Transcending Darkness

by Airicka Phoenix

  Juliette ceased her struggling and peered at the girl standing before her with her tangled locks and drawn features. Maybe it was because she had never really seen her sister, but looking at her now, it was impossible not to see just how lonely she was. Everything about her screamed for affection and companionship and Juliette had never once stopped to give her either.

  “Hey.” Reaching out with the hand not hooked to an empty bag of fluid, Juliette took Vi’s fingers. She gave them a light squeeze. “We’re going to be okay. I promise. You and me.”

  Brown eyes lifted and peered at her with apprehension and a timid glimmer of hope. “Yeah?”

  “Promise,” Juliette said again. “Things are going to change. We’ll make sure they do. We have each other no matter what.”

  A hint of a half-smile tugged the corner of Vi’s mouth. “I like the sound of that.”

  Juliette beamed. “Good. Now go get us some coffees while I hunt down the doctors and hopefully get the hell outta here.”

  Laughing, Vi hurried from the room.

  Juliette watched her go before reaching for the call button hanging off the side of her bed and hitting it … repeatedly.

  “Yes?” came a grumpy voice from the speaker mounted on the wall.

  “Hi, I was just wondering when I’ll be discharged?”

  A moment passed, then, “The doctor will make his rounds shortly. Please just be patient.”

  She hated bothering anyone, especially people who held her life in their hands, but there was nothing wrong with her and she wanted to go home.

  “You wouldn’t happen to know how long that will be, would you?”

  “No,” came the abrupt response, then a click as the connection was severed.

  “Thanks a lot,” Juliette grumbled.

  With nothing to do, Juliette sat there and stared at the opposite wall, trying not to think of anything, except going back to her normal routine as quickly as possible, which meant calling the hotel and the diner and begging them not to fire her. Charis would take some convincing, but the hotel might still take her back once she explained the situation. She didn’t even want to think about what might happen if neither took her back on top of everything else. The very thought was soul crushing.

  Nevertheless, she grabbed the hospital phone and began dialing.

  As she suspected, the moment Charis answered and Juliette said hi, the woman fired her. It wasn’t even done nicely or apologetically.

  “We’ve already hired someone competent and reliable,” the woman sneered into the line. “Drop your uniform off and don’t even bother asking for your last pay as you still owe us.”

  The line went dead promptly after the short rant.

  Juliette sighed. Oddly enough, she felt no remorse over not having to go back. If anything, she was sort of relieved.

  She called Harold next.

  He picked up on the third ring.

  “I completely understand,” he told her after she’d finished explaining the situation. “We’re just so relieved you’re all right. Can’t believe such a thing even happens outside of movies. But yes, of course you still have a position here whenever you’re ready to come back to it.”

  The relief was astronomical. She wasn’t sure what she’d done to deserve that sort of break, but she wasn’t going to question it.

  Mrs. Tompkins was her final call. She was still at her daughter’s house—thank God—so Juliette decided not to tell her about anything that had happened. They chatted a few minutes, mostly about Mrs. Tompkins’s move before hanging up. She was setting the phone back on the end table when Vi returned with a paper bag in one hand and a drink tray with two plastic cups in the other. She bounded into the room and set the items down next to the phone.

  “I found bagels,” she declared. “No peanut butter, but they had cream cheese and jam.”

  “Tell me what happened with your friends,” Juliette said after a stretch of silence that was filled with cream cheese spreading and coffee sipping.

  Vi looked down at her bagel with cream cheese and jam, her mouth twisted in grimace.

  “They’re assholes,” she mumbled. “I always knew it, but…”

  Juliette stopped eating. “What happened?”

  Vi set her half-eaten bagel down on the wrapper and dusted the crumbs off her fingers. She continued to stare at her breakfast rather than Juliette.

