Inferno Anthology

by Gow, Kailin

  “It’s already done,” he replied, his eyes never leaving mine. “I went to see her as soon as I read it.”

  I went to see her as soon as I read it. His words struck me like hot iron. He was still in love with her. That was it. He was here to tell me thank you for the time we spent together, but he was going back to her. It didn’t really surprise me. He’d built a life with her already. I was just some teenager he’d passed the time with. I believed he loved me, but there was no way I could compete with a history like that.

  Tears fell faster and I didn’t try to stop them. “So, you’re going back to her then?” I had to force the words out.

  He snorted. “What? No! Did you not just hear what I told you? I said I love you—you, Brooklyn—more than anything!”

  I stared at him, the rays of hope again beginning to bloom in my chest. “I…I thought you were trying to break the news that you’re leaving me, gently.”

  Grabbing my face, he laughed and briefly kissed me, again. “No! You silly girl.” His hands slid down grasping both of my arms around the wrist and lifting them. “You see these hands?” he asked and I nodded. “These hands are what holds my heart. It’s yours to do with what you please. I’m not going anywhere.”

  I couldn’t hold back the stupid sob that blubbered out me, relief infusing my being, as he kissed each of my hands before linking his fingers with mine.

  “I went to see Sarah. I thanked her for the letter and told her it made things better between us for her to apologize, but that I couldn’t come back. I told her there wasn’t any way I could get past what had happened. And then, I told her the rest of the truth about the girl I was interested in before her and how she was finally in my life. I told her how I’d never known love between two people could feel so good, and while I’d been faithful to her while I was with her, you were the one I always wanted.”

  My eyes widened as he spoke, my love for him growing and blossoming even stronger inside me. “You said all that? Really?”

  Smiling, he kissed the back of my hand. “Really. You’re the only girl I want—ever. I’m hoping you feel the same.”

  Something akin to a half-cry, half-laugh, escaped me as I removed my hands from his and placed my arms around his neck. “There’s no doubt in my mind. I feel the same. I promise you.”

  Another heated kiss followed and this time, as our mouths tangled together, I reveled in knowing his love for me was so strong.

  “Wait!” I said, breaking away. “There’s something else I need to say.”

  “What?” he asked, seeming surprised.

  “I’m tired of hiding and sneaking around. Let’s just be normal and put this relationship out there.” I searched his eyes as I spoke, looking for relief, but saw alarm, instead.

  “Sweetheart, as much as I’d love that, I don’t think it’s a good idea. I get what you’re saying, but damn…if your dad found out and decided to be an ass about it, it would kill me to not be able to see you at all. I have no problem with taking the small snatched moments we get, together, if it means I get to keep seeing you in some capacity. Let’s keep things quiet, for now, and see how it goes.”

  I sighed heavily, disappointed, but understanding where he was coming from. “I can’t wait until we can be a normal couple.”

  Chuckling, he kissed me, again. “It’ll happen. I promise.”

  “Not soon enough,” I muttered and he laughed.

  “I completely agree.”

  ***

  There it was, sitting on the edge of the kitchen counter next to Dad’s briefcase. Glancing around, I didn’t see him or my mom anywhere. Quickly, I grabbed the phone and ducked into the powder room, locking the door. I punched in the four-digit code, entering it wrong the first time because I was shaking so badly. I hurriedly entered it, again.

  The device unlocked and I skipped over to the recent calls list. Scrolling down and searching for the date, praying that the calls hadn’t been deleted. Dad did a lot of business by phone, but thankfully it appeared that most of the calls on his phone were just from Rhonda, sprinkled with a few from my mom.

  Due to the situation with Tommy, I hadn’t approached her about Dad’s affair. I figured it was best not the rock the boat and wake a sleeping giant.

  Slowing when I reached that Sunday Six had overheard him, I found the call that matched the appropriate time frame. Rhonda. No surprises there. Rhonda was his accomplice. Taking my phone out, I snapped a picture of the time-stamped call. I slid my phone back in my pocket before flipping over to his text messages from Rhonda.

