by Jane West
An acidic frost raked down my spine. I didn’t understand what was happening. Frantically, my eyes combed over the crimson robes as their chins tilted upward as though they were praying.
“What is going on?” I mumbled.
A sudden hush wafted throughout the darkened chamber. I held my breath waiting for the dark silhouette to step into the shallow light.
When the beast bared its face from the darkness, I screamed to the top of my lungs.
My eyes flew open, awakened by blood-curdling screams, my screams. I lunged out of bed, kicking the covers, arms fending off phantom hands that crawled over my skin. My heart raced like a horse sprinting to the finish line.
I collapsed to all fours, panting. Sweat poured off my body, and I shuddered. For the first time in ten years, the nightmare had changed.
I dragged myself to my feet and eased onto the edge of my bed. I felt drained, zapped of energy. I brushed my hand over my arm and flinched. A sharp pain suddenly bit. I rolled my sleeve up, and my breath lodged in my chest.
Visions of the faceless boy charged through my mind. I recalled the grating pain of his fingers digging into my flesh and how angry I'd become. Still, it was only a dream. It wasn't real. But how could I explain the bruises on my arm, the fingerprints?
I Didn’t Invite You
Sunday, the storm passed and the sun, in its finest glory, peeked from behind the horizon. All life had returned to normal. The birds chirped happily, the bugs sang their chorus, and I washed clothes and caught up with schoolwork.
By the early evening, I’d finished my last lesson, snapping my book closed when Sara threw open the front door, making a huge ruckus. She waddled in with a handful of grocery sacks, dropping them with a thud in the doorway.
I darted downstairs, and as I came to halt at the end of the steps, my jaw fell to the floor.
Sara scowled at me, ordering gruffly, “Well, stop standing there with your pie-hole open! Come help me!” She dropped the bags in the doorway, breathing heavily.
I shook my head, nearly speechless, “Oh-okay!” I trailed off after her.
When I stepped off the porch and lifted my gaze, I damn near dropped my jaw to the ground. “Where did you get the money for this car?” I froze eyeballing a red Ferrari.
“Stop gawking and just get the food!" Sara snapped.
“Oh-okay," I mumbled as I made way to the back of the car.
Sara had the trunk wide open and inside, I noted several Piggly Wiggly sacks. “Mom, what have you done?”
A wicked smile crossed her lips, the kind of smile a killer made right before he decapitated you.
“You likie?” Sara asked.
Irritated, I cut my eyes at her. “Mom, that’s not my question.”
She squirmed for a second, most liking thinking of what lie to tell. “The ride belongs to the Bane family. Since I am such an indispensable employee, they’re letting me drive their car. I suppose that’s the perks working for the richest family in town.”
“Uh-hmm, you want me to believe that the Bane’s are letting you drive a brand new Ferrari? Do you know how much one of those cars cost?” Doubt coated my voice like ice to the power lines.
“You don’t have to believe anything!” Sara gritted her teeth.
Whoops! There she went, confirming what I’d expected, lies. Deflection was a handy tool Sara used often. It was her defense like a sword to Samurai. Whenever she’d get caught in her many lies, she’d use anger to divert the attention off of her.
I glanced inside the cab, no sign of Francis. “Where’s your boyfriend?”
“He went to play cards with friends.” She smiled, though her eyes remained icy. Sara never faltered with impatience toward me. Tonight, her agitation seemed more heightened than normal.
“Oh!” I shrugged, shoving my hands in my pockets. “So why are you here?”
“I’m cooking dinner.”
“Dinner?” I scoffed. Sara burned water.
Slinky-like a cat, in six-inch heels, Sara sauntered to the back of the car. The dress she wore fit like second skin. “Yes, dinner.” She snarled, waving her hand at the trunk. Her blood colored nails glinted off the streetlight. She spouted orders as if I was the hired help. “Hurry up!” She nodded to the bags. “I ain’t got all night!”
I wanted to roll my eyes but knew better of the consequences. Instead, I asked, “Where did you get the money for all this?” I spied a box of dishes, plates, cups and cookware, pots and pans. Suspicion flickered around me. “All this food and cookware must've cost a small fortune.”
