by Terry Towers
“How about family?”
“Family?” I sighed. It was the last topic I wanted to discuss, but I could lie to him just as well as anyone.
“Yeah, our chat at the restaurant was a little hectic, and I thought we could just have a nice conversation. Get to know each other. If we’re going to pursue a relationship beyond something physical, then we should know about those things, right?”
“Well, how about you start then? Tell me about home?” I said, buying myself some time to formulate exactly what I wanted to tell him.
“There’s not much to say.” He shrugged.
“I’m sure there is. You wanted to discuss family,” I reminded wagging my index finger at him.
Kyle laughed. “Okay. Yeah, you’re right.” He took a deep breath in and slowly released it. “As you already know I’m from the UK, London to be exact. Before that, Belgium.”
“Yup.” I nodded. “I remember that part.”
“Well, my father is an intense guy. He has a number of businesses on the go, and he’s usually busy. Been like that all my life. He has a priority order: business, me and then my mother.”
I scrunched my nose up at him. “That’s sounds like a pretty tragic situation. What about your siblings?”
“No siblings. Just me. To be honest, he is so focused on his pursuits and ambitions, that no one in his life has ever or will ever get a fair shake. So it was for the best.”
“That must be hard on your mother. Is the priority list as clear to her as it is to you?”
He clucked his tongue off of the roof of his mouth, as he appeared to consider his response. “Well, not to talk badly of my mother, but somewhere along the line, she’s grown to accept she’ll never be number one. Or maybe in her head, she hopes one day she will be. Though on the flip side, as you may have already guessed, we’re not exactly poor. I think she’s become accustomed to a certain lifestyle and leaving my father means she loses all of the perks that comes with being with him. I honestly can’t speak for her. It’s only my amateur evaluation of the situation. I’ve never been all that close to my mother, if I were to be honest.”
“The same.” It seemed we had similar types of childhood relationships. I too had been closer to my father than mother. I too saw where my father’s priorities lay, and they’d never really been with my mother. She failed to see it, but the fact was not lost on me growing up.
“Perhaps when I was young, but it’s been like that for a very long time.”
“I see.” We exited the building and began walking down the sidewalk, towards the park. “That sounds like a rather cold and lonely environment to grow up in.” I stared up at his profile. His jaw clenched as he finished speaking, and instead of looking at me, he stared straight ahead. There was more to the situation than he was letting on. I was tempted to press it but suspected it wouldn’t do any good. I doubted he was the type of guy who would fall for me batting my eyelashes and getting my way.
He smiled and looked down at me. “It wasn’t that bad. My father is driven. He has shown me that drive and a willingness to do what’s necessary equates success in life.”
“Hmm. But isn’t there limits? Morally speaking. Do whatever it takes is a pretty broad statement.”
Kyle’s smile widened, and his gaze took on a look that I couldn’t quite place. The look he gave me made my “Spidey Senses” tingle. But just as quickly as that feeling came, it left me again, and I wondered if I imaged it.
Maybe I was being silly. Life for me growing up wasn’t what you’d call ‘normal’. My father was a preacher, and he was like a superstar in the community. He was highly charismatic and ran his family like he ran his church, with an iron fist.
But the person he portrayed himself to be wasn’t the person he truly was. His mind was filled with darkness. I knew this for a fact. I was the only one in the family that realized that, however. I’d seen it with my own eyes, well, sort of. My sister and mother fell for his act. So, I had to wonder if growing up with my father and the craziness of my family had jaded me.
“Limits? Hmm.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Okay, so question for you.”
“All right…”
“What are your religious beliefs?”
I hesitated a moment before I answered. For some reason, I didn’t want him to know my father was a preacher. “Atheist.”
“Okay, so am I. But why are you atheist?”
“Reason and science. It seems harder to believe there is a God than there isn’t.”
“Then you feel humans are the same as other animals, just more advanced.”