  Reading through, I didn’t see anything that really implicated anything about Tommy or an affair, most of the texts being business related or talking about meeting to eat lunch. I did notice that the thread had been recently deleted, however.

  “Helen? Have you seen my phone?” My dad’s voice floated down the hall.

  “Oh, no, no, no!” I said under my breath, quickly turning it off. I glanced around the room helplessly as if it might provide an answer.

  “I haven’t,” my mom replied from somewhere else in the house. “Where’d you leave it?”

  “I thought I set it on the counter next to my briefcase. I came home and set it down and went to the bathroom, and then I went into my office. I didn’t move it, though.”

  Setting the phone on the edge of the sink, I flushed the toilet and ran my hands under the faucet before stepping out. My dad turned to look at me. “You left your phone on the sink in the bathroom,” I said in what I hoped was a nonchalant sounding tone. Shaking the excess water off my dripping hands, I proceeded to wipe them dry on my jeans.

  “Good grief, Brooklyn,” my dad complained. “I swear you act like you were raised in the ghetto. How many times do I have to remind you to dry your hands on the damn towel? That’s what it’s there for. Go get a rag and wipe up these walls before they spot.”

  Brushing past him, I couldn’t help the smile that crossed my face as I moved toward the kitchen to retrieve a cleaning rag. Successfully diverted. This was one time when my dad’s obsessiveness had worked in my favor. I quickly wiped off the water spots on the walls and floors and then I hurried to my room.

  Got it! I texted to Dee Dee.

  Everything go okay? She texted back.

  Yeah.

  Good. I’ll take care of things from here. U stay out of it. U hear me? I want U safe!

  I will. I replied. Love U.

  Love U 2.

  Exiting my messages, I deleted the thread and then deleted the picture. Who knew what would happen from here? But for now, it was out of my hands, and that was just fine with me.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Six

  Pushing the speed limit, I raced my Jag back through town from the strip into the suburbs of Henley. Tonight’s show seemed to drag on forever, especially knowing that Brooklyn was waiting for me at Bailey’s pool house.

  She didn’t know it, but after the night I’d shared with her on stage, I’d never danced that routine, again. It seemed a good place to end that act, with the special memory of finally hooking up with the girl I wanted. I’d talked to Randy and he agreed to let me learn a new choreographed solo that didn’t require me to bring anyone on stage with me.

  I’d also been pondering different options for work, lately. While Brooklyn had never complained about my working for Leathers, I couldn’t imagine it was the kind of job a girl wanted for her boyfriend. Sure, I enjoyed it, who wouldn’t? Women screaming and cheering for you like crazy every time you walk out on stage—it could definitely go to the head. But I wanted Brooklyn more than I wanted any of that. At the end of the day, she was the one I wanted to come home to; so I’d do whatever made her comfortable.

  Inked Edges was completely tapped out on hours at the moment. There was no way I could pick up more there, unless my uncle retired or someone quit. I didn’t see either happening any time soon.

  The downside to leaving Leathers was that I made good money there. I’d saved almost ev
ery penny of it in hopes of buying Inked Edges. If I quit working there, it would take a lot longer for my dream of owning my own shop to become a reality.

  Turning down Bailey’s street, I parked a few houses down the road, straddling the property lines of two adjacent homes, so if anyone became curious about my car, it would leave a question about whose house the car was actually parked in front of. Locking up, I jogged toward the residence Brandon had shown me. He’d been here several times to spend the night in the pool house with Bailey. This was my first time.

  I punched the key code into the gate and it slowly swung open. Slipping inside, I ran up the private drive and around the left of the house. Opening the side gate, I entered into the backyard. A large pool, surrounded by plush deck chairs, sparkled in the moonlight.

  Quietly, I moved toward the pool house, knocking on the door.

  “Hey, you!” Brooklyn said as she opened it, smiling wide. Immediately, it was as if everything inside me relaxed and I didn’t have a care in the world. Just standing next to her made me feel…peace.

  “Hey, yourself,” I replied with a grin, my eyes drifting over the simple scoop neck t-shirt and shorts she was wearing. I thought she looked like a million bucks.

