Black Ink by N.M. Catalano Page A

for his thickness wanting to be filled by him again.  The blindfold had slipped from my eyes.  I draped an arm over them in its place.  I laid there listening for him, reaching out with my senses.  He wasn’t.  My mind relived the night, the total erotic abandon, his captivity of me.  A shiver traveled through my body.   
    That’s when I saw them, the handprints in black ink drawn on my breasts, big man’s hands like they were being filled with me.  I pulled the blanket down and saw the note he left me…written on my abdomen.  It read, “I’ll be back,” in big letters covering me from breasts to pelvis.  Below that, a handprint captured my mound, gripping me, possessing me.  And on each thigh two hand prints, as if holding my legs spread open for him, with bruises at each fingertip.  My stomach did a somersault of delight, a twisted sense of glee filled me, hand in hand with guilt.  This was undoubtedly the most warped, wonderful thing any man has ever given me.  I traced each line over and over again, then closed my eyes reliving every moment while I cried, raw and vulnerable.
    His darkness had consumed me and branded me like the black ink on my flesh.
    On Sunday when I walked into Gina’s for dinner, cheesecake in tow, I was still fighting with myself, berating myself for longing for more of him, my Faceless Man.  Refusing to accept I loved he was still on my body.
    I handed the dessert to my best friend and hugged her tightly, unable to hide the fact I’d been fucked into oblivion.
    “Did you screw Alexander Black already?” 
    “What? No, can’t I just be happy to see you?” I asked knowing full well my face was beet red. 
    I felt like I’d gotten caught reading my dad’s Playboy magazines.
    “I know ‘seeing my friend happy’, and I know ‘a good lay happy’.  That is definitely not the first one.” 
    Gina was a good friend, and a damn good lawyer.  I was busted.
    “I’m just feeling good.  I’m working again and I actually like it.  I’m getting out, here with you.  Hopefully life is going to be better for me.”
    Her facial features softened and her expression looked slightly pained.
    “I know, I’m sorry.  I should have been there for you more.”
    Now I felt guilty for lying.  She’d read me like a book and I turned it around on her.
    “Stop.  You tried.  I kept the door locked and wouldn’t let anyone in.  I’m at a better place now.”  I shrugged sheepishly.  “Better late than never.”
    She put her arm around me and pulled me close, leading me to the kitchen.  “Come on, everyone’s waiting for you.”
    “What do you mean everyone? ” I asked a little nervous.
    “You know what I mean, it’s family day.”
    In the dining room, Gina’s husband Frankie was feeding the baby in the high chair, her other two boys were playing with their Matchbox cars on the floor, and Tony was there on the phone. 
    I suddenly felt a little uneasy.
    Tony jerked his head to the side, motioning for me to go to him and patted the empty chair at his side.  I followed Gina into the kitchen instead. 
    I’d found myself going out of my way to be anywhere else but near Tony.  After dinner, he cornered me upstairs when I went up to get some diapers for Gina.
    “What is wrong with you, Gem?”
    “Nothing.”  My heart was pounding and I was feeling really uncomfortable, but I couldn’t put my finger on exactly why. 
    He came up behind me and put his hands on my hips as I bent over to take the diapers out of the baby’s dressing table.
    “What are you doing, Tony?” I asked jumping.
    “Nothing babe.  It’s good to see you.”
    “It’s good to see you too,” I backed away.  I was tense and wanted to get back downstairs.
    “Show me.”  He got me in a corner and closed me in with his body, lowering his face to kiss me.
    “Where’s your wife Tony?” 
    If that wasn’t a cock blocker, nothing was.
    “She’s at home where she belongs.” 
    What an