by Evie Nichole
“Ok.” Selene nodded her understanding.
Barkley leaned into the shower and kissed her, laughing and shaking the water off of his head before he left the bathroom.
Selene supported her body on two outstretched arms. She couldn’t believe her good luck. Not only was the burden of the lie to Barkley off of her shoulders, but he still wanted her. In some ways it felt like she was already his. She shuddered deliciously as her body reacted to the fresh memory of his body on hers. The way his hands had touched her in alternating patterns of gentle caressing to rough demanding fondling.
She washed quickly, amusing herself with thoughts of how it had only taken one night and three days for her to soften, to feel the spark of love, and blow her cover. She laughed out loud, clamping both hands over her mouth. She was becoming a different person, not hard and calculating, and she liked it.
Selene applied a light coat of makeup and braided her hair into a thick braid, which she allowed to fall over one shoulder. With one of her new shirts on and a pair of yoga pants, she was ready to spend as much of the evening with Barkley as his work would allow.
Her cell phone began playing her latest ringtone, an old rock song from the 90s. The number was vaguely familiar.
“Hello?”
“Just agree to have dinner with me.”
Selene closed her eyes, cursing herself for not letting the call go to voicemail.
“Eric, I don’t want you calling me.”
“Just dinner, Selene. What would it hurt?”
“A lot. I don’t have time for this. I have to go.”
“Wait!” Eric called out. “Listen…”
Selene waited impatiently for him to say whatever was so pressing.
“I’ve had a lot of time to think.”
“I don’t see how. I mean screwing around takes a lot of time.”
Eric blew air heavily. “I was scared, Selene. The doctors were talking like…like…you wouldn’t be the same. I just didn’t know if I could handle it.”
“So you messed around with every female the Corp had to offer and some that had nothing to do with it.”
“I was scared,” he repeated.
“Now, you’ve seen that I’m back to normal. I’m just fine, and that makes me worthwhile again? You’re pathetic.”
“Selene…”
“Do not call again.”
Selene sat on the edge of the bed and took long deep breaths until her composure had returned. She stood and looked in the mirror once more. Eric was just a distant memory. A painful chapter of her life that was now closed. With that final thought, she left the room, her cell phone still laying on the crumpled sheets.
***
The door of the library was partially open and Selene could hear Barkley and another man talking within. She reached to push the door all the way open when the man began talking. She hesitated.
“So, nothing new with the case?” His baritone voice seemed to reverberate off of every item in the room.
“Nothing.”
“I still think she just ran off.”
“If she did, she did. The marriage was over anyway. It was her choice.”
“True.”
Selene pushed the door open and stepped inside. Barkley’s face lit up.
“Gisele! Come meet my good friend, Tim.”
The other man turned in his seat, a wide white smile splitting his mocha-colored face. He stood and extended a large hand.
“Tim Stevens. It’s a pleasure.”
“Gisele Velasquez,” she replied, her hand engulfed in the tall man’s much larger one. He ran a hand over his mustache and goatee, turning back to Barkley.
“She’s a gem. Where have you been hiding her?”
“We actually just recently met.”
“Oh really? Wasn’t that fortuitous.”
“Yes, I would say it was.” Barkley beamed.
The man returned to his seat and motioned for Selene to take the seat beside him. “So, what do you do for a living, Gisele?”
“I’m a private…dancer…among other things.”
Tim lifted his eyebrows. “Among other things?”
“That was just a night job. I’m working on some other possibilities.”
“She’s a vet. Served in the Marines,” Barkley announced proudly.
Tim Stevens looked as if his face was permanently frozen in a state of shock.
“This tiny little thing?” He jerked a finger in her direction. “Wow. I wouldn’t have thought it.”
“Oh, don’t get her started on that!” Barkley laughed. “I questioned it the other day and she publically humiliated me.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, I ended up on my back in the middle of the street with old ladies clapping.”
Tim threw his head back, his laughter like booming thunder. “I would have paid good money to see that!”
Barkley stood. “We better head into the dining room. Mary said dinner would be served in thirty minutes. You know how she is about dinner getting cold.”
“Probably about as rabid on the subject as Betty.” Tim chuckled.
“Worse. Betty only rants. Mary will actually cry.”
***
Selene was happy that dinner was the same as lunch. The only absences were Robert and MJ. MJ had offered an apology directly to Selene, telling her that he had to get home because his oldest was coming over for dinner and a movie. She had assured him that she would be right there when he returned the following day. She even promised him that she would allow him to escort her on a proper tour of the grounds.
Tim and Barkley talked about Barkley’s business and the meeting to come the following day, which left Selene to make small talk with the Sanders and Betty. The Sanders were more than happy to talk about their son in college, and how beautiful the fall season was going to be. Betty, on the other hand, was quieter than normal, peevish at times even. Giving one-word answers, while moving her food around on her plate, but eating little. Mary gave her several sideling worried looks, but left her to stew in her own juices for the most part.
After dessert, Barkley and Tim politely excused themselves to the library. Barkley stopped before leaving, taking one of Selene’s hands in his.
