Torment

by Chloe Fischer

  Maybe you can try and reenact it, she thought bitterly. Isn’t Edward supposed to be home this Christmas?

  She wondered what her father would say about her being a sports writer.

  Suddenly, she balked.

  Is that why I’ve been so against this job since the start? Because of my daddy issues?

  She shuddered fully at the idea and gnawed on her lower lip, shaking her head. She wondered if that was also why she’d held a bit of a chip on her shoulder about Darien.

  Don’t be dumb. He started this war with you. He’s made it more difficult than it needed to be from the get-go.

  As if he had heard her thinking about him, the front door to one of the nearby apartment buildings opened and Odette felt her heart begin to flutter as she recognized the man exiting. What she didn’t recognize was the little girl he held in his arms or the gorgeous blonde accompanying him out toward the truck.

  She carried a car seat and as they neared, Odette craned her neck to stare more intently at the child in his arms.

  The resemblance to Darien was uncanny, from the cleft in her chin to the solemness of her blue eyes.

  Oh…now I get it.

  She watched as Darien handed off the child to a woman who Odette assumed was Melody and took the car seat from her to place inside his truck. Jealousy and upset twisted in Odette’s gut. A girlfriend she’d been expecting. A child, she had not.

  So the Wolverines’ golden boy isn’t so golden after all, she mused, sinking back as they couple drove off with the baby in the backseat of the small cab. He’s got a baby and a secret girlfriend.

  She wondered what Melody would think about Darien sleeping with other women while she was taking care of their kid.

  Maybe she’ll read about it in your article, Odette thought, turning over the ignition as she steadied her breaths. To her absolute horror, she realized her eyes had filled with tears.

  It’s shock. You’re in shock, nothing more.

  But she knew it was much more than simple surprise that had her so wound up. She was hurt and humiliated. And she wanted Darien to pay for making her and Melody fools.

  Chapter 13

  Thanksgiving was more awkward than usual. It was clear that Jade was furious with him and Darien didn’t blame her. This was the first time he’d been back since Melody had gotten sick. At first, he’d told himself that it was because he was so busy, midterms and his game schedule kicking his ass but as he sat before her at the Golden Corral, he knew that it had been more than that.

  “Baby, you’re barely eating,” he told the two-year-old pecking at her mashed potatoes.

  “This isn’t exactly Thanksgiving dinner, Dare,” Jade snapped back and he bristled. He raised his head to meet her blazing green eyes, a frown forming on his lips.

  “What do you want me to do, Jade? I couldn’t exactly pull a turkey dinner out of my ass,” he said coldly. He didn’t add what he was thinking.

  If you wanted a real dinner so badly, why didn’t you make one?

  “What about some dessert, honey?” Darien asked, ignoring Jade’s comment and focusing his attention on the child.

  “Dare! She’s barely eaten anything!” Jade grumbled. Darien felt his fists close under the table but he steeled his temper. He suddenly found himself wishing he’d stayed in Lansing for the long weekend but he knew he couldn’t do that to Melody.

  She needs consistency now more than ever. She’s getting old enough to understand now.

  But would the baby ever really understand any of it? Would she ever fully grasp what had happened to her family and why she and her mother existed the way they did?

  “I’ve got to head back tomorrow,” Darien said, the words surprising him as they left his lips.

  “What?!” Jade screeched. “You just got here, Darien!”

  Guilt surged through him and he looked away before he could meet Jade’s accusing gaze.

  “I’m sorry,” he said flatly, before his resolve could dissolve completely. “I need to get back.”

  Jade leaned across the table for his hand and he resisted the urge to yank it back.

  “Hey, look at me,” she said urgently. “Now is the time for us to spend time together. When you get drafted—”

  “If I get drafted,” Darien interjected in a low voice, looking around.

  “You will,” Jade told him, squeezing his hand gently. “It’s not going to get better. It’s going to get way worse. You’re never going to be home—”

  “Jade, we’ve been through this,” he sighed with exasperation. “As soon as I start making real money, I’ll move you out of the projects, out of Chicago somewhere safe.”

  “You said that before,” she growled, sinking back to glower at him before looking at her blonde daughter. Melody kicked her feet and giggled, somehow oblivious to the tension mounting at the table. “You promised us that you’d get us out of here before—”

  “Stop it!” Darien hissed, knowing what she was about to say.

  And this is why I stay away. She just can’t stop rubbing it in my face.

  A faint look of contrition crossed over her face and she shook her head.

  “I’m not saying it’s all your fault,” she demurred. “But if you had done what you said—”

  “You and Melody aren’t in danger,” he insisted but even as he said the words, he wondered if he believed them. Jade snorted.

  “It’s easy for you to say from your cozy little house in Michigan, isn’t it? Why don’t you let us come and stay with you until you graduate, Dare? We—”

  “Oh, for Christ’s sake, Jade, we’ve been through this. I share that house with other teammates. There will be questions that we can’t answer.”

  “You can answer them!” Jade grumbled, her eyes narrowing.

