Twisted Secrets

by Amy McKinley

“The police were here today.” I cut him off, not willing to listen to his belittlement and condemnation. “A lot of my clothes were slashed.”

  He paled then pressed his lips together in a straight line so tight that they were leached of color. “I should stay the night. That would be safer for you.”

  As if. “Did you have anything to do with that?”

  He waved away my question with his hand. “God no, and I’m surprised that you would even contemplate me having anything to do with something so petty, so plebian.”

  I rolled my eyes. It took all kinds to break the law, and if he would remove the privilege from his shoulders, he would understand that.

  “I should look around.”

  “What do you think you’ll find that the police didn’t?”

  Before I could stop him, he turned and walked through the living room and kitchen, passing the bathroom on the way to my bedroom. Then he backtracked when something obviously caught his eye. “Why is your bikini drying on the curtain rod?”

  “Obviously, I went swimming, not that it’s any of your business.”

  “When did you have time to do that?” He turned to me, the color swiftly returning to his face, and his nostrils flared. “Did you go with anyone?”

  Nope. We aren’t doing this. “Thank you for answering my questions. I’m tired. It’s been a long day, and it’s time for you to go.”

  “I’m not going anywhere,” he said with a growl.

  The hell he wasn’t. “You know, I didn’t tell the police about your temper when they asked me if anyone came to mind who might have broken in or destroyed my clothes. Your behavior is making me second-guess myself.”

  Charles huffed as he strode past me to the door. He paused, spearing me with a glance over his shoulder. “This isn’t the end of us, Riley.”

  “You’re married. It’s over.” My own anger flared at his veiled threat. “If you think to flunk me or affect my grade in any way out of spite, for a class which I will be finishing remotely, I will be forced to tell the police, the university’s board, and your wife about us—in great detail. We are done. Stay away from me.”

  His lip curled into a sneer. Before he could say anything else, I slammed the door shut behind him then slid the bolt home and sagged against the solid wood. I needed to get a security chain installed. Will this day ever end?

  12

  Riley

  With a full cup of coffee in hand, I clicked send on the emails I’d addressed to each of my three professors. All assignments due were attached, and I requested that I handle the upcoming ones from home as well. I would go in for tests or to deliver my portfolio, which was almost complete. I still had some editing to do.

  It was not the best way to start a Monday, but I wouldn’t step foot on campus after the break-in and confrontation with Charles. I needed a mental breather.

  The sound of my phone ringing pulled me away from my laptop, and I set it aside, making sure to see who was calling before answering. It was Melanie, and I frowned as I said hello.

  “Hey, Riles. Can you cover my shift this afternoon?”

  “I can’t. I’ve got plans with a boatload of homework.” That was partially true. My homework was slotted for the morning, and I was heading to the beach with Xander later, which I would not trade in for covering her shift.

  A few seconds passed. “Is it homework or Charles?” Her voice vibrated with fury.

  I didn’t want to get into it with her. We’d been there and done that. And I hoped she would get over him soon, because she’d been a good friend before. “No. I’m not dating Charles.” My other line beeped, and I almost sighed with relief. “I’ve got to go. Another call’s coming in.” She started to say something, but I’d clicked over to Ava. I pushed aside the awkward and overly jealous call with Charles’s apparent stalker and said hello to Aves, hoping the tension wasn’t apparent in my voice.

  “I thought I’d call and see if you were all right.” Ava’s voice sounded wary. “Or if the professor spent the night.”

  “What?” I paused with my cup lifted halfway to my mouth then shook my head, even though she couldn’t see it. “No way. I kicked him to the curb for the last time.”

  She laughed. “Okay, good. I was worried.” Silverware clinked against a glass, and I could picture her with a cup of freshly brewed coffee.

  “You shouldn’t be. I have no plans to take Charles back. Honestly, I can’t believe I wasted six months on his lying ass.” I shifted in my seat and clicked around on my laptop, bringing up the pictures that I would need to edit for my final portfolio then a few I planned to send to the gallery. Scrolling through, I found a few I’d snapped of Ava when we had gone shopping. I’d promised her that I would send them to her later that day.