“Would you like to join us?”
“No, I’ll be in later. I’m going to help with the cleanup.”
Mary inhaled sharply. “Oh no, Miss! That’s not your place!”
Selene looked at the startled faces of Mary and Jim Sanders. Betty was looking at her oddly, her usually pleasant face dour and wary.
“It’s alright, Mary.” Barkley spoke up. “If she wants to help, it’s fine.”
Mary nodded reluctantly.
“Well, if she’s going to help, then I’m going up to my room,” Betty said, tossing her napkin onto her dirty plate.
“Sure, Betty. Take a rest,” Mary said uneasily, as she began stacking plates.
Selene followed Betty to the base of the stairs. It wasn’t any of her business, but the woman’s drastic change in demeanor was frightening.
“Betty, are you feeling alright?”
She hesitated, one foot on the bottom step and the other still on the floor. When she turned her head to look at Selene, it was the Betty she had met on Saturday. She gave Selene a sad smile.
“Just fine, dear. Forgive me. I’m just a foolish old woman who sometimes has the grouches.”
Selene inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. “Nothing to forgive, Betty. Go get some rest. Maybe tomorrow you won’t have the grouches.” Selene patted her shoulder and went back to the dining room to help clear the table. She didn’t turn her head, so she hadn’t seen that Betty stared after her long after she was gone.
***
Tim Stevens left just past ten with a promise to meet Barkley there at eight the next morning so they could ride together to their meeting.
“What’s the meeting about?” Selene asked, as she and Barkley climbed the stairs, hand-in-hand.
“W
e have a meeting with a low-level gaming producer. It’s about an hour away. I decided to come here for a few days instead of driving from the city out there each day. You know, three hour drive to a meeting instead of one.”
“I’m surprised whomever the meeting is with isn’t in the city anyway.”
“Me too, but he prefers a more rustic setting, I guess. Maybe it inspires his creative genius. Most of his games are set in medieval times. Lords and ladies, knights and monsters. That kind of thing.”
They reached Barkley’s bedroom door. He kept hold of her hand, his green eyes boring into her brown ones.
“Should I go to one of the guest rooms?”
Selene’s eyes widened, her head coming forward. “Umm…after this afternoon why bother? We have some things to talk about anyway.” She opened the door.
“Yeah, I need to kiss all your scars anyway,” Barkley replied with a firm slap to her butt.
Selene playfully fought off Barkley’s hands and grabbed a small notepad from her purse. She flipped it open to a clean page.
Barkley laid on his side, propped up on one elbow. He yanked the pen from Selene’s hand, twirling it between two fingers.
“A sparkly purple pen with a fuzzy top. Now, how many clients have taken you seriously while taking notes with this pen?”
Selene snatched it back. “I use a plain professional looking pen for clients.”
“I still can’t believe you’re a private investigator.” He rolled onto his back. “Although it fits your personality and back ground far better than a stripper does.”
“Why?” She frowned. “I’m not sexy enough?”
“Oh, you are. You make me crazy. But you’re tough. You’re…I can’t say why I think that, really.”
“Well, let me do my job then.” She poised the pen over the pad. “How many employees do you have?”
“Over a hundred.”
“I mean within your personal homes.”
“You’ve met them all. Except, there is a woman for cooking and cleaning in the Caymans, but she only dusts and vacuums once a week, unless I’m actually there.”
“How often do you go there?”
“About twice a year.”
Selene nodded, her pen moved over the little paper. “Good. I’m looking forward to that.”
Barkley laughed.
“So, who gave you the alibi to the police that you were in Virginia when Sarah went missing?”
“The Sanders, MJ, and Betty.”
“Did you have any idea what Sarah was doing while you were gone?”
“Betty said she barely saw her before the actual day she went missing.”
Selene’s head shot up. “I thought Betty was with you.”
“I arrived on a Sunday. Betty drove down on Wednesday, but I wasn’t there when she first arrived. Actually, no one was.”
“Why was that?” Selene was all business.
“I took the Sanders and MJ into town. We were picking out some things for the attic renovation. It was really my attempt at luring Sarah down. I thought…” He allowed his words to trail off. “I guess I really didn’t want to go through a divorce. I thought if I could start a project and pretend I needed her to rescue me from it…”
“She wouldn’t actually leave you.”
“Yes.”
“And if she walks through the door right now?”
Barkley turned his head to the door, as if it was a definite possibility. He stared at it for a moment, then looked back to Selene, his face sober.
“It’s too late for her to come back. Even before you, it was too late. It would have been one thing if she ran off for a few days or even a week, but to do this for over six months? To put me and her father through this on purpose?” He shook his head, jutting his lower jaw out. “No. It’s too late now.”
“It’s ok to say that you loved her and really didn’t want to lose her, Barkley. I understand, and you aren’t going to push me away, or cause us problems if you say it.” She tapped her pen on the paper. “You were married for a long time.”
“I know, but I mean what I say; even if she walked through the door right now, it really is too late.”
“Are you angry with Lucas for hiring me?”
“Yes.” He shrugged uncomfortably. “I get it though. This is his daughter we’re talking about.”
