The Devil's Eyes

by Jennifer Loren

  ~27~

  Kayla

  I stopped by the baby store on my way to meet Brady but still he is running late for our friendly date. Before I can think of calling him, I see him waving from across the street and quickly adjust my expression to a disappointed nature as he walks in and sits down.

  “I know. I’m late, but I do have a reasonable excuse.” He said before quickly ordering some lunch.

  “And what excuse is that? You run out of hair gel?” I said as he rolls his eyes at me.

  “No. Actually, I woke up late and then decided to stay in bed a little longer today.” He smiles as if he wants to tell me something.

  “So what’s her name?” I asked, laughing as he bounces in his seat.

  “I shouldn’t tell you. Since we work together, I promised her we would keep it a secret until we know that it’s something real for us, but I have to tell someone. She is so amazing. Her name is Lena. She works in the morgue.” I gasp with a sour expression. “No- she isn’t some freak. She’s a coroner. She is the lead examiner and she happened to be on one of my cases when we met. I couldn’t get her out of my mind. As soon as I looked into her eyes I had to have her. She said no the first fifteen times I asked her out.” My jaw drops as he laughs. “But the sixteenth time, she finally agreed- if we could keep it secret. It’s been two months and I am head over heels for this woman. I think she is the one, Kayla.”

  “I am so happy for you. So, then why can’t you tell people now? If it has been two months and both of you seem sure about each other. She does feel the same way, doesn’t she?” I asked watching him for any signs of doubt.

  “Yes, I mean she tells me she loves me and we spend every night together now. She is very private. I don’t know, she has some kind of family issues and doesn’t want me to be subjected to them until she is sure they won’t scare me off. I am good with whatever their issues are. I mean, as long as Jayzon isn’t her brother, how bad can they be?” I laugh as he continues about his new girl, but my mind quickly wanders back to my son.

  It is hard to believe how good my life is, despite being married to a criminal. Then again, Nick keeps me so sheltered from all that he does. As far as I know, he is nothing more than an average businessman. At least that’s what I tell myself. On occasion, however, life has a way of reminding you of who you really are.

  After putting Nicky down for the night, I sit down to read before bed. Nick promised to be home early tonight. “I just have to run a quick errand,” he said. I know better but I am anxious for him to get home all the same. As soon as I hear the car, I run to the balcony to greet him but instead watch Nick come in limping and hunched over with his jacket draped over his shoulders. I start to say something to him but notice his grimacing face as he hides in his office. I run down the stairs only to have Dwayne head me off.

  “Go upstairs.” Dwayne remarks pushing me back to the stairs and out of the way of Tanner who comes running in with two other men. He eyes me quickly but his expression is not what I am use to from him.

  No one bothers to stop or answer my questions as they rush to Nick’s office. I turn to take a couple of steps up when three other men come rushing in. The drama increases and no matter how hard I try, I can’t get anywhere near Nick. Men are scrambling all over our house but one seems to be standing guard on me. He doesn’t get too close but he watches my every move and blocks me every time I get up to go in the direction of Nick. “I want to see my husband.” I demand.

  “It is not a good time right now, Kayla.” He said barely looking at me. I have seen him before and even more so recently, but Nick has never introduced us. It almost seems like he is keeping me distant from him.

  “Kayla? You speak to me like we are friends, but I have no idea who you are.” I said standing tall and waiting for him to look at me.

  “My name is Ryan.” He said reaching out for me when Nick screams out.

  “Let go of me! I want to see him.” I yell at him, but Ryan holds tight to me. The more Nick screams out, the more he holds me until I am held tight against his chest and fisting his shirt against my face.

  “He is going to be fine, Kayla.” He says as Nicky begins to cry out, I run up to him and Ryan follows.

  Holding back my fears, I cradle Nicky to my chest trying to comfort him back to sleep while Ryan stands in the doorway watching us. “So, how do you know my husband?” I asked him.

  “Long story.” Ryan said annoyingly.

  “Give me the highlights.” I request impatiently.

  Ryan smiles, “Nick said you were a handful.”

