by C. J. Thomas
Her eyes opened. “It’s not that.” She brought her elbows to the top of her desk. “It’s like the conversation I had just vanished into thin air. Gone without a trace. No one can confirm it even happened, and the phone number that came up on caller ID the day I thought we were approved doesn’t work.” She rolled her eyes up to me. “I know it was real. I’m not making this up .”
“No one said you were.” I shuffled my feet, feeling trapped .
“The longer this goes on, the more I doubt my memory.” Looking down at her desk covered with notes and scattered papers, she said, “This is how my mind looks, too.” Her hand fanned over her papers. “It’s a mess. And I don’t know where we stand with Stone .”
Falling into an empty chair, I listened to the faint sound of my beating heart, debating whether I should tell Giselle more about my suspicions of Madam and the call she made to Oscar. But, in the end, I let it go. At least for the time being. “Stone will wait .”
Giselle’s gaze snapped up .
“Mario is our priority.” I nodded once. “We can’t let the judge approve his plea until we know for sure that someone else murdered Maria .”
She nodded .
“We already made the mistake of letting him down once.” My stomach clenched at the regret I was feeling. “And we can’t let it happen again .”
Giselle glanced at the clock as if hoping that somehow it would slow down time. “Stone’s preliminary hearing is approaching .”
“Right now, that’s his problem,” I assured her. Rubbing my face, I admitted, “I have too many other things to worry about—including my own case .”
Giselle’s face hardened .
With an arched brow, I asked, “What is it ?”
Her heavy, guilt-ridden eyes glanced up at me from beneath her brow. “I have a feeling these are all tied together .”
Not wanting to get ahead of ourselves, I stood and said, “Get your things together. Let’s get to Nash before he catches wind that we’re onto him .”
12
Kendra
T he moment the door latched shut, I closed my eyes .
With my thumb through the strap of my purse, my legs were frozen stiff .
I didn’t know what to do. I was confused, feeling stuck between friends .
On one hand, I wanted to call Alex. On the other, I wanted to trust Kelly that he wouldn’t ruin my relationship with my best friend .
Shuffling my feet over the floor of Kelly’s office, I could hear his muffled voice vibrate through the thick walls. It wasn’t worth eavesdropping on what he was discussing with Giselle. I got the gist, understood the implications. I’d come to terms with the importance of his visit with Nash .
My chest expanded just before I let out a heavy sigh .
No matter what I said to try to deter his pursuit, Kelly wasn’t going to listen. He was a man on a mission, and that was that .
On the corner of his desk, I found a pack of gum. Helping myself to a piece, I freed it from its wrapper and quickly popped it into my mouth .
The burst of mint spread over my taste buds and it reminded me of Kelly. His taste, his hot breath swirling against my skin. It was him, all here in the gum, and I couldn’t get enough. I would always need more .
Tossing the wrapper in the trash, I moved to the wall. One-by-one, I let my gaze hop between frames; his university diploma; photo after photo of him shaking hands with celebrities and people of importance. But only one managed to catch my full attention .
Leaning in, I needed to take a closer look to make sure I wasn’t just imagining things .
Kelly was standing in the middle, brushing shoulders with Wesley Reid. Flanking the both of them were the familiar faces of both Ricky Moran and Faye Houston, movie stars anyone in America would recognize. Shaking my head, I thought how only in LA would this happen .
Pinching my brow, I did a second glance at a few of the other photos .
My mind swirled to understand why it was that Madam—the person Kelly seemed to be most heavily involved with—wasn’t in any of these images. She was maternal and gave the impression that she would do anything for Kelly. Maybe I had it all wrong. I didn’t know, because her not being in these photographs didn’t make sense. It seemed like she would have been in at least one of the pictures. And that got me thinking …
How much longer did I have before I heard from her myself ?
Pushing the thought aside, I continued on down the wall .
I couldn’t believe what I’d told Kelly. I should have never mentioned my desire to break free from Madam’s harem. And as much as I hated to admit it, Madam did provide me with the lifestyle I was now living. A very good lifestyle, as a matter of fact. At any other time in my life, the way I was living now would have been cause for celebration. But now it only complicated matters .
Closing my eyes, I dropped my head into my hands as the stabbing pain of a headache formed behind my eyes. Feelings of regret knotted my belly. If word ever got back to Madam about what I said, I would be doomed .
Not that I thought Kelly would do anything to sabotage our relationship, but I couldn’t forget that he was still one of Madam’s many male suiters who had paid handsomely to have me. His allegiance was to Madam, and it was up to me to make sure he remained interested in me .
Glancing out the window, my brows furrowed .
It wasn’t the sight I was expecting to see. Especially not from Kelly’s office. I was expecting something a bit more glamorous, like the skyline view from his penthouse. Instead, all I saw was a city street with a view straight into the building next door .
Tilting my head, I tapped the tip of my chin with my finger .
Despite it being mediocre, the view did remind me of something I had seen before .
This wasn’t too different from what Alex’s first apartment had looked out over—the one before Nash offered her the amazing and luxurious place she was now living in. Speaking of which —
Diving in my purse, I pulled my cell free and moved behind Kelly’s desk, falling down into his big, soft leather chair .
