by Alex Grayson
We got here ten minutes ago, and as soon as we stepped foot through the door, Jenny was across the room and scooping Elijah up.
“So,” Remi begins, plopping down on a recliner. “Are you getting the Malus look yet?”
I look at her in confusion, which makes her laugh.
“I assume you didn’t see anyone on the way over here?”
Unsure if it was meant as a question or not, I answer anyway. “No.”
She nods. “Figured. Be prepared to get ugly looks from people around town.”
“Umm.… Why?”
Smiling, she grabs her long brown hair to pull it over one shoulder and starts braiding it.
“People around here don’t take too kindly to strangers. When I first got here, I got some pretty unwelcome looks. I’ve dubbed it The Malus Look.”
“Hmm… Why don’t they like strangers?” I ask, intrigued.
Her eyes skitter to Jenny for a moment and they share a strange look before hers settles back on mine. “They just don’t. Malus is a very tight-knit community, and everyone prefers to stay with their own. It’s a protective mechanism toward the outside world.”
I guess I can understand that. Especially for the folks who’ve been here for years. When you live in a small place like Malus, where everyone knows everyone, you become close. People become more than friends and consider everyone family. When someone new arrives who could potentially harm a member of the town, it’s understandable to be leery.
Even so, I get the feeling there may be more that she’s not telling me. I decide to keep my mouth shut though. What people do here is none of my business. I won’t be here long enough for it to become my business.
“Would you like to hold him?” Jenny asks, surprising me.
“Oh, umm….” My gaze darts to Remi. She smiles at me in encouragement. “Sure.” It’s not that I don’t want to. I just haven’t had a lot of experience handling babies. I have no siblings and none of the few friends I have has any kids.
Awkwardly, I hold my arms out. I obviously do it wrong, because Jenny snickers and adjusts my arms the way they should be and gently settles Elijah against my chest.
“He’s pretty good with holding his head steady, but just in case, keep your hand behind it.”
I nod absentmindedly as I look down at the little baby in my arms. I’ve only ever held one baby in my life, and that was years ago. He’s so much lighter than I expected him to be. I mean, he’s small, so he can’t weigh that much, but he almost seems lighter than a pillow. And his smell… Fresh baby powder and lavender lotion. He smells like comfort and home. A weird combination for a baby, but those are the two words that first popped in my head.
He’s looking up at me with a pair of innocent blue eyes. Not the plain blue most people have, but a deep blue. It reminds me of the ocean. His tiny button nose and little pink lips are just too adorable to ignore.
“He’s precious, isn’t he?” Jenny’s voice barely registers, because I’m too focused on Elijah.
Yes, he is precious. Probably the most precious thing I’ve ever seen. Having a baby of my own has never been big on my list of things I want to accomplish in life. But looking at this little person, a small voice in the back of my mind has me wondering if maybe I should shift some of those things around to make room for a baby.
“He really is,” I murmur lightly.
When he smiles, that’s all it takes for my heart to melt into a puddle. I don’t know this baby, and I don’t know his mother, but one thing’s for sure, this little tiny human has captured my heart with one toothless grin. My own smile curves up my lips so big, my cheeks hurt.
I break my eyes away from Elijah and look at Remi. She’s watching the two of us with her own smile.
“I never really understood the whole hoopla of having a baby, but I get it now. He’s absolutely adorable.”
Her smile grows. “I’m bias because he’s mine, but I think so too. Even so, thank you.”
My eyes fall back to Elijah. The little guy is so cute I could probably watch him for hours. Unfortunately, my baby watching is interrupted when the front door opens and JW and Trouble walk in. A flutter forms in my stomach when JW’s eyes land on me. Something dark and potent settles in their gorgeous blue depths. The look makes my heart pitter patter strangely.
Trouble walks to Remi, who stands to greet her husband. My gaze moves to them, but I immediately skirt them away when he wraps one arm around her waist and he hauls her to his chest, planting a kiss so hot against her lips I feel the heat from it. I look back to JW to find him with his hands stuffed in his jean pockets, his eyes still locked on me. They slowly run down my camisole, over my long willowy skirt, and back up again. Warmth spreads in my stomach at the intense look in his eyes.
“Sorry to take him away, but I need to steal my son from you,” Trouble remarks, stepping up beside me.
I snatch my eyes away from the man across the room and hand over the charming Elijah to his father. The look on Trouble’s face as he looks down at his son shows his absolute adoration he holds for his child. Trouble is a very good-looking man, but looking at him as he stares down at Elijah and seeing the expression on his face makes him ten times hotter. I’m sure he’s melted plenty of panties since he became a father.
“I thought you had a full day today?” Remi asks as she smooths Elijah’s hair with a gentle hand.
“I’m not staying. I just came by to get a patient file I left here. Met JW on the way over. He needs to speak with Eden.”
I look back at JW with a raised brow.
He juts his chin toward the door. “Take a walk with me?”
I nod and gather my purse.
“I’ll stay here until you get back,” Jenny says.
I feel JW’s hand at my back when I pass by him and it sends chills over my arms. Before I get a chance to open the door, he reaches past me and opens it himself. A gentleman. Such a rare thing these days.
