The Devil's Eyes

by Jennifer Loren

  ~

  Waking up this morning I cannot wipe the smile off my face. I bounce around the house greeting everyone blissfully and, to some, I nearly sing my cheery attitude in their direction. When I see Luke coming in, I try to share with him as I have with everyone else.

  “I’m in no mood for your shit today, Kayla.” Luke said with a glancing dark attitude.

  “What did I do to you?” I asked stunned by his concentrated glare.

  “Are you really asking me that? Are you that stupid?” Luke huffed in my face.

  “I guess I am, because I have no idea what your problem is.” I replied while my posture becomes rigid.

  “My problem is that you are distracting my best friend. I can’t believe he hasn’t gotten rid of you or … done away with you yet? No, that’s not Nick. I don’t know what you’re up to, but know this, I am watching you even if he isn’t.”

  “I’m not up to anything, you paranoid jerk!”

  “I’m paranoid, huh? Well maybe I am and maybe I’m not, but either way you’re going to get him killed.”

  “And how exactly am I going to do that?”

  Luke approaches leaning into my face. “That’s easy to explain. Because he is so distracted by you, with protecting you, trying to make you happy, and making sure he plans his days so he can spend as much time with you, rather than worrying about what he should be.”

  “Nick knows what he’s doing and I am sure he has had distractions before. I think you’re just jealous that he isn’t spending his free time with you.”

  Luke rolls his eyes and prances away like a schoolgirl. “Oh yes, that’s it! I wish he would let me suck his dick too.” Idiot. Luke turns around and points his finger in my direction, “Don’t get too comfortable, Sweetheart, because it will be only a matter of time before Nick sends you packing. That! I’m sure of.”

  ~

  Despite Luke, the day is perfect and couldn’t be any more so. I have a special date planned with Nick tonight and I intend to find the perfect outfit and under garments for it. However, when I walk into my favorite store, I am immediately cornered by two men. “Ms. Donovan, can we talk to you please?” I try to step away from them but they flash badges at me.

  “About what?” I asked.

  “I think it would be best if you come down to the station and talk with us.” Said the first officer.

  “This is not a good time.” I replied as I tried to step around them again.

  “That’s fine then we will follow you around until you have time.” The same officer threatened. Frustrated, I reluctantly agree to go with them. Hours go by before they start their interrogation. “Ms. Donovan, what is your relationship with Nicholas Jayzon?”

  Rolling my eyes but not surprised, “Nick is my boyfriend. Is that all you wanted to know?”

  They toss a picture my way. “Do you know this man, Kayla?” I pick it up with no recollection at all.

  “No. Should I?” I said, tossing it back to them.

  “Look at it closely. Are you sure you have never seen him before?”

  “I am looking at him. I don’t know him and have never seen him before.” I said with a long sigh.

  “He works for your boyfriend or I should say worked for him.” I shrug. “He was helping us and suddenly he went missing.”

  “I told you I have no idea who he is. I have never seen him and, more importantly, I have never seen him with Nick.”

  They become frustrated with me and one of them aims his finger down on the picture over and over. “Look at him! Marcus Knox, that’s his name. Marcus Knox, Kayla! You don’t know him? Are you sure?”

  The name begins to take shape in my mind but I remain blank faced as they yell at me. “Can I go now? Or should I call a lawyer?” I asked pointedly.

  “Do you need one?” Asks the smartass cop who is quickly wearing on my nerves.

  “Maybe if you continue to hold me here against my will,” I say with boldness that sits them both back in their chairs.

  “You’re pretty tough. Do you know who your boyfriend is, Kayla?” I ignore him. “I hope so because a lot of people have turned up missing around him. I would hate for a pretty young woman like you to go missing.”

  I cock my head to one side and pull out my cell phone and dial, “Nick, for some reason I am being held against my will by some cops…. Thank you. See you soon.” One of them gets up and leaves in a huff and the other leans back in his chair, eyeing me with a smile, “What is your name again?” I asked.

