B10 - His Desire

by Love, Annabelle

  “Thank you,” I said and hung up the phone in haste. Without wasting another moment, I called Michelle and hurtled back up the stairs.

  “Stacy, what’s wrong?”

  “David just left. He’s going to Vermont to find the man who killed his mother,” my voice was riddled with panic and fear. “I have to go find him.”

  “Oh…” Michelle gave a huff of exasperation. “What the hell is he thinking?”

  “He isn’t!” I replied, my heart racing in my chest. “What if…?”

  “No, no, no, don’t go there,” she interrupted. “Don’t worry, honey. Nothing bad’s going to happen to him. I’ll wake up Jake. Where is he going exactly?”

  “Burlington. 3602, Fenmore Drive,” I spoke, shoving my leg into my jeans.

  “OK, see you soon.”

  Despite my friend’s attempt to calm me, I couldn’t help but fear the worst.

  David had allowed his grief and his anger to get the best of him. He had let those negative emotions cloud his mind, and they led him to a decision that could cost his life. He was going up against a man who hadn’t hesitated to murder someone he loved. What would stop him from doing the same to a total stranger?

  The answer was simple—Nothing.

  In my state of panic, I could only wish that David’s desire to put him behind bars would prevail in this war…

  Chapter 22

  David

  Darkness was fading into daylight as I closed in on my destination. I doubted I’d see the sun anytime soon, though. Dark clouds were up in the sky, the rain my constant companion. The torrent reminded me why I didn’t like this part of the country. The weather shifted too fast, and when it did, it was impossible to tell which season I was in. But then again, the mountain ranges in Vermont made these changes inevitable. Rolling into Burlington, I slowed down, my windshield wipers struggling to keep up.

  Unfortunately for me, the diner in question was in the downtown area. It was 6:40am, and some stores were open already, like the bakery just down the street. To make matters worse, I couldn’t drive around until Carlton showed up, or wait in the parking lot of that diner. In my eagerness to get to Vermont as fast as possible, I had traded speed for conspicuousness. Sooner or later, my car would draw unwanted attention. So I decided to park it out of sight and away from the diner. I found a parking lot a couple of blocks away and made my way back to the diner from there.

  The rain pelted down around me, but even this nasty weather wasn’t going to discourage me. I didn’t like the fact that I was seeking justice in the torrent, let alone in an unfamiliar place. I would much rather do this in my hometown. Yet, no matter where I was, I had to punish that bastard.

  I returned to the main road, a black van showering me with water as it rolled into a puddle. This was getting better and better. However, annoyance gave its place to anger when that same vehicle turned right and into the parking lot of the diner. I started to jog down the street, bypassing stores and homes alike. Being so close to Carlton brought back one of the pictures that had been torturing my mind all night. Now though, I wasn’t in New York. I was just seconds away from him, closing the distance fast.

  The van had already been parked in front of the diner when I turned around the corner. I shortened my strides, my gaze fixed on the figure of the man heading towards the building. He was about my height. A well-trimmed beard graced his face and his long, brown hair was gathered in a ponytail. My eyes lit with rage as I realized that I was looking at my mother’s murderer. Curling my fingers into fists, I barreled off, Brad slipping his key into the lock of the front door.

  “Fucker…” I snarled, the moment he whipped his head around.

  “Hey!” He shouted, water soaking his beard. I didn’t allow him to verbalize any further. Throwing my arm, I rotated it in mid-air, and landed a tremendous blow to his jaw. His head rocked back and hit the wooden wall of the building, his painful grunt giving me a sense of satisfaction. I grabbed him by the chest, burning with determination. One more punch in his stomach made him bend twofold.

  “You killed her, you fuck…” I growled, slamming him back against the wall.

  “Who are you?” He coughed, clutching his stomach.

  “I’m Anna’s son, you murdering prick,” I retorted, my next blow knocking him off his feet. Brad tumbled on his side and then rolled on to his back, blood gushing out of a deep wound next to his eye. I bent down, desperate to go on. But, just then, the crackle of a bullet stopped me in my tracks. It hissed past my ear and was lodged into the wall as I laid my eyes on the shooter. A tall, graying man was in the middle of the parking lot, his gun pointed at me.