It’s quiet for the first few minutes as we walk down the sidewalk. I take a look around since we’re heading in the opposite direction of where Jenny and I came from. The town, or what I’ve seen of it so far, is cute and quaint. Businesses seem to be in the middle of town with houses on the outside. I hear kids’ laughter somewhere, but I can’t see them. Dogs bark off in the distance and someone is playing soft music.
“Is everything okay?” I ask, wondering what he wanted to talk with me about.
“So far. I just wanted to let you know I’ve done a bit of digging.”
I stop and my head snaps in his direction. “What?” I ask, then wince when my voice rings out too loudly.
“Settle down,” he says calmly, like he didn’t just tell me something that could lead Diego right to the doorstep of where I’m hiding out. Or at the very least the town I’m in.
“I haven’t dropped your name anywhere. I did some digging on Diego to find out where he is. Besides, there are ways of finding out information where it doesn’t leave a trail.”
I breathe a sigh of relief, happy my whereabouts are still hidden. For now, at least. I have no doubt Diego could still find me if he looked hard enough. I’m hoping whatever JW has planned will stop him before he has a chance to get to me.
We start walking again.
“Did you find anything?”
JW exhales heavily. “Nothing I didn’t already know. Diego is a hothead and unpredictable. His father’s been trying to rein him in for years with no success. The Tomases are harsh and very dirty with their business dealings, but Diego is the worst of the lot.” He stops and rubs the back of his head. “I’m thinking about calling a meeting with Emiliano to see what can be done about Diego. It’s a long shot, but worth a try.”
This news sends a knot of dread straight to my stomach. I can’t see anything good coming from this meeting, except putting JW and this town on the Tomas radar.
“Are you sure that’s wise? From what I’ve heard of the Tomas family, they protect their own no matter the circumstanc
es.”
The thought of harm coming to him really unsettles my stomach.
“I’m not really seeing a choice here,” he answers as we walk by an ice cream store.
An ice cream store? What a strange thing to have in a town this size. They either can’t have much business, or the people of Malus really like ice cream.
“I checked Diego’s bank account. He used his card at a gas station in a town about an hour and a half east of here, which is an hour away from San Antonio. That’s the only purchase, so we don’t know where he’s moving next. Could be he’s heading this way, or it was just a coincidence. Either way, I’ve got people keeping an eye out for him in case he strolls into town.”
His jaw is locked tight when he finishes, and the look in his eye is telling. He’s pissed.
“Why are you doing this?” I ask the question that’s been bothering me since he led me into Malus yesterday.
His jaw gets tighter and his brows slant into a scowl.
“Because I’m an officer of the law. It’s my duty to protect people.”
I shake my head, not letting him off the hook. “It’s more than that. If that were the only reason, you would have advised me to go back to San Antonio to file a report. You haven’t done that. You’re wanting to take care of this personally. Why?”
His steps halt and he turns to face me, his expression serious.
“People like Diego make me sick. He deserves whatever justice is brought to him. I just happen to be the guy who wants to make sure he gets it.”
His lips are in a straight line and the muscle in his jaw twitches. Glancing down, I notice his hands balled into fists. His words and posture have me wondering if something happened in his past to make him so passionate about the current subject. Maybe he was close with someone who was abused.
“Come on. I’ll take you back to Trouble’s,” he grunts and spins on his heel.
“What’s up with Trouble’s name?” I inquire, falling into step beside him. “I can’t imagine that’s his real name.”
“It’s not.”
He doesn’t offer more. I try another approach.
“What does JW stand for?”
He’s quiet for so long I think he’s not going to answer.
“John Wayne.”
A laugh escapes my lips before I can stop it. “Really?”
His mouth quirks. “Really.”
“Did your parents name you after the actor or is it a family name?”
The air around us changes, and I look over to find he’s tense again. “No. John Wayne isn’t my real name. It’s a nickname my brothers and I came up with when I was younger because I was a John Wayne fanatic.”
I hold my tongue for a moment, then decide to just spit out my next question. It’s obvious this is a touchy subject for him, so if he doesn’t want to answer, I won’t take offense.
“What’s your real name?” I ask quietly.
Again, he’s silent for so long I think I’m shit out of luck on getting an answer. I’m surprised when he finally does speak.
“Liam.” His eyes cut to me. “But no one calls me that.” His voice is stern, no doubt warning me against using his given name. “All of my brothers go by nicknames instead of the names we were given by our parents.”
I nod and say no more. Whatever their reason is for not using their real names is none of my business, but I can tell from the shift in his body this subject makes him uncomfortable.
A few minutes later, we’re walking up Remi and Trouble’s driveway. Just as we reach the steps, the door opens and Trouble steps outside with Remi behind him.
“I’ll keep you updated on the Diego issue,” JW says, turning to me. “In the meantime, I’d advise you not to use your credit or debit cards. Do you have cash?”
“Yes. I pulled my savings out the day I left.”
“Good.”
“You ready?” Trouble asks, walking down the steps.
“Yes.”