  “They dared me to take something from a store in the mall. It wasn’t anything special, a lipstick that wasn’t even my color, but it was something we used to do all the time so it wasn’t a big deal—” Juliette opted to let that comment go for the time being. “—so I did it. I took the lipstick and started to walk out when Brittany went running to the clerk and ratted me out. I mean, dead on told the girl I took the lipstick. I was stopped and searched and obviously I had the thing so I got busted.”

  “Vi!”

  Vi rolled her eyes. “I know. Stupid. Anyway, Phil got me out. He talked to the woman, said he was my dad and I wasn’t stealing. I was waiting for him and must have forgotten to pay for it. The woman let us go and we left. I felt about two inches tall. I’d never been caught before. I was also pissed. They were supposed to be my friends. That’s when Phil kind of set me straight, told me I was being a shit and I needed to clean up my act. He made me swear not to take anything anymore or he’d arrest me himself. Kind of started liking him after that.”

  No longer hungry, Juliette set her bagel down and wiped her hands on a napkin. She reached for her coffee and cradled the warmth between her palms.

  “You should have told me,” she said.

  “I hardly saw you,” Vi countered. “I mean even before Killian, you were never home and when you were, you were yelling at me or sleeping. Besides, I knew you were only going to lecture me on stealing and I’d already learned my lesson.”

  Juliette exhaled. “I’ve been so unfair to you, haven’t I? Probably the worst sister on the planet and I am so sorry. I have no excuse.”

  Vi nodded slowly. “Yeah, you were, but it’s either you or Uncle Jim and you won’t make me wear frilly panties.”

  Gagging, Juliette recoiled. “That is disgusting!”

  Vi grinned. “And yet so true.”

  Laughing, Juliette shook her head. “Okay, enough of that. Let’s talk about what we’re going to do.”

  “Do with what?”

  “Everything.” She shrugged. “We have nothing to worry about anymore. The hotel doesn’t exactly pay in gold bricks, but we’re going to be okay if we’re careful—”

  Voices in the hallway had them both glancing back just in time to see Arlo stride into the room, followed closely by Phil. The two stopped at the foot of the bed, Phil with a scowl.

  “Hey there, Juliette,” Arlo said in that tone she had never wanted to hear again. “They told me you were awake.”

  Juliette nodded. “Yeah.”

  “Excellent.” His brown eyes flicked over to Vi, lingered in a way that made Juliette’s skin prickle before returning to her. “Glad to hear it.”

  “What are you doing here?” she demanded with more bite than was necessary.

  “Just coming to check on my favorite person. You had the entire underground community looking for you. McClary is probably happy to have you back.” His gaze slid to Vi again, who stared back at him without a trace of emotion. “Also came to see when they were letting you out.”

  Juliette frowned. “Why?”

  He shrugged. “Curiosity.”

  “It’s none of your business,” she retorted.

  He fixed her with an arched eyebrow. “Seriously? That’s the attitude I get for saving your life?”

  A muscle tightened in the pit of Juliette’s stomach as a sickening realization crept home; was he going to strong arm her into owing him all over again? Was that why he was there?

  “I won’t come back to you,” she hissed. “Not ever.”

  Arlo rolled his eyes. “Calm down. I don’t want you back. My father was already c
ompensated for his help in your rescue, which means you get to go on and live your boring little life.”

  “Compensated how? By whom?”

  “McClary,” he said simply. “Gave my dad the deed to the ports.”

  Juliette remembered all too well how badly Arlo had wanted the port papers signed, enough so that he’d knocked the shit out of her for it.

  “Lucky you,” she muttered.

  “Yup.” He stuffed his hands into his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “I personally think we got the better end of the deal, but whatever.” He slanted his gaze towards Vi again. “Hey, walk me out.”

  “No!” Coffee sloshed over the rim of her cup when she shot up and grabbed Vi’s arm. “She’s not going anywhere with you.”

  “It’s okay.” Vi detached herself from the hold and rose. “I’ll be right back.”

  Arlo smirked at Juliette. “I’ll see you around, Juliette.”

