Taunted Souls: A Friends to Lovers Romance

by Janice Ross

  I shook off the words and prepared to shut the door. Her feet pounded the entire way down the steps. From directly behind me, Erika continued with the insanity. The last set of words clung hard: “I’ll be the last man standing when this is over!”

  I paused on the top porch steps. The sentence flashed through my mind. The words were foreign for Erika but caused sharp pain to ride down my neck. Part of me was curious enough to turn around and ask her to explain; while another part wanted to forget it altogether.

  Perhaps I’d pursue it further when I came back for some things. I didn’t know for sure. I was nowhere near paranoid, but a realist. Those words, that threat however, held significance. For now, I needed to pull away from everything that had taken place within those walls. This was my house, but Erika had nothing of her own. She’d given up her career up north, because it was connected to her ex. She’d gladly moved away from New York, because her ex lived there. I’d gotten involved and moved fast to prove a point.

  That’s it.

  But I’d played myself. All I’d needed to do was convince Shayna of our destiny. Erika shouldn’t ever have been in my life.

  I loved Shayna. “Yes, Shayna,” I affirmed out loud once behind the wheel.

  Just then, the phone buzzed. I reached for my pocket. Empty. A light flashed from the floor of the truck at the same time. Before my fingers could reach it, the buzzing ended.

  Five missed calls from Shayna. Coupled with the nudging up and down my neck, my stomach churned.

  “Shay?” I called into the line once the return call was accepted.

  “Where the hell are you?” It wasn’t her voice.

  “Who the hell are you and where’s Shayna?”

  “If you cared so much, your ass would’ve answered the phone sooner.” The female blew a loud breath into the line. “Look, it’s Emma. The asshole came back. You need to get back here now, Lucas.”

  I didn’t need convincing.

  ~

  —————

  SHAYNA

  “WE TOOK HIM DOWN!” Salty tears dripped into my mouth. Oh my God, did I do something wrong?

  “Where’s your boyfriend? Was he here?” The same asshole cop from earlier now cornered me. He smirked and leaned closer, blowing stale coffee breath into my face.

  “Your buddy’s a total jerk,” Emma spat out at the other one.

  “Tell me something I don’t know,” the guy replied, followed by a wink.

  I didn’t miss the exchange, especially when my bestie returned the wink. Taking hold of Emma's elbow, I led her away from the guys inside the kitchen. I didn’t stop until we stood just at the front foyer. The entire house contracted around me. I was out of sync and hella out of place. It no longer felt like I belonged here, or like it belonged to me.

  “What the hell, Shay?” Emma scolded loud enough for them to hear. Someone laughed. I’d bet anything it was the jerk cop.

  “You’re not seriously flirting with that guy. Are you, Emma?” The back of my hands flew up on my hips. Just like she wanted to play my protector, I wanted to be her common sense. “Please tell me you’re not.”

  “Why not?” Emma replied matter-of-factly. Her eyes formed large bowls, with wide eyelashes that flapped like all was well in Lala Land.

  I bit on the insides of my cheek to keep from laughing hard, from making any kind of noise.

  “Please, Shayna. Now that you mention it, he’s not bad looking.” She winked at me this time, then whispered, “I need a closer look.” She swung for the kitchen, shaking her ass with each step.

  Leave it up to Emma to shake things up. After what had just taken place only minutes earlier, I was beyond mortified. We had struggled as if our lives hung in the balance, which they pretty much had. This wasn't the past. This was now . . . the present. And for the second time in less than twenty-four hours, my life was being shook the hell up.

  —

  Lucas’s truck hit the corner just as the cop car started pulling away. Their vehicles rolled by each other slowly. They paused. Words were exchanged and then they proceeded as before. Emma followed me to the curb.

  “You don’t think this has to do with Van, right?” I whispered closer to her ear. I didn’t know what to make of this whole thing. Neither of us had seen the intruder before now. I was pretty certain he wasn’t one of Van’s men. But he came back, even without Lucas being there. Emma and I kicked his ass, but he still disappeared out the door before the cops arrived. No doubt he’d be back.