As soon as my bottom hit it, my face winced with pain. Adjusting my weight, I lifted one cheek and reached my hand under. Stroking the dull ache away, I was still sore from the punishment Kelly gave me. And as I scrolled through my phone, I thought about how much I liked what he’d done .
The way he always seemed to be ready .
How he was brutal and unrelenting with his force .
And how he always kept things interesting .
A smile curved my mouth, and when I glanced over the top of my phone, my silly grin grew wider as I thought about what it would be like for him to take me here, on his desk, just like the way he did at Mayor Bentley’s office .
Chuckling, I chomped down on the clump of gum in the back corner of my mouth, accidently biting the soft tissue of my cheek at the same time .
My face pinched in pain. Touching my cheek, I cursed, “Fuck. Not again .”
It was the same cheek I bit in the shower when Kelly told me to be quiet as he fucked me into submission. And with it, I was reminded of the words he made sure I heard .
I didn’t like hearing him say it. They were ugly words. A string of sentences I was determined to forget. And it almost set off another trigger. But I refused to let my mind go there—go back to my vulnerable childhood that threatened to destroy my relationship with Kelly. He wasn’t thinking with his head when he mentioned it. He was only doing what he thought I wanted to hear—establishing his dominance over me in the process .
Choosing to let it go, knowing that it wasn’t worth the nightmare that was sure to follow, I distracted my thoughts by pulling up the message Alex originally sent me this afternoon .
She looked great. And so did Nash. I would give them both at least that .
And because of their happiness, it was impossible for me to not smile along with them. I was happy for her, glad to see Nash look equally as excited to be back in town with th
e woman who made him wild .
That was what I wanted with Kelly. And I was sure we could get there, but first we had to decide whose back we had—his or Alex’s? Mine or his clients ?
An uneasy feeling flipped my stomach when I went back to staring at Alex and Nash .
God, they were amazing. A power couple in the making. And I knew how much she had been looking forward for this day. Hell, she refused to talk about much of anything else. And now that he was home, I hoped that Nash settled the insecurities she’d developed while he was gone .
Judging by the look on her face, I was sure that he had. I laughed .
Leaning my head back, I placed my phone in my lap as my eyes drifted through a thick haze of exhaustion. And as they fluttered open, they quickly found the bright flowers neatly placed in a vase near the table by the door .
Laughing, they reminded me of the gifts Nash sent Alex when he was away, and now I couldn’t help but guess as to what he brought for her this time, now that he could deliver it in person .
Dropping my chin to my chest, I picked up my phone and let my thumbs work over the screen, typing up a quick message to Alex .
You two look great! When you’re done effing him, hit me back. I want to know how many orgasms he’s given you ;-p
I didn’t expect to receive an immediate reply. I was still debating whether or not I should send her a quick follow-up to warn her that we were coming to her house, unannounced .
Kelly’s plan still didn’t sit well with me, and I was unsure what I should do. No matter what path I chose, I was sure to piss off somebody along the way .
Lifting my gaze to the door, I wondered what was taking Kelly so long. He seemed so impatient on the ride over here. And now that we were at his office, I hoped that maybe Giselle had reason to delay the mission .
Because, God knew, Alex deserved her time alone .
I crossed and uncrossed my legs .
My fingers drummed and my legs swung .
I couldn’t keep still. All I could hear was Kelly’s voice in the car, convincing me that Nash knew something that could possibly be used to set his client free. I hoped that Kelly was right. And that was all this was about .
Dropping my feet to the floor, I opened up a side desk drawer .
Inside was a bottle cologne, a stick of deodorant, and extra paperclips and pens. Popping the top on the stick of deodorant, the musky, manly smell quickly filled the room. The scent was all Kelly, and soon I found myself getting turned on .
Not wanting to forget what was as stake, I quickly closed the drawer, checking my phone again. There was still no message from Alex, and I was getting anxious .
In desperate need of a drink of water, I thought about making a run for the exit. If Kelly was going to confront Nash, I wanted to get it over with, knowing that neither one of us would relax—and for different reasons—until we did .
And just as I was about to stand, my eyes landed on a picture of her—Nora .
Somehow I had forgotten about her when perusing the dozens of other photographs Kelly had hanging around the room. Perhaps I’d assumed that there wouldn’t be any reminders—choosing to move on and focus on what was real and living. But as I leaned forward and stretched my arm to the far corner of his desk, my fingers pinched the frame, taking Nora into my hand for the very first time .
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I brought the image closer to my face. There was no denying that it was her. His queen that once ruled his castle. And she was gorgeous .
It didn’t take long for jealousy to twist my gut. Adopting a sullen look, I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. She looked identical to Kaycee, and if it weren’t for the subtle differences in her facial expression, I would have thought they were one and the same .
Her gaze followed me where ever I looked. I hated myself for getting jealous, and hated Kelly for having a photo of her instead of me .
The pain in my chest spread as I knew how ridiculous I was being .