  I turn quickly towards him, “He talks to you about me?”

  Ryan suddenly straightens his posture, “If you want some privacy, I can shut the door.”

  “No, I want to …”

  “No, Kayla. No, you don’t need to know.” I step to him and begin to tell him how it is going to be when he suddenly glares at me. And that’s when I know.

  Nick’s devilish eyes have always been a strong part of him. Even though I fell in love with him, I still see the darkness deep within them- and Ryan is no different. “How come I have never met you before?” I asked.

  “I work another area for Nick. We only meet when it’s necessary.”

  “Like when Luke disappeared?” His silence is expected but still irritating as hell. Before I can ask anything else, he leaves me and stands guards at the end of the stairs.

  After I put Nicky back down, I go to our room and wait, falling asleep in a chair waiting up for Nick. “Hey, Princess, why don’t you try that bed of ours? I hear it’s pretty comfortable.” I open my eyes to see Nick’s weak smile.

  I jump up and wrap my arms around him tight. “Oh, Nick, I was so worried. Are you okay?” As soon as the words leave my mouth, I notice the bandages on his body and the sling his arm is in. “Nick! Oh my God!”

  “I’m okay, it’s nothing.” He said dismissing my concern.

  “Stop that! Stop babying me and tell me what the hell is going on! I mean it, Nick!” He walks away from me preparing our bed, expecting me to simply let it go. With his back turned, I rip the bandage from his back.

  “FUCK!” Nick screams out. He straightens and turns to me with pained anger. “Damn it, Kayla! NO!”

  “I swear, Nick, if you don’t start talking to me, I will leave you.” Nick’s expression changes to a level of anger I have never seen from him. The blackness in his eyes swarms to the forefront, forcing me to back away from him. With an uneasy breath, I back slowly towards the door. “I was so worried about you. I love you so much, Nick. I don’t know what I would do if something happened to you. All this secrecy is making me crazy, I am so afraid. I am afraid for you, Nick. I am afraid of losing you.” I watch him as he slowly walks to me and lays his head against mine.

  “Don’t leave me. Please. I’m doing everything possible to protect you. Please understand that I will take care of everything, you don’t need to be afraid, I am not going to let anything happen to you or Nicky.” He said running his fingers through my hair.

  “But what about you? Who is protecting you?” I said pulling away from him and holding his pained face in my hands. “I will never love anyone else but you, Nick. It is impossible for me to do so. I can’t let anything happen to you.”

  ~

  The energy in the house has changed drastically since Nick’s accident. The best I can figure out is that he was attacked by several men. They obviously were sending him a message because they could have easily killed him if they wanted to. What I can’t figure out … is how they knew he would be alone or why he was alone.

  While Nick is out, I take Nicky and meet Exie for lunch and I couldn’t be more excited to be able to talk to someone that might have some clue to what is going on.

  “You look tired.” Exie said.

  “I can hardly sleep I am so worried about him. He sleeps with his gun under his pillow. I don’t know, Exie, but something horrible is going on. Have you seen or heard anything?” Her hesitatio
n means she has. “You better tell me. It certainly can’t be any worse than what I have imagined.”

  “I don’t know anything really. They have been meeting at the club more regularly lately and they seem to be …” She looks up at me uneasily.

  “Tell me.”

  “It’s like they are organizing for a battle.” I sit back in my chair, and though I still don’t know everything, I feel better having an idea. “There is something else … I overheard Nick talking to someone on the phone. I wasn’t trying to listen in but he was in my office and I don’t think he expected the call.” She looks around nervously before she looks at me again, “I think it was Luke.”

  “Why do you say that?” I asked.

  “It was the way he was talking to him, like he was trying to get him to calm down. He asked to meet whoever it was and then he took off. That was the night it all happened.”

  “I don’t know what to do to help him, Exie.”

  “That’s simple … nothing. You can’t help him, Kayla. He doesn’t want you to help him. Whatever is going on you need to stay behind Nick and not try to get in the middle of it. I am sure he knows how to take care of it, he has been doing this for a long time. It’s not like before, Kayla, when it was only you going after Nick. There was no one else to worry about but you back then. Now you have Nicky, you have to be there for him. He can’t afford to lose both his parents.” I look up at her and she bites her lip to try to take back her words but it’s too late.

