He dressed and grabbed his pack before heading out of the building. Usually, he skated everywhere, but today, he felt the need for haste. He grabbed the first Silver Bullet bus that drove past and made his way to Puyallup. During the trip, his mind regurgitated everything that had ever happened between them. The good, the bad…just everything. She was his first love and great loss, and that was something he would never forget.
When everything had gone wrong, he had pined for her. Sitting in his jail cell, he’d sent her message after message, but hadn’t had a single response. With everything that had happened, it was her that he had wanted to talk to. He had needed to talk to her, he had needed her forgiveness most of all, but it had never happened. When he’d gotten out of jail, he’d hoped to talk to her and make things right, but she had been nowhere to be found. He’d heard whispers from the staff at the Oaken Casket, and none of it was good.
Glass had never been sweet and innocent. She swore like a sailor and loved nothing more than a barroom brawl, but she had always had good intentions and a kind heart. From what he had heard, she had been following the wrong path ever since the incident.
When he reached the house, he stood on the curb, just looking at the two story house. It looked so normal. He hoped that he’d ring that bell, and he’d find her exactly the way she used to be. Just good old Glass, but knowing that she’d threatened Ava, he didn’t think that was likely. With a deep breath, he approached the door and knocked. The anxiety was weighing on him as both sides of him warred as to whether he wanted Glass to be here or not.
When the door opened, he was taken aback by the woman before him. The features looked like Glass, but they were somehow sharper and harsher than he remembered. Her trademark long red hair no longer fell to near her waist and no longer hid half her face. Her clothing style had changed, too. The tops were more daringly cut, exposing more of her tattoo covered skin. The imposing black marks were also new. With the addition of the full chromed augmented arm, she looked worlds away from the sweet brawler he once knew.
“Well, well, well. I wondered when I’d see you,” she said almost seductively as she leaned on the doorframe.
“You know I have this thing called a gauntlet. You could have just messaged me rather than threatening my friend,” Jacques said, trying to seem nonchalant.
“If I’d called, would you have come?” she asked.
He didn’t have an immediate response for that question. He had questioned his feelings for her a lot over the years. He had actually thought he was over her, but seeing her standing there had just reignited the spark that he’d thought was long since extinguished. But with it came the bitter reminder of what she had done to him. That she had ignored him all these years, and had never checked in on him when he was inside. When he had needed her more than anyone else in the world, she hadn’t been there. It was only now that his life was getting back together that she had come out of the woodwork looking for him.
“Glass, I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing, but leave Ava out of it, okay?” Jacques said sharply, trying to stay clear of the subject of their shared history.
“Do you want to come in? Have a drink?” Glass asked, indicating inside as if she hadn’t heard him at all.
Something about her entire demeanor was off. He didn’t know whether the conversation was intentionally disjointed or if it was a ploy to throw him off, but something wasn’t right. There were the remnants of some red powder under her nose, her eyes were slightly bloodshot, and there was a slight jitter to her hand. She was flying high on something.
A part of him called to go inside and look after her like he would have done for the old Glass, but he knew that it wasn’t the right move to make. If he followed her in, they would end up in bed together, and he would enjoy the time with her and would want to forget all those transgressions and shared pain. Then he would hate himself, and he would feel even more horrendous than he did already. His emotions were such a mess right now that he didn’t want to risk getting himself into any situations with her.
“Just stay away from Ava, alright,” Jacques said. He turned and headed straight back to the curb before he betrayed himself.
Rather than waiting for the bus, he started down the street at a brisk walk. He needed away from her and away from that house. He would catch the bus a few stops down when he was far enough away that he didn’t have to worry about running back to her.
Chapter Six
As darkness started to fall, Lucinda woke up in her boyfriend’s arms. She smiled as she snuggled into his smooth, muscled chest. This was definitely something that she could do every day. She looked up at Zane. He was still fast asleep, his face calm and relaxed—something rarely seen by anybody. She ran a finger gently over his chin, and his rough stubble scratched gently. She ran her finger over his lips and jumped when he gently nipped her finger.
“Holy shit,” she swore as her heart started hammering in her chest.
“Evening,” he said cheekily.
He laughed as he wrapped his arms tighter and pulled her against him. His smile lit up his entire face as he reached up and pushed her hair out of her face before placing a gentle kiss against her lips.
“You scared the shit out of me,” she said. She was still trying to convince her heart that she wasn’t under attack after the early morning surprise.
“I couldn’t help myself,” he said with a smile.
He kissed the top of her forehead before slipping out from beneath the sheets. She lay back on the bed and watched his naked back, her eyes tracing the lines of muscles before she reached his round and firm butt. He was a beautiful specimen of a man, and he was all hers. He stopped in the mirror and scratched at his stubble, his other hand tapping the chrome full augmented leg he had. She had a feeling he was a lot more self-conscious about the replacement than he would ever admit to anyone.
“You’re going to have to put clothes on, or else I’m never going to get up,” Lucinda said as she tore her eyes from him and rolled onto her back.
