Brazen: A Dark Paranormal Romance (The Sephlem Trials Book 2)

by Felisha Antonette

  “Um, let me cut you short, Dad. We,” I point to Nathan and me, “do not plan on having kids running around anytime soon.”

  “Ha! But notice how she did not say they don’t plan on not having sex,” Glen states coolly, drenched in sarcasm, but she lays there as if she were sleeping.

  Dad’s eyes bug out, practically popping out of his head.

  She did not just say that! I sit forward, blurting, “Glen, what is wrong with you?”

  She jumps up. “He,” she points to Nathan, “is my problem! Why is he here?”

  “Because he can be. And if you have something you need to say to me, we can talk somewhere else. But don’t sit here and insinuate things to my father. That was not cool, and you know it.”

  She throws her hand on her hip and points as she says, “No, Tracey, I can tell you a few things that are not cool.”

  I bite my tongue, holding back the bitch itching my lips. “Excuse us, Dad. Can we have this room for a minute? I need to talk to Glen.”

  “Yes.” He stands. “Come along with me, Nathan. I’d like to talk with you privately.”

  “Okay, sir.” Stay calm and do not set that girl on fire . . . or the family room, he tells me, following Dad out.

  Glen sits beside me, presence washing over with acceptance and patience. “Why are you still under him?”

  “You’re the one who has the problem with Scott, Glen. Nathan and I are okay. Just because you and Scott are not cool right now, doesn’t mean I have to be pissed at Nathan all because you want me to be.”

  “Did you not hear anything I said to you yesterday morning?”

  “I did.”

  “And you care about none of it?”

  “What, Glen?” I shrug, figuring she needs a serious reality check. “To be honest with you, I agree with him. You think what you felt for Monahan was real and it wasn’t.” Her brows furrow and jaw drops. “And if you would like me to prove it to you. . .” I lower my voice. “Whose chest does your heart beat in, his or Scott’s?” The thing is, there’s no argument as to which of them we’re supposed to be with. It’s already written and planned out. It’s only confusion, but the answer is right there, in the chest of our mates. So our pointless, annoying, god-forsaking love triangles should be voided, forgotten, and incapable of happening ever again.

  “I don’t trust that,” Glen responds sourly.

  “Well, that’s you, not me. I know what I want, and I know what I have. I know what and who makes me happy and it for damn sure is not Roehl. Any man who needs to steal you away and try to convince you your own heart is lying. I know when Nathan wraps his arms around me, I’m filled with peace and reassurance that that’s where I need to be. I don’t need to question it. Yes, things in our life are messed up right now, but the messed up part is only temporary until we can figure out how to fix it.”

  She rolls her eyes, peeping her dispute.

  I throw my hand up, continuing, “To be honest with you, Glen, the things that are messed up have absolutely nothing to do with you. You just got caught in the crossfire. There should be no real reason that you doubt you and Scott’s relationship. We’ve all put a lot of time and effort into making you two happy.” She tries to speak again, and I keep going, “Do you not remember you begging me to talk to Scott for you? Crying over him when you thought he didn’t want you. He may not have wanted the whole bonding thing and obligation, true. Hell, neither did Nathan. But Scott has it, and he loves you. He jumped off of a freaking mountain for you not knowing if both of you were going to live, and you still doubt his love.” I shake my head, frustrated. “Scott cares. He’s just battered and bruised because every time you two take two steps forward, you’re backing out, drawing him ten steps back. He’s done some really messed up stuff, but I’ve watched you battle him, battle us, I’ve had to witness him try and try again to tell you his secrets, to reveal to you every side of him, but you don’t want him just as bad as you may think he doesn’t want you. Then, on the other hand, you two want each other just as bad as you don’t. Glen, you two belong together. Fine, take your break, wait for the reality of all this to settle in. But you will not be disrespectful. If you don’t like Nathan around, then you can leave. Not him.”

  Her wide eyes stare me down for a long time before she turns up her nose in a disgusted nature. “No!” She points. “You’re still blind.”

