by Kahlen Aymes
His bare feet registered the warmth of the cedar wood beneath his feet as he made his way down the two flights of stairs that separated the levels of the deck, and then onto the smooth concrete that surrounded the pool. June wasn’t overly hot, nor was Colorado humid, but the early summer air was warm.
The pool house stood on the west side of the pool, which was landscaped with natural stone, waterfalls and foliage. There were motion lights attached to the deck that turned on automatically when he passed, and small recessed lights under the surface of the water that kept the large pool softly illuminated; the clear aquamarine blue surface pristine.
The structure in front of him had multiple paned windows practically from ground to roof, and contained two dressing rooms, two bathrooms complete with double showers each, and a main room outfitted with a pool table, a wet bar, several tables with chairs, and three plush couches. It reminded him of the clubhouse at his apartment complex in San Francisco, only nicer. The entire property was lined with an eight-foot privacy fence and Caleb had to hand it to his dad; nothing Luxon was ever half-assed.
There were three stone fire pits around the pool, and several luxurious upholstered chaise lounges and umbrella covered tables. Caleb hesitated just briefly before his hand closed around the brass handle of the one of the French doors that led to the entrance. They were also paned glass, and he tried to peer through for Wren. He didn’t want to frighten her.
He didn’t see her inside but decided to check anyway. He turned the handle, and gently pulled open the right door. The cool central air conditioning contrasted sharply with the night air as it hit his skin; the soft sheen of perspiration still lingering on his skin made it more pronounced. When Caleb stepped inside, the last time they were there together struck him. It had been the night before he left for college. His heart constricted at the painful memory.
He saw her then; her lithe silhouette stood by the far window. Wren’s back was to him as she peered outside. The baggy pajama pants she was wearing didn’t hide how small she was because of her close-fitting top. One arm hung at her side, and the other was bent up to her chest. The long blonde curls he was so fond of were twisted up into a knot on top of her head. The contrast between the bottoms and shirt made the pants look like they could literally fall off of her.
“Are you okay, honey?” Caleb called softly, moving slowly toward her. “What are you doing out here so late?”
Wren glanced over her shoulder, half turning toward him. Caleb could now see that her arm was bent because her right hand was fiddling with the locket that nestled on her chest. His heart stilled for a second and swelled to bursting. She still wore it.
She sniffed and then turned back to the window. “I’m fine.” Her voice sounded thick, like she’d been crying. She didn’t turn around, which was another tell tale sign that she didn’t want him to see her face. “I’m just thinking about a few things.”
He walked the rest of the way toward her and then put his hands on her shoulders, sliding them down her upper arms and then back up again. Wren’s head cocked to one side, but she didn’t protest. Caleb wished he could bend and run his nose along the graceful chord of her neck to get even closer. She smelled freshly sweet, like spring flowers and something distinctly feminine. He knew that scent and he savored it. His body remembered it as much as his mind, and his heart started to pound and blood started to flow like raging rapids through his veins. His head fell forward in surrender, as he silently acknowledged the hold she still had over him. His heart and body remembered her only too well. There wasn’t a day he didn’t think about her or remember how she came to life in his arms. It was bittersweet torture.
The estate was in the foothills, elevated above downtown Denver and there was a nice view of the city from the windows. Wren continued to gaze out at it, her fingers lovingly protective of the delicate gold and diamond pendant hanging on the fine, sparkling chain around her neck. The goosebumps breaking out on her skin were the only indication that he was affecting her in any way.
“Remember the last time we were in here? I don’t think I’ve ever cried so much or as hard as I did that night.”
Caleb closed his eyes for a beat, but then he continued his soft caresses of her arms and shoulders. “Yeah. It was a bitch.”
“I felt like my whole world was ending. The only person I loved was leaving me.” Wren’s voice was soft and introspective, and he could hear a slight catch on the last word. His heart squeezed inside his chest. She loved him, then. He loved her, still. “I never really understood why you had to go.”
