Enemies and Playmates

by Darcia Helle

  Lauren stopped but didn’t turn toward him. “What?”

  “I don’t want Ryder around you anymore,” Alex said. “That includes tomorrow. I do not want him at the funeral.”

  “You can’t stop -”

  “I can and I will.”

  “Alex, don’t,” Kara pleaded. “Now is not the time.”

  “You stay out of this,” Alex said.

  “Damn you!” Kara shouted. Her face filled with rage. “We just lost our son.”

  “I said stay out of this.”

  Lauren focused on her father, allowing her hatred to surface. “I’m dating Jesse,” she said. “And it’s too damn bad if you don’t like it.”

  Alex took a step toward Lauren. His voice was filled with barely controlled rage. “He had better not show his face at the funeral.”

  “And if he does?”

  “He’ll wind up at his own.”

  “Alex!” Kara exclaimed. “What is wrong with you? How can you make such a threat?”

  “That was not a threat,” Alex said.

  Lauren’s hands balled into fists beside her. Between clenched teeth, she ground out the words, “You bastard.”

  Raising his hand, Alex said, “Don’t you ever -”

  “Don’t touch her,” Kara said. She grabbed his arm, yanking him back. “I don’t know what’s going on between you and Lauren’s boyfriend but I do know that at this time it does not matter.”

  Alex jerked his arm from Kara’s grasp. “I’m warning you, Kara.”

  “Isn’t it enough that we’ve lost one child?” Kara said. “Haven’t you learned -”

  The stinging slap echoed through the hall. Kara stared at Alex a moment. Then she strode past him and took Lauren’s hand. “Let’s go upstairs,” she said.

  Lauren caught a glimpse of her father before she turned. The rage was consuming him. She shivered. How much longer before the fury within him exploded?

  Alex slammed the door so hard, the kitchen windows rattled. He climbed in his car, his mind racing, full of rage. His hands wrapped tightly around the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white with the force. He sped from his neighborhood, following random roads with no particular destination.

  Of all times for Kara to attempt to exert herself! He had too many other things to be concerned with right now. Kara had been placid for years. Why now?

  This had to be Lauren’s doing. He shook his head, muttering to himself. He should have seen this coming. Lauren was too independent. He’d let her be, thinking she knew enough to stay out of his business. Plus, he’d rather enjoyed her feistiness, a quality he’d sorely missed in his son. Allowing Lauren that extra room had been a big mistake on his behalf.

  Now this. At the worst possible time. Lauren had to be encouraging Kara to speak up for herself. To think for herself. Stephen’s death had helped speed things along. Given them both an excuse. Bad timing. All of it.

  Alex turned onto route three and slammed his foot on the gas. Even at ninety, the Mercedes handled smoothly. He leaned back, tried to relax and enjoy the drive. But his head swam with problems needing solutions. Getting Kara back in line shouldn’t be that difficult. He’d have to do it quickly. He couldn’t risk her screwing up and telling people about Stephen’s drug problem.

  Lauren, on the other hand, wasn’t as easy to manipulate. He’d find a way, though. He always did.

  As for Ryder, that man seemed to be at the root of all his problems. Ryder was the biggest mistake of his life. He normally read people so easily, knew how to get to them. Everyone had a price. Everyone could be bought. Until Ryder.

  No one had ever refused him. Until Ryder.

  He should have had Ryder eliminated as soon as he’d refused the work. But Alex had needed him. Needed his connections. Needed his talent.

  Alex had thought he could persuade Ryder to join him. He’d never doubted his abilities before. And losing Martin had left him in a difficult position. Martin had been an extremely talented investigator. One who did whatever was needed, whenever it was needed, without question. Unfortunately, the man also had a passion for speed. He’d died more than a month ago while racing his Dodge Viper on I-95.

  Replacing Martin had been his top priority. An immediate necessity. Alex had been sure he’d found his answer in Ryder. The man possessed all the vital qualities. Sadly, Ryder also held an unbreakable code of ethics, along with a fierce independence. No wonder he and Lauren got along so well.

