by Celia Crown
“What are you doing on the floor anyway?” she asks.
I want to warn her about him. She has the right to know that a man broke in, indirectly threatened her, and made himself at home here.
But telling her would mean that history will repeat itself.
Remo won’t hurt me, but he will go after everyone important to me.
I like Audrey. She’s the only friend I’ve made since moving to this island. If it weren’t for her kindness and patience, I don’t know what would’ve happened to me when I was at my lowest point.
I have never mentioned anything about my old life; all she knows is that I moved here for the heavenly weather and glorious beaches.
It’s for the best.
“Come on.” Audrey extends a hand. “You’re dirtying the floor.”
Her playful jab snaps me out of my stupor. I slide my hand into hers as she pulls me up, the plates of food catching my attention.
The corner of my lips twitches into a crooked smirk. “I’m cleaner than the high priestess’ holy water.”
Audrey snorts and cocks her head to the table. “Are we going into a food coma?”
Anything to help me sleep tonight. Remo’s shocking appearance has me reeling, but the full ramifications haven’t truly hit me yet.
“We can’t let the food go to waste,” I say blankly.
Part of me knows the food Remo left hasn’t been poisoned because he’s never harmed me before. But part of me hopes it’ll put me in the hospital.
Anything to get away from him, I think, paranoia settling in the pit of my stomach.
Chapter Two
Remo
“Are you enjoying your vacation?”
I spare an apathetic glance for the shivering woman. Her shoulders are hunched over as she kneels on bruised knees, tears running down her cut cheeks, and disheveled hair caked with dirt.
“Please!” the woman, Danielle Fulton, begs in desperation. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”
Her voice climbs higher until it cracks with a gut-wrenching sob. She’s ruining the beautiful sunrise with her banshee screams and disgusting snot oozing from her reddened nose.
“I—” she screams, startling the birds above us. “I have a family! Grandchildren and—”
“Then, you have had a fulfilling life,” I note with a nod.
I’ll never forget her: Danielle Fulton, the worst creature in the entire world. She was the driving force who separated me from my pretty girl. This piece of trash hid my darling and made her very frightened of me.
My little Jenny, so scared and naïve, believed that this woman and the troublesome detective would protect her. Danielle Fulton got on the witness stand, lied through her teeth about what she saw that night, and gave an Oscar-winning performance about the trauma I caused.
The imbecilic judge believed her. Danielle received a new identity and relocation for her bravery.
Then, there was that detective. He thought he could play knight in shining armor with my pretty girl and hoped for a fraction of her attention.
He accused me of being a danger to society. He is lucky that Jenny wasn’t present to hear the atrocious claims that would taint her view of me. They didn’t want to expose her to the “trauma” of being a witness again. For her sake, I allowed her absence despite wanting to see her pretty face.
Jenny is enticing when she cries; I’d like to see her do it again.
Reminiscing about the past is useless now that I have her back again. It’ll take a bit of rough guidance, but she’ll remember how well I treated her before things went to hell. We were going steady, too; I was about to meet her mother and make an excellent first impression.
“It’s all your fault,” I hiss through clenched teeth.
I slam the rusty shovel into the back of her head. She topples into the hole and groans in pain, the dust cloud settling over her shaking body.
“We should have been married by now.” I dig the shovel into the dirt roughly, swinging it into the hole that I generously let her run around all night to find her final resting place.
I’m demanding, selfish, and volatile. But not with my pretty girl; I’m a different man for her.
I fell in love through tragedy’s touch. The black floor broke with radial impact, mirroring untrusting cerulean eyes through the splintered glass. Terrified, I had taken a step back, hysterically retreating to the hostile place where I would always have control. I was safe, quickly rebuilding the walls of malicious protection with violence and blood. Then, a meteor breach, forcing black planets to orbit elliptically on red-lined strings of fate.
When I look at her, I only see the shooting star. I don’t want to save her; I want her to fall in love with the same intensity.
Nice, I vaguely recall telling myself. Be nice. Don’t scare her away.
Tie her down, strip her of the freedom she loves—that’s what the selfish part of me wants. It’s healthy to be selfish but not overly greedy. I only hope my little Jenny will be patient with me.
I’m learning as I go; mistakes are bound to happen, so I want her to forgive me when I hurt her.
As I cover the screaming woman’s head with dirt, I wonder if my pretty girl looks like me when she smiles. People often start to resemble their loved ones.
I stomp on the compacted dirt, using my weight to flatten it.
This is enough kindness for one day. I’m not capable of being nice to anyone other than Jenny. This buried woman should be grateful that I am allowing her to finish her prayers while she asphyxiates.
It’s almost time for Jenny to wake up and go to work. I want to walk her there and kiss her goodbye with a promise to eat lunch together.
I grip the shovel’s handle, splinters digging into my skin as I stalk back to civilization. The massive trees are too dense for sunlight to get through, resulting in this forest’s infamous parasite-infested atmosphere.
“Did you really ship that hag here just to bury her, boss?”
I raise my eyes to the man leaning against the car as he takes a drag of his cigarette.
He raises his hands, surrendering playfully. “Hey, it’s cool if I’m not next.”
