Between the Lines

by KD Williamson

  “I just needed time to think. I didn’t know what to say to you.” Tang wiped a hand over his face. “Look, it’s really nothin’ to worry about. Our reports match up to a point and Waller’s will be the same as mine. You weren’t there for the money count, and I read your report. You said yourself that it could have been between twenty and forty thousand bucks. We’re in the clear. Nobody know—”

  “I know! And we! What the actual fuck is this ‘we’? I didn’t do anythin’.”

  “Yeah, you did.”

  Haley tried to swallow past the sudden lump in her throat. She knew what he was going to say.

  “You turned your back. We shoulda both had eyes on the evidence until Waller came in.”

  “It was you! I didn’t think it was a big deal. I thought I could trust you, but as soon as I turned my back, you goddamn stabbed me in it.”

  “Rook, listen—”

  “You’re settin’ me up to fall one way or another.”

  “It doesn’t have to be like that!”

  “You want me to lie. Keep all this shit to myself.”

  “Yes.” Tang looked her right in the face.

  “No, I can’t—”

  “Yeah, you’re gonna have to.”

  “I’m not crooked, and I won’t be for you!” Haley looked down at her feet. Her mind was in overdrive. “It’ll look bad at first when I tell ’em my side of things,” she muttered, “but they won’t find anythin’. I’m not the one with the money.”

  Tang laughed. “You think they’ll care? Damage will be done by then.”

  Who the hell was this person standing in front of her? Her mouth fell open, and she couldn’t stop staring. How could she have been so wrong about him?

  “Listen to me. It’s drug money! And they’re all dead, so what the fuck does it matter? I can’t take this anymore. My house smells like a sewer! I’m tired of bein’ thrown up on, scratched, and bitten! Do you know how many times I came close to just smotherin’ him? He’s not the man I knew. I wanna give him some dignity, but I don’t even have any for myself. I can’t take care of him, and I can’t get him what he needs. Not like this. You said you wanted somethin’ good to come outta that call. Let it. With what I took, I can get him into someplace nice for at least six months, maybe more. I don’t think he’s even gonna last that long. Please, Haley.” Tang put his hands on her shoulders, and despite being furious and scared, the look on his face nearly tore out her heart. He was desperate, broken.

  Still, Haley stepped away. She shook her head. “I get it. I do, but—”

  “No, you fuckin’ don’t. When have you ever struggled? You don’t know the first thing, so don’t stand there and judge me. I’m tryin’ to do right by him.” His face was contorted, and he was actually snarling at her. “Let me break it down to you like this. You keep my secret, and I’ll make sure the secret I know doesn’t get back to your girlfriend. I did some diggin’ on you, your friends, and Tonya, just in case you decided to go all goody goody no matter how much shit I could do to your reputation and career.”

  “What the fuck are you even talkin’ about?”

  Tang glanced away. His jaw clenched like the words he was about to say needed to be ground down. “Tonya’s old man owned a neighborhood store, and back in 2007 he was questioned on suspicion of drug trafficking. The detectives were hot for some local up-and-comin’ dealer. They intercepted a truck and found drugs hidden inside some merchandise, and traced everythin’ back to her old man’s store. The dealer even paid Preston to rent space in his store. He told the detectives some bullshit story about tryin’ to help out the son of an old friend start up his own business. Claimed he didn’t know about the drugs or anythin’ else. Maybe they believed him ’cause he’s old and didn’t have a record, or they let it slide because they brought that dealer down when the truck driver sang his ass off.”

  He might as well have been speaking Latin.

  “Bullshit. You’re makin’ this up.”

  “Yeah, you wish, but I came in early to make sure I didn’t miss nothin’. The whole story is in black and white.” Tang looked smug.

  Haley went very still. “What’s your fuckin’ point? The case is closed, and he was probably innocent anyway.”