“Are you working today?” he asked as he grabbed a towel from the linen cupboard.
“I’ve got some training later on this morning, but I was going to spend this evening lazing around the house,” she explained. If she was going to move in here, she was going to have to get used to being here without him.
“Well, I could pick you up after training and bring you back if you like,” he said.
“Sure thing,” she said with a huge smile. She loved riding the bike almost as much as she loved riding the biker.
He leaned in and kissed her before he stepped into the bathroom. She listened to the water start to run before she finally got up the courage to drag herself of bed and get dressed. She was feeling nice and calm as she headed downstairs to the kitchen, deciding what to cook for breakfast.
As she stepped into the kitchen, she saw Sawyer sitting at the table. Open in front of her was Lucinda’s makeup bag, its contents spread across the kitchen table. Using the small mirror from the pack, she was painting her face with Lucinda’s makeup. Lucinda didn’t know exactly what to do or say.
“Hey, Sawyer,” Lucinda said awkwardly.
“Hey,” Sawyer said without looking up.
“You seem to be using my makeup,” Lucinda said.
“Mine ran out,” Sawyer said. The girl didn’t speak much. She spent most of her time hidden in her room, or quietly hovering in the background while the rest of the family bickered.
“Did you not think to ask?” Lucinda asked, feeling slightly frustrated.
“No,” Sawyer said.
“You know you should really ask before you use other people’s things,” Lucinda said.
“Oh. Okay,” was Sawyer’s only response.
There was no emotion in the girl’s voice, no apology, no nothing. Lucinda wasn’t quite sure what else to do. She didn’t mind Sawyer using her makeup, but the fact that she hadn’t asked irritated her. There didn’t seem to be any line when it came
to people’s belongings or personal space. She had at least expected an apology or an acknowledgment of wrongdoing, but, no, there was nothing. Sawyer just carried on doing her makeup.
Lucinda left her to it and went to the stove. She was lost in her own thoughts as she started to grab the things she needed to make pancakes. Should she explain to Sawyer why she was in the wrong or should she just leave it? She wasn’t sure Sawyer would understand, and even if she did, Lucinda doubted she would listen. She should just leave it. She tried to push the thought to the back of her mind as she started preparing breakfast for the family—a colossal undertaking in its own right.
From behind, she heard the makeup bag snap closed. She glanced around to see Sawyer getting up from the table.
“You gonna have your breakfast first?” Lucinda said.
Sawyer stopped and looked to her. It was like she was eyeing up the danger of the situation. Sawyer was a tall, well-toned, beautiful girl, with long blonde hair, an angular face, and the same dark eyes as Zane. She also shared Zane’s take no shit attitude. Even after leaving The Fringe, all the kids still focused on their self-defense. Lucinda didn’t think that was something that they would ever stop honing.
Sawyer walked over to grab a plate. She was a little taller and more muscular than Lucinda, and sometimes she could be a little intimidating. It didn’t help that out of all the family, she was the hardest to talk to. Caspian was arrogant and aggressive to Zane, but to her, he’d been nothing but a sweetheart. Sawyer just creeped her out a little. She was too quiet and watchful. It often felt like she was sitting in the corner planning something.
Sawyer took a plate and grabbed the condiments for the pancakes. She turned to walk away but quickly turned back.
“Thank you,” she said before heading back to the table and laying the condiments out for everyone else to use. Lucinda smiled a little to herself; please and thank you were definitely an improvement.
Moments later, there was an influx of family. The noise and excitement as she handed out the plates of pancakes rebounded off the walls, making it sound like there was twice the number of children in the room. The table was quickly filled by the kids as they scarfed down their food. It always reminded her of the orphanages. So much chatter and energy. She guessed it was one of the reasons she liked being here. It felt like home. It was a shame that her recent interaction with Sawyer hung over her like a cloud. It was difficult getting along with her when she only came over every few days. How difficult would it be if she lived here full time?
Zane came into the kitchen and walked over to her. Wrapping an arm around her waist he pulled her into another kiss, an action that never failed to leave her a little breathless. She gave him a slight smile before handing him a plate.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Huh, yeah, why?” she asked.
“You have a face on that says something’s bothering you,” he replied. Since they’d started dating, he’d become really good at reading her emotions.
“I had an issue with Sawyer this morning. That’s all,” Lucinda explained quietly. “Don’t worry about it.”
“No, tell me,” he insisted. “Come on, Luce, what’s going on?”
“I came in to find her using my makeup. She didn’t ask, and she gave no apology or recognition that she shouldn’t have taken it. Nothing. Just felt a little like she didn’t respect me or my stuff, that’s all,” Lucinda explained.
“Shit. I should have told you this before, but I thought we’d got through this.” Zane sighed as he dragged his hand through his hair, then he lowered his voice. “Sawyer had a really big issue with ‘sticky fingers’. She got in a lot of trouble when we first arrived here.”
“What happened?” Lucinda asked.
