Dark Heart

by Eve L Mitchell

  Shadow put his hand on my shoulder. “Go. I’m staying until she sleeps.”

  I nodded. “Of course, I’ll be back as soon as I dump the brat at her mother’s.” Shadow nodded at me. “Hey – tell Maria I’ll see her soon.”

  I headed out to my Ford F-150 Raptor and looked at my cell. I had another missed call, this time from Skinner – I also had a few texts. God, he was worse than a woman. I tossed my cell onto the seat beside me and headed out to the airport.

  The snow was deeper, but the Raptor would handle it. I just had to worry about the other road users. Being in Colorado in late November, it wasn’t like we weren’t used to snow.

  The drive to Denver airport took longer than even I anticipated, but I got there unscathed. The airport also looked quiet, which was odd. Unless they had started cancelling flights already.

  I parked up in the short-term east parking lot. As I locked the truck, I realised I didn’t have a clue what the brat looked like. Shit. I paused for a moment, what did the mother look like again? I had absolutely no recollection. She either had peroxide blonde hair or was the one that looked like a witch. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

  I refused to call him. She flew in from New York didn’t she? Ok, so I’ll just go to arrivals and look for spoiled brats. I snorted at the idiocy of my idea and then I swore loudly as I made the five-minute walk to the terminal from the parking lot. Arrivals was jam packed - ok, so that made my plan turn to shit.

  “Aaron?” I turned around to the soft feminine voice.

  A leggy blonde was in front of me. She was slender, in expensive clothes and sunglasses, a hat covered most of her blonde hair. I ran my eyes over her and noticed two suitcases beside her. I spotted the JFK tags, this was most likely my brat. She didn’t look like one of my hook-ups, no other reason for her to know my name.

  “Yeah, that’s me.”

  She nodded and handed me one of the cases. I looked at it and looked at her.

  “Lela,” she introduced herself, she pronounced it Lee-La. Her eyes ran over me. “Mom described you to me. You’re late. I’m freezing, Mom said you would be here on time.” She started to walk away, leaving the bags behind.

  I followed her and drew up alongside her. “Yeah, well I am here now.” I kept walking, I was taller and quickly moved away from her. “I think you forgot something,” I said over my shoulder.

  I heard the squawk behind me. “Aaron!” she yelled at me.

  I turned, she was still about five feet from her luggage. “What?”

  “My bags?” She indicated behind her.

  “That’s right, your bags, hurry up, snow’s still falling.” I headed out the terminal. I heard her struggle. I probably should have helped her, but her attitude of just expecting me to take her bags, fucked me off. I wasn’t her flunky.

  Once outside, I lit up a smoke. I watched with open amusement as she struggled with the two cases and a carry on. I turned the collar of my jacket up, it was getting really cold. I took in the step-brat. She was wearing knee high heeled boots, black skinny jeans, and from what I could see, it looked like a sweater hanging under her poncho. Yeah, she came to Colorado in November in stiletto heel boots, a poncho…and sunglasses. I frowned. I had a strong suspicion what the sunglasses were hiding. I doubted she was a native of New York, they knew how to handle snow. I should have paid more attention and asked more questions of Skinner.

  She eventually came through the doors. I flicked my butt in the bin. She stopped and looked at me, panting.

  “I’m freezing my dick off, hurry up.” I turned and walked away from her again. I heard her muttering and then she called out.

  “Aaron?” I turned slowly. “Please?” She was standing miserably and as I made the move to go back to help her, I saw a fleeting smirk of triumph.

  “Move it Brat, I don’t have all day,” I snapped at her instead.

  Some ten minutes later she trundled up to the truck. I had the engine running and the heat on. I watched her approach. She looked exhausted. She drew level with the window and looked at me. I stared back. I saw her swear, she took the sunglasses off, glaring at me with barely concealed animosity. I was right, her eyes were bloodshot, but I noticed they were a rich dark blue.

  I rolled the window down. “What are you waiting for?”

  She looked ready to cry. I guessed she was coming down from whatever she had popped before the plane, combined with her bloodshot eyes, her skin was pale and she was shaky. She looked strung out, I really didn’t have time for this.

