Desert Heat

by A. D. Herrick

  “Like a lot, lot, or A LOT, Lot?” She asked forcing me to answer.

  “Like A LOT, LOT. Oh em gee, Sam. He makes my heart do funny things and gives me butterflies. He’s amazing.” I gushed out unable to help myself.

  “So, are you in love with him?” She asked forcing so many answers out of me that I was unwilling to give voice to just yet.

  “We’ve only known one another a few days, Sam.” I deflected.

  “Answer the question. Are you in love with him?” She badgered.

  “I think I am. I mean. I know society dictates that we have to have known one another for a certain length of time, but I can’t help it. I mean, everything about him turns me on. He’s gorgeous, sweet, thoughtful, smart, a damn good cook, and he got us puppies.” I gushed.

  “He’s good in bed, isn’t he?” I could practically hear the wicked smirk in her voice as she asked.

  “Amazingly good in bed.” I admitted, ducking my head as I squeezed my eyes tight in embarrassment.

  “For someone to look that good I knew he would be amazing in bed.” Sam said smugly.

  “Wait, how do you know what he looks like?” I asked in confusion.

  I never sent Sam a picture of Luka. There was no way she would know what he looked like.

  “Are you kidding me? He’s Luka freaking Maddison. Everyone knows what he looks like.” Sam practically screeched into the phone.

  “Well I just met him and until then I had no clue who he was or what he looked like.” I admitted, confused about what she mean.

  “Luka Freaking Maddison. You mean to tell me you had no idea?” Sam yelled into the phone as though by her yelling I would immediately understand.

  “No Sam, I’m telling you, I have absolutely no clue who he is other than what I’ve told you.” I admitted, now getting angry at the confusion.

  “Well, I’m not telling you, because if I do you’ll just mess it all up. You always do.” I heard Sam sigh heavily through the phone.

  It was clear this conversation was going nowhere good. It was time to nip it in the bud before things got out of hand.

  “Love ya Sam, I’ll call ya tomorrow.” I spoke into the phone as I flipped the sandwiches on the griddle.

  “Love ya too. Don’t fuck this one up.” I heard her sigh again before ending the call.

  “What was that about?” Luka asked startling me. I never heard him enter the house, which isn’t surprising.

  He had a knack for sneaking around unheard. The two pups at his feet, I had no excuse for. I didn’t hear them enter either.

  “Sam’s just being Sam.” I replied trying to put some cheer in my voice.

  I wasn’t ready to talk about it yet. I wasn’t sure if I would ever be ready. The fact that Sam was so sure I would mess everything up meant I wasn’t going to like what I heard. I wasn’t going to like it one bit.

  “How does Sam know what you look like?” I asked as casually as I could as I walked our plates to the dining room table.

  Luka didn’t answer, instead I found him with his head hung low. I felt a stabbing pain in my chest. I knew immediately by the look on his face I wasn’t going to like the answer.

  Had he and Sam slept together? Had he been one of her casual flings? I felt like there was a big piece of the puzzle missing that I wasn’t aware of.

  “How much did she tell you?” He asked, his voice filled with pain.

  I felt the binds around my chest constrict, making the pain in my chest nearly unbearable.

  “You slept with her?” The words left my lips before I could think of it. I felt my body crumpling against the counter.

  “No!” Luka wrapped his arms around me, pinning me to his chest.

  “I’ve never seen her or met her in my life, Ducky. I promise.” I could hear the honesty in his words.

  “Why does she know what you look like?” I asked again, begging for answers.

  “What you told her, is it true? Do you feel something for me?” He asked, his eyes held on mine.

  He had heard our conversation. I felt a blush creep up my cheeks.

  “Every word.” I admitted.

  Luka’s lips crashed against mine. There was no sweetness, no finesse. His kiss was hungry, demanding, it felt like a goodbye kiss, a kiss that would shatter your soul.

  “I feel it too, Ducky.” He admitted. I could see the love radiating in his eyes.