“Hmm. I suppose that would be accurate.”
“Then let’s talk morality. What do you base your sense of right or wrong on?”
I shrugged. “Society. Society would help to develop a sense of morality.”
“So you let other people judge for you what is right and wrong, even if it goes against your instincts? Your sense of morality has been built on the expectations of others.”
This conversation was making me uncomfortable. Many of the emotions normal people felt, I didn’t seem to be able to feel. Was there something wrong with me mentally? I didn’t know. I didn’t want to think so. Not everyone had to be a slave to their emotions like Vanessa, or my mother, or sister, did they? Regardless, I was done with this topic of conversation.
“You’re getting kinda heavy for a third date,” I said lightly, with a little laugh. “God, morality, and such.”
He eyed me, staring at me so hard it felt like his eyes were piercing into me and spearing my soul. It was as though he knew every single thought and emotion I have ever had, and I didn’t like it. It was completely irrational of me to think such things, but I couldn’t help it.
Pulling his stare from mine, he laughed. “Yeah, you’re right. Sorry. Perhaps I should have taken philosophy instead.”
“Double major, philosophy and Psychology,” I suggested.
“Yeah.” He laughed again and gave me a wink. “Smart girl. Maybe I’ll consider it.”
We entered the park and headed towards the large cement fountain in the middle of it. Once there, we both took a seat on the edge of the base which doubled as a bench.
“So you haven’t told me about your family yet.” He draped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me tight to his side.
“Hmm.” I shrugged. “Not much to say.”
“Your sister must really miss you. Where’s she at?”
I opened my mouth to speak and then snapped it shut. My eyes narrowed as I stared at him. He was smiling down at me, patiently waiting for my reply. I never told him I had a sister. I knew for a fact because I never told anyone about Emily. The moment I left home and arrived in California, she’d been X’d from my life and good riddance. How did he know then?
After a moment’s hesitation, I replied. “I don’t have a sister.” I forced a smile onto my lips and gave his shoulder a playful swat. “Must be the other girl your dating.”
Laughing, he shook his head, his blue eyes gleaming with amusement. “Nope. I’m sure you told me you did. Emma. Or…”
My entire body stiffened. I hadn’t told him. I was sure of it. My hackles were rising and I eyed him with open suspicion. Who in the fuck was he that he knew about Emily?
“Okay busted…” he said suddenly, giving a nervous little laugh.
“Huh?” I was preparing myself to bolt, my muscles becoming even more tense. Something wasn’t right. Who was this man? I didn’t even have my Taser with me. I was completely unarmed if worse came to worst.
“Okay, I have a confession to make.”
My eyes narrowed at him, my guard not dropping. “What kind of confession?”
“Before I met you, I was dating a girl, and I think I just got the backstories confused. I’m so sorry. It’s been a taxing week.” He frowned. “I’m really am sorry. I broke it off with her after our second date. If I’ve been acting weird, that may have had something to do with it. I was feeling guilty.”
Raking the fingers of his free hand through his hair, he let out a loud huff of air. “I hope this doesn’t affect what we have, or what’s developing between us.”
I let out the breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding until that very moment and relaxed back against him. I must have had some serious issues to think there was anything suspicious going on with Kyle. He was a cocky player, and that was the worst of it. A voice in the back of my mind screamed for me to not let it go, but I chose to ignore it.
Looking back up at him, I smiled, a wide genuine smile. “I think I can get over it.”
“Good.” He leaned down and captured my lips with his. My entire body seemed to sigh as I placed my hand on his chest, and turning more directly towards him, I slipped my hand up and over his shoulder, leaning into the kiss.
He pulled my lower lip into his mouth and sucked lightly before releasing it and deepening the kiss. I moaned against his lips, and all fears, worries and concerns were gone. A heat began to form between my legs, and the all too familiar need for him ignited.
The kiss ended way too quickly for my liking.
