by Raven Crow
“I think that you are right we both should have eaten first. My head is swimming and this room is spinning.”
“I think the both of you need to drink some water and eat something. I am going to order some food.” Gio announced.
“I’ll get some water for them.” Sax said before he disappeared into the bathroom. He returned with a glass of water. “Here drink this ladies.”
I drank some water before handing the half drank glass to Pen who finished it off.
My cell phone started to ring. I moved to answer it but my legs felt like limp noodles.
“I have to answer my phone it might be my dad but I can’t feel my legs.” I moaned out.
“Stay there sweetheart, I’ll get your phone where is it?” Gio asked.
“It’s in my bag at the end of the bed.” I pointed to it.
“Got it—here.” He handed me my ringing phone. It was my dad calling I answered. “Hello dad.”
[“Where are you Josephina it’s after one in the morning?” He snapped into my ear.]
“I’m just fine dad. I’m over at a friend’s house. I’m going to stay here for the weekend.” I insisted.
[“Do you have any idea just how worried I was when I got home and you weren’t here?” He kept at it.]
“I can’t believe that you even noticed that I wasn’t home at all. All you ever do is work. You haven’t been home from work before I was asleep for weeks. Half the time I’m not even sure that you are even coming home or are you staying at work, dad?” I unloaded all my thoughts at once.
He remained silent for a few seconds.
[“I’m sorry. You are right I haven’t been around lately but that doesn’t mean that I don’t notice you, Josephina. You are my world don’t you know that?” He stressed.]
I immediately felt bad. Had I not of been hammered I wouldn’t have said shit to my dad. At the same time maybe it was long overdue and the wine had given me the confidence to finally speak up.
“We can talk later after I get home from school Monday night. I love you, bye.” I insisted before I disconnect. I realized that I hadn’t waited for him to say goodbye back.
Everyone had cleared away from me giving me privacy. I looked over at Gio who moved over towards the door with phone in hand.
“The food’s here I’m going to go grab it.” Gio stated before disappearing out the door.
I hadn’t noticed Sax had gone and gotten another glass of water as he offered it to me without speaking. I quietly took the glass with a smile on my face.
“I feel bad about yelling at my dad.” I said aloud.
“Don’t feel bad Jo, you are a grown woman now and you can make your own decision. Besides, you didn’t yell at him. You simply expressed yourself. You are allowed to tell him how what he is doing has an effect on you.” Pen softly advised me while sitting up.
Gio entered the room with two big pizza boxes and I nearly jumped out of bed to get to them.
“Oh my God Gio you are my hero!” I moaned out while he set the pizzas on the bed.
Pen and I started to dig into the pizzas like we’d never eaten in our lives. The melted cheese burned inside of my mouth while I chewed it wildly without a care. I smiled at Pen who had sauce on her chin. I took the napkin out of the box to wipe off her chin.
“You guys are making the pizzas look so good now I’m hungry.” Gio grabbed a slice of pizza before chomping it down. “You better get a slice before these women eat it all, Sax.”
“I’m alright. After what I saw earlier I probably won’t eat for a week.”
“What did you see, Sax?” Pen asked while chewing.
“I can’t give any real details but let’s just say that I am not leaving you by yourself until this killer is caught.”
“Do you parents have any leads?” Gio asked with a mouth full of pizza.
“No they don’t actually which really sucks.” He scoffed.
“I can’t believe that Daphne’s gone.” Pen sighed.
“Me neither, if I hadn’t seen her floating in the pool with my own eyes I’d never believe that she was dead. What about the other girl, Jamie Chris?” Like magic my mind pulled out where I had seen Jamie before. “I think that I saw her leaving Gardier Manor on the night that I arrived in here in Greenville.” I gasped.
“Are you serious Jo if so you need to tell my dad that? My dad is very concerned and that’s bad if he’s worry then I’m worry. Then there’s the fact that Bakersfield is handling all the lab work.”
I tried to follow along with everything that was being said but the wine was starting to make me drowsy. Knowing that Sax had seen detailed information about Daphne’s murder had my skin crawling. My mind started to build up questions about her death but I was too afraid to say anything. I really wanted to know why the first victim was leaving Gardier Manor on the same night that she was killed.
“I didn’t realize that someone so young could die so easily. She was my age.” I choked.
“I know. It is horrible, I loved Daphne.” Pen sighed.
“You are not going to die Jo no one is getting near you.” Gio proclaimed. I shot him a smile which he returned.
Chapter 7
Pen
The pounding inside of my head made me believe that my head had somehow been trapped under a car tire. I pulled my heavy, aching body out of the bed to go to the bathroom.
I almost stepped on Sax who had fallen asleep on my bedroom floor alongside me. I carefully made my way over him before noticing Gio who was also asleep on the other side of the bed by Jo. These adorable men had guarded us all night while I had slept without me realizing it.
After using the restroom I’d taken an aspirin for my hangover. I looked over where Sax’s had been laying but he was no longer there. Had I only imagined that he’d come over the night before?
“Psst…come here.” Sax stood at the doorway waving me over.
