Amitt. Her name burned on Arianna’s tongue like acid. She wanted to reach out her hand and slap Desmond for bringing the raven-haired bitch that oozed condescension like a festering wound oozed pus into their lives. She knew it was irrational, and maybe even a bit unfair, to feel that way but could not help herself. Amitt had gotten under her skin. The way she’d stared down her nose at Arianna, with that look of conceit, as she clung to Desmond’s arm had incensed her in a way that was foreign to her. Loving Desmond was unfamiliar enough. Adding competition to that unfamiliarity, competition that was blood related, no less, only complicated matters more. She wasn’t sure what to do, how to handle what had transpired. In the past, when things became tricky or even remotely problematic in a relationship, she’d bail. End of story. And calling the brief couplings she’d been in relationships was a gross overstatement. She’d always kept guys at arm’s length. Keeping them a safe distance safeguarded her from exactly what she was feeling now: mixed up, possessive and angry. But Desmond had been different. He’d been the exception to her arm’s-length rule. He’d penetrated her protective walls. He’d seen her for what she was and had pledged his undying love for her. She wondered whether Amitt was aware of that and enjoyed toying with her cousin’s love life. She’d heard of sadistic people who manipulated and hurt others for sport, but never imagined Desmond would be connected to such a person. But he was. And Arianna had dumped her off on Beth, the one person she needed to talk to right now.
Arianna clenched her fist so tightly, her fingernails bit into the soft skin of her palm. She needed to get away from him and get her thoughts straight before he woke. She did not want to be reduced to a stammering fool as she had been earlier. She needed to have her wits about her and not behave jealously, as Amitt had accused her of being in the clearing. She needed to talk to Beth.
She stood and decided not to waste another moment. She headed out the door to Beth’s cabin. She hoped Amitt was asleep. She did not want another run-in with her. Not now. The time for that would come in the future. Of that, she was sure.
She jogged the short path two cabins down and, after rapping her knuckles against the flimsy door until they ached, Beth finally answered. Her hair was disheveled and her eyes were heavy when she answered. “Arianna, what the hell?” was her greeting. “Is everything okay?”
“We’re not under attack, well, you’re not at least,” Arianna answered and heard frustration well in her tone.
“What?” Beth scrunched her puffy features. “It’s too early for riddles. First you dump that Elvira chick on me and I finally fall back asleep and now you’re here again. What the hell? Tell me what is going on right now or I am gonna shut this door in your face.”
“Nice. Some friend you are!” she huffed and turned on her heels to leave.
“Arianna wait! I’m sorry. You know I’m not a morning person. Come on, don’t go. Come in.”
Arianna turned and looked at Beth. A tattered gray cardigan was wrapped around her shoulders and she hunched, hugging her waist. Her hair stood up on end and dark crescents looked like bruises beneath both eyes. “No, I’m the one who’s sorry. Go back to sleep. I’ll tell you about the whole Desmond thing later.”
“What Desmond thing? I know he’s back but that’s about it,” Beth said, her features suddenly more alert.
“He came back a little while ago. And he wasn’t alone, obviously,” Arianna added and looked past Beth into the small cottage at Amitt who lay impossibly still on her back asleep. She could not mask the revulsion she felt for the woman.
Beth’s eyes followed Arianna’s gaze. “I take it you’re not a fan of sleeping beauty,” she said.
“No, not at all,” Arianna answered through her teeth.
“Come on. Let’s go next door. Last night, my brothers told me they were getting up early to train. Their cabin is empty. We can talk there,” Beth waved her arm and said as she shut the door to her cabin, leaving Amitt alone.
Arianna followed Beth to the bungalow Dane and Jason shared. As soon as they walked in, Beth pinched her nose. “Yuck, it smells like feet and sweat in here!” she complained.
Arianna laughed as she stepped inside. The smell was unpleasant but not nearly as bad as Beth made it out to be.
“Just give me a sec. I need to brush my teeth. I know these cabins always have a spare toothbrush in the medicine cabinet. I’ll be right out,” Beth said and disappeared into the bathroom. She reappeared minutes later, looking far more awake.