I trust this man as far as I can throw him. His loyalty goes where the money flows, and that’s with me. While I don’t trust him, I know he won’t try to anger me because every human’s endgame is survival.
I will kill him as well when the time is right.
“I was going to declare you missing,” he jests, cackling at his own joke. “You were gone the whole night. Maybe I should’ve driven off and let you walk back.”
My grip on the shovel tightens before I toss it to him. He catches it, the cigarette falling from his agape mouth.
“I’m still here, though,” defending himself with wide eyes. “I’m your friend, so I get special treatment.”
“You are nothing,” I correct as I march towards him.
“Harsh,” he says, turning his back slightly.
He reaches up, scratching his neck to relieve the itching caused by his new tattoo. The jackal inked within the inflamed skin was a deliberate placement. He wants people who walk behind him to see the notorious symbol of carnage.
I slam the door shut and start the car, ignoring his shouts as I speed away and see him in the rearview mirror throwing the shovel on the ground.
He has legs; walking shouldn’t be a problem for a man with the physique he brags about.
I manage to beat the morning rush hour while driving across the island. Jenny’s home is in a popular tourist area, so I’m not shocked to see drunks passed out on some of the lawns and balconies. I’m not happy with the amount of foot traffic here; someone could hurt her and disappear into the sea of foreigners.
Abandoning the parked car, I reach her door quickly and knock twice. There is an immediate stumble, then comes a yelp from behind the door. Scowling at the sound, I swiftly put a dull smile on my face.
I know my pretty girl’s voice, and that noise was not the sweet s
ound I love.
“Uh,” the woman mumbles, blinking at the glaring sun behind me. “Yeah?”
“Jenny,” I say.
She squints cautiously, eyeing my attire and tense body. Her nose scrunches up as she mumbles about stubbed toes under her breath.
“Come in,” she offers, tilting her head towards the entrance.
I follow her and stop by the shoe organizer, considering whether I’ll need to chase Jenny down when she sees me. She’s prone to panic, and I prefer not to cut my feet on broken beer bottles.
“She’s in the bathroom fighting with that rat’s nest on her head,” she says and adds, “The name’s Audrey.”
I nod, indicating I heard her but have no intention of giving my name. She glances over her shoulder and shrugs nonchalantly.
“You can sit if you want,” she mutters, pointing at the couch with a single brown sock on the cushion.
I take off my shoes and follow the woman to the kitchen. I shake my head before she can offer me any of the coffee she is making.
“So,” she begins awkwardly with a steaming cup between her hands. “One-night stand?”
I’ve gotten much better at smothering my temper before it explodes. I can’t be angry about her assumption; Jenny is a beautiful young woman, and intoxicated shirtless men are constantly in this area.
What I do have a problem with is how she thinks my pretty girl would risk her health.
We have been in a serious long-distance relationship, and Jenny is still very committed to me. I felt her pulse skip when I touched her that night. Jenny misses me, or her little body wouldn’t be so sensitive to my touch.
“Boyfriend,” I correct, more harshly than I intended.
She hums quietly, sipping on the sweetened coffee. I can smell the cinnamon caramel creamer from here.
“She has never mentioned you,” Audrey says slowly. “I didn’t even think she was interested in men. Hell, I thought she was asexual. Nothing wrong with that, but this is an island paradise.”
The locals fear the island has a bad reputation due to the constant stream of college students visiting. Everyone else thinks this is one of the best vacation spots in the world.
“You wouldn’t believe how many relationships form and then break up within one hour,” Audrey muses to herself.
She raises a brow at me, hiding a smirk behind the mug. “You and our residential hermit? What’s the story?”
Audrey says it loud enough to let Jenny overhear her. If so, I won’t need to repeat myself.
“I’m only here to walk her to work.”
Audrey catches on and laughs. “I know that tone. Trouble in paradise? I’ve been told I’m a good listener about relationship problems.”
There isn’t any reason to hide what I did wrong. I can admit my mistakes, and Audrey might have some insight into getting Jenny to forgive me.
“She’s angry with me,” I reckon impassively. “I did something she didn’t like, and she’s been reluctant to forgive me.”
“What did you do?”
“I frightened her,” I say as I glance down the hall, eyeing the shadow moving under the bathroom door.
“Huh,” she mumbles sympathetically. “She doesn’t seem to scare easily. We haven’t been living together that long, but I get the feeling she’s a tough cookie.”
I keep an eye on the door down the hall. “How long has she lived with you?”
“You don’t know? I thought you were her boyfriend.”
I find no humor in the situation. “I am, but I haven’t spoken to Jenny in some time.”
Audrey scratches her head, brows furrowing before she inquires, “How long?”
“Three years. Nearing four, I suppose.”
She chokes on her coffee, and a flash of satisfaction overcomes me.
“Did you mess up that badly?” Audrey bemoans. “That’s… are you two even dating anymore?”
I utter carefully, “She’s always been a stubborn girl.”
“Let me guess, you need my help winning her back?”
No, I’m capable of putting my darling in her place.
I know what works best with her, and winning her back should be easy enough. I want her cheeks to flush when she nods her little head, forgiving me for being such an animal that night.