  “That’s enough,” he spoke in a gruff voice. “My son didn’t mean to shoot at you… and we’re willing to let this go if you are. Turn around and walk away.”

  “Really?” I grumbled, not taking my eyes off of him. “What if I don’t want to?”

  “I’ll put you down, boy,” he stated, maintaining a firm grip on his gun.

  “Your son killed my mother, you fucking psycho!” I yelled, my chest heaving. “You really expect me to walk away?”

  “That was my fault,” he confessed, his tone calm. “I told him to do that and make it look like an accident when I discovered she was dating both of us.” He paused and fired his gun. One more bullet flew past my hips and penetrated the door. “Last chance. Get out of here.”

  “I thought Marines had balls,” I taunted him with a smirk.

  “Shut the fuck up, you son of a bitch!” He demanded, cocking his weapon.

  “You wouldn’t shoot an unarmed man, would you? Major?” I asked, still smiling over at him. “Put the gun down. Let’s settle this like men.”

  I gauged his reaction, praying that, even then, he would remember that he had been a military man. Nevertheless, for some reason I couldn’t fathom, Dwayne returned the smile. And before I could insist, I felt a large amount of pressure on my lower back.

  Brad’s blow sent me a few feet forward, causing me to reel in pain.

  “Huh… you can do better than that,” I scoffed, turning to face Brad. “Come on, take your best shot.”

  I fully expected him to lunge at me. But Brad seemed to have other things in mind. Shoving his hand into his pocket, he pulled out a small dagger, staring at me. Thrusting it at me, he tore a hole across my t-shirt, the tip of the blade brushing the skin of my stomach. I ducked my head down, keeping my eyes on his weapon. Once more, he thrust the dagger, but this time, I threw both my arms up and gripped his wrist in mid-air. I let go of him for a split second, before punching him hard in his wrist, right below the blade. A loud grunt escaped Brad as the dagger slipped from his grasp. I dropped my gaze from him, searching for the weapon that could change the outcome of this fight. Still, in a matter of seconds, I came to regret that decision. A quick, one-two combination stunned me. Before I knew it, the world around me was spinning, and I was struggling to remain upright. My body swayed backwards, the pain in my jaw stinging me.

  I fell to the muddy ground with a thump, sending drops of water and chunks of mud in all directions. I looked up at my adversary, understanding that perhaps this was the last day I walked this earth. The image that flashed before my eyes sent a sense of peace into me. It was Stacy, mouthing lyrics to me on that beach on Topsail Island.

  I love you, Red. I’m sorry I never got to tell you that, baby.

  Just when Brad was getting ready to use that dagger yet again, the banging sound of a bullet tore through the air. It struck him in the chest, sending him reeling back. Another bullet hit him in the shoulder, blood staining his white t-shirt. At the sound of a third bullet, I whirled my head around. I watched Dwayne dropping to his knees, a drop of water dripping off the barrel of his gun. It fell out of his hand, a moment before he tumbled to his chest, revealing the figure of my unlikely savior. Jessica Trent had just lowered her gun, her eyes locked with mine.

  “Marshall, you dick,” She grumbled, striding off towards me. “You almost g
ot yourself killed.”

  “Thanks for the rescue, darling,” I told her, rising back up to my feet.

  “Shut up and get away from them,” she ordered, narrowing her eyes up at me. “The cops will be here soon. FYI, I didn’t do this out of the goodness of my heart. You still owe me ninety grand, remember?”

  At that point, the roar of a car speeding down the road caught my eye. Its boxy shape and color told me who it belonged to. It was Michelle’s SUV, with Jake behind the wheel. Tires squealed as it swerved right and into the parking lot. Just a few yards behind, I recognized Stacy’s Ford. Jake pulled the handbrake hard and brought it to an abrupt halt, Stacy driving past him. He jumped out of the vehicle, a mix of tension and concern spreading across his face.

