by S. Nelson
“Do you think he’s upset you told him?” Owen asked.
“He didn’t sound thrilled with the late-night phone call, and he probably didn’t want to hear it, but I’m sure he’s not shocked by the news.” My brother sat across from me, some home improvement show playing in the background while we talked about what happened the previous night.
There was no way I was going to stand by and be a voyeur while his daughter’s actions put everyone at risk. She may have seen it as her personal business, but when she interacted with that shady motherfucker, she invited my input. Anyone who would give her coke was not to be trusted in my book. Sure, maybe my experience with our sister had tainted me, but all thoughts of Julia fell to the wayside as I tried to rationalize my actions.
I didn’t tell Walter everything, though, leaving out the specifics, but I hinted around enough that he knew she was doing more than drinking. I’d made the suggestion he restrict both of his daughter’s social interactions, code for dating, until the mysterious threat was abolished once and for all. Then they could go back to their lives, but not until then. If he happened to fire me, then how they chose to live their lives wouldn’t concern me. I wouldn’t lose sleep over it.
As I brought my drink to my lips, the French doors to the guest house crashed open. Startled, splashes of water hit my jeans and parts of the cushion underneath me.
“Fuck.” I wiped away the droplets from my lap before glancing up at the person filling the doorway. Cara looked like some sort of wild woman. Sections of her hair had fallen loose from the high bun she shoved her tendrils into, her shirt lopsided like she’d been tugging on it. Her face was flush and flushing redder the longer she locked me in the depths of her icy stare.
It was an odd thought, but her anger intrigued me. Not that I hadn’t been on the opposite side of her fury before, because I had, but there was something about the way she squinted her eyes and clenched her delicate hands into fists that made me smile. Internally, of course. Otherwise, I’d have no doubt she’d pick up the first thing she could and hurl it at my head. And there was a heavy lamp sitting on the table to her left.
I knew why she stood in front of us, working hard to control her breathing. All I needed was for her to start talking.
“What did you tell my father?” she shouted, stepping inside without an invite. I supposed she didn’t need one. In the span of two seconds, Owen shifted in his seat, made eye contact with me, then rose from the sofa.
“I’ll be upstairs.” Wuss. The bastard left me alone with the raging woman. But because he hadn’t been the one to inform her father about her “activities,” part of me didn’t blame him for dodging the eye of the impending storm.
“Relax. I didn’t give him specifics.” I stood and walked past her toward the kitchen. She followed behind me, almost bumping into me when I turned around too quickly.
“Relax? Are you serious?” She pushed back a tendril of hair that had fallen over her eye. “You told him enough, which by the way, wasn’t your place.” I swore her cheeks were more flushed than a moment ago. “He told Emily and me we couldn’t date anyone until he finds out where the threats are coming from.” I must’ve given her a look because her chest expanded, and her lips parted wide. “It was you,” she accused.
“What was me?” I played stupid.
“You were the one who suggested we not date anyone.” It wasn’t a question. Her eyes tapered into thinner slits. “Don’t bother denying it.”
I found it pointless to lie, so I didn’t. “I’m only trying to do my job.” Leaning back against the counter, I shoved my hands into my pants pockets, releasing a deep breath because I was bored with the back and forth. What was done was done, and Walter had proven to be a smart man. A concerned father who’d made the right decision when he implemented my suggestion. “I also advised him that it was in your best interest to cancel your trip to California, but he said he didn’t want to do that. Not yet, at least.”
“How do you know about our trip?”
“It’s my responsibility to know everything concerning you.”
Her frustration barreled off her while she tried to hold steadfast onto whatever reserve she still had left. She took to pacing in front of me. To see her disoriented was new. Cara was someone who seemed sure of herself, even though I suspected some of her bravado was false. She put up a good front, though.
Tense silence passed between us.
“Are you done?”
Her steps froze while her head snapped in my direction and her eyes widened.
