always best to make sure of something. When running upstairs earlier he had been certain that if someone were in the apartment he would see them, their unfamiliarity with the place and sudden realization that he was coming up the stairs making it almost impossible for them to successfully duck into a good hiding spot. Yet such an encounter hadn’t happened. When downstairs he had been certain the sound had been a person, therefore he had been certain of seeing them attempting to flee. Without confirmation of his suspicion, he had been left with a nagging doubt, one that he couldn’t just brush aside – especially not when that meant stripping down into his underwear and climbing into bed. No. Such an act would have been an invitation to disaster and once the horrible events unfolded (in his mind he saw his throat being cut or something while he slept), he would have no one to blame but himself.

  17

  Thanks for the heads up and the link. I will check it out. Kimberly.

  Though short, the praise within the message was enough for Mark to breathe a heavy sigh. He would also be able to go to sleep now, the anxiety over waiting for a reply, or, more accurately, waiting to see if she would reply, having been sated.

  Muscles moaned and joints popped as he stood up from his desk chair, which, given how old it now was, probably needed to be replaced.

  Being able to go an hour, two, or three without checking his email would have helped as well, but despite his determination to not hover when waiting for a response from whatever female he was in contact with, he just couldn’t break himself away from the repeated checks. It was ridiculous. All evening long he had been within reach of the computer, a finger constantly refreshing his email inbox to see if he had a new message, heart racing every time he saw (1) rather than (0). It had begun around five, an email to Kimberly about his message to NIU_Nikki and a link to her original blog having gone out around four thirty. In the first draft of his email he hadn’t included the link, but then, after reading the message over and over again, felt as if there wasn’t enough to warrant a message, and added some fluff about the start of their fall semester and where he was going to be living. Fifteen minutes later, he took the fluff out, a couple rereads proving to him that the information given in that short paragraph was pointless. A decision to send the message in its first form followed, but never was enacted, his finger unable to hit the send button due to his original fear that he hadn’t put enough into the email. She’ll read it and start to think you’re one of those guys that just messages a girl every thought that comes about. Such actions, which he had done in the early days of his Internet dating experience, had ruined several relationships before they had even reached the ‘first meeting’ stage. Because of this, he was now very careful of what he sent and when he sent it.

  Not that it really matters, he told himself. You still haven’t hooked up with anyone.

  But at least I’m not to blame for that, he countered.

  Realizing this had taken quite a bit of time, his mind often thinking and worrying that he was somehow at fault for the frequent rejections he suffered. Now he knew differently. The women were at fault. He could be a perfect gentleman when messaging them back and forth, but that didn’t mean they had to keep talking to him, or agree to meet him, or actually show up at the agreed upon meeting spot. Nope. The decision was in their hands. All he could do was keep his fingers crossed.

  And make sure there is a point to your messages.

  Having added the link to Nikki’s blog, the one that had been the reason for his contact with her, helped him meet the self-imposed standard of having a point. Unfortunately, doubt had followed as time without a reply had grown longer and longer and longer. During the nine o’clock hour he even turned off hi
s computer in frustration after getting his hopes up when seeing a (2) on his email screen, his mind thinking one of those messages had to be from her. Wrong. Both were spam. Fifteen minutes later, he turned the computer back on, a sense that a message had arrived during that off time having hit him while flipping through the channels. Nope. Well, at least not one from Kimberly. NIU_Nikki had replied. It was funny too because in the past receiving a message from her would have been cause for celebration, especially if it told him she would be on the instant messenger for a while and wanted to discuss what they would do when they eventually met for the first time. Now that wasn’t the case. Instead, he felt a small bit of dread mixed with curiosity. Excitement was present as well, the knowledge that he was the one pulling a fast one on her adding this unexpected emotion.

  I just hope I’m not wasting my time, her message read. Having your cock in my mouth, pussy, and ass better be worth sitting across the table from you for an hour. To add a little thrill I might be hesitant about letting you inside my place afterward, but that is just to see how much you really want it. Don’t take NO for an answer if you hear it and show me what a man you are. Nikki.

  The feelings the message induced in him were hard to explain, as was the fact that they turned him on a bit. A debate on whether he should send the message to Kimberly followed, but then he decided to wait for a reply to his first message since he knew that most women hated being bombarded.

  But this is different!

  Still, he held back. If no reply came by morning he would go ahead and send this along, a statement about it having come overnight with it just in case she grew irritated that he didn’t send it right away.

  Of course, since a reply did come a new debate developed. Should I send it now or still wait? The last thing he wanted was for her to think he hovered over the computer waiting for messages.

  In the end he decided to wait.

  Sadly, despite having received the message he had been hoping to receive, sleep did not come easily to him. Making it even worst he couldn’t find anything on TV to ease him into it.

  18

  You sound interesting. I would like to meet up with you and see how ‘well hung’ you really are. I work at the Steak and Shake in DeKalb off of Route 23 and Barber Green so I would need some notice of when you will want to come fuck me. Actually, if you want to come see me at work and then follow me home that is sweet too. Nikki.

  Though she shouldn’t have been startled by the fact that this person knew where she worked, not after having gotten the pictures on the table and on her car earlier in the evening, Kimberly still felt her heart start to race after reading the suggestion. Adding to it was the possibility that this NIU_Nikki would tell other guys to meet her at work as well, which would be a nightmare because she would never know who was there to meet her and who was there just to eat.

  Even the knowledge that the guys who were coming to meet her would probably be by themselves didn’t help much because she got five or six of those every shift.

  Why, why, why?

