If You Come Back

by Alexis Leia

  She absolutely knew and felt how frightened he was for her, and how determined he was to make her safe. And right in that moment, while they were cruising down the avenues of L.A., Selene realized she was completely in love with Chris. He was damaged, a control freak, dominant, pushy, and rude more often than not, but she accepted those flaws because he was also the person who made her tremble with each touch, the person who made her heart race with his passion, the person who made her laugh and feel complete.

  She was scared of her own cognition, but at the same time she was happy, finally knowing that all of it was right. That he was right. And no matter how it ended, she would always carry that feeling in her heart – that she had this wonderful, broken man to herself, that she knew him best, that he had her heart since she was only a teenager, and that he would always have a piece of it.

  Finally at peace with herself, she leaned her head on his chest, enjoying how he embraced her harder and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

  “Are you okay?” he asked her.

  “Yes”, she answered, which was true.

  She was okay. Scared and annoyed for not being able to go home, but definitely okay. She trusted the people in her life to help her solve the unexpected problem. The secret escape wasn’t exactly the way she had wanted to deal with the situation, but she listened to Emmet’s professional advice, along with Chris’s and Annie’s personal concerns. Unfortunately, Selene’s malfortune meant Annie wasn’t safe in the house, either, which was why she had to move to Emmet’s. It would be better to say she decided to move to his place until they caught the offender. Emmet didn’t really have a say in the matter. Selene smiled at stories she was definitely going to hear once she came back.

  The cab drove them to Beachwood Canyon, where it stopped in front of Chris’s mansion. She could only stare in shock as she took in the humongous home. It was a postmodern architectural beauty, with its tall iron gates, incredible gardens that partially hid the mansion, and one-way-glass walls. Chris took her hand and made his way towards a large number of stairs that led to big, white doors. She felt like Rocky climbing those stairs.

  The mansion’s interior was even more impressive; white, brown and black minimalistic furniture, the most modern devices and appliances you could find, a completely glass-covered terrace that had an amazing view of the ocean. But there was something missing, a warmth that a home should have wasn’t present at all. The mansion was a catalogue example, but it almost looked fake in its perfection.

  “What do you think?” Chris asked her, and she noticed he didn’t have that look of pride one owner of a home like this should have. He simply looked disinterested and impassive as he put their suitcases on the floor of the ginormous living room. The flat screen TV on one wall was twice her size, for God’s sake. That shit wasn’t normal.

  “I like it”, she said, not being completely honest.

  “You’re lying”, he saw right through her.

  He took her hand and sat them both on one of the three white couches.

  “Fine. I like it, but I don’t like it for you. It’s too... perfect. And too modern”, she shared her honest opinion.

  She searched his face for a sign of pique or aggravation, but she found none. Moreover, he looked like he shared her opinion.

  “When I bought it, I thought that would finally be the sign that I made it in life. Not a garage full of sports cars, not a bed shared with a supermodel, but this oversized mansion that was going to become my home. I don’t know if it was to prove it to myself or others, that the orphaned child had become someone”, he admitted in one of his rare moments of emotional honesty.

  “Maybe you should get something smaller, you know. I’m sure you’ve gotten lost a few times here”, she said amusedly, attempting to lighten up the atmosphere. She obviously succeeded, because he smiled, his eyes twinkling.

  “C’mon, let me show you our bedroom”, he said and her heart skipped a beat when he referred to it as ‘their’ room.

  It kind of made sense, since she spent every night in his bed in Mountainview, but she didn’t think it would be the same in Los Angeles.

  The bedroom was decorated in the same manner like the rest of the house; white, black, brown. The only noticeable thing was a huge, absolutely huge bed in the middle of the room, with its blue silk sheets.

  “I’d never imagined you sleeping on silk sheets”, she teased him.

  He stood behind her, embracing her waist with his arms and lowering his chin on top of her head.

  “So are you implying you actually imagined me under the sheets?” he teased back while kissing her neck.

  She tilted her head to give him better access.

  “Occasionally”, she admitted, and he gave her a pained groan that just made her smile.

  “Then you should really get under them, to test them, you know”, he said seductively and that was the last thing they spoke for a while.

  A few hours later, they were getting ready for a night out. He promised to take her to Jackson’s tattoo shop, and she couldn’t wait. What he didn’t know was that she was fully planning on getting a tattoo, and she wouldn’t share that tiny detail until they reached the place.

  She was in contact with Emmet and Annie all the time, and they informed her that the calls were untraceable. Well, not exactly, since they discovered they were made from those burner phones you could buy on every corner, but that most definitely didn’t make her feel any better.

  They also spread the word around the town that she had a heavy flu, hoping it would lure the psychopath to try for her house again. The house was under heavy surveillance, cameras placed everywhere, and plainclothes officers making rounds all day. She hoped as hell the asshole would fall into that quickly planned trap and finally reveal themselves.

  She put on a little black dress, matched with black spiked heels and a golden purse, hoping it would drive Chris out of his mind. She let her hair loose and went easy with make-up, the only heavily accentuated part being her lips in wine red.