  “No, Glen, I am far from blind.” And with these eyes. “I see more than I need to. Including that it’s time for you to go.”

  “So, you would choose Nathan over me? We’ve been friends as long as I can remember.”

  “You would choose that guy over Scott, someone you don’t even know. And we have known Scott for as long as we can remember.”

  “I can’t believe you, Tracey!” she blurts too loudly.

  “Then come back around when you can.” I know that’s harsh, but she’s crossed a line saying what she did to Dad. She, of all people, knows that’s not something you’d say to Tracey’s father. He’s just turning back to normal, and she’s willing to throw me under the bus because of her animosity toward Nathan and Scott.

  Glen stands, snapping, “What are you getting at?”

  I rise to my feet and try to soften my expression for my next words. “When you get your crap together and realize what’s really going on. I’ll still be your friend.”

  Through her thick lashes, she glares at me, asking, “So, we are no longer friends? And you are going to side with them, instead of backing me up?”

  I sit back down, crossing my legs, redirecting my attention to the TV.

  “You are such a bitch, Tracey.”

  That hurt. It hurt a lot. “I’m sorry you feel that way, Glen. Call me when you get over yourself.” I meet her evil eyes glowering at me as if she wants to hit me or maybe shove me with her wind gusts. She flips her hair and barges off.

  I feel bad—I feel horrible. It wasn’t my intention to make her feel worse, it’s just a little tough love. We’ll make up later, when she’s had a bit to cool off.

  “Don’t leave the house, Glen,” Nathan says from the living room.

  “You’re not my dad, Nathan!” she shoots.

  “You’re right. Just make sure you don’t leave this house,” he coolly follows.

  “Why can’t she leave?” Dad asks.

  “It’s not safe for her to walk around alone at night, sir. You know that.”

  “Yes, that’s true. It’s not safe for anyone to walk around at night for that matter.”

  “I agree.”

  Glen’s footsteps walk from the tile by the front door, back over the wood floor to the stairs, up them, and then my room door closes. “Whatever,” I mutter, looking around the family room for the remote.

  “Hey, honey,” sings Mom as she takes the spot next to me.

  “Hi, Mom.”

  “What’s wrong with Glen?”

  “Long story.”

  “Make it short.”

  She’s going to force me to talk about this. I don’t know how to put it in non-Sephlem terms. “Um.” How do I try to make the situation human?

  “Whenever you’re ready,” she pushes.

  “She and Scott are on the rocks.”

  “Is this permanent or temporary?”

  “Temporary.” Of course.

  “Hmm. How do you and Nathan impact them?”

  “Glen just wants me to mad at him, and for neither of them to come around her.” I pause, before adding, “Everything is just really complicated.”

  “So, you choose Nathan over Glen?”

  I sit forward, defending, “That’s not what I’m saying. I’m trying to convince Glen that there is no need to choose between the two of them. She needs to get over herself and realize she is meant to be with Scott, not some other guy she doesn’t know.”

  “How could you be so sure she is not supposed to be with this other guy?”

  “You wouldn’t understand, Mom.” This conversation isn’t going to end in my fa
vor, and it makes me look bad that I’m choosing my boyfriend over my best friend.

  “Help me understand, honey. All relationships are important, but some have a longer standing impact than others. If things are rocky between you and Glen because of Nathan, and you and Nathan are doing well, why not be honest with him about Glen’s feeling and you two take a break so you can be there for Glen? Glen needs a friend there for her more than Nathan needs a girlfriend there for him. He’ll understand.”

  Inwardly, I wince and look away from her. I wish it were that easy.

  Dad and Nathan walk in, saving me from responding. “What’s wrong with Glen?”

  I grumble, throwing my head back. Just why, Dad? Why?

  “Tracey is still filling me in,” Mom says.

  “Glen wants to be with somebody else, and none of us wants her to.” Period! That’s as far as I’m going with this. Anything further, Mom’s going to bring Glen down and I’m going to have to apologize to her for trying to convince her that this is one situation she’s way off on and Monahan is a bad guy.

