by Lana Hartley
“Well, what is it?” King is bending over with his hands on his knees, staring up at me with impatience.
“Why don’t we go see if we can find her in the research room?” I ask and tense my muscles while I wait for the inevitable protest to come from the guys.
“Are you kidding?” King scoffs. “Why do you think we will find her there?”
“I don’t know,” I shrug defensively. “It’s just a hunch. We haven’t been able to locate her anywhere else, have we?”
That’s when Simon and King both exchange a glance, and then they look back to me.
“I guess it’s worth a shot,” King agrees.
“Come on, then.” I gesture my chin in the direction of the research room. “Let’s go find our girl.”
Call it intuition or anything you want, but for whatever reason, I just have a gut feeling that Krista is going to be in the research facility.
Maybe she’s feeling nostalgic or looking for something important, or perhaps she’s hoping she’ll find a research we’ve done that’s not a total loss. Krista is a determined girl, and she never lets anything stand in her way. I believe in her and respect her, and for whatever reason, I know I’m going to find her in the research room.
Sure enough, as soon as we make our way to the room and halt in front of the partially opened door, we hear muffled voices speaking inside. I give King a curious glance, and he shrugs, apparently none the wiser than me. Then, I decide to give him some hell.
“See, I told you we would find her here,” I smirk.
King rolls his eyes and lightly punches my shoulder. “Whatever, man, how do you even know it’s Krista in there?” He smirks back, looking pleased with himself.
“It sounds like her.” Simon interrupts our bickering. “Maybe if you guys are agreeable to shut the hell up for a few seconds, we can eavesdrop on the conversation going on in there.”
“The room is burned to a crisp. Who the hell would be hanging out in there?” I ask.
“People who have no business being in there in the first place.” King raises an eyebrow with suspicion.
We take a few steps closer to the door and lean our heads to hear what the two people inside are talking about. Sure enough, we hear Krista’s sweet and feminine voice ringing through the room.
I feel relief wash over me to learn that we at least know where she is, but it sounds like she’s in distress or upset about something, judging by the tone of her voice. As if reading my mind, King glances at me with a concerned look on his face.
“Is she crying?” he whispers.
“That’s what it sounds like,” I say with chagrin, then I crane my neck to hear better.
I freeze in horror, with a side helping of dread, when I realize that the other voice is coming from Professor Smith, her friend and confidant, and the one she looks up to the most.
“Krista!” Professor Smith says in a brazenly harsh voice. “Your research absolutely cannot continue to go forward.”
“Please, professor…” Krista’s sobbing voice trails off in a begging sort of way.
“Everything I’ve worked for my entire life will be destroyed if you are successful,” he hisses in response.
I clench my teeth. How the hell could this prick treat Krista this way after everything she’s done and how much she looks up to him? She trusted him. We all did!
I have to practice self-restraint to prevent myself from barreling into the room and punching the prick right in his ugly fucking face. Yes, I’m that angry, but apparently not as livid as Professor Smith is, as he continues to try to convince Krista that her research is a huge mistake.
I need more information before we barge in to interrupt their conversation. And judging by the looks on King and Simon’s faces, they too want to wait this one out for a few more minutes.
“My family has built this coal company from the ground up,” Professor Smith fires continual rounds at Krista.
“So, my family, along with hundreds of other families, will just have to continue to lose loved ones because you want to stay rich?” Krista sobs.
Good for her; she’s being feisty and holding her ground.
“Krista, think about the magnitude of what you are doing here. You have the key to turn the tables. Make the right decision, Krista.” Professor Smith tries his best to sway her.
But Krista cries with both heartbreak and defiance. “The right decision is cleaner coal.”
“You will put my family and hundreds of other families into bankruptcy,” Professor Smith dares to accuse of the innocent and darling Krista.
“Why are you doing this?” Krista wails with despair.
“Krista, you already know the reason,” the professor states with disdain.
Krista sniffs, betrayal reflected in her voice. “I looked up to you.”
“As one of the silent CEOs of the company, it’s my duty and obligation to protect what I worked so hard to create.”
Professor Smith just doesn’t know when to quit. I clench my fists into balls; I want to ram them directly into his face, but I decide to just continue listening intently.
“Krista,” the professor states assertively. “Surely, you know how important this is to me.”
“Why should I care?” Krista cries. “If not for you constantly derailing my work, I probably would be at the testing portion of where I could finally make a breakthrough into the scientific world.”
“No one will believe you,” Professor snarls.
“What?” Krista asks with horror but then refuses his bait. “No. You will pay for this— everything you’ve done and destroyed. Karma will get you back.”
Professor Smith laughs spitefully. “You silly little bitch. Do you really think anyone will believe you over me?”
His arrogance makes me want to pull his vocal cords right through his throat. Krista cries harder, and I’m not sure if I can endure any more of this bullshit for longer. I take a brief second to look at King and Simon, who have faces full of rage just like me.
“There is evidence; it will mount against you.” Krista sounds pitiful, and I feel a burden of sorrow for her that’s weighing on my shoulders.