  Alex had to chuckle at that. Had Ryder cooperated, he and Lauren would have made a perfect couple. One that Alex would have fully accepted and encouraged. The possibilities would have been endless. Instead he’d have to put an end to their relationship. And, quite possibly, Ryder’s life.

  The information Ryder currently had wasn’t enough, in itself, to pose any serious threat. However, a man such as Ryder could not be trusted with any amount of information whatsoever. He’d dig deeper, learn more, talk. The man was a loose end. And Alex did not leave loose ends.

  The problem was what to do with Ryder. Killing him would be convenient. Killing him could also be dangerous. Alex had allowed too much time to pass. Ryder might have confided in someone, perhaps someone within the police department. If Ryder were to disappear in any questionable way now, the spotlight would likely shine right on him. Not that he expected anything to come of it. Still, it wasn’t a wise move.

  Alex suddenly realized he’d been on auto pilot and was now down the street from his condo. He slowed and pulled into the lot. He parked in his spot, shut the car off, sat for a moment. Did he want to spend the night here alone? Unwind, get some sleep?

  He sighed, knowing that as good as that sounded, he would not sleep this evening. The drive had done little to dissolve his anger. And that energy required an outlet.

  Alex took his cell phone from the inside pocket of his suit jacket. He punched in a number from memory and waited. Four rings, five… and she finally picked up. He instructed her to meet him at the condo. He was waiting. She complied, as she always did. His personal submissive plaything.

  13

  Three days had passed since the funeral. Three days of contemptuous glares and stony silences, broken by an occasional outburst of unbridled rage. Lauren spent the majority of her time locked in her room. She tried to steer clear of her father’s path as he stormed throughout the house. No one spoke about Stephen. It was as if his name had died along with him.

  Now here she was, her first day back to work. She sat at her desk, staring blankly at the computer screen. She couldn’t concentrate on the content. She couldn’t concentrate on anything at all.

  Paul Stosh, her boss, came up beside her. He touched her shoulder lightly, a look of concern in his eyes. “How are you doing?” he asked.

  Lauren shrugged. “I’m trying.”

  “Why don’t you go on home,” he said. “It’s not that busy here today. Nothing we can’t handle.”

  “Are you sure?”

  Paul patted her lightly on the shoulder. “Go on.”

  Lauren tried to smile but her facial muscles wouldn’t cooperate. Empty, expressionless. That was how she felt these days. “Thanks,” she managed to say.

  Lauren drove home, trying to keep her attention on the street and the traffic. Her mother was blaming herself for Stephen’s death. She stayed locked in her bedroom, swallowing tranquilizers her doctor had prescribed and crying. Lauren had tried to reach her but her mother rarely even opened the door.

  Why didn’t her mother turn against the man who was truly to blame? How could she continue to sleep beside the man who had destroyed Stephen’s life? And who was slowly destroying both of theirs as well.

  All these years Lauren had thought that Stephen was indifferent toward the abuse and the fighting. He hadn’t been indifferent at all. He’d been scared, just like she was. He’d tried to distance himself from the pain. Numb the feelings. But it hadn’t worked. Instead it wound up killing him. The ultimate escape.

  Lauren swung he
r car into the driveway. Her mother was gone for the day, spending the afternoon with friends. The first time she’d been out since Stephen died, aside from the wake and funeral. Hopefully, it would be good for her.

  Unfortunately, that also meant she had the house all to herself. While she used to treasure that, today the thought made her a bit queasy. She could use some company. Jesse was working. Maybe Carrie or Gina were around and felt like hanging out for awhile.

  She trudged up the stairs, her mind on Stephen and the way he’d hide around the corner when they were kids. He had loved to jump out at her, causing her to scream in fright. She’d hated it then. Now she’d give anything to see him jump out at her just once more.