  “Why does Sam know what you look like?” I needed the answers. I needed him to tell me.

  Luka ranked his hand through his hair nervously, seeming uncomfortable with the question.

  “I don’t really know how to answer that one.” He replied, looking sheepish.

  “How about you try with your words?” I gave him a tight smile.

  I shouldn’t care how Sam knew him. It shouldn’t matter. But somehow it did. It mattered to me.

  “She could have seen my face in a lot of places. I’m not really sure where she saw me.” he replied avoiding the question.

  “Why would she have seen your face at all?” I asked pulling away from his embrace.

  “Because the tabloids love to follow people. They love to air their dirty laundry and tell everyone all about their lives, the good, the bad, and especially the ugly.” He replied.

  I tried to rack my brain for images of him. I couldn’t recall ever seeing his face. I knew Sam was more for reading tabloid gossip than I was but still, maybe I should have seen him from the way he spoke. Looking into his eyes I can’t imagine ever seeing his face and forgetting it. There was no way I could forget a gorgeous man like him.

  “I don’t follow. You’re going to have to give me more.” I watched as his brows furrowed in confusion at my words.

  “You’ve never seen me or heard my name before?” He asked, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

  “No, I’m pretty sure I would have remembered.” I replied now further confused.

  “This is giving me a headache, just tell me already.” I said. Turning off the stove I walked to the dining room table, sinking down into the chair deflated and thoroughly confused by the whole mess.

  Luka followed behind, the pups at his heels.

  “A few years ago I was engaged to be married. I thought the girl was really into me. I thought she cared about me as much as I cared about her. About a week before our wedding she was caught sleeping with one of my friends. The tabloids plastered it all over the papers for weeks. I felt like my world was falling apart and everyone had a front row seat. I packed my bags and moved, never looking back. I’ve been out here since. I can’t live that life again. I just want to live my life in peace and quiet.” The sorrow that haunted his face had my heart aching to console him.

  “When I caught you in my bed I thought you were another girl, someone who was able to track me down and try to seduce me. It didn’t take long for me to figure out how very wrong I was.” His mouth curved up on the edges, warming my heart.

  “You came into my life like a wrecking ball, flipping everything on its head. I contacted my lawyers about you, I even have them looking into the land like I told you I would. I got a call from them while I was out. I understand if you want to leave. I only hope that you won’t.” The small smile that had curled his lips had wilted, taking my heart with it.

  “The attorney or the listing agent got the numbers confused on the parcels; your land is in your name, only it’s on the outskirts of Carson City, not Columbus. There is a small house on the land. It’s not livable, but it’s there. If you want I can take you. But I’d like for you to return home, here with me.”

  My head was spinning. I wasn’t sure which way was up and or which way was down.

  “Are you rich?” I don’t know why the question spilled from my lips but it did.

  It was the only reason I could think Sam thought I would screw it all up. She knew how I felt about rich people.

  “Does it matter if I am?” He shot out, clearly upset by the question.

  “Seriously just tell me
.” I begged.

  The hardened glare Luka shot me told me everything I needed to know. He was rich. Only instead of me being upset by the fact, it was him. He was upset.

  Oh- he thought I was only into him for his money. I began to laugh at the absurdity. Luka taking my laughter the wrong way spun on his heels exiting the house.

  “Luka.” I called after him, laughter still spilling from my lips.

  It was no use, Luka was gone, there was no way I would be able to track him down. He knew the desert better than anyone, especially me. I just needed to give him time to cool down.

  I picked up the phone dialing Sam.

  “Girl, there’s no way I’m going to leave him. I don’t care if he has money or not.” I laughed into the phone as she answered.

  “Why are you laughing?” She asked confused.

  “Because, the two of you. You both thought I was going to leave him because he has money.” I replied.

  “Sash, Where’s Luka?” Sam asked concerned.

  “He took off, I’ll explain it to him when he gets back.” I replied rolling my eyes.

  “You laughed at him for having money?” She asked.

