Torment

by Chloe Fischer

  He bristled, a wave of hot and cold overwhelming him.

  “Jade, stay in the apartment and don’t open the door or answer the phone unless it’s me, okay?”

  Jade choked back a sob but agreed and Darien disconnected the call, striding back into Odette’s bedroom. She cocked her head and looked at him pensively.

  “Everything okay?” she asked. He snorted and shook his head.

  “No,” he growled. “Everything is not okay.”

  He paused and looked at her hopefully. She worked for a new source. Maybe she had connections to find out who had called Jade.

  “What?” Odette demanded as he stared at her.

  “Would you happen to…” he trailed off, his eyes falling past her shoulder and onto the bedside table. Confusion overcame him as he saw a phone number scrawled on a piece of paper. It was a Chicago phone number, one that was more than slightly familiar.

  Consternation overwhelmed him in a tidal wave.

  “What?” Odette asked again, following his eyes and only then did she gasp aloud as she realized she’d been caught.

  “You called Jade?” He barely recognized his own voice.

  “What?” she squeaked and Darien knew he was right. She backed up to slide the paper into the drawer but Darien was faster, snatching up the page before she could destroy the evidence.

  “What the hell were you thinking?”

  His breaths were coming out in short, uneven rasps and suddenly, he felt lightheaded. A defensive expression overtook Odette’s face and she folded her arms over her chest.

  “I know all about your girlfriend and kid, Darien. I’ve already written the exposé piece and it’s set to be published this week.”

  Dizziness swept through Darien’s body.

  “You can’t do that,” he whispered, staring at her in dismay. To her credit, she looked away, the shame evident on her face. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “I know there’s a morals clause in your contract and it will jeopardize your scholarship,” she said. There was an unmistakable quavering in her tone and Darien realized that she didn’t want to publish the piece. Anger competed with the terror inside him.

  “You think I give a shit about the morals clause?” he hissed. “Half the fucking team has violated it in one way or another. No one enforces it. It’s a joke. The NCAA is a multi-billion-dollar empire. They aren’t going to throw me off the team for your inaccurate reporting.”

  Her eyes flashed and she grimaced.

  “Really? You’re going to attack my journalistic skills when I caught you red-handed with a secret girlfriend and kid? Not to mention the fact that you’re unfaithful and—”

  “YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT THE FUCK YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT!” he shouted, all sense of decorum flying out the window. Odette was shocked into silence, a trace of fear overcoming her face, and she stepped back like she was worried he might attack her. But Darien wasn’t even mad at her, not really. He was furious with the tragedy of the entire situation, the fact that it had all fallen on him. Of course, someone was bound to discover Jade and Melody—it was only a matter of time but he’d hoped that by then, he would be powerful enough to keep them out of harm’s way.

  But if she publishes this article, all bets are off.

  “You should leave,” Odette said flatly, after a minute of uneasy silence. “Now you have the heads up that the article is coming. If what you say is true, then you have nothing to worry about.”

  “No!” he snarled, beginning to pace the room. “If you publish that piece, you’ll be endangering Jade and Melody. You can’t print it.”

  Disbelief colored her face.

  “Really? You must think I’m pretty fucking stupid if you think I’m going to fall for that. You’ve already made me into the other woman, Darien. I’m not going to tank my career because I fell for your bullshit again.”

  Darien stopped and spun, shaking his head with a mirthless smile on his face.

  “The other woman?” he snickered. “You think I cheated on my girlfriend when I was with you?”

  Suddenly, her angst was becoming slightly clearer but it was all so much for Darien to process, it was still taking him some time to put the pieces together.

  “Are you going to deny that you have a girlfriend and little girl in Chicago? Because I followed you there on Thursday, Darien. I saw her and I saw your girlfriend.”

  Darien’s jaw was almost on the floor as he stared at her.

  “Y-you what?” he sputtered. She nodded.