We shouldn’t be competition. But, somehow, Nora and I were, and I felt like I was never going to win, always losing to a woman who was dead .
Brushing the tip of my finger over the glass, I studied her expression. She was happy—a genuine look that only came from staring back into the lens of the man she considered her hero, quietly hiding behind the camera .
It pained me to know how much her death hurt Kelly. Nora broke his spirit, tore him down. I wanted to save him, heal his wounds, be the person he looked to when needing a shoulder to lean on. Hell, I wanted to be the one to save him and rebuild his strength .
My head snapped up when the door cracked open .
One look at me and Kelly’s face dropped .
He saw what I was holding. And a part of me wanted him to know that I’d found it, to see that I wasn’t afraid to compete for his heart, heal his shattered soul. But when my eyes swelled, and the scratch at the back of my throat spread, I wasn’t sure I could bite back the floodgates of tears that threatened to spill .
Setting the photo of Nora down in my lap, the first tear fell. Then the next. And before I knew it, I sat with a curved spine, watching my chest rise and fall in shallow, insecure breaths .
When Kelly moved, I lifted my gaze to him. He quickly looked away, his face twisted with disappointment. And like a cool brisk breeze, he was at my side a second later with his gentle touch landing on my shoulder .
Taking Nora’s photo from my lap, he held it in front of his face. The lines around his eyes deepened as he looked to her for answers .
“It’s Nora, isn’t it ?”
It took him a minute to respond, but finally he nodded .
“She’s beautiful.” My voice cracked .
With Nora still in his hand, he dropped to one knee and stole my hand, saying, “You’re beautiful, too .”
Laughing, I struggled to believe him as I wiped my cheeks dry .
Then I asked, “Kelly, why did she kill herself ?”
The words just came flying out. I didn’t plan on asking him with both our minds preoccupied by Alex and Nash, but I couldn’t hold back .
Dropping his gaze to the floor, I knew that it wasn’t the right time to be asking. He told me he’d tell me when he was ready. But I wanted to know, to hear the complete story of what happened. It was important to me—if only to understand what exactly Kelly had been through—to know what I could do to bring him back to life .
“Why would someone do that?” My chin quivered as I watched Kelly’s eyes darken .
He tried to speak, but each time he began he had to stop to clear his throat. There weren’t any words to explain it. It didn’t matter, the reasons why, even if he did know. That was the bitch about suicides—it always left the living with more questions than answers .
But the look in his eye told me everything—that he knew exactly what Nora was going through up until the day she decided to end it forever .
“Are you ready?” Giselle interrupted us .
And just like that, the cool air was sucked from the room .
I blinked and looked at Giselle. Then I turned back to Kelly. He hadn’t moved, frozen with his head down in the picture of his wife. His eyes were dull. The spirit normally inside them, gone. I hated to see him look so broken, but I didn’t know what to do .
“Maxwell just arrived.” Giselle’s voice barreled into the room .
Kelly dropped his head and rubbed his eyes .
Setting my hand between his shoulder blades, I felt his muscles jump when my phone chirped with a message. He angled his head and glanced at my phone. Fearing that he would see that it was Alex, I was thankful that I had placed it face down on my thigh. Because I knew that it was her messaging .
“Kelly?” Giselle called .
Slowly, Kelly lifted his head and stood upright .
“Now is the time.” Giselle nodded. “If we want to surprise Nash, we have to go now .”
“Yeah,” he replied .
Watching Giselle turn around
and leave, Kelly took one last glance at Nora before setting her picture back where I’d found it. “C’mon, Kendra,” he said in a more upbeat voice. “You’re still coming with me .”
Not sure where I stood after the tornado that just blew through the room, I inhaled a deep breath and knew in my gut that this wasn’t right .
I couldn’t do this to Alex .
I couldn’t risk being involved in something that might break her and Nash apart .
Not that it was the same as Kelly and Nora, but similar enough to make me want to stop it from ever happening to anybody else. Because, God knew, that if I was in similar shoes, I would want to kill my best friend for ever thinking that it was okay to come to my place, uninvited, and with fists swinging .
Kelly held out his hand. “Shall we ?”
Staring at his palm, I settled my hand in his and let him help me to my feet .
My heart beat as my mind raced to figure out how I could warn Alex—tell her that Kelly was coming for Nash—without Kelly knowing I had tipped them off. Afraid I’d waited too long, I couldn’t help but think the opportunity had passed me by .
Kelly squeezed my hand and I faked my best smile. “Don’t make me regret this,” I murmured as I stepped forward to take the lead. Because if you do, I’m not sure I’ll be able to forgive you .
13
Kendra
C lamping at the stich in my side, my feet skidded to a stop as I bent over .
“Bella, what’s wrong?” Kelly draped his arm around me .
Shaking my head, I shut my eyes. “Is there a ladies’ room I can use before we go ?”
His hand rubbed my shoulders. “Of course. The second door on the right.” He pointed down the hall as we both straightened and stood upright .
Stepping away from his grip, my feet padded down the hallway in long strides. And with each step further away from Kelly, the wider my grin spread across my face .
Reaching out for the door handle, my palms began to sweat .
