by Jane West
I eased back, looking away. His face was a glowering mask of rage.
After several heartbeats, he shattered the painful silence. “You have put me in an awkward situation!” He threw his arms out. “Of course, how could you know.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Never mind!” He snarled. “The harm’s done. I’ll just have to take care of it myself.” He bit out the words as if this was my fault.
“You’ll take care of what, Bane?” I felt the sinking of despair.
“Don’t worry your pretty little head. I got it!” He snapped. “In the meantime, you needn’t utter a word about this to anyone.” He stepped up, grabbing my arms, roughly, only an inch from my face. “Do I make myself clear?”
I screeched, “Let go of me!” I hissed.
“I can’t believe you have put me in this situation!” He repeated with contempt.
The shock of his words held me immobile. “Hold on buddy! I was the one attacked. Unless,” I suddenly bit my tongue. Bane was behind my attack! Why else would he stand here in my face angry? It all made sense. Whenever the suit was near me, Bane wasn’t too far behind. A string of emotions surged, anger, fear, my heart breaking.
“Unless what!” His voice swirled with asinine.
“Let me go!” The sting of tears welled in my eyes.
“Fine!” he dropped his hands to his side. “But I’m not leaving.” Bane stood back, arms folded, fuming with abhorrence.
I lashed out. “I’d had it with your I-want-you-but-I-hate-you come-ons.” I flashed a five fingers salute in his face. “I’m done with your lying ass!” I threw my arm out, pointing to his car. “Leave my house!” I shoved his chest hard. “I. Hate. You!” I bit out in rage.
Bane leaned in and opened his mouth to speak, and then he stopped. Unexpectedly, the crunching of tires rolling over gravel snapped both our heads up, halting the argument.
A sudden feeling of relief flickered through me as the sheriff turned the ignition off and opened his car door. I withdrew a long sigh, wiping the moisture from my eyes. Bane glanced over his shoulder then back at me. His face was the look of dread.
Bane and I quickly scattered. The liar went to the swing on the opposite of the porch. I stayed just outside my door.
Mr. Frosty, the Smug Man, Bane, sat swinging back and forth with his hands laced behind his head. It was as if he didn’t have a care in the world.
I torpedoed green shards at him, willing him to leave. I couldn’t think of anyone right now who I hated more.
He flashed a pearly smile my way.
I frowned.
Once the sheriff reached the porch, his eyes cut to Bane and then to me. I got the impression by the sheriff’s pinched face and his precise movement that he knew he’d stepped into a hornet’s nest.
“Good afternoon, Miss Ray.” He politely tipped his hat to me, and then to the liar, “Mr. Bane!” The sheriff's voice lightened with surprise. “Whata surprise to see you her’, sir. I forget this is one of your houses.” The sheriff stepped up, extending his hand. Bane followed his gesture by gathering to his feet and complying with a hardy handshake.
“Yes, sir, Sheriff. I was collecting rent for my parents.” Bane smiled as if the day was just peachy.
I stood there, blank, and tongue-tied. I couldn’t believe my ears Bane was my landlord. That explained why Sara wouldn’t fork over any information. I glared over at him, thinking of another unrequited mystery to add to the long list.
Sheriff Jones cleared his throat nervously. He faced me, and his mood shifted quickly. He fiddled with hat, rubbing the ring counter-clockwise. “Miss Ray, I thought it would be best if I twak to you in person,” His accent appeared more evident. “Hmm… I’m not sure how to say this other than just say it,” he paused. “I went down to the school and took a good look at the crime scene or where you claim the attack occurred.”
My brows collided. “Where I claim?”
“Yes, ma’am. There wasn’t any damage to the lockers or the floor that you attested to in the report.” He gave a short laugh. “I’ve seen my fair share of closets back in my day playing b-ball, and I didn't see anything backing your claims.” A faint tug at the corner of his mouth suggested a smile. “Unless you have further evidence, I’m afraid this investigation is at a dead end, ma’am.”
