Hat Trick

by Morris Fenris

  “Oh sweetheart, only for you… Only for you.”

  They talked for a while before Cole had to go attend a meeting. She felt much better and pushed Carli and the conversation out of her mind. Cole on the other hand was freaking out inwardly. He had desperately wanted to ask Seraphina where she thought this was going but something held him back. He was afraid of what he might hear. He was not yet ready to let go if it came to that. He was afraid to go back to his boring life again. That had to be why, he reasoned to himself – why he did not bring up the topic. Of course, what else could it be?

  ♥●●♥

  * * *

  Chapter 9

  “Do you have any siblings, Cole?”

  “No. Do you?”

  There was an edge in her voice as Seraphina replied, “no.”

  Sensing the mood shift, Cole looked up and studied her. They were sitting on her couch watching a random movie she had picked out. At first he was against the idea. It was something normal couples – couples who had a name for their relationship – did. Then he ignored his irrational thinking and agreed to it. It was not something that got his adrenaline pumping but he found himself enjoying the normalcy of it.

  Seraphina’s lips had thinned and her jaw was set hard like she was gritting her teeth. Her hand shook slightly and she tried to move it but Cole placed his palm over it, gently squeezing.

  “What is it?” he asked, softly sensing something big was coming.

  She turned sad brown eyes towards him. Something about her expression made his heart squeeze painfully.

  “I had a little brother.”

  “I…” It was on the tip of his tongue to say he was sorry but he knew from experience that the phrase did not help. It just made matters all the bleaker.

  She looked away from him as she dropped the next bomb. “My father killed him.”

  The sharp intake of breath was all Seraphina heard as she shut her eyes and tried to block the barrage of emotion that was beginning to course through her.

  “My God… Seraphina, honey… You don’t have to talk about it.”

  She opened her eyes and saw only sadness in his eyes. There was not the usual pity she was used to seeing in other people’s eyes when they learned her story. She hated to bring up the past, the past she had buried so deep. But she had to let him know. She owed him the truth about her origin. She took a shaky breath and began.

  “That man was a very unhappy person. He didn’t like anything in his life. My mother…she foisted us upon him and ran away unable to bear his crankiness all the time. Things started to go downhill from there. He started drinking heavily. He started imposing restrictions upon us. At first…they were nothing major. But then, it got worse. We weren’t allowed out of the house… Not even to go to school. He would lock us in our rooms at night and barred the windows so we couldn’t get out that way. Then one day, he came home and found Alan going through an album – the wedding album, and he flipped out. He yelled and threw things around and cursed Alan. In his rage, he hit him so hard that my little brother flew backwards and lost consciousness. I was so scared I couldn’t move from my spot. I tried to… I knew I should have moved to help my brother but all I saw was him coming after me next.”

  Cole did not speak. Instead, his hold tightened on her hand. The simple gesture was enough to give her strength to go on. A wound she had covered a long time ago was exposed once again and the rawness of it pierced her soul.

  “I ran, Cole. I ran to my room and shut the door but he was stronger than me. Since that day, he began a new sport of beating us. We were not allowed to cry. If we cried, we were beaten till we saw stars. His moods were often contradictory. I don’t know what happened but I could only assume that he had lost his job and most of his money. That’s when he did it. That’s when he completely lost it. I was sleeping when I heard the screams from the basement. I was so scared but when I couldn’t find Alan I went down and…” Seraphina gasped when she reached this point. Her whole face was wet with tears and her body shook violently.

  Cole cursed in a low voice and gathered her in his arms, his hold warm and firm around her. He felt immense rage towards the man who had broken this woman’s soul and heart. After what she had endured at that age, her soul had to have been broken.

  “He was only seven. My poor, sweet brother was only seven and I couldn’t protect him. I failed to protect him. To save him.”

  “Shhh,” he murmured, stroking her back in comforting circles. “It wasn’t your fault. None of it was your fault.”

  “They always told me that. It took me a long time to believe it but sometimes the feeling of having failed comes back in sharp, agonizing waves. After he died, I paid penance. The beatings increased. The restrictions increased. One day he beat me so much that I lost consciousness. A neighbor called the police when she saw what was happening through the open window. The window was never left open but that day, it was. Help came. They saved me. They told me later that he was going to prison for a very long time. His sentence was increased to life when they found Alan’s body in the basement. Finally the physical pain stopped.”

  She went on to tell him between hiccups and streams of tears how a foster family took her in shortly after that and how they slowly nurtured her back to physical and mental health. They helped her become normal again. They gave her hope and opened her eyes to the beauty and happiness of the world. They repaired her so that she could see only good things around her. But sometimes the darkness lingered. It tried to show its face. And that terrified her.

  Bile rose in Cole’s throat as he tried to imagine the horror Seraphina had gone through, the pain she had suffered at such a tender age. Cold rage gripped him and the sudden protective instinct he felt for her made him want to kill the man with his bare hands.

  “He’ll never hurt you again, Seraphina. No one will hurt you. Not if I can help it,” he promised as he placed a light kiss on her forehead.