“You were hired to do a job. That’s it. Watch me from afar.” She barely took a breath. “Make sure no one kidnaps me.” She looked at me with such intensity, if I were a lesser man, I would’ve been quaking in my shoes. “Keep your distance and your nose out of my business.”
She turned on her heel and stormed out, complaining the entire time.
As I watched her walk away, I couldn’t help but think that while I wanted to throttle her during her rant, the image of kissing her seemed more appealing. That it might’ve been a quicker way to shut her up.
* * *
Cara
Utter confusion engulfed me. I couldn’t narrow down any of my emotions because they were all over the place. I was embarrassed and upset my parents found out about the previous night, even though Ford said he didn’t spill the specific details. But my dad knew. He knew that I wasn’t just drinking, and while I stood by my decision to live my life the way I wanted to, I couldn’t help the pang of guilt that ate me up inside when I looked into my parents’ eyes. Disappointment. Worry. Maybe even a touch of fear.
While I should at least consider their concerns, I wasn’t about to give in when threatened. And that was exactly what my dad had done. Threatened me and my lifestyle. It was because of him that I’d grown accustomed to a certain standard of living. So to threaten to rip all of that away unless I conceded to his sudden demands was ludicrous.
I could admit that I’d been sheltered most of my childhood, parts of my adulthood mixing into that sentiment in the ways that I wasn’t subjected to hardships. But there was a part of my past that had changed me, shaped the person I grew up to be. Not wanting to dwell on something I couldn’t change, however, I focused on the task at hand, which was to get as far away from my house as possible.
When I was in the guest house confronting Ford about what he’d done, I spotted the keys to my Porsche on the table near the door, the same keys I swiped when I’d stormed out.
A small window of opportunity presented itself. I knew it was only a matter of time before Ford realized the keys were missing, so I rushed into the house, ran up the stairs and down the hall toward my bedroom. I passed Emily’s closed door and couldn’t help but think how deeply her betrayal had cut.
Siding with my parents? How could she? I realized we weren’t as close as we’d once been, but life had gotten in the way. We’d taken up different interests, me with partying and living to have fun, and she with all her do-good deeds. We’d drifted away from each other, but I never would’ve chosen to go against her. I would’ve had her back, no matter what.
Once I’d quickly changed my outfit, I fired off a quick text to Kurt and told him I was on my way over. After he replied with a simple OK, I grabbed my purse and tossed my cell on the bed.
Adrenaline pumped through my veins, my heart beating hard against my chest as I barreled down the steps and out the front door, heading straight for the SUV. Still no sign of Ford or anyone else, for that matter.
I barely locked my seat belt into place before I sped down the curved driveway. The tires hadn’t squealed, but I was sure someone heard the engine turn over, and although there was no way for anyone to get in touch with me, I had no doubt a certain someone was going to be scrambling to try and figure out where I’d gone.
Even if Emily offered up information as to where she thought I might’ve gone, she didn’t know where Kurt lived. He’d recently moved into his own place, and not many people had the addr
ess. Under normal circumstances, I would’ve gone to see Naomi, but my sister knew where she lived.
I’d bought myself a few hours of solace, time enough to try and figure out how to handle the situation with my dad.
In no time at all, I turned left off the main road and started up the long driveway to Kurt’s house. Nothing but trees shaded both sides of the graveled pathway, the illusion of privacy fleeting beyond the millions of leaves shielding his property.
The farther I traveled up his driveway, the more it dawned on me that all Emily would have to do was get in touch with my best friend, seeing as how Kurt was her cousin. Chances were good he’d given her his address.
Okay, so maybe my plan of escape wasn’t perfect, but it would still buy me some time away.
As I drew closer, the trees subsided, and I was presented with wide open space, the gravel kicking up beneath my tires as I drove toward the front of his house. Kurt stood in his doorway, his hair slicked back from an apparent shower and his robe in danger of popping open any second. Good thing he didn’t have any close neighbors to speak of.