  “What the hell happened? Are you all right?” He spoke too fast, heading to me.

  “I’m a little bruised, but I’ll be fine,” I responded, my breath still coming out in pants. “They were about to get me, when Jessica showed up.”

  “I’d very much like to know what the hell was going on inside your head,” he said harshly, throwing a nasty glare down at me. “I mean, why did you come up here? Those two were dangerous; hell, one of them was a certified lunatic.”

  I had trouble getting any words out to explain myself, what with what had just happened. But with the view of Stacy, my mind shifted and I ignored his question. Leaning against the side of her car, she was staring at the ground, her arms folded across her chest.

  Ignoring my friend, I trotted off, without leaving her out of my sight. I was dying to hug her and kiss her. Our ordeal was over, and we had come out of it unscathed. I could do no such thing, though. Her posture and the distance she was trying to keep from me were screaming that she was in no mood for intimacy.

  “I don’t know if I should hug you or yell at you,” she confessed, her voice faint. “I went to bed knowing you would wait for the police to handle this, but no.” She went on, her gaze shooting up to meet mine. “You wanted to take care of this yourself. Why? What were you thinking?”

  I swallowed hard, focusing on her puffy eyes, “I wanted to end this.”

  “By risking your life?” She reprimanded, her voice rising above the tapping of the rain on our clothes. “David, these men were unstable. You knew that, and yet, you came up here anyway. And for the life of me, I still can’t understand why. The police would have ended this tonight or tomorrow.”

  “We don’t know that for sure,” I countered, shaking my head in disagreement.

  “Jeez…” She sighed, squeezing her eyes shut. “Up ‘til now, I thought your inner child only emerged when he wanted to play with his cars. I could live with that. I kind of liked seeing you so passionate about something. But now, I realize that he takes over in much more dangerous circumstances. And I don’t want to worry every time you make a rash decision. I can’t live like that.”

  “What are you saying?” I said, my voice wobbly as my heart jumped up in my throat.

  “I’m saying goodbye, David,” she stated, the coldness in her tone shattering my heart.

  My first instinct was to try and talk her out of it. This couldn’t have been the end of my first real relationship. I believed that we had a future together.

  But a mere glance at her and her harshness compelled me to keep my mouth shut. I wasn’t going to address the loving woman in her. She was gone. In her stead was the cruel redhead who had been kicking me out of her office not so very long ago.

  I stood there in the rain with tears in my eyes, the sound of police sirens ripping through the atmosphere.

  Stacy got back into her car and drove off as I tried to take in what had just transpired. I watched her pull away from me and back up the main road, unable to shake the feeling that I had just thrown away the best thing that had ever happened to me…

  Chapter 23

  Stacy

  He put his life on the line for no good reason whatsoever.

  The same thought kept swirling in my mind, long after I had left Burlington. Part of me wanted to have stayed there and explained to him how reckless he had been.

  But then again, what was the point?

  Would a rant turn back time?

  Would it take back what he had done?

  Whatever I did would not help me see this from a different perspective. If anything, blabbering on would just frustrate me even further. I was a fool to believe that he was more than just an irresponsible playboy. And although he had been an amazing boyfriend, I couldn’t ignore the insanity of his road trip.

  What kind of person risks their life for something that the police would take care of the very next day?

  What was the purpose?

  What would he accomplish if he confronted them?

  Yes, they were responsible for his mother’s death, but they would pay for their crimes. Did David actually want to be in prison with them? Because that’s what could happen if he got sued for assault, or had even killed them in anger.

  Unable to stop thinking about all this, I pulled over at the side of the road, the rain lashing down on my car. I lowered my window, cool air and moisture storming in.

  Dropping my face into my hands, I couldn’t fight back the tears. The man who had somehow transformed into my ideal partner was just an illusion. David had managed to hide his true colors under a cloak of kindness and romanticism. And I was glad to have believed that lie. It had swept me off my feet, making me feel on top of the world. His kisses had me swooning, like I was being kissed by an angel.