  “That’s what journalists do,” she insisted and he could tell she was trying to justify her own brash action.

  But that’s not it at all. She followed me because she was hurt and she wanted the truth.

  As much as he wanted to be furious with her, Darien knew he had to tell her the truth before the damage was done and she printed the story.

  “Jade is not my girlfriend,” he sighed. “And Melody isn’t my kid.”

  The announcement didn’t give Darien the reaction he’d been expecting, the smirk remaining on Odette’s face.

  “Oh. I get it. They’re just friends you help out, right?” she asked sarcastically. “And stay over with. And—”

  “Melody is my niece and Jade was my brother’s girlfriend. Before he was murdered.”

  The caustic grin faded from Odette’s lips and she stared at him in shock.

  “What?”

  Darien pursed his lips together and sank onto the foot of Odette’s bed, shaking his head as the memory of all that happened began to flood back.

  “We’re from a shitty part of Chicago,” he began, the words sticking in his throat. He’d never told the story aloud before and he wasn’t sure he wanted to now but he knew what was at stake.

  “Jayce ran with some bad dudes but after our parents died, he protected me and kept me out of trouble. He wanted me to do better than he did and even if I hadn’t gotten the scholarship, he would have seen me through to college one way or another.”

  By any means necessary, Darien added silently, envisioning his brother pedaling dope on the corners while Darien studied late at night.

  “No one was prouder than Jayce when I got the full ride here. The year after I left, he met Jade and suddenly, he didn’t have a reason to keep working with the gangs. He wanted out and he wanted a better life for himself and Jade but that’s not really the way it works, you know?”

  He looked at Odette and laughed.

  “Well, I guess you don’t know,” he sighed but she shook her head.

  “I watch Chicago PD,” she said defensively. Darien couldn’t help but laugh but there was no humor in it.

  “I don’t know what happened exactly. The way Jade tells it, Jayce was going to testify against some heavy hitters in the Latin Kings in exchange for witness protection for him and Jade but before he could, word got out by way of a blind item in the Herald. It didn’t take much for the Kings to figure out who had ratted on them and…”

  He faltered, unable to say the words again.

  “Needless to say, the deal was only good for Jayce and Jade had lived in constant fear that someone was going to come for her and Melody, even though she doesn’t know anything. I’ve been moving them around as often as I can but I don’t have the money, at least not now, and it’s unstable for a baby to grow up like that, moving from one place to another, keeping a low profile with no friends.”

  He paused and looked at Odette.

  “I have no idea if the Kings are looking for her or my niece, Odette, but if there is a chance that they are, printing that piece will most certainly be signing a death warrant for them, if not me too.”

  Odette visibly swallowed, her eyes huge as she stared at him. He met her gaze evenly.

  “Also,” he continued. “You’re a jackass for thinking that I was using you as a side piece.”

  She laughed shortly but tears filled her luminous eyes and she bowed her head.

  “Shit,” she muttered. “You�
��re right. I am a hack.”

  He moved to her side and reached for her hands.

  “No,” he said, sighing. “You’re not. You’re ambitious and want to get a story at any cost but you’re not a hack. I’m sorry about all the shit I said about you. After Jayce was outed in that article, I think I always had a chip on my shoulder about journalists in general. I wasn’t ever fair to you, Odette.”

  “It’s kind of the same way I feel about athletes,” she chuckled.

  “You don’t like athletes? They why are you a sports writer?”

  Odette bit on her lower lip.

  “I was sort of demoted. This was my punishment and now I’m going to end up jobless when I pull this story.”

  “Would an interview with the star quarterback help?” he asked and she snorted.

  “I’m not falling for that again,” she told him, sighing deeply.

  “I’m right here,” he said. “Ask me anything.”

  She gave him a wary look but she didn’t look convinced.

  “I don’t know if it’s going to fly now, Darien. I’ve already shown my editor what I had in the piece. It’s too juicy and he’s not going to accept an interview as a replacement. Maybe it’s just time to accept that I need to throw in the towel at the State.”