“I’ve been well-respected and well-known in this field for over twenty solid years.” Professor Smith laughs as if he couldn’t care less about Krista’s empty threats. “What’s to stop me from turning the tables on you and blaming you for setting me up? I’m trusted throughout the university and will have dozens on my side, unlike you.”
Krista screams with despair. That’s the last straw for me; I can’t handle another second of watching her have to endure this torture.
If I have to kill this bastard, I will, even if King and Simon try to hold me back. I don’t know what is happening to me, but I run inside the room, immediately racing to Krista’s side to aid her in this perilous situation.
“Stay back, asshole,” I point to Professor Smith with a warning tone.
Professor Smith instinctively draws back from where he was standing only inches away from Krista, towering over her with threatening posture. Then that’s when I notice that he’s holding a knife.
“Holy shit, were you just about to stab her?” I can’t believe this is really happening, but it certainly explains the scream.
I pull Krista close to me as we pant together in horror. Professor Smith draws back his knife, placing it behind his back while he looks caught in the act and positively panicked.
“How fucking dare you try to kill her!” I roar.
Hey, I can get pretty menacing if I work hard enough at it. I’m not always a joke-telling fool.
Professor Smith falters, stammers, and tries to weasel his way out of trouble like the dirty rat he is.
“You’re going to pay, jerk,” I tell him. “There’s evidence against you, and now, there are witnesses. Better use that knife on yourself or rot in jail for a really long fucking time.”
Professor Smith is as white as a ghost. He’s backed into a corner, and he fucking know
s it. There’s no way out for him.
Simon and King burst into the room at just the right time before Professor Smith flees the crime scene. Yes, the idiot is stupid enough to try and run for a useless escape.
“Nowhere to run now, old man,” King taunts Professor Smith as his eyes blaze with hatred, a grin curling on his face like he’s ready to rumble.
I look behind my two best friends and notice that there is a tall bald dude walking into the room just behind them.
“It’s all true.” The strange guy gasps for air. “Professor Smith is guilty on all these counts.”
The man speaks as if he’s a lawyer talking to a jury in a court room or something, but he certainly sounds believable to me.
“Professor Smith put me up to everything. He’s an evil, foul man.”
The bald guy points a finger at Professor Smith, and I smile while looking at him.
“Looks like your time’s up, asshole. What is your excuse going to be now?”
Chapter 33
Krista
“Everyone will be talking about this for weeks,” I say to the guys as we leave the staff conference following the crime reveal and arrest of Professor Smith.
“Probably more like months to years,” Dylan confesses. “This is huge. If I’m still reeling from the news, by the looks on peoples’ faces in there, this comes as a major shockwave.”
“I’m just glad it’s over.” I shudder with honesty. “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer, right?”
“You know you can always trust us.” King places a soothing hand on my shoulder and rubs my tired muscles.
“I didn’t see it coming.” I chuckle sheepishly. “Maybe next time, I should be more careful.”
“There won’t be a next time,” King reminds me with a firm tone.
“Thanks, guys.” I smile as we stop in the hallway, watching the rest of the faculty file out of the conference room.
Everyone says goodbye as they walk past or offer up their condolences for the terrible misfortune. I don’t really welcome pity, but it’s nice to see so many people on my side. I’m glad the university is banding together and being kind about what happened; the funding department even offered to allow my work to continue in a private wing of the library while the research room goes into its rebuilding stages.
Almost everyone just views the guys as my protectors—shield-like brothers who are on my side to make sure I’m properly cared for. The four of us have no problem with everyone thinking that way, and we know denying our friendships too ardently will raise a grumble of suspicion.
For now, we just exchange private, naughty little glances with one another, knowing our secrets are safe as long as they remain tucked away in the corners of our minds and in the dwellings of our hearts.
“We rose above the bullshit to witness the glorious dawn of a new day,” Simon beams and embraces me in a hug.
“Thanks for those words of wisdom, Shakespeare,” Dylan teases him as we all laugh blithely.
“Should we check out our new library digs?” King suggests.
“That sounds great to me,” I note and follow the guys. “I’m just thankful that we can pretty much pick back up where we left off.”
“Thanks to my eidetic memory,” King states nobly.
“Climb off your high horse.” Simon laughs.
“Everyone did their part diplomatically,” I remind the guys, trying to cut through the middle of any animosity or bitter resentment between them.
I know they’re best friends, and I want to keep it that way if our relationship will continue to thrive and flourish.
“Come on, guys.” I scoop them under my elbow. “Let’s go finish what we started.”
When we arrive at the private wing of the library, we check out the room and what we have to work with. Everything will pretty much run as smoothly as possible, just like it did before. Except that now, we’re in better shape because we have our theories, equations, and notes all ready for the experiment conductions phase of the research.
“Hey, check this out,” King states as he scrolls through his phone.
“What is it?” I leave the shelf where I’m thumbing through old, dusty books to walk over to him, with Dylan and Simon approaching at the same time.