  “Yeah, maybe, but we don’t really know what he does when Tonya’s not there. It wouldn’t take much to reopen the case, or get him wrapped up with some other dealer, maybe a whisper or two, ’specially since it could make those detectives look lazy. Even if he is innocent, investigations are nasty. They fuck up people’s lives all the way to hell and back. It would be a damn shame for them to go through that.”

  Haley had never wanted to hurt anyone before in her life, but right now, she wanted to hit Tang hard enough to make his teeth cave in. “You fuckin’ dick.” He was a stranger to her. She took a step toward him. This would kill Tonya.

  Tang’s smug expression disappeared. He looked almost sad, regretful. “I didn’t wanna do this, but I needed extra leverage.”

  “You fuckin’ sick, backwoods, selfish son of a bitch!” Her hands clenched into fists and rage sloshed through her into every crack and crevice. She shook with it.

  “So, you see, things aren’t so black and white for either one of us right now,” Tang said softly. “We’ll all be better off if you just let this go.”

  “I could beat the shit outta you right now.” Haley wasn’t kidding. One punch and there was no coming back until she saw him bleeding and unconscious.

  “I know.” He cleared his throat and dropped his gaze. “Just take a few days and think about it. There’s only two choices here. You can let it go, or we’re both gonna burn for this one way or the other. I’m sorry I had to bring you in on this. I really am.” Tang stared at her for a couple seconds before backing away. “I have to go finish my report. He wrote me up. I can’t afford to get another one.”

  Then, just like that, he was gone.

  Haley was drowning in a sea of shit and the person she wanted to reach out to the most would end up neck-deep in it too. That left her stuck between a rock and a dark, dank place.

  * * *

  Maybe it was a positive that her father had barricaded himself in his room. At this point, Tonya was sure that a confrontation with him would have completely obliterated her mood, such as it was. She was short on patience. Right now, she was short on a lot of things, and it had been reflecting poorly in her work. Her latest patient glared at her. Tonya waved at the tech outside the door, signaling him to come in. She didn’t want the situation to get any more awkward than it already was. Tonya couldn’t look at her patient. For the past twenty minutes, she had barely heard a word the woman said, and the patient knew it.

  “Greg?”

  The tech stopped at the door. He had one hand on the woman and one hand on the knob. “Yes, Dr. Preston?”

  “No more…at least for a couple hours.”

  “You want me to divert to the social worker if need be?”

  “That’s fine.”

  Alone, Tonya leaned back in her chair and took a deep, cleansing breath, which didn’t help all that much. The anger was still there, along with a sense of betrayal. But Tonya had to find a way to shut the door on all that until she could actively deal with it. She used to be good at that. Now it took a lot more effort. Opening herself up to the good things meant that she experienced the bad more acutely.

  To top it all off, there was something going on with Haley. Tonya tried her best to beat back a growing frisson of insecurity. Was Haley getting tired of her, of them already? If her father could do this to her just when things were progressing, what was Haley capable of?

  “No. No, don’t even go there.”

  Haley would talk to her when she was ready, or she wouldn’t. She had to be prepared for either eventuality. Maybe getting some of the crushing weight off her chest would help. She called Tracy.

  “Hey, walking out of the classroom. Hold on.”

  Tonya waited.

  “Okay, what’
s wrong?”

  She closed her eyes and again tried to rein in some of her emotions. “It’s Daddy.”

  “Oh God. What did he do?”

  “I wanted to be a real family so much that I just kept throwing myself at him, hoping he’d see me and get it. I think he does in some respects, but while one door opened, the other, I think, is locked completely. I deserve everything, a family and a life.”

  “Yes, you do. What’s going on?”

  “Haley stayed with me last night, and when he saw her in the kitchen this morning, he practically jumped down her throat. I’ve never seen him be so nasty to anybody else.” Tonya chuckled, but it was a dark, humorless sound. “Someone who wasn’t me.”

  “Oh shit. What did he say?”

  Tonya told her.

  “Jesus, I’m so sorry.”

  “I am too. He can’t talk to her like that. She doesn’t deserve it. Being with her has…” Tonya searched for the right words but couldn’t find them. “How can he not get that?”