“So who is that chick he came back with and why does she have you so pissed,” Beth plopped on her brother’s bed and said as if they were in the middle of a conversation already. “I mean, apart from the fact that she is basically naked.”
“She is supposedly his cousin and she is, like, six feet tall and a hundred twenty pounds, most of it legs and boobs.”
Beth looked at her perplexedly. “I saw that. So?”
“So he strolled out of the woods around this place and she strutted like a pageant queen clinging to him.” Beth still did not seem to get why she was so upset and continued to look at her quizzically. “She, Amitt is her name, was, as you can see, wearing that see-through getup and had her boobs pressed against his arm with nothing between them but material thinner than a tissue, rubbing up and down him and running her fingers up and down his arms.”
“Okay, that’s gross,” Beth commented and wrinkled her nose in disgust.
“Oh just wait. It gets better. This Amitt, kept looking me over, eyeing me up and down, and I was wearing this,” she said and splayed her hands out at her sides, “you know, no makeup, hair wet and in a braid, and she’s looking at me like I’m coated in horseshit or something.” Arianna’s lips thinned and she ran her tongue over her teeth. “Messed-up thing is, Desmond looked at me the same way she did. And he seemed to enjoy all her petting and boob rubbing. He even stuck up for her when she referred to me as a girl and called me jealous, raised his voice at me and everything.” Arianna shook her head and closed her eyes, reliving the moment. “You should have seen Amitt’s face when he was scolding me, the superior fuck you that was plastered on her forehead.”
Beth’s eyes bugged. “What? Are you freaking kidding me? If I had known all that, I would have told her to go to hell when you brought her to me! Damn!” Beth threw her hands in the air and let them land against her thighs with a slap. “Who is this Amitt? Have you heard of her before?”
“Nope. This morning, when he brought her here, was the first I’d heard of her.”
“So let me get all this straight. Desmond left because he felt Agnon’s passing; not uncommon in families, especially ones with power like theirs. Then Desmond comes back with a cousin he’s never mentioned and she’s all over him and in your face. Do I have it right?”
“You have the gist of it,” Arianna nodded. “But if you had been there, if you had seen the way she was, and the way he was too, you would have freaked.”
“What do you mean the way he was? I mean, you don’t know he was into her boobs all brushing up on him.”
“Um, yeah, I kind of do,” Arianna said tightly. “His eyes were, like, zeroed in on her gigantic nipples. He didn’t look one bit uncomfortable with how she was acting either. He didn’t pull away or even lean awkwardly.”
“Oh jeez, that is weird.” Beth agreed. “Maybe they’re close in that family.” Beth shrugged.
“Really, do you dry-hump your cousins, Beth?”
“Hell no!” Beth answered immediately.
“See, even you don’t buy what you just said,” Arianna mumbled.
“No, I guess I don’t.”
“Ugh this is such a mess, you know that right?” Arianna scrubbed her face with her hands. “I want to ask him about it, but I don’t know, the way he acted a little while ago, I feel like I’m walking into a trap, like no matter how I bring it up, we’re going to fight about it.”
“That doesn’t sound like Desmond. I’ve been with you guys for five months. I see how he is
with you, how he looks at you. He is crazy in love with you. There has to be some explanation for Amitt and their bizarre-ass interaction this morning,” Beth tried to comfort her by saying. “I don’t know what that explanation could possibly be, mind you,” she added quickly and undermined what little comfort her words had wielded.
Arianna cringed. Her friend was right. “He just seems so...different. I can’t put my finger on it. He said he was tired, which I get. He did sift from here to the Antarctic Peninsula then back again. And I would imagine feeling your father’s death is not a pleasant experience.” Arianna knew she was trying to rationalize his behavior, explain it away when an explanation was clearly absent. Such an undertaking was uncharacteristic of her. She, of all people, abhorred women who made excuses for the bad behavior of men. Her mother had been the poster child for women who defended their men’s wrongdoings. Cathy Rose had always been so desperate to forgive and forget to maintain the status quo, even when the status quo had involved addiction or abuse. Arianna had vowed early on to never be that way. Now, here she was, trying to close her eyes to a situation that, while far less dire, demanded she keep them wide open. “Shit, I’m trying to make excuses for him,” she chastised herself.