Zane leaned back against the sideboard. With a sigh, he dragged his hand down over his face and glanced back to the table. The look in his eyes said he was reliving something that he would rather not. She touched his arm gently, and he looked at her with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
“Back in The Fringe, I had trouble providing the kids with what they needed, especially in the first few years after Mom and Dad died. Too many kids, and they were too young to earn their own keep. If we got low on funds or food, I would cut back eating. When Sawyer found out, she started stealing from the market to make sure there was enough food for me, too,” Zane said; he obviously blamed himself for her having to do that. “When we got to Seattle, she had been doing it for so long that she couldn't stop. She stole whatever she wanted from shops, from school, or even people on the street.”
“Ah,” Lucinda said. She wanted to say something but couldn’t conjure any words to fit.
“Yeah. So after many talks with the school, the police, and the Network having to cover my ass a couple of times, we finally seemed have it under control,” Zane explained. The stress was evident on his face. “I’ll have a word with her. Let her know it’s not okay at home, either.”
He headed to the table, indicating to Sawyer and then the living room, with a stern look on his face. She could have had the conversation with Sawyer herself, but sometimes the kids’ reactions weren’t in line with what you would expect. She’d seen Caspian throw a punch at Zane because he’d eaten the last donut for Christ’s sake.
Lucinda was feeling pretty shit about stressing him out, but was also feeling concerned about her future here. If Sawyer had a habit of taking things, she wasn’t sure she wanted to bring her belongings here. She had a lot of paint and canvases that were expensive to replace, and several items with sentimental value that she had left from before her parents disappeared. This morning, she had felt so good about moving in, but now she was starting to question if it was actually a good idea at all.
Chapter Seven
After seeing Glass, Jacques had been a mess. His natural instinct had been to find the first bar and drink until he couldn’t feel the pain anymore, but he was meeting Ava later on this evening, and turning up wasted was bad form. Instead, he’d spent his evening walking the streets of Seattle Central; it was something he did when he felt lost or disconnected. He’d even checked in with some of his contacts in the homeless network. The guys always had something that needed doing, and several simply like to talk the ear off anyone who would listen. Anything to try and distract him from his thoughts. Little helped.
Before he knew it, the time was coming up for him to meet Ava. The closer he came to meeting her, the sicker he felt. He was so nervous having to recite his history with Glass to someone else. He hadn’t even told Lucy about his past. At first, he nearly had himself convinced that the nerves came from the shame of what happened between them and the life that had been lost. The truth was he was quickly coming to like Ava. Her hard woman, give-no-shit attitude had really rubbed off on him, and he was actually nervous that his story would cause her to leave or to not like him anymore. It made him feel stupid. The only person he’d really cared that much about had been Glass. It was ironic that a conversation about his ex could be the one to stop anything happening with someone new. That’s if she was even interested in him.
There was a jingle as he pushed the door to the diner open. It was a quiet greasy spoon, making it the perfect place to talk about dark histories and evil exes, but probably the worst place for a first date. Not that it was a date, no. It was just him telling his story.
He spotted Ava immediately. She was sequestered away into a corner booth, staring into a cup of coffee that she was stirring continuously with her spoon. For the first time, her hair was tied back, and just that simple change made her face seem harder and more serious. He took a deep breath before crossing the room and settling into the booth opposite her. She looked up to him without a trace of emotion on her harsh features.
“You alright?” Jacques asked with a smile. She didn’t reply in kind. Instead, she leaned back in the booth, crossing her arms.
“Well, just watching my back, y’know. I might get shanked just for meeting you here,” she sa
id sarcastically. “Let’s get straight to the point, shall we?”
“Yeah, let’s,” he said and paused as he tried to work out exactly what to say. Trying to sum up his history in a few concise sentences was hard. He felt exactly like he did at his court hearing, but for some reason, the outcome of this meeting felt so much more important. “Glass…she’s my ex-girlfriend...”
“You got a great choice in women,” she said with a slight smirk. Jacques gave a strained smile at the comment; it didn’t last long as he thought about the next part of the story.
“She wasn’t always like this,” Jacques said with a sad sigh. “She’s always had a wild streak, but this dark edge she’s taken on was all my fault.”
“What happened?” she asked. The hardness was starting to disappear from her voice, and she seemed a little more interested.
“It was a few years back now. Glass had a stalker for about six months. The guy would sit in the bar for hours, bump into her on the street, interact with all her social media posts, stuff like that. She was pretty freaked out, but he’d never done anything for the cops to get involved. I’d been out looking for work one day. I came home to find him cuddled up next to her in our bed. To be honest, I thought she had cheated on me. Then he woke up and saw me, yelled something, then threw himself at me. I panicked and grabbed the bedside lamp and hit him with it. I hit him a little too hard and well... He died,” Jacques said. He stared past her at the grubby wall of the diner. He would remember that night for the rest of his life. There was a part of him that was forever darkened by that moment, and nothing he could ever do would fix it.
Recycled Lives Page 5