  Darien smiled.

  “Maybe,” he agreed lightly. “Maybe not. But even if you lost a job, you gained a boyfriend, right?”

  Her mouth parted and she gaped at him.

  “What?”

  He shrugged.

  “Why not?” he demanded. “We seem to have an understanding now. I think we can put our animus aside and work through this, can’t we?”

  “You are so cheesy,” she laughed but this time, there was genuine humor in her tone and she wrapped her arms around his neck, placing a kiss on his mouth.

  When they parted, she stared at him seriously.

  “Just try not to piss me off, okay?”

  “Ditto,” he agreed. “Or I might have to spank you.”

  Epilogue

  “This is not right,” Darien muttered as they stepped off the plane to a wave of humidity. “Nothing about this is right. Christmas Eve isn’t supposed to be ninety degrees.”

  “Just pretend we’re in Costa Rica or something,” Odette encouraged him. Darien pointed to a nearby man, dressed in a ten-gallon hat, chewing on a piece of hay.

  “There is no way we’d see that in Costa Rica.”

  “No,” Odette chuckled in agreement. “Only in Florida.”

  They hustled their way through customs and the first person Odette saw when they stepped through the gate was Mia, waving obnoxiously to get her attention.

  “Dammit. I told her not to come,” Odette sighed but there was nothing she could do now. Darien adjusted Melody in his arms and turned back to look for Jade who was struggling with a suitcase far too large for the weeklong trip.

  “Wait for me!” Jade yelled after them. Melody giggled and Darien ignored her, moving toward Odette’s sister confidently.

  “I can’t believe you came!” Mia gushed. “You’re really here!”

  “It’s Christmas,” Odette said irrelevantly.

  “Like that’s ever encouraged you before,” her older sister shot back, looping Odette into a hug. She pulled back to look at Darien, a wicked smile touching her lips.

  “And I guess I have you to thank, Mr. Football Star,” she added coyly, sashaying toward the man and little girl. She looked at Melody with interested eyes. “Wow. Does she ever look like you, Darien.”

  “She looks like her father,” Jade interjected sharply and a light tension fell over the group.

  “This is Jade,” Odette offered quickly, eager to break the silence. “Melody’s mom. Jade, this is my sister, Mia.”

  “Yes, yes,” Mia agreed, ushering them out of the terminal. “I know all about this complicated family dynamic. Hanson is waiting out front with the car. Let’s go before he gets a ticket.”

  Mia was gone, leading the way in her usual, busy fashion as the four followed after them.

  “Just how much does she know?” Darien asked as they walked, his arm encircled around Melody’s tiny body as he dragged the rolling suitcase in his other hand.

  “Most of it,” Odette replied lightly, her eyes taking in the colorful wreaths draped around the airport and the twinkling lights. “Minus the legalities.”

  Darien seemed relieved by the words and he cast her a sidelong look, a smile matching the light in his eyes.

  “Are you ready for this?” he asked in a low voice.

  The truth was, Odette had no idea. The past month had been a whirlwind, even more confusing and exhilarating that the ones before.

  She and Darien had reached a comfortable truce, now that all their cards were laid out on the table. He no longer saw her as the enemy and she knew that he had her best interests at heart, something he’d proven when she’d gone to tell Marcus that she was resigning from the State.

  “What do you mean, you’re not printing that story!” he howled. “It’s the best damned thing you’ve done since you started here!”

  “I’m not going to ruin a man’s life and career based on speculation. Anyway, it’s not true and I’m not publishing it. I’m not cut out for this, Marcus. I know you want to fire me anyway, so here’s my resignation.”

  Marcus scoffed and sat back in his chair, shaking his head in anger.

  “I wish I could accept it,” he growled. “And yes, I’d love to fire you but the Wolverines have informed me that if you’re replaced, they’ll never talk to another State reporter as long as they’re on the team.”

