by Shyla Colt
Peeling back the blue corner of the dough canister, she cringed. Wait for it, wait for it. Pop! The explosion made her jerk. No matter how many times she opened dough it never failed to jar her. After stretching it out onto the pizza pan she sauced, cheesed, added pepperoni, and turned on the oven to preheat.
The doorbell sounded.
Someone must’ve left work early. She tossed the empty cheese packet into the garbage, headed to the door, and peered out the peephole. The man dressed in the brown uniform holding a cardboard box confused her.
She opened the door, keeping her newly installed chain lock attached.
“Can I help you?”
“Ms. Moore?” The man in the uniform with a matching hat, might as well be offering up poison. Her palms grew slick with sweat and her heart began to gallop.
“Yes.”
“I have a delivery for you.” He held up a tablet. Everything proved in order, and she found herself desperate to receive Peter’s message. Maybe I can outsmart him. Removing the sliding lock, she opened the door wide.
“I just need you to sign here.”
After signing with the stylus, she took the box from him.
“Have a nice day, ma’am.”
“Thank you.” He took the machine and returned to the giant brown vehicle in her driveway.
Curious, she walked inside. She grabbed the scissors and opened the box with shaking hands. Pulling back the flap she found a single dark red rose. What does that mean? A glance at her watch told her the girls would be arriving at any moment.
Determined to forget about it for now, she placed the box on the table in the hallway and moved to pop the pizzas in the oven. The problem would still be there. Right now, what she needed more than anything was normalcy and support.
Twenty minutes later, a knock sounded on the door. She removed the pizza and went to answer it. Spotting Hil, she grinned and opened the door.
“Just in time for pizza straight out of the oven.” They hugged, and Hil walked inside.
“Good, I’m starving. I got caught up finishing my last two chapters of my book and next thing I know it’s five o’clock.” Hil followed her into the kitchen, and they sat at the table.
“Did you finish it?”
“Maybe… I want to take a few days away from it and read it with fresh eyes.”
“Congrats on another book finished!”
“Thank you. I feel like we should be toasting.” Hil laughed.
Juliette stood. “I have a bottle of Merlot.”
“Perfect.”
The doorbell rang again.
“I’ll get that if you pop the cork and pour the wine,” Hil said.
“Deal.” Juliette removed the dark glass bottle with the red label from the cupboard and gathered five wine glasses.
Ten minutes later they were all gathered at the kitchen table, sipping wine and snacking on slices of pizza.
“I didn’t want to say anything before, but I got one more flower today.”
The girls tensed.
“From Peter?” Hilary asked.
“I’m pretty sure it wasn’t from Shooter.” She sighed.
“What did this one mean?” Evonne asked
“I don’t know. It’s a dark red rose. Doesn’t that mean love?”
“Bring the flower over and we’ll look it up,” Hilary said.
Juliette got the flower and brought it to the table. Seconds felt like minute as silence fell.
Hil tapped her lips with her forefinger. “Maybe you should call Shooter.”
“What does it mean, Hil?” Juliette asked shakily.
“It means mourning,” Hilary whispered.
“Juliette.” Joey leaned across the table, starring her down. “You need to call Shooter.”
“No, he’s taking care of some business out of town, and I don’t want to interrupt. Even if Peter did send the flowers, he’s not breaking any laws or threatening me in a way I could prove. It’ll hold until Shooter gets back. In the meantime, I’m going to throw this in the garbage.”
“For the record, I don’t like this,” Hilary said.
“Trust me, none of us do. I refuse to let him ruin our night though. We have an 80’s movie marathon to watch.
Presenting a brave front, she secretly wondered what else Peter had in store, if this was his handiwork.
For once in her life, John Hughes and his brilliant writing in Sixteen Candles didn’t immerse her. Though laughing and smiling at the right places, she felt like an actor stuck on stage.
“Are you sure you want us to go?” Hil studied her carefully. “I could write just as easily from here, and I know Evonne and Joey always have a room ready. I do too for that matter.”
“No. I’ll be fine, guys.” Juliette kept her voice steady. “Running didn’t work. This time I have to take a stand. I let him take so much the last time. I can’t do that again.” Shame heated her face. “How could I let it get to that point?” Even now she didn’t understand it.
“None of us saw him for what he truly was until it was too late, Jul.” Evonne wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “We saw you daily, went out with you on many occasions, and had no clue about the hell he put you through. He’s good at playing a role. It’s how he sucks women in.”
“I’m sure all that old money and power that comes with his name has intimidated and paid many women into silence.” Joey sneered.
“Don’t internalize this, Jul. He’s the one at fault, not you. We’re just so damn glad you reached out to us when you did. The important thing is you walked away. Who knows what else he would’ve done?”
Juliette shuddered. She knew. It was why she left.
“I’ll be fine if anything happens, which I doubt it will. I’ll call the police, followed by you.”
The girls lingered in front of the door, reluctant to leave.
“If you’re sure.” Joey hovered in the doorway, concern swimming in her almond-shaped eyes.