  She obviously did something right, because when Chris walked inside the bedroom, he froze and stood still like a statue, looking delicious in his black jeans and dark red t-shirt.

  “Do you like what you see?” she asked teasingly and turned around to give him a better look from all sides.

  “I like it so much, I think we should cancel the plans for tonight”, he said and took fast strides toward her, but she held up her hand, stopping him in place.

  “No way, you nympho. We can do it when we get back”, she said and went past him, chuckling at his pained groan.

  Jackson’s shop was just a couple of blocks away from the Fashion District, and they quickly arrived. When they walked in, Jackson greeted her with a huge smile and a tight hug that made Chris frown and slap his best friend on the head.

  “How’s L.A. working for you?” Jackson asked her as he led them in the back room with comfy couches and a mini-bar.

  “It’s a great city, but not really my thing”, she said.

  “It sure takes some time to get used to it.”

  “I hope you’re planning on visiting Mountainview again soon”, she said.

  His face changed a little, becoming more serious.

  “How is Annie?” he asked her.

  Oh, so that was the problem. Annie’s and Jackson’s relationship came to an end when one of them revealed their commitment issues. Surprisingly, the person in question was Annie. Jackson had asked her if she would like to take their relationship to the next level and come to L.A. with him, but she panicked and refused. There had been a lot of fighting going on that ended up with them not talking to each other. Selene was honestly sad to see such an outcome, because she thought Annie and Jackson would end up together. They really seemed to fit so well.

  “Still insane, and currently driving Emmet crazy. She had to move as well, because of what’s happening to me”, Selene explained, not sharing too many personal details. After all, her loyalty was with
Annie, no matter how much she liked Jackson.

  “Jesus. I bet Emmet isn’t too happy about that”, he said, not looking happy himself.

  “He’s stuck now, so complaints are futile. At first she didn’t want to go anywhere, but Emmet was really insistent. Then, seeing as we all have the keys to one another’s houses, Annie simply moved some of her stuff to his place, and waited for him to get home from work. In short, she said he screamed like a girl when he saw her in his living room.”

  Jackson then snorted and shook his head. Looking a bit sad, he quickly changed the subject.

  “Well, if you need any help, you can always call me. So can she. But now, what can I do for you? I could show you around the city, although I’m sure Chris wouldn’t like that”, Jackson changed the topic and winked at her.

  “You’re correct. Selene wanted to see you and your place”, Chris commented.

  “I was actually hoping you could maybe give me a tattoo”, she said, laughing at how Chris choked on his drink.

  “And you mentioned that when exactly?”

  “Oh c’mon, you’ve never done anything impulsive in your life?”

  “Knowing you, this was pre-planned”, he said.

  She remained silent on that one, because he knew her well.

  “Okay, what is it and where do you want it?” Jacks asked with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

  “As I said, it’s a date and I’d like it on my wrist so I can cover it up with a watch or a bracelet when needed. Nothing too big”, she said.

  “Alright. What’s the date? I’ll just go and design it in the back and we can do it immediately”, Jackson said.

  “Two of them, actually. The first one December 11th 2002, the anniversary of my mother’s death, and January 1st, 2009.”

  “Okay, I’ll be right back.”

  Chris stared at her, with a questioning look in his eyes.

  “What does January 1st mean to you?” he asked her, and she was incredibly close to telling him. But this wasn’t the time nor the place for such a grim story.

  “I’ll tell you, but not now”, she promised, fully intending to keep her promise. He had the right to know.

  “Fine, but I won’t forget.”, he warned her.

  “You never do”, she answered with a sigh.

  Jackson soon called her to the tattoo room, and she took her place on the chair, Chris right beside her. Jacks then proceeded to stick a template on her wrist, asking for her opinion. She liked the design of the numbers, very simple and very minimalistic.

  “This might hurt, since the skin on the wrist is pretty tender and thin. But it’s not a big tattoo, so you’ll live”, Jackson warned her and then turned on the lamp, directing the light to her skin. He held her wrist with his glove-covered hand, the needle following the drawn numbers on her wrist.

  Not a half an hour later, the tattoo was finished. It was small, but it was an important symbol for her, so she stared at it with pride. She had survived both of those tragic days, and now she had a constant reminder that she could survive anything, including tattooing. It definitely did hurt, and she’d personally think twice about going again. Although, many who tried it once often went back for more. In any case, she was happy with the artwork.

  “Thank you!” she hugged Jackson who spun her in the air.

  Chris simply chuckled and shook his head.

  “Anytime, Red”, Jacks said. Chris rolled his eyes, pulled her to him, pointing a finger at Jackson.

  “Red to me, Selene to you. End of discussion”, he said, more playful than commanding, making Jacks wink at her.

  “Ignore him, Jacks. Come with us tonight, we’re going for a drink”, she invited him.

  “I’ll actually accept that invitation”, Jacks cheerfully said.