  “The other night when I called…the way you were laughing. You sounded so happy. I know we’re working on it now, but we’ve never been close. Tonya, I’ve never seen you happy. You’ve always been damn good at being fake. I don’t even know what happiness looks like on you. I get the feeling when I see you this weekend, I’ll know then. Daddy can’t see that, but I’m so glad I can.”

  Tonya let her sister’s words sink in. “He’ll never be able to accept me.”

  “I don’t know.”

  “I can’t live like this, Tracy.”

  “I don’t blame you.”

  “I want to keep at least some part of us intact, but it can’t happen with the way things are right now.”

  “What are you thinking?”

  “Since I’m not paying for your school anymore, I can pay rent.” Tonya paused as her idea took shape. “For Daddy.” It made perfect sense, and some of that weight on her chest lifted.

  “He’s not going to take it well.”

  Tonya swallowed, but she had to ask. “Are you?”

  “What do I…ohhh. Why would I be upset about that? He’s been a dick to you. I can actually say that out loud now. He’s still my father and you’re still my sister. Nothing changes that.”

  “But he’s getting older.”

  “That he is, and no matter what, we’re going to take care of him in one way or another, right? Besides, when I’m done with school, it will be my turn. You’ve done enough.”

  No, it didn’t feel like she had. It never did. “But—”

  “Haley must really mean a lot to you for you to do this for her,” Tracy said softly.

  “It’s not just for her. This is for me too.”

  “I hear you, but you want to know what I think? Don’t freak out or anything, okay?”

  “Why would I?”

  “Because I think you’re probably falling in love with her. I know you were going through some changes anyway, but I think this thing with Haley was the icing on the cake for you.”

  Tonya stared through the pane of glass on her office door. People shuffled back and forth as if life was moving at a slower pace out there. She’d always felt like she was on the outside looking in. Not anymore. Tonya had stopped being a spectator the first time she went to GrrlSpot; the second time she’d seen Haley.

  Yes, she was falling in love.

  The path in front of her was clear.

  In her mind, Haley had proven herself a million times over with her touch, her words, her actions. Tonya’s heart rammed against her chest. She tried to take a deep breath but realized that she couldn’t. She tried again, and something tore open inside her, leaking warmth everywhere.

  “You’re speechless.”

  “I’m…something.”

  Tracy chuckled. “Do what you need to do to be happy. Now I need to get off here. I have a test in my next class and I want to look over my notes one last time.”

  “Please, you’ll do fine. A 3.7 GPA in grad school is nothing to sneeze at.”

  “Regardless, I have to work to keep it.”

  “Okay. Hey, Tracy?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I love you.” Tonya was feeling so much that she had to let it out, even though she couldn’t remember that last time she’d said those words to her sister.

  There was silence on the other end.

  “Are you still there?”

  Tracy exhaled shakily. “Wow.” Her voice was thick. “I…” She laughed, and even that was filled with emotion. “I love you too.”

  * * *

  Haley refused to release Tonya. She kept Tonya’s legs splayed wide as she kissed the inside of her trembling thigh. Tonya’s entire body quivered as if a high-energy current had passed through her. Haley’s ears were still ringing from the way Tonya had cried out, uninhibited and desperate, a few minutes earlier. It was the best music Haley’d ever heard. She nipped at the soft skin under her lips. Tonya moaned and mumbled something Haley couldn’t understand.

  Being inside Tonya was one of the best things ever, but tonight Haley wanted to give, take, and have in a different, more intimate way. She could still taste Tonya on the back of her tongue; she coated Haley’s lips, chin, and fingertips.

  She closed her eyes and savored it all like it was the first time and not the hundredth.

  This was her good place, her happy place, and she’d revel in it all night long and beyond if she could. Haley forced her own legs together and groaned. The sudden wave of pleasure was a reminder that she wasn’t done.

  She’d given, and now it was time to take, time to have.

  Haley pulled herself up Tonya’s body, leading with her lips and tongue, the rest of her trailing behind to make sure she touched every inch of Tonya’s sweat-soaked skin that she could reach.