  “Can you please help me?” Tears welled up and I cursed as I jumped out, flung the bags in the back, ignoring all protests about things being fragile, and in two minutes was back in my seat.

  “Buckle up, it’s going to be icy.” I watched her strap herself in and then I set off.

  Not a word was spoken on the journey, just the way I liked it. She sat staring out into the night as the snow fell.

  I pulled up in front of Skinner’s home, he lived in the Newland area of Boulder. Nice area, not for the likes of me. I frowned as I noticed it was in darkness. Lela seemed to come back from wherever she had gone to, noticing that we had stopped.

  “Why are there no lights on?” Lela demanded of me. I ignored her as I got out. I walked up the drive, there was no sign of life.

  I pulled my phone out and reread Skinner’s message from earlier. Shit. The fucker had gone and left on vacation. What was I supposed to do with her? I contemplated breaking in, she had a legit reason to be here, even if her mother had abandoned her.

  I turned around to look at the truck, she was on her cell, she seemed to be yelling. I guessed it was her mom on the phone. I pulled out a smoke, I wasn’t rushing back into that discussion. A few minutes later, she jumped out of the truck. She came towards me, she was tall, I noted – she crossed the snow in those stiletto boots, looking like Bambi on ice.

  “She left for Hawaii!” she screeched at me, like it was my fault.

  “She tell you where the spare key is?” I flicked my ash.

  “There isn’t one. Her stupid husband doesn’t believe in spares.” I hid my grin, I bet he didn’t. Skinner knew exactly who would be looking under the plant pots.

  “Hotel?” I suggested. She shrugged and I started to trudge back to the truck. My phone started ringing. I pulled it out…Skinner. “What?”

  “You were late. I cancelled her reservation, she stays with you.” He hung up.

  Yeah, that wasn’t happening. I looked at her, she was looking around the street Skinner lived in with disdain. “I’ll take you to a hotel,” I offered as I got back into the truck.

  She followed and climbed back inside. “Did my mom book me a hotel?” Her voice was low and husky, she sounded tired.

  “I think your stepfather just cancelled it.” No point sugar coating it, she already looked a bit broken.

  “I can’t afford a hotel.” She was facing towards me, I switched the interior light on to see her better. “My dad cut off my cards,” she explained, her eyes were looking everywhere but at me.

  “You have no money?” I saw her flush, she shook her head. “Nothing? At all?” She was 22, how could she have no money?

  “I have nothing except what’s in those bags, and about thirty dollars in my purse.” A tear spilled over.

  I ran my hand over my hair. “What the fuck did you do to your dad?” I demanded.

  Another tear.

  “Christ, stop crying, I have enough shit to deal with.” I cursed again as I drove home.

  My street wasn’t fancy, but the homes were good and solid. The house was mine and the neighbours kept their noses out of my shit. What more did you need?

  I pulled into the drive and hopped out. Lela followed behind me and I heard her try and take the bags out from the truck. She was going to scratch the paintwork, I could feel it.

  I opened the front door and then went back and got the cases off her and headed inside. She hesitated at the front door. I shrugged my coat and shirt off, leaving
me in a t-shirt. I heard her inhale sharply. I glanced at her quickly – her eyes were running warily over my ink. I kicked my boots off and then I headed towards the kitchen.

  “You can stand there, or you can come and get a coffee.” I heard the clipped heels coming over my hardwood flooring. “Boots off! No heels on the wood.”

  I opened the dishwasher and started to empty it as I saw her unzip the boots. She lost a couple of inches as she walked over to me, she must have been about five eight without the boots on. She hesitantly took a seat at the table.

  “You live here alone?” Lela looked about my home. It was a simple single storey, open plan living space. My main room was L-shaped – on entering the house, there was a small coat area, then it opened to the dining/living area. The room was decorated with hardwood floors and simple painted walls. My décor was a dark teal and white. My couch – an old brown leather sofa that separated the dining table from the living room – was worn and used. I knew how it felt. Off to the side of the living area was my kitchen. White wall units, white tiling, with grey marble countertops – they had been expensive, but they were worth it. From the kitchen the hall led back to three bedrooms, two with their own shower room and a family bathroom. The house also benefited from a double garage and an enclosed backyard. It probably wasn’t much to the likes of Lela, but it was mine.