  “Detective Simone, but you can call me Brady.” He winks.

  “Brady, do you harass women often?”

  “None as pretty as you.” I stare at him hard before looking away. “Here’s my card. Take it in case you need it- or just need someone to share a dinner with.”

  “Are you kidding?”

  He stands over me, “No, and I am not kidding about your boyfriend being dangerous. I don’t care if you have information to help us or not, I would prefer you get away from him before you get hurt.” He walks out and within no time Nick’s lawyer walks in to escort me out.

  As soon as I enter the house, Nick approaches me with concern but looks even angrier than I am. Luke following him, however, fights a smile, “I told you.” Luke said.

  “Shut up and let me handle this. What did they want, Kayla?” Nick yells, as he leans in close to my face.

  “Stop yelling at me.” I said, pushing back on his chest.

  “Tell me what happened, Kayla.” Nick said only slightly calmer.

  “They wanted to know if I knew some Marcus guy. If I had seen him before.”

  Luke laughs harshly and Nick eyes him to be quiet. “And what did you say?” Nick asked.

  “I said I had never seen him before. Which I haven’t. I have never seen him or heard of him before. And that’s all I said before I called you.”

  “You were there for a long time.” Luke said.

  “They held me in a room and left me by myself for hours. And then, one of the detectives spent time flirting and asking me out.”

  Nick spins around, “Who?”

  “Detective Simone, I think was his name.”

  “He’s trying to get you to open up to him.” Nick said.

  “I am not stupid, Nick. But I don’t have any information to give him, do I?”

  Nick throws up his hands and cringes. “I don’t like this at all.”

  “And I do?” I yell back at him.

  Nick turns to face me, “See? This is why I don’t get involved with anyone. Nothing but trouble.” He walks away from me cursing under his breath. “Son of a bitch! I don’t know what I was thinking.”

  “Well, I can make it easy for you and leave. Then your trouble is gone.” I said watching him pace around like a wild man.

  “That would be great. I would appreciate it.” Nick said not looking at me.

  I pause, watching him lean against the wall still cursing. “I’ll pack then.” Nick waves me off. “Nick?”

  “What?” He yells sending me back on my heels. “What, Kayla?” He looks at me, his eyes cold. “You want me to cry and beg you to stay? Maybe get down on my knees and beg for your forgiveness? What? If you want to go, fucking go! No one’s stopping you. Hell, at this point, I will help you pack!” He slams his fist into the wall and heads out the door. Luke follows with a smirk that I want to smack off his face.

  I pack what I can, what I feel is fair to take, and leave him a note resigning from the club. I have Exie pick me up and leave the new car Nick bought for me parked where I left it. I am gone before he gets back. “Are you sure this is what you want to do?” Exie asks. I nod hiding my face from her in case I am not strong enough to hold back my tears. “He was angry. You know, people say things they don’t mean when they are angry.”

  “Not in my world. People say exactly what they mean when they are angry. That’s when they are the most free to do so. They may not mean to hurt you, but they always mean what they say.”

  ~1
4~

  Kayla

  I spend weeks searching for a job, but Nick made sure no other club would hire me. The best job I can get is as a waitress at a cheap restaurant- a place where I can take the bus to and from Exie’s house. I hate not having a car. My boss is lazy, disgusting, and too dumb to be running his own business. How this place stays open is beyond me. He must have someone helping him or God owes him one. The restaurant is nearly empty this late at night, outside of an old truck driver, a couple of streetwalkers taking a break from their own business, and two teenagers that are high and intent on smoking an entire pack of cigarettes each. I hate the smell of cigarettes, my mother rarely breathed without one. As if this place doesn’t make you feel dirty enough with its barely passing inspection grade or the ridiculous schoolgirl outfits the owner is so determined to make me wear. Now I have to sit back and breathe in the smoky sludge the idiots in the corner are trying to surround themselves with, all so they can hide from the world. All I can do is sit propped up on the counter kicking my heels waiting for my nightmare to end. With an hour to go someone comes in forcing me to get up and pretend to care again. I walk out to greet the customer and sigh as soon as I see his stupid smiling face, “Ms. Donovan, I am surprised to see you here.” Detective Simone said.

