by Abby Gale
Kevin was good-looking guy with well-built muscles, thanks to his soccer career in college. But due to rumors in college and our short blowjob history, he had a problem like not lasting long. He tried to hide it with being cocky but it only made him a jerk.
I sighed and shook my head to get rid of those thoughts about him. But I knew Alex’s good-looks and natural confidence made Kevin uncomfortable.
“Hey, Kevin,” I smiled at his uneasiness.
“Hey, Dawn,” he greeted me but his gaze was on Alex.
“Alex, this is Kevin. Kevin, meet Alex.” I had secret pride in me as I introduced them.
“Her boyfriend.” Alex extended his hand with an arrogant expression on his face.
“I figured as much.” Kevin murmured and shook his hand.
“Are the photos ready, Kevin?” I asked to stop the pissing contest between these two.
“I need to go to the archive first. I’ll take them and you can copy them here. Use this machine and be quick, okay?”
“Okay. We’ll be quick. Hurry, please,” I said to him and he left his cubicle.
“I wanna kick his sorry ass.” Alex murmured beside me.
“Alex, behave. We’ll be gone in a few minutes,” I whispered at him.
A few minutes later Kevin turned with a yellow envelope.
“Here.” Kevin extended it to me.
“Is everything in this envelope?” I asked.
My hand was shaking as I reached for it.
“Can you leave us alone?” Alex said sharply to Kevin. In that sentence, I thought Xander was with me. I noticed they weren’t that different after all.
“What?” Kevin frowned at him.
“She’ll look at her sister’s photos. So leave us the fuck alone,” I heard him said to Kevin.
I didn’t turn my back to see if Kevin left.
“Do you want me to open it, babe?” Alex whispered.
“I…I’ve missed her so much, Alex,” I whispered. My hands were shaking so much, I knew I wouldn’t open it.
“Let me open it for you,” Alex reached for the envelope.
I saw he took a deep breath like me as he took out some photos from the envelope.
“You look at them, first. Were those all you sent me?” I asked.
“Yes. It was two years ago, Dawn but I think that’s all,” he answered.
I took the photos from him. There were fifteen photos of Angel. I checked every one of them for a message or something but there wasn’t anything to see at the first look.
“Do these photos mean anything to you?” Alex asked.
“No…I thought I’d find some message on them but I cannot see anything,” I said.
“Let’s copy them so you can examine them more, later.” Alex offered and started to copy them.
Kevin came into the cubicle as I studied my sister in the photos.
“Are you done?”
“Just two more,” I said and gave the copies to Alex.
“What about the background check?” I asked Kevin.
“You gave me the names today, Dawn. I need a week.”
“Okay, but just try to do it fast.”
“Oh and I’ll give you the license numbers of a truck. Can you please check if that truck was involved any accident in the last two years?” I said to Kevin as Alex watched me with a frown.
“And why do you need that for?” Kevin sighed.
“I’m thinking about buying that. That’s all,” I lied to him.
“Okay. Send me a message and I’ll check.”
“Thank you, Kevin. Send me the background check whenever you’re done, please.”
“I said okay, Dawn,” he snapped.
“Yeah, right. We’re going now, then,” I murmured and we left the police station.
“Your house, now?” Alex asked softly.
I nodded at him.
“You have an investigator now, you don’t need this Kevin guy.” Alex said.
“I know. I just hope Kevin may give me the information faster. Fabien seemed like he’ll work detailed but it will probably take more time.”
Those photos replayed at the back of my mind. I was still trying to find something in the photos…some missing pieces, some message…anything.
“You think she left you a message, right?” Alex asked while calling someone on his phone.
“When we were kids, she used to send me messages with everything. With magazines, photos, small pebbles…but, they were easy...mostly just one-worded messages. So I can’t help but think she would’ve done that again.”
“Where are you?” he asked to whoever was on the phone but his eyes were on me as nodding his head in answer to my story.
“Okay. We’re outside,” he said and ended the call.
Less than one minute later Stephen opened the car door for me.
“Her house.” Alex said and wrapped his arms around me. I couldn’t imagine how hard it would be to see those photos if Alex wasn’t there with me.
“Thank you for being with me,” I murmured to the crook of his neck.
“Thank you for letting me. Dawn…I really like you, you know that, right?” he asked. I nodded my head. It was so early and out of the place in the moment, but his affection for me was so clear. I knew it.
“Good. Know one more thing, you’re not alone in this anymore and I don’t want anything to happen to you. So you need to be more careful from now on. Not just for you but also, for Xander and me,” he told me and tightened his arms around me.
“Okay.”
“We’re here, Mr. Vincent.” Stephen announced.
֎
I waited outside of the Rosie’s door after I knocked it. It’s been days since I last saw her.
“Dawn, my sweet girl. Come in.” Rosie said and hugged me.
“I cannot come in Rosie, sorry. I need to go to the gym and need to pack a few things. I just wanted to let you know I won’t be home for awhile.”