  “No, I doubt it, Shay. This isn’t Van. This has your boy’s chick’s name on it.” Emma stretched her hand toward him.

  Emma studied Lucas. No words, just a hateful glare.

  We’d packed up a few things as the cops wrapped things up. The contractor had also set up a makeshift cover for the door. He’d be back at the beginning of next week. We collected my bags from the foyer and carried them down to the front of the yard.

  With the exception of a distant glare from the sun, the front yard carried a sort of darkness. The surrounding homes and inhabitants almost seemed to stand on the outskirts of my own personal world. I advanced to Lucas, followed closely by Emma. He embraced me with sensual eyes. It wasn’t that we were ultra-sexual at the moment, but everything seemed potent between us.

  Emma snarled and did a good job of throwing hate. “Now you show up,” Emma addressed Lucas before I could begin.

  “Em—” he mumbled only to be cut off by my friend’s hand reaching up into the air.

  “Lucas, I don’t know what the hell is going on with you and this nonsense, but I need my friend to be okay.” Emma drew the bag closer to her chest, then moved straight across the lawn to stand in the driveway. “She’s not getting caught up in anyone else’s drama.”

  “I don’t have any drama.”

  “But that’s where you’re wrong. Just because you don’t want to admit it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.” By this point Emma had reached Lucas. She stood right in his path. His eyes drifted beyond her, into the distance and set away from the scene. “I knew you and Shayna would find each other beyond the stubbornness, Lucas. I knew you weren’t about to marry someone else, but don’t be mistaken, I’m not going to let you put her in danger either.”

  ~

  —————

  LUCAS

  I STAYED OUTSIDE of my truck until they turned the corner. Shayna's stare held mine as long as possible. The electricity extending from the look alone was confirmation of her need for me. I could've chased them down, ripped her from the car and revisited the night before. No one will change that ever again, especially not me. Screw Emma, Erika or anyone else. I would love Shayna even if it crushed me; I'd fight for her, even if it killed me.

  For now, however, I couldn't allow myself to stand by and wait for something to happen. I pulled the cell from my pocket to get in touch with my buddy and business partner, Rory, over the intruder and maybe throw my energy into our current, local project. We had been flipping houses for years, from states up and down the East Coast. Since that time, we’ve helped make homeowners out of those less fortunate than us.

  I turned the corner to our newest and exhaled about thirty minutes later. The last house on the block was a beast of a wreck when Rory Ackerman had led Bash Wilton, a minor partner, and me to the spot months ago. Rory’s vision was remarkable, and was proven with this one. Not even from the outside, could anyone have imagined the treasure we had. At the time, the only benefit I saw was in the fact that it resided in a cul-de-sac. I now had to force myself to get out of the ride and walk into the house I’d gotten used to spending hours in.

  Rory squinted at me from the center of the house, where he’d been painting the ceiling. His red hair was pulled into a ponytail, though paint and dust were everywhere. I ignored his bitter side-eye.

  “When I didn't hear from you last night, I was ready to check the police station for your ass,” Rory grunted. “Shit, I wasn’t sure if I should rejoice or worry that you got a li
fe outside of this.”

  “Yeah, man.” I shook my head and walked away.

  Although each of us had no problem in doing our part, I was supercharged, with an ultra-human ability to work nonstop for days. This had become my sanity. Moreover, there was a reason I'd called Rory beforehand; I didn't make a habit of sharing too much with Bash. He was a judgmental bastard when he wanted to be.

  “That’s all you have to say? You had the most excitement you’ve had since—”

  “Enough, Rory! Damn!” My words rang throughout the house. We faced each other. We were friends, yet for a brief second, we became enemies. I was aggravated, frustrated and pissed over Rory’s inability to let the past be forgotten.