His left hand continued down her arm until his fingers closed around hers.
Caleb knew Wren remembered it with as much pain as he did, but without the answer about why it happened. The memory was sharp.
That whole summer he’d let her think he was going to School of Mines, mostly because he’d been wracking his brain on a way to change his father’s mind. Edison had put his blackmail plan in motion months before, but Caleb didn’t want the cloud of sadness hanging over them for months before it actually happened. Wren had a recital in June, and then he and Dex had a road trip to Seattle planned for July. So when mid-August came, Caleb had no choice but to tell her he was leaving. Not just leaving; going halfway across the country.
He’d spent the day packing up the few clothes he planned on taking with him, and when he was done, he went to find Wren. She’d gone to the pool for a late evening swim after Jonesy had made dinner for them both. Veronica had been away on a photoshoot for Lux in New York, which allowed Wren to feel at ease hanging out by the pool, or making herself at home around the house. Even though Caleb’s presence had stopped Veronica’s blatant abuse, she was still mean and insulting enough to prevent Wren doing anything daring unless Caleb was with her.
Caleb had been a bit short with Wren when she’d asked him if he wanted to join her for a swim earlier in the evening. The hurt in her eyes was a foreshadowing for what was coming, and his pissy attitude was his own anger regarding what he knew he had to do, and the reaction that he was sure was coming.
He didn’t want to tell her he was leaving. He knew she’d be afraid of Veronica if he weren’t around to protect her, and all he had was his father’s word that he’d keep Veronica in check. Shit, he couldn’t expect Wren to be brave when he was terrified himself.
When he couldn’t put it off any longer, he’d wandered down to the pool house with his mother’s locket in the front pocket of his shorts. It was a beautiful night; the sun had already set behind the mountains, though it’s rays left the sky many hues of blue, gold and purple. Wren was inside and had fallen asleep on one of the sofas.
Caleb could remember how small and innocent she’d looked lying there curled onto her side, hugging a towel to her chest as she slept. Her long blonde curls were still slightly damp from swimming, and there was a pink blush to her cheeks. Her lashes were long and dark on her high cheekbones. He’d managed to enter without waking her and he must have stood there staring down on her for five minutes or more, fighting his own emotions before he’d swallowed hard and sat down on the edge of the cushion next to her.
His fingers curled and he ran the back of his knuckles down the silky skin on the outside of her upper arm, hoping it would wake her. He could still remember how the warmth of her sun kissed skin had felt under his hand.
There were no lights on inside the pool house as twilight fell outside, but he could still clearly see her sparkling blue eyes as her lashes fluttered open and it registered in her mind that he was there.
“Hey,” he said softly.
She blinked and sat up halfway, propping herself up on one of her elbows. The towel she’d been holding fell to the floor in front of the sofa as she scooted into an upright position. A frown settled on her face as she looked at him.
“I thought you didn’t want to swim. Did you come out here to be a jerk to me again?”
He shook his head. “No. I’m sorry about earlier, Bird. I didn’t have
a great day. I was wrong to take it out on you.”
Her chin jutted out as she stood up, walked a few steps away and then turned to look at him. Clearly, she hadn’t forgiven him. “Is that why you’re out here?”
The moment weighed heavy on Caleb. She was so innocent and trusting and he was about to hurt her. He hated his father more in that moment than he ever had. “I wanted to talk to you.” He got up and walked toward her but stopped short. “I’m—” he hesitated. “Shit! I don’t know how to tell you this, Wren.” His voice was tortured.
Her eyes widened and fear settled on her face. “What is it? You’re scaring me, Cale.”
She was only sixteen, but she was so beautiful to Caleb. Her body was changing and her face was maturing. The gauzy dress she wore over her bikini left the outline of her body visible, but he hardly noticed. His heart was hurting too much.