  “Get in here!” Grabbing my shirt, she pulled me inside, closing the door behind me and standing on her tiptoes, wrapping her arms around my neck. “I’ve missed you.”

  My hands slid naturally around her waist. “I’ve missed you, too.” Mouth descending, my lips captured hers and a soft groan escaped me at the contact—the same old sparks igniting between us. It was funny how she made me feel like no one else ever had. But then, again, I loved her like I’d never loved anyone.

  “You owe me five bucks,” Brandon’s voice interrupted and Brooklyn and I broke apart. I hadn’t even noticed anyone else in the room. Glancing around, I saw Bailey and him watching us, the two of them sitting on the couch, cuddled together.

  Bailey sighed. “You were right. They didn’t even make it a foot past the door before they started making out.” Uncurling, Bailey dug into the pocket of her shorts and pulled out some cash, handing it to Brandon.

  Quirking an eyebrow, I stared at him. “Is this how you’re making your money these days? Betting on us?”

  Laughing, he shook his head. “No, but I’d probably make a bundle if I did. You two are so predictable.”

  “I could say the same about you,” I replied, grabbing Brooklyn’s hand and walking toward the only other doors I could see, which I assumed led to the bedrooms. “It’s late and I’m tired. We’re going to bed.”

  “It’s that door,” Brooklyn said, pointing.

  “You owe me another five bucks,” I heard Brandon say as we walked away.

  “No way,” Bailey replied. “He didn’t say they were going to have sex. He said he was tired.”

  “I didn’t say they would have sex. I bet you he wouldn’t make it a foot past the door before he started kissing her and that the next thing he’d do was drag her off to bed. You owe me five more dollars.”

  “Damn,” Bailey whispered. “I thought he’d at least sit down and visit for a while.”

  Brooklyn snickered and I smiled as we entered the bedroom, leaving them behind. Moonlight filtered through the thin sheer curtains that covered a sliding glass door that led outside to the pool. A large king size bed sat in the middle of the longest wall, flanked on either side by nightstands. A chair and ottoman was placed near the glass door and a long dresser covered the opposite wall.

  “Damn. Their pool house is bigger, and much nicer, than my apartment.”

  Brooklyn laughed. “Isn’t it crazy? And they hardly use it. I think Bailey is really the only one who does. We stay here all the time.”

  “Well, in this case, I’m glad they let her.” Turning to face Brooklyn, I pulled her against me. “I’ve been dying to spend the night with you again, just so I could hold you in my arms.”

  “Me, too,” she replied, wrapping her arms around my waist and leaning her head against my chest. “It’s the thing I wish for every night when I crawl into my bed, alone.”

  “Someday soon it’ll be every night. I promise you.” Continuing to hold her, I rocked her gently in my arms. “You’re going to see me so much, you’ll start getting sick of me. I’m gonna walk in the door and you’ll glance up and say, ‘Oh, it’s you, again.’ And then I’ll be devastated.”

  Squeezing me harder, she laughed. “That will never happen. Not ever. You mean too much to me. I love you.”

  Warmth spread through my heart at her words. “And that’s something I’ll never get sick of hearing. It makes me feel like I won the lottery or something.”

  Lifting her head, she popped up on her tiptoes, offering her lips to me. I was happy to take them, pressing mine to hers as my memories flitted back to the first time I’d seen her.

  I’d gone to pick up Tommy at his mom’s house for a session at the gym because his car had a flat tire. He’d been standing outside, embracing a gorgeous girl. I was surprised because he hadn’t mentioned he was dating anyone. The girl stepped away, smiling widely. Tommy said something to her as I watched from the car and she threw her head back and laughed, holding her hand on her stomach. Her honey colored hair caught the light, shining brightly, as her face flushed with joy.

  In that second, I was completely mesmerized, my eyes traveling swiftly over her from head to toe as I tried to commit her to memory. There was just something so…pure about her. Waving at Tommy, she turned and moved toward the driveway, slipping into a car parked there.