After throwing the vehicle in park, I shut off the engine and took several seconds to try and calm my heart. The entire ride over I thought about nothing other than how upset my family would be at me for taking off or how pissed Ford would be that he’d have to chase me. And although the latter thought should’ve amused me more, I had a split second of regret for my actions.
I truly didn’t feel I was in any danger. Celebrities received hundreds, if not thousands, of threats a year, and nothing ever happened. Much like the threats we’d received in the past. No follow through.
My behavior could be miscued for immaturity, but I was rebellious by nature. Impetuous. Mix in hotheaded and it wasn’t a recipe for any kind of rationality.
“Hey, babe,” Kurt greeted, taking me into his arms as soon as I’d approached. “I meant to call you about last night, but I didn’t know what to say. I think I’m still trying to process why those assholes got involved.” He ushered me inside and guided me toward the living room.
I’d mentioned that my dad had hired security to watch over me and Emily but never got into any details with him. I’d told Naomi, but if she relayed that to him, he never disclosed.
Kurt’s house was quaint. Not as big as ours, but spacious enough he had room for everything he needed and then some. He’d never given me an official tour of the place and I didn’t ask for one. I couldn’t care less about the newest surround-sound system he’d had installed or the eighty-five-inch 4k 3D flat-screen hanging on the wall. I had even less interest in the hot tub that was delivered last week or the four-person shower he’d often boasted about. All my concerns zeroed in on whether he could make me forget about my life for a couple hours. Sex or drugs would do the trick. Maybe both.
“I’m sorry about all that.” I walked ahead of him and sat in the oversized chair in the middle of the room, tucking my legs underneath me and nestling in to get comfy. I wanted to elaborate but couldn’t think of anything else to say. Truth was, I didn’t want to rehash last night. All I wanted to do was forget.
As if reading my mind, Kurt poured something out on to the table in front of me. When he moved to the side, I saw a small mound of coke. While he busied himself cutting up the powder into thin lines, I couldn’t help but replay my parents’ words in my head. ‘You’re not just having a good time. Why are you so hellbent on destroying your life?’ They’d both forgotten what it was like to be young and have your whole life ahead of you. To live free and to soak up each opportunity and just have fun. My internal debate zinged back and forth as I accepted the rolled-up twenty and crouched over the substance that would take me out of my own head for a while.
After I inhaled the first line, I barely took a breath before the second one vanished. My face went numb soon afterward.
One breath.
Two.
Three.
Then another.
A hundred more breaths passed through my lungs before the blissful euphoria coursed through me, and with it came a surge of energy, a plethora of words falling from my lips before my brain could filter any of them.
“I hope you’re not upset about what happened last night.” Apparently, I’m going to rehash last night after all. “I can’t control what he does or what his brother does, for that matter. I wasn’t even asked before my dad hired them. But why would he be concerned about how I’d feel? It’s not like he ripped away my privacy or anything.” I briefly made eye contact with Kurt only to see that he was listening attentively. I pointed toward the rest of the white powder. “Aren’t you going to have some?”
“I had some right before you got here.” He moved closer. “But don’t worry, I have more if you want.”
I moved to lean my head against the back of the chair, continuing to babble on about last night and how we were having such a good time before the shit hit the fan, when Kurt pressed his lips to my neck, his tongue flicking out to taste my skin. I didn’t have a problem fucking him. I rather enjoyed it, but I wanted to relish in my bliss for an uninterrupted moment.
He lifted the hem of my shirt, and before I could open my mouth to tell him to wait, his fingers squeezed my nipple. Hard.
“Ow.” I clutched his hand to my chest so he couldn’t do that again. “Not yet,” I warned, releasing him and shoving him back so I could stand. But he wasn’t having any of it.
“Why?” He rested his hands on my waist, anchoring me to my seat. I wasn’t afraid of Kurt, so I wasn’t alarmed when he refused to back away. “I thought you liked it rough.” He flashed a smile.
