by Mia Belle
I nod as I grab some chicken from the fridge. “She is. Julia’s the type of person who loves working. Sitting around doing nothing drives her nuts.”
Lia laughs. “Sometimes I love lying in bed doing nothing.”
“Me, too. I think everyone does. But the best part of my day is when you’re with me.” I push some curly hair away from her cheek and brush my lips to it.
Her face grows deep red, smiling shyly. “I feel the same way.” She once again runs her fingers through my hair, tugging on the tips. “I really love your hair.”
I laugh softly. “I was thinking of cutting it.”
“No way.”
“Lia?” Julia calls in the distance. Lia and I quickly pull apart. All this sneaking around doesn’t feel right, but it’s not the right time to tell my aunt and uncle about us. Considering that Aidan will be her public boyfriend, Lia and I can’t be seen together without arousing suspicion.
“Yes?” Lia calls back.
“Can I steal Caleb for a second?”
“Sure.”
I peck Lia’s lips before advancing toward my aunt’s bedroom. Aidan and Zane are here, too. Zane’s holding his sketchpad across his stomach, his hands covered in ink stains. Aidan’s a little sweaty, probably been working out again. Yesterday, he promised us he was done with football for good, but he works out because he wants to get back into shape.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, my gaze flicking to my cousins. They appear as clueless as me.
Julia’s eyes dart to the doorway, probably making sure Lia can’t overhear. “I know we have a guest, but I need to tell you this first before your read it somewhere else. And Zane and Aidan should hear this, too.” She hesitates. “Your dad was spotted in Michigan, Caleb. Cops nearly apprehended him, but he killed two of them and fled before they had a chance.”
I drop down on the bed, bending forward and plowing my fingers through my hair. There’s no way he pulled that off on his own. I’ve suspected all along that he has accomplices and now I’m pretty sure he does.
I look up at my aunt. “He’ll never be caught. If cops can’t take him down, who can?”
Julia sighs as she lowers herself next to me. “The cops were ambushed, unfortunately. Your dad knew they were coming.”
I try not to grit my teeth, but it’s hard not to. Julia pats my arm, saying encouraging and soothing things, but I hardly pay attention to her. He’s going to keep killing people while I sit here and hide?
Zane catches my eyes, and his grow hard. He knows exactly what I’m thinking.
After rubbing my arm one more time, Julia leaves the room, heading for the kitchen. Soon, I hear her chatting with Lia.
Zane walks over to me, glaring into my eyes. “Don’t even think about it, man,” he warns.
I shake my head. “I need to give myself up.”
“Are you fucking insane?” Zane nearly yells.
Aidan keeps his eyes on me, the vein on his forehead pounding. Zane’s arms are crossed over his chest, legs spread apart like a drill sergeant.
“You’re keeping your ass right where it is,” Aidan says. “We’re not letting you give into that psycho. We won’t let anything happen to you.”
I throw my hands up. “Is my life more important than those he’s taken? Why do I get to hide while they die in my place?”
Zane shakes his head while Aidan releases a heavy breath. “I don’t know, man,” Aidan says. “But we’re not letting you give up your life. How do you think your mom would have felt? How would my parents feel? How would Lia feel? You want to hurt her?”
I tear my gaze from his as tears stab my eyes. The last thing I want to do is hurt Lia. But how can I just sit here in safety?
Aidan pats my back. “The cops keep us safe. They risk their lives to protect us. If you give yourself up, then they died for nothing. And who’s to say he’ll stop killing after he’s done with you? You can’t let a psycho like him win.”
I shake my head. “The more I hide, the more people die. It’s selfish of me.”
“It’s not,” Zane stresses. His eyes harden even more. “None of this is your fault—it’s your dad’s. Do Aidan and I have to tie you to a chair or do you swear not to do something stupid?”
I run my hands down my face.
“Because we’ll do it,” Zane says. “We’ll tie you to a damn chair if that’ll keep you safe.”