  “Why not? She can be with whoever she wants,” Dad defends her.

  “Okay, Dad.” I will not get into this argument. “What were you two discussing?”

  “I’m sure Nathan will fill you in on that later.”

  Nathan nods with a smirk.

  “I’m turning in, Ladybug. I have to be up early in the morning for my flight, but I’ll be back in time for your graduation. You two be smart and make wise decisions.” He throws a pat against Nathan’s shoulder.

  “Okay, Dad,” I say. “See you when you get back, if I don’t see you in the morning.”

  “I’m going to bed as well.” Mom follows after him.

  Nathan sits beside me, and I rest my head on his arm. “How are we supposed to convince her she is supposed to be with Scott?”

  “She has to kill Monahan first.”

  I slouch, grumbling. “That would be even harder to convince.”

  “Maybe.”

  “How is it that you don’t have to convince me that you are who I want?”

  “I cheat, and you’re not that confused, nor have I given you a reason to doubt us. Like you said, the answer is in the beat of your heart in my chest.”

  My brows relax, and I glower at him. “You are always listening in on my conversations.”

  “Sometimes.”

  I give him a bitter laugh. “Do you even know what my dad was talking about?”

  “Not really. Something about not having sex. Then he said something about making sure I don’t let you down, and I remain respectful and not a distraction to your studies.”

  “As long as you were talking, that’s all you got?”

  “Yeah.” He nods once. “The important stuff.”

  I chuckle, leaning back against him. “You said you cheat?”

  “Yes.”

  “How?”

  “No.”

  I sit forward. “I thought we just agreed not to keep secrets from each other anymore.”

  Nathan breathes. “Once he’s out of the way, we’ll start on that.”

  I let that settle and accept this no. A deep pull in me wants me to push him to tell, and that’s why I’m choosing not to. It may be Roehl. Leaving it alone, I ask, “What is it with you lately and this don’t leave the house?”

  “It’s not safe, with everything going on, including these random pop ups by the Nemenites. They’ve been getting a bit out of control coming after more Burdeneds and their mates lately. And since Scott is not looking out for Glen, I have to. But know, Sparks, I’m only doing it because she’s your friend. I, personally, don’t care.”

  “Don’t be like that, Nate.”

  He gives me a glare that says, ‘I’m not bullshitting’ then turns back to the TV.

  I yawn, and my eyes grow heavy. “I’ll see you later, ‘kay? I’m going to bed. Go keep Scott company and make sure he doesn’t do anything crazy.”

  “Okay. Walk me to the door.”

  distant hugs

  Graduation’s less than twenty-four hours away. A lot has gotten easier with Nathan since we talked. Before, us being guarded from each other, keeping so many secrets without explaining why, was taking a toll, but now, we’re refreshed. Dad is so much better, he calls way too often to chat with Nathan and Natalia. With Nathan, they talk business for hours, and with our mom they talk recipes. He’s taken up cooking while he’s away, so he can surprise Mom when she gets there. He says he wants to cook for her every night for the first month. But, even though family is on the up and up, my friends aren’t.

  Glen and Scott’s parting is physically weighing on them. Glen looks drained. She’s come to school in the same gray sweatpants the past three days. Dark circles stain her once beautiful eyes that sparkled with emerald and are now lifeless gems. Scott, sigh, he’s been put through the wringer. He tried to take a pearl blade to the throat the other day. Sometime last week, they stopped stealing glances at each other, and they’re now ignoring the other’s presence completely. They’re both being stubborn. It’s never too late for I’m sorry. Sure, it’s embarrassing and they’ll have to let go of some of their pride to admit it, but if one of them would just let it go, they’d both find some solace.

  Glen’s not speaking to me either, even though she’s been living with me since she decided she didn’t want to be with Scott. She can’t go back home because her mom is a bitch and told her that since she wanted to move out to be with a boy, she needed to stay with him. It was the worst fight I’d seen between the two of them. I try to talk to her, every day, I even said my own I’m sorry, but she gives me the cold shoulder or ignores me. The last time that she attempted to communicate with me was when she wrote me a note that read, after you break things off with Nathan, we can talk.