“Guest is coming for dinner.” A snide grin colored her face.
“Who?” My brows shot up.
“Your boyfriend.” She answered a-matter-of-factly.
“My boyfriend?”
“Yes, don’t play coy with me.” Sara snapped. “Get that sack out of the passenger’s side too. I bought you something nice to wear." Her gaze washed over me through critical eyes. "I don’t want you looking like a street urchin.” She tisked. “I brought makeup to show off your green eyes. Men love green eyes. For the life of me, I don’t understand why.”
“Dad liked my eyes!” Her insult grated me. Sara and I looked nothing alike. I favored Dad.
“Your eyes are average. That’s all I mean.” Another shot to the gut.
I narrowed my eyes at her, still clinching the bags in my hands. “You never told me the real reason you're here?”
Sara stepped up to my face and grabbed my chin, digging her sharp nails into my flesh. I bit back the stab. “I'm not going to let you ruin this for me. Aidan Bane already has a wandering eye.” She shoved my chin to the side. “This is your only chance to be somebody!” she snarled. “This young man is loaded to the hilt, and he is accustom to a certain quality of women. Not some country bumpkin like you.”
I glared at her, speechless.
Sara gathered a strand of my hair in her palm and turned her nose up at it, tossing it aside. I hope he likes redheads. I never got why the rave over the color myself.” Sara paused. “Well, what are you standing here for?”
I gulped hard, fighting back the tears as I glared at the woman who claimed to be my mother. Sara may have carried the title, but she'd never fulfilled her position. “Sara, if you want to cook Aidan Bane a meal, go right ahead. I won’t be here to cheer you on.” Her lack of confidence in me hurt. “And I won’t play dress up for you either.” I drew in a sharp breath. "I can stand on my own two feet without him."
“Oh really! Just how do you plan to do that?” Sara drew back her white teeth, sneering.
“I plan to go to college! Maybe I’ll become an attorney like Dad and live my life as I please.”
Sara snorted a wicked laugh. “You overrate your fucking father!”
“Whether I do or not you should be proud of me for my aspirations. Proud that I don’t need to prostitute my body out to a man in hopes he might toss a few coins at my feet.” Rancor sharpened my voice as I lashed out. “Get your own groceries!” I dropped the bags at her feet and stormed off, leaving Sara to her miserable, despicable self.
Only minutes after I’d entered the house and locked the door behind me, I heard Sara slamming the car door and wheels peeling.
I carried myself to bed and climbed in under the covers. I snatched a pillow, burying my face and cried.
After thirty minutes passed, the doorbell rang. A dark silhouette in a trench coat, beige-colored with a lopsided grin that spelled trouble, stared back at me.
Aidan Bane!
My brows collided. “What are you doing here?”
He lifted up several Piggly Wiggly bags, held in the grasp of his fingers. “Did you forget your groceries?” His blues bounced with amusement.
My lips twisted into a snare. “You still haven’t answered my question.” I wasn’t in the mood for any more unpleasant encounters tonight.
“Pardon me for the intrusion, but I'm your dinner guest for the night.” His dark brow perked, waving the grocery bags
. “I presume these sacks are for tonight.” He stood, devilishly handsome, shoulders ripped, straining against the fabric of his coat.
“I didn’t invite you.”
I could see the humor in his eyes as they gleamed a hole through me. He was laughing at my indifference toward him. Cocky bastard!
“Must I beg?” I caught a challenge in his eyes.
I bit my bottom lip, breaking my smile. “I’m not cooking.”
He flashed a cheeky grin, “Then I shall.” His firm mouth curled, taunting me.
I blew out a long sigh, flipping a strand of hair from my face as I stepped aside. “Straight to the back!” I leaned on the doorknob, frowning. Though secretly, I kicked myself for the sudden flurry of delight.
I followed Aidan as he took only a few strides to the kitchen. My steps were a bit slower as I stalled, admiring his tailored fit jeans. Or for a better term, poured into. The jeans framed the outline of his thighs and the solid shape of his buttocks. I bit down on my bottom lip, thinking, if that strut of his could be bottled and sold to the mass market, there’d be a lot of smiling housewives.