King has a wicked, virtuous grin spreading across his gorgeous lips.
“That old bastard is getting what he deserves,” King states with smug satisfaction.
“We already know that much,” Dylan retorts.
“Are you looking at a fresh news article about him?” I ask for further vindication even though I can’t dare speak the asshole’s name out loud.
“Yeah.” King nods with a burst of enthusiasm. “According to this press release, he’s still in jail…”
“Obviously, that jerk will rot there for a long time,” Simon interjects.
“Anyway,” King gives him a sour look, “this says his company is going under.”
“I should hope so.” I take a deep breath and run a hand through my hair.
“His family is trying to save it, but everyone is being investigated. It’s closed in the meantime while the investigations are underway, as many coding violations seem to be a factor.” King recites the rest as direct quotes.
“I’m not a bitch, but I have to say, this is a huge relief to me to hear this,” I admit to the guys. “I mean, I would be fucking pissed if he got off unscathed with a slap on the wrist.”
“There’s no way that will ever happen,” Dylan consoles me. “We will one hundred percent stick by you and the truth.”
“That means a lot to me.” I smile warmly at the guys. “Now, let’s forget about that prick and get back down to business.”
“Yeah!” The guys roar as if I’m their stage mom or something, giving them a perfect pep talk before they rush the field.
After a couple hours, we finish up what we need to align in the research, and the guys invite me back to King’s place.
I have butterflies brewing in my stomach and know the only way to release this knot is to have closure with Brandon.
“I have to do something first,” I tell the guys, slightly vaguely.
“Okay,” King responds as they all look a little wounded.
“I won’t be long,” I say quickly to recover. “I’ll meet you back at the house as soon as I can. I just have a little errand to run.”
I mean, it’s not a total lie. The guys don’t need to be reminded of my past, because as far as I’m concerned, we’re only charging ahead with a bright future and outlook.
After saying goodbye to the guys with a kiss to each of them, I exit the library while texting Brandon that I want to meet up with him. To my relief, he agrees and tells me that, conveniently, he’s already in the city for some farming conference. My luck couldn’t be more perfect right now, and I thank my lucky stars that I can just get this shit over with.
I have to talk to Brandon and end things in a civil way; it’s for the best. That way, I can look forward to the future with King, Simon, and Dylan with no baggage weighting on my shoulders.
We decide to meet in Central Park because it’s a fabulous late afternoon, with a cool breeze and a warm blue sky up above.
I grab a coffee from a street vendor just outside of a park path and find an iron bench to sit on while I sip my refreshment and people watch.
“Krista?”
I look up a few minutes later to see Brandon standing there beside me. He looks sheepish and uncomfortable, just as eager as I am to get this over with.
I decide to capture the bright side of this aspect. At least he’s not begging me to get back with him. The way I look at it, you really just can’t teach an old dog new tricks.
“Hey, Brandon.” I smile to greet him and stand up. “You look good.”
“Thanks.” He licks his lips anxiously and runs a hand through his dark hair. “What did you, uh…want to talk to me about exactly?” he asks with curiosity.
I am more than contente
d with my three fun, loving, and protective guys. They are gorgeous and respectful, and they treat me like I’m a princess, which is more than I can say for Brandon.
That being said, I feel like we both deserve the parting gift of at least a closure between us. I’m just thankful he wasn’t the one who was sabotaging me.
“I want to talk to you to let you know that I’m seeing someone new now,” I tell him, omitting the fact that it’s actually three guys.
“I figured.” Brandon nods his head and looks at the dirt.
“I want you to be happy, Brandon,” I say softly and edge a little closer to him.
“I am happy,” he says defensively and meets my gaze.
“Good.” I nod, and then there is a brief moment of silence between us as we both gather our thoughts.
“I want you to be happy, too,” he admits, which makes me beam brighter than the sun.
“Thanks.” I take a deep breath and chuckle. “That, um…really means a lot to me.”
“I’ll get on with my life,” he confesses. “The farm keeps me busy.”
“I’m sure it does.” I nod, knowing exactly how exhausting life on the farm can be, having witnessed it firsthand for years.
At the end, Brandon and I give each other a friendly hug and part ways. I walk away in one direction, and he in the other, back upstate.
I decide to take a stroll back to King’s apartment, wanting to relish in the fresh air and the fact that I’m truly free now.
The sun is setting on a new night, blanketing the city with a darkness that now seems more comforting than it ever did before. I am alive with magic, feeling frisky and blissful, as I ascend in the elevator to King’s place.
When I walk through the door, they are all sitting on the couch, waiting for me with huge grins on their faces.
“Hey, guys,” I smile and cast them a little seductive wave, secretly noting that I have a little trick up my sleeve, an ace I’m fully confident and aware that they’ll enjoy.
“Are you all finished up with your errands now?” Dylan coos deliciously.
“Ah…yes…” I wink at him. “I’m all yours now, tonight and forever.”
“That’s what we like to hear,” Simon stands up and practically drools over me.