  “What do you want to eat.” I asked trying to ignore him.

  “I take it you and Jayzon aren’t together anymore?”

  “No, we are not- no thanks to you.” I said.

  “And here I thought bringing you in was a waste of time, but now I feel like it was well worth the effort.”

  “Glad you think so. Now, do you want something or are you only here to harass me?”

  “Coffee. Coffee will be fine.” He said easing back in his chair.

  “Great.” I said walking away in a huff. The detective makes every effort to continue to get my attention, staying all-night and even waiting until after we close to watch me wait for the bus.

  “I could give you a ride home if you want.” He asked after forcing his frozen window down.

  “What is your problem? Are you trying to piss me off?” I asked him.

  “It’s just a ride. Just … a … ride.” He spelled out sarcastically.

  “I am not telling you anything about Nick. I don’t know anything that would help you … with anything.”

  “Just … a … ride.” He expresses again.

  I take a second to look down the road to see if the bus is anywhere close. Of course it isn’t. Stupid bus. With a sigh I get up and get into his car without looking at him. “I’m not talking to you, so don’t bother asking me any questions.”

  “A quiet woman? Wow! I thought they only existed in fairy tales.” He laughs as I eye him with a stern warning. “You know I am not a bad guy. If we had met each other under different circumstances, I might instead be driving you home after we had dinner together instead.” He glances my way and I shift closer to the window. “A friend of mine gave me these tickets to the concert tomorrow night. Everyone I know is working and I would really like to go but I hate going to these things alone.” I know he is looking at me again. “You don’t know anyone that might like to go with me, do you?”

  “I don’t know anyone with that low of standards.”

  “Ha! I got you talk to me after all.” He yells out, ridiculously proud of himself. Ass “Tell you what, if you go with me tomorrow night, then I will stop coming around and asking you out.”

  “All I have to do is put up with you for a couple of hours?”

  “Dinner and the concert and then I promise straight home. I don’t put out on the first date.” He said laughing at his own joke. Idiot.

  “Uggghhh, I …”

  “This is a onetime offer.”

  “I don’t think I can put up with you for that long.”

  “Okay then, I guess we will be seeing each other tomorrow and the next day, and the next and the …”

  “FINE! But that’s it and you leave me alone for good!” I yell at him.

  “I swear. For good. Unless you have fun and want to do it again.”

  “I won’t.”

  “You might.”

  “I definitely won’t.” I said rolling my eyes yet again.

  “Oh, I think you definitely might. I am very charming.”

  “Thanks for the ride,” I say halfheartedly as I jump out of the car and race up the drive to the front door.

  ~

  As promised, Detective Simone picks me up at seven and drives me to his supposed favorite restaurant, which is a bar that happens to serve food. He makes sure to introduce me to his friends as we enter, all of whom are also police officers. Every time I look up, the crowd whispers and gestures towards me. After a few times, I concentrate on my hands placed in my lap. Brady, as he asked me to call him, notices my uneasiness, quickly pays for our meal, and leads me out the door. The concert is fun but unfortunately Brady catches me smiling and smiles back. I erase my good time from my face as quickly as I can, but it’s too late, he’s obviously proud of himself. Brady takes me straight home, as promised, and leaves me alone, for a few days at least. One morning, I wake up to flowers asking me for another date.

  “Exie, look at this.” I said holding up the flowers Brady left on our doorstep.

  “Wow. You must have made an impression on him. You didn’t sleep with him, did you?” She laughs

  “No, but thanks for the vote of confidence in my skills.”

  Exie smiles and points towards the door behind me, “Is that him coming up the walk?”

  Turning, I see Daniel as he knocks on our door, “No, that’s Daniel.”