  “No, I laughed because just like you, he thought I was going to leave him for having money. Just like his ex.” I answered still chuckling.

  “Sash, his ex didn’t leave him because he had money. She only got with him because he had money. He is like one of the richest guys in the world under thirty. She used him and made a spectacle of his life. It was all over the papers. She trashed him hard and then released sex tape after sex tape to get back at him for wanting her to sign a prenup.” I felt my heart hitting the ground.

  How had I read the situation so wrong?

  “Sam, you know I would never do that. You know I would never willingly hurt him. I love him. I don’t care if he’s dirt poor or even if he does have money.” My heart constricted in my chest.

  “I’m not the one you have to convince. Right now he’s hurt and rightfully so. I read the papers as they ripped him apart. His ex spilled all of his dirty secrets, smeared his name and tried to destroy him just to get to his money.” I could feel the tears of shame bleeding down my face.

  “Sam, I have to go find him. I’ll call you later.” I hung up the phone as the front door slammed shut.

  “Oh my god, Luka, I’m so sorry.” My blood ran cold at the sight of the man standing before me.

  Chapter twenty

  “Did ya miss me that much?” Bob Davidson stood in the foyer, his clothes a disheveled mess. He looked like he drove straight through from Florida, which he no doubt had done. There was no mistaking the crazed look in his eyes. They were that of a wild animal. His brain had clearly checked out. The man before me was not a man at all, but a shell of his former self. His clothes lay limply on his thin frame. He had clearly lost a lot of weight.

  “How did you find me?” I stammered, backing up slowly.

  Fear knocked my heart against my ribs. I needed to get as far away from this man as I could. I needed to escape. My eyes darted wildly across the room. There was nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. There were no weapons laying out casually to defend myself with.

  “I tell ya, it wasn’t easy. Thankfully my time in the Marines taught me a lot of tricks about tracking people down.” His wild crazy eyes were trained on me, making my skin crawl.

  I wanted to remind him that he couldn’t make it a week in boot camp but refrained. There was no good to come from telling a crazy man he was delusional.

  “How did you know where I was?” I asked again, stalling for time as I tried to plan an escape.

  “Well, word around your office was you liked to buy land. Thought you were some big shot, better than everyone else. So, I decided to do some digging. After talking to a few people at the office I heard you were dating your attorney, Devon.” Bob sneered at the name.

  He clearly had distaste for Devon. I could reason with him there, if there was any reasoning with the man. By his cagey expression I could tell anything I said would fall on deaf ears. I was the enemy. I was the one who helped his wife escape. He would have no mercy on me. I could only hope he kept talking. I needed him to be distracted.

  “Seeing as there was only one attorney named Devon in real estate I found his office. I explained to the little old lady that I was your uncle and have just come into town because of the fire and that I was trying to locate you. That old gal could do nothing but sing your praises. It didn’t take her long to give me an address. She told me all about your trip and the lovely home you had purchased.” His lip drew up in disgust.

  I wondered if that’s the same look I had when I thought someone had money. My stomach rolled at the thought of me and Bob Davidson having any similarities.

  I felt the wall at my back, dread pooled in my stomach. I had no way out. I had effectively trapped myself in a corner. Internally I rolled my eyes at my own stupidity. Perhaps I deserved this, to be caught by a mad man and destroyed for all the mistakes I had made in my life.

  Stalking me like I was his prey, Bob tracked my movements; his footsteps bringing him closer and closer to where I stood. I could smell the stench of him. The hair in my nostrils curled. He had not showered in days. He reeked of fast food and body odor.

  “Because of you that bitch of a wife of mine served me with divorce papers. She slapped so many restraining orders on me I can’t see straight. Because of you she won’t let me see my fucking kids.” Spittle flew from his lips as he raged on.

  “I’m going to fucking kill you and when I’m done I’m going to kill the red-headed bitch too.” He sneered, his eyes forming evil slits.