  “Yeah. I like my own space. I have a spare room you can use, for now. Has its own bathroom, I’ll find you some towels.” I watched her as she took in my furnishings.

  “You want food? I’m having pizza.” I pulled a large pepperoni pizza from the freezer.

  “I’m a vegetarian.”

  I barked out a laugh. “You’re shit out of luck here then. I can probably find you some cereal but that’s…” I thought quickly. “Nope, actually scratch the cereal idea.”

  I put my pizza in the oven and turned to her. She looked utterly miserable. She’d pulled her hat off and the poncho thing she’d been wearing. She had a large oversized cream sweater on with a large scoop neckline, it hung precariously on her shoulder, threatening to slide off. Her hair tumbled to her shoulders in soft waves.

  “I’m not hungry,” Lela muttered. Her hands still had a slight shake to them. I had been leaning against the counter, watching her.

  “Who you calling in the morning?”

  Lela’s head jerked up and she looked at me, “I don’t understand,” she confessed.

  “Mom or dad? You can’t stay here, and I don’t know when Skinner is back.”

  Her eyes welled up again. “Daddy says I have to be independent, he won’t help me. Mom said she agreed with him and will deal with me when she comes back.”

  “Not good enough. Phone one of them first thing, I’m not interested in excuses.” I pushed away from the counter. “Come on, I’ll show you your room for tonight.” I put emphasis on the word tonight.

  I heard her cross the room behind me, her steps were light. I opened the door to the third bedroom, it was simply decorated but clean.

  “Thank you.” Her voice was meek. I glanced at her and caught her eye. I saw the brimming hostility, yeah, this girl wasn’t meek and mild. She was furious. I saw her check the back of the door.

  “You don’t need a lock from me Brat.” She flushed again. I huffed out my frustration with this whole situation, as I headed back to the kitchen. I checked the timer on my pizza and pulled a beer out of the fridge. A few minutes later, I was on beer number two and slicing my pizza.

  I sank onto my couch and flicked the TV on. Monday night football. Panthers at home to the Buccaneers – a divisional game – could be worth watching. I settled down and picked up my phone, shooting off a quick text to Shadow, checking Maria was ok.

  I got a quick response, she was fine, the bleeding had stopped and she was sleeping. He was staying with her, they weren’t kicking him out. He asked if I got Skinner’s stepdaughter, he didn’t need to know the story tonight. I said as much and told him I would be over in the morning.

  At the end of the first quarter, I rose to take my plate to the dishwasher and get another beer. I’d heard Lela come for her luggage earlier on in the game but had chosen to ignore her. She looked vulnerable and withdrawn from whatever she liked to take recreationally. I wasn’t in the mood for a breakdown, she wasn’t my problem.

  Lela sat at the breakfast bar, watching me. I hesitated under her scrutiny. I hadn’t realised she had come back and didn’t know how long she had been sitting there. Staring at me. Creepy.

  “What?” I asked as I crossed to the kitchen.

  “Your house is very basic and minimal,” she started.

  “You can sleep outside Brat, I don’t give a rat’s ass.”

  “Yet, your TV is huge,” she carried on and pointed towards my TV.

  “Your point?”

  She shrugged and nibbled on an apple. I don’t know where she got it from, there sure as shit wasn’t fruit in my house. “Just saying, I was making conversation.”

  I put my plate in the dishwasher. “Your conversation was to mock my house when you have nowhere to go and no money? Not real smart, are you Brat?” I headed back to the couch.

  “Stop calling me Brat!” her voice rose.

  “Temper, Brat, I’m not in the mood for foot stomping.” She flicked her hair out of her face. I turned back to my game.

  “Are you going to just ignore me?” Lela demanded.

  “Not a big talker and I already know, I don’t like you…Brat.”