  As she reached the top step, voices drifted toward her. She stopped, taken aback. She hadn’t checked to see if anyone’s car was in the garage, didn’t know if her mother had decided to come home early. Or not go out at all.

  More sounds, barely audible. Then a female giggling. Lauren quietly made her way down the hall.

  “You should not have come here today,” Alex was saying. “Though I am pleased that you did.”

  Lauren stood by the door, her heart thumping frantically. Her father actually had another woman in the bedroom with him. How could he be so cruel? So blatant. How could he even think of another woman after only recently burying his son? And in the bed he shared with his wife!

  “I’ve missed you,” Alex said. “It has been awhile, has it not?”

  The woman moaned. Actually it was more of a purr. The voice had a familiar ring. Lauren shook her head. That was ridiculous.

  “You are quite a woman,” Alex murmured.

  “Mmm, and you are quite a man.”

  Lauren gagged on the vomit that rose to her throat. That voice. It was her. But she had to see for herself. She had to…

  Lauren shoved the door open and stared at the two naked figures on the bed. “How could you?”

  Alex grabbed at the covers. “What the hell are you doing in here?” he bellowed.

  Lauren’s knees were suddenly too weak to hold her up. She leaned against the wall for support, barely able to keep from sinking to the floor. “Why her?”

  Gina hadn’t bothered to try and cover herself. She did, however, have the decency to look contrite. “I didn’t want you to find out this way,” she said.

  Lauren shook her head. Nothing made sense to her anymore. “Why my father?” she asked.

  “I love him, Lauren,” Gina said.

  Lauren raced to the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. She crouched on the floor, vomiting uncontrollably into the open toilet. When at last she could stand, she splashed cold water on her face and rinsed her mouth. Then she opened the door to find her father there waiting.

  “This will stay between us,” Alex said.

  “Get away from me,” Lauren said.

  “You won’t tell your mother. That would serve no purpose, aside from hurting her. And I know you do not want her hurt any more than she has been.”

  Lauren pushed past Alex, ran to her room, and slammed the door behind her. Seconds later there was a knock. Gina said, “Can I come in?”

  “No!”

  Gina eased the door open. “Can we please talk?”

  “No.”

  “Lauren, I’ve been in love with Alex for a long time. It’s not just a fuck.”

  “And that should make me feel better?”

  Gina hesitated in the doorway. “I know it sounds awful,” she said. “But for the past five years I’ve -”

  “Five years?”

  “Yes. I wanted to tell you but I didn’t know how.”

  “Get out!”

  “But -”

  “Out!”

  The door closed quietly. Lauren collapsed on her bed. She hugged her knees to her chest, tears rolling silently down her cheeks.

  Alex stood in front of his bathroom mirror straightening his tie. Gina came in, sat on the closed toilet lid. She said, “She won’t talk to me.”

  “She will get over it.”

  “Alex, she’s really upset. We should have told her sooner, so this wouldn’t happen. I don’t want her hating me because of this.”

  “You should have taken that into consideration five years ago.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?”

  Alex sighed. “I apologize for my snippiness. This has been a difficult month. Let me handle things. Lauren will be fine.”

  “What about Kara?” Gina said. “God, I feel so guilty. But it needed to come out. If she had just agreed to give you a divorce like you’ve been asking, then none of this -”

  “Stop it.” Alex grabbed Gina’s arm and yanked her up. “Kara will not find out about this. About you and me. Is that clear?”

  “I wasn’t going to tell her. I just figured, you know, now that Lauren knows…”

  Alex closed his eyes, took a deep breath. Gina had been too easy, too accessible. He should never have allowed himself to succumb to his desires with her. Not in his own house. Now he realized that Gina had grown far too attached to him. He’d need to end this. Soon.

  He cleared his throat and adopted a softer tone. “Kara’s state of mind is far too delicate at this time. She would not be able to cope with this.”

  “I understand,” Gina said. “But Lauren knows now. What if she tells Kara?”

  “She won’t.” Alex ushered Gina from the bathroom. “Now I need to get to work. Don’t worry about anything. This will all fall into place when the time is right.”