“Just not right now. All right?” I waited for him to release me, which he did, but only after studying me for what seemed like forever. The way his eyes searched my face made me think he was going to say something deep or ask how I was or what I was thinking about since I’d texted him out of the blue and showed up at his house soon after. But nothing of the sort happened.
“Fine.” He backed up. “Do you want some more?”
I shook my head. While my endorphins were on overdrive, all I wanted to do was continue talking and try and burn off some of my heightened energy, but I never got the chance.
The front door to Kurt’s house burst open, the sound alone making me jump up from my chair and run toward the noise. The opposite of what any other rational human being would probably do. Apparently, I’m invincible.
* * *
Ford
The saying “fit to be tied” described precisely what I’d been feeling as soon as I realized Cara had stolen her keys and took off. And even though she’d left her phone behind I’d still been able to find her. We’d installed trackers on the vehicles, a detail we didn’t tell Emily or Cara. Either way, she wasn’t gonna get far from the house before I started out after her.
I knew whose house it was I pulled up in front of as soon as I saw the black Mercedes sedan out front. I walked around the back to look at the license plate, just to be sure. What she saw in that guy I’d never know. That was a bit of a lie. Cara was pissed her father laid down the law, and that I’d been the one to tip him off to her behavior. No doubt she wanted to rebel as much as possible, and I had an inkling she’d come to see this douchebag not only because he was now forbidden, but to take him up on his offer from last night. The offer I’d thrown behind the bar before she could partake.
I moved through the foyer of the house with speed and accuracy, sidestepping Cara when she approached, ignoring her screams, berating me for busting in, and headed straight for Kurt. I was silent the entire time, my shades in place to shield my eyes and the threat laced behind them.
“What the fuck, man?” Kurt bellowed, backing up repeatedly until his back hit the wall. I followed his line of sight when he glanced over at the table. Lines of coke. A rolled-up bill laying next to them. Smudges of the substance, indicating someone had indulged. As I crushed the short distance remaining between us, I saw that he’d certainly used that shit. But ha
d she?
In hindsight, I should’ve ignored him, focusing on retrieving Cara and nothing else. But something inside me wanted to make Kurt pay, the need to protect Cara from the likes of him overwhelming me. I couldn’t make sense of it, and I didn’t have the time to try and understand my irrational thoughts, so I acted instead.
Gripping Kurt by his robe, I slammed him against the wall he’d just been pinned to.
“I thought I already warned you to stay away from her.” The growl in my voice made me uneasy. I could only imagine what it did to him. The guy was simple to read. With widened eyes, his dilated pupils focused on me, but it was the slight tremble in his chin that told me he was petrified. I towered over him and outweighed him by at least forty pounds. Even though he was scared and unsure of what else I was going to do, he looked over at Cara, who was still yelling behind me, and attempted to put on a front.
“You need to let go of me right now,” he threatened, his false bravado starting to waver when I tightened my grip.
“Or what?”
He never answered, instead taking a breath and narrowing his smarmy, coked-out fucking eyes. It took most of my restraint not to pluck them out of his head. “Who do you think you are? Busting into my house and threatening me?” He shouted the last word. “Cara’s not yours. She’s mine. And you can’t keep me away from her.”
Cara had ceased screaming, and for as much as I wanted to turn around and see if she was still there, I knew the cause of her sudden silence was the declaration this asshat just made. Laying claim to her like she was a piece of property. And from the likes of him? I found it disgusting and not even in the realm of okay in my book.
Deciding enough was enough, and realizing I had to have a little talk with Miss Dessoye, sooner rather than later, I pulled Kurt close, only to slam him back against the wall. I smiled when I heard the breath leave his lungs.
“I won’t tell you again. And if you choose to ignore me, I’ll let your father in on your little secret.” I took out my phone and snapped a picture of the coke on the table. Then one of him. “He thinks you’re clean and sober. What do you think he’ll do if he finds out you’re not?” I never gave him time to answer. “He’ll follow through with cutting you off, and this time for good.”