“Positive.” Juliette opened the door, and they left one by one. “I’ll talk to you girls tomorrow.” She waved, watching them get into their vehicles before she closed the door and armed the alarm. Alone with only silence and her memory to keep her company.
***
“How are you holding up?” Hilary asked.
Juliette toyed with the uneaten chicken wrap on her plate and sighed. “Okay I guess, I barely slept last night.”
“I told your stubborn butt to come home with one of us,” Hilary scowled.
“You coming by and taking me out to lunch is plenty. I wasn’t scared, just trying to figure out why he’s doing this now.”
“I don’t think crazy ever has a logical reason.” Hil shot her a sympathetic look.
“There is that I suppose.” Juliette forced herself to pick up half the wrap and take a bite.
They’d opted to eat outside and enjoy the nice weather. Seated in the shade of a large Oak, they had the ideal spot at the local shop.
“When’s Shooter getting home?”
“Hard to tell, he’s away on club business.” She shrugged. “We sort of have a don’t ask, don’t tell policy going on with that. Women don’t really get the rundown on the extracurricular activities.”
“And you’re okay with that?” Hilary frowned. Juliette could see the shock in her friend’s eyes. It must seem weird, tolerating the secrecy after what she’d gone through with Peter.
“It’s the way things are run. If I want Shooter, I have to accept the club too.”
“And he means enough for you to do that?” Hilary glanced up from her plate with a shuttered expression.
“It’s pretty damn serious, Hil.” Juliette narrowed her eyes. Hil had been a bit edgy. Watching her friend go from an optimistic believer in true love and finding ‘Mr. Right’ to a shrew caught in a di
vorce battle that wasn’t hers had been painful.
Hilary stabbed at the lettuce on her plate.
“You don’t approve?” Juliette’s heart grew heavy. “I know we’re unlikely, trust me. I questioned myself about this a million times.”
“I’m worried about you. He comes with a lot of baggage.”
Juliette snorted. “It’s my past that’s causing trouble. This mess with Peter is all on me.”
“No, it’s all on Peter. But I understand what you’re saying,” Hilary said.
“Well, yeah. If you want to be technical about it.” Juliette rolled her eyes. “Why don’t you tell me what’s really bothering you, Hil?”
“I think you should call Shooter and tell him what’s going on. This feels like a huge threat. The other flowers were a warning. This is a direct promise of action. What is it he thinks you’re going to be losing soon?” Hil wrinkled her nose.
“I love you, Hil, but I think that writer’s brain of yours is running away with you.”
“No, it’s not. There’s a reason he’s doing this. Besides won’t it make Shooter pissed you hid it?”
“I’ll deal with it.” Juliette stifled a laugh. Hilary was clever. “Hil, the boys are keeping an eye on me. He didn’t up and completely abandon me. I’m being diligent. There have been no more notes, no suspicious phone calls. Even if I went to the police about the flower delivery, nothing would be done. I could try to get a restraining order, but I don’t have any compelling evidence to get it granted. I checked.” Juliette watched the hustle and bustle of lunchtime on the street.
People walked to their destinations, talking on their phones without a care in the world. A few months earlier, she’d been among them. Now she stood on the outside looking in, a child at Christmas with her nose pressed against a window display of something she desperately wanted.
“You okay, girl?” Hil asked.
“Yeah, I’ll be fine.” Juliette nodded and forced her trembling lips into a facsimile of a smile. “It’ll pass. Hardest part was walking away, right?”
Hil placed a hand over Juliette’s. “Yes. We’ll get through this.” Hil sighed. “Look, I’ve been doing some research. There’s a pattern with him. Girls have filed against him and it’s always dismissed due to lack of evidence, a judge I’m sure they had on the payroll, or the woman retracting her statement. You aren’t the only one he’s done this to.” Hil shook her head. “This needs to stop before he kills someone. If he hasn’t already. I’m not sure what is going on here, but it goes far deeper than a singular obsession.”
Fear chocked Juliette. Hilary was too damn smart for her own good. She can’t find out about the club. That’ll make her a liability to him. “Do you think he’s capable of that?” Juliette whispered, playing dumb.
“Intentionally…maybe not, but in the heat of passion when she’s not doing what he wants, absolutely. He’s a man who grew up with no boundaries, never hearing the word no and getting everything he wanted. The tantrums of childhood have morphed into something truly ugly. With his parents’ enabling, he’s become a monster. Normally I’d be insisting we go to the police, but his connection and Shooter’s… disposition toward authority says that’d be the worst way to go. We have to fight smart.”
“And how do you propose that?” Juliette leaned forward, eager to hear what she had to say. The breath of new hope invigorated her.
“We keep documenting everything. Continue going through the nightly footage from your surveillance cameras, taking photos of the flowers. I know they’re handled by the staff, so there won’t be any prints, but it still counts.”
“I know, that’s why I started putting them in a plastic bag. I’ve had a few hang-up phone calls I documented as well. I that that he has all the power. It’s a waiting game.”
“Unless we can tip his hand, force him to make a move.”
“I can see the wheels of your mind turning and it frightens me. This isn’t a novel, Hil.” If you get too close they will put you down. I can’t let that happen.
