by Eden Fortae
“Give me a reason, Mutt. Give me a reason to put you down.”
Kash advanced again and only stopped when Donny raised his arm to hold him back.
“Donny, Kash, take Dumbass outside and stay close.” Even as the other men exchanged insults, Antonio’s eyes never left the one demanding his time. The sudden and unexpected visit didn’t go over with him very well and wasn’t at all appreciated.
“You sure?”
He nodded curtly, “I got this. Stay close, though. They won’t be here long.”
After some silent encouragement, Dumas exited the trailer with both Kash and Donny following closely. Still tense, but to regain his calm demeanor, Antonio sat back down and reclined his chair. Minutes passed before either man said anything or seemingly moved. Only when Antonio’s phone buzzed on his hip did he look away.
“Forgive me if I seem like I’m trying to rush you out of here, Rich, but the sight of you does not appeal to me, and I have a house to build. What do we need to discuss?”
The Detective took a step back and paced the length of the desk. “I saw my daughter on the TV. As beautiful as she was, the dazed look in her eyes as she ran from cameras is what caught my attention. That and the way she laid against the chest of a lying bastard.” Concluding, the ripped cover of a tabloid was slammed down in front of him. On it, a picture he had already seen, but couldn’t stop staring.
It was a clear shot of him looking down at her with concern, her face contorted with confusion. Perfectly arched brows were lowered over light brown eyes, making them look oddly alluring against her caramel skin. She was staring straight ahead, but as if she didn't see anything at all. Her full lips parted with a frown and her nose harbored a wrinkle above it, indicative of the situation they faced.
He was angry then. Angry until Kya was in his lap on the couch, laughing at reruns of Martin like it was the funniest thing in the world. Quickly he found that he loved the sound. Could and would devote time to hear the giggles that lifted his sour mood. Beautiful didn’t even begin to explain how he saw her that night, or when morning came, and they were still on the couch. Kya sleeping soundly, snuggled against him.
“She did look beautiful that night.” The comment was thrust forward like a double-edged sword. Meant to express his true thoughts but piss her father off at the same time. “I’m sure you didn’t come here to talk about Kya’s looks that she obviously must have gotten from your late wife, so what do you want, Rich?”
“I want you to stay the fuck away from my daughter.”
“No,” Antonio replied without a beat, breath, or hesitation. In the week since their date, he’d picked her up from work, treated her to dinner, and enjoyed lengthy phone calls in which they used to get to know one another and all without anything close to sex.
Leaving her alone wasn’t as simple as walking away. Not anymore. Her feminine touch, sweet voice, and softness were things Antonio hadn’t realized he was missing until it was there. All things he wanted more of, but only if she were involved.
While he still stood by his decision not to bring a woman into his shit, he couldn’t let her go. “You might not like the idea of it, but I’m very fond of Kya, and I think it’s safe to say she’s fond of me, too.”
“She doesn’t like you,” a rare smile graced Rich’s lips, “she likes the person you’re pretending to be. The beautiful lie you’ve woven for yourself. If she knew that you pushed poison into the veins of sick people who’ve lost their way, she’d want nothing to do with you.”
“You mean like she wants nothing to do with you?” Tony stood once again with a menacing smile of his own. “You left your baby girl and sick wife alone, and now, she hates you for it. She has formed her own opinion of me, and it’s not what you wanted, so you hate me for it. This dance has got to stop, because, until the day she tells me she never wants to see me again, you’re going to have to deal with more pictures like this one.”
Using the tip of his finger, Antonio shoved the page back across his desk, stepping around it boldly, and walked right by Rich. He held open the door, inviting in the warm breeze and stares from the three men initially ejected from the conversation. He didn’t have to tell the man to leave. The gesture spoke for itself.
“Hear me clearly, you son of a bitch. I wasn’t asking you to stay away from Kya. I’m telling you. Take heed or get taken out.”
Rich left quietly after an intense staring session, but Antonio knew it was far from over. In due time, the man would be back, trying to find another reason to provoke him, but now he knew Kya would never be one of his methods. Antonio was genuine in voicing his like for the man’s daughter. He meant every single word of it but had yet to say those words to everyone in his circle. They wanted answers and wanted to know what was going on. He didn’t know, himself. Had lost sight of what he was doing with Kya and as time passed, he didn’t care.
“Hey, Chica, want a ride home?” Angel hopped up onto the bar, kicking her legs back and forth like a child. So consumed by whatever was on her phone, Kya didn’t seem to hear her or notice the extra presence. “Hola!” She waved her hand, successfully gaining the attention she was seeking. “You can’t ignore me like that, puta! It makes me feel like I could...”
“Blackout and kill something?”
“Exactly! Did you hear what I asked you?”
Kya thumbed over the screen a few more times then slid the device into the back pocket of her jeans. “No, sorry. What did you ask me?” No sooner than the last word left her lips, her phone was buzzing again and back in her hands.
“I said,” Angel threw her hand over the bright light to prevent Kya from looking at the message, “do you want a ride tonight?”
“Thanks, but Tony just said he’s coming. This is probably him texting me that he’s here already.”