  “Oh, God.” Tonya’s breathing had just returned to normal, but now, she was gasping again. She clutched at Haley’s back and shoulders.

  Haley dragged her sex over Tonya’s thigh.

  Tonya’s answering moan was thick, breathless.

  Haley pressed their foreheads together. “You…do this to me.” She undulated her hips and groaned. The friction was incredible, and tonight, it was all Haley needed. With each surge of her hips, Haley flexed and pressed her upper thigh against Tonya’s sex. She was still slick, swollen, and sensitive.

  Tonya whimpered. With one hand, she pulled at Haley’s hair. With the other, she dug her nails into the flesh of Haley’s ass, urging her on.

  “Harder.” Tonya whispered the words into Haley’s open mouth.

  Sweat stung Haley’s eyes, but she gave Tonya what she asked for.

  “Yes!”

  Haley’s bed shook and slammed against the wall.

  She felt her orgasm, hovering just out of reach, and Haley wanted so badly to touch it. Haley redoubled her efforts. With every thrust of her hips, she purged herself of all the anger, the fear, and the sense of betrayal. Even if it was only for a little while.

  “God…I need—”

  With no pretense and no warning, Haley slid three fingers deep inside her.

  Tonya cried out.

  Haley drove into her relentlessly. She knew Tonya could take it.

  “Fuck yes!”

  Her orgasm was sudden and blinding. It ripped her open and left her feeling empty and full at the same time. Somewhere in between her hoarse, breathy moans, she called out Tonya’s name. Tonya stiffened and fell apart in her arms. Tonya sobbed and bit into Haley’s shoulder.

  Haley was clear, weightless, and all she could feel was Tonya underneath her, inside her, around her. She was barely aware of where she was. It took her a few minutes to come back to the world. When she did, her head was pillowed against Tonya’s chest. Her hand sifted through Haley’s damp hair. Haley lifted her head and looked up at Tonya. Her gaze was so warm that it was hard not to leave it, but slowly, reality set in.

  With a huge part of her world unraveling, it was a strange time to realize she was probably in love
, but Haley was learning the hard way that life sometimes had no rhyme or reason. Tonya brushed her fingertips against Haley’s forehead and cheek.

  “What is it?” Tonya asked.

  Instead of answering, Haley turned slightly and kissed Tonya’s palm. Then she smiled and hoped it wasn’t too sad or too confused, that it didn’t give too much away.

  Tonya’s forehead wrinkled. She looked worried, but she didn’t say anything.

  Neither did Haley. She kissed Tonya again. Maybe it was best to enjoy the simplicity between them right now.

  Chapter 26

  Something was very wrong. Tonya could feel it. Not only that, she had evidence to back it up. She’d chosen to spend the weekend at Haley’s, not ready to fight with her father, but Haley was barely talking to her. When she did, it was in a listless monotone. Although she was distant mentally, there had been plenty of angry, desperate sex. Haley had some demon she was trying to exorcize, and she was using Tonya to do it.

  Tonya wasn’t sure how she felt about that yet.

  She should be offended and disturbed, but she wasn’t. Haley was with her. Her. Not one of those nameless young girls from the bars she used to go to. That meant something. That meant everything. Tonya sat on the couch and watched as Haley aimed the remote at the TV and flipped through the channels.

  Parts of Tonya screamed at her not to pry, but she couldn’t help herself. She’d given Haley plenty of time, and her mood was only getting worse. Forcing the issue could help Haley feel better, less burdened. The problem may not be solved, but at least it would be loose and floating in the universe so they could look at it properly.

  “You want to play zombies?”

  Haley stopped and looked at Tonya like she was speaking in tongues. Her face scrunched. “No.”

  “Do you want to fuck me some more?” Tonya asked breathlessly. It did something to Haley to hear her talk that way. Aware that Haley’s gaze was still riveted on her, Tonya licked her lips. “Or do you want me to do that thing with my tongue?” Haley really liked that too.