“Why, sweetie? Is everything okay?” she asked and her eyebrow rose as a question when she saw Alex behind me.
“This is Alex. One of the twins, I mentioned. I’ll stay with them for awhile,” I whispered to her.
“Oh, that’s fast, sweetie. Be careful, okay?” she asked and caressed my cheek like a mother would.
“I will, Rosie. Thank you. Please take care of yourself,” I said and hugged her.
“Don’t worry about me, sweetie. I’m an old woman. Let me know when you come back,” she said and waved her hand.
“Sure, Rosie. And don’t call yourself old again. You’re experienced not old,” I waved her back and blew her a kiss.
“She looks nice.” Alex said smiling.
“She is so cool,” I smiled back and opened the door of my apartment.
“Would you like to drink something? I need to change into my gym clothes.”
“Nope, I’m good,” he answered as I left him alone in my living room.
I changed my clothes as fast as I could and searched for my suitcase. I didn’t know how many days I’d stay there so I filled the bag with necessities. Once I was done, my journal caught my attention.
I didn’t write any important progress in it, yet. I took it and sat down to my study chair.
24th October Day-11
I found your bracelet today, Angel. I found it somewhere I never thought I would.
Today…I also told everything about you and I to the twins.
I’m not alone anymore, sister. But I need you so much.
Please, be okay…Be alive…
Alex came in after he knocked on my bedroom door.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, you can come in,” I said and he stopped behind me.
“I found this in the living room and thought you might want to put it on your bag,” he said and put my e-reader to my desk.
“Yes, thank you. Can you put it into the suitcase, please?” I asked and he nodded.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m writ
ing every progress I made in search for Angel.”
25th October Day-12
I have all your photos now. But I didn’t understand anything, Angel.
What are you trying to tell me, sister?
What are they? A message? A clue?
I know we did this when we were children but they were so easy then, Angel. I don’t know what you’re trying to tell me with these photos.
I’m helpless…
And I miss you so much.
Alex massaged my shoulders behind my back and whispered in my ear.
“You’re not helpless. You’re one of the strongest women I know. You’ll find her, I believe it babe.”
“Alex, you really don’t need to come to the gym with me. Don’t you have better things to do?” I asked him while we were heading to the gym.
“Better things to do than watching you kick ass and get sweaty? Nope, babe. I do not have any better,” he shrugged.
“Besides…I may have promised to not let you out of my sight,” he said and gave me a chaste kiss on the lips.
“What, who?” I frowned.
“This tall,” he said as he put his finger to his forehead and continued, “Looks like me but not as handsome. And…he is also grumpy. Ring any bell?”
I shook my head at my stupidity. Of course! Who else could it have been except Xander?
“Okay…” I laughed.
“Promise to not distract me, though. Gary will probably show no mercy to me,” I groaned.
“I’ll try to not distract you but I cannot help my charm, you know,” he smirked at me and lifted his hand to stop my possible answer as he brought his phone to his ear.
“What’s up, brother?”
“Yep, she is good. We’re going to the gym,” he said while rolling his eyes.
“Bye, brother.” Alex said and ended the call.
“You shut the phone on him?”
“Yep,” he grinned at me. He was enjoying with himself so much.
“Miss Violet. Here, right?” Stephen asked.
“Dawn, please Stephen. And yes, here. Thank you.”
֎
Gary was talking to a guy when I stepped into the gym. He spotted us while giving the guy a few brochures.
“Hey there, stranger!” He called out to me.
“Hi, Gary!” I said and got closer to him.
“Hope you came here to do some work,” he crossed his arms in front of him.
“Yep, I’m ready for training.”
“What about him?” he nodded his head toward Alex.
“He’s just gonna watch.”
“Okay…Let’s start then. But I’ll put a close sign on the door, first,” he said and I walked to the platform.
“Wish me luck,” I whispered to Alex before I passed by him.
He grabbed me by my waist and kissed me sweetly.
“Good luck, babe,” he said and slapped my ass.
֎
Gary showed no mercy. My muscles screamed in pain because of the hard work for almost two hours and I was about to cry.
“Okay, you’re not so bad. It’s enough for today.” Gary said and sipped water from his bottle. I noticed he was enjoying my misery.
“I hate you,” I said and wiped my sweat with a towel.
“You should take a shower.” He wasn’t even trying to hide his amusement.
“I hate you,” I repeated and threw my towel at him.
“Go, take a shower, Dawn,” he said. This time his voice was stern.
“Okay,” I huffed and tried to climb down from the platform.
“Let me, Flame.” Xander showed up out of the blue.
“Xander,” I breathed out. I have never been this happy to see him. I gladly let him put me down.
“You’re so good at this.” Xander said while pushing my hair back from my forehead. His praise made me feel better.
“Thank you. I need to take a shower. Cold,” I groaned.
“Cold?” he crooked one of his shaped eyebrows.
“Yep. For the muscles and all.”
“Okay, hurry up so we can go home and you can get some rest.”