  “I’m still stunned that he’s married.”

  “You and me both. It takes a special kind of douchebag to cheat on his wife.”

  “Hmm. How in the world did he keep the relationship with you secret?”

  I grimaced. Through my naïveté. “It was probably easy for him at first. We only met at my place or his office.”

  “You never went out anywhere else with him? No restaurants, movies, nothing?”

  “This is embarrassing.” I abandoned sorting through my pictures and instead looked out the sliding doors to the lanai that offered a glimpse of the ocean. “After he wore me down and I agreed to go on a date with him, he would suggest things like a picnic in his office or remote restaurants. I did so because I wanted to protect his career. If he’d been seen with me, it could’ve been a problem.”

  “Wow, that’s so romantic.”

  I could picture Ava’s eye roll. “Right. It wasn’t. And when he complained about never having home-cooked meals, I invited him to my apartment. That became our routine, with the occasional drive to a distant beach where we would spread out a blanket, sip wine, and talk.” Among other things.

  “Talk?”

  “For a little while.” I didn’t want to admit how little we talked. “Honestly, he was incredible when we were first seeing each other. The way he treated me and the belief he had in me helped to build my confidence. He got me involved and out of my shell. He helped me see my strengths, something I wasn’t used to looking at. And he’s so smart. But there were a few negatives too.” He wasn’t interested in my photography, not really. Oh, he pretended at first, but I’d caught him with one too many glazed expressions to fool myself for long. I’d adjusted my expectations and instead let him monopolize our conversations with his concerns or accomplishments. I’d learned my lesson and wouldn’t do that again.

  Toward the end, I think he was tired of me. Not only did I suspect he was still seeing Melanie, but there may even have been someone else, despite his insistence in winning me back, which was possibly completely ego-driven.

  My thoughts drifted to Xander and how different it was when we were together. He was attentive, listened, and asked questions. It wasn’t a one-sided conversation, and I never felt like he was only thinking about how soon before he could get me into bed. He had an aura of confident control, but not in a way that would override my opinion.

  “I’m not trying to be judgmental here, but you didn’t think it was odd that he never took you out to the movies or even to walk around town?”

  I rubbed my forehead and leaned back in my chair, suddenly exhausted. “I did, and when I brought it up to him, we argued. I had a lot on my plate, too, with work and school. Trust me. His unwillingness to do anything different was a point of contention between us. And the more I pushed him away, the more we fought.”

  “He sounds like a child deprived of a shiny new toy. I’ve warned my husband against cheating.”

  “I’m sure your husband is nothing like Charles.” I felt terrible that I could have caused an issue with Ava’s marriage by having her watch me go through this with a married man. I was sure it would manifest certain fears for most women.

  Ava’s sigh echoed my own weariness. “Are you sure
you’re okay?”

  I thought about when he first approached me and how I should have looked at him through my camera’s lens. For some reason, that revealed hidden layers I didn’t normally pick up on. “I will be if he leaves me alone.”

  “You need to draft an email to the board about his conduct and have it ready in case he continues to harass you. Use it as a threat if he comes around again. All you would need to do is hold your phone up, your thumb hovering over send. A peek at the contents should be enough to make him back off if his career and reputation are threatened.”

  I sat up straight, pivoting toward my computer. “That’s a great idea.” I opened a new email and jotted a note in the body of it so I would remember what needed to be written when I got off the phone.

  An email about a recent purchase landed in my inbox, and I welcomed the news as a change of topic. Charles had taken up entirely too much of my morning. “I ordered that book, The Spider’s Prey, that you were reading the other day. Since you and Mel like C. Marx’s work so much, I wanted to check it out too.”

  “Oh, you’ll definitely find it interesting. Let me know what you think.”

  I grinned, looking forward to its arrival. It would be a welcome distraction from my life.