  She wiped her face on her sleeves and looked up at him. “The bastard got knifed in prison during his fifth year. Apparently, he wasn’t very popular with the other prisoners.” She gave him a grim smile and settled her head on his chest again. “Even dead, he has the power to hurt me with the memories.”

  “Don’t give him that much power,” Cole said harshly. “You were a victim then but you’re a survivor now. A strong, beautiful one. Don’t let him get to you from beyond the grave.”

  His heart was beating normally again. It had spiked in between and she had gotten a glimpse of murderous intent in his eyes even as he’d kept his countenance clear. She felt warmth seep into her soul at his words. She did not need protection any more. She was stronger now, mentally and physically, but it felt nice to hear it nevertheless.

  “Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “For listening. And for not judging me.”

  “Why would I ever judge you?”

  She shrugged and hid her face in his chest again.

  “Seraphina …” he said softly, lifting her face up so that she was looking directly at him. “Anyone who judges you needs a good thump for their stupidity. I would never judge you. Especially not when I see what kind of woman you have become.”

  “What kind is that?”

  “A woman who in charge of her life. She’s amazing, strong and very beautiful,” he replied, giving her a toothy grin.

  “I don’t feel like I am in charge of anything when I am around you. I just feel out of control.”

  His breathing hitched. And he felt another twinge. Was it acidity? He did not say anything, just moved on to comb his fingers through her scalp as she undulated against him.

  “I’m glad he is dead,” he murmured. Some of the tension was releasing from his body as she hummed in approval at the scalp massage.

  “Me, too.”

  They stayed in silence, just listening to each other breathe. Then Seraphina spoke up.

  “Can you stay the night?”

  “Yes,” he said
simply, tracing her jawline. An odd feeling came over him as watched her eyes light up at his response. He knew that after bringing up the ghosts of the past, she would need him there. And surprisingly, he was willing to be there.

  Seraphina was let up to Cole’s condo by the smiling receptionist. She could not help but grin the entire ride up in the elevator as butterflies fluttered in her tummy. She felt nervous every time she was near him or just thought about him, but it was also accompanied by a warm feeling that she was starting to love. Love. The grin broadened just at the thought of the word. Even though it had been just a while since her bump-in with him, she was certain that she’d fallen too hard for him. Of course it was bound to happen, what with it being written in the stars. If the universe decided something was right, it had to be right. She was extremely glad that this time the universe had worked in her favor.

  She rang the bell and waited patiently, her breathing starting to get a little uneven from the anticipation of seeing him. Tonight was another formal event and he would be wearing a tuxedo that was probably custom-tailored and fit him like a glove, emphasizing all of his lean, splendid structure. She groaned quietly just as the door opened.

  “What’s wrong? Is my bowtie shapeless?” Cole asked immediately, staring anxiously down at himself.

  She could not help it. She laughed. “No. I was just picturing how great you would look in your tux and I was wrong.”

  Cole looked bemused. “You were?”

  “Yes, you look greater than what I had in mind,” she said, flashing him a mischievous grin as she kissed him softly before stepping back to fully examine him. Her fantasy did not do much justice to the real man standing in front of her. It would be a tough night of having to control her emotions. She was sure the vultures would descend upon him with him looking like God. Everyone always wanted a piece of the richest and most handsome guy in the room. She groaned again.

  “Are you having dirty thoughts of me now?” he asked with a toothy smile.

  “Not exactly... I…”

  Her explanation was cut off as the doorbell rang. They looked at each other, puzzled.

  “Were you expecting someone?”

  “Other than you? No.” He frowned as he reached forward to open the door. “They usually tell me who is coming…” The words died in his throat when he saw who stood behind the door.

  “Hello sweetie! Please forgive me for being late… You know how Paul can be. I should fire him for incompetence but I do love a good-looking driver. Well, hello. Who is this?”

  Seraphina gaped at the woman standing in front of Cole who was now eyeing her critically, having just spotted her behind him. She was dressed flashily in a low-cut red gown that put most of her cleavage on display in a non-flattering way. The woman did not seem to feel even a bit conscious about that.

  “I’m sorry, who are you?” Seraphina asked her in a polite tone before Cole could open his mouth. Suddenly she felt the acid in her stomach start to churn unpleasantly.

  “I’m Brandi…Cole’s date,” the woman, Brandi said it like it was obvious and that Seraphina was an idiot even for asking. “Who the heck are you?”

  Accusing eyes turned towards Cole who had a dazed look on his face. In just a few seconds of assessment, Seraphina came to the conclusion that the Brandi woman was a bitch and she would probably try to act superior and enjoy it. She would not give the trashy woman a chance to do that.

  “I am Cole’s date. I’m afraid you have had some sort of misunderstanding. Right, Cole?”

  The sound of his name being called out woke him out his daze. What the hell was Brandi doing in his apartment dressed like that? And what was she doing claiming to be his date? The way she was eyeing Seraphina was not good. He knew how vicious she was and how she could inflict lasting damage with just her words. While Seraphina could hold her own, he did not want to subject her to that tonight.

  “Brandi, what the hell?” he snarled, moving in front of Seraphina, as if shielding her. “What are you doing here?”