  “You think that pretending the past never happened is going to make it easier to bear?” We were only a few inches apart, so when Rory drew closer in proximity, things seemed pressed. Regardless of how long we’d been friends, or how many trials we’d endured as brothers, neither of us were above stepping to the other. Rory held an advantage in height and reach, he could easily command most people and situations without trying. I was a beast in more ways than I cared to admit. And though I respected Rory, I wasn’t easily intimidated or bullied.

  “This crap is counterproductive,” Bash tried to interject. He’d entered the room cautiously. While his steps were slow and with little distance, my mind ran rapid. With every word, topped by every thought, sparked by being in the midst of a standoff, Bash’s presence only pissed me off further.

  “Counterproductive my ass,” Rory blurted out, as he flexed his arms. “I hit rock bottom. You hit rock bottom. Shit, Bash was right there with us. We fucking survived the gutter.”

  “You think I don’t know that? Every damn day that shit crosses my mind, does that mean I’m looking to relive it?”

  A bout of emptiness hung in the air. Not much space existed between the three of us. And as much steam channeled out from Rory, my fury was replicated. It wasn’t just this situation, we carried a load much greater than many.

  “Dude.” Bash dug in first to Rory, then turned to me. “Dude.

  The only response to travel amongst any of us was the raging breaths. The air was thick like hell . . . almost stifling. Our emotions, our nerves, and even our actions were on the verge of an epic explosion.

  “I’ve danced around you two, and this bullshit for long enough.” Bash rested a hand on each of our shoulders. Neither one of us did anything more than flinch, just slightly. The tension stretched throughout the home, squeezing all life and sanity from Rory and me.

  We collided.

  We tossed and slammed each other around the room. The noise from our fight echoed through every corner of the house. I heard Bash’s voice in a deep tone, but we were too far gone to listen to any type of logic. The one time Bash did try to squeeze in between us, he was shoved off to the side.

  At one point, however, I did catch a glimpse of him as he stood just underneath the threshold leading further back into a short hallway. Bash’s arms were folded and his back rested against the wall. His eyes were squinted, though his lips turned up at the edges. That brief distraction was enough to throw me off from Rory, and get clobbered in the process. Once steadied again, we went on to exchange punch after punch and kick after kick until I threw up my hands in surrender.

  “Enough!” I called through dry heaves.

  It didn’t take much to stop Rory either, as he leaned forward. His palms rested on his thighs.

  “What the hell is this?” I shouted, still struggling to catch my breath. I kicked aside a few tools that had gotten tossed around the place.

  “You’re a douche bag,” Rory answered, but turned to point at Bash instead of me.

  “You’re turning this shit on me? You’re an asshole, but you wanna blame me?” Bash maintained his distance. Jet-black pupils, to match his thick midnight hair, squinted. I got a bad feeling down in my gut. This guy was enjoying this shit!

  “We’re about ready to kill each other, but you stand at the sidelines to watch,” Rory spat. He took swift footsteps to confront Bash head-on.

  “He’s got a point,” I chimed in.

  “Screw you both. I’ve always felt like the odd man out. It’s always your choices, your decisions. And . . . and you still never told me how we got the money to buy all this shit and houses and cars.” Bash ran both sets of fingers through his hair as he backed away from Rory.

  A cold chill raced down my spine. There were certain things we never discussed, things we never ever thought about. For me and Rory, our financial woes were one of them. Bash might’ve been part of our brotherhood, but we had no choice than to keep him in the dark.

  “Get the hell outta here,” Rory barked. This wasn’t just something he’d thrown out. He truly meant it. I knew him enough to realize he’d had his fill of Bash. “We’re brothers. If there was something you needed to know, then your ass would’ve known it. Everything I do for myself, I damn well do it for you too. Everything Lucas does for himself, he damn well does it for us too. So what the hell are you bitching about?”