  With an arrogant salute, he spun on his heels and led the way out of the room with Vi right behind him. Juliette met Phil’s angry gaze.

  “Follow them. Don’t let him touch her.”

  Phil didn’t even hesitate.

  Juliette set her cup down and hurriedly kicked the blankets off. She scooted to the edge of the bed and tossed her legs over. The cold tiles bit into her bare feet as she hopped down. She reached for the IV pole and was about to follow when Vi returned.

  “What are you doing out of bed?” the girl demanded.

  “What are you doing following that asshole?” Juliette shot back. “Do you have any idea what level of bad news—”

  “Chill!” Vi laughed. “Trust me, nothing will ever happen between me and that guy. Like ever. I know exactly what he is and what he wants and I’m not an idiot.”

  Juliette jerked back in surprise. “Really?”

  Vi nodded as she made her way back to the bed. “I can overlook a lot of things about a guy, but selling, beating, and degrading women is where I draw the line. So, yeah.” She flopped down on the stiff mattress and reached for her bagel. “No sexy fun time for him.”

  Juliette blanched. “Ew!” Gingerly, she regained her seat. “So, what did he want?”

  Vi bit into her breakfast, chewed, and swallowed before speaking. “A kiss.”

  Thank God she was already sitting or she would have fallen over.

  “What?”

  Vi snorted. “He made me this promise before they set off to find you the other night, that if he found you first, I owed him a kiss.”

  “And you said…?”

  “What do you think I said? Obviously no. I know what he did to you, what he made you do. He told me everything.”

  Juliette blinked. “He told you?”

  “Yeah, we were stuck together in Killian’s house for like days and there was nothing to do. So, we talked. He was honest about everything.”

  None of it made sense. The last thing Juliette ever expected was honesty from Arlo, never mind his inexplicable interest in her sister, which irritated the shit out of her.

  “Well, stay away from him,” she mumbled. “He’s not like Killian. He’s definitely not the good guy.”

  “I know.” Vi stuffed the rest of her bagel into her mouth. “I’m pretty sure that’s the last time we’ll ever see him.”

  Juliette could only hope.

  Chapter 31

  Five months later…

  “I honestly couldn’t care how you get it done. Get that wall down and put a door in.”

  Killian scribbled his name on the contract before him while cradling the phone between his ear and shoulder. The cord kept getting caught on his arm, but he hoped the conversation would end soon so he could get back to actual work.

  “I understand, sir, but there are shelves on this side—”

  “Get the shelves down,” he said with great exasperation. “Honestly, what am I paying you for?” He hung up, took the contract he’d finished writing and set it with the others and rose. “Frank! Where is the finance report for Ice?”

  The figure that stepped into the room wasn’t Frank nor did Killian need to glance up to recognize the steady click of heels crossing the floor.

  “How much longer are you going to hide in here?” Maraveet propped a hip against the edge of his desk and regarded him with annoyance furrowing her brows. “I would like to spend some time with you, especially considering you’re the one who asked me to stay.”

  “Not now,” he muttered, rifling through the papers across his desk. “I don’t have time. Frank!”

  “You never have time!” Maraveet interjected with a slight whine in her voice. “You sit in this bloody office all day, making phone calls and whatever all this is.” She waved a hand over the mess. “I haven’t seen hide nor hair of you in months! Honestly, what are you doing in here?”

  “Work.” Leaving her there, he marched to the door and stuck his head out into the corridor. “Frank! Where the hell is he?”

  Maraveet huffed. “He’s outside doing a parameter check, if you must know so stop shouting.”

  Exasperated, Killian marched back to his desk and tore through his papers a second time. He knew the damn thing was there somewhere. He’d seen it only that morning. Unless Frank moved it.

  With a deep inhale, Maraveet rose. “Fine. I’m going out. I don’t know when I’ll be back, not that you’ll worry or care.”