“I know that. Doesn’t mean thinking out of the box is an awful thing. She blew a curl away from her face.
Juliette instantly regretted the heated exchange. “I don’t want to fight with you. I didn’t mean that the way it came out.”
“It’s okay. We’re all on edge. I never go off half-cocked. If I come up with something decent, I’ll run it by you, I promise.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Now let’s talk about why you need to get emergency leave from work and go be with your man.” A determined expression crossed her face.
Juliette’s jaw dropped open. “What?”
“Girl, the situation is starting to get scary. When he gets back, laying low would be the best thing you could do.”
“No. I’m not going to hide away.” Juliette scowled.
“You don’t want to play hooky with your sexy biker?” Hilary asked in a singsong voice that dissipated the tension.
Juliette laughed. “Of course I do. That’s not the issue.”
“Why? Because you think you have to make some stand?” Hilary rolled her eyes. “This isn’t the Wild, Wild West, girl. Peter is insane in the membrane.” She tapped her head. “He’s trying to wear you down. I’m concerned it might be working. You’ve got bags under your eyes for days. I know a cover up job with concealer when I see it.”
Fuck, why are you always so observant, Hilary? “Can you blame me for losing sleep? I see the situation ramping up, Hil. I’m not ignorant.”
“I never said you were.”
“No, but you think I’m not taking this seriously enough. Believe I do. What I’m also doing is trying to stay sane. I can’t become a shut-in, afraid to do anything. I have to function.” Juliette tubbed the condensation on her cup. Guilt crept up in her chest spreading and polluting her psyche. Tell her. “You girls have no clue how fucked-up I was when that ended. For months, hell years even, I constantly looked over my shoulder, checked my locks and waiting for him to return. He’s not the type of man you walk away from without dire consequences. I never went into detail about his kink.” Juliette held up her hand, stopping the tongue-lashing she knew Hilary wanted to give. “And I won’t now. All you need to know is it put me in a dark, terrified space. I don’t want to go anywhere near that place again. What you see as rebellion is a woman clinging to her independence. I’m not reckless. I’m weighing the risks.”
“Why didn’t you tell us?” Hilary whispered.
“You guys already looked at me like I’d become a Lifetime movie, and to be honestly I felt like an idiot. Not to mention, you guys were already in mama mode. Hell, you still are.” She snickered.
A wounded expression crossed Hilary’s face. “We care about you.”
“I know and I’m grateful. I couldn’t have come out of that situation stronger without you. But it’s time for the baby bird to leave the nest. My wing is mended and I have to try to fly solo.” Their gazes locked. “You understand?”
“You’ve always been the meekest one, Jul, it’s hard to ignore a lifetime of behavior. I think we all felt guilty for not seeing this. I mean he was your first serious relationship. We should’ve read him the riot act and been all up in his shit. You were always so focused on school and your career it was like you never saw guys.” Hilary’s voice distorted. “So when you met him at the library and he pursued you, we were all overjoyed thinking you’d landed such a great catch. I remember being envious watching him wine and dine you. It kills me knowing I felt that way while you were going through hell.”
“Oh, honey,” Juliette reached across the table and grabbed her hand. “Is this why you’re so protective now?”
Hilary’s eyes were glossy as she sniffed. “Yes.”
“Don’t feel that way. I know deep down you were happy for me. We all feel twinges of the green-eyed monster from t
ime to time. It’s what we do with the emotion that matters. No one knew. Peter’s a master at hiding it. Trust me. I got off lucky.”
Hilary pulled her hand away and wiped at her eyes. “Damn you for being so understanding. I know I’ve been a borderline bitch lately. I’m sorry for that. I’m not myself.”
“This divorcee is taking a lot out of you. We know that.”
“It’s so damn hard finding out the fairytale you grew up wanting was nothing more than a prettily packaged lie.” Hilary took a deep breath. “Especially when they want to pull you apart like a wishbone because they both want you to pick a side.”
“I still can’t believe it, your parents always seemed so happy.”
“I know. Makes you wonder if there is such a thing as true love anymore.” The dejection in Hilary’s voice saddened her. She never had a father figure, but she could imagine finding out your father was a cheater would be a huge blow.
“I don’t know about true love. This constant state of bliss you stumble upon accidentally is hard to wrap my head around. A connection deeper than any you’ve had with someone else feels like an accurate description. You find that person whose vibes resonate with your own and suddenly you’re discovering new aspects of yourself and compromising to the point of breaking. Because you know if you lose this link you’ll never find it again.” Toying with the black necklaced that dangled around her collarbone, Juliette digested the words she’d spoken aloud. She meant them all. When did we get so deep?
Hilary gasped. “You love him. The look on your face just now, coupled with your eloquent speech. This is more than like.”
“Oh, my god, you’re right.” Chills raced down her spine. The pieces all came together and clicked with a force that would’ve knocked her on her ass if she hadn’t been sitting.
“You didn’t know,” Hilary said softly.
Juliette tilted her head and peered up at her friend from beneath lowered lashes. “I think deep down, I did. I’m not the type of woman to bend so far without good reason.”