  “Man, I’m not gonna allow myself to get ganged up. I’m out.” Bash rushed off to the front door. He walked out without looking back. Neither of us pursued him. It was for the best because certain cans had no business being opened. Instead, I held my breath. Kinda feel like he might've been doing the same.

  I was the first to speak. “He’s right, Rory.”

  “There’s nothing to be right or wrong about. It just is.”

  “All this talk about the past; now you wanna avoid it, Rory?”

  He shook his head, then wrapped his palms around a pile of his red hair that had slipped out of his ponytail. Rory could be a loose cannon when he wanted to be. I knew much of who he was, but also knew there was a helluva lot more. He talked the talk, and for the most part walked the walk. But considering what we’d done to get here, I understood fully. Like Bash, I left without another word.

  ~

  So much flashed through my mind, but everything now centered on Shayna. If anything had happened to her, can’t say I would've been able to remain calm. At the same time, this all pointed to me and Erika. As much as I couldn't stand Rory's behavior right then, I trusted him more than Bash.

  Since Erika had gotten back in touch with her family, she had all sorts of twisted individuals in her life. This vendetta she now had against Shayna, it had to end, and whoever was egging her on needed to get shut down as well. I had to confront her now. There was no telling what would happen or if any of her family would be around. Honestly, I didn't give a shit. I tried her number, only to be sent to voicemail after two rings.

  This was gonna be a long-ass day. Someone had to address this. Yeah, I felt like shit for Erika getting hurt. I’m not a heartless bastard. But damn. I needed to approach this head-on, even though this could blow up in my face. I would be fine. I only had to make sure Shayna would be as well. So I set aside my pride and texted Rory Shayna’s number. I didn't attach an explanation, since I wasn't sure myself. If anything major went down, he had to be able to protect her for me.

  Right after, I decided to seek out my ex-fiancée.

  Erika’s car was gone by this point. But Bash’s truck idled in the front of my house. He was still in the driver’s seat, watching as I turned up the driveway. When I parked and got out, he did too.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked. This was never the norm for him. In the several years since I’d owned the house, I don’t think he’d come here more than a handful of times.

  “Rory is out of control,” he began, taking deep breaths that caused his chest to rise and dip. I was floored by the level of hate Bash showed against our damn brother! “He thinks this shit is about him. That asshole can’t do shit for me.”

  I unlocked the door. Bash shoved past me.

  “Whatever the hell is going on with you, I’m gonna need you to calm down.” I left him at the entrance, right on the inside of the door. “Don’t move, I’ll
be back.” Since Erika wasn’t here, I surveyed the house. Everything was exactly the same as earlier.

  I heard the front door pull, then shut.

  Good, he needed to leave.

  The place just didn’t have the feeling of being mine anymore. Whether it was the level of insanity traveling through the walls, or the overall negativity, I felt a disconnect from my castle. Going down the stairs, I grunted when I didn't see Bash and moved to lock the door.

  A loud noise rang through my head as my hand rested on the doorknob. That along with a blunt force.

  ~

  —————

  SHAYNA

  “IT CAN’T BE this serious, Shay. Granted, you screwed her man, but there’s gotta be more .” Emma broke the long silence.

  “Shut up! I didn’t screw her man.”

  “Practically . . .”

  “Look. Never mind. You got the devil inside of you, and I’m not having it.”

  “Devil and all, you love me.” She smiled.

  I lifted my shoulders to shrug her off. Emma hadn’t said anything wrong or foreign. Getting pissed off over Lucas would’ve been a normal response for anyone. Sending a hitman after me, one that returned for blood, was a story all in itself. Neither of us spoke again until we reached Emma’s townhouse, some fifteen minutes south in Middletown.

  “He hasn’t called?” Emma's question was tinged with an accusatory tone.

  “I don’t know. I turned it off right after we left.” I knew what was going through my friend’s mind. I knew her long enough and had been privy to her far-off antics to know her mind was racing. So I added, “Lucas isn’t that guy, Emma.”