I quickly tipped toed over to him before he scooped me up while pulling me into the hallway. He kissed me softly on the lips while he led me down the hallway towards the closest spare bedroom. Once inside the room I closed the door before locking it. We continued kissing while caressing one another. I felt his hand all over me while my clothes slowly were peeled off leaving me naked.
“I love you, Sax.” I moaned into his mouth.
“I’ve loved you forever.” He groaned back before he lifted me up onto the bed.
I had craved his touch in this way for weeks now. We had been intimate only once but the memory of it was forever stained on my soul. I had feared that he hadn’t wanted a repeat encounter by the way he had kept his distance until now.
He removed his clothes before climbing on top of me. His touch was so gentle, warm and pleasing which made keeping my moans quiet harder for me. He looked into my eyes while he put himself inside of me making me know that he saw me. I knew that he wanted more than just sex, he wanted me and everything that came along with that and that knowledge made me climax almost immediately. He pulled back a bit in surprise.
“Don’t stop.” I demanded while pulling him back down closing the gap between our bodies. “I need you please don’t stop.” My uncontrollable desires spilled out of me.
His hair fell forward almost covering up his gorgeous face. I brushed back his hair revealing his passion filled expression as he climaxed. He kissed me deeply.
“You’re beautiful. Like this here…” He paused while brushing his fingertips across one of my thigh tattoos. “Is it a clown or something?”
“No it isn’t a clown it is a day of the dead skull with a bow around its neck. I got it for my mother she loved masks, skulls, and the Latin culture.”
“I wish we could stay like this all day but we are not alone.”
“Yeah—me too, one day soon we will spend all day together in bed. How about I make us all some breakfast? Do you want help?”
“Yes—I’ll help you cook. I have worked up quite an appetite actually.” He cracked while winking at
me.
I moved to grab my clothing before quickly dressing. He did the same. We smiled at one another like two goofy kids after school on a Friday with the whole weekend to play.
“Should we go and wake up Jo and Gio?”
“Nah—let them sleep.” He moved towards me grabbing me up into his firm arms. “That way I can have some more alone time with you before I have to go to work.”
“You have to work today but its Saturday?”
“Yup I’m afraid so. Saturdays are sometimes my busiest days. I do have time to stay for breakfast though.”
Sax was so different from my ex that my brain could hardly bend around some of the words he used and the way he behaved had me shook at times. My ex Van would have been over in the corner chair practicing his latest song on his guitar at this point after sex. It seemed so romantic in the beginning but I soon realized as time passed that he had been avoiding talking to me, touching me, and seeing me the whole time. Sax was everything that Van could never be and more.
We reached the bottom of the stairs before I spotted the box that Sergio had been so adamant about bringing me in the middle of the night. I walked over picking it up to look it over.
“Here’s what Sergio brought over last night.” I headed into the kitchen as Sax followed behind.
“What is it a gift or something?”
“I think it’s my old memory box from when I was a kid. I thought that I had lost it long ago.” I set the box down on the kitchen table before I started preparing breakfast.
“Oh yeah? That’s cool. Who’s Sergio and how come he had your box?” He joined me while taking out plates as I turned on the stove burners.
“Sergio was my first boyfriend. We were friends as kids. His family lives next door.” I took out some eggs, milk, and cheese from the refrigerator.
“Oh ok I remember him now. I didn’t realize that he lived next door to you. When was the last time you saw him?” His tone changed slightly.
“Honestly, I haven’t seen nor heard from him for six years not since he dumped me two days before his wedding. I had no idea that he had been matched until he broke the news to me.” I answered.
Talking about Sergio made me start to feel somewhat worthless like I had felt my whole childhood. I could still recall the look on his face as he told me that he knew that we’d never get married. He said, Come on Pen we were kids playing house this is real life and in real life no man marries a girl like you. I should have kicked him in his cock but back then I believed what he said was true and honestly I still did today.
“What an asshole. What were you like nineteen or twenty and he up and dumps you after getting matched? I’m sorry Pen you deserved better.” He added his support which made me feel so much better.
I cracked an egg into the pan and then another one before adjusting the temperature.
“He wasn’t always like that he was once very kind to me but as we got older and he realized what my curse would mean to him and his future I think that was something that no man would willingly endure.” At least I had hoped that was the reason.
“What a pussy. He’s a coward. I would follow you into hell, curse or no curse.” He proclaimed.
“Like I said, I wish that I had known you back then the way I know you now, Saxon Danes.” I kissed him on the cheek as he leaned into it.
In a flash I was zipped into the past with Van on a day when he was accusing me of cheating. I had been out with my friend Daphne for the evening and when I had left Van had told me that he was going to band practice. After hours of feeling loved and appreciated by Daphne I arrived home to find my clothes in the hallway of our apartment. I was shocked that and immediately thought that we had been robbed so I raced inside. Van was in the bedroom sitting on the rented bed which he had picked out with a mean look on his face. He launched into a rant in which he accused me of cheating. He said that he was done with me that I was a whore and that he could do much better than a whore like me. He spoke in a calm, quiet voice like he had no feeling as he told me that I wasn’t allowed back into my bedroom which I had paid for. When I made the mistake of reminding him that I had been the only one who was paying rent there he became enraged. He sprung from the bed before getting in my face that’s when I spotted the small blade that he had gripped in his hand. I’m done with you bitch whoever you’re fucking can have your ass now and if you think that you are staying in this room I’ll fucking cut you. His vicious voice cracked sending spit into my face.