“Hey, we should be getting back,” Kyle said as he pulled away from me.
I was slightly disappointed, but he was right. Classes came early. “You’re right. I don’t function very well on less than eight hours of sleep.”
“I’ll keep that in mind for when you stay over.” He stood and extended his hand to me. Taking his hand, I allowed him to help me to my feet.
“Stay over, huh?” I grinned up at him as we began to stroll our way back towards the dorms.
“Maybe this Friday night you could come spend the night at my place.” When I didn’t respond right away, he added, “Just a thought.”
He slipped his hand to mine and our fingers interlaced. I didn’t say anything more. Instead I took the time to enjoy our walk and just being with him. It couldn’t have been a more perfect California night.
We arrived at the dorm room way too quickly for my liking. It had felt nice to walk with him hand in hand back to my room. Like a real couple. Pulling my keys to the room from my jogging pants pocket, I spun, my back to the door.
“Okay, so I’ll be seeing you in class tomorrow.”
“Yeah, you will.” He cupped my chin in his hand and tilted my head up just a little more as he lowered his lips to mine. His kiss was soft and sweet – a simple brush of his lips across mine. “Goodnight, Rebecca,” he said softly releasing my chin and taking a step backwards, and then another.
“Night…”
I didn’t turn and open the door right away. Instead, I stood there watching him with a smile on my lips as he walked to the end of the corridor and then disappeared around the corner. There was a faint flutter in my stomach. Was this what it felt like to fall for someone? It didn’t seem to be the all-consuming emotion I saw with other people, but this was a different feeling for me.
Maybe, just maybe, I wasn’t so abnormal after all. Maybe the suspicions I had about myself had been wrong. I hoped so.
Chapter 10
Kyle
“Yes. I understand.” I tried to keep my temper in check as I spoke with my father on the phone. Yes, I was two days past the deadline he’d given me Monday. And yes, I wasn’t any closer to finding out where Rebecca’s sister was. But, this was a special case that took time to finesse.
Flynn: It’s been nearly two weeks since you met that girl. Two weeks!
“Yes, but she’s not an easy person to crack.”
Flynn: Or maybe you’re not as good as you claim to be? Not as good as I thought you were? Maybe you’re not cut out for this type of work? Maybe you need to get your ass back home here and see about getting yourself a job somewhere more to your speed… McDonald’s perhaps?
My grip tightened on my mobile phone, so tight my knuckles were going white.
“Rebecca isn’t like everyone else. I suspect she’s much like her father.”
Flynn: You mean she’s a serial killer?
I sighed.
“I mean, she may have inherited her father’s psychopathic traits. From what I can tell, she checks many of the boxes. And you know as well as I do, those types of people aren’t easily fooled. They’re smart, they’re suspicious, and they’re unlikely to lower the mask they wear to fool everyone, especially for some guy they just met.”
There was silence for a couple of minutes. I almost thought he’d hung up, at least I’d hoped I was done with this conversation. It seemed like every conversation I had with my father had me wishing for the phone line to go dead or him to be called off to some pressing matter – none of those things ever happened, however.
Flynn: If you truly believe that, then there’s no other way around it. You abduct her, you torture her until you get the information, and then you send her to us. She’ll be a fun challenge for Cain to train.
“We’ll see. You know torture doesn’t work well on those types of people. I’ve gotta go. I’ll check back in with you later.”
Before my father could respond, I disconnected the call. In all honesty, even though I said those type of people, I really meant people like us. Flynn just didn’t like having the label psychopath pinned to his chest. Personally, it didn’t bother me. One thing that did piss me off was when people confused the labels of psychopath and sociopath. They were two different things, but uninformed people seemed to like to lump them both together.
Fuck!