“My dad says I have to go to MIT instead of School of Mines. In fact, I leave for Boston tomorrow.” Once he started, he let the words rush from his lips.
“Where?” she asked in disbelief. “That soon?”
“MIT. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Classes start in a week and a half.”
She started to shake her head as his words sank in and then she started to pace around the room. “But, you have a scholarship here, right? You can still be here with me if you go to—”
Dread settled over Caleb as he interrupted her. “I did. But that bastard arranged it so my scholarship was rescinded. He knows someone who knows someone, or some shit like that. Bottom line is that he gets what he wants, no matter who he has to destroy in the process.”
Wren’s face crumpled as her big eyes welled with sadness. She shook her head in disbelief. “Why would he do this?”
Caleb didn’t want to tell her the real reason because he didn’t want her to feel like it was her fault. “Because he’s a prick, Wren! He wants to control everything and when he can screw with me; that’s a bonus. You know how much I hate that mother fucker!”
Tears began rolling down her cheeks and she covered her face with her hands and her shoulders began to shake. “What about me? I don’t want you to leave, Cale! I don’t want you to guh—go.”
He went to her and gathered her as close to his body as he could after she started to sob. “I know. I don’t want to, either. But don’t worry. I made him promise to keep Veronica away from you. He said he’d take care of you, and Dex will still be here. He’ll look out for you, too.” Caleb’s voice was getting thick as it got harder and harder for him to talk. Holding the crying girl in his arms, he was on the verge of breaking himself, but he had to be the strong one. “Dex’ll take you to the studio, and I’ll send the money to cover your lessons as soon as I find a fight club out there.”
“Dex isn’t you.” Her face was buried in his shirt and he could feel the hot wetness of her tears soaking through as the fingers of both of her hands clutched and fisted desperately in his shirt. “What’ll I do without you? What if you don’t come back?”
His arms tightened around her and he hugged her harder, his chin resting on the top of her head. “Oh, Wren.” He stepped back and put his hands on both of her shoulders. The pain in her face exploded inside his chest and he wanted to comfort her. His finger brushed her jaw and then he nudged it up with his thumb, silently demanding she meet his eyes. “Bird, look at me.”
Wren sniffed and lifted her tear filled eyes to his. Caleb used one thumb to wipe one of her tears across her cheek.
“I’ll always come back for you. Nothing will hurt you while I’m still breathing, do you hear me?” His voice broke and tears burned at the back of his eyes. He blinked to get rid of them as he cleared his throat. “Look,” he reached into his pocket and brought out the necklace. He held it up, so she could see the pendant, dangling on the sparkling chain. “My dad gave it to my mom right after I was born. She wore it all the time. It was her very favorite thing. Check out that ugly picture inside.” He tried to laugh as the index finger on his right hand moved aside the front part of the pendant. A picture of him as a baby appeared when the yellow gold and diamond gate moved aside. “It has my initials on the back, too.” He turned it over to show her the engraving. “Will you keep it safe for me until I come back? Will you wear it?”
The sorrow on Wren’s features didn’t go away, but she did as he asked. She nodded. “Okay. If you want me to.”
Caleb nodded. “I do. Everyday.” He lifted the necklace and put it around her neck. The chain was long enough to go over her head without unfastening the clasp. It fell into the hollow between her small breasts and her hand instinctively went up to cover it.
“I will. Thank you,” she said sadly, tears still raining down her face. Her chin was trembling and her face fell. “I still don’t want you to go,” she said, starting to cry as if the world was ending.
Caleb inhaled as his mind replayed the precious memory as if it just happened.
“Maybe we should talk about that.” It was reckoning day.
Wren glanced over her shoulder and up into Caleb’s face. Their eyes met and locked and then she nodded slightly. “I think we should.”
Caleb pulled her with him and sat on the sofa, tugging her down on the soft cushion next to him. He didn’t let go of her hand, and his thumb continued to stroke over the top of her fingers.