My face glazed with shock. “That-that can’t be possible!” I stammered. “I saw that closet only two hours ago. Wait!” I snapped. I disappeared inside and reappeared only seconds later with my phone in my hand. “I have snapshots. There right here on my phone.” I went to my library of saved pictures and scrolled through it. I kept scrolling but came up empty handed.” I snapped my head up, eyes wide with disbelief. “The pictures were right here.” My voice was on the brink of screeching like a lunatic.
The lines on the sheriff’s forehead deepened. “The cloth you gave me comes from one of the basketball uniforms. Dr. Vann showed me the torn uniform. I’m afraid the fabric didn’t belong to your attacker. I’m real sorry, ma'am.” He continued to fumble with his hat.
I held my hand out, “May I have the cloth back, please?” The spark of hope quickly extinguished. Nothing was adding up. I knew what I saw. Jen saw it too!
“I’m sorry, ma’am but that little piece of fabric is the property of the school’s. Dr. Vann has it in his custody now. I’m afraid you’ll have to speak with him concerning the cloth.”
I merely nodded. After I'd managed to choke out, “Thank you,” I spun on my heels and darted inside the house. I heard Bane’s murmur addressing the sheriff as I rushed upstairs to my bedroom. I flung myself on my bed and collapsed into a ball of tears. I trembled in sobs.
I couldn’t say how long I’d been in a state of a meltdown when I heard a voice peer from my tears. “Princess,” a soft voice penetrated my mind like a small flicker of light in a dark tunnel, “Come here.” The musical male’s voice sang. “Bane!” I barely mumbled. The fight in me had drained, and even if I ordered him to leave, I doubted he would’ve listened.
I held my eyes shut as he stretched out on the bed alongside me, drawing me tight, flushed against him. My head rested in the nook of his embrace. Like a fool, the gate of tears opened once again, and I quivered from the surge of pain. Aidan kept tenderly rubbing my hair and kissing my wet cheeks. It wasn’t sexual, yet I trembled under his touch. I didn’t understand his gentleness. He hated me.
After the clock’s hand had spun a few more times than I cared to count, I was able to speak without stuttering. I needed to get this off my chest. “I know you lied.” I blurted it out, leaving my fate in the hands of destiny. “I saw the closet.” I stalled briefly, gathering courage. “What I don’t understand is how I survived. The locker looked like a rocket missile had demolished it, and the crater in the floor with the dry pool of blood,” I clenched my gut. The vision rendered me. “The impact should’ve crushed my skull.”
Bane inhaled a sharp breath. “I lied to you to protect you. The attack is my fault.” His lips tightened. “That’s why you can’t be around me. It’s too dangerous.”
“Your fault?” The vibrancy in his voice caught me off-guard. “You didn’t hire him did you?”
“No! God no. He attacked you on his own accord.”
“Then why is it your fault?”
His expression stalled and grew grave. “It just is, my love, it just is.” There was a pensive shimmer in the shadow of his eyes.
I wanted to know what he was hiding. I knew if I persisted, it would only cause him to shut me off completely. With regret, I moved on to the next question. “Can you tell me why he attacked me?”
“Don’t concern yourself. I made sure he will never bother you again.” Bane grazed my cheek with his lips, and I shivered.
“You are the most confusing person I know. You hate me!” I tried to get up, but he pulled me back into the folds of his arms.
His sigh seemed conflicted. “Princess, I don’t hate you.” He bent his head down and gently kissed the
corner of my lips. “Quite the opposite.” The tenderness in his voice touched me.
“You make my head spin.” I pulled away. “I recall you making it very clear that you didn’t like my company.”
“True… it has nothing to do with my feelings. For other reasons, my love.”
Bane evaded questions like a cat to water.
“What is your reason?”
“Let it go, please.”
I tossed him an ireful glare. “Help me understand! Do you think I’d forgotten last time?” I snapped. “Because the words you threw at me were harsh, mean and hurtful.”
A muscle in Bane's jaw twitched. “I’m sorry to have hurt your feelings but don’t dwell on matters that do not concern you.”
“I shouldn't concern myself!” I shot up to a sitting position, holding back a truckload of curses. “That creature tried to kill me!” I met his gaze with intensity. “The least you can do is fork over an honest explanation.”
A chilled silence settled between us. Then Bane spoke barely above a whisper. “Justice has been dealt.” He sighed as if holding a raw emotion in check. “That's all you need to know.”