  Downstairs, Gina wrapped her arms around Alex’s neck. “I love you,” she said.

  Alex resisted the urge to bat her away as he steered her out the door.

  Once Gina had driven off, Alex climbed into his Mercedes. As he drove, he punched a series of numbers into his cell phone. When Dominic Forenzi answered, Alex said, “Anything new with our problem?”

  Forenzi cleared his throat. “No response so far, boss.”

  “I’m told he has been asking questions.”

  “Yeah, I know.”

  “Put an end to it.”

  “Permanently?”

  Alex swerved to the next lane in order to get around a taxi that had double-parked. He ignored the angry driver in the beat up Toyota behind him that he’d cut off. He turned his attention back to the conversation. “As much as that would bring me pleasure, no,” he said. “Not now. It’s too risky.”

  “I hear you.”

  “Send the message loud and clear this time,” Alex said. “Make him understand the consequences.”

  Alex ended the call and dropped the phone onto the passenger seat. He switched on his CD player. Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 19 played softly. The music filled the car, calming him.

  A mile down the road he got stuck behind a slow moving garbage truck. Alex slammed his fist into the steering wheel, muttered a string of curses, and angrily switched off the music. He lowered his window and breathed in the cold air. Somehow he had lost a bit of control and the resulting actions were like dominos dropping all around him.

  Alex finally passed the garbage truck in a no passing zone on a busy narrow road. Horns blasted. He snarled at the drivers. After racing through two yellow lights, he was forced to stop for a red light behind a line of traffic. He grabbed his phone and found the name he needed in his contact list.

  Alex said, “James, we need to talk.”

  “You sound tense,” Captain James Barnes said. “Is something wrong?”

  “I have a minor irritation on my hands. I might require your cooperation.”

  “Of course. What can I do to help?”

  “Not on the phone.”

  “Your office?”

  “No.” Alex balanced the phone between his shoulder and chin as he made a quick change of lanes, then a right turn. “My schedule’s tight. I’ll have Suzanne get in touch with you later today. Perhaps we’ll meet for lunch tomorrow.”

  “Sounds good.”

  Alex disconnected the call and slid
the phone into his jacket pocket. He drove three more blocks, then turned onto a quiet residential street lined with brick apartment buildings. He cursed the lack of parking before he found a spot a half block from where he wanted to be. His stride was driven by anger. He didn’t bother buzzing the apartment. No need for courtesies today. He used his key at the security door entrance, then again to let himself into the apartment.

  She stepped from the kitchen, gaping at him as he entered. “Hey!” she protested. “What if I had company or something?”

  Alex grabbed her forearms roughly. She shrugged from his grip. “I see you’re a little cranky,” she said.

  “What exactly were you thinking by showing up at my son’s wake?” Alex said.

  “Excuse me for trying to pay my respects,” she said. “I should’ve known better than to feel any sympathy for you.”

  “Do you truly believe I wish to be associated with some whore?”

  “I am not a whore!” she said. “Besides, you sure as hell don’t mind associating with me while I’m getting you off.”

  Alex slapped her full force across the face. An angry red handprint erupted on her cheek. She didn’t flinch, didn’t so much as step back. She met his stare and said, “Do you feel better now?”

  “Don’t ever make a mistake like that again.”

  He grabbed the front of her blouse. Three buttons popped and scattered across the floor. She wore no bra beneath the flimsy shirt. He slammed her back against the wall, tore what was left of her shirt from her. “Up until now it has been all fun and games,” he said. “I am not playing, anymore.”

  Despite her angry snarl, she trembled against him. “I’m sorry,” she said. “Okay? No one knew who I was. Lots of people were there to pay their respects. I didn’t say anything to anyone.”

  All the anger Alex had pent inside began to boil over. He tugged at her jeans, spun her around and shoved her against the back of the sofa. “You won’t come near me again unless it is at my request,” he said against her ear.