  “Who’s that?” I asked Tommy as he slid into the seat beside me. The girl pulled out of the driveway, smiling and waving happily as she passed by us. I couldn’t help myself, I waved back at her.

  “That’s my sister. Brooklyn,” Tommy replied casually, as he fastened his seat belt.

  Brooklyn. I committed the name to memory. “Sister?” I asked, surprised, as I pulled away from the curb, making a U-turn and following after her. “I never knew you had a sister.”

  “Well, now you do. She’s my half sister, actually—daughter of the monster and his other wife.” I knew he meant his dad. He often referred to him as “the monster”. “She lives with them, but she wishes she lived with me.” He sighed. “Brooklyn is the best thing my dad ever made. He doesn’t know it, though. He’s too self-absorbed to notice how amazing she is. She must get it from her mom. Helen is decent. I’m not sure she really likes me, either, but at least she pretends to.” He stared out the window.

  “So, does your sister come visit you a lot?” I asked, still fishing for information.

  “We try to stay in touch pretty often. She gets along really well with my mom and mom likes to visit with her.”

  “She looked like she was having a good time with you when I arrived.”

  He chuckled. “She was telling me about her end-of-the-year cheerleading tryouts. She made the team again, which I knew she would since she was on the championship team this year. She’s one of their fliers—you know, the ones who get thrown in the air and are on the top of the pyramids? I told her I was going to come to one of her games next year and run through them like a bowling ball and knock them all down, just to see her fall from the top.”

  I chuckled as I imagined him doing just that. “So, is she cheering for Henderly Community College?”

  Snorting, he shook his head. “No. She’s still in high school at Henderly High. She’s only sixteen.”

  Sixteen. Damn. She didn’t look sixteen. So much for that idea. Quietly, I watched as her car turned at the intersection, heading in the opposite direction of where we were.

  At that particular moment, I’d believed it would be the last time I’d see Brooklyn Hall, but I’d been wrong. It was as if becoming aware of her suddenly made me see her everywhere—coming out of a store, at a restaurant with friends, occasionally leaving Tommy’s house when I came by, but I never had the opportunity to meet her. Even after meeting Sarah, I’d still gone t
o football games—with or without Tommy—whenever I could. Sarah even came with me, sometimes. I tried not to obviously watch Brooklyn and focus on the game, but I couldn’t help allowing my gaze to drift over her, repeatedly. Something about her just spoke to me. As things progressed with Sarah, I did my best to stay away from places I knew Brooklyn might be. It wasn’t fair to her. I was falling for Sarah more and more…I just couldn’t seem to stop that niggling thought. What if?

  Now, here she was, wrapped in my arms, kissing me. It was so funny, too. My relationship with Sarah had been so much more involved, but I felt like I knew Brooklyn a thousand times better. I’d definitely fallen for her harder and faster, and much more intensely, than I had with Sarah. I couldn’t imagine a life without Brooklyn in it. I didn’t want a life without her in it.

  Breaking the kiss, I stared at her. “You know I’m crazy about you, right? I mean crazy, like you occupy my every waking thought, crazy.”

  “Every waking thought? Hmm. Sounds like you’re the one who’s going to get sick of me if you keep that up.”

  Laughing, I bent down, scooping her up, and she wrapped her legs around my waist. “That’s not ever going to happen.” Carrying her to the bed, I set her carefully on the mattress. “I have something I need to ask you.”

  The moonlight from the window lit the gorgeous angles of her face as she stared up at me. “Okay, what?”

  “Does my working at Leathers bother you?” I held my breath in anticipation of her reply.

  “No. Should it?”

  “I just worried that it may be causing feelings of hurt or jealousy. I know some of the other guys have girlfriends and they don’t like it. It causes relationship problems.”

  “When I think of you at Leathers, it’s always imagining myself on stage with you.” She laughed. “That was an amazing night. I still blush when I think about it.”

  “I don’t do that dance anymore,” I replied. “Not since I did it with you. I still have a solo number, but it’s one that doesn’t require someone from the audience. I wanted to keep that memory with you fresh in my mind.”