  She was silent, the second quarter was underway when I heard her approach.

  She settled beside me on the couch. I turned my head and regarded her. “What are you doing?”

  “I can’t sit beside you?” Her eyes widened incredulously.

  “No. I’m watching the game. I gave you a room, go to it and leave me alone.”

  She stared at me for a few moments longer and then in a huff, she flounced out of the living room and headed towards her room. She slammed the door just in case I didn’t get the hint she was unhappy. I grinned.

  The rest of the evening went by smoothly, I didn’t see or hear from her again. I switched off after the game. Newton had played well, Panthers won by two touchdowns. I made my way to my room. I kicked the door shut behind me and peeled my clothes off. I stepped into the shower and let the heat soak in and wash away the fucked-up day. Was it just this morning I had been chastising Daisy on her outfit at the shop? What a long day! I still couldn’t believe Maria had been helped by Matt, what were the chances? I frowned as I rinsed the soap off, maybe it wasn’t a coincidence? I shook my head in denial as I thought about it. No, they had never met Shadow when they were fighting, I made sure I was at all their fights. It was only towards the end that Jay got more involved in setting up their opponents. Admittedly, that’s when I should have started paying more attention.

  I got out and wrapped myself in a towel and then remembered I hadn’t left any out for Brat. Groaning at the inconvenience of having a house guest, I went to the linen cupboard and found her a large and small towel. I lived with my mom and little sister until I was eighteen, I knew women needed towels of all sizes for the bathroom. I used one towel, I remember Alicia used to use three.

  I knocked on the door and received no reply. I turned the handle and opened the door slightly. The room was in darkness. Lela had left the drapes open, so the room was eerily bright from the moon on the snow outside. I pushed the door open wider and I saw her outline on the bed, she seemed to be facing the window. I placed the towels on the dresser and left. The last thing I needed was her waking up and seeing me in nothing but a towel, I don’t think my neighbours would appreciate her screams.

  I usually slept naked, but I wasn’t in the mood for a show and tell with my houseguest tonight. I pulled on some cotton boxers, grumbling to myself. I lay down and switched the light off. Please let tomorrow be better, I really didn’t need any more drama.

  I woke up to a strange feeling of something not right. I was on the si
de I usually slept, I registered it was still night and it seemed my bedroom door was open. More importantly, I registered in my groggy state that someone was standing over me. I flung my cover off me and kicked both legs out at the same time. I hit my intruder square in the midriff and as they cried out, I leapt to my feet and had them pinned on the bedroom floor with their arm up their back.

  It was then that I realised my intruder was female and calling out my name.

  Shit.

  I got up off Lela and flicked the light-switch on. She was still face down on the wooden floor, she must have been winded from the kick. I also noticed she was wearing the tiniest pair of sleep shorts I had ever seen.

  “Why the fuck are you in my room?” I demanded from her as I got up off her.

  Lela rolled over and sat up, rubbing her arm. “Are you insane? Who attacks people in their house like that?” She scrambled hurriedly to her feet, she was torn between rubbing her stomach and her arm.

  “Why are you in my room? I’m not into pity fucks, that won’t extend your stay.” In truth, I knew that wasn’t why she was in my room. You could tell she wasn’t that type but given that she looked like she should be on a stripper pole with those shorts, I couldn’t resist.

  “You’re a pig,” Lela snapped at me. “I came in to tell you there was someone outside and I was scared.” She was still rubbing her arm and stomach and glaring at me like a wounded animal. Good God I didn’t even hit her that hard.

  I gave out a short laugh. “There isn’t anyone stupid enough to be creeping about outside my house. Trust me.” I put my hand on the door and made the motion that she should walk out.

  Instead, she levelled a glare at me. “You’re a complete bastard, do you know that?”

  I grinned at her and took a step towards her, I noticed her slight step back. “You’re in my home, using my bed, using my heat. You think I’m a bastard? Did I leave for Hawaii and leave you here with nowhere to stay?” She flinched. “Did I send you miles away with no money, not caring that you couldn’t look after yourself?” Her head lowered.