Angel let her hand fall, but the displeasure upon her face stayed in place. “You’ve been spending a lot of time with this guy, lately. You think that’s a good idea?”
Kya glanced up from her phone, lowering it when she saw her friend’s face. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
With a shrug of her shoulders, Angel tucked her hair behind her ear, suddenly taking on the image of a shy child. “It’s just; your life is being impacted by who he is. Random people are snapping pictures of you, trying to dig into your background, and discussing who you are on TV. When they finally know your name, and that you’re just a bartender living paycheck to paycheck, you’re going to be subjected to opinions, judgment, and a lot of shit that he probably isn’t even worth.”
Kya’s frown deepened, the phone in her hand forgotten, her feelings teetering on the edge of hurt. “Just a bartender living paycheck to paycheck? Weren’t you the one that said maybe this is life sending me something good or some shit? Why is it an issue all of a sudden?”
“Because he lives a life partially in the spotlight and you don’t know him that well. He could hurt you and that, too, will be on display for the entertainment for the rest of the world. I admit that I was in favor of you taking this chance before, but…” she paused, shaking her head, “you’re my friend, and I don’t want to see you go through anything else that’s not going to be good for you.”
Something about that stuck Kya as odd. Something within her told her there was more to it than that. Before she could address it, Antonio walked into the lounge. His smile, which would usually provoke her own, dissolved seeing the way Angel turned and looked his way. Wordlessly, the two stared at each other, and it didn’t go unnoticed. Neither said a word, but that wasn’t needed. The harsh glares were enough to set the room ablaze.
Saying nothing more, Angel hopped down off the bar and walked away without even sparing Kya a second glance.
“What the hell was that?” Kya asked, moving toward the side of the bar he was standing on. Like the last time the two saw each other, Antonio’s eyes were cold and narrowed in the direction Angel went. Maybe he didn’t hear her question. Perhaps he did and just decided not to speak. Wh
en he looked back at Kya, the smile was long gone and the feeling that something was going on, swelled.
As the cab drove down the quiet residential street, Kya gazed out the window. The sun occasionally hid behind fluffy white clouds, but still, the day was beautiful. Too lovely to be in such a pissy mood. After three days of not hearing from Angel, she took it upon herself to reach out and invite her friend out for girl time. Through text, Angel agreed to meet Kya at the mall, but after an hour of waiting and unanswered calls, she realized she wasn’t coming.
A quick text to Antonio determined that he was home rather than at the office. Telling him, she could use an ear, and a friend turned into plans for a dinner date so she could vent her heart out. Talking about those she loved or considered friends, behind their backs was a never. But with Angel being too upset to hear her out, she had no choice other than turn to him. That bothered her. Not being able to speak freely was like being caged in her mind. Like pacing until it drove her crazy.
Crazy. Funny how one word put Kya back in the mind of Angel. That girl had come into her life just like Antonio when she needed it the most. Her witty personality and friendship helped her get back to life, and she didn’t want to lose that.
Unable to find something else to do until Antonio came to scoop her up, Kya hopped into a cab and had the driver take her through the wealthy part of town. All her life, she’d never known that houses so extravagant existed so close to the city until Antonio showed them to her. Riding by them and imagining it being hers and what they looked like on the inside helped to ease her mind just a little. Helped until they came upon a familiar car parked in the driveway of a familiar house.
“Wait!” Kya called to the driver, jerking forward as he pressed the brake. “You can let me out here.” She looked up at the meter and pulled exact change from her purse. He drove off, and she strolled toward the house, eyeing the cars parked there as she neared them.
That morning, her stomach turned as if something was going to happen. As she neared the door, that feeling was back tenfold. She was going to be sick, her heart threatening to stop and die within her ribs.
The front door opened just as her hand moved to wrap against the thick wood. Antonio stood wide-eyed as Angel moved in behind him. Why was she there? How did she know where he lived? Immediately, Kya thought of the looks they gave each other and Angel’s sudden change in mood, and the ignored calls that morning.
“Kya,” Antonio reached for her, and she pulled back. Looked at his hand and then his face as he stepped out of the door trying to grab hold of her. She fought against him, pushing him each time he tried.
“What? You want to tell me it’s not what it looks like?”
“It’s not.” He kept trying to grab her, but she dodged him.
“I’m not your girlfriend and maybe...maybe I’m not even your equal, Antonio, but still respect me enough to tell me the truth. Tell me why my friend is here, at your house. The same friend that was telling me she didn’t think it was a good idea that I kept seeing you.” Her eyes moved to Angel, now fully in the doorway. “Is this why you were saying all that? You want me to back off so you can have him?” Unwanted tears crept over her lower lashes and rolled down her cheek where Antonio tried to wipe them away.
“Kya, just let—”
“Don’t touch me!” She swung her hand, connecting with his shoulder to push him back with more force than she thought herself capable.
“You’ve got this all wrong.”
“Do I?!” Kya laughed, more tears rushing to the surface. When her mother took her last breath, she never thought there would be something in her life that brought her that amount of pain ever again. Looking between the two, she realized just how wrong she was. The man she felt a deep connection to, actually fell for, and the only real friend she had in a long time. Them, together behind her back felt almost the same. Like a death, she was already mourning.
