Dangerous In Love

by Alexa Davis

  I peeked through the eyehole when I reached the door and saw Max standing outside. He was wearing a gray knee-length coat and a hat to keep his ears warm.

  “Hurry up, man, it’s freezing out here!” he called to me, rubbing his hands together to keep warm.

  I quickly undid the lock and opened the door and let him inside. Max shook off the snow on his clothes and removed the gloves that he was wearing. “Whoa, life’s been treating you well,” he commented while taking a look around. “This is some high-end shit you’ve got in here.”

  “You’re one to talk,” I laughed while walking over to the kitchen. “I’ve seen your parents’ house.”

  “That’s my parents,” he insisted. “Not me. I don’t want to be one of those trust fund assholes that never worked a single day in their life.”

  I scratched the back of my head, letting out a tremendous yawn. I couldn’t think coherently without some coffee, so I pulled the carafe out of the mixer and started preparing it to brew. “I’ve been pretty lucky.”

  “More than a little I’d say,” Max retorted almost instantly, looking around the apartment and admiring our surroundings. “What’s your secret?”

  “No secret,” I insisted, getting two mugs down from the cupboard. “Just hard work.”

  “And luck,” he added with a grin. “I’m proud of you.”

  I chuckled. “No arguments here. I went to a couple career fairs the last few months and got to know some of the lawyers. After I passed the bar, I sent in my application. Terry called me up and offered me the job.”

  “Well, that’s awesome. Maybe one day my digs will be as sweet as yours.”

  “Oh, shove it,” I responded with a laugh.

  We chatted about how I was liking the job and how life had changed for us since graduation. It made me look forward to seeing the other guys from Bowling Green.

  The light turned off once the coffee finished brewing and we each poured ourselves a cup. I pulled the map up on my phone so we could plan the best route to take considering the weather outside. “It’s going to be a two-hour drive at least with all the construction,” he informed me.

  “What are you thinking? Did you want to find a detour to try and avoid it?”

  “Nah, I-80 is still our best bet. I’d rather have a straight shot than risk getting lost on one of those side roads.”

  “True,” I agreed, taking a sip of coffee.

  Just then, Max got a call on his cell phone and offered an apologetic look before going to answer it. I stepped away to give him privacy and went to change into clothes for the trip. I walked back out into the living room just at Max was finishing his call. “Alright, man. Ya ready?”

  “Yep, that was my sister Vanessa,” he informed me conversationally. “She just flew back from Tampa. My parents are driving her crazy, and she wanted me to help her get out of the party they’re throwing. No big deal.”

  “Oh, do you need to…”

  Max shook his head and laughed. “Nah, man. I can see her anytime. Men’s Club only gets together a couple times a year; I’m not missing this for anything.”

  I laughed, pulling on a coat and following him out the door. We headed out toward the car to start on the road to Bowling Green.

  “Man, it’s just going to be like old times!” he chuckled, climbing into the driver’s seat.

  I buckled up in the seat beside him and nodded. “Yeah, it’s going to be nice seeing those old faces. I’ve actually never been to one of these parties before; is it cool?”

  Max shrugged and turned on the ignition. “They’re pretty cool. You meet a lot of alumni, some really powerful names that are great for networking. It’s a great opportunity.”

  “Sweet.”

  He pulled out of the parking lot and smoothly pulled onto the highway. We chatted about work and how things had changed since we were both in school. It made me realize how focused on work I’d become lately. As we traveled farther and farther outside the city, it became clear that the construction had backed up traffic quite a way. I was grateful we had the forethought to give ourselves the extra time so we wouldn't be late.

  While he was driving, we listened to the radio, some Aerosmith, and had a fantastic time. I didn’t even realize two hours had passed before we were pulling up alongside the old fraternity house. He put the car in park, and we walked across the snowy path to the door.

  Max had no problem whatsoever letting himself inside and greeting people all along the way. I sighed, following suit and let him guide me toward the party.

