Infinity Chronicles Book One: A Paranormal Reverse Harem Series

by Albany Walker

  I spread my arms wide, encompassing my surroundings. “You think I’ll let you treat me like dirt, because I don’t know any better. I’m just trailer trash, right?” My voice rising as I come to my feet.

  “Ca…Laura,” Ares corrects, “you don’t understand.” When I open my mouth to argue he lifts his hand, his eyes pleading with me to let him finish. “We lost hope that you even existed. I know you doubt what we’re telling you is real, but it is. It’s so real that none of us can keep our heads straight long enough to even give you an explanation.”

  “Why?” He flinches at my question.

  “Why?” Ares repeats, swallowing quickly.

  I nod. “Yes, why can’t you just explain everything to me, why do you keep acting like there’s stuff you guys aren’t telling me?” I cross my arms over my stomach defensively. “And why are you guys acting like jerks half the time?”

  Ares looks around, his eyes flit over his shoulder then back to me. “Can we talk about this somewhere else? I think there are somethings you haven’t told us either.”

  I blink several times, studying his face. “What are you talking about? See, you can’t even answer my questions now.” What could he know?

  Ares takes a few steps closer to me and my back goes rigid. “I will answer your questions, I just think there’s a better place to do it.” He eyes the RV behind me. I have an easy excuse not to let him in, my mom. In truth, after all my blustering I’m still embarrassed about how we live.

  Not meeting his eyes, I shift on my feet. “Not here, my mom is resting.”

  “Laura.” The sympathy I hear in his voice can only mean one thing. He knows.

  Seventeen

  “There’s nobody else in that RV.” Ares’s words sting, even though he delivers them gently. My heart thunders in my ears and I drop my chin. How does he know?

  “She could be back any second, you shouldn’t be here.”

  Ares tilts his head and pauses, his eyes a little wide. I know he doesn’t believe me, hell I wouldn’t believe me either. I didn’t even try very hard to make the lie convincing. “Why don’t you tell me what’s really going on.”

  Before I have time to formulate a response I hear the whirr of an electric engine. Mike turns the corner. I know the moment he sees us, me with my tangled soaking wet hair and Ares, standing a few feet away. The golf cart jerks to a stop. Mike turns the wheel so he’s now heading in our direction.

  “Mr. Costa, I didn’t know you were back in town,” he addresses Ares while keeping his eyes locked on me. I shuffle my feet and cross my arms over my chest, only now realizing I don’t have a bra on. My things still litter the ground at the bathhouse, which is probably where he was headed before he spotted us.

  Ares turns to face him, taking a few steps over so he blocks me from Mike’s sight. “Just got back yesterday.” His voice is polite, but there’s a formalness in his tone I hadn’t noticed before.

  “What brings you out this way?” Mike leans over, making it clear he’s looking at me.

  Ares’s back stiffens, his voice is tight when he answers, “Miss Fallen is in need of a ride.” I don’t think Ares likes being questioned.

  I step out from behind Ares. “I’m working at the diner, Maggie doesn’t like that I’ve been walking,” I offer as an explanation. Mike’s eyes run down my body, narrowing on my hair. “I’m running late. I had to shower after school.”

  “Your momma okay with you getting a ride? No offensive Mr. Costa, I just don’t want you getting into trouble for trying to help out.”

  I can’t tell if he thinks I’m the type of girl who would try to take advantage of the fact that Ares is older than me, and obviously has money, or if he’s warning me that I should let my mom know I’ll be around Ares. Probably both.

  “Yes sir, my mom knows. Maggie is expecting me in a few minutes. I just realized I forgot my caddy at the bathhouse.” Without another word I turn on my heel and speed walk back to showers. If Mike were to find all my stuff on the ground, he would have been really suspicious.