  Odette had blinked in confusion.

  “What?”

  “If I fire you or you quit, I’ll have no interviews or inside edges for the next four years, not only according to the team but Coach Wilder too.”

  Odette couldn’t believe what she was hearing but when she went back to discuss it with Darien, he played dumb.

  “I dunno,” he said innocently. “Those guys are all pretty hot for you.”

  So Odette had managed to salvage her job with the paper and her relationship with Darien. All that had been left was her connection to her family.

  “What do you think about going to Florida for Christmas break?” she asked Darien, fully expecting a litany of excuses from him.

  “Can Jade and Melody come?” was all he had responded and just like that, the plans had been made.

  But now, as they boarded the Stinson’s Hummer, Hanson, the driver, packing their suitcases into the back, Odette wondered if she hadn’t made a mistake.

  “We got all the presents you sent,” Mia gushed, leaning forward to grab her sister’s hand. “Daddy is so excited to see you.”

  The question was, was Odette excited to see him?

  “Great,” she managed to reply. “How long is he here for?”

  “I don’t know,” Mia confessed, lowering her voice confidentially. “But he says he has an announcement to make.

  She felt Darien’s hand tighten around her leg and Odette smothered a smile.

  It looked like it was going to be a Christmas full of surprises.

  Edward and Darien hit it off from the minute they met one another, something that both pleased and warmed Odette as she watched them.

  “Dinner is ready!” Eva called, wiping her hands on her apron as she entered the living room. The family rose from their various stages of conversation to amble into the massive dining room.

  Odette could see the appreciation in both Jade and Darien’s faces as they took in the huge house and splendor around them.

  This is going to be perfect, Odette thought, eying the happy Melody as she explored the room, her eyes brightening as she touched everything.

  “Before we eat,” Edward called, tapping on his wine glass with a fork to garner everyone’s attention. “I just want to make an announcement.”

  All eyes were on him and Odette shot her boyfriend a look. Darien gave her a warm smile
and she flushed inside, knowing that his announcement was better.

  “I have officially retired as a coach for the English Premier League and will not be traveling anymore,” Edward declared. The Stinson sisters looked at one another in amazement.

  “At least, not without me,” Eva chirped and everyone laughed.

  “I have missed out on so much of your lives,” Edward went on, his gaze resting on Odette as he spoke. “But I want to make up for lost time…if you’ll let me.”

  Emotion overwhelmed her but she managed to keep her face stoic and impassive even as her father continued to stare at her as if he was awaiting absolution.

  “Jade,” Eva added when Odette didn’t speak. “Edward and I have a proposition for you.”

  Odette pulled her eyes away from her father to look at her mother in surprise. Jade seemed just as confused by being addressed.

  “Uh, okay?” Jade mumbled.

  “We would like it if you and Melody came to live with us here,” Eva explained. “Odette has told us that you are looking for a change—”

  “What did you tell her?” Jade hissed but Odette shook her head vehemently, staring earnestly at Jade.

  “Nothing!” she promised. “I told her that once Darien gets into the NFL, you’ll be looking to move somewhere safer.”

  “Palm Beach is safe,” Edward interjected quickly. “And we are two retirees with empty nest syndrome. We see our grandchildren, of course, but we miss having them with us.”

  Jade’s narrowed eyes widened.

  “Y-you mean live here? In this house?”

  “This monstrosity,” Odette muttered more to herself but she had to admit that the offer was generous and relieving. She looked at Darien and could see the wonderment in his eyes.

  This would take the pressure off him too.

  “You can think about it, of course,” Edward started to say but Odette could see there was nothing to consider.

  “Yes! Of course! When can we come!”

  The family laughed.

  “We’ll work out the details,” Eva assured her. “Now let’s eat—”

  “Not yet,” Darien interjected, clearing his throat. “I have an announcement too.”