  Ted and Jesse were talking by the snack table, and I went over to say hello. They had joined Men’s Club around the same time I did three years ago. They saw me walking up to them and greeted me warmly with a smile.

  “Ted! How’s it going, man?”

  Ted laughed, shaking my hand in welcome. “Hey, Adam. Glad you could make it.”

  Jesse grinned while pouring himself a drink from the open punch bowl. “Ted here just got engaged. He and Claire have finally set the date.”

  My eyes grew wide at the announcement, and I laughed happily, clapping him on the shoulder in congratulations. “Really? Congratulations, man. So, when’s the big day?”

  “September twelfth,” he informed me without a moment’s hesitation. “That will be the one year anniversary of our first date.”

  “Wow, that’s soon. What made you decide to pop the question?”

  Ted just laughed, taking a sip from the drink in his hand. “Well, when it’s right, you know. We connect on every level. She’s my best friend, and I love her. I want to spend the rest of my life together. When you find the sort of connection, it sticks with you.”

  “No regrets?” Jesse teased with a little smirk.

  Ted shook his head, smiling wider than ever, and told us, “No regrets.”

  “That’s incredible,” I told him honestly. “Congratulations.”

  “What about you? I heard you’re some big shot lawyer in Akron.”

  I chuckled slightly and shoved my hands into my pockets. “Well, I don’t know about ‘big shot,’ but I started working at Hansen, Fairbanks, and Associates last week and it’s working out just fine. I’ve already been handed a couple cases, and the partners seem to like me, so I can’t complain.”

  “Akron?” a voice came from somewhere in my periphery. “That’s out in my neck of the woods.”

  I turned toward the man who had a toothy grin, and his hand outstretched to me in welcome. “Brandon Fletcher,” he introduced himself with a smile. “Perhaps you’ve heard of me.”

  “Adam Hillis,” I responded curtly.

  Fletcher? Where have I heard that name before?

  Then it occurred to me: I’d been seeing advertisements all over Akron with that name for months now, running for some political office. Something about him didn’t sit right with me; his smile didn’t reach his eyes; it wasn’t genuine. He had broad shoulders and light brown hair but carried himself in a way that exuded confidence verging on obnoxious. I didn’t trust him. The hairs on the back of my neck all stood on edge as I accepted the handshake and tried to push my preconceived notions to the back of my head.

  “Aren’t you running for city council?” I asked in mock admiration. “I think I’ve seen a billboard near my work.”

  Brandon laughed. “Quite possibly. There are quite a few around town. Did I also overhear that you’re a lawyer?”

  “That is correct.”

  “Interesting,” he mused. “What firm are you with?”

  “I just started at Hansen, Fairbanks, and Associates this week,” I responded confidently.

  His eyes narrowed at the mention of their name, and he stepped back suddenly while clearing his throat. “Well, that’s a fine group of men, I hear.”

  My smile widened. “We also have quite a few women on staff, as well. You should look into it.”

  His shifted his stand uncomfortably and said, “It’s was nice to meet you, Adam. I hope we can count on your vote nex
t term.”

  I almost snorted aloud, but I knew that would not be beneficial to my health, so I bit back my tongue and smiled winningly. “That would have to depend on your platform.”

  Brandon laughed, setting his glass down on the table and looked me dead in the eye. “A straight shooter! I like it. If you’ll excuse me, gentleman, I have some other business to attend to.”

  As he wandered off into the crowd, my eyes narrowed, following him. Jesse and I caught up on our favorite sports teams for a while before I fabricated some sort of excuse to leave and went to mingle.

  As the party drew on, I watched Brandon from the corner of my eye, and what I saw in his behavior did not calm the knot that was forming in my stomach. He exuded a sense of entitlement that was not only rude, but threatening to anyone who challenged him. He was skilled with words and a master manipulator. The cues were subtle enough that none of the other men seemed to pick up on it, but I did. I dealt with criminals every day, and Brandon Fletcher wasn’t fooling me.