  My steps falter when I see the red door, there’s nothing there. All my stuff is gone. Ares must have picked it up already. I can’t go back now empty handed, Mike will think I’m nuts. I peek through the trees; the golf cart is still parked in the same position. Ares didn’t have anything in his hands when he found me at my trailer, so maybe he put my things back in the showers? I spot a black SUV parked next to the cinderblock building. That has to be Ares’s, there’s a good chance he would have put my stuff in there. I cup my hands around my eyes and peer into the tinted windows. There it is, my caddy crammed with all my stuff on the front passenger seat, my stretched out bra and plain blue panties are folded on top. How humiliating, this can’t be happening to me. I feel heat rise up my neck and cheeks and even my ears flush. The sight of my crumpled towel still balled up curbs some of the embarrassment; at least he didn’t see all my dirty stuff too.

  With my eyes close I pull the handle. Praying the door is unlocked and an alarm doesn’t go off. A breath leaves me in a whoosh with I hear a small click as the door opens. Snatching my underwear first, I shove them into my pockets.

  Mike is out of the golf cart talking with Ares when I return, slightly out of breath from rushing. What have they been talking about?

  I pull my lips up, forcing a smile as I approach. Ares pauses his quiet conversation, gazing at me. I bite my lip, pleading with him with my eyes not to tell Mike my mom isn’t here.

  “I was just telling Mr. Harris that your mother was lying down, since she hasn’t been feeling well.”

  I nod my head a little too vigorously, turning my eyes to Mike. “I think she has a touch of the flu.” I’m so grateful Ares didn’t tell the truth. “I’m going to check to make sure she’s still sleeping and put this stuff away.” I lift my full arms up. “Did you need something Mike? I can leave a note for when she wakes up.”

  His lips twist and Mike shakes his head. “Naw, just haven’t really seen her since ya’ll came in.” Mike makes his way back over to the golf cart, giving me one more long look before pushing the button and driving away. He doesn’t head to the bathhouse like I expected, but back toward the front of the camp. Did he see Ares come in and was checking on me?

  Shuffling my bundle, I sort through my caddy for my keys. Tucked half under my conditioner, I pull them free. Ares steps up behind me holding the screen door open, I don’t have any real reason to let him in, but I don’t want to. I peek over my shoulder, wondering what he’ll think.

  “I guess you’re coming in,” I mutter under my breath. Ares doesn’t reply as I swing the door open, my keys still dangling from it. I step up and the camper shifts, his weight on the stair enough to make it bounce. He couldn’t get any closer unless he was carrying me. Thankfully, the air unit is churning along and the temperature has dropped several degrees since I left for my shower. I walk over to the long cabinet that holds our hamper and drop my towel in before closing it back up tight. I haven’t looked at him. I don’t want to see his face just yet. I’ll just let it sink in for a few seconds how very different we are.

  Next, I place my caddy under the sink in the tiny bathroom, as I start to close the accordion style door, I stop. I still need to put my clean underwear on. The bathroom would offer more privacy, but it’s so damn small in there I get closterphobic just thinking about it.

  Over my shoulder I call, “I’ll be out in just a second.” I don’t want him coming to look for me, not like I could go anywhere, but I want to warn him anyway.

  Fully dressed, I slide the curtain to my room back to find Ares sitting in the middle of my tiny threadbare couch, which is as hard as a rock. Most of the cushions are flat and the steel frame of the pullout bed underneath pokes out in all the wrong places. We haven’t even used the bed in years because mom always preferred the couch.

  His arms are spread out wide, reaching from end to end. He looks completely at ease. Most people would stay standing, or if they did sit, they’
d be perched on the edge. Ares is acting like it’s a luxury sofa. Like he doesn’t even notice the difference.

  I jerk my head down, avoiding eye contact. I don’t want him to see the relief on my face. “You’re working tonight?” His soft question breaks the silence.

  I pull out one of the rickety chairs from the small wooden dinette. “Yes.” I squint to see the clock on the microwave. “I need to be there in twenty minutes.”

  Ares takes a deep breath and runs his hand over his hair. “Any chance you could call in?” His nose and brow have a slight wrinkle, he knows the answer. It was like he didn’t even want to ask. I pinch my lips together and shake my head no.

  “I can’t, I need the money,” I say looking at the floor. “Plus, I wouldn’t do that to her. Not when she’s expecting me to be there.”