  “Not when there’s a morals clause attached to my football contract I can’t,” he shot back. “If there’s a hint of a scandal…”

  “We’re not a scandal!” Jade exploded so loudly that the neighboring tables turned to gawk at them.

  “Keep your voice down,” he hissed. “What have I told you about drawing attention?”

  Jade clamped her lips closed as Melody began to whimper, finally sensing the discord between the adults at the table.

  “You know what I mean, Jade. There’s no good way for me to explain you living with me. You just need to be patient a while longer.”

  “Yeah,” she spat but she didn’t add anything even though Darien knew she was yearning to unleash a spew of profanities.

  Why do you keep doing this? He asked himself but even as he thought it, he knew the answer. He would do anything for Melody, even if it meant keeping her wretched mother in his life.

  Guilt got the better of him and Darien didn’t leave on Friday but on Saturday morning, he kissed Melody and hugged her tightly, stroking her hair as she stared up at him with guileless eyes.

  “I’ll see you soon, okay, baby?” he promised. She laughed.

  “Football!” she cheered, throwing her fist into the air and Darien felt shame overcome him. She wasn’t quite speaking in full sentences yet but the words she did speak reminded him of how much he was failing her.

  It took him less than three hours to get back to Lansing and he found himself in an empty house.

  The silence overwhelmed him and almost instinctively, he wanted to turn around and drive back to Chicago but he didn’t dare. He had no intention of going another round with Jade, even if that meant inhaling the sweet baby smell of Melody one more time.

  I didn’t lie to her. I’m going to get them out of there as soon as I get some money. That was always the plan.

  He settled into the living room after making a coffee and reached for his phone to text Jade a customary half-hearted apology for how he’d left things but when he lifted it to his face, he found himself scrolling through his contacts for Odette’s number.

  I don’t have it, he reminded himself. It wasn’t the first time he’d gone looking for it. He knew he cou
ld call the State office and find out how to reach her but given the fact that it was a long weekend, he doubted anyone would be there.

  Still, he didn’t want to be alone and for some inexplicable reason, he suspected that Odette would be nearby.

  Where is she from anyway? She strikes me as a Southern girl somehow, even if she doesn’t have an overt accent.

  More shame shot through him as he realized he knew absolutely nothing about the reporter who had been vying for his attention for months.

  I need to give her that interview still. I promised her one and the last time I saw her, I was storming out of her hotel room like I’d regretted what we’d done.

  He hadn’t, of course, not in the least, but when Odette had brought up his family, Darien had gone on the offensive. It was difficult not to, given the circumstances.

  On a whim, he reached for his laptop and opened it, doing a quick directory search for Odette Stinson. He found her in the Michigan State directory but that was of no use to him.

  But I do know where she lives, he reminded himself.

  He wondered if that would be too stalkerish and weird, showing up at her house unannounced but again, he had to remind himself that he had no real way to announce his arrival.

  And if she really wants that interview…

  He knew the excuse was lame, even in his own head. He just wanted to see her, even if he knew it was a bad idea.

  But as he got up from his spot on the couch, he wondered why he was still harboring the same animus he’d once held for her. She’d been trailing the players for weeks without putting out one word of tripe against any of the team. Except for that one piece she’d done about the unruly fans (which, Darien admitted, was partially his doing), she’d been doing her job as far as he could tell.

  Maybe it’s time to give her a break.

  Getting into his Chevy, he considered that perhaps she didn’t want a break, that maybe she was happy with the way things were between them.

  I guess there’s really only one way to find out, isn’t there?

  Odette wasn’t sure how long she’d been lying on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, replaying her conversation with Marcus in her head.

  “You know this violates his morals clause, right?” the editor-in-chief said, a touch of glee in his voice. Odette had been stunned by his reaction. She had half-hoped he would throw her out of his office but the opposite had occurred.

  “I find it hard to believe that something like this is still taboo in this day and age,” Odette sighed. “Are you sure having a kid is a violation?”

  As if anticipating her objection, Marcus tossed a Wolverines’ guidebook at her but she already knew what was in there.

  Of course you know. That’s why you brought this to him in the first place, she thought, shaking her head. Suddenly, she wasn’t so sure she wanted to do it, even though she was still madder than hell at Darien.

  “This is great, Odie! Well worth the months of shit you put me through. And to think I was going to fire you on Monday.”

  “It’s not finished yet,” Odette said quickly, standing. “I still need to tweak it before I’m ready to submit.”

  Marcus shrugged and nodded.

  “Fine but no later than Tuesday. I want to make sure this hits the stands for this weekend’s game. Wow. Poor Fowler. No NFL for him after this.”

  Odette swallowed the lump in her throat and gnawed on her lower lip, wondering what she’d done. In her anger, she was balancing a man’s career in her hands.

  It’s either him or you, she told herself, trying to firm up her resolve. Because if you don’t send this to print, Marcus is definitely going to let you go.

  She had no doubt what she needed to do but the question was, could she do it in good conscience?

  She sat up slowly and opened the drawer to her nightstand, reaching for the piece of paper she’d stashed inside weeks ago.

  Pulling out the paper, she took a deep breath and dialed the number she’d written on it after taking it from Darien’s phone.