  Now, that bubble had burst, setting my dreams ablaze. All I could do was stand among the embers and watch them burn, at the same time wondering why I had fallen for someone so immature.

  At any rate, I only had myself to blame.

  Despite his temporary change, I knew what he was hiding under that façade. He had shown me who he was plenty of times, and yet, I chose to ignore his childishness, because I believed that it only manifested into his passion for supercars. I hated the noise they made, but if it made him happy, why should I complain?

  Tears soaking the skin on my palms, I set off once more. I had a long drive ahead of me, but that wasn’t the worst thing about that day. When I got back to New York, I would start to pick up the pieces, and that would take much longer than five or six hours…

  ***

  David

  After testifying to the police, I told Jake and Michelle about my breakup with Stacy. Both of them were stunned; yet, that was of little consolation to me.

  Before setting off on the long drive back, I asked Michelle if she’d take off ahead and check up on Stacy, whilst Jake drove back with me. Why? Because, more than ever, I needed to spend some time with my best friend. He was an expert in heartache. He had been writing about it for years and years, and his talent had made him famous. To my satisfaction, she indulged me.

  For the first time in my whole life, I was filled with an incredible urge to visit the Catskills Mountains. The seclusion and the peace they offered were impossible to find in New York. In particular, I wanted to visit Jake’s cabin. It had been months since I’d done that and I had missed it.

  We finally arrived back at Jake’s cabin, and he set off grabbing some firewood from his shed and brought it inside, enthralled by the idea of lighting up his fireplace. Unwilling to imagine myself pouring my heart out quite yet, I stayed outside. I gazed out at the view, wishing that I had someone to share this magnificent spectacle with. Layers of thick mist had hidden the mountain’s peak from view. Lush greenery ran down the sides of the mountain, ending in colorful meadows at the foot of it, and only disrupted by the occasional patch of dry weeds.

  “Coffee is ready,” Jake announced, standing behind the door frame.

  “How did you do it, man?” I asked, my eyes on the mist.

  “How did I do what?”

  “Cope with the pain,” I explained. “Because it feels like someone is trying to rip my heart right out of my chest.”

  “Music helped a lot,”
he maintained, his voice bass-deep. “The mountain helped, too. It’s a good distraction.”

  “Then play something for me,” I requested, turning to him. “Not your stuff. I love it, but I need some blues.”

  “Coming right up,” Jake nodded, leaving me alone with my thoughts. And those thoughts were dominated by a slender figure, with red, curly hair cascading down her back.

  I was already missing those freckles.

  How I’d love to caress that smooth skin again…

  Wishful thinking… That’s what simple things like those were now. Hopes of a broken man, who had made the mistake of seeking punishment for his mother’s murderer.

  Jake brought his massive amplifier close to the door and then plugged in his sunburst Gibson. I closed my eyes at the first few notes, recognizing the tune. He hadn’t disappointed me. He was in fact playing B.B. King’s ‘The Thrill Is Gone’, adorning my misery with some of the most heartfelt music ever made.

  A sizzling flash of lightning later, I extended both arms out to either side, like a singer performing to a live audience. But my crowd was not comprised of human beings. Elm, cedar and balsam fir trees, along with thousands of flowers, had become witnesses of my most profound confession.

  A boom of thunder shook the ground beneath my feet, but I stayed right where I was. I tipped my head back and looked up into the sky, welcoming the raindrops on my skin. Grayness filling my gaze as I recalled my love’s smile. She didn’t smile a lot, which is why I adored every time she did and laughed at one of my jokes.

  Yet, Stacy was more than a hundred miles away now, and her heart was millions of light years away from mine…

  Chapter 24

  David

  “My birthday is in two days. It would be great if you could make it, but if you don’t, I’ll understand.”

  Damn it… My friend’s words on the night of my breakup with Stacy put me in an awkward position. First of all, it was the first time I had forgotten it in more than ten years. Mainly though, his other guest was Michelle’s best friend. I didn’t feel like seeing her again yet, and I doubted she would be thrilled to see me, either.