  We haven’t been back to Nathan’s house, and I’m missing his bed. I’m missing him. . . He’s been gone most nights with Glen sleeping over. On a lighter note, being home is a good thing. There have been no Roehl appearances. Although, a few of his minions have been stopping by Nathan’s house in search of Taylor and me. Those who’ve come are dead now.

  Though Roehl’s missing in the physical sense, he is very much present mentally. It’s getting worse, but often when I’m around Nathan, I try to keep my head clear. Though, now, when I’m not around Nathan, I find myself not fighting the unseen forces that pull me to Roehl.

  I close the front door to my house, throw my bag on the floor, and go to the bar to climb onto the barstool next to Glen. She leans her elbows on the countertop and avoids meeting my eyes. We’re just making it in from graduation rehearsal. Our class was supposed to be practicing in the school’s gymnasium, but it turned into a senior party when someone cranked up the music on their phone. “One last party for old time’s sake isn’t going to hurt anyone,” said Principal Hollander. The teachers even joined in. I’ll miss my school and my friends, but I’m ready to move on. I’m looking forward to starting this new chapter of my life, college, a part-time job, living alone. My stomach squirms with the excitement of new ventures.

  “Are you two excited about graduating tomorrow?” Mom asks, heading into the kitchen.

  “Yep!” I answer.

  “Will your mother be there tomorrow, Glen?”

  “I’m not sure,” Glen’s short.

  Mom notices but ignores it. “Did you invite Nathan’s family, Tracey?”

  “Yes. Most of them are going to be there with Scott graduating too.”

  She snaps her finger. “Oh yeah, that’s right. I keep forgetting about him.”

  I huff. “Yes, I guess he’s easily forgetful.”

  Glen snorts and rolls her eyes exaggeratedly. “Whatever, Tracey.”

  I ignore her. “Where’s Dad?”

  “Getting you a graduation cake. We figured we would celebrate today.” She beams a smile that stretches the length of her shoulders. “We got you something.”

  Giddily, I sing, “Ooo! What’d you get me?”


  “It’s a surprise. You’ll see when he gets back.”

  Glen stands. “I’m going to take a nap. I’ll be down later.” She’s been sleeping a lot lately. I understand why; sleep is the only thing that relieves us from that heart-wrenching pang we get from the separation, and I guess she’s getting hit double time because she misses both Scott and Monahan.

  Once the door closes to my room, Mom asks, “Is Glen feeling okay? She does a lot of sleeping.”

  “Yes, she’ll be fine.” Subject change anyone? “Can you give me a hint to what it is?”

  Mom laughs. “No, Tracey! You’ll see when your dad gets here.”

  Pinching my lips to the side, I stare at her for a moment, pretending to be upset she won’t budge. “Well,” I drag, “If you insist.” Sitting back on the barstool, I grab an orange from the bowl and peel it. I don’t plan to eat it; it’s just something to keep my hands busy. “I’m going to miss you, Mom,” I say. Soon, very soon, she’ll be moving away. I’m used to Dad always being gone, but Mom is always around.

  She hides the sadness in her eyes with a long blink. “Tracey, I know. I’m going to miss you too.” Mom reaches across the counter to hug me. “You know you don’t have to stay here. You can always move with us.”

  “I’m okay with staying here.” I pull out of our hug, nodding. “I’m comfortable.”

  “You and Nathan will try to get your own place instead of moving in with his family?”

  “If I don’t get a place on campus, we’ve brought up that idea.”

  She bows her head a bit and eyes me through her lashes. “Cut the crap, Tracey. We both know you have no intention to move on campus. That may slide with your father, but I know you two.”

  I smile bashfully. “Maybe.”

  She chuckles. “You two just be responsible and make wise decisions.”

  “Of course, Mom.”

  “And tell him to keep his shirt on.”