  When I get home everything is quiet, so I put Nicky down for a nap and go exploring through the house. Since I moved back in with Nick, I have kept my promise and stayed away from his secrets but now I have to know. The areas that always have been off limits to me are the most inviting. The only place I know not to look is his office, those lock drawers are too obvious and too easily accessible. There has to be a place in this house that he keeps everything. But where? My mind traces every line of the house, walking through it almost as if I had built it myself. Once I get to a place that doesn’t make sense, I stop and analyze it. Over and over I try to figure out what I have discovered. Not understanding fully why it doesn’t make sense, I run upstairs into the spare bedroom and walk into the spacious closet. The giant armoire that sits inside seems all the more mammoth at this moment. I had never thought of it before, even when I once stayed in this room. It seemed normal, although a little too nice for a closet- especially in a spare bedroom closet. The most curious thing about this armoire is the space it takes or rather the space that it blocks. There is missing square footage from this closet and the only thing that could possibly have access is this armoire. Taking it in fully, analyzing every part and piece to it, I start to go through the drawers, the cabinet, feel along the shelves, and … nothing. Sighing, I step back and decide to feel the edge of the cabinet. The smoothness of the carved wood is beyond excellent craftsmanship, like nothing I had ever seen before. I get down in the floor and look under it noticing a signature. Aiden Bourghesie. Nick’s uncle? Now I know this is where he hides everything. I just have to figure out how. Tracing the name burned into the wood with my finger, I feel something odd, like a separation in the letters. It is slight but I can feel it along the bottom now that I know where it is. I trace the crack to the edge of the armoire and up its sides searching for where it opens. The armoire sits in a nook with a short ceiling enclosing it fully, only the ceiling seems to be attached somehow. I step back again, taking it all in and the vent above begins to call to me. I run through the house searching for a screw driver. Once I find it, I take off the vent cover and reach in finding a channel that goes down into the armoire. I feel carefully down inside until I find a switch that triggers the armoire to slowly open. I stand back wide-eyed watching as a whole new world opens up to me. The armoire conceals an entire room of about thirty square feet. Within it sits a small built-in desk with a computer, backup drives, and a fireproof safe. It is not connected to any outlet from the house, only a small generator lights the space and powers the computer. There are no outlets and no handwritten information. Opening the laptop, it powers up quickly and lights up with access to every business Nick has or ever had. The businesses are separated into legal and illegal, with notes on deliveries, associates, and every transaction ever performed. In another folder are notes on every person that has ever worked for Nick. He has everything about his dealings written out in detail, even where all his money is, and most importantly, the detailed secrets of every associate that is indebted to help him whenever he needs it.

  The last seemingly insignificant folder contains a daily diary of sorts. The last entry was years ago, the year Braylin died. Curious, I scroll to the beginning searching to see if he wrote anything about her. To my surprise, the journal seems to be all about her and me. Things I never knew: the first time he saw me, the cravings he had to see me only to have to deal with Braylin to do so. He wrote in detail about the long nights he spent with her, only to be overjoyed to simply be able to cover me up at night. He writes in agonizing detail his torment fighting himself from needing me, wanting me. Pushing ahead, I search for the time when he left her, searching for a reason. In red letters, I find what I was looking for. Below the last paragraph of the journal is the simple red lettered sentence, I had to leave her. I assumed he meant Braylin.