“Handled? That creep has been stalking my mom and me since I was a child. I have a right to know!”
“Let’s just say,” He kissed the hollow of my throat. “My family has connections, and you have nothing to fear.” His lips moved farther down to the soft folds of my breast. “I give you my word, it’s over.” His breath grazed my skin, sending me into a spiral. “You’re safe. He won’t return.” Although his kisses were mind blowing, his voice carried a certainty that ran cold in my blood. Conflicted much?
“Did you kill him?” my heart throbbed.
For a brief moment, the silence loomed over us like a thick fog. Then Bane relented, “Yes.” He dropped it in the still air.
I lay stunned by Bane’s confession. The absence of emotion in his voice disturbed me, although I'd asked for it. I pushed him.
“Is that why you didn’t want the police to know?” It all made sense now.
“Partly. But it's been handled."
“Hey! Did you clean up the ”
“Like I said, it’s been taken care of.”
I shook my head. “How is that even possible? That whole wall of lockers needed replacing and the floor ”
“It’s out of your hands. No more worries. Will you give it a rest?”
“Give it a rest! You took a man’s life.”
“I did what I had to do.”
“Even though it was justified, you still took a person’s life!”
“Did I tell you not to worry?”
I scoffed. “Oh sure! That’s easy for you to say when you’ve made me an accomplice to a crime.”
“I told you I have connections. No one will find out. But you need to keep it under wraps. We don’t need it to leak out.”
I sighed. “Was it hard?”
“Was what hard?” Bane’s brows furrowed.
“I mean taking another person’s life?”
Bane exhaled. “I did what I had to do. You said yourself; it was just.”
“Just or not, you took another person’s life. It can’t be easy.”
“In my world, nothing comes easy. I merely handle problems.” There was a hint of sadness in his tone.
“Oh, I see.” I tossed a faint smile, but deep inside, my emotions were running like wild mustangs. I wasn’t sure how I felt about our situation.
Lightly he fingered a loose tendril of hair on my cheek, tucking it behind my ear. His gaze latched onto mine and it was as if time had frozen.
Then I confessed my secret. “That creature wasn’t human?”
“Why do you say that?”
I wrinkled up my nose, knowing how ridiculous it sounded. “Hmm, the creature's eyes reminded me of a cat, and he did some kind of magic trick. He popped in and out of sight like Bewitch.”
I felt his body shake with silent laughter. “Don’t go around telling folks that. They might think you’ve gone mad.” His voice sang with mirth.
“I wouldn’t be too quick to judge.” I nudged his shoulder with mine. “He spoke of weird things.”
“What do you mean?”
“The creature kept saying I was very valuable to this ancient family.” I paused a moment. "He called this family the Illuminati." A wave of apprehension swept through me. “Do you know what he meant?”
“Princess, this man was a lunatic.” He kissed my forehead. “You can’t put any clout to crazy.”
“Aidan, he seemed very sure of himself.” I took in a sharp sigh. “Do you think there'll be others coming for me?”
“I believe you worry too much. Although I understood, he enjoyed potato chips with ice cream.” He smiled. “Such a dreadful palate, I dare say.” Humor swirled in his voice like chocolate and vanilla ice cream.
“Now you’re teasing me.” I tried to scoot away, but he crushed me against him, flushed to his lean body. He tossed his leg over mine.
“Oh, no.” He smiled against my earlobe. “You’re not getting away. We’re having a fetching moment.”
I bit my bottom lip. “There you go again talking like you’re from another century.” I smiled to myself.
“It’s really quite simply. I do not wish to sound like any of these numbskulls around here.” He leaned in for a light kiss on the lips.
Then a quick and disturbing thought surfaced, and I had to ask. “Have you ever killed before?”
The mirth in his eyes vanished, and something unrecognizable hid behind his glint. “Yes, I have.”
Half in anticipation, half dread, I asked, "Was it justified?”
“Very much so."
I had to ask to clear the air. “Do I have anything to fear from you?” Unlike I first thought, I figured if he’d planned on hurting me, he would’ve already. Rather instead, he appeared to be a first responder, pulling me out of the proverbial fire, saving me from death.