  “Okay, you should grab whatever you’ll need. One of us will pick you up and we can go home. There’s still a lot of stuff we need to figure out.” Home, home where? Does he mean to take me to his house again?

  “I don’t get off until nine, and I have school tomorrow.” I shrug my shoulders, uncertain of what his plans are.

  “That’s fine, I don’t think any of us expected to crash the way we did last night. We’ll talk and get things sorted out. You’ll be in bed before eleven.”

  I tap my fingers on the table, doubtful a few more hours of talking are going to resolve all the issues we have. “We still can’t come here. Mike would notice if I had a bunch of guys coming into my camper, and… my mom, she might come back.” I bite my lip looking away.

  “We’ll go back to our house, that’s why I said grab some stuff.”

  “But, there was—”

  “We should get you to Maggie’s before you’re late,” Ares interrupts me before I can mention the woman that was looking for him this morning. He stands, looking at a watch on his wrist. Noticing the clock on the microwave, I curse under my breath before scrambling back to my bedroom to sort through the basket of clothes that are still piled on the bed from last weekend.

  I grab a t-shirt and the first pair of jeans my hands land on, but have to dig through the small mound to find my last clean pair of panties. I only have two bras, so I grab my extra, shoving it into my backpack with my other things. The red lacy panties I found on Dante’s floor come to mind, as does the argument we had when he said they were mine.

  The screech of the curtain sliding across the bar that separates the rooms is loud. Ares is standing in the kitchen now, his arms crossed over his chest and feet spread wide. My eyes dart to the freezer and my instincts tell me he’s been snooping through my things. With my backpack slung over one shoulder I shuffle my feet. “We should go.” I don’t like him being here.

  Ares doesn’t say a word as he takes two short steps to the door. As he steps down, the camper tilts to the left as he exits. He holds the door open as I follow behind him, waiting while I lock the door.

  Ares strides toward the bathhouse. I have brief moment to wonder what Maggie will think when we pull up together, maybe I’ll get lucky and she’ll be in the back when he drops me off. I hustle to keep up with him as he treads to the passenger side of the vehicle, opening the door. I lower my head to avoid his gaze but round the door. I’ve never had anyone open a car door for me the way he does. It’s different than when one of the guys opened the door, they were getting in too, whereas this is more deliberate.

  I take a moment to examine his car. I didn’t really have the opportunity earlier, I was just in a hurry to get my things. The interior is black leather with a beautiful camel brown down the center and it’s buttery soft. The door closes with a soft click as I pile my backpack into my lap. I feel way out of my element. This is fancy, there’s a wide screen where a radio would typically be. The center console is a thickly grained wood. It’s super shiny, not a speck of dust mars any of the surfaces. Ares opens the driver’s side door, folding gracefully into the seat. A moment later he pushes a button on the dash, bringing the car to life.

  “Seat belt,” he mutters, not bothering with his own as he turns a dial and pulls onto the dirt path that serves as a road. Reaching over my shoulder I snap in, repositioning my bag.

  Completely opposite to Dante’s muscle car, I can barely feel or hear the engine as the vehicle glides smoothly toward the entrance. Movement at Mike’s trailer catches my eye. He is standing on his small front porch, watching us leave. I know he can’t see into the car, the windows are tinted too dark, but he’s clear as day. I see him give a slight shake of his head when we hit the blacktop road.

  I tighten my arms over my backpack. I want to run my fingers over the screen and touch all the little buttons to see what they do, but I refrain. I do, however, bush my knuckles over the supple leather of my seat.

  Ares is relaxed, his left hand at the top of the steering wheel and right elbow cradled on the divider between us, fingers grazing the wood beneath. He glances at me a few times, his eyes trailing over me briefly.

  As the sign for the diner comes into view my stomach hollows. It seems like it’s been ages since I was here, while in truth it’s only been two days. But so much has happened in those two days. The car dies seconds after Ares turns the dial to the P, the doors unlocking automatically. “Thank you for the ride,” I rush out, reaching for the handle at the same time. Ares stops me with his palm cupping my shoulder; I freeze, one leg already dangling outside, my body angled away from him.