  A woman answered on the first ring.

  “Hello?” Her voice was thick with suspicion.

  “Uh..hi…” Odette faltered.

  Stay strong. You need to be sure before you print this.

  “Hi?”

  “Is this Melody?” Odette asked, more firmness in her voice.

  “Uh, what?”

  “Is this Melody? Darien’s Melody?”

  There was a long, pregnant silence.

  “Who the hell is this?” The question was barely a strangled whisper and Odette felt a shiver trail down her spine.

  You shouldn’t have called.

  “I just want to know if this is Melody—”

  The call disconnected in Odette’s ear and she sighed heavily. It was as good as confirmation in her books. Suddenly, she heard knocking on the front door and Odette tensed.

  Who is popping by on Thanksgiving weekend?

  She was alone in the house and would be until Monday. Her impulse was to ignore it but her curiosity got the better of her and she moved toward the window to look out at the front yard. Her eyes almost popped out of her head when she saw Darien’s truck parked at the curb.

  There’s no way Melody called him already and he put two and two together. Did he find the GPS on the car?

  A thousand thoughts coursed through her mind and Odette stood, frozen as she tried to decide what to do. It was only when Darien began to walk back to his vehicle, looking dejected did she abruptly decide. Throwing open the window, she called down to him.

  “Are you looking for me?”

  Darien whipped around and darted his eyes upward, meeting her gaze with his confident grin.

  “That depends,” he drawled, moving back toward the house.

  “On what?”

  “Whether or not you’re going to let me in,” he teased. Odette stared at his face, looking for any indication that he was angry but she saw nothing. She chided herself for worrying about his feelings when she was the one who had been betrayed but somehow, she couldn’t help but feel anything but mounting guilt as she stared at him.

  Why not? She thought, shutting the window to hurry down the stairs and permit him entry. I may as well tell him what’s in store for him this week.

  Chapter 14

  Darien entered the house, noting that Odette seemed slightly distracted.

  “I guess neither of us had much to do this Thanksgiving,” he commented lightly as she closed the door behind him.

  A blast of icy November air followed them inside. She didn’t say anything.

  In his pocket, he felt his phone buzzing but Dairen ignored it, his attention fully on the reporter who turned silently and headed toward the stairs.

  “Did I catch you at a bad time?” he asked, hurrying to catch up with her. She turned and looked at him, a mild expression of bemusement on her face.

  “My entire life is a bad time,” she replied with one foot on the stairs. “You coming?”

  He shrugged and nodded, continuing behind her and silently, they made their way into her bedroom.

  Odette turned and faced him, her lips parting to speak as he approached, his intentions clear but as he moved in for a kiss, his cell began to ring again.

  “Jesus Christ,” he muttered, reaching into his pocket. It wasn’t like Jade to be so damned insistent.

  “You better get that,” Odette said dully. “Wouldn’t want her to worry.”

  He froze for a moment, staring at her questioningly but she’d already turned her face away and pretended to busy herself on her laptop.

  “Give me a second,” he muttered, seeing with little surprise that it was Jade’s number on the screen.

  He answered the call gruffly.

  “Hey.”

  “Oh God, Dare! Oh my GOD!”

  The panic in her voice sent chills of apprehension through Darien’s body.

  “Woah. What’s going on?” he demanded, his irritation forgotten. “What happened
?”

  His immediate thought was Melody but Jade rushed on, dispelling that concern as she spoke.

  “They found us! They’re looking for us or…I don’t know!”

  “Wait a second,” Darien said. “Slow down. What happened?”

  The words sent spikes of terror through him but he tried to dismiss them.

  It’s been two years. They aren’t looking for her. They got what they wanted already. She’s overreacting. But why?

  “I-I-I just got a phone call,” Jade rushed on. “A-a woman asking for Melody.”

  Darien’s blood turned to ice.

  “She asked for Melody?” he echoed. “What did she say exactly?”

  “She-she I don’t know, Darien, but it sounded like a threat. They’re coming for us.”

  His eyes darted up and he saw Odette staring at him point blank. He held up a hand to indicate he’d be a minute and backed out of the room, phone pressed to his ear.

  “Jade,” he said when he was in the hallway and out of Odette’s earshot. “What did she say exactly?”

  “I-she asked if she was speaking to Melody and…I don’t remember her exact words, Dare but I know it’s them. They’re not finished with us.”

  “They are,” Darien said gruffly. “I’m sure it was nothing. What number did she call from?”

  Jade scoffed.

  “Private, of course.”

  He gritted his teeth, his mind whirling.

  “We need to get out of Chicago, Darien. It was stupid to stay here.”

  “Jade,” he said quietly. “If it was them, they wouldn’t have waited two years. No one is coming after you or Melody.”

  “You can’t guarantee that!”

  Darien knew she was right. He couldn’t.

  “Let me get back to you,” he said and Jade choked back a sob.

  “If something happens to Melody—”

  “NOTHING is going to happen to Melody!” he growled but as he spoke, he wasn’t sure how he could guarantee such a thing.

  “Just give me an hour. I’ll call you back.”

  “If we’re still alive in an hour.”