Lowering my hands, I look from one cousin to the other. As much as I want to do what I feel is right, I don’t want to hurt the people who care about me.
“Fine,” I mutter.
“Swear it,” Zane demands.
I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I swear I won’t give myself up to my dad.”
“Good,” Aidan says. “And if we catch you breaking that promise, we’ll kill you.”
They exit the room, leaving me to stare after them. If cops found my dad, that means they’re one step closer to taking him down. Maybe they’ll be successful the next time. It’s those thoughts that push me to keep the promise I made to my cousins. But if one more person dies on my account, I’m giving myself up. Promise or no promise.
Aidan and Zane have joined Lia and my aunt in the kitchen, and they’re bent by the oven, drooling over the cheesecake that looks amazing.
Lia smiles when she sees me. But it drops the second she takes in my face. She opens her mouth, probably to ask what’s wrong, when the front door opens and Craig steps in. From the expression on his face, I’m sure he knows about my dad.
As I watch my family and Lia bustling around the kitchen, preparing dinner, my heart feels heavy. On the one hand, I can’t bear hurting them. On the other, how can I let people die because of me?
Lia grabs my hands, pulling me toward the counter. “Why’s the greatest chef of all time standing there like that? We need your expertise if we’re going to make this knockout dinner.”
I force a smile, pushing my doubts out of my head. One more chance. That’s what I’m giving my dad—and myself. The second he takes another life, I’m giving up mine.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Lia
Dad’s more than excited to eat dinner at the Armstrongs. We all gather in their dining room, where Caleb and I spent a good amount of time setting up like we’re dining with royalty. It reminds me of the first time Dad and I ate with the Armstrongs. We’ve come such a long way since then.
Dad’s doing well, and I can see a change in his attitude. He’s happier than he’s been in two months and he told me earlier that his friend Matt is doing much better. It won’t be long before he’ll be released from the hospital, though he still has a long way to go before he fully recovers.
The table is noisy as everyone grabs food. Dad brought over some wine—again one of Mom’s favorites. And the adults can’t seem to get enough of it.
I’m sitting between Aidan and Caleb. Zane is across from me and doesn’t stop brushing his foot against mine. I snap him looks to stop before my dad or his parents notice, but he waves his hand, motioning that they’re too busy with their wine to notice.
Under the table, Aidan’s fingers squeeze one of my hands, while Caleb slips his into my other. He still carries that odd, worried look in his eyes. I don’t know what Julia told him, but whatever it is, it’s bothering him. I haven’t had the chance to talk to him about it and as I study him to see if he’s okay, he gives me wide smiles that don’t exactly reach his eyes. His hand clutching mine trembles slightly. I want to wrap my arms around him and hold him close, but of course I can’t.
The conversion around the table revolves around school and football. I can’t think about the sport without thinking about my ex and his friends. But I force myself to shove that aside. As far as I’m concerned, they don’t exist.
The guys take turns bringing in the food, and when it’s time for dessert, Caleb squeezes my hand. He and I haven’t tasted the cheesecake yet and I know he’s a little nervous about how it turned out. I squeeze his hand back, telling him
I’m sure it’s perfect.
Julia cuts each of us a slice and passes them around. We dig in and every one of us sighs like this is the most heavenly thing we’ve ever eaten in our lives. Caleb blushes at all the compliments we throw his way, gesturing that it was me who did most of the work.
“He’s just being modest,” I tell them. “It was his recipe.”
Zane points his fork at Caleb. “When you open your restaurant, man, you’d better feature this on the menu. Can I have more?” Julia cuts him another slice, which he devours in one bite.
Dinner is over and my dad and the Armstrong parents leave to the living room, where they sit on the sofa and chairs. The guys and I clean up, and I notice there’s a bit of tension between them. I thought I was imagining it before as we worked on dinner, but now I realize that there’s something bothering them.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
They exchange a glance with one another. Caleb rubs the back of his neck. “We need to tell her,” he says to them.