  13

  Riley

  That afternoon, the sun beat down on Xander and me. I loosely wrapped my arms around my bent knees, digging my toes in the sand. Waves rolled in the distance, and the droplets of water that had beaded on my skin after our hour of surfing had long since dried. We’d stretched out on beach towels in companionable silence. I didn’t work that day, but I was scheduled for Tuesday. When he’d called early Monday morning, I jumped at the chance to have a day at the beach—in public.

  This time, we’d gone to a military beach. It was less crowded, but there were still people around. The differences between Xander and Charles were many, and I loved every one.

  Movement caught my gaze as a shirtless guy jogged close to the water’s edge. Sweat glistened on his chiseled body, momentarily distracting me. He curved inward, and a curvy woman met him halfway, threw her arms around him, kissed him, then jogged back to her towel.

  I turned back to Xander and experienced the familiar jolt of attraction.

  I wasn’t the only one who’d noticed the guy. A fierce frown told me that Xander must know him and maybe didn’t have the best relationship with him. When Xander shifted his focus to me, I swore I saw jealousy in those stormy eyes of his. “Do you know him?”

  “Yeah. That’s Daryl. He’s a SEAL too.”

  “Oh. I take it you’re not on the best terms?”

  Daryl stopped running when he arrived at the pretty blonde reclining on a towel.

  “It’s nothing.” Xander seemed to dismiss his mood and shrugged.

  I cast one more glance at the couple and wondered why they seemed to be a source of discontent to Xander.

  He leaned over and plopped my sun hat on my head. “Your nose is getting red.”

  “Thanks.” I turned toward him as he mimicked my posture and smiled. He seemed to have moved on from our brief exchange over the other people. Longing for my camera, I promised myself I would bring it next time we were together and take some pictures. My gaze lingered on the small pink scar near his shoulder.

  “Want to tell me about it?” Xander asked.

  I jolted at the deep cadence of his voice, and my hat shifted from the sudden movement. “What do you mean?”

  He adjusted my hat, his gaze boring into me. “You’ve been distracted sitting here. And when I catch you off guard, I can tell you’re anxious from how jumpy you are.”

  Busted. I didn’t want to talk about Charles, but the break-in was still bothering me. “My apartment was broken into the other day, and I’ve been pretty stressed since it happened.”

  “Were you inside at the time?” His gaze raked over me, and the easygoing Xander I’d come to know transformed. In his place was an intense and lethal soldier. I shivered from the instant metamorphosis but was oddly comforted.

  “No.” I waved away his concern. “I came home from work and found my door open. I called 9-1-1 and waited until the police arrived to go inside. He looked a lot like you. I think he was your brother.”

  “Jaxon was there?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Then yeah, he’s my older brother. I’m glad he checked out your place and made sure it was safe. Did he find anything?”

  I knew the officer had looked familiar. “No. It’s a bit of a mystery.”

  His gaze turned speculative. “Do you think it was your ex-boyfriend?”

  I weighed my options, but when it came down to casting a shadow on Charles, I wasn’t too worried. Xander wasn’t the police. “To be honest, it crossed my mind. He hasn’t taken our breakup well. I watched his reaction when I accused him of breaking in, and he was shocked. I don’t think it was him.”

  “But you’re worried about him? Could he be behind the hit you took on the street the other day?”

  “No. He’s not at all like that, just bossy and condescending. I warned him that if he comes around, I’ll drop his name to the police as a possible suspect. There’s another ace I have up my sleeve, too, that will ensure he leaves me alone.”

  “Do you want to share what that is?” Mischief played around the corners of his mouth as he grinned. “Need any help?”

  I laughed. “I’ve got it under control, but thanks for your willingness to help.” Of course, my stomach chose that moment to growl, and loudly. I’d had a banana for breakfast and a salad before we got together, but after surfing, I was hungry.

  Xander’s grin widened. “Want to go into town and grab something to eat at one of the cafes? We can sit outside and have sandwiches.”