Beth studied her as she bit the skin around her thumbnail. She dropped her hand to her lap then said in a measure voice, “You’re going to have to talk to him. You have to get everything off your chest. Just try to do it as levelheadedly as possible. Don’t lose your cool.”
“I know,” Arianna agreed. “I’m just not looking forward to it.”
“It might be your first real fight. It might not. You won’t know until later.”
Arianna’s empty stomach cartwheeled then growled loudly.
“Why don’t we head over to Briathos’ house and scrounge for food. I’m pretty sure we missed breakfast, but I’m sure we’ll find something. Maybe we’ll even bump into some of the elders. Spending time with them might give you a little perspective, a little peace. Who knows?”
Beth was right. She needed to eat and muster her composure. Something told her she would need it. Briathos was just the person she needed to be around. He exuded serenity. She hoped some of that serenity would wear off on her.
“Okay. Let’s go,” Arianna bobbed her head and said.
Arianna and Beth wandered to the main house after Beth made a quick pit stop at her cabin to change out of her pajamas and into clothes. Briathos had been gracious enough to whip up bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches for them as well as drinks. When their bellies had been filled, he’d invited them to his lanai for tea and pastries. They had accepted and spent the greater part of the late morning and early afternoon listening as he regaled them with stories of his youth. His tales had been a welcome relief. Arianna had enjoyed his calming cadence and the tranquility that haloed him as completely as divine light around a saint. All too soon, though, reality reared its ugly head.
The sun began to dip low and the sky was a brilliant palette of pinks and lavenders. The pastel colors melded, blending and mingling with one another to create a fairytale backdrop that made her heart ache as she walked with Beth back to the cabins.
“You ready for this?” Beth asked her.
“No,” Arianna admitted when they’d reached her bungalow. She felt as if innumerable butterflies were teeming in her belly at once, the fluttering unbearable.
“Good luck,” Beth said and gave her shoulder a squeeze. “And do me a favor, try not to fry him, okay?” she winked then turned and continued toward the woods.
“Hey what’s the matter? You’re not going in?” Arianna asked and referred to the fact that Beth passed the cabin.
“No thanks. I don’t trust myself with your new friend. I’m going to see what Dane and Jason are up to.”
“All right, I’ll catch up with you later,” Arianna said.
Beth did not say anything more, just offered a knowing smile before she vanished into the woods. Arianna turned the doorknob and walked inside, smack into Desmond’s solid chest.
“Oh, you’re up,” she said nervously. She did not know why she felt so jumpy around him all of a sudden. She’d never felt like this around him, or anyone else, before. Two powerful arms imprisoned her suddenly and smashed her against his bare body.
“Where were you?” he asked harshly. He stepped back, releasing his vice-like grip on her and looked down on her. His brows were arched with irritation, his expression intimidating. He was still, too still, as he stared at her silently, suspiciously, studying her face with eyes that had hardened to turquoise.
“I was with Beth and Briathos,” she said and felt as if she were answering to someone for the first time in her entire life.
His icy, unsettling expression thawed to a charming smile inspired by the devil himself. “Oh, that’s fine,” he said.
Fine? Was he kidding? Fine! Had she missed something? Did she need his approval to leave the cabin? Frustration fused with inexplicable fear, a fight or flight, gut instinct that warned her back a step, and warned her to proceed with caution.
“I am glad you’re here,” she heard his voice say in a tone she was more acquainted with.
“I am glad you’re awake,” she said and decided this was as good a time as any to launch into a discussion of what happened at Agnon’s compound, and more specifically, Amitt. “I want to talk to you.”
“Oh,” he said with disinterest.
“Yes. You’ve been through a lot in the last twenty-four hours. I want to make sure you’re okay.”
“I’m fine,” he said dismissively.