Audrey takes my silence as agreement. “You could buy her diamonds. Girls love bling, and you have to make it big too. The bigger it is, the deeper your love.”
Jenny’s wedding ring will be custom-made and expensive. My pretty girl deserves the best if I can’t give her the world. But I’ll give her the next best thing, me.
“She doesn’t like special treatment,” I say.
“I wouldn’t call the way you show your love ‘special treatment,’ but we’ll agree to disagree. What about a—”
The bathroom door opens, Jenny’s voice carrying to the kitchen as she whines.
“Audrey, did you have to chop your hair off all at once? I thought Sadako visited me.”
Jenny has her eyes on her feet as she dries her hair with a towel. Audrey’s chortle bounces off the walls after she sets her mug on the counter.
“You have seven days to cut yours, so it matches mine,” Audrey says gleefully.
Only now do I realize her hair is a lopsided bob cut. I turn back to Jenny in time to see her head lift with the sweetest pout on her pink lips. Her rosy cheeks are puffed out, water droplets falling on her soft skin.
Her smile fades abruptly as her pretty eyes widen, coming to a halt just out of my reach. Panic shows in her eyes as they dart to the woman behind me.
“Your boyfriend,” Audrey says as if she’s presenting an auction item.
Jenny shakes her head frantically. “He’s—”
“We’ll walk together,” I insist with a cold smile. “We wouldn’t want to be late.”
I close the distance swiftly, eliminating her chance to call for help when I press my hot fingers to her smooth neck. The erratic pulse warms my heart.
I smile down at her, and terror stretches her shaking pupils. She’s too delectable.
“Good morning, darling,” I whisper.
Her breath hitches before her eyes glaze over. She blinks rapidly, unwilling to show a sign of weakness, and holds herself together through pitiful willpower. She is always free to cry on my shoulder; being strong in front of me is unnecessary, but I’ll humor her for now.
“Jenny?” Audrey voices.
Her neck muscles twitch under my palm, and her tongue darts out to wet her bottom lip. My gaze follows the small pink tongue.
Jenny shudders, stepping back an inch when my grip loosens. “Good morning.”
I don’t care who she is talking to right now. I simply want to spend quality time with my pretty girl after years of being unable to touch her. The number of pictures I have of her is somewhat disturbing. But they were a temporary solution to control my desire to hunt her down.
I had a small but pressing matter to finish first. I didn’t mean for it to drag out so long, and it wasted precious time I could’ve spent with my little Jenny.
“Come,” I say, urging her to walk with me towards the door.
“No,” she mutters tautly.
“Jenny.” The sound of her name wrapped in a deep baritone and delivered with a stern smile stops her protest.
I smoothly slip my shoes on as I stare at her. She doesn’t resist when I put her shoes on her feet, but she is stiff. Audrey’s gaze turns to Jenny, who cautiously returns the look over my shoulder.
“Behave,” I whisper maliciously.
Tugging her out the door without missing a beat, I lace our hands together to steady her. She looks back to her apartment, noting the distance before she struggles to rip her hand from mine.
Jenny sneers, glaring through her lashes. “Let go!”
She’s gotten bolder and more confident over the years, and I admire the change in her. Jenny stands with her chin tilted, a storm raging in her determined eyes.
&n
bsp; Yanking her toward me, she trips into my waiting arms.
“Don’t run away again, or I’ll break Audrey’s neck,” I say, lips pressed to her temple.
Her hair smells fantastic with a hint of floral shampoo. Her trembling hands nudge my chest, trying to push me away, but I stay glued to her soft body.
Jenny isn’t stupid. Her friend’s life is in her hands, and she’s a good girl with a pure heart. She knows I’ll do the dirty work; blood doesn’t bother me.
I blink at a sudden shift in her demeanor, my eyes noticing her frantic face. She pushed me away with more strength than I gave her credit for, and an apology is nearly on the tip of my tongue.
An apology for the kiss I am about to lay on her soft lips. I should grab her face, kiss her breath away, toss her over my shoulder, and drive away from this busy place with her head in my lap.
I want to, but I should be nice to her at this point.
“How did you find me?” she quietly demands.
“Let me keep some secrets,” I say, a slight chuckle rumbling in my chest.
It takes a monumental effort to stop myself from brushing away the strand of hair falling across her face. I would carefully avoid touching her soft skin as I tucked the hair behind her ear.
Predictably, she would flinch if I put my hand near her face. She might start crying, and that would be bad.
Her tears excite me.
“You can’t be anywhere near me,” she says, venom in her harsh tone. “You’re not allowed to be!”
I disregard her statement since my safety is not at risk. I only care about her annoying reluctance to forgive me.
“I will pick you up at lunchtime, and we will eat together.”
Jenny sputters indignantly. “No! You—”
I put a finger under her chin to lift it and stop her meaningless protest against my plans. The dismay on her face does not conceal her attempt not to buckle under pressure. However, her red-rimmed eyes tell me she will surrender.
Be nice, the voice suggests.
“I’ll be waiting for you,” I promise softly.
She recoils from me.
Chapter Three
Jenny