I raked a hand through my hair. I was hardly a good man. In fact, I would be hard pressed to find someone who wouldn’t lock me up and throw away the key – at the very best - if they knew what I’d done in my past. However, I didn’t enjoy torturing people. It was messy and unsophisticated, in my opinion. Not that I was completely opposed to putting a serious hurt on those who deserved it as that surfer douche who tried to get a date with Rebecca found out last week. No one trespassed onto my territory and got away with it.
That being said, mental games were more my speed. Anyone can get information out of most people if there’s enough pain involved, but it takes a special type of intelligence to syphon the required information by simply getting into the opponent’s head.
But regardless of how had I tried, no matter how much I charmed her, Rebecca wasn’t going to spill the truth. In fact, there were times when I looked at her where I was sure she could see through the smoke and mirrors I put up and peg me for who and what I was. And despite looking into the dark abyss of my soul, she didn’t go running. Just the opposite really, it was like she saw who I actually was and instead of running away, she came charging towards the darkness.
But why?
I wasn’t interested in handing her over – at least not yet. She was the first woman in as long as I could remember that kept me interested. No, interested wasn’t the correct word, more like intrigued.
Looking down at my watch, I groaned inwardly. Rebecca was due to arrive in ten minutes. One thing these past two weeks had shown me was that she valued promptness and was never late.
In all honesty, my father had me a little rattled, and it would take me a moment to put the mask back on and be the charismatic, slightly assholic guy she seemed to gravitate to.
Ding-dong.
Shit! She was early. I took a quick look at myself in the mirror above my chest dresser and smiled. The agitation that was in my expression a moment ago was now gone, and I was back to the man she knew me to be.
Ding-dong.
I made my way out of the bedroom, through the living room, and to the door. Before she could ring the doorbell a third time, I flung the door open and smiled widely. Immediately, I was struck by how stunning she was, though in truth, it happened every time I saw her. It wasn’t the Hollywood, high-fashioned, anorexic type of beauty. She had a natural, girl next door beauty, but in addition, there was a sharpness behind those dark eyes. Every moment I spent with her, I found myself wanting her more.
She smiled. “Hey Kyle.” She stepped up to me, and I pulled her into my arms,
giving her a quick kiss on the lips. Pulling away, I saw she had a little back pack at her side. This was our first overnight together. Perhaps if I got some drinks in her and got her completely relaxed, she’d give up the information that I was desperately in need of. Then, I could gather my things and go back home.
But a part of me wasn’t all that anxious to let her go so quickly.
Though I knew I didn’t have a choice.
She was a job, just a job. She was no different that many more before her and those who would no doubt come after her.
* TT *
Rebecca
“Shit!”
I looked over at Kyle. We were both sitting on the sofa watching a movie. Like some old married couple. But it felt kinda nice – normal even. Maybe this had been my problem all along. It’s not that I was different, it was that I’d been living a life so unorthodox I’d gradually come to suspect there was something wrong with me. While all along, I just hadn’t had a chance to experience what many would call a normal relationship.
Just maybe… But there was still something bugging at me about Kyle. I just couldn’t put my finger on it.
“What’s wrong?” I frowned, looking over at his annoyed expression as he peered down at the screen on his phone.
“That was my landlord. I gotta go downstairs for a few minutes. Apparently, someone tried to break into my car, and the alarm is going off down in the garage.” He stood and tossed his phone onto the sofa beside me after sending a reply text.
“Want me to go with you?”
“Nah,” he shook his head. “I’ll only be a minute or so.” He hurried from the living room and slipped into his shoes at the doorway as I picked up the remote and paused the movie. Without another word, he left, closing the door behind him.
I looked down at the phone beside me. It was currently unlocked and sitting open onto his landlord’s message. My hand reached for it, and I snatched my hand back. But who was I kidding? I wanted to know what was on that phone. Maybe the phone would answer a question or two that I had about him. Something about his story and his background just wasn’t adding up to me. And I still had an odd feeling about him. When I factored out my physical and mental connection to him, and allowed reason and commonsense to prevail, I knew there was something more to him I needed to know.