  Kayla had nightmares again tonight and, as usual, Braylin didn’t hear her at all. I thought nothing about going to check on her, but tonight she touched me. She called out to me. I sat with her for some time because she wouldn’t let go of me and, to be honest, I didn’t want her to. Feeling her warm body against me made me feel whole for the first time ever. In her sleep she asked me for help and called me her Prince. I told her to come with me and I would rescue her and protect her forever. I thought nothing about it, a private game of sorts but she asked me if I love her. I am not sure why I said it, but I said yes and she said she loves me too. I wanted to take her right then, make love to her like no one else could but … she doesn’t really love me, she doesn’t even see me. It was only a dream. For her. The next morning, I tried to explain to Braylin that I couldn’t see her anymore. She cried causing me to loathe my very existence and ended up giving into her one more time before leaving her anyway. The worst of it is Kayla looked at me for the first time as I was leaving. I stood there forever. Even now, I have to fight myself from running back there and rescuing her from that mess that she lives in. I think about waiting for Kayla, waiting for her to grow up a little more, maybe then she will see me. Maybe then … who am I kidding? She will never love me. I have to break this spell she has over me. That’s why I had to get away from Braylin- their house, her room, her smell, her sweet lips, even her awful outdated glasses. I had to get away from her before I couldn’t hold back any longer and persuaded her or rather cursed her into being with me. I had no other choice.

  I had to leave her.

  I feel numb reading his thoughts and now truly understanding him- understanding why. Why he does the things he does for me. I put everything back the way I found it and go about my day as I normally would. When Nick comes home, I am not sure whether to run to him or wait for him. I have tried all day to understand how I feel. He used her to get to me and I thought all this time it was me that pushed her but it was the both of us. When Nick walks into the room and smiles at me, I think back to how young he was then and what a man he has grown into being: a husband, a father and the man I have grown to love so deeply. I can’t imagine my life without him. Before I can get a word out, I find myself running into his arms and taking in his lips with mine. “I love you, Nick. I love you so much.” I said running my hand up the back of his neck and into his hair. Moaning against his lips, I unbutton his shirt and run my hand down into his pants, exciting him instantly. Nick sits me up on the nearby table and jerks my pants off me. He caresses my ass with a moan before he positions himself between my legs.

  “You want to fuck right here, Princess?” He smiles, laughing at me as I strip my top off and r
elease my bra. “I guess so.” Nick drags my panties down my legs and I wrap my bare legs around his waist. Smiling sheepishly at me, he takes a tight hold of my thighs and pushes deep inside me. He feels so good, I have to lean back, caressing his head against my breasts as he kisses and sucks on each of them. The old wooden table creaks as Nick gets on top of me but quickly goes silent under the heaviness of our bodies. Repeatedly, I feel him slide in deep with such skill, grazing those tender areas that send vibrations all the way to my toes. His soft whispers against my ear asking if I can feel how excited I am making him, how hard he is for me and how good and wet I feel to him. The more he speaks, the more intense the sensations are. I begin to wonder if he could cause me to orgasm simply by speaking to me. Once I release, Nick pulls me off the table and turns me around. Bending me over, he enters me again, taking hold of my hips he doesn’t let go until I feel him come inside me, groaning to the last. When we are done, I lean back against his chest holding onto his arms that are wrapped around me. “Is that what you wanted?” He asks between breaths, smiling down at me.

  “Do you always give me what I want?” I asked.

  “Usually.” He said with a quiet laugh.

  “What do you want, Nick?” I asked seeming to catch him by surprise.

  “I don’t think anyone has ever asked me that before.”

  “Well, now someone is asking.”

  “I got all I want.” He says with a smooth hum.

  ~28~

  Kayla

  During my spare time each day I read Nick’s notes on his secret computer, keeping up with what little information he writes these days. I make sure never to say anything or even let on that I know. I’m not sure how Nick would react if he found out but I am sure this secret is best left untold. On top of keeping up with his secrets, I begin preparing myself for more of mine. I bought a gun and have been practicing with it often, my instructor says I am getting good. Screw good, I am working towards deadly perfect. In addition to the gun, I feel I need to try to match Nick’s skill in taking people down with ease. His quick hands and deadly punches are exciting but I believe it is something I need to learn to do as well. This time when I ask him how he does it, he introduces me to his trainer. With a combination of training, my new instructor is teaching me what I never thought I could possibly do. My days are packed with studying, training, and catching up on all of Nick’s past business while I wait for him to update his notes with what is going on now. I finally feel like I have some control over what happens in my life. Nick has done everything, including risk his own life, to protect me, now it is my turn to protect him.