“Yes, you do.” Angel walked out of the house, meeting them in the driveway, but stopped short of where she and Antonio were. “I’m not fucking him behind your back or anything like that.” Raising her hand, she rested it on his back, “This is my brother.”
TEN
While Kya’s world stood still, life carried on around her. Bees buzzed, birds sang, and somewhere in the distance, a child was having the time of their life. How long she stood there like a woman carved out of stone, her mouth fixed into a frown, her eyes displaying her confusion, she didn’t know. She’d heard the words so clearly but was having the hardest time processing them.
“Brother. He is your…,” she turned her attention back to Antonio, shaking her head in disbelief, “You’re her brother?” The repeated question sounded idiotic. In truth, she didn’t want either to confirm it but needed to hear that admission from her own mouth to make it real.
“Come inside, Kya. If you won’t let him tell you what’s going on then at least let me.” Angel’s tone had changed since she first appeared in the doorway. Then, she seemed frustrated and almost angry. Now, it was as if she were saddened, disappointed, or maybe relieved?
Still, Kya made no move toward the house. Her feet were like cement rooted to the ground. The pain she felt thinking of this as a different kind of betrayal hadn’t ceased, but instead, increased tremendously.
So engrossed in her feelings and the truth staring her dead in the face, she had no time to prepare for the hand coming toward her face. At the last second, Kya zoned back into her surroundings just in time to block his attempt to caress her cheek and sidestep him.
Following Angel into the house only further confirmed the truth. She moved with knowing steps, through the foyer, down the hall, and into the comfortable space that held a pleasant memory before this moment. Antonio’s adoration for his only nephew and extreme love for the women in his life were discovered in that room. One sister, which was currently standing to the left of her brother as he perched himself on the arm of the chair opposite Kya.
In her lap, she thumbed the strap of her purse. If one or both of them didn’t start taking now, she was going to snap.
"Where do we start?” Angel huffed, shoving a hand through long dark hair that resembled Antonio’s in every way but length.
“Hmm.” Kya faked a thoughtful expression. “Maybe with the truth? Oh! I know! How about what the fuck is going on. Does this all have to do with my father?”
The siblings shared a look. Expressed the same emotion without uttering a single word. What the hell were they doing? Some secret eye movements to plot how they were going to get out of this? How to deceive her more? No matter how crazy that might sound, Kya wasn’t keen on rational thinking. Not right now. Not with them.
When it seemed that neither of them was going to speak, Kya pushed off of the chair. To hell with an explanation. She’d leave this place, erase them from her mind, and move on.
Angel threw her hand up defensively, taking a step as if she were planning to stand within Kya’s direct path.
“Yes. Yes, Kya, it does. After my father went to prison, Rich was constantly harassing us. If it wasn’t my mother facing his accusations, it was my brother. He’d already taken my father and seemed intent on taking Tony, too.” She seemed as if she were trying to stifle a sob by laughing, but it was obvious that she found nothing amusing. “We heard our mother cry every night for my father. They had never been apart since meeting as kids, and suddenly, they were separated with the possibility of never touching each other ever again. If―if we’d lost my brother, too―”
“I asked her to befriend you.” He cut her short of a rather emotional and heartbreaking rant in saying that. Then without hesitation, pulled her close to him where he held her like a protective big brother. Kya could see it in the way he rubbed her back that it was his way of reassuring her. “I told you that I realized the best way to get to your father was through you. To do that, I needed someone to get close to you. My sister is around your age, and I couldn’t think of a better person.”
; Immediately, it dawned on her that she’d met Angel at work. The livewire that welcomed her like no other was already an employee at the club before she was approached on the street and…
“Jermaine offering me a job wasn’t random, was it?”
Antonio breathed heavily through his nose, looking down at his feet as if he were ashamed before he answered.
“No. When I told you that he and I were friends, that was the truth. I watched you struggle to pay for everything after your mother’s death, so I asked him to give you that job. In return, I’d remodel the place free of charge.”
“Watched me? For how long?”
Again, he looked down, but this time they regained eye contact as he spoke.
“Almost a year. Everything that has happened to you, Kya, since that day at the cemetery, was my doing. I planned every encounter, put people in your direct path, and did just about everything intentionally to get what I was after. At the time, it was revenge.”
“So what is it, now?” She retorted so quickly she hadn’t even had time to ponder if she wanted to know or not. At the moment, she couldn’t see the truth setting anyone free. It was hurting her like a knife being shoved into her heart very slowly. Like someone peeling her skin away with a dull instrument. It was through the grace of some higher being that she wasn’t in tears, because that was what she truly wanted to do. Throw her hands over her face and bawl like a teenage girl hurt by her crush. She didn’t love Antonio. At least, she didn’t think what she felt was love. It was far too soon for that, but there was no other way to explain why she felt her heart slowing and threaten to fall to her feet.
By this point, Angel regained her composure and had taken a seat next to her brother.
“I don’t know, Kya. I don’t know what changed, when, or why it did, but I know that this stopped being about Rich a long time ago.”