  The thing I didn’t understand was why he was considered one of us. I respected the men in this circle and having him cast as one of them made me doubt everything I knew about them.

  I just hoped that I was wrong.

  When I ran into Max later as the party continued, he seemed to know exactly what I was thinking. “Don’t worry about it,” he assured me calmly.

  “I wish I could,” I told him honestly. “But something about him bothers me.

  Max shrugged. “Well, you’re going to have to get over it. He is part of the family, and we take care of each other.”

  I didn’t like the way he said that, so matter-of-fact, but I brushed it off, not wanting to let my preconceived notions get in the way.

  At the end of the party, we said goodbye to everyone and walked back to his silver Chevy. It had snowed while we were inside and the window was dusted with a fine white power. Max pulled out the brush reserved for exactly this occasion and began sweeping away the residue.

  While he was working, Max tossed me the keys and said, “Do you mind getting the engine running? That way, we can have some heat.”

  “Sure.”

  I put the key in the ignition and started up the car so that a little warm air would begin circulating through the cabin. With the engine running, I sat back in my seat and rubbed my hands together while trying to stay warm.

  A few minutes later, Max had finished brushing off the front window and came around to sit in the driver’s seat. He rubbed his hands together even though they were inside his gloves and shivered briefly before adjusting the rear-view mirror.

  “Brrr! Alright, you ready to head back?” he asked.

  “Sure.”

  I couldn’t stop thinking about that guy who had introduced himself earlier: Brandon Fletcher. Something about him just felt a little off to me. I didn’t like it.

  “That was weird,” I muttered to myself grimly.

  “What’s weird?” Max asked me curiously.

  “Oh, just that guy I was talking to. Did something about him seem off to you? I can’t put my finger on it, but he was definitely into some shady ass shit.”

  He nodded slowly and cleared his throat. “Yeah, I was meaning to talk to you about that. I don’t know a lot about him, but from what I’ve seen, he could have his hands in more than one political scandal.”

  “Shit,” I grunted in affirmation.

  Max sighed. “Hey, don’t worry about it. It’s got nothing to do with you, so you’re free and clear. He’s a good man to have on your side.”

  My brow furrowed at the implication; it made me feel a little bit queasy. “I see what you’re saying, but I’m not sure I want that kind of support,” I told him honestly.

  He smiled. “I know, man. That’s why I love you. We can talk more about that later.”

  “Sure.”

  “Hey! Did I tell you my parents are throwing a big holiday party at their house on Sunday? You should come.”

  “Maybe,” I agreed reluctantly.

  Sensing my hesitation, Max added, “Vanessa will be there. She just graduated college and my parents are trying to make her feel at home.”

  My head whipped around so fast it made me dizzy. I remembered his sister perfectly—she’d had a little crush on me all through high school. I used to tease her about it, but after seeing pictures of the blonde bombshell she’d turned into, I thought she was the one who got the last laugh. She’d gone through an awkward phase like everyone but had rounded out nicely in all the right places.

  It had been almost a year since Linda and I broke up, so I figured it was time for me to start moving on and getting my feet back in the game. She broke my heart after cheating on me with some guy from one of her classes. The guys in Men's Club had helped me through the rough patch afterward, and I owed them a debt of gratitude.

  “Vanessa, really? That could be cool. I haven’t seen her in years. Does she still have those long ass legs I used to compliment her on?”

  Without taking his eyes off the road, he reached over from the steering wheel and smacked me on the back of the head. “That’s my sister you’re talking about!” he reminded me. “Though, yes. I would have to say that’s accurate.”

  I rubbed the back of my head from the assault and laughed. “Ow! Well, that sounds like a party I won’t be missing. I mean, it would be rude not to say hello, right?”

  I wondered selfishly if that crush of hers was still a thing, but wondered if it was ethical to take advantage of a situation like that. I mean…you couldn’t blame a guy for trying, right?

  Max struggled not to laugh as he kept his eyes glued to the road ahead. “Dude! If I catch you hitting on my sister, I might have to physically castrate you. She is not for you, got it?”