Zane and Aidan nod. “It should be you, man,” Aidan says.
Caleb turns to me. “Want to come to my room?”
“Sure.”
The guys and I make our way upstairs. They separate to their rooms and I follow Caleb into his. It’s very neat, no clothes strewn about, no food cartons on the floor. On the walls are posters of different chefs and dishes. This room screams Caleb.
We lower ourselves on the bed, so close I feel his body heat leap onto mine. His fingers are interlocked on his lap, his eyes roaming the room like he’s never seen it before.
I’m bursting with curiosity about what he wants to tell me, but I need to be patient and give him time. His hair’s a little messy like he ran his fingers through it repeatedly. I reach to pat it in place, loving how soft and silky it is.
He slowly turns to me, giving me a tight smile. “I’m sorry I’ve been acting a little off.”
I press myself closer to him, resting my cheek on his chest. “It’s okay. Whatever it is, you know you can tell me.”
He blows air out of his mouth. “I know. I don’t want there to be any secrets between us.” He shifts, wrapping his arm around me. “Julia told me and the guys that my dad was spotted.”
I sit up sharply.
“He killed two cops as a group of them tried to apprehend him. He escaped.” His eyes look so tortured, so full of pain.
“Caleb, I’m so sorry.”
He shakes his head. “I keep asking myself how many more people need to die before he’s caught.” He rakes his hand through his hair, pulling it over his face. “I blame myself.” It looks as if he wants to say more, but he presses his mouth shut. A few seconds pass before he continues, “The guys convinced me that it’s not my fault.”
“It’s not. You’re not the one killing people.”
He shuts his eyes for a little bit, his chest heaving as he tries to inhale. “I know. But I’m the indirect cause.” He shakes his head again. “Sorry. I don’t want to talk about this stuff when we’re together. I want to be happy. You’re the only one who can make me truly happy.”
I search his eyes. “Are you sure you don’t want to talk about it?”
“I’m sure. Unless you want to?”
I caress the side of his face. “I just want to know if you’re okay. Are you?”
He presses his lips to my temple. “Only because you’re here.”
He envelops me in his arms and our lips connect. It’s slow at first, then grows stronger as though we have this need inside us to be closer, mold into one. I can feel all Caleb’s worries and insecurities. How much hope he has for himself and for his future. I know he’s still a little unsure about his dream to be a chef, but I know he will make it work. He’s too talented not to.
We kiss for a long time, only stopping to take breaths. I’m very aware of his aunt and uncle downstairs, but I push that aside. This feeling he evokes in me is one of the best feelings in the world. I want to experience this every single day for the rest of my life.
Caleb’s forehead rests against mine as he takes in another sharp breath. “There’s something I want to show you. To share with you.” He draws back, his eyes unsure. “But it’s a little hard for me.”
I place both hands on his strong yet soft chest. “Caleb, you don’t have to do anything if it’s too hard. I love spending time with you, even if we’re not doing anything. Just being with you is enough for me.” I kiss his cheek.
He kisses me gently on the lips before sliding off the bed and moving toward his closet. “It’s enough for me, too. But I want to share this with you.” He looks up, smiling sheepishly. “When I was kid, I always dreamed of impressing a girl, but I never had the chance, since I gave it up. Honestly, I thought I’d forget about it, never look back, but I miss it more and more as the days go by.”
I lift my brow as he stretches into the closet and pulls out a box. He heaves it onto the bed and just stares at it. “I looked through it a few days go.” His eyes meet mine. “That’s when I found that home video I showed you.”
I peer into the box. There’s a black hat, a stuffed bunny, a deck of cards, a costume, and many other things.
“Caleb,” I say. “Is this…?”
He nods. “My magic stuff from when I was a little kid.” He laughs an empty laugh. “My dad used to love telling me stories of how he wooed my mom with magic. She wasn’t a fan—she actually thought it was a little dorky—but he changed her mind. She became his number one fan. Then when I started doing magic, she became mine.”