“Are you?” she asked gently.
Desmond screwed up his features at her as if he genuinely did not know what she was referring to.
“You know, your father and everything,” she prodded.
He maintained the befuddled air about him then without warning, looked as if a realization had dawned on him. “Oh yes, yes, my father. Terrible tragedy,” he said absently. “His death was such a tremendous loss.”
He rattled the words in such a manner, Arianna waited for him to add a blah-blah-blah-death-is-rough complete with eye rolling. His father had dispatched Thanatos to kill him, but his current disposition was a far cry from what it had been when he’d left. And it went beyond an errant stage of grieving. He seemed as if he truly did not care.
“Tremendous loss,” she couldn’t help but echo his words. “Huh. I bet Amitt was very helpful when you were at your father’s place,” she added, laboring so hard to sound benign, she had to force the sourness from rising in her throat.
“Yes, yes, very helpful,” he continued distractedly.
“Funny, you never mentioned a cousin before,” Arianna said and continued to struggle to keep the acid from her tone.
“Hmm, I thought I had. Oh well,” he brushed her off.
Arianna grew more and more aggravated with every non-answer he hurled. He knew damn well he had never mentioned a cousin to her because he hadn’t. How he had the audacity to tell her a blatant lie was beyond her. He had never lied to her before. Or had he? Nothing seemed right. He was acting so strangely, so intentionally remote. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from screaming. She wanted answers.
“And she looks so different from you and your father. It’s hard to believe you two are related,” she continued.
“My blood runs through many veins, Arianna,” he answered cryptically.
“Okay,” she replied with confusion. “That makes a lot of sense,” she mumbled under her breath sarcastically. “Do you have more cousins coming? Anyone else I should be looking out for?” She heard the snippiness creep into her tone, but could not help it, Try as she may, she was not getting much in the way of answers from him. And the harder she pressed the more vague and aloof he became.
“Amitt is here to help our cause,” he said and completely sidestepped her questions. “Are you done grilling me? I have traveled a great distance and suffered a great loss. I was hoping to find comfort in your arms, but cl
early, you refuse to provide me with such a courtesy.” He was raising his voice at her again. “You seem more interested in giving me the third degree about a beloved cousin who you feel threatened by than consoling me. Really, Arianna, how selfish can you be? Your misgivings toward Amitt are your own insecurities. They’re your problem. Not mine and certainly not hers.”
Arianna stood, stunned, as if she’d just been slapped in the face, dizzied by what he’d just said to her. Was he right? Was everything an exaggerated figment of her jealous imagination? He seemed to think so. Suddenly, she was unsure.
Desmond dropped to the bed and held his head in his hands, obviously distraught. She went to him and reached out a hand and touched it to his shoulder. He flinched. “Go,” he said pitifully. “Just go. I don’t want you to see me this way.” Without warning, he was vulnerable, emotional. She did not understand the Jekyll and Hyde mood swing he’d just had, but she believed he needed her. She sat beside him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. He immediately turned toward her and buried his face in her chest. She twirled bits of his hair while he stayed there, his face nestled in her breasts.
“I need you,” he murmured. “Please, I need to feel that you’re here for me,” he pleaded.
She had never seen him so needy and helpless. She felt compelled to hold him tighter. He nuzzled her neck, his breath hot against it, and began planting soft kisses there. A part of her resisted him, repelled him even, though she did not know why. He was Desmond, the man she loved. And he’d said he needed her. Nothing was odd about that. But when he covered her mouth with his and pried her lips opened before plunging his tongue into her mouth with so much force their teeth clashed, she was truly surprised. He’d gone from suspicious and angry to resentful to needy and pathetic and was now horny, all in a matter of moments. Her heart stumbled like a clumsy runner while uncertainty swam laps in her brain. His tongue continued to duel with hers as his hand raced up her shirt and squeezed her breasts harder than he ever had before. She groaned in pain, but he obviously misread the sound she’d made as one of pleasure as he continued to grope her aggressively.
The Arrival: Arianna Rose, #4 Page 9