First shrugging off his coat, and tossing it over a chair, Aidan glimpsed at the broken windowpane in the door. “What happened there?” he pointed.
I shrugged. “Umm, pancakes and Sara.”
He eyed me and then at the window and then back to me, glowering. “I’ll get someone out here tomorrow to fix it.”
“No. I’ll get it repaired.” I didn’t know how. I didn't have a penny to my name.
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of it.” His eyes softened.
“Okay.”
Bane turned his attention to our dinner. He first washed his hands and then started emptying the bags and laying the items on the kitchen counter to see what was on the menu for the night. He grabbed the frying pan from the box and set it on top of the gas stove. He then popped out a couple of T-bone steaks shelved with butcher paper.
Next, he foiled a couple of potatoes, tossing them in the oven and turned it on high. Moving right along, he emptied a bag of salad in a large bowl. Next, he threw in a few sprinkles of white cheese, adding croutons and tossing the cold dish to a blend. Then he set the dish in the fridge.
I watched from the table, impressed that a rich boy knew his way around the kitchen.
Of course, his other attributes were just as impressive. For a boy who towered over most, shoulders board and threatening, he was light on his feet, moving with ease like a cat, fluidly and gracefully. His lean muscles flexing underneath his white shirt shot tingles to my toes.
My mind kept drifting to the last time we were together, the singe of his kisses and how he left me breathless. I almost wished that he’d pause dinner and usher me to the bedroom before I changed my mind. I snorted to myself. What a weak person I’d become, crumbling in his presence. I felt alive when I was with him, and yet, I didn’t feel like I belonged to myself either.
Then Gina rummaged through my mind. Did I honestly want to know if he was dating another girl? I shook my head. If I believed for one minute this dude liked me more than mere amusement, I was fooling myself. I should end this now, tell him to leave. Though, there was that thingy with him being my landlord. That might pose a problem.
My eyes drifted to his hands, and I wondered .
All of a sudden, Aidan spun around on his heels with two plates full to the brim. My eyes quickly bounced off the slight bulge in his jeans and darted to his face. I felt flushed. I hope he didn't see me checking him out.
He stopped in his tracks, eyes wide. “What? Did I forget something?” He stood holding each plate in his hand, brows arched.
Yeah, my virginity. Do not breathe that out loud. I warned myself inwardly. “Nope looks swell.” I faked a smile.
We settled down to eat in the kitchen. The table was as tight as Bane's car. His board shoulders and height swallowed up the nook. The small table wasn't big enough for two people. Our plates clinked together, and his knees kept brushing mine.
I found myself liking the coziness.
It was odd to me that he didn't seem bothered by our lack of utensils. Short of a knife, we shared the one steak knife. Although there wasn't much sharing to do. He did all the work. He cut mine up for me and fed me my first bit. My cheeks flamed under his watchful glint.
Apart from my embarrassment, the boy didn’t disappoint. The steak was delicious.
Then I thought about Sara. Her hurtful words chapped my butt worse than a dog dragging his ass across a rug. I decided to kick off the night with, “I hear you’re dating Gina?” I bit down on a bite of steak a little too hard.
For a split instant, Bane's eyes mirrored surprised. He recovered quite smoothly as he replied, “Rumors circle this small town rather hastily.” He flashed his tawny dimples. “I think they are a waste of precious breath if you ask me.”
“Well, I’m not sure you can call it wasteful when you get it straight from the source.” I held my gaze.
A moment of unease had passed before Aidan spoke. “Love, what can I say? I do have to keep up appearances.” He smiled, taking a huge bite of steak.
I hated his cavalier tone and the fact that he wasn’t admitting nor denying. I looked out the window to compose myself, though it didn’t do much good. Nighttime had fallen, and I couldn't see anything passed my reflection. A sour lemony face stared back at me. “My mother came to visit a while ago.” I dropped my gaze to my plate and stabbed a piece of meat. “She was trying to make me more presentable. She bought a dress for the occasion. My mother thinks I’m too plain for a boy like you.” I laid my fork down and lifted my gaze to his. “I want to know why you’re here. Clearly, I’m not your type.”