  “Daniel? The guy Nick nearly locked you in a box over? Don’t answer the door, Kayla.” Sighing, I approach the door as Exie picks up Jerran and goes to the back of the house.

  Opening the door I force a smile, “Daniel what are you doing here?”

  “That’s not the greeting I was hoping for.” He said forcing an awkward smile.

  “Well, what do you expect? The last time I saw you were …”

  Daniel steps in and takes hold of me, “Baby, please. You don’t understand how much I need you, how much I miss you.” Daniel tries to get me to look at him. “I wish you would look at me. I’m proud of you though.”

  Pulling away from Daniel’s grasp, “For what?”

  “For finally getting away from that Dirtbag. I thought for sure you would eventually give in to him, but you are …” Daniel glances at me awkwardly. “You … you did give into him?”

  “Daniel, yes I did and I don’t regret it, so please just go.”

  “Are those flowers for you?” Daniel points to the vase with my name clearly displayed on the outside of the card. “Nick sends flowers now?” Before I can explain, Daniel throws the vase across the room into a wall. “I can’t believe you would let him touch you!” Daniel approaches me with a dark cloud hovering around him. “You fucking whore!”

  “Get out!” I screamed as Daniel closes in on me, “LEAVE!”

  “Kayla, are you okay?” Exie said running in from the hall.

  “Do you like the way he feels, Kayla? Do you think he feels better than me? Does he fuck you the way you like?”

  “Get out, Daniel, and don’t ever come back here!” I yell opening the door wide for him. Daniel eyes Exie briefly before walking out the door but pushes his way back through and throws me against a glass case causing it to break and the glass to cut up my arm. I slide down the wall gripping my arm when Daniel grabs hold of me and slams my head back into the floor.

  “Give Nick a message for me,” Daniel hits me hard across the face.

  “Get out! You fucking son of a bitch! Get out before I call Nick!” Exie yells kicking at Daniel and beating him with whatever she can get. Daniel pushes her down but leaves. “Are you okay?” Exie asks while looking me over. “Oh, you are bleeding. Let me get Jerran and I will take you to the hospital.

  “No, Exie, I’m fine. I will bandage it myself.” I said grimacing a
s I try to get up.

  “Kayla, your arm, your head … no, I am taking you to the hospital.”

  “But, Exie, I can’t afford that.”

  “We will figure it out together.” Exie said grabbing Jerran and hustling me out the door to the hospital.

  ~

  The emergency room is insane and I am becoming impatient while waiting to be released. Lying in this hospital bed makes me feel so vulnerable and stupid. “Now, this is no way to get out of a date.” I open my eyes to see Brady smiling wide in front of me.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked trying to sit up.

  “I heard you were here and I wanted to see if you were okay.” He said cringing at the mark on my face. “I hope you filed a report.”

  “I did but …”

  “Don’t tell me you’re not going to press charges against this bastard?” Brady asked helping me sit up comfortably.

  “I don’t want to deal with him anymore. Daniel is obviously crazy and, from my experience, crazy people are not intimidated by restraining orders or threats of jail. It only makes them crazier.”

  “Daniel? What’s his name?” Brady asked looking at me with a puzzled expression.

  “Daniel Bonner.”

  “And what was he so mad about?”

  “He thought the flowers you sent me were from Nick.” I said and immediately Brady laughs. “Am I missing something?”

  “Apparently, because that man’s name is not Daniel Bonner, I can guarantee you of that.” I sit up with my head still spinning. Sticking his hands in his pockets, Brady looks at me with a peculiar expression. “Kayla, his name is actually Connor Daniels. He’s Nick’s brother. That’s why he was so angry about you being with Nick.”

  “What? But … neither of them said anything.” I said looking up to see Nick at the nurses’ station, but as soon as I see him, he tries to leave. “No, get him. Nick!” I yell trying to get up.

  “Kayla, lie back. You have a concussion.” Brady said helping me back into bed. “I will go get him but stay in bed.” Brady races out the door after Nick.