“Pen….Pen are you ok? Talk to me.” Sax stood shaking my arm as my mind leaped back into the present. “Hey you…what’s going on?”
“Nothing—I’m ok. I’m just tired and I spaced out for a second, sorry.” I lied to him about the monsters in my head.
Chapter 8
Sax
It was becoming increasing hard hiding my building irritation with the sudden appearance of one of Pen’s ex’s. It seemed all too convenient that after she had her curse lifted that he’d came out of nowhere. Not to mention the fact that she had become locked in some sort of trance right in front of me.
“Are you sure that you alright because you look like you have seen a ghost or something, Pen?”
She smiled at me. “Sorry…no ghosts here I’m just a tired girl is all.”
I looked over my shoulder at the box on the table before returning back to preparing the meal.
“So what’s in the box…dolls or toys?”
“Ha ha no there’s no toys or dolls in the box. Truthfully, I really can’t remember what’s in the box.” Pen looked over her shoulder at the box on the table. “I’ll just take a look and see what’s inside.”
“Something smells good!” Gio blurted out while Jo and he entered the kitchen.
“I’m starved. You are so nice to make us breakfast. Do you need any help, Pen?” Jo asked while joining us by the stove.
“Thank you but we are already finished. It’s just scrambled eggs and toast, nothing special.” Pen pulled the pan off of the burner to plate the food.
We all sat at the table to eat. All of us demolishing our food without a word; Gio especially seemed eager to finish quickly. I knew very well the amount of work on his plate dished up by his father the king. I was lucky my day would consist of a few deliveries and a late lunch with a potential buyer.
I noticed Pen looked down at the box in front of her like she wanted to open it but she resisted as if she was afraid of what was inside. Her past seemed to be haunting her and she didn’t give the impression that she was going to share what it was with me at the present.
“Well, I have to run I’m already running late. Thank you, Pen for breakfast and for letting me crash at your place.” Gio announced while standing to leave.
“Absolutely, thank you for coming to our rescue last night, Gio.” Pen responded with a cute smile.
I stood taking my plate over to the sink.
“I’ll walk out with you, Gio.” I joined him at the door. Both ladies seemed shocked by the looks on their faces but neither said anything. “I have to go as well…lots to do today. Pen, I will text you later.” I purposely didn’t kiss her goodbye it just didn’t feel right at the moment.
“Bye” Jo said without looking at either one of us.
I got a sense that Pen had something on her mind that was occupying her thoughts at the moment.
Once outside, Gio and I walked side by side both of us juggling for our keys and phones.
“Hey I’m going to need you to take over the Eastbend account for me while I’m out of town for a while.” Gio asked.
“Eastbend really…but that’s you biggest earner? Where the hell are you going?” I scoffed.
“I’m going to my mothers’ in the country. Trust me it’s not what I want to be doing this summer either but I’ve been ordered by his majesty so I must obey. And he wants me to take Jo with. He wants her to meet his other wives. You know I don’t think that Jo has a clue that her godfather has three wives.” Gio chuckled a bit.<
br />
“Well…she’ll be in for a huge surprise when she meets them.” We reached our cars out front. “At least she’ll be safe all the way out in the country, there’s no killers at Maple Ranch. I am trying to think of a way to keep Pen safe. I might have to move in here until they catch this sicko.”
Gio got a huge toothless smile on his face while looking down at the ground. He had me wandering what was going through his head.
“Yes—Jo will be safer at Maple Ranch I’ll make sure of that.” He looked up. “Does your dad have any suspects yet?”
“I can’t tell you that—you know the house rule, Gio.” I reminded him.
“But this is different, this is about us. This piece of shit is killing gypsies, Sax.” His brows straightened and his eyes narrowed. “What if, this killer tries to hurt someone who we know…what then?”
“They don’t have any suspect, Gio and if they did I still couldn’t tell you who they were? You just go on vacation with Jo and chill out, bro. When are you leaving?”
“I am going to try and stall for a few days but I’m pretty sure that won’t work and we’ll ended up leaving sometime before Friday.” He paused before looking over at the house. “I didn’t get a chance to tell Jo again. I told her last night but she was hammered. I think she has no idea that she’s going to the country for the summer. I hope she doesn’t freak out.”
“She doesn’t seem like the type to freak out? Why didn’t you tell her when you got up?”
“I just didn’t get at chance; she was hungry when I woke up this morning. I wasn’t thinking about it. I will have to call her later and tell her then, I guess.”
“Hey, do you remember that Sergio guy from school or around town?”
“No I don’t remember him at all, why?”
“I don’t like that he thinks that he can just show up at my lady’s house in the middle of the night like that. I want to know what his deal is. You know he lives right next door too?”