He followed my lead by laying his fork gently on his plate, and then politely patted his mouth with his napkin, putting the white linen to the side and rested his hands in his lap. When our gaze latched, his deep blues were far too piercing. “Sara doesn’t see you through my eyes.” He almost whispered.
Confusion plagued my head. I couldn't be sure if he was teasing me or if he was serious. I responded as any logical person. “Huh?”
A tug at the corner of his mouth told me he wanted to laugh. “Why do you do this to yourself?”
“Do what to myself?”
“Your mother… is she always so abrupt with you?”
“Abrupt?”
“Yes. I think you don’t give yourself enough credit. Most girls in your position would’ve taken up prostituting or stripping.”
“Like Gina?” I snapped.
“Gina serves a purpose.” He replied with dark irony.
“Purpose like how?” I pushed.
“Must you insist on the answer to that?” The ire in his voice hummed in the air.
I shook my head, annoyed with his eschewal. “Why Gina, of all people?”
“Why do you think I’m seeing Gina?”
I couldn’t believe him. “Even Sara knows.” I shrugged. “If you are, you are. Just own it.” I hated myself for acting this way, but I felt betrayed.
“I’m not seeing Gina. She asked for a ride home. I was at Mother Blues playing pool with my cousin. Gina had been drinking. She and her friend, Sally, got into a tiff. Sally left her ass stranded without a ride. I simply gave the girl a ride home. Nothing more.”
“Aren’t you the gallant one?” I rolled my eyes.
The air became thick and guilt riddled my mind. I’d ruined the night with my petty jealousy. If he hadn’t strayed before, I was certain he would now.
His fingers strummed the table. A tense moment of quiet had drifted between us before he responded. “I remember Gina’s comment concerning your father.” He paused. His blues were intense, striking my heart, “She behaved maliciously.”
My chin dipped down as I bit back the urge to tear. “I recall that day. Under the tall oak, you called me miserable.”
A sardonic smile tipped the corners of his mouth. “Love, you are mistaken. It was later that day durin
g the ride to your home is when I spoke out hastily.”
“Whatever! You still said it.” I pointed out sharply.
There was a faint glint of humor in his eyes. “Look! We didn’t have the most pleasant beginning.” He gathered to his feet and made his way to me. I glanced up into his face as he kneeled before me, gently taking my chin into his palm. His eyes stopped on the edge of my jaw.
His tone abruptly dropped into anger. “You’re bruised and marked.” His arctic glare forced me to look away. “Who did this to you?”
I jerked my face away. “It’s nothing.” I tried to pull myself to my feet, but Bane rested his hands on my waist, keeping me seated.
“Did Sam do this?”
I caught a spark of rage in his voice.
I shrugged. “No.”
Bane leaned back on his haunches. His blues darkened as he realized. “Sara!” His lips tightened with anger.
Swiftly, he gathered to his feet, with my upper arm in his hand, dragging me with him. “Go pack your things! You’re coming to my place. I’ll have Jeffery come for the rest of your items tomorrow.”
“Why do I have to go with you?”
“I’m not leaving you here alone.” He snarled.
“It’s okay! I'm used to Sara.” I tried not to make such a big deal out of it. “My mom is bi-polar.” I pushed his hands away. “If she were on her meds, she would’ve never touched me.”
He half twisted his shoulder from me, raking his fingers through his coal hair, sighing with frustration. His fingers grazed my cheek. “Look at me.” he persuaded gently.
I first didn’t comply, but after a moment, I slowly lifted my gaze to him. “I can’t stay with you,” I spoke, pushing back the knot in my throat. “If my mother blew up over me riding in a car with you, what will she do if I move in with you?”
“She won’t bother you, I promise. I’ll have a Fort Knox of protection.”
Bane was only offering out of pity. “I appreciate your kindness, but Sara is my mom, and I have to deal with it myself.”
His blues became harsh. “How well is that working for you?” He growled, stalking over to the fridge, opening it. His eyes combed over the selves. Only a few items stared back at him, a piece of pie and a covered bowl of gumbo. Courteous of Ms. Noel. Bane spun on his heels, turning his blaze at me. “This isn’t living!” he shouted. Then he bolted to the cabinetry and started opening one door after another. “Your cupboards are empty! How are you surviving?” He turned his heated gaze back at me.