  I relaxed. It was normal, going out and doing stuff together. I let my guard slip a little more. “Since my stomach seems to be eating itself, that’s probably a good idea.”

  We packed up. Xander carried the boards and the cooler, and I had the beach bags. Thankfully, we were dry from sitting on the beach after surfing. I slipped on my cover-up and climbed into his truck while he secured everything in the back.

  With no classes or work to worry about that day, I enjoyed every unencumbered minute of my time with him. When we were settled with seat belts on and the windows down, he pulled out into traffic. I twisted my hair into a messy bun on top of my head and leaned against the backrest. It didn’t take long until we were downtown, and Xander parked on the street in front of a cute little café. It was seat yourself, so we chose a table in the far corner of the patio. A waiter appeared, handed us menus, and took our drink orders.

  We read the selections in silence. Only a handful of minutes passed before the waiter returned, and Xander asked me if I was ready to order. I nodded then gave the waiter my selection of a buffalo chicken wrap. I sipped my tea as Xander told him what he wanted.

  We chatted about my classes and how I only had around a week and a half left until graduation, and then our food arrived. He inhaled his burger then chuckled. “They make the best burgers here. I’ll be going native on the island. There aren’t any restaurants.”

  “Are the kitchens completed in any of the cottages? Or will you have to cook on a grill or over a bonfire?”

  “Two of the houses are close to being done. The kitchens are finished, just some minor painting and updates left. It’s the others that need a full gut and reno.”

  A few times after surfing or carrying the boards and cooler, I’d noticed him rotate and rub his shoulder. “Are you going to be able to manage the renovation work on the island with your injury?” I hoped we would have time to go out again before he left. The thought of not hanging out with him anymore didn’t appeal. He was fast becoming a friend and possibly much more. Other than Ava and sometimes Chloe or Melanie, he was the only person I saw outside of work or class.

  He reached over and tugged at a long strand of my dark hair that had come loose from my hasty bun. “I lost you for a s
econd there.” I grinned, refocusing on the present, and he shrugged. “I’m healed well enough to get the work done on the island.”

  I hadn’t seen a shrapnel wound before and wasn’t sure how I felt about how easily he seemed to accept it. “Can you talk about what happened? Were you on tour?” I worried my bottom lip between my teeth. “I don’t even know what you do, exactly.” Or what the correct military terms are.

  “It happened on mission last month.” He pointed to his shoulder. “I recovered after on base. Now, I’m off duty and on leave for a few weeks, but that’ll end soon.”

  Alarm skated along my spine. “Will you be leaving on deployment again?” I didn’t want to let go of the possibilities between us so soon.

  “It’s possible, but not for a couple of weeks.” Shadows darkened his eyes. “Normally, I wouldn’t have taken leave after recovery. I’m able to get back into the action, but we have a new team leader—the guy who was jogging on the beach—and he likes to do things differently.”

  His voice changed when he mentioned the new person, and I got the impression he wasn’t too fond of him. By his shuttered expression, he didn’t seem open to talking about it, so instead, we finished our meal, engaging in an easy conversation that didn’t center on his career. The entire time, I wondered if the change in leadership would cause dissention between himself and his team. I knew all about uncomfortable work situations.

  For example, Melanie and I were having trouble getting along recently, but we tried. At first, things had been good. We had getting an MFA in common and several classes together. The catalyst for the tension between us was the theory class she’d recommended I take, specifically with our advisor, Charles.

  After we finished and the bill was paid, we returned to his truck, and he drove me back to my apartment. Shades of pink, red, and orange infused the sky. As the sun descended, the colors would deepen to a vibrancy that was breathtaking.

  He shut the motor off and went around to open my door. Taking my beach bag from me, he locked his truck then threaded his fingers through mine. We walked hand in hand up the stairs to my apartment. The silence between us was thick with tension, and the hairs on my arms and neck rose in anticipation. Will he come in? Do I want him to? Everything about him drew me in.