“Have I ever harmed you?” His fingers clamped over my chin, forcing me to look at him. “Well?” His dark blues demanded.
“No.” I barely spoke.
“You have no worries, Love.” His voice was soft and soothing as a warm blanket. Even still, he was as much a mystery as he was dangerous. Despite his darkness, I needed him.
“You’re protective of me.” I didn't ask a question. I made an observation.
His dark brow shot up. “Why do you do you say that?”
“Why can’t you answer a simple question?”
“The answer is, yes.” He slowly unbuttoned my blouse, exposing a lacy bra. The mere touch of his hand sent a warming shiver through me.
“Why didn’t you tell me that you’re my landlord?”
A humorous glint hid behind his blues. “I didn’t see the need.”
“I owe you rent, but I lost my job and ”
Bane interrupted me in midsentence. “You have no worries. It’s been taken care of along with other expenses.”
I quieted for a handful of seconds, thinking. “Am I your kept woman?” Quite a tantalizing thought, but I’d pass.
A sudden burst of laughter wafted into the air. “Of course, you’re not, silly.” Playfully, he weaved his fingers through my curls and disheveled it into a rusty mess. I snatched his hand away while the bed shook with his laughter. He had an infectious laugh. I liked it. Something I’d never grow tired of hearing.
I slid into my next question. “Why the generosity?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” Our eyes locked like two magnets and my breath stilled.
Then my temper got the best of me. I couldn’t read his mind, and with this back and forth crap, he-likes-me-he-likes-me-not, I stormed at him. “If it were obvious, I'd ”
Suddenly, his lips recaptured mine, more demanding this time. Our bodies intertwined together, curling to each other’s form like a puzzle.
My body arched to his as a soft moan slipped past my lips.
“You belong to me!” he whispered.
<
br /> Then as if a fog had lifted, following a long sigh, Bane gently lifted himself off me, though keeping me in the folds of his arms. He bent to kiss my cheek as quiet settled between us.
I lay there breathless, heart thumping and clueless to what just happened. I wasn’t totally clueless about sex. I’d watched HBO and listened to schoolgirl tales. But this I was totally blind sighted.
I thought that we were going to have sex. Crazy as it sounded, I wanted him, and yet, I felt relieved that Bane didn’t push farther. Despite my jumbled mind, he left me craving more.
“May I ask you something?” Bane whispered, his breath slightly labored.
I laid in his arms, flushed with embarrassment. “Okay,” I whispered.
“Have you ever been intimate with anyone before?” His voice was soft and probing.
“Hmm…” Oh, crap! I must’ve sucked. My heated cheeks deepened. “Nope, I haven’t.” I rolled on my side, facing away as I squeezed my eyes shut.
“You’ve never gone to first or second base?” he probed.
“Uh, no.” Now my cheeks blazed.
“Have you ever been kissed?” He kept pushing.
“Uh… I’m not sure what defines a kiss.” I cringed, feeling stupid. I felt his silent laugh against my back, more chills. “A kiss is when two people join lips.” I heard the amusement in his voice.
I flipped over facing him, flaming cheeks and all. “Does an unwilling participant count?” Our eyes locked. It was a rare treat to see Bane's eyes gentle and happy.
He sighed. “I suppose I’m going to have to talk with Sam again.”
“Why do I get the funny feeling there won’t be much talking?”
Bane shrugged in his usual arrogant way. “I’m more the silent type. I’d rather demonstrate.” He smiled.
“I think you covered that chat already.” I sighed. “Sam attempted to kiss me, but he found nothing more than noncomplying lips. It happened so fast that I didn’t see it coming.”
Bane expired a bothered breath. “Let me see if I have this correct. You lied to me about having sex with Sam?”
I flinched from guilt. “I’m sorry. It hurt me when you didn’t believe me.” I shrugged. “So, I lied.”
A shadow of regret crossed Bane’s face. “You’re not the only one who needs to apologize. I’m sorry for not believing you.” Then suddenly the tone in his voice darkened. “You don’t know Sam as I do.” He paused. “It would make me feel easier if you steered clear of him.”