  Knowing she wouldn’t be able to come up with an answer, she pushed her mind away from the contemplative process and instead decided to focus on coming up with a reply to NIU_Nikki. Nothing but anger appeared, however, so she distracted herself by browsing the web a bit and checking her regular email, which was when she discovered the message waiting from Mark.

  Confusion as to what he was trying to accomplish by telling NIU_Nikki that they were getting together at The Junction soon filled her mind, but then she figured he had needed to say something to explain what had occurred at the front door earlier in the day. She then saw the link he had sent her and clicked it.

  A Blogger content warning appeared.

  She clicked the YES button to let them know she was an adult and then watched as a page loaded, one that had quite a few explicit pictures on it, most being links to porn sites.

  While browsing through that an idea for a reply to NIU_Nikki popped into her head. She had no clue where it had come from or what might have sparked it, but once it played out in her mind, she knew it was perfect.

  Not wanting to close the blog she opened a new window and signed back into the dating site and her email. A blank space beneath NIU_Nikki’s message was waiting. In it she typed: That sounds great. What hours do you work so I know when to be there?

  Try to answer that one, bitch, she said to herself while hitting SEND. Then, What if she does know your schedule?

  Then you’ll know it is someone who works there because they are the only ones who can see it.

  Thinking this brought about a positive vibe.

  Unfortunately, it didn’t last long, not after she returned to the blog page Mark had sent her and really started to explore it.

  19

  Bill wasn’t exactly asleep, but was far from being awake, when the pounding on the door erupted, and for a moment he didn’t know what to make of it. He then heard Kimberly calling his name through the door and bolted upright, his mind thinking something must have happened.

  “What is it?” he asked once the door was open, a brief battle with his pants having delayed his ability to let her in right away.

  “Who’s Nikki?” she demanded, arm crossed.

  “I told you, I don’t – “

  “Don’t bullshit me!” she warned. “I saw her blog.”

  “Her blog?” he questioned.

  “Yes! Her blog. Tales of a Sex Crazed College Student. The one that for some reason has links to all your books on it.”

  “A lot of sites link to my books,” he said and instantly regretted it. You need to tell her the truth.

  “Really?” she asked before he could continue. “And how many of those sites just happen to be all about a girl named Nikki? And how many of them link to an Adult Friend Finder profile with the name NIU_Nikki, one that – “ she stopped, eyes going wide. “One that has a picture of her kneeling right there!” Spittle flew from her lips while shouting this last part, it, and a pointed finger, indicating the area of his apartment she recognized.

  Bill, of course, didn’t have to follow the finger to see the spot she was talking about. Instead, his mind simply replayed the day he and Nicole had taken the picture. Many others had followed; both of them coming up with different ideas left and right, the scenes depicted quickly going from tastefully erotic to downright explicit.

  “Well?” she asked.

  “Okay, fine, I built the site. So what?”

  This seemed to catch her off guard, almost like an unexpected speed bump to slow her anger.

  Bill waited.

  “Why?” she finally asked.

  “I needed some money.” He shrugged. “That’s all.”

  “And this girl paid you to build her a site?”

  “No, I paid her to use her pictures on my site, you know, so guys would think it really was being run by a girl.”

  Confusion hit, then disgust. “Wait! You’re Nikki?”

  “Well, for the writing portions and the networking, yeah, I was. Not anymore, though. I stopped updating the site last spring.”

  “But . . . but . . . you pretended to be a girl online?”

  He nodded.

  “Why?”

  “Like I said, I needed the money. Back in 2010 Dorchester Publishing started to fall apart and I had to pull my first novel from them. I had no job and couldn’t seem to get one, and didn’t yet know about the success I could expect by uploading their books to Amazon. I figured I would have to be waiting six or seven months to hear from another publisher whether or not they were even interested in taking a look at my book, so in the meantime I created that blog to make some money.”

  “I don’t follow,” she said, exhaustion staining her words now that her anger had dissipated.

  He sighed. “Do you have the site up right now? Down on your computer?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Okay, I’ll just show you.” He motioned toward the stairs.

  She hesitated, and th
en led the way.

  A few seconds later he was leaning over her computer, hand working the mouse to get to the area of the page he wanted to show her, that area being a link to the Adult Friend Finder profile he had created with the pictures from Nicole. In the link was another picture of Nicole, one that showed her leaning toward the camera, hands pressing the sides of her breasts so that the cleavage displayed by her partially opened blouse would catch the eye. “This is it; this is why I created the site. At one time I had the link near the top of the page -- above the fold as web developers would say -- but then realized that was too obvious so I pushed it down a bit.”

  Kimberly shook her head. “I don’t understand.”

  “Don’t understand what?”

  “This.” She pointed at the link. “Why try to drive traffic to the site?”

  “Because the Adult Friend Finder affiliate program pays me fifty percent of the sign up fee every time someone pays for a membership though this link. They then continue to pay me fifty percent every month that the member renews their membership.”

  “I still don’t get it. How do they know someone joined through this link?”

  “There’s special programming code in the link that tells them it was my account. Same with the porn sites that are linked below it, only I don’t know why I bothered with those because no one seems to pay for porn anymore.”

  “So you did all of this just so people would join Adult Friend Finder through that link. Why would people do that?”

  “Because I told them over and over again in posts that the only way they could ever have sex with me . . . well, with Nikki, was to join the site and talk to me about their interests. After a while most realized nothing would ever happen and they either sought out other girls to talk to or just ended their account, but with new people always coming in, that never really made much of a difference.”

  Kimberly stared at the screen for quite some time before finally looking at him and saying, “You’re sick.”