Remi and I go back in the house for a while longer. The whole time, Jenny has Elijah in her arms. You can plainly see the love she holds for the baby. She’d make a great mom one day.
The sky is turning cloudy as we make the short trek back to her house an hour later. My eyes catch on a man and woman across the street, and my feet pause when I notice the look they’re casting our way. It’s not an all-together inhospitable look, but it for sure isn’t a friendly one either. Several yards further down the sidewalk, there’s a woman sitting in a rocking chair giving me the same adverse look. Me. Not Jenny.
“The Malus look,” I murmur and resume walking.
“What?” Jenny asks, then follows my line of sight. “Oh. Just ignore them.” She snorts derisively. “So, tell me what you think of JW.”
I arch a brow and glance at her. “Why?”
She shrugs, but I see a small smile playing on her lips. “Just wondering what you thought of him.”
Now it’s my turn to snort, because she isn’t fooling me. She’s fishing for information.
“Not that it matters, but he seems nice,” I answer evasively.
She laughs. “Nice isn’t the word I was searching for.”
“I know, but that’s all you get right now.” I flash her a grin.
We walk by a house that has a woman backed up against a car by a man in the driveway. The kiss he’s giving her isn’t so hot that it would be considered too scandalous for public, but there’s still plenty of feeling behind it. When his lips leave hers, he murmurs something to the woman. Jenny giggles beside me and his eyes lift to hers, one brow curving upward playfully. When his eyes meet mine, the look disappears and turns flat, turning into the Malus look. I sigh and shift my gaze away from him. The woman glances over just as we walk by.
“Hey, Jamie,” Jenny chirps.
The woman smiles and gives a little wave. “We still on for dinner this weekend?”
Before she can answer, the man says something to Jamie so low we can’t hear him. She laughs and Jenny snickers.
“Call me tonight!” she calls out to Jamie, who gives her a thumbs-up.
A few minutes later, we’re back at Jenny’s. I head to the bedroom to grab my phone charger, while Jenny goes to the kitchen to find something for dinner. Walking back out to the living room, I find Jenny by the sliding glass door leading to the back yard. The look of horror on her pale face has me rushing to her.
“What’s wrong?” I demand.
Instead of answering, she throws her hand up to cover her mouth, spins, and sprints away. I look out the glass and nearly lose the contents of my stomach as well.
There’s a small dog lying on the deck with his neck twisted at an odd angle, his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth. Most of his hair is no longer white from the blood coating him. It’s not the blood that’s revolting though. It’s the gory mess of the dog’s entrails spread out beside him.
JW
The Past
DREAD FILLS MY STOMACH as I’m led into the great hall of Hell. Mom and Dad are behind me and my brother, Trey, walks beside me. He’s older than me by thirteen years. Mom says I was a miracle her and Dad never thought would happen. I often wish I hadn’t.
Older brothers are supposed to protect their younger siblings, but Trey has never protected me. He’s the cause of the pain I go through during Hell Night.
Hell Night is what my brothers and I call the once-a-month activities all the adults take part in. The activities they force the kids to go through. Most kids anyway. I’ve never known a time when Trey was forced to do the disgusting things he does to me. He’s always done them willingly and without mercy. Even going so far as sneaking in my room at night during other times of the month. Mom and Dad made him stop after he got too rough one night and I came down stairs the next morning, barely able to walk. They said these activities are sacred and only meant for once a month. Like it matters.
Sickening sounds reach my ears when we enter the large room. I’m always paired with my brother. There’s
only been a couple of times someone else has taken me, and that was only because Trey was too sick to attend.
“On the bed,” Trey’s deep voice commands.
I want to turn around, spit in his face, and tell him no, but that’s never gotten me anywhere, except a punch to the stomach. I still end up on my hands and knees for him. Mom and Dad never help me. They just watch as they take their own child they chose for the night. Hell Night is the only night a month that my family turns evil. Any other time they are sweet and loving parents.
I get on the bed and sit back on my heels, facing away from my brother. I try to ignore the sounds around me, but it’s hard to do when the cries, grunts, and screams become louder. I spot my friend Judge lying on his stomach with Mr. Portland on top of him. Judge’s face is red and he’s squeezing his eyes shut.
I next look to Trouble, who’s bent over a table with Mr. Leland behind him. Mr. Leland has Trouble’s arms wrenched behind his back. Trouble’s head just hangs, and it looks like he might be passed out.
My eyes move across the room to Emo. He’s in a chair with little Rella, Trouble’s sister, on his lap. Emo’s dad is behind Rella with his hands on her shoulders, pushing her down. Emo’s eyes look dead as he stares off into space. His jaw is tense though, so I know he feels more than he’s letting on.
“Assume the position, you little shit,” Trey growls behind me.
Before I get a chance to do as he says, my head is shoved forward, and I barely catch myself with my hands before my face plants into the mattress. The sheets are silk and feel cool against my skin. The smell on the sheets reminds me of what my clothes smell like after Mom’s washed them.
I look to my left and see Mom on her back on a bed with a girl named Katie lying the opposite way on top of her. Dad is behind Katie holding her hips. I turn my head away when he does something that makes Katie scream.