֎
After having a light dinner, I closed myself in Xander’s room to look at Angel’s photos. All of them were on display on the bed in front of me but instead of examining them for a clue, I was talking to my sister in my head. I missed her so much—the emotional turmoil was making it hard for me to focus. I rested my head on my arm, closed my eyes and hoped to empty my thoughts.
When I opened my eyes again, Xander’s face was so close to me.
“What?” I murmured, blinking my eye repeatedly, I was trying to understand the moment.
“Shh…Get back to sleep. I’m just tucking you in,” he whispered and covered me with the comforter.
“Come here,” I murmured and reached for his hand.
“What?” he whispered.
“Lie down next to me.”
“I need to work,” he whispered.
“You work a lot. Come here.” My sleep-filled voice sounded like begging.
“Come on,” I said while he was standing there and staring at me.
I smiled when he started to take his clothes off.
“Bossy little thing,” he murmured and placed a kiss to my forehead as pulling me closer to his body. I put my head into the crook of his neck and sighed when sleep called to me again.
֎
I woke up alone in the morning with a depressed feeling inside me. Getting out of the bed I walked to the balcony but the sky was grey and cloudy—like it was suffocating me.
I was down, nervous and impatient. I wanted to find something that would bring my sister to me. When I turned back to the room I saw Angel’s photos on the nightstand. Loss, anxiety, sadness, longing were forming a lump in my throat—making my vision blur with unshed tears. The silence in the room wasn’t bearable; I opened Spotify on my phone. Jazz music filled the air as I sat cross-legged on the bed and spread the photos around me.
The photos were strange: no posing, no smile... She must have sent me a message with them but why she would send me a message with photos. She could have easily written it down and left it at home.
Maybe she wasn’t sure if something would happen to her. Maybe she was just afraid of the possibility. Maybe she was so nervous to think clearly.
Maybe, maybe, maybe…
I made up lots of excuses to give some meaning to these photos. I examined them closely… to find somewhere to start.
Minutes passed by and I had nothing to work with.
The moment I was about to leave the room in frustration, Alex came in.
“Oh, you’re awake,” he said with his usual playful tone. But his smile dropped when he saw my face.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” he asked as he pushed my hair back.
“Nothing, specifically.”
“What’s going on in your pretty head, Dawn?” he asked, softly caressed my cheek.
“I cannot figure out what she was trying to say. I don’t even know if she was trying to tell me anything at all with these photos. Or if she made you take her photos just because I teased her so much about her lack of photos.”
I was angry at myself that I couldn’t find anything. I couldn’t think the way my sister did, couldn’t get inside her mind to know what she was trying to say.
“Shh…your brain will explode because of too much thinking. Let’s eat something first and then if you want to distract your mind, you could do some modeling for me, hmm? You can do something else, too of course.”
He was so hesitant about asking me to do modeling.
“You can just lie down and get rest…maybe you can swim. You know, you don’t have to do anything,” he added nervously.
“Alex…It’s okay that you want me to pose for you. You have an exhibition to worry about.”
“Don’t say like that. I feel like a prick to ask that when I see you like this.”
“Alex…you know why I accepted your job
offer?” I asked and continued when he shook his head.
“Because I promised myself to live my life. You saw Rosie. She told me once that I was losing pieces of my soul and I didn’t want that. I don’t want that. I will do everything in my power to find my sister but while doing that…I won’t put my life on hold. And you offered me a job so you can ask me whenever you need me to pose. Also, we talked about that, agreed that we’ll use it to distract me, right?”
Alex frowned while considering my words and he nodded a few seconds later.
“Okay…I’ll do my best to distract you from your problems.”
I smiled at him. He was so cute.
“You said something about eating. Did Xander prepare breakfast again?” I asked smiling. I tried to shake uneasy feeling inside me by being cheerful but it wasn’t working well.
“Nope. Stacey made toasts for us. That asshole is working in his study. I saw him for a minute or so,” he huffed.
“Is he always working this much?” I asked.
“You haven’t seen anything yet. Since you’ve been with us he’s started working less.”
“Less?” I repeated shocked and Alex nodded his head with obvious annoyance.
“What’s his company do?”
“A few things. There is a branch in international transporting, another branch is in publishing and also, there is a state magazine we publish monthly,” he explained.
“Do you do anything in the company?” I asked while we were walking in the hall.
“I used to take photos for magazines and book covers. But he has more photographers who are working for him so I mostly work for myself.”
“Hey, Stacey!” Alex called out before he stepped into the kitchen.
“Hey there, my boy!” Stacey greeted him. She was in her fifties, I guessed.
“Stacey, meet Dawn. She is our girlfriend.” Alex said and I coughed. Did he say “our”?
“Dawn? You okay, babe? Don’t worry, Stacey knows us well,” he winked at me.
“Alex, stop embarrassing the girl. Hi Dawn, nice to meet you.”
“Umm…hi. Glad to meet you as well.”
“Come on. Take a seat and start eating, sweetie. Pour her a glass of orange juice, Alex,” she clapped her hands.
“Is Xander still working?” she asked with a sad face.