He presses his lips together before pulling out the bunny and hat. “My dad gave me this for my first performance. It was his when he was a little kid.”
I take the worn-out bunny. There are so many memories in this one item, some I’m sure are wonderful and some maybe not so much. Caleb looks as though he’s battling through the harsh ones. I rub his arm, and his eyes meet mine.
“Do you want to show me a trick?” I ask. “I love magic.”
He nods, digging in the box until he pulls out a few costumes, all in various sizes. “Every year until I was ten—before my dad was arrested—he bought me an outfit. This one was my favorite, the one you saw on the video.” He holds the red and black costume in his hand, his eyes dazed as the memories wash over him.
He wraps the black cape around his neck, then gets to his feet, clutching the hat and rabbit. He steps toward the center of the room, raising his hands. “Lady and...well, just lady. It’s the moment you’ve been waiting for. Caleb the Magnificent will now perform magic you’ve never seen before, magic that’ll transport you to a world where anything’s possible.”
I clap my hands, bouncing on the bed. Caleb stares at the rabbit and frowns. “Wow. It’s been so long I forgot how the trick works.” He shuts his eyes, probably once again reliving the past, then opens them. “Okay, got it.” He laughs lightly. “Remember, I haven’t done this in a while, so don’t laugh at how lame I am.”
I wave my hand. “I’m impressed with everything you do.”
He bends forward and tugs me close. Giving me a wide smile that reaches his eyes this time, he brushes his lips across mine. “That’s for good luck,” he says. Then he returns to the center of the room and begins his trick.
It’s so adorable, I slip out my phone and record the entire thing. Caleb laughs when he messes up, gets a bit frustrated, but he’s having a good time and I’m having a wonderful time watching him.
He performs a few more tricks before joining me on the bed and snuggling up close to me. He has something in his hand, the size of a pea.
“This is a tracking device my dad used for his tricks.” He frowns. “Truth is, he was using it to track the people who came to his shows so he could steal from them. He’d scout someone from the audience who he figured was rich, would call him onto the stage as a volunteer and stick this on his shirt. It was connected to his phone or his laptop. He’d track where he lived and send his ‘assistants’ after him. There were many
other ways he stole from people, but this brought in the most money. Dad gave this to me when I was eight. I think he was already planning to teach me his ways. I guess I’m glad it never came to that.” After showing me how it connects to his laptop, he tosses it back into the box. “But let’s forget about him and the terrible things he’s done.”
I scoot closer to him. “Thanks for sharing that part of you with me,” I say. “I know it was hard.” I look into his eyes. “You would have been a great magician. Are you sure you want to give it up?”
He presses his cheek to mine. “I love cooking, but magic is—was—my passion. I don’t know if I can perform knowing what my dad did. He ruined it for me.”
I play with his hair. “It doesn’t have to be that way. If you love it, you should go for it.”
He’s quiet as he mulls it over.
“Whatever you chose to do with your life,” I say, stroking his hair, “you’ll be amazing at it. You have so much passion, Caleb.”
He kisses me sweetly. “Thanks, Lia. I wouldn’t have the strength to touch magic again if not for you. You fill me with so much hope and promise. You make me feel like I’m not my dad’s son. I’m my own person. I can pave my own path.”
“You can. Only you can determine your happiness.” I give him a crooked smile. “How about telling me how those tricks work?”
He zips an invisible zipper across his lips. “A magician never reveals his secrets.”
I playfully slap his chest. “Not even to his girlfriend?”
He chuckles. “How am I going to impress you if you know all my tricks?”
I join in his laughter, leaning my head on his shoulder. We remain like this for a while, none of us talking but knowing we don’t have to. Just sitting here like this, in peace, is enough.
Chapter Thirty
Lia
Zane scowls as I drag him after me. School’s done for the day and I’ve got something special planned for us. Zane must know his way around this town well because he’s already guessed we’re I’m forcing him to.