“Were they close? Lucas and Sarah?”
“No.”
Selene lifted her eyes only. “What?”
“They weren’t. She actually detested him.” He angled his head to the side. “Detested is a strong word. She tolerated him, but it never hurt her feelings if he didn’t come around.”
“He gave me the impression…I mean, he never said so, but he made me feel like they were close. He made me feel like finding her was the most important thing in the world.”
“I’m sure they loved each other just based on the nature of relationship, but you can love someone in a general, because-I-have-to kind of way without being close. Or without even liking them for that matter.”
“Did he visit often?”
“Ha! After her mother died, he came once a week for dinner, but I think that was because he was enamored with Betty’s cooking and Betty herself.”
“Really?” Selene laughed. “Betty herself. That’s cute. I mean, it is a little gross, considering it’s Lucas, but hey, who am I to judge?”
“Lucas Mitchell is a complicated man.” Barkley rubbed at his eyes. “Babe, I’m tired. Come cuddle with me. I have a long day tomorrow.”
Selene tossed the pad and pen to the floor. She snuggled tightly to Barkley under the covers, but the cuddling led to kissing, the kissing to touching, and so on and so forth, leaving them both sated and smiling when they finally drifted off to sleep.
***
The next morning Selene stretched languidly and reached for Barkley. She disappointedly rolled over and stared at his cold, empty side of the bed. She checked her watch and groaned happily when she saw that she had slept until ten in the morning. She couldn’t remember the last time she had slept like that. She stood and walked to the bathroom. A note was taped to the mirror.
Good morning, beautiful. I should be back by six. Be ready. I’m taking you somewhere special tonight. Love, Barkley. P.S. Maybe you can tell me why you toss and turn all night.
Selene laid the note on the counter. Maybe she could tell him. She hadn’t ever been able to voice the horrors she had witnessed. Her mother had tried to pull them from her, gently with motherly love, but Selene hadn’t even been able to tell her. Eric was the only one who could possibly know and understand, and she wasn’t about to unburden herself to him. He lost that privilege a long time ago.
Selene turned on the shower, her mind pushing memories on her. She fought to keep them in the dark recesses where they belonged. As the pulsing hot water hit her skin, the memories won over.
The doctor stood by her bed, apology written all over his face. With each word he spoke, Eric’s grip on her hand lessened, until eventually, he let go entirely.
“The damage is extensive. She probably will walk with a limp the rest of her life. I imagine stairs will be nearly impossible.”
“What about children?” Eric asked. His eyes nearly black and void of emotion.
“I can’t say right now. As I explained before, the damage was extensive.”
Selene turned her head on the pillow, choosing to stare at the white wall above the sink.
“She will obviously be medically discharged.”
“So…” Eric began quietly. “She’s losing her career too? She’s a career Marine! I mean, she’s scheduled for OCS for crying out loud!”
“I’m sorry.” The doctor had sighed, sparing Selene a worried glance. “Look, we will do the second reconstructive surgery on her hip tomorrow. When all of this is past her, you should make sure she gets the help she needs.”
“Help?” Eric asked weakly.
“If she is partially disabled in any way after such an�
��active life…she will need counseling. The rehab for her recovery needs to be mental as well as physical.”
Eric had nodded, but he hadn’t taken Selene’s hand again. In fact, by the time she was released for the hospital and on a flight home, he was already out of her life.
***
Selene could feel her mood dipping into the darkness again. She wished Barkley was back already, although she knew it was a selfish thought. He had work to take care of. He didn’t become a billionaire by sitting on his butt all day.
When she descended the stairs, the house was deathly quiet. She wondered if Mary Sanders had bothered to come down since Betty was there. The delicate smell of some type of sweet bread drew her into the kitchen. There were four loaves of what looked like pumpkin and cranberry bread. Selene smiled. Whomever had made it had tapped into her mind. She was a big fan of not only fall itself, but all of the delicacies that came with the season. The kitchen was spotless. She felt a moment of guilt, thinking that the rest of the household must think her lazy and a bit trifling for sleeping in so long. She quickly dismissed the thought, reminding herself that she was there as a billionaire’s new girlfriend. No one would think anything other than she was just embracing the lifestyle.
Selene left out of the back kitchen door in search of MJ. She had promised he could give her a proper tour of the grounds, and she fully intended on honoring that promise.
The mid-morning air was chilly, but bright and crisp. The sky didn’t hold a cloud. It was her favorite type of fall day. She smiled to herself as she realized the date: it was officially the first day of fall.
She contemplated going back inside to grab the lightweight jacket she had brought along, but a slight breeze brought a muffled voice to her ears. She couldn’t discern actual words but the inflection sounded rushed and impatient. Selene crept along the side of the house, moving towards the voice. When she reached the edge, she moved back quickly as Betty’s back came into view, a cell phone held firmly to one ear.
“I live with it every day!” she snapped.
Selene’s brow wrinkled, as she pressed her body as tightly to the side of the house as possible.
“There’s nothing to be done. It was a rash decision that can’t be taken back. We need to just move forward.”