  When he doesn’t say anything right away I peer over my shoulder, waiting for him to release me. Warmth starts to pool under his palm, and a calmness slides over me. He’s doing something to me that affects my emotions. It’s not the first time, but I’m beginning to recognize when he’s doing it. The blackness in his eyes expands cover his iris, but isn’t leeching into the whites. I shrug his palm free and narrow my eyes at him. The foreign feeling of warmth fades, but the calmness lingers, sapping the anger I want to have toward him from manipulating my feelings. “You need to stop doing that to me.” Ares’s eyes widen, the color returning to what I guess is his norm.

  “It’s nothing I have control over,” he confesses, his voice low, like he hates to even admit it to himself.

  “Well it’s not right, you can’t choose how I feel.” I slide out of the car, slamming the door behind me, and it’s completely unsatisfying. Instead of the harsh sound I expected, I get a low thud like the car itself denied me. Stupid fancy ass car.

  The second door closing—a little gentler than mine—alerts me that Ares is following. I pick up my pace, so I’m almost jogging. He still makes it to the door before me, holding it open so I can enter. I push past the second door myself, rushing to the back where I usually put my bag. I keep my head down, I don’t want to know who’s here, and has seen us arrive together.

  I tie an apron over my jeans and wash my hands in the big tub. My hair is mostly dry, hanging down my back, and I’m so discombobulated I’m lucky my pants aren’t on backwards. I tuck a few loose strands behind my ear, hoping it isn’t too much of a frizzy mess. One deep breath later, I nod my head, ready for whatever is coming my way.

  As I exit the back I’m greeted with the sight of Maggie and Ares. She’s looking into his smiling face—a true smile—his eyes are alight with affection as he gazes down at her. Maggie reaches up, both of her palms covering Ares’s cheeks, pinching a little so his full lips are pursed. He shakes his head dislodging her hands but reaches down and embraces her.

  I’m caught in the moment, I don’t look around at the restaurant to see if anyone needs my attention. Hell, I can’t seem to look away, even when Ares opens his eyes and finds me staring at them. I don’t look away. He pulls back from Maggie, eyes still glued to mine, and as she notices his lack of attention, she peers over her shoulder, finding me behind them.

  That’s when the spell is finally broken. I shake away the tightness in my chest, the loneliness their reunion invoked, and get to work. I avoid Maggie for as long as possible, even after Ares finally leaves w
ithout saying goodbye to me. I keep telling myself the slight pang I feel in my stomach is just hunger, not sadness that he ignored me the same way I was ignoring him.

  Fatigue sets in well before my shift is over, I’m grateful it’s one of the busier nights. “Have you taken a break at all Laura?” Maggie’s concerned voice catches me as I pass by the bar to get another refill.

  “I will soon,” I promise over my shoulder, intending to do just that as soon as I have a second. I need food, I haven’t eaten all day. While I’m used to going hungry occasionally, my body is telling me now isn’t one of those times. It’s near closing time when I put in an order for lasagna with Gus. I’ve been craving it ever since the night I ate with the guys. There are only a few tables left, and all of them have been served their meals so I don’t feel guilty when I drop my plate and my body into the back table, which is usually reserved for rolling napkins and cleaning the plastic menus. I sigh as achiness invades my bones, I thought I was coming down with something last week, but once I slept I seemed be fine. Right now though, I feel like complete crap.

  As the first bite melts on my tongue the chime above the door jingles. I close my eyes, savoring the flavor. The ‘seat yourself sign’ is posted, so I have a second before I need to get up. “Hey boys,” Maggie calls, interrupting my reprieve.

  “Hey Gran,” Milo returns.

  “You guys been busy tonight?” Ollie questions, sliding into the booth across from me. I take a deep breath noticing he looks about as good as I feel. His skin is pale, and his eyes are glassy. He even has a swath of darkness under his eyes. I immediately feel guilty, he must have slept on the couch last night too, not much though by the looks of it.

  “Not too busy, are you feeling okay?”

  Ollie’s lips thin as I examine him.

  “Oh yeah, I’m good.” He looks away from me and pushes himself back in the bench, sitting up a little straighter.