Wren curled one leg beneath her and faced him, leaning one shoulder on the back of the couch. The only light was that from the moon and the light reflecting out of the pool and through the windows. He was so beautiful and she wanted nothing more than to reach out and touch his face. She’d never forget that face as long as she lived.
Caleb’s head dropped as he remembered her little body wracked with sobs as he said goodbye the day he left. She’d come down to his room as his dad waited for him in the car that would take them to the airport. She was even more upset than she had been the night before when he told her. Tears had rolled down her beautiful face in torrents as she begged him not to go, and it ripped his fucking heart out.
“Please, Cale. Don’t go!” Her hands had clutched at his shoulders as her legs gave way beneath her. He’d caught her and pulled her into his arms, holding her tight against him, cradling her head with one hand while he whispered it would be okay over and over again into her temple.
She’d only been sixteen, and he would in Boston for four years. His father had said he’d do what was needed to ensure she would get an audition to Juilliard, and then make sure she attended if she was accepted… Caleb knew if that happened, she’d already be in New York when he came home to Denver. He’d been gutted at the prospect of never having time with her like that again. But it was the reality he faced as he left her behind… to save her.
Now, she sat gazing calmly up at him in the low light, her classic features so perfect; her skin creamy and translucent in the moonlight filtering in through the many windows.
He swallowed hard. He didn’t know what was going to be more difficult; spilling his guts or not giving in to the urge to kiss her luscious mouth. He inhaled deeply, and then reached out to run a thumb down her cheekbone and then up her jaw. Wren’s head cocked toward his touch as if she had no choice, and her beautiful eyes bore into his as if she were in a trance.
“My dad blackmailed me.” Wren’s mouth fell open in silent surprise. “He forced me to go to Boston. I never wanted to leave you. I was scared Veronica would revert to her old ways without me here to protect you.”
Her blue eyes widened. “Blackmailed you, how?”
Caleb cleared his throat. “He was planning on filing for divorce and I knew what that would mean for you. You weren’t eighteen yet, so she’d take you away with her.” Caleb stopped as his eyes implored Wren to understand. His stomach hurt, and his throat ached. “If that happened, I wouldn’t be able to protect you anymore. Who knew where that whore would have taken you, who she would have exposed you to, or if I’d be able to find you?”
Her expression registered her intern
al conflict. Pain, confusion, and sorrow filled her. Knowing the reason behind it didn’t make it easier to remember. “So, he forced a commitment to MIT in exchange for waiting to file for divorce?”
“Basically.” Caleb nodded and lifted her small hand to sandwich it between both of his larger ones. His hands were surprisingly soft, but his knuckles were scarred. “It didn’t matter that I’d already been accepted to COSM and had a full ride. I argued with him like my life depended on it, but he said he’d already had my scholarship revoked by his golfing buddy so either way, I wouldn’t be able to attend.
“Wow,” she said seriously. “I guess that explains why things changed so much after you left. He must have felt guilty because he was really nice to me.”
“He didn’t trust me to make something of myself on my own, but he never talked to me, so how could he? He disapproved of the time I spent with Dex and Darren. He said he expected more out of me than being a grease monkey in someone else’s garage. The whole thing infuriated me, and I hated him even more after that. I never wanted to lay eyes on him again.”
Caleb tried to clear the regret out of his voice, but the memory was strong and made it difficult. “But then, I was so proud when you got into Juilliard.” He grabbed her free hand, so now he held them both in his. “At least he kept up his end of the bargain about that.”
As Wren watched the emotion play across his handsome face, she couldn’t hold her own inside. First one, then another tear, tumbled from her large blue eyes and she reached out to lay the hand he wasn’t holding on his chest. “Oh, Cale. I’m sorry you had to do that because of me.”
He somberly cocked his head to one side. “Don’t be. I’d do anything for you.” He let go of her hand to reach up and wipe away an errant tear with the pad of his thumb. “Anything,” he said in a throbbing whisper.