  He let her walk out, in no mood for her whining. Lord knew he loved the woman, but he had no time to sit and do nothing. He didn’t have the courage. The moment he had even a second of free time, he was engulfed by thoughts of Juliette and as soon as that happened, days could pass in a swirling mess of depression and he wouldn’t notice. His every waking and sleeping hour would be consumed by images of her face, the lilt of her voice, and the consistent wondering if she was all right. He knew she was still working at the hotel, but that was all he would allow himself.

  Frank appeared in the doorway. “You were looking for me?”

  Relieved, Killian straightened. “Where is the finance report for Ice?”

  “I filed it away, as per your request.”

  Killian had no memory of this, but he let it go. “Bring them to me please, along with the end of year tax forms for—”

  The phone rang, interrupting his thoughts. Part of him contemplated letting it ring, just in case it was that idiot contractor. The other part knew he needed to answer, especially if it was the idiot contractor.

  “McClary,” he barked into the receiver.

  “Mr. McClary, this is Susan Compton, we spoke last week about the charity benefit you’re throwing this weekend.”

  Killian nodded, even though she couldn’t see it. “Yes, hello Ms. Compton. What can I do for you?”

  “I’m just calling to inform you that everything has been organized. We’ve sold a little over nine hundred tables and the botanical garden is set for the big day. I do have a few questions regarding catering and if you would like anything special served, but otherwise, we’re well ahead of the game.”

  Killian never once doubted the woman’s abilities to throw a successful charity event together at the drop of a hat. She was the best in her field and her lengthy cliental list spoke for itself. But he really wished she would phone Frank. He had more patience.

  “Call whoever you think would do the best job and I have no specific requests.” He rapped his pen on the desk. “If you have any further questions, you can contact—”

  “I won’t,” Susan assured him. “As I said, we’re all finished with everything else. I will see you at the event, Mr. McClary. Have a wonderful week.”

  With that, she hung up.

  Resisting the urge to gouge his fingertips into his temples, Killian set the phone down and faced Frank.

  “Can you locate my dinner tux and make sure it’s ready for this weekend? Also, bring me those files I requested. I’d like to go over them again before I have that meeting with the head of—”

  His phone rang again and he cursed. />
  It wasn’t anything new. It had been a steady rotation of calls and meetings, when he wasn’t writing, signing or reading over a contract, form, or whatever else that needed his life signed away. The whole thing was a mess, but it kept him going. It kept him occupied. There were times he stayed up for days at a time, bringing himself to the brink of exhaustion before falling face down on the bed. Any other way would have him lying there, staring at the empty space next to him and wishing things he had no right wishing for. Nearly killing himself seemed to be the only way to get any rest, even if it was restless and plagued by all the wrongs in his world.

  It was dinner time when Maraveet returned home. Killian didn’t ask her where she’d been, but she found her way into his office as he was finishing up the last of the tax forms for the previous year. She wore a black dress over black leggings and brown boots. Her hair bounced around her shoulders like flames. She stalked to his desk and stopped to glower down at him.

  “Are you done now?” she demanded.

  Killian sighed. “Why is it so important I finish?”

  Maraveet’s green eyes narrowed. “Because I’ve had this crazy notion of actually seeing you before I leave.”

  “Leave?” Killian rose. “Leave where?”

  “Oh, do you care now?”

  “Don’t be a shit, Mar. I haven’t got the patience.”

  Maraveet huffed. “You know what? I don’t think I’ll tell you. You clearly know everything already. But I won’t stick around to be ignored by you either. So, goodbye and good luck.”

  “Mar, wait.” He rounded the desk before she could storm off. “I’m sorry, all right? I’ve got a lot on my mind lately.”

  Her face softened. “Juliette.”

  He didn’t bother denying it. “Yes, but not entirely.”

  Maraveet sighed heavily. “Then why don’t you go talk to her? Get her back. I know she misses you.”

  Something in that sent a spike through his chest.

  “Have you spoken to her?” He knew he shouldn’t ask and yet he needed to know. “Is she all right?”