  The three of them made their way to L.A. nightclub district, where Chris and Jackson decided to show her the joys of partying in one of the biggest cities in the world.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  Selene woke up the next morning with a terrible headache; partying and dancing after having head trauma wasn’t the smartest idea. She turned around to see Chris leaned on his elbow, watching her with an amused smile on his face.

  “I didn’t know you liked dancing that much.”

  Since it wasn’t recommendable for her to drink, due to the injury, she had dedicated herself to dancing her heart out on the floor. Looking back, that probably wasn’t recommendable either, for two reasons: headache and public embarrassment. There were a lot of things Selene knew how to do in life, but dancing wasn’t one. It was embarrassing how she couldn’t follow the rhythm, but she couldn’t make herself care when she was having a good time.

  “Ughhh, why did you let me do it? Now you’re gonna dump me, because you have a perfect pitch and good rhythm, and you can probably dance to a washing machine. Two left feet over here, Ledford!”

  He threw his head back and laughed in that mesmerizing way of his.

  “I definitely won’t dump you for that. Now I actually feel sorry for not taking a video of you. I think it’d make Annie and Emmet’s day.”

  “Ohhh, now you three are friends?”

  “Not exactly, but we’ve warmed up to one another. I can’t resent a guy who’s ferociously looking for a criminal that dared touch his best friend, and I definitely can’t hate a woman who’s threatened my manhood in incredibly creative ways.”

  Selene smiled, knowing exactly what he meant. She did have epic friends. “I’m glad you like them. And how are they treating you?”

  “Like a necessary evil, although I think Emmet likes me better than Annie does.”

  She snorted at that. “Well, I guess your testosterones are compatible.”

  Then she remembered Jackson and the unexpected turn of events. “Wait, didn’t Jacks compete with some guy in the amount of beers they could drink?”

  “Yup. They both got shitfaced. They lost count about the same time when you were on your 74th twirl of the night”, he laughed at her. Selene simply poked his rib, which earned her a hiss between the laughs.

  “You know, I actually couldn’t remember why I stopped going out, but now I do. I’m too old for this shit”, she said, making him laugh loudly again, which absolutely did nothing to ease the drumming inside her head. She sprawled on her back and placed a hand on her forehead.

  “Oh shit, you’re in pain. Are you dizzy? Any evident signs of concussion?” Chris was now in full caretaker mode.

  “I’m good, Ledford. The pain was to be expected. I’ll take a few Advils when I get up. But please, make yourself useful and go make me some coffee while I take a shower”, she said and slowly stood up, making sure the floor didn’t shift.

  “Shout if you need anything. I’ll be listening”, he said.

  Turns out, the shower really did help in making her feel better, and she went down dressed in sweatpants and a tank top, feeling much more like herself, especially when Chris shoved a large cup of coffee in her hand when she joined him on the couch.

  “Bless you, Christopher”, she said and sighed happily after taking her much-needed sip.

  “What do you want to do today?” he asked her and sprawled on the couch, his head in her lap.

  She subconsciously ran her hand through his hair, loving the soft, black strands.

  “It’s Thanksgiving.”

  “I know. Do you want to go out for dinner?” he asked.

  “I’d actually like to stay here and cook. Are you okay with that?”

  “Absolutely. We can do whatever you want, whenever you want. I remember your love for holidays, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas. So, whatever you want to do, I’m all in”, he said, reminding her of the old days. How could she not love him?

  So, they spent the entire day cooking and baking. Well, she was cooking and baking, and he was the vegetable cutter. At first, she didn’t believe him when he said he couldn’t cook absolutely anything, so she forced him to try and make a simple omelet. When she tasted what he ha
d made, she had to spit the food in the sink and cough for a solid minute.

  His only answer was: ‘‘Told you so’’. How could a person destroy even the simplest of meals? But she forgave him for his inability to cook, since he was a great little helper in the kitchen. He asked her if he was going to get a prize for being decent with cutlery, and she promised to eat the dessert off his body later, which almost resulted in her being fucked right there in the kitchen. She stopped him before it got too serious.

  As much as she loved a good quickie in the kitchen, she didn’t want the dinner to burn after preparing it with so much care. In the end, she made a classic roast turkey with honey, green beans, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and cute little spring rolls. How he got the ingredients so quickly remained a mystery to her, although he did make a few phone calls when she listed the necessary items. She somehow always forgot he was influential enough to get a fresh turkey on freaking Thanksgiving.

  Just when they were about to sit and eat the delicious food, the doorbell rang. They both stood up, curious to see who was interrupting them, but when Chris opened the door and saw Mona standing outside, their moods immediately plummeted.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked her, sounding seriously pissed off.

  Selene saw bright flashes following Mona, and she knew there was a horde of paparazzi outside. After finding out some crucial information about the prize-winning singer, Selene wouldn’t be surprised if she was the one who called paparazzi in first place.

  “I came here to talk to you about your duties as the father of our baby”, she said and walked inside like she owned the place.

  However, her slender legs came to a halt when she saw Selene standing in the living room. Selene greeted her with a cold smile, noticing how Mona looked extremely prepared and ready to pull off whatever bullshit she had in mind.