  “Alright, alright!”

  He seemed to relax back in his seat and turned the radio on. The dim light from the dashboard reflected on his face when he drove.

  Vanessa, I thought to myself curiously. That’s something to look forward to.

  Chapter 4

  Vanessa

  Saturday

  I let out a tired yawn as I waited patiently for the rows of passengers to leave the plane ahead of me. It was an exhausting day of travel, and my flight from Atlanta into Akron had been delayed. When I saw a break in the line, I slipped in, dragging my carry-on luggage behind me. As I walked down the narrow aisle of the plane, the fur-lined collar of my Eisenhower jacket tickled beneath my chin. The stewardesses smiled as I reached the exit, and I offered them a polite nod in response.

  My shoes shuffled down the runway as I walked briskly toward the baggage claim, and I felt the growing need to eat real food. There were thousands of other passengers in the crowded airport, all sweaty and uncomfortable as I was, but I didn’t mind. Everyone was traveling for the holidays.

  Eventually, I made it to the escalator that brought me down to the entrance of the baggage claim. I looked out across the crowd, looking for the familiar faces, slightly nervous they wouldn’t recognize me. Then I saw them waving excitedly from the carousel. Mom was practically jumping up and down with a big ‘ol smile on her face. Dad was standing next to her, his arms crossed against his chest as he gave me a little wave.

  Aw, Papa Bear.

  Mom positively beamed as she saw me coming toward them and came to wrap me in a hug. “Vanessa! Oh, my goodness, you look gorgeous. Have you lost weight? I knew that a college diet wouldn’t be good for you. You’re too skinny!”

  I hugged her back and laughed. “Thanks, Mom.”

  When she stepped away to release me, Dad took his turn and gave me an awkward one-armed hug. “Welcome back, hon. How was the flight?”

  I shrugged, walking over to the moving carousel and kept an eye out for my luggage. “It was fine. The woman sitting next to me was chatty, so I didn’t lack for conversation.”

  Dad snickered at my joke, but Mom didn’t seem to understand what was so funny. “Did I miss something?”

  “No, Mom,�
� I assured her. “You’re doing fine.”

  I watched the different bags as they came out the moving platform and kept an eye out for my blue one specifically. My parents joined in the search until I saw it coming around the conveyer belt. “Oh, there it is!” I told them. “Hang on a sec.”

  In one swift motion, I gripped the suitcase by the handle and lifted it up and off the metal carousel, setting it neatly on the ground beside me. Mom put her arm around my shoulder as we walked out into the parking structure and gave it a gentle squeeze “We kept your room exactly the way you left it,” she informed me happily.

  “Thanks, I appreciate that.”

  Dad followed close behind, carrying one of my bags as we went in search of the Expedition. I sighed while buckling myself into the back and gazed out the dingy window. Christmas carols were playing on the radio and Dad glanced back at me into the rearview mirror.

  “So, have you thought about what to do for work?” he asked meaningfully. “I’m not familiar with the industry like you are, but I’m sure there are opportunities for a young entrepreneur like yourself.”

  I chuckled nervously, glancing out the window. “Yeah, I mean, obviously there are companies I could apply to, doing glamour shots or family portraits. I was going to look up some of them on Monday and try to come up with some leads.”

  I knew he meant well. He’d always pushed me to be independent, but the question still bugged me.

  Mom spoke up before he was able to press the issue further. “Will you stop hounding her?” she asked him with a laugh while coming to my defense. “She just got off the plane; give her some time to breathe.”

  “No one’s hounding her!” he insisted. “I’m just trying to be supportive and make sure she’s thinking about the future.”

  I saw her give him a look that could curdle dairy as a warning not to push it. “Well, it can wait until after the holidays,” she insisted. “I don’t want to hear another word about it until then, understood?” Her voice was light and playful, but he and I both knew that she meant business. He never questioned Mom before and clearly didn’t plan to start now. She had a way of commanding authority.