  My pulse quickened. I knew the minute he was about to spring. Like a snake he coiled back before charging forward.

  Bob lunged at me. Ducking swiftly I avoided his grasp. His hands missed me by just a hair. His body collided with the wall. I took advantage of his disoriented state and ran for the door, flinging it open.

  Chicken and Waffles took up my fight, the two of them angrily tugging at his pants leg. I ran out toward the open desert. I didn’t know where I was going, it didn’t matter. All that mattered was getting away. The painful cries of my pups ripped at my heart. I hated leaving them behind. The fact that they took on Bob for me warmed my heart as their cries crushed it at the same time.

  “And stay down, you mangy mutt.” I heard Bob roar as the pups went silent.

  Hot tears streamed down my face. My lungs burned as I ran barefoot across the desert floor. The hot sand felt like a molten lava beneath my feet but I didn’t stop. I continued to run. I could hear Bob cursing as he trailed me.

  Half crazed and running on practically no sleep he followed on, just a breath behind me on my heels.

  The rough desert floor battered my bare feet; I could feel the discarded needles from the prickly shrubbery digging into the tender flesh. I continued to push forward, ignoring the protest of my body.

  Bob cursed as he trailed behind me, his hands grabbing at my hair. I could feel each time he landed a handful in his grasp. He would pull, yanking the threads from my scalp. I could hear them snap, the tiny popping noise was enough to propel me forward.

  I knew the instant I was had. It was like the world stood still for a pace of time. My heart seized in my chest. My foot gave out the moment I stepped down. I had no idea what I had stepped on. It didn’t matter. My body collided with the hard desert floor. Pain radiated up through my leg. It felt like the fires of hell, licking at my flesh as I writhed in agony.

  Bob’s body soon collided with mine, his heavy body sending a whoosh of air from my lungs as it landed brutally on top of me. His hand wove in my hair, jerking my head back. I gasped for air, my lungs burning with need. I felt the cool touch of his blade against my neck, halting my movements.

  “Falling for me already, are ya sweetheart?” Bob’s voice oozed with disdain as fear coursed through my veins.

  “Fuck you.” I screamed through the pain traveling up my leg and
the burning of my lungs.

  “I’ll fucking kill you bitch.” He spat out, spittle flying from his mouth.

  I saw movement from the corner of my eye. The sand looked to be moving. I knew it was over for me. Already I had begun to hallucinate.

  “Are you fucking hearing me, bitch? You cost me my family. You cost me everything.” The blade was removed from my throat.

  I couldn’t answer. My leg was on fire, my vision blurred. My lungs begged for air.

  Bob tightened his grip on my hair. With a quick yank my head was slammed down into the desert floor. Dark spots clouded my vision. Unsatisfied with the results, Bob pounded my head into the ground again and again. I had lost count of how many times my head bounced off the desert floor. My vision had gone black. I lingered just at the cusp of consciousness. With a few more slams of my head darkness took over, the pain disappearing. Soon I felt nothing.

  I was floating on a cloud. My body weightless, suspended through time. My heart lay heavy. My only regret was not telling Luka that I loved him. I felt horrible for laughing at him. I felt horrible for misjudging the conversation, for misjudging him. I wished I could turn back the hands of time; tell him how sorry I was. It was too late for regrets.

  -

  “Stay with me, Ducky.” I smiled at the voice.

  Ducky. What a silly nickname. It was the name he gave me. No matter how silly it was I longed to hear it again from his lips.

  Chapter twenty-one

  I was cold, so very cold, the kind of cold that settles deep into your bones cold. The steady beeping of machines made my head pound. I had entered hell. This was my penance for my past sins, sins I didn’t know I had committed.

  I felt a sliver of heat wrap around my hand. It warmed me, fighting against the deep chill. It pushed its way through me. The warmth traveling up my arm, it wasn’t like the raging inferno that had attacked my leg. No, this was a different kind of heat. This heat was soothing, warming me from within. It made me think of sunshine and rainbows, happiness.