  “Cole,” the woman whined and then moved towards him so that her breasts were within brushing distance of his body. “I dressed up so prettily for you and no comment? And who the f--k is this girl?”

  Recoiling at the strong scent of perfume, he stepped back almost on Seraphina’s toes. As his shoulders brushed against hers, he felt her bristle at the comment from Brandi.

  “As for what I am doing here, you invited me! Remember?” Brandi continued ignoring the tension in the room. “We had just finished some really fun bed play and you said you needed a date for the event and I agreed. You even called me up last night to remind me. My body is still aching after that wild ride.” She added the last bit with a smirk on her face directed towards the wide-eyed Seraphina.

  Cole was about to call her on her lies and call security when suddenly a memory hit him. “Oh, shit!”

  Pain lanced through Seraphina as she looked from Cole to the other woman. Cole’s shift in expression was enough to tell her what she needed to know. She had thought it a misunderstanding before but the guilty look spoke volumes. A sob caught in her throat but she refused to show weakness. She would give neither of them the satisfaction.

  “Seraphina …” Cole started, taking a tentative step towards her after catching the panicky look in her eye. He was familiar with that look. It usually meant the woman was about to bolt. He did not want her to bolt. He wanted to explain himself to her and remove that hurt look from her eyes. “Just--”

  She did not want to hear anything. She did not want to look at either of them, especially the smug-looking skank who was standing too close to Cole. She took a deep breath, put on a cool expression and said what had to be said.

  “I didn’t expect this from you. But maybe I was wrong about who you were. Goodnight Cole.”

  With her head held high, she walked out without another glance at the couple.

  “Wait!” He yelled at her retreating back and tried to untangle himself from Brandi’s grasp.

  “Let her go, sweetie. She needs to go home and lick her wounds,” Brandi said in a whiny voice that held triumph in it. “Where are you going?!”

  The elevator doors shut before he reached it and he cursed loudly. Even if he took the stairs, he would not make it downstairs in time. He called the front desk and asked them to stall Seraphina. His heart thundered frantically when he got to the lobby only to find it empty.

  “I’m sorry, sir,” the woman said nervously. “She was quite determined to leave.”

  “Did she take a cab?” Cole barked at her, making her take a hasty step backwards.

  “Y-yes, but…”

  Cole ran outside only to find Ethan standing there, glaring at him with accusing eyes.

  “What?” he snapped at him. “You were standing right there. Couldn’t you have stopped her?”

  “The cheerleader or Seraphina?” Ethan asked scornfully.

  “Ethan!”

  “She looked very upset. I knew better than to stop her. She needs time alone, Cole. Did you really have to screw over the sweet girl?”

  Cole closed his eyes and prayed for patience. His friend was understandably upset but he did not know the entire story. Balling his hands into tight fists, he tried to control the rage that swept through him. At Brandi, at himself and even a little bit at Ethan.

  “I did not…”

  Ethan held up his hand. “Save it. I saw the cheerleader. I don’t want to know where and how you screwed. Just fix it. Dude, Seraphina was crazy about you. With that woman showing up, you totally screwed it up. Fix it.” Throwing him a final glare, he changed his expression to neutral. “Shall I drive you to the event now, sir?”

  He did not want to go to the stupid event now. He wanted to go and see Seraphina. He wanted to clear the misunderstanding before it was too late. The devil on his shoulder suddenly spoke up in his mind. Maybe it was best she was not with him. She was too sweet to be around someone like him. He was crass, did not believe in true happin
ess and liked to live life on the edge. She needed someone more mature, caring and sweet, just like her. Maybe things really happened for the best. Dejectedly, he turned around and walked inside, feeling as if someone had just reached in and broken a part of him.

  ♥●●♥

  * * *

  Chapter 10

  “Seraphina, honey, you have to believe me! I swear that’s what happened. Why would I invite another girl just after I invited you?”

  Seraphina stared mulishly at the ground. While one part of her wanted to believe him, another part nagged her that this was just an attempt to get himself out of a difficult situation. Apparently he had invited Brandi to the event weeks ago, way before Seraphina and he had crossed paths, and he’d completely forgotten about it. Other things that the witch of a woman had mentioned were just attempts to get a rise out of Seraphina. She had partially succeeded.

  Giving in, Seraphina said, “okay. I believe you.”

  The more she thought about it, the more she realized that she had acted like a child and jumped to conclusions before assessing the entire situation with a clear mind. Had she done that she would not have missed the manipulative look on the skank’s face. She knew women like her and knew exactly how to handle them but finding one standing in the way of someone she really cared about blinded her to the obvious. She felt kind of ashamed about it.

  Cole let out a huge sigh of relief and almost jumped around in joy. The way she had run out on him had bothered him a lot and he had spent the night tossing and turning. The next morning he tracked her down at her work and took her aside for a sincere conversation.

  “Thank you…thank you!”

  “She wasn’t an ex, was she?”

  Cole paused his celebration.

  “You dated her?!”

  “No! I mean… I don’t… I didn’t used to date!” Cole backpedalled as fast as he could. Shit was going to hit the fan once again.

  Seraphina’s lips thinned. “So she was just your sex partner?”